Skip to main content

Full text of "History of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, Pa.; with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers"

See other formats 


The  original  of  this  book  is  in 
the  Cornell  University  Library. 

There  are  no  known  copyright  restrictions  in 
the  United  States  on  the  use  of  the  text. 


http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924100388143 


In  compliance  with  current 

Copyright  law,  Cornell  University 

Library  produced  this 

replacement  volume  on  paper 

that  meets  the  ANSI  Standard 

Z39.48-1992  to  replace  the 

irreparably  deteriorated  original. 

2005 


CORNELL 

UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARY 


o^TORy 


o 


^ 


£ 


4^ 
^4 


mk.'r^ 


A  "l  J 


V 


A  ^ 


AND 


I 


A 


COUNTIES,  PA. 

WITH 


lltt^tratwit^t  ^'^A 


i0gra|likal  ^lidche, 


OF 


SOME  OF  THEIR  PROMINENT  MEN  and  PIONEERS. 


NEW   YORK: 
W.    W.    MUNSELL    &    CO., 

36   Vesey    Street. 


1880. 


« 


PRESS  OF  GEORGE  MACN,.MARA,  36  VESEY  STREET,  N.  Y. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 


OUTLlt(K  HISTOI|Y  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 

CHAPTER   I. 
The  Discovery  of  the  Delaware — Pennsyl- 
vania Granted  to  and  Org-anized  by  Wil- 


liam Penn 


LUZEI^NE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Helios  and  Theories  of  the  Earliest  Inhabi- 
tarts  of  Northeastern  Pennsylvania    .... 
CHAPTEE  II. 
Opening  of  the  Historic  Period— The  Indi- 

a,is  of  Wyoming:  

CHAPTER  III. 
Operations  of  the  Susquehanna  Company— 
The  "  Pennamite  and  Yankee  "  Contest 
CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Pioneers— How  they  Came,  Settled  and 
Developed  the  Besouroes  of  the  Country 
CHAPTER  V. 
The  Condition  of  the  Pioneers— Their  Ways 

and  Means  of  Livint      

CHAPTER  VI. 
Old  Luzei-ne  County  in  the  Bevblution  — 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Civil    History— Boundaries,   Organization, 
County  Buildings  and  Civil  List        — 
CHAPTER  VIII. 
Iini;al   Military   Organizations— Service  In 
Canada  and  Mexico  and  at  Home         .... 
CHAPTER  IX. 
Early  Wagon  Roads  and  Mail  Bou  tea      .... 


9,10 


CHAPTER  II. 
(rerman    Immigration — The    Administra- 
tions of  William  Penn  and  Sir  William 
Keith      11,12 

CHAPTER   III. 
The  Question  of  Taxing  the  Proprietary  Es- 
tates— Wars  with  the  French  and  Indians     13, 14 
CHAPTER    IV. 
Mason  and  Dixon's  Line— Causes  of   the 
Revolution— Patriotic  Action  of    Penn- 
sylvania        —  —         —         —     15,16 
CHAPTER  V. 
Revolution  in  the  ProvineialGovernment — 
Pennsylvania  a  State— Battles  of  1776  and 

177T— Indian  Warfare    17, 18 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Later  Evei;ts  of  the  Revolution— War  with 
the      Western      Indians— Constitutional 

Chansres 19,20 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Pennamite  War— Whiskey  Insurrection 
— "  MoUy  Maguire  "  Outrages— The  Riots 

ofl877     80-28 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Harrisbnrg  made  the  Capital— The  War  of 
1812— Internal  Improvements — Schools  22-34 

CHAPTEK  IX. 
Patriotic  Action  in  the  Mexican  and  Civil 
Wars        24,85 


27-29 


30-37 


41-45 


55-59 


64-67 


CHAPTER  X. 
History  of  the  Coal  Trade  in  Luzerne  and 

Lackawanna  Counties 67-90 

CHAPTER  XI. 
River  Navigation — The    Construction    of 

Canals     ' 90-92 

CHAPTER  XII. 
The  Construction  of  Railroads  in  Luzerne 

County 02,93 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Historical,  Agricultural,  Medical,  Religious 

and  Sportsmen's  Associations 93-96 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Opening  of  the  Civil  War— Patriotic  Spirit 
in  Luzerne,  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming? 

Counties       97-99 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Luzerne  in  the  Civil  War— The  8th,  11th  and 
1.5th  Regiments  of  Three  Months  Men    . .    99-103 
CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  28th  Regiment         103-107 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
The  B6th  and  41st  Regiments  (7th  and  12th 

Reserves)        ....         107-111 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Histories  of  the  40th  and  50th  Regiments       111-116 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

History  of  the  62nd  Regiment       116-126 

CHAPTER  XX. 

History  of  the  53d  Regiment     126-129 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  66th,  57th  and  68th  Regiments  ....  129-135 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  6Ist  and  6tth  Regiments        136-140 

CHAPTER  XXIir. 
The 74th, 76th  and  77th  Regiments  ....  140-146 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
The  8l6t,  92nd  and  96t.h  Regiments        ....  146-157 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
The  107th,  108th,  132nd,  136th  and  142nd  Regi- 
ments          158-164 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

The  143d  Regiment        165-178 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
The  149th,  161st,  162nd,  163d,  177th,  178th  and 

194th  Regiments         —  178-182 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
An  Outline  of  the  Geology  of  the  Wyoming 
Coal  Field         182-191 

CITY,  TOWNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH  HISTOEIES. 

Wllkes-Barre   City  and  Township        192-236 

Bear  Creek  Township       237 

Black  Creek  Township     237-239 

Buck  Township     239, 240 

Butler  Township , 240-243 

Conyngham  Township     343,244 

Dallas  Township 244,245 

Dallas  Borough     245-247 

Denison  Township  247,248 

Dorrance  Township  848 

Exeter  Township  ...' 249-253 

West  Pittstor  Borough 262,253 


Fairmount  Township 

Foster  Township 

White  Haven  Borough     . 
Freeland  Borough 
Franklin  Township 
Hanover  Township 

Ashley  Borough 

Nauticoke  Borough 
Sugar  Notch  Borough 

Hazle  Township 

Hazleton  Borough 
HoUenback  Township 
Hunlock  Township 
Huntington  Township 
Jackson  Township 
Jenkins  Township 
Yatesville  Borough 
Kingston  Township 
Kingston  Borough 

Lake  Township     

Lehman  Township 

Marcy  Township 

Nescopeck  Township 
New  Columbus  Borough 
Newport  Township 
Pittston  Township 
Hughestown  Borough 
Pittston  Borough 
Pleasant  Valley  Borough 

Plains  Township 

Parsons  Borough 
Plymouth  Township 
Plymouth  Borough 

Ross  Township      

Salem  Township 

Slocum  Township 
Sugarloaf  Township 

Union  Township 

Shicksliinny  Borough 
Wright  Township 


.  26.3-25B 

.  855-858 

.  368-864 

.     '     264 

.  264-267 

268,289 

.  289-272 

.  272-378 

.  278-280 

.  280-883 

.  282-293 

294 

.  295,396 

.  ..    1-899 

300.30; 

.  301-303 

303,304 

304-811 

.  311-317 

318,319 

319-381 

321,322 

383,384 

299 

.  324-327 

327,328 


338-340 

.  340,345 

.  345-348 

.  348-354 

.  356-363 

363,364 

.  364-368 

366,367 

367-.371 

371-373 

373-376 

376, 877 


LACKAWANN/    COUNTY. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Name— First  Inhabitants— County  Organi- 
zation-Officials          378 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company 
—Railroads  of  Lackawanna  County     ....  379,380 
CHAPTER  III. 
The  13th  Kegiment  of  the  National  Guard 
of  Pennsylvania  380 

CITY,  TOWNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH  HISTORIES. 

Soranton  and  Dunmore 

Carbondale  City 

Abington  Township         

North  Abington  Township 
South  Abington  Township 

Glenburn  Borough  

Waverly  Borough  .... 

Benton  Township  

Blakely  Township  

Archbald  Borough  .... 

Blakely  Borough 

Dickson  City  Borough      

Jermyn  Borough 

Olyphant  Borough  


....  381-438 
....  439-4.53 
....  463,454 
....  464,466 
....  455-4,57 
457 
....  457-460 
....  460,461 
....  461,463 
....  462-465 
....  465,466 
....  466,467 
....  467-469 
....  470-472 


TABLE     OF     CONTENTS. 


=-6;= 


Winton  Borough 

Carbondale  To  wnship 
Clifton  Township 
Covington  Township 

Fell  Township       

Greenfield  Township 
Jefferson  Township 
Lackawanna  Township    . . 
Lehigh  Township 

Gouldsborough     

Madison  Township 
Newton  Township 
Old  Forge  Township 
Ransom  Township 
Roaring  Brook  Township 

Scott  Township 

Spring  Brook  Township   . , 


473 
473 
....  473,474 
....  474,476 
....  476,477 
....  477,478 
....  478-480 
....  480,481 
....  481,483 
483 
....  483-486 
....  486-480 
....  489,490 
....  490-493 
....  493,493 
....  493,494 
....  494,495 


mmi^  coup. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Rdlics  of  an  Earlier  Race— Organization  of 
Wyoming  County— GfBoers  and   Repre- 
sentatives   496,497 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Bench  and  the  Bar  of  Wyoming  Co.  497-499 

CHAPTER   III. 
Canal  and    Railroad   Communications  in 

Wyoming  County  600 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Agricultural  Societies— Wyoming  County 
Bible  Society— Military  Companies      500, 501 


TOVTNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH 

Braintrim  Township         

Clinton  Township  

Eaton  Township  

Exeter  Township  

Falls  Township  

Forkston  Township  

Lemon  Township  

Mehoopany  Township      

Meshoppen  Township       

Meshoppen  Borough        

Monroe  Township  

Nicholson  Township         

Nicholson  Borough  

North  Branch  Township 
North  Moreland  Township 

Overfleld  Township  

Tunkhannock  Township 
Tunkhannock  Borough 

Washington  Township     

Windham  Township         


HISTORIES. 

603-605 

505-507 

608-510 

510 

510-613 

513,514 

514,515 

515-617 

617-519 

519,620 

620-633 

533,523 

633-626 

526 

636,537 

637,628 

538-630 

-530-636 

635,630 

636-638 


APPENDIX. 


LUZERNE  COUNTY. 
The  Wyoming  Monument— M.  E.  Chapel, 
Pleasant  Valley— Sheldon  Reynolds    ....         539 
LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 
Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company  (W. 
W.  Soranton's  Resignation)— Ministerial 
and  Offlcial  Changes-Soranton  Fire  De- 
partment—Borough  Items       639,640 

WVOMING  COUNTV. 
Keystone  Academy,  Factory ville  ....         540 


BIOGI^APHIES, 


Abbott,  John 
Ackerley,  A.  I. 
Allen,  W.E. 
Apgar,  Jonatlian  .. 
Bard  well,  H.  W.    .. 
Barnes,  W.  H. 
Sarthe,  E.  D. 
Bauman,  Anthony 
Baur,  Robert 
Beamish,  F.  A. 
Benedict,  G.  W.     .. 
Benedict,  S.  S. 
Benner,  Sam  u  el    . . 
Bennet,  Charles    . . 


■  ■  facing 


;i  M  A 

454  A 
M8  K 
3:a 

6;ma 

610  A 
354  A 
330  A 
230  A 
438  I 
438  L 
452  A 
348  A 
330  H 


Bennet,  D.  S 

Bennett,  Ziba        

Birkbeck,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 

Bishop,  William    

Bogert,  J.  K 

Bradley,  W.H 

Brigga,  C.  L.  

Briggs,  J.  F.  

Brown,  S.  L.  

Brundage,  A.  R 

Brundago,  F.  M 

Bryden,  Andrew 

Burgess,  A.  P 

Bunnell,  F.C 

Camp,  Cyrus  D 

Campbell,  John     

Carey,  J.  M.  

Carpenter,  James  S. 

Clarkson,  James    

Connolly,  D.W 

Connolly,  John  F. 

Cook,  A.  W.  

Coon,  J.  C.  

Copeland,  David 

Courtright,  Benjamin      — 

Crippen,  Martin    

Dana  Family         

Dana,  C.H.  

Dana,  Anderson 

Daniels,  W.  G       

Davis,  S.D.  

Day,  Alvin  

Dekin,  John  

De  Lacy,  Patrick 

Denison,  J.  W 

Dershuck,  Peter 

Dewitt,  D.  D 

Dickinson,  Miss  Susan  E.  ... 

Donop,  August     

Dorrance  Family 

Doty,A.H.  

Drum,  G.  W 

Eaton,  Alver  and  James  M. 

Edwards,  B.W 

Bllilhorp,  E.  L 

Engle,  S.  D.  

Evans,  Benjamin 

Evans,  D.  J.  

Evans,  R.  T.  

Everhart  Family 

Eynon,  Thomas     

Fassett,  John         

Ferris,  William      

Fisher,  C.H 

Flick,  R.J.  

Foote,  John  

Foster,  CD 

Frear,  James  

Gardner,  A.  P 

Oilibs,  J.  W.,  Jr 

Gordon,  Lewis       

Green,  A.  L.  

Green,  J.  D.  

Hahn,  J.  L.  

Hakes,  Harry         

l-Iancook,  E.  A 

Hand,  D.B.  

Harding,  G.M 

Harding,  Henry    

Harding,  Daniel    

Hart,  Theodore,  Jr. 
Hartman,  Mrs.  M.  L.  T.    ... 

Harvey,  A.N 

Hcndriuk,  E.  B 

Hice,  Gooi'ge         

l-l(tuhcouk,  Ellsha 

HolUater,  Horace 

Hopewell,  J.  U 

Hosic,  John  

Hoyl,  H.  M 

Hubler,  P.  P 

Hughes,  George    

Hull,  Willium        

Hunt,  A.  B.  

Hutchings,  W.  S 

Ingham,  S.  D 


.  facing 
facing 
facing 


■  facing 
facing 


>  facing 
facing 


236H 

236M 

256 

404  A 

236  A 

336  B 

454  A 

373  A 

236B 

236M 

248  A 

330  A 

638  A 

634A 

634B 

463  B 

534  A 

616  A 

239 

400 

437 

453  B 

236  B 

306  A 

230  H 

470  B 

336N 

534B 

506  A 

323  A 

468  B 

634  F 

438  I 

438  A 

610  A 

348  B 

.534  B 

330  A 

348  A 

306  A 

516  A 

248  A 

464  A 

5.38  A 

830A 

348  A 

333  A 

438M 

433 

438  A 

535 

638  A 

470  A 

323  E 

336  H 

464  A 

194 

506  A 

482  A 

431 

330  P 

468  n 

;i:!0  A 

516  A 

236  0 

314  A 

438  a 

■mo 

:WOB 

im)  A 

:j:iO  F 

372  A 

298  B 

452  C 

330  B 

438  B 

400^ 

438  0 

438  J 

230  S 

486  B 

348  A 

470  A 

438  C 

468  B 

616  A 

Jenkins  Family     — 
Jenkins,  WlUiam 
Jenkins,  Jonathan 
Jermyn,  John        .... 
Jones,  Edward       .... 

Jones,  W.  S.  

Jones,  H.  I.  — 

Jordan,  James       — 
Kearney  Family    .... 

Kenyon,  J.  B 

Kern,  J.  T. 

Kieter,  N 

Kintner,  J.  C 

Kisner,  E.  P 

Koons,  William     .... 
Kulp,  G.  B. 

Ladd,  Horace         

Lampman,  J.  S 

Laning,  A.  C 

Lathrope,  T.  E 

Law,  William         .... 
Lee,  Washington, 
Lee,  Andrew  — 

Le  Grand,  Lewis   .... 
Lewis,  E.  R.  .... 

Little,  R.R. 

Loomis.  O.  H 

Lott,  Ziba  — 

Love,  Henry  — 

Loveland,  William 

Lynch,  J.  J.  

McMillan,  James  — 

Macknight,  O.  B 

McKlnstry,  A.  B 

MeMurtrie,  Alfred 
Merrifield,  Edward 
Merrifield,  William 
Minor,  Charles       .... 
Miner,  W.  P. 
Miner,  C.  A.  .... 

Mitchell,  John        .... 

Mitchell,  H.H 

Moneypenny,  W.  B. 

Monies,  W.  N 

Nelson,  Reuben     .... 
Nicol,  Helen  — 

Nicol,  Andrew       — 
Nivison,  Mrs.  M.  C. 
O'Dounell,  James 
O'Haran,  Dennis  — 

Osterhout,  P.  M 

Osterhout,  Mrs.  Sarah 

Parke,  N.  G 

Parsons,  Calvin     .... 
Patten,  Andrew    .... 

Paine,  Lewis  C 

Payne,  W.  G 

Payne,  H.  B 

Pell  Family,  

Pellam,  S.  H 

Pettebonc,  Payne 
Pier,  W.  H. 

Piei'son,  C.  T 

Pike,  Gordon  .... 
Price,  C.  B. 
Pughe,  Lewis  .... 
Pnrsel,  Peter 
Ruber,  Michael  .... 
Reap,  Michael  — 
Reynolds,  Sheldon 

Itipplo,  E.  H 

Roberts,  Henry    — 
Itobinson,  Philip,  Jr. 

Robinson,  S.  B 

Ross,  W.  S. 

Russell,  A.  H 

Schirapff,  Leopold 
Schooley,  William 
Sohoonniaker,  IT.  G. 

Scranton,  J.  A 

Scranton,  Mrs.  J.  H. 

Seacord,  S.  H 

Seamans,  G.  B 

Searle,  John  aud  Mary 
Shaw,  William  S. 
Sherwood,  Chaunoey 


306B 

468  B 

534B 

468  A 

.... 

470  A 

facing 

407 

facing 

345 

470  A 

..,j 

464  A 

470  A 

3;WB 

438P 

516  B 

248  C 

372  A 



446  B 

438C 

facing 

201 

336  0 



446A 

330  B 



236  S 

2.36  T 



236  E 



438P 

534H 

.534  A 

534  B 

516  A 

306  C 

470  A 

330B 

344A 



486  A 

248A 

facing 

430 



393  A 

236L 

336L 

336M 



344A 

534  A 

509 

393  B 



306C 

facing 

4.36 

facing 

436 

facing 

433 

330B 

336E 

.... 

.534  C 

534  R 

330  B 

344  A 

470  B 

236F 

u«*G 

306  C 

facing 

■?«) 

454  A 

300  D 

4:«H 

4;s  C 

5;0  A 

•M  P 

438  \) 

facing 

105 

.333  A 

330  C 

530 

438D 

400  A 

333D 

438D 

236  P 

534  A 

facing 

411 

330  C 

438E 

400  B 

438S 

534  D 



330  0 



344A 



634  A 



506A 

=J& 


^ 


TABLE     OF     CONTENTS. 


Shire,  PC. 
Shoemaker  Family 
Shumaa,  J.  L.,     .... 

Simpson,  George 

SimrcU,  E.  W 

Slocum  Family     

Slocum,  Joseph    .... 

Sommers,  Henry 

Snowden,  E.  H 

Snyder,  Nathan    

Spencer,  Edward 

Stiu-k,  Samuel       .... 
Stark  Family 
Stem  pies,  WUUam 

Stephens,  A.  W 

Sterling,  Norman 

Stevens,  Asa  B 

Stevens,  C.  A 

Stooker,  Thomas 

Stokes,  J.  C.  

Sturdovant,  E.  W. 

Stutzbaoh,  E.  F 

Stutzbach,  August 

Swetland,  W.  H 

Swetland,  William 

Throop,  B.  H 

Tresoott,  Luther  . . . . 

Tripp,  Ira  

Tubbs,  K.  M. 

Turner,  S.  G 

Van  Bergren,  J.  B. 
"Van  Sickle,  Lewis 
Vose,  T.  L. 
Wadhams  Family 

Wakeman,  B.  E 

Walker,  A.  B 

Waller,  C.P 

Weaver,  P.  V 

Wehlau,  Ludwig, 
Wells,  J.  C. 
Wernet,  Xa Wer    — 

Whipple,  I.  E 

Williams  Family  

Williams,  J.  J 

Williamson,  J.  P 

Winton,  A.  H 

F.  p.  Wood  ward   

Woodward,  S 

Wright,  H.B. 
Tates,  Francis 
Yost,  S.  D. 
Yost,  A.  F. 


GEHEALOGICAL  /ND  PEI|SO^AL  I[ECOI|p, 

Wilkes-Barre  City  and  Township  ....  236  A-T 

Black  Creek,  Butler,  Foster,  Hazle  and 
Sugarloaf  Townships,  Freeland,  Hazle- 
ton,  Jeddo  and  White  Haven  Boroughs  348  A-F 

Hanover  Township,  and  Ashley,  Nantiooke 
and  Sugar  Notch  Boroughs     268  A,  B 

Dallas,  Fairmount,  Franklin,  Huntington, 

,  Lake  and  Ross  Townships,  Dallas  and 
New  Columbus  Boroughs       398A-D 

Kingston  TowiLShip  and  BorouE-h  ....  306  A-H 

Conyngham,  Dorrance,  Hollenback,  Leh- 
man, Nesoopeck,  Newport,  Slooum  and 
Wright  Townships        322  A-C 

Exeter,  Marey  and  Pittston  Townships, 
Hughcstown,  Pleasant  Valley,  Pittston 
and  West  Pittston  Boroughs 330  A-I 

Jenkins  and  Plains  Townships,  YateavUle 
and  Parsons  Boroughs  3W  A-0 

Plymouth  Township  and  Borough  and 
.Tackson  Township       354  A,  B 

Hunlock,  Salem  and  Union  Townships 
and  Shickshinny  Borough       373  A,  B 

Scran  ton  and  Dunmore 438  A-U 

Carbondale  City  and  Township,  Fell  and 
Greenfield  Townships 452  A-F 

Benton,  North  Abington  and  South  Abing- 
ton  Townships,  Glenburn  and  Waverly 
Boroughs 454A,B 

Archbald  Borough  and  Scott  Township  464  A-D 

Jermyn  Borough  468A,B 


344B 

336Q 

248  A 

.... 

464  A 

facing 

405 

330  C 

438  E 

facing 

410 

306  P 

248A 

438  F 

534D 

330  J 

610  A 

534  F 

634  A 

488  F 

438  G 

344  B 

248  E 

.... 

336  J 

248  F 

438  S 

616  A 

306  E 

438  G 

398  C 

438  H 

373  B 

336  E 

453  B 

454A 

516  A 

236K 

538  A 

634  A 

facing 

200 

348  A 

438   I 

308B 

368  B 

facing 

404 

facing 

303 

464  A 

330  S 

facing 

406 

438  U 



236H 

:36  I 

facing 

303 

348  A 

438  U 

Blakely,  Dickson  City  and  Olyphant  Bor- 
oughs     470A-D 

Clifton,  Covington,  Jefferson,  Lehigh,Mad- 
ison,  Eoaring  Brook  and  Spring  Brook 
Townships,  and  Gouldsborough  —  482  A,  B 

Lackawanna,  Newton, Old  Forge  andEan- 
som  Townships  486  A-D 

Clinton,  Eaton,  Falls  and  Overfleld  Town- 
ships       506A-D 

Mehoopany  Township     516  A,  B 

Exeter,  Monroe  and  North  Moreland 
Townships        .■ 520  A,  B 

Lemon,  Meshoppen,  Nicholson  and  Wash- 
ington Townships,  Meshoppen  and  Nich- 
olson Boroughs  534  A-G 

Tunkhannock  Township  and  Borough  ....  634  A-H 

Braintrim,  Forkston,  North  Branch  and 
Windham  Townships 638  A-D 

ILLUSTR^T[01>(S. 

Benner,  Samuel,  Conyngham,  Ees 345 

Bennet,  Mrs.  Charles,  Wilkes-Barre,  Bes 316 

Birkbeck,  Mrs.Josoph,  Foster,  Homestead —  517 

Bishop  Bros  ,  Archbald,  Store 517 

Briggs,  0.  L.,  Dalton,  Hes.  and  B.  E.  Station. .  454 

Brown,  S.  L.  &  Co.,  Willces-Barre,  Warehouse.  531 

Brundage,  F.  M.,  Conyngham,  Ees 345 

Burgess,  A.  P.,  Forkston,  Ees.  and  Store 506 

Bunnell,  F.  C.  &  Co., Tunkhannock,  Bank. .    .  533 
Carpenter,    James   S.,  Mehoopany,  Ees.   and 

Factory 033 

Coal  Chart ; 84  a 

Court  House,  Soranton,  Lackawanna  County  378 

Court  House,  Wilkes-Barre, frontispiece 

Court  House,  Tunkhannock,  Wyoming  Co —  497 

Dana,  Anderson,  Baton,  Ees 533 

Dekin,  John,  Dunmore,  Hotel 470 

Dickson    Manufacturing    Co.,  Wllkes-BaiTe, 

Works 336M 

Donop,  Augustus  Von,  Freeland,  Ees 517 

Dorrance,  Charles,  Kingston,  Ees 316 

Doty,  A.  H.,  Mehoopany,  Ees.  and  Factory.. .  470 

Edwards,  B.  W.,  Laceyville,  Store 310 

Ellithorp  &  Co.,  West  Pittston,  Factory 331 

Empire  Breaker,  Wilkes-Barre 341 

Bngle,  Mrs.  John,  Sugarloaf,  Ees 413 

Evans,  Benjamin,  Nescopeck,  Ees.  and  Mill. . .  351 

Fairchild,  J.  M.,  Nanticoke,  Ees -533 

Ferris,  Mrs.  Anna,  Olyphant,  Ees 470 

Frear,  I.,  Factory ville.  Keystone  Academy. . .  606 

Hancock  &  Macknight,  Phiins,  Block 306  B)^ 

Harding,  Mrs.  Sally,  Exeter,  Ees 249 

Hazard    Manufacturing    Company,  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Works 318 

Heller,  Samuel,  Wapwallopen,  Hes 344 

Hendrlck,  E.  E.,  Carbondale,  Ees 443 

Hice,  George,  Exeter,  Ees 351 

Hughes,  Geoj-ge,  Butler,  Ees 340 

Hunt  Brothers  &  Co.,  Soranton,  Block — —  413 
Hunt,  C.  P.  &  Brother,  Wilkes-Barre,  Stove  ■J3li% 

Jenkins,  Jabez,  Tunkhannock,  Bes "  630 

Jennings,  J.  T.,  Mehoopany....: 332 

Konnard,  George  L.,  Laceyville,  Hotel 310 

Korn,  J.  T.  &  Ellen,  E.Kcter,  Res..: 349 

Mahon,  William,  Olyphant,  Hotel  and  Store..  517 

Malliockrodt  Convent,  Wilkes-Barre 334 

Mc Jvinstry,  A.  B.,  Pchultzville,  Farm  and  Tan- 
nery  ' ■■ 458 

McMurtrie,  Alfred,  Sugarloaf,  Ees 316 

McNeish,  Alexander  and  Snyder,  Nanticoke, 

Block 507 

Map  of  Luzerne,  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming 

Counties r 8 

Map  of  Wyoming  Coal  Fields 183 

Mitchell,  H.  H.,  Lemon,  Ees 617 

Miner,  CharlesA.,  Wilkes-Barre,  Ees 317 

Lee,  Andrew,  Wilkes-Barre,  Ees 198 

Lee  Arms  Company,  Sturmerville,  Works —  351 

Le  Grand  Lewis,  Wilkes-Barre,  Factory 379 

Loomis,  0.  H.,  Meshoppen,  Ees 497 

Loveland,  William,  Kingston,  Bes 311 

Osterhout,  P.  M.,  La  Grange,  Homestead 506 

Osterhout,  P.  M.,  Tunkhannock,  Ees 538 

Paine,  Lewis  C,  Wilkes-Barre,  Ees 217 

Patterson  Grove  Camp  Ground,  Fairmount 

following 354 


Payne,  W.  G.,  Kingston,  Res 311 

Pellam,  S.  H.,  North  Abington,  Ees 455 

Pettebone,  Payne,  Wyoming,  Res 316 

Price,  C.  B.  &  Son,  Wilkes-Barre,  turning  and 

planing-mill 236!^ 

Raber,  Michael,  Nescopeck,  Ees 454B 

Eeichard's  Brewery,  WUkes-Barre 23ejij 

Eobinson,  E.,  Scran  ton.  Brewery 411 

Boss,  W.  S.,  Wilkes-Barre,  Ees '■ 316 

Schlmpff,  L.,  Scranton,  Eobinson's  Brewery. .    411 

Schooley,  WlUlam,  Exeter,  Bes 250 

Sohoonmaker,  U.  G.,  Scranton,  Hotel 397 

Seaoord,  S.  H.,  Tunkhannock,  Hotel 628 

Shaw,  Williams.,  East  Lemon,  Ees 533 

Shive,  Peter  C,  Plains,  Bes,  and  OfBoe 340 

Shuman,  J.  L.,  Wapwallopen,  Bes 454B 

Simpson,  G.  and  A.,  Greenfield,  Hotel 390 

Sketches— Luzerne  County 378 

St.  Mary's  Academy,  D.  O'Haran,  Wilkes- 
Barre 342 

St.  Mary's  Church,  D.  O'Haran,  Wilkes-Barre  334 
St.  Mary's  Church  and  Parsonage,  Pleasant 

Valley 379 

St.Patrick's  Church,  Olyphant 470 

St.  Thomas'  Church,  N.  J.  McManus,  Archbald    507 

Stark,  Mrs.  James  F.,  Plains,  Ees: 219 

Stark,  Mrs.  Samuel,  Tunkhannock,  Bes 638 

Sterling,  Norman,  Meshoppen,  Res 628 

Stocker,  Tammie  H.,  Plains,  Res 343 

Sturdevant,  B.  W.,  Wilkes-Barre,  Hes 218 

Snyder,  Nathan,  Sugarloaf,  Bes 368 

Tripp,  Ira,  Soranton,  Ees 386 

Union  Stove  Works,  Pittston 331 

Van  Bergen  &  Co.,  Carbondale,  Foundry  and 

Shop 442 

Van  Sickle,  L.,  Waverly,  Bes 469 

Vulcan  Iron  Works,  Wilkes-Barre 236M 

Wadhams  House,  Plymouth 458 

Wakeman,  B.  B.,  Laceyville,  Ees .".    310 

Wells,  John  C,  Ashley,  Union  Hall 270 

Wernet,  Xavier,  Nantiooke,  Hotel 1507 

Whipple  L  E.,  Soranton,  Hotel 404 

Wilkes-Barre  in  1830 frontispiece 

Woodward,   S.,    Wilkes-Barre,   Lord    Butler 

House 343 

Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  D.  Copeland 

Principal 313 

Wyoming  Valley  Manufacturing   Company, 

Elchard  Sharpe  President,  Wilkes-Barre. . .  .236)4 
Yost,  S.  D.,  Sugarloaf,  Ees 368 

P0I|TR/1TS. 

Abbott,  John,  Plains 355 

Ackerley,  A.  I.,  South  Abington 330  K 

Ackerley,  Mrs.  A.  I.,  South  Abington 330  K 

Allen.W.  E.,  Scranton 438  K 

Apgar,  Jonathan,  Dunmore 333 

Apgar,  Cornelia  D 333 

Bardwell,  H.  W.,  Tunkhannock 333  A 

Barnes,  William  H.,  Mehoopany 413 

Bennet,  Charles,  Wilkes-Barre. . .  .following  336 H 

Bennet,  Sarah  S.,       "        "     ....preceding  236  1 

Bonnet,  D.  S.,  "        "      215 

Bennet,  Ziba  "        "      76 

Billings,  Paul,  Tunkhannock 241 

Birkbeck,  Mrs.,  Foster 517 

Brigg.s,  C.  L.,  Dalton 454 

Briggs,  Mrs.  C.  L.,  Diilton 454 

Briggs,  J.  F.,  Shickshinny 364 

Brundage,  A.  E.,  Wilkes-Barre 236  M 

Bryden,  Andrew,  Pittston 282 

Bunnell,  F.  C,  Tunkhannock 534  A 

Campbell,  John,  Carbondale 317 

Campbell,  W.  A.,  Shickshinny 264  ■*- 

Carey,  J.  M.,  Meshoppen 518 

Clarkson,  James,  Carbondale 239 

Connolly,  D.  W.,  Scranton 400 

Connolly,  John  F.,  Soranton 4.37 

Courtright,  Benjamin,  Plains 265 

Crippen,  Martin,  Olyphant 387 

Dana,  C.  H.,  Tunkhannock 629 

Dana,  E.  L.,  Wilkes-Barre 230  N 

Daniels,  W.  G.,  Scranton 322  A 

Davis,  Sumner  D.,  Jermyn 387 


w 


D^ekin,  John,  Dunmore S82 

De  Lacey,  P.,  Seranton 438A 

Denison,  J.  W.,  Mehoopany 413 

Dewitt,  David  D.,  Tunkhannock 616  B 

Dickinson.  Susan  E..  Pitaton 330  A 

Dorrance,  C,  Wilkes-Barre following    306 

Drum,  Abraham,  Butler 369 

Drum,  George  W.,  Conyngham 369 

Eaton,  Alver,  Arohhald 454  A 

Engle,  Stephen  D.,  Hazleton 369 

Evanfi,  Benjamin,  Nescopeck 333  A 

Evane,  Heese  T.,  Seranton 433 

Everhart,  James  M.,  Seranton — following    438 

Everhart,  I.  P.,  Seranton preceding    438  A 

Eynon,  Thomas,  Seranton 525 

Fassett,  John,  Soottsville 519 

Fassett,  Mrs.  John,  Soottsville 519 

Ferris,  William,  Olyphant 330  K 

Fisher,  C.  H.,  Seranton 322  E 

Flick,  R.  J.,  Wilkes-Barre 208 

Foote,  John,  Archbald 387 

Foster.  Charles  D.,  Wilkes-Barre 194 

Gardner,  A.  P.,  Roaring  Brook 470  A 

Glhbs,  J.  W.,  jr.,  Seranton 431 

Green,  Alfred  L.,  Jermyn 470  A 

Hahn,  John  L.,  Mehoopany 518 

Hakes,  H.,  Wilkes-Barre 336 

Hancock,  E.  A.,  Plains 306  D)^ 

Hand,  D.  B.,  Seranton 398 

Harding,  Daniel,  Exeter 330  A 

Harding,  Garrick  M.,  Wilkes-Bai  re 336  O 

Hartman,  Mrs.  M.  L.  T.,  Union 496 

Harvey,  A.  N.,  Harvey viile 215 

Heller,  Samuel,  Wapwallopen 244 

Heller,  Mrs.  Samuel,  Wapwallopen 244 

Hitchcock,  Amanda,  Seranton 391 

Hitchcock,  Ebenezer,       ''       391 

Hitchcock,  Elisha  "       391 

Hitchcock,  Maiion,  "       391 

Hitchcock,  Ruth,  "       391 

HoUister,  Horace,  Providence 400  J^ 

Holmes,  Elkanah 241 

Hosie,  John,  Seranton 4,18  J 

Hoyt,  Henry  M.,  Wilkes-Barre 336  S 

Hubler,  P.  F.,  Newton t54A 

Hughes,  George,  Butler 240 

Hughes,  Barbara,  Butler 340 

Ingham,  Samuel  D.,  Mehoopany 248  F 

Ingham,  Thomas  J 96 

Jenkins,  Jonathan,  Tunkhannock 530 

Jenkins,  Steuben,  Wyoming 306  B 

Jenkins,  WiUiam,  Jermyn ;...    454  A 

Jennings,  William,  Mehoopany 322 

Jermyn,  John,  Jermyn 468  A 

Jones,  Edward,  Olyphant 539 

Jones,  H.  Isaac,  Seranton 345 

Jones,  William  S.,  Sci-anton 407 


Jordan  James,  Olyphant 

Kearney,  Patrick,  Archbald 

Kenyon,  J.  B.,  Olyphant 

Kintner,  J.  C,  Mehoopany 

Kisner,  EUiottP.,  Hazleton 

Koons,  William,  Shickshinny 

Kulp,  George  B.,  Wilkes-Barre 

Ladd,  Horace,  Seranton 

Lampman,  J  ohn  S.,  Wilkes-Barre 

Laning,  A.  C,  Wilkes-Barre preceding 

Lathrope,  Thomas  R.,  Carbondale 

Law,  William,  Pittston 

Lee,  Andrew,  Wilkes-Ban-e following 

Lee,  Washington,  Wilkes-Barre.. preceding 

Little,  K.  R.,  Tunkhannock 

Lott,  Ziba,  Tunkhannock 

Love,  Henry,  Mehoopany 

Lynch,  James  J.,  Olj^phant 

Macknight,  O.  B  ,  Plains 3 

McMillan,  James,  Pleasant  Valley 

Mai'cy,  Abel,  Tunkhannock 

Merrifield,  E.,  Seranton 

Menilield,  William,  Seranton 

Miller,  C.  P.,  Tunkhannock.T. 

Miner,  Charles,  Wilkes-Barre 

Mitchell,  John,  Plains 

Moneypenny,  W.  B.,  Eaton 

Monies,  Colonel  William  N.,  Seranton 

Nelson,  Reuben,  Kingston 

Nieol,  Andx-ew,  Seranton 

Nicol,  Mrs.  Andrew,  Seranton 

Nivison,  Mrs.  M.  C,  Seranton 

O'Donnell,  J.;  Pittston 

Osborne.  E.  S.,  Wilkes-Bai-re 

Osterhout,  P.  M.,  Tunkhannock.. following 
Osterhout,  Mrs.  P.  M.,       "  preceding 

Osterhout,  Sarah,  Tunkhannock 

Parke,  N.  G.,  West  Pittston 

Parsons,  Calvin,  Parsons  Station 

Patten,  Andrew,  Olyphant, 

Payne,  Hubbard  B.,  Kingston 

PeU,  Samuel,  Wilkes-Barre 

Pell,  Margaret,  Wilkes-Barre 

Pellam,  S.  H.,  North  Abington 

Pellam,  Mrs.  S.  H.,  North  Abington 

Pettebone,  Payne,  Wyoming following 

Pier,  William  H.,  Seranton 

Pierson,  Charles  T.,  Seranton 

Pike,  Gordon,  North  Moreland 

Price,  C.  B.,  Wilkes-Barre 

Pursel,  Peter,  Wilkes-Barre 

Keap,  Michael,  Pittston 

Ripple,  EzraH.,  Seranton 

Roberts,  Henry,  Seranton 

Robinson,  Philip,  jr.,  Seranton 

Robinson,  Silas  B.,  Seranton 

Ross,  William  S.,  Wilkes-Barre. . .  .following 


387 

330K 

454A 

518 

283 

214 

446  B 

438  0 

301 

306  A 

446  A 

383 

236  T 

237 

348  F 

341 

413 

317 

06  b;4 

214 
519 
430 
392  A 
383 
74 

344A 
.508 
392  B 
314 
436 
436 
432 
330  li 
315 
534  B 
634  C 
506 
330  B 
283 
470  A 
306  C 
328 
338 
455 
455 
306  D 
438  H 
435 
241 
383 
195 
330  C 
438D 
400A 
333D 
438  E 
236P 


Ross,  Mrs.  William  S preceding    236  Q 

Russell,  A.  H.,  Washington. *13 

Sohimpff,  Leopold,  Seranton *11 

Schooley,  William,  Exeter ^^0 

Schooley,  Sarah  A.,  Exeter 250 

Seranton,  J.  A.,  Seranton ^"0  B 

Seranton,  J.  H.,  Seranton ■'08 

Seamans,  George  B.,  Pittston 496 

Search,  George  W.,  Shickshinny 254 

Search,  Lot,  Shickshinny 354 

Searle,  John,  Plains 355 

Searle,  Mary,  Plains 255 

Sherwood,  C,  Falls 248  P 

Shi ve,  Peter  C. ,  Plains 340 

Shoemaker,  Elijah,  Wilkes-Barre 196 

Shuman,  J.  L.,  Wapwallopen 214 

Shuman.  Mrs.  F.  E.,  Wapwallopen 214 

Simrell,  E.W.,  Seranton 405 

Sloeum,  Joseph,  Seranton 388 

Slocum,  Laton,  Exeter 330  D 

Sommers,  Henry,  Dunmore 410 

Spencer,  Edward,  Seranton following    438  F 

Stark,  A.  M.,  Tunkhannock .518 

Stark,  Henry,  "  .519 

Stark.  James  F.,  Plains 330  J 

Stark,  Samuel,  Tunkhannock .^  D 

Stemples,  William,  Mehoopany 516  B 

Stephens,  A.  W.  Nicholson 529 

Stevens,  A.  B.,  Seranton i)receding    438  G 

Stevens,  Charles  A.,  Seranton 4,38  G 

Stocker,  Thomas,  Plains 343 

Sturdevant,  E.W.,  Wilkes-Barre.. following    236  J 
Sturdevant,  Mrs.  E.  W.,    "  preceding    236  K 

Swetlund,  William,  Kingston.  ...preceding    306  E 

Swetland,  William  H.,  Mehoopany 516  B 

Throop,  Benjamin  H.,  Seranton 426 

Trescott,  Luther,  Hunting-ton 496 

TripiJ,  Ira,  Sci-anton 438  H 

Turner,  S.  G.,  Wilkes-Barre 236  R 

VanSiekle,  L.,  Waverly 4.59 

Vose,  Thomas  L.,  Mehoopany.... 348  F 

Wadhams,  E.  C,  Wilkes-Barre 280  L 

Wakeman,  B.  E.,  Laceyville 310 

Walker,  A.  B.,  Nicholson 470A 

Waller,  Charle-a  P.,  Honesdale 200 

Walsh,  J.  J.,  Pittston 283 

Weaver,  Philip  V.,  Hazleton 369 

Wehlau,  Ludwig,  Seranton 438  I 

Wells,  John  C,  Ashley 268  B 

Wells,  Nathan,  Meshoppen 516  B 

Whipple,  I.  E.,  Seranton 404 

Williams,  James  J.,  Archbald 317 

Williams,  J.  R.,  Plains 302 

Williamson,  J.  Pryor,  Wilkes-Barre 315 

Winton,  A.  H.,  Seranton 406 

Wright,  H.  B.,  Wilkes-Barre 320 

Tates,  Francis,  Yatcsville 303 


f 


^  r^M 

Hr 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  preparing  for  publication  the  following;  work  the 
publishers  have  not  been  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  several 
excellent  histories  of  the  region  embraced  in  Luzerne, 
Lackawanna  and  Wyoming  counties  have  already  been 
published.  Most  of  these  have  long  been  out  of  print, 
and  a  portion  of  them  are  exceedingly  rare.  In  none 
of  them  is  the  range  of  topics  as  extensive  as  in  this 
work,  which  embraces  not  only  histories  of  these 
counties,  but  of  each  city,  borough  and  township  which 
they  include. 

In  gathering  the  material  for  this  work  not  only  have 
these  books  and  others  been  consulted,  but  information 
has  been  sought  from  every  available  source;  and  it  is 
believed  that  many  of  the  facts  recorded  have  been  pre- 
served from  oblivion  by  being  thus  rescued  from  the 
failing  memories  of  those  who  will  soon  pass  away. 

It  is  hardly  possible  that  in  a  work  like  this  no  errors 
will  be  found;  but  it  is  confidently  hoped  that  if  inaccu- 
racies are  discovered  the  great  difficulty  of  preventing 
their  occurrence  will  be  considered,  and  that  they  will  be 
regarded  in  a  charitable  rather  than  a  censorious  spirit. 

The  publishers  desire  to  acknowledge  the  kindness 
and  courtesy  with  which  their  efforts  to  obtain  the  facts 
recorded  here  have  been  almost  uniformly  met.  To  the 
press,  for  free  access  to  the  files  of  their  journals;  to  the 
county,  city  and  borough  officers,  for  assistance  in  ex- 
amining their  records;  to  the  pastors  of  nearly  all  the 
churches  in  the  three  counties  for  assistance  in  preparing 
the  religious  history,  and  to  secretaries  of  numerous 
lodges  and  societies  for  data  furnished,  their  grateful 
acknowledgments  are  due. 

The  following  books  have  been  consulted:  Sherman 
Day's  and  Doctor  Egle's  histories  of  Pennsylvania, 
Annals  of  Philadelphia,  Ruttenber's  Indian  Tribes  of 
Hudson's  River,  Heckwelder's  Indian  Nations,  Stone's 
Life  of  Joseph  Brant  and  his  Poetry  and  History  of 
Wyoming,  Chapman's,  Miner's  and  Peck's  histories  of 
Wyoming,  Miss  Blackman's  history  of  Susquehanna 
county,  Parkman's  France  and  England  in  North  Amer- 
ica, Pearce's  Annals  of  Luzerne,  Wright's  Sketches  of 
Plymouth,  Hollister's  History  of  the  Lackawanna  Valley, 
the  History  of  the  Lehigh  Valley,  Clark's  Wyoming 
and  Lackawanna  Valleys,  and  others.  For  our  very 
complete  and  valuable  rolls  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Union 
from  Luzerne,  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming  counties  we 
are  indebted  to  the  exhaustive  History  of  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  prepared  under  the  authority  of  the  State,  by 
SamuefP.  Bates,  LL.  D. 

Of  those  who  have  aided  in  the  preparation  of  the 
work,  or  furnished  valuable  information,  the  publishers 
desire  to  mention  Hon.  Steuben  Jenkins,  who  contrib- 
uted the  article  on  post-Columbian  Indians  and  kindly 
furnished  many  facts  from  the  large  and  valuable  store 


of  unpublished  historical  matter  that  he  has  collected  for 
future  publications;  Hon.  William  P.  Miner,  who  wrote 
the  chapter  on  the  coal  trade;  Doctor  C.  F.  Ingham, 
author  of  the  chapter  on  geology;  Hon.  Peter  M.  Oster- 
hout,  who  furnished  valuable  written  and  oral  informa- 
tion; Hon.  R.  R.  Little,  who  contributed  the  chapter  on 
the  bench  and  bar  of  Wyoming  county;  Hon,  Hendrick 
B.  Wright,  who  gave  efficient  aid  and  encouragement; 
Doctor  Horace  Hollister,  Hon.  Edmund  L.  Dana,  Hon. 
Harry  Hakes,  Governor  H.  M.  Hoyt,  the  octogenarian 
Jameson  Harvey,  the  veteran  attorney  James  A.  Gordon, 
Allen  Secord,  Dilton  Yarrington,  Benjamin  Evans,  Doc- 
tor Nathan  Wells,  Rev.  D.  D.  Gray,  Major  John  Fassett, 
Douglass  Smith,  Captain  James  B.  Harding,  B.  F.  Dor- 
rance.  General  Edwin  S.  Osborne,  Hon.  A.  W.  Stephens, 
N.  P.  Wilcox,  WilHam  Green,  E.  D.  Gardner,  James 
Frear,  Major  H.  W.  Bardwell,  Hon.  James  M.  Pratt, 
Edward  Jones,  D.  M.  Voyle,  George  Simpson,  Hon.  Pat- 
rick Kearney,  Hon.  John  Jermyn,  Hon.  William  H. 
Richmond,  Dr.  S.  D.  Davis,  Rev.  Andrew  Brydie,  Rev. 
Father  Crane,  Rev.  A.  Griffin,  N.  J.  Rubinkam,  Rev.  A. 

D.  Willifer,  Rev.  George  H.  Kirkland,  very  Rev.  John 
Firman,  Rev.  Dr.  L.  W.  Peck,  Cyrus  Straw,  George 
Drum,  William  Shellhamer,  John  Carey,  Thomas  Mc- 
Millan, Miss  Mary  Dale  Culver,  John  Pfouts,  J.  P.  Sal- 
mon, Hugh  McDonald,  John  Stokes,  David  Whitebread, 
Francis  Yates,  William  Loveland,  Thomas  J.  Laphy,  Cal- 
vin Parsons,  Hon.  George  W.  Drum,  Stephen  Drumhel- 
ler,  Samuel  Carey,  Mrs.  M.  L.  T.  Hartman  (author  of  the 
histories  of  Union  township  and  Shickshinny  borough), 
Hon.  James  McAsy,  David  Dale,  David  Haines,  Jacob 
Hornbacker,  Jacob  Kizer,  A.  P.  Gardner,  M.  D.,  Deacon 
Berry,  Harrison  Finn,  H.  S.  Cooper,  M.  D.,  Miss  Sue 
A.  Neyhart,  Chauncey  Sherwood,  O.  A.  Smith,  Hon. 
Henry  Love,  William  A.  Shaw,  Colonel  W.  N.  Monies, 
Lewis   Pughe,   John  T.   Howe,    E.    Merrifield,  Hon.   J.' 

E.  Barrett,  B.  H.  Throop,  Joseph  C.  Piatt,  Wesley  John- 
son, F.  C.  Johnson. 

The  publishers  are  enabled  to  present  the  steel  plate 
portrait  of  Governor  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
which  appears  in  this  work,  through  the  generous  co-op- 
eration (as  a  testimonial  of  their  esteem  for  Governor 
Hoyt)  of  Hon.  Charles  Dorrance,  Payne  Pettebone,  Hon. 
Charles  A.  Miner,  Allan  H.  Dickson,  T.  H.  Atherton, 
Douglas  Smith,  Hon.  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  George  B  Kulp, 
E.  P.  Darling,  General  E.  W.  Sturdevant,  Hon.  E.  C. 
Wadhams,  W.  H.  Bradley,  Benjamin  Dilley,  J.  W.  Hol- 
lenback,  Richard  Sharpe,  sen.,  Joseph  A.  Scranton, 
Colonel  W.  N.  Monies,  Hon.  Lewis  Pughe,  Major  U.  G. 
Schoonmaker,  Major  D.  S.  Bennet,  W.  L.  Paine,  Olin  F. 
Harvey,  Oscar  J.  Harvey,  and  others  of  his  well-known 
fellow  citizens  of  Luzerne  and  Lackawanna  counties, 
irrespective  of  party  affiliations. 


-.-p;5iMfl^ppriti*J-ft-'"- 


mu  n  t  r 


U         £ 


fcltHir:'~^^*iS&''      yi^^iwI^slEpppiW/^     A^emnn     \MbuwbhJ-unlBimitwdcJ  /{S     B£  N T  O  N      ^Mnytoii-.  iStG.) 
vW  I  N  D  H  A  M^^         /JP'  oW^       Hll  ^^  \^^l  M^^      OFpictyU'.JL^^^     y^         • 


^    U.^ermingsviiieQ 


WeJioojMuiyO/ 


A'tc/UJts*- 

nar,.)   \\f    X^iS!^^-^^^. 
|T  U  N  K  WfM  N  0  C  kT  J"      # 


oEcft-Beninpr 


u)  t     ^     '^  /'^     °     ^    alt. 

V       I  (TunkhdmnoiJc,-/8i7.)    WpjWA'unnsjBepa/.   Wi 


H 


/v"'' 


M     0     N      R 

J3eciitj7i.0a1O^ 


3  'QHI  T  H 
,<«(B1NW0N. 

^  °^ 

UsvUlT 
"alia,  IS'lf} 

\l 


SApU 


® 
S  C  O'^T 


o 

vwe/i  Grove' 


fD  A  Li 


2 


iste.) 

iisOrnt 


yrees 

,RTHM-aRELAND»j. 

Center o     \      JPf^^^l^^fiLwqjmrcty:^^  ^    .  ,»-     ■   j 
UorM^'d  ^A--jj%r-,H|*^    ll!--.,^V^Sf '01(fi)t^'iiS«.\^ 


'^.i^lg.fa 


:-o.'-S^^r 


I^CI^-^^i 


""  "'  "K-iifftfti's 
L,.      A      K     E 


-^^^_^jy'-c/:te"^RANKLlNl   p\ 
._i  DAL    L  k  S  Jtv*!      J^ii^ 

Fq^-.-ri-eek,\J^       O  ^X  >rfC  K  I   N   &  S  T  O 

^^.«(«.„,7^,««,„..3;  >"^^-4,,„,  >fl»'^o€3l^,.,    /^^I^°'< 


.or 


re 


>i»-^  A,7«j^^  Jefferson , 


UirLisunvUlfit 

Imad  ism 


0  s^'s 


vin\5  r"'>-'{  r?S 


Woscow 
\Jefn 


O, 


SwieJArcUJK 


'   ^iOD 


?6 


ITi^c, 


i^^ 


Wpru/U  Hrook. 
"Zfca 
laia.) 


^sons 


LN^  L  Of C  K X^ 
'fiiriZohfe^ree/c 


L-^i 


u  NlLJo  N 

■^Si  A   L  E  M  \m      Sr^^^D  0  B  R  Afj  C  E 


m8. 


|56) 


SO" 


SS^^ERl 


(Munpvar, 

Ojdlb^rts    *f 


uitaxrv  Top 

^»  EAR      .C(B  E  E^ 

•i^^^Tysit^l  Spring  ^•■^ 


JBcJhend. 


$Bohhm 


C    L    I     F  \T 


.?*'nescopeckV^'^ 

\\       Briqn.ivtJt_c;.0     ^^^f^^i-. 


U/T 


D  \g>^   1    S\  0  N% 
1  ( JHcptovei-  ias9y 


}(  JJi'lliSOIV, 


V?'     '^^''^ 


o 


Dt'iints 


iBlvL  A  C  K 
,   „  JR  E  E  K    , 


('(ifiytuj/unn 


/ 


rvalA 
'^tnclcli, 


T3     S     T      E  \R 
fi'land 

0 


■(7  ^'^S^ 


MAP 

IhejCpmities  of 
lAIZERNE, 


P^  — 

TA*  ruuiwii  II, ul  datei  in  pccreTitMses  sTuiw  when   and,  fronf 
eax]v  tovnsliip  wets  /bi'merh. 


^¥ 


=^^ 


OUTLINE    HISTORY 


OF 


PENNSYLVANIA 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE     DISCOVERY      OF      THE     DELAWARE PENNSYLVANIA 

GRANTED    TO    AND    ORGANIZED    BY    WILLIAM    PENN. 


iHE  first  discovery  of  Delaware  bay,  and  the 
;|^  river  which  forms  a  portion  of  the  eastern 
boundary  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  ap- 
pears to  have  been  made  by  Hendrick  Hud- 
son, an  Englishman  in  the  service  of  the  Dutch,  in 
1609.  In  August  of  that  year  he  entered  the  bay, 
and  after  a  short  cruise  in  it  left  and  proceeded  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  river,  which  stream  he  ascend- 
ed as  far  as  Albany. 

'  It  is  said  that  Lord  Delaware  visited  the  bay  in  1610; 
hence  the  name  by  which  it  and  the  river  are  known.  It 
was  called  by  the  Dutch  South  river,  the  Hudson  being 
termed  by  them  the  North  river. 

Another  Dutch  navigator.  Captain  Mey,  visited  the 
bay  in  1614;  but  Captain,  or,  as  he  was  termed,  skipper 
Cornelius  Hendrickson  first  ascended  the  river  as  far  as 
the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill,  in  1616. 

A  short  lived  settlement  was  made  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  Delaware  under  the  auspices  of  the  Dutch  West  In- 
dia Company  in  1623,  under  the  direction  of  Captains 
Mey  and  Tienpont.  Another  settlement  was  made  on 
the  bay,  farther  down,  in  1630;  but  this  was  soon  de- 
stroyed by  the  Indians,  whose  enmity  the  colonists  had 
indiscreetly  incurred. 

Maryland  was  granted  to  Lord  Baltimore  in  1632,  and 
the  territory  on  the  west  side  of  the  Delaware  was 
claimed  by  him,  and  the  disputes  arising  out  of  this 
claim  remained  unsettled  during  many  years. 

In  1638  a  settlement  was  made  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Delaware  by  a  colony  of  Swedes,  under  the  patron- 
age of  Queen  Christina.  This  colony  was  under  the 
direction  of  Peter  Minuit,  a  Hollander,  who  had  been  a 
director  in  the  colony  of  New  Amsterdam.  Several 
Swedish  gcernors  followed  Minuit  in  succession;  pros- 
perous settlements  sprang  up  along  the  west  bank  of  the 


river,  and  a  thriving  trade  was  carried  on  by  the  Swedes. 
They  were  watched  with  jealousy  by  the  Dutch,  who  set 
up  the  claim  of  jurisdiction  by  reason  of  former  occupa- 
tion, and  instituted  intrigues  and  plans  to  dispossess  the 
Swedes.  In  1655  a  force  of  seven  vessels  and  six  hun- 
dred men  was  sent  up  the  Delaware  for  that  purpose. 
The  Swedish  government  had  been  kept  in  ignorance  of 
this  expedition,  and  it  was  easily  successful. 

On  the  restoration  of  Charles  the  Second  to  the  throne 
of  Great  Britain,  he  gr;inted  the  territory  now  including 
New  York  and  New  Jersey,  and  afterwards  that  of  Del- 
aware, to  his  brother  the  Duke  of  York.  The  latter  im- 
mediately sent  a  force  to  take  possession  of  the  country 
thus  granted.  New  Amsterdam  and  Fort  Orange  on  the 
Hudson  were  at  once  possessed,  and  rechristened  re- 
spectively New  York,  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of  York,  and 
Albany.  A  portion  of  the  force  was  then  dispatched  to 
take  possession  of  the  Dutch  colonies  on  the  Delaware, 
which  was  accomplished  almost  without  resistance.  This 
dispossession  of  the  Dutch  by  the  English  led  to  a  war 
between  Great  Britain  and  Holland,  at  the  conclusion  of 
which  the  title  of  the  former  to  these  territories  was  ac- 
knowledged by  treaty.  The  Duke  of  York  continued  in 
possession  of  this  region,  undisturbed  except  by  the 
Marylanders,  who  resorted  to  occasional. acts  of  violence 
in  order  to  assert  the  claim  of  Lord  Baltimore,  until,  in 
1663,  war  again  broke  out  betwen  Great  Britain  and 
Holland,  and  Dutch  privateers  visited  the  coasts  and 
plundered  the  inhabitants;  and  during  that  year  a  Dutch 
squadron  of  vessels  arrived  and  repossessed  the  domin- 
ions which  had  been  granted  to  the  Duke  of  York.  These 
were  lestored  by  the  treaty  of  Westminster  in  1674,  and 
in  the  same  year,  by  a  new  patent,  the  title  of  the  Duke 
of  York  was  confirmed.  During  eight  years  following 
these  events  great  changes  took  place  among  the  propri- 
etaries of  the  region,  in  -the  course  of  which  William 
Penn,  by  reason  of  being  a  trustee  of  one  of  these  pro- 
prietaries and  a  purchase  of  a  portion  of  the  territory, 
became  quite  familiar  with  the  region,  as  well  as  with  the 
plans  for  its  colonization. 

William  Penn  was  the  son  of  Sir  William  Penn,  an  ad- 
miral in  the  royal  navy,  who  at  his  death  left  a  claim  of 


^^= 


<b* 


OUTLINE  HISTORY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


i.. 


sixteen  thousand  pounds  against  the  government  of  Great 
Britain.  Though  in  early  life  he  was  a  soldier  of  some 
distinction,  he  afterwards  became  a  Quaker,  and  was 
severa'  times  imprisoned  because  of  his  religious  faith. 
Having  become,  as  before  stated,  familiar  with  the  re- 
gion on  the  Delaware,  and  with  the  schemes  for  its  colo- 
nization, he  conceived  the  plan  of  founding  a  colony- 
there  on  the  broad  principles  of  equality  which  his  faith 
taught.  Accordingly,  in  1680,  he  petitioned  King  Charles 
the  Second  for  a  grant  of  a  tract  of  land  west  from  the 
Delaware  river  and  south  from  Maryland,  in  liquidation 
of  the  claim  which  he  had  inherited  from  his  father.  Af- 
ter the  discussion  and  arrangement  of  the  preliminaries 
the  petition  was  granted,  and  a  charter  signed  by  the 
king  in  1681.  Penn  at  first  desired  that  the  province 
might  be  called  New  Wales,  and  wnen  objections  were 
raised  against  this  he  suggested  Sylvania.  To  this  the 
king  and  his  counsellors  prefixed  Penn,  for  the  double 
reason  that  the  name  vvfould  appropriately  mean  high 
woodlands,  and  that  it  was  the  name  of  a  distinguished 
admiral,  whose  memory  the  king  desired  to  honor.  A 
royal  address  was  at  once  issued  informing  the  inhabit- 
ants that  William  Penn  was  the  sole  proprietor,  and  that 
he  was  invested  with  all  the  necessary  governmental 
powers.  A  proclamation  was  also  issued  by  William 
Penn  to  the  people  of  his  province,  setting  forth  the 
policy  which  he  intended  to  adopt  in  the  government  of 
the  colony.  A  deputy  was  sent  in  the  spring  of  the 
same  year,  with  instructions  to  institute  measures  for  the 
management  of  affairs  and  the  temporary  government  of 
the  province.  In  autumn  of  the  same  year  he  sent  com- 
missioners to  make  treaties  with  the  Indians,  and  arrange 
for  future  settlement. 

South  from  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  along  the 
Delaware  bay,  the  Duke  of  York  was  still  the  proprietor 
of  the  country.  Foreseeing  the  possibility  of  future  an- 
noyance to  the  commerce  of  his  province,  Penn  was  de- 
sirous of  acquiring  this  territory;  and  accordingly  en- 
tered into  negotiations  with  the  Duke  of  York  for  it,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  1682  he  became  the  proprietor  of  the 
land  by  deeds,  which,  however,  conveyed  no  political 
rights.'  In  the  autumn  of  1682  Penn  visited  his  province 
in  the  new  world,  took  formal  possession  of  the  territory 
along  Delaware  bay,  proceeded  up  the  Delaware  and 
visited  the  settlements  along  that  river.  During  this  year 
the  celebrated  treaty  between  William  Penn  and  the  In- 
dians was  made,  it  is  said  by  some  historians,  under  a  large 
elm  tree  at  Shakamaxon.  By  others  it  is  insisted  that  no 
evidence  exists  of  any  such  treaty  at  that  place;  but 
that  the  accounts  of  it  that  have  passed  into  history  were 
drawn  largely  from  the  fertile  imaginatons  of  early 
writers.  Whether  a  treaty  was,  held  there  or  not,  it  is 
almost  certain  that  during  that  year  treaties  were  made 
between  Penn  and  the  Indians,  and  it  is  a  historical  fact 
that  between  the  Indians  and  Quakers  perfect  faith  was 
kept.  Voltaire  said  of  the  treaty  which  was  said  to  have 
been  made  at  Shakamaxon:  "  It  was  the  only  one  ever 
made  between  savages  and  Christians  that  was  not  ratified 
by  an  oath,  and  the  only  one  that  was  never  broken." 


The  three  principal  tribes  of  Indians  which  then  in- 
habited Pennsylvania  were  the  Lenni  Lenapes,  the  Min- 
goes  and  the  Shawnees.  Their  relations  with  the  Swedes 
had  been  of  a  friendly  character,  and  the  pacific  and  kind 
policy  of  Penn  and  his  Quaker  colonists  toward  them 
bore  fruit  in  strong  contrast  with  that  which  the  dishonest 
and  reckless  policy  of  other  colonies,  and  of  the  United 
States   government  in  later  times,  has  brought  forth. 

The  plan  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  which  had  been 
laid  out  by  the  commissioners  that  had  preceded  the  pro- 
prietor, was  revised  by  him,  and  the  present  beautiful  and 
regular  plan  adopted,  and  even  the  present  names  given 
to   the  principal  streets. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1682  the  first  legislative 
body  in  the  province  was  convened  by  the  proprietor, 
who,  though  he  was  vested  with  all  the  powers  of  a  pro- 
prietary governor,  saw  fit,  in  the  furtherance  of  his  original 
plan,  to  adopt  a  purely  democratic  form  of  government. 
This  body  was  a  general  assembly  of  the  people,  and  w^g 
held  at  the  town  of  Chester,  which  was  first  called  by 
trhe  Swedes  Upland.  This  assembly  continued  in  ses- 
sion from  the  fourth  till  the  seventh  of  December;  during 
which  time  they  enacted  three  laws,  one  of  which  was 
called  the  great  law  of  Pennsylvania.  It  was  a  co<|e  of 
laws  consisting  of  between  sixty  and  seventy  subjects  or 
chapters,  that  had  been  prepared  by  the  proprietor  in 
England,  and  it  was  intended  to  cover  all  the  exigencies 
which  were  deemed  likely  to  arise  in  the  colony.  It  se- 
cured the  most  ample  religious  toleration — to  all  whose 
faith  agreed  with  that  of  the  Friends — and  only  punished  _ 
others  by  fine  and  imprisonment;  thus  exhibiting  a  marked 
contrast  with  the  bigoted  and  intolerant  Puritans  in  some 
_  of  the  New  England  colonies.  It  guaranteed  the  rights' 
and  privileges  of  citizenship  to  all  tax-payers,  guarded 
personal  liberty,  secured,  as  far  as  possible,  by  punishing 
bribery,  the  purity  of  elections,  abolished  the  English 
law  of  primogeniture  discarded  the  administration  of  re- 
ligious oaths  and  affixed  the  penalty  of  perjury  to  false 
affirmation,  and  established  marriage  as  a  civil  contract. 
Drinking  healths,  drunkenness,  or  the  encouragement  of  it, 
spreading  false  news,  clamorousness,  scolding,  railing, 
masks, revels,stage  playR,cards  and  other  games  of  chance, 
as  well  as  evil  and  enticing  sports,  were  forbidden  and 
made  punishable  by  fine  and  imprisonment.  It  is  a  cu- 
rious fact  that  all  these  laws  have  either  been  super. 
seded  by  others  or  become   obsolete. 

The  wise,  just  and  generous  policy  which  the  propri- 
etor adopted  in  the  government  of  his  province  rendered 
him  exceedingly  popular,  and  the  tide  of  immigration  set 
so  strongly  toward  this  province  that  during  the  year  1682 
as  many  as  twenty-three  ships  laden  with  settlers  arrived. 
During  this  year  the  proprietor  divided  the  province 
into  the  three  counties  of  Bucks,  Philadelphia  and 
Chester;  and  the  territory,  as  it  was  termed,  which  he  had 
acquired  from  the  Duke  of  York,  into  Kent,  New  Castle 
and  Sussex.  In  these  counties  he  appointed  officers,  and 
made  preparations  for  the  election  of  a  representatative 
Legislature,  consisting  of  a  council  of  eighteen  members 
and  an  assembly  of  fifty-four.  This  Legislature  assembled 


GERMAN  IMMIGRATION— GOVERNMENTAL  CHANGES. 


at  Philadelphia,  in  January,  1682.  One  law  enacted  pro- 
vided for  the  appointment  in  each  county  court  of  three 
"  peace  makers,"  to  hear  and  determine  differences.  It 
may  be  noted  as  a  matter  of  curiosity  that  bills  were  in- 
troduced in  this  Legislature  providing  that  "  only  two 
sorts  of  clothes  should  be  worn — one  kind  for  summer 
and  one  for  winter;"  and  another  that  young  men  should 
be  obliged  to  marry  at  a  certain  age. 


CHAPTER  IL 


GERMAN    IMMIGRATION THE    ADMINISTRATIONS    OF    WIL- 
LIAM   PENN    AND    SIR    WILLIAM    KEITH. 


S  has  been  before  stated,  the  first  settlements  in 
the  province  were  made  by  Swedes,  who  oc- 
cupied the  country  dui/ng  about  half  a  cen- 
tury previous  to  its  purchase  of  William 
Penn.  In  all  that  time  they  made  little  prog- 
ress toward  developing  the  resources  of  the 
country.  In  the  language  of  Watson:  "They 
seem  to  have  sat  down  contented  in  their  log  and  clay 
huts,  their  leather  breeches  and  jerkins  and  match- coats 
for  their  men,  and  their  skin  jackets  and  linsey  petticoats 
for  their  women;  but  no  sooner  has  the  genius  of  Penn 
enlisted  in  the  enterprise  than  we  see  it  speak  a  city 
and  commerce  into  existence.  His  spirit  animated  every 
part  of  his  colony;  and  the  consequence  was  that  the 
tame  and  unaspiring  Swedes  soon  lost  their  distinctive 
character  and  existence  as  a  separate  nation. 

Immigration  was  largely  increased  during  1683  and 
1684.  Settlers  came  from  England,  Ireland,  Wales,  Hol- 
land and  Germany.  Of  those  from  the  latter  country 
many  came  from  Cresheim  and  founded  the  village  of 
Germantown.  They  were  nearly  all  Quakers,  and  the 
settlement  which  they  made  was  the  nucleus  around 
which  collected  so  large  a  German  population  in  after 
years  that  Pennsylvania  became  a  German  province, 
notwithstanding  the  large  immigration  from  the  British 
islands  at  first. 

In  1683  and  1684  the  controversy  with  regard  to 
boundaries  was  renewed  by  Lord  Baltimore,  and  the 
Marylanders  were  guilty  of  some  acts  of  aggression.  The 
province  had  come  to  number  some  7,000  inhabitants, 
and  it  was  a  matter  of  importance  that  the  boundary  dis- 
pute should  be  settled.  To  accomplish  this  settlement, 
and  for  other  reasons,  Penn  during  1684  sailed  for  Eng- 
land, after  giving  to  the  provincial  council  the  executive 
power.  Not  long  after  his  arrival  in  England  Charles 
the  Second  died,  and  was  succeeded  on  the  throne  by 
his  brother  James,  Duke  of  York,  between  whom  and 
Penn  a  strong  friendship  existed.  The  proprietary, 
therefore,  easily  obtained  a  favorable  decree.  In  1688 
a  revolution  in  England  dethroned  James  and  placed  the 
regal  power  in  the  hands  of  William  and   Mary.     This 


change  destroyed  the  influence  of  Penn  at  the  English 
court,  and  the  friendship  which  had  existed  between  him 
and  James  caused  him  to  be  regarded  with  suspicion. 
Slanders  were  circulated  and  believed  concerning  him,  and 
he  was  even  accused  of  treason  and  compelled  for  a  time 
to  go  into  retirement.  In  his  absence  discord  and  dis- 
sensions arose  in  the  province,  and  these  were  made  the 
pretext  for  depriving  him  of  his  proprietary  government 
in  1693.  He  was,  however,  honorably  acquitted  and  ex- 
onerated from  suspicion,  and  reinstated  in  his  proprietary 
rights  in  1694.  Dissensions  in  the  province  continued, 
however,  till  af'er  the  return  of  the  proprietary  with  hi;, 
family  in  1699  ;  and  even  his  presence  failed  to  wholly 
restore  harmony. 

Because  of  the  increasing  power  of  the  proprietary 
governments  in  America,  the  plan  had,  since  the  accession 
of  William  and  Mary  to  the  crown,  been  entertained  of 
purchasing  these  governments  and  converting  them  into 
regal  ones.  In  1701  a  bill  for  that  purpose  was  intro- 
duced in  the  House  of  Lords,  and  Penn  revisited  Eng- 
land for  the  purpose  of  endeavoring  to  prevent  its  pas- 
sage. Before  his  departure  a  new  constitution,  which 
had  been  some  time  under  consideration,  was  adopted, 
and  a  deputy  governor  and  council  of  State  provided  for 
and  appointed.  On  his  arrival  the  project  of  purchasing 
the  proprietary  government  was  dropped.  In  1702  King 
William  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  Queen  Anne,  who 
entertained  for  Penn  a  warm  friendship  Though  the 
dangerof  being  dispossessed  of  his  proprietary  government 
was  averted,  affairs  in  that  government  were  not  more 
harmonious.  The  disaffection  on  the  part  of  the  people  in 
the  lower  counties,  which  he  had  endeavored  to  allay, 
led  to  a  separation  in  1703,  and  the  choice  of  a  distinct 
assembly  for  the  territories.  Some  of  the  deputy  govern- 
ors were  indiscreet  men,  and  differences  between  them 
and  the  provincial  Legislature  were  constantly  arising. 
Harrassed  by  these,  and  probably  disgusted  at  the  in- 
gratitude of  his  subjects,  in  whose  behalf  he  had  in- 
curred large  pecuniary  liabilities,  for  the  collection  of 
which  proceedings  were  frequently  instituted  against 
him,  he  finally  agreed  with  the  crown  for  the  cession  of 
his  province  and  the  territory  granted  him  by  the  Duke 
of  York.  He  was  prevented  from  legally  consummating 
this  cession  by  a  stroke  of  apoplexy,  which  rendered  him 
imbecile. 

The  Queen  died  in  17 14,  and  was  succeeded  by  George 
the  First.  Among  the  early  acts  of  Parliament  in  the 
reign  of  this  King  was  one  extending  to  the  English 
colonies  a  previous  act  disqualifying  Quakers  from  hold- 
ing office,  serving  on  juries,  or  giving  evidence  in  crimi- 
nal cases.  Charles  Gookin,  who  had  been  provincial 
governor  since  1709,  construed  this  act  to  be  applicable 
to  the  proprietary  government,  and  a  disqualification  of 
the  Quakers  in  the  province.  This  construction  of  the 
law  of  course  called  forth  the  indignation  and  opposition 
of  the  council,  the  Assembly,  and  the  people,  and  led  to 
the  recall  of  Gookin  in  1717,  and  the  appointment  of 
Sir  William  Keith  in  his  stead.  The  latter  was  affable 
and  courteous,  cunning  and  crafty,  and  in  all  matters  of 


difference  between  the  crown  or  proprietary,  on  one 
side,  and  the  people  on  the  other,  he  espoused  the  popu- 
lar cause.. 

William  Penn  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four,  in  the 
summer  of  1718.  History  will  ever  point  to  him  as  one 
who  accomplished  more  for  the  cause  of  civil  and  relig- 
ious liberty  than  any  other  man  of  his  time,  and  to  the 
provincial  government  which  he  founded  and  adminis- 
tered as  the  first  successful  experiment  in  the  broadest 
liberty  of  conscience  which  had  then  been  conceived,  and 
the  nearest  approach  to  a  government  of  themselves  by 
the  people  that  had  ever  been  attempted  He  was  the 
representative  of  a  despised  and  proscribed  sect;  but  by 
his  wise  and  liberal  administration  of  the  government 
of  his  province,  in  accordance  with  the  principles 
of  that  sect,  he  did  more  to  bring  it  to  the  favorable 
notice  of  the  world  than  could  otherwise  have  been 
done. 

The  American  colonies  at  that  time  presented  a  curious 
spectacle.  Maryland,  a  colony  of  Catholics,  who  were 
stigmatized  as  the  most  bigoted  and  intolerant  sect  in 
Christendom,  had  been  established  under  a  constitution 
the  most  liberal  and  tolerant  of  all  that  had  been  grant- 
ed by  the  government  of  Great  Britain;  and  Pennsylva- 
nia, a  province  of  Quakers,  whose  tenets  were  almost  the 
reverse  of  the  Catholics,  had  added  to  this  almost  uni- 
versal tolerance  the  largest  civil  liberty  that  had  ever 
been  enjoyed  by  a  people;  while  the  Puritans  of  the  New 
England  colonies,  who  professed  to  have  fled  from  relig- 
ious persecution  in  England,  and  to  have  sought  an 
asylum  where  each  could  worship  God,  the  common 
Father  of  all,  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  con- 
science, in  the  language  of  Egle,  "  excluded  from  the 
benefits  of  their  government  all  who  were  not  members 
of  their  church,  and  piously  flagellated  or  hanged  those 
who  were  not  convinced  of  its  infallibility."  Almost  two 
centuries  have  passed  since  Penn  established  his  colony 
in  America,  and — except  in  those  governments  that  are 
purely  secular,  or  nearly  so,  in  their  character — political 
science  has  developed  little  that  is  essential  to  the  wel- 
fare and  happiness  of  humanity  that  was  not  embodied 
in  his  system. 

The  estate  of  William  Penn  passed  at  his  death  to  his 
family,  who  inherited  both  his  property  and  his  proprie- 
tary government.  He  had  made  a  will,  previous  to  his 
agreement  with  Queen  Anne,  for  the  sale  of  his  province; 
and  his  agreement  was  decided  to  be  void  because  of  his 
mental  incapacity  to  consummate  it.  The  proprietary  gov- 
ernment, therefore,  devolved  on  his  widow,  as  executrix 
of  his  will  and  trustee  of  his  property  during  the  minority 
of  his  children,  and  it  has  been  said  of  her  that  she  man- 
ifested much  shrewdness  in  the  appointment  of  governors 
and  general  management  of  colonial  affairs.  It  is  said  by 
Day:  "  The  affectionate  patriarchal  relation  which  had 
subsisted  between  Penn  and  his  colony  ceased  with  his 
death;  the  interest  which  his  family  took  in  the  affairs  of 
the  province  was  more  mercenary  in  its  character,  and 
looked  less  to  the  establishment  of  great  and  pure  princi- 
ples of  life  and  government." 


The  administration  of  Sir  William  Keith  was  quite  suc- 
cessful. The  favor  with  which  he  was  regarded  by  the 
people  enabled  him  to  promote  among  them  that  harmony 
which  is  so  essential  to  prosperity;  and  the  colony  was 
pr-^sperous.  There  was  a  large  influx  of  population,  the 
character  of  which  was  more  cosmopolitan  than  informer 
times.  The  persecutions  of  the  Quakers  in  England  had 
relaxed  somewhat,  and  fewer,  relatively,  of  them  sought 
homes  here;  while  people  from  other  regions,  and  nota- 
bly from  Germany,  came  in  great  numbers.  The  popu- 
larity of  Keith  was  such  that  he  was  able  to  accomplish 
two  measures  that  had  been  looked  on  with  great  disfavor 
by  the  assembly — the  establishment  of  a  Court  of  Chan- 
cery, of  which  he  was  the  chancellor;  and  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  militia,  of  which  be  was  the  chief.  On  the  other 
hand,  by  his  good  offices,  "the  Quakers,  to  their- great 
joy,  procured  a  renewal  of  the  privilege  of  affirmation  in 
place  of  an  oath,  and  of  the  cherished  privilege  of  wear- 
ing the  hat  whenever  and  wherever  it  suited  them."  He 
was  deposed  in  1726,  through  the  influence  of  James 
Logan,  the  leader  of  the  proprietary  party.  Franklin 
wrote  of  him:  "  If  he  sought  popularity  he  promoted  the 
public  happiness,  and  his  courage  in  resisting  the  de- 
mands of  the  family  may  be  ascribed  to  a  higher  motive 
than  private  interest.  The  conduct  of  the  Assembly  to- 
ward him  was  neither  honorable  nor  politic;  for  his  sins 
against  his  principles  were  virtues  to  the  people,  with 
whom  he  was  deservedly  a  favorite;  and  the  House  should 
have  given  him  such  substantial  marks  of  their  gratitude 
as  would  have  tempted  his  successors  to  walk  in  his 
steps." 

Keith's  successor  was  Patrick  Gordon.  His  adminis- 
tration continued  during  ten  years,  or  until  his  death  in 

1736.  Tranquillity  prevailed  in  the  province  during  this 
time;  the  population,  which  in  1727  was  more  than  fifty 
thousand,  received  large  accessions,  especially  from  Ger- 
many; internal  improvements  were  prosecuted,  and  for- 
eign commerce  increased  largely.  Two  of  the  proprie- 
taries, John  and  Thomas  Penn,  came  to  the  province; 
the  latter  in  1732,  the  former  in  1734.  John  returned  to 
England  in  1735  on  account  of  the  aggressions  of  the 
Marylanders  under  Lord  Baltimore,  but  Thomas  re- 
mained in  the  country  eight  years  longer.  The  demeanor 
of  the  latter  was  not  such  as  to  endear  him  to  the 
people. 

The  first  public  library  ever  established  in  the  province 
was  projected  in  T731  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  was  in- 
corporated in  1742.  During  the  two  years  following  the 
death  of  Mr.  Gordon  the  president  of  the  council,  James 
Logan,  was  the  executive  officer  of  the  province.  The  cele- 
brated fraud  known  as  the  "  Indian  walk  "  took  place  in 

1737.  That  an  unscrupulous  Indian  trader  should  be 
guilty  of  thus  swindling  ignorant  savages  would  be  no 
matter  of  surprise;  but  that  the  province  of  Pennsylva- 
nia should  be  a  party  to  such  a  transaction  is  almost  in- 
credible. It  is  certain  that  it  never  would  have  received 
the  sanction  of  William  Penn,  and  it  is  equally  certain 
that  it  was  the  foundation  of  an  enmity  that  broke  out  in 
open  hostility  afterwards. 


OPENING  OF  THE  FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR. 


'3 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE    QUESTION   OF    T.hXING    THE-PROPRIETARY   ESTATES- 
WARS   WITH    THE   FRENCH    AND    INDIANS. 


I  HE  proprietaries  in  1738  appointed  George 
Thomas  governor,  and  the  position  was  held 
by  him  till  1747.  In  the  war  between  Great 
Britain  and  Spain  which  was  declared  in 
1739  the  Assembly  did  not  take  measures  to  fur- 
nish the  men  required,  and  the  governor  was  com- 
pelled to  raise  the  quota  of  the  province  by  his 
own  exertions.  In  1744  war  broke  out  between  France 
and  England,  and  the  aspect  of  Indian  affairs  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  on  its  borders  became  threatening;  but  the 
storm  was  averted  by  the  good  offices'  of  the  Iroquois, 
who  held  the  Delawares  in  subjection. 

An  unhappy  condition  of  affairs  existed  at  that  time, 
and  during  some  years  afterwards,  in  the  province.  The 
proprietaries  had  little  sympathy  with  the  people,  but  as 
they  grew  rich  by  the  enhanced  value  which  the  activity 
and  enterprise  of  these  people  gave  to  their  estates,  they 
preferred  the  pomp  and  luxury  of  aristocratic  life,  ^nd 
regarded  the  people  with  a  measure  of  contempt.  Un- 
der such  circumstances  it  was  not  a  matter  of  wonder  that 
the  people,  through  their  representatives,  should  not  re- 
spond with  alacrity  to  the  demands  of  the  governors  ap- 
pointed by  these  proprietaries.  Governor  Thomas  re- 
signed in  1747,  and  after  an  administration  of  two  years 
by  Anthony  Palmer,  president  of  the  council,  James 
Hamilton  became  lieutenant  governor  in  1749.  The 
condition  of  things  at  that  time  cannot  be  better  de- 
scribed than  in  the  language  of  Sherman  Day: 

"  An  alarming  crisis  was  at  hand.  The  French,  now 
hovering  around  the  great  lakes,  sedulously  applied 
themselves  to  seduce  the  Indians  from  their  allegiance  to 
the  English.  The  Shawnees  had  already  joined  them; 
the  Delawares  waited  only  for  an  opportunity  to  revenge 
their  wrongs,  and  of  the  Six  Nations  the  Onondagas, 
Cayugas,  and  Senecas  were  wavering.  The  French  were 
fortifying  the  strong  points  on  the  Ohio.  To  keep  the 
I;-:dians  in  favor  of  the  colony  required  much  cunning 
diplomacy,  and  expensive  presents.  In  this  alarming 
juncture  the  old  flame  of  civil  dissension  burst  out  with 
increased  force.  The  presents  to  the  Indians,  with  the 
erection  of  a  line  of  forts  along  the  ftontier,  and  the 
maintenance  of  a  military  force,  drew  heavily  on  the 
provincial  purse.  The  Assembly,  the  popular  branch, 
urged  that  the  proprietary  estates  should  be  taxed  as 
well  as  those  of  humble  individuals.  The  proprietors, 
through  their  deputies,  refused,  and  pleaded  prerogative, 
charter,  and  law.  The  Assembly  in  turn  pleaded  equity, 
common  danger,  and  common  benefit,  requirmg  a  com- 
mon expense.  The  proprietaries  offered  bounties  in  lands 
yet  to  be  conquered  from  the  Indians,  and  the  privilege 
of    issuing   more   paper  money  ;    the   Assembly  wanted 


something  more  tangible.  The  Assembly  passed  laws 
laying  taxes  and  granting  supplies,  but  annexing  con- 
ditions. The  governors  opposed  the  conditions,  but 
were  willing  to  aid  the  Assembly  in  taxing  the  people, 
but  not  the  proprietaries.  Here  were  the  germs  of  revo- 
lution, not  fully  matured  until  twenty  years  later.  Dr. 
Franklin  was  now  a  member  and  a  leader  in  the  Assem- 
bly. In  the  meantime  the  frontier  were  left  exposed 
while  these  frivolous  disputes  continued.  The  pacific 
principles,  too,  of  the  Quakers  and  Dunkards  and  Men- 
nonists  and  Schwenckfelders  came  in  to  complicate  the 
strife  ;  but  as  the  danger  increased  they  prudently  kept 
aloof  from  public  office,  leaving  the  management  of  the 
war  to  sects  less  scrupulous." 

Robert  H.  Morris,  the  successor  of  James  Hamilton, 
became  governor  in  1754,  and  his  successor,  William 
Denny,  in  1756.  The  same  want  of  harmony  between 
the  proprietaries  and  the  people  continued  during  their 
administrations,  but  finally,  through  the  efforts  of  Frank- 
lin, the  royal  assent  was  given  to  a  law  taxing  the  estates 
of  the  proprietaries. 

Settlements  were  made  on  lands  to  which  the  Indian 
title  had  not  been  extinguished,  especially  by  the  not 
over  scrupulous  Scotch  Irish,  and  the  result  was  a  de- 
sultory Indian  war,  which  kept  up  a  very  insecure  feeling 
among  the  people  of  the  province. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  province  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  a  few  years  after  the 
treaty  of  Aix-La-Chapelle,  which  really  was  scarcely 
more  than  a  temporary  suspension  of  hostilities.  It  is 
well  known  to  every  one  connected  with  American  his- 
tory, that  at  this  time  the  French  attempted  to  connect 
their  possessions  in  Canada  and  Louisiana  by  a  chain  of 
military  posts  extending  from  Presque  Isle,  now  Erie,  to 
the  navigable  waters  of  the  Ohio,  and  along  that  river  to 
the  Mississippi.  In  furtherance  of  this  design  they  sent, 
in  1754,  1,000  men  to  the  confluence  of  the  Allegheny 
and  Monongahela  rivers,  where  they  built  Fort  Du 
Quesne,  afterward  called,  in  honor  of  the  great  English 
statesman.  Fort  Pitt  ;  now  Pittsburg.  Against  this  was 
sent  the  disastrous  expedition  of  General  Braddock,  a 
minute  account  of  which  cannot,  for  want  of  space,  be 
given  here.  It  may  briefly  be  said,  that  by  reason  of  his 
self  conceit  and  obstinacy  General  Braddock  sustained 
the  most  overwhelming  defeat  that  an  European  army 
had  ever  met  in  America,  and  that  he  was  mor- 
tally wounded  in  this  action.  General — then  Colonel — 
George  Washington  greatly  distinguished  himself  in  this 
battle. 

The  dispute  between  the  proprietaries  and  the  people 
continued,  notwithstanding  the  country  was  suffering 
from  the  horrors  of  an  Indian  war.  The  proprietaries 
insisted  on  the  exemption  of  their  estates  from  taxation 
and  the  Assembly  yielded  when  the  public  safety  was  in 
jeopardy.  Several  councils  were  held  with  the  Indians, 
and  efforts  were  made  through  the  interposition  of  the 
Six  Nations,  whose  aid  the  authorities  of  the  province 
invoked,  to  secure  peace,  with  only  partial  success.  In 
1756  three  hundred  men  under  Colonel  Armstrong  crossed 


<4 


14 


OUTLINE    HISTORY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Alleghcnies  and  destroyed  the  Indinn  town  of  Kittan- 
ing  ;  thus  inflicting  a  severe  blow  on  the  savages,  and 
driving  them  beyond  the  Allegheny  river. 

In  1758  a  change  in  the  ministry  in  England  was  made, 
and  under  William  Pitt  the  war  was  prosecuted  with  great 
energy.  An  expedition  consisting  of  about  9,000  men  was 
organized   and   sent   against   Fort   Du  Quesne.     On  the 
approach  of  this  army  the   French   burnt   the   buildings, 
evacuated  the  fort,  and  blew   up  the    magazine.     It  was 
rebuilt  and  named  Fort  Pitt.     This  terminated  hostilities 
in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio.     A  series  of  successes  followed 
in  1759  and  1760  at  the  north  and  west,  which  terminated 
the  war,  though  a  feeble  effort  was  made   by  the  French 
to  retrieve  their  losses  in   Canada.     The   result   was  the 
final  extinction  of  the  French  dominion  in  the   Canadian 
provinces,  which  was  confirmed  by  the  treaty  of  Fontain- 
hleau  in  1762.     The  peace  which   followed  was  of  short 
duration.     The  Kyasuta  and  Pontiac  war,  so  called  from 
the  chiefs  who  planned  it,  broke  out  in    1763.     Kyasuta 
was   a   Seneca,  and   Pontiac   an    Ottawa   chief;  and  the 
scheme  which  they  devised,  for  a  war  of  quick  extermin- 
ation against  the  colonists,  would  have  been   no  discredit 
to  the  ability  of  educated  military  chieftains.     The  sava- 
ges had  looked  with  approval  on  the  construction  by  the 
French  of  a  chain  of  forts  from  Presque  Isle  to  the  Ohio; 
for  they  saw  in  them  a  check  upon  the  progress  westward 
of  the  tide  of  settlement  which  threatened   to  dispossess 
them  of  their  broad  domains.     When  they  saw  these  forts 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  colonists,  and  thus   cease  to  be 
a  barrier  against   their  aggressions,  they   became    more 
alarmed  for  their  own  safety;  and  these  wily  chiefs  con- 
ceived the   project  of  attacking   and    overpowering  the 
different    defenses  on   the  frontier    simultaneously,  and 
then  rushing  upon  and  exterminating  the  defenseless  in- 
habitants   in    the    settlements,  and    thus,  by    the    terror 
which   they  inspired,  preventing  future  encroachments. 
The  time  of  harvest  was  chosen  for  this  attack,  and  the 
plan  was  laid  with  such  secrecy  that  the   first  intimation 
of  it  was  the  appalling  war  whoop  with  which  it  was  com- 
menced.    So  nearly  successful  were  the  savages  that  eight 
of  the  eleven  forts  attacked  on  the  western  frontier  were 
taken.     Scalping  parties  overran  the  frontier  settlements 
of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  Virginia,  and   the  terror 
stricken  inhabitants  fled  before  them.     Fort  Pitt  was  in- 
»csted,   after    the    Indian    fashion,   during    about    three 
n;onths,  but  was  relieved  by  a  force  under  Colonel  Bo- 
qi;et.     About  thirty  of  the  settlers  in  the  Wyoming  valley 
we,-'  killed  by  the  Delawares,  in  revenge  for  the  murder 
of  Teedyuscung  by  a  party  of  Iroquois,  the  latter  having 
persuaded  the  Delawares  that  the  murder  was  committed 
by  the  whites.     Although  there  were,  after  the  first  erup- 
tion of   hostilities,  no   large   organized   bands   of  hostile 
Indians,  the  frontier  settlements  were  continually  harassed 
by  small  parties,  who  came  upon  them  stealthily  and  mur- 
dered the  inhabitants  without  pity.     The   protection  af- 
forded by  the  authorities  in  the  province  against  these 
marauding  parties  was  insufficient.     The  pacific  disposi- 
tion of  the  Quakers,  who  controlled  the  government,  was 
such  as  to  call  forth  the  remark  that  they  were  "  more 


solicitous  for  the  wclfLirc  of  the  bloodthirsty  Indi.an  than 
for  the  lives  of  the  frontiersmen."  Parkman  says  of  them: 
"  They  seemed  resolved  that  they  would  neither  defend 
the  people  of  the  frontier  nor  allow  them  to  defend  them- 
selves; and  vehemently  inveighed  against  all  expeditions 
to  cut  off  the  Indian  marauders.  Their  security  was 
owing  to  their  local  situation,  being  confined  to  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  province." 

John  Penn,  a  grandson  of  the  founder  of  the  province, 
rame  to  Pennsylvania  in  1763  in  the  capacity  of  lieuten- 
ant-governor. His  father  and  his  uncle  were  then  the 
proprietors  and  resided  in  England.  The  Penn  family 
had  all  ceased  to  be  Quakers,  and  had  no  conscientious 
scruples  against  defensive  or  aggressive  war.  General 
Gage  had  become  commander  of  the  military  forces  of 
the  province,  and  Governor  Penn  vigorously  seconded 
his  efforts.  He  even,  in  1764,  offered  by  proclamation 
the  following  bounties  for  scalps,  Indians,  etc.:  "For 
every  male  above  the  age  of  ten  years  captured,  $150; 
scalped,  being  killed,  $134;  for  every  female  Indian 
enemy,  and  every  male  under  the  age  of  ten  years,  cap- 
tured, $130;  for  every  female  above  the  age  of  ten  years 
scalped,  being  killed,  $50." 

The  apathy  which  was  manifested  by  the  Assembly  in 
T 763,  and  the  insecure  condition  of- the  settlers  toward 
the  frontier,  led  to  the  formation  of  an  independent  or- 
ganization known  as  the  Paxtang  Boys  or  Paxtang  Ran- 
gers; so  named  because  they  were  mostly  inhabitants  of 
Paxtang,  or  Paxton,  and  Donnegal,  in  Lancaster  county. 
Such  was  the  feeling  of  insecurity  in  advanced  settlements 
that  men  were  compelled  to  keep  their  rifles  at  their  sides 
while  at  work  in  their  fields,  and  even  while  attending 
divine  worship.  These  rangers,  by  their  vigilance  and 
activity,  and  by  the  severe  punishments  which  they  in- 
flicted on  the  savages,  became  in  turn  a  terror  to  them. 
They  were  mostly  composed  of  Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians, 
between  whom  and  the  Quakers  no  very  friendly  feeling 
existed.  The  latter  strongly  censured  what  they  termed 
the  barbarities  of  the  rangers;  and  fierce  dissensions  arose 
between  them.  The  Paxtang  men  finally  fell  upon  a 
small  tribe  of  Indians  at  Conestoga,  in  Lancaster  county, 
and  put  many  of  them  to  death,  because,  as  they  alleged, 
they  had  discovered  that  these  Indians,  while  professing 
friendliness,  were  secretly  harboring  their  hostile  breth- 
ren, and  furnishing  them  with  information  and  supplies 
of  ammunition,  etc.  They  also  insisted  that  the  Christian 
or  Moravian  Indians  were  guilty  of  the  same  treachery, 
and  the  latter  were  compelled  to  flee  to  Philadelphia  to 
avoid  their  vengeance.  These  acts  of  the  rangers  called 
forth  the  still  more  vehement  protests  of  the  Quakers,  and 
even  at  the  present  day  historians  are  not  agreed  as  to 
whether  or  not  their  action  was  justifiable.  None  of  them 
were  ever  convicted  in  the  courts  of  the  province. 

In  1764  General  Gage  instituted  measures  to  drive  the 
Indians  from  the  frontiers  by  carrying  the  war  into  their 
country.  He  sent  a  corps  under  Colonel  Bradstreet  to 
act  against  the  Wyandots,  Chippewas  and  Ottawas,  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  upper  lakes;  and  another,under  Colonel 
Boquet,to  go  to  the  Muskingum  and  attack  the  Delawares, 


MASON  AND  DIXON'S  LINE— CAUSES  OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 


'5 


Shawnees,  and  other  nations  between  the  Ohio  and  the 
lakes.  This  vigorous  action  had  the  desired  effect. 
Peace  was  established,  and  many  of  the  captives  who 
had  been  taken  were  restored. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


•'mason    and    DIXON'S    LINE'' CAUSES   OF    THE    REVOLU- 
TION  PATRIOTIC    ACTION    OF    PtNNSVLVANIA. 


)URING  the  ten  years  between  1765  and  1775 
two  questions  of  boundary  were  settled. 
One,  that  of  the  line  between  Pennsylvania 
and  Maryland,  liad  long  been  in  dispute,  and 

several  fruitless  negotiations  had  been  entered 
into  for  its  settlement.  In  1763  Thomas  and 
Richard  Penn  and  Frederick  Lord  Baltimore  en- 
tered into  an  arrangement  for  the  establishment  of  this 
line,  and  commissioned  Charles  Mason  and  Jeremiah 
Dixon  to  survey  and  mark  it.  This  work  they  completed 
in  1767,  having  surveyed  and  marked  with  milestones  of 
oolite  brought  from  England)  the  southern  boundary  of 
Pennsylvania,  except  about  twenty-two  miles  at  its  western 
end,  where  they  were  prevented  by  the  Indian  propri- 
etors. Thus  originated  the  celebrated  "Mason  and 
Dixon's  line."  The  other  boundary  question  was  raised 
by  Lord  Dunmore,  of  Virginia,  who  claimed  the  territory 
that  now  includes  the  counties  of  Fayette,  Greene  and 
Washington,  and  even  a  portion  of  Allegheny.  He  en- 
couraged settlers  to  take  from  Virginia  the  titles  to  their 
lands  there,  and  even  sent  an  agent  to  take  possession  of 
Fort  Pitt,  when  it  was  evacuated  by  General  Gage.  The 
settlers  were  a  bad  class  of  men;  and  by  reason  of  the 
lawless  acts  of  some  of  them,  especially  two  named 
Cresap  and  Greathouse,  a  frontier  Indian  war  occurred. 
The  Virginia  claim  was  promptly  repelled. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  Indian  war  of  1763  and  1764 
the  old  controversy  concerning  the  taxation  of  the  pro- 
prietary estates  was  revived,  and  Dr.  Franklin  at  once  be- 
came the  champion  of  the  popular  cause  in  the  Assembly. 
That  body  became  sa  indignant  at  the  conduct  of  the 
governor  that  they  resolved  to  petition  the  King  to  pur- 
chase the  proprietary  jurisdiction,  and  place  the  province 
in  direct  relation  with  the  crown.  "  Here,"  says  Day, 
"  was  a  most  important  step  toward  the  Revolution.  To 
break  down  the  feudal  power,  and  bring  the  people  and 
the  crown  in  direct  communication,  is,  in  all  countries,  the 
first  great  step  toward  popular  freedom,  and  prepares  the 
way  for  the  next  step — the  direct  conflict  between  the 
crown  and  the  people.  It  so  happened,  however,  that 
in  this  case  the  avarice  of  the  British  ministry  outran  the 
anti-feudal  propensities  of  the  people,  and  brought  the 
colonies  at  once  to  the  last  great  struggle  between  the 
people  and  the  crown."  Dr.  Franklin  was  sent  by  the 
province  to  London  to  urge  before  the  ministry  the  meas- 


ure of  relief  from  the  proprietary  dominion;  but  on  his 
arrival  he  found  that  the  conflict  was  with  the  very  power 
the  protection  of  which  he  had  come  to  invoke 

The  wars  which  had  raged  in  the  coloni's,  and  in 
which  the  home  government  had  assisted,  had  called  the 
attention  of  the  ministry  to  the  rapidly  increasing  wealth 
of  those  colonies.  The  plan  was  conceived  of  making  that 
wealth  available  to  the  mother  country,  for  the  double  pur- 
pose of  replenishing  her  exhausted  treasury  and  securing 
the  exclusive  control  of  the  colonial  trade.  The  accom- 
plishment of  this  double  object  involved  the  question  ol 
taxation  without  consent  and  without  representation  in  the 
legislative  body  imposing  the  tax.  This  was  the  point  on 
which  the  American  Revolution  turned.  Parliament  in- 
sisted on  its  right  to  tax  any  part  of  the  British  domin- 
ions, and  the  colonies  held  that  they  were  not  safe  if 
they  might  thus  be  despoiled  of  their  property  without 
their  consent,  and  by  a  parliament  in  which  they  were 
not  represented.  In  view  of  this  momentous  question 
the  contentions  with  the  proprietaries  were  forgotten. 
In  1764  an  act  was  ])assed  imposing  duties  on  certain 
articles  not  produced  in  his  majesty's  dominions.  This 
was  followed  the  next  year  by  the  odious  stamp  act, 
which  declared  instruments  of  writing  void  if  not  written 
on  stamped  paper  on  which  a  duty  was  paid.  This  was 
resisted  and  the  paper  refused  in  the  colonies,  and  the 
determination  was  formed  by  the  colonies  to  establish 
manufactories,  to  the  end  that  they  might  not  be  depend- 
ent on  the  mother  country.  By  reason  of  the  consequent 
clamors  of  English  manufacturers,  and  the  impossibility 
of  executing  the  law  without  a  resort  to  force,  the  stamp 
act  was  repealed;  but  the  repeal  was  coupled  with  a 
declaration  of  the  absolute  power  of  parliament  over  the 
colonies. 

The  next  offensive  act  was  the  imposition  of  duties  on 
goods  imported  from  Great  Britain;  but  this  was  resisted 
by  the  colonists,  who  would  accede  to  nothing  which  in- 
volved taxation  without  consent.  A  circular  was  ad- 
dressed by  Massachusetts  to  her  sister  colonies  recapitu- 
lating their  grievances,  and  the  arguments  against  the  op- 
pressive acts.  Governor  Penn  was  ordered  by  the  colonial 
se'cretary  in  London  to  urge  upon  the  Assembly  a  disre- 
gard of  this,  and,  in  case  this  advice  was  not  heeded,  to 
prorogue  it.  The  Assembly  asserted,  by  resolution,  its 
right  to  sit  at  its  own  pleasure,  and  to  consult  with  the 
other  colonies  concerning  matters  pertaining  to  the  wel- 
fare of  all;  and  it  gave  a  cordial  assent  to  the  recom- 
mendation by  Virginia  for  a  concert  of  action  in  order  to 
peacefully  obtain  a  redress  of  their  grievances.  The 
impost  was  reduced  in  1769,  and  in  1770  abolished,  ex- 
cept that  on  tea,  which  was  continued  at  three  pence  per 
pound.  The  colonists,  however,  were  opposed  to  the 
principle  on  which  the  lax  was  based,  and  not  to  its 
amount,  and  their  resistance  to  the  importation  of  taxed 
goods  was  concentrated  on  the  tea  tax.  In  Pennsylvania 
one  chest  was  imported  and  the  duty  paid;  but  generally 
the  non-importation  policy  prevailed.  Under  these  cir- 
stances  the  ideal  right  of  taxation  was  asserted  and  no 
collision  was   provoked.     In   order  to  make  a  practical 


^^ 


=6N= 


i6 


OUTLINE    HISTORY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 


application  of  this  right,  however,  the  East  India  Com- 
pany was  encouraged  by  parliament  to  send  a  consign- 
ment of  tea  to  each  of  the  principal  ports  in  the  colonies, 
to  be  disposed  of  by  the  agents  appointed  by  the  com- 
pany, and  thus  to  force  it  on  the  people.  The  colonists 
in  all  the  provinces  were  indignant  at  this  insidious  at- 
tempt. 

"  The  course  of  Pennsylvania  was  from  the  first  firm,  but 
temperate.     A  meeting  at  Philadelphia  passed  resolutions 
denouncing  the  duty  on  tea  as  a  tax  without  their  con- 
sent, laid  for   the   express   purpose    of    establishing  the 
right  to  tax;  and  asserting  that  this  method  of  provid- 
ing a  revenue  for  the  support  of  government,  the  admin- 
istration  of  justice  and  defense  of  the  colonies,  had  a 
direct  tendency  to  render  assemblies  useless   and  to  in- 
troduce  arbitrary    government    and    slavery;    and    that 
steady  opposition  to  this  plan  was  necessary   to  preserve 
even  the  shadow  of  liberty.     They   denounced   all  who 
should  aid  in  landing  or  selling  the  tea  as  enemies  to  their 
country,  and  enjoined  the  consignees  to  resign  their  ap- 
pointment."    Under  such  a  pressure  the  contignees  de- 
clined to  receive  it.     In   Charleston   it   was  landed  in  a 
damp  warehouse  and  permitted  to  rot.     At  New  York  a 
vigilance  committee  forbade  the  pilots  to  bring  the  vessel 
having  the  tea  on  board  into  the  harbor,  and   escorted  a 
captain  who  attempted  to  bring  in  some  as  a  private  ven- 
ture out  of  the  harbor,  after  airing  and  watering  his  tea. 
At  Boston  the  vessel  having  the  tea  on  board  was  boarded 
by  a  party  of  men  disguised  as  Indians,  and  the  tea  thrown 
overboard.     In  consequence  of  these  proceedings  meas- 
ures were  adopted  by  the  British  government   to  coerce 
submission  on  the  part  of   the  colonists.     Upon   Massa- 
chusetts, which  had  manifested  the  most   violent  opposi- 
tion, the  vials  of  British  wrath  were  most   freely  poured 
out.     In  1774  the  act  known  as  the   Boston  port   bill,  by 
which   the  port  of  Boston   was  closed  and   the  custom- 
house removed   to   Salem,  was  passed.     This   was  soon 
followed  by  an  act  vesting  the   appointment  of  colonial 
ofBcers  in  the  crown;  by  another,  authorizing  the   extra- 
dition for  trial  of  persons  charged  with  capital  offences; 
and  by  still  another,  for  quartering  soldiers  on  the  inhab- 
itants.    All  the  colonies  sympathized  and  made  common 
cause  with  Boston  and   Massachusetts,   though  in  each 
colony  there  were  some  people  who  sympathized  with  the 
crown.     These  were  termed  tories,  while  the  advocates 
of  colonial  rights  were  called  whigs — names  by  which  the 
two  parties  were  known  through  the  Revolution. 

The  province  of  Pennsylvania  did  not  waver  at  this 
juncture  in  its  adhesion  to  the  colonial  cause.  On  being 
requested  to  convene  the  Assembly  Governor  Penn  of 
course  declined,  and  a  meeting  consisting  of  about  eight 
thousand  people  was  held,  at  which  a  general  colonial 
congress  was  recommended  and  a  committee  of  corres- 
pondence appointed.  Subsequently  a  convention  of  del- 
egates from  all  the  counties  in  the  province  assembled,  at 
which  a  series  of  temperate  but  firm  and  patriotic  resolu- 
tions were  adopted,  asserting  both  their  loyalty  and  their 
rights,  and  reiterating  the  recommendation  for  a  general 
congress.     The  convention  also  adopted  instructions  to 


the  Assembly  that  was  about  to  convene.  These  were 
written  by  John  Dickinson,  one  of  the  foremost  patriots 
in  the  province.  The  following  extracts  are  quoted  to 
show  the  animus  of  these  patriots: 

"  Honor,  justice  and  humanity  call  upon  us  to  hold 
and  transmit  to  our  posterity  that  liberty  which  we  re- 
ceived from  our  ancestors.  It  is  not  our  duty  to  leave 
wealth  to  our  children,  but  it  is  our  duty  to  leave  liberty 
to  them.  No  infamy,  iniquity  or  cruelty  can  exceed  our 
own  if  we,  born  and  educated  in  a  country  of  freedom, 
entitled  to  its  blessings  and  knowing  their  value,  pusillan- 
imously  deserting  the  post  assigned  us  by  Divine  Provi- 
dence, surrender  succeeding  generations  to  a  condition 
of  wretchedness  from  which  no  human  efforts,  in  all 
probability,  will  be  sufficient  to  extricate  them;  the  expe- 
rience of  all  States  mournfully  demonstrating  to  us  that 
when  arbitrary  power  has  been  established  over  them 
even  the  wisest  and  bravest  nations  that  have  ever  flour- 
ished have  in  a  few  years  degenerated  into  abject  and 
wretched  vassals.  *  *  *  To  us,  therefore,  it  appears 
at  this  alarming  period  our  duty  to  our  God,  our  country, 
to  ourselves  and  to  our  posterity,  to  exert  our  utmost 
ability  in  promoting  and  establishing  harmony  between 
Great  Britain  and  these  colonies,  on  a  constitutional 
foundation."  "Thus,"  says  Sherman  Day,  "with  loyalty 
on  their  lips,  but  with  the  spirit  of  resistance  in 
their  hearts,  did  these  patriots  push  forward  the  Revo- 
lution." 

The  Assembly  appointed  delegates  to  the  Congress, 
which  met  in  September  at  Philadelphia.  This  Congress 
adopted  resolutions  approving  of  the  resistance  of  the 
people  of  Massachusetts,  and  took  measures  to  prohibit 
imports  from  or  exports  to  Great  Britain,  unless  griev- 
ances were  redressed.  It  also  adopted  a  declaration  of 
rights  and  enumeration  of  grievances,  an  address  to  the 
people  of  Great  Britain,  another  to  the  people  of  British 
America  and  a  loyal  address  to  the  crown.  It  also  adopted 
articles  of  confederation,  which  act  may  rightly  be  con- 
sidered the  beginning  of  the  American  Union. 

A  bill  was  adopted  by  parliament  prohibiting  the  people 
of  the  provinces  from  fishing  on  the  banks  of  Newfound- 
land, and  at  about  the  same  time  an  ingeniously  framed 
act,  which  made  apparent  concessions,  but  retained  the 
doctrine  against  which  the  colonies  contended,  and  which 
was  intended  to  divide  them.  Pennsylvania  was  the  first 
colony  to  which  this  proposition  was  presented,  and  the 
Assembly,  to  whom  it  was  presented  by  Governor  Penn, 
promptly  rejected  it;  declaring  that  they  desired  no  ben- 
efits for  themselves  the  acceptance  of  which  might  injure 
the  common  cause,  "  and  which  by  a  generous  rejection 
for  the  present  might  be  finally  secured  for  all." 

Another  provincial  convention  was  held  in  Philadelphia 
in  January,  1775,  at  which  recolutions  were  adopted  rec- 
ommending the  strict -enforcement  of  the  non-importation 
pledge,  and  the  production  and  manufacture  of  every 
thing  required  forthe  use  of  the  inhabitants;  enumerating 
many  of  the  articles  to  be  produced  or  manufactured,  in- 
cluding gunpowder,  which  was  said  to  be  necessary  for 
the  Indian  trade. 


^h 


END  OF  THE  PROPRIETARY  GOVERNMENT— EARLY  REVOLUTIONARY  EVENTS. 


17 


CHAPTER  V. 


REVOLUTION     IN    THE     PROVINCIAI.    GOVERNMENT PENN- 
SYLVANIA    A     STATE BATTLES    OF     I776     AND     I777 

INBIAN    WARFARE. 


I^^/f^  1775  hostilities  commenced.  The  battles  of 
^A  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill  were  fought,  and 
3^  a  British  army  invaded  the  country.  Con- 
gress met  and  organized  an  army,  at  the  head 
of  which  General  Washington  was  placed.  At 
the  same  time  that  it  thus  provided  for  the  pub- 
lic defense,  it  adopted  a  "  humble  and  dutiful  peti- 
tion to  the  King,"  which  was  presented  but  to  which  they 
were  informed  no  answer  would  be  given.  A  military 
association,  having  branches  in  each  county,  was  formed, 
with  a  full  code  of  rules  for  its  government.  The  As- 
sembly met  and  made  provision  for  raising  four  thousand 
three  hundred  troops — the  quota  of  the  province.  In 
view  of  the  troublesome  position  which  the  Quakers  oc- 
cupied, the  Assembly  enacted  that  all  able-bodied  men 
who  refused  to  bear  arms  (ministers  and  purchased  ser- 
vants excepted)  should  contribute  an  equivalent  for  the 
time  and  expense  of  others  in  acquiring  the  necessary 
discipline. 

A  committee  of  safety  was  appointed  which  assumed 
executive  functions.  A  provincial  navy  was  equipped, 
and  measures  were  taken  to  protect  Philadelphia  against 
any  naval  force  ascending  the  Delaware  river.  Later  a 
continental  navy  was  established. 

The  Continental  Congress  during  its  session  of  May, 
1775,  recommended  to  those  colonies  where  no  govern- 
ment sufficient  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  limes  ex- 
isted, to  adopt  such  governments.  It  was  determined  by 
the  whigs,  in  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  to  throw  off 
the  proprietary  government,  by  which  they  were  ham- 
pered. The  conservatives  and  tories  opposed  this,  but 
the  times  were  revolutionary  and  the  whigs  prevailed.  It 
was  resolved  that  the  new  government  should  emanate 
from  the  people,  and  that  the  Assembly,  the  members  of 
which  were  shackled  by  their  oaths  of  allegiance  to  the 
crown,  should  have  no  voice  in  its  formation.  A  convention 
consisting  of  delegates  from  all  the  counties,  for  the 
formation  of  a  new  constitution,  was  called,  through  the 
committee  of  conference  and  observation  of  Philadelphia. 
In  the  choice  of  delegates  to  this  convention  no  one  was 
permitted  to  vote  who  refused  to  abjure  all  allegiance  to 
the  King  of  Great  Britain,  or  who  was  suspected  of  being 
an  enemy  to  American  liberty. 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  was  adopted  July 
4th,  1776,  and  this  convention  assembled  on  the  15th  of 
the  same  month.  It  not  only  entered  on  the  task  of 
forming  a  constitution,  but  assumed  legislative  powers  and 
appointed  delegates  to  Congress.  It  may  here  be  re- 
marked that  such  of  these  delegates  as  had  not  already 


done  so  affixed  their  signatures  to  the  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence. 

The  work  of  the  convention  was  completed  on  the28thof 
September,  and  the  new-formedconstitiition  committed  to 
the  keeping  of  the  council  of  safety  until  the  first  meeting 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State.  The  provincial 
Assembly  met  on  the  23d  of  the  same  month,  and  quietly 
expired,  with  a  feeble  denunciation  on  its  lips  of  the  as- 
sumed legislative  power  of  the  convention.  Thus,  at 
about  the  same  time,  the  proprietary  government  in 
Pennsylvania  ceased  by  the  action  of  the  ]5eople  in  the 
province,  and  the  colonies  cast  off  their  allegiance  to  the 
crown  of  Great  Britain. 

The  population  of  Pennsylvania  was  about  300,000  at 
the  time  when  it  became  a  State  and  assumed  its  position 
among  its  sister  States  in  the  Amt-rican  Union.  The 
Declaration  of  Independence  had  been  made,  but  that 
independence  was  to  be  maintained  ;  and,  as  subse- 
quently proved,  by  the  sacrifice  of  many  lives  and  the 
expenditure  of  much  treasure. 

The  limits  of  this  sketch  will  not  permit  a  detail  of 
Revolutionary  events  that  occurred  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  the  State,  though  many  of  those  events  were  im- 
portant factors  in  the  history  of  the  State  at  that  time, 
and  of  the  events  of  which  Pennsylvania  was  the  theatre 
little  more  than  a  brief  mention  can  be  made. 

December,  1776,  found  General  Washington  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Delaware  near  Trenton.  He  had 
crossed  New  Jersey  before  the  advancing  army  of  Gen- 
eral Howe,  who  was  posted  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  waiting  for  the  formation  of  ice  on  which  to  cross, 
that  he  might  move  on  Philadelphia.  General  Washing- 
ton had  secured  all  the  boats  on  the  river,  and  on  the 
night  of  the  25th  of  December  he  recrossed  the  river 
with  2,400  men  and  twenty  pieces  of  artillery,  attacked 
the  Hessians  in  Trenton  and  defeated  them,  capturing  six 
cannon  and  900  prisoners,  with  whom  he  again  crossed 
into  Pennsylvania.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  this 
action  was  two  soldiers  killed  and  two  who  perished  by 
cold.  General  Washington  at  once  returned  to  Trenton, 
where  he  was  joined  by  about  3,600  Pennsylvania  militia 
under  Generals  Mifflin  and  Cadwallader.  The  battle  of 
Princeton  was  fought  soon  afterward,  and  the  army  went 
into  winter  quarters  at  Morristown,  New  Jersey.  The  next 
summer,  after  some  manoeuvring  in  New  Jersey,  eviden>- 
ly  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  General  Washington  from 
his  position.  General  Howe  embarked  his  forces  at  New 
York,  intending  to  attack  Philadelphia  by  way  of  the 
Delaware  river.  After  entering  Delaware  bay*  he  re- 
turned to  the  ocean,  sailed  up  the  Chesapeake  bay  and 
landed  near  the  head  of  Elk  river.  On  the  sailing  of  the 
British  army  from  New  York  General  Washington  moved 
his  army  into  Pennsylvania,  and  encamped  near  German- 
town  to  watch  the  development  of  General  Howe's  plans. 
General  La  Fayette  joined  General  Washington  at  that 
time,  and  shared  with  him  the  hardships  and  privations 
of  the  camp. 

The  army  of  General  Howe  advanced  toward  Phila- 
delphia and  was  met  by  that  of  General  Washington  at 


A, 

4^ 


OUTLINE    HISTORY    OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 


the  Brandywine,  where  a  battle  was  fought  the  nth  of 
September,  and  the  American  forces  suffered  a  defeat 
and  retired  to  Germantown.  Washington  soon  afterward 
crossed  the  Schuylkill  and  prepared  for  battle  again,  but 
a  heavy  rain  storm  prevented  the  action.  General  Howe 
entered  Philadelphia  with  a  portion  of  his  army,  and  the 
balance  encamped  at  Germantown.  Upon  this  force 
Washington  made  an  unsuccessful  attack  while  a  portion 
of  it  was  assisting  the  British  shipping  to  effect  -i  passage 
through  the  Delaware  river.  This  was  early  in  October. 
On  the  22nd  of  the  same  month  an  attack  was  made  on 
Forts  Mifflin  and  Mercer,  which  coiTiraanded  the  Dela- 
ware opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill.  After  an 
obstinate  resistance  the  garrison  of  these  forts  was  com- 
pelled to  evacuate  them.  In  this  affair  the  enemy  lost 
two  ships  by  reason  of  the  effective  service  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania State  fleet.  After  the  surrender  of  General  Bur- 
goyne  at  Saratoga  the  army  of  Washington  was  reinforced 
by  that  of  General  Gates,  and  it  encamped  in  a  strong 
position  at  Whitemarsh.  From  this  position  the  British 
commander  endeavored  to  draw  General  Washington, 
but  without  success.  The  American  army  finally  went 
into  winter  quarters  at  Valley  Forge,  a  place  which  will 
ever  be  noted  as  the  scene  of  the  most  intense  suffering 
which  the  Revolutionary  patriots  were  called  on  to  en- 
dure during  their  struggle  for  independence.  While  they 
were  shivering  barefooted  and  half  naked  in  their  huts  at 
this  place,  the  British  soldiers  were  snugly  quartered  and 
well  fed  and  their  officers  feted  and  feasted  by  thetories 
in  Philadelphia. 

In  the  spring  of  1778  an  attempt  was  made  by  the  Eng- 
lish government  through  commissioners  to  effect  a  recon- 
ciliation. Whether  or  not  an  honorable  reconciliation 
was  desired  may  be  judged  by  the  fact  that  they  offered 
Joseph  Reed,  one  of  the  delegates  in  Congress  from 
Pennsylvania,  _j£'io,ooo  and  the  best  office  in  the  colonies 
to  aid  them  in  their  purposes.  His  reply  should  be  re- 
membered:— "I  am  not  worth  purchasing,  but  such  as  I 
am  the  King  of  Great  Britain  is  not  rich  enough  to  do 
it."  • 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1778  that  France  entered  into  a 
treaty  with  the  Americans,  and  sent  four  frigates  and 
twelve  ships  to  the  Delaware.  In  consequence  of  this 
Sir  Henry  Clinton,  who  had  succeeded  Lord  Howe  in 
command  of  the  British  army,  decided  to  evacuate  Phil- 
adelphia, which  he  did,  marching  his  forces  across  New 
Jersey  toward  New  York.  Washington  pursued,  and 
engaged  the  enemy  at  Monmouth  and  compelled  them  to 
give  way.  Philadelphia  again  became  the  capital  in  the 
latter  part  of  June,  1778.  Some  trials  were  had  for  high 
treason,  and  several  of  those  convicted  were  executed, 
greatly  to  the  alarm  of  the  tories  and  Quakers.  They 
had  been  emboldened  by  the  temporary  success  of  the 
British  arms,  and  these  examples  seemed  necessary  to 
inspire  them  with  terror  and  prevent  future  treasonable 
acts,  as  well  as  to  appease  the  vengeance  of  the  whigs 
who  had  suffered  at  their  hands. 


By  the  evacuation  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania  ceased 
to  be  the  theatre  of  important  warlike  events.  The  Eng- 
lish government  had,  however,  induced  the  Indians  of 
the  Iroquois  nations  in  New  York  and  those  of  the  terri- 
tory west  from  Pennsylvania  to  engage  in  hostilities 
against  the  people  of  the  struggling  States.  This  warfare 
was  waged  in  accordance  with  their  "known  rule."  In- 
cursions were  made,  defenseless  settlements  attacked,  and 
people  "  of  every  age,  sex  and  condition "  were  ruth- 
lessly murdered.  The  settlements  in  many  regions  were 
left  unprotected,  because  nearly  all  the  men  capable  of 
bearing  arms  had  responded  to  their  country's  call  and 
joined  the  Revolutionary  army.  In  1777  the  northern 
frontier  of  New  York  was  the  scene  of  many  of  these  sav- 
age irruptions,  and  the  frontier  settlements  of  these  .'^--.ics 
were  scarcely  troubled  by  marauding  parties.  They 
doubtless  enjoyed  this  immunity  because  of  the  proxim- 
ity of  troops,  which  could  be  quickly  sent  to  protect  these 
settlements.  In  1778  the  storm  of  Indian  warfare  burst 
on  them.  A  descent  was  made  on  the  Wyoming  valley 
by  a  force  of  British,  tories  and  Indians,  commanded  by 
Colonel  John  Butler.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  were 
cruelly  massacred  and  the  valley  was  devastated.  A  de- 
scent was  also  rnade  on  the  west  branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna by  a  force  of  Indians,  tories  and  British,  under  Col- 
onel MacDonald.  The  frontier  settlements  in  Westmore- 
land county  also  were  ravaged  by  scalping  parties.  A  force 
under  General  Mcintosh  was  sent  to  protect  the  western 
frontier,  which  was  done  by  the  erection  of  forts  and  by 
expeditions  into  the  country  of  the  hostile  savages. 

The  Indian  villages  at  Wyalusing,  Shesequin  and 
Tioga  were  destroyed  by  a  small  force  under  Colonel 
Hartley.  In  order  to  punish  the  most  airdacious  of 
these  savages,  and  prevent,  if  possible,  future  depreda- 
tions by  them,  General  Sullivan  was  sent  with  a  sufficient 
force  in  the  summer  of  1779  up  the  Susquehanna  into 
the  Genesee  valley,  the  heart  of  the  country  of  the 
Senecas — the  most  powerful  and  warlike  nation  of  the 
Iroquois— with  orders  "to  cut  off  their  settlements,  de- 
stroy their  crops,  and  inflict  on  them  every  other  mischief 
that  time  and  circumstances  would  permit."  This  work 
was  thoroughly  accomplished.  A  battle  was  fought  on 
the  Chemung  river  at  Newtown  (Elmira),  in  which  the 
Indians,  under  the  celebrated  Mohawk'chief  Brant,  and 
the  tories,  under  Colonel  John  Butler,  were  routed.  The 
valley  of  the  Genesee  was  devastated,  forty  towns  were 
burned,  orchards  were  cut  down,  corn  fields  were  ravaged, 
and  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  bushels  of  corn  de- 
stroyed. From  this  blow  the  warlike  Senecas  never  re- 
covered. Though  marauding  parties  continued  to  go 
forth,  they  were  not  afterward  able  to  send  out  any  large 
force. 

Colonel  Brodhead,  at  about  the  same  time,  went  on  an 
expedition  against  the  Indians  on  the  west  branch  of  the 
Allegheny  and  destroyed  the  crops  and  villages  there 
and  cut  off  a  party  of  forty  who  had  started  on  an  ex- 
pedition to  the  frontier  of  Westmoreland  county. 


4^ 


LATER  REVOLUTIONARY  EVENTS— TRANSACTIONS  WITH  THE  INDIANS. 


19 


CHAPTER   VI. 


LATER     EVENTS    OF     THE    REVOLUTION WAR     WITH     THE 

WESTERN    INUIANS-^CONSTITUTIONAL    CHANfJES. 


TURING  the  year  1780  much  difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced on  account  of  the  depreciation  of 
the  paper  currency,  which  the  exigencies  of 
the  war  had  made  it  necessary  to  issue.  Ef- 
forts were  made  by  the  Assembly  to  relieve  the 
State  from  this  embarrassment,  with  only  partial 
success.  In  1781,  in  accordance  vvith  a  plan  of 
Robert  Morris,  who  justly  earned  the  title  of  "  the 
financier  of  the  Revolution,"  the  Bank  of  North  America 
was  chartered  by  Congress,  and  charters  were  also  granted 
to  it  by  Pennsylvania  and  Massachusetts.  The  effect  of 
this  measure  was  immediately  beneficial  to  the  com- 
mercial and  financial  interests  of  the  country.  The 
Pennsylvania  charter  was  revoked  by  the  Legislature  in 
1785,  but  was  restored  in  1787. 

During  1780  the  Legislature  enacted  a  law  reorganizing 
the  militia  system  of  the  State,  in  order  that  any  sudden 
emergency  might  be  promptly  met.  In  view  of  the  exi- 
gencies of  the  times  authority  was  vested  in  the  execu- 
tive to  declare  martial  law  during  the  recess  of  the  As- 
sembly, so  far  as  should  be  necessary  under  circumstances 
that  might  arise.  It  was  resolved,  also,  that  in  extraor- 
dinary efforts  that  were  found  necessary  to  obtain  sup- 
plies, discrimination  might  be  made  between  the  friends 
of  the  country  and  those  who  had  shown  themselves  to 
be  otherwise.  To  guard  against  spies,  authority  was 
given  to  arrest  all  suspicious  persons  and  prevent  the  ad- 
mission of  strangers  indiscriminately.  The  horses  and 
other  property  of  domestic  enemies  were  seized,  and  the 
houses  of  Quakers  were  searched  for  arms. 

The  entrance  into  New  Jersey  of  the  British  army 
under  Sir  Henry  Clinton  was  the  cause  of  great  alarm, 
but  this  army  did  not  advance  on  Philadelphia.  Soon 
afterward  four  thousand  of  the  militia  were  ordered  out 
to  assist  in  a  projected  attack  on  New  York,  but  by  rea- 
son of  the  non-arrival  of  the  French  troops  the  project 
was  abandoned,  and  the  militia  force,  which  had  its  ren- 
dezvous at  Trenton,  was  disbanded. 

The  treason  of  Benedict  Arnold  occurred  in  the 
autumn  of  1780.  While  in  command  at  Philadelphia  in 
1778  General  Arnold  became  allied  by  marriage  with  a 
distinguished  tory  family  in  that  city,  and  the  intimacy 
with  British  officers  into  which  this  relation  threw  him, 
together  with  the  sting  which  his  sensitive  nature  received 
by  being  court-martialed  for  some  irregularity,  may  have 
led  him  to  his  fatal  error.  Soon  after  the  receipt  of  the 
news  of  his  treason  in  Philadelphia,  his  effigy  was  paraded 
through  the  streets  and  hanged,  his  wife  was  ordered  to 
leave  the  city  within  fourteen  days,  and  his  estate  was 
confiscated.  Still  more  rigorous  proceedings  were  insti- 
tuted against  the  tories  and  Quakers,  one  of  whom  was 
convicted  of  high  treason  and  hanged. 


In  January,  1781,  a  revolt  occurred  among  the  Penn- 
sylvania troops,  who  were  in  winter  quarters  at  Morris- 
town,  under  command  of  General  Wayne.  About  thir- 
teen hundred  of  the  disaffected  left  the  camp  and  estab- 
lished their  quarters  at  Princeton.  The  causes  of  this 
mutiny  were  depreciation  of  the  currency  in  which  the 
men  were  paid,  arrearages  of  pay  and  suffering  for  want 
of  money  and  clothing,  and  the  retention  in  the  service 
of  some  beyond  the  terms  of  their  enlistment.  There 
was  nothing  treasonable  in  their  revolt.  On  the  contrary, 
two  emissaries  who  were  sent  to  them  with  large  offers 
from  the  commander  of  the  British  forces  were  seized, 
delivered  to  General  Wayne,  tried  as  spies,  convicted  and 
executed.  An  investigation  was  instituted  by  General 
Wayne  and  President  Reed,  their  grievances  were  re- 
dressed, and  tliey  returned  to  their  duty. 

In  the  spring  of  i78r  the  Pennsylvania  troops  under 
General  Wayne  joined  the  force  of  La  Fayette,  and 
marched  to  join  the  force  of  General  Greene.  Fearing 
an  attack  upon  Philadelphia  by  the  troops  from  New 
York,  Congress  recommended  the  caUing  out  of  three 
thousand  militia.  They  were  ordered  to  rendezvous  at 
Newtown,  in  Bucks  county,  where  they  remained  till  the 
departure  of  the  British  troops  from  New  York  for  the 
relief  of  Cornwallis  allayed  all  fear  for  the  safety  of 
Philadelphia,  when  they  were  disbanded. 

In  October,  1781,  the  army  of  Cornwallis  surrendered 
at  Yorktown,  thus  virtually  ending  the  war  of  the  Revo- 
lution. Pending  the  negotiation  of  a  treaty  of  peace, 
which  was  signed  November  30th,  1781,  the  Assembly  of 
Pennsylvania  unanimously  adopted  a  resolution  disap- 
proving of  a  reunion  with  Great  Britain  on  any  terms; 
against  the  conclusion  of  a  treaty  of  peace  with  England 
without  the  concurrence  of  France,  and  against  the  re- 
vival of  the  proprietary  family  privileges.  Such  had  been 
the  bitter  experience  of  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  under 
the  proprietary  government  and  the  British  yoke  that 
they  were  determined  to  guard  against  everything  that 
could  lead  to  a  recurrence  of  that  experience. 

Although  the  chartered  boundaries  of  Pennsylvania 
were  settled  before  the  termination  of  the  Revolutionary 
war,  the  Indian  title  to  all  the  territory  within  those 
limits  had  not  been  extinguished.  Purchases  from  the 
Indians  had  been  made  in  1736  and  previously,  in  1749, 
in  1758  and  in  1768.  These  amounted  to  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  chartered  territory.  The  balance,  lying  in 
the  northwest  part  of  the  State,  was  purchased  from  the 
Iroquois  at  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  in  October,  1784, 
and  the  purchase  was  confirmed  by  the  Delawares  and 
Wyandots  at  Fort  Mcintosh  in  January,  1785.  Not- 
withstanding this  purchase  the  Delawares  and  Wyandots 
kept  up  a  barbarous  warfare  against  the  settlers,  and  in 
addition  to  the  expeditions  that  had  been  sent  against 
them,  among  which  was  that  of  the  ill  fated  Crawford  in 
1782,  Harmar  in  1791  and  Wayne  from  1792  to  1795 
conducted  campaigns  against  them.  The  last  in  August, 
179s,  concluded  a  treaty  with  them  which  terminated 
hostilities.  "  Besides  these  expeditions,"  says  Sherman 
Day,  "  there  was  an  undercurrent  of  partisan  hostilities 


=^5 


^^ 


OUTLINE  HISTORY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


constantly  maintained  between  the  white  savages  on  the 
frontier  and  the  red,  in  which  it  was  difificult  to  say  on 
which  side  was  exhibited  the  greatest  atrocity." 

It  has  been  said  that  a  State  constitution  was  adopted 
in  1776  to  supersede  the  proprietary  government.  Under 
this  constitution  an  assembly  elected  annually  was  the 
legislative  department;  a  council  of  twelve  persons  was 
chosen  .or  .hree  years  and  by  joint  ballot  of  the  assem- 
bly and  council  a  president  was  elected,  which  consti- 
tuted the  executive  department.  It  also  provided  for 
the  choice  septenuially  of  a  council  of  censors  to  revise 
the  doings  of  the  Legislature  and  the  executive,  pass  cen- 
sures, recommend  repeals,  etc-  This  constitution  was 
defective,  though  an  improvement  on  the  proprietary 
government. 

In  December,  1779,  the  royal  charter  was  annulled  by 
an  act  of  Assembly,  and  the  proprietaries  were  granted 
^130,000  sterling  to  compensate  them  for  their  lost 
privileges,  they  retaining  their  real  estate  and  rents.  In 
1780  the  act  for  the  gradual  extinction  of  slavery  was 
passed.  In  recommending  this  action  the  executive 
council  said:  "Honored  will  that  State  be  in  the  annals 
of  mankind  which  shall  first  abolish  this  violation  of  the 
rights  of  mankind.  ' 

In  1787  the  convention  which  framed  the  constitution 
of  the  United  States  sat  in  Philadelphia.  It  concluded 
its  labors  on  the  i8th  of  September,  and  on  the  12th  of 
the  following  December  a  convention  called  for  the  pur- 
pose by  the  Assembly  ratified  it,  thus  placing  Pennsyl- 
vania first  on  the  list  of  States  which  adopted  it.  After 
the  adoption  of  the  federal  constitution  the  defects  of 
the  State  constitution  of  1776  were  more  than  ever  be- 
fore apparent.  Chief  Justice  McKean  had  said  of  it: 
"  The  balance  of  the  one,  the  few  and  the  many  is  not  well 
poised  in  the  State;  the  Legislature  is  too  powerful  for 
the  executive  and  judicial  branches.  We  have  now  but 
one  branch;  we  must  have  another  branch,  a  negative  in 
the  executive,  stability  in  our  laws  and  permanency  in 
the  magistracy  before  we  shall  be  reputable,  safe  and 
happy." 

In  accordance  with  a  resolution  of  the  Assembly,  dele- 
gates were  chosen  at  the  October  election  in  1789  to 
frame  a  new  constitution.  They  assembled  in  November 
of  the  same  year,  and  after  a  long  session  completed 
their  labors,  and  the  constitution  which  they  formed  was 
adopted  in  September,  1790. 

In  this  the  general  plan  of  the  Federal  constitution 
was  followed.  The  executive  department  was  vested  in 
a  governor,  elected  by  '.he  people;  the  legislative  in  a 
Senate  and  Assembly,  while  the  judicial  system  was  not 
greatly  changed,  except  that  the  tenure  of  office  of  the 
judges  of  the  higher  courts  was  during  good  behavior  in- 
stead of  seven  years,  as  before.  The  supreme  executi'i'e 
council  and  the  council  of  censors  were  of  course  abol- 
ished. 

In  1837  the  constitution  was  revised  by  a  convention 
assembled  for  that  purpose,  and  the  changes  which  were 
recommended  were  adopted  the  next  year.  Among  these 
were   alterations   in  the   tenure  of  offices,  an  abridgment 


of  the  powers  of  the  Legislature,  the  taking  away  of 
nearly  all  executive  patronage  and  an  extension  of  the 
elective  franchise. 

Another  revision  of  the  constitution  was  made  by  a 
convention  for  that  purpose  in  1873,  and  the  amended 
constitution  was  adopted  the  same  year.  This  constitu- 
tion abolished  special  legislation,  changed  the  time  of 
annual  elections,  altered  the  tenure  of  the  judiciary,  mod- 
ified the  pardoning  power,  provided  for  minority  repre- 
sentation, for  biennial  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  for  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  both  branches  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  made  other  important  changes. 

In  1794  an  attempt  was  made  to  lay  out  a  town  where 
the  city  of  Erie — then  called  Presque  Isle,  from  the  penin- 
sula which  shelters  the  excellent  harbor  at  that  point — 
now  stands.  The  small  triangle  necessary  to  secure  this 
harbor  was  purchased  from  the  Indians  in  1789,  and  from 
the  United  States  in  1792.  Resistance  to  this  settlement 
by  the  Seneca  Indians  was  apprehended,  by  reason  of  a 
misunderstanding  on  the  part  of  the  latter,  and  the  mat- 
ter was  postponed  to  the  next  year,  by  which  time  mat- 
ters were  arranged  with  them.  The  western  tribes  were 
at  that  time  hostile. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


THE  PENNA.MITE  WAR WHISKEY  INSURRECTION MOLLY 

MAGUIRE  "  OUTRAGES THE  RIOTS  OF   1877. 


jHAT  has  always  been  known  as  the  Penna- 
mite  war,  arose  out  of  the  conflicting 
claims  of  the  colonies  of  Connecticut  and 
Pennsylvania  to  the  territory  included  be- 
tween the  forty-first  and  forty-second 
parallels  of  latitude — now  in  this  State. 

In  1662  King  Charles  the  Second  confirmed  to 
the  colony  of  Connecticut  the  title  which  it  had  previous- 
ly acquired  to  this  territory;  and  in  1681  the  same 
monarch  granted  a  portion  of  the  same  territory  to  Wil- 
liam Penn.  In  1762  settlers  from  New  England  took 
possession  of  lands  in  the  Wyoming  valley,  and  during 
that  and  the  succeeding  year  made  some  improvements 
there;  but  in  the  autumn  of  1763  they  were  driven  away 
by  the  Indians. 

They  returned  in  1769,  but  about  the  same  time  par- 
ties claiming  titles  under  the  Pennsylvania  grant  took 
possession  of  a  portion  of  the  same  territory.  An  attempt 
was  made  by  the  Connecticut  settlers  to  forcibly  eject 
these,  and  thus  -was  inaugurated  a  contest  and  a  series  of 
conflicts,  which,  though  they  were  suspended  during  the 
Revolutionary  war,  were  renewed  afterward,  and  were 
not  finally  settled  till  about  the  year  1800. 

What  has  usually  been  termed  the  whiskey  insurrec- 
tion assumed  somewhat  formidable  proportions  in  1794. 
In   1684,    1738,   1744,    1772  and    1780   duties  had    been 


™^5* 


WHISKEY  INSURRECTION— MOLLIE  MAGUIRES— THE  GREAT  STRIKE  OF  1877. 


imposed  on  domestic  spirits  by  the  Assembly  of  the 
province,  but  after  a  time  the  acts  imposing  these 
duties  were  repealed.  In  1791,  by  an  act  of  Con- 
gress, Ell  excise  of  four  pence  per  gallon  was  laid  on  all 
distilled  spirits.  This  tax  weighed  heavily  on  the  people 
of  western  Pennsylvania,  where  in  some  districts  a  sixth 
or  fifth  of  the  farmers  were  distillers,  and  nearly  all  the 
coarse  grain  was  converted  into  spirit  and  this  sent  across 
the  mountains  or  down  the  Ohio  river  to  market.  A 
majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  region  were  Scotch- 
Irish  or  their  descendants,  and  their  recollections  or  tra- 
ditions of  resistance  to  the  excise  laws  in  the  '"  old  coun- 
try "  inclined  them  to  follow  here  the  examples  of  their 
fathers.  In  the  year  of  tho  passage  of  the  act  resistance 
to  its  enforcement  commenced,  and  meetings  were  held,  at 
which  resolutions  were  passed  denouncing  all  who  should 
attempt  the  enforcement  of  the  law,  and  excise  officers 
were  tarred  and  feathered  and  otherwise  maltreated. 
This  resistance  continued  during  the  succeeding  two  or 
three  years.  People  who  were  suspected  of  favoring  the 
law  were  proscribed,  socially  and  otherwise,  and  open 
resistance  to  its  execution,  by  violence  to  the  persons  and 
injury  to  the  property  of  those  attempting  to  execute  it, 
was  practiced.  This  was  the  condition  of  things  in  the 
counties  of  Allegheny,  Fayette,  Washington  and  West- 
moreland. In  1794  Congress  amended  the  law,  but  noth- 
ing short  of  absolute  repeal  would  satisfy  the  malcon- 
tents, whose  successful  resistance  had  greatly  emboldened 
them.  Armed  and  organized  mobs  assembled,  attacked 
the  houses  of  excise  officers  and  burned  their  buildings, 
and  several  persons  were  killed  in  these  riots.  Finally 
a  large  force  assembled  and  marched  on  Pittsburg,  de- 
termined to  burn  the  house  of  an  excise  officer  there;  but 
by  adroit  management  they  were  prevented  from  doing 
any  harm  beyond  burning  a  barn.  These  lawless  pro- 
ceedings were  reported  to  the  authorities,  and  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  and  the  governor  of  the  State 
issued  proclamations  commanding  the  insurgents  to  dis- 
perse, and  calling  for  troops  to  suppress  the  insurrection. 
In  obedience  to  this  proclamation  a  force  of  about  13,000 
was  raised  in  Virginia,  Maryland,  New  Jersey  and  Penn- 
sylvania, and  under  the  command  of  Governor  Henry 
I.ce,  of  Virginia,  marched  to  the  insurrectionary  district. 
This  awed  the  insurgents  into  obedience  and  no  further 
trouble  was  experienced. 

In  1798  the  Fries  insurrection,  or  "hot  water  war," 
as  it  was  cal'ed  because  of  the  method  adopted  by  the 
women  in  resisting  the  collection  of  the  "house  tax," 
occurred  in  Bucks  and  Montgomery  counties.  Troops 
were  called  out  ;  Fries  and  others — leaders — were  ar- 
rested, tried,  and  convicted  of  treason,  but  subsequently 
pardoned. 

The  Erie  Railroad  war,  which  occurred  in  the  winter 
of  1853-4,  is  still  fresh  in  the  recollection  of  many.  This 
arose  out  of  the  opposition  of  the  people  of  Erie  to  the 
action  of  what  is' now  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad  Company 
in  laying  a  track  of  uniform  width  through  the  city.  The 
track  was  torn  up  and  bridges  were  destroyed  by  a  mob 
encouraged  by  the  city  authorities,   and  travel  was  em- 


barrassed during  several  months.  Order  was  finally  re- 
stored, and  Erie  has  since  been  widely  known  as  the 
"  peanut  city." 

About  the  year  1862  a  reign  of  terror  was  inaugurated 
in  some  portions  of  the  mining  regions  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  by  the  discovery  that  there  existed  among 
the  miners  an  organization  of  desperadoes  who  set  the 
law  at  defiance,  and  aided  and  protected  each  other  in 
the  blackest  crimes  known.  This  organization  is  popu- 
larly known  as  the  Mollie  Maguires,  and  it  was  trans- 
planted in  this  country  about  the  year  1854  from  Ire- 
land. It  was  an  organization  for  resistance  to  the  land- 
lords in  that  country,  and  took  its  name  from  a  des- 
perate woman,  who  was  very  active  and  efficient  in  shoot- 
ing landlords'  agents.  In  this  country  it  is  said  that  it 
never  existed  as  a  distinct  organization,  but  that  the  se- 
cret acts  of  lawlessness  and  crimes  that  had  characterized 
the  Mollie  Maguires  came  to  be  tolerated  and  even  sanc- 
tioned and  abetted  by  the  "Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians," 
a  benevolent  institution  which  had  long  existed  and 
which,  in  some  States,  was  incorporated.  When  they 
first  attracted  attention  they  were  termed  "  Buckshots," 
and,  although  troublesome,  they  were  not  considered  very 
dangerous.  Their  crimes  came  to  be  more  frequent  and 
audacious.  They  resisted  the  enrollment  for  the  draft 
in  1862.  Arson,  and  the  assassination  of  those  who  in- 
curred their  displeasure,  came  to  be  more  and  more  com- 
mon, and  were  perpetrated  with  entire  impunity,  for  an 
ahbi  was  always  proved;  and  during  the  twelve  or  thirteen 
years  following  the  influx  of  foreign  miners  into  the  coal 
regions,  which  began  soon  after  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Rebellion,  they  came  to  be  a  real  terror  in  those  regions. 
At  length  a  skillful  detective  succeeded  in  gaining  admis- 
sion to  their  order  and  obtaining  a  knowledge  of  its 
secr-et  workings,  and  of  the  perpetrators  of  the  many 
murders  which  had  been  committed.  The  result  was 
that  many  of  these  murderers  were  brought  to  justice, 
and  the  order  was  rendered  impotent  by  the  exposure 
of  its  dangerous  character. 

In  the  summer  of  1877  what  is  known  as  the  great 
strike  occurred.  This  commenced  in  the  city  of  Balti- 
more, among  the  employees  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
Railroad  Company,  and  rapidly  extended  the  entire  length 
of  the  road.  Three  days  later,  July  19th,  certain  em- 
ployees of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  also  struck, 
or  refused  to  work.  The  immediate  cause  or  pretext  for 
the  strike  at  Pittsburg  was  an  order  from  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  road  extending  the  trip  of  a  "crew  ;  "  thus 
— as  it  was  said — rendering  a  smaller  number  of  men 
necessary  and  depriving  a  portion  of  their  employ- 
ment. 

The  exigencies  of  the  war  of  1861-65  brought  about  an 
unhealthy  condition  of  things  throughout  the  country. 
The  currency  was  inflated;  business  acquired  an  abnor- 
mal activity;  the  prices  of  produce,  of  manufactured  arti- 
cles, and  of  labor,  were  greatly  enhanced,  and  a  general 
expansion  took  place.  This  engendered  among  all  classes 
a  degree  of  reckless  extravagance  unknown  before,  and 
when,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  years,  business  gradually 


4^ 


=i^ 


^^ 


<h 


OUTLINE    HISTORY   OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 


came  to  be  established  on  a  more  healthy  basis,  people 
found  it  difficult  to  adapt  themselves  to  their  changed 
surroundings,  to  practice  the  more  rigid  economy  which 
those  surroundings  necessitated,  and  to  appreciate  the 
increased  and  steadily  increasing  value  of  a  dollar. 
When,  therefore,  by  reason  of  a  depreciation  in  the 
prices  of  produce,  a  lessened  demand  for  manufactured 
goods,  and  a  consequent  reduction  of  the  profits  of 
manufacturers,  it  became  necessary  to  reduce  the  price 
of  labor,  many  laborers,  finding  it  hard  to  submit  to  these 
inevitable  changes,  and  failing  to  appreciate  the  necessity 
for  them,  sought  by  the  exercise  of  lawless  force  to  com- 
pel producers,  manufacturers,  or  carriers  to  continue  the 
prices  which  they  paid  in  more  prosperous  times. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  things  at  the  commencement 
of  this  strike.  At  first  certain  railroad  employees,  who 
considered  themselves  aggrieved,  refused  to  work,  and 
sought  by  intimidation  and  force  to  prevent  others 
from  doing  the  work  which  they  refused  to  do.  At  Pitts- 
burg these  were  joined  by  the  idle,  vicious  and  reck- 
less who  were  not  in  the  employ  of  the  railroad  com- 
pany, and  at  once  became  more  and  more  disorderly  and 
defiant.  The  authorities  were  called  on  to  protect  the 
company's  property,  but  the  force  failed  to  control  the 
mob.  The  militia  were  called  out,  and  some  of  the 
soldiers  fraternized  with  the  rioters,  and  others  proved 
inefficient  by  reason  of  a  mistaken  aversion  to  firing  on 
them,  and  finally  allowed  themselves  to  be  driven  from 
their  position.  The  citizens  took  no  measures  to  repress 
disorder,  but  rather  looked  on  approvingly. 

Under  such  circumstances  the  crowd  constantly  aug- 
mented, and  became  more  and  more  desperate.  In- 
cendiarism and  pillage  came  to  be  the  order  of  things, 
and  property  to  the  amount  of  millions  of  dollars  was 
destroyed-  Proclamations  were  issued  by  the  governor, 
more  militia  were  called  out,  and  at  last  the  citizens  awoke 
from  their  apathy  when  they  became  aware  that  the  city 
itself  was  in  danger  of  destruction,  and  the  riotous  pro- 
ceedings were  finally  quelled. 

Meantime  the  strike  had  extended  until  it  had  become 
general  along  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Violence  was 
resorted  to  and  property  destroyed  at  various  places 
along  the  line  of  the  road,  but  nowhere  was  there  such  a 
reign  of  terror  as  at  Pittsburg.  At  Philadelphia  the 
authorities  t^ok  such  ample  precautions,  and  the  police 
acted  so  promptly  ana  efficiently  when  the  riot  broke 
out  there,  that  it  was  at  once  put  down.  The  governor 
visited  riotous  localities  along  the  line  of  the  road  in 
person,  accompanied  by  troops,  and  regular  soldiers 
were  furnished  by  order  of  the  President  and  Secretary 
of  War,  on  application  of  Governor  Hartranft,  to  aid  in 
restoring  order. 

At  Reading  riots  broke  out  on  the  22nd  of  July.  The 
militia  were  called  out,  but  proved  inefficient,  though  one 
regiment,  without  orders,  poured  a  volley  into  the  assail- 
ing crowd,  killing  ten  and  wounding  forty  and  scattering 
the  rioters  for  the  time.  The  presence  of  300  regular 
troops  finally  awed  the  mob  and  restored  order 

By  the  24th  the  strike  had  extended  to  the  mining  re- 


gions, and  was  extensively  participated  in  by  the  miners. 
Riots  occurred  at  Pottsville,  Shamokin,  Bethlehem,  East- 
on,  Wilkes-Barre,  Scranton  and  elsewhere.  Work  in  the 
mines  was  arrested,  some  mines  were  flooded,  railroad 
property  was  destroyed  and  many  lives  were  sacrificed  in 
the  riots  and  the  efforts  to  quell  them.  The  greatest 
destruction  of  property,  however,  was  at  Pittsburg,  where 
the  citizens  have  since  been  punished  for  the  tacit  en- 
couragement which  they  at  first  gave  the  rioters,  by 
being  compelled  to  [lay  for  the  property  destroyed. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 


HARRISBURG    MADE    THE    CAPITAL THE    WAR    OF    l8l2- 

INTERNAL    IMPROVEMENTS— SCHOOLS. 


,  HE  project  of  removing  the  capital  of  the 
State  to  a  more  central  location  began  to 
be  agitated  during  the  last  decade  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  In  1795,  1796  and 
1798  efforts  were  made  to  accomplish  such  re- 
moval, but  they  failed  for  the  want  of  concurrent 
action  in  the  two  branches  of  the  Legislature. 
Carlisle,  Reading,  Lancaster,  Wright's  Ferry  and  Harris- 
burg  were  unsuccessfully  proposed.  In  1799  Lancaster 
was  seleced,  and  the  Legislature  met  there  for  the  first 
time  in  December  of  that  year.  By  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature in  1810  it  was  in  1812  removed  from  Lancaster  to 
Harrisburg;  and  the  sessions  of  the  Legislature  were 
held  in  the  court-house  at  that  place  till  the  completion 
of  the  public  buildings  in  182 1. 

The  war  of  1812  had  its  origin  in  aggressions  against 
the  United  States  by  Great  Britain,  which  were  contin- 
ued during  many  years,  notwithstanding  the  earnest  pro- 
tests of  this  nation.  The  r'ghts  of  the  United  States  as 
neutrals  were  disregarded  during  the  Napoleonic  wars, 
and  among  other  encroachments  the  English  government 
claimed  the  right  to  board  and  search  American  vessels, 
and  authorized  its  officers  to  examine  their  crews,  seize 
all  those  whom  they  chose  to  regard  as  British  subjects, 
and  force  them  into  their  service.  All  remonstrances 
were  unavailing.  The  English  in  enforcing  this  right  of 
search  committed  great  outrages,  and  the  practice  became 
so  obnoxious  as  to  demand  some  decided  measures  for 
its  suppression.  Under  these  circumstances  there  ap- 
peared no  alternative  but  war;  and  Congress  having 
authorized  it,  war  against  Great  Britain  was  declared  on 
the  19th  of  June,  1812.  The  measure  was  not  univer- 
sally sustained.  The  Federal  party,  then  in  the  minority, 
opposed  it;  and  their  political  opinions  being  apparently 
stronger  than  their  patriotism,  they  loudly  denounced  it. 
The  Federalists  in  New  York  and  New  England  were 
most  prominent  in  their  opposition,  and  if  they  did  not 
directly  aid   the  enemy  their  conduct  was  discouraging 


WAR  OF  i8r2— INTERNAL  IMPROVEMENTS. 


23 


and  injurious  to  those  who  were  periling  their  lives  in 
their  country's  cause.  This  opposition  was,  however, 
quite  impotent  in  Pennsylvania. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  Governor  Snyder 
issued  a  patriotic  call  for  fourteen  thousand  volunteers; 
and  such  was  the  alacrity  of  the  response  that  three  times 
the  number  required  tendered  their  services,  and  money 
was  readily  offered  for  the  places  of  those  who  wei-e  ac- 
cepted. 

During  this  war  Pennsylvania  was  not  the  scene  of  hos- 
tile operations,  although  her  frontier  was  threatened.  A 
force  of  British  and  Indians  appeared  on  the  north  shore 
of  the  lake,  opposite  to  Erie,  in  July,  181 2;  but  the 
prompt  measures  that  were  taken  for  the  defense  of  the 
port  prevented  an  attack.  The  mouth  of  the  Delaware 
was  blockaded  in  1813,  and  most  of  the  foreign  commerce 
of  Philadelphia  was  cut  off;  but  the  river  had  been 
placed  in  such  a  state  of  defense  that  it  was  not  invaded. 
A  thousand  men  were  sent  to  protect  the  shores  of  this 
river,  and  an  equal  force  sent  to  guard  the  harbor  of  Erie, 
where  vessels  of  war  were  in  process  of  construction  and 
equipment.  The  brilliant  victory  of  Commodore  Perry 
on  the  loth  of  September,  1813,  was  the  result  of  the 
fitting  out  of  this  naval,  force. 

The  ravaging  of  the  shores  of  Chesapeake  bay,  and 
the  burning  of  Washington,  in  1813  and  1814,  and  the 
threatening  attitude  of  the  enemy  after  these  depreda- 
tions, induced  Governor  Snyder  to  issue  another  call  for 
troops  to  defend  the  State  against  the  peril  which  men- 
aced it.  In  compliance  with  this  a  force  of  five  thousand 
established  a  rendezvous  on  the  Delaware,  and  although 
the  soil  of  Pennsylvania  was  not  invaded  this  force  did 
good  service  in  marching  to  the  relief  of  Baltimore  when 
it  was  attacked,  and  aiding  to  repel  the  enemy.  It  is 
worthy  of  note,  as  showing  the  difference  in  the  patriotism 
of  men  from  different  sections  of  the  country,  that  four 
thousand  New  York  troops  under  General  Van  Rennsse- 
laer  refused  to  cross  the  line  into  Canada,  but  that,  soon 
afterward,  a  brigade  of  Pennsylvanians,  consisting  of  two 
thousand,  under  General  Tannehill,  crossed  without  the 
slightest  hesitation,  glad  to  be  able  to  meet  the  enemy  on 
his  own  soil  and  do  battle  for  their  country.  A  treaty  of 
peace  between  the  two  nations  was  ratified  on  the  17th  of 
February,  1815. 

The  extensive  system  of  internal  improvements  which 
has  swallowed  so  many  millions  of  money  in  this  State 
was  commenced  about  the  year  1790.  The  first  efforts 
were  directed  to  the  improvement  of  navigation  in  the 
rivers  of  the  State;  then,  as  time  went  on,  the  construc- 
tion of  a  system  of  canals  and  turnpikes  was  entered  on, 
and  prosecuted  beyond  that  of  any  other  State  in  the 
Union.  The  grand  project  of  securing  the  trade  of  the 
West,  through  a  connection  between  Philadelphia  and 
the  waters  of  the  Ohio  at  Pittsburg,  by  a  line  of  public 
works,  was  realized  in  1831.  In  order  to  secure  the  in- 
fluence and  votes  necessary  to  authorize  this  it  had  been 
found  necessary  to  construct  other  canals  in  various  parts 
of  the  State,  the  inhabitants  of  which  desired  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  benefits  of  the  system  of  internal  improve- 


ment, and  thus  that  system  in  this  State  came  to  exceed 
in  magnitude  that  of  any  other. 

It  was  not  possible,  however,  for  the  wisest  of  those 
who  projected  and  promoted  this  system  of  improvements 
to  foresee  the  rise  and  rapid  progress  of  another  system, 
which  was  to  take  the  place  of  and  wholly  supersede  that 
which,  at  such  an  enormous  expense,  they  inaugurated 
and  carried  forward. 

In  1827  a  railroad,  nine  miles  in  length,  the  longest 
then  in  existence  in  America,  was  constructed  from 
Mauch  Chunk  to  some  coal  mines.  Only  two  had  pre- 
ceded this- — one,  with  a  wooden  track,  at  a  stone  quarry 
in  the  county  of  Delaware,  Penn.,  and  another,  having  a 
length  of  three  miles,  at  a  quarry  in  Quincy,  Mass.  Since 
that  time  the  railroad  system  of  this  country  has  devel- 
oped to  its  present  magnitude.  A  majority  of  the  canals 
are  dry,  many  have  been  converted  into  railroad  beds,  and 
even  the  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  country  have  dwin- 
dled into  comparative  insignificance  as  avenues  of  travel 
or  transportation.  In  1857  the  principal  line  of  public 
works  between  Pittsburg  and  Philadelphia  was  sold  to  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  for  a  fraction  of  its  cost, 
and  measures  were  at  once  taken  for  the  sale  of  the  other 
works  belonging  to  the  State  Thus  do  systems,  one 
after  another,  develop  and  pass  away,  and  no  prevision 
can  point  out  what  is  to  come. 

While  it  is  true  that  in  some  of  the  States  of  the  Union 
the  present  system  of  internal  improvements,  which  has 
been  fostered  and  encouraged  by  those  States,  has  proved 
to  be  almost  the  ruin  of  their  best  interests,  the  reverse 
is  true  in  Pennsylvania.  The  development  of  the  im- 
mense mineral  resources  of  the  State  required  the  con- 
struction of  these  avenues  of  transportation,  and  the  cost 
of  those  built  by  the  State,  though  they  were  afterward 
sold  for  only  a  part  of  that  cost,  was  returned  many  fold 
in  the  increase  of  wealth  which  was  the  direct  result  of 
their  construction.  When  the  first  canal  was  projected  the 
use  of  anthracite  coal  was  hardly  known,  and  the  cost  of 
its  transportation  to  market  was  so  great  as  to  preclude 
the  possibility  of  its  profitable  use.  With  every  increase 
in  the  facilities  for  the  transportation  of  this  important 
mineral  it  has  been  cheapened  to  the  consumer,  and  its 
production  has  been  rendered  more  profitable;  and  now 
large  areas  which  have  no  value  for  any  other  purpose 
are  sources  of  immense  and  constantly  increasing  wealth. 

Previous  to  the  year  1834  many  acts  were  passed  by  the 
Legislature  pertaining  in  some  way  to  the  subject  of  edu- 
cation. Some  of  these  were  local  in  their  application, 
and  some  were  little  more  than  resolutions  in  favor  of 
education.  Isolated  schools  were  established  in  various 
localities,  in  most  of  which  provision  was  made  for  the 
education  of  the  children  of  the  poor.  The  people  of 
the  different  religious  denominations  made  provision  for 
the  education  of  their  children,  often  establishing  paro- 
chial schools.  This  was  the  case  with  the  Quakers,  the 
Scotch-Irish  Presbyterians,  the  German  Lutherans,  the 
Mennonists,  the  Moravians,  the  Dunkards,  etc.  Nothing 
having  the  semblance  of  a  public  school  system  was 
established  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  constitution 


<^ 


^b= 


24 


OUTLINE    HISTORY   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 


of  1790,  which  required  that  provision  should  be  made 
by  law  for  the  general  establishment  of  schools  wherein 
gratuitous  instruction  should  be  given  to  the  children  of 
the  poor.  From  that  time  till  1827  efforts  were  from 
time  to  time  made  to  establish  a  system  in  accordance 
with  this  requirement,  but  with  only  partial  success,  the 
radical  defect  in  all  being  the  distinction  between  the 
children  of  the  rich  and  poor.  In  1827  earnest  and  sys- 
tematic efforts  began  to  be  put  forth  for  the  establish- 
ment of  free  schools  for  all,  and  in  1834  the  foundation 
of  the  present  common  school  system  was  laid,  in  the 
enactment  of  a  law  for  the  maintenance  of  schools  by  a 
tax  on  all  taxable  property.  This  law,  which  was  at  first 
imperfect,  was  revised  and  amended  in  1836,  1849,  1854 
and  1857,  in  which  last  year  the  present  system  of  nor- 
mal schools  was  established. 

In  1863  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  donated 
to  the  State  $50,000  for  the  education  of  soldiers'  or- 
phans. In  1865  the  Legislature  added  to  this  an  appro- 
priation of  $75,000.  Schools  and  homes  were  established 
for  these  wards  of  the  State,  and  during  several  years  an 
annual  expenditure  was  made  for  this  purpose  of  half  a 
million  of  dollars.  At  these  homes  and  schools  soldiers' 
orphans  were  boarded,  clothed,  educated  and  taught 
habits  of  industry,  and  at  a  proper  age  were  placed  in 
situations  to  acquire  trades  or  professions. 

In  1749  an  academy  was  established  by  subscription  in 
Philadelphia  "  for  instruction  in  the  Latin  and  English 
languages  and  mathematics."  This  was  the  foundation 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  This  and  Dickinson 
College,  at  Carlisle,  which  was  founded  in  1,783,  were  the 
only  colleges  in  the  Slate  previous  to  the  commencement 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  There  are  now  twenty-seven, 
of  which  five  are  purely  secular  or  non-sectarian.  There 
are  also  seventeen  theological  institutions,  ten  medical 
schools  and  one  law  school. 


CHAPTER   IX. 


PATRIOTIC    ACTION    IN    THE    MEXICAN    AND    ClVlI.    WARS 

GOVERNORS    OF    PENNSYLVANIA. 


5N  1846  war  was  declared  by  this  government 
against  Mexico,  and  by  virtue  of  authority 
vested  in  him  by  Congress,  the  President 
called  on  Pennsylvania  for  six  volunteer 
regiments  of  infantry,  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness  for  service  during  one  year,  or  to  the 
end  of  the  war.  Such  was  the  alacrity  with  which 
the  citizens  responded  to  this  call,  that  within  thirty  days 
a  sufficient  number  of  volunteers  had  offered  their  ser- 
vices to  constitute  nine  full  regiments.  Of  these,  be- 
tween two  and  three  regiments  were  sent  into  the  country 
of  the  enemy,  and  their  conduct  at  Vera  Cruz,  Cerro 
Gordo,  Chepultepec  and   the  city  of  Mexico   was  highly 


creditable  to  themselves   as  well   as   to   the   State  which 
they  represented. 

The  promptitude  with  which  Pennsylvania  responded 
to  the  call  of  the  federal  government  in  181 2  and  1846 
was  fully  equaled  by  the  readiness  with  which  her  citi- 
zens flew  to  arms  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  great 
Southern  rebellion.  In  anticipation  of  that  event  the 
citizens  of  Pittsburg  had  refused  to  allow  arms  to  be 
taken  from  their  arsenal  and  sent  south  by  traitorous 
government  officials  ;  and,  when  the  storm  of  war  burst 
upon  the  country,  the  patriotism  of  the  citizens  of  this 
State  was  aroused  to  such  a  pitch  that,  in  response  to 
the  cjH  for  Pennsylvania's  quota  of  the  75,000  first  called 
for,  fourteen  regiments,  enough  for  twenty-five,  offered 
themselves. 

A  place  of  rendezvous,  called,  in  honor  of  the  gover- 
nor of  ill  State,  Camp  Curtin,  was  established  at  Harris- 
burg,  and  on  the  morning  of  April  i8th,  1861,  six  days 
after  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter  and  three  days 
after  the  proclamation  calling  for  75,000  men  was  issued, 
five  companies  of  volunteers  left  Harrisburg  for  Washing- 
ton. They  passed  through  Baltimore  amid  the  jeers  and 
imprecations  of  the  mob,  that  followed  them  and  hurled 
bricks,  clubs  and  other  missiles  at  them  as  they  boarded 
the  cars,  and  arrived  at  Washington  on  the  evening  of 
the  same  day.  They  were  the  first  troops  that  reached 
the  national  capital,  and  for  tuis  prompt  response  to  the 
call  of  their  country,  and  for  their  coolness  and  courage 
in  passing  through  the  mob,  they  were  afterwaid  thanked, 
in  a  resolution,  by  the  House  of  Representatives.  Within 
twelve  days,  or  before  the  first  of  May,  twenty-five  reg- 
iments, amounting  to  more  than  twenty  thousand  men, 
were  sent  from  this  State  to  the  field.  The  expense  of 
clothing,  subsisting,  arming,  equiping  and  transporting 
these  troops  was  sustained  by  the  State. 

By  the  advance  of  General  Lee  toward  the  southern 
border  of  the  State  in  September,  1862,  an  invasion  of 
its  territory  was  evidently  threatened,  and  Governor 
Curtin,  by  proclamation,  called  for  fifty  thousand  men  to 
meet  the  emergency.  These  not  only  marched 'to  the 
border,  which  they  covered,  but  most  of  them  crossed 
into  the  State  of  Maryland,  and  by  their  presence  assisted 
in  preventing  the  advance  northward  of  the  rebel  army. 
Another  emergency  arose  in  June,  1863,  to  meet  which 
Governor  Curtin  issued  a  proclamation  calling  out  the 
entire  militia  of  the  State.  By  reason  of  a  lack  of  con- 
cert in  the  actionof.  the  State  and  national  authorities, 
only  a  portion  of  this  force  was  brought  into  service  pre- 
vious to  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  Of  that  battle  the 
limits  of  this  sketch  will  not  permit  a  detailed  account. 
It  was  the  result  of  the  second  attempt  to  invade  northern 
territory,  and  it  was  a  disaster  to  the  rebels  from  which 
they  never  recovered. 

The  territory  of  the  State  was  again  invaded  in  July, 
1864,  and  all  the  available  troops  in  the  State  were  sent 
forward  to  repel  the  invasion.  The  inhabitants  along  the 
southern  border  were  considerably  annoyed  and  injured 
by  this  invasion,  and  the  town  of  Chambersburg  was 
burned.     More  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  houses  were 


^h 


=M 


WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION— GOVERNORS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


25 


fired  by  the  rebels  and  the  town  was  entirely  destroyed, 
involving  a  loss  of  about  $2,000,000.  It  was  an  act  of 
wanton  vandalism. 

Of  Camp  Curtin,  that  was  established  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war,  it  may  be  said  that  it  was  not  only  a 
place  of  rendezvous  for  soldiers  and  of  deposit  for  mil- 
itary stores,  but  a  depot  for  prisoners  and  a  hospital 
for  the  sick  and  for  the  wounded  after  some  of  ihe 
great  battles,  especially  the  battles  of  Gettysburg  and 
Antietam.  It  was  early  placed  under  the  control  of  the 
federal  government,  and  so  continued  till  the  close  of 
the  war. 

A  brief  mention  should  be  made  of  the  part  which  the 
loyal  women  of  the  State  bore  in  this  conflict.  Not  only 
did  they  part  with  their  husbands,  sons  and  brothers,  who 
went  forth  to  do  battle  for  their  country  and  the  pres- 
ervations of  its  institutions,  and  in  many  cases  to  lay 
down  their  lives,  but  they  put  forth  their  efforts  to  pro- 
vide and  send  forward  to  those  who  languished  in  distant 
hospitals  those  comforts  which  the  government  could  not 
furnish;  and  many  a  sick  or  wounded  soldier  had  occa- 
sion to  bless  his  unknown  benefactress  for  some  delicacy 
or  comfort  of  which  he  was  the  recipient. 

During  the  continuance  of  this  war  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania furnished  for  the  army  two  hundred  and  seventy 
regiments  and  many  detached  companies,  amounting  in 
all  to  387,284  men.  The  following  quotation  from  a 
special  message  of  Governor  Curtin,  at  the  close  of  the 
war,  is  a  well  deserved  tribute  to  the  self-sacrificing  pa- 
triotism of  the  people  of  this  State: 

"Proceeding  in  the  strict  line  of  duty,  the  resources  of 
Pennsylvania,  whether  in  men  or  money,  have  neither 
been  withheld  or  squandered.  The  history  of  the  con- 
duct of  our  people  in  the  field  is  illuminated  with  inci- 
dents of  heroism  worthy  of  conspicuous  notice;  but  it 
would  be  impossible  to  mention  them  in  the  proper  limits 
of  this  message,  without  doing  injustice  or  perhaps  mak- 
ing invidious  distinctions.  It  would  be  alike  impossible 
to  furnish  a  history  of  the  associated  benevolence,  and  of 
the  large  individual  contributions  to  the  comfort  of  our 
people  in  the  field  and  hospital;  or  of  the  names  and  ser- 
vices at  all  times  of  our  volunteer  surgeons,  when  called 
to  assist  in  the  hospital  or  on  the  battle  field.  Nor  is  it 
possible  to  do  justice  to  the  many  patriotic  and  Christian 
men  who  were  always  ready  when  summoned  to  the 
exercise  of  acts  of  humanity  and  benevolence.  Our 
armies  were  sustained  and  strengthened  in  the  field  by 
the  patriotic  devotion  of  their  friends  at  home;  and  we 
can  never  render  full  justice  to  the  heaven-directed,  ]ja- 


triotic.  Christian  benevolence  of  the  women  of  the  State." 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  governors  of  the   colony, 
province  and  State  of  Pennsylvania,  with  the  year  of  the 
appointment  or  election  of  each: 

Under  the  Swedes:  1638,  Peter  Minuit;  1641,  Peter 
Hollandare;  1643,  John  Printz;  1653,  John  Pai)p,;goya; 
1654,  Johan  Claudius  Rysingh. 

Under  the  Dutch:  1655,  Peter  Stuyvesant  (Deryck 
Schmidt /r(7  Urn.);  1C55,  John  Paul  Jaquet;  1657,  Jacob 
Alrichs;  1659,  Alexander  D.  Hinyossa;  1652,  William 
Beekman;  1663,  Alexander  D.  Hinyossa;  1673,  Anthony 
Colve  (Peter  Alrich's  deputy). 

Under  the  Duke  of  York:  1664,  Colonel  Richard 
Nichols  (Robert  Carr,  deputy);  1667,  Colonel  Francis 
Lovelace. 

Under  *he  English:  1674,  Sir  Edmund  Andross: 
Under  the  proprietary  government:  i68r,  William 
Markham,  deputy;  1682,  William  Penn;  1684,  Thom.is 
Lloyd,  president  of  the  council;  1688,  five  commissioners 
appointed  by  the  proprietor — Thomas  Lloyd,  Robert  Tur- 
ner, Arthur  Cook,  John  Symcock,  John  Eckley;  1688, 
John  Blackwell,  deputy;  1690,  Thomas  Lloyd,  president 
of  council;  1691,  Thomas  Lloyd,  deputy  governor;  1693, 
Benjamin  P'letcher,  AVilliam  Markham  lieutenant  gov- 
ernor; 1695,  William  Markham,  deputy;  1699,  AVilliam 
Penn;  1701,  Andrew  Hamilton,  deputy;  1703,  Edward 
Shippen,  president  of  the  council;  1704,  John  Evans, 
deputy;  1 709,  Charles  Gookin,  deputy;  1717,  Sir  William 
Keith,  deputy;  1726,  Patrick  Gordon,  deputy;  1736, 
James  Logan,  president  of  the  council;  1738,  George 
Thomas,  deputy;  1747,  Anthony  Palmer,  president  of  the 
council;  1748,  James  Hamilton,  lieutenant  governor; 
1754,  Robert  H.  Morris,  deputy;  1756,  William  Denny, 
deputy;  1759,  James  Hamilton,  deputy;  1763,  John  Penn; 
1771,  James  Hamilton,  president  of  the  council;  1771, 
Richard  Penn;   1773,  John  Penn. 

Under  the  constitution  of  1776  'presidents  of  the 
supreme  council):  1777,  Thomas  Wharton;  1778,  Joseph 
Reed;  1781,  William  Moore;  1782,  John  Dickinson;  1785, 
Benjamin  Franklin;   1788,  Thomas  MifHin. 

Under  subsequent  constitutions:  1790,  Thomas  Mif- 
flin; 1799,  Thomas  McKcan;  1808,  Simon  Snyder;  1817; 
William  Findlay;  1820,  Joseph  Heister;  1823,  John  An- 
drew Schultze;  1829,  George  Wolf;  1835,  Joseph  Ritner; 
1839,  David  R.  Porter;  1845,  Francis  R.  Shunk;  1848, 
William  F.  Johnston;  1852,  William  Bigler;  1855,  James 
Pollock;  1858,  William  F.  Packer;  1861,  Andrew  G.  Cur- 
tin; 1867,  John  W.  Geary;  1873,  John  F.  Hartranft;  1878, 
Henry  M.  Hoyt. 


-^^ 


*€%= 


LUZERNE    COUNTY 


CHAPTER  I. 


RELICS    AND    THF.ORIES    OF     THE     EARLIEST    INHABITANTS 
OF    NORTHEASTERN    PENNSYLVANIA. 


HE  historian  of  the  former  inhabitants  of  any 
country  or  region  is  confronted  at  the  out- 
set by  various  difficulties.  The  question 
arises,  Who  and  what  were  the  progenitors  of 
these  inhabitants?  and  who  were  f/ieir  ances- 
tors? and  so  on. 
There  exist  in  this  country,  and  to  some  extent 
in  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  evidences  of  its  former  oc- 
cupancy by  a  people  whose  customs  were,  in  some  re- 
spects, different  from  those  of  the  Indians  who  were 
found  here  near  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century. 
These  evidences  consist  of  the  sepulchral  and  other 
mounds  or  tumuli  in  the  west  and  south,  and  of  the  de- 
fensive works  which  are  found  in  this  region.  Of  the  people 
who  constructed  these  mounds  and  forts  no  tradition  was 
preserved  by  the  pre-Columbian  Indians,  and  in  and 
around  them  many  relics  have  been  found  concerning 
the  former  use  of  which  even  the  ingenuity  of  arch^olo- 
gists  has  failed  to  form  a  conjecture. 

The  opinion  has  been  held  that  these  people  were  not 
the  progenitors  of  the  present  race  of  Indians,  but  that 
they  were  expelled  from  the  country  or  exterminated  by 
those  from  whom  these  Indians  descended.  The  cor- 
rectness of  this  opinion  is  doubted  by  many  modern 
ethnologists,  who  insist  that  gradual  changes  in  the  sur- 
roundings of  a  people,  extending  through  indefinite 
periods  of  time,  are  sufficient  to  account  for  those  things 
which  have  been  regarded  as  evidences  of  a  distinct  race 
of  people.  They  insist,  too,  that  in  the  absence  of  a  re- 
corded history  it  is  not  strange  that  in  the  lapse  of  time 
many  of  the  customs,  the  significance  of  the  monuments 
and  works,  and  even  the  existence  of  a  people  should 
pass  into  oblivion  among  their  descendants. 

It  is  not  necessary,  and  it  would  be  improper  to  discuss 
this  question  here.  These  mementos  of  the  long  ago 
exist,  and  as  archaeologists  become  more  skilled  in  search- 
ing after  them  more  are  discovered,  notwithstanding  the 


fact   that   time,   the  ax  and  the  plow  tend   constantly  to 
obliterate  the  traces  of  their  existence. 

In  recent  times  individuals,  associations  and  public  in- 
stitutions have  become  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
preserving  these  relics  of  bygone  ages,  and  with  com- 
mendable zeal  they  are  engaged  in  collecting  them  in 
cabinets  and  museums,  where  they  may  be  preserved  and 
studied  in  future.  The  national  museum  at  Washington 
contains  many  thousands  of  these  relics,  and  the  cabinets 
of  historical  societies  are  constantly  being  enriched  by 
accessions  of  them.  Steuben  Jenkins,  Esq.,  of  Wyo- 
ming, and  Dr.  H.  Hollister,  of  Providence,  have  each  an 
extensive  cabinet  in  which  may  be  seen  many  rare  speci- 
mens of  these  relics.  Their  cabinets  are  filled  mostly 
with  specimens  that  were  found  in  this  region. 

Want  of  space  forbids  even  a  catalogue  of  all  the  works 
that  have  been  discovered  in  this  and  surrounding  re- 
gions, of  the  origin  and  builders  of  which  there  exists  not 
even  a  tradition.  Probably  many  others  have  been 
leveled  by  the  plough  and  forgotten,  if  their  character 
was  ever  known;  and  perhaps  still  others,  the  relics  of 
periods  antecedent  to  these,  have  been  obliterated  by 
time. 

There  are  regions  the  peculiar  topography  of  which 
renders  them  well  adapted  to  the  wants  of  a  people, 
and  which  at  the  same  time  does  much  toward  shaping 
and  molding  the  character  of  that  people.  Northeastern 
Pennsylvania  appears  to  have  long  been  the  habitat  of  a 
wild,  independent  and  warlike. race,  and  the  physical  fea- 
tures of  the  region  are  adapted  to  the  wants  of  just  such 
a  people  as  the  works  and  relics  found  in  it  indicate,  and 
as  were  represented  by  its  inhabitants  at  the  time  of  its 
settlement  by  Europeans. 

The  only  record  which  these  ancient  people  have  left 
is  to  be  found  here  and  there  in  the  remains  of  the  forti- 
fications or  defensive  works  which  they  constructed;  the 
village  sites  or  camping  places  which  they  occupied,  and 
which  the  practiced  eye  of  an  archaeologist  is  able  still  to 
discern;  and  the  relics  which  are  found  of  their  rude 
weapons,  their  ruder  implements,  and  the  uncouth  orna- 
ments with  which  they  decorated  themselves. 

Many  of  their  defensive  works  were  doubtless  oblitera^ 
ted  by  the  agricultural  operations  of    early   settlers,  and 


=^ 


28 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


thus  they  have  passed  into  oblivion.  Two  of  these  are 
known  to  have  existed  in  the  Wyoming  valley.  One  was 
thus  described  by  Chapman  in   his  history  of   Wyoming: 

"  In  the  valley  of  Wyoining:  there  e.\ist  some  remains  of  ancient  forti- 
fications, which  appear  to  ha^-e  been  constructed  by  a  race  of  people 
very  ditferent  in  their  habits  from  those  who  occupied  the  place  when 
first  discovered  by  the  whites.  Most  of  these  ruins  ha\'e  becu  so  ranch' 
obliterated  by  the  operations  of  ag'ricnlture  that  their  forms  cannot  now 
be  distinctly  ascertained.  That  which  remains  the  most  entire  was  ex- 
amined by  the  writer  dui-ing;  the  summer  of  1817,  and  its  dimensions 
carefully  ascertained,  althoug-h  from  frequent  plowing-  its  form  had 
become  almost  destroj'ed.  It  is  situated  in  the  township  of  Kingston, 
upon  a  level  plain  on  the  north  side  of  Toby's  orecit,  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  from  its  bank,  and  about  half  a  mile  from  its  confiuenee 
with  the  Susquehanna.  It  is  of  an  oval  or  elliptical  form,  having  its 
longest  diameter  from  the  northwest  to  the  southeast,  at  right  angles  to 
the  creek.three  hundred  and  thirty-seven  feet,  and  its  shortest  diameter 
from  the  northeast  to  the  southwest  two  hundred  and  seventy-two  feet. 
On  the  southwest  side  appears  to  have  been  a  gateway  about  twelvefeet 
wide,  opening  toward  the  great  eddy  of  the  river  into  which  the  creek 
falls.  From  present  appearances  it  consisted  probably  (jf  only  one 
mound  or  i-ampart,  which,  in  height  and  thickness,  appears  to  have  been 
the  same  on  all  sides,  and  was  constructed  of  earth,  the  plain  on  which 
it  stands  not  abounding  in  stone.  On  the  outside  of  the  rampart  is  an 
entrenchment  or  ditch,  formed  jjrobably  by  removing  the  earth  of 
which  it  is  composed,  and  which  appears  never  to  have  been  walled.  The 
creek  on  which  it  stands  is  bounded  by  a  high,  steep  bank  on  that  side, 
and  at  ordinary  times  is  sufficiently  deep  to  admit  canoes  to  ascend  from 
the  river  to  the  fortification.  When  the  first  settlers  came  to  Wyoming 
this  plain  was  covered  with  its  native  forest,  consisting  principally  of 
oak  and  yellow  pine,  and  the  trees  which  grew  on  the  rampart  and  in 
the  entrenchment  are  said  to  have  been  as  large  as  those  in  any  other 
part  of  the  valley.  One  large  oak  particularly,  upon  being  cut  down,  was 
ascertained  to  be  seven  hundred  years  old.  The  Indians  had  no  tradi- 
tion concerning  these  fortifications ;  neitlier  did  they  appear  to  have 
any  knowledge  of  the  purpose  for  which  th<'y  were  constructed." 

The  other  was  described   by    Miner   in   his    history  of 
Wyoming  as  follows: 

"  Another  fortification  existed  on  Jacob's  Plains,  or  the  ujiper  Hats,  in 
Wilkes-Barrc.  Its  situation  is  the  highest  part  of  the  low  grounds,  so 
that  only  in  extraordinary  floods  is  the  spot  covered  with  water.  Look- 
ing over  the  flats  in  ordinarily  high  freshets  the  site  of  the  fort  presents 
to  the  eye  an  island  in  the  vast  sea  of  waters.  The  eastern  exti-emity  is 
near  the  line  dividing  the  farms  of  Mr.  John  Soarle  and  Mr.  James  Han- 
cock, where,  from  its  safety  from  inimdation,  a  fence  has  long  since 
been  placed  ;  and  to  this  circumstance  is  to  be  attributed  the  preser\-a- 
tion  of  the  embankment  and  ditch.  In  the  open  field  so  entirely  is  the 
work  leveled  that  the  eye  cannot  trace  it.  Rut  the  extent  west  is 
known,  for  '  it  reached  through  the  iTieadow  lot  of  Captain  Gore'  {said 
Cornelius  Courtrigbt,  Esq.,  to  me  when  visiting  the  ground  sei'eral  years 
ago), '  and  came  on  to  my  lot  one  or  two  rods.'  The  lot  of  Captain  Gore 
was  seventeen  perches  in  width.  Taking  then  these  two  hundred  and 
eighty  feet,  add  the  distance  it  ex  tended  eastwavdly  on  theSearle  lot,  and 
the  extension  westerly  on  the  lot  of  Esquire  Courtright,  we  ha\'o  the 
length  of  that  measured  by  Mr.  Chapman  so  very  nearly  as  to  render  the 
inference  almost  certain  that  both  were  of  the  same  size  and  dimcn.sions. 

"  Huge  trees  were  growing  oat  of  the  onbankmcnt  when  the  wliite 
people  began  to  clear  the  flats  for  cultivation.  This,  too,  in  Wilkes- 
Barre.  is  oval,  as  Is  still  manifest  from  the  segment  exhibited  on  the 
upper  part,  formed  by  the  remaining  rampart  and  fosse,  the  chord  of 
the  arc  being  the  division  fence.  Acircleis  easily  made,  the  elliptical 
form  much  more  diflScult  for  an  untutored  mind  to  trace  Trifling  as 
these  circumstances  may  appear,  the  exact  cnint:idcnce  in  size  and  shape, 
and  that  shape  dllHcult  to  form,  they  appeared  to  me  worthy  of  a  dis- 
tinct notice.  The  Wilkes-Barrc  fortifloatinn  ia  about  eighty  rods  from 
the  river,  toward  which  a  gate  opened,  and  the  ancient  iieopic  concur  in 
stating  that  a  well  existed  in  the  interior,  near  the  southeiii  lino. 

"  On  the  bank  of  the  river  there  is  an  Indian  burying  place;  nfit  a  bar- 
row or  hill,  such  as  is  described  by  Mr.  Jeirer.son,  but  where  gra\es  have 
been  dug  and  the  deceased  laid,  horizontally,  in  rcjiiilar  rows,  in  ex- 
cavating the  «inal,  cutting  through  the  bank  Hint  borders  Iho  flats, 
perhaps  thirty  rods  south  from  the  fort,  was  another  biM'ying  place 
disclosed,  evidently  more  ancient;  for  the  bones  almost  immediately 
crumbled  to  dust  on  exposure  to  the  air,  and  the  deposits  were  far 
more  numerous  than  in  that  near  the  rii'er.  By  the  representation  of 
James  Stark,  Esq.,  the  skeletons  wore  countless,  and  the  deceased  had 
been  buried  in  a  sitting  posture.  Tn  a  considerable  portion  of  the  bank, 
though  scarcely  a  bone  remained  of  sufficient  firmness  to  be  lifted  up, 
the  closeness  and  pt)sition  of  the  buried  were  apparent  from  the  dis- 
coloration of  the  earth.  In  this  place  of  deposit  no  beads  were  found, 
while  they  were  common  in  that  near  the  river. 

"  In  1814  I  vtsited  this  fortification  in  company  with  the  present  Chief 


Justice  Gibson  and  .Tacob  Cist,  Bsqs.  The  whole  line,  although  it  had 
been  plowed  for  more  than  thirty  years,  was  then  distinctly  traceable 
by  the  eye.  Fortune  was  unexpectedly  propitious  to  our  search,  for  we 
found  a  medal,  bearing  on  one  side  the  impress  of  King  George  the 
First,  dated  1714  (the  year  he  commenced  his  reign),  and  on  the  other  an 
Indian  chief." 

What  was  thought  to  be  a  well  was  doubtless  a  "  cache," 
or  place  of  concealment  or  storage  for  corn  or  other 
stores.  From  the  description  given  of  these  works  it  is 
evident  they  were  similar  in  character  to  other  ancient 
defensive  works  that  have  been  found  east  from  Ohio. 
Where  such  works  are  sufficiently  well  preserved  to  be 
studied  they  are  found  to  consist  in  each  case  of  mural 
embankment,  or  in  very  rare  cases  of  two  such,  enclosing 
areas  varying  in  size,  but  usually  of  about  two  acres. 
They  are  usually  surrounded  by  ditches,  which  evidently 
served  the  double  purpose  of  furnishing  the  material  for 
the  walls  and  rendering  the  defensive  character  of  the 
works  more  formidable.  In  some  of  these  works  the  em- 
bankments give  evidence  of  having  been  surmounted  with 
palisades,  and  it  is  probable  that  but  for  the  ravages  of 
time  such  evidences  might  be  found  in  all  of  them.  The 
continuity  of  the  walls  is  usually  interrupted  by  two  sally 
ports,  or  passage  ways,  at  nearly  opposite  points,  and  one 
of  these  is  almost  always  on  the  side  of  the  work  which 
is  least  accessible  from  without  and  nearest  to  the  water 
supply.  When  excavations  are  made  in  the  enclosed 
areas  indubitable  evidences  are  found  of  their  former 
occupancy,  not  only  as  places  of  safety  in  times  of  peril, 
but  as  encampments,  or  rather  as  village  sites  or  resi- 
dences during  very  long  periods.  In  nearly  all  these 
works  are  found  collections  of  rough  angular  stones  of 
sizes  convenient  for  hurling  at  assaulting  foes.  Weapons 
and  implements  or  utensils  of  stone,  bone  and  terra  cotta 
are  also  found;  but  rarely  isa  trace  to  be  seen  of  metallic 
weapons  or  tools,  and  when  such  are  found  they  are  usu- 
ally near  the  surface,  while  the  others  are  at  depths 
varying  from  six  to  eighteen  inches. 

.  All  these  circumstances  are  indications  of  the  great  an- 
tiquity of  these  works.  They  show  not  only  that  the 
works  were  occupied  at  a  period  anterior  to  the  discovery 
of  the  use  of  metals  by  their  occupants,  but  that  since 
their  abandonment  sufficient  time  has  elapsed  for  six 
inches  of  mould  to  accumulate  by  the  slow  process  of 
growth  and  decay  of  vegetable  matter  in  dry  situations. 
'l"he  statement  may  therefore  be  credited  that  trees  hav- 
ing seven  hundred  years  of  age  were  found  growing  on 
these  works,  and  these  perhaps  had  been  preceded  there 
by  others. 

In  the  vicinity  of  these  works  burial  places  are  almost 
always  found.  These  are  of  two  kinds.  In  one  the 
graves  are  isolated;  and  with  the  skeletons  which  they 
contain  are  found  the  remains  of  such  treasures  as  the 
Indians  of  later  times  were  in  the  habit  of  burying  with 
their  dead.  The  other  kind  of  cemeteries  are  sometimes 
termed  "bone  pits  "  and  in  these  immense  quantities  of 
human  ossements  are  found,  which  appear  to  have  been 
deposited  without  regard  to  order,  and  among  which 
implements,  weapons  or  trinkets  are  very  rarely  found. 
By  some  these  are  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  those 
who  have  fallen  in  battle,  and  to  indicate  that  a  sanguin- 


^h 


^h 


RELICS  OF  PREHISTORIC  INHABITANTS. 


29 


ary  conflict  took  place  near  the  locality  where  they  are 
found.  A  perusal  of  Parkraan's  account  of  the  "feast 
of  the  dead,"  as  witnessed  and  described  by  the  earliest 
Jesuit  missionaries  among  the  American  Indians,  will 
place  the  origin  of  these  collections  of  human  remains 
beyond  a  question,  and  fully  explain  th^  peculiar  appear- 
ances which   they  present. 

About  a  mile  above  Scranton,  near  Providence,  was 
found  a  mound  which  was  probably  an  ancient  place  of 
sepulture.  It  was  the  only  burial  mound  found  in  this 
region;  and  it  is  a  matter  of  interest  because  it  shows 
that  this  is  not  the  eastern  limit  of  the  region  where  sepul- 
chral mounds  are  found.  This  mound  was  simple  in  its 
construction,  and  excavations  made  in  it  nearly  a  century 
since  brought  to  light  a  quantity  of  game  arrow  points, 
stone  implements  and  ornaments  of  very  great  variety,  a 
copper  kettle  and  many  broken  specimens  of  the  fictile 
art.  Two  phalanges  of  a  finger  found  at  this  mound 
twenty  years  since  by  Dr.  Hollister,  in  whose  possession 
they  still  are,  and  the  copper  kettle  found  there  before, 
indicate  that  this  was  used  as  a  burial  place  at  a  period 
subsequent  to  the  occupancy  of  the  fortifications  in 
Wyoming  valley. 

In  the  vicinity  of  these  ancient  works  are  usually  found 
evidences  of  many  camping  places,  or  village  sites  ;  as 
though  the  fortifications  were  used  as  places  of  refuge  in 
times  of  danger  by  those  who  at  different  times  occupied 
those  sites.  The  relics  found  where  these  villages  or 
camps  were  are  of  a  character  identical  with  those  within 
the  fortifications;  but  among  them,  though  generally 
nearer  the  surface,  are  found  those  of  a  later  period. 

The  Indians  who  inhabited  the  country  at  the  time  of 
its  discovery  by  the  whites  had  no  knowledge  of  the 
uses  of  these  works,  and  no  traditions  concerning  those 
who  constructed  them  ;  hence  some  have  inferred  that 
the  forefathers  of  these  Indians  succeeded,  or,  perhaps, 
drove  away  or  exterminated  these  people.  When  we 
consider  the  facility  with  which  the  knowledge  of  historic 
events  dies  out  among  savages  who  have  no  written 
language,  it  will  not  be  a  matter  of  wonder  that  all 
knowledge  of  these  works  should  pass  into  oblivion,  even 
among  the  descendants  of  those  who  constructed  them. 

Time  has  effaced  the  history  of  the  people  who  erected 
some  of  the  most  stupendous  monuments  of  antiquity — 
cities  are  in  ruins,  or  are  buried  in  the  earth  and  no 
record  remains  of  the  people  who  built  or  inhabited  them; 
arts  are  lost  to  the  descendants  of  those  among  whom 
they  flourished,  a,nd  the  interpretation  of  the  records 
which  remain  in  the  written  language  of  ancient  people  is 
now  hypothetical.  If  those  who  reared  monuments,  buill 
cities,  cultivated  arts  and  had  written  languages,  have 
become  the  prey  of  oblivion,  how  much  more  readily 
will  the  people  be  forgotten  who,  like  the  Indians  of 
this  country,  have  no  written  language,  and  no  ambition 
to  perpetuate  their  memory,  and  who  leave  only  the  rude 
arrow  on  the  hillside,  the  emblem  of  their  pursuits,  and 
the  ruder  pipe,  vessel  or  trinket,  buried  with  their  bones 
— the  record  at  once  of  their  existence  and  their  supersti- 
tion. 


In  the  valley  of  the  Susquehanna,  and  especially  in 
•  the  vicinity  of  the  works  spoken  of,  have  been  found 
many  relics  which  seem  to  indicate  that  almost  all  portions 
of  its  area  have  at  different  times  been  occupied  for  en- 
campments or  villages.  Large  collections  of  these  relics 
have  been  made,  as  before  stated,  by  Messrs.  Jenkins  and 
Hollister.  Among  these  may  be  found  a  great  number 
and  every  variety  of  flint  arrow  points.  These  are  the 
most  common  relics  of  the  stone  period,  for  they  are 
found  on  every  sandy  plain  in  America.  They  are  of 
various  sizes  and  fashions,  to  adapt  them  to  different 
uses.  They  are  usually  manufactured  from  flint,  agate, 
cornelian  and  other  native  pebbles,  and  are  worked  with 
such  skill  as  to  excite  admiration  and  surprise.  Recently 
Mr.  F.  H.  Cushing,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  has 
demonstrated  the  method  by  which  this  work  was  ac- 
complished, and  has  been  able  to  manufacture  these 
weapons  with  all  the  peculiarities  that  those  which  are 
found  in  Europe  or  America  possess. 

The  most  common  form  of  these  arrow  heads  is  that  of 
an  elongated  triangle  with  a  stem  in  the  middle  of  the 
shortest  side,  and  a  barb  on  each  side  of  the  stem.  These 
could  be  thrown  into  a  victim  and  withdrawn  with  the 
shaft,  but  those  which  were  shaped  like  a  myrtle  leaf 
were  attached  to  their  shafts  in  such  a  way  that  on  with- 
drawing the  shaft  the  stone  point  remained  to  prove  a 
source  of  irritation  and  death.  The  varieties  of  this 
weapon  are  very  great,  but  they  can  with  propriety  be 
placed  in  the  two  classes  oi peace  and  war  arrow  heads,  or 
such  as  could  and  those  which  could  not  be  withdrawn 
from  the  deep  wounds  which  they  made.  The  former 
were  used  in  hunting.  Some  were  delicately  constructed 
and  exquisitely  finished  for  killing  small  game  or  fish. 
Some  were  serrated,  barbed  and  stemmed.  Sometimes 
they  are  found  white  as  snow,  but  usually  they  are  made 
of  dark  colored  hornstone.  Spear  heads,  some  of  which 
are  eight  inches  in  length,  and  of  every  size,  color  and 
finish,  have,  as  well  as  arrow  points,  been  accumulating 
in  these  collections  during  thirty  or  forty  years.  Bone, 
clay,  shell  and  copper  utensils  are  not  found  in  these  col- 
lections in  abundance;  but  the  stone  implements  used  by 
the  red  men  in  peace  or  in  war,  such  as  tomahawks, 
death  mauls,  stone  picks,  hammers,  hoes,  axes,  mortars, 
pestles,  celts  or  hatchets,  gouges,  quoits,  chunkee  stones, 
sling  stones,  scalping  stones,  amulets,  terra  cotta  and  stone 
pipes,  polished  tubes,  triune  cups,  triune  pipes,  beads, 
wampum,  fictilia,  whistles  for  signals  in  the  forests,  corn 
pounders,  ornamented  rings  and  other  ornamental  devices, 
highly  polished  stones  for  grinding  war  paint,  stones  for 
recording  time,  healing  the  sick  and  warding  off  diseases, 
stone  implements  for  tilling  the  soil,  and  hundreds  of 
other  contrivances  of  Indian  life  have  found  a  place  in 
these  collections.  Many  of  these  articles  were  broken 
while  in  use,  but  so  complete  are  these  collections  in 
archaeological  specimens,  and  so  thoroughly  do  they 
represent  this  region,  that  the  "  impulse,  religion  and 
habits  of  the  tribes  once  living  here  can  be 
traced  with  almost  the  fidelity  and  interest  of  written 
history." 


=^h 


^^^.=_ 


30 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  H. 


OPENING      OF      THE      HISTORIC      PERIOD- 
WYOMING. 


-THE    INDIANS    OF 


^  HE  history  of  the  Indian  residents  of  Wyoming 
and  its  vicinity,  so  far  as  known  to  us,  fur- 
nishes but  little  of  interest  or  importance. 
While  we  have,  from  the  general  history  of 
the  Indians  of  the  country,  glimpses'  of  a 
tribe  or  nation  that  once  had  their  seat  of  power 
in  this  locality,  who  were  warred  upon  by  sur- 
rounding tribes  or  nations  until  they  were  driven  out, 
yet  of  their  local  history  here  but  little  or  nothing  is 
knov/n.  Writers  upon  the  subject  of  Indian  history 
have  none  of  them  given  us  more  than  a  mere  reference 
to  them  while  treating  of  their  neighbors.  From  what 
can  be  gathered  it  would  seem  that  between  the  Five  (and 
subsequently  Six)  Nations  or  confederate  tribes  of  the 
north,  called  the  Iroquois — the  southern  gate  of  whose 
territory  was  at  Tiop;a  Point — and  the  Susquehannocks, 
who  ruled  over  the  territory  southeast  of  the  Kittatinny 
or  Blue  Hills,  the  whole  of  that  vast  region  was  inhabited 
and  ruled  over  by  a  nation  of  natives  known  as  the  Can- 
dastogas. 

All  of  these  nations  were  powerful  and  warlike,  but  the 
Iroquois  were  by  far  the  most  restless  and  enterpri'^ing. 
Governor  Dongan  in  his  report  on  the  Province  of  New 
York  in  1687  says:  "The  Five  Nations  are  the  most 
warlike  people  in  America.  They  are  a  bulwark  between 
us  and  the  French  and  all  other  Indians.  They  go  as 
far  as  the  South  Sea,  the  northwest  passage  and  Florida 
to  war.  They  are  so  considerable  that  all  the  Indians  in 
those  parts  of  America  are  tributary  to  them;  "  and  he 
further  speaks  of  them  as  "  the  nations  that  conquered 
the  Susquehannas." 

Still  earlier  than  this  we  have  some  slight  account  of 
some  Indians  living  possibly  within  the  territory  of  old 
Wyoming — possibly  not.  It  appears  from  an  account 
given  by  Stephen  Brule,  a  Frenchman,  that  he  passed 
from  Canada  through  the  country  of  the  Iroquois  in  1615, 
and  reached  the  principal  town  of  a  tribe  of  Indians, 
whom  he  calls  Caranto'uans,  where  he  and  his  party  were 
received  with  kindness.  He  spent  the  winter  with  them 
in  visiting  neighboring  tribes,  and  in  the  spring  of  1616 
descended  the  Susquehanna  to  the  sea.  His  account 
says  "  he  returned  to  Carantouan  and  attempted  to  re- 
turn to  Canada,  but  was  captured  by  the  Iroquois,  and 
was  unable  to  meet  Champlain,  with  whom  he  had  set 
out  from  Canada,  until  in  1619."  He  made  report  of  this 
tribe  of  Indians  to  Champlain,  who,  in  his  map  of  the 
country  explored  by  himself  and  Brule,  gives  up  the 
whole  region  of  country  south  of  the  Iroquois  to  that 
people,  but  fails  to  fix  the  location  of  any  of  their  towns 
at  any  point  on  the  Susquel'.anna.  Rev.  Mr.  Craft,  author 
of  the  History  of  Bradford  County,  is  well  satisfied  that 
their  town,  at   least  their  chief  town,   if  they  had  more 


than    one,  was   at   the   mouth   of   Sugar  creek,  in  that 
county. 

Champlain  says:  "The  Antouhonorons  are  fifteen  vil- 
lages near  the  River  St.  Lawrence.  The  Carantouanis  is 
a  nation  south  of  the  Antouhonorons,  only  three  days 
distant.  They  formerly  took  prisoners  from  the  Dutch, 
whom  they  sent  back  without  injury,  believing  them  to 
be  French." 

From  this  it  would  appear  that  the  Carantouanis  could 
hardly  have  lived  as  far  south  as  Pennsylvania,  and  if 
in  that  State  at  all,  must  have  been  upon  its  extreme 
northern  border.  It  appears  clearly  that  they  were  no 
part  of  the  Six  Nations.  Champlain,  in  his  report  on  the 
explorations  made  by  himself  and  the  members  of  his 
party,  attaches  a  map  of  the  country  explored,  extended 
somewhat  on  the  basis  of  information  obtained  from  the 
Indians.  In  this  map  he  further  complicates  the  question 
of  the  location  of  the  Carantouanis  by  placing  their  towns 
on  both  sides  of  the  Delaware  river,  instead  of  on  the 
Susquehanna.  The  latter  river  is  entirely  wanting  in  the 
map. 

The  fact  is,  that  while  the  French  early  in  the  17th 
century  explored  the  whole  region  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
and  the  lakes  and  on  through  to  the  Mississippi  river,  and 
the  English  surveyed  the  coast,  the  mouths  of  the  rivers 
and  the  bays,  very  little  or  nothing  was  known  by  either 
the  French  or  the  English  of  the  interior,  the  region  of 
the  Susquehanna  and  its  tributaries,  until  a  century  later. 
No  explorer  had  penetrated  its  mountain  fastnesses,  or 
threaded  its  rapid  streams.  The  whole  region  was  a 
terra  incognita  to  white  people,  an  uninhabited  and  un- 
broken wilderness,  a  hunting  ground,  or  a  vast  forest 
waste,  traversed  by  Indian  braves  in  their  predatory  in- 
cursions for  plunder  or  war.  While  it  might  be  interest- 
ing to  know  more  of  the  early  history  of  the  territory 
drained  by  the  Susquehanna  and  its  tributaries,  as  well 
as  of  the  people  who  inhabited  it,  we  must  content  our- 
selves with  what  we  have.  The  question  naturally  arises. 
What  more  do  we  know  of  these  Carantouanis?  Were  they 
a  large  and  powerful  nation,  occupying  the  vast  territory 
lying  between  the  country  of  the  Iroquois  and  the  sea, 
or  were  they  only  a  small  remnant  of  some  nation,  taking 
their  name  from  their  town,  location,  or  some  incident 
connected  therewith  ?  We  have  no  method  of  solving 
these  questions  satisfactorily  now.  Conjecture  is  all 
that  is  left  us  in  the  absence  of  that  full  and  exact  in- 
formation so  much  to  be  desired.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  name  was  neither  national  nor  tribal,  but  a  town 
or  local  one.  The  mention  of  "  visiting  neighboring 
tribes,"  would  indicate  that  they  occupied  but  a  small  ex- 
tent of  territory;  and  their  "going  down  to  the  sea"  in 
winter,  that  they  lived  not  far  from  it,  a  feat  very  difficult, 
if  not  impossible,  by  way  of  the  Susquehanna,  in  winter. 
They  may  have  been  and  most  probably  were  a  remnant 
of  the  great  Candastoga  nation. 

It  remains  now  to  give  some  account  of  the  Susque- 
hannocks, at  as  early  a  day  as  we  can  get  any  information 
of  importance  upon  the  subject.  Alsop  wrote  of  them  in 
1666  as  follows: 


, 

< 


INDIAN  TRIBES  OF  THE  SUSQUEHANNA. 


31 


"  'J'lic  Susquchannncks  area  people  lookt  upon  by  the  Christian  Inhab- 
itants as  the  most  Noble  and  Heroic  Nation  of  Indians  that  dwell  upon 
the  Confines  of  America.  Also  are  so  allowed  and  lookt  upon  by  the 
I'est  of  the  Indians  by  a  submissive  and  tributary  acknowledgment,  be- 
ing: a  people  east  into  the  mould  of  a  most  large  and  warlike  deport- 
ment, the  men  beins  for  the  most  part  seven  foot  high  in  lattitude,  and 
in  magnitude  and  bulk  suitable  to  so  high  a  pitch ;  then  voyee  large  and 
hollow,  as  ascending  out  of  a  Cave;  their  gate  and  behaviorstrait,  stately 
and  majestlck,  treading  on  the  Earth  with  as  much  pride,  contempt  and 
disdahi  to  so  sordid  a  Center  as  can  be  imagined  from  a  creature  derived 
from  the  same  mould  and  Earth. 

"  These  Snsquehannock  Indians  are  for  the  most  part  great  Warriore, 
and  seldom  sleep  one  Summer  in  the  quiet  armes  of  a  peaceable  Hest, 
but  keep,  by  their  present  power  as  well  as  by  their  former  conquest, 
the  several  Nations  of  Indians  round  about  them  in  a  forceable  obedi- 
ence and  subjection. 

"  Their  government  is  an  Anarchy.    He  that  fights  best  carries  it.    * 

*    *    They  now  and  then  feed  on  the  carcasses  of  their  enemies. 

"  They  intomb  the  ruines  of  their  deceased  conquest  in  no  other  Sep- 
ulchre than  their  unsanctified  maws. 

"  Tliey  are  situated  a  hundred  and  odd  miles  distant  from  the  Christian 
Plantations  of  Mary-Land,  at  the  head  [tnouth?]  of  ariverthat  runs  into 
the  Bay  of  Chesapike,  called  by  their  own  name  the  Snsquehannock 
River,  where  they  remain  and  inhabit  most  part  of  the  Summer  time, 
anil  seldom  remove  far  from  it,  unless  it  be  to  subdue  any  Forreign 
Rebellion. 

"About  November  the  best  Hunters  draw  otf  to  several  remote  places 
of  the  Woods,  where  they  know  the  Deer,  Bear  and  EIke  useth.  There 
they  build  sevei-al  cottages,  where  they  remain  for  the  space  of  three 
months." 

Smith,  i-n  liis  history  of  his  voyage,  speaks  of  the  Sus- 
quehannocks  as  "giants,"  "  their  language  sounding  like 
a  voyce  in  a  vault."  He  says:  "  They  can  make  near 
Coo  able  bodied  men,  and  are  paiisadoed  in  their  tovvnes 
to  defend  them  from  the  Massawomekes,  their  mortal 
enemies." 

Campnnius  says:  "  They  live  on  a  high  mountain,  very 
steep  and  difficult  to  climb,  where  they  have  a  fort, 
or  square  building  surrounded  with  palisades.  This  fort 
or  town  is  about  twelve  miles  from  New  Sweden." 

We  have  thus  gone  over  the  history  of  the  Indian 
nations  or  tribes  that  inhabited  or  were  found  con- 
nected with  the  early  history  of  Wyoming  and  the  adja- 
cent country,  and  it  remains  for  us  now  to  come  down  to 
the  period  when  the  white  man  commenced  to  mingle  his 
history  with  that  of  the  Indian  in  that  locality. 

In  1737  Conrad  Weiser,  an  Indian  interpreter  residing 
at  Tulpehocken,  in  Pennsylvania,  at  the  request  of  Gov- 
ernor Gooch,  of  Virginia,  was  sent  by  the  provincial  gov- 
ernment of  Pennsylvania  to  meet  a  council  of  the  Six 
Nations,  to  he  held  at  Onondaga,  for  the  purpose  of 
■'establishing  peace  between  the  allied  Six  Nations  at  the 
north  and  the  so-called  Cherikees  and  Cataubas  at  the 
south."  He  left  home  on  his  inission  on  the  27th  of 
February,  proceeded  to  the  Susquehanna  river,  which  he 
crossed  at  Sharaokin,  and  thence  by  way  of  the  west 
branch  to  his  destination.  After  accomplishing  his  mis- 
sion he  returned  horne  by  way  of  the  east  branch  of  the 
Susquehanna,  and  arrived  at  Wyoming  on  the  26th  of 
April.     His  entry  in  his  journal  reads  as  follows: 

"  The  26th  we  reached  Scahantowano,  where  a  number 
of  Indians  live,  Shawanos  and  Mahickanders.  Found 
there  two  traders  from  New  York,  and  three  men  from 
the  Maqua  country,  who  were  hunting  land.  Their  names 
are  Ludwig  Rasselraan,  Martin  Dillenbach  and  Pit  de 
Niger.  Here  there  is  a  large  body  of  land,  the  like  of 
which  is  not  to  be  found  on  the  river." 
We  are  here  introduced  to  two  other  tribes  of  Indians, 


remnants  of  nations.  The  Shawanos,  as  described  by 
Zinzendorf  and  Brainard,  missionaries  among  them,  were 
a  "  ferocious,  untamable  and  vicious  people,  unmoved  by 
either  sympathy  or  affection,  and  constantly  bent  on  mis- 
chief." They  were  a  southern  nation,  whose  early  history 
is  involved  in  the  deepest  obscurity,  and  whose  language 
bore  no  afifinity  to  that  of  any  of  the  surrounding  nations. 
They  were  warlike,  brave  and  enei'getic,  and  have  ever 
retained  their  national  character  and  name,  being  to-day 
a  distinct  people  among  the  Indians  of  America.  They 
came  from  the  Potomac,  or  near  there,  to  Wyoming  in 
1728,  where  they  seemed  to  live  in  independence,  and 
preserve  all  their  peculiar  characteristics. 

The  Mahicans  or  Mohegans  were  the  remnants  of  a 
great  nation,  which  had  their  homes  and  seat  of  power 
on  the  Thames  or  Pequot  river,  in  Connecticut.  Those 
living  on  the  east  of  the  river  were  known  by  the  name  of 
Pequots;  those  on  the  west  as  Mohegans.  Upon  the 
advance  of  the  whites  in  their  progress  westward,  the  In- 
dians were  compelled  to  give  way,  and  a  part  of  this  great 
nation  sought  a  home  at  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  a  part  at 
Shecomico,  on  the  Hudson,  and  a  part  at  Wyoming. 
They  are  described  by  Miss  Calkins,  the  historian  of  New 
London,  as  "exceedingly  fierce,  warlike  and  crafty." 
The  exact  date  of  their  advent  into  the  valley  of  Wyo- 
ming is  not  known,  but  it  is  supposed  they  arrived  there 
about  the  same  time  with  the  Shawanos,  and  may  have 
been  there  a  short  time  before  them.  They  resided  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  valley,  on  the  west  side,  while  the 
Shawanos  occupied  the  lower  part  of  the  valley,  on  the 
same  side. 

In  1742  the  Delaware  Indians,  a  vassal  nation  of  the 
Iroquois,  in  consequence  of  their  selling  land  and  other- 
wise taking  upon  themselves  the  rights  of  a  free  and  in- 
dependent nation,  were  called  to  an  account  by  the  Iro- 
quois, and  on  proof  and  confession  of  guilt  were  severely 
reprimanded  and  transferred  from  their  former  seat  and 
planted  at  Wyoming.  This  was  at  one  tiirie  one  of  the 
great  nations  into  which  the  natives  had  been  divided; 
but  in  consequence  of  their  warlike  spirit,  and  the  inces- 
sant Wars  in  which  they  were  involved  with  surrounding 
nations,  they  became  greatly  reduced  in  numbers  and 
strength,  and  were  finally  conquered  by  the  Iroquois, 
and  to  keep  thein  in  subjection  were  reduced  to  the  con- 
dition of  vassals  or  slaves  to  their  conquerors;  "  made 
women  of  "  as  one  of  the  orators  expressed  it. 

In  a  few  years  after  the  planting  of  the  Delawares  a'. 
Wyoming,  in  1748,  the  Nanticokes,  a  tide  water  people, 
a  small  member  of  the  Algonquin  family,  having  their  seat 
when  the  Europeans  first  met  them  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  Chesapeake,  in  Maryland,  made  their  way  to  Wyoming, 
following  the  course  of  the  Susquehanna.  They  located 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  valley,  on  the  east  side,  princi- 
pally, and  the  place  vvas  called  froin  them  Nanticoke. 
There  were  about  eighty  of  them,  under  a  chief  Ullunck- 
quam.  A  few  of  them  went  on  up  the  river  and  settled 
on  the  Chenango,  whither  the  others  followed  in  1757. 

There  were  other  tribes  or  remnants  of  tribes  of  In- 
dians neighbors  to  Wyoming,  whose  names  are  connected 


^^ 


32 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


with  her  history,  but  no  organized  body  or  considerable 
number  of  them  ever  inhabited  there.  These  were  known 
as  Mingoes,  Ganaways  or  Conoys,  Turkeys,  Turtles  or 
Tuteloes,  and  Minsies  or  Minisinks  and  Muncies. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  from  the  time  the  Iroquois 
conquered  and  drove  out  the  Candastogas,  Wyoming  and 
its  region  around  about,  particularly  on  the  Susquehan- 
na, was  used  as  a  penal  colony  or  place  of  banishment 
for  the  remnants  of  tribes  which  the  Iroquois  conquered 
in  their  raids  upon  neighboring  and  even  distant  tribes 
in  their  predatory  excursions,  and  a  place  of  refuge  for 
those  who  sought  their  favor  and  protecting  care.  It  was 
so  used  when  the  white  man  first  trod  its  soil,  and  so  con- 
tinued in  part  for  many  years. 

No  sooner  had  the  white  man  become  acquainted  with 
Wyoming  than  it  became  the  object  of  his  deep  solici- 
tude. While  one  saw  in  it  a  place  of  trade,  with  great 
profit,  another  saw  in  it  a  place  to  propagate  the  gospel 
free  from  the  fetters  and  restraints  that  bind  and  control 
nations  that  already  have  fixed  establishments  of  trade 
and  religion.  Trade  was  opened  here  in  1737  or  sooner, 
and  in  1741  Rev.  John  Sergeant,  of  the  Indian  mission 
school  at  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  came  to  Wyoming,  ac- 
companied by  some  Mohegans,  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  few  of  that  nation  and  the  Shawanos  at  that  point. 
They  were  not  favorably  received,  and  after  making 
known  his  mission  and  preaching  a  short  sermon,  "  he 
offered  to  instruct  them  further  in  the  Christian  religion, 
but  they  rejected  his  offer  with  disdain.  They  reproached 
Christianity.  They  told  him  the  traders  would  lie,  cheat, 
and  debauch  their  women,  and  even  their  wives,  if  their 
husbands  were  not  at  home.  They  said  further  that  the 
Senecas  had  given  them  their  country,  but  charged  them 
withal  never  to  receive  Christianity  from  the  English.'' 
Mr.  Sergeant  returned  home  without  pressing  the  subject 
further  upon  their  attention. 

In  the  fall  of  the  next  year  Nicholas  Lewis,  Count  Von 
Zinzendorf,  after  he  had  been  but  nine  months  in  the 
country,  set  out  on  a  mission  to  the  Indians  at  Shamokin, 
and  particularly  to  the  Shawanese  at  Wyoming,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  13th  of  October.  His  reception  was  any- 
thing but  friendly.  The  Shawanese  were  suspicious  of 
the  object  of  his  visit  among  them.  He  had  pitched 
his  tent  at  a  point  where  it  was  said  a  mine  of  silver  ore 
was  located.  They  suspected  that  to  be  the  true  object 
of  his  mission,  and  as  they  had  made  known  to  Mr.  Ser- 
geant the  year  before  that  they  did  not  want  to  receive 
Christianity,  they  strongly  suspected  his  purpose  to  be 
other  than  that  which  he  professed.  Painted  with  red 
and  black,  each  with  a  large  knife  in  his  hand,  which  was 
brandished  in  a  threatening  manner,  they  came  in  crowds 
around  the  tent,  again  and  again  wakening  fearful  echoes 
with  their  wild  whoops  and  halloos. 

One  fine  sunny  day,  as  the  disciple  sat  on  the  ground 
within  his  tent,  looking  over  his  papers  that  lay  scattered 
around  him,  and  as  the  rest  of  his  party  were  outside. 
Mack,  his  companion  and  attendant,  observed  two  blow- 
ing or  hissing  adders  basking  at  the  edge  of  the  tent. 
Fearing  they  might  crawl  in  he  moved  toward  them,  in- 


tending to  dispatch  them.  They  were,  however,  too 
quick  for  him.  They  slipped  into  the  tent,  and  gliding 
over  the  disciple's  thigh  disappeared  among  his  papers. 
On  examination  it  was  found  that  the  count  had  been  sit- 
ting near  the  mouth  of  their  den.  He  wrote  some  verses 
in  commemoration  of  this  incident  The  Indians,  in  all 
such  cases  over  superstitious,  saw  a  protecting  power 
exercised  in  behalf  of  the  disciple  in  this  event,  and  be- 
came somewhat  more  tractable  and  disposed  to  have 
communication  with  him;  but  they  had  made  up  their 
mind  that  the  white  man  was  bad  generally,  and  they  did 
not  want  any  of  his  religion.  He  left  the  valley  in  the 
early  part  of  November,  and  arrived  in  Bethlehem,  by 
way  of  Shamokin,  on  the  8th  of  the  month.  He  did  not 
feel  sufficiently  encouraged  to  repeat  his  visit. 

On  the  2nd  of  October,'  1744,  Rev.  David  Brainard,  an 
Indian  missionary,  making  his  home  about  the  forks  of 
the  Delaware,  or  just  above,  set  out  on  a  mission  to  the 
Indians  on  the  Susquehanna.  On  the  5th  of  October  he 
says:  ''We  reached  the  Susquehanna  river  at  a  place 
called  Opeholhaupung  or  Wapwallopen,  and  found  there 
twelve  Indian  houses.  After  I  had  saluted  the  king  in  a 
friendly  manner,  I  told  him  my  business,  and  that  my 
desire  was  to  teach  them  Christianity.  After  some  con- 
sultation the  Indians  gathered  and  I  preached  to  them." 
They  appeared  willing  to  be  taught  and  he  preached  to 
them  several  times.  On  the  9th  of  October  he  set  out 
on  his  journey  home.  He  preached  to  the  Indians  on 
the  5th,  6th  and  8th.  It  is  said  by  some  that  on  this 
journey  he  made  a  call  at  Wyoming,  but  it  is  quite  evi- 
dent from  his  journal,  which  does  not  mention  that  as 
having  been  the  case,  that  he  did  not  visit  Wyoming,  his 
time  being  fully  taken  up  at  Opeholhaupung.  He  after- 
ward visited  Shamokin  and  the  Juniata,  but  never  visited 
Wyoming. 

Nothing  more  is  known  of  the  Indians  in  Wyoming 
until  in  1753.  In  that  year  about  three  hundred  persons 
in  Connecticut,  "  being  desirous  to  enlarge  his  Majesty's 
English  settlements  in  North  America,  and  further  to 
spread  Christianity — as  also  to  promote  their  own  tem- 
poral interests,"  agreed,  through  a  committee,  "to  re- 
pair to  a  certain  tract  of  land  lying  on  the  Susquehanna 
river,  at  or  near  a  place  called  Chi-wau-muck,  in  order 
to  view  said  tract  of  land  and  to  purchase  of  the  natives 
there  inhabiting  their  title  and  interest  to  said  tract  of 
land,"  &c. 

In  pursuance  of  this  agreement  the  committee  ap- 
pointed proceeded  to  Wyoming  in  the  fall  of  that  year, 
examined  the  lands,  and  had  a  talk  with  the  Indians  in- 
habiting there.  They  learned  from  them  that  they  were 
not  the  owners  of  the  land,  but  that  it  belonged  to  the 
Six  Nations,  and  they  were  occupying  it  at  the  will  and 
sufferance  of  those  nations;  and  consequently  the  com- 
mittee returned  without  negotiating  a  purchase.  About 
this  time  the  British  government,  on  account  of  the 
troubles  existing  and  growing  between  them  and  France, 
were  turning  their  attention  to  the  Indians  of  this  local- 
ity, but  particularly  the  Six  Nations.  "  At  Albany,  on 
the  19th   day  of  June,   1754,  assembled  the  memorable 


-^¥- 


^h 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  INDIANS. 


33 


congress  of  commissioners  from  every  colony  north  of 
the  Potomac.  The  Virginia  government,  too,  was  repre- 
sented by  the  presiding  officer,  Delancey,  the  lieutenant- 
governor  of  New  York.  They  met  to  concert  measures 
of  defence,  and  to  treat  with  the  Six  Nations  and  the 
tribes  in  the  alliance."  It  was  at  this  council  that  the 
representatives  of  the  promoters  of  a  settlement  at  Wyo- 
ming, now  numbering  about  nine  hundred  persons,  on  the 
nth  day  of  July,  1754,  perfected  a  purchase  and  obtained 
from  the  Six  Nations  a  deed  for  the  coveted  lands  at 
Wyoming — the  boundaries  of  which  are  thus  set  forth: 
"Beginning  from  the  one  and  fortieth  degree  of  north 
latitude,  at  ten  miles  east  of  the  Susquehanna  river,  and 
from  thence  with  a  northward  line  ten  miles  east  of  the 
river  to  the  end  of  the  forty-second  or  beginning  of  the 
forty-third  degree  of  north  latitude;  and  so  to  extend  west 
two  degrees  of  longitude,  one  hiuidred  and  twenty  miles, 
andfromthencesouth  to  the  beginning  of  the  forty  second 
degree,  and  from  thence  east  to  the  above  mentioned 
boundary,  which  is  ten  miles  east  of  the  Susquehanna 
river."  The  commissioners  of  Pennsylvania,  while  at 
Albany,  succeeded  on  the  6th  of  July  in  getting  the  In- 
dians to  execute  a  deed  to  them  for  a  tract  of  land  be- 
tween the  Blue  Mountain  and  the  forks  of  the  Susque- 
hanna river  at  Shamokin. 

The  Connecticut  people  in  1755,  the  next  year  after 
their  purchase,  sent  a  party  of  surveyors  on  under  the 
charge  of  John  Jenkins  to  make  a  survey  of  their  pur 
chase.  In  consequence,  however,  of  the  war  between 
the  British  and  French,  in  which  the  Indians  had  been 
induced  to  take  sides  with  the  one  party  or  the  other, 
numerous  i)arties  of  hostile  Indians  were  passing  and  re- 
passing through  the  valley,  up  and  down  and  to  and  fro, 
so  that  it  was  dangerous  to  pursue  the  work;  and  after 
taking  the  latitude  and  longitude,  and  making  an  exami- 
nation of  .the  country,  the  party  returned  home  to  await 
the  issue  of  the  pending  hostilities  before  proceeding 
with  the  project  of  settlement.  So  numerous  were  these 
parties  that  the  attention  of  the  authorities  was  directed 
toward  their  movements  during  this  year,  and  a  map  of 
the  country  was  made,  on  which  were  located  the  Indian 
paths  and  places  of  rendezvous  through  and  from  which 
they  were  supposed  to  sally  forth  on  their  work  of  blood 
and  destruction;  the  following  note,  dated  March  14th, 
1756,  accompanying  the  maps: 

"  Great  Swamp  lies  about  40  miles  W.  S.  W.  from  Cashuetunk,  or  Sta- 
tion Point;  from  Bethlehem  about  45  miles  N.  N.  W.;  from  Gnadenhut- 
ten  about  23  milesN.  something:  W.  This  swamp  lies  just  over  the 
mountains  which  Evans  calls  Cashuetunk  Mountains,  and  is  23  miles 
from  N.  to  S.,  and  1.5  from  E.  to  W.  The  Bethlehem  people  say  four  or 
five  hundred  Indians  keep  in  this  swamp,  and  from  thence  'tis  imagined 
they  send  out  parties  to  destroy  the  settlements.  Shamokin  lies  on  Sus- 
quehanna river,  at  the  mouth  of  the  east  branch,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
branch.  Nescopeok,  the  next  Indian  town  on  the  east  side  of  the  same 
branch,  is  twenty-five  miles  from  thence.  Opolopong  is  another,  five 
miles  distant.  Wyoming  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  same  branch,  ten 
miles  from  Opolopong.  Matchasnung  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  same 
branch,  distant  from  Wyoming  thirteen  miles.  Solocka  is  six  miles  from 
thence,  on  a  creek  that  comes  out  of  the  Great  Swamp,  and  this  place  is 
distant  from  the  swamp  eighteen  miles ;  thence  to  Canowdowsa,  on  the 
E.  side  of  B.  branch,  is  Ave  miles.  From  thencs  to  Owegy,  the  next  In- 
dian settlement,  is  forty-seven  miles;  from  thence  to  Osewingo  is  eigh- 
teen miles,  and  from  thence  there  are  no  Indian  towns  on  the  B.  branch 
of  Susquehanna,  according  to  Evans,  until  you  come  to  Onoohgerage 
[now  Windsor,  Bi-oomc  on.inty,  N.  Y.],  distant  from  Osowingo  tweJve 


miles.  The  Great  Swamp  is  forty-two  miles  S.  from  Onoohgerage  ;  and 
'tis  remarkable  that  the  situation  of  all  these  Indian  towns  is  such  as 
renders  it  highly  probable  that  they  rendezvous  at  the  Great  Swamp,  as 
the  highest  part  of  It  is  but  sixteen  miles  distant  from  the  east  branch, 
and 'tis  not  but  about  sixty-flve  miles  from  Shamokin  to  the  highest 
partof  the  swamp,  and  almost  all  the  way  by  water  through  the  east 
branch.  This  swamp,  and  the  Indian  towns  on  the  B.  branch  of  the 
Susquehanna,  should  be  attacked  at  the  same  time,  and  the  parties  that 
attack  the  latter  should  go  strong,  as  they  may  possibly  meet  the  enemy 
flying  from  the  swamp  to  their  settlements,  tor  their  own  and  the  safety 
of  their  wives  and  children." 

The  hostile  temper  and  situation  of  the  Indians  in  and 
about  Wyoming  began  at  this  time  to  become  a  matter  of 
serious  alarm,  and  efforts  were  made  by  the  Pennsylvania 
authorities  to  acquire  their  friendship  and  bring  them 
into  alliance  on  terms  of  mutual  protection.  On  the  8th 
of  November,  1756,  the  different  Indian  tribes,  repre- 
sented by  their  chiefs  and  principal  warriors,  met  Gov- 
ernor Dennie  at  Easton,  where  a  council  was  opened  in 
a  dignified  and  friendly  manner. 

Teedyuscung,  the  Delaware  chief,  a  lusty,  raw-boned 
Indian,  haughty  and  very  desirous  of  respect  and  com- 
mand, who  had  been  accompanied  from  Wyoming  by 
most  of  his  principal  warriors,  assumed  the  part  of  chief 
speaker.  He  supported  the  rights  and  claims  of  the 
Indians,  and  detailed  their  grievances  with  great  spirit 
and  dignity;  but  assured  the  council  that  the  Indians  were 
glad  to  meet  the  English  as  friends,  and  to  smoke 
the  pipe  of  peace  with  them,  and  hoped  that  justice 
would  be  dorte  to  them  for  all  the  injuries  they  had  re- 
ceived. Governor  Dennie  assured  the  Indians  that  he 
was  happy  to  meet  them  as  friends,  and  would  endeavor 
to  do  them  full  justice  for  all  the  wrongs  they  had  suf- 
fered, and  prevent  future  injuries.  This  council  continued 
in  session  nine  days.  All  matters  of  difference  were 
considered,  and  the  Delawares  and  Shawnese,  the  princi- 
pal tribes  present,  became  reconciled  to  the  English,  with 
whom  they  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace.  This  gave  peace 
to  Wyoming,  which  continued  until  the  close  of  the 
French  war  in  1763. 

No  means  were  neglected  to  regain  the  friendship  and 
co-operation  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  presents  having  been 
liberally  distributed,  a  grand  council  of  all  the  Indian 
tribes  was  held  by  special  invitation,  at  Easton,  in  Octo- 
ber, 1758.  The  governors  of  Pennsylvania  and  .New  Jer- 
sey and  Sir  William  Johnson  were  present,  with  other  emi- 
nent citizens;  Teedyuscung  attended.  On  the  way  he 
fell  in  with  the  chief  who  had  commanded  the  expedition 
against  Gnadenhutten  and  Fort  Allen.  High  words  arose 
between  them,  when  Teedyuscung  raised  his  hatchet  and 
laid  the  chief  dead  at  his  feet.  At  the  conference  Teed- 
yuscung took  a  decided  lead  in  the  debate  on  the  side 
of  peace.  The  conference  last  fourteen  days,  and  all 
causes  of  misunderstanding  being  removed  a  general 
peace  was  concluded  on  the  26th  of  October. 

Peace  now  seemed  to  be  fully  assured  between  the 
colonists  and  the  Indians,  but  the  Indian  nature  is  such 
that  it  is  peace  with  them  only  when  peace  prevails,  and 
when  there  is  war  they  must  have  a  hand  in.  Scenes  of 
blood  and  plunder  were  the  delight  of  their  souls,  and 
when  an  opportunity  offered  for  them  to  take  part  in  such 
scenes  it  wa?  quite  impossible  to  restrain  them  from  do- 


*€^ 


4^ 


^h= 


34 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


ing  so.  They  were  fond  of  receiving  presents,  and  were 
constanti)'  seeking  and  bringing  forward  some  excuse  on 
which  to  demand  them  of  the  whites.  The  most  prolific 
source  of  complaint  on  their  part  toward  the  whites  on 
which  to  base  a  claim  for  presents  was  a  pretended  mis- 
understanding of  the  boundaries  of  the  grants  of  land 
which  they  had  made,  though  it  must  be  confessed  that 
their  complaints  were  too  frequently  well  founded.  They 
were  fond,  too,  of  treaties  and  the  feast  that  attended 
them,  particularly  the  abundant  supply  of  intoxicating 
drink  that  was  furnished  at  the  close,  which  they  drank 
with  great  voracity,  guzzling  it  down  as  long  as  they  were 
able  to  stand. 

About  this  time  a  new  interest  was  awakened  among 
the  Moravians  and  Quakers  upon  the  subject  of  religion 
among  the  Indians.  Papoonhank,  a  Monsey  chief, 
founder  of  the  Indian  town  of  Wyalusing,  in  his  inter- 
course with  the  whites  had  learned  something  of  their 
religion;  and  after  a  visit  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  had 
been  kindly  and  fairly  treated  by  the  Quakers,  and  been 
inipresjed  strongly  by  their  brotherly  affection  and  kind- 
ness, on  his  return  home  set  to  work  to  impress  his  people 
with  the  importance  of  their  becoming  a  Christian  people, 
and  especially  that  they  should  become  sober  and  indus- 
trious if  they  would  be  prosperous  and  happy.  His  work 
did  not  bring  forth  rich  fruits,  although  it  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  important  results. 

In  May,  1760,  Christian  Frederick  Post,  a  Polish 
Prussian  by  birth  and  the  most  adventurous  of  Moravian 
missionaries,  when  on  his  way  to  a  grand  council  of  the 
western  Indians  spent  a  night  at  Papoonhank's  village 
and  preached  to  the  Indians  there.  This  was  on  the  20th 
of  May,  and  was  probably  the  first  sermon  preached  by  a 
white  man  in  that  locality.  While  Papoonhank  was 
pleased  at  the  visit  and  the  opportunity  afforded  his 
people  for  hearing  the  gospel,  owing  to  a  diversity  of  view 
among  them  as  to  who  should  bring  the  gospel  to  them, 
some  being  Moravians,  but  most  favoring  the  Quakers, 
the  sermon  served  rather  to  unsettle  than  to  settle  their 
views  upon  the  subject.  While  Papoonhank  himself  fa- 
vored the  Quakers,  Job  Chilaway,  a  native  of  the  country 
about  Little  Egg  Harbor,  an  intelligent  and  influential 
Indian,  whose  wife  was  a  sister  to  Nathaniel  and  Anthony, 
two  Moravian  converts  residing  a  little  below  Tunkhan- 
nock,  favored  the  Moravians. 

This  unsettled  condition  of  affairs  lasted  for  some  time 
without  being  resolved,  and  was  the  subject  of  much 
earnest  reflection  and  debate.  At  length  the  brethren  at 
Bethlehem  despatched  Zeisberger,  an  eminent  and  zealous 
missionary,  to  the  town  to  ascertain  the  prospect  for  in- 
troducing the  gospel  there.  Accompanied  by  Anthony 
he  reached  the  town  on  the  evening  of  the  23d  of  May, 
1763.  Papoonhank  received  them  in  his  lodge,  and  thither 
his  people  flocked  to  hear  the  gospel.  They  continued 
here  until  the  27th,  when  they  set  out  for  Bethlehem,  bear- 
ing to  the  brethren  the  earnest  and  cordial  invitation  from 
the  whole  town  that  they  would  speedily  send  a  religious 
teacher  to  reside  among  them. 

On  the  loth  of  June  Zeisberger  returned  again,  taking 


Nathaniel  with  him,  arriving  at  Wyalusing  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  17th,  and  was  welcomed  by  Papoonhank  and 
his  people.  On  the  26th  Papoonhank  was  baptized  and 
named  John.  In  the  evening  another  Indian  was  baptized 
and  named  Peter.  These  were  the  first  who  were  sub- 
jects of  that  ordinance  in  this  region.  On  the  27th,  by 
invitation,  he  visited  Tawandamunk  and  preached  to  the 
Indians  there.  Here  an  awaking  took  place  and  the  gos- 
pel was  received  with  eagerness. 

But  the  good  work  was  interrupted.  On  the  30th  a 
runner  arrived  with  a  letter  from  Bethlehem  recalling 
Zeisberger.     He  obeyed  with  reluctance. 

The  war  that  had  been  prevailing  for  some  years  in 
other  quarters  began  to  develop  itself  along  the  frontier 
settlements  of  Pennsylvania,  particularly  along  the  Sus- 
quehanna; and  the  whites  and  their  Indian  friends  were 
compelled  to  seek  safety  in  the  more  populous  regions 
and  abandon  their  frontier  homes. 

About  the  time  of  Zeisberger's  first  visit  John  Wool- 
man,  of  Burlington  county,  N.  J.,  a  tailor  by  trade  and  a 
Quaker  by  religion,  zealous  for  the  welfare  of  suffering 
and  perishing  humanity,  had  as  he  says,  "  for  many  years 
felt  a  love  in  his  heart- toward  the  natives  of  this  landi 
who  dwelt  far  back  in  the  wilderness;"  and  being  at 
Philadelphia  "in  the  8th  month,"  1761,  he  fell  in  com- 
pany with  some  of  those  natives  who  lived  on  the  east 
branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  "  at  an  Indian  town  called 
Wehaloosing,"  two  hundred  miles  from  Philadelphia.  In 
conversation  with  them  through  an  interpreter,  as  also 
by  observation,  he  believed  them  measurably  acquainted 
with  the  divine  power.  At  times  he  felt  inward  draw- 
ings toward  a  visit  to  that  place.  An  Indian  and  three 
women  from  beyond  that  place  being  in  Philadelphia,  he 
visited  them  in  the  5th  month,  1763,  and  with  concur- 
rence of  friends  in  that  place,  agreed  to  join  with  them 
as  companions  on  their  return.  On  the  7th  of  6th  month 
they  met  at  Samuel  Foulks's,  at  Richland,  in  Bucks  county. 

After  taking  leave  of  his  family  and  friends,  he  set  out 
on  his  journey.  At  Burlington  he  was  joined  by  Israel 
and  John  Pemberton,  who  accompanied  him  that  day. 
Next  morning  Israel  left  him,  and  he  and  John  proceeded 
to  Foulks's.  Here  Benjamin  Parvin  joined  them,  and 
after  William  Lightfoot,  of  Pikeland,  and  they  traveled 
together  to  Bethlehem. 

On  the  loth  of  June  they  set  out  early  in  the  morning. 
They  met  on  the  way  several  Indians,  men  and  women, 
with  a  cow  and  a  horse  and  some  household  good.s,  who 
were  lately  come  from  their  dwelling  at  Wyoming. 

On  the  13th  they  reached  the  Indian  settlement  at 
Wyoming.  About  midnight  before  they  got  there  an 
Indian  runner  came  down  from  a  town  about  ten  miles 
above  Wehaloosing  and  brought  news  that  some  Indian 
warriors  from  distant  parts  had  come  to  that  town  with 
two  English  scalps,  and  told  the  people  that  it  was  war 
with  the  English.  Hearing  the  news  brought  by  the  In- 
dian warriors,  and  being  told  by  the  Indians  where  they 
lodged  that  what  Indians  were  about;  Wyoming  expected 
to  move  in  a  few  days  to  some  larger  towns,  he  thought 
it  dangerous  traveling  at  that  time. 


^^ 


INDIAN  MISSIONS  ON  THE  SUSQUEHANNA. 


35 


On  the  14th  he  sought  out  and  visited  all  the  Indians 
that  they  could  meet  with  in  Wyoming,  they  being  chiefly 
in  one  place,  about  a  mile  from  where  they  lodged — in 
all  perhaps  twenty.  Some  of  them  understood  English 
and  were  kind  and  friendly.  He  set  out  and  went  up  the 
river  about  three  miles,  to  the  house  of  an  Indian  named 
Jacob  January,  who  had  killed  his  dog,  and  the  wo- 
men were  making  store  of  bread  and  preparing  to  move 
up  the  river.  Here  he  put  his  baggage  in  a  canoe,  which 
some  of  his  party  pushed  slowly  up  the  stream,  and  the 
rest  rode  on  horses,  which  they  swam  across  a  creek 
called  Lahawahamunk,  above  which  they  pitched  their 
tent. 

On  the  i6th  he  fell  in  with  Job  Chilaway,  an  Indian 
from  Wehaloosing.  Job  told  him  that  an  Indian  came  to 
their  town  and  told  them  that  three  warriors,  coming  from 
a  distance,  had  lodged  in  a  town  above  Wehaloosing  a 
few  nights  past,  who  were  going  against  the  English  at 
Juniata.  Job  was  going  down  the  river  to  the  province 
store  at  Shamokih.  On  the  17th  he  reached  Wehaloos- 
ing about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.     He  says: 

"  The  first  Indian  we  saw  was  a  woman  of  a  modest  countenance,  with 
a  babe.  She  first  spoke  to  our  guide,  and  then,  with  a  harmonious  voice, 
expressed  her  grladness  at  seeing  us  ;  having  heard  beforehand  of  onr 
comingr.  Then  by  direction  of  our  guide  we  sat  down  on  a  loff,  and  he 
went  to  the  town  to  tell  the  people  we  were  come.  Sitting  thus  together 
the  poor  woman  came  and  sat  near  us.  After  a  while  we  heard  a  conch 
shell  blow  several  times,  and  then  came  John  Curtis  and  another  Indian 
man,  who  kindly  invited  us  into  a  house  near  the  town,  where  we  found, 
I  suppose,  about  sixty  people  sitting  in  silence.  After  sitting  a  short 
time  I  stood  up  and  in  some  tenderness  of  spirit  acquainted  them  with 
the  nature  of  my  visit,  and  that  a  concern  for  their  good  had  made  me 
willing  to  come  thus  far  to  see  them.  Then  I  showed  them  my  certifi- 
cate, which  was  explained  to  them,  and  the  Moravian  Zeisberger,  who 
overtook  us  on  the  way,  being  now  here,  bade  me  welcome." 

The  next  morning  they  had  another  meeting,  at  which 
both  Woolman  and  Zeisberger  spoke,  and  Woolman  says: 
"  Our  meeting  ended  with  a  degree  of  divine  love.  I 
observed  Papunchang  speak  to  one  of  the  interpreters, 
and  I  was  afterward  told  that  he  said,  '  /  iav(  to  fed  where 
words  come  from.'  " 

On  the  2ist,  after  a  very  interesting  visit,  he  set  out  to 
return  home.  He  thus  speaks  of  the  town :  "  This  town, 
Wehaloosing,  stands  on  the  bank  of  the  Susquehanna 
river,  and  consists,  I  believe,  of  about  forty  houses,  mostly 
compact  together;  some  about  thirty  feet  long  and  eigh- 
teen wide,  some  bigger,  some  less;  mostly  built  of  split 
plank,  one  end  set  in  the  ground  and  the  other  pinned  to 
a  plate,  on  which  lay  rafters,  and  covered  with  bark." 

Seven  Indians  accompanied  him  on  his  return,  some  in 
canoes  and  some  on  horseback,  and  at  night  they  arrived 
below  a  branch  called  Tunkhannah.  On  the  22nd  they 
reached  Wyoming,  and  understood  that  the  Indians  had 
mostly  gone  from  the  place.  The  next  day  they  loaded 
their  baggage,  etc.,  on  their  horses,  and  started  across  the 
mountain  toward  Fort  Allen,  and  thence  down  the  Lehigh, 
and  arrived  at  Bethlehem  on  the  25th;  on  the  26th  start- 
ed for  home,  which  he  reached  on  the  27th,  finding  all 
well. 

Zeisberger  paid  his  first  visit  to  the  Indians  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  an  envoy  on  the  part  of  Sir  William  Johnson 
and  Governor  Hamilton,  specially  to  Teedyuscung.  On 
the  i6th  of  March,  1762,  he  left  Christiansbrunn  on  horse- 


back, and  by  nightfall  reached  the  north  part  of  the  Blue 
Mountains,  where  he  found  a  large  encampment  of  Dela- 
wares  and  Nanticokes.  His  heart  was  strangely  stirred 
as  he  sat  again  by  a  camp  fire  in  the  wilderness,  with 
members  of  that  race  around  him  to  convert  whom  was 
the  exalted  mission  of  his  life. 

The  next  morning  he  proceeded  on  his  journey,  taking 
with  him  one  of  the  Delawares  as  a  guide,  for  the  whole 
country  was  covered  with  deep  snow.  After  three  days 
of  hard  and  perilous  riding  in  forest  obstructed  by  great 
drifts,  through  snow  banks  from  which  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  extricate  the  horses,  and  in  "  weather,"  says 
Zeisberger,  "  the  severest  I  ever  knew,"  he  arrived  at  the 
lodge  of  Teedyuscung.  Having  delivered  his  letters  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  converts  of  Wyoming.  The 
most  of  them  had  not  heard  the  gospel  preached  since 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  More  than  one  backslider 
was  reclaimed,  among  them  George  Rex,  who,  on  the 
occasion  of  a  subsequent  visit  to  Nain,  was  readmitted  to 
the  church.  On  the  24th  he  returned  to  Bethlehem,  and 
thence  went  to  Philadelphia  with  the  answer  of  Teedyus- 
cung. "' 

Near  the  close  of  autumn  he  visited  Wyoming  again, 
accompanied  by  Gottlob  Senseiifian.  The  dysentery  was 
raging  in  the  valley,  and  many  Indians  were  prostrated. 
Among  them  was  Abraham,  the  first  convert.  He  had 
sent  an  urgent  request  to  Bethlehem:  "  Brethren,  let  a 
teacher  come  to  see  me  ere  I  die!  "  But  the  teacher 
came  too  late;  the  aged  Mahican  had  finished  his  course. 
With  his  dying  breath  he  had  exhorted  the  Indians  to  re- 
main faithful  to  Jesus. 

In  the  same  spirit  George  Rex  passed  away,  admonish- 
ing his  people  to  avoid  his  evil  example,  and  professing 
a  sure  hope  of  eternal  life.  Zeisbergerspent  several  days 
in  comforting  the  sick,  and  a  new  interest  was  awakened 
among  all  the  scattered  converts  of  the  valley. 

In  May  of  the  year  1763,  as  we  have  narrated,  Zeis- 
berger again  visited  Wyoming  to  preach  to  the  few  nations 
who  were  still  in  the  valley,  now  grown  to  be  few  indeed. 
Among  them  Teedyuscung  no  longer  had  a  place. 

On  the  ni'ht  of  the  19th  of  April,  while  lying  intoxi- 
cated in  his  lodge,  it  was  set  on  fire,  and  he  perished  in 
the  flames.  This  was  no  doubt  the  cruel  work  of  the 
Iroquois  warriors,  whom  he  had  offended  by  his  proud 
bearing  at  the  colonial  treaties  at  Easton. 

Thus,  by  the  death  of  their  chief  Abraham,  the  Mahi- 
cans,  and  by  the  death  of  Teedyuccung  the  Delaware?, 
were  bereft  of  their  leaders  and  were  broken  up  at  Wyo- 
ming. The  Nanticokes  some  time  before  had  moved  up 
into  the  State  of  New  York,  on  the  Chenango  and  Che- 
mung rivers,  and  the  Shawanese  as  a  body  had  joined 
their  brethren  in  the  west,  and  Wyoming  was  left  with 
only  a  few  wandering  Indians,  making  no  pretence  to 
anything  like  an  organized  or  even  homogeneous  body. 
Its  Indian  history  therefore  ends  at  this  point,  and  a  few 
words  in  reference  to  the  Wyalusing  mission,  and  one  or 
two  other  matters,  and  this  portion  of  the  work  is  com- 
plete. 

Notwithstanding  the  numerous  treaties  of  peace  and 


^h 


^h 


*4=^= 


36 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


the  earnest  efforts  made  to  keep  the  Indians  in  friendly 
relations,  yet  murders  and  the  usual  horrors  of  Indian 
warfare  were   constantly  occurring  on   the  frontier,  and 
hence  the  inhabitants  became  deeply  exasperated   and 
vowed  vengeance  against  all  Indians  without  discrimina- 
tion.     They  had  sought  out  the  guilty  parties  and  de- 
manded them  from  the  Indians,  but   their  guilt   was  de- 
nied, their   surrender   refused,  and   no   punishment   was 
dealt  out  to   them.     The   Moravian    brethren,  becoming 
aware  of  the  feelings  of  the  people,  sought  to  protect  the 
converts  at  their  mission   stations,   particularly  those   at 
Wyalusing,  from  the  impending  wrath;  and  to  that  end  as- 
sembled them  at  Bethlehem  and  Nazareth,  whence  they 
were  removed  to   the  neighborhood  of   Philadelphia  for 
greater   safety,   and  camped  on   Province   island,   where 
they  were  fed  and  sheltered  at  the  expense  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania government.      "  Here  they  remained  for  fifteen 
months,  suffering  untold  hardships,  insulted  and  reviled 
by  mobs,  decimated  by  disease,  scorned  alike  by  whites 
and  Indians,  a  gazing  stock  both  by  reproaches  and  af- 
flictions, yet  they  continued  stedfast  in  their  faith."    After 
having  borne  nearly  one-half  their  number  to  the  potter's 
field,  the  remainder,  eighty-three  in  all,  left  Philadelphia 
March    20th,  1765,  and  in  pursuance  of  intercession  and 
arrangements  made  in  their  behalf  were  permitted  to  loc- 
ate again  at  Wyalusing.     This  was  a  favored  and  favorite 
locality.     Here  lay  rich  hunting  grounds  in  their  original 
wildness,  while  sufficient  land  was  cleared  to  afford  them 
corn  patches  for  immediate  use.     It  was  situated  on  the 
Susquehanna,  a  stream   abounding  in    the  choicest  fish, 
and  was   on   the   great   pathway  between  the  North  and 
South  and  East  and  West. 

"  In  the  freedom  of  their  forest  homes  and  the  hunting  grounds  of 
their  fathers,  hopeful  for  the  future,  guided  and  encouraged  by  their 
teachers,  their  hearts  were  iilled  with  gratitude  and  joy.  The  new  town 
which  came  into  existence  rang  with  the  melody  of  praise,  even  while  it 
was  being  built. 

"  On  the  4th  of  .Tune  the  Indians  began  to  erect  dwellings,  and  at  the 
endof  the  month  had  completed  fourlog  cabinsand  thirty  bark-covered 
huts.  In  September,  at  the  close  of  the  summer  hunt,  a  commodious 
meeting-house  and  a  mission-house  fifteen  feet  square,  built  of  unhewn 
logs, were  erected.  At  the  close  of  the  year  there  were  connected  with  the 
mission  one  hundred  and  forty-six  souls,  of  whom  thirty-three  were 
communicants."— Oa/t, 

This  mission  increased  and  flourished  with  varied  suc- 
cess; now  disturbed  by  rivalry  between  the  various  Indian 
chiefs,  and  now  by  conflicting  views  as  to  the  doctrines 
taught,  and  again  by  the  favor  or  disfavor  with  which  the 
various  teachers  sent  there  were  received.  Added  to  this 
was  the  stubborn  fact  that  a  life  devoted  to  labor  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  earth,  and  the  restraints  imposed  by  a 
settled,  regulated  society,  were  not  suited  to  the  Indian 
nature;  and  we  will  not  be  astonished  to  learn  that  in  the 
spring  of  1772  the  mission  of  Friedenshuetten,  at 
Wyalusing,  was  abandoned,  and  those  who  had  remained 
faithful  to  it  migrated  under  the  directions  of  their  spirit- 
ual teachers  to  the  west,  settling  at  Schonbrunn,  in  the 
Tuscarawas  valley,  on  the  Muskingum,  in  Ohio.  Early 
on  the  morning  of  the  nth  of  June,  1772,  they  met  in 
their  chapel  for  the  last  time  for  religious  worship,  whm 
they  commended  themselves  to  the  keeping  and  guidance 


of  God,  asking  him  to  supply  their  wants,  that  they  might 
perish  not  by  the  way. 

"A.  few  years  since  there  was  a  feeble  remnant  of 
Christian  Indians,  ministered  to  by  Moravians,  dwelling 
at  New  Fairfield,  Canada,  and  Westfield,  Kansas.  In  the 
veins  of  some  of  these  there  flows  the  blood  of  the  Mahi- 
cans  and  Delawares  of  old  Friedenshuetten,  the  '  deserted 
village  '  of  the  plains  of  Wyalusing.'' 

A  monument  to  mark  the  site  of  this  Indian  mission, 
bearing  fitting  inscriptions,  was  erected  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Moravian  Historical  Society,  and  dedicated  with 
appropriate  services  on  the  site  of  the  mission  and  at  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Wyalusing,  June  14th  and  isth, 
187 1.  This  monument  is  thirteen  feet  high,  and  bears 
the  following  inscriptions: 
On  the  northern  face — 

"  To  mark  the  site  of  Friedenshuetten  {M'chwihilu- 
sing),  a  settlement  of  Moravian  Indians  between  1765 
and  1772." 

On  the  eastern  face — 

"  This  stone  was  erected  on  the  15th  June,  in  the  year 
of  Redemption  187 1,  by  members  of  the  Moravian  His- 
torical Society." 

While  this  mission  at  Wyalusing  was  more  than  ordin- 
arily successful,  it  was  not  that  complete  success  which 
its  founders  had  hoped  and  anticipated.  It  was  all,  how- 
ever, that  a  careful  study  of  the  Indian  character  would 
have  led  them  to  expect.  The  Indian,  by  nature,  by 
habits  and  by  his  native  education  and  habit  of  thought, 
was  not  calculated  for  a  quiet,  industrious  and  religious 
life.  His  wild  nature,  his  love  of  the  chase  and  his  de- 
light in  predatory  excursions  made  him  uneasy  and  un- 
settled; while  labor  was  more  irksome  to  him  than  to  the 
whites,  and  even  they  resort  to  every  possible  expedient 
to  eke  out  a  subsistence  rather  than  to  labor.  Labor  is 
the  last  resort,  the  extreme  service  which  they  pay  to 
their  necessities,  and  with  them  hunting  and  fishing  and 
tramping  around  yield  delights  that  successful  labor  fails 
to  bring. 

And  then  the  Indian  religion  was  so  different  from  the 
Christian,  so  much  easier  understood  and  practiced,  and 
called  upon  them  for  so  many  less  labors  and  sacrifices, 
that  it  is  not  wonderful  that  they  received  the  latter 
slowly— conformed  to  it  more  slowly  and  yielded  obe- 
dience to  its  requirements  only  at  the  last  extremity.  In 
consequence  of  these  hindrances  to  the  enjoyment 
of  a  Christian  life  the  Indians,  one  by  one  or  in  parties, 
were  constantly  withdrawing  from  the  missions,  and  seek- 
ing their  native  freedom  of  action  and  thought  with  the 
wild  tribes  who  were  free  from  the  shackles  which  a  Chris- 
tian life  imposed.  Even  white  men  have  done  the  same. 
Zeisbergersaid:  "  Sorcerers  abound  among  the  aborigines 
cf  our  country.  The  majority  of  them  are  cunning  jug- 
glers, or  self-deluded  victims  of  superstition."  Some  ex- 
isted by  whom  Satan  himself  worked  "  with  all  powers 
and  signs  and  lying  wonders."  He  disbelieved  the  stories 
he  heard  of  what  they  could  do  until  several  of  them  were 
converted.  These  unfolded  to  him  things  from  their  own 
past  experience  which  forced  him   to  acknowled-^e  the 


^h 


<^ 


--< 


THE  SUSQUEHANNA  COMPANY— THE  MASSACRE  OF  1763. 


37 


reality  of  Indian  sorcery,  and  to  adopt  the  opinion  which 
was  universal  among  the  early  church  fathers  that  the 
Gods  of  heathenism  were  not  visionary  beings  represented 
by  idols,  but  Satanic  powers  and  principalities,  to  wor- 
ship whom  was  to  worship  demons  and  be  under  demon- 
iacal influences.  He  refers  to  three  kinds  of  native  magic, 
namely:  the  art  of  producing  sudden  death  without  the 
use  of  poison;  the  mattapassigan,  a  deadly  charm  by  which 
epidemics  could  be  brought  up6n  entire  villages,  and 
persons  at  ;i  distance  sent  to  their  graves;  and  the 
witchcraft  of  the  kimochwe,  who  passed  through  the  air 
by  night,  visiting  towns,  casting  the  inhabitants  into  an 
unnatural  sleep  and  then  stealing  what  they  wanted. 

The  story  of  the  Wyalusing  mission  h^s  now  been 
briefly  told,  and  in  its  telling  the  history  of  the  Indians 
at  and  in  the  territory  of  old  Wyoming  has  drawn  to  a 
close.  The  suffering  of  the  New  England  pipneers  at  the 
hands  of  the  savages  belongs  to  the  early  settlement  of 
the  valley,  and  as  such  will  be  narrated  in  another  con- 
nection. 


CHAPTER  III. 


OPERATIONS       OF       THE       SUSQUEHANNA      COMPANY THE 

"  PENNAMITE  AND  YANKEE  "    CONTEST. 


rN  1753  an  association  called  the  Susquehanna 
Company  was  formed  in  Connecticut  for  the 
purpose  of  settling  the  lands  in  the  Wyoming 
valley,  and  during  the  same  year  its  agents 
were  sent  to  make  explorations  in  the  region. 
During  the  next  year  an  Indian  council  assembled 
at  Albany,  and  the  agents  of  the  company  attended 
this  council  for  the  purpose  of  extinguishing  the  Indian 
title  to  these  lands. 

The  proprietary  government  also  sent  agents  to  this 
council  to  thwart,  if  possible,  the  designs  of  the  Susque- 
hanna Company;  and  James  Hamilton,  then  governor  of 
Pennsylvania,  wrote  to  Sir  William  Johnson  soliciting 
him  to  interpose  his  influence  with  the  Six  Nations  (who 
claimed  the  land,  though  the  Delawares  occupied  it),  and 
prevent  the  sale. 

Notwithstanding  these  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  gov- 
ernor and  his  agents,  the  company's  agents  succeeded  in 
effecting  a  purchase,  which  included  this  valley.  A  pur- 
chase had  been  made  from  the  Indians  by  the  proprietary 
government  in  1736  which  it  was  claimed  included  this 
territory;  but  this  claim  was  disputed  by  the  Connecticut 
claimants. 

The  company  was  soon  afterward  chartered  by  the 
Connecticut  government,  and  at  about  this  time  the  pro- 
ject was  conceived  of  making  this,  with  other  territory,  a 
separate  province;  but  the  hostile  altitude  of  the  Indians, 
who  were  then  under  French  influence,  defeated  its  ac- 
complishment. 

After  the  cessation  of    hostilities   preparations  were 


made  to  settle  the  valley  by  the  Susquehanna  Company, 
and  in  1762  about  two  hundred  settlers  established  them- 
selves in  it,  near  the  mouth  of  Mill  creek,  where  they 
cleared  fields,  sowed  wheat  and  built  log  houses.  Hav- 
ing done  this,  they  returned  to  Connecticut,  to  make 
preparations  for  bringing  their  families  the  next  spring. 

The  people  of  Pennsylvania  regarded  with  jealousy  and 
displeasure  these  energetic  preparations  for  settlement, 
and  the  governor,  through  Sir  William  Johnson,  again 
sought  to  influence  the  Iroquois  to  repudiate  their  sale  to 
the  company  in  1754-  A  deputation  of  the  disaff^ected 
Indians  visited  Hartford  and  protested  against  the  occu- 
pancy of  this  territory.  The  case  was  presented  in  Eng- 
land by  both  parties,  and  opinions  favorable  to  both  sides 
were  obtained. 

On  the  return  of  spring  the  Connecticut  settlers,  not- 
withstanding the  fact  that  they  had  been  cautioned  by  the 
governor  of  Connecticut  against  doing  so,  returned  in 
largely  augmented  numbers,  with  theirfamilies,  to  the  set- 
tlement; and  during  the  summer  made  rapid  progress,  ex- 
tending their  settlement  to  the  west  side  of  the  river. 

In  the  autumn  a  party  of  Iroquois  visited  the  valley, 
and  it  was  said  for  the  double  purpose  of  exciting  in  the 
Delawares  hostility  to  the  settlers  and  getting  rid  of 
Teedyuscung,  a  chief  of  whose  large  and  growing  in- 
fluence among  the  Indians  they  were  jealous;  treacher- 
ously murdered  him  and  then  induced  among  his  sub- 
jects the  belief  that  the  murder  had  been  committed  by 
the  settlers.  The  result  was  that  these  Delawares  fell 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley,  killed  some  thirty  and 
caused  the  precipitate  flight  of  the  rest,  and  plundered 
and  burnt  the  settlement.  After  severe  sufferings  and  the 
death  of  many  of  their  number  the  fugitives  reached 
Connecticut  again;  and  thus  for  a  time  ended  the  attempt 
by  the  Susquehanna  Company  to  settle  the  valley.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  a  portion  of  those  settlers: 

John  Jenkins,  John  Comstook,  Ephraim  Seely,  William  Buck,  Oliver 
Jewell,  Oliver  Smith,  David  Honeywell,  Ezra  Dean,  Jonathan  Weeks, 
jr.,  Obadiah  Gore,  Ezekiel  Pierce,  Philip  Weeks,  Daniel  Gore,  Elkanah 
ruller,  Wright  Stevens,  Isaac  Underwood,  Benjamin  Ashley,  Gideon 
Lawrence,  Isaac  Bennett,  Stephen  Lee,  Silas  Parker,  James  Atherton, 
Moses  Kimball,  Ebenezer  Searles,  Timothy  HoUister,  Nathaniel  Terry, 
Ephraim  Tyler,  Timothy  HoUister,  jr.,  Wright  Smith,  Ephraim  Tyler,  jr., 
Isaac  HoUister,  jr.,  Nathaniel  Chapman,  John  Dorrance,  Thomas  Marsh, 
Kev.  W.  M.  Marsh,  Timothy  Smith,  Matthew  Smith,  Jonathan  Slocum, 
Benjamin  Davis,  Benjamin  FoUett,  George  Miner,  Nathaniel  HoUister, 
Benjamin  Shoemaker,  Nathaniel  Hurlbut,  Simon  Draper,  Samuel 
Richards,  John  Smith,  Daniel  Baldwin,  Stephen  Gardiner,  Eliphalet 
Stevens,  David  Marvin,  August  Hunt,  Paschall  Terry, William  Stephens, 
Thomas  Bennet. 

Killed  by  the  Indians  October  15th,  1763  :  Rev.  Wil- 
liam- Marsh,  Thomas  Marsh,  Timothy  HoUister,  Timothy 
HoUister,  Jr.,  Nathan  Terry,  Wright  Smith,  Daniel  Bald- 
win and  wife,  Jesse  Wiggins,  Zeruah  Whitney,  Isaac 
HoUister.  Prisoners :  Shepherd  and  Daniel  Baldwin's 
son. 

In  1768,  at  the  general  Indian  council  which  assembled 
at  Fort  Stanwix,  the  proprietaiies  purchased  from  the 
Indians  the  territory  which  was  in  dispute,  and  some  of 
the  chiefs  executed  to  them  a  deed  for  it.  The  Indians 
were  ready  to  sell  their  land  as  many  times  as  the  whites 
were  willing  to  pay  them  for  it. 

Early  in  the  next  year  the  Susquehanna  Company  re- 


<> 


^^ 


iH 


38 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


s  ;lved  to  resume  possession  of  these  lands.  Five  town- 
ships, each  five  miles  square,  were  divided  each  into  forty 
shares,  to  be  given  to  the  first  forty  settlers  in  each  of 
these  townships  ;  and  two  hundred  pounds  sterling  were 
appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  agricultural  implements. 
Forty  settlers  were  sent  to  the  valley  in  February,  to  be 
followed  by  two  hundred  in  the  spring.  On  their  arrival 
they  found  that  the  Pennsylvanians  had  shortly  before 
taken  possession  of  their  former  improvements  and  erected 
a  block  house  for  their  defense.  They  had  also  divided 
the  valley  into  the  manors  of  Stoke  (on  the  eastern)  and 
Sunbury  (on  the  western  side  of  the  river).  The  Yankeesi 
soon  after  their  arrival,  invested  the  Pennamite  block 
house,  with  its  little  garrison,  but  they  were  outwitted  by 
the  latter,  who,  under  the  pretext  of  a  desire  to  consult 
and  arrange  their  difficulties,  induced  three  of  the  leaders 
among  the  Yankees  to  enter  the  block  house  and  imme- 
diately arrested  them.  They  were  taken  to  the  jail  at 
Easton,  but  were  at  once  released  on  bail  and  returned. 
This  was  followed  by  other  arrests  of  Connecticut  set- 
tlers, and  the  release  on  bail  of  the  persons  arrested.  In 
the  spring  the  other  settlers  arrived  ;  constructed  a  fort 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  near  the  bend  below  the 
bridge  at  Wilkes-Barre,  which  they  named  Fort  Durkee, 
in  honor  of  its  commander  ;  erected  log  houses,  and 
prosecuted  their  improvements  with  energy.  The  Penn- 
sylvania claimants,  finding  themselves  largely  outnum- 
bered, after  one  or  two  ineffectual  attempts  to  dispossess 
the  Yankees  left  them  for  a  short  period  without  mo- 
lestation. In  this  interval  overtures  were  made  by  the 
settlers  for  a  settlement  of  the  controversy,  but  the  pro- 
prietaries refused  to  negotiate.  Early  in  September  the 
Pennamites  came  with  a  large  force  headed  by  the  sheriff 
of  Northampton  county,  took  Colonel  Durkee  and  several 
others  prisoners,  expelled  the  Yankees,  and,  regardless  of 
a  solemn  pledge  to  respect  the  rights  of  property,  plun- 
dered the  settlement.  The  year  1769  closed  with  the 
Pennsylvanians  in  possession  of  the  valley. 

In  February,  1770,  the  Yankees,  together  with  a  num- 
ber of  men  from  Lancaster,  where  some  shareholders  of 
the  Susquehanna  Company  resided,  again  appeared  in  the 
valley,  and  dispossessed  the  Pennamites.  To  accomplish 
this  they  found  it  necessary  [to  fire  on  and  besiege  a  block 
house  in  which  the  latter  took  refuge,  and  during  the  hos- 
tilities, which  lasted  several  days,  one  of  the  Yankees 
was  killed,  and  several  were  wounded.  The  Pennsylva- 
nians were  compelled  to  capitulate  and  leave  the  valley  in 
possession  of  the  Yankees.  Settlers  came  again,  crops 
were  planted,  and  during  the  summer  they  were  not  dis- 
turbed. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  at  this  time  difficulties 
were  arising  between  the  colonies  and  Great  Britain,  and 
the  power  and  influence  of  the  colonial  governors  were 
on  the  wane.  The  authority  of  the  proprietary  governor 
of  Pennsylvania  declined  more  rapidly  than  that  of  the 
governors  of  other  provinces,  because  of  the  differences 
between  them  and  the  people  with  regard  to  the  taxation 
of  the  proprietary  estates,  and  for  other  reasons;  and  in- 
asmuch as  the  question  of  title  was  between  the  people 


from  Connecticut  and  these  proprietaries,  the  sympathies 
of  the  people  in  other  parts  of  the  province  with  these 
governors  were  not  as  active  as  would  otherwise  have  been 
the  case.  After  the  explusion  of  Captain  Ogden  and  the 
Pennamites  from  the  valley  in  the  spring  of  1770,  Cover 
nor  Penn  called  on  General  Gage  to  furnish  regular 
troops  to  reinstate  him  in  possession  of  the  valley,  alleg- 
ing that  there  was  no  militia  in  the  province  on  which  he 
could  call.  General  Gage  quite  properly  declined  to  al- 
low the  use  of  the  king's  troops  in  a  mere  dispute  con- 
cerning the  title  to  property,  and  Governor  Penn  was 
compelled  to  raise  forces  by  his  personal  exertions,  which 
he  finally  succeeded  in  doing.'  He  had  in  June  issued  a 
proclamation  forbidding  any  intrusion  on  the  lands  in 
question,  and  in  September  his  forces,  numbering  1401 
under  Captain  Ogden,  marched  to  the  valley  for  the  os- 
tensible purpose  of  enforcing  this  proclamation.  They 
entered  the  valley  by  an  unusual  route,  divided  in  de- 
tachments and  surprised  the  men  while  at  work.  They 
captured  a  portion,  and  put  the  rest  to  flight.  At  night 
they  made  a  sudden  assault  on  the  fort,  which  was  con- 
fusedly filled  with  men,  women  and  children;  and  after 
killing  a  few  made  prisoners  of  the  rest^  and  soon  after- 
ward sent  them  to  prison  at  Easton,  except  a  few,  who 
were  taken  to  Philadelphia.  They  then  plundered  the 
settlement  and  withdrew,  leaving  a  small  garrison  in  Fort 
Durkee.  In  the  following  December  this  garrison  was 
surprised  and  the  fort  retaken  by  Captain  Lazarus  Stew- 
art, at  the  head  of  a  party  of  Lencastrians,  with  a  few 
Yankees.  Such  of  the  garrison  as  did  not  escape  were 
expelled  from  irhe  valley. 

A  month  later,  or  in  January,  1771,  Captain  Ogden 
again  appeared  in  the  valley,  with  the  sheriff  of  North- 
ampton county  and  a  posse,  for  the  arrest  of  Captain 
Stewart.  Adinission  to  the  fort  was  demanded  and  re- 
fused. The  fort  was  finally  fired  on  by  Captain  Ogden, 
and  the  fire  was  returned,  killing  Nathan  Ogden,  his 
brother,  and  wounduig  several  of  his  men.  During  the 
ensuing  night  the  fort  was  evacuated  by  Captain  Stewart, 
and  the  next  day  was  occupied  by  Captain  Ogden. 

For  six  months  the  valley  remained  in  possession  of 
the  Pennsylvanians,  during  which  time  their  number  was 
augmented  till  it  reached  a  total  of  eighty-three. 

In  July  of  the  same  year  Captain  Zebulon  Butler  and 
Lazarus  Stewarl,  with  seventy  Connecticut  men,  entered 
the  valley  and  at  once  took  measures  to  repossess  it 
They  besieged  and  closely  invested  Fort  Wyoming,  which 
had  been  built  and  occupied  by  Captain  Ogden,  about 
sixty  rods  above  Fort  Durkee.  Notwithstanding  the  close 
and  vigilant  investment  of  the  fort  by  the  besiegers,  whose 
number  was  constantly  augmented  by  recruits  from  Con- 
necticut, Captain  Ogden  byabold  and  cunning  stratagem 
escaped  alone  and  went  to  Philadelphia  for  assistance. 
An  expedition  was  sent  for  that  purpose,  but  it  was  am- 
bushed by  the  vigilant  besiegers  and  its  supplies  were 
captured,  though  a  portion  of  the  men  were  allowed  to 
enter  the  fort.  The  besieged  managed  to  send  another 
message  for  assistance,  but  the  supplies  of  the  garrison 
failed,  and  it  capitulated  when   the  detachment  for  its 


^h 


=-^ 


THE  SETTLERS  FROM  CONNECTICUT— "  PLUNKETT'S  BATTLE." 


39 


relief  was  within  ten  miles  of  the  fort.  During  the  siege 
several  of  the  garrison  were  killed  and  a  number  were 
wounded,  and  among  the  latter  Captain  Ogden  himself 
severely.  The  loss  of  the  besiegers  is  not  known.  During 
the  remainder  of  the  summer  and  autumn  the  settlers 
from  Connecticut  increased  largely  and  made  ample  prep- 
arations for  defense,  but  during  the  succeeding  four  years 
they  were  not  again  disturbed  by  hostile  incursions. 

This  interval  of  peace  was  also  one  of  prosperity  and 
happiness.  The  settlement  received  accessions  of  im- 
migrants from  Connecticut;  churches  and  schools  were 
established;  and  when  it  appeared  that  there  was  no 
prospect  of  establishing  a  separate  colony,  or  of  being 
immediately  recognized  by  the  General  Assembly  of  Con- 
necticut as  a  portion  of  that  colony  and  enjoying  the  pro- 
tection and  benefit  of  its  laws,  the  people  adopted  a  gov- 
ernment of  their  own,  which  was  in  all  respects  purely 
democratic — the  legislature  consisting  of  an  assembly  of 
all  the  people.  Efforts  were  made  by  the  settlers  to  effect 
a  reconciliation  with  the  proprietary  government,  but  all 
overtures  were  rejected.  The  General  Assembly  of  Con- 
necticut also  made  an  effort  to  negotiate  a  settlement,  and 
sent  commissioners  to  Philadelphia  for  that  purpose,  but 
Governor  Penn  declined  to  entertain  their  propositions. 
The  General  Assembly  then  submitted  the  case  to  eminent 
counsellors  in  England,  and  an  opinion  in  favor  of  the 
company  was  given. 

The  Legislature  of  Connecticut  then,  in  1773,  adopted 
a  resolution  asserting  the  jurisdiction  of  the  colony  and 
expressing  a  determination  to  maintain  it.  On  applica- 
tion of  the  company  the  territory  was  declared  to  be  a 
part  of  the  colony  of  Connecticut,  erected  into  the  town 
of  Westmoreland  and  attached  to  the  county  of  Litchfield. 
The  laws  of  Connecticut  superseded  those  which  had 
been  adopted  by  the  settlers,  and  the  town  was  represented 
in  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut.  Proclamations 
were  issued  by  the  proprietary  governor  and  by  the  gov- 
ernor of  Connecticut,  each  forbidding  any  settlement 
under  the  authority  of  the  other. 

The  following  are  names  of  settlers  who  were  enrolled 
prior  to  1773;  those  of  the  forty  who  settled  in  Kingston 
in  1769  being  marked  with  an  asterisk: 

David  Whittlesey,  Jot  Green,  Philip  Gosa,  Joshua  Whitney,  Abraham 
Savage,  Ebenezer  Stearns,  Sylvester  Cheesebrough,  Zephaniah  Thayer, 
Eliphalet  Jewel,  Daniel  Gore,  Ozias  Yale,  Kowland  Barton,  Henry  Wall*, 
Gideon  Lawrence,  Asa  Lawrence,  Nathaniel  Watson,  Philip  Weeks, 
Thomas  Weeks,  Asher  Harrot,  Ebenezer  Hebbard,  Morgan  Carvan,  Sam- 
uel Marvin,  Silas  Gore,  Ebenezer  Northrop,  Joshua  Lampher,  Joseph 
Hillman,  Abel  Pierce,  Jabez  Boberts,  Jonathan  Carrington,  John  Dor- 
rance,  Noah  Allen,  Robert  Jackson,  Zebulon  Hawksey,  James  Dunkin, 
Caleb  Tennant,  Zerubabel  Wightman,  Gurdon  Hopson,  Asa  Lee,  Thomas 
Walworth,  Eobert  Hunter,  John  Baker,  Jonathan  Orms,  Daniel  Angel, 
Elias  Roberts,  Nicholas  Manvil,  Thomas  Gray,  Joseph  Gaylord,  William 
Churchill,  Henry  Strong,  Zebulon  Fisbee,  Hezekiah  Knap,  John  Kenyon, 
Preserved  Taylor,  Isaac  Bennett,  Uriah  Marvin,  Abisha  Bingham,  Moses 
Hebbard,  jr.,  Jabez  Fisk,  Peris  Briggs,  Aaron  Waliser,  James  May,  Sam- 
uel Badger,  Jabez  Cooke,  Sara ael  Dorrance,  John  Comstock*,  Samuel 
Hotohkiss,  William  Leonard,  Jesse  Leonard,  Elisba  Avery,  Ezra  Buel, 
Gershom  Hewit,  Nathaniel  Goss,  Benjamin  Hewit,  Benjamin  Hewit,  jr., 
Elias  Thomas,  Abijah  Mock,  Ephraim  Fellows,  J.  and  E.  Arnold,  Benjamin 
Ashley,  William  While,  Stephen  Hull,  Diah  Hull,  Joseph  Lee,  Samuel 
Wybrant,  Reuben  Hurlburt,  Jenks  .Corah,  Obadiah  Gore,  jr.,  Caleb 
White,  Samuel  Sweet,  Thomas  Knight,  John  JoUee,  Ebenezer  Norton, 
Enos  Tale,  John  Wyley,  Timothy  Voroe,  Cyrus  Kenney,  John  Shaw, 
James  Forseythe,  Peter  Harris,  Abel  Smith,  Elias  Parks,  Joshua  Max- 
fleld,  John  Murphy,  Thomas  Bennet*,Christopher  Avery,Elisha  Babcock, 
John  Perkins,  Joseph  Slocum,  Robert  Hopkins,  Benjamin  Shoemaker, 


Jr.,  .Tabez  Sill,  Parshall  Terry,  John  Delong,  Theophilus  Westovor*,  .Tohn 
Sterling,  Joseph  Morse,  Stephen  Fuller,  Andrew  Durkoe,  Andrew  Med- 
caif,  Daniel  Brown,  Jonathan  Buck,  David  Mead,  Thomas  Ferlin,  William 
Wadsworth,  Thomas  Draper,  James  Smith,  James  Atherton*,  jr.,  Oliver 
Smith*,  James  Evans,  Eleazer  Carey,  Cyprian  Lathrop*,  James  Nesbitt, 
Joseph  Webster,  Samuel  Millinttton,  Benjamin  Budd,  John  Lee,  Josiah 
Dean,  Zophur  Teed,  Moses  Hebbard,  Daniel  Murdock.  Noah  Lee,  Stephen 
Lee,  Daniel  Haynes,  Lemuel  Smith,  Silas  Park,  Stephen  Hungerford, 
Zerubabel  Jeorum*,  Comfort  Goss,  William  Draper,  Thomas  MoClure. 
Peter  Ayres,  Solomon  Johnson,  Phineas  Stevens,  Abraham  Colt,  Elijah 
Buck*,  Noah  Read,  Nathan  Beach,  Job  Green,  Jr.,  Frederick  Wise,  Ste- 
phen Jenkins,  Daniel  Marvin,  Zachariah  Squier,  Henry  Wise,  Simeon 
Draper*,  John  Wallsworth,  Ebenezer  Stone,  Thomas  Olcott,  Stephen 
Hin.sdale,  Benjamin  Dorchester,  Elijah  Witter,  Oliver  Post,  Daniel  Cass, 
Isaac  Tracey,  Samuel  Story,  John  Mitchel,  Samuel  Orton,  Christopher 
Gardner,  Duty  Gcrold,  Peris  Bradford,  Samuel  Morgan,  John  Clark, 
Elijah  Lewis,  Timothy  Hopkins,  Edward  Johnson,  Jacob  Dingman, 
Captain  Prince  Alden,  Benedict  Satterlee,  Naniad  Coleman,  Peter  Com- 
stock, John  Franklin,  Benjamin  Matthews,  John  Durkee,  William  Gal- 
lop, Stephen  Hurlbut,  Stephen  Miles  and  Ezra  Dean. 

The  colonists  in  the  valley  enjoyed  two  years  more  of 
repose  and  prosperity.  About  the  year  1771  a  settle- 
ment was  made  by  Connecticut  people  at  Muncy,  on  the 
west  branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  about  sixty  miles  above 
its  confluence  with  the  east  branch  at  Northumberland.  In 
September,  1775,  this  settlement  was  attacked  by  a  force 
of  Northumberland  militia,  commanded  by  Colonel  Plun- 
kett.  One  man  was  killed,  several  were  wounded,  and 
the  rest  of  the  settlers  were  made  prisoners  and  taken  to 
Sunbury.  At  about  the  same  time  some  boats  from 
Wyoming,  as  they  were  descending  the  river,  were  at- 
tacked and  plundered  by  the  Pennsylvanians. 

Because  of  these  acts  the  people  of  Northumberland 
were  apprehensive  that  the  Yankees  might  make  a  de- 
scent on  Sunbury,  burn  the  town  and  liberate  the  pris- 
oners ;  and  one  of  the  consequences  of  this  apprehension 
was  the  organization  of  a  force  for  the  invasion  and  sub- 
jugation of  the  Wyoming  valley.  This  force  was  raised 
by  Colonel  Plunkett,  under  orders  from  Governor  Penn, 
and  consisted  of.  seven  hundred  men  well  armed  and 
furnished  with  ample  supplies.  In  December,  1775,  this 
force  ascended  the  river  in  boats  to  the  Nanticoke 
rapids,  where  it  disembarked  and  passed  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river  through  the  gorge  by  which  the  Susque- 
hanna escapes  from  the  Wyoming  valley.  Near  the 
point  where  the  gorge  opens  into  the  valley  Colonel 
Plunkett  found  the  vigilant  Yankees,  posted  in  an  advan- 
tageous position  and  protected  by  breastworks  ;  and, 
though  inferior  in  numbers,  they  gave  his  forces  such  a 
warm  reception  that  they  fell  back,  with  the  loss  of  some 
killed  and  wounded.  A  boat  was  then  brought  up  and 
an  attempt  was  made  by  Colonel  Plunkett  to  cross  the 
river.  In  anticipation  of  this  movement  Colonel  Zebulon 
Butler,  who  commanded  the  force  in  the  valley,  had 
stationed  a  party  of  men  under  Lieutenant  Stewart  in 
ambush  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  ;  and  these  gave  the 
party  in  the  boat,  as  it  attempted  to  land,  a  volley  which 
wounded  several  and  killed  a  dog.  Finding  every  ap- 
proach to  the  valley  guarded,  the  forces  of  Colonel  Plun- 
kett fell  back  to  their  boats,  abandoned  the  expedition 
and  returned  to  their  homes. 

At  this  time  the  Revolutionary  war  had  commenced, 
and  during  its  continuance  the  contest  for  the  possession 
of  this  valley  was  suspended.  It  was  renewed,  however, 
immediately  after  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis. 


T- 


<^ 


^^ 


=^N 


40 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


It  will  be  remembered  that  in  1776  the  proprietary 
government  was  superseded  by  that  of  the  State,  and  on 
the  cessation  of  hostilities  the  Supreme  Executive 
Council  at  once  petitioned  Congress  to  adjust  the  ques- 
tion of  jurisdiction.  A  board  of  commissioners  was  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose,  and  after  a  long  session  at 
Trenton  they  decided,  in  December,  1782,  that  the  juris- 
diction belonged  to  Pennsylvania,  and  that  Connecticut 
had  "  no  right  to  the  land  in  controversy."  Soon  after- 
ward magistrates  and  troops  were  sent  into  the  valley, 
and  measures  were  taken  to  dispossess  the  settlers  of  their 
lands  and  improvements.  The  settlers  claimed  that  only 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  territory  had  been  decided  by  the 
decree  at  Trenton,  and  that  the  titles  of  individuals  to  the 
soil  were  not  affected  thereby.  The-conduct  of  the  sol- 
diers and  magistrates  was  from  the  first  exceedingly 
arrogant  and  oppressive,  and  as  time  went  on  the  people 
came  to  regard  endurance  as  no  longer  a  virtue  and  re- 
solved on  forcible  resistance.  Upon  this  they  were  treated 
as  insurgents,  and  on  the  12th  of  May,  1784,  they  were 
plundered  of  their  property  a..d  one  hundred  and  fifty 
families  were  driven  from  the  valley.  Such  was  the 
cruelty  with  which  they  were  treated  that  the  sympathies 
and  indignation  of  the  people  in  other  parts  of  the  State 
were  aroused;  the  soldiers  were  discharged  and  the  set- 
tlers invited  to  return.  Many  of  the  discharged  soldiers 
lingered  in  the  valley,  living  by  plunder,  and  on  the  20th 
of  July  a  party  of  them  attacked  some  of  the  settlers,  kill- 
ing two  and  wounding  several.  This  was  followed  by 
hostilities  toward  the  Yankees,  which  were  resisted  by 
them.  In  the  course  of  the  summer  and  autumn  several 
engagements  took  place  between  the  settlers  and  the 
military  forces  which  were  sent  against  them,  in  which 
several  were  killed  and  wounded.  The  people  of  the 
State  became  weary  of  this  contest,  and  their  sympathies 
became  more  actively  enlisted  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitanis 
of  the  valley.  By  the  middle  of  October  the  hostile 
force  in  the  valley  numbered  only  forty  men,  and  so  un- 
popular and  even  odious  had  the  proceedings  against  the 
people  there  become  that  not  a  recruit  could  be  induced  to 
join  them.  On  the  approach  of  winter  the  commander  of 
these  forces,  finding  himself  unable  to  procure  either  sup- 
plies or  recruits,  discharged  his  men  and  abandoned  the 
valley.  Thus  ended  the  last  military  demonstration 
against  the  people  of  Wyoming. 

During  the  succeeding  two  years  the  people  were  pros- 
perous and  happy,  and  the  population  rapidly  increased 
by  the  influx  of  immigrants  not  only  to  the  valley  but  to 
the  circumjacent  regions. 

The  territory  now  included  in  Wyoming  and  Lacka- 
wanna counties  had  become  settled  to  some  extent  along 
the  valleys  of  the  two  principal  streams  and  their  tribu- 
taries. These  regions,  however,  had  not  been  the  scene 
of  hostilities  between  the  contending  parties,  although 
three  of  the  Susquehanna  Company's  townships  were  in- 
cluded in  what  is  now  Wyoming  county. 

The  county  of  Luzerne  was  erected  in  1786.  The 
people  were  sitisfied  with  the  government,  and  a  more 
kindly  feeling  was  springing  up  between  the  inhabitants 
of  the  valley  and  the  citizens  elsewhere  ;  but  the  ques- 


tion of  title  was  not  yet   adjusted,  though  efforts  for  an 
adjustment  of  it  had  been  made. 

About  this  time  Colonel  Timothy  Pickering  became 
acquainted  with  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  soon  afterward 
he  established  his  residence  in  the  valley.  Through  his 
influence  a  compromise  was  effected,  and  a  law  in  accord- 
ance with  the  terms  of  this  compromise  was  enacted  by 
the  legislature.  Under  this  law  commissioners  for  the 
adjustment  of  claims  met  in  the  valley  in  May,  1787. 
Meantime  the  New  England  immigrants  had  become 
divided.  A  portion  of  them  (mostly  settlers  subsequent 
to  the  decision  of  the  question  of  jurisdiction  by  the  Con- 
gressional commission)  strongly  opposed  acquiescence 
in  the  compromise  law,  and  sought  by  every  means  to 
arouse  and  strengthen  opposition  to  it  in  others.  They 
had  in  contemplation  the  formation  of  another  State  out 
of  the  territory  which  had  been  in  dispute,  and  to  that 
end  they  had  drawn  up  a  constitution  and  completed  a 
frame  of  government.  The  most  active  leader  in  that 
opposition — a  man  named  John  Franklin — was  finally 
arrested  under  a  charge  of  treason  in  attempting  to 
subvert  the  government  and  establish  a  new  State,  and 
taken  to  Philadelphia.  Early  in  October,  1787,  in 
revenge  for  this  and  to  procure  the  release  of  Franklin, 
his  friends,  after  several  unsuccessful  attempts,  succeeded 
in  abducting  Colonel  Pickering.  He  was  taken  up  the 
river  beyond  the  mouth  of  Tunkhannock  creek,  and  kept 
concealed  during  nearly  three  weeks.  His  captors  and 
guards  frequently  shifted  camp  to  elude  the  pursuit  which 
they  knew  was  made.  In  this  time  some  skirmishing  took 
place  between  the  pursuers  and  the  Yankees  at  Meshop- 
pen  and  Wyso,  in  which  two  men  were  wounded.  Failing 
to  accomplish  their  purpose,  they  liberated  him  at  Tunk- 
hannock and  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Wilkes-Barre. 

The  results  of  these  lawless  acts  on  the  part  of  a  por- 
tion of  the  Yankees  were  the  suspension  and,  in  1790,  the 
repeal  of  the  compromise  act. 

Several  actions  were  then  commenced  in  the  courts  for 
determining  the  titles  to  these  lands,  but  during  the  eight 
years  that  followed  none  of  these  were  determined.  In 
April,  1799,  the  Legislature  passed  another  compromise 
act,  which  provided  for  compensation  to  claimants  under 
titles  from  Pennsylvania,  and  for  confirmation  by  certifi- 
cates of  the  titles  of  the  Connecticut  settlers  who  were 
such  prior  to  the  decree  of  Trenton,  or  their  heirs  or  as- 
signs. These  certificates  were  issued  by  commissioners 
appointed  under  the  law,  which  limited  their  action  within 
the  "seventeen  townships  in  the  county  of  Luzerne"  that 
were  originally  surveyed  and  settled  under  the  authority 
of  the  Susquehanna  Company.  By  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature in  i8oS  the  powers  of  these  commissioners  ceased, 
and  thus  was  terminated  the  contest  concerning  the  title 
to  these  lands,  which  had  continued  through  nearly  half  a 
century,  and  which  at  the  present  day  elicits  a  warm  in- 
terest among  the  descendants  of  the  contesting  parties. 

In  an  address  on  this  subject,  delivered  recently  before 
the  historical  society  of  Pennsylvania,  Governor  Hoyt 
tersely  says:  "The  discussion  converges  upon  two  propo- 
sitions, each  somewhat  paradoxical:  I.  In  the  forum  of  law 
Connecticut,  with  a  title  regular  on  its  face,  failed  justly; 
2.  In  the  forum  of  equity  the  Connecticut  settlers,  without 
other  title  than  the  '  possessio pedis,'  prevailed  rightly." 


<¥■ 


THE  ADVENT  OF  THE   PIONEER. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THK     PIONEERS HOW     THEV     CAME,      SETTLED     AND    DE- 
VELOPED   THE    RESOURCES    OF    THE    COUNTRY. 


^  HE  settlement  of  the  valley  of  Wyoming,  which 
was  the  first  and  for  many  years  the  only  in- 
habited part   of  Luzerne   county,   was  com- 
menced, as  elsewhere  stated,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Susquehanna  Company,  in  1762. 
Then  about  two  hundred,  mostly  from   Connecti- 
cut, came  and  began  their  preparations  for  homes 
in  this  region,  which  was  then  sixty  miles  distant  from  any 
settlement  of  civilized  people.     They  were  not  the  effem- 
inate sons  of  wealthy  parents,  who  had  been  reared  in  the 
lap  of  luxury.     From  their  infancy  they  had  by   precept 
and  example  been  taught  the  industry  and  economy  which 
had  enabled  their  fathers  to  thrive  among  the  rocks  and 
hills  of  their  native  country.     They  were  the  hardy,  ac- 
tive and  ambitious  sons  of  New  Englanders,  and   in   the 
exercise  of  the  independent,  self-reliant  spirit  which  they 
had    inherited   from    their  sires,   they  left  their  paternal 
roofs  and  sought  homes   in   this  valley,  far  away  in  the 
untamed  wilderness  of  what  was  then  the  west. 

A  few  brought  with  them  their  wives  and  children,  and 
came  with  oxen  and  carts,  bringing  a  few  indispensable 
articles  of  household  furniture  and  driving  a  few  domes- 
tic animals.  Most  of  them,  however,  came  on  foot,  with 
knapsacks  on  their  backs,  rifles  on  their  shoulders  and 
axes  in  their  hands.  Thus  accoutred,  they  bade  adieu  for 
a  time  to  the  loved  ones  at  home,  and  turned  their  faces 
westward  to  make  for  themselves  homes  and  fortunes. 


For  a  time  they  followed  the  trail  of  emigrants  who 
had  settled  in  other  regions,  but  finally  they  abandoned 
this,  left  the  borders  of  civilization  and  struck  into  the 
forest.  They  followed  Indian  trails,  threaded  forests 
and  swamps,  and  climbed  over  mountains,  camping  in 
.'quads  in  the  roads  by  night,  till  at  length  they  reached 
the  valley,  and  having  selected  their  locations  commenced 
their  preparations  for  the  future.  Shanties  for  temporary 
shelter  were  constructed,  clearings  were  begun,  and  prep- 
arations made  for  the  erection  of  rude  log  houses  for  the 
shelter  of  those  whom  they  were  to  bring  with  them  on 
their  return  the  next  year. 

Wl-.ile  this  work  was  in  progress  they  subsisted  largely 
on  the  game  with  which  the  surrounding  forest  abounded, 
and  the  fish  which  were  taken  in  great  numbers  from  the 
river.  Their  neighbors  were  making  similar  preparations 
at  different  points  in  the  valley,  and  with  these  they  often 
exchanged  visits,  to  talk  of  home  and  to  discuss  their 
plans  for  the  future,  to  anticipate  the  pleasure  which 
they  would  derive  from  such  visits  the  next  year,  when 
they  would  be  accompanied  by  the  partners  who  were  to 
share  their  fortunes  and  their  privations. 

They  frequently  •'  changed  works "  in  order  to  ac- 
complish some  of  their  various  tasks  with  greater  facility, 
and  to  dissipate  the  sense  of  loneliness  which  haunted 
them  as  they  pursued  their  solitary  labors.  In  this  way 
they  occasionally  hired  from  those  who  had  brought 
teams  a  yoke  of  oxen,  with  which  to  draw  to  their  build- 
ding  sites  the  logs  which  they  had  cut  for  their  houses, 
and  to  "log  up  "  the  timber  which  they  desired  to  burn 
on  their  clearings.  Thus  passed  their  first  summer  in  the 
valley.  By  night  they  lay  in  their  shanties  on  their  beds 
of  boughs  and  dreamed  of  the  homes  they  had  left,  or  of 
the  future  homes  which  their  fancies  pictured;  or  in  their 


^^ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY, 


wnking  intervals  listened  to  the  distant  howling  of  the  wolf 
on  the  mountain  side,  and  the  nearer  hooting  of  the  owl. 
Day  after  day  they  toiled  on,  sustained  and  cheered  by 
their  hopes  of  future  happiness  with  their  chosen  com- 
panions and  children  in  the  midst  of  the  surroundings 
which  they  were  creating. 

By  early  autumn  their  rude  houses  were  erected  and 
partially  prepared  for  their  reception  on  their  return. 
Small  areas  had  been  burned  off,  and  here  they  "  brushed 
in  "  their  first  wheat.  Larger  areas  had  been  cut  over 
and  made  ready  for  burning  and  planting  the  next  spring. 
When  these  preparations  were  completed  they  deposited 
in  places  of  safety  their  axes  and  few  other  implements, 
and  with  light  hearts  turned  their  faces  again  toward 
their  paternal  mansions.  Thus  terminated  the  first  sum- 
mer with  many  a  pioneer  in  Luzerne  county.  As  he 
journeyed  homeward  the  sky  above  him  was  brighter  and 
the  songs  of  the  birds  in  the  forest  through  which  he 
passed  more  melodious  than  ever  before,  for  he  was  re- 
turning to  the  haunts  of  his  early  life  from  the  scenes  of 
his  prospective  manhood. 

In  due  time  he  arrived  among  the  scenes  of  his  child- 
hood and  wended  his  way  to  the  old  home  where  parents 
brothers  and  sisters  welcomed  him  warmly,  and  listened 
with  eager  attention  to  the  story  of  his  experience  in  the 
wilderness.  He  received  a  still  more  hearty  welcome 
from  another,  who  during  his  long  absence  had  not  ceased 
to  think  of  him  by  day  and  dream  of  him  by  night.  She 
listened  to  the  recital  of  his  doings  with  a  deeper  interest 
for  to  her  and  him  they  were  matters  of  equal  impor- 
tance. 

A  wedding   soon  occurred,  and  the   last  winter  of  the 
p.nir  in  their  native  State   was  a  season  of   busy  prepara- 


tion for  removal  to  their  western  home,  interspersed  with 
social  gatherings  and  merry-makings  among  the  scenes 
and  companions  of  their  childhood.  They  sat  down  to 
their  last  Thanksgiving  dinner  with  their  parents,  broth- 
ers and  sisters;  attended  their  last  Christmas  and  New 
Year's  festivals  with  their  former  playmates  and  school- 
fellows, and  on  the  approach  of  spring  bade  all  these 
scenes  andfriends  a  tearful  adieu,  and  departed  for  their 
new  home,  followed  by  the  good  wishes  of  their  friends 
and  the  benedictions  and  prayers  of  their  parents. 

Their  outfit  consisted  of  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  cart, 
loaded  with  a  few  utensils  and  necessary  articles  of 
household  furniture.  They  brought  with  them  a  cow  or 
two  and  a  few  sheep,  the  latter  to  serve  as  the  nucleus  of 
a  flock,  which,  if  spared  by  the  wolves,  was  to  furnish 
wool  for  their  future  clothing.  Thus  equipped  they  pur- 
sued their  toilsome  journey  till  at  length  their  destination 
was  reached,  and  they  entered  at  once  on  the  realities  of 
pioneer  life. 

Their  house  was  made  tenable  by  the  few  preparations 
which  pioneers  found  necessary  for  their  comfort,  though 
open  holes  in  the  walls  at  first  served  for  windows  and 
one  in  the  roof  for  a  chimney,  and  a  blanket  was  the 
door.  A  small  spot  was  prepared  for  the  garden  seeds 
which  they  had  brought,  their  corn  field  was  burned  off 
and  planted  in  due  season,  and  a  large  area  prepared  for 
other  wheat  and  corn  fields.  In  this  the  labor  of  the 
husband  was  lightened  by  the  presence  and  encouraging 
smiles,  and  sometimes  by  the  assistance,  of  his  young 
wife.  In  their  solitude  they  were  sustained  by  their 
buoyant  hopes  of  the  future,  and  they  ever  after  referred 
to  this  summer  as  the  happiest  period  of  their  lives. 
Their  wheat  field  gave  good  returns  ;  the   few  acres 


which  they  cleared  and  planted  wiih  corn  yielded  abun- 
dantly, and  early  in  the  winter  they  secured  a  sufficient 
supply  of  venison.  Their  wheat  and  corn  were  ground 
in  a  "  pioneer  mill  " — a  mortar  hollowed  in  a  stump  or  in 
the  end  of  a  log.  A  hovel  had  been  constructed  of  logs 
and  roofed  with  brush  or  straw,  for  the  protection  of 
their  animals  against  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  and 
the  attacks  of  wild  beasts.  No  hay  was  provided  for  the 
cattle,  but  from  day  to  day  trees  were  cut  on  ground  that 
was  to  be  cleared  the  next  summer,  and  they  lived  on  the 
browse  which  these  afforded.  A  couple  of  pigs  and  a 
few  fowls  were  fed  each  morning  at  the  door  of  the  house 
with  corn  from  the  wife's  folded  apron.  Thus  passed 
their  first  winter  in  the  woods.  The  sound  of  the  hus- 
band's ax  echoed  through  the  forest  during  the  day,  and 
the  wife  plied  "her  evening  care"  in  the  cheerful  glow 
of  the  "blazing  hearth  "  at  night.  Their  simple  fare  and 
active  exercise  in  the  open  air  gave  them  robust  health, 
and  though  their  surroundings  were  quite  different  from 
those  in  the  midst  of  which  they  had  been  reared,  this 
was  the  home  which  they  had  made  for  themselves,  and 
they  were  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  it. 

During  the  summer  other  settlers  had  come  in,  some 
singly,  others  in  companies,  with  their  families  ;  and 
neighbors  were  more  numerous  and  less  distant,  and  the 
monotony  of  their  life  was  varied  by  occasional  exchanges 
of  evening  visits  among  these.  This  social  intercourse 
among  the  pioneers  had  none  of  the  bad  features  which 
characterized  that  of  later  times.  There  were  among 
them  no  conventionalities,  no  unmeaning  expressions  of 
civility,  no  unkind  criticism  of  each  others'  dress  or  sur. 


roundings,  no  rivalries  and  jealousies,  and  no  hypocritical 
manifestations  of  interest  in  each  others'  welfare.  Each 
rejoiced  with  his  neighbor  in  his  prosperity  or  sympa- 
thized with  him  in  his  adversity.  These  visits  were  anti- 
cipated with  pleasure  and  remembered  without  regret. 

The  happy  life  which  they  had  just  commenced  here  was 
darkened  by  many  shadows.  The  Indians  of  the  vicinity 
became  exasperated  towards  the  settlers,  by  reason  of  an 
act  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  members 'of  a  distant 
tribe,  fell  upon  them,  killed  many  and  drove  away  the 
others.  Several  years  later  they  returned  and  resumed 
their  occupancy  of  the  valley,  but  they  were  several  times 
driven  out  by  adverse  claimants,  and  were  compelled  to 
resort  to  force  for  the  maintenance  of  their  rights  and 
the  protection  of  their  property. 

Notwithstanding     these     interruptions    a    few    years 
brought  evidence  of  increasing  prosperity.     The  clearing 
had  been  enlarged   and  a  portion  of   it  fenced  ;  a  stick 
chimney,  plastered  with  mud,  filled  the  hole  in  the  roof  ; 
glass  had  taken  the  place  of  greased  paper  in  the  window;' 
a  plank  door  swung  on  wooden   hinges  where   formerly 
hung   the   blanket,   and   some   flowering   shrubbery  was 
growing  at  the  side  of  it.     A  more  capacious  and  com- 
fortable  stable   had    been    erected   for   the   animals,  a 
■'  worm  ■■  fence  appeared  around  the  house  and  garden, 
and    a   log   bridge    had    been    built   across    the  stream 
which  ran  near  the  house.     Near  the  edge  of  the  clearing  \ 
the  crackling  fire  was  consuming  the  trees  that  the  men    ■ 
of  a  logging  bee  were  piling  together  for  that  purpose. 
The   corn,   potatoes,   pumpkins,    etc.,  which   had   been  | 
planted  among  the  stumps  had  attained  sufficient  growth  ' 


<^ 


44 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


lo  be  visible  from  some  distance.  A  calf  frolicked  ;it 
the  side  of  its  dam  and  a  litter  of  grunting  yonng  porkers 
asserted  their  right  to  "  life,  liberty,"  etc.  Everything 
wore  an  air  of  thrift.  The  solitude  of  the  wife  was 
enlivened  by  the  prattle  of  her  children,  and  their  play- 
ful caresses  sweetened  the  labor  and  lessened  the  fatigue 
of  the  husband  and  father. 

The  tide  of  immigration,  the  first  wave  of  which  had 
borne  them  hither,  continued  with  increasing  flow.  Set- 
tlers came  more  rapidly,  the  smoke  from  their  hearths 
curled  upward  at  shorter  intervals,  and  clearings  en- 
croached iTiore  and  more  on  the  surrounding  wilderness. 
The  hissing  and  rushing  of  the  whirlwinds  of  flame  were 
oftener  heard  as  the  trees  that  had  been  felled  and  had 
become  dry  were  consumed.  Small  fields  of  waving  corn 
and  here  and  there  a  verdant  meadow  were  to  be  seen. 
The  music  of  numerous  cow  bells  was  heard,  and  "  drowsy 
tinklings  lulled  the  distant  folds"  where  sheep  were 
herded  to  protect  them  from  the  wolves  at  night.  The 
hum  of  spinning  wheels  might  be  heard  in  almost  every 
house,  and  the  merry  laughter  and  shouts  of  frolicksome 
children  resounded  as  they  gamboled  through  the  woods. 

The  Revolutionary  war  came  upon  the  country,  and 
nowhere  were  its  horrors  greater  than  here.  On  the  re- 
turn of  peace  the  few  surviving  settlers  came  back  to  the 
valley,  and  prosperity  smiled  again.  Settlements  extended 
up  the  valleys  of  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Lackawanna 
and  their  tributaries,  and  many  of  the  earliest  experiences 
of  the  settlers  in  the  Wyoming  valley  were  repeated  in 
these  localities. 

The  lapse  of  time  brought  with  it  changes.  The  old 
house,  which  had  survived  the  ravages  of  war,  had  come 
to  be  only  the  wing  of  a  new  one  that  had  been  built  of 


squared  logs,  covered  with  a  shingled  roof,  lighted  by 
glazed  windows  and  closed  by  a  paneled  door.  A  lawn 
appeared  in  front,  tastefully  ornamented,  with  flowers, 
and  fruit  trees  were  growing  on  the  former  site  of  the 
garden.  An  apiary  stood  on  the  margin  of  the  lawn, 
which  was  bounded  by  a  straight  fence.  A  commodious 
frame  barn  had  been  built,  and  where  the  forest  once 
stood  were  fields  of  waving  grain.  Beyond  the  grove  of 
sugar  maples  could  be  seen  the  log  school-house  where, 
"in  her  noisy  mansion  skilled  to  rule,  the  comely  mistress 
taught  her  little  school." 

The  stream  that  ran  by  was  spanned  by  a  newer  bridge, 
and  the  ding-donging  of  a  saw-mill  that  had  been  built 
on  its  bank  could  be  heard  in  the  distance.  The  eldest 
surviving  son  of  the  pioneer  couple,  now  grown  to  be  a 
young  man,  drove  toward  the  barn  with  a  load  of  hay 
drawn  by  horses  instead  of  the  oxen  that  for  years  had 
constituted  their  only  team.  At  the  well,  which  still  had 
its  primitive  sweep,  stood  a  somewhat  portly  matron,  who 
turned  to  look  with  motherly  pride  at  her  son  as  he  drove 
along.  A  middle-aged  man  was  walking  down  the  road 
that  came  from  the  mill.  It  was  he  who  came  many 
years  since  with  his  knapsack,  rifle  and  ax,  and  built  his 
shanty  in  the  howling  wilderness.  The  woman  at  the 
well  was  the  young  wife  who  came  with  him  a  year  later. 
Their  privations,  hardships,  industry  and  economy  had 
been  rewarded.  They  had  acquired  an  honorable  com- 
petence. They  had,  however,  experienced  vicissitudes. 
A  brother  of  the  husband  and  two  brothers  of  the  wife 
fell  on  the  fatal  field  of  Wyoming,  and  there  the  husband, 
acquired  an  honorable  scar.  They  had  also  followed  two 
of  their  children  to  the  grave. 

Sixty  years  had  gone  by  since  the  settlement  of   the 


*^^= 


LIFE  AMONG  THE  SETTLERS. 


45 


valley.  An  elegant  mansions  tood  on  the  site  of  the  old  log 
cabin,  and  all  its  surroundings  indicated  that  it  was  the 
abode  of  wealth  and  refinement.  The  stream  passed 
under  a  stone  arch;  the  old  saw-mill  had  gone  to  decay; 
the  sugar  orchard  was  no  longer  to  be  seen,  and  only  on 
the  mountain  sides  were  the  remains  of  the  primitive 
forest  visible.  Spacious  fields  and  elegant  farm  houses 
were  to  be  seen  on  the  extended  landscape,  and  the  tall 
spire  of  a  church  pointed  skyward  from  among  the  houses 
of  a  village  near.  A  gray  haired  man  was  busy  with  the 
cattle  in  the  barnyard,  and  a  portly  woman  sat  by  the 
stove  knitting,  while  some  of  the  grand-children  were 
playing  on  the  floor  and  others  were  engaged  in  various 
kinds  of  work. 

These  aged  people  were  the  ones  who  left  their  New 
England  homes  in  their  youth  and  came  to  this  spot. 
They  had  deeded  their  farm  to  their  youngest  son  and 
taken  the  usual  life  lease.  Another  of  their  children  had 
been  added  to  the  group  in  the  cemetery;  one  had  set- 
tled in  an  adjoining  town,  and  two  were    in  the  far  west. 

Another  interval  of  half  a  century  has  passed,  and 
brought  its  inevitable  changes.  The  old  pioneer  couple 
long  since  passed  to  their  rest;  the  son  who  was  the  solace 
and  support  of  their  declining  years  is  now  an  octogena- 
rian, and  his  grandchildren  are  one  by  one  assuming  their 
positions  as  citizens  and  members  of  society.  'J'he  an- 
cestral mansion,  which  still  stands  on  the  site  of  the  orig- 
inal pioneer  cabin,  has  from  time  to  time  changed  in 
appearance,  as  changing  fashion  has  dictated  and  increas- 
ing prosperity  permitted,  till  it  is  among  the  most  tasteful 
in  the  valley.  The  original  farm,  which  extended  back 
and  included  a  portion  of  the  mountain,  received  addi- 
tions by  purchase  from  time  to  time;  and  its  value  has 
been  greatly  enhanced  by  the  discovery  and  development 
of  the  mineral  resources  which  lie  beneath  the  surface. 
The  landscape  in  the  valley  has  greatly  changed.  Along 
the  base  of  either  mountain  range  at  short  intervals  rise 
coal  breakers,  with  their  immense  hills  of  culm  and  the 
adjacent  miners'  villages.  Populous  cities  and  thriving 
boroughs  have  come  into  existence.  Along  the  margins 
of  the  river  railroad  tracks  with  branches  to  the  collieries 
extend  through  the  valley  and  climb  the  mountain  sides, 
and  the  panting  and  screaming  of  the  engines  that  draw 
the  long,  snake-like  trains  of  cars  may  be  almost  constantly 
heard.  Along  these  tracks  extend  telegraph  lines,  and 
stretching  from  place  to  place  may  be  seen  the  thread- 
like wires  of  the  telephone.  Here  and  there  the  sides  of 
the  mountain  are  dotted  with  clearings,  where  with  great 
labor  farms  have  been  developed  among  the  rocks.  How 
different  the  landscape  of  to-day  from  that  of  a  century 
since! 


CHAPl'ER  V. 

THE     CONDITION     OF    THE     PIONEERS THEIR     WAYS     AND 

MEANS    OF    LIVING. 


VER  a  century  has  passed  since  the  first  settle- 
ment of  this  region,  and  changing  circum- 
stances have  brought  with  them  such  changes 
in  many  of  the  customs  of  the  people  that 
one  of  the  present  generation  can  form  only 

an  imperfect  conception  of  what  some  of  those 

customs  were. 


People  are  usually  slow  to  adopt  those  modifications 
in  their  customs  which  changes  in  their  environments 
render  desirable,  or  even  almost  necessitate.  Like  the 
Welshman  who  persisted  in  balancing  the  wheat  in  one 
end  of  his  bag  by  a  stone  in  the  other  "because  her's 
father  did  so,"  they  follow  the  beaten  track  which  their 
ancestors  pursued,  and  often  only  turn  from  it  when 
changed  circumstances  actually  compel  them  to  do  so. 

The  march  of  improvement  and  the  progress  of  inven- 
tion make  slow  advances,  except  in  those  cases  where 
necessity  compels  people  to  follow  the  one,  or  loudly  calls 
for  the  other. 

The  rude  implements  and  appliances  that  were  in  use 
"when  the  country  was  new"  were  inventions  which 
grew  out  of  the  necessities  of  the  times,  and  were  adapted 
to  the  circumstances  in  which  people  found  themselves^ 
Time  wore  on,  and  those  circumstances  gave  place  to 
others.  Inventions  followed  these  changes;  but  in  many 
cases,  as  in  those  of  the  cast-iron  plow,  the, grain-cradle 
and  the  horse  rake,  the  inventors  only  lived  to  see  their 
improved  implements  scoffed  at  and  derided.  Thus 
have  people  always  done,  and  thus  they  will  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent  continue  to  do.  As  in  the  physical  world, 
however,  one  condition  is  evolved  from  another  by  the 
slow  process  of  natural  selection,  so  in  these  cases  the 
fittest  are  in  the  end  the  survivors. 

The  first  settlers  in  this  region  came  when  the  primi- 
tive forest  was  growing  not  only  here  but  in  the  country 
through  which  they  had  passed  for  many  miles.  The 
first  roads,  which  were  simply  widened  Indian  trailsi 
were  then  barely  passable.  Of  course  they  could  bring 
with  them  only  those  articles  of  household  furniture  or 
those  agricultural  implements  that  were  indispensable. 

The  first  work  of  the  pioneer  was  to  prepare  a  house, 
or  dwelling  place  for  his  family.  There  were  no  mills 
for  the  manufacture  of  lumber,  and  the  first  houses  were 
necessarily  built  of  logs  fastened  by  notching  at  the 
corners.  They  were  usually  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
feet  square,  and  about  seven  feet  in  height,  or  high 
enough  to  just  clear  the  head  of  a  tall  man.  Often  no 
floor  was  at  first  laid.  A  fire  place  was  prepared  at  one 
end  by  erecting  a  back  of  stones,  laid  in  mud  instead  o^ 
mortar,  and  a  hole  was  left  in  the  bark  or  slab  roof  for 
the  escape  of  the  smoke.  A  chimney  of  sticks  plastered 
with  mud  was  afterward  erected  in  this  aperture.  A 
space  of  a  width  suitable  for  a  door  was  cut  on  one  sidci 
and  this  was  closed  first  by  hanging  in  it  a  blanket,  and 
afterward  by  a  door  made  with  split  plank  and  hung  on 
wooden  hinges.  This  door  was  fastened  by  a  wooden 
latch  that  could  be  raised  from  the  outside  by  a  string, 
which  was  passed  through  a  hole  above  it.  When  the 
latch  string  was  "pulled  in"  the  door  was  effectually 
fastened.  The  expression  used  of  a  hospitable  man — 
"  his  latch  string  is  always  out  " — had  its  origin  from  this 
primitive  method  of  fastening  a  log  house  door.  A  hole 
was  usually  cut  in  each  side  of  this  house  to  let  in  light, 
and  when  glazed  sash  could  not  be  procured  greased 
paper  was  used  to  keep  out  the  blasts  and  snows  of 
autumn  and  winter. 


*ih 


<^ 


H^ 


46 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Holes  were  bored  at  the  proper  height  in  the  logs  at 
one  corner  of  the  room,  and  into  these  the  ends  of  poles 
were  fitted,  the  opposite  ends  where  they  crossed  being 
supported  by  a  crotch,  or  a  block  of  the  proper  height. 
Across  these  poles  others  were  laid,  and  these  were 
covered  by  a  thick  mattress  of  hemlock  or  other  boughs, 
over  which  blankets  were  spread.  Thus  were  pioneer 
bedsteads  constructed;  and  on  such  a  bed  many  a  pioneer 
couple  reposed  as  sweetly  as  though  "  sunk  in  beds  of 
down."  In  the  absence  of  chairs  rude  seats  were  made 
with  an  ax  and  anger  by  boring  holes  in  "puncheons," 
or  planks  split  from  basswood  logs  and  hewn  smooth  on 
one  side.  Tables  were  often  made  in  the  same  way,  and 
after  a  time  a  floor  was  constructed  of  these  "  puncheons," 
with  a  bare  space  in  lieu  of  a  hearth  about  the  fire  place. 
A  few  necessary  pieces  of  crockery,  or  sometimes  wooden 
trenchers,  were  kept  on  rude  shelves  till,  after  a  few 
years,  lumber  could  be  procured  of  which  to  make  a  cup- 
board. 

A  dinner  pot,  a  dish  kettle,  a  tea  kettle,  a  frying  pan 
and  a  bake  kettle  constituted  the  entire  stock  of  iron 
ware.  The  bake  kettle — a  utensil  that  is  now  never 
seen — was  a  shallow  vessel  with  legs  some  six  inches  in 
length,  so  that  it  could  be  set  over  coals  on  the  hearth. 
It  had  a  cover  with  the  edges  turned  up  so  that  coals 
could  be  heaped  on  it.  This  was  used  at  first  for  all  the 
baking  of  many  a  pioneer  family.  The  fire  place  had, 
instead  of  the  iron  crane  with  which  it  was  afterward 
furnished,  a  transverse  pole,  called  a  lug  pole,  laid  across 
two  others  so  that  it  could  be  moved  backwards  and  for- 
wards at  a  sufificient  height  to  prevent  burning.  On  this 
at  first  hooks  cut  from  beech  saplings,  or  limbs,  were- 
fastened  by  withes,  but  after  blacksmiths'  shops  were 
established  these  were  replaced  by  "trammels,"  or  hooks 
so  constructed  that  their  length  could  be  adjusted. 

This  room,  thus  furnished,  served  all  the  purposes  of 
kitchen,  drawing-room,  sitting-room,  parlor  and  bed- 
room; and  not  unfrequently  workshop  also,  for  temporary 
benches  were  erected,  and  sleds,  ox  yokes,  and  many 
other  farming  utensils  were  made  and  repaired  there 
during  stormy  days  or  evenings.  The  light  for  such 
evening  work  was  furnished  by  the  blazing  fire  of  pine 
knots  which  had  been  gathered  and  stored  away  for  the 
purpose,  or  sometimes  by  a  "slut,"  which  was  made  by 
placing  a  rag  for  a  wick  in  a  dish  of  "  coon's  oil,"  or  the 
fat  of  some  other  wild  animal. 

Here  also,  as  time  went  on,  were  heard  the  raking  of 
the  hand  cards  and  the  whir  of  the  spinning  wheel  ;  for 
in  those  days  the  cloth  for  both  the  summer  and  winter 
clothing  of  the  family  was  homemade,  and  all  the  techni- 
calities of  the  process,  from  picking  the  wool  to  "  taking 
out  the  piece,"  were  as  familiar  to  every  member  of  the 
family  as  any  household  word. 

At  first,  before  the  establishment  of  cloth  dressing 
mills,  the  dyeing  or  coloring,  even  of  all  the  woolen 
cloth,  was  done  by  the  pioneer  wives  ;  and  after  cloth- 
ieries  made  their  appearance  everything  except  "  fulled 
cloth  "  was  colored  at  home.  The  properties  and  the 
proper  method  for  compounding  for   different  colors  of 


Nicaraugua  or  Nic.  wood,  logwood,  fustic,  indigo,  mad- 
der, copperas,  alum,  vitriol,  etc.,  as  well  as  all  the  various 
indigenous  barks  and  plants,  were  known  to  every  house- 
wife. The  old  dye  tub,  which  is  still  remembered  by  the 
older  inhabitants,  had  its  place  at  the  side  of  every  hearth, 
where  it  was  frequently  used  as  a  seat  for  children  in 
cases  of  emergency,  or  when  the  increase  of  the  family 
was  more  rapid  than  that  of  chairs.  Peter  Parley  (Mr. 
Goodrich)  calls  it  "the  institution  of  the  dye  tub,  which, 
when  the  night  had  waned  and  the  family  had  retired, 
frequently  became  the  anxious  seat  of  the  lover,  who  was 
permitted  to  carry  on  his  courtship,  the  object  of  his 
addresses  sitting  demurely  in  the  opposite  corner." 

The  flax  brake,  swingling  knife  and  board,  and  hatchel 
are  never  seen  now  ;  and  one  of  the  present  generation 
would  be  utterly  unable  to  guess  their  uses  were  they 
shown  to  him.  Then  the  pulling  and  rotting  and  all  the 
details  of  dressing  flax  were  known  to  every  child  ;  and 
the  process  of  spinning  the  flax  and  tow,  v,'eaving  and 
bleaching  the  different  qualities  of  cloth,  and  making  the 
thread  for  all  the  family  sewing,  was  a  part  of  the  educa- 
tion of  every  girl.  Wild  nettles  were  at  first  used  instead 
of  the  flax  that  was  afterwards  cultivated.  The  process 
of  rotting,  dressing,  etc..  was  the  same  as  in  the  case  of 
the  flax.  Then  cotton  cloth  was  not  manufactured  in 
this  country,  and  it  was  practically  beyond  the  reach  of 
most  farmers.  Woolen  goods,  other  than  those  of  domes- 
tic manufacture,  were  seldom  seen.  A  "  broadcloth  coat " 
was  an  evidence  either  of  unpardonable  vanity  or  of 
unusual  prosperity.  Even  the  skins  of  animals  were  thus 
utilized  for  clothing;  fawn  skin  vests,  doeskin  coats  and 
buckskin  breeches  were  not  uncommon. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  speak  of  the  ordinary  food  of 
the  first  settlers,  such  as  hasty  pudding,  johnny  cake,  or 
corn  pones,  the  meal  for  which  was  ground  in  a  pioneer 
mill  or  wooden  mortar  ;  or  of  the  dainties,  such  as  short- 
cakes, mixed  with  the  lye  of  cob  ashes  and  baked  in  ashes 
on  the  hearth,  that  were  set  before  company.  The  simple 
and  substantial  diet  of  the  people  then  was  adopted  be- 
cause circumstances  would  permit  no  other.  They  were 
too  poor  to  pamper  their  children  with  sweetmeats,  or  to 
stimulate  them  with  tea  and  coffee  ;  and  the  incidental 
result  was  a  degree  of  robust  health  such  as  the  children 
in  later  times  do  not  acquire. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that  all  the  settlers  in  this  re- 
gion were  subjected  to  severe  privations.  The  kind  of 
fare  spoken  of  was  not  looked  upon  as  hard,  for  it  was 
the  best  the  country  then  afforded.  There  were  instances 
where  people  were  compelled  to  resort  to  wild  roots  or 
greens  for  a  dinner,  but  these  were  perhaps  as  rare  as  are 
cases  of  extreme  destitution  now.  The  condition  of  the 
country  was  such  that  these  habits  and  methods  of  liv- 
ing were  necessary,  and  they  were  not  regarded  as  hard- 
ships. 

The  agriculture  of  those  times,  if  agriculture  it  may 
be  termed,  was  such  as  is  never  seen  now.  Very  few  at 
the  present  day  have  witnessed  the  process  of  preparing 
the  virgin  soil  for  the  first  crop.  The  timber  was  often 
girdled  in  advance,  so  that  when  felled,  as   it    often  was, 


^h 


PRIMITIVE  FARMING  AND  TRADING. 


47 


in  what  were  termed  wind  rows,  much  of  it  would  burn 
as  it  lay,  being  partially  or  wholly  dried,  by  kindling  the 
fire  at  the  windward  end  of  these  rows.  After  the  first 
burn  some  of  the  remaining  fragments  were  "  niggered  " 
into  pieces  that  could  be  easily  moved,  and  the  whole 
was  drawn  together  with  oxen  and  "logged  up  "  for  the 
final  burning.  Many  in  the  neighborhood  usually  joined 
in  this  work,  and  the  "  logging  bees,"  or  "log  frolics," 
were  at  the  same  time  occasions  when  work  was  done  and 
social  intercourse  enjoyed.  When  the  burning  was  com- 
pleted and  the  ashes  collected  the  ground  was  sometimes 
made  ready  for  the  seed  by  harrowing  with  a  three-cor- 
nered harrow,  which  was  often  hewed  from  a  crotched 
tree,  with  either  large  wooden  pins  set  at  intervals,  or 
very  large  and  strong  iron  teeth.  Such  a  harrow  was 
drawn  over  the  ground  among  the  stumps  to  fit  the  soil 
for  its  first  crop  when  the  roots  were  not  sufficiently  de- 
cayed to  permit  the  use  of  a  plow.  In  using  this  primi- 
tive harrow  in  these  clearings  the  driver  found  it  neces- 
sary to  keep  always  at  a  respectful  distance,  for  it  often 
bounded  from  side  to  side  in  a  manner  not  compatible 
with  safety  at  close  quarters.  In  cases  where  plowing 
could  be  done  the  old  bull  plow  was  used.  This  was  an 
uncouth  implement,  with  wrought  iron  share  and  a 
wooden  moldboard,  such  as  is  now  scarcely  ever  seen, 
even  among  relics  of  the  past.  In  rare  cases  a  wooden 
plow,  hewn  out  of  a  crotched  tree,  was  used. 

The  wheat  sown  or  corn  planted  in  ground  prepared  in 
this  rude  way  often  gave  good  returns,  such  was  the  fer- 
tility of  the  soil  before  it  was  exhausted  by  repeated 
cropping.  When  the  crop  was  grown  and  ripened,  it 
was  cut  with  sickles,  a  handful  at  a  time.  Sickles  may 
occasionally  be  seen  at  the  present  day;  but  there  are 
few  who  ever  saw  them  used.  For  harvesting  grain 
among  the  stumps  of  the  first  clearings  the  sickle  was 
best  adapted  of  all  instruments,  and  no  other  was  known; 
but  when  these  stumps  had  decayed,  and  the  grain  cradle 
had  been  introduced,  many  looked  upon  it  as  a  perni- 
cious invention,  by  the  use  of  which  more  than  sufficient 
grain  would  be  wasted  to  pay  for  the  labor  of  harvesting, 
and  some  insisted  that  more  could  be  harvested  in  the 
same  time  with  the  sickle — so  strongly  are  people 
attached  to  old  customs. 

The  grain  was  first  thresh.ed  with  the  flail  on  the 
ground,  and  partially  separated  from  the  chaff  by  pour- 
ing it  from  a  height  in  the  wind  and  afterwards  dex- 
trously  manipulating  it  in  a  "  corn  fan,"  a  description  of 
which  would  be  quite  difificult.  For  many  years  after 
barns  were  erected  on  all  farms  the  flail  and  the  feet  of 
horses  were  the  only  threshing  machines,  but  fanning- 
mills  superseded  the  old  corn  fan. 

Hay  was  cut  with  the  old  fashioned  scythe,  which  has 
changed  but  very  little,  and  the  hand  rake  only  was  used 
to  gather  it.  Among  the  stumps  and  stones  in  early 
times  these  were  the  most  available  tools,  but  their  use 
continued  long  after  improved  implements  were  avail- 
able, and  after  such  implements  had  been  invented. 

In  those  days  the  conveyance  most  in  use  was  the  ox- 
cart.    It  was  made  available  for  almost  everything,  from 


hauling  manure  to  going  to  meeting  or  to  balls  and  wed- 
dings. Its  use  was  thus  universal  because  it  was,  like 
the  other  tools  spoken  of,  adapted  to  existing  conditions. 
The  rough  and  stumpy  roads  almost  forbade  the  use  of 
four-wheeled  conveyances. 

It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  call  attention  to  the 
wagons,  plows,  harrows,  threshing-machines,  harvest- 
ers, mowers,  wheel-rakes,  etc.,  etc.,  of  the  present  day, 
and  contrast  them  with  the  awkward  and  uncouth  imple- 
ments of  former  times  ;  but  if  this  is  done  the  adapta- 
tion of  these  to  their  existing  circumstances  should  be 
remembered,  and  the  additional  fact  should  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  improved  tools  of  the  present  day  would 
not  then  have  been  available. 

During   some    years    after   the    first  settlement  of   this 
region  trade  was  carried  on  in   a  manner  quite  different 
from   the  way  in   which   it   is   now  conducted.     Now  all 
produce   has  a    cash    market  and  a  cash  value;  and   all 
the  necessaries  or   superfluities    that  are  purchased    are 
reckoned  according  to  the  same   standard.     Then  there 
was  not  sufficient  money  in  the  country  to  be  made  the 
medium  of  exchange,  and  trade  was   carried  on  almost 
wholly  by  what  was   termed  barter.     By  reason   of  this 
nearly  exclusive  exchange  trade,  mercantile  establishments 
were  quite  unlike  those  of  the  present  time.     Then  every 
store  was  a  commercial  microcosm.     In  it  was  kept  every- 
thing that  the  inhabitants  required.     As  one  who  lived  in 
those  times  says:  "  Every  merchant  kept  dry  goods,  grocer, 
ies,  crockery,  glassware,  hardware,  dye  stuffs,  iron,   nails 
paints,  oil,  window-glass,    school-books,    stationery,  rum, 
brandy,  gin,  whiskey,  drugs  and  medicines,  ending  with 
a   string  of  etceteras,  or  every  other  article  usually  kept 
in    a  country  store.     Things    were    sometimes   curiously 
grouped;  as,  for  example,  silks  and   iron,  laces  and   fish, 
pins  and  crowbars,  pork  and  tea,  molasses   and  ta,  cot- 
ton yarn  and  log  chains,  wheel  heads  and  hoes,  cards  and 
pitchforks,  scythes  and  fur  hats."    In  exchange  for  these 
the    pioneer    merchant  received  almost    every  article  of 
country  produce.    Coarse  grain  was  converted  into  spirits 
at  his  distillery,  or  that  of  some   one  in  the  vicinity,  for 
distilleries    sprung   up    early.     Pork  was  "packed,"  and 
other  kinds  of  produce  were  received  for  goods  and  sent 
by  teams  over  the  turnpike  to  Easton,  and  thus  to  Phila- 
delphia, where  they  were  exchanged  for  the  goods  that 
were  brought  back  by  the  same  route;  and  so  the  barter 
trade  was  kept  up.     Some   heavy  articles,  such  as  iron 
salt,  etc.,  were  brought  by  boats  on  the  river.     Expensive 
methods  of  transportation  necessarily  rendered  the  price 
of    goods  high  and  that  of  produce  low,  and  this  condi- 
tion of  things  continued  till  better  facilities  for  transport- 
ation cheapened  merchandise  and  enhanced  the  price  of 
produce. 

Gradually  since  that  time  has  trade  changed  till  it 
has  reached  a  cash  basis,  and  along  with  this  change  has 
come  another  important  one — the  "division  of  business.'" 
Now  dry  goods,  groceries,  hardware,  books,  drugs, 
liquors,  etc.,  etc.,  are  separate  branches  of  business;  and 
produce  dealing  is  separated  from  all  of  them. 

A  no  less  marked  contrast  is  to  be  seen  in  the  raanu- 


<^ 


^8 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


factures  of  those  times  and  the  present.  Then  ahiiost 
every  article  and  utensil  that  was  used  was  either  "home- 
made "  or  manufactured  at  the  shops  which  sprung  up  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  early  settlers.  Then,  as  has 
been  stated,  the  cloth  in  which  every  one  was  clad  was 
of  domestic  manufacture.  The  spinning-wheel  and  the 
loom  were  portions  of  the  furniture  of  almost  every  house, 
and  clothieries,  or  wool-carding  and  cloth-dressing  estab- 
lishments, were  as  common  as  grist-mills.  Almost  every 
hamlet  had  its  tailor's  shop,  where  the  knight  of  the 
shears  cut  the  clothing  for  the  people  of  the  vicinity,  and, 
to  avoid  the  responsibility  of  misfits,  warranted  "to  fit 
if  properly  made  up."  This  clothing  was  made  up  by 
tailoresses,  or,  as  the  tailors  sometimes  termed  them,  "she 
tailors."  The  trade  of  a  tailoress  was  reckoned  a  very 
good  one  ;  for  she  received  for  her  skilled  labor  two 
shillings  (as  currency  was  then  talked)  per  day  ;  while 
the  price  of  housework  help  was  four  shillings  per 
week. 

Shoemakers'  shops  were  abundant  also,  though  there 
were  itinerant  shoemakers  who  "whipped  the  cat,"  as 
going  from  house  to  house  with  their  "kits"  was  termed. 
After  the  establishment  of  tanneries  the  people  were  in 
the  habit  of  having  the  hides  of  their  slaughtered  animals 
tanned  on  shares,  and  the  leather  thus  obtained  was 
worked  up  by  these  circulating  disciples  of  St.  Crispin. 

The  ubiquitous  tailor  shop  has  entirely  disappeared, 
and  only  here  and  there  is  to  be  seen  a  solitary  cobbler's 
sign.  Every  \illage  has  its  shoe  stores,  and  the  de- 
scendants of  Abraham  vie  with  each  other  in  supplying 
the  gentiles  with  clothing  "ferry  sheap." 

Very  early  it  was  a  portion  of  the  blacksmith  business  to 
make  the  nails  that  were  required  where  wooden  pins  could 
not  be  used.  Now  an  old  fashioned  wrought  nail  is  a 
curious  relic  of  the  past;  and  even  the  rivets,  bolts,  and 
horse-shoe  nails  that  were  formerly  made  upon  every  anvil 
are  now  made  by  machinery,  and  furnished  more  cheaply 
than  they  can  be  hammered  out  by  the  vulcans  or  their 
apprentices. 

So  of  almost  everything.  Where  joiners  formerly  took 
lumber  "in  the  rough  "  and  did  all  the  work  of  building 
a  house,  now  houses  are  almost,  like  Byron's  critics, 
"ready  made;"  for  little  is  required  but  to  put  together 
the  parts  that  are  made  by  machinery. 

The  wheelbarrows,  carts  and  wagons,  and  even  the  cra- 
dles and  coffins,  that  were  formerly  made  in  the  shops 
that  sprang  up  when  the  country  was  first  settled  are 
now  made  by  machinery,  and  sold  at  rates  far  lower  than 
those  at  which  handmade  work  can  be  afforded;  and  the 
old  hand  manufactories  have  gone  to  decay  or  degenerated 
into  simple  repair  shops. 

In  early  times  wild  animals,  especially  bears  and  wolves, 
and  to  some  extent  panthers,  were  sources  of  great  an- 
noyance. It  is  not  known  that  any  person  ever  became 
a  victim  to  the  rapacity  of  these  animals,  but  instances 
are  recorded  of  terrible  frights.  Many  swine  that  were 
permitted  to  roam  and  feed  in  the  woods  were  destroyed 
by  bears,  and  great  care  was  necessary  to  protect  sheep 
against  wolves.     For  years  the  slumbers   of  people  were 


interrupted  and  night  was  made  hideous   by  the  howling 
of  the  latter. 

It  is  recorded  that  during  twelve  years  following  t8o8 
the  aggregate  bounty  paid  for  the  scalps  of  panthers  in 
Luzerne  county  was  $1,822,  and  during  the  same  time 
$2,872  for  those  of  wolves.  Of  course  during  the  years 
that  preceded  that  time  these  animals  were  more  abund- 
ant. The  howl  of  the  wolf  and  the  screech  of  the  pan- 
ther are  not  now  heard  in  this  region.  Occasionally  a 
bear  is  captured  in  the  mountains,  but  the  time  is  not  far 
distant  when  bruin  will  no  more  be  seen  here. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


OI.U    LUZKRNE    COUNTY    IN    'JHE    RKVOLUTION. 


HE  Revolutionary  history  of  tiiis  region  limits 
itself  to  that  of  the  Wyoming  valley.  Be- 
yond this  valley  there  were  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Revolution  hardly  any 
settlements  nearer  than  those  on  the  Dela- 
ware, which  were  sixty  miles  distant,  through 
^  a  wilderness  of  swamps  and  mountain  ranges;  or 
Sunbury,  which  lay  an  equal  distance  down  the  Susque- 
hanna river;  a  few  isolated  settlers,  nearly  all  of  whom 
were  tories,  had  just  located  at  Tunkhannock  and  at 
points  further  up  the  river.  Wyoming  was  not  on  the 
outskirts  of  civilization;  it  was  an  isolated  settlement  in 
the  midst  of  a  country  inhabited  by  savages  that  after- 
ward became  hostile.  The  country  of  the  warlike  Iro- 
quois included  the  head  waters  and  upper  branches  of 
the  Susquehanna,  down  which  a  war  party  of  these  sava- 
ges could  at  any  time  sail  in  their  light  canoes  when 
tempted  to  do  so  by  the  hope  of  obtaining  scalps  or 
plunder.  In  this  isolated  condition,  away  from  the 
theater  of  active  hostilities  and  distant  from  any 
thoroughfare  over  which  hostile  parties  could  pass  on 
expeditions  against  regions  on  either  side  of  them,  it  was 
but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  stood  in  very  little 
peril  except  from  the  incursions  of  marauding  savages. 

In  order  to  form  a  just  idea  of  the  condition  of  the 
lieople  here  at  that  time,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the 
population  of  the  valley  consisted  almost  entirely  of  set. 
tiers  from  Connecticut,  who  had  acquired  their  land  titles 
from  the  Susquehanna  Company  and  who  had  been  en- 
gaged in  actual  hostilities  with  the  Pennamites  (as  they 
termed  those  who  claimed  these  lands  under  titles  which 
they  acquired  from  the  proprietaries)  and  those  who 
aided  them  in  their  attempts  to  enforce  their  claims.  It 
must  be  remembered,  too,  that  tolerance  of  those  who 
differed  with  them  in  opinion  was  never  a  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  Puritans  who  peopled  the  province 
of  Connecticut,  or  of  their  descendants,  from  among 
whom  these  settlers  came;  and  that  the  repeated  attempts 
of  these  Pennamites  to  unjustly  deprive  them  of  their 


4.¥ 


^^ 


-^ 


LUZERNE  AT  THE  OPENING  OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 


49 


lands  and   expel   them    from    the  valley  aroused   to  its 
fullest  activity  their  intolerance. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  hatred  of  the  Yankees  equally 
intense  existed  among  the  Pennamites,  many  of  whom 
doubtless  considered  themselves  unjustly  dispossessed  of 
lands  to  which  they  had  acquired  a  legitimate  title.  This 
rancorous  feeling  in  the  members  of  the  opposing  parties 
naturally  engendered  in  each  a  hatred  of  everything  upon 
which  the  other  looked  with  favor;  and  that  doubtless 
was  the  reason  why  fifty-eight  of  the  sixty-one  tories  in 
the  valley,  as  stated  by  one  historian,  were  of  the  Pen- 
namites who  remained,  and  it  will  also  account  for  the 
remarkable  unanimity  among  the  Yankees. 

The  population  of  the  valley  at  that  time  has  been  va- 
riously estimated.  By  some  historians  it  has  been  set 
down  at  2,500,  and  by  others  at  5,000.  Had  there  ex- 
isted among  these  people  no  peculiar  local  influences, 
there  is  reason  for  the  supposition  that  at  least  as  large  a 
proportion  of  them  would  have  been  loyalists  as  in  other 
localities.  They  were  located  in  a  valley  of  surpassing 
beauty  and  fertility.  The  soil  gave  ample  returns  for  the 
labor  which  they  bestowed  on  it,  the  surrounding  forests 
abounded  with  game,  and  the  river  was  plentifully  stocked 
with  fish.  They  were  subject  only  to  such  laws  as  they 
enacted  for  their  own  government,  and  the  oppressive 
acts  of  the  mother  country  were  scarcely  felt  by  them. 
They  were  contented  and  happy,  and  but  for  the  frequent 
invasions  of  the  valley  by  those  who  sought  to  dispossess 
them  it  would  have  been  almost  the  terrestrial  paradise 
which  romancers  and  poets  have  represented.  Under 
such  circumstances  they  could  see  but  little  for  them  to 
gain  by  a  separation  of  the  colonies  from  Great  Britain, 
and  that  little  more  ideal  than  real.  On  the  other  hand, 
they  could  see  that  by  actively  espousing  the  cause  of  the 
patriots  they  would  subject  themselves  to  the  predatory 
and  cruel  warfare  of  the  savages,  by  whom  they  were  sur- 
rounded and  whose  alliance  would  be  sought  by  the 
mother  country;  and  that  possibly  other  forces  might  be 
sent  against  them  for  strategic  purposes.  That  under 
such  circumstances  even  a  larger  proportion  of  the  peo- 
ple here  than  in  other  regions  should  adhere  to  their  loy- 
alty would  be  no  matter  of  surprise. 

At  nearly  the  same  time  when  the  colonies  severed 
their  allegiance  to  Great  Britain  the  people  of  Pennsyl- 
vania threw  off  the  proprietary  government,  under  which 
the  Yankees  had  several  times  been  driven  from  the  val- 
ley, and  adopted  a  State  constitution.  With  the  failure 
of  the  rebellion,  and  the  re-establishment  of  the  regal 
authority  in  the  colonies,  would  come  the  restoration  of 
the  proprietary  government  and  a  renewal  of  hostilities 
against  the  Connecticut  settlers;  while  the  success  of  the 
revolution  and  maintenance  of  the  State  government 
gave  them  reason  to  hope  (although  vainly,  as  subsequent 
events  proved)  for  a  cessation  of  their  persecutions.  In 
view  of  these  circumstances,  it  would  be  reasonable  to 
expect  that  the  line  between  Yankees  and  Pennamites 
should  almost  exactly  coincide  with  that  between  Whigs 
and  tories. 
The  spirit  of  intolerance  to  which  allusion  has  been  made 


manifested  itself  with  increased  intensity  when  the  objects 
of  that  intolerance  came  to  occupy  the  position  of  foes  to 
their  country  as  well  as  local  enemies.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  feeling  of  enmity  which  the  Pennamites  had  enter- 
tained toward  the  Yankees,  who  had  resisted  their  claims 
to  the  land  in  the  valley,  became  greatly  intensified  when 
they  came  to  regard  those  Yankees  as  rebels  against  the 
government  to  which  they  were  loyal.  Such  were  the 
relations  of  parties,  and  such  was  the  animus  of  those 
parties,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution. 

The  attempted  invasion  of  the  valley  by  Plunkett  in 
December,  1775,  was  the  last  hostile  demonstration  against 
the  Connecticut  settlers  by  the  Pennamites  previous  to 
the  Revolution.  In  August  of  that  year  the  Yankees  had 
at  a  town  meeting  for  the  town  of  Westmoreland  fas  the 
whole  region  was  then  called)  expressed  by  resolution 
their  willingness  "  to  make  any  accommodations  with  ye 
Pennsylvania  party  that  shall  conduce  to  ye  best  good  of 
ye  whole,  not  infringing  on  the  property  of  any  person, 
and  come  in  common  cause  of  liberty  in  ye  defense  of 
America;  and  that  we  will  amicably  give  them  ye  offer  of 
joining  in  ye  proposals  as  soon  as  may  be."  At  a  meeting 
held  a  week  later,  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  this,  it  was 
resolved  that  "we  do  now  appoint  a  committee  to  atten- 
tively observe  Ihe  conduct  of  all  persons  within  this  town 
touching  the  rules  and  regulations  prescribed  by  the  Hon- 
orable Continental  Congress,  and  will  unanimously  join 
our  brethren  in  America  in  the  common  cause  of  defend- 
ing our  liberty." 

Notwithstanding  the  overtures  thus  made,  and  the  patri- 
otic resolution  adopted,  the  attempt  of  Plunkett  to  expel 
the  Yankees  was  made;  and  though  hostilities  were  then 
suspended  till  after  the  Revolution  the  latent  bitter  feeling 
was  without  doubt  more  intense  by  reason  of  this  attempt. 
As  the  difficulties  with  the  mother  country  thickened,  and 
hope  of  reconciliation  diminished,  the  patriotic  ardor  of  the 
settlers  increased.  Measures  were  adopted  to  provide 
means  of  defense,  and  as  early  as  March,  1776,  by  resolu- 
tion at  a  town  meeting,  the  selectmen  were  directed  to 
dispose  of  the  grain  in  the  hands  of  the  collector  or  treas- 
urer, and  purchase  powder  and  lead  to  the  amount  of  forty 
pounds.  By  another  resolution  a  bounty  of  jf  10  was  of- 
fered to  the  man  who  should  first  manufacture  fifty  pounds 
of  good  saltpetre.  Mr.  Miner  states,  on  the  authority  of 
Mrs.  John  Jenkins,  that  the  worpen  took  up  the  floors  of 
their  houses,  leached  the  earth  which  they  dug  from 
under  them,  and  made  saltpetre  by  boiling  the  lye;  then 
mixed  it  with  charcoal  and  sulphur,  and  thus  produced 
powder  for  public  use. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  many  young  men  from 
the  Wyoming  valley  hastened  to  the  scene  of  hostilities 
and  in  the  winter  of  1775-6  some  removed  their  families 
to  Connecticut  that  they  might  join  the  array.  Lieuten- 
ant Obadiah  Gore,  with  twenty  or  thirty  others,  went  to  the 
field  direct  from  the  valley.  After  the  declaration  of  inde- 
pendence it  became  evident  that  (ortr,  for  the  defense  of 
the  valley  and  for  places  of  refuge  in  times  of  danger 
should  be  erected;  and  at  a  town  meeting  held  August 
24th,  1776,  it  was  voted  "  that  this  meeting  do  recommend 


:i 


5° 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


*tr" 


it  to  the  people  to  proceed  forthwith  in  building  said 
forts  without  either  fee  or  reward  from  ye  town."  Pur- 
suant to  this  recommendation  was  built  Fort  Jenkins, 
a  stockkade  around  the  house  of  John  Jenkins  at  what  is 
now  West  Pittston,  just  above  the  northwest  end  of 
the  Pittston  ferry  bridge.  Fort  Wintermoot,  about  a 
mile  farther  down  the  river,  near  a  fine  Sj)ring,  was  built 
by  some  settlers  from  New  Jersey,  who  were  after- 
ward more  than  suspected  of  being  tories;  and  Forty  Fort, 
so  named  from  the  forty  original  proprietors  of  the  town- 
ship of  Kingston,  was  built  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship and  included  about  an  acre  of  ground.  Wilkes-Barre 
Fort  was  situated  just  above  the  mouth  of  Mil!  creek,  to 
guard  the  mills  on  the  stream.  Wyoming  Fort  was  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  river,  not  far  from  the  foot  of  South 
street  in  Wilkes-Barre;  and  Stewart's  block  house  was 
also  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  about  three  miles 
below,  in  Hanover.  There  was  also  a  stockade  at 
Pittston,  nearly  opposite  Fort  Jenkins. 

By  reason  of  representations  that  had  been  made  to 
Congress  of  the  exposed  condition  of  the  valley  to  incur- 
sions by  the  Indians,  who  were  becoming  insolent  and 
were  suspected  of  favoring  the  British,  Congress  by  reso- 
lution August  23d,  1776,  authorized  the  raising  in  the 
town  of  Westmoreland  of  two  full  companies  to  be 
"stationed  in  proper  places  for  the  defense  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  said  town  and  parts  adjacent  till  further  order 
of  Congress."  These  companies  were  by  the  terms  of 
the  resolution  '"liable  to  serve  in  any  part  of  the  United 
States  when  ordered  by  Congress."  On  the  26th  of  the 
same  month  Congress  appointed  as  officers  of  these  com- 
panies Robert  Durkee  and  Samuel  Ransom,  captains; 
James  Wells  and  Perrin  Ross,  first  lieutenants;  Asahel 
Buck  and  Simon  Spalding,  second  lieutenants;  and  Her- 
man Smith  and  Matthias  Hollenback,  ensigns.  Lieuten- 
ant Buck  resigned  and  John  Jenkins,  jr.,  was  appointed 
to  fill  the  vacancy.  These  companies  were  already  in 
existence,  under  the  captains  named,  as  volunteer  organ- 
izations, but  they  had  not  their  full  quotas  of  men  till 
the  17th  of  September,  when  they  were  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  as  the  two  independent  companies 
of  Westmoreland.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  muster 
roil  of  the  first  independent  company  from  Wyoming  in 
the  Revolutionary  army.  Except  Waterman  Baldwin 
who  enlisted  January  7th,  1777,  the  members  of  this 
company  enlisted  September  17th,  1776. 

Captain,  Robert  Durkee ;  first  lieHteniint,  Jnmes  Wells ;  second  lieu- 
tenant, Asabel  Buck;  ensign,  Herman  Swift;  first  sergeant,  Tiiomas 
McClurc  ;  second  sergeant.  Peregrine  Gardner;  tliird,  Tiiomas  Baidwin  ;' 
fourth,  John  Hutchinson ;  corporals— Edward  Setter,  Azel  Hyde,  .Tere- 
iniah  Coleman,  Benjamin  Clark;  privates— Walter  Baldwin,  James  Biig- 
ley,  Eleazer  Buller,  Moses  Brown,  Charles  Bonnet,  Willlnm  Buck,  jr., 
Asa  Brown,  James  Brown,  Jr.,  David  Brown,  Waterman  Baldwin,  John 
Cary,  Jesse  Coleman,  William  Cornelius,  Samuel  Cole,  William  Davison, 
Douglass  Davison,  William  Dunn,  Daniel  Denton,  Samuel  Ensign,  Na- 
thaniel Evans,  John  Foster,  Frederick  Follet,  Nathaniel  Fry,  James 
Prisby,  jr.,  Bliaha  Garret,  James  Gould,  Titus  Garret,  Mumford  Gardner, 
Abraham  Hamester,  Israel  Harding,  Henry  Harding,  Thomas  Harding, 
Stephen  Harding,  Oliver  Harding,  Richard  Halsted,  Thomas  Hill,  John 
Halsted,  Benjamin  Harvey,  Salomon  Johnson,  Asahel  Jerome,  John 
Kelly,  Stephen  Munson,  Seth  Marvin,  Martin  Nelson,  Stephen  Petlibone, 
Stephen  Preston,  Thomas  Porter,  Aaron  Perliins,  John  Perkins,  Ebene- 
zer  Phillips,  Ashabel  Robinson,  Ira  Stevens,  Blisha  Sills,  Ebenezcr  Shiner, 
Asa  Smith,  Robert  Sharer,  Isaac  Smith,  Luke  Sweetlaud,  Shadraoh  Sills, 
Samuel  Tubbs,  William  Terry,  John  Tubbs,  Ephraim  Tyler,  Edward 


Walker,  Obadiah  Walker,  James  Wells,  jr.,  Nathaniel  Williams,  Thomas 
Wilson. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  pay  roll  of  the  2nd  inde- 
pendent company  from  Wyoming.  Its  term  of  service 
was  three  years  from  January  ist,  1777. 

Captain,  Samuel  Ransom;  captain,  Simon  Spalding;  lieutenant,  Si- 
mon Spalding;  lieutenant,  Timothy  Pierce ;  lieutenant,  John  Jenkins; 
ensign,  Timothy  Pierce ;  first  sergeant,  Parker  Wilson ;  second  sergeant, 
Josiah  Pasco  ;  privates — Caleb  Atherton,  Mason  F.  Alden,  Samuel  Bil- 
lings, Jesse  Bezale,  Jehial  Billings,  Isaac  Benjamin,  Oliver  Bennet,  Asa- 
hel Burnham,  Rufus  Bennet,  Benjamin  Clark,  Gordon  Church,  Price 
Cooper,  Josiah  Corning,  Benja  miu  "Cole,  Nathan  Church,  Daniel  Franklin, 
Charles  Gaylord,  Ambrose  Gaylord,  Justin  Gaylord,  Benjamin  Hemp- 
stead, Timothy  Hopkins,  William  Kellog,  Lawrence  Kinney,  Daniel 
Lawrence,  Nicholas  Manswell,  Elisha  Matthewson,  Constant  Matthew- 
son,  William  McClure,  Thomas  Neal,  Asahel  Nash,  John  O'Neal,  Peter 
Osterhout,  Amos  Ormsburg,  Thomas  Packett,  Ebenezer  Roberts,  Samuel 
Saucer,  Asa  Sawyer,  Stephen  Skiff,  John  Swift,  Constant  Searle,  Wiliiaoi 
Smith,  jr.,  Elisha  Satterlee,  Robert  Spencer,  John  Vangordon,  Thomas 
Williams,  Calet  Warden,  Richard  Woodstock,  Elijah  Walker,  Zeber 
Williams. 

Of  those  who  left  this  company  and  returned  to  Wyo- 
ming to  take  part  in  the  battle  on  the  3d  of  July,  1778, 
the  following  were  killed:  Captain  Robert  Durkee,  Cap- 
tain Samuel  Ransom,  Lieutenant  Timothy  Pierce,  Lieu- 
tenant James  Wells,  and  privates  Samuel  Cole,  Daniel 
Denton,  William  Dunn,  Daniel  Lawrence  and  Constant 
Searle. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  autumn  of  1776  the 
army  under  General  Washington  retired  from  Long 
Island,  followed  by  the  advancing  army  of  General 
Howe,  and  on  the  8th  of  December  crossed  the  Dela- 
ware. On  the  12th  of  the  same  month  Congress,  by  reso- 
lution, directed  "  that  the  two  companies  raised  in  the 
town  of  Westmoreland  be  ordered  to  join  General  Wash- 
ington with  all  possible  expedition;"  an  order  which  they 
at  once  obeyed,  and  reached  the  army  before  the  close 
of  the  year.  They  were  in  the  battle  of  Millstone  on  the 
2nd  of  January,  1777,  and  their  good  conduct  there  elicited 
the  commendations  of  their  commanding  officers.  They 
were  also  in  the  battles  of  Bound  Brook,  Brandywine, 
Germantown  and  Mud  Fort. 

During  the  year  1777  the  situation  in  the  Wyoming 
valley  was  not  materially  changed.  The  alliance  between 
the  British  and  Indians,  which  had  from  the  first  been 
feared,  notwithstanding  the  professions  of  neutrality  of 
the  latter,  was  formed  on  the  20th  of  June,  when  the 
Indians  were  taken  by  General  Burgoyne  into  the  Brit- 
ish service  and  the  price  of  fio  each  for  human  scalps 
was  offered  them  by  him.  Tories  resided  on  the  north- 
ern border  of  the  settlement,  as  well  as  between  Tunk- 
hannock  and  Wyalusing;  and  between  these  and  the 
Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Tioga,  Chemung  and  Newtown 
it  was  learned  that  communication  was  kept  up.  Evi- 
dences of  sympathy  with  the  British  government  on  the 
part  of  settlers  to  the  north  and  west  from  the  valley  who 
came  from  New  York,  Delaware  and  lower  Pennsylvania, 
became  more  and  more  apparent.  Several  persons  who 
were  suspected  of  tory  sentiments  had  been  arrested  and 
sent  to  Connecticut  by  the  committee  of  inspection,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  this  year  several  scouting  parties  were 
sent  by  the  same  committee  up  the  river  and  between 
thirty  and  forty  tories  were  arrested,  some  of  them  taken 
with  arms  in  their  hands.       A  conspiracy  among  them  to 


*^^ 


THE  BURDENS  OF  WESTMORELAND— PROTECTION   WITHDRAWN, 


SI 


bring  the  Tioga  Indians  on  the  settlement  was  broken  up 
by  the  arrest  of  these  tories. 

Hon.  Peter  M.  Osterhout  relates  that  Zebulon  Marcy 
was  with  one  of  these  scouting  parties  a  short  distance 
above  Tunkhannock,  and  that  "  a  tory  by  the  name  of 
Adam  Wortman  (a  Dutchman)  came  out  of  his  house 
armed  with  a  gun.  His  wife  called  to  him,  '  Shoot,  Adam ! 
Shoot  !  '  Adam  fired,  and  the  ball  struck  an  old  fashioned 
iron  tobacco  box  in  the  vest  pocket  of  Marcy  and  lodged, 
making  an  indentation  of  the  size  of  the  bullet  but  doing 
no  other  damage.  One  of  the  party  fired,  giving  Wort- 
man  a  mortal  wound.  He  begged  for  help  and  asked 
that  they  should  send  for  a  physician.  Dr.  William 
Hooker  Smith,  a  noted  surgeon  who  was  called,  remarked 
as  he  set  out  that  if  he  was  not  dead  when  he  arrived  he 
would  not  live  long  afterward.  The  tobacco  box  is  still 
in  possession  of  the  family." 

It  is  proper  here  to  state  that  these  tories  alleged  they 
had  been  driven  to  their  affiliation  with  the  British  and 
Indians  by  the  hostile  attitude  of  the  Yankees  at  Wyo- 
ming, who  had  persecuted  and  annoyed  them  because  they 
had  obtained  the  titles  to  their  lands  from  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania; and  that  the  Indians  became  hostile  to  the  Amer- 
icans because  of  the  conduct  of  the  Connecticut  settlers. 

Although  the  Indians  had  up  to  the  close  of  this  year 
made  no  descent  on  the  valley,  they  had  taken  prisoners 
some  whom  the  tories  had  betrayed  into  their  hands,  and 
among  them  Lieutenant  John  Jenkins,  who  was  taken  to 
Niagara  and  afterward  to  Montreal.  He  subsequently 
escaped,  and  arrived  home  in  June  of  the  next  year. 

The  patriotism  of  the  people  here  is  attested  by  the 
fact  that  burdens  greatly  disproportioned  to  those  of  other 
citizens  of  Connecticut  were  imposed  on  them  and  borne 
for  the  sake  of  the  cause  with  but  few  murmurs.  The 
two  companies  that  had  been  raised  in  Westmoreland 
tor  the  defense  of  the  town,  and  ordered  to  the  field  in 
an  emergency,  were  retained  to  contribute  toward  the  half 
filled  quota  of  Connecticut.  According  to  a  calculation 
by  the  excellent  historian  Miner,  Westmoreland  had  in 
the  field  more  than  eight  times  its  proportion  of  the  quota 
of  that  State  ;  and  these  troops  were  retained  as  before 
stated  to  swell  the  quota  of  Connecticut,  leaving  only  old 
men  and  boys  to  defend  the  settlement  against  sudden 
irruptions  of  Indians,  notwithstanding  its  isolated  con- 
dition. Six  forts  were  in  process  of  construction  by  these 
people  "without  fee  or  reward,"  and  the  military  organ- 
izations of  these  exempt  men  were  constantly  in  requi- 
sition to  guard  against  surprise  or  to  go  upon  scouts. 
The  town  was  taxed  by  the  State  of  Connecticut  to  the 
amount  of  ;^2,ooo.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  town  had 
steadfastly  maintained  its  allegiance  to  the  province, 
without  assistance  from  the  latter,  when  it  was  repeatedly 
invaded,  and  had  sent  the  flower  of  its  youth  to  help  fill 
the  quota  of  the  State,  it  is,  as  Miner  says,  a  matter  of 
surprise  "that  a  sum  so  considerable,  or  indeed  any  sum, 
should  be  demanded  of  Wyoming  for  the  purposes  of  the 
State  treasury  at  Hartford." 

A  few  quotations  will  show  by  what  kind  of  a  spirit  the 
people  were  animated  at  that  tmie: 


"At  a  town  meeting  legally  warned,  holden  December 
30th,  1777,  John  Jenkins  was  chosen  moderator  for  ye 
work  of  ye  day." 

"Voted  by  this  town,  that  the  committee  of  inspection 
be  empowered  to  supply  the  sogers'  wives  and  the  sogers' 
widows  and  their  families  with  the  necessaries  of  life." 

Of  this  vote  Miner  says:  "  Let  it  be  engraved  on 
plates  of  silver!  Let  it  be  printed  in  letters  of  gold! 
Challenge  Rome  in  her  republican  glory,  or  Greece  in 
her  democratic  pride,  to  produce,  circumstances  con- 
sidered,, an  act  more  generous  and  noble." 

Of  the  women  it  was  said:  "Justice  and  gratitude  de- 
mand a  tribute  to  the  praiseworthy  spirit  of  the  wives 
and  daughters  of  Wyoming.  While  their  husbands  and 
fathers  were  away  on  public  duty  they  cheerfully  assumed 
a  large  portion  of  the  labor  which  females  could  do. 
They  assisted  to  plant,  made  the  hay,  husked  and 
gathered  the  corn  and  gathered  the  harvest." 

The  commencement  of  the  year  1778  found  the  aspect 
of  affairs  somewhat  changed  in  America.  General  Bur- 
goyne  had  been  defeated  and  had  surrendered  at  Sara- 
toga, and  there  was  no  effective  British  force  to  prosecute 
a  campaign  for  that  year.  The  avowed  policy  of  the 
enemy  was  therefore  to  carry  on  a  devastating  frontier 
warfare  by  tories  and  Indians.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, of  course,  the  fears  of  the  inhabitants  of  this 
valley  were  excited  for  their  own  safety.  By  their  ener- 
getic measures  against  the  tories  up  the  river  they  had 
incurred  their  deadly  hatred,  and  they  had  well  grounded 
reasons  to  apprehend  an  attack  from  these  and  the  Indians 
of  the  Six  Nations  beyond.  They  also  had  reason  to  fear 
that  for  strategic  purposes  the  settlement  would  be  at- 
tacked. Its  destruction  would  remove  the  only  barrier 
to  a  descent  on  the  German  settlements  farther  south,  or 
an  attack  on  it  would  divert  the  American  forces  from 
other  points.  Early  in  the  year  it  became  known  that 
preparations  were  being  made  for  attacks  on  the  frontiers 
of  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  and  appeals 
were  made  to  Congress  for  protection.  To  these  ap- 
peals Congress  responded  by  authorizing  the  town  of 
Westmoreland  to  raise  a  company  of  infantry  for 
the  defense  of  the  town  and  the  settlements  of  the 
neighborhood  against  Indians  and  other  enemies,  "and 
that  the  said  company  find  their  own  arms,  accou- 
trements and  blankets."  In  other  words,  they  appealed 
for  help  and  received  a  gracious  permission  to  help  them- 
selves, after  their  means  for  doing  so  had  been  exhausted. 
Miner  justly  says:  "Wyoming  seems  to  have  been 
doomed  by  a  selfishness  which  cannot  be  designated 
except  by  terms  which  respect  forbids  us  to  employ." 

As  early  as  May  it  was  expected  from  the  appearance 
of  Indian  scouts  in  the  vicinity  that  an  attack  on  the 
valley  was  meditated,  and  these  suspicions  were  confirmed 
when,  on  the  2nd  of  June,  Lieutenant  John  Jenkins  re- 
turned from  his  captivity  and  informed  the  settlers  that 
the  plan  had  been  formed  at  Niagara  to  invade  the  fron- 
tier. At  about  the  same  time  an  Indian  spy  who  came 
into  the  settlement  was  made  drunk,  and  while  in  that 
condition  revealed   the  fact  that   an  attack  on  the  valley 


^h 


^h 


52 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


was  soon  to  be  made.  During  the  month  of  June  attacks 
were  made  on  frontier  settlements  at  various  points. 
Jenkins  says:  "The  whole  frontier  was  aglow  with  fire, 
desolation  and  death,  beneath  the  fagot,  tomahawk,  rifle 
and  scalping  knife  of  the  Indians  and  their  cruel  and  im- 
placable allies  the  British  and  tories." 

During  the  month  of  June  some  acts  of  hostility  by  the 
Indians  and  tories  occurred.  On  the  12th  William 
Crooks  was  shot  and  scalped  about  two  miles  above 
Tunkhannock  at  the  abandoned  house  of  the  tory  John 
Secord;  and  on  the  r7th  a  recon.joitering  party  of  six 
were  fired  on  about  six  miles  below  Tunkhannock,  and 
one  of  the  party,  named  INIiner  Robbins,  killed,  and 
another,  named  Joel  Phelps,  wounded. 

When  the  threatening  aspects  of  affairs  in  the  valley 
came  to  be  known  in  the  field.  Captains  Durkee  and 
Ransom,  of  the  companies  from  Westmoreland,  with 
Lieutenants  Wells  and  Ross  and  about  20  privates,  left 
and  hastened  home.  The  companies  were  then,  by  a 
resolution  of  Congress  passed  June  23d,  1778,  consoli- 
dated, under  Captain  Simon  Spalding;  and  afterward,  it 
is  said,  were  ordered  to  march  to  Lancaster,  and  still 
later  to  Wyoming,  but  not  in  season  to  be  of  service. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June  it  became  known  that  the 
forces  of  the  enemy  were  concentrating  at  Newtown  and 
Tioga,  preparatory  to  a  descent  on  the  valley.  These 
forces  consisted  of  about  four  hundred  British  and  tories, 
under  Major  John  Butler,  and  four  or  five  hundred 
Indians,  largely  composed  of  Senecas.  They  descended 
the  Susquehanna  and  landed  not  far  from  the  mouth  of 
Bowman's  creek,  where  they  remained  until  they  were 
joined  by  about  two  hundred  more  Senecas,  who  had 
been  to  the  west  branch.  They  left  the  large  boats  here 
and  passed  with  the  smaller  ones  down  to  the  "Three 
Islands,"  fifteen  miles  above  the  valley.  They  marched 
thence  to  Sutton's  creek,  where  they  were  encamped  on 
the  evening  of  the  30th.  On  the  morning  of  that  day  a 
party  of  twelve  from  Fort  Jenkins  passed  up  the  river  a 
few  miles  to  their  work.  Toward  evening  they  were 
attacked  by  the  Indians  ;  several  were  killed,  others 
taken  prisoners  and  four  escaped,  arriving  at  the  fort  on 
the  morning  of  July  ist.  While  the  settlers  were  march- 
ing on  that  day,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Zebulon 
Butler,  of  the  Continental  army  (then  at  home),  and 
Colonel  Denison  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dorrance,  to 
bring  down  the  bodies  of  their  slain  neighbors,  the  enemy 
were  marching  toward  the  valley  on  the  northwestern 
side  of  the  mountain,  on  the  eastern  side  of  which  they 
encamped,  in  full  view  of  the  valley.  On  the  morning  of 
the  2nd  Fort  Wintermoot  was  opened  to  them  by  its 
tory  occupants,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day  the 
garrison  of  Fort  Jenkins  capitulated.  The  day  was  spent 
by  the  settlers  in  gathering  the  women  and  children  in 
places  of  safety,  mostly  in  Forty  Fort,  which  was  about 
four  miles  below  Fort  Wintermoot,  and  in  making  jjre- 
parations  for  defense.  Steuben  Jenkins  thus  describes 
the  condition  of  things  in  the  valley  on  the  3d: 

"  The  upper  part  of  tlie  valley,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  -was  In 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  numbering  1,100  men,  well  armed  and  equipped 
thirsting  for  conquest  and  blood.  ' 


"So  complete  and  effective  was  their  possession  that  no  person  had 
been  able  to  pass  their  lines  to  give  information  of  either  their  numbers, 
position  or  purpose. 

"Jenkins's  Fort,  on  the  Susquehanna,  just  above  the  west  end  of  the 
Pittston  ferry  bridg-e,  was  in  their  posssession,  having  capitulated  Ihe 
day  before,  but  possession  had  not  been  taken  until  this  morning. 

"  Wintermoot  Fort,  situate  on  the  bank  of  the  plain,  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  below  and  about  half  a  mile  from  the  river,  had  b3en  in  their  pos- 
session all  the  day  before,  and  was  used  as  their  headquarters. 

"  Forty  Fort,  some  four  miles  further  down  the  river,  situate  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  was  the  largest  and  strongest  fort  in  the 
valley.  Thither  had  fled  all  the  people  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  on 
the  1st  and  2nd,  and  this  was  to  be  the  gathering  point  of  the  patriot 
band.  The  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston  forts  were  the  srathering  points 
for  the  people  in  their  immediate  neighborhood. 

"  The  forces,  such  as  they  were,  were  distributed  throughout  the  val- 
ley somewhat  as  follows : 

"  The  Kingston  company,  commanded  by  Captain  Aholiab  Buck,  num- 
bering about  forty  men,  was  at  Forty  Fort. 

"The Shawnee  company,  commanded  by  Captain  Asaph  Whittlesej', 
numbering  about  forty-four  men,  was  at  Forty  Fort. 

"The  Hanover  companj',  commanded  by  Captain  William  McKar- 
rachen,  numbering  about  thirty,  was  at  home,  in  Hanover. 

"The  upper  Wilkes-Barre  company,  commanded  by  Captain  Rezin 
Geer,  numbering  about  thirty  men,  was  at  Wilkes-Barre. 

"  The  lower  Wilkes-Barre  company,  commanded  by  Captain  James  Bid- 
lack,  jr.,  numbering  about  thirty-eight  men,  was  at  Wilkes-Barre. 

"The  Pittston  company,  commanded  by  Captain  Jeremiah  Blanchard, 
numbering  about  forty  men,  was  at  Pittston  Fort. 

"The Huntington  and  Salem  company,  commanded  by  Captain  John 
Franklin,  numbering  about  thirty-five  men,  was  at  home. 

"  These  were  the  militia,  or  train-bands,  of  the  settlement,  and  in- 
cluded all  who  were  able  to  bear  arms,  without  regard  to  age.  Old  men 
and  boys  were  enrolled  in  them. 

"  Then  there  was  Captain  Detriok  Hewitt's  company,  formed  and  kept 
together  under  the  resolution  of  Congress,  to  which  reference  has  al- 
ready been  made. 

'*  Besides  these,  there  was  a  number  who  were  not  enrolled  in  any  of 
the  companies,  numbering  about  one  hundred  ;  and  in  addition,  there 
were  a  number  in  the  valley  who  had  been  driven  from  the  settlements 
up  the  river.  Making  altogether  in  the  valley  a  force  of  men  of  allages. 
and  boys,  numbering  about  four  hundred." 

Colonel  Zebulon  Butler,  who  had  been  designated  to 
command  the  forces  in  the  valley,  was  at  Wilkes-Barrei 
placing  things  in  order  for  defense  there.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  3d  a  flag  was  sent  by  Major  Butler  demanding 
the  unconditional  surrender  of  Forty  Fort,  with  Captain 
Hewitt's  company  and  the  public  stores,  and  threatening 
to  move  on  them  at  once  in  case  of  a  refusal.  Colonel 
Denison,  who  was  in  command  of  the  fort,  refused,  and 
sent  immediately  for  Colonel  Butler,  who  ordered  up  the 
two  companies  from  Wilkes-Barre  and  the  one  from 
Hanover.  It  was  decided  on  consultation  to  hold  the 
fort;  and  in  order  to  secure  delay  for  the  possible  arrival 
of  the  company  of  Captain  Spalding,  who  it  was  learned 
was  on  the  way,  and  also  that  of  Captain  Franklin,  a  flag 
was  sent  to  Major  Butler,,  asking  for  a  conference.  This 
flag  was  fired  on,  as  were  two  others  that  -ivere  afterward 
sent  out.  At  3  P.  M.  a  force  of  about  four  hundred 
including  old  men  and  boys,  left  Forty  Fort  and  marched 
up  the  valley  to  protect  it  against  the  prowling  Indians. 
They  proceeded  about  a  mile  and  halted  at  Ah-iham's 
creek,  where  the  road  now  crosses  it  on  a  stone  bridge. 
Another  flag  was  sent  from  that  point,  but  it  was  fired 
on,  and  up  to  this  time  the  scouts  which  had  been  sent 
out  had  brought  no  definite  information  as  to  the  strength 
and  probable  designs  of  the  enemy.  A  discussion  arose 
here  as  to  the  measures  proper  to  be  adopted  in  view  of 
the  circumstances,  and  the  debate  became  very  earnest, 
and  even  personal.  Some  of  the  most  sanguine  demand- 
ed to  be  led  forward  and  attack  the  enemy  at  once, 
while    the    more    cool     and     judicious     opposed    this 


+ 


course.  Scouts  reported  that  the  enemy  was  prob- 
ably preparing  to  leave  the  valley.  Charges  of  cow- 
ardice were  made,  and  the  Hanover  company  be- 
came mutinous  and  threatened  a  revolt.  An  ad- 
vance was  decided  on,  and  they  proceeded  to  a 
point  near  the  hill  just  below  the  monument,  where  they 
were  met  by  scouts  who  reported  Fort  Wintermoot  on 
fire  and  the  enemy  leaving  the  valley.  They  advanced 
to  a  point  near  the  southwestern  bounds  of  the  fair 
ground,  where  they  formed  in  line  of  battle,  extending 
some  i,6oo  feet  northwesterly  from  the  edge  of  the  terrace 
which  forms  the  plain.  In  this  order  they  advanced  cau- 
tiously about  a  mile,  and  when  within  forty  or  fifty  rods  of 
Fort  Wintermoot  they  counted  the  line  off  into  odds  and 
evens,  and  each  advanced  alternately  ten  paces  and  fired 
while  the  others  loaded.  As  they  advanced  the  enemy 
fell  back  before  them.  When  the  line  had  reached  a 
point  as  far  up  as  Fort  Wintermoot,  the  line  of  the 
British  and  tories  was  formed  behind  a  log  fence  on  the 
opposite  side  of  a  cleared  field.  The  firing  had  become 
general  along  these  lines.  The  Indians,  who  were  con- 
cealed behind  the  shrubbery  of  a  marsh  to  the  left,  broke 
from  their  cover  and  made  an  impetuous  attack  on  that 
flank.  To  prevent  them  from  gaining  the  rear.  Colonel 
Denison,  who  commanded  the  left  wing,  gave  the  order 
to  fall  back  and  form  an  oblique  line.  This  order  was 
misunderstood  and  confusion  was  the  result.  Jenkins 
says  of  the  battle  after  this: 

"  The  Indians,  meantime,  rushed  in  upon  them,  yelling,  iDrandishing- 
their  spears  and  tomahawks,  and  the  British  and  tories  pressed  down 
upon  them  in  front,  pouring  in  a  terrible  lire. 

"  Broken,  borne  down  by  overwhelming  numbers,  and  pressed  by  an 
irresistible  force,  the  left  gave  way  and  fell  back  on  the  right.  The 
movement  was  rapid  and  confused  and  brought  confusion  on  the  right. 
From  confusion  to  disorder,  from  disorder  to  broken  lines,  and  thence 
to  flight,  were  but  steps  in  regular  gradation.  The  flight  became  a 
slaughter,  the  slaughter  a  massacre.    Such  was  the  battle. 

"  It  was  impossible  that  the  result  of  the  battle  should  have  been  dif- 
ferent. The  enemy  was  three  to  one,  and  had  the  advantage  of  position. 
Our  men  fought  bravely,  but  it  was  of  no  avail. 

"Every  captain  fell  at  his  position  in  the  line,  and  there  the  men  lay 
like  sheaves  of  wheat  after  the  harvesters." 

The  fugitives  were  pursued  by  the  Indians  and  tories, 
who  vied  with  each  other  in  the  work  of  slaughter. 
Space  will  not  permit  a  detail  of  all  the  horrors  of  that 
night.  The  following  account  of  the  tragedy  at  what  is 
known  as  Queen  Esther's  Rock  (which  still  lies  on  the 
■    field),  is  taken  from  Jenkins's  centennial  address: 

"  On  the  evening  of  the  battle  sixteen  of  the  prisoners  taken  on  the 
field  of  battle  and  in  the  flight,  under  promise  of  quarter,  were  collected 
together  by  their  savage  captors  around  a  rock  near  the  brow  of  the 
hill  at  the  southeast  of  the  village  of  Wyoming,  and  a  little  more  than 
a  mile  from  the  field  of  action.  The  rock  at  that  time  was  about  two 
feet  high  on  its  eastern  front,  with  a  surface  four  or  Ave  feet  square, 
running  back  to  a  level  with  the  ground  and  beneath  it  at  its  western 
extremity.  The  prisoners  were  arranged  in  a  ring  around  this  rock,  and 
were  surrounded  with  a  body  of  two  hundred  savages,  under  the  lead- 
ership and  inspiration  of  Queen  Esther,  a  fury  in  the  form  of  woman, 
who  assumed  the  office  of  executioner.  The  victims,  one  at  a  time,  were 
taken  from  the  devoted  circle  and  led  to  the  east  front  of  the  rock, 
where  they  weremade  to  sitdown.  They  were  then  taken  by  the  hair  and 
their  heads  pulled  back  on  the  rock,  when  the  bloody  Queen  Esther  with 
death-maul  would  dash  out  their  brains.  The  savages,  as  each  victim 
was  in  this  manner  immolated.would  dance  around  in  a  ring,  holding  each 
others'  hands,  shouting  and  hallooing,  closing  with  the  death-whoop. 
In  this  manner  fourteen  of  the  party  had  been  put  to  death.  The  fury 
of  the  savage  queen  increased  with  the  work  of  blood.  Seeing  there 
was  no  other  way  or  hope  of  deliverance,  Lebbeus  Hammond,  one  of  the 
prisoners,  in  a  fit  of  desperation,  with  a  sudden  spring  broke  through 
the  circle  of  Indians  and  fied  toward  the  mountain.    Rifles  cracked  I 


Tomahawks  flew  I  Indians  yelled !  But  Hammond  held  on  his  course 
for  about  fifty  rods,  when  he  stumbled  and  fell,  but  sprang  up  again. 
Stopping  for  a  moment  to  listen,  he  found  his  pursuers  on  each  side  of 
him,  or  a  little  ahead,  running  and  yelling  like  demons.  He  stepped  be- 
hind a  large  pine  tree  to  take  breath,  when,  reflecting  that  his  pursuers 
beingalready  ahead  of  him  he  would  gain  nothing  by  going  on  in  that 
direction,  he  turned  and  ran  for  the  river  in  such  a  course  as  to  avoid 
the  party  around  the  fatal  rock,  and  yet  to  keep  an  eye  on  them.  Ho 
passed  by  without  being  seen,  went  down  and  plunged  into  the  high 
grass  in  the  swampy  ground  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  he  remained 
ooncealedforabouttwohours,  watching  the  movements  and  listening 
to  the  yells  of  hs  savage  pursuers.  He  finally  crawled  out  of  his  con- 
cealment, cautiously  made  his  way  to  the  river,  and  thence  down  to  the 
fort." 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  Major  Butler  sent  a  flag  to 
Forty  Fort,  inviting  Colonel  Denison  to  come  to  his 
headquar-ters  and  agree  on  terms  of  capitulation.  During 
the  time  that  was  granted  for  consultation  Colonel  Zebu- 
Ion  Butler  and  the  survivors  of  Captain  Hewitt's  company 
fled,  to  avoid  being  given  up  as  prisoners,  as  demanded 
at  first  by  Major  Butler.  The  terms  of  capitulation 
agreed  on  were  honorable,  and  it  is  believed  that  Major 
Butler  exerted  himself  to  have  them  strictly  carried  out. 
The  Indians,  however,  as  he  alleged,  could  not  be  con- 
trolled. They  set  fire  to  the  village  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
which  was  consumed  and  plundered,  and  burned  the 
property  of  the  settlers,  in  violation  of  these  terms.  He 
said  to  Colonel  Denison:  '  Make  out  a  list  of  the  prop- 
erty lost,  and  I  pledge  my  honor  it  shall  be  paid  for.''  It 
is  just  to  state  that  Major  Butler  requested  to  have  a 
quantity  of  whiskey  which  was  in  the  fort  destroyed  be- 
fore he  took  possession,  to  prevent  the  Indians  from 
being  made  mad  with  it;  and  that  the  barrels,  sixteen  in 
number,  were  rolled  into  the  river,  and  the  heads  were 
knocked  in  after  they  were  afloat. 

It  is  but  justice  to  say  of  Major  Butler  that  his  con- 
duct was  not  marked  by  the  atrocities  that  some  have 
.  imputed  to  him.  Miner  says  of  him  that  his  haste  to  de- 
part from  the  valley  "  can  only  be  accounted  for  on  the 
supposition  that  he  was  sickened  by  the  tortures  already 
committed,  dreaded  the  further  cruelties  of  the  Indians, 
and  desired  by  his  absence  to  escape  the  responsibility  of 
their  future  conduct."  He  left  the  valley  on  the  8th.  A 
portion  of  the  Indians  remained  after  his  departure  and 
continued  the  work  of  wanton  destruction. 

The  statements  of  the  number  slain  in  this  battle  and 
massacre  hkve  varied  from  160  to  360.  Probably  it  may 
be  safely  estimated  at  300.  The  names  which  have  been 
ascertained,  and  inscribed  on  the  monument  that  has 
been  erected  to  the  raeinory  of  the  heroes  of  this  battle, 
are  given  in  the  history  of  the  village  of  Wyoming. 

On  the  night  of  the  massacre  inost  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  valley  had  fled,  either  down  the  river  or  to  the  east 
and  many  of  those  who  remained  escaped  on  the  night  of 
the  4th.  The  number  who  thus  became  fugitives  is  not 
known,  but  it  has  been  estimated  at  2,000.  Most  of 
them  were  women  and  children,  whose  protectors  were  in 
the  Continental  army  or  were  lying  dead  on  the  battle 
field.  On  crossing  the  river  they  plunged  into  the  moun- 
tain wilderness,  beyond  which  lay  a  wide  and  dismal 
swamp.  How  many  perished  in  their  flight  over  the 
mountains  and  through  this  swamp,  or  by  what  suft'erings 
and  lingering   tortures   they  died,  will  never  be  known. 


<l 


=6h= 


54 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


It  is  known,  however,  that  hundreds  were  never  again 
seen  after  they  left  the  valley,  and  because  of  the  number 
that  perished  in  the  swamp  it  was  called  "  The  Shades  of 
Death." 

At  the  time  of  the  battle  Captain  Spalding's  company 
was  within  forty  or  fifty  miles  of  the  valley,  marching 
toward  it.  On  the  evening  of  the  sth  they  met  the  fore- 
most of  the  fugitives.  They  continued  their  march  till 
they  arrived  at  the  top  of  the  mountain  range  overlooking 
the  valley,  when  they  separated  into  parties  to  protect  the 
fugitives,  and  after  a  few  days  followed  them  in  their 
flight,  scouring  the  forest  and  assisting  those  who  were 
exhausted  by  fatigue  and  hunger.  In  this  way  they  saved 
many  from  perishing.  They  thus  assisted  the  fugitives  in 
their  flight  as  far  as  Stroudsburg  and  remained  till  the 
4th  of  August.  They  then,  accompanied  by  many  of 
these  fugitives,  returned  to  the  valley,  of  which  they  held 
possession  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Although  no  force  was  afterward  during  the  year  7778 
sent  against  the  valley,  the  Indians  continued  to  prowl 
around  the  settlements,  and  from  time  to  time  steal  on 
those  whom  they  found  in  their  fields  or  houses  unpre- 
pared to  defend  themselves,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
scalps,  prisoners  or  plunder. 

In  September  Colonel  Hartley,  of  the  Pennsylvania 
troops,  with  a  force  of  130  men,  including  a  company  of 
Wyoming  volunteers  commanded  by  Captain  Franklin, 
made  a  successful  expedition  against  the  Indians  on  the 
west  branch  and  at  Tioga,  destroying  their  towns  and 
property.  After  the  return  of  this  expedition  the 
Indians  re-appeared  in  this  vicinity,  and  from  their 
secure  hiding  places  in  the  mountains  continued  their 
predatory  attacks  on  such  settlers  as  returned  and  at- 
tempted to  cultivate  their  fields.  Many  were  killed  by 
savage  scalping  parties  in  their  stealthy  descents,  and 
many  others  carried  into  captivity.  Among  the  latter 
was  Frances  Slocum,  whose  romantic  story  has  often 
been  told.  She  was  taken  on  the  2nd  of  November, 
when  only  five  years  old,  from  her  father's  house  near 
Fort  Wilkes-Barre  and  carried  into  captivity.  No  tidings 
were  ever  received  of  her  till  about  sixty  years  later, 
when  she  was  discovered  near  Logansport,  Ind.,  and 
visited  by  her  brothers.  She  had  forgotten  her  native 
language,  had  survived  her  Indian  husband  and  reared 
a  family  of  children.  She  refused  to  return  to  her  kin- 
dred, preferring  to  remain  with  her  family  and  the 
people  among  whom  her  life  had  been  passed,  and  whose 
habits,  religion,  etc.,  she  had  adopted. 

The  bodies  of  those  who  were  slain  at  the  battle  and 
massacre  of  the  3d  of  July  remained  on  the  field  till  the 
22nd  of  the  following  October,  when  a  guard  was  detailed 
from  Camp  Westmoreland,  under  Lieutenant  John  Jen- 
kins, for  the  protection  of  those  to  whom  was  assigned 
the  melancholy  duty  of  interring  these  martyrs. 

During  about  two  months  in  the  winter  of  1778-9  the 
depredations  of  the  prowling  Indians  were  suspended; 
but  in  March,  1779,  ^  force  of  about  250  appeared  in 
the  valley,  and  after  a  demonstration  against  a  block 
house  in  Kingston,  and  the  theft  of  somfe  sixty  head  of 


cattle,  failing  to  draw  the  forces  defending  the  valley 
into  an  ambush,  they  boldly  approached  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  fort,  which  was  garrisoned  by  only  100  men, 
though  urgent  appeals  for  more  had  been  made  by 
Colonel  Butler.  They  were  repulsed  from  the  fort,  but 
continued  their  work  of  plunder  in  the  valley.  Colonel 
Butler  was  reinforced  by  a  German  regiment  of  about 
three  hundred,  and  soon  drove  the  marauders  from  the 
open  portions  of  the  valley.  They  hovered  about  in  the 
mountains,  however,  waylaying  people  in  the  passes,  and 
with  much  audacity  making  occasional  descents  into  the 
valley.  Near  Laurel  Run,  some  four  miles  from  the  fort, 
they  ambushed  Major  Powell,  with  a  small  regiment  that 
was  marching  to  the  valley,  and  succeeded  in  throwing 
his  forces  into  confusion.  Succor  from  the  fort  arrived 
and  escorted  this  small  force  to  the  valley. 

During  the  spring  and  early  summer  of  1779  active 
preparations  were  made  for  a  campaign  into  the  country 
of  the  Six  Nations,  General  Sullivan  was  placed  in 
command  of  this  expedition,  and  the  force,  consisting  o( 
about  three  thousand  men,  made  their  rendezvous  on  the 
flats  below  Wilkes-Barre  and  in  Fort  Durkee.  These 
preparations  were  of  course  watched  by  .the  wily  fcr, 
who  knew  well  what  was  the  object  of  the  expedition, 
and  who  sought  by  attacks  on  Freeland's  Fort  on  the 
west  branch,  Minisink,  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  and  a 
settlement  on  the  Lackawaxen,  to  divert  the  attention  of 
General  Sullivan  and  divide  his  array;  but  this  expedient 
failed. 

On  the  24th  of  July  a  large  fleet  of  boats  from  the 
lower  Susquehanna  arrived,  loaded  with  military  stores. 
On  the  28th  ninety  wagons,  loaded  also  with  military 
stores,  arrived,  and  on  the  31st  the  expedition  marched, 
leaving  a  garrison  at  Wyoming  under  Colonel  Z.  Butler. 
The  land  force  marched  up  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
halting  from  time  to  time  and  waiting  at  their  camping 
places  to  enable  the  boats  to  keep  within  a  sate  distance. 
According  to  Colonel  Hubley's  journal,  as  published  in 
the  appendix  to  Miner's  history,  they  encamped  the  first 
night  at  the  confluence  of  the  Lackawanna  and  Sus- 
quehanna rivers.  On  the  ist  of  August  they  marched 
about  seven  miles,  to  a  place  called  Quilutimunk,  where 
they  encamped.  A  portion  of  the  army  passed  over  the 
mountain  to  guard  against  surprise  by  the  savages,  and 
the  encampment  was  not  reached  till  near  morning. 
They  remained  at  this  place  through  the  2nd,  and  on  the 
3d  marched  to  a  point  above  the  mouth  of  the  Tunkhan- 
nock.  On  the  4th  they  marched  about  fourteen  miles 
and  encamped  on  Vanderlip's  and  Williamson's  farms. 
On  the  5th  they  marched  to  Wyalusing,  passing  a  place 
called  Depue's  farm,  where  Colonel  Hartley  had  been 
attacked  by  the  Indians  the  previous  year.  On  the  9th 
they  arrived  at  Shesequin  or  Queen  Esther's  Plains,  and 
on  the  nth  at  Tioga  Point.  Here  a  junction  was  effect- 
ed with  General  Clinton,  who  with  his  force  had 
come  down  from  Otsego  lake,  the  head  waters  of  the 
Susquehanna,  in  boats  on  an  artificial  freshet,  made  by 
damming  the  outlet  of  that  lake.  After  the  junction  the 
combined  army  moved  forward,  penetrated  the  country 


4^ 


4^ 


*ih 


LATER  REVOLUTIONARY  INCIDENTS— WESTMORELAND. 


55 


of  the  savages  on  the  Susquehanna  and  Genesee  rivers, 
burned  their  towns,  destroyed  their  crops  and  property, 
and  inflicted  on  them  injuries  from  which  they  never  re- 
covered. Having  accomplished  their  work  they  returned 
to  Wyoming,  where  they  arrived  early  in  October,  and 
were  welcomed  at  a  sumptuous  entertainment  by  Colonel 
Butler. 

In  this  campaign  only  forty  men  were  lost,  by  sicknei-s 
or  otherwise,  out  of  more  than  three  thousand.  On  the 
loth  of  October  this  army  left  Wyoming  for  Easton. 
Says  Marshall,  as  quoted  by  Miner  :  "  While  Sullivan 
laid  waste  the  country  on  the  Susquehanna  another 
expedition  was  carried  on  from  Pittsburg  up  the  Alle- 
gheny against  the  Mingo,  Muncy  and  Seneca  tribes.  At 
the  head  of  between  six  and  seven  hundred  men  he 
advanced  two  hundred  miles  up  the  river  and  destroyed 
the  villages  and  cornfields  on  its  head  braaches." 

It  was  confidently  hoped  that  the  chastisement  which 
Sullivan  h'ad  inflicted  on  the  savages  had  so  crippled  them 
as  to  prevent  further  depredation,  and  a  sense  of  security 
began  to  be  entertained  among  the  settlers  who  remained. 
This,  however,  was  of  short  duration.  Exasperated  and 
thirsting  for  revenge,  the  Indians  reappeared  among  the 
mountains  about  Wyoming  in  prowling  marauding  bands 
in  the  spring  of  1780,  and  many  depredations  were  com- 
mitted on  the  settlers  who  had  ventured  farther  away  from 
the  forts  in  the  towns  of  Kingston,  Plymouth  and  Han- 
over. Did  space  permit  many  instances  might  be  given 
of  the  murder  or  capture  of  the  inhabitants  and  the  adven- 
tures and  escapes  of  the  prisoners.  The  garrison  at 
Wilkes-Barre  had  come  to  be  so  weak  that  pursuit  from 
it  was  not  feared,  and  many  scalping  parties  passed  the 
settlement  for  the  purpose  of  committing  depredations 
farther  south.  In  September,  1780,  a  band  secretly 
passed  Wyoming,  crossed  the  river  near  the  mouth  of 
Nescopeck  creek  and  surprised  a  party  of  men  at  Sugar- 
loaf  valley,  killing  thirteen;  took  away  some  prisoners 
and  booty,  and  on  their  return  burned  the  Shickshinny 
mills  and  many  grain  stacks.  In  December  a  raid  on  the 
valley  was  made  by  nineteen  white  men  and  five  Indians 
and  seven  prisoners  were  taken  away. 

The  Lackawanna  valley  was  not,  like  Wyoming,  the 
theater  of  active  operations  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
It  was  scarcely  settled  till  after  the  close  of  that  contest, 
and  only  afforded  hiding  places  for  scalping  parties  of 
savages. 

During  the  years  1781  and  1782  the  valley  and  the 
vicinity  were  several  times  visited  by  small  parties  of  In- 
dians, who  pillaged,  murdered  and  took  away  prisoners, 
but  no  attack  was  made  by  any  considerable  force.  It 
is  worthy  of  remark  that  no  settlement  on  the  frontiers 
suffered  more  severely  in  proportion  to  its  population 
during  the  Revolution  than  Wyoming  valley.  The  loss 
at  the  battle  July  3d,  1778,  as  before  stated,  has  been  es- 
timated at  300,  and  it  was  thought  that  200  more  perished 
in  their  flight.  These,  along  with  those  who  were  from 
time  to  time  during  the  succeeding  four  years  murdered 
by  the  Indians,  amount  to  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  en- 
tire population  of  the  valley  at  the  time  of  the  massacre. 


In  addition  to   this  the   sufferings  of  the  survivors  were 
great  and  the  destruction  of  property  was  immense. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


CIVIL      IllSrukV UOUNU.^KIES,      OKU  .\NIZ  A  llON,      COUNTY 

BLm.DlNGS    AND    CIVIL    LIS)'. 


I^HE  struggle  for  the  possession  of  this  region 
■-^  by  settlers  who  claimed  it  as  a  part  of  Con- 
ati\     necticut  has  been    described.     The  govern- 


ment of  Connecticut  took  the  same  position; 
and  the  Assembly  of  that  State  in  January,  1774, 
created  from  the  territory  claimed  by  it  west  of 
the  Delaware  river  the  town  of  Westmoreland,  as 
a  part  of  Litchfield  county.  On  the  east  this  vast  town 
was  bounded  by  the  Delaware  river;  on  the  west  by  a 
meridian  passing  fifteen  miles  west  of  the  Wyoming  set- 
tlements; on  the  south  by  the  forty-first  and  on  the  north 
by  the  forty-second  parallel  of  north  latitude — the  present 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York  line. 

On  the  2nd  of  the  following  March  the  voters  of  the 
new  town,  in  town  meeting  assembled,  organized  West- 
moreland by  the  election  of  a  hundred  officers  (about 
half  the  voting  population),  consisting  of  treasurer,  select- 
men, constables  and  collectors  of  rates,  surveyors  of 
highways,  fence  viewers,  listers,  leather  sealers,  grand 
jurors,  tithing  men,  sealers  of  weights  and  measures  and 
key  keepers.  Colonel  Zebulon  Butler  was  elected  treas- 
urer; Christopher  Avery,  John  Jenkins,  Nathaniel  Lan- 
don,  Samuel  Ransom,  Caleb  Bates,  Silas  Parke  and  Ros- 
well  Franklin,  selectmen;  and  Asa  Stevens,  Timothy 
Smith,  Jonathan  Haskel,  Asaph  Whittlesy,  Noah  Adams, 
Phineas  Clark  and  William  Smith,  constables  and  collect- 
ors of  rates. 

At  the  autumn  session  of  the  Connecticut  Legislature 
in  1776  Westmoreland  was  made  a  county,  and  at  the 
next  session  John  Jenkins  was  appointed  judge  of  the 
county  court  for  the  ensuing  year.  The  whole  period  of 
Westmoreland's  administrative  connection  with  Connec- 
ticut corresponds  very  nearly  with  the  duration  of  the 
Revolutionary  war.  When  made  a  town  it  contained  the 
townships  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Hanover,  Plymouth,  Kingston 
and  Pittston,  established  by  the  Susquehanna  Company; 
and  to  these  were  added  before  its  severance  from  Con- 
necticut Huntington,  Salem,  Newport,Providence,  Exeter, 
Bedford,  Northumberland,  Tunkhannock,  Braintrim, 
Springfield,  Claverack  and  Ulster.  The  population  of 
Westmoreland  in  1774  was  1,922.  The  assessment  ac- 
companying the  tax  list  of  1775  was  .;^i3,o83. 

The  following  list  of  justices  of  the  peace  at  Wyoming 
under  Connecticut  was  kindly  contributed  by  the  Hon. 
Steuben  Jenkins: 

1773,  John  Smith,  Kingston ;  1773,  Thomas  Moflitt  and  Isaac  Baldwin, 
Pittston ;  1774-77,  John  Jenkins,  E.TOter ;  1774-77, 1783,  Zebulon  Butler, 
Willies- Bari-e ;  1774, 1776, 1781, 1783,  Nathan  Denison,  Kingston  ;  1774,  Silas 


^h 


M' 


S6 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


railfs,  Lackawanna ;  177B,  Bushnall  Bostick,  Joseph  Sluman  and  Increase 
Moseley ;  1774, 1777, 1779,  Uriah  Chapman  ;  1778, 1778, 1779,  William  Judd ; 
1777, 1778, 1783,  Obadiah  Gore,  Kingston ;  1777, 1778,  William  McKarrachan, 
Hanover;  1777,  1778,  Christopher  Avery,  Wilkes-Barre ;  1778,  Asaph 
Whittlesey,  Plymouth,  and  Caleh  Bates,  Pittston ;  1779,  Zerah  Beach, 
Salem,  Stephen  Harding:,  Exeter,  Zebulon  Marcy,  Tunkhannock,  and 
John  Hurlburt,  Hanover;  1783,  Nathaniel  Landon,  Kingston  ;  1781, 1783, 
Abel  Pierce,  Kingston,  and  Hugh  Fordsman,  Wilkes-Barre  ;  1780-83,  John 
Franklin,  Huntington;  177C,  John  Vincent. 

Also  the  following  list  of  justices  of  the  peace  at 
Wyoming  under  Pennsylvania  previous  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  Luzerne  county;  all  of  them  appointed  in  April, 
1783:  ■ 

Alexander  Patterson,  Kobert  Martin,  John  Chambers  and  David 
Mead,  of  Northumberland  county ;  John  Seely,  Henry  Shoemaker  and 
Luke  Brodhead,  of  Northampton  county;  Nathan  Denison,  of  Wyo- 
ming ;  his  name  was  used  without  his  consent,  and  he  refused  to  act. 

Under  the  constitution  of  1776  and  the  act  of  Assem- 
bly approved  on  the  26th  of  September,  1786,  justices 
were  elected  in  the  county  in  the  three  districts  formed 
by  the  act  erecting  the  county,  to  serve  for  seven  years. 
The  following  were  so  elected: 

1787,  Matthias  Hollenback  and  William  Hooker  Smith,  first  district ; 
Benjamin  Carpenter  and  James  Nisbett.  second  district ;  Obadiah  Gore 
and  Nathan  Kingsley,  third  district ;  1788,  Noah  Murray,  seccmd  district ; 
1789,  Christopher  Hurlbut,  first  district ;  1790,  Lawrence  Myers,  Kings- 
ton township. 

Under  the  constitution  of  1790  the  governor  appointed 
the  justices  of  the  peace,  to  serve  during  good  behavior, 
in  districts  to  be  made  up  of  one  or  more  townships.  The 
following  were  so  appointed: 

1791,  Lawrence  Myers,  Kingston  township  ;  Arnold  Colt  and  William 
Koss,  Solomon  Avery  and  John  Phillips,  Wilkes-Barre  district;  Guy 
Maxwell,  Tioga  district ;  Peter  Grubh  and  Nathan  Beach,  Kingston  dis- 
trict; Christopher  Hurlbut,  Wilkes-Barre  district;  Joseph  Kinney  and 
Isaac  Hancock,  Tioga  district;  Minna  Dubois,  Williogborough  town- 
ship; John  Paul  .Schott,  Wilkes-Barre  town  and  township  ;  1793,  Moses 
Coolbaugh,  Tioga  township;  1796,  Asahel  Gregoi-y,  Willingborough 
township ;  1797,  Kesolved  Sessions,  Tioga  township;  1798,  Noah  Wadhams, 
jr.,  Kingston  district;  Oliver  Trowbridge,  Willingborough  township; 
John  T.  Miller,  Kingston  district ;  .lames  Campbell  and  Joseph  Wright, 
Wilkes-Barre  township;  1799,  Cliarles  E.  Gaylord,  Huntington  township; 
Constant  Searle,  Providence  town,ship ;  Matthew  Covell,  Wilkes-Barre 
township;  Henry  V.  Chamuion,  Wyalusing  township  ;  Elisha  Harding, 
Tunkhannock  township;  David  Paine,  Tioga  township;  1800,  George 
Espy,  Hanover,  Wilkes-Ban-e,  &e.,  townships;  Jacob  Bittenbender, 
Nescopeck,  Wilkes-Barre,  &c.,  townships:  Benjamin  Newberry,  North- 
moreland,  Tioga,  &c.,  townships;  Thomas  Duane,  Wilkes-Barre  town- 
ship ;  Asa  Eddy,  Willingborough  township  (revoked  28th  March,  180B); 
Jonathan  Stevens,  Braintrim  township ;  Guy  Wells,  Wyalusing  town- 
ship; Benjamin  Carpenter,  Kingston  township  ;  William  Means,  Tioga 
township;  Zebulon  Marcy,  Tunkhannock;  John  Marcy  and  Thomas 
Tiffany,  Willingborough  township;  1801,  David  Barnum,Willingborough 
township;  1803,  John  Mar6.v,  Nicholson,  &c.,  townships;  1804,  Bartlett 
Hines,  Hush,  &c.,  townships. 

District  number  i,  for  which  the  first  appointment 
was  made  in  1806,  was  composed  of  Huntington,  Nesco- 
peck, Salem  and  Sugarloaf  townships  until  i8ii;  then  of 
Huntington,  Nescopeck  and  Salem  townships  six  or  seven 
years;  then  of  Wilkes-Barre  borough  and  township  and 
part  of  Covington  township  till  1035,  when  it  comprised 
only  Wilkes-Barre  borough  and  township;  part  of  Coving- 
ton township  also  belonged  to  it  in  1836  and  1837.  Jus- 
tices for  this  district  were  commissioned  as  follows: 

I8OO,  Alexander  Jameson;  180!)  Abiol  Fellows;  1810,  George  Drum;  1811, 
William  Baird ;  1813,  John  Buss;  1819,  Conrad  Sax  ;  1820,  John  Myers  and 
Koswell  Wells;  1823,  James  Stark;  1836,  Illchard  Drinker;  1831,  Amasa 
Hollister,  jr.;  1833,  Charles  L.  Terwilliger;  1835,  Benjamin  Perry;  1836, 
John  Stark;  1837,  Eleazer  Carey. 

District  No.  2  was  at  different  times  made  up  as  fol- 
lows: 181 2, Wilkes-Barre,  Hanoverand  Newport  townships; 
1816,   Kingston    and  Plymouth  townships;   1819,   King- 


ston, Plymouth  and  Dallas  townships;  1831,  Kingston,  Ply- 
mouth, Dallas  and  Lehman  townships;  1832,  Kingston, 
Plymouth  and  Dallas  townships:  1836,  Kingston,  Ply- 
mouth, Dallas  and  Lehman  townships.  Justices  commis- 
sioned as  follows: 

1806,  Cornelius  Courtright  and  Thomas  Dyer;  1808,  Jonathan  Kellog; 
1812,  Christian  Stout ;  1813,  Francis  MeShane ;  1814,  Isaac  Hartzell ;  1816, 
Samuel  Thomas ;  1817,  Jacob  J.  Bogardus ;  1810,  Doctor  John  Smith  ; 
1820,  Benjamin  Reynolds;  1823,  Alvah  C.Phillips;  1835,  John  Bennett; 
1828,  Thomas  Irwin ;  1839,  Heuben  Holgate ;  1831,  James  Nisbitt  and  Sim- 
eon F.  Rogers ;  1832,  Fisher  Gay ;  1833,  Jared  K.  Baldwin  and  Watson 
Baldwin;  ISa?,  Sharp  D.  Lewis;  1836,  Jacob  J.  Bogardus;  1837,  Caleb 
Atherton  and  John  P.  Rice ;  1838,  Peter  Allen  and  Henderson  Gaylord ; 
1839,  Addison  C.  Church. 

District  No.  3  was  originally  composed  of  Plymouth, 
Kingston  and  Exeter  townships.  Salem,  Huntington  and 
Union  townships  were  made  to  compose  this  district  in 
1818,  and  Fairmount  was  added  in  1835.  Justices  were 
commissioned  as  follows: 

1808,  James  Sutton  and  David  Perkins ;  1809,  William  Tru.Y  and  Moses 
Scovil;  1810,  Stephen  Hollister;  1813,  Charles  Chapman;  1818,  Ichabod 
Sbaw ;  1831,  Shadraoh  Austin  ;  1833,  Christian  Stout ;  1823,  John  Dodson ; 
1834,  Sebastian  Seybert ;  1837,  Jonathan  Westover ;  1833,  Andrew  Cort- 
right  and  Lot  Search  ;  1833,  Jacob  Ogden  and  Newton  Boone. 

District    No.   4   consisted    originally    of    Pittston  and 

Providence  townships  (revoked    March  27th,    1820),  and 

after    1819  of  Hanover    and   Newport   townships.     The 

justices  appointed  were: 

1804,  Joseph  Fellows  and  Asa  Dimock ;  1806,  William  Slocum ;  1809, 
Enos  Finch;  1819,  Jacob  Eambach;  1822,  Samuel  Jameson;  1823,  Bate- 
man  Downing;  1831,  Thomas  Williams;  1838,  John  Vandemark ;  1839, 
John  Forsman. 

District  No.  5  in  1810  included  Sugarloaf  township;  in 

181 1,  Tunkhannock  and  Abington  townships;  after  1814 

Sugarloaf  and  Nescopeck  townships.    The  appointments 

were  as  follows: 

1810,  Roger  Orvis;  1811,  Cyrus  Avery;  1814,  Valentine  Seiwell;  1817, 
Daniel  Bitter ;  1818,  Abraham  Shirtz ;  1834,  George  Drum,  jr.;  1836,  Jonas 
Buss ;  1838,  Christian  Kunckel ;  1833,  Moses  S.  Brundage  and  Henry  Yost ; 
1834,  John  Briggs. 

In  i8og  district  number  6  comprised  Braintrim  and 
Wyalusing  townships;  in  1816,  Pittston,  Providence  and 
Exeter;  in  1818,  Pittston,  Providence,  Exeter,  North 
moreland  and  Blakely  townships;  in  1833,  part  of  Mon- 
roe township  was  added;  in  1838,  Carbondale  township, 
and  in  1839  Jefferson  township.  The  list  of  justices  for 
this  district  is  as  follows: 

1806,  Josiah  Fassett ;  1808,  James  Gordon  and  Charles  Brown  ;  1809,  Asa 
Stevens;  1815,  James  Connor  ;  1816,  David  Dimock  and  Isaac  Hart ;  1818, 
Peter  Winter,  Elisha  S.  Potter  and  Isaac  Harding ;  1830,  Sherman  Loomis 
and  Deodat  Smith;  1831,  Ebenezer  Slocum;  1832,  Orange  Fuller;  1829, 
David  I.  Blanchard;  1830,  Ziba  Davenport;  1831,  Moses  Vaughn;  1832, 
Daniel  Harding  and  Joseph  Grlffln  ;  1833,  Thomas  Hadley  and  Amzl  Wil- 
son; 1835,  Brastus  Smith  and  Elisha  Blackman;  1836,  Samuel  Hogdon 
and  Sylvanus  Heermans ;  1837,  James  Pike  ;  1838,  Judson  W.  Burnham, 
Gilbert  Burrows  and  Elisha  Hitchcock;  1839,  John  Cobb  and  Alva 
Heermans. 

District  number  7  was  at  different  dates  constituted  as 
follows:  1804,  Burlington,  etc.,  townships;  1807,  Wysox 
township;  1809,  Wysox  and  Burlington  townships;  1810, 
Wysox,  Burlington  and  Towanda;  1816,  Abington  and 
Nicholson;  1818,  Abington,  Greenfield  and  Nicholson; 
in  1826  a  part  of  Falls  township  was  added.  The  fol- 
lowing were  the  justices  appointed: 

1804,  Isaac  Oliapel  ;  1805,  Reuben  Hale  and  Reed  Brockway ;  1807,  Wil- 
liam Myer  and  Bliphalet  Mason  ;  1800,  George  Scott ;  1810,  Asa  C.  Whlt^ 
uey;  1816,  Nathan  Bacon;  1818,  Lemuel  Stone;  1823,  Caleb  Roberts; 
1826,  Samuel  Vail ;  1830,  Benjamin  F.  Bailey  and  John  Maroy  ;  1831,  John 
Lowry  ;  1834,  Thomas  Smith  ;  1837,  Peter  Corselius. 


=.^ 


ORGANIZATION  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


57 


In  1820  district  number  8  consisted  of  Tunkhannock, 
Brainlrini,  Eaton  and  Windham  townships;  for  ten  years 
from  1825,  of  the  same  and  part  of  Falls  township  ;  1835, 
Tunkhannock,  Braintrim,  Eaton,  Windham  and  part  of 
Falls  townships;  Monroe  township  was  added  in  1837  and 
Washington  in  1838.     The  list  of  justices  follows: 

I8OT,  Parley  Cobiini;  1830,  Elishii  Hardiiia,  .ii-.;  1833,  Alfred  Hiiie  ;  WU, 
Jasper  Fassett ;  1825,  Miles  Avery  and  Lu man  Fon-y;  1820,  Ezekiel  Mow- 
ry ;  18:iO,  MoFes  Overfleld,  Isaac  Laeey,  jr.,  and  Daniel  lUeks  ;  1831,  Wil- 
liam S.  Jayne;  1833,  James  Brown;  1834,  James  Kelly;  ISK,  Selinyler 
Fassett  and  Henry  Osterhout ;  ls;!T,  Elihu  I'arrish  and  Chauncey  T.  (Jay- 
lord;  1838,  Peter  M.  Osterhout,  Timothy  M.  Wbitconib,  Edward  liuck 
and  Geoi'se  Mowry  ;  1S39,  Milo  fJay. 

Justices  were  commissioned  as  follows  for  district  num- 
ber 9,  consisting  of  Rush  and  Bridgewater  townships: 

1808,  Asa  Di mock  and  Salmon  Boswcn'tli ;  1809,  Isaac  Broivnson  and 
Joshua  Waldo  llaynsford. 

Nicholson,   Willingborough    and    Lawsville    townships 

composed  the  loth  district,  for  which  the  justices  were: 

1804,  Thomas  Tiffany  ;  1805,  Hosea  Tittany  ;  1810,  William  Thompson. 

Under  the  constitution  of  1838  justices  of  the  peace 
and  aldermen  were  elected  in  cities,  boroughs  and  town- 
ships to  serve  for  five  years,  and  under  tlie  act  of  As- 
sembly of  the  2rst  of  June,  1S39,  the  first  election 
took  place  in  1840. 

Under  the  constitution  of  1873  justices  of  the  peace 
and  aldermen  were  to  be  elected  for  five  years,  and  under 
the  act  of  Assembly  of  the  22nd  of  March,  1877,  com- 
missions were  to  take  effect  from  the  first  Monday  of 
May,  the  governor  having  power  to  appoint  to  vacan- 
cies up  to  30  days  after  the  next  municipal  election. 

The  justices  for  townships,  and  aldermen  for  boroughs 
under  the  constitution  of  1838  and  subsequent  enact- 
ments will  be  found  in  the  township,  borough  and  city 
histories. 

When  this  region,  by  the  Trenton  decree  of  1782, 
finally  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania,  it 
became  a  part  of  the  county  of  Northumberland  (county 
seat  Sunbury  I,  which  had  been  taken  in  1772  from  North- 
ampton (county  seat  Easton),  the  latter  covering  a  large 
section  of  the  original  county  of  Bucks,  from  which  it 
was  formed  in   1752. 

"To  extend  to  the  remote  settlement  at  Wyoming  the 
advantage  of  civil  government,  in  which  they  might  par- 
ticipate, affording  them  an  opportunity  to  administer 
their  local  affairs  by  persons  having  the  confidence  of  the 
inhabitants,  chosen  by  themselves;  to  give  the  people  an 
efficient  representation  in  the  council  and  Assembly.,  so 
that  their  voice  might  be  heard,  their  interests  explained 
and  their  influence  fairly  appreciated,"  a  new  county  was 
formed  on  the  26th  of  September,  1786,  from  part  of  the 
territory  of  Northumberland.  It  was  named  Luzerne  from 
the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne,  a  most  popular  minister 
from  the  French  court  during  the  Revolution  and  for 
many  years  afterward  a  prominent  figure  in  the  public 
eye;  and  was  bounded  as  follows  :  "  Beginning  at  the 
mouth  of  Nescopeck  creek,  and  running  along  the  south 
bank  thence  eastward  to  the  head  of  said  creek;  from 
thence  a  due  east  course  to  the  head  branch  of  Lehigh 
creek;  thence  along  the  east  bank  of  said  Lehigh  creek 
to  the  head   thereof;  from    thence  a  due  north  course  to 


the  northern  boundary  of  the  State;  thence  westward 
along  said  boundary  until  it  crosses  the  east  branch  of 
Susquehanna,  and  then  along  the  said  northern  boundary 
fifteen  miles  west  of  the  said  river  Susquehanna;  thence 
by  a  straight  line  to  the  head  of  Towanda;  thence  along 
the  ridge  which  di\ides  the  waters  of  the  east  branch  of 
the  Susquehanna  from  those  of  the  west  branch,  to  a 
point  due  west  from  the  mouth  of  the  Nescopeck;  thence 
east  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

The  act  creating  the  county  provided  for  an  election 
on  the  second  Tuesday  of  the  following  October,  to 
choose  county  officers  and  representatives  in  the  Legis- 
lature; and  that  Zebulon  Butler,  Nathaniel  Landon, 
Jonah  Rogers,  Simon  Spalding  and  John  Phillips  should 
be  a  commission  to  buy  a  site  for  the  county  buildings. 

On  the  27tli  of  May,  1787,  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas 
convened  for  its  first  session  at  the  house  of  Zebulon 
Butler,  corner  of  Northampton  and  River  streets, 
Wilkes-Barre.  The  justices  constituting  the  court  were 
William  Hooker  Smith,  Benjamin  Carpenter  and  James 
Nesbit.  They  admitted  to  practice  as  attorneys  Ebenezer 
Bowman,  Putnam  Catlin,  Roswell  Wells  and  AVilliam 
Nichols.  Colonel  Timothy  Pickering  was  commissioned 
prothonotary  of  the  court,  surrogate  and  county  clerk. 

The  original  territory  of  Luzerene  county  was  first  re- 
duced by  the  annexation  of  a  part  to  Lycoming  county 
in  1804;  in  1S08  its  boundaries  were  extended  south  of 
Nescopeck  creek;  in  1810  Susquehanna  and  part  of 
Bradford  were  taken  off,  and  in  1S42  Wyoming;  and  in 
1856  the  present  southern  boundary  was  established  by 
the  annexation  of  part  of  Foster  township  to  Carbon 
county.  The  latest  and  most  important  change  was  the 
creation  of  Lackawanna  county,  of  which  an  account  is 
given  in  the  history  of  that  county. 

In  1790  the  county  court  di\idcd  the  cor.nty  into  eleven 
townships.  These  retained  the  old  names  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Pittston,  Hanover,  Newport,  Exeter,  Plymouth, 
Kingston,  Salem,  Tioga,  Wyalusing  and  Tunkhannock, 
but  the  territory  of  those  townships,  which  had  existed 
under  the  Connecticut  jurisdiction  was  extended.  The 
further  formation  and  modification  of  townships  are  de- 
scribed in  the  township  histories. 

The  commissioners,  named  above,  to  procure  a  site 
for  county  buildings  made  choice  of  the  public  square  in 
Wilkes-Barre;  and  in  1791  there  was  erected  a  two-story 
hewn  log  building,  about  sixty  feet  long  and  half  as  wide, 
of  which  the  second  story  was  the  court-room  (approached 
by  steps  outside),  and  the  lower  floor  was  for  the  jail  and 
the  jailer. 

This  structure  gave  way  in  x8oi  for  the  building  of  a 
new  court  house  on  the  same  site.  The  old  one  was  oc- 
cupied, however,  during  the  construction  of  the  new. 
which  was  finished  in  1S04,  when  the  log  building  became 
the  Wilkes-Barre  Academy. 

The  new  co-irt-house,  which  was  in  the  shape  of  across 
and  had  a  low  tower  and  a  belfry  in  the  center  of  the 
roof,  cost  $9,356.06,  and  was  used  more  than  fifty  years. 
In  the  year  after  the  commencement  of  its  construction 
a  jail  was  built  on  the  corner  of  Market  and  Washington 


A, 

4= 


<h 


58 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


streets,  and  between  i8og  and  1812   a   fireproof  building 
for  the  county  records,  the  three  costing  about  $24,000. 

In  1835  the  Legislature  authorized  the  erection  of  the 
present  court-house,  and  its  corner  stone  w:ls  laid  August 
i2th,  1S56.  Under  the  supervision  chiefly  of  Benjamin 
F.  Pfauts,  William  A.  Tubbs  and  Silas  Dodson  it  was 
completed  and  furnished  at  a  cost  of  $85,000.  The  ar- 
chitect was  J.  C.  Wells,  of  New  York,  and  the  builder  T>. 
A.  Fell.  Provision  is  made  in  this  building  for  the  pub- 
lic offices,  which  formerly  occupied  a  separate  one. 

The  jail  begun  in  1802  ser\'ed  until  i8;o,  although  long 
before  that  time  it  had  proved  inadecjuate  to  the  de- 
mands upon  it  and  was  unworthy  of  the  advanced  ])Osi- 
tion  of  the  commonwealth  in  the  matter  of  ])rison  disci- 
pline. 

On  the  2nd  of  April,  1867,  the  contract  for  the  build- 
ing of  a  new  jail  was  awarded  to  Lewis  Havens,  at  ,$189,- 
575.  On  the  i8th  of  August,  1870,  the  sheriff  was  or- 
dered to  remove  the  prisoners  to  this  jail,  and  on  the  4tli 
of  November  in  the  same  year  the  building  was  accepted 
from  the  contractor.  An  expenditure  of  $18,500.93 
above  the  contract  price  was  incurred  for  additional  and 
extra  work.  From  a  report  furnished  by  the  clerk  of  the 
county  commissioners  it  appears  that  the  building  and 
furniture  cost  $302,536.92.  It  is  located  above  North 
street,  between  River  street  and  the  Susquehanna,  in  the 
city  of  Wilkes-Barre.  It  is  built  of  stone  brought  from 
Campbell's  ledge,  opposite  Pittston.  It  occupies  a  lot  of 
five  acres,fand  the  building  covers  three-fourths  of  an 
acre.  It  is  a  fireproof  structure,  and  it  is  at  the  same 
time  substantially  and  tastefully  built  and  elegantly 
painted  inside.  It  has  in  both  wings  seventy-two  cells, 
thirty-two  of  which  are  double,  sufficient  in  all  for  104 
prisoners. 

The  building  is  heated  by  three  furnaces,  and  all  the 
cooking  and  heating  of  water  are  done  by  them.  It  is 
ventilated  by  a  fan,  which  is  propelled  by  an  engine — pre- 
cisely as  coal  mines  are  ventilated. 

There  are  few,  if  any,  prisons  in  this  portion  of  the 
State  that  are  equal  to  this  in  the  excellence  of  their  con- 
struction and  arrangements,  especially  with  regard  to 
cleanliness  and  healthfulness. 

Under  the  old  State  syf,;jm  each  city,  borough  and 
township  maintained  and  cared  for  the  poor  within  its 
limits.  About  the  year  1858,  the  question  of  erecting  a 
county  poor-house  was  submitted  to  the  people  in  ac- 
cordance with  an  act  of  Assembly,  and  decided  in  the 
negative.  By  special  legislation  portions  of  the  county 
were  then  erected  into  poor  districts,  each  under  a  special 
act. 

In  i860,  by  an  act  of  Assembly,  the  township  of 
Wilkes-Barre  was  made  a  poor  district  and  a  farm  was 
purchased  in  the  township  of  Newport,  about  four  miles 
below  Nanticoke,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  In  i86r 
the  Central  poor  district  of  Luzerne  county  was  incor- 
porated. This  district  embraces  the  townships  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Plains,  Kingston,  Plymouth,  Hanover  and  New- 
port, the  boroughs  of  Kingston,  Plymouth,  Ashley,  Sugar 
Notch  and  Nanticoke,  and  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre. 


In  1863  the  first  poor-house  was  built,  on  the  farm 
purchased  by  Wilkes-Barre  in  i860.  It  was  a  framed 
building  35  by  74  feet,  three  stories  in  height  above  the 
basement,  which  was  finished  for  cooking  and  dining 
apartments.  This  with  the  old  farm  house  and  a  small 
kitchen  constituted  the  poor-house  up  to  1879,  when 
another  building  was  erected.  This  was  of  brick,  35  by 
76  feet,  three  stories  in  height,  with  a  finished  basement, 
which  is  used  as  a  laundry.  The  female  paupers  occupy 
this  building,  the  old  wooden  structure  being  used  exclu- 
sively for  males. 

This  was  incorporated  on  the  8th  of  May,  1857,  under 
the  corporate  name  of  "  The  Poor  District  of  Jenkins 
township,  Pittston  borough  and  Pittston  township."  The 
first  directors  were  John  D.  Stark,  Peter  Winters,  William 
Ford  and  Ebenezer  Drake. 

This  board  of  directors  in  1857  purchased  a  farm  of 
160  acres  in  the  township  of  Ransom,  now  in  the  county 
of  Lackawanna.  The  farm  house  standing  on  this  farm 
was  used  as  a  poor-house  till  the  year  1877,  when  the 
present  fine  brick  structure  was  erected.  This  is  three 
stories  in  height  above  the  basement,  which  is  used  as  a 
kitchen  and  place  of  work.  The  building  is  capable  of 
accommodating  one  hundred  paupers.  The  present 
directors  are  Paul  Bohan,  L.  C.  Hessler,  F'rancis  Yates 
and  Charles  Banker. 

Criminals  convicted  of  capital  offenses  have  been  exe- 
cuted at  Wilkes-Barre  as  follows:  July  ist,  1779,  Michael 
Rosebury,  by  order  of  General  Sullivan,  for  instigating 
desertions  from  the  latter's  command;  James  Cadden, 
March  2nd,  1849,  for  the  murder  of  Daniel  Gilligan 
below  Wilkes-Barre;  Reese  Evans,  September  gth,  1853, 
for  shooting  Lewis  Reese  on  the  Kingston  flats  in  order 
to  rob  him;  James  Quinn,  April  21st,  1854,  for  the  murder 
of  Mahala  \Viggins  on  the  canal  near  the  Nanticoke  dam; 
William  Muller,  April  30th,  1858,  for  the  murder  of 
George  Mathias,  a  few  miles  from  Wilkes-Barre,  on  the 
Easton  road. 

In  1790  Luzerne  county  had  a  population  of  4,904;  in 
1800,  12,839;  181°.  18,109;  1S20  (after  the  formation  of 
Susquehanna  and  Bradford\  20,027:  1830,27,305;  1840, 
44,006;  1850  (after  the  formation  of  ^^'5oming  county\ 
56,072;  1860,90,254;  1870,160,755. 

In  the  early  history  of  political  parties  in  this  county, 
the  Federalists,  who  favored  a  strong  national  govern- 
ment, had  a  large  majority.  Within  the  memory  of  the 
present  generation  the  Democrats  have  oftenest  had  the 
ascendency.  Below  will  be  found  lists  of  the  citizens 
who  have  administered  the  affairs  of  the  county  and 
represented  it  in  various  legislative  bodies. 

In  the  spring  after  the  formation  of  the  town  of  West- 
moreland Zebulon  Butler  and  Timothy  Smith,  and  in  the 
autumn  of  that  year  Christopher  Avery  and  John  Jenkins 
appeared  before  the  Assembly  of  Connecticut  on  behalf 
of  the  new  town.  Timothy  Smith  had  attended  the  last 
three  previous  sessions;  Joseph  Sluman  the  last  two  and 
John  Jenkins  the  last  one.  Captain  Butler  and  Joseph 
Sluman  were  the  next  representatives  in  that  body  of 
whom  we  find  record.     Butler  was  also  a  member  in   the 


<^ 


OFFICERS  AND  RIOPRFSENTATIVES  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


59 


autumn  session  of  1775,  in  which  Major  Ezekiel  Pierce 
was  his  colleague,  and  in  the  spring  session  of  1776  we 
find  John  Jenkins  and  Solomon  Strong.  Colonel  Nathan 
Denison  was  a  member  in  the  spring  sessions  of  17 78  and 
1779,  and  the  autumn  sessions  of  1776,  i77Sand  1S80. 
John  Jenkins  and  Isaac  Tripp  were  the  Asseml)l5'men  at 
both  sessions  of  1777;  Anderson  Dana  in  the  spring,  and 
Asahel  Buck  in  the  October  session  of  1778.  John 
Hurlbiit  served  in  the  spring  sessions  of  1779,  1780  and 
1781.  and  the  autumn  session  of  1780.  Jonathan  Filch 
was  a  member  in  the  spring  sessions  of  1780,  1781  and 
178?,  and  the  autumn  session  of  1782.  (Jbadiah  Gore 
and  John  Franklin  were  the  members  at  the  spring  ses- 
sion of  1 78 1,  and  the  former  attended  both  sessions  in 
1782. 

John  Sherman  of  Westmoreland  was  appointed  judge 
of  probate  and  justice  of  the  peace  for  Litchfield  county, 
Conn.,  in  1775. 

Stewart  Pearce  gives  the  following  list  of  piesident 
judges  after  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1790: 
Jacob  Rush,  1791-1806;  Thomas  Cooper,  1806-11;  Seth 
Chapman,  1S11-13;  John  B.  Gibson,  1813-10;  Thomas 
Burnside,  1816-1S;  David  Scott,iSi8-38;  William  Jessup. 
1838-41;  John  N.  Conyngham,  1841-70.  Garrick  M. 
Harding  was  the  incumbent  in  1870-79.  Charles  E.  Rice 
was  commissioned  in  January,  1880. 

LTnder  the  act  of  June  27th,  1867,  creating  the  office 
of  additional  law  judge  in  Luzerne  county,  H.  M.  Hoyt 
was  appointed  to  that  office.  At  the  election  the  same 
year  E.  L.  Dana  was  elected  for  the  term  of  ten  years. 
John  Handley  was  elected  under  an  act  giving  still 
another  law  judge  to  the  county.  In  1877  W.  H,  Stanton 
was  elected.  He  resigned  in  about  a  year.  In  1879 
Charles  E.  Rice  was  elected,  but  was  commissioned  pres- 
ident judge  in  January,  1880,  and  Stanley  Woodard  was 
appointed  additional  law  judge. 

Lip  to  i860  this  county  belonged  to  a  Congressional 
district  which  also  included  Berks,  Bucks,  Northampton, 
Northumberland  and  other  counties.  The  first  repre- 
sentative from  Luzerne  county,  David  Scott,  of  Wikes- 
Barre,  was  elected  in  1816.  He  resigned  on  being 
appointed  president  judge.  Representatives  from  the 
district  including  Luzerne  county  have  since  been  chosen 

as  follows: 

1818, 1H20,  George  Denison  iiml  .John  JMiii-ray;  ]S3()-33,  Cox  Ellis,  Ccorse 
Kreainer,  Siimuel  McKenn,  Pliilandev  Stephens,  Lrivis  Downrt  and  A- 
Marr;  18.33  (Luzerne  and  Coliiinbia),  l.'<!4,  Andro«-  Jiraiiinont ;  Wili,  IKil'i, 
David  Petrekin;  1840,  ISfcJ.  Bon.1aniin  A.  BidlacU-;  1x44,  Owen  I).  Lcilj ; 
1840, 1848,  Chester  TitMev;  1850  (Lnzerno,  Wyoming-,  I'olninbia  and  Mon- 
tour), 1854,  Henry  M.  Fuller;  isi^,  Hendriek  n.  Wright;  isr,!!,  J.jbn  G. 
Montgomery— died,  and  was  succeeded  the  next  your  by  Paul  Leidy ; 
1858, 1800,  Geort'o  W.  Scnuiton— died  during  hia  second  ternj,  and  I-I.  B. 
Wright  was  chosen  at  a  special  election  in  .Tune,  1801 ;  1803  (Luzerne  and 
Susquehanna),  1801,  Charles  Denison ;  1803,  George  W.  Woodard  ;  18T3, 
Lazarus  D.  Shoemaker;  1870,  Wiiilhrop  W.  Ketchain  ;  18T;,  VT.  It.  Stan- 
ton ;  1878,  Hendriek  B.  Wright. 

Members  of  the  upper  house  of  the  Legislature  have 
been  chosen  from  the  district  including  Luzerne  county 
as  follows: 

Cuum-fl.— 1787  89,  Nathan  Denison  ;  1780  (October  .'ioth),  170(1,  Loi-d  Sut- 
ler. Sciifltf.— 1700  (Luzerne,  Northumberland  and  Huntington),  William 
Montgomery;  1703,  William  Hepburn;  1704  (Luzerne,  Northumberland 
Mifflin  and  Lycoming),  George  Wilson;  17O0  (same  district),  Sanuiol  Dale  ; 
1708,  Samnel  McClay ;  Isoo,  .Tames  Harris  ;  1801  (Luzerne,  Northam|)tun 


and  Wiiyne),  .Tonas  Ilartzell;  ISO:),  Thomas  McWhortcr;  ISOS,  William 
Lattiniore;  1807,  Jtatthias  Gross;  1808  (Luzerne  and  Northumlierland), 
Nathan  Palmer;  1810,  .Tames  Laird;  ISI3,  William  lloss;  1814  (Luzerne, 
Ncnihumberhuid,  Union,  (lolumljia  and  Susiiuohanna),  Q.'hoinas  Murray, 
.1r.;  1810,  Charles  T'^razer;  1818,  .«!mcni  Sn,yder ;  1830,  Redmond  Conyng- 
ham; lu8:34  (Luzerne  and  CoUnnbia),  Kobert  Moore;  1828,  18.!0,  .Jacob 
Drumheller;  \iii:l,  ITzal  I-ro|)kins;  IKW  (Luzerne,  Monroe,  AVayne  and 
Pike),  Ebenezer  Kingsliuvy,  .ir.;  IS;!!),  .'i.  P.  Headlej-;  1841,  Luther  Kidder; 
1844  (Luzerne  and  ColumliiMi,  William  S.  Itoss;  1847,  Valentine  Best;  1»M 
(Luzerne,  Columbia  and  Mimtmirl,  ]8.5;J,  Charles  Ji.  Buckalew  ;  IWII. 
George  P.  Steele;  isr.o  (laizernc),  Winthrop  W.  Kcteham;  1«03,  .J.  B.  Stark; 
180.'),  L.  n.  Shoeumker;  1808,  Samuel  .I.Turner;  1871  (Luzerne,  Monroe  and 
Pike).  Fj-aucis  D.  Collins,  .Vibi'it  G.  Brodhead  ;  1873,  George  H.  Rowland; 
1874,  D.  H.  Stallion,  H.  1).  I'avne;  1877,  E,  C.  Wadhams,  .1.  IS.  Seamans. 

Members  of  the  lower  house  of  the  Legislature  have 
been  sent  from  the  district  including  or  consisting  of 
Luzerne  county  as  follows,  the  district  comprising  Lu- 
zerne, Bradford  and  Susquehanna  from  1814  to  1828, 
inclusive: 

.John  Paul  Schott,  1787;  Obadiah  (J ore,  1788-00;  Simon  Spalding:,  1701, 
1703;  Ebeuezer  Bowman,  170:! ;  Benjamin  Carpenter,  1704  ;  .John  Frank- 
lin, 1705, 1700, 17'.IO-!80;i;  lioswell  Wells,  1707,1708,1803, 1804-0;  Lord  Butler, 
1801 ;  .John  .leniciiis,  130:1;  Jonas  Ingham,  1804;  Nathan  Beach,  18115, 1807; 
Moses  Coolhaush,  1800;  Charles  INMner,  1807,  1808,1813;  Benjamin  Dor- 
ranee,  1808-10,  1813,  1SI4, 1810, 18:30,  l,s;!0  ;  Thomas  Graham,  ]8(KI-11 ;  Jona- 
than Stevens,  1811 ;  Jabez  Il.vde,  jr.,  and  .Toseph  Pruner,  1S];J  (Luzerne 
and  Susquehanna);  Putnam  Catlin,  1814;  Redmond  Conyngham,  1815; 
Geoige  Denison,  1815,  1810,  1S37-:10;  Jonah  Brewster,  1810-19;  .Tames 
Reeder,  1817,  1818;  Curnelins  Cortright,  1830,1.831,183:5;  Andrew  Beau- 
mont, 1831,  18!H,  1810;  Jabez  Hyde,  jr.,  1833,  Wli;  Jacob  Drumheller,  .ir., 
1833-:;4;  Philander  Stevens,  18:;4-30:  G.  M.  Hollenbaek,  1834,  1835;  Samuel 
Tiiomas,  J83.'i,  l8:;o;  Garriek  Hhillery,  18.30-30;  Almon  H.  Rrad,  1837;  Isaac 
Post,  1828;  Albeit  tl.  Brodhead,  I8:!l-:!:i;  Nicholas  Overlield,  ]8:!1 ;  Chester 
llutler,  18:13, 18.18,  ls;!o,  l,sj:i;  Ziba  Bennett,- 18:!.!,  I.s:34;  B.  A.  Bidlack,  lS;i4, 
18;K;  .lames  Ncsbilt,  jr.,  l.s;!5  ;  I-leiu-y  Stark,  18:j0,  18:i7  ;  William  C.  Uey- 
nold,s,  ls;i6,  WJT;  John  Sturdevanf,  IWS;  Joseph  Griffin,  18:50;  Andrew 
Cortright,  1840, 1841;  Hendriek  I!.  WL-ight,  1840-43;  iMoscs  OverHeld,  1843; 
William  Mori-lfleU),  184:!-45;  .Tames  S.  Ciunpbeil,  1844,  1845;  Nathan  Jack- 
son, 1840;  George  Fcnstevmaeher,  1S40;  Samuel  nenedict,  1847 ;  James 
W.  Golf,  1847  ;  Henry  M.  Fuller,  1848;  Thomas  Gillespie,  1.S48  ;  .lohn  N. 
( 'onynghan.  184!);  Jiimes  \V.  Ilhodes,  18.50, 1851;  Silas  S.  Benedict,  1.s.50,1.8i)l; 
Trumiui  -\therton,  IS'):;,  185:5;  Abi-am  li.  Dunning,  1853-54 ;  Gideon  W. 
Palmer,  1S51 ;  Harrison  Wright,  18.55;  Henderson  Gaylord,  1.855;  Steuben 
Jcidcins,  1s-,ii,  1S57;  Thomas  Smith,  18i5o  ;  Samuel  G.  Turner,  18.57  ;  P.  C. 
Gritman,  18,57,  18.58;  Lewis  Pnghe,  ls.58, 1800;  Winlhi'Op  VV.  Ketchain,  1858; 
John  Stone.  1850;  l'e:-:r  Byrne,  18,50, 1800;  Dyer  L.  niapin,  1850;  H.  B.  Hill- 
man,  1800;  William  ;■.  Ile«s,  ISOl ;  It.  F.  Russell,  1801 ;  H.  V.  Hall,  ISO!  ; 
S.  w.  Trimmer,  1803;  .r;ii.'.  Uebinson,  180:.',  18o:j ;  Peter  Walsh,  1803, 
l.so-5,  Harr.\-  Hakes,  1;-"l,  1804;  Anthony  Grady,  1804,  1805;  D.  F. 
Seybert,  1^1,  1805;  D.  S.  Koon,  180.5,  1800;  William  Breiuian,  1800, 
1807;  .Tnines  JIcHenry.  1800,  1807;  Samuel  F.  Bossard,  1807,  1808,  1809; 
Daniel  L.  ii'Neil,  l.sos,  isii!);  \athan  (5.  Wrestler,  1.808, 1800;  S.  W.  Keenc, 
1.870,1871;  George  Coray,  1870, 1871  ;  John  F.  McMahon,  1870  ;  Richard 
A\'illiams,  187),  1873;  Patiiek  Delacey,  1873, 187:5;  I'oter  (,)uigley,  1872, 1873 ; 
B.  D.  Koons,  1873,  187:5 ;  R.  P.  Kisner,  187:5  ;  Thomas  Waddcll,  1874;  A.  L. 
Crcssler,  1871:  T.  W.  Loft  us,  1;"4;  U.  Crogan,  1874;  Charles  A.  Miner,  187.5- 
8IJ;  T.  H.  11.  Lewis,  1875,  ISTli;  J.  .1,  Shonk,  1875-78;  J.  C.  Fincher,  1875,1870; 
.Tames  IMcAsey,  187.5,  1870;  F.  W.  Gllnster,  1875,  1870;  M.  F.  Synott,  187.5, 
1.870;  C.  R.  Gorman,  1870,  isiii;  T.  W.  Loltus,  187.5,  1870  ;  Jcdin  B.  Smith, 
1877-80;  Charles  JfcCarron,  1877, 1878 ;  George  Judge,  1877, 1878  ;  James  A. 
Kiersted,  1877,  1878;  D.  M.  Jones,  1.877,  1878;  A.  I.  Ackerly,  1877,  1878, 
1.87'J,  1.8.80;  S.  S.  Jones,  1877,  187.S;  W.  H.  Hines,  1870,  1880;  George  W. 
Di-uin,  1870, 1,8,S0;  Dennis  O'Lenilian,  1.870,  1880;  John  E.  Barrett,  1.870, 
18,80;  T.  D.  Lewis,  1870, 17.SI) ;  Thnimis  Jluoncy,  1870,  1.880. 

The  following  will  be  found  a  correct  list  of  all  the 
sheriffs  of  Luzerne  county  from  its  organization  up  to 
1880.     The  year  in  which  e;  :  '.1  was  elected  is  given: 

Lord  IJutler,  1787;  Jes^e  Fell,  178!);  John  Franklin,  1703;  William  Slo- 
cum,1705;  Arnold  Colt,  1708 ;  llen.jamin  Dorrancc,  1801 ;  James  Wheeler, 
1804;  Jacob  Hai-t,  1807;  Jabez  Hyde,  jr.,  1810;  Elijah  Shoemaker,  1813; 
Stephen  N'an  Loon,  I.SIO ;  Isaac  liownian,  1810;  Jonathan  Bulkely,  1823; 
Napthali  Hurlbiu-t,  18:;5;  Oliver  llelme,  1838;  Thomas  Karkuff,  elected 
in  Octobei-,  1831,  died  in  a  I'ew  hours  after  he  was  sworn  in,  and  Benja- 
niiii  Reynolds  was  appcnnted  by  the  governor  to  the  vacancy  for  one 
year  or  until  the  next  election,  when  .Tames  Nesbitt  was  elected  in  Octo- 
ber, ls:i2.  and  ser\cd  until  18:55;  'I'lmmas  Jlyors,  18:55;  ( 'aleb .Vtherton,  1838; 
George  P.  Steele,  1841 ;  James  W.  Goir,  1844 ;  Williiim  Koons,  1847 ;  G ideon 
A.  Palmei-,  18.50;  Abrain  Drum,  18.5:5  ;  .lasper  B.  Stn-k,  1850;  Samuel  Van 
Loon,  18.50;  Samuel  B.  Patcrbaugh,  1803;  Joseph  S.  Van  Leer,  1805; 
James  W.  Rlioads,  1808;  Aai-on  Whitakcr,  1,871;  William  P.  Kirkendall, 
1874  ;  P.  J.  fCeiiny,  1877. 


6o 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


LOCAL    MILITARY    ORGANIZATIONS — SERVICE    IN    CANADA 
AND    MEXICO    AND    AT    HOME. 


pT  does  not  appear  that  previous  to  the  Revo- 
lutionary war  there  existed  in  the  Wyoming 
valley  any  regular  military  organization. 
As  a  historian  of  •  those  times  (James  A. 
Gordon)  has  said,  "  Every  settler  was  practi- 
cally an  independent  company  of  himself.  He 
carried  his  own  rifle,  marched  generally  under  the 
orders  of  the  '  town  meeting  '  either  against  the  Indian, 
Pennamite  or  tory,  as  the  case  might  be;  furnished  his 
own  rations  and  ammunition,  and  paid  himself  from  his 
own  military  chest — if  he  had  one.  But  after  the  Decla- 
ration of  Independence  the  State  of  Connecticut  as- 
sumed the  military  control  of  this  region,  and  two  com- 
panies were  raised  here  under  her  authority." 

Even  after  the  decree  of  Trenton,  by  wliich  Pennsyl- 
vania acquired  territorial  jurisdiction,  no  organization 
except  of  voluntary  unauthorized  companies  for  resist- 
ance to  the  Pennamites  existed  prior  to  1786.  In  that 
year  the  county  of  Luzerne  was  organized,  and  the  mili- 
tia laws  of  Pennsylvania  were  extended  over  it,  as  in 
other  portions  of  the  State.  A  brigade  and  regiments 
were  formed  here,  and  from  the  record  of  his  commis- 
sion in  the  recorder's  office,  bearing  date  April  nth, 
1793,  it  appears  that  Jesse  Fell  was  appointed  brigade 
inspector  for  a  term  of  seven  years. 

Now  this  same  Jesse  Fell  was  a  Quaker,  recently  from 
Bucks  county;  yet,  notwithstanding  he  was  a  professed 
noncombatant,  he  donned  the  regular  uniform,  with  the 
appropriate  feathers,  and,  mounted  on  his  charger,  per- 
formed the  functions  required  of  him,  much  to  the  cha- 
grin of  the  "meeting"  to  which  he  belonged. 

The  following  notice  is  found  in  the  files  of  the  ]\'ilkcs- 
£arre  Gazette,  under  the  date  of  January  i6th,  1798: 

"Militia. — The  Militia  officers  commanding  compa- 
nies in  the  Luzerne  county  brigade,  who  have  not  made 
returns  of  the  absentees  on  the  company  and  regimental 
days  in  October  last,  are  requested  to  complete  their  re- 
turns by  the  first  day  of  February  next;  and  those  per- 
sons liable  by  law  to  militia  duty  charged  with  fines  as 
absentees  are  requested  to  make  payment  by  the  day 
aforesaid,  or  they  must  pay  the  fees  of  collecting. 

"Jesse  Fell,  Brigade  Inspector." 

It  thus  appears  that  those  liable  to  military  duty  were 
required  to  meet  for  "training  "  two  days  each  year,  un- 
der penalty. 

Among  the  old  manuscripts  in  the  possession  of  Steu- 
ben Jenkins  is  the  record  of  a  draft  made  from  the  com- 
panies of  the  third  regiment  in  January,  1794,  and  another 
in  October,  1797;  but  it  does  not  appear  for  what  pur- 
poses these  drafts  were  made.  As  elsewhere  stated,  the 
militia  of  the  State  was  reorganized  in  1822. 

To  meet  emergencies  which  arose  from  time  to  time 


volunteer  companies  were  organized  in  Luzerne  county. 
Such  organizations  did  service  in  the  suppression  of  the 
whiskey  insurrection,  during  the  prospect  of  war  with 
France  in  1800,  and  in  the  war  of  1812. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century  several  inde- 
pendent military  organizations  existed  here  at  different 
times.  The  earliest  among  these  of  which  anything  is 
known  was  the 

WYOMING    BLUES. 

This  company,  which   it  appears  originated  about  the 

close  of  the  last  century,  had  a  prosperous  existence  for 

some  years.     Gordon  says: 

*'  The  members  of  this  company  were  made  up  of  the  Wi7e  of  Wilkes- 
Bane  and  its  immediate  TJcinity.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  complete 
muster  roll  cannot  now  be  made  up.  It  is  barely  possible  that  a  roll  of 
its  organic  members  maybe  found  in  the  adjutant  general's  ofHce  at 
Harrisburg,  but  not  probable.  My  tirst  personal  memory  of  the  com- 
pany was  in  the  spring  of  180.5.  Joseph  Slocum  was  then  captain,  and  I 
suppose  he  was  their  first  commander  under  their  legal  organization. 
They  were  then  in  full  uniform,  and  had  a  flag  ;  not  the  star  spangled 
banner,  but  a  flag  bearing  the  coat  of  arms  of  Pennsylvania,  represent- 
ing 'the  lion  and  the  unicorn  fighting  for  the  crown  '  over  the  body  of 
the  American  eagle.  Benjamin  Perry  was  the  bearer  of  that  standai-d 
at  that  time.  I  think  Isaac  Bowman  was  the  lieutenant.  Thej' met  on 
this  occasion  for  inspection  and  drill.  J  remember  seeing  on  that  parade 
.Joseph  Slocum,  captain  :  Isaac  Bowman,  lioutcnant ;  Benjamin  Perry, 
sergeant ;  and  the  latter  seemed  to  have  more  to  do  and  say  in  the  fix- 
ing up  than  anybody  else.  Of  those  in  the  ranks  I  remember  Charles 
Minor,  Matthew  Corel,  Thomas  Duane,  Thomas  Wright,  jr.,  Sidney 
Tracy,  Jchoida  P.  Johnson,  Arnold  Colt,  Peter  Yarrington,  Josiah 
AVright  and  Zebulon  Butler,  jr.  Colonel  Benjamin  Dorrance  was  about, 
but  not  in  the  ranks  nor  in  uniform." 

Mr.  Gordon  then  sketches  the  feast  which  followed 
"at  John  P.  Arndt's  old  Red  Tavern  on  River  street," 
and  continues; 

"  In  l.SOS  Isaac  Bowman  was  elected  captain,  Charles  Miner  and  Benja- 
min Perry  lieutenants,  and  I  think  Godfrey  Perr3'  sergeant.  I  speak 
from  memory.  I  was  present  at  their  first  meeting  after  the  election. 
It  took  place  on  Bowman's  Hill,  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  the  captain's 
residence,  where  now  lives  Mrs.  A.  H.  Bowman.  On  that  occasion  Cap- 
tain Bowman  treated  the  company  to  a  liberal  collation,  and  everybody 
was  in  good  humor  and  fine  spirits.  In  the  manual  drill  Joseph  Slocum, 
ex-citptain,  acted  as  fugleman. 

"  From  this  time  until  the  c.vpiration  of  Captain  Bowman's  term  of 
.service  the  Wyoming  Blues  were  regarded  as  the  stiir  company  of 
Northern  Pennsylvania,  and  as  far  as  their  discipline  was  concerned 
could  have  competed  with  any  company  in  the  United  Stittes  ai'my.  Be- 
sides this,  its  membership  was  made  up  of  the  best  blood  of  the  old 
Yankee  settlers  of  Wyoming. 

"  In  1811  an  election  took  place,  and  Zebulon  Butler,  a  son  of  Colonel 
Zebulon  Butler,  of  Revolutionary  fame,  was  elected  citptain." 

After  the  war  of    1812  broke  out  the   existence  of  this 

organization  ceased,  by  reason  of  opposition  in  political 

sentiment  among  its  members. 

FIRST    CAVALRY    COMPANN'. 

In  1801  a  ca\alry  company  existed  in  this  county,  but 
when  it  was  organized,  or  how  long  the  organization  con- 
tinued, has  not  been  ascertained.  Under  the  date  of 
March  in  that  year  a  notice  was  published  requiring  the 
"First  Company  of  Cavalry"  to  meet  at  the  house  of 
Jesse  Fell  on  the  2nd  Saturday  in  April,  at  lo  A.M.  This 
notice  was  over  the  signature  of  "  Eleazer  Blackman, 
Captain." 

THE    KINGSTON    COMPANY. 

Gordon  says  : 

"The  Volunteer  Matross  of  Kingston  was  organized  under  the  command 
of  Henry  Buckingham,  a  merchant  of  Kingston,  recently  from  Connec- 
ticut, probably  about  ISOn,  perhaps  earlier.  Captain  Buckingham   *   *   • 


:^= 


-<¥' 


was  a  most  effloient  officer  in  every  respect,  a  capital  drill-master,  and 
about  the  only  man  in  the  company  who  knew  anything  about  artillery 
practice.  *  *  *  I  remember  as  first  members  under  Captain  Bucking- 
ham, Ziba  Hoyt,  the  father  of  our  present  governor;  Phineas  Under- 
wood, Absalom  Eoberts,  Morris  Cramer,  Alexander  Lord,  William  Pace 
and  Hallet  Gallup.  *  *  *  Their  uniform  was  a  Ions:  tailed  blue,  with 
brass  buttons,  gray  pants  and  gaiters  or  leggings  covering  the  front  of 
the  shoe  by  a  gore.  I  remember  their  first  parade  in  Wilkes-Barre,  in 
1810, 1  think,  with  a  brass  si.v  pounder  which  was  said  to  be  one  of  the 
field  pieces  captured  from  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga.  I  do  not  know,  how- 
ever, that  this  was  a  fact. 

"  On  this  occasion  the  company  occupied  the  public  square  for  their 
parade  ground.  Their  handling  of  their  guns  called  forth  the  highest 
commendations  from  the  spectators,  and  Captain  Samuel  Bowman  said 
of  them  that  they  would  pass  muster  in  any  artillery  corps  in  the 
United  States  army." 

On  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities  between  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain,  in  1812,  the  Matross  promptly 
offered  their  services  to  th.e  government.  The  company- 
then  consisted  of  the  following  men: 

Captain,  Samuel  Thomas ;  1st  lieutenant,  Phineas  Underwood ;  2nd, 
Ziba  Hoyt ;  3rd,  Andrew  Sheets  ;  ensign,  Edward  Gilchrist ;  sergeants- 
John  Carkhuff,  Jacob  Taylor,  Absalom  Roberts,  Henry  Jones,  George 
W.  Smith,  John  Bowman ;  corporals— Christopher  Miner,  Daniel  Coche- 
vour,  Samuel  Parrish,  Bbenezer  Freeman,  John  Blane  ;  gunners- 
Stephen  Evans,  Isaac  HoUister,  John  Prince,  James  Bird,  Morris  Cra- 
mer, Festus  Freeman,  James  Dcvans;  drummer,  Alexander  Lord; 
iifer,  Araba  Amsden  ;  privates— Daniel  Hoover,  John  Daniels,  James  W. 
Barnum,  William  Pace,  James  Bodfish,  Godfrey  Bowman,  Benjamin 
Hall,  Solomon  Parker,  Ezekiel  Hall,  Sylvan  us  Moore,  Hallet  Gallup. 

They  left  Kingston  on  the  13th  of  April,  1813,  and 
embarked  on  a  raft  at  the  mouth  of  Shoup's  creek.  They 
landed  at  Danville,  whence  they  marched,  by  way  of 
Lewiston  and  Bedford,  through  Fayette  county,  recruit- 
ing as  they  went,  and  arrived  at  Erie  95  strong. 

In  the  cannonading  at  Presque  Isle  harbor  the  com- 
pany did  efficient  service.  When  volunteers  were  solic- 
ited to  man  the  fleet  of  Commodore  Oliver  Perry  before 
the  battle  of  Lake  Erie  four  from  this  company,  among 
whom  was  James  Bird,  of  Pittston,  promptly  offered 
themselves,  and  all  distinguished  themselves  by  their 
bravery  in  the  battle.  Bird  was  afterward  tried  by  court 
martial  for  desertion,  convicted  and  shot.  He  had  left 
his  post  to  join  General  Jackson  at  New  Orleans,  and 
though  his  purpose  was  patriotic  and  laudable  he  was 
technically  guilty  of  desertion,  and  the  stern  discipline  of 
war  did  not  relax  in  his  favor. 

After  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie  the  Matross,  which  was 
attached  to  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Hill,  crossed  into 
Canada  and  marched  on  Maiden,  which  the  enemy 
abandoned  on  their  approach.  They  followed  him  to 
Detroit,  which  he  also  evacuated  ;  thence,  under  General- 
Harrison,  they  pursued  him;  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames 
the  Matross  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Ziba  Hoyt, 
Captain  Thomas  having  been  left  with  fourteen  of  his 
inen  at  Detroit. 

A  recruiting  office  was  opened  in  Wilkes-Barre  during 
the  war,  and  many  volunteers  were  sent  to  the  army  from 
this  county.  Infantry  barracks  were  established  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  and  cavalry  barracks  on  Franklin 
street. 

THE    RALLV    IN    1S14. 

In  1814,  when  Baltimore  was  threatened  by  the  Brit- 
ish, five  companies  of  the  militia  of  Luzerne  and  the 
counties  adjoining  marched  for  its  defense.  They  pro- 
ceeded as  far  as  Danville;  when,  on  the  receipt  of  intelli- 


gence of  the  repulse  of  the  enemy,  they  were  ordered  to 
return.  On  this  expedition  went  the  following  detach- 
ments :  From  the  45th  regiment,  Captain  Joseph  Camp, 
Lieutenant  Joseph  Lott,  Ensign  Robert  Reynolds;  129th 
regiment— Captain  Frederick  Bailey  and  Amos  Tiffany, 
Lieutenant  Cyrrel  Giddings,  Ensign  Hiat  Tupper;  irath 
regiment— Captain  George  Hidley,  Lieutenant  John 
Wortman,  Ensign  Abraham  Roberts  ;  35th  regiment- 
Captain  Peter  Hallock,  Lieutenants  Hosea  Phillips  and 
Jeremiah  Fuller,  Ensigns  William  Polen  and  George 
Denison  ;  a  detachment  under  Captain  Jacob  Bitten- 
bender  and  Ensign  John  Myers. 

Such  of  the  volunteers  as  survived  the  usual  casualties 
and  perils  of  war  and  returned  were  received  and  wel- 
comed with  those  honors  to  which  the  brave  defenders 
of  the  country  are  always  entitled  from  their  fellow 
citizens. 

Of  the  company  here  named  and  others  Mr.  Gordon 
wrote  as  follows: 

THE  WITjKES-ltARRE  DRILIj  SQUAD. 

"This  squad  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1813,  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant  Sweeney,  of  the  10th  regiment  United  States  infantry,  then 
on  recruiting  service  at  Wilkes-Barre.  It  was  never  legally  organized, 
and  1  should  not  notice  it,  only  that  in  after  years  its  membership  fur- 
nished, to  a  large  e.vteut,  the  officers  for  independent  companies  subse- 
quently organized  under  the  militia  laws  of  Pennsylvania.  Lieutenant 
Sweeney  was  an  accomplished  drill-master,  and  under  his  instruction 
they  made  rapid  progress  in  the  military  art.  They  were  never  uni- 
formed nor  armed.  The  only  badge  they  wore  was  a  Roman  hat,  orna- 
mented with  the  black  cockade  and  the  American  eagle.  There  was 
not  a  member  of  the  company  who  had  then  reached  his  twenty- 
first  year." 

He  mentions  among  the  members  John  S.  Hyde,  Samuel 

D.  Bettle,  George  F.  Gordon,  John  M.  Gordon,  John  S. 

Butler,  one   or  two   of    the   Danas,  Sterne   and    Strange 

Palmer,  James    W.  Bowman,  William    and    Benjaniin  D. 

Wright.     He  continues: 


'  In  1820  the 


'  JtJNIOR  VOX.UNTEERS,* 


"the  Wyoming  Guai-ds,  and  the  Pittston  Rifles  came  to  the  front,  with  an 
incipient  effort  to  raise  a  horse  company  from  Wilkes-Barre  township, 
aided  by  recruits  from  Hanover. 

"  The  Junior  -Volunteers  was,  as  its  name  indicated,  composed  almost 
wholly  of  young  men  who  had  not  reached  their  majority.  *  *  +  Eli- 
jah Worthington,  an  apprentice  in  the  Wyoming  Hcrnltl  office,  was  the 
first  lieutenant,  and  Zalman  Moor,  a  journeyman  tiiilor  with  Anthony 
Brewer,  was  orderly  sergeant,  and  a  capital  officer.  John  F.  Dupoy  was 
their  second  captain,  who  flourished  at  their  head  for  a  year  or  two,  when 
the  company  was  merged  in  the  Citizen  -Volunteers,  retaining  the  uni- 
form of  the  Juniors,  which  was  simply  a  summer  dress  of  white  dimit.v, 
roundabout  and  pants,  Roman  hat  and  black  cockade  and  eagle.  The 
first  captain  under  the  new  organization  was,  I  think,  William  S.  Ross. 

*  *  *  Subsequently  he  was  promoted  to  the  command  of  a  brigade 
or  a  division,  of  the  Pennsylvania  militia.  General  Ross  was  really  a 
military  man,  and  made  a  good  officer.       *       +       * 

"  THE  PITTSTON  BLUER," 

a  rifle  company,  came  into  the  field  about  the  same  time  as  the  .Tunior 
Volunteers  (1822).  They  were  commanded  by  Captain  John  Myers,  with 
a  Mr.  Blanchard  for  first  lieutenant.  They  often  paraded  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  about  one-halt  of  their  members  were  residents  of  the  town- 
ship. Then  eame  thoWyoming  County  Guards,  a  light  infantry  company, 
first  commanded  by  Strong  Barnum,  who  had  served  one  or  two  cam- 
paigns at  West  Point.  I  remember  the  names  of  only  a  few  of  the  mem- 
bers—Theron  Barnum,  first  lieutenant;  Ed.  Taylor,  William  H.  Alex- 
ander, Merritt  Slocum,  George  M.  Hollenback,  Henry  Colt,  James  W. 
Bowman,  Lewis  N.  Ketoham,  Jlonsselaer  Wells  and  Abram  Tolls  were 
among  the  first  members,  with  some  from  Plains  and  about  half  a  dozen 
from  Kingston.     *     *     ♦     The  company  disbanded  about  l&l-t  or  1833. 

*  *  *  In  addition  to  the  independent  companies  already  noticed  there 
was  a  company  of  light  horsemen  *  *  *  not  inferior  to  any  organi- 
zation of  the  kind  in  Pennsylvania.    In  1S22 


^h 


.^^ 


^= 


<H 


62 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


"  AN  INDEPENDENT   DATIALION  " 

was  org-aiiizerl  by  massing  the  volunteer  companies  then  in  the  field. 
The  battalion  was  composed  of  the  Wj^oming-  Guards,  Pittston  nines 
and  a  company  from  Lehman,  under  the  cnmmand  of  Captain  Jacob  L. 
nogardns.  Subsequently  it  went  into  a  res-iinent.  and  H.  II.  Wright  was 
honored  with  the  command,  and  held  that  station  for  s(nne  fourteen 
years. 

"  THE  WYOMINfi  Y.\OERS." 

"This  company  was  organized  in  18W,  and  its  members  were  all 
of  foreign  birth.  At  their  first  organization  they  were  riflemen,  but 
siibseciuontly  they  changed  to  light  infantry.  The  following  is  belie\ed 
to  be  a  correct  list  of  the  comissioned  olTieers  from  184:i  to  its  final  dis- 
organization in  18G3:  .Tohn  Keichard,  caiitain;  Jacob  Welder,  first  lien- 
tenant  ;  Joseph  Coons,  second  lieutenant.  At  the  next  election,  in  1847, 
John  lleichard  was  re-elected  captflin.  Lieutenant  Jacob  Waelder  had 
joined  the  Wyoming  Artillerists  and  gone  to  Mexico,  and  Joseph  Coons 
was  elected  in  his  place,  and  Martin  I3anr  was  elected  second  lieutenant. 
In  18.'J8  Captain  Iteichard  became  brigade  inspector,  and  Joseph  Coons 
became  captain,  JIartin  Baur  first  lieutenant,  and  rhilip  Nachbar  second 
lieutenant.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  the  company  was  in  a 
demoralized  condition,  but  on  the  call  of  the  President  in  1801, under  the 
energetic  measures  taken  by  George  W.  Reichard,  it  was  resurrected  and 
joined  Colonel  A.  IT.  Emley's  regiment  of  three  months  men,  with 
George  W.  Reichard  captain,  John  rreffinch  first  lieutenant  and 
Gusta\'e  Hahn  second  lieutenant.  The  members  served  their  term  with 
great  credit,  but  on  their  return  home  siitlered  themseh'cs  to  relapse 
into  militarj-  indolence  until  1802,  when  they  promiitly  responded  to  a 
call  for  troops  to  repel  the  threatened  ir.\-asion  of  Pennsylvania  by 
General  Lee.  The-se  troops  were  known  as  '  emergency  men.'  Gustavo 
Hahn  was  captain,  Henry  Rhode  first  lieutenant,  and  Joseph  Royer  was 
second  lieutenant." 


THE    WYOMING    ARTILLERISTS. 

The  organization  of  the  Wyoming  Artillerists,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  begun  some  time  prior,  was  completed  and  uni- 
forms, guns  and  equipments  obtained  early  in  the  year 
1842.  Under  the  energetic  efforts  of  F.  L.  Bowman,  its 
first  captain,  the  company  soon  acquired  a  reputation  for 
excellence  in  drill  and  discipline. 

Captain  Edmund  I-.  Dana  succeeded  to  the  command, 
and  in  November,  1846,  in  response  to  a  call  by  the  Presi- 
dent for  troops  to  serve  during  the  war  with  Me.xico,  the 
services  of  the  Wyoming  Artillerists  were  tendered  and 
accepted.  The  ranks  were  filled  up  by  enlistments  to 
the  requisite  number,  and  aided  by  the  liberality  of  the 
citizens,  the  company,  under  Captain  Dana,  on  Monday, 
the  7th  of  December,  1846,  after  listening  to  addresses 
in  the  old  church  on  the  public  square,  and  bidding 
adieu  to  relatives  and  friends,  embarked  on  board  an  old 
freight  boat  on  the  North  Branch  Canal,  and  in  the  midst 
of  a  snow  storm  started  for  Pittsburg,  where,  after  much 
toil  and  suffering,  it  arrived  on  Tuesday,  the  15th  of  De- 
cember. On  the  following  day  it  was  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  and  designated  as  Company  I 
in  the  ist  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  F.  L. 
Bowman,  2nd  lieutenant,  was  elected  major  of  the  regi- 
ment, and  Jacob  Waelder  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

From  Pittsburg  the  company  voyaged  to  Vera  Cruz, 
encamping  for  a  time  at  New  Orleans  and  at  Lobos 
island,  and  landing  on  Mexican  soil  March  gth,  1847.  On 
the  [oth  and  nth  the  investment  of  the  city  and  castle 
was  completed.  In  the  movement  of  troops  on  the  loth 
the  Wyoming  Artillerists  encountered  an  ambuscade  in 
the  chapparal  and  received  the  first  infantry  fire  from 
the  enemy;  a  halt  was  ordered,  the  fire  returned  with 
such  precision  and  effect  that  the  enemy  fled,  and  the 
company  resumed  its  march   and  took  its  position  in  the 


line  of  investment.  It  was  actively  engaged  in  the  skir- 
mishes which  ensued,  in  repelling  attacks  upon  and 
maintaining  possession  of  the  sand  hills  overlooking  the 
city,  in  digging  trenches,  constructing  batteries  and  trans- 
porting to  them  guns  and  ammunition  from  the  beach. 
On  the  afternoon  of  the  22nd  of  March  fire  was  opened 
from  the  American  works.  On  the  29th  the  Mexican 
garrison  moved  out  of  the  city,  and  in  the  presence  of 
two  lines  of  Americans,  among  whom  were  the  ist  Penn- 
sylvania regiment  and  the  Wyoming  men,  laid  down 
their  arms,  equipments  and  flags. 

On  the  gth  of  April  General  Patterson's  division,  with 
Pillow's  brigade,  to  which  the  Wyoming  Artillerists  were 
attached,  started  towards  the  capital.  In  the  battle  of 
Cerro  Gordo,  April  iSth,  the  Wyoming  company  was  de- 
ployed on  a  declivity  below  and  in  front  of  the  enemy's 
main  works,  and  distant  from  them  about  two  hundred 
yards,  but  suffered  slight  loss.  Early  on  the  morning  of 
the  7th  of  July  the  Wyoming  Artillerists  with  Company 
A  of  their  regiment  stormed  in  gallant  style  the  hill 
commanding  the  Pass  of  El  Pinal  or  the  Black  Pass,  and 
dispersed  a  force  of  the  enemy  posted  there  to  obstruct 
the  passage  of  our  troops. 

On  the  afternoon  of  July  8th  the  command  entered  the 
City  of  Puebla,  Company  I  and  the  other  five  composing 
the  battalion  were  detailed  under  Colonel  Childs  to  oc- 
cupy the  city  and  to  take  charge  of  about  2,000  sick  and 
a  large  amount  of  government  property.  The  rest  of  the 
army  moved  out  on  the  loth  of  August  and  on  the  follow- 
ing day  the  large  and  turbulent  population  of  the  city 
began  to  show  unmistakable  signs  of  hostility.  Small 
bulletins  were  published,  calling  on  the  citizens  to  rise 
and  crush  out  "the  600  sick  Yankees,"  and  a  few  days 
later  a  considerable  military  force  under  General  Rea 
entered  the  city.  It  became  necessary  to  divide  the  gar- 
rison into  three  detachments,  of  which  one,  including  the 
Wyoming  company,  occupied  an  old  brick  structure 
called  the'Cuartel  of  San  Jose,  on  the  eastern  edge  of  the 
city,  on  a  small  stream  which  furnished  the  water  supply 
for  the  garrison. 

In  the  latter  part  of  September  a  summons  to  sur- 
render was  sent  by  the  enemy,  in  which  their  forces 
were  stated  to  be  8,000.  The  demand  was  promptly 
refused.  On  the  12th  of  October  the  troops  and  wagon 
train  of  General  Lane  were  discovered  approaching  the 
city  and  the  enemy  fled.  The  heroic  defense  of  its 
position  and  trust  by  the  small  garrison  including  the 
Wyoming  boys  against  overwhelming  numbers,  the  pro- 
tection of  the  sick  and  of  the  government  stores  so  that 
not  one  dollar  was  lost,  was  regarded  at  the  time  by  the 
army  as  one  of  the  remarkable  achievements  in  the  cam- 
paign in  Mexico.  Captain  Dana  and  Lieutenant  Waelder, 
who  was  attached  to  the  staff  of  Colonel  Childs  as  acting 
adjutant  general,  were  specially  commended  in  the  official 
reports. 

The  regiment  next  marched  to  the  city  of  Mexico, 
arriving  there  on  the  8th  of  December,  1847.  All  the 
officers  who  were  engaged  in  the  siege  of  Puebla  were 
specially  thanked  and  commended  by  General  Scott. 


4¥ 


4 


THE  WYOMING  ARTILT.ERISTS. 


63 


Two  weeks  later  the  regi'iient  was  quartered  at  San 
Angel,  an  old  town  a  few  miles  southwest  of  the  city,  and 
except  when  detached  to  escort  a  train  to  Vera  Cruz,  and 
other  temporary  services,  remained  there  until  the  sign- 
ing of  the  treaty  of  peace  in  June,  1848.  Returning  with 
the  army,  the  regiment  landed  at  New  Orleans,  came  up 
the  Mississippi  and  Ohio  rivers  to  Pittsburg,  where  the 
Wyoming  Artillerists  were  mustered  out  and  honorably 
discharged  on  the  20th  of  July,  1848.  They  returned 
from  Pittsburg  as  they  went  there,  by  canal  boat,  but  the 
season  of  the  year,  the  glad  greetings,  with  firing  of  can- 
non and  display  of  flags  at  every  town  on  the  route, 
contrasted  agreeably  with  their  former  tedious  passage 
through  the  ice  and  snows  of  December,  1846.  At 
Wilkes-Barre  nearly  the  entire  population  of  the  valley 
was  assembled,  and  a  splendid  reception  with  an  address 
of  welcome  awaited  them. 

The  total  strength  of  the  company,  including  recruits, 
was  109;  fifty-one,  or  less  than  one-half,  returned  with 
the  company. 

The  following  is  a  roll  of  this  company  as  it  served  in 
the  Mexican  war,  with  individual  casualities,  dates  of 
discharge,  etc.;  where  not  otherwise  noted  the  men 
returned  with  the  company  : 

OJfcers.— Captain,  Edmund  L.  Dana;  first  lieutenants— E.  B.  Collins, 
discharged  at  Vera  Cruz,  April  9,  J847;  F.  L.  Bowman,  elected  Major 
in  December,  1846.  Second  lieutenants— A.  H.  Gott,  killed  at  Perotc, 
April  13,  1848  ;  Jacob  Waelder.  First  sergeant ;  Arnold  C.  Lewis,  ap- 
pointed second  lieutenant  to  date  from  April  15,  1848.  Second  ser- 
geant, Joseph  W.  Potter;  discharged  at  Perote.  Third  sergeant,  Dom- 
inick  Devanny.  Fourth  sergeant,  Joseph  "W.  Miner ;  elected  first  lieu- 
tenant June  15, 1847.  First  corporal,  Wm.  H.  Beaumont;  app'ointed  first 
sergeant.  Second  corporal,  D.  W.  C.  Kitchin ;  wounded  at  Cerro 
Gordo  and  discharged.  Third  corporal,  Charles  M.  Stout;  appointed 
lieutenant  in  the  11th  infantry.  Fourth  corporal,  John  B.  Vaughn  ;  dis- 
charged at  Jalapa.  Drummer,  Wilson  B.  Connor ;  discharged.  Fifer, 
Wallace  J.  Belding ;  discharged. 

Privat£s. — Grandison  Abel.  Joseph  Atward.  John  Barnes;  left  sick 
at  Cincinnati.  Alfred  Bentley;  died  at  Jalapa.  Luke  Burke.  Obed  C. 
Burden.  William  Bachman.  Lloyd  M.  Colder;  died  at  Perote,  July  1, 
1847.  George  Ceilings ;  appointed  corporal.  Jacob  L.  Cooper.  William 
H.  CarkhufE ;  died  at  Perote,  July  30, 1817.  James  F.  Dill ;  died  at  Perote. 
Thomas  G.  Dripps ;  appointed  sergeant.  M.  M.  Deberger ;  discharged  at 
Vera  Cruz  in  April,  1847.  John  C.  Drinkhouse  ;  discharged  at  Vera  Cruz, 
April  16, 1847.  James  Ellis;  discharged  at  Vera  Cruz,  in  June,  1848.  Levi 
Emery.  George  W.  FelL  Luke  Floyd ;  wounded.  Samuel  Fox  ;  dis- 
charged at  Jalapa,  May  18, 1847.  Frederick  Funk.  Joseph  C.  Garey  ; 
discharged  at  Vera  Cruz,  April  16, 1847.  Patrick  Gilroy ;  discharged  at 
Vera  Craz.  "Aaron  Gangawere.  Magnes  Gonerman ;  died  at  Perote, 
July  39, 1847.  John  Goodermooth ;  died  at  Puebla,  Oct.  6, 1847.  Henry 
Hernbroad;  appointed  first  coi'poral  May  1, 1848.  Peter  Hine;  discharg- 
ed at  Vera  Cruz.  Nathaniel  G.  Harvey;  died  at  Perote.  Alexander 
Huntington.  John  Hunt ;  discharged  at  Jalapa.  John  Howard.  David 
H.  Howard.  Anthony  Haberholt.  Charles  Johnson.  Patrick  King. 
Lyman  C.  Kidder ;  discharged  at  Jalapa,  May  18, 1847.  Frederick  Lehmau; 
discharged  at  Vera  Cruz,  Mch.  30, 1848.  Joseph  Leopard.  Samuel  A.  Lewis. 
Charles  D.  Lutes;  discharged  at  Vera  Cruz  in  April,  1847.  John  W.  Myers; 
died  at  Perote.  John  Morehouse.  David  K.  Morrison.  Walker  B.  Miller : 
discharged  at  Vera  Cruz  in  April,  1847.  Sam  uel  Marks.  John  B.  Price;  died 
at  Jalapa,  June  13, 1847.  John  Preece,  killed  at  the  siege  of  Puebla,  Aug. 
36,  1847.  Jules  Phillips.  Isaac  Bothermell ;  died  at  Vera  Cruz,  Mch. 
13, 1847.  James  W.  Elgg.  John  Shadell.  Levi  H.  Stevens.  James  Stev- 
ens; discharged  at  Vera  Cruz  (wounded),  in  April,  1847.  John  Swan.  Hiram 
Spencer ;  discharged  at  Perote.  John  Sliker;  died  at  Perote,  July  7, 1847. 
James  Sliker.  Thompson  Price  ;  discharged.  Wilson  E.  Sitsy;  discharged 
at  Perote.  Charles  Tripp;  died  at  the  siege  of  Puebla,Sept.  13, 1847.  George 
Tanner ;  died  at  Perote,  June29, 1847.  John  Smith  ;  died  at  Perote,  Aug. 
38, 1847.  NormanVanwinkle,  discharged  at  Perote,  Aug.  39, 1847.  Holdin 
P.VaughD  •  discharged  at  Jalapa,  May  18, 1847.  Gershom  P.  Vangorden  ; 
died  at  Perote  May  33, 1847.  Edmund  W.  Wandell.  Walsingham  G.  Ward  ;- 
discharged  at  Vera  Cruz,  April  3, 1847.  Thomas  G .  Wilson;  died  at  Jalapa, 
May30,1847.  William Vanderburg.  William  Whittaker.  Thomas  J.Wright. 
Armon  Westhoven.  Daniel  W.  Witzell.  William  T.  Wilson.  Daniel  W. 
Yarlott.  William  Diamond;  discharged  at  New  Orleans,Jan.  16,1847.  Elias 


Klinger ;  died  at  sea,  Jan.  31,  1847.    Patrick  O'Donnell ;  died  at  New  Or- 
leans, Jan.  2, 1847. 

Rccriiltn- Siimael  Knorr;  lost  and  supposed  killedat  National  Bridge, 
Jan.,  1847.  Augustus  Ehels.  Landlin  Fist.  John  Gaul.  Charles  Gordon. 
Ernest  Gordon.  William  Hillsman.  Frederick  Miisler.  John  McKeonu. 
Anthony  Vernet.  Michael  Wolfston.  Henry  Wchle.  Adam  Kobinholt ; 
died  on  Ohio  river,  July  13,1348.  George  O'Cnif t ;  lost  July  3,  1848; 
supposed  drowned. 

Captain  Dana  retained  for  a  time  the  command;  was 
re-elected  and  commissioned  April  26th,  1851.  He  was 
followed  successively  by  Thomas  Parker,  E.  B.  Collings, 
E.  B.  Harvey,  Samuel  Bowman,  Nathaniel  Pierson  and 
A.  H.  Emley. 

When  in  1861  the  call  for  ihree  months  men  was  made, 
their  services  were  again  offered  and  accepted.  Mr. 
Emley,  their  captain,  on  their  arrival  at  Harrisburg  was 
elected  colonel  of  the  8th  Pennsylvania  regiment,  to 
which  they  were  attached,  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
command  of  the  company  by  Captain  E.  W.  Finch 

After  the  expiration  of  their  term  the  143d  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  under  Colonel  Edmund  L.  Dana,  was  formed, 
and  the  old  company  formerly  commanded  by  him  was 
recruited  to  the  requisite  number  under  Captain  George 
N.  Prichard,  and  on  the  4th  of  August,  1862,  was  mus- 
tered in,  and  assigned,  as  Company  C,  to  that  regiment. 
For  nearly  three  years,  and  up  to  the  close  of  the  war,  it 
saw  active  service  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  on 
many  sanguinary  fields  sustained  its  reputation  for  cour- 
age and  discipline. 

In  1870  the  company  was  again  recruited  and  John 
Espy  was  elected  captain.  In  1871  it  was  transferred 
from  the  30th  Pennsylvania  national  guards  to  the 
artillery  corps,  and  Captain  Espy  having  been  appointed 
on  the  staff  of  General  Osborne,  E.  W.  Finch  was  elected 
in  his  place. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  officers  at  the  time  of  this 
writing,  March,   1880  : 

Thomas  C.  Parker,  captain  ;  Charles  D.  Hoover,  first 
lieutenant  ;  James  A.  Roat,  second  lieutenant  ;  Rees 
Leyshon,  orderly  sergeant;  Butler  Dilley,  quartermaster's 
sergeant;  John  Slyker,  V.  S.;  John  E.  Mentz,  first  ser- 
geant; John  Dickerson,  second  sergeant;  Thomas  C. 
Edwards,  third  sergeant;  Richard  Moore,  fourth  sergeant. 
Only  approved  men  are  admitted  to  membership,  and 
the  present  strength  of  the  rank  and  file,  thus  constituted, 
is  sixty-three.  It  is  supplied  with  four  new  six  pounders 
of  the  Phoenix  pattern,  and  the  uniforms  and  equipments 
are  of  the  kind  adopted  by  the  United  States  artillery- 
During  the  past  two  years,  while  instruction  in  infantry 
movements  has  been  continued  as  usual,  special  attention 
has  been  devoted  to  gun  and  sabre  drill;  and  under  the 
able  instructions  of  Captain  Parker  and  his  subordinates, 
a  high  degree  of  proficiency  attained.  Through  the  efforts 
of  the  company  and  the  public  interest  awakened  a  large 
and  commodious  armory  has  been  secured  and  fitted  up, 
and  several  very  flourishing  infantry  organizations  have 
been  formed  in  the  city. 

RECENT    MILITARY    SERVICE. 

The  militia  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  which  was 
established  in  very  early  times,  was  reorganized  under  an 


5f 


64 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


act  of  Assembly  passed  in  1822.  Under  this  law  an  en- 
rollment was  made  of  all  citizens  between  the  ages  of 
twenty-one  and  forty-five  liable  to  military  duty,  who 
were  required  to  appear  for  drill  at  certain  times  under  a 
penalty  of  fifty  cents.  Of  course  except  to  keep  up  an 
enrollment  for  emergencies  that  might  arise  this  system 
was  of  no  account,  and  for  that  purpose  it  was  found 
during  the  late  civil  war  to  amount  to  very  little. 

In  1864  an  act  was  passed  regulating  the  organization 
of  the  militia  and  dividing  the  State  into  twenty  military 
divisions,  in  which  an  enrollment  as  before  was  required; 
but  in  addition  to  this  a  system  of  volunteer  companies, 
regiments,  etc.,  was  established.  These  volunteers  were 
required  to  appear  in  uniform  for  drill  and  exercise,  and 
were  supplied  with  arms  and  accoutrements  by  the  State, 
and  constituted  what  was  termed  the  volunteer  militia. 
Under  that  organization  lAizerne  and  Wyoming  were  a 
part  of  the  ninth  division.  The  expenses  of  this  organi- 
zation were  borne  largely  by  the  volunteers  themselves, 
and  this  was  found  to  be  so  burdensome  to  them  that  by 
subsequent  acts  of  Assembly  provision  was  made  for  the 
payment  to  the  companies  by  the  State  of  sufficient  sums 
to  meet  a  portion  of  these  expenses.  By  an  act  passed 
in  1870  the  name  of  "  National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania  " 
was  given  to  this  volunteer  militia,  and  by  an  act  of  As- 
sembly in  1874  ten  divisions  of  the  national  guard  were 
constituted  and  Luzerne  and  Wyoming  counties  were  in- 
cluded in  the  third  division.  Each  of  the  divisions  was 
under  the  command  of  a  major  general,  and  the  divisions 
were  divided  into  brigades  according  to  the  discretion  of 
their  commanding  generals. 

In  1878,  by  an  act  of  Assembly,  these  divisions  were 
abolished  and  the  State  was  constituted  a  single  division, 
with  five  brigades. 

Under  this  law  Luzerne,  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming 
counties  became  a  part  of  the  territory  of  the  third  brig- 
ade. The  national  guard  in  Luzerne  county  consisted 
of  the  Wyoming  Artillerists— a  four  gun  battery.  Captain 
T.  C.  Parker — and  the  ninth  regiment  of  infantry. 
The  officers  in  this  regiment  are:  Colonel,  G.  Murray 
Reynolds;  lieutenant  colonel,  Morris  J.  Keck;  major,  D. 
S.  Bennet;  surgeon,  Olin  F.  Harvey;  assistant  surgeon, 
J.  Holley;  adjutant,  Arthur  D.  Moore;  commissary,  Oscar 
F.  Harvey;  captains — James  Ginley,  J.Andrew  Willet,  H. 
W.  Wenner,  Samuel  Simpson,  Charles  A.  Jones,  John 
Dunn,  Henry  Crandall,  A.  H.  Rush  and  B.  F.  Stark. 

In  1871,  during  the  long  struggle  among  the  miners,  a 
riot  occurred  at  Scranton,  to  ([uell  which  the  Wyoming 
Artillerists,  the  McClellan  Rifles — an  infantry  company  at 
Pittston — the  fifth  regiment  of  infantry  of  Luzerne  county, 
the  Hazleton  battalion — consisting  of  four  companies  of 
infantry — and  the  Wyoming  County  Veterans — a  company 
of  infantry  from  Tunkhannock — which  constituted  the 
ninth  division,  under  the  command  of  Major  General 
Edwin  S.  Osborne,  were  called  into  service.  They  were 
called  out  on  the  7th  of  April  and  continued  in  service 
till  the  25th  of  May,  during  which  time  they  were  con- 
stantly on  duty,  preserving  the  peace  and  guarding  the 
property  at  the  collieries.      Up   to  the  17th  of  May  the 


rioters  avoided  any  collision  with  the  troops,  but  on  that 
day  it  became  necessary  for  the  latter  in  the  discharge  of 
their  duty  to  fire  on  the  rioters,  and  two  were  killed. 
This  had  the  effect  to  suppress  the  riot. 

In  1874  the  Wyoming  Artillerists,  the  15th  (which 
had  then  come  to  be  the  9th)  regiment,  the  McClellan 
Rifles,  the  Telford  Zouaves,  of  Susquehanna  county,  and 
the  ist  regiment  of  infantry  of  Philadelphia,  all  under 
the  command  General  Osborne,  were  called  to  Susque- 
hanna Depot  to  suppress  a  riot  among  the  employes  of 
the  N.  Y.  &  E.  Railway.  They  arrived  on  the  29th  of 
March,  restored  order  and  left  on  the  ist  of  April. 

On  the  7th  of  April,  1875,  the  same  troops  were  ordered 
to  Hazleton  for  the  suppression  of  a  riot  among  the 
miners  there.  They  remained  on  duty  there  till  the  nth 
of  May,  during  which  time  they  were  engaged  in  guard 
and  patrol  duty  and  aiding  the  authorities  to  preserve 
peace. 

In  the  great  strike  of  1877  all  the  troops  of  the  county 
were  brought  into  requisition,  under  General  Osborne. 
They  were  called  into  service  on  the  21st  of  July  and 
were  relieved  on  the  4th  of  August.  They  were  by 
order  of  the  governor  concentrated  at  Wikes-Barre,  and 
there  held  in  readiness  to  assist  the  civil  authorities  in 
preserving  order.  No  collision  occurred  between  the 
troops  and  the  strikers. 

The  troops  called  out  for  the  suppression  of  these  riots 
were  commanded  by  the  following  officers:  ist  regi- 
ment, Colonel  R.  Dale;  15th,  Colonel  O.  K.  Moore;  9th, 
Colonel  T.  D.  Lewis;  Hazleton  battalion,  Major  D.  C. 
Swank;  Wyoming  Artillerists,  Captain  E.  W.  Finch  at 
Scranton,  Susquehanna  Depot  and  Hazleton,  and  by 
Captain  Thomas  C.  Parker  at  Wilkes-Barre;  McClellan 
Rifles,  Captain  James  Ginley;  Telford  Zouaves,  Captain 
James  Smith;  Wyoming  County  Veterans,  Captain  R.  W. 
Bannatyne. 

The  services  rendered  by  the  troops  in  the  suppression 
of  these  riots  and  the  preservation  of  order  in  the  midst 
of  such  surroundings  not  only  reflect  credit  on  the  officers 
and  men  composing  the  military  organizations  that  per- 
formed this  service,  but  demonstrate  the  utility  and  effi- 
ciency of  citizen  soldiers  when  properly  orranized  and 
disciplined.  The  value  of  the  property  saved  from  de- 
struction in  these  cases  was  probably  many  times  greater 
than  the  expense  of  maintaining  these  organizations. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


KARLY    W.'IGON    ROADS    AND    MAIL    ROUTES. 


HE  first  roads  in  the  country  were  Indian 
trails,  that  perhaps  had  been  used  during 
centuries.  These  M'ere  simply  paths  in  the 
woods,  of  a  width  sufficient  to  allow  the  pas- 
sage of  one  person  at  a  time,  for  in  that  order 
the  Indians  always  traveled.  By  constant  and 
long  continued  use  they  had  become  well  worn, 


4^ 


Mh 


FIRST  WAGON  ROADS. 


6S 


and  they  sometimes  had  a  depth  of  twelve  inches  or  more 
where  the  soil  was  soft.  Over  these  trails  the  first  settlers 
in  1762  and  1763  came,  and  when  they  brought  with  them 
teams  of  oxen  and  carts  it  was  necessary  to  widen  these 
paths  by  cutting  away  the  timber  in  places. 

Thus  originated  the  first  wagon  road  from  the  Dela- 
ware to  the  Lackawanna  and  Susquehanna  rivers,  and  to 
the  Wyoming  valley,  where  the  first  settlement  was  made. 
Mr.  Allen  Secord  of  Dunmore — the  oldest  resident  of  the 
Lackawanna  valley — ^^says  that  this  road  left  the  Lacka- 
waxen  near  the  forks  at  Dyberry,  came  through  the  great 
swamp,  crossed  Cobb's  Mountain,  followed  Roaring 
brook  to  where  are  now  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Com- 
pany's works  at  the  foot  of  Plane  No.  6;  thence  went 
directly  to  the  Lackawanna  river,  which  it  crossed  and 
followed  on  the  west  side  to  the  Susquehanna.  Near 
No.  6  stands  one  of  the  original  marked  trees  of  this  road, 
which  Mr.  Secord  has  known  more  than  sixty  years. 
Hollister  says  of  this  road:  "The  old  Connecticut  or 
Cobb's  road,  shaded  by  giant  pines,  extending  from  the 
summit  of  the  mountain  to  Capoose,  had  no  diverging 
pathway  to  Slocum  Hollow,  No.  6,  or  Blakely,  because 
neither  of  these  places  had  yet  acquired  a  settler  or  a 
name." 

The  following  extracts  from  the  records  of  Westmore- 
land for  1772  show  what  action  was  afterward  taken 
concerning  the  construction  of  this  road.  At  a  meeting 
held  in  Wilkes-Barre  October  2nd,  1772,  it  was  voted 
"that  Mr.  Durkins  of  Kingstown,  Mr.  Carey  of  Locka- 
worna,  Mr.  Goss  for  Plymouth,  Mr.  Daniel  Gore  for 
Wilkesbarre,  Mr.  William  Stewart  for  Hannover,  are  ap- 
pointed a  comtee  to  Draw  subscriptions  &  se  what  they 
•  Can  Git  sighned  by  ye  adjourned  meeting  for  ye  making 
a  Rode  from  Dilleware  River  to  Pitts-town."  This  meet- 
ing was  adjourned  to  the  5th  of  the  same  month,  when  it 
was  "voted  that  Esq.  Trvp,  Mr.  John  Jenkins,  Mr.  Phil- 
lip Goss,  Mr.  John  Durkins,  Captain  Bates,  Mr.  Daniel 
Gore,  Mr.  William  Stewart  are  appointed  Comtee-men  to 
mark  out  ye  Rode  from  Dilleware  River  to  Pitts-town," 
etc.  October  19th,  1772,  it  was  "voted  that  Esq.  Tryp 
is  appointed  to  oversee  those  persons  that  shall  from 
time  to  time  be  sent  out  from  ye  severall  towns  to  work  on 
ye  Road  from  Dilleware  River  to  this  &  so  that  ye  work 
be  Done  according  to  ye  Directions  of  ye  Comtee,  that 
was  sent  out  to  mark  ye  Road."  The  wages  paid  to 
laborers  on  this  road  would  hardly  be  considered  remun- 
erative now.  "Esq.  Tryp,"  the  overseer,  was  allowed 
"  Five  Shillings  Lawfull  money  pr.  Day."  For  the  others 
it  was  "  voted,  that  those  Persons  that  shall  Go  out  to 
work  on  ye  Rode  from  Dilleware  River  to  ye  westermost 
part  of  ye  Great  Swamp  Shall  Have  three  sillings  ye  day 
Lawfull  money  for  ye  time  they  work  to  ye  Exceptance 
of  ye  over  seors;  and  from  ye  Great  Swamp  this  way, 
Shall    Have   one   shilling   and  sixpence  pr.  day  and  no 

more." 

The  fine  road,  six  rods  in  width,  which  runs  parallel 
with  the  river  through  Kingston  was  laid  out  in  1770; 
and  about  that  time,  or  soon  afterward,  a  road  was  estab- 
lished  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston,  at  both   of 


which  places  ferries  were  established.  Another  was  also 
constructed  through  Kingston,  connecting  with  this  across 
the  Susquehanna  just  below  Wilkes-Barre. 

In  1779  a  road  from  the  Delaware  at  Easton  to  the 
Susquehanna  at  Wyoming  was  opened  for  the  passage 
of  General  Sullivan's  army.  Improvements  were  after- 
ward made  on  this,  which  was  long  known  as  Sullivan's 
road,  and  it  became  the  main  thoroughfare  between  this 
entire  region  and  Philadelphia. 

Another  connection  between  the  Susquehanna  and 
Delaware  was  established  by  the  construction,  from  1787 
to  1789,  of  the  State  road  from  Neseopeck  Falls  to  the 
Lehigh  river.  These  roads  were  constructed  according 
to  the  circumstances  and  fashions  of  those  times,  and 
bore  very  little  resemblance  to  the  macadamized  car- 
riage drives  of  the  present  day.  One  feature  of  them, 
which  is  rarely  seen  now  and  which  will  soon  cease  to  be 
known,  was  the  corduroy  that  was  used  for  making  cros- 
sings over  marshy  spots  or  swamps.  This  was  made  of 
small  logs  laid  across  the  track,  close  together.  Although 
the  passage  way  thus  made  over  the  swamps  was  dry  it 
was  anything  but  smooth. 

The  first  roads  through  Wyoming  county,  although 
they  followed  the  general  course  of  the  Susquehanna 
river,  along  which  settlements  were  first  made,  ran  over 
the  hills  a  short  distance  from  the  river,  especially  where 
"  narrows  "  occur.  The  construction  of  roads  along  the 
river  through  these  passages  where  room  could  not  b'e 
found  for  a  path  without  excavating  was  then  considered 
too  expensive,  and  the  hills  were  surmounted  to  avoid 
those  places. 

These  primitive  roads  were  little  more  than  paths, 
which  wound  through  the  forest  to  avoid  trees  and  other 
obstructions,  with  marked  trees  to  indicate  their  course 
and  here  and  there  a  tree  cut  away  to  clear  the  path  of 
an  unavoidable  obstacle.  While  the  settlements  were 
limited  to  the  shores  of  the  river  and  its  larger  tributaries 
the  necessity  for  improved  highways  was  less  urgent  than 
afterward;  for  the  early  settlers  soon  became  very  expert 
in  the  management  of  canoes,  and  much  of  their  busi- 
ness, such  as  marketing,  milling,  etc.,  was  done  over  the 
river.  At  that  period  the  river  was  also  utilized  as  a 
highway  in  the  vvinter,  and  temporary  roads  were  often 
made  through  long  distances  on  the  ice. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  by  rea- 
son of  the  large  increase  of  population  and  productions, 
an  urgent  necessity  for  better  facilities  for  communica- 
tion and  transportation  between  this  region  and  commer- 
cial centers  was  apparent.  To  supply  this  demand  the 
Easton  and  Wilkes-Barre  turnpike  company  was  char- 
tered in  1802;  and  the  road,  a  large  portion  of  which 
occupied  the  old  Sullivan  road,  was  completed  about 
four  years  afterward,  at  an  expense  of  about  $75,000. 
Not  only  was  a  great  desideratum  supplied  by  the  con- 
struction of  this  road,  but  liberal  dividends  were  paid  on 
the  stock.  The  success  of  the  enterprise  gave  an  addi- 
tional impulse  to  the  turnpike  mania  which  arose  about 
that  time. 

On  the  30th  of  March,  1811,  theLegislature  passed  "an 


-*€S=^= 


<■ 


66 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


act  to  enable  the  governor  to  incorporate  a  company 
for  making  an  artificial  road  from  the  northern  boundary 
of  this  State,  at  the  most  suitable  place  near  the  twenty- 
eighth  mile  stone,  to  the  place  where  the  seat  of  justice 
is  located  for  the  county  of  Susquehanna;  and  thence  by 
the  best  and  nearest  route  to  the  borough  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  in  the  county  of  Luzerne." 

Hon.  P.  M.  Osterhout,  of  Tunkhannock,  said  of  this 
turnpike  in  an  article  published  by  him  in  1879: 

"The  road  was  to  be  com  menced  withjn  three  years,  and  finished  with- 
in ten.  The  first  payment  on  account  of  stock  was  made  by  Matthias 
HoUenbaclc,  the  father  of  George  M.  Hollenback,  of  Willies-Barre,  which 
was  June  3flth,  1813.  Jesse  Fell  was  then  treasurer  of  the  company.  The 
road  was  located  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  until  It  reached  Tunkhan- 
nock—from  Wilkes-Barre— where  it  crossed  the  river.  When  the  sfir- 
veyors  came  to  the  mountain  at  Swartzwood's  quite  a  controversy  arose 
whether  they  should  cross  the  river  by  ferry  at  that  point,  or  go  over 
the  mountain  to  Asa  Keeler's  and  from  thence  to  Tunkhannock,  and 
cross  the  river  there.  The  Hardings,  the  Millers,  the  Lees  and  the  Jen- 
kinses wanted  the  road  located  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  until  it 
reached  Tunkhannock ;  on  the  other  hand  the  Osterhouts,  the  Marcys, 
theAverys,  the  Sherwoods,  Robertses  and  others  desired  the  crossing 
should  be  at  Keeler's  ferry.  Finally  a  bet  was  made  as  to  the  distance 
between  the  two  routes,  and  as  there  was  not  much  money  in  the  coun- 
try at  that  time  the  wager  was  made  in  cattle — young  stock—and  the 
different  routes  chained.  The  west  side  of  the  river  won  and  the  turn- 
pike was  located  there.  While  the  turnpike  was  being  made  the  people 
on  the  east  side  of  the  i-iver,  to  counteract  the  effect  of  the  turnpike, 
determined  to  have  a  continuous  road  on  their  side  of  the  river  from 
Pittston  to  Tunkhannock.  There  was  then  no  road  along  the  river 
through  the  Falling  Spring  narrows,  the  narrows  above  Gardner'sferry, 
and  the  narrows  below  Buttermilk  Falls— the  mountains  coming  close  to 
the  river's  edge  in  these  localities.  It  was  a  hard  place  to  build  a  road 
and  required  a  great  deal  of  labor.  The  people  said  it  would  save  the 
expense  of  crossing  the  river  at  Wilkes-Barre  and  Tunkhannock,  and 
also  the  tolls  on  the  turnpike,  and  they  were  determined  to  have  a  road. 
The  principal  men  interested  had  a  consultation  and  it  was  finally 
agreed  upon  that  the  Pittston  people  should  build  the  road  through  the 
Falling  Spring  narrows ;  that  Captain  John  Gardner,'an  old  settler  and 
prominent  citizen  living  on  the  fiats  above  Falling  Spring,  should  see  to 
and  superintend  the  building  of  the  road  through  the  narrows  above 
Gardner's  ferry  ;  and  that  David  Osterhout  should  see  to  the  building 
of  the  road  through  the  narrows  below  Buttermilk  Falls. 

"  These  roads  were  built  by  the  gi-atultous  labor  of  the  men  in  the 
neighborhood,  without  tax  or  expense  to  the  townships.  The  people 
turned  out  voluntarily  as  they  would  to  a  stone  or  logging  bee,  and 
worked  without  fee  or  reward." 

The  road  which  had  been  constructed  between  Nesco- 
peck  and  the  Lehigh  was  converted  into  the  Susquehanna 
and  Lehigh  turnpike.  The  Susquehanna  and  Tioga  turn- 
pike, from  Berwick  to  Towanda,  passed  through  Fair- 
mount  and  Huntington.  A  turnpike  was  also  established 
between  Blakely  and  Dundaff. 

The  Philadelphia  and  Great  Bend  turnpike  (commonly 
known  as  the  Drinker  turnpike),  which  connected  with 
the  Easton  and  Wilkes-Barre  road  at  Taylorsville,  was 
chartered  in  1819  and  completed  in  1826.  It  was  an  im- 
portant thoroughfare.  Hollister  says:  "It  promised  as 
it  passed  through  Providence,  with  its  tri-weekly  stage 
coach  and  mail,  to  land  passengers  from  the  valley  in 
Philadelphia  after  two  days  of  unvarying  jolting.  This 
road  was  the  first  highway  through  Cobb's  Gap."  The 
three  villages  through  which  this  road  passed  were  Brick- 
lown  (now  Dunmorej,  Razorville  (now  Providence),  and 
Clark's  Green.  It  was  an  important  avenue  of  transport- 
ation for  produce  and  droves  of  animals  to  Philadelphia 
ria  Easton,  and  for  merchandise  back. 

Some  of  these  roads  were  constructed  at  great  expense, 
but  after  a  time  they  were  abandoned.  The  Easton  and 
Wilkes-Barre  road  continued  in  operation  longer  than 
any  of  the  others. 


Plank  roads  were  first  introduced  into  the  United  States 
in  1846,  and  at  once  the  plank-road  mania  became  even 
more  prevalent  than  the  rage  for  turnpikes  had  been  be- 
fore. In  1851  the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Providence  Plank 
Road  Company  was  chartered,  and  the  road  constructed 
as  far  as  Pittston,  eight  miles. 

The  Scranton  and  Carbondale  Plank  Road  was  con- 
structed in  1853  and  1854,  and  since  that  time  the  Provi- 
dence and  Waverly,  the  Bear  Creek  and  Lehigh,  and  the 
Gouldsborough  Plank  Roads  have  been  built,  but  they 
have  met  the  fate  of  these  roads  generally  throughout  the 
country.  Like  many  enterprises  which  are  entered  on  in 
the  midst  of  excitement,  without  careful  consideration 
and  prudent  foresight,  these  have  proved  to  be  bad  in- 
vestments for  the  stockholders,  though  they  were  bene- 
ficial to  the  country. 

According  to  Pearce  the  first  post  route  in  this  region 
was  established  in  1777,  between  Wyoming  and  Hartford, 
Conn.,  and  the  mail  was  carried  once  in  two  weeks  by 
Prince  Bryant,  who  was  paid  by  private  subscription.  The 
conveyance  of  mails  in  the  colonies  had  been  provided  for 
by  the  British  government  in  1692,  and  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Revolutionary  war  the  control  of  the  post- 
office  system  was,  of  course,  taken  in  charge  by  the  fed- 
eral government. 

It  appears  that  after  the  organization  of  Luzerne  county 
a  weekly  mail  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Easton  was  es- 
tablished, and  in  1797  Clark  Behe  was  the  carrier,  and 
advertised  to  carry  passengers  during  good  sleighing.  A 
weekly  mail  was  sent  by  the  postmaster  at  Wilkes-Barre 
during  this  year  to  Nanticoke,  Newport  and  Nescopeck, 
to  Berwick,  and  back  by  way  of  Huntington  and 
Plymouth.  The  mail  matter  was  left  at  such  private 
houses  as  the  postmaster  designated,  for  Wilkes-Barre 
was  the  only  posi  town  in  the  county. 

A  fortnightly  mail  was  established  between  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Great  Bend  in  1798,  and  another,  once  a  week, 
between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Owego,  N.  Y.,  in  1799.  The 
names  of  Jonathan  Hancock,  Charles  Mowry  and  a  Mr. 
Peck  are  recorded  as  mail  carriers  in  1800  and  1803. 

The  Providence  post-office'  was  the  first  in  the  Lacka- 
wanna valley.  It  was  established  at  Slocum  Hollow  in 
181 1,  and  Benjamin  Slocura  was  appointed  postmaster. 
The  mail  was  carried  by  Zephaniah  Knapp,  on  horse- 
back, once  a  week,  or  in  bad  travelling  once  in  two 
weeks.  The  route  was  from  Wilkes-Barre,  Ti'a  Slocum 
Hollow,  to  Wilsonville  then  the  county  seat  of  Wayne 
county;  returning  7'ia  Bethany,  Belmont,  Montrose  and 
Tunkhannock.  In  1824  the  ofiice  was  removed  from 
Slocum  Hollow  to  Providence,  and  another  established 
at  Hyde  Park,  with  William  Merrifield  postmaster.  Hol- 
lister says  that  an  old  gentleman  who  discharged  the 
duties  of  mail  boy  from  1811  to  1824  relates  many  anec- 
dotes of  his  adventures,  and  his  encounters  of  humanity 
in  its  "  most  amusing  aspects  "  at  the  stopping  places  on 
his  route. 

"At  one  point,"  writes  our  informant,  "  the  office  was  kept  in  a  low 
log  bar-room,  where,  after  the  contents  of  the  mail  pouch  were  emptied 
on  the  unswept  floor,  all  the  inmates  gave  slow  and  repeated  motion  to 
each  respective  paper  and  letter. 


f= 


<i>- 


^h 


EARLY  MAIL  ROUTES— THE  BEGINNING  OF  MINING. 


67 


"  Sometimes  tbe  mail  boy,  finding  no  one  at  home  but  the  children, 
who  were  generally  eoKaged  drumming  on  the  dinner  pot,  or  the  house- 
wife, unctuous  with  lard  and  doug:h,  loUi-bye-babying  a  boisterous 
child  to  sleep,  was  compelled  to  act  as  carrier  and  postmaster  himself. 

"At  another  point  upon  the  route  the  commission  of  postmaster  fell 
upon  the  thick  shoulders  of  a  Dutchman,  remarkable  for  nothing  but 
his  full  round  stomach.  This  was  his  pride,  and  be  would  pat  it  in- 
cessantly while  he  dilated  upon  the  virtues  of  his  '  kron  t '  and  his  '  f  row.' 
It  would  have  been  amazingly  stupid  for  the  department  to  have  ques- 
tioned Jit's  order  or  integrity,  for  as  the  lean  mail  bag  came  tumbling 
into  his  door  from  the  saddle,  the  old  comical  Dutchman  and  his  de- 
voted wife  carried  it  to  a  rear  bed  room  in  his  house,  poured  the  con- 
tents upon  the  floor,  where  at  one  time  it  actually  took  them  both  from 
three  o'clock  one  afternoon  until  nine  the  next  morning  to  change  the 
mail.  Believing,  with  Lord  Bacon,  that  *  knowledge  is  power,'  he  de- 
tained, about  election  time,  all  political  documents  directed  to  his  op- 
ponents. These  he  carefully  deposited  in  a  safe  place  in  his  garret  until 
after  election  day,  when  they  wore  handed  over  with  great  liberality  to 
those  to  whom  they  belonged,  provided  he  was  paid  the  postage. 

"At  another  remote  place  where  the  office  was  kept,  the  mail  bag  be- 
infir  returned  to  the  post-boy  almost  empty  led  him  to  investigate  the 
cause  of  this  sudden  collapse  in  a  neighborhood  inhabited  by  few.  The 
prolific  number  of  ten  children,  graduating  from  one  to  twenty  in  years, 
all  called  the  postmaster '  dad,'  and  as  none  could  re6d,  letters  and  papers 
came  to  a  dead  stop  on  arriving  thus  far.  As  these  were  poured  out  on 
the  floor  among  pans  and  kettles  each  child  would  seize  a  package,  ex- 
claiming, '  This  is  for  me!'  and  '  This  for  you !'  and  that  for  somebody  else, 
until  the  greater  bulk  of  mail  matter  intended  for  other  oiiices  was  par- 
celed out  and  appropriated,  and  never  heard  of  again." 

The  first  regular  stage,  a  two-horse  vehicle,  vi'as  es- 
tablished between  Easton  and  Philadelphia  in  1806  by 
Messrs.  Robinson  and  Arndt.  The  trip  was  made  weekly 
and  required  a  day  and  a  half  for  each  way.  Conrad 
Teter  is  still  remembered  by  some  of  the  oldest  citizens 
as  one  of  the  earliest  stage  proprietors.  He  carried  the 
mail  in  his  stages  weekly  between  Sunbury  and  Painted 
Post,  by  way  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Tunkhannock,  etc.,  from 
1810  to  1816.  Pearce  says  of  him:  "  He  was  a  large  fat 
man,  of  a  jovial  disposition  and  desirous  of  making  a 
favorable  impression  on  strangers.  He  drove  stage,  his 
own  stage,  up  the  river.  He  took  pleasure  in  pointing 
out /lis  farms  to  the  passengers.  He  frequently  informed 
them  as  he  passed  the  large  residence  and  farm  of 
Colonel  Benjamin  Dorrance,  in  Kingston,  that  he  was  the 
owner,  and  if  asked  why  he  drove  stage  would  reply  that 
he  loved  to  rein  four  horses  but  had  no  taste  for  farming." 

In  1816  three  brothers  named  Horton  established  a 
line  of  four-horse  coaches  over  this  route,  and  during 
eight  years  carried  the  mails  between  Baltimore  and 
Owego,  Wilkes-Barre  and  Montrose. 

About  the  year  1822  the  first  stage  ran  between  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Dundaff.  It  was  at  first  a  two-horse  vehicle, 
and  was  run  by  the  brothers  Daniel  and  John  Searles. 
Two  years  later  a  four-horse  vehicle  replaced  the  first, 
and  the  route  intersected  the  Milford  and  Owego  Turn- 
pike at  Carbondale.  The  Searles  brothers  were  then  the 
proprietors  of  the  line. 

Pearce  records  George  Root  as  the  veteran  stage  driver 
of  this  region,  a  title  to  which  a  service  of  forty  years 
entitled  him. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ISTORY    OF    THE     COAL     TRADE     IN     LUZERNE    AND 
LACKAWANNA    COUNTIES. 


CENTURY  has  passed  since  anthracite  coal 
was  first  taken  from  the  Wyoming  valley  to 
be  used  in  the  forges  of  the  United  States 
armory  at    Carlisle.      It   was    quarried  from 
outcropping    veins  on  the  banks  of  the  Susque- 
hanna river,  near  Wilkes-Barr,e;  floated  in  Dur- 
ham  boats   to    Harris's    landing  and    thence 


drawn  in  wagons  to  its  destination.  A  trade  floating  to 
market  with  the  current,  in  boats  which  on  the  return 
trip  must  be  towed  or  pulled  up  stream  by  the  arms  of 
sturdy  boatmen,  must  have  been  small;  but  it  was  the  be- 
ginning, and,  continuing  through  the  Revolutionary  war, 
and  through  various  stages  of  progress,  it  has  reached 
giant  proportions  while  yet.  in  1880,  scarce  beyond  its 
infancy. 

Volney  L.  Maxwell,  Esq.,  in  his  interesting  "  Lectures 
on  Mineral  Coal,"  read  before  the  Wyoming  Historical 
and  Geological  Society  in  1858,  says  that  the  old  quarry 
above  Mill  creek,  from  which  the  first  coal  was  taken,  was 
explored  by  direction  of  its  proprietor,  Colonel  George 
M.  Hollenback,  some  years  before,  when  traces  of  the 
ancient  mining  were  found,  overgrown  with  large  trees. 
At  that  early  day  the  presence  of  coal  was  only  known  by 
its  appearance  or  outcropping  at  the  earth's  surface,  few 
believing  thai  it  could  follow,  like  the  under  crust  of  a  pie, 
from  one  rim  of  the  basin  to  the  other.  Long  after,  in  1837, 
a  newspaper  published  by  Messrs.  Webb  &  Blackman,  in 
Kingston,  replied  to  the  question,  "  Does  coal  run  under 
all  land  in  the  valley  ?  "  "Yes — certainly.-  At  Carbon- 
dale  they  have  followed  the  coal  under  ground  about  a 
mile."  Even  at  this  date  there  are  people  in  the  coal 
field  who  doubt  its  existence  beyond  the  reach  of  vision. 
As  a  rule,  the  deeper  it  lies  the  better  it  is  supposed  to 
be.  Near  the  old  mine  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company 
has  now  two  shafts  in  full  operation,  the  coal  more 
than  six  hundred  feet  below  the  surface,  from  which  sev- 
eral hundred  thousand  tons  of  anthracite  may  be  raised 
annually;  the  mines  extending  not  only  under  the  lands 
of  Mr.  Hollenback,  but  under  and  beyond  the  river  Sus- 
quehanna, taking  coal  from  the  farms  of  Colonel  Charles 
Dorrance  and  others  on  the  Kingston  side. 

The  trade  down  the  Susquehanna  continued  and  in- 
creased after  the  war  closed.  The  coal,  quarried  from 
the  hill  sides,  hauled  to  the  river  in  wagons  and  loaded 
into  arks  built  for  the  purpose,  of  rough  planks,  floated 
off  on  the  spring  and  summer  freshets  in  search  of  a 
market.  Teams  of  mine-owners  and  of  neighboring  far- 
mers found  winter  employment;  labor  otherwise  unem- 
ployed had  occupation  in  mining,  cutting  timber  for  the 
rude  arks,  and  in  manning  them  for  the  voyage.  What 
jolly  fellows  were  those  arkmen  and  raftmen  returning 
with  pockets  full  of  money  from  the  annual  frolic  down 
the  river.  Few  of  them  are  left,  but  they  insist  upon 
their  right  of  recognition  as  pioneers  in  the  opening  coal 
trade,  earlier  than  1820. 

Mr.  John  B.  Smith,  senator  from  Luzerne  in  the  Legis- 
lature of  Pennsylvania  and  a  son  of  Abijah  Smith,  one  of 
the  earliest  operators  of  Plymouth  and  proprietor  of  one 
of  the  largest  mines  then  known  in  the  valley,  wrote  to 
the  Wilkes-Barre  Record  of  the  7?V««  October  27th,  1874: 
"  I  see  you  make  a  statement  in  your  daily  that  the  coal 
business  opened  in  1820,  with  365  tons.  Abijah  Smith 
purchased  an  ark  in  Wilkes-Barre,  of  John  P.  Arndt, 
November  gth,  1807,  and  ran  it  to  Columbia,  loaded  with 
fifty-five  tons  of  coal.  From  that  date  Abijah  Smith  and 
John  Smith  ran  several  arks  yearly  to  1826,  loaded  with 


*^^ 


v* 


68 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


coal  for  market.  In  1811  and  1812  they  ran  220  tons  of 
coal  to  Havre-de-Grace,  had  it  re-loaded  on  a  schooner 
named  "  Washington,"  consigned  to  Price  cSi  Walerbiiry, 
New  York,  who  sold  it  on  commission  and  rendered  a 
statement  February  ist,  1813.  I  think  you  should  date 
the  opening  of  the  coal  trade  in  1807  instead  of  1820." 

Mr.  Stewart  Pearce  in  his  full  and  usually  faithful 
"Annals  of  Luzerne  County  "  says  thaT  Colonel  George 
M.  Hollenback  sent  two  four-horse  loads  of  coal  to  Phil- 
adelphia in  1813,  and  that  Mr.  James  Lee  during  the 
same  year  sent  a  four-horse  load  from  Hanover  to  a 
blacksmith  at  Germantown. 

The  blacksmiths  of  this  region  early  learned  the  use  of 
anthracite  coal.  Obadiah  and  Daniel  Gore  were  smiths, 
who  came  from  Connecticut  as  early  as  1768  and  became 
owners  of  coal  lands  near  Wilkes-Barre.  Their  experience 
in  the  use  of  the  coal  in  their  shops  is  said  to  have  led 
Jesse  Fell  to  his  experiment  with  coal  in  the  open  grate, 
to  which  we  are  indebted  for  our  pleasant  grate  fires. 
Judge  Fell  was  a  mason,  and  left  on  a  fly  leaf  of  his  copy 
of  "  The  Free  Mason's  Monitor  "  this  record: 

"February  11,  of  masonry  5808. — Made  the  experiment 
of  burning  the  common  stone  coal  of  the  valley  in  a  grate 
in  a  common  fireplace  in  my  house,  and  find  it  will  answer 
the  purpose  of  fuel,  making  a  clearer  and  better  fire,  at 
less  expense,  than  burning  wood  in  the  common  way. 

"  Jesse  Fell." 

"  Borough  of  Wilkes-Barre, 

"  February  11,  1808." 

These  experiments  are  sufficiently  authenticated  to  pass 
into  history,  and  it  would  be  "  biting  a  file  "  to  attempt  to 
deprive  the  memories  of  Daniel  Gore  and  Jesse  Fell  of 
the  credit  and  honor  so  long  and  so  freely  accorded  by 
those  who  knew  them  best,  and  who  often  made  their 
glasses  of  "flip"  foam  with  the  poker  heated  red  hot 
between  the  bars  of  the  original  grate,  before  which  they 
toasted  feet  and  fingers  during  the  cold  winters. 

Among  the  papers  of  Jacob  Cist,  preserved  by  a  grand- 
son, Harrison  Wright,  Esq.,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  are 
certificates  from  several  gentlemen  who  have  made  exper- 
iments at  an  early  day  in  burning  anthracite  coal.  One 
is  from  Mr.  Frederick  Graff,  dated  Philadelphia,  May 
13th,  1805,  in  which  he  says  that  in  1802  he  had  made 
trial  of  burning  anthracite  in  a  stove,  and  found  it  to 
answer  exceedingly  well.  Mr.  Graff  signs  as  clerk  of  the 
water  works  of  Philadelphia.  This  may  have  been  some 
of  the  coal  first  taken  out  by  the  Lehigh  Mine  Company, 
with  which  many  experiments  were  no  doubt  attempted 
besides  the  fruitless  one  described  at  the  water  works. 

Another  certificate  is  from  Mr.  Oliver  Evans,  February 
iSth,  1803,  who  says  he  had  used  anthracite  coal  in  a 
stove,  and  in  a  small  contracted  grate  in  an  open  fireplace, 
producing  a  degree  of  heat  greater  than  from  any  other 
coal  he  had  known. 

True  the  original  draft  of  survey  of  the  manor  of  Sun- 
bury,  made  by  Charles  Stewart  for  the  proprietaries,  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Susquehanna  had  "stone  coal"  marked 
upon  it ;  but  the  date,  1768,  is  the  same  as  given  by  Mr. 
Gore  to  Judge  Fell  as  that  of  their  success  in  using  coal 


in  their  shop  fires,  so  stated  in  a  letter  printed  in  Haz- 
sard's  Register ,  and  the  surveyor,  knowing  of  the  use  of 
coal  for  centuries  in  England,  upon  hearing  of  the  use  of 
it  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  would  naturally  suppose 
it  to  exist  on  the  west  side  if  he  had  seen  it  on  the  hill 
slope. 

Judge  Fell  first  made  a  grate  of  green  hickory  wood,  in 
which  he  tried  his  experiments;  then  had  one  made  of 
iron  which  he  placed  in  the  bar-room  of  his  house. 

There  are  many  living  yet  who  can  remember  when 
coal  was  shipped  in  arks  from  Plymouth,  Wilkes-Barre 
and  Pittston.  Crandall  Wilcox  as  early  as  1814  sold 
coal  from  his  mine  (now  operated  by  the  Delaware  & 
Hudson  Canal  Company,  on  Mill  creek.  Plains  township) 
at  $8.50  per  ton  in  Marietta,  Lancaster  county.  Pa.  His 
sons  at  a  much  later  date  sent  coal  in  arks  to  market  by 
the  river  even  after  the  canal  was  completed  to  Nanti- 
coke,  1830. 

Colonel  Lord  Butler  owned  that  wonderful  develop- 
ment of  anthracite,  on  Coal  brook,  1  mile  east  of  the 
borough,  afterwards  known  as  the  Baltimore  mine,  which 
supplied  Wilkes-Barre  in  early  times.  The  coal  was 
quarried  and  delivered  at  $3  per  ton. 

Colonel  Washington  Lee  sent  several  hundred  tons 
from  his  mines  in  Hanover  in  1820,  which  sold  in  Balti- 
more at  $8  per  ton.  This  brings  us  abreast  of  opening 
trade  on  the  Lehigh  in  1820.  Seeing  its  365  tons  and 
going  it  much  better,  Mr.  Pearce  states  the  total  to  this 
date  from  Wyoming  at  8,500  tons. 

In  1823  Colonel  Lee  and  George  Chahoon  leased  amine 
in  Newport  and  contracted  for  the  mining  and  delivery  of 
one  thousand  tons  of  coal  in  arks  at  Lee's  Ferry  at  $1.10 
per  ton — the  coal  selling- at  Columbia  at  a  loss  of  $1,500. 

In  1829  the  Butler  mine  on  Coal  brook,  near  Wilkes- 
Barre,  was  purchased  for  Baltimore  capitalists,  and  the 
"  Baltimore  Coal  Company''  was  formed  under  a  charter 
from  the  State  of  Maryland  of  February  17th,  1829,  being 
originally  incorporated  as  the  "  Baltimore  and  Pittsburg 
Coal  Company."  From  this  company  the  coal  takes  its 
name  which  has  given  a  wide  reputation  as  one  of  the  finest 
veins  of  anthracite  in  the  region.  It  first  shipped  co.il 
in  arks. 

The  Stockbridge  mine  in  Pittston  sent  coal  down  the 
river  in  arks  in  1828,  furnishing  about  two  thousand  tons 
in  three  years.  Joseph  Wright  had  shipped  coal  from 
Pittston  in  1813.  This  was  probably  the  son  of  Thomas 
Wright,  who  had  a  forge  on  the  Lackawanna  near  the 
crossing  of  the  main  road  to  Providence  and  well  under- 
stood the  value  of  coal  and  coal  lands.  The  place  is  still 
known  as  "  Old  Forge."  It  was  ainong  the  earliest  tracts 
to  change  hands  from  original  owners,  having  been  sold 
by  the  heirs  of  Thomas  Wright  to  a  Mr.  Armstrong,  of 
Newburg,  and  Hon.  Charles  Augustus  Murray,  a  gentle- 
man from  England.  It  was  said  that  the  location  of 
Scranton  hung  in  the  balance  at  one  time  between  "Old 
Forge"  and  "  Slocura  Hollow,"  the  latter  with  its  blast 
furnace  and  iron  ore  beds  securing  the  prize. 

In  its  issue  of  April  26th,  1837,  the  Kingston  paper 
says  of   the  trade:     "Up   to   April   17th    fifty    arks   had 


^i¥- 


WATER  WAYS  FOR  THE  COAL  TRADE. 


69 


been  dispatched  from  the  Plymouth  banks,  averaging 
60  tons  each.  This  sold  along  the  river  at  an  average  of 
$4  per  ton.  To  this  date  but  a  trifle  over  3,000  tons  had 
been  shipped  from  Mauch  Chunk,  and  only  about  twice 
that  amount  from  the  whole  Schuylkill  region.  With 
the  canal  from  Columbia  to  tide  completed,  and  the  north 
branch  by  a  proper  route  extended  into  the  lake  country, 
'Old Shawnee'  alone  can  send  150,000  tons  to  market 
per  annum." 

The  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  as  early  as  1824 
provided  for  the  appointment  of  a  board  of  canal  com- 
missioners, with  instructions  to  explore  canal  routes  from 
Harrisburg  to  Pittsburg  by  the  waters  of  the  Juniata  and 
Conemaugh  rivers;  and  also  a  route  by  the  west  branch 
of  the  Susquehanna,  the  Sinnamahoning  and  Allegheny 
rivers;  and  the  country  between  the  Schu.ylkill  and  Sus- 
quehanna rivers  through  the  great  valley  of  Chester  and 
Lancaster  counties.  The  trade  between  Philadelphia 
and  the  great  and  growing  west  attracted  attention  and 
interest,  but  the  wilds  of  the  north  branch,  in  which  the 
noblest  of  refugees  from  the  wilder  fury  of  the  French 
Revolution  had  sought  shelter,  and  the'still  unappreciated 
anthracite  coal  of  Wyoming  were  little  known  and  un- 
mentioned. 

As  early  as  1796  a  small  book  was  published  in  Phila- 
delphia which  by  way  of  preface  opened  with  a  short 
explanation  of  its  object  as  follows:  "The  design  of 
these  pages  is  to  show  the  importance  of  the  great  na- 
tional canal — the  river  Susquehanna;  the  eligible  situa- 
tion for  the  purposes  of  trade  and  manufactures  of  some 
places  on  its  banks  and  at  its  mouth;  its  great^  connection 
with  other  main  waters  of  the  United  States,  and  the  ex- 
tensive and  fertile  surface  of  country  from  which  it  must 
drain  the  rich  productions  of  agriculture  and  manufac- 
tures."    No  mention  of  coal  ! 

[n  1791  the  Legislature  appropriated  several  thousand 
pounds  to  improving  the  Susquehanna.  In  1792  among 
the  appropriations  was  one  for  a  road  "  from  Lehigh  Gap 
in  the  Blue  mountain  across  the  Metchunk  mountain  to 
intersect  the  Nescopeck  road  made  by  Evan  Owen, 
;^2oo."  Another  "from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Wyalusing,  on 
the  Meshoppen  creek,  and  to  the  State  line,  ;^ioo.''  No 
word  of  coal  ! 

Havre-de-Grace  was  to  be  a  port  for  foreign  and  inland 
commerce.  The  author  of  the  work  referred  to  says: 
"The  whole  trade  of  this  river  must  center  at  this  spot 
as  an  entrepot,  or  place  of  exportation.  Whatever  may 
be  the  exertions  of  Pennsylvania,  or  the  raonied  capital 
of  Philadelphia,  the.  trade  of  this  river  must  ever  pursue  its 
natural  channel."  "Seldom  ever"  would  seem  the  more 
appropriate  expression  suggested  by  experience.  When 
that  book  was  written  the  migratory  shad  had  a  natural 
channel  and  right  of  way  up  to  its  spawning  grounds  at  the 
head  waters;  and,  fat  with  abundance  of  food,  furnished 
a  luxury  for  the  tables  of  people  living  along  the  river, 
for  the  loss  of  which  even  anthracite  is  hardly  compensa- 
tion— at  least  in  shad  season.  The  writer  of  1796  evi- 
dently had  no  premonition  of  coming  anthracite,  or  of 
steam  wagons  annihilating  time  and  space,  on  iron  roads; 


not  only  along  the  streams,  but  carrying  the  united  loads  of 
five  hundred  wagons  with  easeover  some  of  the  highest  hills 
which  border  them.  The  age  had  not  yet  fully  developed 
the  energies  of  a  White,  a  Hazard,  or  of  Wurts.  Pardee, 
Packer,  Scranton  and  Parrish  were  yet  in  the  future. 

The  great  object  of  improving  the  navigation  of  the 
Susquehanna,  and  opening  a  way  to  market  for  the  pro- 
duce of  the  settlers  upon  the  upper  waters,  has  been 
accomplished,  however,  and  by  the  use  of  its  currents. 
Liberal  appropriations  followed  the  appointment  of  a 
canal  board,  and  the  corner  stone  of  the  first  lock  was 
laid  at  Harrisburg  in  1827,  with  great  rejoicings.  Toward 
the  growing  west,  by  the  valleys  of  the  Juniata  and  the 
west  branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  the  public  funds  and 
energies  were  first  directed.  The  north  branch  must 
take  care  of  its  own  interests.  Luzerne  was  aroused  and 
her  strongest  men  were  selected  to  represent  her  in  the 
State  Legislature  at  its  next  session,  for  the  purpose 
of  securing  early  appropriations.  Garrick  Mallery  and 
George  Denison  were  chosen. 

The  canal  commissioners  began  to  place  the  North 
Branch  division  under  contract,  extending  from  North- 
umberland to  the  New  York  State  line.  Mr.  Pearce,  in 
his  Annals  of  Luzerne,  thus  refers  to  it  : 

"  The  4th  day  of  July,  1828,  was  fixed  upon  as  the  day 
to  break  ground  at  Berwick;  and  the  writer,  then  a  boy, 
numbered  one  among  the  great  multitude  assembled  to 
witness  the  interesting  scene.  The  military  were  there 
with  their  colors  and  drums  and  gay  attire.  Crowds 
came  from  Wilkes-Barre,  Plymouth,  Kingston,  North- 
umberland, Danville,  Bloomsburg,  and  from  all  the 
regions  round  about  for  thirty  miles  or  more.  Old  men 
and  women  were  there,  and  the  boys  and  girls  from  town 
and  country  came.  And  there  was  good  cider,  and  a 
vast  supply  of  cakes,  and  beer  that  made  the  eyes  of  the 
drinker  snap. 

"  At  the  appointed  hour  the  ceremonies  began  by 
plowing  near  the  present  lock  at  Berwick.  The  plow 
was  held  by  Nathan  Beach,  Esq  ,  and  was  drawn  by  a 
yoke  of  splendid  red  oxen,  owned  and  driven  by  Alex- 
ander Jameson,  Esq.  The  loose  earth  was  removed  in 
wheelbarrows,  a  rock  was  blasted,  cannon  were  fired,  and 
all  returned  to  their  homes  happy  and  buoyant  with  the 
hope  of  a  glorious  future. 

"In  1830  the  canal  was  completed  to  Nanticoke  dam, 
and  the  first  boat,  named  the  'Wyoming,' built  by  the 
Hon.  John  Koons  at  Shickshinny,  was  launched  and 
towed  to  Nanticoke,  where  she  was  loaded  with  ten  tons 
of  anthracite  coal,  a  quantity  of  flour  and  other  articles. 
Her  destination  was  Philadelphia.  The  North  Branch 
Canal  being  new  and  filling  slowly  with  water,  the  '  Wyo- 
ming '  passed  through  the  Nanticoke  shute  and  thence 
down  the  river  to  Northumberland,  where  she  entered 
the  Susquehanna  division  of  the  canal,  and  proceeded  with 
considerable  difficulty  by  way  of  the  Union  and  Schuyl- 
kill canals  to  Philadelphia." 

The  first  venture  by  river  and  canal  was  frozen  up  on 
the  return  trip,  and  its  cargo  of  fifteen  tons  of  dry  goods 
was  carred  to  Wilkes-Barre  on  sleds. 


<¥ 


Hh 


70 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


In  1831  the  "  Luzerne,"  built  on  the  river  bank  oppo- 
site Wilkes-Barre  by  Captain  Derrick  Bird,  took  a  cargo 
of  coal  to  Philadelphia,  floating  down  the  river  to  the 
inlet  lock  at  Nanticoke,  and  returned  with  merchandise 
to  Nanticoke  dam  in  July.  In  1834,  commanded  by 
Captain  Buskirk,  the  "  Luzerne  "  made  the  first  complete 
round  trip  by  canal  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Philadel- 
phia, the  canal  having  been  opened  to  Pittston. 

From  Pittston  to  the  State  line,  a  distance  of  ninety- 
four  miles,  the  progress  of  the  North  Branch  was  slow, and 
in  1836  work  upon  it  was  indefinitely  suspended.  The 
North  Branch  Canal  Company  was  incorporated  in  1842 
to  afford  an  opportunity  for  private  capital  in  the  coal 
regions  to  invest  and  carry  forward  the  much  needed  and 
long  desired  improvement.  "  Show  your  faith  by  your 
works,  gentlemen;  you  who  knock  so  clamorously  at  the 
portals  of  the  State  treasury  with  the  plea  of  public 
benefit  and  necessity — you  are  the  ones  to  be  directly 
benefited  by  this  opening  of  the  northern  coal  field  to 
market.     Dig  your  own  ditch." 

But  the  capital  was  not  here  in  proper  shape  for  such 
investment.     It  was  asking  an  impossibility.     The  farmer 
with  his  two  or  three  hundred  acres  of  rough  land  could 
not  do  more  than  support  his  family.     The  opening  of  a 
canal  or  a  railroad  was  to  him  at  best  but  creating  a  mar- 
'    ket  for  his  homestead  for  thirty  or  forty  dollars  an  acre — 
say  eight  thousand  or  ten  thousand  dollars — an  event  not 
desired;  and  the  subscription  of  one   third  or  even  one 
tenth  of  that  sum  meant  distress  and  ruin  when  pay  day 
came.     The  other  side  of  the  picture — is  it  not  seen  in  the 
bright   hues    reflected   from   a  hundred    thousand   fires 
sparkling  in  hall  and  cottage   over  our  broad   common- 
wealth, at  a  cost  so  light  as  to  be  almost  unfelt?     Not  a 
town    or  city  but  is  benefited  a  thousand  times  more  in 
proportion  to  population  than  were  the   scattered  people 
of  this  then  wild  region.     The  fact  was  not   so   apparent 
at  that  day,  although  the  trade  had   added  one   tenth  to 
its  first  annual  production  of  a  million  of  tons.     Now  this 
district  alone  in  1879  claimed  credit  for  two-thirds  of  the 
enormous  out-put  of  twenty-six  millions  of   tons  sent  to 
market.     The  north  and  west,  for  whose  benefit  the  North 
Branch  Canal  was  most  needed,  received  one-third  of  the 
product  of  this  coal  field. 

It  was  with  great  apparent  reluctance  that  appropria- 
tions were  renewed  and  work  resumed  on  the  northern 
extension.  The  State  had  transferred  all  its  rights  in  the 
unfinished  work  to  the  company,  upon  condition  that  the 
line  from  the  Lackawanna  river  to  the  New  York  State 
boundary  should  be  completed  in  three  years.  The  fin- 
ished portion  from  the  lock  at  Solomon's  creek,  on  Nan- 
ticoke pool,  to  the  Lackawanna  river  was  afterwards 
added  as  a  donus.  The  opinion  freely  expressed  abroad 
that  this  was  a  useless  ditch,  only  calculated,  if  not  in- 
tended, to  transfer  public  funds  from  the  State  treasury 
to  the  pockets  of  needy  followers  of  designing  politicians, 
was  not  encouraging  to  the  capitalists  of  the  vicinage,  if 
such  there  were.  But  the  people  once  more  were  aroused, 
and  without  regard  to  party  united  in  urging  its  early 
completion,  that  our  anthracite  might   have   an  outlet  to 


the  cold  north  country  which  was  being  rapidly  denuded 
of  its  forests  and  would  need  the  coal  for  fuel,  while  the 
southern  and  eastern  markets  were  amply  supplied  by 
the  Lackawanna  and  by  the  middle  and  southern  coal 
fields. 

Preparations  had  been  made  in  Pittston  for  trade  by 
canal,  although  it  will  be  noted  that  trade  by  the  cheap 
transportation  in  arks  continued  long  after  the  canal  was 
finished.  Judge  Mallory,  John  L.  Butler  and  Lord  But- 
ler had  opened  a  mine  and  made  a  railroad  of  a  mile  to 
the  canal  in  Pittston,  shipping  coal  as  early  as  1840.  If 
any  deserved  success  those  gentlemen  might  claim  it  for 
liberal  enteri)rise,  energy  and  industry.  They  established 
agencies,  produced  excellent  coal  and  bore  all  necessary 
expenses  of  tolls  and  transportation.  The  close  competi- 
tion of  the  region  nearer  the  eastern  markets  made  returns 
uncertain,  and  unreliable  agents  caused  pecuniary  embar- 
rassments. In  this  way  very  noble  men  were  worn  out  in 
waiting  for  the  completion  of  the  northern  outlet. 

The  absence  of  northern   connections    was  for  a  long 
time  an    obstacle  to    the  progress  of  work,   and    it   was 
finally  intimated  that  it  would  be  resumed  upon    condi- 
tion that  the  Junction  canal,  a  link  required  in  the  chain 
connecting  the  systems  of  Pennsylvania    and  New  York 
by    the  Chemung    canal    and  Seneca    lake,     should    be 
pledged  to  completion  at  the  same  time.      A  meeting  was 
called  and  books  opened  for   subscriptions  to  the  capital 
stock  of  the  Junction  canal.    Mr.  John  Arnot,  of  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  and  Mr.  George  M.  Hollenback  of   Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.,   were  present,  both  deeply  interested.     There  were 
few  men  along  the  line  at  that  day  who  had  ready  money 
or  securities  to  pledge  for   it,  and  subscriptions  lagged. 
After  some  good  natured   badinage  between  the  two   old 
friends  and   capitalists,  Colonel    Hollenback  said:  "You 
subscribe    first,  Mr.  Arnot,  and  I  will  put  down   as  much 
as  you  do."     Mr,  Arnot  immediately  added  to   his  signa- 
ture "$100,000."     Colonel  Hollenback,  true  to  his  word_ 
promptly  pledged  his  own  name  for  "|ioo,ooo"  and  in- 
sured the  completion  of  both  canals.      Actions  like  these 
must  not  be   estimated  by  results.     The  gentlemen  had 
little-  to'gain  for  themselves,  but  were  actuated  by  a  large- 
hearted  public  spirit.      It  was  nobly  done,  but  it  was  too 
late. 

The  North  Branch  extension  was  placed  under  the  su- 
pervision of  Mr.  William  Ross  Maffet,  an  able  engineer 
and  an  honest,  efficient  officer,  for  completion.  Trade 
was  opened  in  the  fall  of  1856,  when  eleven  hundred  and 
fifty  tons  of  coal  passed  through  it  to  western  New  York. 
In  1859  the  trade  had  only  increased  to  fifty-two  thousand 
tons.  Long  delays  had  been  fatal.  Railroad  construction 
and  operation  had  been  so  perfected  during  the  suspension 
of  work  on  the  canal  that  the  railroads  were  enabled  to 
compete  successfully  with  internal  water  communication, 
closed  by  northern  frosts  and  useless  for  half  the  year. 
The  North  Branch  Canal  was  abandoned.  "  Sic  Tramit." 
The  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  Canal  and  Railroad 
Company  was  incorporated  in  1865,  absorbing  the  charter 
of  the  North  Branch  Canal  Company,  and  by  various 
supplements  secured  the  right  to  occupy  the  bed  of  the 


=-•#* 


FATE  OF  THE  NORTH  BRANCH  CANAL— GINTER'S  COAL  DISCOVERY. 


71 


canal,  which  its  railway  now  follows  north  from  Pittston 
through  the  Narrows,  where  there  had  been  scarce  room 
for  two  farm  wagons  to  pass  on  the  way  to  and  from 
market.  The  railway  was  opened  to  Waverly  in  1869. 
For  those  who  make  the  delightful  excursion  from  New 
York  and  Philadelphia  by  the  romantic  Lehigh  Valley 
route  and  the  Susquehanna,  through  the  Wyoming  val- 
ley, to  Niagara  and  the  west,  the  change  is  a  great  im- 
provement in  comfort  and  safety,  however  it  may  have 
shattered  the  idols  of  a  generation  reared  in  the  faith  of 
Joshua  White — that  canals  were  superior  to  any  other 
mode  of  inland  transportation,  and  that  the  oil  which  lu- 
bricated the  wheels  of  a  locomotive  and  its  train  would 
cost  more  than  all  the  expense  of  carrying  the  same  ton- 
nage on  a  canal.  There  was  a  great  difference  between 
the  Lehigh  and  North  Branch  canals.  Joshua  White 
carried  his  heavy  tonnage  with  the  stream,  the  current 
aiding.  The  light  freight  and  empty  boats  went  up 
stream.  On  the  Susquehanna  the  downward  trade  still 
continues;  but  the  coal  taken  north  had  to  encounter  the 
resistance  of  the  current,  and  it  was  a  serious  disadvantage. 
What  might  have  been  the  results  of  an  early  comple- 
tion of  our  canal,  and  the  establishment  of  large  markets 
at  various  points  throughout  the  north  and  west,  it  is 
bootless  now  to  inquire.  Probably  a  long  rivalry,  and 
time  wasted. 

The  State  sold  its  interest  in  the  canals  in  1858  to  the 
Sunbury  and  Erie  Railroad  Company,  the  North  Branch 
Canal  Company  being  party  to  the  arrangement,  taking 
the  division  from  Northumberland  north  at  $1,500,000. 
The  canal  from  Northampton  street  in  the  city  of 
Wilkes-Barre  to  Northumberland  was  sold  to  the  Wyo- 
ming Canal  Company,  chartered  in  April,  1859.  This 
company  was  merged  in  the  Pennsylvania  Canal  Company 
in  1869,  the  name  having  in  1863  been  changed  by 
merger  in  the  Wyoming  Valley  Canal  Company.  In 
1878  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  which 
controls  this  canal,  reported  the  amount  of  freight  in 
net  tons  in  1866  as  668,706,  of  which  438,821  tons  was 
anthracite  coal.  The  company  has  a  fine  bridge  over  the 
Nanticoke  pool,  connecting  its  mines  on  the  east  side  with 
the  Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg  railroad  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  over  which  its  trade  is  continued  through 
the  year;  having  collieries  upon  both  sides  openmg  some 
of  the  largest  and  best  veins  of  coal  in  this  region,  from 
lands  formerly  of  Colonel  Washington  Lee,  Jameson 
Harvey  and  others. 

TRADE    BY    THE    LEHIGH. 

Citizens  of  Wyoming  were  early  prospectors  and  oper- 
ators in  the  middle  coal  field,  engaged  in  efforts  to  intro- 
duce anthracite  coal  to  tide  water  markets  while  the  war 
of  181 2  obstructed  foreign  trade  and  the  price  of  coal 
was  high.  That  the  opening  of  those  markets  was  of 
importance  to  Luzerne  is  attested  now  by  the  fact  that 
nearly  if  not  quite  three  million  tons  of  coal  was  fur- 
nished to  the  trade  of  1879  by  this  county  from  mines  in 
the  southern  townships  of  Hazle,  Foster,  Butler  and 
Black  Creek,  having  outlet  by  the  Lehigh  route;  besides 


a  fair  proportion  of  the  eight  and  a  quarter  million  tons 
credited  to  the  trade  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  and  Lehigh 
and  Susquehanna  roads,  which  must  have  been  Wyoming 
coal. 

The  editors  of  "Coal,  Iron  and  Oil,"  a  work  of  value 
published  in  1866,  say  of  the  early  history  and  develop- 
ment of  the  anthracite  regions:  "The  early  history  of 
coal  in  America  is  much  less  obscure  and  uncertain  than 
its  history  in  England,  for  obvious  reasons.  In  fact  the 
printers  themselves  were  among  the  pioneers  of  our  coal 
mines:  first  to  advocate  the  value  of  coal,  first  to  embark 
in  its  development  and  first  to  chronicle  its  success,  though 
we  cannot  say  they  were  first  to  profit.  We  may  notice 
the  examples  of  Cist,  Miner  and  Eannan,  whose  names 
appear  prominently  in  the  early  history  of  anthracite 
coal." 

In  1840  the  board  of  managers  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and 
Navigation  Company  ordered  tlie  publication  of  its  early 
history  in  a  pamphlet  of  some  seventy  pages,  of  which 
free  use  will  be  made  in  this  chapter.  This  will  insure- 
both  conciseness  and  accuracy.  Mr.  Daddow  says  in 
"  Coal,  Iron  and  Oil"  that  Nicho  Allen,  a  noted  'hunter, 
is  reported  to  have  discovered  coal  on  Broad  mountain, 
in  Schuylkill  county,  in  1790.  There  is  no  written  account 
of  it,  and  tradition  may  have  blended  two  characters  in 
one  incident;  as  only  a  year  after,  in  1791,  another  hunter, 
the  famous  Philip  Ginter,  made  a  like  discovery  on  the 
"  Matchunk,"  or  Bear  mountain,  about  nine  miles  west 
of  the  site  of  Mauch  Chunk.  Philip  Ginter's  discovery 
developed  into  the  mammoth  mine  of  the  Lehigh  Com- 
pany at  Summit  Hill.  Philip  tells  his  own  story  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  When  I  first  came  to  these  mountains,  some  years 
ago,  I  built  a  cabin  on  the  east  side  of  the  mountain,  and 
managed  by  hunting  and  trapping  to  support  my  family  in 
a  rough  way.  Deer  and  bears  were  pretty  thick,  and 
during  the  hunting  season  meat  was  plentiful;  but  some- 
times we  ran  short  of  that,  and  frequently  were  hard  up 
for  such  necessaries  as  could  only  be  purchased  with  the 
produce  of  the  hunter. 

"  One  day,  after  a  poor  season,  when  we  were  on  short 
allowance,  I  had  unusually  bad  luck,  and  was  on  my  way 
home,  empty  handed  and  disheartened,  tired  and  wet  with 
the  rain,  which  commenced  falling,  when  I  struck  my 
foot  against  a  stone  and  drove  it  on  before  me.  It  was 
nearly  dusk,  but  light  enough  remained  to  show  me  that 
it  was  black  and  shiny,  I  had  heard  of  '  stone  coal '  over 
in  Wyoming,  and  had  frequently  pried  into  rocks  in  hopes 
of  finding  it.  When  I  saw  the  black  rock  I  knew  it  must 
be  stone  coal,  and  on  looking  round  I  discovered  black 
dirt  and  a  great  many  pieces  of  stone  coal  under  the  roots 
of  a  tree  that  had  been  blown  down.  I  took  pieces  of 
this  coal  home  with  me,  and  the  next  day  carried  them  to 
Colonel  Jacob  Weiss,  at  Fort  Allen. 

"A  few  weeks  after  this  Colonel  Weiss  sent  for  me,  and 
offered  to  pay  me  for  my  discovery  if  I  would  tell  him 
where  the  coal  was  found.  I  accordingly  offered  to  show 
him  the  place  if  he  would  get  me  a  small  tract  of  land 
and  water  power  for  a  saw-mill  I  had  in  view.       This  he 


<¥ 


■f 


72 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


readily  promised  and  afterward  performed.  Tlie  place 
was  found  and  a  quarry  opened  in  the  coal  mountain.  In 
a  few  years  the  discovery  made  hundreds  of  fortunes,  but 
I  may  say  it  ruined  me,  for  my  land  was  taken  from  me 
by  a  man  who  said  he  owned  it  before  I  did,  and  now  I 
am  still  a  poor  man." 

The  history  authorized  by  the  company  opens  with  the 
formation  of  the  "Lehigh  Coal  Mine  Company  '  : 

"In  1793  a  company  was  formed  under  tlie  title  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  Mine 
Company,  who  purchased  from  Jacob  Weiss  the  tract  of  land  on  which 
the  large  opening  at  Summit  Hill  is  made,  and  afterwards  'took  up,' 
under  warrants  from  the  commonwealth,  about  ten  thousand  acres  of 
land,  embracing  about  five-si-iths  of  the  coal  lands  now  owned  by  the 
Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company.  The  Coal  Mine  Company  proceed- 
ed to  open  the  mines,  and  made  an  appropriation  of  ten  pounds  (S36.67) 
to  construct  a  road  from  the  mines  to  the  landings  (nine  miles).  After 
many  fruitless  attempts  to  get  coal  to  market  over  this  nominal  road, 
and  by  the  Lehigh  river,  which  in  seasons  of  low  water  in  its  unim- 
proved state  defied  the  floating  of  a  canoe  over  its  rocky  bed,  and  after 
calling  for  contributions  from  the  stockholders  until  calling  was  useless, 
the  Lehigh  Mine  Company  became  tired  of  the  experiment  and  suffered 
their  property,  to  lie  idle  for  some  years. 

"  To  encourage  and  bring  into  notice  the  u.se  of  their  coal,  the  comp- 
any in  December,  1807,  gave  a  lease  upon  one  of  the  coal  veins  to  Row- 
land and  Dntland  for  twenty-one  years,  with  the  privilege  of  digging 
iron  ore  and  coal,  gratis,  for  the  manufacture  of  iron.  This  business 
was  abandoned,  together  with  the  lease,  as  from  some  cause  they  did 
not  succeed  in  their  work. 

"  In  December,  1813,  the  company  made  a  lease  for  ten  j'ears  of  their 
lands  to  Messrs.  Miner,  Cist  &  Kobinson,  with  the  right  of  cutting 
lumber  on  the  lands  for  building  boats;  the  whole  consideration  for  this 
lease  was  to  be  the  annual  introduction  into  market  of  ten  thousand 
bushels  of  coal,  for  the  benefit  of  the  /c.>isrc.s. 

"  Five  ark  loads  of  coal  were  despatched  by  these  gentlemen  from  the 
landing  at  Maucb  Chunk,  two  of  which  reached  Philadelphia,  the  others 
having  been  wrecked  in  their  passage." 

When  Colonel  Weiss  received  the  pieces  of  coal  from 
the  hunter  he  took  them  to  Philadelphia  and  submitted 
them  to  the  inspection  of  John  Nicholson,  Michael  Hill- 
egas  and  Charles  Cist,  who  authorized  Colonel  Weiss  to 
satisfy  Ginter  upon  his  pointing  out  the  precise  location 
of  the  coal.  These  gentlemen  united  with  others  in 
forming  the  coal  mine  company,  but  without  a  charter. 
Mr.  Maxwell  includes  the  eminent  financier  of  the  Rev- 
olutionary war,  Mr.  Robert  Morris,  among  the  active  pa- 
trons of  the  early  improvement  of  the  Lehigh,  but  men- 
tion of  his  name  does  not  occur  in  the  early  histories 
within  reach. 

Jacob  Cist,  a  gentleman  of  unusually  solid  and  brilliant 
scientific  attainments,  who  had  in  early  life  removed  to 
Wyoming,  was  a  son  of  Charles  Cist.  In  18 13  he  united 
with  Charles  .Miner,  editor  of  the  Gleaner,  and  John  W. 
Robinson,  all  of  Wilkes-Barre,  in  the  lease  on  the  Lehigh. 
Stephen  Tuttle  was  a  fourth.  Isaac  A.  Chapman,  after- 
ward editor  of  the  Gleaner,  and  author  of  an  early  his- 
tory of  Wyoming,  was  at  one  time  associated  in  the  en- 
terprise. He  was  an  engineer  with  Milnor  Roberts  and 
Solomon  W.  Roberts  on  the  upper  division  of  the  navi- 
gation under  Canvass  White,  and  died  at  Mauch  Chunk 
while  in  the  company's  service. 

A  curious  old  contract  of  January  27th,  1815,  "  between 
Chas.  Miner  of  the  one  part  and  Benjamin  Smith  and 
James  Miars  of  the  other  part,  witnesseth  that  the  said 
Smith  and  Miars  have  agreed  to  haul  from  the  great  coal 
bed  near  the  Lehigh,  commonly  called  the  Weiss  bed,  to 
the  landing  near  the  Lints  place  sixty  tons  of  stone  coal 
by  the  first  day  of  April,  1815,  for  which   the  said  Miner 


is  to  pay  them  four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  ton."  If 
the  full  amount  was  not  hauled  the  price  was  to  be  only 
four  dollars. 

There  is  also  a  memorandum,  signed  and  sealed  by 
Philip  Heermans,  agreeing  to  build  arks  in  a  workmanlike 
manner,  ready  to  run  by  the  first  spring  freshets  in  the 
Lehigh,  ten  arks  for  four  hundred  dollars.  "  Said  Charles 
to  find  all  the  materials  on  the  spot;  to  haul  the  timber, 
board  the  hands,  and  to  furnish  them  a  reasonable  quan- 
tity of  whiskey.  Wilkes-Barre,  November  23,  1814."  A 
note  added — "Mr.  Heermans  was  a  very  clever  fellow 
and  had  built  the  arks  previously  used.  I  wish  he  had 
lived  to  see  the  present  development  of  the  coal  business 
on  his  native  Lackawanna." 

The  company's  history  says  :  "Only  four  dollars  was 
paid  for  hauling  the  coal  over  the  road  before  referred  to, 
and  the  contractor  lost  money.  The  principal  part  of 
the  coal  which  arrived  at  Philadelphia  was  purchased  at 
twenty-one  dollars  per  ton  by  White  &  Hazard,  who  were 
then  manufacturing  wire  at  the  falls  of  the  Schuylkill. 
But  even  this,  price  did  not  remunerate  the  owners  for  the 
losses  and  expenses  of  getting  the  coal  to  market,  and 
they  were  consequently  compelled  to  abandon  the  prose- 
cution of  the  business,  and  of  course  did  not  comply  with 
the  terms  of  the  lease." 

The  venerable  James  A.  Gordon,  still  hale  and  active, 
in  memory  and  body,  wrote  from  his  home  in  Plymouth 
to  the  Wilkes-Barre  Record  of  the  Times,  February,  1874, 
his  recollections  of  this  early  Luzerne  enterprise  on  the 
Lehigh  : 

"  On  the  17th  July,  1814,  with  Abial  Abbott,  Sterne  Palmer,  Strange  H. 
Palmer  (another  printer),  Thomas  P.  Beach,  Joseph  Thomas,  Chester 
Dana  and  Josiah  Horton,  shouldered  knapsacks  and  tools  for  a  march 
to  the  Lehigh  to  build  arks  for  Messrs.  Cist,  Miner  and  Millhouse.  (Hll- 
legas?) 

"  Pour  arks  were  ready  for  loading  by  the  first  freshet.  The  estimated 
cost  of  fifty  tons,  one  ark  load  of  coal,  was:  Mining,  $50  ;  hauling  from 
summit,  $4,50  per  ton,  $325  ;  cost  of  ark,  $125 ;  loading  ark,  $15.  Total, 
$415. 

"  Lehigh  pilots  were  on  hand.  The  fleet  moved  off  with  the  rapid  cur- 
rent, and  in  fifteen  minutes  brought  up  on  a  reef  called  '  Red  Rocks,' 
half  a  mile  below.  One  ark  got  through.  In  the  ensuing  December 
peace  was  declared,  and  coal  went  down  to  six  dollars.  The  enterprise 
was  a  financial  failure." 

Mr.  Gordon  was  one  of  the  lads  on  board  the  stranded 
ark  who  stripped  nearly  naked  to  stop  the  rush  of  water 
through  the  hole  stove  in  the  bow,  and  got  a  good  wetting, 
of  which  he  seems  none  the  worse. 

In  1879  Lehigh  coal  sold  at  Port  Johnson  for  $2.50 
per  ton.  Lackawanna  coal  sold  as  low  as  $2  per  ton  on 
the  Hudson  river.  The  vast  expenditure  of  money  re- 
quired to  purchase  lands,  to  develop  mines,  and  to  con- 
struct lines  for  transportation  of  coal  to  market,  which 
makes  possible  this  comparison  of  prices  between  coal 
delivered  on  the  Lehigh  in  1815  and  at  tidal  points  in 
1879,  constitutes  a  portion  of  the  indebtedness  of  com- 
panies, the  interest  on  which  must  be  added  to  the  cost 
of  production  in  estimating  the  economic  or  the  com- 
mercial value  of  anthracite  as  a  fuel. 

Let  those  who  complain  of  the  grasping  avarice  of  coal 
dealers,  or  of  "soulless  corporations,"  carefully  compute 
the  saving  effected  in  cost  by  the  sacrifices  of  time  and 
money  on  the  part  of  the  pioneers,  and  rest  satisfied  with 


A¥ 


^h 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  LEHIGH  COAL  TRADE. 


73 


>et  higher  prices  than  were  charged  in  1879.  For  the 
increased  comfort  to  the  domestic  circles  in  thousands  of 
homes,  and  the  prosperity  so  widely  spread  through  the 
land  by  rendering  cheap  and  abundant  an  article  of  such 
prime  necessity,  bless  those  whose  labors  and  enterprise 
have  produced  the  change,  rather  than  revile  them  for 
imputed  faults. 

The  early  efforts  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  Mine  Company 
were  said  to  have  resulted  in  the  transportation  of  a 
small  quantity  of  coal  to  Philadelphia,  which  the  manager 
of  the  water  works  purchased  for  use  under  the  boiler  of 
a  steam  engine  in  Centre  Square.  Erskine  Hazard,  in  a 
communication  to  the  Historical  Society,  says  the  pur- 
chaser thought  it  ■'  only  served  to  put  the  fire  out,  and  the 
remainder  was  broken  up  and  spread  on  the  walks,  in- 
stead of  gravel." 

Messrs.  Daddow  and  Bannan,  in  their  book  on  "  Coal, 
Iron  and  Oil,"  say  that  a  Mr.  William  Morris  took  a 
wagon  load  of  coal  from  near  Port  Carbon,  in  Schuylkill, 
about  the  year  1800,  without  finding  a  market;  and  Mr. 
William  Trumbull  was  unsuccessful  with  an  ark  load 
taken  to  Philadelphia  in  1806  from  Lehigh. 

A  few  paragraphs  quoted  from  the  book  will  interest 
the  reader.  All  the  history  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Nav- 
igation Company  belongs  to  the  trade  of  the  Wyoming 
coal  field,  and  every  effort  to  introduce  anthracite  to  the 
Quaker  City  and  other  markets  as  an  article  of  commerce 
was  directly  in  our  interest. 

"  In  1813  Colonel  Georg-e  Shoemaker,  of  PottsviUe,  loaded  nine  wagons 
with  coal  for  Philadelphia.  Two  loads  he  disposed  of  at  cost  of  trans- 
portation, one  to  Messrs.  White  i-  Hazard,  at  their  nail  and  wire  works 
at  the  falls  of  the  Schuylkill:  and  the  other  to  Messrs.  Mellon  &  Bishop, 
of  the  Delaware  county  rolling  mill.  The  other  seven  loads  he  either 
gave  away,  or  disposed  of  /or  a  trifle,  to  blacksmiths,  or  others  who 
promised  to  try  it.  But  the  colonel  was  not  to  get  off  so  easily.  Though 
he  lost  time  and  money,  and  had  the  trouble  of  his  attempts  to  introduce 
a  fuel  which  has  since  made  Philadelphia  one  of  the  most  wealthy  and 
prosperous  cities  in  the  world,  the  very  men  to  whom  he  had  given  his 
coal  obtained  a  writ  from  the  authorities  of  that  city  for  his  arrest  as  an 
impostor  and  swindler. 

"  In  the  meantime  Mr.  White,  who  was  anxious  to  succeed  in  burning 
this  coal,  with  some  of  his  men  spent  a  whole  morning  in  trying  to  ignite 
it  and  raise  a  heat  in  one  of  their  furnaces.  They  tried  every  possible 
expedient  which  skill  and  experience  in  other  fuels  could  suggest.  They 
rateri  it,  and  i>o]Kd  it,  and  stirred  it  up,  and  blew  upon  the  surface  through 
open  furnace  door.s  with  perseverance  and  persistent  determination ; 
but  all  to  no  purpose.  Colonel  Shoemaker's  rocks  would  not  burn,  and 
the  attempt  was  abandoned.  Dinner  time  arrived,  and  the  men  shut 
the  furnace  doors  in  disgust,  heartily  tired  of  the  stones,  or  stone  coal, 
if  such  it  was. 

"  Beturning  from  dinner  at  the  usual  time,  all  hands  were  astonished 
at  the  phenomena  which  they  beheld.  The  furnace  doors  were  red  hot, 
and  the  whole  furnace  in  danger  of  being  melted  down  with  a  heat  never 
before  experienced.  On  opening  the  doors  a  glowing  mass  at  white 
heat  was  discovered.  So  hot  a  fire  had  never  before  been  seen  in  the  fur- 
nace. From  this  time  anthracite  stone  coal  found  friends  and  advo- 
cates in  Philadelphia,  and  the  motto  '  let  it  alone '  became  a  recipe  for 
its  use." 

Mr.  Hazard  in  a  communication  published  in  the 
proceedings  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society  says 
that  Mr.  Joshua  Malin  told  them  that  he  had  s^ucceeded 
in  using  Lehigh  coal  in  his  rolling  mill,  and  that  White 
&  Hazard  procured  a  load  of  it  which  cost  one  dollar 
per  bushel.  It  was  entirely  wasted  without  getting  up 
heat.  Another  cart  load  was  obtained  and  a  whole  night  < 
spent  in  endeavoring  to  make  a  fire  in  the  furnace,  when 
the  hands  shut  the  furnace  door  and  left  the  mill  in 
despair.     Fortunately,  one  of  them  left  his  jacket  in  the 


mill,  and   returning  for  it  in  about  half  an  hour  noticed 
that  the  furnace  door  was  red  hot,  etc.,  etc. 

This  makes  the  fact  of  the  experiment  and  its  success 
clear.  The  parties  narrating  were  interested  in  different 
mines  of  the  same  long,  narrow  basin  of  coal  now  known 
as  the  southern  anthracite,  which  extends  from  near  the 
Lehigh  almost  to  the  Susquehanna. 

A  very  interesting  "  Memoir  of  Josiah  White  "  by  his 
son-in-law  Richard  Richardson,  now  living  in  Arch  street, 
Philadelphia,  published  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  &  Co.,  1873, 
furnished  many  facts  in  connection  with  Mr.  White's 
efforts  to  improve  the  navigation  of  the  Lehigh  river  and 
introduce  coal  to  market.  It  says  that  coal  was  known 
to  exist  in  large  quantities  near  the  head  waters  of  the 
Schuylkill  river,  and  they  procured  some  from  there;  but 
the  price  was  enormously  high,  forty  dollars  a  ton,  brought 
to  their  works  in  wagons.  They  concluded  to  apply  to 
the  Legislature  for  the  privilege  of  making  the  Schuylkill 
navigable  and  supply  their  own  coal  at  a  cheaper  rate. 
It  certainly  would  seem  more  reasonable  than  the  Lehigh 
scheme,  but  the  application  in  1812-13  was  met  with 
ridicule  of  the  idea  of  using  coal  as  a  fuel.  The  member 
from  Schuylkill  county  affirmed  to  the  Legislature  that 
although  they  had  a  black  stone  in  their  county  it  would 
not  burn.     They  were  unsuccessful. 

Erskine  Hazard  in  an  article  in  Hazard's  Register  says 
that,  their  application  as  individuals  having  failed,  they 
called  a  public  meeting  and  made  a  more  formal  applica- 
tion for  a  charter,  which  was  the  commencement  of  the  pre- 
sent Schuylkill  Navigation  Company,  incorporated  in  1815. 
Josiah  White,  George  F.  A.  Hauto,  and  William  Briggs, 
a  stone  mason,  visited  the  Lehigh  on  horseback  in  1817, 
reaching  Bethlehem  on  Christmas  eve.  Mr.  White  says: 
"  Upon  returning  home  with  favorable  impressions  of 
the  practicability  of  the  project  [of  improving  the  river 
and  mining  coal],  it  was  concluded  that  Erskine  Hazard, 
George  F.  A.  Hauto  and  myself  should  join  in  the  enter- 
prise. I  was  to  mature  the  plan;  Hauto  was  to  procure 
the  money  from  his  rich  friends;  Hazard  was  to  be  the 
scribe,  he  also  being  a  good  machinist  and  an  excellent 
counselor."  The  pamphlet  history  of  the  company  says: 
"  Upon  their  return  and  making  a  favorable  report  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  lease  on  the  mining  property  (the  lease  to  Miner,  Cist  &  Rob- 
inson) was  forfeited  by  mm  t«cr,  and  that  the  law,  the  last  of  six  which 
had  been  passed  for  the  improvement  of  the  navigation  of  the  river,  had 
.just  expired  by  its  own  limitation.  Under  these  circumstances  the 
Lehigh  Coal  Mine  Company  became  completely  dispirited,  and  executed 
a  lease  to  Messrs.  White,  Hauto  and  Hazard,  for  twenty  years,  of  their 
whole  property,  on  condition  that,  after  a  given  time  for  preparation, 
they  should  deliver  for  their  own  benefit  at  least  forty  thousand  bushels 
of  coal  annually  in  Philadelphia  and  the  districts,  and  should  pay,  upon 
demand,  one  ear  of  corn  as  an  annual  rent  upon  the  property." 

So  Miner,  Cist  &  Rabinson,  like  the  poor  hunter  Gin- 
ter,  gained  but  a  loss  by  their  enterprise  and  labors,  their 
lease  having  been  forfeited  by  non  user !  It  is  the  fate 
of  nearly  all  who  wander  ahead  of  their  kind  in  search 
of  wealth  or  knowledge  to  lose  or  to  be  lost.  Genera- 
tions which  follow  profit  by  such  losses.  In  this  con- 
nection pardon  will  be  granted  by  the  kind  reader  for 
the  use  of  space  in  quoting  from  the  interesting  lectures 
referred  to  in  earlier  pages.  Mr.  Maxwell,  after  noticing 
the  many  abortive  attempts  to  introduce  coal  into  Phila- 
delphia, says  : 


10 


H^- 


74 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


"  The  fact  wa?,  the  Philadelphians  and  the  people  of 
the  Lehigh  were  behind  the  times  ;  they  did  not  take  the 
Wyoming  newspaper,  and  suffered  the  natural  conse- 
quences of  such  a  blunder  !  I  have  been  greatly  inter- 
ested in  turning  over  their  old  files.  Politics  and  the 
stirring  events  of  the  European  and  American  wars  fur- 
nished ample  materials  for  their  columns  ;  but  home 
subjects  were  not  forgotten. 

"In  1813  Mr.Miner  was  publishing  r/ii^G^/raz/^r  in  Wilkes- 
Barre;  and  in  a  long  editorial  article  from  his  pen,  under 
date  of  November  19th  and  the  head  of  '  State  Policy,'  he 
urged  with  great  zeal  the  improvement  of  the  descending 
navigation  of  the  Susquehanna  and  Lehigh  rivers.  He 
then  said:  '  The  coal  of  Wyoming  has  already  become  an 
article  of  considerable  traffic  with  the  lower  counties  of 
Pennsylvania.  Numerous  beds  have  been  opened,  and 
it  is  ascertained  beyond  all  doubt  that  the  valley  of  Wy- 
oming contains  enough  coal  for  ages  to  co...e.'  He  then 
goes  on  to  speak  highly  of  its  quality,  aud  says  further: 
'Seven  years  ago  our  coal  was  thought  of  little  value.  It 
was  then  supposed  that  it  could  not.be  burned  in  a  com- 
mon grate.  Our  smiths  used  it,  and  for  their  use  alone 
did  we  suppose  it  serviceable.  About  six  years  ago  one 
of  our  most  public  spirited  citizens  made  the  experiment 
of  using  it  in  a  grate,  and  succeeded  to  his  most  san- 
guine expectations.' 

'■  Again,  in  the   same  paper,  issued  on  the  31st  of  De- 
cember, 1813,  in  an  article  headed   'The  Prosperity  of 
Philadelphia,'  Mr.  Miner  wrote  of  the  objects  to  be  accom- 
plished for  her  advantage:   I,  The  connection  of  the  waters 
of  the  Chesapeake  and  the  Delaware — since  accomplished; 
2,  The  connection  of  the  Schuylkill  with  the  Swatara — 
since  much  more  than  accomplished  by  the  Union  Canal; 
and  3,  The  opening  of  a  communication  from  the  Susque- 
hanna to  Philadelphia   by  a  road  or  railway  from  Wilkes- 
Barre   to  the   Lehigh,  and   thence   by  that  river  to   the 
Delaware,  and  thence  to  Philadelphia.      '  I  have  visited,' 
he    said,  '  Lausanne  and  a  number  of  other  places  on  the 
Lehigh,  having  particularly  in  view    to  ascertain  the  real 
situation  of  its  navigation.'     Then,  in  the  next  issue  of 
the  same  paper,  there  is  another  editorial  by   Mr.   Miner, 
headed  '  Navigation  of  the  Lehigh,'  and  occupying  two  and 
a  half  colums  of  the  paper.      In  it  he  wrote  earnestly  and 
at  length  as  to  the  merits  of  our  coal,  as  well   as  to   the 
improvement  of  the  Lehigh.      Upon  this  point  he  printed 
in  italics  the  following  sentence:    'I  say  with  great  confi- 
dence, this  is  the  course  pointed  out   by  Nature  for  the 
connection  between  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Delaware;' 
and  experience  has  since  verified  its  truth.    He  then  urged 
upon  the  public   the  improvement   in   question,  on   the 
ground  of  the  comparatively  small  expense  it  would  re- 
quire.    He  was  not  too  sanguine,  as  the  event  has  proved. 
On     the     contrary,    he    then    said:     'Our     public    im- 
provements     must      grow      with      our      growth      and 
strengthen     with     our     strength.      We     cannot     expect 
in    this    young  country,  having  so  many  points  to  im- 
prove, to  equal  the  old  and  more   populous  countries  of 
Europe.     I  appeal  to  the  judicious  men  who  have  wit- 
nessed the  failure  of  our  grandest  plans,  if  they  have  not 


miscarried    because    they  were    disproportionate   to   the 
necessity  and  the  ability  of   the   country;'  and  he  closed 
this  part  of  the  subject  by  saying.  '  I  hope  our  grand- 
children may  live  to  see  a  complete  railway  from  this  place 
to  the  Lehigh,  and  a  canal  from  thence  to  Philadelphia.' 
"This  is-an  interesting  passage.     It  would  be  interest- 
ing to  know  just  how  many  of  Mr.  Miner's  readers  under- 
stood  at   that   day  what   a  railway  was.     There  was  not 
then  a  railway  in   existence, — -save   the   '  tram   roads  '  in 
and  about   the   mines  of   Newcastle, — and  to  those  who 
understood  this  how  much  like  the  merest  vagaries  of  the 
imagination     must     Mr.    Miner's    confident    hope    have 
seemed.     And  yet  it  has  been  more  than  realized.     His 
grand-children   have   indeed   not  only  lived  to  see  that 
very  railroad   and   canal   completed,  but  he  has  lived  to 
see  it  himself,  finished  and  in  use;  and  more  than  this, — 
he  has  lived  to  see  rot   only  that  particular  railway  and 
canal,  but  also  five  other  railroads  and  two  other  canals 
diverging  from  this  valley  to  the  great  coal  marts  of  the 
country!     [And   since   the  above  was  written   a  railroad 
has   bee.i    made    north    by  the    side   of   the   canal;  two 
others    south    to   the    seaboard    cities     and    beside    the 
Lehigh  canal;  and  the   construction   of   two    others   has 
also    been    commenced,    leading    into    the    valley    from 
different  directions  and  by  new  routes.] 

"But  the  result  of  Mr.  Miner's  investigations,  and  of 
his  explorations  of  the  Lehigh  at  that  early  day,  was   the 
hope    that    even     then     coal    could    be   got   down    the 
Lehigh  river  to  Philadelphia  in  arks  from  Mauch  Chunk; 
and  in  December  of  1813    he,  in  company  with  Messrs. 
Cist  and  Robinson,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  leased  the  mines  at 
-■Vlauch  Chunk  and  made  arrangements  to  try  the  experi- 
ment.    Mr.  Robinson  withdrew  early  from  their  company. 
"Of  Mr.   Miner   I   need   hardly  speak  in   this  commu- 
nity.    For  a  number  of  years  he  represented  old  Luzerne 
(then  embracing  all  of   northeastern  Pennsylvania)  in  the 
Legislature  of  the  State.     Subsequently  he  represented 
Lancaster,  Chester   and    Delaware  counties  in  Congress; 
having  for  his  colleague  James  Buchanan,  now  President 
of  the  United  States.     In    1S32  he   returned  to  his   early 
home,  and  is  still  with   us,  enjoying  happily,  at   his   Re- 
treat, the  evening  of  a  long  and  well  spent  life;  the  valued 
friend  of  all  about  him;  and  all  are  friends  of  his  in  return. 
"Jacob    Cist,   Esq.,  who  was  associated    with  him   in 
their    Mauch  Chunk  enterprise,  was  the  son  of  Charles 
Cist,  who  with  Robert  Morris  and  others  had   formed  the 
Lehigh     Coal     Mine    Company.       He     came    to    this 
valley      in      his     youth,     and     commenced     the     mer- 
cantile     business      in       this      town;       but      he      was 
devoted  to  scientific  studies  and  held  a  wide  correspond- 
ence with   scientific  men.      He  understood  better  than 
any  other  gentleman  of  his  day  the  geology  of  this  region. 
Highly  appreciating  its  coal,  and  clearly  forseeing  its  im- 
portance, he  was   ever  ready  to  promote  its  appreciation 
abroad;  and  great  reason  have  his  respected  descendants 
in  this  valley  to   bless   his   honored   memory,  his  sound 
judgment   and   far-seeing  forecast,  verified   in    his   short 
life  by  his  wise  and  ample  provision  for  them  in  the  pur- 
chase of  coal  land. 


-ftio  f  ill  tUBOxU.  JL  Sens  13  Bai-day  St.  V.  T- 


"  We  speak  of  these  gentlemen  thus  particularly  be- 
cause their  undertaking  was  depreciated  at  the  time,  and 
the  gentlemen  themselves  subject  to  ridicule  by  those 
whom  their  foresight,  courage  and  enterprise  greatly 
benefited." 

Mr.  Miner  lived  to  see,  years  after  the  lectures  were 
read  before  the  Historical  and  Geological  Sociey,  the 
whole  of  this  splendid  improvement  upon  the  upper 
Lehigh  swept  away  by  a  flood,  with  all  his  cherished  the- 
ories of  interior  water  transportation  for  articles  of  bulk 
and  of  small  value;  and  railroads,  cheapened  by  improved 
machinery,  taking  its  place  on  both  banks  of  the  Lehigh, 
doing  a  business  in  amount  far  beyond  the  wildest  of  his 
early  dreams.  Mr.  Charles  Cist,  the  father  of  Jacob  Cist, 
Mr.  Richardson  speaks  of  in  his  memoir  of  Joseph  White 
as  "an  intelligent  painter."  It  is  not  unlikely  th.  .  he  was 
both  editor  and  painter,  and  from  him  his  son  inherited 
his  genius  and  his  taste  for  the  fine  arts.  In  early  life 
Jacob  Cist,  while  generously  assisting  a  refugee  from  over 
the  Atlantic,  who  was  in  ill  health,  came  in  possession  of 
an  old  painting  brought  from  abroad.  After  his  decease 
his  family  discovered  that  it  was  of  great  \alue,  probably 
the  original  of  Rubens's  "Susanna  and  the  Elders." 
Exact  copies  of  it  are  found  among  the  engravings  in 
foreign  art  galleries,  but  the  original  is  nowhere  else  to  be 
discovered.  As  an  original  Rubens  it  is  almost  priceless — 
the  next  in  value   to  anthracite  coal,  to  which  we  return. 

In  1818  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  to  improve 

the    navigation   of  the   river   Lehigh,  granting   to  White, 

Hauto  &  Hazard  (some  members  said,  the  opportunity  of 

ruining  themselves)  privileges  "  now  considered  of  such 

immense  magnitude   that  they  ought  never  to  have  been 

granted,  and   which   those   gentlemen  were,  at  that  time, 

pointed  at  as   extremely  visionary,  and   even   crazy,  for 

accepting."     The  history  says  : 

"The  stock  of  this  company  was  subscribed  for  on  condition  that  a 
committee  should  proceed  to  the  Lehiprh  and  satisfy  themselves  that 
the  actual  state  of  affairs  corresponded  with  the  representation  of  them. 
The  committee  consisted  of  two  of  our  most  respectable  citizens,  both 
men  of  much  mechanical  skill  and  Ingenuity.  They  repaired  to  Maueh 
Chunk,  visited  the  coal  mines,  and  then  built  a  batteau  at  Lausanne,  in 
which  they  descended  the  Lehig-h  and  made  their  observations.  They 
both  came  to  the  conclusion,  and  so  reported,  that  the  improvement  of 
the  navigation  was  perfectly  practicable;  and  that  it  would  not  exceed 
thecostof  $30,000,  as  estimated,  but  that  the  making  of  a  good  road  to 
the  mines  was  utterly  impossible;  for,  added  one  of  them,  to  give  you 
an  idea  of  the  country  over  which  the  road  is  to  pass,  I  need  only  tell 
you  that  I  considered  it  quite  an  easement  when  the  wheel  of  my  car- 
riage struck  a  stump  Instead  of  a  stone." 

This  report,  of  course,  voided  the  subscription  to  the 
joint  stock. 

The  Lehigh  Navigation  Company  was  organized  on 
the  loth  of  August,  1818,  with  a  capital  of  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  in  two  hundred  shares  of  stock. 

The  Lehigh  Coal  Company  was  organized  on  the  21st 
of  October  following,  for  the  purpose  of  mining  coal, 
making  a  road  to  the  river  and  taking  the  coal  to  market. 
This  arose  from  a  diversity  of  opinion  as  to  the  relative 
profits  of  the  two  interests. 

It  was  thought  and  suggested  that  the  trade  of  the 
Susquehanna  could  be  diverted  by  land  carriage  over  the 
turnpike  already  made  from  Berwick,  only  thirty  miles 
distant,  and    turned   to  Philadelphia.     These  far-seeing 


men  already  imagined  the  Danville,  Hazleton  and  Wilkes- 
Barre  Railroad,  as  well  as  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna 
road.  They  said:  "By  the  Susquehanna  and  Lehigh 
the  western  counties  of  New  York  will  be  nearer,  in 
point  of  expense,  to  Philadelphia  than  to  Albany,  and 
consequently  a  large  portion  of  the  produce  which  now 
goes  down  the  North  river  to  New  York  may  be  calcu 
lated  on  for  the  supply  of  Philadelphia.'' 

Reaching  the  North  river  by  the  Danville,  Hazleton 
&  Wilkes-Barre  Railroad,  and  the  Eastern  States  by  a 
bridge  over  that  stream  at  Poughkeepsie,  must  certainly 
have  been  beyond  their  most  acute  mental  visions.  Yet 
the  corner  stone  of  that  bridge  was  laid  in  1873. 

In  soliciting  subscriptions  to  stock,  Stephen  Girard 
said  "he  formed  no  partnerships,"  and  declined.  Joseph 
Bonaparte  respectfully  declined,  by  letter  through  his 
secretary.  One  wrote  "that  his  Wilkes-Barre  friends  be- 
lieved we  could  not  be  in  earnest  in  our  navigation." 

In  the  spring  of  1820  the  ice  severely  injured  several 
of  the  dams  and  more  money  was  needed.  This  resulted 
in  the  purchase  of  Hauto's  interest  by  White  &  Hazard. 
In  April  the  two  companies  amalgamated  their  interests 
and  united  under  the  title  of  The  Lehigh  Navigation  and 
Coal  Company;  the  navigation  was  repaired  and  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  tons  of  coal  sent  to  Philadelphia, 
as  the  first  fruits  of  the  concern.  This  overstocked  the 
market  and  was  with  difficulty  disposed  of. 

By  a  new  arrangement  made  the  first  of  May,  182 1,  the 
title  of  the  company  was  again  changed,  to  the  Lehigh 
Coal  and  Navigation  Company;  the  capital  stock  was  in- 
creased and  White  &  Hazard  released  to  the  company 
all  their  reserved  rights  in  consideration  of  certain  shares 
of  stock  given  to  them;  the  company  assuming  the  set- 
tlement of  Hauto's  claim  upon  White  &  Hazard  arising 
from  the  purchase  of  his  interest  the  preceding  year. 

George  F.  A.  Hauto,  whose  wealthy  friends  had  been 
relied  on  to  furnish  capital,  may  not  have  been  a  capital- 
ist, but  he  was  evidently  a  very  shrewd  man.  Mr.  Rich- 
ardson, in  a  note  to  his  memoirs  of  Josiah  White,  says 
that  "  Hauto  was  a  German,  and  had  insinuated  himself 
into  their  confidence  by  his  pretensions  to  wealth  and  in- 
fluence. He  had  to-  be  bought  off  at  a  considerable 
pecuniary  sacrifice."  The  exact  terms  of  his  agreement 
at  settling  are  not  at  hand.  He  was  to  receive  a  certain 
royalty  per  ton,  or  bushel.  A  letter  from  Mr.  Richard- 
son conveys  the  following  information  upon  this  point: 
"  I  have  ascertained  from  some  of  Josiah  White's  old  documents  that 
in  the  spring  of  1880,  to  get  out  of  the  concern.  White  and  Hazard  agreed 
to  give  him  a  royalty  of  half  a  cent  a  bushel  on  all  coal  mined  and  sent 
to  market,  for  his  interest  in  their  partnership.  Hauto  afterward  at- 
tempted to  form  what  was  called  'The  Half  Cent  Company,'  and  issued 
shares  of  stock,  of  which  he  sold  in  his  lifetime  1,394  shares,  which,  as 
the  par  price  of  his  stock  was  $50,  would  have  amounted  to  $69,700.  This 
stock  was  given,  it  was  said,  in  payment  of  his  debts,  and  at  a  heavy 
discount  on  the  par  value,  probably  at  any  rate  the  parties  would  take  ■ 
them  at,  and  it  was  thought  be  did  not  realize  much  on  them.  The  com- 
pany afterward,  in  1880,  bought  the  royalty  for  a  sum  agreed  upon  be- 
tween them,  but  I  do  not  know  the  figures.  I  think  Hauto  was  then  ■ 
dead." 

Assuming  anthracite  coal  to  average  twenty-five  bushels 
to  the  ton,  the  royalty  would  amount  to  one  York  shilling 
or  12^  cents,  which  would  give  Mr.  Hauto,  upon  the 
tonnage  of  the  company  reported  for  1879,  an  income  of 


^h 


-^^ 


=^^ 


76 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


$87,250.  If  paid  upon  the  total  tonnage  of  the  Lehigh 
and  Susquehanna  Railroad  and  Lehigh  Canal  in  1879,  it 
would  be  $520,000,  nearly. 

The  rocky  and  stumpy  road  to  the  summit  mines  is 
now  the  bed  of  the  Switchback  railroad,  growing  so 
famous  among  tourists  and  excursionists  to  the  "  Switz- 
erland of  America."  In  1826  it  was  decided  to  make  a 
railroad  along  the  turnpike  as  a  measure  of  economy. 
The  only  railroad  in  the  United  States  was  one  of  three 
miles  to  the  Quincy  granite  quarries.  This  road  from 
Mauch  Chunk  was  nine  miles  in  length,  completed  in 
May,  1826,  with  a  descent  all  the  way  from  beyond  the 
summit  mines  to  the  river.  The  empty  wagons  were 
talcen  back  to  the  mines  by  mules,  which  rode  down  in 
special  cars  attached  to  the  coal  trains,  running  by  gravity. 
He  was  a  sturdy  man  who  could  prevent  a  mule  from  en- 
tering his  pleasure  car,  which  was  also  his  dining  car, 
when  detached  from  the  traces. 

This  improvement,  increasing  the  facilities  for  produc- 
tion of  coal,  rendered  further  improvement  of  the  naviga- 
tion desirable,  and,  the  Delaware  division  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Canal  having  been  decided  upon,  it  was  determined 
to  construct  a  canal  and  slack  water  navigation  from 
■  Mauch  Chunk  to  Easton.  Mr.  Canvass  White,  whose 
reputation  as  an  engineer  stood  high,  recommended  a 
canal  of  the  ordinary  size  to  accommodate  boats  of  twenty- 
five  tons.  The  acting  managers  wisely  overruled  this, 
arguing  that  the  same  number  of  hands  could  manage  a 
boat  carrying  a  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  .requiring  but  one 
additional  horse  to  tow  it;  the  whole  cargo  being  coal, 
which  could  always  be  furnished,  and  the  expense  per  ton 
be  very  much  reduced.  The  Delaware  division  unfortun- 
ately was  but  half  the  size,  and  when  both  were  com- 
pleted two  boats  of  the  Delaware  could  pass  the  Lehigh 
locks.  The  compa'.iy  suffered  by  this  short-sighted  policy, 
which  the  managers,  ascribing  it  to  the  "'experience  of 
Europe,"  said,  "had  thwarted  a  noble  work  by  which 
sloops  and  schooners  would,  at  this  day,  have  taken  in 
their  cargoes  at  White  Haven,  seventy-one  miles  up  the 
Lehigh,  and  have  delivered  them,  without  transhipment, 
at  any  of  our  Atlantic  ports. 

This  "experience  of  Europe,"  acquired  among  the 
narrow  and  slow  canals  which  had  proved  so  profitable  in 
England,  operated  against  the  early  trade  of  the  Dela- 
ware and  Hudson  Canal  Company  almost  as  disastrously, 
as  will  be  seen  in  the  history  of  pur  eastern  trade.  En- 
gineers and  capitalists  are,  perhaps,  still  too  prone  to  look 
back,  if  not  now  upon  the  "experience  of  Europe"  yet 
upon  the  disastrous  past,  and  only  perceive  when  elevated 
upon  the  advancing  tide  of  commerce  of  the  present 
how  limited  were  their  vision  and  knowledge  during  the 
past  years.  There  are,  however,  brilliant  exceptions  to  all 
rules. 

By  act  of  the  Legislature  March  13,  1837.  the  com- 
pany was  authorized  to  construct  a  railroad  to  connect 
their  Lehigh  navigation  with  the  north  branch  of  the 
Susquehanna  at  or  near  Wilkes- Barre,  and  the  capital 
stock  was  increased  to  $1,600,000,  at  the  same  time  re- 
pealing so  much  of  the  former  act  as  required   the  com- 


pletion of  a  slack  water  navigation  between  White  Haven 
and  Stoddardsville,  which  had  been  placed  under  charge 
of  Edwin  A.  Douglass,  Esq.,  engineer,  in  1835. 

Commissioners  appointed  by  the  governor  in  1838  to 
inspect  the  work— Samuel  Breck,  Nathan  Beach  and 
Owen  Rice — reported  on  the  12th  day  of  June,  after 
thorough  examination,  that  "  the  company  having  now 
fully  complied  with  the  law,  and  in  a  manner  honorable 
to  themselves,  and  (as  Pennsylvanians  the  undersigned 
say,  with  pride)  most  honorable  to  the  State,  we  deem 
them  entitled  to  a  license  for  charging  and  collecting  the 
legal  toll." 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  in  this  history  of  the  coal 
trade  to  give  the  dimensions  of  one  of  the  locks — No.  27, 
called  Pennsylvania  lock— on  this  once  magnificent  im- 
provement, the  pride  of  the-  Lehigh,  on  which  so  many 
hopes  of  this  Luzerne  region  had  been  based,  as  reported 
by  the  commissioners  :  "  Twenty-seven  feet  thickness  of 
solid  wall  at  the  bottom  and  ten  feet  on  the  top  ;  thirty 
feet  lift,  three  feet  working  guard  ;  chamber  twenty  feet 
in  width  and  one  hundred  feet  in  length,  eighty-six  feet 
clear  of  the  swing  of  the  gates,  and  containing  nine  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  seventy-two  cubic  yards  of  ma- 
sonry, and  two  hundred  and  forty  two  thousand  four 
hundred  and  nineteen  feet,  board  measure,  of  timber 
work  ;  and  the  largest  dams  being  of  the  height  of  fifty- 
eight  feet  and  of  the  width  of  one  hundred  and  ninety 
feet  at  the  combing."  This  lock  and  dam  sustained  no 
serious  injury  by  the  great  flood  of  June,  1862,  which 
destroyed  the  navigation  from  White  Haven  to  Mauch 
Chunk. 

The  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  Railroad  was  completed 
in  time  for  shipment  of  five  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
eighty-six  tons  from  Wyoming  in  1846. 

How  many  active  men  of  this  region  labored  in  early 
years  for  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company, 
earning  bread  and  comfortable  homes  and  money  to  pay 
taxes,  and  held  its  name  and  those  of  Josiah  White  and 
Erskine  Hazard  in  pleasant  remembrance  as  household 
words  long  after  the  tardy  action  of  the  commonwealth 
had  given  promise  and  hopes  for  the  future  progress  of 
its  improvements  on  the  Susquehanna  !. 

The  Beaver  Meadow  railroad,  chartered  in  1830,  was 
finished  in  1836,  extending  from  the  Beaver  Meadow 
coal  basin  which  is  partly  in  Luzerne  county,  to  its 
shipping  point  on  the  canal  six  miles  below  Mauch 
Chunk,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles  to  Parryville. 

The  Hazleton  railroad,  commenced  in  1836,  connected 
with  the  Beaver  Meadow  road  at  Weatherly,  half  way  to 
the  Lehigh,  and  the  Hazleton  coal  was  shipped  on  the 
canal  at  Penn  Haven.  The  old  planes  are  seen  as  you 
pass  the  mouth  of  the  Quakake  creek  at  Penn  Haven,  de- 
caying relics  of  the  past,  in  the  midst  of  the  progress, 
bustle  and  active  business  rivalry  of  competing  railroads 
of  the  present.  Instead  of  the  lonely  wilderness  described 
by  Josiah  White  in  i8i8,  when  with  Erskine  Hazard 
they  "  leveled  the  river  from  Stoddardsville  to  Easton, 
the  ice  not  having  all  disappeared,  there  being  no  house 
between  the  former  place  and  Lausanne,  obliging  us  to 


=6H= 


=^^ 


^^v4/--t^  /  JUy^n^n^l,^cA'tI7 


E  iq"  i.q  B  I..thi'l  4'.  J:„IK:  Li  fy>V--',rr;  .U.Vf 


lie  out  in  the  woods  all  night,"  now  the  whistles  of  a 
hundred  locomotives  startle  the  echoes  of  the  hills  by 
day  and  by  night. 

Mr.  White  says  :  "  Above  the  gap  in  the  Blue  moun- 
tain, there  were  but  thirteen  houses,  including  the 
towns  of  Lausanne  and  Lehighton,  within  sight  from  the 
river,  and  for  thirty-five  miles  above  Lausanne  there  was 
no  sign  of  a  human  habitation;  everything  was  in  a  state 
of  nature." 

The  coal  trade  of  Luzerne  receives  full  benefit  of  the 
labors  of  the  pioneers  on  the  Lehigh,  and  its  history  would 
be  but  partially  written  and  incomplete  without  this 
record  of  their  enterprise.  The  various  basins  of 
anthracite  coal  found  in  the  townships  of  Hazle,  Foster, 
Butler,  Black  Creek,  and  possibly  across  the  boundary 
lines  of  adjoining  townships  in  the  southern  portion  of 
the  county,  furnish  annually  between  three  and  four  mil- 
lions of  tons  to  the  trade,  of  which  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad,  opened  in  1855,  perhaps  carries  two-thirds. 

A  contract  was  entered  into  between  the  Lehigh  Coal 
and  Navigation  Company  and  the  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany of  New  Jersey  on  the  31st  day  of  March,  1871,  by 
which  the  latter  company  became  lessee  of  the  railroads  of 
the  former  company,  agreeing  to  pay  one-third  of  the 
gross  receipts  as  rental.  The  cost  of  transportation  of 
coal,  the  chief  item  of  tonnage,  was  to  be  regulated  by  the 
price  at  which  it  was  sold. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1873  the  coal  lands  of  the 
company  were  leased  to  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre 
Coal  Company,  which  was  formed  by  the  consolidation 
of  the  Honeybrook  Coal  Company  and  the  Wilkes-Barre 
Coal  and  Iron  Company,  at  a  minimum  rental  of  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  ($500,000),  on  a  royalty  of 
twenty-one  per  cent,  of  the  price  ruling  at  Mauch  Chunk. 
This  included  lands  in  Luzerne  as  well  as  those  upon  the 
Lehigh.  At  the  same  time  it  was  agreed  that  the  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey  should  operate  the  canals  of  the 
Lehigh  Company  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Easton  and  the 
Delaware  division  purchased  at  the  sale  of  the  State 
works,  paying  a  fixed  rental  of  $200,000  for  their  use. 

The  stroke  of  apoplexy  which  prostrated  the  whole 
civilized  business  world,  the  first  attack  occurring  in  the 
failure  of  J.  Cooke  &  Co.,  in  1873,  drove  the  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver.  The 
leased  canals  were  abandoned  and  with  the  Lehigh  coal 
lands  passed  again  into  the  hands  of  the  original  owners, 
who  became  once  more  a  mining  and  transporting  com- 
pany. 

The  railroad  now  recognized  as  the  Lehigh  and  Sus- 
quehanna division  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey 
includes  the  Nanticoke  Railroad  and  the  Baltimore  Coal 
and  Iron  Railroad,  extending  from  Nanticoke,  on  the 
pool  at  the  head  of  the  Susquehanna  Canal,  by  the  foot 
of  the  planes  and  the  light  track,  to  its  junction  with  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company's  Railroad  at 
Green  Ridge  in  the  City  of  Scranton,  now  the  seat  of  jus- 
tice of  the  new  county  of  Lackawanna.  Passing  through 
the  townships  of  Newport,  Hanover,  Wilkes-Barre,  Plains, 
Jenkins,  Pittston  and  Lackawanna;  connecting  at  Wilkes- 


Bdrre  with  the  tracks  of  the  Plymouth  and  Wilkes-Barre 
Railroad  and  Bridge  Company,  and  opening  as  it  does 
the  heart  of  this  northern  coal  field,  the  New  Jersey 
road  becomes  an  important  factor  in  the  problem  of  our 
future  coal  trade. 

Near  White  Haven  the  Nescopeck  branch  brings  ton- 
nage to  the  Central  from  the  Upper  Lehigh  mines  in  the 
Green  Mountain  basin,  and  from  the  Sandy  Run  mines 
in  the  Little  Black  Creek  basin.  A  few  miles  below  the 
Sandy  Run  branch  affords  outlet  to  other  mines  of  the 
Little  Black  Creek  at  Eckley,  Jeddo,  Milnesville,  Eber- 
vale,  Cross  Creek,  Highland,  etc.,  all  producing  largely. 

The  Hazleton  and  Beaver  Meadow  road,  merged  in  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  affords  outlet  from  the  Hazleton, 
a  portion  of  the  Beaver  Meadow,  and  the  Black  Creek 
basins  in  southern  Luzerne. 

Asa  Packer,  native  of  Connecticut,  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  acquired  in  Susquehanna  county,  whither  he  had 
traveled  on  foot  from  his  eastern  home,  when  a  young 
man,  found  work  upon  the  Lehigh,  where  his  keen  fore- 
sight had  play  and  his  great  energy  of  character  and  in- 
domitable will  material  to  work  upon.  He  acquired  coal 
property  and  projected  a  railroad  to  carry  his  coal  to 
market  from  the  Hazleton  region.  Following  the  river, 
his  line  absorbed  the  Beaver  Meadow  road,  already  in 
operation  from  Parryville  to  Penn  Haven,  where  it  re- 
ceived coal  from  the  now  abandoned  planes.  Crossing 
the  Lehigh  at  that  point,  the  towing  path  of  the  upper 
navigation  occupying  the  west  bank,  his  road  followed  on 
the  east  side  to  a  point  opposite  White  Haven,  where  by 
a  substantial  bridge  it  joined  the  Lehigh.and  Susquehanna 
railroad  at  its  southern  terminus,  and  thus  had  uninter- 
rupted communication  by  rail  with  the  great  Wyoming 
coal  field,,  and  transportation  without  transhipment  to 
tide  water. 

All  this  was  not  accomplished  without  opposition,  and 
when,  after  the  disastrous  flood  of  1862,  which  swept 
away  the  upper  division  of  its  navigation,  the  Lehigh  Coal 
and  Navigation  Company  decided  to  abandon  the  water 
and  extend  its  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  Railroad  from 
White  Haven  along  its  towing  path  to  Mauch  Chunk,  the 
head  of  its  canal,  competition  between  the  companies 
developed  into  keen  rivalry  for  room  and  right  of  way 
along  the  narrow  passes  where  there  had  been  scant  room 
for  a  towing  path.  The  Lehigh  Valley  Company,  crossing 
from  the  east  to  the  west  side  above  Mauch  Chunk,  occu- 
pied available  spaceby  numerous  sidings  to  accommodate 
its  growing  trade  from  the  Quakake  branch  at  Penn 
Haven,  and  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  road  had  to 
draw  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  stream  at  low  water  for 
material  to  make  room  for  its  tracks  in  the  channel,  along 
side  its  rival. 

The  Lehigh  Valley  Company  met  this  new  project  by 
pushing  the  road  northward  from  White  Haven  to  Wilkes- 
Barre  in  1866,  competing  with  the  Lehigh  and  Susque- 
hanna road  for  through  freight.  A  little  incident,  excit- 
ing at  the  time  and  now  amusing,  will  show  to  what  heat 
the  friction  of  jarring  interests  had  carried  the  immedi- 
ate contestants.     The  Lehigh  Valley  road  united  with  the 


H^ 


4^ 


^h 


<H 


78 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  road  at  grade,  the  bridge  hav- 
ing been  built,  of  course,  with  a  view  to  amicable  trade. 
A  long  construction  train  of  gravel  cars  crossed  the 
bridge  one  evening,  and  was  shunted  upon  the  rival 
road  with  tools  of  all  kinds,  ready  to  begin  operations  on 
the  new  road,  the  high  bluff  on  the  White  Haven  side  at 
the  crossing  precluding  any  other  arrangement.  In  the 
early  morning  an  energetic  employe  of  the  Navigation 
Company  observed  this  intrusion,  and  taking  an  old  loco- 
motive up  the  track  with  a  full  head  of  steam,  he  let  it 
loose  upon  the  innocently  offending  train,  and  butted  it 
into  the  Lehigh,  a  heap  of  ruins.  The  immediate  result 
is  not  remembered,  but  it  is  a  curious  fact,  illustrating, 
perhaps,  the  admiration  of  Judge  Packer  for  pluck  and 
energy,  that  the  chief  responsible  actor  in  that  day's 
drama  has  almost  from  that  time  been  in  the  service  of 
the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company. 

The  navigation  company  improved  the  planes  at  Solo- 
mon's Gap,  and  for  convenience  of  returning  trains  of 
empty  cars,  light  freight  and  passenger  traffic,  made  a 
light  track  for  locomotive  power  from  the  head  of  the 
planes  north  by  the  Laurel  Run  Gap  and  back  to  the  foot 
of  the  planes,  a  distance  of  thirteen  miles,  to  overcome 
the  steep  mountain  grade  by  the  planes  some  three  miles. 
The  steepest  grade  of  the  back  track  is  ninety-six  feet 
to  the  mile.  It  was  considered  by  many  to  be  an  almost 
impossible  feat  in  engineering,  but  it  was  successfully  ac- 
complished under  the  supervision  of  Dr.  Charles  F. 
Ingham,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  an  able  and  experienced  en- 
gineer, at  what  cost  cannot  be  now  stated.  It  would  be 
curious  to  compare  old  and  modern  estimates  of  cost 
and  trade  through  Solomon's  Gap  and  the  Lehigh. 

In  1833  the  Legislature  appointed  Messrs.  George  M. 
Hollenback,  Andrew  Beaumont,  Henry  F.  Lamb,  W.  S. 
Ross,  Charles  Miner,  Samuel  Thomas,  Joseph  P.  Le 
Clerc,  Elias  Hoyt,  Benjamin  A.  Bidlack,  E.  Carey,  Bate- 
man  Downing,  Ziba  Bennett,  Jedediah  Irish,  Thomas 
Craig,  D.  D.  Wagner,  Azariah  Prior,  Daniel  Parr)',  Lewis 
S.  Coryell,  Joseph  D.  Murray,  John  C.  Parry,  William  C. 
Livingston,  Benjamin  W.  Richards,  Robert  G.  Martin, 
Joshua  Lippincott  and  Lewis  Ryan  commissioners  of 
Ihe  Wyoming  and  Lehigh  Railroad  Company,  who  em- 
ployed Henry  Colt  and  Dr.  C.  F.  Ingham,  civil  engineers, 
to  examine  the  route  through  Solomon's  Gap  and  report. 
The  elevation  of  the  summit  above  the  borough  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  was  found  tobe  twelve  hundred  and  fifty-one  (1,251) 
feet,  and  above  the  Lehiph  six  hundred  and  four  (604)  feet, 
and  the  distance  between  the  two  points  about  fourteen 
(14)  miles.  Grading  for  a  double  track  was  recommended, 
with'a  single  track  at  first.  The  estimated  cost  of  grad- 
ing double  track  on  the  western  division,  eight  miles,  was 
$20,250;  from  the  summit  to  the  Lehigh,  six  miles  and  a 
quarter,  $r2,85o-^total,  $33,100;  and  for  engineering  and 
unforeseen  contigencies  (twelve  per  cent.)  $3,962;  and  we 
have  the  cost  of  graduation,  $37,062.  Average  cost 
per  mile,  $2,647.28.  Cost  of  one  mile  of  superstruc- 
ture, timber,  iron  rail  plates,  connecting  plates  and  labor, 
with  one, turnout,  $3,805.50.  Average  cost  of  railroad 
per   mile,   $6,452.78.     Cost  of   14%    miles,  $91,952.11. 


Cost  of  four  inclined  planes,  $4,000  each,  $16,000.  To- 
tal, $107,952.1  r.  Estimate  made  in  view  of  the  use  of 
steam  for  locomotives  and  stationary  power.  The  com- 
missioners, in  an  address  to  the  public,  say:  "  Persons  of 
intelligence  and  capacity  to  judge  estimate  that  two 
hundred  thousand  tons  of  coal  and  three  million  feet  of 
lumber,  at  least,  will  pass  along  this  road  to  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  from  the  vicinity  of  Wilkes-Barre,  which 
now  remain  undisturbed  where  nature  placed  them  ;  and 
the  great  and  increasing  trade  of  the  Susquehanna, which 
now  goes  to  Baltimore,  will  be  diverted  to  New  York  and 
Philadelphia."  The  estimated  tolls  upon  coal  and  lum- 
ber would  exceed  $47,000.  Coal  could  be  delivered  at 
Easton  at  $2.82  per  ton. 

At  that  day,  with  rails  of  wood  covered  with  a  flat  strap- 
iron  rail,  operated  by  horse  power,  solid  road  beds  were 
not  so  necessary  as  they  are  now. ,  The  Little  Schuylkill 
railroad  ran  a  light  locomotive  on  such  a  track,  but  not 
with  success.  So,  too,  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  with  its  first  imported  locomotive,  a  mere  teapot 
in  comparison  with  those  of  modern  pattern,  failed  be- 
cause too  heavy  for  the  road.  These  estimates,  ridiculous 
as  they  seem  in  the  light  of  modern  experience,  were  in 
accordance  with  the  necessities  of  the  times  and  the  pros- 
pects they  had  of  accomplishing  a  deliverance  in  that 
direction.  The  coal  trade  of  the  year  preceding  did  not 
reach  three  hundred  thousand  tons  from  all  the  regions. 
The  year  before  the  company  put  their  road  under  con- 
tract the  trade  was  nearly  seven  hundred  thousand  tons. 

From  the  beginning  the  course  of  the  anthracite  coal 
trade  has  seemed  to  baffle  all  calculations,  even  to  the 
year  1880;  and  those  who  look  back  see  many  wrecks, 
while  in  danger  themselves  of  meeting  the  same  fate  from 
want  of  faith  in  the  future. 

The  failure  of  a  loan  in  England,  to  meet  the  cost  of 
improvements  to  make  good  its  loss  of  the  upper  naviga- 
tion, and  the  sums  thrown  away  in  useless  opposition  to 
its  rival  roads,  overwhelmed  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navi- 
gation Company,  and  its  works  passed  into  other  hands, 
to  be  resumed  as  already  stated.  A  modicum  of  the  good 
sense  of  the  early  projectors  might  have  shown  them  that 
there  is  room  enough  and  market  enough  for  all,  and  that 
competition  for  the  coal  trade  must  be  open  for  the  ben- 
efit of  those  most  interested,  the  consuming  millions  scat- 
tered over  the  broad  Union  of  States,  from  the  great 
lakes  to  the  gulf,  and  from  the  Atlantic  far  beyond  the 
Mississippi,  even  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  company  has  brighter  prospects  now,  and  may 
hope  to  realize  its  full  share  of  the  profits  of  the  future. 

The  growth  of  eastern  trade  from  the  Lackawanna, 
which  has  followed  and  rivals  that  of  the  Lehigh,  now 
demands  attention,  and  will  be  found  equally  curious  and 
interesting  in  its  development. 

THE    DELAWARE    AND    HUDSON    CANAL    COMPANY. 

The  Wyoming  coal  field  is  the  largest  and  most  north- 
ern anthracite  basin  of  Pennsylvania.  In  area  it  is  some- 
thing under  two  hundred  square  miles,  or  about  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty- seven  thousand  acres. 


^^ 


4^ 


^h 


=^ 


THE  DELAWARE  AND  HUDSON  CANAL  COMPANY. 


79 


.Fifty  miles  in  length,  and  in  breadth  averaging  four 
miles,  it  extends  from  a  point  above  Beach  Grove,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river  Susquehanna,  having  a  course 
about  northeast,  to  its  terminus  a  few  miles  above  Car- 
bondale. 

Resting  on  the  conglomerate  rock  of  bright  pebble 
stones  cemented  together,  which  lies  in  a  cradle  of  red 
shale,  its  boundaries  are  easily  traced  along  the  out- 
croppings  on  the  Kingston  mountain  on  the  west  and 
the  Wilkes-Barre  mountain  on  the  east,  while  the  sincli- 
nal  axis  or  trough,  dipping  under  the  river,  is  carried 
deep  below  the  rough  hills  of  the  lower  townships,  ris- 
ing gradually  with  an  irregular  formation  like  solidified 
waves,  until  its  measures  thin  out  and  disappear  along 
the  head  waters  of  the  Lackawanna  river,  having  the 
shape  of  a  vast  canoe. 

The  Susquehanna  forces  its  way  through  the  western 
boundary  at  the  middle  of  the  basin,  where  it  receives 
the  waters  of  the  Lackawanna,  which  have  traversed  the 
upper  regions  of  the  basin's  trough,  and  together  they 
leave  it  at  Nanticoke,  taking  a  western  gorge  to  Shick- 
shinny,  where  the  stream  ciirves  and  crosses  the  lower 
point  of  the  coal  formation  on  its  course  to  the  ocean. 

The  cluster  of  small  basins  in  the  southern  townships 
of  Luzerne  county,  which  are  opened  by  the  Lehigh  im- 
provements, belong  to  the  second  or  middle  coal  field. 

While  Josiah  White,  Erskine  Hazard  and  other  enter- 
prising citizens  of  Philadelphia  were  seeking  the  black 
diamond  among  the  rugged  hills  of  the  Lehigh  to  its  upper 
waters  in  Luzerne  county,  and  were  solving  the  problem 
of  its  value  as  a  fuel,  other  Philadelphians  were  exploring 
the  northeastern  borders  of  the  county  for  mineral  coal, 
and  the  passes  of  the  Moosic  mountain  to  find  an  outlet 
by  the  waters  of  the  I,acka'.vaxen  and  Delaware  rivers  to 
eastern  markets. 

Mr.  William  Wurts  was  the  pioneer  "who  first  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  transporting  coal  of  the  Lackawanna 
valley  to  market  by  an  eastern  route."  A  note  to  an  ar- 
ticle on  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in 
"The  National  Magazine,"  August,  1845,  for  which  ac- 
knowledgments are  due  to  Mr.  Charles  P.  Wurts,  of  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  says:  "  With  such  views,  as  early  as  1844. 
and  while  that  valley  was  yet  an  unbroken  wilderness, 
without  road  or  bridle  path  above  Providence,  he  explored 
it  and  the  passes  of  the  Moosic  mountain  to  find  an  outlet 
to  the  Lackawaxen  and  the  Delaware  rivers,  selecting  and 
purchasing  such  coal  lands  as  were  most  eligibly  situated 
in  reference  to  that  object." 

On  the  13th  of  March,  1823,  Maurice  Wurts  and  John 
Wurts,  who  had  conceived  the  bold  enterprise  of  con- 
structing a  railroad  and  canal  to  their  coal  lands  on  the 
Lackawanna  river  in  Luzerne  county,  procured  from  the 
Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  an  act  authorizing  Maurice 
Wurts  of  Philadelphia,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  etc.,  to  enter 
upon  the  river  Lackawaxen,  or  any  streams  emptying 
into  the  same,  "to  make  a  good  and  safe  descending 
navigation  ai  least  once  in  every  six  days,  except  when  the 
same  maybe  obstructed  by  ice  or  flood,"  from  near  Wag- 
ner's Gap  in  Luzerne,  or  Rix's  Gap  in  Wayne  county,  to 


the  mouth  of  the  said  Lackawaxen,  "  with  a  channel  not 
less  than  twenty  feet  wide  and  eighteen  inchesdeep  for  arks 
and  rafts,  and  of  sufficient  depth  of  water  to  float  boats 
of  the  burthen  of  ten  tons."  Certainly  a  modest  begin- 
ning. 

Forty-two  days  after  this  act  of  Assembly  was  approved 
at  Harrisburg  the  Legislature  of  New  York  passed  "  an 
act  to  incorporate  the  president,  managers  and  company 
of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,"  for  the 
expressed  purpose  of  forming  a  water  communication 
between  the  rivers  Delaware  and  Hudson,  so  that  a  sup- 
ply of  coal  might  be  obtained  from  large  bodies  of  this 
valuable  article  belonging  to  Maurice  Wurts,  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania. 

By  an  act  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  approved 
April  ist,  1825,  and  an  act  of  the  New  York  Legislature 
of  April  2cth,  1825,  the  two  companies  were  consolidated 
and  reorganized  in  this  State  as  the  "  President,  Managers 
and  Company  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany;" with  power  to  construct  and  maintain  such  rail- 
ways or  other  devices  as  may  be  found  necessary  to 
provide  for  and  facilitate  the  transportation  of  coal  to 
the  canal. 

Tolls  upon  the  canal  were  not  to  exceed  eight  cents 
per  mile  "for  every  ton  weight,"  and  on  the  railroad  a 
sum  not  exceeding  twelve  per  centum  per  annum  upon 
the  amount  of  money  which  shall  have  been  expended  in 
the  construction  of  said  railroad." 

Soon  after  the  consolidation  of  the  companies  work 
was  begun,  and  ground  broken  on  the  13th  of  July,  1826. 
Parts  of  the  New  York  section,  upon  which  work  was 
first  commenced,  were  being  finished  when  the  contractor 
began  work  on  the  Pennsylvania  section,  which  runs  from 
Honesdale  to  the  mouth  of  the  Lackawaxen,  a  distance 
of  twenty-five  miles,  at  which  point  it  is  joined  to  the 
New  York  section  by  an  aqueduct  over  the  Delaware. 
The  length  of  tire  canal  from  the  Delaware  to  the  Hud- 
son is  eighty-three  miles,  making  the  total  length  of  canal 
from  Honesdale  to  Rondout  one  hundred  and  eight  miles. 
The  act  of  Assembly  of  April  ist,  1825,  limited  the 
maximum  of  tolls  to  be  charged  on  stone  coal  to  one  cent 
and  a  half  per  ton  per  mile,  and  at  the  same  time  au- 
thorized the  company  to  assume  all  the  rights  originally 
granted  to  Mr.  Wurts.  The  State  had  reserved  the  right 
to  resume  all  the  rights  and  privileges  granted  at  the  ex- 
piration of  thirty  years  from  the  date  of  the  law  of  March 
13th,  1823,  without  compensation  to  the  company  if  the 
tolls  received  had  already  repaid  the  original  cost  of  the 
canal,  with  six  per  cent,  upon  the  capital  invested. 

In  June,  1851,  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture to  investigate  the  affairs  of  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son Canal  Company  met  at  Honesdale  and  examined 
the  vice-president,  Mr.  Musgrave,  the  engineer,  Mr.  , 
Russell  F.  Lord,  Mr.  Archbald,  Mr.  Thomas  H.  R.  Tra- 
cy, superintendent  of  the  Pennsylvania  division,  and 
others,  with  reference  to  time  of  completion,  cost,  tolls, 
income  and  capacity  of  the  canal. 

Mr.  Lord  testified  that  he  had  been  in  the  employ  of 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  about  twenty- 


'A> 


<^ 


4. 


So 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


five  years;  that  work  was  commenceil  on  the  Pennsylva- 
nia section  of  their  canal  in  1826  or  1827,  and  that  the 
contractors  were  at  work  in  its  construction  when  he 
came  as  resident  engineer  in  1827.  Boats  passed  from 
the  Hudson  to  the  Delaware  river  with  light  cargoes  in 
the  summer  of  1827,  and  over  the  whole  of  the  New 
York  section  in  1828,  when  boats  with  very  small  car- 
goes reached  Honesdale,  and  with  large  cargoes  in  1829. 
A  small  quantity  of  coal  left  Honesdale  in  1828.  The 
original  locks  on  the  Pennsylvania  section,  of  which  there 
were  thirty-seven  lift  locks  and  one  guard  lock  used, 
were  nine  feet  four  inches  in  width,  seventy-six  feet 
long,  and  from  nine  and  a  half  to  eleven  feet  lift.  Boats 
originally  crossed  the  Delaware  river  by  a  rope  ferry 
through  the  pool  of  the  dam.  The  aqueduct  was  first 
used  in  1849. 

Mr.  James  Archbald  testified  that  he  had  charge  of  the 
company's  mines  and  railroad.  He  had  been  in  employ- 
ment with  the  company  since  1825,  excepting  one  year. 
Boats  on  the  canal  originally  carried  from  twenty-five  to 
thirty  tons.  The  company  owned  lands  for  reservoirs  of 
water  to  supply  railroads  and  canals  in  a  dry  season,  in 
Luzerne  and  Wayne  counties.  There  were  four  reservoirs 
at  that  time.  They  had  nearly  two  thousand  men  em- 
ployed in  the  mines  and  on  the  railroad,  at  a  cost  of 
$1,800  to  $2,000  per  day.  There  were  already  over 
twenty-five  miles  of  underground  railroads  at  the  mines. 

Mr.  Tracy  said  there  were  eight  reservoirs  of  water  for 
the  use  of  the  canal,  independent  of  thos-i  named  by  Mr. 
Archbald,  of   from  ten  to  three  hundred  acres. 

Mr.  Lord,  re-examined,  stated  the  number  of  locks  on 
the  New  York  section  of  the  canal  as  seventy-two  lift 
and  one  guard  lock,  fifteen  feet  wide,  one  hundred  feet 
long,  and  from  seven  to  twelve  feet  lift.  The  maximum 
of  tolls  in  New  York  was  eight  cents  per  ton  per  mile; 
on  the  Pennsylvania  section,  one  cent  and  a  half  per  ton 
per  mile.  The  company  charged  one  cent  and  a  half  per 
ton  on  the  New  York  side,  and  only  o/ie  half  cent  per  ton 
on  the  Pennsylvania  section,  making  no  allowance  to  the 
State  for  the  company's  own  coal  or  other  freight.  The 
amount  expended  on  the  Pennsylvania  section,  including 
original  construction,  repairs  and  superintendence,  im- 
provement and  general  enlargement  of  the  canal  from 
1828  to  July  17th,  1851,  was  $1,413,496.98.  There  was 
another  aqueduct  across  the  Lackawaxen  above  the  Del- 
aware aqueduct,  belonging  to  the  Pennsylvania  section. 
The  reason  given  for  the  discrimination  in  tolls  on  the 
two  sections  was  "  to  encourage  transportation  of  coal  by 
the  New  York  and  Erie  railfod,  which  does  not  come  so 
directly  in  competition  with  Hudson  river  markets."  The 
Erie  road  passes  along  the  Delaware,  crossing  the  Lacka- 
waxen on  the  Pennsylvania  side,  and  now  has  a  branch 
to  Honesdale,  passing  through  Hawley,  to  accommodate 
the  coal  trade  by  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  and  Penn- 
sylvania Coal  Companies'  roads. 

This  investigation  was  undertaken  ostensibly  with  the 
view  of  resumption  by  the  State,  which  had  passed  sev- 
eral acts  for  the  improvement  of  the  Delaware  river,  and 
had  completed  the  Delaware   division  of  its  canals  from 


Bristol,  in  Bucks  county,  to  Easton,  in  Northampton 
county,  sixty  miles  in  length,  to  accommodate  the  Lehigh 
coal  trade;  and  apparently  on  its  way,  as  surveyed,  to 
Carpenter's  Point,  now  Port  Jervis,  a  few  miles  Ijelow  the 
mouth  of  the  Lackawaxen.  The  company  was  repre- 
sented by  Hon.  George  W.  Woodward  and  William  H. 
Dimmick  Esqs.,  as  counsel.  It  is  clear  that  whatever  the 
object,  the  investigation  did  not  lead  to  resumption,  and 
the  facts  as  elicited  are  given  to  show  the  progress  and 
condition  of  the  trade  toward  New  York  in  its  early 
stages.  From  the  Carbondale  mines  the  coal  was  carried 
over  the  mountain  on  a  gravity  road  of  a  single  track  to 
the  canal  at  Honesdale.  It  will  be  observed  that  "foreign 
experience"  had  operated  injuriously  in  the_  east  and  at 
the  south,  and  the  canal  was  not  complete  at  its  twenty- 
five-ton  boat  capacity  until  the  necessity  of  enlargement 
became  evident.  Unfortunately  it  is  not  in  constructing 
canals  alone  that  such  experience  operates  disastrously  in 
this  country.  But  that  is  not  a  subject  for  comment  in 
this  portion  of  our  coal  trade  history. 

The  sites  of  both  Honesdale  and  Carbondale  were  in 
the  natural  state  of  our  northern  wilderness  when  ground 
was  broken  for  these  improvements.  Carbondale  in  1828 
contained  one  log  cabin,  built  to  shelter  Mr.  Wurts  in  his 
early  explorations.  It  is  now  a  flourishing  town,  having  a 
city  charter,  and  has  been  an  excellent  market  for  prod- 
ucts of  agriculture  from  townships  surrounding  it  for  half 
a  century. 

Honesdale  has  long  been  the  county  seat  of  Wayne 
county,  a  populous  and  flourishing  borough.  It  was 
named  from  the  first  president  of  the  company,  Philip 
Hone,  Esq.  The  appliances  at  this  point  are  claimed 
to  be  "  of  a  capacity  to  handle  one  thousand  tons  of  coal 
an  hour." 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company's  trade  at 
first  was  feeble,  and  anthracite  as  difficult  to  introduce  in 
New  York  as  it  had  been  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  John 
Wurts,  many  years  afterward  president  of  the  com- 
pany, wrote  to  Mr.  Charles  Miner,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
a  long  and  interesting  account  of  his  efforts  to  in- 
troduce coal  upon  boats  on  the  Hudson  to  gen- 
erate steam  as  motive  power  where  wood  had  been 
used  as  fuel.  It  seems  strange  at  this  time  that  a  city 
having  constant  communication  with  Liverpool  and  Glas- 
gow should  have  had  such  strong  predjudices  against  coal 
or  so  little  knowledge  of  its  use.  True,  improvements  in 
making  coke  and  the  discovery  of  applying  the  hot  blast 
to  the  hard  coal  of  Wales  were  just  beginning  to  revolu- 
tionize the  iron  trade  in  England.  It  was  not  till  1833 
that  the  introduction  of  hot  blast  to  the  furnaces  on  the 
Clyde  reduced  the  cost  of  pig  iron  more  than  one  half. 
Then  wood  was  still  cheap  in  New  York.  Not  a  boat 
could  be  prevailed  upon  to  give  it  a  fair  trial,  or  volun- 
tarily to  lose  a  day  for  the  purpose  of  testing  this  stone 
coal.  The  greatest  concession  gained  was  permission  to 
work  at  night,  while  the  boat  was  lying  idle,  in  fitting  the 
furnace  at  the  company's  risk  and  in  furnishing  coal  for 
the  experiment  on  one  of  the  small  day  boats. 
This      was      at     last     accomplished,     and     the     fact 


r- 


-^^ 


^ 


COAL  INTRODUCED  ON  STEAMBOATS— THE  PENNSYLVANIA  COMPANY. 


demonstrated  that  steam  could  be  generated  and  the  boat 
propelled  by  it.  In  the  same  way  the  owners  of  a  larger 
boat,  running  between  New  York  and  Albany,  were  in- 
duced to  try  the  coal,  and  not  only  the  power  to  pro- 
duce sufficient  steam  shown,  but  the  more  important  facts 
that  the  trip  could  be  made  with  greater  speed  and  at 
less  cost  for  fuel  than  by  the  use  of  wood.  This  then 
was  evidently  the  dawn  of  a  prosperous  trade.  A  large 
steamboat  was  then  constructed  under  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company's  directions,  fitted  with  furnaces 
designed  especially  for  the  use  of  anthracite  coal,  with 
successful  results.  It  is  possible  that  this  may  have  been 
a  ferry  boat,  as  an  article  in  the  New  York  Journal 
of  Commerce  in  1835  under  the  caption,  "Steam  by 
Anthracite  Coal,"  stated:  "The  new  steam  ferry 
boat  'Essex,'  to  ply  between  New  York  and  Jersey 
City,  has  been  fitted  up  with  Dr.  Nott's  patent 
tubular  anthracite  coal  boiler.  The  'Essex  '  is  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  feet  long  on  deck,  with  twenty-four 
feet  beam  and  nine  feet  hold,  using  Lackawanna  coal." 
The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  contracted 
to  deliver  to  Dr.  Nott's  boat  five  thousand  tons  of  coal 
per  annum,  at  %\  per  ton,  which  was  one  dollar  per 
ton  below  the  market  price,  for  six  years,  coal  not  to  be 
paid  for  unless  the  receipts  of  the  boat  exceeded  other 
expenses ;  upon  condition  that  the  company  should 
have  the  use  of  this  patent  anthracite  boiler  for 
six  steam  boats  at  a  price  not  to  exceed  sixteen 
thousand  dollars. 

It  has  been  stated  that  coal  was  used  on  ferry 
boats  in  New  York  as  early  as  1S31.  The  exact  date  of 
Mr.  Wurts's  labors  is  not  recorded,  and  his  letter  has  been 
lost.  Lackawanna  coal  acquired  a  high  reputation  as  a 
fuel  for  generating  steam,  and  the  increasing  demand  for 
it  compelled  constant  improvement  in  the  capacity  of  the 
canal.  Originally  designed  for  boats  of  thirty  tons,  which 
it  reached  in  1843,  it  was  in  1846  forty  tons,  in  1848  fifty 
tons,  in  1853  one  hundred  tons,  and  now  the  average  per 
boat  is  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  tons,  "  with  a  ca- 
pacity adequate  to  the  transportation  of  two  millions  of 
gross  tons  annually." 

The  active  competition  between  the  Schuylkill  Canal 
and  the  Reading  Railroad,  approaching  completion  in 
1841,  so  reduced  prices  that  permanent  enlargement  of 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  was  hastened  to  lessen 
cost  of  transportation  and  meet  this  competition.  But 
it  was  not  enough  Canals  have  had  their  day  and  are 
out  of  fashion,  if  not  out  of  date — "  vain  transitory 
splendors."  The  long,  cold  winters  of  northern  climes, 
where  the  bright  fires  of  anthracite  coal  are  most  needed 
to  cheer  the  lengthened  nights,  render  canals  useless 
more  than  half  the  year  by  their  frosts,  and  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  with  an  annual  trade  ex- 
ceeding three  millions  of  tons,  having  reached  the  maxi- 
mum capacity  of  its  canal  more  than  ten  years  ago,  has 
now  control  of  the  trade  on  lines  of  railway  leading  from 
the  heart  of  the  Wyoming  coal  field  to  Canada,  opening 
directly  the  very  best  prospective  markets  in  the  world; 
with  numerous  connections  east  and  west  at  all  important 


points  along  its  route,  insuring  an  almost  unlimited  de- 
mand for  the  products  of  its  mines. 

THE    PENNSYl.VANI.i    COAL    COMPANY. 

Like  an  oasis  in  the-  desert,  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company  through  all  the  misfortunes  and  depressions  of 
the  coal  trade  the  past  few  years  has  maintained  its  po- 
sition as  a  dividend  paying  corporation,  and  held  its  stock 
above  par  amidst  the  fierce  contests  of  the  animals  in 
Wall  street. 

The  reader  will  not  confound  this  company  with  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  which  is  now  enrolled 
among  the  coal  transporting  companies  in  this  region, 
operating  under  the  charter  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal 
Company  on  both  sides  of  the  river  at  Nanticoke.  and 
which  owns  that  portion  of  the  old  North  Branch  Canal 
from  Northampton  street,  Wilkes-Barre,  south. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  originally  engrafted 
upon  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  the 
ambition  of  which  was  limited  in  extent  of  its  landed 
possessions  and  powers  of  expansion  by  restrictive 
clauses  in  its  charter.  Two  charters  were  procured  from 
the  Legislature  of  1838,  both  approved  April  16th.  "  The 
Washington  Coal  Company "  was  probably  organized 
first,  and  on  April  ist,  1849,  was  authorized  to  sell  and 
relinquish  its  property  to  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Com- 
pany, under  which  title  the  two  were  consolidated  and 
afterwards  absorbed  the  rights  of  the  Wyoming  Coal  As- 
sociation, chartered  February  isth,  185 1. 

Large  tracts  of  land  were  purchased  in  certified  Pitts- 
ton  township  on  the  Susquehanna,  and  in  Providence 
and  Dunmore  on  the  waters  of  the  Lackawanna.  A 
double  track  railroad  was  niade,  the  cars  propelled  by 
stationary  power  and  gravity  by  a  series  of  inclined 
planes.  The  distance  is  forty-seven  miles;  the  tracks  do 
not  run  side  by  side,  but  diverge  at  points  to  the  distance 
of  two  or  three  miles  from  each  other.  Ground  for  this 
road  was  broken  in  1847  and  it  was  finished  in  1850. 
The  loaded  track,  as  it  is  termed,  or  the  track  upon  which 
the  loaded  cars  are  run,  starts  two  miles  below  Pittston 
on  the  Susquehanna,  with  a  plane  upon  which  .the  coal 
from  the  Port  Griffith  mine  is  hauled;  and  a  train  of  cars 
made  up  at  the  summit  runs  by  its  own  gravity,  the 
speed  regulated  by  one  or  two  men  at  the  brakes,  accord- 
ing to  the  length  of  the  train,  to  the  town  of  Pittston, 
where  it  is  taken  in  sections  to  the  second  plane,  from 
which  it  takes  its  own  way  again  to  the  foot  of  No.  3  at 
Pleasant  Valley — and  so  on  to  Hawley  on  the  Delaware 
&  Hudson  Canal,  tapping  in  its  course  its-  mines  in 
Luzerne,  and  on  the  Lackawanna  in  the  present  county 
of  that  name.  The  return  track  carries  the  empty  cars 
back  to  Port  Griffith,  dropping  the  proper  proportion  at 
the  different  mines  in  its  westward  course. 

Many  gentlemen  held  stock  in  both  companies  and  were 
often  at  the  same  time  directors  in  both.  At  a  very  early 
day  this  company  secured  most  favorable  terms  for  rates 
of  tolls  both  upon  the  Delaware  &  Hudson  Canal  and 
upon  the  Erie  railroad.  Upon  the  New  York  division 
of  the  canal  a  liberal  rate  was  fixed,  it  was  said,  to  induce 


«^h^ 


=^^ 


82 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


persons  or  companies  to  provide  coal  to  be  transported 
on  the  canal.  Upon  the  Pennsylvania  section  the  reason 
given  for  charging  one-half  cent  a  ton  per  mile  toll,  while 
a  cent  and  a  half  per  ton  was  charged  on  the  New  York 
section,  was  to  encourage  the  transportation  of  coal  over 
the  Erie  railroad  to  markets  which  did  not  come  in  com- 
petition with  their  markets  on  the  Hudson— both  logi- 
cal, good  and  sufficient,  although  seeming  to  clash.  As 
a  transporting  company,  through  trade  was  to  be  en- 
couraged on  the  canal,  as  experience  has  proven  it  to  be 
cheapest  on  all  lines  of  transportation.  As  a  coal  com- 
pany, looking  to  large  markets  and  to  profits  on  coal  far 
beyond  the  capacity  of  its  canal,  it  was  wise  to  be  seek- 
ing new  markets  and  encouraging  the  trade  by  every  op- 
portunity which  presented.  This  foresight  has  been  of 
great  service  to  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  When 
coal  sold  at  $2,50  at  Rondout  this  company  paid  no 
tolls,  but  when  the  price  was  above  that  sura  one-half 
the  increase  was  charged  as  tolls  on  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal.  This  arrangement,  with  the  favorable 
terms  for  transportation  on  the  Erie  road,  has  given  the 
company  important  advantages  over  rival  companies. 
Without  the  heavy  cost  of  locomotive  railroads,  owned  or 
leased,  or  large  indebtedness  to  draw  interest  from  its 
treasury,  it  has  been  able  to  make  dividends  which  sent 
its  stock  up  to  280  per  cent,  while  other  stocks  were 
below  par  in  the  markets.  In  1850,  the  year  the  gravity 
railroad  was  opened,  it  was  credited  with  one  hundred 
and  eleven  thousand,  one  hundred  and  ninety-four  tons 
upon  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  Mr.  Musgrave  before  the  investigating 
committee  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  in  1857.  In 
1879  it  sent  to  market  one  million  three  hundred  seventy- 
two  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  thirty-nine  tons.  Divi- 
dends have  been  as  high  as  thirty  per  cent.,  and  for  seve- 
ral years  twenty  per  cent.,  in  quarterly  payments.  Dur- 
ing the  panic  of  the  past  few  years  profits  have  of  course 
been  much  reduced,  but  its  excellent  coal,  with  skill  and 
economy  in  mining  added  to  the  foresight  of  its  officials, 
have  kept  its  record  good. 

Mr.  William  R.  Griffith,  a  gentleman  of  wealth  visiting 
Wyoming  valley,  became  interested  in  its  coal  deposits, 
and  was  chiefly  instrumental  in  promoting  the  organization 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  in  selecting  its 
coal  lands.  A  pleasant  little  episode  in  this  narrative  may 
be  pardoned.  Mr.  Griffith  in  early  life  had  among  his 
favorite  companions  a  little  lady,  daughter  of  a  gentleman 
who  had  since  become  resident  in  Luzerne  county  and  a 
mine  engineer.  For  some  years  Mr.  Griffith  resided 
abroad,  a  childless  aunt,  whose  heir  he  was,  desiring  to 
finish  his  education  in  France,  where  she  resided.  On 
his  return  his  first  thoughts  turned  toward  the  playmate 
of  his  youth,  who  he  discovered  had  become  the  wife  of 
a  prominent  merchant  of  Carbondale,  a  mother  and  a 
widow.  True  to  his  early  attachment,  although  apparently 
forgotten,  after  waiting  a  decorous  time  he  sought  the 
valley  and  made  her  the  offer  of  his  heart,  his  hand  and 
his  elegant  equipage.  They  were  married  and  lived  most 
happily,  with  the  respect   and   esteem  of  all  who   knew 


them.  They  have  passed  away.  Few  remember  their 
story.  A  brother  of  the  lady  still  lives,  an  honored 
citizen  of  Carbondale,  and  a  sister  resides  near  Trenton, 
N.  J.  Her  only  son  became  a  prosperous  and  re- 
spected physician  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  Penn- 
sylvania Coal  Company  owes  its  existence  in  a  measure  to 
this  little  romance, 

THE      DELAWARE,     LACKAWANNA     AND     WESTERN      RAIL- 
ROAD. 

The  above  named  company  is  one  of  the  grandest 
results  of  the  many  great  conceptions  of  genius  and  en- 
terprise exhibited  in  the  course  of  development  of  this 
northern  field.  By  legislative  enactment  "  the  corporate 
rights,  powers  and  privileges  of  the  Delaware  and  the 
Cobb's  Gap  Railway  Company"  were  merged  in  the 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  and  the 
corporate  name  changed  to  the  "name,  style  and  title  of 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com- 
pany." The  Liggett's  Gap  Railroad  Company,  chartered 
in  1832,  was  merged  in  the  Lackawanna  and  Western  in 
1851,  and  with  other  small  charters  and  connections, 
uniting  like  mountain  rills  with  larger  streams,  this  great 
work  was  enlarged  until  it  has  become  a  thoroughfare  for 
coal  tonnage  and  for  general  transportation  of  freight  and 
passengers  from  New  York  city  to  the  far  west  and 
northwest. 

It  is  not  many  years  since  the  valley  of  Wyoming  was 
likened  to  that  happy  vale  in  the  kingdom  of  Amhara, 
surrounded  on  every  side  by  mountains,  in  which  "  Ras- 
selas.  Prince  of  Abyssinia,  was  confined  in  a  private  pal- 
ace, with  the  other  sons  and  daughters  of  Abyssinian 
royalty,  till  the  order  of  succession  should  call  him  to  the 
throne."  Colonel  William  L.  Stone,  in  the  preface  to  his 
pleasant  book  "  The  Poetry  and  History  of  Wyoming," 
published  in  1841,  says:  "The  happy  valley  to  which 
the  illustrious  author  of  Rasselas  introduced  his  reader  in 
the  opening  of  that  charming  fiction,  was  not  much  more 
secluded  from  the  world  than  is  the  valley  of  Wyoming. 
Situated  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  remote  from  the 
great  thoroughfares  of  travel,  either  for  business  or  in  the 
idle  chase  of  pleasure,  and  walled  on  every  hand  by 
mountains  lofty  and  wild,  and  over  which  long  and  rug- 
ged roads  must  be  traveled  to  reach  it,  Wyoming  is 
rarely  visited,  except  from  stern  necessity.  And  yet  the 
imagination  of  Johnson  has  not  pictured  so  lovely  a  spot 
in  the  vale  of  Amhara  as  Wyoming."  Colonel  Stone  had 
a  rough  journey  over  the  mountains  in  the  stage-coaches, 
comfortable  as  they  were  to  the  mountaineers,  as  those 
who  read  the  notes  of  his  visit  in  1839  will  remember. 
But  he  had  the  full  benefit  of  the  glorious  vision  which 
bursts  upon  the  traveler  who,  after  a  tedious  day's  ride 
from  the  Delaware,  over  Pocono  and  through  the  "  Shades 
of  Death,"  reaches  the  summit  of  the  mountains  border- 
ing the  valley  on  the  east, 

Sweet  vale  of  Wyoming  !  whose  Gertrude  was  once 
embalmed  in  every  heart  of  cultivated  Europe  by  the 
pen  of  Campbell,  now  deemed  worthy  of  mention  in 
modern  guide  books.     Has  the  romance  departed  from 


•f 


^h 


PIONEERS  IN  THE  COAL  TRADE. 


83 


it  with  the  retiring  red  man?  and  even  the  Gertrude  of 
Halleck,  seen  on  the  next  field,  with 

"  Love  darting  eyes  and  tresses  like  the  morn , 
Without  a  shoe  or  stocking,  hoeing  corn," 

been  driven  out  by  flying  trains  of  cars  crossing  its 
center  on  tracks  leading  north  and  south,  east  and 
west,  from  Baltimore  to  Boston,  from  New  York  to 
Niagara,  and  from  Philadelphia  to  Saratoga  and  to 
Portland  ? 

A  mile  east  from  the  main  road  leading  from  Wilkes- 
Barre  to  Carbondale— not  far  from  Providence  Corners, 
then  often  called  Razorville  from  the  sharpness  of  its 
tavern  keeper  or  of  the  winds  which,  sweeping  the 
mountain  gorges,  occasionally  blew  his  house  and  his 
sign  post  over — in  a  quiet  nook  on  Roaring  brook  lay 
"Slocum  Hollow,''  named  from  its  proprietor,  one  of  a 
large,  respectable  and  influential  family  of  the  valley, 
who  had  there  his  farm  and  mill,  and  it  may  be  a  small 
furnace.  Mr.  William  Henry,  a  gentleman  of  experience 
in  ores  and  metals,  came  through  Cobb's  Gap  from  the 
iron  lands  of  New  Jersey  on  a  prospecting  tour,  and 
finding  iron  ores  and  coal  convenient  began  the  manu- 
facture of  pig  iron,  the  power  of  the  stream  furnishing 
blast  for  his  furnace.  George  W.  Scranton  with  his 
Yankee  brothers  had  migrated  from  Connecticut  and 
settled  at  Oxford^  New  Jersey,  when  young,  and  there 
engaged  in  the  iron  business.  He  visited  Slocum  Hol- 
low and,  like  Mr.  Henry,  whose  daughter  he  had  married, 
also  became  interested  in  these  ore  and  coal  beds;  and 
soon  perceived  with  prophetic  eye  what  capital,  energy 
and  enterprise  combined  might  produce  from  this  wilder- 
ness. Of  commanding  presence,  strong  will  and  per- 
suasive manner,  with  but  a  common  school  education, 
his  perceptions  of  business  and  of  character  were  quick 
and  clear.  He  went  to  New  York  and  laid  his  plans 
before  the  money  kings,  and  soon  had  capital  at  his  loco- 
motive wheels  captive  in  the  beech  woods.  The  dam  on 
Roaring  brook  was  first  too  small  and  then  too  large. 
Then  the  furnace  became  too  large,  and  the  steam  engine 
had  power  enough  to  provide  blast  for  several  furnaces; 
but  as  it  is  the  coal  trade  and  not  iron  that  is  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  each  reader  will  visit  Scranton  and  note 
the  result  for  his  own  satisfaction. 

At  the  Delaware  Water  Gap  the  railroad  from  Scran- 
ton united  with  the  Warren  railroad,  by  which  it  reached 
the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  at  Junction,  in  1856, 
together  forming  the  highway  for  Scranton  coal  to  tide 
at  New  York.  The  Central  railroad,  feeling  too  independ- 
ent with  its  immense  tonnage,  by  insisting  on  terms  of 
renewal  of  contract  drove  both  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
and  Western  and  the  Lehigh  Valley  railroads  from  it;  the 
one  to  the  Morris  and  Essex  road,  which  was  continued 
to  Easton,  crossing  it  at  Washington,  New  Jersey,  and  the 
Lehigh  Valley  constructing  a  new  line  from  Phillipsburg 
to  Elizabeth  along  side  of  and  in  direct  competition  with 
the  Central,  which  was  compelled  to  join  fortunes  with 
the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company  and  the 
Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  road  of  the  Navigation 
Company  to  gain  its  coal  tonnage.      It  was  short-sighted 


policy  all  round  and  led  to  disaster,  but  served  ultimately 
to  greatly  increase  the  coal  trade. 

In  early  days  Cobb's  Gap  on  the  east  and  Liggett's 
Gap  on  the  west  smiled  at  each  other  over  Providence 
and  the  Capoose  meadows,  a  little  north  and  east  of 
Hyde  Park  and  Slocum  Hollow,  both  the  prospective 
courses  of  possible  grade  for  such  small  locomotives  as 
were  then  constructed.  Colonel  Scranton  loved  to  tell 
of  the  look  of  incredulity  which  met  his  assertion  that  the 
time  would  come  when  the  coal  trade  by  these  routes 
would  reach  hundreds  of  thousands  of  tons,  and  require 
so  many  locomotives — not  one-third  the  number  employed 
when  he  told  it.  Upon  the  completion  of  his  line  to 
New  York  Col.  Scranton  attended  a  meeting  in  Philadel- 
phia, for  the  first  time  to  consult  upon  the  prospects  of 
the  trade  for  the  coming  season.  The  estimated  increase 
was  about  four  hundred  thousand  tons.  Mr.  Scranton 
suggested  in  behalf  of  his  company,  just  entering  business, 
that  a  fair  share  of  the  prospective  increase,  at  least  at 
eastern  points,  should  be  conceded  to  it.  Without  vanity, 
he  was  a  proud  man,  and  met  the  uncalled-for  assump- 
tion that  with  the  heavy  grades  of  his  road  through 
Cobb's  Gap  he  would  not  be  likely  to  unsettle  the  trade 
with  surplus  of  coal  with  a  quiet  determination  to  let 
them  see  what  could  be  done;  and  their  estimated  in- 
crease was  far  exceeded,  with  a  decided  reduction  in 
prices. 

The  northern  division  of  the  road,  through  Liggett's 
Gap,  joined  (he  Erie  railroad  at  Great  Bend  in  1851,  and 
its  tonnage  north,  west  and  northwest  in  1878  was  676,- 
207  tons;  in  1879  1,506,110  tons.  Total  coal  forwarded 
north  and  south  in  1878,  2,147,353  tons  ;  in  1879, 
3,792,368  tons. 

Colonel  Scranton  represented  this  district  in  the  thirty- 
sixth  Congress.  Re-elected  to  the  thirty-seventh  Con- 
gress, he  died  in  Scranton,  March  24th,  1861,  aged  fifty 
years,  mourned  by  hosts  of  friends  who  honored  and 
loved  him. 

Slocum  Hollow  became  Scrantonia,  then  Scranton,  3 
city  now  of  40,000  inhabitants,  active  and  enterprising, 
the  light  of  its  forges  and  furnaces  illuminating  the  night, 
and  the  sounds  of  its  hammers  and  rolling  mills  making 
vocal  the  air  with  their  music.  Now  the  seat  of  justice 
of  the  new  county  of  Lackawanna,  it  remains  a  fitting 
monument  to  the  memory  of  its  founder. 

NAMES    LONG    FAMOUS    IN    THE    TRADE. 

Among  the  oldest  of  the  operators  is  Mr.  Ario  Pardee, 
of  Hazleton,  who  has  been  in  the  business  more  than 
forty,  perhaps  fifty,  years  in  that  district;  successful  and 
generous,  as  was  shown  by  his  magnificent  contributions 
to  Lafayette  College,  at  Easton.  In  the  list  of  operators 
will  be  found  A.  Pardee  &  Co.,  Pardee  Sons  &  Co., 
C.  Pardee  &  Co.,  Pardee  Brothers  &  Co.,  running  the 
heaviest  colleries  in  that  part  of  the  county.  G.  B. 
Markle  &  Co.,  Coxe  Brothers  &  Co.,  J.  Leisenring  & 
Co.,  Linderman,  Skeer  &  Co.,  are  growing  old  in  the 
district. 

On  the  Susquehanna  Mr.  Jameson  Harvey  and   Mr. 


Hd= 


=^^ 


-^H 


84 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


H.  B.  Hill  now  survive  to  see  the  wonderful  growth  of  the 
trade  in  which  they  were  once  active. 

Mr.  Charles  Parrish,  one  of  the  most  successful  pro- 
moters and  organizers  of  the  coal  companies,  is  at  the 
head  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company, 
which  mines  on  the  Lehigh  as  well  as  on  the  Susquehanna. 
Some  of  the  finest  colleries  in  the  valley  were  erected  by 
Mr.  Parrish  and  Mr.  Samuel  Bonnell,  jr.,  who  has  changed 
his  venue  to  the  silver  lodes  of  the  west. 

DEMAND    AND    SUPPLY. 

It  will  be  noted  by  the  intelligent  observer  of  the  coal 
trade  as  it  has  passed  into  history  that  with  the  opening 
of  every  new  line  for  coal  transportation  to  competitive 
markets  they  have  been  overstocked,  and  prices  reduced 
below  the  point  of  fair  profit,  until  the  demand  grew  to 
meet  the  supply.  Increaping  consumption  secured  better 
prices,  with  failure  of  adequate  supply  and  larger  profits, 
until  new  mines  were  opened  and  increased  transporta- 
tion, furnished  by  the  completion  of  new  lines  of  roads  or 
canals,  repeated  the  experience. 

The  political  economist  of  the  coal  regions  must  be 
convinced  by  the  experience  of  the  past,  as  reflected  by 
the  seesawing  process,  that  "  supply  is  a  determinable 
quantity,"  and  thnt  a  quantity  of  coal  supplied  without 
adequate  demand  leads  to  ruinous  prices  and  loss  to  the 
trade;  notwithstanding  the  declared  opinion  of  eminent 
professors  of  the  science  that  "  demand  and  supply  are 
perfectly  analogous  facts."  In  this  age  and  country  it 
seems  like  supreme  nonsense  to  say  that  "  demand  can- 
not exist  without  supply,  and  cannot  increase  except  in 
proportion  as  supply  increases."  If  so,  how  is  it  that 
prices  vary  so  disastrously? 

Through  all  the  depression  the  consumption  of  anthra- 
cite coal  fell  little,  if  any,  below  twenty  millions  of  tons 
per  annum.  As  the  demand  for  manufacturing  purposes 
failed  new  markets  were  found,  and  notwithstanding 
hard  times  and  many  reverses  the  termination  of  each 
decade  has  registered  a  substantial  increase.  In  1830 
the  total  amount  of  anthracite  sold  was  174,734  tons; 
in  1840,  364,384;  in  1850,  3,358,890;  in  j86o,  8,513,123; 
in  1870,  15,848,899;  in  1879,  26,142,089. 

Mr.  Franklin  B.  Gowen,  of  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading 
Railroad  Company,  in  a  position  which  entitles  his  esti- 
mate to  credit,  places  the  total  possible  production  of 
anthracite  for  1880  at  not  to  exceed  28,500,000  tons,  of 
which  the  increasing  demand  for  the  manufacture  of 
iron  and  kindred  industries  will  absorb  from  one-half  to 
three-quarters  of  any  possible  increase. 

But  who  in  January,  1879,  could  have  anticipated  or 
predicted  an  increased  production  or  consumption  of 
nine  millions  of  tons,  a  bound  in  one  short  season  from 
seventeen  millions  to  twenty-six  millions  ?  The  influence 
of  the  iron  trade  was  not  felt  or  acknowledged  in  the 
early  months  of  that  year,  and  it  is  not  impossible  that  its 
revival  may  affect  the  trade  of  1S80  to  a  greater  extent, 
as  the  proportion  of  time  in  which  it  was  operative  in 
1879,  say  six  months,  is  to  the  whole  year. 

There  were  many  collieries  in  the  Wyoming  coal  region 


idle  much  of  the  time  in  1879.  Few  of  fhertl  were  oper- 
ared  on  full  time  in  the  early  months  of  the  year.  Unless 
the  pressure  upon  their  resources  during  the  reckless 
hurry  of  the  later  months  has  fearfully  demoralized  them, 
there  should  be  a  large  increase  in  1880.  Already  an 
arrangement  has  been  found  necessary  to  limit  the  pro- 
duction by  working  only  three  days  in  each  week,  from 
the  i6th  of  February  at  least  through  July.  But  this 
necessity  is  ascribed  to  the  accumulation  of  domestic 
sizes.  The  effect  upon  prices  was  magical,  and  the 
Coal  Trade  Journal  of  February  i8th,  said  :  "  The  man 
who  wagered  that  prices  would  touch  $6  per  ton  at 
wholesale  some  time  this  year  is  not  regarded  as  so 
great  a  maniac  as  he  was  a  month  ago." 

The  increased  trade  of  1879  was  not  wholly  occasioned 
by  the  revival  of  manufacturing  industries.  The  demand 
for  domestic  sizes  of  anthracite  throughout  the  Western 
States  has  been  rapidly  increasing,  chiefly  supplied  from 
this  region.  The  sales  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Ca- 
nal Company  in  the  west  reached  nearly  half  a  million  of 
tons  (484,607),  doubling  the  tonnage  of  1878.  The  Le- 
high Valley  Railroad  and  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company  with  more  direct  communi- 
cation over  their  main  lines,  must  have  equaled  if  not 
largely  exceeded  it.  A  revolution  in  this  western  trade 
is  in  progress  in  the  use  of  box  cars  of  through  freight 
lines  for  transportation  of  anthracite,  the  cars  upon 
reaching  their  destination  being  swept  out  and  loaded 
with  grain  in  bulk  for  eastern  markets  or  for  exporta- 
tion. With  full  loads  each  way  transportation  is  so 
cheapened  that  anthracite  is  being  used  all  through  the 
west  in  competition  with  the  bituminous  coals  which  un- 
derlie many  of  the  farms  of  those  who  use  it.  Its  cheap- 
ness has  already  induced  the  change  to  stoves  made 
expressly  for  anthracite,  in  houses  which  will  continue 
its  use,  even  at  advanced  prices. 

Not  only  in  the  west  is  this  improvement  noted.  A 
single  train  from  this  valley  will  be  made  up  of  these  box 
cars,  each  containing  eleven  or  more  tons,  and  represent- 
ing seven  or  eight  railroad  companies,  from  Boston  to  the 
Mississippi  river  and  from  Canada  to  the  far  south; 
and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  such  cars  coming  north  and 
eas-t  will  regularly  carry  as  return  freight  this  growing 
luxury  in  fuel  to  every  city  and  State  in  the  Union. 

An  imijortant  question  presents  itself:  Are  the  anthra- 
cite coal  fields  approaching  the  maximum  of  production? 

More  than  twenty  years  ago  gentlemen  conversant 
with  the  subject  estimated  the  limit  of  anthracite  pro- 
duction at  from  twenty-five  millions  to  thirty  millions  of 
tons  per  annum.  The  trade  has  already,  by  a  sudden 
bound,  exceeded  the  first  without  undue  pressure  upon 
the  mining  capacity  during  the  early  months  of  the  year. 
But  a  very  important  change  in  the  trade  must  be  taken 
into  the  account  since  those  estimates  were  made. 
Twenty  years  ago  the  size  known  as  chestnut  coal  was 
not  marketable.  At  auction  sales  in  New  York  during 
the  past  few  years  that  size  commanded  the  higest  price 
in  the  market.  Then  pea  coal  and  other  sizes  smaller 
than  chestnut  could  not  be  sold  at   cost   of  mining;  now 


K^ 


M}* 


4* 


STATISTICS  OF  THE  COAL  TRADE  AND  KINDRED  INDUSTRIES. 


I 


00 


^^^<^,h^t:yy^--^^,  ^^.^^^^^^^^-i^ 


JOHN   SEA  RLE. 
Plains,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


MARY  SEA  RLE. 
Plains,   Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


LOT  SEARCJL 


Shicks/iiiiiiY,   Liizciiii    Co.,  Pa. 


GEORGE   II :   SEARCH. 


Shi(ksliinny,   Luzerne  Co.,   Pa. 


JOHN  ABBOTT. 
Plains,  Luzerne   Co.,  Pa. 


BENJAMIN   COUR T RIGHT. 
Plains,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


ir.  A.    CAA/PPELL. 


Shiikshinny,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pel. 


Dr.  J.  E.  BRIGGS. 
S/iieksliinny,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


*:>-*.  >t<L\v 


1  ';SfA^'i>ri-;'*;H^^^ 


V^^'W.Oy,  ^^  V> WWW'S Y.KV\-. 


'r-^ 


i||L|?^^y'i-».^-^,-^'  ---  ,   .,  .  . 

^^^  ^%^^^^WSi    MK^IWffe'W'^it  *«aE.r-r«ts?^x^^'HH(5r^~^-v 


i'-«r 


-'■■\J! 


i 


»*-l 
^ 


•  I  til  6*4  If'"*:  -^      H^      k* 


jVAKNH    ^H.TW.K>»C^ 


>3& 


LOT  SEARCH. 
Shickshinny,  Luzerne  Co.,   Pa. 


GEORGE   W.  SEARCH. 
Shickshinny ,  iMzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


W.  A.   CAMPBELL. 
Shickshinny,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


Dr.  J.  F.  BRIGGS. 
Shickshinny,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


=^ 


GROWTH  AND  LIMITS  OF  THE  COAL  TRADE. 


85 


they  are  quoted  at  $1.50  per  ton  at  Mauch  Chunk,  and 
from  $2.50  to  $2.80  per  ton  at  Port  Johnson  and  at  Hud- 
son river  markets  for  pea  coal,  and  Mr.  Saward,  in  his 
journal  of  January  28th,  1880,  page  39,  says:  "The  de- 
mand for  chestnut,  pea  and  buckwheat  sjzes,  now  ex- 
tensively used  for  steam  purposes,  is  good."  Even  culm 
finds  market  now  at  cost  of  transportation. 

A  committee  of  stockholders  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company,  appointed  in  May,  1877,  to  visit 
and  inspect  the  property  of  the  company,  reported  on 
this  subject: 

"  Besides  this  ute  of  culm  (made  into  bricks),  repeated  and  long  con- 
tinued experiments  have  developed  methods  by  which  it  is  suocossfuUy 
used  at  the  mines  under  the  boilers  of  stationary  engines.  Only  the 
best  and  most  saleable  sizes  of  coal  were  formerly  used  for  steam  pur- 
poses. The  great  consumption  of  these  coals  induced  the  effort  to  sub- 
stitute for  these  the  nearly  valueless  pea  coal.  This,  after  much  diffi- 
culty, was  successful.  But  success  led  to  an  increased  demand  for  pea 
coal,  and  the  next  attempt  was  to  substitute  culm  for  pea  coal  at  the 
mines.  This  also  was  finally  successful,  and  the  company  now  uses  at 
the  mines  annually  sixty  thousand  tons  of  culm,  which  was  formerly 
worse  than  valueless.  If  the  company  were  doing  full  work  it  would 
consume  for  the  production  of  steam  about  two  hundred  thousand  tons 
of  culm  annually.  Thus  the  production  of  marketable  coal  is  increased, 
and  culm,  which  was  formerly  wasted  at  large  cost,  now  possesses  great 
value." 

Although  the  report  gives  the  experience  of  one  com- 
pany, these  facts  apply  equally  to  the  business  of  all;  and 
from  them,  by  the  rule  of  proportion,  the  gain  in  capacity 
for  marketable  production  of  all  the  anthracite  regions 
from  this  saving  may  easily  be  computed.  Much  greater 
economy  in  mining  coal  has  been  introduced,  and  with 
the  not  improbable  introduction  of  stone  or  iron  columns 
to  support  the  roof  in  place  of  the  masses  of  coal  now 
left  for  that  purpose,  rendered  possible  by  the  increased 
price  of  the  coal,  the  percentage  of  waste  in  the  mines 
may  be  reduced  one-half  and  trade  increased  in  propor- 
tion. The  terminal  stake  may  be  advanced  to  forty  mil- 
lions and  still  not  exhaust  the  anthracite  deposits  more 
rapidly  than  with  twenty  millions  of  tons  under  the  waste- 
ful method  of  mining  and  preparation  for  the  past. 

The  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad 
Companv  has  been  constructing  coal  docks  on  Lake  Erie 
at  Buffalo,  to  make  that  a  distributing  point  for  the  west- 
ern trade,  which  must  materially  increase  the  sales  in 
that  direction. 

The  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad  Company  is 
said  to  be  negotiating  for  a  connection  with  the  Atlantic 
and  Great  Western  Railroad  at  or  near  Williamsport, 
which  will  greatly  facilitate  and  increase  the  western  trade 
from  the  Schuylkill  region  by  the  Catawissa  road,  already 
under  its  control. 

.The  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  from  the  fine  deposits  of 
coal  on  both  sides  of  the  Susquehanna  at  Nanticoke,  in 
this  region,  has  communication  with  western  markets 
both  by  its  canals  and  by  the  Lackawanna  and  Blooms- 
burg  road,  its  Northern  Central  and  Philadelphia  and 
Erie  up  the  west  branch,  and  its  main  line  on  the  Juniata 
river.  All  are  reaching  for  the  limitless  west,  to  which 
the  small  sizes,  always  of  the  purest  coal,  can  now  be 
safely  carried  to  a  growing  market. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  report  that 
in  1869  eighty-one  and  a  half  per  cent,  of  their  coal  was 


delivered  at  tide,  and  only  eighteen  and  a  half  per  cent, 
at  inland  markets.  By  gradual  annual  increase  this  inland 
trade  in  1876  was  forty-two  per  cent,  of  their  production. 
Mr.  John  J.  Albright,  general  sales  agent  of  the  company 
for  nearly  twenty  years,  reported  the  sales  in  the  west 
by  the  "  Western  Coal  Association  "  at  "  one  million  two 
hundred  thousand  tons  in  1875,  and  nearly  as  much  more 
probably  went  to  western  markets  through  other  shippers. 
The  figures  representing  this  growth  are  remarkable:  In 
1851,  6,000  tons  ;  in  1875,  more  than  2,200,000  tons. 
Toronto,  Canada,  in  1874  took  58,390  tons  ;  in  1876 
increased  to  97,694  tons.  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1852  took 
8,000  tons.  In  1876  it  increased  to  100,000  tons.  Buffalo 
in  1852  required  only  25,000  tons  ;  in  1875  increased  to 
750,206  tons,  and  in  1879  received  1,092,184  tons,  of 
which  550,606  tons  were  distributed  in  other  markets- 
Chicago  consumed  about  500,000  tons  annually,  but  the 
exact  figures  were  not  then  attainable." 
In  1879  the  Chicago  Tribune  said  : 
"  Coal  sold  at  the  lowest  prices  ever  known,  anthracite  selling  $1  per 
ton  below  the  cheapest  rate  for  1878.  From  the  beginning  of  the  year 
down  to  May  prices  were  steady  at  $8  and  $6.50  for  anthracite,  and  at 
$5.50  for  Brie.  Then  there  was  a  drop  to  $4.50  in  the  former,  and  to 
$4.76  in  the  latter.  Those  were  the  market  quotations  until  August, 
when  there  was  an  advance  of  $1  per  ton.  Later  there  were  further  ad- 
vances, and  the  year  closed  with  anthracite  selling  at  $6.50  and  $7,  Erie 
at  $7  and  Wilmington  at  $4.  For  the  first  time  In  the  history  of  the 
trade  all  sizes  of  hard  coal  have  sold  at  a  uniform  price.  Nut,  which 
was  formerly  quoted  from  35  to  75  cents  per  ton  cheaper  than  the  larger 
sizes,  is  now  in  so  active  demand— owing  to  the  very  general  use  of  self- 
feeding  stoves— that  our  dealers  are  barely  able  to  get  adequate  sup- 
plies, and  that  particular  size  is  now  quoted  at  50  cents  per  ton  above 
other  sizes." 

The  coal  exchange  in  that  city  reported  about  three 
hundred  thousand  tons  of  anthracite  up  to  November  3d. 
The  trade  probably  reached  a  million  of  tons  for  the 
year. 

The  increase  in  western  trade  was  no  doubt  in  fair 
proportion  to  the  total  tonnage,  perhaps  greater,  through 
the  increased  facilities  for  transportation  in  the  box 
freight  cars,  returning  for  the  magnificent  grain  crops  of 
the  year,  and  five  millions  of  tons  may  have  been 
distributed  there. 

'whatever  may  be  the  limit  of  demand  or  production, 
the  larger  portion  of  increase  must  be  supplied  from  the 
Wyoming  coal  field.  Up  to  1850  this  region  had  not 
reached  an  annual  production  of  a  million  of  tons, 
including  the  Luzerne  basins  on  the  Lehign,  in  a  total 
■  of  three  million,  three  hundred  and  fifty-eight  thousand, 
eight  hundred  and  ninety-nine  tons.  In  1879  it  had 
increased  to  not  less  than  fifteen  millions  in  a  total  of 
twenty-six  million  tons. 

That  anthracite  will  be  largely  exported  cannot  be  ■ 
doubted.  In  1874  the  exports  were  four  hundred  and 
one  thousand,  nine  hundred  and  twelve  tons.  Since  the 
international  expositions  in  Philadelphia  and  in  Paris, 
American  anthracite  and  stoves  designed  especially  for 
burning  it  have  been  introduced  into  France,  Italy  and 
Switzerland  ;  and  as  the  Reading  Company  is  about 
sending  an  agent  abroad  to  extend  the  trade,  it  may  yet 
be  established  as  a  luxury  in  London,. Vienna,  St.  Peters- 
burg and  in  every  city  of  refinement  in  Europe. 

With  an  annual  production  of  one  hundred  and   thirty 


86 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


millions  of  tons,  the  exports  from  the  mines  of  Great 
Britain  have  reached  eighteen  millions  of  tons  in  a  year. 
There  can  be  no  reason  why  Pennsylvania  anthracite 
should  not  soon  reach  the  same  proportion  and  afford  at 
least  four  millions  of  tons  for  export,  instead  of  the  mea- 
gre amount  reported  for  1879  of  421,594  tons.  Of  this 
the  British  possessions  took  367,544  tons  ;  Mexico,  South 
America  and  West  Indies  38,885  tons ;  Cl-.ina  nearly 
2,000  tons  ;  while  France  had  940,  Austria  391,  Germany 
and  England  each  one  ton ;  the  remainder  scattering. 
The  figures  will  change  slowly  perhaps  towards  European 
markets,  as  the  home  consumption  will  command  high 
prices  and  freights  will  be  costly  on  eastward  bound  ves- 
sels ;  unless  the  current  of  trade  shall  be  reversed  through 
false  economy  and  England  again  supply  us  with  manu- 
factured goods  to  an  extent  which  would  send  her  ships 
home  in  ballast.  The  four  hundred  and  seventy  square 
miles  of  Pennsylvania  anthracite,  with  its  certainly  limit- 
ed capacity  for  production  already  approximated,  must 
supply  a  territory  many  times  greater  than  that  of  Great 
Britain,  and  a  population  already  nearly  equal  in  num- 
bers and  greater  in  its  purchasing  power  and  ability  to 
enjoy.  Whatever  the  limit  of  production,  the  demand 
must  soon  be  limited  by  the  price  it  will  bear  as  one  of 
the  future  luxuries  of  life. 

VALUE    OF    ANTHRACITE. 

The  value  of  rich  deposits  of  anthracite  coal  is  not  to 
be  calculated  alone  by  cash  estimates  in  dollars  and 
cents;  but  the  comfort  and  cleanliness  increased  a  hun- 
dred fold  in  the  home  circle,  the  absence  of  smoke,  the 
cheering  and  enduring  warmth  of  its  fires  through  long 
winter  nights,  and  the  indirect  influence  of  this  increased 
comfort  through  all  classes  of  modern  society,  must  be 
added  to  the  sum  total  of  gain. 

At  an  early  day,  while  the  Baltimore  mine  was  still 
rudely  worked  at  its  outcroppings  in  the  bluff  on  Coal 
brook,  near  Wilkes-Barre,  and  the  full  size  of  the  vein, 
of  nearly  thirty  feet,  was  exposed  to  the  light,  a  party  of 
ladies  of  the  Society  of  Friends  visited  the  place  accom- 
panied by  others  of  the  neighborhood.  The  vast  cavern 
even  at  that  day  excavated,  with  its  smooth  floor  of 
coal  and  slate,  inclining  downward  the  north  ;  with 
immense  pillars  of  coal,  sixteen  or  eighteen  feet  in 
height,  supporting  the  roof ;  the  light  from  without, 
through  various  apertures,  penetrating  a  distance 
along  the  gentle  dip  of  the  vein  reflecting  many  hues 
from  the  bright  faces  of  sparkling  anthracite, .furnished 
ia  scene  well  calculated  to  impress  an  intelligent  mind 
with  feelings  of  mingled  awe  and  admiration.  After  a 
careful  examination  of  the  locality,  with  many  inquiries 
and  suggestions  concerning  the  probable  origin  and  dis- 
covery of  the  wonderful  deposit,  a  profound  silence  set- 
tled upon  them,  inspired  by  the  grandeur  of  the  scene; 
when  a  clear,  sweet  voice  floated  upon  the  air  in  utter- 
ances of  gratitude  and  of  adoration  of  the  Great  Supreme 
Power  which  had  placed  such  storehouses  of  fuel  amidst 
the  wildnerness  of  this  cold  northern  clime,  to  be  pre- 
served for  the  benefit  of  His  people  when  the  forests 


should  be  swept  away  and  their  need  would  be  sorest. 
The  voice  of  Rachel  Price  has  long  been  silent,  as  she 
sleeps  among  her  kindred  and  friends  near  the  shadow  of 
some  modest  meeting-house  in  Chester  county,  where  the 
precepts  of  peace,  wisdom,  and  love  inculcated  in  her 
sermons  still  retain  their  influence  with  the  descendants 
of  those  who  sat  under  her  teachings.  What  a  blessing 
would  be  conferred  if  her  short  address  at  the  Baltimore 
mine  could  yet  be  heard  and  heeded  by  those  who,  in 
pursuit  of  wealth,  recklessly  squander  the  precious 
legacy.  "  Precept  has  been  lost  in  the  example  of  a  fierce 
struggle  for  power  and  position  until  all  interests  have 
been  prostrated;  and  now  perhaps  only  when  selfishness, 
from  sheer  necessity,  is  likely  to  be  merged  in  justice 
may  prudent  management  be  hoped  for. 

But  there  is  a  commercial  and  marketable  value  at- 
tached to  coal  and  to  coal  lands  worthy  to  be  viewed  in  a 
business  light  by  the  few  still  in  possession  of  original 
titles.  There  are  eight  large  transporting  companies  now 
in  Pennsylvania,  pretty  fairly  dividing  among  them  the 
Anthracite  coal  lands,  either  by  purchase  or  by  leasing 
them  of  the  owners.  They  are  the  Philadelphia  and 
Reading  Railroad  Company,  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad 
Company,  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey, 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com- 
pany, the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  the  New  York,  Lake 
Erie  and  Western,  Railroad  Company;  the  railroad  com- 
panies operating  under  charters  incorporating  coal  com 
panies  controlled  by  them.  There  are  very  few  proper- 
ties of  any  profitable  size  yet  remaining  not  directly  or 
indirectly  at  the  mercy  of  these  large  corporations. 

The  prices  paid  for  coal  lands  in  the  northern  or  Wyo- 
ming coal  field  when  the  tra,de  was  small  were  very  low, 
often  less  than  one  hundred  dollars  an  acre  for  those  in 
choice  positions  but  yet  undeveloped.  The  farmer  who 
owned  a  large  tract,  from  a  few  acres  of  which  he  suc- 
ceeded in  gathering  a  frugal  subsistence  with  hard  labor, 
felt  rich  if  he  could  sell  four  hundred  acres  for  twenty  or 
thirty  dollars  an  acre  and  buy  a  much  better  farm  in  the 
growing  west  for  half  the  money.  Much  of  course  de- 
pended on  the  prospects  of  early  development  of  the 
coal  and  the  opening  of  ways  to  market.  Few  of  them 
had  much  faith  in  the  coal,  which  had  never  done  any 
good  to  the  neighborhood;  and  they  only  valued  the  sur- 
face as  yielding  fair  returns  for  labor  bestowed.  With 
few  wants,  the  farmer  out  of  debt  was  rich. 

The  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  purchased  the  greater 
part  of  its  best  lands  thirty  years  ago,  at  prices  ranging 
from  $75  to  $200  per  acre,  farms  and  all.  When  the  last 
farms  were  secured,  probably  $300  per  acre  was  paid  to 
close  and  connect  the  surveys.  Some  years  after,  for 
small  tracts  from  which  they  could  take  the  coal  through 
improvements  already  made,  $1,000  per  acre  was  reported 
as  the  price  paid,  which  would  be  cheaper  to  the  com- 
pany taking  the  coal  out  at  once  than  $200  paid  thirty 
years  before,  when  the  coal  lay  untouched  by  the  miner's 
pick  or  drill. 

To  judge  by  the  financial  statements  of  the  best  com- 


^¥ 


^ 


^^ 


=^; 


THE  VALUE  OF  COAL  LANDS. 


87 


panics  (except  the  prudently  managed  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company),  it  might  be  judged  that  coal  lands  had  cost 
them  many  thousands  of  dollars  an  acre.  But  the  blend- 
ing vast  lines  of  transportation  with  lands  to  be  developed 
makes  it  difficult  to  judge  accurately.  The  experience 
of  the  one  company  excepted  would  indicate  that  the 
land  was  the  only  profitable  part  of  the  investment. 

But  again,  what  would  the  land  be  now  worth  without 
markets  for  the  coal  and  means  of  transportation?  Not 
more  than  it  sold  for  twenty- five  years  ago.  The  Read- 
ing Company  and  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  are  the  objects  of  most  bitter  attack  for  bad 
management  and  blundering  into  unnecessary  expendi- 
tures and  indebtedness.  The  Reading  road  has  reached 
out  its  arms  with  seeming  recklessness  after  new 
markets.  Take  the  explanation  made  by  Mr.  President 
Gowen,  in  his  recent  annual  report  to  the  meeting  of 
stockholders,  January  12th,  1880:  "  The  company  is  now 
prepared  to  transport  direct,  by  its  own  cars  and  engines, 
to  the  harbor  of  New  York  the  large  amount  of  coal  ton- 
nage which  heretofore,  at  a  cash  cost  of  fully  eighty-five 
cents  per  ton,  had  to  be  transported  over  lines  of  other 
companies.  As  the  actual  cost  of  moving  this  coal  from 
Philadelphia  to  New  York  over  the  new  line  cannot  ex- 
ceed forty  cents  per  ton,  the  difference  of  forty-five  cents 
per  ton  on  a  yearly  tonnage  of  about  a  million  tons, 
amounting  to  $450,000  per  annum,  will  represent  the 
saving  of  the  company."  Mr.  Gowen  estimates  a  business 
of  9,000,000  tons  over  his  roads  in  1880,  and  that  the 
average  price  will  be  $1.50  per  ton  higher  at  tide  water 
than  in  1879. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  reported  a  deficiency 
on  its  leased  lines,  but  its  northern  roads  lead  to  new  and 
growing  markets.  With  the  advance  in  prices  of  coal 
and  the  rapid  increase  in  tonnage  this  deficiency  must 
speedily  disappear,  and  the  leased  lines  will  not  only  pay 
their  own  expenses;  but  every  additional  ton  of  anthracite 
carried  north  will  add  to  the  profits  of  the  mines  and  to 
the  trade  of  each  branch  employed  in  the  transpor- 
tation. 

Increased  trade  and  advanced  prices  must  soon  estab- 
lish the  value  of  coal  lands.  Hear  Mr.  Maxwell  on  this 
subject: 

"  If  a  population  of  twenty-one  millions  value  5,209,000  acres  of  coal 
land  at  $2,000  per  acre,  what  should  a  population  of  11,635,000,  having: 
the  same  wants  in  proportion  to  number,  value  only  279,680  acres  of  coal 
land  at  per  acre  ?  Who  will  solve  this  problem  satisfactorily  to  himself  ? 
The  facts  bear  out  its  terms  with  all  the  force  of  mathematical  truth.  It 
IS  to  be  observed  that  in  stating  this  problem  the  lowest  price  of  the 
English  coal  lands  is  adopted  as  one  of  its  terms.  This  leaves  a  wide 
margin  against  the  hazard  of  error.  England,  too,  is  much  nearer  her 
maximum  of  population,  manufactures  and  coal  consumption  than  we 
are,  while  our  coal  market,  in  area  four  times  as  large  as  hers,  but  with 
half  her  population  now,  is  rapidly  filling  up  with  coming  millions." 

Mr.  Maxwell  estimates  1,613  tons  per  acre  to  every  foot 
tliickness.  Practical  men  estimate  1,000  tons  to  the  foot, 
clear  merchantable  coal,  allowing  liberally  for  pillars  and 
waste. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  say:  "  In 
Great  Britain  coal  lands  are  worth  from  $5,000  to  $7,000 
per  acre.  In  the  light  of  these  facts,  why  should  not  the 
consumption   of   anthracite   continue   to   increase,   why 


should  it  not  be  mined  at  a  profit,  and  why  should  not 
the  value  per  acre  of  the  small  area  of  anthracite  coal 
lands  in  the  United  States  approximate  that  of  the  vast- 
ly larger  area  of  coal  lands  in  Great  Britain?"  Pertinent 
questions,  which  are  in  course  of  solution  as  rapidly  as 
the  returning  good  sense  of  the  large  companies  will  per- 
mit. The  pioneers  in  the  trade  who  yet  live  may  hope 
to  see  it  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  they  deserve  it. 
Of  the  pioneers  in  the  early  development  nearly  all 
have  passed  away.  Of  these  Hon.  Hendrick  B.  Wright, 
in  his  Historical  Sketches  of  Plymouth,  a  work  bf  great 
local  interest  written  in  the  author's  best  vein,  makes 
lionorable  mention,  so  far  as  connected  with  old  Shawnee 
trade: 

"  Freeman  Thomas  came  to  Plymouth  from  Northampton  county 
about  the  year  1811,  and  purchased  the  Avondale  property,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  more  than  titty  year3  ago.  Mr.  Thom  is  was  in  advance 
of  most  of  his  neighbors  in  his  It:inwledge  of  the  coil  measures.  At  an 
early  day  he  commenced  driving  the  '  Grand  Tunnel'  into  the  moun- 
tain side,  with  the  purpose  of  striking  the  coal.  This  was  probably  as 
early  as  1828,  and  was  the  flrat  experiment  in  tunneling  in  the  Wyoming 
valley  through  rook.  After  three  or  four  years  of  persevering  labor, 
and  with  his  credit  almost  sunk,  he  struclc  the  big  red  ash  vein.  Free- 
man Thomas  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  Hedied  at  his  home  in  Northum- 
berland county  in  his  eighty-eighth  year.  Not  long  after  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Grand  Tunnel  Jameson  Harvey  discovered  coal  upon  his 
premises  near  by,  and  these  two  coal  properties,  being  most  eligibly 
situated,  were  more  extensively  worked  than  any  other  mine  in  the 
township.  William  L.  Lance  became  lessee  of  the  Grand  Tunnel  proper- 
ty in  1851." 

Col.  Wright  says  that  the  red  ash  vein  worked  by  the 
Smiths  and  Freeman  Thomas,  in  Plymouth,  averages 
twenty-six  feet  of  pure  coal,  being  better  and  thicker 
than  the  seam  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  where  it  crops 
out  near  the  summit  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  mountain  not 
more  than  eight  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  assumed  by  some 
that  the  lower  vein,  known  as  the  red  ash,  thins  out  as  it 
goes  east  and  disappears  on  the  Lackawanna  about  Scran- 
ton;  which  is  not  at  all  probable,  as  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  has  been  in  operation  at  Car- 
bondale  for  fifty  years,  chiefly  on  the  lower  veins  of  the 
measure,  which  are  not  yet  exhausted.  It  is  asserted  that 
a  nine-foot  vein  has  been  tested  at  Dunmore,  east  of 
Scranton,  below  any  of  the  veins  now  worked  there.  The 
measures  on  the  Lackawanna  are  not  so  deep  as  in  the 
parts  of  the  basin  along  the  Susquehanna,  and  the  large 
companies  established  above  Pittston  have  all  secured 
ample  stores  of  anthracite  in  Kingston,  Plymouth,  New- 
port, Hanover,  Wilkes-Barre  and  Plains  townships  for 
centuries  to  come,  and  have  facilities  for  transportation 
from  them  both  present  and  future.  The  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  Company,  on  the  rich  properties  of  the  late 
Colonel  Washington  Lee  on  the  east  and  of  Mr.  Harvey 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  has  already  been  mentioned, 
with  its  lines  of  communication.  The  Lehigh  and  Wilkes- 
Barre  Coal  Company,  growing  from  the  Consolidated 
Coal  Company  through  the  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  and  Iron 
Company  is,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Charles  Par- 
rish,  a  pioneer  in  the  trade  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Hanover  and 
Newport,  fast  taking  a  leading  position.  Judge  Francis 
Lathrop,  in  whose  hands  the  coal  company  and  the  Cen- 
tral Railroad  of  New  Jersey  are,  as  receiver,  says  that  they 
are  improving  in  financial  condition.  The  principal  coal 
tonnage  of  the  Central  is  from  this  coal  company.     The 


^h 


<f^ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Erie  Railway  operates  chiefly  in  Pittston,  having  trans- 
portation by  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company's  road  to 
Hawley,  and  by  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany's road  to  Great  Bend,  at  which  point  it  joins  its 
main  line.  The  time  must  come  when  it  will  possess 
coal  lands  on  the  Susquehanna  and  a  road  of  its  own  to 
carry  coal  out  of  the  valley.  The  tonnage  will  be  of 
great  importance  to  it.  The  box  cars  of  this  road  are 
seen  in  almost  every  train  leaving  the  vdlley. 

Fortunes  have  been  sunk  and  millions  lost  in  the  early 
efforts  to  develop  the  mines  and  introduce  anthracite 
coal  to  the  various  uses  to  which  it  is  now  indispensable. 
Few  of  the  pioneers  lived  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their 
labors  and  enterprise.  Few  of  the  living  even  how  com- 
prehend the  value  of  anthracite;  either  the  cost  value, 
the  "  exchange  value,''  or  the  far  greater  value  as  one  of 
the  necessaries  of  life,  without  regard  to  ratio  or  exchange 
or  price  in  open  market.  In  the  scramble  for  control  of 
markets  it  has  come  to  be  regarded  as  a  mere  item  of 
tonnage,  by  which  to  estimate  income  to  rival  lines  of 
transportation.  The  next  generation  will  be  able  to 
estimate  it  from  a  point  of  view  gained  through  bitter 
experience,  and  will  understand  its  full  pecuniary  value. 
The  loss  of  one  hundred  lives  in  1878,  and  the  almost 
countless  accidents  resulting  in  loss  of  limbs  and  health, 
will  add  fearfully  to  the  cost,  which  cannot  be  estimated. 

If  the  estimate  which  places  the  limit  of  production 
below  thirty-five  millions  of  tons  per  annum  shall  prove 
correct,  then  will  the  money  value  soon  be  ascertained  in 
the  market  price.  New  collieries  are  adding  to  produc- 
tive capacity  in  each  year,  to  be  offset  by  numbers  which 
are  exhausted  and  abandoned.  In  the  report  from  the 
Lehigh  region  for  1878  the  number  of  collieries  abandoned 
up  to  the  time  of  report  had  reached  sixty-three,  some 
having  been  over  sixty  years  in  operation. 

BREAKERS     AHEAD. 

As  a  class  coal  miners  are  not  provident.  Like  almost 
any  other  class  in  society  it  is  mixed,  but  it  may 
safely  be  asserted  that  as  much  good  common  sense  is  to 
be  found  among  the  men  employed  in  this  coal  i-egion  as 
among  any  class  of  laborers,  or  even  professional  men. 
True,  in  limes  of  excitement  they  are  apt  to  be  carried 
away  by  imprudent  counsels  and  do  themselves  and  the 
trade  untold  injury  in  useless  efforts  to  right  fancied 
wrongs,  while  the  men  they  combat  suffer  from  the  same 
evils  as  severely.  The  miner  has  this  excuse,  if  not 
justification;  he  has  no  influence  in  adjusting  prices. 
Those  who  direct  the  trade,  and  who  from  position  should 
understand  the  question  of  supply  and  demand  as  affect- 
ing markets,  are  as  apt  to  be  carried  off  their  feet  by 
waves  of  competition  and  wreck  prices  by  careless  pilot- 
age of  cargoes;  and  miner  and  laborer  must  bear  the  loss 
in  reduction  of  wages.  Reflection  might  teach  every 
laborer  that  the  interest  of  the  operator  to  secure  good 
prices  is  as  strong  as  is  his  to  have  high  wages,  and  that 
necessity  not  appearing  upon  the  surface  forces  a  decline. 
Unfortunately  too  many  operators  have  not  deemed  it  a 
duty  to  make  explanations  to  those  they   employ,   and 


without  reflecting  that  two  wrongs  never  make  a  right  the 
men  resort  to  the  remedy  they  think  most  direct  and 
strike. 

The  strike,  a  mere  cessation  from  labor,  might  not  in 
all  cases  be  objectionable  in  itself,  if  not  followed  by  in- 
terference with  the  rights  of  others  who  do  not  desire  to 
leave  work  or  who  cannot  afford  to  lie  idle,  which  is 
clearly  illegal.  One  very  favorable  sign  of  the  present 
time  is  the  increasing  willingness  of  employers  to  yield 
gracefully  and  promptly  to  the  unquestionable  equities  of 
labor  on  a  rising  market,  as  it  was  made  full  partner  in 
misfortune.  A  notable  instance  of  the  beneficial  results  of 
such  a  system  in  past  years  was  that  of  the  collieries  of 
Messrs  Sharpe,  Leisenring  &  Company,  at  Eckley,  on 
the  Lehigh.  When  coal  prices  advanced  the  men  had 
their  full  proportion  in  increased  wages,  and  when  prices 
receded  they  submitted  to  the  reduction  without  com- 
plaint; and  for  years  there  was  little  trouble  among  them, 
until  the  great  strike  of  December,  1874,  which  it  was  a 
point  of  pride  should  be  made  general  among  the  men  in 
all  the  coal  fields,  and  they  yielded  to  that  disastrous 
suspension  of  more  than  six  months,  from  which  there 
has  been  no  recovery. 

The  exercise  of  all  the  good  sense  of  parties  concerned 
will  be  needed  to  secure  the  trade  from  loss  in  the  future. 
Disaster  may  come  from  too  sudden  prosperity,  as  to  the 
apparently  convalescent  patient  from  an  excess  of  vitality. 
Prices  must  be  regulated,  or  the  goose  that  lays  the  golden 
egg  may  be  killed. 

Railroad  construction  in  1879  was  more  active  than  in 
any  year  since  1872,  and  fifty  per  cent,  greater  than  in 
1878.  Iron  is  needed  in  every  degree  of  manufacture  in 
the  construction  and  equipment  of  new  roads,  and  this 
iron  in  every  stage  from  the  ore  must  be  wrought  by  the 
aid  of  coal.  To  force  prices  too  high  may  check  the 
upward  movement  all  along  the  line  and  reflect  disastrously 
on  the  coal  trade.  Among  the  select  sentences  in  a 
school-book  of  several  generations  past,  teaching  short 
lessons  of  wisdom,  was  one  worthy  to  be  inscribed  on 
tablets  of  brass. at  every  colliery  and  workshop  in  the 
country  :  "  Time  once  past  never  returns;  the  moment  which 
is  lost  is  lost  forever."  Hundreds  of  industrious  miners 
and  laborers,  who  had  accumulated  homes  and  savings 
deposited  during  prosperous  days,  and  saw  them  dwindle 
and  vanish  under  enforced  idleness  in  1875  and  other 
long  suspension.s,  now  realize  the  truth  and  force  of  that 
maxim.  They  cannot  desire  a  renewal  of  that  sad  expe- 
rience ;  but  another  generation  is  coming  upon  the  stage 
of  life  to  direct  affairs,  with  fresh  confidence  if  not  with 
increased  wisdom,  full  of  hope  that  they  may  be  able  to 
direct  the  storm  while  riding  upon  the  whirlwind  raised 
against  capital— the  natural  ally  rather  than  the  antagon- 
ist of  labor.  Let  the  whirlwind  be  avoided  by  prudent 
counsels  and  the  exercise  of  a  spirit  of  conciliation  on 
both  sides. 

There  is  a  quaintly  expressed  maxim  of  the  courts  to 
the  effect  that  one  who  seeks  equity  must  do  equity, 
worthy  to  be  posted  with  the  short  sentence  before 
quoted,  and  to  be  hom^  in  mind  by  those  who  seek  by 


=-=^)* 


<^ 


INJURIES   FROM  MINES  FALLING  IN. 


violent  measures  to  enforce  their  claims  regardless  of 
the  rights  of  fellow  workmen,  of  employers  or  of  the 
larger  number  composing  the  consuming  public,  who 
suffer  unjustly.  Sympathy  will  not  be  wasted  upon 
labor  which  allows  itself  to  be  crushed  in  a  vain  and 
wicked  attempt  to  block  the  wheels  of  progress  promising 
prosperity  to  all  who  are  industrious  and  frugal.  Wages 
may  be  adjusted  with  the  accuracy  of  machinery,  which 
without  attendants  in  the  workshop  moves  to  its  limit 
and  reverses  its  motion,  if  a  few  men  of  experience  will 
meet  for  that  object  with  an  honest  purpose  of  agree- 
ment. 

Pages  could  not  record  the  changes  of  the  past  few 
years,  nor  can  human  wisdom  foresee  those  of  the  coming 
years.  Questions  are  arising  in  the  courts  of  vast  im- 
portance to  land  owners  and  coal  operators.  One  is 
that  of 

D.4MAGE    TO    SURFACE    PROPERTY. 

At  one  time  the  large  companies  had  surveyed  num- 
bers of  lots  to  sell  to  their  employes,  but  the  policy 
seems  to  have  changed.  In  many  places  near  Wilkes- 
Barre,  in  Pittston,  Hyde  Park  and  in  Kingston  large 
areas  of  land  undermined  have  subsided  by  the  caving  in 
of  mines,  in  some  instances  causing  damage  to  improve- 
ments made  by  purchasers  of  surface  lots.  The  large 
brick  school-house  near  Pittston,  at  the  corner  of  the 
road  to  Yatesville,  was  abandoned  because  the  walls 
cracked  so  as  to  be  dangerous  to  pupils,  the  supports  of 
the  mines  below  having  failed. 

In  Hyde  Park,  by  the  caving  of  the  Oxford  mines, 
some  brick  storehouses  were  injured.  The  question 
before  the  court  is  to  decide  who  is  responsible  for  the 
damage. 

In    most   cases    the    surface  has  been  purchased  with 
knowledge  of  the  danger  incurred,   and  a  title  accepted 
with  full  release  of  claims  for  damage.     Still  it  does  not 
always  seem   just  that  a  man's  home  should   be  wrecked 
by  being  undermined,  without  some  recourse  in  damages, 
and  in  several  cases   recently  tried   in   Schuylkill   county 
damages  have  been  awarded.     In  one  case  at  West  Shen- 
andoah several  lots  over  the  Kohinoor  Colliery,  in  Feb- 
ruary,   1879,    to    use    the    words    of   a   reporter  for  the 
Pothvilk  Journal,  were   visited  by  a  young  earthquake, 
and  a  cave-in  which  followed  the  shake  carried  a  portion 
of  several  lots  down    into  the  collier)',  cracking  the  walls 
and  foundations  of  the  dwelling  houses,  putting  the  doors 
and  windows  out  of  place  and  leaving  a  yawning  chasm 
about    seventy  feet    deep   and    eighty  or   ninety  feet    in 
diameter  in  the  middle  of  the  lots.     To  one  was  awarded 
$800,  another  $1,350,   a   third    $1,200.     What    the  final 
judgment  will    be  on  appeal    remains  to  be  heard,  and 
whether  the  release  of  all  claims  for  damage  at  the  time 
of    purchase,   if   any  such   were    made,    avails    owner  or 
operator.     An    important  question    of    public  policy  yet 
underlies  the  question  of  claims  for  damage.     If  no  man 
who  needs  a  place  for  his  home  has  power  to  release  the 
laind  owner  or  the  coal  operator  from  such  claim,  then  no 
land  owner  or  operator  will  hereafter  dispose  of  building 


lots,  and  the  largely  increasing  population  of  the  coal 
regions  must  hunt  lairs  like  beasts  of  the  field.  Is  it 
good  policy  to  invite  such  a  state  of  society? 

Coal  companies  do  not,  as  a  rule,  erect  buildings  for 
the  miners  and  laborers  calculated  to  make  homes  to  be 
proud  of.  A  neat  house,  however  humble,  with  a  rose 
bush  and  fruit  trees  about  it,  are  useful  aids  in  educating 
the  young  to  cleanly  and  careful  habits  and  regard  for  the 
comforts  of  neighbors.  The  man  who  owns  his  house 
and  garden  is  a  better  citizen  in  all  respects  than  one  who 
is  tenant  of  a  shanty  at  six  or  eight  dollars  per  month. 

The  coal  is  a  necessary  of  life  which  must  be  mined, 
and  there  should  be  some  mode  devised  to  mine  it  with- 
out damage  to  the  surface.  If  this  is  impossible  should 
an  operator  be  mulcted  in  damages  for  casualities  which 
human  foresight  could  not  prevent,  any  more  than  for 
that  of  a  lightning  stroke  or  midnight  conflagration  ? 

Mr.  William  S.  Jones,  inspector  of  coal  mines  for  the 
eastern  district  of  Luzerene  and  Carbon  counties,  says 
over  date  of  March  8th,  1879,  at  Scranton,  Pa.  : 

"Another  very  extensive  cave  occurred  at  tbe  Diamond  mines,  and 
still  another  at  the  Bellevue  mines,  both  belongrin^  to  the  Delaware.' 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company.  In  each  of  these  cases 
they  were  working  three  veins,  one  over  the  other,  and  the  caves  were 
caused  by  the  same  system  of  workinj?  as  at  the  Mt,  Pleasant  mines.  In 
no  case,  so  far  as  I  know,  is  there  an}^  attempt  made  to  work  the  pillars 
'  in  one  vein  exactly  over  the  pillars  in  the  vein  below,  or  vice  vnrsa-i  and 
so  long  as  this  is  not  done  there  is  no  hope  of  preventing:  these  caves.  I 
admit  that  it  requires  good  mining  engineering  to  do  this,  but  that  will 
not  alter  the  facts  of  the  case.  I  believe  it  can  be  done,  and  I  believe  it 
would  pay  the  operators  to  try  the  experiment." 

Against  careless  or  unskillful  mining  of  course  the 
courts  should  protect  every  man,  whatever  the  terms  of 
his  release.  It  is  the  very  object  of  creating  courts  of 
law  and  equity  not  to  protect  man  from  his  own  acts,  or 
from  the  operation  of  natural  laws,  but  against  the  evil 
nature  and  carelessness  of  his  fellows. 

But  what  can  be  done  to  save  all  the  coal  left  in  pillars 
to  support  the  upper  crust  of  the  mines?  Can  coal  be 
made  to  pay  the  expense  of  iron  or  stone  supports  in 
place  of  coal  now  wasted  for  the  purpose?  In  very  deep 
mines,  with  veins  of  six  or  eight  feet  thickness,  the  break- 
ing up  of  rocks  would  fill  the  space  excavated  before 
affecting  the  surface.  By  the  long-wall  system  of  mining 
the  surface  may  be  let  down  by  taking  out  all  support 
but  not  with  entire  safety. 

Is  it  impossible  (or  men  to  obtain  homes  without  such 
risk  to  themselves  as  to  those  who  mine  the  coal  from 
veins  below?  This  is  becoming  one  of  the  most  import- 
ant questions  of  the  near  future. 

WASTE    OK    ANTHRACITE    DEPOSITS. 

Another  ([uestion  intimately  connected  with  that  of 
proper  support  for  the  mines  is  the  waste  of  this  store  of 
fuel  in  the  mine  and  in  its  preparation  for  market.  The 
Jounml  of  Industry  \%  quoted  on  this  subject,  from  an 
article  extremely  apropos  and  timely: 

"  The  wanton  destruction  of  any  kind  of  property  is  regarded  as  a 
crime,  and  the  neglectful  waste  of  the  gifts  ot  nature,  bestowed  for  the 
coming  good  ot  mankind,  no  matter  how  great  their  present  abundance, 
ought  equally  to  be  held  as  an  offense  against  the  rights  ot  humanity, 
and  justly  censurable. 

"  Americans  are  proverbially  wasteful,  not  alone  in  small  matters 
but  in  great  ones.    This  is  exemplified  in  a  striking  manner  in  the  an- 


19. 


^^ 


90 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


thvacite  coal  regionsof  Pennsylvania,  where  it  is  estimated  not  less  than 
$100,000,000  worth  of  fuel  has  been  wasted  in  getting  out  and  preparing 
the  coal  for  market,  the  present  average  annual  loss  being  set  down  at 
$15,000,000.  This  enormous  waste  is  ascribed  by  men  of  experience  to 
the  use  of  imperfectly  designed  machinery  for  l)real!ing-  tlie  coal.  This 
matter  demands  serious  attention;  for  vast  as  our  natural  resources, 
such  e-vti-avasanue  will  not  only  tend  to  exhaust  them  sooner  tlian  they 
should  be.  but  also  to  increase  i)reseut  cost  to  consumers.  Land  owners 
and  minei-s  are  in  this  matter  caualiy  remLss  In  duty  to  their  successors 
and  the  people  of  the  countr.v,  who  have  a  right  to  demand  that  an 
article  of  such  prime  necessity  shall  be  economically  worked  in  order  to 
yield  tlie  best  results  to  the  \arious  industries  and  comforts  dependent 
upon  thiskind  of  fuel. 

"  The  great  cause  of  this  waste  in  anthracite  coal  is  said  by  competent 
engineere  to  be  what  are  known  as  coal  crushers,  toothed  cylinders 
geared  to  I'uu  towards  each  other,  which  of  necessity  literally  crush  a 
great  part  of  the  coal  into  fragments  and  dust  too  flue  for  use,  unlo3.s  It 
can  by  artiRcial  means  be  again  made  into  blocks  of  suitable  size-  The 
percentage  of  waste  is  estimated  at  one-fourth  of , 'the  entire  product, 
the  greater  part  of  wliich  could  be  saved  to  the  operators  by  the  use  of 
proper  machinery.  But  the  operators  it  would  appear  are  a  very  con- 
servative set  of  gentlemen,  and  opposed  to  innovations  calculated  to  do 
away  with  time-honored  methods.  It  is  within  the  personal  knowledge 
of  the  writer  that  a  mechanical  engineer  of  wide  experience,  and 
thoroughly  posted  in  the  mining  and  marketing  of  anthracite  coal,  in- 
vented and  set  up  at  one  of  the  great  coal  centers  machinery  for  the 
more  economical  preparation  of  the  fuel.  He  invited  the  operators  and 
engineers  to  come  and  witness  his  experiments,  but  few  of  them  availed 
themselves  of  the  opportunity;  and  although,  as  he  claims,  he  can 
demonstrate  beyond  peradventure  that  he  can  save  from  fifty  to  eighty 
per  cent,  of  the  coal  now  lost,  he  has  as  yet  been  unable  to  secure  the 
adoption  of  his  improved  methods  and  machinery.  This  gentleinan  is  a 
conspicuous  example  of  a  prophet  being-  without  honor  in  his  own 
country. 

"  The  operators  of  leased  lands  have  labored  under  a  mistaken  idea 
that  waste  cannot  be  committed  by  the  destruction  of  corporal  heredita- 
ments under  as  well  as  upon  the  surface,  or  in  the  unskillful  prepara- 
tion of  coal  taken  from  the  mines.  In  all  leases  there  is  an  implied  cov- 
enant, even  when  not  plainly  expressed,  to  mine  in  a  proper  and  skill- 
ful manner,  and  with  as  little  damage  as  possible  to  remaining  property, 
or  waste  in  that  which  is  taken  out ;  just  as  a  lessee  of  a  farm  is  under 
an  implied  agreement  to  farm  in  a  workmanlike  manner,  and  not  to  ex- 
haust the  soil  by  neglectful  or  improper  tillage.  Why,  then,  should  a 
coal  company  be  permitted  to  waste  such  a  valuable  fuel  by  improper 
crushing  to  the  extent  of  one-quarter  of  the  entire  product,  when  a 
tenant  may  notcut  down  an  apple  tree  without  committing  waste  and 
being  responsible  in  damages  to  the  owner  of  the  property? 

"  Not  only  the  land  owner,  but  every  citizen,  now  and  in  succeeding 
generations,  is  and  will  be  interested  in  staying  such  waste." 

Messrs.  Sheafer,   engineers  of    mines,    Pottsville,  Pa., 

estimate  the   waste  in  mining   and  preparing  anthracite 

coal  at   two-thirds  the  estimated  quantity  of  the  deposits 

in  each  coal  field. 


CHAPTER    XI. 


RIVER  NAVIGATION THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  CANALS. 


^  TEWART  PEARCE,  in  his  excellent  "  Annals 
of  Luzerne,"  gives  a  history  of  the  navigation 
of  the  Susquehanna,  from  which  much  of  the 
following  is  condensed. 

This  river  was  of  course  the  natural  thor- 
ughfare  over  which  the. Indians  had  passed  in 
their  journeyings  to  and  from  their  hunting 
grounds,  or  on  their  hostile  expeditions.  Many  times 
have  the  fleets  of  the  warlike  Iroquois  glided  silently  over 
it,  bearing  the  dusky  warriors  on  their  excursions  against 
distant  southern  tribes,  or  on  their  return  from  these  ex- 
peditions bearing  their  trophies  of  victory. 

As  stated  elsewhere  the  earliest  settlers   in    this  region 


came  from  Connecticut,  crossed  the    Hudson    river  near 
Newburg  and  the  Delaware  near  the   mouth  of   Shohol.i 
creek,  and  thence  came  by  Indian  trails  across  the  country 
to  the  Wyoming  valley.     The  waters  of  the  river  were  al 
once  utilized  by  them  for  local  transportation  or  passage, 
and  for  communication  with  the  settlements   below;  but 
in  order  to  render  the  river  a  safe  avenue  of  transporta- 
tion  it    was   necessary   that   the   drift   timber   should  be 
removed  and  the   bars   of    gravel   be   cleared   away.     I11 
1771  the  provincial  Legislature  declared  the  riverapublic 
highway,  and  appointed   commissioners  to   superintend 
the  work  of  improving  the  channel.     This  was  done,  and 
towing  paths  were  constructed  where   there  were  rapids. 
The  expense  of  these  improvements  was  defrayed  by  con- 
tributions from  the  settlers  and  an  appropriation  for  thai 
^purpose  by  the  Legislature. 

What  was  called  a  Durham  boat  was  first  used — so 
called  because  it  was  built  at  Durham  on  the  Delaware 
river.  Boats  of  this  style  had  a  length  of  about  sixty  feet, 
a  breadth  of  eight,  and  a  depth  of  two  ;  and  with  fifteen 
tons  of  lading  they  drew  about  twenty  inches  of  water. 
They  had  decks  at  each  end  and  running  boards  for 
"poling"  at  the  sides.  Masts  with  sails  were  erected 
on  them  when  a  favorable  wind  blew,  and  a  steersman 
and  two  polers  on  each  side  constituted  the  crew.  The 
boats  built  on  the  Susquehanna  were  similar,  but  larger, 
and  carried  larger  crews. 

Increasing  trade  soon  demanded  better  facilities  for 
transportation,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  use  a  "  team 
boat,"  which  wys  propelled  by  poles  that  were  worked  by 
horse  power,  but  after  a  trial  the  plan  was  abandoned. 

In  1826  the  plan  of  navigating  the  Susquehanna  by 
steam  was  tried.  The  "  Codorus,"  a  small  stern-wheel 
steamboat  which  had  been  built  at  York,  ascended  the 
river  as  far  as  Binghamton,  and  returned.  The  com- 
mander of  ihis  boat  did  not  consider  the  project  of  steam 
navigation  on  the  Susquehanna  feasible.  A  larger  boat, 
the  "  Susquehanna,"  built  at  Baltimore  for  the  purpose, 
ascended  the  river  on  a  trial  trip  in  the  spring  of  the  same 
year,  having  on  board  commissioners  to  superintend  the 
experiment.  In  the  attempt  to  ascend  the  rapids  at  Nes- 
copeck  her  boiler  exploded,  killing  and  injuring  many  of 
the  passengers  and  crew  and  destroying  the  boat. 

Another  experiment  was  made  on  the  west  branch, 
but  its  success  was  not  encouraging,  and  for  a  time  all 
attempts  at  steam  navigation  on  the  river  were  abandoned. 
Delay  in  the  completion  of  the  North  Branch  Canal, 
and  the  strong  desire  to  introduce  anthracite  coal  into 
regions  up  the  river,  induced  other  attempts  afterward,  by 
the  citizens  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  Owego  in  1835,  those  of 
Tunkhannock  in  1849,  and  those  of  Bainbridge  in  185 1. 
Though  in  each  of  these  attempts  a  partial  success  was 
achieved  all  proved  to  be  failures  at  last.  Small  steam- 
boats for  carrying  passengers  make  voyages  now  over 
portions  of  this  river. 

In  early  times  it  was  thought  practicable  to  build  sea- 
going vessels  on  the  banks  of  this  river,  and  in  times  of 
high  water  float  them  to  the  sea.  Accordingly,  in  1803, 
Messrs.  Arndt  cV  Phillip  built  a  sloop  of  twelve  tons  bur- 


=^H 


=»=^  f^ 


THE  NAVIGATION  OF  THE  SUSQUEHANNA. 


91 


den  on  the  common  in  Wilkes-Barre,  and  launched  it  on 
the  river,  down  which  it  floated  in  safety  to  tide  water. 
The  success  of  this  experiment  aroused  sanguine  hopes 
that  a  new  branch  of  industry  was  soon  to  be  developed 
along  the  Susquehanna.  A  stock  company  was  formed 
at  Wilkes-Barre,  and  in  1811  a  ship  of  between  fifty  and 
sixty  tons  burden  was  commenced,  and  launched  in 
April,  1812.  As  it  passed  down  the  river  it  was  wrecked 
on  the  rocks  at  Conawaga  Falls,  near  Middletown,  and 
thus  perished  the  anticipations  of  those  who  had  dreained 
of  populous  ship-building  cities  along  this  river. 

The  Susquehanna  river  has  since  about  1795  been  util- 
ized for  floating  rafts  of  lumber  and  timber  to  various 
markets.  These  rafts  were  floated  down  during  the  high 
water  of  spring  or  autumn.  When  the  country  was  first 
settled  there  was  very  little  market  for  lumber,  and  much 
valuable  timber  was  piled  together  and  burned  in  the 
process  of  clearing  the  land.  As  time  went  on  a  demand 
arose  for  this  timber,  or  the  lumber  into  which  it  was 
converted,  and  mills  began  to  spring  into  existence  for 
the  manufacture  of  this  lumber.  These  mills  multiplied 
as  the  demand  increased  and  rafts  came  to  be  more 
frequently  seen. 

The  forests  on  the  river  and  its  tributaries  above  the 
Wyoming  valley  were  filled  with  valuable  timber,  and 
during  many  years  this  timber  and  the  lumber  into  which 
it  was  converted  were  almost  the  only  sources  of  wealth 
to  the  settlers.  The  river  furnished  the  outlet  for  this 
lumber,  and  when  the  business  of  rafting  was  at  its  height 
as  many  as  one  hundred  rafts  in  a  day  might  be  seen  to 
pass  in  Tunkhannock  creek  alone,  and  of  course  many 
more  in  the  river  at  that  point. 

This  lumber  consisted  of  boards,  shingles,  staves,  hewn 
timber,  spars,  .etc.,  and  its  market  was  found  at  Harris- 
l)urg,  Middletown,  Columbia,  Port  Deposit  and  other 
places.  The  pine  was  of  excellent  quality,  and  the 
lumber  into  which  it  was  converted  would  now  be  con- 
sidered valuable  far  beyond  what  it  was  then. 

The  Lackawanna  river,  too,  was  utilized  for  rafting 
kimber  from  about  1808  till  the  country  was  exhausted 
of  the  pine  timber  with  which  it  originally  abounded.  At 
first  rafts  were  run  in  squares,  with  one  man  on  each 
square  to  conduct  it  with  a  setting  pole.  These  squares 
were  of  boards  twelve  or  sixteen  feet  in  length,  laid 
crosswise,  with  usually  eight  or  ten  courses.  On  arriving 
at  the  Susquehanna  these  squares  were  doubled  or 
placed  one  on  the  other,  which  could  be  done  in  the 
deeper  water  of  that  river.  Some  years  later  the  practice 
came  to  prevail  of  fastening  five  of  these  squares  or 
platforms  together  and  steering  them  with  large  oars  at 
each  end,  and  on  reaching  the  Susquehanna  these  were 
doubled  as  before  and  also  made  ten  squares  in  length. 
The  rafts  were  prepared,  and  when  the  freshets  in  the 
spring  and  fall  occurred,  taken  down  the  river  to  market. 
In  what  was  known  as  the  "  June  fresh " — when  it 
occurred  (which  was  not  every  year) — rafts  were  also 
taken  down.  Very  little  rafting  has  been  done  on  the 
Lackawanna  since  1840. 

It  is  known  that  in    1796   thirty   rafts  went   down  the 


river.  The  number  continued  to  increase  till  during 
twenty-six  days  in  the  spring  of  1849  2,243  rafts,  con- 
taining 100,000,000  feet  of  lumber,  passed  Wilkes-Barre. 

The  produce  raised  here  after  the  forest  was  partially 
cleared  away  consisted  of  wheat,  rye,  oats,  corn  and  flax, 
and  the  nearest  cash  market  for  any  of  these  was  Easton, 
to  which  the  wheat  was  drawn  on  sleighs  in  winter,  over 
the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Easton  Turnpike  from  Wilkes-Barre; 
and  the  rye  and  corn  were  used  for  feed  or  converted  into 
whiskey. 

No  arks  had  passed  down  the  river  previous  to  1800, 
but  subsequent  to  that  wheat  was  sent  down  the  stream 
in  bulk  in  those  rude  vessels,  and  found  a  market  gener- 
ally at  Baltimore,  to  which  place  it  was  taken  in  sloops 
and  schooners  from  Port  Deposit.  It  is  recorded  that  in 
1814  eighty-four  arks  went  by  Wilkes-Barre,  and  in  the 
freshet  of  1849  as  many  as  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight. 
Since  that  time  timber  has  become  more  and  more  scarce, 
and  other  avenues  of  transportation  have  been  opened; 
and  now  but  few  rafts  are  seen  passing  down  this  river, 
and  no  arks  or  boats  used  for  transportation. 

Action  with  regard  to  the  construction  of  canals  along 
the  Susquehanna  and  other  rivers  in  the  State  was  taken 
in  1824,  and  in  1826  the  Legislature  enacted  a  general 
internal  improvement  law,  under  which  the  many  miles  of 
canals  in  the  State  were  constructed. 

At  that  time  the  existence  of  vast  mineral  wealth  in 
this  region  had  become  known,  and  the  people  of  this 
county  felt  deeply  interested  in  the  projected  improve- 
ment in  transportation,  which  when  accomplished  would 
develop  that  wealth;  and  they  took  measures  to  secure  for 
this  county  a  portion  of  the  benefits  of  the  system  of  im- 
provements which  the  State  inaugurated.  They  were 
successful;  and  in  1828  the  North  Branch  Canal  was 
commenced.  It  was  completed  as  far  as  Nanticoke  in 
1830,  in  which  year  the  first  boat  in  Luzerne  county, 
the  "Wyoming,"  was  built  at  Shickshinny.  In  1831  the 
second  boat,  named  the  "  Luzerne,"  was  built  on  the 
bank  of  the  river  opposite  Wilkes-Barre,  and  during  the 
summer  of  that  year  it  made  a  trip  to  Philadelphia  and 
back  to  the  Nanticoke  dam;  and  in  1834,  after  the  com- 
pletion of  the  canal  to  the  Lackawanna,  this  boat  made  the 
first  round  trip  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Philadelphia. 

Beyond  the  Lackawanna,  toward  the  north  line  of  the 
State,  slow  progress  was  made  in  the  construction  of  this 
canal,  and  the  work  was  suspended  in  1832.  In  1842 
and  1843  the  State  made  liberal  offers  to  the  North 
Branch  Canal  Company,  which  was  incorporated  in  the 
former  year;  but  capitalists  did  not  see  fit  to  invest  their 
money  in  this  enterprise,  and  in  1848  it  became  evident 
that  nothing  would  be  done  by  the  company  which  had 
been  chartered,  and  supcessful  efforts  were  made  to 
procure  an  appropriation  for  the  prosecution  of  the  work, 
and  during  that  year  the  work  was  put  under  contract. 
It  was  by  reason  of  the  indefatigable  efforts  of  Hon.  R. 
R.  Little,  of  Wyoming  county,  that  this  appropriation 
was  made.  Connection  with  the  canals  of  New  York  was 
effected  in  1856  by  the  Junction  Canal  Company,  which 
constructed  the  last  sixteen  miles  of  the  work. 


<^ 


4^ 


92 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


In  1858  the  State  canals  were  sold  to  the  Sunbury  and 
Erie  Railroad  Company,  and  this  company  at  once  sold 
the  north  branch  division,  from  Northumberland  to 
Northampton  street,  in  Wilkes-Barre,  to  the  North 
Branch  Canal  Company. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  RAILROADS    IN    LUZERNE    COUNTY. 


^  HE  Lehigh  Navigation  &  Coal  Company  be- 
gan in  1839,  and  completed  in  1841,  the 
original  Lehigh  &  Susquehanna  Railroad, 
from  the  public  common  at  the  foot  of  South 
street,  Wilkes-Barre,  to  White  Haven,  then  the 
head  of  slack  water  navigation  of  that  company. 
It  was  designed  as  a  portage  over  which  to 
transport  boats  between  White  Haven  and  Wilkes-Barre, 
and  thus  form  a  link  in  the  connection  between  Buffalo 
and  Philadelphia  through  the  North  Branch  Canal  and 
the  canals  in  New  York  on  one  side,  and  the  Lehigh  and 
Delaware  rivers  on  the  other.  This  portage  over  the 
mountain  was  accomplished  by  three  inclined  planes, 
having  their  foot  at  Ashley.  The  aggregate  ascent  which 
these  planes  make  is  about  1,150  feet.  From  White  Haven 
the  road  was  afterward  built  down  the  Lehigh  to  Mauch 
Chunk,  and  thence  to  Easton. 

At  first  horse  cars  ran  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  the 
planes.  These  planes  have  been  much  improved,  and 
more  coal  is  taken  over  them  than  over  any  similar  planes 
in  the  world.  The  ascent  of  the  mountain  is  now  over- 
come by  a  circuit  to  the  northeast,  and  over  this  passen- 
gers and  ordinary  freight  trains  are  taken,  and  empty 
cars  are  brought  back  by  gravity.  This  circuit  was  built 
about  the  year  1866.  The  same  year  the  Lehigh  and 
Susquehanna  was  extended  to  Green  Ridge,  above  Scran- 
ton,  where  it  connects  with  the  Delaware  &  Hudson 
Canal  Company's  road. 

The  Nanticoke  and  Wanamie  branch  of  the  Lehigh 
and  Susquehanna  Railroad  connected  with  this  road  at 
the  foot  of  the  planes  and  extended  northeastward  a 
mile  above  Wilkes-Barre,  to  the  Baltimore  coal  mines, 
and  southwestward  to  Nanticoke  village.  It  was  built  in 
1861,  by  the  Nanticoke  Railway  Company,  which  was 
composed  of  owners  of  coal  lands  along  the  route  of  the 
road.  In  1866  or  1867  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna 
Company,  which  had  purchased  this  road,  built  a  branch 
from  near  Nanticoke  to  Wanamie,,  and  an  extension  from 
the  Baltimore  mines  to  Green  Ridge.  Subsequently  a 
connection  was  made  between  this  extension  and  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company's  road.  Another 
branch,  now  owned  by  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company,  connects  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  at 
South  Wilkes-Barre  with  the  Bloomsburg  branch  of  the 
Delaware,    Lackawanna,    and    Western     Railroad    by    a 


bridge  in  the  township  of  Plymouth,  and  thereby  with 
the  collieries  on  the  west  side  of  the  river- 

Another  connection  between  the  Lehigh  and  Susque- 
hanna and  the  Bloomsburg  branch  is  by  a  short  track 
over  the  bridge  across  the  Susquehanna  at  Nanticoke. 
This  branch  and  bridge  are  owned  by  the  Susquehanna 
Coal  Company.  These  extensions  and  bridges  were  built 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  engineer  Dr.  Ingham. 

The  Nescopeck  branch  was  built  by  the  Lehigh  and 
Susquehanna  company  in  1867,  between  White  Haven 
and  Upper  Lehigh.  In  1871  this  road  was  leased  in 
perpetuity  by  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New 
Jersey,  and  it  is  now  operated  by  that  company. 

LACKAWANNA    AND    BLOOMSBURG   RAILROAD. 

It  became  evident  to  the  owners  of  real  estate  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Susquehanna  river  in  the  Wyoming  val- 
ley that  an  outlet  was  necessary  for  the  coal  which  was 
known  to  abound  there.  The  canal  on  that  side  of  the 
river  came  no  farther  up  than  Nanticoke,  and  the  pro- 
jected railroads  on  the  opposite  side  would  not  be  avail- 
able for  the  transportation  of  coal  mined  here.  Under 
these  circumstances  capitalists  and  owners  of  coal  lands 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river  conceived  and  put  in  execu- 
tion the  project  of  constructing  a  railroad  which  would 
afford  the  desired  outlet  for  this  coal,  and  thus  greatly 
enhance  the  value  of  their  lands. 

On  the  5th  of  April,  1852,  by  an  act  of  Assembly  a 
charter  was  granted  for  a  road  between  Scranton,  Luzerne 
county,  and  Bloomsburg,  Columbia  county,  fifty-six 
miles,  with  authority  to  extend  the  same  to  Danville, 
twelve  miles.  By  a  supplementary  act  passed  March  3d, 
1853,  a  further  extension  of  twelve  miles  to  Northumber- 
land or  Sunbury  was  authorized,  making  a  total  length 
of  eighty  miles.  The  authorized  capital  of  the  road  and 
its  extensions  was  |r, 400, 000,  and  the  road  was  subse- 
quently bonded  for  $2,200,000  more. 

The  company  was  organized  at  Kingston,  April  i6th, 
1853,  and  William  Sweetland  was  chosen  president, 
Thomas  F.  Atherton  secretary,  and  Charles  D.  Shoe- 
maker treasurer.  In  1855  William  C.  Reynolds  became 
president,  William  Sweetland  vice-president,  Payne  Pette- 
bone  treasurer,  and  II.  Woodhouse  secretary.  The  first 
directors  were  Selden  T.  Scranton,  Samuel  Benedict, 
Stephen  B.  Jenkins,  Amos  Y.  Smith,  Thomas  F.  Atherton. 
William  Sweetland,  Samuel  Hoyt,  George  Peck,  George 
W.  Woodward,  Henderson  Gaylord,  Mordecai  W.  Jack- 
son and  John  R.  Grotz.  Some  changes  were  subse- 
quently made  in  the  board  of  directors  by  the  retirement 
of  some  of  the  members. 

Payne  Pettebone  served  the  company  as  treasurer  from 
the  spring  of  1855  till  the  summer  of  1863.  During  that 
period  the  collection  of  stock  subscriptions,  raising  funds, 
settling  controversies  concerning  right  of  way,  and  many 
incidental  matters  affecting  the  interests  of  the  company, 
necessarily  absorbed  much  of  his  time  and  energies 
beyond  what  his  salary  would  remunerate.  The  heavy 
responsibilities  that  the  directors  had  incurred  rendered 
these  efforts  necessary. 


-«=^^ 


^> 


LACKAWANNA  AND  BLOOMSBURG   AND  LEHIGH  VALLEY  RAILROADS. 


93 


Among  the  officers  and  managers  conspicuous  for  doing 
hard  work  and  assuming  heavy  responsibilities  to  relieve 
the  company  from  embarrassment  were  Judge  William  C. 
Reynolds,  Samuel  Hoyt,  William  Sweetland,  Henderson 
Gaylord,  Thomas  F.  Atherton,  Joseph  H.  Scranton, 
Mordecai  W.  Jackson  and  Hon.  George  W.  Woodward; 
and  in  their  special  departments,  Hon.  Warren  J.  Wood- 
ward and  Hon.  Charles  R.  Buckalew.  Valuable  aid  was 
also  rendered  by  R.  J.  Wisner,  Theodore  Strong  and  S. 
T.  Scranton.  John  Brisbin  and  James  Archbald  repre- 
sented the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad 
in  the  board,  and  they  were  always  esteemed  valuable 
counselors.  Mr.  Pettebone  was  succeeded  by  A.  H. 
Reynolds. 

Thomas  F.  Atherton  was  the  first  secretary,  but  was 
succeeded  in  1854  by  Henry  Woodhouse,  who  served  the 
company  during  the  hard  work  of  construction  and  who 
was  universally  commended  for  his  faithfulness. 

The  grading  of  the  road  was  commenced  at  Scranton, 
in  1854,  and  in  June,  1856,  the  first  train  ran  from  Scran- 
ton to  Kingston.  In  1858  the  road  was  opened  to  Rupert, 
connecting  with  the  Catawissa  road,  and  in  i860  to  Dan- 
ville and  Northumberland. 

This  road  was  consolidated  with  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  in  1872,  and  it  is  now  known  as  the 
Bloomsburg  branch  of  that  road. 

The  shops  of  the  Bloomsburg  division  are  located  at 
Kingston.  They  are  for  the  manufacture  of  locomotives 
and  the  repair  of  all  cars.  They  are  five  in  number,  and 
160  men  are  employed  in  them. 

The  success  of  this  road  has  fully  demonstrated  the 
wise  prevision  of  its  projectors. 

LEHIGH    VALLEY    RAILROAD. 

In  1846  this  was  chartered  as  the  Delaware,  Lehigh, 
Schuylkill  and  Susquehanna  Railroad  Company.  In  1850 
a  survey  of  the  road  was  first  made  between  Eastoh  and 
the  mouth  of  Mahoning  creek. 

In  1851  Asa  Packer  became  a  large  purchaser  of  stock 
in  this  company,  and  instituted  measures  to  secure  an 
early  completion  of  the  work.  In  1852  Robert  H.  Sayre 
became  chief  engineer  and  located  the  road,  and  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  same  year  Judge  Packer  undertook  the 
construction  of  the  road  from  a  point  opposite  Mauch 
Chunk  to  Easton,  where  it  would  make  such  connections 
as  would  give  outlets  to  New  York  and  Philadelphia  for 
its  trade. 

Early  in  1853  the  name  of  the  corporation  was  changed 
to  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company,  and  in  1855 
trains  ran  over  it  between  Easton  and  Mauch  Chunk. 
In  1865  measures  were  adopted  to  extend  the  road  to 
White  Haven,  and  in  1867  it  was  opened  to  Wilkes-Barre. 
Judge  Packer  had,  in  1866,  purchased  a  controlling 
interest  in  the  North  Branch  Canal  from  Wilkes-Barre  to 
the  north  line  of  Pennsylvania,  with  a  charter  from  the 
State  authorizing  a  change  in  the  name  of  the  corporation 
to  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  Canal  and  Railroad 
Company,  and  the  construction  of  a  railroad  the  entire 
length  of  it;  and  the  work  was  at  once  entered  on.     The 


road,  which  is  practically  an  extension  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley,  was  opened  to  its  New  York  connections  in  1869. 
About  ten  miles  of  it,  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Lacka- 
wanna junction,  are  leased  by  the  Lehigh  Valley  Com- 
pany, and  the  remainder  is  operated  in  the  interest  of  the 
l:itter,  constituting,  as  before  stated,  an  extension  of  that 
road.  The  connection  thus  formed  with  the  New  York 
and  Erie  and  with  other  roads  in  New  York  brought  a 
large  territory  into  direct  communication  with  the  anthra- 
cite coal  fields  of  Luzerne  county  and  the  region  farther 
south,  and  thus  greatly  enhanced  the  importance  of  the 
mining  interest  in  those  regions,  while  it  established  more 
intimate  commercial  relations  between  these  sections  of 
the  country. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  the  lines  on  which  the 
railroads  in  this  section  run  are  generally  coincident  with 
those  of  the  .old  Indian  war  paths. 

In  1868  the  stock  of  the  Hazleton  Railroad  Company 
and  that  of  the  Lehigh  and  Luzerne  Railroad  Company 
became  merged  in  this  corporation. 

It  has  always  been  the  policy  of  this  company  to 
secure  a  proportion  of  the  coal  trade  by  acquiring  in- 
terests in  coal  lands  and  in  the  stock  of  other  compa- 
nies holding  such  lands  in  the  vicinity  of  their  branches. 
They  have  thus  become  large  owners  of  real  estate  beyond 
what  is  necessary  for  purposes  of  transportation. 

This  road  crosses  the  mountain  range  between  the 
Susquehanna  and  Lehigh  valleys  by  a  wide  detour  to  the 
southeast,  and  during  the  ascent  many  splendid  views  are 
disclosed. 

The  engine  house  and  shops  of  this  company  are 
located  about  one  mile  north  from  Wilkes-Barre.  They 
are  for  the  repair  of  locomotives  only.  About  one 
hundred  and  forty  men  are  constantly  employed  in  them. 
They  were  commenced  in  1872  and  completed  as  far  as 
at  present  in  1874. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


historical,  agricultural,    medical,    religious  and 
sportsmen's  associations. 


'N  the  nth  day  of  February,  1858,  at  a  meet- 
ing held  in  the  old  Fell  tavern,  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  to  celebrate  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
the  burning  of  anthracite  coal  in  an  open 
grate,  it  was  proposed  to  organize  a  histori- 
cal and  geological  society,  and  thus  collect  and 
preserve  the  early  records  of  the  local  history  of 
the  valley,  its  Indian  relics,  and  also  fossils  and  specimens 
illustrative  of  its  geology,  especially  of  the  rich  and 
extensive  deposits  of  anthracite  coal  which  underlie  the 
entire  region. 

The  suggestion  was  favorably  received,  and  on  the  roth 
of  the  following  May  the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geo- 
logical Society  was  duly  incorporated.     Hon.  E.  L.  Dana 


4h 


Hh'- 


94 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


was  elected  the  first  president,  and  a  room  for  the  cabi- 
net was  secured  on  Franklin  street,  near  Market.  Liberal 
donations  were  made  of  historical  records,  Indian  relics, 
geological  and  mineralogical  specimens;  and  General  Wil- 
liam S.  Ross,  with  characteristic  liberality,  purchased  at 
the,  expense  of  two  thousand  dollars  the  Chambers  col- 
lection of  curiosities,  consisting  of  ancient  coins,  miner- 
als, Indian  relics,  etc.,  and  presented  it  to  the  society. 

The  monthly  meetings  of  the  association  have  been 
held  with  some  degree  of  regularity,  and  contributions 
continue  to  be  made  to  it.  These  contributions  are  sev- 
erally numbered  as  they  are  received,  and  the  names  of 
the  contributors  recorded.  The  donations  often  include 
many  articles  and  the  list  of  them  thus  kept  now  exceeds 
five  thousand. 

A  large  library,  including  a  valuable  collection  of  pub- 
lic records,  has  also  been  gathered.  The  rare  historical 
records,  many  of  them  originals,  and  the  interesting 
cabinet  of  coal  fossils,  which  it  would  be  scarcely  possible 
to  replace  in  case  of  loss,  are  deserving  of  the  protection 
of  a  fire-proof  structure. 

AGRICULTURE    AND    AGRICULTURAL    SOCIETIES. 

During  the  half  century  succeeding  the  first  settlement 
of  Luzerne  county  agriculture  was  the  chief  employment 
of  the  inhabitants.  There  were  among  them  a  few  hunt- 
ers and  trappers,  and  such  mechanics  as  the  wants  of  the 
people  necessitated.  The  existence  of  the  immense 
mineral  wealth  of  the  region  was  not  then  known.  The 
farmer,  as  he  followed  his  plow  over  the  fields,  scattered 
on  them  the  seed,  or  gathered  from  them  the  grain  which 
sprang  up,  matured,  and  ripened,  little  dreamed  that 
beneath  the  surface  on  which  he  labored  was  a  deposit 
of  wealth  compared  with  which  the  harvests  that  he 
reaped  were  mere  trifles;  or  that  the  barren  mountains 
over  which  the  hunter  pursued  his  game  would  yet  re- 
ward the  labor  of  thousands  whose  villages  would  lie 
scattered  along  their  bases.  The  settlements  were  limited 
to  the  fertile  lands  along  the  Susquehanna  and  its  afflu- 
ents, where  bountiful  returns  rewarded  the  labors  of  the 
husbandman. 

The  agriculture  of  those  days  was,  compared  with  that 
of  the  present  time,  awkward  and  rude.  Many  of  the 
implements  then  in  use  were  clumsy  and  uncouth,  though 
some  of  them  were  well  adapted  to  the  condition  of 
things  then  existing.  The  different  methods  of  culture, 
the  proper  rotation  of  crops,  the  chemical  composition  of 
the  soil  and  its  adaptation  to  the  production  of  different 
kinds  of  grain;  the  constitution,  selection  and  application 
of  manures  ;  the  nature,  habits  and  best  means  for  pre- 
venting the  ravages  of  or  exterminating  destructive 
insects,  etc.,  had  not  been  made  the  subject  of  scientific 
investigation  to  the  extent  to  which  they  have  in  later 
years.  Scarcely  any  agricultural  publications  were 
issued,  and  such  as  existed  were  sparsely  circulated  ;  and 
no  associations  existed  among  farmers  for  the  discussion 
of  matters  pertaining  to  agricultural  science  or  for 
comparison  of  views,  methods  or  results. 

The  first  agricultural  society  in  this  State  of  which  any 


record  appears  was  that  of  Philadelphia,  which  was 
established  at  the  request  of  the  Supreme  Executive 
Council.  In  1788  this  society  instituted  investigations 
and  made  a  report  on  the  subject  of  the  Hessian  fly.  The 
importation  of  American  wheat  into  England  had  been 
prohibited  by  a  proclamation  of  the  King,  and  this  report, 
by  showing  the  uselessness  of  such  prohibition,  was  of 
great  advantage  to  American  farmers. 

The  first  agricultural  society  in  Luzerne  county  was 
organized  in  1810,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  old  court-house 
in  Wilkes-Barre.  Jesse  Fell  was  chosen  president  of  the 
society,  Matthias  Hollenback  vice-president,  Thomas 
Dyer,  Esq.,  treasurer,  Peleg  Tracy  recording  secretary, 
and  Dr.  R.  H.  Rose  and  Jacob  Cist  corresponding  secre- 
taries. It  is  remembered  that  these  corresponding  secre- 
taries were  very  efficient  members  of  the  society,  and  that 
they  were  active  in  promoting  the  advancement  of  knowl- 
edge among  the  people.  Only  fragmentary  records  of 
the  proceedings  of  this  society  are  preserved.  For  181 1 
there  appears  a  report  on  some  specimens  of  cloth  pre- 
sented for  exhibition  by  Mr.  Ingham,  who  was  a  cloth 
dresser,  and  the  premium  list  for  1824  is  still  in  existence. 
Though  the  premiums  in  thislist  were  not  large  they  were 
very  judiciously  arranged,  and  were  only  proposed  for 
those  things  which  were  substantially  useful.  Five  dollars 
each  were  offered  for  best  essays  on  the  Hessian  fly  and' 
the  prevention  of  its  ravages,  on  the  curculio  and  the  best 
methods  for  its  destruction,  and  on  the  general  subject  of 
agriculture  and  manufactures.  The  list  was  not  disgraced 
by  the  offer  of  anything  for  horse  racing. 

The  Agricultural  Society  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
was  organized  in  1849,  and  since  its  organization  societies 
have  sprung  up  in  almost  every  county  in  the  State.  In 
1851  another  Luzerne  county  agricultural  society  was 
organized,  with  General  William  S.  Ross  president,. Hon. 
John  Coons  and  Hon.  William  Hancock  vice-presidents, 
S.  D.  Lewis  treasurer,  George  H.  Butler  recording  sec- 
retary, Washington  Lee,  jr.,  corresponding  secretary,  and 
Charles  Dorrance  and  William  P.  Miner  curators.  Al- 
though the  society  had  two  hundred  members  and  gave 
great  promise  of  usefulness,  its  existence  was  brief,  by 
reason  of  the  speculation  in  coal  lands  which  at  about 
that  time  overshadowed  almost  every  other  interest. 

The  third  society,  which  is  still  in  existence,  was 
organized  in  1858.  From  the  records  of  this  society  the 
following  facts  concerning  it  are  gleaned:  On  the  25th 
of  September  of  that  year  a  meeting  of  persons  inter- 
ested in  farming  and  gardening  was  held  in  the  "house 
of  Mr.  Wambold,"  at  Kingston.  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Hunt 
presided,  and  William  P.  Miner  acted  as  secretary. 
Colonel  Charies  Dorrance  reported  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  for  the  organization  then  and  there  to  be  formed, 
which  were  adopted.  The  constitution  named  the  asso- 
ciation the  Luzerne  County  Agricultural  Society  ; 
declared  the  object  to  be  "to  foster  and  improve 
agriculture,  horticulture,  and  the  domestic  and  house- 
hold arts  ;•  fixed  the  fee  for  annual  membership  at  $1, 
and  for  life  membership  at  $5  ;  provided  for  a  meeting 
on  the  third  Tuesday  in  February  of  each  year,  at  which 


^^ 


=^^ 


^¥ 


<h 


LUZERNE  COUNTY  AGRICULTURAL  AND  MEDICAL  SOCIETIES. 


95 


should  be  elected  a  president,  nine  vice-presidents  (of 
whom  "three-fourths"  should  be  practical  farmers  or 
horticulturists)  to  look  after  the  interests  and  report  the 
condition  of  agriculture,  recording  and  corresponding 
secretaries,  a  librarian  and  an  agricultural  chemist  and 
geologist  ;  also  a  general  meeting  in  connection  with  the 
fair,  and  special  meetings  as  called  by  the  executive  com- 
mittee, which  was  to  consist  of  the  officers  and  five  other 
members. 

At  this  meeting  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  men  joined 
the  society.  They  chose  for  president  Charles  Dorrance; 
corresponding  secretary,  Thomas  P.  Hunt;  librarian,  L. 
D.  Shoemaker;  and  the  following  vice-presidents:  Charles 

D.  Shoemaker,  Kingston;  Samuel  Wadhams,   Plymouth; 

E.  W.  Sturdevant.Wilkes-Barre;  Benjamin  Harvey,  Hunt- 
ington; William  W.  Bronson,  Carbondale;  David  G. 
Driesbach,  Salem;  Clark  Sisson,  Abington;  Abram  Drum, 
Butler,  and  Calvin  Parsons,  Plains.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
executive  committee  two  days  later  Anson  A.  Church 
was  elected  treasurer,  and  Thomas  P.  Atherton  recording 
secretary. 

James  Jenkins  offered  fair  grounds  at  Wyoming  for 
four  years  free,  fenced  and  provided  with  a  trotting  track; 
and  the  offer  was  accepted.  Since  the  expiration  of  that 
time  the  grounds  have  been  rented  from  several  proprie- 
tors. 

In  the  summer  of  1859  an  exhibition  building,  one  hun- 
dred covered  stalls,  and  a  secretary's  office  were  con- 
structed, and  a  well  was  dug.  The  expense  of  these  im- 
provements was  $1,436.48.  In  arranging  for  the  fair  of 
1859  it  was  voted  that  there  should  be  no  "  Shows  or 
Jim  cracks  "  on  the  ground. 

At  the  annual  meeting  held  February  21st,  i860,  the 
number  of  vice-presidents  was  changed  to  twelve,  and  the 
time  of  meeting  thereafter  to  the  second  Thursday  in 
February. 

By  invitation  of  this  society  the  State  agricultural  soci- 
ety held  its  fair  on  the  Wyoming  grounds  in  i860.  Addi- 
tional sheds  and  stalls  were  built  for  the  occasion,  which 
were  bought  by  the  county  society  for  $100. 

The  proceeds  of  the  fair  of  1862  were  appropriated  to 
the  aid  of  the  families  of  soldiers  engaged  in  the  sup- 
pression of  the  Rebellion. 

November  14th,  1867,  it  was  announced  that  James 
Jenkins,  J.  B.  Schooley  and  John  Sharps,  jr.,  wished  to 
resume  the  occupancy  of  portions  of  the  fair  ground 
belonging  to  them,  and  arrangements  for  reducing  it  were 
made  accordingly. 

On  the  5th  of  July,  1873,  it  was  voted  to  reorganize 
the  society  on  a  stock  basis,  shares  being  offered  at  $10 
each.  August  i6th  the  reorganization  was  completed  by 
the  election  of  officers,  including  John  Sharps  as  presi- 
dent, and  ten  vice-presidents,  of  which  John  B.  Smith, 
of  Kingston,  was  "first  vice-president."  That  officer  and 
the  president,  secretary  and  treasurer  were  made  the 
executive  committee. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  1879  it  was  voted  to  pay 
John  Sharps  $50  per  year  for  the  use  of  the  fair  grounds. 
The  annual  meetings,  as  well  as  the   fairs  of  the  society, 


have  been  held  at  Wyoming.     Quarterly  meetings  of  the 
executive  committee  were  held  under  the  old  regime. 

The  presidents  of  the  society  have  been  as  follows: 
Charles  Dorrance,  1858-68;  Payne  Pettebone,  1869  — 
resigned  September  1  ith,  and  Peter  Pursel  was  elected 
for  the  unfinished  term  and  the  next  year;  Ira  Tripp, 
1871;  Steuben  Jenkins,  1872,  1873;  John  Sharps,  August 
i6th,  1873,  after  the  reorganization,  and  for  the  suc- 
ceeding term;  John  M.  Stark,  1875;  J.  B.  Smith, 
1876-79. 

LUZERNE    COUNTY     MEDICAL    SOCIETY. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  March,  1861,  pursuant  to  call,  a 
convention  of  physicians  was  held  at  the  court-house  in 
Wilkes-Barre  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  medical  society. 
At  this  convention  there  were  present  doctors  P.  C.  H. 
Rooney,  of  Hazleton;  N.  P.  Moody,  Lehman;  H.  Lad  I. 
C.  Marr,  William  Green,  B.  H.Throop,  Scranton;  G. 
Urquhart,  W.  F.  Dennis,  E.  R.  Mayer,  C.  Wagner,  E.  K. 
Miner,  Wilkes-Barre;  R.  H.  Tubbs,  Kingston;  S.  Law- 
ton,  Pittston  ;  A.  L.  Cressler  and  J.  R.  Casselbery, 
Conyngham. 

The  following  were  chosen  officers:  B.  H.  Th'roo]), 
president ;  E.  R.  Mayer  and  A.  L.  Cressler,  vice  presi- 
dents; G.  Urquhart,  secretary,  and  R.  H.  Tubbs,  trea- 
surer. A  constitution  was  adopted,  the  second  article  of 
which  stated  the  objects  of  the  society  to  be  "  the  ijro- 
motion  of  knowledge  upon  subjects  connected  with  the 
healing  art,  the  advancement  of  the  character  and  the 
protection  of  the  interests  of  those  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  medicine,  and  the  employment  of  the  means  calculated 
to  render  the  profession  most  useful  to  the  public  and 
subservient  to  the  great  interests  of  humanity." 

The  eleventh  article  adopted  the  code  of  ethics  of  the 
State  Medical  Society,  and  declared  that  any  departure 
from  its  meaning  and  spirit  might  subject  the  offender  10 
the  discipline  of  the  society. 

At  first  the  meetings  of  the  society  were  held  four 
times  each  year,  but  during  several  years  they  have 
been  held  every  two  months.  At  these  meetings  profes- 
sional topics  are  ably  discussed  and  a  constantly  increas- 
ing interest  is  developed. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  the  society  as 
president  in  the  order  named:  Drs.  N.  F.  Dennis,  S. 
Lawton,  jr.,  R.  H.  Tubbs,  John  Smith,  A.  L.  Cressler,  J. 
B.  Crawford,  Horace  Ladd,  S.  Lawton,  jr.,  Edward  R. 
Mayer,  James  B.  Lewis,  Horace  Ladd,  E.  Bulkely,  C. 
Underwood,  Charles  Burr,  E.  R.  Mayer,  J.  B.  Crawford, 
J.  E.  Ross,  J.  A.  Murphy. 

The  Luzerne  County  Homoeopathic  Society  was  organ- 
ized about  1866  and  was  in  existence  about  two  years. 
Dr.  A.  C.  Stevens  was  president;  Dr.  William  Brisbin 
secretary  and  treasurer. 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL      ASSOCIATION      OF      LUZERNE,     LACKA- 
WANNA   AND    WYOMING    COUNTIES. 

This  was  first  organized  as  the  Luzerne  County  Sun- 
day-School Association,  at   the  Presbyterian  church  in 


Hh 


-^^ 


■4h 


96 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


DLinmore,  September  28th,  1S75,  with  the  following 
officers:  Rev.  W.  P.  Hellings,  president;  Rev.  D.  A. 
Lindsley,  Rev.  W.  V.  White,  Hon.  Theodore  Strong, 
Hon.  E.  C.  Wadhams,  vice-presidents;  F.  E.  Nettleton, 
corresponding  secretary;  J.  F.  Richard,  assistant  corre- 
sponding secretary;  E.  M.  Peck,  recording  secretary; 
James  R.  Lathrop,  treasurer. 

The  work  of  the  association  has  been  carried  on  by 
means  of  Sunday-school  institutes,  till  recently  Mr. 
Crittenden  has  been  employed  as  a  missionary. 

Rev.  R.  W.  Van  Schoick  succeeded  Mr.  Hellings  as 
president,  and  occupied  the  position  till  the  present  in- 
cumbent was  elected. 

The  name  of  the  association  was  changed  to  Luzerne 
and  Lackawanna  Sunday-School  Association  on  the  for- 
mation of  Lackawanna  county  in  1878;  and  in  1879  the 
fifth  annual  convention,  held  at  West  Flttston,  Wyoming 
county,  was  by  request  included  and  the  present  name 
was  adopted. 

The  present  officers  are:  Rev.  N.  I,  Rubinkam,  presi- 
dent; F.  C.  Johnson,  S.  C.  Mellory,  F.  E.  Nettleton,  A. 
F.  Levi,  Halsey  Lathrop,  A.  S.  Stearns,  H.  E.  Suther- 
land, E.  A.  Atherton,  C.  L.  Rice,  vice-presidents;  T.  F. 
Wells,  corresponding  secretary;  B.  R.  Wade,  recording 
secretary;   Pierce  Butler,  treasurer. 

In  1878  the  statistics  were:  Number  of  Sunday-schools, 
319;  officers  and  teachers,  3,210;  scholars,  26,566.  The 
present  number  of  scholars  is  probably  about  40,000. 

LUZERNE    COUNTY    SPORTSMEN's    CLUB. 

This  association  was  organized  in  October,  1875, 
and  incorporated  on  the  3d  of  January,  1876.  Its 
objects  are  "  the  preservation  and  propagation  of  game 
and  fish  within  the  county  of  Luzerne."  It  has  an  active 
membership  of  about  fifty,  and  a  land  membership  of  a 
much  greater  number.  Land  members  are  those  owners 
of  lands  who  choose  to  make  leases  to  the  club  for  the 
purpose  of  enabling  it  to  prevent  poaching  and  violations 
of  the  game  laws. 

The  influence  of  the  club  has  always  been  used  for  its 
legitimate  objects.  It  has  prosecuted  to  conviction  sev- 
eral violations  of  the  game  laws,  and  procured  the  ap- 
pointment of  five  fish  wardens  by  the  fish  commissioners 
of  the  State.  It  has  planted  41,000  California  salmon  in 
Bowman's  creek,  2,500  salmon  trout  and  9,000  land  locked 
salmon  in  Harvey's  lake,  and  about  25,000  brook  trout  in 
several  of  the  public  streams  of  the  county;  has  imported 
more  than  600  live  quails,  and  has  circulated  upwards  of 
3,000  copies  of  the  game  laws.  It  offers  rewards  for  the 
conviction  of  those  who  violate  the  game  laws,  and  also 
for  the  destruction  of  hawks,  owls,  foxes,  skunks,  minks 
and  weasels.  It  holds  a  meeting  on  the  first  Monday  in 
each  month.  Always  keeping  the  legitimate  objects  of 
the  club  in  view,  its  members  strive  to  accomplish  these 
with  justice  to  all  and  malice  toward  none. 


LUZERNE     BIBLE    SOCIETV. 

From  a  report  made  April  26th,  1879,  by  Rev.  S.  S. 
Kennedy,  agent  of  this  society,  the  following  sketch  is 
mainly  gleaned. 

Its  first  organization  was  effected  November  ist,  1819, 
at  a  meeting  in  the  old  church  on  the  public  square. 
The  first  officers  chosen  were  Ebenezer  Bowman,  presi- 
dent; William  Ross,  Esq.,  David  Scott,  Esq.,  and  Captain 
David  Hoyt,  vice-presidents;  Dr.  Edward  Lovell,  corres- 
ponding secretary;  Andrew  Beaumont,  recording  secre- 
tary; and  G.  M.  Hollenback,  treasurer.  Many  of  the 
best  citizens  of  the  county  became  patrons  of  the  society, 
and  it  is  recorded  that  a  masonic  lodge  of  Wilkes-Barre 
donated  $25. 

In  1828  David  Scott  was  chosen  president;  Thomas 
Dyer,  vice-president;  John  N.  Conyngham,  corresponding 
secretary;  Ziba  Bennett,  recording  secretary;  and  James 
D.  Haff,  treasurer. 

The  society  was  reorganized  on  the  25th  of  August, 
1835,  and  Rev.  James  May  was  elected  president;  Rev. 
John  Dorrance,  Hon.  David  Scott,  Cristus  Collins,  Esq., 
find  John  N.  Conyngham,  Esq.,  vice-presidents;  Volney 
S.  Maxwell,  Esq.,  secretary;  Henry  C.  Anheiser,  treasu- 
rer; Dr.  Latham  Jones,  Edmund  Taylor  and  William  C. 
Gildersleeve,  executive  committee.  No  records  of  this 
organization  of  a  later  date  than  1837  appear. 

On  the  28th  of  January,i853,  after  a  sleep  of  sixteen 
years,  the  society  was  again  reorganized,  and  Hon.  John 
Conyngham  was  chosen  president  ;  Hon.  Ziba  Bennett, 
treasurer  ;  Sharp  D.  Lewis,  Esq.,  recording  secretary  ; 
and  A.  T.  McClintock,  Esq.,  corresponding  secretary. 
Judge  Conyngham  continued  in  the  office  of  president 
during  eighteen  years,  or  until  his  death.  He  was 
succeeded  by  V.  L.  Maxwell,  and  at  his  death  A.  T. 
McClintock  became  president.     Hon.  Z.  Bennett  and  S. 

D.  Lewis,  Esq.,  continued  in  the  positions  of  treasurer 
and  secretary  during  twenty-six  years,  and  were  very 
faithful  and  efficient  officers. 

Since  1853  the  county  has  been  three  times  canvassed 
by  the  agents  of  the  society,  and  in  each  of  these  explo- 
rations many  destitute  families  have  been  supplied  with 
the  Scriptures.  Daring  the  last  exploration  about  fifteen 
hundred  families  were  found  without  Bibles  and  were 
supplied.  It  was  remarked  by  the  agent  that  the  most 
grateful  among  those  who  were  supplied  were  many  who 
received  the  Scriptures  in  the  German  language.  He 
also  stated  that  the  benevolent  spirit  which  prompted 
the  work  seemed  in  many  cases  to  be  highly  appreciated, 
and  to  exert  a  very  favorable  influence. 

The  present  officers  are:  A.  T.  McClintock,  president; 

E.  L.  Dana,  vice-president  ;  G.  S.  Bennett,  secretary  ;  J. 
W.  Hollenback,  treasurer  ;  A.  T.  McClintock,  E.  L. 
Dana,  G.  S.  Bennett,  J.  W.  Hollenback,  E.  C.  Wadhams, 
Richard  Sharp,  J.  P.  Hoyt,  A.  J.  Pringle,  C.  A.  Miner, 
B.  G.  Carpenter,  H.  W.  Kalish,  Prof.  A.  Albert,  and  C. 
M.  Conyngham,  executive  committee. 


H\r 


-M^ 


r_  I  I  ^  ■ 


f 


THE  SECESSION  OF   THE  SOUTHERN  STATES. 


97 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


OPENING    OF    THE    CIVIL    WAR— PATRIOTIC    SPIRIT    IN    LU- 
ZERNE,   LACKAWANNA    AND    WYOMING    COUNTIES. 


I  HE  limits  and  scope  of  thi§  work  will  not  per- 
mit even  an  enumeration  of  all  the  events 
that  led  to  the  civil  war.  It  is  quite  proper, 
however,  that  a  brief  mention  should  be 
made  of  some  of  the  more  important  and  imme- 
diate antecedents  of  the  contest,  in  which  many 
of  the  citizens  of  these  counties  bore  a  conspicu- 
ous and  honorable  part,  and  in  which  many  laid  down 
their  lives. 

The  doctrine  which  has  by  some  been  termed  a. grand 
political  heresy — that  of  State  sovereignty _  or,  as  it  was  im- 
properly termed  at  the  South,  State  rights,  was  what  led 
to  the  civil  war.  By  this  is  meant  the  right  of  a  State  to 
set  aside  any  act  of  Congress  which  may  be  deemed  un- 
constitutional by  the  State  authorities.  This  doctrine 
was  distinctly  set  forth  in  the  famous  Kentucky  resolu- 
tions of  1798.  and  was  for  along  time  accepted  by  many, 
perhaps  by  a  majority,  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  It 
involves  not  the  right  of  nullification  alone,  but  that  of 
secession.  South  Carolina  in  1832  was  dissatisfied  with 
the  protective  tariff  which  Congress  established,  and 
adopted  an  ordinance  of  nullification  and  secession.  A 
compromise  was  effected,  some  concessions  to  her  pre- 
judices were  made,  and  she  repealed  her  ordinances. 

The  question  of  the  introduction  of  slavery  into  Kan- 
sas arose,  and  the  people  of  the  Northern  States  evinced 
a  determination  to  prevent  it,  in  which  they  were  suc- 
cessful. In  1856  threats  of  secession  were  freely  uttered 
in  case  of  the  success  of  the  Republican  party,  which  in 
185s  had  been  formed  on  the  issue  of  slavery  extension. 
In  i860  Abraham  Lincoln  was  elected  President,  and  this 
was  regarded  by  southern  statesmen  as  the  finishing 
stroke  against  the  extension  of  their  institution,  and 
they  proceeded  to  execute  their  threats.  South  Carolina 
took  the  lead  in  this,  followed  by  Georgia,  Mississippi, 
Alabama,  Virginia,  Florida  and  Louisiana,  all  of  which 
before  the  end  of  November  issued  calls  for  State  con- 
ventions to  consider  the  question  of  secession.  In  this 
they  were  followed  after  a  time  by  Tennessee,  Texas, 
Arkansas  and  North  Carolina,  all  of  which  adopted  ordi- 
nances of  secession. 

South  Carolina  adopted  the  ordinance  on  the  first  day 
of  December,  i860.  Three  days  later  Governor  Pickens 
issued  his  proclamation,  declaring  it  to  be  a  "  separate, 
sovereign,  free  and  independent  State,  having  a  right  to 
levy  war,  conclude  peace,  negotiate  treaties,"  etc. 

John  B.  Floyd,  of  Virginia,  was  at  that  time  Secre- 
tary of  War.  He  had  caused  70,000  stands  of  arms  to 
be  placed  in  the  arsenal  at  Charleston,  and  had  put  that 
arsenal  in  the  care  of  the  governor  of  South  Carolina;  and 
thus  when  the  State  seceded  it  was  able  to  possess  itself 


of  these  arms,  and  it  was  also  found  that  the  northern 
arsenals  generally  had  been  depleted  and  the  arms  sent 
south.  Many  of  the  ships  of  the  navy  had  been  sent  to 
distant  seas,  and  the  government  was  left  without  effi- 
cient resources  with  which  to  repress  a  sudden  uprising. 

The  senators  from  South  Carolina  were  first  to  resign 
their  seats,  followed  by  others  and  by  members  of  the 
cabinet  and  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  Texas, 
the  lust  of  the  seven  States  which  united  in  forming  the 
"  Southern  Confederacy,"  adopted  the  ordinance  of  se- 
cession February  ist,  186 1.  On  the  4th  of  the  month 
the  delegates  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  conventions 
for  that  purpose  met  at  Montgomery,  Ala.,  to  form  a 
government.  They  adopted  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States,  with  some  additions  and  alterations,  as  the 
constitution  of  the  confederate  States,-  and  chose  for  pro- 
visional President  and  Vice-President  Jefferson  Davis 
and  Alexander  H.  Stevens. 

When  South  Carolina  passed  the  ordinance  of  secession 
in  December,  i860,  Fort  Moultrie,  in  Charleston  harbor, 
was  garrisoned  by  sixty  effective  men  in  command  of 
Major  Anderson.  The  fort  was  not  secure  against  at- 
tack, and  Major  Anderson  w.is  denied  reinforcements. 
Accordingly  on  the  night  of  December  20th  he  removed 
his  force  to  Fort  Sumter,  which  had  been  quietly  pre- 
l,ared  for  his  occupation.  He  had  been  instructed  by 
the  President  "not  to  take  up  without  necessity  any  po- 
sition which  could  be  construed  into  a  hostile  attitude, 
but  to  hold  possession  of  the  forts,  and  if  attacked,  de- 
fend himself."  This  evacuation  of  Fort  Moultrie,  therer 
fore,  surprised  the  President  and  aroused  the  indignation 
of  the  South  Carolinians,  who  thought  that  they  had  a 
pledge  from  the  President  to  prevent  such  removal.  He 
was  induced  to  lake  this  step  because  he  entertained  just 
apprehensions  of  the  occupancy  of  Fort  Sumter  by  the 
South  Carolina  troops,  and  an  attack  on  his  small  force 
in  the  nearly  defenseless  fort  where  he  was,  in  which 
case  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  hold  out  a 
day. 

Three  commissioners  that  had  been  appointed  by  the 
South  Carolina  convention  "  to  treat  with  the  United 
States  "  repaired  to  Washington,  and  in  obedience  to 
their  instructions  demanded  that  Major  Anderson  should 
be  ordered  back  to  Fort  Moultrie,  and  in  case  of  refusal 
that  the  forts  in  Charleston  harbor  should  be  uncondi- 
tionally evacuated.  About  this  time  the  government 
offices,  forts,  etc.,  were  possessed  by  the  State  troops, 
who  were  supplied  with  arms  and  ammunition  from  the 
arsenal. 

An  attempt  was  made  by  the  government  to  revictual 
and  reinforce  Fort  Sumter,  and  for  that  purpose  the 
steamer  "Star  of  the  West  "  was  sent  in  January,  i86i, 
with  two  hundred  men,  provisions,  ammunition,  etc.  She 
was  fired  on  from  Morris  Island,  was  struck  by  several 
shot  and  compelled  to  return  without  landing  her  troops 
and  cargo. 

April  1 2th,  1861,  at  4  A.  M.,  the  bombardment  of  Fort 
Sumter  was  commenced  from  the  batteries  of  Fort 
Moultrie,   Sullivan's    Island    and   elsewhere.     The  rebel 


1.^ 


Hi 


98 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


forces  were  under  command  of  General  Beauregard,  who 
demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fort.  Major  Anderson 
replied  that  he  would  only  surrender  when  his  supplies 
were  exhausted.  The  cannonading  was  kept  up  with 
spirit  on  both  sides.  The  result  vvas  the  surrender  , of 
the  fort  on  the  13th,  and  on  the  14th  Major  Anderson 
and  his  command  left  on  the  steamer  "  Isabel  "  for 
New  York. 

After  the  attack  on  Fort  Sumter  it  was  feared  that  the 
confederate  troops  would  march  at  once  on  Washington, 
and  all  the  available  forces  were  so  disposed  as  to 
afford  the  best  protection  to  the  capital  possible  with  the 
meagre  number  of  troops  available.  Measures  were 
immediately  taken  to  raise  troops  in  several  States,  and 
thousands  of  volunteers  at  once  offered  their  services. 
President  Lincoln  promptly  issued  his  proclamation  and 
call  for  75,000  troops  for  three  months,  and  stated  that 
they  would  first  be  used  to  "repossess  the  forts,  places 
and  property  which  had  been  seized  from  the  Union." 
The  proclamation  also  called  a  special  session  of  Congress 
for  the  next  4th  of  July,  to  do  whatever  might  be  deemed 
necessary  for  the  public  safety.  Another  proclamation, 
declaring  a  blockade,  was  soon  issued. 

To  this  call  for  volunteers  the  people  of  the  loyal 
States  responded  with  the  utmost  alacrity.  Only  two 
days  after  Governor  Andrew,  of  Massachusetts,  issued 
orders  calling  for  troops,  two  regiments  were  on  their 
way  to  Washington.  In  every  city  and  almost  every 
village  in  the  loyal  North  meetings  were  held,  large  sums 
of  money  were  pledged  for  the  support  of  the  families  of 
volunteers,  regiments  were  raised  and  sent  forward,  and 
,  a  degree  of  patriotic  feeling  was  aroused  the  existence  of 
which  had  by  some  been  doubted. 

On  the  29th  of  April  the  President  called  for  40,000 
volunteers  to  serve  for  three  years,  and  25,000  regulars 
for  five  years'  service.  In  his  message  to  Congress,  which 
convened  in  special  session  in  July,  he  recommended  the 
passage  of  a  law  authorizing  the  raising  of  400,000  men 
and  placing  $400,000,000  at  the  disposal  of  the  govern- 
ment, in  order  to  make  this  contest  a  short  and  decisive 
one.  During  the  nine  days  of  the  session  acts  were 
passed  to  legalize  the  past  action  of  the  President,  to 
authorize  the  calling  out  of  500,000  volunteers,  to  ap- 
propriate some  $266,000,000  for  the  prosecution  of  the 
war,  and  to  confiscate  property  used  for  insurrectionary 
purposes. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  hardly  any  one  antici- 
pated a  struggle  of  beyond  two  or  three  months;  but 
instead  of  the  short,  decisive  war  that  was  at  first  antici- 
pated the  contest  was  prolonged  through  four  years,  with 
an  expenditure  of  life  and  treasure  unparalleled  in  the 
history  of  similar  wars.  During  this  time  the  Union 
forces  experienced  alternate  successes  and  reverses  till 
the  decisive  triumphs  of  Grant  and  Sheridan,  the  resist- 
less march  of  Sherman  to  the  sea,  and  the  complete 
exhaustion  of  the  enemy's  resources,  brought  the  con- 
summation for  which  the  friends  of  the  Union  had  so 
long  labored  and  prayed.  The  tension  at  which  the  feel- 
ings of  the  friends   of  humanity  had   been   held   during 


four  years   was  relaxed,   and    the   world    breathed    free 

again. 

In  these  counties,  as  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  the 
departure  of  the  first  company  of  volunteers  was  an 
occasion  of  peculiar  interest.  It  was  the  first  time 
in  the  history  of  the  country  that  the  national  ex- 
istence had  been  .threatened,  and  the  patriotic  feel- 
ings of  every  loyal  citizen  were  roused  into  intense 
activity.  It  was  the  first  general  call  which  had.  been 
made  upon  the  present  generation  for  volunteers  to  serve 
in  the  field,  and  of  course  the  first  occasion  on  which  the 
people  had  been  called  to  bid  adieu  to  fathers,  sons  or 
brothers,  who  took  their  lives  in  their  hands  for  the  de- 
fense of  their  country.  They  experienced  a  higher  pride 
in  the  patriotism  of  their  kindred  and  friends,  and  a 
more  poignant  grief  at  parting  than  they  felt  on  similar 
occasions  afterwards;  for  the  acuteness  of  these  feelings 
was  to  some  extent  worn  away  by  frequent  exercise,  and 
after  the  first  departure  less  of  idle  curiosity  was  felt. 

The  brave  volunteers  of  Luzerne,  Lackawanna  and 
Wyoming  counties  who  left  the  comforts  of  their  homes, 
their  social  and  domestic  pleasures,  and  who  severed  for 
the  time  the  ties  which  linked  them  to  their  families  and 
friends,  to  rally  for  the  defense  of  the  institutions  under 
which  they  had  been  permitted  to  enjoy  these  comforts, 
pleasures  and  affections;  to  face  the  stern  realities  of  grim 
visaged  war,  to  endure  the  hardships  and  privations  of  the 
field,  to  inhale  the  pestilential  emanations  from  southern 
swamps,  to  languish  in  sickness  and  pain  on  pallets, 
"with  no  hand  of  kindred  to  smooth  their  lone  pillows," 
and,  too  often,  to  find  solitary  graves  where  neither 
mother  nor  sister,  wife  nor  children  could  come  to  drop 
affection's  tear,  deserve  a  more  minute  history  than  the 
limits  of  this  work  will  permit.  They  constituted  parts 
of  organizations  the  balance  of  which  came  from  other 
regions,  and  their  histories  are  inseparably  conected  with 
those  of  these  organizations. 

When  the  proclamation  of  the  President  was  issued 
calling  for  75,000  troops  to  defend  the  national  capital 
and  suppress  the  rebellion  that  had  thus  been  inaugu- 
rated, the  patriotism  of  the  people  in  Luzerne  county 
found  vent  otherwise  than  in  words.  Several  military 
companies  at  once  offered  their  services  to  the  govern- 
ment. The  Wyoming  Light  Dragoons,  the  Wyoming 
Yagers  (a  Germany  company),  the  Jackson  Rifles  ("a 
company  of  Irishmen)  and  the  White  Haven  Yagers 
were  among  the  earliest  to  depart  in  response  to  the  call. 
The  recruiting  of  other  companies  for  future  exigencies 
was  immediately  commenced,  and  it  was  at  once  evident 
that,  whatever  had  been  the  previous  differences  of 
■  opinion  among  the  people  in  this  country,  when  the  lime 
for  action  came  patriotism  triumphed  over  every  other 
feeling;  and  here  as  elsewhere  in  the  loyal  North  people 
of  all  parties  vied  with  each  other  in  their  efforts  to  pro- 
mote measures  for  the  defense  of  the  country  in  its  hour 
of  peril. 

The  first  war  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  on  Friday,  April  26th,  1861.  At  this 
meeting    Hon.   H.   B.    Wright    presided,   and    patriotic 


<^ 


'^ 


4 


FIRST  ENLISTMENTS  FOR  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


99 


speeches  ^yere  made  by  men  of  all  previous  shades  of 
political  opinion.  Large  sums  were  pledged  for  the  care 
of  the  families  of  volunteers.  A  noteworthy  feature  of 
the  patriotic  feeling  which  existed  in  this  county,  as  else- 
where, was  seen  in  the  fact  that  those  who  sought  by 
addresses  and  other  means  to  "  bring  public  sentiment 
up,"  as  they  termed  it,  soon  found  that  they  had  mistaken 
their  mission;  that  public  sentiment  was  leading  them; 
that  the  patriotism  of  the  masses  was  in  advance  of  that 
of  their  self-constituted  leaders. 

Here  as  elsewhere  the  first  burst  of  patriotism  after  the 
attack  on  Fort  Sumter  overshadowed  every  other  feel- 
ing, and  it  was  confidently  hoped  that  past  differences  of 
opinion  would  not  be  revived  to  become  sources  of  em- 
barrassment in  the  time  of  the  country's  peril.  Here  as 
elsewhere,  however,  this  hope  was  not  realized.  Sym- 
pathy with  the  enemies  of  the  country  manifested  itself 
among  a  few  after  a  time,  under  various  disguises.  A 
profound  veneration  for  the  constitution,  and  an  active 
fear  lest  some  of  its  provisions  should  be  violated  in 
prosecuting  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union, 
was  usually  professed  by  those  whose  patriotism  was  not 
stronger  than  their  party  prejudice.  By  reason  of 
numercial  inferiority,  however,  these  people  were  com- 
paratively impotent  in  Luzerne  county. 

From  a  diary  kept  by  Captain  James  B.  Harding  the 
following  facts  relative  to  the  organization  of  the  first 
company  from  Wyoming  county  in  the  war  of  the  Re- 
bellion are  gleaned: 

It  will  be  remembered  that  at  that  time  no  railroad  or 
telegraph  lines  passed  through  Wyoming  county,  and  news 
was  not  received  here  as  early  as  at  places  where  these 
facilities  existed.  Preparations  for  the  formation  of  a 
company  were  commenced  by  Mr.  Harding  on  the  19th, 
and  at  a  war  meeting  held  at  the  court-house  in  Tunk- 
hannock  on  the  evening  of  the  20th  twenty  men  were 
enlisted.  On  the  evening  of  the  Z2nd  another  war  meet- 
ing was  held  and  more  men  were  recruited,  and  on  the 
24th  drilling  commenced. 

Recruiting  and  drilling  continued  till  the  27th,  when 
the  company  was  nearly  full.  On  this  day  the  men  were 
drawn  up  in  front  of  the  court-house,  where  they  were 
addressed  by  A.  K.  Peckham  and  George  S.  Fulton;  and 
by  the  former,  in  behalf  of  the  ladies  of  Tunkhannock 
and  Eaton,  presented  with  a  flag.  Of  this  company 
James  B.  Harding  was  chosen  captain,  John  Deckover 
first  lieutenant,  and  H.  E.  Tiffany  second  lieutenant. 

Returns  of  the  organization  of  this  company  were  for- 
warded to  Harrisburg  by  Levi  H.  Stevens,  then  inspector 
of  the  sixteenth  division  of  Pennsylvania  militia,  and 
daily  drilling  was  continued. 

On  the  4th  of  May  news  was  received  that  the  com- 
pany could  not  be  accepted  for  nine  months'  service  as 
had  been  expected,  but  that  an  enlistment  for  three  years 
or  during  the  war  would  be  the  only  terms  of  acceptance. 
When  this  alternative  was  presented  about  twenty-five 
men,  with  Captain  Harding,  decided  to  enlist  as  required. 
These  united  with  a  part  of  a  company  in  Factoryville, 
and  the  consolidated  company  chose  Captain  Harding 


for  their  commander,  O.  N.  Bailey  first  lieutenant,  and 
D.  N.  Matthewson  second  lieutenant. 
.  On  the  evening  of  May  8th  the  company  left  Factory- 
ville for  Harrisburg,  via  Scranton,  where  they  tarried  till 
the  morning  of  the  9th.  On  their  arrival  at  Sunbury 
the  railroad  company  refused  to  take  them  far1?her,  and 
they  refused  to  leave  the  cars,  which  were  uncoupled  and 
left  standing  on  the  track.  During  the  night  of  the  9th 
they  were  quartered  in  the  court-house  and  fed  by  the 
ladies  of  Sunbury.  On  the  loth  orders  to  go  forward 
were  received  and  transportation  provided.  The  com- 
pany became  a  part  of  the  41st  regiment,  the  history  of 
which  is  given  elsewhere. 

Meetings  were  from  time  to  time  held  in  various  parts 
of  the  county  for  raising  volunteers,  and  the  histories  of 
the  different  regiments  include  the  lists  of  volunteers 
from  this  county,  as  well  as  Luzerne  and  Lackawanna. 
The  patriotic  spirit  of  the  citizens  of  the  county  prompted 
them  to  make  every  effort  in  their  power  to  sustain  the 
country  in  its  hour  of  trial.  The  county,  by  its  commis- 
sioners, paid  to  each  volunteer  for  nine  months'  service 
$25,  and  to  each  who  went  for  three  years  $50.  The 
commissioners  also  expended  money  under  an  act  of  the 
Legislature  for  the  support  of  needy  families  of  soldiers 
in  the  army. 

Truth  compels  the  statement  that  there  were  in  some 
portions  of  the  county  manifestations  of  a  very  disloyal 
feeling,  and  even  forcible  resistance  to  the  enrollment 
was  in  one  instance  contemplated.  The  strong  loyal 
feelings  which  prevailed  in  other  parts  of  the  county 
overbore  the  disloyalty  of  these  localities,  and  prevented 
the  disgrace  of  an  armed  demonstration  in  favor  of  the  * 
enemies  of  the  country. 

The  loyal  women  here  as  elsewhere  did  their  part, 
through  their  aid  societies  and  otherwise,  to  furnish  such 
comforts  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  who  languished  in 
the  field  or  in  distant  hospitals,  as  under  the  circum- 
stances the  government  was  unable  to  provide. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


LUZERNE    IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR THE  8TH,    IITH    AND   I5TH 

REGIMENTS  OF    THREE-MONTHS'  MEN. 


'  F  the  8th  regiment,  which  was  organized  for 
three  months'  service,  companies  B,  C,  D,  E, 
F,  G  and  H  were  fecruited  in  Luzerne 
county.  A  company  of  cavalry  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  of  which  Captains  Hoyt  and  Bris- 
bane had  been  commanders,  was  filled  by  re- 
cruits and  became  Company  C  of  the  regiment. 
Company  F  hid  been  an  artillery  company  of  the 
same  city,  under  command  of  Captain  Emley,  who  be- 
came colonel  of  the  regiment.  Company  G  had  been 
known  as  the  Wyoming  Yagers,  which,  together  with  a 
militia   company  from  Pittston  and  additional  recruits. 


H^ 


=^^ 


constituted   this  company.     The   other  companies  were 
made  up  wholly  of  recruits. 

The  companies  proceeded  at  once  to  camp  Curtin, 
where  the  regiment  was  organized  on  the  22nd  of  April, 
1861,  seven  days  after  the  President's  proclamation  call- 
ing for  75,000  men  was  issued.  On  the  day  of  its  organi- 
zation the  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  vicinity  of  Cham- 
bersburg,  where  it  was  attached  to  the  3d  brigade,  ist 
division.  June  7th  it  went  to  Greenville,  and  soon 
afterward  to  the  vicinity  of  Williarasport,  where  it  was 
posted  to  guard  the  forts  of  the  Potomac.  While  here 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Bowman  crossed  the  river  alone  to 
reconnoitre,  and  was  made  prisoner  by  rebel  scouts. 
Soon  after  the  Union  forces  advanced  into  Virginia. 
Two  companies  of  this  regiment  were  detailed  as  an 
escort  for  Captain  Doubleday's  battery  on  its  march  to 
Martinsburg.  On  the  6th  of  July  the  regiment  joined 
the  brigade  at  Martinsburg  ;  on  the  17th  it  participated 
in  a  flank  movement  toward  Charleston,  and  was  sta- 
tioned at  Keyes  Ford  during  the  night  of  the  20th.  It 
returned  about  this  time,  via  Harper's  Ferry  and  Hagers- 
town,  to  Harrisburg,  where  it  was  disbanded. 

The  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  regiment  were  : — A. 
H.  Emley,  Wilkes-Barre,  colonel  ;  Samuel  Bowman', 
Wilkes-Barre,  lieutenant  colonel ;  Joseph  Phillips,  Pitts- 
ton,  major  ;  Joseph  Wright,  Wilkes-Barre,  adjutant  ; 
Butler  Dilley,  quartermaster  ;  Benjamin  H.  Throop,  sur- 
geon ;  H.  Carey  Parry,  assistant-surgeon  ;  T.  P.  Hunt, 
chaplain. 

Of  the  companies  composing  the  8th,  B  was  recruited 
at  Moscow,  Lackawanna  county,  and  mustered  in  on  the 
23d  of  April,  1861  ;  C  and  D  were  recruited  at  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  mustered  April  22nd;  E  and  H  were  recruited 
at  Scranton  and  mustered  April  23d  ;  and  F  and  G  were 
recruited  at  Wilkes-Barre  and  mustered  in,  the  first  April 
2ist  and  the  second  April  23d.  Rolls  of  these  companies 
follow  : 

COMPANY-  B. 

Officers. — Hiram  S.  Travis,  captain;  Frank  Wambacker, 
first  lieutenant  ;  Sanford  G.  Coglizer,  second  lieutenant; 
Jacob  Swartz,  first  sergeant;  John  F.  Sayers,  second 
sergeant  ;  John  W.  Fike,  third  sergeant  ;  Delton  F.  Mil- 
ler, fourth  sergeant  ;  Benjamin  J.  Stephens,  first  corporal; 
David  Weldy,  second  corporal;  George  Weldy,  third  cor- 
poral; Warren  Breemer,  fourth  corporal;  Paul  Debler  and 
William  Miller,  musicians. 

Privates. — William  Albro,  Shadrach  G.  Austin,  Richard 
Austin,  James  R.  Aten,  John  Bird,  Adolph  Bender, 
Thomas  Brennan,  Mathias  Barclay,  George  Barnes, 
Thomas  L.  Benson,  Nicholas  Cooper,  Nodiah  Curtis, 
George  Chrisman,  Charles  Clouse,  Horatio  V.  Colvin, 
Thomas  R.  Conner,  Henry  L.  Davenport,  James  T.  Dav- 
enport, Horatio  P.  Felts,  Samuel  Gilchrist,  Lorenze  D. 
Hoover,  Henry  M.  Hinds,  Michael  W.  Hurley,  Frederick 
John,  Abraham -Kiser,  Samuel  Kilpatrick,  Joseph  Knapp, 
William  La  France,  Joseph  La  France,  Benjamin  Le 
Corapt,  Westbrook  Murring,  Ezra  B.  Martin,  James 
M'Guigan,  James  S.  M'Doherty,  Herbert  M.  Nogle,  Levi 
Powell,  David  Robinson,  Thomas  P.  Rhodes,  James  A. 
Roach,  Morris  H.  Rhodes,  William  R.  Rockwell,  Benja- 
min F.  Rodgers,  G.  William  Ryan,  William  Rease,  Rich- 
ard H.  Scott,  Freeman  Smith,  Francis  Switer,  Robert 
Smith,  Merrit  Stalbert,  Nelson  Swan,  David  C.  Sterling, 


Obadiah  Sherwood,  Jerome  Scott,  John  Shaffer,  Vincent 
J.  Sayers,  John  Smith,  Milton  Sylich,  John  A.  Tanfield, 
Levi  B.  Tompkins,  Joseph  W.  Wallace,  Chester  Wilber, 
Patrick  Wood,  Dorman  A.  Yarrington,  Spencer  Yeager. 

COMPANY  c. 

Officers. — William  Brisbane,  captain  ;  Joseph  Wright, 
first  lieutenant;.  John  B.  Conyngham,  second  lieutenant; 
Lyman  R.  Nicholson,  first  sergeant;  VVilliam  J.  Fell,  sec- 
ond sergeant;  Beriah  S.  Bowers,  third  sergeant;  William 
C.  Rohn,  fourth  sergeant;  Treat  B.  Camp,  first  corporal; 
Samuel  B.  Hiblcr,  second  corporal  ;  Albert  M.  Bailey, 
third  corporal;  Edwin  S.  Osborne,  fourth  corporal; 
Thomas  J.  Schleppy  and  Joseph  W.  Collings,  musicians. 
Privates. — Andrew  J.  Crusan,  Edward  H.  Chase,  Wil- 
liam H.  Cook,  Daniel  Clossen,  Andrew  Clossen,  George 
B.  Carey,  Orlando  Deitrick,  William  G.  Downs,  Elisha  A. 
Dailey,  Joseph  H.  Everett,  Peter  Gray.  Jacob  Gregory, 
Willett  E.  Gorham,  James  Harvey,  John  Humble,  An- 
drew J.  Hughey,  George  Hoover,  James  D.  Harris,  Bur- 
tis  Irvin,  George  W.  Jumper,  Charles  Keller,  Patrick 
Kearney,  George  W.  Kelley,  James  Kelley,  Isaiah  Kizer, 
-  William  Moser,  Charles  McWilliams,  Daniel  W.  McGee, 
Norman  McNeil,  John  McCormick,  Roderick  McFarlane, 
John  Powell,  John  Piper,  Joseph  W.  Patten,  Alexander 
Puterbaugh,  William  A.  Partington,  Samuel  H.  Puter- 
'oaugh,  Richard  Prideaux,  John  Reymer,  Stephen  D. 
Robbins,  Adam  Robbins,  Miles  Reel,  George  A.  Reese, 
Wesley  Rittenhouse,  David  L.  Rohn,  Charles  Rennard, 
Jacob  Reramel,  James  A.  Raub,  VVilliam  W.  Rines,  Giles 
E.  Stevens,  Nathan  Schoonover,  Charles  F.  Stevens, 
Henry  Strob,  Frank  Smith,  Samuel  Stookey,  Isaac  Tripp, 
Preserve  Taylor,  William  H.  Vanscoten,  George  E. 
Waring,  William  H.  Ward,  jr.,  Daniel  Wood,  Lazarus  S. 
Walker,  Wiljiam  W.  Watson,  Alexander  Youngst. 

COMPANY    D. 

Officers. — Jacob  Bertels,  captain;  Richard  Fitzgerald, 
first  lieutenant  ;  Patrick  Lenihan,  second  lieutenant; 
Michael  Reily,  first  sergeant;  John  C.  Reily,  second  ser- 
geant; Michael  Giligan,  third  sergeant;  Joseph  P.  Byrne, 
fourth  sergeant;  Daniel  M'Bride,  first  corporal;  Daniel 
Shoolin,  second  corporal;  Thomas  Devaney,  third  cor- 
poral; John  Ryan,  fourth  corporal;  Bartholomew  Lynch 
and  John  Batterton,  musicians. 

Privates.— ^\n\\^  Boyle,  John  Baney,  Patrick  Biglin, 
Patrick  Brennan,  ist  ;  Thomas  Birmingham,  Thomas 
Boran,  James  Boylan,  Patrick  Brennan,  2nd;  Matthew 
Coyle,  John  Caffrey,  John  Clark,  Daniel  Cunningham, 
John  Cosgrove,  John  Collins,  Michael  Curran,  Frank  Cull, 
Michael  Goggles,  Patrick  Collins,  John  Delaney,  James 
Dolton,  Evan  Davis,  James  Dougher,  James  Dougherty, 
John  Evans,  Patrick  Fogarty,  John  Graham,  Patrick 
Griffith,  Patrick  Gallagher,  ist;  Patrick  Gallagher,  2nd; 
Thomas  Heley,  Patrick  Houston,  Edward  Killroy, 
Michael  Keeghran,  James  Lynch,  Patrick  Levey,  John 
Looby,  John  Lisk,  Bernard  Lynch,  Thomas  Lahey,  Peter 
Lebar,  John  Lawler,  John  M'Dowell,  Thomas  M'Coy, 
Thomas  M'Cluskey,  fnhn  M'Conelogue,  William  Merg- 
han,  Thomas  M'Maniman,  Michael  Morris,  Michael  Mul- 
vey,  Patrick  M'Tigue.  John  M'Cool,  John  M'Reenelly,  ' 
Michael  M'Ginness,  Daniel  M'Cormick,  Thomas  O'Don- 
nell,  James  Plum,  Patrick  Paul,  Martin  Ryan,  Lawrence 
Reily,  Michael  Ruddy,  John  Sullivan,  Timothy  Sullivan, 
Edward  Sherron,  John  Scott,  Dalton  W.  Totton,  Martin 
Welsh,  John  Ward. 

COMP.ANY    E. 

Officers.— ]o\vc\  M'Casey  captain;  John  O'Grady,  first 
lieutenant;  Michael  O'Hara,  second  lieutenant;  Anthony 


/HH= 


^¥- 


*^ 


Lofters,  first  sergeant;  James  Howley,  second  sergeant; 
Francis  Mahon,  third  sergeant;  Morris  O'Brien,  fourth 
sergeant;  John  Lanagan,  first  corporal;  Richard  Lanagan, 
second  corporal;  Richard  Fitzgerald,  third  corporal,  John 
Gerry,  fourth  corporal;  Peter  Penny  packer  and  John 
Hartline,  musicians. 

Primies.— Joseph  Blackman,  Mark  Burk,  Charles 
Brand,  Francis  Baronosky,  Thomas  Buckley,  John  Can- 
navan,  Samuel  Clouser,  Henry  Cannavan,  James  Canna- 
van,  Matthew  Cawley,  Michael  Cusick,  John  R.  Corden, 
William  Corden,  Joseph  F.  Colburn,  John  Churchill, 
Benjamin  Crist,  Lewis  Decker,  Michael  Dorson,  David 
H.  Davis,  James  Fleming,  James  Forrester,  George  Flee- 
vellen,  John  Fitzpatrick,  Thomas  Fox,  Thomas  Foy, 
Michael  Grass,  Charles  Gallagher,  ATithony  Gillespie, 
John  Handley,  John  F.  Jackson,  Dennis  Kelley,  Miphael 
Kirk,  Patrick  Lenihan,  Thomas  Lanagan,  Edward  Lynn, 
Allen  M'Lane,  John  H.  Mullison,  James  M'Grael,  Patrick 
Mullin,  Delos  Munford,  John  M'Manus,  John  J.  Murray, 
Reuben  Mullen,  Daniel  M'Cracken,  Michael  Manning, 
David  Pearce,  Francis  Rourke,  Joseph  Ross,  John 
Ruddy,  William  Shannon,  Patrick  H.  Saxton,  John  Shib- 
blehood,  Theodore  Sinclair,  William  Smilh,  Samuel. 
Tindle,  John  H.  Taylor,  Michael  Tigue,  Jeremiah  Ur- 
frels,  Peter  Vankirk,  Michael  Walsh,  Reuben  Williams, 
Joseph  Wright,  William  Whiting,  John  Williams. 

COMPANY    F. 

Officers. — Edwin  W.  Finch,  captain;  Butler  Dilley,  first 
lieutenant;  Isaiah  M.  Leach,  second  lieutenant;  Alpheus 
C.  Montague,  first  sergeant;  Charles  B.  Metzgar,  second 
sergeant;  Charles  B.  Stout,  third  sergeant;  Oliver  A.  Par- 
sons, fourth  sergeant;  Benjamin  P.  Louder,  first  corporal; 
John  J.  M'Dermott,  second  corporal;  William  H.  Rown- 
tree,  third  corporal;  Paschal  L.  Hoover,  fourth  corporal; 
Charles  H.  Hay  and  David  C.  Connor,  musicians. 

Privates. — Joseph  Albert,  Casey  J.  Atherton,  Emory 
Briggs,  Martin  Breese,  James  Culver,  Hugh  Collins, 
Charles  M.  Cyphers,  Emanuel  Detrick,  Abraham  Doobar, 
Charles  H.  Elliott,  William  W.  Ellis,  Irvin  E.  Finch,  John 
N.  Fordham,  Peter  Ficklinger,  John  Frase,  Nathan  Fritz, 
Henry  Frantz,  Samuel  C.  Fell,  John  E.  Groff,  Lee  D. 
Gruver,  Henry  M.  Gordon,  Allen  Gormon,  George 
Hughes,  Ebert  Haney,  Peter  H.  Hay,  William  Johnson, 
John  Jenkins,  John  C.  Krupp,  Philip  Killian,  Andrew  J. 
Lobach,  Isaiah  M.  Leach,  Robert  M'Laughlin,  John  H. 
Minick,  Rufus  M'Guire,  Ozro  Manville,  Judson  W. 
Myers,  John  Neuer,  Joseph  Newsbiggle,  Charles  B.  Post, 
Alfred  Riley,  Bernard  Riley,  Sylvester  Rhodes,  William 
Rankins,  Alfred  Randolph,  Henry  J.  Root,  C.  B.  Root, 
James  Russell,  James  H.  Shepherd,  Charles  B.  Stookey, 
William  A.  Swan,  David  R.  Shutt,  John  Severn,  James 
Severn,  Theodore  A.  Tucker,  Thomas  O.  Tucker,  Gotlieb 
Troub,  James  C.  Turner,  David  J.  Taylor,  James  Up- 
linger,  William  H.  Valentine,  Horton  Wood,  Reuben  H. 
Waters,  Newton  T.  Weaver,  Jacob  Young. 

COMPANY    G. 

Officers. — George  N.  Reichard,  captain;  John  N.  Treff- 
eisen,  first  lieutenant;  Gustavus  E.  Hahn,  second  lieuten- 
ant; George  W.  Smith,  first  sergeant;  Joseph  Harold, 
second  sergeant;  Christopher  Walther,  third  sergeant; 
Jacob  Goeby,  fourth  sergeant.  Christian  Treffeisen,  first 
corporal;  Andreas  Haussam,  second  corporal;  Henry 
Katzenbacker,  third  corporal;  John  Marr,  fourth  corporal; 
William  Kaiser  and  Frederick  Andrie,  musicians. 

Privates. — Christian  Adrien,  Max  Burkhardt,  Henry 
Braehl,  Benedict  Boehm,  Peter  Bohne,  John  Bauman, 
Frederick  Bach,  Michiel  Blair,  Maurice  Brandt,  Mat- 
thew Bickle,  Lewis  Dieffenbach,  Jacob  Eastearle,  Frank- 


lin Early,  Charles  Engel,  Abraham  Frauenthal,  Charles 
Firestine,  Conrad  Futtrer,  George  Fritz,  Zeno  Fry 
Philip  Glessner,  Jacob  Goebz,  Frederick  Gersting,  Nich- 
olas Gerlitz,  Jones  Grapp,  Andrew  Hansam,  Henry  Harf 
man,  John  Haiwish,  Joseph  Hartman,  Emile  Haugg, 
Philip  Hess,  Nicholas  Helfrick,  Lorenzo  Ittel,  Anton 
Joachim,  Thomas  Jayne,  Anton  Kinghammer,  Rudolph 
Korff,  John  Killian,  C.  F.  Loomis,  Charles  Long,  Fritz 
Loeffier,  Jacob  Luckhardt,  John  Mowery,  Jacob  Mahler, 
John  Mathews,  Morton  Mehlmann,  Florian  Mitz,  John 
Oppel,  John  Peter,  William  Riesterj  Henry  Russ,  Mat- 
thew Ruebenach,  John  Sengfelder,  Frederick  Schmitt, 
Frederick  Shearer,  Ernst  Schmalst,  William  Schaule, 
Joseph  Sittig,  Michael  Snyder,  Albert  C.  Woolbert, 
Christian  Weiss,  Jacob  Wench,  Conrad  Wern,  Justus 
Wassinuth,  Conrad  Zibb. 

COMPANY  H. 

Officers. — Henry  W.  Derby,  captain;  Beaton  Smith,  jr., 
first  lieutenant;  William  D.  Snyder,  second  lieutenant; 
Thomas  Edmonds,  first  sergeant;  Henry  Derris,  second 
sergeant;  Charles  Kerr,  third  sergeant;  Joseph  R.  Shultz, 
fourth  sergeant;  Israel  Ruth,  first  corporal;  William  Bry- 
den,  second  corporal;  Monroe  "Koch,  third  corporal; 
William  Booth,  fourth  corporal. 

Privates. — Charles  G.  Adams,  Miles  N.  Bradford, 
Lyman  T.  Benjamin,,  Thomas  B.  Bloom,  William  F. 
Bloff,  Samuel  A.  Bouten,  Abram  L.  Bound,  James  O. 
Brown,  Warren  Buckland,  Theodore  Cherry,  George  W. 
Conklin,  Samuel  Cobb,  John  Coon,  Hugh  R.  Crawford, 
Martin  Decker,  Hugh  M.  Diehl,  Andrew  J.  Drake, 
Henry  Ennis,  Frederick  M.  Etting,  Alexander  L.  Flem- 
ing, Peter  S.  Gabrio,  Nathan  C.  Gregory,  Jacob  W.  Gal- 
loway, Dinsmore  Habe,  John  Haines,  Stephen  H.  Haley, 
John  Hastings,  ist;  John  Hastings,  2d;  Robert  Hardy, 
Henry  B.  Henson,  Harry  Houserj  John  Hopkins,  Wil- 
liam Jamison,  Hudson  D.  Kind,  Hiram  P.  Kirlin,  An- 
thony Long,  William  Miller,  Thomas  Mullihan,  John  M. 
Palmer,  George  W.  Peters,  George  C.  Palmer,  Simon 
Rhodes,  Henry  Rex,  Nicholas  Robbing,  Joshua  Rich- 
ards, Joseph  S.  Shiffer,  Mead  S.  Silkman,  Charles  Shafer, 
Peter  Shively,  Peter  J.  Smith,  William  Stark,  Roland  N. 
Stevens,  John  G.  Swartz,  William  A.  Staples,  William  H. 
Thomas,  David  Wigton,  John  Wittingham,  Edwin  B. 
Wilson,  Charles  E.  Ward,  William  H.  Williams,  James 
Woolley,  Fletcher  D.  Yapel. 

ELEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

This  regiment  was  organized  April  26th,  i86T,for  three 
month's  service.  After  a  short  period  of  drill  it  was,  on 
the  27th  of  May,  ordered  forward  to  guard  the  Philadel- 
phia, Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  some  bridges 
on  which  had  been  destroyed.  Company  E,  Captain 
Johnson,  was  stationed  at  Charlestown.  On  the  i8th  of 
June  the  regiment  went  via  Baltimore  and  Harrisburg  to 
Chambersburg,  thence  to  Hagerstown,  Md.  On  the  20th 
of  June,  it  was  placed  in  the  brigade  commanded  by 
Colonel  (afterward  General)  Abercrombie,  and  on  the 
2nd  of  July  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Williamsport  under 
that  commander  and  was  actively  engaged  in  the  battle 
at  Falling  Water,  in  which  the  forces  of  Jackson  were  put 
to  flight.  In  this  action  three  of  Company  E  (James 
Morgan,  Daniel  R.  Stiles  and  Nelson  Headen)  were 
wounded.  After  this  fight  the  company  went  with  the 
brigade  to  Martinsburg,  thence  to  Bunker  Hill,  and  on 
the  17th  of  July  to  Charlestown.     Here,  as  the  expira.- 


^. 


tion  of  their  term  of  enlistment  approached,  General 
Patterson  had  the  nth  paraded  and" requested  the  men  to 
remain  some  days  beyond  this  term.  He  asked  them  to 
signify  their  willingness  to  do  so  by  bringing  their  arms 
to  a  shoulder  at  the  word.  When  the  order  was  given 
every  musket  was  shouldered.  By  arrangement  the 
regiment  was  re-mustered  for  three  ye:;rs  after  its  muster- 
out  and  allowed  to  retain  its  number. 

The  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  nth  regiment  were 
as  follows  :  Colonel,  Phaon  Jarrett;  lieutenant  colonel, 
Richard  Coulter  ;  major,  William  D.  Earnest;  adjutant, 
F.  Asbury  Awl;  quartermaster,  William  H.  Hay;  surgeon, 
Willian  T.  Babb;  assistant  surgeon,  H.  B.  Buchler. 

COMPANY    E 

of  this  company  was  recruited  at  Pittston;  mustered 
in  April  21st,  1861;  and  consisted  of  the  men  named 
below  : 

Officers — John  B.  Johnson,  captain;  John  B.  Fish,  first 
lieutenant;  Thomas  D.eKetta,  second  lieutenant;  William 
E.  Sees,  first  sergeant;  Samuel  Hodgdon,  second  sergeant; 
William  C.  Blair,  third  sergeant;  Francis  C.  Woodhouse, 
fourth  sergeant;  Jacob  Fell,  first  corporal;  George 
Cleaver,  second  corporal;  CorneHus  Vanscoy,  third  cor- 
poral; Charles  F.  Stewart,  fourth  corporal;  James  D. 
Giddings  and  Thomas  Helm,  musicians. 

P mates— Yis.x\xs  Aulbert,  Charles  Bird,  Samuel  Beard, 
Ervin  S.  Barnes,  John  S.  Benedick,  Alfred  B.  Bradley, 
John  Blair,  Edward  H.  Berry,  Abraham  Creamer,  David 
Creamer,  George  Chamberlain,  Bartholomew  Coggins, 
Patrick  D.  Curry,  Jeffrey  Cummings,  Asa  J.  Carlin, 
William  H.  Crawford,  John  Davis,  James  Dunkley, 
Charles  Decker,  Henry  W.  Elbridge,  William  Fausnaught, 
William  B.  Ferris,  Thomas  F.  Gilmore,  Thomas  Hoffman, 
Nelson  Hedden,  Joseph  D.  Hampton,  James  P.  Hunter, 
Robert  High,  Charles  Hamilton,  John  W.  Humphreys, 
Joseph  Jones,  John  Jarrett,  John  B.  Kelly,  Aaron 
Lamberson,  Frank  Lowder,  Henry  Leader,  John  Mackey, 
James  Morgan,  James  Miller,  David  Newhard,  William 
Plant,  John  Perkins,  James  Powers,  William  L.  Russell, 
Thomas  Russell,  Milton  B.  Repass,  Thomas  Robinson, 
Edward  J.  Schooley,  James  E.  Smith,  John  A.  Shepherd, 
John  Shannon,  Martin  M.  Smith,  Tohn  Snyder,  Daniel 
R.  Stiles,  William  H.  Small,  Daniel  Taylor,  John  Thom- 
linson,  Charles  Vanderbergh,  Lewis  Wagoner,  Daniel 
Williams,  David  H.  Williamson,  William  Williams,  James 
Wagoner,  David  B.  Wiley,  Edward  Welsh,  Harrison  B. 
Ward. 

FIFTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

This  was  organized  at  Camp  Curtin  May  ist,  186 1. 
May  9th  the  regiment  went  to  Camp  Johnston,  near  Lan- 
caster, where  the  men  were  well  drilled  and  disciplined. 
June  3d  they  moved  to  near  Chambersburg,  and  were 
assigned  to  General  Negley's  brigade  of  General  Keim's 
division.  June  i6th  the  regiment  with  its  brigade  marched 
to  the  vicinity  of  Hagerstown.  On  the  2nd  of  July  it 
crossed  the  Potomac  with  the  army  and  Negley's  brigade, 
which  followed  a  road  that  diverged  from  the  main  line 
of  march,  threw  forward  Company  I  with  a  company  from 
another  regiment  as  skirmishers.  These  suddenly  came 
upon  a  battalion  of  Ashby's  cavalry,  disguised  as  Union 
troops,  and  before  they  suspected  their  true  character 
Lieutenant  John  B.  Hutchinson  and  a  portion  of  Com- 


pany I  were  made  prisoners,  the  first  sergeant  having 
been  shot.  They  had  even  obeyed  an  order  from  Ashby 
to  let  down  the  fence  between  them,  mistaking  the  cavalry 
for  friends.  Pursuit  without  cavalry  was  unavailing,  and 
these  men  were  hurried  ti  Richmond,  and  thence  through 
the  south  to  New  Orleans,  where  they  were  kept  till  that 
city  fell  into  the  possession  of  the  Federal  troops,  when 
they  were  sent  to  Salisbury  and  soon  afterward  exchanged. 
Six  of  their  number,  however,  had  died  from  exposure 
and  hardship.  On  the  3d  the  regiment  reached  Martins- 
burg,  where  it  remained  till  the  15th;  then  marched  suc- 
cessively to  Bunker  Hill,  Charleston,  Hagerstown  and 
Carlisle,  where  it  encamped  on  the  27th,  and  was  mus- 
tered out  on  the  7th  of  August. 

The  colonel  of  the  15th  regiment  was  Richard  A.  Oak- 
ford;  lieutenant-colonel,  Thomas  Biddle;  major,  Stephen 
N.  Bradford;  adjutant,  John  R.  Lynch,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
quartermaster,  Jacob  Rice;  surgeon,  A.  P.  Meylert;  as- 
sistant surgeon,  R.  H.  Little. 

Company  A  was  recruited  at  Scranton,  Companies  B 
and  C  at  Pittston,  and  D  and  G  at  Wilkes-Barre.  Com- 
pany A  was  mustered  in  on  the  26th,  B  on  the  23d,  C  on 
the  27th,  and  D  on  the  22nd  of  April,  1861.  The  mem- 
bership of  these  companies  is  shown  by  the  following  list: 


COMPANY    A. 


Officers. — John  Bradley,  captain;  Sylvester  Shively, 
first  lieutenant;  John  E.  Force,  second  lieutenant;  Free- 
man J.  Coisier,  first  sergeant;  Charles  Russell,  second 
sergeant;  William  H.  Miller,  third  sergeant;  Joseph  A. 
Dixon,  fourth  sergeant;  William  H.  Dixon,  first  corporal; 
Edward  G.  Kichline,  second  corporal;  Philip  W.  Cool, 
third  corporal;  Norman  R.  Coe,  fourth  corporal;  Rufus 
Walten,  Bernard  Elbert,  musicians. 

Privates. — Abraham  Bittender,  Charles  W.  Bitzenberg- 
er,  Nelson  Betron,  William  Burke,  Chauncey  Bennett, 
George  Brink,  Jeremiah  Briggs,  Edwin  J.  Burr,  Isaac 
Cornell,  Murt  Cunningham,  Theodore  B.  Combs,  Mark 
Croll,  Patrick  Cassiday,  Michael  F.  Connor,  David  Carey. 
Jonhson  A.  Cornwall,  Samuel  Day,  John  Delacey,  Wil- 
liam Derr,  John  Decker,  Andrew  Dyer,  Elijah  Detrick, 
Walter  H.  Ellis,  Jacob  W.  Evans,  George  W.  Fell,  John 
R.  Hanyon,  Preserved  S.  Hall,  James  Hinckley,  John 
Hetherby,  Stephen  Haly,  Ulysses  W.  Hutchinson,  Nelson 
Haggarty,  Walter  R.  Hopkins,  Sylvester  Hinckley,  Harry 
L.  Knoor,  George  L.  Kater,  Alfred  W.  Leteer,  Fletcher 
Line,  Joseph  M'Daniel,  Irvin  M'Mustrie,  John  M'Cor- 
mick,  Dennis  M'Carty,  Patrick  Malone,  John  W.  Mar- 
shall, Conrad  Miller,  Nicholas  Miller,  Alexander  Neely, 
Isaac  Pierce,  Owen  Phillips,  George  Parker,  Watkins 
Powell,  Noel  B.  Parker,  William  Patter,  Oliver  R.  Ross, 
Stephen  Remaly,  Wesley  Remaly,  Levi  Roushy,  Charles 
Stetler,  Samuel  Stetler,  Barton  Senburg,  George  E.  Shafer, 
Levi  D.  Westfall,  George  A.  Wolcott,  Hiram  White,  Rufus 
Walters. 

COMPANY    B. 

Officers— Kw\^oxi'j  Brown,  captain;  Andreas  Frey,  first 
lieutenant;  George  Dick,  second  lieutenant;  Henry 
Teufel,  first  sergeant;  Charles  Aicher,  second  sergeant; 
Joseph  Kaiser,  third  sergeant;  Leo  Steuer,  fourth  ser- 
geant; Albert  Feist,  first  corporal;  Joseph  Steuer,  second 
corporal;  John  Kolb,  third  corporal;  Herman  Kaspar, 
fourth  corporal;  Anthony  Wallinger,  William  Eshelman, 
musicians. 


=0=^^ 


ir^ 


-^\ 


FIFTEENTH   REGIMENT,  COMPANIES  C,   D  AND  G. 


103 


Privates. — Samuel  Barry,  Lewis  Bauslier,  Ephraim 
Clauser,  Robert  Dowd,  Ferdinand  Durve,  Frederick 
Dresde,  Edward  Dames,  Joseph  Eisenstein,  William 
Egensen,  Adam  Engraff,  John  N.  Fass,  John  Martin 
Fritz,  William  H.  Faethr,  Rudolph  Feist,  Adam  Ferne- 
kees,  Michael  Flad,  John  Filling,  Jacob  Fisher,  Henry- 
Fullmer,  Elbridge  Gerald,  Frederick  Gruneberg,  Conrad 
Grab,  John  Gobel,  Peter  Gambel,  Andreas  Hilbert,  Fred- 
erick Holman,  Reinhold  Hummel,  Jacob  Kienzle,  Otto 
Kaiser,  Charles  Kessler,  George  Kunzelmnn,  John  Keller, 
Tobias  Kelber,  Peter  Kretz,  Valentine  Klingler,  William 
Kieffer,  Joseph  Louse,  Israel  Merehenter,  Christian 
Marsh,  Irvin  Morton,  Jacob  Matter,  Samuel  Matter, 
Nicholas  Morse,  Philip  Mishlish,  Joseph  H.  Marshall, 
Adam  Massholder,  Henry  S.  O.  Neils,  Lewis  Ott,  Noah 
Parks,  George  B.  Parsons.  Frederick  Roser,  John  Rader, 
Joseph  Rupple,  Jacob  Reizel,  Daniel  Shanz,  Jacob  Shazle, 
John  Schmidt,  John  Stark,  Frederick  Sholl,  Jacob  M. 
Shmidt,  John  Sholl,  James  R.  Shmidt,  Jacob  Wolf,  Ed- 
ward Wedle,  David  Willard,  Felix  Wolf. 

COMPANY   c.  - 

Officers. — Christian  Robinson,  captain;  Frederick  Wei- 
chel,  first  lieutenant;  Charles  Robinson,  first  lieutenant; 
William  Stein,  second  lieutenant;  John  R.  Jones,  jr,  sec- 
ond lieutenant;  Anthony  Ferres,  second  sergeant;  Charles 
Croner,  third  sergeant;  Adam  Pantle,  fourth  sergeant; 
Lewis  J.  Gratz,  first  corporal;  Joseph  Mehlbaum,  Second 
corporal;  William  Locher,  third  corporal;  Frederick 
Wagner,  fourth  corporal;  Frederick  Berger  and  Jacob 
Engel,  musicians. 

Privates. — Matthew  Breithaupt,  William  Bechtold, 
George  Birkel,  Frederick  Biel,  Adam  Bon,  Robert  Camp- 
bell, Michael  Duvrick,  Charles  Erhard,  Charles  Elm, 
Frederick  Emrich,  Christian. Emrich,  Henry  Faller,  Wil- 
liam Frantz,  Henry  Frasch,  Ellis  Futtere,  Barnabas 
Ganther,  Frederick  Goehrs,  Peter  Gimnich,  John  Hatchen, 
P.  and  C.  Hartman,  Peter  Hess,  John  Hoffman.  Owen  Han- 
cock, Charles  Houseman,  Sylvester  Harrman,  Adam  Koch, 
John  Kammer,  Philip  Kleinman,  Delos  P.  Kapp,  William 
Korr,  Frederick  Kunzelman,  Charles  Lennich,  Frederick 
Lewis,  Charles  Miller,  Nicholas  Miller,  George  Moser, 
Griffith  Morris,  Charles  Neuffer,  Charles  Nessle,  John 
Niemayer,  Casper  Newcomer,  Charles  Pontius,  Jacob 
Reipert,  Jacob  Rosar,  William  Roehm  ist,  William 
Roehm  2nd,  Jacob  Reper,  Gustavus  Rifford,  Christian 
Schuter,  Philip  Schneider,  Philip  Schweitzer,  Joseph 
Schremsen,  Henry  Stahl,  William  Schmitt,  Peter  Schnei- 
der, Matthew  Schneider,  Francis  Schmitt,  Frederick 
Teufel,  Patrick  Thomas,  Daniel  Weinig,  Charles  Worth, 
Frederick  Wagner,  George  Wachtle,  Charles  Weisgarber, 
Morris  Zwick,  Charles  Zang. 

COMPANY    D. 

Officers. — Solomon  Strumer,  captain;  Daniel  Dobra, 
first  lieutenant;  Jacob  C.  Holm,  second  lieutenant;  Mar- 
cus K.  Bishop,  first  sergeant;  John  Gebhart,  second  ser- 
geant; George  Schaffer,  third  sergeant;  Nicholas  Smith, 
fourth  sergeant;  Rudolph  Smaltz,  first  corporal;  The- 
ophilus  H.  Stees,  second  corporal;  James  Evans,  third 
corporal;  Frantz  Gebhart,  fourth  corporal;  William 
Fuegline  and  Charles  Richter,  musicians. 

/'/-/mto.— Alexander  Anderson,  Lewis  Brand,  Amos 
Boyer,  Peter  Borer,  Irving  Berr)',  George  Berner,  Fred- 
erick Badenstelt,  John  Bfund,  Charles  Cluss,  Christian 
Capp,  John  Chatham,  Daniel  Chubb,  Philip  Chubb,  Mi- 
chael Dorsh,  John  Dippre,  Jacob  Drum,  Alexander  Dick, 
Philip  Engert,  John  Engelman,  Anthony  Fisher,  Charles 
Ferguson,  William  Fenner,  Henry  Gobert,  Sydney  W. 
Glace,    Peter    Hushback.    Henry    Hushback,    Ferdmand 


Hess,  Godfried  Hither,  Peter  Kratch,  John  Konrad, 
Nicholas  Lobshier,  Michael  Lifler,  George  T.  Leebrick, 
Cyreneus  Murray,  David  P.  Miller,  .Anthony  Minden- 
dorfer,  William  M'Donald,  George  W.  Nevels,  Stephen 
Oswald,  Charles  Phafley,  Edward  Reman.  Charles  Ru- 
beck,  Julius  Rhote,  James  Ryeon,  Christian  Schmuck, 
Jacob  Silks,  George  Specht,  lllrich  Spalinger,  Frantz 
Schibel,  Edward  Scholl,  James  Smith,  Lewis  Schweitzer, 
John  Steiner,  Dr.  John"  Steiner,  Conrad  Stouter,  John 
Tritchler,  Nebmiike  Vollman,  Melton  Weigner,  Hermas 
Weeke,  Jacol)  Wolf,  John  E.  Will,  Paul  Wentzel,  Thoman 
Young,  Jacob  Zimmmerman. 

COMPANY    G. 

Officers. — Thomas  Magovern,  captain  ;  Thomas  A. 
Nichols,  first  lieutenant;  Alexander  Phillips,  second  lieu- 
tenant; John  Eskings,  first  sergeant;  Richard  W.  Jack- 
son, second  sergeant;  George  S.  Kilhorn,  third  sergeant; 
David  Garbet,  fourth  sergeant;  John  Magar,  first  corporal; 
James  Philliijs,  second  corporal;  Jesse  B.  Scott,  third 
corporal;  Lewis  Woodniff,  founh  corporal;  Warner  W. 
Pins  and  Hiram  Foster,  musicians. 

Privates. — William  .Astings,  Josiah  Bios,  Leonard  Bron- 
son,  Peter  Barber,  Patrick  Burke,  Albert  Brown,  Henry 
C.  Bopst,  John  Cunningham,  William  Clave,  Paul  Cool, 
Halley  Compton,  George  Chamberlain,  Patrick  Cahil, 
Allen  Cassidy,  Dennis  Carannagh,  William  Carroll,  Nelson 
M.  Davenport,  Richard  Dairs,  George  Deckins,  David 
Davis,  jr.,  Evan  Evans,  Luke  Gram,  John  Gratton,  Wil- 
liam Griffiths,  David  Griffiths,  George  Given,  Abraham 
Hantz,  Edward  Hollern,  Ispac  Hontz,  Ebenezer  Jones, 
Dwight  Jones,  John  Jones,  Isaiah  Jones,  William  Jenkiiis, 
Edward  Kiterick,  Samuel  M.  Kaufman,  Enoch  Lloyd, 
William  Lynch,  Asbury  Lucas,  Michael  Mooney,  William 
Morgan,  Edward  Morgan,  Jiimes  Mickle,  Anthony 
M'Dermot,  John  M'Gee,  Henry  Miller,  David  M'Gahen, 
Alexander  Palmatory,  William  Reese,  Paul  Rimple,  John 
Roberts,  Edward  Smith,  John  Smith,  Andrew  Scott, 
James  Smith,  Edward  Sheldon,  Stephen  Simes,  John 
Shanghey,  Jeremiah  Thomas,  Dilton  Taylor,  Thaddeus 
Wagner,  George  VVelsli,  Charles  Walker,  George  Wolff. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


I.UZF.RNE      IN      THE      CIVIL      WAR THE     TWENTY-EIGHTH 

REGIMENT. 


,  HIS  regiment  was  raised  by  John  W.  Geary,  a 
distinguished  citizen,  and  veteran  of  the  Mex- 
ican war,  who  was  its  colonel,  and  who  was 
finally  promoted  to  the  position  of  major 
leral,  and  in  1867  and  1870  elected  governor  of 
the  State.  It  consisted  of  fifteen  companies,  of 
which  Companies  A  and  N  were  recruited  in  Lu- 
zerne county.  The  regiment  was  first  uniformed  and 
equipped  at  the  expense  of  Colonel  Geary. 

Authority  was  given  to  raise  this  regiment  in  June, 
1861,  and  on  the  27th  of  July  the  colonel  with  ten  com- 
panies went  forward  to  Harper's  Ferry,  leaving  the  other 
five  to  follow  when  full.  The  disaster  at  Bull  Run  had 
rendered  this  haste  necessary. 


August  13th  the  regiment  moved  to  Point  of  Rocks, 
and  engaged  in  picket  duty  along  twenty-five  miles  of 
the  frontier,  on  the  Potomac.  The  disloyalty  of  the  in- 
habitants was  such  that  a  picket  post  was  required  every 
four  hundred  yards,  and  the  utmost  watchfulness  was 
necessary  to  prevent  treasonable  communications.  In 
the  latter  part  of  September  the  rebels  attacked  Point  of 
Rocks,  but  were  repulsed.  In  October  the  colonel  with 
a  part  of  the  regiment  crossed  into  Virginia  to  seize  and 
carry  away  a  quantity  of  wheat,  and  when  about  to  re- 
turn they  were  attacked  by  a  large  force  and  a  spirited 
fight  ensued.  The  enemy  were  repulsed  with  considera- 
ble loss.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  same  month  the  com- 
mand went  forward  to  participate  in  the  actioii  at  Ball's 
Bluff.  During  three  months  the  regiment  was  on  duty 
along  the  Potomac,  and  had  frequent  skirmishes  with  the 
enemy.  In  the  latter  part  of  February,  1862,  it  crossed 
to  Harper's  Ferry,  drove  the  enemy  from  Bolivar  Heights, 
crossed  the  Shenandoah  and  drove  the  rebels  from  Lou- 
don Heights;  then  pushed  forward  to  Lovellsville,  Water- 
ford  and  Leesburg,  which  General  A.  P.  Hill  abandoned 
on  the  approach  of  Colonel  Geary's  force,  and  which  was 
occupied  by  the  Union  troojjs.  From  Leesburg  the 
command  advanced  to  Snickerville,  Upperville,  Ashby's 
Gap,  Rectortown,  Piedmont, 'Markham  and  Front  Royal. 
Returning  to  Snickerville  the  force  was  joined  by  a  por- 
tion of  the  28th  that  had  been  left  at  Leesburg.  They 
then  marched  successively,  fighting  occasionally,  to  Phile- 
mont,  Middlebury,  White  Plains,-  Thoroughfare  Gap, 
Greenwich,  Catlett's  Station,  Warrentown  and  White 
Plains;  and  for  some  time,  till  about  May  ist,  guarded 
and  repaired  the  Manassas  Railroad. 

April  25th,  Colonel  Geary  was  commissioned  brigadier 
general  of  volunteers,  and  was  succeeded  as  colonel  by 
Lieutenant  ColoneL  De  Korponay.  Major  Tyndall  was 
made  lieutenant  colonel,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Cap- 
tain Ario  Pardee,  jr.  The  28th  was  soon  afterward,  or 
about  the  17th  of  May,  attached  to  the  command  of 
General  Geary,  and  its  subsequent  history  is  so  closely 
.  connected  with  that  of  his  brigade  that  to  give  it  fully 
would  require  a  history  of  all  the  movements  of  that 
brigade.  It  was  attached  to  the  corps  of  General  Banks 
at  the  time  of  the  retreat  from  Virginia,  and  was  engaged 
in  the  battle  of  Antietam.  It  also  took  part  in  the  battles 
of  Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg. 

In  September,  1864,  the  nth  and  12th  corps  wsrt  or- 
dered to  join  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  From  this 
time  forward  the  28th  was  attached  to  the  army  of  Gen- 
eral Sherman,  and  participated  in  many  battles,  which 
cannot  even  be  enumerated  here  for  want  of  space.  In 
November,  1864,  with  the  rest  of  Sherman's  army,  it 
made  the  famous  "  march  to  the  sea."  After  doing  duty 
about  a  month  in  Savannah,  it  started  across  the  Caro- 
linas,  which  was  the  severest  part  of  the  march  from  At- 
lanta. As  is  well  known,  the  surrender  of  Lee  and 
Johnston  concluded  the  fighting  of  the  war;  and  the  regi- 
ment was  mustered  out  of  the  service  on  the  i8th  of 
July,  1865. 

During  its  service  of  four  years  it  lost  about  as  many 


men  as  were  originally  on  its  muster  roll.  It  is  said  that 
it  was  as  often  engaged  as  any  regiment  in  the  service, 
but  that  it  never  permitted  any  kind  of  property  belong- 
ing to  it  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  One  major 
general  and  three  brigadiers  were  furnished  by  it  ;  among 
the  latter  was  Ario  Pardee,  jr. 

The  terra  of  enlistment  of  this  regiment  was  three 
years.  All  the  members  of  Company  N  remaining  in  the 
service  until  October  28th,  1862,  were  transferred  at  that 
date  to  Company  C  of  the  r47th  Pennsylvania  vol-unteers. 
The  first  date  given  in  the  following  roll  is  that  of  muster- 
in,  and  as  the  year  is  1861,  except  in  case  of  recruits,  it 
need  not  be  repeated.  The  regimental  officers  and  men  of 
Company  A,  where  not  otherwise  mentioned,  were  mus- 
tered out  with  the  regiment  July  18th,  1865: 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — John  W.  Geary,  June  28;  promoted  brigadier 
general  U.  S.  volunteers  April  25,  1862;  wounded  at 
Bolivar,  Cedar  Mountain  and  Chancellorsville;  promoted 
major  general  Jan.  12,  1865.  Gabriel  De  Korponay,  June 
28;  promoted  from  lieutenant  colonel  to  colonel  April 
25,  1862;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  March  26, 
1863.  Thomas  J.  Ahl,  July  11;  promoted  from  captain 
Company  H  to  colonel  March  15,  1863;  resigned  March 
18,  1864.  John  Flynn,  July  1;  wounded  at  Gettysburg 
July  3,  1863,  and  at  North  Edisto  river,  S.  C,  Feb.  12, 
1865;  promoted  lieutenant  colonel,  Dec.  12,  1863;  to 
colonel  June  9,  1864;  brevet  brigadier  general  May  13, 
1865;  discharged  Nov.  3,  1865;   veteran. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — Hector  Tyndale,  June  28;  pro- 
moted lieutenant  colonel  Apr.  25,  1862;  wounded  at  An- 
tietam, Sept.  17,  1862;  promoted  brigadier  general  volun- 
teers Nov.  29,  1862;  discharged  Mar.  18,"  1863.  James 
Fi.tzpatrick,  June  28;  promoted  major  Mar.  27,  1864; 
lieutenant  colonel  Aug.  9,  1864;  wounded  at  Antietam 
Sept.  17,  1862;  at  Mill  Creek  Gap  May  8,  1864. 

Majors. — Ario  Pardee,  jr.,  June  28;  promoted  major 
Nov.  I,  lt86i;  lieutenant  colonel  147th  regiment  October 
9,  1862.  William  Raphail,  July  3;  promoted  major,  July 
I,  1862;  resigned  Jan.  15,  1863.  Robert  Warden,  July 
28;  promoted  major  Apr.  25,  1862;  died  at  Winchester, 
Va.,  June  30,  1862.  Lans'd  F.  Chapman,  July  6;  pro- 
moted major  Jan.  22,  1863;  killed  at  Chancellorsville 
May  3,  1863.  Jacob  D.  Arner,  July  6;  promoted  major 
June   I,  1865. 

Adjutants. — Samuel  Goodman,  Oct.  15;  promoted  to 
adjutant  Nov.  13,  i86i;  discharged  Aug.  3,  1864;  brevet 
captain,  major,  lieutenant  colonel  and  colonel.  Mar.  13, 
1865.  Henry  Cheesman,  July  11;  promoted  adjutant 
July  28,  1864;  discharged  Feb.  8,  1865.  William  S.  Wit- 
ham,  July  2;   promoted  adjutant  June  i,  1865. 

Quartermasters.— ^tx\.]2cm:m  F.  Lee,  June  28;  resigned 
Sept.  10,  1862,  to  accept  commission  as  captain  and  A. 
C.  S.  John  F,  Nicholson,  June  28;  promoted  from  com- 
mission sergeant  to  quartermaster  Sept.  lo,  1862;  brevet 
captain,  major  and  lieutenant  colonel,  Mar.  13,  1862. 

Surgeons. — H.  Ernest  Goodman,  July  23;  transferred 
to  U.  S.  V.  as  assistant  surgeon,  to  date  Feb.  26,  1864; 
brevet  colonel  and  surgeon  in  chief.  Army  of  Georgia. 
Wilham  Altman,  Dec.  17,  1862;  promoted  surgeon,  May 
8,  1864. 

Assistant  Surgeons.— ^3.m\x€i  Logan,  June  28:  resigned 
Oct.  3,  1862.  William  M.  Dorland,  Aug.  i,i862-  re- 
signed Nov.  27,  1862.  John  H.  MuUin,  Oct.  15,  1862; 
resigned  Apr.  17,  1863.  William  F.  Smith,  June  3,  1863; 
promoted  surgeon  Dec.  23,  1864,  and  transferred  to  73d. 
Abin'H.  Light,  May  23,  1864. 


=^^ 


^h 


COMPANY  A,  TWENTY-EIGHTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


i°S 


Chaplains. — Charles  W.  Heisley,  Nov.  i;  resigned  July 
i8,  1863.     N.  B.  Critchfield,  May  22,  1864. 

Sergeant  Majors. — James  C.  Smith,  June  28;  promoted 
sergeant  major,  Aug.  i,  1864;  ist  lieutenant  Company  C 
2Sth  Pa.,  July  8,  1865.  Thomas  Monroe,June  28;  promoted 
sergeant  major  Aug.  i,  1864;  ist  lieutenant  Company  C 
July  7,  1865.  Samuel  F.  McKce,  June  28;  i)romoted  ser- 
geant major  July  20,  1861;  adjutant  147th,  Dec.  i,  1862. 
Thomas  McCune,  July  i;  promoted  sergeant  major  Sept. 
10,  1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  26, 
1863.  Michael  B.  Devine,  July  i;  promoted  sergeant 
major  Feb.  26,  1863;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Aug.  14,  1863.  Edward  D.  Foulke,  July  6;  promoted 
sergeant  major  Dec  i,  1863;  reduced  to  ranks  and 
transferred  to  Company  D  Aug.  1,  1864.  R.  A.  Kerri- 
hard,  June  28;  promoted  sergeant  major  Aug.  15,  1863; 
killed  at  Taylor  Ridge,  Ga.,  Nov.  27,  1863. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Wesley  Hamilton,  July  i; 
promoted  quartermaster  sergeant  Apr.  8,  1865.  David 
B.  Hilt,  July  20;  promoted  quartermaster  sergeant  July 
20,  r86i;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Aug.  17, 
1862. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — Albert  J.  Watt,  July  i;  pro- 
moted commissary  sergeant  Sept.  i,  1863.  J.  H.  Lippin- 
cott,  June  21;  promoted  commissary  sergeant  Sept.  10, 
1862;  transferred  to  Company  B,  Sept.  i,  1863. 

Hospital  Stewards.— V .  S.  C.  Hough,  July  11;  promoted 
hospital  steward,  Nov.  24,  1863.  James  Kemble,  July 
24;  promoted  hospital  steward  July  24,  1861;  discharged 
Nov.  24,  1862,  and  promoted  hospital  steward  U.S.  A. 


COMPANY  A. 


Officers  {mustered  in  June  2Z,  1861). — Captains — Ario 
Pardee,  jr.,  promoted  major  twenty-eighth  regiment 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  Nov.  i,  1861.  James  Fitz- 
patrick,  promoted  captain  Jan.  i,  1862  ;  major  Mar.  27, 
1864;  veteran.  James  Silliman,  jr.,  promoted  from  cor- 
poral to  first  sergeant  July  i,  1861  ;  second  lieutenant 
Jan.  I,  1862  ;  first  lieutenant  July  i,  1862  ;  captain  Aug. 
16,  1864.  First  lieutenant — George  Marr,  promoted  first 
sergeant  July  12,  1863;  first  lieutenant  Oct.  i,  1864. 
Second  lieutenant.s— John  Gorman,  resigned  Dec.31,  1861. 
Isaiah  B.  Robinson,  promoted  from  sergeant  Jan.  i,  18O2; 
killed  July  20,  1864,  at  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Ga.  William 
Airey,  promoted  corporal  Jan.  i,  1863  ;  sergeant  July 
12,  1863  ;  first  sergeant  Oct.  r,  1864  ;  second  lieutenant 
June  I.  1865.  First  sergeants— Smith  Durst,  promoted 
corporal  Jan.  i,  1863  ;  sergeant  July  12,  1863  ;  first 
sergeant  June  i,  1865.  Samuel  F.  M'Kee,  promoted 
sergeant  major  twenty-eighth  regiment  Pennsylvania 
volunteers  July  20,  t86i.  Sergeants— George  W.  Ed- 
dinger,  wounded  ;  promoted  corporal  Feb.  i,  1863;  ser- 
geant Jan.  1,1864,  Patrick  M'Shay,  promoted  corporal 
Jan.  1,  1863;  sergeant  Oct.  i,  1864.  William  H.  Wolf, 
promoted  corporal  Jan.  i,  1864;  sergeant  Feb.  i,  1865. 
George  Burt,  wounded  ;  promoted  sergeant  June  i,  1865. 
William  M'Donald,  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Jan.  16,  1863.  Robert  A.  Kerrihard,  promoted  sergeant 
major  twenty-eighth  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers 
Aug.  15,  1863.  Thomas  Monroe,  wounded  at  Chancel- 
lorsville  ;  promoted  sergeant  major  twenty-eighth  regi- 
ment Pennsylvania  volunteers  Aug.  1,1864;  veteran. 
John  B.  Lockhart,  died  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  Dec.  11, 
1862.  Robert  I.  Carter,  died  July  12,  1863,  at  Philadel- 
phia, of  wounds  received  at  ChancellorsviUe.  William 
Wylie,  died  at  Philadelphia  Nov.  26,  1862.  Archibald 
Nesbit,  promoted  sergeant  Sept.  30,  1862  ;  mustered  out 
July  2,  1864.  Corporals— Dennis  Laughlin,  Joseph  H 
Cornet,  William  H.  Doak  and  James  Shirey,  promoted 
corporal  Jan.  i,  1864.  Thomas  Karley,  promoted  cor- 
poral Oct.  I,  1864.     Henry   Hembach,   Feb.   26,    1864  ; 


promoted  corporal  Feb.  i,  1865.  Alexander  W.  Self- 
ridge,  discharged  Feb.  28,  1862,10  receive  commission  as 
second  lieutenant  Comp;iny  H  forty-sixth  regiment  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers.  Beriah  Pratt,  discharged  for 
wounds  Nov,  29.  1S62.  Williani  W.  James,  discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  7,  1862.  AVilliam  P.  Cort- 
right,  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Jan.  15.  1863. 
William  Horn,  discharged  Feb.  19,  1863,  for  wounds 
received  at  Antietam.  James  C.  Smith,  promoted  ser- 
geant major  July  r,  1865  ;  veteran.  Musicians — Frank 
Harkins,  Feb. "9,  1S64.  Frederick  Spoh-.i,  promoted  prin- 
cipal musician  Sept.  14,  1862.  William  F.  Simpson, 
promoted  second  principal  musician  Mch.  r,  1864.  John 
R.Young,  Feb.  14,  1865  ;   deserted  June  20,  1865. 

Privates. — John  Anderson,  Jan.  26,  1864.  Henry 
Albert,  Feb.  14,  1865.  Phineas  W.  Ash,  June  28  ;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  29,  1862.  Samuel 
Armpriester,  Aug.  29,  1864  ;  discharged  by  general  order. 
May  23,  1865.  jose])h  Aclniff,  Mch.  3,  1865;  discharged 
by  general  order,  May  23,  1865.  James  Alwell,  Nov.  7, 
1864;  discharged  by  general  order.  May  23,  1865.  An- 
thony Albert,  Feb.  14,  1865  ;  deserted  June  20,  1865. 
Edwin  M.  Alsfield,  Feb.  13,  1865  ;  discharged  by  general 
order.  May  23,  1S65.  Amos  Buzzard,  Feb.  15,  1865. 
Isaac    Buzzard,  Feb.    14,  1865.     George  Bachman,   Feb. 

14,  1865.  Jacob  R.  Black,  Mch.  2,  "1865.  Charles  F. 
Brong,  Mch.  g,  1865.  John  Barringer  and  Isaac  Barrin- 
ger,  Dec.  22,  1864  ;  drafted.  Josiah  Buzzard,  Feb.  14, 
1865  ;  mustered  out  Aug  9,  1865.  Christian  F.  Bender. 
Feb.  20,  1865  ;  mustered  out  July  14,  1865.  Henry  W. 
Beers,  June  28  ;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate,  Jan. 

15,  1863.  John  Brennan  and  Henry  E.  Brown,  discharg- 
ed on  surgeon's  certificate,  John  Brown,  June  28;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate.  Jesse  Beahra,  June  28, 
discharged  July  20,  1864.  Francis  Barker,  Aug.  11,  1816; 
1864  ;  discharged  by  general  order,  June  2,  1865.  Patrick 
Boyle,  lune  28;  deserted  July  17,  1862.  Burton  Bur- 
well,  Feb.  14,  1865;  discharged  by  general  order,  May 
23,  1865.  John  Behrens,  June  28;  absent,  in  arrest,  at 
muster  out  ;  veteran.  Joseph  N,  Conklin,  Feb.  14,  1865. 
Henry  Collins,  Feb.  17,  1865  ;  absent,  sick,  at  muster 
out.  Thomas  Cunningham  and  John  Campbell,  June 
28,  1861  ;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  Reuben  Claywell, 
June  28;  killed  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  1862.  Daniel 
Campbell,  June  28;  deserted  June  29,  1863;  returned 
April  ir,  1865.  Hugh  Dolan,  June  28.  Eugene  Durst, 
Jan.  22,  1864.  Paul  Deer,  Feb.  14,  1865.  John  F. 
Decker,  June  28;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate, 
Feb.  28,  1863.  Abraham  Depue  and  Eli  Dout,  June  28, 
1861;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  George  H.  Dunham, 
Feb.  24,  1864  ;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate,  June 
30,  1865.  John  Dean,  June  28;  died  May  18,  1863,  of 
wounds  received  at  ChancellorsviUe.  William  H.  Drake, 
Feb.  16,  1865;  discharged  by  general  order.  May  23, 
1865.  George  Eike.  Feb.  24,  1864.  Peter  Fox,  Feb.  25, 
1864.  Christopher  Fagan,  June  28;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate;  date  unknown.  Peter  Fagen,  June  28; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  t8,  1863.  Charles 
Furry,  June  28;  discharged  Mch.  4,  1863,  for  wounds 
received  at  Antietam.  James  Fowler  and  Nicholas  Faich- 
ter,  June  28,  i86i',  discharged  July  20,  1864.  John 
Fatkins,  June  28;  transferred  to  sixth  regiment  U.  S. 
cavalry,  Nov,  r,  1862.  John  W.  Funk,  Feb.  14,  1865; 
deserted  June  20,  1865.  James  Furlong,  Feb,  24,  1865; 
deserted.  Benjamin  F.  Godshalk,  Mch.  11,  1865;  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  out.  Jacob  Graur,  Jan.  28,  1864;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate,  July  11,  1865.  James 
Givens,  June  28;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate,Mch. 
TO,  1863.  Henry  Grow,  John  Girard  and  John  W.  Gen- 
sil,  June  28,  1861;  discharged  July  20,  1S64.  Charles 
Grum,  June   28;  wounded;  mustered    out    Aug.  8,  1864. 


^¥ 


TA 


Henry  Grum,  June  28;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863. 
Charles  Godley,  Feb.  20,  1865;  deserted  June  20,  1865. 
John  Heater,  June  28.  William  H.  Herman,  Jan.  26, 
1865.  Henry  C.  Hess,  Feb.  10,  1865.  George  W.  Houck, 
Feb.  20,  1865.  Christian  Hogland,  Feb.  14,  1865;  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  out.  John  Holler.  Harrison  Hill  and 
Jacob  Hehr,  June  28,  1861;  discharged  July  20,  T864. 
John  P.  Hay,  Feb.  14,  1865;  discharged  nn  surgeon's 
certificate,  June  8,  1865.  William  H.  Hartzell.  William 
P.  Innes  and  John  A.  Innes,  Feb.  14,  1865;  discharged 
by  general  order.  May  23,  1865.  Aaron  F.  Knauss,  Feb. 
17,  1865.  Joseph  Karns,  Dec.  22,  1864;  drafted;  mus- 
tered out  with  company,'  July  18,  1865.  Edward  Kale, 
July  25;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  William  Kortz,  June 
28;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  Ezra  H.  Kindred,  Feb. 
24,  1864;  discharged  by  general  order,  June  20,  1865. 
Andrew  Kunkle,  June  28;  killed  at  Anlietam,  Md.,  Sept. 

17,  1862.  James  l.aughlin,  Feb.  16,  1864.  John  E. 
Lerch,  Feb.  18,  1865.  Joseph  Little,  June  28;  discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  18,  1862.  Edward  Little- 
ton, July  17;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate,  June  14, 
1864.  Jacob  Lambert,  June  28;  discharged  July  20,  1864. 
George  Langham,  September  5,  1863  ;  drafted  ;  dis- 
charged for  wounds  December  3,  1864.  Theodore 
Labar,  Feb.  14,  1865;  deserted  June  17,  1865.  Isaac 
Labar,  Feb.  20,  1865  ;  deserted  June  18,  1865.  Adam 
Lehm,  Feb.  16,  1865  ;  discharged  by  general  order  May 
23,1865.  George  Mowrie,  June  28.  Barney  Maloy,  Feb. 
T2,  1862.  Robert  Monroe,  Feb.  14,  1864.  John  Magee, 
Feb.  14,  1864.  Patrick  Martin,  June  28;  wounded  at 
Chancellorsville;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  William  H. 
Moyer,  June  28;  captured  at  Gettysburg  June  3,  1863; 
discharged  July  20,  1864.  Josiah  Mowrie,  June  28; 
discharged  July  20,  1864.  Stephen  Myers,  Feb.  20,  1865; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  June  30,  1865.  Samuel 
Minig,  June  28  ;  transferred  to  i6th  U.  S.  infantry  Jan. 
23,  1862.  John  Maloney,  June  28;  killed  at  Antietam, 
Md.,  September  17,  1862.  Nicholas  Marx,  Feb.  26,  1864; 
died  at  Bridgeport,  Ala.,  May  i,  1864.  William  H. 
Morgan,  Jan.  29,  1864;  Killed  at  Pine  Hill,  Ga.,  June  15, 
1864.  Daniel  M'Geichan,  Feb.  12,  1862  ;  wounded. 
William  M'Daniels,  Feb.  14,  1865,  Alexander  M'Kech- 
ney,  June  28;  wounded  at  Antietam;  discharged  July  20, 
1864.  Henry  M'Donald,  June  28;  discharged  July  20, 
1864.  James  D.  M'Curley,  June  28;  wounded  at  Antie- 
tam; discharged  July  20,  1864.  John  M'Hoes,  Feb.  16, 
1865;  discharged  June  20,  1865.  Joseph  Nuss,  Feb. 
IS,  1865.      Joseph    Nixon,  June  28;  discharged  July  20, 

1864.  William  H.  Nixon,  Feb.  20,  1865;  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  June  27,  1865.  Patrick  O'Donnell, 
May  I,  1864;  drafted;  mustered  out  with  company  July 

18,  1865.  John  B.  Penrose  and  James  Petrie,  June  28,  186 1; 
discharged  July  20,  1864.  Martin  Pysher,  Feb.  20,  1865; 
discharged  by  general  order  June  17,  1865.  John  Petrie, 
June  28;  died  June  12,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at 
Chancellorsville.  Patrick  Quinn,  June  28;  killed  at  An- 
tietam, Md.,  Sept.  17,  1862.  Isaac  Rough.  June  28. 
William  Roseberry,  Feb.  14,  1865.  John  G.  Richardt, 
Feb.  14,  1865.  Jefferson  Rightnour,  Sept.  5,  1863;  draft- 
ed. Jacob  Rough,  June  28;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  March  28,  1863.  Jacob  Rosenstock,  June  28; 
wounded  at  Chancellorsville;  discharged  July  20,  1864. 
Robert  Roling.  James  M.  Rodenbaugh,  Feb.  13,  1865; 
discharged  by  general  order  May  23,  1865,  Washington 
H.  Smith,  June  28.  William  P.  Shaver,  Jan.  29,  1864. 
William  H.  Salmon,  Feb.  24,  1864.  Edward  N.  Smith, 
Feb.  18,  1865.  Aaron  Serfass,  March  i,  1865.  Harrison 
D.   Seiple,    Mar.    i,   1865.     Bernard  Schlenzing,  Jan.  26, 

1865.  Jackson  E.  Stoker,  Feb.  16,  1865.  William  H. 
Seip,  Feb.  13,  1865.  Samuel  Shank,  Nov.  18,  1864; 
drafted.     Solomon  Smith,  Sept.  21,  1864;  drafted.     Jos- 


eph Smith,  Nov.  4,  1864;  drafted;  mustered  out  July  14, 
1865.  Jacob  Shafer,  Jan.  10,  1865;  drafted;  mustered 
out  July  27,  1865.  John  Shiiver,  Dec.  22,  1864;  drafted; 
mustered  out  June  9,  1865.  John  Smith,  June  28;  dis- 
charged for  wounds;  date  unknown.  Daniel  Sitler,  June 
28;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  Joseph  Bonn,  June  28; 
wounded  at  Antietam;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  John 
D.  Smith.  Paul  Staub.  John  Shugart,  June  28,  1861; 
discharged  July  20,  1864.  Oscar  L.  Sprague,  Feb.  24, 
1864;  discharged  for  wounds  May  18,  1865.  William  E. 
Sprague,  Jan.  29,  1864;  discharged  for  wounds  Feb.  28, 
1865.  -Levi  L.  Smith,  June  28;  died  at  Philadelphi.i 
December  13,  1862.  Charles  Steel,  Feb.  18,  1864;  killed 
at  Dalton,  Ga.,  August  18,  1864.  Emanuel  Spatzer,  Jan. 
26,  1865;  deserted  June  17,  1865.  Emanuel  Stetler,  Feb. 
15,  1865;  deserted  June  20,  1865.  James  W.  Smith, 
June  28;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  Thomas  Tarn,  June 
28;  discharged  September  16,  1864.  James  B.  Tweedle, 
June  28;  discharged  July  20,  1864.  Anthony  Transue, 
Feb.  20,  1865;  discharged  by  general  order  May  23,  1865. 
Jacob  T.  Ultz,   Feb.  28,  1865.     Jacob  Wildman,  Jan.  29, 

1864.  Alexander  Wier,  Feb.  18,  1864.  Jacob  L.  Wal- 
ters, Feb.  14,  1865.  Prosper  Worg,  February  14,  1865. 
Thomas  Williams,  February  20,  1865.  Henry  Weaver 
and  Reuben  Washburn,  June  28,  1S61;  discharged  July 
20,  1864.  W.  H.  Whitbread,  Feb.  24,  1864;  discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate  June  6,  1865.  Herman  Walters, 
September  21,  1864;  drafted;  deserted  June  7,  1865. 
Lewis   Wilhelm,   February    14,   1865;    deserted  June   20, 

1865.  Andrew  Wilson,  March  13,  1865;  deserted 
June  20,  1865.  Samuel  R.  Yost,  June  28,  1861;  dis- 
charged March  19,  1863,  for  wounds  received  at 
Antietam. 

COMPANY    N. 

Officers. — Captain,  John  Craig,  Aug.  30.  First  lieu- 
tenants— Patrick  J.  Hughes,  Aug.  20,  resigned  Dec.  16, 
1861;  Calvin  Pardee,  Aug  30,  promoted  from  second  to 
first  lieutenant  Dec.  20,  1861.  Second  lieutenants — 
Hugh  Hyndman,  Aug.  30,  promoted  from  corporal  to 
second  lieutenant  Dec.  20,  1861,  died  Feb.  14,  1862; 
Nicholas  Glace,  Aug.  20,  promoted  from  first  sergeant  to 
second  lieutenant  Feb.  17,  1862.  Sergeants — David 
Bryan,  Aug.  20,  promoted  sergeant  Feb.  16,  1862;  John 
Kindland,  Aug.  20,  reduced  Jan.  i,  1862;  John  H. 
Kentz,  Aug.  26;  Alexander  Youngsl,  Aug.  20;  Samuel. 
Henry,  Aug.  30,  promoted  from  corporal  to  sergeant 
Feb.  14,  1862.  Corporals — John  Grubb,  John  Lindsey, 
Owen  McGovern,  John  O'Conner,  Alfred  Reiley  and 
William  T.  West,  Aug.  20;  Emmett  Sayres,  Aug.  30, 
promoted  to  corporal  Jan.  i,  1862.  Musician — N.  F. 
Dunham,  Aug.  30. 

Privates. — Samuel  K.  Austin,  John  Altmiller,  John 
Burns,  Henry  Bloomey,  Peter  Brown  and  Eugene  Ben- 
nett, Aug.  20.  Peter  Bishop,  Aug.  26.  Thomas' B.  Black, 
William  Butler,  David  Bahr  and  Jesse  B.  Carpenter,  Aug. 
30.  Bryan  Dolan,  Aug.  20.  Charles  Drum,  Aug.  26. 
Russell  De  Roemer,  Jacob  Drumheller,  Aug.  30.  Robert 
O.  Dowda,  Aug.  30;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862. 
Thomas  Edgar,  Charles  Edwards,  Wm.  A.  Eddinger, 
William  Farrow  and  William  Farmer,  Aug.  20.  Cyrus  B. 
Faux,  Aug.  26.  Lands  Frederick,  Aug.  26;  deserted  Feb. 
IS,  1862.  Aaron  Green,  Aug.  20.  Sidney  AV.  Glace,  Aug. 
26.  Andrew  Y.  Green,  Aug.  30;  transferred  to  Knap's  Pa. 
Battery  Oct.  5,  1861.  James  Hamilton,  Aug.  20;  killed 
at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862.  Aaron  Harris,  Aug.  20. 
George  Hughes,  Aug.  20;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept.  17, 
1862.  Henry  Hartman,  Aug.  26.  John  Hoover,  Aug.  26; 
killed  at  Antietam  September  17,  1862.  John  Jacobs, 
Aug.  30.  C.  Knopenberger,  Aug.  20;  wounded  at  Antie- 
tam Sept.  17,  1862.    Jacob  Kuntzman,  Aug.  20.    Warner 


<¥r 


^^ 


THIRTY-SIXTH  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


107 


Kentz,  Gus  Kemberling,  Andrew  Kresze  and  Paulin 
Kresze,  Aug.  26.  Williara  Kern,  Aug.  26;  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  June  12,  1862.  Josiah  E.  King  and 
Geo.  W.  Kemeron,  Aug.  30.  John  Lewis,  Hugh  McDon- 
ald, John  McKinley,  John  McCoriiiick  and  Patrick  Mc- 
Laughlin, Aug.  20.  Obed  McMurtrie,  Aug.  26.  Samuel 
F.  May  and  Daniel  Martin,  Aug.  20.  John  Moy,  Aug.  20; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  27,  1861. 
VVilliaiii  Major,  Hiram  S.  Miller  and  Nelson  Mellick, 
.\ug.  30.  Israel  Machessut,  Aug.  26.  Edward  Oberander, 
.^ug.  30.  Jesse  Pryor  and  John  Powell,  Aug.  20.  Lewis 
Ruty,  Aug.  20;  transferred  to  Knap's  Pa.  Battery  Oct. 
29,  i86r.  Samuel  Rough,  Shadrack  Reese,  John  Rut- 
ledge,  James  H.  Root,  Samuel  Stookey,  Owen  Smith, 
James  Smith  and  George  Spader,  Aug.  20.  Archibald  W. 
Smith,  Aug.  20;  transferred  to  Knap's  Pa.  Battery  Oct. 
29,  1861.  Lewis  Schnar,  Aug.  20.  Philip  Sebias,  Aug.  26; 
not  on  muster-out  roll.  John  Sower,  Aug.  26.  Daniel 
Swank,  Aug.  26;  died  at  Point  of  Rocks,  Md.,  Oct.  14, 
1861.  William  Steinmetz,  George  Searles  and  Edward 
Schooley,  Aug.  30.  Edward  Treble  and  William  Tanner, 
Aug.  20.  Joseph  Van  Sickle,  Aug.  26;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Jan.  20,  1862.  William  Wittick,  Aug. 
20;  discharged  April  24,  1862,  for  wounds  received  at 
Berlin,  Md.,  Dec.  14,  1861.  James  Winget,  Aug.  20;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Nov.  19,  1861.  John 
Warren  and  Robert  Webster,  Aug.  30.  August  Williams, 
Aug.  20.  John  Youngst,  Aug.  30.  William  Zacharias, 
Aug.  26. 


CHAPTER   XVIL 


LUZERNE    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR THE  36TH  AND  4IST  REG- 
IMENTS   (7TH    AND    I2TH    reserves). 


,  HE  Seventh  Reserve  regiment  was  organized 
on  the  26th  of  June,  1861,  and  Elisha  B. 
Harvey,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  was  made  colonel; 
Joseph  Totten,  of  Mechanicsburg,  lieutenant 

lonel,  and  ChaunceyA.  Lyman,  of  Lock  Haven, 

jor. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  to  Washington  on  the 
2ist  of  July,  and  on  the  27th  was  mustered  into  the  ser- 
vice of  the  United  States.  On  the  2nd  of  August  it  went 
forward  to  the  rendezvous  of  the  Pennsylvania  reserves, 
and  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  of  General  George  G. 
Meade.  From  this  time  till  October  it  was  engaged  in 
drilling  and  picket  duty.  In  the  latter  month  it  joined 
the  army  of  the  Potomac.  From  this  time  till  March, 
1863,  but  little  service  beyond  drill  was  seen.  When  the 
army  moved  forward  to  the  peninsula  in  April  the  sev- 
fnth  was  retained,  with  other  troops,  for  the  defense  of 
Washington.  In  June  they  went  forward  to  the  front 
and  became  a  part  of  the  5th  corps,  under  General  Fitz- 
John  Porter.  On  the  26th  of  June  the  battle  of  Me- 
chanicsville,  in  which  the  7th  was  engaged,  was  fought. 
The  next  day  the  battle  of  Gaines'  Mill,  in  which  the 
7th  also  participated,  took  place.  Then  followed  some 
marching  and  skirmishing,  in  which  the  regiment  was 
engaged  till  the  end  of  the  "  seven  days  "  fighting.  It 
then   marched   "by    devious    ways"  to   the  vicinity  of 


Groveton,  where  on  the  29th  and  3cth  of  August,  1862, 
the  7th  was  engaged.  Its  next  battle  was  at  South 
Mountain,  where  it  made  an  impetuous  charge,  in  which 
Colonel  Bolinger  was  severely  wounded.  At  the  battle 
of  Antietam  it  was  actively  engaged  and  lost  heavily. 
After  this  battle  it  moved  to  the  Potomac,  and  thence,  in 
the  latter  part  of  October,  to  Warrenton,  Va.  Thence  it 
went,  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  to  the  vicinity  of 
Fredericksburg,  where  on  the  nth  of  December  it  was 
desperately  engaged.  At  this  battle  it  made  its  most 
brilliant  record.  It  made  a  gallant  charge  on  the  corps 
of  Longstreet,  in  which  it  captured  more  than  a  hundred 
prisoners  and  a  battle-flag — the  only  one  taken  in  this 
action.  The  losses  of  the  regiment  in  this  action  were 
heavy. 

During  the  winter  following  the  7th  remained  in  its 
camp  near  Belle  Plain,  with  the  exception  of  a  short  time 
spent  on  what  is  known  as  the  "  mud  march."  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  it  was  transferred  from  the  field  to  the 
Department  of  Washington,  where  it  remained,  in  the 
discharge  mostly  of  provost  and  guard  duty,  during  more 
than  a  year.  In  this  time  several  changes  were  made 
among  the  field  officers,  and  Captain  L.  G.  Speese  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  major. 

In  the  latter  part  of  April  it  again  took  the  field,  and 
joined  the  army  at  about  the  commencement  of  the 
Wilderness  campaign.  In  the  course  of  the  first  action 
in  which  the  7th  was  engaged  a  large  portion  of  the  regi- 
ment was  by  one  of  the  casualties  of  war  captured,  and 
the  men  were  sent  to  the  notorious  and  infamous  prison 
pen  at  Andersonville,  Georgia,  where  they  were  starved 
during  nearly  eight  months.  Out  of  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  privates  who  were  taken  sixty-seven  died  in 
this  prison,  and  many  others  afterward  by  reason  of  their 
hardships  and  exposure  there.  The  surrender  of  the 
rebel  armies  to  Grant  and  Sherman  opened  their  prison 
doors. 

Company  F  of  the  regiment  whose  achievements  and 
sufferings  have  just  been  rcounted,  was  recruited  in  Lu- 
zerne county.  We  give  below  the  records  of  that  com- 
pany as  published  by  the  State.  The  time  of  service 
was  three  years.  In  the  roll  the  date  of  muster-in  is 
generally  omitted,  as  in  nearly  all  cases  it  was  June  13th, 
186 1 ;  in  other  cases  it  is  the  first  date  given. 

COMPANY  F, 

Officers. — Captains — Le  Grand  B.  Speese,  promoted 
major  July  25,  1863.  John  Robinson,  promoted  sergeant 
July  26,  1861;  first  sergeant  Nov.  12,  1861;  second  lieu- 
tenant August  I,  1862;  first  lieutenant  March  i,  1863; 
captain  July  20,  1863;  brevet  major  March  13,  1865; 
mustered  out  with  company  June  16,  1864.  First  lieu- 
tenants— Charles  W.  Garretson,  resigned  Aug.  11,  1862. 
James  S.  Robinson,  promoted  sergeant  July  26,  1861; 
sergeant  major  April  i,  1862;  second  lieutenant  March  i, 
1863;  first  lieutenant  July  20,  1863;  mustered  out  with 
company  June  16,  1863.  Second  lieutenants- — Charles 
A.  Lane,  resigned  July  9,  1862.  John  B.  Laycock,  pro- 
moted sergeant  July  26,  i86i;  first  sergeant  Oct.  15, 
1862;  second  lieutenant  July  20  1863;  brevet  first  lieu- 
tenant March  13,  1865;  captured  May  5,  1864;  dis- 
charged   March     12,     1865.     First    sergeants — Levi    G. 


^^ 


=^N 


McCaiiley,  promoted  first  lieutenant  Company  C  Jan.  i, 
1862.     Albert  Jones,  promoted   corporal   Jnly  26,  1861; 
first    sergeant   Aug.    15,    1862;     died   Oct.    15,    1862,   of 
wounds  received   at   Antietam  Sept.  ry,  1862.     Isaac  B. 
Tubbs,    promoted    corporal    Aug.    1862;    sergeant   Oct., 
1863;  first  sergeant  May   i,  1864;    missing   in    action  at 
Wilderness  May   5,   1864;   veteran.     Sergeants — John  S. 
Harrison,   promoted   corporal   July    26,    1861;    sergeant 
Oct.    8,     1S63;  absent,    sick,    at    muster-out.      Thomas 
Markle,  promoted  sergeant  July  26,  1861;  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  June   23,  1862.     William   Helf,  pro- 
moted corporal  Nov.  i,  1861;  sergeant  Nov.  1862;  miss- 
ing in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864;  veteran.  Jame- 
son Bells,  promoted  corporal  July  I,  1862;  sergeant  Nov., 
1862;  missing  in  action   at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864;  vet- 
eran. James  Green,  killed  at  Gaines'  Mill  June  27,  1862. 
James  S.  Haney,  Nov.  5  ;  killed   at   White   Oak  Swamp, 
June  30,  1862.      Corporals — Oliver  Gregory  ;  promoted 
corporal  Oct.   1862  ;  wounded   Dec.    13,  1862  ;  mustered 
out  with  company  June  16,  1864.     Joseph    R.   Westner  ; 
promoted   corporal  July   26,   1861  ;  discharged   Oct.  20, 
1862,  for  wounds  received  at  Gaines's  Mill,  June  27,  1862. 
Daniel  D.  Wilcox,  promoted   corporal   Sept.,    1862  ;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's    certificate    Oct.   20,    1862.     Solo- 
mon Taylor,  Sept.   14  ;  promoted  corporal  Nov.  i,  1861  ; 
discharged  Oct.  8,  1862,  for  wounds  received  at  Gaines's 
Mill  June  27,  1862.     Alfred   B.  Bowman,  promoted   cor- 
poral July  26,  1861  ;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Sept.    22,  i86i.     G.    W.   Lietington,    promoted  corporal 
Nov.,  1862  ;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864; 
veteran.     Wilson   Long,   promoted  corporal  Nov.,   1862; 
prisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec.  16,  1864  ;  discharged   Feb. 
27,  1865.     John  R.  Koons,  July  19  ;  promoted  corporal 
•Nov.  1862  ;  prisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec.  11,  1864  ;  dis- 
charged   Mch.    22,  1865.     George  W.  Holmes,  killed   at 
Gaines's  Mill,  June  27,  1862.     Ogdon  Hoffman,  killed  at 
White  Oak   Swamp   June   30,   1862.     Minor  A    Britten, 
died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  January  10,  1863,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at   Fredericksburg  Dec.    13,  1862.     Musicians — 
George  W.  Charters,   July  27  ;  discharged  on    surgeon's 
certificate   Dec.   31,  1861.     Nathan    Kleintop,   July    19  ; 
promoted  principal  musician  June  i,  1862. 

Privates. — Robert    Ackers,    discharged     on    surgeon's 
certificate   Oct.   31,   1861.     Mark  Ashworth,   discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate   Mch.  5,    1863.      Henry    Albert, 
killed  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  1862.     Hudson  Allen,  mus- 
tered out  with  company  June  16   1864.      R.  C.  Buckalew, 
mustered  out  with  company  June   16,  1864.     George  H. 
Burrows,  July  15  ;  discharged  Sept.  29,  1862,  for  wounds 
received    at  Gaines'  Mill  June  27,  1862.     Oscar  Bucka- 
lew, discharged   on   surgeon's   certificate   Oct.    17,  1862. 
William    Bryant,  discharged   Nov.  18,  1862,   for    woi;nds 
received    at    Gaines's    Mill   June    27,   1862.      James    N. 
Brown,  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Jan.  13,  1863, 
Andrew    Collins,    transferred  to   veteran    reserve  corps. 
Dec.    I,    1863.     John   W.    Caranel,   killed    at    Bull    Run 
Aug.   30,  1862.     Alexander  Dodson,  mustered   out  with 
company  June   16,   1864.     Elias    B.    Dodson,    mustered 
out    with    company    June    16,    1864.       Hiram    Detrick, 
July    15  ;    mustered   out   with   company   June    16,  1864. 
Samuel  R.  Daily,  Sept.  4,  discharged  Jan.    11,    1863,   for 
wounds  received  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1S62.     Franklin 
Daily,   jr.,   Sept.    4,   transferred    to    190th    Pennsylvania 
May  31,  1864  ;  veteran.     John  Dunmore,  Sept.  2  ;  trans- 
ferred to  190th    Pennsylvania    May    3r,    1864.      Luther 
Dodson,   prisoner  from   May   5,  1864,  to    Feb.  24,   1865; 
discharged    April   7,    1865.     Evan    B.  Dodson,  July  26  ; 
prisoner  from    May    5,    1864,    to    March    9,    1865  ;  dis- 
charged March    29,    1865.     Arch    Dunsmore,  July    26  ; 
missing  inaction    at    Wilderness   May  5,  1864;  veteran. 
John  Daily,  July  15  ;  killed  at   Antietam    Sept.  17,  1862. 


Charles   Dare,  July  15  ;  deserted  Aug.  19,  1862.     Daniel 
Edwards,    July    15  ;    discharged    February   5,    1863,  for 
wounds  received  at   Gaines's  Mill  June  27,  1862.     Alex- 
ander  Emmons,  prisoner  from    May  5  to    December   10, 
1864  ;  discharged   February  27,  1865.     Byron    Fairchild, 
transferred     to     veteran    reser\e    corps    July    15,    1863. 
Franklin  Flora,  wounded,  with  loss  of  arm  June  30,  1862  ; 
discharged  Oct.  3,  1862.     John  P.  Fell,  missing  in  action 
at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864;  veteran.     Alvin  H.  Ford,  pris- 
oner from  May  5,  1864,  to  February  26,  1865  ;  discharged 
Mch.  30,  1865.     Ransford  Fairchild,  missing  in  action  at 
Wilderness    May   5,  1854.      Daniel    Goodman,    prisoner 
from   May  5,    1864,  to    February    26,    1865  ;  discharged 
Mch.  30,  1865.     Bowman   Garrison,  captured  at  Wilder- 
ness  May  5,    1864  ;  discharged  July   16,    1864.     Samuel 
H.  Hagaman,  discharged  Oct.  24,  1862,    for   wounds  re- 
ceived at   Gaines's  Mill  June  27,  1862.     Robert   Hunter, 
Feb.  5,    1862  ;  discharged  on   surgeon's  certificate,   Jan. 
19,  18C3.     Jerome  Haleker,  transferred   to    109th    Penn- 
sylvania May  31,  1864;  veteran.     Newel  S.  Harrison,  cap- 
tured May  5,    1864;  discharged  May    11,    1865.     S.    L. 
Hagenback,  prisoner  from  May   5,  1864,  to  February  27, 
1865  ;  discharged  April  i,  1865.    Nathaniel  B.  Harrison, 
Sept.  14  ;  died  at  Harrison's  Landing,  Va.,  July  21,  1862. 
William  Hinkley,  killed  at  White  Oak   Swamp   June   30, 
1862.     Benton  L.  Huser,  deserted  Nov.    16,  1863.     Levi 
Johnson,  July  15  ;   missing  in  action  at   Wilderness    May 
5,  1864  ;  veteran.     Charles  D.  Jackson,   July   15  ;  killed 
at  Gaines'  Mill    June    27,    1862.     Andrew    Keiper,    dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  29,  1863.     Edward 
Kelly,  July    15  ;  prisoner  May   5,  1864  ;   died  at  Ander- 
sonville   Oct.    24,    7864.      Joseph    Longworth,  July    15  ; 
transferred    to    veteran    reserve    corps    Nov.     15,    1863. 
Israel  P.  Long,  Mch.  6,  1862  ;  missing  i.i  action  at  Wilder- 
ness   May    5,1864;    veteran.     William   Lape,   July   15; 
missing  inaction  at   Wilderness   May   5,    1864;  veteran. 
Reuben  Labor,  prisoner  May  5,  1864  ;   died  at  Anderson- 
ville  Oct.  to,    1864.     Samuel   W.    Long,   Sept.    14  ;  died 
July  8,  1862,  of  wounds  received  June  30,  1862.     Mervin 
O.  Matthews,  transferred  to  veteran   reserve   corps   Oct. 
7,  1863.     James  Monegan,   July  19  ;  transferred   to  vet- 
eran  reserve  corps   Dec.    15,  1863.     John    Montgomery, 
Oct.  17  ;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Jan.  8,  1863. 
William  B.  Mears,  transferred  to  190th  Pa.  May  31,  1864  ; 
veteran.     William    B.   Marshall,   Mch.    22,    18(34  ;'  trans- 
ferred  to    190th  Pa.   May  31,  1864.     Martin    L.  M'Neal, 
Sept.  13  ;  transferred  to  190th  Pa.  May  31,    1864.       Wil- 
liam R.  Monroe,  Sept.  12;  prisoner   from    May  5,    1864, 
to  Feb.    28,    1865  ;  discharged    April    i,    1865.     Bryant 
Morton,   prisoner  May  5,    1864  ;    died   at  Andersonville 
Aug.  3,  1864.     Lockwood  F.  Millard,  Feb.  26,  1863;  mis- 
sing   in    action   at    Wilderness    May    5,  1864.     Evan    B. 
Myers,  June  18;  killed  at  Gaines's   Mill   June   27,  1862. 
Samuel  Mershon,  died  Sept.  26,  1862,  of  wounds  received 
at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862.     Charles  H.  Owen,  July  18; 
missing  in   action   at  Wilderness    May  5,  1864.   "Francis 
A.  O'Dell,  July  15  ;  deserted  Nov.  26,  1862.     George  W. 
Porter,  Sept.  14  ;  discharged  Nov.  18,    1862,  for   wounds 
received   at  Antietam  Sept.  17.  1862.     Isaac   H.  Phillips, 
Sept.   24;    discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate   June    17' 
1862.     Samuel    J.    Pealor,  July    19  ;   deserted.     William 
Row,  July  15  ;  discharged  on   surgeon's  certificate   Mch. 
16,  1862.     Henry  Ridler,  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness 
May  s,  1864  ;  veteran.     George  W.  Roat,  July  15  ;  pris- 
oner from  May  5,  to  Dec.  16,  1864;  discharged  Mch.    i, 
1865.     George  Staub,  July  15  ;  transferred    to    veteran 
reserve  corps  Oct.   7,   1865.      Williim   C.   Stoner,  trans- 
ferred to  U.  S.  gunboat  service  Feb.  14,  1862.     Edwin  C. 
Seeley,  Aug.   28,   1861  ;    discharged  on   surgeon's  certifi- 
cate Oct.  9,  1862.     Josiah  Sox,  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate,  Jan  19,  1863.     Cyclare   Smallwood,   July   15  ■ 


T 


^ 


FORTY-FIRST  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


109 


prisoner  May  5,  1864  ;  died  at  Andersonville  Oct.  8,  1864; 
veteran.  Andrew  C.  Smith,  Mch.  28,  1864;  missing  in 
action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864.  Jasper  Steel,  Mcli. 
23,  1864;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864. 
Hamilton  Tubbs,  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Oct. 
31,  1861.  Charles  Tiittle,  July  15;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  May  8,  1862.  John  W.  Thomas,  Jan. 
28,  1862  ;  discharged  Sept.  4,  1863,  for  wounds  received 
at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13,  1862.  John  C.  Turner,  Sept. 
12;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864;  veteran. 
John  K.  Torbet,  prisoner  from  May  5,  1864,  to  Feb.  24, 
1865;  discharged  May  8,  1865.  Francis  Transure,  cap- 
tured May  5,  .1864;  discharged  Feb.  g,  1865.  Almon 
Woodworth,  discharged  Oct.  24,  1862,  for  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Gaines's  Mill,  June  27,  1862.  Daniel  Wood, 
July  15;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  20, 
1862.  johh  H.  Workheiser,  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Dec.  19,  1862.  Adam  Wray,  discharged  Dec. 
31,  1862,  for  wounds  received  at  Charles  City  Cross 
Roads  June  30,  1862.  Reuben  Wilson,  missing  in  action 
at  Wilderness  May  5,  1864.     Josiah  White,  deserted. 

FORTY-FIRST    REGIMENT  (TWELFTH    RE- 
SERVES). 

The  companies  composing  this  regiment  were  recruited 
for  the  three  months'  service,  but  were  not  accepted. 
They  were  mustered  into  the  State  service  as  reserves  for 
three  years,  and  organized  into  a  regiment,  which,  on  the 
17th  day  of  August,  1861,  was  muslered  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States.  They  proceeded  at  once  to  Ten- 
nallytown,  near  Washington,  where  they  were  drilled  till 
the  loth  of  October,  when  they  crossed  to  Virginia  and 
went  into  winter  quarters  at  camp  Langley.  With  the 
exception  of  the  expedition  to  Drainesville,  in  which  they 
participated,  they  remained  at  that  camp  till  March,  1862, 
when,  with  the  rest  of  the  army,  the  regiment  moved  to- 
ward Manassas.  It  was  sent  forward  to  the  Peninsula  in 
June,  and  on  the  26th  of  that  month  engaged  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Cold  Harbor.  Immediately  afterward  it  was  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  Gaines's  Mill.  For  two  or  three 
days  after  this  battle  the  regiment  suffered  intensely  from 
fatigue  and  thirst.  At  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill  this 
regiment  was  posted  on  a  height  from  which  the  fighting 
could  be  seen,  but  it  was  not  engaged.  After  remaining 
some  time  at  Harrison's  Landing  the  12th  left  the  Pe- 
ninsula and  marched  to  join  the  army  of  General  Pope. 
At  Groveton  it  was  engaged,  and  aided  in  repulsing  an 
impetuous  charge  by  the  enemy.  It  was  next  in  action 
at  South  Mountain,  and  three  days  later  at  Antietam. 
In  the  succeeding  December  it  was  again  engaged,  at 
the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  where  it  lost  in  killed, 
wounded  and  prisoners  about  one  hundred  men. 

In  February,  1863,  the  regiment,  with  its  division,  was 
ordered  to  the  defenses  of  Washington,  where  its  effective 
condition  was  greatly  improved  by  the  return  of  absentees 
and  by  promotions.  In  April  it  commenced  provost 
duty  in  the  city  of  Washington,  under  General  Martin- 
dale.  It  rejoined  the  main  army  in  June,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  and  was  present 
at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  During  the  campaign  of 
that  summer  and  autumn  the  12th  was  engaged  at  Bristoe 
Station,  Rappahannock  Station,  and  at  Mine  Run.     Dur- 


ing the  winter  of  1863-4  it  was  engaged  in  guard  and 
picket  duty  along  the  line  of  the  Orange  and  Alexandria 
Railroad,  through  a  region  that  was  infested  by  sneaking 
guerillas. 

On  the  opening  of  the  campaign  in  May,  1864,  the 
1 2th  took  the  field  again,  and  was  engaged  during  three 
days  in  the  Wilderness.  It  was  again  engaged  in  the  bat- 
tle near  Bethesda  Church,  on  the  30th  of  May.  Its  term 
of  service  expired  about  this  time,  and  it  marched  to 
Harrisburg,  where  it  was  on  the  nth  of  June  mustered 
out. 

Below  we  give  the  records  of  the  officers  of  this  regi- 
ment ;  and  also  of  company  B,  which  was  recruited 
in  Wyoming  county.  Nearly  all  the  members  of  the  com- 
pany were  mustered  in  on  the  15th  of  May,  1861,  and 
that  date  is  to  be  understood  where  no  other  is  given. 
The  first  date  that  appears  in  other  cases  is  that  of  mus- 
ter-in. Where  nothing  is  said  to  the  contrary,  the  men 
whose  records  arc  here  given  were  mustered  out  with  the 
regiment  June  nth,  1864. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — John  H.  Taggart,  July  25;  resigned  July  8, 
1862;  recommissioned  August  19,  1862;  mustered  out 
Sept.  23,  1862.  Martin  D.  Hardin,  promoted  to  lieuten- 
ant colonel  April  1,  1862;  colonel  Aug.  i,  1862;  brigadier 
general  July  2,  1864;  mustered  out  Jan.  15,  1866;  ap- 
pointed major  43d  U.  S.  infantry  July  28,  1866. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — Samuel  N.  Bailey,  July  25;  dis- 
charged March  4,  1862.  Peter  Baldy,  July  25;  promoted 
from  major  to  lieutenant  colonel  Aug.  i,  1862;  discharged 
Feb.  15,  1863.  Richard  Gustin,  June  n;  promoted  from 
captain  Company  C  to  lieutenant  colonel  April  6,  1863; 
brevet  colonel,  March   13,  1865. 

Majors. — Andrew  J.  Bolar,  July  24;  promoted  from 
captain  Company  H  to  major  July  8,  1862;  discharged 
for  wounds  received  in  action  June  30,  1864.  Charles 
W.  Diven,  June  25;  promoted  from  captain  Company  G 
to  major,  April  ig,  1864. 

Adjutants. — Theodore  M'Murtrie,  Dec.  5;  transferred 
to  veteran  reserve  corps,  Oct.  18,  1863. 

Quartermasters. — Etinee  D.  Reid,  July  25;  discharged 
and  promoted  to  captain  and  A.  C.  S.  volunteers.  James 
T.  Woodall,  Sept.  22,  1862;  promoted  from  private  to 
quartermaster-sergeant;  to  captain;  absent  on  duty  with 
provisional  regiment  in  field. 

Surgeons. — William  H.  Thome,  July  25;  promoted  to 
brigade  surgeon  April  28,  1862;  discharged  May  3,  1862. 
Isaac  J.  Clark,  April  28,  1862;  promoted  from  assistant 
surgeon  to  surgeon  May  i,  1S62;  brevet  lieutenant  colo- 
nel   March  13,  1865. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — John  B.  Crawford,  Feb.  18,  1862; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Sept.  18,  1862.  Wil- 
liam Taylor,  July  26,  1862;  resigned  Dec.  20,  1862. 
James  M.  Shearer,  April  n,  1863;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Aug  18,  1863.  Henry  A.  Grim,  Oct. 
6,  1862;  promoted  to  surgeon  34th  Pa.  April  13,  1864. 
David  R.  Beaver,  April  13,  1864. 

Chaplain. — Obadiah  H.  Miller,  June  18,  1862:  resigned 
June  9,  1863. 

Sergeant  Majors. — William  Myers,  July  24;  promoted 
to  first  lieutenant  Company  I  April  21,  1863.  Joseph 
W.  Eckley,  June  25;  transferred  to  Company  F  as  ser- 
geant Feb.  16,  1864. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — James  Loan,  June  13.  C. 
W.  Croasdale,  May  30;  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  Com- 
pany A  May  i,  1863. 


*i¥ 


4^ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


=^S 


Commissary  Sergeant. — Henry  Kraft,  Mny  15 ;  promoted 
from  private  Company  D  to  commissary  sergeant. 
Hospital  Steward. — John  Evans,  July  24. 
Principal  Musician.— ]o\va.  C.  Eckert,  July  15. 

COMPANY  B. 

Officers. — Captains-^D.  N.  Mathewson,  resigned  July 
31,  1862.  Simon  H.  Briggs,  promoted  first  lieutenant  March 
18,  1863;  captain  July  31,  1862;  brevet  major  March  13, 
1865.  First  lieutenants— John  B.  Harding,  discharged 
March  4,  1862.  John  F.  Hoadley,  promoted  first  lieu- 
tenant July  31,  1862;  brevet  captain  March  13,  1865. 
Second  lieutenants — Arthur  M.  Philips,  resigned  July  21, 
1862.  P.  H.  Reynolds,  promoted  second  lieutenant  July 
21,  1862.  First  sergeant — Martin  N.  Reynolds.  Ser- 
geants— George  Moore,  Oscar  H.  Benjamin;  Andrew  F. 
Ely,  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  2j,  1862. 
Mason  Parker,  discharged   on   surgeon's  certificate  Dec. 

30,  1861.  Charles  Johnson,  transferred  to  igoth 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  31,  1864;  veteran. 
Samuel  A.  Danner,  died  at  Washington,  D..  C,  May 
6,  1863.  Charles  A.  Meeker,  died  Oct.  30,  1862,  at 
Smoketown,  Md.,  of  wounds  received  in  action. 
Corporals — A.  H.  Wintermute,  John  Shingler,  Milton 
Moyer,  J.  C.  Reynolds;  Porter  Squires,  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  Jan.  i,  1862;  Merritt  S.  Harding, 
wounded,  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  27, 
1863;  George  Fetzer,  wounded,  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Jan.  28,  1863;  Levi  B.  Knowls,  transferred 
to  battery  A,  43d  Pennsylvania  volunteers  April  6,  1862; 
Alexander  Morgan,  died  at  Camp  Pierpont,  Va.  Dec. 
3,  1861;  James  C.  Keeney,  died  at  Harrison's  Landing, 
Va.,  July  22,  1862.  Musicians — Lewis  C.  Miller,  War- 
den Reynolds,  Christian  C.  Eckert. 

Privates. — C.  Arnold,   L.  V.  Armstrong,  William  And- 
rews, transferred   to   igoth  Pen.isylvania  volunteers  May 

31,  1864;  veteran.     Samuel  Arnold,  discharged   on   sur- 
geon's   certificate   May    20,    1862.     Silas    Aunrick,    dis- 
charged  on    surgeon's   certificate   Dec.   15,  1862.     C.  C. 
Bennigan,  absent  at  muster-out.     Warren  Barber,  trans- 
ferred to    190th   Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  31,  1864; 
veteran.     Robert  Blakeslee,  discharged  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate June  27,  186 r.     Alonzo  H.  Beebe,  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  15,   1862;  John   Bonno,    trans- 
ferred to  190th  Pennsylvania  volunteers   May   31,  1864. 
James  Bailey,  died   at  Acquia  Creek,  Va. ,  Dec.  i,  1862. 
Harvey  Corbey.  William  Croupe,  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  March  6,  1862.     Charles  L.  Card,  transferred 
to  2nd  U.  S.  cavalry  May  31,    1864;  prisoner   from  Aug. 
19,  1864,  to  Feb.   22,   1865;    discharged   Feb.    27,    1865. 
Asher  Cook,  transferred   to   190th   Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers May  31,  7864.  Absalom  Crawford,  died  at  Freder- 
icksburg of  wounds  received   Dec.    13,    1862.     John   H. 
Davis,  Joseph  Dellenger,  Thomas  Davis.  Elihu  Dymond, 
discharged    on     surgeon's    certificate'   April     21,    1862. 
John  Dressier,  killed  at  White  Oak  Swamp  June  30,  1862. 
Henry  W.  Dean,  killed  at  South  Mountain  Sept.  14,  1S62. 
Isaiah    Evans,   May   30,    1861;  discharged   on   surgeon's 
certificate  Jan.  i,  1863,     John  C.  Eckert,  June  15,  1861; 
promoted   principal   musician   July  31,  1863.     Lyman  J. 
Freeman.     Sidney   Freeman.     Squire   B.    Fisk,   Nov.  21, 
1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate   May  24,  1862. 
William    Fox;  transferred    to    U.    S.    artillery    Nov.    24, 
1862.     James    B.    Fisk,    Mar.    31,    1864;  transferred    to 
[90th    Pennsylvania   volunteers    May    31,    1864.     James 
Gillespie,    Feb.    7,    1862;    transferred  to  190th   Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers  May  31,  1864;  veteran.    Patrick  Gannon; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  2,  1862.     Edwin 
P.  Gardner,  Nov.  21,  186 1;  died  at  Philadelphia  April  5, 
[862.     Edward    House'.     Jasper   Hoadley.      Charles   F. 
Harvey;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  4, 1862. 


Frederick    Hinkley;  discharged    on    surgeon's  certificate 
Oct.  15,  1862.     Albert  Hadsall;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Oct.  it,  1862.     Oran  Hinkley;  discharged  on 
surgeon's   certificate   Oct.  15,  1862.     James  C.  Hastings; 
transferred    to    190th    Pennsylvania  volunteers   May  31, 
1864;  veteran.     William   Hastings,    Aug.  2,  1862;    trans- 
ferred to   190th   Pennsylvania    volunteers   May  31,  1864. 
John   Hastings,  Aug.  2,  1862;  transferred  to  190th  Penn- 
sylvania  volunteers    May   31,  1864.     James  N.  Herbert, 
Aug.  2,  1862;   transferred  to    190th    Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers  May   31,  1864.     Joseph    Hess;  killed   at    Spottsyl- 
vania  Court-house   May  8,  1864.     James  Hedden;  killed 
at  White   Oak   Swamp   June   30,  1862.     Fuller  A.  John- 
ston.    James   Jones,    Nov.   30,    i86t;  transferred  to  vet- 
eran reserve  corps  Feb.  19,  1864.     John  H.  Jaquis,  Mar. 
19,  1864;  transferred    to    rgoth    Pennsylvania  volunteers 
May   31,    1864.     William    Langley.     Francis    J.  Leppo; 
discharged    on     surgeon's     certificate    Sept.     30,     1861. 
George  Labarr;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb. 
23,  1863.     Francis  J.  Lathrop;  discharged   on   surgeon's 
certificate  May  21,  1862.     James   F.  Linthurst,  June   15, 
1861;  discharged   on   surgeon's   certificate  April  g,  1863. 
David  R.  Lerch,  June   15,  1861;  transferred   from   Com- 
pany  K  July   20,   1862;  never   reported.     Theodore  H. 
Luckey,   Mar.  2g,  1864;    transferred    to    igoth   Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers  May  31,  1864.     Martin  Morgan.     Calvin 
Moore.     John   M'Cord.     John   H.  Mullison;  transferred 
to  igoth  Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  31,  1864;  veteran. 
Minor  Moyer;  transferred   to   igoth  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers May  31,  1864;  veteran.     Reuben  M'Sherrer;  trans- 
ferred to  6th    United  States  cavalry  Nov.  2,  1862.     John 
Moyer,    transferred    to    igoth    Pennsylvania    volunteers 
May  31,  1864.     Jacob   Moyer;  died  of  wounds  received 
at  Fredericksburg  Dec.  13,  1862.     Jacob  Maynard;  died  - 
of  wounds  received  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862.     Thomas 
May;  deserted  Jan.  15,  1862.     Noel   Harrison;   deserted 
July    2,    1863.     Thomas  J.   Osterhout.     Mason    Parker, 
Mar.  25,  1864;  transferred  to  igoth   Penn.sylvania  volun- 
teers May  31,  1864.     Marvin    Potter,  Nov.  7,  1861;   died 
of  wounds  received  at  White   Oak  Swamp  June  30,  1861. 
Warren   Parrish;  died   at  Georgetown,    D.   C,    Feb.    10, 
1862.     Harrison   Patrick;  missing  in  action  May  9,  1864. 
Frederick  R.  Puckner,  June  15,  1861;  deserted  Sept.  28, 
1862.     Rensselaer  Ross.    Alexander  Rageon;   discharged 
on   surgeon's   certificate   Nov.  24,  1862.     Jesse  Rauden- 
bush;  discharged   on  surgeon's  certificate  Aug.  20,  1862. 
Patrick   Roon;  deserted  May  12,  1863.     Jacob  R.  Shot- 
well.     Cyrus   H.    Smeed.     John  Sly.     William  E.  Stark. 
Daniel  Shumber.     Sydney  Schooley;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's   certificate    Jan.    15,    1862.     William  H.  Sanders; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  July  18,  1862.     John 
H.  Snyder,  June  15,  1861;  transferred  to  igoth  Pennsyl- 
vania   volunteers     May    31,     18C4;    veteran.       Norman 
Sprague,  Nov.  21,  186 1;  transferred   to   igoth   Pennysyl- 
vania  volunteers  May  31,  1864;  veteran.     James  Shaffer, 
Mar.  31,  1861;  transferred  to  190th  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers  May  31,   1864.     Floyd  F.  Sprague,  Mar.  10,  1864; 
transferred    to    190th    Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  31, 
1864      Joseph  B.  Sprague,  Mar.  18,  1864;  transferred  to 
igoth    Pennsylvania    volunteers    May    31,    1864.     T.    S 
Stansburry,  Mar  2,  1861;  transferred   to    igoth   Pennsyl- 
vani  volunteers   May  31,  1864.     Roger   S.   Searle;  trans- 
ferred  to   33d    Pennsylvania    volunteers   July  21,   1861. 
Wilham   Stonier;  died   at   Camp   Pierpont,  Va.,  Nov.  iSJ 
1861;    buried    in    military    asylum    cemetery.       William 
Stoey;  died  at  Camp  Pierpont,  Va.,  Nov.  21,  i86i.     Wil- 
liam Stager;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Mechanicsville 
June  27,   1862.     George   K.   Thompson;  discharged  on 
surgeon  s  certificate  Sept.  24,  1862.     William  Thompson; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Nov.  22,  1862      James 
Taylor,  Nov.  21,  i86i;  discharged  on   surgeon's  certifi- 


^ 


*f= 


4 


FORTY-SIXTH   PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


cate  Oct.  27,  1862.  Morris  Toome/;  transferred  to 
190th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  31,  1864;  veteran. 
Perry  L.  Taylor,  Mar.  3r,  1864;  transferred  to  igoth 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  31,  1864.  Harvey  Tiffa- 
ney,  Mar.  18,  1864;  transferred  to  Tgoth  Pennsylvania 
volunteers  May  31,  1864.  Charles  A.  Thompson;  died  at 
Camp  Pierpont,  Va.,  Nov.  3,  1861.  Charles  Terry;  de- 
serted July  2,  1863.  Edward  Vaannauker;  deserted 
Aug.  10,  1861.  Thomas  C.  Woods,  June  15,  1861.  Al- 
muda  Wilbur.  Orlando  Wright.  James  Wilson;  trans- 
ferred from  Company  K  July  20,  1862;  never  reported. 
George  W.  Wagoner;  transferred  to  5th  U.  S.  artillery, 
Nov.  24,  1862;  Conrad  Wisemiller,  June  15,  1861;  died 
Dec.  28,  1862,  of  wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg  Dec. 
13,  1862.  Frederick  Waugh,  Aug.  10,  1861.  Sanford 
Wandall;  prisoner  from  April  8  to  May,  1864. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 


LUZERNE    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR HISTORIES  OV  THE  FORTY- 
SIXTH    AND    FIFTIETH    REGIMENTS. 


T 


,HE  Logan  Guards,  of  Mifflin  county,  one  of 
the  first  five  companies  of  volunteers  that 
reached  Washington  on  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Rebellion,  became  Company  A  of  the 
46th  regiment.  Companies  C  and  D  also  served 
in  three  months'  regiments,  and  preserved  their 
company  organizations  in  this. 
The  46th  was  organized  September  ist,  186 1,  with 
Joseph  F.  Knipe  colonel,  James  L.  Selfridge  lieutenant 
colonel,  and  Arnold  C.  Lewis  major.  On  the  death  of 
Major  Lewis,  who  was  shot  by  a  private  of  Company  I 
soon  after  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  J.  A.  Mat- 
thews became  major. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  46th  it  was  ordered 
to  the  command  of  General  Banks,  near  Harper's  Ferry, 
and  was  assigned  to  the  ist  brigade,  General  Crawford, 
2nd  division.  General  Williams.  Camp  duty,  drill  and 
occasional  skirmishing  occupied  the  regiment  till  the  lat- 
ter part  of  February,  1862;  when,  with  the  rest  of  Banks's 
forces,  it  crossed  the  Potomac  and  occupied  successively 
Leesburg,  Charlestown,  Martinsburg  and  Winchester. 
In  an  engagement  near  Kernstown  three  companies  of 
the  46th,  under  Major  Matthews,  participated,  and  in  the 
pursuit  of  Jackson  by  Banks  the  regiment  took  an  active 
part. 

At  the  severe  and  unequal  contest  with  the  rebels  under 
Jackson  at  Winchester  the  46th  held  its  ground  for  five 
hours  without  flinching.  At  the  battle  of  Cedar  Moun- 
tain, in  August,  1862,  the  regiment  charged  three  times 
across  an  open  field,  exposed  to  a  terrific  fire  of  shot, 
shell  and  musketry,  and  only  retired  after  the  colonel, 
major  and  several  of  the  line  officers  were  wounded.  The 
46th  was  again  engaged  at  the  battle  of  Antietam,  where 
it  was  again  commanded  by  Colonel  Selfridge.  The  reg- 
iment was  next  engaged  at  Chancellorsville,  after  having 
wintered  at  Fairfax  Station  and  Stafford  Court-house. 


At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  the  regiment  was  engaged 
heavily,  but  by  reason  of  it  sheltered  ]5()sition  it  did  not 
lose  largely.  After  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  the  12th 
corps,  of  which  the  46th  was  a  part,  was  detached  from 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  sent  west.  The  first  duty 
to  which  the  regiment  was  assigned  was  guarding  the. 
Chattanooga  Railroad  througn  a  country  infested  with 
guerrillas. 

In  January,  1864,  a  sufficient  number  of  the  officers 
and  men  of  this  regiment  having  re-enlisted  to  insure  its 
continuance,  they  were  given  a  veteran  furlough.  During 
its  visit  at  home  its  ranks  were  recruited,  and  after  its 
return  it  remained  in  winter  quarters  till  the  next  May. 
In  the  campaign  that  followed  the  4Cth  was  engaged  at 
Resaca,  where,  among  others,  Lieutenant  John  H.  Knipe, 
of  Company  I,  was  killed.  It  participated  successively  in 
the  actions  at  Pumpkinvine  creek,  New  Hope  Church, 
Dallas,  Pine  Knob,  Kenesaw  Mountnin  and  Marietta,  in 
all  of  which  it  had  fourteen  killed  and  about  thirty 
wounded.  In  the  severe  fight  with  Hood  at  Peach  Tree 
Creek,  near  Atlanta,  the  46th  lost  ten  killed  and  twenty 
wounded.  In  another  action  with  Hood  near  .Atlanta  it 
lost  six  killed  and  several  wounded. 

The  regiment  had  no  severe  fighting  after  the  surrender 
of  Atlanta,  September  ist,  1864.  General  Knipe,  who 
had  been  promoted,  was  transferred  to  the  command  of 
cavalry,  and  the  46th,  under  Major  Griffith  (Colonel 
Selfridge,  whose  promotion  had  followed  that  of  General 
Knipe,  being  in  command  of  the  brigade),  went  on  its 
march  through  Georgia  and  the  Carolinas,  after  which  it 
commenced  its  march  homeward.  It  was  mustered  out 
July  i6th,  1865. 

Company  I  of  the  forty-sixth  was  recruited  in  Luzerne 
county,  and  we  give  below  a  synopsis  of  the  records  of 
its  members,  together  with  a  similar  statement  in  regard 
to  the  regimental  officers.  The  first  date  given  is  that  of 
muster-in;  where  not  otherwise  stated,  each  man  was 
mustered  out  with  the  regiment,  July  i6th,  1865. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — Joseph  F.  Knipe,  Aug.  i,  186 1;  promoted 
brigadier  general  Nov.  29,  1862.  James  L.  Selfridge, 
Aug.  8,  1861;  promoted  from  lieutenant  colonel  to  colonel 
May  10,  1863;  brevet  brigadier  general  March    16,  1865, 

Lieutenant  Colonel. — William  L.  Foulk,  Aug.  26,  1861; 
promoted  from  captain  Company  B  to  lieutenant  colonel 
June  7,  1863;  on  detached  duty  from  Feb.  3,  1864,  to 
July  29,  1865  ;  mustered  out  by  special  order  July  29, 
1865. 

Majors. — Arnold  C.  Lewis,  Aug.  17,  1861;  killed  Sept. 
22nd,  1861.  Joseph  A.  Matthews,  Sept.  27,  1861;  pro- 
moted colonel  128th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  Nov.  i,  1862. 
Cyrus  Strouse,  Sept.  4,  1861;  promoted  from  captain 
Company  K  Nov.  i,  1862;  killed  at  Chancellorsville,  Va., 
May  2,  1863.  Patrick  Griffith,  Sept.  16,  1861;  promoted 
from  private  to  second  lieutenant  Sept.  16,  1861;  captain, 
Feb.  15,  1862;  major,  Aug.  i,  1863;  captured  at  Cedar 
Mountain,  and  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  1865. 

Adjutants. — George  W.  Boyd,  Sept.  17,  i86i;  resigned 
Oct.  14,  1862.  William  B.  Weber,  Aug.  14,  1861;  pro- 
moted to  captain  Company  A  Feb.  ii,  1863,  L.  R.  Whit- 
man, May  I,  1862;  promoted  from  sergeant-major  Feb. 
12,  1863;  died  Aug.  6,  1864,  of  wounds  received  at  Peach 


<^ 


IP. 


Tree  Creek,  Ga.,  July  20,  1864.  Joseph  H.  M'Carty, 
Aug.  24,  1862;  promoted  from  private  to  adjutant  Aug. 
12,  1864. 

Quartermasters. — George  B.  Cadwalader,  Aug.  30,  1861; 
promoted  assistant  quartermaster  U.  S.  volunteers  July 
8,  1863.  Levi  Tice,  Aug.  17,  1861;  promoted  from  pri- 
vate to  quartermaster  sergeant  Dec.  19,  1862;  quarter- 
master, April  I,  1864. 

Surgeons. — Lavington  Quick,  Aug.  26,  1861;  promoted 
brigade  surgeon  Jan.  21,  1862.  Daniel  Holmes,  Jan.  21, 
1862;  resigned  March  6,  1862.  ^Villiam  C.  Rodgers,  Aug. 
29,  1861;  resigned  May  19,  1863.  George  P.  Tracy, 
July  4,  1863. 

Assistant  Surg£07is. — John  B.  Caover,  Nov.  13,  1862; 
promoted  surgeon  70th  Pennsylvania  vohinteers  Dec.  10, 
1862.  George  W.  Burke,  Aug.  i,  1862.  James  B.  M'Don- 
ough,  Jan.  27,  1863. 

Chaplains. — John  A.  Rubolt,  Sept.  10,  i86t;  resigned 
Nov.  30,  1861  Charles  Strong,  Jan.  14,  1862;  resigned 
Sept.  24,  1862. 

Sergeant  Majors. — Charles  B.  M'Carty,  Jan.  13,  1864; 
promoted  sergeant  major  Feb.  12,  1863.  Thomas  B. 
Gorman,  Aug.  17,  1861;  promoted  first  lieutenant  Com- 
pany H  Feb.  I,  1862.  George  Elberty,  Aug.  20,  i86i; 
transferred  to  Company  A  April  7,  1862.  L.  R.  Whit- 
man, May  I,  1862;  promoted  adjutant  Feb.  12,  1863. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — James  F.  Duncan,  Sept.  2, 
1861;  promoted  from  commissary  sergeant  April  15,  1864; 
lieutenant  Company  A  July  15,  1865;  not  mustered; 
veteran.  Orlando  J.  Reese,  Sept.  12,  1861;  promoted 
second  lieutenant  Company  H  Dec.  19,  1862.  John  M. 
Martin,  Sept.  r,  186 1;  discharged;  date  unknown.  Levi 
Tice,  Aug.  17,  1861;  promoted  quartermaster  April  i, 
1865. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — James  Bray,  January  13,  1864; 
promoted  commissary  sergeant  April  12,  1864;  veteran. 
D.  H.  Chesebro,  Sept.  12,  i86r;  promoted  captain  Com- 
pany G  Nov.  I,  1863. 

Hospital  stewards. — Charles  Newman,  Sept.  2,  186 1; 
promoted  hospital  steward  Nov.  i,  1862;  veteran.  Adam 
Gillett,  Sept.  4,  1 861;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Oct.  3,  1862. 

Musicians. — Jonathan  Ocker,  Nov.  30,  1863;  transfer- 
red from  Company  A  Aug.  i,  1864;  veteran.  B.  C.  Zim- 
merman, Sept.  4,  1861;  transferred  from  Company  K 
Aug.  31,  1864;  veteran. 

COMPANY    1. 

Officers. — Captains — Richard  Fitzgerald,  Oct.  31,  1861; 
discharged  February  15,  1862.  Patrick  Griffith,  Sept! 
16,  186 1 ;  promoted  major  August  i,  1863.  John  Care, 
Oct.  31,  1861;  promoted  from  ist  lieutenant  to  captain 
Aug.  17,  1863;  resigned  June  10,  1864.  Joseph  Matchett, 
Aug.  17,  1861;  promoted  from  1st  lieutenant  of  Company 
C  to  captain  July  17,  1864.  First  lieutenants — George 
W.  Boyd,  Sept.  17,  186 1;  promoted  adjutant  Sept.  17, 
x86i.  John  H.  Knipe,  Aug.  24,  1862;  promoted  from 
private  Company  B  Aug.  5,  1863;  died  of  wounds  received 
at  Resaca,  Ga.,  May  15,  1864,  Robert  Young,  Oct,  31, 
i86i;  promoted  frotn  sergeant  to  lieutenant  Jan.  15,  1863 
to  ist  lieutenant  Nov.  12,  1864;  mustered  out  May  15, 
1865,  by  order  of  the  war  department.  Second  lieuten- 
ants— John  Auglun,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  Feb.  15, 
1862.  Samuel  Chambers,  Oct.  13,  1861;  resigned  Jan. 
22,  1863.  Peter  Van  Kirk,  July  27,  1864;  promoted  to 
sergeant  Oct.  10,  1862;  to  2nd  lieutenant  fuly  27,  1864. 
First  sergeants — Lewis  C.  Eakman,  July  14,  1863; 
drafted;  promoted  to  corporal  Sept.  10,  1863;  to  sergeant 
Sept.  I,  1864;  to  ist  sergeant  June  8,  1865;  com- 
missioned ist  lieutenant  July  15,  18C5;  not  mustered. 
Michael  J.  Plawley,  Oct.  13,  1861;  mustered  out  Sept.  18, 


.4 


1S64;   expiration   of    term.     John  E.   M'Carty,   Aug.   29, 
1862;  discharged  June  8,  1865,  by  general  order.     Oliver 
B.  Simmons,   Mar.  i,  1862;  promoted   2nd   lieutenant   of 
company  D  October  g,  1862.     Sergeants — Jeremiah  Ryan, 
Jan.  13,  1864;  promoted  corporal   Nov.  10,  1863;   to  ser- 
geant Sept.  I,  1864;  veteran.    Uriah  Kern,  July  13,  1863; 
drafted;  promoted  corporal   April  i,  1864;  sergeant   Nov. 
I,  1864.     James  M.  Bigler,  Feb.  29,  1864;  promoted  cor- 
poral   Sept.    I,    1 864;    sergeant    Nov.    i,    1864.      Hugh 
Quinan,  Jan.  13,  1864;  promoted  corporal    Nov.  i,  1864; 
sergeant  June  8,  1865;  veteran.   John  Burke,  Oct.  31,  1861: 
mustered  out  Sept.  18,  1864;  expiration  of   term.     M.  F. 
O'Rourke,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certifi- 
cate Feb.  9,  1863.     Charles  Hesslcy,  Oct.  37,  1861;  killed 
at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862.     Corporals— Anthony   Coyle, 
Jan.  13,  1862;  promoted  corporal  November  29,  1863;  vet- 
eran.    John  D.  Leclere,  July  13,  1863;  drafted;  promoted 
corporal  Sept.    i,   1864.     Wm.    T.    Smith,  July  13,  1863; 
drafted;    promoted    coporal    Nov.     i,     1864.      Thomas 
M'Lane,  Mar.  9,  1864;  promoted  corporal   Nov.  i,  1864; 
Henry  S.   Kern,   July  13,   1863;   drafted;   promoted   cor-! 
poral  Nov.  i,  1864.     Geo.  W.  Arnold,  Mar.  9,  1864;  pro- 
moted  corporal   Nov.    i,    1864.     Henry   Booth,  Jan.  13. 
1864;    promoted    corporal    June    8,    1865.     William     h! 
Booth,  Mar.  31,  1864;  promoted  corporal   June  8,  1865. 
Henry    Schlepe,    Oct.    31,  1861;   mustered  out   Sept.  18, 
1864;  expiration   of  term.     Patrick  Clark,  Oct.  31,  1861; 
mustered  out  Sept.  18,  1864;  expiration  of  term.     James 
Kevlin,  Oct.  31,  1861;   mustered   out   Sept.  18,  1864;  ex- 
piration  of  term.     Richard   Mallory,  Oct.   31,  1861;  dis- 
charged  on    surgeon's   certificate   Oct.  10,  1862.     Henry 
Runge,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Mar.    II,   1863.     John    Homer,  July   14,   1863;    drafted; 
discharged  by  general  order  June   8,  1865.     Musician.?— 
Henry  E.  Gould,  Oct.  31,  1861;  deserted   Dec.   30,  1862 
Lyman    Moore,  Feb.    17,    1S64;   prisoner  from    May  28 
1864,  to   May   22,1865.     John   M'Comb,    Oct.  31,  1861' 
mustered  out  Sept.  18,  1864;  expiration  of  term. 

Privates.— }o\-,n  Ammann,  Feb.  3,  '64.  J.  Anderson, 
Feb.  20,  61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar 
22,  -65  Peter  Awe,  July  14,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  by 
general  order  May  26,  '65.  John  Bates,  Feb  23  '64 
Wm.  Ballentine,  Mar.  8,  '64.  Henry  G.  Barnes,  Feb.  14 
65.  John  Burkey,  July  13,  '(>y.^  drafted.  John  Ballen- 
tme,  July  14,  '63;  drafted.  Henry  Blystone,  July  13  '6v 
James  Barrett,  Oct.  31,  '61;  drowned  in  dam  No  e' 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  canal,  Feb.  9,  '62.  Jacob  Bowman,' 
Feb.  10^ '64;  died  Aug.  17,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at 
Peach  Tree  Creek,  Ga.  Anthony  Burke,  Jan.  13,  '64-  died 
of  wounds  received  at  Bentonville,  N.  C,  March  i9'i86s- 
veteran.  Israel  Bush,  July  13,  '63;  drafted;  died' Sept! 
26,  63.  Charles  Bushell,  Oct.  31,  '61;  died  Aug.  19,  '62, 
of  wounds  received  at  Cedar  Mountain,  Va  ,  Auo-  6  '62 
Patrick  Burke,  Oct.  31,  '61:  deserted  December  30!  '62' 
Leander  Bush,  July  13,  '63;  substitute;  prisoner  from 
Feb.  6  to  May  6,  '65.  Henry  Cannavan,  Jan.  13  '64-  vet- 
eran. jTohn  Clark,  Oct.  31,  '61;  mustered  out  Sept.  18,  '64- 
expiration  of  term.  Patrick  Cassidy,  Oct.  31  '6i-  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  18,  '63  Thomas 
Corcoran  Oct.  31,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Oct.  25  62.  Barney  Cain,  Sept.  16,  '63;  substitute;  dis- 
charged by  general  order  May  30,  1865.  Patrick  Cain, 
Uct^i3,  61;  transferred  to  vetern  reserve  corps  Geo 
W.  Crowj  Aug.  I,  %y^  transferred  to  vetern  reserve  corps 
Oct.  14,  64^  Wm.  Coughlan,  Oct.  31.  '61;  deserted  Aug. 
'^'  V  ./?'"  Carrigan,  Oct.  31,  '61,  deserted  Aug. 
17,  62;  Michael  Clark,  Oct.  31,  '61;  deserted  June  30, 
/V^  i"*"'!.'  Calhoun,  Oct.  31,  '61;  missing  in  action 
at  Cedar  Mountam,  Va.,  Aug.  9,  '62.  John  D.  Clary, 
Mar.  17,  64;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Henry  Dickey 
Mar.  3,  64.     M.  A.   Dowling,  Sept.    16,  '63;   substitute! 


<¥r 


■^H= 


COMPANY   I,  FORTY-SIXTH    PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


"3 


James  Duncan,  July  13,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  by  gen- 
eral order  May  22,  '65.  Patrick  Devine,  Oct.  31,  '61; 
transferred  to  veteran  corps.  Henry  Davis,  Mar.  9,  '64; 
killed  at  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Ga.,  July  29,  '64.  George 
H.  Etter,  Sept.  17,  '62;  killed  at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  '62. 
James  Frederick,  July  13,  '63;  drafted.  Peter  Flynn, 
Oct.  31,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  9, 
'62.  Silas  Fisher,  Sept.  16,  '63;  substitute;  discharged 
by  general  ordeif  April  25,  1865.     Benjamin  Fullum,  July 

23,  '6;};  substitute;  discharged  by  general  order  April  27, 
'65.  John  M.  Freeburn,  Feb.  29,  '64;  wounded  at  Dallas 
Gap,  Ga.,  May  25,  '64;  discharged  by  general  order  May 
17,  '65.  Harvey  Fullerton,  July  15,  '63;  drafted;  died  at 
Kelly's   Ford,  Va.,  Sept.    8,  1863.     Alex.  G.  Frank,  Feb. 

24,  '64;  died  July  23,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Atlanta, 
Ga.  James  Fox^,  Oct.  13,  '61;  deserted  January  25,  '63. 
John  Fisher,  Oct,  13,  '61  ;  deserted  August  17,  '62. 
Martin  Gouldin,  Jan.  12,  1864;  veteran.  Nathaniel  Good- 
rich, Mar.  7,  1864.  Joseph  Gloegle,  July  9,  1863;  drafted; 
wounded  at  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Ga.,  July  20,  1864;  absent 
in  hospital  at  muster  out.  Paul  F.  Graham,  July  14, 
1863;  drafted;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Jan.  8, 
1864.  Daniel  K.  Grim,  Sept.  16,  1863;  drafted;  deserted 
November  19,  1864;  returned  May  10,  1865;  discharged 
May  11,  1865.  Martin  Goughan,  Oct.  31,  186 1;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Aug.  i6,  1862.  James 
Grier,  Oct.  30,  i86i;  deserted  June  9,  1862.  Franklin 
•D.  Houk,  Jan.  4,  1864.  Patrick  Hamaker,  Feb.  9,  1864. 
John  C.  Harman,  July  13,  1863;  drafted.  Rudolph  Ha- 
berstick,  Aug.  3,  1863;  substitute.  William  Holloran, 
Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged   on   surgeon's   certificate    Feb. 

25,  1863.  John  Harrigan,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  Mar.  15,  1863.  Patrick  Hearty,  Oct. 
31,  r86i;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  9,  1S62. 
James  Hay,  Mar.  8,  1864;  deserted  July  i,  1865.  Wil- 
liam J.  Johnston,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Mar.  31,  1863.  William  Johnson,  Jan.  13, 
1864;  deserted  Feb.  9,  1865;  veteran.  George  R.  Koonts, 
Dec.  12,  1863.  James  F.  P.  Kelley,  Mar.  3,  1864.  David 
Koonts,  July  23,  1864;  substitute;  wounded  in  action 
May  15,  1864;  absent  in  hospital  at  muster  out.  John 
Kevlin,  Mar.  24,  1864;  discharged  by  general  order  July 
to,  1865.  Jacob  G.  Keener,  Feb.  3,  1864;  deserted  June 
23,1865.  Edmund  J.  Lehr,  Feb.  I,  1865.  John  Lavery, 
Sept.  16,  1863;  drafted.  Jos.  Loudermilch,  Mar.  16, 
1864;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Isaac  Lyter,  Sept.  14, 
1864;  discharged  by  general  order  June  8,  1865.  John 
Lanehan,  Oct.  31,  1861;  executed  for  the  murder  of 
Major  Lewis  Dec.  23,  1861.  Samuel  A.  Leclere,  Sept. 
16,  1863;  drafted;  died  at  Savannah,  Ga.,  June  22,  1865. 
Edward  Lee,  July  14,  1863;  substitute;  deserted  Sept. 
30,  1864.  Michael  Leonard,  Aug.,  1861;  not  mustered 
into  United  States  service.  William  H.  Morton,  Feb.  27, 
1864.  Martin  Maughin,  Jan.  13,  1864;  prisoner  from 
Aug.  9  to  Sept.  13,  1862,  and  from  May  2  to  May  15, 
1863;  veteran.  Daniel  Murphy,  April  12,  1864;  wounded 
in  action  July  20,  1864;  absent  in  hospital  at  master  out. 
John  Metzger,  Sept.  14,  1864;  discharged  by  general 
order  June  8,  1865.  William  Malone,  July  14,  1863; 
substitute;  died  at  Goldsboro',  N.  C,  Mar.  27,  1865. 
John  Millan,  Oct.  31,  1861;  deserted  Sept.  30,  1862. 
Thomas  Martin,  Oct.  31,  1861;  deserted  Aug.  11,  1862. 
PatrickMullin,  Oct.  31,1861;  deserted  Jan. 19, 1862.  Owen 
McLaughlin,  Mar.  31,  1864;  veteran.  Dennis  McSwee- 
ney,  July  13,  1863;  drafted.  James  A.  McL.iin,  Sept.  13. 
1863;  drafted;  discharged  by  general  order  June  5,  1865, 
Peter  McGonegal,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Oct.  16,  1862.  Adam  McCulIough,  July  11, 
1863;  drafted;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb. 
13,  1864.  Thomas  McKennon,  Feb.  24,  1864;  deserted 
May  IT,  1864.     Robert  McTigert,  Oct.  ij,  1861;  not  on 


n^ 


muster-out  roll.     Elijah  J.  Newton,   Jan.  4,  1864.     John 
H.  Newton,  Jan.  4,  1864.     Charles  Newton,  Mar.  9,  1864; 
prisoner  from  March  3  to  March  30,  1865;  discharged  by 
general  order  June  29,  1865.     William  H.  Neill,  July  13, 
1863;    drafted;    discharged   by  general    order   June    21, 
1865.     James   Oliver,   Oct.    13,    r86i;    deserted    July   i, 
1862.      Patrick   Ore,   Oct.    13,    1861;    deserted    Dec.  30, 
1862      David    I.  Potts,  July  12,  1862;  drafted.     Thomas 
Painter,   July   13,    1863;  drafted.      Peter   C.  Powell,  Oct. 
31,  1861;    mustered  out  Sept.    18,    1864;     expiration    of 
term.     William,  Parham,   Oct.   31,    1861,    discharged   on 
surgeon's    certificate    Feb.    21,    1863.     William    Phillipi, 
July  16,  1863;  substitute;  died  Aug.  11,  1864,  at  Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn.     Matthew  T.  Rankin,  July  13,  1863;  drafted. 
Patrick  Reap,  Jan.  13,  1S64;  veteran.     George  W.  Shad- 
dow,    Mar.    4,    1864.       William    Singer,    Feb.    20,    1864. 
Martin  Swart?.,  Mar.  8,  1864;  veteran.      William  Stivison, 
July   13,   1863;    drafted.     Robert   K.    Stuchall,   July   13, 
1864;  drafted.     John  Shriner,  Feb.  10,  1864;  discharged 
by  general   order  Sept.    13,    1865.     George  W.  Sweigard, 
Feb.  22,  1864;  discharged  by  general  order  July  24,  1865. 
John    Sullivan,   Oct.  31,   1861;    discharged   on   surgeon's 
certificate;    date    unknown.      Robert    Stewart,    July    13, 
1863;  substitute;  died  June  8,  1864,  of  wounds  received 
at  Derherd,  Tennessee.     David  B.  Singer,  Feb.  28,  1864; 
died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Aug.  7,  1864.     John  Shields, 
Oct.  3r,   1861;    died  of  wounds  received  at  Resaca,  Ga., 
May  15,    1864.     John   Slonoski,  Oct.  13,  1861;  deserted. 
Charles  Stewart,  Sept.  16,  1861;  substitute;  deserted  Jan. 
10,    1864.      Wash.   Wilhelm,    July   13,    1863;    substitute. 
Michael   Walsh,   Oct.  31,  1861;    mustered   out   Sept.    18, 
1864,  expiration  of    term.     Wm.    H.  Weamer,  July   13, 
1863;  drafted;    discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  June 
2,  1865.     Patrick  Whalon,  Oct.  31,  1861;    discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate.     Thomas   R.  Wimer,  July  13,  1863; 
drafted;  died  at  Kingston,  Ga.,  Aug.  17,  1864.     William 
Whiting,  Oct.  13,  1861;  deserted  Aug.  31,  1862.     William 
I.  Wright,   Feb.   24,    1864;    missing  in   action  at   Gulp's 
Farm,  Ga.,.  June  22,  1864.     Joseph  Young,  Dec.  12,  1863; 
wounded  in  action  July  20,  1864;  absent  in   hospital  at 
muster  out.     JamesYoung,  Oct.  31,  1861;  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate.     C  Zimmerman,  Feb.  23,  1864. 

FIFTIETH  REGIMENT. 

Company  I  in  this  regiment  was  recruited  in  Luzurne 
county.  The  regiment  was  organized  September  2Sth, 
1861,  with  Benjamin  C.  Christ  as  colonel.  It  proceeded 
to  Washington  on  the  2nd  of  October,  and  thence  to 
Annapolis  on  the  9th.  On  the  19th  it  embarked  on 
transports,  and  after  a  perilous  voyage,  in  the  course  of 
which  one  of  the  vessels  came  very  near  being  lost,  it 
landed  and  went  into  camp  on  Port  Royal  island.  In 
December  the  regiment  went  to  Beaufort,  which  place  it 
was  the  first  to  occupy.  Here  in  its  first  skirmish  it 
drove  the  enemy  from  the  island.  On  the  ist  of  Janu- 
ary the  regiment  was  in  its  first  engagement,  at  the  battle 
of  Coosaw,  where  a  partially  constructed  fort  was  taken 
and  destroyed. 

May  29th  the  regiment,  with  a  section  of  artillery  and 
two  companies  of  cavalry,  went  to  Pocotaligo  to  assist  in 
a  demonstration  on  Charleston.  Six  companies  of  the 
regiment  accomplished  the  perilous  feat  of  Crossing  a 
bridge  from  which  the  plank  had  been  removed,  on  the 
stringers,  under  fire,  driving  the  enemy  from  his  position  on 
the  opposite  side  and  replanking  the  bridge,  thus  enabling 
the  entire  force  to  cross.     Captain  Parker,  who  led  these 


15 


*4h 


114 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


companies,  was  killed.  July  12th  the  regiment  was  or- 
dered from  Beaufort  to  Fortress  Monroe,  where  it  became  a 
part  of  General  Burnside's  (9th)  corps,  and  marched  to  the 
support  of  General  Pope,  on  the  Rapidan.  At  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run  it  was  engaged  on  both  days  of  the  fight, 
but  most  severely  on  the  second.  The  men  recollected 
with  pride  that  in  every  encounter  they  drove  the  enemy. 

On  the  ]St  of  August  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Chantilly,  where  General  Stevens,  who  was  in 
command  of  the  division  to  which  it  was  attached,  was 
killed.  On  the  14th  of  September  it  participated  in  the 
battle  of  South  Mountain,  where  it  aided  in  a  charge  that 
drove  the  enemy  from  the  field.  Its  next  engagement  was  at 
Antietam,  where  it  lost  seven  killed.  Although  present 
at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  in  December,  it  was  not 
actively  engaged. 

Some  time  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  the  regi- 
ment went  with  the  9th  corps  to  Kentucky  and  subse- 
quently, by  way  of  Cincinnatti  and  Cairo,  to  Vicksburg. 
After  the  fall  of  that  place  it  was  attached  to  General 
Sherman's  army,  and  was  engaged  in  the  action  for  the 
occupancy  of  Jackson,  Miss.  In  August  the  regiment  re- 
turned to  Kentucky,  where  the  health  of  the  men,  who 
had  suffered  greatly  from  malaria,  was  recruited  and  sick 
absentees  returned.  In  October  the  50th,  with  the  rest 
of  the  brigade  commanded  by  Colonel  Christ,  went  to 
assist  in  repelling  a  force  of  the  enemy  which  had  come 
into  East  Tennessee  from  Virginia,  and  was  engaged  in  a 
battle  by  which  they  were  driven  back.  Soon  after  re- 
turning to  Knoxville  they  went  forward  again  to  check  an 
invasion  of  the  State  by  General  Longstreet,  but  were 
driven  back.  In  the  latter  part  of  November  the  regi- 
ment assisted  in  repelling  an  assault  on  the  defenses  of 
Knoxville,  and  on  the  5th  of  December  the  siege  was 
raised  and  the  rebel  army  retreated,  followed  by  the  joth 
among  other  troops.  It  pursued  the  enemy,  occasionally 
skirmishing  with  the  rear  guard,  as  far  as  Blaine's  cross 
roads.  Here  the  regiment  encamped,  and  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1864,  about  three  hundred  of  the  men  re-enlisted. 
After  a  painful  march  to  Nicholasville,  Ky.,  a  veteran 
furlough  was  given  them. 

At  the  expiration  of  their  furlough  they  were  attached 
to  the  9th  corps  in  Virginia,  went  forward,  and  on  the 
5th  of  May  were  engaged  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness. 
On  the  9th  they  were  engaged  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 
house, and  in  this  battle  and  at  the  Wilderness  lost  in 
killed,  wounded  and  missing  about  two  hundred.  On  the 
12th  it  was  again  engaged,  and  from  that  time  forward 
almost  daily  till  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  in  which  it 
took  a  part  and  suffered  severely.  It  marched  thence  to 
the  front  of  Petersburg,  where  it  did  picket  duty  till  the 
latter  part  of  July.  It  assisted  in  the  assault  after  the 
explosion  of  the  mine.  On  the  19th  of  August  it  marched 
toward  the  Weldon  railroad,  and  was  attacked  by  the  en- 
emy on  two  successive  days.  Some  thirty  of  the  men 
were  discharged  about  this  time  by  reason  of  the  expira- 
tion of  their  term  of  service.  In  October  147  recruits 
were  received,  and  after  two  weeks  spent  in  drilling 
active  duty  was  resumed. 


The  regiment  in  the  latter  part  of  November  took  a 
position  in  front  of  Petersburg,  and  remained  there  dur- 
ing the  winter.  It  was  engaged  in  the  active  operations 
of  early  April,  1865,  and  was  among  the  first  regiments 
that  reached  Petersburg  when  it  fell.  About  the  middle 
of  that  month  it  went  to  Washington,  and  remained  there 
till  the  last  of  June.  On  the  4th  of  July  it  took  part  in 
the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  the  national  monument 
at  Gettysburg,  and  it  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  on 
the  30th  of  that  month. 

Of  the  50th  regiment  the  following  were  the 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS  : 

Colonels. — Benjamin  C.  Christ,  mustered  in  July  27, 
1861;  promoted  brevet  brigadier  general  Aug.  i,  1864; 
mustered  out  Sept.  30,  1864.  William  H.  Telford,  Aug. 
8,  1 861;  promoted  from  captain  Company  G  to  lieuten- 
ant colonel  Feb.  8,  1865;  colonel  May  15,  1865;  mustered 
out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865. 

Lieutenant  Colonels.  — Thomas  S.  Brenholtz,  Sept.  10, 
1861;  promoted  from  captain  Company  H  Sept.  30,  1861; 
died  Aug.  19,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Jackson,  Miss., 
July  16,  1863.  Edward  Overton,  jr.,  Sept.  30,  1861;  pro- 
moted from  major  to  lieutenant  colonel  Dec.  15,  1863; 
mustered  out  Sept.  30,  1864.  Samuel  K.  Schwenk,  Feb. 
28,  1865;  promoted  from  major  to  lieutenant  colonel 
May  15,  1865;  brevet  colonel  and  brigadier  general  July 
24,  1865;  mustered  out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865. 

Major. — George  W.  Brumm,  Sept.  9,  1861;  ])romoted 
from  captain  Company  F  May  19,  1865;  mustered  out 
with  regiment  July  30,  1865. 

Adjutants. — Henry  T.  Kendall,  Sept.  10,  1861;  pro- 
moted from  first  lieutenant  Company  H  May  3,  1864; 
taptured  May  12,  1864;  captain  Company  II  Jan.  19, 
1865;  not  mustered;  discharged  by  special  order  Feb. 
II,  1865.  Lewis  Crater,  Sept.  10,  1861;  promoted  from 
f:rst  lieutenant  Company  F  April  16,  1865;  mustered  out 
■  with  regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran. 

Quartermasters. — Alfred  Jones,  Sept.  30,  1861;  cap- 
tured July,  1864;  discharged  by  special  order  Mar.  22, 
1865.  John  S.  Eckel,  April  i,  1862;  promoted  from  first 
lieutenant  Company  C  Jan.  15,  1865;  mustered  out  with 
regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran. 

Surgeons. — David  J.  M'Kibben,  Sept.  14,  1861;  pro- 
moted brigade  surgeon  U.  S.  volunteers  Oct.  21,  1861. 
C.  J.  Siemans,  Mch.  7,  1862;  resigned  Mch.  16,  1864. 
John  M.  Kollock,  July  25,  1862;  proinoted'from  assistant 
surgeon  ii8th  Pennsylvania  Sept.  3,  1864;  resigned  June 
20,  1865. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — Joseph  P.  ^'^ickers,  .\ug.  30,  1861; 
resigned  July  18,  1864.  William  P.  Book,  Aug.  i,  1862: 
mustered  out  Sept.  30,  1864.  Frank  P.  Wilson,  Man 
31,  18O5;  mustered  out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865. 

Chaplains. — John  F.  Meredith,  April  22,  1862;  dis- 
charged January  13,  1863.  Halleck  Armstrong,  Feb. 
24,  1865;  mustered  out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865. 

Sergeant  Majors.~k\tx^\-\A(ix^.Q,3.x\t\.t.,  Sept.  9,  1861; 
promoted  from  sergeant  Company  C  Mar.  29,  1864; 
mustered  out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran. 
Thomas  F.  Foster,  Sept.  6,  1861;  promoted  from  corporal 
Company  D  to  sergeant  major;  to  second  lieutenant 
Company  D  April  8,  1864;  veteran,  Frank  H.  Barnhart, 
Sept.  19,1861;  ])romoted  first  lieutenant  Company  B  Nov. 
26,  1864;  veteran.  Alfred  J.  Stephens,  Sept.  6,  i86i;  pro- 
moted from  sergeant  Company  D  Nov.  21,  1864,  to 
first  lieutenant  Company  B  Mar.  21,  1865;  veteran. 
Henry  A.  Lantz,  Sept.  30,  1861;  promoted  first  lieuten- 
ant Company  E  Jan.  18,  1862. 


=^)* 


Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Simon  Clonser,  Feb.  25, 
1864;  promoted  from  serjreant  Company  K  May  9,  1865; 
mustered  out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran. 
Frank  H.  Forbes,  Jan.  i,  1864;  promoted  second  lieu- 
tenant Company  E  May  10,  1865;  veteran.  John  S. 
Eckel,  April  i,  1862;  promoted  second  lieutenant  Com- 
pany C  Mar.  17,  1864.  Alfred  W.  Gift,  Sept.  13,  1861; 
promoted  from  private  Company  E  Mch.  21,  1865;  mus- 
tered out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran.  Jonas 
Faust,  Sept.  9,  1861;  promoted  from  pri.vate  Company 
A  Dec.  4,  1864;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  May, 
1865;  veteran.  Lewis  Crater,  Sept.  10,  18C1;  promoted 
from  private  Company  H  May  i,  1862  to  first  lieutenant 
Company  F  Dec.  5,  1864;  veteran. 

Hospital  Stewarii.—A\i\VLn&er  H.  Shaffer,  Sept.,  1861; 
promoted  from  private  Company  G  Sept.,  1861;  mus- 
tered out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran. 

Principal  Musicians.— \N'\\\\am  K.'  Schuckert,  Sept. 
9,  i86i;  promoted  from  musician  Company  A  Oct.  25, 
1864;  mustered  out  with  regiment  July  30,  1865;  veteran. 
Reed  W.  Dumfee,  Sept.  9,  i86i;  promoted  from  musician 
Company  K  .\pril  13,  1865;  mustered  out  with  regiment 
July  30,  186s;  veteran.  Henry  .\.  Hoffman,  Sept.  30, 
1861;  discharged  by  general  order  .Vug.,  18C2. 

COMPANY    I. 

The  date  following  the  name  of  each  man  in  the  roll 
below  is  that  of  his  muster-in.  Unless  otherwise  stated 
each  man  was  mustered  out  with  the  company  July  30th, 
1865. 

Officers. — Captains — Samuel  F.  Bossard,  Sept.  25,  186c; 
resigned  January  28,  1863.  James  H.  Levan,  Sept.  9, 
1861;  promoted  from  sergeant  Company  C  to  captain 
Nov.  26,  1864;  veteran.  First  lieutenants — William  Rey- 
nolds, Sept.  25,  i86[;  mustered  out  Sept.  29,  1864.  Ed- 
ward A.  Wilbur,  Sept.  25,  1861;  promoted  from  private 
to  sergeant;  to  first  lieutenant  Dec.  4,  1864;  veteran. 
Second  lieutenants — Alfred  J.  Huntzinger,  Sept.  25,  1861; 
promoted  captain  Company  K  Sept.  17,  1862.  Richard 
Rahn,  Sept.  25,  1861;  promoted  from  first  sergeant  to 
second  lieutenant  Sept.  17,  1862;  mustered  out  Sept,  29, 
1864.  First  sergeant — John  Dennison,  Sept.  25,  1861; 
promoted  from  private  to  sergeant;  first  sergeant  June 
15,  1865;  commissioned  second  lieutenant  Sept.  30,  1864; 
not  mustered;  veteran.  Sergeants — Casper  Kahle,  Sept. 
25,  1861;  promoted  from  private  to  sergeant;  veteran. 
Burrell  E.  Reed,  Sept.  25,  1861;  wounded  at  Petersburg, 
Va.;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps;  returned  Jan. 
7,  1865;  promoted  from  corporal  to  sergeant  Feb.  i,  1865; 
veteran.  Joseph  Hedden,  Sept.  25,  1861;  promoted  cor- 
poral; sergeant  June  15,  1865.  Andrew  Jackson,  Sept. 
25,  1861;  prisoner  from  May  12  to  Dec.  10,  1864;  mus- 
tered out  Jan.  31,  1865,  to  date  Dec.  15,  1864.  John 
Mackey,  Sept.  25,  186 1;  died  June  7,  1864,  of  wounds 
received  June  5,  1864;  veteran.  Aaron  O.xrider,  Sept. 
25,  t86i;  died  June  18,  1864,  of  wounds  received  at 
Petersburg,  Va.;  veteran.  William  Cole,  Sept.  25,  1861; 
not  on  muster-out  roll.  George  W.  Dickens,  Sept.  25, 
1861;  promoted  from  corporal  to  sergeant  Jan.  i,  1863; 
not  on  muster-out  roll.  Corporals — James  M.  Wagner, 
Sept.  IS,  1861;  promoted  corporal;  discharged  by  gen- 
eral order  July  25,  1865;  veteran.  Jeremiah  W.  Darn- 
sife,  Feb.  29,  1864.  Joseph  Clouser,  Feb.  29,  1864;  pro- 
moted corporal  April  7,  1865.  Hiram  Michaels,  Feb. 
29,  1864;  promoted  corporal  April  7,  1865.  Humphrey 
Brown,  Dec.  7,  1861;  discharged  March  16,  1865,  for 
wounds,  with  loss  of  leg,  received  Sept.  30,  1864.  Mat- 
thew Berkley,  Sept.  25,  1861;  prisoner;  died  at  Ander- 
sonville,  Ga.,  July  26,  1864.  Solomon  Rudisill,  April  22, 
1862;  died   July    12,    1864,  of   wounds   received  in  ac- 


tion. William  B.  Michael,  Sent.  25,  1861;  discharged 
March  12,  1862.  Charles  Croner,  Sept.  25,  1861; 
killed  at  Chantilly,  Va.,  Sept.  t,  1862.  Stephen  H.  Haley, 
Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Nov.  16,  1862.  John  A.  Bush, 
Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Jan.  17, 1863.  Nicholas  Rice, 
Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Oct.  18,  1863.  Josiah  Wright, 
Sept.  25,  1861:  discharged  Dec.  3,  ;862.  Musicians — 
Alfred  Fairchild,  Feb,  29,  1864.  Hiram  Brant,  Feb.  24, 
1864.  Edwin  B.  Woodward,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged 
Feb.  23,   1863. 

Privates. — George   Allspach,   Sept.   25,    1861;  veteran. 
Isaac  Allison,  Feb.  22,  1865;  drafted;  discharged  general 
order   June    23,  1865.     Charles    Ackley,    Dec.   7,    1861; 
wounded  in  action,  with  loss  of  leg;  discharged  April   i, 
7865.     William    Armstrong,  March  13,  1865;  substitute; 
deserted  March  18,  1865.     Von   Henry    Andis,  Sept.  25, 
1861;    discharged;     March    5,    1862.     Christ    Barringer, 
March    13,    1865;   substitute;   at    muster  out.     Franklin 
Bretz,   March   i,   1864.     Thomas  Burch,  Sept.   26,  1864; 
substitute;   discharged    by  general  order  June   2,    1865. 
John   Butow,  Sept.    20,  1864;   substitute;   discharged  by 
general   order,   June   2,  1865.     William    Biery,  Sept.    13, 
1861;  killed  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  25,  1864;  buried  in 
9th  corps  cemetery,  Meade  Station,  Va,     Thomas  Birch, 
March  6,  1865;   substitute;   deserted   May  28,  1865.     D. 
J.  Brighthoupt,  Sept.   25,    1861;   not  on   muster-out   roll. 
Marion  D.  Betts,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Feb.  5,  1863. 
Charles    C.    Bosse,   Sept.    25,  1861;   deserted   March  26, 
1863.     William   H.   Baldwin,    Dec.    7,    1861;   discharged 
Feb.   4,    1863.     John    L.   Cunningham,    Sept.    25,    1861; 
mustered  out  Sept.  29,  1864.    John  Casey,  Sept.  27.  1864; 
substitute;    discharged   June    2,    1865.     Jacob    Clemans, 
Sept.    28,    1864;    substitute;    discharged    June   2,    1865. 
John  Calvert,  Sept.  28.  1864;  substitute;  discharged  June 
2,   1865.     Calvin  Crutchman,  Aug.  31,  1864;  substitute; 
discharged  June  2,  1865.     Robert  Collier,  Feb.  23,  1865; 
drafted;   discharged  June,  1865.     Thomas  Cotter,  March 
13,  1865;  substitute;  deserted  March  18.  1865.    James  R. 
Carman,  Sept.  25,  1861;  not  on  muster-out  roll.     Ezra  F. 
Carpenter,  Sept.  25,  i86i;  not  on  muster-out  roll.     George 
De  Gran,  March  9,  1864.     Isaac   H.   Darnsife,  Feb.   29, 
1864;  absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster-out.  George  Dolloway, 
March  11,  1865;  substitute;  mustered  out  July  30,  1865. 
Zach.  Dennehower,  March  10,  1865;  substitute;  mustered 
out  July  30,  1865.     Henry  Diffendurfer,  Aug.   28,   1864; 
substitute;    discharged    June    2,    1865.      Dennis    Dogan, 
Sept.    28,    1864;    substitute;    discharged    June   2,    1865. 
Joseph    Dishboro,    Feb.    23,    1865;    drafted;    discharged 
July   s,   1865.     Levi  Doutrick,  Feb.   25,   1864;  prisoner; 
died  at  Andersonville,   Ga.,   Aug.   i,   1864;  grave  4,481. 
Thomas  Donnahue,  March  7,  1865;  substitute;  deserted 
March  20,  1865.     Isaac  Daniels,  Sept.  25,  1861;   sick  in 
hospital  from  Sept.  i,  1862.     John   H.  De  Graw,  Sept. 
25,    1861;    discharged  Oct.    18,   1862.     George  Danner, 
April    22,     1862  ;    not    on   muster-out    roll.      James    C. 
English,  March  9,  1865;    substitute;    mustered   out  July 
30,    1865.     James   Edwards,   Sept.   25,    1861;   absent,   in 
hospital   at   Newport   News,  Va.,    since  August  4,   1862. 
James  Edmons,  Sept.  25,  1861;   mustered  out  Sept.  29, 
1854.    Frank  Fuent,  March  14,  1865;  substitute.    Hiram 
Focht,  March   i,  1864.     John    Fore,  February  21,    1865; 
drafted;   discharged  May  8,   1865.      Samuel  Fox,  Sept. 
28,  1864;    substitute;   discharged  June   2,    1865.     Lewis 
Fee,  Sept.  28,  1864;  substitute;  discharged  June  2,  1865. 
Jacob  Fisher,  Sept.  i,  1864;   substitute;  discharged  June 
2,  1865.     John  Farley,  March   13,   1865;  substitute;  de- 
serted May  18,  1865.     Albion  Gleville,  March    11,  1865; 
substitute.     James  M.  Gaskins,  Sept.  25,  1865;  absent  at 
muster  out;  veteran.     William  Gallagher,  Feb.  29,  1864; 
discharged   by   general   order   July    10,    1865.      Joseph 
Gapen,  Sept.  28,  1864;  substitute;    discharged   June   2, 


^^ 


=^N- 


116 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


1865.  Hiram  Gould,  Sept.  25,  1861;  not  pn  muster-out 
roll."  Thomas  S.  Goss,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged.  June 
25,  1862.  Justice  Garret,  Sept.  13,  1861;  mustered  out 
Dec.  10,  1864.  George  W.  Hall,  July  8,  1863;  drafted, 
Jonathan  Hoover,  Feb.  24,  1865;  drafted.  John  B,  Hist, 
July  29,  1864;  drafted.  Daniel  VV.  Hunsiker,  March  15, 
i8ss;  substitute.  John  C.  Hoyt,  Sept.  25,  1861;  mustered 
out  Sept.  29,  1864.  Daniel  S.  Haffley,  Feb.  24,  1865; 
drafted;  discharged  May  8,  1865.     Eli   Hamilton,  Sept. 

24,  1864;  substitute;  discharged  June  2,  1865.  James  C. 
Higgins,  March  10,  1864;  discharged  by  general  order 
May  22,  1865.  Alexander  Hanley,  Sept.  25,  1861;  de- 
serted Sept.  12,  1862.  Hiram  Heman,  jr.,  Dec.  7,  1861; 
discharged  May  12,  1862.  Horace  Heman,  Dec.  7,  1861; 
deserted  July  25,  1862.  Henry  D.  Jeffords,  March  9, 
1865;  substitute,  Ebet  J.  Jeffords,  March  9,  1864;  sub- 
stitute. Lewis'  Krebs.  March  7,  1864.  Dariel  Keen, 
April  30,  1862;  mustered  out  April  19,  1865.  Samuel 
Keyser,  Sept.  28,  1864;  substitute;  discharged  June  2, 
1865.  John  Kern,  March  13,  1865;  substitute;  died  May 
21,  1865.  Philip  Knight,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Feb. 
17,  1862.  Francis  Leiberman,  Feb.  23,  1865;  drafted; 
absent  at  muster  out.  Obadiah  Lockart,  Aug.  29,  1864; 
substitute;  died  at  City  Point,  Va.  John  Luther,  Jan. 
14,  1862;  deserted  Mar.  8,  1864;  veteran.  John  G. 
Lettick,  April  22,  1862;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Wells 
Mengos,  April  12,  1864.  Albert  Miller,  Mar.  i,  1864. 
Reuben  Mayberry,  Feb.  10,  1864.  John  Mayer,  Sept.  25, 
1861;  mustered  out  Sept.  29,  1864.  Charles  Merrill, 
Sept.  25,  1861;  mustered  out  Sept.  29,  1864.  James 
Miller,  Feb.  24,  1865;  drafted;  discharged  May  8,  1865. 
Samuel  Miller,  Sept.  21,  1864;  substitute;  discharged 
May  12,  1865.  Jacob  Myer,  Sept.  24,  1S64;  substitute; 
discharged  June  2,  1865,  Augustus  Miller,  Sept.  g,  1861 ; 
killed  in  action  June  30,  1864.  John  Maugh,  Sept.  25, 
1861;  discharged  Dec.  31,  1862.  John  Moog,  Sept.  25, 
1861;  discharged.  Newton  D.  Mabre,  Jan.  14,  1862; 
missing  in  action.  David  M'Knight,  March  13,  1865; 
drafted.  Timothy  M'Carty,  March  15,  1864.  Harrison 
Newman,  Sept.  28,  1864;  substitute;  discharged  June  2, 
1865.  John  Nacey,  April  22,  1862;  killed  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house  May  15,  1864.  William  Olver,  March  13, 
1865;  substitute.  Henry  O'Neil,  Sepl.  25,  i86i;  died 
Sept.  3,  1862,  of  wounds  received  at  Bull  Run  Aug.  30, 
1862.     Abraham    Philips,     March     7,     1864.      Thomas 

A.  Piper,  Mar.  24,  1865;  drafted;  discharged  May 
8,  1865.  H.  W.  H.  Rhoads,  Jan.  27,  1864;  veteran. 
George  Reese,  March  8,  1865;  substitute.  Henry  Ruth, 
March  10,  1865;  substitute.  Henry  Rudorf,  March  10, 
1865;  substitute.  Jacob  Ruble,  Sept.  3,  1864;  substitute; 
discharged  June  2,  1865.  Gotlieb  Rogler,  Sept.  i,  1864; 
substitute;  discharged  June  2,  1865.  John  Riley,  March 
73,  1865;  substitute;  deserted  March  18,  1865.  Peter 
Reedy,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Jan.  22,  1863.     James 

B.  Ross,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged  Feb.  4,  1863.  Jacob 
Stinerook,  March  13,  1865;  substitute;  mustered  out  with 
company  July  30,  1865.  Alexander  Sheffhour,  Sept.  29, 
1864;  substitute;  discharged  June  2,  1865,  John  Steck- 
ley,  Feb.  29,  1864;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house 
May  12,  1864.  Henry  Sager,  March  9,  1864;  died  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  James  Smith,  March  13,  1865;  sub- 
stitute; deserted  March  18,  1865.  William  Sweeney, 
March  13,  1865;  substitute;  deserted  March  20,  1865. 
Owen  K.  Smith,  March  11,  1865;  substitute;  deserted 
April  9,  1865.  John  Slighter,  March  13,  1865;  substitute; 
deserted  April  29,  1865.  Philip  Springer,  Sept.  25,  i86i; 
not  on  muster-out  roll.  Tonis  Springer,  Sept.  25,  1861; 
deserted  Sept.  12,  1862.  Peter  Smith,  Sept.  25,  1861; 
discharged     Dec.     18,    1862.      John   N.   Thomas,    Sept. 

25,  1861;  absent  at  muster-out;  veteran.  Samuel 
Townsend,  Sept.  25,  1861;  mustered  out  Sept.  29,  1864. 


Henry  F.  Thrasher,  Sept.  5,  1864;  substitute;  discharged 
Tune  2,  T865.  Charles  Thirl,  Sept.  25,  1861;  discharged 
.Feb.  4,  1863.  William  Tallada,  Dec.  7,  1861;  wounded 
at  Antietam  Sept.  17,  1862;  not  on  muster-roll.  Good- 
rich Tallada,  Jan.  14,  1862;  discharged  May  20,  1862. 
Daniel  Van  Pelt,  Sept.  25,  1861.  Jasper  Vlict,  Sept.  25, 
1861;  died  Nov.  2,  1861.  Henry  Vanderpool,  Jan.  14, 
1862;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Henry  D.  Wismer,  March 
13,  1865;  substitute.  James  West,  March  2,  1865; 
drafted.  John  T.  Williams,  Sept.  25,  1861;  mustered- 
out  Sept.  29,  1864,  Culbertson  Wright,  Sept.  2,  1864; 
substitute;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  June  5, 
1865.  George  White,  March  8,  1865;  substitute;  de- 
serted March  18,  1865.  John  Webster,  March  10,  1865; 
substitute;  deserted  March  18,  1865.  William  Wiley, 
March  8,  1865;  substitute;  deserted  April  29,  1865. 
Lewis  Warg,  Sept.  25,  1861;  not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Jacob  Zimmerman,  Sept.  9,  1861;  prisoner  from  June 
7  to  Nov.  26,  1864;  mustered  out  Jan.  30,  1865  to  date 
Nov.  30  1864.  David  W.  Zehner,  Sept.  25,  1861;  killed 
at  Chantilly,  Va.,  Sept.  r,  1862. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


I.UZERNE     IN     THE     CIVIL    WAR HISTORY    OF    THE     FIFTY- 
SECOND    REGIMENT. 


CALL  was  issued  by  the  President  in  July, 
1861,  for  sixteen  regiments,  and  under  this 
call  authority  was  granted  by  Governor  Curtin, 
August  ist,  1861,  to  John  C.  Dodge,  jr.,  to 
recruit  this  regiment. 

John  C.  Dodge,  jr.,  of  Lycoming  county,  was 
appointed  colonel;  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  of  Luzerne 
county  (now  governor  of  the  State),  lieutenant  colonel;- 
and  John  B.  Conyngham,  also  of  Luzerne  county,  major. 
The  rendezvous  of  the  regiment  was  Camp  Curtin,  near 
Harrisburg. 

November  8th,  1861,  the  regiment  proceeded  to  Wash- 
ington. It  remained  there,  engaged  in  drill  and  camp 
duty,  till  the  28th  of  March,  1862,  when  it  was  ordered 
to  take  the  field.  During  this  time  it  furnished  ten  vol- 
unteers for  gunboat  service  at  the  West,  most  of  whom 
were  subsequently  killed  by  an  explosion. 

On  taking  the  field  it  was  assigned  to  the  ist  brigade, 
3d  division  and  4th  corps.  It  marched  to  Alexandria, 
and  thence  went  by  transports  to  Newport  News,  where 
it  debarked;  and  soon  afterwards  it  encamped  near 
Yorktown,  where  the  siege  was  in  progress.  As  the  regi- 
ment marched  to  take  possession  of  the  deserted  works 
on  the  4th  of  May  a  torpedo  exploded  under  Company 
F,  killing  one  man  and  wounding  six  others. 

From  Yorktown  it  moved  forward  with  its  brigade  to 
Williamsburg,  where  it  arrived  just  in  time  to  support 
Hancock  in  his  gallant  charge,  which  resulted  in  drivin"' 
the  enemy  from  the  field.  The  regiment  arrived  with  its 
brigade  at  the  Chickahominy  on  the  20th  of  May.  On 
the  24th  it  went  on  a  reconnoisance  toward  Richmond, 


^h 


<^ 


*^h 


A, 


MOVEMENTS  OF   THE   FIFTY-SECOND    REGIMENT— ITS  OFFICERS. 


117 


which  lasted  four  days,  and  in  the  course  of  which  a 
lively  engagement  occurred.  In  this  reconnoisance  a 
company  of  sharpshooters  which  had  been  selected  from 
the  regiment  did  excellent  service. 

The  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks, 
which  occurred  on  the  31st  of  May,  and  out  of  249  lost 
125  killed  and  wounded,  and  four  prisoners.  Among  the 
wounded  ofificers  were  Captains  Davis,  Lennard  and 
Chamberlain,  and  Lieutenants  Weidensaul  and  Carskaden. 

While  the  battle  at  Gaines's  Mill  was  in  progress,  the 
52nd,  with  other  regiments  of  the  brigade,  was  guarding 
the  bridge  across  the  Chickahominy;  the  men  were  often 
standing  waist  deep  in  the  water  of  the  swamp,  and  this 
duty  continued  during  several  consecutive  days.  Soon 
afterward  the  regiment  retired  with  the  army  to  Harrison's 
Landing,  and  on  the  20th  of  August  to  Yorktown,  where 
circumstances  detained  the  brigade  to  which  it  was  at- 
tached while  a  large  part  of  the  army  went  to  the  support 
of  General  Pope.  While  occupying  the  fortifications  at 
Yorktown  the  men  were  drilled  in  heavy  artillery  tactics. 

In  December  the  5  2nd,  with  other  troops,  went  to  Beau- 
fort, and  thence  in  the  latter  part  of  January,  1863,  to 
Port  Royal,  S.  C.  From  there  in  April,  1863,  it  went  on 
a  transport  up  the  North  Edisto,  to  co-operate  in  an  at- 
tack on  the  city  of  Charleston.  The  attack  failed,  and 
the  regiment,  after  drifting  among  the  Sea  islands  some 
days  and  passing  an  uncomfortable  night  at  sea,  landed 
at  Beaufort.  On  the  nth  of  July  it  moved  to  Folly 
island,  and  on  the  9th  went  up  the  Stono  river  with  an- 
other regiment  to  make  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  attack 
on  Morris  island.  It  landed  at  James  island  at  mid- 
night, and  in  the  morning  attacked  and  drove  in  the 
pickets  and  cavalry  of  the  enemy.  The  rebel  force  on 
the  island  was  reinforced,  and  on  the  i6th  an  attack  was 
made  by  the  enemy.  On  the  night  of  the  17th  the  island 
was  evacuated,  and  the  5 2nd  returned  to  Folly  island. 
The  regiment  participated  in  the  siege  of  Fort  Wagner 
during  the  perilous  forty  or  fifty  days  that  it  lasted;  when 
preparations  were  made  for  the  final  assault.  It  was 
formed  ready  to  pass  the  fort  and  attack  Fort  Gregg, 
when  intelligence  was  received  that  the  works  and  the 
island  were  evacuated.  During  the  operations  against 
this  fort  the  regiment  suffered  severely,  but  no  exact 
record  of  its  casualties  can  be  given. 

In  December  many  of  the  men  in  the  regiment  re-en- 
listed, and  were  granted  a  veteran  furlough.  When  they 
returned  the  regiment  was  recruited  to  the  maximum 
and  newly  armed  and  equipped.  It  remained  at  Hilton 
Head  till  the  20th  of  May,  1864,  daring  which  time  it 
made  occasional  expeditions  among  the  Sea  islands. 

On  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  July  the  duty  of  sur- 
prising and  taking  Fort  Johnson  in  the  badly  planned  at- 
tempt on  the  rebel  works  at  Charleston  harbor  was  as- 
signed to  the  52nd.  Accordingly,  just  at  daybreak,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  men,  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Hoyt,  landed,  took  a  two-gun  battery,  rushed  for- 
ward, scaled  the  parapet  of  the  fort  and  entered  the 
works.  Failing  to  receive  the  support  which  they  expect- 
ed,  they   were   overpowered  by  superior  numbers  and 


made  prisoners.  Seven  of  the  assaulting  party  were 
killed  and  sixteen  wounded.  Of  the  balance,  who  were 
made  prisoners,  upwards  of  fifty  died  at  Andersonville 
and  Columbia,  and  the  ofificers,  after  a  period  of  confine- 
ment at  Macon,  were  transferred  to  Charleston  and 
placed  under  the  fire  of  the  Union  batteries  on  Morris 
island.  During  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1864  the 
balance  of  the  regiment  was  on  Morris  island,  where  the 
men  did  duty  as  heavy  artillery. 

During  the  winter  of  1864-5  ih^y  ^^re  engaged  in 
picketing  the  harbor  in  boats;  a  duty  that  was  anything 
but  enviable  by  reason  of  the  exposures  and -hardships 
which  it  involved.  February  i8th,  1865,  a  boat  crew 
under  the  command  of  Major  Hennesy  rowed  across  the 
harbor  and  landed  near  Fort  Sumter.  All  was  silent, 
and  as  the  party  cautiously  entered  the  ruins  they  were 
not  challenged.  The  fort  was  deserted,  and  they  un- 
furled over  it  the  flag  of  the  52nd  regiment.  The  party 
at  once  proceeded  to  the  city,  which  they  entered  before 
the  last  of  the  rebel  soldiers  had  evacuated  it. 

Captain  R.  W.  Bannahan,  of  Tunkhannock,  and  Lieu- 
tenant T.  M.  Burr,  of  Meshoppen,  were  of  this  party. 
The  former  was  left  in  command  of  the  party  that  gar- 
risoned the  fort. 

The  regiment  joined  the  army  of  General  Sherman  as 
it  marched  north  after  crossing  Georgia,  and  was  with 
him  when  the  rebel  General  Johnston  surrendered.  A 
week  later  it  returned  to  Harrisburg,  where  on  the  12th 
of  July,  1865,  it  was  mustered  out  the  service. 

The  52nd  was  composed  of  men  who  entered  the  ser- 
vice for  three  years.  Those  who  remained  in  the  regiment 
to  the  close  of  the  war  were  mustered  out  July  12th,  1865, 
except  members  of  Company  A,  who  were  mustered  out 
three  days  later.  Where  a  date  immediately  follows  the 
name  of  a  man  in  the  subjoined  list,  it  is  the  date  of  his 
being  mustered  in.  Companies  A,  H  and  I  were  recruited 
in  Luzerne  county,  the  first  at  Wilkes-Barre;  Company 
B  in  Wyoming  county;  Company  F  in  Luzerne  and  Brad- 
ford, and  Company  K  in  Luzerne  and  Schuylkill. 

FIELD    AND    STAKF    OFFICF.RS. 

Coloneh. — John  C.  Dodge,  jr.,  Aug.  i,  '61;  resigned 
Nov.  s,  '63.  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  Aug.  14,  '61;  promoted 
from  lieutenant  colonel  to  colonel  Jan.  9,  '64;  brevet 
brigadier  general  March  13,  '65;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 

Lieutenant  Coloneh. — John  B.  Conyngham,  Sept.  28, 
'61;  promoted  from  major  to  lieutenant  colonel  Jan.  9, 
64;  colonel  June  3, '65.  John  A.  Hennessey,  Dec.  2;  pro- 
moted from  captain  Company  K  to  major  Jan.  5,  '65; 
lieutenant  colonel  June  3d,  '65;  brevet  colonel  and  briga- 
dier general  March  13,  '65. 

Majors. — Thomas  B.  Jayne,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted 
from  captain  Company  B  to  major  Jan.  9,  '64;  mustered 
out  Nov.  s,  '64.  George  R.  Lennard,  August  16,  '61; 
promoted  from  captain  Company  A  to  major  July  9,  '65. 

Adjutants. — Natlianiel  Pierson,  August  15,  '61;  pro- 
moted to  captain  Company  G  May  19,  '63.  George  H. 
Sterling,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  from  sergeant  major 
to  adjutant  May  19,  '63;  transferred  to  Company  K 
Oct.  10,  '64.  Henry  A.  Mott,  Oct.  2,  '61;  promoted 
from  first  lieutenant  Company  K  to  adjutant  Sept.  r,  '64; 
captain  Company  K  Dec.  6,  '64;  not  mustered. 


*^^ 


-K^ 


^^ 


=HH 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Quartermasters. — Cliarles  F.  Dndge,  Aug.  i,  '6i;  re- 
signed July  4,  '63.  Charles  P.  Ross,  August  15,  '61; 
promoted  from  commissary  sergeant  to  first  lieutenant 
and  R.  Q.  M.  August  10,  '63;  mustered  out  Feb.  25, 
'65.  John  W.  Gilchrist,  Aug.  16,  '61;  promoted  from 
first  lieutenant  Company  A  Feb.  26,  '65;  commissioned 
captain  Company  A  March  i,  '65;  not  mustered. 

Siirgeo/is. — William  S.  Woods,  Sept.  7,  '61;  resigned 
April  20,  '63.  J.  B.  Crawford,  May  i,  '63;  resigned 
May  30,  '64;  John  Flowers,  Dec.  15,  '63;  promoted  from 
assistant  surgeon  to  surgeon  March  23,  '65. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — John  G.  M'Candless,  Oct.  15, 
'61;  resigned  July  21,  '62.  Charles  H.  Dana,  August  4, 
'62;  resigned  October  12,  '63,  Rufus  Sargent,  July  31, 
'62;  resigned  March  13,  '64.  Jonas  H.  Kauffman,  May 
31-  '64- 

Chaplains. — John  H.  Drum,  Sept.  28,  '61;  resigned 
Aug.  I,  '62.     William  H.  Gavitt,  Sept.  28,  '63. 

Sergeant  Majors. — Henry  N.  Sterling,  Oct.  ri,  '6r; 
promoted  from  sergeant  Company  B  Nov.  5,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  May  ir,  '62.  George 
H.  Sterling,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  from  sergeant  Com- 
pany B  Nov.  14,  '62,  to  first  lieutenant  and  adjutant 
May  19,  '63.  Edward  W.  Tracy,  Aug.  16,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  sergeant  Company  A  Dec.  20,  '6^,;  second 
lieutenant  Nov.  4,  '64,  and  first  lieutenant  Mar.  i,  '65; 
not  mustered;  veteran. 

Quarternmster  Sergeants. — Frank  C.  Bunnell,  Sept.  20, 
'61;  promoted  from  private  Company  B  Mar.  i,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  April  2,  '63.  Smith  B. 
Mott,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  sergeant  Company  K 
Nov.  5,  "'64;  quartermaster  Mar.  i,  '65;  not  mustered; 
veteran. 

Conunissary  Sergeants. — Charles  P.  Ross,  Aug.  15, 
'61;  promoted  from  private  Company  H  Nov.  5,  '61,  to 
regimental  quartermaster  Aug.  10,  '63.  Linton  T.  Rob- 
erts, Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  sergeant  Company  H 
Aug.  10,  '63;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Peter  B.  Walter, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  sergeant  Company  H  Nov, 
5,  '64;  veteran. 

Hospital  Steward. — Peter  Alldred,  Oct.  ir,  '61;  veteran. 

Principal  Musicians. — Allen  M.  Haight,  Oct.  29,  '61; 
promoted  from  musician  Company  E  Aug.  26,  '64;  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Albert  N.  Barney,  Oct.  24,  '61; 
promoted  from  musician  Company  F  July  4,  '64;  veteran. 
Peter  J.  Moreland,  Nov.  4,  '63;  drafted;  promoted  from 
Company  E  Nov.  5,  '64. 

COMPANY    A. 

Officers. — Captain,  George  R.  Lennard,  Aug.  16,  '61; 
resigned  Sept.  23,  '62;  recommissioned  Mar.  30,  '63; 
promoted  major  July  9,  '65.  First  lieutenants — Edwin 
W.  Finch,  August  16,  '61;  resigned  July  21,  '62.  John 
W.  Gilchrist,  August  i6,  '61;  promoted  from  second  to 
first  lieutenant  July  21,  '62;  quartermaster  February  26, 
'65.  Second  lieutenants — Reuben  H.  Waters,  August 
16,  '61;  promoted  from  first  sergeant  to  second  lieu- 
tenant July  21,  '62;  first  lieutenant  Nov.  4,  '64;  not 
mustered;  discharged  by  special  order  Feb.  i,  '65. 
Philip  G.  Killian,  Aug^  29,  '61;  promoted  from  corporal 
to  first  sergeant  Nov.  6,  '64;  second  lieutenant  June  3, 
'65;  mustered  out  with  company  July  15,  '65;  veterim. 
First  sergeant,  John  S.  Linn,  Sept.  2,  '61;  promoted 
from  corporal  to  sergeant  Sept.  i,  '62;  to  first  sergeant 
Sept.  15,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64;  expiration  of 
term.  Sergeants — Thomas  W.  Aregood,  Sept.  24,  '61; 
promoted  from  corporal  to  sergeant  Nov.  6,  '64; 
mustered  out  with  company  July  15,  '65;  veteran. 
Daniel  H.  Harrison,  Sept.  21,  '61;  captured  July  3, 
'64;  veteran.     Daniel  W.  Holby,  Sept.  21,  '61;  veteran! 


Peter  Allabach,  Sept.  2,  '6(>\  promoted  from  corporal 
to  sergeant  June  25,  '65;  veteran.  Edward  W.  Tracy, 
August  16,  '61;  promoted  sergeant  major  Dec.  20,  '(>i. 
Irwin  E.  Finch,  Aug.  16,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Corporals — Thomas  Ray,  August  20,  '6i;  promoted  cor- 
poral June  25,  '65;  veteran.  Philip  Boyle,  Aug.  29, 
'61;  promoted  corporal  Nov.  6,  '64;  veteran.  Henry 
S.  Mash,  Sept.  16,  '61;  promoted  corporal  Nov.  6, '64; 
veteran.  Loren  D.  Rozell,  Sept,  7,  '61;  promoted  cor- 
poral Nov.  6,  '64;  veteran.  Ezra  O.  West,  Sept.  23, 
'61;  promoted  corporal  Nov.  6,  '64;  veteran.  Freemon 
Souder,  August  28,  '61;  promoted  corporal  May  i, 
'65;  veteran.  John  R.  Wiley,  Sept.  9,  '61;  promoted 
corporal  May  i,  '65;  veteran.  Solomon  W.  Taylor,  Oct. 
14,  '61;  veteran.  Frank  Gallagher,  Sept.  21,  '61; 
captured;  died  at  Florence,  S.  C,  Oct.  15,  '64.  John 
Scott,  Sept.  6,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  6,  '64.  Musician, 
Gilbert  G.  Parker,  Sept.  10,  '6r;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate,  Mar.  18,  '(>t,. 

Privates. — Sidney  Albert,  Oct.  8,  '61;  veteran.  Ed- 
ward AV.  Allabach,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  Aug.  i,  '62, 
for  wounds  received  at  Seven  Pines,  Ya.,  May  24,  '62. 
Wellington  Ager,  Oct.  9,  '61;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks  May 
31,  '62.  Abraham  Barber,  Sept.  17,  '62;  discharged 
by  general  order  Aug.  7,  '65.  David  Barber,  Feb.  13, 
'65.  John  Brown,  October  15,  '63;  drafted.  Jame.s 
Brown,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.  Patrick  Bennett,  Oct. 
29,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  June  8,  '64.  Henry  Barnes, 
Sept.  2,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Martin  V. 
Barber,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Sept.  21,  '62.  William  G.  Burke,  Oct.  9,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  July  20,  '63.  Charles 
A.  Briggs,  Oct.  9,  '61;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan. 
21,  '62.  Lewis  Blackman,  Oct.  23,  '61;  deserted  June 
I,  '62.  Francis  E.  Carman,  Sept.  9,  '61;  veteran. 
Thomas  Cassiday,  Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted.  Stephen  Cil- 
fris,  Sept.  23,  1863;  drafted.  William  Cilfris,  Sept.  21, 
'63;  drafted.  Frank  Cilfris,  Jan.  23,  '65.  Hamilton 
H.  Carey,  Sept.  25,  '62;  discharged  by  general  order 
June  25,  1865.  George  B.  Carey,  September  17,  '61; 
mustered  out  November  5,  '64.  William  Castello, 
Sept.  24,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Robert 
Clark,  Nov.  10,  'dy,  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  Navy 
June  8,  '64.  Lewis  Cilfris,  Sept.  23,  '63  ;  drafted; 
died  at  Morris  Island,  S.  C,  Nov.  13,  '64.  James 
Countryman,  Sept.  28,  '63;  drafted:  died  at  Morris 
Island,  S.  C,  Nov.  24,  '64.  Searight  Conner,  Oct.  9, 
i86i;  deserted  Mar.  25,  '62.  A.  M.  Dalloway,  Mar. 
3,  '65.  William  T.  Delzell,  Sept.  23,  '63  ;  drafted. 
Benjamin  F.  Dunn,  Nov.  4,  '63;  drafted.  George  S. 
Dash,  Mar.  14,  '64.  Frederick  H.  Ducel,  Mar.  11, 
1864.  John  F.  Davis,  Mar.  22,  '64;  never  joined  com- 
pany. Charles  G.  Dilts,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Oct.  29,  '63.  Elias  Davis,  Oct.  9, 
1861;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  May  25,  'd^. 
Charles  M.  Dodson,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Sept.  4,  '62.  Samuel  Everett,  Oct.  15, 
'63;  drafted.  Nelson  S.  Eveland,  Sept.  2,  '61;  dis- 
charged by  general  order  June  21,  '65;  veteran.  James 
Eddy,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Feb.  26,  '62.  Jacob  Frace,  Oct.  24,  '62;  absent,  sick, 
at  muster  out.  William  Frace,  Mar.  18,  '64.  George  H. 
Frace,  Mar.  11,  '64.  William  H.  Frace,  Mar.  18,  '64; 
discharged  by  general  order  June  8,  '65.  Thomas  H. 
Farrell,  Oct.  9,  '6t;  discharged  on  writ  of  habeas  corpus, 
Oct.  10,  '61;  minor.  John  Frace,  Oct.  9,  '61;  captured; 
died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Dec.  26,  '64;  veteran.  George 
Greenwalt,  Mar.  14,  '64.  Charles  M.  Greenwalt,  Feb. 
23, '64.  George  Gerringer,  Oct.  12,  '63.  John  Gaven, 
Sept.  9, '61;  veteran.  Frederick  Grumm,  Oct.  14,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.     Prentis  Gavitt,  Sept.  10,  '61; 


^¥ 


<¥ 


^h 


COMPANIES  A  AND  B,   FIFTY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


119 


died  Nov.  17,  '61.  John  Gillmore,  Oct.  15, '63;  drafted; 
died  at  Morris  Island,  S.  C,  June  28,  '64.  John  Griffin, 
Oct.  9, '61;  deserted  Aug.  16, '62.  John  Huntsman, 
Oct.  8,  '61;  veteran.  Henry  Hopes,  Nov.  9,  '63;  drafted. 
William  Home,  Nov,  6,  '63;  drafted.  William  Hypher, 
Nov.  6,  '63;  drafted.  Joseph  A.  Harter,  Mar.  14,  '64. 
Michael  Halpin.  Sept.  ti,  '62;  discharged  June  13,  '65. 
William  Huff,  Sept.  26,  '61;  discharged  June  25,  '65. 
Nelson  B.  Hedden,  Aug.  27,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.  Jacob  Hess,  Aug.  27,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Thomas  Haley,  Aug.  20,  '6r;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Arthur  B.  Hedden,  Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged  Sept.  22,  '62, 
for  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  3:,  '62.  Jo- 
seph Housel,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certi- 
ficate Sept.  18, '62.  Thomas  Hoover,  Oct.  9,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Aug.  11,  '62.  Henry 
Harrington,  Oct.  9,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps,  Nov.  15,  '63.  Edward  J.  Hudson,  Aug.  16,  '64; 
died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Jan.  19,  '65.  Samuel  W. 
Hess,  Oct.  9,  '61;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  28,'6[. 
Reuben  Hoffman,  Oct.  9,  '61;  died  June  9,  '62;  buried 
at  Annapolis,  Md.  John  S.Jenkins,  Apr.  7,  '62;  mus- 
tered out  May  5,  '65.  Robert  Jenkins,  Oct.  23,  '61;  dis- 
charged Sept.  30,  '62,  for  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks, 
Va.,  May  31,  '62.  Thomas  J.  Jenkins,  Oct.  9,  '61;  died 
July,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Fort  Johnson,  S.  C,  July 
3,  '64.  'I'homas  Killian,  Mar.  7,  '65.  Michael  Keef,  Aug. 
16,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Benjamin  Krother, 
Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  Sept.  26,  '62,  for  wounds  received 
at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  '62.  James  Kitchen,  Oct.  9, 
'61;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  6,  '61.  Daniel 
Learch,  Oct.  15,  '63:  drafted.  Francis  S.  Lope,  Oct.  15, 
'63;  drafted.  Thomas  G.  Litts,  Sept.  2,  '63;  drafted; 
discharged  June  28,  '65.  Martin  P.  Lutz,  Oct.  g,  '61; 
discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Dec.  3,  '62.  Frederick 
Laubach,  Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
Oct.  27,  '62.  Patrick  Lynch,  Sept.  17,  '61;  deserted  Sept. 
24,  '61.  Chester  B.  Monega,  Oct.  7,  '61;  veteran.  John 
Miller,  Sept.  24;  '63;  drafted.  Nelson  P.  Morgan,  Sept. 
23,  '63;  drafted.  John  F.  Mahler,  Mar.  22,  '64.  Albert 
J.  Meeker,  Mar.  31,  '64.  Freeman  Mock,  Mar.  22,  '64. 
J.  A.  Megargal,  Oct.  17,  '64.  William  Millham,  Mar.  28, 
'62;  mustered  out  May  5,  '65.  Reeder  D.  Myers,  Aug. 
2g,  '6j;  captured  July  3,  '64;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga., 
Dec.  22, '64.  Jonas  Miller,  Sept.  5,  '61;  mustered  out 
Nov.  s,  '64.  William  R.  Mott,  Sept.  g,  '61;  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  Michael  Mulrey,  Oct.  8,  '61;  prisoner  from 
July  3,  to  Dec.  i,  '64;  mustered  out  Mar.  i,  '65,  to  date 
Dec.  5,  '64.  Nicholas  Miller,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on 
surgeon's  certificate  Sept.  18,  '62.  Joseph  P.  Murray, 
Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Nov.  ],  '61. 
Ambrose  Myers,  Oct.  g,  '61;  died  at  Baltimore,  Md., 
June  22,  '62.  Charles  W.  Marks,  Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted; 
deserted  June  8,  '64.  Thomas  M'Garle,  Oct.  8,  '61;  vet- 
eran. John  R.  M'Cool,  Nov.  7,  '63;  drafted.  Thomas 
M'Cann,  Oct.  9,'6 1 ;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  May 
9,  '6^.  Franklin  M'Bride,  Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Jan.  15,  '62.  Thomas  M'Cormick,  Oct. 
g,  '61;  deserted  Aug.  16,  '62.  Christian  Orts,  Sept.  18, 
'61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Eliflet  Orts,  Sept.  16,  '61; 
died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Mar.  15,  '64;  veteran. 
George  S.  Pierce,  Mar.  21,  '64.  James  M.  Petty,  Feb.  23, 
'64.  William  Payne,  Feb.  23,  '64.  John  H.  Palmer,  Oct. 
9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Aug.  31,  '62. 
Abraham  D.  Patterson,  Oct.  g,'6i ;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  June  2,  '63.  Edward  Rogers.  Nov.  6,  '63; 
drafted.  Samuel  Roberts,  Oct.  17, '61;  veteran.  George 
Race,  Apr.  9,  '64.  Patrick  Riter,  Sept.  24,  63; 
drafted.  George  W.  Russell,  Mar.  7,  '65.  Wil- 
liam Renshaw,  Oct.  10,  '62;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Mar.  17, '65.     David  M.  Reese,   Sept.   2,  '61; 


mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Charles  S.  Rainow,  Sept.  17, 
'61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  James  Russell,  Sept. 
2,  '6[;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  George  W.  Runer, 
Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  Oct.  21, 
'6r.  Jacob  Smith,  Nov.  2,  '61;  drafted.  George  ^V. 
Smith,  Nov.  4,  '63;  drafted;  absent  in  parole  camp  at 
muster  out.  Earnest  Smith,  July  15,  '63;  drafted. 
John  A.  Stiers,  Oct.  17,  '63;  drafted..  .Moses  Souder, 
Mar.  21,  '64.  Peter  Swartwood,  Mar.  31,  '64.  Wash- 
ington St.  Clair,  Aug.  29,  '64;  discharged  June  25,  '65. 
John  Seely,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  cer- 
tificate Aug.  II,  '62.  Williain  Simmons,  Sept.  16,  '61; 
discharged  June  15,  '65,  to  accept  promotion  in  104th 
U.  S.  colored  troops.  Abraham  St.  Clair,  Oct.  9,  '61; 
discharged  on  sugeon's  certificate  July  15,  '62.  Bern- 
Bernard  P.  Smith,  Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged  Aug.  14,  '62, 
for  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  18,  '62. 
Joseph  T.  Stach,  Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Aug.  11,  '62.  Robert  M  Stephens,  Aug.  28, 
'61;  transferred  to  12th  N.  Y.  artillery  A])ril  9,  '62. 
Matthew  Smith,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to 
U.  S.  navy  June  8,  '64.  William  Smith,  Oct.  g,  '63; 
John  F.  Thomas,  Sept.  9,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.  David  W.  Turner,  Aug.  28,  '61;  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  John  M.  Taylor,  May  5,  '62;  mustered 
out  May  25,  '65.  Patrick  Tahan,  Oct.  9,  '6t;  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Feb.  26,  '62.  Robert 
Troup,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate 
June  14,  '63.  Thomas  Timms,  Sept.  16,  '61;  dis- 
charged Sept.  21,  '61.  Shadrack  Vanhorn,  Oct.  9, 
'61;  died  at  Harveyville,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  April  17, 
'62.  William  Ward,  Aug,  16,  '64;  discharged  June 
30,  '65;  William  S.  Withers,  Oct.  g,  '61;  discharged 
on  writ  of  habeas  corpus  Oct.  10,  '61;  minor.  Lewis 
Whitaker,  Oct.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surgeon's  certifi- 
cate April  20,  '61.  Thomas  AVilliams,  Nov.  4,  '63; 
drafted  ;  deserted  March  17,  '65.  Augustus  Weeks, 
Oct.  g,  '61;  deserted  October  30,  '61.  Fletcher  D. 
Yaple,  Oct.  g,  '61;  promoted  to  hospital  steward  U.  S. 
A.  May  g,  '63. 

COMPANY    B. 

Most  of  the  members  of  this  company  were  mustered 
in  on  the  nth  of  October,  1861,  and  that  date  will  be 
understood  when  no  other  is  given. 

Officers. — Captains — Thomas  B.Jones;  ]iromoted  major 
January  g,  '64.  R.  W.  Bannatyne;  promoted  from  first 
sergeant  to  second  lieutenant  Sept.  27,  '62;  to  first  lieu- 
tenant March  31,  '63;  capt.  Jan.  9,  '64.  ist  lieuts. — 
Charles  Russell;  resigned  Oct.  29, '62.  Norman  P.  Farr, 
promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.;  2nd  lieut.  June  13.  '63; 
ist  lieut.  Jan.  9,  '64.  2nd  lieuts. — Joseph  L.  Bender; 
resigned  Feb.  26,  '62.  Philo  M.  Burr;  promoted  from 
ist  sergt.  to  2d  lieut.  Jan.  g,  '64;  capt.  company  C  June 
I,  '65;  not  mustered,  ist  sergt.,  William  J.  Vaughn;  com- 
missioned 2nd  lieut.  June  i,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran. 
Sergts. — H.  W.  Robinson;  veteran.  Henry  D.  Kasson; 
promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  6,  '64;  veteran. 
Oscar  P.  Hulbert;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov. 
6,  '64;  vet.  Alden  M.  Wilson;  promoted  from  corp. 
to  sergt.  Nov.  6,  '64.  Wesley  Billings;  promoted  from 
corp.  to  sergt.  April  ig,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Joseph  Shannon;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Dec.  i, 
'63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Harry  B.  Brown;  pro- 
inoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Jan.  g,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov. 
5,  '64.  Jerome  T.  Furman;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  ist 
regiment  S.  C.  C.  T.  Aug.  29,  '63.  Alva  Fascetl; 
discharged  Aug.  11,  '62,  from  wounds  received  in  action. 
George  D.  Lott;  promoted  sergt.  April  ig, '62;  discharg- 
ed Sept.  22,  '62,  from  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks  May 


*k¥ 


<^ 


4, 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


31,  '62.  Henry  N.  Sterling;  promoted  sergt.  maj.  Nov. 
5,  '61.  George  H.  Sterling;  promoted  sergt.  maj.  Nov.  14, 
'62.  Frank  C.  Bunnell,  Sept.  20,  '6r;  promoted  Q.  sergt. 
March  i,  62,  Corporals— Ciilb't  B.  Robinson,  Feb.  29, 
'64;  veteran.  Thomas  W.  Evans;  veteran.  Nelson  N. 
Moody;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6, '64;  vet.  Abel  A.  Carter, 
Feb.  29, '64;  promoted  corp  Nov.  6, '64;  vet.  William  H. 
Kishbaugh;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  '64;  vet.  Edwin  A. 
Dewolf;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  '64;  vet.  Daniel  C. 
Low,  Feb.  29,  '6,4;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  64;  vet.  Levi 
F.  Drake,  Feb  29,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  '64;  vet. 
George  W.  Jayne;  promoted  corp.  Aug.  '62;  mustered 
out  Nov.  5,  '64.  George  L.  Kennard;  promoted  corp. 
Jan.  19,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  James  P.  K. 
Wilson;  promoted  corp.  Aug.  i,  '62;  iTiustered  out  Nov. 
S,  '64.  Allen  E.  Fassett;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  19,  '61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  ig,  '62.  Jacob  A. 
Cook;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  19,  '62.  Ammond 
Hatfield;  died  at  Yorktown,  A'a.,  May  31,  '62.  Theo- 
dore Barton;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  '62. 
Musician,  Benjamin  Bullock;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Sept,  24,  '62. 

Privates. — Augustus  Ashton,  Feb.  24,  '65.  Nelson  B. 
Allen,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged  by  general  order  June 
24,  '65.  Elisha  K.  Adams;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Oscar  R.  Adams;  absent,  sick  at  muster  out.  Gilbert  B. 
Adams;  Mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Thomas  Adams; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Seril  A.  Adams;  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  Peter  Alldred;  promoted  hosp.  st.  April  30, 
'64;  vet.  Daniel  Adams,  Mar.  23,  64;  died  at  Hilton 
Head,  S.  C,  June  7,  '64,  Chand.  N.  Burgess;  vet. 
Benjamin  Baker,  Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted.  Hiram  Brink, 
Sept.  23,  'dy,  drafted.  William  A.  Bates,  Sept.  12,  '62; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  4,  '63.  Thaddeus 
F.  BuUard,  Sept.  12,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Dec.  27,  '62.  Jonathan  Brewer,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged 
June  2,  '65.  Richard  D.  Bird,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  31,  '62.  William  S.  Beebe,  Aug. 
16,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Solomon  Burke,  Sept. 
26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  24,  65.  Edwin  Robin- 
son, jr.;  absent  on  detached  duty  at  muster  out.  Frank 
M.  Buck;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  William  Craft,  July 
24,  '63;  drafted.  Richard  Cook,  Feb.  24,  '65.  Isaac  V. 
Cooper,  March  7, '65.  Nathan  Colb,  Sept.  24,  'dy,  draft- 
ed. Thomas  Crompton,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Jan.  12,  '(>t,.  John  L.  Cole,  Sept.  16, 
'62;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Martin  H.  Conger,  Sept. 
16,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  12,  dT,. 
Alanson  Carrier,  Aug.  i,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65. 
Michael  Cover,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June 
24,  '65.  James  Cleary;  transferred  to  Fitch's  N.  Y. 
battery  July  25,  '62.  Clanson  L.  Cool;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  n,  '63.  Philip  H.  Cole,  Mar, 
7,  '64;  died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C,  Nov.  23,  '64.  John 
J.  Colberson,  Sept.  24,  'dy  drafted;  died  at  Morris 
island  Nov.  23,  '64.  Nathaniel  F.  Dickinson;  veteran. 
Charles  L.  Dood,  July  24,  '63;  drafted.  AVinfield 
S.  Davis,  Jan.  24,  '65.  Richard  Davis,  'Ja"-  19,  '65- 
Morgan  Deiner,  Sept.  28,  'dy  drafted;  discharged  June 
24,  '65.  C.  M.  Eggleston,  March  8,  '64.  Miles  East- 
man; mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Earl  Ellis;  dis- 
charged Feb.  12,  '63,  from  wounds  received  in  action. 
Thomas  Ellis,  transferred  to  5th  U,  S.  artillery,  '62. 
Miner  Ellis,  deserted  May  4,  '62.  Wm.  H.  Furman, 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  John  C.  Fraley,  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  Ebenezer  Fisk,  discharged  on  surgeon's 
certificate  Nov.  5,  '61.  Asa  H.  Frear,  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  Sept,  9,  '63.  Nelson  Finney,  discharged 
on  surgeon's  certificate  May  19,  '62.  Henry  Ferris,  died 
Dec.  25,  '61.  Levi  L,  Ferris,  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va., 
May  31,  '62.     Thomas  Grififith,   Feb.   25,  '65.     John  G. 


Gilmartin,    Oct.  29,  'dy    drafted.     George   H.    Gaylord, 
Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged   on   surgeon's  certificate  March 
10,  '63.     William  H.  Gavitt,   Sept.  28,  '63;  drafted;  pro- 
moted chaplain  May  21,   64.     James  W.  Gavitt,  Aug.  24, 
'64;    discharged    June    24,    '65.     Aaron    D.    Grow,    dis- 
charged   on    surgeon's    certificate    Jan.    11,   '63.     Daniel 
Graves,    died    at   Yorktown,  Va.,   June    10,   '62.      Jude 
Goodale,  deserted  Oct.  i,  '62.     George  W.  Graham,  Nov. 
9,  'dy  drafted;  deserted  June  17,  '64.     N.  Hilderbrand, 
Mar.  31,  '64.     Adam   Heller,   Nov.  7,  'dy  drafted.     Jos. 
Hendrickson,  Sept.  24,  'dy  drafted.     Charles  Hile,  Sept. 
24,    '63;     drafted.      James    Hoagland,     Sept.     24,     '63; 
drafted.      John   B.   Heller,   Sept.   28,   'dy    drafted;    dis- 
charged  June   24,  '65.     Lewis   Hautz,  Aug.  20,  '62;  dis- 
charged June  24,  '65.     Miles  Hadsall,  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  April  16,  '63.     Alonzo  Hart,  discharged 
on    surgeon's   certificate   Feb.  25,  '62.     DeWitt   Haynes, 
died  June  5,  '62,  from  wounds   received   at   Seven   Pines 
May  24,  '62.     Charles  Hunsinger,  died  at  Beaufort,  S.  C, 
Dec.  19,  'dT,.     Nathaniel  Josling,  Mar.  14,  '64.     Jonathan 
Jones,  veteran.     William   Joes,  Aug.  21,  '62;    discharged 
June   24,  '65.     John  C.  Jaynes,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged 
June   24,  '65.     Harman    M.   Jaynes,    Sept.   '16,  62;    dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Jan.  11,  63.     Judson  W. 
Jaynes;  discharged    on    siirg.    certificate    Sept.    27,    '63. 
Albert    Jennings;  discharged    Sept.    i,    '62,  for    wounds 
received  in   action.     John    M.   Johnston;  discharged   on 
surg.  certifi,cate  Aug.  1,  '63.    Nelson  Kresse,  Nov.  2,  '63; 
drafted.     Jacob  Kale,    Sept.    21,   '73;  drafted.     Levi  R. 
Kisler,  Sept.  24, '63;  drafted.     Lew  Keller,  Sept.  25,  '63; 
drafted.       Gustavus    A.    Kerlin,    Feb.    24,    '65.     Darius 
Knappin;    mustered    out  Nov.    5,    '64.     Charles    Living- 
ston, Sept.    24,    '63.     drafted;  discharged     July    7,    '65. 
George  Lock,  Sept.   25,    '63;  drafted.     Charles  O.  Light, 
Aug.  15,  '64;  discharged  Aug.  26,  '65.     George  M.  Lull, 
Mar.  S,  '62;  discharged  on  surg.   certificate  Mar.  30,  '65. 
Anson    Lathrop,    Mar.    28,    '62;  discharged  June  9,  '65. 
Jared  Lillie,  Aug.  27,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  George 
L.  Low;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.     Delaven  Leroy;  dis- 
charged on  surg.  certificate  Feb.  12,  '63.     Jacob  C.  Max- 
well, Aug,  29,  '64.     Myron  Maxwell,  Mar.  9,  '64.     Philip 
Miller,  Mar.  15,  '65.     Uriah  H.  Mourey,  Aug.  i,  '64;  dis- 
charged June    24,    '65.     Joseph    B.    Maxwell;  mustered 
out  Nov.  5,  '64.     John  D.    Maxwell;  mustered  out    Nov. 
S,  '64.  John  F.  Miller;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.   George 
S.  Martin;   discharged   on  surg.  certificate   Sept.   26,  '62. 
William  B.  Morgan,   Mar.  24,  '64;  died  at  Morris  island, 
S.  C,   Dec.    26,  '64.     Joab    M'Garr,    Aug.    27,    '62;  dis- 
charged    on    surg,    certificate    Dec.     27,     '62.     Roland 
Nease,  Nov.  2,   '63;  drafted.     Calvin  G.  Newman,    Feb. 
24,  '65.     John    P.    Orchard,    Feb.    24,    '65.      Samuel  K. 
Osborn,   Feb.    19,    '62;  discharged  on     surg's  certificate 
June  4,  '63.     Paul  J.    Overfield;  mustered    out   Nov.    5, 
'64.     George   AV.    Oliver;     absent,    sick,  at    muster    out. 
Charles   A.  Oliver;  died  June  11,    '62,  from  wounds    re- 
ceived at  Fair   Oaks,   Va,,    May  31,  '62.     Joseph  Ogden, 
IVIar.  28,  '64;  died  at   Morris   Island,  S.  C,  June  27,  '64. 
Silas   H.    Pierson,   Sept.    20,    '62.     Edward   Place;  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  5,  '64.     William   Pnewraan,  Sept.  22,  '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  15,  '65.       John 
H.    Riker,  Mar.    14,    '64;  absent,    sick,    at  muster  out. 
Henry  Rhoads,  Mar.  14,  '65.     Abrim  Rinker;  mustered 
out  Nov.  s,    '64.     Wilson    Russell;  discharged   on   surg. 


drafted.  John  O.  Shingler,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.  Joel 
B.  Sherwood,  Mar.  8,  '64.  Michael  SliKer,  Jan.  24,  '65. 
Edward  G.  Sterling.  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged  June  24, 
'65.  Edward  B.  Sturdevant,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged 
June  24,  '63.     Josiah   Sterling,    Mar.    7,  '64;  discharged 


J, 


<¥r 


«<N 


^ 


COMPANY   F,  FIFTY-SECOND    REGIMENT. 


on  surg.  certificate  Feb.  4,  '65.  Jonathan  Snyder,  Sept. 
26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Burrows  D. 
Stocker,  Feb.  25,  '62;  mustered  out  Mar.  18,  '65.  Porter 
Sumner;  transferred  to  gun-boat  service  Feb.  18,  '62. 
Davenport  Shoemaker;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Daniel 
Shaner;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Daniel  Smith;  dis- 
charged on  surg.  certificate  Nov.  11,  '61.  Tilleston  D. 
Smith,  Sept.  16,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  i,  '64.  Joshua 
Trowbridge;  deserted;  returned  July  12,  '65.  Abram 
I..  Tiffany.  George  W.  Thurber,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted.  D.iniel  B.  Tompkins,  Sept.  16,  '62;  discharged 
June  24,  '65.  William  Thatcher,  Aug.  20,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  29,  '63.  Jacob  Tripp, 
Aug.  30,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  George  P.  Tif- 
fany, mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  George  H.  Titus, 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Solomon  Vansicle,  Sept.  16, 
'62;  discharged  June  24.  '65.  William  Vanosedale, 
Sept.  I,  '62;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Robert  Vanduzen. 
Mar.  28,  '64;  died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C.,  July  13,  '64, 
George  D.  Wright,  Daniel  M.  Wright,  John  L.  Woodruff, 
Mar.  31,  '64.  Giles  R.  Wilcox,  Mar.  3,  '62;  mustered 
out  Mar.  18,  '65.  Daniel  W.  Warner,  Mar.  3,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  3,  '62.  Alfred  Wil- 
liams, mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Charles  Wright, 
discharged  Sept.  5,  '62,  for  wounds  received  in  action. 
Danford  Wakefield,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Dec.  28,  '62. 

COMPANY    F. 

Most  of  the  members  of  this  company  were  mustered 
October  24th,  1861,  and  that  date  will  be  understood 
where  none  is  given. 

Officers. — Ca])tains — James  Cook,  Sept.  5, '61;  resigned 
Oct.  2  1,  '63.  Treat  B.  Camp,  Sept.  21,  '61;  promoted 
from  first  lieutenant  to  captain  Oct.  22,  '63.  First  lieu- 
tenants— Burton  K.  Gustin;  promoted  from  first  sergeant 
to  first  lieutenant  Dec.  2r,  '63;  mustered  out  Jan.  27,  '65. 
Charles  E.  Britton;  promoted  from  first  sergeant  to  first 
lieutenant  June  3,  '65;  veteran.  Second  lieutenants — 
Ransom  W.  Luther,  Sept.  19,  '61;  resigned  June  21,  '62. 
Nelson  Orchard;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut. 
Sept.  27,  '62;  dismissed  Sept.  13, '63,  Alson  Secor;  pro- 
moted from  ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Mar.  27,  '64;  mustered 
out  Jan.  27,  '65;  veteran.  First  sergeants — Niram  A. 
Fuller;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  1st  sergt.;  veteran. 
Charles  L.  Camp;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  2, 
'63.  Sergeants — Andrew  Mellville;  promoted  from  corp. 
to  sergt.  Jan.  17,  '64;  veteran.  Stephen  C.  Hall;  pro- 
moted corp.  Jan.  17,  '64;  sergt.  May  i,  '65;  veteran. 
Charles  W.  Ketler;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  17,  '64;  sergt. 
May  I,  '65;  veteran.  Leander  Overpeck;  prisoner  from 
July  3,  '64,  to  Feb.  24,  '65;  mustered  out  Mar.  1,  '65. 
Alexander  Nealy;  prisoner  from  July  3,  '64,  to  Feb.  26, 
'65;  mustered  out  Mar.  3,  '65.  Luther  W.  Welch;  pro- 
moted from  corp.  to  sergt.  April  13,  '62;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  16,  '62.  Corporals — John 
M'Carty,  Nov.  2,  '63  ;  drafted  ;  promoted  cor- 
poral Nov.  23,  '64.  Harrison  N.  Mott;  promoted 
corporal  Jan.  i,  '65;  captured  at  Fort  Johnson 
S.  C,  July  3,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Lewis 
D.  'Town;  promoted  corporal  Jan.  i,  '65;  captured  at 
Fort  Johnson,  S.  C,  July  3.  '64;  returned  May  26,  '65. 
George  Fink;  promoted  corporal  May  i, '65;  veteran. 
Edward  P.  i\['Kittrick,  July  15,  '63;  drafted;  promoted 
corporal  May  I,  '65.  Samuel  M.  Sorber,  Mar.  11,  '64; 
promoted  corporal  July  i,  '65.  Charles  Hallstead,  Feb. 
16,  '65;  promoted  corporal  July  i,  '65.  Rufu.s  P.  T.ind- 
ley;  discharged  June  12,  '65;  veteran.  Jeremiah  Gillin- 
ger;  promoted  corporal  April  13,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov. 
5,  '64.     Davis  Brooks;  promoted    corporal    Dec.    i,   '63; 


mustered  out.     Reuben  H.   Dixon;  promoted  corp.  Dec. 
I,    '63;  captured   July    3,     '64;  absent    at    muster     out. 
(reorge  H.  Wheat;  promoted  corp.  April  5, '64;  captured 
July  3,  '64;  absent  at  muster.     George  S.  Goodwin;   dis- 
charged on    surgeon's  certificate  July    27,  '62.     Marshall 
Wheeler;  discharged    on    surgeon's   certificate    May    23, 
'62.     Samuel    Duncan;  discharged   on    surgeon's  certifi- 
•-ite  Feb.  12,  '63.     Ebenezer    Chase;  died    at    Brooklyn, 
N.    Y.,   July    28,   '62.     Musicians — Russell    Miller;    dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  April  20,  '64.     Albert  N. 
Barney;  promoted  principal  nuLsician  July  4,  '61;  veteran. 
Privates. — John  Avery;  prisoner  from   July  3  to  Nov. 
30,  '64;  mustered  out   Dec.  5,  '64.     Jacob   Agnew;  died 
at  Yorktown,  Va.,_Nov.  28,  '62.     Lucius  Adams;  died  at 
Yorktown,  Va.,  Oct.   12,  '62.     Lewis   Botzen,    Sept.   24, 
'63;  drafted;  captured  July  3,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out. 
John    O.    Baker,    Sept     24,    '63;  drafted.      Alonzo    Bell, 
Sept.    24,  '63;  drafted;  ca])tured    July    3,  '64;   absent  at 
muster  out.     Daniel  Butcher,  Oct.  15, '63;  drafted.     Orel 
Bailey;    captured    July    3,   '64;    absent    at    muster    out. 
Frederick  Burgess;  discharged  on  surg.'s  certificate  Sept. 
27,  '62.     T.  C.  Buffington;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Nov.  15, '63.     John  Bailey;  died  May  17, '62.    Levi 
Barnett;  died  at    Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  25,  '62.     Ver- 
non  C.   Capwell,  Sept.  27,  '63;  drafted.     John    Conway, 
Sept.    24,  '63;  drafted.     James    Canince.    Sept.    24,    '63; 
drafted;  captured    July    3,   '64;    absent    at    muster   out. 
Edward  Cavanee,  Mar.  14,  '64;  captured  July  3,  '64;  re- 
turned May  14,  '65.     Henry  Cavanee,  Mar.  23,  '64.  John 
Caterson;  veteran.     Almon  F.  Camp;  mustered  out  Nov. 
5,  '64.     Benjamin  Cornell;   prisoner  from    July   3,  '64,  to 
Mar.  3,  '65;    mustered  out  Mar.  8,  '65.      Daniel  L.Clark; 
captured  July  3,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out.     Jonathan  A. 
Clark;  captured  July  3,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out.     Wil- 
liam A.  Campbell;  mustered    out    Nov.  5,  '64.     Thomas 
Conner,  Sept.  24, '63;  drafted;  discharged  on   surg's  cer- 
tificate Oct.  26,  '64.     Lawrence  Connelly;  discharged  on 
surg's    certificate    June  2,  '63.     Vernon  C.  Capwell;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  7,  '63.     Curtis  R.  Dun- 
more;    transferred    to    8th    N.  Y.    artillery    July   6,   '62. 
Patrick  Devaney,  William  Dougherty  and   James  Duffy; 
captured    July    3,   '64;  absent    at    muster   out.     Chester 
Dodge;  died  nt  Georgetown,  D.  C,  Jan.  31,  '62.     Henry 
Esterbrook,  Feb.  16, '65;  discharged  June  14, '65.     Dan- 
iel   Engle;  discharged   on   surg's   certificate  Nov.  6,  '61. 
James  Flinn;  discharged   on   surg's    certificate    Aug.  10, 
'62.     Thomas  Ferguson,  Nov.  13, '63;  drafted;  discharg- 
ed on  surg's  certificate  Sept.  i,  '64.     Ebenezer  Freeland; 
died,  1862,  of  wounds  received  at  explosion  of  gunboat 
"  Mound  City,"  at  Fort  Henry,  Tenn.  Alfred  Forrest;  de- 
serted Oct.  24,  '6r.     Casper  G.  Griffin;  veteran.     William 
Gensle,  Mar.  14,  '64.  John[Gearns;  transferred  to  7th  N.Y. 
artillery  Apr.  6, '62.   Herman  S.  Graeff,  Sept.  28,  '63;  draft- 
ed; died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C,  July  i,'64.  Ezra  Gruh,  Mar. 
7,  '64;   died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C.,  Aug.  26,  '64.     Judge 
Gustin;  killed  at  Fort  Johnson,  S.  C,  July  3,  '64.  Leslie 
Hawley,  Sept.  30, '63;  drafted;  captured  July  3,  '64;  absent 
at  muster  out.     John  M.  Hartman,  Sept.  30,  '63;  drafted; 
captured    July    3,    '64.       Henry    Horn,     Sept.     25,    '63; 
drafted.     Miller  Hilton,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted;  captured 
July   6,   64.     Richard  Hallstead,  Oct.   3r,   '63;  drafted; 
captured   July    3,  '64;    returned   May    15,    '65.       David 
Haring,    July    22,    '63;    drafted;    captured    July    3,    '64. 
David  Halleck;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.    W.J,  N.  Hen- 
son;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  Oct.  14, '62.     Simon 
B.  Henson;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  Nov.  17,  '61. 
George  W.  Harper,  Sept.  30,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  March 
17,  '65.     James  H.  Howe,  March  11,  '64;  deserted  May 
29,  '64.     Charles    A.    Howe,    April    12,   '65;    discharged 
June   23,  '65.     Harlan    Howe,  April    12,  '65;   discharged 
June  23,  '65.     Albert  V.  Jerauld,  March  10,  '65.     Albert 


=^'=W* 


^^ 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


V.  Jenkins,  Oct.  3,  '61;   discharged   on   surg's  certificate 
May  g,'63.    (ieorge  H.  Knight;  veteran.    Jacob  Krall,  Oct. 
27,  '63;  drafted.    William  Kenned)',  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted; 
prisoner  from  July  3,  '64,  to  May  7,  '65;  discharged  June 
25,  '65.     Henry  Kerns;   died   at   Philadelphia,   Pa.,  Ang. 
'S>  '('3-     Peter  Klausen,  Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted;  captured; 
died   at   Florence,   S.  C,  Oct.   4,  '64.     Wm.    Linderman, 
Sept.    24,   '63;    drafted;    captured  July    3,  '64;    returned 
May    14,  '65.     David   Lake,   July  24,   '63;   drafted;   cap- 
tured   July    3,  '64.     James   K.    Lunger,   March    14,   '64; 
drafted;    captured   July  3,   '64;    returned    May   14,   '65. 
William    Love,  April  13,  '64.     Burton    Luther,   captured 
July  3,  '63;  absent  at  muster  out.     Hiram  Lathrop,  dis- 
charged on  surgeon's  certificate  Oct.  8,  '62.     M\ron   La- 
throp,    discharged    on   surg's    certificate    Feb.    28,     '68. 
Sylvester   Moyars,  Mar.  22,  '64.     Mile   Moyers,  Mar.  22, 
'64;  captured   July  3,  '64.     Nelson    Ming,  Mar.    21,  '64. 
Newell  M.    Mattison,    discharged    on     surg's    certificate 
April  19,  '62.     John   Murphy.   Oct.    24,    '64;  discharged 
on    surg's    certificate,  April    6,  '64.     Royal  Morton,  dis- 
charged   on    surg's  certificate    Feb.    27,  '63.     John   Mil- 
ler, Sept.  26,  63;  drafted;  died   July  10,  '64,  at   Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  of  wounds  received  at   Fort    Johnson,   S.    C, 
July  3,  '64.     Edwin  S.  Murdock,   Sept.    24,  '63;  drafted; 
died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  April  11,  '65.     John    M'Clerkin, 
Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.     William   M.  M 'Donald,  Sept.  24, 
'6^;  drafted;   captured    July  3,    '64.     William    Newman, 
Sept.  25,  '63;  drafted;    captured   July  3,   '64.     Svlvanus 
Nicholas,  prisoner  from  July  3  to  Dec.  10,  '64;  mustered 
out  Dec.  16,  '64.     Solomon  Nelson,  died  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  Feb.   15,  62.     John  O'Neil,  Sept.  24,  '64;  drafted; 
deserted  June  3,  '64.    Jesse  Foley,  June  22,  '63;  drafted. 
Alfred   Parson.s,   Sept.  24,  '64;  drafted.     Daniel   B.    Pal- 
mer,  Sept.   29,    '64:  discharged  June    4,  '65.     Jacob    A. 
Palmer,  captured;  died  at  Florence,  S.  C.,  Nov.,  '64;  vet- 
eran.    Clarence  Piatt,  discharged  on  writ  of  haheas corpus. 
Isaac  T.  Pelham,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  21, 
'(i2,.     Martin  G.   Palmer,  discharged  on   surg's  certificate 
Mar.  2,  '63.    John  Pruyne,  killed  at  Lee's  Mills,  Va.,  May 
4,  '62.     James    Riley,    Sept.    25,  63;    drafted;    captured 
July  3, '65;  absent  at  muster  out.     Nicholas  Raber,  Sept. 
24,  '63;  drafted;    captured    July    3,   '64;    discharged    by 
general  order  July  18,  '65.     L.    E.   Richardson,  Feb.  16, 
'65.      John    Smith,    Sept.    24,     '63;    drafted;    captured 
July    3,  '64.      Thomas    Smith,  Oct.     26,    '63;     drafted. 
Henry  Schopback,   Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.     Josiah  Stout, 
July  22,  '63,  drafted;  died  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  Aug.  2,  '65! 
Frederick    Slagle,    July    24,    '63;  drafted.      Thomas    H. 
Shaw,  Oct.  29, '63;  drafted;  captured  July  3,  '64.     James 
B.  Spencer,  Feb.    16,    '65;  absent,    sick,  at    muster   out. 
D.  G.  Sturdevant,   mustered  out    Nov.  5,    '64.     Andrew 
Singer,  mustered  out  Nov.   5,  '64.     Benjamin    F.    Sayer, 
Oct.    30'    '(jy,  drafted;  discharged    on    surg's    certificate 
May  31,  65.     Peter  Shaffer,  Sept.   23,  '63;  drafted;  cap- 
tured;    died    at     Andersonville,     Ga.,    April     28,     '64. 
John  L.  Shove;  discharged  on  surg's   certificate  June  16, 
'62.    Benjamin  L  Towne,  March  17,  '64.    Edwin  Thatcher' 
Feb.  16,  '65.     Thomas  Tinglebaugh;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate   June  4,  '62.     James  Tattersall;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Aug.   13,   '62.     John   Tamm,   Sept.   24, 
"dy,  drafted;   died   at   Morris   island,  S.  C,  June  26,  '64. 
George  W.  Tamm;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  4,  '62. 
James  H.  Westcott,  Oct.  28,  '63;  drafted.     Louis  Werner, 
Nov.    II,  '63;   drafted.     Orlando  Watrous,   Feb.   16,  '65! 
Henry  Whitney,  Feb.  17,  '65.     Benjamin  S.  Welter,  Feb! 
17,    '65.      John    S.    White;    mustered    out    Nov.    5,    '64. 
Richard  Wolley;   mustered  out  Nov.   5,  '64.     Samuel   A. 
Warner;    died    at    Annapolis,    Md.,    December    11,    '64! 
Charles  Williams,  Sept.  23,  '63;  died  at  Germantown,  Pa., 
Dec.  24.  '64.     William  Walker;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate  Feb.    16,  '63.     Nathan   K.  White;   discharged  on 


surg's  certificate  June  i,  '63.  Robert  O.  Wilson;  dis" 
charged  on  surg's  certificate,  Jan.  23,  '63.  D.  T.  White- 
bead;  died  at  Newport  News,  V-a.,  April  20,  '62.  Frank 
Yeager,  Sept,  24,  '63;  drafted;  captured  July  3,  '64;  ab- 
sent at  muster  out. 

COMPANY     H. 

Officers. — Captains — Erwin    R.  Peckens,   Aug.  22,  '61; 
resigned  April  28,  '63.     John  B.  Fish,  Aug.  31,  '61;  pro- 
moted from    ist  lieut.  to  capt.  July  i,  '63;  mustered  out 
Jan.  27,  '65.     C.  C.    Brattenberg,  Nov.    4,  '61;  promoted 
from    ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  June  3,  '64;   ist  lieut.   June 
3,  '65;  capt.   June    24,    '65;    veteran,     ist    lieut.,  James 
G.    Stevens,    Sept.    19,   '61;  promoted  from   2nd    to   ist 
lieut.  Nov.  13,  '63;  captured  July  3,  '64;  died  at  Blakley, 
Luzerne    county,    Pa.,  April    7,    '65.     2nd    lieut.,    David 
Wigton,     Nov.    4,    '6i;     promoted     from     sergt.   to    2nd 
lieut.     Nov.     13,    '63;     resigned     March     23,     '64.       ist 
sergts. — Joseph     R.    Roberts,    Nov.     4,    '61;     promoted 
from    sergt.    to    ist    sergt.    Nov.    5,    '64;     commissioned 
2nd   lieut.  March  26,  '65,  and   ist   lieut.  June  5,  '65;  not 
mustered;  veteran.     Joseph   Bell,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted 
Corp.  Jan.  1 1,  '62;  sergt.  Aug.  5,  '62;  ist  sergt.  June  3,  '64; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.     Sergts. — William   W.   Archer, 
Nov.  4,   '61;    commissioned   2nd  lieut.  June  4,    '65;  not 
mustered;  veteran.     Abram  C.  Greiner,  Nov.  4,  '61;  pro- 
moted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64;   veteran.     Moses 

D.  Fuller,  Nov.  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov. 
S,  '64;  veteran.  Enos  Boynton,  Oct.  24,  '65;  promoted 
corp.  June  3,  '64;  sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64;  mustered  out  with 
company,  July  12,  '65.  George  W.  Wilder,  Nov.  4  '61; 
promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '63:  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  Reese  Williams,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate,  July  18,  '62.     Chauncey  W.  Watt,  No\'. 

4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  Nov.  9,  '62.  Peter 
B.  Walter,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  com.  sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64; 
veteran.  Linton  T.  Roberts,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  com. 
sergt.  Aug.  10,  '63.  Corps.— John  A.  Stoddard,  Oct. 
25,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  5,  '64.  Levi  K.  Kauffman, 
Nov.  6,  '63;  drafted;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  5,  '64.     James 

E.  Albree,  Nov.  9,  'dy,  drafted;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  5, 
'64.  David  Gerhard,  Nov.  7,  'dy  drafted;  promoted 
corp.  Nov.  5,  '64.  Charles  Wagner,  July  28,  '63; 
drafted;  promoted  corp.  March  i,"  '65.  John 
L.    Hull,    Nov.    4,    '62;     promoted     corp.    May    1,   '65. 

5.  S.  Penterbaugh,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Nov. 
5,  '64;  discharged  July  25,  '65;  veteran.  Robert  Barnes, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '63;  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  Herman  C.  Milk  r,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted 
corp.  Nov.  13,  '63;  '63;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Amasa  R.  DeWolf,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corp.  June 
14,  '64;  tiiustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  William  S.  Hopkins, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  13,  '(,y  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,  '64.  Nelson  LaRose,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted 
corp.  Nov.  13,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  John 
Ayers,  Sept.  24,  '62;  drafted;  discharged  June  24," '65. 
Charles  M.  Appleman,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corp. 
Jan.    ri,   '62;  discharged   on    surg's  certificate    Sept.  18, 

62.  Nathan  Brown,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corp. 
Aug.  5,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  March  8,  '63. 
Isaac  H.  Hermans,  Nov.  4,  '6i;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Oct.  31,  '62.  Harvey  Steele,  Oct  "8  '62 
drowned  at  Newbern,  N.  C,  April  5,  '65.  Stephen  d! 
Bidwell,  Nov.  4,  '61;  died  at  Washington,  D  C  Dec 
II,  '61.  George  C.  Atherton,  Nov.  4,  '6i;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Dec.  14,  '61.  Edmund  Jones,  Nov.  4,  '6i- 
deserted  Aug.  16,  '62.  Musicians— Chester  Brown,  Nov 
4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Sept  17  '62 
Francis  J.  Furman,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Oct.  4,  '62.  ' 

Privates.— ]^iO'c,  Ayers,  Sept.  i,  '64.     Mortimer  Alton, 


^h 


=*^N 


COMPANY  H,  FIFTY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


123 


Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  John  C.  Adams, 
Nov.  4,  '6r;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Edward  B. 
Ashelman,  Oct.  15,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Morris  island, 
S.  C,  July  12,  '64.  David  Bryant,  Oct.  23,  '62;  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  out.  J.  S.  Buckwalter,  Nov.  t,  '63; 
drafted.  David  Baker,  Oct.  13,  '63;  drafted.  Conrad 
Bachman,  March  23,  '64;  drafted.  Jefferson  Betz,  Mar. 
7,  '64;  drafted.  Michael  Blair,  March  31,  '64;  drafted. 
J.  A.  A.  Burschel,  Jan.  24,  '65.  Aaron  Bishop,  Nov.  4, 
'61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  July  3,  '65.  Joseph 
Barnes,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  George 
Brown,  April  i,  '62;  mustered  out  June  12,  '65.  H.  M. 
Bunting,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate, 
Sept.  II,  '62.  James  K.  Bunyon,  July  24,  '63;  drafted; 
transferred  to  U.  S.  navy,  June  29,  '64.  Adam  Barth, 
Oct.  23,  '62;  died  at  Beaufort,  S.  C,  Oct.  18,  '64, 
of  wounds  received  at  Fort  Wagner  Oct.  13,  '64. 
Thomas  Burke,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  May  24, 
'64.  Charles  Bisbing,  Nov.  4,  '61;  deserted  March  24, 
'62.  Thomas  Coates,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.  Peter  Con- 
nelly, Sept.  24,  62;  drafted.  Henry  T.  Coleman,  March 
26,  '64.  Minor  C.  Connor,  Feb.  27,  '65.  Pieman  B. 
Carey,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  James 
Coggins,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Edwin 
D.  Campbell,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Andrew  G.  CoUum,  Sept.  i,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65. 
John  Carpinger,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Nov.  26,  '62.  David  Cole,  Oct.  23,  '62;  died  at 
Yorktown,  Va.,  Dec.  16,  '62.  William  H.  Cramer,  Oct. 
15,  '62;  drafted;  died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C,  July  16,  '64. 
Thomas   Cooper,  March  22,  '64;   died  at   Morris  Island, 

5.  C,  Sept.  13,  '64.  Richard  R.  Clift,  Nov.  4,  '61;  died 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  28,  '62.  Elihu  M.  Dwight, 
March  15,  '64.  Michael  Doyle,  April  4,  '64.  William 
H.  Dolph,  Feb.  25,  '65.  William  Evans,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '64.  Charles  Evans,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  deserted  May  29,  '64.  John  H.  Fell,  Nov.  4, 
'61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Simeon  Ferris,  Nov.  4, 
'61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Michael  Flomm,  Sept. 
26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Edward  D. 
Finney,  Nov.  4,  '61;  died  at  Yorktown,  Va.,  Oct.  25,  '62. 
Nicholas  Flomm,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June 
24,  '65.     Conrad   Grab,  Nov.  4.,  '61.     John   Gantz,  Nov. 

6,  '62;  drafted.  John  D.  Griffith,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mus- 
tered out  Nov,  5  '64  ;  William  C.  Gaylord, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  absent  on  detached  duty,  at  ex- 
piration of  term.  Harvey  H.  Gray,  March  24,  '64;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  24,  '62.  Martin  Groner, 
Sept.  30,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  June  7,  '65.  Michael  Gil- 
bride,  Aug.  i3,'64;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Henry  Greiner, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  Dec.  6,  '62. 
David  S.  Gallatin,  Stpt.  20,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to 
U.  S.  navy  June  9,  '64.  John  M.  Gainor,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  deserted  June  29,  '64.  George  Hines,  May  30, 
'64.  Stephen  P.  Hull,  Oct.  24,  '62.  Elliott  Harris, 
March  25,  '64;  drafted.  Benjamin  Houtz,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Daniel  Howell,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
transferred  to  gunboat  service  Feb.  26,  '62.  Edward  L. 
Rubier,  Aug.  22,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Jacob 
Hines,  Aug.  17,  '62;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Peter  M. 
Harvey,  Nov.  4,  '6r;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Sept.  20,  '62.  George  Hancock,  Oct.  30,  '63;  drafted; 
died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Sept.  22,  '64.  Charles  Heath, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  died'  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  4,  '62. 
W^ayne  Harding,  Nov.  4,  '61;  died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C., 
May  2,  '63.  Edward  Tones,  March  29,  '64.  William 
James,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Edward 
Jones,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar. 
13,  '63.  Harry  King.  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.  John  M. 
Kapp,  Feb.  21,  '65.  Theodore  Keeney,  March  28,  '64. 
William   Kelley,   Nov.   4,  '61;    transferred   to  7th  N.  Y. 


artillery  July  25,  '62.  Charles  Keech,  Nov.  4,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  25,  '62.  Jacob  C.  Kint- 
ner,  Nov.  4,  '61;  transferred  to  signal  corps  April  28,  '63. 
Richard  Lee,  Sept.  20,  '63;  drafted;  absent  at  Fort 
Clinch,  Fla.,  by  sentence  of  general  court  martial. 
Thomas  Lynch,  Oct.  30,  '6t,;  drafted.  Redmond  Line. 
March  31,  '64.  Anthony  Long,  Feb.  24,  '65.  John  J. 
La  France,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64, 
Aaron  Lamberson,  Aug.  22,  '64;  discharged  June  24, 
'65.  Benjamin  Myers,  Sept.  26,  '63;  drafted. 
William  Mutchler,  March  18,  '64.  Simon  Mackey, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Owen 
Moyless,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mastered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Daniel  Mahen,  Sept.  i,  '62;  discharged  June  24, 
'65.  Herbert  D.  Miller,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Oct.  28,  '62-  Thomas  Monlon,  Nov.  2, 
'63;  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy  June  9,  '64. 
Peter  M'Cluskey,  Oct.  13,  '63;  drafted.  A.  K  M'Mur- 
ray,  Sept.  25,  '63;  drafted;  absent  on  furlough  at  muster 
out.  John  M'Lane,  Aug.  17,  '64;  discharged  June  24, 
'65.  Peter  M'Afee,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Feb.  12,  '63.  Arthur  M'Gowan, 
Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy 
June  9,  '64.  Patrick  M'Donald,  Sept.  24,  '6^; 
drafted;  died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C,  F'eb.  12,  '65. 
Collin  M'Callum,  Nov.  4,  '61;  deserted  Mar.  28,  '62. 
James  Nelson,  Oct.  23,  '62.  Nemison  Northrop,  Mar. 
25,  '64.  Joseph  Nash,  Feb.  24,  '65.  Michael  O'Neil, 
Sept.  29,  '6y,  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Jerry 
O'Neil,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  Mar.  10,  '64. 
Adam  Oustead,  Sept.  26,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  June 
24,  '65.  Joseph  Ollendick,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Aug.  S, '63,  John  Patrick,  Mar.  26,  '64. 
Charles  R.  Potter,  Mar.  26,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at 
muster  out.  Francis  Pickering, 
out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Meschack 
mustered    out     Nov.    Si    '^4- 

23,  '62;     discharged    June    24, 
Feb.    21,    '65.    John    Rodimer, 
out    Nov.    5,    '64.     Charles     P. 

promoted  to  com.  sergt.  Nov.  5,  '61.  Charles  W.  Rus- 
sell, Nov.  4,  '61;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Nov.  18, 
'61.  Joseph  A.  Starner,  Mar.  15,  '64.  William  Stage, 
Mar.  31,  '64.  Henry  M.  Sieger,  Jan.  25,  '65.  James 
Sieger,  Feb.  i,  '65.  Daniel  C.  Staples,  Feb.  25,  '65. 
William  H.  Scull,  Feb.  27,  '65.     William  N.  Smith,  Nov. 

4,  '61;  wounded  at  Fort  Putnam,  S.  C;  absent  at  muster 
out.     Philitus  Snedicor,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov. 

5,  '64.     John  F.  Smith,  Sept.   25,   '61;    discharged  June 

24,  '65.  David  Spangler,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  dis- 
charged June  24,  '65.  Philip  Shrock,  Sept.  26,  '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Henry  W.  Skinner, 
Aug.  18,  '64;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  George  Smith, 
Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Dec.  12,  '64.  Joseph  Seger,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  June  26,  '63.  Benjamin  Sayer, 
Nov.  4,'  61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb. 
II,  '63.  Leonard  Torpyn,  Nov.  4,  '61.  Charles  Trent, 
Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  24,  '65.  Zebu- 
Ion  P.  Travis;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Dilton  N.  Tay- 
lor; Nov.  30,  '63;  died  Mar.  14,  '64.  William  H.  Tur- 
ner, Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  June  16,  '64.  Horace 
J.  Vangilder,  Oct.  27,  '63;  drafted.  Holden  T.  Vaughn, 
Oct.  29,  '63;  drafted.  Thomas  White,  Sept.  23,  '63; 
drafted.  Henry  Ward,  Feb.  24,  '65.  Henry  Williams 
ist,  Mar.  17,  '65.  M.  G.  Woodward,  Mar.  22,  '65.  Frede- 
rick Whitehead,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Henry  Williams  2nd,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.  Peter  Weaver,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.  John  Walsh,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
Mar.  26,  '64.  William   Winchester,  Nov.    3,  '63;  drafted; 


Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered 
Phillips,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
John     E.     Perry,    Sept. 

'65.  Simon  Rhoads, 
Nov.    4,    '61;    mustered 

Ross,     Aug.     15,     6r; 


*ih 


1 


1^== 


124 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


transferred  to  U.  S.  navy  June  9,  '64.  Elias  Woodruff, 
Oct.  22,  '62;  died  Mar.  7,  '65.  Samuel  Zerfos,  Sept. 
26,   '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  24,  '65. 

COMPANY    I. 

Cj^«;-j-.— Captains— Beaton  Smith,  Aug.  22,  '61;  re- 
signed May  II,  '63.  Henry  H.  Jenks,  Aug.  22,  '61; 
promoted  from  1st  lieut.  to  capt.  Nov.  i,  '63;  absent,  on 
detached  duty,  at  muster  out.  First  lieutenants — Frede- 
rick Fuller,  Aug.  22,  '61;  promoted  from  2nd  to  ist 
lieut.  Nov.  ),  '63;  transferred  to  signal  corps  Jan.  1 1, 
'62.  Thomas  Evans,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted  from  corp. 
to  sergt.  Feb.  5,  '62;  istsergt.  Sept.  2,  '62;  ist  lieut.  Mar. 
25,  '64;  captured  July  3,  '64;  mustered  out  May  6,  '65. 
Second  lieutenant,  Edward  W.  Smith,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Dec.  6,  '61;  ist  sergt. 
Nov.  6,  '63;  2nd  lieut.  Oct.  24,  '64;  commissioned 
ist  lieut.  June  8,  '65;  not  mustered.  First  sergeants — 
Frank  Early,  Sept  23,  '61;  promoted  from  private  to 
ist  sergt.    Nov.    i,     64;    commissioned    2nd    lieut.  June 

8,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran  Benjamin  F.  Jones, 
Sept.  23,  '61;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  '62. 
Sergeants — Matthew  Richards,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted 
from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  6,  '64.  David  Evans,  Sept,  23, 
'61;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  6,  '64.  Richard 
Davis,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted  from  private  to  sergt. 
Nov.  I,  '64;  veteran.  John  Edmonds,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  4,  '64. 
William  H.  Harris,  Sept.  23,  61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.  John  Reason,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted  from  corp 
to  sergt.  Sept.  12,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
Erastus  Sowers,  Sept.  23,  61;  promoted  from  corp.  to 
sergt.  Nov.  27,  '62;  prisoner  from  July  3  to  Nov.  30,  '64; 
mustered  out  Dec.  5,  '64.  William  H.  Merritt,  Sept.  23, 
'61;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  '63;  mustered 
out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Samuel  Seitzinger,  Oct.  5,  '6r; 
transferred  to  96th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  Nov. 
6,  '61.  Corporals  —  William  Wood,  July  24,  '6t,; 
drafted;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  '64,  John 
Timball,  July  22,  '63;  drafted;  promoted  corp. 
Nov.  6,  '64.  Henry  Colkert,  Nov.  2,  '63;  drafted;  pro- 
moted corp.  Nov.  6,  '64.  George  W.  Garrison,  Sept.  24, 
'63;  drafted.  Joseph  Morgan,  July  17,  '63;  drafted; 
promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  '64.  Thomas  Morris,  Oct.  29, 
'63;  drafted;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  6,  '64.  John  Gleason, 
Mar.  9,  '64;  captured  July  3,   '64;   promoted  corp.  June 

9,  '65.  Morris  Hoover,  Aug.  7,  '64;  discharged  June  2, 
'65.  John  P.  Davis,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted  corp. 
Dec.  I,  '63;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Thomas  Davis, 
Sept.  23,  61;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '6;^;  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  Thomas  A.  Edwards,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '63;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
John  Gallon,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  Dec.  i, 
'63;  prisoner  from  July  3  to  Dec.  13,  '64;  mustered  out 
Dec.  18,  '64.  Samuel  Smith,  Sept.  23,  '61;  prisoner 
from  July  3  to  Dec.  13,  '64;  mustered  out  Dec. 
18,  '64.  Samuel  Williams,  Sept.  23,  '61  ;  promoted 
corp.  Sept.  2,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  David  Da- 
vis, Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  i, 
'63.  William  Jones,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate,  Jan.  20,  '63.  Daniel  Walters,  Sept.  29,  '61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  8,  '63.  Thomas 
Cosgrove,  Sept.  23,  '61;  promoted  to  corp.  Feb.  5,  '62; 
died  June  3,  '62.  Alex.  M'Gregor,  Sept.  23,  '61;  pro- 
moted corp.  Aug.  27,  '62;  died  at  Yorktown,  Va.,  Sept. 
20,  '62.  Musician,  Henry  C.  Neis,  Sept.  23,  '61;  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  3,  '64. 

Privates. — Henry  Ackerman,  Oct.  12,  '61;  deserted 
Oct.  28,  '61.  Albert  Barrick,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted. 
Charles  Blatz,  July  24,  'dy,  drafted;  captured  July  3,  '64; 


abseni  at  muster  out.     George  Bainbridge,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
discharged   on   surg's  certificate   June    i,    '63.     Thomas 
Berckle,  Sept:   23,    '61;   discharged   on   surg's   certificate 
July  27,  '62.     Samuel   Bryant,  Sept.  23,   '61;   discharged 
on   surg's  certificate   Dec.    23,   '62.     W.   H.   M.   Barron, 
Sept.    26,   '64;    drafted;    discharged    June   2,    '65;    John 
Barkbile,  Sept.   26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65. 
John    M.    Bonelby,    Sept.    26,   '64;    drafted;    discharged 
June  2,  '65.     John  Blakely,  Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted;  died 
Dec.  19,  '64.     Herman  Bartouch,  Sept.  23,  '61;  killed  at 
Fair  Oaks,  Va,,  May  31,    '62.     William   Boyd,   Sept.    26, 
'63;    drafted;   deserted   May   31,    '64.     John   Broadbent, 
Oct.  12,  '61;  deserted  Oct.  14,  '61.     Thomas   Ball,  Sept. 
23,  '61;  deserted  Sept.  25,  '61;   deserted   Sept.   25,   '61. 
C.  W.  Constantine,  July  24,  'by,  drafted.     Jacob  Court- 
wright,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Morgan    E.   Coon,  Oct.  14,  '63;   drafted.     William  Cole, 
Oct.    14,   '63,;   drafted.     Michael   Cadden,    Sept.  23,   '61: 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.     Francis  Cadden,  Oct.  15,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.     Abraham  Carver,  Sept.  26,  '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June  10,  '65.    Henry  F.  Clay,  Sept.  26, 
'64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65.     Thomas  B.  Clark, 
Feb.  15,  '62;  mustered  out  June  14,  '65.    John  S.  Compton, 
Aug.  24,  '64;  discharged  June  12,  '65.    George  \V.  Cromis, 
Sept.  26,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  April  2, '64. 
Henry  Clinton,  July  30,  '63;  drafted;    deserted  Aug.  19, 
'64.     David  H.  Catterson,  Sept,  23,    '61;    deserted   Se])t. 
23,  '61.     Jabez  Cole,  Sept.  23,  '61;  deserted  June  i,  '62. 
William    Caslett,    Sept.    23,    '61;     deserted    July    3,    '62. 
Reese  H.  Davis,  Mar.  26,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Patrick  Donnelly,  Nov.  13,  '64.     Patrick    Dunn,   Mar.  i, 
'64.     Daniel   Davis,    Oct.   5,  '61;  absent,  sick,  at    muster 
out.     Jonathan  Davis,  Sept.  23,  '61;  mustered  out   Nov. 
5,  '64.     James  Davis,  Sept.  23,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.    James  Dougherty,  Sept,  24,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
April    28,  '65.     William   Domer,    Sept.    26,   '64;  drafted; 
discharged  June  2,  '65.     James  Douglass,    Sept.  24,   '63; 
drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy,  June  21,  '64,     David 
1).  Davis,  Mar.  23,  '64;  captured;  diedat  Florence,  S.  C, 
Oct.  ir,  '64.     Joseph   Dale,  Sept.  27,  '61;  died   at    Balti- 
more,  Md,,    May  29,  62.     John    Decker,    Nov.    31,    '63; 
drafted;  deserted    Aug.   19,    '64.     John    Evans,  Mar.  21, 
'64;     Richard   Evans,   Oct.  5,  61;  mustered   out   Nov.  5, 
'64.     Josiah    Engle,    Sept.    26,    '64;  drafted;  discharged 
June   2,   '65.     John    Folan,    Sept.    24,  '63;  drafted;  cap- 
tured July  3,  '64.     Joshua  Fonicy,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted; 
discharged  June  2,  '65.     Henry    Gerger,    Sept.    26,    '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June  2, '65.     James  Griffith,  Jan.  10, 
'64;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  15,  '64.     Fran- 
cis   Green,    Nov.    13,    '63;    drafted;    died    Aug.    9,    '64. 
William    H.   Hadley,    Mar,  17,  '64;  Isaac    Half,  Tulv    21, 
'63;  drafted;  discharged  July    10,    '65.     Joseph   Holden, 
Sept.  24,  (jy,  drafted;  prisoner  from  July  3,  '64,   to    May 
12,  '65;  discharged  June  22,  '65.     Patrick  Horrigan,  Oct. 
31,  '63;  drafted;   captured  July  3,  '64.     Edward  Howells, 
Mar,  21,  '64,     George  Hares,  Sept.  23,  '61;   mustered  out 
Nov,  5,  '64.     George   M,    Hunter,   Sept,  23,    '61;  absent, 
m    arrest,    at  muster    out.     Solomon    Hembaugh,   Sept. 
26,     '64;     drafted;    discharged     June    2,    '65.      Michael 
Hut7.le,     Sept.     26,     '64;     drafted;       discharged     June 
2,     '65.       Frank     Hurly,     not     on     muster     out     roll. 
Wm,  H,  Hughes,  Sept,  23,  '6i;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate, Dec.  5,  '62.     Thad.  W.  Hunter,  Sept.    23,  '61;   dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  5,  '62.     Michael  Hurley 
Sept.  23,  '61;   discharged   on   surg's    certificate  Jan.,  '63. 
Benjamin  Havert,  March  21,  '64;  captured;  died  at  An- 
dersonville,    Ga,,    Aug.     21,    '64  ;     grave,    7,422.       Wm 
Humphrey,    Sept.    23,  '61;    died    at    Washington,   D.  C, 
June  26,  '62.     David  James,  March  11,  '64.     William  H. 
Jones,  Feb.  29,  '64;  prisoner  from  July  3,  '64  to  March  17, 
'65.     William   J.   Jones,  March    18,  '64.     John   P.  Jones 


^^== 


COMPANIES  I  AND  K,  FIFTY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


125 


Feb.  28,  '65.  Jeremiah  James,  Sept.  23,  '61;  mustered 
out,  Nov.  5,  '64.  Henry  James,  Oct.  12,  '6t;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate,  Sept.,  '62.  William  Jones,  Nov.  5, 
'61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  i,  '63.  John 
M.  Juness,  July  24,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S. 
navy  June  21, '-64.  David  Jones,  Sept.  23,  '61;  died  at 
Washington,  D.  C.,  April  6,  '62.  Iilartin  Kelley,  March 
18,  '64.  Horman  D.  King,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  dis- 
charged June  2,  '65.  Benjamin  Keifer,  Sept.  26,  '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65.  Elijah  Kite,  Sept.  24, 
'63;  drafted;  died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Dec.  23,  '64. 
William  Kyess,  July  13,  '63;  drafted;  died  June  3,  '65. 
Thomas  Lannagan,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at 
muster-out.  Abraham  and  Edward  Landes,  Sept.  26, 
'64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65.  Chauncey  and 
Lewis  Lowry,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June 
2,  '65.  John  Longwith,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate,  Oct.  4,  '64.  George  Lini.g,  Sept. 
23,  '61;  captured  June  29,  '62;  died  at  Richmond,  Va. 
Michael  Lyon,  Oct.  25,  '61;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va., 
May  31,  '62.  Thomas  Meredith,  Oct.  27,  '63;  drafted; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster-out.  John  Murphy,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster-out.  George  Meek,  Sept. 
27,  '61;  prisoner  from  July  3  to  Nov.  30,  '64;  mustered 
out  December  5,  '64.  William  H.  Miller,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy  June  21,  '64.  M[ilton 
Moyer,  Sept  23,  '6i;  transferred  to  96th  Pa.  Nov.  6,  '61. 
Edmond  Manges,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June 

2,  65.  William  Mortimer,  Sept.  26,  '63;  drafted;  deserted 
Aug.  19,  '64.  George  Moore,  July  24,  '63;  drafted;  de- 
serted Aug.  19,  '64.  Thomas  M'Kuan,  Sept.  24,  '6^; 
drafted;  captured  July  3,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out. 
John  M'Closkey,  Sept.  26,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Aug. 
19, '64.  John  M'Glomm,  Sept.  23,  '61;  deserted  Nov.  7, 
'61.  Thomas  Naughton,  Nov.  13,  '64.  Willia.m  O'Brien, 
Sept.  24, '63;  drafted.  Patrick  O'Neil,  Nov.  9, '63;  draft- 
ed; transferred  to  U.  S.  Navy  June  21,  '64.  Charles 
Oakes,  Mar.  31,  '64;  deserted  April  23,  '65.  George 
Parker,  Sept.  23,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  John 
Putnam,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65. 
George  Patterson,  Nov.  13,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Aug. 
ig, '64.  John  Patterson,  Sept.  26, '63;  drafted;  deserted 
Aug.  18,  '64.  Christopher  Reddy,  Nov.  3,  '64.  George 
Ross,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65. 
Jacob  Ross,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2, 
'^5.  Calvin  L.  Reed,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged 
June  2,  '64.  James  Ryan,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  trans- 
ferred to  U.  S.  navy  June  21,  '64.  John  Reynolds,  Oct. 
17,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Aug.  19,  '64.  Rnshland  Smith, 
Mar.  17,  64.  Henry  Seitzinger,  Sept.  24,  '6y,  drafted. 
Charles  Simpson,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted.  Benjamin  Ste- 
phens, Feb.  29,  '64.  Albert  Seneff,  Sept.  23, '61;  mustered 
out  Nov.  s,  '64.  John  Smith,  Sept.  23, '6r;  mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.  John  Showman,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  dis- 
charged June  2,  '65.  George  W.  Stough,  Sept,  26,  '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65.  Alfred  N.  Snyder, 
Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65.  Charles 
VV.  Snyder,  Sept.  24,  '6y,  drafted;  discharged  June  2, 
'65.  Charles  Schrett,  July  24,  '61;  drafted;  di.scharged 
June  6,  '65.  David  Saunders,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged 
Aug.  14,  '62,  for  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May 
31,  '62.  John  Schlager,  Sept.  23,  '61;  transferred  to 
battery  H,  ist  Pa.  artillery,  Nov.  i,  '62.  Thomas  Smith; 
Sept.  23,  '61;  transferred  to  battery  H,  ist  Pa.  artil- 
lery Nov.  I,  '62,  Sylvester  Shirley,  Oct.  30,  '63;  draf- 
ted;    deserted    May     17,     '65.        Thomas    Shaw,     Nov. 

3,  '61;  drafted;  deserted  Nov.  25,  '64.  Albert 
Thompson,  Aug.  27,  '64;  discharged  June  2,  '65. 
Wm.  Thompson,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Sept.  10,  '64.  Thomas  Thomas,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
discharged    on    surg's    certificate    March,    '62.       John 


Thomas,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy 
Tune  21,  '64.  Geo.  Vancampen,  March  18,  '64;  captured; 
died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  4,  '64.  David  Williams 
March  14,  '64;  captured  July  3,  '64.  William  Wat- 
kins,  Sept.  23,  '61;  prisoner  from  July  3  to  Dec.  13,  '64; 
mustered  out  Dec.  18,  '64.  Girard  Welter,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  July  27,  '62.  Alexander 
Walker,  July  30,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy 
June  21,  '64.  Henry  Wilson,  Sept.  26,  '63;  drafted; 
transferred  to  U.  S.  navy  June  21,  '64.  Henry  Williams, 
Nov.  25,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  U.  S.  navy  June  21, 
'64.  Sabbath  Williams,  Sept.  23,  '61;  transferred  to  Bat- 
tery H,  ist  Pennsylvania  artillery,  Nov.  i,  '62.  Charles 
Waters,  Sept.  23,  '61;  died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  July  r, 
'63.  James  Wilson,  Oct.  17,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Nov. 
13,  '65.  William  Williams,  Sept.  23,  '61;  deserted  Oct.  5, 
'61.  James  Young,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  prisoner  from 
July  3,  '64,  to  March  3,  '65.  Frederick  Younkin,  Sept. 
26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  2,  '65. 

COMPANY    K. 

Officers. — Captains — John  Jones,  jr.,  Oct.  2,  '61;  re- 
signed Sept.  16,  '62.  John  A.  Hennessy,  Dec.  2,  '61; 
promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  to  capt.  Oct.  11,  '62;  major 
Jan.  5,  '65.  First  lieutenants — George  A.  Bass,  Oct.  2, 
'61;  resigned  Sept.  28,  '62.  Henry  A.  Mott,  Oct.  2,  '6i; 
promoted  from  sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  Oct.  11,  '62;  adj.  Sept. 
I,  '64.  George  H.  Sterling,  Oct.  ir,  61;  transferred  from 
adj.  Oct.  10,  '64;  died  at  AVyoming,  Pa.,  Jan.  25,  '65. 
Thomas  Jordon,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  to 
ist  sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64;  to  ist  lieut.  June  3,  '65;  veteran. 
2nd  lieut.,  David  Moses,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  from 
sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Nov.  5,  '62;  mustered  out  Apr.  30, 
'65.  ist  sergts. — Alva  Dolph,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  to 
sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64;  to  ist  sergt.  June  3,  '65;  2nd  lieut. 
June  4,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran.  William  Sansom, 
Nov.  4,  '6r;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  ist  sergt.  Nov.  4, 
'62;   mustered   out   Nov.  5,  '64.     William    M'Clure,  Nov. 

4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  2,  '62.  Ser- 
geants.— Thomas  Tiffany,  Nov.  4,  '61;  absent,  sick,  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  Charles  Rubeck,  Nov.  3,  '62;  pro- 
moted sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64.  Evan  Q.Thomas,  Nov.  4, '61; 
promoted  sergt.  Jan.  24,  '65;  veteran.  John  Unger,  Sept. 
23,  '63;  drafted;  promoted  corporal  Nov.  5,  '64;  to  sergt. 
June  3,  '65.  Demetrius  P.  Parsons,  Nov.  4,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  Corp.  to  sergt.  Nov.  4,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov. 

5,  '64.  Henry  Morrow,  Nov.  4,  '6r;  promoted  from 
Corp.  to  sergt.  Dec.  i,  '63;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64. 
William  D.  Weber,  Feb.  5,  '62;  mustered  out  Jan.  24, '65.  • 
Hugh  R.  Crawford,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  Q.  M.  sergt. 
May  30,  '(>y  Smith  B.  Mott,  Nov.  20,  '61;  promoted  Q. 
M.  sergt.  Nov.  5,  '64;  veteran.  Henry  P.  Forsman,  Nov. 
4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  31,  '62. 
Corporals — George  Forrester,  Mar.  28,  '64;  promoted 
corp.  Nov.  s,  '64.  Tryal  Styles,  July  27,  '63;  drafted; 
promoted  Corp.  Dec.  31,  '64.  John  Jones,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
promoted  corp.  Feb.  28,  '65;  veteran.  Charles  Mor- 
rison, Mar.  28,  '64;  promoted  corp.  May  17,  '65.  Wil- 
liam Solfredge,  July  15,  '(>y  drafted;  promoted  corp. 
May  17,  '65.  Philip  Setzer,  Sept.  28,  '63.  drafted; 
promoted  corp.  May  17,  '65.  John  Oister, 
March  9,  '64;  promoted  corporal  Feb.  28,  '65. 
Charles  Berglass,  Nov.  4,  '63;  drafted;  promoted 
corporal  Nov.  5,  '64.  George  Keyton,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Henry  Osiander,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
promoted  corporal  Aug.  5,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.  William  Scott,  Nov.  4,  '6i;  promoted  corporal  Dec. 
I,  '63;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  John  Roberts,  Nov. 
4,  '61;  promoted  corporal  Dec.  i,  '63;  mustered  out 
Nov.  s,  '64.     Frank  Vail,  Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  corpo- 


A^ 


Hh 


126 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


ml  Dec.  I,  '63;  killed  at  Fort  Johnson,  S.  C,  July  3,  '64. 
Charles  Jackson,  Nov.  9,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  May 
'5.  '65. 

Privates. — John   Allwen,    Nov.   2,   '63;  drafted.     John 
W.  Anderson,  Sept.  20,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  June    16, 
'64.     Patrick  Brown,  March  28,  '64.     George  Beck,  Sept. 
24>  '63;  drafted.     Minor  K.   Bailey,   Feb.  14,   '65.     Ber- 
nard   Bein,    Feb.    25,    '65.      Cerle    Brock,    Feb.   27,  '65. 
John    Brennan,   Feb.   20,  '65.     Patrick   Burke,   March  2, 
65.     John  Butler,  March  3,  '65.     Patrick  Brennan,  Dec. 
10,    '6r;    discharged    on    surg's    certificate    May    2,    '62. 
Michael    Beavers,  Jan.   29,   '62;  mustered  out   March  6, 
'65.     Abraham   Butts,  Jan.  3.  '62;  mustered  out  Jan.  14, 
'65.     John  Brennan,  Jan.  24,  '62;  mustered  out  March  6, 
'65.     Jacob    Bomgardner.    Nov.    4,    '61;     discharged  on 
surg's  certificate   Nov.  20,  '62.     Charles  Bristoe,  Nov.  4, 
'61;  discharged   on   surg's   certificate   Oct.  2,  '62.     John 
Bratton,  Nov.  2,  '6y,  drowned   at  Hilton,  S.  C,  June  13, 
'64.     Orwin    E.   Brown,   Nov.   4,  '61;  deserted   May   30, 
'64.    John  Carroll,  Sept.  24,  '66;  drafted.     James  Cleary, 
March  2,  '65.    Clement  B.  Compton,  Feb.  15,  '65.    Free- 
man   Cosier,    Nov.    5,    '61;    mustered    out   Nov.    5,    '64. 
James   Carman,  Feb.  8,  '62;  mustered   out  March  6,  '65. 
Edward  Colahan,  Jan.  3,  '62;  mustered  out  Jan.  14,  '65. 
John     Crisel,     Feb.     8,     '62;      discharged      on     surg's 
certificate   May  9,  '63.     Michael   Donahue,   Feb.  20,  '65. 
James    Donahue,  Feb.    20,  '65.     Patrick  Donahue,   Mar. 
'3>  '65.     John   Dierr,  Jan.   3,   '62;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate   Feb.  12,  '62.     John   Davis,   Nov.   4,    '61;  dis- 
charged on  surg's   certificate  June  2,  '62.     Harry    Dem- 
niick,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on   surg's   certificate   Apr. 
2  1,  '63.     James  Delaney,  Oct.  15,  '6:};  drafted;  deserted 
Nov.  2,  '64.     Alfred   Evans,   Nov.  4,   '61;   mustered  out 
Nov.  5,   '64.     Charles  Elno,    Nov.  5,  '61;    mustered  out 
Nov.  5,  '64.     Levi   Evans,    Nov.   4,  '61;  died   at  Morris 
island,  S.  C,  Oct.  30,  '64.     Zenus   N.  Farnand,  Feb.    14, 
'65.     Dominick  Feandry,   Mar.    21,  '65;  absent,   sick,  at 
muster   out.     Emanuel    Fisher,    Feb.    28,    '62;  deserted 
Sept.  3. '63-   Lewis  Gibson,  Sept.24,  '63;  drafted.   William 
Goodwin,   July   20,   '63;    drafted;    captured;    absent  at 
rau.ster  out.     Lawrence  Giles,  Dec.  5,  '61;  deserted  Sept. 
3,    '6^.     Charles    Hall,  Nov.   4,  '61;  deserted;   returned, 
William  R.  Heron,  Mar.  23,  '64.     Gideon    Haight,    Sept. 
28,  '63.     Philip  Hartman,  Feb.  25,  '65.     Cyrus  L  Howe, 
Mar.    27,   '64.      Ephraim    Howe,    Feb.    14,    '65.     James 
Horan,   Mar.    g,   '65.      Con.    Hilderbrand,   Nov.   4,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.     Levi  S.  Hakett,  Jan.   29,   '62; 
mjstered  out  Mar.  6,  '65.     John    Howells,    Nov.   4,   '61; 
discharged    on    surg's  certificate    Nov.   8,   '61.     Michael 
Henniger,  Dec.  7,  '61;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31, 
'62.     David   P.   Hanna,   Feb.   13,    '62;   deserted   Sept.  3, 
'63.     Edmund  Jones,  Nov.  4,  '61;   mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'64.     Edmund  Jenkins,  Nov.  4,  '61;  mustered  out   Nov! 
S,  '64.     David  Jeremiah,  Jan.  3,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Oct.  21,  '62.     Michael  Kennedy,  Oct.   21,  '63; 
drafted.        Henry     Kennedy,     Mar.      17,     '64.       Lewis 
Kelly,      Sept.      3,      '63;      drafted.         Richard      Kealy, 
Mar.    2,    '65.     Nathaniel  Lanning,   Mar.    2,   '64.     Henry 
Lewis,      Nov.     4,     '61;      mustered     out     Nov.     5,    '64. 
Norman    Lucky,    Nov.  4,  '61;    deserted   March   22,  '64; 
veteran.     William  Moyer,  Nov.  10,  '63;  drafted.     William' 
Mehlmg,  Nov.  r8,    '63.     John  May,  July  20,  '63;  drafted 
William  Marcy,  Oct.  15,  '63;  drafted.     Solomon  Millard, 
March  15,  '64.     Thomas  Millard.  March  15,  '64.     Joseph 
Montgomery,   Jan.  24,  '65.     William   Mason,  Oct   2    '6i- 
mustered  out  Jan.  24,  '65.     George  W.   Millard,  July  23' 
'64;  discharged   June   22,    '65.     John   J.  Morrison,  Nov! 
4,   '61;    discharged    on    surg's    certificate    Aug.    24,    '62 
Clark  Miller,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Aug.    3,    '62.     Patrick    Murphy,    Dec.    4,   '61;    deserted 
Sept.  3,  '63.     Frederick  Meithling,  Nov.  4,  '61;  deserted 


Sept.  I,  '64.  Michael  M'Lane,  Oct.  19,  '64.  Robert 
M'Kinney,  Oct.  26,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  March  31,  '65. 
Michael  M'Nally,  Jan.  3,  '62;  deserted  Sept.  i,  '63. 
George  Nierman,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certi- 
ficate, June  30,  '63.  Thomas  Nelson,  Nov.  4,  '61;  died 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  2,  '62.  Charles  Norman, 
Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  July  9,  '64.  Daniel  O'- 
Connell,  Feb.  18,  '65.  Michael  O'Donnell,  Sept.  12,  '64; 
discharged  June  22,  '65.  Charles  O'Hara,  Dec.  7,  '61; 
deserted  Sept.  11,  '63.  Patrick  O'Brien,  Dec.  10,  '61; 
mustered  out  Dec.  10,  '64.  Edward  Parker,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  Charles  Peters,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  March  6,  '65. 
Alexander  Peterson,  Sept.  20,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Mor- 
ris Island,  S.  C,  Jan.  24,  '65.     Ezra    H.    Ripple,    March 

24,  '64;  prisoner  from  July  3,  '64,  to  March  i,  '65;  dis- 
charged June  30,  '65.  Davis  W.  Russell,  Sept.  23,  '63; 
drafted.  Mifflin  Russell,  March  7,  '65.  William  Rich- 
ards, Nov.  10,  '63;  drafted.  John  A.  Rapp,  Jan.  3, 
'62;  mustered  out  March  6,  '65.  Mark  Riley, 
Aug.  24,  '64;  discharged  June  22,  '65.  Edward 
Ryan,  June  24,  '62;  mustered  out  March  6,  '65. 
John  Rauch,  Jan.  3,  '62;  deserted  May,  '62. 
Andrew  Scutt,  Nov.  4,  '6r.  Theodore  Smith,  Oct.  27, 
'63;  drafted.  William  Smith,  Sept.  25,  '63;  drafted. 
Josiah  Sears,  Sept.  29,  '61,;  drafted.     Reuben  Sears,  Sept. 

25,  '61;  drafted.  Oliver  Sears,  Sept.  25,  '61;  drafted. 
Samuel  Sears,  Feb.  27,  '64.  Thomas  G.  Smith,  Nov.  4, 
'6r;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  John  Soop,  Nov.  4,  '6t; 
absent  on  detached  duty  at  expiration  of  term.  Gilbert 
Saxton,  Feb.  13,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Aug. 
24, '62.  Chester  Smith,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Aug.  3,  '62.  Joseph  Schremser,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  11,  '63.  William 
Schnell,  Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  June  16,  '64. 
Charles  Tiuimens,  Oct.  29,  '63;  drafted.  William  Tol- 
bert,  July  27,  '63;  drafted.  Theodore  F.  Tripp,  Nov.  4. 
'61;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '64.  James  Vangorder,  Sept. 
29,  '63;  drafted.  John  P.  Vanauker,  Sept.  29,  '63;  drafted; 
died  at  Morris  island,  S.  C,  Feb.  24,  '65.  James  Woods, 
Mar.  14,  '64.  John  Woods,  Mar.  24,  '64.  Frank  Weber, 
Oct.  21,  '62;  drafted.  John  Wenrich,  Nov.  9,  '63;  drafted. 
Patrick  Welsh,  Nov.  2,  '63;  drafted.  Ackley  Walker, 
Mar.  27,  '64.  George  Watchler,  Mar.  1,  '65.  Hamilton 
Warner,  Jan.  24,  '65.  Eri  D.  Westfall,  Oct.  10,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  30,  '65.  James  Wil- 
liams, Jan.  3,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June 
21,  '63.  Charles  Weisgarber,  Nov.  4,  '61;  discharged 
'^''"■.  3,  '63,  for  wounds  received  in  action.  George  Wil- 
son, April  7,  '64;  deserted  Feb.  12,  '65.  Henry  Willing, 
Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Mar.  2,  '65.  Jamos 
Woods,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Oct.  10,  '64. 
Amandus  Yaple,  Sept.  29,  '63;  drafted.  Marcus  Youse, 
Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted. 


CHAPTER   XX. 


LUZERNE    IN     THE    CIVIL    WAR HISTORY    OF     THE     FIFTY- 
THIRD    REGIMENT. 


HIS  regiment  was  recruited  in  different  por- 
tions of  the  State  from  August  to  November, 
i86t.  During  the  latter  month  it  moved  to 
Washington  and  thence  to  Alexandria,  where 
it  was  assigned  to  General  French's  brigade. 
During  the  winter  of  1861-2  it  remained  at  this 
place,  perfecting  itself  in  drill  and  discipline. 


=^¥ 


-H^ 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  FIFTY-THIRD— ITS  HISTORY. 


127 


In  the  spring  of  1862  it  advanced  with  the  army  of  the 
Potomac  to  Manassas,  Warrenton  Junction,  and  finally 
to  the  Peninsula.  It  was  in  the  reserve  during  the  siege 
of  Yorktown.  In  May  it  went  to  the  Chickahominy,  and 
on  the  ist  of  June  was  engaged  at  Fair  Oaks,  where  it 
lost,  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  ninety-six  men.  It 
was  engaged  at  Garner's  Mill  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
month,  and  during  the  "change  of  base"  it  was  with  its 
brigade  the  rear  of  the  rear  guard,  and  was  actively  en- 
gaged at  Peach  Orchard.  It  was  present,  though  not 
actively  engaged,  at  Malvern  Hill.  It  arrived  at  Alex- 
andria too  late  to  participate  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  but  it  moved  forward  and  assisted  to  cover  the 
retreat  of  Pope's  army.  While  thus  engaged  it  became 
separated  from  its  brigade,  but  escaped  capture  by  a 
skillful  manoeuvre. 

In  September  it  advanced  into  Maryland  and  was 
among  the  reserves  at  the  battle  of  South  Mountain. 
During  the  succeeding  two  or  three  days  it  was  skirmish- 
ing with  the  enemy's  cavalry,  and  at  the  battle  of  Antietam 
it  was  hotly  engaged  and  lost  twenty-eight  in  killed  and 
wounded.  It  forded  the  Potomac  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and 
camped  on  Bolivar  Heights,  whence  it  moved  on  the 
30th  of  October  across  the  Shenandoah  and  through 
Loudon  valley,  skirmished  with  the  enemy  at  Snicker's 
Gap,  and  arrived  at  Warrenton  November  9th.  Thence 
it  proceeded  to  Falmouth,  and  was  engaged  in  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg,  where  it  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  out  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty-three  who  went  into  the  battle.  It  was  subse- 
quently detailed  to  bury  the  dead  under  a  flag  of  truce, 
in  which  melancholy  duty  it  was  engaged  during  two 
days. 

It  passed  the  winter  at  Falmouth,  and  on  the  28th  of 
April,  1863,  went  on  the  Chancellorsville  campaign,  dur- 
ing which  it  was  engaged  three  days.  It  returned  to  its 
camp  at  Falmouth,  whence  on  the  14th  of 'June  it 
marched  on  the  Gettysburg  campaign.  At  that  battle  it 
made  a  gallant  charge  in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire  and 
drove  a  rebel  battery  from  its  position.  Out  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-four  men  who  went  into  the  fight, 
six  were  killed,  sixty-seven  wounded  and  six  missing.  It 
afterward  encountered  the  foe  at  Rappahannock  Station 
and  at  Bristoe,  and  went  into  winter  quarters  in  Decem- 
ber at  Stevensburg,  where  the  men  re-enlisted  and  re- 
ceived a  veteran  furlough. 

Recruited  and  refreshed  the  regiment  broke  camp  on 
the  4th  of  May,  crossed  the  Rapidan  and  engaged  the 
enemy  on  the  5th,  the  6th  and  the  9th.  It  moved  to 
Spottsylvania  Court-house,  where  it  was  engaged  in  the 
most  brilliant  charge  of  the  campaign — a  charge  in  which 
an  entire  division  of  the  enemy  was  captured.  It  marched 
thence  to  Cold  Harbor,  where  it  was  engaged  and  suffer- 
ed severely.  On  the  i6th  of  June  i:  arrived  in  front  of 
Petersburg  and  was  engaged  in  a  charge  ofi  the  enemy's 
works,  in  which  it  lost  nearly  twenty  men.  From  the  latter 
part  of  June  till  the  21st  of  August  it  was  employed  in 
skirmishing  on  both  sides  of  the  James.  It  then  marched 
to   the  Weldon   railroad,  where  it  again   met   the  enemy. 


In  the  autumn  and  winter  of  1864  the  regiment  was  on 
severe  duty  at  the  siege  of  Petersburg. 

It  went  on  its  last  campaign  on  the  28th  of  March, 
1865,  and  was  engaged  at  Boydton  Plank  Rnad  and  at 
Five  Forks,  and  it  assisted  in  capturing  the  enemy's 
wagon  trains  at  Deep  creek.  It  was  present  at  the  sur- 
render of  the  rebel  army,  participated  in  the  grand 
review,  and  nn  the  30th  of  June,  1865,  was  mustered  out 
of  the  service. 

Besides  its  share  in  the  regimental  staff  of  the  53d. 
Luzerne  county  furnished  the  material  for  Company  F. 
In  the  following  lists  the  first  date  gives  the  time  the 
soldier  was  mustered  into  service.  Where  the  time  he 
was  mustered  out  is  not  given  it  is  understood  to  have 
been  June  30th,  1865,  unless  some  other  disposition  is 
noted. 

FIELD    ANU    S'l'AFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — John  R.  Brooke,  Nov.  5,  '61;  promoted 
brig.  gen.  May  12,  '64;  brev.  m.ij.  gen.  -Aug.  i,  '64. 
William  W.  Mintzer,  Sept.  18,  '6t;  promoted  from 
capt.  Company  A  to  maj.  June  2,  '62;  lieut.  col.  Sept. 
29,  '64;  col.  Oct.  30,  '64;  brev.  brig.  gen.  Mar.  13,  '65. 

Lietitenant  colonils. — Richards  M'Michael,  Nov.  7,  '6r; 
discharged  on  sufg's  certificate  May  19,  '64.  George  C. 
Anderson,  Oct.  29,  '6r;  promoted  from  capt.  Company 
K  to  maj.  Sept.  20,  '64;  lieut.  col.  Nov.  10,  64. 

Majors. — Thomas  Yeager,  Nov.  7,  '61;  killed  at  Fair 
Oaks,  Va.,  June  i,  '62.  S.  Octavius  Bull,  Sejit.  18,  '6r; 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  A,  to  maj.  June  2,  '62; 
lieut.  col.  May  17,  '64;  col.  Sept.  18,  '64;  not  mustered; 
mustered  out  Nov.  i,  '64.  George  D.  Pifer,  Oct.  10,  '61; 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  I  Dec.  13,  '64. 

Adjutants. — Charles  P.  Hatch,  Nov.  7,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  July  24,  '64.  Samuel  H.  Rutter, 
Sept.  18,  '61;  promoted  from  private  Company  A  to 
sergt.  maj.  Dec.  24,  '63;  lieut.  and  adj.  Sept.  5  '64; 
veteran  reserve  corps  at  muster  out;  veteran. 

Quartermasters. — Jacob  Rice,  Nov.  7,  '6r;  mustered 
out  Oct.  12,  '64.  Theophilus  T.  Davis,  Nov.  4,  '61; 
promoted  from  private  Company  I  to  com.  sergt.  Dec.  24, 
'63;   ist  lieutenant   and  Q.  M.  Oct.  31,  '64;  veteran. 

Surgeons. — John  Fromberger,  Nov.  7,  '61;  resigned 
Jan.  28,  '62.  M.  J.  M'Kinnon,  Feb.  15,  '62;  resigned 
Jan.  26,  '63.  George  W.  Jackson,  Feb.  24,  '63;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Aug.  12,  '64.  Charles  W. 
Spayd,  Oct.  i,  '62;  promoted  from  ass't  surg.  Aug.  29,  '64. 
Assistant  surgeons. — William  B.  Wynne,  Nov.  7,  '61; 
promoted  to  surg.  159th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  Oct.  29, 
'62.  J.  P.  Burchfield,  Aug.  i,  '62;  promoted  surg.  83d 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  April  3,  '63.  Jacob  C.  Gatchell, 
April  17,  '64. 

Chaplains. — Daniel  Barber.  Nov.  7,  '61;  resigned  July 
7,  '62;  J.  R.  Taylor  Gray,  June  16,  '65. 

Sergeant  Majors. — Thomas  Reifsnyder,  Nov.  7,  '6t; 
promoted  ist  lieut.  Company  D  Dec.  14,  '62.  G.  W. 
Butterworth,  Mar.  2,  '64;  promoted  from  sergt.  Company 
G  June  12,  '65;  veteran.  Levi  J.  Fritz,  Dec.  22,  '63; 
promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  A  Oct.  8,  '64.  M.  M. 
Brannock,  Dec.  22,  '63;  transferred  to  Company  K  April 
7,  '65;  veteran.  Albert  H.  Hess,  Dec.  22,  '63;  promoted 
2nd  lieut.  Company  E  June  12,  '65. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Mahlon  S.  Ludwig,  Nov.  7, 
'61;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  B  Mar.  i,  '63.  John 
S.  Weand,  Sept.  18,  '6t;  promoted  from  private  Com- 
pany A  Nov.  I,  '64.  John  W.  Riley,  Feb.  29,  '64;  pro- 
moted from  sergt.  to  Q.  M.  sergt.  Dec.  23,  '64;  transferred 
from  140th  Pennsylvania;  dischaiged  June  6,  '65, 


*^^= 


t 


Commissary  Sergeants. — Lewis  R.  Bland,  Nov.  7,  '61; 
promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  B  April  26,  '62.  Thomas 
E.  Clark,  Sept.  18,  '61;  promoted  from  private  Company 
A  Dec.  ]o,  '64;  absent,  on  furlough,  at  muster  out.  J. 
Wilson  Barnett,  Nov.  5,  '61;  transferred  to  loth  U.S. 
colored  troops.  Benjamin  J.  Cushing,  Oct.  29,  '61;  pro- 
moted 2nd  lieut.  Company  G  Sept.  21,  '64;  veteran.  W. 
W.  Dentler,  Oct.  23,  '61;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company 
H  Dec.  8,  '64;  veteran. 

Hospital  Stewards. — Albert  Lorenz,  Nov.  7,  '61;  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  7,  '64.  John  H.  Foltz,  Oct.  10,  '61;  pro- 
moted from   private   Company    I    Nov.   16,   '64;  veteran. 

Principal  Musician. — John  Caldwell,  Oct.  23,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  musician  Company   H   Nov.  i,  '64;  veteran 

COMPANY    F. 

Officers. — Captain — Horace  P.  Moody,  Oct.  12,  '61; 
resigned  Sept.  17,  '62.  Walter  L.  Hopkins,  Oct.  12,  '6t; 
promoted  from  1st  lieut.  Sept.  17,  '62;  discharged  Jan. 
16,  '63,  Theodore  Hatfield,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted  from 
sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  Sept.  18,  '62;  to  capt.  Feb.  21,  '63; 
discharged  March  18,  '64.  John  J.  'Whitney,  Oct.  12, 
'61;  promoted  from  sergt,  to  2nd  lieut.  Sept.  6,  '62; 
to  ist  lieut.  Jan,  30,  '63;  to  capt.  April  23,  '64;  killed  at 
Spottsylvania  May  18,  '64.  James  Patton,  Oct.  12,  '61; 
promoted  from  1st  sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  May  20,  '64;  to 
capt.  June  6,  '64;  mustered  out  Oct.  6,  '64.  Isaac  A. 
Howell,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  1st  sergt.; 
to  ist  lieut.  June  6,  '64;  to  capt.  Nov.  2,  '64;  discharged 
Mar.  18,  '65;  veteran.  Nathan  N.  Montayne,  Oct.  12,  '61 ; 
promoted  from  private  to  sergt,;  to  ist  sergt.  June  6,  '64; 
to  ist  lieut.  Nov.  2,  '64;  to  capt.  April  16,  '65;  mustered 
out  with  company  June  30,  '65;  veteran.  First  lieutenant, 
Lester  Race,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted  corp.;  sergt.  March 

16,  '64;  ist  sergt.  Nov.  2,  '64;  ist  lieut.  April  16, 
'65;  veteran.  Second  lieutenant,  Martin  W.  Anthony, 
Oct.  12,  '61;  resigned  Sept.  6,  '62.  First  ser- 
geant— George  W.  Thompson,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted 
from  private  to  sergt.;  ist  sergt.  April  (7,  '65;  commission- 
ed 2nd  lieut.  June  i,  '65;  not  mustered  out;  veteran. 
Sergeants — Charles  W.  Lathrop,  Oct.  11,  '63;  promoted 
corp.  Mar.  10,  '64;  sergt.  Nov.  i,  '64;  veteran.  Abel 
Perrego,  sen.,  Oct.  12,  '6i;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  10,  '64; 
sergeant  Nov.  i,  '64;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 
house May  10,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Ira 
G.  Lyons,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted  corp.;  sergt.  June  6, 
'64;  veteran.  Daniel  G.  M'Laud,  Mar.  26,  '64;  promot- 
ed corp.  Nov,  I,  '64;  sergt.  April  17,  '65;  veteran.  Oli- 
ver Fisher,  Oct.  12,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  2,  '64.  Wil- 
liam H.  Jackson,  Oct.  12, '61;  promoted  from  corp,; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  13,  '64.  John 
Anthony,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Corpor- 
als— Henry  Whitson,  Feb.  18,  '64;  promoted  corp.  June 
6,  '64;  prisoner  from  Aug.  25,  '64,  to  May  17,  '65.  An- 
drew Sarber,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  10,  '64; 
captured  June  16,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out;  veteran. 
Rufus  Frear,  Mar.  26,  '64;  promoted  corp.  June  6,  '64; 
captured  Aug.  25.  '64;  absent  at  muster  out.  Franklin 
Westover,  Feb.  i,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  i,  '64.  W. 
L.  Hackenberry,  Mar.  28,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  i, 
'64.  Henry  Shoulde,  Mar.  23,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  i, 
'64.  John  Wilson,  Feb.  I, '64;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  i, '64. 
Samuel  C.    Webb,    Mar.  12,    '64;  promoted   corp.    April 

17,  '65.  Peter  Culp,  Oct.  12,  '61;  promoted  to  corp; 
mustered  out  Nov.  7,  '64.  Samuel  R  Charlton,  June  20, 
'64;  discharged  June  15,  '65.  Alexander  Prester,  Oct. 
12,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  7,  '64.  Edward  Brong,  Oct. 
1 2, '61;  promoted  corp;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house 
May  12,  '64;  veteran.  Edward  Kirkham,  Oct.  12,  '61; 
not  on  muster  out  roll.    Daniel  Harrington,  Oct.  12,  '61; 


killed  at  Gettysburg.  Washington  Montayne  and  Wil- 
liam Moore,  Oct.  12,  '62;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Jabez 
C.  Jackson,  Oct.  22,  '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Musi- 
cians—Lemuel Askins,  Oct.  18,  '61;  absent,  in  arrest,  at 
muster  out.  William  Carroll,  Aug.  22,  '63;  prisoner 
from  Oct.  21,  '63,  to  Nov.  21,  '64.  William  Downing, 
Sept.  19,  '63.  Abel  J.  Perrego,  Oct.  12,  '61;  veteran. 
James  Sarber,  Oct.  12,  '61;  veteran.  Abram  D.  Hirst, 
Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 

Privates. — Robert  Achoff,  July  i.  'by,  absent,  sick,  at 
musterout.  Tames  Adams,  Mar.  22,  '64;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate.  May  27,  '65.  Calvin  Bisbing,  Oct.  12, 
'61;  prisoner  from  June  16,  '64,  to  April  24,  '65;  dis- 
charged by  general  order  June  14,  '65.  William  Brong, 
Thomas  M.  Brown,  Robert  D.  Beam  and  Samuel  Brew- 
ster, Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Chester  Betts, 
Feb'.  II,  '64.  William  H.  Blair,  Feb.  14,  '64.  Arthur  G. 
Brooks,  Sept.  5,  '63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  A. 
Bartholomew,  Aug.   22,    '63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 

C.  A.  W.  Bigalow,  Oct.  12,  '61;  captured  Aug.  25,  '64; 
absent  at  muster  out.  John  Bradley,  Sept.  16,  '64; 
discharged  May  31,  '65.  Henry  Baker,  Sam- 
uel Brace  and  Hiram  Bryant,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on 
muster-out  roll.  James  Crulip,  Oct.  12,  '61;  veteran. 
Nelson  Case,  March  22,  '64.  Oliver  P.  Clark,  Feb.  29, 
'64;  veteran.  Isaac  Cook,  Feb.  22,  '65.  Alva  H.  Cross, 
March  4,  '65.  E.  S.  Cogswell,  Feb.  15,  '65;  wounded  in 
action  March  31,  '65;  absent  at  muster  out.  William 
H.  Chase,  Feb.  22,  '64;  prisoner  from  June  16  to  Dec. 
10,  '64;  discharged  by  general  order  June  22,  '65.  James 
H.  Corkhuff,  March  17,  '64.  Amos  C.  Clark,  Dec.  29, 
'63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.     William   Case,   March 

22,  '64;  discharged  May  3,  '65.  M.  J.  Coleman,  July 
20,  '63;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  19,  '65. 
William  Carpenter,  March  8,  '65;  discharged  June  12,  '65. 
Henry  Case,  March  21,  '64;  discharged  May  31,  '65. 
John  M.  Clark,  Feb.  26,  '64;  discharged  May  25,  '65. 
William  B.  Crulip,  Feb.  i,  '64;  died  July  10,  '64.    Charles 

D.  Chrispell  and  Charles  Clark,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  mus- 
ter-out roll.  Elihu  Dymond,  Feb.  26,  '64;  veteran.  Noah 
Doty,  Feb.  13,  '64.  James  Divine,  Sept.  13,  '63;  drafted; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Asa  P.  Daniels,  Feb.  18,  '64. 
John  Dellingham,  March  21,  '65;  discharged  June  20,  '65. 
G.  E.  Durnblaver,  Feb.  16,  '64;  captured;  died  Dec.  14, 
'64,  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.  Milo  R.  Deraond,  Isaac  Dy- 
mond, Thomas  J.  Dymond,  Robert  Dymond  and  Jacob 
Deloy,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Joseph  Es- 
terbrook,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted.  Randolph  L.  Evans, 
Feb.  29,  '64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  May 
10,  '64.  Oakley  Evans,  Oct.  12,  '61;  prisoner  from  Aug. 
25,  '64,  to  June  21, '65;  discharged  June  22,  '65;  veteran. 
Freeman  Evans,  Charles  S.  Evans  and  Isaac  Elison,  Oct. 
12,  '61;  not  on  muster-out  roll.     John  A.  Fulkerson,  Feb. 

23,  '64;  mustered  out  with  company  June  30,  '65. 
Lyman  Flick,  Oct,  12,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov,  7,  '64,  Perry 
Frantz,  Feb,  29,  '64;  discharged  June  2,  '65.  Jober  C. 
Freeman,  Feb.  29,  '64;  died  July  6,  '64.  Eban  Forbes 
and  Ansel  Fapet,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  muster-out  roll. 
William  Goldsmith,  Oct.  12, '61;  veteran.  Thomas  Green, 
Feb.  14,  '65;  discharged  June  22,  '65.  Edward  Gatti, 
Aug.  24,  '63;  drafted.  Charles  Gray  and  Jacob  Guyger, 
Aug.  24,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Wil- 
liam Givins,  Oct.  12,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  2,  '64.  John 
H,  Greer,  Feb,  14,  '65;  discharged  June  7,  '65.  Wells 
Garrison,  Feb.  29,  '64;  discharged  June  7,  '65.  Henry 
Gilbert,  Feb.  29,  '64;  captured;  died  at  Andersonville, 
Ga.,  Sept.  20,  '64.  Peter  L.  Green,  May  i,  '65;  died  in 
field  hospital  May  28,  '65.  James  C.  Higgins,  Mar.  8, 
'64;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Charles  Hiney,  Nov.  12, '61; 
deserted;  returned.  Richmond  M.  Hall,  Feb.  14,  '65. 
Levi   W.  Handen,  Mar.  18,  '64;  captured    May    12,    '64; 


COMPANY  F,   FIFTY-THIRD   REGIMENT— THE   FIFTY  SIXTH. 


129 


absent  at  muster  out.  Daniel  Harris,  Oct.  12,  '61;  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  7,  '64.  Jasper  Hubble,  Mar.  26,  '64;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  May  14,  '64.  Charles  T. 
Hay,  Feb.  29,  '64;  discharged   on    surg's  certificate  May 

14.  '64.  Henry  Hoover,  Oct.  12,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov. 
7,  '64.  George  Hoover,  May  1,  '64;  discharged  May  31, 
'65.     Frank  B.  Harding,  May    26,  '64;  discharged    June 

15,  '65.     Robert  F.  Hunter,  Feb.  12,  '64;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  May  16,  '64.     Giles  Harris,  Feb.  i, 
'64;  died    in  field  hospital  Mar.  19,  '64.     Solomon   Hall, 
Charles    Hughey,  John    Herlocher,  Morris    Hatton    and 
Enoch    Hoover,   Oct.    12,  '6t;  not    on    muster   out    roll. 
Robert    Jacobs,   Feb.    14,   '65.     Andrew    Jackson,   Sept. 
ig,    "63;    absent,  sick,    at    muster    out.      David    James, 
July    24,    '63;    absent,    sick,    at    muster    out.     John    R. 
King,  Oct.  12,  '61;  veteran.     Max   Kerr,   Sept.    17,    '6^; 
drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster   out.     Francis   Knowels, 
Aug.  24;  '9y,    drafted.     Sheldon   Krisman,  Oct.  12,   '6i; 
not  on  muster  out  roll.     John    H.   Lowe,    Mar.  22,    '64. 
Joseph   Liptret,  July   7, '63;  prisoner   from   June    22    to 
Dec.  21,.  '64.     Boofhearts    Lewis,    Aug.    22,  '63;  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  ont.    Joshua  S.  Lyons,  Mar.  5,  '65.     Isaac 
Lord,  Washington  Lorrish   and   George    Loply,  Oct.    12, 
not  on  muster  out  roll.     Jacob  Myers,  Aug  7,  '64.     Hub- 
bard   Maynard,    Feb.   11, '64.     John    Mulbury,  Sept.  29, 
'63;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  29,  '65.     Philip 
C.  Montross,  Feb.  29,  '64;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3, 
'64.     Marcus    May,  Charles    Mandeville,  Robert  Martin 
and  Killean  Martin,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Dennis    M'Milken,  July    13,  '63;  absent,  sick,  at   muster 
out.     Edward  M'Merdice,  July  20, '63.     Peter  M'Donald, 
Feb.   23,  '64.     Robert    M'Guire,   Oct.    12,    '61;  killed  at 
Gettysburg.     William  Nelson    Sept.  14, '63;  absent,  sick, 
at  muster  out.     James  M.  Norris,  Oct.  12,  '61;  mustered 
out    Nov.  7,  '64.     Joseph    Nulton,  Feb.  i    '64;  killed  at 
Spottsylvania   Court-house  May  12,  '64.     Miles  F   New- 
berry   and    Norton   L.   Newberry,    Oct.   12,  '61;  not    on 
muster  out  roll. .   Charles  Oakley,  Sept.  17,  '63;  drafted; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Joseph  Penn,  Aug.  23, '64;  sub- 
stitute; discharged  Aug.  16,  '65.   Philo  B.  Phenix,  Feb.  23, 
'64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.     John  Perry,  Feb.  16,  '65; 
discharged  June  22,  '65.  John  Powell,  Aug.  22,  '6^;  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  out.     David  Parkes,  Sept.  17,  '63;  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  out.   Hugh  W.  Patton,  Oct.  12,  '61;  veteran. 
Thomas    Patton,    May    26,    '64;    killed  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house  May  12,  '64.     William  Phenix,  Oct.  12,  '6i. 
died    at  Washington,    D.   C,   May   20,   '64.     George  H. 
Perrigo,  May  24,  '64;  died.      H.   W.  Pembleton,   Oct  12, 
'61;    died   Nov.    10,    '64.     Rufus  V.   Parish,   Feb.  6,  '64; 
captured;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Dec.  4,  '64.     Edward 
Pembleton,   Samuel   H.    Parks  and  Amos  Poole,  Oct.  12, 
'6r;  not  on  muster  out  roll.      Oliver  L.  Rousby,  Oct.  12, 
'61;  veteran.  George  Reed,  Feb.  25,  '65.  Charles  Redfield, 
Sept.  17,  '63;  drafted;    sick  at  muster  out.     Matthew  S. 
Rambo,  Aug.  29,  '64;    absent,  sick,  at   muster  out.     Wil- 
liam Richards,  Feb.  24,  '64;  discharged  July  '65.     Philip 
Shaffer,   Mar.    20,   '64.      Bernhard   Smith,  Aug.   24,   '63; 
absent,    sick,  at  muster  out.      John  H.  Shroff,  Se])t.  17, 
'63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.     Henry  Smith  and  James 
Sheridan,   Sept.    13,  '63,   and    D.  H.    Silkworth,  Feb.  27, 
'64,  absent,    sick,    at    muster   out.     Meyran   Strickland, 
Oct.  12,  '61;  mustered   out   Nov.    7,   '64.     H.  S.  Shaffer, 
July  20,  "63;  discharged  June  6,  '65.     Philip  Sarber,  Mar. 
22,  '64,;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  May  lo,  '64.     James 
N.  Scovel,  Feb.  24,  '64;  captured;    died  at  Salisbury,  N. 
C,  Nov.  5,  '64.     Lewis  E.   Scanten,   May  26,    '64;    cap- 
tured; died   at    Andersonville   Aug.    31,    '64.      Sylvester 
Shemake,    John    Specie,     Cornelius     Sites     and     Peter 
Spencer,      Oct.     12,     '61  ;      not     on     muster-out      roll. 
Calvin   Towner,    Feb.    14,  '65;    discharged   June   8,    '65. 
William   Thompson,   Oct.    t2,    '61;    absent,  in    arrest,   at 


muster  out.  Daniel  Towner,  Feb.  14,  '65.  Joseph 
Turner,  Aug.  22,  '6;^;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  C.  VV. 
Thompson.  Dec.  29,  '63;  discharged  Aug.  9.  '65.  George 
M.  Tenant,  Feb.  16,  '65;  killed  in  action  Mar.  31,  '65. 
Thomas  W.  Tenant,  Feb.  16,  '65;  killed  in  action  Mar. 
31,  '65.  Benjamin  Vandyne,  Mar.  29,  '64;  absent,  sick, 
at  muster  out.  John  Vanderberg,  Oct.  r2,  '6r;  veteran. 
S.  Vangerder  and  Augustus  Wh''elock,  Oct.  12,  '61;  not 
on  muster  out  roll.  William  Williams,  Feb.  16,  '65. 
Theodore  Weltref,  Aug.  24,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at 
muster  out.  John  Walker,  Mar.  29,  '64.  Lewis  Webb, 
Feb.  6,  '64:  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Peter  Wagenor, 
.Aug,  22,  '63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Benson  J. 
Worden,  Oct.  12,  '61;  veteran.  John  N.  AVhipple,  Sept. 
18,  '64;  discharged  May  31,  '65.  Peter  Wilson,  Feb.  29, 
'64:  discharged  May  10,  '65.  H.  C.  Walbrigle,  Mar.  31, 
'64;  discharged  June  8,  '65.  James  Wright,  Sept.  19, 
'63;  drafted;  discharged  June  15,  '65.  Hubbard  Wheeler, 
J)ec.  22,  '6;^;  discharged  June  15.  '65.  William  Willison, 
¥eb.  I,  '64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May  lo, 
'64.  John  H.  Wordan,  Feb.  29,  '64;  died  at  Point 
Lookout,  Maryland,  Oct.  17,  '64.  Charles  W.  Wordan, 
Feb.  29,  '64;  died  at  Dallas,  Pa.,  Nov.  7,  '64.  George 
W.  Willis  and  Jones  F.  Westover,.  Oct.  12,  '61;  not  on 
muster-out  roll. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


LUZERNE    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR HISTORIES    OF   THE    FIFTY- 
SIXTH,  FIFTY-SEVENTH  AND  FIFTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENTS. 


J  HEN  the  56th  regiment  left  Camp  Curtin, 
March  8th,  1862,  for  Washington,  it  had 
only  eight  and  one-half  companies,  of  which 
Company  G  was  from  Luzerne  county. 
On  the  27th  it  embarked  for  Acquia  Land- 
S^!^  ing,  where  it  arrived  the  next  day.  It  was  en- 
gaged till  May  loth  repairing  the  track  and  landing 
of  the  Fredericksburg  and  Richmond  Railroad.  In  the 
latter  part  of  May  it  went  forward  on  the  campaign  of 
1862,  and  was  first  engaged  at  Gaincsv'ille  on  the  29th  of 
August.  It  was  engaged  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run  as  a  support  to  other  troops.  It  marched  with  the 
army  to  South  Mountain,  where  it  was  engaged  with  the 
brigade  of  General  Doubleday,  of  which  it  was  a  part, 
and  in  this  action  its  loss  was  severe.  It  look  part  in 
the  battle  of  Antietam,  but  in  this  action  it  did  not  suffer 
severely.  On  the  2nd  of  November  it  was  again  in  ac- 
tion, at  Union,  where  it  lost  five  killed  and  ten  wounded. 
Although  under  fire  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  it 
was  not  actively  engaged  and  suffered  no  loss.  It  went 
into  winter  quarters  at  Pratt's  Landing  on  the  28th  of 
December,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  "  mud  march," 
in  which  it  participated,  remained  there  till  the  latter 
part  of  April,  1863. 

At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  the  56th,  which  then 
numbered  21  officers  and  289  enlisted  men,  was  deployed 
as  skirmishers  to  cover  the  crossing  of  a  party  for  the 
purpose    of    dislodging    the    enemy's   sharpshooters.      It 


=#^ 


17 


4^ 


130 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


was  not  otherwise  actively  engaged,  but  in  this  service  it 
lost  2  killed  and  7  wounded.  It  was  again  under  fire  at 
Brandy  Station. 

At  the  battle  of  Getty.sburg  the  56th  was  the  first  that 
fired,  and  thus  the  battle  was  opened  by  this  regiment. 
It  was  closelv  engaged  during  both  days  and  its  losses 
amounted  to  about  ten  killed,  sixty-five  wounded  and 
eighty  missing.  In  November  at  Mine  Run  the  regiment 
was  charged  with  the  duty  of  guarding  and  afterward 
destroying  a  bridge,  which  it  accomplished  with  the  loss 
of  five  men  wounded.  In  March,  1864,  a  portion  of  the 
regiment,  having  re-enlisted,  were  granted  a  veteran 
furlough. 

On  their  return  they  entered  upon  the  memorable 
campaign  of  the  Wilderness,  and  were  engaged  on  the 
5th  and  6th  of  May,  in  the  first  of  which  encounters 
lieutenant  Miller,  of  Company  G,  was  killed,  The  regi- 
ment fought  again  at  Laurel  Hill,  at  Bloody  Angle  on  the 
nth,  and  at  Jericho  ford  on  the  21st.  It  was  engaged 
in  heavy  skirmishing  on  the  25th  and  was  in  the  action 
at  Bethesda  Church  on  the  30th.  From  this  time  till  the 
explosion  of  the  mine  at  Petersburg  the  regiment  shared 
the  fortunes  and  vicissitudes  of  the  army  and  was  fre- 
quently in  action.  August  i8th  it  was  engaged  at  Yel- 
low House,  on  the  Weldon  railroad,  and  captured  a 
battle-flag;  and  the  next  day  was  in  action  with  its 
brigade,  when  the  enemy  were  driven  from  their  works, 
leaving  50  killed,  three  battle-flags  and  300  prisoners. 
It  was  engaged  at  Hatcher's  Run  in  October,  and  again 
at  the  same  place  on  the  5th  and  6th  of  February,  :865. 
It  shared  the  honors  and  hardships  of  the  final  campaign 
and  was  mustered  out  at  Philadelphia  July  ist,  1865. 

Below  will  be  found  the  record  of  Company  G  of  the 
56th.  The  dates  of  muster-in  appear  in  connection  with 
the  names.  Where  nothing  is  said  to  the  contrary  the 
men  were  mustered  out  July  1st,  1865.  We  give  also  a 
synopsis  of  the  record  of  the 

FIELD  AND  STAFF  OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — Sullivan  A.  Meredith,  Sept.  i,  '61;  wounded 
at  Bull  Run,  Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted  brig.  gen.  Nov.  29, 
'62.  J.William  Hofmann,  Oct.  i,  '61;  promoted  from 
lieut.  col.  Mar.  i,  '63;  brev.  brig.  gen.  Aug.  i,  '64.  Henry 
A.  Laycock,  Nov.  17,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  lieut. 
Company  I  to  maj.  Jan.  30,  '65;  lieut.  col.  Mar.  16,  '65; 
col.  Mar.  17,  '65. 

Lieutatani  Colonels. — George  B.  Osborne,  Sept.  15,  '61; 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  A  to  lieut.  col.  Mar.  i, 
'63;  brev.  col.  Dec.  2,  '64;  discharged  Dec.  25,  '64.  John 
T.  Jack,  May  28,  '62;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  H 
to  maj.  May  9,  '63;  lieut.  col.  Jan.  30,  '65;  resigned  May 
15,  '65.  John  A.  Black,  Sept.  25,  '61;  promoted  from 
capt.  Company  B  to  maj.  Mar.  16,  '65;  to  lieut.  col.  Mar. 

17,  '65- 

Major. — John    B.    Smith,  Nov.    i,     6i;  resigned  Feb. 

12,  '6-i. 

Adjutant. — Jacob  F.  Chur,  Oct.  r,  61;  discharged 
Dec.  i6,  '63. 

Quartermaster. — Henry  Paschall,  Oct.  r,  '61;  discharg- 
ed Nov.  2,  '63.  Samuel  A.  M'Fall,  Oct.  23,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  2nd  lieut.  Company  A  June  3,  '64;  capt. 
Company    A    Dec.   4,  '64;   not    mustered;    mustered  out 


Jan.  24,  '65.  Milton  J.  Slocum,  Feb.  13,  '64;  promoted 
from  ist  lieut.  Company  D  to  Q.  M.  Jan.  25,  '65. 

Surgeons.— ]!.mts  P.  Wilson,  Oct.  15,  '61;  mustered 
out  April  23,  '62.  J.  P.  M'Cleary,  Oct.  15,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  ass't  surg.  April  24,  '64;  resigned  Sept.  10, 
'62.  John  M.  Junkin,  Oct.  i,  '62;  transferred  to  64th 
Pennsylvania  Jan.  17,  '63.  John  C.  Lyons,  Mar.  18,  '63; 
promoted  from  ass't  surg;  transferred  to  64th  Pennsyl- 
vania   Jan.  17,    '65.     Joseph  F.  Shoemaker,  Mar.  25, '65. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — J.  B.  Newbaker,  Aug.  i,  '62;  re- 
signed Nov.  I,  '62.  W.  W.  Culver,  Nov.  22,  '62;  resigned 
Feb.  25,  '65.  Georg.;  Stitzell,  Mar.  24,  '63;  resigned 
Aug.  13,  '63.  W.  P.  Nebinger,  Aug.  27,  '63;  resigned 
Oct.  6,  '64.     P.  H.  Pennsyl,  Oct.  12,   '64. 

Chaplains.—^.  Cunningham,  Mar,  6,  '62;^  discharged 
Sept.  20,  '62.     Benjamin  R.  Smith,  Sept.  24,  '64. 

COMPANY    G. 

Cj^f^r.!-.— Captains— Joseph  K.  Helmbold,  Sept.  8, '62; 
resigned  Mar.  15,  '63.  David  J.  Dickson,  Dec.  3,  '61; 
promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Oct.  11,  '62;  to 
ist  lieut.  Oct.  26,  '62;  to  capt.  Aug.  16,  '63;  mustered 
out  Mar.  7,  '65.  James  N.  Davenport,  Dec.  5,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  ist  sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  Aug.  4,  '64;  capt.  June 

4,  '65;  veteran.  First  lieutenants — Daniel  Dobra,  re- 
signed Oct.  24,  '62.  John  W.  Fike,  Dec.  5,  '61;  promoted 
from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Oct.  26, '62;  ist  lieut.  Aug.  16, 
'63;  died  Oct.  18,  '63.  Henry  C.  Titman,  promoted  from 
sergt.  to  ist.  lieut.  Dec.  6,  '63;  killed  at  Wilderness  May 

5,  '64.  Thomas  W.  Edwards,  Jan.  i,  '64;  promoted 
from  ist  sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  June  4,  '65;  veteran.  Second 
lieutenants — Henry  J.  Bashore,  Feb.  15,  '62;  resigned 
Sept.  28,  '62.  Edward  Phillips,  Jan.  i,  '64;  promoted 
from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  June  9,  '65;  veteran.  First  ser- 
geants— William  Briggs,  Jan.  i,  '64:  promoted  to  sergt. 
Jan.  I,  '65;  to  ist  sergt.  June  9,  '65;  veteran.  John  L. 
Blessing,  Dec.  19,  '61;  discharged  by  special  order  Apr. 
16,  '62.  Sergeants — Conrad  Miller,  Jan.  i,  '64;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  May  10,  '65;  veteran.  John 
D.Davenport,  Apr.  15,  '64;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '65; 
veteran.  James  Lewis,  Feb.  12,  '64;  promoted  corp. 
May  I, '65;  sergt.  June  9, '65;  veteran.  Eli  Swartz,  Mar. 
30,  '64;  promoted  corp.  June  i,  '65;  sergt.  June  9,  '65. 
Charles  B.  Post;  killed  Apr.  29,  '63.  Henry  C.'  Matter; 
not  on  muster  out  roll.  Corporals — Charles  H.  Clock,  Feb. 
12,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '65;  absent,  wounded,  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  James  H.  Hatherill,  Mar.  28,  '64; 
promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '65.  William  Simmons,  Mar.  28, 
'64;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '65.  David  Johnston,  Mar. 
15,  '65;  promoted  corp.  June  i,  '65.  John  Brown,  Feb. 
12,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '65;  veteran.  rTobias 
Sink,  Jan.  13,  '62;  dererted;  returned.  Philip  Eck  and 
C.  W.  Waltimyer;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  George  W. 
W.  Myers  and  George  W.  Bowerman,  Aug.  13,  '62;  dis- 
charged May  31,  '65.  Musicians — William  Osborn. 
William  S.  Sheerer;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 

Privates. — Charles  Aich,  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Abram  Besicker,  Feb.  12,  '64;  veteran.  Adam  Besicker, 
Mar.  17,  '64;  veteran.  Michael  Better,  April  11,  '65; 
substitute;  discharged  July  20,  '65.  William  Real,  Mar. 
15,  '65;  drafted.  Jacob  Barras,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted. 
John  Boor,  Nov.  28,  '64;  drafted.  Frederick  Berringer, 
July  21,  62;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Lewis  Briggs 
and  James  P.  Brown,  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Nelson 
Betron,  captured;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Jan.  12,  '65. 
Stephen  Bailey,  not  on  muster  out  roll.  John  Confer 
and  Aaron  Confer,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted;  mustered  out 
with  company  July  1,  '65.  Daniel  Cooster,  Aug.  20,  '63; 
drafted;  mustered  out  with  company  July  i,  '65.  Sam- 
uel R.  Corbett,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted;  mustered  out  with 


*^^- 


<^ 


company  July  i,  '65.  Abram  L.  Clock,  Samuel  Croft, 
Thomas  Clark  and  Patrick  D.  Curry,  not  on  muster  out 
roll.  Anthony  Day,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted.  Henry 
Debraun,  April  11,  '65;  discharged  June  29,  '65.  Abram 
Depew,  died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  June  15,  '65.  Elijah 
Detrick,  not  on  muster  out  roll.  James  Elliott,  July  5, 
'64;  drafted.  John  Engleman,  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
George  W.  Foulkrod,  Feb.  13,  '64;  absent,  wounded,  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  William  Fox,  George  J.  Fulmer 
and  George  Fulmer,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted;  mustered 
out  with  company  July  i,  '65.  Samuel  A.  Foulkrod  and 
Charles  B.  Frazee,  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Henry 
Growner  and  John  Gougler,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted; 
mustered  out  with  company  July  i,  '65.  Israel  Gordon, 
not  on  muster-out  roll.  Paul  Hughes,  Mar.  15,  '65; 
drafted.  Robert  Harford,  John  Henry  and  Peter  Hush- 
elbeck,  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Harrison  Jones,  Mar. 
15.  '65!  drafted.  Jacob  Jackson,  not  on  muster-out  roll. 
George  Kiser,  Mar.  15,  '65;  drafted;  mustered  out 
with  company  July  i,  '65.  Eli  Kiser,  Mar.  15, 
'65;  drafted;  discharged  by  general  order  July  20, 
'65.  John  Kaiser  ist,  John  Kaiser  2nd,  Abram 
Keely,  James  Kerr  and  Simon  Knight,  Mar.  15,  '65; 
drafted;  mustered  out  with  company  July  i,  '65.  Ed- 
ward P.  Kytte,  Abram  Kittle  and  Timothy  Kern;  not  on 
muster-out  roll.  Peter  Lutz;  March  15,  '65;  drafted;  dis- 
charged. Samuel  B.  Lasthan,  William  Lowers,  Michael 
Long  and  Charles  Lineman,  March  15,  '65;  drafted; 
mustered  out  with  company  July  i,  '65.  Fletcher  Line; 
not  on  muster-out  roll.  Leroy  Marshall,  April  4,  '65; 
substitute.  Peter  Mannas,  Martin  L.  Mehrlon  and 
Thomas  H.  Morgan,  March  15,  '65;  drafted;  mustered 
out  with  company  July  i,  '65.  Jacob  W.  Miller,  Sept. 
21,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  May  31,  '65.  Albert  Matte- 
son;  died  January  11,  '63.  William  Miller  and  John 
Mulhern;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Francis  Morris;  died 
May  31,  '65,' at  Alexandria,  Va.  A.  M'Guilker,  March  15, 
'65;  drafted.  Francis  M'Cue,  Oct.  31,  '64.  Wm. 
M'Cullough,  March  15,  '65;  drafted.  Barnhard  M'Entire, 
March  15,  '65;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster-out.  Wil- 
M'Elhattan,  Samuel  M'Elhattan,  Joseph  M'Elhattan, 
John  M'Dowell  and  William  M'Dowell,  March  15,  '65; 
drafted;  mustered  out  with  company  July  i,  '65_.  Owen 
M'Donald;  died  at  City  Point,  Va.,  December  10,  '64. 
Isaac  Nelson,  July  19,  '64;  drafted.  Samuel  Null, 
Sept.  21,  64;  drafted;  discharged  May  31,  '65. 
Francis  Newcombe  ;  discharged  March  2,  '65. 
John  Pease,  Aug.  13,  '62;  discharged  May  31,  '65.  Ja- 
cob Pletcher,  March  20,  '65;  drafted;  discharged  July  17, 
'65.  Comer  Phillips;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  John 
Pickering;  died  May  4,  '64.  George  B.  Palmer;  not  on 
muster-out  roll.  John  Ralston,  March  15,  '65;  drafted. 
George  Rice,  Nov.  28,  '64;  drafted.  Wesley  Remaley, 
Jan.  13,  '62;  deserted;  returned.  John  Ruth,  Feb.  12, 
'64;  captured;  discharged  June  3,  '65.  John  Remaley 
and  Stephen  Remaley;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  William 
Stull,  March  15,  '65;  drafted;  discharged  July  15,  '65. 
George  Shaffer,  Sept.  26,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  May 
31,  '65.  Noah  Stevens:  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Lewis 
E.  Slote;  captured;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Feb.  11,  '65. 
William  C.  Strenk;  died  Aug.  12,  '64.  Abram  Swartz; 
died  Jan.  7,  '65.  Isaac  B.  Titus,  Jan.  14,  '64;  veteran. 
Job  Thomas,  Aug.  31,  '63:  drafted.  Charles  Taylor;  not 
on  muster-out  roll.  John  Waltmyer,  Jan.  t,  '64;  absent, 
wounded,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Harmon  Watkins, 
April  s,  '65;  drafted;  discharged  July  3,  '65. 

FIFTY-SEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  1861,  this  regiment  moved  to 
Washington,  and  in  February,  1862,  it  joined  the  Army  of 


the  Potomac.  It  was  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  where 
it  had  one  man  killed  and  five  wounded,  and  where  the 
health  of  the  rest  suffered  greatly  from  malaria.  While 
before  Yorktown  the  regiment  was  in  a  slight  engagement. 
It  was  engaged  at  Fair  Oaks,  where  it  lost  seven  killed 
and  forty-nine  wounded.  It  was  again  in  action  at 
Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  where  it  lost  seven  killed  and 
fifty-six  wounded.  At  Malvern  Hill  it  was  also  in  action, 
and  lost  two  killed  and  eight  wounded.  On  the  30th  of 
August  it  was  engaged  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run, 
and  lost  three  wounded. 

Four  companies  of  the  57th  were  sent  after  the  battle 
of  Chantilly  under  a  flag  of  truce  to  bring  away  the  body 
of  General  Kearney,  who  was  killed  in  that  action.  In 
the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  the  regiment  lost  21  killed, 
76  wounded  and  78  missing.  At  the  battle  of  Chan- 
cellorsville  it  lost  13  killed,  48  wounded  and  23  missing. 
It  was  engaged  both  days  at  Gettysburg  and  lost  12  killed, 
45  wounded  and  47  missing.  It  was  also  engaged  at 
Auburn  Creek,  Kelly's  Ford  and  Locust  Grove,  suffering 
some  loss  in  each  engagement. 

A  large  portion  of  the  regiment  re-enlisted  and  re- 
ceived a  veteran  furlough  in  January,  1864. 

In  May  they  were  engaged  between  Chancellorsville 
and  Spottsylvania,  where  they  lost  heavily.  From  the 
12th  of  May  to  the  14th  of  June  they  were  often  in 
action,  with  some  loss. 

The  regiment  went  to  the  front  of  Petersburg,  where  it 
remained  till  October,  most  of  the  time  at  the  front  and 
once  sharply  engaged.  In  that  month  it  was  in  action  at 
Hatcher's  Run,  and  again  on  the  sth  of  the  following  Feb- 
ruary. It  was  frequently  engaged  afterward  and  partici- 
pated in  the  movements  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of 
Richmond  and  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army.  It  was 
mustered  out  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  June  29th,  1865. 

This  regiment  included  one  company — A — recruited 
in  Wyoming  and  Susquehanna  counties.  The  best 
obtainable  record  of  this  company  is  given  below.  The 
first  date  is  that  of  muster-in.  Most  of  the  men  were 
mustered  out  June  29th,  1865,  and  that  date  is  to  be 
understood  when  none  is  given. 

COMPANY    A. 

Officers. — Captains — Peter  Sides,  Dec.  4,  '61;  pro- 
moted lieut.  col.  Sept.  15,  '62.  Jerome  R.  Lyons,  Dec. 
4,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  lieut.  to  capt.,  Sept.  15,  '62; 
discharged  Oct.  4,  '64,  for  wounds  received  in  action. 
Henry  H.  Hinds,  Dec.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  sergt. 
to  ist  lieut.  Jan.  7,  '63;  capt.  May  15,  '65;  discharged 
May  15,  '65.  James  M.  Darling,  Sept.  15,  '61;  dismissed 
June  15,  '64.  Daniel  W.  Gore,  ist  lieuts. — Edison  J. 
Rice,  Dec.  4, '61;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks  May  31,  '62; 
promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut.  Sept.  15,  '62  to  capt.  Go. 
E  Feb.  28,  '63.  Franklin  V.  Shaw;  veteran.  2nd  lieuts. 
— Jeremiah  C.  Green,  Dec.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  ist 
sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Jan.  7,  '63;  wounded  at  Gettysburg; 
killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May  12,  '64.  George 
L.  Amey,  Dec.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to  2nd 
lieut.  April  16,  '65;  veteran,  ist  sergt.,  Joseph  M.  Tripp, 
Dec.  31,  '61;  promoted  to  sergt.  April  18,  '65;  to  ist 
sergt.  June  i,  '65;  veteran.  Sergts. — Eli  F.  Hudson, 
Dec.    31,    '61;    promoted  corp.  April  i,  '64;  sergt.  Sept. 


■^^^ 


-i 


132 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


I,    '64;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out.     G.   B.'  Cran- 
dall,     Aug.    4,    '62;    promoted     to    corp.    Sept.    i,    '64; 
sergt.  Nov.    i,    '64;    discharged    June    10,    '65.     Abram 
Keefer,     Feb.      n,     '64;      promoted      from      corp.     to 
sergt.      June     i,     '65;      William       Doherty,     Feb.      10, 
'64,     promoted     from     corp.     to     sergt.     June     i,    '65. 
William  J.  Gallagher,  Aug.    29,    '64;  discharged  May  31, 
'65.    Edgar  Vanfoan,  April  i,  '62;  mustered  out  April  10, 
'65.     Cassius  M.  Rose,    Dec.  31,  '63;    discharged  May  8, 
'65;  veteran.     Solomon  C.    Miller,  Oct.  4,    '61;  mustered 
out  Oct.  25,  '64.     John  Burnside,  Oct.    4,  '61;    captured; 
died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  July  18,  '64.  James  H.  Childs, 
Dec.  31,  '63;    killed    at  Wilderness,  May  5,   '64;  veteran. 
William  H.  Cole,  Dec.  31,  '63;  killed  at  Wilderness,  May 
5,  '64;  veteran.     Edgar   Williams,  Oct.  4,  '61;  promoted 
to  2nd  lieut.    Company  E  Nov.    4,  '63.     A.  B.  Robinson, 
Nov.    I,   '61;  mustered  out  Nov.     15,   '64.     George    C. 
Green,  Dec.  4,    '61;  not  on    muster  out  roll.     William   F. 
Bailey,  Dec.  4.  '61;   mustered  out  Nov.  15,   '64.    William 
W.  Hinds,  Dec.  4,'6 1 ;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Corporals — 
John  O'Conner,  Dec.  31, '63;  promoted  corp.  Sept.  i,  '64; 
veteran.    Samuel   B.    Taylor,   Oct.   3,    '64;  drafted;   pro- 
moted corp.  April  18,  '65.     Gilbert    H.    Mitchell,  Jan.  i, 
'64;    veteran.    S.  A.  Kimball,  Sept.  28,  '64;   drafted;  pro- 
moted  corp.    April    18,    '65;    discharged    June    24,    '65. 
Foster  R.  Vincent,  Feb.  16,  '64;  promoted  corp.  June  i, 
'65.     C.     H.     Warner,    Mar.    12,    '64;    transferred    from 
141st  Pennsylvania  May    28,  '65.     Elias    Foust,  April   3, 
'65;    substitute;    promoted    corp.    June    i,    '65.      Alvin 
Strope,   Feb.    16,    '64;  promoted    to   corp.   June    i,   '65; 
Chauncy  Brace,  Jan.  i,  '64;  discharged    on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Mar.    9,  '65;    veteran.   Stephen    Beals,  Aug.  19, '64; 
discharged  May  3 r,  '65.    Amos    H.    Miller,    Oct.  22,  '61; 
mustered  out  Oct.  25,  '64.   Edward  F.  Holly,  Oct.  23,  '61; 
captured;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,   July  7,  '64;   grave 
3,020.    Phil.  P.  Robinson,  Aug.  11,  '62;    died  of  wounds 
received  at  Wilderness   May  6,  '64.   Julius   B.  Vanwinkle, 
Theodore  S.  Clink,  Daniel  Carey,  Adelbert  B.  Robinson, 
John  L.  Strunk,  Bentley    Stark,  Peter  D.    Kispaugh  and 
Lidgar  W.  Avery,  Dec.  4,  '6r;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 

Privates. — Levi  Anson,  Dec.  31,  'dy,  veteran.  John 
Ackley,  Feb.  16,  '64.  Joseph  B.  Ashcraft,  Aug.  18,  '63; 
wounded  at  Wilderness,  May  5,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out. 
John  L.  Acker,  Aug.  18,  '62;  discharged  May  3:,  '65. 
Lafayette  Anson,  Oct.  22,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  25,  '64. 
Page  Almon,  March  17,  '64;  missing  in  action  June  22, 
'64.  John  Austin,  Dec.  4,  '61,  and  Robert  Aiken,  Feb. 
27,  '64;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Benjamin  Bailey,  March 
29,  '64.  Lewis  Bowman,  Feb.  16,  '64.  Cyrus  Blue,  Feb. 
27,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Martin  V. 
Billings,  Dec.  4,  '61;  veteran.  Charles  Broch;  deserted; 
returned;  transferred  from  35th  Pa.  June  17,  '65.  Fred- 
erick Burgess,  Sept.  21,  '64;  William  Bromley,  Aug,  24, 
'64,  and  James  Briggs,  Aug.  29,  64;  discharged  May  31, 
'65.  Frederick  Brudick,  Aug.  26,  '64;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Feb.  9,  '65.  James  M.  Brady,  Oct.  22, 
'61;  mustered  out  Oct.  25,  '64.  Charles  W.  Butler,  Nov. 
19,  '6,1;  mustered  out  Nov.  23,  '64.  Ezra  C.  Browning, 
Philander  S.  Bronson,  Patrick  Barrett  and  Lewis  Billings, 
Dec.  4,  '61;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Isaac  Brotzman,  Dec. 
4,  '61;  died  Aug.  17,  '63.  Lyman  Bolls,  Dennis  L.  Bump 
and  Horace  J.  Barnes,  Dec.  4,  '61;  not  on  muster-out 
roll.  Levi  T.  Bray,  Feb.  12,  '62;  absent  on  detached 
duty  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Francis  Conrad,  Dec.  21, 
'63;  veteran.  J.  W.  Chamberlain,  Dec.  21,  '63,  absent, 
sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Charles  H.  Cole,  Aug.  18,  '63. 
Warren  Cooper,  Aug.  24,  '64;  substitute;  wounded  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  discharged  May  3r,  '65. 
Michael  Carey,  April  3, '65;  substitute,  William  Conrad, 
Dec.  21,  '61;  discharged  June  5,  '65;  veteran.  John 
Casson,  Sept.  i,  '64;  discharged    May    31,   '65.     William 


P.  Crans,  Dec.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Dec.  6,  '64.     Joseph 
Clark,  Oct.  22,  '61;  died  Oct.  2,  '64,  of  wounds  •"eceiv'^'^ 
at  Peeble's  Farm,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  '64.     James  Clink   Adam 
Clink,  Henry  N.  Capwell  and   Aaron    Cogswell,  Oct    22, 
'6t-  not  on  muster-out   roll.     Charles  Cramer;  killed  at 
Gettysburg    July,    '63.     Patrick    Doherty,    Dec.    3'.    03; 
ueteran.     Burton    Demoney,    Feb.    16,   '64;  wounded  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May   5,   '64;  discharged    June    19.    65. 
Lewis  Darling,  Sept.  26,  '64;  substitute;  discharged  May 
31    '65      Orlando    M.    Decker,    Aug.  29,  '62;  discharged 
May  3,  '65.     William    Drake,  Oct.  22,  '61;   mustered  out 
Oct    25,  '64.     Daniel  Davney,  Dec.  31, '61;  mustered  out 
Dec.  8,  '64.     Oliver  Dickson,  Nov.  i,  '61;  transferred  to 
Company  C.     Daniel  Divene,  Nov.  i,  '61;  not  on  muster 
out  roll.'  Henry  Dickson,  Nov.  I, '61;  mustered  out  Nov. 
14,  '64.     John  W.  Divine,  James  E.  Dickenson,  Fernan- 
do'C.  Decker  and  Sidney  Dickenson,  Nov.  i,  '61;  not  on 
muster-out  roll.     Ward  Eastabrook,  Dec.  31,  '63;  veteran. 
Levi  Emery,  Feb.  11,  '64;  killed    at   Wilderness   May  5, 
'64.     Phelps    Elmer,   Oct.    22,    '61;  missing    at    Freder- 
icksburg    Dec.     13,.    '62.      J.    Ellison;    died    at    Rich- 
mond, Va.,  Nov.  5,  '63.     Thomas   Foster,    Feb.    16,  ^64. 
Casper  Feltman,   Aug.  27,  '64;  discharged    May  31,   '65. 
John  C.  Forbes,   Sept.  28,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  May 
31,  '65.  Henry  Forbes,  Oct.  22,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  25, 
'64-    Lyman  C.  Fonish,  Oct.  22,  '61 ;  mustered  out  Nov.  14, 
'64,'  Henry  E.  Fox,  Aug.  18,  '62;  died  at  City  Point,  Va., 
Mar.  23,  '65.     John  Fitzgerald  and  Jacob  Freeman,  Nov. 
T,    '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll.       James  A.   Foster  and 
Samuel  Foster,  Feb.  25,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Ed- 
win  C.  Goodrich,  Dec.  13,  '63;  veteran.     Horace   Gree- 
ley,  Aug.   29,  '64;  substitute;  discharged    May,  31,  '65. 
Erastus  Green,  Oct.  22,- '61;   mustered  out  Oct.   25,  '64. 
John  W.  Granger,  Luther    A.    Granger  and   George  D. 
Gregory,  Nov.   i,   '61;    not  on  muster   out  roll.     Minor 
Hoover,  Mar.   29,   '64.     Nathan    Hoffman,    Apr.  3,   '65; 
substitute.     Rudolph   Hannsman,    Aug.   26,   '64;    substi- 
tute; discharged  May  31,  '65;   Michael  Horton,  Aug.  13, 
'62;  discharged   May   31,   '65.     William   Holly,  Feb.   16, 
'64;  discharged  June  12,  '65.    Lyman  Heman,  Feb.  16, '64; 
discharged  on  surg's   certificate   Dec.  13,  '64.      Jonathan 
Heman    2nd,  Mar.    25,  '64;  died   at   Washington,   D.   C, 
[une, '64.    Jonathan  Heman  ist,  Feb.  16, '64;  deserted  June 
16,  '64.     Asa  L.  Harding,  Nov.  i,  '61;    not  on  muster  out 
roll.     George  P.  Hopkins;  died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  July 

22,  '62.     John  J.  Harrington,  Nov.  i,  '61;   not  on  muster 
out  roll.    Oscar  Hashman,  Aug.  26,  '64;   discharged  Aug. 

23,  '65.  James  Johnson,  Mar.  28,  '64.  George  John>;on, 
Mar.  26,  '64;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May 
12,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out.  Francis  Johnson,  Mar.  26, 
'64.  Xavier  Joset,  Aug.  2,  '64;  substitute;  discharged  June 
29,  '65.  Freeman  Jones,  Nov.  i,  '61;  not  on  muster-O'.it 
roll.  George  Keesley  and  John  Keller.Ap.  3, '65 ;  substitutes. 
Henry  Keller,  April  8,  '65;  substitute.  Thomas  Kench, 
Nov.  7,  '6t;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  William  li. 
Keaton  and  Richard  N.  Kennedy,  Nov.  t,  '61;  not  on 
muster  out  roll.  J.  Kirkhoff;  died  April  12,  '65.  Jere- 
miah Lindinmith,  April  3,  '65;  substitute.  Joseph 
Larum,  April  8,  '65;  substitute;  absent,  sick,  at  muster 
out.  Sumner  E.  Lines,  Nov.  r,  '61;  died  at  City  Point, 
Va.,  June  18,  '64.  Clark  M.  Lyons,  Nov.  i,  '61;  pro- 
moted adj.  May  2,  '64.  Renard  C.  Lewis,  Nov.  i,  '61; 
not  on  muster  out  roll.  Charles  Murray,  Feb.  29,  '64; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Abram  Mover,  April  8, 
'65;  substitute.  Johnson  Madison,  Aug.  28,  '62;  missing 
at  Gettysburg  July  3,  '63.  Hiram  H.  Meeker  and  Thomas 
M.  Manard,  Nov.  i,  '61;  not  on  muster  roll.  Stephen 
H.  Manard,  Nov.  i,  '61;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks  May  31,  'O2. 
Samuel  Marshall,  Dec.  30,  '61;  veteran.  Hugh  M'Cann, 
April  3,  '65;  substitute.  John  M'Canaha,  Aug.  29,  '64; 
substitute;     discharged    May    31,    '65.       James    M'Neal, 


*^B= 


Hh 


<^ 


COMPANY  A,  FIFTY-SEVENTH    REGIMENT— THE  FIFTY-EIGHTH. 


133 


Aug.  9,  '62;  discharged  May  31,  '65.     John  M'Keel,  Sept. 
28,  '64;  drafted;   discharged  on  surg's  certificate  April  4, 
'65.     John  C.  M'Cormick   and  Charles  M'Cormick,  Nov. 
I,  '6r;   not  on  muster  out    roll.     Nelson  Northrop,  Feb. 
16,  '64;  tranferred  to  V.  R.  C;   discharged  July  21,   '65. 
Frederick  Nauman,  Nov.  i,  '61;    not  on   muster  out  roll. 
Charles  Oliphant,  Mar.  17,  '64,;  discharged  June  14,  '65. 
Ferdinand    Otis,   Israel   Otis    and    William    H.    Osborn, 
Nov.    I,    '61;     not    on    muster-out    roll.       Stephen    M. 
Osborn,      Nov.      1,      '61;      died     at     Alexandria,     Va., 
March    16,  '64.      Edward  S.   Perkins,    Dec.  31,  '63;  dis- 
charged by  special  order  March  12,  '64.     Henry  W.  Pot- 
ter, Charles   P.    Post,   William    H.   Penny  and  Sidney  E. 
Penny,  Nov.  i,  '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll.      John   Pool, 
Feb.  16,  '64.     Patrick  Quigley,  Jan.  11,  '64;  wounded  at 
Wilderness    May    5,    '64;    absent   at   muster  out.     John 
H.      Rowe,      Nov.      25,     '61  ;      wounded      at    Wilder- 
ness     May     5,     '64;      mustered    out     Nov.      16,     '64. 
Hiram  Robinson,  Aug.  18,  '63;  wounded    at   Wilderness 
May  5,  '64;  discharged   July  31,  '65.     Thomas   M.  Rob- 
inson, Aug.  18,  '63.     Charles   Reitz,  Aug.  26,  '64;  substi- 
tute; discharged    May  31,  '65.     John   W.  Rolfe,  Oct.  22, 
'61;  sentenced  by  general  court  martial  to  Dry  Tortugas 
April  30,  '64.     Emerson  Reynolds,  Nov.  i,  '6t;  killed  at 
Chancellorsville  May  3,  '63.     Mortimer  Roberts,  Nov.  i, 
'61;  not  on  muster-out  roll.     Nathaniel   Strope,  Mar.  10, 
'64.     Henry   Steele,  Mar.  17,  '64.     Conrad    Shank,  Aug. 
23,  '64;  substitute;    absent,  sick,   at   muster   out.     John 
Smith,   Aug.    12,  '64;  substitute;  wounded   Mar.   25,  '65; 
discharged  June  7,  '65.  Charles  Smead,  Nov.  11, '64;  sub- 
stitute; mustered  out  June  29,  '65.  George  E.  Stage,  Mar. 
31,  '64;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  absent  at 
muster  out.   David  E.  Sarver,  Aug.  27,  '64;  discharged  May 
19,  '65.  Benjamin  E.  Seeley,  Feb.  13,  '64;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  April  14, '65.  William  Smith,  Oct.  22, '61; 
mustered  out  Oct.  25,  '64.    Oscar  Shores,  Oct.  22,  '61;  mus- 
tered out  Oct.  25,  '64.  Samuel  Spiker,  Sept.  26,  '64;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  1 9,  '65.   Daniel  Smith, 
died    June    14,  '64.       Stogdell    Storm,    Jeremiah   Storm, 
Fred  Stephens,  James  Straney,  N.  Y.  Sherwood,  Michael 
Saxton,   Walter  B.   Simpson,    Mitdul  O.  Stark,  Frank  O. 
Sember,  Bentley  Stark,  P.  B.  Strickland,  George  E.  Stage 
and  John  L.  Strunk,  Nov.  i,   '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Robert    Tinker,    Aug.    10,    '64;    substitute.      Henry    W. 
Terry,  Feb.  25,  '62;  wounded  May  3,  '63;  absent  at  mus- 
ter out.    James  Tallent  and  Henry  W.  Terry,  Nov.  i,  '61; 
not  on  muster-out  roll.    Milton  S.  Travis,  Nov.  t,  '61;  died 
at  Alexandria,  Va.,  June    it,   '64.     Volney    VV.  Tiffaney, 
Nov.  I,  '6t;  killed  at  Fair  Oaks,  May  31,  '62.     Zebulon 
Vincent,  March  22,  '64;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
April    IS,  '65.     Chester  Vandipool,  Feb.   29,  '64;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps.     Eli  Vandipool,  Feb.  11, 
'64;  killed  at  Wilderness  May  5,  '64.     Charles  Vandipool, 
March  29,  '64;  killed  at  Wilderness  May  5,  '64.     William 
W.  Wright,   Dec.   31,  '6t,;    absent,   sick,  at    muster   out; 
veteran.     Uriah  Wheeler,  Feb.  16,  '64;  wounded  at  Wil- 
derness  May    s,   '64;    absent   at   muster    out.      Richard 
Wheeler,    March  22,    '64;    absent,    sick,   at    muster   out. 
Hiram  Weaver,  Oct.  8,  '64;  substitute.     Martin  V.  Wise, 
Dec.  31,  '6^;   wounded  at  Wilderness  May  5,  '64;  absent 
at  muster  out;  veteran.     Joseph  E.  Wilson,  April  2,  '65; 
substitute;   absent,   sick,   at   muster  out.     Jacob   Weise, 
April  2,  '65;  substitute.     John  Wise,  April  3,  '65;  substi- 
tute.    John  Watson,  July  25,  '64;  substitute;  discharged 
May  31,  '65.     George   B.  Wilmoth,  Nov.    i,  '61;   not  on 
muster-out  roll.     W.  J.  Whitney,  Nov.   i,  '61;    wounded 
at    Charles    City   Cross    Roads    June    30,    '62,    and    at 
Chancellorsville  May  3,  '63;   discharged.     Joshua  Wick- 
son,    Warren    S.     Wood,     Martin    Wice     and     Erastus 
Warren,   Nov.    i,    '61;    not   on    muster-out    roll.     James 
A.   Wiggins,   Nov.    19,    '61;    mustered   out    Dec.    4,    '64. 


Paul     Weale  ;     died     at     Andersonville,     Ga.,     August 
23,  '64- 

FIFTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 

Of  this  regiment  a  portion  of  Company  I  was  from 
Luzerne  county.  It  was  organized  in  February,  1862, 
by  the  consolidation  of  parts  of  two  regiments  that  were 
partly  full.  The  regiment  left  Philadelphia  March  8th, 
1862,  for  Fortress  Monroe.  May  loth,  with  other  troops, 
the  58th  embarked  for  Norfolk,  debarking  at  Ocean  View 
and  marching  to  the  city,  which  was  found  deserted.  It 
soon  afterward  went  to  Portsmouth,  where  it  engaged  in 
guard,  picket  and  fatigue  duty,  occasionally  going  on 
expeditions  in  which  it  was  engaged  in  skirmishes. 

January  5th,  1863,  it  sailed  for  Beaufort,  N.  C,  where 
it  arrived  on  the  following  day  and  camped  eight  miles 
west  of  Newbern.  While  there  it  encountered  occasional 
scouting  parties  of  the  enemy,  and  finally,  on  the  12th  of 
February,  the  regiment  went  in  search  of  the  camp  of 
these  scouts,  which  it  found,  surprised,  routed  and  de- 
stroyed. Several  skirmishes  and  slight  battles  occurred 
in  the  vicinity.  In  May  the  regiment  marched  to  Kins- 
ton  with  the  25th  Mass.  and  captured  the  works  there 
and  175  prisoners.  Soon  afterward  a  battle  was  fought 
at  Bachelor's  Creek,  and  Colonel  Jones  of  the  58th  was 
killed.  In  June  the  regiment  went  to  Washington,  N.  C, 
and  while  there  occasional  skirmishes  and  minor  battles 
took  place. 

In  the  latter  part  of  April,  1864,  the  regiment  went  to 
Fortress  Monroe;  thence  to  Yorktown,  and  from  there 
via  Bermuda  Hundred  to  the  vicinity  of  Petersburg 
On  the  9th  of  May,  in  an  encounter  with  the  enemy,  the 
58th  lost  20  killed  and  wounded.  It  was  not  engaged 
again  south  of  the  James.  At  Cold  Harbor  it  was  twice 
in  action,  losing  heavily.  In  September  the  regiment 
participated  in  an  assault  on  Fort  Harrison,  in  which,  out 
of  9  officers  and  228  men,  6  officers  and  128  men  were 
killed  or  wounded.  The  same  day  they  assaulted 
another  fort  and  spiked  its  guns,  and  the  next  repulsed 
with  terrible  slaughter  an  attack  on  Fort  Harrison.  The 
regiment  was  twice  afterward  inaction  without  casualties. 
It  was  also  engaged  in  guard  and  picket  duty,  building 
fortifications,  slashing  timber,  digging  rifle  pits,  etc.  It 
was  in  the  final  campaign  and  was  afterward  under  the 
orders  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  It  was  not  mustered 
out  till  January,  1866. 

While  the  58th  was  chiefly  recruited  at  Philadelphia, 
Company  I  contained  a  representation  from  Luzerne, 
and  we  give  a  roll  of  that  company,  although  it  was 
partly  raised  in  Northumberland  county.  Following  the 
name  of  each  man  is  the  date  when  he  was  mustered  in. 
Unless  otherwise  stated  he  was  mustered  out  with  the 
regiment. 

COMPANY    I. 

Officers. — Captains — John  Buyers,  Jan.  28,  '62;  resigned 
May  30,  '63.  Angello  Jackson,  Dec.  24,  '61;  promoted 
from  ist  lieut.  to  capt.  Aug.  19,  '63;  dismissed  Sept.  25, 
'65.  First  lieutenants — Thomas  Birmingham,  Oct.  29, 
'61;  promoted Tromist  sergt.'to  2nd  lieut.  Dec.  13,  '62; 


*^-¥ 


4 


=-»=^^ 
"^7* 


134 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


to  ist  lieiit.  Aug.  19,  '63;  wounded  at  Fort  Harrison,  Va. 
Sept.  29,  '64;  promoted  to  capt.  Company  G  March  i, 
'65.  Heber  Painter,  Oct.  8,  '61;  promoted  from  private 
to  ist.  sergt.  Nov.  26,  '64;  ist  lieut.  March  i,  '65;  capt. 
Jan.  23,  '66;  not  mustered;  veteran.  Second  lieutenant, 
John  R.  Searles,  Jan  28,  '62;  died  at  Suffolk,  Va.,  Dec. 
13,  '62.  First  sergeants — William  H.  Blair,  Nov.  20,  '61; 
promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '64;  ist  sergt.  March  i,  '65;  ist 
lieut.  Jan.  23,  '66;  not  mustered;  veteran.  Robert 
Hedian,  Jan.  13,  '62;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  23,  '62;  ist 
sergt.  Jan.  28,  63;  2nd  lieut.  June  5,  '63;-  not  mustered 
discharged  May  6,  '65,  for  wounds  received  at  Fort  Har 
rison,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  '64.  Sergeants — James  Harlor,  Dec 
9,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Oct.  i.  '64;  sergt.  April  25,  '65 
veteran.  Samuel  Wolf,  Oct.  8,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Oct 
I,  '63;  sergt.  April  25,  '65;  2nd  lieut.  Jan.  23,  '66;  not 
mustered;  veteran.  William  H.  Gass,  Oct.  8,  '61;  pro 
moted  corp.  Jan.  25,  '65;  sergt.  April  25,  '65;  vet 
eran.  Norman  W.  Haas,  Oct.  8,  '61;  promoted  corp 
June  10,  '65;  sergt.  June  26,  '65;  veteran.  John  M 
Dickover,  Oct.  24,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  13,  '62;  sergt, 
Dec.  II,  '62;  discharged  May  6,  '65,  for  wounds  received 
at  Chapin's  Farm,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran.  Samuel 
C.  Barton,  July  29,  '62;  promoted  corp.  March  i,  '65; 
sergt.  May  20,  '65;  discharged  June  12,  '65.  George  W. 
Kease,  Jan.  23,  '62;  died  at  Suffolk,  Va.,  Dec.  11,  '62. 
Corps. — Robert  Martin,  Oct.  8,  '61;  promoted  corp.; 
prisoner  from  Sept.  29  to  Oct.  20,  '64;  veteran.  George 
W.  Adams,  Nov.  22,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Oct.  27,  '62; 
wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3,  '64;  absent  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  Hiram  Fisher,  Dec.  30,  '61;  pro- 
moted corp.  April  i,  '65;  veteran.  Samuel  Taylor,  Oct. 
8,  '61,  and  George  D.  Aton,  Dec.  31,  '61;  promoted 
corps.  April  8,  '65;  veterans.  John  Fisher,  Dec.  30,  '61; 
promoted  corp.  April  24,  '65;  veteran.  H.  Housewart, 
Dec.  18,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  18,  '62;  killed  in  action 
Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran.  James  De  Witt,  Feb.  28,  '62;  pro- 
moted corp.  Nov.  6,  '62;  mustered  out  Feb.  28,  '65.  Jo- 
seph Nagle,  Dec.  5,  '61;  promoted  corp.  April  4,  '65;  dis- 
charged May  24,  '65,  for  wounds  received  at  Chapin's 
Farm,  Va. ,  Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran.     Solomon  Yordy,  Jan. 

23,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  18,  '62;  mustered  out  Jan. 

24,  '65.  Joseph  Crist,  Oct.  8,  '6r;  promoted  corp.  Jan. 
23,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  19,  '64.  Henry  Batsher,  Oct. 
8,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  21,  '62;  died  Oct.  19,  '64,  of 
wounds  received  at  Chapin's  Farm,  Va.,  Sept,  29,  '64; 
veteran.  Bennett  E.  Cobley,  Jan.  13,  '62;  died  at  Hamp- 
ton, Va.,  Sept.  17,  '64.  Daniel  Bochner,  Jan.  13,  '62; 
promoted  corp.  Oct.  27,  '62;  transferred  to  4th  U.  S.  Ar- 
tillery Nov.  24,  '62.  Jacob  M.  Boyd,  Aug.  25,  '62;  pro- 
moted Corp.  Dec.  20,  '62;  transferred  to  U.  S.  Signal 
Corps,  Aug.  20,  '63.  L.  H.  Gaffney,  Aug.  3,  '62;  pro- 
moted corp,  Oct.  I,  '64;  sergt.  maj.  Dec.  19,  '64.  Musi- 
cian, John  Mullen,  Nov.  20,  '61;  veteran. 

Privates. — Solomon  P.  Aton,  Nov.  20,  '61;  veteran. 
Louis  Angermiller,  Aug.  5,  '64;  substitute.  H.  A.  Addle- 
man,  Nov.  2,  '64;  substitute;  mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65. 
Samuel  Bartsher,  Oct.  8,  '61,  and  Aaron  Burket,  Dec.  27, 
'61;  veterans.  Robert  Brown,  Sept.  25,  '62;  discharged 
June  7,  '65.  John  Barton,  Jan.  13,  '62;  died  July  30, 
'64,  of  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3, 
'64.  Martin  L.  Bloom,  Oct,  8,  '61;  died  in  Northum- 
berland county.  Pa.,  Dec.  7,  '64;  veteran.  Robert  W. 
Bell,  Jan,  13,  '62;  deserted  Jan.  17,  '62.  Edward  Berney, 
Dec.  9,  '61;  deserted  Jan.  8,  '62.  Charles  H.  Cook,  Dec. 
17,  '61,  and  William  H.  Cook,  Oct.  30,  '61;  veterans. 
Samuel  Crist,  Nov.  28,  '61;  deserted;  returned;  veteran. 
Joseph  E.  Carpenter,  Dec.  9,  '64;  substitute.  Daniel 
Conrad,  Oct.  8,  '61;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,  '64; 
veteran.  William  K.  Conrad,  Oct.  29,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate   Dec.    18,   '62.     Henry  K.  Conrad,  Jan. 


23,  '62;  died  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  Jan.  24,  '62.  Patrick 
Carl,  Dec.  27,  '6r,  and  Thomas  Cruse,  Dec.  4,  '61;  trans- 
ferred to  Company  H  Jan.,  '62.  Henry  C.  Cook,  Nov. 
25,  '61;  deserted  Jan.  17,  '62.  Samuel  T.  Coleman,  July 
19,  '62;  captured  April  15,  '63;  absent  at  muster  out. 
Daniel  Deets,  Nov.  16,  '61;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor 
June  2,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out;  veteran.  James  E. 
Danton,  Jan.  18,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
June  24,  '62.  Alfred  S.  Dennis,  Nov.  18,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Aug.  24,  '62.  Asmus  Damm,  Nov. 
23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  24,  '65; 
veteran.  Benjamin  F.  Diehl,  Oct.  8,  '61;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  June  20,  '65;  veteran.  Edward  E. 
Doran,  July  29,  '62;  transferred  to  4th  U.  S.  artillery 
Nov.  24,  '62.  John  Deon,  Dec.  9,  '64;  substitute;  de- 
serted April  2,  '65.  George  Eckhart,  Sept.  27,  '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June  9,  '65.  William  H.  Freeman, 
Nov.  2,  '64;  substitute;  mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65.  Philip 
Forester,  Oct.  28,  '61;  mustered  out  Jan.  24,  '65,  to  date 
Oct.  28,  '64.  James  C.  Fleming,  Nov.  2,  '64;  sub- 
stitute; died  at  Point  of  Rocks,  Va.,  Feb.  27,  '65. 
Solomon  Fosholt,  Jan.  23,  '62;  transferred  to  4th  U.  S. 
artillery  Nov.  24,  '62.  Henry  Gutchall,  Dec.  29,  '6r; 
wounded  in  action  Sept.  29,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out; 
veteran.  Joseph  Gregory,  Jan.  13,  '62;  discharged  Jan- 
uary 24,  '65,  for  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor  June 
3,  '64.  John  G.  Groner,  Jan.  9,  '62;  discharged  Oct.  10, 
'65,  for  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,  '64; 
veteran.  Emanuel  Gutchall,  Mar.  23,  '65;  drowned  in 
Paradise  creek,  Va.,  Aug.  10,  '62.  William  Gallagher, 
Dec.  II,  '61;  died  June  13,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at 
Cold  Harbor  June  3,  '64.  Harris  A.  Hooper,  Dec.  12, 
'61;  veteran.  Samuel  JJeim,  Jan.  23,  '62;  mustered  out 
Feb.  3,  '65.  Thomas  Hudson,  Nov.  2,  '64;  substitute; 
mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65.  John  Hardman,  Dec.  9,  '61; 
died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Aug.  '64;  veteran.  James 
Hoey,  Oct.  8,  '61;  died  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  Jan,  11,  '65; 
veteran.  Patrick  Hughes,  Nov.  4,  '6r;  transferred  to 
Company  H  Jan,  '62.  Benjamin  F.  Heffner,  Dec.  18,  '61; 
deserted  Aug.  26,  '64;  veteran.  John  A.  Jennings,  Dec. 
9,  '61;  transferred  to  Company  H  January,  '62.  Thomas 
Kelly,  Feb.  14,  '62;  veteran.  August  W.  Keiber,  Nov. 
12, '64;  substitute;  deserted  Aug.  23, '65.  George  Lewis, 
Nov.  II,  '61;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,  '64; 
absent  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Martin  Loftus,  Nov.  15, 
'61;  veteran.  George  W.  Lee,  Jan.  13,  '62;  killed  in 
action  April  17,  '63.  James  Lafferty,  Dec.  18,  '61;  killed 
at  Chapin's  Farm  Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran.  Robert  Leach, 
Nov.  2,  '64;  substitute;  mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65.  Levi 
S.  Lloyd,  Nov.  2,  '64;  substitute;  died  July  11,  '65. 
Edward  Long,  Jan.  13,  '62;  deserted  January  17,  '62. 
William  B.  Martin,  Oct.  8,  '61;  veteran.  Henry  Miller, 
Jan  24,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  May  19,  '62. 
James  Masterson,  Nov.  28,  '61;  died  at  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Aug.  26,  '64;  veteran.  George  D.  Mott, 
Aug.,  '62;  died  Aug.  g,  '64,  at  Hampton,  Va. 
John  Mench,  Aug.  23,  '64;  died  Oct.  15,  '64, 
of  wounds  received  at  Chapin's  Farm  Sept.  29,  '64. 
John  Morisey,  Dec.  19,  '61;  deserted  Dec.  31,  '62.  An- 
thony Marse;  deserted  Jan.  17,  '62.  James  Morisey, 
Nov.  27,  '61;  deserted.  Charles  Mott,  Jan.  13,  '62;  de- 
serted Dec.  30,  '62.  Michael  Morgan,  Nov.  17,  '64;  sub- 
stitute; deserted  Aug.  18,  '65;  returned;  deserted  again 
Dec.  4,  '65.  George  M'Donald,  Nov.  19,  '61;  veteran. 
Lafayette  M'Clure  and  Robert  M'Clure,  Nov.  2,  '64; 
substitutes;  mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65.  Michael  M'Carty, 
Oct.  8,  '61;  deserted  Nov.,  '61.  Moses  C.  Norris,  Nov. 
2,  '64;  substitute;  mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65.  Winthrop 
Oplinger,  Nov.  22,  '6i;  veteran.  George  Oplinger,  Aug. 
18,  '64;  discharged  June  12,  '65.  Albert  W.  Osborn, 
Nov.  2,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov.  7,   '65.     Charles  A.  Peal, 


*^^= 


^¥ 


^h 


BATTLES  OF  THE  SIXTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 


135 


Jan.  23,  '62;  died  at  Camp  Suffolk,  Va.,  Dec.  3,  '62. 
John  Reed,  Dec.  12,  '61;  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor  June 
3,  '64;  veteran.  Patrick  Rafter,  Oct.  31,  '6r;  killed  at 
Cold  Harbor  June  3,  '64;  veteran.  Cornelius  Robbins, 
Nov.  '25,  '61;  mustered  out  Dec.  7,  '64.  Jonathan 
Rogers,  Jan.  13,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
June  26,  '63.  Benjamin  F.  Reel,  July  29,  '62;  dis- 
charged June  12,  '65.  William  Reeser,  Jan.  23,  '62;  died 
at  Washington,  N.  C.,  Aug.  30,  '63.  Elias  Raker,  Dec. 
9,  '61;  died  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va.,  of  wounds  received 
at  Chapin's  Farm  Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran.  Joseph  Reitz, 
Dec.  24,  '64;  substitute;  died  at  Point  of  Rocks,  Va., 
Feb.  16,  '65.  James  Riley,  Dec.  20,  '61;  transferred  to 
Company  H  Jan.  '62.  William  Reester,  Nov.  18,  '61: 
deserted  Dec.  30,  '61.  John  G.  Snyder,  Oct.  8,  '61; 
wounded  at  Fort  Harrison,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran. 
George  F.  Slocum,  Nov.  22,  '61;  veteran.  Jacob  Slough, 
Oct.  8,  '61;  wounded  in  action  Sept.  29,  '64;  absent  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  M.  M.  Shoemaker,  March  31,  '65. 
Ernest  Storkey,  March  3,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Aug.  24,  '62.  William  H.  Skillham,  Nov.  i,  '62; 
mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '65.  Joseph  M.  Snyder,  Jan.  13, 
'62;  died  at  Beverly,  N.  J.,  Aug.  14,  '64.  Eminuel 
Stroh,  Oct.  8,  '61;  died  Oct.  20,  '64,  at  Alexandria. 
John  Sharp,  Oct.  24,  '62;  died  Nov.  9,  '64,  at  Hampton,  Va. 
Andrew  E.  Stewart,  Dec.  22,  '61;  transferred  to  Company 
C.  George  Shaffer,  Nov.  2,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Sept.  24,  '64.  Thomas  Savage,  Nov.  3,  '64; 
substitute;  deserted  Aug.  28,  '65.  Norman  R.  Tracey, 
Nov.  10,  '61;  transferred  to  the  4th  United  States  artil- 
lery, Nov.  24,  '62.  Edward  Vangross,  Nov.  14,  '64;  sub- 
stitute. John  G.  Van  Leer,  Jan.  13,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Nov.  27,  '62.  William  Woods,  Jan.  6, 
'62'  veteran.  De  L.  S.  Wynn,  Oct.  8,  '61;  wounded  in 
action  Sept.  29,  '64  ;  absent  at  muster  out;  veteran. 
Julius  Wirth,  Nov.  14,  '64;  substitute.  Thomas  Wright, 
Aug.  13,  '64;  substitute.  Martin  Welsh,  Dec.  9,  '61; 
killed  at  Chapin's  Farm,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  '64;  veteran. 
Louis  C.  Weeks,  Jan.  13,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certi- 
ficate Dec.  29,  '62.  John  Winer,  Dec;  16,  '64;  substitute; 
discharged  June  23,  '65.  William  Williams,  Dec.  17,  '64; 
transferred  to  Company  K.  Henry  Waltz,  Nov.  16,  '64; 
substitute;  deserted  Aug.  6,  '65.  Henry  Werman,  Nov. 
16, '64;  substitute;  deserted  Aug.  23,  '65.  John  Williams, 
Dec.  20,  '61;  deserted  Jan.  12,  '61.  Oliver  Yohey,  Dec. 
18,  '61;  veteran.  Nathan  Yohey,  Dec.  8,  '61;  veteran. 
Peter  Zeliff,  Oct.  8,'6i ;  transferred  to  Company  H  Jan. '62. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


LUZERNE    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR HISTORIES  OF    THE    SIXTY- 
FIRST  AND  SIXTY-FOURTH    REGIMENTS. 


,HE  6ist  regiment  was  organized  in  August, 
1861.  So  pressing  was  the  demand  for 
troops  that  within  a  month  it  was  ordered  to 
the  field,  only  600  strong.  It  remained 
within  the  defenses  of  Washington  during  the  suc- 
ceeding autumn  and  winter,  but  its  ranks  were  not 
filled  by  recruits.  In  February,  1862,  it  was 
ordered  to  Bladensburg,  and  four  companies  were  trans- 
ferred to  it. 

On  the  30th  of  March  it    arrived  by  transport  at  For- 
tress Monroe   and  went  forward  to  Yorktown.     On   the 


evacuation  of  that  place  it  went  to  Williamsburg  and 
thence  up  the  Peninsula.  The  monotony  of  the  march 
was  relieved  by  occasional  reconnoisances,  and  on  the 
30th  of  May  it  arrived  at  Fair  Oaks,  where  it  was  en- 
gaged. Space  will  not  permit  a  detail  of  the  positions  in 
which  the  6rst  was  placed  in  this  fight;  but  when  it  is 
known  that  eleven  officers  (including  all  the  field  officers) 
and  sixty-nine  men  were  killed,  wounded  or  missing,  the 
severity  of  the  engagement  will  be  appreciated. 

It  remained  encamped  near  the  old  battle  ground,  oc- 
casionally skirmishing,  for  about  a  month,  when  the 
retreat  from  the  Chickahominy  took  place.  At  Charles 
City  Cross  Roads,  Turkey  Bend  and  Malvern  Hill,  it  was 
engaged,  but  did  not  suffer  severely,  its  losses  being  only 
two  officers  and  thirty-two  men.  It  remained  in  camp 
near  Malvern  Hill  till  August  i6th,  when  it  went  to  York- 
town  71m  Charles  City  and  Williamsburg.  Early  in  Sep- 
tember it  went  by  transport  to  Alexandria,  and  thence 
marched  at  once  to  Chantilly,  where  it  arrived  the  even- 
ing after  the  battle  at  that  place.  With  the  army  it  re- 
turned, crossed  the  Potomac  and  entered  on  the  Mary- 
land campaign.  It  did  picket  duty  on  the  Potomac  till 
September  17th,  when  it  marched  to  the  Antietam  battle 
field,  arriving  in  the  evening  after  the  battle.  It  went 
into  camp  at  Downsville  and  remained  till  the  last  of 
October.  It  then  crossed  the  Potomac  and  advanced 
with  the  army  of  General  Burnside.  It  was  slightly  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  and  suffered  but 
little  loss.  It  participated  in  the  "  mud  march,"  except 
which  it  remained  in  camp  during  the  winter  of  1862-3. 
At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  it  was  fiercely  engaged 
and  lost  three  officers  and  seventy-four  men. 

In  June  the  regiment  started  on  the  Gettysburg  cam- 
paign. It  arrived  on  the  field  during  the  second  day  of 
the  battle  and  was  at  once  engaged,  though  not  severely. 
It  followed  and  harrassed  one  of  Lee's  retreating  col- 
umns to  Waynesboro.  It  then  marched  to  White  Sulphur 
Springs,  to  Culpepper,  to  the  Rapidan,  to  Fairfax  Court- 
house and  to  Warrenton.  It  was  engaged  at  Rappahan- 
nock Station;  then  went  to  Brandy  Station,  where  it 
wintered.  Its  strength  was  increased  while  there  by  the 
return  of  absentees  and  by  recruits;  and  on  the  5th  of 
May,  1864,  it  crossed  the  Rapidan,  and  the  next  day 
was  engaged  in  the  Wilderness,  losing  twelve  killed  and 
thirty  wounded.  On  the  6th  it  was  again  in  battle,  with 
a  loss  of  15  killed  and  40  wounded.  From  this  time 
during  a  month  the  regiment  was  constantly  employed 
in  fighting,  skirmishing,  picketing,  digging  rifle-pits,  etc. 
During  all  this  time,  from  the  crossing  of  the  Rapidan, 
May  4,  its  losses  amounted  in  killed,  wounded  and  miss- 
ing to  30  officers  and  400  enlisted  men.  During  the 
remainder  of  the  campaign  of  1864  the  6ist  was  con- 
stantly on  active  duty  and  was  twice  in  action.  A  por- 
tion of  the  men  whose  terms  of  service  had  expired  were 
mustered  out  in  September,  and  the  veterans  and  recruits 
consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  five  companies.  During 
Sheridan's  campaign  in  the  Shenandoah  valley  the 
battalion  was  engaged  at  Opequan  or  Winchester,  at 
Fisher's  Mill  and  at  Cedar  Creek. 


<f^ 


Hh 


1^6 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


In  March,  1865,  its  strength  was  increased  to  9  com- 
panies, and  it  became  a  regiment  again.  It  was  a  part 
of  the  besieging  force  before  Petersburg  till  the  final 
assault,  in  which  it  participated.  It  was  in  the  pursuit 
of  Lee  and  fired  its  last  shot  at  the  enemy  at  Sailor's 
Creek.  After  the  surrender  of  Lee  the  regiment  marched 
to  Danville,  where  it  remained  nearly  a  month;  then 
returned,  participated  in  the  grand  review  and  was  must- 
ered out  June  28th,  1865. 

The  officers  of  the  6ist  regiment,  and  the  members  of 
Company  D,  which  was  recruited  in  Luzerne  county,  are 
named  in  the  following  lists,  with  a  synopsis  of  tlieir  rec- 
ords. Where  a  date  immediately  follows  the  name  of  a 
soldier  it  is  the  time  when  he  was  mustered  in.  If  not 
otherwise  stated  he  was  mustered  out  with  the  regiment 
June  28th,  1865.  The  muster-in  date  for  most  of  Com- 
pany D  was  September  2nd,  1863,  and  that  date  is  to  be 
understood  where  no  other  is  given. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — Oliver  H.  Ripley,  July  24,  '61;  killed  at  Fair 
Oaks  May  31,  '62.  George  C.  Spear,  Mar.  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  lieut.  col.  to  col.  June  i,  '62;  killed  at  Chan- 
cellorsville  May  3,  '63.  George  F.  Smith,  Mar.  15,  '62; 
promoted  from  maj.  to  lieut.  col.  June  i,  '62;  col.  Mar. 
21,  '64;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64;  recommissioned  Sept. 
29,  '64;  discharged  by  special  order  April  20,  '65.  Rob- 
ert L.  Orr,  Aug.  21,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company 
A  to  maj.  Dec.  18,  '64;  lieut.  col.  April  18,  '65;  col.  May 

14,  '65- 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — John  AV.  Crosby,  Sept.  2,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  capt.  Company  G  to  maj.  April22,  '64;  wound- 
ed at  Fort  Stevens  July  11,  '64;  mustered  out  Dec.  15,  '64; 
recommissioned  lieut.  col.  Feb.  22,  '65;  killed  at  Peters- 
burg April  2,  '65.  Charles  S.  Greene,  Aug  21,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  capt.  Company  C  to  lieut.  col.  May  ij,  '65; 
wounded  at  Winchester,  Va.,  Sept,  19,  '64. 

Majors. — George  W.  Dawson,  Aug.  i,  '61;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  C  to  maj.  Dec.  i,  '62;  lieut.  col. 
May  4, '63;  not  mustered;  discharged  April  16, '64.  Oli- 
ver A.  Parsons,  Sept.  2,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Com- 
pany D  lo  maj.  May  13,  '65. 

Adjutants. — Woolman  G.  Miller,  Aug.  i,  '61;  promoted 
from  2nd  lieut.  Company  E  to  ist  lieut.  and  adj.  Sept.  7, 
'61;  discharged  March  11, '63.  George  W.  Wilson,  Sept. 
2,  '61;  promoted  from  rst  lieut.  Company  H  to  adj.  Mar. 
II,  '63;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May  g, '64. 
Augustus  R.  Seller,  Sept.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut. 
Company  Y.  to  ist  lieut.  and  adj,  April  6,  '65. 

Quartermasters. — Benjamin  W.  Baldwin,  Aug.  i,  '61; 
mustered  out  Sept.  6,  '64.  Charles  F.  Kennedy,  Aug.  21, 
'61;  promoted  from  ist  lieut.  Company  C  to  Q.  M.  Dec. 
18,  '64. 

Surgeons. — Robert  M.  Tindle,  Sept.  14,  '6r;  resigned 
Aug.  19,  'iiT,.  George  R.  Lewis,  Aug.  i,  '62;  promoted 
from  ass't  surg.  54th  Pa.  Sept.  18,  '63. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — Ambrose  J.  Herr,  Sept.  7,  '61; 
promoted  surg.  68th  Pa.  Sept.  13,  '62.  James  B.  Freeland, 
Sept.  17,  '62;  resigned  Jan.  11,  '63.  John  W.  Riddle, 
Sept.  12,  '62;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64.  James  A. 
M'Fadden,  April  r,  '63;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64.  Wil- 
liam W.  Ivirlin,  Dec.  18,  '64. 

Chaplain. — W.  R.  Stockton,  April  13,  '62;  resigned 
Sept.  26,    '62. 

Sergeant  Majors. — A.  G.  C.  Calhoun,  Aug.  i,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  sergt.  company  E  Jan.  8,  '65;  veteran. 
Israel   Gray,   Aug.   23,    '61;     mustered   out   Sept.   7,  '64. 


David  M'Clain,  Aug.  i,'6i;  promoted  ist  lieut.  Company 
K.  Jan.  I,  '6^.  R.  R.  Lippencott,  Sept.  4,  '61;  promoted 
ist  lieut.  Company  I  Sept.  12,  '67,.  William  Lathrop, 
Sept.  2,  '61;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  D  Jan.  8,  '65; 
veteran,  Jeremiah  H.  Murphy,  Aug.  21,  '61;  killed  at 
Cedar  creek,  Va.,  Oct.  19,  '64;  veteran,  John  Caldwell, 
Aug.  1,  '61 ;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  F  April  19,  '64; 
veteran. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Robert  Dickson,  Sept.  2, 
62;  promoted  Q.  M.  sergeant,  Dec.  22,  '64;  discharged 
June  20,  '65.  Charles  F.  Kennedy,  Aug.  21,  '61;  promoted 
ist  lieut.  Company  C  Oct,  i,  '64;  veteran,  George  K, 
Lutz,  Aug.  21,  '61;  promoted  1st  lieut.  Company  G  Dec. 
22,  '64;  veteran.  William  H.  Rogers,  Aug.  i,  '6r;  pro- 
moted 1st  lieut.  Company  F  Nov.  27,  '62. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — John  C.  Armor,  Aug  22,  '61; 
promoted  from  private  Company  A  Sept  4,  '64;  veteran. 
Jacob  Sanders,  Sept.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64. 
William  Clowes,  Sept.  9,  '61;  jsromoted  from  private 
Company  E  63d  Pa.,  March  31, '62;  veteran.  Woodman 
Smaple,  Aug.  i,  '61;  mustered  out  with  regiment  June  28, 
'64;  veteran.  William  R.  Taylor,  Sept.  4,  '61;  mustered 
out  Sept.  7,  '64.  Charles  O.  Little;  Sept.  4,  '61;  muster- 
ed out  Sept.  7,  '64. 

COMPANY    D. 

Officers. — Captains — Butler  DiUey;  resigned  Aug.  23, 
'62.  William  W.  Ellis;  promoted  from  ist  lieul  to  capt. 
July  23,  '62;  transferred  to  V.  R.  C.  Jan.  2,  '64.  David 
J.  Taylor;  promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut.  July  23,  '62; 
capt.  Mar.  25,  '64;  killed  at  Cedar  Creek,  Va.,  Oct.  19, 
'64.  Oliver  A.  Parsons;  promoted  from  1st  sergt.  to  2nd 
lieut.  Apr.  19,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Oct.  i,  '64;  capt.  Nov.  30, 
'64;  major  May  14,  '65;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 
house May  12,  '64;  veteran.  Sylvester  D.  Rhoads;  pro- 
moted from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Dec.  i,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Jan. 
6,  '65;  capt.  June  3,  '65;  veteran.  First  lieutenants — 
Smith  D.  Dean;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  July  23,  '62;  ist 
lieut.  Apr.  19,  '64;  discharged  Aug.  10,  '64.  Charles  M. 
Cyphers:  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  Dec.  15, 
'64;  cai)t.  Co.  F.  Jan.  6,  '65;  veteran.  William  Lathrop; 
promoted  sergt.  major;  2nd  lieut,  Jan.  8.  '65;  1st  lieut. 
June  2,  '65;  veteran.  Second  lieutenant,  Samuel  C. 
Fell;  promoted  from  1st  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  June  6,  '65; 
veteran.  First  sergeants — Samuel  Tintsman,  Aug.  1,  '61; 
promoted  from  sergt.  to  rst  sergt.  June  8,  '65;  veteran. 
Preserved  Taylor;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Sergeants — 
William  D.  Beds;  veteran.  William  Coon;  absent, 
wounded,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Robert  M.  Thomp- 
son, Aug.  I,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Feb.  20, 
'65;  veteran.  William  S.  Withers;  promoted  from  corp. 
to  sergt.  June  8,  '65;  veteran.  Jacob  Shafer;  mustered 
out  Sept.  7,  '64.  Robert  Marshall,  Feb.  20,  '62;  mus- 
tered out  Feb.  20,  '65.  Joseph  R.  Shultz;  not  on  muster 
out  roll,  William  A.  Swan;  deserted,  William  Q.  Cole; 
died  at  Alexandria,  Va,,  May  29,  '64;  grave  1,957;  vet- 
eran. Corporals— George  W.  Sayer  and  James  M'Carty; 
absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out;  veterans.  Daniel  Schla- 
hach;  veteran.  John  Dowden,  Aug.  i,  '61;  veteran. 
Ehsha  Gear,  July  14,  '63;  drafted.  John  H.  Benning, 
Mar,  7,  '64;  veteran,  John  Wise,  July  14,  '63;  drafted; 
promoted  corp,  June  8,  '65,  Gasper  Tarr,  July  13,  '63; 
drafted;  promoted  corp.  June  15,  '65.  Ezra  A.  Caswell; 
mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64.  Theodore  A,  Tucker;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan,  6,  '65;  veteran. 
George  A.  Cassiday,  Aug.  1,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Dec.  30,  '64;  veteran.  William  H.  Ronn- 
tree;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  '62;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate.  Charles  H.  Elliott,  Joseph  C.  Dale, 
J.  Josiah  M'Dermot  and  George  W.  Fell;  not  on  muster 
out  roll.     Musicians— Frank   H.  Leas,  Jan.  22,  '64-  vet- 


"•=^^ 


COMPANY   D,   SIXTY-FIRST   REGIMENT. 


137 


eran.       Robert    Y.    Thompson,     Aug.    r,    '61;    veteran. 
Michael  Loban.     John  Glancy;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 

Private.'!. — Joseph  Alkins  and  Asher  M.  Abbott,  not  on 
muster  out  roll.  Casey  Atherton;  killed  at  Chancel- 
lorsville  May  3,  '63.  Job  Briggs,  veteran.  James  Burk, 
veteran.  Weston  Bown,  Mch.  i,  '64;  missing  at  Spott- 
sylvania  Court-house  May  18,  '64.  Josiah  Benon,  Feb. 
27,  '64;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out.  Samuel  Bogard, 
July  10,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  on  detached  duty,  on  mus- 
ter out.  George  S.  Brown,  July  16,  '63;  drafted.  John 
Burke,  Feb.  29,  '64;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct. 
24,  '64.  John  Boyd,  Mch.  i,  '62;  mustered  out  Mar.  i, 
'65.  Joseph  W.  Burtz,  July  11,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  29,  '64.  George  P.  Barnes; 
promoted  sergt.  Company  F  Nov.  i,  '64;  veteran.  William 
Brooks,  Isaac  Baker,  Patrick  Banet,  George  W.  Brisbing 
and  Frank  Blackman,  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Samuel 
Cooper,  Mar.  5,  '64.  John  B.  Cordell,  Aug.  i,  '61;  vet- 
eran. Thomas  Charles,  Aug.  i,  '61;  absent,  sick,  at  mus- 
ter out;  veteran.  David  C.  Connor,  Sept.  4,  '6i;  mus- 
tered out  Sept.  7,  '64.  Thomas  R.  Connor,  Sept.  4,  '61; 
absent,  sick,  at  expiration  of  term.  Emanuel  Delay, 
Feb.  27,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  David  W.  Dale, 
Sept.  4,  '61;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64.  George  W.  Daw- 
son, July  23,  '63;  substitute;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Dec.  30,  '64.  Charles  Danchart,  Aug.  16,  'by,  substi- 
tute; deserted  Nov.  i,  '64.  William  H.  Daniels,  Samuel 
Dolph,  Charles  W.  Dale,  Toney  Dorman  and  James  W. 
Diiley;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Henry  Ellis,  July  13,  'dy, 
drafted;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out.  Thomas  C.  Ellis; 
killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May  11, '64;  veteran. 
William  G.  Elson;  died  September  23,  '62.  Levi  Ekis; 
died  Sept.  4,  '64.  Robert  F.  Fisher,  July  14,  '63;  draft- 
ed. William  ?'.  Fairchilds,  Sept.  4,  '61;  mustered  out 
Sept.  7,  '64.  C.  W.  Fulkerson;  died  May  16,  '65,  at 
Fredericksburg,  Va..  of  wounds  received  in  action;  vet- 
eran. John  L.  Fairchilds;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  J. 
Furguson;  died  July  ii,  '64.  Dwight  Gear,  Feb.  29,  '64; 
discharged  May  13,  '65.  Joseph  Gerard,  July  15,  '63; 
drafted;  died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  July  i,  '64.  Alfred 
Groff;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  H.  Gump;  died  June  9, 
'64.  Marshall  Gray;  killed  at  Wilderness.  John  Howe; 
absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  William  Ham- 
ilton, Feb.  9,  '64.  John  Hall;  veteran.  Benjamin  Hun- 
ker, July  17,  'dy  substitute.  Frederick  Hagle,  Feb.  24, 
'64.  Henry  C.  Hazel,  Sept.  12,  '64.  James  Higgs,  Sept. 
4,  '61;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64.  David  Hunter,  Oct. 
31,  '6r;  mustered  out  Oct.  30,  '64.  Philip  Honeywell, 
Sept.  20,  '64;  substitute;  discharged  June,  '65.  William 
Hinkle,  Mar.  4,  '64;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
May  15,  '65.  Chester  B.  Hawk  and  Jeremiah  Hotch- 
kiss;  not  on  muster-out  roll.  Winfield  Hour;  died 
Dec.  23,  '62.  John  W.  Hay;  died  Aug.  7,  '64. 
Levi  Huff  and  Frank  Hood;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Jonah  J.  Tones,  Mar.  ii,  '65;  discharged  June  24,  '65. 
James  Knox,  Feb.  27,  64;  missing  at  Wilderness  May  6, 
'64.  John  Kumph,  Oct.  30,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct  30, 
'64.  James  Lambaugh,  Aug.  i,  '61;  absent,  sick,  at  mus- 
ter out;  veteran.  John  Leap,  July  13,  '63;  drafted. 
Toseph  Lenhart,  July  13,  '63;  drafted.  Votley  Lan- 
ham,  July  13,  '63:  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
William  Lippencott;  transferred  to  Company  A;  veteran. 
Tohn  S.  Laban;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Uriah  D.  Minick, 
Mar.  7,  '64.  Judson  W.  Myers;  veteran.  Thomas  Mor- 
rison, Aug.  1,  '61;  veteran.  Thomas  Maher,  July  13,  'dy 
drafted.  Richard  V.  Morris,  Feb.  28,  '64;  discharged  on 
su-rg's  certificate  May  9,  '65;  William  Myers,  Sept.  12, 
'64;  discharged  June  20,  '65.  Samuel  A.  Morton,  Sept. 
29,  '64;  drafted;  discharged  June  20,  '65.  Charles  Mar- 
tin, July  15,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Port  Royal,  Va.,  May 
24,  '64,  of  wounds  received  in  action.  Abram  J.  Mming, 


Ira  Morton,  James    A.  Mayars  and   Hiram  Moore;  not 
on  muster  out  roll.     J.  Munis;  died  Mar.  19,  '62.      John 
B,  M'Nabb,  July  25,  '(>y  drafted.     John    M'Ghen,  July 
25,  'dy  drafced.     Rufus  M'Guire,  Sept.  4,  '61;   wounded 
at  Chnncellorsville    May  3,   '6y,  absent  at    expiration    of 
term.     James  M'Knight,  Roderick  M'Farland  and  Louis 
A.  M'Derniot;   not  on  muster  out  roll.     John   Nickerson, 
July   14,    'dy  drafted.     William   Nihart,   Sept.    13,    '64; 
discharged  June  20,  '65.     Oliver  C.    Newberry,  Sept.  29, 
'64;  drafted;  discharged   June    20,    '65.     Joseph    Nevvs- 
bigle;   not  on    muster  out  roll.     John   Orr,    Oct.  31,  '61; 
missing  at  Wilderness    May    6,    '64.     Thomas    O'Brien, 
Jan.      I,     '6r;      discharged      June      3,     '65;      veteran. 
Alexander      Puterbaugh;       veteran.       William       Peach, 
F.;b.      18,     '64;     veteran.       Ross     Partridge,     July     10, 
'63;    drafted.       Oliver    C.     Penberry,      Sept.     29,     '64; 
drafted;  discharged  June   20.  '65.     William   H.   Phillips, 
Mar.  27,  '64:  promoted  to  sergt.  Company  F   Nov.  i,  '64; 
veteran.     John  Pembridge,  Obed  Peters  and  John  Piper, 
not  on  muster  out  roll.     George  S.  Phillips,  July  30,  '63; 
drafted;  discharged    on   surg's   certificate    May    15,   '65. 
Thomas  M.  Robinson,   Jan.   4,  '64;  discharged  June   23, 
'65.     Luther  Ruger,  Sept.  4,  '6r;  transferred   to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Feb.  29,  '64.     Frederick  N.  Shafer,  Mar.  5, 
'64;  wounded  in  action;  discharged  Aug.   7,  '65.     Lewis 
Shodden,    Feb.    29,  '64.     John    Sweeny,   veteran.     Bazil 
Sweringer,  July  10,  '63;  drafted.     Jacob  Sylvis,  July  21, 
'63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.     Robert  Sadler, 
July    2r,    'dy   dratted.      Samuel  Shuler,   Feb.    24,    '64; 
absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out.     Nathan  Shafer,  Sept.  4, 
'61;  mustered  out  Sept.  7,    '64.     Jesse   Sheiber,  Sept.    4, 
'61;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  '63;  absent    at 
expiration    of  term.     Jonathan    Schlabach,    Sept    4,  '61; 
mustered  out  Sept.  7,  '64.    Joseph  R.  Shultz,  Mar.  8,  '64; 
discharged  on  surg's    certificate    May    15,    '65;    veteran. 
John  D.  Smith,  Sept.  29,   '64;  drafted;  discharged   June 
20,  '65.     Samuel  Shafer,  Feb.  20,  '64;  transferred  to  vet- 
eran reserve  corps  Jan  17,  '65.     William  Swan,   deserted 
Aug.  12,  64;  veteran.     Theodore  L.  Stout,  George  Stroh, 
Jacob  Shafer,  Chester  B.  Stiver,  Frederick  Seiple,  Jacob 
Sanders,  Thomas  A.  Sanfield  and   Vincent   I,  Sayre,  not 
on  muster  out  roll.     Joseph  Tucker,   Feb.    24,  '64.     Wil- 
liam Trickier,  Feb.  29,  '64.     William  F.  Tribble,  Sept.  4, 
'61;  mustered  out  Sept.  7;  '64.    Nathan  Turner,  Sept.  13, 
'62;  discharged  June  10,  '65.     Levi  Thorp,  Oct.  31,  '61; 
died  at   Camp  Sumter,   Ga.,  Aug.    31,    '65.     Thomas    O. 
Tucker,   Mar,  7,  '64;  died  at  Alexandria,   Va.,  May    28, 
'64;  veteran.     VVesley  Vangarkin,  Mar.  i,  '62;  discharged 
on    surg's    certificate    Dec.    29,  '64.     James    Vettenberg, 
Feb.  29,  '64;  died  at  Philadelphia  April  22,  '64.     Joseph 
Vaughn,  July  13,   '63;  died  at  Fredericksburg    May    26, 
'64,  of  wounds  received  in  action.    John  Wilson,  veteran. 
John  Willard,   Mar.  7,  '64;  veteran.     John  Worrell,   July 
14,  '63;  drafted.     John  Wiley,  Sept.  4,   '61;  wounded  at 
Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  12,  '64;  absent  at  ex- 
piration of  term.     George  E.  Waring,  Crandall  A.  Wil- 
cox,  Thomas  Williams,    John   Wilbert    and   William    H. 
Ward,  not  on  muster  out  roll.     Charles  Zaun,  veteran. 


SIXTY-FOURTH 


REGIMENT 
ALRY). 


(FOURTH    CAV- 


This  regiment  was  recruited  in  the  autumn  of  1861. 
Luzerne  county  was  represented  in  the  organization  by 
Company  M.  During  the  winter  of  1861-2  it  was  at 
Washington,  perfecting  itself  in  drill  and  discipline. 

It  experienced  some  difficulty  in. procuring  horses,  but 
finally  succeeded  by  resorting  to  sharp  practice  on  the 
government.     In  May,  1862,  the  regiment  joined  General 


^¥ 


<^ 


IS 


=4 


138 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


McDowell's  column  on  the  Rappahannock,  and  entered 
on  picket  and  scout  duty.  Through  the  Peninsula  cam- 
paign it  was  engaged  in  the  duties  which  at  that  period  of 
the  war  were  assigned  to  cavalry.  It  was  with  the  army 
of  McCiellan  in  the  Maryland  campaign  of  1862,  and  was 
engaged  at  the  battle  of  Antietam. 

The  regiment  was  with  General  Pleasanton  in  his  pur- 
suit of  Stuart,  and  with  the  army  of  Burnside  in  the 
Fredericksburg  campaign,  and  guarded  the  fords  of  the 
Rappahannock  above  the  town  during  the  battle. 

After  the  accession  of  General  Hooker  to  the  command 
of  the  army  the  cavalry  arm  of  the  service  assumed  an 
importance  it  had  not  before  possessed.  Two  squadrons 
of  the  4th  were  engaged  in  the  action  at  Kelly's  Ford. 
In  the  Chancellorsville  campaign  the  cavalry  did  effective 
service  in  skirmishing.  The  4th  did  some  light  skirmish- 
ing at  the  battle  of  Brandy  Station.  It  was  frequently 
engaged  and  did  good  service  in  the  Gettysburg  cam- 
paign, and  was  active  in  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy's  re- 
treating columns.  On  the  12th  ofOctober,  1863,  the  4th 
was  engaged  in  a  severe  fight  near  Jeffersonville,  Va.,  in 
which  it  lost  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners  about  200 
men.  The  prisoners  were  taken  to  Richmond,  and  thence 
to  Andersonville,  where  a  large  portion  of  them  died.  At 
Bristoe  and  near  Beverly  Ford  it  was  engaged  in  skir- 
mishes. 

During  the  winter  of  1863-4  the  regiment  was  engaged 
in  picket  and  guard  duty  along  the  line  of  the  Orange  & 
Alexandria  Railroad,  and  during  four  months  suffered  no 
casualties. 

Two-thirds  of  the  men  re-enlisted  and  had  a  veteran 
furlough,  and  about  the  same  time  many  recruits  were 
received.  The  campaign  of  1864  opened  before  the  re- 
turn of  the  veterans,  and  during  the  Wilderness  battles 
the  regiment  was  used  as  a  support  to  other  troops. 

During  the  raid  of  Sheridan  the  4th  was  frequently 
engaged  in  skirmishing,  and  in  a  battle  within  the  outer 
defenses  of  Richmond  was  under  fire  some  four  hours. 
At  Hawes's  Shop  it  was  engaged  in  a  severe  battle,  and  at 
Trevillian  Station  the  regiment  covered  itself  with  glory. 
From  White  House  to  the  James  the  army  trains  were 
guarded  by  a  force  of  which  the  4th  constituted  a  part 
At  St.  Mary's  Church  an  engagement  took  place  with  a 
superior  force,  in  which,  though  the  cavalry  checked  the 
enemy  and  covered  the  retreat,  it  suffered  severely.  The 
4th  regiment  lost  eighty-seven  in  killed,  wounded  and 
missing.  The  remainder  of  the  summer  of  1864  the  4th 
was  engaged  in  marching,  skirmishing  and  picket  duty. 

During  the  siege  of  Petersburg  the  regiment  was  in 
active  service,  supporting  infantry  movements  and  ad- 
vancing and  extending  lines.  At  Boydton  Plank  Road 
and  at  Hatcher's  Run  it  was  warmly  engaged  and  did 
excellent  service.  It  was  also  in  the  second  raid  on  the 
\Veldon  railroad,  where  it  had  twelve  men  wounded. 
On  its  return  from  this  raid  it  went  into  winter  quarters. 
In  the  brief  but  brilliant  final  campaign  the  4th  with 
the  other  cavalry  was  constantly  active;  and  even  on  the 
morning  of  the  surrender,  with  its  division,  it  wac  about 
to  capture  a  body  of  cavalry  which   it  had  cut  off   when 


the  surrender  of  Lee's  forces  arrested  hostilities.  After 
the  surrender  it  went  to  Petersburg,  thence  to  North 
Carolina,  returned  to  Petersburg  and  went  thence  to 
Lynchburg,  where  on  the  ist  of  July,  1865,  it  was 
mustered  out.  In  the  following  lists  every  man  who  is 
not  mentioned  as  having  in  some  manner  fallen  out  by 
the  way  is  supposed  to  have  been  mustered  out  on  that 
day.  The  dates  of  muster-in  immediately  follow  the 
names. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — David  Campbell,  Oct.  18,  '61;  transferred  to 
the  5th  Pa.  cavalry  March  12,  '62.  James  H.  Childs, 
Oct.  )8,  '6t;  promoted  from  lieut.  col.  March  12,  '62; 
killed  at  Antietam,  Sept.  17,  '62.  James  K.  Kerr,  Oct. 
18,  '6i;  promoted  from  maj.  to  lieut.  col.  March  12,  '62; 
col.,  Sept.  18,  '62;  resigned  May  17,  '63.  George  H. 
Covode,  Sept.  30,  '6r;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  D 
to  maj.  Mar.  12,  '62;  lieut.  col  Dec.  8,  'dy,  col.  May  28, 
'64;  killed  at  St.  Mary's  Church,  Va.,  June  24,  '64.  Sam- 
uel B.  M.  Young,  Sept.  6  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Com- 
pany B  to  maj.  Sept.  20,  '62;  lieut.  col.  Oct.  i,  '64;  col. 
Dec.  29,  '64;  brevet  brig.  gen.  Apr.  9,  '65. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — William  E.  Doster,  Oct.  18,  '61; 
promoted  from  maj.  Oct.  30,  '62;  brevet  brig.  gen.  March 
13,  '65;  resigned  Oct.  18,  '63.  Alexander  P.  Duncan, 
Nov.  I,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  L  to  maj. 
May  I,  '64;  lieut.  col.  Dec.  29,  '64;  brevet  col.  March  13, 

'65- 

Majors. — James  T.  Trembell,  Nov.  i,  '6r;  resigned 
Aug.  12,  '62.  William  M.  Biddle,  Oct.  30,  '61;  promoted 
from  adj.  Aug.  14,  '62;  mustered  out  Oct.  29,  '64.  Wil- 
liam B.  Mays,  Sept.  6,  '6r;  promoted  from  capt.  Company 
L  December  13, '64;  killed  at  Farmville,  Va.,  April  7,  '65. 
Robert  J.  Phipps,  Feb.  8,  '63;  promoted  from  capt.  Com- 
pany H  March  7,  '65;  brevet  lieut.  col.  March  13,  '65; 
resigned  May  17,  '65.  James  T.  Peale,  March  r,  '62; 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  D  to  maj.  Sept.  9,  64; 
brevet  lieut.  col.  March  13,  '65.  Napoleon  J.  Horrell, 
Nov.  4,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  G  June  8,  '65; 

Adjutants. — Arnold  A.  Plummer,  Nov.  18,  '61;  dis- 
charged by  special  order.  .Robert  L.  Coltart,  Dec.  18, 
'61;  promoted  from  ist  lieut.  Company  I  to  adj.  Dec.  28, 
'61;  capt.  Company  I  Dec.  20,  '62.  Charles  E.  Robison, 
Dec.  31,  '61;  discharged  by  special  order.  John  B. 
Maitland,  Oct.  9,  '61;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Company 
L  to  adj.  Oct.  17,  '62;  ass't  adj.  gen.  Aug.  6,  '64.  James 
E.  B.  Dalzell,  Sept.  i,  '64;  promoted  from  sergt.  maj. 
Sept.  I,  '64;  discharged  Oct.  29,  '64,  for  wounds  received 
at  St.  Mary's  Church,  Va.,  June  24,  '64.  Clement  En- 
gelman,  March  i,  '62;  promoted  brevet  capt.  March  13, 
'65;  died  May  12,  '65,  of  wounds  received  at  Dinwiddie 
Court-house  March  31,  '65;  veteran.  Jerome  M'Bride, 
Aug.  24, '61;  promoted  from  private  Company  B;  wounded 
at  Kelly's  Ford,  Va.,  March  [7,  'dy,  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  William  B.  M'Elroy,  Feb.  25,  '64;  pro- 
moted to  sergt.  maj.  June  14,  '65;  veteran. 

Quartermastcrs.—khx^LV^m  Edwards,  Oct.  18,  '61;  re- 
signed Aug.  3,  '62,  to  accept  promotion  of  cant,  and  asst. 
Q.  M.  U.  S.  A.  Henry  S.  King,  Oct.  18,  '6i;  mustered 
out  Oct.  29,  '64.     Lewis  Young,  Feb.  19,  '65 

^■//^^•w;?^.— Nathaniel   F.   Marsh,  Oct.'7,  '61 ;   resigned 

/?'  \  ^^'  •^°'^'''  ^'  '"^'°"^'  '•*"■  ^°'  '^^;  transferred  to 
56th  Pa.  Jan.  18,  '63;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Dec.  21,  64.  John  M.  Junkin,  Nov.  15, ''62;  resigned 
Feb.  3,  65.  William  B.  Price,  Mar.  20,  '63;  promoted 
from  ass  t  surg.  Feb.  15,  '65. 

Assista?it  Surgeons.~¥t\.n  Wager,  Oct.  16,  '61;  trans- 
ferred   to    5th  Pa.  cavalry  Mar.  20,  '62.     James  M.  Mor- 


^^ 


^^ 


=^^ 


COMPANY  M,  SIXTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 


139 


rison,  Aug.  i,  '62;  transferred  to  48th  Pa.  Nov.  29,  '62. 
Charles  King,  Dec.  31,  '61;  resigned  Nov.  25,  '62.  Frank 
A.  Bushley,  Dec.  15,  '62;  resigned  Nov.  6.  '63.  James 
S.  Skeels,  Mar.  25,  '65.  John  A.  M'Coy,  Sept.  i,  '64; 
promoted  from  private  Company  K  to  Hospital  Steward 
Nov.  I,  '64;  ass't  surg.  April  14,  '65. 

Chaplains. — James  B.  Turner,  Oct.  10,  '61;  resigned 
Mar.  13,  '63.  Henry  Q.  Graham,  Nov.  22,  '63;  re- 
signed Sept.  22,  '64. 

Veterinajy  Surgeon. — James  A.  Vanhorn,  Feb.  12,  64; 
promoted  from  private  Company  B  Nov.  10,  '64;  veteran. 

Sergeant  Majors. — Melvin  A.  Johnston,  Aug.  21,  '64; 
promoted  from  private  Company  I  June  15,  '65.  Wil- 
liam H.  Wonderly,  Oct.  14,  '6[;  promoted  to  2nd  lieut. 
Company  K  5th  Pa.  cavalry  Mar.  29,  '62.  A.  Benson 
White,  promoted  to  ist  lieut.  Company  F  Dec.  31,  '62. 

Quarteniiasler  Sergeants. — Richard  Whitaker,  Jan.  i, 
'64;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  G  Dec.  13,  '64; 
veteran.  Gordon  M.  Bacon,  Jan.  i,  '64;  promoted  from 
private  Company  G  Jan.  i,  '65;  veteran. 

Commissary  Sergeant. — W.  H.  Collingvvood,  Sept.  7, 
'62;  wounded  in  action;  discharged  July  7,  '65. 

Hospital  Stewards. — John  Fulton,  Oct.  i,  '61;  mustered 
out  Oct.  I,  '64.  Joseph  M'Mullen,  Mar.  i,  '63;  pro- 
moted from  private  Company  L  Jan.  i,  '65.  Eli  Carner, 
Jan.    1,    '64;     promoted   from   private  Company   L  May 

I,  '65. 

Armorer. — Jesse  M.  Jones,  Mar.  31,  '64;  promoted 
armorer  Feb.  16,  '65. 

Chief  Buglers. — Francis  Kopft,  Aug.  15,  '61;  mustered 
out  Aug.  20,  '64.  Theodore  Duering,  Jan.  i,  '64;  pro- 
moted from  bugler  Company  E  Aug.  16,  '64;  veteran. 

Sadi/lers. — Thomas  J.  Robinson,  Jan.  i,  '64;  pro- 
moted 2nd  lieut.  Company  H  May  i,  '64;  veteran. 
Charles  Kirkner,  Sept.  12,  '61;  mustered  out  Sept.  12, 
'64.  Thomas  A.  Parker,  May  13,  '63;  promoted  from 
private  Company  L  Jan.  i,  '65. 

COMPANY    M. 

Officers. — Captains — Alfred  Dart,  Oct.  30,  '61;  re- 
signed Dec.  4,  '62.  Alfred  Dart,  jr.,  Oct.  30,  '61  ;  pro- 
moted from  2nd  lieut.  Mch.  i,  '63;  discharged  Sept.  19, 
'64.  John  C.  Harper,  Sept.  6,  '61;  promoted  from  ist 
lieut.  Company  B  to  capt.  Dec.  13,  '64;  to  brevet  maj. 
Mch.  73,  '65;  killed  at  Hatcher's  Run,  Va.,  Feb.  6,  '65. 
Samuel  N.  King,  Nov.  15,  '64;  promoted  ist  lieut.  Jan. 
8,  '65;  capt.  Mar.  7,  '65.  ist  lieuts. — Henry  S.  King, 
Oct.  18,  '61;  promoted  Q.  M.  Aug.  18,  '62.  Duncan  C. 
Phillips,  Sept.  9,  '62;  promoted  capt.  Company  F  Nov. 
21,  '63.  William  R.  Herring,  Oct.  30,  '61;  promoted 
from  istsergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Mar.  i,  '63;  to  ist.  lieut.  Ma:y 
20,  '64;  discharged  Sept.  3,  '64.  Charles  E.  Nugent,  Jan. 
I,  '64;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  Company  L  to  ist  lieut. 
Mar.  9,  "65;  brevet  capt.  Mar.  13,  '65;  killed  in  action 
Mar.  31,  '65;  veteran.  Peter  M.  Burke,  Jan.  i,  '64;  pro- 
moted from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Mar.  9,  '65;  ist  lieut. 
June  3,  '65.  ist  sergt.  James  Flanegan,  Jan.  4,  '64;  ab- 
sent,wounded,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Q.  M.  sergt.,  John 
Poorraan,  Jan.  4,  '64;  promoted  from  private  Mar.  i,  '65; 
veteran.  Com.  sergt.,  Manger  Dart,  Jan.  4,  '64;  pro- 
moted from  private  Mar.  i,  'fi.s;  veteran.  Sergeants- 
George  A.  Thompson,  Jan.  4,  '64;  absent,  wounded,  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  James  R.  Wright,  Feb.  26,  '64;  pro- 
moted sergt.  Mar.  i,  '65;  veteran.  Martin  Gering,  Jan.  4, 
'64;  promoted  sergt.  Mar.  i,  '65;  veteran.  Frederick  L. 
Goches,  Jan.  4,  '64;  promoted  sergt.  Mar.  i,  '65;  veteran. 
Josiah  Vandermark,  Mar.  23,  '64;  promoted  sergt.  Mar. 
I,  '65;  veteran.  Michael  Heeky,  Oct.  13,  '61;  captured; 
died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  May  25,  '64.  Charles  H. 
Sherwood,  Oct.  30, '61;  captured;  died  at  Andersonville, 


Ga. ,  June  7,  '64.  John  H.  Mary,  Oct.  30,  '61;  mustered 
out  Nov.  II,  '64.  George  W.  Conrad,  Oct.  31,  '61;  pris- 
oner from  Oct.  12,  '63,  to  Nov.  21,  '64;  discharged  Feb. 
II,  '65,  to  date  Nov.  25,  '64.  Corporals — -John  W.  Lake, 
Jan.  I,  '64;  promoted  to  corp.  Mar.  i,'6^\  veteran.  Law- 
ris  J.  Adams,  Jan.  i,  '64;  promoted  to  corp.  Mar.  i,  '65; 
veteran.  James  C.  Jenkins,  Feb.  6,  '65;  promoted  corp. 
Mar.  I,  '65.  Thomas  Householder,  Feb.  6,  '65;  promot- 
ed corp.  Mar.  i,  '65.  David  Ulmer,  Mar.  28,  '64;  pro- 
moted corp.  Mar.  i,  '65;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out. 
David  H.  Lynch,  Aug,  25,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i, 
'65.  Michael  B.  Conrad,  Jan.  4,  '64;  promoted  corp. 
Mar.  I,  '65;  veteran.  John  Black,  jr.,  Jan.  23,  '65;  pro- 
moted corp.  Mar.  i,  '65.  James  Barton,  Oct.  30,  '61; 
captured;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Aug.  i,  '64.  Eli- 
sha  Guard,  Oct.  12, '61;  captured;  died  at  Andersonville, 
Ga.,  Aug.  17,  '64.  Frederick  Burge,  bugler,  Jan.  4,  '64; 
veteran.  Thomas  Kelly,  blacksmith,  Jan.  4,  '64;  veteran. 
Charles  O.  Ellis,  farrier,  Jan.  4,  '64;  absent,  wounded,  at 
muster  out;  veteran.  George  R.  Taylor,  saddler,  May  i, 
'64. 

Privates. — Joseph  Anderson,  Jan.  2,  '65.  Charles 
Bobbs,  Jan.  3,  '65.  Joseph  Bronitte,  Feb.  3,  '65.  John 
Burner,  Feb.  7,  '65.  George  Behers,  Feb.  21, '65.  John 
Braddock,  Feb.  7,  '65;  discharged  July  8,  '65.  Curtis 
Brown,  Feb.  7,  '65.  Frederick  Beebe,  Sept.  17,  '64. 
Gotlieb  Beck,  Jan.  24,  '65;  discharged  May  26,  '65. 
Loderick  H.  Conrad,  Jan.  4,  '64;  veteran.  Marshal  C. 
Conroe,  Jan.  4,  '64;  veteran.  John  Connoly,  Feb.  3,  '65. 
Martin  G.  Clever,  Feb.  10,  '65.  Charles  Crosby,  Feb.  17, 
'65.  Edgar  F.  Cramar,  Oct.  13,  '61;  captured;  died  at 
Andersonville,  Ga.,  Aug.  9,  '64.  Harrison  Davis,  Feb.  2, 
'65.  Craddock  Davis,  Feb.  3,  '65.  Samuel  M.  E)owden, 
Feb.  I,  '65.  Jacob  Dresel,  May  28,  '64.  Lewis  Dering, 
Mar.  28,  '64;  discharged  May  25,  '65.  Ezra  Dickerson, 
April  5,  '64;  wounded  in  action;  discharged  May  24,  '65. 
John  Donaldson,  Feb.  8,  '65.  Clark  R.  Dart,  Oct.  13, 
'61;  captured;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  28,  '64. 
Ferdinand  Emmert,  Feb.  17,  '65.  W.  A.  Eichelberger, 
Feb.  7,  '65.  Frederick  Ertzman,  Sept.  18,  '64;  died  Jan. 
20,  '65,  of  wounds  received  in  action.  John  Foster,  Jan. 
31,  '64;  absent,  without  leave,  at  muster  out.  Alexan- 
der Felton,  Aug.  19,  '62.  Patrick  P'ox,  Jan.  4,'64;  veteran. 
Conrad  Fisher,  May  28,  '64;  missing  in  action,  June  24, 
'64,  Robert  Fitzpatrick,  Feb.  7,  '65.  Antone  Funiaock, 
Feb.  4,  '65.  Henry  Farror,  Feb.  7,  '65.  Daniel  Guard, 
Jan.  4,  '64;  veteran.  Frederick  Gable,  Mar.  3,  '64.  John 
Graham,  Feb.  3,  '65.  Peter  Gillen,  Feb.  3,  '65.  James 
Green,  Feb.  7,  '65.  Jacob  Green,  Feb.  7,  '65.  John  M. 
Hutchinson,  Feb.  3,  '65.  Peter  Hughes,  Feb.  3,  '65. 
Barney  Hagan,  Jan.  2,  '62.  S.  Haughtaling,  Oct.  18,  '64. 
Robert  D.  Hays,  Feb.  7,  '65.  Calvin  Halfhill,  Feb.  9,  '65. 
Casper  Harrison,  Feb.  3,  '65.  Elias  J.  Harding,  Oct.  30, 
'64;  mustered  out  Nov.  3,  '64.  James  Hagan,  Mar.  9, 
'64;  discharged  May  30,  '65.  William  Jones,  Jan.  4,  '64; 
veteran.  John  Jones,  Feb.  17,  '65.  Thomas  L.John- 
son, Feb.  7,  '65;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  William  Kain, 
Feb.  17,  '65.  Charles  M.  Little,  Feb.  8,  '65.  David 
Maxon,  Mar.  30,  '64.  John  Martin,  Oct.  30,  '61;  de- 
serted May  8,  '62;  returned  May  10,  '64.  Terrence  Mur- 
ray, Feb.  7,  '65.  James  Meirs,  Apr.  11,  '64;  died. 
Charles  Maxon,  Jan.  4,  '64;  missing  in  action  at  Saint 
Mary's  Church,  Va.,  June  24,  '64;  veteran.  Edward  J. 
Morse,  Mar.  30,  '64;  discharged  May  9,  '65.  Albert  F. 
Miles,  Oct.  30,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  30,  '64.  George 
M'Murray,  Feb.  3,  '65.  Thomas  M'Garvey,  Oct.  30,  '61; 
died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Nov.  18,  '64.  Dominick 
O'Connor,  May  3,  '64.  James  Oxley,  Feb.  3, '65.  George 
Potter,  Jan.  4,  '64;  arrested  by  civil  authority  Mar.,  '64; 
veteran.  George  Pattent,  May  31,  '64.  James  Patter- 
son,    Jan.    25,    '65.       Francis     Patterson,    Feb.^  3,    '65. 


=^^ 


*ih 


140 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


George  Phillips,  Jan.  4,  '64;  died  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  May 
4,  '64;  veteran.  John  G.  Saupple,  Jan.  24,  '65.  Joseph 
P.  Sheppard,  Feb.  6,  '65.  Thomas  Smith,  Feb.  5,  65. 
John  S.  Smith,  Feb.  6,  '65.  William  Sherwin,  Feb.  8,  65. 
David  R.  Stouffer,  Apr.  15,  '64.  Elisha  M.  Taylor,  Feb. 
3.  '65.  John  C.  Ulmer,  Mar.  31,  '64.  William  A.  Vaden, 
Feb.  6,  '65.  Silas  Vandermark,  Mar.  30,  '64;  captured; 
died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Nov.  2,  '64.  John  L.  White 
Jan.  4,  '64.  William  W.  Warner,  Nov.  28,  '64.  Jacob 
Walters,  Jan.  24,  '65.  Jacob  Withner,  Feb.  4,  '65.  Ben- 
jamin Winnans,  Feb.  7,  '65.  George  Wilson,  Feb.  17,  65. 
Benjamin  Wilson  and  Joseph  Wisemantle,  Feb.  2,  65. 
William  G.  Winn,  Feb.  15,  '65. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


LUZERNE     IN     THE     CIVIL     Vl^AR THE     SEVENTY-FOURTH, 

SEVENTY-SIXTH    AND    SEVENTY-SEVENTH    REGIMENTS. 


IP^HE  74th  was  recruited, in  the  summer  of  1861, 

ir;^     mostly  in  Pittsburg,  though  Company  A  was 

in  part  from  Wyoming  county.      It  went  to 

-       ^ss'si     Washington  in  September  and  soon  afterward 

fto  Virginia,  where  it  went  into  winter  quarters  at 
Hunter's  Chapel.  The  winter  was  spent  in  drill 
"  and  fatigue  duty,  and  on  the  opening  of  the  cam- 
paign in  1862  the  regiment  was  sent  to  General  Fremont's 
command  in  West  Virginia.  Its  march  thither  was 
attended  with  great  fatigue  and  much  suffering.  After 
two  weeks  spent  in  picket  and  fatigue  duty,  with  insuffi- 
cient subsistence,  it  went  on  a  hurried  inarch  to  Stras- 
burg,  where  it  joined  in  the  pursuit  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 
At  Cross  Keys  it  was  engaged,  losing  6  killed  and  13 
wounded.  The  regiment  arrived  at  Cedar  Mountain  too 
late  to  participate  in  the  battle.  Thence  with  the  army 
it  fell  back  toward  Manassas;  in  the  course  of  which 
movement  the  74th  came  upon  the  rear  of  a  column  of 
the  enemy,  attacked  it  and  checked  its  advance. 

At  the  battle  of  Groveton  or  second  Bull  Run  it  was 
engaged  during  the  two  days  of  the  fight  and  lost  17. 
Thence  it  went  to  Washington.  It  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Chancellorsville,  where  it  lost  61  men.  It  was 
again  engaged  at  Gettysburg,  where  its  total  loss  was  136. 

In  August  it  was  sent  with  its  division  to  the  islands 
on  the  South  Carolina  coast,  where  it  frequently  went  on 
expeditions  and  encountered  the  enemy.  It  returned  to 
Washington  in  1864,  During  the  remainder  of  its  term 
of  service  it  was  engaged  in  guard  and  picket  duty  in 
various  localities.  It  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at 
Clarksbury  on  the  29th  of  August,  1865. 

Following  is  the  roll  of  Company  A.  The  date  of 
muster-in  follows  each  man's  name,  and  the  date  of 
muster-out  is  August  29th,  1865,  where  nothing  appears 
to  the  contrary. 

COMPANY  A. 

Officers. — Captains — Samuel  J.  Pealer,  March  13,  '65; 
discharged   May  8,  '65.     John   W.    Beishline,  March    13,' 


'65;  promoted  from  ist  lieut.  to  capt.  July  i,  '65.  First 
lieutenant,  John  F.  Miller,  March  13,  '65;  promoted 
from  2nd  to  1st  lieut.  July  i,  '65.  Second  lieutenant, 
John  Beikler,  Sept.  6,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  Com- 
K  to  2nd  lieut.  July  2,  '65.  First  sergeant,  William 
Saunders,  March  4,  '65.  Sergeants — Charles  B.  Fisher, 
March  4,  '65.  Isaiah  Hagenbach,  Hiram  W.  Brown  and 
Robert  C.  Parks,  Feb.  21,  '65.  Corporals — Frederick  M. 
Staley  and  Albert  Serrils,  Feb.  17,  '65.  Walter  Moulton, 
Feb.  7,  '65.  John  Lennon,  Feb.  17,  '65;  Francis  W. 
Jones,  Feb.  25,  '65.  Severn  B.  Palmer,  March  i,  '65. 
Nelson  Williams  and  William  Peck,  Feb.  7,  '65.  Musi- 
cians— Samuel  B.  Anderson,  March  4,  '65.  Charles  W. 
Wood.  March  10,  '65. 

Privates. — William  Abbott,  March  10,  '65;  discharged 
by  general  order.  May  12,  '65.  David  Beers,  March  4, 
'65.  Alexander  R.  Blakely,  Comfort  E.  Butters,  Samuel 
W.  Boone,  A.  G.  Burlingame,  A.  J.  Buckalew,  Jonas  M. 
Bower  and  Frank  Brittain,  March  1,  '65;  Charles  Brines, 
William  S.  Betz  and  Charles  Baker,  March  4,  '65. 
Benjamin  F.  Bean,  Feb.  16,  '65;  discharged  by  gen- 
eral order  May  24,  '65.  James  M.  Brown,  Mar. 
10,  '65  ;  died  at  Beverly,  West  Va.,  May  14,  '65. 
Philip  Cain,  Feb.  9,  '65.  Michael  Bain,  Feb.  16, 
'65.  James  B.  Case,  March  4,  '65.  Clark  Creveling. 
John  Caden,  William  D.  Campbell,  Nathan  Chromas, 
Peter  Eveland  and  Hervey  Emory,  Mar.  10,  '65.  Lloyd 
Fox,  Feb.  2,  '65.  Martin  Finley  and  Miles  B.  Fowler, 
Mar,  4,  '65.  George  Fox,  Mar.  10,  '65.  William  Howe, 
and  James  Herron,  Feb.  16,  '65.  George  F.  Hufnayle, 
Feb.  9,  '65.  David  Hartman,  Abram  Hill,  Francis  S. 
Henrie,  Alexander  B.  Herring,  Mahlon  B.  Hicks  and 
Patrick  HoUigan,  Mar.  10,  '65;  discharged  by  general 
order  May  29,  '65.  John  C.  James  and  E.  A.  Kelechner, 
Mar.  4,  '65.  William  Kisbauch  and  John  C.  Kline,  Mar, 
10,  '65.  John  Lantz,  Mar.  4,  '65.  Joseph  May  and 
Israel  Mummey,  Feb.  21,  '65.  Cyrus  B.  Miller,  Joseph 
B,  Miller  and  Moses  Markle,  Mar.  4,  '65.  Jacob  F.  Mel- 
lon and  Nathan  E.  Miller,  Feb,  16,  ,65;  discharged  by 
general  order  May  22,  '65.  Hervey  M'Neal,  Arthur 
Oliver  and  Henry  F.  O'Man,  Mar.  4,  '65.  Wesley  R. 
Price  and  Stephen  Fohe,  Mar.  10,  '65.  Peter  Rusty  and 
Emanuel  Ruckey,  Mar.  4,  '65.  Abram  V.  Robins,  Feb. 
9,  '65.  William  W.  Robins,  Feb.  27,  '65;  discharged  by 
general  order  May  24,  '65.  William  A,  Shipman  and 
James  Shultz,  Feb.  21,  '65.  George  P.  Stiner,  John  W. 
Stahl  and  Winfield  S.  Shaffer,  Mar.  10,  '65.  Alonzo  J. 
Suit  and  Wilson  Swank,  Feb.  9,  '65.  James  M.  Thoni])- 
son  and  George  W.  Titus,  Mar.  4,  '65.  George  Tronsue, 
Mar.  10,  '65.  Charles  W.  Trump,  Mar.  4,  '65.  John 
Williams,  Feb,  16,  '65.  Willoughby  Wertman,  Mar.  4, 
'65.  Montgomery  Williams,  Mar.  10,  '65;  discharged  by 
general  order  May  24,  '65.  George  Zimmerman,  Mar.  10, 
'65- 

SEVENTY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 

The  name  which  this  regiment  assumed  was  the  Key- 
stone Zouaves.  The  regiment  was  recruited  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  summer  of  1861,  and  left  for  Fortress  Mon- 
roe on  the  19th  of  November  of  that  year.  After  a  wei'k 
it  sailed  for  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  where  it  remained  till 
the  last  of  May,  1862.  During  this  time  eight  companies 
went  to  assist  in  taking  Fort  Pulaski,  at  the  mouth  of 
Savannah  river,  but  they  were  not  engaged.  From  Hil- 
ton Head  it  went  to  North  Edisto  island;  thence  to  St. 
John's  island,  and  from  thence  toward  Charleston,  and 
it  was  eng'aged  in  the  attack  on  that  city  June  i6th, 
1862. 


^¥ 


4.¥ 


4= 


In  October  the  76tli,  with  other  troops,  went  on  an  ex- 
pedition to  sever  the  communication  between  Savannah 
and  Charleston.  After  an  engagement,  in  which  they 
were  defeated,  the  troops  returned  to  Hilton  Head.  The 
regiment  did  picket  duty  on  the  islands  off  the  coast  till 
July,  1863,  when  it  went  to  Morris  island  to  attack  Fort 
Wagner.  The  attack  was  made  on  the  nth,  but  was  re- 
pulsed. In  this  action  the  76th  lost  53  killed  and  184 
wounded.  On  the  i8th  another  charge  was  made,  in 
which  the  regiment  lost  17  killed  and  wounded.  It  re- 
turned to  Hilton  Head,  where  it  remained  six  months, 
doing  guard,  picket  and  scout  duty. 

In  May,  1864,  with  other  troops,  the  76th  went  to 
Virgiaia  and  became  part  of  the  Army  of  the  James. 
On  the  5th  of  that  month  it  embarked  on  transports, 
sailed  down  the  York  river  from  Yorktovvn,  up  the 
James  river,  landed  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  moved  to  the 
Weldon  railroad  and  destroyed  several  miles  of  the  track. 
This  was  done  under  fire,  and  the  76th  lost  in  killed, 
wounded  and  missing  65  men.  Fighting  continued  at 
intervals  during  several  days.  The  regiment  was  sent 
to  Cold  Harbor  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  and  took  part 
in  the  fighting  there  the  ist,  2nd,  and  3d  of  June, 
losing  very  heavily.  It  returned  and  went  on  a  recon- 
noisance  to  the  Richmond  and  Petersburg  railroad;  then 
went  to  Petersburg,  where  it  did  duty  during  the  siege 
with  frequent  casualties.  It  was  engaged  occasionally 
from  the  14th  to  the  17th  of  August  at  Deep  Bottom, 
and  at  Bermuda  Hundred  on  the  24th  and  25th. 

For  some  time  subsequent  to  this  the  regiment  was 
frequently  engaged  in  fighting  and  skirmishing.  It  was 
in  action  at  Chapin's  Farm,  at  Fort  Gilmer,  and  Furt 
Harrison.  In  October  it  went  on  a  reconnoisance  and 
was  engaged  in  a  skirmish,  with  a  loss  of  i  killed  and  12 
wounded.  The  76th  was  in  the  battle  at  the  taking  of 
Fort  Fisher  in  January,  1865,  by  General  Terry,  and 
from  there  went  to  Wilmington,  N.  C;  and  finally  to 
Raleigh,  where  it  did  provost  duty  till  July  18th,  when 
it  was  mustered  out. 

Company  H  of  the  76th  was  recruited  in  Luzerne 
county.  The  men  were  mustered  in  at  the  dates  annexed 
to  their  names  in  the  following  lists,  and  when  not  other- 
wise noted  were  mustered  out  July  i8th,  1865. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colanels.—] ohn  M.  Power,  Aug.  10,  '61;  resigned  Aug. 
7,  '62.  D.  C.  Strawbridge,  Sept.  24,  '61;  promoted  from 
capt.  Company  B  to  col.  Aug.  9,  '62;  resigned  Nov.  20, 
'63.  John  C.  Campbell,  Oct.  i,  '61:  promoted  from  capt. 
Company  A  to  lieut.  col.  Dec.  11,  '62;  col.  Feb.  13,  '64; 
resigned  Aug.  16,  '64.  John  S.  Littell,  Nov.  18,  '61; 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  K  to  lieut.  col.  Aug.  21, 
'64;  col.  Oct.  29,'64;  brev.  brig,  gen. Jan.  15, '65;  wounded 
at  Fort  Fisher,  N.  C,  Jan.  15,  '65. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — Daniel  H.  Wallace,  Aug.  28,  '6r; 
resigned  Aug.  10,  '62.  John  W.  Hicks,  Oct.  17,  '61; 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  C  to  maj.  May  r,  '63;  lieut. 
col.  Feb.  i3,'64  ;  brev.  col.  Mar.  i3,'6s;  wounded  at  Fort 
Fisher,  S.  C,  July  11, '63  ;  mustered  out  June  i,  '64; 
Charles  Knerr,  Oct.  26,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Com- 
pany H  to  maj.  Jan.  i,  '65;  lieut.  col.  June  i,  '65. 


Majors.— OXwtx  M.  Irvine,  Nov.  18,  '61;  resigned 
Sept.  27,  '62.  Cyrus  Diller,  Oct.  16,  '61;  promoted  from 
capt.  Company  D  to  maj.  Nov.  7,  '62;  resigned  Feb.  i.S, 
'63.  William  S.  Diller,  Oct.  16,  '61;  promoted  from  capt. 
company  D  to  maj.  June  12,  '64;  mustered  out  Nov, 
29,  '64. 

Adjutants. — William  B.  Darlington,  Nov.  13,  '61;  re- 
signed May  20,  '62.  Andrew  J.  Marshall,  Sept.  24,  '61; 
promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Company  B  Sept.  23,  '62;  died 
at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  Aug.  6,  '64.  Adam  C.  Reinoehl,  Sept. 
24,  '61;  promoted  from  com.  sergt.  to  sergt.  maj.  June 
24,  '63;  ist  lieut.  Company  B  Aug.  4,  '64;  brevet  capt. 
and  brevet  maj.  March  13,  '65;  wounded  at  Fort  Wagner, 
S.  C,  July  ir,  '63,  and  at  Darbytown  Road,  Va.,  Oct. 
27,  '64;  mustered  out  Jan.  5,  '65;  veteran.  Frederick  R. 
Smith,  Sept.  30, '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  maj.  to  ist 
lieut.  and  adj.  May  27,  '65;  veteran. 

Quartei-masters — Charles  Garretson,  Aug.  18,  '61;  pro- 
moted capt.  and  ass't  Q.  M.  June  16,  '62.  Chirles  M. 
Brumm,  Nov.  18,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  lieut.  Com- 
pany K  July  24,  '62;  mustered  out  Oct.  17,  '64.  Phile- 
mon N.  Hicks,  jr.,  Feb.  24,  '64;  promoted  from  Q.  M. 
sergt.  to  Q.  M.  Mar.  i,  '65. 

Surgeons. — Erastus  R.  Scholl,  Oct.  15,  '61;  discharged 
Feb.  19,  '63.  M.  Augustus  Withers,  Sept.  30,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  ass't  surg.  June  11,  '63;  resigned  July  27,  '64. 
Nathan  Y.  Leet,  Nov.  24,  '63;  promoted  from  ass't  surg. 
Sept.  7,  '64;  mustered  out  June  8,  '65.  Charles  W. 
Backus,  Sept.  30,  '64;  transferred  from  203d  Pa. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — Charles  J.  Siemens,  Oct.  15,  '61; 
promoted  to  surg.  50th  Pa.  Mar.  7,  '62.  Frederick  J. 
Bancroft,  Mar,  7,  '62;  promoted  to  surg.  152nd  Pa.  Sept. 
30,  '62.  Edwin  Keele>,  Aug.  11,  '62;  resigned  May  18, 
'63.  Adolphus  Schlosser,  July  10,  '63,  resigned  Sept.  24, 
64.     Isaac  Lefever,  Oct.  17,  '64. 

Chaplains. — Benjamin  L.  Agnew,  Nov.  18,  '61;  resigned 
May  25,  '62.  William  J.  Wright,  July  10,  '63;  discharged 
Sept.   12,  '64. 

Sergeant  Majors. — James  J.  M'Cormick,  Nov.  6,  '6  r; 
promoted  from  priv.  Company  F  Dec.  i,  '6[,  to  2nd  lieut. 
Company  D  Aug.  15,  '62.  Daniel  M'Vay,  Oct.  i,  '61; 
promoted  from  priv.  Company  A  May  18,  '64,  to  2nd 
lieut.  Company  A  June  20,  '64.  Isaiah  H.  Rawlins,  Oct. 
9,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64.  Jesse  R.  Sitler,  Sept. 
4, '63;  drafted;  promoted  from  corp.  Company  A  to  sergt. 
maj.  Nov.  20,  '64;  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  A  Mar.  10,  '65. 
C.  E.  Applebaugh,  Feb.  21,  '65;  substitute;  promoted 
from  priv.  Company  C  July  8,  '65. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Amander  Pollock,  Sept.  24, 
'61;  promoted  from  priv.  Company  B  Oct.  8,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  10,  '62.  John  M'Nevin, 
Oct.  17,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  Company  C  Jan.  24, 
'63;  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  C  Oct.  10,  '64;  veteran. 
Michael  Pote,  Oct.  17,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  Com- 
pany C  Mar.  15,  '65;  veteran 

Commissary  Sergeants. — William  F.  Reisinger,  Oct.  24, 
'61;  transferred  to  Company  I  Oct.  27,  '62.  Charles 
Evans,  Nov.  6,  '61;  promoted  to  ist  lieut.  Company  K 
Sept.  7,  '64;  veteran.  William  H.  Steckley,  Oct.  26,  '61; 
promoted  from  corp.  Company  II  Sept.  7,  '64;  veteran. 

Hospital  Stewards. — Thomas  H.  Byrnes,  Nov.  16,  '6r; 
promoted  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  G  May  22,  'b-i,.  Wil- 
liam Blanck,  jr.,  Nov.  21,  '61;  promoted  priv.  Company 
I  to  hosp.  stew.  July  31,  '63;  to  ist  lieut.  Company  F 
Mar.  I,  '65;  veteran.  Isaac  T.  Keene,  Oct.  26,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  priv.  Company  H  to  hosp.  st.  Mar  i,  '65; 
veteran. 

Principal  Musicians. — Seth  Heull,  Sept.  24,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  priv.  Company  B  July  9,  'dy,  veteran.  James 
H.  Pross,  Oct.  26,  '61;  promoted  from  priv.  Company 
H;  veteran.     Robert    C.    Dunlap,    Oct.    1,  '61;  promot- 


142 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


ed  from  priv.  Company  A  Nov,  i8,  '6i;  discharged  by 
special  order  Oct.  6,  '62.  George  H.  Bierman,  Oct,  24, 
'61;  promoted  from  priv.  Company  I  Nov.  18,  '61;  dis- 
charged by  special  order  Oct.  6,  '62. 

COMPANY    H. 

Officers. — Captains — Arthur  Hamilton,  Oct.  26,  '61; 
killed  at  Pocotaligo,  S.  C,  Oct.,  22,  '63.  Charles  Knerr, 
Oct.  26,  '61;  wounded  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,  July  1 1.  '63; 
promoted  from  ist  lieut.  to  capt.  Oct.  23,  '62;  raaj.  Jan. 
I,  '65.  Samuel  W.  Heller,  Oct.  26,  '61;  promoted  from 
ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut,  Feb.  14,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Sept.  5,  '64; 
capt.  Jan.  3,  '65.  First  lieutenants — William  Miller,  Oct. 
26,  '61;  promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut.  Oct.  23,  '62; 
killed  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,  July  11,  '62,  William  F. 
Bloss,  Oct.  26,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut. 
Oct.  23,  '62;  to  ist  lieut.  Dec.  3,  '63;  died  at  Hampton, 
Va.,  Aug.  4,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg  July 
26,  '64.  Second  lieutenant,  David  Davis,  Oct.  26,  '61; 
promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  April  24,  '65;  ist 
lieut.  July  i,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran.  First  sergeant, 
Peter  Houser,  Feb.  i,  '64;  commissioned  ist  lieut.  June 
I, '65;  not  mustered;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran. 
Sergeants — Henry  Huffer,  Feb.  i,  '64;  commissioned 
2nd  lieut.  June  i,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran.  Fred- 
erick Keitre  and  John  Grundon,  Feb.  i,  '64;  promoted 
corps.   Mar.    i,  '65;   veterans.     Solomon   C.   Miller,  Oct. 

26,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64.  George  W.  Dodge, 
Feb.  I,  '64;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate;  veteran. 
Jacob  M.  Major,  Oct.  26,  'Ci;  mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64. 
Edwin  F.  Taylor,  Aug.  26,  'dy,  drafted;  discharged  June 
10.  '65.  Thomas  Dougherty,  Oct.  26,  '61;  killed  at 
Drury's  Bluff,  Va,,  May  16,  '64;  veteran.  Corporals — 
William  H.  Auman,  Feb.  i,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster 
out;  veteran.  John  R.  Marshall  and  Noah  B.  Parker, 
Feb.  I,  '64;  veterans.  Alvin  O.  Lowe,  Aug.  26,  '63; 
drafted;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  ':,  '65;  discharged  June 
29,  '65.  Conrad  Young,  Mar.  28,  '64;  promoted  corp. 
Mar.  I,  '65;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  George 
S.  Hawk,  Oct.  15,  '64;  substitute;  promoted  corp.  May 
10,  '65  William  B.  Adams,  July  16,  '63;  drafted;  pro- 
moted corp.  May  lo,  '65.  Charles  O.  Smith,  Oct.  26, 
'61;  mustered  out.  Bailey  Cooper  and  Thomas  Madigan, 
Oct.  26,  '6 r;  mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64,  William  H. 
Steckley,  Oct.  28,  '61;  promoted  com.  sergt.  Sept.  6,'  64; 
veteran.  James  Armstrong,  Oct.  26,  '61;  killed  at  Po- 
cotaligo, S.  C,  Oct.  22,  '62.  Theodore  Cherry,  Oct.  26, 
'61;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  Aug.  16,  '64:  veteran. 
John  A.  Specht,  Oct.  26, '61;  captured;  died  at  Salisbury, 
N.  C,  Dec.  19,  '64. 

Privates. — Peter  Anderton,  Oct.  15,  '64.  Aldus  and 
Robert  Armer,  Feb.  13,  '65;  substitutes.  Hiram  Alliman 
and  George  B.  Albert,  Oct.  26, '61;  mustered  out  Nov. 
28,  '64.  James  W.  Adams,  Oct.  3,  'dy  drafted;  died 
Aug.  2,  '64,  at  City  Point,  Va.  Charles  H.  Brooks,  Feb. 
20,  '65;  discharged  June  27,  '65.  Jacob  Bertz,  Feb.  16, 
'65;  substitute.  Peter  Barlieb,  Feb.  22, '65.  William  M. 
Bassett,  Oct.  26,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Dec. 

27,  '62.  Ander'n  B.  Bennett,  Aug.  25,  '63;  drafted;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate.  Henry  C.  Bixby,  Sept.  20, 
'63;  drafted;  discharged  May  27,  '65.  John  F.  Bubb, 
Feb.  9,  '65;  discharged  June  10,  '65.  Henry  Baker,  Oct. 
26,  '61;  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  Aug.  16,  '64.  Dan- 
iel Cook,  Oct.  17,  '64;  substitute.     Jeremiah  Coon,  Sept. 

28,  '64;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Amos 
Campbell,  Oct.  17,  '64;  drafted.     Lester  Cooledge,  Aug. 

25,  '63;  drafted;  captured  Aug.  16,  '64.  Samuel  Croll, 
Feb.  10,  '65,  Michael  Clark,  Feb.  22,  '65.  M.  E.  Crook- 
ham,  Feb.  14,  '65;  substitute.     Arthur  E.  Connon,   Oct. 

26,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  28,  '63.   Ed- 


ward Connor,  Oct.  26,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  28,  64. 
Sylvanus  H.  Corson,  Oct.  26,  61;  discharged  Oct.  2°.  *°r 
wounds  received  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,  July  n.  °3- 
Bennovan  O.  Covey,  Oct,  26,  '61;  discharged  on  surg  s 
certificate  June  22,  '63,  C,  D.  Chamberlain,  Oct.  26,  61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  2,  '62.  James  Criss- 
well,  Oct.  26,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June 
2,  '63,  Sylvester  M,  Corson,  Oct.  26,  '61;  mustered  out 
Nov.  28,  '64.  William  Caldwell,  Oct.  26,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  June  2,  '(>t,.  Joseph  Garden,  Oct.  26, 
'61;  captured;  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Nov.  19,  '63. 
Charles  Cranler,  Oct,  '61;  deserted  Oct.  25,  '61. 
B.  A.  Campbell,  Jan.  5,  '65;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Josiah  Dressier,  Oct.  17,  '64;  substitute.  Evan  Davis, 
Feb.  25,  '65.  Samuel  Diller,  Jan.  12,  '65.  William  Dit- 
ters,  Feb.  16,  '65.  Lewis  Decker,  Oct.  26,  '61;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps.  James  H.  Decker,  Oct. 
26, '61;  captured;  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Sept.  30,  '63, 
Charles  Deihl,  Oct.  26,  '61;  captured;  died  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  Sept.  5,  '63.  Bryon  Flagherty.  Mar.  9,  '64;  veteran. 
Conrad  Frable,  Mar.  7,  '65;  discharged  June  25,  '65. 
John  D.  Fretts,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Point  of 
Rocks,  Va.,  Aug.  5,  '64.  Thomas  Griffith,  Feb.  28,  '65. 
E.  Gerberick,  Oct.  26,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  26,  '64. 
Albert  Gesner,  Oct.  26,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64. 
Alfred  Green,  Oct.  26,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps.  Richard  Guinen,  Oct.  14,  'dy,  drafted;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  13,  '64;  discharged 
Aug.  3,  '65.  Dennis  Griflfin,  Oct.  26,  '61;  killed  at  Deep 
Bottom,  Va.,  Aug.  16,  '63.  Edward  Getroy;  deserted 
Oct.  25,  '61.  Thomas  Haley,  Feb.  i,  '64;  veteran.  Henry 
Holden,  Aug.  25,  'dy  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster 
out.  John  L.  Harris,  Feb.  25,  '65.  George  Hart,  Feb. 
22,  '65;  substitute;  mustered  out  with  company  July  18, 
'65.  John  Hefifernon,  Feb.  21,  '65.  John  Harris,  Feb. 
28,  '65.  John  L.  Herr,  July  15,  '63;  drafted.  Julius  D. 
Hamlin,  Oct.  26,  '6t;  killed  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,  July 
II,  '63.  Patrick  Hunt,  Oct.  26,  '61;  captured;  died  at 
Richmond,  Va.,  Oct.  27,  '63.  S.  B.  Holcomb,  Aug.  26, 
'63;  drafted;  died  at  Bermuda  Hundred.  Va.,  May  14, 
'64.  George  A.  Jackson,  July  15,  '63;  drafted.  Aaron 
R.  Judy,  July  15,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster 
out.  Griffith  James,  Feb.  28,  '65.  James  Johnson,  Oct. 
26,  '6r;  killed  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,,"july  11,  '63. 
Martin  Kelley,  Feb.  i,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  mus- 
ter out;  veteran.  Philip  Klinger,  Oct.  12,  '64; 
substitute.  Lawrence  Klinger,  Oct.  17,  '64;  substitute. 
George  Rearer,  Feb.  8,  '65;  substitute;  discharged  Aug. 
25,  '65.  Thomas  Kearney,  Oct.  26,  '61;  mustered  out 
Nov.  28,  '64.  John  Kelly,  Sept.  12,  '64;  drafted;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  31,  '65,  Daniel  Knott, 
Oct.  12,  '64;  substitute;  discharged  June  29,  '65.  Isaac 
T.  Keene,  Oct.  29,  '61;  promoted  to  hosp.  st.  Mar.  i,  '65; 
veteran.  Joseph  Kelly,  Sept.  29,  '63;  drafted;  killed  at 
Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  Aug.  16,  '64.  Conliffe  Lwi.sey,  Oct, 
15,  '64;  substitute.  Daniel  S.  Lewis,  Mar.  29,  '64;  ab- 
sent, sick,  at  muster  out.  John  W.  Lewis,  Feb.  25,'  '65. 
Charles  Leidy,  Feb.  20,  "65;  substitute.  Haithy  Lamp- 
shere,  Feb.  22,  '65;  substitute.  John  Love.  Oct.  26,  '6i- 
mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64.  Thomas  T.  Lloyd,  Oct  26 
'61;  died  Nov.  26,  '6r.  Lewis  Litz,  Aug  26, '63;  drafted' 
died  at  Beverly,  N.  J,  Sept.  15,  '64,  of  wounds  received 
at  Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  Aug.  16,  '64.  Albert  Mandeville, 
Mar,  9,  64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran  John 
S.  Miller,  Oct.  20,  '64.  Charles  W.  Mulkins,  Sept.  2r, 
63;  drafted;  discharged  June  16,  '65.  Joseph  M.  Mur- 
ray, Sept.  23,  '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Joseph  Meches,  Feb.  22,  '65.  Charles  Mango,  Feb  14 
tK  ?'"i-  ^V/^^'^^t^l'er,  Feb.  15,  -65.  John  Matox! 
M  1  \5^-  Thomas  Martin,  Feb.  21,  '65.  Nathan 
Meches,  Mar.  7,  '65;  discharged  June  10,  '65.     Anthony 


^-¥ 


^4* 


*4h 


COMPANY   H,  SEVRNTY-SIXTH    REGIMENT-THE    SEVENTY-SEVENTH. 


143 


Mvers,  deserted  Oct.  25,  '61.     Eugene   M'Dowell,    Sept. 
30,    '63;    drafted.       William    M'Cmnsey,     Feb.     13,    '65. 
William   M'Allister,   Oct.    26,    '61;  discharged   on    surg's 
certificate  June    2,    '63.     D.    B.    M'Gregor    and    Patrick 
M'Donald,    Oct.    26,   '61;  mustered    out    Nov.    28,    '64. 
Hugh     M'Kenna,     Mar.     lo,    '65;     not  on    muster     out 
roll.       Thomas     Naughton,     Oct.     26,     61;     mustered 
out    Nov.    28,     '65.       William     Nelson,     Oct.    26,     '61; 
captured;      died    at  Andersonville,    Ga.,    May    23,    '64. 
Michael     Neal,    Feb.    17,    '65;  deserted   Mar.     10,   '65. 
Charles  G.  Palmer,  Oct.  25,  '63;  drafted.     Whitney  Pres- 
ton, Aug.  25,  '63;  drafted.      Austin   Porter,  Oct.  26,  '61; 
mustered   out  Nov.    28,    '64.       James  H.  Pross,   Oct,  26, 
'61;  promoted  to  principal  musician;    veteran.      George 
W.   Posey,   Oct.   26,    '61;    killed   at  Fort    Wagner,  S.  C, 
July   IT.    '63.      Joseph    Ricker,    Aug.    26,    '63;     drafted. 
Amos  Rhodes,  Oct.  26,  '61;    discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate June  2,  '63.       Lewis  Rake,   Oct.  26,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  31,  '62.     Thomas  Rheimer,  Oct. 
26,  '61;  died   at   Beaufort.   S   C,  July  30,  '62.     Truman 
Russell,  Aug.  25,  '63;    drafted;    died  at  Alexandria,  Va., 
Jiine  28,  '64.     Nicholas  T.  Rodda,  Feb,  25,  '64;  drafted; 
died  at  Hampton,  Va.,  June  19,  '64,      T.   Schaarwatcher, 
Feb.  20,  '65;  substitute.     Theodore  Sinclair,  Oct.  26,  '61; 
mustered  out  Nov.  28,  '64.     Thomas  K.  Shortledge,  Oct. 
26,    '61;  discharged    on    surg's    certificate    Mar.    9,    '62, 
Peter  W.  Smith,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  June 
8,   '65.      Tyman   C.    Smith,   Sept.  13,  '63;  discharged  on 
Kirg's  certificate.      Amasa  P.  Sexton,  Sept.  26,  '64;  sub- 
stitute; discharged  June  28,  '65.     James  Swick,  July  15, 
'63;  died  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  7,  '64,     John  Sanford, 
Feb.  9,  65;  deserted  June  10,  '65.     Reynolds  Thompson, 
Oct.   9,    '63;  drafted.     Ellis  Terrill,  Aug.  4, '63;  drafted; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.      Abraham  Thomas,  July  14, 
'63;  drafted.      Tunis    Thomas,   Mar.   28,  '64.       John  A. 
Thompson,    Oct.    26,    '6i;    mustered   out    Nov.    28,    '64. 
Robert  Taylor,  July  13,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  May  26, 
'65.    Martin  D.  Vosburg,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted.     George 
Vaness.      William    S.    Wagner,    July    18,    '63;     drafted. 
Ryan  L.  Warren,  Aug.   21,   '63;  drafted;  absent,  sick,  at 
muster   out.      John    Wildman,    July    15.     '63;     drafted. 
'J'homas  M.  Williams,  Feb.  28,  '65.     William  Wambaugh, 
Oct.  26,  '61;  captured  July  11,  '63;  absent  at  muster  out. 
George  Wiltner,  Jan.  7,   '65.       Peter  Ward,  Oct.   26,  '61; 
discharged   on  surg's    certificate    June    2,    '6^.       Henry 
Waltemeyer,    Oct.    26,   '61;    died  at  Andersonville,  Ga., 
June  2,  '64.     Thomas  L.   Williams,  Feb.  20,  '65;  died  at 
Raleigh,    N.   C.   May    18,    '65.      Adam  Wilhelra,  Jan.  5, 
'65;  not  on  muster  out  roll.     Samuel  Yerger,  Mar.  7,  '65. 
Peter  Young,  Oct.  26, '6  r;  died  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  Dec. 
25.  '62. 

SEVENTY-SEVENTH    REGIMENT. 

Company  G  of  this  regiment  was  raised  in  Scranton, 
and  was  composed  mostly  of  Welshmen  or  men  of  Welsh 
descent.  The  first  company,  H,  was  recruited  in  part  in 
Luzerne  county.  It  was  not  full,  and,  though  it  was  some 
time  v.-ith  the  regiment  and  took  part  in  one  battle,  it  was 
disbanded  without  pay. 

Recruiting  for  this  regiment  commenced  in  August, 
and  in  October  it  moved  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  thence 
south  on  the  line  of  the  Louisville  railroad  to  Nolin 
river;  there  it  had  its  camp  during  a  month;  then  at 
camp  Negley;  then  it  moved  leisurely  forward  from 
camp  to  camp,  till  it  arrived  at  Nashville  in  March,  1862, 
after  the  victories  at  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson.  The 
first  battle  was  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  April  7th,  1862,  to 
reach  which  it  had  made  a  forced    march,  arriving  while 


the    action    was    in    progress.     In   this  action    it   lost    3 
killed  and  7  wounded. 

It  reached  Corinth  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  and  on 
the  3olh  the  enemy  blew  up  his  works  and  evacuated  the 
place.  During  the  ensuing  summer  it  was  engaged  in 
marching  with  the  army  and  occasionally  skirmishing. 
In  December  it  moved  forward  with  the  army  on  Mur- 
freesbnro  and  encountered  the  enemy  at  Stone  river,  and 
was  severely  engaged  during  three  days.  Its  conduct  at 
this  battle  was  such  as  to  elicit  from  General  Rosecranz 
the  compliment:  "  It  was  the  banner  regiment  at  Stone 
river.     They  never  broke  their  ranks." 

For  several  weeks  after  this  battle  the  reiriment  was 
on  guard  and  scout  duty;  then  till  the  opening  of  the 
summer  campaign  of  1863  it  was  in  camp  at  Murfrees- 
boro.  In  June  it  was  engaged  at  Liberty  Gap,  wheie  it 
lost  a  third  of  its  effective  force,  .'\inong  the  officers 
killed  in  this  action  was  Lieutenant  \V.  H.  Thomas,  of 
Company  G. 

At  the  battle  of  Chickam  uiga,  in  September,  the  77th 
was  very  heavily  engaged,  and  all  its  field  officers,  ,«even 
line  officers  and  79  men  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
In  January,  1864,  many  of  the  regiment  re-enlisted,  and 
received  a  veteran  furlough.  On  their  return  they  went 
with  Sherman  on  his  Atlanta  campaign.  They  were  en- 
gaged during  several  days  from  the  7th  of  May;  at  Re- 
saca,  at  Kinston,  at  New  Hope  church  on  the  25th  and 
the  three  following  days;  again,  three  miles  from  that 
place,  on  the  4th  of  June;  from  the  19th  to  the  23d  of 
the  same  month  at  Kenesaw  mountain,  and  in  the  same 
vicinity  for  four  days  from  the  24th;  at  Smyrnia,  at  the 
Chattahoochee  river,  and  at  Peach  Tree  creek  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  July. 

During  August  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  invest- 
ment and  siege  of  Atlanta,  and  after  the  retirement  of  the 
enemy  it  was  engaged  at  Lovejoy  on  the  2nd,  3d,  4th  and 
5th  of  September. 

After  the  departure  of  Sherman  for  the  sea  the  77th, 
with  other  Union  forces,  was  engaged  in  endeavoring  to 
out-maneuver  Hood.  An  action  took  place  in  the,  latter 
part  of  November  at  Franklin,  in  which  the  regiment  was 
heavily  engaged.  At  the  defense  of  Nashville  against 
Hood,  in  December,  it  was  hotly  engaged,  and  it  joined 
in  the  pursuit  of  his  flying  columns,  occasionally  skir- 
mishing till  it  reached  Huntsville,  Ala.  This  was  the  last 
of  its  fighting.  In  the  spring  of  1865  it  was  reinforced 
and  sent  to  the  southwest,  where  a  hostile  attitude  was 
still  maintained.  After  a  short  stay  in  New  Orleans  it 
marched  into  Texas,  where  it  arrived  in  August  and  re- 
mained till  December.  It  then  embarked  at  Indianola 
for  Philadelphia,  where  it  was  mustered  out  of  the  service 
on  the  i6th  of  February,  1866. 

In  the  following  lists  the  dates  of  muster  into  the  ser- 
vice are  given  with  the  names.  When  no  remark  follows 
in  the  list  of  Company  H  the  man  was  not  accounted  for 
in  the  adjutant  general's  record  of  the  company.  Those 
of  the  regimental  officers  and  of  Company  G  not  other- 
wise accounted  for  were  mustered  out  with  the  regi- 
ment. 


=*=^H 


Hh 


144 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — Frederick  S.  Stumbaugh,  Sept.  28,  '61;  pro- 
moted brig.  gen.  Nov.  29,  '62;  discharged  Dec.  7,  '62. 
Thomas  E.  Rose,  Sept.  28,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Co. 
B  to  col,  Jan.  24,  'dy,  to  brevet  brig.  gen.  June  ir,  '65; 
prisoner  from  Sept.  19,  '63,  to  May  i,  '64;  wounded  at 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  Ga.,  June  26,  '64. 

Lieutenant  Cnloneh. — Peter  B.  Housum,  Sept.  28,  '61; 
died  Jan.  i,  '63,  of  wounds  received  at  Stone  river,  Tenn,, 
Dec.  31,  '62.  Frederick  S.  Pyfer,  Dec.  8,  '61;  promoted 
from  capt.  Co.  K  Jan.  31,  'dy,  prisoner  from  Sept.  19,  '63, 
to  May,  '64;  mustered  out  Feb.  4,  '65.  William  A.  Rob- 
inson, May  I,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Co.  E  June  10, 
'65;  brevet  col.  and  brevet  brig.  gen.  Mar.  13,  '65. 

Majors. — Stephen  N.  Bradford,  Oct.  26,  '61;  resigned 
Jan.  31,  '63.  Alexander  Phillips,  Oct.  26,  '6r;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  G  Apr.  12,  '63;  commissioned  lieut. 
col.  Mar.  25,  '65;  not  mustered;  prisoner  from  Sept.  19, 
'63,  to  May,  '64;  lost  arm  at  Lovejoy,  Ga.,  Sept.  3,  '64; 
mustered  out  May  8,  '65.  Joseph  J.  Lawson,  Sept.  20, 
'61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  C  June  13,  '65;  mus- 
tered out  with  regiment  Dec.  6,  '65. 

Adjutants. — Samuel  T,  Davis,  Sept.  20,  '61;  promoted 
capt.  Company  G  Dec.  8,  '63.  Christian  Snively,  Sept. 
20,  '61;  promoted  from  hosp.  St.  Sept.  8,  '64;  wounded 
at  Dallas,  Ga.,  May  28,  '64;  resigned  June  7,  '65;  veteran. 
Arthur  Bennett,  Mar.  10,  '64;  promoted  from  sergt.  Com- 
pany B  June  9,  '65. 

Quartermasters. — Jacob  E.  Cassell,  Sept.  26,  '6i;  re- 
signed Jime  21,  '63.  George  F.  Laubach,  Sept.  19,  '61; 
promoted  from  Q.  M.  sergt.  June  16,  '63;  resigned  June  7, 
'65.  James  O.  Brookbank,  Feb.  28,  '65;  promoted  from 
ist  lieut.  Company  F  Oct.  15,  '65. 

Surgeons. — Franklin  Irish,  Oct.  26,  '61;  resigned  Feb. 
II,  '64.  James  M.  M'Candlass,  Mar  20,  '63;  promoted 
from  ass't  surg.  April   27,  '64. 

Assistant  Su7-geo?is. — Thomas  B.Potter,  Oct.  26,  '61; 
resigned  Apr.  30,  '62.  Jacob  S.  Maurer,  June  10,  '62; 
resigned  Nov.  18,  '62.  Joseph  B.  Downey,  Aug.  2,  '62; 
promoted  to  surg.  78th  Pa.  regiment  May  31, '63.  James 
F.  Adair,  Mar.  14,  '64;  drafted.  Isaac  T.  Coates,  Sept. 
19,  '65- 

Chaplain. — John  M.  Thomas,  Nov.  i,  '61;  resigned 
June  21,  '62. 

Sergeant  Majors. — Henry  C.  Spreen,  Oct.  11,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  musician  Company  B  Apr.  10,  '65;  veteran. 
Sidney  J.  Brauff,  Oct.  ir,  '6r;  promoted  from  serg.  Com- 
pany B  Oct.  19, '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar. 
28, '62.  William  P.  Price,  Sept.  20,  '61;  promoted  from 
priv.  Company  B  April  i,  '62;  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  E 
June  20,  '62.  Silas  M.  Cline,  Sept.  20,  '61;  promoted 
from  Corp.  Company  C  Feb,  10,  '64;  to  2nd  lieut.  Com- 
pany C  Apr.  10,  '65;  veteran.  Alfred  W.  Letteer,  Oct. 
14,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  Company  D  June  21,  '62; 
captured  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  19,  '63;  died  at  An- 
dersonville. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Joseph  Guthrie,  Dec.  8, 
'61;  promoted  from  com.  sergt.  Apr.  i,  '65;  veteran. 
George  S.  Drake,  Oct.  8,  '61;  promoted  from  private 
Company  B.  to  Q.  M.  sergt.  Feb.  5,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Com- 
pany B.  April  10,  '65;  veteran. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — Richard  Mitchell,  Sept.  20,  '61; 
promoted  from  corp.  Company  C.  Apr.  i,  '65;  veteran. 
Thomas  G.  Cochran,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  from  private 
Company  A  to  commissary  sergt.  Oct.  ir,  '6i ;  2nd  lieut. 
Company  D  Aug.  27,  '62. 

Hospital  Stewards. — Daniel  E.  Davis,  Oct.  9,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  private  Company  F  Sept.  9,  '64;  veteran. 
Chas.  H.  Cressler,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  from  private 
Company  A  Oct.  11,  '61;  2nd  lieut.  Company  D  June  19, 


'62.  Wm.  V.  Marquis,  Oct.  11,  '6r;  promoted  from 
Corp.  Company  B  June  20,  '62;  assistant  surg.  28th  regi- 
ment Kentucky  volunteers  Feb.  '63. 

COMPANY    G. 

Officers. —  Captains — Alexander  Phillips,  Oct.   26,   '61; 
promoted  maj.  Apr.  12,  '6t,.     Henry  Stern,   Oct.  11,  '6r; 
promoted  from    ist  lieut.  Apr.  17,  '63;  resigned  Sept.  9, 
'63.     Samuel  T.  Davis,  Sept.  20,  '61;  promoted  from  adj. 
Dec.  8,  'Gy,  discharged  Aug.  15,  '64,  for  wounds  received 
at  Resaca,  Ga.,  May  14,  '64.     Edwin  Morgan,  Oct.  11,  '61; 
promoted   ist  sergt.   Feb.  5,  '64;    ist  lieut.   May   i,   '65; 
capt.   Sept.    I,   '65;  mustered  out  with  company   Dec.  6, 
'65;  veteran.       First    lieutenants— William    H.    Thomas, 
Oct.   ir,   '61;  promoted  from   2nd  to   1st  lieut.  Apr.   17, 
'dy  killed  at  Liberty  Gap,  Tenn,,  June  25,  'd-i,.     William 
Watkins,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut. 
Apr.  10,  '65;   ist  lieut.  Sept.  i,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  7,  '65; 
veteran.     Second    lieutenants — David    Garbet,    Oct.    21, 
'61;  promoted  from   ist  sergt.   Apr.  17,  '63;  captured  at 
Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  19,  '63;   mustered  out  Mar.   15, 
'65.     John   Grison,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  sergt.   Feb.  5, 
'64;   ist  sergt.   May  i,  '65;   2nd  lieut.  Sept.  i,  '65.     First 
sergeant,  Evan  Waters,  Oct.  ii,'6i;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  5, 
'64;  sergt.  May  I, '65,  ist  sergt. Sept. io,'65;  vetean.   Sergts. 
— Ernest  Johnston,  Oct.  11,  '61;    promoted  corp.  Feb,  5, 
'64;  sergt.   Mar.  i,  '65;  discharged  Mar.  4,  '65;   veteran. 
John   Barnett,  Oct.    11,  '61;    promoted  corp   Feb.  5,  '64; 
sergt. May  i,'65;  veteran.  L.  Barright,  Nov.13, '61 ;  wounded 
at  Jonesboro,  Tenn.,  Sept.  i,  '64;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i, 
'65;    sergt.  May  i,  '65;    discharged  Oct.  18,  '65;    veteran. 
John  T.  Hope,  Oct.  9'  '61;  promoted  sergt.  Sept.  10, '65; 
veteran.  Hugh  Gallagher,Oct.  11, '61;  promoted  corp.  Feb. 
S,  '64;  sergt.  July  7,  '64;  prisoner  from    Nov.  30,  '64,  to 
Apr.  28,    '65;  discharged    June    2,    '65;  veteran.     James 
Forrester,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  Mar.  r,  '63; 
discharged  on  surg's   certificate   June    25,    '63.     William' 
Morris,  Oct.  ir,  '61;  promoted  sergt.    Apr.    15,   'dy  cap- 
tured at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  19,  '63;  died  at  Ander- 
sonville,  '64.     George    Stevens,   Oct.    11,    '6i;  promoted 
sergt.   Mar.  i,  '63;  captured  at  Chickamauga,   Ga.,  Sept. 
19,  '63;  died  at  Andersonville  Oct.,  '64.     Oscar  C.  Smith, 
Oct.  II,  '61;  promoted    sergt.  Apr.  17,   'dy  captured  at 
Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  18,  '63;  died   at    Andersonville 
July   24,    '64.     Corporals — Philip    Waters,    Dec.  15,    '61; 
promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '65;  veteran.  G.  W.  Mitchell,  Oct. 
II,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  \;dy  veteran.   E.  L.  Evans, 
Mar.   3,  '64;  promoted   corp.    Mar.    i,    '65.     William   G. 
Fagan,  Feb.  20,  '64;  promoted  corp.  May   i,  '65.     James' 
Phillips,  Mar.  3,  '64;  promoted  corp.  May.    i,  '65.     John 
Moore,  Feb.  22,  '64;  promoted  corp.  July  i,  '65.     Lewis 
Herbert,  Nov.  15, '6 1 ;  promoted  corp.  Sept.  10,  '65 ;  veteran. 
Fhomas  Morgan,   Feb.  9,  '65;  promoted   corp.'Sept.    10, 
'65.       Benjamin  Phillips,    Oct.    11,    '61;     discharged    on 
surg's  certificate  July  13.  '62.     Gilbert   B.  Vail,   Oct.  11, 
'61;  promoted   corp.   Mar.   i,   '63;  captured    at    Chicka- 
mauga, Ga.,  Sept.    19,  '63;  died   at   Andersonville,    Sept. 
19,  '64.     Edwin  Hall,  Oct.  11,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Mar. 

I,  '63;  captured  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  19,  '63;  died 
at  Andersonville,  Oct.  II,  '64.     Aaron    K.  Pruden,    Oct. 

II,  '61;  died  at  Stevenson,  Ala.,  July  14,  '62.  Joseph 
Thomas,  Mar.  31,  '64;  promoted  corp.  May  i,  '65;  died 
Aug.  9,  '65.  William  Welsh,  Oct.  11,  '61;  died  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  '62.  John  E.  Thomas,  Oct.  11,  '61;  deserted 
Apr.  '63. 

Privates. — Henry  Ammons,  Feb.  15,  '64;  absent,  sick 
at  muster  out.  James  Armstrong,  Feb.  13,  '65-  died  at 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Jan.  24,  '66.  T.  R.  Armstrong,  Feb.  10, 
65.  James  Atkins,  Mar.  5,  '65;  died  at  New  Orleans, 
La.,  July  20,  '65.      Joseph  Bailey,  Feb.  22,  '64.     William 


^#= 


=^^ 


COMPANY  G,   SEVENTY-SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 


145 


Baker,  Feb.  25,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Robert 
Burrows,  Nov.  15,  '61;  mustered  out  Nov.  22,  '64.  Jos- 
eph Bryant,  Oct.  11,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  11,  '64. 
Mirtin  Barrett,  Nov.  6,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '65. 
William  F.  Barney,  Mar,  3,  '64;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
Sept.  5,  of  wounds  received  at  Marietta,  Ga.,  July  4,  '64. 
James  Brown,  George  Buchanan  and  Thomas  Borches, 
Oct.  II,  '61;  discharged;  date  unknown.  George  Black, 
Feb.  24,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  John  Caffery,  Mar. 
9,  '64.  Bryne  Cafferty,  Mar.  21,  '64;  discharged  Dec.  6, 
'65.  Peter  Carney,  Apr.  5,  '64;  discharged  Oct.  11,  '65. 
Jonathan  Coslett,  Mar.  21, '64.  William  Collins,  Feb.  10, 
'65.  Patrick  Clark,  Feb.  11,  '65.  Charles  Connor,  Nov. 
15,  '61;  wounded  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  ig,  '63; 
mustered  out  Oct.  22,  '64.  Charles  Cressler,  Jan.  24, '62; 
discharged  Oct.  22,  '62.  Andrew  M.  Clark,  Oct.  11,  '61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  11,  '62.  Nicholas 
Conroy,  Feb.  23,  '64;  discharged  Mar.  19,  '65,  for  wounds 
received  at  Dallas,  Ga.,  June  2,  '64.  Edwin  B.  Cavil  and 
George  B.  Carr,  Oct.  11,  '61;  discharged;  date  unknown. 
Howell  Davis,  Feb.  10,  '65.  Wyant  Disler,  Feb.  11,  '65, 
Lewis  L.  Davis,  Apr.  12,  '65.  John  C.  Daily,  Feb.  22, 
'64;  killed  at  Dallas,  Ga.,  June  30,  '64.  William  Davis, 
Nov.  15,  '61;  killed  at  Stone  River,  Tenn.,  Dec.  31, 
'62.  George  Davis,  Feb.  9,  '65;  died  at  New  Orleans, 
La.,  Aug.  23,  '65.  Joseph  Daily,  Mar.  11,  '64;  deserted 
in  April,  '64.  Thomas  Ellis,  Feb.  11,  '65.  David  Ed- 
monds, Oct.  IT,  '61;  deserted  in  Nov.,  '62.  James  For- 
rester, Oct.  g,  '61;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out;  veteran. 
Charles  Farber,  Mar.  20,  '65.  George  Fennell,  Mar.  21, 
'65;  discharged  Oct.  9,  '65.  Thomas  Francis,  Feb.  13, 
'64;  died  at  Kingston,  Ga.,  Aug.  30,  '64,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Atlanta.  Griffith  George,  Feb.  10,  '65.  Martin 
Garrety,  Mar.  28,  '64;  discharged  Oct.  13,  '65.  Patrick 
Gallagher,  Oct.  11,  '61;  discharged  July  it,  '63,  for 
wounds  received  at  Stone  River,  Tenn.,  Dec.  31,  '62. 
Theodore  Graham,  Oct.  11,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  June  14,  '62,  Peter  Grundy,  Oct.  24,  '61; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  i,  '63. 
Llewellyn  Griffith,  Mar.  31,  '64;  died  at  Hyde  Park,  Pa., 
Apr.  4,  '64.  Thomas  Grissinger,  Mar.  15,  '63;  died  at 
Blue  Springs,  Ky.,  June  2,  '64.  David  Griffith,  Mar.  5, 
'64;  died  at  Marietta,  Ga.,  July  5,  of  wounds  received  at 
Kingston  July  4,  '63.  Thomas  Gillpatrick,  Oct.  11,  '6t; 
deserted  in  Feb.,  '63.  Michael  Heavers,  Mar.  3,  '64; 
discharged  Oct.  g,  '65.  George  Heidle,  Mar.  4,  '64;  ab- 
sent, sick,  at  muster  out.  John  B.  Haun,  Feb.  23,  '64; 
discharged  Oct.  n,  '65.  Charles  Hadley,  Feb.  9,  '65. 
Hugh  Hughes,  Feb.'  10,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  9,  '65. 
William  Herbert,  Oct.  11,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  it,  '64. 
John  Howey,  May  9,  '64;  wounded  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Aug. 

25,  '64;  discharged  July  to,  '65.  Peter  Hart,  Mar.  18, 
'64;  discharged  June  23,  '65.  William  L.  Holford,  Oct. 
27,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  5,  '65.     Charles    Harris,  Feb. 

26,  '64;  discharged  Sept.  27,  '65.  Robert  Howe,  Oct.  11, 
'61;  discharged  by  surg's  certificate  July  27,  '62.  Lionel 
Hopkins,  Feb.  22.  '64;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Oct.  10,  '64.  William  Hays,  Oct.  g,  '61  ; 
died  at  New  Orleans,  La.,  Aug.  i,  '65.  Jacob 
Houser,  Oct.  it,  '61;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  June 
14,  '62.  George  Hastings,  Oct.  11,  '61;  discharged. 
Ezekiel  Hoyt,  Oct.  24,  '61;  deserted  June,  '63.  Reuben 
Ireland,  Feb.  2g,  '64;  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  May 
25, '65;  burial  record  Aug.  i,  '64.  George  Iden,  Mar. 
4,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  John  Jones,  Feb.  8,  '65. 
James  Jones,  Feb.  8,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  t8,  '65.  Sam  jel 
John,  Mar.  2,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  6, '65.  William  D. 
Jones,  Feb.  25,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  7,  '65.  Jesse  John- 
son, Oct.  IT, '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June 
14,  '65.  Thomas  Jordon;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate.      William   Jamison,    Feb.    11,   '65;     discharged    on 


surg's  certificate  Sept,  12,  '65,  William  Jones,  Nov,  15, 
'61;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan,  9,  '65,  of  wounds 
received  at  Atlanta,  Gn,,  .'\ug,  25,  '64;  veteran.  Morgan 
Jones,  Oct.  II,  '6r;  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Dec.  19, 
'64,  of  wounds  received  at  Nashville,  Dec.  16,  '64; 
veteran.  Edward  Jones,  Oct,  11,  '61;  killed  at  Frank- 
lin, Tenn.,  Nov,  30,  '64,  William  P.  Jones,  Mar.  21,  '64; 
died  at  Marietta,  Ga,,  July  lo,  of  wounds  received  at 
Reaaca,  June  21,  '64.  John  R,  Jones,  Ebenezer  Jones 
and  John  Jeremiah,  Oct,  ii,  '6i;  deserted  Oct.  9,  '62. 
Joseph  Johnston,  Feb.  29.  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
James  Kelley,  Mar.  4,  '64.  John  Kelley,  Oct.  it,  '61; 
wounded  at  Liberty  Ga|i,  Tenn.,  June  25,  '6^\  mustered 
out  Nov.  :2,  '64.  Charles  Keller,  Nov.  15,  '6t;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  May  21,  '62,  Joseph  Knouse, 
Oct.  IT,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Nov., 
'63.  Hiram  P.  Kerlan,  Feb,  27,  '64;  died  at  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  July  30,  of  wounds  received  at  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain, Ga.,  June  19,  '64,  Joseph  D.  Lloyd,  Mar,  3,  '65; 
discharged  Oct,  7,  '65,  Peter  W,  Lynch,  Feb.  13,  '65; 
absent,  sick,  at  r.juster  out.  William  Lewis,  Oct.  ii,  '6r; 
mustered  out  Ocl,  11,  '64,  Samuel  W.  Loveless;  dis- 
charged, John  Loftice,  Mar,  21,  '64;  killed  at 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  Ga.,  June  19,  '64.  David 
Lindsay,  Oct,  ti,  '61;  captured  at  Chickamauga, 
Ga,,  Sept,  19,  '63;  died  at  Andersonville,  Jan,  19,  '65. 
Samuel  Lane,  Oct.  24,  '61;  captured  at  Chickamauga,  Ga., 
Sept.  19,  '63;  died  at  Andersonville,  Sept.  r,  '64.  Enoch 
Lloyd,  Mar.  19,  '64;  deserted  March  21,  '64.  Lawrence 
Morgan,  Oct.  9,  '61;  wounded  at  Liberty  Gap,  Tenn., 
June  25,  '63;  absent,  on  furlough,  at  muster  out;  veteran. 
John  Morgan,  Mar.  4,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  7,  '65.  Wat- 
kins  Matthews,  Mar.  3,  '65;  discharged  Oct,  ig,  '65. 
Francis  Moran,  Mar.  3,  '64;  wounded  May  10,  '64;  ab- 
sent, in  hospital,  at  muster  out.  David  Morgan,  Mar.  9, 
'64.  Martin  Metzger,  Mar.  iS,  '64.  Stephen  Mitchell, 
May  14,  '64;  discharged  Oct.  7,  '65.  David  Michaels, 
Nov.  75,  '61;  mustered  out  Dec.  6,  '64.  Thomas  Monk, 
Oct,  II,  '6t;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  June  2,  '62. 
Charles  Monk,  Oct,  ir,  '6t;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate July  21,  '62,  Taylor  Myton,  Feb.  22,  '64;  wounded 
at  Kingston,  Ga.,  July  4,  '64;  transferred  to  veteran  re- 
serve corps  Jan.  2,  '65;  discharged  Nov,  22,  '65.  Griffith 
Morris,  Oct.  11,  '6r;  captured  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept. 
ig,  '63;  died  at  Andersonville,  June  30,  '64,  John  J. 
Monk,  Nov.  13,  '61;  died  at  Shiloh,  Tenn.,  May  10,  '62. 
John  Miles,  Charles  N.  Miles,  and  Evan  Millward,  Oct. 
TT,  '6t;  discharged;  date  unknown.  Peter  M'Caffery, 
Feb.  II,  '65;  discharged  Oct.  18,  '65.  William  M'Don- 
ald.  Mar.  ig,  '64;  wounded  at  Dallas,  (ia..  May  2g,  '64; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Patrick  M'Donald,  Oct.  11, 
'6t;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  ii,  '63.  Frank- 
lin M'Lane,  Oct.  24,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Nov.  3,  '64.  James  M'Keen,  Oct.  11,  '61;  captured  at 
Chickamauga,  Sept.  ig,  '63;  died  at  Andersonville,  Aug. 
24, '64.  John  M'Donald,  Oct.  11,  '61;  captured  at  Chick- 
amauga, Ga.,  Sept.  ig,  '63;  died  at  Andersonville,  '64. 
John  M'Gaun,  Feb,  4,  '6j;  deserted  Feb.  8,  '65.  John 
Nailon,  Mar.  24,  '64;  died  at  Ball's  Gap, Tenn.,  Apr.  20,  '65. 
Patrick  H.  Nash,  Oct.  11,  '6t;  deserted  Feb.  28,  '63, 
Stephen  Ohnstead,  Feb.  25,  '64,  and  Charles  Oakley. 
Feb.  TO,  '65;  absent,  sick  at  muster  out.  James  O'Harra, 
Apr.  4,  '64,  and  Noah  Owens,  Feb.  27,  '65;  discharged 
Sept.  15,  '65.  Edward  Pinch,  Feb.  13,  '64;  absent,  sick, 
at  muster  out.  William  D.  Port,  Feb.  22,  '64.  Thomas 
Pace,  Mar.  23,  '64;  died  at  Marietta,  Ga.,  July  6,  of 
wounds  received  at  Kingston  July  4,  '64.  James  Pow- 
ell, Oct.  II,  '61;  captured  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  Sept.  ig, 
'63;  died  at  Atlanta  Dec.  5,  '6^.  John  and  William 
Pierce,  Oct.  11,  '61;  discharged;  date  unknown.  Henry 
Quinn,  Feb.  23,  '64.     Joseph    Ruland,    Mar.  9,  '64;  dis- 


■^^ 


■|a 


*i^ 


146 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4 


charged  Oct.  6,  '65.     David  Reese,  Feb.  9,  '65.     Charles 
W.  Reed,  Feb.  11,  '65;  discharged   Oct.  6,  '65.     William 
M.  Reese,  Feb.  9,  '65;  discharged  May  15,  '65.     Thomas 
Rosser,   Oct.    11,   '6r;    discharged    on    surg's    certificate 
Aug.  13,  '62.     William  Reese,  Mar.  4,  '64;  discharged  on 
surg's  certifi'cate  Sept.  12, '6^.     Hiram  Reynolds,  May  9, 
'64;  discharged  on  surg's   certificate   Sept.  14,  '65.     Wil- 
liam  Reynolds,   Mar.  9,  '64;   died   at    Nashville,   Tenn., 
Dec.  I,  '64.     Griffith   Reese,  Oct.  ir,  '6r;  died  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  May  27,  '62.      John  Roberts,  Mar.  7,  '64;  not 
accounted   for.     James   Scott,    Oct.    9,   '61;  wounded  at 
Kencsaw  Mountain,  Ga.,  June  27,  '64;  mustered  out  with 
company  D«c.  6,  '65;  veteran.     Charles   L.   Shultz,  Mar. 
25,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.     Alexander  Shubert, 
Apr.  II,  '64;  wounded  at  Jonesboro,  Tenn.,  Sept.  i,  '64; 
absent,  sick,  at   muster  out.     George  W.  Stiles,  Mar.  10, 
'64.     Frederick  Seigel,  Nov.  i,  '62;  mustered  out  Nov.  5, 
'65.     George  M.  Sillsbee,  Oct.  it,  '61;  wounded  at   Dal- 
las,   Ga.,    May    28,     '64,    and     Nashville,    Tenn.,    Nov. 
30,     '64;      promoted      principal      musician      June      19, 
'65;    veteran.       James    Spence,    Oct.    it,    '61;    died   at 
Kingston,  Ga„  Oct.  16,  '64.     Enos  Snyder,  Oct.   11,  '61; 
discharged;  date  unknown.     Griffin    C.  Strark,    Feb.   25, 
'64;    deserted    Apr.,    '64      John   Schoonover,    David  N. 
Snyder,  Marcus  ShoU  and  Smith  A.  Strong,  Oct.   11,  '61; 
discharged;  date  unknown.     William   Thatcher,  Mar.  3, 
'64;  discharged  Oct.  21,  '65.     Lawrence   Toomey,   Mar. 
9,  '64.     Peter  Trimble,  Mar.   3,    '65;  discharged   Oct.   7, 
'65.     Commodore  Thorpe,  Nov.  13,  '61;    discharged    on 
surg's  certificate  June   14,  '62.     Evan   W.   Thomas,  Oct. 
II, '61;  discharged  on  surg'scertificate  Junes, '62.  Michael 
G.  Tighe,  May  6,  '64;  deserted  Dec,  '64.  William  Tuttle, 
Apr.  7,  '64;  deserted  Apr.,  '64.     Edward  Turley,  Oct.  11, 
'61;   deserted  July  9, '65;  veteran.    John  Watkins,  Feb.  8, 
'65;  absent,  sick,    at  muster  out.     William   Webb,   Feb. 
II,  '65.    John  Weaver,  Mar.  9, '64.     Michael  Welsh,  Mar. 
24,  '64.     Aaron  Warren,  Mar.  31,  '64.     William  Wingate, 
Feb.  22,  '64;  wounded  at  Kingston,  Ga.,  July  4,  '64;  dis 
charged  on  surg's  cerdficate   May  9,  '65.     Morgan  Wil- 
liams, Oct.  II, '61;  discharged  on   surg's  certificate  May 
9,  '62.     Alexander   Wiper,   Oct.    11,   '61;  discharged   on 
surg's  certificate   Nov.  29,  '62.     Richard  Ward,  Oct.   11, 
'61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  18,  '63.     Philo 
A.  Wilmot,  Oct.  II,  '61;  mustered  out  Oct.  18,  '64.     Mor- 
ris Welsh,  Oct.  II,  '61;  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  May 
20,  '64.     Samuel  Wilks,  Oct.  21,  '61;  captured  at  Chick- 
amauga,  Ga.,  Sept.   ig,   '6^;  died  at   Andersonville  Aug. 
II,  '65.     W.   G.  Weatherby,   Nov.     i,    '62;  deserted;  re- 
turned; died  at  New  Orleans,  La.,  July  3,  '65.     Sanford 
C.  Wilson,  Feb.  9,  '65;  died  at  Jefferson   Barracks,   Mo., 
Sept.    ig,  '65.     Owen   Williams,   Nov.    15,    '61;    deserted 
Dec.  30,  '63.     William    Williams,   Oct.    11,  '61;  deserted 
Apr.  18,  '62.     James  White,  Butler  A.  Ward,  and   Henry 
H.  Wood,  Oct.  II, '61,  deserted;  date  unknown. 

COMPANY    H. 

Officers. — Captains — Henry  ^W.  Derby,  Sept.  8,  '61; 
resigned  Apr.  4,  '62.  Joseph  Thomas,  Sept.  28,  '61 ;  pro- 
moted from  2nd  lieut.  Company  A  Apr.  4,  '62;  discharg- 
ed Oct.  30,  '62.  ist  lieutenants,  William  J.  M'Gratty, 
Oct.  16,  '61;  resigned  Mar.  29,  '62.  James  F.  Shattuck,' 
Jan.  31,  '62;  promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut.  Mar.  31, 
'62;  discharged  Nov.  30,  '62.  2nd  lieutenant— Henry 
H.  Wood;  discharged  Sept.  30,  '62.  Sergeants— Miles 
M.  Bradford,  Oct.  14,  '61;  discharged  Mar.  22,  '66,  to 
date  Nov,  15,  '62.  Frank  Hollenbach  and  Daniel  B. 
Coon,  Oct.  14,  '61;  discharged  Apr.  25,  '66,  to  date  Nov. 
10,  '62.  Corporals— George  Carr,  Oct.  15,  '61;  discharg- 
ed Mar.  22,  '66,  to  date  Nov.  15,  '62.  Edward  C,  Cavill 
Oct.    15,    '61;    discharged   Apr.   25,  '66,  to  date  Nov.  lo' 


'62.     John  Schoonover.  Oct.  14,   '61;    discharged  May  4, 
'66,  to  date  Nov.  10,  '62. 

Privates. — Joseph    Alexander,   Dec.    18,   '61.       Joseph 
Bennett,   Oct.   14,   '61;    discharged    Mar.  21,  '66,  to  date 
Nov.    15,    '62.       Levi  Bennett,    Oct.   14,  '61;  discharged 
Mar,  21,  '66,  to  date  Nov.  15, '62.      Daniel  Bricker,  Oct. 
9,    '61;    discharged    May    4,    '66,  to   date    Nov.    10,  '62. 
Thomas    F.    Bochert,  Oct.  9,  '61;  discharged  May  4,  '66, 
to  date    Nov.    10,    '62.       Samuel    Burhite,    Nov.   15,  '61. 
Henry    Bastian,    Nov.    21,    '61.        Martin     Biertenstine, 
Nov.  21,    '61.      John    Bender,    Dec.    18,    '61.     John  W. 
Bilingen,    Dec.     18,    '61.       Foster     Cooper,      Dec.     6, 
'61;     discharged    Mar.     7,     '66,    to    date    Nov.    15,   '62. 
Charles  Conner,  Nov.  15,  '61.     Charles  Cope,  Oct.  11,  '61. 
William   Cook,    Dec.  18,  '61.     Maurice   Cotter,    Dec.  18, 
'61.     William  Emory,  Dec.  i,  '61.     Henry  Gardner,  Nov. 
27,  '61.     George   Hause,   Oct.   3,    '61.     Robert    Holden, 
Oct.    3,   '61.     Robert    Hardenn,    Dec.    18,    '61.     Arnold 
Hendricks,  Oct.  14,  '6r;  discharged  April  25,  '66,  to  date 
Nov.    10,    '62.     Charles    Innerot,    Nov.    26,    '61.      John 
Lewis,  Oct.    3,  '61.     Peter   Lorrett,  Oct.   3,  '61.     George 
F.    Laubach,    Sept.    19,  '61;    transferred   to   Company  A. 
Linas   Miles,    Nov.    28,  '61.     Patrick   Maloney,  Nov.  25, 
'61.     William  Marshall,  Dec.  18,  '61.     Charles  W.  Miles^ 
Oct.  15,  '61;    discharged   Apr.    25,  '66,  to   date   Nov.  10, 
'62.     John   Miles,  Oct.  15,  '61;   discharged    Mar.  26,  '66, 
to  date    Nov.    10,  '62.     William   Marks,    Dec.  8,  '61;  dis- 
charged   July    6,    '66,    to    date     Nov.    10,    '62.      Albert 
Peopher,  Oct.  3,  '61.     John  C.  Pearce,  Oct.  15,  '61;  dis- 
charged   Apr.    25,  '66,   to   date  Nov.    10,  '62.      Daniel  J. 
Patterson,    Oct.    14,  '61;   discharged   May  4,  '66,  to   date 
Nov.    10,    '62.     Julius   Reater,    Oct.   3,    '61.     Frederick 
Rasp,    Dec.    tS,  '61.     John    Snyder,    Oct.    3,  '61.     John 
Sleager,     Oct.     3,     '61.        Hiram    Slack,     Oct.     18,    '61. 
William    J.    Sharp,   Nov.    21,  '61.     Philip   Stalp,  Dec  18, 
'61.     Samuel  Stoner,   Dec.    12,    '61.     David    B.    Snyder, 
Oct.  15,  '61;   discharged   Apr.    25,  '66,   to   date  Nov.  10, 
'62.     William  Thomas,  Oct.    18,  '6i.     John  Wertle,  Oct. 
3,    61;    Andrew  Walter,    Dec.    20,  '6t.     Philip    Walters, 
Dec.    18,    '61.     Benjamin    Woodney,    Oct.    14,    '6r;  dis- 
charged May  4,  '66,  to  date  Nov.  10.  '62. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


LUZERNE    IN    THE    CIVIL      WAR— HISTORIES    OF    THE    8 1  ST, 
92ND    AND    96TH    REGIMENTS. 


HE  recruiting  of  the  8ist  regiment  commenced 
in  August,  1861,  and  in  Octoberit  proceeded 
to  Washington.  Company  H  was  recruited 
in  Carbon  and  Luzerne  counties,  and  Com- 
pany K  in  Luzerne.  The  regiment  was  engaged 
C^  only  in  police  and  scout  duty  till  the  ist  of  March, 
1862,  when  it  took  the  field.  During  the  advance 
to  the  Peninsula  it  was  engaged  mostly  in  fatigue  duty. 
It  built  the  Sumner  bridge  and  crossed  on  it  with  its 
brigade,  had  a  skirmish  with  the  enemy  and  returned.  At 
Fair  Oaks,  on  the  31st  of  May,  the  regiment  was  engaged 
and  Colonel  Miller  was  killed.  On  tne  25th  of  June, 
three  Companies-D,  H  and  K— were  engaged  in  a  picket 
flght.  On  the  29th  the  regiment  was  in  action  at  Peach 
Orchard,    and  on    the   30th    at    White   Oak  Swamp  and 


THE  EIGHTY-FIRST  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 


147 


Charles  Cily  Cross  Roads,  losing  heavily.  July  ist  it  was 
engaged  at  Malvern  Hill,  at  which  battle  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Connor  was  killed. 

The  regiment  returned  to  Acquia  creek  by  transports, 
thence  to  Alexandria,  and  to  the  second  Bull  Run  battle 
field,  but  was  not  engaged.  It  was  next  in  action  at 
Antietam  on  the  17th  of  September,  where  it  again  lost 
heavily.  Thence  it  moved  to  Harper's  Ferry  and  after- 
wards to  Warrenton.  When  Burnside  assumed  command 
of  the  army  the  regiment  moved  to  Falmouth,  and  on 
the  13th  of  December  it  was  engaged  at  Fredericksburg. 
In  this  battle  Lieutenant  Colonel  Swain  was  killed  and 
Colonel  McKeen  wounded.  It  returned  to  quarters  at 
Falmouth,  where  it  remained  till  the  latter  part  of  May, 
when  it  broke  camp  and  during  the  month  of  June  moved 
from  place  to  place,  and  arrived  at  Gettysburg  on  the  ist 
of  July,  having  marched  thirty-eight  miles  the  preceding 
day.  On  the  2nd  and  3d  it  was  "in  the  thick  of  the 
fray  "  and  lost  half  of  its  effective  strength. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  summer  it  was  in  Virginia 
with  the  second  corps,  to  which  it  was  attached,  and 
went  into  winter  quarters  near  Stevensburg.  In  January 
a  portion  of  the  men  re-e^listed  and  received  a  veteran 
furlough,  and  its  ranks  were  recruited.  It  took  the  field 
in  the  spring  of  1864.  During  three  days  early  in  May 
the  regiment  was  engaged  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness, 
and  on  the  12th  at  Spottsylvania.  It  was  again  engaged 
at  Cold  Harbor  on  the  3d  of  June,  and  its  colonel  was 
killed  there.  It  participated  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg, 
and  was  engaged  there  and  at  Strawberry  Plains,  Ream's 
Station  and  Deep  Bottom,  in  all  of  which  actions  it  sus- 
tained its  character  for  bravery.  It  remained  in  front  of 
Petersburg  during  the  winter  of  1864-5,  and  participated 
in  the  campaign  of  the  next  spring.  It  was  frequently 
engaged,  but  did  not  suffer  severe  loss  except  at  Farm- 
ville,  on  the  7th  of  April,  two  days  before  the  surrender 
of  Lee.  This  concluded  its  fighting.  It  returned  to  the 
vicinity  of  Washington  and  was  mustered  out  on  the  29th 
of  June. 

Its  losses  and  casualties  during  its  term  of  service  were: 
Field  and  staff  officers,  2  from  disease,  i  prisoner,  5 
wounded  and  4  killed;  line  officers,  2  prisoners,  40 
wounded  and  14  killed;  enlisted  men,  79  deaths  from 
disease,  152  prisoners,  516  wounded  and  201  killed. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Following  is  a  roll  of  the  regimental  officers  of  the  8ist. 
The  dates  when  they  were  mustered  in  are  given.  Those 
who  are  not  mentioned  as  having  left  the  regiment  before 
June  29th,  1865,  were  mustered  out  at  that  date. 

Colonels.— ]z.mei  Miller,  Aug.  8,  '61;  killed  at  Fair 
Oaks,  Va.,  May  31,  '62.  Charles  F.  Johnson,  Sept.  16, 
'61;  promoted  from  lieut.  col.  June  i,  '62;  wounded 
at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  '62;  resigned 
Nov.  24,  '62.  H.  Boyd  M'Keen,  Oct.  27,  '61;  promoted 
from  adj.  to  maj.  June  1,  '62;  lieut.  col.  July  i,  '62;  col. 
Nov.  24,  '62;  wounded  at  Malvern  Hill  July  i,  '62; 
Fredericksburg  Dec.  13,  '62,  and  at  Chancellorsville  May 
3,  '62;  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3,  '64.  William 
Wilson,  Dec.  9,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  E  to 


maj.  Mar.  2,  '64;  to  lieut.  col.  Apr.   22,  '64;  col.  Oct.  30, 
'64;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  12, 

'64. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — Eli  T.  Conner,  Oct.  1,  '6f;  pro- 
moted from  maj.  June  i,  '62;  killed  at  Malvern  Hill,  Va., 
July  I,  '62.  Robert  M.  Lee,  jr.,  Aug.  10,  '6r;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  F  to  maj.  June  i,  '62;  to  lieut.  col. 
Nov.  24,  '62;  discharged  Apr.  17,  '63.  Amos  Stroh,  Sept. 
16,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  G  Apr.  17,  '63; 
resigned  July  22,  '63.  Thomas  C.  Harkness,  Sept.  18, 
'61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  H  Apr.  17,  '63;  com- 
missioned lieut.  col.  July  24,  '63;  not  mustered;  resigned 
Mar.  14, '64.  Lawrence  Mercer,  Sept.  1,  '62;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  A  Oct.  30,  '64;  commissioned 
lieut.   col.;  not  mustered. 

Adjutants. — Clinton  Swain,  Sept.  24,  '61;  promoted 
from  sergt.  maj.  June  16,  '62;  to  capt.  Company  D  Dec. 
9,  '62.  David  J.  Phillips,  Oct.  15,  '61;  promoted  from 
2nd  lieut.  Company  I  Feb.  i,  '63;  to  capt.  Company  I 
May  I,  '63.  John  B.  Munyan,  Aug.  6,  '61;  promoted 
from  2nd  lieut.  Company  A  Dec.  26,  '63;  discharged  Apr. 
25,  '64.  William  J.  Wilson,  Aug.  22,  '62;  promoted  from 
sergt.  Company  E  Oct.  5,  '64;  discharged  May  8,  '65. 

Quartermasters. — John  M.  Dutton,  '61;  died  Apr.  26, 
'62.  John  Brelsford,  Dec.  19,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt. 
Company  I,  May  i.  '62;  resigned  Apr.  26,  '64.  Lewis 
W.  Ingram,  Aug.  16,  '62;  promoted  from  com.  sergt. 
148th  Pa.,  June  27,  '64. 

Surgeons. — W.  A.  Gardiner,  resigned  Aug.  5,  '62.  H. 
S.  Colston,  Sept.  13,  '62;  resigned  Dec.  21,  '62.  John 
Houston,  Aug.  i,  '62;  promoted  from  ass't  surg.  Jan.  14, 
'63;  mustered  out  Sept.  15,  '64.     John   C.    Norris,    Mar. 

21,  '63;  promoted  from  ass't  surg.  Oct.  23,  '64. 
Assistant  Surgeons. — J.  P.  Kimball,  resigned   Jan.   30, 

'62.     C.  S.    Widdifield,    Feb.    15,  '62;  died    at    Fortress 

Monroe,  Va.,  Apr.  27,  '62.     J.  B.  Reshler,  June    14,  '62; 

discharged   Apr.  3,  '63.     Samuel   Graham,    Dec.    3,    '64. 

Chaplain. — Stacy    Wilson,  Oct.   28,  '61;  resigned  Mar. 

22,  '64. 

.Sergeant  Majors. — Lawrence  Davenport,  Dec.  23,  '63; 
promoted  from  ist  sergt.  Company  A  June  i,  '65;  com- 
missioned 2nd  lieut.  Company  A  June  29,  '65;  not  mus- 
tered; veteran.  Jacob  Hentz,  Aug.  27,  '62;  discharged 
June  I, '65.  Nathan  F.  Marsh,  Sept.  16,  '61;  promoted 
from  private  Company  G  to  ist  lieut.  Company  I,  Nov. 
25,    '64;  veteran. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant. — Jacob  A.  Hollinger,  Sept.  16, 
'61;  promoted  from  private  Company  G  May  i,  '64;  com- 
missioned Q.  M.  June  29,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — Jacob  R.  Beers,  Mar.  2, '64;  pro- 
moted to  com.  sergt.  Oct.  30,  '64.  Joseph  S.  Webb,  Oct-. 
15,  '61;  promoted  from  private  Company  I  to  2nd  lieut. 
Company  A  Oct.  30,  '64;  veteran. 

Hospital  Steward. — Frank  C.  Anderson,  Aug.  17,  '64; 
promoted  to  hosp.  St.  Nov.  i,  '64. 

Principal  Musicians. — Wilbur  T.  Gear,  Sept.  24,  '61; 
promoted  from  musician  Company  D  Dec.  13,  '64;  vet- 
eran. Alfred  M.  Hutchinson,  Sept.  16,  '61;  promoted 
from  musician  Company  B  June  19,  '65;  veteran.  Isaac 
N.  Wilson,  Aug.  6,  '61;  promoted  from  musician  Com- 
pany A  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  F  June  19,  '65;  veteran. 
Henry  Wilson,  Aug.  6,  '61;  promoted  from  musician 
Company  A  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  F,  Dec.  13,  '64;  vet- 
eran. 

COMPANY    H. 

Company  H  was  recruited  in  Luzerne  and  Carbon 
counties.  Nearly  all  of  its  members  were  mustered  in 
on  the  22nd  of  August,  186 1,  and  the  time  of  muster  is 
given  only  where  it  was  some  other  than  that  date. 


<^ 


-84  H= 


148 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Officers. — Captains — Thomas  C.  Harkness,  Sept.  18, 
'61;  wounded  at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads  June  30,  '62, 
and  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62;  promoted  maj. 
April  7,  '63;  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3, 
'63.  Thomas  C.  Williams,  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to 
2nd  lieut.  July  i,  '63;  to  ist  lieut.  July  i,  '63;  to  capt. 
May  I,  '64;  discharged  Sept.  21,  '64,  for  wounds  received 
in  action.  First  lieutenants — John  C.  M'Laughlin,  Sept. 
18,  '6i;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62; 
promoted  to  capt.  Company  A  May  i, '63.  William  J.  Wil- 
liams, promoted  from  sergt.  May  i,  '64;  discharged  Oct. 
12,  '64;  veteran.  Second  lieutenant,  Thomas  Morton, 
Sept.  i8,  '61;  commissioned  ist  lieutenant  Nov.  14,  '62; 
capt.  April  17,  '63;  not  mustered;  discharged  June  12, 
'(>Z-  First  sergeant,  Aaron  Henry,  wounded  at  Charles 
City  Cross  Roads  June  30,  '62,  and  at  Bristoe  Station, 
Va.,  'dy,  discharged.  Sergeants  —  John  Boyd,  died 
at  Alexandria,  Va.,  Feb.  6,  '62.  David  Reese, 
discharged  '63.  James  W.  Esbach,  died  Aug.  4, 
'62;  buried  in  Cypress  Hills  cemetery,  L.  I.  Edward 
Reynolds,  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  '(it,\ 
died  July  3,  of  wounds  received  in  action  June  12,  '64; 
buried  in  National  cemetery,  Arlington,  Va.  Corporals — 
Charles  Morrison,  transferred  to  Battery  A  4th  U.  S. 
artillery.  James  B.  Murray,  killed  at  Ream's  Station, 
Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64.  Stewart  M'Intosh,  wounded  at  Ream's 
Station,  Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64;  promoted  to  ist  sergt.  Com- 
pany I;  veteran.  William  Gumbert,  not  accounted  for. 
Benjamin  Hackett,  transferred  to  4th  U.  S.  Artillery  '62. 
William  Nead,  discharged.  Anthony  Ryemiller,  killed 
at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  '62.  Musi- 
cians— Daniel  Dunn,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Aug.  '62.     David  Williams,  discharged. 

Privates. — William  Aubrey,  deserted  Oct.  g,  '6r.  James 
Bell,  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,   Dec.  13,  '62;  dis- 
charged.    Patrick  Boyle,  transferred  to  bat.  A,  4th  U.  S. 
art.  Oct.  I,  '62.     Aaron  Breisch,  discliarged.     John   Bag- 
ley,    transferred    to    bat.    A,  4th   U.  S.   art.   Oct.    i,  '62. 
Hugh  Blair,  wounded;  transferred   to   Company  E;  vet- 
eran.    James   G.   Brookmire,    transferred   to  bat.  A,  4th 
U.    S.    art.       William    Brannon,    wounded;     discharged. 
Martin    Betz,    died    at    Newport    News,    Va.,    Sept., ^62. 
James  Burns,  Sept.  9,  '61;  deserted  '64.     William  Casey, 
died  at  Yorktown,  Va.,  May  14,  '62.     John   Clark,  trans- 
ferred to  Company  E;  veteran.     Patrick  Cookley,  trans- 
ferred to  6th   U.   S.  cav.  Oct.  i,  '62.     James  Clark,  dis- 
charged, '63,  for  wounds  received  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  May 
31,  '62.     James  Cadden,  wounded;  discharged.     Patrick 
P.  Coyle,  deserted  Feb.  11,  '63.     Elijah  Cooper,  Sept.  9, 
'61;    transferred    to    veteran    reserve    corps.       Williani 
Clemens,  Sept.   9,    '61;    discharged.     Patrick    Donahue, 
Sept.    9,    '61;     transferred    to    Company    E;     veteran.' 
John    S.    Duffy,     transferred     to    band    Nov.     i,     '61 
Jeremiah  Delay;  killed  at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Va., 
June  30,  '62.     William    Delanour;  killed  at  Charles'  City 
Cross    Road.s,   Va.,  June   30,   '62.     Henry  Doak;  trans- 
ferred  to    Company   I.     W.    H.    H.    Detzworth;  not  ac- 
counted  for.     David   E.    Davis;  died  at   Falmouth,  Va., 
Mar.  II, '63.     Jenkin    Evans;  discharged    Sept.,    '63,  for 
wounds  received  at  Charles  City  Cross    Roads,  Va.,  June 
30,  '62.     Owen  Edwards;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps    Apr.,    '(>t,.     William    Eddie;  Aug.   9,   '62;  not  ac- 
counted for.     William   Elliott;  wounded  at  Charles  City 
Cross    Roads,   Va.,   June   30,    '62;  deserted    '63.     Owen 
Fisher;  captured;  died    at   Richmond,  Va,,  June  12,  '64. 
Michael  Fritz;  died  July  7  of  wounds  received  at  Charles 
City  Cross  Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  '62.     Charles  Fritz-  dis- 
charged Mar.  I,  '62.     Patrick   Fitzpatrick,   Sept.   9,'  '6[- 
died    near    Petersburg,    Va.,   Aug.,    '64.     James  Gl'enni! 
died  June  2,  '(,t„  of   wounds   received  at  Fredericksburg! 
Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.     Patrick  Gallagher,  ist;  wounded  '62' 


transferred  to  Company  E.     Patrick  Golden;  discharged 
Mar,  25,  '63,  for  wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
Dec.    13,    '62.     Jonathan    H.    Gorabert;    discharged   for 
wounds,  with  loss  of  leg,  received  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept. 
17,  '62.     John  Golmy;   not  accounted  for.     Francis  Gal- 
lagher; wounded    at    Fredericksburg,   Va.,   Dec.  13,  '62; 
not  accounted  for.     Thomas  Gallagher;  promoted  to  2'nd 
lieut.  Company  C  May  19,  '65;  veteran.     Patrick    Galla- 
gher, 2nd;  discharged   on   surg's  certificate  Feb.  11,  'd^. 
John    Gallagher;    discharged    on    surg's    certificate,  '63. 
Edward   Handline;  discharged   Aug.  25,  '62,  for  wounds 
received    at    Springfield  Station,  Va.     John  Henry;  dis- 
charged '62  for  wounds  received  at  White  Oak  Swamp,  Va. 
David  Hughes;  discharged  Apr.  15,  '6-^,  for   wounds  re- 
ceived at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.    Moses  Hon- 
ley;    not   accounted   for.     Jacob   Hopple,   Oct.    15,    '61; 
transferred  to  Company  I  Nov.  I,  '61.     William   Hewitt; 
discharged   on    surg's    certificate    June,    'b-^.       John    T. 
Jones;  discharged  for  wounds   received    in  '62.     Charles 
W.  Jones;  wounded  at   Charles   City   Cross   Roads,   Va., 
June  30,  '62;   transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps.   James 
King;    captured  '64;    exchanged;    died.     William   Kiss- 
ner;    discharged    for   wounds   received   at    Charles  City 
Cross  Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  '62.    James  Kirk;  discharged 
Feb.    26,  '63,   for   wounds   received   in    action.     William 
Kane;  not  accounted  for.     Hugh  Laughery;  transferred 
to  Company  E;   veteran.     John  S.  Lewis;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  '6-^.     James  Laughery,  Sept.  9,  '61;  died 
May    18,   of    wounds  received    at    Spottsylvania    Court- 
house   May  12,  '64.     Robert    Mackey;   discharged   Apr., 
'63.     Thomas  T.  Morgan;  prisoner  from  Oct.  14,  '63,   to 
Mar.  4,  '65;  discharged  Apr.  27,  '65.     Thomas  Mullhall; 
discharged  for  wounds  received  at  Fair   Oaks,   Va.,   May 
31,    '62.     John    Manelis;    not   accounted   for.     John   E. 
Mears;  wounded  and  captured  June  30,  '62.     John  Mil- 
ler; transferred  to  Company  I  Nov.  j,  '61.    Charles  Mur- 
phy;  killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Thomas 
H.  Morgan;  deserted   Oct.  9,  '61.     James   Murphy;   dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Feb.,  '63.    Charles  Morrison; 
wounded;   transferred  to  4th  U.  S.  artillery,  '62.      Daniel 
-M'Lean;    discharged    Aug.,    '62;   Buck'n    W'xMullin;  de- 
serted   July    31,    '62.       Patrick    M'Laughlin;     killed    at 
Charles    City    Cross    Roads,  Va.,   June    30,  '62.     Daniel 
M'Candless;  discharged  on    surg's  certificate,  '63.     Wil- 
liam M'Kechney;   transferred  to  Battery  A,  5th   U   S   ar- 
tillery,   Oct.    I,    '62.     John    M'Fadden,   Aug.    6,  '62;  de- 
serted   Jan.    12,   'bT,.     John    M'Nally,    Aug.  [6,    '61;  dis- 
charged   on    surg's    certificate.      Mar.     i,     '63.       John 
Newton;     wounded    June    30,    '62;     not    accounted    for. 
John  O'Donnell;  killed  at  Malvern  Plill,  Va.,  July  i,  '6^ 
Alfred   Overolester;    not   accounted    for.      fohn    ParKci  ; 
mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65.      fohn  Phil 
deserted   Oct.  9,  '61.     David  Powell 


ps; 
wounded   May  12, 


64;  discharged.  Howell  Pugh;  deserted  Oct.  7,  '61. 
William  Quigley;  wounded  May  12,  '64;  discharged. 
John  Quigley;  discharged  for  wounds  received  in  action 
John  Radchff;  killed  at  Chancellorsville,  Va  May  3  '63 
Thomas  Reese;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps'  '6-? 
Austin  Riley;  deserted  Oct.  7,  '61.  Andrew  Rodgers; 
killed  at  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Va„  June  30,  '62. 
I  homas  Robinson;  wounded,  with  loss  of  leg,  at  Cold 
Harbor  Va.,  June  3,  '64;  discharged.  David  Reese;  dis- 
charged for  wounds  received  in  action.  Robert  Roberts- 
transferred  to  Company  E.  Ernest  Stutz;  deserted  Oct. 
3,  01.  VVilham  Swope;  transferred  to  Company  I  Nov 
I,  61.  Richard  Swift;  died  July  2,  '62.  Alexander 
Snedden;  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July,  '63-  dis- 
charged. Vivian  Stevens;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Sept  29  62.  John  Sheridan;  transferred  to  Bat- 
tery A  4th  U^  S.  artillery.  Philip  Thomas;  wounded  at 
Gettysburg,    Pa.,   July,    '63  ;     discharged.      William    T. 


-^ 


4 


COMPANY  K,  EIGHTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 


149 


Thomas;  discharged  on  siirg's  certificate.  John  Vaughn; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  '63.  Hugh  Williamson; 
killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Christian 
Wall;  wounded,  with  loss  of  arm,  at  Charles  City  Cross 
Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  '62;  discharged  Oct.  '63.  William 
H.  Yundt;  not  accounted  for.  E.  Zimmerman;  killed  at 
Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62. 

COMPANY    K. 

The  date  of  muster-in  is  given  next  to  the  name;  where 
there  is  no  further  remark,  the  man  was  "not  accounted 
for  "  in  the  final  record  of  the  company. 

Officers. — Captains — Charles  E.  Foster,  Aug.  27,  '61; 
resigned  July  9,  '62.  Cyrus  W.  Straw,  Oct.  27,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  ist  lieut  May  i,  '(>t,\  discharged  June  20,  '(>t,. 
James  M'Kinley,  Oct.  27,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  to 
2nd  lieut.  Sept.  i,  '63;  to  capt.  Apr.  22,  '64;  resigned 
June  4,  '65.  First  lieutenants — Alonzo  E.  Bennett,  Oct. 
27,  '6r;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  July  13,  '63;  transferred 
to  veteran  reserve  corps  Oct.  12,  '63.  Peter  Dougherty 
Oct.  27,  '61;  promoted  from    ist   sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Oct, 

3,  '64;  to  ist  lieut.  Oct.  30,  '64;  discharged  Apr.  16,  '65; 
veteran.  Second  lieutenants — William  Belfovd,  Oct.  27, 
'61;  discharged  May  7,  '63.  Emanuel  C.  Hoover,  Oct. 
27,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  June  6,  '64;  killed  at 
Ream's  Station,  Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64;  veteran.  Washing- 
ton Setzer,  Oct.  27,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  Feb. 
18, '65;  resigned  May  27,  '65;  veteran.  John  Graham, 
Sept.  24,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  company  B,  June 
16,  '65;  veteran.  First  sergeant,  Alexander  Kocher, 
Oct.  27,  '61;  promoted  to  sergt.  Nov.  i,  '64;  wounded 
Apr.  7, '65;  absent  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Sergeants — 
James  Carrol,  Dec.  23,  '63;  promoted  to  sergt.  Mar.  i, 
'65;  veteran,  Wm.  Callaghan,  Mar.  2,  '64;  captured  at 
Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  Va.,  May  '64;  promoted  to  sergt. 
May  I,  '65.  Conrad  Hock,  Oct.  27,  '61;  discharged; 
veteran.  William  Richards,  Oct.  27,  '61;  killed  at  Farm- 
ville,  Va.,  Apr.  7,  '65;  veteran.  John  Williamson,  Oct. 
27,  6i.  Archibald  Gilmore,  Oct.  27,  '61.  Corporals — 
Joseph  Eshenbrenner,  Aug.  24,  '64;  substitute;  promoted 
to  Corp.  Mar.  i,  '65.  John  W.  Hammer,  Aug.  23,  '64; 
substitute;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  John  H.  Painter, 
Aug.  22,  '64;  substitute;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  Reuben 
Andy,  Oct  27,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate.  May  11,  '65;  veteran. 
Michael  Carrol,  Oct.  27,  '61;  died  June  14,  '64.  Noah 
Moyer,  Feb.  9,  64;  wounded  in  action;  discharged  May 
31,  '65.  John  Patton.  Oct.  27,  '61.  James  West,  Oct. 
27,  '61;  died  June  11,  '64.  Charles  W.  Fellows,  Oct.  27, 
'61;  killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  John 
Banfz,  Oct.  27,  '61.  William  Powell,  Oct.  27,  '61. 
William  Klinger.  Oct.  27,  '61.  Musicians— John  Haney, 
Jan.  7,  '65;  mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65. 
Henry  Straw  and  Michael  O'Donnell,  Oct.  27,  '61;  not 
accounted  for. 

Privates.— Q,toxgt  Austin,  Sept.  22,  '64;  never  joined 
company.  William  Aubrey,  Aug.  22, '61;  transferred  to 
Company  H.  Joseph  Acker,  Oct.  27,  '61.  Abraham 
Andreas,  '62;  discharged  in  June,  '65.  John  Andreas, 
'62;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  Dec,  '62.  George  Bond, 
Dec.  23,  '63;  wounded,  date  unknown;  veteran.  Henry 
Brunner,  July  9,  '65;  mustered  out  with  company  June 
29,  '65.  John  Beckhart,  Aug.  26,  '64;  never  joined  com- 
pany. John  Britt  and  Hugh  Boyle,  Mar.  28,  '64;  inus- 
tered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65.  Edward  Buming- 
hoff,  Mar.  2,  '64;  missing  in  action  June  3,  '64.  Adolph 
Becker,  Aug.  17,  '64;  substitute.  Joseph  Brooks,  Oct. 
27,    '61.      Frederick   Bloom,   Oct.    27,    '61;     died    May 

4,  '63.  Wilson  Beers  and  Lorin  H,  Butts,  Oct.  27, 
'6i.    John    Brindle,   Oct.   27,   '61;    discharged    on  surg's 


certificate  in  '63.  Joseph  Connelly,  Mar.  30,  '64;  dis- 
charged by  general  order  May  16,  '65.  David  Crawford, 
Alfred  Cool,  Nathan  Culp  and  Michael  Conner,  Oct.  27, 
'61.  JamesCarty,  Apr.  i3,'64.  John  Deal,  died  June  6, '64. 
Benjamin  F.  Davis,  Oct.  27,  '6r;  died  at  Portsmouth 
Grove,  R.  I,  Aug.  15,  '62.  George  W.  Dreisbach,  Oct. 
27,  '61.  George  Detwiler,  Oct.  27,  '61.  John  Dougherty, 
Oct.  27,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate.  Francis 
Eisele,  Aug.  10,  '64;  substitute;  mustered  out  with  com- 
pany June  29,  '65.  Joseph  Fritzinger,  Oct.  27,  '61; 
mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65;  veteran.  Mich- 
ael Farley,  Mar.  2,  '64;  mustered  out  with  company  June 
29,  '65.  Daniel  Fisher,  Aug.  22,  '64;  substitute;  absent, 
wounded,  at  muster  out.  John  C.  Fisher,  Aug.  22,  '64; 
substitute;  deserted  June  14,  '65.  Abram  Felton;  died; 
date  unknown.  Robert  T.  Farrow,  Aug.  6,  '62;  dis- 
charged by  general  order  June  i,  '65.  John  C.  Fritz, 
Oct.  27,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  '63.  Thomas 
Felton,  Oct.  27,  '6i.  William  Graham  and  John  H.  Green, 
Sept.  13,  '64;  never  joined  company.  Philip  Gallagher, 
Oct.  27,  '61.  Dennis  Gallagher,  Oct.  27,  '61;  killed  at 
Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Joseph  Hayman,  Aug.  24, 
'64;  substitute;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  David  Henry, 
Mar.  2,  '64;  mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65. 
William  Hardy,  Sept.  27,  '64;  never  joined  company. 
John  Hart,  Sept.  14, '64;  never  joined  company.  George 
Helfridge,  Sept.  27,  '64;  never  joined  company.  William 
Hobson,  July  16,  '64;  substitute;  mustered  out  with  com- 
pany June  29,  '65.  Redman  Hurley,  Sept.  24,  '64;  dis- 
charged June  I,  '65.  John  Hughes,  Sept.  13,  '64;  dis- 
charged June  I,  '65.  Charles  Hanning,  Oct.  27,  '61; 
promoted  to  sergt.  Company  I  Feb.  6,  '65;  veteran. 
James  Hammond,  Condy  Hagerty,  Samuel  Henry  and 
Lewis  Hopkins,  Oct.  27,  '61;  not  accounted  for.  James 
Johnson,  Aug.  15,  '64;  substitute;  discharged  June  i, 
'65.  Isaac  Kenvin,  Oct.  27,  '61;  wounded  June  3,  '64; 
absent  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Edward  Klinetop,  Dec. 
23,  '63;  mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65;  vet- 
eran. James  M.  Kresge,  Dec.  11,  '61;  deserted;  return- 
ed; discharged  June  3,  '65.  Charles  Kelly  and  Stephen 
Koons,  Mar.  2,  '64;  mustered  out  with  company  June 
29,  '65.  John  Klotz,  Mar.  2,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster 
out.  Samuel  Kuchner,  May  3,  '64;  mustered  out  with 
company  June  29,  '65.  James  K.  Kurtz,  Aug.  22,  '64; 
substitute;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  Martin  Karchner, 
Barney  Kelley  and  David  Kloss,  Oct.  27,  '61;  not 
accounted  for.  Thomas  Lutz,  '61;  died  '62.  Jesse 
Lines,  Oct.  27,  '61;  not  accounted  for.  Penrose  Lowers, 
Oct.  27,  '61  ;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house, 
Va.,  May  12,  '64.  Otmar  Miller,  Aug.  11,  '64;  substitute; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Michael  MuUherron,  Mar. 
2,  '64;  wounded  May  8,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out. 
George  Murphy,  Sept.  20,  '64;  never  joined  company. 
Jacob  Miller,  Aug.  26,  '64;  discharged.  George  W. 
Miller,  Sept.  24,  '64,  and  Samuel  Miller,  Aug.  26,  '64; 
discharged  June  i,  '65.  William  Morgan,  Oct.  27,  '61; 
died  July  26,  '64.  John  B.  Maiger,  died  at  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  May  9,  '65.  William  Magee,  Oct.  27,  '61;  not 
accounted  for.  William  Meckus,  Oct.  27,  '61;  deserted 
'62.  Joseph  Matthews,  Oct  27,  '61;  killed  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Henry  Martin,  '64; 
discharged  June  '65.  Robert  M'Murray,  Mar.  23,  '64; 
mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65.  Francis 
M'Kensay,  Sept.  12,  '64,  and  James  M'Carron,  Aug. 
6,  '62;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  Peter  M'Gee, 
Oct.  27,  '61;  promoted  to  ist  sergt.  Company 
A.;  veteran.  Dennis  Northstein,  Mar.  2,  '64;  mus- 
tered out  with  company,  June  29,  '65.  Francis  O'Brien, 
Sept.  27,  '64;  never  joined  company.  David  O'Connor, 
Oct.  27,  '61;  not  accounted  for,  Charles  Polland  and 
Morris  Quinn, Sept.  27,  64;  never  joined  company.  Manas- 


^^ 


<^ 


seh  Roat,  Mar.  3,  '64;  mustered  out   with  company  June 

29,  '65.  Patrick  Reiley,  Feb.  6,  '64,  and  VViiiiam  Rutt- 
man,  Mar.  2,  '64;  never  joined  company.  John  Rutter, 
Aug.  27,  '64;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  John  Rhyne;  killed 
at  Farmville,  Va.,  Apr.  7, '65.  Daniel  Raver,  Oct.  27,  '61; 
discharged.  Penrose  Sowers,  Mar.  9,  '64;  missmg  in 
action  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May  12,  '64.  Jona- 
than Smith,  Mar,  9,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  John 
B.  Smith,  Feb.  10,  '64;  missing  in  action  at  Ream's  Sta- 
tion, Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64.  Aaron  Slahr,  Mar.  2,  '64;  mus- 
tered out  with  company,  June  29,  '65.  Antonie  Shaugh, 
Feb.  10,  '64;  missing  in  action  at  Ream's  Station,  Va., 
Aug.  25,  '64.  John  Smith,  Sept.  20,  '64,  and  Patrick 
Sharkee,  Sept.  15,  '64;  never  joined  company.  Edward 
Steinbrick,  Aug.  17,  '64;  substitute;  wounded  March  25, 
'65;  discharged  June  23,  '65.  John  Sweeney,  Sept.  24, 
'61;  captured;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Nov.  27,  ^64. 
John  G.  Satorioiis,  Aug.  6,  '62;  discharged  June  i,  '65 
Alexander  Stetler,  Oct.  27,  '6r;  died.  Samuel  Shafer, 
Oct.  27,  '61;  discharged.  John  Stein,  Oct.  27,  '61;  de- 
serted, '62.  Henry  Shafer  and  Henry  Schleppy,  Oct  27, 
'61;  not  accounted  for.  A.  Shoepp,  Oct.  27,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate,  '62.  Charles  Thurbur,  Mar. 

30,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Burton  Tubbs,  Oct. 
27, '61;  not  accounted  for.  George  K.  Wilkins,  Ma.r.  30, 
'64;  absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out.  Henry  Whipple, 
Mar.  2,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at ,  muster  out.  William  Wal- 
lace, Sept.  22,  '64,  and  George  Ward,  Sept.  15,  '64; 
never  joined  company.  William  Williams,  Sept.  24,  '64; 
discharged  June  i,  '65.  Christian  Wolfe,  Aug.  22,  '64; 
substitute;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  Daniel  Washburn, 
Aug.  6,  '62;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13, 
'62;  discharged  June  i,  '65.  Edward  Wiliis,  Oct.  15,  '61; 
discharged  Nov.  2.2,  '64.  David  D.  Wilson  and  William  I. 
Worrell,  Oct.  27,  '61.  James  S.  Wells,  Oct.  27,  '61;  died 
Feb.  20, '63.  James  Washburn, '62;  died.  W.S.Walter, 
'64;  discharged  June,  '65.  Henry  Zigler,  Aug.  16,  '64; 
substitute;  mustered  out  with  company  June  29,  '65.  Paul 
Zollinger,  Mar.  2, '64;  missing  in  action  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house,  Va.,  May  12,  '64. 


NINETY-SECOND 


REGIMENT 
ALRY). 


(NINTH     CAV- 


This  organization,  which  at  first  was  called  the  Lochiel 
Cavalry,  was  recruited  during  the  summer  of  1861.  It 
consisted  of  twelve  companies,  of  which  Company  D  was 
recruited  in  Luzerne,  and  Companies  K  and  L  were  com- 
posed in  part  of  men  from  that  county.  Its  colonel,  E. 
C.  Williams,  of  Harrisburg,  was  a  veteran  of  the  Mexican 
war.  Leaving  on  the  20th  of  November,  the  regiment 
moved  via  Pittsburg  to  Louisville,  Ky. ;  reported  to  Gen- 
eral Buell  and  went  into  camp  at  Jeffersonville,  Ind. 
By  severe  drill  and  discipline  the  men  had  become  fitted 
for  the  field  by  the  next  January,  and  accordingly  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  the  front  on  Greene  river.  When 
the  army  advanced  against  Johnston  this  regiment  remained 
in  Kentucky  by  request  of  the  Legislature  and  citizens. 

In  March,  1862,  it  went  to  Tennessee,  where  its  three 
battalions  were  stationed  at  different  points,  and  the  third 
battalion  first  met  the  enemy  on  the  4th  of  May,  at  Leb- 
anon, where  a  brilliant  victory  was  achieved  over  Mor- 
gan. It  again  attacked  and  beat  him  on  the  14th  of  the 
same  month,  at  Spring  Creek.  It  was  engaged  at  Moore's 
Hill  on  the  6th  of  June,  and  at  Tompkinsville  on  the  9th 
of  July. 


In  August  the  battalions  were  united,  and  the  regiment 
was  engaged  in  scouting  and  protecting  the  people  in  Ken- 
tucky against  Morgan's  guerillas.  It  had  several  en- 
counters with  the  enemy  during  the  retreat  of  the  Union 
army  from  Richmond,  Ky.  Afterward,  at  the  battle  of 
Perryville,  it  did  excellent  service,  losing  ten  killed  and 
twenty-seven  wounded.  For  its  gallantry  in  this  action 
it  was  complimented  by  General  Buell.  It  received  fresh 
horses,  and  in  December  went  on  a  raid  in  Tennessee  to 
destroy  railroad  communication  with  Richmond.  After 
crossing  the  mountains  and  swimming  rivers  it  reached 
the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  Railroad,  vanquished  the  de- 
fending forces,  and  destroyed  the  bridges  at  Watauga  and 
Holston  rivers,  and  returned  to  Kentucky,  reaching 
Nicholasville  January  13,  1863,  two-thirds  of  the  men  be- 
ing dismounted.  It  went  to  Louisville;  thence  to  Nash- 
ville, where  it  was  remounted.  In  February  it  went  to 
Frankhn,  where  with  about  three  hundred  Michigan  cav- 
alry it  confronted  a  large  rebel  force  during  more  than 
two  weeks,  making  various  attacks  daily  and  thus  deceiv- 
ing the  enemy  concerning  the  strength  of  the  opposing 
force;  and  finally,  when  a  division  of  Union  troops  was 
captured  at  Thompson's  Station  it  brought  back  to  Frank- 
lin the  baggage  train,  artillery  and  wounded  of  the  army 
and  more  than  two  hundred  prisoners. 

Its  next  campaign  was  against  Bragg  in  Tennessee,  and 
it  was  engaged  at  Rover,  Middleton,  Shelbyville,  Elk 
river.  Cowan,  Lafayette,  Ga.,  and  at  Chickamauga.  For 
its  gallant  conduct  at  this  battle  it  was  complimented  by 
General  Thomas.  During  the  winter  of  1863  and  1864  it 
did  duty  in  East  Tennessee,  and  was  in  action  at  Dan- 
bridge,  New  Market,  Mossy  Creek  and  Fair  Garden.  It 
re-enlisted,  received  a  furlough,  was  recruited  to  full 
strength,  and  returned  to  the  field  in  May,  1864.  While 
waiting  at  Louisville  for  horses  and  arms,  the  regiment, 
armed  with  common  muskets  and  mounted  on  horses 
seized  for  the  purpose,  went  against  Morgan  and  defeated 
his  scheme  for  cutting  communication  between  Sherman 
and  his  base  of  supplies. 

In    September    it    went    to    Chattanooga,  and    thence 
across  the    mountain    to    Murfreesboro   and    Readyville 
where  it  attacked    and    defeated  a  portion   of  the   rebel 
Wheeler's  command,  taking  about  three  hundred.     The 
enemy  was  pursvied   and  finally  driven  to  the  mountains. 
The  regiment  joined  the  army  of    Sherman,  and  on   the 
14th  of  November  started  with  it  on  its  march  to  the  sea, 
under  the  command  of  General  Kilpatrick.     On  the  16th 
it  was  in  action  at  Lovejoy's  Station.     It   was   afterward 
during  this    march    engaged    at    Macon,     Bear    Creek, 
Duanesboro   and   Buckhead  Creek,  in   all   of   which   the 
enemy's    force,    though     superior,    was     beaten.      After 
reaching  Savannah,  the  cavalry  in  January,  1865,  started 
through  the  Carolinas,  and  in   its   progress   was   engaged 
near  Aiken,  and  at   Black  Stake's  Station  in  South  Caro- 
lina, and    at  Averysboro,   Bentonville, — near   Raleigh, — 
Hillsboro  and  Morrisville.    This  concluded   the  fighting 
of  the  war.     The   9th   had   the  honor  of   furfiishing  an 
escort  for  General  Sherman   when   he  went  to  negotiate 
with  Johnston  the  terms  of  surrender. 


^> 


=^^ 


^^ 


-^-: 


OFFICERS  OF   THE   NINTH   CAVALRY— COMPANY   D, 


'S' 


The  following  lists  of  portions  of  this  regiment  in 
which  Luzerne  county  was  represented  contain  (immedi- 
ately after  the  names)  the  dates  of  muster-in  and  subse- 
quent records  of  the  men  here  enrolled.  Each  man, 
unless  otherwise  stated,  was  mustered  out  with  his  regi- 
ment or  company  July  i8th,  1865. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

Colonels. — Edward  C.  Williams,  Nov.  21,  '61;  resigned 
Oct.  9,  '62.  Thomas  C.  James,  Nov.  10,  '61;  promoted 
from  lieut.  col.  Oct.  14,  '62;  died  at  Philadelphia  Jan. 
13,  '63.  Thomas  J.  Jordan,  Oct.  22,  '61;  prisoner  from 
July  9,  to  Dec.  9,  '62;  promoted  from  maj.  Jan.  13,  '63; 
brev.  brig.  gen.  Feb  25,  '65. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — George  B.  Brown,  Nov.  21,  '61; 
promoted  from  maj.  Jan.  13,  '63;  resigned  Feb.  12,  '63. 
Rosvvell  M.  Russell,  Nov.  21,  '61;  promoted  from  maj. 
Mar.  19,  '63;  resigned  Nov.  i,  'd^.  Edward  G.  Savage, 
Oct.  7,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Company  B  to  maj. 
Mar.  19,  '63;  to  lieut.  col.  May  30,  '64;  resigned  Sept. 
26,  '64.  David  H.  Kimmel,  Oct.  29,  '61;  promoted  from 
capt.  Company  H  to  maj.  May  22,  '63;  lieut.  col.  Dec. 
17,  '64. 

Majors. — Griffith  Jones,  Oct.  3,  '61;  promoted  from 
rapt.  Company  A  Jan.  13,  '63;  resigned  Dec.  2,  '63. 
John  S.  Detweiler,  Oct.  17,  '61;  promoted  from  capt. 
Company  E  March  19,  '63;  resigned  Ai)ril  2r,  '63. 
Charles  A.  Appel,  Oct.  3,  '61;  promoted  from  capt.  Com- 
pany F  Aug.  23,  '64:  captured  at  Solemn  Grove,  N.  C, 
Mar.  10,  '65;  discharged  by  special  order  May  25,  '65. 
William  H.  Longsdorf,  Oct.  26,  '61;  promoted  from  capt. 
Company  I  Aug.  23,  '64;  discharged  by  special  order 
Jan.  10,  '65.  John  M.  Porter,  Nov.  22,  '6r;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  C  Dec.  17,  '64;  resigned  May  30, 
'65.  J.  Frank  Miller,  Oct.  7,  '61;  promoted  from  capt. 
Company  K  June  23,  '65. 

Adjutant. — Thomas  A.  Nicholas,  Nov.  21,  '61;  promo- 
ted from  ist  lieut.  Company  K  May  22,  '63;  discharged 
by  special  order  June  3, '65. 

Quartermasters. —  William  H.  Eckles,  Oct.  17,  '61; 
transferred  to  Company  E  as  ist  lieut.  William  D.  Ear- 
nest, Nov.  23,  '61;  resigned  Nov.  10,  '62.  Eugene  S. 
Hendrick,  Dec.  9,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  lieut.  Com- 
pany A  May  22,  '63. 

Commissary  Sergeant. — Thomas  J.  Foose,  Oct.  3,  '61; 
promoted  from  sergt.  Company  A   May  22,  '63. 

Surgeons. — Oscar  M.  Robbins,  Nov.  4,  '61;  resigned 
Aug.  I,  '64.  S.  C.  Walker,  Aug.  4,  '62;  promoted  from 
ass't  surg.  Aug.  22,  '64. 

Assistant  Stirgeo7is. — John  M.  Junkin,  Nov.  4, '61;  pro- 
moted to  surg.  56th  Pa.,  Oct.  i,  '(-2.  Rhodes  S.  Sutton, 
Mar.  17,  '(>2i\  resigned  January  5,  '64.  James  Moore, 
Sept.  8,  '64:  wounded  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  Apr.  12,  '65; 
discharged  by  special  order  May  27,  '65.  William  Rice, 
Apr.  9,  '65. 

Chaplains. — Edmund  M'Kinney,  Nov.  22,  '61;  resigned 
July  26,  '64. 

Vete'inary  Surgeons. — Charles  W.  Sherman,  Dec.  9,  '61; 
promoted  from  private  Company  E  Jan.  23,  '65.  D.  L. 
Echternach,  Dec.  9,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Nov.  25,  'bT,- 

Sergeant  Majors. — Cyrus  S.  Marks,  Oct.  7,  '61;  promo- 
ted from  private  ('ompany  B  July  i,  '64;  veteran.  I.  Lloyd, 
Jan.  10,  '62;  promoted  from  private  Company  I  Jan.  10, 
'62;  lieut.  Company  L  Apr.  3,  '62.  Charles  Coglizer, 
Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  Company  L  Apr. 
8,  '62;  2nd  lieut.  Company  C  August  8,  '62.  Nathan  W. 
Horton,  Oct.  29,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  Company  H 
Aug.  8,  '61;  2nd  lieut.  Company  C  May  22,  '65.    Isaac  D. 


Landis,  Oct.  29,  '61;  i)romoted  from  sergt.  Company  H 
May  23,  '63;  2nd  lieut.  Company  H  July  i,  '64;  veteran. 
Marshall  H.  Lentz,  Nov,  21,  '61;  promoted  from  Q.  M. 
sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Company  H,  June  7,  '62. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Henry  Kroh,  Oct.  3,  '6  r ; 
promoted  from  sergt.  Cou.pany  A  Feb.  24,  '64;  veteran. 
Augustus  L.  Krom,  Oct.  26,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Dec.  5,  (it,.  Thoph's  J.  Mountz,  Oct.  29,  '61; 
promoted  from  ist  sergt.  Company  H  June  7,  '62;  2nd 
lieut.  Company  E  Aug  8,  '62. 

Commissary  Sergeants.— ^MzhaxA  F.  Martz,  Oct.  7,  '61. 
promoted  from  sergt.  Company  B  May  20,  '(55;  veteran; 
John  W.  Wyeth,  Oct.  17,  '61;  promoted  from  priv.  Com- 
pany E  Jan.  T,  '64;  2nd  lieut.  Company  L  June  30,  '64; 
veteran.  Jacob  Coller,  Oct.  17,  '61;  promoted  from 
sergt.  Company  K  June  i,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Company  E 
May  19,  '65;  veteran.  David  H.  Miller,  Oct.  3,  ''61; 
transferred  to  Company  A  June  1 1,  '(sT). 

Hospital  Stewards. — Jacob  F.  Day,  May  27,  '64;  pro- 
moted from  priv.  Comjianv  H  May  28,  '64.  Augustus 
Ebert,  Oct.  3,  '61;  promoted  from  priv.  Company  A 
Jan.  I,  '65;  veteran.  Napoleon  Saulnier,  Nov.  23,  '61; 
discharged  Dec.  24,  '64. 

Saddler. — Henry  Messner,  Oct.  7,  '61;  promoted  from 
saddler  Company  B  Jan.  13,  '65;  veteran. 

IVagon  Master. — Samuel  Hogdon,  Nov.  21,  '61;  not 
accounted  for. 

Chief  Buglers. — S.  Kingsborough,  Oct.  26,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  bugler  Comi^any  I  Jan.  i,  '64.  Peter  A. 
Mowers,  Nov.  20,  '61;  discharged  *on  Lurg's  certifica'e 
Nov.  25,  '63.  Hampton  C.  Stevens,  Oct.  17,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  Company  E;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Nov.  14,  '62. 

COMPANY    D. 

This  company  was  recruited  in  Luzerne  county.  A 
large  proportion  of  its  members  were  mustered  in  on  the 
15th  of  October,  1861,  and  to  avoid  repetition  that  date 
is  omitted. 

Officers. — Captains — Jacob  Bertles;  resigned  Aug.  7, 
'62.  Michael  O'Reilly;  promoted  from  ist.  lieut.  Aug. 
8,  '62.  ist  lieuts. — George  Smith;  promoted  from  2nd 
lieut.  Sept.  8,  '62;  capt.  Company  L  Sept.  i,  '63.  Christo- 
pher Walthers;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  from  Company  L 
May  30,  '64.  2nd  lieuts. — Louis  Praetorius;  resigned 
Oct.  31,  '62.  David  R.  P.  Barry;  Oct.  24,  '61;  promoted 
from  sergt.  Company  M  May  22,  '63;  resigned  ]uly  24, 
'64  Frederick  Smith;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  May  19, 
'65;  veteran,  ist  sergt. — Jacob  Hassler;  promoted  from 
sergt.  May  20,  '65;  veteran.  Q.  M.  sergt. —  lohn 
Sorber;  promoted  Q.  M.  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran; 
Sergts. — Cornelius  Reilly,  Benjamin  Dunn,  William  H. 
Lape  and  William  T.  Smith;  promoted  sergts,  Jan.  1,  '64; 
veterans.  Philip  Rineman;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '65. 
veteran.  James  Brady;  promoted  sergt.  May  20,  '65; 
veteran.  Joseph  Byrne  ;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64. 
Elijah  Conner;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Feb.  15,  '64,  John  D.  Sutliff;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  May  10,  '62.  Frederick  Gick;  died  at 
Franklin,  Tenn,,  May  3,  '63.  Corps. — Bernhard 
Lehm,  Oct.  31,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '64;  ab- 
sent in  hospital  at  muster  out;  veteran.  Adam  Fraley; 
promoted  corp.  May  i,  '64;  prisoner  from  Oct.  12,  '64, 
to  Apr.  29, '65;  veteran.  Thomas  J.Turpin,  Oct.  31, '61; 
promoted  corp.  May  i,'64;  veteran.  Joseph  Sittig;  ])ro- 
moted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '65;  veteran.  Sylvester  Masters; 
promoted  corp.  Jan,  r,  '64;  veteran.  Alexander  Keith- 
line;  promoted  corp.  May  20,  '65;  veteran.  Abraham 
Fraenthal;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.  William  Fleshman; 
discharged    on    surg's    certificate    Aug.  22,  '62.     George 


4h 


152 


HISTORY  OF  I.UZERNE  COUNTY. 


Fritz;  discharged  on  siirg's  certif.cate  May  3,  '63.  James 
Peters;  discliaVged  June  12,  '65;  veteran.  John  Reilly; 
captured  Aug.  26,  '62;  prisoner  from  Oct.  12,  '64,  to  Apr. 
21,  '65;  discharged  June  15  to  date  May  19,  '6s;  vete 
ran.  John  Bowman,  Sept.  8,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  July  30,  '63.  Frederick  SchneHnach,  Oct. 
31,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Nov.  15, 
■63.  Buglers— Frederick  Koppler;  promoted  bugler  Oct. 
31,  '64;  veteran.  Lewis  Hetchler;  promoted  bugler  Jan. 
I,  '65;  veteran.  John  Bertles;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Feb.  15, '64.  Saddlers — Michael  Long,  Sept.  22, 
'64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  T'lcob  Young,  Oct.  31, '6  r; 
killed  at  Averysboro,  N.  C,  "Mar.  16,  '65.  Farriers- 
George  Obitz;  prisoner  from  Sept.  10,  '64,  to  Mar.  15, 
'65;  discharged  June  12,  '65;  veteran.  Simon  Shoe- 
maker; died  at  Stevenson,  Ala'.,  Oct.  5,  '63.  Blacksmiths 
— Jacob  Liddick,  Aug.  31,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65. 
Isaiah  Vandermark;  discharged  Mar.  24,  '64. 

Privates. — William    W.    Allen,    Oct.    3r,    '61;  veteran. 
Jacob   Andrew,   May   26,  '64.     Stephen   Allen,    Dec.  31, 
'61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate   Dec.  20,  '62.     Den- 
nison  Arnold;  discharged  on   surg's  certificate  June   10, 
'64.     James   Atherton;  discharged   on   surg's   certificate 
Aug.    22,  '62.     Edward  Avery,    Sept.    8,   '62;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.     John   Bauer,    iMar.   27,  '64.     James  Boyd; 
veteran.     Thomas  Boyd;  captured  Sept.  17,  '63;  died  at 
Andersonville,  Ga.,  May  23,  '64.     Joseph  Burns,  Oct.  13, 
'64;  discharged  July  7,  '65.     Noah  Brinly,  Sept.  29,   '64; 
discharged  May  29,  '65.     Tohn  Broorabauch,  Sept.  2,  '64; 
discharged  May  29,  'b^.     Martin  Burst,  Mar.  i,  '62;   dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate   Mar.    II,    '65.      L.    Barden- 
merper,  Nov.  13, '61;  killed  accidentally  at  Lebanon,  Ky., 
Dec.  6, '62.  William  Bauers,  Jan.  8,  '64;  killed  near  Winns- 
boro,  S.  C.,  Feb.  21,  '62.    John  Batherton;  deserted  June 
2,  '62.     August   Baker;    deserted   June    12,  '62.     George 
Bowman;  deserted  Jan.  20.  '63.     Samuel  Crook,  May  28, 
'64.      James    Coleman,    Oct.   4,    '64;  never  joined  com- 
pany.    Thomas   Cook;  discharged  May   29,  '65.     James 
Coursen;    transferred  to  veteran   reserve    corps  Apr.  15, 
'64.     James  Croop;  died   at  Jeffersonville,  Ind.,  Jan.   13, 
'62.     Jonathan  Croop;  died  at  Litchfield,  Ky..    Mar.   22, 
'62.      James  Dowlingly,  Oct.    28,  '64;  never  joined  com- 
]")any.     Charles   Deetz,  May  27,  '64;  prisoner  from  Oct. 
12,  '64,  to  Apr.  28,  '65;  discharged  June  7,  to  date   May 
18,  '65.     Ira  Durland;  discharged    on   surg's   certificate 
Mar.    I,  '64.     John   Dowling,  Sept.    8,   '62;  wounded  at 
Averysboro,  N.  C,  May  16,  '65;  discharged  May  29,  '65. 
Thomas  Dumm,  Sept.  2,  '64;  prisoner  from  Oct.  12,   '64, 
to  Apr.  28,  '65;  di' charged  June  5,  to  date  May    18,   '65. 
John  Delany;  transferred  to  Co.  K  Dec.  9, '61.    Solomon 
Dunkle,  Sept.  22, '64;  killed  near  Winnsboro,  S.  C,  Feb.  12, 
'65.  George  W.  Eslinger,  Feb.  2, '64;  never  joined  company. 
John    English,  Oct.  26,  '63.      Joseph  W.  Evitts,  Sept.  22, 
'64;   died    at   Savannah,   Ga.,    Jan.    10,    '65.      William  H. 
Fisher,  Oct.  i,  '64;  discharged  July  18,  '65.     James  Far- 
rell,    Sept.   8,   '62;    discharged   May  29,  '65.     Samuel  S. 
Fastnacht,  Mar.  24,  '64;  discharged   on   surg's  certificate 
May  8,  '65.     Frederick   Fritz,   Sept.   15,  '64;  discharged 
May  2y,   '65.     John    Farron;  deserted   Oct.    7,    '63.     R. 
Fenstermacher;  deserted   Oct.  7,  '(>2,.     Lewis  Foust;  de- 
serted Jan.  14,  '62.     Franklin  Frazer;  deserted  Sept.  14, 
'62.     Reed    Garringer,    June    28,    '63.      Noah    Grimley, 
Sept.    24,    '64;  never  joined    company.      George   Gettis, 
May  27,  '64;  discharged    May   31,   '65,     David    Gracey, 
Sept.    22,    '64;    discharged    May  29,  '65.     Isaac   Grace, 
Sept.    22,    '64;    discharged  May  29,  '65.     Jacob  George; 
discharged    on    surg's   certificate   Nov.   6,    '62.     George 
Grukey,  Nov.  13,  '61;  deserted   Nov.  14,  '61.     Valentine 
Hass,  May  27,  '64.     Anthony  Haake,  Oct.  24,  '64.     John 
F.    Hanle,   Oct.   5,   '64;  substitute;  discharged   Aug.  20, 
'65.     Granville  Harper,  June   ro,  '64.     Frank  Helraansi 


veteran.       Frederick     Haiiss,     Nov.     15,     '0i;     veteran. 
Henry  Holsclaw,  Aug.  8,  '64.     Henry  H.  Hand,  Aug.  18, 
'64;  wounded   at   Averysboro,    N.   C,  Mar.  i6,  '65;  dis- 
charged May  29,  '65.     W.  J.  Hartzell,  Oct.   12.   '63;  dis- 
charged Aug.  14,  '65.     Jacob  Haynes,  Sept.  22,  '64;   dis- 
charged   May   29,    '65.     Edward    Hughes,   Sept.  28,  '62; 
prisoner  from  Mar.  3  to  Apr.  2,  '65;  discharged  June  12, 
'65.     Anthony  Heredo;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.     Nathan 
Herrick;  killed   at   Lafayette,  Ga.,  Oct.  12,  '64;  veteran. 
Wilson  Haynes,  Sept.  22,  '64;  died   at   Philadelphia,  Pa., 
May  12,  '65.     William  H.  Haynes;  deserted  July  24,  '64. 
Daniel    InonI,  June  8,  '64;    transferred    to    ist  regiment 
Maryland  cavalry,  Oct.  22,  '64.     Jackson    Jennings,  Dec. 
29,  '64;  absent,  sick,  at    muster   out.     Lewis    R.    Jones, 
Mar.    r,    '64;    killed    at    Lafayette,    Ga.,    Oct.    12,    '64. 
Zacharias   Jones,  Mar.    15,  '62;   died   at    Louisville,    Ky., 
June  15,  '63.     Charles  Klein,  May  27,  '64;  prisoner  from 
Oct.    12,  '64,    to    May    2,   '65;    discharged    July    17,  '65. 
Patrick   Knole,   veteran.     John    Kepperle,  Sept.    12,  '64; 
discharged    May  29,  '65.     Charles   Ketchen;   discharged 
May   29,   '65.     George   Keller,    Oct.   31,   '61;   discharged 
Dec.    24,   '64.     Frank   B.   Kinneard,    Sept.    17,   '64;   dis- 
charged  June    23,    '65.      Hugh  G.   Krise,    Sept.    2,    '64; 
discharged    May    29,   '65.     Charles    Kaiser,   Oct.    i,  '62; 
captured;    died,    '64.     Lewis    Kern;    died    at    Nashville, 
Tenn,  Oct.  7,  '63.     Jacob  Keller,  Nov.   13,  '61;  deserted 
Nov.    14,  '6f.     John    Kennedy;    deserted    May   25,  '65. 
Joseph    Keller;    deserted.     John    Lutz,    veteran.      John 
Lyons,    Oct.    23,   61;   discharged    Dec.  24,  '64.     Michael 
Leonard;  transferred   to  Company   K   Oct.  20,  '61.     An- 
drew   Lape;    died    at    Springfield,    Tenn.,    Apr.    16,   '62. 
Frederick  Loeffler;  died  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,   Dec.  25,  '61. 
James    Murrell,    Sept.    7,    '64;    never '  joined    company. 
William  Masters;   jjrisoner  from  Dec.    4,  '64,    to    Mar.  i, 
'65;  discharged  June  12,  '65;  veteran.     Frederick  Miller; 
discharged    Dec.    24,    '64.       Vinzenz    Munzer;    prisoner 
from  Oct.  12,  '64,  to   Apr.  28,  '65;   discharged  June  7  to 
date  May  18,  '65;  veteran.     Daniel  Masaker,  Mar.  i,  '64; 
killed  at  Lafayette,  Ga.,  Oct.    12,  '64.     William  Madden, 
Oct.   31,  '61;   deserted   Sept.    14,   '62.      Alexander  Mor- 
rison. Apr,  25,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.     John  M'Gee, 
veteran.     Anthony  B.  M'Curdy,  Sept.  2.?,  '64;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.     Abner  M'Donald,  Sept.  2,  '64;   discharged 
May  29,  '65.     John  M'Donnall;  discharged  Jan.  31,  '62. 
Joseph     M'Donnall  ;     discharged     on    surg's    certificate 
Sept.    25,    '64.      Thomas     M'Clusky;     discharged     Dec. 
24,  '64.     Thomas  M'Crey;   deserted    July   i,   '62.     Peter 
Newhard;    deserted    Jan,    10,    '26;    returned    Aug.    '()t,. 
Michael  Neil,  Sept.  22,  '64;  discharged    July  28,  to  date 
July  18,  '65.     John  Obel;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Nov.  6,  '62.     John  Obitz;  not  on  muster  out  roll.     Ran- 
dolph   L.    Pease,    Oct.   31,    '6i;  veteran.     Patrick  Paul, 
Mar,  30,  '64,     John  Piles,  Sept.  22,'  64;  discharged  May 
29,  '65.     Harvey  Remington,  Dec.  29,  '64.    Isaiah  Reechy, 
Sept.    28,  '64;  discharged    May    29,    '65.     George   Rice; 
discharged    Oct.    26,  '64.     James    Raub;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  June  5,  '65.     James  Reilly,  Sept.  8,  '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  20,  '63.     Loren- 
zo Reilly,  Oct.  31,  '6r;   died  at   Stevenson,  Ala.,    Oct.   7, 
'63.     John   Ryan,  Sept.  22,  '64;  died    near    Columbia,  S. 
C.,  Feb.  18,  '65.     Lorenzo    Ruggles;  deserted    Sept.    14, 
'62.     Henry    Royce,    Oct   5, -'64;  deserted    Apr.    12,  '65. 
William    Snyder,   June  28,  '63;  discharged    Aug.  26,  '65. 
Bloomfield  Sutliff;  absent,  sick,  at    muster    out;  veteran. 
Stephen  H.  Sutliff,  May  27,  '64,     James  Stevenson,  Feb, 
2,  '64,     Nathan   Sharp    and    John    Smith,    Sept,   22,  '64; 
discharged  May  29,  '65.     Theodore    Snyder   and   Daniel 
Sorber,  Sept,  8, '62;  discharged  May  29, '65.     John  Stew- 
art, Sept,  22,  '64;   discharged    May  29,  '65.     William   H. 
Stout,  Mar,  22,  '64;  wounded  at  Averysboro,  N,  C,    Mar, 
16,  '65;  discharged    on    surg's    certificate    May    20,    '65! 


^> 


Hh 


COMPANY  K,   NINETY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


153 


Jacob    Shetter,    Sept.    22,    '64;    discharged    on    surg's 
certificate    May   31,    '65;    died    at   Wilmington,    N.    C. 
Henry  Shweizer,  May  27,  '64;    prisoner   from  Oct.   12, 
'64,  to  Apr.  21,  '65;  discharged  June  15,  to  date  May 
19,  '65.     Hermon   Searles;  discharged    on   surg's  certifi- 
cate  Aug.   22,  '62.     Nathan    Sorber,  Sept.  8,  '62;  trans- 
ferred   to    veteran    reserve    corps    Dec.    20,  '63.     John 
Scott;    killed     at    Bowling    Green,     Ky.,    June     i,    '62. 
Charles     Shultze;     died     at     Springfield,    Tenn.,    Apr. 
10,    '62.      Franklin     Snyder;     deserted     Sept.     14,     '62. 
William  Smith,  May  27,  '64;  deserted  Oct.  20,  '64.    Ezra 
Tooney,  Oct.    8,    '64.     William   Thomas;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Aug.  22,  '62.     William  Thompson,  May 
31,  '64;  killed  at    Lafayette,    Ga.,   Oct.    12,   '64.     James 
Thearney;  died  at  Evansville,  Ind.,  June  10,  '63.   Patrick 
Tye,  Sept.  8,  '62;  died  at    Stevenson,   Ala.,   Sept.  30,  '63. 
Henry  Walters,  Feb.  2,  '64.       Edward  and  William  Wal- 
ters, Feb.  2,  '64;  absent  on   detached   service   at   muster 
out.     Albert  Williams,    Feb.  2,  '64;   wounded  at  Averys- 
boro,  N.  C,  Mar.  16,  '65.       Joseph  Wagner,  Oct.  31,  '61; 
discharged  Dec.    24,   '64.     Nathan   Walp,    Sept.   15,    '64, 
Thomas  Williams,   Sept.  8,  '62,   and  George  Winerman, 
Sept.  22,  '64;  discharged  May,  29,   '65.   William  Waddel, 
Sept.  8,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran   reserve   corps   Dec. 
25,  '63.     Peter  Wentzel;   transferred  to    veteran  reserve 
corps  Dec.  20,  '6^.    John  Wheeler,  Oct.  14,  '64;  wounded 
at  Waynesboro,  Ga.,  Dec.  4,  '64;  discharged  Aug.  10,  to 
date    July   18,     '65.     Anton  Yoachim;   veteran.     James 
Young;  deserted   Sept.   14,   '62;  returned    June    12,  '64; 
discharged  Mar..  8,  '65.    Henry  Zeigler,  May  27,  '64;  dis- 
charged July  18,  '65.     Philip   Zimmer,  May  27,  '64;  dis- 
charged June  12,  '65. 

COMPANY  K. 

Officers. — Capts. — Joseph]  Phillips,  Nov.    21,    '61;     re- 
signed  Dec.  10,  '61.     Henry  Reemsnyder,   Oct.   19,  '61; 
promoted   from   ist   lieut.   Company   F  Feb.    i,    '62;  re- 
signed Oct.  14,   '62.     J.  Frank   Miller,    Oct.  7,  '61;  pro- 
moted from    ist  lieut.  Company  C    May  22,  'dy,  to    maj. 
June  23,  '65.     ist  lieut. — Douglass  Edwards,  Nov.  31,  '61; 
resigned  January  13,  '62.     Thomas   A.  Nichols,  Nov.  21, 
'61;  promoted  from  sergt.  maj.  Aug.  8,  '62;  adj.  May  22, 
'63.     Theophilus  J.  Mountz,  Oct.  29, '61;  promoted  from 
2nd  lieut.  Company  E  May  22,  '63;  killed  at  Dandridge, 
Tenn.,  Dec.  24,  '63;  buried  at  Knoxville;  grave  3.     Wil- 
liam Guyer,  Oct.  29,  61;  promoted  from   1st  sergt.   Com- 
pany H,  to  2nd  lieut.  May  26,  '63;   ist  lieut.  July   i,  '64; 
capt.  June  16,  '65;  not  mustered.     2nd  lieuts. — John  O. 
Grady,  Oct.  23,  '61;  promoted  to   ist    lieut.  Company  B 
May   23,  '63.     Joseph    D.  Thomas,  Sept.   18,    '61;  pro- 
moted from  private  Company  M  Aug.  26,  '64;  discharged 
May    22,    '64;  veteran.      ist    sergts. — William    Wheeler, 
Oct.  23,  '61;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Sept.  23,  '62; 
ist  sergt.  Aug.  20,  '64;   ist  lieut.   June    16,  '65;  not  mus- 
tered; veteran.     John  G.  Harlow,  Nov.  24,  'Or;  deserted 
Dec.   13,  '62.     Sergts. — William  Kelly,  Oct.  23,  '61;  vet- 
eran.    Wilham    E.   Sayers,  Oct.  23,  '61;  promoted  corp. 
May  I,  '62;  sergt.  Apr.  i,  '64;  veteran.     John    F.  Burke, 
Oct.  23,  '61,  commissioned   2nd   lieut.  June   16,   '65;  not 
mustered;    veteran.      Daniel    Carmitchel,   Oct.    23,    '61; 
promoted  from  corp.  May  i,  '64;  veteran.     George  Dowd, 
Oct.  23,  '61;   promoted  corp.  Oct.  '63;  sergt.  May  i,  '64; 
veteran.     Chas.  H.  Sayers,  May  27,  '64;  captured  at  Gris- 
vvoldville,  Ga.,    Nov.  22,    '64;    discharged    July    17,  '65. 
George  Biggs,  May  27,  '64;  promoted  sergt.  May  20,  65. 
Luke  White,  Oct.    23,    '6i;     discharged     Dec,    24,     '64. 
Corporals — Samuel  Bowman,  Oct.  16,  '61;    promoted  to 
corp.  June  10,  '64;  captured  near   Monticello,   Ga.;  vet- 
eran.    Edward  Kenny,  Oct.    23,    '61;    wounded  at  Gris- 
woldville,  Ga.,  Nov.  22,  '64;  veteran.     William  Ganigan, 


Jan.  7,  '64;  promoted  to  corp.  May  i,  '65.  Reuben  Bix- 
ler,  Aug.  17,  '64;  discharged  May  29, '65.  John  Keegan, 
Sept.  15,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  15,  '64;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.  Henry  Shaffner,  Aug,  9,  '64;  promoted 
corp.  Aug.  21,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  John  Caff- 
rey,  Oct,  23,  '61;  deserted  July  10,  '62.  William  Eagan, 
Nicholas  Sheridan  and  John  \Villiams,  Oct.  23,  '6i;'de- 
serted  Dec.  12,  '62.  Saddler,  Peter  M'Grath,  Oct  23^  '61; 
promoted  farrier  Jan.  i,  '63;  veteran.  Farriers— Thomas 
Smith,  Nov.  16,  '61;  deserted  Dec.  15,  '62.  Blacksmiths 
—Charles  R,  Gilbert,  June  2t',  '64;  promoted  blacksmith 
May  2Q,  '65.  Samuel  Goodman,  Aug.  31,  '64;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.  James  M'Gill,  Oct.  23,  '6r,  died  at  Meri- 
dianville,  Ala.,  [uly  20,  '63.  Buglers— Frank  A.  Hower, 
May  27,  '64.  John  Crininiins,  Aug.  30.  '64.  Edmund 
Fibher,  Oct.  23,  '61;  deserted  Dec.  13,  '62. 

Priviiics. — John   S.  Aver,   May    23,    '64;  never  joined 
company.     Peter  Agnew,  Aug.  16,    '64;  discharged   May 


23,  '65,     Ross  Ashton,  Sept.  5, 

'65.       Edward      Baker,    Oct.   2 

Burns,  May  27 

discharged  Mav 

discharged  May 

discharged  May 

discharged  May 

discharged   May 

discharijed    Dec 


'64;  discharged  May  23, 


■64. 
29, 

29, 

29,  '65- 
29>  '65- 
29>   '65- 
24,  '64. 


61;  veteran.      James 
John  H.   Bachman,   Sept.    25,  '64; 
'65.  Augustus  Bahney,  Aug.  30,  '64; 
65.     Byron    Bensing,    Sept.   24,  '64; 
Jacob   Beachler,  Aug.    10,  '64; 
Jacob    S.  Bitner,  Aug.  15,  '64; 
John    Brubaker,   Oct.    7,  '61; 
James  P.    Burr,    Nov.  21,  '6  [ ; 
died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan.  17,  '64.  John   Booth,  Sept. 
6,  '64;  died  at  New  York   Apr.   16,    '65.     Thomas  Best- 
ford,  Oct.  31,  '61;  deserted   Dec.  13,  '62.     James   Burke, 
Oct.  31,  '61;  deserted  Nov.  i,  '62.     James   Butler,  R.  T. 
Bliss,  G.  T.   Britton   and  James  P.   Bird,    '61;  deserted. 
Isaac  Carroll,  Oct.    23,  '61;  veteran.     John    Carmitchel, 
Oct.   23,  '61;  deserted  Oct.,    '62;  returned   Nov.  15,  '64; 
discharged  Aug.  i,  '65.     Robert  Carmitchel,  Mar.  16,  '64. 
William  L.  Chtlcoat,  Feb.   25,    '64.     Almeron   Chapman, 
Sept.  17,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     Gsorge  Clements, 
Sept.  6,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     George   W.  Craig, 
Oct.   23,   '61;  killed  at  Dandridge,    Tenn.,   Jan.    t6,   '64. 
Bennett  Craig;  killed  at -Griswoldville,  Ga.,  Nov.  22,  '64. 
Samuel    G.  Chilcoat,    Feb.   25,    '64;  died   at    Whiteside, 
Tenn.,  July  7,  '64.     James  Cawley,  Oct.  31,  '61;  deserted 
Dec.     12,    '62.      John    Coleman,    Oct.    23,   '61;  deserted 
Nov.   15,     '62.     Freman   Cosier  and  John  Coleman;  de- 
serted.    George  F.  Drumm,  Mar.  23,  '64.       Lewis  Davis 
Aug.  15,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     Wesley  Douglass, 
Sept.    7,     '64;  discharged   May     29,   '65.       Theodore  C. 
Dechant,  Oct.    7,   '61;  discharged  Dec.    24,  '64.     Patrick 
Donnelly  Oct.  23,  '61;  discharged  on    surg's  certificate. 
Patrick  Duffy, '61 ;  discharged.     Thomas    F.  Davis,  Oct. 
23,  '61;  deserted  Jan.  14,  '62.     John  Daley,  Oct.  23,  '61; 
deserted  Dec.  12,    '62.     John  Delany,  Oct.   15,    '61;  de- 
serted Dec.    12,  '62.     Francis  Dillen,    Oct.    23,  '61;  de- 
serted Dec.  II,  '62.     John  Dovod,  '61;  deserted.    Abner 
Eisenhower,  Aug.  15, '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.   David 
1'.    English,    Sept.    17,    '64;    discharged    May    29,    '65. 
Thomas  Flannery,  May  27,  '64;  discharged  July   10,  '65. 
Richard   Freney,  May   27,  '64;   discharged   July    10,  '65. 
William  Fahs,  Sept.  16,  '64,  and  James  Freeman,  Aug.  9, 
'64;  dischargedMay  29,  '65.     Daniel  S.  Feidt  and  Sam- 
Patrick   Flood,  Oct.  23,   '61. 
'61,  and   Thomas   Foy,   Oct. 
'64.     James  Flynn,  Nov.  16, 
Howard   B.   Fuller,         '61; 
John    Geesy,    Mar.    22,    '64. 


uel  Fetterholf,  Oct.  7,  '6r 
Thomas  VV,  Flynn,  Oct.  31, 
23,  '61;  discharged  Dec.  24, 
'61;  deserted   Nov.  15,  '62. 
not    on    muster-out   roll. 


Eli  Gallagher,  Feb.  20,  '64;  wounded  at  Griswoldville, 
Ga.,  Nov.  22,  '64;  discharged  June  9,  '65.  John  M. 
Grove,  Sept.  5,  '65;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  John  K. 
Grinley,  Aug.  30,  '64;  wounded  at  Griswoldville,  Ga., 
Nov.  22,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  Charles  Gregory 
and   Martin   Grady,   Oct.   23,   '61;  discharged  on   surg's 


■4h 


154 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Aavon 

N.  C, 

Hem- 

and 


certificate  Mar.    25,   '63.     Peter   Galligan,   Oct.   23,  '6r; 
discharged  on   surg's  certificate   Dec,    '62.      Edwin  M. 
Goodwin,  Nov.  16,  '61;  discharged   on   surg's   certificate 
Mar.  14,  '63.     Erancis  Garner,   Oct.  23,  '61;  discharged 
Dec.  24,  '64.     Thomas  Gilbert,  Oct.  23,  '61;  died  at   Ba- 
con Creek,   Ga.,   Mar.    10,  '62.     Abraham    Garnett,  Oct. 
23,  '61;  deserted  Apr.    16,  '62.     Lewis   Cableman,   Nov. 
16,     '61;      deserted.       John      Howley,      May      10,    '64. 
John     M.     Hosick,     Oct.    31,     '61.        John     G.     Hart- 
man,     Oct.     7,     '61;     discharged    Dec.  24,  '64.       Philip 
Hahn,   Aug.    24,  '64;     discharged  May    23,   '65,     Irving 
Howard,  Sept.    18,  '64;  discharged   June   8,  '65. 
Hoffman,  Sept.  25,  '64;  wounded  at   Averysboro, 
Mar.  14,  '65;  discharged  May  29,  '64.     Luther  E 
ler     and     John      P.     Humphries,    Sept.     6,     '64, 
Lyman    Humes,  Aug.     15,    '64;     discharged     May     29, 
'65.       Samuel      Hines,      Nov.       10,     '61;      discharged 
on     surg's     certificate     '62.       Jahiel     Huff,      Sept.     5, 
'64;  wounded  at   Griswoldville,   Ga.,  Nov.   22,   '64;    dis- 
charged May  29,  '65.     John    Harris,   Feb.    17,    62;    died 
at   Danville,   Ky.,    July   19,  '62,  of    wounds    received  in 
action.     Hugh  R.  Hughes,  Oct.  31,  '61;  deserted.     Solo- 
mon   Hampson,    Feb.    25,    '64;  never   joined    company, 
Michael  Hollahan,  May   26,    '64;  deserted  Jan.    24,    '65. 
Charles  P.  Houser,  Nov.   22,   '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Joseph  Jones,  Oct.  23,  '61;  captured   at  Fayetteville,    N. 
C,  Mar.  10,  '65;  discharged  July  6,   '65;  veteran.     John 
Judge,  Oct.  23, '61;  Jonathan  Jellison,  Nov.  16,  '61;  and 
William  A.  Junk,  Oct.   7,  '61;    discharged   Dec.   24,   '64. 
John  G.  Jones,  Oct.  23,  '61;  killed  at  Dandridge,  Tenn., 
Jan.  10,  '64.     William  Jones,  July  3,  '62;  died  at  Shield's 
Mills,   Tenn.,   Apr.    13,    '65.     Robert   L.  Johnson,    May 
27,    '64;    never   joined    company.      James    Jones,     '61; 
not    on    muster    out    roll.      John    Jeremiah,    deserted. 
Hugh  Kenny,  May  9,  '64;    absent,  with  leave,  at   muster 
out.     Jacob   Kissinger,   Feb.    25,    '64.     Samuel    Klinger, 
Sept.  20,  '64;    Henry    Kline,    Aug.    ig,   '64;    and    David 
Kichline,    Aug.    17,    '64;    discharged    May  29,  '65.      H. 
Klingensmith,  Nov.   16,   '61;   discharged;    veteran.     Pat- 
rick Kerrigan,    Oct.    23,   '61;    discharged   Dec.   24,   '64. 
Michael  Kelly,  Oct.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Mar.  10,  '64;  died  Mar.  ij,  '64.     Jonathan  Koenig, 
Nov.  16,  '61;  deserted.     Jacob   F.    Lantz,   Feb.   24,    '64. 
William  Learch,  Nov.  24,   '61;    discharged    Dec.   24,  '64. 
Michael  Leonard,  Oct.   15,  '61;  captured;  paroled;  dis- 
charged   June    13,    '65;    veteran.      Michael    Lonarrigan, 
Aug.  16,    '64;    discharged    May    29,    '65.     John    Logue, 
Oce.  23,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps.     John 
Lyons,  Oct.   23,   '61;    transferred  to  Company  D.     John 
La    France,    '61 ;     deserted.       James    D.    Miller,    Aug. 
15,   '64;    discharged    May    29,    '65.     Harmon   F.    Mor- 
gan,   Oct.     23,    '61;    discharged    on    surg's    certificate. 
Hugh  Murphy,  Oct.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate '62.     Joseph    T.   Millhouse,  Aug.   15,   '64;    died    at 
Blair's    Landing,    S.   C,  Apr.    i,  '65.     Oliver   Muchless, 
Nov.  16,  '6r;   deserted   Jan.    20,   '63.     Thomas   Murphy, 
Sept.  8,  '64;  deserted  Oct.  26,  '64.     Jacob  A.  Moltz,  Feb. 
9,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.     Amos  M'Colly,  Feb.  24, 
'64.     John   M'Nulty,  Oct.  23,  '61;  deserted  Dec.  13,  '62; 
returned    May   23,  '64.     John    M'Cormick,  Sept.    7,    '64. 
discharged   May   29,  '65.     Martin    M'Cormick,   Oct.    23, 
'61;  dishonorably  discharged.     John   M'Conologue,  Oct. 
31,    '61;   discharged   Nov.    14,   '64.      Jeremiah    M'Carty, 
Oct.  31,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps.    James 
M'Alroy,  June  5,  '63;  died  Nov.  23,  '64.    James  M'Nulty, 
Nov.  16,  '61;  deserted  Dec.  13,  '61.     Anthony  M'Guinn, 
Mar.  30,  '64;  never  joined  company.     John  Nealis,  Mav 
9,  '64.     Owen  O'Boyle,  Oct.  23,  '61;  discharged  Dec.  24, 
'64.     William  O'Toole,  Nov.  24, '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate,  Aug.  6,  '62;  William  R.  Osborn,  Feb.  19,  '64; 
transferred  to  Company  E.     Albert  Parker,  Sept.  6,  '64; 


discharged   May  29,-65.     Daniel   Phillips,   Nov.  i6>   ^i; 
absent  on   furlough  at  muster  out.     John   Preston,  Oct. 

23,  '61;  deserted  Dec.  25,  '62.  William  Ressinger, 
Oct.  4,  '64;  discharged  Aug.  26,  '65.  John  F. 
Reinoehl,  Feb.  22,  '64;  absent  with  leave  at  mus- 
ter out.  John.  F.  Roberts,  Michael  Reap  and  William 
Richards,  '61;  deserted.  Samuel  Shaffer,  Nov.  16, 
'61;  veteran.  Henry  Schrolls,  Sept.  12,  '64;  captured 
at  Griswoldville,  Ga.,  Nov.  22,  '64.  William  Shields,  ab- 
sent in  confinement  at  muster  out.  John  H.  Serf,  Oct. 
17,  and  William  Sheets,  Aug.  9,  '64;  discharged  May  29, 
'65.  John  Stoers,  Dec.  31,  '61;  discharged.  Andrew  J. 
Stabler,  Aug.  15,  '64;  discharged  June  26,  '65.  James 
H.  Stevens,  Feb.  19,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  M. 
James  Smith,  May  12, '64;  never  joined  company.  James 
Spence,  Samuel  Smith,  William  H.  Sherwood  and  Samuel 
Snoddy,  '61;  deserted.  Henry  Towner,  Mar.  30,  '64. 
Isaac  Uhler,  Feb.  24,  '64;  discharged.  Edward  L.  Van- 
auken,  Oct.  23,  '61;  dishonorably  discharged.  Patrick 
Welsh,  May  26,  '64.  William  Warfell,  Feb.  24,  '64. 
Henry  Winds,  May  23,  '64;  ab.sent  with  leave  at  muster 
out.  John  W.  Whitmer,  Feb.  18,  '64.  William  Wolf, 
Sept.  5,  '64.     Lewis  P.  Winters  and  Samuel  Wentz,  Sept. 

24,  '64.  Urias  Weaver,  Aug.  15,  '64.  John  Williams, 
Sept.  7,  '64.  John  Woods,  Aug.  17,  '64,  Levi  Workman, 
Sept.  6,  '64,  and  H.  L.  VVambaugh,  Aug.  31,  '64;  dis- 
charged May  29,  '65.  Thomas  Wright,  Oct.  23,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  25,  '63.  Robert  Wiley, 
Miles  Welsh  and  Richard  Williams,  '61;  deserted.  Wil- 
son Yarnell,  Sept.  3,  '64;  discharged  May,  29,  '65. 

COMPANY    L. 

Officers. — Captains — George  D.  Hand,  Nov.  14,  '61; 
resigned  Apr.  30,  '62.  Gilbert  Waters,  Oct.  i,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  1st  lieut.  Apr.  30,  '62;  killed  at  Shelbyville, 
Tenn.,  June  28,  '63.  George  Smith,  Oct.  15,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  ist  lieut.  Company  D  Sept.  i,  '63.  ist 
lieuts. — William  M.  Shoemaker,  Aug.  24,  '64;  promoted 
from  2nd  lieut.  Apr.  30,  '62;  resigned  Apr.  7,  '63.  Henry 
K.  Myers,  Oct.  3,  '61;  promoted  from  sergt.  Company  A 
May  26,  '63;  captured  at  Solemn  Grov.;,  N.  C,  Mar.  10, 
'65.  2nd  lieuts. — Isaac  Lloyd,  Jan.  10,  '62;  promoted 
from  sergt.  maj.  Apr.  3,  '62;  ist  lieut.  Company  E  May 
22,  '63.  Christopher  Walther,  Oct.  15,  '61;  promoted 
from  ist  sergt.  Company  D  May  23,  '63;  ist  lieut.  Com- 
pany D  May  30,  '64.  John  W.  Wyeth,  Oct.  17,  '61;  pro- 
moted from  reg.  com.  sergt.  June  30,  '64;  veteran,  ist 
sergts. — William  W.  Prichard,  Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  to 
ist  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran.  Doctor  A.  Shelp,  Nov. 
14,  '61;  promoted  2nd  lieut.  Company  M  May  22,  '63. 
Charles  Coglizer,  Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  sergt.  maj,  Apr. 
8,  '62.  Hiram  A.  Dupue,  Nov.  14,  '61;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  20,  '63.  Sergts. — Alonzo  G. 
Melligan,  Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  vet- 
eran. George  Brown,  Oct.  30,  '61;  promoted  sergt.  Jan. 
I,  '64;  veteran.  John  P.  Colburn,  Nov.  14,  '61;  pro- 
moted sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  wounded  Mar.  11,  '65;  absent, 
in  hospital,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  William  H.  Sharp, 
Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  wounded, 
with  loss  of  leg,  Mar.  15,  '65;  veteran.  David  Bowman, 
Oct.  30,  '61;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran.  Albert 
P.  Bratton,  Oct.  30,  '61;  promoted  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '64; 
wounded  at  Waynesboro,  Ga.,  Dec.  4,  '64;  absent,  in 
hospital,  at  muster  out;  veteran.  William  T.  Dale 
Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  segt.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran. 
Jacob  Bennett,  Oct.  30,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Mar.  10,  '62.  Robert  Wheeler,  Nov. 
14,  '6r;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  8,  '63. 
Shadrack  Austin,  Nov.  14,  '61 ;  died  at  Springfield,  Tenn., 
May   5,   '62.      Dilton  F.   Miller,   Nov.    14,   '61;  died  at 


^¥ 


Litchfield,  Ky.,  Mar.  13,  '62.  Corps. — Daniel  Geary, 
Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  Corp.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran.  David 
Hutchinson,  June  4,  '64;  promoted  Corp.  June  4,  '65. 
Robert  Blakeslee,  Nov.  14,  '61;  wounded  Dec.  '63;  pro- 
moted to  corp.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran.  H.  S.  Spigelmyer, 
Oct.  30, '61;  promoted  Corp.  Jan.  I, '61 ;  veteran.  David 
P.  Scull,  Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  Corp.  Jan.  i,  '64;  veteran. 
Alexander  Wagner,  Oct.  3o,'6i;  promoted  corp. Jan.  i, '64; 
veteran.  David  Walls,  Oct.  30,  61;  promoted  corp.  Jan. 
t,  '65.  Sadler,  Samuel  Skelley,  Sept.  2,  '64;  discharged 
by  general  order  May  29,  '65.  Farrier,  Enoch  Cordner, 
Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted  farrier  Jan.  i,  '65;  veteran. 
Blacksmith,  Edward  Marsh,  Nov.  14,  '61;  promoted 
blacksmith  Jan.  i,'65;  veteran.  Buglers — James  B.  Cum- 
raings,  Oct.  i,  '64;  promoted  bugler  Jan.  4,  '65;  dis- 
charged July  17,  '65.  Andrew  Farlev,  Nov.  i,  '61;  dis- 
charged Dec.  24,  '64.  Edward  F.  Wright,  Oct.  30,  '61; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  18,  '62. 

Privates. — H.    H.     Amheiser,    Oct.    30,    61;    veteran. 
John   Arnold,   October  6,  '64.      Jacob  Ashenfelter,  Aug. 
17,    '64;    discharged   May    19,   '65.      Benjamin  F.  Allen, 
Aug.  29,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.      John   H.  Ander- 
son, Sept.  6,  '64;    discharged   May   29,  '65.     William  W. 
Brandon,  Oct.  30,  '61;  absent,  on  furlough,  at  muster  out; 
veteran.      Benjamin   P.    Behm,  Sept.  17,  '64;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.     John   H.  Brought,  Oct.  30,  '61;  wounded 
Dec.  '63;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.     Moses  Botts,  Oct.  7, 
'61;    discharged   Dec.    24,  '64.     Isaac  Buchanan,  Aug.  6, 
'64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     George  Bowman,  Sept.  15, 
'62;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     Watson  Bryan  and  George 
B.  Bradley,  Oct.  30,  '61;  deserted  Mar.  21,  '63.      Joseph 
Beatley,  Feb.  26,  '64;  deserted.     Thomas  Burns,  May  13, 
'64;  deserted.      Lewis   R.   Burns,  Oct.  18,  '64;  deserted. 
Theodore  Brennan,  May  19,  '64;  deserted.     James  Bar- 
ney, '61;  not  on  muster  out  roll.     James  Cooper,  June  4, 
'64.     James  Cooper,  Sept.  24,  '64;    discharged  May  29, 
'65.     Nathan  Cooper,  Nov.  14,  '61;    discharged  Dec.  24, 
'64.    John  Cain,  Oct.  30, '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate June  7,  '62.     Silas  Coleman,  Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Aug.  i,  62.     William  Claudy,  Oct.  7, 
'64;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  23,  '65.     Benja- 
min   F.    Clark,   Sept.   6,   '64;     discharged    May    29,   '65. 
Thomas    Collins,    Aug.   6,    '64;    deserted    Aug.    12,   '64. 
Ciprum   Cobb,  '61;    not    on    muster    out    roll.     William 
Davis,  Oct.  30,  '61;  veteran.     Hugh  Dunlap,  Sept.  27,  '64; 
discharged   May   20,  '65.     John    Dunlap,   Sept.   27,    '64; 
wounded  at  Cl'inton,  Ga.,  Nov.  22,  '64;  discharged  May 
29, '65.     William   Davis,   Nov.  14,  '61;    discharged   Dec. 
24  '64.     David  Hicks,  Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate   Jan.  16,  '62.     John   Dougherty,   Nov.  14   '61; 
discharged  on  surg's   certificate   Feb.  8,  '(>t,.     Uriah   H 
Douglass,  Sept.  5, '64;    discharged  May  29,  '65.     Joseph 
Demyers,  '61;  discharged.      Henry   Davidsizer,   Oct.  30, 
•61  •  died  at   Nashville,  Tenn.,  Nov.  21,  '63.      James  K. 
Davis  Jan   i,'64;  died  at  VVilmington,  N.  C,  in  May,  65, 
of  wounds  received  near  Fayetteville  Mar.  11. '65;  veteran. 
Charles  Davis,  June  9,  '64,   John   Deveney,  May  13,   64, 
and   Morris    C.    Duffy,    Dec.    18,  '64;    deserted.     James 
Doman,  Oct.  30,  '61;  deserted  Jan.  i,  '(^i-     Henry.Davis, 
'61  •  deserted.      Joshua  Everhart,   Oct.  30,   61;  veteran. 
William   Evans,  Sept.    17, '64;    discharged   May   29    65. 
Samuel  Egerly,  May  23,  '64;  deserted.      Joseph  Elliott, 
Aug     31    '64-     prisoner    from    Mar.    r    to    Apr.    2,    65; 
discharged    June    2,   '65.     William    M.    Fields    Oct.   30, 
'61;  veteran.     Jacob  W.  Foust,  Oct.  30,   61,  and  Francis 
Feindt,  Oct.  7,  '61;   discharged   Dec.    24,    64.     I-eonard 
Freeman,   Nov.    14, '61;   transferred    to   marine    brigade 
Jan.  IS,  '63.     John  F.  Fellh,  June  19,   64;  and  Joseph  S. 
Ford  May  23,  '64;  deserted.     Wm.  C.  Goodwin,  Oct  30, 
'61;  veteran.     Daniel  Granger,  Feb.  29,  64;  wounded  at 
Clinton,  Ga.,   Nov.   22,  '64.     John  Grove,  Sept.  23,  64; 


discharged   May  15,  '65.     Henry  S.  Grove,  Sept.  17,  '64; 
discharged   May  29,  '65.     George  Greenawalt,   Oct.  30, 
'6r;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.     John  Gallagher,  Sept.  12 
'64,   and   Andrew  A.    Grandy,   Sept.  15,  '64;   discharged 
May   29,   '65.     Edward  Garvey,   May  13,  '64;   deserted. 
Franklin    Gault,    Oct.    30,    '61;    deserted    Nov.   15,    '61. 
Henry  Hughes,  Oct.  30,  '61;  veteran.    Perry  Hutchinson, 
June  3,  '64.     John    Harris    and  Jacob   Houser,  Oct.  30, 
'61;  discharged   Dec.    24,  '64.     Hugh   A.  Hamilton,  Oct. 
30,    '6r:   discharged    on    surg's  certificate  Aug.   22,   '62. 
Samuel  Hutchins,  Oct.  31,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate May  24,  '62.     John  Hydecker,  Sept.  9,  64.     Wil- 
liam  Hartman,   Sept.   17,   '64.     James    Hatten  and  Crull 
M.  Hays,  Sept.  17,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     George 
Holzer,   Aug.   9,   '64;  deserted   Aug.   10,  '64.     lacob  H. 
Huber,  May  25,  '64,  and  Peter  Huber,  Sept.   17,  '64;  de- 
serted.    David    Jenkins,  Oct.   30,   '61;   veteran.     Joseph 
Jeffries,    Aug.    29,    '64;    discharged    June    8,  '65.     John 
Jones  Nov.  14,  '61;  died  at  Franklin,  Tenn.,  Apr.  24,  '63, 
of  wounds   received  in   action.     Charles  H.  Jones,  Nov. 
14,  '61;   deserted   Mar.   21,  '63.     Gilbert   L.  Kough   and 
Thomas     Kennedy,    Oct.    30,    '61;     veterans.       David 
King,     Sept.     21,     '64.       Louis     F.     Kraft,      Sept.    17, 
'64,      and     John     Kirk,      Sept       15,     '64  ;     discharged 
May    29,    '65.      John    King,    May    19,    '64  ;    deserted. 
Daniel   Kiniston,   May   24,   '64;    deserted.     John  Kelly, 
May  28,  '64;  deserted.     Joseph  L.    Keller,  Nov.  14,  |6i; 
deserted    Nov.    4,    '63.     George    Kough,    Oct.    30,    '61; 
deserted    Nov.    15,    '61.      John    Larnard,    May    5,    '64. 
Samuel    C.    Liggett,    Sept.     \%    '64;     discharged    May 
29,    '65.       Edward     Lewis,    Nov.     14,    '61;    discharged 
Mar.    30,    '65.     John    Maggord,    Oct.    4,    '64.    James    L 
Miller,    Oct.    30,    '61;    discharged    Dec.    24,   '64.     John 
Marlin,  Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.     Jesse  B. 
Miller,  Sept.  17,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     Henry  M. 
Miller,  Sept.  8,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     George  C. 
Muchler,  Sept.  3,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     Jefferson 
Marlin,   Sept.    2,   '64;  discharged   May  29,  '65.     Lemuel 
Morgan,    Nov.    14,    '61;  transferred   to    veteran    reserve 
corps  May  18,  '63.     Daniel  Markle,   Sept.   8,  '64;  killed 
near  Kenansville,  N.  C,  Apr.  11,  '65.     Henderson   Moh- 
ney,  June   3,   '64;  deserted   Sept.,  '64.     James  Manning, 
Sept.  24,  '64;  deserted.     Stephen  Mitchell,  May   10,  '64; 
deserted.     Robert   S.    Milligan,   Aug.    31,    '64;    prisoner 
from  Dec.  3,  '64,  to  Feb.  27,  '65;  discharged  June  12, '65. 
J.  T.  H.  M'Connell,    May  23,  '64;  absent,  at  Camp  Par- 
ole,   at   muster   out.     Timothy   M'Carthy,   Nov.  14,   '61; 
discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.     Charles  M'Guire,  Nov.  14,  '61; 
dishonorably  discharged   Apr.  22,  '62.     Wm.  N.  M'Alis- 
ter,  Sept.  19,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.     John  M'Kin- 
ley,  Oct.   30,   '61;  died   at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Apr.  i,  '63. 
James  M'Coy,  Sept.  7,  '64;  killed  near  Kenansville,  N.C., 
Apr.    II,    '65.     John    M'Crane,    May    ig,    64;    deserted. 
James    Nagle,    Sept.    15,    '64;    died    at    Elmira,    N.    Y., 
Jan.    18,    '65.      James    Quinn,    Aug.    2,    '64;    deserted. 
John    H.    Prichard,    May  27,    '64.     John    Patton,    Aug. 
i8,'64;    discharged  May  29,  '65.     Levi   Pole  and   James 
Potter,  Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64.    Levi  Phil- 
lips, Nov.  i4,'6i;dischaigedonsurg'scertificate  Apr.  8,'62. 
William  H.  Pettit,  Sept.  20,  '64;    discharged  May  29,  '65. 
William  H.  Reed,  Aug.  10,  '62.     George  Roach,  Mar.  23, 
'64.     Amos  Rumbarger,  Feb.  23,  '64;  discharged  July  3, 
'65.     Joel  Rhoads,  Oct.  30,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate  June   12,  '63.     William    A.    Reese,   Sept.    5,  '64; 
discharged  June  13,  '65.     Adam  Rowe;  discharged  June 
24,  '65.     Jacob  K.  Ruth,   Aug.  11,  '64;  discharged  May 
29',  '65.     James  Ruth,  June  18,  '64;  not    on    muster  out 
roll.     John    Scott,  May   5,  '64.     Joseph    Stroup,  Oct.  7, 
'61.     George  H.  Summers,  May  5,  '64;  captured  Dec.  3, 
•64.     Lemon    Scrader,   Sept.   5,  '64;  captured   Nov.  24, 
'64      John  W.  Suavely,  Sept.  17,  '64;  discharged  May  29, 


*^H- 


1" 


IS6 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


'65.  Edward  Swiggart,  Sept.  22,  '64;  discharged  May  29, 
'65.  Samuel  Shire,  Oct.  30,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Mar.  29,  '62.  Peter  B.  Sites,  Nov.  14,  '6t;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  June  11,  '63.  Miles  Sutliff, 
Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  16, 
'62.  Henry  Shilling,  Oct.  30,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Nov.  16,  '61.  David  Swartz,  Sept.  16,  '64; 
discharged  May  29,  '65.  Charles  B.  Smelker,  Aug.  29, 
'64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  Henry  S.  Shaffer,  Aug.  8, 
'64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  Stephen  Slocum,  Nov.  14, 
'61;  died  at  Springfield,  Tenn.,  May  16,  '62.  Charles  L. 
Tucker,  Sept.  27,  '64;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  John  M, 
Tarbet,  Sept.  6,  '64;  wounded  at  Solemn  Grove,^  N.  C, 
May  10,  '65;  discharged  May  29,  '65.  David  Thomas, 
Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  15,  '63. 
Thomas  Toland,  Nov.  14,  '6r;  died  at  Louisville,  Ky., 
Sept.  12,  '62.  William  Thompson,  June  7,  '64;  deserted. 
John  Vaughn,  Nov.  14, '61;  discharged  Dec.  24,  '64. 
John  Vancamp;  Oct.  30,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Oct,  21,  '62.  George  B,  Vanzandt,  Sept.  17,  '64. 
discharged  May  29,  '65.  Nathaniel  A.Whitman,  Feb.  24, '64. 
William  H.  Wilson,  Oct.  6,  '64.  Darius  Wheeler,  Nov. 
14,  '61;  veteran..  Thomas  Wells,  Aug.  4, '64;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.  R.  C.  Williamson,  Nov.  14,  '61;  discharged 
Dec.  24,  '64.  Moses  F.  Williams,  Nov.  14,  '6t;  discharged 
Dec.  24,  '64.  E.  W.  Walters,  Sept.  19,  '64;  discharged 
May  29,  '65.  Robert  \Valls,  Sept.  5,  '64;  discharged  May 
29,  '65.  John  T.  Wiley,  Sept.  5,  '64;  discharged  May 
29,  '65.  Joseph  Walter,  Sept.  8,  '64;  transferred  to  Com- 
pany C.  George  Wertz,  Oct.  30,  '61;  deserted  Jan.  15, 
'63.  Charles  Wilson,  May  25,  '64;  deserted.  Benjamin 
Zeigler,  Oct.  30,  '61;  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  Aug. 
12,  '64. 

NINETY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 

The  nucleus  of  this  regiment  was  the  National  Light 
Infantry  of  Pottsville,  which  was  one  of  the  first  compa- 
nies to  reach  the  national  capital  on  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Rebellion. 

November  8th,  1861,  it  was  moved  to  Washington. 
On  the  25th  of  the  same  month  it  crossed  the  Potomac, 
and  December  27th  went  into  winter  quarters.  The 
next  spring,  after  two  or  three  short  marches,  it  went 
with  its  division  into  the  Peninsula.  Its  first  engage- 
ment was  at  West  Point,  where  it  assisted  in  dislodging 
a  rebel  force  from  the  woods.  Up  to  the  opening  of  the 
Seven-Day  battle,  late  in  June,  the  regiment  was  engaged 
in  picket  and  fatigue  duty.  During  these  fights  it  was 
frequently  closely  engaged  and  in  one  of  them — that  of 
Gaines's  Mill — it  lost  heavily. 

In  August  it  returned  to  Alexandria,  and  went  thence 
to  Bull  Run  and  finally  to  South  Mountain,  where  on  the 
14th  of  September  it  was  engaged  at  Crampton's  Gap  so 
severely  that  its  loss  was  20  killed  and  85  wounded  out 
of  400. 

It  was  again  engaged  at  Antietam,  September  17th,  but 
suffered  only  slightly.  It  manoeuvred  with  the  army 
through  the  Fredericksburg  campaign,  but  was  only 
slightly  engaged  in  the  battle.  Through  the  winter  of 
1862-3  't  went  on  the  mud  march  and  did  provost  and 
fatigue  duty.  At  Chancellorsville  it  was  engaged,  losing 
in  killed,  wounded  and  missing  93.  Early  in  June  it 
went  forward  on  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  and  it  was 
engaged  in  the  battle  but  not  severely.  It  took  part  in 
the  pursuit  of  the   retreating  foe,  occasionally  skirmish- 


ing. During  the  winter  of  1863-4  it  was  in  camp  on  the 
Rappahannock.  In  May,  1864,  it  took  the  field  at  the 
battle  of  the  Wilderness,  where  it  skirmished  during  five 
days  and  finally  in  a  fierce  charge  suffered  severely.  It 
was  again  actively  engaged  near  Spottsylvania,  and  in 
this  series  of  engagements  it  lost  in  killed,  wounded 
and  missing  185.  It  was  engaged  at  Cold  Harbor,  and 
took  part  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg  and  the  raid  on  the 
Weldon  railroad.  It  returned  to  Washington,  went  in 
pursuit  of  Early,  participated  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley 
campaign,  and  at  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  service, 
September  22nd,  1864,  it  was  mustered  out. 

Company  E  of  this  regiment  was  partially  recruited  in 
Luzerne  county,  and  we  therefore  give  a  record  of  that 
company,  dates  of  muster  immediately  following  the 
names. 

COMP.'VNY    E. 

Officers. — Captain — James  Russell,  Sept.  23,  '6t;  mus- 
tered out  with  company  Oct.  2r,  '64.  First  lieutenant  — 
John  S.  Oberrender,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged  Sept.  22, 
'64.  Second  lieutenants — John  F.  Robbins,  Sept.  23,  '61 ; 
resigned  Jan.  27,  '63.  Thomas  H.  Reed,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
promoted  from  sergt.  M.ir.  79,  'dy,  discharged  Sept.  27, 
'63,  Charles  C.  Russell,  Sept.  23,  '6r;  promoted  from 
Tst  sergt.  Sept,  28,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E,  95th 
Pa.,  Oct,  18,  '64;  veteran.  Sergeants — William  Mayberry, 
Sept,  23,  '6r;  mustered  out  with  company  Oct.  21, '64. 
Philip  W.  Cool,  Sept,  23,  '61;  promoted  corp,  Apr.  r8, 
'64;  to  sergt.  May  10,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E, 
95th  Pa,,  Oct,  18,  '64;  veteran.  Reuben  Balliet,  Oct.  r, 
'61;  promoted  to  sergt;  transferred  to  Company  E,  95lh 
Pa.,  Oct,  18,  '64;  veteran,  Thomas  Evan,  Sept,  23,  '61; 
killed  at  Salem  Heights,  Va,,  May  3.  '63,  John  A, 
Aixler,  Oct,  i,  '61;  died  at  Fredericksburg,  Va,,  May  22, 
of  wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May  9, 
'64;  veteran,  Francis  Kemp,  Sept,  23,  '6r;  killed  at 
Spottsylvania  Court-house,  May  10,  '64;  veteran.  Mor- 
gan Lukenbill,  Sept.  23,  '61;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
Sept.  18,  '64.  Corpor.ils — John  Foley,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
promoted  to  corp.  Apr,  18, '64;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania 
Court  house,  Va,,  May  10,  '64;  transferred  to  Company 
E,  95th  Pa,,  Oct,  18,  '64;  veteran,  John  Miller,  Sept  23, 
'61;  promoted  to  corp,  Aug,  i,  '64;  tr,  to  Company E,  95lh 
Pa,,  Oct,  18,  '64;  veteran.  John  Kelly,  Sept,  23,  '6t; 
transferred  to  Company  E,  95th  Pa„  Oct,  19,  '65;  veteran, 
Frederick  Lewis,  Oct,  r4,  '61;  promoted  to  corp,  Apr, 
18,  '64;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va,, 
May  10,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E,  95th  Pa,,  Oct. 
18,  '64;  veteran.  Daniel  T.  Wallan,  Sept.  23,  '61;  pro- 
moted corp,  Apr,  18,  '64;  transferred  to  Company 
E,  95th  Pa,,  Oct,  18,  '64;  veteran,  Henry 
Roth,  Sept.  23,  '61;  captured  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house,  Va,,  May  10,  '64.  William  Whitebread,  Sept. 
23,  '6i;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  26,  '63. 
Henry  Quinn,  Sept.  23,  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps,  Dec.  15,  '63.  Stephen  Horn,  Sept.  23,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Oct,  17,  '62,  Nathan  San- 
tee,  Sept,  23,  '61;  died  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va,,  Oct.  8, 
'62,  Charles  Getikee,  Oct.  7,  '61;  died  at  Camp  Nugent, 
Va.,  1uly  25,  '62.  Edward  Monkton,  Sept.  23,  '61;  died 
at  Baltimore,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  William  W.  Cares,  Oct. 
I,  '61;  died  at  Black  Creek,  Va.,  Sept.  18,  '62.  William 
Zigler,  Oct.  I,  '61;  killed  at  SiMttsylvania  Court-house, 
Va.,  May  12,  '64;  veteran.  Thomas  Comerford,  Sept. 
23,  '61;  deserted  Sept.  14,  '62.  Patrick  Dunn,  Sept.  23, 
'61;  deserted  July  15,  '63.  Musicians— George  Sterling, 
Sept.  23,  '61;   transferred   to  Company  E,  9Sth    Pa.  Oct. 


^¥ 


>4^ 


4 


COMPANY  E,   NINETY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 


157 


i8,  '64;  veteran.  John  E.  Waters,  Oct.  18,  '61;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  21,  '64. 

Privates. — John  Augustine,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged 
Oct.  17,  '62.  James  B.  Ayers,  Aug.  31,  '6t;  deserted 
Sept.  24,  '61.  Henry  Buff,  Mar.  14,  '64;  transferred  to 
Company  E  9Sth  Pa.  Oct.  18,  '64.  Levi  Bittenbender, 
Mar.  18,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E  95th  Pa.  Oct. 
18,  '64.  Levi  Billheimer,  Mar.  15,  '64;  died  May  18, 
of  wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va., 
May  10,  '64.  Henry  Becker,  Sept.  11,  '64;  transferred 
to  Co.  G  9Sth  Pa.  Oct.  18,  '64.  Josiah  Balliet,  Oct.  10, 
'61;  transferred  to  Company  G;  veteran.  Reuben  Boyer, 
Sept.  23,  '6r;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  10,  '63. 
Henry  S.  Best,  Sept.  23,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Jan.  28,  '63.  John  Balliet,  Oct.  14,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  June  7,  '62.  Cyrus  Burkhart,  Sept. 
23,  '61;  deserted  Sept.  24,  '61.     John   D.  Brennen,  Sept. 

23,  6i;  deserted  Oct.,  '62.  William  Barr,  Sept.  23,  '61; 
deserted  Oct.  20,  '61.  James  Bennie,  Sept.  23,  '6r;  de- 
serted Oct.  20,  '6i.  John  P.  Brennen,  Sept.  23,  '61;  pro- 
moted principal  musician  Apr.  10,  '64;  veteran.  James 
Cochran,  Jan.  i,'62 ;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  14, 
'63.  James  N.  Canfield,Mar.  8,'64;  transferred  to  Company 
E,  9Sth,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Martin  Carey,  Oct.  i,  '61;.  trans- 
ferred to  Company  C;  veteran.  Christ.  Cammersel,  Mar. 
18,  '64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  10, 
'64.  George  Dresh,  Feb.  4,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Feb.  -ib^'b-^.  Stephen  Drasher,  Mar.  18, '64; 
transferred  to  Company  E,  95th  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
Oct.  18,  '64.  James  M.  Denn,  Mar.  18,  '64;  transferred 
to  Company  E,  9Sth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Oct.  18, 
'64.  John  Ernst,  Oct.  7,  '61;  deserted  Oct.  9,  '6r. 
Christian  Ernst,  Mar.  15,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E 
95th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Lewis 
Frantz,  Aug.  31,  61;  deserted  Sept.  24,  '6i.  Herbert 
Fletcher,  Sept.  3,  '61;  not  accounted  for.  Emanuel  Fry 
and  Ferdinand  Fry,  Nov.  5,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Mar.  14,  '62.  Thomas  Geinen,  Sept.  16,  '6r; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  10,  '63.  Stephen 
Gross,  Oct.  I,  '61;  died  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va.,  Aug.  12, 
'62.  Casper  Hulton,  Mar.  18,  '64;  missing  at  Spottsylva- 
nia Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Henry  Hoffman, 
Oct.  I,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  17,  '62. 
Aaron  T.  Hettinger,  Oct.  10,  '61;  transferred  to  Company 
E,  95th  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64;  veteran.     David  Howard,  Sept. 

24,  '61;  transferred  to  Company  E  95th  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64; 
veteran.  Thomas  H.  Hamer,  Aug.  31,  '61;  deserted  Sept. 
24,  '61.  Reuben  Heller,  Mar.  17,  '61;  deserted  ;  re- 
turned; transferred  to  Company  E  95th  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64. 
Silas  Hoffman,  Oct.  14;  deserted  Oct.  16,  '61.  Ashbury 
Johnson,  Oct.  10,  '61;  deserted,  '62.  Joseph  W.  Jarrard, 
Sept.  6,  '61;  deserted  Sept.  30,  '61.  Elias  Kishbaugh, 
Mar.  15,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E,  9Sth  Pa.,  Oct. 
18,  '64.  Jeremiah  Klinger,  Sept.  11,  '64;  transferred  to 
Company  E  95th  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64.  John  Kromas,  Mar. 
28,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E,  gsth  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64. 
Levi  Klinger,  Mar.  15,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E 
9Sth  Pa.,  Oct.  i8,'64.  Eli  Keener,  Oct.  i4,'6i;  transferred 
to  Company  G;  veteran.  William  H,  Kuhns,  Oct.  i,  'Ci; 
died  at  Hanover  Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Zacha- 
riah  Kramer,  Sept.  16,  '61;  deserted  Oct.  7,  '64.  Joseph 
H.  Klinger,  Mar.  15,  '61;  died  July  29,  '64.  George 
Londseidle,  Mar.  15,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E,  gsth 
Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Richard  Lutsey,  Mar.  28,  '64;  missmg 
at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Samuel 
Mumaw,  Sept.  23,  '6r;  transferred  to  Company  E,  gsth 
Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64;  veteran.  Benjamin  Mitchell,  Oct.  2, 
'61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  21,  'St,. 
Samuel  Martz,  Mar.  18,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E, 
qSth    Pa.,   Oct.    18,  '64.     Solomon   Moyer,    Mar.  18,  '64; 


killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  ro, 
'64.  Stephen  Mensinger,  Mar.  15,  '64;  captured; 
died  at  Andersonville,  Georgia,  July  5,  '64. 
Samuel  M'Afee,  Sept.  21,  '61;  discharged  Mar.  4,  '62;  re- 
enlited  Mar.  is,  '64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house, 
Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Daniel  M'Call,  Sept.  16,  '61;  deserted 
July  19,  '()i.  John  M'Nulty,  May  22,  '64;  transferred  to 
Company  E  95th  Pa.  Oct.  18,  '64.  David  Nauss,  Sept. 
II,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E  gsth  Pa.  Oct.  18,  '64. 
Richard  Noble,  Mar.  21,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E 
9Sth  Pa.  Oct.  .18,  '64.  John  N.  Oberrender,  Oct.  i,  '61; 
discharged  Oct.  17,  '62.  Edward  Opli..ger,  Oct.  i,  '61; 
discharged  Oct.  17,  '62.  Edward  Onspach,  Oct.  19,  '61; 
deserted  '62.  Charles  Paden,  Oct.  10,  '61;  transferred 
to  Company  E  gsth  Pa.  Oct.  18,  '64;  veteran.  John  L. 
Painter,  Aug.  31,  '61;  deserted  Sept.  24,  '61.  James  S. 
Russell,  Sept.  i,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan. 
10,  '63.  William  S.  Ramsey,  Sept.  23,  '61;  transferred  to 
jCompany  E  gsth  Pa.  Oct.  18, '64;  veteran.  James  Ryan, 
Feb.  29,  '64;  deserted;  date  unknown.  Peter  Smith  and 
Samuel  Sirwell,  Oct.  3,  '6i;  mustered  out  with  company 
Oct.  21,  '64.  Abraham  Schleppy,  Oct.  3,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  14,  '62.  William  Sharp;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Apr.,  '62.  Adolphus  Steg- 
ner,  Oct.  i,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Aug. 
8, '62.  G.  Schollenberger,  Sept.  23,  '61;  transferred  to 
Company  C.  Cyrus  Shearer,  Sept.  23,  '61;  deserted 
Nov.  21,  '61;  returned;  transferred  to  Company  C.  Jacob 
Smith,  Oct.  I.  '61;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
Nov:  IS,  '(>2,\  discharged  Nov.  22,  '65.  G.  G.  Schollen- 
berger, Sept.  30,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan. 
10,  '63.  William  E.  Stookey,  Oct.  10,  '61;  died  at  Fair- 
fax Seminary,  Va.,  Oct.  5.  '62.  Nicholas  Spohr,  Sept. 
16,  '61;  deserted  Mar.  24,  '64;  veteran.  John  Stewart 
and  Andrew  Servers,  Oct.  14,  '61;  deserted  .Oct.  16,  '61. 
Peter  Starr,  Mar.  26,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E  gsth 
Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Sylvester  Sims,  Mar.  is,  '64;  transferred 
to  Company  E  gsth  Pa.  Oct.  18,  '64.  Tilman  Si]3le,  Mar. 
IS,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E  gsth  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64. 
Samuel  D.  Sager,  Mar.  18,  '64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Jacob  Sims,  Mar.  17, 
'64;  died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  June  s,  of  wounds  received 
at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  May  70,  '64;  grave,  2,035. 
Charles  Shadle,  Mar.  15,  '64;  died  at  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa., 
July  10,  of  wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house, 
Va.,  May  10,  '64.  John  H.  Snyder,  Mar.  15,  '64;  missed 
at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  William 
D.  'Trout,  Oct.  10,  '61;  discharged  Oct.  10,  '64.  Otto  G. 
H.  Vogel,  Oct.  21,  '61;  killed  at  Crampton's  Gap,  Md., 
Sept.  14,  '62.  Daniel  Woodring,  Oct.  i,  '61;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate,  Sept.  29,  '62.  Jacob  W.  Woodring, 
Oct.  1,  '61;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  April  4,  '63. 
Jeremiah  Weaver,  Oct.  i,  '61;  dropped  from  the  rolls 
Oct.  17,  '62.  Henry  Weigner,  Oct.  i,  '61;  transferred  to 
Company  G  Jan.  4,  '64;  veteran.  Mark  Whitebread, 
Oct.  I,  '61;  transferred  to  Company  G  Jan.  4,  '64;  vet- 
eran. John  Washburn,  Mar.  is,  '64;  transferred  to  Com- 
pany E,  gsth  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Wm.  Woodring,  Mar.  is, 
'64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  12, '64; 
buried  AVilderness  burial  grounds.  Reuben  Welsh, 
Mar.  15,  '64;  died  at  New  York  July  10,  '64.  Henry 
Woodring,  Mar.  15,  '64;  transferred  to  Company  E 
gsth  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Jacob  Wright,  Mar.  18, 
'64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  jo, 
'64.  Libert  J.  Welsh,  Mar.  is,  '64;  transferred  to 
Company  E  gsth  Pa.,  Oct.  18,  '64.  Jeremiah  Wood- 
ring,  Oct.  I,  '61;  deserted  July  15,  '()i.  Joseph 
Yost,  Oct.  2,  '61;  died  at  Warrenton,  Va.,  Oct.  2g, 
'63.  Henry  Yerger,  Sept.  16,  '61;  deserted  Sept. 
24,  '61. 


^¥ 


=^N- 


158 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 


LUZERNE    IN    THE  CIVIL  WAR THE   I07TH,    Io8TH,   I32ND, 

I36TH  AND  142ND    REGIMENTS. 


^  HE  107th  regiment,  in  which  Luzerne  county 
■$^  was  represented,  was  recruited  during  the 
kl\  autumn  of  1861  and  the  ensuing  winter.  Its 
S^f  organization  was  completed  in  March,  1862, 
and  on  the  9th  of  that  month  it  went  to 
^^  Washington.  In  April  it  crossed  the  Potomac,  in 
'  "^  May  went  forward  toward  Manassas,  then  through 
Thoroughfare  Gap  to  Front  Royal,  then  in  July  to  the 
vicinity  of  Manassas.  It  was  the  first  under  fire  at  the 
Rappahannock,  9nd  first  engaged  on  the  second  day  in 
the  second  Bull  Run  battle,  in  which  its  loss  was  125 
killed,  wounded  and  prisoners.  It  was  next  in  action  at 
South  Mountain,  where  it  made  a  brilliant  charge  on  the 
evening  of  the  14th  of  September. 

On  the  17th,  at  Antietam,  it  was  engaged  in  the  "corn- 
field," and  lost  19  killed  and  45  wounded  out  of  190  en- 
gaged. It  arrived  at  Brooks  Station'  in  October.  It  was 
engaged  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  in  December, 
losing  4  killed  and  48  wounded  and  prisoners.  It  was  in- 
active during  the  winter,  except  in  the  mud  campaign. 

At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  the  107th  was  present 
but  not  actively  engaged.  At  Gettysburg  it  was  in 
action  and  suffered  severely.  It  participated  in  the  pur- 
suit of  Lee's  army  and  the  subsequent  advance  to  Mine 
Run,  but  was  not  engaged  till  it  arrived  at  that  stream. 

It  received  its  veteran  furlough  on  the  ist  of  April, 
1864,  more  than  a  month  after  its  re-enlistment.  On  its 
return  it  came  under  fire  at  Spottsylvania,  and  until  it 
reached  the  James  it  was  almost  daily  engaged. 

After  crossing  the  James,  about  the  middle  of  June, 
1864,  it  went  to  Petersburg,  and  it  was  engaged  in  the 
operations  of  the  siege  during  the  entire  period  of  its 
continuance.  It  was  often  engaged,  suffering  severely 
at  times  and  in  one  fight  losing  6  officers  and  145  men. 
Space  will  not  permit  a  detail  of  all  its  engagements, 
marches  and  campaigns,  of  its  changes  from  one  com- 
mand to  another,  and  of  the  changes  and  promotions 
among  its  officers.  It  continued  with  the  army  of  the 
James  till  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox  on  the 
gth  of  April,  1865;  participated  in  the  grand  review  at 
Washington  on  the  23d  of  May,  and  was  mustered  out 
July  13th,  1865. 

ONE     HUNDRED     AND     EIGHTH    REGIMENT 
(ELEVENTH   CAVALRY). 

The  nth  cavalry,  which  was  recruited  in  August  and 
September  1861,  by  Colonel  Josiah  Harlan,  of  Philadel- 
phia, from  several  States,  was  chieHy  raised  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Company  K  was  mostly  enlisted  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  Lackawanna  county.  Samuel  P.  Spear  was 
the  first  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  regiment  and  succeeded 


Colonel  Harlan,  who  was  mustered  out  August  19th,  1862; 
and  who  was  himself  succeeded  by  Major  George  Stetzel. 
Samuel  Wetherell  and  Noah  M,  Runyan  were  the  other 
majors.  The  regiment  consisted  of  41  officers  and  1,089 
enlisted  men. 

It  marched  from  Washington  October  i6th,  1861,  to 
Camp  Palmer,  near  Bell's  Cross  Roads,  Va.,  where  it  was 
drilled  and  instructed.  In  the  middle  of  November  it 
was  transferred  to  Fortress  Monroe,  where  it  spent  six 
months  in  drilling  and  picketing.  The  regiment  made 
the  Peninsula  campaign  under  McClellan,  scouting  and 
picketing,  and  remained  nearly  a  year  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Suffolk,  reconnoitering  and  picketing. 

On  the  2nd  of  December  a  battalion  under  Major 
Stratton  in  a  sabre  charge  at  Beaver  Dam  Church  routed 
a  superior  force  of  rebel  cavalry,  took  25  prisoners  and 
recaptured  a  section  of  a  rocket  battery  which  McClellan 
had  lost;  the  sabre  was  thereafter  constantly  used  with 
success. 

January  30th,  1863,  the  i  ith  fought  at  Deserted  House, 
and  two  battalions  under  Majors  Stratton  and  Cornog 
charged  the  enemy's  works  at  Franklin,  March  17th. 
The  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  defense  of  Suffolk 
against  Longstreet,  and  captured  many  prisoners  during 
the  pursuit  which  followed  the  raising  of  the  siege. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June,  1863,  this  regiment  took  125 
prisoners  in  the  capture  of  rebel  works,  near  Hanover 
Court-house.  Other  raids  followed.  In  July  Colonel 
Spear,  having  been  put  in  command  of  the  brigade,  was 
succeeded  as  colonel  by  Major  'VVetherell,  and  he  a 
month  later  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Stetzel.  A  raid 
against  the  Weldon  railroad  was  made  in  July,  and  sev- 
eral in  the  ensuing  autumn  to  the  Blackwater  and  the 
northeastern  part  of  North  Carolina.  Four  hundred  of 
the  men  re-enlisted  for  three  years. 

Early  in  1864  the  nth  was  stationed  at  Williamsburg,  and 
made  several  raids,  accompanying  that  of  General  Wistar 
against  Richmond.  In  May  the  nth  again  fell  upon  the 
Weldon  railroad,  drove  a  rebel  infantry  regiment  from 
the  Nottoway  bridge,  burned  the  bridge,  and  the  same 
day  beat  the  enemy  at  Jewett's  Station.  The  Danville 
and  South  Side  railroads  were  immediately  afterward 
raided  and  great  loss  inflicted.  The  nth  participated 
conspicuously  in  attacks  on  Petersburg  in  June,  and  then 
again  raided  the  railroads  entering  that  city  and  Rich- 
mond. The  enemy  was  encountered  in  force  at  Stony 
Creek  and  Ream's  Station,  and  in  the  latter  battle  the 
nth  lost  130  killed,  wounded  and  missing. 

From  the  middle  of  July  Major  Stratton  commanded 
the  regiment.  During  the  rest  of  the  war  it  was  actively 
engaged  under  Sheridan  in  the  operations  against  Rich- 
mond and  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  Lee's  army,  suffer- 
ing considerable  loss,  especially  at  Five  Forks,  April  ist, 
1865,  where  it  greatly  distinguished  itself.  On  the  12th 
it  occupied  Lynchburg,  and  on  the  24th  entered  Rich- 
mond. In  these  later  operations  it  took  possession  of 
157  cannon  and  other  material  of  war  in  proportion. 
After  doing  detached  duty  in  Virginia  during  the  sum- 
mer it  was  mustered  out  at  camp  near  Manchester,  Aug. 


^^= 


+ 


^h 


COMPANY  K,  ELEVENTH  CAVALRY. 


IS9 


13th,  1865.     On    the  17th    it  reached  Philadelphia,  and 
was  disbanded  and  paid. 

We  append  a  roll  of  Company  K.  The  period  of  en- 
listment was  three  years  unless  otherwise  mentioned,  and 
the  prevailing  date  of  muster-in  was  Aug,  31st,  1861. 
That  date  will  therefore  be  understood  where  no  other 
is  given.  In  other  cases  the  first  date  given  is  that  of 
muster-in.  Where  not  otherwise  noted  each  man  was 
mustered  out  with  the  company,  August  13th,  1865. 

COMPANY  K. 

Oncers. — Capts. — Albert  J.Ackerly,  )jromoted  maj.  May 
4,  '64.  John  C.  Baker,  promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut 
Oct.  22,  '63;  capt.  May  15,  '64;  discharged  Oct.  15,  '64. 
Stephen  Tripp,  promoted  ist  sergt.  Oct.  22,  '63;  2nd 
lieut.  May  15,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Oct.  15,  '64;  capt.  Nov.  28, 
'64;  wounded  in  action  Dec.  10,  '64;  resigned  May  18, 
'65;  veteran,  ist  lieuts. — Geo.  B.  Knight,  captured  near 
f'ranklin,  Va.,  Mar.  17,  '63;  resigned  Oct.  22,  '63.  An- 
drew J.  Smith,  promoted  from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Nov.  8, 
'63;  ist  lieut.  Apr.  8,  '64.  Furman  Gulic,  promoted 
from  private  to  regular  Q.  M.  sergt.  May  r,  '63;  2nd 
lieut.  July  25,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Nov.  28,  '64;  Q.  M.  Apr.  3. 
'65;  veteran.  Hiram  H.  White,  promoted  ist  sergt.  Sept. 
I, '64;  2nd  lieut.  Nov.  28, '64;  ist  lieut.  May  25,  '65; 
commissioned  capt.  May  26,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran. 
2nd  lieut. — Peter  W.  Kreske,  promoted  from  corp.  to 
sergt.  May  i,  '64;  ist  sergt.  Nov.  25, '64;  2nd  lieut.  May 
25,  '65;  commissioned  ist.  lieut.  May  26,  '65;  not  mus- 
tered; veteran.  1st  sergts. — William  R.  Brink,  promoted 
from  corp.  to  sergt.  May  i,  '64;  ist  sergt.  May  25,  '65; 
wounded  at  Ream's  Station,  Va.,  June  23,  '64;  commis- 
sioned 2nd  lieut.  May  26,  '65;  not  mustered;  veteran. 
E.  D.  F.  Brownwell,  promoted  1st  sergt.  May  i,  '64; 
discharged  Sept.  i,  '64.  Q.  M.  sergts.— Emory  Briggs, 
promoted  from  corp.  Sept.  i,  '64;  veteran.  Oscar  F. 
Nicholson,  promoted  from  Q.  M.  sergt.;  discharged  Sept. 
I,  '64.  Com.  sergt. — Myron  Merithew,  promoted  to  corp. 
Sept.  I,  '64;  sergt.  Nov.  15,  '64;  com.  sergt.  May  25, '65; 
veteran.  Sergts. — Allen  D.  Beemer,  promoted  from  corp. 
Sept.  I,'  64;  veteran.  John  Arnold,  promoted  corp.  May  i, 
'64;  sergt.  Sept.  i,'64;  veteran.  Charles  Freeman,  promot- 
ed corp.  Sept.  I, '64;  sergt.  June  i,  '65;  veteran.  W.  Davis, 
promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '64;  sergt,  June  1,  '65;  veteran. 
John  W.  Sisco;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  i,  '65;  sergt.  July 
"i,  '65;  veteran.  Francis  M.  Hallstead,  Sept.  19,  '62; 
promoted  corp.  Sept.  1,  '64;  sergt.  Feb.  i,  '65;  discharged 
May  8,  '65.  Henry  Wideman;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  15, 
'62;  sergt.  May  i,  '63;  discharged  Sept.  1,  '64.  Enos  F. 
Slocum;  discharged  Sept.  i,  '64.  Andrew  J.  Vanstorch, 
Feb.  I,  '62;  wounded  in  action  Mar.  17,  '63;  promoted 
corp.  Apr.  i,  '63;  sergt.  May  i,  '64;  discharged  Feb.  r, 
'65.  Andrew  B.  Kennedy,  Feb.  1,  '62;  promoted  corp, 
Oct.  22,  '62;  sergt.  May' I,  64;  discharged  Feb.  i,  '65. 
George  E.  Boyle,  Feb.  12,  '61;  promoted  corp.  Sept.  i, 
'64;  sergt.  June  i,  '65;  deserted  July  18,  '65.  Corporals 
—William  T.  Love,  Feb.  22,  '64,  and  Madison  Shaddock, 
Mar.  1, '64;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  i,  '65;  mustered  out 
with  company  Aug.  13,  '65.  Earl  N.  Carpenter,  Oliver 
C.  Finn  and  William  Lloyd;  promoted  corp.  June  i,  65; 
veterans.  James  Leach,  Judson  Cahoon  and  Leonard 
Woekiser;  promoted  corp.  July  i,  '65;  veterans.  Edgar 
E.  Smith,  Sept.  19,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  1,  '65;  dis- 
charged May  8,  '65.  Charles  W.  Moredock,  Sept.  19, 
'62;  promoted  corp.  Apr.  i,  '65;  discharged  May  8,  '65. 
Silas  L.  Stanton;  promoted  corp.  Apr.  i,  63; 
discharged  Sept.  i,  '64.  John  M'Farlane;  pro- 
moted   Corp.    May    i,    '64;     discharged    Sept.    i,     64. 


William  Taylor,  June  5,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Sept.  i,  '64; 
discharged  Jan.  23,  '66,  to  date  June  5,  '65.  Levi  Lewis, 
killed  in  action  Mar.  12,  '63.  William  G.  LaBnr;  pro- 
moted corp.  Dec.  i,  '62;  killed  nt  Franklin,  Va.,  Mar.  17, 
'63.  Aaron  Youngkins;  killed  at  Ream's  Station,  Va., 
June  29,  '64;  veteran.  Blacksmith — Ziba  B.  Rease,  Oct. 
30,  '62;  promoted  blacksmith  Dec.  i,  '64.  Saddlers — 
Augustus  Becker,  Feb.  15,  '64;  promoted  saddler  Sept.  i, 
'64.'  Elijah  M.  Gilbert;  promoted  saddler  Sept. 
I,  '63;  discharged  Sept.  t,  '64,  Buglers — Elijah  Johnson, 
Mar,  4,  '64;  promoted  bugler  Jan,  i,  '65,  Oscar  (iisner, 
promoted  bugler  Aug,  8,  '62;  discharged  Sept.  i,  '64. 

^'r/z'ato.— John  W.  Allworth,  Mar.  16,  '64,  Enos 
Ackerly;  not  on  muster  out  roll,  Abraham  K.  Brink. 
Mar,  16,  '64;  absent,  with  leave,  at  muster  out.  Richard 
T.  Bucher,  Feb.  25,  '64;  captured  at  Ream's  Station,  Va., 
June  29,  '64;  exchanged;  absent  at  muster  out.  John 
C.  Becker,  Mar.  20,  '65.  John  Botts,  Apr,  4,  '65. 
Charles  W.  Brink,  Silas  S.  Brink,  Bordewine  A.  Brink, 
and  Jarnes  R.  Benson;  discharged  Sept.  i,  '64;  expira- 
tion of  term.  John  Brink;  discharged  Apr.  3,  '63,  for 
wounds.  William  Bumbaugh,  Feb,  i,  '64;  died  Aug,  11, 
'64,  James  C,  Bennett,  Oct.  20,  '63;  captured  at  Darby- 
town  Road,  Va.,  Oct.  7,  '64.  George  Brezee;  captured 
at  Darbytown  Road,  Vn.,  Oct.  6,  '64;  veteran.  James 
Brown,  Dec.  24,  '63;  not  on  nmster  out  roll.  William 
Cone,  Feb.  29,  '64.  Bardon  Covey;  veteran.  John  W. 
Conner,  Jan.  11,  '64.  Judson  C.  Comstock,  Feb.  29,  '64. 
Jethro  Casner,  Oct.  20,  '64.  George  Card,  Mar.  22,  '65; 
I  year.  George  W.  Coles,  Apr.  1  r,  '65;  i  year.  Francis 
M.  Chappel,  Sept.  15,  '64;  and  David  Card,  Aug.  28, 
'61;  I  year;  discharged  May  8,  '65.  James  Collins  and 
Abel  H.  Comstock,  discharged  Sept.  r,  '64;  expiration 
of  term  Theodore  W.  Calvin;  wounded;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  i,  '63.  Charles  Clark;  de- 
serted July  IS,  '63.  Henry  S.  Drake  and  George 
N.  Dennis;  discharged  September  j,  '64.  Wil- 
liam S.  Decker,  discharged.  .  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Mar.  20,  '62.  William  G.  #arly,  M;ir.  16,  '64.  A. 
J.  Echenrode,  Feb.  27,  '64.  Henry  M.  Elliott,  Feb.  24, 
'64.  Charles  Ely,  discharged  for  wounds  received  Mar. 
17,  '63.  Marsh  H.  Freeman,  Dec.  17,  '63.  Andrew  J. 
Foltz,  Feb.  19,  '64.  Winfield  Fritz,  April  10,  '65;  i  year. 
Sanford  Fanning,  Sept.  8,  '64;  i  year;  discharged  May 
8,  '65. William  Freeman,  Jan.  20,  '64;  i  year;  discharged 
June  13,  '65.  George  W.  Gorton,  Feb.  14,  '64.  John 
Gallagher,  April  10,  '65;  i  year.  William  Griffith,  April 
4,  '65;  I  year.  William  H.  Goodyear,  Sept.  24,  '64;  i 
year;  discharged  May  8,  '65.  James,  Silas,  and  John 
Griffin,  William  W.  Gisner,  and  Benjamin  M.  Green; 
discharged  Sept.  i,  '64;  expiration  of  term.  Philip  J. 
Griffin,  transferred   to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  i,  '63. 

B.    Howard,    Mar.   i,  '63.       Samuel    and    Peter 

Sept.    II,    '64;    I    year;  discharged    May  8,    '65. 

J.    Hall,    discharged    Sept.    i,    '64.       Erdwin    R. 

discharged   Sept.  i,  '64.     John  M.  Hughes,  Apr. 
discharged     May     i,     '65.     Isaac     W.     Holbs, 

2,  '61.  Samuel 
15,  '64.  Henry 
Jones.,     Sept.    5, 


Lucien 

Hosier, 

Myron 

Height 

28,   '62 

died     at     Alexandria,      Va.,      Dec 

Hart,     Mar.    14,    '64;    deserted    Mar. 

Johnson,    July    7,    '63.       Howell    T. 


64,  I  year;  discharged  May  8,  '65.  John  C.  Jackson; 
discharged  Sept.  i,  '64.  Richard  M.  Johnson  Mar.  i, 
'64;  prisoner  from  Oct.  29,  '64,  to  June  12, '65;  dis- 
charged June  29,  '65.  George  W.  Johnson,  Mar.  9,  '64; 
died  Apr.  5,  '64.  Jacob  J.  Roller,  Jan.  4,  '64;  died  at 
Hampton,  Va.,  May  29,  of  wounds  received  in  action 
May  8,  '64.  Anthony  Y.  Kinsely,  Jan.  30,  '64;  captured 
May  30,  '64.  Silas  Locke,  Feb.  27,  '64.  Henry  Larue, 
Dec.  16,  '63.  Jacob  B.  Lesh,  Mar.  3,  '64.  Ephraim 
Leach,  Oct.  30,  64,  i  year;  discharged  May  8,  '65.  Ed- 
win W.  Larue,  discharged  Sept,   i,  '64.     Miller  J.  Larue, 


*^^ 


i6o 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


captured  May  22,  '62;  discharged  Sept.  i,  '64.     William 
J.   Langton,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  9,  '6^. 
Isaac  Leach,  transferred  to   veteran   reserve  corps,  Sept. 
r,  '63,     William  Larue,  Mar.  i,  '62;  died  at  Portsmouth 
Grove,  R.  I.,  Feb.  2,  '65.       Jonas  Ludwig,   Dec.   21,   63; 
not  on   muster  out    roll.       Lewis   F.  Mohr,   Feb.   27,  '64. 
Charles    A.    Morgan,    Feb.    29,   '64.       Henry  B.  Marcy, 
died  May  29,  of  wounds  received   in   action   May  8,  '64. 
Alfred  Miller,  Feb.  27,  '64;  deserted  Feb.   15,  '65.     Wil- 
liam  Miller,   Feb.   27,  '64;  deserted  June  10,  '65.     John 
M'Donough,  Apr.  10,  '65.  i  year.     John  M'Donald,  Feb. 
7,  '64;  wounded   in   action,   with  loss  of  foot,  Oct.  3,  '64; 
absent  in  hospital  at  muster  out.   James  M'Hale,  Sept.  19, 
'62;  deserted  May  8,  '65.    Sanford  M'Connell,  killed  near 
South  Mills,  N.  C,  Sept.  12,  '6^.  Joshua  Parsons;  veteran. 
Lorenzo   D.   Park;    discharged   Sept.    i,    '64.     John   W. 
Phillips;    discharged  Sept.    i,   '64.      John    Patrick;    dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  2,  '61.     Adam   Pfeifer; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Aug.  14,  '62.    William  H. 
Porter;  transferred   to  Company  D.     Martin  Ruoff;  vet- 
eran.    Andrew  J.  Rolason;    captured  at  Ream's  Station, 
Va.,  June  29,  '64;.  discharged  July  3,  '65.  C.  D.  Reynolds; 
veteran.  C.  M.  Ralph,  Aug.  28,  '64;  one  year;  discharged 
May  8,  '65.   Andrew  J.  Robinson;  discharged  Sept.  i,  '64. 
Francis  M.  Robinson;  discharged  Sept.  i,' '64.  Albert  H. 
Russell;     discharged  on   surg's  certificate  Feb.   10,    '62. 
Andrew  J.  Reynolds  and  Richard  Rozell;  discharged  on 
surg's   certificate    Dec.    2,   '62.       James   Rozell;    died   at 
Washington,  D.  C,  July  15,  '62.    "George  W.  Sisco,  Mar. 
26,  '65;  one  year.     Benjamin   Scull,   Oct.  30,  '64.     John 
Swin,  Feb.   5,    '64.      George  F.    Swallow,    Mar.   10,   '64. 
John  Seitzingor,  Apr.  to,  '65;  one  year.       Morris  South- 
eimer;    veteran.      William   H.    Sisco,   Oct.   30,  '64;    one 
year;  discharged  May  8,  '65.     William  Shields  and  Wil- 
liam  Scull,   Sept.  19,  '62;  discharged  May  8,  '65.     John 
H.  Sinsabaugh,  Oct.  30,  '64;  one  year;  dishonorably  dis- 
charged Jure  4,  '65.     Oliver  C.  Swartz,  Chester  Stephens 
and   George   L.   Stone,   discharged  Sept.  i,  '64.     George 
Socks;    discharged    on    surg's    certificate    July    22,    '62. 
Berton  J.  Scott,   Feb.  13,  '62;    captured   at  Ream's   Sta- 
tion, Va.,  June  29,  '64;   died  at   Petersburg,  Aug.  15,  '64. 
Andrew    L.   Shaddock,     Mar.    i,   '64;  captured   at  New 
Market  Heights,  Va.,.  Dec.    10,  '64;  drowned  at    Annap- 
olis,   Md      Martin    A.    Smith;  deserted    Aug.    18,    '62. 
Henry  Thomas,  Sept.  5,  '64,  one  year;  discharged  May  8, 
'65.     John  Tague,      ar.  i,  '62;  discharged    Feb.  28,  '65. 
W.  H.  Tinklepaugh;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June 
4,  '62.     David  W.  Totten;  died  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va., 
Dec.  30,  '61.     William    Thomas,    Feb.    15,  '64;  deserted 
July  16,  '64.     Philip   Wisner,   Oct.  3,  '64.     William  Wil- 
cox, Feb.  29,  '64.     Jacob  J.  Walters,  Mar.  15, '64.  James 
Walters,  Herman  W.  Wright  and  William  Williams,  Apr. 
10,  '65;  one  year.     George  H.  Warner;  veteran.     Ralph 
M.  Wheeler,    Sept.   8,  '64,  one    year;    discharged  May  8, 
65.     William    S.   Walters,    Oct.    30,    '64,   one    year;  dis- 
charged May  8,  '65.     Samuel    P.  Williams,  Mar.   23,  '64; 
captured    at    Ream's    Station,    Va.,    Aug.    19,    '64;  dis- 
charged May  29,  '65.     Avery    White;  discharged  Oct.  7, 
'64,  expiration  of  term.     Henry  J.  White  and  John  Weise; 
discharged    Sept.    i,   '64.     James    White;  discharged  on 
surg's    certificate    Feb.    26,   '62.     Nathaniel    Waderaan; 
died    at    Fortress  Monroe,   Va.,  Feb.  20,  62.     Daniel  g! 
Wilcox,  Feb.  29,  '64;  died  at   Point  of  Rocks,  Va.,  Sept. 
25,  '64.     Joseph    B.   Wall;    died   at    Jones's    Neck,   Va., 
Mar.  r,  '65;     veteran.     William    W.  Wilson;  ca])tured  at 
Darbytown  Road,  Va.,  Oct.  7,  '64;   died   at  Salisbury,  N. 
C,  Dec.  15,  '64.     Henry  Wilcox;  July  22,  '6;i;  deserted 
Dec.  30,  '63,     John  Youngs,  Mar.  g,  '64;    captured  May 
16,  '64;  died  at  Petersburg,  Va. 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY-SECOND  REGI- 
MENT. 

This  regiment  was  recruited  for  a  term  of  nine  months 
Company  B  was  raised  in  Wyoming  county,  and  Com- 
panies I  and  K  in  Luzerne.  The  field  oflScers  were: 
Colonel,  Richard  A.  Oakford,  of  Luzerne;  lieutenant 
colonel,  Vincent  M.  Wilcox,  also  of  Luzerne,  and  major, 
Charles  Albright,  of  Carbon  county.  On  the  19th  of 
August,  1862,  a  few  days  after  the  organization  was  com- 
pleted, it  moved  to  the  field,  and  at  once  commenced 
drilling.  It  marched  from  Rockville,  Md.,  on  the  2nd  of 
September,  and  continued  its  march  with  the  army,  ar- 
riving at  South  Mountain  after  the  close  of  the  battle. 

It  was  first  engaged  at  Antietam,  on  the    17th   of  Sep- 
tember;  maintained  its  position  under  a  galling  fire  four 
hours,  and  when   relieved   retired   in   good   order — very 
creditable  behavior   for  fresh  troops.     The   loss   of   the 
regiment  in  this  action  was  thirty  killed,  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  wounded  and   eight  missing.     Colonel  Oakford 
was  among  the  killed.     The  regiment  moved  to  Harper's 
Ferry  after  the  battle,  participated  in  two  reconnoisances 
while  encamped  on  Bolivar  Heights,  and  moved  with  the 
army    toward    Fredericksburg    on    the    last  of  October. 
From  Falmouth,  where  it  first  encamped,  it  went  to  Belle 
Plain,  and  after  a  month  returned   to  Falmouth.     In  the 
battle  of  F'redericksburg  it  was  actively  engaged  and  par- 
ticipated in  a  charge   on   Mary's   Heights,  where   it  dis- 
played  a   coolness   and   bravery   that   would   have   done 
honor  to  veterans.     Out  of  340  men  who   went   into  ac- 
tion, the  regiment  lost  140. 

At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  though  the  term  of  a 
portion  of  the  men  had  expired,  all  took  part  in  the  ac- 
tion. On  the  third  day  of  the  battle  the  regiment  made 
a  gallant  bayonet  charge  in  which  a  number  of  prisoners 
were  taken.  Its  loss  in  this  action  was  about  50.  It  was 
relieved  from  duty  on  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  ser- 
vice, and  was  mustered  out  on  the  24th  of  May,  1863. 
It  is  said  two-thirds  of  the  men  entered  the  service 
again. 

Below  are  rolls  of  the  regimental  officers  of  the  132nd 
and  of  Companies  B,  I  and  K,  in  which  this  county  was 
represented.  In  the  case  of  the  regimental  staff  the 
dates  of  muster  in  follow  the  names  of  the  officers.  Ex- 
cept a  very  few  men,  the  members  of  Company  B  were 
mustered-in  on  the  nth,  those  of  Company  I  on  the  15th 
and  those  of  Company  K  on  the  14th  of  August,  1862. 

riELD    AND    STAFF    OFFICERS. 

C-^W..-Richard  A.  Oakford,  Aug.  21,  '62;  killed  at 
Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Vincent  M.Wilcox  Aug 
26,    62;  promoted    from    lieut.  col.    Sept.    18     '62  •  dis- 

tZfot  T  '"'■^'l  "'•''fi'^'^'e  J^"-  -4,  '63.  Charles 
W^r' v"=-  V',  ^''  l""™°f«d  from  maj.  to  lieut.  col. 
sept.  18,   62;  col.  |an.  24,  'G^. 

Lieutenant  Colonel.— ]oi^\->\,  E.  Shreve,  Aue  rr  '62- 
promoted  from  capt.  Company  A  to  maj.  Sept  18  '62' 
to  heut.  col.  Jan,  24, '63.  ^epu  iq,   02, 


COMPANY   B,  ONE   HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


Major. — Frederick  L.  Hitchcock,  Aug.  22,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  adj.  Jan.  24,  '63. 

Adjutant. — Austin  F.  Clapp,  Aug.  14,  '62;  promoted 
from  sergt.  maj.  Jan.  24,  '63. 

Quartermaster. — Clinton  W.  Neal,  Aug.  13,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  corp.  Company  E  Aug.  22,  '62. 

Surgeons — Levi  Oberlioltzer,  Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted 
from  ass't  sarg.  139th  Pa.,  Dec.  23,  '62;  discharged  Jan. 
6,  '63.     J.imes  W.  Anawalt,  Sept.  12,  '62. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — George  K.  Thompson,  Aug,  19, 
'62.     George  W.  Hoover,  Sept  3,  '62. 

Chaplain. — A.  H.  Schoonmaker,  Aug.  16,  '62. 

Seigcant  Majors. — Frank  I.  Deemer,  Aug.  15,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  private  Company  K  Jan.  24,  '63,  .  Thomas 
Maxwell,  Aug.  14,  '62;  promoted  from  private  Company 
A  Aug.  15,  '62;   istlieut.  Company  A  Nov.  r,  '62. 

Quartermaster  Sergeants. — Brooks  A.  Bass,  Aug.  15, 
'62;  promoted  from  private  Company  I  Jan.  i,  '63.  Elmor 
H.  Wells,   Aue.    11,  '62;  transferred    to  Company  B  Jan. 

I, '63. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — Alonzo  B.  Case,  Aug.  11,  62; 
promoted  from  sergt.  Coinpany  C  Dec.  25,  '62.  W.  W. 
Coolbaugh,  Aug.  14,  '62;  promoted  from  corp.  Company 
K  Oct.  10,  '63;  transferred  to  Company  K  Dec.  25,  '62. 
John  F.  Solomon,  Aug.  13,  '62;  promoted  from  private 
Company  G  Aug.  15,  '62;  died  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va., 
Oct.  16,  '62. 

Hospital  Stewards. — Moses  Y.  Corwin,  Aug.  14,  '62; 
promoted  from  private  Company  K  Apr.  6,  '63.  Horace 
A.  Deans,  Aug.  15,  '62;  promoted  from  private  Company 
I  Oct.  1,  '62;   transferred  to  Company  I  Apr.  6,  '63. 

COMPANY    B. 

i  Officers. — Captains — Smith   W.   Ingham,    Aug.   5,   '62; 

resigned  Feb.  5,  '63.  George  H.  Eastman,  Aug.  14.  '62; 
promoted  from  ist  lieut.  Feb.  8,  '63;  wounded  at  Chan- 
cellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  '63.  ist  lieut.,  Anson  G.  Car- 
penter, Aug.  14.  '62;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Feb.  8, 
'63.  2nd  lieut.,  DeWitt  C.  Kitchen;  promoted  to  1st 
sergt.  Sept.  18,  '62;   2nd  lieut.  Feb.  18,  '63.       ist    sergts. 

I  — John  D.  Smith;  promoted  from  private  to  sergt.  Nov. 
i,"'62;  to  ist.  sergt.  Feb.  8,  'd},.  George  W.  Warner; 
killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Sergts. — James 
H.  Farr;  promoted  from  corp.  Sept.  18,  '62.  Freeman 
A.  Dixon;  captured  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  corp.  Feb.  8,  '63.  Julian  W.  Stelhvell; 
promoted  to  corp.  Sept.  12,  '62;  sergt.  Feb.  8,  '63. 
Abner  Tevvis;  promoted  from  private  Nov.  i,  '61. 
Tohn  H.  Teneyck;  killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
Corporals — John  B.  Overfield,  wounded  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  John  W.  Reynolds,  promoted 
corp.  Sept.  12,  '62.  Calvin  L.  Briggs,  promoted  corp. 
Feb.  8,  '63;  wounded-  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May 
3,  'dT,.  Hansom  H.  Carrien,  promoted  corp.  Feb.  8,  'by, 
wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  '63.  Isaac 
Polmatien,  promoted  corp.  Feb.  8,  '63;  wounded  at 
Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  '63.  Daniel  W.  Smith, 
mustered  out  with  company  May  24,  '63.  George  N. 
Colvin,  promoted  to  corp.  Feb.  8,  'by  Porter  Car- 
penter, promoted  to  corp.  Feb.  8,  '63.  James  N.  Gard- 
ner, discharged  on  surg's  xertificate  Nov.  23,  '62.  Otis 
Gilmore,  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  23,  '62.  Musicians^ 
Decatur  Hewitt,  deserted  April  ir,  '63.  Andrew  J. 
Lewis,  Aug.  14,  '62;  prisoner  from  May  3  to  May  22,  '63. 
Robert  L.  Reynolds,  jirisoner  from  May  3  to  May  22,  '63. 
/'/7?'a/<'.f.— Elias  Aton.  Loren  Ball;  prisoner  from 
May  3  to  May  22,  'by  John  R.  Briggs,  Aug.  14, 
'62.  Willard  E.  Bullock;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md., 
Sepf.      17,     '62.       Joseph     Billings.       Samuel     Bishop; 


wounded,  with  loss 
'62;    discharged   on 


killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Thomas 
J.  Chase.  Levi  Conklin.  Thomas  A.  Castle.  (reorge 
A.  Carney;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17, 
'62.  Seth  A,  Cobb:  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept. 
17,  '62.  Oliver  F.  Clark.  Adelbert  Calvin;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Sept.  25,  '62,  Benjamin  V.  Cole; 
killed  at  Antietan>,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Jerome  E.  De- 
trick.  James  C.  Degraw.  Ezra  Dean;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Sept.  29,  '62.  Charles  Evans; 
killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  John  F. 
Evans;  died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62. 
Sylvester  Farnam.  Elisl-a  Farnam; 
of  arm,  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17, 
surg's  certificate  Jan.  1. '63.  Dennis  D.  Crardner.  Alonzo 
E.  Gregory;  killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Phi- 
lander Grow;  died  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  Dec.  17,  '62. 
Leslie  E.  Hawley;  discharged.  Samuel  Hoofer.  Thomas 
M.  Hines.  Harvey  B.  Howe;  discharged  on  surg's  cert- 
Jficate  Feb.  T,  'by  Peter  B,  Hanyon;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Feb.  15,  'by  George  M.  Harding; 
wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13, '62;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  10, '63.  Benjamin  H.  Hanyon; 
deserted  Sept.  17,  '62.  Stephen  T.  Ingham.  Horace 
Jackson.  Judson  A.  Jayne.  Martin  V.  Kennedy.  Silas 
G.  Lewis.  Francis  M.  Lewis;  wounded  at  Fredericks- 
burg, ^^a.,  Dec.  13,  '62,  and  at  Chancellorsville  May  3, '63. 
Ezra  A.  Lambert.  Alvah  I.etteer;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Mar.  4,  '63.  Albanus  Little;  wounded  at 
Antietam,  Md..  Sept.  17,  '62;  absent  at  muster  out. 
Miah  Mott.  E^mmett  J.  Matthewson.  Charles  W. 
Martin;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  6,  '63. 
Wilson  D.  Minor;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept. 
17,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  i,  '62. 
Thomas  S.  Moore,  died  at  Georgetown,  D.  C,  Oct.  14, 
'62.  Oliver  C.  Newbury;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Jan.  II,  '63,  Horace  O'Neal.  Henry  Ornt;  killed  at 
Antietam,  Md.,  Sept,  17,  '63,  Elisha  Pedrick;  wounded 
at  Antietam,  Md,,  Sept.  17,  '63.  Byron  Provost;  wound- 
ed at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62,  Charles  Plattenburg. 
Rufus  F.  Parish;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17, 
'62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  25, '63.  Reuben 
Plattenburg,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Mar.  12,  '63. 
William  H.  Reynolds;  wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept. 
17,  '62.  Albert  G,  Reynolds.  Oliver  E.  Reynolds. 
Perry  T.  Rought.  Washington  L.  Rought;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  12,  '63.  Milton  Roberts;  died 
Sept.  20,  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17, 
'62.  Eseck  Smith.  Jeremiah  Stanton.  Davis  C  Smith; 
absent,  sick,  at  muster  out,  William  Shoemaker.  Asa 
Smud;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Harman  Stark; 
wounded  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Wesley  J. 
Stark;  deserted  Nov.  20,  '62;  returned  Mar.  12,  '63. 
Burton  Shoemaker;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan. 
6,  '63.      John    H.   Smith;  killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept. 

17,  '62.  Joseph  W.  Stanton;  deserted.  Jacob  A. 
Thomas.  Utiev  Turner;  discharged  oh  surg's  certificate 
Jan.  6,  '63.  Henry  B.  Turner;  killed  at  Antietam,  Md., 
Sept.  17,  '62.  W.  B.  Vanarsdale.  Andrew  M.  Wandle; 
prisoner  from  Nov,  4  to  Dec,  24,  '62.  John  Wall. 
Elmore  H.  Wells,  Aug.  14,  '62.     Hiram  E.  Worden. 

COMPANY    I. 

Officers. — Captains — James  Archbald,  jr.,  Aug.  18,  '62; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  7,  '63.  Philip  S. 
Hall,  Aug.  18,  '62;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Jan.  14, '63; 
wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  4,  '63;  absent  at 
muster  out.       First   lieutenants — Robert   R.  Miller,  Aug. 

18,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  19,  '62. 
Benjamin  Gardner,  promoted  from  sergt.  Jan.  14,  '63.- 
Second  lieutenant — Michael    Houser,     promoted     from 


*^^ 


i^ 


Mh 


162 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


priv.  Jan.  14,  '63.  First  sergeants — George  A.  Wolcott, 
promoted  from  corp.  Jan.  14,  '63.  George  W.  Conklin, 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  18/63.  Sergeants 
John  M.  Miller.  John  Jones.  Isaac  Cornell,  promoted  corp. 
Jan.  14,  '63.  A.  Rittenbender,  promoted  from  corp.  Jan. 
'4.  '63;  prisoner  from  May  6  to  May  22,  '63.  Orlando 
Taylor,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Dec.  4,  '62.  Cor- 
porals—Alfred J.  Barnes.  Joseph  Sharp,  prisoner  from 
Nov.  8, '62,  to  Jan.  i,  '63.  Owen  J.  Bradford.  William 
H.  Hagar,  promoted  to  corp.  Jan.  4,  '63.  Lewis  G.  Reed, 
promoted  to  corp.  April  15,  '63.  James  A.  Sargent; 
promoted  to  corp.  Jan.  14,  '63.  Robert  Gray;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  6,  '62.  Daniel  S.  Gardner; 
killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Musicians — 
Orrin  C.  Hubbard  and  Theodore  Keifer. 

Privates. — Thomas  Allen.     Moses    H.  Ames;  killed  at 
Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.     George  L.  Bradford.  Wil- 
liam   Bracy.      John    Burnish.       Nathaniel    D.     Barnes. 
James    Barrowman;.  wounded    at    Chancellorsville,  Va., 
May  3,  '63.     Thomas  Barrowman.     Milton   Brown.  Aug. 
16,  '62.     Lewis  A.   Bingham;    deserted   Jan.    1,   '63;  re- 
turned Mar.  27,  '61.     Brooks  A.   Bass;  promoted  Q.  M. 
sergt.  Jan.  i,  'd-^.     John  Berry;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Mar.    15,  '63.     Abijah    Bush,  jr.;  deserted  Sept. 
19,    '62.     Burton    J.    Capwell.       Thomas    Carnarf    dis- 
charged   on    surg's   certificate.     George    H.  Cator;  died 
Oct.  30,  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam.  Md.,  Sept.   17, 
'62.     Horace  A.  Deans.   Frederick  M.  Ellting.   H.  L.  El- 
mandorf;     deserted    Nov.     15,     '62.       Edward     Ferris; 
wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  '63.    John  Fern. 
Cieorge  E.  Fuller.     Henry   M.  Fuller.     Benton  V.  Finn; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  6,  '62.     John  Finch; 
discharged   on   surg's  certificate   Mar.    28,  '63.     William 
Gunsauler.     John  Gahn;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg, Va., 
Dec.  13,  '62.     Elisha  R.  Harris.     Samuel    Hubbard.     J. 
Hippenhamraer,      Aug.       16,     '62.       Charles      Hamm. 
Richard     Hall.      William     H.     Harrison.       Henry     P. 
Halstead;      discharged     on      surg's       certificate      Jan. 
5,  '63.     William  Hazlett;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Jan.    2,    '63.      John    L.    Hunt;    deserted    Feb.    15,   '63. 
Roderick   Jones;  wounded  at  Antietam,    Md.,  Sept.  17, 
'62;  absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out.     John   J.  Kilmer, 
H.  L.  Krigbaum;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,   Dec. 
13,  '62.     Michael  Kelly.     George   C.  Lanning.     Thomas 
Z.  Lake.     Lyman  Milroy;  prisoner  from  May   6   to  May 
22,  '63.     George  Meuchler.     James  J.  Maycock;  wound- 
ed at  Antietam,    Md.,   Sept.  17,  '62.     Stephen    Moomey, 
James  H.  Miller.     Robert  O.  Moscrip.     James  S.  Morse; 
discharged    on    Furg's    certificate   Oct.    29,   '62.     Joseph 
Niver.     Aaron  Owen.     John  Owen;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Feb.  11,  '63      John  E.  Powell;  prisoner  from 
May    6    to    May    22,    '63.      Charles   Pontus.     James  A. 
Parker;  deserted  Oct.  29,  '62.     Joseph  Quinlain.     Free- 
man  J.   Roper.     Eliazer   Raymond;    wounded   at  Fred- 
ericksburg,    Va.,     Dec.     13,     '62.       Nelson     Raymond; 
wounded   at  Chancellorsville,   Va.,    May   3,   '63;  absent, 
in     hospital,     at    muster    out.       James    S.    Randolph; 
discharged  on    surg's    certificate    Jan.    2x,   '(it,.     George 
W.       Ridgeway;     discharged      on      surg's      certificate. 
Daniel  Reed,  killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.    Wil- 
liam   H.    Smith.     William     H.     Seely.     Laton     Slocum. 
Michael  Sisk.     John  Sommers.     Richard  A.  Smith,  died 
Oct.  15,  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17, 
'62.     Orvice  Sharp,  died  Nov.  15,  '62.     Reily  S.  Tanner. 
James  L.  Tuthill,  prisoner   from  May  6    to  May  22,   '63. 
Henry  Vusler,  deserted  Sept.  18,  '62.     David  J.  Woodruff. 
Samuel  Wiggins.   Daniel  Winnich.   Burr  C.  Warner.    John 
B.  West,  killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept,  17,  '62.     Harrison 
Young. 


COMPANY    K. 

Officers. — Captains. — Richard  Stillwell,Aug.  i8,'62;  dis- 
charged Mar.  31,  '63,  for  wounds  received  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Jacob  B.  Floyd,  Aug.  18,  '62; 
promoted  from  ist  lieut.  Mar.  31,  '63.  ist  lieut. — Noah 
B.  Jay,  promoted  from  2d  lieut.  Mar.  31,  '62,.  2nd  lieut. 
Sylvester  Ward,  promoted  from  sergt.  to  ist  sergt.  Dec. 
25,  '62;  2nd  lieut.  Mar.  31,  '63.  ist  sergt. — Francis 
Orchard,  promoted  from  sergt.  Mar.  31,  '(it,.  Sergts. — • 
George  M.  Snyder,  promoted  from  corp.  Sept.  24,  '62. 
John  Bottsford,  promoted  from  corp.  Sept.  24,  '62.  Wil- 
liam C.  Keiser,  promoted  from  corp.  Mar.  31,  '(>t,.  Mar- 
tin L.  Hower,  died  Oct.  28,  of  wounds  received  at  Antie- 
tam, Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Corps. — Philetus  P.  Cope- 
land.  George  A.  Kent.  George  W.  Johnson,  pro- 
moted corp.  Sept.  24,  '62.  John  S.  Short,  promoted, 
corp.  Sept.  24,  '62;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
Dec.  13,  '62;  absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out.  George 
H.  Taylor,  promoted  corp.  Sept.  14,  '62.  Emil  Haugg, 
promoted  corp.  Mar.  31,  '63.  Austin  F.  Clapp,  promoted 
sergt.  maj.  Nov.  i,  '62.  Musicians — Lor.  D.  Kemmerer. 
William  Silsbee. 

Privates. — Augustus  Ashton.  David  Brooks.  Charles 
Boon.  Lewis  H.  Bolton.  Adolf  Bendon,  discharged  on 
surg's  cerHficate  Dec.  6,  '62.  Charles  Bulraer,  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  14,  '62.  William  H.  Carling. 
William  W.  Coolbaugh,  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Va., 
May  3,  '63.  Harrison  Cook.  Jacob  M.  Corwin.  John 
Coolbaugh.  William  Coon,  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Nov.  29,  '62.  Moses  Y.  Corwin,  promoted  hospital 
steward  Apr.  6,  '(it,.  Benjamin  Daily.  F.  J.  Deemer, 
promoted  sergt.  maj.  Jan.  24,  '63.  Richard  Davis, 
died  Jan.  2,  '63,  of  wounds  received  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Thoinas  D.  Davis,  died 
near  Washington,  D.  C,,  Nov.  25.  '62.  Jacob  Eschen- 
Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62. 
George  Gabriel.  John  C.  Higgins, 
J.  H.  Havenstrike.  George 
Henrj',  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
Wilson    Hess,    discharged   on    surg's 


bach,     killed      at 
Charles  Frederick. 
Peter      Harrabaum 
Hindle.    Edward  T, 
cate   Jan.    8,   '63. 


certificate  Feb.  21,  '63.  John  P.  Heath,  deserted  Sept. 
21,  '62.  John  M.  Kapp,  Michael  Kivlin,  Robert  Ken- 
nedy, Jesse  P.  Kortz,  died  near  Falmouth,  Va.,-  Dec.  25, 
'62.  George  W.  Lynn,  Andrew  Landsickle,  John  Lind- 
sey,  George  Matzenbacher,  Samuel  VV.  Mead,"william  L. 
Marcy,  George  B.  Mack.  Charles  A.  Meylert,  promoted 
to  2nd  lieutenant  Company  A  Feb.  24,  '63.  Jeptha 
Milligan,  killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  Sept.  17,  '62.  Richard 
Nape,  Daniel  J.  Newman,  John  R.  Powell,  Joseph  Pel- 
lam,  Downing  Parry,  John  Ry.an,  Samuel  Rupel.  Simon 
P.  Rmgsdorf,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  6,  '63. 
George  Smithing,  Harry  M.  Segar,  Daniel  W.  Scull, 
Joseph  Snyder,  Simon  P.  Snyder,  William  D.  Snyder 
Charles  B.  Scott,  Peter  Seigle,  John  Scott,  Walter  K. 
Snyder,  Martin  L.  Smith,  James  Stevens.  John  Stitcher, 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  28,  '62.  Allen 
Sparks,  died  Sept.  t8,  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam, 
Sept.  T7,  '(,2.  Obadiah  Sherwood,  died  Nov.  20,  at 
Smoketown,  Md.,  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam  Sept. 
17,  '62.  Samuel  Snyder,  died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Jan 
9,  '63.  James  Scull,  died  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  Feb.  11 
'(i^.  Solon  Searles,  died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  Jan.  26^ 
'63.  Alonzo  L.  Slawson,  discharged.  Leander  J.  Smith' 
deserted  Sept.  i,  '62.  David  Vipon,  George  C.  Wilson' 
Martni  Wilmore.  Orestes  B.  Wright,  wounded  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  John  Westfall.  Henry  W. 
Whiting,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov  27  '62 
John  W.  Wright,  died   at   Harper's  Ferry,  Va  ,    Oct     23 


=^^ 


^^ 


.1 


136TH  AND  142ND  REGIMENTS. 


163 


'62.  Albert  Wheeler,  deserted  Dec.  19,  '62.  Conrad 
Young,  William  H.  Young,  W.  L.  Yarrington.  Daniel  C. 
Young,  died  Dec.  26,  of  wounds  received  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62. 

ONE    HUNDRED    AND    THIRTY-SIXTH    REGI- 
MENT. 

This  regiment,  of  which  Company  B  was  recruited  in 
Luzerne  and  Tioga  counties,  was  organized  for  nine 
months'  service. 

It  arrived  in  Washington  while  the  second  Bull  Run 
battle  was  in  progress,  and  was  stationed  in  one  of  the 
forts  which  defended  the  capital,  and  afterward  it  was 
posted  in  detachments  along  these  defences.  In  the  lat- 
ter part  of  September  it  moved  to  Frederick,  Md.,  and 
afterward  to  Sharpsburg.  During  the  time  it  remained 
in  Maryland  it  was  engaged  in  drill  and  picket  duty.  It 
then  crossed  into  Virginia  and  encamped  successively  at 
VV^rrenton,  Brooks  Station,  White  Oak  Church  and 
Falmouth. 

At  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  it  took  part  in  the  un- 
equal contest  of  the  first  corps  against  many  times  its 
number  of  the  enemy.  Its  loss  in  this  battle  was  140 
'<illed,  wounded  and  missing. 

After  this  battle  it  remained  in  camp  near  Falmouth, 
excepting  of  course  during  the  mud  campaign,  till  the 
movement  on  Chancellorsville.  It  was  engaged  in  this 
battle,  but  did  not  suffer  as  severely  as  at  Fredericksburg. 
It  returned  to  its  old  camp,  where  it  remained  till  the  end 
of  its  terra  of  service;  then  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and 
was  mustered  out  May  29lh,  1863. 

The  dates  following  the  names  in  the  list  below  show 
the  time  when  each  man  was  mustered  into  the  service. 
Where  none  is  given  August  i6th,  1862,  is  to  be  under- 
stood. The  date  of  muster  out,  where  not  given,  is  May 
29th,  1863. 

COMPANY    B. 

Officers. — Captain — William  N.  Monies,  Aug.  2,  '62. 
First  lieutenants — Nelson  Doty,  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Mar.  31, '63.  Frederick  J.  Amsden,  Aug.  26, 
'62;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Apr.  i,  '63.  Second  lieu- 
tenant, David  Edwards,  promoted  from  rst  sergt.  Apr.  i, 
'63.  First  Sergeant,  George  L.  Hulberl;  promoted  ist 
sergt.  Apr.  i,  '63.  Sergeants — John  Bowen.  Charles  S. 
Culver.  Thomas  Patten.  John  E.  Davis;  promoted 
from  cnrp.  Apr.  i,  '63.  Corporals— Norman  Strait, 
Thomas  W.  Griffith,  Henry  Loftus,  E.  D.  Rutherford, 
Marcellus  Leach,  David  P.  Berlley.  Seth  Leroy  Love; 
IJromoted  corp.  Apr.  i,  'd^,-  John  Mackey;  promoted 
corp.  Apr.  1,  '63.     Musician,  Orville  Breese,  Aug.  r6,  '62. 

/'wrtto.— Sylvester  Bullock.  Elijah  Blanchard. 
Frank  Bennett.  Francis  Bosley.  William  Bynon, 
Horatio  Chisom.  Hiram  Cameron.  Henry  Creeley. 
Holoway  H.  Clancy.  John  Costley;  died  at  Frede- 
rick, Md.,  Oct.  18,  '62.  Silas  S.  Dingman.  Hiram 
Decker.  Jacob  Dresel.  John  L.  Davis.  Mark  Dins- 
dale;  died  at  Belle  Plain,  Va.,  Jan.  19,. '63.  Edward  L. 
Evans.  Elias  Evans.  Shadrach  Evans.  John  Evans. 
\Vilson  Ely.  James  L.  Ferry.  John  W.  Ferry.  Wilham 
G.  Ferry.  Austin  Flander.  Robert  S.  Ferry;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  23,  '63.  William  George.  Wil- 
liam H.  Hudson.     John  Hogancamp.     Chartel  Hohsted. 


Thomas  Horan.  William  Hopkins.  David  Hopkins. 
Edvvin  Harris.  William  Hickley;  wounded  at  Frede- 
ricksburg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Calvin  Hober.  Robert 
B.  Howland;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Jan.  6,  '63.  Thomas  Jenkins;  wounded  at  Frede- 
ricksburg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '61';  prisoner  from  Dec. 
13,  '62,  to  May  28,  '62,.  Robert  Jenkins.  William  Jar- 
vis.  William  H.  Jones.  Ebenezer  Jones.  Benjamin 
Jones.  William  J.  Jones;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Mar.  3,  '63.  Frank  Klees.  Howard  Klees.  Henry 
Linderman.  Enoch  Loyd.  John  Law.  Villny  Monroe. 
John  M.  Moyer.  Thomas  Manly.  Thomas  Morris. 
Frank  Miles;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  3,  '63. 
Thomas  Mitchell;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan. 
29,  '63.  Charles  Matteson;  died  Dec.  10,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived a;t  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  John  M'Voy. 
Patrick  M'Cann.  Simeon  M'Casline.  William  Nogles, 
Johoil  Norton;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  13. 
'63.  William  H.  Pierce.  John  Powell.  C.  H.  and  M.W.  Price. 
T.  J.  Richardson.  Stephen  Romayne.  John  Rose.  David 
Roberts.  Horace  K.  Rumsey;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Feb.  26,  '(it,.  James  R.  Stone;  wounded  and 
missing  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62. 
Asa  Spencer.  Luman  Stevens.  Archibald  Smith;  died 
at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  22,  '62.  Thomas  Thomas. 
Lewis  Thomas;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  29, 
'63.  Solomon  Vanzile.  Andrew  Vanzile.  Frank  Vast- 
binder.  George  H.  Watts.  Reuben  Williams.  Ely 
White.  Clark  V.  Worden;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Feb.  13,  '63.  William  R.  Watkins;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Apr.  i,  '63. 

ONE    HUNDRED   AND    FORTY-SECOND    REGI- 
MENT. 

On  the  ist  of  September,  1862,  the  organization  of 
this  regiment  was  effected.  Company  K  was  from 
Luzerne  county,  which  was  also  represented  among  the 
field  officers  by  Major  John  Bradley. 

On  the  day  after  its  organization  it  moved  to  Washing- 
ton, and  engaged  for  a  time  in  fatigue  duty.  It  then 
moved  to  Frederick,  Md.,  where  it  was  on  duty  till 
October.  Thence  it  went  with  the  3d  division  of  the 
ist  corps,  to  which  it  was  attached,  to  Warrenton  and 
from  there  to  Brooks  Station,  and  in  December  to  Frede- 
ricksburg, where  it  was  heavily  engaged,  as  may  be  known 
from  its  losses,  which  were  250  out  of  550  that  went  into 
the  action.  Major  Bradley  was  mortally  wounded. 
After  this  battle  it  remained  at  Belle  Plain  (excepting  the 
mud  march)  till  the  reorganization  of  the  army  by  General 
Hooker.  In  April  it  moved  forward  to  Chancellorsville, 
where  it  was  under  fire  though  not  heavily  engaged. 

After  this  battle  it  returned  to  camp  and  remained  till 
the  opening  of  the  Gettysburg  campaign.  It  moved  for- 
ward with  the  army  and  participated  in  this  action,  suf- 
fering a  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  missing  and  prisoners  of 
225.  After  this  battle  came  two  months  of  inactivity, 
then  two  more  of  marching  and  countermarching,  and 
the  regiment  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Culpepper. 

Early  in  May,  1864,  the  regiment  moved  forward  and 
engaged  in'  the  Wilderness  campaign.  Then  followed 
Laurel  Hill,  Spottsylvania,  North  Anna,  Bethesda 
Church  and  Tolopotomy  creek.  In  June  it  moved  to 
Cold  Harbor;  then  to  the  James,  which  it  crossed  and 
arrived    before    Petersburg  on     the    i6th.     During    the 


4 


-^m 


164 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


remainder  of  its  term  of  service  it  was  engaged  in  the 
operatiotis  of  the  siege,  building  forts  and  fortifications, 
raiding  and  fighting  till  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appo- 
mattox. It  was  mustered  out  at  Washington  on  the  29th 
of  May,  1865. 

The  members  of  Company  K  were  mustered  in  at  the 
dates  following  their  names  in  the  list  below.  If  not 
otherwise  stated  they  were  mustered  out  May  29th,  1865. 

COMPANY    K. 

Officers. — Captains— Charles  H.  Flagg,  Sept.  1,  '62; 
killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  3,  '63.  Joshua  W.  Howell, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted  from  corp.  to  capt.  May  i,  '64. 
First  lieutenants — Jeremiah  Hoffman,  Sept.  i,  '62;  com- 
missioned capt.  July  4,  '63;  not  mustered;  discharged 
Nov.  21,  for  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i, 
63.  John  W.  Dissinger,  Sept.  2,  '62;  promoted  from 
sergt.  Sept.  21,  '64.  Second  lieutenant — Cyrus  K.  Camp- 
bell, Sept.  I,  '62;  commissioned  ist  lieut.  July  4,  '63;  not 
mustered;  discharged  Mar.  9, '63,  for  wounds  received  at 
Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  First  sergeants — Sam- 
uel Decker,  Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted  ist  sergt.  Sept.  i, 
'64;  commissioned  2nd  lieut.;  not  mustered.  Albert  G. 
Ink,  August  30,  '62;  missing  in  action  at  Fredericksburg, 
Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  William  G.  Garrett,  Sept.  24,  '62;  died 
Aug.  26,  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  18, 
'64.  Sergeants — John  P.  Williams,  Aug.  30,  '62;  pro- 
moted sergt.  Oct.  I,  '64.  Samuel  R.  David,  Aug,  30,  '62; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  July  15,  '(>t,.  Solomon 
W.  Strohm,  Sept.  i,  '62;  discharged  Apr.  27,  '63,  for 
wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62. 
George  W.  Brink,  Aug.  30,  '62;  wounded  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  Dec.  13, '62;  transferred  to  Company  D,  i8th  reg. 
veteran  reserve  corps,  Aug.  15,  '63;  discharged  June  29, 
'65.  Alpheus  Cutler,  Aug.  30,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Nov.  16,  '63.  Corporals — Charles  Steel, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '63.  John  P. 
Griffiths,  Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted  to  corp.  Apr.  '63;  cap- 
tured at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  George  Strickler, 
Sept  I,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  3,  '65.  Jolin  T.  Reed, 
Sept.  I,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '65.  Martin  L. 
Burtch,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar. 
I,  '63.  James  D,  Giddings,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  ecertificate  Jan.  16, '63.  John  G.  Silkworth,  Aug.  30, 
'62;  dischaiged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  19,  '65.  Edward 
Mehlnian,  Sept.  i,  '62;  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July 
I,  '63;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.,  '65; 
discharged  June  26,  '65.  Isaac  Gisner,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps;  discharged  June  26,  '65.  William 
Fastnought,  Aug.  30,  '62;  died  at  Frederick,  Md.,  Nov. 
16,  '62.  Nathan  Allen,  Aug.  30,  '62;  promoted  corp. 
Aug.  18,  '64;  died  Feb.  7  at  City  Point,  Va.,  of  wounds 
received  at  Dabney's  Mills  Feb.  6,  '65.  James  V.  Staley 
Sept.  25,  '62;  promoted  to  corp.  May  11,  '63;  died  at 
Petersburg,  Va.,  Nov.  30,  '64.  Lewis  Wagner,  Aug.  30, 
'62;  deserted  Sept.,  '6z.  Musician,  Thomas  Prothero, 
Aug.  30,  '62. 

Privates. — Charles  K.  Burkey,  Sept.  25,  '62.  Lewis 
Bevan,  Aug.  30, '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct., 
'62.  Abraham  Bickel,  Sept.  i,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Dec.  14,  '63.  Henry  Bickle,  Sept.  t,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  9,  '64.  Chester  Cam- 
mer,  Aug.  30,  '62.  William  Cooper,  Aug.  30,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  16,  '63.  John  Cool, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  transferred  to  Company  G,  12th  regiment 
veteran  reserve  corps,  Feb.  11,  '64;  discharged  June  39, 
'65.     John   Conrad,   Aug.  30,  '62;  missing    in    action   at 


Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  John  R.  Davis,  Aug. 
30,  '62.  Samuel  Davis,  Sept.  r,  '62.  Charles  Decker, 
Aug.  30,  '62.  Oliver  Decker,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged 
Feb.  29,  'ii2ii  fo""  wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
Dec.  13,  '62.  John  Dunlap,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Feb.,  '^■i.  Youngs  Davis,  Aug.  30,  '62, 
and  John  Doolebohn,  Sept.  i,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps.  James  E.  Donley,  Sept.  24, '62;  transferr- 
ed to  signal  corps.  Samuel  Dupple,  Sept.  i, '62;  died  July 
24,  of  wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va., 
May  12,  '64.  Watkin  Evans,  Aug.  30,  '62.  Jenkin  Evans, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec  13,  '62. 
Edward  Fitzgerald,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Mar.  15, '64.  Henry  M.  Garrett,  Sept.  I, '62.  Peter 
Garber,  Sept.  i,  '62;  discharged  Mar.  24,  '63,  for  wounds 
received  at  Fredericksburg,.  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Jacob 
Gisner,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan. 
13,  '64.  George  Griest,  Sept.  i,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Feb.  3,  'Gt,.  Thomas  Gruver,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  15,  '65.  Denzimore 
N.  Hale,  Aug.  30,  '62.  William  Hampton,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
captured  at  Petersburg,  Va..  Jan.  24,  '65;  discharged 
May  26,  '65.  David  Heisey,  Sept.  i,  '62.  'john  House, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13, 
'62;  absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out.  John  Holvey, 
Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate.  Merritt 
Hass,  Aug.  30,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
Jan.  1,  '65.  William  I).  Jones,  Aug.  30,  '62;  discharged 
by  special  order  Nov.  15,  '64.  William  Johnson,  Aug. 
30,  '62;  deserted  Dec.  3,  '62.  Meredith  Jones,  Aug.  30, 
^62;  deserted  July  i,  '63.  AVilliam  H.  Kendall,  Aug.  30, 
'62;  missing  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  "\^a.,  Dec.  13, 
'62.  William  Laird,  Aug.  30,  '62;  wounded  and  cap- 
tured at  Fredericksburg.  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62;  died  at  Rich- 
mond, Jan.  3,  '63.  Benjamin  Lutringer,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
wounded  and  captured  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13, 
'62;  died  at  Richmond,  Jan.  14,  '63.  Lewis  Miller,  Sept. 
I,  '62;  wounded  at  Dabney's  Mills,  Va.,  Feb.  6,  '65;  dis- 
charged June  7,  '65.  Thomas  Meredith,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
discharged  Mar.  4,  '(,t„  for  wounds  received  at  Frede- 
ricksburg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  John  Morgan,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
discharged  Jan.  23,  '63.  Reuben  Morris,  Aug.  30,  '62; 
discharged  Jan.  13,  '63.  John  M'Lean,  Sept.  i,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  24,  '63.  Zuray  M'Cam- 
ley,  Aug.  30,  '62;  killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13, 
'62.  Barney  M'Nellis,  Aug.  30,  '62;  deserted.  John  S. 
Nagle,  Feb.  3,  '65;  transferred  to  190th  Pa.,  May  29, 
'65.  William  Peters,  Sept.  i,  '62.  William  Phillipi,  Sep'. 
I,  '62;  missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63. 
Samuel  Smith,  Sept.  i,  '62.  George  Steinmetz,  Sept.  i, 
'62.  Michael  Seiders,  Sept.  i,  '62;  prisoner  from  May  5, 
'64,  to  May  14,  '65.  Jacob  Souder,  Sept.  i,  '62;  dis- 
charged by  special  order  Sept.  15,  '64.  Jonas  Seagrisf, 
Sept.  r.  '62;  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan  i,  '65.  '  Wil- 
liam H.  Seiders,  Sept.  2,  '62;  transferred  to  Company 
A,  6lh  regiment  veteran  reserve  corps,  Jan.  15,  '64;  dis- 
charged July  6,  '65.  Lewis  Shortz,  Aug.  30,  '62;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Feb.  15,  '64.  George  G. 
Scott,  .\ug.  30,  '62;  wounded  and  captured  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62;  died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Feb.  22, 
'(>Z-  John  Seiders,  Sept.  I, '62;  captured;  died  at  Ander- 
sonville,  Gn.,  July  19,  '64.  Henry  Smith,  Sept.  i,  '62; 
killed  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  Dec.  13,  '62.  Peter  Smith, 
Sept.  I,  62;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63  Nich- 
olas Smith,  Aug.  30,  '62;  killed  at  Fredericksburg  Va 
Dec.  13,  '62.  Levi  Sheets,  Sept.  i,  '62;  deserted  jkn.  ^ 
63.  Caleb  Tompkins,  Sept.  i,  '62;  died  at  Washington, 
p.  C,  Peb.  7,  '63.  William  Vanbuskirk,  Aug  ,0  '62- 
killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  Richard  S.  Water.' 
Aug.  30,   62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan   19  '63- 


-^^ 


H^ 


THE  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 


165 


re-enlisted  Mar.  30,  '64;  transferred  to  190th  Pa.  May  29, 
'65;  veteran.  Andrew  Weiscarrier,  Aug.  30,  '62;  killed 
at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  Alexander  C.  Wilson, 
Sept.  I,  '62;  deserted. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


LUZERNE    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR THE    ONE    HUNDRED     AND 

FORTY-THIRD      REGIMENT. 


4. 


OMPANIES  H  and  K  of  this  regiment  were 
raised  in  the  counties  of  Lycoming,  Sus- 
quehanna and  Wyoming,  the  others  in 
Luzerne  county.  Their  place  of  rendezvous 
was  a  camp  about  three  miles  from  Wilkes- 
f  ^h  Barre,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  in  what 
is  known  as  Mill  Hollow.  There  the  regiment 
was  organized  on  the  1 8th  of  October,  1862,  with  Ed- 
mund L.  Dana  as  colonel,  George  E.  Hoyt  lieutenant 
colonel  and  John  D.  Musser  major.  The  appointment  of 
Colonel  Dana  was  made  without  his  knowledge,  but  his 
well  known  ability  and  energy  of  character,  and  the  mili- 
tary experience  which  he  had  acquired  in  the  Mexican 
war,  where  lie  commanded  a  company,  rendered  the 
choice  a  fitting  one. 

After  a  few  weeks  spent  in  drilling,  the  regiment  moved 
to  Harrisburg,  and  thence   to  Washington.     It  remanied 
near  this  city,  engaged  in  drill  and  fatigue  duty,  till  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  when  it  went  to  Belle  Plain  and  was  assigned 
to  the  2nd  brigade,  3d  division,  ist  corps.     In  April,  with 
its  division,  it  went  to  a  point  on  the  Rappahanock  below 
Fredericksburg,   where   it  made  a  feint   of  crossing  and 
returned.     In  the  latter  part  of  the  same   month  it  went 
to  Pollock's  run,  where  it  was  under  fire  from  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  river  while  fighting  was  going  on  in  Chan- 
cellorsville.       Thither   the    regiment    proceeded    on  the 
2nd  of  May,  and  on  the  3d  and    4th  it  was  at  times    un- 
der fire.     On  the  8th   it  went    into   camp    at    Falmouth. 
The  ist  corps  was  the  first  to  reach  the  battle  at  Gettys- 
burg, where  it   went   into    position    on    the    ist    of  July. 
Colonel  Dana   soon  came   in  command    of  his   brigade, 
and  Lieutenant   Colonel  Musser  of  the  regiment.     The 
fighting  was  severe    at   the    position  held  by   the  143d, 
and  after   repeated    charges    on  it  had  been    made  and 
repulsed  it  was  compelled   lo   fall  back,  which  the  men 
did  doggedly  and  unwillingly.     It  was  afterward  relaled, 
in   a  foreign   magazine,  by  an   English    officer,  who  was 
present  with   the   enemy,  that   when   the   Yankee   troops 
were   compelled   after  an   obstinate   resistance   to   retire 
from  this  position  a  color  bearer,  who  was  the  last  of  his 
regiment  to  leave  the  position,  was   seen   to  occasionally 
turn  and  shake  his  fist  at  the  assailants;  while  doing  so 
he  fell,  and   died   dinging   to   his   standard.     The   rebel 
General   Hill   expressed   his  regret  at  seeing  this  gallant 
soldier  fall.     This  color  bearer  was  Sergeant  Benjamin 
H.  Crippen,  of  Company  E  in  this   regiment.     The   flag 


to  which  he  clung  in  death  was  borne  from  the  field  by 
his  comrades.  On  the  2nd  and  3d  the  regiment  was  en- 
gaged, but  not  as  heavily  as  on  the  ist.  It  went  into  the 
engagement  465  strong,  and  lost  in  killed,  wounded,  mis- 
sing and  prisoners  more  than  half  that  number.  Among 
the  killed  were  Lieutenants  Lee  D.  Grover,  Lyman  R. 
Nicholson  and  Charles  D.  Betzinberger. 

The  remainder  of  the  regiment  took  part  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  rebel  army  into  Virginia,  and  'afterward  moved  to 
the  vicinity  of  Bealton  Station,  where  it  was  engaged  in 
guard  duty  on  the  railroad  and  at  a  depot  of  stores. 
During  the  autumn  of  1863  it  received  recruits  at  dif- 
ferent times,  amounting  to  363  men,  which  gave  the  regi- 
ment a  strength  of  534. 

Late  in  September  the  regiment  moved  with  the  army 
to  the  Rapidan  and  occupied  positions  successively  at 
Raccoon  Ford,  Moreton's  Ford  and  Kelly's  Ford;  then 
marched  to  Centerville  and  thence  to  Haymarket,  where 
on  the  9th  of  October  it  had  a  slight  engagement,  in 
which  two  men  were  wounded.  It  returned  to  the  Rapi- 
dan and  late  in  November  was  stationed  at  Manassas 
Junction,  whence  it  went  across  the  Rappahannock  to 
Paoli  Mills  on  the  5th  of  December,  and  on  the  27th  to 
Culpepper  and  established  its  winter  quarters.  On  the 
6th  of  February,  1864,  it  marched  to  Raccoon  Ford, 
where  it  had  a  slight  engagement,  and  returned  the  next 
day. 

A   corps   reorganization  took   place   in  March  and  the 
143d  became   one   of   the   regiments   of   the  ist  brigade 
ist  division   5th  corps.       Lieutenant  Colonel  Hoyt,  who 
died  in  June,  1863,  had  been   succeeded  by  Major  Mus- 
ser, and  Captain  Charles  M.  Conyngham  had  been  made 
major.      Early  in  May  the  regiment  went  to  the   Wilder- 
ness  and  was  engaged  in   the  several  actions  there.     At 
these  battles  Colonel  Dana  was  wounded  and  made  pris- 
oner. Lieutenant   Colonel  Musser  was  killed,  Lieutenant 
Michael    Keenan   was   mortally   wounded    and  Captains 
Gordon  and  Little  and  Lieutenant  Ka'iff  taken  prisoners. 
At  Laurel  Hill  the  regiment  was  in  action,  and  for  several 
successive   days   was   engaged  in  charging  and  repelling 
assaults.        In   these   engagements    it    suffered    severely. 
Lieutenant    Charles    H.    Riley    was     killed    and     Major 
Conyngham  wounded.     The  regiment  went  to  the  North 
Anna,  where  it  arrived  on  the  21st,  and  on  the  23d  it  was 
engaged   at   Hanover  Junction.     It  moved  forward  with 
the  army,  crossed  the  James  and  marched  for  Petersburg 
on  the  i6th  of  June.     On  the   i8th,  in  a  general  advance 
on  the  enemy's  works,  Lieutenant  E.  L.  Griffin  was  mor- 
tally wounded.     During  a  month  following  this  the  regi-  . 
ment   was  engaged   in  fatigue  duty,   and  on  the  i8th  of 
August  it  was  engaged  at   the  taking  of  the  Weldon  rail- 
road.     About  the  middle  of  September  Colonel  Dana  re- 
turned from  his  imprisonment  and  resumed  command  of 
his  regiment,  which  was  about  the  same  time  assigned  to 
the  3d  division,  under  General  Crawford.     On  the  ist  of 
October  the  regiment  made  an  expedition  on  the  Vaughn 
road,  and  was  soon  afterward  quartered  in  Fort  Howard, 
where  it  remained  till  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  when  it 
moved  with  its  corps  on    Hatcher's  Run,     The  143d  was 


4\ 


i66 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


engaged  with  its  division  in  a  charge  on  the  enemy,  and 
in  skirmishing.  Under  the  command  of  General  Warren 
the  corps  went  early  in  December  on  the  Weldon  raid 
and  succeeded  in  effecting  the  destruction  of  about 
twenty  miles  of  the  railroad  and  its  fixtures,  as  well  as 
rebel  stores  and  other  property.  On  the  return  of  the 
corps  from  this  raid  the  143d  was  a  portion  of  the  rear 
guard,  and  was  frequently  attacked  by  the  enemy's  pur- 
suing column.  This  was  the  last  active  service  of  the 
regiment  during  that  year. 

Early  in  February,  1865,  the  regiment  participated  in 
a  movement  against  the  enemy  at  Hatcher's  Run,  where 
the  rebels  and  the  Union  troops  were  alternately  driven. 
Captain  Gaylord  was  killed  in  this  fight  and  the  regiment 
suffered  greatly.  Soon  after  this  the  143d,  with  three 
other  regiments  in  the  same  brigade,  went  north.  It  was 
placed  on  duty  at  the  rendezvous  on  Hart  island,  in  the 
East  river,  New  York,  and  remained  there  during  the 
remainder  of  its  term  of  service.  It  was  mustered  out  on 
the  i2th  of  June,  1865,  and  on  its  return  to  Wilkes- 
Barre  was  received  with  those  marks  of  esteem  to  which 
its  severe  and  efficient  service  in  the  field  entitled  it. 

Colonel  Dana  had  suffered  severely  during  his  im- 
prisonment, and  was  one  of  fifty  imprisoned  officers  who 
were  placed  undSr  the  fire  of  the  Union  artillery  at  the 
city  of  Charleston.  After  his  return,  though  holding  the 
rank  of  a  colonel,  he  was  during  a  long  time  kept  in  com- 
mand of  his  brigade.  The  officers  of  that  brigade  drew 
up  and  subscribed  a  memorial  to  the  war  department  pro- 
testing against  such  injustice,  and  asking  that  he  be  pro- 
moted. This  paper  from  some  cause  never  reached  the 
department,  but  on  the  facts  of  the  case  becoming  known 
through  other  channels  he  was  brevetted  a  brigadier-gen- 
eral, and  retained  in  the  service  on  special  duty  till  the 
following  August. 

The  143d  was  so  nearly  all  raised  in  Luzerne  and  Wy- 
oming counties  that  we  append  a  roll  of  the  entire  regi- 
ment. By  way  of  explanation  it  is  only  necessary  to  say 
that  where  a  date  immediately  follows  a  name  it  indicates 
the  lime  when  the  man  was  mustered  in;  and  that  each 
man  not  otherwise  accounted  for  was  mustered  out  June 
i2th,  1865: 

FIELD  AND  STAFF  OFFICERS. 

Co/om/— Edmund  L.  Dana,  Nov.  18, '62;  wounded  and 
captured  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  brevet  brig, 
gen.  July  26,  '65;  discharged  Aug.  18,  '65. 

Lieutenant  Colonels. — George  E.  Hoyt,  Sept.  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  cnpt.  Company  D  Nov.  8,  '62;  died  at  Kings- 
ton, Pa.,  June  i,  '63.  John  D.  IVIusser,  Oct.  i,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  ist  lieut.  Company  K  to  major  Nov.  8,  '62; 
to  lieut.  col.  June  2,  '63;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 
6,  '64.  George  N.  Richard,  Aug.  27,  '62;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  C  June  8,  '65. 

Majors.— C.  M.  Conyngham,  Aug.  26,  '62;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  A  Sept.  i,  '63;  discharged  July  26, 
for  wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  May 
12,  '64.  Chester  K.  Hughes,  Oct.  18,  '62;  promoted 
from  capt.  Company  I  Oct.  27,  '64;  brev.  lieut.  col.  and 
col.  Mar.  13,  '65. 

Ailjutants.—]ohn  ]ones,  iw,  Dec.  iS,  '62;  discharged 
on    surg's   certificate    Sept.    12,  '63.     F.   M.  Shoemaker, 


Oct.  31,  '63;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Sept.  7,  '64. 
Charles  H.  Campbell,  Sept.  8,  '62;  promoted  from  2nd 
lieut.  Company  F  Dec. -13,  '64. 

Quartermasters. — Milton  Dana,  Nov.  18,  '62;  promoted 
to  capt.  and  ass't  Q.  M.  U.  S,  volunteers  May  17,  '65; 
mustered  out  May  19,  '6(>,  William  D.  Warfel,  Sept.  6, 
'62;  promoted  from  private  Company  E  to  Q.  M.  sergt. 
Oct.  I,  '63;  Q.  M.  June  5,  '65. 

Surgeons. — Francis  C.  Reamer,  Sept.  16,  '62;  resigned 
Feb.  3,  '65.  C.  E.  Humphrey,  May  25,  '63;  promoted 
from  ass't  surg.  142nd  Pa!  volunteers  Mar.  22,  '65. 

Assistant  Surgeons. — James  Fulton,  Aug.  20,  '62;  trans- 
ferred from  150th  Pa.  volunteers  Nov.  18,  '62;  discharged 
Apr.  8,  '64.  David  L.  Scott,  Sept.  18,  '62;  discharged 
Apr.  8,  '64.  I.  C.  Hogendobler,  Apr.  27,  '64;  promoted 
to  ass't  surg.  U.  S.  volunteers  Sept.  7,  '64;  brev.  maj.; 
mustered  out  Dec.  8,  '65.     Edward  Brobst,  Dec.  27,  '64. 

Chaplain. — Solomon  W.  Weiss,  Nov.  28,  '62;  resigned 
Apr.  30,  '(,z. 

Sergeant  Majors. — Jacob  W  Burke,  Sept.  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  sergt.  Company  D  May  16,  '65.  Patrick  De 
Lacy,  Aug.  26,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt.  Company  A 
Oct.  6,  '64;  2nd  lieut.  Company  D  May  24,  '65.  John 
M.  Conner,  Aug.  27,  '62;  promoted  from  ist  sergt.  Com- 
pany C  Dec.  I,  '63;  1st  lieut.  Company  B  Sept.  18,  '64. 
Wesley  M.  Cooper,  Aug.  15,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt. 
Company  K;  transferred  to  Company  K  Dec.  i,  '63. 
Alonzo  S.  Holden,  Aug.  26,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt. 
Company  A  Jan.  i,  '63;  transferred  to  Company  A  July 
I,  '63- 

Quartermaster  Sergeant. — Elhannan  W.  Wert,  Sept.  6, 
'62;  promoted  from  private  Company  E  to  com.  sergt. 
July  17,  '64;  to  Q.  M.  sergt.  June  6,  '65. 

Commissary  Sergeants. — Augustus  Atherton,  Aug.  26, 
'62;  promoted  from  private  Company  B  June  7,  '65.  My- 
ron S.  Town,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  from  private  Com- 
pany H  April  20,  '64;  to  Q.  M.  45th  U.  S.  C.  T.  July  21, 
'64;  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  '65. 

Hospital  Steward. — Josiah  L.  Lewis,  Sept.  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  private  Company  E  Oct.  1,  '63. 

Principal  Afusicians. — H.  C.  Yarrington,  Aug.  26,  '62; 
promoted  from  musician  Company  B  Mar.  i,  '65.  John 
C.  P.  Little,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  from  musician  Com- 
pany D;  transferred  to  Company  D  Feb.  28,  '65. 

COMPANY    A. 

In  this  company  and  Company  B  the  prevailing  date 
of  muster-in  was  August  26th,  1S62,  and  it  need  not  be 
repeated. 

Officers. — Captains — C.  M.  Conyngham,  promoted  maj. 
Sept.  I,  '63.  Oliver  K.  Moore,  promoted  from  ist  lieut. 
Sept.  16,  '63;  resigned  Jan.  24,  '64.  Charles  C.  Flotze, 
promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut.  Sept.  16,  '63;  capt.'Feb. 
I,  64.  ist  lieuts.— Charles  H.  Riley,  promoted  from 
sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Feb.  5,  '64;  to  ist  lieut.  Feb.  5,  '64; 
killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Barton  M.  Stet- 
ler,  promoted  from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Apr.  21,  '64;  ist 
lieut.  Sept.  25,  '64.  ist  sergts.— Lee  D.  Groover,  com- 
missioned 2nd  lieut.  June  2,  '63;  not  mustered;  killed  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  William  H.  Bennett,  pro- 
moted from  Corp.  Dec.  25,  '62;  commissioned  2nd  lieut. 
June  I,  '65;  not  mustered.  Sergts. — James  A.  Stetler, 
promoted  corp.  Aug.  26,  '62;  sergt.  Feb.  i,  '64.  Samuel 
J.  James,  promoted  from  corp.  Oct.  i,  '64.  David  G. 
Davis,  promoted  corp.  Nov.  1,  '63;  sergt.  Dec.  15,  '64. 
Henry  George,  Dec.  8,  '62;  substitute;  promoted  corp. 
Feb.  I,  '64;  sergt.  June  r,  '65.  Caleb  B.  Fisher,  dis- 
charged Dec.  16,  '64,  for  wounds.  Herbert  M.  Nogle, 
discharged  May  29,  '65,  for  wounds.  Patrick  DeLacy, 
promoted  to  sergt,   maj.  Oct.  6,    '64.     Corps.— Lewis  J 


I 

=4* 


Klinfop,  promoted  corp.  Feb.  20,  '63;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  June  7,  '65.  Dwight  Wolcott.  Jona- 
than Long,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted;  promoted  cbrp.  Dec. 
15,  '64.  John  T.  Cook,  promoted  corp.  Apr.  i,  '65. 
Jacob  Bonawitz,  promoted  corp.  June  i,  '65.  William 
R.  Loop,  promoted  corp.  June  i,  '65.  Eli  K.  Keeler, 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  27,  '64.  John 
Sanns,  discharged  Feb.  7, '65,  for  wounds.  Edward  G. 
Palmer,  killed  at  Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  Va.,  May  to,  '64, 
Michael  O'Brien,  not  on' muster  out  roll.  Musicians — 
James  Maxwell.  John  Hazeltine,  Oct.  7, '62;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  1 9,  '64. 

Privates. — Henry  Anderson;  discharged  May  3,  '65, 
for  wounds.  Joseph  J.  Anhoiser;  tranferred  to  Battery 
B  43d  Pa.  Feb.  25,  '6t,.  William  D.  Alden;  died  at 
Philadelphia  June  1,  '64.  George  Barnes.  Aaron  Bel- 
las. Nicholas  Bertley.  William  Bonawitz,  Sept.  16,  '62; 
Conrad  Buntry,  Mar.  8,  '65.  John  A.  Burd,  Aug.  15,  '63: 
drafted; -killed  at  North  Anna  river.  May  23,  '64.  Jo- 
seph Bellas;  died  June  29,  of  wounds  received  in  action 
June  25,  '64.  Thomas  Baittan,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted; 
died  Dec.  30,  '63,  at  Richmond,  Va.  Peter  Brennan;  de- 
serted Sept.  79,  '62.  Isaac  Bowkley;  deserted  Nov.  4, 
'62.  Andrew  Bird;  deserted  Oct.  4,  '62.  John  Beiler, 
Aug.  20,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Nov.  ^,  '63.  William 
Cuddy.  Daniel  Craig.  Thomas  Caton.  James  Con- 
inghara,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted.  Henry  Caton;  trans- 
ferred to  Battery  B,  43d  Pa.,  Feb.  25,  '63.  Jesse  G.  Cal- 
vin; deserted  Sept.  19,  '62.  Edward  Comfort;  deserted 
Sept.  12,  '62.  John  Duffy.  John  Dunn,  July  17,  '6y, 
drafted.  Charles  Dutter.  Christopher  Deal,  Sept.  8, '63; 
drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  12,  '65. 
John  V.  Dye,  Aug.  15,  '6y,  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Apr.  22,  '64.  Isaiah  Deets;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Nov.  28,  '6t,.  Patrick  Dearkins;  trans- 
ferred to  U.  S.  A.  Feb.  4,  '63.  George  W.  Engle; 
wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  discharged 
Aug.  25,  '65.  William  Everett.  Eben  Forbs,  Aug.  22, '64. 
Abraham  Featherman.  Rudolph  Fenner,  Dec.  8,  '62; 
substitute.  Adam  Fisher,  Aug.  19,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Dec,  22,  '6t,.  George  W.  Fine;  trans- 
ferred to  43d  Pa.  Feb.  25,  '63.  James  Flannery;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  12,  '63.  Clarkson  J. 
Fry,  Dec.  8,  '62;  substitute;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa., 
July  I,  '63.  Conrad  Farlding,  Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted;  de- 
serted Nov.  2,  '63.  Jacob  Gregory;  deserted  Jan.  28, 
'63.  John  Honneywell.  Perry  Hetzler;  Mar.  6,  '65. 
Samuel  Hess.  William  J.  Henry,  Sept.  18,  '6y,  drafted; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov,  27,  '67,.  Alonzo  J. 
Holden;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  5,  '63. 
John  Hivish;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  19, 
'64.  Philip  Hoffman,  Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  11,  '64.  William  Henry,  Sept. 
7,  '63;  transferred  to  department  southwest  Apr.  18, 
'64;  discharged  Sept.  4,  '65.  David  Hicks,  Aug.  17,  '63; 
drafted;  killed  in  action  June  19,  '64.  Oliver  Heeter; 
died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Jan.  10,  '65.  Sterling  Hays; 
died  Jan.  10,  '64,  at  Richmond,  Va.  John  Henderson; 
deserted  Sept.  19,  '62.  John  Herrick;  deserted  Jan.  ro, 
'6y  Sylvester  Heller;  transferred  to  U.  S.  A.  Feb.  2, 
'63.  James  Hays;  transferred  to  U.  S.  A.  Feb.  6,  '63. 
James  Huston,  Feb.  24,  '65;  not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Abraham  N.  Ide;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  16, 
'64.  George  Johnson,  Sept.  i,  '6y,  drafted.  Isaiah 
Jones;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  27,  '64. 
Jacob  Keller;  prisoner  from  May  5,  '64,  to  Apr.  28 
'65;  discharged  June  9,  '65.  Jacob  Knight.  Michael 
Kaheo;  Oct.  4,  '64.  Levi  Kinner;  Mar.  16,  64. 
James  Kelley  ;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps.  Mar.  16,  64;  dishonorably  discharged  Oct.  12, 
'66,    to   date   Apr.   8,    '64.     William  Labach.     Isaac  La- 


bach.  Charles  Lowmiler;  drafted.  John  Lester;  wound- 
ed at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  John  Morgan;  dis- 
charged Mar.  26,  '64.  Daniel  Mock,  Aug.  15,  '63;  draft- 
ed; wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  0.  '64.  Isaac 
Montanye.  Jacob  and  Philip  Menny,  Feb.  24,  '65. 
Bernard  Metzinger;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  Apr. 
19,  64.  Daniel  M'Neal.'  Michnel  M'Ginniss,  Apr.  6, 
'64.  Philip  M'Daniel,  Aug.  10,  '63;  drafted.  William 
A.  Noll.  William  Nelson,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted;  trans- 
ferred to  U.  S.  navy  Mar.  26,  '64.  John  Orr.  James 
Oplinger;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  18, 
'64.  Charles  Obitz;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house, 
Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Henry  Puterbiugh,  Mar.  16,  '64; 
wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  John  Pauley; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  27,  '64.  James  Pace; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Nov.  30,  63;  dis- 
charged June  28,  '65.  John  Pettenger;  killed  at  (Get- 
tysburg, Pa.,  July  I,  '63.  George  Reuss;  discharged  on 
iiurg's  certificate  Mar.  20,  '63.  James  Rilay;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  g.  '63.  David  W.  Remailey, 
Dec.  8,  '62;  substitute;  discharged  May  17,  '65,  for 
wounds.  William  Richardson,  Sept.  7,  '6y  drafted;  trans- 
ferred to  U.  S.  navy  Mar.  20,  '64.  John  Rock,  Sept.  4, 
'63;  drafted;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept. 
30,  '64.  William  Ramiller,  Aug.  15,  '63;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  10,  '64.  Michael  Ryan;  de- 
serted Sept.  2,  '62.  John  Steltz.  Nautilus  Slutter. 
Michael  Schavil,  Sept.  r,  '63.  Frederick  Schvvichard, 
Sept.  I,  '6y  drafted;  wounded  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 
house., Va.,  May  12,  '64.  Samuel  Swank  and  George  J. 
Stibe,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted.  Paul  Swingle,  Mar.  7,  '65. 
Peter  Stroh,  Feb.  23,  '65.  Leonard  Shafer,  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  22,  '64.  Robert  Stclts,  Sept. 
25,  '62;  died  at  Belle  Plain,  Va..  Mar.  20,  '63.  Calvin 
Slawbaugh,  died  July  13,  of  H-ounds  received  at  Gettys- 
burg, Pa.,  July  I,  '63.  James  P.  Smith,  Sept.  8,  '63; 
drafted;  killed  at  North  .\nna  river,  Va.,  May  23.  '64. 
Thomas  Shannahan,  deserted  Feb.  4,  '63.  John  Schmidt, 
Sept.  7,  '62;  drafted;  deserted  Nov.  2,  '63.  J.  Vander- 
mark,  sen.,  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Henry  Williams, 
Aug.  28,  '6y,  drafted.  Nicholas  Warmoth.  Charles 
Watson,  Sept.  9,  '63;  drafted;  missing  in  action  Miy  25, 
'64.  Benjamin  D.  Winn^  Sept.  19,  '63;  drafted;  woun- 
ded at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  Alexander  B.  Wiley. 
Hiram  L.  Wiley,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar,  27, 
'64.  John  Wells,  Sept.  19,  '63;  drafted;  killed  at  Spott- 
sylvania Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  John  \V.  Ward, 
Sept.  21,  '63;  drafted;  died  May  12,  of  wounds  received 
at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Remus  Ward,  not  on 
muster  out  roll.  Martin  Zimmerman,  Sej)!,  i,  '63;  draft- 
ed. Earhart  Zanner,  Aug.  27,  '63;  drafted;  died  Dec.  8, 
'63,  at  Paoli  Mills,  Va, 

COMPANY    B. 

Officers. — Captains — Joseph  H.  Sornberger;  discharged 
Feb.  I,  '63.  Wm.  G.  Graham,  promoted  from  ist  lieut. 
Feb.  4,  '63;  discharged  Oct.  26,  '63.  Jacob  M.  Lingfelter, 
promoted  from  ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  July  r,  '63;  to  ist 
lieut.  Feb.  9,  '64;  to  capt.  Feb.  29,  '64.  First  lieutenants 
— Asher  M.  Fell,  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Feb.  4,  '63; 
discharged  Dec.  3,  '63.  Ed.  P.  M'Creary,  Sept.  6,  '62; 
promoted  from  sergt.  Company  I  Feb.  28,  '64;  discharged 
May  s,  '64.  John  M.  Connor,  Aug.  27,  '62;  promoted 
from  sergeant  major  Sept.  18,  '64.  Second  lieu- 
tenants— Paul  R.  Barrager,  promoted  from  sergt. 
to  ist  sergt.  Aug.  15,  '63;  2nd  lieut,  Feb.  15,  '64; 
discharged  July  29,  '64.  Martin  Chandler,  promoted 
from  corp.  to  sergt.  Oct.  6,  '6y,  ist  sergt.  June  3,  '64; 
2nd  lieut.  Sept.  25,  '64.  First  sergeants — John  H.  Ling- 
felter, promoted   to  sergt.   Feb.  '64;    ist   sergt.,  Sept.  25, 


H¥ 


4¥r 


'64.  Geo.  W.  Hopkins,  promoted  to  sergt.  Jan.  20,  '6^; 
ist  sergt.  Feb.  28,  '64;  died  of  wounds  received  in  action 
June  3,  '64.  Sergeants— DeWitt  C.  Grahawi,  promoted 
Corp.  Jan  15,  '63;  sergt.  July  16,  '64.  Geo.  Perry,  pro- 
moted corp.  Jan.  15,  '63;  sergt.  July  16,  '64  Avery 
Harris,  promoted  corp.  Aug.  15,  '64;  sergt.  Oct.  17,  '64. 
Henry  F.  Bennett,  promoted  corp.  Aug.  15,  '63;  sergt., 
Dec.  31,  '64.  N.  W.  Butterfield,  promoted  from  corp. 
Feb.  '64  ;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
Mar.,  '65.  Allen  H.  Collums,  promoted  from  corp. 
Oct.,  '6^  ;  transferred  to  signal  corps  Mar.  6, 
'64.  Haddick  SuUender;  promoted  from  corp.  Jan. 
15,  '63:  died  May  2,  '63.  George  O.  Fell;  promoted 
corp.  Jan.  15,  '63;  to  sergt.  Feb.  1,  '63;  died  of  wounds 
received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  3,  '63.  Henry  E. 
Silvius;  promoted  sergt.  Aug.  26,  '63;  died  Oct.  6,  '63. 
Owen  Phillips;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  15,  '63;  to  sergt. 
July  I,  '63;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  9,  '64.  Corps. — William  H.  Cole;  promoted  corp. 
Aug,  15,  '63;  absent,  sick,  at  muster  out.  Alvy  G.  Col- 
vin';  promoted  corp.  July  15,  '64.  Jeffrey  Brandage; 
promoted  corp.  Aug.  31,  '64.  Anthony  Clarkson;  pro- 
moted corp.  David  R.  Anthony;  promoted  corporal 
Nov.  10,  '63.  William  T.  Chandler;  promoted  corp. 
Dec.  15,  '64.  William  Sweet;  promoted  corp.  Apr.  15, 
'65.  Leonard  C.  Wilbur;  promoted  corp.  Apr.  15,  '65; 
absent  in  hospital  at  muster  out.  Levi  Silvius,  promoted 
corp,  Dec,  '63;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  25, 
'65.  Henry  Ulrich;  died  July  12  of  wounds  received  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  Nathaniel  H.  Holly;  pro- 
moted corp.  Mch.  I,  '64;  died  of  wounds  received  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  John  Richards;  promoted 
corp.  Mar.,  '64;  died  July  10,  '64,  of  wounds  received  in 
action.  Merritt  J.  Vail;  promoted  corporal  July  15,  '64; 
captured;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Jan.  5,  '65. 
Musicians — C.  A.  Sherman.  H,  C.  Yarrington;  pro- 
moted principal  musician  Mar.  i,  '65. 

Privates. — Augustus  Atherton,  promoted  to  com.  sergt, 
June  7,  '65,  Alonzo  Abers.  Dexter  Albright.  Seth  H 
Adams,  prisoner  from  May  6,  '64,  to  Feb.  26,  '65;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  June  13,  '65.  Alonzo 
Albright,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan  29,  '63. 
Christian  Amborg,  drafted;  captured;  died  at  Salisbury, 
N,  C,  Nov,  6,  '64.  Thomas  Anderson,  died  May  26,  '63. 
Martin  E.  Baker,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  7, 
'65.  Almond  Baker,  Feb.  29,  '64.  Anton  Bucker,  Sept. 
14,  '63;  drafted.  Patrick  Burns,  Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted. 
Payson  Barrett,  Apr.  i,  '65,  George  W,  Brown,  Mar,  2, 
'64;  died  Apr,  5,  '64,  Jacob  Briner,  Sept,  17,  'dy, 
drafted;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court- 
house, Va,,  May  10,  '64.  George  W.  Brown,  and  Jacob 
Biddel,  deserted  Jan.  15,  '63.  George  Bowen,  Aug.  15, 
'64;  deserted  Apr.  14,  '65.  Frederick  Baanson,  Sept.  22, 
'63;  drafted;  deserted  Oct.  26,  '64.  Henry  Boatzee, 
Aug.  22,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Oct.  i,  '63.  M.  F.  Ben- 
nington, Aug.  22,  '63;  drafted;  prisoner  from  May  21, 
'64,  to  Apr.  28,  '65;  discharged  June  21,  '65.  Lewis 
Cortright.  Ira  Casner.  William  Cordner,  Mar.  15,  '64. 
Elijah  Carpenter,  Mar,  7,  '65.  Freeman  Carpenter,  Mar. 
7,  '65.  Jesse  Cobb,  Mar.  2,  '65.  Melbourne  Colvin, 
Mar.  9,  '65.  Aaron  C.  Clifford,  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Nov.  26,  '64,  Arvin  G.  Colvin;  captured; 
died  at  Andersonville,  Ga,,  Aug.  25,  '64.  Lyman  H. 
Clark,  died  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 

6,  '64.  Albert  B.  Carpenter,  captured;  died  at  Ander- 
sonville,   Ga,,    Nov,   15,    '64,     Harding  Carpenter,  Mar, 

7,  '65;  died  at  New  York  Mar,  26,  '65, 
Frederick  B,  Chandler,  William  Clarkson,  Henry  Clark 
and  Peter  Conway,  deserted  Jan,  15,  '65,  Emanuel  W, 
Deibler,  Sept,  8,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate July  5,  '65,     Orlando  Darron,  Feb,  29,  '64,   Henry 


Deitrich,  Mar,  7,  '65,  William  Dowd,  Mar,  7,  '65, 
George  M,  Dopp;  transferred  to  battery  B,  43d  Pa,,  Jan, 

9,  '64.     Aaron  Deibler,  Sept,  18,  '63;  drafted;  died   Nov. 

1,  '65.  Benjamin  Dauberman,  Aug.  29,  '63;  drafted; 
deserted  Oct., '63.  Jeremiah  Everson,  Mar.  2, '65.  Henry 
W.  Feagly,  Sept.,  '63;  drafted.  Charles  H.  Finch;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan.,  '64.  Kind.  L.  Farn- 
ham,  Aug.  26,  '62;  died  Jan.  17,  '64.  William  L.  Felts, 
Mar.  2,  '64;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  6,  '64.  Elias  Freeman;  deserted  Jan.  15,  '63. 
William    D.   Green,   Mar.    7,  '65,     James    Galager,  Mar. 

2,  '65.  Eliphalet  S.  Gardner;  deserted  Jan.  15.,  '63. 
H.  Hockenberry.  Ira  Hardy,  Jan,  28,  '64;  substit- 
ute; discharged  by  special  order.  John  H.  Hunter. 
Thaddeus  W.  Hunter,  Mar.  2,  '64;  'veteran.  Joseph 
Hughes,  Sept.  -'5,  '63;  drafted.  Jacob  Harker,  Sept. 
18,  '63;  drafted.  George  Hull,  Mar,  2,  '64;  vet- 
eran. Frank  E,  Hull,  Mar,  7,  '65.  James  P,  Hartley, 
Mar,  7,  '65,  Herbert  L,  Hall,  Mar,  7,  '65,  Ferdinand 
J,  Holford;  transferred  to  Battery  B,  43d  Pa,,  Dec,  28, '63, 
Henry  Halkins,  Sept,  25,  '63;  deserted  Nov,,  '63,  Ste- 
phen R,  Jordan;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mav  15, 
'65,  Lysander  S,  Jordan;  died  of  wounds  received  in 
action  July  13,  '64  Lorey  Johnson,  Feb,  29,  '64;  de- 
serted Dec.  13,  '64,  George  Johnson,  Mar.  2,  '64;  not 
nn  muster  out  roll,  William  Kolir,  Sept,  8,  '63;  drafted, 
Russell  R,  Knapp,  Levi  Kennedy,  Mar,  7,  '65.  Thomas 
Kennedy;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Feb,,  '64. 
John  Kennedy;  died  Oct,,  '63,  John  E,  Kink;  died  of 
wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa,,  July  i,  '63,  Edgar 
Lindsly.  Charles  Lynch,  Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted.  Samuel 
F.  Lingfelter,  Mar,  2,  '64;  veteran,     Jeptha  Lewis,  Mar, 

10,  '65,  Charles  Lake;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Jan,  29,  '(>T,.  Henry  P,  Low;  transferred  to  veteran  re- 
serve corps  Oct.  I,  '63,  C,  H,  Lathrop;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Nov,,  '64;  discharged  July  27,  '65. 
Isaac  Lebo,  Sept.  18,  '63;  drafted;  died  Mar.  27,  '64, 
Charles  F,  Lingfelter,  Mar.  2,  '64;  died  Sept.  ig,  '64, 
James  Lannegan,  Aug,  9,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll, 
George  W.  Miller,  Mar,  8,  '65.  Stephen  E,  Miller;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  July  27,  '65.  John  O, 
Miles;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  15,  '65,  John 
Mann,  Sept,  i,  '63;  drafted,  Samuel  Morningstar,  Sept, 
8>  '6,'?;  drafted,  John  Mahoney;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Mar,  9,  '63,  Henry  Musser;  drafted;  dis- 
charged May  19,  '65,  Charles  Miller;  drafted;  trans- 
ferred to  U,  S,  navy  Apr,,  '64,  James  L,  Miles;  died 
July  21,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa,,  July  2, 
'(>l.  Erastus  Markham;  captured;  died  Dec,  25, 
'64.  Philip  Mark,  Aug.  27,  '63;  drafted;  cap- 
tured; died  Aug.  27,  '74,  at  Andersonville,  Ga.  Levi 
B.  Miller,  captured;  died  Aug.  15,  '64,  at  Andersonville, 
Ga.  Lewis  M'Closkey,  Mar.  10,  '65.  Hugh  M'Glinn, 
Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted;  captured;  died  Aug.  25,  '64,  at  An- 
dersonville, Ga.  Wm.  M'Kivit,  deserted  Jan.  15,  '65. 
Geo.  S.  Nicholson,  substitute  ;  discharged  Feb.,'  '64. 
Christopher  Powler,  Aug.  22,  '63;  drafted.  George  L. 
Payne,  Mar.  2,  '64.  Chester  H.  and  Theodore  F  Pel- 
lett.  Mar.  7,  '65.  William  J.  Piatt,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted; 
prisoner  from  May  5,  '64  to  Feb.  27,  "65;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  June  29,  '65.  George  Patten,  Mar.  31. 
'64;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan.  i,  '65, 
Peter  Patten,  Mar.  2,  '64;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Jan.  9,  '65;  discharged  July  21,  '65.  Ichabod  D 
Payne,  Mar.  2,  '64;  died  July  21,  '64;  buried  at  Point 
Lookout,  Md.  Thomas  Philbine,  Mar.  15,  '64;  died  of 
wounds  received  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  '64.  Thos.'  O  Rob- 
inson, May  28,  '65.  Judd  Rosecrans.  William  and 
Peter  Renehimer,  Mar.  7,  '65.  Levi  Rosecrans,  Mar  9 
65.^  Isaac  Rankins,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr' 
25,   65.     Thomas  R.  Russell,  transferred  to  veteran  re- 


~-^ 


COMPANY  C,  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-THIRD   REGIMENT. 


169 


serve  corps  May  7,  '64.  H.  H.  Rivenburg,  died  June 
26,  '63.  Ostraiider  Richards,  deserted  Jan.  15,  '63. 
Milo  Stone,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  4,  '65. 
John  R.  Smith,  jr.  Jacob  H.  Smith.  Chistopher  Shultz. 
George  Simpson.  Wm.  D.  Spencer,  Mar.  7,  '65.  George 
S.  Snover,  Mar.  9,  '65.  John  Sultzberger,  Aug.  29,  '63; 
drafted;  captured  at  Weldon  Railroad,  Va.,  Aug.  21,  '64. 
Charles  H.  Smith.  Solomon  Sutliff ;  transferred  to 
battery  B,  43d  Pa.,  Jan.  9,  '64,  R.  Smith,  sen., 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan.  29,  '64. 
Pardon*  H.  Smith,  died  Jan.  2,  '63.  Jeremiah  Smith, 
Mar.  7,  '65;  died  Mar.  26,  65.  William  Seely,  deserted 
Oct.  II,  '62.  Horace  Seamans  and  Samuel  R.  Stiles,  de- 
serted Jan.  15,  '63.  Clement  Shelraan,  Sept.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  deserted  Oct.  11, '63.  John  Truesdale.  John 
H.  Tate,  Aug.  29,  '63;  drafted.  Richard  H.  Taylor, 
Mar.  7,  '65.  Aaron  C.  Vanstork,  captured;  died  at  An- 
,  dersonville,  Ga.,  Dec.  10,  '64.  Frederick  Wenrick,  Sept. 
7,  '63;  drafted.  Andrew  Waltjin,  Aug.  21,  '63;  drafted. 
Truman  Whipple,  Mar.  2,  '64.  Ephraim  Walker,  Aug. 
13,  '63;  drafted.  Lewis  H.  Winters,  Mar.  10,  '65.  Sam- 
uel J.  Winters,  Mar.  10,  '65.  Andrew  E.  Williams,  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  May  19,  '65.  Lyman 
Weatherly,  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Nov.,  '63. 
Frank  Williams,  died  May  13,  '63.  Lyman  Young,  de- 
serted Jan.  15,  '63. 

COMPANY    C. 

So  large  a  proportion  of  this  company  was  mustered  in 
August  27th,  1862,  that  that  date  is  to  be  understood 
where  none  is  given. 

Officers. — Captain — George  N.  Reichard,  promoted  to 
lieut.  col.  June  8,  '65.  ist  lieuts. — Charles  B.  Stout,  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  7,  '64.  Rufus  W. 
Marcy,  promoted  from  sergt.  to  and  lieut.  Sept.  25,  '64; 
to  1st  lieut.  Nov.  28,  '64.  2nd  lieuts. — John  C.  Cropp, 
killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Max  Burkhart, 
promoted  from  sergt.  Dec.  3,  '64.  ist  sergts. — John 
Neuer,  promoted  to  corp.  Sept.  25,  '64.  John  M.  Con- 
nor, promoted  sergt.  maj.  Dec.  i,  '63.  Sergts. — Thomas 
Dakin.  Henry  Frantz,  promoted  from  corp.  Dec.  2,  '64; 
prisoner  from  Aug.  21,  '64,  to  May  21,  '65.  Charles  S. 
Gabel,  promoted  from  corp.  Mar.  i,  '64.  Joel  S.  Lynn, 
promoted  from  corp.  Dec.  3,  '64;  wounded  at  Hatcher's 
Run,  Va.,  Feb.  7,  '65;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
June  7,  '65.  James  M.  Rutter,  transferred  to  signal 
corps  Mar.  14,  '64.  Corps. — Hiram  Kitchen,  promoted 
corp.  Jan.  24,  '63.  Jacob  M.  Lynn,  promoted  corp.  Oct. 
I,  '63.  George  Kindra,  promoted  corp,  Jan.  10,  '64. 
Edwin  H.  Groff,  promoted  corp.  Jan.  10,  '65.  George 
W.  Keller,  promoted  corp.  Sept.  28,  '64.  N.  F.  Land- 
messer,  promoted  corp.  Oct.  3,  '64.  John  R.  Morris, 
promoted  corp.  Jan.  6,  '65.  David  Warner,  promoted 
Corp.  Jan.  10,  '65.  George  Dietrick,  discharged  Apr.  23, 
'64,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  1,  '62,. 
Benjamin  D.  Vanetter,  promoted  corp.;  died  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  Jan.  19,  '63.  George  H.  Maginnis,  promoted 
corp,;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  John 
M'Clellen,  promoted  corp.;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
Nov.  21,  '64.  Musicians — John  Gray.  Asa  L.  Gardner, 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  29,  '64;  dis- 
charged June  29,  '65. 

Privates. — Grove  B.  Adams.  Jeremiah  Angst.  Charles 
J.  Allen,  Sept.  7,  'dy.  drafted.  John  A.  Adams, 
Sept.  8,  63;  drafted.  John  R.  Allen,  Mar.  11,  '64. 
Jacob  Bergold.  Charles  C.  Betterly.  Henry  Barnhart, 
•^"g-  S7  '63,  drafted.  John  Brown,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted, 
Byron  Brock,  Sept.  9,  '63;  drafted.  Charles  Bramer, 
Sept.  16, '63;  drafted.  Henry  Brady,  Aug.  9,  63;  drafted. 
Morris  Brush,   Aug,  6,  '64.     Daniel  Bethleham,  Sept.  4, 


22 


'63;^  drafted;  discharged  Oct.  7,  '(it,.    John  Bennett,  Sept. 
17,  '63;   drafted;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan. 
28,  '65;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  6,  '65.    Jacob 
Blain,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Dec.  1 1,  '62.     Charles 
S.     liertels,     killed    at    Gettysburg,     Pa.,    July     i,     '63. 
Benjamin  Ballinger,  Aug.  10,  'ty,  drafted;    died  July  19, 
'64,  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  16,  '64. 
Thomas  Berger,  deserted   Feb.    10,   '63.     Thomas   Bony, 
deserted  Feb.  5,  'di,.     Miles  Banett,  Dec.   4,    '62;    substi- 
tute; deserted  Feb.  3,  'd^,.  John  Conly.     Francis  Collins, 
Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted;   Henry  S.  Cox,  transferred   to   Bat- 
tery B  43d  Pennsylvania,   Jan,    6,    '64.     Lewis  Constine, 
died  of  wounds  received  accidentally  May  18,  '63.     Alex- 
ander Cragle,  died  May  26,  'C>t,.     Wilson  B.  Connor,  Dec. 
4,  '62;   killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.     Horace  H. 
Dennis,  Charles  Davis,   Harry  Daniels,    Simpson  Delong. 
Benjamin    Devans,    missing   in    action   at    Spottsylvania 
Court-house,  Va.,  May  18,  '64.     Edward   G.    Derr,   Aug. 
i8,  '63;   drafted;    wounded    at    Wilderness,  Va,,    May   5, 
^4;  died  May  23,  '64;  buried  at  Locust  Grove  Hospital 
cemetery.       Henry    H.    Depish,    Sept.    9,    '63;    drafted. 
Luke  A.  Deloyier,  Sept.   8,  '63;  drafted.     Joseph  Dotter. 
discharged   Dec.   9,    '64,  for    wounds,   with   loss  of  arm, 
received  at  Petersburg,  Va.     Avey  Dilley,  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Nov.   2,   'bT,,  of  wounds.     James   Digman, 
deserted  Sept.  3,  '62.     Oliver  H.  Eckert.    Jacob  Emeret, 
Sept.    4,    '63;    drafted.      Albert    Eyler,    Sept.     12,     '63; 
drafted;    discharged  on   surg's   certificate   Apr.   21,   '64; 
died  Apr.    27,    '64.     George    W.    Engle,    transferred    to 
veteran  reserve  corps   Mar.   26,   '64;    discharged   July  3, 
'65.     John   C.   Fritz.     Jesse  Fairchild.     Levi   S.   Grubb, 
Aug.   10,    '63;    drafted.     Richard    Green,  Aug,    15,   '63; 
drafted.     Frederick   Grossman,   Apr.   4,   '64;    missing   in 
action   at   Wilderness,  Va,,   May   6,   '64.     Andrew  Gear- 
litz,    deserted    Feb.    5,    '63.      C.    D.     W.     C.     Hoover, 
transferred     to     veteran     reserve     corps;      discharged. 
July  17,  '65.     Frank  Hawrecht.     John  S.    Hetrick,  Sept. 
8,  '63;  drafted.     John    E.    Hoff,    Sept.    12,  '63;   drafted; 
transferred    to   veteran    reserve    corps   Jan.  28,  '65;  dis- 
charged July  17,  '65.     Elijah    Huntzman;  deserted  Feb. 
S,  '63.     Francis  Inlow,  Feb.  25,  '65.     D.  W.  Scott  Jones. 
William   Keating,  jr.     William    Rating.     Joseph    Knarr. 
George  K,  Knarr;  died    at    Alexandria,  Va.,  Nov.  7,  '67,. 
John  Law,  Aug.  7,  'by,  drafted.     James  Lynch;  died  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  July  6,  '64.     Samuel    A.  May.     Sebas- 
tian   Myer;  wounded    at    Gettysburg,    Pa.,   July    i,  '63. 
George   H.    Meloy,  Aug.  7,  '63;  drafted.     Solomon  Mil- 
ler, Aug.  18,  'by  drafted.     John   Miller;    discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  June  7, '63.     William  Moss;  transferred 
to  Battery  B,  43d  Pa,,  Jan.  6,  '64,     Alexander  S.  Miller; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  26,  '64.   Samuel 
S.  Miller;  deserted  Feb.  5,  '63.      Daniel   M'Elvain,  Aug. 
7,  '63;  drafted.     John    E.    M'Mullen,    Feb.  25,  '65.     Al- 
fred M'Guier  and    A.  W.  Newcomb;  transferred  to  Bat- 
tery B,  43d  Pa,,  Jan.  6,  '64.     Bradley  Parish;  discharged 
on  surg's    certificate    Sept.  25,  '63.     George    Piatt;  died 
Nov.  28,  62.     Eugene    Penfield,    Sept.    12,   '63;  drafted; 
deserted   Oct.    23,    '63,     Jesse    B.    Runk,    Aug.    13,  '63; 
drafted;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64. 
Emanuel    Richard;  drafted.     William    W.  Reller;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve   corps    Jan.  28,  '64;  discharged 
Nov.    22,  '65.     James  R.  Rennard;   transferred    to   vete- 
ran   reserve    corps     Jan.    28,    '64;  discharged    July    13, 
65.      Charles    S.    Shotten;     discharged     May     19,     '65. 
David  Shipps.     Reuben  L.  Searfoss.       John  R.  Stevens. 
Jacob   Smyser,  Aug.  7,  '63;  drafted;  captured  at  Weldon 
Railroad,  Va.,  Aug,  21,  '64.     John  Slonicer,  Aug.  12,  'by 
prisoner    from  Aug.    21,    '64,   to   May  21,  '65,     Malchia 
Summers,  Aug.  7,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  veteran  re- 
serve  corps;  discharged   July  28,   '65.      William   Smith, 
Mar,  19,  '64;  captured  at  Weldon  Railroad,  Va.,  Aug.  21 


-p=^^ 


it 


170 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


'64.  William  Scott,  transferred  to  Battery  B,  43d  Pa., 
Jan,  6,  '64.  Moses  T.  Smith,  died  at  Baltimore,  Md., 
July  IS,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63. 
Jacob  Strous,  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  r,  '63.  Wil- 
iiam  H.  Swayer,  Aug.  13,  '63;  drafted;  died  May  15,  of 
wounds  received  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May 
12,  '64.  Jacob  Sutton,  Sept.  12,  '63;  drafted;  captured; 
died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Mar.  18,  '64.  Morris  Simonson 
and  Leander  Simonson,  deserted  J.in.  10,  '63.  Samuel 
Swainbank,  deserted  Feb.  5,  '63.  John  Severns  and  Wil- 
liam A.  Snyder,  deserted  Feb.  3,  '63.  George  C.  Tucker, 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps;  discharged  June  17, 
'65.  Jeremiah  Vanbuskirk.  M.  Whitebread.  John  B. 
Witman,  Sept.  g,  '63;  drafted.  H.  P.  Witaker,  Aug.  15, 
'63;  drafted.  Joseph  Wetler,  Mar.  i6,  '64;  killed  at 
North  Anna  River,  Va.,  May  23,  '64.  Robert  M.  Wes- 
brook,  Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted;  killed  at  Petersburg,  Va., 
June  19,  '64.     J.  H.  Zimmerman.     H.  A.  Zimmerman. 

COMPANV    D. 

September  6th,  1862,  was  the  date  when  most  of  the 
members  of  this  company  were  mustered  in,  and  will  be 
understood  where  none  is  given. 

Officers. — Captains — George  E.  Hoyt;  promoted  lieut- 
col.  Nov.  8,  '62.  Asher  Gaylord;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut- 
Nov.  3,  '62;  killed  at  Hacher's  Run,  Va.,  Feb.  7,  '65. 
Milton  T.  Bailey;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  and  lieut.  Feb. 
12,  '64;  capt..  May  20,  '65;  prisoner  from  Aug.  21,  '64,  to 
Feb.  22,  '65.  First  lieutenants — James  A.  Raub;  re- 
signed Dec.  28,  '62.  Hiram  H.  Travis;  promoted  from 
sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Nov.  3,  '62;  ist  lieut.  Aug.  22,  '63; 
resigned  Dec.  2g,  '63.  George  A.  Reese;  promoted  from 
sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Sept.  20,  '63;  ist  lieut.  Jan.  22,  '64; 
discharged  Mar.  30,  '65.  Wilbur  F.  Ricej  promoted 
from  ist  Sergt.  May  24,  '65;  prisoner  from  July  1  to 
Sept.  29,  '63.  Second  lieutenant,  Patrick  De  Lacy,  Aug. 
26,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt.  maj.  May  24,  '65.  First 
sergeant,  George  N.  Foster;  promoted  from  sergt.  May 
22,  '65.  Sergeants — William  S.  Frantz;  promoted  corp. 
Dec.  9,  '63;  sergt.  Dec.  i,  '64.  Thomas  A.  Daily;  pro- 
moted corp.  Aug.  I,  '64;  sergt.  Dec.  i,  '64.  Chester  B. 
Neely;  promoted  from  private  May  22,  '65.  Jacob  W. 
Burke;  promoted  se-gt.  maj.  May  16, '65.  Prichard  Gaines; 
died  at  Port  Royal,  Va.,  May  26,  '64,  of  wounds  received 
in  action.  Edgar  Rice;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 
6,  '64.  Corporals — Wesley  Slocum;  promoted  corp.  Dec. 
9,  '63.  Thomas  Shaw;  prisoner  from  July  i  to  Sept.  29, 
'68;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '64.  Ausker  Lutsey;  pro- 
moted corp.  Dec.  i, '64;  mustered' out  with  company  June 
12,  '65.  William  A.  Tawney,  Aug.  12,  '63;  drafted;  pro- 
moted corp.  Dec.  i,  '64.  Joel  C.  Scaddin;  promoted 
corp.  Dec.  i,  '64.  George  Slocum,  Sept.  5,  '64; 
promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '64.  William  Griffith, 
Sept.  5,  '64  ;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  64. 
George  W.  Wise;  promoted  corp.  May  3,  '65.  Cyrus 
Rumage;  promoted  corp;  discharged  May  15,  '65.  Ben- 
nett Marcy;  transferred  to  signal  corps  Jan.  22,  '64. 
Gorden  L.  Abijah;  deserted  Nov.  9,  '63.  Musicians — 
John  C.  P.  Little.  Leander  Sloat,  Mar.  29,  '64;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  July  5,  '65. 

Privates. — Lyman  Atherholt;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Mar.  8,  '63.  George  W.  Alter;  deserted  Feb.  2 
'63.  Jacob  Buffington,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted.  Thomas' 
Bailey,  Aug.  29,  '63;  drafted.  Henry  Badigan,  Aug.  28, 
'63;  drafted.  Samuel  Bowman,  Aug.  17,  '63;  drafted; 
wounded  May  14,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out.  Fleming 
Betts,  Sept.  21,  '63;  drafted.  Ephraim  Bowman,  Aug. 
i7>  '63-  Joseph  F.  Bastine,  Sept.  2r,  '(>t,;  drafted;  dis- 
charged  on  surg's   certificate  Mar.,  '64.     John  F.  Bupp, 


Sept.    21,    '63;  drafted;  discharged  on    surg's  certificate 
Dec.  28,  '64.     William    B.  Bacon,  Aug.  15,   '63;  drafted; 
died  Dec.  14,    '64.     Michael  Burk  and    Michael  Barrett, 
Dec.  4, '62;  deserted  Feb.  5, '63.  Benjamin  Betts;  deserted 
Jan.  28,  '63.     Charles  Bisbing,    Dec.  4,    '62;  substitute; 
deserted  Dec.  31,  '62.    Amos  Bisbing;  deserted  Dec.  31, 
'62.     Lorenzo  J.    Curtis;  jjrisoner   from  May  5   to  Dec. 
6,  '64.    George  Covert,  Mar.  17,  '64.  Madison  M.  Covert, 
Mar.  15,  '64.     Samuel  Cordenman,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted. 
Charles  F.   Cook;  discharged   on   surg's  certificate  Sept. 
16,  '63.     Lemuel  Closs;  transferred    to    veteran   reserve 
corps  Mar.  26,    '64.     Wesley  Creigle;   died   Aug.,  '63,  of 
wounds  received  in   action.     George  Chamberlain;   died 
at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Aug.  20,  '63,  of   wounds  received  in 
action.     Oscar  D.    Case;  deserted  Jan.  31,  '(it,.     George 
W.  Derr,  Sept.  21,  '63;  drafted.    Albert  Edwards.   Frank- 
lin   Edwards;    captured    at    Weldon  railroad,  Va.,  Aug, 
21,     '64;    died     at     Salisbury,     N.     C,     Jan.     7,     '65. 
Emanuel  Fink,  Aug.  25,  'dy,  drafted;   died  at  Culpepper 
Court  house,  Va.,  Mar.  15,  '64.     Milton  Frantz;  deserted 
Jan.  10,   '63.     John    Fox;  deserted   Oct.    8,    '62.     Amos 
Geer.     George  W.   Gardiner,    Dec.   4,   '62.     Samuel  Ga- 
laspie,  Aug.  12,  '63;  died   at  Washington,  D.  C,  Aug.  6, 
'64.     Chester  B.  Gorden;  died  at   Windmill    Point,  Va., 
June  TO,  'b'^.     William   Gross,  Sept.  2,  '63;    drafted;  de- 
serted May  6,  '65.     Owen  Hughes,  Sept.  6,  '63;  drafted; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps;  discharged  Aug.  21, 
'65.       Charles    Hall,    Aug.    15,     dy,    drafted.       Charles 
Hoover.     Albert   Hockenbury.     John   Hughey.     Henry 
Hawk.     Andrew  J.  Hughey;  discharged  on  surg's  certi- 
ficate Aug.  22,  '63.     Philip    Hines;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Apr.    11,   '65.     Patrick  Heart;  transferred  to 
veteran   reserve   corps   Jan.  25,  '64;  discharged  June  29, 
'65.     George  R.  Hunlock;   transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps    Dec.    4,    '64;    discharged    June    28,   '65.      James 
Hoover;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps;  discharsed 
Oct.  28,  '65.     Abraham   Hughey;  transferred   to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Mar.  10,  '64.     George  W^  Hoover;  died  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Aug.   16,   '63,   of    wounds   received   in 
action.     Benneville  Heffner,  Sept.  5,  '63;  killed  at  Laurel 
Hill,  Va.,  May  8,    '64.     John    Hobaugh,    Aug.    12,    '63; 
captured;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  21,  '64.     W. 
L.    Hockenbury,    Mar.  30,  '64;  not    on    muster  out   roll. 
James  Jaquish.     David  Johnson.     Benjamin  N.  Jenkins; 
transferred  to  Battery    B    43d   Pa.  Jan.   6,  '64.     George 
Knorr,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted.  Joseph  Kunkle,  Aug.  12,  '63; 
drafted.  William  J.  Klasprath ;  discharged  by  special  order. 
David  Keister,  Sept.    i,  '63;  drafted;    died   at   Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  May  28,  '64,  of  wounds.     John  Lorkenbaugh, 
Aug.    12,  'dy    drafted.      Augustus   Line,  Aug.   28,    '63; 
drafted;    absent,    sick,    at    muster   out.     Alexander   La- 
mourex;  captured  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63;  died  at 
Belle    Plain,  Va.,  Oct.    20,  '63.     George    Lamourex;  de- 
serted Jan.  17,  'dy  returned   Jan.  15,  '64;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps;  discharged   Aug.  21,  '65.     Samuel 
R.  Laply;  Apr.  12,  '64;  prisoner  from  May  5  to  Sept.  24, 
'64.     George   W.    Little.      David    Lapley;   Mar.    29,  '64; 
captured  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64;  died   at  Ander- 
sonville,  Ga.,  Feb.  7,  '65.     William    H.    and   Stephen   H. 
Leonard;  deserted    Nov.  7,  '62.     Joseph   R.    Lamourex; 
deserted  Jan.  30,  '62.     Reuben  H.  Leonard;  not  on  mus- 
ter out  roll,     James    Muchler.     Joseph  Miers,  Apr.    14, 
'64.     Joseph  Montague;  killed   at   Gettysburg,  Pa.,    July 
3,    '63.     David    Morgan;  deserted    Jan.    28,    '63.     John 
M'Grath.     Isaac    Nelson,   Aug.    31,   '65;     drafted.     Syl- 
vester Nolen,  Sept.  16,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  Dec.  31, 
'63.     Ira  Neely;  deserted  Dec.  31,  '62.     Robert    J.   Orr. 
William  R.    Palmer,    Mar.    31,  '64;  missing  in   action  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  Mays,  '64.     Timothy  Powell;   wounded 
at     Gettysburg,     Pa.,     July     i,     '63.       Aaron     Porter. 
John  P.  Pridgens,  Sept.   16,  '63;  transferred  to  Army  of 


T^ 


=^^ 


^> 


-><> 


COMPANIES  D  AND  E,  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 


171 


Northwest  Apr.  26,  '64;  discharged  Sept.  4,  '65.  Alfred 
Palmer,  Sept.  4,  '6;^;  drafted;  captured;  died  at  Ander- 
sonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  19,  '64.  James  A.  Roat.  Ira  Ran- 
som. Richard  Randall.  William  L.  Rummege,  Dec.  4, 
'u2.  William  Rosengrant,  Mar.  31,  '64.  William  F. 
Rugg,  Mar.  30,  '64.  George  Row,  Aug.  29,  '63;  drafted; 
prisoner  from  May  27,  '64,  to  Apr.  28,  '65;  discharged 
May  31,  to  date  May  20,  '65.  John  Reese,  Sept.  5,  '63; 
drafted.  Oliver  P.  Reese,  Oct.  17,  '63;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Jan.  g,  '65.  Elias  H.  Robbins;  trans- 
ferred to  Battery  B  43d  Pa.  Jan.  6,  '64.  Collins  A.  Rice; 
deserted  Jan.  30,  '63.  Joseph  Siegler,  Sept.  7,  '63,  and 
Jacob  Stichler,  Sept.  4,  '63;  drafted.  William  Schooly. 
Daniel  A.  Sinclair;  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i, 
'63.  Wayman  Scaddin.  Joshua  Swingle.  Andrew  J. 
Shonk;  deserted  Oct.  26,  '64;  returned  Jan.  21,  '65.  Pat- 
rick Smith;  deserted  Feb.  5,  '63;  returned  Apr.  24,  '64. 
Ira  G.  Sutton,  Dec.  4, '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Dec.  21,  '63.  Major  Sorber;  died  Aug.  12,  of 
wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  Daniel 
K.  Swartz,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted;  killed  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house  May  9,  '64.  William  Skaddin,  Mar.  14,  '64; 
drafted;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May 
10,  '64.  Peter  Santee  and  William  Sorber;  deserted  Jan. 
17,  '63.  Eldad  Turner.  Charles  J.  Turpin;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Aug.  28,  '6;^.  B.  D.  Thompson, 
Sept.  2,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  Oct.  9'  '64.  Cor  Van 
Buskirk.  Elijah  C.  Vanloon;  transferred  to  veteran  re- 
serve corps.  William  J.  Vanscoten;  deserted.  Theophi- 
lus  Westover.  William  Welker,  Sept.  8,  '63;  drafted. 
Alexander  Warring,  Aug.  13,  '63,  and  Ralph  Williams, 
Sept.  14,  '63;  drafted.  Ezra  W.  Wilkinson.  Israel  Wil- 
lis, Dec.  4,  '62;  discharged  May  15,  '65.  Horace  M. 
Welsh,  Feb.  23,  '65.  William  H.  White;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate.  Charles  Williams;  transferred  to  vet- 
eran reserve  corps  Jan.  25,  '64.  Alonzo  F.  White;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps.  John  Yeager,  Sept.  13, 
'63;  drafted;  died  at  Bristoe  Station,  Va. 

COMPANY    E. 

Officers. — Captain — M.  Lewis  Blain.  First  lieutenants 
— Zebulon  M.  Ward;  resigned  Jan.  14,  '63.  Ezra  S. 
Griffin;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Jan.  30, '63;  died  July 
ir,  '64,  of  wounds.  H.  N.  Greenslitt;  promoted  from 
ist  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Dec.  13,  '64;  ist  lieut.  Apr.  4,  '64. 
Second  lieutenants — William  La  France;  promoted  from 
ist  sergt.  Feb.  2,  '62;  commissioned  ist  lieut.  July  27,  '64; 
not  mustered;  discharged  Nov.  16,  '64.  Levi  B.  Tomp- 
kins; promoted  from  sergt.  Apr.  4,  '65.  First  sergeant, 
David  C.  Sterling;  promoted  from  sergt.  Dec.  31,  '64. 
Sergeants — Francis  E.  Secor;  promoted  from  priv.  to 
corp.  Mar.  11,  '63;  sergt.  Oct.  26,  '64.  William  H.  Hard- 
ing; promoted  from  priv.  to  corp.  Jan.  25,  '64;  sergt.  Dec. 
13,  '64.  Ira  Hinkley;  promoted  from  priv.  to  corp.  Feb. 
15,  '64;  sergt.  Feb.  23,  '65.  Samuel  Rogers,  Dec.  4,  '62; 
substitute;  promoted  to  corp.  Oct.  26,  '64;  sergt.  Apr.  4, 
'65.  Ashbel  F.  Hobbs;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  June,  '64.  William  S.  Young;  died  Feb.  28,  '63,  at 
Belle  Plain,  Va.  Cornelius  Riley;  died  May  6,  '64,  of 
wounds.  Benjamin  H.  Crippen;  killed  at  Gettysburg, 
Pa.,  July  I,  '63.  Corporals— Roger  W.  Cox;  promoted 
corp.  Oct.  26,  '64.  Daniel  Hunt;  promoted  corp.  Oct. 
26,  '64.  William  Matthias,  Dec.  4.  '62;  promoted  corp. 
Feb.  IS,  '64;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  Mays, 
'64.  Amos  Washer;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  31, '61.  John 
Otto,  Aug.i8,'63,and  William  Taylor,  Aug.  13, '63;  drafted; 
promoted  corp.  Apr.  24,  '65.  Welcome  Johnson;  dis- 
charged Jan.  19,  '64,  for  wounds,  with  loss  of  leg,  receiv- 
ed at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  Robert  L.  Follet; 
died  Jan.  19,  '63,  at  Washington,  D.  C.   Henry  La  France; 


died  June  15,  '64.  Nelson  Stevens;  died  June  22,  '63. 
Charles  T.  Smith;  died  June  15,  '63.  Earnest  K.  Knierim; 
promoted  corp.;  died  at  York,  Pa.,  Oct.  3,  of  wounds 
received  at  Gettysburg  July  i,  '63.  Ephraim  Sterling; 
died  Aug.  12,  '64,  of  wounds  received  in  action,  George 
M.  D.  Secor;  promoted  corp.;  died  May  5,  '64,  of  wounds. 
Gottlieb  Kennich;  promoted  corp.;  captured;  died  Oct. 
20,  '64.  Andrew  Bisecker;  promoted  corp.;  deserted 
Dec.  22,  '64.     Musician,  William  A.  Keene. 

Privates. — Benjamin  Aston,  Aug.  13,  '63;  drafted. 
Benjamin  F.  Allen,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted.  William 
Albro,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substitute;  died  at  Hart's  Island,  N. 
Y.,  Mar.  16,  '65.  Thomas  Aumick  and  Carey  D.  Au- 
mick;  deserted  Jan.  29,  '63.  Philip  W.  Bunn.  Hebron 
V.  Bogart,  Dec.  4,  '62.  Adam  E.  Bankeys,  Sept.  i,  '63; 
drafted;  discharged  by  special  order.     Jacob  Betz,  Aug. 

15,  '63;  drafted.  Frank  Barringer,  Mar.  22, '64.  Daniel 
S.  Burner,  Feb.  28,  '65.  Henry  Briggs,  Sept.  3,  '63; 
drafted;  discharged  May  3,  '65.  John  Blake,  Sept.  3, 
'()2,\  drafted;  died  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  s,  '65.  Henry  V.  Brooks,  Sept.  3,  '63;  drafted; 
died  July  25,  '64,  of  wounds.  Robert  Booth,  Sept.  17, 
'63;  drafted;  died  Nov.  14, '63.  M.  Bumgardner,  June  i, 
'63;  drafted;  died  June  28,  '64,  of  wounds.  Benjamin 
F.  Bonham;  deserted  June  17,  '63.  Thomas  Brown; 
deserted  Oct.  4,  '63.  Derby  Clark,  wounded.  Samuel 
W.  Clark,  Sept.  9,  '(it,.  Daniel  N.  Cupp,  Sept.  17,  '(>i, 
and  John  R.  Cramer,  Sept.  9,  '63;  drafted.  Robert  M. 
Gary.  Thomas  Cupp,  Sept.  5,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
May  3,  '65.  James  Colwell;  died  Mar.  18,  '63,  at  Belle 
Plain,  Va.  Frederick  H.  Carey;  deserted  Dec.  29,  '64. 
Livingston  Dennis.  John  A.  Dolph;  captured;  dis- 
charged July  I,  'ds-  Jacob  Detraoler,  Sept.  22,  'dy,  draft- 
ed. Peter  Depew;  Feb.  28,  '6s.  James  Devitt,  Dec.  4, 
'62;  substitute;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Aug. 
20,  '62.  Thomas  Davis;  died  of  wounds  received  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  John  Davis,  Sept  17,  '63; 
drafted;  died  Sept.  13,  '64,  of  wounds.  Thurston  Dick- 
inson; died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July 
I,  '(>i.  George  Funk,  Aug.  13,  '63,  and  James  Geary, 
Sept.  22,  '63;  drafted.  Frederick  Gorham,  Feb.  28,  '65. 
John  Gorham,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substitute;  transferred  to  U. 
S.  A.  Feb.  3,  '63.  James  Hinkey.  Benjamin  H.  Hay- 
den.  Palvin  P.  Hammond,  Sept.  9, '63;  drafted;  missing 
in  action  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Philip  Horn- 
baker;  Feb.  28,  '65.  Noah  Headen,  Sept.  14,  '63;  draft- 
ed; discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  20,  64.  Charles 
E.  Hutchins;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Feb. 
13,  '63;  discharged  June  28,  '65.  David  Hendershot. 
died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July 
I,  '63.  George  M.  Hatherill,  died  of  wounds 
received  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  John 
Heiser,  Sept  14,  '63;  drafted;  died  June 
24,  '64,  of  wounds.  David  Hockenbury;  deserted 
Oct.  2S,  '62.  Joseph  W.  Jackson,  Mar.  2,  '64. 
John  W.  Jackson,  Sept.  3,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  Sept. 
4.  '6S-  James  H.  Kilmer,  Wesley  Knapp  and  John 
Knockey,  Sept.  3,  'dy,  drafted.  John  M.  Kelly;  Sept. 
29,  '64.  Jay  Knickerbocker;  transferred  to  Company  B 
19th  regiment  veteran  reserve  corps,  Oct.,  '64;  discharg- 
ed July  13,  '65.  George  A.  Kiliner;  transferred  to  U.  S. 
A.  Feb.  8,  '63.  John  J.  Lehman,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted; 
prisoner  from  Oct.  14,  '64,  to  Apr.  21,  '65;  discharged 
May  18,  '65.  Samuel  F.  Lingfelter,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substi- 
tute; discharged  Aug.  22,  '63.  Josiah  L.  Lewis;  pro- 
moted to  hospital  steward  Oct.  i,  '63.  Shem  Lloyd;  de- 
serted Jan.  18,  '63.  John  E.  Morgan.  William  Morgan. 
Joseph  Martin,  Aug.  14,  '63,  and  William  H.  Miller,  Sept. 
17,  '63;  drafted.  Westbrook  Merring;  Feb.  28,  '63. 
Henry  Meadons;  Sept.  19,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  May 

16,  '65,  for  wounds   received   at  North  Anna  River,  Va., 


n¥ 


<¥ 


4= 


May  23,  '64.     George   Muchler;    transferred    to   veteran 
reserve  corps  Jan.  15,  '64.     Michael  Morrison;  deserted 
Oct.  29,  '62.     Casper  Myers;  deserted  Nov.  6,  '62.    John 
A.  Martin,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substitute;  deserted  Jan.  18,  '6^. 
Arthur  Maley;  transferred  to  U.  S.  A.  Feb.  3,  '63.     John 
M'Vey;  June  3,  '64.     Abraham  M'Graw;  died  of  wounds 
May    s,   '64.     Edward    M'Carty;  deserted    May    i,    ^65. 
Benjamin  M'Elroy,  Aug.  17,  '63;  deserted  May  29,  '65. 
John  Nolan,  Sept.  21,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Feb.   13,  '64.     William  Nyman,   Aug.   27,  '6y, 
drafted;  discharged  June  21,  '65,  for  wounds  received  at 
Spottsyivania   Court-house,    Va.      Hiram    Oakley;    Oct. 
20,     '62.       John     Patterson,     Sept.     18,    63;      drafted. 
David    Patterson,     Feb.     28,     '65.       George    Rodimer. 
Thomas    Richards.      Adam     Rinehart,     Sept.     18,    '63; 
drafted;    discharged   on    surg's   certificate   Apr.    i,    '65. 
Adam  Richardson,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Ander- 
sonville,  Ga.,  Oct.  27,  '64.  Charles  P.  Russell,  discharged 
May   31,   '65.     William   Rodemire,  died   at  Hyde  Park, 
Pa.,  Nov.  15,  '62.     David  Richards,   died  at   Anderson- 
ville,  Ga.,  Aug.  '64.     Benjamin  F.   Redick,  Aug.  31,  '6y, 
drafted;  died.     Isaac   Reed,    June,    '63;  drafted  died  of 
wounds  received  at  Spottsyivania  Court-house,  Va.,  May 
10,  '64.     Christian  Rock,  deserted  Oct.    i,   '62.     Jeffries 
Ringsdorf,  transferred  to   U.   S.   A.,  Feb.  8,  '63.     David 
Reese,  deserted  Jan.  29,  '63.     Joseph  E.  Ruple,  deserted 
Oct.  25,  '62.     Charles  Sayers,   dishonorably   discharged 
Feb.  13,  '63.     Comfort  Scull.     Thomas  Somers.     Albert 
Sertz,  Aug.  25,   '63;    drafted.     George   P.    Shilitto,   Aug. 
12,  '63,  drafted.     Robert  Sherwood,  Mar.  22,  '64.     John 
Skinner,  Feb,  21,  '65.     Joseph  Swank,  Mar.  7,  '65.     Cor- 
nelius   Short,    died  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg, 
Pa.,   July   I,  '63.     Joseph   Seip,   deserted    Aug.    15,   '63. 
Frederick    A.    Theirs,    Aug.    24,    '6y,    drafted.      S.    W. 
Thompson,    June,     '63;      drafted:    wounded  at  Wilder- 
ness, Va.,   May  5,   '64.     George   W.    Tripp,    missing  in 
action    at    Wilderness,    Va.,    May    5,    '64.      William    H. 
Turner,   Feb.   28,   '65.     Ira  Tinklepaugh,   Feb.    28,   '65. 
Joseph    Umberger,    Sept.    14,    '6y,    drafted.     Theodore 
Utt,  Mar.  2,  '65.    Lewis  Vansickle.    Daniel  Vanluvender. 
D.  Vanluvender.    Stephen  Varner,  Feb.  21,  '65.    William 
B.    Washner.      Amos    F.    Williams.       Nathan    Wheeler. 
Francis  Wheeler.     Jacob  O.  Williams,  discharged  May  9, 
'64,  for  wounds  received  at   Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63. 
Elhannan  W.  Wert,   promoted   com.    sergt.   July  17,  '64. 
William  D.  Warfel,   promoted   Q.  M.  sergt.    Oct.    i,    '63. 
Christian  Wart,  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Aug,  22,  '64. 
George  W.  Walker,  died   of  wounds  received  at  Wilder- 
ness, Va.,  May  6,  '64.     Loren  B.  Wickizer,  deserted  Nov. 
7,  '62.     William  Walker,  transferred   to    U.  S.  A.  Feb.  8, 
'63- 

COMPANY    F. 

The  members  of  this  company  were  so  generally  mus- 
tered in  September  8th,  1862,  that  that  date  may  be  as- 
sumed where  none  appears. 

Officers. — Captains — Henry  M.  Gordon,  Sept,  13,  '62; 
promoted  from  ist  lieut.  May  8,  '65.  William  A.  Tubbs| 
Sept.  13,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  15,  '64. 
ist  lieut.,  Robert  P.  Crockett,  Sept.  13,  '62;  promoted 
from  2nd  lieut. June  23,  '64.  2nd  lieuts.,  Nathaniel  J.  M. 
Heck,  Sept.  13,  '62;  promoted  to  sergt.  Dec.  i,  '62;  to 
ist  sergt.;  2nd  lieut,  Dec.  17, '64.  Charles  H.  Campbell; 
promoted  from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  July  i,  '64;  adj.  Dec! 
13,  '64.  ist  sergts, — Hiram  Campbell;  promoted  from 
corp.  to  sergt,  Feb.  28,  '63;  ist  sergt,  Dec,  17,  '64  David 
P.  Good;  died  at  Wind  Mill  Point,  Va.,  June  7,  '63. 
Sergts. — Stephen  H.  Bonham;  promoted  from  corp.  Aug. 
25,  '63.  Alexander  S,  M'Dannels;  promoted  from  corp. 
May  5,  '64.      John   M.  Culver;    prisoner  from  July  i  to 


Sept.  28,  '63;  promoted  from  corp.  Sept.  i,  '64,  Jonas 
B.  Hoppus;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  25,  '64;  to  sergt. 
Jan.  I,  '65.  Dyier  C.  Moss;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Jan.  9,  '63.  Levi  Arnold;  transferred  to  vet. 
sran  reserve  corps  Oct.  28,  '6y  discharged  May  17,  '65. 
William  H.  Thompson;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Feb. 
21,  '63.  Gris.  C.  Benscoter;  promoted  from  private; 
killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Corporals — Jacob 
H.  Maze,  Dec.  4,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '63;  dis- 
charged June  26,  '65.  James  Kester;  promoted  corp. 
Jan.  23,  '64.  John  R.  Seward;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  25, 
'64;  priisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec.  14,  '64.  James  R.  Dod- 
son;  promoted  corp.  May  5,  '64.  John  Scott;  promoted 
corp.  Aug.  I,  '64.  Jonas  C.  Tubbs;  prisoner  from  July  1 
to  Aug.  26.  '64;  promoted  corp.  Oct.  i,  '64.  James  W. 
Rood,  Sept.  12,  '62;  prisoner  from  July  i  to  Sept.  28,  '63; 
promoted  corp.  Dec.  17,  '64.  S.  M.  Blanchard,  Sept.  12, 
'62;  promoted  corp'.  Jan.  r6,  '65.  James  Roberts;  dis- 
charged Jan.  16,  '65,  for  wounds.  Daniel  L.  Schaffer; 
promoted  corp.;  died  Jan.  17,  '64,  at  Culpepper  Court- 
house, Va.  Musicians — Singleton  M.  Goss.  Austin 
Sloat,  Mar.  29,  '64. 

Privates. — Asa  R.  Allen.  Henry  Asner,  Sept.  8,  '63; 
drafted.  John  E.  Adams,  Sept.  8,  '63;  discharged  May 
17,  '65.  Sol.  E.  Adieman;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Sept.  17,  '64;  discharged  July  13,  '65.  David 
Armstrong,  Aug.  2,  'by  drafted;  died  at  City  Point,  Va., 
July  19,  '64.  William  Bower,  Sept.  i,  '63;  drafted;  pris- 
oner from  Oct.  17,  '64,  to  Mar.  12,  '65;  discharged  June 
29,  '65.  William  H.  Beagle,  Aug.  13,  '63;  drafted. 
Josiah  Bisher,  Dec.  4,  '62.  C.  L.  Benscoter,  Apr.  i,  '64. 
Anthony  Boyer;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
June  18,  '6t,.  John  N.  Bonh.nm;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps.  Benjamin  Buttorf,  Sept.  4,  '63;  drafted; 
transferred  to  United  States  navy  Mar.,  '64.  Charles 
Buckalew,  Sept.  11,  '62,  and  William  Benscoter,  killed  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '6-1,.  Josiah  Bear;  died  at  Hart's 
Island,  N,Y.,  May4,'65.  John  Bradly,  Aug.13,'63;  drafted; 
died  at  Bristoe  Station, Va.,  Oct.  30,  '63.  Alex.  Bonham, 
Mar,  5, '64;  died  at  Washington,  D,C,,Aug,7,'64,  of  wounds. 
Henderson  Bonham,  Apr.  i,  '64;  captured;  died  at  Dan- 
ville, Va.,  Aug.  19,  '64.  James  Bidlar,  Sept.  19,  '63; 
drafted;  killed  at  Hatcher's  Run  Feb.  6,  '65.  Thomas 
Barthurst,  Sept.  4,  '63;  drafted;  captured;  died  at  Dan- 
ville, Va.,  Sept.  25,  '64.  Nicholas  J.  Cox,  Aug.  15,  '63; 
drafted;  prisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec.  9,  '64.  Patrick 
Colter,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  26,  '6^ 
Jasper  N,  Culver,  Sept.  12,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate July  20,  '63..  William  Cremens,  Aug.  24,  '63; 
died  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  15,  '64,  of  wounds. 
Brazilia  Cook,  Sept.  12,  '62;  killed  at  Spottsyivania  Court- 
house, Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Samuel  W.  Dodson.  Danit-I 
Deater,  Sept.  4,  '(,y  drafted.  Christian  Eichner,  Sept. 
7,  '63;  drafted;  captured;  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Aug.  28, 
'64.  Aaron  Freeman,  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corp.s,  Dec.  18,  '63;  discharged  July  5,  '65.  Thomas  J. 
Uilmore,  Sept.  25,  '63;  drafted;  prisoner  from  May  5  10 
Dec.  9,  '64.  Adam  Hain,  Sept.  5,  '63;  drafted.  Jacob 
Hoppus.  Wesley  M.  Harned,  discharged  May  ic  '6i; 
Adam  C.  Hazlett  and  Wm.  M.  Harvey,  killed  at  Gettys- 
burg, Pa,,  July  I,  '6^.  Walter  Hoffman,  died  at  Alexan- 
dria Va,,  June  20,  '64,  of  wounds.  J.  H.  Haybecker. 
died  July  30,  '64,  of  wounds.  Wesley  P.  Hovt  died  at 
Danville,  Va.,  Nov.  5,  '64  Conrad  Junker,  discharged  on 
surgs  ceitificatejan.  18, '64,  Norman  D.  Koons,  Sept.  19 
,,,'^,',  '  l^'^'  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  18,  '64 
William  Kelly,  Sept.  25,  '63;  drafted;    transferred  to  vet 


COMPANIES  F  AND  G,  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 


'73 


Joseph  Luderbauch.  Araos  W.  Laning.  Richard  Latch- 
ford,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted;  captured;  died  at  Anderson- 
ville,  Ga.,  Oct.  11,  '64.  Simon  Masters;  captured  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  William  H.  Masters. 
George  W.  Miller,  sr.;  prisoner  from  July  i  to  Aug.  25, 
'6y,  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Apr.  i,  '65. 
James  W.  Moore,  Apr.  15,  '64;  transferred  to  veteran  re 
serve  corps  Apr.  ig,  '64;  discharged  Aug.  2, '65.  Judson  H. 
Marvin,  Sept.  15,  '62.  John  Moore,  Aug.  13,  '63;  drafted. 
Charles  L.  Moore,  Sept.  12,  '62;  discharged  April  8,  '65, 
for  wounds  received  in  action.  William  Miller;  transfer- 
red to  veteran  reserve  corps  June  16,  '64.  Frederick 
Mentz,  Sept.  14,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  Jan.  20,  '65. 
Sylvester  Masters;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Oct.  29, '63. 
George  F.  Moore,  Sept.  12,  '62;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  5,  '64.     Ira  R.  Moss;  died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Feb. 

6,  '64.  Joseph  W.  H.  Mulligan,  Mar.  30,  '64;  died  at 
Washington,  Apr.  23,  '64.  Peter  M'Afee,  June  13,  '64. 
Silas  Nevel.  Sidney  Nafus.  Alexander  James  Nevel, 
Dec.  4,  '62;  discharged  Mar.  29,  '65,  for  wounds, with  loss  of 
arm,  received  in  action.  Samuel  H.  Pile,  Aug.  13,  '63; 
drafted;  died  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  8,  '64,  of  wounds. 
Samuel  Peters,  Sept.  9,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Danville, 
Va.,  Sept.  14,  '64.  Simon  Remaly.  Almond  W.  Rood. 
Ira  Rood;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Aug.  12,  '63. 
John  Rood,  Sept.  r2,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Oct.  27,  '64.  Charles  Rease,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted; 
captured;  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Sept.  5,  '64.  Samuel 
Simpson.  Abile  Sutliff,  Sept.  13,  '62.  Sterling  D.  Sutliff. 
John  Schechterly,  Mar.  6,  '65.  Otis  Sherwood,  Aug.  13, 
'63;  drafted.  Charles  Sanders,  Aug.  24,  '63;  drafted; 
captured  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Merrit  W. 
Smith,  Mar.  11,  '64;  discharged  June  14,  '65.  Walter 
Salsman,  Mar.  '29,  '64.  Isaac  Sink;  discharged  May  25, 
'65.     Ashel  Sutliff;     discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov. 

7,  '63.  Thomas  J.  Stiles;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Apr.  4,  '64.  John  Smith,  Aug.  24,  '63;  drafted; 
transferred  to  U.  S.  navy  Mar.,  '64.  Isaac  Scott;  died  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  Nov.  17,  '62.  Elisha  Scott  and  Jesse 
B.  Stackhouse;  killed  at  Hatcher's  Run,  Va.,  Feb.  7,  '65. 
George  S.  Seward;  captured;  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Nov. 
12,  '64.  William  J.  Smith;  Sept.  12,  '62;  died  at  Belle 
Plain,  Va.,  Mar.  11,  '63.  George  W.  Solomon,  Mar.  29, 
'64;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  11, 
'64.  Jacob  W.  Titus.  Matthias  H.  Traugh,  Aug.  28, 
'63;  drafted;  captured;  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Oct.  i,  '64. 
George  W.  Titus;  died  Aug.  15,  '63,  of  wounds.  Nicho- 
las Vanhorn.  Stephen  W.  Vangelder.  Elijah  Wheeler. 
William  Winchker;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May 
4,  '64;  discharged  Aug.  11,  '65.  George  Wildomer. 
Simon  Wolf,  Sept,  10,  '62.  Columbus  Wiser,  June  7,  '63; 
drafted;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  Theodore 
F.  Wolf,  Sept.  IS,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
July  20,  '63.  Levi  S.  Weatherby,  Dec.  4,  '62;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Mar.  26,  '64.  John  Wood- 
ruff, Mar    30,   '64;  died  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  26,  '64. 

COMPANY  G. 

C#<:^ri.— Captains— Edward  W.  Wendell,  Nov.  16,  '62; 
discharged  Nov.  19,  '6;^.  Daniel  J.  Morton,  Sept.  i8,  '62; 
promoted  from  sergt.  to  2nd  lieut.  Mar.  15,  '64;  capt. 
Sept.  25,  '64.  ist  lieut,— George  Collings,  Oct.  10,  '62; 
promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Nov.  i,  '63;  commissioned 
capt.  Nov.  2o,'63;  not  mustered;  discharged  Aug.  8,  '64,  L, 
R.  Nicholson,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died  July  T3,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Gettysburg,  Pa,,  July  i,  '63,  2nd  heuts.— .Al- 
fred Groff,  Sept.  18,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt,  Nov.  i, 
'63;  discharged  May  8,  '64.  Frank  H.  Montonye,  Sept. 
18,  '62;  promoted  from  private  to  sergt.  June  22,  '63; 
ist  sergt.;  2nd  lieut.    Dec.    2,  '64.     ist    sergts.— Patrick 


Murphy,  Sept.  18,  '62;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt. 
Oct.  I,  '62;  1st  sergt.;  commissioned  2nd  lieut,  Sept.  15, 
'64;  not  mustered;  prisoner  from  May  5,  '64,  to  May  20, 
'65.  Jonas  F.  Westover,  Sept.  29,  '62;  promoted  from 
private  to  sergt.  June  4,  '65.  Sergts. — William  S.  Ran- 
dall, Sept.  23,  '62;  promoted  corp,;  sergt.  Feb.  10,  '65. 
William  W.  Schooley,  Sept.  23,  '62;  promoted  from  pri- 
vate; discharged  June  13,  '65,  for  wounds  received  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  Joseph  Norris,  Sept.  18, 
'62;  promoted  corp.;  sergt.  Feb.  10,  '65.  William  S. 
Leach,  Sept.  t8,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
Nov.  15,  '6^.  Lloyd  Harding,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  June  18,  '63.  William  L.  Dymond, 
Sept.  18,  '62;  killed  at  Hatcher's  Run,  Va,,  Feb.  7,  '65. 
Ozro  Mandeville,  Sept.  24,  '62;  deserted  Oct.  15,  '62. 
Corps. — Joseph  Hoover,  Sept.  18,  '62;  promoted  corp. 
Feb  10,  '65.  James  Kelly,  Sept.  19, '62;  promoted  corp. 
Sept.  24,  '6^;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64; 
discharged  July  15,  '65.  Charles  D.  Kunkle,  Oct.  10, 
'62;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  10,  '63.  Charles  H.  Evans, 
Sept.  25,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  26,  '64.  Peter  Hass, 
Sept.  18,  '62;  promoted  corp,  Jan,  4,  '65.  William  Win- 
ters, Sept.  19,  '62;  promoted  corp.  June  10,  '65.  Thomas 
Lahr,  Sept.  29,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  10,  '65. 
George  W.  Thomson,  June  18,  '6;^;  promoted  from  corp, 
June  4,  '65.  Lyman  Harris,  Sept.  24,  '64;  wounded  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Jan,  26,  '65,  Erastus  Shafer,  Sept.  18,  '62;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  13,  '64.  James 
Hogaraan,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  July 
15,  '63.  William  A.  Harding,  Sept.  18,  '62;  killed 
at  Hatcher's  Run,  Va,,  Feb,  6,  '65,  Daniel  Wood,  Sept, 
18,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  4,  '62.  Musicians — Andrew  S. 
Chilcoate,  June  18,  '6^.  Samuel  C.  Parks,  Sept.  18,  '62. 
Pi-ivates. — ^William  Arnold,  Aug.  12,  '63;  missing  in 
action  at  Wilderness, "  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Lewis  Arnold, 
Aug.  12,  '63;  wounded  at  North  Anna  river,  Va.,  May 
23,  '64;  discharged  June  17,  '65.  Washington  Bierbovver, 
Aug.  7,  'iiT,.  Solomon  Baker,  Sept,  17,  '63,  Thomas  P. 
Barringer  and  John  Beam,  Sept.  18,  '62.  Charles  Bropst, 
Sept.  23,  '62;  wounded  at  North  Anna  river,  Va.,  May 
23,  '64,     Martin  Browman,  Sept,   4,    '63;  wounded  Aug. 

20,  '64.  Lewis  Bentz,  Sept,  12, '63.  John  Bricker,  Aug. 
15,  '63;  discharged   Nov.  19,  '63.      George  Brown,  Sept. 

18,  '62;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  June  16,  '63.  Valen- 
tine Boyer,  Aug.  13,  '6y,  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Oct. 
8,  '63,  John  Bollinger,  Sept,  17,  '63;  captured;  died  at 
Salisbury,  N,  C,  Oct,  26,  '64.  Charles  Beven,  Sept.  19, 
'63;  deserted  Nov.  4,  '62.  Henry  Belsia,  Aug.  24,  '63; 
deserted  Apr.  20,  '64.  Charles  Corson,  Aug.  15,  '63. 
James  M.  Chapman,  Sept.  17,  '(ly,  discharged  May  25, 
'65.  Lemuel  Carl,  June  18,  '63;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Apr.  21,  '64.  Michael  Corcoran,  Sept.  18,  '62; 
died  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  Mar.  7,  '65.  John  Collers,  Aug. 
13,  '63;  captured;  died  at  Florence,  S.  C,  Feb.  5,  '65. 
Frederick  Delong,  Sept.  19,  '62;  wounded  at  Petersburg, 
Va.,  June  18,  '64.  John  E.  Dickinson,  Sept.  19,  '62. 
Robert    Dougan,    Sept.    17,  'bT,.     David    Downing,  Sept. 

19,  '62;  died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Oct.  4,  '63.  John  En- 
gle,  Oct.  I, '62.  Daniel  Etter,  Sept.  22,  '63.  Joshua 
Edgin,  Sept.  25,  '63.  Hiram  Emmon,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died 
at  Hart's  island,  N.  Y.,  May  7,  '65.  Isaac  Ellison,  Sept, 
18,  '62;  deserted  June  25,  '65.  Benjamin  Fischborn, 
Sept.  17,  '63.  Michael  S.  Finck,  Aug,  13,  '63;  missingin 
actional  Wilderness,  Va,,  May  5,  '64.  Jacob  Fisher,  Sept. 
18,  '62;  discharged  Jan.  19,  '64.  Thomas  Finly,  Sept. 
23,  '62;  captured;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Aug,  24,'64. 
John  Grintner,  Sept.  ii,  '63;  missing  in  action  at  North 
Anna  River,  Va.,  May  22,  '64.  Dennis  Gallagher,  Sept. 
17,  '63.      Franklin  Granler,  Sept.  18,  '63;  deserted  Nov. 

21,  '63.      Andrew    Hilbert,   Sept.   20,   '62;     wounded    at 


^¥ 


Hatcher's  Run,  Va.,  Feb.  7,  65;  prisoner  from  Feb.  7  to 
Feb.  II,  '65;  discharged  June  29,  '65.  Charles  Hotch- 
kiss  Sept.  18,  '62.  Lee  Higgins,  Sept.  18,  '62;  wounded 
at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  John  Harris,  Sept.  18, 
'63;  prisoner  from  May  5,  '64,  to  Apr.  20,  '65.  Samuel 
Hower,  Sept.  18,  '63.  Isaac  Huey,  Sept,  18,  '62;  dis- 
charged June  27,  '63.  William  Hampton,  Sept.  4,  '63; 
discharged  May  30,  '65.  Henry  Hoffman,  Sept.  18,  '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Feb.  15,  '64;  dis- 
charged July  20,  '65.  Thomas  M.  Hotchkiss,  Mar.  25, 
'64;  died  at  Wilkes  Barre,  Pa.,  Mar  25,  '65.  Simon  P. 
Hoover,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died  Oct.  9,  '64,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Wilderness,  Va.  George  W.  Hoover,  Sept.  18, 
'62;  deserted  Jan.  28,  '63.  William  Jones,  Sept.  4,  '63; 
wounded  July  17,  '64;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps;  discharged  July  25,  '65.  Eri  P.  Jackson,  Sept. 
19,  '62.  Jesse  Jeffers,  June  18, '63;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Apr.  21,  '64.  Joseph  Kline,  Sept.  7,  '63. 
William  Knarr,  Sept.  20,  '62;  prisoner  from  July  i,  '63, 
to  Apr.  28,  '65;  discharged  May  18,  '65.  William  F. 
Kreidler,  Sept.  25,  '62.  Henry  Kiely,  Sept.  18,  '62. 
John  Koons,  Sept.  13,  '63;  drafted;  prisoner  from  Dec. 
8,  '64,  to  Feb.  7,  '65;  discharged  June  29,  '65.  Samuel 
Kelly,  Sept.  23,  63;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr. 
24,  '64.  Alexander  Kepner,  June  18,  '63;  killed  at  Wil- 
derness, Va.,  May  6,  '64.  John  M.  Kelly,  Sept.  29,  '63; 
died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  July  11,  '64.  Jonas  O.  Kelly, 
Sept.  18,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  11,  '62.  Thomas  Keen, 
Sept.  25,  '62;  deserted  May  6,  '65.  John  A.  Kreidler 
and  George  Kroop,  Sept.  15,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  3,  '63. 
Jacob  Long,  Sept.  13,  '63;  wounded  at  North  Anna 
River,  Va.,  May  23,  '64;  absent  at  muster  out.  Luther 
Lower,  Sept.  3,  '63;  discharged  May  4,  '65.  Samuel 
Lee,  Sept.  3,  '63.  David  R.  Lutz,  Aug.  14,  '6^; 
discharged  Nov.  19,  '63.  James  E.  Lobdell,  Aug.  15, '63; 
discharged  May  r8, '65.  William  Lippencott,  Sept.i,'6i; 
transferred  to  Company  D  6ist  Pennsylvania  Mar.  27, 
'63.  William  Leonard,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died  at  Acquia 
Creek,  Va.,  Apr.  18,  '63.  Richard  Laughlin,  Aug.  13, 
'63;  died  May  10,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness, 
Va.  Thomas  Linkskill,  Sept.  19,  '62;  died  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  Feb.  10,  '64.  Major  Loudenberg,  Sept.  18,  '62; 
deserted  Nov.  4,  '62.  Michael  Myers,  Sept.  18,  '62. 
John  Montoyne,  Sept.  23,  '62;  discharged  Jan.  26,  '65, 
for  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '6;}. 
John  Myers,  Sept.  20,  '62;  discharged  May  15,  '65. 
George  W.  Miller,  Aug.  13,  '63;  killed  at  Wilderness, 
Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Charles  B.  Miller,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substi- 
tute; deserted  July  i,  '6;^.  Robert  M'Neal,  June  18, 
'6;^;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  transferred 
to  veteran  reserve  corps;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
May  31,  '65.  John  M'Loughlin,  Aug,  20,  '63;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  21,  '64.  John  Nahtrieb,  Aug. 
12,  '63.  John  Nash,  Sept.  20,  '62;  wounded  at  North 
Anna  river,  Va.,  May  23,  '64.  George  D.  Nash,  Sept. 
22,  '62;  discharged  July  6,  '63.  Francis  O'Boyle,  Sept. 
19,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  2,  '63.  Henry  Pace,  Sept.  20,  '62; 
discharged  Aug.  31,  '64,  for  wounds  received  at  Wilder- 
ness, Va,,  May  5,  '64.  William  Perigo,  Sept.  18,  '62;  died 
at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  2,  '64;  grave,  9,684.  Daniel 
Petty,  Sept.  18,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  4,  '62.  John  Quinn, 
Sept.  18,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  2,  '63.  Elijah  Robbins, 
Sept.  18,  '62.  Samuel  Reed,  Aug.  15,  '63.  Charles  D. 
Remmer,  Oct.  10,  '62.  John  Rinehart,  June  18,  '63; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  21,  '64.  Zura  Root, 
Sept.  19,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Nov. 
15,  '63.  Abraham  Ramsay,  June  18,  '63;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Dec.  I,  '63.  William  Ritter,  Sept.  17,  '63; 
killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64. 
William  Ressler,  Oct.  lo,  '62;  deserted  Jan.  6,  '63. 
Michael    Roth,    Sept.     18,     '62;    deserted    Feb.    5,    '63. 


David  C.  Shoop,  Aug.  18,  '6$;  wounded  at  Wilder- 
ness, Va.,  May  6,  '64;  John  Sellers,  Sept.  25,  '63. 
Samuel  Spencer,  Sept.  15,  '62.  Amos  Staines,  Jan.  4, '64; 
missing  in  action  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64.  Lewis 
Strait,  Sept.  22,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Aug. 
12,  '63.  Joseph  Sager,  Sept.  22,  '62;  transferred  to  yet- 
eron  reserve  corps  Nov.  6,  '63;  discharged  Sept.  8,  '65. 
Halsey  Skillinger,  Sept.  18,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Oct.  25,  '63;  discharged  July  24,  '65.  Silas 
Sellers,  Jan.  30,  '64;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  June  11, 
'64.  Simon  Snyder,  Aug.  15,  '63;  died  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  July  4,  '64.  John  W.  Spencer,  Dec.  4,  '62;  sub- 
stitute; deserted  Jan.  6,  '63.  Daniel  Stem,  Sept.  17,  '62; 
deserted  Feb.  5,  '63-  Barney  Simonson,  Sept.  18,  '62; 
deserted  June  25.  '6;^.  Harvey  Taylor,  Sept.  18,  '62; 
wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  Maj  6,  '64.  Jesse  T. 
Thompson,  Feb.  29,  '64;  discharged  April  5,  '65.  Dan- 
iel Thorn,  Oct.  4,  '62;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i, 
'63,  David  Vough,  Aug.  15,  '62;  wounded  at  Spottsyl- 
vania Court-house,  Va.,  May  10,  '64.  Benjamin  Vaughn, 
Aug.  13,  '63;  discharged  Mar.  8,  '64.  Charles  A.  West- 
field,  Sept.  18,  '62;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5, 
'64.  John  E.  Wival,  Sept.  18, '62;  died  May  10,  '64. 
Calvin  Williams,  Aug.  13,  '63.  Wilson  Williams,  Aug.  13, 
'63;  drafted;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June  18,  '64; 
discharged  June  28,  '65.  John  Welsh,  Sept.  11,  '63; 
drafted;  prisoner  from  May  5,  '64,  to  Mar.  28,  '65;  dis- 
charged May  25,  '65.  John  D.  Winer,  Aug.  15,  '63;  died 
at  Culpepper,  Va.,  Jan.  29,  '64.  John  W.  Williams,  Sept. 
18,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  '63.  Jesse  Weaver,  Sept.  29,  '62; 
deserted  July  i,'68.  Lazarus  Yaytor,  June  8, '63;  wound- 
ed at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64. 

COMPANY    H. 

Officers. — Captains — John  C.  Morris,  Sept.  18,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate 'Apr.  16,  '64.  Benjamin  F. 
Babcock,  Sept.  27,  '62;  promoted  from  2nd  to  ist  lieut.; 
capt.  June  24,  '64;  resigned  Sept.  7,  '64.  Warren  T. 
White,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt.  to  ist  sergt. 
May  I,  '63;  ist  lieut.  June  23,  '64;  capt.  Sept.  25,  '64. 
First  lieutenants — Michael  Keenan,  Sept.  8,  '62;  commis- 
sioned capt.  Apr.  19,  '64;  not  mustered;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  June  I,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness, 
Va.,  May  6,  '64.  E.  L.  Rhinewault,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promot- 
ed from  priv.  to  sergt.  May  i,  'dy,  ist  lieut.  Sept.  25,  '64. 
First  sergeant,  Asa  Warner,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp. 
Dec,  '(sy  ist  sergt.  Sept,  25,  '64.  Sergeants — Frank  E. 
Foster,  Sept.  6,  '62;  captured  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5, 
'65;  commissioned  2nd  lieut.  Sept.  8,  '64;  not  mustered; 
discharged  May  20,  '65.  Francis  P.  Ryan,  Sept.  6,  '62; 
promoted  from  corp.  June  i,  '63;  wounded  at  Spottsyl- 
vania Court- house  May  10,  '64;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps  Feb.  21,  '65;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Apr,  17,  '65,  Calvin  L,  Leete,  Sept,  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  corp.  Nov.  25,  '63.  Orange  A.  Baldwin, 
Sept.  6, '62;  promoted  from  corp.  July  i,  '64;  discharged 
Sept.  7,  '65.  Daniel  Hawes,  Sept.  6,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Dec.  5,  '63.  Alanson  W.  Bissell,  Sept. 
6,  '62;  died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va.,  June  i,  '63.  Cor- 
porals—Myron Bradshaw,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp. 
July  I,  '64.  Miles  D.  Baldwin,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted 
corp.  Sept.  25,  '64,  George  B.  Strange,  Sept,  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted corp.  Oct.  6,  '64.  Thomas  F.  Brady,  Aug.  24,  '63; 
drafted;  promoted  corp,  July  i, '64;  discharged  Sept,  7, '65. 
Frank  Angell,  Sept,  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan,  16,  '65. 
Robert  Booth,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  21,  '65. 
David  H.  Duel,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  25,  '65. 
Mark  B.  Perigo,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.  May  22,  '65. 
Calvin  L.  Lincoln,  Sept.  6, '62;  promoted  corp.;  discharg- 
ed on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  16,  '65.     Oscar  Caswell,  Sept. 


^^= 


^h 


COMPANY  H,  ONE   HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-THIRD   REGIMENT. 


175 


6, '62;  promoted  Corp.;  discharged  May  21, '65.  William 
A.  Southwell,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.;  discharged 
Oct.  6,  '64.  Joshua  P.  Miller,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted 
Corp.;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  June  31, '63. 
James  Dean,  Sept.  6, '62;  promoted  corp.;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  5,  '63;  discharged  Sept.  6,  '65. 
Amos  James  Geary,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.;  died 
at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Jan.  7,  '63.  Silas  Light,  Sept.  6, 
'62;  promoted  to  corp.;  captured  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  5,  '64;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Aug.  25,  '64. 
Zanness  Small,  Sept.  6,  '62;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  5,  '64.  Musicians — Archie  H.  Horton,  Sept.  6,  '62. 
John  W.  White,  Sept.  6,  '62.  George  B.  Smith,  Sept.  6, 
'62;  deserted  Jan.  12,  '63. 

Privates. — Jonathan  Anderson,  Mar.  7,  '65.  Henry 
Anderson,  Jan.  4,  '65.  Peter  F.  Ashland,  Feb.  17,  '65. 
Daniel  Allen,  Sept.  6,  '62;  died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va., 
M^y  5)  '^S-  David  W.  Brink,  Sept.  6,  '62.  George  W. 
Baxter,  [Sept.  6,  '62;  wounded  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  June 
18,  '64;  discharged.  Amos  C.  Beebe,  Sept.  6,  '62.  Eve- 
rett Brown,  June,  '63;  drafted.  David  P.  Beebe,  Sept. 
6,  '62,  and  Lewis  Beebe,  Sept.  17,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Aug.  11,  '63.  Samuel  S.  Baxter,  Sept. 
6,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  14,  '6^.  Alfred 
Briggs,  Sept.  22,  '63;  drafted;  captured  at  Wilderness, 
Va.,  May  5,  '64;  died  at  Florence,  S.  C,  Nov.  10,  '64. 
John  Burbeck,  Sept.  6,  '62;  died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va., 
Apr.  23,  63.  John  L.  Blucher,  Aug.  31,  '63;  drafted; 
died  July  25,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Petersbnrg,  Va., 
June  18,  '64.  Lorenzo  Burch,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substitute; 
died  Apr.  3,  '63.  Henry  C.  Barnum,  Sept.  6,  '62;  died  at 
Baltimore,  Md.,  July  18,  '63,  of  wounds  received  at  Get- 
tysburg, Pa.,  July  I,  '63.  Robert  Burbeck,  Sept.  6,  '62; 
died  Mar.,  '64.  Thomas  Bradford,  Apr.  4,  '65;  not  on 
muster  out  roll.  Hiram  Cook,  Sept.  17,  '62.  D.  J.  Cun- 
ningham, Sept.  6,  '62.  Thomas  E.  Casterline,  Mar.  19, 
'64.  Joseph  Cupp  and  David  Clark,  Sept.  9,  '63,  and  W. 
H.  Cripple,  Aug.  13,  '63;  drafted.  John  Carroll,  Sept. 
6,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Oct.  3,  '64,  Charles 
Camp,  Sept.  6,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
Apr.  14,  '64.  David  A.  Canfield,  Dec.  4,  '62;  substitute; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  May  9,  '63.  George 
W.  Crocker,  Sept.  6,  '62;  died  at  Fort  Schuyler,  N.  Y., 
Aug.  24,  '6^,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July 
I,  '63.  John  D.  Campbell,  Sept.  9,  '62;  drafted;  cap- 
tured at  Weldon  railroad,  Va.,  Aug.  21,  '64;  died  at 
Salisbury,  N.  C,  Dec.  i,  '64.  William  P.  Dunn, 
Sept.  6,  '62.  Peter  Degnar,  Sept.  6,  '62;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran  reserve  corps  Jan.  2,  '65. 
William  C.  Denel,  Sept.  6,  '62;  transferred  to  vet- 
eran reserve  corps,  Feb.  16,  '64.  Luther  Eldred,  Sept. 
6,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  8,  '64.  Wil- 
liam H.  Estus,  Mar.  19,  '64;  died  at  City  Point,  Va.,  Aug. 
3,  '64.  Jacob  H.  Ettinger,  Aug.  25,  '63;  drafted;  de- 
serted Oct.  18,  '6^.  Thomas  Flanigan,  Aug.  18,  '6;^; 
drafted;  captured  Dec.  10,  '64.  James  E.  Fitzgerald, 
Sept.  6,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  June  6,  '63. 
John  Fisher,  Sept.  2,  '63;  drafted;  deserted  May  4,  '64. 
Washington  Gerhert,  Aug.  11,  '64.  James  S.  Gillen,  Aug. 
24,  '64.  John  S.  Gerber,  Aug.  31,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate,  Dec.  14,  '6^.  Adam  Grassmire, 
Sept.  17,  '6:i;  drafted;  captured  at  Weldon  Railroad,  Va., 
Aug.  21,  '64;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Nov.  30,  '64. 
John  W.  Glidden,  Sept.  6,  '62;  died  at  Jefferson,  Md., 
July  5,  '63.  James  Gilroy,  Sept.  6,  '62;  deserted  Dec. 
20,  '63.  Michael  Hickey,  Sept.  6,  '62;  captured  at  Wil- 
derness, Va.,  May  5,  '64;  discharged  June  13,  '65.  Dan- 
iel Hawes,  Feb.  15,  '65.  Augustus  P.  Headley,  Sept.  6, 
'62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps.  Israel  Himes, 
Aug.  21,  '63,  and  William  Homier,  Aug.  15,  '63;  drafted. 
Hill  Heath,  Sept.   17,  '62;  died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  June 


9,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness,  May  6,  '64.    Walter 
Jenner,  Sept.   17,  '63.     Am.mdus  Jacoby,  Aug.  13,  '63; 
drafted.      Henry    Jenner,    Sept.    6,    '62;    discharged    on 
surg's  certificate  Jan.  17,  '63.     Theron   H.  Jones,  Sept. 
6,  '62;  died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va.,  Apr.  26,  '6;^.     Rufus 
Jarvis,  Sept.  19,  '63;  drafted;  transferred  to  Company  H 
7th   Ind.  volunteers   Oct.   25,   '63.     Jacob   Kceney,  Aug. 
21,    '6^,    and    William    Keister,    June    30,    '63;    drafted. 
Dennis    I^ane,   jr.    and    Ezra   P.    Lester,    Sept.    6,    '62. 
Emanuel    Locke,   June,  '6;};    drafted.     Thomas  Lynch, 
Sept.  6,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  10,  '65. 
Truman  G.  Larrahee,   Sept.  3,  '63;  drafted;  cayitured   at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  3,  '64;  died  at  Florence,  S.  C,  Nov. 
IS,  '64.     William  F.  Lepper,  Sept   6,  '61;   died   at   Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  May  15,  of  wounds  received   at   Wilder- 
ness, Va.,  May  6,  '64.     John    Mooney,  Sept,  6,  '61;  pris- 
oner from  May  5,  '64,  to    Mar.  10,  '65;  discharged    June 
29,  '65.    Frank  Mansberger,  Jan.  10,  '65.    Thomas  Mans- 
berger.    Aug.  21,  '6;^;  drafted;  prisoner    from    May  5   to 
Nov.  26,  '64;  discharged  June  8,  '65.     John  Mansberger, 
Jan.    10,   '65.       Robert    Miller,    Sept.    9,    '63;     drafted. 
Michael  Martin,  Jan.  11,  '65.     Henry  C.  Matter,  Sept.  9, 
'6^;  drafted;  discharged  on  surij's  certificate  Apr.  20, '64. 
Patrick  Millin,  Sept.  6,  '62;  discharged   on  surg's    certifi- 
cate Feb.    14,  '65.     Thomas    M.    Maggs,    Aug.    15,   '63; 
drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  20,  '64.    A. 
Mothersbaugh,  Sept.  9, '63;  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's 
certificate  Apr.  20,  '64.    Jacob  Moore,  Sept.  6,  '62;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran    reserve   corps    Apr.  4,  '64;  discharged 
July  5,  '65.     Alanzo  Mott,  Sept.  6,  '62;  killed  at   Peters- 
burg, Va.,  June  18,  '64.     John  M'Boy,  Sept.  17,  '62.     Ed- 
ward P.  M'Creary,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  to  sergt.  Com- 
pany I  Oct.   I,  '63.     Andrew    M'Vinea,    Sept.  6,  '62;  de- 
serted Oct.  23,  '62.     Henry  Proffer,  Sept.  9,  '6;^.  drafted, 
Henry  Pervines,  Sept.  9,  '63;  drafted.     Henry  M.  Porter. 
Sept.  9, '62;  died  at  Culpepper  Court-house, Va.,  Jan.  8, '64. 
Henry  A.  Porter,  Sept.   6,   '62;    died  Apr.  2:,  '65.     Wil- 
liam A.  Porter,  Dec.  4,  '62;    drafted;    died  at  Culpeppir 
Court-house,   Va.,    Jan.   7,    '64.     Leonard  B.  Ross,  Sept. 
6,  '62.     Henry  Roberts,   June,    '63;  drafted.      Terrence 
Riley,  Sept  6,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's   certificate   July 
18,    '63.      Richard   Ring,    Sept.   17,   '62;    discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Mar.  4,  64.      Jeremiah  Ragan,  jr.,  Sept. 
6,  ,'62;    discharged   on    surg's    certificate   Nov.    16,   '63. 
James    Rochford,    Sept.    6,   62;    deserted   Oct.    26,   '62. 
George  W.  Sheldon,  Sept.  6,  '62,      John  H.  Snyder,  Feb. 
22,    '65.      James    Strange,    Sept.    6,  '62;    discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Aug.  24, '63.  Charles  Small,  Sept.  17,  '62; 
discharged  on   surg's   certificate    Dec.  22,  '63.     Franklin 
Swoyer,  Sept.  17,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Apr.  20,  '64.     Frederick  M.  Scribner,  Sept.  6,  '62; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  4,   '64.      William  B. 
Southwell,   Sept.  6,    '62;    transferred   to   veteran  reserve 
corps  May   10,   '63.      Edward   B.   Slauson,   Sept.  6,   '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Oct.  lo,  '64.     Elezer 
Staines,  June, '63;  drafted;  killed  at  Spottsylvania Court- 
house,   Va.,   May   10,  '64.     Daniel   Smith,   Sept.   6,    '62; 
deserted  Jan.  12,  '63.      Leman  Turrell,  Sept.  6,  '63;  dis- 
charged   on    surg's    certificate  July    19,    '63.      Myron  S. 
Towne,  Sept  6,  '62;    promoted   com.  sergt.  April  20,  '64. 
Adam  S.  Treminer,  Aug.  20,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Aug.  14,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilder- 
ness,  Va.,   May  5,   '64.      Hobert   R.   West,  Sept.  6,  '62; 
discharged   June   3,  '65.      John   Westbrook,  Sept.  9,  '63; 
drafted!     John  Weaver,  Aug.  25,  '63;  drafted.     John  W. 
Wells,  Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Apr.  20,  '64.      Stanly   B.   Weaver,   Sept.  6,  '62;  dis- 
charged   on  surg's    certificate    Oct.    9,   '64.       Charles   E. 
Webster     Sept. "  6,    '62;    transferred   to   veteran   reserve 
corps  Dec.  19,  '63.      Charles   A.  West,  Sept.  6,  '62;  died 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  16,  '63.     Douglas  Woodworth, 


<^ 


.76 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Dec.  4, '62;  substitute;  died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Aug. 
15,  '64.  Jackson  Walter,  Sept.  4,  '63;  drafted;  deserted 
Dec.  3,  '63.  Ira  Winan,  Mar.  19,  '64;  drafted.  Henry 
Yingling,  Sept.  9,  '6;^;  drafted. 

COMPANY    I. 

OjJf<:^/x— Captains— Chester  K.  Hughes,  Oct.  18,  '62; 
promoted  maj.  Oct.  '27,  '64.  Harlow  Potter,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  promoted  from  corp.  to  sergt.  Dec.  i,  '6y,  from  ist 
sergt.  to  ist  lieut.  Jan.  2,  '65;  capt.  Apr.  15,  '65.  ist 
lieuts.— Thomas  Davenport,  Sept.  20,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Oct.  21,  '64.  William  H.  Plain,  Sept. 
20,  '62;  promoted  from  private  to  corp.  Nov.  i,  '63; 
sergt.  Feb.  29,  '64;  ist  sergt.  Apr.  15,  '65.  2nd  lieuts. — 
Samuel  F.  M'Kee,  Oct.  18,  '62;  promoted  adj.  147th  Pa. 
Dec,  6,  '62.  C.  W.  Betzenberger,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted 
from  sergt.  Jan.  i,  '63;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.  July  i, 
'63.  Jairus  Kauff,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted  from  sergt. 
to  2nd  lieut.  Sept.  i,  '63;  commissioned  capt.  Oct.  15,  '64; 
not  mustered;  captured;  died  at  Columbia,  S.  C,  Oct. 
3r,  '64.  ist  sergts. — Jesse  Harrison,  Sept.  20,  '62;  com- 
missioned 2nd  lieut.  July  i,  '63;  not  mustered;  died  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  Aug.  20,  of  wounds  received  in  action 
July  I,  '63.  Simon  Hubler,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted 
from  Corp.  to  sergt.  Jan.  2,  '65;  ist  sergt.  Apr.  15,  '65: 
commissioned  2nd  lieut.  June  i,  '65;  not  mustered. 
Sergts. — Warren  H.  Crego,  Sept.  28,  '62.  John  Shafer, 
Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  i,  '62;  sergt.  Nov.  i, 
'63.  Paul  Fullmer,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Nov. 
I,  '62;  sergt.  Jan.  2,  '65.  Nathan  Vosler,  Sept.  20,  '62; 
promoted  corp.  Feb.  29,  '64;  sergt.  Apr.  15,  '65.  Ed- 
ward P.  M'Creary,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  ist  lieut.  Com- 
pany B  Feb.  28,  '64.  Charles  Wesley,  Oct.  6,  '62;  pro- 
moted from  private;  died  Oct.  28,  '64.  Corps. — John 
Bellas,  Oct.  4,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Apr.  15,  '65.  C. 
Hagenbaugh,  Sept.  20,  62;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '64. 
W.  R.  Vandervort,  Oct.  6,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  29, 
'64.  Jacob  S.  Keck,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Aug. 
I,  '64.  Sylvester  Moulthrop,  Aug.  14,  '6;^;  drafted;  pro- 
moted corp.  Jan.  2,  '65.  Stephen  Eckrote,  William  H. 
Weaver  and  William  H.  Brown,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted 
corps.  Jan.  2,  '65.  William  S.  Downing,  Sept.  '20,  '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  12,  '63.  George 
B.  Hovvlan,  Sept.  20,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps  Aug.  I,  '63;  discharged  June  29,  '65.  Elias  L. 
Tubbs,  Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted  to  corp.;  died  at  City 
Point,  Va.,  Oct.  28,  '64.  Frank  B.  Smith,  Sept.  20,  '62; 
promoted  to  corp.;  died  May  27,  of  wounds  received  at 
North  Anna  River,  Va.,  May  13,  '64.  Joseph  W.  Mott, 
Sept.  20,  '62;  promoted  corp.;  died  at  Culpepper  Court- 
house, Va.,  Jan.  14,  '64.  Christopher  Boston,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  died  Nov.  6,  '63.  Musicians — George  W.  Palmer 
and  Harrison  Wolf,  Sept.  20,  '62. 

Privates. — George  Arnest,  Sept.  20,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Jan.  7,  '64.  Andrew  S.  Aleworth,  Sept. 
20,  '62;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Jan.  20,  '63.  Am- 
brose Bonhara  and  Benjamin  Bellas,  Sept.  20,  '62.  Alex- 
ander Buckman,  Sept,  20,  '62;  missed  in  action  at  Weldon 
railroad,  Va,,  Aug,  21,  '64,  Henry  Boen,  Sept.  21,  '62; 
drafted;  missing  in  action  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64. 
Levi  Buckman,  Mar.  17,  '64.  William  Baker,  Aug.  26, 
'()y,  drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr,  21,  '64. 
George  Bellas,  Sept.  20,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Feb.  [9,  '63.  Car.  R.  Buckalew,  Sept.  28,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  June  19,  '63,  John  Blain, 
Sept,  20,  '62;  died  June  19,  'ki.  Silas  Bellas,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house  Va.,  May  10, '64. 
Jacob  Black,  Aug.  26,  '63;  drafted;  captured  at  Wilder- 
ness, Va.,  May  5,  '64;  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  3 
'64.     Amos  Buckalew,  Sept,  20,  '62;  deserted  Jan.  8,  '63' 


Parsons  Bonham,  Aug.  23,  '64;  not  on   muster  out  roll. 
Silas  Cavanes,   Sept.   20,  '62.     Obadiah  Campbell,  Sept. 
28,  '62.     William  Cupp,  Sept.  19,  '63;   drafted;  prisoner 
from  May  5,  '64,  to  Mar.  2,  '65;  discharged  June  29,  '65. 
Jacob  L.  Gary,   Feb.  18,  '65.     Solomon   Culver,  Mar.  13, 
'65.     Charles   B.    Clayton,   Aug.    16,    '(sy,    drafted;   dis- 
charged   June    6,    '65.      Peter    Chubb,    Aug.    11,    '63; 
drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  2,  '64.     G. 
W.  Calender,  Sept.  20,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps    Oct.    31,    '63;     discharged    July    13,    '65.      John 
Coughlin,   Sept.    20,  '62;   transferred   to  veteran   reserve 
corps   June    30,  'by     Benjamin    Behaven,    Mar.  17,  '64; 
wounded  at  Petersburg, Va.,  June  18,  '64;  discharged  May 
26, '65.    Isaac  Drum,  Sept.  20;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate Mar.  I,  '63.    Eli  Davenport,  Sept.  20,  '62;  transferred 
to  veteran  reserve  corps  Dec.  12, '63;  discharged  June  27, 
'65.    John  M.  Downing,  Sept.  20,  '62;  died  at  Culpepper 
C.    H.,    Va.,  Apr.    29,  '64.     Albert   Earl,    Sept.  20,   '62. 
George  Ensmiger,  Aug.    12,  '63;  drafted;  prisoner    from 
Mays,  '64,  to  Feb.  26,  '65.     John  Eveland,  Sept.  20,  '62. 
Moses  B.  Eckrote,   Jan  26,  '65.     John  A.  Evans,  Sept.  9, 
'63;  died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Jan.  14,  '65.     John  P.  Fritz 
and    Gilbert    W.  Flegal,    Sept.  7,  '63;  drafted.     Jackson 
H.  Gearhart,  Sept.  29,  '62.     Jeremiah  W.  Gano,  Sept.  9, 
'63;  drafted.     Leonard    Gow,    Mar.    20,   '65.     Jacob    L. 
Girton,  Sept.  20,  '62.     Ellis  B.    Gearhart,  Sept.    20,  '62; 
deserted  Feb.  11,  '63.     James  Gobbins,  Mar.  13,  '65;  de- 
serted Apr.  I,  '65.     Nathan   C.  Hallstead,    Sept.   20,  '62. 
White  N.  Hosier,  Sept,  20,  '62.     Philip  S,  Hartman,  Sept. 
20,    '62;    prisoner  from  May   5,    '64,    to  Feb.     26,     '65. 
Henry  Hoven,  Sept.  4,  '63;  drafted.     Jesse    Harrington, 
Sept.  28,  '62;  discharged  on   surg's    certificate    Feb.    29, 
'64.     Thomas  D.  Hanvey,    Sept.    8,    '63;  transferred   to 
Camp   Chase,    Ohio,   Apr.  22,    '64;  discharged    Sept.  12, 
'65.     John   Huberlin,  Aug.  28,  '63;  drafted;  transferred 
to  veteran  reserve  corps    Mar.  16,  '65;  discharged   Aug. 
14,  '65.     Darius  Hangerford,  Sept.  20, '62;  died  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  June  24,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderness, 
Va.,     May     5,     '64.     Joseph     Holland,    Aug.    29,    '63; 
captured     at     the     Wilderness     May  5,    '64;     died    at 
Andersonville,    Ga.,    July  30,    '64.       Theodore  Hagen- 
baugh,   Sept.    20,    '62;    deserted    Nov.    7,    '62.     Isaiah 
N.     Harrison,  Sept.     28,    '62;    deserted    Oct.     28,     '62. 
George  Jacoby  and  Joseph   Keener,    Sept.    20,  '62.     Al- 
fred Kishbaugh,  Sept.  20,  '62;  Milford   Kingsbury,  Sept. 
20,  '62;  discharged  May  17,  '65.     David  Kiner,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  transferred    to  veteran    reserve   corps  Oct.   20,   '63. 
George  W.    Kahle,  Sept.   17,  'by,  drafted;  transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Jan.   12,  '65.     John  Kauk,  Aug.  12, 
'63;  drafted;  died  at  Culpepper    Court-house,  Va.,  Apr. 
I,    '64.      Francis  M.    Lockard,    Sept.   20,    '62.     George 
Lutz,  Sept.  28,  '62;  discharged  on    surg's  certificate  Feb. 
29,  '64.     Hiram  R.  Marshall,  Sept.  20.  '62.    Peter  Mowry 
and  William   Moyer,    Mar.    17,   '64.     Jonathan  F.  Moss, 
Sept.    20,   '62.       George    Miller,     Sept.    2,    '63;    drafted. 
Reuben  Moyer,  Sep*.  20,  '62;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
Feb.  8,  '63.     George  W.    Markle,  Sept.  20,  '62;  deserted 
Jan.  8,  '63,     Alexander  Morrison,  Sept.  28,  '62;  deserted 
Nov.    25,    '62.     Joseph   M'Intire,    Sept.  10,  '63;  drafted. 
James  W.   M'Neal,   Sept.   20,    '62;  killed    at  Wilderness, 
Va,,  Mays,  '64-     John  N.    Naugle,  Sept.  20,   '62;  trans- 
ferred to  veteran   reserve  corps  Nov.    i,  '64;  discharged 
Aug.  21,  '65.     Reuben    Naugle,   Sept.    20,  '62;  deserted 
Nov.  25,  '62.     Elias  Pfaff,  Sept.  3,  '63;  drafted.    William 
G.  Pauley,  Aug.    25,  '63;  drafted.      Irvin  Pratt,  Mar.  22, 
'65.     Windle  Pauley,  Sept.    21,  '63;  drafted;  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate   Apr.  21,  '64.      John  L.  Pealer,  Sept. 
20,  '62;  deserted  Jan.  8,  '63.     Samuel  P.  Reed,  Sept.  19, 
'63;  drafted.     Elisha  Roberts,  Sept.  20,  '62.     H.  Rhein- 
heimer,  Sept.  28,  '62;  discharged  Apr.  8,  '65.     Benjamin 
Royer,  Sept,  20,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  July 


♦^r 


=4* 


10,  '6^.  Charles  Rittenhouse,  Sept.  20, '62;  captured  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63;  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Dec. 
12,  '63.  John  A.  Robins,  Sept.  20,  '61;  died  at  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Jan.  6,  '64.  John  D.  S.  Reiner,  Sept.  11,  '63; 
drafted;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6, '64.  Zebulon 
S.  Rhone,  Sept.  .  20,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  11, 
'62-  George  J.  Skinner,  William  Sambler  and 
Stephen  Schelhammer,  Sept.  20,  '62.  John  Sims,  Sept. 
28,  '62.  Daniel  B.  Siglin,  Sept.  20,  '62.  John  Smith, 
Aug.  18,  '63;  drafted.  Charles  Sechrist,  Aug.  19,  '62; 
drafted.  Joseph  Sikart,  Sept.  i,  '63;  drafted.  Henry 
Stout,  Sept.  28,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan. 
9,  '63.  John  A.  Steirs,  Sept.  28,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Feb.  9,  '63.  Abraham  Sleppy,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Nov.  i,  '63. 
Samuel  Stout,  Sept.  22,  '62;  captured  June  13,  '63;  died 
at  Richmond,  Va.,  July  11,  '63.  Jacob  Stair,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Edward 
Trexler,  Sept  20,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve 
corps;  discharged  July  11,  '65.  Sydney  H.  Telle,  Sept. 
20,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Jan.  12,  '64. 
Earl  J.  Tubbs,  Sept.  20,  '62;  captured  at  Spottsylvania 
Court-house,  Va.,  May  14,  '64;  died  at  Andersonville, 
Ga.,  Aug.  22,  '64.  Anson  Underwood,  Aug.  16,  '63; 
drafted.  John  Vosler,  Sept.  20,  '62;  missing  in  action  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Josiah  M.  Wolf,  Sept.  20, 
'62;  prisoner  from  May  5,  '64,  to  Feb.  26,  '65.  Edward 
Welsh,  Sept.  20,  '62.  Edward  B.  Wirth,  Sept.  21,  63; 
drafted;  captured  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  64;  dis- 
charged June  3,  '65.  Tobias  Wehr,  Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted. 
Charles  Warner,  Aug.  22,'  63;  drafted;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Apr.  21,  '64.  Nathan  Warner,  Oct.  6, 
'62;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Sept.  20,  '64.  Hen- 
derson Wolf,  Sept.  20,  '62;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa., 
July  I,  '63.  Horace  Williams,  Sept.  20,  '62.;  deserted 
Nov.  8,  '62.  Jacob  Yale,  Sept.  20,  '62;  killed  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  r,  '63. 

COMPANY     K. 

Officers. — Captain — Isaac S.  Little,  Oct.  i,  'C2;  prisoner 
from  May  s,  '64,  to  Mar.  1,  '65.  ist  lieuts.— John  D. 
Musser,  Oct.  i,  '62;  promoted  maj.  Nov.  8,  '62.  Orin 
E.  Vaugh,  Oct.  I,  '62;  promoted  from  2d  lieut.  Nov.  15, 
'62;  discharged  Dec.  17,  for  wounds  received  at  Peters- 
burg, Va.,  June  25,  '64.  Benjamin  F.  Walters,  Nov.  28, 
'62;'"promoted  from  49th  Pennsylvania  to  2nd  lieut.  Nov. 
28,  '62;  to  ist  lieut.  Jan.  2,  '65;  brev.  capt.  Apr.  i,  '65. 
ist  lieut.,  Horace  C.  Harding,  Sept.  i,  '62;  promoted 
from  corD.  to  sergt.;  ist  sergt.;  2nd  lieut.  Feb.  i,  '65. 
ist  sergts.— Thomas  L.  Grafins,  Sept.  5,  '62;  promoted 
from  Corp.  to  sergt.  May  15,  '64;  ist  sergt.  Feb.  i,  '65. 
Charles  W.  Clendenin,  Sept.  17,  '62;  promoted  from 
sergt.  Feb.  i,  '64;  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  May  31, 
'64,  of  wounds  received  at  Wilderne.ss,  Va.,  May  6,  '64. 
Sergts.— Alvin  Durling,  Sept.  i,  'C2;  promoted  from  corp. 
Feb.  I,  '64.'  William  F.  Keys,  Sept.  17,  '62;  promoted 
from  priv.  Feb.  i,  '64;  prisoner  from  May  5,  '64,  to  Feb. 
27,  '65.  Jacob  T.  Bono,  Sept.  6,  '62;  promoted  from 
priv.  to  corp.  July  i,  '63;  from  cor.  Jan.  i,  '65.  Joseph 
A.  Maynard,  Sept.  i,  '62;  promoted  from  priv.  to  corp. 
Feb.  I,  '64;  from  corp.  Feb.  5,  '65.  Reuben  Ebert, 
Sept.  5,  '62;  promoted  from  priv.  to  corp.  Jan.  i,  63; 
from  corp  July  i,  '63;  killed  at  Laurel  Hill,  Va.,  May  8, 
'64.  Corps.— John  Wilber,  Sept.  i, '62;  promoted  corp. 
Feb.  I,  '64;  wounded.  Wesley  Dixon,  Sept.  i,  '62;  pro- 
moted corp.  Feb.  i,  '64.  Henry  S.  Maynard,  Sept.  i, 
'62;  promoted  corp.  Feb.  i,  '64.  John  W.  Rmker,  Sept. 
I,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan  1,  '65.  Abraham  Hall,  Sept. 
S,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan.   i,  '65.     Henry   Wren,   Aug. 


14,  '(^y,  drafted;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '65.  Benjamin 
F.  Apker,  Sept.  17,  '62;  ■  promoted  corp.  June  i,  '65. 
Francis  Furman,  Sept.  r,  '62;  promoted  corp.  June  i, 
'65.  Richard  Keeney,  Sept.  4,  '62;  promoted  corp.  May 
I,  '64;  discharged  Nov.  17,  '64,  for  wounds,  with  loss  of 
leg,  received  in  action.  James  M.  Kitner,  Sept.  i,  '62; 
promoted  2d  lieut.  T2oth  regiment  U.  S.  C.  T.,  Aug.  30, 
'64.  William  Stephens,  Sept.  i,  '62;  promoted  corp.; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Mar.  27,  '64.  Henry 
Decker,  Sept.  i,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Jan.  i,  '63;  trans- 
ferred to  signal  corps  March  i,  64.  Philander  Billings, 
Sept.  I, '62;  promoted' corp.  Jan.  i,  '63;  died  Mar.  14, 
'63.  Charles  L.  Dannelly,  Sept.  5,  '62;  promoted  corp. 
Jan.  I,  '63;  died  May  6,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Wil- 
derness, Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Anson  A.  Harding,  Sept.  i, 
'62;  promoted  corp,  Apr.  11,  '64;  killed  at  Wilderness, 
Va.,  May  6,  '64.  William  N.  Williams,  Sept.  4,  '62;  died 
July  6,  of  wounds  received  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  3, 
J63.  John  Ryan,  Sept.  5,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  15,  'dT,. 
Musician,  Clarence  D.  Cooper,  Sept.  4,  '62. 

Privates. — Nelson  Aumick,  Sept.  i,  '62;  wounded  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  discharged  May  16,  '65. 
Silas  Aumick,  Sept.  i,  '62;  veteran.  Charles  Arnold, 
Mar.  31,  '64.  Burney  Aumick,  Sept.  ig,  '63;  captured 
at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64'.  George  W.  Alexander, 
Sept.  I,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Sept.  18, '63. 
Truman  C.  Andrews,  Sept.  17,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran 
reserve  corps;  discharged  June  29,  '65.  George  W. 
Arnst,  Sept.  i,  '62;  killed  at  Gettysburg  July  i,  'd-t,. 
George  Aumick,  Sept.  19,  '63;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Pa., 
May  6,  '64.  Frederick  E.  Burgess,  Sept.  i,  '62.  James 
W.  and  Samuel  D.  Burnett,  Sept.  4,  '62.  Cornelius 
Blauvelt,  Sept.  i,  '62.  Roraane  S.  Billings,  Sept.  6,  '62; 
prisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec,  '64;  discharged  June  16, 
'65.  Henry  D.  Beebe,  Sept.  4,  '62;  prisoner  from  May  5 
to  Dec.  5,  '64;  discharged  June  8,  '65.  George  Bradford, 
Sept.  4,  '63;  substitute.  WDliani  Burk,  Aug.  13,  '63; 
drafted.  Thomas  D.  Boardman,  Feb.  24,  '65.  Levering 
T.  Bruyn  and  Samuel  R.  Bell,  Mar.  6,  '65.  James  F. 
Becker,  Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted;  prisoner  from  May  5, 
'64,  to  Feb.  27,  '65.  Wesley  Bunnell,  Sept.  i,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  8,  '64.  F.  L.  Blakeslee, 
Sept.  I,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  May  19,  '63. 
Jasper  Billings,  Sept.  4,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  re- 
serve corps  Sept.  iS,  '64.  Henry  Boskit,  Sept.  5,  '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps.  William  H.  Blakes- 
lee, Sept.  I,  '62;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  6,  '64. 
James  O.  Brady,  Mar.  8,  '65;  not  on  muster  out  roll, 
Merritt  G.  Conglan,  Sept.  4,  '62.  Ephraim  Coble, 
Aug.  12,  '63;  drafted;  wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  9,  '64;  discharged  June  5,  '65.  Morris  Corbin, 
Sept.  8,  '62.  William  Caskey,  Mar.  31,  '64.  Wes- 
ley M.  Cooper,  Sept.  4,  '62;  discharged  Sept.  8. 
'64.  Samuel  Durling,  Sept.  i,  '62.  Dennison  J. 
Depue,  Sept.  4,  '62.  Edward  K.  Davis,  Aug.  14,  '63; 
drafted;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr.  20,  '64. 
Charles  F.  Decker,  Sept.  i,  '62,  discharged  Jan.  11,  '64, 
tor  wounds,  Moses  IJerby,  Sept.  i,  '62;  deserted  Dec. 
28,  '62.  D.  S.  Edminston,  Sept.  4,  '62.  Joseph  Eich- 
enbach,  Sept.  5,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  4,  '63.  James 
Frutchey,  Sept.  i,  '62.  Bernard  M.  Finney,  Mar.  31,  '64. 
Wilson  Frutchey,  Feb.  24,  '65.  Granville  S.  Furman, 
Sept.  I,  '62.  Augustus  Fisk,  Aug.  23,  '63;  substitute. 
Henry  D.  Fargus,  Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted.  Ebenezer 
S.  Fisk,  Sept,  I,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Dec. 
24.  '63.  Charles  L.  P'inney.  Sept,  i,  '62;  promoted  to 
capt.  31st  regiment  U.  S.  C.  T.,  Sept.  i,  '64;  resigned 
Feb.  27,  '65.  George  W.  Frear,  Mar.  31,  '64;  killed 
at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Frederick  Fry, 
Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted;   killed  at  Wilderness,   Va.,  May  5, 


<¥^ 


'64.  Alexander  M.  Gibson,  Aug.  4,  '63;  drafted;  dis- 
charged May  16,  '64.  John  Gallaher,  Sept.  24,  '63;  sub- 
stitute; wounded  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  9,  '64;  dis- 
charged May  31,  '65.  Isaac  F.  Goodwin,  Sept.  r,  '62; 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate,  Sept.  14,  '63.  Alfred 
Gray,  Aug.  14,  '63;"drafted;  died  at  Hart's  island,  N.  Y., 
Apr.  19,  '65.  John  S.  Hall,  Oct.  '63.  Jack  P.  Hale, 
Sept.  24,  '63;  substitute;  captured  at  Wilderness,  Va., 
May  5,  '64;  transferred  to  sth  U.  S.  I.  H.  P.  Hammer- 
sley,  Sept.  8,  '62;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63. 
Linus  V.  Jones,  Sept.  i,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  re- 
serve corps  Sept.  i,  '65;  discharged  Jiine  29,  '65.  Henry 
Kintner,  Mar.  31,  '64.  Franklin  J.  Krause,  Aug.  15,  '65; 
drafted;  prisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec.  ,1 1,  '64;  discharged 
June  23,  '65.  William  Kerlin,  Aug.  28,  '63;  substitute; 
discharged  Dec.  14,  '63.  Macon  Lane,  Sept.  24,  '63;  sub- 
stitute. Nicholas  Lentz,  Sept.  5,  '62.  L.  Lehman,  Aug.  26, 
'63;  substitute;  captured;  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Feb.  21, 
'64.  Adam  Mowen,  Aug.  27, '65;  substitute.  Moses  Mayer, 
Aug.  27,  '63;  substitute;  killed  at  Laurel  Hill,  Va.,  May 
9,  64.  Louis  Mansin,  Sept.  17,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  4,  '63. 
Daniel  M'Elwee,  Sept.  24,  '63;  drafted;  died  at  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  July  6,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at  Petersburg, 
Va.,  June  18,  '64.  Michael  M'Quade,  Mar.  8,  '65;  not 
on  muster  out  roll.  Theodore  A.  Nigh,  Sept.  4,  '62; 
transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  i,  '63.  Eli 
Nichols,  Sept.  i,  62.  John  T.  Nealy,  Sept.  22,  '63;  sub- 
stitute; captured  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64;  died  at 
Andersonville,  Ga.,  Feb.  10,  '65.  John  T.  Nugent,  Sept. 
S,  '62;  killed  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  i,  '63.  Charles  W. 
Newton,  Sept.  i,  '62;  deserted  December  28,  '62.  Mor- 
timer Newell,  Sept.  17,  '62;  deserted  Oct.  16,  '62.  Jere- 
miah Nevel,  Sept.  5,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  4,  '63.  Edward 
Phillips,  Sept.  5,  '62.  Thomas  K.  Powell,  Sept.  5,  '62; 
prisoner  from  May  5  to  Dec.  '64.  William  W.  Parrish, 
Sept.  4,  '62.  William  C.  Prentiss,  Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted; 
killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  William  Russell, 
Sept.  I,  '62.  Samuel  Roan,  Mar.  22,  '64.  George, Robi- 
son,  Aug.  28,  '63;  substitute;  deserted  June  17,  '64.  An- 
thony Raith,  Aug.  28,  '6;};  substitute;  deserted  Feb.  17, '64. 
Lewis  B.  Stark,  Sept.  4,  '62.  Balser  Steel,  Sept.  i,  '62. 
George  W.  Sloan,  Sept.  8,  '62.  Arthur  Sproul,  Dec.  4, 
'62.  Samuel  Shriver,  Sept.  5,  '62.  Adam  Shriver,  Sept. 
5,  '62;  deserted;  returned.  Reuben  P.  Strominger,  Aug. 
12,  '63;  drafted.  David  Sites,  Sept.  2,  '63;  substitute. 
Edward  Shoemaker,  Mar.  31,  '64.  Amaziah  A.  Smith, 
Mar.  7, '65.  John  Smith,  Aug.  7, '63;  substitute;  died  at 
Annapolis,  Md.,  Nov.  24,  '64,  of  wounds  received  at 
Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  Lantic  Stephens,  Sept.  6, 
'62;  died  at  Alexandria,  July  21,  '64,  of  wounds  received 
at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5,  '64.  David  Smithgal,  Sept. 
17,  '62;  died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  June  4,  '63.  Frank- 
lin Shriner  and  Henry  Shriner,  Sept.  17,  '62;  deserted 
Feb.  4,  '63.  Samuel  W.  Spaukling,  Sept.  6,  '62;  deserted 
Jan.  16,  '6;i.  Tillman  Strayer,  Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted; 
deserted  Dec.  13,  '64.  Joseph  Swartz,  Sept.  17,  '62;  de- 
serted Feb.  4,  '63.  James  Straus,  Mar.  8,  '65;  not  on 
muster  out  roll.  John  Trowbridge,  Mar.  30,  '64;  dis- 
charged July,  '64.  Alexander  Thompson,  Aug.  13,  '63; 
substitute.  James  Tuner,  Mar.  8, '65;  not  on  muster  out 
roll.  Milton  L.  Vose,  Sept.  i,  '62.  Reuben  Wheaton, 
Sept.  17,  '62,  Edward  D.  Wilders,  Sept.  22,  '63;  substi- 
tute. Elias  Welch,  Sept.  24, '63;  substitute.  William  M. 
Watson,  Aug.  14,  '63;  drafted.  Paul  Woodburn,  Sept.  5, 
'62.  Charles  W.  Wheat,  Mar.  7,  '65.  Andrew  R.  Win- 
tamute,  Sept.  i,  '62;  killed  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5, '64. 
William  Wilson,  Sept.  i,  '63;  substitute;  deserted  May  2, 
'64.  Overton  E.  Williams,  Sept.  4,  '62;  deserted  Feb.  4, 
'63.  George  White,  Sept.  i,  62;  deserted  Sept.  27,  '62. 
Lewis  J.  Yale,  Mar.  31,  '64.  Thomas  J.  Yeagle,  Sept.  5, 
'62;  deserted  Feb.  4,  '63. 


CHAPTER   XXVIL 


LUZERNE    IN    THE   CIVIL  WAR THE   I49TH,    j6lST,    162ND, 

163D,   I77TH,   178TH  AND  I94TH  REGIMENTS. 


,HE  good  reputation  which  the  original  Buck- 
tail  regiment  acquired  led  fo  the  project  of 
raising  a  Bucktail  brigade.     Recruiting  was 
commenced  in  July,  1862,  and  within  twenty 
days  two  regiments  were  raised,  one  of  which  was 
the  149th.     Some  of  the  men  composing  this  were 
from  Luzerne  county. 
Immediately  after  its  organization   this  regiment  was 
ordered  to  Washington,  where  it  remained  till  Februar)', 
1863.     It  then  went  to  the  front.     It  was  present  at  the 
battle  of  Chancellorsville,  though  not  closely  engaged. 

In  the  campaign  and  battle  of  Gettysburg  the  149th 
bore  an  active  part,  and  at  the  engagement  displayed 
very  great  coolness  and  valor,  eliciting  the  highest  com- 
mendations. Its  losses  amounted  to  34  killed,  171 
wounded,  and  131  missing.  Subsequent  to  this  battle  it 
was  not  engaged  in  any  active  operations  till  the  opening 
of  the  campaign  of  1864.  During  the  winter  it  was 
strengthened  by  recruits,  and  in  May  it  left  its  winter 
quarters  and  moved  forward  to  the  Wilderness.  There  it 
lost  15  killed,  29  wounded,  and  92  prisoners. 

After  leaving  the  scene  of  these  battles  it  was  engaged 
at  Laurel  Hill,  Spottsylvania,  North  Anna  and  Bcthesda 
Church.  June  i6th  it  crossed  the  James,  and  was  en- 
gaged before  Petersburg  on  the  i8th.  Up  to  this  time 
the  losses  of  the  regiment  amounted  to  404.  In  the 
operations  of  the  siege  of  Petersburg,  and  the  raids, 
marches  and  fatigue  duty  pertaining  to  it,  the  149th  was 
engaged  and  was  frequently  in  action.  On  the  9th  of 
February,  1865,  it  was  with  other  troops  sent  to  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  where  it  was  in  charge  of  the  rebel  prisoners' 
camp  till  the  end  of  its  term  of  service.  It  was  mus- 
tered out  on  the  29th  of  June,  1865. 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SIXTY-FIRST  REGIMENT 
(SIXTEENTH  CAVALRY). 

Some  of  the  men  composing  this  regiment  were  recruit- 
ed in  Wyoming  county.  On  the  30th  of  November, 
1862,  the  regiment,  mounted  and  equipped,  went  to  the 
vicinity  of  Washington,  were  it  remained  till  early  in 
January,  1863,  when  it  went  to  the  front  near  Falmouth 
and  was  engaged  during  the  winter  in  guard  and  picket 
duty.  It  was  first  in  action  March  17th,  at  Kelly's  Ford. 
In  the  spring  of  1863  it  entered  on  active  duty,  which 
with  cavalry  consists  of  raiding,  scouting,  skirmishing, 
marching  and  counter-marching,  and  in  general  those 
operations  where  celerity  of  movement  is  requisite. 

It  attended  the  army  on  its  march  toward  Chancellors- 
ville, and  again  on  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  and  was 
frequently  engaged,  but  in  these  battles  the  heaviest 
fighting  was  done  by  the   infantry.     In  the   pursuit  after 


T 


THE  SEVENTEENTH  CAVALRY— COMPANY  K. 


179 


the  battle  of  Gettysburg  the  i6th  was  active.  During  the 
autumn  of  1863  the  i6th  was  engaged  in  operations  in 
northwestern  Virginia,  and  during  the  succeeding  winter 
went  on  several  raids. 

In  the  summer  of  1864  the  T6th  was  with  the  army  of 
Sheridan  and  participated  in  the  severe  actions  of  his 
campaigns.  Space  will  not  permit  an  enumeration  of  the 
battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  the  i6th  was  engaged. 
It  went  into  winter  quarters  in  December  near  Hancock 
Station,  and  was  comparatively  inactive  till  February, 
1865,  when  it  again  entered  on  active  duty  and  was 
marching,  scouting  and  fighting  almost  constantly  till  the 
surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox,  on  the  gth  of  April. 
After  the  surrender  it  returned  to  Petersburg,  went  to 
North  Carolina,  returned  and  was  sent  to  Lynchburg  to 
guard  surrendered  property.  It  was  mustered  out  August 
7,  1865- 

ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SIXTY-SECOND    REGI- 
MENT (SEVENTEENTH   CAVALRY.) 

On  the  i8th  of  October,  1862,  this  regiment  was  organ- 
ized. It  entered  at  once  on  drill,  and  on  the  25th  of 
November  it  was  ordered  to  Washington  and  soon  after- 
ward went  to  the  front.  In  the  latter  part  of  December 
it  arrived  at  Stafford  Court-house,  whence  it  was  engaged 
in  scouting  during  a  great  part  of  the  winter  of  1862-3. 

At  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  this  regiment,  by  the 
coolness  which  it  displayed,  contributed  largely  toward  the 
prevention  of  a  charge  by  "Stonewall"  Jackson's  force, 
and  probably  thus  saved  a  panic  on  that  part  of  the  field. 
During  the  campaign  that  culminated  in  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg. the  Union  cavalry,  under  General  Buford,  of 
which  the  17th  constituted  a  portion,  were  very  active 
and  were  several  times  sharply  engaged.  At  the  com- 
mencement of  the  battle  they  held  in  check  during  four 
hours  a  third  of  the  rebel  army,  thus  enabling  a  portion 
of  the  Union  force  to  take  its  position  on  the  field.  The 
17th  with  the  other  cavalry  aided  in  the  pursuit  of  the 
retreating  rebels,  and  harrassed  them  till  they  recrossed 
the  Potomac. 

During  the  fall  campaign  the  regiment  was  constantly 
on  duty  and  rendered  effective  service.  This  campaign 
terminated  with  the  action  at  Mine  Run,  after  which  the 
17th  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Culpepper. 

In  February,  1864,  a  detachment  of  the  regiment  went 
with  General  Kilpatrick  on  a  raid  against  Richmond,  in 
the  course  of  which  some  railroad  property  was  destroyed 
and  some  shells  were  thrown  into  the  city. 

The  17th  was  with  General  Sheridan  on  his  raid  toward 
Richmond,  and  was  engaged  in  most  of  the  battles  and 
skirmishes  of  that  expedition.  It  was  also  a  part  of  the 
expedition  toward  Lynchburg,  and  in  all  the  active  oper- 
ations of  the  spring  and  summer  campaign  it  bore  a 
part.  In  August  the  regiment  went  with  Sheridan  on  his 
campaign  in  the  Shenandoah  valley.  A  history  of  the 
doings  of  the  17th  during  that  campaign  would  be  a  his- 
tory of  the  campaign  itself,  which  cannot  be  given  here. 
This  regiment  had  the  honor  of  furnishing  an  escort  for 


General  Sheridan  on  his  famous  "ride."  It  was  quar- 
tered during  the  winter  of  1864-5  at  Winchester,  occa- 
sionally sending  out  scouting  parties  and  detachments 
against  straggling  parties  of  the  enemy. 

In  February,  1865,  the  regiment  went  on  its  last  cam- 
paign—that  of  Sheridan  against  the  communications  in 
the  rear  of  Richmond.  The  brilliant  achievements  of 
that  campaign  are  a  portion  of  the  history  of  the  war, 
and  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  here  that  from  its  com- 
mencement to  the  surrender  of  the  rebel  army  the  17  th 
bore  its  part  gallantly.  After  the  surrender  it  returned 
to  Petersburg;  then  to  Washington,  where  on  the  i6th 
of  June  it  was  mustered  out.  Said  General  Devin  in  a 
complimentary  order  at  parting:  "  In  five  successive  cam- 
paigns and  over  threescore  engagements  you  have  nobly 
sustained  your  part.  Of  the  many  gallant  regiments  from 
your  State  none  has  a  brighter  record;  none  has  more 
freely  shed  its  blood  on  every  battle  field  from  Gettys- 
burg to  Appomattox." 

Company  K  of  the  17th  cavalry  contained  Luzerne 
county  men,  and  a  roll  of  its  members  will  be  found  be- 
low. The  first  date  in  each  man's  record  is  the  time  he 
was  mustered  in;  the  date  of  muster  out,  if  not  given, 
is  June  i6th,  1865. 

COMPANY  K. 

Officers. — Captain — Richard  Fitzgerald,  Nov.  7, '62;  dis- 
charged June  20,  '65.  First  lieutenants — John  Anglun, 
Oct.  2,  '62;  promoted  Q.  M.  Nov.  21,  '62.  Philip  Brong, 
Nov.  7,  '62;  promoted  from  2nd  lieut.  Nov.  25,  '62;  dis- 
charged on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  5,  '63.  Second  lieu- 
tenants— ^James  Anglun,  Oct.  28,  '62;  promoted  from 
sergt.  Mar.  22,  '64;  wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  Apr.  r, 
'65;  discharged  June  20,  '65.  Alanson  D.  Phillips,  Sept. 
21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '62;  sergt.  Dec.  to,  '62; 
ist  sergt.  Nov.  6,  '63;  2nd  lieut.  Dec.  i,  '64;  discharged 
June  20,  '65.  Charles  Johnson.  Nov.  25,  '62;  resigned 
Dec.  8,  '63.  First  sergeant — Milton  J.  Snyder,  Sept.  21, 
'62;  promoted  from  com.  sergt.  Dec.  r,  '64. 
James  A.  Clark,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  10, 
'62;  sergt.  June  11,  '63;  ist  sergt.  Aug.  i,  '63;  adjutant, 
Nov.  6,  '63.  Quartermaster's  sergeants  —  Burton 
Scott,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  July  i,  'dy,  Q.  M. 
sergt.  Sept.  i,  '64.  Solomon  M.  Edwards,  Sept.  21,  '62; 
wounded  at  White  House,  Va.,  June  21,  '63,  and  at 
Trevilian  Station  June  12,  '64;  discharged.  Commis- 
sary sergeant — Thomas  W.  Thomas,  Sept.  30,  '62;  pro- 
moted corp.  Jan.  i,  '()2i;  com.  sergt.  Nov.  i,  '63.  Ser- 
geants— James  Burgin,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp. 
Jan.  5,  '63;  sergt.  Sept.  i,  '63.  James  Brennan,  Sept.  30, 
'62;  promoted  from  corp.  Dec.  i,  '62.  William  M'Cann, 
Sept.  21,  62;  promoted  corp.  July  r,  '63;  sergt.  Nov.  i, 
'64.  John  May,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  July  i, 
'(>y,  to  sergt.  Dec.  i,  '64.  George  W.  Moore,  Oct.  2,  '62; 
promoted  corp.  May  i,  '64;  to  sergt.  Apr.  i,  '65.  Pat- 
rick Mulroney,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  to  sergt.  May  i, 
'64;  wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,June  12,  '64;  trans- 
ferred to  Company  H  loth  regiment  veteran  reserve 
corps  Jan.  10,  '65;  discharged  June  27,  '65.  Samuel 
Snyder,  Sept.  21,  '62;  killed  in  action.  Peter  F.  Barber, 
Sept  30,  '62;  deserted  Dec.  7,  '62.  Corporals — Martin 
Hudson,  Oct.  2,  '62;  promoted  corp.  July  i,  '63.  James 
Manderville,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  1,  '63. 
Charles  Geise,  Oct.  2,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Mar.  i,  '64. 
John  W.   Mason,  Sept  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  i, 


*i¥ 


^Hh 


1 80 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


f 


'64.      David  Owens,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Sept. 

1,  '64.  John  G.  Brandon,  Oct.  2,  '62,  promoted 
Corp.  Dec.  i,  '64.  Henry  Biglan,  Sept.  30,  '62;  pro- 
moted Corp.  Apr.  i,'  '64.  Daniel  Bartholomew,  Sept.  21, 
'62;  promoted  corp.  Nov.  i,  '62;  wounded  at  Dinwiddie 
Court-house,  Va.,  Mar.  31,  '61;  absent  at  muster  out. 
Jasper  Bell,  Oct.  21,  '62;  promoted  corp.  Dec.  i,  '62; 
died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  May  16,  '63.  Buglers — Henry 
Hopkins,  Sept  21,  '62.  Elnathan  Cole,  Oct.  2,  '62. 
Blacksmiths — Josiah  Bloss,  Sept.  30,  '62.  Paul  Cool, 
Sept.  30,  '62.  Saddlers — John  Hart,  Sept  21,  '62;  pro- 
moted saddler  Sept.  24,  '64.      George  P.  Goodrich,  Oct. 

2,  '62;  killed  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  '64. 
Privates.- — John  Anderson,  Nov.  10,  '62;  deserted  Nov. 

19,  '62.  John  H.  Burrows,  Sept.  21,  '62;  captured  at 
Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  '64.  Robert  Beatty,  Sept.  3, 
'64;  substitute.  Edward  P.  Boley,  Aug.  30,  '64.  Oscar 
F.  Beemer,  Sept.  21,  '62;  wounded  at  Meadow  Bridge, 
Va.,  May  12,  '64;  discharged  May  11,  '65.  Patrick  Bar- 
rett; discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Sept.  ii,  '63.  John 
Burns,  Mar.  29,  '64;  mustered  out  with  Company  K  2nd 
provisional  cavalry  Aug.  7,  '65.  Edward  Burk,  Mar.  28, 
'6r;  wounded  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64; 
deserted  from  Company  K  2nd  provisional  cavalry. 
Joseph  Brownell,  Sept.  21,  '62;  captured;  died  at  Salis- 
bury, N. C,  Nov.  12,  '64.  Christopher  Basee,  Oct.  2,  '62. 
deserted  Sept.  30,  '62.  Alamander  Brown,  Oct.  3,  '62; 
deserted  Nov.  14,  '62.  Araizi  L.  Collard,  Sept.  21,  '62; 
captured  Aug.  12,  '64.  Shepard  Carpenter,  Oct.  2,  '62. 
James  Corner,  Sept.  30,  '64;  deserted  from  Company  K, 
2nd  provisional  cavalry.  Charles  Cunningham,  Apr.  i, 
'64;  mustered  out  with  Company  K  2nd  provisional  cav- 
alry, Aug.  7,  '65.  Peter  F.  Clark,  Sept.  21,  '62;  promoted 
to  hospital  steward  Mar.  i,  '64.  Dominick  Corcoran, 
Oct.  29,  '62;  captured;  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Dec.  31, 
'64.  Henry  Cordner,  Sept.  21,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  2^, 
'62.  James  M.  Drum,  Oct.  2,  '62.  Asahel  Daniels,  Sept. 
21,  '62.  William  Daley,  Sept.  3,  '64.  David  Davis,  Aug. 
29,  '64.  Lemmon  Dissinger,  Aug.  22,  '64.  Patric\ 
Donely,  Mar.  21,  '64;  mustered  out  with  Company  K, 
2nd  _  provisional  cavalry,  Aug.  7,  '65;  veteran.  Thomas 
Davis,  Sept.  30,  '62;  discharged  May  30,  '65.  Elias  De- 
trick,  Oct.  24,  '62;  transferred  to  veteran  reserve  corps 
Feb.  6,'64.  Albert  Du  Bois,  Oct.  3o,'62;  died  at  Stafford 
Court-house,  Jan.  8,'63.  John  Donehue,  Sept.  21, '62;  de- 
serted Oct.  io,'62.  Isaac  L.  Decker,  Oct.  2, '62;  deserted 
Nov.  15, '62.  Robert  Devine,  Aug.  25. '64;  noton  muster  out 
roll.  Frederick  Eaton,  Sept.  21, '62.  William  Edwards,  Oct. 

20,  '62;    discharged   on    surg's    certificate    Sept.   20,  '64. 
Fressley  Easton,   Sept.  21,'  62;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate June  8,  '63.     Shedrick  Evens,    fiily  19,  '64;  died 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,    Mar.    18,    '65.  "     David    Fenner, 
Sept.  21,  '62.       WiUiam  Ford,  Oct.  2,  '62;  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate.     Michal  Grady,  Sept.  21,  '62.     Michael 
Ganghagan,   Sept.  30,  '62;  captured  Aug.  13,  '64.      Bra- 
man    Green,    Aug.    14,    '64;     discharged    July    14,    'C5. 
Michael  Crattan,  Oct.  28,  '62;    mustered   out  with  Com- 
pany K  2nd  pro.  cav.  Aug.  7,  '65.      John  Gress,  Sept.  2^ 
'64;    captured;    died   at  Salisbury,    N.    C,    Nov.  22,  '64! 
John    Golden,    Sept.    21,    '62;     deserted    Nov.    15  '  '6"' 
Patrick   Gallagher,   Sept.    21,   '62;  deserted  Apr.  20    '63' 
Thomas    Golden,    Mar.    28,    '64;    deserted  Apr   20'  %<: 
John    Harrison,   Sept.    21,   '62.      Miron  Hudson    Oct   ^ 
'64.      John   W.    Hudson,  Oct,    2,  '62.      Lewis  j'  Hoich' 
Aug.    22,    '64.      Matthias    Houch,   Aug.  30,  '64        John 
Henry,  Aug.  30,    '64.       William    Havens,    Mar     28   '64- 
mustered  out  with  Company  K  2nd  pro,  cav   Aug   7'  'Gi 
Lewis  Hudson,  Mar.  28,  '64;  died  at  Washington    D   C 
Apr   19,  '64.     William  Hayes,  Oct.  20,  '62;  deserted  Nov' 
14,   62.      Robert   Jenkins,   July  19,  '64.     Edward  Jones' 

62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Apr  20  '63' 


Sept. 


Morgan  Jenkins,  Oct.  28,  '62,  deserted  Dec.  6,  '62. 
William  Keck,  Sept  21,  '62;  discharged  on  surg's  certifi- 
cate. Henry  Knapp,  Oct.  2,  '62;  wounded  and  captured 
at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  '64.  Michael  Kelly, 
Sept.  30,  '62;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  Jacob  B.  Little, 
Sep.  3,  '64.  Thomas  Loftus,  Aug.  29,  '64.  John  Larn, 
Sept.  21,  '62;  dischargedon  surg's  certificate  Aug.  21,  'Gt,. 
Emnet  Lowire,  Mar.  31,  '64;  deserted  from  Company  K 
2nd  regiment  pro.  cav.  John  Lanning,  Mar.  31,  '64; 
mustered  out  with  Company  K  2nd  regiment  pro.  cav. 
Aug.  7,  '65.  Thomas  Lally,  Feb.  28,  '64;  discharged 
from  Company  K  2nd  regiment  pro.  cav.  George  H. 
Lourie,  Mar.  31,  '64;  deserted  from  Company  K  2nd 
regiment  pro.  cav.  July  i,  '65.  Thomas  Lawrence,  Sept. 
30,  '62;  promoted  to  regimental  saddler  Apr.  6, 
'67,.  Frank  I,ewroy,  Mar.  31,  '64;  died  June 
18,  '64  George  H.  Lee,  Oct.  28,  62,  and 
James      Lynch,      deserted      Nov.      6,      '6;^.  David 

Lloyd,"    Oct.     28,     '62;     not      on     muster       out     roll. 
Anthony  Myers,  Sept.   21,  '62.     Thomas   Monk,   Oct.    2, 
'62.     Thomas   Morris,   Aug.   24,   '64.     Thomas  Morgan, 
Aug.  '29,   '64.     James    F.    Murvin,   Aug.    17,  '64.     Peter 
Mathews,   Sept.    21,    '62;    discharged.      Herman    Mayer, 
Oct.  31,  '62.     George    Mead,   Apr.    7,    '64;    and  Edward 
Maley,  Mar.  31,  '64;  mustered  out  with  Company  K  2nd 
provisional    cavalry   Aug.    7,  '65.     Richard  Miller,  Sept. 
21,  '62;  captured;  died   at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  Jan.  13,  '65. 
Charles   Mathewson,    Oct.    i,    '62;    deserted   Dec.   6,  '62. 
Franklin   M'Cuthin,   Sept.   3,    '64.      Robert  M'Cutchen, 
Aug.   30,    '64.     Daniel   M'Mullen,    Aug.  24,  '64.     James 
M'Tigue,  Mar.  25,  '64;  mustered  out   with  Company  K 
2nd    provisional  cavalry,  Aug.  7,  '65.     Charles  M'Farlin, 
Mar.  26,  '64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.     Casper  Newcomb, 
Sept,  21,  '62.     Martin    Nelson,   Aug.   27,    '64.     Anthony 
O'Donnell,  Sept.  30,  '62.     Oliver  E.   Price,   Oct.   2,   '62; 
mustered  out  with  Company  K   2nd  provisional  cavalry 
Aug.  27,  '65.     Howell    Powell,    Sept.    21,    '62;     died    at 
Washington,  D.  C,  Aug.  i,  '63.     Isaac  Powell,  Sept.   21, 
'62;    died   at    Frederick,    Md.,     July    26,    '63.     William 
Powell,      Sept.      3,      '62;      deserted      Nov.      10       '62 
Stephen   Phillips,  Oct.   2,    '62;     deserted    Nov.    15,    '62 
Patrick   Ryan,    Sept.  30,  '62;  deserted   Nov    15,  '62-  re- 
turned July  27,  '63.     Martin   Vt.  Ray,  Sept.  i    '64      Otto 
Richland,   Aug.  20,  '64.     Samuel   Richardson,    Mar    31 
64;  discharged    June    14,  '65.     Benjamin    C.   Robinson! 
Apr.  26,   64;  deserted  from  Company  K,  2nd  provisional 
cavalry,  July  i,  '65.     Orville  C.  Ransom,  Oct.  2    '62-  de- 
serted Oct.  IS,  '62;   returned  May  28,  '6y,   transferred  to 
veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  i,  '63.     John  Reese,  Oct    -8 
62;  deserted  Nov.  15,  '62.     Daniel   Seiner,  Oct.  20   '6- 
IXivid  Shaner,  Aug.  31,  '64.     James    W  .  Stire,  Aug.  19, 
64.     Joseph    Stout,    Sept.  21,  '62;  discharged   on   surg's 
certificate    Sept.    20,    '63.     John    Scanlin     and    Gilmore 
Swartz,    Mar.  31,    64;  mustered   out   with    Company   K 
2nd  provisional  cavalry,  Aug,  7,  '65.     Isaac  Sherman,  Oct! 

'/'  T,.'''?"^  l^i™"  ^^"y'  N°^-  5.  '6-^;  deserted  Nov.  15, 
62.  Phihp  Ihomas,  Sept.  21,  '62.  Daniel  Tov;  trans- 
ferred to  U.  S.  army  Nov.  i,  '62.  Allen  B.  Turner  Oct 
25;  62;  deserted  Mar.  4,  '64.  William  Thompson,'  May 
9,  64;  deserted  June  4,  64.  Dennis  Tigue,  Sept.  17  ■64- 
not  on  muster  out  roll.  Edward  Vaughn,  Sept.  21  '62' 
trans  erred  to  veteran  reserve  corps  Sept.  i,  '63.  Wil^ 
ham  Wardebaugh  Sept.  7,  '64.  Joseph  Warner,  Sept.  i, 
64  John  J.  Wilbams,  Aug.  27,  '64.  John  T.  Williams, 
nnJ;i  '  H=  J'^serted  from  Company  K,  2nd  provisional 
cavalry.  Henry  Wells,  Mar.  10,  '64.  Edward  Wright, 
Nov.  ,9,  62;  deserted  Nov.  19,  '62.  Abraham  Wilson, 
Mar  17,  64;  not  on  muster  out  roll.  John  Yarns  Sept 
21,  62.  James  Zell,  Sept.  i,  '64.  Hiram  Zea,  Sept.  21! 
62;  discharged  June  17,  '65.  Michael  H.  Zacharias 
bept.  I,   62;  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Feb.  10,  '64. 


THREE  REGIMENTS  CONTAINING  LUZERNE  MEN. 


ONE    HUNDRED     AND     SIXTY-THIRD     REGI- 
MENT (EIGHTEENTH  CAVALRY). 

Luzerne  county  furnished  a  portion  of  the  men  in 
this  regiment,  which  was  recruited  in  the  latter  part  of 
1862.  It  went  to  Bladensburg,  near  Washington,  in  De- 
cember of  that  year,  and  on  the  ist  of  January,  1863,  it 
crossed  the  Potomac.  In  February  it  entered  on  picket 
and  scout  duty  along  the  Potomac,  opposite  Washington. 
This  region  was  then  infested  by  Mosby's  thieving, 
skulking  guerillas,  and  picketing  among  them  was  more 
perilous  than  in  full  face  of  the  rebel  army. 

On  the  25th  of  June  the  command  to  which  the  i8th 
was  attached  crossed  the  Potomac  and  marched  by  way 
of  Frederick  to  Middletown  and  to  Hanover,  Pa.,  where 
it  was  attacked  on  the  30th  by  the  rebel  general  Stuart's 
column,  and  a  sharp  action  ensued,  in  which  the  i8th 
was  closely  engaged.  From  there  the  command  went  to 
the  field  of  Gettysburg,  where  it  arrived  in  season  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  battle,  in  which  it  did  excellent  service. 

On  the  4th  the  command,  under  the  intrepid  and  ac- 
tive General  Kilpatrick,  moved  by  the  flank  of  the  re- 
treating rebel  army,  and  at  South  Mountain  captured  a 
train  of  two  hundred  wagons  and  ambulances  (which  were 
destroyed),  and  a  thousand  prisoners.  At  Hagerstovvn 
the  head  of  a  retreating  column  was  met  and  attacked, 
and  two  companiesof  the  i8th  that  charged  in  the  streets 
were  nearly  all  lost.  Kilpatrick  continued  to  attack  and 
harass  the  retreating  enemy  till  they  had  crossed  into 
Virginia.  During  the  autumn  and  early  in  the  winter  the 
regiment  was  engaged  in  scouting  and  skirmishing  through 
northeastern  Virginia,  and  in  several  engagements  suffered 
severe  loses.  In  December  it  went  into  winter  quarters 
at  Stevensburg,  and  on  the  last  of  February,  1864,  it  went 
with  General  Kilpatrick  on  his  raid  upon  Richmond; 
and  in  the  summer  campaign  of  that  year  it  was  con- 
stantly on  the  move.  It  was  with  Sheridan  on  his  raids 
and  campaigns  of  that  year,  and  it  especially  distinguished 
itself  at  the  battles  of  Mine  Run  and  Winchester.  At 
Cedar  Creek,  also,  on  the  19th  of  October  the  brigade  to 
which  it  was  attached  did  excellent  service. 

Late  in  November  it  went  into  winter  quarters  near 
Harper's  Ferry.  It  subsequently  participated  in  the 
capture  of  Early's  forces,  and  afterward  remained  at 
Winchester  on  picket  and  scout  duty  till  the  surrender  of 
Lee's  army,  in  April,  1865.  In  May  it  went  to  West  Vir- 
ginia and  remained  till  October  31st,  when  it  was  mus- 
tered oat. 

ONE    HUNDRED    AND     SEVENTY-SEVENTH 
REGIMENT. 

The  men  composing  this  regiment  were  drafted  in 
various  sections  of  the  State,  and  a  portion  were  from 
Luzerne  county.  It  was  organized  on  the  20th  of  No- 
vember, 1862,  and  on  the  3d  of  December  was  ordered 
to  Washington.  Thence  it  went  to  Newport  News,  and 
on  the  7th  to  Suffolk,  where  it  was  engaged  in  fatigue 
duty  and  reconnoisances  to  the  Blackwaler.  March  8th, 
1863,   it  went  to  Norfolk,  and  was  stationed  at  Deep 


Creek  to  watch  for  contraband  goods  and  rebel  mails. 
In  the  discharge  of  this  duty  some  amusing  incidents 
occurred  and  some  valuable  information  was  intercepted. 
While  here  the  regiment  went  on  a  naval  expedition,  in  the 
course  of  which  a  rebel  schooner  was  captured.  Two 
short  marches  were  also  made,  in  which  some  boats  were 
destroyed  and  a  number  of  prisoners  taken.  It  returned 
to  Washington  on  the  10th  of  July,  was  sent  to  Maryland 
Heights,  and  on  the  1st  of  August  it  returned  to  Penn- 
sylvania, where  it  was  mustered  out. 

ONE    HUNDRED    AND    SEVENTY-EIGHTH 
REGIMENT. 

The  men  of  Company  C  in  this  regiment  were  drafted 
in  Luzerne  county.  The  regimental  organization  was 
jeffected  December  2nd,  1862,  and  on  the  5th  the  regi- 
ment went  to  Washington  and  on  the  roth  to  Newport 
News.  Thence  it  went  to  Yorktown,  where  it  spent  ihe 
winter  in  drill  and  garrison  duty.  In  April,  1863,  it 
went  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Magruder,  near  Williamsburg, 
which  was  threatened  by  the  enemy.  No  serious  attack 
was  made.  In  June,  with  other  troops,  it  made  a  recon- 
noisance  to  Charles  City  and  Providence  Ferry,  destroy- 
ed rebel  supplies  and  drove  away  cattle.  In  the  latter 
part  of  June  it  took  part  in  a  demonstration  on  Rich- 
mond, under  General  Dix.  This  regiment  with  others 
went  to  Bolton's  Bridge,  on  the  Chickahorainy,  where 
some  skirmishing  was  done,  with  but  few  casualties. 
The  regiment  did  picket  duty  till  the  6th  of  July,  when 
t  went  to  Williamsburg;  thence  to  Washington  and  from 
thence  to  Harrisburg,  where  it  was  mustered  out  July 
27th,  1863. 

Most  of  the  members  of  Company  C  were  mustered 
out  July  27th,  1863.  All  who  were  not  are  noted  in  the 
following  lists  as  having  been  otherwise  removed  from 
the  regiment.  A  large  majority  of  the  members  of  Com- 
pany C  were  mustered  in  on  the  2nd  of  November,  1862. 
Those  who  were  not  have  not  the  date  of  muster-in  fol- 
lowing their  names. 

COMPANY    c. 

Officers. — Captains — John  V.  Shoemaker,  Nov.  17,  '62. 
First  lieutenant,  John  C.  Briggs,  Nov.  17,  '62;  discharged 
May  20,  '65.  Second  lieutenant,  Stephen  W.  Hayes,  Aug. 
23,  '62;  promoted  from  private  Company  F,  117th  Pa., 
Dec.  3,  '62.  First  sergeant,  William  Sylsha.  Sergeants 
— Jeremiah  F.  Hertz,  Silas  Huffman,  John  F.  Sayer. 
Corporals — Charles  W.  Terwilager,  Hiram  T.  Foster. 
Owen  Williams,  Andrew  R.  Raub,  William  R.  Meyers, 
Jacob  Boyer,  Elias  Masters.  Alonzo  M.  Stearns,  promoted 
corp.  Jan.  i,  '63.  George  G.  Lisk,  discharged  Nov.  22, 
'62.     Musicians — Daniel  Rishe  and  Peter  Swortwood. 

Privates. — Elias  Arner,  Hiram  Arner,  George  Allen, 
discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  13,  '62.  Wm.  Bit- 
tenbender,  John  B.,  and  John  Briggs,  jr.,  William  Bry- 
den.  George  Brown,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov. 
13,  '62.  George  W.  Brewster  Nov.  5,  '62;  deserted  Nov. 
6,  '62.  Alpheus  Combs.  Nicholas  Conklin,  discharged 
on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  13,  '62.  William  Driesbach. 
Daniel  N.  Day,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov. 
13,  '62.  John  Embry.  Thomas  Evans,  Nov.  5, 
'62.  Augustus  Fink,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate 
Jan.  28,  'dj,.  William  Forsythe,  discharged  Nov.  13, 
'62.       Franklin   Florer,    Nov.   10,  '62;    discharged   Nov. 


^^ 


^^= 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


22,  '62.  John  Getter.  Ebin  B.  Gulick,  Nov.  11,  '62. 
Richard  Gilhnan.  Joseph  Garrison,  discharged  on  surg  s 
certificate  Nov.  26,  '62.  Jonathan  M.  Green,  Nov.  13, 
'62;  deserted  Nov.  21,  '62.  Norman  Garison,  deserted 
Nov.  13,  '62.  George  Grubb,  Nov.  13,  '62;  deserted 
Nov.  14,  '62.  Bernard  Hart,  Nov.  15,  '62.  John  Hart- 
sell.  John  Heller.  Manassah  Henry.  Jacob  Harter. 
Robert  Johnson.  Joseph  Jones,  Nov.  10,  '62.  Patrick 
Keener.  Michael  Kent.  Peter  Keithline.  William  R. 
Keisbach.  Samuel  Keisbach.  William  Kemery.  George 
A.  Keen,  promoted  sergt.  maj.  Dec.  4,  '62.  Daniel  Louis, 
Nov.  15,  '62.  Robert  Lloyd,  Nov.  10,  '62;  deserted  Nov. 
12,  '62.  Benj.  Maschall,  Nov.  15,  '62.  Simon  Miller. 
Samuel  Malison,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov;  13, 
'62.  John  Miller,  Nov,  5,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  5,  '62. 
Alexander  Matthews  and  John  Maxwell,  Nov.  10,  '62;  de- 
serted Nov.  12,  '62.  Joseph  Moore,  Nov.  13,  '62;  de- 
serted Nov.  14,  '62.  "  Charles  M'Gowen,  Nov.  10, '62; 
deserted  Nov.  12,  '62,  George  E.  Naugle.  Frank- 
lin Nagle,  discharged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov  17,  '63. 
Robert  A.  Nichols  and  Francis  Nichols,  Nov.  5,  '62; 
deserted  November  6,  '62.  Robert  Odell.  Adam  Pen- 
ser,  Nov.  15,  '62.  John  Petticoffer,  Nov.  13,  '62;  de- 
serted Nov.  14,  '62.  Charles  Reisley.  Emanuel  Ritter. 
John  M.  Rainey.  Uriah  Robinson,  Nov.  13,  '62;  de- 
serted Nov,  14,  '62.  John  Rupp,  Nov.  16,  '62;  deserted 
Nov.  29,  62.  Addison  Ralph,  Nov.  15,  '62;  deserted 
Nov.  19,  '62.  Jacob  Schappart.  David  Sigfrit.  Brad- 
ford Samson.  Andrew  Sorber,  Nov.  8,  '62.  Altson  O. 
Snow;  dischar-ged  on  surg's  certificate  Nov.  15,  '62. 
Sidney  Slocum;  deserted  Nov.  20,  '62.  Edward  Single, 
Nov.  s,  '62;  deserted  Nov.  5,  '62.  Joseph  Shiffer;  de- 
serted Nov.  ig,  '62.  William  Thomas.  John  W.  Van- 
sickle.  Nelson  Williams.  Robert  E.  Wilbur.  Louis 
Weiss.  Joseph  T.  Woodard;  discharged  on  surg's  cer- 
tificate Nov.  14,  '62.  William  Weston,  discharged  on 
surg's  certificate  Nov.  13, '63.  David  Williams,  discharg- 
ed  on   surg's  certificate  Jan,  9,   '63. 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  NINETY-FOURTH  REGI- 
MENT. 

This  regiment  was  recruited  for  one  hundred  days,  in 
the  counties  of  York,  Bedford,  Cambria,  Mifflin,  Dauphin, 
Montour,  Lycoming,  Luzerne,  Berks  and  Schuylkill. 

Its  organization  was  completed  on  the  22nd  of  July, 
1864,  and  on  the  same  day  it  moved  to  Baltimore,  where 
it  went  into  camp.  One  company  was  sent  in  the  month 
of  September  to  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland  for  pro- 
vost duty,  and  the  others  were  stationed  in  various  parts 
of  the  city  for  the  same  purpose  and  to  serve  as  guards 
and  escorts  for  recruits  and  prisoners.  At  the  expiration 
of  its  term  of  service  it  returned  to  Harrisburg,  where  it 
was  mustered  out  on  the  6th  of  November,  1864. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


AN  OUTLINE  OF  THE  GEOLOGY  OF  THE  WYOMING  COAL  FIELD 


F  the  three  anthracite  coal  fields  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania  the  Wyoming  basin  is  the 
largest  and  the  most  northwardly.  Its 
length  is  nearly  fifty-six  miles,  and  its  average 
width  about  three  and  a  half  miles,  the 
area  closely  approximating  200  square  miles  or 
more    than    128,000    acres.     The  topography  of 


this  valley  differs  widely  from  that  of  any  other  coal  area. 
The  symmetry  of  the  circumscribing  mountains;  the  open 
expanse  of  the  central  level  and  fertile  plain,  adorned  as 
it  is  by  the  graceful  curves  and  stretches  of  the  Susque- 
hanna river,  with  its  islands  and  grove-fringed  shores; 
the  more  extended  fealures  of  round  swelling  and  of 
sharp  crested  hills,  with  their  picturesque  intervals  of 
woodlands  and  silvery  streams,  form  a  scene  of  beauty 
and  attraction  unsurpassed  in  any  land,  and  at  complete 
variance  with  the  general  very  rugged  and  uninviting 
conditions  of  other  coal  fields.  And  yet  this  pleasing 
variety  of  form  obtains  here  almost  without  any  sacrifice 
of  either  quantity  or  quality  of  the  vast  underlying 
mineral  treasure,  or  of  the  economics  of  obtaining  it; 
and  this  by  reason  of  the  very  general  stratigraphic  con- 
formity of  the  coal  and  its  accompanying  rocks  to  these 
surface  contours. 

The  term  basin  is  here  applicable  only  in  the  wider 
import  given  it  by  the  geologist;  for  the  outline  of  this 
valley  resembles  more  that  of  a  crescent  shaped  trough: 
the  course  of  a  line  or  chord  connecting  the  points  of  the 
cusps  is  about  northeast  and  southwest,  and  would  lie 
in  its  whole  length  outside  and  west  of  the  valley;  and  a 
middle  point  on  this  chord  would  be  outside,  about  two 
and  a  half  miles  distant  from  the  northwesterly  or  nearest 
boundary.  The  southwestern  extremity  of  the  basin  is 
in  Salem  township,  and  at  a  distance  of  about  a  mile 
from  the  Susquehanna  river,  which  by  its  sharp  deflection 
above,  at  Shickshinny,  has  made  its  course  athwart  the 
field,  isolating  this  triangular  tract  of  coal,  the  base  of 
which  triangle  at  the  river  is  less  than  half  a  mile  in 
width.  The  mountains  forming  the  rim  of  the  basin  in 
this  lower  section  (the  Wyoming  and  the  Nanticoke) 
diverge  with  much  regularity,  and  the  coal  field  expands 
evenly,  until  at  the  distance  of  about  thirteen  and  a  half 
miles  from  its  southwestern  extremity,  in  the  section  near 
the  town  of  Plymouth,  it  attains  a  width  of  four  and  a 
half  miles.  Near  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre,  which  is  at  a 
distance  of  about  seventeen  miles,  the  width  is  near  five 
miles.  At  the  town  of  Pittston,  distant  twenty-four 
miles,  the  maximum  width  of  five  and  a  half  miles  is 
reached.  Above  this  the  general  lines  of  outcropping 
converge  so  that  near  the  city  of  Scranton,  thirty-four 
miles  distant,  the  section  will  not  measure  over  four  miles. 
ThencQ  to  the  city  of  Carbondale  the  convergence  con- 
tinues until  the  breadth  of  the  coal  field  is  there  not 
much  more  than  two  miles.  Carbondale  is  distant  from 
the  southwest  end  of  the  basin  about  forty-eight  and  a 
half  miles,  and  from  the  northeast  terminus  over  seven 
miles;  at  which  distance  the  lateral  lines  of  boundary  of 
this  upper  tract  of  the  coal  formation  make  a  terminal 
intersection. 

The  principal  and  most  direct  channels  of  drainage  of 
the  valley  are  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Lackawanna 
rivers,  with  the  Nanticoke  creek.  The  Lackawanna 
river  has  its  sources  at  the  eastwardly  end  of 
the  valley,  where,  in  consequence  of  the  more 
rapid  rising  out  of  the  central  measures  of 
this     terminal    section,    the     trough      or    basin     form 


4^ 


4^ 


^h 


THE  WYOMING  COAL  BASIN. 


183 


has  nearly  vanished.  The  general  course  of  the  stream 
is  about  central  through  the  valley,  and  nearly  over  the 
axis  as  respects  the  great  and  deepest  synclinal  lines  of 
the  coal  deposits;  and  this  continues  down  to  a  point  near 
the  mouth  of  Spring  brook,  where  the  river  inclines  some- 
what more  to  the  westward,  while  the  axis  leads  directly 
forward  to  the  Susquehanna  river  at  the  town  of  Pitts- 
ton,  more  than  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  Lackawanna. 
From  the  entrance  of  the  Susquehanna  river  into  the 
valley — so  well  marked  by  the  rugged  flunks  of  the  Dial 
Knob,  or  Camijbell's  ledge — throughout  its  flexuous 
courses  onward  it  does  not  at  any  point  cross  a  central 
line  of  the  valley  expanse;  and  except  at  the  city  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  it  does  not  rejch  such  a  line,  its  trends  being  alto- 
gether on  the  northwest  side,  and,  it  would  seem,  through 
Irhe  ancient  domain  of  its  greatest  denuding  ravages. 

The  sources  of  the  Nanticokc  creek  are  in  the  valley  on 
an  elevated  plateau,  about  three  miles  above  or  to  the 
northeast  of  the  Susquehanna  river,  where  it  passes 
athwart  the  basin.  This  plateau,  which  is  nearly  at  the 
height  of  the  marginal  mountains,  the  Wyoming  and  the 
Nanticoke,  has  its  elevated  position  not  in  consequence 
either  of  additional  strata,  or  of  an  increased  thickness 
of  strata;  but,  as  above  stated  in  reference  to  the  similar 
conditions  of  the  northeast  end  of  the  basin,  a  more  rapid 
outrise  of  the  interior  bottom  measures  of  the  basin.  The 
waters  of  this  plateau  divide;  a  portion  flows  by  Black 
creek  to  the  southwest,  through  this  rapidly  descending 
and  rugged  remnant  of  the  valley,  to  the  Susquehanna 
river;  the  remainder  to  the  northeast  by  Nanticoke  creek, 
which  has  here  two  branches  that  flow  through  pretty 
vales,  formed  by  a  central  dividing  ridge  of  the  valley, 
called  the  Hog-back.  At  a  distance  of  about  two  miles 
and  a  half  a  depression  in  the  ridge  admits  of  the  union 
of  these  branches,  and  in  a  further  distance  of  about  three 
and  a  half  miles  these  waters  are  discharged  into  the  Sus- 
quehanna river  opposite  the  town  of  Nanticoke,  near  the 
former  residence  of  Colonel  Washington  Lee,  this  point 
being  the  southerly  end  of  the  line  of  rupture  made  by 
the  river  in  the  removal  of  its  rocky  mountain  barrier  for 
its  exit  from  the  valley. 

The  other  principal  streams  of  the  valley  are  such  as 
have  their  sources  outside,  and  enter  laterally  through 
mountain  gaps  of  greater  or  less  extent  and  depth.  Those 
of  the  southeast  side  commencing  below  are  Lee,  Len- 
der's, Sugar  Notch  and  Solomon's  creeks,  Laurel  Run, 
Mill  creek.  Spring  brook,  Stafford  Meadow  brook.  Roar- 
ing brook.  White  Oak  run,  and  at  Carbondale  Racket 
brook.  Those  of  the  northwest  side — commencing  also 
below — are  Toby's,  Abraham's  and  Legitt's  creeks,  and 
Fall  brook,  near  Carbondale.  Harvey's  creek,  which  flows 
into  the  Susquehanna  on  this  northwest  side  near  and 
above  the  Nanticoke  dam,  should  be  considered  as  out- 
side of  the  valley,  as  it  is  more  than  half  a  mile  below  the 
line  of  upper  ancient  rock  barrier  above  alluded  to,  which 
stretches  from  the  Colonel  Lee  house,  at  the  mouth  of 
Nanticoke  creek,  obliquely  across  the  river  to  the  rocks 
of  the  entrance  to  the  Harvey  mines. 

The  summits  of   the  marginal  mountains  of   the  valley 


Hh 


<^ 


184 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4 


vary  but  little  in  elevation  throughout,  being  from  eight 
to  ten  hundred  feet  above  the  river;  the  lessening  in 
depth  of  the  valley  is  not  in  consequence  of  the  depres- 
sion of  the  mountain  crests,  as  herein  above  explained. 
The  greatest  depression  or  depth  of  the  coal  measures 
exists  in  Hanover  township,  near  the  Dundee  shaft,  from 
which  the  bottom  of  the  basin  rises  in  both  directions. 
To  the  southwest  the  rate  of  rise  is  rapid  until  a  near 
approach  to  the  section  of  Nanticoke,  where  the  upward 
curvature  increases  more  gradually  and  is  greater  the 
nearer  it  approaches  the  southwest  end  of  the  basin. 
Towards  the  northwest  the  rise  continues  to  the  locality 
of  Spring  brook;  beyond  this,  to  some  section  above  but 
near  the  city  of  Scranton,  the  change  from  a  level  would 
seem  to  be  but  slight;  there,  however,  commences  a  much 
more  rapid  outrise  of  the  measures,  with  a  decided  in- 
crease of  deundation,  so  that  from  Carbondale  on  the 
evidences  of  this  rapidly  increase  until  the  lowest  mem- 
bers of  the  series  are  in  view.  A  cross  section  of  the 
basin  made  in  general  approximate  outline  would  vary 
materially  from  that  which  seems  to  be  due  if  the  dips  of 
the  seams  on  the  opposite  mountain  slopes,  and  the  hori- 
zontal distance  between  them,  should  alone  be  the  data 
considered.  These  mountain  slopes  vary  much,  being 
greater  the  nearer  they  are  to  the  southwest  end  of  the 
basin,  and  lessening  irregularly  throughout  to  the  north- 
east. Assuming  the  average  slope  of  the  coals  on  the 
opposite  mountains  in  the  middle  section,  as  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  to  be  thirty  degrees  (the  Ross  mines  in  Solomon's 
gap  and  the  T.  Brown  slope  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  Coal 
Company,  as  generally  at  the  mines  near  the  outcroppings 
along  the  mountain  slopes,  exceed  thirty  degrees),  and 
that  the  distance  between  these  mountain  faces  on  a 
level  of  the  flat  land  is  four  miles,  the  segment  of  a  cir- 
cular curve,  tangent  to  these  slopes,  would  at  the  centre 
of  the  basin  have  a  depression  of  two  thousand  three 
hundred  feet;  whereas  sufficient  is  now  known  of  the 
united  thickness  of  the  coal  strata  to  warrant  the  belief 
that  at  no  point  of  the  basin  will  coal  be  found  much 
below  half  that  depth.  Hence  it  would  follow  that  a  con- 
siderable general  flattening  of  the  measures  as  they  stretch 
across  the  basin  must  take  place;  that  this  occurs  mainly 
at  or  near  the  mountain  on  each  side  is  ascertained  con- 
clusively in  the  progress  of  mining  in  these  localities. 
The  position  of  the  deepest  point  on  a  great  synclinal 
curve  of  any  given  cross  section  of  the  valley  may  not 
be  assignable  with  accuracy;  but,  as  herein  above 
stated  in  reference  to  the  axial  line  along  the 
Lackawanna  valley  passing  through  the  Susque- 
hanna river  at  Pittston,  it  can  without  material  error 
be  further  assumed  as  existing  nearly  under  a  direct  line 
from  the  last  mentioned  locality  to  a  point  in  the  river 
near  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre,  thence  passing  the  town 
of  Nanticoke  in  the  low  grounds  about  one-third  of  a 
mile  to  the  southeast,  from  which  its  course  to  the  south- 
west end  of  the  basin  does  not  vary  much  from  the  centre 
of  the  lower  section  of  the  valley.  The  lesser  orographic 
features  of  the  valley  which  lend  such  beautiful  diversity 
to  the  scene  are  to  the  miner  more  than  to  the    artist 


themes  of  highest  import;  for  to  these  flexed  lines  of 
surface  the  hidden  work  below  must  in  the  main  con- 
form. 

These  undulations,  co-existent  with  and  arising  from 
.the  same  seismic  forces  that  formed  the  valley,  while  they 
have  been  to  some  extent  changed  superficially  by  torrent 
and  by  time,  still  notably  preserve  the  anticlinal  and 
synclinal  forms  of  the  underlying  minerals.  Prof.  H.  D. 
Rogers,  who  made  these  conditions  a  connected  study, 
describes  them  thus  (Vol.  2nd,  pt.  i,  page  324):  "The 
feature  of  widest  generality  connecting  these  anticlinal 
and  synclinal  waves,  or  saddles  and  troughs  of  the  strata, 
is  their  remarkable  approximation  to  parallelism  through- 
out the  entire  range  of  the  basin,  irrespective  of  the 
bending  course  of  the  main  valley  and  its  including 
mountains.  This  constancy  in  the  direction  of  the  waves, 
though  singularly  close,  is  not  absolute  when  those  of 
distant  sections  of  the  valley  are  compared;  there  being  a 
difference  between  the  anticlinals  of  the  vicinity  of 
Wilkes-Barre  and  those  of  the  Lackawanna  valley  of 
some  6°,  the  former  ranging  about  north  67"  east,  while 
the  latter  observe  an  average  course  of  north  72°  or  73° 
east.  It  is,  however,  with  few  exceptions,  strictly  main- 
tained among  the  flexures  of  the  same  district.  As  a 
natural  consequence  of  this  approximate  permanency  of 
direction  of  the  undulatians,  and  the  curving  outline  of 
the  general  basin,  it  is  only  in  the  lower  or  west  end  of 
the  valley  that  these  rolls  of  the  strata  are  parallel  or 
even  nearly  so,  within  the  main  course  of  the  valley. 
There  the  chief  groups  among  the  anticlinals  approach 
to  a  coincidence  in  direction  with  the  mountain  forming 
the  south  side  of  the  basin.  Advancing  northeast  to 
the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston  districts,  this  parallelism 
with  the  mountain  border  is  more  and  more 
departed  from,  and  with  its  progressive  deflection 
to  the  northeast  along  the  southeast  side  of 
the  Lackawanna  valley  the  obliquity  of  the  undula- 
tions to  the  line  of  the  basin  and  its  barriers  grows 
conspicuously  greater.  From  the  vicinity  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  probably  from  further  west,  the  whole  way  to 
Carbondale  these  anticlinals  come  forth  in  succession 
from  the  mountain  sides  of  the  valley  at  larger  and 
larger  angles  as  we  advance  toward  the  northeast;  the 
anticlinal  waves,  broad  and  flat  on  the  slope  of  the  mount- 
ains, pointing  down  obliquely  west  in  the  valley,  and  con- 
tracting and  growing  steeper;  while  the  synclinal  troughs 
between  them  rise  out  of  the  central  bed  of  the  basin, 
flattening  and  shoaling  up  to  the  east,  to  disappear  at 
higher  levels  on  the  same  mountain  sides.  This  arrange- 
ment is  discernible  in  the  undulations  of  both  sides  of 
the  basin,  but  those  of  the  southeast  side  being  more 
numerous,  of  steeper  flexure,  and  less  obscured  by  diluvial 
drift,  the  feature  is  there  more  conspicuous.  Each  of  the 
two  mountain  barriers  of  the  valley,  with  its  set  of  anti- 
clinal spurs  passing  off  from  it  at  successively  increasing 
angles,  may  be  likened  to  a  curved  fish-back,  one  con- 
cave and  the  other  convex,  sending  out  its  spines  or  rays 
at  increasing  obliquities,  but  in  mutual  parallelism  with 
one  another. 


^^^ 


4^- 


<> 


UNDULATIONS  OF    THE  COAL  MEASURES. 


i8S 


"A  further  general  fact  connected  with  these  undula- 
tions of  the  coal  measures,  interesting  for  its  geological 
bearings  and  not  less  so  for  its  practical  consequences, 
is  the  curious  declining  graduation  observable  in  the 
sharpness  of  the  successive  undulations  as  we  proceed 
from  southwest  to  northeast  along  the  basin.  Not  only 
does  each  anticlinal  of  the  southeast  side  of  the  valley- 
grow  gentler  or  flatter  in  its  dips  as  it  slowly  rises  to  the 
east,  but  the  successive  ones  are  fainter  and  fainter  at  the 
same  proportionate  sections  of  their  length  as  we  cross 
them  obliquely  in  going  toward  the  northeast.  Those  of 
all  the  lower  or  west  end  of  the  valley,  from  Beech  Grove 
to  Nanticoke,  show  inclinations  as  high  as  45",  those  be- 
tween Nanticoke  and  Wilkes-Barre  display  dips  exceed- 
ing 30°,  and  those  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston 
dips  averaging  20°  or  25°;  while  following  the  Lacka- 
wanna division  of  the  basin  we  have  no  longer  anything 
approaching  this  last  steepness  of  flexure,  except  just  near 
the  ends  of  the  saddles,  but  rather  a  low  broad  waving  of 
the  rocks,  growing  feebler  and  feebler  as  we  advance, 
until,  passing  Scranton  into  the  district  between  it  and 
Archbald,  regular  undulations  become  almost  impercepti- 
ble, and  are  lost  in  the  very  gradual  dips  into  the  middle 
of  the  general  troughs  from  the  two  borders  of  the  valley. 
Accompanying  this  progressive  smoothing-out  of  the 
waves  or  corrugations  of  the  strata  from  the  southwest 
toward  the  northeast  end  of  the  whole  basin,  there  is  a 
like  gradual  transition  of  declension  in  its  external  fea- 
tures, from  sharp  and  narrow-crested  ridges  and  deep 
hollows  to  rounder  and  gentler  spurs  and  valleys,  and 
along  the  Lackawanna  to  wide-topped  summits,  bluffs  and 
open  denuded  plains. 

"  Other  points  of  general  structure,  appertaining  to  the 
interior  undulations  of  the  main  basin,  have  reference  to 
the  prevailing /(7;'OT  of  the  anticlinals  and  their  troughs. 
A  main  feature  of  the  individual  waves  is  a  progressive 
increase  of  flexure,  or  a  steepening  of  the  dips  on  both 
sides  of  the  anticlinals  as  they  advance  from  the  moun- 
tain sides,  where  they  originated,  out  into  the  central 
tracts  of  the  valley,  to  near  their  terminations,  which  are 
therefore  comparatively  abrupt.  Remarkably  clear  ex- 
emplifications of  this  structure  present  themselves  to  any 
close  observer  of  the  anticlinals  between  Wilkes-Barre 
and  the  Lackawanna.  If  these  be  carefully  traced  from 
the  east  down  to  this  district  they  will  be  seen  to  grow 
steadily  sharper  and  sharper  in  their  dips  until  they  ap- 
proach in  their  oblique  course  to  the  banks  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, in  the  neighborhood  of  which  they  nearly  all 
subside  by  bluntly  rounding  off.  In  proof  of  this  abrupt 
cessation,  we  have  only  to  remark  the  contrast  between 
the  general  steepness  of  these  undulations  where  they 
are  crossed  slantingly  by  the  old  stage-road,  or  even  by 
the  plank-road,  and  the  extreme  gentleness  and  absolute 
disappearance  of  many  at  the  canal,  and  especially  at 
the  shore  of  the  river.  The  very  position  in  the  valley 
which  the  river  has  taken  between  the  mouth  of  the 
Lackawanna  and  Wilkes-Barre  is  an  evidence  of  the  sud- 
den dying-out  of  this  southern  system  of  anticlinals.  It 
would  seem  as  if  the  waters,  in  scooping  the  lower  valley 


or  plain  within  which  the  Susquehanna  flows,  had  been 
unable  to  "pnss  the  succession  of  barriers  presented  to 
them  by  these  ridges  in  the  strata,  and  were  forced  to 
recoil  by  the  north  flanks  and  bold  ends  which  the  sad- 
dles protruded  againpt  them,  swinging  off  in  their  re- 
bound to  follow  the  deflecting  course  of  the  waves  of  the 
strata  towards  the  outlet  of  the  drainage  of  the  valley, 
the  wide  notch  in  the  northern  mountain-barrier  at  Nan- 
ticoke. 

"The  north  or  northwest  side  of  the  valley  appears  to 
have  its  own  set  of  anticlinals  or  saddles,  as  already  in- 
timated; but  whether  these  observe  the  same  law  in  their 
oblique  descent  into  the  valley  from  the  west,  of  a  pro- 
gressive increase  of  dip  on  both  their  flanks,  I  am  not 
prepared  at  present  to  maintain,  as  the  structure 
of  this  portion  of  the  valley  is  largely  disguised  by 
surface  drift,  and  as  the  points  of  many  of  the  spurs 
or  saddles  are  hid  by  the  deep  diluvium  of  the  Wyoming 
and  Lackawanna  flats.  All  analogy  and  every  theoretical 
consideration  of  the  origin  of  this  curious  feature  in  the 
anticlinals  would  indicate,  however,  that  the  same  steep- 
ening towards  their  terminations  belongs  to  these  waves 
which  characterizes  those  coming  from  the  opposite 
mountain  lying  east.  Whether  any  of  the  flexures  of  the 
upper  strata  cross  the  basin  entirely,  passing  west  from 
the  southern  mountain  to  coincide  with  undulations  pro- 
ceeding east  from  the  northern,  cannot  be  at  present 
known;  but  the  general  cessation  of  both  sets  towards  the 
middle  of  the  basin  is  a  strong  intimation  of  the  improba- 
bility of  such  a  condition." 

The  rocks  beneath  the  coal,  the  upturned  and  rup- 
tured edges  of  which  form  not  only  the  near  but  also 
the  outer  or  second  surrounding  eminences  or  mountains, 
do  not  extend  in  the  geologic  scale  lower  than  to  the 
base  of  the  carboniferous  epoch;  and  in  the  nomencla- 
ture of  Prof.  Rogers  in  his  geology  of  the  strata  it  com- 
prises his  Unibral  and  Vespertine  series,  which  are  the 
equivalents  of  the  upper  and  the  lower  subcarboniferous 
groups  in  the  geology  of  Europe. 

The  outcropping  of  the  base  of  the  lower  group,  the 
Vespertine,  which  rests  upon  the  red  sandstone  of  the 
Ponent  series  (the  equivalent  of  the  old  red  sandstone  of 
Europe)  is  generally  near  and  in  some  places  upon  the 
summit  of  the  outer  mountain;  while  the  outcroppings  of 
the  several  higher  members  of  the  group  form  the  slopes 
of  the  outer  mountain  down  to  their  junction  with  the 
overlying  Umbral  series  in  or  towards  the  depression  or 
valley  between  these  two  mountain  ridges,  and  consist  of 
gray  sandstones,  olive  colored  argillaceous  sandstones, 
with  occasional  thin  seams  of  carbonaceous  slates  and 
films  of  anthracite  coal ;^  and  generally  the  upper  member, 
which  is  found  farthest  down  the  slope,  is  a  white  sili- 
cious  sandstone  at  base,  graduating  upwards  into  a  con- 
glomerate of  white  quartz  pebbles  where  it  meets  the 
overlying  Umbral  red  shale.  The  thickness  of  this  group 
varies  from  300  to  600  feet,  decreasing  from  the  south- 
west towards  the  northeast. 

The  orographic  position  of  this  series  as  above  de- 
scribed api)lies  more  especially  to  the  middle  and  south- 


*^H= 


=dXi 


Hi- 


■f 


i86 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


west  sections  of  the  basin,  where  these  secondary  sur- 
rounding vales,  by  greater  depth  of  denudation,  form 
more  distinctly  an  inner  and  an  outer  mountain  vein. 
In  the  upper  section  of  the  valley,  from  Pittston  north- 
eastward, the  inclinations  of  the  mountain  slopes  decrease, 
while  there  is  a  corresponding  decrease  in  the  thickness 
of  the  measures,  both  of  the  Vespertine  and  the  Umbra 
series,  especially  that  of  the  red  shale  of  the  Umbral 
group;  and  solely  in  consequence  of  this  decrease  of  the 
shale  is  the  change  referred  to  in  the  orographic  fea- 
tures of  this  upper  section;  the  separation  into  two 
ridges  becomes  less  distinct,  and  at  poin's  does  not  ex- 
ist. This  mountain  profile  as  described  is  throughout 
the  result  of  denudation,  and  at  no  points  is  it  the  result 
of  plication  or  undulation. 

The  Umbral  series,  or  upi)er  subcarboniferous  forma- 
tion, consists  mainly  of  red  shales  which,  from  the  under- 
lying Vespertine  or  lower  subcarboniferous  group  to  the 
serai  conglomerate,  form  generally  more  than  three- 
fourths  of  the  entire  mass  of  this  formation,  occupying 
the  lower  place  in  the  series;  in  the  upper  section  it 
meets  and  is  overlaid  by  harder  measures,  fine  grained 
sandstones  of  buff,  gray  and  reddish  tints,  the  upper 
measures  under  the  conglomerate  being  a  fine  and  sharp 
grained  sandstone  somewhat  calcareous,  of  buff  and  of 
greenish  gray  colors— the  hone-belt  of  Prof.  Rogers.  This 
last  named  deposit  is  of  variable  thickness,  from  five  to 
thirty  feet. 

The  Umbral  group,  like  the  underlying  Vespertine,  is 
variable  in  its  thickness;  at  Nanticoke,  in  the  river  gap,  it 
has  a  thickness  of  about  500  feet;  at  Mill  Hollow,  in  King- 
ston township,  about  350  feet;  at  Solomon's  gap  about 
450  feet;  at  Cobb's  gap,  on  the  Roaring  brook,  its  thick- 
ness is  less  than  450  feet.  To  the  northeastward  of  this 
section  the  formation  lessens  rapidly  in  thickness,  and  at 
some  points  does  not  exist.  From  this  group  is  obtained 
the  principal  amount  of  the  flagstones  so  much  used  in  the 
valley — a  very  hard,  almost  vitreous  sandstone,  of  a  reddish 
tint,  very  durable,  and  in  this  respect  in  strong  contrast  with 
others  more  recently  introduced  from  a  distant  region. 

The  iron  mine  on  a  branch  of  the  Stafford  Meadow 
brook,  for  several  years  mined  by  the  D.  L.  &  W.  Iron 
Company,  the  ore  being  smelted  in  Scranton,  is  a  deposit 
or  segregation  at  the  base  of  the  red  shale,  immediately 
over  the  Vespertine  group.  This  ore  is  a  concretionary 
carbonate  of  iron,  of  nodular  form  and  imbedded  in  an 
ochraceous  fine  clay,  the  bed'  or  deposit  being  on  the 
average  about  five  feet  thick.  It  would  appear  to  be  a 
local  formation,  as  it  is  not  found  in  the  mountain  gaps 
either  to  the  northeast  or  to  the  southwest.  Yet  in 
Mill  Hollow,  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  coal  field  in 
Kingston  township,  Doctor  W.  H.  Brisbane  opened  to  a 
deposit  of  ore  of  the  same  character,  and  in  the  same 
strategraphic  position;  the  ore  at  this  point  has  not  been 
mined  to  any  extent.  The  above  mentioned  hone-belt 
is  probably  a  continuous  deposit  underlying  the  entire 
coal  basin.  Many  tons  of  this  stone  were  sent  annually 
to  Philadelphia  from  a  quarry  in  the  Wyoming  mountain 
in  Newport  township,  to  be  made  into  hones. 


While  the  principal  material  of  tiie  red  shale  is  alumi- 
na, its  proportions  as  a  constituent  are  quite  variable, 
causing  a  gradation  from  a  friable,  soft,  true  shale  to  a 
very  hard  brittle  rock,  mainly  in  consequence  of  the 
greater  or  less  amount  of  silex  it  may  contain.  It  has, 
diffused  throughout,  more  or  less  calcareous  matter,  and 
also  strata  or  layers  containing  scattered  nodules  of  cal- 
careous matter,  from  a  very  small  size  to  that  of  a  pea, 
being  of  a  cream  color  internally  while  the  surface  is 
stained  red  by  the  enveloping  shale.  The  removal  of 
these  nodules  by  the  weather  where  they  have  been  in 
the  harder  rock-like  strata  produces  a  pitted  or  eroded 
appearance  of  the  rock.  At  a  few  points,  as  in  Solomon's 
gap,  this  calcareous  deposit  assumes  the  form  of  a  regu- 
lar limestone  seam  of  about  two  feet  thickness,  but  of 
sandy,  lean  quality. 

To  the  prevalence  of  this  calcareous  matter  is  to  be 
attributed  the  stable  productiveness  of  those  farms  lo- 
cated on  the  outspread  of  this  formation,  as  in  the  val- 
leys of  the  Wapwallopen  and  the  Nescopeck  creeks,  and 
in  many  other  surrounding  localities.  Throughout  vast 
areas,  both  on  the  eastern  continent  and  also  in  America, 
the  equivalents  of  these  two  formations,  the  Umbral  and 
the  Vespertine,  particularly  the  former,  are  made  up 
mainly  of  carbonate  of  lime.  Many  of  the  fossil  vegeta- 
ble forms  of  the  overlying  true  carboniferous  or  coal 
period  are  to  be  found  in  these  groups,  which  circum- 
stance is  the  basis  for  including  them  in  the  scope  of  the 
carboniferous  epoch. 

While  in  our  locality,  as  well  as  throughout  the  anthra- 
cite area  generally,  the  lithologic  characteristics  of  these 
two  groups  bear  no  apparent  indication  of  equivalency, 
yet  there  does  exist  very  positive  evidence  of  complete 
synchronism  with  the  upper  and  lower  subcarboniferous 
series  of  other  regions.  Westward  in  the  bituminous 
coal  fields  calcareous  marls  and  true  limestones  prevail 
largely  in  the  group  immediately  underlying  the  serai 
conglomerate,  occupying  the  position  and  there  represent- 
ing the  Umbral  series.  This  condition  prevails  generally 
to  the  westward  and  in  Virginia,  extending  southwestward 
to  Alabama;  a  similar  predominance  of  calcareous  mat- 
ter in  the  Umbral  group  is  observed.  It  is  assumed  that 
if  the  calcareous  matter  diffused  through  the  great  mass 
of  red  shale  of  the  anthracite  coal  field  was  concentrated, 
it  would  be  found  closely  approximating  the  average 
amount  existing  in  the  Umbral  group  under  the  western 
bituminous  regions,  where  the  lime  is  less  mixed  with  the 
accompanying  shaly  matter.  The  several  members  of  the 
Vespertine  and  Umbral  series  are  conspicuously  presented 
in  the  gaps  around  the  valley;  especially  in  Solomon's 
gap,  in  the  Wilkes-Barre  mountain,  and  in  Mill  or  Hert- 
zoge  hollow,  in  the  Kingston  mountains. 

The  contact  of  the  Umbral  series  with  the  conglomerate 
under  the  centre  of  the  coal  basin  is  brought  to  view  at 
the  Salem  Company's  colliery,  below  Shickshinny,  the 
line  of  juncture  being  forty  or  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  river,  on  the  nearly  vertical  escarpment  there  pro- 
duced undoubtedly  by  the  erosive  action  of  the  stream, 
which  flows  directly  athwart  the  axis  of  the  coal  basin, 


^P= 


<}* 


*#§=•=-- 


=# 


THE  "FALSE  COAL  MEASURES  "—ROCKS  BENEATH  THE  COAL. 


187 


4= 


having  cut  through  all  its  measures,  and  to  a  considerable 
depth  in  the  Umbral  red  shales.  The  barren  coal  mea- 
sures of  the  Vespertime  series  have  been  for  many  years  a 
delusion  throughout  the  regions  surrounding  the  coal 
fields.  Specimens  of  very  bright  and  pure  coal  have  been 
presented  from  time  to  time  which  were  obtained  from 
rivulets  and  streams  outside  of  the  coal  basin,  and  in 
many  instances,  at  cost  of  much  toil  and  expense,  the 
vein  has  been  traced  out  and  found  in  places,  with  the 
normal  accompaniments  of  slate,  fireclay  and  roclc;  but  in 
no  instance  around  the  Wyoming  coal  field  have  these 
beds  been  found  more  than  a  few  inches  in  thickness. 
Professor  J.  P.  Lesley  remarks  in  regard  to  these  false 
coal  measures  (which  he  prefers  to  call  the  Proto-carboni- 
ferous,  instead  of  the  Vespertine),  as  follows: 

"  The  false  coal  measures,  as  they  have  been  called, 
the  coal  of  No.  XI,  the  Vespertine  coal  of  Rogers,  or,  as 
it  should  properly  be  called,  the  Proto-carboniferous 
formation,  overlies  the  third  great  sandrock  of  tlie  four, 
precisely  as  the  black  slate  of  No.  VIH.  has  been  said  to 
overlie  the  Oriskany  sandstone,  and  as  the  great  coal 
measures  will  be  seen  to  overlie  the  conglomerate.  This 
was  a  second  and  more  successful  effort  of  nature  for 
the  preservation  of  fuel  for  man,  whose  coming  was  fore- 
seen. But  still  the  conditions  were  not  sufficiently  ful- 
filled over  the  whole  area  to  do  more  than  give  promise 
of  a  better  future.  Portions  only  of  the  earth  were  steady 
enough  just  at  the  level  of  the  sea  neither  to  drown  the 
vegetation  nor  expose  its  soil.  One  or  two  beds,  irregu- 
lar and  very  thin,  were  everywhere  indeed  produced,  and 
in  one  region  a  series  of  such  beds  of  which  two  or  three 
are  large  enough  to  work.  But  even  these  were  almost 
wholly  ruined  by  succeeding  earthquake  undulations, 
which  slid  their  floor  and  roof  upon  each  other,  dislocat- 
ing the  layers  and  grinding  the  coal  to  powder. 

"  Everywhere  along  the  inside  foot  of  the  mountains 
of  X.,  from  the  Catskill  to  their  extreme  south  limits; 
and  everywhere  in  the  body  of  the  Alleghany  mountain, 
these  thin  seams  have  been  at  different  times  discovered, 
and  locally  noised  about.  Hunters,  lumbermen  and  land 
agents  have  picked  and  pried  into  them.  Lands  have 
been  sold  to  eastern  companies  upon  a  faith  in  them, 
but  they  have  never  paid.  In  the  gorge  of  Tipton 
creek,  which  descends  from  the  Alleghany  mountain 
upon  the  Little  Juniata  and  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
near  Altoona,  one  of  those  beds  of  coal  appears  six  hun- 
dred feet  beneath  the  base  of  the  true  coal  measures,  and 
nearly  three  feet  thick.  Those  who  believe  this  to  be 
the  lowest  of  the  true  coal  beds  made  extensive  arrange- 
ments for  an  eastern  trade,  and  justly  anticipated  a  pros- 
perous adventure;  whereas  the  whole  carboniferous  form- 
ution  is  there  not  only  at  the  summit  but  behind  the 
summit  of  the  mountain." 

The  first  effort  at  coal  formation  above  referred  to  by 
Prof.  Lesley  is  the  carbonaceous  slates  of  Prof.  Rogers's 
Post  aMeridian  series,  or  No.  VII.  of  the  original  nota- 
tion of  the  Pennsylvania  survey,  which  are  the  equiv- 
alents of  the  slates  at  the  base  of  the  Upper  Helder- 
berg  group  of  the  New  York  survey,  and  in  which   a 


thin  seam  of  coal  is  found  in  the  shore-hills  of  Lake 
Erie. 

Resting  upon  the  Umbral   series   is    the    prominently 
marked   serai    conglomerate,    the  millstone   grit  of    the 
European  system,  the  base  or  floor  of  the  coal  formation 
in  all  its  extent.     Westward,  throughout  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  bituminous   coal   regions,  its  equivalent  is  a 
silicious  sandstone.     A  gradual  decrease  in  the  size  of 
the  constituent  water  worn  materials  of  this  deposit  is 
observable.    Along  the  south  and  east  limits  of  the  anthra- 
cite coal  fields  many  of  the  rounded  masses   in  the   rock 
exceed  a  diameter  of  six  inches,  as  at  Mauch  Chunk,  in  the 
Sharp  mountain;  while  around    the  Wyoming  basin    the 
size  of  the  pebbles  does  not  often  exceed  that  of  a  pig- 
eon's egg;  further  to  the  westward,  even  in  the  adjoining 
county    of  Sullivan,    the    pebbles   of   the    conglomerate, 
though  of  the  same  white  and  gray  quartz  kind  as  those 
of  the  Wyoming  rock,  are  much   less  in  size.     This   de- 
crement is  found  to  be  in  a  general   way    continuous    to 
the    westward,  until,  as  above    stated,    a  quartzose  sand 
stone  of  particles    of  varying    degrees    of  comminution 
holds    the   stratigraphic    position    of   the    conglomerate. 
Upon    this  fact,  in  view  of  a  simple  dynamic    law,   rests 
the  rational  theory  that   the    course    of  the    distributive 
currents  that  prevailed  during   the   period  of  deposit    of 
the  materials   of  this    great  and  wide   spread    rock  were 
from  the  east  and  south;  and  in  accord  with  this  view  we 
find  that  the  deposit  changes,  not  only  in  the  size   of  its 
constituent  materials,  as  above  slated,   but   also    in  their 
lithologic  characters,  which  towards  the   southern  border 
of  the  field  are  largely  made  up  of  the  softer   felspathic 
and   aluminous  rocks,    that    by    the   attrition    of  further 
transport  would  have  been  in  a  great  measure  reduced  to 
mere  sedimentary  matter.     Again,  in  further  accord  with 
this  theory,  we   find  that   the    thickness   of    this    deposit 
lessens  in  its    sweep    toward    the   north    and    west.     At 
Pottsville  and  Mauch  Chunk  it  is  respectively  1,030   feet 
and   950    feet    thick,    while   under   the    Wyoming    basin 
its  average  thickness    is    about    140    feet    and    in    Sul- 
livan   county    it    is    reduced     to    about    40     feet.       In 
the     Wyoming     basin     it     is     composed    of     two    sets 
of     strata.       The     lowest    set    is    made    up    of     com- 
paratively   coarse    pebbles,     from     almond    size     down 
to  sandy  particles  of  white  and  gray  colors,  with  irregular 
layers  of  coarse-grained  sandstones  throughout  the  mass. 
The  average  thickness  of  this  lower  set  may  be   taken  at 
seventy-five  feet.     The  upper  set   is   about   of   the  same 
thickness,  but  the  pebbles  in  it  are  of  less  size  generally, 
and  the  mixed  sandstone  layers  are  of  a  darker  gray  color, 
while  the  different  layers  are  less  massive.     The   line  of 
separation  of  these  two  deposits  is  generally  indicated  by 
the  interstratification  of  a  small   seam   of  carbonaceous 
slates  and  smut   with  occasional  thin  seams  of  coal  (the 
A  seam  of  the  Rogers  report).     The   slates,  as  also  the 
rough  surface  of  the  conglomerates  in  contact  with  these 
slates,  bear  distinct  impressions  of  fossil  coal  flora. 

The  more  sandy  portions  of  the  conglomerates  make  a 
very  durable  building  stone,  and  where  a  fine  dress  or 
finish    is  not  required    the    cost  does   not   exceed  much 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


that  of  the  softer  micaceous  sandstones  of  the  region. 
The  white  silicious  kinds  have  been  quarried  to  a  consid- 
erable extent  in  the  Nanticoke  gap,  and  at  the  southerly 
end  of  the  basin,  for  hearth  stones  at  furnaces,  on  account 
of  their  strong  resistance  to  the  effect  of  heat. 

The  peculiar  characteristics  of  this  rock  would  alone 
distinguish  it  among  its  associates;  but  apart  from  these  its 
outcropping  around  the  Wyoming  basin  can  to  a  great 
extent  be  determined  even  in  the  distant  view,  as  its 
white,  rugged  and  broken  terminal  lines  toward  the  sum- 
mit of  the  near  mountain  are  in  strong  contrast  with  the 
sombre  hues  of  the  underlying  Umbral  rocks  and  the  for- 
est shades,  through  which  at  many  points  it  may  be  seen. 
While,  as  above  stated,  this  formation  varies  greatly  in 
thickness,  it  is  yet  a  safe  inference  that  there  is  not  in  the 
northern  coal  field  an  area  of  coal,  be  it  ever  so  small, 
that  has  not  for  its  base  or  floor  the  conglomerate  rock 
in  greater  or  less  integrity  of  form  or  composition.  There 
is  no  rock  of  greater  persistence  and  none  more  uniform 
in  mineral  constitution,  being  of  silex  to  the  exclusion  of 
almost  all  other  mineral.  The  form,  as  has  been  stated, 
varies  from  pebble  to  sand,  and  this  quite  locally  in  places. 
Thus  the  valuable  greenish-brown  stone  of  Campbell's 
ledge,  extensively  quarried  for  building  purposes,  in  all 
probability  will  prove  to  be  in  the  stratigraphic  position 
of  the  lower  and  coarser  strata  of  the  serai  pebble  con- 
glomerate; for  in  Solomon's  gap  there  is  a  sandstone  of 
the  same  color  and  composition,  of  circumscribed  extent 
which  is  seen  distinctly  blending  in  each  direction  into  a 
true  pebble  conglomerate,  the  lowest  of  the  series. 

The  rocks  of  the  true  or  productive  coal  formation,  in 
general,  differ  so  much  from  those  beneath  them  as 
to  be  readily  distinguished.  There  are,  however,  found 
among  them  some  beds  in  local  positions  which  approxi- 
mate the  form  of  the  true  conglomerate  so  far  as  to  be 
distinguishable  except  by  means  of  the  accompanying 
measures.  Purely  silicious  sandstones  form  but  a  small 
proportion  of  the  great  mass  of  this  formation,  and  may 
readily  be  determined  as  belonging  to  the  coal  by  their 
comparatively  thin  and  irregular  stratification. 

Alumina  predominates  in  the  composition  of  the  coal 
measures,  both  in  combination  and  in  mixture  with  silex 
in  the  harder  rock;  while  the  carbonaceous  slates  and  the 
shales  consist  almost  purely  of  this  mineral. 

The  rock  strata  of  the  upper  or  later  deposits  are  in 
general  the  most  friable  and  soft,  in  consequence  of  the 
greater  amount  of  alumina  contained  in  the  bond  or  mat- 
rix, and  the  mica  which  enters  largely  into  the  composi- 
tion of  these  upper  measures. 

Much  labor  and  thought  has  been  expended  in  the 
effort  to  identify  the  several  seams  of  coal  in  their  extent 
throughout  this  basin,  and  to  determine  their  synchron- 
isms with  the  seams  of  the  other  anthracite  regions.  In 
part  only  have  these  efforts  been  successful,  and 'this 
mainly  in  the  higher  and  more  productive  beds  of  the 
series;  not  alone  for  the  reason  that  these  seams  have 
thus  far  been  the  principal  grounds  of  mining  operations 
and  explorations,  but  mainly  that  they  are  the  most  per- 
sistent and  even  deposits  of  the  group.     Referring  to  the 


several  seams  below  the  nearly  central  seam,  called  at 
Wilkes-Barre  the  Baltimore,  and  in  Pittston  the  Fourteen- 
Feet  vein.  Prof.  Rogers  makes  the  following  remarks: 

"  This  group  exhibits  greater  fluctuations  in  the  dimen- 
sions and  quality  of  the   coal  beds   than  any  other  sub- 
division of  the  whole  coal  formation.   These  fluctuations, 
it  is  appropriate  to  add,  belong  equally  or  in   a  greater 
degree  to  the  rocks  which   fill   the  intervals  between  the 
coal  beds.     It  would  seem  as   if  the  physical  conditions 
under   which    these  earliest  coal  strata  were  deposited 
were  more  inconstant  than  those  which   belonged  to  the 
later  stages  of  the  formation.     The   spaces   over   which 
the  nearly  perfect  state  of  repose  of  the  surface  prevailed 
necessary  to  the   accumulation  by    slow   growth   of   the 
vegetable  peaty  mass  producing  each  seam  of  coal  were, 
evidently,  of  a  narrower  geographical   extent  than  after- 
ward; and  the  currents   and   disturbances  of  the  earth's 
crust  which  buried  these  successive   peat  swamps  under 
the  clayey,  sandy,  and   even  coarse   gravelly   strata   that 
rests  upon  or  between  them   were  obviously  much   more 
violent  than  in  the  middle  and  final  ages  of  the  great  coal 
period. 

"  Nowhere,  perhaps,  in  the  anthracite  country  are  the 
proofs  of  this  instability  of  the  surface  during 
the  first  stages  of  the  coal  formation  more  con- 
spicuously manifested  than  in  the  Wyoming  and  Lacka- 
wanna basin.  Here  we  find  in  certain  neighborhoods  in 
the  same  few  hundred  feet  thickness  of  the  lower  coal 
strata  as  many  as  ten  or  twelve  separate  beds  of  coal, 
while  in  other  localities  there  exist  not  more  than  half  or 
even  a  third  of  this  number;  and,  what  is  more  material, 
the  very  same  individual  bed  which  in  one  quarter  pos- 
sesses an  ample  or  indeed  superabundant  thickness  is  in 
another  only  a  dwindled  seam,  too  thin  or  too  impure  for 
profitable  mining.  Without  attempting  any  close  contin- 
uous tracing  of  the  several  coals,  which  can  only  be  done 
when  the  district  shall  have  become  much  more  exten- 
sively mined,  I  may  exemplify  the  variability  of  these 
coal  measures  by  appealing  to  the  very  different  types 
which  they  assume  in  the  three  meridians  of  Solomon's 
gap,  southwest  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Spring  brook,  southeast  of 
Pittston,  and  the  vicinity  of  Scranton. 

"At  Solomon's  gap  the  group  of  lower  white  ash  coal 
measures,  extending  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain  north- 
west across  the  basin  to  the  edge  of  the  diluvial  flats  of 
the  Susquehanna,  includes  in  a  thickness  of  900  or  1,000 
feet  as  many  as  thirteen  beds  of  coal  of  various  sizes 
from  one  foot  to  nineteen  feet;  and  the  total  thickness  of 
coal,  fit  and  unfit  for  mining,  embraced  by  this  section 
may  be  estimated  at  nearly  84  feet.  But  out  of  this  ag- 
gregate quantity  the  thickness  susceptible  of  being  profit- 
ably wrought  does  not  probably  amount  in  all  to  more 
than  45  or  50  feet.  Traced  east  and  west  these  coal  beds 
undergo,  even  in  the  space  of  two  or  three  miles,  some 
very  remarkable  variations.  Thus  the  fifth  in  position 
from  the  bottom  enlarges  in  that  distance  from  a  thick- 
ness of  17  feet  at  Solomon's  gap  to  the  noble  bulk  of  28 
feet  opposite  to  Wilkes-Barre,  beyond  which  neighbor- 
hood it   seems  again  to  decline    even  more  rapidly  than 


^4* 


Mh 


4 


VARIATIONS  IN  THE  COAL  MEASURES. 


189 


towards  the  southwest.  These  fluctuations  arise  partly 
through  the  coalescing  of  two  or  more  beds  into  one;  or, 
conversely,  through  a  splitting  and  diverging  of  the 
thicker  seams  into  two  or  three  thinner  ones;  or  partly, 
again,  by  the  gradual  alterations  of  size  of  the  same  coals 
independently  of  such  unions  and  subdivisions. 

"If  we  turn  now  to  the  district  of  Spring  brook  we 
shall  find  all  the  features  of  the  formation  so  altered  as 
to  present  not  one  subdivision,  neither  coal  bed  nor  other 
stratum,  which  we  can  recognize  or  identify  as  a  member 
of  the  series  visible  in  the  vicinity  of  Solomon's  gap. 
In  a  total  thickness  of  several  hundred  feet  of  coal 
measures,  embraced  between  the  outcrop  of  the  main 
Pittston  seam  and  the  conglomerate  of  the  mountain  to 
the  southeast,  only  six  coals  in  all,  according  to  the 
largest  estimate,  have  ever  been  brought  to  light,  after 
close  and  persevering  researches,  and  only  two  of  these 
appear  to  have  a  size  and  purity  adapting  them  for 
successful  mining.  There  would  seem  to  take  place 
between  the  neighborhood  of  Solomon's  gap,  or  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  this  quarter  a  progressive  impoverishment 
of  these  lower  strata  in  the  number  and  size  of  their  in- 
cluded coal  beds,  and  likewise  in  the  rocks  themselves, 
which  thin  down  considerably.  As  a  consequence  this 
portion  of  the  southern  skirt  of  the  valley  conta.ins  no 
collieries  of  any  magnitude. 

"Another  and  opposite  change  back  to  a  very  productive 
condition  of  the  coal  measures  is  exhibited  as  we  continue 
our  progress  along  the  same  side  of  the  basin  northeast  up 
the  Lackawanna  valley  to  the  vicinity  of  Scranton." 

Later  observations  have  served  to  show  a  general  cor- 
rectness in  these  remarks,  especially  in  reference  to  the 
great  inconstancy  of  these  lower  seams.  But  the  cause 
assigned  for  these  irregularities — the  slow  undulatory 
movements,  during  the  periods  of  deposition,  in  the 
planes  upon  which  these  measures  were  formed — may  not 
be  accepted,  even  though  taken  in  connection  with  the 
idea  of  a  probable  great  auxiliary  cause,  that  of  currents 
and  floods.  That  these  wave-like  creepings  were  con- 
fined "  to  narrow  geographical  extents,"  as  suggested,  is 
not  in  accord  with  the  now  admitted  synchronisms,  and 
the  consequent  idea  of  an  original  unbroken  level  spread 
of  the  forming  measures  throughout  the  most  remote 
known,  limits  of  the  anthracite  coal  formation.  The 
agreement  as  regards  position  in  the  series,  the  order  of 
inter-stratification  of  the  slates  with  the  coal  of  a  seam, 
the  specific  characteristics  of  these  materials,  fracture, 
lustre,  etc.,  and  other  data,  have  now  become  so  familiar 
to  practical  investigators  that  with  much  confidence  they 
may  pronounce  as  to  the  identity  of  either  of  the  prmci- 
pal  seams  of  the  series,  whether  in  the  northern,  the 
middle,  or  the  southern  anthracite  coal  fields. 

While  this  degree  of  certitude  may  not  be  assumable 
in  reference  to  some  of  the  lesser  seams,  still  the  idea  of 
circumscribed  formations,  isolated  minor  basins,  is  at 
variance  with  the  conditions  of  these  seams  as  observed 
in  their  outcroppings,  however  remote  they  may  be  from 
the  centre  of  the  basin.  They  do  not  present  the  indi- 
cation of  volumes  vanishing  by  the  shoaling  of  basins,  or 


any  other  appearance  of  terminal  limits  than  (hose  due 
to  violent  rupture  and  abrasion.  The  seams  of  coal  cut 
by  mountain  gorges  can  be  seen  to  preserve  their  thick- 
ness up  to  their  present  broken  termini,  be  these  ever  so 
near  the  summit  of  the  mountain  upon  which  they  spread. 
And  this  remark  will  apply  equally  to  both  sides  of  the  basin. 

Nor  do  we  find  in'  the  working  of  these  seams  any  evi- 
dences of  limited  basins  of  formation.  If  the  seam 
proves  to  be  of  irregular  thickness,  the  cause  is  as  often 
idicated  to  be  from  the  roof  as  from  the  floor,  and  in 
many  instances  from  both  roof  and  floor.  An  impinge- 
ment above  or  from  below,  or  in  both  directions  of  the 
enveloping  rocks,  to  the  extent  in  some  instances  of  an 
entire  squeezing  out  of  the  thin  plastic  or  pulpy  coal  mat- 
ter, is  not  uncommon,  particularly  in  the  smaller  lower 
seams;  but  these  prove  to  be  only  interruptions  and  not 
termini  of  the  seams.  These  conditions  have  been  proved 
at  a  number  of  mines  in  this  region,  and  over  a  compar- 
atively large  mine  area,  even  in  the  bottom  seam;  es- 
pecially in  the  old  Lee  mine  at  Nanticoke,  now  being 
operated  extensively  by  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company. 

While  we  may  not  explain  in  a  fully  satisfactory  man- 
ner the  causes  of  these  minor  deviations,  as  the  splitting 
or  division  of  a  seam  of  coal  into  two  or  more  seams  and 
their  coalescence  again  within  limited  areas,  yet  it  will  be 
admitted  as  possible  that  they  may  have  been  from 
causes  independent  of  those  great  seismic  or  plutonic 
rupturing  forces  from  which  resulted  the  mountain  and 
the  vale,  subsequent,  however,  to  the  formation  of  the 
coal.  The  subsidence  of  limited  areas  after  the  growth 
and  accumulation  of  a  certain  amount  of  coal  forming 
material,  in  consequence  of  the  shifting  and  underlying 
g^ands,  the  removal  of  mineral  matter  by  solution,  the 
action  of  sub-currents  of  water,  the  further  solidifying 
and  shrinkage  of  underlying  earthy  and  vegetable  mat- 
ter, would  all  be  within  the  scope  of  possible  causes;  re- 
quiring, then,  to  complete  the  conditions  only  the  prev- 
alence for  a  time  of  a  turbid  flood  over  the  depressed 
area,  and  a  succeeding  growth  or  accumulation  of  the 
coal  forming  materials. 

These  views  are  in  accord  with  other  evidences  sup- 
porting the  theory  of  the  contemporary  formation  of  the 
coal  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  original  continuity  of  the 
several  fields  the  one  with  the  other,  over  a  then  level 
area  probably  of  much  greater  extent  than  is  indicated  by 
the  present  very  irregular  ruptured  limits.  Tlie  great 
spread  of  the  underlying  Umbral  measures  through  much 
of  the  now  coalless  areas  that  separate  these  regions, 
supporting  as  they  do  in  many  places  isolated  tracts  of 
the  serai  conglomerate — from  which,  presumably,  the  coal 
has  been  removed  by  denudation — is  a  circumstance 
strong  in  evidence  of  a  former  uninterrupted  spread  of  the 
coal  formation;  a  continuous  marsh  or  boggy  expanse, 
supporting  a  growth  of  vegetation  rapid  beyond  that  of 
the  present  most  luxuriant  districts  of  the  tropics,  and  in 
atmosphere  reeking  with  warm  moisture,  impenetrable  to 
the  rays  of  the  sun  and  surcharged  with  carbon  to  an 
extent  that  precluded  the  existence  of  vegetable  life  other 
than  that  of  the   flowerless    and   fruitless    endqgen,  the 


*ih 


<¥ 


190 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


palm,  the  fern,  the  club-moss  and  their  congeners,  and  of 
animal  life  of  higher  organizations  than  those  of  the 
dragon-fly,  the  beetle  and  the  myriapode. 

Surface  explorations  to  determine  the  position  of  a 
seam  of  coal  in  the  order  of  the  series  for  the  purpose  of 
identification  may  in  some  instances  be  readily  accom- 
plished, but  in  others  it  is  found  difficult  and 
at  some  localities  impossible,  in  consequence  of  hid- 
den outcroppings,  increase  of  the  number  of  outcrop- 
pings  by  divisions  of  the  seams,  the  distortion  and  dis- 
guise of  seams  by  changes  of  the  volume  and  quality  of 
the  coal,  &c.  Still,  by  careful  attention  to  all  the  features 
of  the  seam  in  question,  its  accompanying  slates  and 
partings,  the  order  of  superposition  of  its  beds  of  bony 
coal  and  its  checkered  coal,  its  basal  fire-clay  and  its  fos- 
sils, as  above  stated,  the  assemblage  will  in  most  in- 
stances prove  the  means  of  identification  of  the  seam  in 
other  and  remote  localities. 

Statement  of  Synonyms. 


Local  Names  of  Coal  Seams  of  the 
Wyoming  Coal  Basin, 


At  Scranton,  C  seam.  ~| 
AtWilkes-Barre,the  > 
Abbot  seam,  .     .     .1 

At  VVilkes-Barre,  Bow- 
kley.  At  Plymouth, 
the  Gould  seam.  At 
Scranton, the  Dseam 

At  Wilkes-Barre,  the 
Hillman.  At  Ply- 
mouth, the  Lance. 
At  Scranton,  the  E 

At  Scranton,  the  F 
seam.  At  Wilkes- 
Barre,  the  Slocura 
seam,  at  Plymouth, 
not  worked,         .     . 

At  Carbondale,  the 
Main  or  Big  seam. 
At  Scranton,  the  G. 
At  Pittston,  the 
Fourteen-feet  seam. 
At  Wilkes-Barre,  the 
Baltimore  seam.  At 
Plymouth  it  includes 
the  Cooper  and  the 
Bennet  seams,     .     . 

At  Scranton,  H  seam. 
At  Solomon's  Gap, 
the  Ross  seam.  At 
Plymouth,  the  Wal- 
ler seam,    .... 

At  Scranton,  the  I 
seam.  At  Solomon's 
Gap,  the  C  seam,    . 

At    Scranton,    the    K 
seam.      At   Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  general-  )■ 
ly,  the  Bottom  Red 
Ash  seam 


fejj 


S-5P 


Names  of  the  same  Seams  in  the  Mid- 
dle and  South  Coal  Fields. 


H 


D 


The  I  seam. 


Orchard  seam. 


The  Primrose  seam. 


The  Holmes  seam. 


Mammoth  seam. 


Wharton  or  Skidmore  seam. 


The  C  seam. 


The  Buck  Mountain  seam. 


By    this    method   of  comparison  of  the  seams  of  the 


Wyoming  basin  with  those  of  the  middle  and  southern 
coal  fields,  the  foregoing  most  generally  accepted  conclu- 
sions have  been  reached  in  reference  to  coincidence  of 
periods  of  formation  and  identity  of  seams  in  the  several 
anthracite  coal  fields  of  the  State. 

The  A  seam,  as  above  stated,  is  in  the  conglomerate, 
and  not  of  workable  dimensions  or  quality. 

The  lower  part  of  the  B  seam  yields  a  red  ash,  hence 
its  name.  This  property  it  has  throughout  the  basin, 
wherever  tested,  while  all  the  other  coals,  with  very  few 
and  quite  local  exceptions,  give  a  white  or  gray  ash;  and 
in  this  respect  differ  from  the  coals  of  the  other  regions, 
which  to  a  great  extent  from  the  higher  seam  yield  a  red 
ash. 


*> 

- 

C 

s 

a 

c 

0 

c 

s 

0 

X 

" 

a 

Q^ 

^ 

B, 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

K  seam,      .     .     . 

0 

0 

0 

5 

0 

J       "        •     ■     • 

0 

0 

0 

4 

4 

I       "          ... 

0 

5 

0 

6 

7 

H     " 

0 

6 

0 

8 

6 

G      " 

0 

12 

0 

8 

5 

F      "       .... 

4 

S 

3 

3 

3 

E      " 

22 

14 

14 

24 

21 

D      "       . 

S 

8 

7 

8 

4 

C      " 

4 

6 

8 

6 

9 

B      "       .... 

4 

5 

4 

II 

20 

39 

61 

36 

83 

59 

As  above  stated,  seams  of  coal  vary  much,  even  within 
short  distance,  both  as  to  thickness  and  quality;  therefore 
a  general  statement  will  only  present  an  approximate  aver- 
erage.  These  figures  represent  the  thickness  of  the 
seams  in  their  entirety;  the  included  slates  and  bone  coal 
or  refuse  vary  greatly  in  even  the  same  seam  in  different 
localities.  Deductions  are  further  increased  by  the  waste 
of  some  tiers  of  good  coal,  often  left  in  the  mines  be- 
cause of  a  little  more  work  required  in  their  separation 
from  slates,  their  checkered  fracture  or  want  of  lustre; 
much  of  which  waste  is  in  consequence  of  strong  compe- 
tition in  a  generally  overstocked  market.  The  average 
deduction  to  be  made  in  estimating  the  product  of  a 
seam  would  probably  be  not  less  than  twenty-five  per 
cent,  of  the  thickness  above  given. 

As  before  remarked,  the  entire  depth  of  the  coal  meas- 
ures over  the  conglomerate  varies  greatly  in  the  different 
sections  of  the  Wyoming  coal  basin;  towards  the  north- 
east end,  as  at  Carbondale,  its  depth  is  probably  not 
more  than  250  feet;  while  at  Scranton  and  the  district 
below,  as  far  as  Pittston,  it  is  of  more  than  double  this 
depth.  At  Wilkes-Barre  the  depth  is  over  1,200  feet, 
which  depth  increases  to  the  section  approaching  the 
Dundee  shaft,  about  a  mile  to  the  northeast  of  the  town 
of  Nanticoke,  where  within  the  narrow  limits  of  less 
than  a  mile  the  great  depth  of  1,500  or  1,600  feet  takes 
place.  From  this  section  southwestward  the  basin 
shoals,  so  that  near  the  town  of  Nanticoke  its  depth  does 
not  probably  exceed  900  feet;  and  this  decrease  of  depth 


f- 


<^ 


^h 


MIDDLE  COAL  FIELD   BASINS. 


191 


continues  on  to  the  southwest  in  the  manner  hereinbefore 
mentioned,  so  that  on  the  diminishing  terminal  area  of 
the  Salem  Coal  Company,  west  of  the  Susquehanna  river, 
the  two  remaining  seams,  B  and  C,  are  included  in  a  depth 
of  measures  not  more  than  50  feet;  while,  as  before  stated, 
at  the  distance  of  about  a  mile  westward  from  the  river 
these  measures  rise  out  and  vanish. 

The  latest  deposits  of  coal  of  the  series,  and  the 
greatest  exhibit  of  denudation,  exist  in  a  very  limited 
district,  the  ridge  which  stretches  from  North  street  to 
Mill  creek,  between  Main  street  and  the  river,  in  the 
city  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Here  the  seams  J  and  K  are  found, 
but  not  elsewhere  throughout  the  valley.  There  are  rea- 
sons for  the  inference  that  these  deposits  took  place  at  or 
very  near  the  close  of  the  carboniferous  epoch;  as  on  the 
summit  of  the  ridge,  near  Mill  creek,  there  is  a  deposit  of 
impure  reddish-brown  limestone  in  which  may  be  seen 
many  traces  of  purely  marine  fossils,  while  in  a  black 
slate  at  no  great  distance  below,  but  above  any  deposit 
of  coal,  we  find  marine  fossil  shells,  the  Pecten  imbedded 
with  the  Modiolia;  as  may  be  seen  by  many  specimens 
in  the  cabinet  of  the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological 
Society  at  Wilkes-Barre.  This,  then,  would  seem  to  be 
the  horizon  of  another  formation — the  Permian  limestone 
and  the  new  red  sandstone — and  the  period  of  the   first 


appearance  of  air-breathing  or  true  reptiles,  the  Saurians. 
A  portion  of  the  middle  coal  field,  its  eastern  ter- 
minal basins,  is  within  the  limits  of  Luzerne  county. 
The  principal  basins  of  this  section  are  known  as  the 
Hazleton,  Big  Black,  Little  Black,  Lower  Black  and 
Green  Mountain  basins.  The  largest  of  these  is  the 
Hazleton  basin,  about  fourteen  miles  in  length.  The  lengths 
of  the  others  vary  between  seven  and  eleven  miles;  while 
the  greatest  width  is  that  of  the  Hazelton  basin,  which  is 
three-fourths  of  a  mile.  Eastward  these  basins  are 
drained  by  Sandy  run.  Laurel  creek  and  the  northerly 
branches  of  Quakake  creek,  tributaries  of  the  Lehigh 
river;  westward  by  Black  creek,  a  branch  of  the  Nescopeck, 
whose  junction  with  the  Susquehanna  river  is  opposite 
the  town  of  Berwick,  in  Columbia  county. 
_  The  coal  seams  in  these  basins  do  not  range  higher  in 
the  series  than  the  E  or  Mammoth;  which  E  seam  is  in 
many  places  thicker  than  in  the  Wyoming  b.isin  except 
in  the  locality  of  Wilkes-Barre;  and  the  lower  B,  C  and 
D  have  in  general  a  greater  and  more  even  tliickness  than 
those  of  the  northern  basin.  There  is  no  section  of  the 
coal  fields  where  mining  has  been  attended  with  greater 
success,  both  as  respects  economy  of  operating  and  finan- 
cial results. 

Charles  F.  Ingham. 


4= 


ih 


ILKES-BARRE,  one  of  the  five  townships 
allotted  by  the  Susquehanna  Company  to 
the  Connecticut  settlers  in  1768,  was  sur- 
veyed in  1770  by  David  Meade  and  named 
in   honor   of    John    Wilkes    and    Colonel 
Barre,  members  of  Parliament   and  distinguished 
advocates   for  liberty  and  the  rights   of  the  colo- 
nies before  they  were  won  by  the  war  for  independence. 

Early  History  and  Settlement. 

In  1742  most  of  the  Delawares,  under  their  chief  Tad- 
ame,  came  to  Wyoming  and  built  a  village  on  the  flats 
below  the  present  site  of  Wilkes-Barre,  the  minority  set- 
tling at  the  same  time  on  the  Juniata,  near  Lewistown. 
About  a  mile  below  this  Delaware  village,  "  Maughwau- 
wame,"  near  the  line  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Hanover, 
the  "grasshopper"  war  is  said  to  have  been  fought  between 
the  Delawares  and  the  Shawanese.  By  order  of  the  Su-' 
prerae  Executive  Council,  probably  issued  as  much  with 
an  intent  to  crush  the  projects  of  New  Englanders  about 
to  colonize  in  Wyoming  as  for  any  especial  regard  for 
the  wishes  of  Teedyuscung,  in  1758  ten  log  houses 
"  twenty  feet  by  fourteen  in  the  clear,  and  one  twenty- 
four  by  sixteen,  of  squared  logs  and  dove-tailed,"  were 
built  for  the  Delaware  chief  and  his  followers.  These 
were  the  first  dwelling  houses  erected  in  Wyoming. 
Other  buildings  were  subsequently  erected  there,  for  on 
the  night  of  April  19th,  1763,  the  dwelling  of  Teedyus- 
cung and  twenty  others  around  it  were  set  on  fire  by  a 
party  of  Iroquois  who  had  visited  the  village  under  the 
guise  of  friendship,  and  the  chief,  under  the  influence  of 
liquor,  perished  in  the  flames.  This  was  an  act  of  savage 
vengeance  for  the  death  of  an  Iroquois  warrior  at  the 
hand  of  Teedyuscung  in  1758. 

The  settlement  of  Wilkes-Barre  by  whites  begun  within 
the  limits  of  the  present  city.  According  to  a  certified 
warrant  map  of  AVilkes-Barre,  which  has  been  consulted, 
the  land  now  embraced  within  the  township  limits  was 
granted  to  the  following  named  persons:  Wilbur  Ben- 
nett, Ebenezer  Bowman,  Samuel  Bowman,  Robert  Ben- 
nett, Lord  Butler,  Hugh  Conner,  Aziel  Dana,  Anderson 
Dana,   Amelia   Durkee,   Jabez     Fish,    Jesse    Fell,  Hugh 


Forseman,  Matthias  HoUenback,  Rev.  Jacob  Johnson, 
William  Ross,  Jonathan  Slocum,  Stephen  Tuttle,  Andrew 
Wickeizer,  Conrad  Wickeizer  and  Elizabeth  Wigton. 

Early  Government. 

Prior  to  1772,  the  small  population  beingbusily  engaged 
in  the  pioneer  steps  of  agriculture,  there  was  no  organized 
local  government,  nor  was  such  needed  under  the  exist- 
ing circumstances.  Owing  to  the  unsettled  condition  of 
civil  affairs,  arising  from  disputed  proprietorship,  the  lo- 
cal government  was  inseparable  from  that  of  the  five 
townships  as  organized  by  the  Susquehanna  Company  in 
1773;  each  of  which  was  entitled  to  three  representatives, 
whose  duty  it  was  to  meet  in  Wilkes-Barre  every  three 
months  for  the  settlement  of  any  disputes  which  arose 
from  time  to  time.  June  2nd,  1773,  Major  John  Durkee, 
Captain  Zebulon  Butler  and  Obadiah  Gore,  jr.,  residents 
of  Wilkes-Barre,  were  appointed  to  serve  in  such  capacity 
until  the  first  Monday  of  the  following  December. 

The  laws  were  not  elaborate,  though  sometimes  en- 
forced with  undue  zeal;  they  required  that  the  people  live 
orderly,  soberly  and  peaceably  and  were  impartially 
executed.  Idleness  and  disorder  were  punished  at  the 
whipping-post  and  at  the  stocks.  The  more  serious 
crimes  of  burglary  and  adultery  were  sometimes  attended 
with  exclusion  from  the  community  or  forfeiture  of  prop- 
erty. 

Some  Early    Land  Sales. 

Lands  in  Wilkes-Barre,  as  the  town  was  then  bounded, 
were  very  cheap  in  the  early  days.  From  records  of 
sales  in  1772-3  it  appears  that  lots  brought  the  following 
low  prices  :  July  6th,  1772,  Silas  Gore  sold  to  Jonathan 
Stowell  of  Ashford,  Conn.,  for  ^20,  one  whole  settling 
right,  which  included  "  the  home  or  house  lot  No.  28,  the 
meadow  lot  No.  50  and  the  third  division  or  back  lot  No. 
44-"  August  2ist,  1772,  Asa  Stephens  sold  to  Enoch 
Judd  for  ^43  one  settling  right,  "being  meadow  lot  No. 
20,  house  lot  No.  27,  and  back  lot  No.  8."  February 
22nd,  1773,  Elijah  Loomis,  of  Harrington,  Litchfield 
county.  Conn.,  sold  to  Elisha  Swift  a  whole  right,  includ- 
ing  "  town  lot  No.   3,  meadow  lot  28  and  back  lot  No. 


^H= 


-f 


*4h 


-^^ 


WILKES-BARRE  A  COUNTY  SEAT— EARLY  INHABITANTS, 


193 


26,"  for  £100.  The  old  Wilkes-Barre  burying  ground, 
with  an  area  of  nearly  three  acres,  was  purchased  in  1772 
for  ^9,  lod;  and  in  that  burial  place  were  laid  to  rest 
many  whose  names  will  live  in  the  history  of  Wyoming 
long  after  the  monuments  erected  to  their  memory  shall 
have  crumbled  into  dust — the  fathers  and  mothers  and 
defenders  of  the  valley. 

Wilkes-Barre  A  Westmoreland  District. 

At  the  first  town  meeting  for  the  town  of  Westmoreland, 
held  March  ist  and  2nd,  1774,  Wilkes-Barre  was  made  a 
district  of  the  said  town,  which  included  all  of  the  settle- 
ments from  the  Delaware  river  to  fifteen  miles  beyond 
the  Susquehanna  and  from  the  Lehigh  north  to  Tioga 
Point. 

In  1776  a  struggle  occurred  between  Wilkes-Barre  and 
Kingston  for  the  county  seat  of  Westmoreland,  which 
during  that  year  was  created  a  county  by  the  Assembly 
of  Connecticut.  The  contest  terminated  disastrously  to 
the  last  named  settlement.  The  first  court  of  the  new 
county  was  held  at  Fort  Wyoming,  on  the  river  bank  at 
the  foot  of  Northampton  street.  From  1778  to  1782, 
when  the  Connecticut  jurisdiction  ceased,  the  courts  were 
held  in  Fort  Wilkes-Barre,  on  the  public  square. 

In  the  measures  taken  by  the  authorities  of  the  town 
of  Westmoreland  for  the  public  weal  and  progress,  resi- 
dents of  Wyoming,  the  Wilkes-Barre  district,  bore  an 
important  and  conspicuous  part,  holding  many  offices; 
but  the  civil  history  of  Westmoreland,  embracing  so 
extensive  a  territory,  cannot  be  treated  in  an  article 
relating  to  the  township  of  Wilkes-Barre,  which  by  a 
decree  of  the  county  court  in  1790  became  one  of  the 
eleven  original  townships  of  Luzerne  county  recently 
organized.  Those  honored  with  positions  of  trust  in  the 
town  of  We-itmoreland  were  Zebulon  Butler,  Anderson 
Dana  and  other  residents  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Captain 
Butler  was  chosen  moderator  at  the  first  and  several  suc- 
ceeding town  meetings. 

After  a  period  of  rivalry  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  of 
Kingston  Wilkes-Barre  was  regarded  as  the  most  import- 
ant point  in  the  town,  and  there  most  of  the  public  busi- 
ness was  transacted.  At  the  second  town  meeting,  held 
April  nth  and  12th,  1774,  it  was  voted  "that  for  ye. 
present  ye  tree  that  now  stands  northerly  from  Captain 
Butler's  house  shall  be  ye  town  sign-post."  This  house 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Northampton  and  River  streets 
in  the  town-plot,  and  the  tree  stood  on  the  river  bank. 
"This  matter  of  a  legal  sign-post,"  says  iVIiner,  "is  of 
weightier  import  than,  without  explanation,  might  be 
imagined.  Newspapers  in  those  days  were  little  known 
save  in  the  larger  cities.  It  had  therefore  been  enacted 
that  a  sign-post  be  established  in  each  town,  on  which 
notices  of  public  sales,  stray  animals  taken  up,  etc.,  should 
be  nailed  or  placed  to  render  them  legal.  It  is  proper 
to  add  that  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  sign-post,  which 
was  also  the  legal  whipping-post,  a  pair  of  stocks  was 
provided  for  a  punishment  of  the  guilty  and  warning  to 
deter  from  crime.  These  (now  abjured)  monuments  of 
civilization    and    law   were    derived    from  England,  and 


brought  over,  nay,  almost  venerated  by  our  Puritan 
fathers."  That  this  tree  had  previously  been  used 
as  a  public  sign-post  is  evident  from  a  notice  dated 
November  iSth,  1772,  which  can  be  seen  at  the  rooms  of 
the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological  Society.  It  is  a 
call  for  a  town  meeting  of  the  proprietors  and  shows  the 
perforations  of  the  tacks  which  held  it  to  the  tree.  By 
the  operation  of  the  Trenton  decree  of  December  3ot-h, 
1782,  the  jurisdiction  of  Wyoming  was  transferred  from 
Connecticut  to  Pennsylvania  and  the  town  of  Westmore- 
land ceased  to  exist. 

WiLIsF.S-BaRKE    UNIIER    THE    CoUNTY    ORGANIZATION. 

Upon  the  erection  of  Luzerne  county  a  strife  arose  be- 
tween Wilkes-Barre  and  Forty  Fort,  in  Kingston,  as  to 
which  should  be  the  county  town,  which  for  various  rea- 
sons was  ultimately  decided  in  favor  of  the  former.  From 
17S2  to  1786  no  courts  had  been  held  at  Wilkes-Barre, 
as  under  the  Trenton  decree  Northumberland  was  the 
seat  of  justice  of  what  had  been  Westmoreland.  The 
first  court  of  the  newly  created  Luzerne  county  was  held 
May  27th,  1787,  at  the  residence  of  Zebulon  Butler,  at 
the  corner  of  River  and  Northampton  streets,  the  site  of 
the  present  residence  of  Hon.  Stanley  Woodward.  The 
public  offices  were  in  that  building  for  several  years,  in 
charge  of  the  celebrated  Timothy  Pickering,  who  per- 
formed the  multifarious  duties  of  prothonotary,  register, 
recorder  and  clerk  of  the  courts. 

The.  civil  history  of  Wilkes-Barre  under  the  Luzerne 
county  organization  is  even  more  difficult  to  trace  than 
that  of  a  prior  date,  there  being  no  regularly  kept  town- 
ship records  in  existence.  The  township  increased  stead- 
ily in  population  after  it  was  known  that  settlement  would 
be  allowed  to  proceed  peacefully.  In  1799  '^^  list  of 
taxable  inhabitants  of  the  township  was  as  follows  : 

Charles  and  Stephen  Abbott,  Edward  Austin,  Christopher  Avery, 
Thomas  A.  Alkin,  William  Askara,  .lohii  Ale.vander,  Asa  Bennett, 
Charles  Bennett,  Wilbur  Bennett,  Eleazer  Bhickman,  Cain  Billings, 
Timothy  Behee.  Clark  Behee,  Isaac  Bowman,  Stephen  Barnes,  John 
Carey,  Hug-h  Conner,  Arnold  Colt,  Matthew  Cover,  Putnam  Catlin,  Cor- 
nelius Courtriffht,  Henry  Courtright,  .lohn  Courtrig-ht,  James  Conlin, 
Peter  Corbit,  Nathan  Draper,  Isaac  Decker,  Daniel  Downing,  Daniel 
Downing,  jr..  Reuben  Downing,  Joseph  Davis,  Aziel  Dana,  Alexander 
Dana,  Silvester  Dana,  Thomas  Duane,  James  Di.xon,  William  Dixon,  Ar- 
thur Eick,  Jacob  Ely,  JabezFish,  Jesse  Fell,  Daniel  Foster,  Daniel  Gore, 
Timothy  Green,  Willard  Green,  William  Augustus  George.  Daniel  Grid- 
ley,  Matthias  Hollenback.  Jonathan  Hancock,  Godfrey  Hitchcock,  Oliver 
Helme,  Jacob  Hart,  Lewis  Hartsoutf,  Solomon  Johnson,  Jacob  Johnson, 
Jehoiada  P.  Johnson,  Christiana  Johnson,  Jacob  Jenong,  Luther  Jones, 
Reuben  Jones,  John  Kennedy,  jr.,  James  Kennedy,  Daniel  Kelly,  Joseph 
Kelly,  James  Morgan,  Richard  Maybury,  Thomas  Marshal,  Enoch Ogden, 
Jacob  Ossencup,  Samuel  Pease,  Nathan  Palmer,  Benjamin  Perry,  Ben- 
jamin Potts,  John  Potts,  Mary  Phillips,  John  Pooder,  David  Richards, 
William  Ross,  Eloph  Ross,  John  Koseorants,  .laoob  Rosecrants,  Widow 
Roseerants,  Thomas  Read,  William  Russell,  John  Paul  Sehott,  William 
Slocum,  Joseph  Slocurn,  Benjamin  Slocum,  Ebenezer  Slocum,  Jonathan 
Slocum.  Eunice  .«prague,  Polly  Stevens,  Obadiah  Smith,  Paul  Stark, 
Henry  Stark,  William  Shoemaker,  Joshua  Squire,  Henry  Tilbury, 
Stephen  Tuttle,  Benjamin  Truesdale,  Elias  Vanderma\-k,  Nathan  Waller, 
Phineas  Waller,  Eliab  Waller,  Andrew  Wickeizer,  Conrad  Wickeizer, 
Joseph  Wright,  Thomas  Wright,  Philip  Weekes,  Thomas  Weekes,  Jona- 
than Wildman,  Henry  Wilson,  James  VVestbrook,  Richard  Westbrook, 
Justice  Wollcott,  Crandal  Wilcox,  Isaac  Wilcox,  William  Wright  and 
Roswell  Wells. 

By  subsequent  alterations  of  the  township  limits  the 
lands  owned  by  many  of  the  above  named  persons  fell 
within  other  township   boundaries.     The  area  of  Wilkes- 


*^N 


4^ 


25 


194 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4= 


Barre  township  has  been  reduced  as  follows  at  the  dates 
given  :  By  the  erection  of  Wilkes-Barre  borough,  March 
17th,  1806;  by  the  erection  of  Covington  township  in 
January,  1818;  by  the  setting  off  of  a  portion  to  form 
part  of  Plains  township,  November  loth,  1S51;  by  the 
erection  of  Bear  Creek  township,  April  7th,  1806;  and 
by  the  erection  of  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre,  May  4th, 
1871. 

As  a  matter  of  interest,  the  names  of  some  of  the  early 
constables  are  appended,  though  it  has  been  found  im- 
possible to  complete  the  list.  The  successive  constables 
elected  by  the  combined  vote  of  the  township  and  bor- 
ough, previous  to  1819,  were  as  follows  :  Josiah  l.,ewis, 
1806;  Enoch  Ogden,  1807;  Jonathan  Bulklev,  1808; 
Isaac  Carpenter,  1809;  Peter  Yarrington,  1810;  Joseph 
Vonsick,  1811;  Andrew  Coget,  1812;  John  Hancock, 
1813-15;  Phineas  Walker,  i8i6;  James  Gridley,  1818. 
The  first  high  constable  elected  was  George  Griffin,  a 
member  of  the  Luzerne  county  bar.  He  did  not  qualify 
for  the  reason  that  it  was  decided  that  the  two  positions 
were  incompatible.  A  special  election  was  ordered  to 
fill  the  vacancy  thus  occasioned,  and  Peter  Yarrington 
was  elected  and  sworn  in.  The  first  constable  elected 
by  the  voters  of  the  borough  for  "Wilkes-Barre,  county 
town,"  was  Barnet  Ulp,  in  1819.  John  Hancock,  son  of 
Jonathan  Hancock,  was  his  deputy. 

Borough  History. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  town  plot  was  surveyed  in  1772,  by 
Colonel  John  Durkee.  It  was  near  the  center  of  the 
township  north  and  south,  on  the  river,  and  embraced 
two  hundred  acres  of  land,  laid  out  in  eight  squares,  with 
a  diamond  (the  public  square)  in  the  center.  By  the 
opening  of  Washington  and  Franklin  streets  these  squares 
were  afterward  divided  into  sixteen  parallelograms. 

March  lyth,  1806,  the  borough  of  Wilkes-Barre  was 
duly  incorporated,  embracing  the  town  plot  and  the  pub- 
lic common  bordering  the  river,  according  to  the  follow- 
ing survey: 

Beginning  at  a  stake  at  low  water  marlj,  on  the  south  side  of  the  north- 
east branch  of  the  Susquehanna  river,  and  running  thence  south  thirty- 
four  degrees  forty  minutes  east,  ninety-four  perches,  to  a  stalte  on  the 
main  street;  thence  on  the  south  side  of  said  street  south  thirty-four 
degrees  forty  minutes  east,  siity-four  perches  and  two-tenths  of  a 
perch,  to  the  south  corner  of  said  town  plot;  thence  on  the  southeast 
side  of  said  back  street,  and  continuing  that  course  flfty-flve  degrees 
twenty  minutes,  four  hundred  and  Ave  (106)  perches,  to  a  post  where  that 
line  intersects  the  north  side  of  .Jacob  Johnson's  lot;  thence  on  the  line 
of  said  lot  north  flfty-one  degrees  thirty  minutes  west,  ninety-nine 
perches  to  a  post;  thence  south  flfty-flve  degrees  twenty  minutes  west 
one  hundred  and  eighteen  perches,  to  a  post  on  the  north  side  of  North 
street;  thence  north  thirty-four  deg-rees  forty  minutes  west,  fifty-six 
perches,  to  an  iron  bolt  in  a  rock  at  low  water  mark  of  the  said  Susque- 
hanna river ;  thence  down  the  said  river  the  several  courses  thereof  at 
low  water  mark  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

By   act   of  Assembly   approved   March  13th,  1847,  the 
borough  limits  were  changed  as  follows: 

That  portion  of  the  borough  lying  northeasterly  of  North  street 
which  runs  southeasterly  and  northwesterly  below  the  tannery  of  Bow- 
man &  Lewis  in  said  borough  is  separated  from  the  borough  and  at- 
tached to  the  township  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  the  upper  or  northeasterly 
side  of  said  North  street  eitending  from  the  Susquehanna  river  to  the 
southeasterly  line  of  the  borough  shall  be  the  northeastern  boundary 
and  the  line  between  the  borough  and  township  of  Wilkes-Barre.  ' 

By  an  act  passed  in  1868  the  limits  were  a  second  time 
changed,  as  follows: 


Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  Susquehanna  river,  at  low  water  mark,  in 
line  with  the  northerly  side  of  North  street ;  thence  along  North  street 
to  the  road  leading  to  Coal  brook  ;  thence  along  the  northerly  side  nf 
said  road  about  twenty  rods ;  thence  by  a  line  nearly  parallel  with  Canal 
street  to  the  southei-ly  side  of  the  towing  path  of  the  canal ;  thence 
along  the  southerly  side  of  the  towing  path  of  the  North  Branch  Canal 
to  apoint  in  line  with  the  division  between  lots  number  23  and  33 of  eer- 
tifled  Wilkes-Barre ;  thenoe  along  that  line  aboutone  hundred  and  flfty- 
three  rods  toward  the  river  Susquehanna  ;  thence  by  a  line  parallel  with 
River  street  to  a  point  on  the  river  aforesaid,  at  low  water  mark;  thence 
up  the  said  river  to  the  beginning. 

By  an  ordinance  approved    May  2nd,  1870,  the  follow 
ing  territory  was  added  to  the  borough: 

Beginning  at  the  southwesterly  corner  of  the  borough,  thence  south- 
westerly by  the  prolongation  of  the  southwesterly  line  of  the  borough 
to  a  point  on  the  westerly  side  of  the  Careytown  road;  thence  south- 
westerly and  along  the  westerly  side  of  said  road  to  a  point  opposite  the 
division  line  of  the  lands  of  B.  W.  Sturdevantand  of  the  estate  of  Mary 
Richards,  deceased;  thence  southeasterly  by  the  said  division  line  and 
the  prolongation  thereof  to  a  point  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  roadway 
of  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  railroad;  thence  northerly  along  the 
easterly  side  of  said  railroad  roadway  to  the  westerly  bank  of  Coal 
Brook;  thence  northerly  along  the  westerly  bank  of  said  brook  to  the 
southerly  bank  of  Mill  creek;  thence  westerly  along  the  southerly  bank 
of  Mill  creek  to  the  Susquehanna  river  at  low  water  mark;  thence 
southwesterly  down  the  river  at  low  water  mark  to  the  northwesterly 
corner  of  the  borough;  and  thence  by  the  northerly,  easterly  and  south- 
erly lines  of  the  borough  to  the  point  of  beginning. 

By  an  ordinance  approved  October  29th,  1870,  another 

addition  was   made   to   the  territory  of    the  borough,  as 

follows: 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  easterly  line  of  the  borough  in  the  pro- 
longation of  the  southerly  line  of  Stanton  street  or  road  toward  the 
borough  lines ;  thence  by  said  line  and  the  southerly  lineof  said  Stanton 
street  or  road  southeasterly  to  the  easterly  side  of  the  Empire  road; 
thence  northeasterly  along  the  easterly  side  of  said  Empire  road  to  the 
northerly  side  of  Coal  street ;  northwesterly  to  a  point  in  the  prolonga- 
tion of  the  line  between  lands  of  Mrs.  Ellen  J.  Wells  and  the  Hollenback 
Coal  Company;  thence  by  said  line  northwesterly  to  a  point  on  the 
easterly  line  of  the  borough  in  the  line  of  the  prolongation  of  the  south- 
erly side  of  Union  street,  and  thence  by  the  easterly  line  of  the  borough 
to  the  point  of  beginning. 

The  act  creating  the  borough  did  not  separate  it  from 
the  township  of  Wilkes-Barre  nor  constitute  it  an  inde- 
pendent election  district,  but  left  its  citizens  still  inhabit- 
ants of  the  township,  its  voters  being  voters  at  the  town- 
ship elections  for  the  township  officers  until  1818  or  1819, 
when  the  borough  ceased  to  have  any  connection  with 
the  township  election  and  from  that  time  forward  elected 
its  own  constable  under  the  somewhat  lengthy  title  of 
"Constable  of  Wilkes-Barre,  County-Town;"  but  ii  was 
not  until  1835  or  1836  that  the  borough  was  made  a  ep- 
arate  election  district  and  ceased  to  vote  with  the  to.-n- 
ship  at  general  election.  The  first  mentioned  of  the  t.vo 
changes  above  referred  to  was  effected  by  an  action  of 
the  voters  in  Wilkes-Barre  township  outside  the  borough 
limits,  who  took  possession  of  the  election  board  and 
ballot  boxes  and  denied  the  right  of  any  resident  of  the 
borough  to  vote  for  township  officers;  and  at  the  suc- 
ceeding session  of  the  Legislature  the  borough  was  era- 
powered  to  elect  its  own  constable,  of  which  right  the 
voters  availed  themselves  as  above  stated. 

Jesse  Fell  was  named  in  the  act  of  incorporation  as  a 
commissioner  to  proclaim  the  first  borough  election 
which  was  held  May  6th,  1806.  There  is  no  record  of 
the  number  of  votes  polled,  but  it  has  been  estimated  at 
about  sixty.  As  the  result  of  that  election  Jesse  Fell 
became  the  first  burgess  and  Matthias  Hollenback  Ros- 
well  Wells,  Lord  Butler,  Arnold  Colt,  Nathan  pLlmer, 
Charles  Miner  and  Samuel  Bowman  constituted  the  first 


i)* 


^h 


i 


C.    D.    FOSTER. 


Charles  D.  Foster  was  born  in  the  township  of  Dallas, 
Luzerne  county,  where  his  parents  were  residing  tem- 
porarily, on  the  2Sth  of  November,  1836.  His  father  was 
Phineas  Nash  Foster,  of  the  substantial  Yankee  stock 
from  Connecticut;  his  mother  was  Mary  P.  Johnson,  a 
granddaughter  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  Johnson,  the  pioneer 
Congregational  minister  of  Wyoming.  Mr.  P.  N.  Foster 
was  a  prosperous  farm- 
er of  Jackson  township, 
near  Huntsville,  having 
inherited  his  ancestral 
acres,  upon  which  he 
lived  from  the  age  of 
seven  years  to  the  day 
of  his  death.  Charles 
D.,  being  the  sole  heir, 
is  now  the  owner  of 
one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive farms  in  this  part  of 
Luzerne  county,  cover- 
ing an  area  of  over  a 
mile  square,  lying  part- 
ly in  Jackson  and  part- 
ly in  Dallas.  Mr.  Fos- 
ter assisted  his  father 
in  doing  the  usual  work 
on  the  farm  until  he 
arrived  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years,  in  the 
meantime  attending  the 
district  schools  during 
the  winter  months.  At 
that  age  he  entered 
Wyoming  Seminary,  at 
Kingston,  Pa.,  and  re- 
mained there  three 
years,  graduating  with 
the  first  of  his  class. 
After  this  he  taught  the 
village  school  in  Jack- 
son one  year ;  he  also 
taught  school  in  the 
State  of  Illinois  for  a 
short  time.  Returning 
to  his  father's  farm  he 

remained  there  about  a  year,  after  which  he  entered  as  a 
law  student  the  office  of  Lyman  Hakes,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
and  in  due  time  was  admitted  to  practice  as  a  member  of 
the  bar  of  Luzerne  county. 

Mr.  Foster  early  identified  himself  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  has  labored  in  a  quiet  way  for  the  promotion 


of  the  principles  of  that  party  ever  since;  he  has  never 
sought  nor  obtained  any  office  in  the  gift  of  the  people. 
He  was  solicited  to  become  a  candidate  for  represent- 
ative for  the  Wilkes-Barre  district  in  the  campaign  of 
1880,  but  he  preferred  the  ease  of  a  quiet  home  to  the 
perplexities  of  a  Pennsylvania  legislator,  and  made  no 
effort  to  secure  the  nomination. 

In  1862  he  joined 
a  company  of  home 
guards,  shouldered  a 
musket,  marched  with 
the  Pennsylvania  mili- 
tia into  Maryland  and 
stood  ready  to  defend 
the  integrity  of  the 
commonwealth,  within 
sound  of  McClellan's 
and  Lee's  guns  at  the 
bloody  field  on  the 
banks  of  the  Antietam 
creek. 

On  the  4th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1865,  Mr.  Foster 
married  Miss  Mary 
Jane  Hosgland,  daugh- 
ter of  Amos  Hoagland, 
of  Newark,  N.  J.  They 
have  two  daughters, 
Narcissa  Florence  and 
Lillie  Blanche,  but  no 
sons. 

Mr.  Foster's  resi- 
dence is  an  unpretend- 
ing one  on  Franklin 
street,  below  Market; 
and  though  his  busi- 
ness is  strictly  that  of 
a  lawyer  with  large 
practice,  he  takes  great 
pleasure  in  overseeing 
and  managing  his  large 
farm  in  Jackson,  and 
makes  frequent  visits 
thither  with  his  fine 
team  of  horses  ;  not 
only  as  a  matter  of  business  but  also  to- gratify  his  filial 
devotion  to  his  aged  mother,  who  still  resides  at  the 
modest  farm-house  where  she  has  spent  the  greater  part 
of  her  long  life,  and  prefers  the  familiar  scenes  and 
objects  of  her  early  womanhood  to  all  the  wealth  and 
splendor  that  a  city  can  afford. 


4 


=K^ 


Hh 


=^H 


PETER  PURSEL  (Deceased). 


The  subject  of  this  sketch,  a  prominent  and  influential 
citizen  of  Wilkes- Barre  for  many  years,  was  born  in  New 
Jersey,  October  17th,  1814,  and  was  married  April  9th, 
1836,  to  Mary  Pursel,  of  Bucks  county.  Pa.  In  1839 
they  removed  to  Wilkes-Barre  and  soon  afterward  rented 
a  farm  of  William  Swetland,  near  Wyoming.  It  was  not 
long,  however,  before  Mr.  Pursel  bought  a  large  lumber 
property  in  Bear  Creek  township,  which  proved  to  be 
profitable  under  his  management.  Thence  he  removed 
to  Pittston,  where  for  several  years  he  had  charge  of  the 
Maryland  Coal  Company's  works;  thence  to  Easton, 
Pa.,  thence  again  to  Bear  Creek  township,  where  Mr. 
Pursel  purchased  the  W'^illiams  tract  and  re-engaged  in 
lumbering  on  a  very  extensive  scale.  After  awhile  he  a 
second  time  made  Wilkes-Barre  the  family  home,  carry- 
ing on  a  successful  omnibus  business  until  it  was  render- 
ed unprofitable  by  the  growing  railway  interests  of  the 
section,  when  he  embarked  in  the  livery  business  and 
other  similar  pursuits. 

It  has  been  said  by  one  who  knew  him  that  ''  Mr. 
Pursel  was  always  a  successful  man  in  business;  a  man 
of  strong  will;  a  true  friend  but  a  good  hater."  Like  every 
man  with  such  a  character,  he  had  many  friends  and  ex- 
erted a  decided  influence  on  the  public  and  private 
affairs  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.     He  was,  in 


fact,  a  strictly  self-made  man,  and  as  an  index  to  his 
success  in  life  it  may  be  stated  that  he  was  for  some 
years  postmaster  of  Wilkes-Barre;  and  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  January  8th,  1874,  was  president 
of  the  Wilkes-Barre  Savings  Bank,  president  of  the  Lee 
Park  Trotting  Association,  and  one  of  the  six  special 
members  of  the  city  council,  to  which  honorable  office 
Judge  Garrick  M.  Harding  appointed  him,  although  of 
opposing  political  views,  a  mark  of  trust  and  distinction 
to  which  his  official  conduct  proved  him  to  be  justly  en- 
titled. Politically,  he  was  a  steadfast  and  uncompromis- 
ing Democrat. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pursel  had  four  children  born  to  them, 
three  of  whom,  with  their  mother,  are  living.  Their 
names  were,  in  the  order  of  their  nativity,  Ellen,  Ark, 
Sallie  and  Daniel.  Sallie  died  at  the  family  residence, 
on  Union  street,  July  7th,  1868,  in  her  twenty-six  year. 
She  had  been  an  invalid  for  seven  years.  The  Christian 
resignation  with  which  she  endured  suffering  was  remark- 
able, and  that  she  was  more  than  ready  for  the  great 
change  which  must  come  to  us  all  could  not  but  be  ap- 
parent. She  had  a  mind  thoroughly  cultivated  and  a 
spirit  subservient  to  the  will  of  God;  she  had  no  words 
except  words  of  comfort  to  her  sorrowing  parents  and 
brothers  and  sister  to  the  end. 


^ 


=*i^ 


^h 


=^^ 


CIVIL  HISTORY  OF  WILKES-BARRE. 


'95 


council.  May  14th,  i8o6,  the  first  meeting  of  the  bor- 
ough council  took  place,  and  a  more  efficient  board 
never  met.  They  were  all  first-class  men  socially  and  in 
business  life.  Messrs.  Hollenback  and  Butler  were  the 
principal  merchants  of  the  town.  Messrs.  Wells  and 
Palmer  were  lawyers  of  ability;  Charles  Miner,  the  sub- 
sequent historian  of  Wyoming,  was  a  printer  and  the 
editor  of  the  Federalist,  and  a  leader  in  borough  affairs 
as  long  as  he  remained  a  member  of  the  council;  Arnold 
Colt,  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  was  a  man  of  sterling  quali- 
ties. Peleg  Tracy  was  appointed  clerk.  Soon  after 
organizing,  the  council  adopted  a  series  of  rules  for  the 
government  of  its  proceedings,  the  last  of  which  imposed 
a  fine  of  twenty-five  cents  upon  a  councilman  for  non- 
attendance  at  regularly  authorized  meetings.  These 
regulations  were  thirty-two  in  number,  and  are  said  to 
have  been  drawn  up  by  Charles  Miner.  Rule  thirty-sec- 
ond first  had  application  in  the  case  of  Colonel  Hollen- 
back, who  was  absent  at  the  second  meeting  of  the  coun- 
cil and  was  accordingly  fined. 

Owing  to  the  incompleteness  of  the  early  records  of 
the  borough  the  names  of  those  who  served  as  burgess 
between  1806  and  181 1  do  not  appear.  The  names  of 
ilie  successive  incumbents  of  that  office  from  the 
latter  date  to  the  incorporation  of  Wilkes-Barre  as  a  city 
are  as  follows: 

Lord  Butler,  1811-13 ;  Jesse  Fell,  1811-18 ;  Matthias  Hollenback,  1819 ; 
Thomas  Dyer,  1820-23:  Ebenezer  Bowman,  1823;  David  Scott,  1824-26; 
John  N.  Conying-ham,  1827, 1834-37  ;  Garrick  Mallery,  1828 ;  George  Deni- 
son,  1829 ;  Josiah  Orlando  Lewis,  1830-33 ;  Porter,  1833  ;  Hendrick  B. 
WriKht,  1838  ;  Joseph  P.  Le  Clere,  1839, 1840  ;  Isaac  Gray,  1841,  1842;  Blea- 
zer  Carey,  1843  ;  Augustus  C.  Laning,  1844, 184.5;  Joseph  B.  Williams,  1846, 
1847  ;  Gilbert  Burrows,  1848 ;  Benjamin  Drake,  1849  ;  Sidney  Tracy,  1850 ; 
Oliver  Helme,  1851 ;  Charles  A.  Lane,  1852  ;  H.  B.  Hillman,  ia53, 1854  ;  W. 
W.  Loomis,  18.55-62 ;  Charles  Bennett,  1862-64  ;  B.  B.  Harvey,  1865  ;  J.  B. 
Stark,  1866, 1867 ;  David  L.  Patrick,  1868, 1869 ;  I.  M.  Kirkendall,  1870. 

Under  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  commonwealth 
of  Pennpylvania  for  the  regulation  of  boroughs,  passed 
in  1851,  a  new  charter  was  granted  to  Wilkes-Barre 
borough  at  the  April  term  of  court  in  1855,  under  which 
it  existed  until  1871. 

The  names  of  those  who  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
in  the  districts  of  which  Wilkes-Barre  formed  the  whole 
or  a  portion  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  constitution 
of  1838  have  been  given  elsewhere.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  those  who  have  been  incumbents  of  that  office  in 
Wilkes-Barre  township  and  borough  since  that  date,  with 
the  years  of  their  election: 

William  P.  Johnson,  1840 ;  John  Stark,  1840, 1845 ;  Lyman  C.  Kidder, 
1845;  Matthew  Wood,  1850;  James  Williams,  1860 ;  Matthias  Belles,  1854;  ■ 
John  Louder,  1857,  1867;  George  Sleppy,  1857 ;  Christian  Gruver,  1860 ; 
Daniel  Harkins,  1867;  James  B.  Clarke,  1869 :  Jacob  Kocher,  1869 ;  Lau- 
rence Heerey,  1870  ;  Owen  Boyle,  1870;  John  Hughes,  1874;  P.  J.  Foley, 
187ti ;  Thomas  Dyer,  1840, 1845 ;  Eleazer  Carey,  1840 ;  Jacob  I.  Dennis,  1841; 
Gilt.irt  Burrows,  1845,  18.50,  1855 ;  Bliphalet  A.  Bulkley,  1840  ;  Joseph  B. 
Will;.' ms,  1850;  Stephen  Vaughn,  1851,  1850,  1801;  George  S.  Grotf,  1851; 
1856;  -'harpD.  Lewis,  1859,  18St,  1869;  B.A.Barnes,  1858;  Charles  Ben- 
nett, ;.!61;  Charles  A.  Zoigler,  186i,  1887;  Matthew  Wood,  1860,  1867; 
Frederick  J.  Helfrlch,  1863 ;  B.  B.  Harvey,  1866,  1871 ;  Jacob  Bertels; 
1863  ;  Sanford  E.  Parsons,  1865, 1870 ;  Sylvester  Dana,  1865 ;  A.  B.  Winder, 
1869. 

Wilkes-Barre  a  City. 

The  city  of  Wilkes-Barre  was  incorporated  by  an  act 
of  Assembly  approved  May  24th,  1871,  and  included  the 
borough  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  all  of  the  township  of  Wilkes- 


Barre  lying  west  of  the  Empire  road,  projected  northerly 
to  the  township  line  of  Plains  and  southerly  to  the  town- 
ship line  of  Hanover.  It  was  divided  into  fifteen  wards. 
The  first  municipal  election  resulted  in  the  choice 
of  the  following  officers  :    L   M.   Kirkendall,  mayor  ;  F. 

D.  Vose,  high  constable  ;  Isaac  S.  Osterhout,  Adolph 
Voigt  and  J.  A.  Rippard,  auditors.  The  following  named 
gentlemen  composed  the  first  board  of  councilmen  :  J. 

E.  Clarke,  M.  Regan,  J.  C.  Williamson,  H.  B.  Hillman, 
Hiram  Wentz,  William  A.  Swan,  Walter  G.  Sterling,  H. 
C.  Fry,  George  H.  Parrish,  Charles  A.  Miner,  C.  P. 
Kidder,  Joseph  Schilling,  Anthony  Helfrich,  C.  B.  Dana, 
and  John  Gilligan. 

The  following  named  persons  have  served  successively 
as  mayor:  1871-73,  I.  M.  Kirkendall  ;  1874-76,  M.  A. 
Kearney;  1877-79,  W.  W.  Loomis.  Thomas  Broderick 
was  elected  in  1880. 

The  following  named  citizens  have  been  elected  alder- 
men in  their  respective  wards  in  the  years  given  : 

First.— Levi  Jones,  1872;   Thomas   Flaherty,  1877;   M.  Cannon,  1879. 
Second.-John  C.  Hilbert,  1871 ;  Edward  E.  Barrett,  1876.    Third.— John 

F.  Donohue,  1876.  Fourth.- Charles  L.  Bulkeley,  1874, 1879.  Fifth.— M. 
J.  Philbin,  1871,  1876 ;  James  Thomas,  1879.  Sixth.— B.  H.  Hawk,  1873; 
Michael  Mui-phy,  1878.  Seventh. -W.  S.  Parsons,  1872,  1877.  Eighth.— 
Charles  A.  Zeigler,  1872,  1877.  Ninth.— David  Caird,  1871;  Jeremiah 
Eooney,  1878.  Tenth.— Benjamin  F.  Bailey,  1873;  J.  A.  Wood,  1878. 
Eleventh.— Matthew  Wood,  1872 ;  Luther  M.  Chase,  1876 ;  James  Higgs. 
Twelfth.— C.  B.  Sutton,  1874, 1879.  Thirteenth.- Frederick  A.  Seybert, 
1871;  Jacob  Gutendorf,  1874;  George  Baer,  1879.  Fourteenth.- Owen 
O'Boyle,  1876.    Thomas  Q.  Wagner,  1873;  John  B.  Quick,  1876. 

Population. 

In  1772  the  population  of  Wilkes-Barre  was  so  small 
that  there  were  within  its  borders  only  five  white  women; 
but  during  the  year  several  of  the  settlers  went  east  to 
bring  out  their  families.  The  whole  number  of  buildings 
in  1784  was  26,  and  23  of  these  were  burned  by  the  Pen- 
namites  during  that  year.  The  population  of  the  village 
in  1800  is  not  definitely  known;  but  the  entire  number  of 
taxables  in  the  township,  as  then  bounded,  the  previous 
year  was  121.  At  the  date  of  the  incorporation  of  the 
borough  (1806)  the  number  of  persons  living  within  its 
limits  is  said  to  have  been  about  500,  and  there  were 
only  48  houses  between  North  and  South  streets.  The 
borough  had  attained  to  a  population  of  732  in  1820.  In 
1830  it  was  1,201;  in  1840,  1,718;  in  1850,  2,723;  in 
i860,  4,259.  About  this  time  the  borough  began  that 
rapid  growth  which  caused  the  number  of  its  inhabitants 
to  reach  10,174  in  1870  and  to  increase  to  23,340  in  1880 
out  of  a  total  of  130,000  for  Luzerne  county. 

Events  of  Historical  Interest. 

The  history  of  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre  has  never  been 
written.  Those  early  events  which  have  made  its  name 
and  location  famous  to  all  readers  of  the  pioneer 
history  of  Pennsylvania  have  been  recorded  from  time  to 
time  in  the  various  works  relating  to  Wyoming  and  its 
tragic  past,  and  isolated  articles  have  appeared  which 
treated  of  special  elements  in  its  growth  and  prosperity, 
while  a  few  of  the  operations  incident  to  its  earlier  ad- 
vancement have  formed  not  uninteresting  portions  of  the 
works  above  referred  to;  but  the  history    of  the  city,  as 


-^'^ 


=^N- 


196 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


such,  treating  of  its  commercial,  educational,  social,  reli- 
gious   and   municipal   growth   is  first   attempted  in  this 
volume.     Those  events  which  occurred  within  the  limits 
of  the  present  city  subsequent   to   the   first  settlement  of 
Wyoming,  and  during  the  trying  periods  of   the  Revolu- 
tionary and  Pennamite  wars,  were   so    intimately  related 
to  others  whose  locale  was   up   and   down   and  across  the 
river,   in   adjoining  villages    and    townships,   that  it  has 
been  found  impossible  to  consider  them  separately  from 
those  other  events  which,  with  these,  formed  the  material 
for  the  thrilling  history  of   Wyoming.     As  a  remarkable 
chain  of  tragic  occurrences  they   have,  in   their  entirety, 
excited  remark  from  the  pens  of  distinguished  historians, 
poets  and  novelists  on  both  sides  of   the  Atlantic.    They 
have  taken  their  |)lace  in  the  annals  of  the  commonwealth 
as  without  parallel  for  the  many  terrible  elements  which 
rendered  the  beautiful  Wyoming  valley  an  abiding  place 
for  horror,  rapine  and  murder,  and  to  the  general  history 
of  the   county  the  reader  is  referred  for  such  record  as 
they  have  seemed  to  deserve  at  our  hands.     The  erection 
of  Forts  Durkee,  Wyoming  and  Wilkes-Barre  within  the 
borders  of  the  town-plot,  Fort  Ogden  just  within  the  bor- 
der of  Plains  and  Fort  Lillope  or  Jenkins  on  the  Wilkes- 
Barre   mountain;  the  capture  of  John  Franklin   in  1787 
and  of  Timothy  Pickering  June   26th,   1788;  the  zeal  of 
Wilkes-Barreans  in  the  Revolutionary  cause;  the  burning 
of  the  village,  July  4th,  1788;  the  capture  of  Frances  Slo- 
cum  by  the  Indians  and  her  subsequent  interesting  story, 
the  sojourn  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,   the   Duke  of  Mont- 
pensier   and   the    Count  of   Beaujolais,  French  exiles,  at 
Arndt's  tavern  in   June,  1707,  and  other  noteworthy  oc- 
currences   are    most  of  them  among   those    referred   to 
above,   and  all  help   to   form   the  events  in  a  history  as 
striking  and  as  full  of  tragic  interest  as  that  of  any  part 
of  the  United  States.      Those  events  of  which  the  forts 
mentioned  were  the  centres  would,  if  they  could  be  writ 
ten   of   as  isolated  occurrences,   properly   belong  to  the 
history  of  the  township  and  present  city  of  Wilkes-Barre 
Those   events  and  measures  which  have  contributed  to 
the   growth  and  prosperity  of  Wilkes-Barre  successively 
as   a  frontier  settlement,   a  charming  country  village,  a 
thriving  borough   and  a  busy  city  it  is  designed  to  con- 
sider in  the  following  pages. 

Family  Names. 

"The  leading  families  of  Wilkes-Barre,"  says  Clark, 
"are  nearly  all  direct  descendants  of  the  pioneers  of  Wyo- 
ming valley,  and  are  cultured  to  an  enviable  degree.  * 
*  *  A  few  of  the  familiar  names  may  be  cited  as  ex- 
hibiting the  social  status  of  the  city.  Here  is  the  Ross 
family,  historical  as  descended  from  General  William 
Ross;  the  Hollenbacks,  tracing  with  pride  to  the  old 
colonel,  of  whom  every  household  in  northern  Pennsyl- 
vania has  heard;  the  Butlers,  from  General  Lord  Butler- 
the  Dorrance  family,  from  Colonel  Benjamin  Dorrance; 
the  Pettebones,  from  Noah  Pettebone,  an  old  hero  in  the 
early  struggles;  the  Johnsons,  from  Rev.  Jacob  John- 
son; the  Myers  family;  Shoemaker  family;  the  Denisons, 
from  Colonel  Nathan  Denison;  the  Sweetlands,  M'Kera- 


chans  and  Careys;  the  Ransom  and  Jenkins  families; 
Inmans,  Ives  and  Abbotts;  Blackmans  and  Starks;  the 
Harding  and  Dana  descendants,  now  prominent  in  local 
history;  Beach,  Jameson,  Perkins,  Searle  and  Gore; 
Young,  Durkee,  Sill,  Fitch,  Atherton,  Harvey,  Pierce, 
Gere,  Gaylord,  Miner,  and  a  long  line  of  others  too 
numerous  to  mention."  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  Mr. 
Steuben  Butler,  a  son  of  the  colonel  commanding,  and  a 
daughter  of  Colonel  Denison  (Mrs.  Sarah  Abbott),  who 
was  second  in  command  on  the  field  of  massacre,  are  the 
only  living  immediate  descendants  of  that  fated  band  of 
heroic  men  who  fought  so  desperately  on  the  plains  at 
Wyoming  in  opposing  the  savage  invaders  of  the  valley 
in  1778. 

Early  Merchants  and  Builders. 

There  were  numbers  of  young  men  ready  to  embark  in 
mercantile  enterprises  in  the  new  territory  to  the  full  ex- 
tent of  their  means,  anticipating  large  return  ])rofits  for- 
their  limited  outlays.  The  first  settlers  brought  their 
first  year's  supplies  with  them,  and  a  merchant  would  have 
found  small  resultant  profits  who  depended  upon  the 
early  settlers  alone  for  his  patronage;  but  here  was  a 
promising  field  for  Indian  commerce — a  great  volume  of 
the  peltry  trade,  extending  from  the  Nanticoke  falls  up 
the  Susquehanna  river  to  Seneca  lake  and  from  thence 
to  Niagara,  the  central  point  of  the  Indian  traffic  in 
furs — both  before  and  after  the  Revolutionary  struggle. 
It  is  pretty  certain  that  there  were  Indian  traders  in 
Wyoming  before  the  first  advent  of  the  Yankee  colonists 
in  1763,  and  subsequently  in  1769  ;  but  of  these  traders 
there  is  no  record  among  the  archives  of  the  Susque- 
hanna Company,  though  it  is  a  well  established  fact  that 
John  Jacob  Astor  visited' the  valley  as  early  as  1775,  and 
made  the  tour  to  Niagara  with  Matthias  HoUenback 
as  his  guide  and  partner  in  trade.  It  was  during  this 
journey  that  Mr.  HoUenback  marked  out  his  future  pro- 
gramme as  a  trader  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Niagara.  He 
came  to  the  valley  from  Lebanon  county,  whither  his 
father  had  come  from  Virginia,  and  another  branch  of 
the  family  had  settled  in  Montgomery  county.  It  is 
quite  certain  that  Mr.  HoUenback  kept  a  store  on  South 
ISfain  street,  just  below  the  corner  of  Northampton,  pre- 
vious to  the  battle  of  July  3d,  1778  ;  and  this  store  was 
kept  after  the  restoration  of  peace  up  to  about  1820, 
when  it  was  removed  to  the  new  brick  store  of  George 
M.  HoUenback.  Mr.  HoUenback  was  the  first  regular 
merchant  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  one  of  only  two  merchants 
in  Westmoreland  in  1781.  His  business  extended  for 
many  years  after  the  war  up  the  Susquehanna  river  to 
Niagara,  with  branches  at  Wysox,  Tioga  (N.  Y.),  and  a  fur 
trading  house  at  Niagara,  in  which  he  had  succeeded 
John  Jacob  Astor  in  1783. 

After  the  peace  of  1783  and  thereturn  of  the  fugitive 
settlers  to  Wilkes-Barre  there  was  no  lack  of  storekeepers. 
Among  the  first,  if  not  the  very  first,  was  Lord  Butler,  on 
the  corner  of  River  and  Northampton  streets.  This  estab- 
lishment was  continued  up  to  1820.  About  the  same  time 
John  P.  Schott  opened  a  retail  store  on  River  street,between 


4^ 


-4¥ 


/^   •d^K.-^>^^^' 


HU^H  GHEP.IL^t'  UF  blJZtP.JsE  COUNTY 
1  8  1 1-  . 


BUSINESS  BEGINNINGS  AT  WILKES-BARRE. 


197 


Lord  Butler's  and  South  street,  but  did  not  continue 
long  in  trade.  As  early  as  1795,  0^  perhaps  earlier, 
Thomas  Wright  and  Thomas  Duane  opened  a  store  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  on  the  corner  of  the  public  square  and 
North  Main  street,  which  in  1801  was  removed  to 
Pittston  Ferry  and  made  an  adjunct  of  Wright's  "Old 
Forge."  In  1800  Rossett  &  Doyle  opened  quite  an 
establishment  on  the  corner  of  Market  and  River  streets, 
which  they  continued  to  1803  or  1804.  They  were  suc- 
ceeded by  Jacob  and  Joseph  L.  Suitan,  who  in  1816 
removed  to  the  corner  of  Franklin  and  Market  streets, 
where  they  flourished  for  many  years  on  the  ground 
where  now  stands  the  Wyoming  bank.  In  1803  Allen 
Jack  came  from  the  north  of  Ireland  to  Wilkes-Barre 
and  opened  a  store  on  South  Main  street  in  the  residence 
of  Dr.  M.  Covell,  where  he  sold  goods  until  his  death,  in 
1814. 

In  1804  Benjamin  Perry  kept  a  small  store  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Northampton  and  Main  streets,  and  on  the  oppo- 
site corner  Nathan  Palmer,  Esq.,  dispensed  dry  goods 
and  groceries.  Both  these  establishments  were  short- 
lived. Mr.  Palmer  sold  out  to  Zebulon  Butler,  who  dis- 
continued the  business  after  a  brief  period.  Ziba  Ben- 
nett came  from  Newtown  (now  Elmira),  N.  Y.,  in  1815, 
and  began  trade  in  company  with  Matthias  HoUenback. 
In  1826  he  embarked  in  business  singly,  on  North  Main 
street,  where  he  continued  in  trade  until  his  death,  in 
1878,  having  been  connected  with  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness of  Wilkes-Barre  over  si-\ty  years,  and  having  en- 
joyed the  distinction  of  being  recognized  as  the  oldest 
merchant  in  Luzerne  county. 

These  were  the  principal  store-keepers  of  that  early 
period,  when  the  goods  were  brought  from  Philadelphia 
to  Harrisburg  by  wagons,  and  shipped  in  Durham  boats 
up  the  Susquehanna  to  Wilkes-Barre. 

From  1800  to  1802  Joseph  Hitchcock  was  the  leading 
builder,  and  was  succeeded  by  George  Chahoon,  who  did 
a  very  large  business  up  to  1816. 

Other  Business  Beginnings — Coal  and  Iron — Ship- 
Building — Manufactures. 

The  business  history  of  the  township  is  identical  with 
that  of  the  city,  the  commercial  progress  of  both  depend- 
ing largely  upon  the  mining  and  sale  of  coal  which  under- 
lies the  surface  of  the  ground  in  all  directions.  Iron  ore 
has  also  been  found  in  the  township.  As  an  agricultural 
township  Wilkes-Barre  does  not  take  high  rank,  most  of 
the  land  outside  of  the  city  limits  being  devoted  to  the 
mining  of  coal  and  too  uneven  and  broken  to  be  success- 
fully farmed. 

In  the  early  days  hominy  blocks  were  plenty  in  the 
township.  The  necessity  for  these  rude  appliances  was 
done  away  with  in  1782  by  the  erection  of  a  grist  mill  on 
Mill  creek,  near  the  river.  The  builder  was  James  Sut- 
ton, who  had  previously  erected  mills  in  Kingston  and 
Exeter  townships.  It  was  of  hewn  logs  and  had  only 
one  run  of  stones.  On  the  roof  was  a  sentry-box, 
rendered    necessary  by    the  perils   of  the   times,  from 


which  a  view  of  the  surrounding  country    could  be  had. 
This  mill  was  swept  away  by  the  "  pumpkin  flood." 

In  1804  there  were  six  distilleries  in  Wilkesbarre  town- 
ship. A  shipyard  was  established  on  the  public  com- 
mon, and  the  construction  of  ships  was  begun  in  the 
hope  that  they  could  be  navigated  to  the  ocean  by  way  of 
the  Susquehanna  and  there  disposed  of  profitably.  lu 
1803  a  small  ship  named  the  "Franklin,"  in  honor  of 
John  Franklin,  was  built- and  reached  the  ocean  in  safety. 
A  stock  company  was  organized,  and  begun  operations 
in  181 1 ;  and  early  in  the  following  year  a  vessel  named 
the  "Luzerne,"  of  between  fifty  and  sixty  tons  measure- 
ment, was  finished.  The  builder  was  a  Mr.  Mack,  but  J. 
P.  Arndt  was  the  principal  proprietor.  It  was  launched 
early  in  April,  and  a  few  days  later  started  on  its  voyage 
down  the  river,  only  to  be  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks 
at  Conawaga  Falls,  near  Middletown.  The  loss  of  this 
vessel  was  a  disaster  not  only  to  its  proprietors  but  to 
many  who  had  hoped  to  drive  a.  profitable  trade  in  tim- 
ber, and  to  others  who  hoped  to  reap  profit  from  the 
sale  of  lots  when  the  ship-building  interest  should  become 
permanently  established.  But  like  many  another  alluring 
project  before  and  since,  this  had  failed  and  no  more 
ships  were  built  at  Wilkes-Barre. 

A  small  cut-nail  manufactory  was  established  by  Fran- 
cis McShane  in  181 1,  and  for  several  years  a  somewhat 
extensive  wholesale  and  retail  business  was  carried  on. 
There  were  other  enterprises  which  were  begun  early  and 
flourished  for  longer  or  shorter  periods,  leaving  their  im- 
press on  the  advancement  and  prosperity  of  the  village 
and  township,  though  the  men  who  conceived  them  have 
long  been  dead. 

Early  Public  Houses. 

Abel  Yarrington  kept  a  house  of  entertainment,  which 
was  probably  the  first  in  Wilkes-Barre,  on  the  ground  now 
occupied  by  the  Judge  Conyngham  homestead,  on  River 
street,  below  Market,  at  a  very  early  period.  In  his 
journal  John  Franklin  mentions  having  been  at  Mr.  Yar- 
rington's  February  28th,  1789,  and  again  in  the  follow^ing 
month.  Mr.  Yarrington  removed  to  what  was  afterward 
the  Wyoming  Hotel,  on  Main  street,  below  the  public 
square. 

Jesse  Fell  kept  the  "  Old  Fell  house"  before  the  be- 
ginning of  this  century,  it  having  been  erected  in  1787  or 
1788.  This  ancient  hostelry,  a  part  of  which  is  incorpo- 
rated in  the  present  structure,  was  during  its  earlier  days 
headquarters  for  the  legal  fraternity,  and  as  such  was  the 
scene  of  frequent  festivities.  It  was  here  that  Jesse  Fell, 
in  1808,  made  his  first  experiment  of  burning  anthracite 
coal  in  an  open  grate. 

Another  old-time  inn  and  one  that  had  historic  asso- 
ciations was  the  Arndt  tavern,  which  stood  on  River  street 
below  Northampton,  on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  E.  P. 
Darling,  Esq.  The  proprietor  was  John  P.  Arndt,  who 
with  his  brother  Philip  came  from  Easton  at  an  early  date 
and  engaged  in  various  business  enterprises.  Thomas  H. 
Morgan  succeeded  Mr.  Arndt,  and  he  in  turn  was  fol- 
lowed by  Major  Orlando   Porter,  whose   stay  was  brief, 


H^ 


lie  soon  taking  charge  of  the  then  new  Phoenix,  out 
of  which  has  grown  the  Wyoming  Valley  Hotel.  The 
fame  of  the  old  tavern  declined  gradually  and  it  even- 
tually became  a  dwelling  house.  The  old  Arndt  tavern 
sheltered  the  royal  fugitives  of  France,  princes  of  the 
Orleans-Bourbon  line,  afterwards  Louis  Phillippe,  king  of 
the  French,  and  his  two  brothers,  the  Duke  de  Mont- 
pensier  and  Count  de  Beaujolais,  on  their  way  to  Bradford 
county,  where  Robert  Morris  rtad  purchased  for  them 
1,200  acres  of  land  lying  on  the  Susquehanna  river. 
This  place  is  still  known  as  Frenchtown.  Another  noted 
visitor  at  the  old  inn,  which  was  pre-eminently  the  center 
of  social  gaiety,  was  the  beautiful  and  accomplished  wife 
of  Herman  Blennerhasset,  so  graphically  described  by 
William  Wirt  in  the  trial  of  Aaron  Burr  for  treason.  This 
visit  was  made  subsequent  to  Burr's  conspiracy,  which 
resulted    in   the   ruin  of  the  Blennerhassets. 

At  a  later  date  a  hotel  at  the  corner  of  Market  and 
River  streets  was  kept  by  a  little  round  fat  man  named 
Richardson,  and  afterwards  by  a  widow  Johnson.  Thomas 
Duane,  John  Paul  Scott  and  afterwards  Jonathan  Han- 
cock kept  a  hotel  where  the  Luzerne  House  now  is.  The 
latter  also  kept  open  house  at  the  corner  of  Market  and 
Franklin  streets.  Archippus  Parrish  kept  a  hotel  on  the 
public  square  near  the  site  of  the  Daily  Record  of  the 
Times  ofifice.  It  was  set  fire  to  and  burned  down  in 
warming  it  for  a  Washington's  birth-day  ball.  Mock's 
tavern,  on  the  hillside  just  below  South  Wilkes-Barre,  is 
well  remembered  by  many  of  the  present  citizens  of 
Wilkes-Barre.  Years  ago  it  was  noted  as  the  scene  of 
too  convivial  Sunday  gatherings,  which  were  broken  up 
by  a  few  Christian  workers  who,  with  the  consent  of  the 
proprietor,  established  a  flourishing  Sunday  school  in  the 
old  hostelry. 

Other  Primitive  Things  and  Events. 

Probably  the  first  physician  to  minister  to  citizens  of 
Wilkes-Barre  was  Dr.  William  Hooker  Smith,  who  emi- 
grated from  New  York  and  settled  in  the  clearing  at 
Wilkes-Barre  in  1772.  After  Sullivan's  campaign,  in 
which  he  participated,  he  located  permanently  at  Old 
Forge.  Drs.  Joseph  Sprague  and  Gustin,  who  were  also 
early  settlers  in  the  valley,  were  no  doubt  called  to  visit 
the  afflicted  in  the  settlement.  Previous  to  1800  Doctor 
Matthew  Covell  located  permanently  in  Wilkes-Barre,  and 
he  and  Dr.  George  W.  Trott  were  both  practicing  there 
before  1810.  Doctor  Samuel  Baldwin  resided  in  Wilkes- 
Barre  for  a  time,  and  afterwards  crossed  the  river  into 
Kingston.  The  first  settled  preacher  was  Rev.  Jacob 
Johnson.  The  earliest  professional  lawyer  was  Anderson 
Dana.  The  first  dwelling  within  the  limits  of  the  town 
plot  was  John  Abbott's  log  cabin,  erected  at  the  south- 
west corner  of  Main  and  Northampton  streets  in  1769. 
The  first  brick  buildings  were  the  dwelling  of  Joseph 
Slocum,  on  the  southeast  side  of  the  public  square  after- 
ward occupied  by  his  son-in-law  Lord  Butler,  and  that  of 
Benjamin  Perry,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Northampton 
streets,  both  erected  in  1807. 

The  first  marriage  in  the  township  was  celebrated  in  a 


log  cabin  which  stood  at  the  corner  of  River  and  South 
streets,  on  the  ground  since  occupied  by  the  old  Wells 
house,  in  1769.  The  contracting  parties  were  Colonel 
Nathan  Denison  and  Miss  Sill.  The  first  birth  occurred 
in  1773.  It  was  that  of  Lazarus  Denison,  a  son  of  the 
couple  above  mentioned.  The  first  restaurant  in  the  vil- 
lage was  opened  by  Sam  Wright,  a.  negro,  who  came  from 
New  Jersey  in  1822. 

Professor  Wise,  the  celebrated  aeronaut,  whose  dis- 
aster in  September,  1879,  is  yet  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the 
reading  public,  made  the  first  balloon  ascension  in 
Wilkes-Barre  in  1842,  descending  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Susquehanna  after  a  two  hours'  flight. 

The  "Common"  on  the  River  Bank. 

When  Colonel  Durkee  laid  out  the  town  plot  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  he  donated  the  public  square  and  the  common  for 
"the  use  of  the  public  forever,"  and  they  were  succes- 
sively under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  town  of  Westmore- 
land, the  township  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  the  borough  and 
afterwards  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre.  The  original  boun- 
daries of  the  common  were  probably  the  same  as  those 
of  the  present  day.  Years  ago  it  was  much  wider  than 
now,  numerous  floods  having  washed  away  a  portion. 
"As  I  first  remember  this  common,"  wrote  Mr.  James  A. 
Gordon,  "it  was  a  beautiful  lawn  extending  from  South 
street  along  the  river  bank  to  North  street.  Between 
Union  and  North  streets,  along  the  base  of  Redoubt 
Hill,  was  a  low  wet  marsh,  very  imperfectly  drained,  or 
rather  not  drained  at  all.  Immediately  at  the  northern 
base  of  the  redoubt,  lived  MoUie  McCalpin,  in  rather  a 
hard-looking  shanty,  built  by  herself  with  the  aid  of  Job 
Gibbs,  who  was  at  that  time  reputed  to  be  the  laziest 
man  in  Wilkes-Barre.  But  Mollie  was  not  the  only  tres- 
passer upon  these  public  grounds."  Matthias  Hollen- 
back's  warehouse  and  another,  the  property  of  John  P. 
Arndt,  stood  on  the  common  ;  but  both  disappeared  long 
since,  and  mother  McCalpin's  shanty  is  seen  no  more 
At  various  times  enterprising  or  speculative  business 
men  have  attempted  to  lease  portions  of  the  common  for 
the  erection  of  buildings  in  which  to  carry  on  conmierce. 
In  1808  an  effort  was  made  by  certain  parties  to  drain 
that  part  lying  between  North  and  Union  streets,  the 
ulterior  object  being  to  obtain  and  hold  possession  of  the 
land  for  the  benefit  of  the  proposed  drainers  ;  but  that 
and  all  subsequent  attempts  failed,  it  having  been  deci- 
ded that  the  borough  had  no  authority  to  lease  the  com- 
mon nor  any  portion  of  it  ;  and  it  remains  to-day  the 
property  of  the  public,  a  place  much  frequented  by  both 
residents  and  visitors,  and  one  of  the  most  attractive 
spots  in  the  city.  Forts  Durkee  and  Wyoming  stood  on 
the  common,  which  because  of  its  historical  associations 
will  long  remain  a  point  of  interest. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  Ferry  and  Bridge. 

The  early  settlers  were  too  poor  to  build  a  bridge  be- 
tween the  settlements  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston,  but 
they  had  recourse  to  a  cheap  and  convenient  means  of 
crossing  in  the  way  of  a   ferry.     When    the   borough  of 


"f^  '■ntiwaytf'  T         4"   Vm-    ^*.v-fc, 


j^--""^*-^  -'f  '-;-T?!*^S^^-«w 


LUZERNE  COUNTY  COURT  HOUSE,  WILKES-BARRE,  Pa. 


*^^ 


=^.^ 


BRIDGES  AT  WILKES-BARRE— OLD  COURT-HOUSE— EARLY  MAILS. 


199 


Wilkes-Barre  was  incorporated  the  borough  authorities 
were  granted  the  exchisive  right  to  maintain  a  ferry  be- 
tween the  two  localities,  and  until  it  was  superseded  by 
the  bridgo  it  was  let  annually  to  enterprising  parties,  who 
paid  certain  rentals  into  the  borough  treasury. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  Bridge  Company  was  incorporated 
in  1807.  The  bridge  was  completed  in  1818,  at  a  cost  of 
$44,000.  The  builders  were  Messrs.  Wernwag  &  Powell, 
and  they  were  two  years  engaged  in  its  construction.  In 
1819  the  pier  nearest  to  Wilkes-Barre  was  undermined 
and  two  reaches  of  the  bridge  lost.  The  damage  was 
repaired  by  the  State,  at  an  expense  of  $13,000.  In 
1824  the  entire  bridge  was  lifted  from  the  piers  by  a  hur- 
ricane and  deposited  on  the  ice  several  feet  distant  from 
its  original  location;  $15,000  to  be  devoted  to  its  repair 
was  appropriated  by  the  State,  which  by  this  added  sum 
became  possessed  of  $28,000  stock  in  the  concern,  which 
was  subsequently  sold.  The  architect  in  charge  of  these 
repairs  was  Reuben  Fields.  The  bridge,  with  occasional 
repairs  and  renewals  of  certain  portions,  has  since  ex- 
isted, and  has  been  a  source  of  profit  to  the  stockholders. 
Upon  the  introduction  of  the  street  railway  between 
Kingston  and  Wilkes-Barre,  the  bridge  became  the  means 
by  which  the  track  crosses  the  river,  though  its  use  as  a 
foot  and  wagon  bridge  is  in  no  way  interfered  with.  Ef- 
forts have  been  made  from  time  to  time,  but  unsuccessfully 
thus  far,  to  obtain  authority  from  the  court  instructing 
the  county  commissioners  to  take  possession  of  the  bridge, 
with  a  view  to  its  being  maintained  by  taxation  for  the 
public  benefit,  and  it  seems  not  unlikely  that  such  a 
measure  may  be  carried  in  the  future. 

Reminiscences   of  the  Old  Court-House. 

The  bell  on  the  old  court-house  was  cast  by  George 
Hedderly,  in  Philadelphia,  in  1805,  and  during  the  years 
that  followed  served  to  summon  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  to  meetings  of  every  kind  common  to  such  a  com- 
munity. It  called  the  criminal  to  receive  his  sentence, 
and  the  man  who  had  not  been  proven  guilty  to  receive 
his  acquittal;  it  summoned  the  people  to  hear  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  and  the  eloquence  of  political  advo- 
cates; if  the  people  were  to  be  assembled  for  any  purpose 
the  old  court-house  bell  was  generally  brought  into  requi- 
sition. Various  were  the  uses  to  which  the  court-house 
was  put,  serving  for  all  judicial  and  deliberative  proceed- 
ings, and  as  a  public  or  town  hall.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
utilized  as  a  dancing  academy  and  as  a  church,  and  it  is 
authoritatively  stated  that  a  meat  market  was  kept  in  the 
basement  at  one  time— as  Mistress  Tuttle  had,  before  its 
time,  sold  cakes  and  beer  in  the  lower  story  of  the  old 
log  building.  June  nth,  1810,  an  ordinance  was  passed 
by  the  council  of  Wilkes-Barre  ordaining  that  until  a  suit- 
able market  house  could  be  erected  the  cellar  of  the 
court-house  should  be  used  as  a  market  place  "  on  and 
after  July  13th  next."  Two  days  in  the  week  were  set 
apart  as  market  days,  Wednesday  and  Saturday  being  so 
distinguished,  and  the  place  was  ordered  to  be  kept  open 
from  five  to  ten  A.  M.,  and  the  clerk  of  the  market  was 
authorized  to  erect  one  or  more  stalls,  benches  and  blocks. 


and  provide   scales   and   other  articles   necessary  to  the 
traffic  of  the  place. 

Mail  Facilities  and  the  Post-Oi'KICe. 

In  1777  a  post  route  was  opened  between  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  Wyoming,  in  the  benefits  of  which  the 
residents  of  Wilkes-Barre,  the  chief  settlement,  largely 
participated.  Previous  to  that  date  what  little  mnil 
passed  between  that  point  and  the  outside  world  had 
been  carried  by  private  messengers.  The  post-rider  was 
Prince  Bryant,  who  made  the  trip  once  in  two  weeks. 
During  tlie  period  of  the  continued  struggle  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut  for  supremacy  over  W)'0- 
raing,  regular  mail  communication  was  interrupted  and 
messages  were  carried  to  and  fro  by  men  employed  by 
the  settlers  for  that  purpose. 

A  post-office  was  established  at  Wilkes-Barre  in  1754, 
with  Lord  Butler  as  postmaster.  It  may  easily  be  con- 
ceived that  his  official  labor  mu;t  have  been  the  reverse 
of  arduous,  and  that  his  office,  at  the  corner  of  River  and 
Northampton  streets,  must  have  contrasted  unfavorably 
with  the  elegant,  well  arranged  and  commodious  city 
post-office  of  the  present  day  in  Music  Hall  block.  But 
it  was  not  until  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution, 
and  the  organization  of  Luzerne  county  in  1786, 
that  provision  was  made  for  a  weekly  mail  be- 
tween Wilkes-Barre  and  Easton.  Clark  Behee  was  the 
post-rider,  but  whether  the  first  over  the  route  does  not 
appear,  though  there  is  evidence  that  he  filled  that  posi- 
tion in  1797,  during  which  year  weekly  mails  were  carried 
from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Berwick  via  Nanticoke,  Newport 
and  Nescopeck,  the  return  route  being  via  Huntington 
and  Plymouth.  At  this  time  Wilkes-Barre  enjoyed  the 
distinction  of  being  the  only  regularly  established  post- 
town  in  the  county,  and  mail  for  residents  of  the  town- 
ships mentioned  was  left  at  certain  houses  within  their 
limits  chosen  by  the  post-master  at  Wilkes-Barre. 

A  mail  route  was  established  between  Wilkes-Barre 
and  Great  Bend  in  1798,  and  another  between  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Owego,  New  York.  The  mails  were  received 
by  the  former  route  once  a  fortnight  and  by  the  latter 
once  a  week.  Both  were  sustained  by  private  contribu- 
tions chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  like  those  of  the  early  set- 
tlers before  the  war.  It  is  said  that  subscribers  to  news- 
papers had  to  pay  at  the  rate  of  $2  a  year  to  the  mail 
carrier  for  the  privilege  of  receiving  them.  In  1800 
Jonathan  Hancock  was  a  post-rider  between  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Berwick.  In  1803  Charles  Mowery  and  a  man 
named  Peck  carried  the  mails  on  foot  between  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Tioga,  N.  Y.,  making  the  trip  once  in  two  weeks. 

The  history  of  the  advance  in  mail  facilities  from  this 
time  forward  is  coincident  with  that  of  "  staging,'' 
nearly  all  the  stages  having  carried  the  mails.  With  the 
first  railroad  came  added  mail  conveniences,  which  have 
been  increased  from  year  to  year  since,  until  the  residents 
of  the  city  in  1880  can  have  but  a  faint  conception  of 
the  difficulties  under  which  their  forefathers  labored  in 
this  respect  one  hundred  or  seventy-five  or  even  fifty 
years  ago. 


:S\ 


tri 


lb 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Lord  Butler  was  the  postmaster  until  1802,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  John  Hollenback.  The  names  of  those 
who  have  been  appointed  since  that  time  are  as  follows: 
Ezekiel  Hyde,  1805;  Jonathan  Hancock,  1805;  Jacob 
Cist,  1808;  A.  Beaumont,  1826;  William  Ross,  1832; 
Daniel  Collings,  1835;  A.  O.  Cliahoon,  1841;  J.  P.  Le- 
Clerc,  184^;  E.  B.  Collings,  1845;  Steuben  Butler,  1849; 
John  Reichard,  1853;  Jacob  Sorber,  1854;  E.  B.  Col- 
lings, 1858;  S.  M.  Barton,  1861;  E.  H.  Chase,  1865; 
Peter  Pursel,  1867;  Stewart  Pearce,  1869;  Douglass 
Smith,  1877. 

The  number  of  letters  of  all  classes,  including  postal 
cards,  sent  from  Wilkes-Barre  post-office  during  the  first 
week  of  November,  1879,  was  15,765;  number  of  regular 
newspapers  sent,  11,232;  transient  newspapers,  1,129; 
packages  of  merchandise,  183;  total  pieces  of  mail  mat- 
ter sent,  28,309. 

EDUCATIONAL  HISTORY. 

The  educational  history  of  Wilkes-Barre  begins  with 
the  arrival  of  the  emigrants  from  Connecticut  in  1769. 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Susquehanna  Land  Company, 
This  company  granted  to  the  first  settlers  of  Wyoming 
large  bodies  of  land  in  each  township  as  an  incentive  to 
immigration.  This  land  was  designated  as  a  foundation 
for  a  permanent  school  fund  for  all  time  to  come.  If  the 
school  fund  had  been  properly  managed  the  citizens  of 
the  township  would  undoubtedly  have  long  since  been 
free  from  taxation  for  educational  purposes.  The  town 
of  Wilkes-Barre  has  no  separate  school  history  from  old 
Westmoreland  until  1773,  when  an  effort  was  made  to 
support  the  schools  by  taxation;  but  it  was  a  failure,  and 
if  there  were  any  schools  in  Wilkes-Barre  at  that  period 
they  must  have  been  supported  by  private  subscriptions 
or  tuition  fees  up  to  the  time  when  the  borough  accepted 
the  provisions  of  the  common  school  law. 

EARLY    SCHOOLS. 

On  the  organization  of  Luzerne  county  Wilkes-Barre 
had  her  school-houses,  which  had  previously  been  built 
by  the  proprietors  as  the  trustees  of  the  bounty  of  the 
Susquehanna  Land  Company,  but  no  free  school  was 
ever  based  upon  this  educational  fund. 

As  early  as  1790  there  was  a  school-house — the  only  one 
in  the  town  plot — standing  upon  the  east  side  of  the  pub- 
lic square  just  in  front  of  where  now  is  William  H.  Spor- 
ring's  grocery  store,  which  was  usually  occupied  about 
nine  months  during  the  year.  At  a  later  period  there 
was  another  on  the  plains  near  the  residence  of  Henry 
Courtright,  and  another  on  the  hill,  on  Dr.  Covell's 
farm,  just  below  the  site  of  the  depot  of  the  passenger 
railroad  in  South  Wilkes-Barre. 

Among  early  teachers  was  Godlove  Nicholas  Lutyens, 
a  graduate  of  Gottingen  University.  He  was  succeeded 
in  1802  by  Asher  Miner,  the  printer  and  editor  of  the 
Wilkes-Barre  Gazette  and  afterwards  of  the  Luzerne  Fed- 
eralist. Previous  to  1806  or  1807  several  select  schools 
were  opened  at  various  times,  among  which  was  one  by  a 
Mr.  Parmal}',  a  regular  Yankee  schoolmaster,  in   the  old 


still-house  on  Main  street,  just  at  the  foot  of  Bowman 
hill.  There  was  another  on  East  Union  street,  conducted 
for  -many  years  by  William  Wright,  an  educated  Irish- 
man. This  school  had  a  high  reputation,  and  continued 
to  flourish  up  to  the  time  of  Mr.  Wright's  death  in  1816. 
There  were  also  summer  schools  under  the  lead  of  old- 
fashioned  schoolmistresses,  and  a  Mrs.  Jabez  Fish's  juve- 
nile academy  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  Common,  where  was  taught  for  years  the  West- 
minster Catechism  from  the  John  Rogers  primer. 

The  Constitution  of  1790  required  legislative  provi- 
sions for  the  education  of  the  poor;  and  in  pursuance 
thereof,  by  the  act  of  1809  and  its  supplement,  the 
assessors  of  every  township  were  required  to  make  return 
of  all  children  whose  parents  were  unable  to  pay  for  their 
tuition  to  the  county  commissioners,  who  were  required 
to  pay  the  respective  teachers  their  bills  for  these  charity 
scholars.  This  law  was  a  dead  letter  practically.  Very 
few  parents  cared  to  put  their  children  on  the  list  of 
paupers,  even  for  the  purposes  of  education,  and  for  ten 
years  after  1824  but  $3,500  was  paid  by  the  county  on 
that  account,  and  Wilkes-Barre's  was  the  least  amount  in 
proportion  to  its  population. 

THE    WILKES-IiARRE    ACADEMY. 

In  1807  the  Wilkes-Barre  Academy  was  incorporated 
with  a  donation  of  $2,000  from  the  State.  Ebenezer 
Bowman,  Lord  Butler,  Matthias  Hollenback,  William 
Ross,  Jesse  Fell,  Joseph  Suiton,  Joseph  Slocum  and 
others  were  the  trustees.  Ebenezer  Bowman  was  presi- 
dent of  the  board  up  to  the  day  of  his  death.  What 
memories  are  recalled  by  the  mention  of  this  institution, 
where  many  of  the  most  influential  men  of  the  Wyoming 
valley  received  their  education,  and  from  which  others 
have  gone  out  to  win  names  and  fame  in  the  outside 
world!  It  was  the  first  and  for  some  time  the  only  insti- 
tution of  learning  above  the  grade  of  common  school  in 
old  Luzerne.  The  board  of  trustees  obtained  from  the 
county  the  old  court-house  and  jail,  which  they  improv- 
ed and  converted  into  their  school-rooms,  and  opened  a 
kind  of  school  as  an  apology  for  a  classical  institute. 
The  first  teacher  was  Samuel  Jackson.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  a  Mr.  Root.  Then  David  Scott  took  charge 
of  the  concern  and  organized  an  English  grammar  class. 
He  wrote  the  text-book,  and  each  pupil  had  to  make  his 
own  copy  in  manuscript,  until  "  Murray's  "  was  introduc- 
ed in  i8og.  This  year  the  trustees  enlarged  their  build- 
ing and  imported  from  Yale  Garrick  Mallery  (just  then 
graduated)  as  principal,  at  a  salary  of  $1,000  per  annum; 
and  now  Wilkes-Barre  began  to  be  looked  upon  as  the 
educational  center  of  all  northern  Pennsylvania  and 
southern  New  York.  The  institution  was  fairly  opened 
with  Garrick  Mallery  as  principal,  Edward  Chapman  and 
Thomas  Bartlett  as  assistants,  and  Jacob  Taylor  as  writ- 
ing master. 

The  little  town  was  crowded  with  students  from  abroad. 
The  catalogue  embraced  some  seventy-five  non-resident 
pupils.  The  school  flourished  as  long  as  Mr.  Mallery  re- 
mained at  its  head.     At  the  end  of  the  year  he  retired  to 


>^J- 


Hh 


CHARLES    P.    WALLER. 


Charles  P.  Waller,  son  of  Phineas  and  Elizabeth 
Jewett  Waller,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  August 
7th,  1819,  and  is  the  sixth  in  a  family  of  seven  children, 
six  of  whom  are  now  (1880)  living,  viz.:  Abram  B.,  Na- 
than P.,  William  L.,  Rev.  David  J.,  of  Bloomsburg,  Har- 
riet M.  (wife  of  Rev.  Dr.  S.  M.  Andrews,  of  Doylestown, 
Pa.),  and  George  G.,  a  lawyer  of  Honesdale,  Pa.  Phineas, 
a  native  of  Massachusetts,  moved  into  the  Wyoming  val- 
ley in  1774,  with  his  father's  family.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six 
years.  Nathan,  his  father,  a  farmer,  settled  in  the  Wyo- 
ming valley  when  Phineas  was  a  young  man,  where  he 
died  in  1832. 

Charles  P.  spent  his  youth  at  home  and  in  the  schools 
of  Wilkes-Barre  from  eleven  years  of  age,  and  in  1838  he 
entered  Williams  College,  where  he  was  a  student  for 
two  years,  when  through  weakness  of  his  eyes  he  was 
obliged  to  discontinue  his  studies.  During  the  winters  of 
1839  and  1840  he  was  principal  of  the  Bloomsburg  Acad- 


emy, and  was  the  first  to  organize  a  classical  school  there. 
In  1841  he  com'menced  the  study  of  law  with  Judge  Col- 
lins, of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the 
winter  of  1843,  and  immediately  entered  upon  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  which  he  successfully  and  continuously 
carried  on  until  1874,  when  he  was  elected  president 
judge  of  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  which  office  he  still  (1880) 
holds.  As  a  proof  of  his  popularity  he  was  elected  on 
the  Republican  ticket  in  a  district  which  is  Democratic 
by  2,000  majority.  On  April  3d,  1845,  he  married  Har- 
riet W.,  daughter  of  Henry  W.  Stone,  of  Mt.  Pleasant, 
Wayne  county,  Pa.  She  was  born  June  15th,  1826. 
The  result  of  this  union  is  two  children — Lizzie  J.  (wife 
of  William  H.  Stanton,  of  Honesdale). and  Mary  S.  All 
of  the  family  have  been  for  several  years  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Future  generations  will  remember 
Mr.  Waller  as  a  genial  companion,  an  able  counsellor  and 
an  honest  man. 


=  -^N 


•ih 


-4'h 


t.yi^^coc^'^ 


JOHN    S.    LAMPMAN,    OCULIST   and   AURIST. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Pittston,  Pa., 
December  20th,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Norman  and  Phebe 
Larapman.  His  father  was  skillful  in  treating  diseases 
of  the  eye,  and  John  early  manifested  great  talent  in 
locating  them  and  in  applying  proper  remedies.  Pie  ap- 
plied himself  to  make  discoveries  and  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing into  use  remedies  unkiiown  to  any  other  oculist  in 
the  world,  rendering  his  mode,  of  treatment  entirely  orig- 
inal. He  began  his  practice  in  his  own  family  by  treat- 
ing and  curing  an  afflicted  sister  in  1863.  During  that 
year  the  elder  Lampman  died  and  John  assumed  his 
practice,  residing  at  Pleasant  Valley,  near  Pittston,  until 
1876,  when  he  removed  to  Wilkes-Barre,  where,  at  405 
and  407  Northampton  street,  he  has  (September,  1880,) 
more  than  500  patients  under  his  care,  with  the  number 
constantly  increasing. 

January  23d,  1872,  he  married  Margaret  Shales,  who 
proved  to  be  well  fitted  for  the  charge  of  her  department 
in  the  infirmary.  Affable  and  courteous,  it  became  an 
easy  task  for  her  to  provide  for  the  comfort  and  pleasure 
of  the  afflicted,  even  children  placed  under  her  care  hav- 
ing remained  with  perfect  contentment.  Dr.  Lampman 
has  been  particularly  successful  iri  the  treatment  of  am- 
aurosis, using  no  instruments,  but  curing  with  medicines 
cases  thought  to  be  incurable  without  surgical  operations. 
For  the  treatment  of  this  disease  he  prepared  a  cooling 
wash  for  the  head  which  he  discovered  was  useful  in 
restoring  lost  hair,  and  his  "  celebrated  Neuralgic  Cure 
and  Universal  Hair  Producer  "  will,  in  time,  be  thrown 
into  market  as  the  only  safe  preparation  for  the  use  for 
which  it  is  designed.    Besides  treating  all  diseases  of  the 


eye,  he  has  carefully  studied  and  successfully  treated  the 
ear,  an  organ  peculiarly  liable  to  disease  and  accident. 
He  has  never  been  an  extensive  advertiser,  has  never 
traveled  as  an  oculist  and  has  always  lived  and  practiced 
within  ten  miles  of  the  place  of  his  birth,  relying  upon 
his  cures  to  bring  him  patients,  who  have  come  to  his 
infirmary  in  large  numbers  from  every  State  in  the 
union.  His  terms  are  less  than  one-half  the  usual 
charges  of  oculists,  and  render  his  treatment  available  to 
the  afflicted  poor. 

Did  such  endorsement  form  a  proper  part  of  a  biogra- 
phical sketch  many  testimonials  might  be  presented  of 
the  skill  of  Dr.  Lampman  and  innumerable  cases  of  his 
successful  treatment  of  disease  cited.  To  those  who 
have  been  treated  by  him  no  such  endorsement  is  neces- 
sary; and  they,  themselves,  are  his  strongest  recommend- 
ation to  the  afflicted  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Where 
he  is  best  known  his  treatment  is  most  highly  spoken  of, 
and  no  laudations  are  necessary  in  a  work  which  must  be 
restricted  in  its  circulation  to  that  portion  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania  contiguous  to  the  locality  of  his  life  and 
successful  professional  career.  Inviting  rigid  scrutiny, 
he  has,  in  the  midst  of  many  difficulties  and  beset  by  the 
petty  jealousies  of  rival  practitioners,  established  an  ex- 
tensive and  lucrative  practice  in  the  county  of  his 
nativity  and  among  the  people  who  have  known  him 
from  childhood.  This  has  been  accomplished  only  by  the 
exercise  of  indomitable  energy,  great  skill  and  rare  judg- 
ment and  a  rigid  integrity  that  has  made  every  patient 
his  friend  and  endorser. 


♦4^ 


4. 


4^^: 


pursue  his  law  studies,  and  was  afterward  president  judge 
of  the  State  courts,  and  as  an  able  lawyer  he  won  a  na- 
tional reputation.  During  the  administration  of  Mr. 
Mallery  Andrew  Beaumont,  then  a  new  comer,  and  an 
active  young  man  of  much  promise,  who  has  since 
been  a  representative  in  the  State  Assembly  and  in  Con- 
gress, and  held  other  important  official  positions,  was  em- 
ployed as  his  assistant.  Under  their  management  Greek, 
Latin,  mathematics  and  the  higher  English  branches  were 
taught.  Their  successor  was  Rev.  Mr.  Thayer,  a  Con- 
gregational minister  of  the  Old  School  and  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  University,  who  retired  at  the  end  of  a  year. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Janeson  and  then  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Woodbridge  and  others  conducted  the  institution 
up  to  al)out  1818,  when  Joel  Jones,  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  college,  became  the  principal  and  remained 
two  or  three  years.  Upon  his  retirement  his  brother  Jo- 
seph H.  Jones  took  charge  of  the  institution,  and  con- 
ducted it  with  great  ability  for  several  years.  He  was 
followed  by  Messrs.  Woodbridge,  Baldwin,  Granger,  Or- 
ton,  Miner,  Talcott,  Ullman,  Hubbard  and  Dana.  After 
the  erection  of  the  second  court-house  the  old  building 
was  converted  to  the  uses  of  the  academy,  having  been 
removed  to  a  point  within  the  public  square,  a  little  west 
of  the  present  court-house.  After  many  years'  use  the 
old  edifice  was  sold  to  Colonel  H.  F.  Lamb,  and  a  portion 
of  it  was  removed  to  Franklin  street  and  constituted  a 
part  of  a  dwelling. 

Among  the  students  of  the  old  academy  we  may  men- 
tion the  following,  who  have  gained  distinction  in  their 
chosen  careers;  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Beaumont,  of  the 
United  States  navy;  Major  A.  H.  Bowman,  of  the  United 
States  army;  Major  E.  W.  Morgan,  who  served  his  coun- 
try in  Mexico  and  later  was  principal  of  the  Newport, 
Ky.,  military  school;  Hon.  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  a  well 
known  lawyer  and  politician  of  Luzerne  county  and  the 
State  at  the  present  time;  Hon.  B.  A.  Bidlack,  who  rep- 
resented his  district  in  Congress,  and  later  was  sent  as 
United  States  minister  to  New  Granada,  where  he  died; 
Hon.  George  W.  Woodward,  one  of  the  most  eminent 
legal  lights  of  the  commonwealth;  Judge  Luther  Kidder; 
Dr.  S.  D.  Gross,  an  eminent  professor  of  surgery  in  the 
Jefferson  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia;  Rev.  Samuel 
Bowman,  D.  D.,  at  one  time  acting  bishM)  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  church  in  Pennsylvania;  ex-Attorney  Gen- 
eral Ovid  F.  Johnson;  George  Catlin,  the  well  known 
American  artist;  Rev.  Zebulon  Butler,  D.  D.,  of  Missis- 
sippi, and  Prof.  J.  S.  White,  at  one  time  a  prominent 
educator  of  Philadelphia.  With  such  results  the  older 
citizens  of  Wilkes-Barre  have  just  reason  for  pride  in 
memory  of  tlie  old  academy. 

OTHER    ACADEMIC    SCHOOLS. 

About  1840  Mr.  Dana  had  erected  a  building  on  Acad- 
emy street  and  organized  a  classical  school,  which  in  a 
measure  took  the  position  previously  occupied  by  the  old 
academy  in  the  public  square.  A  brick  building  was 
erected  in  1842  on  the  site  of  the  old  structure,  and  under 
the  direction  of  Messrs.  Owen  and  Jackson  a  high  school 


26 


had  a  successful  existence  in  it  for  a  number  of  years; 
but  in  consequence  of  various  causes  in  time  it  lost  much 
of  its  prestige  and  became  only  an  ordinary  day  school. 
E.  B.  Harvey,  Esq.,  purchased  this  building  in  1848,  and 
moved  it  to  Union  street  and  converted  it  into  a  dwelling. 

THE    WILKES-BARRE    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 

The  public  schools  of  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre  are  em- 
braced in  three  districts.  The  provisions  of  the  new 
constitution  applying  to  cities  of  the  fourth  class  having 
never  been  adopted  by  this  city,  the  government  of  the 
schools  remains  the  same  as  when  the  city  was  incorpor- 
ated, and  the  three  school  districts  erected  under  an  act 
of  Assembly  approved  May  24th,  1871.  These  districts 
are  under  the  supervision  of  the  county  superintendent, 
and  are  entirely  independent  of  one  another,  being  each 
governed  by  a  separate  board  of  directors. 

The  first  school  district  is  made  up  of  the  first,  second, 
third,  sixth  and  ninth  wards  of  the  city,  and  the  remain- 
ing portion  of  the  north  district  of  Wilkes-Barre  town- 
ship not  included  within  the  city  limits  at  the  time  of  in- 
corporation. The  school  board  consists  of  six  members, 
one  from  each  of  the  wards  and  one  from  the  township. 
The  board  is  now  (1880)  organized  as  follows:  President, 
George  N.  Reichard:  secretary,  J.  C.  Williamson;  treas- 
urer, Fred  Roth.  The  statement  of  the  school  board  of 
this  district  for  1878  was  as  follows:  Whole  number  of 
schools,  19;  number  of  months  taught,  10;  number  of 
male  teachers,  5;  number  of  female  teachers,  14;  average 
salary  of  males  per  month,  $65;  average  salary  of  females 
per  month,  $40;  whole  number  of  scholars,  2,072;  aver- 
age number  attending  school,  949;  percentage  of  attend- 
ance, 79;  tax  levy  (number  of  mills)  20.  Under  the 
present  principal,  T.  J.  McConnor,  the  schools  have  been 
carefully  graded,  and  now  possess  primary  and  grammar 
grades  corresponding  to  a  considerable  extent  to  the 
same  grades  in  the  third  district,  to  be  described  hereafter. 

The  second  school  district  comprises  the  thirteenth 
and  fourteenth  wards  of  the  city  and  the  south  district  of 
Wilkes-Barre  township,  less  what  was  taken  into  the  city 
limits  at  the  time  of  incorporation.  There  are  five  mem- 
bers in  the  school  board — two  from  each  of  the  wards 
and  one  from  the  township.  The  organization  is  as  fol- 
lows: President,  A.  H.  Van  Horn;  secretary,  Michael 
Gibbons;  treasurer,  Joseph  Hendler.  The  report  for  1878 
gives  the  following  showing:  Whole  number  of  schools, 
10;  number  of  months  taught,  9;  number  of  male  teach- 
ers, 6;  number  of  female  teachers,  4;  average  salary 
of  males  per  month,  $63.33;  average  salary  of  females 
per  month,  $40;  whole  number  of  scholars,  893;  average 
number  attending  school,  525;  percentage  of  attendance, 
83;  tax  levy  (number  of  mills)  18.  Under  the  direction 
of  Henry  A.  Reid  as  principal  until  within  two  years, 
and  more  recently  of  J.  C.  Bell,  these  schools  have  been 
partially  graded. 

The  third  school  district  is  essentially  the  old  borough 
of  Wilkes-Barre.  It  embraces  the  fourth,  fifth,  seventh, 
eighth,  tenth,  eleventh,  twelfth  and  fifteenth  wards  of  the 
city. 


+ 


^h 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


The  history  of  the  old  borough  schools  is  really  the  his- 
tory of  the  schools  of  this  district.     In  1834  this  district 
in  common  with  nearly  all  the  districts  of  Luzerne  county 
approved  of  the  provisions  of   the  common   school  ]aw, 
and  the  school  board  levied  a  school  tax  and  set  the  school 
in  operation.     For  over  thirty  years  the  schools  were  de- 
void of  anything  to  distinguish  them — unless  it  might  have 
been  their  general  inefficiency.     Teachers  were  paid  very 
poor  salaries  ;  the  school  term  was  very  short  ;  the  build- 
ings  were   either  miserable  old   frame  hulks,   or   rooms 
rented  here  and  there  over  the  town  as  necessity  might 
determine  for  the  accommodation  of  pupils.     In  the  year 
1850-51   there  were  nine  teachers  employed  at  an  aver- 
age  salary  of  $23.11    per  month,  and   the  length  of  the 
school    term   was   five    months.     Nor   did    this  state   of 
things  improve   in  some  particulars  for  many  years  later. 
The  statement  of  the  school  board  for  1865-6  reveals  the 
following    facts:    number   of   schools,    11;    number    of 
months  taught,  4  ;  number  of  female  teachers,  14  ;  male 
teachers,  3  ;  average  salary  of   male  teachers  per  month, 
$50  ;    average    salary   of    female    teachers    per   month, 
$35  !    whole    number    of    pupils    attending  school,  1S7. 
Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  private  and   select    schools 
were     in     a    flourishing    condition  ?      An     old     settle- 
ment like   Wilkes-Barre,  possessed  of  a  high   degree  of 
culture,   demanded  education    for   its  children,    and  the 
private  schools  furnished  what  the  public   schools    could 
not.     But  a  new  era  was    dawning    even    in    1865.     The 
revival  of  business  and  increase  of  values  that    followe  d 
the  close  of  the  war,  with  the  free  distribution  of   money 
that  attended  it,  made  it  possible  for  better  things  in  the 
way  of  education.     As  early  as  November  28th,  1863,  at 
an    adjourned   meeting   of  the    board   over  which  C.   F. 
Reets  presided,  L.  C.  Paine  offered  the  following  resolu- 
tion, which  was  adopted:     "  Resolved  that  the  president 
be  and  is  hereby  directed  and  requested  to  enter    into  a 
contract  with  Ziba  Bennett,  Esq.,    for  the  purchase  of  a 
lot  at  the  corner  of  Washington  street  and   Butler  alley, 
at  a  price  not  to  exceed  $1,800,     *     *     *     *     a^j^j  ^y^^^ 
he  report  his  action  on  the  same  at  the  next  meeting.''     At 
the  next  meeting,  held  December  5th,  Mr.  Reets  reported 
that  he  had  made  the   contract    as    directed;  the    report 
was  accepted  and  adopted  and  an   order  drawn    for  the 
purchase  money.     At  a  meeting  held  March    19th,    [864, 
presided  over  by  the  same  gentlemen,  the  building  com- 
mittee was  authorized  to  advertise  for   proposals  for  the 
new  school  building  ("  excavating  cellar,  building  brick 
and  stone  walls,  &c.,  &c.").     This  motion   was    renewed 
and  carried  at  a   meeting   held    June    12th,    1865,   over 
which  Rev.  George   D.    Miles    presided.     At  a    meeting 
August  tst,  1865  (Mr.  Miles   presiding),  the  size   of    the 
building  was  determined  upon  and  a  building  committee 
appointed.     September  19th,  1865,  it  was    decided    that 
the  new  building  should    be  three  stories   high  and    that 
an  addition  three  stories   high    should  be  added    to    the 
rear  for  recitation  rooms.     December  26,  1865,3  contract 
was  made  with  bricklayers  for  raising  the   walls  of  the 
building.     The  work  of  erection  went  on  apace   during 
the  winter  of  1865-6  and  the  spring  and  summer  following. 


The  organization  of  the  new  board  June  5th,  1866,  w.ns 
signalized  by  the  appearance  of    two    new   members,  his 
excellency     Governor    Henry    M.    Hoyt    and    Attorney 
General  Henry  W.  Palmer,  both   elected  for  three  years. 
The    new  brick   building  was  now  completed.     It  was 
capable    of   accommodating    ten    schools,   and   had    six 
recitation    rooms    besides   that  could  be  used  for  school 
rooms  if  required.     The    minutes    of  a    meeting  of    the 
board   held  November  6th,   1866,  contain  the  following: 
"  On    motion  of   Henry    M.    Hoyt    it  was   resolved  that 
the  board  do  hereby  employ  Charles  J     Collins  as  super- 
intendent of  the  public  schools  of  the  borough  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  during  the  balance  of  the  current   school  year  end- 
ing June    I,  1877,  at  a  salary  at   the   rate  of    $i,ooo  per 
year — his  engagement   to    commence  at  this  date."     Mr. 
Collins  accepted  this   appointment;  at   once  entered  into 
the  work  with  enthusiasm;  visited    the  schools  of    Phila- 
delphia,   New  York    and    Boston;  became  familiar    vith 
their  best  features;  returned,  and  on  December  loth,  iS56, 
entered  upon  his  work  as  principal  and  superintendent  of 
the  Wilkes-Barre  schools.     How  well  he  succeeded  dur- 
ing this  first  year  is  indicated  by  the  report   of  the  board 
for  this  year:  "  The  board  in  the  most  emphatic  manner, 
desire  to   recognize  their  obligations  to  Rev.    Charles  J. 
Collins.       To      him    as    principal     and     superintendent 
of  all  the  schools   we  attribute  whatever  success  we  have 
achieved.     From  a  chaos  of  unclassified  elements  he  Has 
wrought   order;  he   has   adjusted  conflicting  views,  and 
from    inharmonious    materials   has    produced   an   evenly 
balanced,  perfect    working   machine.      The    amount   of 
labor,   time,  well   directed  skill,   energy  and    conscience 
which  he  put  into  his  work  is  best  known  to  your  board. 
Himself  a  mature  scholar  and  experienced    educator,  he 
quickly  apprehended  the  wants   of   our  locality,  and  rap- 
idly impressed  upon  the  crude  materials   before  him   the 
best  features  of  our  best  schools,  worked  out  of  the  latest 
experience.     His   enthusiasm    was  at  all  times  unabated; 
his  interest  in  the  cause  of  education  was  the  result  of  a 
conviction  of  its  utility,  and  he  most  conscientiously  met 
every  responsibility  before  him." 

This  term  was  a  short  one,  though  longer  than  that  of 
the  year  preceding,  being  five  months  in  duration.  The 
whole  number  of  pupils  increased  from  187  to  676. 
The  names  of  the  members  of  the  board  on  the 
tablet  of  this  new  building  are  as  follows:  President, 
George  D.  Miles;  secretary,  Charles  F.  Reets;  treasurer, 
Moses  D.  Wilson;  George  B.  Kulp,  D.  L.  Rhone,  Charles 
Roth,  Samuel  S.  Weller,  Dennis  McQuillin,  Lee  W. 
Stewart. 

At  this  time  the  borough  contained  three  wards,  each 
having  three  members  in  the  board.  Mr.  CoUins's  plan 
embodied  several  distinct  principles.  One  of  these  was 
an  accurate  system  of  grading,  fixing  the  starting  point 
and  the  limit  of  each  branch  to  be  studied  in  any  partic- 
ular grade.  Another  was  the  introduction  of  the  object 
system  of  teaching  in  the  primary  grades,  together  with 
calisthenics  and  music.  Still  another  and  a  corollary  to 
the  first  two  was  the  employment  of  professional  teachers 
—those  especially  prepared  for  the  work   in  the  normal 


<^ 


^H= 


-I 


EDUCATIONAL  PROGRESS  IN  WILKES-BARRE— THE  FEMALE  INSTITUTE. 


203 


schools  of  the  county.  June  i8th,  1867,  the  committee 
on  teachers  were  instructed  and  authorized  to  employ  six 
female  teachers,  ''  educated  to  teach,"  from  abroad  at  a 
salary  not  exceeding  $500  for  nine  months.  The 
schools  were  opened  in  September  with  the  corps  rein- 
forced by  six  trained  teachers  from  the  Philadelphia, 
Albany  and  Oswego  normal  schools.  The  work  of  this 
year  was  an  improvement  over  the  last:  the  number  of 
schools  increased  from  ten  to  eighteen,  the  number  of 
months  taught  from  five  to  eight  and  a  half  and  the 
whole  number  of  pupils  from  676  to  817.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year  1868-9  the  teaching  force  contained  a  still 
larger  percentage  of  trained  teachers  from  the  normal 
schools  named  above  and  from  the  Pennsylvania 
State  Normal  school  at  Millersville,  employed  at 
better  salaries  and  for  a  term  of  ten  months. 
The  number  of  pupils  also  increased  from  817 
to  943.  During  this  year  the  advanced  class  of  the  gram- 
mar department  (the  highest  grade,  thus  far,  in  the 
school)  finished  three  or  four  of  the  branches  of  study 
and  were  prepared  for  advancement.  But  the  schools 
still  suffered  one  serious  drawback.  The  large  building 
on  Washington  street  was  not  sufficient  to  accommodate 
all  the  schools,  consequently  the  board  was  compelled  to 
confinue  the  occupation  of  the  miserable  old  buildings 
heretofore  described.  This  difficulty  was  met,  however, 
by  the  purchase  of  a  suitable  lot  and  the  erection  thereon 
of  the  elegant  and  commodious  brick  building  on  Frank- 
lin street  near  Academy.  June  8th,  1-868  the  purchase 
of  the  lot  was  authorized;  January  25th,  1869,  it  was  re- 
ported and  approved;  shortly  after  the  contract  was 
given,  and  before  the  year  had  ended  the  building  was 
completed.  It  is  capable  of  accommodating  twelve 
grades  or  classes.  A  marble  tablet  in  the  building  con- 
tains the  following  names  of  members  composing  the 
school  board  at  that  time:  President,  Charles  Roth; 
treasurer,  Charles  F.  Reets;  secretary,  Henry  W.  Palmer; 
Henry  M.  Hoyt,  George  B.  Kulp,  Philip  Steinhaur,  Sam- 
uel S.  Weller,  Dennis  McQuillin  and  Philip  Banker. 
Accommodations  were  now  furnished  for  all  the  pupils 
of  the  district.  The  year  1869-70  was  characterized  by 
the  establishment  of  the  high  school  department  and  the 
election  of  Mr.  Collins  borough  superintendent,  with 
powers  co-ordinate  with  the  county  superintendent. 
Early  in  1870  the  borough  was  declared  a  separate  dis- 
trict, and  January  17th  Mr.  Collins  was  duly  elected 
and  shortly  afterward  was  commissioned  borough  super- 
intendent. This  position  he  held  until  August  ist,  1874, 
when,  owing  to  ill  health,  he  resigned.  The  system  of 
grading  adopted  by  Mr.  Collins  extended  over  a  period 
of  twelve  years'  tuition,  four  in  the  primary  grades,  four 
in  the  grammar  and  four  in  the  high  school.  Later  the 
high  school  course  was  shortened  to  three  years,  but  in 
other  respects  the  course  of  instruction,  grading,  rules  of 
order  and  government  and  methods  of  discipline  and  in- 
struction remain  materially  the  same  as  when  they  came 
from  the  hands  of  Mr.  Collins  in  1874. 

In   1873-4  the  elegant  new  building  on  St.  Clement's 
street  was  erected  and  named  the  Conyngham  graded 


school  building.  It  was  rendered  necessary  by  the  rapid 
increase  in  the  population  of  the  lower  parts  of  the  city 
at  that  time.  The  following  named  gentlemen  composed 
the  board  at  the  time  of  its  completion:  President,  H. 
H.  Derr;  secretary.  Dr.  G.  W.  Guthrie;  George  B.  Kulp, 
S.  S.  Weller,  George  M.  Nagle,  Jacob  Schmitt  and  C.  F. 
Reets.  A  few  years  later  a  fine  building  for  the  accom- 
modation of  colored  children  was  erected  at  the  corner 
of  Washington  and  South  streets. 

The  statement  made  by  the  board  for  the  year  ending 
on  the  first  Monday  of  June,  1879,  embodies  the  following 
facts: 

Whole  number  of  schools,  30;  number  of  months 
taught,  10;  number  of  male  teachers,  7;  number  of  fe- 
male teachers,  25;  average  salary  of  males  per  month, 
$74.50;  average  salary  of  females  per  month,  $45.60; 
whole  number  of  scholars,  1,677;  average  number  attend- 
ing school,  1,316;  percentage  of  attendance,  92;  tax  levy 
(number  of  mills),  10. 

The  board  (April,  1880,)  is  composed  as  follows:  Pres- 
ident, William  J.  Harvey;  secretary.  Dr.  G.  W.  Guthrie; 
Martin  Frey,  George  S.  Bennett,  Dr.  O.  F.  Harvey,  J.  W. 
Driesbach  and  S.  H.  Sturdevant. 

Thus  we  have  a  brief  picture  of  the  marvelous  growth 
of  the  schools  of  Wilkes-Barre  in  efficiency  and  general 
popularity.  From  being  what  the  board  in  their  report 
for  1866-7  pronounced  them — "utterly  useless, if  not  act- 
ually vicious — "  they  have  become  one  of  the  chief  attract- 
ive features  of  the  city.  Already  there  is  a  clamor  for 
still  better  things.  The  first  new  building  erected,  the 
Washington  street  grammar  and  high  school,  has  in  it 
some  serious  defects,  and  the  public  demands  a  better 
building.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  still  another 
new  edifice  will  be  erected  that  will  be  a  crowning  glory 
to  the  already  famous  schools  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

THE    WILKES-BARRE    FEMALE    INSTITUTE. 

This  educational  institution,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Luzerne,  was  chartered  April  loth,  1854. 
The  following  trustees  were  appointed  :  George  M. 
HoUenback,  Alexander  Gray,  Harrison  Wright,  Ario 
Pardee,  Samuel  Wadhams,  John  Brown,  John  Urquhart, 
Henry  M.  Fuller,  Elisha  B.  Harvey,  William  R.  Glen, 
John  Faser,  Andrew  T.  McClintock  and  Rev.  J.  Dor- 
rance,  ex  officio.  At  a  meeting  held  April  15th,  1854 
George  M.  HoUenback  was  chosen  president;  John  Faseri 
treasurer,  and  Edward  M.  Covell,  secretary,  and  a  build- 
ing committee  was  appointed.  May  8th,  1854,  Rev.  John 
Dorrance  reported  that  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Wilkes-Barre  had  raised  $10,000  for  the  establishment  of 
the  institute,  and  soon  afterward  a  contract  was  awarded 
to  D.  A.  Fell  &  Co.  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building 
on  River  street  above  Smith,  which  was  finished  and  the 
school  opened  in  it  September  13th,  1854.  April  30th, 
1874,  this  building  was  sold,  and  in  May,  1876,  a  lot  was 
purchased  on  South  street,  at  the  corner  of  Barnura 
place,  on  which  it  is  intended  to  erect  a  large  and  con- 
venient building  for  the  use  of  the  school.     Since  Oc- 


*^^ 


^: 


204 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


tober,  1876,  the  Judge  Conyngham  homestead,  on  River 
street,  has  been  occupied  by  the  institute. 

The  first  principal  of  the  school  was  Rev.  Joseph  E. 
Nassau,  who  accepted  the  position  June  24th,  1854,  and 
resigned  in  January,  1855.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev- 
C.  J.  Collins,  who  resigned  November  28th  following. 
Rev.  S.  Hutchins  was  appointed  in  March,  1856,  and  re- 
signed in  July,  1857.  September  sth  following  R.  S. 
Howes,  A.  M.,  was  chosen  to  the  position.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  W.  S.  Parsons,  Esq.,  under  whose  management 
the  school  opened  in  September,  1864,  and  who  served 
until  June,  1872.  From  this  time  until  October,  1876, 
the  school  was  abandoned.  At  the  date  last  mentioned 
it  was  reopened  in  its  present  quarters,  with  Dr.  J.  F. 
Rothrock  as  principal.  Dr.  Rothrock  was  succeeded  by 
Mrs.  F.  C.  Hosmer  and  Miss  E.  H.  Rockwell,  two  ladies  of 
large  and  successful  experience  as  educators  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  Princeton,  N.  J.,  who  opened  the  school 
September  12th,  1877.  The  course  of  study  is  arranged 
for  six  years — two  in  the  preparatory  department  and  four 
in  the  academic.  The  grade  of  pupils  is  determined  by 
examination.  No  pupils  are  received  who  are  under 
eleven  years  of  age.  Opportunity  is  given  for  the  study 
of  the  French,  German,  Latin  and  Greek  languages. 
Ancient  and  modern  history,  in  connection  with  progress 
in  literature,  art,  science  and  civilization,  receive  par- 
ticular attention.  The  business  management  of  the  in- 
stitute is  Vested  in  the  board  of  trustees,  of  which  Andfew 
T.  McClintock  is  president  and  Douglas  Smith  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

MALLINCKRODT    CONVENT. 

This  institution,  an  academy  of  the  Sisters  of  Chris- 
tian Charity,  a  boarding  and  day  school  for  young  girls, 
was  founded  in  1878  by  the  Sisters  of  Christian  Charity, 
who  emigrated  from  Germany  to  America  in  1873,  the 
founder  of  the  society  being  a  noble  lady.  Miss  Pauline 
von  Mallinckrodt,  sister  of  the  much  lamented  Hermann 
von  Mallinckrodt,  member  of  the  German  parliament, 
who  died  some  years  ago.  The  Mallinckrodt  Convent  is, 
besides  its  being  &. pensionat  io\  young  girls,  the  mother- 
house  and  novitiate  of  the  Sisters  of  Christian  Charity 
who  are  devoted  to  the  instruction  and  education  of  the 
young  in  parochial  schools,  academies,  orphan-houses, 
etc.,  in  many  places  throughout  the  United  States.  It 
affords  many  advantages  to  young  girls  desirous  of  ac- 
quiring a  solid,  polite  and  religious  education.  The 
course  of  instruction  is  given  in  both  the  German  and 
English  languages,  and  embraces  a  wide  range  of  useful 
branches. 

ST.    MARY'S   CONVENT. 

St.  Mary's  school,  on  Canal  street,  in  charge  of  the 
Sisters  of  Mercy,  was  opened  in  October,  1875.  The 
pupils  numbered  over  five  hundred,  and  were  divided 
into  five  classes,  three  of  girls  and  two  of  boys.  A  few- 
months  later  two  teachers  were  added  and  a  more  com- 
plete classification  was  obtained. 

The  children  attending  this  school  are    affordedvevery 


opportunity  for  obtaining  a  thorough  English  education. 
The  annual  closing  exercises  were  held  for  the  first  time 
in  June,  1876,  at  which  time  an  academy  for  young  ladies 
attached  to  St.  Mary's  Convent,  on  Washington  street, 
was  opened,  with  about  forty  pupils  in  attendance,  di- 
vided into  two  classes.  At  this  institution,  besides  a 
complete  course  of  English,  are  taught  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music,  drawing  and  wax  and  needle  work. 

Literature  and  Literary  People  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

As  early  as  1800,  Abram  Bradley,  an  ex-Revolutionary 
captain  who  had  come  into  the  valley  from  Connecticut 
four  years  before,  published    the  first  book  ever  issued  at 
Wilkes-Barre.       It  was  a  i2mo  from  the  press  of  Asher 
and  Charles  Miner,  and  was  entitled  "A  New  Theory  of 
the   Earth."      The    Messrs.    Miner  published    in    1803  a 
book  of  142  pages,  under  the  somewhat   lengthy  title   of 
"  The   Susquehanna  Controversy  Examined.      The    Ma- 
terial Objections  against  the  Connecticut  Claimants  Ans- 
wered.    Done  with  Truth  and  Candor  by  Samuel  Avery, 
Esq."     It  is  said  to  have  been  a  valuable  publication.     A 
poem  by   Joseph    McCoy,    cashier    of  the    Philadelphia 
branch  bank,  entitled  "  The    Frontier    Maid,  or   a   Tale 
of   Wyoming,"    was    printed    and    published    by    Steu- 
ben   Butler  and   Samuel   Maffit    in    1819.     It  possessed 
little    literary  merit,  and  subsequently  becoming  dissatis- 
fied with  it  Mr.  McCoy  collected  and   destroyed    all  the 
copies  he  could  find.     The  Miners  during  their  career  at 
Wilkes-Barre  as  editors  and  publishers  issued  a  hymn  book, 
a  work  on  alchemy  by  Dr.  William  Hooker  Smith  and  a 
collection  of  anecdotes,  edited  by  Charles  Miner,  under 
the  title  of  "  The    Merry   Fellow's    Companion."     "The 
History  of  Wyoming,"  by  Isaac  A.  Chapman,  a  work  now 
scarce     and     much     sought    for    by     students     of     the 
history      of      Wyoming,      was      published     by     S.     D. 
Lewis,    at    Wilkes-Barre,    in     1830.       A    work    on    the 
same  subject,  but  broader  in  scope  and  more  minute  in 
treatment,  is  "The  History  of  Wyoming  "  written   about 
1830  by   Charles  Mmer,  who  was  also  an  able  and  facile 
writer  of  general  articles  and  poems.     Like  Chapman's 
history,  there  are  few  copies  of  it  to  be  found  now,  and 
when  one  is  procurable  it  is  always  at  a  high  price.     An- 
other valuable   work   upon  the   same  subject   is  Stewart 
Pearce's  "Annals  of  Luzerne,'' published  by  Messrs.  J. 
P.   Lippincott   &   Co.,  Philadelphia,  in    i860.     A   second 
edition  was  issued  in  1S66,  and  a  third  is  now  in  prepara- 
tion and  will  doubtless  appear  ere  long,  its  value  enhanced 
by  judicious   revision  and    copious    additions.      At   one 
time  (1813-15,  portions  of  both  years  inclusive)  a  distinct- 
ively literary  periodical,   the  Literary  Visitor,   was  pub- 
lished at  Wilkes-Barre    by  Steuben    Butler,  which  con- 
tained numerous  contributions  by  Charles  Miner,  Josiah 
Wright,   Edward   Chapman   and    others.      James   Sinton 
was  a  writer  of  ability  who  lived  in  Wilkes-Barre  at   a 
comparatively  early  date.     Andrew  Beaumont  was  also 
an  occasional  writer  of  a  good  quality  of  verse,  his  "  Sons 
of    Wyoming,"  written   soon   after  the   departure   of  the 
Wyoming  Artillerists  for  the  Mexican  war,  being  a  well 
remembered  example  of  his  poetical  ability.     Edward  E. 


^^^ 


4 


LITERARY  SOCIETIES   OF   WILKES-BARRE. 


205 


4 


Le  Clerc  was  also  a  versifier  of  no  inconsiderable  merit, 
as  is  attested  by  his  well  known  poem  on  the  death  of 
Lieutenant  James  M.  Bowman,  in  1839.  Judge  Edmund 
L.  Dana  is  an  apt  and  pleasing  writer  of  extensive  and 
varied  information.  Judge  G.  W.  Woodward  was  a 
strong  and  vigorous  writer  on  legal  questions.  C.  E. 
Wright,  Esq.,  has  produced  some  noteworthy  works  of 
fiction.  Prof.  John  S.  Hait,  of  Philadelphia,  well  known 
as  a  literary  man,  was  a  Wilkes-Barre  boy.  The  lit- 
erary abilities  of  Mr.  W.  P.  Miner  and  Dr.  Charles  F. 
Ingham  may  be  inferred  from  their  contributions  to  this 
work. 

LITERARY  AND    LIBRARY  ASSOCIATIONS. 

As  early  as  1804  the  first  debating  society  in  Luzerne 
county  of  which  there  is  any  record  was  organized  at 
Wilkes-Barre,  under  the  name  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  De- 
bating Society,  by  Charles  Miner,  Thomas  Dyer,  Arnold 
Colt,  John  Evans,  Josiah  Wright,  Ezekiel  Hyde,  Nathan 
Palmer,  Thomas  Wells,  Thomas  Graham  and  Roswell 
Wells.  "  Is  celibacy  justifiable  by  the  laws  of  God,  or 
consistent  with  moral  principles  ?  "  was  the  first  question 
discussed  and  was  decided  in  the  negative.  The  name 
of  the  society  was  changed  in  1809  to  that  of  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  Beneficial  Society.  In  1806  a  similar  association 
was  formed  under  the  title  of  the  Quincun  Society  or 
Tribe,  and  the  Wilkes-Barre  or  Wyoming  Library  Com- 
pany was  organized  anda  collection  of  instructive  books 
was  procured  and  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  public, 
most  of  which  were  scattered  and  many  lost.  In  1826 
measures  were  taken  to  find  the  volumes,  and  such  as 
could  be  reclaimed  were  divided  among  the  members  of 
the  society.  Many  of  the  members  of  these  associations 
became  eminent  in  after  life  as  orators  and  statesmen. 
Under  different  names  literary  societies  were  kept  up  in 
Wilkes-Barre  until  the  organization  of  the  Wyoming 
Athenaeum. 

THE    WELSH    LITERARY    SOCIETY 

is  an  organization  well  known  at  the  present  time. 
Meetings  are  held  Saturday  evenings  at  the  corner  of 
Sherman  and  East  Market  streets. 

THE    WYOMING     ATHEN/EUM. 

The  stated  objects  of  this  society  at  the  time  of  its 
organization  were  "to  establish  a  public  library  in 
Wilkes-Barre  ;  to  open  therein,  when  deemed  expedient 
and  profitable,  a  reading  room  for  those  who  should  con- 
tribute to  its  establishment  and  support;  and  the  ad- 
vancement of  science  and  literature  and  the  dissemina- 
tion of  useful  knowledge."  It  was  provided  that  its 
stock  should  consist  of  an  unlimited  number  of  shares  at 
$S  each,  and  Messrs.  Ziba  Bennett,  Joseph  P.  Le  Clerc 
and  Andrew  T.  McClintock  were  designated  to  receive 
payment  on  subscriptions.  At  a  meeting  of  the  subscri- 
bers held  at  the  court-house  March  23d,  1839,  of  which 
Edward  Lynch  was  appointed  chairman  and  Joseph  P. 
Le  Clerc  secretary,  the  following  named  gentlemen  were 


duly  chosen  trustees  of  the  fund:  Luther  Kidder,  Hen- 
drick  B.  Wright,  Andrew  T.  McClintock,  Volney  L. 
Maxwell,  Amos  Sisty,  George  W.  Woodward  and  Joseph 
P.  Le  Clerc.  The  board  was  organized  March  28th, 
1839,  by  the  election  of  Amos  Sisty  as  president,  An- 
drew T.  McClintock  as  secretary,  and  Isaac  S.  Oster- 
hout  as  treasurer. 

The  original  subscribers  to  the  stock  of  the  society, 
embracing  names  then  and  afterwards  well  known  in 
various  walks  of  life,  and  many  of  the  most  influential 
citizens  of  Wilkes-Barre  in  the  past  and  present,  were  as 
follows  : 

Charles  Miner,  Volney  L.  Maxwell,  John  N.  Conyngham,  B.  Lynch,  S. 
Butler,  Joseph  Dubs,  Harrison  Wright,  William  Willets,  Charles  White, 
E.  B.  Stiles,  Samuel  P.  Puterbaugh,  Bev.  John  Dorranoe,  B.  K.  Phillips, 
Andrew  T.  McClintock,  E.  W.  Sturdevant,  William  Hitler,  Zaohariah 
Gray,  AJdson  Morse,  Ziba  Bennett,  E.  W.  Reynolds,  John  L.  Butler,  Syl- 
vester Dana,  George  T.  Jackson,  George  W.  Woodward,  M.  B.  Hammar, 
James  C.  Helme,  Isaac  Wood,  Luther  Kidder,  B.  A.  Bidlack,  Thomas  W. 
Miner,  Isaac  S.  Osterhout,  Henry  C.  Anhiser,  Thomas  Davidge,  Hendrick 
B.  Wright,  Samuel  Holland,  N.  Butter,  F.  Van  Fleet,  Sidney  Tracy, 
Charles  A.  Lane,  William  Wurts,  John  Smith,  A.  H.  Emley,  William  L. 
Bowman,  Henry  Colt,  John  R.  Jackson,  Benjamin  Drake,  William  J. 
Stephens,  John  G.  Fell,  David  Scott,  Jonathan  J.  Sloeum,  Amos  Sisty, 
H.  Collings,  Gilbert  Barnes,  Charles  P.  Lane,  William  Jessup,  P.  M. 
Gilchrist,  John  T.Robinson,  Henry  Pettebone,  Samuel  T.  Nicholson, 
John  M.  Burtis,  William  S.  Cox,  George  M.  HoUenbaok,  Lewis  Worrall, 
Joseph  P.  Le  Clerc.  Hezekiah  Parsons,  Asher  Miner,  S.  F.  Abbott,  George 
W.  Williams,  Benjamin  Bailey,  James  Stark,  James  Hancock,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam James  Clark,  Charles  B.  Drake,  Chester  Tuttle,  Lord  Butler,  William 
Hancock,  A.  O.  Chahoon,  A.  R.  Pennington,  William  S.  Boss,  William 
Alexander,  Charles  Denison,  S.  S.  Winchester,  Charles  Roth,  Edward  M. 
Covell,  Charles  T.  Barnum,  Israel  Dickinson,  Henry  Kutz,  Jacob  Kutz, 
William  C.  Gildersleeve,  W.  T.  Dennis,  C.  M.  Smith,  C.  I.  A.  Chapman 
and  Thomas  W.  Miner. 

The  first  librarian  was  Cyrenus  M.  Smith,  and  the  li- 
brary was  kept  in  his  office,  in  the  old  court-house,  until 
his  removal  from  Wilkes-Barre.  F.  J.  Leavenworth  was 
elected  in  1849  and  served  until  succeeded  by  Charles 
H.  Drake  in  1852,  when  the  library  was  removed  to  the 
office  of  the  latter,  on  South  Main  street.  Mr.  Drake 
died  in  January,  1862,  and  was  succeeded  by  Volney  L. 
Maxwell,  who  served  until  his  death  in  January,  1873. 
During  that  year  Robert  L.  Ayers  was  appointed  to  the 
office,  and  the  library  was  removed  to  the  rooms  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  on  Franklin  street. 
There  are  about  1,500  volumes  in  the  library.  The  so- 
ciety was  incorporated  by  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas 
January  6th,  1845.  Isaac  S.  Osterhout  has  served  as 
treasurer  since  its  organization.  Andrew  T.  McClintock 
was  president  in  1880. 

THE    WILKES-BARRE    LAW    AND    LIBRARY    ASSOCIATION. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  Law  and  Library  Association  was 
organized  June  i8th,  1850,  with  Hendrick  B.  Wright  as 
president;  Andrew  T.  McClintock,  treasurer,  and  George 
Byron  Nicholson,  secretary.  The  original  members  were 
John  N.  Conyngham,  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  V.  L.  Max- 
well, Harrison  Wright,  Andrew  T.  McClintock,  Horatio 
W.  Nicholson,  George  Byron  Nicholson,  Henry  W.  Ful- 
ler, Warren  J.  Woodward,  Jonathan  J.  Sloeum,  Charles 
Denison,  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  Asher  M.  Stout,  E.  B.  Har- 
vey. The  successive  presidents  have  been  Hendrick  B. 
Wright,  Edmund  L.  Dana  and  Andrew  T.  McClintock. 
The  following  were  the  officers  in  1879:  Andrew  T.  Mc- 


<^ 


^ 

^^. 


206 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


i 


Clintoc'k,  president;  George  R.  Bedford,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  Stanley  Woodward,  H.  B.  Payne  and  E.  S.  Os- 
borne, executive  committee.  The  membership  was 
about  100,  made  up  from  the  lawyers  of  Luzerne  and 
Lackawanna  counties.  The  association  is  incorporated 
by  act  of  Assembly,  and  has  a  law  library  of  about  2,500 
volumes.     Five  regular  meetings  are  held  each  year. 

THE    YOUNG    MEN's    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  was  organized  in  November,  1871,  and  has  for  its 
object  the  interests  of  young  men.  A  reading  room  was 
opened  shortly  after  and  has  since  been  maintained  at 
III  Franklin  street.  The  association  was  made  the  cus- 
todian of  the  valuable  library  of  the  Wyoming  Athenffium, 
which  is  opened  to  the  public  twice  a.  week.  The  asso- 
ciation carries  on  religious  meetings  at  various  points  and 
also  engages  in  secular  work  for  young  men.  Among  the 
former  are  hospital  and  jail  meetings,  gospel  services, 
cottage  meetings,  Bible  readings,  meetings  in  the  coun- 
try, song  services,  etc.;  and  among  the  latter,  entertain- 
ments at  the  rooms,  night  school,  health  talks,  parlor  con- 
ferences, besides  other  features  which  suggest  themselves 
from  time  to  time.  The  association  has  the  nucleus  of  a 
building  fund.  The  membership  is  about  100.  The 
officers  were  as  follows  in  1879:  President,  H.  H.  Derr; 
vice-president,  Robert  L.  Ayres;  treasurer,  John  N.  Pir- 
rong;  secretary,  C.  Walter;  librarian,  Montgomery  Wilder- 
muth. 

Journalism. 

The  earliest  venture  at  journalism  in  the  Wyoming 
valley  was  made  by  two  young  men  from  Philadelphia 
in  1795,  who  brought  with  them  to  Wilkes-Barre  a  small 
hand  press  and  a  limited  quantity  of  type  and  started  a 
weekly  paper  about  the  size  of  a  sheet  of  foolscap,  called 
the  Herald  of  the  Times.  The  original  proprietors,  find- 
ing the  business  not  remunerative,  or  at  least  uncongenial, 
the  concern  was  sold  to  Thomas  Wright,  a  substantial 
real  estate  owner,  who  changed  the  title  to  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  Gazette,  under  which  name  it  was  published  for 
several  years  under  the  editorial  management  of  Josiah 
Wright,  son  of  the  proprietor.  As  Mr.  Wright  was  sub- 
stantially the  first  printer  in  Wilkes-Barre,  so  also  was 
he  the  progenitor  of  a  long  line  of  printers  in  the  valley, 
down  to  the  present  time.  The  Gazette,  though  small 
was  ably  conducted,  and  grew  in  favor  with  the  people 
till  its  list  of  subscribers  exceeded  three  hundred,  and 
it  was  looked  upon  as  a  journalistic  success.  To  us, 
who  are  in  the  habit  of  reading  each  morning  in  the 
daily  papers  of  the  present  of  the  happenings  in  nearly 
all  parts  of  the  world  on  the  preceding  day,  it  may  seem 
a  little  slow  to  notice,  as  a  copy  of  the  Gazette  shows, 
that  the  latest  news  from  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia 
and  Washington  came  down  only  to  within  a  month  of 
the  date  of  issue,  while  news  from  Europe  was  at  least 
from  three  to  four  months  old. 

The  publication  of  the  Gazette  having  ceased  at  the 
beginning  of  1801,  January  5  th  of  that  year  Asher  Miner, 


who  was  a  practical  printer  and  had  worked  for  some 
time  in  the  office  with  Mr.  Wright,  started  the  Luzerne 
Federalist  with  a  new  press  brought  from  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut, on  a  sled,  by  his  younger  brother,  Charles  Mi- 
ner, afterwards  a  distinguished  journalist  and  member  of 
Congress  and  the  historian  of  Wyoming.  The  paper 
used  at  this  time  was  made  in  Allentown  and  brought 
over  the  mountains  once  in  two  weeks  on  horseback. 
Soon  after,  however,  Matthias  Hollenback  erected  a 
small  paper  mill  on  Toby's  creek,  in  the  hollow  back  of 
Kingston,  a  supply  from  which  fortunately  relieved  the 
newspaper  men  of  one  great  difficulty  in  conducting  the 
business  of  publication.  The  paper  was  ably  managed 
by  Asher  and  Charles  Miner  till  1809,  when  the  Feder- 
alist establishment  was  sold  to  the  veteran  editor  Steuben 
Butler  and  Sidney  Tracy.  Mr.  Butler,  a  son  of  Colonel 
Zebulon  Butler,  who  commanded  the  American  forces  on 
the  ill-fated  3d  of  July,  1778,  is  yet  (1880J  living,  hale 
■and  hearty,  about  ninety. 

In  181 1  the  Federalist  was  enlarged  and  the  name 
changed  to  the  Gleaner;  but  it  continued  the  organ  of 
the  Federalists  as  opposed  to  the  Democrats.  Charles 
Miner  soon  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Tracy,  and  in 
company  with  Steuben  Butler  continued  its  publication 
until  iSr8,  when  the  enterprise  was  abandoned.  It  was 
during  the  latter  period  of  his  editorial  labors  that  Mr. 
Miner  contributed  a  series  of  articles  to  the  columns  of 
the  Gleaner,  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  "  Robert  the 
Scribe,"  in  imitation  of  Dr.  Franklin's  "  Poor  Richard  " 
sayings.  He  was  a  ready  and  entertaining  writer,  and 
these  articles  were  very  popular,  and  often  and  for  a  long 
time  afterward  quoted  by  contemporaries.  A  good  un- 
derstanding appears  to  have  grown  up  between  the 
Wrights  and  the  Miners  by  this  time,  for  both  Charles 
and  Asher  had  married  daughters  of  Thomas  Wright,  and 
the  printing  interest  of  that  day,  and  for  a  long  time 
after  by  their  descendants,  was  consolidated  in  these 
families. 

In  the  meantime  a  young  man  named  Samuel  Maffet, 
who  had  served  an  apprenticeship  in  the  office  of  the 
Aurora  in  Philadelphia,  under  John  Binns,  had  estab- 
lished in  iSro,  as  an  organ  of  the  Democracy,  another 
paper  called  the  Susquehanna  Democrat,  which  had 
among  its  friends  and  material  supporters  the  wealth 
and  social  influence  of  General  William  Ross  and  Judge 
Hollenback;  and  the  political  contests  between  the  enter- 
prising journalists  of  the  Federalist  and  Democrat  at 
times  were  very  warm,  bitter  and  energetic.  In  1824  the 
Democrat  was  purchased  by  Sharp  D.  Lewis  and  Chester 
A.  Colt.  In  1831  Mr.  Colt  sold  his  interest  to  Robert  T. 
Conrad,  afterward  a  distinguished  judge  and  mayor  of 
the  city  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Conrad  was  endowed  with 
a  brilliant  literary  mind,  and  in  his  maturer  years  pro- 
duced one  of  our  very  best  American  tragedies — Forrest's 
great  play  of  "  Jack  Cade,"  or  Alymere  of  the  Kentish 
rebellion.  Mr.  Conrad  sold  his  interest  to  Luther  Kidder. 
At  about  this  period  the  Democrat  had  perhaps  the  ablest 
corps  of  editors  and  contributors  that  any  paper  in  Wilkes- 
Barre   ever   had  before  or  has  been  blessed  with  since. 


=^^ 


A 

Mh 


JOURNALISM  AT  WILKES-BARRE. 


207 


4 


There  was  the  chaste  and  elegant  Conrad;  the  painstaking 
and  truth-revering  Lewis;  the  careful  and  matter-of-fact 
Kidder,  afterward  president  judge,  who  was  a  perfect 
gradgrind  on  tacts;  the  logical,  calm,  cool  George  W. 
Woodward,  afterward  chief  justice  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  dashing  and  fearless  Ovid  F.  Johnson,  who  afterward 
became  attorney  general  of  Pennsylvania,  a  man  of  great 
intellect  and  peer  to  any  of  these,  his  then  fellow  law 
students,  who  afterward  reflected  honor  upon  the  bench 
or  bar  of  Pennsylvania.  But  the  Democrat's  fortune  was 
on  the  wane.  Mr.  James  Rafferty,  who  was  an  excellent 
practical  printer,  made  an  effort  to  sustain  it  for  a  while, 
till  it  finally  drifted  into  the  custody  of  Dr.  C.  J.  Christel 
&  Co  ,  and  expired. 

The    Wyoming   Herald  was     established    in  18 r8,    by 
Steuben  Butler.   In  1831  Asher  Miner  became  associated 
in  its    publication.     It  finally   passed   into    the   hands  of 
Robert  Miner,  a    son   of  Asher,  and    Eleazer  Carey,  who 
continued    its      publication     till     1835,      when     it    was 
merged    with  the    Wyoming  Republican,  which    had   been 
issued  in  Kingston  by  Sharp  D.  Lev.'is  in  1832.      In  1837 
the  press   and    material   were  purchased   by  Dr.  Thomas 
W.  Miner,  a  son  of  Asher  Miner,  and  removed  to  Wilkes- 
Barre.     Dr.  Miner  and  Miner  S.  Blacknian  continued  its 
publication  until  1839,  when  it  was  purchased  by  Samuel 
P.  Collings  and  united  with  \\\e.  Republican  Farmer,  which 
had  been  started  by  Henry  Pettebone  and  Henry  Heald 
in    1828    as   an   advocate    of  Democratic  principles.     In 
1833  the  concern  was  purchased  by  Benjamin  A.  Bidlack, 
who  afterwards  became   a   member  of  Congress,  was  ap- 
pointed American  minister  to  the  republic  of  Colombia, 
South  America,  and  died  at  his  post  at  Bogota.     Honor- 
able  William    Bross,   ex-lieutenant  governor  of  Illinois, 
and  president  of  the  Chicago  Tribune  Company,  received 
his  first  lessons  in  the  printer's  art  as  a  carrier  boy  under 
Mr.  Bidlack.     In  1835   the  Farmer  again   came    into  the 
possession  of  S.  P.  Collings,  who  continued  its  publication 
until  1852,  when  by  a  compromise  of  the  two  factions  of 
the  Democratic  party  it  was    sold  to   S.  S.  Benedict,  the 
owner  of  a  rival  paper  called  the  Luzerne  Democrat.  The 
two  were  consolidated  as  the  Luzerne  Union,  which  passed 
through  many  hands  between  1852   and    January,    1879, 
when  it  was  consolidated  with  a  rival  for  Democratic  favor, 
the  Leader,  which  had  enjoyed  a  two-and-a-half-years'  ex- 
istence,   under  the    editorial  management   first  of   E.  A. 
Niven,  and  lastly  of  J.  K.  Bogart,  who  became  the  editor 
of  the  journal  now  known  as    the  Union  Leader,  leaving 
no  rival  to  dispute  its   claim  of  being  the   organ   of  the 
democratic   party.      In     1854    the    Union     was     edited 
by    S.     S.    Winchester;     in    1855     a    Mr.     Bosee     was 
proprietor;  in    1858    Mr.  E.  S.   Goodrich,    who   had  just 
served  as  deputy  secretary  of    the   commonwealth,    was 
proprietor;  in  1859  Nifflin  Hannum,  who  in  1865  sold  to 
Walter  H.  Hibbs.     In  1871  Mr,  Hibbs  sold  to  ex-Senator 
H.  B.   Beardslee,  formerly  of  Honesdale,   from  whom  it 
passed  to  J.  K.  Bogart  and    the  Union  Leader  Company. 
For  several    months  an    evening    daily  edition  has   been 
issued,  which  has  become  popular. 

The   Republican  Farmer,  under  S.  P.  CoUings's  man- 


agement, was  conducted  with  marked  ability  in  its  edito- 
rial columns.  Mr.  Collings  as  a  political  controversialist 
had  no  superiors  in  his  day.  He  was  a  master  in  the  art 
of  dealing  out  sarcasm,  and  his  caustic  and  pointed  shafts 
seldom  flew  wide  of  the  mark  in  dealing  with  the  enemies 
of  his  party.  Having  become  enfeebled  in  health,  in 
1853  he  was  appointed  U.  S.  consul  to  Tangier,  in  Africa, 
in  hope  that  the  change  might  prove  beneficial  in  build- 
ing up  his  wasted  frame.  But  he  did  not  long  survive 
having  removed  there  with  his  family,  and  his  remains 
are  mouldering  in  the  land  of  old  Carthage.  'The  Farmer 
was  the  favorite  channel  through  which  Hon.  Andrew 
Beaumont  was  wont  to  give  to  the  public  his  sound  and 
convincing  views  on  all  political  questions  of  the  day. 

The  first  attempt  at  issuing  a  daily  paper  in  Wilkes- 
Barre  was  made  in  1852,  by  E.  B.  Collings  and  Halsey 
Brower.  A  small  paper  called  the  Daily  Telegraph  was 
started,  but  suivived  only  a  short  time,  and  died  for  want 
of  patronage.  In  1869  Messrs.  Hibbs  &  Linn  issued  a 
daily  edition  of  the  Luzerne  Union,  called  the  Daily  Union, 
but  the  enterprise  did  not  prove  remunerative,  and  after 
a  few  months  it  was  discontinued. 

The  Anti-Masonic  Advocate  was  established  by 
Elijah  Worthington  in  1832.  In  1838  it  was  purchased 
by  Amos  Sisty,  who  dropped  the  anti-masonic  title,  and 
it  appeared  as  the  Wilkes-Barre  Advocate,  the  organ  of 
the  old  Whig  party.  Mr.  Sisty  was  a  pleas-int  writer,  and 
its  columns  were  enriched  by  some  choice  gems  of  poetry 
from  his  pen.  After  his  death,  in  1843,  the  Advocate 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Sharp  D.  Lewis,  and  he  in 
1853  sold  it  to  William  P.  Miner,  a  son  of  Charles 
Miner.  Mr.  Miner  changed  the  name  to  \he  Reco- d  of 
the  limes,  which  title  it  yet  bears,  and  soon  sold  a  half 
interest  to  his  cousin  Joseph  W.  Miner,  a  son  of  Asher 
Miner,  who  died  a  year  or  two  afterwards,  and  William 
P.  Miner  became  the  sole  editor  and  proprietor.  The 
Record  of  the  Times  has  always  been  a  faithful  chronicler 
of  passing  events,  and  shown  itself  to  be  just  what  its 
name  imports,  a  newsy  and  lively  paper.  In  1866  the 
Record  was  published  in  one  of  a  row  of  wooden  build- 
ings on  West  Market  street,  on  the  southwest  side,  below 
Franklin  street,  and  the  entire  concern  was  totally  de- 
stroyed by  the  big  fire  that  laid  waste  both  sides  of  the 
street  on  the  16th  of  April  of  that  year  ;  but  with 
characteristic  energy  Mr.  Miner  obtained  new  material 
at  once,  including  a  steam  power  press,  the  first  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  the  publication  of  the  paper  was  not  materi- 
ally interrupted.  The  Record  had  heretofore  been  a 
weekly  paper,  but  in  1870  Mr.  Miner,  feeling  that  the 
time  had  arrived  when  Wilkes-Barre  could  sustain  a 
daily,  commenced  the  publication  of  a  morning  edition  in 
connection  with  the  weekly.  The  morning  daily  was 
soon  changed  to  an  evening  paper,  on  which  plan  it  was 
continued  till  the  paper  was  sold  to  the  Record  of  the 
Times  Publishing  Company,  Dr.  W.  H.  Bradley  managing 
editor,  in  March,  1877,  and  by  him  continued  as  such 
until  in  the  summer  of  1879  the  paper  was  enlarged  and 
issued  in  the  morning;  and  there  is  no  better  or  more  en- 
ergetic journal  to  be  found  outside   of  the   large   cities. 


<¥ 


208 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


+ 


A  daily  paper  in  the  interest  of  the  National  Greenback 
party  was  published  during  a  portion  of  1879. 

The  Democratic  Wacchter,  a  German  weekly  paper,  was 
-established  in  Wilkes-Barre  in  1 841,  by  Jacob  Waelder, 
now  a  prominent  lawyer  and  politician  in  San  Antonio, 
Texas.  In  1851  Mr.  Waelder  sold  out  lo  Robert  Baur, 
who  is  still  editor  and  proprietor.  Another  German  pa- 
per, called  the  Volksfretind,  Republican  in  politics,  has 
been  published  for  some  years.  The  first  Sunday  paper 
published  in  Wilkes-Barre  was  the  Sunday  Morning  Newst 
started  in  May,  1877,  by  Frank  P.  Woodward  and  M.  F. 
Doran.  The  editors,  energetic  young  men,  desirous  of 
creating  a  sensation  with  their  paper,  which  was  fresh 
and  newsy,  became  involved  in  legal  difficulties,  and  the 
paper  ceased  its  publication  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year. 
In  1878  Mr.  J.  C.  Coon  established  a  Sunday  paper 
called  The  Plain  Dealer.  It  was  owned  by  a  stock  com- 
pany, and  under  his  management  became  a  flourishing 
paper.  In  1878  Mr.  Coon  retired  from  the  company  and 
started  a  similar  paper  called  the  Sunday  News  Dealer. 
The  Plain  Dealer  was  continued  for  a  short  time  by 
Colonel  J.  D.  Laciar,  when  its  publication  ceased,  and  its 
office  was  subsequently  consolidated  with  that  of  the 
News  Dealer,  which  goes  on  prosperously,  and  large 
editions  are  published  each  Sunday  morning,  both  in 
Scranton  and  Wilkes-Barre,  Frank  P.  Woodward,  above 
mentioned,  being  in  charge  of  the  Scranton  issue. 

The  People's  Friend  is  a  late  weekly  candidate  for  pub- 
lic favor.  A  temperance  paper,  the  Evening  Star,  was 
issued  for  a  time,  of  which  Thomas  C.  Parker  was  editor 
in  1868  and  i86g.  The  legal  fraternity  have  their  own 
peculiar  periodical  in  the  Legal  Register,  edited  by  George 
B.  Kulp,  Esq.  While  it  has  been  the  aim  to  mention 
every  journalistic  venture  in  Wilkes-Barre  borough  and 
city  of  the  past  and  present,  so  numerous  have  been  such 
enterprises,  and  so  brief  the  existence  of  some  of  them, 
that  it  is  possible  all  have  not  been  recalled;  nor  is  it 
necessary,  perhaps,  to  a  knowledge  of  the  rise  and  pro- 
gress of  local  journalism  that  some  few  papers  that  may 
have  died  in  infancy  should  be  remembered,  all  of  those 
which  have  attained  any  circulation  and  influence  having 
been  referred  to  and  some  mention  having  been  made  of 
prominent  editors  and  publishers  in  every  period  of 
Wilkes-Barre's  newspaper  career. 

Amusements. 

A  sketch  of  the  amusement  history  of  Wilkes-Barre 
may  prove  not  uninteresting.  The  first  animal  show  in 
Luzerne  county  was  exhibited  in  1806  or  1807.  It  con- 
sisted of  a  single  elephant,  said  to  have  been  the  first  ever 
brought  to  this  country,  in  George  Chahoon's  barn,  in 
the  rear  of  the  present  Wyoming  Valley  House,  on  the 
site  now  occupied  by  Purcell's  livery  stable.  People 
came  from  all  directions  to  "'see  the  elephant,"  and  Mr. 
Pierce  states  that  "  one  farmer  carried  a  half  bushel  of 
wheat  on  his  back,  with  which  he  paid  the  price  of  ad- 
mission." The  first  drama  was  presented  in  the  ball-room 
of  the  old  red  tavern,  at  the  corner  of  Main  street  and  the 
public  square,  in  i8og.     The  piece   was  "The  Babes  in 


the  Woods,"  and  the  characters  were  represented  by  pup- 
pets, into  the  mouths  of  which  the  words  were  put,  appar- 
ently, by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sickles,  both  of  whom  were  ven- 
triloquists. As  an  afterpiece  a  panoramic  and  ventrilo- 
quial  representation  of  the  battle  between  John  Paul 
Jones's  ship  the  "Bon  Homme  "  and  the  "  Serapis,"  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough  commanding,  was  given.  Sickles 
was  a  showman,  of  whose  exhibitions  in  the  early  part  of 
the  century  old  people  in  Pennsylvania  and  western  New 
York  often   tell. 

At  various  times  peripatetic  showmen  have  pitched 
their  tents  in  different  parts  of  the  borough,  or  exhibited 
their  wonders  in  halls  or  large  rooms;  but  it  was  not 
until  within  the  past  few  years  that  any  regularly 
appointed  places  of  amusement  were  established  under 
local  managers.  In  1868  and  1869  Mr.  S.  Frauenthal 
erected  a  building  on  South  Main  street  in  which  he 
opened  a  place  known  as  Liberty  Hall.  In  1873  it  was 
remodeled  and  renamed  Frauenthal's  Opera  House. 
Here  appeared  many  stars  and  combinations  during  the 
remainder  of  that  year.  The  building  was  burned  January 
ist,  1874.  November  22nd,  1871,  Fred  Meyer's  Opera 
House,  a  variety  theatre,  on  Fell,  just  off  North  Main 
street,  was  opened.  Under  the  management  of  Jacob 
S.  Berry  Chahoon  Hall,  on  Market  street,  was  opened  as 
a  variety  theatre  from  1873  to  1874.  The  City  Garden 
Hall,  on  Northampton  street,  has  for  some  time  been 
known  as  a  variety  house,  frequent  performances  of  that 
kind  having  been  presented  there.  The  manager  is  John 
S.  Hinds.  Music  Hall  Block,  at  the  corner  of  Market 
and  River  streets,  was  erected  in  1870  by  W.  G.  Sterling 
and  S.  L.  Thurlow.  In  1878  the  interest  of  Mr.  Thurlow 
was  sold  to  Andrew  Hunlock.  The  seating  capacity  of 
Music  Hall  is  1,200,  and  its  size,  inclusive  of  the  stage,  is 
60  by  105  feet.  The  stage  is  32  by  62  feet  in  size,  and  is 
well  supplied  with  scenery  and  modern  appliances  for  the 
production  of  such  pieces  as  are  usually  presented  by 
traveling  companies.  Music  Hall  was  opened  February 
2nd,  1 87 1,  by  Clara  Louise  Kellogg  and  company,  under 
the  management  of  Mr.  W.  G.  Sterling.  It  has  since 
been  successfully  managed  by  Messrs.  W.  S.  Parsons,  W. 
D.  White,  and  M.  H.  Burgunder. 

Home  for  Friendless  Children. 

The  Home  for  Friendless  Children  was  founded  March 
22nd,  1862.  A  society  was  organized  by  a  few  ladies  at 
a  meeting  in  a  private  parlor.  They  were  instructed  and 
encouraged  by  Miss  Mary  Bowman,  sister  of  the 
late  Bishop  Bowman  of  Lancaster,  who  had  founded  a 
similar  home  in  that  city.  A  small  frame  house  on  South 
street  was  offered  the  society  rent  free,  by  the  late  Mr. 
William  C.  Gildersleeve.  A  small  amount  of  money  was 
raised  and  a  call  made  upon  the  public  for  contributions 
of  anything  that  could  be  turned  to  account,  which  met 
with  a  liberal  response.  Gifts  of  money  sufficient  to 
cover  the  salary  of  the  matron  for  a  year  were  received, 
and  applications  for  admission  were  so  numerous  that  at 
the  end  of  three  months  the  building  was  insufficient  to 
accommodate  any  more  inmates,  and  it  was  enlarged,  the 


J^^^lyu^  J(V(jJL 


•  r,.,  SP  B'.-Ji    ^    ■:,  :  J-'. 


A 

^h 


-M^ 


WILKES-BARRE  CHILDREN'S  HOME  AND  CITY  HOSPITAL. 


expense  being  met  by  private  contributions.  In  the 
mean  time  the  Legislature  had  passed  an  act  legalizing 
the  proceedings  of  the  society,  and  making  it  a  cor- 
porate institution,  under  the  name  of  "  The  ?Iome  for 
Friendless  Children  for  the  Borough  of  Wilkes-Barre 
and  the  County  of  Luzerne.''  The  management  of  its 
affairs  was  vested  in  a  board  of  trustees  consisting  of 
sixteen  gentlemen  and  a  board  of  twenty-four  lady  man- 
agers, both  organized  with  the  usual  officers. 

During  the  war  an  arrangement  was  made  with  the 
State  government  by  which  soldiers'  orphans  were  placed 
temporarily  in  the  Home.  The  remuneration  for  their 
care  enabled  the  managers  to  enlarge  their  corps  of  help- 
ers and  lay  by  a  small  sum  annually,  to  form  a  nucleus  to 
an  endowment  fund.  In  1864  the  Home  became  so 
crowded  with  soldiers'  orphans  that  a  larger  building  be- 
came an  absolute  necessity.  A  subscription  book  was 
opened  and  application  made  to  the  Legislature  for  an 
appropriation.  The  State  promised  $2,500  provided  double 
that  sum  could  be  raised  by  subscription.  At  once  four 
of  the  trustees,  Messrs.  G.  M.  Hollenback,  W.  S.  Ross, 
William  C.  Gildersleeve  and  V.  L.  Maxwell,  subscribed 
|r,ooo  each,  others  gave  $500  each  and  many  added 
smaller  sums,  thus  securing  the  State  appropriation  and 
making  it  safe  to  commence  building.  The  lot  was 
offered  at  ^  very  low  price  by  Mr.  Charles  Parrish  and 
Dr.  E.  R.  Mayer,  and  the  latter  added  as  a  gift  an  ad- 
joining back  lot  for  a  garden.  The  building,  a  large 
brick  edifice  with  ample  grounds,  on  Franklin  street,  was 
completed  and  occupied  in  the  autumn  of  1866.  In 
1867  active  steps  were  taken  to  secure  the  endowment 
fund.  A  book  for  subscriptions  was  opened.  Judge 
Ross  and  William  C.  Gildersleeve  each  subscribed 
^5,000,  and  smaller  subscriptions  were  added  until 
the  sum  exceeded  $16,000.  But  the  fund  has,  from  vari- 
ous causes,  been  singularly  unfortunate.  The  amount 
subscribed  by  Judge  Ross,  having  been  invested  in  stocks, 
was  entirely  lost,  through  the  failure  of  the  company  is- 
suing them.  Other  sums  were  loaned  on  mortgage,  bul 
owing  to  the  recent  depression  in  values  have  become 
worthless.  Upon  other  loans  partial  interest  is  paid,  and 
hopes  are  entertained  of  ultimately  collecting  the  princi- 
pal. A  second  $5,000  bequeathed  by  the  late  Mr.  Gilder- 
sleeve is  being  paid  by  his  executors.  In  consequence 
of  these  misfortunes  the  Home  is  still  supported  almost 
entirely  by  charity  from  citizens  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  its 
immediate  neighborhood.  Soldiers'  orphans  have  long 
since  ceased  to  occupy  the  Home,  and  that  source  of  aid 
is  closed.  Economy  has  become  necessary.  The  corps 
of  teachers  has  been  greatly  reduced,  and  smaller  salaries 
are  paid.  The  number  of  children  now  (September, 
1879,)  at  the  Home  is  between  50  and  60.  Scarcely  a 
month  passes  that  good  homes  are  not  found  for  one  or 
more.  The  Home  is  governed  by  a  matron  of  superior 
character  and  abilities;  the  school  is  managed  in  an  ex- 
cellent manner  by  one  lady  teacher.  The  children,  be- 
sides their  regular  school  instruction,  are  taught  sewing 
and  various  household  duties.  They  are  taken  regulariy 
to  church,  and  are  under  the  best  of  influences. 


The  Wii.kes-Barre  City  Hospital. 

The  need  of  such  a  charity  as  the  Wilkes-Barre  City 
Hospital  had  long  been  felt.  In  1870  an  appeal,  signed 
by  nine  of  the  most  prominent  physicians  of  the  city,  was 
published,  urging  the  necessity  of  a  place  in  which  men 
injured  in  and  around  the  mines  could  have  the  proper 
care  and  treatment  to  secure  recovery.  The  first  meet- 
ing of  citizens  to  consider  the  matter  was  held  September 
loth,  1872,  at  the  office  of  Hon.  H.  M.  Hoyt.  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  the  minutes  of  this  meeting: 

"  A.  T.  McClintock  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  W.  W- 
Lathrope  appointed  secretary.  The  object  of  the  meet- 
ing was  stated  by  Dr.  E.  R.  Mayer,  who  also  read  the 
draft  of  a  proposed  charter.  On  motion  of  Judge  Dana 
it  was  '  resolved  that  we  proceed  to  establish  a  hospital  in 
the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre.'  It  was  moved  by  E.  P.  Dar- 
ling, and  carried,  that  a  committee  of  seven  be  appointed 
to  take  into  consideration  the  proper  method  to  procure 
a  charter.  The  chair  appointed  E.  P.  Darling,  Hon.  L. 
D.  Shoemaker,  Hon.  E.  L.  Dana,  Hon.  H.  M.  Hoyt,  G. 
R.  Bedford,  Dr.  W.  F.  Denn's  and  Washington  Lee.  It 
was  moved  by  Mr.  Lee  '  that  an  executive  committee  of 
three  be  appointed  with  full  power  to  lease  a  building 
and  to  establish  and  conduct  a  hospital,  such  committee 
to  act  until  a  permanent  organization  be  effected.'  The 
motion  was  carried  and  Washington  Lee,  Charles  A. 
Miner  and  George  R.  Bedford  were  appointed.  On 
motion  of  Dr.  Mayer,  W.  W.  Lathrope  was  elected  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  /iro  tern.  Hon.  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  W. 
W.  Neuer  and  H.  H.  Derrwere  appointed  a  committee  to 
solicit  subscriptions." 

The  executive  committee  at  once  rented  a  building  on 
Fell  street,  and  after  fitting  it  up  properly  opened  it  for 
the  reception  of  patients  October  loth,  1872.  The 
number  of  beds  was  at  first  20,  which  was  increased  to 
26  during  the  following  year.  The  first  medical  staff  was 
as  follows:  Consulting  physicians,  Drs.  E.  R.  Mayer,  W. 
F.  Dennis,  J.  E.  Bulkeley;  attending  physicians,  Drs.  J. 
T.  Rothrock,  J.  V.  Crawford,  R.  Davis,  I.  E.  Ross,  J.  A. 
Murphy,  O.  F.  Harvey  and  G.  W.  Guthrie.  The  staff 
remains  the  same  with  the  exception  of  a  vacancy  in  the 
consulting  staff,  caused  by  the  death  of  Dr.  W.  F.  Dennis, 
and  one  in  the  ranks  of  the  attendant  phvsicians  made 
by  the  removal  of  Dr.  J.  T.  Rothrock.  A  resident  physi- 
cian has  also  been  added.  January  3d,  1874,  a  perma- 
nent organization  was  effected  under  a  charter  granted 
by  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Luzerne  county,  dated 
November  24th,  1873.  The  following  gentlemen  were 
chosen  a  board  of  directors:  T.  A.  C.  Lanning,  A.  T. 
McClintock,  Charies  Parrish,  John  Wells  Hollenback, 
Charles  A.  Miner,  Calvin  Wadhauis,  Stanley  Woodward, 
H.  H.  Derr,  Ira  M.  Kirkendall,  M.  B.  Houpt,  George  R. 
Bedford  and  George  S.  Bennett.  The  present  (1879) 
board  of  directors  is  constituted  as  follows  :  A.  T.  Mc- 
Clintock, Charies  A.  Miner,  E.  C.  Wadhams,  H.  H.  Derr, 
Joseph  Stickney,  E.  P.  Darling,  George  S.  Bennett,  E. 
H.  Chase,  John  Welles  Hollenback,  Richard  Sharp,  R.  J. 
Flick,  and    Fred.  Mercur  ;  president,  Charles   A.  Miner; 


Hh 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


vice-president,  Richard  Sharp;  secretary,  E.  H.  Chase; 
treasurer,  H.  H.  Derr;  executive  committee,  Messrs. 
Miner,  Sharp,  Mercur  and  Derr. 

There  is  also  a  board  of  visiting  lady  managers.  Prior 
to  the  winter  of  1874  the  support  of  the  hospital  was  de- 
rived entirely  from  voluntary  contributions,  made  by  the 
people  of  the  city.  Since  that  time  appropriations  ha\e 
been  made  by  the  State  as  follows:  In  1874,  $5,000;  in 
1876,  $25,000;  in  1877,  $ro,ooo;  in  1878,  |io,ooo.  In 
1875  a  lot  containing  about  four  acres,  on  River  street, 
near  Mill  creek,  affording  an  elegant  site  for  a  hospital 
building,  was  presented  by  John  AVelles  HoUenback. 
During  the  winter  of  1875-6  the  new  hospital  building 
was  erected  on  this  lot,  and  was  occupied  April  ist,  1876. 
It  is  a  wooden  structure  two  stories  high,  eighty-six  feet 
square,  exclusive  of  the  verandas,  and  consists  of  four 
buildings  surrounding  a  quadrangle.  It  is  capable  of 
accommodating  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  beds, 
and  is  now  supplied  with  forty-two.  The  furniture, 
appliances  and  instruments  are  of  the  most  modern  and 
approved  kind,  and  there  is  a  well  equipped  drug  store 
in  which  the  medicines  used  by  patients  are  prepared. 
The  average  number  of  patients  in  attendance  is  about 
thirty,  a  large  proportion  of  whom  belong  to  the  surgical 
wards. 

The  Fire  Departments  and  Fires  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Among  the  many  interesting  objects  on  exhibition  at 
the  Wilkes-Barre  centennial,  July,  1878,  was  a  small  hand 
fire-engine  to  which  was  appended  the  legend,  "  In  ser- 
vice ninety-eight  years,  and  good  yet."  This  was  the 
first  fire  engine  ever  brought  to  the  place,  where  it  had 
been  in  use  sixty  years  after  having  seen  thirty-eight 
years'  service,  probably  in  Philadelphia,  where  it  was 
purchased  in  1818  by  the  borough  council  and  brought 
to  Wilkes-Barre  by  teams  sent  for  the  purpose.  It  was  a 
"bucket"  machine  and  was  called  the  "Neptune." 
There  was  no  organized  fire  company,  but  all  were  ex- 
pected to  assist  in  extinguishing  fires,  and  the  late  Hon. 
J.  N.  Conyngham  was  the  recognized  leader.  Ladies 
were  frequently  seen  in  the  line  of  bucket-passers.  The 
first  Mrs.  G.  M.  HoUenback  was  always  present  and 
worked  with  a  will.  One  or  more  leather  fire  buckets 
hung  conveniently  at  nearly  every  house,  and  at  an  alarm 
of  fire  the  occupants  would  seize  them  and  hurry  to  the 
scene  of  disaster. 

In  1831  a  larger  bucket  engine  and  100  feet  of  hose 
were  purchased  in  Philadelphia  for  $500.  A  company 
was  organized  which  met  occasionally  in  the  old  market- 
house  on  the  square,  but  disbanded  within  six  months. 
The  late  Hon.  G.  W.  Woodward,  Isaac  S.  Osterhout  and 
W.  Bowman  were  among  its  members.  There  was  no  or- 
ganization from  that  time  until  1849.  When  there  were 
fires  the  course  described  previously  was  pursued,  with 
varying  success.  During  the  year  mentioned  an  engine 
known  as  the  "Triton,"  a  suction  machine,  accom- 
panied by  a  hose  carriage  and  about  1,000  feet  of 
leather  hose,  was  purchased.  The  indebtedness  in- 
curred   by   the   purchase   of    the   engine   and    part   of 


that  by  the  purchase  of  the  hose  and  carriage  was  paid 
by  private  subscription.  The  balance,  about  $200,  was 
paid  by  the  proceeds  of  a  ball  given  by  the  company 
which  had  been  organized.  Major  Frank  Bowman  and 
Charles  Bennett  were  among  its  early  officers.  For  a 
time  considerable  interest  in  the  movement  was  mani- 
fested, but  the  company  had  no  engine  house  and  no 
regular  place  for  holding  their  meetings;  and  after  a  pre- 
carious existence  of  two  years,  during  which  the  en;^ine 
was  kept  in  a  barn  and  in  the  old  market  house — whose 
doors  could  not  be  fastened — and  was  uncared  for  gener- 
ally, it  disbanded.  During  this  period  a  company  of 
several  boys  was  formed  and  operated  the  "Neptune." 
On  one  occasion  a  fire  occurred  near  the  canal,  and  to 
save  themselves  the  trouble  of  filling  the  reservoir  of  the 
engine  with  buckets,  the  boys  ran  it  into  the  canal,  im- 
mersing the  box,  and  standing  up  to  their  waists  in  the 
water  worked  the  brakes  until  the  fire  was  extin- 
guished. 

In  1859  two  companies  were  organized,  of  one  of 
which  E.  B.  Harvey  was  president  and  C.  C.  Plotz  fore- 
man. This  company  used  the  "  Triton"  engine,  which 
was  rechristened  the  "Goodwill,"  and  existed  until  the 
organization  of  the  paid  fire  department.  The  other 
company  used  an  engine  which  had  been  known  as  the 
"  Reliance"  but  which  they  called  the  "Protector." 
George  N.  Reichard  was  the  foreman.  The  organization 
subsequently  disbanded  and  another  was  formed,  which 
used  the  same  engine  and,  with  Henry  Frederick  as  fore- 
vnan,  existed  until  superseded  by  the  paid  department. 
Another  company  worthy  of  mention  during  this  period 
was  composed  of  boys  who  "  run"  the  old  "Neptune" 
and  were  led  by  James  Rutter.  With  these  three  com- 
panies the  fire  department  was  systematically  organized. 
Walter  G.  Sterling  was  the  first  chief  engineer  under  this 
organization.  Hon.  Henry  M.  Hoyt  was  assistant  engi- 
neer. Joseph  W.  Patten  was  also  for  a  time  chief  engi- 
neer. The  department's  annual  parades  and  balls  are 
well  remembered  affairs. 

The  paid  fire  department  was  established  by  authoritv 
of  the  borough  council  in  April,  1871,  with  Hon.  Stanley 
Woodward  as  chief  engineer,  and  S.  H.  Sturdevant,  C.  C- 
Plotz,  and  W.  Stewart  assistant  engineers.  The  apparatus 
consisted  of  one  steamer,  the  "  Mechanic,"  presented  to 
the  department  by  the  late  A,  C.  Laning,  fo  jr  hose  car- 
riages and  one  set  of  hook  «nd  ladder  implements  with 
the  truck.  The  steamer  had  an  engineer  and  stoker; 
each  of  the  hose  companies  consisted  of  eight  men  be- 
sides the  foreman  and  assistant  foreman;  and  there  were 
fifteen  men  in  the  hook  and  ladder  company.  Subse- 
quently three  additional  hose  companies  with  their 
apparatus  were  added  to  the  department,  and  in  May, 
1874,  the  second  steamer,  named  the  "A.  C.  Laning,"  in 
honor  of  the  donor  of  the  first,  was  purchased.  Hose 
Company  No.  3  was  attached  to  this  steamer,  and,  was 
thereafter  known  as  No.  ^  in  the  department. 

Hon.  Stanley  Woodward  served  with  much  credit  as 
chief  engineer  until  January  ist,  1880,  at  which  time  his 
resignation    took   effect.     He   was   succeeded  by  C.  B. 


-^^ 


FIRES  AND  FLOODS  AT  WILKES-BARRE— BANKS. 


I 

4= 


Metzger,    with    T.  S.   Hillard   and  Frank   Dunsmore   as 
assistant  engineers. 

There  have  not  been  many  sweeping  conflagrations  in 
Wilkes-Barre.  In  the  early  days,  and  previous  to  1848, 
there  were  few  fires,  and  when  there  was  one  it  seldom 
destroyed  more  than  one  or  two  buildings.  In  that  year 
the  Black  Bear  Tavern  and  other  buildings  near  the  old 
jail  were  burned,  it  is  supposed  by  an  incendiary  in  the 
hope  that  in  the  confusion  a  murderer  confined  in  the  jail 
might  escape.  In  1855  the  buildings  on  the  east 
side  of  the  public  square,  including  the  Exchange 
Hotel  and  the  old  Butler  mill,  from  Main  street  to  the 
residence  of  the  late  Judge  Scott,  were  burned.  All  of 
the  buildings  on  the  north  side  of  the  square  from  the 
Luzerne  House  to  Chahoon  Hall  were  destroyed  in  1859. 
In  April,  1867,  the  buildings  on  both  sides  of  West  Market 
street,  from  Franklin  street  to  Loomis's  building  on  the 
north  side,  and  from  the  Wyoming  National  Bank  to 
Eraser's  building  on  the  south  side,  were  burned.  Two 
old  taverns,  the  White  Horse  and  the  Dennis  House,  were 
swept  away  in  this  fire.  The  next  fire  of  importance 
was  that  of  January  ist,  1874,  which  burned  the  Frauen- 
thal  Opera  House.  The  last  to  date  (October,  1879),  was 
that  which  destroyed  the  Stanton  breaker,  partly  within 
the  city  limits,  which  burned  seven  hours.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  efficiency  of  the  fire  department,  which  the 
underwriters  rate  only  fourth  or  fifth  in  the  first  class,  it 
is  probable  fires  would  have  been  more  frequent  and  ex- 
tensive during  the  years  of  the  Wilkes-Barre's  rapid 
growth  from  an  enterprising  borough  to  a  busy  city. 

Floods  and   Hurricanes. 

The  first  great  overflowing  of  the  Susquehanna  of 
which  there  is  any  local  record  occurred  in  1785.  The 
water  was  so  high  as  to  injure  ammunition  in  Fort  Wy- 
oming on  the  public  common.  A  horse  was  also  drowned 
in  the  settlement  at  the  same  time.  The  next  was  the 
great  "pumpkin"  flood  of  1786.  There  were  other 
floods  of  greater  or  lesser  magnitude  in  1809,  1831, 
1833,  1841,  1842,  1843  and  1846.  The  latter  occurred 
in  the  spring,  the  water  standing  three  and  a  half  feet 
deep  on  the  river  bank  in  Wilkes-Barre.  There  was 
another  in  July,  1850,  which  extended  to  all  portions  of 
the  country  round  about,  preventing  mails  from  reachmg 
Wilkes-Barre  for  several  days.  In  the  following  Septem- 
ber the  water  was  so  high  as  to  cover  the  flats  between 
Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston,  and  there  was  no  communi- 
cation between  the  two  places  except  by  means  of  boats. 
Another  rise  of  water  April  12th  and  13th,  1861,  filled 
the  cellars  on  River  street  and  damaged  the  gas  works 
considerably.  March  17th,  1865,  the  river  overflowed 
the  banks  and  stood  in  Market  street  as  far  up  as  the 
crossing  in  front  of  Faser  &  Smith's  store,  and  in  several 
streets  in  low  portions  of  the  city  the  only  means  of  loco- 
motion was  by  boats  or  rafts  improvised  for  the  occasion. 

Banks  and  Bankers. 

1810  witnessed  the  opening  of  the  first   banking  office 
in  Wilkes-Barre.     It   was   a  branch  of  the    Philadelphia 


bank.  Ebenezer  Bowman  was  president  and  John  Bet- 
tie  cashier.  The  office  was  on  River  street,  in  a  building 
since  owned  and  occupied  by  Mrs.  UIp.  Notes  of  the 
Philadelphia  bank  were  issued,  deposits  taken,  and  com- 
mercial paper  discounted  until  1820,  when  the  institution 
was  discontinued.  "  One  effect  of  this  branch  bank," 
says  Mr.  Pearce  in  his  "Annals  of  Luzerne  County," 
"was  to  drain  the  country  of  its  silver,  gold  being  almost 
unknown."  At  one  time  $40,000  in  silver  were  sent  to 
Philadelphia,  carefully  enclosed  in  forty  small  boxes 
placed  in  one  larger  box,  which  was  put  in  Philip  Reed's 
four-horse  wagon  and  covered  with  straw,  grain,  bags, 
&c.  The  valuable  load  was  accompanied  by  Mr.  Steuben 
Butler  and  Colonel  Bowman,  one  of  the  bank  directors, 
and  five  days  were  occupied  in  the  journey.  The  Easton 
and  Wilkes-Barre  Turnpike  Company  issued  notes  of  the 
denominations  of  6^,  12^  and  25  cents,  and  of  $1  and 
$2,  in  1811,  the  stringency  of  the  times  and  the  scarcity 
of  a  medium  of  exchange  among  the  people  seeming  to 
demand  this  measure.  The  aggregate  of  these  notes 
reached  f  10,000.  They  bore  the  signatures  of  Lord  But- 
ler and  Stephen  Tuttle,  the  president  and  secretary  of  the 
company,  and  under  their  management  every  one  of  these 
obligations  were  called  in  and  redeemed.  Wilkes-Barre 
was  an  important  recruiting  station  in  the  war  of  181 2-14, 
and  the  army  officers  are  said  to  have  issued  their  indi- 
vidual notes  for  $1  and  $2,  which  were  accepted  by  the 
soldiers  in  payment  for  their  services,  and  by  the  farmers 
in  exchange  for  provisions,  all  of  which  are  said  to  have 
been  redeemed. 

The  Susquehanna  £ank,oi  Wilkes-Barre,  was  incorpor- 
ated and  organized  in  1816,  with  Joseph  Sinton  as  pres- 
ident. The  notes  were  engraved,  printed  and  signed, 
but  were  never  issued,  in  consequence  of  the  depression 
in  the  money  market  which  prevailed  at  that  time,  and 
the  bank  was  never  opened.  The  business  here,  as  else- 
where, demanded  some  kind  of  a  circulating  medium,  and 
recourse  was  had  by  individuals  and  corporations  to  the 
previously  tried  plan  of  issuing  "  shinplasters,"  as  the 
private  money  was  denominated.  At  this  crisis  the 
progress  of  trade  was  aided  by  the  utterance  of  large 
amounts  of  such  obligations  by  the  Wilkes-Barre  Bridge 
Company,  all  of  which  were  redeemed. 

The  Wyoming  National  Bank. — This  institution  was 
organized  November  i6th,  1829,  under  the  name  of  the 
"  Wyoming  Bank  of  Wilkes-Barre,"  under  a  charter  issued 
from  the  commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  November  4th, 
1829.  William  Ross,  Henderson  Gaylord,  John  N. 
Conyngham,  William  Swetland  and  Isaac  Bowman  were 
appointed  commissioners  to  receive  subscriptions  for  the 
stock.  The  directors  were  William  Ross,  Benjamin  Dor- 
rance,  John  N.  Conyngham,  (t.  M.  Hollenback,  O.  Col- 
lins, Ziba  Bennett,  William  Swetland,  H.  Gaylord,  James 
Nesbit,  jr.,  SteulDen  Butler,  Abraham  Thomas  and  Mil- 
ler Horton.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors, held  November  6th,  1829,  Colonel  Benjamin  Dor- 
rance  was  elected  president  and  Ziba  Bennett  was  ap- 
pointed secretary  of  the  board  until  a  cashier  should  be 
appointed.      December     19th    Edward    Lynch     was  ap- 


4= 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


pointed  cashier,  at  a  salary  of  $600  per  annum.  Colonel 
Benjamin  Dorrance  resigned  the  office  of  president 
November  22nd,  1830,  and  at  the  same  meeting  Garrick 
Mallery  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  thus  occasioned, 
continuing  in  the  position  till  May  i8th,  1831,  when  he 
resigned  both  the  presidency  and  his  direct- 
orship and  a  week  later  Colonel  Benjamin  Dor- 
rance was  again  chosen  to  the  presidency.  May 
30th,  1832,  Colonel  Dorrance  a  second  time  resigned  and 
the  position  was  filled  by  the  election  of  G.  M.  Hollen- 
back,  who  served  until  his  death,  November  ist,  1866. 
General  William  S.  Ross  was  elected  his  successor  No- 
vember 2ist,  and  died  July  nth,  1868.  Four  days  later  he 
was  succeeded  by  Hon.  Ziba  Bennett,  who  resigned  Jan- 
uary 9th,  1878,  and  Colonel  Charles  Dorrance,  the  present 
incumbent,  was  elected.  Edward  Lynch,  elected  Decem- 
ber 7th,  1853,  was  the  first  vice-president.  Ziba  Bennett 
was  elected  November  21st,  1866;  Colonel  Charles  Dor- 
rance July  isth,  1868  ;  Thomas  Derr  January  14th, 
1879.  When  Edward  Lynch  was  promoted  to  the  office 
of  vice-president  his  place  as  cashier  was  filled  by  the 
appointment  of  Edward  S.  Loop,  who  was  succeeded 
September  3d,  1874,  by  Lathan  W.  Jones,  the  present 
cashier.  Colonel  Benjamin  Dorrance  having  died. 
Colonel  Charles  Dorrance  was  elected,  in  November, 
1837, .to  the  vacancy  thus  made  in  the  board  of  directors. 
A  well  remembered  attache  of  the  bank,  one  of  the  early 
directors,  was  Steuben  Butler,  who  was  appointed  a  clerk 
at  a  salary  of  $300  per  annum,  January  12th,  1831. 
March  17th,  1861,  the  offices  of  the  institution  were  re- 
moved to  the  new  bank  building  at  the  corner  of  Market 
and  Franklin  streets,  which,  with  the  adjoining  building 
on  Market  street,  is  owned  by  the  corporation.  Under 
the  provision  of  the  national  banking  laws  the  bank  be- 
came a  national  bank,  under  the  title  of  the  Wyoming 
National  Bank  of  Wilkes-Barre,  January  19th,  1865.  It 
has  a  capital  of  $150,000.  The  following  were  its  offi- 
cers in  1879:  Colonel  Charles  Dorrance,  president; 
Thompson  Derr,  vice-president  ;  Lathan  W.  Jones, 
cashier;  James  Jones,  assistant  cashier;  Charles  Dor 
ranee,  jr.,  teller.  Directors:  Colonel  Charles  Dorrance, 
Thompson  Derr,  Payne  Pettebone,  J.  R.  Williams,  Joseph 
Stickney,  J.  Frank  Lee,  He'  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  Hon. 
Charles  A.  Miner  and  Hon.  E.  C.  Wadhams. 

The  First  National  Bank  was  organized  April  24lh 
1863,  and  chartered  July  21st  following.  It  was  opened 
for  business  August  3d,  1863,  with  a  capital  of  $51,500. 
The  present  capital  (1879)  is  $375,000.  The  first  presi- 
dent and  cashier  were  James  McLean  and  Thomas  Wil- 
son, respectively.  The  present  officers  are:  Charles  Par- 
rish,  president;  Thomas  Long,  vice-president;  Henry  C. 
Smith,  cashier;  James  McLean,  teller;  W.  R.  Kingman, 
bookkeeper. 

The  Second  National  Bank  was  organized  September 
23d,  1863,  with  a  capital  of  $250,000,  which  was  subse- 
quently increased  to  $450,000,  The  first  officers  were 
Thomas  T.  Atherton,  president;  M.  L.  Everett,  cashier; 
Thomas  T.  Atherton,  M.  L.  Everett,  Abram  Nesbitt, 
Samuel  Hoyt,  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  R.  F.  Walsh,  George 


Coray,  John  Sharp,  jr.,  and  A.  H.  Reynolds,  directors. 
The  officers  in  1879  were  as  follows:  President,  Abram 
Nesbitt;  vice-president,  R.  F.  Walsh;  cashier,  E.  A. 
Spalding;  directors — Abram  Nesbitt,  R.  F.  Walsh,  Isaac 
Everett,  R.  F.  Black,  Isaac  Rice,  John  M.  Ward,  S.  E. 
Atherton,  J.  P.  Atherton,  Abram  Goodwam,  John  R. 
Crellin  and  E.  A.  Spalding. 

The  Miners'  Savings  Bank  was  incorporated  by  an  act 
of  February  13th,  1868,  and  was  the  first  savings  bank  in 
the  city,  the  purpose  being  to  establish  a  savings  bank  and 
loan  company  with  powers  to  transact  any  other  business 
done  by  banks  in  Pennsylvania,  and  to  act  as  executor  or 
administrator  of  any  deceased  testator  or  intestate.  The 
capital  stock  is  $150,000;  the  surplus  over  $50,000.  The 
first  officers  chosen  were:  A.  C.  Laning,  president;  Ziba 
Bennett,  Walter  G.  Sterling  and  A.  T.  McClintock,  vice- 
presidents;  J.  A.  Rippard,  cashier.  The  present  officers 
(1879)  are  John  S.  Law,  president;  A.  T.  McClintock 
and  N.  Rutter,  vice-presidents;  David  P.  Ayers,  cashier; 
W.  G.  Sterling,  assistant  cashier;  John  G.  Law,  clerk. 
Directors — John  S.  Law,  N.  Rutter,  C.  L.  Lamberton, 
Payne  Pettebone,  Hubbard  B.  Payne,  A.  T.  McClintock, 
E.  P.  Darling,  Samuel  R.  Marshall,  Thomas  Derr  and 
William  L.  Conyngham. 

The  ITilkes-Barre  Deposit  and  Savings  Bank  was  or- 
ganized under  a  charter  from  the  authorities  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania  and  approved  by  Governor  John  W. 
Geary  May  20th,  1871,  with  an  authorized  capital  of 
$300,000,  $150,000  of  which  was  paid  in  by  the  stock- 
holders, and  began  business  July  r,  1871.  The  first  di- 
rectors were  Joseph  Lippincott,  C.  L.  Lamberton,  Stan- 
ley Woodward,  C.  Brahl,  J.  McNeish,  jr.,  W.  W.  Ketch- 
am,  J.  P.  Williamson,  A.  J.  Pringle,  and  F.  J.  Helfrich; 
president,  Joseph  Lippincott;  cashier,  J.  P.  Williamson. 
The  directors  for  1879  were  as  follows:  Thomas  Long,  A. 
N.  Van  Horn,  A.  J.  Pringle,  C.  Brahl,  F.  J.  Helfrich,  W. 
S.  McLean,  J.  P.  Williamson  and  Fred  Ahlborn;  presi- 
dent, Thomas  Long;  cashier,  Adolph  Voigt. 

The  People's  Bank. — This  bank  was  organized  and 
commenced  business  July  i,  1872,  under  a  State  charter 
obtained  by  R.  J.  Flick  with  four  others  named  as  incor- 
porators, with  a  board  of  eleven  directors,  with  a  capital 
of  $250,000  with  authority  to  increase  the  same  to 
$1,000,000.  $125,000  was  called  in  immediately  and  in 
1S74  the  balance  of  the  $250,000  was  called  in  and  paid 
up,  since  which  time  (with  two  exceptions)  a  regular  semi- 
annual dividend  has  been  declared  and  paid  free  of  all 
taxes.  A  surplus  of  $45,000  has  accumulated.  The 
present  officers  (1879)  are:  R.  J.  Flick,  president;  J.  W. 
Hollenback,  vice-president;  A.  A.  Sterling,  cashier. 

Other  Banks.— kX  different  periods  other  banks  have 
been  established  in  the  city,  whose  general  history  does 
not  differ  much  from  the  same  number  of  similar  enter- 
prises in  any  locality.  Some  of  them  have  been  private 
banks  and  there  are  some  of  that  kind  at  the  present 
time.  Among  the  best  remembered  is  the  Wilkes-Barre 
Savings  Bank.  This  bank  was  organized  May  2nd,  1870, 
with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  The  officers  were  as  follows! 
Payne  Pettebone,  president;  Peter  Purcel,  vice-president; 


^^ 


WILKES-BARRE   GAS  AND  WATER  COMPANIES— HOLLENBACK    CEMETERY. 


213 


*f 


John  Peters,  cashier;  Charles  Dorrance,  jr.,  teller;  Payne 
Pettebone,  Peter  Purcel,  Charles  Dorrance,  Joseph  Stick- 
ney,  G.  M.  Harding  and  M.  J.  Philbin,  directors.  De- 
cember 24th,  1878,  this  bank  went  into  liquidation,  pay- 
ing off  all  its  depositors  and  stockholders  in  full. 

Water  and  Gas  Companies. 

The  Wilkes-jBarre  Water  Company  was  incorporated 
by  act  of  the  Legislature  February  12th,  1850.  The 
corporators  were  George  M.  Hollenback,  Samuel  P.  Col- 
lings,  Henry  M.  Fuller,  W.  J.  Woodward,  Lord  Butler, 
Thomas  W.  Miner,  Peter  C.  McGilchrist,  Harrison 
Wright,  Calvin  Parsons,  Ziba  Bennett,  George  P. 
Steel,  Samuel  Puterbaugh,  Oliver  B.  Hillard,  Edward  M. 
Covell,  Sharp  D.  Lewis,  Francis  L.  Bowman  and  Joseph 
Le  Clerc.  The  company  was  organized  at  Chahoon  Hall 
July  16th,  1859,  at  which  time  and  place  the  following 
officers  were  chosen:  President,  Hendrick  B.  Wright; 
secretary  and  treasurer,  Isaac  S.  Osterhout;  managers, 
Alexander  Gray,  John  Urquhart,  William  Wood,  Charles 
Parrish,  John  Reichard  and  Samuel  R.  Marshall.  The 
original  capital  stock  was  $40,000,  with  the  privilege  of 
increasing  it  to  $80,000.  By  subsequent  amendments  it 
has  been  increased  from  time  to  time,  and  in  1879 
amounted  to  $220,000.  The  present  officers  are:  Hen- 
drick B.  Wright,  president;  Isaac  S.  Osterhout,  secretary 
and  treasurer;  Samuel  R.  Marshall,  Benjamin  G.  Car- 
penter, William  H.  Sturdevant,  John  M.  Courtright, 
John  Espy  and  Isaac  S.  Osterhout,  managers;  John  Far- 
rell,  superintendent.  The  company  has  about  thirty-five 
miles  of  cement  and  wrought  iron  pipe  laid,  the  source 
of  water  supply  being  Laurel  run  and  Mill  creek. 

The  Crystal  Spring  l]^ater  Company. — This  company 
was  chartered  April  nth,  1861.  Its  source  of  supply  is 
a  large  pond  of  the  same  name  in  the  northeast  part  of 
Wright  township,  south  of  Wilkes-Barre,  one  of  the  sources 
of  Big  Wapwallopen  creek.  The  company  has  $80,000 
in  capital  stock  and  bonds  to  the  same  amount.  The 
officers  are  as  follows:  Charles  Parrish,  president;  David 
Caird,  superintendent;  Byron  Shoemaker,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  W.  S.  Hillard,  Washington  Lee,  L.  D.  Shoe- 
maker, Samuel  Roberts,  George  H.  Parrish  and  Wood- 
ward Leavenworth,  directors. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  Gas  Company  was  chartered  in  1854 
and  the  works  were  constructed  in  1856.  The  present 
capital  stock  of  the  company  is  $130,000.  It  has  eigh- 
teen miles  of  main  laid  and  makes  20,000,000  cubic  feet 
of  gas  per  annum,  furnishing  gas  for  city  lamps  and  light- 
ing most  of  the  leading  business  places  and  private  resi- 
dences. The  officers  for  1879  were:  W.  L.  Conyngham, 
president;  Thomas  Derr,  treasurer;  Marcus  Smith,  secre- 
tary and  superintendent. 

Hollenback  Cemetery. 

The  old  Wilkes-Barre  Cemetery  had  become  so  crowd- 
ed with  graves  in  1850  that  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
obtain  a  charter  for  a  new  cemetery  association.  The 
charter  was  granted  to  George  M.  Hollenback,  Ziba 
Bennett,  John  L.  Butler,  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  Henry  M. 


Fuller,  Jonathan  J.  Slocum,  H.  W.  Nicholson,  Thomas 
W.  Miner,  Charles  Denison,  V,  L.  Maxwell,  Henry  Pet- 
tebone, O.  B.  Hillard  and  Robert  Porter,  with  such 
other  persons  as  they  might  associate  with  them,  and 
their  successors,  who  were  thereby  created  a  body  politic 
and  corporate  in  law,  by  the  name  of  the  Wilkes-Barre 
Cemetery  Association,  and  approved  January  29th,  1850. 
Under  it  the  members  of  the  association  and  their 
successors  jointly  were  empowered  to  purchase  and  to 
hold  real  estate  to  the  amount  of  twenty-five  acres  in  the 
vicinity  of  Wilkes-Barre  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 
a  cemetery,  and  granted  authority  to  receive  as  gifts  or 
bequests,  for  the  purpose  of  ornamenting  or  improving 
the  cemetery,  such  personal  property  as  might  be  deemed 
necessary  to  carry  out  the  purpose  of  the  act. 
It  was  further  decreed  that  the  affairs  of  the 
corporation  should  be  entrusted  to  a  president 
and  five  managers,  to  be  elected  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  association.  After  several  unsuccessful 
attempts  to  purchase  a  suitable  lot,  in  1855  George  M. 
Hollenback  gave  to  the  association  for  the  purpose  of 
the  charter  about  seventeen  acres  of  land  lying  north- 
easterly from  the  then  borough  between  the  river  and  the 
Pittston  road.  As  an  expression  of  thankfulness  the 
managers  resolved  that  the  name  of  the  association  should 
be  changed  to  "  The  Hollenback  Cemetery  Association 
of  Wilkes-Barre  and  its  Vicinity,''  which  change  was  con- 
firmed by  an  act  of  Legislature  May  7th,  1855.  The  aid  of 
J.  M.  Grumman,  a  civil  engineer  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  who 
had  had  experience  in  laying  out  cemeteries,  was  obtained; 
and  in  the  course  of  the  summer  of  1855  he  presented  to 
the  managers  a  draft  of  the  land,  divided  by  avenues 
into  blocks,  and  sub-divided  by  pathways  into  suitable 
lots.  Lithographic  maps  of  this  plan  of  division  and 
allotment  were  procured,  and  the  people  proceeded  to 
make  their  selection  of  lots,  which,  with  the  exception  of 
three  reserved  for  Mr.  Hollenback,  were  opened  to 
all.  They  were  offered  at  public  sale,  and  now  unsold 
lots  may  be  selected  by  any  one.  No  distinction  is 
made  among  the  people  and  no  denominational 
or  sectarian  feeling  is  permitted  to  enter  into  the  ques- 
tion of  allotment.  There  is  a  portion  of  the  grounds 
devoted  to  single  grave  spots,  where  strangers,  or  those 
unable  to  buy  an  entire  lot,  can  procure  graves  at  a  rea- 
sonable price.  The  price  of  lots  and  incidental  charges 
were  fixed  as  low  as  the  estimated  expenses  in  erecting  a 
dwelling-house  for  the  superintendent  and  a  receiving 
vault,  in  laying  out  and  fencing  the  grounds,  with  proper 
gate  or  entrance  way,  and  in  providing  for  the  super- 
intendence and  charge  of  the  property,  would  allow. 
The  first  officers  of  the  association  were:  George  M.  Hol- 
lenback, president;  Isaac  S.  Osterhout,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  John  L.  Conyngham,  Ziba  Bennett,  Henry  M. 
Fuller,  Warren  J.  Woodward  and  Andrew  T.  McClin- 
tock,  managers;  John  Mullany,  superintendent.  The 
successive  presidents  have  been  George  M.  Hollenback 
John  L.  Conyngham,  Ziba  Bennett  and  the  present  (1879) 
incumbent,  Andrew  T.  McClintock.  Isaac  S.  Osterhout 
has  continuously  held  the  offices  of  secretary  and  treas- 


<^ 


214 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


urer.  The  present  managers  are  John  Wells  Hollen- 
back,  William  P.  Miner,  William  L.  Conyngham,  Daniel 
A.  Fell  and  Geo-ge  S.  Bennett. 

Mining  Operations — Labor  Troubles. 

Wilkes-Barre's  manifest  natural  advantage  as  a  point 
of  commercial  importance  in  the  anthracite  coal  field  can 
scarcely  be  too  highly  estimated.  The  existence  of  coal 
deposits  was  known  to  the  Indians  before  white  settle- 
ment begun.  Fuel  for  the  early  forges  was  supplied 
from  them,  and  later,  it  is  claimed,  a  citizen  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  made  the  discovery  that  coal  could  be  burned  for 
domestic  purposes.  In  an  appendix  to  Chapman's  his- 
tory, written  in  1830,  it  was  said:  "No  portion  of  the 
valley  affords  greater  facilities  for  the  transportation 
of  coal,  or  offers  stronger  inducements  to  capitalists  to 
engage  in  the  coal  trade  than  the  coal  lands  in  Wilkes- 
Barre."  The  truth  of  these  remarks  has  been  amply 
verified  by  subsequent  experience.  In  all  directions 
from  the  center  of  the  city  can  be  seen  the  dark 
outlines  of  giant  breakers,  where  the  "'  black  dia- 
monds," rained  in  and  about  Wilkes-Barre,  are  pre- 
pared for  the  market.  The  part  played  by  Wilkes- 
Barre  in  the  development  of  the  vast  coal  interest 
is  treated  in  its  proper  connection.  As  a  matter  of  purely 
local  interest  a  mention  of  the  mines  in  and  near  the  city, 
with  the  names  of  those  prominent  in  their  operation,  will 
doubtless  be  deemed  in  place  here.  Young's  slope,  Bal- 
timore tunnel  and  Conyngham  shaft  are  operated  by  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  with  A.  H.  Vand- 
ling,  of  Scranton,  as  general  superintendent,  Christopher 
Scharar  as  assistant  superintendent  and  inside  foreman, 
and  J.  M.  Chittenden  as  general  outside  foreman.  When 
the  latest  report  of  the  inspector  of  mines  was  issued 
Young's  slope  was  not  in  operation.  William  W.  Reese 
was  mine  boss,  and  Edward  Mackin  outside  foreman  of 
the  Baltimore  tunnel,  and  James  Tretheway  mine  boss  of 
Conyngham  shaft. 

"Turn-outs"  and  "strikes"  seem  to  be  inseparable 
from  mining  enterprises,  and  the  history  of  coal  mining 
shows  that  they  have  been  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the 
collieries  of  the  old  world  and  the  new.  So  common 
have  been  such  movements  in  the  anthracite  region  of 
Pennsylvania  that  an  ordinary  .demonstration  on  the  part 
of  dissatisfied  miners  excites  no  more  than  passing  notice. 
Since  the  coal  interest  was  developed  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
and  workmen  began  to  congregate  there  in  considerable 
numbers,  strikes  of  greater  or  less  importance  and  of 
longer  or  shorter  duration  have  been  inaugurated,  with  or 
without  success.  In  the  majority  of  cases  they  have 
proven  disastrous  alike  to  labor  and  capital.  Seldom 
have  they  been  so  formidable  as  to  excite  public  appre- 
hension. Not  many  of  them  are  remembered  as  events 
of  importance;  only  one  of  them,  which  occurred  in  1877 
— during  that  gigantic  game  of  "bluff  "  between  capital 
and  labor  now  passed  into  the  industrial  history  of  the 
United  States — is  deemed  to  demand  extended  mention 
here. 

The  employes   of  the   Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Com- 


pany identified   themselves  with  the  great  strike   of   1877 
July  25th.     At  Bethlehem  the   trains  were  stopped   and 
the  engineers  and  firemen  compelled  to  leave  them  dur- 
ing the  day.     During  the  following  night  the   employes 
at  Easton  and  Wilkes-Barre  joined  the   movement,  thus 
placing  the  entire  length  of  the  road  in  the  hands  of  the 
strikers.     Freight  and  passenger  trains  had  been  stopped 
at  Bethlehem  during  the  day,  but  the  company  was  per- 
mitted to  carry  the  mails.      That   night   all   trains   were 
stopped  at  Wilkes-Barre.     They  were  permitted  to  move 
on,  however,  the  next   morning,  in  order  that   such  men 
employed    on    them    as   were    residents  of   other   places 
might  go  home.     The  disaffected  employes   retained  pos- 
session of  the  road  during  the  remainder  of  the  month, 
the  railroad  company  only  succeeding  in  running  a  train 
from   Bethlehem   to    Mauch   Chunk   on   the   31st.      The 
announcement  was  made  to  the  strikers  that  the  aban- 
donment of  their  trains  was  nothing  less  than  a  forfeiture 
of  their  positions  in  the  employ  of  the  company,  and  that 
their  places  would  be  filled  by  new  men.     This  measure 
was  adopted  to  a  great  extent.     In  response  to  an  appli- 
cation for  armed  assistance,  the  governor  ordered  a  force 
of  regulars  and   State  militia  to  protect  the  road.     Thus 
strengthened,  the  company  resolved  to  resume  business 
on    the    ist    of   August,  regardless    of   resistance.     The 
strikers  were  no   less   determined.     Assembling   in   large 
numbers  at  the  depot  in  Wilkes-Barre,  they  resolved  that 
no  train  should  pass  in  either  direction.     But  in  defiance 
of  this  demonstration    the  authorities  of  the  road  pre- 
pared  to  send  a  train  northward,  observing   which    the 
rioters   became   greatly  excited  and   were   loud   in   their 
threatenings.     At  this  juncture  the  mayor  of  the  city,  W. 
W.  Loorais,  forced  his  way  through  the  crowd  and  reached 
and  mounted  the  engine  of  the  waiting  train.    He  read  the 
riot  act  to  the  crowd  and  followed  with   a   brief  address 
of  counsel.     When  he  descended  from  the  locomotive  he 
was  surrounded  by  the   excited   men,  who   began    plying 
him  with  questions.     During  the  confusion  the  train  was 
backed  a  few  hundred  yards.     This  action  was  not  unex- 
pected, as  it  was  the  customary  preparation  for  a  change 
of  engines.     But  though,   as   usual,   another   locomotive 
stood  waiting  on  a  side    track,  and   the   strikers    thought 
they  would  have  plenty  of  time  to  act  before  the  antici- 
pated change  could  be  made,  they  were  doomed   to  dis- 
appointment; for  engineer  Drumheller   let   on   the  steam 
with  such  force  as  to  cause  the  train  to  dart  forward  with 
a  velocity  that  took  it  out  of  the  crowd  before  the  strikers 
realized  that  they  were  baffled,  and  their  rage  at  this  un- 
expected turn  of  affairs  can  be  better  imagined  than  de- 
scribed.     A  scene  of    confusion   ensued,    and    the  men 
were  loud  in  their  threats  to  get  even  with    the  company 
before  night.     Upon  the  arrival   of  the   3:45    train  from 
Elmira,  with  engineer  Drumheller  in  charge  of  the  loco- 
motive, the   strikers   assembled  and   determined  to  stop 
him  at  all  hazards.     As   the  train,   which   was    made  up 
similarly  to  the  one  which  had   gone   north,   stopped  at 
the   depot   two  of  the   mob  mounted   to   the  cab  of  the 
engine  and  seized   Drumheller,  while  others  uncoupled 
the  locomotive  from  the  train  and  severed  the  bell  cord. 


=^^ 


DR.  J.  L.   SHU  MAN. 
Wapwallopen,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


""^'m^^mmi^ 


WILLIAM  KOONS. 
Shickshinny,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


MRS.  F.  E.  S HUM  AN. 
Wapwalhipeii,  Luzerne   Co.,  Pa. 


JAMES  McMillan. 

Pleasant  Valhy,  Luzerne  Co.,   Pa. 


Hh 


i& 


=*=^ 


Wilkes-Barre,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


Wilkes-Barre,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


4^- 


Hanieyi'ille,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa. 


.^^^^s>3''^^<:^^:-<^^^-*'«>^-y^_-c=-_<:/'-;»-tO 


Wilkes-Barre,  Luzerne  Co.,   Pa. 


^ 


H}= 


RAILROAD  RIOTS  AT  WILKES-BARRE— EARLY  MANUFACTURES. 


2'S 


At  this  juncture  another  engineer  leaped  into  the  cab  and 
opening  the  throttle  ran  the  engine  out,  bearing  away  a 
dozen  or  more  of  men  and  boys  who  mounted  the  tender 
as  it  started.  For  a  moment  the  shrill  tones  of  the 
shrieking  whistle  drowned  the  sounds  of  a  melee  at  the 
station,  in  which  a  United  States  detective  who  had  been 
crowded  off  the  platform  by  a  car  was  badly  injured. 
Drumheller,  the  engineer,  was  roughly  handled,  the  ex- 
cited crowd  threatening  and  cursing  in  a  reckless  manner, 
and  some  of  them  brandishing  knives  and  revolvers;  and 
one  of  the  company's  constables  was  attacked,  but  suc- 
ceeded in  making  his  escape,  despite  the  fact  that  he  was 
lame,  and  sought  protection  at  police  headquarters.  But 
signal  as  it  was,  the  triumph  of  the  rioters  was  of  brief 
duration.  Soon  after  the  engine  had  been  run  out  of 
the  town  the  following  order  was  posted  on  the  Lehigh 
Valley  depot:  "  Notice. — All  peaceful  and  lawful  meas- 
ures have  failed  to  secure  safe  transit  of  mail,  passenger 
and  freight  trains.  Notice  is  hereby  given  that  all  trains 
are  abandoned  indefinitely,  till  further  notice,  on  the 
Wyoming  division.  By  order  Robert  Sayre,  Superinten- 
dent." 

On  the  night  of  August  rst  it  became  known  in  the 
city  that  the  State  and  Federal  troops  were  on  their  way 
to  Wilkes-Barre  and  Scranton,  and  not  many  hours 
elapsed  ere  the  strikers,  many  of  whom  concealed  tlieir 
identity  under  masks,  were  engaged  in  the  lawless  work 
of  tearing  up  the  railway  tracks  with  the  hope  of  thus 
preventing  the  approach  of  the  soldiers;  but  Plymouth 
was  invested  by  the  forces  early  in  the  morning  of  the 
2nd  without  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  citizens,  and  they 
marched  to  Wilkes-Barre,  occupying  the  city  before 
daybreak  the  same  morning.  The  magistrates,  strikers 
and  all  citizens  found  in  the  streets  were  secured  and 
placed  under  guard  until  they  could  be  identified.  This 
unexpected  movement  paralyzed  the  strikers,  who  offered 
no  resistance,  and  about  seventy  of  them  were  arrested 
and  held  by  the  troops.  A  considerable  force  was 
stationed  at  Wilkes-Barre,  and  under  such  protection  the 
tracks  were  repaired  and  the  strike  was  at  an  end  on  the 
Lehigh  Valley  road.  Governor  Hartranft  and  two  trains 
loaded  with  troops  passed  through  the  city  about 
noon  en  route  for  Scranton.  Some  of  the  strikers  sought 
and  were  granted  employment  in  their  old  places. 

Military  Organizations. — The  Armory. 

The  part  played  by  the  citizens  of  Wilkes-Barre  in 
various  military  movements  will  be  found  in  the  military 
history  of  the  county.  There  are  at  present  four 
companies  with  headquarters  in  the  city,  all  of  which 
receive  due  attention,  the  fact  that  they  form  parts  of 
regiments  made  up  in  part  of  companies  located  else- 
where forbidding  their  extended  treatment  in  this  con- 
nection. 

The  armory  on  Northampton  street,  the  headquarters 
of  the  local  military  organizations,  is  a  place  of  interest. 
For  some  years  it  had  been  the  endeavor  of  Captain 
Thomas  C.  Parker  and  others  interested  in  the  Wyoming 
Artillerists  to  obtain    the    commodious    building  now    in 


use  for  military  purposes,  and  it  was  not  until  1879  that 
it  was  successful,  when  the  privilege  was  granted  to  the 
battery  alone,  with  the  provision  that  should  any  other 
military  organizations  be  recruited  they  should  be 
accorded  equal  favor.  At  the  expense  of  a  few  liberal 
minded  citizens,  seconded  by  the  enterprising  owner  of 
the  building,  it  is  being  fitted  up  as  a  military  rendez- 
vous, and  when  finished  will  be  as  tine  an  armory  as  any 
in  the  State. 

MANUFACTURING  HISTORY. 

early  manufacturing  and  mechanical  items. 

In  1810  there  were  in  the  township  thirty-three  hand 
looms,  and  during  a  year  which  included  a  portion  of  the 
one  mentioned  129  yards  of  cotton,  1,717  yards  of  woolen 
and  6,531  yards  of  linen  cloth  were  manufactured. 
Francis  McShane  established  a  small  cut-nail  factory  at 
Wilkes-Barre,  using  anthracite  coal  for  smelting  iron,  and 
for  several  years  conducted  a  successful  wholesale  and 
retail  business.  There  was  in  the  early  days  of  the 
borough  the  usual  diversity  of  mechanics'  shops,  and  the 
proprietors  changed  from  time  to  time,  rendering  the 
tracing  of  the  history  of  these  common  industries  more 
than  difficult.  In  1833  Wilkes-Barreans  saw  the  con- 
struction and  completion  of  what  was  then  justly  re- 
garded as  a  triumph  of  mechanical  ingenuity.  Richard 
Jones,  a  very  ingenious  young  mechanic,  who  it  is  said 
had  no  knowledge  of  a  steam  engine  except  such  as  he 
had  been  able  to  obtain  by  a  study  of  engravings  of  them 
in  books,  constructed  a  working  model  of  one  with  a  onr- 
and-a-half-inch  cylinder  and  a  three-inch  stroke.  This 
was  the  first  steam  engine  ever  manufactured  in  Luzerne, 
Lackawanna  and  Wyoming  counties.  The  first  one  con- 
structed within  the  same  territory  for  service  was  built 
three  years  later  by  Benjamin  Drake  and  J.  C.  Smith, 
and  placed  in  Smith's  mill  in  Plymouth.  It  was  a  15- 
horse  power  engine,  with  a  9-inch  cylinder  and  a  3-foot 
stroke. 

later  manufactu-ring  history. 

A  large  rolling  mill  and  nail  factory  were  erected  at 
South  Wilkes-Barre  by  Thomas  Chambers,  E.  R.  Biddle 
&  Co.,  in  1840,  at  a  cost  of  $300,000.  The  firm  became 
involved  and  the  establishment  was  sold  to  satisfy  a  debt 
due  the  Wyoming  Bank;  and,  passing  into  the  hands  of 
the  Montour  Iron  Company,  was  removed  to  Danvilk, 
Montour  county.  During  the  period  of  the  successful 
operation  of  this  establishment  Wilkes-Barre  increased 
immeasurably  in  business  and  population.  In  1840  Lewis 
Le  Grand  opened  a  blacksmithing  and  general  jobbing, 
ironing  and  repair  shop  on  South  Main  street.  In  1859 
he  began  the  manufacture  of  wagons — his  main  shop, 
which  he  now  occupies,  having  been  erected  in  1857. 
In  1871-73  D.  R.  Malvin  was  a  partner  in  the  concern. 
December  4th,  1872,  C.  D.  Le  Grand,  son  of  Lewis  Le 
Grand,  patented  the  well-known  buckboard  wagon  since 
so  extensively  manufactured  at  this  establishment.  No- 
vember nth,  1878,  the  patent  was  renewed  to  cover  re- 
cently  perfected   improvements.     In    1842   H.   S.  &  E. 


^^ 


2l6 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


RenvWck,  of  New  York,  erected  an  anthracite  furnace, 
operated  by  steam  power,  and  carried  on  the  manufac- 
ture of  pig-iron  for  about  a  year;  but  the  furnace  was 
subsequently  permitted  to  He  idle  until  1854,  when  it 
was  purchased  by  John  McCanley  and  the  Messrs.  Car- 
ter of  Tamaqua,  who  enlarged  it  and  began  business  on 
quite  an  extensive  scale.  The  iron  ore  and  limestone 
were  brought  from  Cohirabia  county  by  canal,  and  the 
works,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  McCanley,  yielded 
six  tons  of  iron  per  day.  In  1856  the  establishment  was 
burned. 

Planing  Mills. — In  1844  S.  Y.  Kittle  established  him- 
self as  a  manufacturer  of  furniture  on  South  Main  street, 
below  Ross.  He  introduced  improved  machinery  from 
time  to  time,  and  putting  in  power  planers  about  twenty 
years  later,  engaged  quite  extensively  in  the  manufacture 
of  planed  lumber  and  mouldings.  In  January,  1854, 
Price  &  Wetzel  established  a  planing  mill  at  the  corner 
of  Canal  and  Union  streets,  where  buildings  were  erected 
for  that  purpose.  A  year  later  the  firm  became  Price  & 
Haas.  Ten  years  afterward  Mr.  C.  B.  Price  became  sole 
proprietor,  and  remained  so  until  1876,  when  the  firm  be- 
came C.  B.  Price  &  Son.  About  1864  the  original  build- 
ings were  burnt  and  replaced  by  others,  which  were  torn 
down  in  a  dozen  years,  after  the  erection  of  the  present 
commodious  accommodations  on  Canal  street,  near  Mar- 
ket. Operations  at  the  planing  mill  on  Canal  street  now 
the  property  of  the  estate  of  Stephen  Lee,  deceased,  were 
begun  about  1855.  The  establishment,  after  passing 
through  the  hands  of  several  proprietors,  became  the 
property  of  Hamilton  &  Brew,  of  whom  the  late  Ste])hen 
Lee  purchased  it  in  1867.  Since  his  death,  in  1874,  the 
business  has  been  conducted  by  his  sons  Conrad  and 
Samuel  N.  Lee,  executors  of  his  will,  and  builders,  fur- 
nishers and  dealers  in  all  kinds  of  lumber.  Another 
leading  establishment  in  this  line  of  manufacture  and 
trade  is  that  of  J.  E.  Patterson  &  Co.,  on  Canal  street  at 
the  cornei;  of  Jackson,  which  has  an  extended  trade  and 
reputation,  having  received  the  Centennial  medal  for 
its  doors,  etc. 

The  Vulcati  Iron  Works. — The  Vulcan  Iron  Works, 
one  of  the  most  important  manufacturing  interests  in  the 
city,  were  founded  by  Richard  Jones  in  1849,  and  suc- 
cessfully conducted  by  him  until  i866,  when  a  stock 
company  was  formed  and  incorporated  with  a  capital 
stock  of  $100,000,  of  which  Richard  Jones  was  president 
and  superintendent,  and  Robert  T.  Block  secretary  and 
treasurer.  The  company  began  at  once  to  increase  the 
capacity  of  the  works  by  building  a  substantial  brick  ma- 
chine shop  seventy-five  by  one  hundred  feet,  and 
equipped  with  the  most  modern  tools,  and  a  three-story 
brick  pattern  house.  The  constant  demand  for  heavy 
machinery  manufactured  at  these  works  compelled  the' 
company  to  further  enlarge  their  manufacturing  capacity 
by  the  erection  of  a  new  foundry  and  pattern  shop  eighty 
by  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet,  and  a  smith  and 
boiler  shop  sixty-six  by  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet,  in 
1873,  when  the  capital  stock  had  increased  to  I200.000. 
During  the  progress  of  these  improvements  Mr.   Richard 


Jones  died.  He  was  succeeded  by  L.  C.  Paine  as  presi- 
dent, and  E.  H.  Jones,  son  of  the  former  president,  be- 
came superintendent.  The  works  are  built  within  an 
area  of  about  eight  acres,  fronting  four  hundred  feet  on 
Main  street  and  extending  six  hundred  and  thirty-four 
feet  back  to  the  Pennsylvania  Canal.  Tracks  and  sidings 
run  into  the  shops  from  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  with 
a  turn-table  by  which  cars  can  be  directed  into  any  de- 
partment of  the  establishment.  The  class  of  work  manu- 
factured embraces  machinery  of  every  description. 
These  works,  founded  on  a  small  scale  but  suited  for  the 
work  then  required,  are  of  a  capacity  to  make  the  heavi- 
est machinery  needed  for  the  deepest  shafts  (some  being 
nine  hundred  feet  in  depth)  including  pumps,  ventilating 
fans,  boilers,  coal  breakers,  rolls,  screens,  etc.  The 
quality  of  the  work  has  kept  pace  with  the  increased 
weight,  and  it  stands  pre-eminent  for  its  adaptation  to 
heavy  and  deep  mining. 

The  Wyoming  Valley  Manufacturing  Company. — In 
t866  Jonathan  Mooers  &  Son  had  a  small  foundry  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Dana  streets.  Mr.  Milton  Dana  and 
others  afterwards  became  interested,  the  firm  name  was 
changed  to  Dana  &  Co.  April  5th,  1867,  a  charter  was 
granted  by  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  to  William  L. 
Stewart  and  others  under  the  name  of  the  Wyoming  Val- 
ley Manufacturing  Company,  and  the  30th  of  the  en- 
suing month  the  following  officers  were  elected:  E.  W. 
Sturdevant,  president;  E.  Robinson,  vice-president;  F. 
Koerner,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Milton  Dana,  assistant 
secretary;  superintendent,  William  L.  Stewart.  The 
company  enlarged  the  capacity  of  the  foundry  and  erect- 
ed a  frame  machine  shop,  a  car  shop  and  other  necessary 
buildings  on  the  same  location,  but  as  the  business  in- 
creased it  became  necessary  to  secure  more  room.  New 
brick  buildings  were  erected  on  lands  purchased  of  the 
Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Company,  immediately  ad- 
joining the  railroad  and  affording  increased  facilities  for 
receiving  material  and  shipping  manufactured  articles. 
At  these  works  are  manufactured  every  description  of 
light  and  heavy  machinery,  including  steam  engines  for 
shafts,  slopes,  planes,  coal  breakers,  blast  and  rolling 
mills;  double  and  single  acting  pumps  of  every  variety, 
for  mining  and  other  purposes;  mills  for  powder  making, 
locomotives,  flue,  tubral  and  cylinder  boilers,  of  the  best 
Pennsylvania  charcoal  boiler  plate;  forging  of  all 
kinds,  and  iron  and  brass  casting  of  every  description. 
The  wire  rope  machinery  of  the  Hazard  Manufacturing 
Company  was  made  at  this  establishment.  The  present 
(1880)  officers  of  the  company  are  as  follows:  Richard 
Sharpe,  president;  A.  H.  Van  Horn,  vice-president; 
Richard  Sharpe,  jr.,  treasurer;  H.  K.  McLean,  superin- 
tendent and  J.  N.  Davison,  bookkeeper.  The  company 
has  at  present  an  authorized  stock  of  |ioo,ooo. 

The  Hazard  Manufacturing  Company. — The  Hazard 
Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturers  of  iron  and  steel 
wire  ropes,  is  the  outgrowth  of  a  business  in  the  same  line 
established  by  Fisher  Hazard,  of  Mauch  Chunk,  at  that 
place  in  1848.  The  growing  demand  for  such  a  manu- 
factory in  the  heart  of  the  anthracite  coal  region  led  to 


*€^= 


■-=«=^^ 


"FIRWOOD"  RESIDENCE  OF  GEN.  E  W.STURDEVANT  ,    WILKES-BARRE  ,PA. 

L U b C  RN  E  CO  . 


RESIDENCE    OF     HON     CHARLES    A     M  I  N  ER  ,  WILKES-BARRE  ,  PA. 

— — FRANKLIN    ST. 


MANUFACTURING  INTERESTS  OF  WILKES-BARRE. 


217 


o 


its  removal  to  Wilkes-Barre.  A  stock  company  was 
formed,  of  which  Fisher  Hazard  was  elected  president, 
E.  B.  Leisenring  treasurer,  and  T.  C.  North  superintend- 
ent and  secretary,  December  ist,  1867.  In  1868  the 
company  was  chartered,  Charles  Parrish,  E.  B.  Leisenring 
and  Fisher  Hazard  being  the  corporators.  A  second 
election  of  officers  was  held  January  i8th,  1876,  which 
resulted  in  the  choice  of  the  gentlemen  now  (1880)  serv- 
ing: Charles  Parrish,  president;  Woodward  Leavenworth, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  T.  C.  North,  superintendent. 
The  ropes  manufactured  by  this  company  are  made  of 
wire  drawn  at  their  own  factory  from  the  best  brands  of 
Swedes'  and  Norway  iron  and  a  superior  quality  of  steel. 
All  sizes  of  round  and  flat,  coarse  or  fine,  iron  or  steel 
wire  rope,  for  the  transmission  of  power  and  use  on 
slopes,  derricks,  shafts  and  ferries,  and  as  guy  ropes,  are 
manufactured.  The  machinery  is  of  the  most  approved 
style,  and  capable  of  turning  out  6,000  feet  of  three-inch 
wire  rope  in  one  piece.  The  trade  of  the  company  ex- 
tends throughout  the  United  States  and  Canadas,  wire 
rope  being  extensively  employed  in  coal  mining  districts 
upon  planes,  slopes  and  shafts,  in  the  silver  and  gold  re- 
gions of  the  west,  and  in  cities  upon  elevators  and  hoists. 
Round  wire  rope  is  usually  used  in  the  coal  regions,  and  flat 
wire  rope  in  silver  and  gold  mining.  This  company  has  sent 
much  of  the  latter  variety  to  the  silver  mining  district  of 
Nevada. 

The  Dickson  Manufacturing  Company. — The  Dickson 
Manufacturing  Company  of  Scranton  have  established 
an  important  branch  in  Wilkes-Barre,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Jaines  Dickson,  superintendent,  which  is  duly 
mentioned  in  connection  with  the  history  of  that  corpor- 
ation. The  Wilkes-Barre  establishment  is  largely  devoted 
to  the  manufacture  of  engines,  boilers  and  general  min- 
ing machinery.  The  shops  are  located  on  Canal  street 
above  East  Market,  and  were  formerly  occupied  by  the 
firm  of  Laning  &  Marshall,  formerly  extensive  manu- 
facturers in  Wilkes-Barre  for  a  considerable  period. 

The  Wyojning  Blue  Stone  Works. — This  company  had 
its  origin  in  January,  1867,  when  a  partnership  was 
formed  between  J.  S.  Lum,  P.  A.  Wine  and  J.  P.  Browns- 
combe.  In  1869  the  firm  became  Lum  &  Brownscombe, 
who  were  succeeded  a  few  months  later  by  J.  P.  Browns- 
combe. In  April,  187S,  a  partnership  was  formed  be- 
tween J.  P.  Brownscombe,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  D.  H. 
King,  of  New  York.  The  quarries  of  the  firm  are  at 
Meshoppen,  Wyoming  county,  the  main  office  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  the  New  York  office  at  37  and  39  Wall  street. 
The  business  was  established  for  the  manufacture  of  flag- 
ging stone.  In  1870  the  manufacture  of  cut  stone  was 
introduced,  and  a  wholesale  trade  was  begun  in  1871. 
The  firm  has  shipped  flagging  and  curb  stone  to  New 
York  city,  Elmira,  Oswego  and  Binghamlon,  N.  Y.;  to 
Easton,  Reading,  Harrisburg  and  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and 
to  Elizabeth  and  Newark,  N.  J.  A  quarry  of  heavy  stone 
was  opened  at  Meshoppen  in  1875,  and  building  stone 
has  been  sent  in  all  directions.  One  car  load  was  shipped 
to  New  York  in    1875.     During   the   early  part    of  1880 


9.8 


600  car  loads  were  sold,  and   the  demand   exceeded   the 
ability  of  the  firm  to  supply. 

Miscellaneous  Mam/facturcs. — In  the  spring  of  i860 
Fred  Ahlborn  beg.ih  the  manufacture  of  soap  and  chan- 
dlers' ware  at  the  corner  of  Canal  and  Northampton 
streets.  The  present  factory  was  erected  on  the  same 
ground  in  1874.  In  1876  the  firm  became  Ahlborn 
Brothers.  They  are  extensive  manufacturers  of  soap  and 
candles  and  dealers  in  tallow,  sal-soda  and  similar  goods. 
J.  H.  Brock  began  the  manufacture  of  wire  screens  on 
Canal  street  about  1874.  In  1876  he  sold  the  establish- 
ment to  Mr.  E.  H.  Hunt,  who  is  doing  an  extensive  and 
constantly  increasing  business  in  the  manufacture  of 
woven  vvrought-iron  screens  for  screening  coal.  There  is 
a  smaller  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  city.  C.  A. 
Becker,  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  all  kinds  of  earthen 
ware,  Rockingham  and  yellow  ware  and  a  great  variety 
of  stove  linings,  terra  cotla  garden  vases  and  flower  pots, 
began  business  in  1B74.  His  factory  is  on  Canal  street 
near  Northampton.  The  Oliver  Powder  Works  have 
obtained  an  excellent  reputation,  and  through  the  energy 
and  ])ersistence  of  their  founder  and  owner.  General  P. 
A.  Oliver,  are  established  permanently  and  successfully, 
and  are  doing  a  very  extensive  business.  These  works 
are  situated  at  Laurel  Run  station  on  the  Lehigh  and 
Susquehanna  Railroad,  and  near  the  celebrated  Prospect 
Rock  on  the  mountain  overlooking  the  valley  on  the 
east.  There  are  also  manufactories  of  paper  packing 
boxes  and  flouring-mills.  packing  houses  and  the  usual 
variety  of  mechanic's  shops,  large  and  small. 

manufacturers'    Aip    ASSOCIATION. 

In  pursuance  of  previous  announcement,  a  meeting 
was  held  at  the  office  of  Messrs.  Farnham  &  Paine,  on 
Franklin  street,  on  the  evening  of  March  20th,  1880, 
at  which  the  following  gentlemen  were  present:  John 
Welles  Hollenback,  Charles  D.  Foster,  L.  C.  Paine, 
Mayor-elect  Brodrick,  Jonas  Long,  Daniel  H.  Frantz, 
Richard  Sharpe,  B.  G.  Carpenter,  Col.  George  N. 
Reichard,  Marcus  Smith,  William  Dickover,  Daniel  Fell, 
G.  M.  Miller,  Fred.  C.  Johnson,  L.  L.  Ayres,  W.  F.  Goff, 
C.  L.  Lamb,  William  Stoddard,  B.  F.  Dorrance,  George 
S.  Bennett,  M.  B.  Houpt,  R.  J.  Flick,  Col.  C.  M.  Conyng- 
ham,  George  A.  Wells  and  J.  R.  Coolbaugh. 

It  was  proposed  to  organize  an  association  for  the  pur- 
pose of  protecting  the  inferests  of  manufacturers,  and  of 
inducing  such  people  to  locate  in  Wilkes-Barre  as  it 
might  be  thought  would  aid  to  advance  the  best  interests 
of  the  city.  A  general  plan  of  operations  was  adopted, 
and  Charles  Parrish  was  elected  president  and  George  N. 
Reichard  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  organization, 
which  it  was  voted  to  call  the  Wilkes-Barre  Manufac- 
turers' Aid  Association.  The  following  resolution  was 
adopted:  "  That  our  city  government  and  the  three 
district  school  boards  be  requested  to  adopt  proper  legis- 
lation whereby  manufacturers  desiring  to  locate  in  our 
city  may  be  exempt  for  a  term  of  years  from  taxation  on 
their  real    estate  and  machinery  for  either   municipal  or 


=^^ 


^> 


2l8 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


school  purposes,  and  that  the  executive  committee  shall 
confer  with  the  city  council  and  the  school  board  on 
this  exemption." 

After  some  discussion  concerning  the  prices  of  coal, 
gas  and  water,  and  the  necessity  for  liberality  on  the  part 
of  real  estate  owners  in  dealing  with  such  parties  as 
might  be  induced  to  invest  in  manufacturing  enterprises 
in  the  city,  assurances  were  given  that  the  necessaries 
mentioned  would  be  supplied  to  such  persons  at  a  reason- 
able figure,  and  it  was  deemed  probable  that  gifts  of  lots 
will  be  made  should  occasion  require.  A  small  fund 
being  necessary  to  defray  current  expenses,  such  as  ad- 
vertising in  New  York  and  New  England  papers,  sending 
out  committees  to  manufacturing  centers,  etc.,  a  sub- 
scription was  started,  and  in  a  few  minutes  an  amount 
sufficient  for  the  present  exigencies  was  pledged.  The 
importance  of  this  movement  on  the  part  of  Wilkes- 
Barre's  most  enterprising  business  men  on  the  future  of 
the  city  can  be  but  dimly  foreshadowed. 

WILKES-BARRE    AS    A    MANUFACTURING    CENTER. 

The  city   of  Wilkes-Barre    offers   decided   advantages 
for  manufacturers  and  capitalists  desiring  a  location   for 
factories,  etc.     Its  close  proximity  to  the  great  iron  pro- 
ducing districts  of  the  Lehigh  valley,   as   well   as   of  the 
Susquehanna,  gives  it  a  decided  advantage  for  iron  work 
of    any    description.       Its    railroad    connections     place 
manufacturers  of  iron  products  in  immediate  and  cheap 
communication  with   the  great    iron   producing   sections. 
Its  close  contiguity  to  the  large    and    prosperous    agri- 
cultural counties  of  Bradford, Wyoming  and  Susquehanna 
insures  a  favorable  price  and  abundant  supply   of   farm 
products,  while  the  low  prices  for  fuel    combine  to  make 
the  cost  of  living  as  low  as  in  any  other  eastern  city,  and 
probably  lower  than  in  most  of  them.     But   its   greatest 
advantages  are  the  abundance   of   women   and  children 
laborers   and   its   cheap   fuel.     Of    the   former  it  has  an 
almost  untouched  field  to  select  from.     The  male  mem- 
bers of  the  family  are   largely  engaged  in  and  about  the 
mines,  while   to  the   female   members   no   occupation  is 
attainable.     It   is   estimated   that  in  and  around  the  city 
there  are  5,000  or  more  of  this  class  ready  and  willing  to 
work  at  low  wages.     As  to   coal   suitable  for  steam  pur- 
poses, millions  of  tons  can  be   had   for  a  trifle   above  the 
cost  of  hauling.     The  coal,  or  culm,  is  constantly  increas- 
ing in  amount  and  is  readily  accessible  from  any  portion 
of  the  city.     It  is  now  largely  used   by   steam  makers  for 
the  production  of  power,  and   in   quantity   is   practically 
inexhaustible,  and  can    be   delivered  for   fifty  cents  per 
ton.     Manufacturers    preferring  to  use   lump    or   steam 
sizes  can  get  these  at    low  prices  compared  with  the  cost 
elsewhere.     Biiilding  materials  are  also  obtainable  at  low 
figures.     The  great  lumber  interests  are  in  close  proxim- 
ity and  easily  accessible.    Building  stone  is  abundant  and 
cheap,  and  large  quantities  of  brick  are  made  within  the 
city  limits.     Building  sites   for  desirable   manufacturing 
uses  can  be  had  at  very  low  figures,  and  some  are  offered 
gratuitously.     The  city  has  three  separate  and  independ- 
ent railroad  connections  with  the  west  as  well  as  with 


the  seaboard,  and  also  canal  facilities  with  the  lower 
Susquehanna,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  and  points  south, 
and  railroad  transportation  can  be  arranged  on  favorable 
terms  to  large  transporters.  A  prominent  advantage 
also  is  the  low  rate  of  assessment  and  taxation,  likely  to 
be  continued  in  the  future. 

The  banking  capital  is  abundant,  there  being  between 
$1,500,000  and  $2,000,000  thus  invested  and  insuring 
to  manufacturers  a  full  supply  of  capital  for  business 
purposes.  The  water  system  is  unsurpassed  in  its  excel- 
lence of  water  and  the  supply  is  full. 

SECRET,  SOCIAL  AND  OTHER  ORGANIZA- 
TIONS. 


June  24th,  1779,  while  General  Sullivan's  army  was  en- 
camped on  the  plain  where  Wilkes-Barre  now  is,  a  lodge 
of  masons  met  in  the  tent  of  Colonel  Proctor.  A  chap- 
lain read  on  this  occasion,  which  was  probably  the  first 
convention  of  a  lodge  on  the  Susquehanna,  one  of  P.ev. 
Dr.  Smith's  masonic  sermons.  A  few  days  afterward  ihe 
funeral  services  of  the  order  were  read  at  the  graves  ")f 
Captain  J.  Davis  and  Lieutenant  William  Jones  of  the 
nth  Pennsylvania  regiment,  two  masons  who  had  been 
killed  during  the  preceding  April  a  few  miles  east  of 
Wilkes-Barre.  They  were  reinterred  in  the  AVilkes-Barre 
burying  ground. 

Wilkes-Barre  Lodge,  No.  61.  F.  &=  A.  M. — February 
27th,  1794,  the  second  lodge  of  Ancient  York  Masons 
that  convened  in  Luzerne  county  was  opened  in  the 
"  Old  Fell  house,"  with  the  following  principal  officers: 
W.  M.,  George  Seytz;  S.  W.,  John  Paul  Schott;  J.  W., 
Peter  Grubb;  secretary,  Arnold  Colt;  treasurer,  Samuel 
Bowman. 

Among  the  early  members  of  this  lodge  were  Asa  Dim- 
mock,    Ezekiel    Hyde,  Stephen  Tuttle,  Isaac   Bowen,  J. 
and   E.   Bulkley,  Caleb  Hoyt,    Peter  Yarrington,  Charles 
Miner,  Joseph  Wright,   Oliver  Helrae,  James  Campbell, 
Josiah    Wright,    Samuel    Jameson,    Jonathan     Hancock, 
Zebulon     Marcy,     Eleazer    Blackman    and     F.     Depuy. 
Revs.  Drake,  Cox,  and  William  Bishop  were  early  chap- 
lains.    On  St.  John's  day,  1794,  the  first  named  preached 
a  sermon  to  the  assembled  lodge  in  the  court-house.     De- 
cember 23d,  1799,  the  members  of  the  lodge  heard  with 
much  sadness  the  announcement  of  the  death  of  Washing- 
ton, and  four  days  later  assembled  in  the  court-house  to 
hear  an   eulogy   upon  the    great  deceased    mason    from 
Roswell  Wells.     The   regular  communications  and  other 
sessions  of  the  lodge  were  held    at  the  house  of  Jesse 
Fell  until  1804,  when  a  room  was   rented   in   the   court- 
house for   an  annual  consideration  of   $10.     The  anti- 
masonic  excitement  induced  by  the  alleged  abduction  of 
William  Morgan  in   1826  resulted  more   disastrously  to 
lodges  throughout  New  York  and  northern  Pennsylvania 
than  elsewhere.     The  last  regular  communication  of  the 
Wilkes-Barre  lodge  prior  to  1844  was  held  August   12th, 
1832. 


■^  )=a 


■#■    -: 


*^^- 


^^ 


MASONIC  LODGES,  WILKES-BARRE. 


219. 


Hh^ 


The  successive  worshipful  masters  of  this  lodge  have 
been  as  follows: 

George  Seytz,  1794;  John  Paul  Schott,  1795,1796;  Sam- 
uel Bowman,  1797;  Jesse  Fell,  1798,  1799;  John  Paul 
Schott,  1800-02;  Jesse  Fell,  1803;  Eleazer  Blackman, 
1804;  Isaac  Bowman,  1805;  Charles  Miner,  1806,  1807; 
Jesse  Fell,  1808;  Eleazer  Blackman,  1809;  Samuel  Bow- 
man, 1810,  i8ii;  Allen  Jack,  1812;  Jesse  Fell,  1813;  Isaac 
Bowman,  T814;  John  B.  Gibson,  1815,  1816;  Isaac  Bow- 
man, 1817;  Geo.  Denisoii,  1818,  1819;  Andrew  Beaumont, 
1820,  1821;  Garrick  Mallery,  1822-24;  Harris  Jenkins, 
1825;  Andrew  Beaumont,  1826;  Isaac  Bowman,  1827; 
John  N.  Conyngham,  1828-31;  Henry  Pettebone,  1832; 
'inu-rrregnura);  Andrew  Beaumont,  1844;  Henry  Pette- 
bone, 1845;  William  S.  Reddin,  1846;  Ezra  Hoyt,  1847, 
1848;  Jesse  Lines,  1849;  John  R.  Dean,  1850;  Warren  J. 
Woodward,  1851;  Asher  M.  Stout,  1852,  1853;  Andrew 
Yohe,  1854;  Francis  L.  Bowman,  1855;  Thomas  Cassidy, 
1856;  E.  B.  Harvey,  1857;  S.  D.  Lewis,  1858;  G.  B. 
Nicholson,  1859;  James  P.  Dennis,  i860;  George  Urqu- 
hart,  i86t;  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  1862;  David  Mordecai, 
1863;  Lewis  C.  Paine,  1864;  Theron  Burnett,  1865; 
Thaddeus  S.  Hillard,  i866;  Edward  H.  Chase,  1867; 
Edmund  L.  Dana,  1868;  Isaiah  M.  Leach,  1869;  John 
Laning,  1870;  Isaac  Livingston,  187 1;  William  Lough- 
ridge,  1872;  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  1873;  William  L. 
Stewart,  1874;  Olin  F.  Harvey,  1875;  John  B.  Quick, 
1876;  John  W.  Gilchrist,  1877;  Stewart  L.  Barnes, 
1878. 

The  officers  for  1879  were:  Oscar  J.  Harvey,  W.  M.; 
A.  E.  Winlack,  S.  W.;  D.  S.  Bennett,  J.  W.;  William  L. 
Stewart,  treasurer;  John  P.  Pollock,  secretary;  D.  Metz- 
gar,  S.  D.;  S.  F.  Wadharas,  J.  D.;  S.  J.  Tonkin,  S.  M. 
of  C;  F.  J.  Montgomery,  J.  M.  of  C;  S.  J.  Polan,  P.; 
J.  W.  Robinson,  T.;  George  Urquhart,  C.  Meetings  are 
held  every  four  weeks  at  the  hall  of  the  lodge,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  public  s<iuare. 

Shekinah  H.  R.  A.  Chapter,  No.  182,  was  chartered 
November  19th,  1855,  by  M.  E.  G.  H.  P.  Comp.  Daniel 
Thompson,  and  constituted  February  13th  1856,  with  the 
following  original  members;  Elisha  B.  Harvey,  Andrew 
Yohe,  Henry  Pettebone,  Henry  M.  Fuller,  Nathaniel 
Pierson,  Washington  Lee,  jr.,  James  P.  Dennis  and 
Charles  Sturdevant. 

The  first  officers  were:  Elisha  B.  Harvey,  H.  P.;  An- 
drew Yohe,  K.;  Henry  Pettebone.,  S. 

The  successive  high  priests  have  been:  Henry  Pette- 
bone, 1857;  Washington  Lee,  jr.,  1858;  G.  Byron  Nich- 
olson, 1859;  James  P.  Dennis,  i860;  Henry  M.  Hoyt, 
1861;  Lewis  C.  Payne,  1862;  Theron  Burnett,  1863,  1864; 
Welding  F.  Dennis,  1865;  Charles  Morgan,  1866:  George 
Byron  Nicholson,i867;  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  1868,  1869;  T.  S. 
Hillard,  1870,  1871;  David  R.  Randall,  1872;  William  E. 
Lines,  1873;  George  W.  Kirkendall,  1874;  Elliot  P.  Kis- 
ner,  1875;  Henry  C.  Smith,  1876;  David  P.  Ayars,  1877; 
Lathan  W.  Jones,  1878. 

The  officers  (1879)  are  as  follows:  Walter  S.  Biddle, 
H.  P.;  Olin  F.  Harvey,  K.;  Edwin  A.  Spalding,  S.; 
David  P.   Ayars,   secretary;    William    Master,    treasurer. 


The   chapter   meets   the  third  Tuesday  evening  of  each 
month  in  Masonic  Hall. 

Cryptic  Castle  No.  3,  Ancient  Order  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Chain. — This  castle,  or  lodge,  was  organized  in 
Harmony  Hall,  July  29th,  1871,  with  J.  D.  Robinson,  J. 
H.  Reynolds,  J.  Hamilton,  F.  R.  Stone,  G.  W.  Patterson, 
C.  Staye,  G.  W.  Wiseman,  F.  Beinert,  H.  Benning,  C. 
Breiling,  T.  Maston,  C.  C.  Jones,  H.  Licht,  W.  H.  Sny- 
der, B.  Myers  and  P.  Anstey  as  charter  members. 

The  names  of  the  first  officers  are  as  follows:  S.  K.  C, 
J.  D.  Robinson;  S.  K.  V.  C,  W.  H.  Snyder;  secretary, 
J.  H.  Reynolds.  The  successive  Sir  Knights  Com- 
manders, with  the  dates  at  which  they  were  installed, 
have  been  as  follows:  1872,  January,  C.  Kropp,  June, 
J.  P.  Kasier;  1873,  January,  L.  Chilston,  June,  W.  J. 
Deiter;  1874,  January,  C.  C.  Engel,  June,  G.  Bachman; 
1875,  January,  W.  J,  Deiter,  June,  C.  C.  Engel;  1865, 
January,  J.  N.  Pirrong,  June,  W.  Kaiser;  1877,  January, 
M.  J.  Brobst,  June,  A.  Buklin;  1878,  January,  C.  M. 
Fell,  June,  C.  Baur;   1879,  January,  P.  F.  Welteroth. 

The  names  of  the  officers  serving  in  October,  1879, 
were  as  follows:  S.  K.  C,  S.  T.  Wiedeow;  S.  K.  V.  C, 
C.  L.  Buley,  financial  secretary,  C.  M.  Fell;  treasurer, 
C.  C.  Engel;  chaplain,  W.  J.  Deiter;  corresponding  sec- 
retary, George  Medway;  trustees,  George  Medway,  C. 
Baur  and  J.  W.  Deiter. 

Regular  meetings  are  held  every  Friday  evening  at 
Cryptic  Castle  Hall,  No  114  South  Mafn  street. 

Landmark  Lodge,  No.  442,  F.  6^  A.  M. — This  lodge 
was  constituted  August  12,  1869,  with  the  following  char- 
ter members:  J.  Pryor  Williamson,  George  N.  Reichard 
James  M.  Rutter,  Charles  C.  Plotz,  Henry  C.  Smith 
Charles  D.  Lafferty  and  John  H.  Peacock.  The  first  of- 
ficers were:  J.  Pryor  Williamson,  W.  M.;  George  N 
Reichard,  S.  W. ;  James  M.  Rutter,  J.  W.  The  succeed 
ing  presiding  officers  have  been  Charles  D.  Lafferty,  1872 
Henry  C.  Smith,  1873;  Missouria  B.  Heupt,  1874;  Wil 
liara  O.  McLean,  1875;  J.  Marshall  Ketchum,  1876 
George  W.  Guthrie,  1877;  Charles  A.  Durant,  1878. 

The  officers  in  October,  1879,  were  Charles  A.  Jones, 
W.  M.;  Paschal  L.  Hoover,  S.  W.;  James  Brady,  J.  W.; 
J.  Pryor  Williamson,  treasurer;  David  P.  Ayars,  secre- 
tary.    Meetings — monthly  in  Masonic  Hall. 

Dietc  Le  Veut  Commandery,  No.  45,  M.  K.  T.,  was  or- 
ganized January  2nd,  1872,  with  Charles  D.  Lafferty,  S. 
S.  Winchester,  G.  A.  Baird,  John  Lanning,  Francis  Duns- 
more,  H.  E.  Gettis,  C.  H.  Peacock,  Thomas  W.  Robin- 
son, George  W.  Kirkendall,  D.  R.  Randall,  T.  S.  Hillard, 
J.  M.  Davidson,  Elliott  P.  Kisner,  L.  Praetorius,  Wil- 
liam J.  Harvey,  William  Patten,  James  M.  Rutter,  John 
McNeish,  jr.,  T.  C.  Harkness  and  R.  Bruce  Ricketts  as 
charter  members. 

The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  E.  C,  R.  Bruce  Rick- 
etts; G.,  V.  E.  Gettis;  C.  G.,  T.  C.  Harkness;  treas- 
urer, T.  S.  Hillard;  recorder,  George  W.  Kirkendall. 

The  following  named  members  have  been  successively 
elevated  to  the  office  of  E.  C:  R.  Bruce  Ricketts,  H.  E. 
Gettis,  T.  C.  Harkness,  William  J.  Harvey,  Harry  A. 
Laycoqk,  Byron  Shoemaker  and  Edward  Smith. 


=4^ 


f 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


In  the  fall  of  1879  the  officers  were:  Lathan  W.  Jones, 
E.  C;  George  W.  Kirkendall,  G.;  David  P.  Ayars,  C. 
G.;  T.  S.  Hillard,  treasurer;   Olin  F.  Harvey,  recorder. 

Wyoming  Castle,  No.  &5,A.O.X.  of  the  Mystic  Chain. — 
This  castle  was  organized  in  April,  1878,  with  the  fol- 
lowing named  charter  members:  William  J.  P.  Williams, 
Alfred  Charrett,  Joseph  S.  Jones,  Morgan  R.  Morgans, 
David  R.  Jones,  Richard  J.  Williams,  Lewis  J.  Thomas, 
William  Brent,  John  Brent,  David  Griffith,  John  L. 
Lloyd,  John  Haycock,  George  T.  Davis,  B.  W.  Thomas, 
William  Smyth,  George  Nesbit,  David  B.  Thomas,  Joseph 
Wooten,  David  Smyth,  John  T.  Williams,  James  Nesbit, 
Thomas  W.  Powell,  Isaac  Ford,  Emanuel  Lewis,  Thomas 
A.  Morgan,  Griffith  Griffiths,  John  Richards,  Jenkin 
Lewis,  Thomas  Edwards,  David  E.  Morris,  Morgan  T. 
Reise,  George  W.  Thomas,  Thomas  Robinson,  Thomas 
Evans,  T.  Harrison,  William  D.  Jones,  Thomas  W.  Par- 
ray,  John  H.  Jones  and  William  Picket. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  first  officers:  Chap- 
lain, William  Smyth;  Sir  K.  Com.,  William  J.  P.  Wil- 
liams; vice  Sir  K.  Com.,  Alfred  Charrett;  first  lieutenant, 
Joseph  S.  Jones;  recording  scribe,  Morgan  R.Morgans; 
assistant  recording  scribe,  David  R.  Jones;  financial  re- 
cording scribe,  Richard  J.  Williams;  treasurer,  Lewis  J. 
Thomas;  L  G.,  William  Brent;  O.  G.,  J.  R.  Lloyd;  chief 
of  staff,  David  Griffiths;  assistant  chief  of  staff,  John  L. 
Lloyd;  P.  C,  John  Haycock.  The  successive  presiding 
officers  have  been'  William  J.  P.  Williams,  Morgan  R. 
Morgans,  Alfred  Charrett  and  B.  W.  Thomas,  the  latter 
serving  in  September,  1879,  when  the  other  offices 
were  filled  as  follows:  Chaplain,  Joseph  S.-  Jones;  vice 
Sir  K.  Com.,  George  T.  Davis;  first  lieutenant,  David 
Humphreys;  recording  scribe,  Richard  J.  Williams;  I.  G., 
Joseph  Wooten;  O.  G.,  David  Rowland;  treasurer,  John 
Haycock;  chief  of  staff,  William  D.  Jones;  ass't  chief  of 
staff,  Jenkin  Lewis. 

INDEPENDENT    ORDER    OF    ODD    FELLOWS. 

Wyoming  Lodge,  No.  39. — This  lodge  was  instituted 
September  23d,  1831,  by  D.  G.  M.  William  Skinner,  of 
Philadelphia,  with  the  following  named  charter  members, 
including  officers:  Stephen  Vaughn,  W.  H.  Alexander, 
John  R.  Dean,  Jacob  Kutz  and  John  Fazer.  The  first 
officers  were:  Whitney  Smith,  N.  G.;  George  G.  West,  V. 
G.;  John  R.  Dean,  secretary;  William  Hailley,  assistant 
secretary,  and  William  A.  Merritt,  treasurer.  It  surren- 
dered its  charter  in  1833,  and  was  reorganized  April  21st, 

1845- 

The  following  members  have  been  made  past  grands: 
S.  Vaughn,  W.  H.  Alexander,  J.  R.  Dean,  H.  B.  Wright, 
W.  G.  Sterling,  J.  W.  Eno,  J.  W.  Goff,  A.  M.  Stout,  I.  S. 
Osterhout,  W.  S.  Ross,  J.  P.  Dennis,  A.  Wood,  L.  D. 
Shoemaker,  E.  L.  Dana,  Robeson  Boyd,  Jacob  Kutz,  S. 
H.  Puterbaugh,  J.  Bertels,  J.  Bartholomew,  C.  F.  Reels, 
N.  Pierson,  G.  W.  Leach,  J.  Reichard,  Charles  Morgan, 
E.  B.  Harvey,  D.  .Metzger,  S.  Eicke,  A.  Morse,  J.  S. 
Hoover,  J.  C.  Fredericks,  S.  M.  Barton,  S.  Weller,  A.  L. 
Gardner,  M.  D.  Wilson,  A.  Bertels,  L.  B.  Coolbaugh,  J. 
Fleischman,  H.  B.  Plumb,  C.  B.  Metzger,  John  Howland, 


F.  D.  West,  R.  H.  Walker,  J.  R.  Coolbaugh,  E.  W.  Finch, 
H.  P.  Blackman,  R.  H.  Walters.  N.  B.  Hedden,  S.  W. 
Bennett,  Martin  Frey,  G.  M.  Nagle,  W.  M.  Deckover,  H. 
C.  Fry,  W.  D.  Jones,  S.  L.  Barnes,  William  Howe,  W.  E. 
Doran,  W.  C.  Reed,  A.  C.  Montanye,  J.  C.  Laird,  D. 
Caird,  J.  E.  Valentine,  G.  S.  Overton,  H.  C.  White,  H. 
L.  Moore,  F.  A.  Stine,  J.  H.  Montanye,  O.  B.  Smith, 
Robert  Tucker,  C.  E.  Jones,  C.  G.  Leffler  and  W.  W. 
Brown. 

The  officers  serving  in  the  fall  of  1879  were:  C.  E. 
Hungerford,  N.  G.;  Samuel  Dutt,  V.  G.;  J.  Valentine,  sec- 
retary; J.  T.  Murphy,  assistant  secretary;  Jacob  Fleisch- 
man, treasurer.  The  lodge  has  a  membership  of  162  and 
meets  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  every  Wednesday  night. 

Outalissi  Encampment,  No.  39. — This  encampment  was 
organized  August  loth,  1846.  The  first  officers,  who  were 
also  petitioners  for  the  charter,  were:  Andrew  Yohe,  C. 
P.;  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  H.  P.;  James  P.  Dennis,  S.  W.; 
Abraham  Wood,  J.  W.;  William  H.Alexander,  S.;  Weld- 
ing F.  Dennis,  T.;  Stephen  Vaughn,  I.  S.;  Isaiah  R. 
Phillips,  O.  S. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  chief  patriarchs  as  they 
have  been  successively  installed:  Andrew  Yohe,  Hen- 
drick B.  Wright,  [ames  P.  Dennis,  Abraham  Wood,  Isaac 
Wood,  William  S.  Ross,  H.  Pettebone,  Stephen  Vaughn, 
Edmund  L.  Dana,  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  John  S.Yost,  Jacob 
Bertels,  Robinson  Boyd,  John  Bartholomew,  L.  W.  Stew- 
art, Rowland  Metcalf,  J.  W.  Horton,  John  Reichard,  N. 
Pierson,  E.  B.  Harvey,  Charles  F.  Reets,  Daniel  Metzger, 
William  Davis,  Ira  Marcy,  S.  Y.  Kittle,  William  H.  Alex- 
ander, Charles  Morgan,  George  W.  Leach,  S.  Weller,  L. 
B.  Coolbaugh,  Arnold  Bertels,  William  Reith,  R.  H.  Walk- 
er, John  Hartland,  David  Caird,  J.  R.  Coolbaugh,  H.  P. 
Blackman,  John  Dakin,  S.  J.  Tonkin,  C.  B.  Metzger,  N. 
B.  Heddin,  I.  C.  Holflich,  George  M.  Nagle,  William 
How,  William  C.  Reed,  Stewart  L.  Barnes,  Martin  Frey, 
A.  C.  Montanye,  H.  C.  White,  J.  A.  Wood,  O.  Smith,  H. 
L.  Moore,  F.  A.  Stine,  E.  B.  Trively,  J.  D.  Laird,  J.  H. 
Montanye,  J.  E.  Valentine  and  W.  W.  Brown. 

Several  of  the  above  named  were  honored  with  a  sec- 
ond elevation  to  the  principal  chair. 

The  officers  of  the  encampment  were  as  follows  in 
September,  1879:  R.  D.  Schonen,  C.  P.;  H.  C.  White, 
H.  P.;  T.  A.  Murphy,  S.  W.;  E.  F.  Roth,  J.  W.;  George 
M.  Nagle.  S.;  Martin  Frey,  T.  Regular  meetings  are 
held  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  on  the  first  and  third  Friday 
evenings  of  each  month. 

Vuh-an  Lodge,  AV.  292,  was  instituted  March  i8th, 
1848,  by  D.  D.  G.  M.  Andrew  Yohe,  and  meets  Saturday 
evenings  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.  The  charter  members 
were:  David  Levi,  Benjamin  Pfouts,  John  W.  Horton, 
John  S,  Yost,W.  Lazarus,  E.  G.  Morgan,  Lewis  V.  Jaquis, 
Daniel  Carry,  William  Jones  and  W.  R.  Hoyt.  All 
these  are  now  known  to  be  dead  except  E.  G.  Morgan. 
The  first  officers  were:  John  W.  Horton,  N.  G.;  John  S. 
Yost,  V.  G.;  E.  G.  Morgan,  S.;  William  Lazarus,  A.  S.; 
Benjamin  Pfouts,  T. 

The  following  past  grands  are  deceased:  John  W.  Hor- 
ton,   John  S.  Yost,  J.  L.  Day,  J.  Bennett,    Dennis    Quil- 


m 


linian,  Robert  Campbell,  William  Jones,  Rowland  Met- 
calf,  James  Hutson,  E.  A.  Adams.  The  following  are 
still  connected  with  the  lodge:  S.  Y.  Kittle,  I.  M.  Dilley, 
William  Reese,  C.  W.  Boughton,  J.  A.  Rippard,  M.  B. 
Williams,  T.  M.  Williams,  Henry  Crandall,  Charles  Julian, 
Benjamin  Palsue,  Walter  Symonds,  William  M.  Thomas, 
William  Wilson,  David  Moses  and  David  R.  Griffith. 

The  officers  serving  in  the  latter  part  of  1879  were:  J- 
F.  Noot,  N.  G.;  Thomas  M.  Thomas,  V.  G.;  S.  Y.  Kittle, 
S.;  Oliver  Purvis,  A.  S.;  J.  A.  Rippard,  T. 

The  thirty-second  anniversary  of  Vulcan  Lodge  was 
celebrated  in  March,  i88o,  some  300  ladies  and  gentle- 
men being  present,  among  whom  were  representatives  of 
Pittston,  Kingston  and  Plymouth  lodges. 

Hoffnung  Lodge,  No.  425. — This  lodge  was  organized 
March  4lh,  185 1.  The  charter  members  were  E.  Roth, 
H.  Ansbacher,  J.  Constine,  M.  Strasser,  A.  Leaderer,  J. 
Meyer,  L.  Schacher  and  C.  Klippel.  The  first  officers 
were  E.  Roth,  N.  G.;  H.  Ansbacher,  V.  G.;  J.  Constine, 
S.;  J.  Meyer,  T.  The  officers  in  September,  1879,  were: 
C.  Hesse,  N.  G.;  A.  F.  Miller,  V.  G.;  J.  Constine,  S.;  H. 
C.  Hirner,  Treas. 

Aurora  Encampment,  No.  130,  was  organized  June  21st, 
i860,  with  Lewis  Praetorius,  G.  Schmitt,  Peter  Kropp, 
Henry  Rhode,  M.  Buttman,  M.  Bauer,  G.  Gommer,  and  A. 
J.  Hilbert  as  charter  members  and  the  following  officers: 
M.  Baur,  C.  P.;  G.  Schmitt,  H.  P.;  Lewis  Praetorious,  S.; 
Henry  Rohde,  T.  The  officers  serving  in  the  fall  of 
1879. were:  J.  Neuburger,  P.;  B.  Deutsch,  H.  P.;  Joseph 
Kraft,  S.;  J.  Falk,  T.  Meetings  are  held  on  the  second 
and  fourth  Fridays  of  each  month. 

Vulcan  Encampment,  No.  145,  was  instituted  by  D.  G.  C. 
P.  Crealer,  June  12th,  1866,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  John  W.  Horton,  Williams  Reiths,  Lee  W. 
Stewart,  Thomas  Lamb,  S.  Y.  Kittle,  J.  A.  Rippard,  Wil- 
liam Davis,  Joseph  Brown,  Thomas  Wilson  and  John 
Wortborger.  The  following  officers  were  installed:  J. 
W.  Horton,  C.  P.;  J.  A.  Rippard,  H.  P.;  Joseph  Brown; 
S.  W.;  W.  G.  Odell,  J.  W.;  C.  P.  Kidder,  S.;  Williams 
Reiths,  T. 

The  past  chief  patriarchs  are  J.  W.  Horton,  deceased, 
Williams  Reiths,  S.  Y.  Kittle,  J.  A.  Rippard,  I.  M.  Dil- 
ley, C.  W.  Boughton,  Benjamin  Palsue,  E.  H.  Kittle, 
John  Wortborger,  Morgan  B.  Williams,  Henry  Grandall, 
Franklin  Hanricht  and  William  Wilson.  The  officers  in 
service  in  October  1879,  were:  Franklin  Hanricht,  C. 
P.;  E.  H.  Little,  H.  P.;  S.  Y.  Kittle,  S.;  J.  A.  Rippard, 
T.  The  number  of  members  at  that  time  was  32.  The 
encampment  meets  the  second  and  fourth  Fridays  of 
each  month  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall. 

E.  C.  Harvey  Lodge,  No  839,  /.  O.  O.  F.—U&y  20th, 
1873,  the  following  members  of  Wyoming  Lodge  organ- 
ized a  new  lodge  known  by  the  above  title:  W.  C.  Reed, 
E.  F.  Roth,  W.  F.  Stark,  C.  F.  Murray,  A.  E.  Watt,  D. 
Davidsburg,  J.  R.  Gregory,  S.  L.  Barnes,  William  Mur- 
ray, Matthew  Watt,  C.  L.  Rhodes,  O.  J.  Harvey,  A.  D. 
Moore,  W.  H.  Moore,  Philip  Abot,  0.  F.  Harvey,  J.  T. 
Morgan,  D.  A.  McCollora,  J.  P.  Pollock  and  M.  B. 
Austin.     The  first  officers  were:  O.   F.   Harvey,  N.  G., 


William  Murray,  V.  G.;  J.  P.  Pollock,  S.;  E.  F.  Roth,  A. 
S.;  Philip  Abbot,  T.  The  past  grands  made  in  this 
lodge  were:  0.  F.  Harvey,  O.  J.  Harvey,  E.  F.  Roth,  M. 
B.  Austin,  J.  R.  Gregory,  A.  D.  Moore  and  S.  J.  Strauss. 
April  3d,  1878,  this  lodge  surrendered  its  charter  and 
was  merged  with  Wyoming  Lodge. 

Centennial  Lodge,  No.  927,  /.  O.  0.  F.  was  instituted 
January  ist,  1876,  by  D.  D.  G.  M.  Stewart  L.  Barnes  with 
the  following  charter  members:  William  S.  Withers, 
James  Dilley,  J.  S.  Eldridge,  J.  W.  Simmers,  Philip 
Rineman,  E.  H.  Kittle,  P.  G.;    William  Briggs,  P.  G,;  A. 

B.  S.  Sands,  Jacob  King,  J.  T.  Cook,  Charles  Tabar, 
John  Rineman,  Benjamin  F.  Marshall,  F.  H.  Harricht, 
Thomas  Rhinehimer,  Peter  Keithlin,  Henry  Roddraan, 
J.  Kriedler,  William  Newbee,  W.  Bowman,  G.  W.  Green- 
wall,  Chester  Rineman,  William  H.  Van  Horn,  M.  A. 
Constock,  Peter  W.  Gruver  and  F.  L.  Beebe.  The  first 
officers  were:  W.  S.  Smither,  N.  G.;  James  Dilley,  V.  G.; 
J.  S.  Eldridge,  S.;  and  J.  W.  Simmers,  A.  S.  The  past 
grands  are  W.  S.  Smither,  James  Dilley,  J.  W.  Simmers, 
Jacob  King,  William  H.  Van  Horn  and  F.  H.  Hanricht. 
The  officers  in  September,  1879,  were:  Peter  Keithlin,  N. 
G.;  B.  F.  Bennett,  V.  G.;  E.  H.  Kittle,  S.;  Eldridge 
Angle,  A.  S.;  James  Dilley,  T.  The  membership  was  36. 
Meetings  every  Monday  night  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall. 

Odd  Fellows  Hall  Association. — This  association  was 
chartered  April  12th,  1877,  for  the  purpose  of  providing 
a  suitable  building  in  which  to  hold  the  meetings  of  the 
different  bodies  of  Odd  Fellows  in  the  city.  The  capital 
was  limited  to  $2,000,  in  shares  of  $50  each.  The  offi- 
cers consist  of  one  trustee  from  each  lodge  and  en- 
campment. The  first  officers  were:  S.  Y.  Kittle,  presi- 
dent; C.  E.  Hungerford,  secretary;  William  Reith,  trea- 
surer; Martin  Frey,  E.  F.  Roth  and  E.  H.  Kittle,  trus- 
tees.    The  officers  in  1879  were:  S.  Y.  Kittle,  president; 

C.  E.  Hungerford,  secretary;  Martin  Frey,  treasurer;  E. 
H.  Kittle  and  Morgan  B.  Williams,  trustees. 

MISCELLANEOUS    GERMAN    SOCIETIES. 

Hermann  s  Beneficial  Society  was  organized  in  1846  and 
was  named  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of  the  Cheruskers,  a 
German  tribe.  Hermann  has  been  called  the  Washing- 
ton of  Germany.  The  society  meets  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall 
on  the  first  and  third  Wednesdays  of    each  month. 

The  Wyoming  Beneficial  Society  was  established  in  1848. 
Captain  John  Reichart  was  a  prominent  early  member. 
It  is  still  in  existance  and  holds  its  regular  meetings  in 
Stump's  Hall. 

Some  of  the  leading  German  ladies  of  Wilkes-Barre 
organized  the  Ladies'  Benevolent  Society  in  1858,  and  the 
Jewish  Benevolent  Society  was  formed  about  the  same 
time.  The  next  year  a  society  of  Germans  called  the 
Mechanics'  Beneficial  Association  was  organized. 

Francesca  Verein. — This  society,  a  German  ladies'  bene- 
ficial association  was  organized  March  9th,  1856,  with 
the  following  named  members:  Eliza  Goelz,  Catharine 
Liem,  Margaret  Lang,  Francisca  Miller,  Caroline  Bur- 
gunder,  Barbara  Wallfisch,  Caroline  Staje,  Caroline  Bour, 
Jeanette  Kramer,  Ann  Maria  Keseter,   Jeanette  Maure, 


^^ 


<^ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Willielmina  Hesse,  Philopena  Lang  and  Victoria  Al- 
bersts.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  first  officers: 
Pres.,  Jeanette  Maure;  vice-pres,,  Caroline  Burgunder; 
S.,  Simon  Kessler;  T.,  Lenhardt  Hesse;  trustee,  Valen- 
tine Staje. 

The  officers  serving  in  September,  1879,  were  as  fol- 
lows: Pres ,  Madeline  Shoemaker;  vice-pres.,  Caroline 
Staje;  S.,  Daniel  Lang,  T.,  Valentine  Staje;  trustee, 
Philip  Steinhaur.  Meetings  are  held  twice  a  month  in  the 
German  Odd  Fellows'  hall.  The  membership  is  about  45. 
Odin  Lodge,  No.  54,  D.  O.  H.  was  organized  October 
27th,  1867,  with  Peter  Kropp,  Charles  A.  Ziegler,  Gus- 
tav  Hahn,  Henry  Hirner,  Louis  Praetorious,  Anthony 
Vogt  and  Adolph  Voigt  as  charter  members.  The  first 
officers  were  as  follows:  Peter  Kropp,  O.  B.;  Gustav 
Hahn,  U.  B.;  L.  Praetorious,  S.;  Henry  Hirner,  T. 

The  officers  in  September,  1879,  were:  Valentine  Staje, 
O.  B.;  John  Meyer,  U.  B.;  Henry  Luft,  S.;  John  Starck,T. 
The  membership  was  seventy-six.  Regular  meetings  are 
held  Wednesday  evenings  at  Odd  Fellow's  Hall. 

The  Harnwnie  Mannie,  No.  34,  D.  O.  H.  was  organized 
June  20th,  1870.  The  following  were  charter  members: 
Henry  Luft,  Peter  Kropp,  Anthony  Schappert,  Anthony 
Butzbach,  Philip  Butzbach,  Anthony  Lindacher,  John 
Knoalle,  Lui  Elbelt,  Charles  Saeurmilch  and  George 
Wetterau.  The  first  officers  were  Anthony  Butzbach, 
O.  Gr.;  Philip  Butzbach,  U.  Gr.;  Henry  Luft,  S.;  Peter 
Kropp,  T.  The  successive  presiding  officers  have  been 
Henry  Lutz,  Anthony  Butzbach,  Philip  Butzbach,  An- 
thony Schappert,  Anthony  Lindacher,  Jacob  Stocker, 
John  Scher,  Henry  Luft,  John  Stark,  Frederick  Long, 
John  Knoalle,  George  Bergstesser,  Daniel  Lang,  Henry 
Oerwitz,  George  Wetterau,  Charles  Boldt,  John  Becker, 
John  Stark  and  Anthony  Schappert. 

The  officers  in  1879  were  as  follows:  0.  Gr.,  John  Stark; 
U.  Gr.,  Henry  Oerwitz;  S.,  Henry  Luft;  T.,  Anthony 
Lindacher.  The  membership  is  twenty-three.  Regular 
meetings  are  held  the  second  and  fourth  Wednesdays  of 
each  month,  at  Odd  Fellow's  Hall. 

KNIGHTS    OF    PVTHIAS. 

VVilkes-Barre  Lodge,  No.  147.— This  lodge  was  insti- 
tuted September  7th,  i86g,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  George  N.  Reichard,  Is?ac  H.  Teets,  Henry 
C.  Reichard,  Stewart  L.  B;irnes,  Henry  E.  Clapsaddle, 
Edward  Constine,  Benjamin  F.  Dilley,  J.  B.  French,  B.' 
F.  Louder,  J.  J.  McDermott,  E.  W.  Smith,  P.  P.  Young 
and  C.  V.  Campbell. 

The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  V.  P.,  George  A. 
Reichard:  W.  C,  Isaac  H.  Teets;  W.  V.  C,  Henry  c' 
Reichard;  F.  C,  J.  B.  French;  B.,  Henry  E.  Clapsaddle^ 
G.,  S.  L.  Barnes;  L  S.,  P.  P.  Young,  and  O.  S.,  E.  W.' 
Smith. 

The  successive  presiding  officers  previous  to  July, 
1874,  were  as  follows:  H.  C.  Reichard,  S.  L.  Barnes,  j' 
J.  McDerm'ott,  O.  H.  Hartland,  Philip  Richards,  J.' A 
Langfeld,  W.  S.  Dorsheimer,  M.  J.  Philbin,  C.  F.'cook 
Robert  V.  Levers  and  W.  S.  Dorsheimer. 

At    the    date    above  mentioned  the  lodge    voluntarily 


surrendered  its  charter.     November   ist,  1877,  it  was  re- 
instated with  the  following  named  charter  members:   E. 
B.  Trivley,    Lewis  Oxley,  J.  M.  White,  B.  F.  Jacoby,  C. 
Walter,  W.  B.  Crocker,  E.  B.  Headley,  R.  A.  R.  Winder, 
J.  R.  Flick  and  E.  P.  Phillips.     During  the  interval  the 
titles  of  officers  in  the  order  had   been  changed.     The 
names  of  the  first  officers  under  the  new  dispensation 
were  as  follows:  E.   P.   Phillips,  P.  C;  E.  B.  Trively,  C. 
C;  Lewis  Oxley,  V.  C;  J.   M.  White,  P.;  B.  F.  Jacoby, 
M.  at  A.;  C.  Walter,  K.  of  R.  and  S.;  W.  B.  Crocker,  M. 
of  '¥.;  E.  B.  Headley,  M.  of  E.;  R.  A.  R.  Winder,  L.  G.; 
J.   R.  Flick,   O.   G.     The   successive   presiding   officers 
from  that  date  to  the  autumn   of    1879  have  been  as  fol- 
lows: Robert  V.  Levers,  Lewis   Oxley,   J.   M.  White,  T. 
A.  Murphy,  C.  C.  Morrill,  E.  H.  Painter,  H.  D.  Thomas, 
an_d  W.  W.  Hinds. 

The  f(yllowing  are  the  names  of  the  other  officers  in 
October,  1879:  C.  C,  William  Fisher;  V.  C,  J.  S.  Hinds; 
P.,  J.  H.  Wildrick;  M.  at  A.,  J.  Brent;  K.  of  R.  and  S., 
E.  B.  Headley;  M.  of  F.,  William  S.  Dorsheimer;  .M.  of 
E.,  Henry  Crandall;  I.  G.,  H.  D.  Thomas;  O.  G.,  C. 
Fredericks. 

Eintracht  Lodge,  No.  272. — This  lodge  was  organized 
November  loth,  1870,  with  the  following  named  charter 
members:  G.  Reichard,  H.  Reichard,  P.  Butzbach,  A. 
Butzbach,  J.  A.  Demois,  P.  Schwartz,  F.  Flosser,  A. 
Schramm  and  C.  Kern.  The  first  officers  were  :  P.  Butz- 
bach, C.  C,  A.  Butzbach,  V.  C;  F.  Flosser,  G.;  J.  A. 
Demois,  K.  of  R.  &  S.;  A.  Stahlberg,  M.  of  F.;  G.  Reich- 
ard, M.  of  E.;  P.Schwartz,  I.  G.;   C.  Kern,  O.  G. 

The  officers  serving  in  October,  1879,  were:  H.  Becht- 
luft,  C.  C;  F.  Ittig,  V.  C;  G.  Rieder,  P.;  H.  Krummbiegel, 
M.  A.;  F.  Beinert,  K.  of  R.  &  S.;  P.  Butzbach,  M.  of  F.; 
R.  Zimmerman,  M.  of  E.;  P.  Weiss,  I.  G.;  B.  Schrodi,  O. 
G.     Meetings  Monday  evenings  at  Flick's  Hall. 

RODEF     SHOLEM     LODGE     NO.      I39      INDEPENDENT     ORDER 
BNAI    BRITH. 

Rhodef  Sholem  Lodge  No.  139,  I.  O.  B.  B.  was  organ- 
ized March  13th,  1870,  with  the  following  named  charter 
members:  H.  Ansbacher,  D.  Davidsburg,  Jacob  Falk, 
Solomon  Kraemer,  Jacob  Stern,  Solomon  Burgunder,  H. 
Hoffheimer,  J.  Greenebaum,  Leopold  Steinhard,  Marx 
Lederer,  Simon  Long,  John  Constine,  John  Weil,  Abram 
Strauss,  H.  Rubin,  Jonas  Long,  Soloman  Abrahams,  Marx 
Long,  Isaac  Livingston,  Charles  Roseman,  B.  Frauenthal, 
Simon  Jacobs,  Samuel  Frauenthal,  Isaac  Ries. 

The  names  of  the  first  officers  are  as  follows:  Pres., 
H.  Ansbacher;  vice-pres.,  D.  Davidsburg;  S.,  H.  Rubin; 
T.,  Isaac  Livingston;  F.  S.,  J.  Constine;  M.,  Jacob  Falkj 
A.  M.,  H.  Hoffheimer;  W.,  Marx  Lederer;  G.,  Isaac  Ries; 
trustees,  Abram  Strauss,  Jacob  Stern,  Jonas  Long,  Si- 
mon Long  and  Marx  Long. 

The  successive  presidents  have  been  D.  Davidsburg, 
John  Constine,  H.  Hoffheimer,  Jonas  Long,  Solomoii 
Schloss,  S.  L.  Ansbacher,  H.  Ouriel,  Jacob  Falk,  Simon 
Long,  Abram  Strauss,  Isaac  Livingston,  Lewis  Lewith 
F.  Eisner,  S.  J.  Strauss,  Gabriel  J.  Beck,  O.  Lederer,  s! 
Jacobs,  Isaac  A.  Strauss  and  E.  Constine. 


4" 


■«=^^=»= 


WILKES-BARRE  SECRET  SOCIETIES— ELY  POST,  G.  A.  R. 


223 


The  official  schedule  in  the  fall  of  1879  was  as  follows: 
Pres.,  D.  Davidsburg;  vice-pres.,  Marx  Long;  S.,  H.  Ru- 
bin; F.  S.,  Lewis  Lewilh;  T.,  F.  Eisner;  W.,  M.  L.  Co- 
hen; G.,  M.  Toff;  trustees,  Jonas  Long,  Isaac  Living- 
ston and  Simon  Long. 

Meetings  at  7  P.  M,  every  alternate  Sunday  at  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall.     Membership,  64. 

WYOMING    LODGE,    NO.    l6,    I.  O.  F.  S.  OF  I. 

This  lodge  of  the  Free  Sons  of  Israel  was  instituted 
May  20th,  187 1.  The  charter  members  were  Simon 
Long,  H.  Hoffheimer,  John  Weil,  J.  Falk,  Marx  Lederer, 
A.  Reese,  Isaac  Livingston,  S.  Steiner,  L.  Lewith,  S. 
Abrahams,  J.  Stern,  B.  Frauenthal,  H.  Rubin,  A.  Miller, 
F.  Eisner,  L.  Hillbronn,  S.  Burgunder,  A.  J.  Langfeld, 
E.  Constine,  A.  Marks,  S.  Frauenthal,  M.  Sulzbacher, 
J.  Hellborn,  H.  Burgunder,  L.  Sachs,  A.  Kline,  B. 
Schwartz,  T.  E.  Long,  M.  Weil,  S.  Weil,  T.  B.  Weil,  A. 
Weil,  N.  Cramer,  J.  Newhouse  and  L.  Sahlessinger. 

The  first  officers  were:  Isaac  Livingston,  pres.;  Simon 
Long,  vice-pres.;  J.  Falk,  T.;  S.  Steiner,  S.;  A.  Marks, 
G.;  Charles  Sulzbacher,  W.;  L.  Lewith.  G.;  S.  Frauen- 
thal, F.  Bisner  and  H.  Burgunder. 

The  successive  presiding  officers  have  been:  I.  Living- 
ston, S.  Long,  A.  J.  Langfeld,  J.  Falk,  H.  Hoffheimer, 
L.  Lewith,  S.  Abrahams,  J.  Stein,  B.  Schwartz,  E.  Con- 
stine, M.  Sulzbacher,  J.  Frauenthal,  J.  Cohen,  S.  Plat- 
zek,  Ig.  Freeman,  H.  Fleishman  and  A.  Constine.  The 
officers  serving  during  the  .six  months  ending  January 
ist,  1880,  were:  Isaac  Livingston,  pres.;  S.  J.  Straup, 
vice-pres.;  D.  Davidsburg,  S.;  J.  D.  Coons,  A.  S.;  J.  A. 
Strauss,  G.;  S.  Platzek,  W.;  H.  Rubin,  T.;  M.  L.  Cohen, 
G.  The  membership  is  39.  Regular  meetings  are  held 
at  German  Odd  Fellows'  hall  every  other  Sunday  at 
7  P.  M. 

U.    O.    R.    M. 

Teeiiyuscung  Lager,  No.  3o,vvas  instituted  October  loth, 
.1872.  The  charter  members  and  first  officers  were  as 
follows:  Prophet,  Henry  Luft;  H.,  A.  Lindacher;  Patri- 
arch, John  KnoUey;  K.,  William  Kupper;  subordinate 
officers :  Jacob  Barney,  Gustav  Kinzel,  John  Disque, 
Fred.  Haupt,  Adam  Muller,  Jacob  Seybold.  The  present 
officers  are:  A.  Lindacher,  prophet;  Henry  Luft,  patriarch; 
B.  Deutsch,  H.;  J.  H.  Miller,  L.;  G.  Wetterau,  K.  Only 
members  of  the  third  degree  of  the  Order  of  Red  Men 
are  entitled  to  membership  of  the  lager.  Regular  meet- 
ings are  held  semi-monthly  in  Wood's  Hall.  This  lager 
has  a  capital  of  $500. 

Wyoming  Stamin,  No.  145,  was  organized  by  J.  H. 
Miller.  The  first  officers  were  installed  February  2nd, 
1870.  They  were:  Henry  Luft,  O.  C;  Wendel  Hoffman, 
U.  C;  A.  Lindacher,  P.;  Peter  Siegel,  T.;  J.  H.  Miller, 
S.  The  charter  members  were  Henry  Luft,  A.  Lindacher, 
J.  H.  Miller,  William  Kupper,  Wendel  Hoffman,  Peter 
Siegel,  John  Schmitt,  Jacob  Barney.  The  stamm  was 
incorporated  by  the  Luzerne  county  court  in  1874. 

The   successive   presiding  officers  have  been  A.  Lin- 
dacher, William  Kupper,  Jacob  Barney,  F.  House,  Philip 


Butzbach,  Gustay  Kinzel,  John  Bausch,  Jacob  Bausch, 
John  Disque,  John  Miller,  Peter  Schram,  A.  Bentz  and 
J.  H.  Miller.  The  official  list  in  September,  1879,  was: 
W.  Busch,  O.  C;  B.  Deutsch,  U.  C;  A.  Bentz,  P.;  Henry 
Luft,  T.;  John  Starck,  S.;  G.  Wetterau,  trustee. 

The  stamm  meets  every  Ti;esday  evening  in  Wood's 
Hall.  The  membership  is  one  hundred,  and  the  stamm 
has  a  capital  of  $1,500.  During  the  last  nine  years  it 
has  paid  out  $3,500  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  members. 

ELY    POST,    NO.    97,  G.   A.   R. 

Ely  Post  was  organized  with  the  following  named  char- 
termembers:  J.  F.  ICapper,  C.  Kline,  A.  Bauer,  F.  and  J.  An- 
drea, W.  W.  Ellis,  J.  M.  Rutter,  A.  F.  Fell,  C.  Zaun,  and 
J.  B.  Gloman.  The  following  officers  were  chosen:  W.  VV. 
Ellis,  senior  vice-conmiander;  J.  F.  Kapper,  junior  vice- 
commander;  A.  Bauer,  quartermaster;  C.  Kline,  adju- 
tant; J.  M.  RutJer,  chaplain;  Hunt,  post-surgeon; 

C.  W.  Spayd  and  F.  Andrea,  officers  of  the  day.  After  a 
time  the  number  of  comrades  became  so  small  that  it  was 
deemed  advisable  by  the  post  to  disband,  though  the 
charter  was  retained  by  the  payment  of  the  requisite /iv 
capita  tax.  In  1872  a  reorganization  was  effected.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  the  presiding  officers,  as  fur- 
nished by  a  member  of  the  post,  "  since  1868,"  which  date 
would  indicate  that  the  post  did  not  disband  until  after 
time,  or  that  it  was  originally  organized  during  that  year. 
(Neither  the  date  of  the  first  organization  or  of  the  dis- 
bandment  was  included  in  the  data  furnished  for  this 
article.)  W.  W.  Ellis,  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  E.  S.  Osborne, 
G.  Reichard,  A.  Schlumbach,  H.  Clapsaddle,  J.  B.  Glo- 
man, J.  E.  Finch,  Charles  H.  Grest,  P.  Runeman,  A.  D. 
Perents,  J.  Higg,  and  E.  H.  Graff. 

The  following  officers  were  elected  for  1880:  P.  C, 
F.  House;  S.  V.,  J.  G.  Jones;  J.  V.  C,  Theodore  Pryor; 
Q.,  S.  R.  Catlin;  C,  C.  Meckel;  P.  S.,  G.  Baird;  O.  of 
the  D.,  N.  F.  Landmesser;  S.  of  the  G.,  M.  Sullivan; 
trustees,  Hon.  C.  A.  Meyer  and  James  Higgs.  The  mem- 
bership was  r2o. 

This  association  is  beneficial  in  its  operation,  a  sick  or 
disabled  comrade  receiving  $3  per  week  while  disqualified 
from  performing  his  accustomed  labor.  A  number  of 
old  soldiers  have  been  buried  by  the  charity  of  the  post, 
which  as  an  organization  observes  the  annual  decoration 
day  with  apprc.priate  ceremonies.  Two  camp-fires  or 
convocations  are  usu 'Uy  held  annually.  In  1877  the 
annual  convention  of  the  department  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  G.  A.  R.  was  held  with  the  Wilkes-Barre 
post  which  meets  in  Wood's  Hall. 

ST.  MARY'S  BRANCH,   NO.  33,  EMERALD  BENEFICIAL  ASSOt;i- 
ATION. 

St.  Mary's  branch  was  organized  April  5th,  1873,  ^.nd 
is  subordinate  to  the  grand  branches  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  United  States. 

The  successive  presidents  have  been  as  follows:  1873, 
John  E.  Finan;  1874,  J.  F.  Dougher;  1875,  1876,  Thomas 
Gaffney;  1877,  Lawrence  Casey;  1878,  John  B.  Reilly. 
Secretaries:   1873,  John  Keegan;   1874,  1875,  P-  C.  Sheri- 


4^ 


224 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


dan;  1876,  P.  Gallery;  1877,  G.  S.  Strome;  1878,  Law- 
rence Casey. 

The  ofBcers  for  1879  were:  Pres.,  Charles  Lavin;  S., 
Lawrence  Casey;  T.,  Patrick  Monigan;  M.,  John  B. 
Reilly;  A.  M.,  James  J.  Gallagher. 

Meetings  are  held  in  Father  Matthew  Hall,  Northamp- 
ton street,  on  the  second  and  fourth  Tuesdays  of  each 
month.  Monthly  contributions  of  fifty  cents  are  paid  by 
each  member.  Members  are  paid  $5  per  week  during 
sickness.  Since  its  organization,  up  to  September,  1879, 
the  receipts  of  the  branch  were  $5,141.44  and  its  expen- 
ditures $4,435.10. 

LUZERNE   COUNCIL,    NO.    Io8,  O.  U.  A.  M. 

This  council  was  organized  September  17th,  1874,  with 
the  following  charter  members:  C.  J.  Smith,  F.  D.  Krebs, 
H  Hockenberry,  J.  Bonham,  E.  B.  Trivley,  John  H; 
Kreidler,  W.  Snyder,  W.  L.  Millham,  G.  Snyder,  A.  Sny- 
der, J.  Miller,  R.  A.  R.  Winder,  W.  H.  Snyder  and  James 
Moyer. 

The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  Counc,  J.  H.  Krei- 
dler; V.-Counc,  John  Bonham;  K.  S.,  Robert  A.  R. 
Winder;  A.  K.  S.,  William  G.  Snyder;  F,  S.,  E.  B.  Triv- 
ley; T,,  W.  S.  Millham;  Ind.,  A.  Snyder;  Exm.,  G.  Snyder; 
L  P.,  William  H.  Snyder;  O.  P.,  H.  Hockenberry;  trus- 
tees, H.  Hockenberry,  F.  D.  Krebs  and  John  Bonham. 

The  successive  presiding  officers  have  been  John  H. 
Kreidler,  John  Bonham,  Henry  Hockenberry,  E.  B. 
Trivley,  W.  L.  Millham,  P.  H.  Beavers,  Thomas  Wells, 
W.  S.  Dorsheimer,  E.  B.  Trivley,  James  Miller  and  H. 
H.  Behee. 

The  official  list  in  September,  1879,  was  as  follows: 
Counc,  H.  H.  Behee;  V.-Counc,  W.  H.  Snyder;  K.  S'., 
J.  H.  Kreidler;  A.  K.  S.,  Ira  Crawford;  F.  S,,  H.  Hocken- 
berry; T.,  G.  N.  Snyder;  Ind.,  H.  B.  Dennis;  Exm., 
James  Wilcox;  I.  P.,  Otto  J.  Schrage;  O.  P.,  G.  F.  Sny- 
der; Jr.  Ex.  Coun.,  James  Miller;  Sr.  Ex,  Coun.,  E.  B. 
Trivley;  trustees,  James  Miller,  E.  B.  Trivley  and  W.  S. 
Dorsheimer. 

THE  GERMAN  YOUNG   MEN's  BENEFICIAL  ASSOCIATION. 

This  organization  was  formed  October  i8th,  1874,  with 
the  following  members:  Louis  Mehm,  Martin  Brahl, 
Michael  Klein,  Jocob  B.  Klein,  Philip  Blaum  and  John 
Boermer.  The  first  officers  were:  Pres.,  Martin  Brahl; 
vice-pres.,  Michael  Klein;  S.,  Jacob  B.  Klein;  A.  S., 
Frank  Rodenberger;  T.,  Philip  Blaum;  trustees,  Louis 
Mehm,  Adam  Gresser.  The  successive  presidents  have 
been:  Martin  Brahl,  Jacob  Gutendorf,  Michael  Klein 
Adam  Gresser,  Martin  Brahl  and  Adam  Gresser. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  officers  serving  in 
September,  1879:  Frederick  Schwartz,  pres.;  Martin 
Brahl,  vice-pres.;  Jacob  B.  Klein,  S.;  Jacob  Gutendorf, 
A.  S.;  William  Gabel,  T.;  trustees,  Louis  Mehm,  Nicholas 
Weiss,  Eusabius  Zeller;  doorkeeper,  Jacob  Klein. 

The  membership  is  about  30.  Regular  meetings  are 
held  on  the  second  Thursday  of  each  month  at  Peter 
Stump's  hall.     The  society  has  a  capital  of  $600. 


WYOMING    TURNVEREIN. 

The  Wyoming  Turnverein  is  a  division  of  the  North 
Pennsylvania  Turnbezerk  and  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can Turner-Bund.  It  was  organized  in  the  spring 
of  1878,  its  by-laws  having  been  adopted  June  28th  of 
that  year,  at  a  meeting  at  which  the  following  board  of 
managers  was  elected:  A.  Baum,  Charles  Muller,  Peter 
Stump,  L.  Praetorius,  V.  Kraft,  M.  Mische  and  Charles 
K.  Bart.  The  purpose  of  the  organization  is  the  promo- 
tion of  the  physical  and  mental  culture  of  its  members 
and  their  children.  It  was  chartered,  under  the  laws  of 
Pennsylvania,  March  6th,  1878. 

WILKES-BARRE  lodge,  NO.    189,  O.   K.  S.  B. 

-This  lodge  was  instituted  April  20th,  1879,  under  a 
charter  granted  by  District  Grand  Lodge  0.  K.  S.  B.  to 
the  following  named  charter  members:  Isaac  Long,  Jo- 
nas Long,  Abram  Kline,  Alexander  Runstine,  N.  B. 
Lewin,  N.  Springer,  S.  Cohen  and  S.  Hirsch. 

The  first  officers  were:  Jonas  Long,  pres.;  Isaac  Long, 
vice-pres.;  D.  Davidsburg,  S.;  J.  Stern,  F.  S.;  H.  Hoff- 
heimer,  T.;  Abram  Kline,  C;  E.  Constine,  A.  C. ;  J.  D' 
Coons,  I.  G.;  M.  L.  Cohen,  O.  G. 

The  officers  serving  in  September,  1879,  were;  Isaac 
Long,  pres.;  J.  Stern,  vice-pres.;  D.  Davidsburg,  S.;  J.  D. 
Coons,  F.  S.;  D.  Shookman,  C;  A.  Marks,  A.  C;  Alex- 
ander Metz,  I.  G.;  M.  L.  Cohen,  O.  G.  The  member- 
ship was  39.  Meetings  are  held  at  a  quarter  past  ten 
A.  M.  every  alternate  Sunday,  at  the  German  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall. 

WILKES-BARRE    LODGE,    NO.    1,629,    ^-    OF    H. 

This  lodge  was  organized  June  3d,  1879,  with  the  fol- 
lowing charter  members:  J.  E.  Patterson,  James  Miller, 
C.  K.  Marsh,  William  T.  Rhoads,  P.  J.  Harmon,  G.  L.  C. 
Frantz;  James  Boyd,  jr.,  E.  B.  Jenkins,  John  G.  Sper- 
ling, John  Mahoney,  John  Frace,  Charles  E.  Hufford, 
Nathan  Titus,  Jacob  Vogt,  John  T.  Howell,  J.  R.  Marsh, 
Barton  F.  Mott,  J.  W.  Gilchrist,  Frank  Flosser,  James  S. 
Kerrett,  Edson  Mott,  Oscar  Magee.  The  following  offi- 
cers were  duly  chosen  and  installed:  J.  E.  Patterson,  P. 
D.;  William  T.  Rhoads,  D.;  C.  K.  Marsh,  A.  D.;  James 
Miller,  V.  D.;  P.  J.  Harman,  T.;  G.  L.  C.  Frantz,  R.; 
E.  B.  Jenkins,  F,  R.;  James  Boyd,  jr.,  S.;  Frank  Flosser, 
G.;  Burton  F.  Mott,  guide;  James  Kerrett,  C. 

The  officers  March,  1880,  were  as  follows:  William  T. 
Rhoads,  P.  D.;  C.  K.  Marsh,  D.;  J.  R.  Marsh,  A.  D.; 
John  T.  Howell,  V.  D.;  John  Frace,  G.;  W.  J.  Marvel, 
guide;  George  N.  Reichard,  C;  James  Miller,  S.;  P.  J. 
Harmon,  T.;  E.  B.  Jenkins,  R.;  G.  L.  C.  Frantz,  F.  R. 
The  membership  was  one  hundred  and  twenty-six. 

Meetings  are  held  every  alternate  Thursday  evening  in 
O.  U.  A.  M.  Hall. 

MUSICAL    ORGANIZATIONS. 

TAe  Wilkes-Barre  Liedertafel  was  organized  August 
26th,  1874,  with  the  following  charter  members:   Charles 


^' 


"T 


4 


SOCIETIES  AND  CHURCHES  OF  WILKES-BARRE. 


22S 


n'^ 


Seiger,  R.  Wecke,  John  Filz,  Adam  Gresser,  William 
Busch,  Henry  Brenner,  William  Franke,  Leo  Geissler, 
Gottfried  Engle,  Frank  Hauscli,  Gottlieb  Most,  Peter 
Kubl,  Joseph  Boeger  and  R.  Zimmerman.  The  first 
officers  were  as  follows:  John  F"ilz,  Pres.;  C.  Seiger, 
Vice-pres.;  I,eo  Geissler,  R.  S.;  R.  Zimmerman,  S.  of  F.; 
Joseph  Boeger,  T.;  G.  Most,  K.  of  A.;  R.  Wecke,  musi- 
cal director. 

The  successive  presidents  have  been  as  follows:  John 
Filtz,  elected  August  26th,  1874;  Charles  Seiger,  Sep- 
tember ist,  1875;  Adam  Gresser,  March  29th,  1876; 
Charles  Seiger,  March  nth,  1877;  John  Filz,  September 
9th,  1877;  John  Sinn,  March  17th,  1878;  and  re-elected 
each  subsequent  term  and  serving  in  September,  1879. 
The  other  officers  at  that  time  were  Philip  Weiss,  vice- 
pres;  Gottfried  Engle,  R.  S.;  Philip  Butzbach,  S.  of  F.; 
Adolph  Gotthold,  T.;  John  Filz,  K.  of  A.;  Theodore 
Boettger,  musical  director.  The  society  meets  every 
Sunday  afternoon  and  evening  for  rehearsal,  and  the 
first  Sunday  of  each  month  for  business  at  Walsieffer's 
hall  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  South  streets. 

T/ie  IVilkes-Barre  Mannerchor  is  a  regular  organized 
and  officered  musical  society,  with  Louis  Praetorius  as 
leader. 

The  Arion  Glee  Club  and  the  Welsh  Glee  Club  are  or- 
ganizations worthy  of  mention. 

Rie^'s  Band  is  composed  of  thorough  musicians,  and  is 
one  of  the  best  in  northern  Pennsylvania. 

TEMPERANCE    ORGANIZATIONS. 1.    O.    G.    T. 

Evening  Star  Lodge,  No.  221.— This  lodge  was  organ- 
ized August  17th,  1866,  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers: J.  M.  Barrett,  C.  P.  Kidder,  Thomas  G.  Boyd,  C. 
F.  Cook,  M.  Kidder,  James  B.  Barnes,  W.  C.  Hyde,  W. 
D.  Coolbaugh,  T.  F.  Ayres,  M.  P.  Lutz,  John  G.  Wood, 
B.  M.  Esby,  T.  Daley,  Joseph  Tyler,  William  Yost,  W. 
P.  O'Neil,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Cook,  Mrs.  Daley,  Mary  Behee, 
Emma  Parsons,  M.  Marcy  and  S.  Alkins.  The  following 
are  the  names  of  the  first  officers  W.  C.  T.,  C.  P.  Kid- 
der; W.  V.  T.,  Esther  Fisher;  Rec.  Sec,  Charles  Dough- 
erty; Fi.  Sec,  William  Howe;  Tr.,  Mrs.  Charles  Cook; 
M.,  Thomas  G.  Boyd;  C,  Emma  Parsons;  D.  M,, 
Mary  Behee.  Meetings  are  held  Monday  evenings  in  J. 
Lewis's  hall. 

Welcome  Lodge,  No.  1,074,  is  of  later  organization  and 
is  rapidly  gaining  in  membership. 

Freedom  Lodge,  No.  i,333-— This  lodge  was  organized 
December  28th,  1878,  and  the  following  officers  were  in- 
stalled" W.  C.  T.,  G.  W.  Hoover;  W.  V.  T.,  D.  McAllis- 
ter; S.,  R.  Miller;  F.  S.,  E.  D.  Nichols;  C,  M.  W.  Har- 
ris;' M.',  John  G.  Gibson;  S.,  I.  E.  Hoover;  G.,  H.  H. 
Harris.  The  officers  in  1879  were;  W.  C.  T.,  E.  D. 
Nichols;  W.  V.  T.,  Nellie  McKinnis;  S.,  H.  H.  Harris; 
F.  S.,  c!  H.  Fitz  Williams;  S.,  Flora  Shermer;  M.,  M. 
W.  Harris;  C,  E.  Jones.  The  first  lodge  deputy  was  E. 
D.  Nichols;  the  second  was  M.  W.  Harris,  the  pres- 
ent incumbent. 

The  Father  Matthew  Catholic  Total  Abstinence  Society 
of  St.  Mary's  was  organized  in  April,  1871,  with  the  fol- 


29 


lowing  charter  members:  William  Morris,  Edward  Kee- 
gan,  Patrick  Foley,  Michael  Crogan,  James  Hourigan, 
Mich  lel  Cuddy,  'Thomas  Gaffney,  Thomas  Conway, 
Timothy  Sullivan,  John  C.  Little,  John  McCellan,  Charles 
A.  Westfield,  Patrick  J.  Kenny  and  Peter  Brennan. 

The  first  president  of  the  society  was  Michael  Crogan. 
The  succeeding  presidents  have  been  Michael  Kelly, 
John  F.  McMahon,  T.  J.  McConnon,  L.  W.  Kenny  and 
Thomas  Gaffney.  Besides  the  president  the  officers  of 
the  society  serving  in  October,  1879.  were:  Vice-pres., 
John  F.  Dougher;  R.  S.,  John  F.  McMahon;  C.  S.,  D. 
J.  Burke;  T.,  M.  S.  Kirwan.  There  is  a  cadet  society 
attached,  numbering  fifty  rasmbars,  and  the  society  has  a 
library  of  300  volumes.  Meetings  are  held  at  Burke's 
Hall  at  four  P.  M.  on  the  second  and  fourth  Sundays  of 
each  month. 

CHURCH  HISTORY. 

PRESBYTERIANISM. 

Early  Religions  History.— 1V&  earliest  efforts  to  estab- 
lish rehgioiis  worship  in  Wyoming,  after  the  labors  of  the 
Moravian  missionaries,  were  made,  it  is  believed,  by  the 
Presbyterians,  though  the  honor  is  by  some  contested  in 
behalf  of  the  Baptists.  Opposing  claims  to  priority  and 
conflicting  evidence  as  to  the  sectarian  preferences  of 
some  of  the  pioneer  preachers  tend  to  envelop  the  early 
church  history  of  Wyoming  in  considerable  uncertainty. 
The  pioneer  Presbyterian  preacher  who  visited  the  local- 
ity was  Rev.  David  Brainerd,  who  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother  John  before  the  French  war,  which  compelled 
both  the  Moravian  and  Presbyterian  missionaries  to 
leave  the  frontiers.  Rev.  William  Marsh,  a  Congrega- 
tionalist  (or  Baptist),  accompanied  the  Mill  creek  settlers 
in  1763,  and  was  slain  with  others  October  15th  of  that 
year.  Rev.  George  Beckwith,  jr.,  came  with  the  second 
New  England  colony  to  Wyoming  February  8th,  1769, 
and  remained  about  a  year.  Whether  these  preachers 
had  come  in  the  capacity  of  spiritual  advisers,  or,  like 
others,  as  adventurers,  is  not  certain;  though  it  is  proba- 
ble they  were  induced  to  visit  the  locality  as  bearers  of 
gospel  truth  by  those  whom  they  accompanied  or  fol- 
lowed. 

The  earliest  record  of  any  general  movement  for  es- 
tablishing the  gospel  in  the  valley  is  dated  September 
nth,  1772,  when  at  a  town  meeting  it  was  voted  to  invite 
Rev.  Jacob  Johnson,  of  Groton,  Conn.,  to  come  to  labor 
with  the  people  as  their  pastor,  and  a  liberal  donation  in 
land  was  voted  him  in  case  he  should  accept  their  invita- 
tion. Mr.  Johnson  came  to  the  valley  in  response  to 
this  offer,  and  one  year  later  appears  this  record: 

"August  23d,  1773,  at  a  town  meeting  regularly  con- 
vened a  final  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Jacob  Johnson, 
who  has  been  some  time  laboring  for  us,  to  become  our 
pastor." 

This  was  the  first  actual  settlement  of  any  minister  of 
the  gospel  north  of  the  Blue  mountains  in  the  territory 
now  comprising  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Johnson 
was   a   New  England  Congregationalist,  and   as   such  his 


-'^'¥ 


Hh 


226 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


people  and  their  successors  continued  to  be  governed 
more  than  fifty  years.  In  1778  the  little  church  seems 
to  have  been  in  a  prosperous  condition,  and  the  erection 
of  a  primitive  house  of  worship  of  respectable  dimensions 
is  said  to  have  been  nearly  completed  when  savages 
swept  away  everything  in  the  settlement. 

Rev.  Jacob  Johnson,  inured  to  the  dangers  of  pioneer 
life  and  zealous  in  Christian  work,  seems  to  have  been 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  demands  of  the  place  and  the 
period.  He  was  born  in  Wallingford,  Conn.,  in  17 13, 
graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1740,  and  was  ordained 
to  the  gospel  ministry  in  1749.  For  some  time  he  had 
officiated  as  pastor  of  the  church  of  North  Groton  (now 
Ledyard),  Conn.,  and  had  subsequently  spent  several 
years  as  a  missionary  among  the  Indians  on  the  Mohawk, 
principally  with  the  Oneidas,  at  Upper  Oneida  Castle, 
where  he  was  brought  into  intimate  and  friendly  relations 
with  Sir  William  Johnson.  Soon  acquiring  a  knowledge 
of  the  language  of  the  tribes  with  whom  he  labored, 
he  was  enabled  to  preach  to  them  in  their  own 
tongue  with  signal  power  and  effect.  Tall  and  of 
commanding  figure,  with  dark  hair,  eyes  and  complexion, 
he  soon  became  a  favorite  with  the  Indians  and  was  sev- 
eral times  employed  as  interpreter  at  important  treaty 
negotiations.  He  had  won  the  confidence  of  the  tribes 
and  exerted  so  considerable  an  influence  over  them  that 
in  1768,  when  Governor  Penn  sought  to  obtain  from  the 
Six  Nations  by  treaty  a  relinquishment  of  the  Indian 
title  to  the  lands  on  the  upper  Susquehanna,  Conrad 
Weiser wrote  to  the  agent  of  Penn  to  "beware  of  that 
wicked  priest  of  Canajoharie,"  and  to  keep  the  matter  a 
secret  from  him,  or  otherwise  his  influence  with  the 
Indians  might  frustrate  their  designs.  At  the  capitulation 
of  Forty  Fort  he  was  one  of  the  commissioners  who 
treated  for  terms  with  the  victorious  invaders,  and  the 
conditions  of  surrender  were  reduced  to  writing  by  him. 
In  common  with  the  other  survivors  he  fled  with  his 
family  to  Connecticut.  Returning  to  Wyoming  in  1781, 
full  of  ardor  for  religion,  liberty,  and  the  Connecticut 
claim  to  tlie  soil,  he  was  welcomed  by  his  flock  with 
cordial  congratulations.  He  went  from  place  to  place 
awakening  sinners  to  repentance,  arousing  the  people  to 
new  efforts  in  the  common  cause  of  the  country  against 
English  tyranny,  and  advising  them  by  all  means  to  adhere 
to  and  support  their  claim  to  their  lands.  He  shared  the 
sufferings  and  humiliations  of  his  people  in  their  threat- 
ened expulsion  by  the  Pennsylvania  land  claimants  after 
an  adverse  decision  had  been  recorded  in  the  Trenton 
decree;  and  so  vigorous  was  he  in  denouncing  the  au- 
thority of  the  Pennsylvania  claimants  and  the  terms  im- 
posed upon  the  settlers  under  Connecticut  title  (though 
they  had  made  an  exception  in  his  case,  and  generously 
offered  to  permit  him  to  occupy  his  land  two  years 
longer),  that  he  was  arrested  in  1784  and  held  to  bail  to 
answer  to  a  charge  of  sedition  against  the  commonwealth 
of  Pennsylvania;  but  the  case  was  never  brought  to 
trial. 

TAe  Old  Ship  Zion. — Meetings   were    held    in    private 
houses  until  the  completion  of  the  court-house;  and  not 


liking  to  worship  in  that  building,  Mr.  Johnson  took  such 
energetic  measures   for  the  erection  of  a  church  for  the 
accommodation    of   his   congregation  that    in    1791    the 
town     authorities    of    Wilkes-Barre    appointed    Zebulon 
Butler,    John    Paul    Schott,    Timothy  Pickering,    Daniel 
Gore  and  Nathan  Waller  a  committee  to  select  a  site  for 
a  suitable  edifice.     A  place  in  the  public  square  was  cho- 
sen, and  the  following  year  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of 
the  public  ferry  were  given,  and  a  committee  appointed 
to  secure   subscriptions  toward   a  building   fund.     Rev. 
Mr.  Johnson  did  not  live,  however,  to  see  any  substantial 
promise  of  the  fruition  of  his  labors,  for  the  building  was 
not  enclosed   until   June,  1801.     He  was  to  some  extent 
visionary  toward   the   close  of  his  life,  believing  himself 
endowed  with  preternatural  knowledge  of  coming  events; 
and  in  the  beginning  of  March,  1797,  being  in  his  accus- 
tomed good  health,  he  informed  his  family  that   he  was 
soon  to  die  and  immediately  set  about  selecting  a  spot  for 
his  burial   place  and   the   preparation   of  a  grave.     The 
place  chosen  was  on  top  of  the  ridge  overlooking  Wilkes- 
Barre    at    the    upper    end     of    Franklin    street    as    now 
opened,  and  he  labored   at   the  task   till   the  grave   was 
completed  (March   15th,  1797).     On  the  evening  of  that 
day  he  conversed  cheerfully  with  his  family,  telling  them 
that  he  did  not  expect  to  live  until  another  morning,  and 
retired  to   rest.     During  the  night  one   of  his  sons,  who 
occupied   an    adjoining   room,  heard  an   unusual   sound, 
and  upon  repairing  to  his  bedside  found  his  prediction 
about    to    be    verified,    and    in  a    few   minutes    life    was 
extinct. 

Many  of  the  early  members  of  his  congregation  were 
laid  in  their  graves  before  the  church  was  finished,  in 
18 1 2,  after  a  hard  struggle  to  raise  the  funds  necessary  to 
its  completion,  one  of  the  means  resorted  to  having  been 
a  lottery,  which  did  not  accomplish  the  end  desired.  The 
steeple,  which  had  been  erected  in  1801,  was  three  times 
struck  by  lightning  before  the  edifice  was  finished  and 
the  bell  hung. 

The  bell  was  cast  in  Philadelphia  August  6th,  181 1) 
by  George  Hedderly,  and  weighed  680  pounds.  It 
bore  the  inscription  in  Latin  ''Gloria  in  Excehis  Deo- 
Fili  Dei  Miserere,"3,x\d  the  English  sentence  "  I  will  sound 
and  resound  unto  thy  people,  O  Lord,  to  call  them  to 
thy  word."  It  tolled  the  curfew,  or  knell  of  parting  day, 
from  1812  to  1845.  The  erection  of  the  "  Old  Ship 
Zion,"  as  the  old  church  came  to  be  known,  was  per- 
formed under  contract  by  Joseph  Hitchcock. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church. — Mr.  Johnson  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Jabez  Chadwick  and  James  W.  Wood- 
worth,  and  perhaps  other  missionaries  from  the  mission- 
ary society  of  Connecticut  served  during  a  period  ensuing. 
Messrs.  Chadwick  and  Woodworth  drew  up  a  statement 
of  doctrine  and  a  covenant  and  effected  a  more  formal 
organization  than  had  hitherto  existed,  the  following 
named  persons  subscribing  to  the  covenant  July  ist, 
1S03:  Luke  Sweatland,  William  Dickson,  Hugh  Conner, 
Nehemiah  Ide,  Daniel  Hoyt.Stephen  Hollister,  John  Gore^ 
William  Colwell,  Darius  Preston,  Hannah  Breese.Wealthy 
Smith,  Eunice  Sprague,  Elizabeth  Sill,  Martha  Blackman, 


■'^- 


<^ 


*^^*= 


=^= 


WILKES-BARRE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH— EARLY  SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 


227 


Susanna  Fish,  Polly  Mulford,  Naomi  Schott,  Martha  Ide 
Hannah  Chapman,  Eliser  Ross,  Niece  Hollister,  Ruth 
Keeler,  Jane  Colwell,  Sarah  Hollenback,  Hannah  Bradley 
Susannah  Dana,  Joanna  Fish.  The  signatures  were  at- 
tested as  having  been  "signed  in  the  presence  of  Jabez 
Chadwick  and  James  W.  Woodward."  A  missionary  named 
Porter  also  labored  here  about  this  time.  Rev.  Ard 
Hoyt  became  pastor  of  the  church  in  1806,  and  resigned 
November  loth,  1811,  to  go  as  a  missionary  to  the  Indians 
in  Tennessee.  The  following  pastors  followed  success- 
ively: 

Rev.  Hutchings  Taylor,  from  the  fall  of  181 7  to  the 
fall  of  1818;  Rev.  D.  Moulton,  1819,  1820;  Rev.  Cyrus 
Gildersleeve,  1821  to  the  spring  of  1829;  Rev.  Nicholas 
Murray,  who  afterwards  gained  considerable  notoriety  as 
"  Kirwan"  in  his  celebrated  contest  with  John,  afterwards 
Aichbishop  Hughes,  of  the  Catholic  Church,  1829-33. 
During  Mr.  Murray's  administration  the  church,  which 
had  been  partly  Congregational  hitherto,  fully  adopted 
the. Presbyterian  form  of  government,  electing  Henry  C. 
Anhauser,  William  C.  Gildersleeve  and  Oristus  Collins  as 
elders. 

In  1853  Rev.  John  Dorrance,  D.  D.,  was  installed 
pastor  of  the  church,  which  he  served  with  unswerving 
faithfulness  and  signal  success  until  his  death,  April  13th, 
1861.  Mr.  Dorrance's  successor,  Rev.  A.  A.  Hodge,  D. 
D.,  became  pastor  September  7th,  1861,  and  remained 
until  the  autumn  of  1864.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  S. 
B.  Dodd,  whose  pastorate  extended  from  Nov.  loth,  1864, 
to  October  12th,  1868.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  F. 
B.  Hodge,  began  his  work  February  23d  following,  and 
his  pastorate  has  been  eminently  successful  and  mutually 
pleasant  to  pastor  and  people.  The  elders  of  the  church 
are:  Oristus  Collins,  Calvin  Parsons,  Nathaniel  Rutter, 
A.  T.  McClintock,  John  W.  Hollenback,  Douglass  Smith, 
Dickson  Lewers  and  George  Loveland;  deacons.  Dr.  C. 
S.  Beek  and  Dr.  J.  A.  Murphy;  president  of  the  session. 
Colonel  G.  M.  Reynolds;  secretary,  S.  H.  Lynch;  treas- 
urer, Douglass  Smith;  Harrison  Wright  and  Dr.  G.  W. 
Guthrie.  The  Presbyterian  churches  of  Nanticoke  and 
Ashley,  the  Memorial  Presbyterian  church  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Pittston  have 
been  organized  from  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  and  many  persons  have  united  with  and  in 
some  cases  largely  constituted  other  churches  in  this  re- 
gion. 

The  membership  of  the  church  in  the  spring  of  1880 
was  420.  During  the  ten  years  ending  April,  1879,  the 
total  contributions  of  the  church  to  charitable  objects 
amount  to  $104,000,  and  $66,339  has  been  expended  for 
congregational  purposes. 

About  1830  a  series  of  incidents  began  which  are  some- 
times referred  to  as  the  church  war  between  the  Presby- 
terians and  Methodists.  Wilkes-Barre  had  only  recently 
been  embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  newly  organized 
Oneida  Methodist  Conference,  and  constituted  a  regular 
charge.  The  Methodist  circuit  preachers  had  held  meet- 
ings from  time  to  time  and  had  obtained  a  considerable 
following,    their   services    often    being    held    in   the   old 


church,  the  exclusive  right  to  the  use  of  which  was 
claimed  by  the  Presbyterians;  but  which,  on  account  of 
its  having  been  erected  by  the  joint  contributions  of  per- 
sons of  all  denominations,  and  many  unconnected  with 
any,  the  Methodists  maintained  ought  to  be  open  for 
their  services  a  portion  of  the  time.  The  Presbyte- 
rians had  possession  of  the  keys,  and  in  time  the  doors 
were  locked  against  the  Methodists,  who  were  so  aggres- 
sive as  to  force  them  with  a  crowbar.  A  number  of 
amusing  incidents  of  this  period,  during  which,  at  times, 
both  denominations  attempted  to  hold  meetings  in  the 
church  at  the  same  time,  are  related;  but  it  would  be 
both  uninteresting  and  unprofitable  to  enter  into  detail 
in  treating  this  unfortunate  religious  strife.  It  was  final- 
ly brought  to  an  end  by  the  purchase  by  the  Methodists 
_of  the  interests  of  the  Presbyterians  in  the  building,  the 
latter  denomination  having  at  that  time  erected  a  more 
commodious  house  of  worship,  which  long  since  was 
superseded  by  other  improvements  which  have  culmi- 
nated in  the  present  elegant  and  costly  structure  on 
Franklin  street,  near  Northampton. 

Early  Sunday-Schools. — Previous  to  the  organization  of 
Sunday-schools  in  Wyoming  the  children  were  met  by 
ofifice  bearers  in  the  church  more  or  less  frequently,  and 
instructed  in  the  catechism  and  most  likely  in  general  re- 
ligious truths  suggested  thereby.  The  following  note 
appears  in  the  church  record  under  date  of  July  9th, 
1814: 

"Voted  unanimously  that  in  the  opinion  of  members 
present  it  is  the  duty  of  the  church  to  meet  frequently 
with  their  children  for  catechism,  etc.,  and  that  this 
church  concurs  with  the  assembly  in  recommending  the 
first  Tuesday  in  each  month  for  such  meeting." 

"All  present  covenanted  to  attend  with  all  their  children 
if  in  providence  it  should  be  so  ordained  that  they  can.' 
Four  places  were  appointed  for   these  monthly  meetings. 

In  the  spring  of  1818  a  union  Sunday-school  of  Pres- 
byterians, Episcopalians  and  Methodists  was  organized. 
Oristus  Collins,  Dr.  Edward  Covell  and  Zachariah  B. 
Peet  started  the  enterprise,  and  Judge  Oristus  Collins  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  superintendent.  In  the  fall 
objection  was  made  to  the  use  of  the  shorter  catechism 
in  the  school  and  a  division  took  place.  A  portion  of 
the  school  met  in  the  office  of  Judge  David  Scott,  who 
was  its  first  superintendent.  The  records  of  these  early 
Sunday-schools  are  very  meagre,  and  their  history  cannot 
be  written  with  that  certainty  that  is  desirable.  By  some 
authorities  there  is  a  claim  that  in  the  Sunday-school 
under  the  superintendency  of  Judge  Scott  the  Episcopa- 
lian element  predominated.  Sectarianism  undoubtedly 
had  small  place  in  the  plans  of  the  originators  of  the  first 
Sunday-school.  Judge  Collins  has  always  been  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  Presbyterian  cause,  and  he 
continued  to  act  as  superintendent  of  the  original  school, 
or  became  its  superintendent  after  the  division,  and  its 
sessions  are  believed  to  have  been  held  in  the  old  Wilkes- 
Barre  Academy.  It  is  probable  that  with  more  or  less 
regularity  a  Sunday-school  was  maintained  during  the 
succeeding  seven  years,  though  there  are  no  records  that 


«-^H= 


<^ 


228 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


such  was  the  case.  In  1825  the  school  was  strengthened, 
or  a  new  organization  effected  (it  is  uncertain  which),  by 
some  ladies  from  Philadelphia,  among  whonj  were  Misses 
Mary  Gardner  and  Susan  Mitchell,  under  whose  man- 
agement it  soon  manifested  a  vigorous  life.  It  was  held 
in  a  building,  now  destroyed,  which  stood  on  the  site  of 
Music  Hall  block.  About  this  time  a  general  interest  in 
the  Sunday-school  cause  became  manifest,  and  schools 
were  opened  in  various  localities  around  Wilkes-Barre, 
which  have  many  of  them  been  maintained  since. 

Later  Sunday-School  History.— yi&\<i\i  stst,  1837,  the 
"  Home  "  school  was  organized,  Mr.  W.  C.  Gildersleeve 
being  reappointed  superintendent,  a  position  which  he 
had  long  held,  and  serving  until  June  30th  following, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  John  M.  Burtis.  The  school 
has  since  had  a  continuous  existence  under  a  number  of 
successive  superintendents,  among  the  earlier  of  whom 
were  John  O.  Baker,  Dickinson,  Grier,  Wurts,  Nathaniel 
Rutter,  Andrew  T.  McClintock,  W.  S.  Parsons  and  Judge 
Collins,  the  latter  serving  from  1858  to  1867.  In  the 
latter  year  W.  S.  Parsons  was  again  chosen  superintend- 
ent, and  held  the  office  for  five  or  six  years.  His  suc- 
cessor was  Mrs.  S.  H.  Lynch,  who  was  succeeded  by  the 
present  superintendent.  Rev.  F.  B.  Hodge.  A  number  of 
mission  schools  have  been  established  in  various  locali- 
ties in  and  around  the  city,  some  of  which  have  dis- 
banded or  become  connected  with  other  churches. 
According  to  the  last  annual  report  the  aggregate  mem- 
bership of  the  Presbyterian  Sunday-schools  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  was  as  follows:  Teachers  and  officers,  114;  schol- 
ars, 1,229;  total,  1,343. 

Welsh  Presbyterian  Church. — The  house  of  worship  of 
this  church  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Northampton  and 
Meade  streets.  It  was  erected  in  1867.  Previous  to 
that  date  the  congregation  worshiped  in  a  small  wooden 
building  in  the  locality  known  as  "the  Empire."  The 
church  was  organized  in  1864,  with  the  following  named 
members:  Robert  Wright  and  wife,  Lewis  S.  Jones  and 
wife,  Mary  Lewis,  Richard  Roderick,  Stephen  Jones, 
William  J.  Lewis  and  wife,  David  Moses  and  wife,  James 
Roderick,  John  C.  Jones,  J.  W.  Jones  and  wife,  Thomas 
Lewis  and  wife,  Elizabeth  H.  Jones,  David  L.  Richards 
and  John   T.  Griffth  and  wife. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  Hughes,  who  was  in  charge 
for  seven  years.  During  the  three  succeeding  years  the 
church  was  without  a  pastor.  In  1874  Rev.  T.  B.  Thomas, 
the  present  pastor,  took  charge. 

Thisis  the  strongest  Welsh  church,  numerically,  in  the 
city.^It'supports  missions  on  Rolling-mill  Hill  and  in 
Ashley.  The  number  of  members  enrolled  is  195;  the 
congregation  numbers  about  500. 

The  Sunday-school  has  a  membership  of  290.  The  super- 
intendents are  Mr.  Samuel  Williams  and  Mrs.  C.  S.  Jones. 

The  Memorial  Presbyterian. — This  church  was  erected 
as^  a  memorial  to  Frank  Cleveland,  Mary  Catlin  and 
Lynde  Henderson,  only  children  of  Calvin  and  Fanny  D. 
L.  Wadhams,  who  died  of  scarlet  fever  in  the  order  in 
which  they  are  named  January  4th  and  i6th  and  Febru- 
ary 9th,  1871. 


The  work  was  begun  May   21st,    1872,  and   July   20th 
the  corner  stone  was  laid  with  appropriate  services. 

While  waiting  for  the  completion  of  the  edifice  the 
necessary  steps  were  taken  to  secure  the  organization  of 
a  church.  The  need  of  another  Presbyterian  church  in 
the  city  was  apparent,  the  large  house  of  the  prosperous 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Wilkes-Barre  being  more 
than  filled.  On  the  minutes  of  Lackawanna  Presbytery, 
of  April  17th,  1873,  is  the  following  record;  "The  un-. 
dersigned  (Calvin  and  Fanny  D.  L.  Wadhams)  petition 
that  a  committee  be  appointed  with  power  to  organize  a 
church  in  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre,  to  be  known  as  Me- 
morial Church."  This  request  was  granted,  and  Febru- 
ary 24th,  1874,  the  church  was  organized,  with  the  fol- 
lowing members,  who  presented  letters  of  dismissal  from 
other  churches: 

Calvin  Wadhams,  Fanny  D.  L,Wadh'ams,John  W.  Lynde, 
Stella  M.  Shoemaker,  R.  C.  Shoemaker,  Frederick  M. 
Shoemaker,  Charles  P.  Hunt,  Anna  M.  Hunt,  P.  M.  Bar- 
ber, Mary  B.  Barber,  Susan  C.  Hunt,  J.  A.  Rippard, 
Catharine  P.  Rippard,  George  S.  Rippard,  Mary  E.  W. 
Rippard,  Jennie  Rippard,  Christian  Sleppy,  Juliet  H. 
Metzger,  Malinda  A.  Metzger,  Ann  M.  Hunt,  John  Rod- 
erick, Margaret  Roderick,  Eleanor  Griffith,  Nettie  Mc- 
Neish,  Joseph  Brown,  Ann  Brown,  Elizabeth  S.  Spence, 
Elizabetb  S.  Harrower,  Anna  M.  Doran,  Elizabeth  Doran, 
Frances  L.  Doran,  Gertrude  Blackman,  Albert  Barnes, 
Sarah  Barnes  and  George  H.  Lake,  from  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Wilkes-Barre;  Hattie  Lake,  from  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  Scranton;  Anna  M.  Wells, 
from  the  Congregational  Church,  Glastonbury,  Conn.; 
Elvira  B.  Hathaway,  from  the  Presbyterian  church,  Tioga, 
Pa.,  and  O.  F.  Harvey,  from  the  Brainerd  Presbyterian 
Church,  Easton,  Pa. 

Silas  B.  Hathaway  and  Sophia  J.  Harvey,  after  exam- 
ination, were  received  on  profession  of  their  faith.,  J. 
A.  and  George  S.  Rippard  were  elected  elders.  Immed- 
iately after  the  organization  a  meeting  was  held  for  the 
purpose  of  calling  a  pastor,  which  resulted  in  the  choice 
of  Rev.  W.  H.  Swift,  who  was  ordained  and  installed 
May  7th  following,  and  has  served  continuously  since. 
The  dedication  of  the  church  took  place  April  8th,  1874, 
with  appropriate  ceremonies,  after  which  it  was  given  I0 
the  congregation  by  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Wadhams  upon  cer- 
tain specified  conditions. 

The  history  of  the  Sabbath-school  antedates  that  of 
the  church.  A  Sunday-school  was  organized  by  J.  A. 
Rippard  and  Calvin  Wadhams,  in  the  upper  room  of  a 
beer  house  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Jackson 
streets,  on  the  first  Sunday  in  November,  1870.  There 
were  only  thirteen  persons  present,  but  by  April,  187:, 
the  membership  had  increased  to  75.  At  that  date  the 
school  changed  its  place  of  meeting,  occupying  a  store 
room  in  Hillard's  block,  on  North  Main  street,  where  its 
membership  increased  to  100,  until  March,  1872,  when  it 
was  discontinued  on  account  of  the  prevalence  of  small- 
pox among  those  attending.  It  was  reopened  in  the  fol- 
lowing June,  however,  with  an  attendance  of  only  23,  in 
an  old  building  which  stood  near  the   Memorial   church 


4.¥r 


*^H 


4, 


'%^. 


THE   PELL  FAMILY. 


Josiah  Pell,  sen.,  was  born  in  New  York  city,  April 
24th,  1734,  and  married  Elizabeth  Jackson,  born  in  New 
London,  Conn.,  in  1758,  for  his  second  wife.  Josiah 
Pell,  jr.,  was  his  son  by  a  former  marriage.  Mary,  eldest 
child  of  Josiah,  sen.,  and  Elizabeth  Pell,  was  born  in 
Hanover,  August  isth,  1792;  married  John  James,  an 
English  gentleman,  of  Hollidaysburg,  Pa.,  and  died  May 
22nd,  i860.  Thomas  Pell  was  born  in  Hanover,  March 
20th,  1794,  and  died  September  25th,  1804.  Samuel  Pell 
was  born  in  Hanover,  November  4th,  1796.  Silas  Pell 
was  born  in  Hanover,  August  9th,  1800,  and  died  July 
14th,  1836.  I 

Mr.  Pell  came  from  New  York  to  Hanover  during  the 
Revolutionary  struggle,  being  obliged  to  leave  his  former 
home  on  account  of  the  confiscation -of  an  ample  fortune, 
arising  out  of  political  troubles.  With  what  little  he 
could  save  he  purchased  the  old  Pell  homestead  in  Han- 
over. While  the  war  wa3  in  progress  he,  with  his  father- 
in  law,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians.  Mr.  Jackson 
was  killed,  and  Mr.  Pell  effected  his  escape.  He  died 
May  isth,  1801;  his  wife  September  24th,  1805,  leaving 
their  young  children  to  the  care  of  an  uncle  in  Newport 
until  Samuel  was  eighteen  years  old,  when  they  removed 


to  Hanover  on  the  old  farm.  May  15th,  1830,  Samuel 
married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Anna  Lines, 
born  in  Hanover,  May  2nd,  1807.  Mrs.  Pell's  grand- 
father, Conrad  Lines,  was  a  settler  in  Wyoming  before  the 
massacre;  was  driven  off  and  returned  to  New  York, 
whence  he  had  come,  remaining  there  five  years  before 
again  locating  in  Hanover.  Henry  Lines  was  born  in 
1773,  and  died  in  March,  1835. 

Samuel  Pell  was  a  well  known  farmer,  and  for  many 
years  a  prominent  man  in  Hanover,  where  he  was  justice 
of  the  peace  fifteen  years.  He  was  characterized  by  in- 
tegrity, industiy,  benevolence  and  sterling  worth.  He 
removed  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  i86i,and  died  October  22nd, 
1873.  The  children  born  to  Samuel  and  Margaret  Pell 
were:  Elizabeth,  February  131,1831  (died  November  2Sth, 
1833);  Mary,  November  10th,  1832  (married  Matthias 
Petty  December  28th,  1854);  Harriet,  September  24th, 
183s  (married  Maurice  Hann,  of  New  Jersey,  December 
19th,  i860);  Margaret,  February  26th,  1839  (died  July 
4th,  1854);  Anna,  March  i8th,  1842  (married  M.  H.  Post 
August  24th,  1869);  Harrison,  August  12th,  1844  (died 
June  28th,  1847);  and  Emily,  February  igth,  1847  (mar- 
ried John  Lee). 


4= 


=^^ 


*4^- 


JAMES  CLARKSON. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Hermonch, 
Scotland,  and  resided  there  in  the  employ  of  Lord 
Maitland,  having  charge  of  his  estate.  During  his  en- 
gagement he  married  Margaret  McGill,  of  Hermonch. 
In  the  year  1830  he  emigrated  with  his  wife  and  one 
child  to  America  and  settled  in  Philadelphia,  engaging 
with  a  Mr.  Graham  to  labor  on  his  farm.  Not  feeling 
contented  living  in  that  avocation,  he  removed  to  Car- 
bondale,  Luzerne  (now  Lackawanna)  county,  Pa.,  where 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Peter  Campbell  and 
engaged  in  cattle  dealing  and  slaughtering.  In  this  he 
was  moderately  successful  for  a  time,  when  he  and  his 
partner  entered   into  the  employ  of  the  Delaware   and 


Hudson  Canal  Company  as  contractors.  Mr.  Clarkson 
was  soon  appointed  superintendent  of  the  mines  of  the 
company,  which  position  he  held  for  thirty  years.  He 
then  resigned  and  lived  retired  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
cured  November  10th,  1876.  His  family  consisted  of  two 
children,  Jennie  and  Edward  Clarkson.  Jennie  died  in 
1852.  Edward  Clarkson  is  still  living.  Mr.  James 
Clarkson  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Carbondale, 
and  his  business  connections  with  the  interests  of  that 
town  were  of  such  importance  that  much  of  its  progress 
has  been  due  to  his  efforts.  He  was  a  man  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him,  and  the  fruits  of  his  integrity  will 
always  be  held  in  respect  by  his  fellow  citizens. 


* 


=^^ 


^h 


==  "=5^ 


PRESBYTERIAN  AND   METHODIST  CHURCHES,  WILKES-BARRE. 


22g 


but  which  has  since  been  removed  to  North  Franklin 
street,  near  North.  Obliged  to  seek  other  quarters  in  the 
spring  of  1873,  the  school  met  in  the  unfinished  church 
edifice,  and  on  the  first  Sunday  in  September  following 
took  possession  of  the  chapel  in  the  rear  of  the  church. 
Mr.  Wadhams  resigned  the  superintendency  May  ist, 
1878,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  Roberts.  As 
first  organized  the  school  was  one  of  the  auxiliaries  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  In  1874  the  membership 
was  303,  including  156  colored  children.  Early  in  1879 
there  were  305  officers,  teachers  and  scholars,  and  the 
colored  element  had  almost  entirely  disappeared,  there 
being  only  sixteen  of  the  latter  race  in  the  school. 

The  missionary  work  of  the  ladies  of  the  church  has 
been  successful.  The  church  membership  is  constantly 
increasing.  The  session  of  the  church  has  been  strength- 
ened by  the  election  of  additional  elders: — Lewis  H. 
Litts,  who  had  previously  been  ordained  at  Newton  Pres- 
byterian church,  Pa.,  in  1851,  and  Samuel  Roberts,  or- 
dained and  installed  June  8th,  1876.  Two  deacons, 
Charles  Pearce  and  Dr.  O.  F.  Harvey,  were  ordained  June 
I  St  of  the  same  year. 

The  Covenant  Preibyterian  Church  was  organized  June 
23d,  1876,  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  by  Revs.  T. 
P.  Hunt,  N.  G.  Parke,  W.  H.  Swift  and  F.  B.  Hodge. 
The  original  members  were  eighteen  in  number,  viz.: 
Horace  F.  Owens,  Samuel  Andrews,  Anthony  Jackson, 
Levi  Brown,  B.  Dorsey,  Decatur  Blue,  John  Logan,  O. 
T.  Hazen,  William  Jones,  Washington  Williams,  Mrs.  L. 
Hazen,  Mrs.  Mary  Logan,  Mrs.  Ellen  Brown,  Mrs.  Jane 
Owens,  Mrs.  Mary  Hill,  Mrs.  Sarah  Walker,  Mrs.  Lizzie 
Logan  and  Mrs.  C.  Andrews. 

Horace  F.  Owens,  Samuel  Andrews  and  Anthony  Jack- 
son were  duly  elected  and  ordained  the  first  elders  of  the 
church,  and  the  former  was  the  first  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday-school.  The  number  of  scholars  in  1879 
was  45- 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  the  present  incum- 
bent, Rev.  William  D.  Robeson,  who  has  sustained  the 
pastoral  relation  without  intermission.  Mr.  Robeson  is 
a  graduate  of  Lincoln  University.  He  was  installed  over 
his  people  in  the  Memorial  Presbyterian  Church,  August 
loth,  1876.  Covenant  Church  has  no  house  of  worship. 
Its  services  are  held  in  Gildersleve's  Sunday-school  mis- 


sion room. 


METHODISM. 


Early  Mef/iod!sm.—Method\sm  was  brought  to  the 
shores  of  America  in  1766.  It  took  root  in  the  Wyoming 
valley  at  a  very  early  day,  although  it  was  but  partially 
orgar.ized  and  poorly  equipped.  It  was  introduced  into 
this  section  of  Pennsylvania  in  the  following  way.  An- 
ning  Owen,  a  blacksmith,  lived  and  worked  at  his  trade 
a  short  distance  above  the  present  borough  of  Kingston 
on  the  main  road  leading  to  Pittston.  In  the  stirring 
times  of  1778  he  joined  the  little  band  that  went  out  to 
meet  the  invading  forces  of  British  and  Indians.  He 
escaped  from  the  field  of  battle,  but  was  hotly  pursued 
by  an  Indian  foe.     In  this  moment  of  peril   he  promise 


his  Maker  that  if  spared  he  would  lead  a  new  life,  and 
in  the  future  would  devote  his  energies  to  His  service. 
He  outran  his  pursuer  and  concealed  himself  along  the 
shore  of  the  river,  and  in  due  time  made  good  his 
escape.  When  in  the  Eastern  States  he  attended  a 
Methodist  service,  and  was  deeply  convicted  of  sin  and 
converted  to  God.  He  obtained  a  license  to  exhort,  and 
in  1788  returned  to  the  valley  and  began  his  Christian 
work  by  holding  prayer  meetings  at  his  own  house,  the 
influences  of  which  were  productive  of  much  good.  Simi- 
lar meetings  were  soon  held  in  other  portions  of  the  val- 
ley, and  it  was  not  long  before  Methodist  classes  were 
formed  at  most  of  the  principal  points  in  this  region. 

In  1789  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  R.  Mills,  who  traveled 
Newburg  circuit,  visited  Wyoming.  He  was  the  first 
Methodist  itinerant  who  came  to  this  part  of  the  State. 
In  1791  Wyoming  was  made  a  circuit.  Rev.  Robert 
Cloud  was  the  presiding  elder,  and  Rev.  James  Campbell 
was  appointed  minister.  The  district  embraced  Newburg, 
Wyoming,  New  York,  New  Rochelle  and  Long  Island. 
One  hundred  members  were  reported  as  belonging  to 
the  Wyoming  circuit,  and  50  of  these  belonged  to  the  class 
on  Ross  hill.  In  1793  Bishop  Asbury  visited  Wyoming 
and  preached  in  the  court-house  at  Wilkes-Barre.  He 
remained  but  a  short  time.  Wyoming  circuit  was  trans- 
ferred from  conference  to  conference,  and  its  size  was 
from  time  to  time  diminished.  The  early  preachers, 
plain  and  uneducated  men,  pious,  earnest  and  of  a  heroic 
mould,  followed  closely  the  pioneer  settlers,  and  shared 
their  dangers  and  hardships.  The  work  done  and  the 
seed  sown  by  their  faithful  hands  have  not  been  in  vain. 
Their  meetings  were  often  held  in  private  houses,  and 
when  these  were  found  too  small  for  their  congregations 
they  resorted  to  barns  and  the  open  air.  The  quarterly 
meetings  and  camp  meetings  were  memorable  occasions, 
and  people  came  from  settlements  many  miles  away, 
large  numbers  coming  under  the  influence  of  the  Cross. 
Thus  was  laid  the  foundation  upon  which  have  since 
been  erected,  so  many  Methodist  churches  and  flourish- 
ing congregations  throughout  all  northeastern  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

The  Methodists  had  held  service  in  Wilkes-Barre  for 
thirty  years.  The  society  was  small  and  their  means 
scanty,  and   they  had   no   special  place  of  worship.     In 

1826  Rev.  George  Peck  was  appointed  to  Wyoming  cir- 
cuit, with  .Philo  Barberry.  There  seemed  to  be  a  neces- 
sity that  Wilkes-Barre  should  have  the  entire  services  of 
one  man.  The  presiding  elder  consequently  took  George 
Peck  from  the  circuit  and  stationed  him  at  Wilkes-Barre, 
which  was  thus  early  made  a  station,  with  three  outside 
preaching  places — Hanover,  Newport  and  the  Plains.     In 

1827  the  commissioners  of  Luzerne  county  leased  to  the 
Methodists  the  large  upper  room  in  the  old  court-house 
for  a  period  of  ten  years,  at  a  yearly  rental  of  ten  cents, 
for  a  church  or  place  of  public  worship.  June  26th, 
1827,  the  first  Methodist  conference  ever  held  in  AVyom- 
ing  convened  at  Wilkes-Barre.  Bishop  George  was  the 
presiding  bishop.  In  1829  the  Oneida  Conference  was 
formed   out   of   the   Genesee   Conference*   and   Wilkes- 


Hh* 


Barre  became  a  conference  appointment  in  the  following 
year.  In  1831  the  Methodists  became  the  undisputed 
proprietors  of  the  old  church  on  the  public  square  by  the 
purchase  from  the  Presbyterians  of  all  their  right,  title 
and  interest  in  the  same  for  $1,000. 

First  Methodist  Episcopal.— 'ss\>iemhtr  i6th,  1830,  the 
Methodist  church  in  Wilkes-Barre  was  formally  organ- 
ized. Rev.  Charles  Nash  was  preacher  in  charge,  and 
the  following  persons  were  its  first  ofificial  members:  Ex- 
horters — Robert  Miner  and  Comfort  Gary.  Stewards — 
Gilbert  Barnes,  Sharp  D.  Lewis,  Ziba  Bennett,  Robert 
Miner  and  David  Thompson.  Class  leaders— Gilbert 
Barnes,  Robert  Miner,  Thomas  Brown,  Lorenzo  Ruggles, 
David  Thompson  and  Samuel  Gaskill.  Trustees — John 
Carey,  Joseph  Slocum,  Ziba  Bennett,  Sharp  D.  Lewis, 
Lewis  Worrall,  Abraham  Thomas  and  Anning  O.  Cha- 
hoon. 

The  church  continued  to  grow  in  numbers  and  influ- 
ence. As  there  were  no  accommodations  in  the  church 
on  the  square  for  social  meetings,  Ziba  Bennett  in  1836 
built  and  gave  to  the  church  the  use  of  a  building  for 
such  purpose  on  North  Main  street,  on  the  site  of  J.  H. 
Montanye's  tin  store.  The  public  preaching  services 
and  the  Sunday-school  continued  to  be  held  in  the  old 
church.  The  increasing  prosperity  of  the  church  soon 
demanded  other  and  more  suitable  quarters.  In  1846 
the  subject  of  a  new  church  edifice  was  considered,  and 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  solicit  the  necessary  funds 
to  erect  the  building,  Ziba  Bennett  having  donated  a  lot 
on  Franklin  street  for  that  purpose.  In  1847  sufficient 
funds  had  been  subscribed  to  warrant  the  trustees  in 
commencing  the  erection  of  the  new  church  edifice.  The 
old  church  on  the  square  was  offered  for  sale  and  ar- 
rangements were  made  to  begin  the  new  church  in  the 
spring  of  1848.  Ziba  Bennett,  Lord  Butler,  William 
Wood  and  Sharp  D.  Lewis  were  appointed  a  building 
committee.  In  1849  the  old  church  was  sold  to  O.  Col- 
lins, G.  M.  Hollenback  and  Charles  Dennison  for  $600. 
It  was  subsequently  pulled  down  antl  removed. 

The  new  church  on  Franklin  street  was  completed  and 
dedicated  October  4th,  1849,  by  Rev.  Jesse  T.  Peck,  D. 
D.,  now  Bishop  Peck.  It  cost  exclusive  of  the  lot 
08,2oo,  and  was  dedicated  free  from  debt.  At  that  time 
it  was  the  finest  and  most  commodious  building  of  the 
kind  in  the  country  round  about.  The  enterprise  was 
started  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  David  Shepherd, 
prosecuted  and  continued  under  that  of  Rev.  Bostwick 
Hawley  and  completed  under  that  of  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
Pearne. 

The  following  pastors  served  this  church  from  1826 
to  1850: 

Rev.  George  Peck,  1826-28;  Revs.  Joseph  Castle  and 
Silas  Comfort,  1828-30  (Wilkesbarre  and  Wyoming  were 
united  for  these  two  years,  when  Wilkes-Barre  was  again 
made  a  station);  Rev.  Charles  Nash  1830-32;  Rev.  H.  F. 
Rowe,  1832,  1833;  Rev.  Selah  Stocking,  1833-35;  Rev.  J. 
M.  Snyder,  1835-37;  Rev.  Robert  Fox,  1837,1838;  Rev. 
D.  Holmes,  1838-40;  Rev.  John  Davison,  part  of  1840; 
Rev.  D.  W.  B"ristol,  1840-42;  Rev.  John  Seys,  1842,  1843; 


Rev.  D.  Holmes,  1843,  1844;  Rev.  D.  A.  Shepherd, 
1844-46;  Rev.  B.  Hawley,  1846-48;  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
Pearne,i848-so. 

In  185 1  Newport,  one  of  the  outside  preaching  places, 
was  taken  from  this  charge  and  made  a  separate  station. 
In  1852  the  population  had  increased  and  the  churches 
multiplied  to  such  an  extent  in  this  section  that  a  new 
conference,  the  Wyoming,  was  set  off  from  the  Oneida 
Conference.  The  present  Wyoming  Conference  does 
not  include  more  than  one  third  of  the  territory  that  was 
embraced  in  the  Wyoming  circuit  in  the  year  1800.  In 
1854  the  church  on  the  Plains  was  made  a  separate 
charge. 

Ross  Street-  Methodist  Episcopal.— 'V\it  growth  of  the 
church  and  the  increasing  population  of  Wilkes-Barre 
^oon  required  another  church  in  the  southwestern  por- 
tion of  the  town.  For  a  number  of  years  there  had  been 
a  church  class  and  a  flourishing  Sunday-school  at  Wood- 
ville.  In  1855  the  project  of  building  a  second  church 
took  form,  and  in  May,  1857,  the  Ross  Street  M.  E. 
Church  was  organized;  and  soon  after  their  house  of 
worship,  a  brick  edifice  which  cost,  including  its  enlarge- 
ment in  1876,  about  $6,000,  was  completed.  It  was 
built  on  a  lot  generously  donated  by  Moses  Wood.  A 
parsonage  was  erected  in  1856.  Rev.  William  Wyatt, 
then  presiding  elder  of  the  district,  and  Mrs.  Wyatt  were 
active  in  the  organization  of  the  church  and  the  erection 
of  the  house  of  worship.  The  membership  in  1879  was 
about  200.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  Brooks,  who 
remained  two  years.  His  successors  and  their  terms  of 
service  have  been  as  follows:  Revs.  S.  Weiss,  two  years; 
H.  Wheeler,  three  years;  J.  G.  Eckman,  three  years;  L. 
C.  Floyd,  three  years;  L.  W.  Peck,  two  years;  F.  L.  Hil- 
ler,  three  years;  D.  C.  Olmstead,  two  years;  H.  M. 
Crydenwise,  present  incumbent  (1879). 

There  is  an  efficient  Sunday-school  connected  with 
this  church.  It  has  a  membership  of  342.  The  first 
superintendent  was  "  Mother"  Wood;  the  present  super- 
intendent is  Hon.  C.  Wadhams. 

In  1869  the  old  parsonage,  which  stood  where  William 
Tuck's  residence  now  stands  on  Franklin  street,  was  sold 
and  a  new  and  fine  one  was  built  on  the  lot  adjoining 
the  present  church,  at  a  cost  of  about  $10,000. 

In  1870,  as  Wilkes-Barre  had  grown  to  such  an  extent 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  and  as  there  was  no 
place  for  worship  near  by,  a  mission  chapel  was  erected 
on  North  Franklin  street  at  a  cost  of  $2,700.  The  lot 
was  kindly  donated  by  Charles  A.  Miner,  George  B.  Kulp 
and  Edward  H.  Chase.  A  Sunday-school  had  been  started 
the  year  before,  and  was  held  in  the  public  school  building 
on  Courtright  avenue.  When  the  chapel  was  completed 
it  was  removed  there.  The  following  persons  have  been 
superintendents  of  the  school:  Theron  Burnet,  P.  M. 
Carhart,  Charles  H.  Wheelock,  W.  G.  Weaver;  D.  Stur- 
devant,  A.  C.  Montanye  and  Frank  Puckey.  The  school 
numbers  at  present  i  superintendent,  17  officers  and 
teachers,  79  scholars  in  main  school,  80  scholars  in  the 
primary  school;  total,  177. 

Parrish   Street  Methodist   Episcopal. — There  were   no 


*^- 


=M.¥ 


*^^ 


PARRISH  STREET  M.  E.  CHURCH,  WILKES-BARRE— SUNDAY-SCHOOT-S. 


231 


church  accommodations  for  a  large  population  in  the 
southeastern  portion  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  early  in  1870 
Revs.  Charles  and  A.  D.  Alexander,  the  latter  of  whom 
was  the  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
Ashley,  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  Parrish  street 
school-house,  and  formed  a  class  with  Mr.  John  Benning, 
a  member  of  the  Ross  street  Methodist  church  as  leader. 
Rev.  A.  D.  Alexander  was  succeeded  at  Ashley  by  Rev.  A. 
C.  Bowdish,  who  had  charge  of  the  Parrish  street  class, 
which  was  annexed  to  the  Ashley  charge  and  known  as 
"the  Hill  class."  In  the  spring  of  1872  the  class  was 
organized  as  a  mission  charge  and  was  ministered  to  by 
Rev.  D.  Marvin  for  one  year.  At  the  conference  of  1873 
Rev.  Henry  Browscombe  was  sent  to  the  charge  as 
pastor,  and  remained  three  years.  In  1876  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Oscar  L.  Severson.  A  year  later 
the  Parrish  street  church  was  self-supporting.  Mr. 
Severson  remained  three  years  and  was  succeeded  in  the 
spring  of  1879  by  Rev.  E.  L.  Santee.  The  house  of 
worship  of  this  society  is  a  wooden  building  40  by  60 
feet,  standing  on  the  south  side  of  Parrish  street. 
It  was  erected  early  in  the  history  of  the  society  and 
dedicated  March  17th,  1872,  and  valued  at  $8,000.  The 
Parrish  street  Methodist  Sunday-school  was  organized  in 
the  school-house  aboved  mentioned  on  the  first  Sunday 
in  January,  1869,  though  the  first  meeting  for  that  pur- 
pose was  held  a  week  earlier.  Rev.  J.  G.  Eckman,  then 
pastor  of  the  Ross  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  a  leader  in  the  movement.  Mr.  J.  D.  L.  Harvey,  a 
member  of  the  Franklin  street  Methodist  church  was 
chosen  superintendent,  Jesse  Briggs  assistant  superin- 
tendent, and  A.  B.  Sands  treasurer.  The  attendance  the 
first  Sunday  was  twenty-five.  The  library  contains  325 
volumes,  the  teachers  and  officers  are  efficient,  and  the 
school  is  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

The  following  pastors  have  served  the  mother  church 
fthe    First    Methodist    Episcopal)    from    1850   to    1880 
Rev.  Nelson  Rounds,  1850-52;   Rev.  George  Peck,  D.  D., 
1852-54;  Rev.  William  Wyatt,   1854,    1855;  Rev.   Henry 
Brownscombe,   1855-57;   Rev.  J.  M.  Snyder,  1857,  1858 
Rev.  Reuben  Nelson,   part  of   1858  and   1859;   Rev.  Z 
Paddock,  D.  D.,  1859,  i860;   Rev.  Jacob  Miller,  1860-62 
Rev.  J.  A.  Wood,    1862-64;  Rev.  Y.  C.   Smith,  1864-67 
Rev.    Hen'ry   Brownscombe,   1867-69;   Rev.  Thomas   M 
Reese,  1869-72;  Rev.  A.  H.  Wyatt,  1872-74;  Rev.  W.  H 
Olin,  1874-77;  Rev.  J.  E.  Smith,  D.  D.,  1877-80. 

The  present  official  members  are:  Rev.  W.  H.  Olin,  D 
D.,  presiding  elder;  Rev.  J.  E.  Smith,  D.  D.,  pastor;  Rev 
W.  W.  Loomis,  local'elder;  Rev.  James  Thomas,  local 
deacon;  class  leaders,  Rev.  J.  E.  Smith,  Rev.  W.  W, 
Loomis,  A.  Kesler,  T.  Burnet,  W.  L.  Stewart  and  G.  A 
Wells;  Stewards,  H.  H.  Derr,  Urbane  Dilley,  E.  S 
Morgan,  Elias  Robins,  A.  Mitchell,  John  Espy,  William 
Tuck,  Robert  Tucker  and  W.  H.  Sturdevant;  board 
of  trustees,  L.  D.  Shoemaker  (president),  George  S.  Ben- 
nett (secretary),  P.  Abbott  (treasurer),  A.  Kesler,  D.  L. 
Rhone,  B.  G.  Carpenter  and  H.  H.  Derr;  superinten- 
dents of  Sunday-schools,  George  S.  Bennett  (church 
school)  and  Frank  Puckey  (mission  school). 


The    church   numbers   in    full   connection    400.      The 
number  of  probationers  is  50. 

Siiiniay-Schoo/s. — Many  who  then  were  or  subsequently 
became  Methodists  attended  or  taught  in  the  early  Sun- 
day-school whose  sessions  were  held  in  Judge  Scott's 
office.  When  the  Methodists  obtained  the  upper  room 
of  th-j  old  court-house  as  a  place  of  worship  they  started 
a  school  of  their  own.  Gilbert  Bnrnes  is  thought  to  have 
been  its  first  superintendent.  The  first  official  record  of 
the  Sunday-schools  connected  with  this  church  is  found 
in  the  minutes  of  the  quarterly  conference  held  Aug. 
23d,  1834.  Rev.  S.  Stocking,  preaclrer,  reported  that 
there  were  within  his  charge4  Subhath-schools,  with  216 
scholars,  5  superintendents;  4  libraries  with  365  volumes. 
One  school  was  the  church  school,  which  met  in  the 
church  on  the  square;  Gilbert  Rirnes  superintendent, 
Ziba  Bennett  assistant.  The  other  schools  were  at 
Hanover,  Laurel  Run  and  the  Plains.  In  1829  an  infant 
school  was  started  by  Miss  Abi  Slocum,  now  Mrs.  Lord 
Butler,  in  the  jury  room  of  the  old  court-hou^e.  This 
school,  the  first  of  its  kind  ever  held  here,  was  maintained 
for  a  number  of  years  and  then  discontinued.  September 
29th,  1844,  Mrs.  Charles  B.  Drake,  now  Mrs.  Henry 
Lewis,  of  Madison,  N.  Y.,  commenced  teaching  an  infant 
class  in  the  gallery  of  the  old  church.  In  a  few  weeks 
this  class  was  removed  to  the  second  story  of  the  prayer 
room  on  North  Main  street,  which  had  been  fitted  up 
for  that  purpose.  It  remained  there  until  the  church  on 
Franklin  street  was  built.  Mrs.  Drake  continued  in 
charge  of  this  primary  school  until  April  26th,  1868. 
Mrs.  J.  E.  Patterson,  who  had  been  Mrs.  Drake's  assist- 
ant for  six  years,  succeeded  her  as  teacher.  She  held 
the  position  until  1872.  Mrs.  E.  B.  Hopkins  served  as 
teacher  for  a  short  time,  and  ttien  Mrs.  W.  N.  Jennings 
was  elected  to  the  office,  which  she  held  for  nearly 
a  year.  In  April,  1873,  Miss  Sarah  Overton,  now  Mrs. 
Elias  Robbins,  was  chosen  teacher  of  this  primary  class, 
and  she  has  been  continued  as  such  to  the  present  time. 

Gilbert  Barnes  was  superintendent  of  the  main  Sunday- 
school  of  this  church  until  1850,  when  he  removed  from 
Wilkes-Barre.  In  that  year  the  school  had  two  superin- 
tendents, 25  teachers,  125  scholars  in  the  main  school,  75 
scholars  in  the  primary  class  and  800  volumes  in  the 
library.  Lord  Butler  was  appointed  Mr.  Barnes's  suc- 
cessor. He  held  the  office  about  a  year,  and  Ziba  Ben- 
nett was  appointed,  and  remained  in  office  until  1866, 
when  W.  W.  Loomis  was  elected.  In  1868  George  S. 
Bennett  was  elected  and  he  has  held  the  office  since.  In 
1 868  an  intermediate  class  was  established  as  an  advanced 
grade  of  the  primary  class,  and  as  preparatory  to  the  junior 
department  or  main  school. 

In  1873,  the  accommodations  of  the  church  edifice 
not  being  sufficient  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  increasing 
numbers  of  the  Sunday-school  and  the  social  meetings 
of  the  church,  the  project  of  erecting  a  chapel  in  the 
rear  of  the  church  was  started.  George  S.  Bennett,  B. 
G.  Carpenter  and  H.  H.  Derr  were  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  procure  suitable  plans  and  an  estimate  of  the  cost 
of  the  proposed  building.     In  1874  Mrs.  Priscilla  L.  Ben- 


«^h 


cjk 


232 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


nett  proposed  to  build  the  new  chapel,  provided  the 
church  and  congregation  would  raise  an  equal  amount  of 
money  to  remodel  the  present  church  edifice  or  erect  a 
new  structure.  This  generous  proposition  was  accepted, 
and  in  1875  plans  were  procured  for  the  chapel  and  new 
church  and  bubscriptions  received.  In  1876  the  building 
of  the  chapel  commenced.  The  following  persons  con- 
stituted the  building  committee:  Geo.  S.  Bennett,  B.  G. 
Carpenter,  D,  L.  Rhone,  P.  Abbott  and  H.  H.  Derr.  The 
chapel  was  completed  early  in  1877,  and  cost,  exclusive  of 
the  ground,  furnished  throughout,  $27,500.  It  was  dedi- 
cated February  nth,  1877.  Rev.  J.  H.  Vincent,  D.  D., 
preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  Rev.  R.  Nelson, 
D.  D.,  in  behalf  of  the  donors  presented  to  the  trus- 
tees the  land  on  which  it  stands — the  gift  of  Hon. 
Ziba  Bennett  and  Mrs.  Martha  B.  Phelps — and  the  build- 
ing and  furnishings,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Priscilla  L.  Bennett, 
wife  of  Judge  Bennett.  The  ladies  of  the  church  contrib- 
uted the  furniture  and  fittings  of  the  church  rooms  in  the 
building,  Hon.  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  president  of  the  board 
of  trustees,  received  the  same.  The  chapel  was  then  for- 
mally dedicated  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Olin,  pastor.  The  offi- 
cers of  the  school  were  as  follows  in  1880:  Superinten- 
dent, George  S.  Bennett;  male  assistant  superintendent, 
H.  H.  Derr;  female  assistant  superintendent,  Mrs.  P.  L. 
,  Bennett;  secretary,  D.  S.  Morgan;  assistant  secretary,  W. 
S.  Carpenter;  treasurer,  Elias  Robbins;  chorister,  George 
A.  Wells;  cornetist,  John  Hughes;  pianist,  C.  E.  Clark; 
librarian,  P.  Abbott;  assistant  librarians,  C.  D.  Wells,  J. 
P.  Brownscombe,  Willard  Post  and  W.  G.  Phelps.  The 
total  membership  of  the  school  is  709;  number  of  vol- 
umes in  the  library,.  700. 

First  Free  Methodist. — This  church  was  organized 
March  27th,  1870,  by  Rev.  John  Glen,  its  first  pastor. 
The  original  members  were  W.  B.  Bertels,  S.  A.  Bertels, 
H.  H.  Pease,  Mercy  Pease,  Eliza  Pryor,  J.  Pryor,  John 
Yocum,  Mary  Yocura,  Lewis  Hitchler,  Wm.  Dobson, 
Sarah  Youngst,  Mary  Newhardt,  J.  D.  Pembleton,  Solo- 
mon Pursell,  Joseph  Smith,  L.  Smith,  Emma  Allen,  Levi 
Ranch,  C.  Smith  and  Rachel  Alden. 

The  place  of  meeting  at  organization  was  Harvey's 
Hall  on  Franklin  street,  where  services  were  held  till  the 
congregation  removed  to  the  hall  on  the  corner  of 
Market  and  Canal  streets.  A  lot  has  recently  been  pur- 
chased on  South  Main,  between  Ross  and  Academy 
streets,  on  which  it  is  purposed  to  erect  a  house  of 
worship.  The  pastors  of  this  society  have  been:  Revs. 
J.  Glen,  1870;  G.  R.  Harvey,  1870-72;  George  Edwards, 
1872,  1873;  M.  D.  McDougal,  1873-75;  T.  S.  Labue, 
1875,  1876;  Wm.  Jones,  1876,  1877;  I.  S.  Bradbrook,  1877, 
1878;  and  George  Eakins,  1878-80. 

There  is  a  Sunday-school  connected  with  the  church 
of  which  Joseph  Smith  was  first  and  Henry  Wood  is  the 
present  superintendent.  The  school  has  50  scholars  and 
6  teachers,  and  a  library  of  250  volumes. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized 
in  1842  by  Rev.  Thomas  M.  D.  Ward,  with  twelve  con- 
stituent members.  The  present  house  of  worship  was 
finished    and    dedicated    in     September,    1870,    having 


been    erected    largely  by  aid   extended    by  white    sym- 
pathizers. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  was  or- 
ganized in  1842  by  Rev.  Thomas  Jackson.  The  house 
of  worship  was  erected  in  1845,  and  was  the  first  for  the 
use  of  the  colored  people  in  the  city.  This  church  is 
connected  with  the  Genesee  Conference.  The  present 
membership  is  30. 

EPISCOPAL    CHURCHES. 

St.  Stephen's  Protestant  Episcopal. — The  first  service  of 
the  Episco])al  church  in  Wilkes-Barre  was  held  in  the 
old  academy  on  the  public  square  in  18 14,  by  Rev. 
Jackson  Kemper,  then  a  missionary  in  the  borough. 
Rev.  Richard  Mason  followed  him  before  the  close  of 
the  same  year.  There  was  no  church  organization  until 
1817,  in  which  year  the  vestry  was  organized,  September 
19th.  The  date  of  the  charter  was  October  17th  follow- 
ing. The  wardens  were  Ebenezer  Bowman  and  Henry 
Clymer.  Roswell  Wells,  Garrick  Mallery,  Samuel  Bow- 
man, Peleg  Trasy,  Eleazer  Blackman,  Jacob  A.  Dennis, 
Benjamin  Drake,  Andrew  Beaumont,  Lord  Butler  and 
Samuel  Maffett  were  the  vestrymen. 

The  rite  of  baptism  was  first  administered  in  Wilkes- 
Barre  accordmg  to  the  ordinances  of  the  Episcopal 
church  December  8th,  1814.  The  Episcopal  Sunday- 
school  originated  in  that  branch  of  the  pioneer  Sunday, 
school  of  Wilkes-Barre  of  which  Judge  Scott  was  super- 
intendent and  which  began  its  existence  in  the  fall  of 
i8i8  The  present  Sunday-school  superintendent  is  Mr. 
W.  W.  Lathrope;  the  number  of  scholars  is  625. 

St.  Stephen's  Church  was  admitted  into  union  with  the 
convention  May  2nd,  1821. 

The  first  house  of  worship,  a  frame  building  on  Frank- 
lin street,  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  White,  June  14th, 
1823.  It  was  torn  down  and  replaced  by  the  present 
brick  edifice,  which  cost  f  11,000  and  was  consecrated  by 
Bishop  Potter  April  19th,  1855. 

The  successive  rectors  since  Rev.  Richard  Mason,  and 
the  dates  at  which  they  came,  have  been  as  follows:  Revs. 
Samuel  Phinney,  1817;  Manning  B.  Roach,  1819;  Mr. 
Samuel  Bowman,  lay  reader,  1821;  Samuel  Sitgreaves, 
1823;  Enoch  Huntington,  1824;  James  May,  1827;  W.  J. 
Clark,  1838;  R.  B.  Claxton,  1840;  George  D.  Miles,  1848; 
R.  H.  Williamson;  Henry  L.  Jones  (present  rector), 
1874. 

The  number  of  families  who  are  regular  attendants 
upon  the  services  of  this  church  is  259;  the  number  of 
communicants  is  261.  The  offering's  for  1878  amounted 
to  $12,314.80. 

Lewis  C.  Paine  and  C.  M.  Conyngham  were  the  war- 
dens in  1879.  The  vestry  was  composed  as  follows:  W. 
L.  Conyngham,  F.  J.  Leavenworth,  A.  R.  Brundage,  W. 
W.  Lathrope,  Charles  A.  Miner,  Richard  Sharpe,  J. 
Pryor  Williamson,  David  Caird,  Ned  Johnson  and  A.  M. 
Brandon. 

Saint  Clement's  Episcopal  Church,  on  Hanover  street, 
was  duly  incorporated  April  8th,  1869,  the  following 
named  persons  being  the  original  incorporators:  E.  W. 


*4,h 


<>■ 


ST.  CLEMENT'S  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH,  WILKES-BARRE— BAPTIST  CHURCHES. 


233 


Stiirdevant,  Charles  Sturdevant,  John  W.  Horton,  C.  E. 
Butler,  Daniel  Harkins,  N.  M.  Horton,  B.  F.  Pfouts,  G. 
F.  Pfouts,  Miller  H.  Cooke,  Isaac  E.  Ross,  Thomas 
Quick,  John  B.  Quick,  Elijah  W.  Richards,  Thomas 
Carpenter,  C.  W.  Gates,  Moses  Drumheller,  J.  G.  Horton 
and  W.  Lee,  jr. 

In  the  early  period  of  the  existence  of  the  church  oc- 
casional services  were  held  by  Rev.  John  Long,  mission- 
ary. The  first  regularly  installed  rector  was  Rev.  Wil- 
liam J.  Cleveland,  who  was  ordained  deacon  April  i8th, 
1872,  and  entered  upon  his  duties  as  rector  April  21st 
following.  He  was  succeeded  the  following  year  by  Rev. 
George  W.  Knapp,  who  remained  about  four  years. 
Rev.  P.  Baldy  Lightner  became  rector  March  31st,  1878, 
and  remained  for  nearly  a  year.  The  present  rector. 
Rev.  Edward  M.  Pecke,  was  elected  to  the  rectorship 
April  23d,  1879,  and  entered  upon  his  duties  immedi- 
ately. 

May  i8th,  1S69,  the  lot  upon  which  the  church  stands, 
on  Hanover  street,  was  given  by  Mr.  Washington  Lee,  jr. 
June  5th  of  the  same  year  the  vestry  resolved  "  to  pro- 
ceed forthwith  to  the  building  of  a  stone  church  on  the 
said  lot,  according  to  the  plan  furnished  by  the  architect, 
Mr.  C.  M.  Burns,  of  Philadelphia.''  The  corner  stone 
was  laid  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  William  Bacon  Stevens,  D.  D., 
bishop  of  the  diocese,  September  13th,  1869.  The  build- 
ing was  completed  at  a  cost  of  f  [0,000,  in  June,  1871;  and 
the  first  service  was  held  in  it  on  the  24th  of  the  same 
month,  the  Rev.  Leighton  Coleman,  Mauch  Chunk, 
preaching  the  sermon.  July  nth,  187 1,  the  church  was 
consecrated  by  Bishop  •  Stevens,  twenty-two  clergymen 
being  present.. 

The  Sunday-school  numbers  about  100  pupils.  The 
superintendent  in  1879  was  Mr.  Lyman  E.  Phillips.  An 
earnest  effort  was  being  made  at  that  time  to  erect  a 
suitable  rectory,  on  land  adjoining  the  church  lot,  of- 
fered for  the  purpose  by  Mr.  Andrew  Lee. 

B.^PTIST     CHURCHES. 

The  Wilkes-Bai-rc  and  Kingston  Church  — Baptist  ser- 
vices were  held  occasionally  before  there  was  any  church 
organization  of  that  denomination,  in  the  "Old  Ship 
Zion  "  on  the  public  square.  The  Wilkes-Barre  and 
Kingston  church,  of  33  members,  was  constituted  in  1842 
at  Forty  Fort,  and  recognized  by  a  council  of  churches 
December  7th  of  that  year.  This  movement  was  the  re- 
sult of  the  labors  of  Rev.  P.  L.  Post,  of  Montrose,  Pa.,  a 
missionary  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Baptist  Convention, 
and  others.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  C.  Hewitt,  who 
was  called  in  1845,  the  church  then  meeting  for  worship 
in  hired  rooms  or  in  the  old  court-house.  In  1846  steps 
were  taken  toward  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship. 
A  lot  was  secured  on  the  south  side  of  Northampton 
street,  upon  which  was  built  a  church  which  was  opened 
for  service  in  1848.  In  r849  the  Wilkes-Barre  portion  of 
the  membership  withdrew  from  the  Kingston  branch. 

The  Northampton  Street  Baptist.— 'VWxs  is  the  name  by 
which  the  Wilkes-Barre  branch  was  recognized,  and  the 
Kingston    church  ultimately,    becoming   merged   in   the 


Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston  churches,  lost  its  identity,  Mr. 
Hewitt  continued  his  relation  with  the  Wilkes-Barre 
church  until  1851,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John 
Boyd.  The  subsequent  pastors  were  Revs.  E.  M.  Alden, 
who  came  in  1859;  James  L.  Andrews,  1866;  D.  E.  Bow- 
en,  1869;  Charles  A.  Fox,  1870;  J.  D.  Griebel,  1871.  Mr. 
Fox's  pastorate  was  rendered  thus  brief  by  his  death  be- 
fore the  close  of  1870. 

By  advice  of  a  council  of  Baptist  churches,  held  No- 
vember loth,  1873,  the  church  disbanded,  and  the  mem- 
bers deposited  their  letters  with  the  Pittston  Baptist 
church,  while  the  church  property  was  transferred  i.i 
trust  to  the  Pennsylvania  Baptist  General  Association 
until  a  reorganization  could  be  effected  under  more  favor- 
able auspices. 

The  Centennial  Baptist. — Under  appointment  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Baptist  General  Association  Rev.  J.  Blanch- 
ard  Hutchinson,  of  Philadelphia,  began  to  labor  at 
Wilkes-Barre  July  ist,  1874,  and  on  the  i6th  of  that 
month  organized  a  mission,  and  a  Bible-school  a  month 
later.  The  congregation  increased,  the  school  enlarged, 
eleven  converts  were  baptized  and  Mr.  Hutchinson  was 
encouraged  by  such  favorable  indications,  and  the  Cen- 
tennial Baptist  Church  was  organized  July  ist,  1875,  with 
70  members  (10  of  whom  united  by  baptism,  16  by  ex- 
pression of  their  faith  and  44  by  letter),  and  recognized 
by  a  council  of  sister  churches  September  15th. 

Rev.  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and 
has  continued  the  pastoral  relation  continuously  since. 
The  following  officers  were  elected:  William  G.  Colley, 
T.  S.  Parker  and  C.  F.  Nauman,  deacons;  P.  S.  Bailey, 
church  clerk;  J.  R.  Bogart,  treasurer;  R.  Humphreys, 
M.  V.  B.  Dann,  G.  S.  Weeks,  Isaac  Tyler,  William 
Toombs,  M.  S.  Harding  and  T.  M.  Mason,  trustees. 

The  following  is  an  abstract  of  the  report  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  church  October  ist,  1879:  Value  of  church 
property  (in  good  repair  and  free  from  debt),  $15,000; 
membership,  130;  membership  of  Bible  school,  106; 
number  of  volumes  in  library,  200;  superintendent,  Frank 
B.  Mahoney;  church  officers: — deacons,  William  G. 
Colley,  William  Wheelock;  church  clerk,  P.  H.  Bailey; 
treasurer,  William  Toombs;  trustees,  M.  S.  Harding, 
George  Mason,  H.  W.  Kalisch,  F.  M.  Mason,  E.  P.  Phillips, 
W.  H.  Carey,  William  Wheelock. 

Welsh  Baptist. — For  some  time  prior  to  organization 
as  a  church  a  few  Welsh  Baptists  had  attempted  in  private 
dwellings  to  form  the  nucleus  to  a  church  and  a  Sunday- 
school.  The  names  of  William  McGregor,  William 
Richards  and  John  Haskins  were  prominent  in  this 
formative  period.  For  some  months  services  were  held 
Sunday  afternoons  in  the  English  Baptist  church;  but 
later  Phenix  Hall  was  engaged  by  the  Welsh  Baptists 
for  church  and  Sunday-school  services.  An  assistant 
preacher  named  John  Rees,  subsequently  ordained  to  the 
ministry  in  Ohio,  made  himself  useful  at  this  juncture. 
The  Sunday-school  was  promising.  The  first  superin- 
tendent was  Nathaniel  Griffiths,  deceased.  The  organiza- 
tion of  the  church  in  the  above  named  hall  occurred  in 
the  spring  of  1867.      Of  the  27  constituent  members  but 


*ih 


^H^ 


^h 


4 


234 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


I  remains  in  the  church  at  present.  The  first  deacons 
were  John  Haskins  and  William  Richards.  Thomas  J. 
Morgans,  one  of  the  present  deacons,  was  the  first  person 
baptized  in  the  church.  Rev.  Frederick  Evans,  D.  D.,' 
then  of  Hyde  Park,  took  part  with  others  in  the  organi- 
zation ceremonies. 

In  July,  1870,  Rev.Theophilus  Jones,  of  Mahanoy  City, 
Pa.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  He  remained  until 
September,  1874.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  E.  Edwards, 
removed  at  the  call  of  the  church  from  Webster, 
Monroe  county,  N.  Y.,  in  November,  1876,  and  consid- 
erable progress  has  been  made  under  his  pastorate. 

In  1872  a  lot  was  presented  to  the  church  by,  and  an- 
other purchased  of,  Charles  Parrish,  Esq.,  as  president  of 
the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company,  making  a 
double  lot  on  Harrison  street.  A  commodious  but  not 
costly  edifice  was  erected  by  Robert  Thomas,  architect, 
under  contract  with  the  authorities  of  the  church,  and 
completed  and  opened  for  worship  in  the  spring  of  1874. 
About  three-fourths  of  the  indebtedness  incurred  in  the 
purchase  of  the  lot  and  erection  of  the  church  has  al- 
ready been  canceled,  and  it  is  confidently  hoped  that  the 
balance  will  soon  disappear. 

During  a  little  more  than  a  dozen  years  of  its  exist- 
ence this  church  has  dismissed  members  to  form  other 
churches  at  Nanticoke,  Plymouth,  Kingston  and  Parsons. 
Although  the  colonies  referred  to  went  out  before  the 
commencement  of  the  present  pastorate,  this  period  has 
been  marked  by  so  many  removals  and  deaths  that,  while 
fifty  or  more  have  been  added  by  baptism  and  otherwise 
since  the  fall  of  1876,  the  number  of  members  (nearly 
100)  in  1879  was  hardly  a  score  in  excess  of  the  total  at 
that  date,  owing  to  the  shifting  and  unreliable  condition 
of  Welsh  churches  in  the  mining  regions.  The  church 
has  a  branch  Sunday-school  on  Rolling  Mill  hill,  which, 
together  with  that  in  the  church,  numbers  about  140 
pupils.  There  are  19  teachers,  and  the  number  of  vol- 
umes in  the  library  is  150. 

CATHOLIC    CHURCHES. 

Si.  Mary's. — Father  Henry  Fitzsimmons,  of  Carbon- 
dale,  was  the  first  Catholic  priest  who  preached  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  where  he  began  to  labor  as  a  missionary  in  1840, 
when  the  Roman  Catholic  population  was  only  50  or  60. 
In  1842  a  small  frame  church  was  erected  on  Canal  street 
between  Northampton  and  South  streets,  service  having 
been  formerly  held  in  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Keating.  In 
1845  a  brick  building  was  begun  on  the  same  lot,  which 
was  seven  years  in  course  of  construction.  In  September, 
1870,  was  begun  the  present  commodious  and  elegant 
church  on  Washington  street,  of  which  an  engraving  ap- 
pears below,  and  it  was  dedicated  December  i6th,  1872, 
since  which  time  the  old  brick  church  has  been  occupied 
by   St.  Mary's  parochial  school. 

Father  Fitzsimmons  was  succeeded,  in  1847,  by  Father 
Pendergast.  The  succeeding  pastors  have  been  Father 
Edhoffer,  who  came  in  1848  and  was  succeeded  by 
Father  O'Shaugnessy  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year; 


•I"  "„. 


t  111     &f    I       'J^J       S   '         r       1" 


^Itt-..^^ 


Father  Sharp,  1849;  Father  Burgess,  1851;    Father  Fitz- 
simmons, 1856;   and  Father  Dennis  O'Haran,  1869. 

Father  O'Haran  is  assisted  in  the  now  onerous  duties 
of  the  pastorate  by  Revs.  P.  McManus  and  Francis  B. 
McNally.  Under  his  management  the  church,  the  paro- 
chial residence  and  St.  Mary's  Academy  have  been  built 
and  the  old  church  remodeled  for  school  purposes  as 
stated;  parishes  have  been  established  at  Plymouth,  Nan- 
ticoke,  Sugar  Notch  and  Plainsville,  and  churches  have 
been  erected  in  each  parish  except  Plainsville,  and  there 
one  will  be  erected  at  an  early  date.  The  membership 
of  St.  Mary's  Church  is  about  8,000,  and  the  church 
property  is  valued- at  $250,000;  $200,000  has  been  col- 
lected and  disbursed  by  Father  O'Haran. 

The  Mallinckrodt  Convent,  of  which  a  notice  appears 
on  page  204  and  an  engraving  herewith,  has  for  a  part  of 
its  mission  the  training  of  teachers  for  such  schools  as 
those  connected  with  the  Catholic  churches  of  Wilkes- 
Barre. 


4 


i 


CHURCHES   OF  WILKES-BARRE. 


23s 


St.  Nicholas  German  Catholic. — The  German  Catholics 
of  Wilkes-Barre  were  many  years  ago  visited  occasionally 
by  priests  from  abroad.  In  1856  the  corner  stone  was 
laid  for  the  first  German  Catholic  church  edifice,  at  the 
corner  of  South  and  Washington  streets,  and  the  congre- 
gation was  organized  under  its  present  name.  In  1868 
the  church  was  enlarged.  There  was  no  regular  pas- 
tor until  1858,  when  Rev.  Peter  C.  Nagel  came.  He  has 
sustained  the  pastoral  relation  to  the  congregation  con- 
tinuously to  the  present  time.  For  several  years  he  was 
the  only  German  Catholic  priest  in  Luzerne,  Wayne  and 
Pike  counties.  In  1874  an  assistant  pastor  was  added, 
in  the  person  of  Rev.  William  Dassel,  now  pastor  of 
Mary  Magdalen  Church,  of  Honesdale,  Pa.  The  present 
assistant  is  Rev.  Peter  Crist. 

In  1858  the  membership  of  this  church  was  about  100 
families.  The  membership  in  1879  was  about  400 
families,  and  a  parochial  school  was  connected  with  the 
church. 

OTHER    CHURCHES. 

Bnai  Brith  Jewish  Synagogue. — The  Jewish  syna- 
gogue, on  Washington  street,  was  organized  in  October, 
1840.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  constituent 
members:  Joseph  Coons,  Martin  Long,  Marx  Long,  John 
Constine,  David  Maier,  M.  Rosenbaum,  Solomon  Kra- 
mer, Marx  Straub,  S.  Wilzinsky,  H.  Ansbacher,  Joseph 
Shwabacher,  A.  Lederer,  J.  Lowenstein,  Isaac  Lengfeld, 
A.  Frahlich,  M.  Silberbach,  B.  Burgunder,  W.  Baum,  H. 
Lowenstein,  Moritz  Straus,  Joseph  Hamburger,  David 
Mordochar,  L.  Ullman,  David  Coons,  J.  Merzbacher, 
Leopold  Schvvabacher,  J.  Lengfeld,  Solomon  Schloss, 
Louis  Ries,  L.  Ackerman,  Simon  Long,  Abram  Strauss, 
Lehman  Rosenbaum,  L.  Steinhard,  Moritz  Sulzbacher 
and  Lieb  Heimer.  These  were  all  then  young  men.  Some 
of  them  are  now  among  the  well-to-do  business  men  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  advanced  in  years,  but  still  members  of 
the  synagogue.  Until  the  erection  of  the  church,  in  1849 
they  worshiped  in  a  small  room  on  New  Year's  day  and 
the  day  of  the  atonement. 

The  church  edifice  is  a  brick  building  worth  about 
$5,000.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  in  1848  and  it  was 
consecrated  in  August  of  the  following  year  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Leeser  of  Philadelphia  and  Rev.  Mr.  Isaacs,  of  New 
York. 

The  successive  pastors  have  been  as  follows:  Revs. 
Maus,  from  October,  1848,  to  August,  1849;  M.  Strasser, 
from  August,  1849,  to  August,  185 1;  Rev.  Isaac  Strouse, 
from  August,  1851,  to  May  13th,  1853;  Rev.  Herman 
Rubin,  from  June  5th,  1853,  to  the  present  time. 

With  the  congregation  is  connected  a  school  of  about 
40  pupils,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Herman  Rubin.  The 
catechism,  the  Bible,  history,  Hebrew  reading  and  Ger- 
man reading  and  writing  are  taught,  together  with  trans- 
lation of  the  Hebrew  and  German  languages  into  Eng- 
lish. 

Welsh  Congregational.— T\it  only  Congregational 
church  in  Wilkes-Barre  is  the  Welsh  Congregational, 
which  was  organized  in  1869  by  a  few  Congregationalists 


who  emigrated  from  Wales.  As  early  as  1850  there  was 
a  union  Wels  hchurch,  comprising  all  denominations  and 
worshiping  in  the  Newtown  school-house.  The  church 
under  consideration  first  worshiped  in  the  school-house 
near  the  Empire  shaft.  In  March,  1872,  they  removed  to 
their  own  church  building  on  Hillside  street.  April  1st, 
1872,  it  was  dedicated.  Rev.  E.  B.  Evans,  D.  Daniels  and 
others  officiating.  The  church  edifice  has  since  been  en- 
larged and  over  $8,000  of  the  debt  incurred  in  its  erection 
and  subsequent  alterations  paid  off.  The  total  cost  was 
$ro,ooo. 

The  first  officers  of  the  church  were  D.  T.  Jones,  S.  R- 
Williams,  Morgan  Davies  and  Lewis  Anthony,  deacons; 
and  Daniel  W.  Evans,  secretary.  The  first  and  only 
pastor  to  the  present  time  is  Rev.  T.  C.  Edwards.  Sep- 
tember ist,  1879,  the  member.ship  was  175.  A  large  and 
flourishing  Sunday-school  is  connected  with  the  church. 
The  average  attendance  is  115.  There  is  a  library  of 
160  volumes.  Connected  with  the  Sunday-school  is  a 
vigorous  band  of  hope  and  children's  choir,  which  is  un- 
der such  thorough  discipline  as  to  be  able  to  render  can- 
tatas and  oratorios  with  a  high  degree  of  perfection. 

Salem  Church  of  the  Eiiangclical  Association.— lihe  re- 
ligious work  now  in  progress  at  Wilkes-Barre  under  the 
management  of  the  Evangelical  Association  was  begun  in 
187 1  by  the  labors  of  Rev.  Andrew  Ziegenfuss,  then 
stationed  at  Mauch  Chunk,  who  preached  occasionally 
during  that  year  in  private  houses,  organizing  a  class  of 
ten  members,  named  as  follows:  William  Hawk,  Christian 

Leigh,    Charles    Frederic,    Flora    Stermer, Snyder, 

G.     Leymarter,  Catharine     Leymarter, Schleicher, 

Morris  Eisley  and  Catharine  Eisley.  In  1872  Wilkes- 
Barre  was  made  a  regular  charge  and  annexed  to  the 
Mauch  Chunk  circuit.  In  1873  Wilkes-Barre  and  Scranton 
were  united  as  a  mission  In  1874  Wilkes-Barre  became  a 
separate  mission. 

In  1872  meetings  were  held  in  a  school-house  at  South 
Wilkes-Barre.  In  1873  a  chapel  was  built  on  Grove 
street,  which  was  dedicated  November  30th,  and  a  Sab- 
bath-school organized  in  it  soon  afterward.  In  1875  the 
chapel  was  burned,  and  services  were  held  in  a  rented 
hall  at  the  corner  of  Douglass  and  Hazel  streets  until  the 
completion  of  the  present  church,  which  was  dedicated 
July  2Sth,  1875. 

The  successive  pastors  since  Rev.  Andrew  Ziegenfuss 
heve  been  Revs.  D.  A.  Medler,  J.  K.  Frehr,  Anthony 
Kindt  and  J.  Savitz.  The  present  (1879)  membership  is 
103  and  the  Sunday-school  numbers  124.  The  value  of 
the  church  property  is  $3,500. 

Zion's  Reformed  Church  Congregation. — This  congre- 
gation was  organized  January  12th,  1873.  Until  the 
year  1877  it  bore  the  name  Evangelical  Protestant  Church, 
and  stood  independent  of  any  synodical  connection. 
During  that  year  it  secured  for  itself  a  charter,  ratified  by 
the  unanimous  vote  of  the  members,  placing  it  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  East  Susquehanna  Classis  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  the  United  States. 

Cause  for  the  organization  of  this  congregation  was 
given  by  difficulties  which   had   arisen   in   the   St.  Paul's 


*^H' 


<¥ 


*':a 


236 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Evangelical  Lutheran  Congregation,  with  which  the 
Protestant  Germans  of  the  city  had  been  principally 
worshiping  for  a  long  time.  Feeling  ran  high  in  1872, 
and  parties  were  formed.  Efforts  at  reconciliation  f;.iled. 
As  a  consequence  the  pastor,  Rev.  John  Philip  Lichten- 
bcrg,  and  many  others,  organized  a  new  congregation  in 
the  basement  of  the  old  church  and  withdrew  from  the 
old  connection. 

Public  worship  was  at  first  held  in  Landmesser's  Hall, 
and  was  well  attended.  The  lot  on  South  Washington 
street  now  occupied  by  the  congregation  was  bought  for 
$4,000  from  Messrs.  Miner,  Wadhams  &  Maffitt.  The 
building  was  put  under  contract,  and  on  Sunday,  March 
29th,  1873,  at  3  Pj  M.,  the  corner  stone  was  laid.  In  the 
autumn  following  the  church  was  completed  and  conse- 
crated. The  cost  of  building  and  furnishing  the  edifice 
was  about  f8,ooo. 

The  successive  pastors,  with  their  terms  of  service, 
have  been  as  follows:  Revs.  John  Phihp  Lichtenberg, 
from  January  12th,  1873,  to  August,  1874;  John  E.  Lang, 
September,  1874,  to  December,  1875;  Rudolph  Kunz, 
January,  1876,  to  December,  1877;  Franklin  Klein  Le- 
van,  January,  1878,  to  the  present  (1880).  Rev.  Mr.  Levan 
was  called  both  by  this  congregation  and  an  English  Re- 
formed mission,  which  had  existed  a  year  past  in  the 
city.  It  was  intended  to  unite  the  two  under  the  char- 
ter of  the  older  congregation,  and  to  establish  public 
worship  both  in  the  German  and  the  English  languages; 
the  former  in  the  morning,  the  latter  in  the  evening. 
This  has  been  harmoniously  done;  and  the  growth  of 
the  congregation  in  membership  and  influence  has  since 
then  been  rapid.  The  membership  was  280  in  1879;  the 
Sunday-school  numbers  150,  and  its  library  several  hun- 
dred volumes. 

German  Evangelical  Lutheran  St.  Paul's  Congregation. 
— This  congregation  was  organized  in  the  winter  of  1845- 
46  by  Rev.  Herman  Eggers,  who  was  sent  for  that 
purpose  as  a  missionary  to  the  Wyoming  valley  by 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  ministerium  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  earliest 
members:  John  Pfeiffer,  Jacob  Bertels,  Jacob  Jacoby, 
John  Bergold,  Henry  Pleifchman,  Jacob  Mathias,  Jacob 
Jerg,  Christoph  Hilbert,  Conrad  Frey,  Jacob  Karcher, 
George  Gomer,  Justus  Reinman,  Adam  Guth,  Adam 
Andrie. 

The  congregation  worshiped  for  a  time  in  the  houses 
of  different  members  and  later,  by  permission  of  the 
county  commissioners,  in  the  court-house.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  congregation  May  24th,  1846,  plans  and  specifica- 
tions for  a  house  of  .worship  were  submitted  for  approval 
and  a  committee  were  empowered  to  purchase  a  suitable 
building  lot,  the  property  of  General  William  S.  Ross, 
situated  on  Washington  street  near  South;  and  soon  after- 
ward the  purchase  was  consummated,  at  a  cost  of  $140, 
and  a  church  erected,  which  cost  $776  and  was  conse- 
crated October  31st,  1846. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  successive  pastors 


who  have  served  the  congregation,  with  the  times  of  ser- 
vice of  each:  Revs.  Herman  Eggers,  1845-48;  A.  O. 
Brickman,  1848-50;  A.  I,achenmaier,  1851,  1852;  Joseph 
A.  Reubelt,  1S52;  J.  Schwalm,  1853,  1854;  G.  H.  Bosse- 
ler,  1854-58:  C.  M.  Jager,  1858-615  Edward  Speidel,  1861, 
1862;  Christian  Oefinger,  1862-68;  Karl  Schlenker,  1868- 
70;  J.  P.  Lichtenberg,  1871,  1872;  E.  A.  Fuenfstueck, 
1872-76,  and  Emanuel  Nidecker,  1876  to  the  present 
time  (1879). 

During  Rev.   Christian    Oefinger's   administration   the 
church  was  enlarged  and  subsequently  sold,  with  the  lot, 
and  the  present  church  property  at   the  corner  of  Main 
and  South  streets  purchased  and  improved  at  an  expense 
of  about  $3,500.     Rev.  Mr.  Oefinger  died  September  9th, 
1868,  and  was   buried  from  the  Presbyterian  church  two 
days  later,  Revs.  Haskarl,  Zizelman  and  Brobst  officiat- 
ing.    In  1872  the  congregation  built  a  parsonage  which, 
with  the  lot,  cost   $5,300.     The  lamented   Mr.   Oefinger 
also  established  a  parochial  school,  which  has  enjoyed  a 
continuous   and    prosperous    existence.       The    Sunday- 
school  was   organized   about    1863.     The   membership  is 
now  (1879)  about   125  and  there  are  350  volumes  in  the 
library. 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  St.  John. — As  far  as 
can  be  learned  no  services  of  the  Lutheran   church  had 
been  held  in  the  English  language   in  Wilkes-Barre  pre- 
vious to  the  year  1872.     In  the  autumn  of  that  year  the 
president  of  the  Lutheran  ministerium  of   Pennsylvania, 
Rev.  C.  W.  Schaeffer,  D.  D.,  authorized  Rev.  F.  F.  Buer- 
meyer,   of   Brooklyn,   N.  Y.,  to    visit   Wilkes-Barre  and 
ascertain  what  possibility  there   might  be  of   establishing 
a  congregation  of  English  Lutherans.     An    English  ser- 
vice was   held   in  the  church  of   the   German    L-itherans 
of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  at  its  close  persons  expressed  their 
willingness  to  unite  in  the  formation  of  a  mission  church, 
and  November  5th,  1872,  the  first  service  of  the  mission 
was  held  in  the  so-called  "long  room"  of    Music  Hall. 
In  the  afternoon  of  the  same   day  a  Sunday-school,  con- 
sisting of  21  scholars  and  5  teachers,  was  opened. 

The  congregation  had  been  fully  organized,  and  Rev. 
F.  F.  Buermeyer,  Henry  Hirner,  Enos  Royer,  A.  Herring, 
Lewis  Brown,  W.  G.  Stout,  Henry  Fick,  John  Spare  and 
Martin  Frey  were  appointed  its  first  board  of  officers; 
and  in  the  summer  of  1873  a  lot  at  the  corner  of 
Academy  and  River  streets  was  purchased,  and  October 
loth  the  corner  stone  of  a  house  of  worship  was  laid. 
The  plan  of  the  church  was  drawn  by  Mr.  Gustave  Heiner 
of  Philadelphia,  and  its  erection  was  the  handiwork  of 
members  of  the  congregation.  August  30th,  1874,  the 
church  was  formally  opened,  but  was  not  consecrated,  as 
there  was  still  some  debt  resting  upon  it.  The  president 
of  the  ministerium  of  Pennsylvania,  Rev.  C.  W.  Schaef- 
fer, D.  D.,  of  Germantown,  and  Rev.  E.  Greenwald,  D.  D. 
of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  assisted  the  pastor  on  that  occasion! 
The  lot  and  building  cost  $15,000,  of  which  $3,000  yet 
remam  to  be  paid.  The  church  has  76  communicants. 
The  Sunday-school  numbers  150  scholars. 


2-'-j/?-eii  t.rjitciiu XA' 


DR.  H    HAKE  S 


1^^ 


MANUFACTORIES  OF  WILKES-BARRE. 


236>^ 


i 


■   ■Jt**."'  -I, 


III  '  I  ' 


".^ 

* 

-  ^a 

p 

^ 

'i'i^^M 

..^ 

■t 

^f 

fr^ 

WYOMING    VALLEY     MANUFACTURING     COMPANY'S    BUILD- 
INGS. 

.The  history  of  the  Wyoming  Valley  Manufacturing 
Company  is  given  on  page  216.  The  buildings  of  this 
corporation,  an  illustration  representing  which  is  here 
given,  are  located  between  Hazle  avenue  and  Main  street, 
the  North  Branch  Canal  and  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  be- 
ing near  on  the  north,  and  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna 
Railroad  on  the  south,  with  a  switch  or  branch  connect- 
ing, by  which  iron,  coal  and  other  heavy  material  are 
received,  a  branch  passing  directly  through  the  machine 
shop,  enabling  the  loading,  by  means  of  cranes,  of  heavy 
machinery  on  transportation  cars. 

The  building  in  the  foreground  is  a  pattern  shop,  of 
brick,  75  by  42  feet.  Next  is  the  foundry,  also  of  brick, 
104  by  54  feet,  with  leanto  of  12  feet.  The  farthest 
building  shown  is  the  machine  shop,  a  frame  structure  165 
by  60  feet,  with  leanto  for  boilers  and  engine  room.  In 
the  rear  are  the  smith  shop,  60  by  28  feet,  and  the  boiler 
shop,  40  by  27  feet,  both  of  which  are  temporary  build- 
ings and  not  shown  in  the  engraving. 

The  tools  in  the  machine  shop  are  of  modern  design, 
and  capable  of  turning  out  work  of  the  best  character. 
The  narrow-gauge  and  mine  locomotives  and  hoisting 
and  mine  machinery  manufactured  by  this  company  art- 
extensively  known  and  widely  used. 


REICHARD    &    SONS    STEAM    BREWERY 

is  an  outgrowth  of  an  old  brewery  at  the  corner  of  River 
and  Union  streets,  built  by  one  Ingham.  From  him  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  John  Reichard  in  1834.  At 
that  time  and  up  to  1851  strong  beer,  ale  and  porter  were 
the  only  articles  manufactured.  In  1850  the  old  brewery 
was  torn  down,  and  a  new  one  built  immediately  in  the 


4-: 


\ 


'    .  r  T    Sin*    I 


I"    ■    f- 

:    [    E     |i   r   n  ,      p  r  ■ 


rear.  In  1851  lager  beer  was  first  made.  It  has  from 
that  time  constantly  increased  in  use,  until  the  manufac- 
ture of  ale,  porter,  etc.,  has  almost  ceased.  In  1S70  the 
present  brewery  was  built,  on  Water  street,  near  the 
county  prison,  in  order  to  give  such  facilities  as  a  modern 
brewery  demanded.  It  was  furnished  with  all  the  appli- 
ances that  belong  to  a  first  class  establishment.  In  1874 
John  Reichard  took  into  the  firm  George  N.  Reichard 
and  Heinrich  Stauff,  under  the  name  of  Reichards  & 
Stauff.  This  firm  lasted  until  the  fall  of  1878,  when  Mr. 
Stauff  retired  from  the  firm.  The  two  remaining  part- 
ners have  since  carried  on  the  business  as  Reichard  &. 
Son.  The  brewery  is  supplied  with  all  modern  ma^ 
chinery,  and  patent  ice-houses  and  vaults;  uses  the  Laurel 
Run  water — the  purest  that  can  be  had — and  has  a  ca- 
pacity of  25,000  barrels  per  year.  There  is  a  bottling  es- 
tablishment connected  with  it,  where  the  firm  does  its 
own  bottling. 


L 


i 

A 


,       I 


w: .! 


PRICE    &    son's 

planing  mill,  and  sash,  door  and  blind  factory,  of  which 
an  account  is  given  on  page  216,  is  the  establishment 
shown  in  the  above  cut. 


4 


*4^ 


HISTORY  OF  T,UZERNE  COUNTY. 


THF.    VUI.CAN    IRON    WORKS 

consist  of  a  machine  shop  75  by  150  feet  in  size,  a 
foundry  80  by  165  feet,  a  blacksmith  and  boiler  shop  66 
by  130  feet,  a  two-story  pattern  storehouse  40  by  50  feet, 
a  pattern  shop  connected  with  the  foundry  for  the  purpose 
of  making  their  own  patterns,  40  by  80  feet,  and  a  brass 
foundry  24  feet  square.  These  are  all  brick  buildings, 
constructed  in  the  most  substantial  manner.  They  are 
built  within  an  area  of  about  eight  acres  of  ground,  front- 
ing 400  feet  on  Main  street,  and  extending  back  634  feet 
to  the  Pennsylvania  Canal.  Tracks  and  sidings  run  into 
the  works  from  the  L.  V.  Railroad,  with  a  turntable  so  that 
cars  can  be  directed  into  any  department  of  the  establish- 
ment. The  class  of  work  turned  out  embraces  mining 
machinery  of  every  description,  such  as  coal  breakers, 
pumps,  steam  engines,  etc.;  but  their  great  specialty  is 
the  manufacture  of  steam  engines,  of  which  they  have 
made  the  most  noted  and  powerful  ones  in  use  in  the 
coal  regions. 

The  Vulcan  Iron  Works  are  also  making  an  improved 
coal  breaker,  which  is  in  great  demand.     In  this  breaker 
the  rolls  are  solid,  and   the  teeth    are    cast    steel  driven 
into  these  solid  rolls.     The  teeth  are   easily    replaced  at 
any  time,  and  being  tempered  wear  better   than  those  of 
an  ordinary  breaker.     Every  part  is  made  as  strong  and 
durable  as  possible.     The  above  may  be  called  the  regu- 
lar and  staple  work  of  the  establishment,  which  does  brass 
and  iron  casting  of  every  description  promptly  to  order, 
and  furnishes  at  the  shortest  notice  machine  work  of  all 
kinds,  large  and  small,  and  warrants  every   piece  to  give 
entire    satisfaction.     The  practical  part   of   this    compli- 
cated business  is  under  the  immediate  charge  of   the  su- 
perintendent,  Mr.  E.  H.  Jones,  the  son   of   the  original 
projector  and  founder  of  the  works.     It  is  to  his  efficien- 
cy and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  business  that  the  com- 
pany is   largely   indebted  for   its    continued    prosperity. 
The  establishment  was  kept  running  during  the  financial 
depression  known  as  the  panic,  while  most  iron  working 
concerns  were  idle. 


^— 


'1       'ni->'n,mff3,,V,^ 

-■     A    <■      ' 

.'   r  •-  r 
r  :  I 


1 


I  f. 


iDiuil 


K.ll  Ml       I 

'll   - 


r    r    r-   ft 


■;■.  '  "1  '       lniWKP'Bms''i 


•Vu  if*!' 


HUNT    &    liROTHER  S    HARDWARK    STORE. 

We  present  herewith  a  view  of  the  extensive  hardware 
establishment  of  the  firm  of  Charles  P.  Hunt  &  Brother. 
The  senior  member  of  this  r7rm,  Mr.  Charles  P.  Hunt, 
began  business  in  1859  as  clerk  with  Rutter  &  Reading. 
In  April,  1866,  he  became  junior  partner  in  that  house, 
and  in  1869  the  firm  of  Reading  &  Hunt  was  formed,  and 
began  business  at  1 14  South  Main  street.  April  ist,  1876, 
this  firm  was  succeeded  by  Charles  P.  Hunt,  who  in 
1879-80  put  up  the  building  represented  in  the  accom- 
panying cut.  In  April,  1880,  he  associated  with  him  Mr. 
Elwood  H.  Hunt,  forming  the  present  firm. 


THE    IIUILDINGS    OF    THE    niCICSON    MANUFACTURING 
COMPANY, 

whose   history  is   given   on  page  217,  are  represented  in 
the  engraving  here  given. 


Hr 


*^h 


^-i\ 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD, 

CITY   AND   TOWNSHIP    OF    WI LKES-BARRE. 


Mhs.  Hannah  C.  Ahuott,  formerly  Miss  Courtriglit,  was  born  in 
Plains,  February  7th,  1798,  and  married  John  Abbott,  a  farmer  of  that 
township,  who  was  born  in  1800  and  died  in  1881.  Her  residence  is  at  the 
corner  of  Franklin  and  Jackson  streets. 

Frederick  Ahlborn  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  February  10th, 
1831.  He  married  Mary  Stahlman,  of  his  native  State,  who  died  in  1867. 
Later  he  married  Henrietta  Teufel,  also  of  Bavaria.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Ahlborn  &  Co.,  soap  manufacturei's  and  wholesale  dealers  in 
cured  meats,  pork  and  lard. 

William  H.  Alexander  is  the  grandson  and  only  descendant  of  Cy- 
prian Hibbard,  one  of  the  v*!ry  earliest  settlers  of  the  Wyoming  valley, 
who  was  killed  in  the  massacre  of  July  3d,  1778.  He  was  the  only  child 
of  John  Alexander  and  Hannah  D.  Hibbard,  and  was  born  November 
19th.  180.'),  at  Carlisle,  Cumberland  county,  Pa.  To  that  place  William 
Alexander  came  from  the  north  of  Ireland  at  a  very  early  date.  He 
married  Maria,  daujrhter  of  Barnet  Ulp,  Esq.,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  al- 
wa>'s  lived  there,  being:  well  known  a.s  a  surveyor.  He  died  May  3nd, 
18(>4,  and  his  wife  March  Ith,  lS7i.  Of  their  se\'cn  children  three  sons 
and  two  daughters  are  living,  two  daughters  having  died.  William  Alex- 
ander was  county  surveyor,  and  aide  to  Governor  Pollock  with  the  rank 
of  colonel. 

H.  C.  Ames,  veterinary  surgeon,  was  born  in  Havana,  Cuba,  October 
4th,  1837,  and  married  Ellen  Bartlett,  of  Salem,  Mass.  During  the  war 
Mr.  Ames  served^as  surgeon  of  the  1st  Maine  cuvalrv  one  year. 

Henrv  AN.SBACHER  (residence,  Washington  street),  formerly  a  lead- 
ing jeweler,  was  born  in  Teckendorf,  Ba^'aria,  in  October,  1819.  He  has 
been  twice  married— to  Barbette  Strouse,  of  Germany,  and  to  Celia  Bo- 
denheimer,  of  Beierthal,  Baden,  Germany.  His  son,  S.  L.  Ansbacber, 
formerly  a  jeweler,  is  in  the  fancy  goods  trade  at  .50  Public  Square. 

BENJAMIN  AHMSTHUNfi,  druggist.  111  West  Market  street,  was  born  in 
England,  April  21st,  1844. 

Mrs.  Thomas  F.  Athertox,  formerly  Miss  Sarah  E.  Perkins,  was  born 
In  Wyoming,  October  19th,  lf33.  Mr.  Atherton  was  born  December  8th, 
181(i,  in  Kingston,  and  was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  for  a  num- 
ber of  ycai-s,  and  was  president  of  the  Second  National  Bank  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.    He  died  April  27th,  1870. 

J.  H.  AuTEK,  of  the  firm  Boss  &  Auten,  carpenters  and  builders,  was 
born  In  Northumberland  county.  Pa.,  February  9th,  1*40.  He  married 
Annie  M.  Diehl,  of  Danville,  Pa.  Mr.  Auten 's  residence  is  on  South  Main 
street. 

Benjamin  F.  Bailey  was  born  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  October  14th,  1797. 
Formerly  he  was  a  merchant,  tanner  and  farmer.  He  was  a  justice  of 
the  peace  under  commission  from  governors  of  the  State  for  West 
Abington  township  18.30-50,  and  by  election  1850-55,  and  now  serves  as 
alderman  for  the  10th  ward  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  married  Katharine 
Stark,  of  Jacob's  Plains. 

N.  F.  Baldbs,  wholesale  liquor  merchant,  was  born  in  Wadren,  Prus- 
sia, August  23nd,  18.50. 

P.  B.  Baldwin,  proprietor  of  the  St.  Pierre  House,  North  Main  street, 
was  born  in  Jackson  township,  September  2.5th,  1820.  He  married  Euth 
W.  Bacon,  of  Nicholson,  Wyoming  county.  Formerly  he  was  a  mill- 
wright and  bridge  builder. 

Philu'  W.  Banker,  mason  and  builder,  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, May  0th,  1833,  and  married  Martha  Elizabeth  Schmauch,  of  Hesse, 
Germany. 

GiLiiEHT  Barnes,  carpenter,  was  born  in  Stoddardsville,  Luzerne 
county,  June  1st,  1820,  and  married  Ruth  Ann  Eicke,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

NtTHAN  Barney,  blacksmith  at  the  Vulcan  Iron  Works,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  March  20th,  1837,  and  married  Emeline  Hutson,  of  Lacka- 
wanna township,  Lackawanna  county.  During  the  Rebellion  he  served 
twenty  months  in  Company  F  4th  N.  Y.  heavy  artillery. 

S.  M.  Barton,  post-office  clerk,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  March  31st, 
1823.  He  was  formerly  a  tanner  and  currier,  and  was  postmaster  of 
Wilkes-Barre  1860-fit. 

Anthony  Bauman,  a  native  of  Germany,  is  the  editor  of  the  VnVis- 
Frcund;  residence  on  Franklin  below  Sullivan  street. 

Egbert  Baur,  publisher  of  the  Dcmncratte  WMhtcr,  bookbinder  and 


stationer,  104  Main  street,  was  born  in  Uliii,  Kingdom  Wurtemburg, 
Germany,  December  25th,  1825,  and  married  Pauline  Agnes  Hassold,  of 
Craitsheim,  Wurtemburg.  They  came  to  America  in  the  fall  of  1848,  and 
located  in  Wilkes-Barre  June  llth,18.51. 

C.  A.  Becker,  potter  and  manufacturer  of  flre-brick  and  earthenware 
of  every  description.  Canal  street  above  Northampton,  was  born  in 
Sa.xony,  Germany,  May  28th,  1829,  and  married  Sarah  Ann  Suit,  of 
Berwick. 

J.  C.  Bell,  principal  of  the  Centennial  school,  Moyallen  street,  was 
born  in  Vorlc  county,  March  23d.  1850.  His  wife  was  formerly  Emma 
V.  Abbott,  of  Summit  Hill,  Carbon  county.  Pa. 

Mrs.  Charles  Bennett,  formerly  Miss  Sarah  Sly,  was  born  in  Oak- 
land county,  Mich.  Mr.  Bennett,  whose  death  occurred  August  6th, 
1866,  was  born  in  Kingston,  and  was  a  well  known  lawyer.  Mrs.  Ben- 
nett's residence  is  at  225  South  Elver  street. 

D.  S.  Bennett,  attorney  at  law,  of  the  firm  of  Bennett  i-  Wadhams, 
was  born  in  Montoursville,  Lycoming  county,  September  3d,  18.53. 

Mrs.  Ziba  Bennett,  formerlj'  Priscella  E.  Lee,  was  born  at  Nanticokc, 
November  18th,  1H5G.  She  married  the  late  Hon.  Ziba  Bennett,  who  was 
born  in  Weston,  Conn.,  November  10th,  18G0,  and  died  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
November  4th,  1878.  Mr.  Bennett  was  for  many  years  a  prominent  mer- 
chant; was  a  member  of  the  State  legislature  lS3;i-34;  in  1843  was  asso- 
ciate judge  with  Judge  Conyngham ;  was  president  of  the  Wyoming 
Bank,  the  Wilkes-Barre  Bridge  Company  and  the  Hollenback  Cemetery 
Association,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  senior  partner  in  the 
banking  firm  of  Bennett,  Phelps  &  Co. 

George  B.  Bennincj,  carpenter  at  the  Hazard  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany's factorjs  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  July  11th,  1837,  and  married 
Arabella  Gray,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  who  died  Ueocmber  12th,  1863.  His 
present  wife  was  Harriet  Hile,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

E.  L.  Betterly,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  OrangevillD,  Columbia  county. 
Pa.,  April  13th,  1832,  and  married  Matilda  Hanuner,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He 
served  as  assistimt  army  surgeon  during  the  Jlebellion  in  the  185th  New 
York  \'olunteers. 

Francis  Xavieh  Blessing,  of  the  firm  of  Blessing  &  Son,  coffee 
roasters  and  dealers  in  teas,  coffee,  spices  and  peanuts  (in  which  branch 
of  trade  Mr.  Blessing  has  been  for  twenty  years  engaged  in  Eeading, 
Pa.),  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  August  ISth,  1839,  and  married  Eosa 
Buoher,  of  Baden. 

Joseph  K.  Boojsrt,  editor  and  manager  of  the  Union  Leadcv,  was 
born  in  Huntington  township,  July  16th,  1845.  He  served  in  Captain 
Meeker's  detachment  of  the  U.  S.  signal  corps,  and  the  army  of  the 
border  in  Missouri  and  Arkansas.  Mr.  Bogert  was  elected  register 
of  wills  and  clerk  of  the  orphans'  court  in  1875.  In  1876  he  was  chairman 
of  the  Democratic  county  contmittee,  and  a  member  of  the  State  cen- 
tral eomniittee  in  1877. 

Mits.  A.  C.  Bowman  is  the  widow  of  Major  Francis  L.  Bowman,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  who  served  in  the  regular  army  and  was  killed  in  Wash- 
ington Territory  by  Indians  in  September,  1850.  Mrs.  Bowman  was 
formerly  Miss  Angeline  C.  Brobst,  of  New  Berlin, Union  county.  Pa.  Her 
residence  is  on  South  Main  street. 

Mrs.  Alexander  H.  Bow.mak,  residence  on  North  Main  street,  was 
formerly  Miss  Marie  Louise  Colin,  of  Pensacola,  Florida.  Mr.  Bowman, 
who  was  a  son  of  Captain  Samuel  Bowman,  graduated  at  West  Point 
and  served  in  the  regular  army  luitil  his  death  in  1865. 

Miss  M.  L.  Bowman  is  a  daughter  of  Isaac  Bowman,  who  came  to 
Wilkes-Barre  November  5th,  1793.  He  was  born  in  New  Braintree, 
Worcester  county,  Mass.,  where  he  lived  until  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
April  9th,  1800,  Mr.  Bowman  married  Mary  Smith  of  Wethersfleld,  Conn. 
He  held  several  offices,  both  ci\il  and  military,  serving  as  brigade  inspec- 
tor of  militia  for  several  counties,  and  was  elected  sheriff  of  Luzerne 
county  in  1820,  and  afterwards  served  two  terms  as  register  of  deeds  and 
wills.    His  death  occurred  August  Ist,  18.51. 

Samuel  W.  Boyd  was  born  in  Clifton,  Carbon  county,  Pa.,  October 
9th,  1850,  and  married  Miss  Elinor  E.  Simpson,  of  Pittston.  He  was 
formerly  a  clerk  and  Is  now  a  dealer  in  groceries  and  provisions. 

Barney  P.  Boyle,  of  the  firm  Mackin  &■  Boyle,  dealers  in  dry  goods 
and  groceries,  was  born  in  Ireland,  September  7th,  1849,  and  married 


<^. 


^^ 


236^ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


f 


Annie  Boyle,  of  Beaver  Meadow,  Carbon  county,  Pa.  Mr.  Boyle  was 
formerly  a  miner. 

Dk.  W.  H.  Bradley,  mannjing  editor  of  the  X)iH;/  Hccnvd  nf  tlii: 
Timet,  was  born  In  Catawissa,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  April  1st,  1841,  and 
married  Miss  Annie  E.  Lloyd,  of  Phoe.iixvlUe,  Chester  county.  Pa.  Dr. 
Bradley  seri'ed  as  private  in  the  1st  Pennsylvania  reserve  corps,  and  was 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at  Kichmond,  and  was  subsequently  pro- 
moted to  medical  cadet  and  assistant  surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  army.  He 
was  reading-  clerk  of  the  Pennsylvania  legislature  in  1877  and  1878,  and  is 
now  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Dansvillo  State  hospital  for  the  insane. 

Charles  S.  Bhav,  boss  mason  for  Parrish  &  Co.,  was  born  in  England, 
September  11th,  18.W,  and  married  Jennie  Macken,  who  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  August  28r.h,  1851. 

■  S.  Bristol,  formerly  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  for  many  years  a 
prominent  hotel  man  (now  proprietor  of  the  Luzerne  House),  was  born 
in  Washington,  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  July  12th,  1813,  and  married 
Elizabeth  S.  Daw,  of  Sharon,  Litchfleld  county,  Conn.  He  has  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace  four  years  and  associate  judge  five  years. 

G.  W.  Brown,  pattern  maker  in  the  employ  of  the  Central  llailroad 
Company  of  New  Jersey,  was  born  at  Great  Bend,  Pa.,  October  10th, 
1833,  and  married  Elmira  Lewis,  of  Kirkwood,  Broome  county,  N.  Y. 

S.  L.  Brown,  bookseller  and  stationer.  No.  3  Public  Square,  and  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  S.  L.  Brown  &  Co.,  wholesale  dealers  in  oil,  was 
born  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  whore  he  was  formerly  en- 
gaged in  tanning  sole  leather. 

John  P.  Bbownscombe,  dealer  in  stone,  lime  and  cement,  was  born  in 
Dundaff,  Susquehanna  county,  October  13th,  1845,  and  married  Miss  Jen- 
nie E.  Price,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

J.  M.  BuBDiCK,  shirt  manufacturer,  73  Public  S(iuare,  was  born  in 
Greenfield  township,  April  13th,  1847,  and  married  Ann  Eliza  Brown,  of 
Wilkes-Barre.    Mr.  Burdick  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  formerly. 

Edmund  Griffin  Butler,  attorney,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  June 
11th,  1845,  and  married  Clara  T.  Co.x,  of  New  York. 

Abi  S.  Butler,  whose  maiden  name  was  Slouum,  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  June  33nd,  1808.  Her  husband.  Lord  Butler,  was  a  grandson  of 
Colonel  Zebulon  Butler,  and  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  October  18th, 
1806.  He  was  a  civil  engineer,  and  was  subsequently  a  prominent  coal 
dealer.    Mr.  Butler  died  November  37th,  1883. 

B.  G.  Carpenter,  a  native  of  Pittston  township,  was  born  July  3nd, 
1827.  He  married  Miss  S.  A.  Fell,  a  granddaughter  of  the  late  Judge 
Jesse  Fell.  Mr.  Carpenter  Is  one  of  the  enterprising  hardware  and 
housef  urnjshing  merchants  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

J.  B.  Caur,  cracker  and  cake  baker,  and  formerly  a  blacksmith,  was 
born  in  Danville,  Caledonia  county,  Vt.,  October  6th,  1831,  aud  married 
Mary  E.  Haines,  of  Sandwich,  Mass. 

William  E.  Cabtwell,  foreman  of  the  boiler  shop  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad,  formerly  foreman  at  the  Kingston  shops,  was  born  in 
Carlisle,  England,  August  18th,  laTJ,  and  married  Harriet  Holroyd,  of 
Boston,  Mass.  He  served  a  year  during  the  late  war  in  Company  D 
30th  Mass.  vols. 

E.  H.  Chase,  collector  of  internal  revenue,  and  formerly  postmaster 
of  Wilkes-Barre  and  solicitor  to  the  city  council,  was  born  in  Haverhill, 
Mass.,  February  38th,  1835,  and  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Hon.  E. 
Taylor,  of  Wilkes-Bai-re.    Mr.  Chase  is  a  lawyer  by  profession. 

E.  M.  Clarke,  bookbinder,  was  born  in  Northampton,  Mass.,  .January 
3d,  1834,  and  married  Julia  M.  Huhn,  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Clarke  was 
employed  as  chief  clerk  to  the  internal  revenue  assessor  for  the  second 
district  of  Georgia  during  Andrew  Johnson's  administration,  and  has 
been  United  States  gauger. 

Peter  Conlan,  school  teacher,  residing  on  Ha/.le  avenue,  was  born  in 
Cook  county.  III.,  April  14th,  1838,  and  married  Mary  Brady,  a  native  of 
Ireland. 

David  C.  Connor,  stationary  engineer,  was  born  in  Mauch  Chunk, 
July  37th,  1835.  Hia  wife  was  formerly  Maggie  E.  Kinnoy,'of  New  York. 
Mr.  Connor  served  three  years  and  four  months  with  the  (list  Pennsyl- 
vania \olunteers during  the  Kebeliion. 

T.  K.  Connor,  superintendent  of  the  Diamond  breaker,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Tlarre,  March  30th,  1841,  and  married  M.  J.  Pruner,  of  Tunkhan- 
nock.  Pa.  He  served  in  the  01st  Pennsylvania  volunteers  three  years  and 
four  months  during  the  Uebellion. 

Stephen  S.  Conroy,  engineer,  was  born  in  "Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  May 
13th,  1851.    He  married  Sarah  Mullen,  a  ndtive  of  Ireland, 

Charles  F.  Cook,  photographer,was  born  in  Nevvburg,  N.  Y.,  March 
6th,  1834,  and  married  Mary  E.  Dailey,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  served  as 
brigade  P.  O.  in  the  3d  brigade,  1st  division,  1st  army  corps  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  in  1862. 


Miller  H.  Cooke,  foreman  machinist  at  the  Vulcan  Iron  Works,  was 
born  in  Northumberland,  Pa.,  January  3nd,  1845,  and  married  Clara  Cary, 
of  Selinogrove,  Pa.  He  served  about  ten  months  during  the  Rebellion 
in  the  1st  brigade,  1st  division,  6th  corps,  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

James  C.  Coon,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Siwdaij  JVcit'.s  DeaUr, 
Wilkes-Barre,  Soranton  and  Pittston,  le.u'ned  the  printer's  trade  at  an 
early  age,  and  when  nineteen  years  old  was  the  publisher  of  a  paper  at 
Eau  Claire,  Wis.  In  1866  Mr.  Coon  published  a  paper  in  Waterbury, 
Conn.  He  was  born  at  Saratoga  Springs,  Dooember  36th,  1843,  and  has 
been  married  twice. 

Joseph  Coons,  formerly  dealer  in  di-y  goods,  now  proprietor  of  a 
gentlemen's  furnishing  store  on  the  west  side  uf  the  public  square  (resi- 
dence, 337  Franklin  street),  was  born  in  Bavaiia,  Germany,  October  3nd, 
1817,  and  married  Hannah  Kock,  of  his  native  State. 

A.  J.  COUBSEN,  grocer,  was  born  April  36th,  1831,  in  Warren  county, 
N.  J.,  and  married  Sarah  E.  Howell,  of  the  same  county.  He  was  pre- 
tiously  engaged  in  farming. 

Harry  B.  Coubtbight,  liveryman,  formerly  in  the  grocery  business, 
was  born  in  Plainsville,  February  19th,  18.57.  He  married  C.  Ida  Wells,  of 
Wilkes-Barre. 

J.  M,  Coubtbight,  formerly  a  farmer,  now  proprietor  of  the  Court- 
right  House  (old  White  Horse  Hotel),  was  born  In  Plains  township,  Sep- 
tember 13th,  1838. 

Geobgb  Cobonway,  agent,  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England,  February 
0th,  1842,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Jones,  of  West  Pittston. 
Mr.  Coronway  formerly  led  a  seafaring  life. 

Miss  Eliza  R.  Covell,  residence  on  South  Main  street,  is  a  daughter 
of  Dr.  Edward  Covell,  a  native  of  Wilkes-Barre,  who  was  one  of  the 
early  physicians  of  the  place  and  died  at  his  residence  December  28th, 
1827. 

Philip  H.  Coyne,  warden  of  the  Luzerne  county  prison,  was  born  In 
Honesdale,  Wayne  county.  Pa-,  in  1843,  and  married  Miss  Hannah  A. 
Foley,  of  Dunmore,  Lackawanna  county.  Mr.  Coyne  was  formerly  a 
hotel  keeper  in  Scran  ton. 

Lieutenant  Henby  Cbandall,  first  lieutenant  of  the  Wilkes-Barre 
Fencibles  and  wholesale  tobacconist,  was  born  in  Denmark,  May  21st, 
1844,  and  married  Annie  K.  Bennett,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Hon.  Alonzo  L.  Cbessleb,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Carlisle,  May  8th,  1828, 
and  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1874.  He  married  Caroline  Heller, 
of  Conj'ngham  township. 

J.  M.  CBE3.SLEB,  M.  D.,  3;i  South  River  street,  was  born  in  Ccinyngham 
township,  January  37th,  1831,  and  married  Miss  E.  B.  Styles,  of  Hunting- 
ton township. 

Rev.  Henry  M.  Cbydenwise,  formerly  a  farmer,  was  born  in  Milford, 
Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  September  33d,  1840,  and  married  Sarah  W. 
Hickox,  of  Bainbridge,  N.  Y.  During  and  after  the  Rebellion  he  served 
in  the  army  as  private,  sergeant,  1st  lieutenant  and  captain,  from  Sep- 
tember, 1801,  to  January  38th,  1866. 

John  Dakin,  blacksmith,  formerly  a  carpenter,  was  born  January  38d, 
1824,  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  married  Emily  Myers,  of  Chenango  county, 
N.  Y.  During  the  late  war  he  served  nine  months  in  Company  B  179th 
Pennsylvania  volimteers. 

Chables  B.  Dana  was  born  in  Ciroleville,  Ohio,  August  13th,  1833,  and 
married  Ellen  W.  Learn,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Mr.  Dana  is  a  saddler  in  the 
employ  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company. 

D.  Davidsbubg,  jeweler,  corner  of  Main  street  and  the  public  square, 
was  born  in  Asohaffenburg,  Bavaria,  December  25th,  1838,  and  married 
Amelia  Hossman,  of  New  York.  During  the  Kebeliion  Mr.  Davidsburg 
served  si.xteen  months  in  the  Confederate  army. 

JANSON  B.  DAyENPORT,  dispatcher,  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  N.  Y., 
September  26th,  1842,  and  married  Ida  F.  Blodgett,  of  Hanover  township. 

Geoboe  W.  Da  vies,  miner,  formerly  a  mariner,  was  born  in  Carring- 
hanshire.  South  Wales,  April  17th,  1849,  and  married  Ann  Davies,  of 
Comarthonshire,  South  Wales. 

Fbank  J.  Deemeb,  formerly  a  book-keeper,  now  assistant  general 
superintendent  for  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company,  was  born  in  Klnt- 
nersville,  Bucks  counts'.  Pa.,  September  5th,  1838.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Annie  M.  Harris,  of  Wilmington,  Del.  Mr.  Deemer  served  as  sergeant 
major  of  the  133nd  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  1st  lieutenant  in  the  187th 
Pa.  volunteers. 

Henby  H.  Derr  was  born  in  Nockamixon  township,  Bucks  county. 
Pa.,  July  5th,  1839,  and  married  Mary  D.  Fell,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Mr 
Derr,  who  was  formerly  engaged  in  farming,  is  now  in  the  insurance 
business. 

William  Dickover,  bricklayer  and  contractor,  and  brick  manufac- 
turer, was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  December  15th,  1819,  and  he  marcied 
Elizabeth  J.  Olver,  of  Bethany,  Pa.    Residence  on  Ross  street 


•*€g=^ 


^h 


<\ 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD,    WILICES-BARRE. 


236  C 


James  Dilley  was  formerly  a  boat  builder,  and  is  now  a  carpenter 
and  builder.  He  was  born  in  Hanover  township,  June  4th,  1831,  and  mar- 
ried Mary  Jane  Cox,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Sylvester  Dilley,  forinerly  a  butcher  and  now  superintendent  of 
the  Empire  farm,  was  born  in  Hanover  township,  January  29th,  1823,  and 
married  Mary  Ann  Barkman,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

B.  r.  DORUANtE,  attorney  at  law,  108  South  Franklin  street,  was  born 
in  King5ton,Ausust  Uth,184fi,and  mairied  Miss  Huth  W.  Strong, of  Bath, 
Steuben  county,  N.  Y. 

I.  B.  Dow  was  born  in  Topshaw,  Orange  county,  Vt.,  January  4th, 
1808.  He  has  taught  a  private  school  since  1833.  His  wife  was  Miss  Han- 
nah W.  Fell,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

William  B.  Dow,  clerk  lor  Derr  Brothers,  was  born  January  11th 
1860,  and  married  Mary  E.  Fell,  of  PIttston.  Mr.  Dow's  residence  is  118 
South  street. 

E.  F.  DOWLIKG,  who  was  formerly  a  law  student,  is  the  principal  of 
the  Bowman  Hill  school ;  residence  on  North  River  street.  He  was  born 
in  Philadelphia,  October  1st,  1857. 

JOHK  T.  DOTLE,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  December  9th, 
1837.    He  married  Catharine  E.  Hollenbaok,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Stephen  Drum,  dealer  in  dry  goods  and  groceries,  corner  of  Main  and 
Koss  streets,  was  born  November  13th,  1838,  in.Butler,  and  married  Eliza 
Gilmore,  of  that  township. 

M.  Drumhellek,  master  mechanic,  was  born  at  Summit  Hill,  Carbon 
county.  Pa.,  July  35th,  1833,  and  married  Rhoda  Ann  Goss,  of  Hunting- 
ton. Mr.  Drumheller  has  been  with  the  Lehigh  &  Susquehanna  Railroad 
Company  under  its  present  and  former  organization  for  twenty-three 
years. 

Francis  Dunsmoke,  ot  the  firm  of  B.  G.  Carpenter  &  Co.,  carpenters 
and  plumbei'S,  and  dealers  in  stoves  and  tinware,  was  born  in  New 
York,  January  31st,  1839,  and  married  Julia  Barnes,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Samuel  Dutt,  cai-penter  and  builder,  was  born  in  Northampton 
county.  Pa.,  December  3nd,  1833,  and  married  Elizabeth  Fauoboner,  of 
his  native  country- 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Edwards,  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  (for- 
merly a  siurekeeper),  was  born  in  Llangollen,  North  Wales,  in  March, 
1825,  and  married  Miss  C.  S.  Edwards,  of  Pembroke,  South  Wales. 

Rev.  Thomas  C.  Edwards,  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Congregational 
churches  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston,  and  assistant  editor  of  "  Y  Cen- 
hawdr,"  a  Welsh  monthly,  published  in  the  interest  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  and  established  by  the  late  Rev.  Everett  Runsew,  N.  Y., 
1839,  is  a  native  of  Wales,  and  was  born  December  Uth,  1848.  He  married 
Bessie,  youngest  daughter  of  Rev.  J.  Morgan,  of  Wales. 

Mrs.  A.  H.  Bmley,  who  was  formerly  Miss  Ann  N.  Blake,  was  born 
Mai-ch  19th,  1814,  in  Jacobstown,  Burlington  county,  N.  J.,  where 
she  manned  Anthony  H.  Bmley,  who  was  born  February  22nd,  1831,  and 
was  engaged  in  the  banking  business  In  Wikes-Barre,  until  his  death 
which  occuiTcd  August  16th,  1808.  Mr.  Emley  served  three  months  dur- 
ing the  Rebellion  as  colonel  of  the  8th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

J.  C.  Encel,  druggist,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  March  39th,  1842,  and 
married  Jennie  A.  Evans,  of  Scranton,  Lackawanna  county.  Pa.  Mr. 
Engel's  place  of  business  is  at  the  corner  of  South  Main  and  Northamp- 
ton streets. 

ROBEriT  M.  Bnnis,  horse-collar  manufacturer,  was  born  in  Philade). 
phia.  Pa.,  September  11th,  1841 ;  served  in  the  United  States  navy  from 
February,  1862,  to  June,  1805,  and  married  Miss  Emma  Ludlow,  ot  Water- 
town,  N.  Y. 

John  Espy,  lawyer,  residence  on  North  I'ranklin  street  was  born 
near  Wilkes-Barre,  September  33nd,  1843.  He  married  a  descendant  of 
the  Gore  family,  well  known  among  the  pioneers  of  the  Wyoming 
valley. 

Alexander  Fahnham,  lawyer  and  late  district  attorney  of  Luzerne 
county,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Pa.,  January  13th,  18:64,  and  married 
Emily  Augusta  Dorrance,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

John  P.  Fell,  contractor  and  painter,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
July  10th,  1839.  He  served  through  the  Rebellion  in  theVth  Pennsylvania 
Reserves,  and  the  1st  Pennsylvania  Rifles,  better  known  as  the  Buck 
Tail  regiment,  which  he  joined  upon  his  second  enlistment,  and  was  a 
prisoner  at  Andersonville  and  Florence  for  a  year.  Mr.  Fell  married 
Jane  McFarlane,  of  PIttston. 

Reuben  J.  Flick,  president  of  the  People's  Bank,  was  born  in  Flicks- 
ville,  Northampton  county.  Pa.  He  was  formerly  in  the  mercantile 
business. 

Frank  Flosser,  formerly  a  merchant  at  the  corner  of  Canal  and 
Jackson  streets,  and  for  some  time  past  proprietor  of  a  hotel  at  No.  39 
Public  Square,  was  born  in  Germany,  July  21st,  1843;  came  to  Wilkes- 


Barre  May  20th,  1857;  and  married  Margaretta  Turkes,  March  10th,  1867. 
He  served  in  the  9th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  from  August  16th,  1861,  to 
August  20th,  1863,  and  re-enlisted  in  the  13th  United  States  infantry 
September  21st,  1862,  and  served  until  discharged  at  Fort  Leavenworth, 
September  21st,  1865.    He  was  city  auditor  1873-75. 

C.  D.  Foster,  a  member  of  the  bar  of  Wilkes-Barre,  was  born  in 
Dallas,  November  33th,  1836,  and  is  the  only  child  of  Phineas  Nash  Foster 
and  Mary  Foster.  He  married  Mary  J.  Hoagland,  of  Newark,  N.  J.  He 
was  brought  up  on  a  farm.  He  has  been  a  notary  public  nine  years,  and 
a  member  of  the  Home  Guard. 

H.  C.  Fry,  who  has  been  a  member  of  the  city  council  fourteen  years, 
and  is  a  well-known  mason,  builder  and  contractor,  was  born  in  Hunt- 
ington county.  Pa.,  August  17th,  1827,  and  married  Ellen  R.  Phillips,  of 
Plains  township. 

Mrs.  M.  M.  Fuller,  formerly  Maria  M.  Mills,  was  born  in  Litchfield 
county.  Conn.,  and  married  Amzi  Fuller,  of  that  county.  Mr.  Fuller, 
who  was  a  lawyer,  died  September  26th,  1847.  Their  only  child,  Henry 
Mills  Fuller,  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  June  3d,  1820.  He  adopted  his 
father's  profession,  and  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  and  to  Congress 
two  terms.    He  died  in  Philadelphia,  December  26th,  1859. 

John  Gaqion,  locomotive  engineer,  was  born  in  Ireland,  June  11th, 
1849,  and  married  Wilfred  Campbell,  of  his  native  isle.  He  served  three 
yeai-s  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  in  Company  A  7th  regiment  Con- 
necticut volunteers. 

Horatio  C.  Gates,  iron  and  brass  founder  and  pattern  maker  (former- 
ly a  railroad  conductor),  was  born  in  Kingston,  October  3nd,  1826,  and 
married  Jane  A.  Hunter,  of  Kingston. 

J.  C.  Geyer,  teacher,  was  born  in  Bedford  county.  Pa.,  in  1841,  and 
married  Miss  Mattie  Price,  of  Neosho,  Mo.  Mr.  Geyer,  while  living  in 
Newton  county.  Mo.,  was  elected  superintendent  of  schools  and  deputy 
clerk  of  the  courts  of  that  county.  He  served  as  adjutant  of  the  55th 
Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Richard  H.  Gibbons,  M.  D.,  216  South  Washington  street,  was  born  in 
Honesdale, Wayne  county,  July  23th,  1851,  and  married  Rosa  V.  Brannon, 
of  that  county.  Dr.  Gibbons,  graduated  from  the  medical  department 
of  the  university  of  Pennsylvania,  in  March,  1874.  Before  he  began 
practising  in  Wilkes-Barre  he  was  a  resident  of  Plymouth. 

Matthew  Gilliqan  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township.  Carbon  county, 
April  2nd,  184-3,  and  married  Ellen  McDonald,  of  Ayrshire,  Scotland, 
Mr.  Gilligan,  who  is  now  engaged  in  teaching,  was  formerly  an  engineer. 

M.  J.  Gilligan,  stationary  engineer,  was  born  September  15th,  1841,  at 
Beaver  Meadow,  Pa-  During  the  war  he  served  in  Company  A  8th 
Pennsylvania  volunteers.  Mr.  Gilligan  married  Bridget  Nealon,  a  native 
of  Canada. 

Patrick  M.  Gilligan,  dealer  in  groceries  and  provisions,  Hazle 
street,  was  formerly  engaged  as  a  stationary  engineer.  He  was  born  in 
County  Sligo,  Ireland,  April  39th,  1845,  and  married  Maria  Reap,  of 
Scranton. 

Jacob  Goeltz,  foreman,  residence  Wells  street,  was  born  in  Ann- 
weller,  December  3d,  1840.  He  served  three  months  with  the  8th  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers,  and  afterward  enlisted  in  the  13th  U.  S.  infantry, 
in  which  he  served  three  years.  Mr.  Goeltz  is  a  carpenter  by  trade. 
His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  L.  Landmesser,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 

W.  C.  Gregory,  bookkeeper,  was  born  in  Muhlenburg,  .Tune  33nd 
18-51.    He  was  formerly  a  clerk. 

John  T.  Griffith,  county  treasurer,  was  born  December  35th,  1834,  in 
Wales,  and  married  Mary  Roberts,  also  of  Wales.  Mr.  Griffith  was 
formerly  general  superintendeot  for  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal 
Company. 

WiiLLiAM  Griffiths,  carpenter  and  builder, was  born  in  Aberystwyth, 
Wales,  September  .30th,  1845,  where  he  married  Mary  Morgans.  Resi- 
dence, Canal  street,  near  Market. 

ZiBA  Gruver,  a  life-long  resident  of  Wilkes-Barre,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 31st,  1823.  He  has  been  employed  as  teamster  for  Parrish  &  Co.  for 
twenty-five  years.  Mr.  Gruver  married  Eunice  Blodgett,  of  Hanover 
township. 

George  W.  Guthrie,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  born  in  Guthrie- 
^^lle,  Chester  county.  Pa.,  January  38th,  1845,  and  married  Sarah  Hollen- 
baok Wright,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Hon.  Harry  Hakes,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Delawai'e  county,  N.Y.,  June 
10th,  1835,  and  in  1849  was  married  to  Maria  E.  Dana,  of  Nanticoke,  who 
died  the  same  year,  and  he  subsequently  married  Harriet  L.  Lape,  of 
Nanticoke.  Dr.  Hakes  continued  his  practice  of  medicine  and  surgery 
thirteen  years,  but  for  the  last  twenty  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law.  He  was  elected  a  member  ot  the  Pa.  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives lor  the  sessions  of  1864  and  1863. 

Isaac  P.  Hand,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Berwick,  Columbia 
county,  April  5th,  1843,  and  married  Mary  E.  Richardson,  of  Waverly, 


M^ 


41 


'Ht 


27,6  D 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Pa.    During-  1868  and  1869  Mr.  Hand  served  ns  clerk  of  the  common 
council  of  Scranton. 

Garbick  M.  Haeding,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Exeter,  July  13th, 
1830,  and  married  Maria  M.  Slosson,  who  died  in  1807,  a  resident  of  Kent, 
Litchfield  county.  Conn.  Mr.  Harding  served  as  district  attorney  of 
Luzerne  county  from  December  1st,  1838,  to  December  1st,  1861;  and  as 
president  judge  of  the  Uth  judicial  district  of  Pennsylvania  from  July 
12th,  1870,  to  January  1st,  1880,  when  he  resigned. 

Colonel  Thomas  Chaig  Harkness,  formerly  mine  superintendent, 
now  mine  contractor,  served  three  months  in  the  8th  Pennsylvania  vol- 
unteers, and  enlisting  a  second  time  was  commissioned  captain  of  Com- 
pany H  81st  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  afterward  promoted  to  the 
colonelcy  of  the  regiment.  He  served  until  March,  1861,  when  he  was 
discharged  on  account  ot  wounds  received.  Mr.  Harkness  was  born 
September  12th,  1821,  in  Renfrewshire,  Scotland,  where  he  max-ried  Agnes 
Morton. 

James  D.  Harris,  county  commissionei-,  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  Oc- 
tober 17th,  1840,  and  married  Sarah  Hughes,  of  Drum's,  Pa.  Mr.  Harris, 
who  has  been  a  farmer  and  United  States  mail  agent,  served  two  years 
during  the  late  war  in  the  6th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  Colonel  K.  Rush 
commanding,  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

C.  A.  HARjtisoN,  dealer  in  fancy  goods  and  millinery  (formerly  for 
eleven  years  clerk  for  Jonas  Long,  and  in  187.5  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Harrison  4- Tuck),  was  born  in  Huntington  township,  November  13th, 
1844,  and  married  Henrietta  E.  Bechee,  of  liath,  Noithampton  countj'. 
Pa. 

John  Haht,  engineer,  was  born  in  Ireland,  Fcbruai-y  Uih,  1827,  and 
married  Mary  McDonald,  of  Wilkes-Darre. 

W.  B.  Harroweh,  formerly  a  lumberman,  now  a  dealer  in  oils,  was 
born  in  Williamsport,  in  1848,  and  married  Miss  Alva  F.  Titcomb,  of  Au- 
gusta, Mo. 

Jameson  Harvey  was  born  in  Plymouth,  January  1st,  1790,  and  mar- 
ried Mai-y  Campbell,  ot  Hanover.  Defore  retiring  from  active  employ- 
ment Mr.  Harvey  was  engaged  in  farming  and  lumbering. 

L.  T.  Harvey,  liveryman,  residence  on  Northampton  street,  was  born 
io  Wilkes-Barre,  Julj'  7th,  1853.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Dora 
Horton,  is  also  a  native  of  the  city. 

Olin  p.  Harvey,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Kingston,  September  28th,  1840, 
and  married  Miss  S.  J.  Smith,  of  Pittston.  He  graduated  at  Lafayette 
College  in  1871,  receiving  the  degree  ot  A.  D.,  and  from  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1878.  Dr.  Harvey  was 
president  of  the  board  of  control  of  public  schools  for  the  3d  district  of 
the  city  of  Wilkes-narre  in  1875-76,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
same  board  from  1875  to  the  present  time. 

Oscar  J.  Harvey,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Wjlkes-Barre,  Sep- 
tember 2nd,  1862.  He  received  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  at  Lafayette  College, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1871.  In  1872-73  Mr.  Harvey  was  professor 
of  mathematics  and  higher  English  at  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston. 
He  was  the  captain  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  Fencibles  in  1878. 

F.  J.  Helfrich,  dealer  in  general  merchandise,  548  South  Main  street, 
was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  April  19th,  1822.  His  wife  was  formerly 
Mary^Harter,  ot  Reading,  Pa. 

George  Heller,  agent  of  the  Central  Express  Company,  was  born  in 
Allentown.  Pa.,  November  4th,  1849,  and  married  Ella  J.  Bush,  of  his 
native  place. 

William  H.  Heuuert,  wholesale  and  retail  grocer,  was  born  in  Car- 
"bondale,  Lackawanna  county,  and  married  Miss  E\a  D.  Lynch,  of 
Wilkes-Barre.  He  served  three  years  during  the  late  war  in  Company 
G  77th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Thomas  Heslop,  blacksmith  at  the  Vulcan  Iron  Works,  was  born  in 
Hartlepool,  England,  October  11th,  1338,  and  married  Mary  Ann  Brown, 
of  York,  England. 

T.  S.  HiLLARD,  merchant,  was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  July  10th,  1829, 
and  married  Miss  E.  J.  Eeynolds,  of  Elmira,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Hillard  was  for- 
merly a  civil  engineer. 

H.  Baker  Hillman,  coal  operator,  was  born  in  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.,  in 
1834,  and  is  well  known  throughout  the  anthracite  coal  region. 

H.  C.  HiRNEK,  marble  manufacturer,  was  born  in  Germany,  April 
:  5th,  1836,  and  married  Sarah  Ann  Hawk,  of  Newport  township. 

H.  HoFFHEiMBRis  the  proprietor  of  the  Kej-stone  Clothing  House,  120 
West  Market  street. 

J.  W.  HOLLEN BACK,  real  estate  agent,  was  born  in  Wyaluslng,  Brad- 
ford county,  Pa.,  March  )3th,  1827.  He  married  Amelia  Beard,  of  Suf- 
fern,  N.  Y. 

John  M.  Hollenback  is  a  lifelong  resident  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  L.  Siekmiller,  who  is  also  a  native  of  the  city.  He  was  a 
contractor. 


Mrs.  J.  W.  Horton,  whose  maiden  name  was  Sarah  Gates,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  March  21st,  1810,  and  married  John  W.  Horton,  of  Wilkes- 
Bari'e.  He  was  born  November22nd,  1814,  was  employed  as  station  agent 
and  mail  contractor,  and  died  April  1st,  1876. 

Robert  Hu.mphbeys,  a  native  of  Denbighshire,  North  Wales,  was 
born  June  13th,  ia!3,  and  when  four  years  old  came  to  America  with  his 
parents,  who  settled  in  Schuylkill  countj',  Pa.  He  married  Catherine 
Keai'steter,  of  Sugar  Valley,  Center  county,  and  came  to  Luzerne  county 
as  chief  engineer  of  the  Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal  Company,  becoming 
a  resident  of  Wilkes-Burre  in  1873. 

Frances  S.  Hutson,  formerly  Miss  March,  was  born  in  Bi-istol,  Eng- 
land, February  8th,  1817,  and  married  James  Hutson,  of  Essex,  England, 
who  was  born  January  5th,  1810;  became  to  America,  was  engaged  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  trade  in  New  York,  located  in  Wilkes-Barre  in  1841,  and 
died  April  31st,  1875. 

Charles  F.  Ingham,  M.  D.,  civil  and  mining  engineer,  was  born  in 
Philadelphia,  Aujiust  13th,  1810,  and  married  Lucy  Bemet,  of  Norwich, 
Conn.  Dr.  Ingham  was  formerly  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession. 

W.  V.  Ingham,  oh'il  engineer,  was  born  in  Wilkcs-liarre,  July  21st, 
1846,  and  married  Miss  Kate  Bowman,  of  that  city.  Ho  has  served  as 
street  commissioner  three  years. 

D  C.  Jeremy,  for  thirty  yeai's  a  dealer  in  dry  goods  and  gi-oceries, 
was  born  in  Wales,  county  of  Caermarthen,  January  13th,  183:1.  His  wife 
was  formerly  Elizabeth  Leurs,  of  Breeonshire,  South  Waies. 

Charles  H.  Johnson,  liveryman.  Fell  street,  between  Northampton 
and  Simth,  was  born  in  Bucks  county.  Pa.,  April  20th,  1834,  and  was  for- 
merly a  carpenter  and  plnning-nnll  proprietor.  He  married  Kuth  Ann 
Alkins,  of  Wilki'S-Barre. 

David  Jonathan,  inside  superintendent  of  the  Diamond  shaft,  was 
born  July  10th,  1841,  in  Brynmawr,  South  Wales.  His  wife,  who  is  a 
native  of  Merthjr  Tydvil,  South  Wales,  was  formerly  Jtachel  Abraham. 

Jonathan  H.  Jones,  merchant  (formerly  a  miner),  was  born  in  Rhan- 
dermevyn,  Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales,  March  22nd,  1840,  and  mar- 
ried Mary  Evans,  also  a  native  of  Caermarthenshire. 

Joseph  S.  JttNES,  machinist,  Slicrman  street,  was  born  in  Camden, Pa. 

Lewis  S.  Jones,  inside  foreman,  was  boi-n  in  Cardiganshire,  Wales, 
February  2.3d,  1828,  and  married  Ann  Meredith,  ot  Moulgomeryshire, 
Wales. 

Mrs.  Richard  Jones,  formerly  Miss  Lovina  Blatkman,was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  March  4th,  1811.  Her  husband,  who  was  the  foimder  of 
the  Vulcan  Iron  Works,  was  a  native  of  AVales.  His  death  occurred 
January  17th,  1874. 

Stephen  Olin  .Tones,  who  has  been  city  clerk  since  November  141  h, 
1870,  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  August  19th,' 
1843,  and  was  married  to  Florence  Estelle  Barnes,  of  Wilkes-Barre  Sep- 
tember 13th,  1875. 

N.  P.  Jordan,  hatter,  205  West  Market  street,  was  born  in  Hillsdale, 
N.  Y.,  November  15th,  1844.  His  wife  was  Ellen  E.  Blake,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre. 

William  Kaiser,  tinsmith  and  plumber,  and  inventor  of  Kaiser's 
iron  hydrant,  patented  in  1877,  and  manufactured  by  J.  M.  E\-erhurt,  of 
Scranton,  was  born  in  Eiseuberg,  Rhine  province,  Bavaria,  January  21.st, 
1841,  and  married  Sallie  A.  Meixell,  of  Hamilton  township,  Monroe 
county.  Pa.  During  the  Rebellion  he  served  as  musician  in  Company  G 
8th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  in  the 9th  Pennsyhania  (Lochiel)  ea^•- 
alry  band,  and  as  sergeant  in  Company  C  48th  Pennsyl\-ania  volunteers 
during  the  Gettj'sburg  campaign. 

Harry  Kaschenhach  Is  ason  of  Peter  ICnschenbach,  furniture  dealer 
338  Main  street.  ' 

W.  P.  KiRKENDALL,  retired  lumbei-mau,  resides  at  123  Welles  street 
He  was  bora  in  Dallas  township,  April  Uth,  1843,  and  married  Olive  A 
Patterson,  of  White  Haven.  He  was  elected  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county 
in  1874,  and  served  three  yeai-s  as  a  member  of  the  city  council. 

Conrad  Klipplb,  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  boots  and  shoes,  1.54 
South  Main  street,  was  born  in  Frankfort-on-the-Main.  Germany  and 
came  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1840,  where  he  married  Mary  Ann  Hutchins. 

O.  Knecht,  teacher,  was  born  in  Northampton  county.  Pa.,  November 
19th,  1844,  and  married  Miss  Lizzie  Cassed.w  of  Sugar  Notch. 

Frank  D.  Koons,  proprietor  of  the  Bristol  House,  was  born  in  Har- 
\eyville,  October  13th,  1864,  and  married  Miss  Josephine  Chase,  daughter 
ot  Joseph  Chase,  of  Scranton.    Mr.  Koons  was  formerly  u  bank  teller. 

Joseph  Kraft,  merchant  tailor,  residence  2.52  Washington  «treet  was 
born  in  Geimany,  October 31st,  1832.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  s'ai-ah 
Harter,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

George  P.  KuLP,  attorney  at  law,  and  editor  and  publisher  of  the 
Luzam  Legal  Register,  was  boin  in  Reamstown,  Lancaster  county,  Pa. 


Hh 


+ 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD,   WILKES-BARRE. 


2365 


February  Uth,  1839,  and  married  Mary  E.  Stewart,  of  Lackawanna.  Mr. 
Kulp  has  served  six  years  as  register  of  wills  of  Luzerne  county,  eleven 
years  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  as  U. 
S.  assessor  four  years.  For  the  past  four  years  he  has  been  a  member  of 
the  city  council. 

L.  B.  Landmesseh,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Ashley,  Mai-ch  6th, 
1850.    His  residence  is  on  South  street. 

Lewis  Landmesser,  rntired  coal  operator,  was  born  in  Prussia,  Ger- 
many, June  15th,  1833.  He  married  Margaret  Grunley,  an  Enelishwoman, 
who  died  in  September,  18«1.  His  present  wife  was  Philipena  Matthias, 
of  Germany.    Residence  310  South  street. 

Mrs.  a.  C.  Lanino  was  a  daughter  of  Charles  J.  Christel,  a  Bavarian, 
who  settled  eai'ly  in  Salem  township.  Mr.  AugustusC.  Laning,  for  many 
years  and  until  his  death  known  as  one  of  the  leading  manufacturers  and 
business  men  of  the  county,  was  a  native  of  Owego,  N.  Y.  He  came  to 
Wilkes-Barre  many  years  since  and  engaged  in  enterprises  elsewhere 
referred  to.  Late  in  life  he  was  the  president  of  the  Miners'  Savings 
Bank.    He  died  May  39th,  1875. 

John  Laning  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  October  7th,  1836.  His  wife, 
who  was  Miss  Helen  C.  Brower,  is  a  native  of  New  Orleans. 

John  S.  Law,  a  son  of  Archibald  Law,  was  born  in  Dumfriesshire, 
Scotland,  February  8tb,  1826,  and  in  1830  came  with  his  parents  to  Car- 
bondale,  Lackawanna  countv.  Mr.  Law,  who  was  formerly  in  the  mer- 
cantile business,  is  the  president  of  the  Miners'  Savings  Bank.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Elizabeth  Shafer  of  Pittston. 

A,  L.  Le  Grand,  machinist,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  August  16th, 
1856.  He  is  employed  in  the  Empire  shops,  and  resides  with  his  father, 
Washington  Le  Grand,  on  Sheridan  street  near  Northampton. 

Lewis  Le  Grand,  wagon  manufacturer,  a  native  of  Providence,  K.  I., 
was  born  January  13th,  1818.  He  married  Ellen  Lyons  of  Plains  town- 
ship. 

JosiAH  Lewis,  gi-ocer,  public  square,  residence  on  North  street  (for- 
merly a  tanner  and  currier),  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  November  18th, 
1815,  and  married  Miss  Arabella  Chahoon,  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Decem- 
ber 9th,  1819. 

Major  George  R.  Lennard,  merchant,  West  Market  street,  served 
six  years  in  the  IT.  S.  service.  He  was  first  captain  of  Company  A,  52nd 
Pa.  volunteers,  which  he  organized,  and  was  subsequently  promoted  to 
the  office  of  major  of  that  regiment.  He  also  served  as  commissary  of 
musters,  and  in  the  pay  department  at  a  later  date.  Mr.  Lennard  was 
born  in  Philadelphia,  March  27th,  1827,  and  married  Miss  S.  M.  Sago,  of 
Pleasant  Valley,  Conn. 

C.  H.  Leonard,  speculator.  South  Franklin  street,  was  born  in  Hones- 
dale,  May  13th,  1841,  and  married  Miss  Kate  Heichard,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 
He  was  for  a  number  of  years  superintendent  of  the  Riverside  and  Forty 
Fort  coal  companies. 

Rev.  Franklin  Klein  Lev  an,  pastor  of  the  Zion's  Reformed  Church, 
was  born  in  Maxatawny,  Berks  county,  Pa.,  July  15th,  1831.  He  married 
Sarah  Ann  Ermentrout,  of  Reading,  Pa. 

George  A.  Lohman,  proprietor  of  a  hotel  and  restaurant,  230  East 
Market  street,  was  born  in  Germany,  November  17th,  1850,  and  married 
Caroline  Schimpft,  of  .Scranton. 

W.  D.  LOOMIS,  formerly  soliciting  agent  for  the  Philadelphia  &  Rend- 
ing Railroad  Compony,  and  at  one  time  employed  in  the  paymaster's 
department  on  the  U.  S.  Sloop  Granite  in  the  north  Atlantic  blockading 
squadron,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  August  18th,  1844,  and  married  F. 
Eva  Stewart,  of  Old  Forge,  Lackawanna  county. 

Edward  S.  Loop,  retired,  formerly  for  more  than  twenty-one  years 
cashier  of  the  Wyoming  National  Bank,  was  born  in  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  Feb- 
ruary llfh,  1823,  and  married  Cornelia  B.  French,  of  Plymouth.  He  was 
married  a  second  time,  to  Harriet  A.  Lander,  of  Nowburgh,  N.  Y. 

Henry  Luft  (formerly  a  machinist),  grocer  and  milk  dealer,  122  South 
Franklin  street,  was  born  in  Germany,  January  34th,  1837.  He  married 
Miss  Eliza  Schmalz,  a  native  of  Buren,  Switzerland. 

Henry  S.  Mack  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  June  30th,  1833,  and  mar- 
ried Ann  Eliza  Barnes,  also  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Mr.  Mack  served  nine 
months  as  assistant  engineer  on  the  U.  S.  steamer  Sassacus  during  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion,  and  is  now  employed  as  foreman  of  the  Empire 
machine  shop. 

Thomas  Mackin  (formerly  an  engineer),  clerk  for  Mackin  i-  Boyle, 
grocers,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  May  Uth,  1851. 

S.  McCarragher,  attorney  at  law  (r-etired),  was  born  in  Princeton,  N. 
J.,  November  10th,  1818,  and  married  Eliza  G.  Simpson,  of  Covington 


township.    He  was  district  attorney  under  Governor  Shonk,  and  was 
clerk  of  the  courts  from  1849  to  1853. 

John  Mahony  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  December  10th,  1833,  and 
married  Miss  0.  T.  Lafferty,  of  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  April  20th,  1863. 
He  came  to  Plains  township  in  March,  1861,  and  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1870. 
He  is  a  wholesale  liquor  dealer  in  the  8th  ward  and  a  grocer  in  the  Ist. 
He  is  serving  his  fourth  term  as  city  councilman. 

W.  H.  Marov,  merchant,  residence  276  Main  street,  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  October  1st,  1836,  and  married  Susan  A.  Stone,  of  Salem,  Wayne 
county.  Pa. 

Mrs.  Volney  L.  Maxwell,  whose  maiden  name  was  Lydia  M.  Haines, 
was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  July  25th,  18l3,^nd  resides  on  South  Franklin 
street.  Mr.  Maxwell,  who  was  a  well  known  attorney,  was  born  in 
Montgomery  county,  N.  Y.,  June  25th,  1804,  and  died  January  4th,  1873. 

Hugh  McCullough,  proprietor  of  a  stone  quarry,  was  born  in  Leb- 
anon county.  Pa.,  March  4th,  1838,  and  married  Ellen  J.  Kersler,  of 
Union  county.  Pa. 

Henry  McDonald,  Washington  near  Market  street,  was  born  in 
Hazleton,  July  13th,  1850,  and  married  Miss  Jennie  Williamson,  of  Ash- 
ley.   He  was  previously  employed  as  clerk. 

William  S.  McLean,  attorney  and  solicitor  for  the  city  since  1874,  was 
born  at  Summit  Hill,  Carbon  county.  Pa.,  May  37th,  1843,  and  married 
Annie  S.  Roberts,  of  Philadelphia. 

George  Medway,  spring  maker  at  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  shops, 
was  born  in  Doi'setshii-e,  England,  September  29th,  1837,  and  married 
Elizabeth  Earsterling,  of  Devonshire,  England. 

Charles  B.  Metzger,  confectioner,  and  since  January  1st,  1880,  chief 
engineer  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  fire  department,  was  born  in  Lewisburg, 
Union  county.  Pa.,  November  29th,  1839,  and  married  Annie  M.  Flack, 
of  his  native  place. 

Roger  Miller,  carpenter  and  builder,  501  South  Main  street,  was 
born  In  Wilkes-Barre,  December  18th,  1832,  and  married  Lydia  McMillan, 
of  Ransom  township.  He  served  in  the  State  militia  during  n  part  of 
the  late  war  and  afterwards  in  the  Pa.  volunteers. 

Joseph  B.  Miller  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1829,  and  came  to 
America  in  1848.  He  graduated  at  the  Royal  Polytechnic  school  of 
Bavaria.  After  arriving  at  New  York  he  found  employment  at  the 
Acton  mills,  at  Cohoes  Fulls,  N.  Y.  In  1850  he  removed  to  Jersey  City 
and  worked  as  machinist  and  draughtsman  at  the  Fulton  foundry.  In 
October,  1853,  he  went  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  worked  as  a  machinist. 
In  1855  he  came  to  Wilkes-Barre,  and  was  employed  by  Richard  Jones  as 
machinist  and  draughtsman.  In  1859  he  went  to  Montgomery,  Ala. 
March  26th,  1860,  he  married  Lillian  Feuerstein,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He 
was  master  of  construction  in  building  iron  furnaces  and  rolling  mills 
in  Shelby  county,  Ala.  Returning  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1863,  he  was  em- 
ployed asforeman  by  the  Wyoming  Valley  Manufacturing  Company,  and 
in  February,  1871,  by  Mr.  Richard  Jones  as  draughtsman  of  the  Vulcan 
Iron  Works.  Mr.  Miller  is  the  inventor  and  patentee  of  the  I'eclprocat- 
ing  coal  breaker  and  an  improvement  in  mill  grates. 

William  F.  Moffett,  timer,  now  foreman  in  the  shop  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad  Company,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Lackawanna  county, 
November  25th,  1853,  and  married  Mary  E.  McCann,  of  Scranton. 

J.  A.  MONTZ,  dealer  in  pictures  and  picture  frames,  formerly  a  dry 
goods  merchant  in  Hazleton,  was  born  at  Lehighton,  Carbon  county. 
Pa.,  September  25th,  1816. 

I.  H.  Moore,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  January  31st,  1843,  and 
married  Martha  J,  Lueder,  of  Hanover  township. 

R.  R.  Morgan,  superintendent  of  Franklin  colliery,  was  born  at 
Port  Deposit,  Md.,  in  September,  1831,  and  married  Miss  Barnet,  of 
Easton,  Pa. 

Hugh  Murray,  general  contractor,  residence  on  Northampton 
street,  was  born  in  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  May  IBth,  1831,  and  married  Eliza- 
beth Morton,  of  Renfrew,  Scotland. 

Charles  Nelson  carries  on  the  business  of  a  shipping  agent. 

Rev.  Dennis  O'Haran,  residence  315  South  Washington  street,  is 
pastor  of  St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

Alexander  P.  O'Malley,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  born  in  West- 
port,  County  Mayo,  Ireland,  October  33nd,  1851. 

Hon.  D.  L.  O'Neill  was  born  in  Port  Deposit,  Md.,  December  10th, 
1835,  and  married  Annie  McDonald,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  was  formerly  a 
teacher,  is  now  a  practising  attorney,  and  has  represented  his  district  in 
the  State  Legislature. 


*^N= 


4. 


t^^ 


2z6F 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Lewis  C.  Paine,  dealer  in  provisions  and  oils,  was  born  March  28th, 
1827,  in  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.  His  first  wife  was  Mary  Campbell  Lee,  of 
Nantiooke,  and  his  second  Annie  Scott  Lee.  of  Chester  county. 
Pa.  Mr.  Paine  was  formerly  a  merchant,  was  a  dealer  in  coal, 
in  1850-52  was  purser  on  the  California  mail  steamers,  and  was  at 
different  times  president  of  the  Ashley  Savings  Bank  and  the  Vulcan 
Iron  Works.  He  is  a  son  of  Captain  Jedediah  Paine,  of  Truro,  Mass., 
who  at  the  time  of  his  death  and  for  many  years  previous  was  a  ship- 
master out  of  the  port  of  New  York,  and  was  a  lineal  descendant  of 
Thomas  Paine,  who  landed  from  England  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  in  1621. 

E.  H.  Painter,  attorney,  formerly  a  school  teacher,  was  born  in  Free- 
port,  Armstrong  county.  Pa.,  February  23nd,  1844,  and  married  Margaret 
Marr  Derr,  of  Lewisburg,  Pa.  He  has  served  as  deputy  register  of  wills 
for  Luzerne  county. 

Thomas  C.  Parker,  watchmaker  and  designer,  was  born  at  Calmore 
Lodge,  St.  George's  Terrace,  Birmingham,  England,  March  9th,  1848.  He 
was  editor  of  the  EDenino  Star,  a  temperance  paper,  in  1868  and  1869,  su- 
perintendent of  the  Sunday-school  at  the  Soldiers'  Home  1868-72,  and  has 
superintended  the  Hazle  street  mission  school-house  since  1876.  He  was 
2nd  lieutenant  of  the  Wyoming  artillerists  1875-77,  and  since  1877  has  been 
captain. 

F.  B.  Parrish,  mining  engineer  for  the  Lehigh  &  Wilkes-Barre  Coal 
Company,  was  born  in  New  York,  November  29th,  1851,  and  married  Miss 
Ella  D.  Reets,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

G.  H.  Parrish,  superintendent  of-  the  Lehigh  &  Wilkes-Barre  Coal 
Company, was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre  in  1830,  and  married  Charlotte  Brown, 
of  Newark,  N.  J. 

John  S.  Pfouts,  M.  D.  (for  four  years  after  the  close  of  the  war  ex- 
amining surgeon  for  pensions),  was  born  in  Jersey  Shore,  Pa  ,  July  13th, 
1829,  and  married  Klizabeth  Denison  Reilay,  of  Wyoming. 

Charles  Pike,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Wyoming  county.  Pa., 
February  1st,  1830. 

John  P.  Pollock,  deputy  treasurer  of  Luzerne  county,  was  born  in 
Corning,  N.  Y.,  February  eth,  1850. 

L.  Praetorius,  teacher  of  music,  was  born  in  New  Bavaria,  Germany, 
in  1828.  He  served  as  band  master  and  lieutenant  in  Company  D,  9th 
Pa.  cavalry  during  the  latter  part  of  the  late  war. 

George  N.  Reichard,  brewer,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  October 
13th,  1834,  and  married  Grizzy  E.  Gilchrist,  of  that  city.  He  served  for 
three  months  in  the  8th  Pa.  volunteers  at  the  beginning  of  the  late  war, 
later  as  captain  in  the  143d  Pa.  volunteers  and  was  promoted  to  be 
lieutenant  colonel  of  that  regiment  and  ser^'ed  as  such  to  the  close  of 
the  war. 

Mrs.  E.  B.  Reynolds  (formerly  Miss  Elizabeth  B.  Hancock)  was 
born  in  Kingston,  September  9th,  1824,  and  married  Joshua  Fuller  Rey- 
nolds (son  of  Benjamin  Reynolds),  pf  Plymouth,  who  was  born  in  April, 
1814,  and  died  May  1st,  1874.  He  was  successively  a  farmer,  a  merchant 
and  a  coal  operator. 

G.  M.  Reynolds  was  born  in  Kingston  in  July,  1838. 

Elijah  Richards  is  a  son  of  William  and  a  grandson  of  David  Rich- 
ards, an  early  settler  from  Conneticut.  He  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
December  4th,  1822,  and  married  Phebe  Ann  Carpenter,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Carpenter,  an  immigrantfrom  England.  Mr.  Richards  has  been 
successively  a  farmer,  miller  and  carpenter,  and  is  employed  in  the  repair 
shops  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey.  During  the  Rebellion  he 
served  a  year  and  a  half  in  the  9th  Pa.  cavalry. 

John  Rinehimer,  foreman  of  the  machine  department  of  the  Vulcan 
Iron  Works,  was  born  in  Hanover  township  December  20th,  1843,  where 
he  married  Alma  Blodgett. 

George  S.  Rippabd,  formerly  with  Bennett,  Phelps  &  Co.,  now 
cashier  with  L.  C.  Paine  &  Co.,  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England,  January 
22nd,  1845,  and  married  Mary  E.  W.  Hunt,  of  Wyoming;  whose  father, 
T.  P.  Hunt,  a  native  of  Charlotte  Court-house,  Va.,  came  to  that  place 
from  Philadelphia  in  1840,  was  a  temperance  lecturer  until  1861,  served 
as  army  chaplain  during  the  Rebellion,  and  resided  afterwards  in  Wilkes- 
Barre  until  his  death,  December  6th,  1876. 

Sylvester  V.  Ritteb,  formerly  a  hardware  dealer,  now  a  lime  mer- 
chant, residence  at  the  corner  of  Northam  pton  and  Hancock  streets,  was 
bom  in  Northampton  county.  Pa.,  September  3d,  1834,  and  married  Mary 
Moister,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Edward  Roberts,  foreman  in  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Com- 
pany's blacksmith  shop,  was  born  In  Newport,  South  Wales,  in  De- 
cember, 1832,  and  married  Elizabeth  Kendrick,  of  Scranton,  Pa. 


Jeremiah  R.  Booney,  alderman  and  school  teacher,  is  a  native  of 
Ireland. 

Mrs.  William  S  Ross,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ruth  T.  Slooum,  was 
born  in  Wilkes-Bai-re,  December  4th,  1804.  Her  late  husband  was  born 
August  11th,  1803,  in  the  house  owned  and  occupied  by  his  widow,  and 
died  July  Uth,  1868.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  served  several  years  as  asso- 
ciate judge,  and  held  various  other  offices. 

Alfred  C.  Roth,  formerly  a  civil  engineer,  now  ticket  agent  for  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company,  was  born  in  Rittersville,  Lehigh 
county.  Pa.,  October  25th,  1840,  and  married  Mary  Ann  Heiney,  who  lived 
near  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

John  Russell,  machinist  in  the  employ  of  the  CJentral  Railroad  Com- 
pany of  New  Jersey,  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  July  28th,  1838,  and 
married  Mary  Whittaker,  of  Oldham,  England.  He  served  three  years 
during  the  Rebellion  in  Company  C  First  Maryland  volunteers,  and  was 
three  times  wounded. 

G.  W.  RusTAY,  engineer  on  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  was  born  in 
Shiokshinny,  January  17th,  18.50,  and  married  Eveline  Tinsley,  of  that 
borough. 

Mrs.  N.  Butter,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ellen  Cist,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  January  7th,  1813.  She  married  Rev.  Robert  Dunlap,  of 
Doylestown,  Pa.,  who  died  in  Pittsburgh  in  1846.  Her  present  husband, 
Mr.  N.  fiutter,  is  a  native  of  Lancaster  county.  Pa.,  and  a  leading  hard- 
ware dealer  of  Wilkes-Barre.    Residence,  River  street  above  Market. 

Joseph  J.  Sansom  (formerly  a  printer),  of  the  firm  of  Sansom  &  Shaw, 
fiorists,  South  Main  street,  opposite  Dana,  was  born  in  Bedford,  Bedford 
county,  Pa,  April  13th,  1844. 

Rev.  E.  L.  Santee,  residence  on  Brown  street,  was  born  in  Fairmount 
township,  August  6th,  1848,  and  was  formeily  a  farmer.  He  married 
Georgia  Atherton,  of  Old  Forge,  Lackawanna  county. 

William  Schrage,  dealer  in  cutlery  and  glassware,  residence  at  the 
corner  of  Northampton  and  Washington  streets,  was  born  in  Hildesham, 
Prussia,  Germany,  September  5th,  1831,  and  married  Hermine  Becker, 
of  Winstorf,  Prussia. 

Richard  Sharpe,  residence  at  the  corner  of  Ross  and  West  River 
streets,  is  a  well  known  business  man,  now  of  the  Wj'oming  Valley  Man- 
ufacturing Company. 

P.  C.  Sheridan,  bookkeeper,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1849, 

Byron  Shoemaker,  shipper  of  coal,  was  born  in  Gilboa,  Schoharie 
county,  N.  Y.,  December  31st,  1844,  and  married  Alice  M.  Morin,  of 
Kingston,  Canada. 

Mrs.  Jane  Shoemaker,  whose  maiden  name  was  Harrower  (formerly 
a  resident  of  Lawrenoeville,  Tioga  county.  Pa.),  is  the  widow  of 
Elijah  Shoeraalier,  deceased,  of  Kingston,  a  well  remembered  farmer 
at  Forty  Fort. 

Douglass  Smith  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  June  9th,  1840,  and 
married  Mary  E.  Faser,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  where  for  some  yeai-s  he  has 
been  prominent  as  a  merchant.  He  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  May  1st,  1877,  and  his  appointment  was  confirmed  and  his  commis- 
sion issued  October  1st  following. 

Edward  Smith,  machinist  in  the  employ  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Rail- 
road Company,  residence  on  North  Franklin  street,  was  born  in  Easton, 
Pa.,  February  24th,  1847,  and  married  Mary  Maloy,  of  Easton. 

Frederick  Smith  was  born  in  1839,  in  Kaiserslaute.rn,  Germany,  and 
came  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1861,  where  he  is  now  engaged  as  bookkeeper 
for  the  Vulcan  Iron  Works.  He  enlisted  in  Company  D  9th  Pennsyl- 
vania cavalry,  in  April,  1861,  and  was  discharged  in  September,  1865,  a  1st 
lieutenant;  was  married  in  1806,  to  Charlotte  Rittersbacher. 

William  T.  Smyth,  general  inside  foreman  of  Parrish  &  Company's 
mines,  and  formerly  a  miner,  was  born  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  Septem- 
ber 9th,  1843;  was  reared  in  North  Wales,  and  came  to  Wilkes-Barre  in 
April,  1867.    His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Mary  Rees,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Thomas  Henry  Soley,  foreman  In  the  paint  shops  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad  Company,  residence  on  South  Main  street,  was  born  in 
Montgomeryshire,  North  Wales,  December  13th,  1840,  and  married  Mar- 
garet Jones,  of  Flintshire,  South  Wales. 

George  A.  St.  John,  horso  shoer,  was  born  in  Albany,  N.  Y-,  Novem- 
ber 17th,  1850,  and  married  Caroline  H.  Howe,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  During 
the  war  he  served  a  year  in  Company  A,  199th  Pennsj'lvania  volunteers. 

John  W.  Stahl,  harness  manufacturer,  was  born  in  Berwick,  Colum- 
bia county,  Pa.,  May  4th,  1836,  and  married  Lucy  E.  Weber,  of  Wilkes- 


^¥ 


<¥ 


*i> 


<-^ 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD,    WILKES-BARRE. 


236  G 


Barre.    He  served  in  the  74th  Peansj'lvania  volunteers  durlns  a  portion 
of  the  late  war, 

Cornelius  Stark,  liveryman.  North  Main  street,  was  born  in  Plains, 
January  37th,  1812,  and  married  Louisa  Wagner,  ot  that  township. 

Hon.  J.  B.  Stark,  formerly  a  merchant,  proprietor  of  the  Wyoming 
Valley  Hotel  since  March,  1868,  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  Wyoming 
county.  Pa.,  October  23d,4633,  and  married  Miss  Frances  H.  Smith,  ot 
Carbondalo,  Lackawanna  county.  He  was  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county  in 
1856,  and  State  Senator  in  1863. 

John  H.  Stark,  druggist,  residence  on  Hazle  street,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  February  31st,  1819,  and  married  Mary  A.  Gunton,  of 
Wilkes-Barre. 

Mahlon  S.  Stark,  druggist,  residence  on  South  Main  street,  was  born 
April  13th,  1854,  in  White  Haven,  and  married  Nora  Gross,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre. 

Irving  A.  Stearns,  mining  and  civil  engineer,  was  born  in  Gorham, 
Ontario  county,  N.  Y.,  September  13th,  1846,  and  married  Chloe  W.  Shoe- 
maker, of  Wilkes-Bai're. 

L.  E.  Stearns,  photographer,  was  born  in  Ohio,  October  3nd,  1846,  and 
married  Ida  Eldred,  of  Honesdale,  Pa. 

Addison  A.  Sterlinq,  from  1860  to  1873  a  merchant  at  Sterlingville 
(MeshoppenI,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  was  bornat  that  place,  July  1st,  1843. 
He  is  now  cashier  of  the  People's  Bank. 

J.  H.  Struble,  jr.,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Branchville,  Sussex  county, 
N.  J.,  January  34th,  1843,  and  married  M.  R.  Knight,  of  Stanhope, 
Sussex  county,  N.  J.  He  served  more  than  three  years  in  the  late  war 
In  Company  B,  3nd  New  York  volunteers  (Harris  light  cavalry). 

Charles  Sturdevant,  retired  merchant,  Hanover  street,  was  born  at 
Skinner's  Eddy,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  November  13th,  1813,  and  married 
Fanny  M.  Koss,  of  Pike  township,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.  He  served 
three  years  in  the  late  war  in  the  commissary  department  of  the  army 
of  the  north. 

Dunning  Sturdevant,  bookkeeper,  formerly  a  salesman,  was  born  at 
Skinner's  Eddy,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  February  8th,  1846,  and  married 
Anna  L.  Morgan,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

SiNTON  Sturdevant,  bookkeeper,  residence  South  Main  street,  was 
born  at  Skinner's  Eddy,  Wyoming  county,  Pa.,  December  30th,  1843,  and 
married  Augusta  Stillwell  of  Meshoppen,  Wyoming  county.  Pa. 

William  H.  Sturdevant,  bookbinder  and  paper  bag  manufacturer. 
East  Market  street,  was  born  at  Golden  Hill,  Wyoming  county,  Pa., 
November  18th,  1849,  and  man-led  M.  Angle  Smith  of  Mehoopany,  Pa. 
He  was  formerly  a  steamboat  pilot. 

James  Sutton,  retired  merchant.  North  Franklin  street,  was  born  in 
Exeter  township,  December  33nd,  1836. 

TowNEND  Bros.,  liverymen,  stables  at  the  rear  of  the  Luzerne 
house,  are  natives  of  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  and  have  been  established  in  busi- 
ness in  Wilkes-Barre  six  years. 

James  Tretheway,  mine  foreman,  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England, 
July  14th,  1838,  and  married  Martha  Pascoe,  of  Cornwall.  Besidence, 
Welles  street. 

Henrt  C.  Tuck  is  a  son  of  Seth  Tuck,  a  native  of  England,  who  was 
for  nearly  forty  years  a  druggist  of  Wilkes-Barre,  where  he  died  Novem- 
ber 17th,  1877.    He  married  Helen  Coleman  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

William  Tuck,  druggist,  was  born  in  Peterborough,  England,  April 
35th,  1835,  and  married  Catherine  E.  Dean,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Mrs.  George  Turner,  formerly  Anna  Richards,  daughter  of  William 
Kichards,  an  old  resident  of  Wilkes-Barre,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre. 
Her  husband  was  a  son  of  John  Turner,  of  Plymouth,  Pa.  They  have 
two  sons,  George  and  William,  living  in  Wilkes-Barre. 

J.  B.  Valentine,  dentist,  103  North  Main  street,  was  born  in  Coates- 
viUe,  Chester  county.  Pa.,  October  20th,  1844,  and  married  Anna  M. 
Johnston,  of  Philadelphia.  He  served  in  Company  A.,  97th  Pa.  volun- 
teers, from  August  33nd,  1881,  to  August  23nd,  1864,  and  graduated 
from  the  Pennsylvania  Dental  College  in  1868. 

Alexander  H.  Van  Horn,  formerly  a  coal  operator  in  Carbon 
county.  Pa.,  now  vice-president  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  Savings  Bank,  and 
connected  with  the  Wyoming  Valley  Manufacturing  Company,  was  born 
in  tJnion  township,  February  33nd,  1833,  and  married  Harriet  Abbott, 
of  Summit  Hill,  Carbon  county. 

Anthony  Vogt,  watchmaker  and  jeweler,  Northampton  street,  was 
bom  in  Softingen,  and  married  Mary  Ursula,  of  Wikes-Barre. 


G.  H.  VooRHis,  furniture  dealer,  formerly  a  mechanic,  was  born  in 
Springfleld,  Bradford  county,  Pa.,  October  16th,  1837,  and  married  Abi- 
gail C.  Springsteen,  ot  his  native  place. 

Mrs.  Moses  Wadhams,  formerly  Miss  Jennie  F.  Morse,  residence  331 
South  Franklin  street,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre  and  married  Moses 
Wadhams,  of  Plymouth,  who  died  March  28th,  1878. 

Samuel  F.  Wadhams,  attorney,  is  a  native  of  Plymouth. 

Thomas  Q.  Wagner,  who  has  been  for  seventeen  years  employed  by 
the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company,  and  is  superintendent  of 
Stanton  breaker.  No.  7,  was  born  In  Plains  township,  October  8th,  1835, 
and  married  Mary  Burk,  of  Ablngton,  Fa. 

John  M.  Ward,  of  the  firm  of  J.  M.  Ward  &  Co.,  grocers,  was  born  in 
Ireland,  May  1st,  1835,  and  married  Miss  A.  NIeson,  ot  Wilkes-Barre.  He 
was  formerly  in  the  dry  goods  trade. 

Dennis  Ward,  of  the  firm  of  J.  M.  Ward  &  Co.,  grocers,  formerly  in 
the  dry  goods  trade,  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1847. 

James  N.  Warner,  dentist,  was  born  in  Huntington  township,  De- 
cember 5th,  1845. 

W.  G.  Weaver,  M.  D.,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  school  board,  first 
district  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  principal  of  the  North  Wilkes-Barre  gram- 
mar school  1873-76,  was  born  in  Kline's  Grove,  Northumberland  county. 
Pa.,  March  Uth,  18.58. 

William  H.  Webb,  engineer  of  the  Hollenback  air  shaft,  residence  on 
Sherman  street,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  October  18th,  1853,  and  mar- 
ried Jennie  Suit,  of  Berwick,  Columbia  county.  Pa. 

Wilson  W.  Webb,  engineer  at  Diamond  shaft  No.  1,  formerly  a  cabi- 
net maker,  was  born  at  Lime  Ridge,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  December 
38th,  1833,  and  married  Elizabeth  Gruver. 

Samuel  C.  Webb,  engineer  at  the  Empire  shaft,  residence  on  Sherman 
street,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  April  4th,  1847,  and  married  Alice  M. 
Bisher,  of  Kingston,  Par  He  served  two  and  a  half  years  in  the  Fifty- 
third  Pa.  volunteers  during  the  late  war. 

A.  B.  Weil,  formerly  in  the  clothing,  now  in  the  boot  and  shoe  trade. 
No.  70  Public  square,  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  February  15th,  1836, 
and  married  Miss  Lowenstein,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Joseph  G.  Weir,  inside  superintendent  at  Hollenback  breaker,  was 
born  in  Schuylkill  county.  Pa.,  February  19th,  1844,  and  married  Sarah 
Hughes,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

James  P.  Weller,  civil  engineer  and  surveyor,  and  county  surveyor 
1871-74,  residence  109  South  Main  street,  was  born  in  Warren  county. 
New  Jersey,  March  3nd,  1845. 

S.  S.  Weller,  manufacturer  of  lumber,  residence,  Washington  street 
below  Market,  was  born  at  St.  James,  Warren  county.  New  Jei-sey,  and 
married  Rebecca  E.  Dean,  of  Morrison,  Illinois. 

William  Wheelock,  dealer  in  flour  and  feed,  formerly  a  farmer, 
was  born  in  Eaton  township,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  May  15th,  1833, 
and  married  Mary  Pickett,  of  Jessup,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa. 

Aaron  Whitaker,  proprietor  of  the  Exchange  Hotel,  public  square, 
{formerly  a  lumberman)  and  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county  three  years 
beginning  1871,  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  New  Jersey,  April  3nd,  1824, 
and  married  Alice  C.  Taylor,  of  White  Haven. 

W.  D.  White,  druggist,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  November  12th, 
1849,  and  married  Sarah  A.  Harper,  of  Hazleton. 

E.  D.  Williams,  dentist,  was  born  in  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  November  Uth, 
1835,  and  married  Elizabeth  J.  Bittner,  of  Lock  Haven,  Pa.  During  the 
Rebellion  he  served  one  year  in  the  11th  Pa.  volunteers. 

Mrs.  Eliza  W.  Williams,  a  daughter  ot  Conrad  Teetor,  who  came 
from  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  and  settled  in  the  valley  in  1803,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  March  39th,  1804,  and  married  William  C.  Williams,  an  En- 
glishman.   He  was  a  tailor  by  trade,  and  died  February  8th,  1861. 

G.  M.  Williams,  formerly  inside  foreman  at  the  Bellevue  mines,  Hyde 
Park,  Lackawanna  county,  appointed  mine  inspector  for  the  middle  dis- 
trict in  1880  for  five  years,was  born  in  Breconshire,  South  Wales,  August 
Uth,  1841,  and  married  Jane  Lewis,  of  Beaver  Meadow,  Carbon  coun- 
ty, Pa. 

Morgan  B.  Williams,  coal  operator,  residence  on  Northampton 
street,  was  born  in  Caemarthenshire,  Wales,  September  17th,  1831. 

T.  M.  Williams,  inspector  of  mines,  was  born  in  South  Wales,  June 
6th,  1835,  and  married  Annie  Morgan,  ot  Minersville,  Schuylkill  coun- 
ty, Pa. 


=^^ 


236^ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4-^ 


WiiLiAM  J.  r.  Williams,  tutcher,  was  born  in  Walee,  February  2na, 
5842 ;  Fpent  twenty  years  mining  in  Australia,  and  came  to  Wilkes-Barre 
in  1873. 

Mrs.  J.  Pryor  Williamson,  wbose  maiden  name  was  Mary  H.  Wood- 
ward, was  born  in  Plymouth  township,  March  1st,  1849.  J.  Pryor  Wil- 
liamson was  born  December  3d,  1839,  and  died  October  24th,  1879.  He 
served  in  the  army  during  the  Kebellion ;  was  in  the  commission  business 
in  company  with  John  McNeish,  jr.,  in  the  Baltimore  store,  and  was 
afterward  connected  with  the  banking  interests  of  Wilkes-Barre  until 
his  death. 

Thomas  Williamson,  superintendent  of  the  Empire  breaker,  resi- 
dence on  Northampton  street,  was  born  in  Ireland,  July  1st,  1830,  and 
married  Ellen  Wallace,  of  Plymouth. 

Edward  0.  Willetts,  machinist  in  the  shops  of  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  Company,  residence  on  South  street,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
February  1st,  1844,  and  married  Anna  Price,  of  Hamilton,  Monroe 
county. 

J.  A.  Wood,'  alderman,  formerly  a  merchant,  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  May  19th,  1844,  and  married  Susie  M.  Gregory,  of  Muhlenburg. 

John  G.  Wood,  banker,  formerly  a  merchant,  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre  in  January,  1838,  and  married  Emma  E.  Brown,  of  that  place. 

Stanley  Woodward,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre. 
Mrs.  Woodward  was  formerly  Sallie  Richards  Butler,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

CHARLES  BENNET. 

Charles  Bennet,  Esq.,  was  the  only  son  of  Mr,  John  Bennet,  of  Kings- 
ton, Pa.  He  was  born  February  28th,  1819,  and  died  August  ]2th,  1866, 
aged  48  years.  He  received  a  liberal  education,  and  applying  himself 
diligently  to  the  advantages  within  his  reach  became  a  man  of  fine 
scholarly  attainments  and  of  large  and  varied  scientific  knowledge. 

His  father  was  a  man  of  strong  mind,  and,  though  he  did  not  have  the 
educational  advantages  of  his  son,  he  by  his  continued  research  and 
study  became  one  of  the  best  mathematicians  of  his  day.  The  Bennet 
family,  who  emigrated  from  England,  were  highly  distinguished,  some 
of  them  belonging  to  the  court  party  and  others  to  the  Puritans.  Of 
the  former  was  Sir  Henry  Bennet,  Earl  of  Arlington,  born  of  an  ancient 
family  in  Middlesex  and  a  distinguished  statesman  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  II. ;  he  was  raised  to  the  peerage  by  the  titles  of  Baron  Arling- 
ton, Viscount  Thetford  and  Earl  of  Arlmgton.  Of  the  latter  party  was 
John  Bennet,  brother  of  Sir  Henry,  who  would  not  espouse  the  royal 
cause,  but  loving  his  religious  liberty  more  than  he  loved  his  country, 
emigrated  to  America  that  he  might  enjoy  liberty  of  conscience  in  the 
worship  of  God.  From  this  stock  comes  the  Bennet  family  of  the 
Wyoming  valley,  but  few  male  members  of  which  remain.  Among  them 
are  George  Bennet  and  family,  who  now  reside  near  Williamsport,  Pa.; 
Andrew  Bennet,  of  Kingston;  and  Major  D.  S.  Bennett,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 
Mr,  Charles  Bennet  aftei  completing  his  education  studied  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  Luzerne  county ;  but  preferring  a  life  of  out-door 
activity  he  did  not  devote  himself  entirely  to  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion, but  turned  his  knowledge  of  its  principles  to  good  account  in 
every  day  life.  He  commenced  his  career  of  usefulness  at  a  time  of 
great  excitement;  coal  had  been  discovered  in  the  valley  and  was  now 
to  be  utilized  for  fuel  instead  of  wood,  which  had  nearly  been  ex- 
hausted. The  mineral  wealth  was  to  be  developed.  Shafts  were  to  be 
sunk  and  breakers  built  to  prepare  the  new  fuel  for  market.  Rail- 
roads and  other  ways  of  transportation  must  be  started  in  all  directions 
and  the  dilficulties  to  be  overcome  were  formidable.  Men  were  required 
to  overcome  these  difficulties,  and  such  a  man  was  Charles  Bennet,  who 
by  his  pleasant  manners  and  address,  bisthorough  knowledge  of  human 
nature  and  persuasive  powers,  enlisted  capitalists  in  the  large  cities  in 
the  enterprise.  The  right  of  way  for  the  various  railroads  was  to  be 
secured  and  the  routes  ascertained.  Mr,  Bennet  took  hold  of  the  work 
with  his  characteristic  energy  and  persistence,  and  success  crowned  his 
efforts.  The  valley,  which  had  been  well  nigh  isolated  and  inaccessible, 
was  thrown  open,  property  advanced  in  value,  and  many  in  moderate 
circumstances  become  suddenly  rich.  The  actors  in  such  scenes  had 
need  of  well  balanced  minds,  and  such  was  Mr.  Bonnet's.  Not  elated  by 
prosperity  nor  depressed  by  adversity,  but  hopeful  in  the  midst  of  dis- 
couragement, he  had  the  faculty  of  making  friends  and  attaching 
them  to  him,  and  was  liberal  in  his  expenditures,  generous  in  his  bene- 
factions an4  abundant  in  his  hospitalities.  Mr.  Bennet  was  a  true  pa- 
triot, a  kind  friend  and  an  affectionate  father  and  devoted  husband. 
Mrs.  Bennet  and  his  two  daughters  survive  him,  and  now  reside  In  their 
pleasant  home  on  River  street,  Wilkes-Barre,  and  dispense  its  hos- 
pitalities, 

major  d.  s.  bennet. 

Major  Daniel  Strebelgh  Bennet  was  born  near  Williamsport,  Pa.,  Sept- 
ember 3d,  1853,  and  received  his  education  at  the  high  school  near  by  and 
subsequently  at  the  Pennsylvania  State  College.  He  studied  law  and 
and  aside  from  his  other  studies  while  at  college  took  (he  prescribed 


was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Luzerne  county  in  1877,  and  is  now  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Major  Bennet  from 
early  boyhood  has  always  been  connected  with  military  organizations ; 
three  years  course  in  military  science,  thus  fitting  him  well  for  the 
position  he  was  to  afterward  occupy  in  the  railitarj'  of  the  State.  After 
having  served  some  time  as  captain  of  a  company  he  was  elected  by  his 
fellow  officers  major  of  the  9th  Regiment  (Infantry)  National  Guard 
of  Pennsylvania,  which  position  he  now  holds.  He  has  a  long  line  of 
illustrious  ancestors  dating  from  early  English  history,  and  is  of  the 
Puritan  stock.  Major  Bennet  holds  the  respect  of  all  classes,  from  his 
upright  dealing,  and  is  active  In  politics,  being  an  earnest  worker  for  the 
success  of  the  Republican  party  and  fully  identified  with  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  city. 

ben.jamin  courthight. 

Benjamin  Cortrlght,  who.se  portrait  may  be  seen  elsewhere,  was  born 
in  Wilkes-Barre  township,  Luzerne  county,  Pa„  March  17th,  1789.  His 
father  was  Hon.  Cornelius  Courtright,  who  came  to  the  valley  in  1784  and 
settled  on  the  farm  afterward  known  as  the  Hancock  farm,  in  Plains. 
Here  the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  born. 

The  Courtright  family  came  from  Holland  to  New  Amsterdam  among 
the  first  emigrants,  and  long  before  the  Duke  of  York  had  conquered  it 
from  the  Dutch.  They  found  their  way  across  the  State  of  New  Jersey 
to  the  Delaware  river,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Brodhead's  creek,  from 
whence  Cornelius  Courtright  came  to  the  valley,  as  above  stated.  At  bis 
new  home  hesoon  made  his  mark  as  the  representative  man  of  his  Imme- 
diate neighborhood,  and  subsequently  one  of  the  representative  men  of 
Luzerne  county,  which  position  he  held  for  many  years.  He  was  elected 
to  the  Legislature  in  1820, 1831  and  1833.  Luzerne  county  at  that  time  was 
hopelessly  Democratic,  but  Mr.  Courtright,  though  a  Whig,  was  never 
defeated.  His  colleagues  during  these  years  were  Andrew  Beaumont, 
Jacob  Durmhelier,  Benjamin  Dorrunce  and  Jabez  Hyde,  jr.  At  Harrls- 
burg  he  was  the  acknowledged  peer  of  the  best  of  them. 

Benjamin  Courtright  spent  his  early  life  at  home  on  bis  father's  farm, 
up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage  with  Clarissa  Williams,  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Williams,  a  continental  soldier  under  Washington  during  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  Soon  after  his  marriage  he  purchased  a  farm 
about  half  way  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston,  where  he  com- 
menced housekeeping,  and  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  the  death 
of  his  wife.  He  then  made  his  residence  with  his  son  John  Milton  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  where  he  died  on  the  22nd  of  January,  1867,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years. 

He  had  five  sons  and  one  daughter— William  H.,  Benjamin  P„  John 
Milton,  James  W.,  Thomas  W,  and  Mary  E,-all  of  whom  are  living.  John 
Milton  is  now  the  popular  proprietor  of  the  Courtright  House,  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  When  he  had  just  attained  his  majority  his  education  was  quite 
limited,  yet  no  one  could  fail  to  recognize  his  mature  judgment  as  ex- 
hibited In  all  his  business  transactions.  He  was  the  president  of  the 
Franklin  Debating  Society  during  Its  existence.  After  a  long  and  peace- 
ful life  he  has  passed  away.  He  was  a  man  of  exalted  nature,  and  inca- 
pable of  a  mean  action.  He  was  just  in  his  dealings,  truthful  in  every 
declaration  and  faithful  to  every  promise.  Purity  of  conduct  was  habit- 
ual to  him.    It  pervaded  his  whole  life  in  every  relation. 

REUBEN  JAY  FLICK. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  sketch  was  born  at  Flicksville,  North- 
ampton county.  Pa.,  July  10th,  1816,  and  Is  the  eldest  son  of  John  and 
Eve  B,  Flick.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Coster.  His  earlier  op- 
portunities for  education  were  limited.  Trudging  three  miles  away  to 
the  district  school  in  the  winter,  and  working  on  the  farm  during  the 
spring,  summer  and  autumn,  his  life  was  a  busy  but  uneventful  one 
until  his  fifteenth  year,  when  he  engaged  as  clerk  in  the  village  store 
After  several  years  spent  in  mastering  the  details  of  trade  as  developed 
m  the  circumscribed  field  in  which  he  labored,  Mr.  Flick  went  to  Easton 
Pa.,  and  entered  the  store  of  J.  &  M,  Butts.  His  business  career  at 
Easton  was  limited  to  a  year,  when  he  decided  to  accept  a  position  which 
he  had  been  offered  in  the  establishment  of  G.  M.  Hollenback,  at  Wilkes- 
Barre.  Much  against  the  wishes  of  his  father  he  proceeded  to  Wilkes- 
Barre  April  8th,  1838,  with  money  scarcely  sulTicient  to  i>ny  his  fare  by 
stage;  and,  penniless  and  almost  friendless,  began  in  the  store  of  Mr 
Hollenback  those  experiences  out  of  which  resulted  the  prompt  ener- 
getic and  methodical  business  habits  on  which  was  based  an  enviable 
reputation,  which  served  him  well  in  after  life. 

In  1841  Mr.  Flick  purchased  Mr.  HoUenbaok's  halt  interest  in  a  stuck 
of  general  merchandise,  and  began  business  for  himself  in  partnership 
with  Benjamin  R.  Phillips,  under  the  firm  name  of  Phillips  &  Flick  In 
1842  Mr.  Phillips  died,  and  the  conduct  of  the  enterprise  was  left  solely 
to  Ml^  Flick.  By  good  management  and  the  counsel  and  financial  aid  of 
Mr.  Hollenback,  who  was  his  staunch  friend,  he  was  enabled  to  outride 
the  monetary  storms  of  1842  and  1867.  In  1864  he  disposed  of  his  entire 
stock  of  goods,  in  order  to  devote  his  undivided  attention  to  his  powder 
and  oil  business,  in  which  he  had  for  some  time  been  engaged,  and 
which,  owing  to  the  steady  and  rapid  development  of  the  coalmining 


Xcf'^i^'" 


tnqitiij  HBJiRll  K.SannU  Bmlo'i  .V  *  .'' 


'-e-i^ 


'•.Q^'siM  tl ^  u  'Li  ',  .r',;,;  ii  I  n:l:-j  .1,;  N 


*4^^ 


4. 


GENEALOGICAT,    RECORD,    WILKES-BARRE. 


236/ 


Interest,  had  grown  to  be  very  extensive.  Five  years  later,  feeling;  the 
need  of  rest,  he  retired  from  this  business. 

But  his  untiring:  industry  does  not  permit  him  to  remain  lon^  idle.  In 
1870  he  procured  a  charter  for  a  State  banlc.  Two  years  later  a  capital 
of  $250,000  was  subscribed  and  the  People's  Bank  was  opened,  with  Mr. 
Flick  as  president  and  J.  W.  HoUenback  as  vice-president.  The  rapid 
and  healthy  g-rowth  of  this  institution,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  It 
was  started  in  a  period  of  g-eneral  financial  depression,  after  the  estab- 
lishment of  eleven  other  local  banks,  and  its  recognition  as  one  of  the 
soundest  in  the  city,  are  sufficient  evidence  of  the  ability  of  its  raanas:e- 
nient.  Mr.  FJick  is  larg-ely  interested  in  local  manufactures  and  corpor- 
ations, and  in  real  estate.  He  is  treasnrev  of  the  Vulcan  Iron  "Works, 
and  a  director  of  the  Wilkes-Barro  &  Kingston  Street  Railroad  Com- 
pany, the  Wyoming  Valley  Ice  Company  and  the  Wilkes-Barre  City 
Hospital.  As  a  partner  of  Calvin  Parsons,  Esq.,  he  is  interested  in  coal 
lands  in  Plains  township. 

The  leading  charitable  interests  of  the  city  and  vicinity  have  e\'er 
found  in  him  a  friend  and  benefactor.  He  has  long-  been  recognized  as 
such  by  the  colored  people  of  Wilkes-Barre.  In  many  ways  has  he  bo- 
friended  them,  and  aided  institutions  established  for  their  benefit.  For 
many  years  lie  has  been  superintendent  of  a  large  and  pi  osperous  colored 
Sunday-school. 

Mr.  Flick  was  married  Jaduary  9th,  1858,  to  Margaret  J.  Arnold,  an 
estimable  lady,  a  loving  wife  and  a  kind  mother.  They  have  a  family  of 
five  children— Welcome  J.  L.,  Warren  J.,  Helen  J.,  Harry  L.  and  Keuben 
Jay,  jr. 

HENDKICK   IIRADLEY    WIllGHT. 

Our  biographical  notice  of  this  gentleman  is  mostly  taken  from  a  folio 
volume,  issued  in  1871,  by  the  New  York  and  Hartford  Publishing  Com- 
pany, entitled  "  Men  of  Mark"  ;  prepared  by  Hon.  William  C.  Robinson, 
Professor  of  Law  in  Yale  College  and  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.  The  sketch  comes  down  to  1871.  Not  liking 
the  steel  plate  engraving  which  accompanied  that  article  we  had  one 
prepared  by  our  own  artist,  which  is  a  much  better  likeness. 

"  Hendrick  Bradley  Wright  was  born  at  Plymouth,  Luzerne  countj'. 
Pa.,  on  the  3-lth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1808.  llif^  father  was  of  that  family 
of  Wrights  whose  ancestor  came  to  America  with  William  Penn,  and 
settling  at  Wrightstown,  near  Burlington,  in  West  Jersey,  there  exer- 
cised the  office  of  u.  justice  of  the  peace  under  the  royal  commission, 
and  at  the  same  time  wasan  ardent  member  and  supporter  of  the  Society 
of  Friends.  His  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Hendrick,  was 
descended  from  one  of  the  earlier  Dutch  colonists  of  New  York. 

"The  father  of  Mr.  Wright  removed  from  Wrightstown  to  Plymouth 
in  the  year  1795,  and  soon  became  one  of  its  most  prominent  and  sub- 
stantial inhabitants.  Ambitious  for  the  welfare  of  his  son  ho  secured 
for  him  the  best  educational  ad^'^antages  which  the  locality  afforded,  and 
in  due  course  of  time  sent  him  to  Dickinson  College,  where  he  pursued 
the  usual  classical  and  mathematical  studies.  Upon  leaving  college  he 
began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  the  late  Judge  Conyngham,  of 
Wilkes-Barre.  Under  the  wise  counsels  and  kind  encouragement  of  that 
able  jurist  and  truly  admirable  man  he  made  rapid  progress,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1831. 

"  During  the  ten  years  which  followed  Mr.  Wright  devoted  himself 
assiduously  to  his  profession.  The  bar  of  Luzerne  county  at  that  period 
contained  many  of  the  most  learned  and  eminent  counsellors  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Among  these  Mr.  Wright  soon  took  a  high  position,  and  as  an 
advocate  before  the  jury  achieved  a  marked  pre-eminence.  Above  the 
middle  height,  of  large  frame,  of  erect  and  commanding  figure,  with 
great  power  and  flexibility  of  voice  and  a  countenance  full  of  life  and 
expression,  he  was  an  orator  who  arrested  and  continued  to  compel  at- 
tention. It  was  not  without  reason  that  his  clients  believed  and  said  that 
no  jury  could  resist  him.  Armed  at  all  points  with  evidence,  drawn 
from  every  available  source  and  brought  to  bear  upon  tlie  minds  of  the 
triers  in  such  order  and  with  such  strength  as  to  render  the  cause  of  an 
opponent  almost  hopeless  from  the  outset,  he  followed  these  attacks 
with  arguments  of  such  earnestness  and  energy  as  rarely  failed  to  com- 
plete the  rout  and  secure  an  easy  victory.  In  truth  it  may  be  said  that 
in  a  just  cause  he  never  knew  defeat.  Such  success  could  not  otherwise 
than  win  for  him  an  extensive  reputation  and  a  laborious  as  well  as  a 
lucrative  practice. 

"In  the  year  1841,  partly  to  satisfy  his  numerous  friends  and  partly  as 
a  respite  from  professional  toil,  he  accepted  a  nomination  to  the  House 
of  Representatives  of  Pennsylvania  and  was  elected.  He  at  once  be- 
CEime  prominent  as  a  committeeman  and  debater  and  was  soon  acknowl- 
edged as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  House.  In  1843  he  was  again  elected 
and  appointed  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Canals  and  Infernal  Im- 
provements, a  subject  that  had  always  deeply  interested  him  and  to 
which  he  now  devoted  much  attention.  He  also  took  a  position  on  the 
Judiciary  Committee  under  his  friend  Judge  Elwell,  of  the  Columbia 
judicial  Tdistrict,  for  the  express  purpose  of  procuring  a  repeal  of  the 
law  providing  for  the  imprisonment  of  poor  debtors.  In  this  matter 
his  efforts  were  untiring  and  he  had  at  last  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
ihat  barbarous  law  blotted  out  of  the  statute  book  of  his  native  State. 
Healso  strenuously  endeavored  to  procure  the  abolition  from  the  prison 
discipline  of  Pennsylvania  of  the  system  of  solitary  confinement,  a 


method  of  punishment  which  always  appeared  to  him  as  equally  needless 
and  inhuman.  But  in  this  effort  he  was  unsuccessful.  In  1843  the  nom- 
ination of  State  senator  was  offered  to  him,  but  preferring  the  popular 
branch  of  the  Assembly  he  declined  the  honor,  and  was  again  elected  to 
the  House.  Upon  the  opening  of  the  session  he  was  chosen  speaker,  a 
position  which  he  ably  filled,  and  where  he  acquired  a  facility  in  parlia- 
mentary rules  and  usages  which  proved  of  singular  ad^'antagp  to  him  in 
the  yeai's  that  followed. 

"  In  May,  1844,  the  Democratic  national  convention  met  in  Baltimore 
to  nominate  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency.  It  was  a  time  of  great  ex- 
citement growing  out  of  the  Texas  annexation  question.  The  conven- 
tion was  almost  equally  divided  in  sentiment  upon  the  subject,  and 
great  fears  of  serious  disseasions  were  entertained.  The  friends  of  an- 
nexation met  in  council,  and  after  a  long  discussion  determined  that 
every  other  consideration  must  yield  to  the  necessity  of  appointing  to 
the  chairmanship  of  the  con^'cntion  some  man  skilled  in  parliamentary 
rules,  and  of  sufficient  tact  and  courage  to  secure  their  enforcement  in 
every  possible  emergency.  Mr.  Wright,  then  a  delegate  at  large  from 
Pennsylvania,  was  at  once  recognized  as  the  man  for  the  occasion,  and, 
having  been  first  unanlmouslj'  elected  temporary  chairman,  discharged 
his  difficult  and  responsible  tiisk  with  such  elficiency  during  the  organi- 
zation of  the  convention  that  he  was  unanimouslj' chosen  its  permanent 
presiding  officer.  At  this  convention,  whose  session  lasted  nearly  a 
week,  and  over  whose  stormy  discussions  its  able  chairman  held  an  nn- 
relaxing  and  impartial  rein,  James  K.  Polk,  a  Texas-annexation  candi- 
date, was  finally  nominated.  At  the  close  of  the  convention  Mr.  Wright 
bade  farewell  to  the  assembled  delegates  in  these  words : 

"  Our  labor  is  terminated;  our  woric  is  done.  In  a  few  hours  we 
leave  this  arena  of  the  last  four  days'  action,  but  my  voice  falters  under 
the  thought  that  we  part  forever.  This  body,  composed  of  the  most 
distinguished  men  of  the  country,  was  assembled  to  discharge  as  solemn 
and  sacred  a  trust  as  that  committed  to  the  men  wlio  met  in  the  hall  of 
the  Continental  Congress  when  the  great  charter  of  American  liberty 
was  born.  If  the  eastern  comiueror  wept  over  the  millions  of  human 
beings  passing  in  review  before  him— for  that  in  a  short  time  not  one 
of  them  should  be  loft— how  much  more  reason  have  I  to  weep  at  the 
thought  that  this  concentrated  monument  of  mind  before  me  must  pass 
away  in  the  change  of  all  things.  But  it  cannot  be.  It  will  be  fresh 
on  the  page  of  history  when  the  pyramids  of  the  Nile  shall  have  crum- 
bled, stone  by  stone,  to  atoms.  The  man  may  die,  but  the  fruits  of  his 
mind  are  the  growth  of  eternity. 

"  From  1841  to  1853  Mr.  Wright  was  again  engrossed  in  the  duties  of  his 
profession.  In  the  latter  year  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  served  a 
term  with  marked  ability.  He  was  renominated  in  1854,  but  was  defeated 
by  the  "  Know  Nothing"  element,  of  whose  narrow  and  exclusive  pol- 
icy he  had  always  been  a  most  uncompromising  foe.  He  then  retired 
from  public  life,  and  determined  to  devote  the  remainder  of  his  days  to 
the  law.  But  upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Tiebellion,  in  1861,  he  was 
again  called  from  retirement.  The  nomination  to  Congress  was  ten- 
dered him  by  both  political  parties.  He  accepted,  and  was  of  course 
elected;  and  amid  the  perplexities  and  dangers  which  surrounded  the 
Federal  Congress  during  the  next  two  years  he  was  distinguished  as  a 
consistent  and  untiring  advocate  of  an  undivided  Union.  Although  a 
lifelong  Democrat,  and  as  such  wedded  by  the  strongest  political  ties  to 
the  doctrine  of  State  sovereignty,  yet  in  him  the  citizen  ever  rose  above 
the  politician,  and  in  the  hour  of  national  peril  he  was  contented  to  let 
political  opinions  slumber  until  the  great  and  pressing  work  of  national 
salvation  was  accomplished.  Thus,  while  he  advocated  no  measures  of 
subjugation,  and  regarded  interference  with  domestic  institutions  for 
their  own  sake  as  unadvisable,  he  constantly  supported  the  government 
by  his  vote  and  his  voice  in  its  every  attempt  to  overthrow  the  internal 
enemy.  In  a  speech  delivered  January  14th,  18ti3,  not  long  after  he  had 
followed  his  eldest  and  best  loved  son  to  a  soldier's  grave,  he  thus  re- 
plied to  the  peace  resolutions  of  Mr.  Vallandigham  : 

'*  Sir,  there  is  no  patriotic  man  who  does  not  desire  peace  ;  not  peace, 
however,  upon  dishonorable  terms;  not  peace  that  would  destroy  our 
great  government;  not  peace  that  would  place  us  in  an  humble  attitude 
at  the  feet  of  traitors;  but  that  peace  which  will  make  liberty  live, 
peace  that  shall  maintain  and  perpetuate  the  eternal  principles  of  union 
based  upon  equality  handed  down  to  us  by  our  fathers  and  sealed  with 
their  blood;  the  peace  of  Washington  and  La  Fayette,  whose  images  dec- 
orate the  walls  of  this  hou.se;  a  peace  that  shall  not  defame  and  belie 
the  memory  of  those  illustrious  men  is  the  one  I  would  see  established 
in  this  land.  *  *  *  Our  army  went  to  the  field  to  suppress  rebellion. 
Its  numbers  have  reached  over  eight  hundred  thousand  men,  larger 
than  !iny  army  of  ancient  or  modern  times.  It  is  still  in  the  field,  and 
its  destiny  is  to  preserve  entire  this  Union  and  protect  the  flag,  and  ic 
has  the  courage  and  the  power  to  do  it.  *  *  *  I  bring  my  remarks  to 
a  close.  Where  I  stood  when  the  Rebellion  began  I  stand  to-day— on 
the  same  platform.  My  opinions  have  undergone  no  change.  I  de- 
nounced rebellion  at  the  threshold;  I  denounce  it  now.  I  have  no  terms 
to  make  with  the  enemy  of  my  country  which  will  destroy  the  Union  ; 
I  am  satisfied  that  no  other  can  be  obtained.  Time  will  determine 
whether  my  position  is  right  or  not,  and  I  calmly  abide  it.  The  war,  sir, 
has  cost  me  its  trials  and  tribulations,  and  I  can  truly  close  my  remarks 
with  a  quotation  from  an  ancient  philosopher,  uttered  ov.er  the  dead 
body  of  his  son  slain  in  battle  :— 

"  I  should  have  blushed  if  Cato's  house  had  stood 
Secure  and  flourished  in  a  civil  war.' 

"  After  the  close  of  the  XXXVIIth  Congress  Mr.  Wright  retired  from 
politics  and  from  business,  and  has  since  lived  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
competency  and  honors  which  the  labors  of  his  earlier  years  acquired. 
He  has  not,  however,  been  idle,  but  has  occupied  his  working  hours  in 
the  preparation  of  a  "  Practical 'Treatise 'upon  Labor,"  in  which  he  has 


f- 


*i^- 


236/ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


embodied  the  tboujrhts  nnd  observation  of  forty  active  years,  and  which 
he  has  intended  as  a  last  legacy  to  that  portion  of  the  American  people 
in  whom  he  has  felt  most  interest,  and  for  whom  he  has  most  diligently 
toiled. 

"  And,  although  of  private  character  the  present  is  no  place  to  speak, 
yet  one  thing  may  be  said  which  entitles  him  of  whom  it  is  uttered  to  be 
held  in  everlasting  remembrance- that  throughout  his  entire  profes- 
sional and  public  life  Hendrick  B.  Wright  has  been  emphatically  the 
poor  man's  friend ;  the  advocate  and  supporter  of  the  laborer  against 
the  encroachments  of  capital  and  of  political  ostracism  ;  liberal  to  him 
in  word  and  in  gift,  true  to  him  in  promise  and  fulfillment,  and  that  ho 
still  lives  and  works  for  the  working  man  of  the  nation  and  his  native 
commonwealth. 

"  W.  C.  E." 

Since  the  foregoing  notice  Col.  Wright  has  published  his  "  Historical 
Sketches  of  Plymouth,"  his  native  town  ;  a  work  gotten  up  with  taste, 
containing  thirty  beautiful  illustrations— likenesses  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  early  settlement  of  the  town,  some  of  the  old  landmarks,  private 
residences,  public  buildings,  coal  mines,  etc.,  etc.  In  tracing  the  pages 
of  this  book,  in  which  the  author  gives  a  vivid  description  of  the  plain 
and  frugal  habits  and  simple  customs  of  a  primitive  people,  the  readiT 
will  discover  the  deep  and  indelible  impression  which  they  made  upoji 
the  mind  of  the  author.  A  generous  and  heiuttelt  ollerlng  to  a  race  of 
men  all  of  whom  he  personally  Imew,  but  who  now.  with  an  e.vceptitiu 
of  one  or  two,  have  left  the  stage  of  human  action.  His  work  was  tlic 
design  of  a  memorial  for  these  pioneers.  The  author  of  this  history 
makes  no  etfort  to  assume  an  elevated  plane  of  rhetoric  or  finished  dic- 
tion :  but  treats  his  subject  in  simple  and  plain  langu-ige ;  but  which,  in 
his  narrative  of  events  showing  the  perils  and  exposures  of  frontier  life, 
touches  the  heart  and  enkindles  sympathetic  emotion. 

In  1876  Mr.  Wi-ight  was  nominated  for  Congress  in  the  Luzerne  dis- 
trict, while  absent  from  home  and  without  his  solicitiition  or  even 
knowledge.  He  was  returned  as  a  member  of  the  XLVth  Congress.  He 
was  re-elected  in  1878  to  the  XLVIth  Congress :  his  term  will  expire  on 
the  4th  of  March,  1881,  and  will  close  his  political  lite,  after  a  service  of 
thirteen  years  in  the  State  and  National  Legislatures.  In  his  refusal  of 
further  political  honors  he  is  persistent,  and  will  listen  to  no  induce- 
ments which  will  break  his  resolve.  Mr.  V\'right  was  during  bis  long 
period  of  time  in  Congress  what  may  be  called  a  working  man,  in 
committee  and  in  the  House  ever  on  time,  and  ready  to  sliai'e  in  the 
public  labors.  During  the  last  four  years  of  his  public  service  in  Con- 
gress, his  untiring  aim  and  obiect  have  been  to  aid,  by  legislation,  the 
working  men  of  the  country ;  to  accomplish  which  he  introduced  a 
supplement  to  the  homestead  law  (in  the  passage  of  which  ho  took  an 
important  part  in  18«3I,  by  which  a  small  loan  by  the  government  should 
be  made  to  poor  and  deserving  men,  repayable  in  ten  years,  at  a  small 
rate  of  interest,  secured  on  the  premises  by  mortgage,  to  enable  men  of 
small  means  to  enter  and  settle  upon  the  public  land,  which  to  them  is 
otherwise  unavailable.  In  the  accomplishment  of  this  great  and  philan- 
thropic measure  he  failed ;  but  this  abated  none  of  his  zeul  or  indomit- 
able perseverance.  His  bill  was  defeated  in  the  XLVth  Congress,  but 
he  renewed  it  in  the  XLVIth  and  it  was  defeated  in  committee  of  the 
whole  House  by  three  majority  only.  The  committee  reported  it  to  the 
House  with  a  negative  recommendation.  It  is  still  therefore  pending. 
Mr.  Wright  was  more  successful  in  his  support  of  the  eight-hour  law. 
This  bill  was  passed  at  the  last  session  of  Congress  by  more  than  a  two- 
third  vote.  It  provides  that  all  men  employed  in  thcgovcrnment  shops 
shall  not  be  required  to  labor  more  than  eight  hours  for  the  day's  work. 
His  speeches  on  the  homestead  bill  and  the  eight-hour  bill  should  be 
carefully  read  by  every  laboring  man  in  the  land.  They  show  a  progress 
much  in  advance  of  the  age— noble  efforts  in  a  great  cause.  The  support 
of  these  two  great  measures  has  been  the  ihiiljj  work  of  Mr.  Wright  for 
the  last  four  yeai'S,  and  the  advancement  of  the  social  condition  of  the 
laboring  classes  has  occupied  his  attention  for  the  last  twenty  years. 
His  "  Practical  Treatise  on  Labor  "  was  published  some  ten  years  since. 
It  is  an  index  to  the  man's  heart.  Itshows  clearly  that  his  great  object 
of  life  is  not  personal,  but  that  he  is  in  sympathy  with  his  less  fortunate 
fellow  creatures.  These  ideas  he  has  made  a  manly  effort  to  impress  on 
the  law-making  power  of  the  country.  Will  he  live  to  see  their  accom- 
plishment? 

But  it  is  not  in  a  legislative  capacity  only  that  we  are  to  deal  with 
the  subject  of  this  notice.  Mr.  Wright  has  shown  by  his  acts  in  the 
whole  course  of  his  life  that  charity  and  beue\'olonce  were  the  ruling 
featui'es  of  his  heart.  The  distribution  of  his  holiday  loaves  to  the  city 
poor— a  practice  he  has  continued  for  years  and  which  he  informs  us 
it  is  his  purpose  to  continue  while  he  lives ;  his  acts  of  generosity  to  the 
poor  the  year  round ;  his  aid  to  people  In  debt  and  contributions  to  pub- 
lic charities  and  various  subscriptions  for  public  purposes,  all  indicate 
the  existence  in  him  of  that  priceless  feature  of  exalted  manhood  and 
the  true  ornament  of  human  life. 

Colonel  Wright  is  now  in  his  seventy-third  year;  unbent  with  the 
weight  of  more  than  "threescore  and  ten,"  and  in  the  enjoyment  of 
good  health.  With  his  retirement  from  political  life  he  also  retires  from 
business  pursuits.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the  erection  of  a  place  of  re- 
treat at  Harvey's  lake,  some  twelve  miles  north  of  Wilkes-Barre,  where 
he  designs  to  spend  most  of  his  time  for  the  remainder  of  his  days.    He 


and  the  Hon.  Charles  T.  Barnum,  who  resides  on  the  western  shore, 
purchased  the  lake  of  the  State  some  years  ago  and  have  stocked  it  with 
tine  fish.  It  is  some  ten  miles  in  circumference  and  a  delightful  moun- 
tain home  a  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Mr. 
Wright  in  his  new  home  and  with  leisure  on  hand  will  continue  to 
chronicle  and  put  in  print  for  the  public  those  unwritten  matters  con- 
nected with  Wyoming's  history  which  would  afford  so  much  pleasure 
to  the  residents  of  the  valley.  His  knowledge  of  men  and  public  affairs, 
gathered  up  during  a  long  and  eventful  public  life,  might,  too,  be  a 
source  of  employment  to  him  and  pleasure  to  others.  An  experience  of 
about  three  quarters  of  a  century,  by  an  observing  man,  must  necessar- 
ily have  accumulated  a  pretty  good  stock  of  local  general  history.  But 
our  limits  prevent  us  from  a  more  extended  notice  of  this  surviving 
veteran  of  past  days. 

The  steel  eng-ravmg  which  accompanies  our  short  biographical  sketch 
is  an  excellent  likeness  and  will  be  familiar  to  most  of  the  residents  of 
the  valley.  There  arc  few  of  them  who  have  not  seen  Colonel  Wright. 
His  name  is  n  household  word  with  the  poor  and  the  lowly.  His  voice, 
too,  upon  the  hustings,  and  in  the  halls  of  justice,  still  echoes  upon  their 
eai'S. 

MAJOR  GBNBBAL  K.  W.  STUBDEVANT. 

Samuel  Sturdovant,  father  of  General  E.  W.  Sturdevant,  was  born  at 
Danbury,  Conn.,  September  Kith,  1773,  and  died  March  4th,  1847.  His 
wife,  Eliwlbotli  Skinner,  was  born  at  Hebron,  Conn.,  July  16th,  1773, 
and  died  August  3)th,  Wii.  His  father,  Kev.  Samuel  Sturdevant,  took 
an  active  part  in  the  struggle  for  American  indeiHMidcnce,  entering  the 
army  as  an  orderly  sergeant  and  being  promoted  to  a  uapt;iincy,  scr^-ing 
uninterruptedly  from  the  battle  of  Lexington  to  the  surrender  at 
Yorktown,  when  he  soon  emigrated  to  Braintrim,  where,  at  the  place 
known  as  Black  Walnut  Bottom,  he  bought  a  large  farm  and  resided 
there  until  his  death,  in  18:23.  Bbenczcr  Skinner,  General  Sturdevant's 
grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  had  located  in  1776  at  the  mouth  of 
Tuscarora  creek,  only  two  miles  distant,  on  l.uids  adjoining  the  after 
purchase  of  the  Kev.  Mr.  Sturdevant.  At  the  advance  of  the  Indians 
down  the  valley  in  1778  he,  with  his  family,  went  by  canoe  down  the 
river  to  Forty  Fort,  that  being  then  and  for  m.iny  yea,rs  afterward  the 
only  means  of  travel  up  and  down  tlieSasquehanu;).  One  of  his  sons, 
John  N.  Skinner,  was  in  the  battle  of  Wyoming  and  the  old  nmn  was 
one  of  those  in  charge  of  the  tort  as  protectors  of  the  women  and 
children.  General  Sturdevant's  inother.then  but  seven  years  ol  d,was  with 
her  mother  in  the  tort  and  after  tlie  mi53.icre  went  on  foot,  with  the 
women  and  children  spared  by  the  Indians,  through  the  wilderness 
called  the  "  Shades  of  Death,"  to  the  Delaware  river  and  thence  to 
Connecticut. 

General  Ebenezer  Warren  Sturdevant  was  born  June  llth,  1806,  in 
Braintrim,  Luzerne  (now  Wyoming)  county,  Pa.,  on  the  property  there 
originally  owned  by  his  maternal  grandfather,  then  by  his  father,  and 
which  he  now  owns.  He  remained  at  home  until  the  ngc  of  Hftoon,  li\-- 
ing  the  uneventful  but  careless  life  of  a  boy  on  a  country  farm.  At  that 
age  he  entered  the  old  Wilkes-Barre  Academy,  then  under  charge  of 
Doctor  Orton  as  principle,  and  remained  under  his  tuition  a  year,  mak- 
ing such  advancement  educationally  that  he  was  fitted  to  continue  his 
studies  at  Hamilton  Academy,  at  Hamilton,  Madison  county,  N.  Y.  Re- 
maining at  that  institution  two  years,  he  entered  the  sophomore  class 
at  Hamilton  College,  under  the  presidency  of  Doctor  Davis.  A  year 
later  a  large  number  of  the  class,  including  General  Sturde\'ant,  left 
Hamilton  to  enter  at  various  other  colleges.  General  Sturdevant  en- 
tering the  junior  class  at  Union  College,  under  the  presidency  of 
Doctor  Nott.  Here  he  took  all  the  degrees  conferred  at  the  institution, 
was  the  junior  and  senior  orator,  and  graduated  in  June,  1830,  receiving 
all  the  honors  in  a  class  of  106,  the  largest  that  had  nt  that  time  gradu- 
ated from  any  American  educational  institution. 

In  the  July  following  his  graduation  General  Sturdovant  entered  the 
law  office  of  Hon.  Garrick  Mallery,  at  Wilkes-Barre,  and  remained  two 
years  as  a  co-student  with  the  late  Hon.  G.  W.  Woodward,  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  duly  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
when  he  oune  into  practice  was  appointed  prosecuting  attorney  of  Lu- 
zerne county  by  Governor  Wolf,  and  one  of  the  aides  of  the  governor, 
with  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  constitutional  con- 
vention of  1838-30,  and  in  1842  was  elected  brigadier  general  of  the  brigade 
comprising  the  northeastern  counties  of  Pennsylvania,  and  subsequent- 
ly promoted  to  the  office  of  major  general  of  the  division  to  which  his 
brigade  was  attached.  He  held  the  two  offices  consecutively  during  a 
period  of  seventeen  years,  and  is  known  as  the  oldest  major  general  in 
the  State. 

General-Sturdevant  was  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profession,  suc- 
cessfully, up  to  1857.  In  1840  he  removed  to  his  present  residence,  then 
just  completed,  on  Firwood  farm,  which  he  had  purchased  four  years 
before,  from  the  residence  since  owned  by  Hon.  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  which 
General  Sturdevant  had  erected  in  1834  and  sold  in  1838.  During  the 
years  of  his  active  business  and  professional  life  General  Sturdevant 
accumulated  a  large  amount  of  real  estate,  enhanced  in  value  by  deposits 
of  coal,  from  the  royalties  upon  which  he  is  in  receipt  of  a  handsome 
income.  Since  his  retirement  from  an  active  practice  he  has  been 
chiefly  engaged  in  the  management  of  his  real  estate  interests,  but  for- 


*^^= 


=4*- 


^^J—'L-^y^-^     '^-^-^^ 


'L^ 


^ 


b-'tVj^^^^^^'^^t^c^-^yi 


G-ENKRAIj  E  W  STURDEVl^TT, 


'  '  ''V  '//''''"  1^  ''!  :^"w  li  r.'nvJL>, 


MRS   [>E1TEEAL  STTJF^EVAffT. 


Z-nj'^  Dy  K3MU&  i>.-  i)  JoreZay  Si  VX. 


«^H- 


4< 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD,   WILKES-BARRE. 


236^ 


4^ 


inerly  he  was  identified  with  many  o(  the  most  important  enterprises  of 
the  State  and  section,  acting  as  director  of  one  of  the  branches  of  the 
Eeading  Railroad,  for  which  he  procured  a  charter,  and  taking  an  active 
part  in  securing  legislation  authorizing  the  construction  of  the  North 
Branch  Canal.  Ho  has  been  for  thirty  years  a  manager  of  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  Bridge  Company,  and  was  a  director  of  the  old  Wyoming  Bank, 
and  for  years  he  was  president  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  borough  council. 
At  present  he  is  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
and  has  long  been  a  member  of  the  city  council  and  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  law  and  ordinances. 

Dui-ing  a  long  term  of  years  General  Sturdcvant  has  been  in  some 
manner  connected  with  most  of  the  important  business  enterprises 
looking  to  the  development  and  improvement  of  the  vaiious  interests 
of  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  valleys.  His  connection  with  the  now 
gigantic  iron  interest  of  the  Lackawanna  in  the  days  of  its  infancy  is 
peculiarly  interesting.  In  1839  he  was  requested  by  the  president  of  the 
Bank  of  North  America.  Philadelphia,  as  the  agent  and  attorney  of  the 
bank,  to  visit  a  body  of  the  land  owned  by  the  bank  in  the  old  township 
of  Providence,  Luzerne  county,  with  a  view  to  looking  after  iron  ore 
reported  to  have  been  discovered  on  one  of  the  bank  tracts  by  a  well 
known  hunter  of  that  vicinity.  On  a  pleasant  morning  he  set  out  in  bis 
buggy,  carrying  with  him  a  saddle,  a  pair  of  saddle  bags  and  a  hatchet 
in  preparation  for  a  journey  through  the  woods  if  it  should  be  necessa- 
ry. Passing  through  the  locality  of  Soranton,  then  called  Slocum  Hol- 
low, where  were  then  the  old  red  Slocum  house,  the  old  forge  on  Roaring 
brook,  and  in  the  vicinity  the  residence  of  Elisha  Hitchcock,  he  found 
about  two  miles  beyond  the  man  he  sought,  to  whom  he  agreed  to  pay 
$50  in  consideration  of  his  showing  him  the  ore,  provided  that  a  test 
should  prove  it  to  be  valuable.  After  unharnessing  liis  horse,  which  he 
accoutered  in  saddle  and  saddle-bags,  the  general  mounted  and  followed 
the  old  hunter  (who  carried  his  ritle  with  an  eye  to  the  possibility  that 
they  might  arouse  a  deer  from  his  mid-day  nap)  about  five  miles,  over  a 
foot  path  pretly  well  obstructed  by  fallen  trees,  to  Stafford  Meadow 
brook,  near  which,  in  a  small  ravine,  on  a  tract  in  the  warrantee  name 
of  Daniel  Van  Campen,  and  owned  by  the  Bank  of  North  America,  they 
found  outcroppings  of  iron  ore  on  both  sides  of  the  gully.  Taking  as 
much  of  the  ore  as  the  general  could  carry  in  his  saddle-bags,  the  two 
returned  to  the  hunter's  house,  and  hastily  harnessing  the  horse  the 
general  drove  back  to  Wilkes-Barre  by  moonlight.  The  next  day  the 
ore  was  securely  boxed  and  sent  to  the  president  of  the  bank  by  stage. 
Soon  General  Sturdc\'ant  received  a  letter  from  the  pi'csidcnt  enclosing 
a  statement  of  the  very  favorable  analysis  of  the  ore  by  Professor 
Booth.  The  general  paid  the  promised  $50  to  his  friend  the  hunter,  and 
the  Scrantons  a  little  later  bought  the  Daniel  Van  Campen  tract,  with 
other  lands  adjoining,  and  took  initial  steps  lending  to  the  wonderful 
development  of  the  intei'ests  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany, and  through  them  of  the  thri^-ing,  energetic  and  rapidly  growing 
city  of  Scranton. 

General  Sturdevant,  who  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  was  for  a 
long  time  quite  prominent  in  public  affairs ;  but  during  the  last  few 
years  he  has  not  been  active  politically.  Though  often  tendered  the 
candidacy  for  high  political  honors,  he  has  never  willingly  consented  to 
the  use  of  his  name  except  as  a  nominee  for  delegate  to  the  State  con- 
vention to  amend  the  constitution  of  Pennsylvania,  of  which  he  was 
elected  a  member.    He  was  the  youngest  delegate  In  that  body. 

For  many  3'ears  General  Sturdevant  has  been  a  member  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  church.  For  more  than  thirty  years  he  was  a  vestrj'- 
man  of  St.  Stephen's  church,  Wilkes-Barre.  He  was  a  liberal  contribu- 
tor towards  the  establishment  of  St.  Clement's  parish,  in  which  Firwood 
is  located,  and  the  erection  of  its  house  of  worship,  and  since  the  oi'gan- 
ization  of  the  parish  he  has  been  senior  warden  of  this  church. 

General  Sturdevant  was  married  May  1st,  1833,  to  Martha  Dwight 
Denison,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  daughter  of  Austin  Denison,  of  New  Haven, 
and  Martha  Dwight,  and  a  niece  of  President  Dwight,  of  Yale  College. 
On  her  mother's  side  she  was  of  the  seventh  generation  of  descendants 
of  Colonel  Timothy  Dwight,  grandson  of  John  Dwight,  of  Dedham, 
Mass.,  the  common  ancestor  it  is  believed  of  all  who  legitimately  bear 
his  family  name  on  this  continent.  She  was  a  lady  of  very  superior  ed- 
ucation and  fine  accomplishments,  as  honest  a  Christian  woman  as  ever 
lived,  proud  of  the  old  Dwight  name  and  cherishing  through  life  every 
incident  of  the  history  of  the  family,  with  which  she  was  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted. She  died  October  30th,  1843.  Only  one  child,  Mary  Elizabeth 
Sturdevant,  who  was  born  April  10th,  1833,  and  died  .Tune  18th,  1835,  was 
horn  of  this  marriage.  May  13th,  1847,  General  Sturdevant  married 
Lucy,  daughter  of  .Judge  Charles  Huston,  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Pennsylvania,  who  bore  him  four  children-Charles  Huston,  Mary 
Elizabeth,  Edward  Warren  and  Lucy  Huston-and  died  May  3d,  1879,  at 
the  residence  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  J.  N.  Stone,  jr.,  in  Philadelphia,  sur- 
rounded by  her  husband  and  children,  in  the  fullest  contidence  of  faith 
andholyhope,  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  her  age.  For  more  than  thirty 
years  Mrs.  Sturdevant  had  lived  in  Wilkes-Barre  amid  an  increasing 
circle  of  appreciative  and  loving  friends.  A  devoted  wife  and  mother, 
a  faithful  and  exemplary  church  member,  a  constant  worshiper  in  her 
parish  church,  a  most  efHcient  teacher  in  the  Sunday-school,  and  a  true 
friend  to  all,  to  whom  her  friendship  was  helpful  and  full  of  comfort, 
her  loss  to  the  whole  community,  and  especially  to  the  parish  of  St. 


Clement's  church,  was  so  great  as  to  seem  irreparable.  She  was  born  in 
Bellefonte,  Center  county.  Pa.,  and  was  trained  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  Rev.  George  W.  Natt.  She  left,  besides  her  husband  and  her  two  sons 
and  two  daughters,  a  countless  number  of  mourning  friends,  to  whom 
the  bereavement  of  her  loss  was  greater  than  can  be  told. 

General  Sturdevant,  still  in  active  business  life  and  identified  with 
the  leading  interests  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  vicinity,  an  efficient  and 
prominent  member  of  the  city  council,  sound  In  health  and  thoroughly 
alive  to  the  important  events  of  the  time,  is  passing  the  latter  years  of 
his  life  at  Firwood  farm,  the  care  of  which  is  his  daily  occupation  and 
pleasure. 

THE  WADHAMS  FAMILY. 

The  family  of  Wadham  had  its  origin  in  Devonshire,  England,  and 
derived  its  name  from  the  place  of  its  residence,- Wadham,  in  the  parish 
of  Knowston,  near  the  incorporate  town  of  Molton.  Lyson,  in  his 
Magna  Britannica,  says:  "  The  manor  of  Wadham,  at  the  time  of  the 
Domesday  survey,  in  1080,  belonged  to  an  old  Saxon  by  the  name  of  Ulf, 
who  held  it  in  demesne  since  the  time  of  Edward  the  Confessor,  A.  D. 
1043.  It  is  not  improbable  that  he,  Ulf,  might  be  the  ancestor  of  Wad- 
ham of  whom  this  was  the  original  residence."  William  de  Wadham 
was  freeholder  of  this  land  in  the  time  of  King  Edward  I.,  A.  D.  1373,  and 
both  East  and  West  Wadham  descended  in  this  name  and  posterity 
until  the  death  of  Nicholas  Wadham,  founder  of  Wadham  College,  Ox- 
ford, when  it  passed  to  his  sisters'  families,  and  is  still  in  possession  of 
their  descendants.  Merrifield,  in  Somersetshire,  came  into  possession  of 
Sir  John  Wadham,  knight,  by  his  marriage  with  Elizabeth,  daughter  and 
heir  of  Stephen  Popham,  and  was  inherited  by  their  son.  Sir  John  Wad- 
ham, whose  descendants  were  called  "  Wadham  of  Merrifield."  The 
principal  places  of  residence  of  this  family  in  England  were  in  the 
counties  of  Devon,  Somerset  and  Dorset;  and  from  Somersetshire  came 
John  Wadham  to  America  and  settled  in  Wethersfleld,  Conn.,  where  he 
was  a  farmer,  as  may  be  seen  from  deeds  of  p  urchasp  of  lands  and  other 
records  of  the  town  as  early  as  1650.  He  died  (in  AVethersfleld  in  1676. 
His  widow,  Susannah,  married  as  second  wife  a  Bushnell,  of  Saybrook 
(probably  William,  sen.),  and  died  in  1683. 

John  Wadham  (or  Wadhams  as  the  name  is  now  spelled),  born  July 
8th,  1635,  only  child  of  John  and  Susannah  Wadham,  also  lived  in  Weth- 
ersfleld. His  children  by  his  first  wife,  Hannah,  were  Hannah,  Susannah, 
John,  Sarah,  Daniel,  Caleb  and  Noah.  The  last  mentioned,  Noah  Wad- 
ham, born  Auffust  10th,  1095,  son  of  John  and  Hannah  Wadhams,  married 
Anne  Hurlbut,  and  removed  from  Wethersfleld  to  MIddletown  about 
1736;  thence,  about  1773,  to  Goshen,  Conn.,  where  he  died  in  1783,  aged 
eighty-eight  years. 

The  children  of  Noah  and  Anne  Wadhams  were  Noah  (died  early), 
Hannah,  Elizabeth,  Noah,  Solomon  (died  early),  Jonathan,  John, 
Deliverance,  Mary,  Anne,  Solomon,  Nicholas  and  Seth.  John  Marsh 
Wadhams,  grandson  of  the  above  named  John,  residing  upon  the 
paternal  lands  in  Goshen,  is  a  man  of  position  in  the  society  and  town, 
of  large  business  abilities  and  financial  success  ;  at  present  a  member  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  which  position  he  has  filled  on  two 
former  occasions ;  also  the  position  of  Senator  of  Connecticut.  His  son, 
John  H.  Wadhams,  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  his 
State. 

Albert  Wadhams,  a  descendant  of  Solomon,  is  an  attorney-at-law,  and 
of  prominence  in  his  town,  having  been  a  contributor  of  many  valuable 
articles  for  the  press. 

Rt.  Rev.  Edward  Prindle  Wadhams,  a  descendant  of  Jonathan,  is  now 
bishop  in  the  Roman  Catholic  church  at  Ogdensburg,  N.  T. 

Noah  Wadhams,  son  of  Noah  and  Anne  Wadhams,  was  born  May  17th, 
1736,  and  educated  at  Princeton  College,  where  he  graduated.  His 
diploma,  dated  September  35th,  1754,  is  now  in  the  custody  of  his  great 
grandson.  It  bears  the  name  of  Aaron  Burr,  father  of  the  celebrated 
man  of  Revolutionary  fame,  as  president  of  the  college.  "The  doc- 
ument is  the  surviving  witness  of  three  generations  past  and  gone,  a 
testament  also  of  the  times  of  George  III.  and  when  the  present  State  of 
New  Jersey  was  one  of  the  colonies  of  his  realm."  Mr.  Wadhams  was 
ordained  minister  of  the  New  Preston  society  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  the  town  of  Milford,  Conn.,  at  its  organization,  in  1757,  and 
continued  his  pastoral  rehitions  to  that  society  for  eleven  j'ears. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Susquehanna  Company  in  Connecticut  in  1768 
"the  standing  committee  was  directed  to  procure  a  pastor  to  accompany 
the  second  colony,  called  the '  flrst  forty,'  for  carrying  on  religious  wor- 
ship and  services  according  to  the  best  of  his  ability  in  a  wilderness  coun- 
try." Rev.  Noah  Wadhams  was  chosen  for  the  purpose,  and  he  accepted. 
He  had  married  Elizabeth  Ingersol,of  New  Haven,Nuvember  8th,1758,  and 
they  had  a  family  of  small  children.  "  Leaving  his  family  at  their  home 
in  Litchfleld  he  embarked  with  his  flock  in  1709,  amid  the  perils  which 
lay  before  them  on  the  distant  shores  of  the  Susquehanna,  in  »  wilder- 
ness made  more  forbidding  because  of  the  savage  people  who  were  in 
possession  of  the  valley.  He  continued  his  pastoral  relations,  inter- 
rupted by  an  occasional  visit  to  his  family  in  Litchfield,  until  the  year 
succeeding  the  Wyoming  massacre,  when  he  removed  them  to  Ply- 
mouth." Soon  after  this  his  theological  views  underwent  a  change,  and 
"  he  became  a  Methodist,  and  faithfully  pursued  his  religious  duties  as  a 


4^ 


teflX-1 
*^?='= 


4 


236  z 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


local  preacher  of  that  denomination,  holding  meetings  in  Plymouth  and 
other  parts  of  the  valley  more  or  less  frequently  during  the  remainder 
ot  his  life."  He  married  as  his  second  wife  Diana  Boss,  daughter  of  Jer- 
emiah Ross  and  sister  of  General  William  S.  lloss,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  by 
■whom  he  had  no  children,  and  who  died  in  October,  1804.  He  died  May 
22nd,  1806.  "  He  was  a  man  of  very  considerable  talents,  having  received 
&  liberal  education,  as  already  stated,  and  as  a  mark  of  merit  he  had  also 
conferred  upon  him  by  Yale  College,  in  1764,  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts."  Four  sons,  Ingersol,  Calvin,  Noah  and  Moses,  and  one  daughter, 
Anne,  were  the  children  of  Rev.  Noah  Wadhams  by  his  first  wife.  "  They 
were  too  young  to  have  taken  any  part  in  the  early  and  angry  strifes  of 
the  valley.  Their  names  were,  however,  all  upon  the  assessment  list  of 
the  township  returned  in  1796." 

Ingersol  was  educated  in  Litchfield,  Conn.  He  married  a  Miss  Brins- 
made,  ot  New  Milford,  Conn.  He  died  in  184.5,  aged  eighty-four  years, 
leaving  two  daughters-a  Mrs.  Myers,  whose  descendants  are  in  the 
western  States,  and  Mrs.  Amy  Stone,  now  living  in  New  Milford,  Conn. 
Moses  Wadhams  died  of  yellow  fever  in  1804,  aged  thirty  years.  His 
business  abilities  are  evidenced  in  the  desirable  financial  condition  in 
which  he  left  a  widow  and  two  children  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
was  a  leading  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  occupying  the 
position  of  steward  and  class  leadei-.  His  children  were  Phebe,  who  died 
in  1807,  aged  sixty-six  years,  and  Lydia,  now  living,  the  widow  of  Samuel 
French. 

The  widow  of  Moses  Wadhams,  born  Ellen  Hendricks,  married  Joseph 
Wright,  of  Plymouth.    She  died  in  1871,  aged  ninety-six  .years. 

Anne  Wadhams,  born  in  1703,  married  a  Mr.  Hatch,  of  Connecticut. 
Her  descendants  are  living  in  Farmiugton  and  New  Milford,  Conn. 

Calvin  and  Noah  were  for  many  years  prominent  business  men  of 
Plymouth.  The  latter,  the  younger  of  the  two,  was  one  of  the  early 
justices  ol  the  peace  of  the  county.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the  famous 
law  school  of  early  days  at  Litchfield,  Conn.,  under  the  management  of 
Judge  Reeve.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Luzerne  county  not  far 
from  IBM;  but  the  legal  profession  did  not  seem  to  have  afl'orded  him 
any  attraotiiins,  and  he  settled  down  in  Plymouth,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  lite.  He  was  an  industrious,  upright  man,  a  model 
magistrate,  and  for  many  years  did  he  en.ioy  the  confidence  of  his  neigh- 
bors. He  died  in  1840,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  ot  his  age.  In  his  poll- 
tics,  which  were  of  the  Jefferson  school,  he  was  as  positive  as  his  brother 
Calvin  was  in  his,  which  were  Washingtonian— "  one  a  radical  Demo- 
crat, the  other  a  radical  Federalist." 

The  "  success  of  Calvin  Wadhams  was  remarkable.  As  to  his  habits  of 
frugality  and  industry  he  was  a  genuine  type  of  the  men  of  the  valley 
in  his  time.  Labor,  temperance  and  economy,  in  his  judgment,  proved 
the  true  standard  of  manhood,  and  made  up  the  rule  of  his  long  and 
prosperous  life.  He  was  a  religious  man,  strongly  devoted  to  the  church 
of  his  faith,  and  while  his  home  was  marlcedly  open  to  the  brethren  of 
the  Methodist  chui'ch,  his  hospitality  was  broad  and  all  embracing." 
February  30th,  1791,  he  married  Esther  Waller,  of  Connecticut,  who  was 
born  June  10th,  1708,  and  died  February  19th,  1818.  April  28th,  1820,  he 
married  widow  Lucy  Lucas,  born  Lucy  Starr  August  13th,  1702,  who 
died  September  2l8t,  1840. 

When  Calvin  Wadhams  died,  April  22nd,  1845,  aged  80  years,  only  one 
of  his  children  survived  him— the  late  Samuel  Wadhams,  Esq.,  who  was 
born  in  Plymouth,  August  21st,  1800.  He  inherited  largely  the  energy  of 
character  and  views  of  his  father.  He  was  a  man  of  good  business 
qualities,  calm,  even  tempered,  and  of  friendly  disposition  ;  a  remarka- 
bly methodical  man  in  his  business  affairs,  exhibiting  great  skill,  judg- 
ment and  industry  in  their  management.  He  understood  their  every 
detail  and  knew  how  to  control  and  direct  them  to  good  purpose.  By 
caution,  prudence  and  forethought  he  came  to  his  conclusions  with 
jnoderation  and  they  were  generally  correct. 

April  7th,  1824,  he  married  Clorinda  Starr  Catlin,  ot  New  Marlboro, 
Mass.  "  He  died  as  he  had  lived,  December  15th,  1808,  aged  sixty-two,  a 
man  of  unblemished  integrity,  upright  in  his  dealings,  and  a  worthy 
Christian  member  of  society."    His  wife  died  April 28th,  1870. 

They  left  three  sons,  Elijah  Catlin,  Calvin  and  Moses,  and  one  daugh- 
ter, Esther  Waller,  who  married  Hon.  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  of  Wilkcs-Barre. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  D.  Shoemaker  hai'e  been  born  nine  children,  of 
whom  si.x  are  living. 

Calvin  was  born  December  14th,  1*3.3,  and  is  an  attorney  at  law.  He 
has  one  son  living,  hoA'ing  buried  three  children. 

Moses  was  born  November  2.3d,  1830,  and  died  March  28th,  1878,  leaving 
a  widow,  his  second  wife,  and  an  only  daughter  by  his  first  wife. 

Hon.  Elijah  Catlin  Wadhams  was  born  in  Plymouth,  July  17th,  1825,  in 
the  same  house  where  his  father,  Samuel  Wadhams,  was  born.  This 
house,  a  view  of  which  is  shown  on  another  page,  was  built  about  1807, 
by  his  granfather,  Calvin  Wadhams,  third  son  of  Hev.  Noah  Wadhams, 
and  stands  onlland  adjoining  the  homestead.  The  barn  across  the  street 
was  built  during  Washington's  administration.  Mr.  Wadhams  was  ed- 
ucated at  Dana's  Academy,  Wilkes-Barre,  and  Dickinson  College,  Car- 
lisle, and  graduated  from  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York  in 
1S47.  Locating  in  Plymouth  he  embarked  in  a  succesful  mercantile 
career,  and  was  justice  of  the  peace  in  Plymouth  borough  twenty  years 
and  burgess  seven  years.  While  a  resident  of  Plymouth  he  was  active 
in  developing  and  supporting  all  interests  tending  to  the  advancement 


of  the  public  prosperity,  and  has  been  identified  as  a  member  and  officer 
with  the  leading  social  and  secret  societies  there.  For  many  years  he 
has  been  a  director  of  the  Wyoming  National  Bank  and  he  is  now  a  di- 
rector of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Wilkes-Barre.  In  1873  he  removed 
to  Wilkes-Barre  and  in  1874-75  ei-ected  his  residence.  No.  330  South 
Franklin  street.  In  November,  1876,  he  was  elected  a  senator  of  the 
State  ot  Pennsylvania.  A  marked  characteristic  of  Mr.  Wadhams,  one 
which  it  has  been  seen  has  been  developed  in  many  generations  of  the 
family,  is  industry,  which  he  recognizes  as  the  key  to  success  in  life 
under  any  and  all  circumstances. 

October  7th,  1851,  he  married  Esther  Taylor  French,  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel French,  who  was  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Francis  Holberton  French, 
of  Bridgeport,  Conn.  Other  branches  of  the  family  now  reside  near 
Vergennes,  Vt.  All  of  them  are  descendants  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  Hall 
French,  of  Derby,  Conn. 

His  children  are  :  Samuel  French  Wadhams,  attorney-at-law,  who 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  N.  H.,  in  1875;  Ellen  Hendrick  Wad- 
hams, a  graduate  of  Drew  Ladies'  Seminary,  Carmel,  N.  Y. ;  Cornelia 
Frances  Wadhams,  a  graduate  of  Bordentown  Female  College,  N.  J. ; 
Moses  Waller  Wadhams,  a  graduate  ot  Dartmouth  College,  N.  H.,  of  the 
class  of  1880;  Stella  Catlin  Wadhams,  Lydia  French  Wadhams  and  Ralph 
Ho  Iberton  Wadhams. 

HON.   CHARLES  .MIKEB— WILTJAM   P.   MINER. 

Born  at  Norwich,  Conn.,  on  the  first  day  of  February,  ITSO,  Charles 
Miner  came  to  Pennsylvania  at  the  age  of  nineteen  to  take  charge  of 
lands  held  by  his  father,  Seth  Miner,  under  the  Connecticut  claim,  in  the 
wild  forests  of  Luzerne,  now  in  Susquehanna  county. 

The  question  of  jurisdiction  had  been  settled  by  the  decree  at  Trenton, 
1782,  and  surveys  were  progressing  under  the  compromise  laws  securing 
title  to  Yankee  claimants.  Mr.  Miner  worked  in  a  sugar  camp  after  his 
arrival  in  February,  1799,  until  he  earned  one  hundred  and  five  pounds 
of  maple  sugar,  which  he  carried  on  his  back  to  the  Wyalusing  and 
exchanged  for  provisions,  and  then  began  chopping  timber  and  making 
a  clearing  for  a  farm  three  miles  west  of  Montrose. 

Ambitious  to  be  an  editor,  Mr.  Miner  sold  his  improvements  soon  after 
he  came  ot  age  and  removed  to  Wilkes-Bari-e,  where  his  brother,  Asher 
Jliner,  had  established  the  Lmmie  Cwuiiii  Fnhrnlixt  in  place  of  the 
WiUtcn-Banc  Gazette,  which  had  been  the  only  paper  of  the  town  since 
1797,  owned  by  Thomas  Wright,  Esq.,  a  large  landed  proprietor,  and  pub- 
lished until  the  close  ot  1800  by  his  son,  Joseph  Wright.  Asher  Miner 
married  the  only  daughter  of  Thomas  Wright,  and  Charles,  after  teach- 
ing school  two  terms,  married  one  of  his  pupils,  Letltia,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Wright.  The  brothers  had  been  apprentices  in  the  ofllce  of 
Master  Samuel  Green,  who  published  the  l^imiicrtirnt  (Itizcttv  ami Cnm- 
iiienial  Iiitclliiiciifrr  of  New  London.  The  Wrights  were  Ueinocrats;  the 
Miners  Federalists. 

The  first  coutribution  to  the  Fnlfiril int  was  received  by  the  cider 
brother  with  hesitation;  but  when  it  returned  in  the  columns  of  a  Phila- 
delphia daily  doubt  vanished,  and  in  a  year  afterward.  May  3d,  1802,  the 
FcflcraliM  was  "  printed  by  A.  &  C.  Miner,"  the  partnership  continuing 
two  years,  when  .Vslier  rcrao^"cd  to  Doylcstown. 

In  October,  1807,  Charles  was  elected  to  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature, 
which  then  met  at  Lancaster.  The  proprietor  of  the  only  newspaper  in 
the  county,  he  aunounccd  that  liis  c()lumns  were  tree  to  his  opponents 
to  "  taunt  my  faults  with  such  full  license  as  truth  and  malice  have 
power  to  utter."  Re-elected  in  1808, he  became  the  early  ad\'ocate  of 
the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  people,  and  was  a  fair  debater.  He  op- 
I)osed  tlie  circulation  of  small  notes  of  banks  in  other  States,  and  pro- 
posed that  excellent  law  exempting  toolsof  the  poor  mechanic,  the  spin- 
ning wheel,  cow  and  bed,  from  execution  and  sale  for  debt. 

Foreseeing  the  growth  of  the  coal  trade  at  a  very  early  day,  he  advo- 
cated the  improvement  of  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Lehigh,  predicting 
the  connection  of  their  waters  by  a  railroad  long  before  such  roads  were 
generally  known  or  thought  of. 

In  May,  1810,  Messrs.  Sidney  Tracy  and  Steuben  Butler,  who  had  been 
apprentices,  assumed  control  of  the  Fnhiiili>it,  and  under  their  manage- 
ment September  7th  appeared  the  first  of  a  series  ol  essays  from  the 
pen  of  Mr.  Miner,  entitled,  "  Essays  from  the  Desk  of  Poor  Robert  the 
Scribe,"  which  became  very  popular,  and  his  first  one,  "  Who'll  Turn 
Grindstone?"  still  goes  its  annual  roiuids  of  the  press  ascribed  to  the  pen 
ol  Dr.  Franklin. 

Mr.  Miner  resumed  the  editorial  chair  in  1811,  and  in  1816  disposed  of 
the  establishment  to  Isaac  A.  Chapman,  Escj.,  to  talce  charge  of  the 
editorial  columns  of  the  2'rifr  -1  uicricfiii,  under  an  agreement  of  part- 
nership with  the  proprietor,  Mr.  Thomas  T.  Stiles,  at  Philadelphia  ;  an 
arrangement  which  was  not  lasting,  as  Mr.  Miner  founded  the  Fi'Hnoe 
Ra-ind  in  the  pleasant  village  of  West.  Chester,  Chester  county.  Pa.,  in 
August,  1817. 

The  young  Yankee  printer,  ridiculed  by  the  democracy  of  Chester  as 
a  ''  Yankee  tin  peddler,"  won  his  way  to  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  the  plain  and  practical  members  of  the  society  of  Friends  in  that  fine 
old  county;  and  in  1824  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  district  composed 
of  Lancaster,  Chester  and  Delaware  counties  in  Congress,  with  James 
Buchanan  and  Samuel  Edwards.  Ite-eleeted  in  1820,  he  served  four  years, 
retiring  in  1829,  on  the  inauguration  of  General  Jackson. 


*^^= 


^7:^_;  '"  hij  h  8  fiau    K.  .S.ni..:  L,  i 


.'rc'i'j  oC  ^.  T 


-'<H- 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD,   WILKES-BARRE. 


236  J/ 


In  July,  1825,  brother  Asher  came  from  Doylestown,  where  he  had  for 
twenty  years  published  the  Doiflestown  Correspondent  (now  the  IntdU- 
gcncer),  and  from  that  time  the  Bcconl  was  published  by  Asher  &  Charles 
Miner  till  1834,  when  it  was  sold  to  Henry  S.  Evans,  Esq. 

diaries  returned  to  Wyoming- valley  in  1832.  Asher  followed  on  dis- 
posal of  the  paper  and  they  ended  their  lives  on  adjoining  farms  near 
Wilkes-Barre. 

Before  the  day  of  fast  presses  of  Hoe  and  Campbell  the  oolintry  press 
was  notso  over-shadowed  by  the  immense  circulation  of  the  city  dailies, 
and  Mr.  Miner's  position  as  editor  and  representative  in  the  Legislature 
and  in  Coujjr&^s  was  highly  respeotal)le  and  influential,  as  indicated  by 
his  correspondence  with  Webster,  Clay,  John  Quinoy  Adams,  Rush, 
Serg:eant  and  others.  A  warm  friend  of  internal  improvements  and  of 
home  industry,  he  became  attached  to  Mr.  Clay,  the  great  advocate  of  our 
American  system.  Asa  Yanlvee,  when  circumstances  induced  a  cool- 
ness between  the  eminent  Kentuclcian  and  the  Defender  of  the  Consti- 
t\ition  his  sympatliies  went  out  warmly  towards  his  brother  Ynnlcee.who 
long  after  sent  him  his  portrait  endorsed  "  To  my  highly  valued  friend 
the  Hon.  Charles  Miner.    Daniel  Webster." 

Mr.  Miner  advocated  the  encouragement  of  wool  growing  while  dress- 
ed in  hemespuu  in  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature.  In  Congress  he  intro- 
duced a  bill  for  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  which  he  advocated  in  an  able  speech,  contrary  to  the  wishes 
and  advice  of  timid  friends.  He  procured  the  signatures  of  a  majority 
of  property  owners  of  the  District  to  a  memorial  in  its  favor ;  but  the 
slave  power,  not  seriously  objecting-  to  the  suppression,  thought  best  to 
defend  every  outpost  in  view  of  the  coming  conflict,  and  defeated  it. 

Mr.  Miner  had  joined  Lodge  61,  Ancient  Yorlc  Masons,  at  an  early  day 
in  Wilkes-Barre.  "When  the  wave  of  anti-masonry  swept  .the  land  and 
carried  Mr.  Adams  from  the  side  of  his  old  political  friends,  he  wrote  a 
long  letter  to  Mr.  Miner,  deprecating  any  estrangement  or  breach  of 
personal  friendship  on  that  account,  and  enclosed  some  verses  which 
concluded  with  the  following  lines : 

Be  thine  the  compass  and  the  square. 

While  I  discard  them  botli ; 
And  thou  shalt  take,  while  I  forbear. 

The  secret  and  the  oath. 

Mr.  Miner's  pen  continued  actively  engaged  on  subjects  of  interest 
until  after  his  eightieth  year.  His  "  History  of  Wyoming,"  published 
in  1845,  was  written  at  the  request  of  many  friends  interested,  who 
knew  how  early  and  intimate  his  knowledge  had  been  of  its  progress, 
his  acquaintance  with  survivors  of  the  battle,  and  with  the  civil  con- 
flicts of  the  generation  before  him. 

The  PhOaildphia  Press,  in  noticing  his  decease,  said :  "  Charles  Miner 
was  a  model  journalist  and  statesman :  the  father  of  a  school  of  sound 
thinkers,  and  the  most  practical  philanthropist  of  his  time." 

He  quietly  passed  away  in  his  eighty-sixth  year,  at  his  Retreat,  on  the 
26th  day  of  October,  1865.  The  accompanying  portrait  was  painted  in 
1823  by  a  rising  artist,  B.  Otis,  who  died  young.  Among  his  memoranda 
was  a  paper  requesting  to  be  laid  in  the  old  grave  yard  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
where  the  mould  was  soft  and  pleasant  and  he  would  be  surrounded  by 
dear  friends  who  had  gone  before ;  and  a  plain  stone  from  the  mountains 
surrounding  to  mark  the  spot,  inscribed  : 

"  Charles  Miner, 
Born  Feburary  1st,  1780, 
Died  October  26th,  1865. 

THE  HISTORIAN  OF  WYOMING." 

William  Penn  Miner,  son  of  Charles  Miner,  has  been,  like  his  father 
before  him,  a  prominent  figure  in  the  history  of  Wilkes-Barre  journal- 
ism. He  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  September  8th,  1816,  and  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  D.  Liggett,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  has  sei-ved  Luzerne 
county  as  prothonotary,  and  in  1846  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts  for 
three  yeai-s. 

He  began  publishing  the  Weekly  Bemrd  nf  the  Times  April  19th,  1853, 
and  started  the  daily  edition  Octojber  5th,  18T3.  Mr.  Miner  is  the  author 
of  the  very  interesting  and  valuable  history  of  the  coal  trade  embraced 
in  chapter  X  of  this  work. 

HON.   CHAKI/ES  A.  JIINEB. 

Hon.  Cliai-lcs  A.  Miner,  a  son  of  Robert  and  a  grandson  of  Asher 
Miner,  both  of  whom  were  well  and  favorably  known  to  the  inhabitants 
of  Wyoming  vaUey,  was  bora  in  Plains  township,  Augui:t30th,  1830,  and 
received  his  education  at  the  academies  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  West- 
chester, Pa.  Since  attaining  his  majority  he  has  been  engaged  in  milhng 
with  an  interregnum  of  only  a  few  years.  The  first  grist-miU  erected  at 
the  place  now  known  as  Miner's  Station,  near  Wilkes-Bai-re,  was  built 
by  Mr.  Miner's  great  grandfather,  Thomas  Wright,  who  emigrated  from 
Ireland  and  settled  at  that  place,  whioh  was  long  known  as  Wrightsvjlle. 
Mr.  Miner's  partner  in  his  milling  operations  is  his  cousin,  I.  M.  Thomas. 

Much  time  and  attention  have  been  devoted  by  Mr.  Miner  to  real 
estate  trans  actions  in  Wilkes-Barre  and  in  coal  lands  adjacent,  in  which 
he  has  been  fortunate.  He  has  been  connected  with  most  of  the  suc- 
cessful business  enterprises  of  Wilkes-Earre,  having  been  president  of  a 


street  railway  company,  director  of  the  Wyoming  National  and  People's 
Banks,  and  president  and  for  years  a  member  of  the  city  council.  He  is 
president  of  the  Luzerne  County  Agricultural  Society  jind  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Millers'  State  Association,  and  in  1873  he  represented  the  State 
as  honorary  commissioner  at  the  world's  exhibition  at  Vienna,  Austria. 
He  has  been  elected  to  the  Pennsylvania  House  of  Representatives  three 
times  in  succession,  and  was  almost  unanimously  noininated  by 'the 
convention  of  1880  to  the  State  senate. 

Ml".  Miner  was  one  of  the  first  to  take  an  interest  in  the  establishment 
of  a  hospital  for  the  relief  of  the  anthracite  coal  regions  centering  at 
Wilkes-Barre,  and  he  has  been  president  of  the  board  of  managers  of 
that  institution  since  its  incorporation.  To  this  hospital  he  has  secured 
appropriations  of  $45,000  since  his  fli-st  election  to  the  Legislature  in  1874, 
and  he  has  secured  other  legislation  of  much  value  to  his  constituents 
and  the  coal  interests  of  the  valley.  He  is  deservedly  popular  with  his 
constituents,  as  well  as  with  his  fellow  legislators  of  all  parties,  and  is  an 
upright  and  conscientious  man  in  all  the  public  and  private  relations 
of  life. 


c^o^  i/cr^'^d-jui^"^^^^ 


ASA  R    BRUNDAQE. 

Mr.  Brundage  is  a  leading  member  of  the  bar  of  Luzerne  county.  A 
native  of  the  county,  educated  at  the  University  of  Mississippi,  where 
he  became  the  viUedictorian  of  his  class,  he  removed  to  Wilkes-BaiTe 
immediately  upon  his  graduation  and  entered  the  office  of  Hon.  H.  B. 
Wright  as  a  student  at  law.  His  father,  the  late  M.  S.  Brundage,  was 
among  the  early  settlers  of  the  county,  and  during  a  long  life  maintained 
an  influential  character.  His  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Eichard 
Brodhead,  an  early  and  distinguished  settler  on  the  Delaware  river  in 
Pike  county,  Pa.,  and  a  sister  of  Hon.  Richard  Brodhead,  jr.,  late  a  U.  S. 
senator  of  Pennsylvania. 

Admitted  to  the  bar  very  early  in  life,  Mr.  Brundage  was  soon  elected 
district  attorney  of  the  county,  and  has  since  pursued  his  profession 
witli  distinction  and  success.  As  an  advocate  before  a  jury  he  has  taken 
front  rank  and  will  be  classed  among  the  leading  lawyers  of  the  bar  of 
Luzerne.  A  gentleman  of  culture  and  refinement,  he  has  honored  the 
profession  of  which  he  is  a  member.  For  many  years  Mr.  Brundage  has 
been  prominent  in  the  politics  of  the  State  and  county;  of  pronounced 
Democratic  proclivities,  he  has  frequently  represented  the  county  in 
State  and  National  conventions,  and  whether  as  lawyer,  citizen,  or 
politician,  his  whole  life  has  been  prominent  and  influential,  productive 
of  good  and  not  of  evU.  Such  men  are  valuable  as  citizens  and  give 
character  to  the  community  in  which  they  reside. 

HON.  ZIBA   BENNETT. 

Ziba  Bennett  was  born  at  Weston,  Conn.,  November  10th,  1800.  He 
was  the  son  of  Piatt  Bennett,  who  had  a  family  of  three  daughters  and 


— ^ 


two  sons.  During-  liis  childhood  his  parents  moved  to  Westchester 
county,  N.  Y.,  but  subsequently  settled  in  Newtown  (now  Elmira),  N. 
Y.  Matthias  Hollenback,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  had  established  a  branch 
of  his  business  there.  In  his  store  Mr.  Bennett,  at  a  very  early  age, 
found  employment  as  junior  clerk.  In  1815,  when  only  fourteen  years 
old,  he  was  transferred  to  the  main  establishment  in  Wilkes-Barre.  It 
was  located  on  South  Main  street  and  Mr.  Bennett  commenced  his 
labors  there  June  16th,  1815. 

Five  years  later  Matthias  HoUenback  and  his  son  Goorsfe  M.  HoUen- 
back,  who  had  become  associated  with  him  in  business,  moved  into  new 
quarters  at  the  corner  of  River  and  Market  streets,  Mr.  Bennett  having 
in  the  mean  time  gained  the  position  of  chief  clerk.  In  1833  Mr.  Bennett 
was  admitted  as  a  partner  with  the  late  George  M.  HoUenback,  and  in 
1826  he  purchased  the  propei-ty  of  Stephen  Tuttle  on  North  Main  street 
and  started  business  on  his  own  account.  He  oimtinued  the  same  until 
his  death,  thus  covering  an  actual  mercantile  experience  of  over  si.xty 
yeai-s  and  making  him  at  his  demise  the  oldest  merchant  in  Luzerne 
countj'. 

On  the  .'Mth  of  November,  1835,  Mr.  Bennett  was  married  to  Miss  Han- 
nah P.  Slocum,  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  late  Joseph  Slocura.  Mrs. 
Bennett  passed  away  on  the  .5th  of  February,  1855,  leaving  behind  a  pre- 
cious memory,  fragrant  of  Christian  deeds  and  noble  virtues.  Two 
children,  Mrs.  John  C.  Phelps  and  George  S.  Bennett,  survive  their 
parents.  Mr.  Bennett  was  married  the  second  time,  November  18th, 
1856,  to  Miss  Priscilla  E.  Lee,  daughter  of  the  late  James  Lee,  an 
estimable  and  benevolent  lady  who  survives  Mm.  Mr.  Bennett  was 
chosen  to  represent  Luzerne  county  in  the  State  Legislatarointhe  years 
1833  and  1834. 

In  1843  he  was  called  to  assume  .iudicial  honors  as  the  associate  of  Judge 
John  N.  Conyngham.  On  one  or  two  occasions  he  was  solicited  to  accept 
a  Congressional  nomination,  but  declined,  as  he  preferred  the  duties  and 
comforts  of  private  life  to  the  excitements  incident  to  political  concerns. 
During  his  life  Mr.  Bennett  was  identifled  with  most  of  the  large  busi- 
ness enterprises  and  corpoi*ations  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  was  interested 
in  the  Wyoming  Bank  from  its  beginning,  serving  almost  constantly  as 
a  director  and  holding  for  nearly  a  decade  the  office  of  president.  He 
was  president  of  the  Wilkes-Bari-e  Bridge  Company  and  of  the  HoUen- 
back Cemetery  Association,  treasurer  of  the  Luzerne  County  Bible  So- 
ciety, and,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  senior  partner  of  the  hardware 
firm  of  Z.  Bennett  &  Co.andof  the  bankingfirmof  Bennett,  Phelps  &Co. 

For  over  a  half  century  Mr.  Bennett  was  a  mo.st  useful  member  and  a 
prominent  officer  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  haiang  been  con- 
verted when  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  His  house  was  the  home 
of  the  early  itinerant  and  he  gave  largely  of  liis  means  for  the  support 
of  the  church  as  well  as  to  various  benevolent  causes.  He  was  for  many 
years  superintendent  of  the  First  M.  E.  Church  Sunday-school  and  suc- 
ceeded in  making  it  one  of  the  most  flourishing  institutions  in  tlie  citj'. 
He  was  a  trustee  and  officer  of  the  Wyoming  Seminary  and  founded  its 
library,  which  now  bears  his  name. 

In  1873  he  was  sent  as  the  first  lay  delegate  from  the  Wyoming  annual 
conference  to  the  General  Couf orence  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
held  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  He  died  November  4th,  1878,  after  several 
months  of  enfeebled  health,  and  his  body  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  which 
he  took  so  much  interest  in  starting  and  in  maintaining.  He  was  a  noble 
man,  a  true  friend,  an  honored  citizen  and  a  sincere  Christian. 

THE  DAN.A.  FAMILY. 

The  Dana  family  came  to  America  about  1640.  Its  various  membo's 
aU  through  the  history  of  our  countrj'  have  boi'ue  a  conspicuous  and 
highly  honorable  part,  as  well  in  political  positions  they  have  occupied 
as  in  the  paths  of  science,  law  and  literature  :  and  through  the  pre-emi- 
nent literary  accomplishments  of  IMchard  H.  Dana  the  name  has  be- 
come endeared  to  every  scholar  and  household  throughout  our  land. 
To  particularize  and  give  the  names  and  history  of  the  various  leading 
and  prominent  men  of  this  family  would  lead  tot)  far  from  the  purpose 
of  this  sketoli,  which  is  to  gii'o  an  account  of  the  Danas  of  Wyoming. 

The  name  of  Anderson  Dana  is  first  found  at  Wyoming  in  "a  list  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Fittstown,  Aiiriinoth,1773,"  where  lie  owned  a  share  of 
the  town.  He  soon  sold  out,  jiurchascd  and  removed  to  a  farm  at 
Wilkes-Barre,  a  part  of  which,  including  the  old  htune-^Jtead,  .^tiU  remains 
in  the  family  and-name.  When  tlie  enemy  came  t^j  desolate  the  \'alley 
in  1778,  he  mounted  his  hcn-se  and  rode  through  the  settlement  arousing 
and  urging  the  pooijlc  to  the  conflict.  Although  exempt  he  went  out 
with  the  little  force,  acted  as  ad.iutant  and  aid  to  Colonel  Zebulon  But- 
ler on  the  held  and  f  eU  in  the  midst  of  the  hottest  of  the  strife. 

"  He  came  from  Ashford,  Coim.;  was  a  lawyer  of  handsome  attain- 
ments and  the  leader  in  the  establishment  of  free  schools  and  a  gospel 
ministry.  He  rcpresentod  Wyoming  in  the  Connecticut  assembly  and 
had  just  returned  home  when  the  news  of  the  invasion  reached  the 
valley." 

He  left  a  family  of  children  of  whom  his  son  Anderson  became  his 
successor  in  keeping  the  old  homestead  farm  and  raised  there  a  large 
family  of  children.  The  latter  man-ied  a  daughter  of  Asa  Stevens,  who 
fen  in  the  battle.  Stephen  Whiton,  son-in-law  of  the  elder  Anderson, 
also  fell  in  the  battle.    He  was  deputy  sheriff  at  the  time.    Captain  Hoz- 


ekiah  Parsons  married  his  daughter,  who  was  born  se\'eral  months  after 
the  battle. 

Anderson  Dana,  the  elder,  was  the  grandson  of  Jacob  Dana,  of  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  where  the  family  first  settled.  One  of  the  sons  of  Ander- 
son Dana,  jr.,  Asa  Stevens  Dana,  married  Ann  Praner,  and  to  them  was 
born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  January  29th,  1817,  a  son,  Edmund  LoveU  Dana  ; 
and  in  the  spring  of  1819  they  removed  to  E.iton,  now  Wyoming  county, 
just  opposite  Tiinkhannock,  where  they  resided  tiU  their  death.  Here 
Edmund  L.  with  a  number  of  brothers  and  sisters  grew  up,  working  on 
the  farm  and  attending  school  in  the  winters.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
began  preparing  for  college  at  Wilke.s-Barre  academy,  entered  the  soph- 
omore class  in  Vale  in  October,  1833,  and  graduated  in  1838.  He  com- 
menced the  study  of  law  under  Hon.  Luther  Kidder,  April  7th,  1839; 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  April  Bth,  13U,  aid  entered  the  office  of  Hon. 
George  W.  Woodward,  late  chief  justice  of  Pennsylvania,  on  his  appoint- 
ment to  the  bench,  and  took  charge  of  his  large  business,  which  he  suc- 
oessfuUy  managed,  and  from  that  time  to  December,  1846,  was  actively 
engaged  in  practice  in  the  counties  of  Luzerne  and  Wyoming. 

In  December,  1813,  when  a  c.^U  was  made  by  the  government  for  troops 
to  aid  in  prosecuting  the  war  with  Mexico,  he  tendered  the  services  of 
the  Wyoming  Artillerists,  of  which  company  he  was  captain,  which  was 
accepted;  started  by  canal  boat  for  Pittsburg  December  7th,  1846,  and 
was  there  mustered  into  the  service  to  serve  during  the  war,  December 
16th,  1846.  His  company  was  assigned  to  the  1st  regiment  Pennsylva- 
nia volunteers,  and  designated  as  Company  I.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the 
advance  transport  and  troops  at  Lobos  Island  on  their  way  to  Vera 
Cruz  he  was  seleetsd  to  make  a  survey  of  Lobos  harbor.  He  was  in  the 
landing  of  the  troops,  participated  actively  in  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
and  his  company  was  part  of  the  troops  assigned  to  receive  the  surren- 
der of  the  city  and  the  castle  of  San  Juan  D'Dlloa.  He  accompanied 
General  Scott  into  the  interior  of  Mexico;  was  at  the  battle  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  AprU  18th,  1847;  accompanied  the  movement  to  and  occupation 
of  Perote  Castle  and  the  cities  of  Jalapa  and  Puebla;  in  the  siege  of  the 
latter  was  actively  engaged  and  for  good  and  soldierly  conduct  there  he 
received  special  mention  in  general  orders.  He  led  the  charge  at  the  pass 
of  El  Pinal ;  marched  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  remained  there  until  peace 
in  June,  1848,  and  returning  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Pittsburg, 
July  30th,  1848.  He  and  his  company  were  welcomed  home  with  the 
highest  honors  by  an  immense  concourse  of  people.  He  at  once  resinned 
the  practice  of  law . 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war  he  was  major-general  of  the  9th 
division  of  Pennsylvania  militia,  and  in  the  summer  of  1863  was  appointed 
by  the  governor  commandant  of  camp  Luzerne,  in  Kingstfm;  and  upon 
the  organization  of  the  143d  regiment  at  the  camp,  October  18th,  18G3,  he 
was  elected  its  colonel.  November  7th  the  regiment  broke  camp  and 
left  for  the  seat  of  war;  was  assigned  for  a  time  to  the  defense  of  Wash- 
ington, and  July  17th,  1863,  went  into  camp  at  Belle  Plain,  where  it 
was  attached  to  the  3nd  brigade  of  the  3d  division  of  the  1st  army 
corps,  under  Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds:  was  in  the  march  on  Port  Royal 
April  21st,  in  the  skirmish  below  Fredericksburg  April  28th  and  39th,  at 
the  battle  of  ChancellorsviUe  May  3nd,  3d  and  4th,  and  at  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  July  1st,  2nd  and  3d.  In  this  battle  Colonel  Dana  commanded 
the  3nd  brigade  3d  division  1st  corps,  and  at  its  close  was  active  in  fol- 
lowing Lee's  forces,  encountering  them  in  a  skirmish  at  Funkstown. 

Dui'ing  the  winter  of  1863-4  he  was  engaged  in  the  several  skirmishes 
at  the  fords  of  the  Rappahannock.  In  the  first  day's  battle  of  the  Wil- 
derness, May  .5th,  1861,  he  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner,  his  horse 
being  shot  under  him.  He  was  taken  to  Danville,  Ljnchburg,  Macon 
and  Charlcstcm,  ai-riving  June  15th,  and  was  one  of  the  fifty  officers 
placed  under  fire  in  retaliation  for  our  forces  shelling  the  city.  He 
was  exchanged  August  3d,  1804,  with  fifty  federal  officers,  for  a  like 
number  and  rank  of  Confederates,  and  rejoined  his  command  at 
Petersburg,  then  a  iiart  of  the  5th  corps;  was  engaged  in  the  sevei'al 
movements  in  the  fall  of  1864,  and  on  the  8th  of  October  was  assigned 
to  conduct  an  advance  of  the  entire  ciu-i)s.  He  hud  a  sharp  encounter 
with  the  enemy's  outposts,  and  for  his  conduct  in  the  affair  was  com- 
[tlimentcd  by  the  general  commanding,  in  special  orders,  crediting  him 
with  "  performing  important,  arduous  and  responsible  duties  with 
credit  to  himself  and  his  command." 

He  was  in  the  first  battle  of  Hatcher's  Hun,  October  3Stli  and  29th;  on 
the  Woldon  raid  from  the  7th  to  the  12th  of  December,  and  iu  the 
second  battle  of  Hatcher's  Run,  February  0th  and  7th, 1865.  His  regiment 
was  sent  with  others  on  special  service  to  Baltimore,  and  thence  to 
Hni't's  Island,  and  was  mustered  out  June  13th,  1805.  The  regiment  and 
Its  officers  received  a  most  enthusiastic  reception  (ui  its  return  home, 
after  its  nearly  three  years  active  and  honorable  service. 

Colonel  Dana  was  retained  in  the  service,  and  detailed  on  court  mar- 
tlals,  first  at  Elinira  and  then  at  Syraeuse,N.  Y.  For  his  long,  faithful  and 
approved  services  he  was  brevetted  brigadier  general,  and  honorably 
mustered  out  of  the  service  August  23d,  1805. 

As  an  officer  his  well  earned  reputation  is  attested  by  his  comrades  in 
arms,  the  143d  regiment,  who  revere  and  worship  him  with  a  devotion 
rarely  excelled. 

After  his  return  he  again  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  and  in  the  fall 
of  1867  was  nominated  and  elected  over  Governor  Hoyt  to  the  office  of 
additional  law  judgo  of   Luzerne  county.       Upon  the  expiration  of 


«^^ 


=^4^ 


/Csr^ 


i^£^!^-'2^      ZZr.     tAj'^^^-^'^^-Ciy 


^'^'yju,  A./TiK-'.'"*-' 


o 


fCA^^^S<JA\y^  X^^  u.v(^p 


Hut;   nARTlTCK  ivr  TrTAFifUNG 


GENEAI,OGICAL  RECORD,  WILKES-BARRE. 


236  O 


f 


his  term  he  was  nomiaated  by  the  Demooratio  and  Republican  con- 
veTitions,  without  oppoatioii,  for  the  same  place,  so  well  and  satisfac- 
torily had  he  disohai-jfed  the  duties  of  his  high  office.  But  at  that  time 
a  new  party  sprung  into  existence,  known  as  the  Greenback-Labor 
party,  which  by  means  of  a  most  earnest  and  efficient  organization  and 
effort  swept  the  county  of  Luzerne  like  a  tornado  and  carried  all  their 
men  into  office  over  both  the  other  political  parties.  Of  course  General 
Dana  went  down  with  the  rest.  But  his  defeat  did  not  detract  from  his 
high  character  and  reputation  as  a  jurist,  or  from  the  regard  of  his 
friends  and  neighbors.  He  is  a  man  of  tine  culture,  of  scholastic  tastes 
and  acquirements,  true  and  honorable,  and  a  fitting  representative  of  uii 
old  Wyoming  family  whose  homestead  he  still  retains  as  his  residence. 

Although  not  an  active  paitisan,  he  has  always  acted  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  For  more  than  thirty  years  l\e  has  been  connected  with 
St.  Stephen's  Episcopal  Church,  at  Wilkes-Barre.  He  Is  an  ardent  lover 
of  field  spoi-ts,  indulges  much  in  lmntin.i-  and  fishing,  tilling  outhis  time 
snatched  fi-om  the  care  of  business  in  these  his  favorite  pastimes. 

He  was  married  in  1843,  and  has  one  son, Charles  Edmund,  married  and 
engaged  in  the  study  of  art,  in  which  he  has  made  gratifying  progress. 

HON.    HARRY   HAKES. 

Harry  Hakes  was  born  June  10th,  18i.>,  at  Harpersfield,  Delaware 
county,  N.  Y.  His  father,  Hon.  Lyman  Hakes,  late  of  Delaware  county, 
N.  T.,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  in  1788.  His  mother,  Nancy  Daj-ton, 
was  born  in  1790,  at  Watcrtovvn,  Litclifield  county,  Connecticut.  The 
family  of  Judge  Hakes  consist  ;d  of  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four 
daughters  Of  the  sous  Harry  wi»s  the  youngest,  and  Lyman  Hakes, 
for  many  years  a  resident  and  prominent  lawyer  of  Luzerne  countj'. 
Pa.,  was  the  eldest.  Homer  Hakes,  another  of  the  sons,  died  in  18.54. 
The  remaining  son,  Hon.  Harlo  Hakes,  resides  at  Hornellsville,  N.  Y. 
Two  of  the  sisters  are  still  living. 

The  boyhood  of  Harry  Hakes  combined  the  usual  experiences  of  farm- 
ers' sons,  work  upon  the  farm  during  the  summer  and  attendance  at  the 
district  school  durmg  the  winter.  His  habit  of  study  and  taste  for 
general  reading  made  him  a  proficient  in  all  the  branches  taught,  and 
supplied  him  with  a  good  English  education. 

Leaving  the  farm  he  entered  the  Castleton  IMedical  College,  of  Vermont, 
and  after  completing  the  usual  course  of  study  graduated  in  1846,  opened 
an  office  at  Davenport  Centre,  N.  Y.,  and  there  began  and  for  three 
years  continued  the  practice  of  medicine  with  gratif  jang  success.  In 
June,  1849,  he  married  Miss  Maria  E.  Dana,  eldest  daughter  of  Anderson 
Dana,  jr.,  then  late  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  deceased.  After  her  death,  in 
the  December  following,  he  devoted  the  year  1850  to  attendance  at 
the  schools  and  hospitals  of  New  York  city.  He  then  removed  to  the 
rapidly  growing  village  of  Nanticoke,  where  he  continued  in  active 
practice  for  three  years,  and  in  the  fall  of  1854  he  visited  Europe  and 
•spentanotheryearof  study  in  the  medical  institutions  of  London  and 
Paris.  Eeturaing  at  the  expiration  of  this  period,  he  married  Miss 
Harriet  L.  Lape  of  Nanticoke,  his  present  wife;  resumed  his  practice, 
interspersing  with  it  the  care  and  culture  of  his  farm,  and  continued  to 
Ije  thus  employed  until  the  spring  of  1857. 

Although  Dr.  Hakes  was  a  zealous  student  of  medicine,  and  a  success- 
ful physician,  he  seemed  to  possess  by  hereditary  transmission  an  apti- 
tude for  the  law.  His  father,  as  above  intimated,  was  judge  of  the 
courts  of  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.;  his  brother  Hon.  Harlo  Hakes,  of 
Hornellsville,  a  prominent  lawyer  in  central  and  western  New  York; 
and  his  only  other  surWving  brother,  Lyman  Hakes,  Esq.,  was  a  promi- 
nent and  successful  lawyer,  with  a  large  clientage  at  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa. 
Dr.  Hakes  began  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office  of  the  latter  in  185T, 
and  at  the  January  term  of  court  in  1863,  after  passing  the  usual  ex- 
amination, was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  several  courts  of  Luzerne 
county.  Elected  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  he  represented  the  county 
of  Luzerne  in  the  Legislature  of  Pennsyhania,  with  ability  and  in- 
tegrity, during  the  eventful  years  of  1863  and  1864.  After  the  close  of 
his  official  term  he  returned  to  the  profession  of  the  law,  occasionally 
visiting,  at  their  urgent  request,  bis  old  patients,  giving  his  leisure  to  his 
farm  and  applying  to  its  culture  thorough  practical  knowledge,  with 
aU  the  aids  derived  from  science  and  from  modem  agricultural  appli- 
ances and  improvements.  In  addition  to  raising  the  usual  farming 
crops  he  planted  a  vineyard  of  several  acres  with  choice  varieties  of 
grapes,  from  which  the  neighboring  markets  were  supplied  and  con- 
siderable quantities  of  wine  manufactured. 

In  1874  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  built  for  himself  and 
family  a  tasteful  and  commodious  residence,  where  he  delights  to  wel- 
come his  friends  and  to  dispense  a  liberal  hospitality.  Although  he  still 
keeps  up  his  relations  with  his  brethren  of  the  healing  art,  and  takes  an 
active  part  in  business  and  discussions  as  a  member  of  the  Luzerae 
County  Medical  Society,  his  attention  and  time  are  chiefly  given  to  the 
law,  with  an  occasional  digression  at  the  proper  season  with  the  rod 
and  creel  along  some  mountain  stream,  or  an  incursion  with  dog  and 
gun  into  the  haunts  of  the  quail,  the  pheasant  and  other  denizens  of  the 

Thedoctorisallfe-long,  earnest  Democrat,  and  is  always  ready  both 
in  pubUc  and  in  private  to  give  a  reason  for  the  faith  that  is  in  him. 
He  is  a  genial  friend,  n  kind  neighbor  and  a  public  spirited  citizen. 


Over  six  feet  in  height,  he  unites  with  a  large  frame  a.  large  heart,  and 
a  grasp,  a  vigor  and  independence  of  miudj  which  renders  empiricism 
and  the  small  arts  and  details  of  professional  life  distsisteful,  but  espe- 
cially qualifies  and  Inclines  him  to  subject  every  question,  whether  In 
medicine,  law  or  theology,  to  the  rigid  test  of  principle,  and  to  that 
measure  and  amount  of  proof  of  which  it  is  reasonably  susceptible. 

HON.  OARRICK  MATjLEBY  HARDING. 

Appropriate  notices  of  living  men  are  sometimes  difficult  to  obtain. 
Such  has  been  the  case  in  a  marked  degree  with  respect  to  Judge  Hard- 
ing. Aided  by  a  recent  publication  entitled  "  Biographical  Encyclope- 
dia of  Pennsylvania,"  a  personal  friend  of  the  judge  has  furnished  the 
following  sketch  : 

Hon.  Garrick  M.  Harding,  president  judge  of  the  eleventh  judicial 
district  of  Pennsylvania,  was  born  at  Exeter,  Luzerne  county,  on  the 
13th  of  July,  1830.  He  is  of  that  strong  New  England  stock  which 
in  the  early  days  of  the  republic  was  transplanted  from  the  i-ugged 
shores  of  Massachusetts  Bay  to  the  more  congenial  soil  of  Penn- 
sylvania. E.xeter  bears  the  same  relation  to  Wyoming  that  Concord 
in  Massachusetts  bears  to  Bunker's  HiU.  Bunker's  Hill  became  classical 
ground  through  the  early  struggles  of  the  colonists,  which  began  at 
Concord ;  and  Wyoming's  classical  history  dates  from  the  massacre, 
which  had  its  beginning  at  Exeter,  wherein  two  of  the  Hardings 
were  slaughtered,  and  whereof  John  Harding,  the  grandfather  of  Gar- 
rick M.  Harding,  was  the  only  survivor.  The  latter  graduated  at  Dick- 
inson college,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  in  1848,  in  the  class  with  John  A.  J.  Creswell, 
late  Postmaster  General.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
in  1850,  when  the  bar  of  Luzerne  county  was  conspicuous  for  the 
strength  and  ability  of  its  members,  among  whom  were  the  Hon.  George 
W.  Woodward,  Hon.  Luther  Kidder  and  Hon.  Oristus  Collins,  ex-judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  and  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  Hon. 
Hendrick  B.  Wright,  Hon.  Henry  M.  Fuller,  Harrison  Wright  and 
H.  W.  Nicholson,  men  of  great  acquirements  and  marked  abil- 
ity. His  tastes  and  temperament  naturally  led  him  into  the 
active  practice  of  the  courts ;  he  speedily  attained  great  success 
in  jury  trials,  and  as  an  advocate  soon  came  to  be  without  an 
equal  at  the  Luzerne  bar.  In  1858  he  was  elected  district  at- 
torney of  Luzerne  county  on  the  Republican  ticket  by  more  than  1,700 
majority,  though  the  county  wjis  largely  Democratic.  On  the  13th  of 
July,  1870,  at  the  exact  age  of  forty  years,  he  was  appointed  by  Gov.Geary 
president  judge  of  the  eleventh  judicial  district  (excepting  Philadelphia 
and  Allegheny  the  largest  in  the  State)  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the 
resignation  of  Hon.  J.  N.  Conyngham.  In  the  fall  of  1870  he  was 
unanimously  nominated  by  the  Republicans  of  Luzerne  for  the  same 
position;  and  the  election  which  followed  fully  demonstrated  his 
strength  and  popularity.  His  competitor  was  the  Hon.  George  W. 
Woodward,  ex-chief  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court.who  had  been  elected 
to  Congress  in  1868  by  a  majority  in  Luzerne  county  of  more  than  3,000. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  there  was  a  large  Democratic  majority  in  the  dis- 
trict, and  despite  Judge  Woodwai-d's  pre-eminent  ability  and  pure  and 
spotless  character,  Judge  Hardingwaseleotedby  a  majority  of  3,365.  On 
the  bench  he  was  distinguished  for  his  great  dispatch  of  business,  for 
his  industry,  his  legal  acquirements,  his  devotion  to  the  public  weal,  his 
strong  and  even-handed  dispensation  of  justice,  and  for  that  fearless, 
earnest  and  undeviating  judicial  course  which  comes  from  a  clear  mind, 
a  -vagd'ous  body  and  an  honest  purpose.  The  period  over  which  his  dis- 
charge of  official  duty  extended  was  a  stormy  one  in  the  great  coal 
county  of  Luzerne.  After  nine  years  and  a  half  of  service,  and  with 
another  year  of  his  term  unexpired,  he  determined  to  return  to  the 
more  congenial  practice  of  the  law.  Accordingly,  on  the  last  day  of 
the  year  1879,  his  resignation,  winch  had  been  previously  filed  with  the 
governor,  took  effect.  In  private  life  he  is  generous  and  chai'itable,  de- 
voted to  his  family  and  his  books,  a  faithful  friend  and  an  outspoken 
opponent.  In  fine,  he  is  a  wortliy  representative  of  those  men  whose 
stout  hearts  and  arms  made  the  valley  of  Wyoming  classical  ground, 
and  whose  \'igor  of  body  and  mind,  force  of  character  and  native 
integrity  still  bloom  and  flourish  among  their  children. 
"  Full-hearted,  and  heart-full  of  Are  and  soul. 
As  rich  in  treasures  of  a  searching  mind  ; 

The  shells  of  beauty,  where  life's  billows  roll. 
And  learning's  pearls,  leave  trace  of  him  behind ; 

In  whom  are  blent,  in  happy  union  sweet. 
Genius,  to  shape  those  jewels  into  thought. 

And  wondrous  skiU  to  find  expression  meet ; 
Pouring  them  forth— in  golden  words  inwrought  I 

A  jurist  ripe,  entrenched  in  generous  views. 
Who  scorns  a  flaw  where  justice  makes  it  plain ; 

And  legal  truth  with  living  warmth  imbues. 
With  Orpheus'  powers  his  audience  to  enchain, 

Apollo's  bow,  to  speed  his  shafts  at  wrong, 
A  great  man,  of  a  tender  spirit— grandly  strong! " 

AUGUSTUS  0.   LANING   (DECEASED). 

Thenameof  A.  C.  Laning  ha?  long  been  identified  with  the  advance- 
ment of  the  iron  and  manufacturing  industry  of  the  Wyoming  and 


'*kV 


=4* 


f 


236/" 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Lackawanna  valleys  and  the  development  and  progress  of  Wilkes-BaiTe. 
Born  in  Owego,  N.  T.,  September  30th,  1808,  at  the  age  of  fourteen  he 
made  his  advent  in  Wilkes-Ban-e,  a  place  afterwards  to  receive  the  im- 
press of  his  energy,  his  industry  and  his  henevolence,  and  became  an 
inmate  of  the  family  of  his  uncle,  G.  M.  Hollenback,  and  an  assistant  in 
the  business  of  his  grandfather.  Colonel  Matthias  Hollenback,  of  pioneer 
fame.  At  times  he  was  sent  upon  important  missions,  the  performance 
of  which  called  for  the  exercise  of  that  courage,  perseverance  and  fidelity 
which  were  marked  characteristics  of  his  career,  often  going  on  horse- 
back to  Philadelphia,  south,  with  his  grandfather,  and  to  Elmira  tthen 
Newtown),  Buffalo,  Niagara  and  other  places  north.  He  frequently  car- 
ried money  secured  in  a  belt  on  his  person  to  complete  purchases  nego- 
tiated by  his  grandfather.  Often,  before  there  were  any  canals  or  rail- 
roads, he  went  down  the  river  to  southern  markets  with  arks  laden  with 
grain  and  flour.  These  duties  were  varied  by  assisting  his  uncle  in  the 
conduct  of  the  business  of  the  Hollenback  store,  and  he  was  identified 
with  the  important  busiuess  of  Colonel  aud  G.  M.  Hollenback  until  he 
engaged  in  trade  on  his  own  account. 

Opening  a  store  in  Kingston  Mr.  Lauing  soon  removed  to  Wilkos-Barrc, 
and  for  a  time  carried  on  a  mercantile  business  un  the  oast  side  of  the 
public  square.  His  attention  having  been  early  directed  to  the  possibil- 
ities of  the  iron  industry  in  northeastern  Pcnnsyh-ania,  in  183-3  and  1834  he 
erected  a  foundry  on  the  Avest  side  of  the  public  sqiiare,  a  stone  building 
which  was  burned  on  the  night  of  January  3d,  1850,  where  he  manufac- 
tured part  of  the  castings  that  went  into  the  lirst  rolling-mill  at  Seranton . 
The  destruction  of  this  building  hastened  the  execution  of  long-formed 
plans  for  the  extension  of  the  business  by  Mr.  Laning  by  the  erection  of 
large  buildings  on  Canal  street  and  the  introduction  of  new  and  im- 
proved facilities  for  manufacture.  Mr.  Samuel  R.  Marshall,  an  ex- 
perienced manufacturer  from  Phlladelphia,was  secaredas  foreman,  and 
subsequently  admitted  to  partnership  by  Mr.  Laning,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  the  firm  of  Laning  &  Marshall  was  one  well  known  throughout 
a  wide  extent  of  country,  until  the  business  was  sold  to  and  be- 
came a  branch  of  the  Dickson  Manufacturing  Company  of  Sei'anton. 

Mr.  Laning  was  twice  in  Europe,  going  first  in  1858  to  store  his  mind 
with  a  knowledge  of  the  vast  iron  and  steel  industries  of  England  and 
Wales,  the  effects  of  which  have  since  been  apparent  in  the  advance- 
ment of  those  interests  in  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  valleys;  and 
again  in  1865,  accompanied  by  his  daughter,  spending  the  winter  in 
Vienna  and  travehng  on  the  continent,  remaining  nearly  a  year.  With 
the  intricate  details  of  the  important  business  of  which  he  was  manager 
he  was  thoroughly  familiar,  and  by  his  long  experience  and  eonstimt 
familiai*ity  with  every  branch  of  industry  he  comprehended  at  a  glance 
its  full  extent  and  scope. 

Neai'ly  all  of  the  enterprises  which  grew  up  in  Wilkes-Barre  had  in 
Mr.  Laning  an  active  and  efficient  counsellor  and  supporter.  Careful, 
shrewd  and  energetic,  every  detail  of  his  enterprises  received  his  con- 
stant and  unwearied  attention,  and  from  their  cares  he  took  little 
recreation  until  his  retirement,  except  what  was  afforded  by  an  occa- 
sional hunting  and  camping  expedition  on  the  mountains  environing 
Wilkes-Barre,  the  love  for  the  wildwood  which  he  had  imbibed  with 
the  rugged  experiences  of  his  youth  never  lessening  as  he  advanced  in  life; 
but  his  last  years  were  free  from  the  cares  of  business. 

Politically  Mr.  Lauing  was  a  good  "old  line  Whig,"  but  toolt  no  part 
In  politics  and  never  sought  nor  held  any  political  office.  Hisinterest  in 
educational  and  charitable  objects  was  active  rather  than  ostentatious. 
His  domestic  life  was  such  as  to  compensate  him  for  the  harder  every 
day  life  of  business.  He  wtis  married  December  8th,  1831,  to  Amanda 
E.,  daughter  of  Dr.  C.  J.  Christd,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  who  survives  him. 
Pour  children  were  born  to  them,  three  of  whom— Elizabeth  V.  (Smith), 
John  and  Amanda  M.  (Merritt)— are  hving. 

Mr.  Laning's  death  occurred  May  20th,  1875.  Kosolutions  of  respect 
and  condolence  were  passed  by  the  directors  of  the  Miners'  Savings  Bank, 
Wilkes-BaiTc,  of  which  he  had  long  been  president;  by  the  members  of 
the  Wilkes-Bridge  Company,  of  which  ho  had  been  treasurer  and  man- 
ager through  an  extended  period;  by  the  board  of  prison  commissioners, 
of  which  body  he  had  been  a  member,  and  by  the  directors  of  the  Dick- 
son Manufacturing  Company,  Seranton,  and  other  organizations  in  the 
city  and  county.  Conuiieuting  on  his  .successful  aud  useful  business 
career,  in  the  preamble  to  their  resoluti(mR,  the  directoi-s  of  the  Dickson 
Manufacturing  Company  said  that  Mr.  Laning  "was  long  identified 
prominently  with  tlie  induBljrial  intorcsto  of  this  region,  extending  over 
the  period  of  an  entire  generation  ;  from  the  day  that,  as  the  pioneer 
manufacturer,  he  sent  upward  the  first  jet  of  steam  from  the  then  only 
engine  of  the  valley,  in  the  little  foundry  on  the  public  square  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  on  through  the  years  of  wonderful  progress  and  amazing  devel- 
opment to  the  present  time,  when  the  atmosphere  in  our  sixty  miles  of 
valley  is  moistened  with  the  vapor  of  a  thousand  engines,  its  railroads 
burdened  and  the  air  made  dusky  by  the  products  of  inuunuirable 
mines."  He  was  one  of  the  few  prominent  men  whose  lives  spanned  the 
division  between  the  old  Wilkes-Barre  and  the  Wilkes-Barre  of  the  last 
decade.  He  had  assisted  in  and  witnessed  the  gi-adual  development  of 
those  social  and  commercial  elements  which  render  it  one  of  the  most 
noteworthy  inland  cities  of  the, oast,  and  by  its  citizens  he  is  held  in 
grateful  remembi-ance. 


C.  B.   PRICE. 

C.  B.  Price  was  born  August  1st,  1819,  in  Bucks  county.  Pa.,  and  is  a 
son  of  George  Price.  He  learned  the  carpenters'  trade  in  Doylestown, 
and  came  to  Wilkes-Ban-e  in  18il  and  engaged  in  journeyman's  woi-k  for 
Ira  Marcy  and  afterward  for  Gilbert  Barnes,  on  Main  street.  Heturning 
to  Bucks  county  he  married  Mary  Ann  Goucher,  in  the  fall  of  1841,  and 
brought  her  to  Wilkes-Barre,  his  home  sioee  that  date, where  he  entered 
business  as  a  carpenter  and  undertaker,  in  which  ho  continued  until  he 
erected  the  first  planing-mill  in  Luzerne  county  and  embarked  in  the 
business  which  is  elsewhere  noticed  in  the  histoi-y  of  the  city.  He  has 
been  identified  with  -various  projects  and  enterprises  looking  to  the  im- 
provement of  the  cit.N-  and  vicinity.  He  early  adopted  Whig  principles; 
has  been  connected  with  the  Republican  party  since  its  organizati<m,  and 
long  a  meuibei-  of  the  Methodist  church. 

HON.  w.  s.  KOSS. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological  Society  held 
on  Monday  evening,  August  3d,  1808,  at  their  room.  Col.  Hendrick  B. 
AVright,  from  the  committee  appointed  at  a  previous  meeting,  offered 
the  following  repin-t,  which  was  unanimously  adopted,  and  ordered  to 
be  printed  in  pamphlet  form  and  in  the  newspapers  of  the  town  : 

William  Sterling  Ross  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  on  the  11th  day 
of  August,  1803.  He  died  on  the  Uth  dav  of  July,  1808,  lacking  Just  one 
month  of  being  sixty-six  years  of  age.  His  birth  and  death  occurred  in 
the  same  room  ;  the  southwest  part  of  the  lioss  man.sion- erected  of  oak 
nmterials,  frame  and  clapboards,  by  Timothy  Pickering,  in  the  year 
1787.  He  came  into  the  world  at  an  eventful  aud  interesting  period  in 
the  history  of  the  Wyoming  valley.  The  bitter  and  vindictive  conflict 
between  the  Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut  claimants,  in  which  his 
father  had  borne  so  conspicuous  a  part,  had  culminated ;  peace  had  suc- 
ceeded the  desperate  strife  which  at  times  was  marked  -\vith  blood.  The 
supreme  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania  was  established  upon  a  firm 
basis,  and  the  Connecticut  settler  yielded  his  resistance  upon  the  con- 
firmation of  his  title  by  the  State,  and  general  quiet  prevailed  through- 
out the  Wyoming  valley  for  the  first  time  during  the  third  of  a  century. 

The  settlers  upon  the  broad  banks  of  the  Susquehanna,  for  thirty 
years  previous  to  this,  had  known  but  few.  comforts.  The  Revolution 
had  done  its  work  in  the  depopulation  of  more  than  half  its  fighting 
men ;  everywhere  were  visible  its  blackened  and  ehan-ed  monuments. 
The  inroads,  before  and  long  after  the  colonial  war,  of  the  savages  com- 
pelled the  hardy  pioneer  to  place  sentinels  around  the  field  while  he  was 
engaged  in  planting  and  gathering  his  crops,  and  to  recline  upon  his 
trusty  rifle  at  night.  He  must  be  ready  at  all  hours  to  answer  the 
alarm  of  battle ;  to  these  add  the  troubles  growing  out  of  the  angry 
conflicts  among  the  Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut  people,  and  it  made 
almost  a  constant  scene  of  discord  a^d  war.  It  was  indeed  the  military,' 
if  not  the  chivalrous  age  of  Wyoming.  The  tradition  of  these  exciting 
events,  heightened  by  the  narration  of  them  by  the  men  who  had  passed 
through  them,  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the  young. 

The  father  of  the  subject  of  our  biographical  notice.  General  William 
Ross,  had  participated  in  many  of  these  scenes.  Born  in  New  London, 
Conneetieut,  in  1761,  he  emigrated  with  his  father  to  the  valley  about 
1775.  Of  too  tender  an  age  to  carry  ■■  musket  at  "  the  nmssaere,"  he 
joined  the  retreating  fugitives  after  that  disastrous  day,  to  return  again 
to  renewed  scenes  of  anarchy  and  discord. 

With  the  surrender  of  the  sword  of  Cornwallis  peace  succeeded  the 
Revolutionary  strife,  but  not  in  Wyoming.  The  Indian  border  feud, 
and  the  question  whether  Pennsylvania  or  Connecticut  should  rule, 
still  agitated  the  valley  of  Wyoming.  Timothy  Pickering,  a  New  England 
man  by  birth,  clothed  with  oflicial  power  by  the  State,  and  Invested  with 
all  the  county  ofliees,  was  sent  here  to  pacify  and  heal  up  the  local 
strife.  It  only  aggravated  the  Connectieiit  settlers;  they  invaded  his 
home,  took  him  a  prisoner  by  night  and  carried  him  away  captive.  He 
was  rescued  by  General,  then  Captain,  William  Ross,  at  the  head  of  a 
force  of  State  militia,  who  received  a  sei-ious  wound  in  the  struggle. 
He  was  rewarded  by  the  State  Executive  Conunittee,  who  also  pre- 
sented him  with  a  sword,  upon  the  scabbard  of  which  is  the  following 
inscription : 

"Oai't.  Wm.  Ross:~The  S.  E,  Council  pi-eseut  this  mark  of  their 
approbation  acquired  by  your  firmness  in  suppuvt  of  the  laws  of  the 
Conunonweulth  on  the  4th  of  July,  1788. 

"  r.  BiDDr.E,  Secretary." 

The  mission  of  Mr.  Pickering  ha\-ing  ended  in  a  failure,  he  was  called 
into  AVashiugton's  cabinet,  and  on  the  0th  of  January,  IVIIO,  for  the  con- 
sideration of  £2,000-Penns}-h-ania  currency-he  conveyed  his  real  estate 
in  this  place  aud  vicinity  to  William  Ross.  An  estate  at  that  time 
which  changed  hands  for  a  con.slderation  of  JB.-WO  is  -worth  probably 
to-day  over  $2,000,000 !  A  progress  in  the  increase  In  value  which  excites 
our  wonder. 

Stirring  scenes  were  these  truly  which  preceded  the  birth  of  the  sub- 
ject of  our  notice.  As  the  son  of  a  man  of  -wealth  he  inherited  privileges 
which  but  a  few  at  that  early  period  In  the  valley  possessed.  Having 
passed  the  preparatory  schools,  he  entered  and  was  graduated  at  the 
College  of  New  Jersey.    His  inclination,  however,  did  not  lead  to  a 


^^ 


-M^ 


i(^^'^^^/7'?..    C<5^<^^<? 


/  yyz^^^-'iS//^?. 


JUDGE   WILLIAM  o   i^  0  S  S 


//(!/■'  '1/  HfiEiUliS'jrj  :3  Hurcl-n  .1:.  A'". 


^vvJ^    "JA 


fddb 


I-i?-'  i-ij  SlM'Miio'is.li  B.tt;.:.vj  '-  V? 


#^ 


"f 


GENEALOGICAL    RECORD,   WILKES-BARRE. 


236  Q 


learned  profession.  The  pursuit  of  agriculture  wns  bis  theme.  In  this 
he  took  great  pride,  and  in  it  he  excelled.  He  was  a  practical  farmer- 
no  man  better  understood  its  detail  and  theory— and  no  man  produced 
hetter  crops.  And  this  was  his  chief  occupation  durine-a  long-  and  pros- 
perous life,  an  occupation  suited  to  his  mind,  and  one  which  conduced 
to  his  happiness  and  enjoyment. 

At  an  early  period  of  his  life  he  conceived  a  fancy  for  military  affairs. 
It  was  natural  that  this  should  be  ;  the  son  of  a  military  oflBcer,  born 
and  educated  at  a  time  when  the  stirring  events  of  a  long  continued, 
eventful  and  successful  war  were  the  household  words  of  a  united, 
happy  people.  He  entered  into  the  subject  with  a  will,  passed  through 
all  the  oflBcial  grades,  from  that  of  captain  of  volunteers  to  that  of 
brigadier.  For  a  period  of  thirty  years  General  Eoss  was  the  acknowl- 
edged head  of  the  volunteer  system  of  this  county.  In  this  employment 
and  the  pursuit  of  military  knowledge  he  took  an  especial  delight,  and 
his  word  in  military  affairs  was  ever  regarded  as  authority.  At  his 
drills  he  always  wore  the  sword  which  the  executive  council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania had  presented  to  his  father  as  a  reward  of  merit.  And  there  are 
few  of  the  men  in  this  county  who  were  interested  in  military  matters 
during  the  last  forty  years  that  have  not  often  seen  and  (those  of  them 
now  living)  would  not  recognize  this  sword  as  an  old  and  honorable  ac- 
quaintance. 

As  the  family  name  becomes  extinct  in  the  death  of  General  Koss, 
would  it  be  appropriate  that  this  blade  should  be  treasured  up  with  the 
many  other  interesting  local  relics  of  early  times  in  this  valley  among 
the  archives  of  the  Historical  and  Geological  Society  ?  As  that  same  so- 
ciety was  one  of  the  objects  of  his  watchful  care  and  bounty,  this  sug- 
gestion is  one  that  may  well  be  considered  by  those  who  have  the  ctire 
and  control  of  his  estate. 

General  Ross  possessed  a  sound  and  discriminating  mind;  evinced  fully 
in  the  discharge  of  the  numerous  and  responsible  positions  with  which 
he  was  intrusted  by  the  public.  And  whether  on  the  judicial  bench,  in 
the  legislative  hall  or  in  the  council  chamber,  he  exhibited  ever  the  same 
strong  common  sense  view  of  the  varied  subjects  which  the  particular 
place  presented.  His  long  continuance  as  director  in  the  various  mun  ic- 
ipal,  charitable  and  business  corporations  of  the  town  showed  that  the 
public  appreciated  the  man,  and  had  great  confidence  in  his  ability, 
judgment  and  integrity.  He  was  commissioned  associate  judge  of  the 
courts  of  the  county  in  1830,  as  the  successor  of  Hon.  Jesse  Fell,  which  he 
retained  until  1839— the  time  of  the  adoption  of  the  amended  constitu- 
tion of  the  State.  The  duties  of  this  office  were  discharged  with  much 
credit  to  himself,  and  the  entire  approbation  of  the  bar  and  community 
at  large.  For  a  long  succession  of  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  bor- 
ough council,  and  generally  its  presiding  ofBcer.  Quite  as  long  he  was 
a  director  and  general  manager  of  the  Easton  and  Wilkes-Barre  Turn- 
pike Company,  down  to  1840  the  only  great  thoroughfare  leading  to  the 
seaboard  from  the  Susquehanna  east.  He  was  for  many  years  a  director 
in  the  Wyoming  Bank,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  the  president;  he 
was  also  the  president  of  the  Wyoming  Insurance  Company  at  his  de- 
cease, and  was  also  a  director  in  the  following  corporations:  The  Wilkes- 
Barre  Water  Company,  the  Wilkes-Barre  Bridge  Company,  the  Wyoming 
Historical  and  Geological  Society,  and  the  Home  for  Friendless  Chil- 
dren. He  was  also  a  member  of  the  vestry  of  St.  Stephen's  Church. 
Probably  no  one  of  General  Ross's  cotemporaries  had  more  to  do  with 
the  various  local  associations  of  the  town  for  a  third  of  a  century  than 
he  had.  And  he  was  remarkably  punctual  in  his  duties  in  all  the  labors 
these  associations  demanded  and  required  of  him. 

He  represented  the  Luzerne  district  in  the  Senate  of  this  State  during 
the  session  of  1845-6-7.  The  last  year  of  his  term  he  was  the  speaker  of 
that  body.  He  was  also  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  for  the  session 
of  1862,  and  in  this  service  his  conduct  and  business  capacity  were  mark- 
ed with  much  ability  and  unblemished  integrity.  His  charitable  im- 
pulses were  large.  He  ever  had  a  generous  heart  and  open  hand.  Those 
who  appealed  to  him,  in  trouble  and  adversity,  almost  always  met  with 
a  liberal  response.  Neither  were  his  gifts  limited  or  restrained ;  as  they 
were  the  offspring  of  a  warm  and  impulsive  heart,  so  they  corresponded 
with  its  noble  emotion.  His  donations  to  the  Home  for  Friendless 
Children,  considering  the  character  of  his  estate,  were  indeed  exceed- 
ingly liberal.  Those  amounted,  from  time  to  time,  including  the 
bequest  of  his  last  will  of  $5,000,  to  »10,000.  The  helpless  and  dependent 
condition  of  these  poor  friendless  children  made  a  deep  impression  on 
his  mind.  It  was  a  theme  that  of  ten  engaged  his  thoughts  and  his  con- 
versations, and  resulted  in  a  liberality  that  should  impose  a  subject  for 
the  reflection  of  others,  who  would  do  well  to  imitate  bis  noble  and 
praiseworthy  example.  Of  this  institution  he  was  the  firm  and  stead- 
fast friend.  His  memory  will  long  be  revered  by  the  forsaken  objects  of 
that  noble  enterprise ;  and  many  of  them  who  shall  hereafter  reach 
manhood,  and  become  respectable  and  useful  citizens,  will  praise  the 
name  and  honor  the  noble  virtues  of  their  friend  and  benefactor. 

He  was  a  man  of  unbending  integrity  and  unblemished  honor.  His 
word  was  his  bond.  He  was  scrupulously  exact  in  complying  with  all 
the  engagements  he  made.  He  used  no  subterfuge  to  evade  a  promise, 
and  his  mind  was  above  the  contemplation  of  a  wrong.  In  this  particu- 
lar his  actions  and  life  furnish  a  model  worthy  of  imitation. 
It  was  a  generous  act  in  his  life  which  prompted  the  purchase  of  the 


''Chambers  collection"  of  coins  and  other  curiosities,  at  a  cost  of 
$3,000,  and  the  presentation  of  them  to  the  "Wyoming  Historical  and 
Geological  Society,"  of  this  town.  It  was  the  grand  nucleus  around 
which  other  contributions  gathered,  and  which  really  gave  the  society 
success.  It  gave  the  institution  a  prestige  and  a  name,  that  commended 
it  to  the  friends  of  science  everywhere.  The  name  of  its  most  munifi- 
cent founder  will  live  with  the  institution. 

These  random  and  hasty  reflections  may  not  be  closed  without  an 
allusion  to  his  firm,  unwavering  love  of  country.  The  blood  of  his  an- 
cestors had  sealed  the  bond  of  American  independence.  His  birth  was 
amid  the  closing  scenes  of  the  Revolution;  his  young  mind  had  been 
elated  with  the  rejoicings  over  the  advent  of  a  nation,  flung  into  life 
from  the  ruins  and  fragments  of  one  overthrown.  From  the  lips  of  the 
same  man  who  had  produced  this  result  he  received  the  impression  of 
the  magnitude  of  the  struggle  and  its  cost.  The  subdued  language  of 
history  had  not  disrobed  those  events  of  the  freshness  and  power  with 
which  they  came  from  the  men  who  had  achieved  them.  They  were 
before  him  in  person,  and  they  wore  the  marks  and  scars  of  the  cam- 
paign—the  soldiers  of  liberty— the  men  of  the  Revolution.  When, 
therefore,  treason  walked  abroad  in  the  land,  and  threatened  the  over- 
throw and  destruction  of  the  Federal  Union,  General  Ross  was  among 
the  first  to  rise  up  in  its  defence;  his  contributions  in  money  were  not 
stinted  ;  he  gave,  and  he  gave  with  his  accustomed  liberality.  He  en- 
couraged the  enlistment  of  volunteers;  he  took  an  open  and  manly 
stand  on  the  side  of  his  country.  And  so  he  remained  during  the  whole 
of  that  long  and  eventful  strife.  He  lived  to  see  treason  discomfited, 
and  the  time-honored  flag  triumphant. 

In  his  private  character  there  was  no  duplicity  ;  he  was  as  you  saw 
him— frank  and  open  in  his  opinions,  just  and  upright  in  all  his  inter- 
course with  the  world ;  cautious  in  forming  a  friendship,  but  when  es- 
tablished it  was  positive  and  enduring. 

He  left  a  large  estate  to  his  widow  and  relatives.  Such  of  it  as  he  did 
not  inherit,  but  gathered  by  his  own  industry  and  economy,  is  not 
tainted  with  the  accusation  that  it  did  not  come  into  his  hands  honestly. 
No  devices,  or  trickery,  or  deception  (that  men  sometimes  dignify  with 
the  legitimate  name  of  business)  added  one  dollar  to  his  fortune.  It  all 
came  in  a  lawful  and  proper  manner.  No  one  can  impugn  the  memory 
of  General  Ross  by  the  charge  that  he  was  impoverished  to  augment  the 
other's  estate.  The  world  of  usury  and  exaction  was  not  the  world  in 
which  he  lived  and  moved.  He  was  rich,  he  was  liberal.  Alas,  how 
seldom  do  these  go  hand  in  hand  I 

The  death  of  a  man  thus  connected  with  the  various  enterprises  of 
his  residence,  its  charitable  and  scientific  associations.  Its  municipal  and 
local  institutions,  is  a  public  loss.  It  is  a  vacancy  not  easily  to  be  sup- 
plied ;  a  link  broken  in  the  social  chain  that  many  generations  may  not 
replace ;  to  his  family  a  severe  affliction,  but  to  the  poor  and  desti- 
tute, the  widow  and  orphan,  it  is  a  loss  that  language  can  but  poorly 
express.  To  such  he  was  a  friend  in  need,  and  their  prayers  and  bless- 
ings will  long,  long  linger  above  his  grave. 

His  decease  was  sudden  and  unexpected,  though  he  had  all  but 
reached  the  allotted  age  to  man.  Friends  were  not  prepared  for  the 
event,  but 

"  We  know  that  moons  shall  wane. 

That  summer  birds,  from  far,  shall  cross  the  sea. 
But  who  shall  tell  us  when  to  look  for  death !" 

H.  B.  W. 

He  was  married  December  1st,  1825,  to  Ruth  T.  Slocum,  niece  of  Fran- 
ces Slocum,  and  a  descendant  of  a  pioneer  family  in  Wyoming  valley. 

THE  SHOEMAKER  FAMILY. 

Elijah  Shoemaker  was  born  at  Forty  Fort  on  the  fourth  day  of  June, 
1778.  The  place  of  his  nativity  is  near  the  spacious  residence  erected  by 
him  and  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Robert  C.  Shoemaker,  his  grand- 
son. His  parents  were  Elijah  Shoemaker  and  Jane  McDowell,  daughter 
of  John  McDowell,  of  Cherry  Valley,  Northampton  (now  Monroe)  county, 
Pa.  The  latter  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  this  country  in  1735,  and  be- 
came a  warm  friend  to  the  early  settlers  on  their  way  here  from  New 
England.  The  road,  or  rather  path,  from  his  house,  near  the  Delaware 
river,  to  Wyoming  was  through  an  unbroken  forest,  and  the  timely  aid 
rendered  by  McDowell  saved  many  worn  and  weary  families  from  per- 
ishing. The  grandparents  of  Shoemaker  were  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Depuy,  both  being  among  the  earliest  settlers  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Stroudsburg,  Monroe  county,  Pa.  The  former 
was  of  German  extraction  and  the  latter  a  French  Huguenot  from  Artois, 
a  northern  province  of  France.  Benjamin  died  in  1775,  leaving  two  sons, 
Elijah  and  Daniel,  and  six  daughters.  The  children  disposed  of  the  pa- 
ternal estate  soon  after  the  decease  of  their  father,  Daniel  invested  bis 
portion  in  the  rich  agricultural  lands  near  Nichols,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  having  first  married  Ann,  daughter  of  John  McDowell.  He  lived 
to  a  good  old  age  and  died  August  18th,  1836,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year, 
leaving  a  large  property  and  a  large  number  of  children  to  enjoy  it.  His 
wife  died  December  9th,  1824,  in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  her  age.  The 
daughters  married  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  their  brother 
Daniel.  Some  of  their  descendants  still  remain  there  and  others  removed 
to  the  west  and  south. 


«^^= 


236  i? 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


With  his  portion  of  the  paternal  estate  Elijah  purchased  a  right  in  the 
Susquehanna  Land  Company,  which  was  organized  in  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut, and  which  purported  to  convey  to  him  a  large  tract  of  land  in 
Kingston  township.  The  title  to  this  land  and  the  seventeen  adJoininB 
townships  was  disputed  by  claimants  of  title  under  Pennsylvania  grants 
of  the  same  territory.  After  several  years  of  controversy  between  the 
rival  claimants,  which  often  led  to  fatal  encounters  and  threatened  to 
Involve  two  States  in  war,  the  dispute  was  adjusted  liy  a  committee  ap- 
pointed by  Congress,  which  gave  the  jurisdiction  over  this  section  of 
country  to  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  land  to  the  owners  of 
rights  conveyed  by  the  Susquehanna  Land  Company,  subject  to  a  small 
price  per  acre  to  compensate  the  Pennsylvania  claimants.  During  the 
pendency  of  these  disputes  over  the  right  of  possession  between  the 
rival  claimants  Shoemaker  built  his  unpretentious  habitation,  cleared 
the  land,  sowed,  planted  and  provided  as  best  he  could  for  the  support 
of  his  little  family.  At  the  battle  of  Wyoming  he  acted  as  lieutenant  in 
the  little  band  of  patriots,  and  was  among  the  slain.  His  body  was  re- 
covered and  now  lies  in  the  family  burying  ground  at  Forty  Fort. 

The  unfortunate  issue  of  this  engagement  left  Elijah  Shomaker,  then 
an  infant,  and  his  widowed  mother  with  scanty  means  of  subsistence, 
everything  in  their  little  home  having  been  carried  off  or  destroyed  by 
the  enemy.  The  mother  was  a  woman  of  great  energy  and  equal  to  the 
emergency.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  appreciate  the  trials  and  hardships 
endui-ed  by  the  people  in  those  early  days.  It  is  some  consolation, 
however,  to  realize  that  the  adverse  circumstances  surrounding  them 
were  such  as  to  produce  a  race  of  hardy,  independent  and  self-reliant 
people.  Trained  under  such  influences  Elijah  Shoemaker  reached  the 
age  of  manhood,  supporting  himself  and  mother  by  his  industry.  In 
May,  1800,  he  married  Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of  Col.  Nathan  Denison. 
This  proved  a  fortunate  and  happy  marriage.  She  was  a  lady  of  refined 
inteJlect,  and  known  in  the  community  for  her  kindness  and  benevolence 
to  the  poor.  Her  father's  children,  like  their  father,  Col.  Denison,  have 
a  conspicuous  place  in  the  history  of  the  valley.  Her  brother  George 
Denison  was  a  distinguished  lawyer  among  such  competitors  as  Judges 
Gibson,  Conyngham,  Bowman  and  Mallery,  and  was  elected  to  the  State 
Legislature  for  several  sessions,  and  to  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States  for  two  terms.  He  took  a  high  rank  in  both  positions.  Her 
nephew  Charles  Denison  was  also  an  able  lawyer,  and  elected  to  Con- 
gress for  three  terms.  The  children  of  her  sister  Mary  Patterson  are 
all  noted  for  their  integrity  of  character  and  success  in  business.  Her 
brother  John  moved  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day  and  left  a  large  family  in 
aflHuent  circumstances,  who  are  distinguished  for  the  sam<?  character- 
istics. Her  only  surviving  sister,  Mrs.  Sarah  Abbot,  though  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-seven  years,  is  still  remarkable  for  her  strong 
common  sense  and  dignity  of  character. 

The  chief  occupation  of  Mr.  Shoemaker  was  improving  his  large  farm. 
Its  successful  management  required  the  exercise  of  both  judgment  and 
industry.  The  dwelling  house  he  built  in  place  of  the  log  house  of 
primitive  times  is  still  considei-ed  a  model  of  taste  and  convenience.  In 
1814  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  the  county  of  Luzerne,  and  he  is  said  to 
have  performed  the  duties  of  the  position  with  great  satisfaction  to  the 
people.  At  that  time  the  settlers  were  poor  and  many  of  them  burdened 
with  debt.  By  his  leniency  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  and  by  his 
own  individual  aid,  many  were  enabled  to  save  their  homes.  He  was  a 
strong  man  physically  and  intellectually,  and  was  brave  and  fearless  in 
time  of  danger.  His  education  was  limited,  being  only  such  as  could  be 
acquired  at  the  country  school-house ;  yet  he  had  sufficient  culture  and 
learning  to  make  him  a  good  and  useful  citizen  and  an  honest  man  of 
the  olden  time.  In  July,  1839,  he  was  seized  with  a  fever,  which  caused 
his  death  after  a  few  days'  sickness,  in  the  lif  ty-first  year  of  his  age.  He 
left  a  fine  estate,  still  occupied  by  his  descendants,  and  a  family  of  nine 
children— six  sons  and  three  daughters.  His  widow  survived  him  two 
years.  They  both  sleep  in  the  beautiful  cemetei*y  at  Forty  Fort,  near 
the  place  which  knew  them  so  well  in  life  and  which  is  fragrant  to  their 
posterity  with  sweet  memories  of  the  past. 

The  eldest  son,  Charles  D.,  was  educated  at  Yale  College,  graduating 
in  the  class  of  1825.  The  same  year  he  was  appointed  by  the  governor  of 
Pennsylvania  prothonotary  and  register  and  recorder  for  the  county  of 
Luzerne.  He  held  these  oflloes  for  several  years  and  was  afterwards 
appointed  associate  judge.  He  held  other  public  trusts,  all  the  duties 
of  which  he  performed  with  signal  ability.  The  latter  part  of  his  life 
was  passed  on  his  farm  at  the  old  homestead  in  Kingston,  in  the  midst 
of  a  loving  family,  and  in  dispensing  a  generous  hospitality.  He  died  In 
1861,  leaving  four  sons,  all  of  whom  arc  worthy  and  successful  business 
men.  One  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1855  and  another  at  the  West 
Point  Military  Academy  in  the  class  of  1803,  and  the  other  two  were 
officers  in  the  Union  army  in  the  war  of  the  Hebellion. 

Of  the  other  four  sons  of  Elijah  Shoemaker  throe,  Elijah,  George  and 
Nathan,  are  deceased ;  each  one  leaving  an  enviable  record  for  industry 
and  integrity,  and  a  competency  for  his  family.  The  only  son  of  the 
former  was  educated  at  Lafayette  College,  Pennsylvania,  and  devotes 
himself  to  the  management  of  his  father's  estate.  The  eldest  son  of 
George  Shoemaker  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law,  but  preferred 
to  devote  himself  to  farming  and  general  business  pursuits. 

Robert  resides  at  Forty  Fort  on  his  share  of  the  parental  estate,  and 
enjoys  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the  neighborhood. 


The  youngest  son,  Lazarus  D.  Shoemaker,  graduated  at  Yale  College  in 
the  class  of  1840,  and  is  now  practicing  law  in  Wilkes-Barre.  In  1866  he 
was  elected  to  the  State  senate  for  the  term  of  three  years,  and  was 
afterward  elected  a  member  of  Congress  for  two  successive  terms.  Id 
1848  he  married  Esther  W.  Wadhams,  daughter  of  Samuel  Wadhams,  of 
Plymouth,  Pa.,  and  he  has  one  son  and  five  daughters  living.  The  son 
is  a  student  at  Yale  College,  and  the  eldest  daughter,  Clorinda  W.,  is 
married  to  Irving  A.  Stearns,  civil  and  mining  engineer. 

The  eldest  of  the  three  daughters  of  Elijah  Shoemaker,  Elizabeth, 
widow  of  Dr.  Sponce,  resides  with  her  children  in  Wilkes-Barre,  beloved 
by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  relatives  Of  the  two  remaining  daugh- 
ters, Jane,  wife  of  Judge  Passmoro,  died  in  Rome,  Bradford  county.  Pa., 
October  15th,  1868,  a  noble  and  pure  minded  woman.  The  youngest 
daughter, Caroline,  married  Dr. L.Ives,  u  distinguished  physician,  and 
resides  in  the  cliy  of  New  Haven,  Conn. 

HON.  SAMUEL    G.  TURNER  (DECEASED). 

The  name  of  Turner  has  been  famQiar  to  residents  of  the  valley  from 
an  early  date.  The  first  of  the  name  who  located  in  Wyoming  was  John 
Turner,  who  came  about  1780  to  Plymouth  from  near  Haekettstown, 
N.  J.,  and  died  of  an  epidemic  in  1803.  Four  sons  survived  him,  Eman- 
uel, Daniel,  John  and  Jonah.  Emanuel  settled  in  Huntington,  Daniel 
in  Kingston,  Jonah  at  Hope,  N.  J.,  and  John  remained  upon  the  home- 
stead in  Plymouth,  where  he  was  born  in  1789.  He  was  public  spirited 
and  progressive  and  a  friend  of  education,  at  times  paying  more  than 
liberally  toward  the  support  of  schools  in  Plymouth,  and  succeeded  after 
considerable  trouble  and  against  much  opposition  in  introducing  the 
study  of  the  dead  languages  into  the  school  course. 

He  died  July  3d,  1871,  greatly  regretted  by  a  wide  circle  of  fi-iends  and 
acquaintances. 

To  those  acquainted  with  the  characteristics  and  aims  of  John  Turner 
it  is  no  matter  for  wonder  that  his  second  son,  Hon.  Samuel  G.  Turner, 
deceased,  should  have  been  a  man  of  progressive  ideas,  of  energy  and 
integrity,  and  eminently  fitted  to  stand  as  a  representative  man  of  the 
valley.  Boim  in  Plymouth  in  March,  1819,  he  grew  to  manhood  there, 
laying  surely  the  foundations  of  a  successful  career  by  the  acquirement 
of  an  education  and  habits  of  industry  and  application  which  brought  \ 
to  him  their  own  legitimate  reward.  He  had  no  wealthy  kinsmen  to 
prosper  him  with  power  and  patronage  in  the  early  struggles  of  life. 
Hard  work,  good  habits,  business  talents,  strict  integrity  and  rigid  econ- 
omy brought  him  an  ample  fortune;  and  while  among  the  wealthest 
he  was  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  self-made  men  in  the  vaUey.  At  a 
suitable  age  he  embarked  in  business  lif  e  as  a  merchant  and  coal  dealer  in 
Plymouth,  subsequently  removing  to  Shickshinny  to  assume  the  duties 
of  president  of  the  Shickshinny  Coal  and  Iron  Company;  thence  to  Wilkes- 
Barre  a  few  years  prior  to  his  death.  He  attained  considerable  political 
prominence  and  was  honored  on  several  occsisions  by  election  as  repre- 
sentative of  his  district  in  the  Pennsylvania  legislature.  He  was  a  can- 
didate for  the  lower  house  in  1854,  but  was  defeated.  He  ran  again  in 
1857  and  was  elected.  During  that  session  of  the  Legislature  he  was 
chairman  of  the  committe  of  canal  commissioners  and  reported  favor- 
ing the  abolishment  of  the  olHce  of  such  commissioners.  The  next  year 
he  wa?  a  candidate  again  but  was  defeated.  In  1868  he  received  the 
nomination  of  the  Democratic  convention  for  State  senator  and  was 
elected  by  the  people,  serving  his  term  with  credit  to  himself  and  his 
constituents.  It  was  chiefly  through  his  instrumentality  that  the  mine 
ventilation  bill  was  passed,  of  which  he  is  said  to  have  been  the  author. 
Concerning  Mr.  Turner's  policical  career,  Hon.  Hcndrick  B.  Wright  has 
written :  "  In  his  capacity  of  legislator  there  attaches  not  the  least  sus- 
pician  of  a  want  of  fidelity."  This  testimony  in  the  times  in  which  we 
are  writing  is  eminently  deserving  of  notice. 

Mr.  Turner  was  married  June  0th,  18G3,  to  Miss  E.  G.  Dietrick,  born  in 
Salem,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  April  34th,  1841,  and  who  survives  him 
with  their  children,  three  in  number.  As  a  neighbor  he  was  eulogized 
most  highly,  and  it  is  said  he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  the  tenderest 
of  parents.  Just  prior  to  his  death  he  was  not  actively  engaged  in  bus- 
iness, but  he  was  interested  in  and  aided  with  his  means  and  influence 
several  important  enterprises,  and  he  was  a  director  of  the  Plymouth 
SavingsBank,  an  institution  founded  chiefly  by  his  earnest  endeavors. 
He  was  a  member  and  communicant  of  St.  Stephen's  Episcopal  Church, 
Wilkes-Barre,  toward  the  support  of  which,  as  well  as  to  all  religious, 
charitable  and  educational  objects,  he  was  a  liberal  contributor.  His 
death  occurred  December  30th,  1873,  after  an  illness  of  only  a  few  days. 
His  funeral  was  solemnized  from  his  residence,  on  Washington  street. 
Revs.  Snowden  and  Williamson  officiating,  and  Messrs.  E.  L.  Dana,  E.  C. 
Wadhams,  P.  J.  Leavenworth,  John  J.  Shook,  F.  Reynolds  and  Ira'  Dav- 
enport acting  as  pall  bearers,  and  Peter  Pursel  directing  the  order  of 
ceremonies.  It  was  largely  attended,  and  a  long  procession  of  carriages 
and  sleighs  accompanied  the  remains  to  Hollenbeck  cemetery. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Turner  was  physically  so  strong  and  ro- 
bust as  to  appear  to  have  scarcely  reached  the  prime  of  life.  Possessed 
of  an  extraordinary  degree  of  intelligence,  honor,  energy  and  good 
judgment,  he  was  one  of  the  most  successful  business  men  in  the  city 
and  his  prospects  of  a  future  successful  commercial  and  political  career 
were  very  brilliant. 


*4h=>= 


=r 


HON.  S.  rj.TURNE" 


,<J'  (.J  I.'  o  i   ^' ..'  j''.v,    '.J  JJH/rijtf  Sr  jV  iC 


/C/^>U.^^     cy//.    //r>Tp/r^ 


lENRY   M,  1-IOYT 


GENEA],OGICAL   RECORD,  WILKES-BARRE. 


#• 


236^ 


.1.  PRYOIl  WILLIAMSON  (DECEASED). 

J.  Pryor  Williamson  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  Deoembor  3d,  1830, 
and  was  a  grandnephew  of  Tbomas  Wilson,  for  many  years  president  of 
the  old  Baltimore  Coal  Company,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  was  for  several 
years  in  business  with  the  latter.  He  came  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1863,  and 
became  a  partner  in  the  business  Connected  with  the  Baltimore  store. 
Subsequently  the  Arm  opened  a  banking  house  on  the  public  square, 
near  South  Main  street.  This  enterprise  was  merged  in  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  Deposit  and  Savings  Bank,  and  Mr.  Williamson  was  made  cashier^ 
an  office  which  he  resigned  in  July,  1878,  but  remained  a  director  until 
his  death.  October  7th,  1869,  he  married  Miss  Mary  H.,  youngest  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Hon.  G.  W.  Woodward.  He  was  a  valuable  member  and 
vestryman  of  St.  Stephen's  church,  and  for  several  years  superintendent 
of  Calvary  Mission  Sundav-sohool.  He  was  a  member  of  Coeur  de  Lion 
commandery,  Knights  Templar,  of  Soranton,  and  past  master  of  Land- 
mark Lodge  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  An  earnest  and  enthusias- 
tic friend  of  the  fire  department  of  Wilkes-Barre,  he  was  connected  with 
it  during  his  residence  in  the  city,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  fore- 
man of  Hose  Company  No.  2.  He  was  secretary  and  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Home  for  the  Friendless,  was  for  many  years 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Wyoming  Valley  Ice  Company,  and  was 
interested  in  all  public  enterprises  looking  to  the  advancement  of  the 
prosperity  of  the  city.  Politically  he  was  a  Democrat  and  was  active  in 
politics.  His  courteous  manner,  kindly  disposition  and  warm  heart 
won  him  hosts  of  friend^,  who  sincerely  mourn  liis  death,  which  oc- 
curred October  34th,  1879. 

GOVERNOR    HENRY  M.   HOYT. 

Ziba  Hoyt,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and  son  of  Daniel 
and  Anne  Hoyt,  was  born  September  8th,  1788,  at  Danbury,  Connecticut. 
In  1794  the  family  moved  to  Kingston,  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania. 
In  the  war  of  1812  Ziba  Hoyt  was  fii*st  lieutenant  of  artillery,  and  was  on 
duty  at  Lake  Erie.  He  served  lifteen  months  in  Colonel  Hill's  regimen^ 
of  Pennsylvania  militia,  the  "Wyoming  Volunteers."  January  23d,  18IS, 
he  was  married  to  Nancy  Hurlbut. 

They  had  four  children— Anne,  who  married  liev.  Mr.  Corss,  John 
D.,  Henry  M.,  and  Elizabeth,  who  raarr-ied  Abram  Nesbitt. 

Deacon  Ziba  Hoyt,  as  he  was  always  called,  was  a  man  of  unusual 
abilities.  He  was  of  large  frame,  strong  mind,  wide  acquaintance,  great 
influence  and  of  the  utmost  purity  and  integrity  of  character.  He  was 
a  leading  Presbyterian.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  December  23d,  1853,  he 
was  as  well  known  and  thoroughly  respected  as  any  man  in  the  Wyo-' 
ming  valley. 

Henry  Martyn  Hoyt  was  born  June  8th,  1830,  in  Kingston.  He  re- 
mained at  home  until  1844,  when  he  entered  the  Wyoming  Seminary, 
then  just  opened  by  Rev.  Dr.  Eeuben  Nelson,  where  he  prepared  for 
college.  The  following  year  he  entered  Williams  College,  and  gradu- 
ated in  1849.  In  1850  he  went  away  and  opened  a  school,  which  he  con- 
ducted a  year,  when  he  returned  to  Kingston,  having  been  elected 
professor  of  mathematics  in  the  Wyoming  Seminary,  which  position  he 
held  two  years.  Subseiiuently  he  became  a  student  at  law  in  the  oflice 
of  the  Hon.  George  W.Woodward.  In  1853  he  went  to  Memphis,  and 
there  taught  the  graded  school  until  recalled  to  Pennsylvania  by  the 
death  of  his  father.  He  then  returned  to  the  study  of  law,  this  time  in 
the  ofSce  of  Hon.  Warren  J.  Woodward,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
the  election  of  Judge  Woodward  to  the  bench. 

September  2oth,  18.55,  he  married  Mary  E.  Lovelund,  of  Kingston.  In. 
1856  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  devoted  himself  both 
to  the  study  and  practice  of  law  assiduously  and  laboriously,  and  almost 
immediately  secured  a  large  and  lucrative  practice. 

He  took  part  in  the  Fi-emont  campaign  in  1856,  and  in  1861  was  active 
in  raising  the  52nd  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  was  com- 
missioned lieutenant  colonel  by  Governor  Curtin.  His  regiment  was  in 
the  brigade  of  General  Negley,  and  participated  in  the  Peninsula  cam- 
paign of  1802. 

Early  in  the  winter  of  1863  the  brigade,  then  under  General  W.  W.  H. 
Davis,  was  sent  to  the  department  of  the  south  to  co-operate  in  the 
naval  attack  on  Fort  Sumter.  It  pai-ticipated  under  General  Gilmore  in 
the  siege  operations  conducted  on  Morris  Island  against  Fort  Wagner 
and  Fort  Sumter.  During  the  summer  of  1864  a  night  attack  was  organ- 
ized by  General  Foster  against  Fort  Johnson,  in  Charleston  harbor.  It 
was  made  in  boats  across  the  harbor.  The  five  boat  loads  of  men,  com- 
manded by  General  Hoyt,  pushed  forward  and  succeeded  in  reaching 
and  entering  the  fort ;  but  the  reinforcements  did  not  arrive,  and  Gen- 
eral Hoyt's  party  became  prisoners  of  war.  They  were  first  confined  at 
Macon,  and  then  brought  to  Charleston  jail,  so  that  they  might  be  under 
fire  from  Morris  Island.  While  en  route  from  Macon  to  Charleston  Gen- 
eral Hoyl,  with  four  other  olHcers,  escaped  from  the  ears.  After  several 
days  and  nights  of  wearisome  hut  fruitless  efforts  for  liberty  they  were 
recaptured  by  the  rebels  with  the  aid  of  bloodhounds.  Upon  being  ex- 
changed General  Hoyt  rejoined  his  regiment,  and  remained  with  it 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  returned  to  Wilkes-Barre  and  re- 
sumed the  practice  of  his  profession. 

During  the  year  1867  he  fulfilled  the  duties  of  additional  law  judge  of 


his  judicial  district,  under  appointment  by  Governor  Geary.  His  record 
on  the  bench  was  of  tlie  first  order.  He  was  able,  fearless,  faithful  and 
dignified.  He  was  for  years  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and  was 
largely  instrumental  in  the  reorganization  and  improvement  of  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Wilkes-Barre,  making  them  second  to  none  in  the  State. 
He  was  attorney  for  many  of  the  large  mining  and  railroad  corpora- 
tions, as  well  as  numerous  individuals.  His  reputation  as  a  lawyer 
was  second  to  none.  His  legal  knowledge  was  not  only  broad  and  com- 
prehensive but  accurate  to  the  slightest  detail.  His  arguments  were 
concise,  logical  and  philosophical— too  much  so  perhaps  for  success 
before  juries,  but  of  the  utmost  value  and  importance  in  legal  discus- 
sions before  the  courts.  He  was  truly  learned  in  the  law.  As  a  coun- 
selor he  was  pre-eminently  valuable.  His  advice  was  sought  after  by 
his  brethren  at  the  bar  in  important  and  critical  emergencies,  and 
when  given  all  who  knew  him  knew  it  might  be  relied  upon.  His 
knowledge  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  law  was  so  thorough 
that  the  greatest  respect  was  always  expressed  by  lawyers  for  even  an 
"  off  hand  "  opinion  on  matters  under  discussion  at  the  various  meetings 
of  the  members  of  the  bar.  But  his  education  and  study  were  by  no 
means  confined  to  legal  matters.  Mathematics  in  its  highest  branches 
was  his  favorite  pursuit,  while  history,  philosophy,  science,  theology  and 
general  literature  were  alike  studied  with  great  zeal  and  relish  and  all 
contributed  abundantly  to  enrich  a  mind  well  capable  of  enjoying  their 
most  hidden  treasures. 

The  training  which  Governor  Hoyt  received  in  early  life,  as  farmer  boy, 
as  scholar  and  as  teacher,  always  within  the  influence  of  his  father's 
exatnple,  taught  him  at  least  the  value  of  thoroughness  and  accuracy 
in  whatever  is  undertaken.  And  it  may  well  be  stated  as  characteristic 
of  the  man  that  to  whatever  subject  he  has  given  his  attention  he  has 
spared  no  effort  to  reach  the  very  marrow  of  it  and  understand  it  in  all 
its  details.  His  library  is  large  and  extends  over  a  very  broad  field  of 
literature. 

In  1875  he  became  chairman  of  the  Republican  State  committee  and 
he  conducted  the  campaigns  of  that  and  the  succeeding  year 
with  success.  May  15th,  1878,  he  was  nominated  by  the  Republian  party 
for  the  position  of  governor  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  It  was 
at  the  time  of  the  greatest  excitement  in  the  State  on  the  question  of 
the  resumption  of  specie  payments.  Many  believed  that  no  one  could  be 
elected  on  an  unqualified  hard  money  campaign;  but  Hoyt,  scorning  all 
subterfuges,  sounded  the  key  note  of  the  campaign  in  his  first  address  by 
declaring :— "  Professing  to  be  an  honestman,  and  the  candidate  of  an 
honest  pai'ty,  I  believe  in  honest  money."  He  was  elected  by  a  very 
large  plurality  and  was  inaugurated  January  14th,  1879.  His  term  is  for 
four  years,  he  being  the  first  governor  who  in  pursuance  of  the  new 
constitution  of  1879  serves  for  that  terra.  The  oath  of  office  was  adminis- 
tered to  him  by  Hon.  Warren  J.  Woodward,  his  fonner  instructor  and 
then  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State.  Subsequently  to  his 
election  Governor  Hoyt  wrote  for  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, "Brief  of  a  title  in  the  seventeen  townships  in  the  county  of 
Luzerne;  a  syllabus  of  the  controversy  between  Connecticut  and  Penn- 
sylvania.   Printed  by  Lane  S.  Hart,  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  1879." 

He  is  now  the  most  highly  educated  and  ablest  man  in  political  life  in 
Pennsylvania.  Being  positive  by  nature  in  all  the  habits  of  his  mind,  he 
is  naturally  positive  in  his  political  views;  but  in  all  political  discussion 
he  has  shown  that  this  positiveness  is  not  a  result  of  partisan  bitterness 
but  a  conclusion  from  a  thorough  and  careful  study  of  the  constitution 
and  history  of  his  country. 

COLONEL  WASHINGTON  LEE. 

Washington  Lee  was  born  in  the  city  of  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  June  18th, 
1786.  His  father,  Andrew  Lee,  captain  of  dragoons  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolution  and  one  of  the  band  celebrated  in  Pennsj'lvania  history  as 
"  the  Paxtang  Boys,"  had  served  his  country  with  some  distinction 
under  General  Sullivan,  and  had  even  been  permitted  to  see  the  interior 
of  one  of  the  British  prison  hulks  in  New  York  harbor,  famous  then  as 
now  as  "fioating  hells."  The  captain  survived  the  horrors  which  were 
fatal  to  so  many  of  his  comrades,  and  heing  finally  exchanged  hastened 
home  to  Paxtang,  Dauphin  county,  Pa.,  to  recruit  his  shattered  health. 
Before  the  close  of  the  year,  however,  Cornwallis  had  surrendered. 
Great  Britain  saw  the  futility  of  her  efforts  to  retain  these  col- 
onies, and  finally,  September  3d,  1783,  signed  with  her  late  rebellious 
subjects  a  definitive  treaty  of  peace.  With  this  conclusion  Captain 
Andrew  found  his  occupation  gone,  and  taking  unto  himself  a  wife, 
in  the  person  of  Mrs.  Prisoilla  Stewart,  the  widow  of  James  Stewart, 
he  moved  to  Harrisburg,  purchased  a  well  known  inn  there,  and 
prepared  to  entertain  the  traveling  public.  In  this  house  were  born 
Washington,  his  brother  James  S.  and  his  sister  Prisoilla.  James, 
in  after  years,  moved  to  Hanover  township,  Luzerne  county, 
about  six  miles  from  Wilkes-Barre,  where  still  remain  some  of  his  chil- 
dren, grandchildren  and  great-grandchildren.  Priscilla,  the  sister,  died 
at  her  brother's  house  in  Hanover,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  unmarried.  ■' 
Washington,  after  attending  school  in  Harrisburg,  March  20th,  1803,  en- 
tered the  law  oifice  of  Mr.  Fisher,  a  prominent  practitioner  of  that 
place,  and  March  3d,  1806,  was  duly  admitted  to  practice  law  in  the 
courts  of  Dauphin  county.    He  had  determined,  however,  that  a  miH- 


<^ 


*«> 


236  T 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


tary  career  would  be  more  to  his  taste,  and  he  early  sought  the  influence 
of  his  friends  to  aid  him  in  graining:  a  position  in  the  army.    A  staunch 
friend  of  his  father,  Hon.  John  Joseph  Henry,  was  then  presiding  on 
the  bench  of  Dauphin  county,  and  from  him  he  readily  secured  a  com- 
mendatory letter  to  Henry  Dearborn,  the  Secretary  of  War.    By  the 
same  influence  he  also  enlisted  Hon.  A.  Gregy,  senator  from  Pennsylvn^ 
nia,  in  his  service,  and  May  3d,  1808,  he  rejoiced  in  the  receipt  of  his 
commission  as  second  lieutenant  in  the  army  of  the  United  States,  and 
a  letter  from  the  war  department  ordering  him  to  report  at  the  rendez- 
vous   at    Lancaster.     In   compliance   with    this   order  he    hastened 
to    his    post,    and    immediately    entered    upon     the    performano 
of  his  duties.    From  this  date  until  that  of  his  retirement  from  the  ser- 
vice, eight  years  later,  his  career  was  one  unbroken  series  of  successes. 
He  was  commissioned  flrst  lieutenant  of  the  fifth  regiment  of  infantry 
April  1st,  1811.    He  had  already  served  as  judge  advocate  of  the  southern 
army  under  General  Wade  Hampton  since  February  19th,  1810,  and  con- 
tinued so  to  act  until  appointed  assistant  adjutant  general  June  24th, 
1812.    July  23d following  he  was  commissioned  captain  of  the  eleventh 
infantry  and  March  3d,  1813,  received  his  majority.    In  June  of  this  year 
he  was  appointed  deputy  paymaster  general  of  the  United  States  forces, 
and  he  received  his  commission  as  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  eleventh 
infantry  January  1st,  1815.    May  3d,  1818,  Colonel  Lee  withdrew  from  the 
military  service  and  JunelOth,  1817,  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Campbell, 
the  daughter  of  an  Episcopal  minister,  of  Carlisle,  Pa.    The  young 
couple  immediately  removed  to  Nantieoke,  Luzerne  county,   where 
Colonel  Lee  had  purchased  a  farm  of  about  one  thousand  acres.    Here, 
in  a  comfortable  mansion  erected  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Susquehanna, 
at  the  very  foot  of  the  valley  of   Wyoming,  they  began,  passed 
and   ended  a  half  a   century  of  wedded  life.    In   December,   1867 
just  fifty  years  from  the  dat«  of  her  first  acquaintance  with  the  old 
homestead,  Mrs.  Lee  died,  childless.    Her  husband,  full  of  years  an  d  fee- 
ble in  health,  bore  with  his  loneliness  until  May,  1869,  when,  at  the 
urgent  solicitation  of  his  friends,  he  removed  to  Wilkes-Barre.     Here 
two  years  later,  September  lOth,  1871,  ready  and  willing,  he  peacefully 
breathed  his  last.     His  remains  now  rest  beneath  a  simple  shaft  of 
granite  in  the  churchyard  of  Hanover  Green.    Standing  by  his  grave  on 
the  hill  slope  one  can  see  with  wonderful  distinctness  the  old  mansion 
four  miles  away,  and  at  its  feet  the  river,  never  changing.    AH  else  of 
the  old  land  marks  have  disappeared,  swallowed  up  in  huge  culm  piles, 
or  blackened  beyond  recognition  with  the  dust  of  half  a  dozen  collier- 
ies.   Miners'  houses  crowd  each  other  up  to  the  ver.v  gateway  of  the 
homestead   and  even  the  old  rope  ferry  has  given  place    to  a  long, 
rambling  covered  bridge. 

In  person  Colonel  Lee  was  tall  and  of  dignified  presence.  His  gentle 
manners  and  courtly  bearing  greatly  endeared  him  to  all  who  possessed 
his  acquaintance.  His  habits  were  of  the  strictest  simplicity.  His  mind 
had  always  been  of  a  studious  character,  and  in  the  later  years  of  his 
ife  he  found  refuge  from  his  lEolation  in  his  acquaintance  with  the  phi- 


losophy and  classics  of  the  ancients.  He  was  the  impersonation  of  in- 
tegrity and  rectitude.  He  preserved  his  faculties  to  the  very  end,  and 
with  the  utmost  composure  saw  the  approach  of  that  messenger  from 
whose  coming  old  and  young  alike  shrink  with  dread. 

W.  L.  P. 

ANDREW  I.EE. 

Andrew  Lee  was  born  on  the  31st  day  of  January,  1815,  at  the  home- 
stead of  his  grandfather,  Captain  Andrew  Lee,  situate  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Susquehanna  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Nanticoke  creek,  about  two 
miles  above  the  present  borough  of  Nanticoke,  Luzerne  county.  Pa. 
He  was  the  eldest  of  the  seven  children  of  James  Stewart  Lee  and 
Martha  Campbell.  His  life  has  been  spent  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood of  his  birthplace.  He  early  became  engaged  in  the  operation  of 
the  coal  mines  on  the  property  of  Colonel  Wa.shington  Lee,  and  subse- 
quently became  interested  in  the  mercantile  business  In  Nanticoke.  In 
1872  he  retired  from  an  active  business  life  and  removed  to  Wilkes- 
Barre.  In  1853,  on  the  23d  day  of  January,  he  married  Sarah  Jane  Buck- 
hout,  by  whom  he  has  had  three  children,  James  Stewart,  William 
Washington  and  Minnie.  Mr.  Lee  still  enjoys  vigorous  health  notwith- 
standing his  years.  His  elegant  home  on  the  corner  of  River  and  Hano- 
ver streets  is  one  of  the  handsomest  residences  in  Wilkes-Barre,  and  is 
marked  with  every  evidence  of  a.  cultured  taste. 


Aside  from  those  sketched  in  the  foregoing  biographies 
the  following  may  be  mentioned  as  among  the  well-known 
citizens  of  Wilkes-Barre: 

David  p.  Ayars,  A.  M.  Bailey,  Charles  K.  Bart,  C.  A.  Belin,  Eufus  J. 
Bell,  Silas  W.  Bennett,  P.  F.  Buermeyer,  H.  Burgunder,  Henry  C. 
Burrows,  H.  Brownscombe,  H.  B.  Courtright,  W.  L.  Conyngham,  J.  M. 
Crane,  E.  P.  Darling,  Alfred  Darte,  Jr.,  James  P.  Dennis,  James  P. 
Dickson,  Eugene  C.  Frank,  C.  E.  Goodell,  T.  E.  Griflath,  WiUiam  J. 
Harvey,  John  Hessel,  J.  H.  Hildreth,  Rev.  F.  B.  Hodge,  N.  B. 
Houpt,  D.  F.  Hughes,  A.  N.  Humphreys,  Andrew  Hunlock,  Charles  P. 
Hunt,  Frederick  C.  Johnson,  Edwin  H.  Jones,  C.  Kidder,  John  I. 
Labagh,  I.  M.  Leach,  F.  J.  Leavenworth,  J.  Frank  Lee,  T.  H.  B.  Lewis, 
Thomas  Long,  W.  J.  McCuUough,  Rev.  P.  J.  McManus,  J.  A.  Merrick, 
P.  C.  Nagel,  T.  E.  Nidecker,  Rev.  W.  H.  Olin,  E.  S.  Osborne,  W.  L.  Paine, 
Ohoi-les  Parrish,  W.  Puckey  &  Brother,  P.  Butler  Reynolds,  Sheldon 
Reynolds,  Samuel  Roberts,  Rev.  H.  Rubin,  Dr.  E.  Shelp,  George 
W.  Shonk,  C.  B.  Snyder,  J.  Stickney,  H.  Stoddart,  S.  J.  Strauss, 
S.  C.  Struthers,  S.  B.  Sturdevant,  W.  H.  Sturdevant,  JRev.  W.  H. 
Swift,  John  Teasdale,  I.  M.  Thomas,  Eev.  T.  B.  Thomas,  Samuel 
J.  Tonkin,  E.  Troxell,  F.  W.  Vannan,  E.  O.  Weeks,  John  C.  Williamson, 
D.  Wilson,  HaiTison  Wright,  E.  B.  Tordy. 


►f 


^> 


r-i,;'  Tnj  E  B  tfiU  iStmi  n  h,.iYlmi  Sj  S  \ 


CtJ-nAAA. 


u.o/(mJlX) 


Jini}^  bijSdMul  ^So'is  USsTclaij  SiFT. 


*ih 


<\ 


TOWNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH  HISTORIES, 


LUZERNELCOUNTY. 


BEAR  CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 


,  HIS  township  was  taken  from   Denison,  April 
7th,  1856,  and   named  after   a  stream  which 
rises  in  the  northeast    part   and   flows   in    a 
most  picturesque  channel  through  the  town- 
ship. 

The  land  is  not  adapted  to  agriculture,  and  is 
uncultivated.  The  surface  is  mountainous.  Bald 
mountain,  near  the  north  border,  rising  1,825  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  Lehigh,  and  the  Wyoming  mountain,  just 
west  of  Bald,  showing  an  altitude  of  1,550  feet. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  and  Easton  road  crosses  near  the 
center  of  the  township,  from  northwest  to  southeast,  and 
where  it  crosses  the  creek  there  is  a  hamlet  of  half  a 
a  dozen  houses. 

The  principal  productions  of  the  township  are  hemlock 
logs  and  game,  the  supply  of  which  is  annually  diminish- 
ing. 

Eight  votes  were  polled  in  this  township  at  the  fall 
election  of  1879. 

Stiles  Williams  was  elected  and  commissioned  justice 
of  the  peace  for  Bear  Creek  May  26th,  1856. 


BLACK  CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 


^HIS  township  was  taken  from  Sugarloaf, 
August  8th,  1848.  It  derives  its  name  from 
a  creek  which  flows  through  it. 

In  1806  Barney  Huntsinger,  who  was 
urveying  this  then  wilderness,  took  as  his  pay  the 
land  where  Christian  Benninger  now  lives,  near 
Mountain  Grove  railroad  station.  Martin  Rit- 
tenhouse  located  in  1810  where  his  grandson  Joseph 
Rittenhouse  now  lives,  and  the  Shelhamer  family  soon 
after,  farther  down  the  stream,  and  over  on  the  Nesco- 
peck,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town. 


The  old  Indian  trail  from  the  Lehigh  to  the  Susque- 
hanna ran  down  the  west  bank  of  the  creek.  On  the 
farms  now  owned  by  the  Smiths,  a  little  below  Ritten- 
house's  mills,  is  a  good  spring,  and  here  was  one  of  the 
favorite  camping  grounds  of  the  Indians.  Their  paths 
are  still  to  be  seen  along  the  banks  of  the  creek. 

The  first  grist  and  saw-mills  were  built  in  1810,  by 
William  Rittenhouse,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Joseph 
Rittenhouse.  The  grist-mill  had  but  one  run  of  stones. 
There  is  a  saw-mill  on  the  site  of  the  old  one.  The  stone 
used  in  the  grist-mill  for  grinding  was  brought  from 
Reading,  Pa.,  and  now  lies  between  the  gate  posts  in 
front  of  William  Rittenhouse's  residence.  The  first  frame 
houses  were  built  by  Martin  Rittenhouse  and  Philip  Shel- 
hamer soon  after  the  saw-mill  was  put  in  operation. 

Rittenhouse's  old  log  house  was  converted  into  the 
first  school-house  in  the  township  as  soon  as  he  moved 
into  his  frame  house;  and  the  first  teacher  was  a  Mr. 
Tripp.  The  old  log  house  was  soon  burned,  and  the 
school  was  then  kept  near  where  the  brown  church  now 
stands.  The  surviving  pupils  of  the  school  are  Amos 
Rittenhouse,'  William  Wolf,  Nancy  A.  Rittenhouse  and 
Sylvester  Shelhamer. 

The  first  brick  houses  were  built  by  David  Shelhamer 
and  Stephen  Turnbach  in  1850,  Mr.  Shelhamer  making 
the  brick  upon  his  own  farm  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  township.  The  first  postmaster  was  Amos  Ritten- 
house. He  was  appointed  in  1856,  and  kept  the  ofiice  in 
the  house  just  east  of  where  he  now  lives.  The  mails 
were  received  once  a  week  from  Conyngharti,  and  Joseph 
Rittenhouse  was  the  first  mail  carrier.  The  office  was 
removed  to  Stephen  Turnbach's,  and  in  1872  to  the 
railroad  station  at  Rock  Glen,  or  Falls  Run  City,  the 
railroad  station  being  known  by  the  former  and  the 
post-office  by  the  latter  name. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Elias 
Smith,  a  few  rods  east  of  Rittenhouse's  mill. 

In  1820  there  was  a  distillery  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  C.  Benninger,  built  by  Huntsinger.  It  has  now  gone 
to  decay.  The  first  blacksmith  shop  in  this  end  of  the 
valley  was  John  Barnes's,  who  was  among  the  first  settlers. 
He  lived  where   Mrs.  J.   I.  Pegg  now   lives.     The  first 


Hh 


<^ 


^h= 


=-^^ 


238 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


store  in  this  township  was  kept  by  Daniel  Stiles,  where 
Stephen  Turnbach  now  lives.  There  was  also  a  store 
where  D.  Shelhamer  lives.  The  first  tavern  was  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  where  the  Rittenhouse  mill 
now  stands,  and  was  kept  by  George  Klinger.  The 
place  is  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Michael  Smith.  The 
first  tannery  was  a  small  concern  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  P.  Swoyer,  opposite  the  mouth  of  Scotch  Run  creek. 
The  first  death  in  the  township  was  that  of  Mrs.  John 
Kittner,  a  daughter  of  Huntsinger.  She  died  in  1818,  and 
was  buried  in  the  old  graveyard  near  the  Lutheran  church. 

Present  Business  Centers. 

Falls  Run  City  has  a  store,  two  taverns,  a  cabinet  shop 
and  15  dwellings. 

Rock  Glen  is  a  few  rods  above  Falls  Run  on  the  same 
side  of  the  creek.  There  is  a  railroad  station  and  a 
post-office,  with  George  Fry  postmaster.  He  was  ap- 
pointed in  1870  or  1871. 

Mountain  Grove,  formerly  Wolf  ton,  lies  on  the  eastern 
border  of  the  township.  Here  are  the  Mountain  Grove 
camp  grounds,  German  Reformed  church,  a  hotel,  a 
school-house,  railroad  station  and  post-office.  George 
Claas  is  postmaster:  he  was  appointed  in  1875. 

The  hamlet  of  Rittenhouse  Mill,  on  Black  creek  near 
the  center  of  the  township,  consists  of  a  grist-mill,  a  saw- 
mill, a  tannery  run  by  steam,  built  in  1847  by  James  Pegg, 
now  owned  by  Samuel  Rouse,  and  several  dwellings. 

At  Gowen,  a  station  on  the  D.  H.  &  W.  Railroad,  are  a 
coal  mine  and  breaker,  a  store,  a  post-office  and  about 
20  dwellings. 

CHURCHES  OF  BLACK  CREEK. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

This  society  was  formed  as  early  as  i8xo,  at  the  house 
of  John  Barnes,  where  Mrs.  J.  L  Pegg  now  lives,  half  a 
mile  west  of  Amos  Rittenhouse's  grist-mill.  Methodism 
at  that  time  in  which  is  now  Black  Creek  was  quite  a 
novelty.  The  first  preacher  to  wend  his  way  thither 
was  the  Rev.  Christian  Bowman,  a  Methodist  itinerant. 
He  came  by  way  of  the  Nescopeck  mountains,  and  made 
his  visits  once  in  four  weeks.  That  none  might  mistake 
the  time  of  his  coming,  he  heralded  his  approach  when 
on  the  top  of  the  Nescopeck  mountains  by  blowing  a  tin 
horn,  whereupon  the  people  gathered  at  the  house  of 
John  Barnes,  or  that  of  Isaac  Shelhamer.  The  first 
members  of  the  class  were:  John  Barnes,  Isaac  Shel- 
hamer, John  Wolf,  Andrew  A.  Wood  and  a  Mrs.  Jackson; 
with  John  Barnes  as  leader. 

Meetings  were  held  in  houses  and  barns  until  1831  or 
1832,  when  a  church  and  school-house  combined  was 
built  where  the  Roberts  school-house  stands.  Here  the 
society  worshiped  until  t86i,  when  the  present  church, 
standing  across  the  road  from  the  old  one,  was  built, 
costing  about  $1,400.  It  is  thirty-two  by  forty-four  feet, 
of  wood,  and  was  dedicated  the  first  Sunday  in  Novem- 
ber, 1861,  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Day,  the  pastor. 

This  part  of  the  Conyngham  charge  formerly  belonged 


to  the  old  Sunbury  circuit,  together  with  Northumberland 
county,  Carbon,  parts  of  Luzerne  and  Wyoming,  and  the 
whole  of  Schuykill  and  Columbia  counties.  Among  the 
early  preachers  were  Rev.  Messrs.  Christian  Bowman, 
Cook,  Steele,  John  Rhodes,  E.  McCollum,  Joseph  Lee, 
Bergstresser,  Shepherd,  Dolls,  Charles  Colfus  and 
Thomas   Bowman.     Thomas   T.   Hill   preached   in  1833; 

James  H.  Brown,  James  Clark,  G.  H.  Day  and Wells 

in  1842;  J.  Ross    and    Thomas    McClure    in   1843; 

Consor  and   Barnhard    in    1844.     The    pastors    in 

more  recent  years  have  been  as  follows:  G.  H.  Day,  in 
1861;  B.  P.  King,  1862;  Josiah  Forrest  and  J.  C.  Hagey, 
1864;  James  F.  Porter,  1866;  Henry  S.  Mendenhall, 
1867;  James  B.  Creddy,  C.  S.  Benscotten,  and  Pember- 
ton  Bird,  1868;  A.  S.  Bowman  and  N.  W.  Colburn,  1870; 
J.  Farran  Brown  and  J.  B.  Moore,  1873.  In  1874  J. 
Horning  came  in  place  of  Mr.  Moore.  At  this  time  the 
Jeansville  circuit  was  divided,  leaving  the  townships  of 
Butler,  Sugarloaf  and  Black  Creek  in  one  charge.  In 
1875  Rev.  J.  Stiner  was  stationed  here,  and  in  1877  G. 
M.  Larned,  the  present  pastor.  The  present  membership 
is  70.  Stephen  Turnbach  is  class  leader.  The  present 
value  of  the  church  property  is  $1,500.  The  trustees 
are  Stephen  Turnbach,  Peter  Roberts,  Perry  Boone,  W. 
G.  Gregory,  David  Shelhamer,  Martin  Basbuscheck,  John 
A.  Wagner  and  D.  W.  Lauer.  The  Sunday-school  was 
organized  in  1834,  with  30  scholars,  and  Uzel  O.  Barnes 
as  superintendent.  The  present  superintendent  is  W.  G. 
Gregory.  The  total  number  of  scholars  is  115;  average 
attendance  80. 

MOUNTAIN    GROVE    CAMP    MEETING    ASSOCIATION. 

June  2oth,  1872,  at  a  meeting  of  Methodist  ministers 
and  laymen,  held  in  Bloomsburg,  Columbia  county,  G.  M. 
Shoop,  of  Danville,  reported  that  he  had  secured  about 
twenty-eight  acres  of  land  at  Mountain  Grove  station,  on 
the  Danville,  Hazleton  and  Wilkes-Barre  railroad,  which 
he  would  transfer  to  a  camp  meeting  association  should 
such  an  organization  be  effected.  The  following  were 
appointed  an  executive  committee  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  the  camp  meeting:  Rev.  S.  Barnes,  P. 
E.,  chairman;  Rev.  S.  Creighton,  Rev.  B.  P.  King,  Rev. 
E.  T.  Swartz,  G.  M.  Shoop,  M.  Hartman,  H.  E.  Suther- 
land (first  secretary),  J.  W.  Clever,  J.  W.  Eyer. 

Under  the  supervision  of  this  committee  the  first 
camp-meeting  was  held,  on  the  grounds  of  G.  M.  Shoop, 
at  Mountain  Grove,  August  14th,  1872. 

August  igth,  1872,  at  a  meeting  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee and  friends  of  the  enterprise,  it  was  resolved  to 
organize  a  joint  stock  company  to  buy  the  grounds  and 
improvements  already  made  for  the  purpose  of  making 
the  institution  permanent. 

The  first  annual  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  the 
association  was  held  on  the  camp  ground  August  19th, 
1873.  The  following  managers  were  elected  for  the  en- 
suing year:  M.  W.  Jackson,  Rev.  S.  Barnes,  Rev.  S. 
Creighton,  S.  Turnbach,  N.  P.  John,  Rev.  B.  P.  King,  B. 
G.  Welsh,  Joseph  Smith,  A.  J.  Amerman,  E.  M.  Warden 
and  G.  M.  Shoop. 


5h= 


=4* 


^h 


H^ 


CHURCHES  AND  MINES  OF  BLACK  CREEK— BUCK  TOWNSHIP. 


239 


On  the  same  day  the  board  of  managers  met  and 
elected  the  following  ofiBcers  for  the  ensuing  year:  Presi- 
dent, Rev.  S.  Barnes;  vice-president,  E.  M.  Warden;  sec- 
retary, G.  M.  Shoop;  treasurer,  N.  P.John. 

The  amount  of  the  capital  stock  has  since  been  in- 
creased to  $14,000,  and  the  association  has  bought  three 
acres  more  of  ground,  and  improvements  consisting  of 
hotel  and  other  buildings,  and  enclosed  the  grounds  with 
fence.     Last  year  the  gates  were  closed  on  the  Sabbath. 

The  present  board  of  managers  consists  of  G.  M. 
Shoop,  Rev.  B.  P.  King,  C.  C.  Sharpless,  Loyd  Sharpless, 
J.  C.  Brown,  E.  W.  M.  Low,  M.  W.  Jackson,  N.  H.  Suth- 
land,  S.  Turnbach,  Rev.  S.  Creighton  and  Cyrus  Straw. 
Officers — G.  M.  Shoop,  president;  E.  W.  M.  Low,  ^ice- 
president;  C.  C.  Sharpless,  treasurer,  and  Cyrus  Straw, 
secretary. 

FRIEDEN's    LUTHERAN  AND  GERMAN    REFORMED    CHURCH, 

located  near  the  Mountain  Grove  railroad  station  was 
built  in  1830;  the  land,  one  and  a  half  acres,  was  donated 
by  Mr.  Huntsinger.  The  two  congregations  continue  to 
occupy  it  alternately.  The  present  Lutheran  minister  is 
Rev.  J.  H.  Neiman,  and  there  are  100  members  in  his 
charge.  The  German  Reformed  minister  is  Rev.  John 
M.  Clemens.     The  church  property  is  valued  at  $1,000. 

EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

The  church  edifice  of  this  society  was  built  in  1854, 
and  is  locally  known  as  the  "brown  church,"  from  the 
fact  of  its  not  being  painted.  It  is  half  a  mile  west  of 
Black  creek,  near  the  Nungesser  school-house,  on  the 
road  to  Mountain  Grove.  The  church  property  is  valued 
at  $1,000.  Rev.  J.  Wagner,  of  Hazleton,  is  the  present 
pastor.     The  present  membership  is  22. 

GERMAN    REFORMED    CHURCH. 

This  church  is  located  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
township,  and  known  as  the  "Shelhanier  Church,"  from 
its  being  near  David  Shelhamer's  house.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Clemens,  of  Conyngham,  is  the  present  pastor.  The 
value  of  the  church  property  is  $1,200. 

ALBRIGHT     CHURCH. 

The  society  known  as  "  Albrights  "  is  nearly  or  quite 
extinct  in  this  township.  About  1854  it  built  a  church 
near  the  German  Reformed,  and  the  building  is  still 
standing. 

Mining  Interests  of  Black  Creek. 

The  West  Lehigh  coal  mine  is  located  at  Gowen,  on  the 
southwest  line  of  the  township,  and  partly  in  Schuylkill 
county,  and  is  owned  by  the  West  Buck  Mountain  Coal 
Company,  and  operated  by  Lewis  Rothermel,  with  John 
T.  Evans  as  superintendent.  There  are  two  engines, 
with  a  total  of  80  horse  power.  There  are  64  men  and 
boys  employed  under  ground  and  24  on  tl;e  surface. 
The  coal  mined  during  the  year  1878  amounted  to  about 
11,000  tons. 


The  Stanton  mine,  at  the  same  point,  is  owned  by 
Anspach,  Stanton  &  Weightman,  and  operated  by  I. 
Martial  Stout,  with  I.  M.  Stout  as  superintendent.  This 
is  a  chute. 

The  Conyngham  coal  mine  was  originilly  in  Sugarloaf, 
but  is  now  in  Black  Creek,  on  the  north  bank  of  Black 
creek,  on  a  tract  of  land  surveyed  in  1873  to  John  Mc- 
Gowan.  It  never  belonged  to  the  Conyngham  family. 
The  tract  was  taken  up  by  warrant  in  the  name  of  J. 
McGowan  by  Tench  Coxe,  Esq.  (grandfather  of  Coxe 
Bros,  of  Drifton),  among  other  lands.  Subsequently 
through  tax  sales  and  division,  or  the  adjusting  of  the 
line  between  Northumberland  and  Luzerne  counties, 
the  Deringer  family  also  claimed  title  to  the  same  land. 
To  avoid  an  endless  litigation  the  Coxe  and  Deringer 
titles  were  thrown  together,  and  now  Coxe  Bros.  &  Co., 
of  Drifton,  have  the  land  under  lease,  and  are  proving 
the  coal  with  a  view  of  putting  up  works.  The  first  coal 
was  rained  there  by  the  Conyngham  family  while  residing  in 
the  valley;  hence  the  name.  According  to  the  best  infor- 
mation the  coal  must  have  been  opened  about  1820,  and 
a  load  taken  away  occasionally  over  the  rough  mountain. 

Justices. 

Justices  of  the  peace  have  been  elected  for  the  town- 
ship as  follows: 

William  Wolf,  1849,  1856,  1862;  James  T.  Pegg,  1849; 
Josiah  Thomas,  1854;  Henry  B.  Bowman,  1855;  Henry 
CroU,  1866;  Stephen  Turnbach,  1868,  1873,  1878;  M. 
L.  Hutchins,  1872,  1877. 


BUCK  TOWNSHIP. 


east 


^  HIS  township  was  formed  from  Covington  in 
1833,  and  named  in  honor  of  Samuel  Buck, 
one  of  the  pioneer  settlers.  Upon  the  for- 
mation of  Lackawanna  county  in  August, 
1878,  this  township  was  divided,  making  the 
boundary  line  to  run  from  the  mouth  of 
Choke  creek  up  that  creek  to  a  point  in  range 
with  the  easterly  line  of  Bear  Creek  township,  and  thence 
to  the  southeast  corner  of  the  latter  township. 

The  surface  of  Buck  is  very  mountainous,  except- 
ing that  portion  known  as  the  great  swamp,  or  Shades  of 
Death,  which  lies  between  the  mountains  near  the  center 
of  the   township. 

The  following  have  been  the  justices  for  Buck,  together 
with  the  years  of  their  election:  Thomas  Tattershall,  1840; 
Elwood  Buckman,  1848;  Temple  Hinds,  1854,  1859; 
Adam  S.  Edinger,  1858;  S.  M.  Edwards,  1861;  G.  W. 
Williamson,  1867;  J.  S.  Bachman,  i86g. 

Stoddardsville. 

The  pioner  store  here  was  kept  by  John  Stoddard,  who 
also  kept  the  first  tavern,  built  a  grist-mill  as  early  as  1816 


*#= 


=^N 


240 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


and  a  saw-mill  ten  years  before,and  had  a  blacksmith  shop, 
wagon  shop  and  cooper  shop.  Mr.  Stoddard  and  Thomas 
Arnott  owned  the  site  of  the  village.  Here  there  are  about 
75  inhabitants,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a  store 
and  a  post-office. 

From  1835  to  i860  much  business  was  done  here. 
Large  quantities  of  logs  and  lumber  were  sent  down  the 
Lehigh  from  this  point.  Here,  too,  the  Easton  and 
Wilkes-Barre  turnpike  of  long  ago  crossed  the  Lehigh. 
During  the  great  freshet  of  1865,  that  swept  nearly  all  of 
the  old  canal  works  out  of  the  Lehigh,  the  business  in- 
terests of  this  place  suffered  fatally. 

Stoddardsville,  the  only  village  in  the  township,  was 
settled  by  John  Stoddard,  of  Philadelphia,  John  Nagle 
and  John  Simpson.  Henry  Drinker  and  his  sons, 
Henry  W.  and  Richard,  made  it  their  headquarters  dur- 
ing the  early  surveys  of  their  territory  around  the  head 
waters  of  the  Lehigh.  From  this  point  Mr.  Drinker 
caused  to  be  made  the  road  up  the  Lehigh  to  his 
possessions  twelve  miles  east.  From  this  point  also  he 
went  up  the  Lehigh  in  a  canoe,  employing  axemen  to 
clear  the  way  where  the  trees  had  fallen  across  the  stream 
and  accumulated  driftwood. 

Stoddardsville  M.  E.  Church. — As  early  as  181 8  or 
1819  the  itinerant  found  his  way  to  Stoddardsville  and 
formed  a  society,  and  a  church  was  built  about  1820. 
Gilbert  Barnes  was  a  member  of  the  Stoddardsville  class, 
which  was  connected  with  the  Wilkes-Barre  church,  and 
as  sexton  would  walk  over  the  mountains  on  Sunday 
mornings  and  have  the  church  in  readiness  for  services 
at  the  morning  hour. 

The  preachers  have  been  Revs.  George  Peck,  Grace, 
Millard,  Potts,  Flannery,  Quigerly,  Cox,  Sistray,  Collo- 
way,  George  Brown,  Mayer,  Illman,  William  Morse,  G.  L. 
Staples,  Joshua  Lewis,  two  years;  Baldwin,  one;  John  F. 
Staples,  one;  J.  G.  Eckman,  two;  William  Ware,  one;  S. 
F.  Wright,  two;  Marlsbury,  one;  J.  C.  Leacock,  two;  J. 
D.  Woodruff,  one;  D.  Larish,  two;  Paddock,  three;  P. 
M.  Mott,  three;  P.  Houck,  two;  and  Rev.  R.  C.  Gill,  who 
is  closing  his  third  year  on  this  charge. 

The  membership  is  thirteen;  value  of  church  property 
$600. 

The  first  Sunday-school  superintendent  was  Louis 
Stull,  sen.,  and  the  present  superintendent  is  Robert  Stull. 


BUTLER  TOWNSHIP. 


iHIS  township  was  taken  from  Sugarloaf  at 
the  August  sessions  of  1839.  Part  was  annex- 
ed to  Hazle  November  30th,  1861. 

Upon  the  banks  of  the  streams  have  been 
and  are  still  quite  a  number  of  mills  and  manufac- 
turing establishments,  while  many  have  gone  to 
decay. 

Mr.  Samuel   Benner,  of  Conyngham,  writes   us  as  fol- 
lows in  regard  to  a  tree  in  this  township  which  constitutes 


a  noteworthy  natural  curiosity:     "  The  tree  is  a  white 
oak  with  a  rock  oak  limb;  is  nearly  nine  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence about  two  feet  from  the  ground.     The  limb  starts 
about  fifteen  feet  from  the  ground,  and  is  nearly  the  size 
of  the  main  tree.     The  tree  stands  in  a  field  west  of  the 
main  road   leading  from   Hazleton  to  Drum's,  near  the 
foot  of  Buck  mountain  and   about    fifty-five  yards  from 
the  road.     Some  suppose  an  acorn  to  have  dropped  into 
a  rotten  spot  of  the  tree,  sprouted  and  formed  the  limb; 
but  I  have  it  directly  from  Daniel  Grosz  (dead  a  number 
of  years),  who  cleared  the  land  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  that 
the  rock  oak  tree  had  leaned  against  the  white  oak  and 
formed  the  connection,  and  that  when  he  chopped  off  the 
rock  oak  near  the  ground  he  found  it   so  much  decayed 
and  burnt  near  the  junction   with  the  white   oak  that  it 
broke  off  there,  and  the  upper  part  remained  attached  to 
the  white  oak,  where  it  can  be  seen  yet." 

Butler's  First  Settlers,  Mills,  Etc. 

As  soon  as  peace  was  assured  to  settlers  they  began  to 
make  permanent  settlements  in  this  beautiful  valley. 
From  the  very  favorable  reports  brought  back  by  the 
party  of  men  sent  out  to  bury  the  victims  of  the  Sugar- 
loaf  massacre,, others  were  induced  to  journey  to  this 
new  Eldorado. 

The  first  settler  was  G.  H.  Reip,  who  came  about  1782 
and  located  on  lands  now  owned   by  Jos'eph   Woodring. 
He  died  in  1794,  and  was  buried  at  the  German  church. 
Among  the  pioneers  was   John   Balliett,  of    Whitehall, 
Lehigh  (then    Northumberland)  county,   who   emigrated 
hither  in  the  spring  of   1784  and  located  on  what  is  now 
known  as  the  Beisel  farm,  about  one  mile  west  of  Drum's, 
and  about  the    same  distance  southwest  of    Hughesville. 
The  Indian  trails,  crossing   mountains  and   streams,  af- 
forded no  passage  for  wagons,  and  precluded  his    "  mov- 
ing "  more  than  what  he  was  able  to  carry  on  horseback. 
His  children  were  placed   in  two  bee-hives — typical,  per- 
haps, of  that  industry  that  transformed  the  wilderness  into 
a  smiling  garden — and  these  were  tied  together  and  hung 
across  tlie  back  of   one  of   the  horses.     In    descending 
Broad  mountain,  south  of  Buck  mountain,  on  their  jour- 
ney, the  cord  uniting  the  hives  broke,  and  in  the  language 
of   the  old    nursery-maid's  song,  "down  came    rockaby, 
baby  and  all."     After  a  short  gymnastic  exercise  in  turn- 
ing  somersaults  down  the   mountain  side,  the   children 
were  again  comfortably  ensconced  in   the  hives,  and  the 
party  moved  on  their  way  rejoicing.     Upon  reaching  their 
destination  Balliett  and  his  family  improvised  a  rude  hab- 
itation by  setting  poles  around   and  against  a  tree,  over 
which  some    sort  of   a  covering  was    thrown  to   shelter 
them  until  a  house   could  be  built.     Their   first  house, 
which  was  of  logs,  was  in  a  year  or  two  after   destroyed 
by  fire,  together  with  all  their  household  goods  except  a 
bed. 

Balliett  was  soon  followed  to  this  place  by  others  from 
the  same  county,  the  earliest  of  whom  were  men  named 
Reab,  Benner,  Shober,  Dolph,  Hill,  Bachelor,  Spaide  and 
others,  whose  descendants  still  live  in  this  valley.  These 
pioneers  coveted  none  of  the  superfluities  of  this  life,  or 


^)* 


i 


JUDGE    GORDON    P.IKE 
N.MORELAND,TP.   WYOI^^ING      CO.,    PA 


JUDGE      PAULBILLINGS 
'U  N  K  H  A  N  N  O  CK,  T  P.    WYOIVllNG    CO., PA. 


ELKANAH     HOLMES 


Zl  BA    LOTT 
TUNKHANNOCK,   WYOM   IN   G    CO.,  PA. 


=MN' 


the  expensive  follies  of  the  present  day,  but  were  humbly 
thankful  for  their  "'daily  bread"  and  for  the  rough 
couches  iipon  which  they  were  wont  to  repose  their  weary 
limbs.  As  soon  as  they  raised  any  crops  of  grain  they 
were  obliged  to  carry  their  grists  on  foot  or  horseback  to 
Sultz's  mill,  on  Lizard  creek,  one  mile  below  the  present 
town  of  Lehighton,  and  usually  waited  until  the  grist  was 
ground  (which  was  generally  done  during  the  nigiitj,  and 
returned  the  following  day. 

Balliett's  was  not  only  the  first  farm  settled  upon,  but 
here  was  the  first  orchard  set  out,  the  little  trees  being 
brought  from  his  former  residence  on  horse-back.  His 
was  also  the  first  log  house,  and  his  is  supposed  to  have 
been  the  first  frame  house  built  in  what  is  now  Butler 
township. 

The  pioneer  saw  and  grist  mills  on  the  Little  Nesco- 
peck  creek,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township, 
were  built  by  Redmond  Conyngham.  The  saw-mill  was 
built  in  1809  on  lands  now  owned  by  M.  Beishline,  and 
went  to  decay  many  years  ago.  The  grist-mill  was  built 
in  1814  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek,  where  Silas 
Jacobs  now  lives,  and  is  now  owned  by  Charles 
Knelley. 

The  pioneer  saw-mill  on  the  Big  Nescopeck  creek,  in 
the  northeastern  part  of  the  township,  was  built  in  1813 
by  Samuel  Woodring,  near  the  site  now  occupied  by  A. 
Straw  &  Son's  saw-mill;  and  in  1820  Redmond  Conyng- 
ham built  a  grist-mill  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Straw's 
saw-mill. 

The  pioneer  carding-mill  was  built  about  1810  at  what 
is  now  Ashville,  on  the  Little'  Nescopeck  creek,  on  the 
Linderman  property;  and  the  first  woolen-mill  was  built  in 
1835  by  Philip  Drum,  on  the  Little  Nescopeck,  a  short 
distance  above  Ashville. 

The  pioneer  school-house,  built  of  logs,  stood  near  what 
is  known  as  the  German  Church,  and  went  to  decay  many 
years  ago. 

John  Balliett,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  was  also  the 
pioneer  tavern  keeper.  He  located  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  John  Beisel,  west  of  Drum's. 

Philip  Woodring  was  the  pioneer  blacksmith.  He 
located  here  in  1800,  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Henry 
Koenig. 

The  first  merchant  in  this  township  was  Henry  B. 
Yost.  He  located  here  in  1832,  on  the  place  now  owned 
by  D.  W.  Jenkins,  sen.  Mr.  Yost  was  also  the  pioneer 
postmaster.  The  mails  were  received  once  a  week,  and 
the  name  of  the  office  was  East  Sugarloaf.  This  was 
previous  to  the  formation  of  the  township  of  Butler. 
Cyrus  Straw  is  the  present  postmaster  and  receives  a 
daily  mail. 

George  Hughes's  saw-mill,  above  Straw's,  was  built  in 
1833,  and  is  still  standing.  The  house  where  William  B. 
Doud  lives,  owned  by  Mr.  Straw,  was  built  in  1812.  The 
first  weavers  here  were  Michael  Klouse,  Elias  Balliett 
and  Jacob  Schauber.  They  all  lived  a  little  southwest  of 
Hughesville.  The  oldest  graveyard  in  this  township  is 
the  one  in  the  corner  of  the  lot  opposite  the  M.  E. 
church. 


Drum's. 

The  first  house  built  here  was  the  one  in  which  An- 
drew Straw  now  lives.  The  first  tavern  in  this  place  was 
built  by  George  Drum,  and  kept  as  a  hotel  by  Abram 
Drum  in  1820,  where  the  present  hotel  stands.  The  first 
store  here  was  kept  by  Henry  B.  Yost,  in  1837,  where  D. 
W.  Jenkins  now  live^  The  first  shoemaker  was  Isaac 
Drum,  who  in  1842  had  a  shop  in  what  is  now  the  bar- 
room of  Drum's  Hotel.  The  first  blacksmith  shop  was 
on  the  hill  above  Cyrus  Straw's,  on  the  Wilkes-Barre 
road.  John  Sheide  was  the  bl.icksmilh.  The  shop  has 
gone  to  decay.  There  was  also  a  shop  at  the  four  cor- 
ners near  the  Little  Nescopeck,  where  George  Krissinger 
lives,  half  a  mile  south  of  Drums.  The  first  doctor  at 
Drums  was  Samuel  Beers.  He  lived  where  Silas  Andrews 
now  lives.  The  first  school-house  stood  in  the  corner  of 
the  roads  southwest  01  Drum's  hotel.  The  first  post- 
master at  Drum's  was  Henry  B.  Yost.  He  was  appointed 
in  1839,  and  kept  the  office  opposite  where  George 
Roth's  blacksmith  shop  now  stands.  The  present  post- 
master is  Cyrus  Straw. 

At  present  there  are  at  Drum's  a  church  (Methodist 
Episcopal),  a  school-house,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  shoe 
shop,  a  tailor  shop,  a  harness  shop,  two  stores  and  a  hotel. 
The  population  is  about  »oo. 

RELIGIOUS   INTERESTS    AT    DRUM's. 

The  first  regular  preaching,  that  we  have  any  account 
of,  at  what  is  now  Drum's  was  in  1833  or  1834,  when  the 
Baltimore  Conference  of  the  M.  E.  Church  commis- 
sioned Rev.  Joseph  Lee  as  a  missionary  on  the  old 
Jeansville  circuit,  which  took  in  White  Haven,  Beaver 
Meadow,  Mifflin  and  other  places,  including  Drum's, 
v,-hich  was  on  the  route  from  White  Haven  to  Mifflin. 
There  was  no  church  here  then.  There  was  one  at 
Hughesville,  a  mile,  and  a  half  distant,  but  at  that 
"no  Methodist  need  apply"  seemed  to  be  the  senti- 
ment of  the  managers.  The  school-house  at  Drum's 
seemed  to  be  the  only  available  place,  and  that  was 
not  sure;  for  it  was  said  by  some  that  "if  the  Meth- 
odists git  in  here  once,  the  devil  can't  git  'em  out."  But 
those  days  of  unrest  and  fear  of  the  "sect"  have  long 
since  passed  away.  Lee  was  one  of  those  aggressive 
preachers  who  not  only  always  went  armed  with  the 
Bible,  but  for  small  arms  and  weapons  of  warfare  used 
Wesley's  sermons;  and  the  feather  that  broke  the  camel's 
back  was  that  he  had  them  to  sell,  thereby  breeding  dis- 
sensions among  the  elect.  After  preaching  by  him  once 
or  twice  in  the  school-house,  the  trustees  of  the  school 
district  became  alarmed,  and  decided  that  it  was  "  pre- 
judicial to  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  here  on 
earth,  and  to  the  morals  of  this  community,  and  against 
the  wishes  of  the  people  to  allow  Methodist  preaching  in 
the  school-house,  and  more  especially  so  in  the  evening." 
James  Gilmore,  father  of  Henry  Gilmore,  being  present, 
gave  notice  that  his  house  was  not  controlled  by  trustees 
and  that  the  Methodists  could  occupy  it  any  time. 
Therefore  for  about  six  years  the  services  were  held  alter- 


4f* 


242 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


nately  at  Gilmore's  house  and  Mr.  Hoover's  house,  where 
Andrew  Straw  now  lives.  In  the  summer  and  on  extra 
occasions  the  meetings  were  held  in  James  Smith's  barn. 
In  1840  it  was  decided  by  the  congregation  that  it  was 
expedient  to  build  a  union  church.  The  church  was 
built  of  wood,  32  by  41  feet,  and  stood  in  the  corner  of 
the  burying  ground-  opposite  the  present  M.  E.  church. 
It  was  built  by  subscription  or  contribution,  and  John 
Strunk,  the  builder,  was  appointed  to  apportion  to  each 
subscriber  the  amount  and  kind  of  timber  he  must  fur- 
nish for  the  building.  James  Gilmore's  share  was  as 
follows,  as  per  bill  given  him:  2  sills,  41  feet  long,  8  by 
10,  $5.46;  3  sills,  32  feet  long,  8  by  10,  $6.39;  6  sills,  16 
feet  long,  8  by  10,  $2.14;  24  joists,  10  feet  long,  5  by  6, 
$6;  total,  $19.99;  9  sleepers,  25  feet.  The  church  was 
dedicated  in  December,  1840,  by  Revs.  J.  A.  Ross,  E. 
McColUim  and  G.  H.  Day,  all  Methodist  preachers.  The 
first  Methodist  class  was  formed  in  the  fall  of  1840,  with 
Henry  B.  Yost  as  leader,  and  among  the  early  members 
were  Catharine  Hunt,  Harriet  J.  Yost,  James  Smith, 
Daniel  Durst  and  others. 

Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  — The  society 
worshiping  in  this  church  is  merely  a  continuation  of 
that  worshiping  in  the  old  union  church.  But  as  the 
old  church  had  served  its  purpose,  and  many  repairs 
were  necessary  to  make  it  what  the  congregation  and  the 
times  demanded,  a  public  meeting  was  held  May  20th, 
1870,  when  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  church.  A 
building  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Rev.  N. 
W.  Colborn,  Cyrus  Straw,  A.  P.  Goedecke,  Stephen 
Drum  and  Andrew  Straw.  May  igth,  1870,  the  com- 
mittee met  and  decided  upon  the  site  where  the  church 
now  stands,  known  as  the  school-house  lot,  and  the  bal- 
ance of  the  lot  was  donated  and  deeded  by  George 
Drum  to  the  trustees  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  their  successors  in  office,  June  nth,  1873, 
Jonah  P.  Drum  and  Daniel  P.  Raikes  witnesses. 

The  church  is  of  wood,  of  modern  architecture,  34  by 
56  feet,  with  basement,  and  cost  $7,500.  Andrew  Straw 
was  the  builder.  The  buildmg  was  commenced  in  June, 
1873;  the  first  public  service  was  held  in  the  basement 
February  i8th,  1874,  and  the  church  was  dedicated  July 
i2th,  1874. 

The  following  named  clergymen  have  served  in  the 
years  given  as  preachers  on  this  charge,  which  is  now 
composed  of.Bufler,  Sugarloaf  and  Black  Creek,  and 
known  as  Conynghara  charge:  Joseph  Lee,  1833,  1834; 
Thomas  Hill,  1833-42;  James  H.  Brown,  James  Clark 
and  G.  H.  Day;  J.  A.^Ross  and  Thomas  McClure,  1843; 
Revs.  Messrs.  Consor  and  Barnhart,  1844;  G.  H.  Day, 
1861;  1862,  1863,  B.  P.  King;  1864,  1865,  Josiah  Forrest 
and  J.  C.  Hagey;  1866,  James  F.  Porter;  1867,  Henry 
S.  Mendenhall;  1868,  1869,  James  B.  Cuddy,  C.  S.  Ben- 
scoten,  and  Pemberton  Bird;  1870-72,  A.  S.  Bowman, 
and  N.  W,  Colburn;  1873,  J.  Farron  Brown  and  J.  B. 
Moore;  1874,  J.  Horning,  in  place  of  Mr.  Moore;  1875, 
1876,  J.  Stiner;  1877-79,  G.  M.  Earned,  the  present  pastor. 
The  present  membership  is  84;  value  of  the  church  prop- 
erty, |8,ooo. 


The  Sunday-school  connected  with  this  church  was 
organized  May  6th,  1844,  as  a  union  Sjnday-school,  and 
is  still  under  the  same  auspices.  The  first  officers  were 
as  follows:  Superintendent,  James  Smith;  president, 
Isaac  Drum;  secretary,  Henry  Oilman  (the  only  one 
now  left  of  the  original  school);  treasurer,  William 
Harker;  managers — Adam  Beisel,  Daniel  Durst,  Mrs. 
Beisel,  Mrs.  Yost,  and  Mrs.  Hunt.  A  constitution  and 
by-laws  were  adopted  August  25th,  1844.  At  present  the 
superintendent  is  Cyrus  Straw;  president,  N.  S.  Drum; 
vice-president,  John  S.  Spencer;  secretary,  A.  A.  Drum; 
librarian,  Mary  Jacobs;  treasurer,  Josiah  Drum;  mana- 
gers— Cyrus  Straw,  Henry  Gilmore,  John  T.  Spencer, 
Mrs.  Hedian,  Mrs.  L.  Straw,  Miss  E.  Jacobs.  The  total 
number  of  scholars  is  193;  average  attendance  95; 
volumes  in  library,  471;  collections  for  the  year  for  mis- 
sions, $33.88. 

The  first  Presbyterian  preaching  in  this  vicinity  was  in 
1835  or  1836,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Gaston,  who  came  here 
soon  after  Joseph  Lee.  Mr.  Gaston  preached  in  the 
church  at  Hughesville;  and  about  1840,  when  the  union 
church  was  built  at  Drum's,  the  Presbyterians  formed  a 
church  and  society,  and  assisted  in  building  the  union 
church.  James  Gilmore  was  the  leading  man  of  that  de- 
nomination at  the  time.  Their  church  was  small,  but 
they  have  succeeded  in  holding  together  a  membership 
of  about  20,  with  Henry  Gilmore  as  their  leader.  Rev. 
Homer  S.  Newcomb,  of  Conyngham,  is  the  pastor,  occu- 
pying the  pulpit  of  Trinity  M.  E.  Church  on  alternate 
Sunday  evenings,  if  not  occupied  by  the  pastor  of  Trin- 
ity Church. 

Hughesville 

has  a  population  of  about  150.  The  place  was  named  in 
honor  of  George  Hughes,  an  early  settler.  The  old  saw- 
mill at  Hughesville  was  built  in  1836  by  H.  Benner. 
The  grist-mill  at  this  place  was  built  in  1853  by  George 
Hughes,  and  April  22nd,  1854,  commenced  running  as  a 
flouring  mill.  The  first  store  here  was  opened  by  Sheide 
&  Wenner,  where  Dr.  Hevener  now  lives.  Henry  Ben- 
ner was  the  first  blacksmith;  his  shop  stood  near  the  saw- 
mill. The  first  shoe  shop  was  started  in  1868  by  J. 
W.  Woodring,  and  it  is  still  in  operation.  The  first 
tavern  was  opened  by  the  present  proprietor,  Stephen 
Krehns,  in  1870.  There  are  here  at  present  a  grist  mill, 
a  store,  a  shoe  shop,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  school-house 
and  a  church, — St.  John's, — owned  and  occupied  jointly 
by  the  German  Reformed  and  Lutheran  congregations. 

ST.    JOHN'S    CHURCH,    OF    HUGHESVILLE. 

This  church  was  organized  December  26th,  1799,  when 
the  first  meeting  was  held.  Two  organizations  are 
worshiping  in  this  church,  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
and  German  Reformed  denominations.  January  12th, 
1800,  a  meeting  of  the  two  congregations  was  held,  at 
which  it  was  resolved  to  build  an  edifice  forboth  church 
and  school  purposes.  Public  services  were' held  in  pri- 
vate houses  until  the  fall  of  1808,  when  twelve  acres 
of    land    were    purchased    of    Stephen     Balliett,    and 


*^H= 


BUTLER  AND  CONYNGHAM  TOWNSHIPS. 


243 


a  log  church  was  built  on  the  bank  of  the 
Nescopeck,  nearly  opposite  the  present  church.  The 
structure  was  built  by  voluntary  subscription,  and 
was  to  remain  a  German  Reformed  and  Lutheran 
church  and  school-house.  Rev.  George  Mann  was 
the  pastor  at  the  time.  April  18th,  1809,  Rev. 
Frederick  W.  Van  de  Sloat,  a  German  Reformed  preacher, 
visited  this  people,  when  the  consistory  and  members  of 
both  denominations  requested  him  to  draft  a  constitu- 
tion and  by-laws  for  the  government  of  the  congregation. 
The  constitution  and  by-laws  drawn  by  him,  and  sub- 
scribed to  by  members  of  both  denominations,  provided 
that  the  German  language  should  be  used  exclusively  in 
all  public  services  except  for  schools,  and  that  no  ser- 
vices of  any  kind  should  be  held  in  the  church  after  dark. 
The  subscribers  to  this  document  were  John  Balliett. 
George  Drum,  Philip  Woodring,  Jacob  Speth,  George 
Wenner,  Samuel  Earles,  Jacob  Balliett,  Peter  Hill,  John 
Balliett,  sen.,  Peter  Sheide,  Michael  Beishline,  Jacob 
Drumheller,  Andrew  Maurer,  Philip  Ruth,  Jacob  Fuse, 
Jacob  Wenner,  Henry  Maurer,  George  Beishline  and 
George  Bitterle.  The  twelve  acres  of  land  purchased  of 
Stephen  Balliett  included  the  grave  yard  and  the  lot  up- 
on which  the  present  church  building  stands.  In  1825, 
the  old  church  and  school  building  having  become  not 
only  superannuated  but  too  small  for  church  purposes, 
the  congregation  built  a  larger  one,  nearly  where  the 
present  church  stands,  and  this  in  turn  gave  place  to  the 
present  beautiful  edifice.  January  31st,  1868,  it  was  de- 
cided at  a  joint  meeting  of  the  congregations  that  a  new 
and  a  larger  church  building  was  a  necessity,  and  a  build- 
ing committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Jacob  Thomas, 
Charles  W.  Kneeley,  Simon  Santee,  Daniel  O.  Klinger 
and  George  Hughes.  The  ministers  at  this  time  were 
Rev.  H.  Hoffman,  German  Reformed,  and  Rev.  S.  S. 
Kline,  Lutheran. 

The  elders  at  the  time  of  building  ihe  new  church 
were  George  Hughes,  George  Drum,  Henry  Beck  and 
Michael  Beishline.  The  deacons  were  John  A.  Kleigh, 
Daniel  Dauber,  Charles  W.  Knelley  and  Reuben  Beninger. 
The  church  is  of  wood,  45  by  60,  with  basement  story, 
and  is  finished  throughout  in  the  latest  and  most  substan- 
tial style  of  architecture,  costing  $14,000.  It  was  dedi- 
cated September  24th,  1873,  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Bauer,  Kep- 
ner  and  Steinmitz.  The  pastors,  besides  those  named, 
have  been:  Rev.  John  N.  Seizer,  in  1826;  Rev.  Fred- 
erick Croll,  in  1812;  Rev.  John  A.  Foersch,  T846;  Rev.  H. 
Daniels,  1847-51.  The  present  pastors  are:  John  M. 
Clemens,  German  Reformed,  and  J.  H.  Neiman,  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran,  The  present  church  officers  are:  Re- 
formed elders,George  Drum  and  Henry  Koenig;  Reformed 
deacons,  L.  Drencher  and  J.  Hemerly;  Lutheran  elders, 
H.  Walp  and  F.  Rifenberg;  Lutheran  deacons,  A.  Smith 
and  William  Kemp. 

Butler   Mining  Interests. 

At  No.  3  breaker,  Upper  Lehigh,  there  are  7  engines, 
with  a  total  of  425  horse  power.  There  is  also  one  mine 
locomotive  above  ground.     There   are  employed  at  this 


slope   156  men  and  boys  under  ground,   and   97   on  the 
surface.     Amount  of  coal  mined  in  1878   158,148  tons. 

Justices  of  the  Peace. 

The  justices  for  this  lovvnship,  with  the  dates  of  their 
election  (which,  where  not  otherwise  mentioned,  are  also 
the  dates  of  commission),  have  been  as  follows: 

Walter  B.  Godfrey  and  Thomas  Hughes,  April  14th,  1840, 
1845;  Fillmoje  Santee,  April  12th,  1842,  and  April  13th, 
1847;  Jacob  Drum,  April  13th,  1847  and  1852,  April 
14th,  1857;  Samuel  Benner,  April  r3th,  1852,  April  14th, 
1857,  and  (elected)  April  29th,  1862;  Henry  Gilmore, 
May  3d,  1862  (elected),  April  9th,  1867,  April  loth,  1872, 
and  (elected)  March  26th,  1877;  Daniel  P.  Rake,  April 
9th,  185  I,  and  April  roth,  1S72;  Charles  Bock  (elected), 
March  17th,  1877. 


CONYNGHAM  TOWNSHIP. 


w^^  ONYNGHAM    township,   named  in   honor   of 

'^^       the  late  Judge  Conyngham  of  Wilkes-Barre, 

was  set  off  from  HoUenback  in  1875. 

The  first  and  only  post-office  is  Wapwal- 
lopen,  Tobias  Schobert  postmaster.  The 
office  was  established  on  the  completion  of  the 
Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg  railroad  in  1832. 

The  township  is  thinly  settled,  not  more  than  one- 
third  of  the  land  being  improved.  The  population  is 
488.  Supervisors  have  been  elected  as  follows:  1876, 
Philip  Weiss  and  Reuben  Andreas;  1877,  Isaac  Mil- 
ler and  Jeremiah  Hess;  1878,  Isaac  Miller  and 
Nathan  Bittenbender;  1879,  John  Fenstermactier, 
jr.,  and  Nathan  Bittenbender.  J.  A.  Kepner  was  elected 
justice  in  1876  and  A.  D.  Miller  in  1879. 

The  first  permanent  settler  was  Martin  Harter,  from 
Northampton  county,  who  in  1795  settled  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Little  Wapwallopen  creek.  He  was  soon  followed 
by  James  McNiel,  James  Santee,  Philip  Fenstermacher, 
John  Andreas,  John  Fenstermacher,  Michael  Weiss,  Jere- 
miah Hess  and  one  or  two  others  from  Lehigh  and 
Northampton  counties.  The  descendants  of  these  thrifty 
German  farmers  constitute  a  majority  of  the  farming 
population  of  the  present. 

John  Fenstermacher,  jr.,  Esq.,  of  Wapwallopen,  son  of 
John  Fenstermacher  and-  grandson  of  Martin  Harter, 
was  the  first  white  child  born  in  Conyngham  township, 
having  been  born  in  1804. 

The  first  road  built  was  the  one  along  the  river, 
which     was     cut     out     by     the     earliest     settlers. 

The  first  frame  house  was  built  by  Martin  Harter, 
about  1797,  on  the  lands  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Ab- 
salom Heller.  Philip  Fenstermacher  built  the  only  brick 
house  about  1822.  This  house  is  now  owned  by  A.  K. 
Harter.  In  1829  George  Fenstermacher  built  a  stone 
house  on  the  site  where  Martin  Harter's  house  had 
stood.      A   frame   addition  was   afterward  built   to   this 


Hh 


==# 


244 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


house,  and  a  tavern   kept   here   for  several   years.     The 
first  tavern  and  store  were  kept  by  Philip  Fenstermacher, 
beginning    in    1805    and   continuing  only   a    few    years. 
John  Heller  kept  a  store  in  1836.     The  first   blacksmith 
was  Jacob  Romick,  whose  shop  stood  on  the  site  of   the 
stone  house.     Peter    Mauer   learned    the    trade    of    Mr. 
Romick   and   succeeded   him.      The   first   grist-mill  was 
built  by  a  widow  lady  named   Lewis,  from    Philadelphia. 
It  stood  just  above  the  site  of  the  present  mill  of  Samuel 
Heller  on  Wapwallopen  creek.     The  deed  conveying  the 
lands   to  Frances   Lewis,  widow,  bears  the   date  of   1806, 
and  the  mill  must  have  been  built  about  that  time.     This 
mill   was   followed   by  a   stone   mill   three   stories   high, 
which  was  finished   about   1825   by  two   brothers  named 
McPherson,  who  operated   the  mill  under  a  lease  for  five 
years.     Samuel   Heller  moved   from   Salem   in  1836   and 
built  the  present  mill,  and   he   continues   to  operate  it. 
Philip  Fenstermacher  built  the  first  saw-mill  in  181 1,  on 
a  small   stream   near  where  A.   Boyd  now  lives.     John 
Fenstermacher  had  a  distillery  near  the  blacksmith  shop 
of  Jacob   Romick,     The   first   school   was   taught   by   a 
preacher  named  Krol!  in   a  small  building  belonging  to 
Martin   Harter,  about  1808,  and   was  taught  in  German. 
This  building  is  now  used  as  a  pig-sty  by  A.  K.  Harter. 
The  first  English  school  was  taught  in  an  old  house  be- 
longing to   Michael   Weiss,  in   181 1.     The   first  school- 
house  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  church  in  1813.     In 
1878  there  were  four  schools  in  the  township,  with  an  av- 
erage total  attendance  during  the  year  of  85  pupils,  and 
$1,652.43  was  expended  for  educational  purposes. 

Wapwallopen. 

Wapwallopen  signifies  "  the  place  where  the  messen- 
gers were  murdered,"  and  the  place  is  situated  on  the 
first  tract  of  land  patented  in  the  township,  a  tract  called 
Campania,  being  on  both  sides  of  the  creek,  having  been 
granted  to  Daniel  Grant  in  1769,  and  patented  by  George 
Campbell  in  1773.  This  is  the  same  land  which  passed 
through  the  hands  of  the  widow  Lewis,  and  finally  to 
John  Heller,  by  whom  it  was  divided  and  sold  to  differ- 
ent parties.  The  village  contains  three  stores,  a  post- 
office,  a  hotel,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  two  millinery 
shops. 

The  Mocanaqua  Coal  Company. 

Operations  were  begun  on  the  property  in  1837,  under 
the  superintendence  of  Henry  Colt.  A  small  quantity  of 
coal  was  mined  during  the  winter  months.  The  prop- 
erty was  sold  to  Carey  &  Hart,  who  operated  the  works 
during  the  winter  months  until  1856,  when  Jedediah  Irish 
organized  the  Mocanaqua  Coal  Company  and  purchased 
the  works,  which  he  operated  up  to  1865.  Dupont  Bro- 
thers, of  Wilmington,  Del,  then  purchased  the  property 
and  increased  the  number  of  acres  to  1,900.  They 
worked  the  mines  until  1872,  when  the  men  struck  for 
higher  wages  and  were  all  discharged.  The  works  were 
closed  and  have  not  been  started  since.  The  engine  in 
the  breaker  was  100  horse-power,  and  the  breaker  has  a 
capacity  of  1,000  tons  daily.  The  works  were  of  the 
most  complete  kind.     The  company  had  their  own  ma- 


chine and  repair  shops.  The  coal  was  mined  about  one 
mile  from  the  breaker,  which  was  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  opposite  Shickshinny.  They  employed  about  500 
men,  and  owned  thirty  tenant  houses. 

Reformed  Church. 

The  Reformed  congregation   in    Conyngham  began  its 
history  in  1820.     In  July,  1820,  the  Rev.  John  N.  Zeizer 
visited  this  and  adjoining  townships,  preaching  trial  ser- 
mons with  a  view  of  becoming  pastor.     He  preached  one 
year  as  a  licentiate,  and   was  ordained  by  the   Synod  of 
Reading  in  September,  1821.     The   congregation  was  im- 
mediately   organized,  and    remained  undt-r  the  pastoral 
care  of  Rev.   Mr.  Zeizer   for  nineteen  years.     Near  the 
close  of  the  year   1839  he  died  and   was  buried   in  the 
churchyard  where  lie  nearly  all  of   the  early  settlers  of 
Conyngham.     He  was  followed  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  Shell- 
hammer,  who  began  his  ministry   in   1840  and  continued 
until  1858.     Mr.  Shellhammer  died  in  Black  Creek  town- 
ship, February  22nd,  1873.   Rev.  Henry  Hoffman  became 
pastor    in    the    fall  of    1858,  and    remained    until   187 1. 
About  the    beginning  of   his    pastorate  the  change  was 
made  from  German  to  English,  all  preaching  having  been 
in   German.     In    1871    the   congregation   was   connected 
with  the  North  Susquehanna  charge.  Rev.  A.  R.  Hotten- 
stein  pastor.      The  present  pastor,   Rev.   Tilgham   Derr, 
took  charge  of  the  congregation  in  the  fall  of  1876.    The 
congregation,  in  conjunction  with  the  Lutherans,  built  a 
good  brick  church  in  1833,  previous  to  which  time  both 
societies  had  worshiped  in  the  school-house. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr.  Derr  the  church  has 
been  repaired.  Both  societies  continue  to  use  it.  The 
present  officers  of  the  church  are:  Joseph  Hess  and 
Philip  Weiss,  elders;  M.  J.'  Harter  and  A.  D.  Brader 
deacons.     There  are  115  communicants. 

The  history  of  the  Lutheran  congregation  is  identical 
with  that  of  the  Reformed  congregation,  except  that  each 
congregation  had  its  own  minister. 

St.  John's  Evangelical  Church. 

The  society  bearing  this  name  has  always  been  under 
the  charge  of  the  pastors  located  in  Hollenback  town- 
ship, and  was  organized  about  the  sarai  time.  Meetings 
were  held  in  the  school-house  until  1867,  when  a  church 
was  built.     There  are  now  55  communicants. 


DALLAS  TOWNSHIP. 


-f 


DALLAS  township   was  formed  from  Kingston 
in   1817,  and  embraces  a  portion   of  one  of 
the   "  certified   townships,"  called    Bedford. 
It  was  named  in  honor  of  Ale.Kander  J.  Dal- 
las, of  Philadelphia. 

Ephraim   McCoy,  a    Revolutionary  soldier, 
erected  the  first  log  house  near  or  on    the  pres- 
ent site  of  Dallas  borough,  in  1797.     A  small  log  cabin 


T 


J**^ 


*^»:;^rii3'^i'^v-. 


RESIDENCE  OF  D"?  F.M.BRUNDAGE.CONYNGHAM,  LUZERNE  CO., PA. 


^ 


RES.  OF  SAMUEL  BENNER.CONYNGHAM  ,  LUZERNE  CO.,PA. 


DALLAS  TOWNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH. 


245 


•f 


had  been  previously  erected,  which  was  supposed  to  have 
been  a  hunter's  cabin,  without  floors,  and  showing  evi- 
dences of  having  been  standing  for  several  years.  The 
second  residence  was  built  soon  after  McCoy's,  by  Wil- 
liam Briggs. 

Daniel  Spencer,  John  Wort  and  John  Kelley,  Revolu- 
tionary soldiers,  Elara  Spencer,  J.  Mears,  John  and  John 
Honeywell,  jr.,  William  Honeywell,  Isaac  Montanye  and 
two  Ayers  brothers  were  among  the  first  settlers.  In 
iSo8  William  Honeywell  came  from  New  Jersey,  bought 
five  hundred  acres  of  land  and  completed  a  log  house 
upon  it  which  had  been  partly  built,  and  in  the  following 
year  built  a  frame  addition  to  it,  the  first  frame  building 
erected  in  Dallas.     R.  M.  Duffy  did  the  carpenter  work. 

The  first  saw-mill  in  Dallas  was  built  in  1813  by  Judge 
Baldwin,  on  a  branch  of  Toby's  creek.  The  second  one 
was  built  in  i8i8,  on  Toby's  creek,  by  Christian  Rice; 
the  ruins  of  it  are  yet  to  be  seen  on  lands  owned  by  his 
son,  Capt.  Jacob  Rice,  in  Dallas  borough.  This  mill  was 
in  use  until  1875. 

Among  the  pioneer  preachers  were  Marmaduke  Pierce 
(now  a  Doctor  of  Divinity  in  the  M.  E.  Church)  and 
Benjamin  Bidlack,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  who  was  at 
the  siege  of  Yorktown.  Religious  meetings  were  held  in 
the  rude  residences  until  the  school-houses  were  built, 
after  which  services  were  held  in  them. 

The  first  school-house  was  erected  in  Dallas  (now  Dal- 
las borough)  in  1816,  of  hewn  logs,  by  William  Honey- 
well, Philip  Shaver  (who  gave  the  site),  William  Hunt 
and  John  Honeywell. 

Peter  B.  Roushey  built  the  first  tavern  in  Dallas,  at 
the  fork  of  the  village,  and  sold  grog.  Other  taverns 
were  kept  by  Miles  C.  Orr  and  Jacob  Miers. 

Almond  Goss  built  and  conducted  the  first  store,  about 
1840.  Charles  Harris  and  his  father  made  the  first  clear- 
ing in  Dallas.  They  came  from  the  adjoining  section, 
found  a  desirable  tract,  chopped  one  day  and  returned 
home.  They  were  never  able  to  find  the  place  again; 
this  was  soon  after  the  Wyoming  massacre. 

Henry  Hagaman  was  the  first  post-rider  through  Dal- 
las. He  carried  the  mail  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Bow- 
man's creek. 

Among  the  early  marriages  were  those  of  Abram  S. 
Honeywell  to  Miss  Lydia  Hawk,  and  Joseph  Montanye 
to  a  Miss  Spencer,  both  on  the  same  day  in  1820.  The 
former  is  now  a  resident  of  Wyoming,  aged  eighty-eight 
years.  Demon  Spencer  was  the  first  white  child  born  in 
Dallas.  Among  the  first  deaths  were  those  of  the  wife  of 
John  Honeywell  and  a  Mr.  Hunt. 

Peter  Ryman  was  the  first  and  only  pettifogger  in 
Dallas,  and  proved  his  ability  by  his  many  successes. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  was  Thomas  Irwin. 

Jacob  Rice  owned  the  first  painted  house,  in  1843. 
He  purchased  the  first  spring  buggy  owned  in  Dallas  in 
1837.  Abram  S.  Honeywell  owned  the  first  cast-iron 
plow,  and  William  J.  Honeywell  the  first  patent  wagon 
brake  in  Dallas. 

The  first  tannery  was  built  by  Edgar  Marsh  in  1848. 
It  was  burned  and  a  new  one   erected,  owned  by  John 


Lawler,  who  manufactured  large  quantities  of  leather 
annually. 

There  are  two  post-offices  in  the  township.  Kunkle 
was  named  for  J.  Wesley  Kunkle,  who  was  appointed  the 
first  postmaster.  Ketchum  post-office  was  named  for 
Hon.  W.  W.  Ketchum,  judge  of  the  supreme  court  and 
member  of  Congress.  Sanford  Morse  was  the  first  and  is 
the  present  postmaster. 

The  early  records  having  been  destroyed,  no  account 
of  the  first  township  meeting,  or  of  other  interesting  mat- 
ter concerning  its  organization  and  much  of  its  subse- 
quent history,  can  be  obtained.  The  present  board  of 
officers  is  constituted  as  follows:  Justice,  Samuel  Hess; 
judge  of  elections,  A.  B.  Shaver;  inspectors  of  elections, 
S.  Warden,  A.  Ayers;  constable,  W.  J.  Riley;  assessor, 
G.  P.  Anderson  ;  supervisors,  Samuel  Vanscoy,  J.  B. 
Honeywell,  John  Spencer,  Joseph  Hoover,  Theodore 
Major,  Jacob  Nulto'n;  auditors,   Harrison    Honeywell,  S. 

A.  Spencer;   treasurer,  W.  K.  Goss;  overseers  of  poor,  R. 

B.  Wilson,  T.  A.  Kriedler;  school  directors,  W.  P.  John- 
son, Robert  Halley;  clerk,  T.  M.  Lazo. 

The  area  of  Dallas  is  twenty-one  square  miles,  the 
much  larger  portion  of  which  is  cleared  and  cultivated. 
Farming  and  lumbering  are  the  principal  occupations  of 
the  citizens.  There  are  eight  saw  mills  in  operation, 
which  manufacture  large  quantities  of  lumber  annually 
for  the  Pittston  and  Wilkes-Barre  markets.  Smith  & 
Garrahan  and  Ryman  &  Sons  are  among  the  most  ex- 
tensive lumber  merchants.  Pittston  and  Wilkes-Barre 
are  also  the  markets  for  grain,  cattle,  leather  and  other 
products.     The  population  of  the  township  is  879. 


DALLAS  BOROUGH. 


HE  organization  of  Dallas  borough  was  effected 
for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  interests  of 
the  high  school.  The  charter  was  granted 
April  2ist,  1879,  and  on  the  13th  of  May 
the  following  officers  were  chosen  at  a  special 
election  held  at  Raub's  Hotel:  D wight  Wolcott, 
burgess;  Parkerson  Perrego,  high  constable;  Wil- 
liam Snyder  and  John  Ferguson,  inspectors;  Barney 
Stroud,  judge  of  election;  school  directors,  Leonard  Ma- 
chell  and  James  Garrahan,  for  three  years,  Chester  White 
and  J.  B.  Williamson  for  two  years,  Barney  Stroud  and 
Parkerson  Perrego  for  one  year;  auditors,  William  J. 
Honeywell  for  three  years.  Doctor  C.  A.  Spencer  for 
two  years,  Thomas  Garrahan  for  one  year;  assessors, 
William  J.  Honeywell  and  John  Ferguson;  council,  Capt. 
Jacob  Rice,  Ira  D.  Shaver,  Theodore  F.  Ryman,  William 
Snyder,  Charles  Henderson,  and  Philip  T.  Raub. 
Charles  H.  Cook  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace. 
At  the  first  annual  election,  held  February  17th,  1880, 
the  same  officers  were  elected  except  one  auditor  and 
one  inspector,  viz:    Smith  Perrego,  in  place  of    Thomas 


^ 


^ 


246 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Garrahan  resigned,  and  Adney  Snyder  in  place  of  William 
Snyder.     The  borough's  population  is  272. 
Business  Enterprises. 

Dallas  is  connected  by  telephone  with  Wilkes-Barre 
and  Harvey's  Lake.  In  1878  a  company  was  formed  and 
the  line  built  at  a  cost  of  about  $800.  The  company 
consists  of  the  following  named  gentlemen,  and  is 
called  the  "  Dallas  Telephone  Company:"  H.  S.  Rutter, 
E.  p.  Darling,  William  J.  Honeywell,  W.  P.  Ryman,  T.  F. 
and  J.  J.  Ryman,  G.  M.  Lewis,  and  Dr.  C.  A.  Spencer. 

A  daily  mail  arrives  from  Wilkes-Barre  by  a  stage, 
which  also  carries  passengers,  express  matter,  etc. 

There  is  but  one  hotel  in  Dallas,  Andrew  Raub  pro- 
prietor, and  this  is  the  only  place  where  intoxicating 
liquors  are  sold. 

The  dry  goods  and  grocery  trade  is  represented  by 
Ryman  &  Sons,  Smith  &  Garrahan,  and  Ira  D.  Shaver. 

C.  H.  Hall  is  proprietor  of  the  first  and  only  drug  store 
in  town. 

C.  A.  Spencer,  M.  D.,  and  James  G.  Laing,  M.  D., 
represent  the  medical  profession. 

William  Brickie  carries  on  undertaking  and  cabinet 
making. 

The  post-ofifice  in  the  borough  was  instituted  in  1825, 
and  Joseph  Shunk  was  appointed  postmaster.  The  pres- 
ent postmaster  is  C.  H.  Hall. 

The  Dallas  High  School 

was  founded  in  1879,  by  the  following  liberal  minded 
gentlemen:  Leonard  Machell,  William  J.  Honeywell, 
James  Garrahan,  Esq.,  J.  G.  Laing,  M.  D.,  William  Sny- 
der, William  P.  Kirkendall,  Joseph  Atherholt,  Andrew 
Raub,  Joseph  Shaver,  Capt.  Jacob  Rice,  Ira  D.  Shaver, 
Chester  White,  Theodore  F.  Ryman,  C.  A.  Spencer,  M.  D., 
G.  W.  Kirkendall,  J.  J.  Ryman. 

In  1878  the  beautiful  and  well  arranged  high  school 
building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,500,  including 
site.  It  is  situated  on  an  eminence  with  a  commanding 
view,  with  grounds  beautiful  and  spacious,  nicely  shaded 
with  maples,  and  offering  a  fine  opportunity  to  students 
for  healthful  exercise. 

The  founders  have  kindly  given  the  use  of  the  building 
to  the  school  directors  of  Dallas  borough  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  school  interest  in  the  borough.  This 
school  furnishes  instruction  in  all  those  branches  of  edu- 
cation which  legitimately  belong  to  an  institution  of  the 
kind.  In  selecting  the  subjects  for  study,  two  objects 
have  been  kept  in  view:  the  thorough  and  symmetrical 
discipline  of  the  mental  powers  and  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge. 

The  following  departments  of  study  are  jirovided: 
common  English,  higher  English,  ancient  languages, 
modern  languages,  commercial  department. 

The  first  principal  of  the  school  was  Prof.  John  T. 
Fuller,  a  graduate  of  Lafayette  College  and  a  young  man 
of  high  culture,  sterling  character  and  moral  worth.  He 
died  on  the  21st  of  January,  1880,  deeply  mourned  by 
patrons  and  students  and  all  with  whom  he  mingled. 
He  was  assisted  by  Miss  Lettie  Kitchen,  of  Dallas. 


The  present  principal  is  Prof.  W.  P.  Taylor,  a  gradu- 
ate of  Lafayette  College  and  a  teacher  of  large  experi- 
ence and  signal  success  in  his  profession.  He  is  assisted 
by  Miss  Lydia  A.  Seward,  of  New  Columbus.  The  high 
school  of  Dallas  has  attained  a  degree  of  success  and 
importance  highly  satisfactory  to  its  founders  and  the 
public,  and  is  receiving  a  liberal  patronage  at  home  and 
from  abroad.  The  efforts  of  the  directors  are  being  put 
forth  to  make  this  school  second  to  none  of  its  class, 
and  the  utmost  care  is  observed  by  the  faculty  in  promo- 
ting the  moral,  intellectual  and  physical  welfare  of  stu- 
dents. 

Religious  Societies. 

In  1854  the  M.  E.  church  edifice  was  erected,  at  a 
cost  of  $T,ooo.  It  was  built  on  contract  by  Almond 
Goss,  of  Dallas. 

The  following  named  gentlemen  were  the  trustees  at 
that  time:  William  J.  Honeywell,  Abraham  Ryman, 
Simeon  Spencer,  Richard  S.  Ryman,  William  C.  Roushey, 
Christian  Rice,  Jacob  Rice,  2nd.  Rev.  F.  A.  King  is  the 
present  pastor. 

There  are  several  branch  societies  in  the  township 
which  use  the  school-houses  for  religious  services. 
Their  present  pastor  is  F.  A.  King. 

Lodges. 

Oneida  Lodge,  No.  371,  /.  O.  O.  F.  was  organized  at 
Huntsville,  August  20th,  1849,  by  G.  D.  Wolcott,  repre- 
rentative  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania,  with  20 
charter  members.  It  was  removed  to  Dallas  and  held 
its   first   meeting  there  April  14th,  i860. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  officers  at  the  time  of  re- 
moval: Henry  Space,  N.  G.;  George  W.  Kirkendall,  V. 
G.;  P.  H.  Delong,  S.;  A.  S.  Orr,  A.  S.;  James  Honey- 
well, T.  The  present  board  of  officers  are:  W^.  G.  Riley, 
N.  G.;  H.  M.  Hagaman,  V.  G.;  George  P.  Anderson,  S.; 
Gecrge  Wilson,  A.  S.;  Ira  D.  Shaver,  T.  The  following 
have  been  the  past  grands  since  the  lodge  was  instituted: 
T.  D.  Harris,  J.  T.  Miers,  Amos  Brown,  A.  Baldwin,  S.  C.  Mandevllle, 
S.  P.  Ide,  J.  W.  Fuller,  W.  M.  Houser,  J.  O.  Ide,  David  Ide,  J.  S.  Ide, 
Nelson  Miers,  Joseph  Sweitzer,  William  Major,  A.  Brown,  Henry  Space, 
G.  W.  Kirkendall,  A.  S.  Orr,  P.  H.  Delong,  Jacob  Johnson,  James  Honey- 
well, Thomas  Irwin,  J.  B.  Williamson,  R.  A.  Whiteman,  James  M.  Donley, 
Jameson  Meeker,  James  Sweezy,  Samuel  Miers,  L.  B.  Shaver,  W.  P. 
Kirkendall,  Henry  Randall,  J.  B.  Willis,  T.  J.  Miei-s,  W.  H.  Lowe,  J. 
Wesley  Spencer,  Dwight  Wolcott,  Lyman  Harris,  Ira  S.  Gordon,  0.  L. 
Fisher,  John  H.  Lowe,  A.  N.  Ide,  E.  W.  Lathrop,  W.  P.  Shaver,  Thomas 
Kreidler,  L.  M.  Rice,  James  E.  Durland,  George  P.  Anderson,  Thomas 
Garrahan,  Parkerson  Perrego,  Harrison  Honeywell. 

The  lodge  has  a  membership  of  56. 

George  M.  Dallas  Lodge,  No.  531,  F.  and  A.  M.  was 
organized  under  a  dispensation  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  by  E.  P.  Kingsbury,  D.  D.  G.  M., 
March  ist,  1875,  with  the  following  charter  members: 
Asa  B.  Shaver,  Ira  D.  Shaver,  William  Bennet,  Joseph  M. 
Shaver,  Theodore  F.  Ryman,  Philip  T.  Raub,  James 
Garrahan.  The  first  officers  were:  Asa  B.  Shaver,  W.  M.; 
Theodore  F.  Ryman,  S.  W.;  James  Garrahan,  J.  W.; 
Philip  T.  Raub,  Sec;  J.  D.  Shaver,  Treas.  Present  offi- 
cers: Philip  T.  Raub,  W.  M.;  Ziba  B.  Rice,  S.  W.;  Lewis 
R.  Shaver,  J.  W.;  Theodore  F.  Ryman,  Treas.;  Charles 
H.  Cook,   Sec.      The  past  masters  are  Asa  B.  Shaver, 


m^ 


SOLDIERS  OF  DALLAS  BOROUGH— DENISON  TOWNSHIP. 


247 


Theodore  F.  Ryman,  James  Garrahan,  Joseph  M.  Shaver, 
Ira  D.  Shaver.  The  membership  is  increasing  in  num- 
ber and  influence,  and  includes  some  of  the  best  citizens 
of  Dallas. 

The  Military. 

Some  of  the  early  residents  of  Dallas  had  been  sol- 
diers of  the  Revolution.  Among  these  were  Benjamin 
Bidlack,  Daniel  Spencer,  John  Wort,  John  Kelley  and 
Ephraim  McCoy. 

Dallas  furnished  its  complete  quota  for  the  civil  war. 
From  its  pine  crowned  hills  went  sturdy  yeomen  with 
willing  hearts  to  sustain  the  flag  their  fathers  bore  to 
honorable  and  successful  battle  for  liberty  and  the  right. 
Company  F  of  the  53d  Pennsylvania  volunteers  was  or- 
ganized in  Dallas,  under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Rice,  of 
Dallas,  and  consisted  of  one  hundred  men,  a  portion  of 
whom  enlisted  from  neighboring  townships.  This  com- 
pany performed  well  its  part  in  the  war,  and  returned 
laden  with  honors,  though  greatly  reduced  in  numbers. 
Other  citizens  of  Dallas  enlisted  in  various  commands, 
this  being  the  only  organization  with  its  rendezvous  in 
Dallas  township. 

Captain  Rice  is  the  representative  military  man  of 
Dallas.  He  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant  in  the 
115th  Pennsylvania  militia,  May  6th,  1839;  captain  of  the 
Dallas  rifle  company,  August  20th,  1849;  captain  of  the 
Dallas  artillery,  November  isth,  1857;  lieutenant  colonel 
of  the  Rhodes  regiment  in  1859;  quartermaster  of  the 
iSth  Pennsylvania  volunteers  May  ist,  1861,  for 
three  months,  and  of  the  53d  October  12th,  1861;  re- 
ceived recommendations  from  line  officers  of  his  regi- 
ment to  General  Hancock,  commanding  the  2nd  corps, 
and  to  General  Ingalls,  chief  quartermaster  of  the  U.  S. 
army,  for  the  appointment  of  captain  and  quartermaster 
in  his  brigade;  but  he  did  not  present  his  recommenda- 
tions to  the  Secretary  of  War  on  account  of  the  pressing 
need  of  his  presence  at  home. 

Myron  Strickland  enlisted  in  Dallas  September  1st, 
1861,  with  Captain  Rice,  of  the  53d.  He  was  wounded 
at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3d,  1863,  by  a  minie  ball, 
which  penetrated  his  clothing  and  lodged  in  a -New  Tes- 
tament which  he  carried  in  his  left  side  pocket.  The 
shock  was  a  severe  one  and  he  has  never  entirely  recov- 
ered. He  was  again  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  2nd, 
1863.  He  was  a  prisoner  seven  months,  at  Libby,  Salis- 
bury and  Belle  Isle. 


DENISON  TOWNSHIP. 


i,  HIS  township  was  taken  from  Hanover  -in  No- 
vember, 1S39.     November  isth,  1855,  Foster 
was  taken  off,  and  Bear  Creek  April  7th,  1856. 
Justices  of  the  peace  from    Denison   have 
been  chosen  as    follows:     Abiathar    Tuttle,   1840; 
Joseph    H.Taylor,  1840;  Lucius   Blakeslee,  1845; 
Thomas  Morrison,  1845,  1850,  1855;  Harvey  Lloyd, 
1853;  George  Wharen,   1867,    1872;    Henry   H.    Wood, 


"873,  1878.  The  township  was  named  in  honor  of  Colo- 
nel Nathan  Denison,  of  Wyoming  battle  fame. 

While  the  forests  remained  to  furnish  the  supply,  lum- 
bering was  the  only  business.  Nearly  the  whole  popula- 
tion of  the  township  is  centered  in  the  southeast  comer 
along  the  Lehigh  river,  between  the  borough  of  White 
Haven  and  the  mouth  of  Wright's  creek. 

The  first  settler  in  this  township  of  any  enterprise  was 
Israel  Inman.  He  followed  the  Nescopeck  creek 
through  what  is  now  the  townships  of  Black  Creek,  Sugar- 
loaf  and  Butler,  and  three  quarters  of  the  way  across 
this  township,  and  located  about  half  a  mile  below  where 
the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  railroad  crosses  the  Nesco- 
peck west  of  the  tunnel.  This  is  up  among  the  head 
waters  of  the  Nescopeck,  and  was  at  chat  time  a  dense 
wilderness.  Here  Mr.  Inman  built  a  rude  log  house  and 
a  saw-mill,  the  first  of  their  kind  in  the  township.  This 
was  in  1833.  He  also  built  a  forge  or  triphammer  shop, 
and  "  Inman's  Works"  soon  became  known  throughout 
the  southeastern  portion  of  Luzerne  county.  He  was 
also  the  owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  his  shop  and  mill.  For  several  years  he  was 
the  successful  business  man  of  his  part  of  the  township, 
but  at  length  trade  was  drawn  to  the  Lehigh,  and  the 
mildew  of  time  has  hidden  every  vestige  of  the  place 
once  so   well  known  as    "  Inman's  Works." 

Soon  after  Inman  came  others  followed,  and  in  a  short 
time  there  were  several  saw-mills  along  the  Nescopeck, 
all  of  which  have  either  gone  to  decay  or  are  suffering 
for  want  of  business. 

The  southeast  corner  of  the  township  was  next  settled, 
and  in  1835  the  first  house  was  built  there  by  A.  P. 
Childs.  Later  in  the  same  year  John  Lines,  jr.,  built 
another  house.  In  1838  this  place  was  called  Middle- 
burg,  and  a  post-office  of  that  name  was  established. 
The  neighborhood,  being  just  above  the  upper  dam  on 
the  Lehigh  and  adjoining  White  Haven,  was  soon  aban- 
doned as  a  business  point,  and  the  post-office  was  abol- 
ished as  soon  as  White  Haven  was  made  a  town.  Middle- 
burg  being  only  a  continuation  up  stream  of  the  larger 
village. 

The  first  tavern  at  Middleburg  was  built  in  1850,  and 
kept  by  John  and  Frank  Lynch.  It  is  still  standing,  on 
the  upper  side  of  the  road.  There  were  several  stores 
and  shops  at  this  place,  all  of  which  have  been  aban- 
doned. 

The  first  road  of  any  importance  in  or  through  this 
township  was  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  road,  cut  out 
and  partially  built  by  the  Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal 
Company  in  1837.  It  ran  diagonally  across  the  township, 
in  a  northwesterly  direction,  from  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  township,  adjoining  White  Haven.  It  crosses  the 
Nescopeck  creek  about  a  mile  below  where  Inman's 
works  were  located.  Until  the  railroad  was  built  this 
was  the  only  route  between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Mauch 
Chunk.  By  leaving  Wilkes-Barre  in  the  morning  by  this 
route,  and  taking  the  swift  sailing  packet  "  Washington'' 
at  White  Haven,  one  would  arrive  at  Mauch  Chunk  in 
time  for  supper,  if  not  particular  about  eating  early  in  the 


*ih 


4'^ 


^h 


248 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


evening.  The  great  freshet  of  1862  ruined  the  canal, 
and  in  1863  the  Lehigh  Valley  Company  commenced 
building  their  road  between  Mauch  Chunk  and  Wilkes- 
Barre.  Passenger  trains  began  running  in  1865,  super- 
seding all  travel  by  stage  coach  through  Denison.  The 
Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal  Company  ran  a  parallel 
road  between  the  two  places,  also  crossing  the  town- 
ship. 

The  present  business  of  the  township  is  confined  to 
one  steam  saw-mill  at  Middleburg  in  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  township,  Braden  &  Brown's  steam  mill 
on  Crissy  creek,  two  mills  on  the  Nescopeck  creek  and 
the  Luzerne  ochre  works  at  Moosehead,  where  is  a  sta- 
tion on  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  and  a  post-office; 
Mr.  Bell  post-master.     Denison's  population  is  976. 


DORRANCE  TOWNSHIP. 


JEW  JERSEY  furnished  the  early  settlers  of 
Dorrance,  who  located  along  the  creeks. 
Among  the  pioneers  in  the  south  part  of  the 
township  were  the  families  of  Eroh,  White- 
bread,  Heller,  Werner,  Rhineheimer,  Ei- 
lenbrout,  Woodring  and  Balliett;  in  the  north 
half,  the  families  of  Myers,  Bleim,  Vandemark, 
Engler,  Lutz,  Stuart  and  Heimbach.  The  numerous  de- 
scendants of  these  families  chiefly  make  up  the  present 
population  of  the  township,  which  is  639. 

In  the  early  days  the  land  was  covered  with  a  dense 
forest,  affording  ample  material  for  the  manufacture  of 
lumber  at  the  various  saw-mills  which  were  soon  built. 
As  late  as  1873,  there  were  no  less  than  nine  saw-mills  in 
the  township,  one  of  which  was  a  steam  mill  built  by  E. 
Gruver  on  the  west  side  of  the  township.  The  only  tan- 
nery is  the  one  built  by  F.  K.  Miller  and  brother  in  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  township.  There  are  two  grist- 
mills, one  on  the  Big  Wapwallopen  south  of  Dorrance 
corners,  and  the  other  on  the  Little  Wapwallopen  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  township. 

Dorrance  was  taken  from  Newport  and  formed  into  a 
township  in  November,  1840,  and  named  in  honor  of  the 
late  Benjamin  Dorrance  of  this  county. 

The  following  are  the  names  and  dates  of  election  of 
justices  of  the  peace  chosen  in  this  township  since 
its  formation:  Thomas  Finn,  1841,  1850,  1862,  1872, 
1877;  Matthew  H.  Engler,  1845;  Enos  Seiple,  1854; 
Samuel  I.  Horlacher,  1856;  Samuel  Shelhammer,  i860; 
George  D.  Engler,  1873;  Abraham  Guldin,  1878. 

Dorrance  Corners. 

Dorrance  Corners,  the  only  village,  is  located  near  the 
center  of  the  township.  It  was  here  that  two  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  made  their  "  pitch,"  and  from  their  humble 


beginning  has  grown  the  hamlet  known  as  Dorrance 
Corners.  Here  are  a  hotel,  a  store,  a  school-house, 
blacksmith,  wagon  and  shoe  shops,  and  about  75  inhabi- 
tants. 

Churches. 

Stairsville  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — The  Method- 
ist society  in  this  township  was  organized  under  the 
ministry  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Moyster  and  Owen,  when  the 
country  was  yet  a  wilderness  and  when  the  townships 
of  Dorrance,  Hollenback,  Slocum,  Conyngham  and  Nes- 
copeck '^f!^  in  the  old  Hanover  circuit.  Some  of  the 
early  members  were  John  Arnold,  George  Stair  and  wife, 
John  Hawk  and  wife,  Stephen  Lee  and  wife,  and  George 
Moon  and  wife. 

In  the  days  of  the  itinerants  Moyster  and  Owen, 
preaching  services  were  held  in  log  houses  and  barns, 
and  in  suitable  weather  in  the  groves,  until  the  building 
of  the  school-house  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  town- 
ship near  the  site  of  the  present  M.  E.  church,  when 
that  school-house  was  used  until  1873.  In  1873  Rev. 
Josiah  Wagner  was  on  this  charge,  and  under  his 
administration  the  church  was  built  at  a  cost  of  about 
$1,800. 

The  pastors  who  have  served  this  people  since  Mr. 
Wagner  are  Revs.  J.  T.  Burall,  Wilson,  Trieble,  William 
Ruggles,  William  Edgar  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Transur,  the 
present  pastor.  The  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  connected  with  the  church  was  Stephen  Lee,  and 
the  present  superintendent  is  Lyman  Engler.  The 
church  property  is  valued  at  $2,000. 

Etnanuel  Church. — This  church  is  about  half  a  mile 
southwest  from  Dorrance  Corners.  It  was  built  by  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  societies  and  occupied  jointly 
by  them.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  and  the  church 
dedicated  according  to  the  usages  of  the  two  denomina- 
tions. It  cost  about  $3,000.  It  was  dedicated  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  Day  and  Cline. 

The  Reformed  church  was  organized  at  the  school- 
house  at  Dorrance  Corners  about  1850.  The  members  at 
that  time  were  Daniel  Bougl.man,  John  and  Elias  Keiner, 
Jonas  and  John  Searfoss,  Peter  Erbb  and  Daniel,  Wil- 
liam, Adam  and  Thomas  Moyer.  Rev.  J.  Shelhammer 
was  their  first  pastor  and  remained  about  twelve  years.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Solomon,  Henry  Hoff- 
man, Cline  and  John  McClemens  in  succession.  The 
present  membership  is  80.  The  first  Sunday-school  su- 
perintendent was  S.  H.  Holleker;  there  were  40  mem- 
bers. The  Sunday-school  is  under  the  superintendence 
of  A.  Guldin,  and  averages  60  pupils. 

The  Lutheran  church  was  organized  at  Schlear's  store 
in  Dorrance,  with  A  Guldin,  Henry  Schenbread,  Ble- 
man  Morgan,  Henry  Hoffman,  Solomon  Spade,  Nicholas 
Hildebrand  and  Samuel  Snyder  as  members.  The  pres- 
ent membership  is  60.  The  first  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent was  George  Moore,  and  there  were  35  scholars. 
The  present  superintendent  is  Simon  Erbb.  There  is  an 
average  of  60  scholars. 


4^ 


T 


4 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

BLACK   CREEK,    BUTLER,    FOSTER,    HAZLE    AND   SUGARLOAF   TOWNSHIPS,    FREELAND, 
HAZLETON,    JEDDO   AND   WHITE    HAVEN   BOROUGHS. 


SAHUEIj  benneu. 
Samuel  Benner  is  a  native  of  Corentry,  Chester  county,  Pa.,  and  was 
born  October  Stii,  1816.    He  is  a  surveyor,  land  ag-ent  and  ■  f  uriaer.    He 
married  Miss  Susannah  Bull,  of  Butlor  township.    Mr.  Benner  was  for- 
merly a  foundryman,  and  was  justice  of  the  peace  several  years. 

J!'.  M.  BRTTNDAGE,  M.  D. 

Frank  M.  Brundage,  M.  D.,  assistivnt  sui-geon  of  the  9th  regiment  na- 
tional guards  Pennsylvania,  was  born  in  Conynghaiu,  Pa.,  August  18th, 
1851,  and  married  Miss  Ella  M.  Young,  of  Lebanon,  Pa.  He  is  a  practic- 
ing physician  at  Conyngham. 

AUGUST  DONOP. 

August  Donop,  of  Treeland,  was  bom  in  Bremen,  Germany,  August 
83d,  1829.  He  is  a  boolckeepcr  and  dealer  in  real  estate,  and  has  held  all 
the  offices  in  Foster  township.  His  wife  was  Margaretha  Myers,  of  New 
rork. 

HON.  G.  W.  DRUM. 

Hon.  George  W.  Drum  is  a  native  of  Conyngham,  and  was  born  March 
13th,  1832.  He  is  now  a  fai-mer.  Mrs.  Drum  was  Miss  Sarah  A.  Wagner, 
of  Conyngham.  Mr.  Drum  served  as  Justice  of  the  peace  nineteen  years, 
and  was  a  representative  in  the  Legislature  for  1879  and  1880. 

S.  D.  ENGIiE. 

Stephen  D.  Engle,  whose  scientific  and  mechanical  inventions  have 
given  him  a  national  if  not  a  world-wide  fame,  was  born  in  Sugarloaf 
township,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  December  18th,  1837.  When  young  he 
enjoyed  no  other  advantages  for  education  than  were  afforded  by  the 
oommonschoolsof  that  day,  but  he  has  been  an  inveterate  reader,  es- 
pecially of  scientific  works,  and  has  tlnis  acquired  rare  intelligence. 
Since  arriving  at  maturity  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Hazleton,  in  his  na- 
tive county,  where  he  married  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Grcnawalt,  Esq.,  a 
wealthy  and  public  spirited  citizen  of  that  borough.  When  the  rebels 
entered  Pennsylvania  in  18«3  Mr.  Engle  served  with  the  "emergency 
men  "  until  the  soil  of  his  native  State  was  no  longer  pressed  by  hostile 
feet.  Mr  Engle's  father  was  a  watchmaker  as  well  as  a  farmer,  and  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  became  the  leading  watchmaker  and  jeweler  of 
Hazleton.  He  also  studied  and  for  a  number  of  years  practiced  dent- 
istry in  connection  with  his  business  as  a  jeweler.  One  of  his  inventions 
is  "Engle's  Patent  for  Securing  Porcelain  Teeth  to  Gold  or  Silver 
Plates."  The  "  Association  for  the  Protection  of  the  Kights  of  Dentists" 
officially  approved  this  device  and  hastened  to  secure  an  assignment 
and  abandonment  to  the  public  of  the  patent.  Another  invention  of  in- 
trinsic worth  is  "  Engle's  Dust  Proof  Watch  Case,"  aitording  such  pro- 
tection to  the  movement  as  would  not  now  be  dispensed  with  by  manu- 
facturers of  the  best  watches.  The  first  astronomical,  musical  and 
apostoUc  clock  ever  built  in  the  United  States  was  invented  and  built 
by  Mr.  Engle,  and  it  has  never  been  equaled  in  automatic  wonders,  or  in 
the  scientific  accuracy  of  the  astronomical  mechanism.  So  absorbed 
was  Mr.  Engle  in  the  planning  and  construction  of  this  clock  that  he  after- 
wards wrote  to  a  friend :  "  During  the  last  j'ear  before  its  completion  I 
had  no  night  or  day,  but  slept  when  I  was  sleepy  and  ate  when  I 
was  hungry,  without  any  regard  to  old  Sol."  It  was  perhaps 
fortunate  for  him  that  he  was  a  disciple  of  Nimrod  and  Izaak  Walton, 
for  without  the  recreation  found  in  his  hunting  and  flshnig  excursions 
he  would  probably  have  succumbed  long  ago  to  an  excess  of  brain  work 
and  confinement  to  rooms  flUed  with  machinery,  crucibles,  metals  and 
acids.  Captain  Jacob  Keid  has  exhibited  this  clock  to  crowded  houses 
in  every  part  of  the  country  and  Canada.  A  description  of  this  grand 
piece  of  mechanism,  with  its  forty-eight  movmg  figures,  its  movements 
iUustrating  day  and  night,  changes  of  seasons,  ebbing  and  flowing  ol 
tides  and  other  phenomena,  cannot  here  be  given.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
everywhere  the  press  was  loud  in  its  praise.  While  Joel  Cook,  Esq., 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  Puhlic  Ledver,  of  Philadelphia,  wasvisitmg 
Sti-asburg  in  1878,  he  saw  the  renowned  Strasburg  clock,  and  m  his 
book  entitled  "A  Holiday  Trip  to  Europe"  he  makes  the  following 
comparison:  "  The  Engle  clock,  which  has  been  exhibited  in  Philadel- 
phia, is  not  so  large,  and  yet  does  all  that  this  clock  does,  and  much 
more,  and  does  it  better."  The  latest  invention  of  Mr.  Engle  is  "  Engle  s 
Tellurion."  For  iUustrating  celestial  as  well  as  terrestrial  phenomena 
this  is  far  in  advance  of  any  apparatus  hitherto  constructed.    It  is  the 


(raly  apparatus  yet  in  c.vistcnce  that  shows  the  true  motion  of  the  earth 
around  the  sun  in  an  actual  eUipse.  Tlie  parallelism  of  the  axis  is  at  all 
times  preserved  and  all  the  phenomena  of  the  changes  of  day  and  night 
and  of  the  seasons,  the  greater  length  of  time  the  sun  remains  north 
than  soxith  of  the  equator,  etc.,  etc.,  are  clearly  shown.  This  instrument 
shows  the  length  of  the  day  imd  night  at  any  season  of  the  year  in  any 
latitude,  as  well  as  the  heavenly  constellations  visible  at  any  hour  in 
any  and  every  season  of  the  year.  The  moon  is  seen  in  its  gibbous  and 
crescent  phases  as  well  as  with  a  full  enlightened  hemisphere  and  in 
total  darkness,  its  place  being  in  a  mask  or  hollow  hemisphere  with  the 
convex  surface  thereof  black.  This  invention  has  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  astronomers  and  teachers,  and  it  is  believed  that  nearly  all  the 
best  institutions  of  learning  in  the  land  will  possess  themselves  of  it 
when  it  becomes  an  article  of  manufacture  and  sale.  Parties  have  en- 
deavored to  negotiate  with  Mr.  Engle  with  a  view  to  the  manufacture 
of  this  improved  tellurion,  but  the  inventor  has  thus  far  been  engaged 
during  his  leisure  moments  in  considering  further  improvements  in  the 
machinery  and  has  not  entertained  any  of  tliese  propositions.  Stephen 
D.  Engle  is  universally  recognized  by  his  neighbors  as  an  tipright,  hon- 
orable and  kind-hearted  mau.  No  case  of  suitering  or  distress  ever  came 
to  his  knowledge  without  enlisting  his  sympathy,  and  to  awaken  his 
sympathy  is  to  open  his  purse  strings. 

GEORGE  HUGHES. 

George  Hughes,  of  HnghesviUe,  was  born  in  Danville,  Pa.,  Febi'uary 
18th,  1811,  and  married  Barbara  Shidey,  of  Butler,  Pa.  He  is  a  farmer, 
miller  and  lumberman. 

ALFRED   MOMUHTRIE. 

Alfred  McMurtrie,  a  native  of  Sugarloaf,  was  bom  August  33nd,  1830. 
His  wife  was  Sarah  Attn,  of  Upper  Mount  Bethel,  Pa.  He  was  lieuten- 
ant in  the  Stockton  Artillerists  in  1846,  has  been  school  director  for 
several  years,  and  is  the  present  town  auditor.  John  McMurtrie  came 
from  New  Jersey  and  settled  in  Sugarloaf  in  1808. 

J.  L.  SHOjMAN,  m.  t>. 

J.  L.  Shuman,  M.  D.,  the  only  physician  at  Wapwallopen,  was  born 
April  11th,  185J,,  in  Mai ii viUe,  Pa.  In  the  spring  of  1871  ho  commenced 
reading  medicine  with  Dr.  D.  H.  Montgomery,  of  Miffliuville.  He  grad- 
uated from  Jetterson  College,  and  located  at  Wapwallopen,  where  he  has 
an  extensive  practice.  His  father,  George  Shuman,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 3-lth,  1806.  Dr.  Shuman's  wife  was  Miss  Frances  B.  Heller,  daughter 
of  A.  Heller,  Esq.,  who  was  born  in  1813. 

NATHAN  S.VYDBR. 

Nathan  Snyder,  farmer,  was  born  October  31st,  1816.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Eachael  i'ost,  of  Butler. 

p.  V.  WEAVER. 

Philip  V.  Weaver,  attorney  and  counsellor  at  law  in  Hazleton,  was 
born  in  Black  Creek  township.  Pa.,  March  llth,  1855. 

S.  JJ.  YOST. 

S.  D.  Yost,  formerly  a  merchant  and  at  present  a  farmer,  was  born  in 
Sugarloaf  township,  December  3d,  1837.  His  wife  was  Miss  Maria  San- 
toe,  of  Butler  township.  He  held  the  appointment  of  revenue  store 
keeper  of  the  12th  district  of  Pennsylvania  for  two  years,  ending  Octo- 
ber Z3d,  1878.  

WiLM  AM  AiKEY  was  boru  at  Beaver  Meadow,  Pa.,  May  18th,  1843.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Lizzie  B.  Simmons,  of  Stockton,  Pa.  Mr.  Airey  was  lieu- 
tenant in  Company  A  28th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  wounded 
at  ChanoeUorsville,  Va.  He  is  now  superintendent  of  coal  mines  at 
Stockton,  Pa. 

E.  A.  Albee,  a  resident  of  Lehigh  Tannery,  Carbon  county,  was  born 
in  Hunterdon  county,  N.  J.,  August  30th,  1833.  Mrs.  Albee  is  of  Foster 
township. 

Egbert  C.  Albertson,  of  East  Haven,  Carbon  county,  was  born  in 
Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  November  3nd,  1813,  and  in  1836  was  inari-ied  to 
Miss  Sally  Ann  Bratz,  of  Pocono  township,  Monroe  county.  Pa.  Mr. 
Albertson  served  as  a  captain  in  the  militia  four  years,  and  has  been  a 
member  of  the  borough  council  of  White  Haven  six  years,  and  treasurer 
of  the  borough  three  yeiu-s.    He  has  been  engaged  in  lumbering. 


2Z.SA 


*^^ 


^k 


248^ 


HISTORY  OF    LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4= 


John  J.  Baker,  jr.,  is  a  druggist  of  White  Haven,  and  a  councilman 
of  the  borough.  He  was  born  in  Weat  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  February  25th, 
1856. 

J.  Foster  BaebekIs  a  dealer  in  and  manufacturer  of  all  kinds  of 
hardware,  tin  and  copper  ware,  on  West  Broad  street,  Hazleton.  He 
was  bom  in  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  December  3d,  1842. 

John  A.  Barton,  a  member  of  the  borough  council  of  Hazleton,  and 
chief  clerk  for  Pardee  &  Co.,  was  born  March  1st,  1834,  in  Espy,  Columbia 
county.  Pa. 

C.  M.  Bates,  a  dealer  in  stoves  and  tinware  in  Hazleton,  was  born  in 
Light  Street,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  March  18th,  1855. 

Heney  Baum  was  born  in  Germany,  September  30th,  1846.  He  came 
to  America  in  1850,  and  located  in  Hazleton  in  May  of  that  year.  In  1874 
he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  boots  and  shoes  on  Main 
street,  which  occupation  he  still  follows. 

A.  Beheens,  a  brick  manufacturer  and  coal  dealer  In  Hazleton,  was 
born  in  Germany,  March  23d,  1816.  He  married  Miss  Lucy  Jane  Lyman, 
of  Danville,  Pa. 

W.  H.  Bbisel  was  born  at  Drum's,  June  19th,  1847,  and  married  M.  S. 
Gulp,  of  Conyngham,  Pa.  He  was  formerly  a  merchant  and  is  now  a 
farmer. 

Beuben  Beisel,  merchant  at  128  West  Broad  street,  Hazleton,  was 
born  February  11th,  1839,  in  Butler  township.  His  wife  was  Mary  H. 
Lawall,  of  Hazleton. 

Daniel  Bertsch,  superintendent  of  mines  for  the  Upper  Lehigh 
Coal  Company,  was  born  in  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa. 

Thomas  Bettekly  was  born  in  Drum's,  May  5th,  1825.  His  wife  was 
Henrietta  Celiax,  of  Butler.    Mr.  Betterly  is  a  farmer. 

Henry  P.  Bied  is  a  retired  miller  and  farmer.  He  was  born  in 
Columbia  county.  Pa.,  February  6th,  1818,  and  located  in  Conyngham  in 
1841.  His  first  wife  was  Margaret  Davis,  and  his  second  wife  Catharine 
Smith. 

Thomas  Biekbeok,  of  (Jpper  Lehigh,  was  born  in  Foster  township, 
June  1st,  1846,  and  married  Miss  Margaret  Sneddon,  of  Audenreid,  Pa. 
He  is  a  butcher  and  a  dealer  in  real  estate.  He  enlisted  July  11th,  1864, 
in  Company  G  179th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  after 
one  hundred  days. 

Jonas  Bittenbender  was  born  in  Nescopeck  township,  August  10th, 
1818,  and  has  been  township  supervisor  and  constable.  He  is  a  black- 
smith and  wheelwright.  His  wife  was  Miss  Caroline  Lutz,  of  Mifflin,  Pa. 
Charles  Book  was  born  in  East  Brunswick,  Pa.,  March  19th,  1838. 
His  wife  was  Sabina  S.  Brobst,  of  Conyngham.  Mr.  Bock  was  formerly 
a  wagon  maker,  and  is  now  a  farmer.  He  was  elected  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  1877. 

Samuel  Bower,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  was  bom  in  that  city,  April  7th, 
1833.  His  wife  was  Harriet  Etta  Vaughan,  also  of  Philadelphia.  Mr. 
Bower  enlisted  in  September,  1803,  in  Company  G  Gray  reserves,  and  was 
discharged  in  October,  1863.  He  is  master  mechanic  in  the  bureau  of 
engineering  and  construction  for  Coxe  Brothers  &  Co. 

Thomas  Bowman,  of  Conyngham,  was  born  in  Mifflin,  Columbia 
county,  Pa.,  December  18th,  1808,  and  married  Miss  Mary  Dunn,  of  Con- 
yngham.   He  is  a  retired  farmer. 

Thomas  Beown,  of  Sandy  Kun,  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  De- 
cember 26th,  1845.  He  is  now  in  the  mining  business.  He  enlisted  Au- 
gust 11th,  1862,  in  the  147th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  served  during 
the  war.    His  wife  was  Fanny  Edwards,  of  Jeddo,  Pa. 

James  Bryson,  formerl,v  district  attorney  of  Columbia  county,  Pa., 
and  now  practicing  law  in  Hazleton,  was  bom  April  8th,  1845,  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.    His  wife  was  Miss  Harriet  A.  Harder,  of  Catawissa,  Pa. 

Robert  Carter,  jr.,  is  a  mine  mechanic  in  Stockton,  Pa.  He  was 
born  in  Cornwall,  England,  August  16th,  1845,  and  married  Miss  Mattie 
Airey,  of  Hazleton,  Pa. 

J.  B.  Casselberry,  a  medical  and  surgical  practitioner  of  Hazleton, 
was  born  in  May,  1833,  in  Pottstown,  Montgomery  county,  Pa.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Amanda  Brundage,  of  Conyngham. 

F.  A.  Celiax,  general  grocer  at  8  East  Broad  street,  Hazleton,  was 
born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  January  38th,  1838,  and  married  Martha 
Schmauch,  of  Beaver  Meadow,  Pa. 

Thomas  Charlton,  of  Sandy  Kun,  is  a  native  of  Dui'ham,  England, 
and  was  born  April  4th,  1838.  He  is  an  inside  mine  boss.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Margaret  Wilson. 

Bradley  Childs,  lumberman,  was  bom  in  Stoddavdsville,  December 
5th,  1819,  and  married  Miss  Margary  S.  Wilson,  of  Danville.  Mr.  Childs 
was  formerly  a  millwright. 

David  Clark  is  master  mechanic  of  the  Lehigh  valley  railroad  shops 
at  Hazleton.    He  was  born  June  8th,  1821,  in  Stroudsburg,  Pa. 

Bev.  J.  M.  Clemens  was  born  in  New  Berlin,  Union  county.  Pa.,  Jan- 
uary 27th,  1837,  and  married  Miss  Lizzie  B.  Titus,  of  Lancaster,  Pa.  He 
is  the  pastor  of  the  Eeformed  church  at  Conyngham. 


J.  T.  Coburn,  carpenter  for  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  at  Oak  Dale  colliery, 
was  born  in  Durham,  England,  August  10th,  1846.  He  enlisted  August 
11th,  1802,  in  Co.  F  147th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  in  the  battles 
of  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Eidge,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg  and 
others.    He  married  Miss  Annie  Koch,  of  Hazleton. 

Benjamin  Cochean,  proprietor  of  the  Mansion  House,  White  Haven, 
was  born  in  Somerset,  March  17th,  1853. 

CosMAE  Coons  is  a  dealer  in  ready  made  clothing  at  No.  20  West  Broad 
street,  Hazleton. 

M.  M.  COOPEE,  a  coal  operator  of  Hazleton,  was  born  September  23nd, 
1817,  in  Berwick,  Pa.  His  wife  was  Miss  Susanna  Williams,  of  Strouds- 
burg, Pa. 

EOBEBT  Cowans,  a  breaker  boss  for  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  at  Oak  Dale 
colliery,  was  born  in  Northumberland  county,  England,  March  13th, 
1833.    He  married  Miss  Eliza  Woodring,  of  Butler  township. 

EOKLEY  B.  CoxE,  the  coal  operator  at  Drifton,  is  a  grandson  of  the 
late  Hon.  Tench  Coxe,  the  pioneer  coal  operator  of  this  section. 

E.  D.  Ceamee,  superintendent  of  the  K.  I.  Company,  White  Haven, 
was  born  in  Cumberland  county,  N.  J.,  May  18th,  1830.  He  was  formerly 
engaged  in  farming. 

L.  B.  Crellin,  assistant  agent  for  the  Lehigh  Valley  Bailroad  Com- 
pany, was  born  in  White  Haven,  August  8th,  1855. 

John  Cunius,  a  native  of  Butler  township,  was  born  October  26th, 
1840.  He  was  formerly  a  carpenter  and  joiner  and  at  present  is  a  dairy 
farmer.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  K  13th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  August  19th, 
1863;  was  appointed  a  sergeant;  was  discharged  July  14th,  1865,  at  Eal- 
eigh,  N.  C.    He  married  Lavina  Drasher,  of  Butler. 

John  Cunningham,  of  Drifton,  assistant  superintendent  and  boss 
carpenter  for  Coxe  Brothers  &  Co.,  was  born  in  County  Derry,  Ireland, 
May  2nd,  1828.  His  wife  was  Eebecca  J.  Dougherty,  of  Coleraine,  Ire- 
land. 

B.  H.  B.  Davenpoet,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Bichmond,  Va.,  September 
27th,  1841.  He  graduated  from  a  medical  college  in  Georgia  in  1864,  and 
located  at  White  Haven  in  1875.  His  wife  was  Miss  Florence  Anders,  of 
Maryland. 

William  Deisroth  was  born  at  Seybertsville,  Pa.,  February  28th, 
1850.  His  wife  was  Miss  Jennie  Eisenhauer,  of  Nazareth,  Pa.  Mr.  Deis- 
roth is  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  at  Hazleton. 

Peter  Dershuok,  publisher  and  proprietor  of  the  Hazleton  Volksblatt, 
was  born  January  14th,  1839,  in  Wendelsheim,  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Ger- 
many, and  married  Miss  Mary  Schwab,  of  France. 

Mes.  Maroaretha  Donop,  of  Preeland,  was  born  in  Bremen,  Ger- 
many, June  13th,  1833.    She  was  the  owner  of  the  site  of  Freeland. 

Henry  J.  Donop,  of  Freeland,  was  born  in  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  December 
13th,  1858.    He  Is  now  station  agent  and  telegraph  operator  at  Jeddo. 

Brastus  S.  Doud  was  bom  in  Madison,  Conn.,  July  29th,  1849,  and 
married  Miss  Ella  A.  Chace,  of  Soranton.  He  is  cashier  of  the  Hazleton 
Savings  Bank. 

G.  F.  Deiesbach  is  a  wholesale  dealer  in  liquors,  dry  goods,  groceries, 
flour  and  feed  at  37  East  Broad  street,  Hazleton.  He  was  born  in  Beach 
Haven,  Pa.,  November  11th,  1840,  and  married  Augusta  H.  Whitehall,  of 
that  place. 

JosiAH  Drum  was  born  at  Dnnn's,  April  13th,  1830,  and  married  Maria 
M.  Ballictt,  of  the  same  place.    He  is  now  a  merchant. 

George  Drum  was  born  at  Drum's,  December  2nd,  1827.  His  wife  was 
Emma  Fi-itzinger,  of  Butler.  He  is  a  farmer  and  proprietor  of  Drum's 
Hotel. 

George  W.  Drumheller,  farmer,  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township, 
July  14th,  1854.  His  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  M.  Knelly,  of  Sugarloaf  town- 
ship.   Mr.  Drumheller  is  a  constable. 

Henry  Drtpoos  was  bora  in  Kudenberg,  Germany,  in  1833.  He  is  a 
real  estate  broker  of  Hazleton. 

Prof.  A.  B.  Dunning,  .tr.,  is  the  principal  of  the  graded  school  at 
White  Haven,  having  located  there  in  1878.  He  was  born  at  Scranton, 
Pa.,  March  26th,  1853.  He  graduated  as  a  civil  engineer  from  the  Starkey 
Seminary,  Yates  county,  N.  T.,  with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class. 

Christian  Ernst  was  born  in  Fredewalt,  Germany,  June  10th,  1835, 
and  married  Susan  Adeline  Belf  ord,  of  Fouudryville,  Pa.  Mr.  Ernst  is  a 
farmer.  Ho  enlisted  March  14th,  1864,  in  the  96tU  Pa.  volunteers,  and 
was  discharged  July  5th,  1865.  He  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Spot- 
sylvania Court-house,  Va. 

George  C.  Farrer,  of  Preeland,  teacher  of  academic  branches,  was 
born  in  Orwell,  Pa.,  March  25th,  1846.  His  wife  was  Kate  A.  Boston,  of 
Berwick,  Pa. 

O.  D.  PowLEE  was  born  in  Pike,  Delaware  county,  Pa.,  August  19th, 
1813,  and  married  Miss  Anna  V.  King,  of  Stockton,  Pa.  He  is  now  super- 
intendent of  mines  at  Humboldt. 

Lewis  Frederick,  farmer,  a  native  of  Eooklaud,  Berks  county.  Pa., 
I       was  born  January  15th,  1841.    Ho  enlisted  in  Company  E  96th  Pa.  volun- 


<> 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


248  C 


teers,  October  14th,  1861,  and  served  through  the  civil  war.  He  was  in 
the  battles  of  Spotsylvania,  Antietam,  Gettysburg,  the  Wilderness,  Fred- 
icksburg  and  Bull  Eun.  His  wife  was  Miss  Eaohael  Driesbach,  of  Black 
Creek. 

Owen  Fritzinqer,  of  Freeland,  was  born  in  Heidelberg,  Pa.,  Septem- 
ber nth,  1837.  He  is  a  carpenter  for  Coxe  Brothers,  of  Drifton.  He  was 
elected  in  February,  1878,  as  one  of  the  town  oouncilmen  for  three  years, 
and  also  school  director  in  1S79.  His  first  wife  was  Hebecca  Woodring, 
of  Butler,  and  his  present  wife  Sarah  Hess,  of  HoUenback  township. 

R.  B.  Fruit,  a  physician  and  surgeon  of  Hazleton,  graduated  from  the 
Jefferson  Medical  College  in  the  spring  of  1854.  He  located  in  Hazleton 
in  1863.  He  was  born  in  Jersey  township,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  Au- 
gust 13th,  1827.    He  married  Miss  Jane  Longshore,  of  Hazleton. 

John  Getting,  farmer,  residing  at  Conyngham,  was  born  in  Sugar- 
loaf,  March  15th,  1833.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Sarah  Heimbaoh.  His 
present  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  Marie  Snyder,  of  Sugarloaf .  Mr  Getting 
has  been  school  director  of  that  township. 

J.  E.  Giles  entered  the  service  of  the  United  States  August  1st,  1861, 
as  a  private  in  the  8th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  and  was  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 38th,  1884,  as  1st  lieutenant,  having  pai-ticipated  in  B8  battles. 
He  was  born  at  Cayuga  Falls,  Ohio,  September  7th,  1841.  His  wife  was 
Miss  M.  J.  Fruit,  of  Jerseytown,  Pa.    Mr.  Giles  is  now  a  jeweler. 

Henry  Gilmore,  a  native  of  Butler,  was  born  August  31st,  1823,  and 
married  Mary  M.  Durst,  also  of  Butler.  He  was  formerly  a  millwright 
and  carpenter,  but  is  now  a  farmer.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace 
March  1st,  1863,  and  has  held  every  office  in  the  township.  He  was  cap- 
tain of  the  Butler  Artillerists  in  1861. 

WiLUAM  Goer,  of  Freeland,  was  bom  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  Janu- 
ary 25th,  1844.  He  is  a  blacksmith  and  carpenter.  His  wife  was  Mary 
Jane  Mcintosh,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

I.  Goodman,  grocer,  Freeland,  was  born  in  Northumberland  county. 
Pa.,  October  33d,  1823.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Schurter,  of  SohuylkiU 
county,  Pa. 

Edward  D.  Goodman,  laborer,  Freeland,  was  born  in  Schuylkill 
county.  Pa.,  January  17th,  1859. 

John  A.  Gorman  was  born  in  Hazleton,  September  7th,  1854.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Ellen  Kelly,  of  Hazleton.  He  was  formerly  a  teacher,  but 
is  now  an  attorney  and  counselor  at  law  in  Hazleton. 

George  D.  Gorman,  general  dealer  in  dry  goods  and  groceries  at  37 
and  39  West  Broad  street,  Hazleton,  was  born  in  that  village,  November 
3d,  1848. 

Rev.  G.  T.  Gray,  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church  in  Hazleton,  was  born  in 
Center  county.  Pa.,  In  1831.  His  wife  was  Miss  Alice  A.  Mullin,  of  Cum- 
berland county.  Pa. 

W.  G.  Gregory,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Union  township,  and  was  born 
July  37th,  1847.  He  has  been  inspector,  auditor  and  assessor.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Susan  Roberts,  of  Black  Creek  township. 

Charles  Grim  was  bom  in  Rockaway,  N.  J.,  in  1844,  and  married 
Miss  Josephine  Good,  of  Jeansville,  Pa.  He  is  chief  of  the  coal  and  iron 
police  force  of  Hazleton. 

Abraham  Guldin  was  born  August  9th,  1811,  in  Exeter,  Pa.,  and  is  a 
farmer  and  Inmberman.  His  first  wife  was  Susan  Weaver,  of  Amity,  Pa., 
and  his  second  Mrs.  Susannah  Markle,  of  Black  Creek,  Pa. 

Frederick  Haas,  proprietor  of  Harmony  HaU  at  South  Heberton, 
was  born  in  Gemiany,  March  11th,  1830.  He  keeps  a  hardware  store  and 
shoe  shop.    His  wife  was  Ann  EUzabeth  Noth,  of  New  York  city. 

Benton  Haver  is  a  foreman  In  the  mines  at  Drifton.    He  was  born  in 
Dallas,  Pa.,  January  4th,  1851,  and  married  Elizabeth  Miller,  of  Drifton. 
J.  C  HAYDONwasbominPhiladelphia,  in  December,  1833.    He  is  en- 
gaged in  coal  mining  at  Jeansville,  Pa.,  where  he  also  has  large  machine 
shops. 

Henry  Held  was  born  in  Saxony,  January  30th,  1833,  and  married 
Miss  Anna  Link,  of  Germany.    He  is  a  liquor  dealer  at  Hazleton. 

Milton  Heller,  the  barber  at  Freeland,  was  born  in  Jeddo,  April  8d, 
1856. 

J.  F.  Helt  was  born  September  11th,  1853,  In  Shamokin,  Pa.  He  has 
been  a  township  constable.  He  is  a  manufacturer  of  boots  and  shoes  at 
Falls  Run.    His  wife  was  Miss  Lovina  Roberts,  of  Black  Creek. 

B.  D.  Henry  is  a  native  of  Northampton,  Pa.,  and  was  bora  June  ]2th, 
1835.  His  wife  was  Miss  Keziah  Thomas,  of  Butler  township.  Mr.  Henry 
is  proprietor  of  the  Travelers'  Home. 

C.  D.  Hebron,  hotel  keeper  at  Milnesville,  was  born  in  Donegal,  Ire- 
land, in  1847.    His  wife  was  Mary  Biesline,  of  Drifton. 

William  H.  Hertz,  D.  D.  S.,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Philadelphia  Dental 
College  of  the  class  of  1873.  He  was  born  in  Milton,  Pa.,  January  5th, 
1851.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  M.  Zeiglier,  of  Ephrata,  Pa.  He 
located  in  Hazleton  April  1st,  1868. 

Thomas  T.  Hess  is  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  Hazleton.  He 
was  bom  there  February  9th,  1839.  Mrs.  Hess  was  Miss  Barbara  Mocha- 
mer,  and  was  born  in  Butler,  Pa.,  June  5th,  1841. 


S.  W.  Hill,  miller  and  dealer  in  flour  and  feed,  on  Locust  street, 
Hazelton,  was  born  at  Lime  Ridge,  Pa.,  January  12th,  1844.  Mrs.  HiU 
was  Alice  Frease,  of  Bear  Creek,  Pa. 

John  A.  Hofpsommeb  is  a  native  of  Germany  and  was  born  February 
10th,  1833.  He  is  a  farmer  and  huxter  by  occupation.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Polly  Ann  Roth,  of  Sugarloaf. 

Thomas  Horn,  of  East  Hazleton,  is  a  gunsmith  by  trade  and  owns 
and  deals  in  real  estate. 

Thomas  W.  Howblls  was  born  in  South  Wales,  December  3d,  1842. 
His  first  wife  was  Margaret  Morgan,  of  South  Wales.  His  present  wife 
was  Mary  Saunders,  of  South  Wales.  He  is  a  mine  boss  for  Coxe  Bros.  &  Co. 

John  Hunt,  who  is  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Hazleton,  was 
bom  October  28th,  1838,  in  Hunterville,  Pa.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Susanna  Remaley,  of  Lehman  township. 

J.  B.  Hutchinson  was  born  at  Fishing  Creek,  Columbia  county.  Pa., 
June  16th,  184L  His  wife  was  Miss  Margaret  L.  Workheiser,  of  Mifflin- 
ville.  Pa.    Mr.  Hutchinson  is  now  a  merchant  at  Jeansville. 

M.L.Hdtchins,  of  Falls  Run,  was  born  January  15th,  1842,  in  MifBin 
township.  Pa.  He  enlisted  October  25th,  1862,  in  Company  M  16th  regi- 
ment Pennsylvania  cavalry ;  was  in  the  battles  of  ChancellorsviUe  and 
Gettysburg  and  was  discharged  August  11th,  1865.  Mrs.  Hutohins  was 
MissM.E.Tohe,  of  MiflSin  township,  Pa.  Mr.  Hutchins  is  now  a  mer- 
chant at  Falls  Run. 

Edam  Jacobs,  of  Drum's,  was  bom  in  Butler,  November  29th,  1849. 
He  is  a  farmer. 

Silas  Jacobs  was  born  In  Newport,  Pa.,  December  l4th,  1803,  and  mar- 
ried Jane  McMurtrie,  of  Bloomsburg,  N.  J.  He  is  a  farmer  at  Drum's. 

J.  H.  Jacobs  is  a  confectioner  and  baker  on  East  Broad  street,  Hazle- 
ton. He  was  bom  in  Germany,  August  35th,  1841.  He  enlisted  during 
Lee's  raid  into  Pennsylvania,  and  served  nine  weeks.  His  wife  was 
Clara  Bauer,  of  Tamaqua,  Pa. 

William  James  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,-  May  15th,  1838.  He 
is  now  a  mine  boss  at  Humboldt.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Holman,  of 
Cornwall,  England. 

N.  B.  Johnson  was  born  in  Beaver  Valley,  Pa.,  May  1st,  1843,  and  is 
a  miller.    Mrs.  Johnson  was  Miss  Amanda  Trumbell,  of  Black  Creek. 

William  Johnson,  of  Freeland,  teamster,  lumberman  and  blacksmith, 
was  born  in  county  Derry,  Ireland,  February  12th,  1835.  He  enlisted  in 
the  147th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  August  Uth,  1863,  and  was  discharg- 
ed in  1863  on  account  of  disability.  His  wife  was  Margaret  Jane  Birk- 
beck,  of  South  Heberton. 

John  L.  Jones,  of  Freeland,  proprietor  of  Jones's  Hotel,  was  born  in 
South  Wales,  March  20th,  1819.  His  wife  was  Mary  Jones,  of  Monmouth- 
shire. 

Joseph  Jones,  who  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  WUte 
Haven,  was  born  November  35th,  1846,  in  Germany,  where  he  married 
Miss  Mathilda  Schwaab. 

Henry  Kaiser,  proprietor  of  a  grocery  and  saloon  at  WTiite  Haven, 
was  bom  in  Baden,  Germany,  September  11th,  1838.  He  married  Cath- 
arine E.  Walsh,  of  Weissport,  Carbon  county.  Pa. 

Henry  Kanig  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township,  March  13th,  1827.  His 
first  wife  was  Hannah  Balliett,  of  Butler,  and  has  second  Lydiaetta 
Benner,  of  Sugarloaf  township.  He  is  a  farmer,  stock  raiser  and  dealer 
in  horses  at  Drum's. 

Rev.  Marcblltts  Karoheb  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  June  15th, 
18)0,  and  married  Miss  Lucy  Cranmer,  of  Bloomsburg.  He  located  at 
White  Haven  in  January,  1878,  as  rector  of  St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church.  He  graduated  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in  1871, 
and  from  the  Philadelphia  Divinity  School  in  1874,  and  was  ordained  to 
the  priesthood  in  June,  1875. 

Charles  L.  Keck  was  born  in  AUentown,  Lehigh  county,  Pa.,  March 
18th,  1837,  and  married  Eleanor  King,  of  Bethlehem,  Northampton 
county,  Pa.  Mr.  Keck,  who  was  formerly  a  merchant,  is  now  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  at  White  Haven. 

Morris  J.  Kbok  is  a  druggist  of  Hazleton,  and  was  bom  in  that  village 
August  12th,  1848.  His  wife  was  Miss  E.  Medora  Lutz,  of  Bloomsburg, 
Pa.    Mr.  Keck  is  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  9th  regiment  N.  G.  P. 

R.  S.  Keishline,  a  merchant  tailor  of  Hazleton,  was  born  in  Butler 
Valley,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  June  25th,  1839.  His  wife  was  Miss  Fietta 
Fagan,  of  Butler  Valley,  Pa. 

Francis  Keller  is  a  native  of  Leonardsville,  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  and 
was  born  January  23nd,  1850.  He  married  Miss  Caroline  Warner,  of 
Tamaqua,  Pa.  He  is  a  harness  maker  at  Hazleton,  where  he  located  in 
July,  1876. 

P.  Kellmer,  formerly  a  blacksmith,  now  a  photographer  in  Hazleton, 
was  born  in  Germany,  November  38th,  1843.  His  wife  was  Miss  S.  Rippel, 
of  Hazleton. 

Elliott  P.  Kisner,  attorney  and  counselor  at  law  in  Hazleton,  was 
born  August  1st,  1845. 
B.  W.  Kisser  resides  at  Hazleton,  having  retired  from  business. 


^¥ 


248  z> 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


George  W.  Klase  is  a  native  of  Pottsville,  Pa.,  and  -was  born  Jan- 
uary 33,1844.  He  enlisted  in  the  48th  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers; 
was  in  twenty-three  engagements,  and  was  discharged  June  27th,  1863. 
He  is  now  the  proprietor  of  the  Mountain  Grove  Temperance  House ; 
also  postmaster.    His  wife  was  Miss  Huldah  CSark,  of  Mahanoy  City,Pa. 

Charles  Klbckner,  a  native  of  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.,was  born  May 
16th,  1840.  He  served  during  the  war  of  1881-65  in  Company  K  6tb  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers.  He  has  been  burgess  of  White  Haven  several 
terms,  and  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  White  Haven  Savings  Bank.  He 
is  a  merchant. 

Chbistiab  L.  Klein  was  bom  in  Sindenflngen,  Wurtemburg,  Ger- 
many, September  23d,  1848,  and  married  Elizabeth  L.  Poettger,  ot  Phil- 
adelphia, Pa.  He  is  proprietor  of  a  restaurant  on  Bast  Broad  street, 
Hazleton. 

Frederick  P.  Kline,  clerk  at  Drif  ton,  was  born  at  Summit  Hill,  Pa., 
June  22nd,  1853,  and  married  Miss  C.  W.  Dinkelacker,  of  Butler  Valley. 

Reuben  Klinqee  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township,  March  14th,  1835. 
He  is  in  ohai-ge  of  a  store  at  Sandy  Run  for  M.  S.Kemerer  &  Co.  He  mar- 
ried Ann  Caroline  Sunter,  of  Butler,  Pa. 

Henry  Klinger,  proprietor  of  the  Washington  Hall  at  Hazleton, 
was  bom  in  Conyngham  valley,  Pa.,  April  15th,  1824.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Margaret  Ann  Kagle,  of  German  nativity. 

C.  H.  Knelly,  a  native  of  Sugarloaf,  was  born  September  16th,  1844. 
He  is  a  carpenter  and  builder.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  F  147th  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  August  10th,  1862,  and  was  on  Sherman's  "  march  to  the 
sea."    His  wife  was  Emma  Jane  Wagner,  of  Sugarloaf  township. 

H.  C.  KOONS  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Freeland.  He 
was  born  in  Lehighton,  Pa.,  December  17th,  1843.  His  wife  was  Rhoda 
Gibbon,  of  Buck  Mountain,  Pa. 

George  W.  Koons,  merchant,  formerly  employed  as  a  railroad  clerk, 
was  born  in  Mt.  Bethel,  Northampton  county.  Pa.,  October  1st,  1848. 
He  married  Norah  Stuart  Childs,  of  White  Haven. 

Conrad  W.  Krapf,  hotel  proprietor  at  855  West  Broad  street,  Hazle- 
ton, was  bom  in  Epa,  Germany,  January  10th,  1836,  and  married  Anna 
Catharine  Kagel,  of  that  place. 

Mrs.  L.  Kreyscher,  who  resides  in  Butler,  was  born  in  Wurtomburg, 
Germany,  April  12th,  1828,  and  married  Lewis  Ki-eyscher,  also  of  Wur- 
temburg.  He  was  born  May  inth,  1824,  and  died  March  Slst,  1873.  Mrs. 
K.  is  proprietress  of  the  Mountain  Hotel. 

Lewis  Kreyscher,  of  Butler,  was  born  in  Hazleton,  Pa.,  March  3nd, 
1859.    He  is  a  carpenter. 

Emil  Kuder,  M.  D.,  is  a  practicing  physician  and  surgeon  in  Hazle- 
ton. He  was  bom  in  Germany,  August  31st,  1845,  and  married  Miss  Mary 
Berg. 

Frederick  Kugler,  of  Sandy  Run,  was  born  in  Mahanoy  City,  Pa., 
November  14th,  1841.  He  is  a  boss  machinist  for  M.  S.  Kemerer  &  Co- 
He  was  drafted  September  27th,  1864,  and  discharged  July  9th,  1865. 
Mrs.  Kugler  was  Sarah  E.  Richard,  of  Jeddo. 

KuNKEL  Brothers  are  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Hazleton. 

Eev.  Rudolph  Kunz  is  a  graduate  of  the  Theological  Institute  of 
Zurich,  and  has  been  pastor  of  the  First  Reformed  church  of  Hazleton 
.since  1873.  He  was  born  in  Switzerland,  January  10th,  1849.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Louise  Strauli,  of  Switzerland. 

Rev.  G.  M.  Larned  was  born  in  Bxetei*,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  March 
8th,  1834,  and  married  Miss  Samantha  Benscoter,  of  Union,  Luzerne 
county.  Pa.  He  waa  ordained  as  deacon  in  1872,  and  as  elder  in  1877,  and 
is  the  pastor  of  the  M.  B.  church  at  Conyngham. 

William  Lauderbach  is  a  dealer  in  general  merchandise,  clothing, 
boots,  shoes  and  farm  implements,  on  West  Broad  street,  Hazleton.  He 
was  born  at  Fishing  Creek,  Pa.,  May  llth,1845.  Mrs.  L.  was  Miss  Mary  A. 
Drumheller,  of  Conyngham  valley.  Pa. 

Frederick  Laudebburn,  who  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 
in  Hazleton,  was  a  private  in  the  37th regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers 
in  the  war  of  1861-65.  He  was  born  March  11th,  1824,  in  Derby,  West- 
moreland county.  Pa.,  and  married  Miss  Ann  Delia  Bradley  Ely,  of 
Coventry,  Chenango  county,  N.  Y. 

Lieut.  Andrew  Lee,  foreman  forT.  S.  McNair  &  Co.,  at  Harleigh,  Pa., 
was  bom  in  Canada,  March  4th,  1843.  He  enlisted  September  11th,  1861, 
in  Co.  D  8th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  and  served  to  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  had  command  of  the  last  charge  made  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac. 
Mrs.  Lee  was  Miss  Sarah  Wallace,  of  Audenreid,  Pa. 

E.  Leisenring,  who  is  a  clerk  at  Harleigh,  was  born  July  7th,  1824,  in 
Lehigh  county.  Pa. 

Walter  Leisenring,  of  Upper  Lehigh,  was  born  in  Lehigh  county. 
Pa.    He  is  one  of  the  operators  of  the  Upper  Lehigh  mines. 

J.  H.  Lindsay,  general  merchant  at  Freeland,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  March  26th,  1838.  He  enUsted  in  Company  I  6th  Pennsylvania 
volunteers  In  April,  1861;  re-enlisted  in  July,  1861,  and  was  discharged 
on  account  of  wounds  received  af  Antietam,  September  17th,  1862.  He 
married  Martha  Williamson,  of  Eckley. 


John  Lines  was  born  in  Hanover  township.  May  1st,  1818,  and  came 
with  his  parents  in  April,  1834,  to  what  is  now  White  Haven,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  When  Mr.  Lines  came  here  this  borough,  as  well  as  the 
township,  was  a  dense  forest,  which  he  has  lived  to  see  pass  away,  and  a 
thriving  town  grow  up  in  its  stead.  He  has  been  honored  by  his  towns- 
men with  important  olSces  of  trust. 

Mrs.  Mary  Lubrecht,  milliner  and  dressmaker  at  Freeland,  was 
bom  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  June  1st,  1848. 

Rudolph  Ludwig,  of  Freeland,  was  born  in  Berlin,  Prussia,  February 
6th,  1850.  He  keeps  a  meat  market  and  a  restaurant.  His  wife  was  Mary 
A.  Bell,  of  Eckley,  Pa. 

Captain  Daniel  J.  McCarthy,  of  Freeland,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Cork,  Ireland,  Maroli35th,  1849,  and  married  Catharine  Wilson,  of  Miners- 
viUe,  Pa.    He  is  serving  his  second  term  as  burgess  of  Freeland. 

William  McNeal  was  born  November  3d,  1826,  in  Black  Creek  town- 
ship, and  has  been  supervisor  and  school  director  of  the  township.  He 
IS  a  farmer  and  lumberman.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Runmiller,  of 
Black  Creek. 

Bernard  McManus,  formerly  a  coal  miner.  Is  at  present  an  attorney 
and  counselor  at  law  at  Jeans^ille.  He  was  born  July  23d,  1846,  at 
Beaver  Meadow,  Pa. 

J.  Sharon  McNair  is  a  druggist,  and  a  civil  and  mining  engineer  at 
Hazleton.  He  was  born  in  Foundryville,  Pa.,  October  5th,  1838.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Rebecca  Vincent,  of  Hazleton.  He  was  first  lieutenant 
of  Company  G  32nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  1863. 

Thomas  S.  McNair  was  born  in  Hanover,  Dauphin  county.  Pa.,  in 
October,  1824.  He  has  been  for  the  last  25  years  a  civil  and  raining  en- 
gineer. He  has  served  as  tain-gess  of  Hazleton,  as  councilman,  and  is 
now  a  member  of  the  school  board.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Stephens, 
a  native  of  England. 

Joseph  McMuitTinE,  who  is  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  was  born  in 
Sugarloaf,  Jul.v  lltth,  1.S12.  His  tirst  wife  w:l^  Mai-garet  llinton,  of  Eaton, 
Pii.,  and  hi.ssccnnd  wileSanih  A.  Klin.u-fr,of  Sugarloaf.  Jlr.  McMurtrie 
has  hckl  sc\erai  iiniKirtaut  townshi])  olliees. 

David  W.  Mace  was  liorn  in  .'^ugarliiat  township,  August  7th,  1,129. 
His  wife  wiis  H;irri(!t  Spui'lo,  of  the  s.ime  township.  Ho  owns  and  upd- 
ates a  steam  saw-iiiillat  Drum's. 

S.  Maouire,  ciushiur  of  tbo  Wliite  Haven  Savings  Bank,  and  clerk  of. 
the  town  council,  ^\'iis  born  in  I'hiladeljjhia,  Pa..  XovuEUbcr  15th,  1845. 

Georce  B.  Markle  is  a  coal  o])orator  at  Jeddo.  He  whs  born  in 
Northumberland  eininty,  Pa.,  July  1st,  1.S27.  His  wife  was  Miss  Emily 
Itobiuson,  of  IJlotimsburg,  Columbia  county.  Pa. 

George  B.  Makkle,  .jr.,  w:is  born  in  Hazleton,  October  7th,  18.57.  Ho 
is  superintendent  of  Jeddo  coal  mines.  His  wife,  deceased,  was  Miss 
Clara  R.  Tubbs,  ot  Kingston,  Pa. 

E.J.  M.vrple,  dispatcher  and  agent  for  the  Central  Railroad  of  New 
Jersey,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  August  19th,  1845. 

W.  Frank  Martz  is  a  bookkeeper  and  resides  in  Hazleton.  He  was 
born  at  Pottsville,  Pa.,  October  7th,  1843.  His  wtEe  was  Miss  Sai.h  A. 
Everett,  of  Emaus,  Pa.  / 

C.  H.  Martz  was  born  in  West  Delaware,  Pa.,  in  December,  1835,  and 
married  Miss  R.  E.  Bell,  ot  Bellfonte,  Pa.  He  resides  at  Topeka,  111.,  and 
is  a  druggist  and  dealer  in  real  estate.  He  served  seven  years  as  deputy 
clerk  of  the  circuit  and  county  court  of  Mason  county.  III. 

Adolph  Mayer  was  bom  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  October  9th, 
1826,  and  married  Margaret  Dressel,  ot  Bavaria,  Germany.  He  served 
under  General  Sigel  in  1848.  He  is  the  superintendent  of  the  Hazleton 
Gas  Works. 

Nathan  Michael,  of  Butler  township.was  born  in  Mifflin,  Pa.,  Janu- 
ary 18th,  1832.  His  wife  was  Dorcas  Cabbana,  of  Sugarloaf  township. 
He  is  a  lumbermim. 

John  A.  Miller,  a  native  of  Sugarloaf  township,  was  born  August 
3d,  1850.    He  is  a  farmer. 

Jeremiah  Miller,  farmer,  was  born  in  Sugarloaf,  June  6th,  1841. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Laura  Wagner,  of  Black  Cieek  township. 

William  Minnich,  of  Seybertsville,  was  born  at  that  place.  May  15th, 
1842,  and  married  Miss  Eliza  Pettit,  of  Black  Creek  township.  He  is  a 
farmer. 

Z.  W.  Morris,  clerk,  was  bom  July  21st,  1856,  in  White  Haven,  where 
he  married  Miss  Ella  Frymire. 

Rev.  John  H.  Neiman  was  born  in  Limerick,  Montgomery  county, 
Pa.,  July  31st,  1844,  and  married  Miss  Beulah  Daniels,  of  Norristown,  Pa 
He  is  the  pastor  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  churcb  at  Conyngham. 

J.  S.  Oberender,  ot  Drum's,  was  born  in  Saxony,  September  4th, 
1820,  and  married  Mary  A.  Fraley,  of  Conyngham.  He  has  held  neariy 
all  the  township  offices.  He  enlisted  September  23d,  1861,  in  Company 
E  96th  Pennsylvania  volunteers;  was  wounded  in  the  Wilderness,  May 
10th,  1864,  and  was  discharged  on  account  of  wounds,  September  27th,  1804. 

E.  A.  Oberender,  of  Drifton,  is  the  private  secretary  of  Coxe  Broth- 
ers.   He  was  born  at  Drum's,  Pa.,  June  29th,  1858. 


Edward  O'Dohnell  was  born  In  Truxlevtown,  Pa.,  December  2lBt, 
1849,  and  married  Mary  Ashman,  of  Foster,  Pa.  He  Is  a  painter  by 
trade. 

D.  B.  O'DOKNELL,  of  Butler,  was  born  In  Donegal,  Ireland,  In  1846. 
His  wife  was  Mary  Boyle,  of  Harleigh.  He  is  proprietor  of  the  Moun- 
tain House,  Butler  townslilp. 

Fabdeb,  Maekle  &  Ghieb  carry  on  a  large  banking  house  on  West 
Broad  street,  Hazleton. 

0.  P.  Person,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Northampton  county,  Pa.,  January 
20th,  1849.  His  wife  was  Miss  Jane  C.  Keiser,  of  Weatherly,  Pa.  Dr. 
Person  is  practicing  at  Hazleton,  where  he  established  himself  August 
1st,  1879. 

Abraham  P.  Peters,  lumber  manufacturer,  was  born  in  Heidelberg, 
Lehigh  county.  Pa.,  July  25th,  1880,  and  married  Sorenia  Kleckner,  of 
Middleport,  Schuylkill  county.  He  was  formerly  a  tailor,  and  has  been 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business. 

Philip  Pi^iffer,  M.  D.,  of  Drum's,  was  born  in  Germany,  and  mar- 
ried Maria  Beisel,  of  Butler. 

John  Ptouts,  the  present  burgess  of  Hazleton,  was  born  in  Lycoming 
county.  Pa.,  September  33d,  1819.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  K.  Lemon,  a 
native  of  Northumberland  county.  Pa. 

■William  D.  Powell,  of  Drif ton,  is  a  mine  boss  for  Coxe  Brothers  & 
Ck).  at  slope  No.  1.  He  was  born  in  South  Wales,  May  20th,  1852.  His 
wife  was  Louisa  Bums,  of  Drifton. 

John  M.  Powell,  miner  at  Freeland,  was  born  in  North  Wales,  No- 
vember 9th,  1841,  and  married  Mary  Auberly,  of  Buck  Mountain,  Pa. 
He  was  elected  February  17th,  1880,  one  of  the  councilmen  and  inspector 
of  election  of  Freeland. 

James  B.  Price,  of  Upper  Lehigh,  was  born  in  Hunterdon  county,  N. 
J.,  August  36th,  1823.  He  is  chief  clerk  of  the  Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Com- 
pany. He  has  been  treasurer  of  Carbon  county.  Pa.  His  wife  was  Har- 
riet Bertsch,  of  Mauch  Chunk. 

Parker  Price,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  Sandy  Eun  Coal  Company,  was 
born  In  Sunbury,  Pa.,  March  5th,  1849.  His  wife  was  AUce  Lawall,  of 
Hazleton,  Pa. 

Samuel  Rauch  is  a  native  of  Harford,  Pa.,  and  was  born  March  6th, 
1830.  He  is  a  farmer  and  proprietor  of  the  Black  Creek  tannery.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Amanda  C.  Seaman,  of  Upper  Berne,  Pa. 

James  Eeed,  ticket  boss  for  G.  B.  Markle  &  Co.  at  Oak  Dale  colliery, 
was  born  May  11th,  1855,  in  Pottsville,  Pa.  He  maiTied  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Kite,  of  Mahanoy  City,  Pa. 

C.  Beed,  conductor  on  the  Central  Hailroad  of  New  Jersey,  was  born 
in  Easton,  March  7th,  1844,  and  maiTied  Mary  B.  Bomler,  of  Oxford  Fur- 
nace, N.  J.  He  enlisted  May  30th,  1861,  in  Company  E  12th  Pa.  reserves, 
and  was  afterward  transferred  to  Battery  B  2nd  artillery,  in  which  he 
served  three  yeai'S.  He  re-enlisted  and  served  about  a  yeai-  in  Company 
H  7th  Pa.  volunteers. 

Thomas  M.  Bighter,  superintendent  of  Sandy  Eun  colliery,  was  born 
in  Berwick,  Pa.,  January  12th,  1847,  and  married  Gertrude  H.  Leisen- 
ring,  of  Upper  Lehigh,  Pa.    He  is  the  postmaster  at  Sandy  Eun. 

Peter  Ringlaben  was  born  in  Germany,  November  19th,  1839.  He  is 
a  farmer.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Ann  Hoffman,  of  Sugarloaf  township . 

Amos  Eittenhouse  is  a  native  of  Black  Creek  township,and  was  born 
December  20th,  1810.  He  has  been  supervisor,  overseer  of  the  poor  and 
assessor  of  his  township.  He  married  Misa  Anna  Wolf,  of  Black  Creek 
township. 

John  F.  Bobbins  is  a  miller  and  dealer  in  flour  and  feed  at  Conyngham. 
He  was  born  in  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  October  7th,  1830.  His  wife  was 
Julia  A.  Hughes,  of  Butler  township.  He  enlisted  August  13th,  1861,  in 
the  Union  service,  and  passed  through  the  several  grades  to  lieutenant 
colonel  of  the  96th  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  was  in  the  battles  of 
Fair  Oaks,  Antietpm  and  the  Wilderness. 

Prof.  William  F.  Egberts  is  a  native  of  England  and  was  born 
September  10th,  1809.  His  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  J.  Yost,  of  Pike 
county,  Pa.  Prof.  Eoberts  has  been  a  professional  geologist  and  min- 
eralogist for  the  last  fifty  years.  He  has  been  State  geologist  of 
Arkansas. 

E.  J.  EODGEBS,  a  dealer  in  dry  goods,  notions,  sewing  machines  and 
furniture  in  Hazleton,  was  born  in  Nesquehoning,  Pa.,  March  15th,  1862. 

A.  W.  Egberts,  of  Gowen,  was  born  January  1st,  1845.  He  enlisted 
March  4th,  1884,  in  the  7th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  and  was  discharged 
September  5th,  1865.  He  is  now  a  clerk  at  Gowen,  Pa.  Mrs.  Boberts 
was  Miss  Eliza  Miller,  of  White  Haven. 

George  Both,  of  Drum's, was  born  in  Butler,  July  7th,  1837,  and  mar- 
ried Harriet  Simpson,  of  Black  Creek.  He  is  a  blacksmith  and  wagon 
maker. 


Jacob  Eosenstook  was  born  in  Hesse,  Germany,  April  28th,  1835.  His 
wife  was  Mrs.  Catharine  Tounge,  of  Hazleton.  He  enlisted  in  Company 
A  28th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  June  12th,  1861,  and  was  discharged 
July  20th,  1864.  He  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  and 
fought  in  many  other  battles.  He  is  now  proprietor  of  the  Eising  Sun 
Hotel  at  Hazleton. 

Joseph  P.  Salmon  has  served  three  years  as  burgess  of  Hazleton,  and 
as  first  lieutenant  in  the  cavalry,  and  is  at  present  a  general  salesman. 
He  was  born.in  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  March  8th,  1833,  and  married  Miss 
Susan  E.  Barton,  of  Espy,  Columbia  county.  Pa. 

Samhel  Salmon,  master  carpenter  for  Coxe  Brothers  &  Co.,  of 
Drifton,  was  born  in  Easton,  Pa.,  June  30th,  1836,  and  married  Margaret 
Crouse,  of  Luzerne  county,  Pa. 

Joshua  Santee,  of  Drum's,  was  born  at  Nazareth,  Pa.,  July  15th, 
1831.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Hof eoker,  of  Butler.  He  has  been  township 
auditor,  constable,  inspector,  etc.,  and  is  now  a  fanner  and  dealer  in 
lumber. 

Simon  Santee,  of  Drum's,  was  bom  in  Nazareth,  Pa.,  February  7th, 
1814,  and  married  Mary  Hofecker,  of  Butler.    He  is  a  retired  farmer. 

H.  W.  Scheldt,  of  Hughesville,  was  bom  in  Butler,  December  26th, 
1842,  and  married  Miss  D.  P.  Hughes.    He  is  now  a  merchant. 

David  Schellhammer  is  a  farmer  and  miller.  He  was  born  Sep- 
tember 8th,  1805,  in  Brier  Creek  township,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  and 
married  Miss  Catharine  Gotohshall,  of  Eush  township,  Schuylkill 
county.  Pa. 

Charles  Schutteb,  formerly  a  private  in  the  U.  S.  signal  service,  and 
now  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Hazleton,  was  born  at  that  place,  March 
33d,  1848,  and  married  Miss  Cathaa'ine  Stokes,  also  of  Hazleton. 

Albert  Schweitzer  located  on  the  corner  of  Cedar  and  Hemlock 
streets,  in  1874,where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  wood  turning  bus- 
iness. He  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  September  22nd,  1849. 
His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Grosh,  of  Danville,  Pa. 

Matthias  Sohwabe,  butcher  at  South  Heberton,  was  born  in  Prussia, 
October  4th,  1849.  His  wife  was  Maggie  Landmesser,  of  Butler  town- 
ship. 

George  Seiwell,  of  Hazleton,  wasbornin  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.,  Septem- 
ber 17th,  1837.  He  enUsted  in  1861,  and  served  three  years.  Mrs.  Seiwell 
was  Elizabeth  Clark,  of  Eingtowu,  Pa.  Mr.  S.  is  a  track  foreman  for 
the  Lehigh  Valley  Eailroad  Company. 

John  Shafeb,  of  Sandy  Eun,  is  a  machinist.  He  was  bom  in  Tama- 
qua.  Pa.,  October  14th,  1835.  His  wife  was  Caroline  Lindner,  of  Butler, 
Pa.  He  enlisted  in  Company  1 143d  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  July  16th, 
1862,  and  was  discharged  June  24th,  1865. 

William  Shellhamer,  a  native  of  Black  Creek  township,  was  born 
September  17th,  1830.  He  has  been  school  director  and  inspector  of  his 
township  He  is  afarmer.  His  wife  was  Miss  Susannah  Eittenhouse,  of 
Black  Creek. 

O.  L.  Simpson,  of  Drifton,  was  born  in  Covington,  Pa.,  January  3lBt, 
1850.    His  profession  is  teaching. 

William  E.  Smith,  printer,  was  bom  in  Black  Creek,  and  married 
Miss  Catharine  Shellhamer,  of  Black  Creek. 

N.  D.  Smith  is  a  native  of  Abington  township,  and  was  born  November 
9th,  1848.  He  was  commissioned  justice  of  the  peace  for  five  years  on 
May  5th,  1879.    He  is  principal  of  the  Conyngham  school. 

Elder  Sp angler  carries  on  a  livery  establishment  in  Hazleton. 

John  P.  Stegnbr,  outside  foreman  for  William  Airey,  at  Stockton, 
Pa.,  was  born  in  Germany,  November  37th,  1837.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Gerdruta  Schoshe,  also  born  in  Germany. 

George  H.  Stimson,  merchant  and  postmaster  at  Lehigh  Tannery, 
Carbon  county,  was  born  in  Saline,  Washtenaw  county,  Mich.,  Novem- 
ber 15th,  1848,  and  married  Lillie  F.  Carter,  of  Union  Hill,  N.  J.  His 
former  business  was  that  of  a  tanner. 

John  C.  Stokes  was  born  at  Muncy,  Pa.,  August  1st,  1830.  He  located 
in  Hazleton  in  1858,  where  he  was  engaged  as  a  teacher  till  February, 
1864 ;  he  then  enlisted  in  Company  G  13th  New  York  heavy  artillery, 
and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war.  He  returned  to  Hazleton  in  Sep- 
tember, 1865,  and  established  the  first  printing  office  in  the  borough,  and 
in  1866  started  the  first  newspaper  here,  Tlie  Hazleton  Sentinel,  which 
he  sold  to  Pardee,  Markle  &  Grier  in  1868.  October  3Sth,  1877,  he  issued 
the  first  number  of  the  Mmmtain  Beacon.  In  1879  his  son  Alfred  F. 
Stokes  became  associated  with  him  in  the  publication  of  the  Beacon. 

Capt.  Cyrus  Straw,  of  Brum's,  was  born  in  Hazleton,  October  1st 
1839.  His  wife  was  Sarah  H.  Leach,  of  Soranton,  Pa.  He  enlisted  as  1st 
lieutenant  in  Co.  K  81st  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  wounded  at 
Antietam,  Md.  He  was  commissioned  as  captain  in  October,  1862,  and 
mustered  out  June  20th,  1868.    He  is  at  present  a  lumberman. 


Hh= 


<^ 


W.  F.  Streeter,  lumber  manufacturer,  was  bora  in  Lexington, 
Greene  county,  N.  Y.,  December  28th,  1834,  and  married  Blma  Frear,  of 
Eaton,  Wyoming  county.  His  residence  is  at  Bridgeport,  Carbon 
county,  where  he  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  since  1876,  and  has  served 
as  school  director  about  fifteen  years. 

Dahiel  STuUi  was  born  in  Beaumont,  July  37th,  1837.  His  wife, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Eliza  Lewis,  is  of  the  same  place.  Mr.  StuU, 
who  was  formerly  a  bookkeeper,  is  now  in  the  mercantile  business  at 
White  Haren. 

H.  P.  Stdtzbach,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Haideton  Journal,  lo- 
cated at  Hazleton  in  1878.  He  was  bom  in  Germany,  July  21st,  1850,  and 
married  Miss  Bertha  Brill,  of  Baltimore,  Md. 

Prof.  A.  P.  Supplee,  superintendent  of  schools  of  Hazleton,  was  born 
in  North  Wales,  Montgomery  county.  Pa.,  October  23d,  1845.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Mattle  Sedgewiok,  of  Bath,  N.  Y. 

H.  E.  ScTHEKLAKD  was  bom  in  Seneca  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1835.  He 
was  married  November  25th,  1857,  to  Miss  Harriet  Lauderbum,  of 
Tamaqua,  Pa.  He  located  in  Hazleton  in  1866,  where  he  has  since  been 
engaged  in  the  book  and  stationery  business. 

Harry  E.  Sweeney,  of  Drif ton,  is  a  bookkeeper  at  Jeddo.  He  was 
bom  in  Weissport,  Pa.,  September  20th,  1857.. 

Edward  Tattershall,  merchant,  was  born  in  Stoddardsville,  Octo- 
ber 20th,  1842,  and  man-led  Fanny  S.  EusseU,  of  White  Haven. 

Samuei,  D.  Taylor  is  a  master  mechanic  for  A.  Pardee  &  Co.  He 
was  bora  in  Fairmount,  Pa.,  June  9th,  1827.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  J. 
Easterline,  of  Wetherby,  Pa. 

P.  H.  Thompson  has  been  postmaster  at  Jeddo  since  1864,  and  is  the 
merchant  at  that  place.  He  was  born  in  Springfield,  Ohio,  January  21st, 
1834,  and  manied  Emma  J.  Markle,  of  Lacon,  111. 

James  F.  Toiten,  a  native  of  Jeansville,  Pa.,  was  born  March  6th, 
18.53.  He  was  formerly  a  surveyor  and  draughtsman  with  F.  W  Beers 
the  well-known  map  publisher  of  New  York,  and  at  present  is  a  teacher 
and  surveyor.    His  wife  was  Miss  Mattie  E.  Grover,  of  Hazleton. 

Hon.  S.  W.  Trimmer,  M.  D.,  was  bom  in  Hunterdon  county,  N  J 
August  mh,  1833.  Dr.  Trimmer  has  been  elected  to  the  Legislature,  has 
served  as  prothonotary  and  burgess,  and  has  held  the  office  of  school 
du-eotor  for  twenty-one  consecutive  years.  He  married  Elizabeth  A 
Bennett,  of  White  Haven,  where  he  is  now  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  Drofession. 

George  H.  Troutman  served  as  private  and  officer  through  the  war 
of  1861-65,  and  is  now  practicing  law  in  Hazleton.  He  was  born  January 
18th,  1841,  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  maiTied  Miss  Etta  Ci-ossett,  of 
Northampton,  Mass. 

Stephen  Twrkbach,  of  Freeland,  is  a  carpenter  for  Coxe  Brothers 
He  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township,  March  22nd,  im.  His  wife  was 
Mary  Ann  Nause,  of  Sugarloaf  township. 

Stephen  Turhbach,  a  native  of  Black  Creek,  was  born  January  28th 
1827.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  fourteen  year.s,  and  was  elected 
county  commissioner  in  1878.  His  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  Hiller,  of  Mif- 
flin, Pa.    Mr.  Turnbach  is  now  a  farmer. 

John  Turnback  was  born  in  White  Haven,  Pa.,  April  2nd  181'  He 
enlisted  March  9th,  1864,  in  Company  H  18th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  and 
was  discharged  October  31st,  1865.  His  wife  was  Mary  Aubrey  of  Gla 
morganshire,  Wales.    Mr.  T.  is  a  bookkeeper  at  Drif  ton. 

Edward  Turnbach  is  a  shipper  at  Drif  ton.  He  was  born  in  White 
Haven,  Pa.,  July  85th,  1848,  and  married  Miss  H.  E.  Hartranf  t,  of  Butler, 

A.  S.  Van  Wickle  resides  at  Ebervale,  and  is  superintendent  for  (he 
Bbervale  Coal  Company. 

Major  C.  J.  Volkenakd  is  engaged  in  the  hotel  and  saloon  business 
at  37  and  39  East  Broad  street,  Hazleton.  He  was  born  in  Germany  Til. 
comber  80th,  1839.  His  wife  was  Catharina  Kingleben,  of  Philndelnhir 
Pa.  Major  Volkenand  enlisted  September  18th,  1801,  in  Comnanv  K 
47th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  September  lath  1801 
In  1669  he  raised  a  company  for  the  17th  regiment  national  guards 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  commissioned  major  of  the  regiment. 

John  Wagner,  of  Drifton,  was  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  Sentember 
29th,  1840.  He  enlisted  October  18th,  1801,  in  the  0th  Pennsylvania  "av 
airy,  and  was  discharged  October  18th,  1804.    He  was  in  30  battles  and" 


was  wounded  three  times  in  one  battle.     He  married  Eebecca  Shell- 
hamer,  of  Black  Creek,  Pa.    He  is  outside  boss  for  Coxe  Brothers. 

Nathan  Wagner  was  born  in  Sugarloaf,  January  27th,  1886.  He  en- 
listed In  Company  F  147th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  August  11th,  1862, 
and  served  to  the  close  of  the  civil  war,  participating  in  Sherman's 
march  to  the  sea.  His  wife  was  Miss  Clara  Lawn,  of  this  township.  He 
is  at  present  a  dairy  farmer. 

Samuel  Wagner,  a  resident  of  Conyngham  village,  was  born  in 
Northampton,  Pa.,  October  19th,  1810.  His  wife  was  Miss  Maria  Fisher, 
of  Bloorasburg,  Pa.  Mr.  Wagner  was  formerly  a  carpenter  but  is  now 
a  farmer. 

Charles  Weidekbaoh  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  Decem- 
ber 5th,  1816.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Teheabalt,  of  Pottsville,  Pa.  He 
is  the  proprietor  of  a  restaurant  on  East  Broad  street,  Hazleton. 

George  S.  Wentz,  M.  D.,  a  practicing  physician  and  surgeon  at 
Jeddo,  was  born  in  Montgomery  county.  Pa. 

C.  C.  WiLLiTS,  a  dealer  in  stoves  and  tinware  in  Hazleton,  was  born  in 
Catawissa,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  December  28th,  18!j0. 

George  Wise,  harncssmaker,  Jeddo,  was  born  in  New  York  city,  Feb- 
ruary 23d,  1846.    His  wife  was  Mary  Ebei-ts,  of  New  Mahoning  Valley. 

Joseph  Wolf,  a  farmer  and  a  native  of  Black  Creek  township,  was 
born  February  7th,  3817.  He  has  been  township  return  judge,  supervisor, 
auditor,  school  director,  aSvSessor,  inspector  of  schools  and  overseer  of 
the  poor.    Mrs.  Wolf  was  Miss  Susannah  Bowman,  of  Black  Creek. 

William  Wolf  was  born  August  I9th,  1808,  in  Black  Creek,  and  has 
held  all  the  offices  in  the  township,  except  that  of  constable.  He  was 
justice  of  the  peace  15  years,  and  was  captain  of  the  "  Black  Creek 
Kifles  "  from  1846  to  1855.  He  is  now  a  farmer.  His  wife  was  Miss  Ann 
Kittenhouse,  of  Black  Creek. 

Andrew  Wolf  was  born  in  Black  Creek  township,  April  12th,  1853. 
He  has  been  inspector  of  election.    He  is  a  fai-raer. 

James  D.  Woodring,  foreman  of  T.  L.  McKeen's  lumber  miU  at 
Bridgeport,  Carbon  county,  was  born  in  Bethlehem,  Lehigh  county. 
Pa.,  November  13th,  1844,  and  married  Eliza  Patten,  of  Wilkes-Barre.' 
He  served  nine  months  in  the  153d  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Egbert  H.  Wright,  attorney  and  counselor  at  law  in  Hazleton,  was 
born  in  Perry  county.  Pa.,  December  4th.  1841.  His  wife  was  Miss  Kate 
A.Smith,  of  New  Bloomfield,  Pa.  Mr.  Wright  was  admitted  to  practice 
March  23nd,  1878. 

Daniel  Yeager  is  a  native  of  Catawissa,  Columbia  county.  Pa ,  and 
was  born  April  Znd,  1821.  He  is  a  farmer  and  market  gardener.  His  wife 
was  Hachael  Engle,  of  Sugarloaf. 

D.  Tobias  Yost,  agent  and  operator  for  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad 
Company  at  Tomhicken,  was  born  in  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  December 
25th,  1847.    Mrs.  Yost  was  Sarah  Barnhart,  of  Hazleton. 

C.  G.  Young,  superintendent  of  store  at  Ebervale,  was  born  April  9th, 
1833,  in  York  county,  and  married  Miss  Mollie  Giles,  of  Hazleton. 

D.  W.  Zahner,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Tamaqua,  Pa.,  and  was  born 
February  32nd,  1848.  He  had  been  aschool  director,  treasurer  and  con- 
stable of  his  township.  He  man-ied  Miss  Eliza  Shiner,  of  Suo-arloaf 
township.  "^ 

V.  B.  Zeiser  was  born  February  2.-.tli,  1847,  in  Nescopcck  township. 
He  IS  watchman  at  the  Dupont  Powder  Mills.  His  wife  was  Miss  Seman- 
tha  Lutser,  of  Don-anco. 

Andrew  J.  Ziegler,  of  Sandy  Hun,  was  born  in  llichland  Pa  Sep 
tember  7th,  1840.  He  is  breaker  boss  for  M,  S.  Kemerer  Sc  Co.  He  was 
elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  February  17th,  ISSO,  for  five  years.  Mrs 
Ziegler  was  Catharine  A.  Lindner,  of  Butler,  Pa. 

.  n*"!  5°!1°T*"^  ''"'™"'  "*  *''  """^'""^  ^'"'^  represented  also  con- 
tributed their  support  to  this  publication :  John  Arnold,  J  S  Beish 
line,  Henry  Bontz,  Aaron  Boyd,  Anthony  Brown,  John  A.  Burton 
Thomas  Campbell,  A.  B.  Coxe,  J.  J.  Cura.niskey,  Willard  Eaves,  John 
Gressing,  Conrad  Haas,  Evan  Herbert,  J.  E.  Hooten,  A.  B  Jack  E  W 
Iveman,  Edgar  Kudliok,  M.  A.  Leisenring,  w.  R.  Longshore,  William 
McDonald,  S.  B.  McQuade,  D.  J.  Matteson,  Charles  WcCoron,  H  W 
Myers,  J.  H  Nyer,  S.  B.  Price,  William  Powell,  jr.,  J.  S.  Sanders,  S.  R.' 
Schaper,  Schwartz  &  Co.,  B.  Shaver,  C.  B.  Snyder,  George  Spry  R  F 
Stutzbach,  J.  C.  Tomlinson,  T.  J.  Turner,  William  Von  Joule  A  "j 
Walbridge,  W.  H.  Yarrow,  J.  W.  Young  ' 


*^H= 


=4* 


k4ehoopany,Wyomin|  ^.,Pa. 


Mshoopany,  Wyoming  Co., Pa . 


^ ,  (?^yfi£y-r-i^^rtr-(r'c<^ 


R.R. LITTLE. 

Tunktiannock,Wyomin§  Co.,Pa. 


Tunkliar]nocU,WyorT)in|  Co.,Pa. 


V 


^J='J5S!sn3Sfl 


jV«i>* 


%---"  ^-^  ■ 


^^-.t«-»'«».«a5^,,.^  , 


RESIDENCE  OF  T.J.KERN 


RESIDENCE  OF  MISS  ELLEN    KERN. 


Exetei'Tp,,near  Pittston,Pa. 
Luzerne  Gounty. 


■f*    A- 


THE  HARDING  PLACE- RESIDENCE  OF   MRS. SALLY  HARDI  NG,  EXEfrR^LUZERNE  CO.,PA^=''"''°' ''''''« 


*i¥ 


<^ 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  EXETER  TOWNSHIR 


249 


EXETER  TOWNSHIP. 


XETER,  as  now  existing,  is  the  remainder  of 
old  Exeter,  one  of  the  ''  seventeen  town- 
ships ,"  which  originally  included  Franklin 
and  Ransom.  It  contains  an  area  of  about 
twenty-three  square  miles  in  the  extreme  north- 
eastern corner  of  Luzerne  county,  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Susquehanna.  The  census  of  1880 
shows  that  there  are  gr  farms  and  a  population  of  1,023 
in  the  township. 

Agriculture  succeeded  lumbering  as  the  chief  employ- 
ment of  the  people,  and  since  Pittston  and  West  Pittston 
have  become  large  consuming  markets  gardening  has 
come  to  be  profitable  on  the  farms  along  the  river  and  m 
the  southern  part  of  the  township,  while  the  upland  farms 
are  used  quite  largely  for  dairy  purposes,  the  milk  finding 
a  market  in  the  boroughs. 

Pioneers. 

The  first  settlements  were  made  near  the  river,  but  im- 
provements have  been  at  last  extended  to  the  remote 
corners  of  the  township.  In  1796,  while  Franklin  and 
Ransom  were  included  in  Exeter,  a  list  of  the  taxable 
people  was  made  and  recorded.  Stewart  Pearce  in  his 
Annals  of  Luzerne  has  carefully  preserved  this  list  with 
slight  changes.     The  names  were: 

Joel  Atherton,  Joseph  Black,  Moses  Bennett,  Timothy  Beebe,  Roswell 
Beach,  Peleg  Comstock,  Joseph  Dailey,  David  Dailey,  Jaooh  Drake,  Wil- 
liam roster,  Isaac  Finch,  Kichard  Gardner,  John  Gardner,  Thomas  Gard- 
ner, Abraham  Goodwin,  Richard  Halsted,  William  Harding,  Samuel 
Hadley,  James  Hadley,  Stephen  Hardinff,  David  Harding,  Edward  Had- 
sall,  John  Hadsall,  Joseph  Hadsall,  William  Hadsall,  Peter  Harris,  Mi- 
cajah  Harding,  Thomas  Harding,  Artimedorus  Ingersol,  Benjamin 
Jones,  sen.,  Nathaniel  Jones,  sen,,  Majah  Jones,  Justus  Jones,  Benjamin 
Jones,  jr.,  Thomas  Joslin,  sen..  Palmer  Jenkins,  Thomas  Joslin,  jr.,  John 
Jenkins,  Thomas  Jenkins,  John  Knapp,  Comfort  Kinyan,  Andrew  Mon- 
tanye,  John  McMillen,  Benjamin  McAfee,  Benjamin  Newbury,  William 
Ogden,  Jacob  Wright,  William  Slocum,  William  Stage,  James  Sutton, 
Moses  Soovell,  Elisha  Scovell,  James  Scovell,  David  Shauntz,  David 
Smith,  David  Skeel,  William  Tripp,  Abncr  Tuttle,  David  Smith,  jr.,  Gil- 
bert Townsend,  Lazarus  Townsend,  William  Thompson,  Thomas  Wil- 
liams, Ebenezer  Williams,  Allen  Whitman,  Zebedlah  Whitman,  Nathan 
Whitlock,  Joseph  Whitlock  and  John  Scott. 

Two  years  later  Captain  Stephen  Harding,  John  Jen- 
kins, Peter  Harris,  David  Smith,  S.  Dailey  and  J.  Phillips 
were  made  commissioners  to  lay  out  additional  public 
roads  in  the  township. 

Exeter  in  1778. 

It  was  near  the  site  of  the  Harding  Cemetery  that  some 
men  hoeing  corn  were  attacked  by  the  Indians  just  be- 
fore the  massacre  of  1778.  The  Indians  are  said  to  have 
first  attempted,  by  stealth,  to  gain  possession  of  their 
rifles;  but  the  youth  John  Harding  had  been  left  to 
watch  them,  and  gave  the  alarm.  The  men  all  ran  to- 
ward the  river  pursued  by  the  Indians.  Benjamin  and 
Stukeley  Harding  reached  their  boats,  but  both  were 
shot— one  after  he  was  in  his  boat  and  the  other  as  he 
was  entering  it.  John  Harding  swam  under  the  willows 
and  escaped.  Daniel  Weller  and  John  Gardner  were 
made  prisoners. 


The  Indians  then  passed  over  to  Sutton's  creek,  and 
encamped  by  a  spring  one  or  two  rods  in  the  rear  of 
Samuel  Bailey's  house.  Near  here  they  killed  James 
Hadsall  and  his  negro,  and  his  nephew,  James  Hadsall. 
Daniel  Carr  and  Neezer  Reynolds,  both  sons-in-law 
of  the  elder  Hadsall,  were  taken  prisoners.  Reynolds 
made  his  escape,  took  his  wife  and  children,  departed, 
and  has  never  been  heard  from.  Carr  returned  after  a 
captivity  of  seven  years. 

His  wife,  supposing  him  to  be  dead  and  thinking  she 
had  waited  a  proper  time,  had  engaged  herself  to  be  mar- 
ried to  another  man,  and  was  preparing  for  the  wedding. 
One  day  she  heard  some  one  come  into  the  house;  she 
went  to  see  who  it  was,  and  met  her  husband  face  to 
face.  She  was  so  overcome  she  fainted.  Of  course  the 
new  match  was  never  consummated. 

The  British  and  tories  continued  down  the  river,  and 
landed  at  fort  Wintermoot.  Parties  have  since  the  Rev- 
olution been  here  inquiring  about  the  lands  at  the  old 
fort  who  were  thought  to  be  descendants  of  the  Winter- 
moots,  who  left  the  valley  with  the  British  after  the  mas- 
sacre. Here  the  Indians  joined  their  forces,  and  near  by 
the  battle  of  Wyoming  was  begun. 

Early  Business  Enterprises. 

Exeter,  being  an  old  settlement,  was  among  those  hav- 
ing the  earliest  business  establishments. 

In  1776  James  Sutton,  with  James  Hadsall  as  partner, 
built  the  first  grist-mill  and  saw-mill  on  Sutton's  creek, 
(now  called  at  that  place  Coray  creek).  There  the  first 
grist  was  ground,  and  the  first  board  sawed.  Hadsall 
was  murdered  and  the  mill  destroyed  during  the  invasion 
of  1778,  and  all  that  remains  of  the  old  mill  is  a  crunk 
preserved  by  the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological 
Society  as  a  relic  of  the  oldest  mill  in  the  Wyoming 
valley. 

Several  years  later  Samuel  Sutton,  a  son  of  James  Sut- 
ton, built  a  second  grist-mill  on  the  same  site,  and  in 
1846  E.  A.  Coray,  having  become  owner  of  this  site, 
erected  the  present  grist-mill.  Subsequently  another 
saw-mill  was  built  farther  up  the  creek,  which  is  operating 
at  the  present  time. 

Loyd  Jones  operated  a  plaster  and  clover  mill  on  Lewis 
creek  in  1845.  The  farmers  brought  their  clover  seed  in 
the  chaff  to  the  mill  to  be  separated  and  cleaned.  The 
introduction  of  horse  power  threshers  put  an  end  to  this 
enterprise. 

The  Indian  trail  through  Exeter  was  along  the  old 
turnpike,  now  the  public  road  along  the  river.  One  of 
the  first  taverns  here  was  built  by  Lewis  Jones  in  1806, 
near  the  present  residence  of  George  Miller. 

The  old  "Red  Tavern'' on  Peter  Sharpe's  place  was 
built  the  same  year,  and  was  kept  by  John  Harding, 
Mr.  Sharpe's  house  was  formerly  kept  as  a  stage  house 
by  Isaac  Harding.  There  was  also  another  tavern,  kept 
by  the  Scovells,  down  the  river  near  Esquire  Slocura's. 
It  was  used  for  years  as  headquarters  for  the  raftsmen 
on  the  river. 

Mr.  Jones  had  near  his  inn  a  still  house,  which    did  a 


^h 


1 


250 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


business  of  fair  proportions  and  constituted  a  valuable 
auxiliary  to  his  tavern. 

Another  of  Mr.  Jones's  enterprises  was  the  building  of 
a  store,  which  he  kept  during  1806  and  1807.  Salt,  which 
at  that  time  cost  |4  per  bushel,  was  the  principal  ar- 
ticle of  commerce.  The  salt  was  necessary  for  preserv- 
ing the  shad  which  the  settlers  took  from  the  river,  they 
being  their  only  article  of  meat  diet.  The  bears  claimed 
and  enforced  the  first  right  to  all  the  hogs. 

The  goods  were  carted  from  Philadelphia  by  James 
Hadsall,  a  man  now  93  years  old. 

CHURCHES. 


In  1793  the  few  Baptists  of  Exeter  and  Northumber- 
land united  to  secure  the  services  of  a  minister. 

In  February',  1794,  John  Jenkins,  James  Scovell, 
Thomas  Jenkins,  Benjamin  Smith  and  Elisha  Scovell, 
subscribed  about  $65  toward  building  a  church.  Al- 
though they  failed  to  erect  the  building  the  effort  had 
its  results,  for  the  Baptists  farther  down  the  valley  were 
made  favorable  to  their  schemes  and  a  supply  of  preach- 
ing was  secured  for  the  settlement. 

The  first  church  regularly  organized  here  was  the 
Northumberland  and  Exeter  Baptist  church.  This  soci- 
ety first  met  in  a  barn  belonging  to  Henry  Jackson,  as 
early  as  1798.  Among  the  early  members  were  John 
Strong,  David  Adams,  Henry  Jackson,  Stephen  Hadsall, 
Richard  Gardner  and  Jesse  White.  This  church  was 
supplied  for  half  a  century  with  preaching  by  heroic  cir- 
cuit riders.  On  the  8th  of  June,  1850,  a  division  was 
effected  in  this  society,  a  part  taking  the-narae  of  the 
Exeter  Baptist  Church  of  Christ.  This  church  has  usu- 
ally had  a  pastor,  but  is  at  present  supplied  by  Rev.  A. 
D.  Willifer,  of  Piltston.  The  trustees  for  1880  were  T. 
B.  Jones  (also  clerk),  George  Miller  and  Aaron  Brown. 
A  prosperous  Sunday-school  is  maintained  in  connection 
with  this  church. 

MX.  ZION    M.  E.  CHURCH. 

The  Mt.  Zion  M.  E.  church  was  formed  from  parts  of 
two  societies  or  classes  at  Sutton's  creek  and  the  "Old 
Red  School-house''  district.  Levi  C.  Lewis  was  the 
first  class' leader  of  the  new  society,  and  the  first  super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday-school.  They  worshiped  in 
the  school-house  at  Mt.  Zion  until  1851,  when  their  pres- 
ent church  was  built.  On  February  igth  of  that  year, 
the  trustees,  Isaac  Stephens,  Evi  Wilson  and  Robert  S. 
Lewis,  entered  into  a  contract  with  Levi  C.  Lewis  to 
build  a  church  in  "as  good  a  style  as  the  Truxville 
meeting  1  ouse."  A  site  was  given  by  Valentine  De  Witt. 
The  building  was  finished  Nov.  ist,  1851,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $1,000.  The  money  was  pledged  by  subscriptions 
and  the  contractor  took  the  pledges  for  his  pay.  The 
house  was  dedicated  in  November  by  Rev.  Mr.  Shep- 
ard.  Among  the  early  preachers  here  are  remembered 
Rev.  O.  F.  Morse  and  Rev.  Asa  Brunson,  who  preached 
alternately  once  in  two  weeks.     The  society  is  now  sup- 


plied with  preaching  by  Rev.  F.  A.  King,  of  Carverton. 
It  became  connected  with  the  Carverton  circuit  in  1858, 
when  Rev.  John  Labar  was  pastor  and  George  Holmes 
class  leader,  and  the  membership  was  80.  Mr.  Labar 
preached  two  years;  C.  L.  Reid,  one;  W.  Munger,  two; 
G.  C.  Smith,  one;  A.  J.  Van  Clift,  two;  Joseph  Madison, 
J.  Austin,  S.  Elwell  and  F.  A.  King,  three  years  each. 
The  last  named  is  the  present  pastor.  The  present  su- 
perintendent of  the  Sunday-school  is  Vincent  Lewis.  It 
has  77  members.  The  trustees  for  1880  were  William 
Heisler,  Smith  Lewis,  Joseph  Whipp,  Merritt  Rozell, 
Evi  D.  Wilson,  George  B.  Holmes,  G.  Ailesworth,  and  S. 
Kitchen. 

DIAMOND    HOLLO'W    M.   E.   CHURCH. 

As  early  as  1800  the  Methodist  circuit  rider  found  his 
w'ay  into  Exeter.  The  circuit  which  included  this 
appointment  extended  over  a  large  territory,  and  included 
Dallas,  Lehman,  Mehoopany,  Plymouth,  Truxville,  Nanti- 
coke  and  Plains.  Once  in  a  month  was  as  often  as  the 
preacher  could  be  at  this  appointment. 

Joseph  Whitlock,  an  old  settler,  was  the  first  class 
leader  and  the  meetings  were  held  at  his  house. 

After  the  school-house  was  built  at  Diamond  Hollow 
services  were  held  in  it,  but  the  Protestant  Methodists 
came  then  and  the  result  was  an  amount  of  friction 
which  led  to  the  erection  at  last  of  an  M.  E.  church  in 
1835.  The  present  building  was  erected  in  1870  under 
the  direction  of  a  building  committee  consisting  of  An- 
drew Montanye,  Enoch  Whitlock,  and  John  Diamond. 
A  Sunday-school  is  maintained  here  during   the  summer. 

Cemeteries. 

The  Mt.  Zion  cemetery  was  originally  a  private  burying 
ground,  but  when  the  church  was  organized  there  it  was 
enlarged  and  became  the  property  of  the  society.  The 
lot  is  handsomely  fenced  and  well  cared  for. 

The  Harding  cemetery  is  the  oldest  in  the  township 
and  contains  several  handsome  monuments.  The  first 
burial  in  it  was  that  of  Capt.  Stephen  Harding,  August 
4th,  1816.  It  was  then  a  cultivated  field  on  his  farm,  and 
the  grave-digger  cut  the  growing  grain  to  make  room 
for  the  grave.  This  grave  was  enclosed,  with  about  one- 
quarter  acre  of  land,  and  was  used  by  the  Harding 
family  until  the  farm  changed  hands,  when  an  acre  was 
reserved  for  a  neighborhood  burying-place. 

Schools. 

The  educational  ideas  of  the  primitive  Yankee  set- 
tlers were  exceedingly  vague.  Schools  had  been  main- 
tained before  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  in 
such  of  the  communities  as  chose  to  raise  by  subscription 
the  small  amount  necessary  to  pay  the  itinerant  school- 
master a  few  weeks  during  the  winter  for  such  services  as 
he  could  render. 

The  Yankee  schoolmasters  of  that  day  were  a  peculiar  in- 
stitution. It  appears  that  the  ranks  of  this  army  of  literary 
tramps  were  swelled  by  many  easy  good  fellows  like  Irv- 
ing's  Ichabod  Crane,  and  the  result,  or  possibly  the  cause, 

as  a  generation  caring  little  for  educational  pursuits. 


t 


H^ 


WILLIAM     SCHOOLEY, 


SARAH  A. SCHOOLEY, 


RESIDENCE 


of    WILLIAM     SCHOOLEY,  E    Att-^""Pi_UZ_F'MECO      Pa 


T 


SCHOOLS  AND  MINES  OF  EXETER— CAMP  GROUND-STURMERVILLE. 


A  few  years  showed  the  fruits  of  this  neglect  in  a  gen- 
eration of  illiterate  young  men  and  women,  who  had  to, 
avail  themselves,  even  after  they  were  of  age,  of  such. 
advantages  as  were  afforded  by  the  schools  of  1800.  In 
the  old  log  school-house,  which  stood  near  George  Mil- 
ler's, long  rows  of  these  young  men  and  women  came  to 
have  Master  Josiah  Beach  teach  them  to  read.  The  first 
term  begun  by  him  was  finished  by  John  McMillen, 
whose  descendants  are  among  the  present  residents  of 
the  township.  James  Hadsall,  now  ninety-three  years  of 
age,  is  the  only  survivor  of  those  who  attended  this  first 
district  school.- 

During  the  last  decade  of  the  past  century  this  town- 
ship voted  to  levy  a  small  tax  for  the  support  of  a  winter 
school.  In  1809  the  State  law  providing  for  the  admis- 
sion of  poor  children  was  the  next  step  toward  Penn- 
sylvania's present  admirable  system  of  free  schools. 

For  about  fifteen  years  after  the  passage  of  the  free 
school  act  of  1833,  Exeter  continued  to  support  the  dis- 
trict schools  by  the  old  rate  bill  system,  but  finally  met 
the  provisions  of  the  law  by  electing  a  board  of  school 
directors,  &c. 

There  are  now  five  school  districts  and  two  parts  of 
districts  in  this  township.  One  of  these  schools  partly 
in  Exeter  is  supported  by  this  township,  so  it  is  reckoned 
that  there  are  six  public  free  schools  in  Exeter.  The 
only  one  requiring  two  teachers  is  the  Sturmerville  school. 
The  first  school  here  was  kept  in  a  log  school-house,  in 
1819-20.  The  building  was  burned  during  the  winter  and 
the  term  was  finished  in  Joseph  Schooley's  house.  Mrs. 
Rachael  Goodwin,  daughter  of  Colonel  Jenkins,  was  one 
of  the  early  teachers  here. 

The  officers  of  the  Exeter  school  board  are  William 
Heisler,  president;  A.  J.  Van  Tuyle,  clerk. 

The  Wyoming  Camp  Ground. 

These  grounds,  now  occupied  by  the  Wyoming  Camp- 
Meeting  Association,  were  first  pointed  out  to  Rev.  Jos. 
Madison  in  1871.  During  this  year  the  association  pur- 
chased from  Richard  Sutton  for  $4,000  the  farm  in- 
cluding these  grounds.  The  offieers  then  were:  Payne 
Pettebone,  president;  Rev.  Fred.  L.  Hiller,  secretary; 
B.  D.  Beyea,  treasurer;  and  Evi  D.  Wilson  was  made 
superintendent  of  the  grounds.  They  set  apart  ten  acres 
for  their  camp  ground.  The  grounds  are  finely  adapted 
to  their  purpose,  being  well  shaded  and  having  a  good 
slope  toward  the  ministers'  stand.  The  space  in  front 
of  the  stand  is  now  surrounded  with,  cottages  fantasti- 
cally trimmed,  making  a  very  pretty  and  comfortable 
summer  home  to  those  interested.  The  grounds  are 
plentifully  supplied  with  water  pumped  by  a  steam- 
engine  from  a  spring  near  by.  George  Peck,  D.  D.,  the 
presiding  elder,  cut  the  first  stick  of  timber  on  the 
ground  where  the  ministers'  stand  now  is.  He  also 
preached  the  first  sermon,  taking  for  his  text:  "  This  is 
none  other  but  the  house  of  God."  The  present  officers 
of  the  association  are:  Payne  Pettebone,  president;  Rev. 
W    H.  Olin,  vice-president;  Rev.  J.  C.  Shellard,  secre- 


tary; George  Wells,  treasurer;   Evi  D.  Wilson,  superin- 
tendent. 

Post-Offices. 

There  are  now  two  post-offices  in  the  township.  The 
oldest  is  the  Exeter  post-office.  Aaron  Brown  has  been 
the  postmaster  for  the  last  25  years. 

The  Charleston  post-ofiice  was  established  about  fif- 
teen years  ago,  with  Charles  Montanye  as  post  master.. 
The  name,  Charleston,  was  in  allusion  to  his  name..  In 
1873  the  name  was  changed  to  Harding,  through  the  in-. 
strumentality  of  William  H.  Wetherbee,  the  post  master. 
Casper  Orberdorfer,  the  present  post  master,  was  com- 
missioned in  1875. 

Mines. 

The  northern  limit  of  the  Northern  coal   field   crosses 
Exeter  just   above   Scovell's    island;    so   that   fully  two- 
thirds  of  the  township  is  outside  of  the  anthracite  field. 
The  earliest  mining  in  the  township  was  on  the  cropping' 
west  of  William  Schooley's  in  1842.     A  company  drove  a 
tunnel    on  James   S.  Slocum's   farm   in   1856.      Both    of 
these   tunnels  are  practically  abandoned.      The  Lehigh 
Valley  Coal  Company  owns  the  principal  coal  works  in  the 
township,    employing    about    225    men    and     roo   boys.. 
Abednego  Reese  is  mine  boss,  and  A.  G.  Mason,  outside 
foreman.    On  May  27th,  187 1,  the  West  Pittston  breaker,' 
belonging  to  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company,  burned.' 
There  were  28  men  in  the  mines  when  the  fire  broke  out,' 
of   whom    19    were   either  dead  when   brought   out,    or 
died  very  soon   after  reaching  the   top  of  the  ground. 
The  fire  originated  in  the  tower  of  the  breaker,  and  was 
caused  by  friction  of  the  journals  of  the  faw, 

Sturmerville. 

This  rapidly  growing  village  is  located  on  the  Wyoming 
battle  ground. 

About  1874  Capt.  Solomon  Sturmer  bought  the  site 
from  Mrs.  Rachael  Goodwin,  daughter  of  Colonel  John 
Jenkins,  and  laid  it  out  in  building  lots.  Thomas  McNeil 
bought  a  lot  and  built  the  first  dwelling  in  the  place.     It 


now  contains  about  35  families,  who  are  mostly   engaged 
in  the  mines  or  at  the  Lee  Arms  Company's  Manufactory., 


^^ 


32 


*ih 


252 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


This  large  institution  was  first  incorporated  as  the  Pitts- 
ton  Arms  Company,  and  was  started  through  the  encour- 
agement and  enterprise  of  the  citizens  in  the  vicinity, 
who  donated  the  grounds  and  subscribed  for  $9,000  of 
the  stock. 

Later  the  name  was  changed  to  its  present  one,  The 
Lee  Arms  Company. 

The  cheapness  of  fuel  enables  the  company  to  success- 
fully compete  with  the  manufacturers  of  New  England, 
and  they  are  now  prosecuting  an  extensive  business.  J. 
Frank  Lee,  Esq.,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  is  president  and  R.  L. 
Brewer  superintendent. 


WEST  PITTSTON  BOROUGH. 


;EST  PITTSTON  borough  is  practically  a 
suburb  of  Pittston  and  there  is  very  little 
commercial  business  done  here.  The  manu- 
factories consist  of  the  Wyoming  Valley 
Knitting  Mills  and  Wisner  &  Strong's  foun- 
dry and  machine  shop.  The  population  is  2,543. 
The  first  store  opened  in  West  Pittston  was  the 
one  on  Exeter  street  now  owned  by  T.  W.  &  H.  D.  Kyte. 
It  was  built  in  the  fall  of  1856  by  Samuel  Price,  who  after 
doing  a  general  merchundise  business  for  two  years  was 
succeeded  by  G.  B.  Romell. 

Fort   Jenkins. 

This  fort  was  simply  a  single  log  house  surrounded  by 
a  stockade,  and  at  the  time  of  the  massacre  was  occu- 
pied by  three  old  men  and  a  few  women  and  children. 
It  is  of  interest  as  being  the  most  northern  of  the  stock- 
ades constructed  in  the  valley,  and  having  figured  con- 
spicuously in  the  struggles  with  the  Indians.  It  was  sit- 
uated about  fifty  yards  above  the  west  end  of  the  ferry 
bridge,  but  the  ground  where  it  stood  has  since  been 
washed  away^  An  orchard  once  stood  above  the  West 
Pittston  end  of  the  depot  bridge,  but  the  gradual  en- 
croachments of  the  river  have  uprooted  nearly  all  of  it. 

A  few  old  landmarks  are  still  left.  The  residence  of 
Mr.  Carr,  corner  of  Wyoming  and  Luzerne  avenues,  is 
one  of  the  old  original  farm  houses  built  when  this  was 
a  part  of  Exeter  township.  J.  W.  Miller's  house,  the 
old  ferry  house  and  John  S.  Jenkins's  residence  are  also 
points  of  historic  interest. 

The  place  was  known  in  early  times  as  Fort  Jenkins, 
and  the  name  was  applied  to  the  town  until  it  v/as  incor- 
porated as  a  borough. 

The  Jenkins  and  Harding  Cemetery. 

This  ground  was  given  for  a  place  of  burial  by  Judge 
Jenkins,  who  for  the  Susquehanna  Company  made  the 
treaty  with  the  Indians  for  the  lands  lying  on  the  Sus- 
quehanna.    Judge  Jenkins's  wife,  Lydia  Gardner,  and  his 


sons  John,  Stephen  and  Thomas  were  buried  here,  also 
twenty  or  more  of  his  grandchildren  and  great-grand- 
children, and  several  great-great-grandchildren;  together 
with  Capt.  Stephen  Harding,  a  brother-in-law  of  Judge 
Jenkins,  with  his  wife.  Amy  Gardner,  and  their  sons 
Benjamin  and  Stukely.  The  last  two  were  slain  by  the 
Indians  June  30th,  1778,  aged  25  and  23  years.  Their 
grave  attracts  universal  attention,  and  is  about  the  oldest 
in  this  vicinity,  but  many  others  are  very  old  and  of 
historic  interest. 

Municipal  Organization. 

West  Pittston  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  the 
autumn  of  1857,  the  court  taking  action  November  23d. 
The  first  election  was  held  January  7th,  1858,  at  the  Vine 
street  school-house.  Samuel  Price  was  appointed  judge 
and  Miles  C.  Orr  and  Thomas  Ford  inspectors  of  the 
election,  which  resulted  in  the  choice  of  Amherst  Wis- 
ner, burgess;  A.  J.  Griffith,  William  Apple,  Cornelius 
Stark,  Bradley  Downing  and  Theodore  Strong,  council- 
men.  The  council  appointed  Isaac  W.  Moister  clerk, 
and  Peter  Polen  treasurer. 

Since  then  the  burgesses  elected  have  been:  1859-61, 
William  Apple;  1862,  Peter  Polen;  1863,  A.  J.  Griffith; 
1864,  J.  H.  Jenkins;  1865,  R.  J.  Wisner;  1866,  1867, 
David  T.  Bound;  1868,  Ralph  D.  Lacoe;  1869,  1870,  J. 
C.  F.  Rommel;  1871,  1872,  B.  D.  Beyea;  1873,  Samuel 
Price;  1874,  Barnard  Sharkey;  1875,  W.  H.  Cool;  1876, 
1877,  Bradley  Downing,  1878,  B.  D.  Beyea;  1879,  George 
Corey;   1880,  James  Mantayne. 

Clerks. — 1859-61,  Smith  Sutherland;  1862  until  August 
10th,  1863,  Samuel  Price;  August  roth,  1863,  A.  J.  I-oom- 
is  appointed;  1864,  J.  B.  Hoyt;  1865,  G.  M.  Richard 
(acting);  1866,  1867,  Smith  Sutherland;  1868-70,  Octo- 
ber, Charles  H.  Foster;  1870,  October,  1872,  R.  J.  Wis- 
ner; 1873,  1874,  William  R.  Sax;  1875,  B.  D.  Beyea; 
1876,  1877,  S.  P.  Fenn;   1878-80,  J.  B.  Hoyt. 

The  Wyoming  Valley  Knitting-Mills. 

This  enterprise  was  started  under  the  name  of  Elli- 
thorp  &  Delahunty,  in  the  spring  of  1874,  by  E.  L.  Elli- 
thorp  and  J.  P.  Delahunty,  formerly  engaged  in  the  same 
business  at  Cohoes,  N.  Y. 

Feeling  the  need  of  more  means  they  procured  $15,000 
from  Pittston  capitalists  to  providebuildings  and  power. 
The  original  building  was  fifty  by  one  hundred  feet,  two 
stories  high,  with  attic  and  basement,  picker  and  boiler 
buildings  attached.  The  business  first  employed  sixty 
operatives,  but  after  one  year  the  third  set  of  machinery 
was  added  and  A.  McI.  De  Witt  was  admitted  as  a  part- 
ner, with  $15,000  cash  capital.  The  close  of  that  year 
witnessing  an  increased  demand  for  their  products  the 
capital  was  increased  to  $50,000,  and  R.  D.  Lacoe,  J.  B. 
Shiffer,  Joseph  Hilman,  William  Allen  and  Thomas  Ford 
became  partners  with  the  original  owners,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Ellithorp  &  Co.,  Limited.  Subsequently  the 
buildings  were  enlarged  and  a  fourth  set  of  machinery 
added.     Over  one  hundred  hands  are  now  employed,  the 


*^¥ 


CHURCHES   OF  WEST   PITTSTON— FAIRMOUNT  TOWNSHIP. 


253 


annual  product  being  about  16,000  dozens  of  all  wool 
shirts  and  drawers,  in  white  and  scarlet.  Their  scarlet 
goods  are  a  specialty  in  the  market. 

When  running  wholly  on  woolen  goods  they  consume 
about  250,000  pounds  of  cleansed  wool.  Since  the  first 
the  machinery  has  never  been  idle,  except  for  repairs. 

West  Pittston  Churches. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Chwrch  of  West  Pittston, 
on  the  corner  of  Wyoming  and  Montgomery  avenues,  is 
a  semi-Gothic  brick  edifice  with  a  corner  tower  and  spire. 
It  has  a  fine  basement,  containing  a  large  lecture-room 
and  four  class-rooms.  The  auditorium  has  a  seating 
capacity  of  seven  hundred.  The  church,  with  site  and 
furnishing,  cost  in  1873  $45,000. 

The  society  was  organized  from  the  Pittston  M.  E. 
Church  on  the  27th  of  January,  1873,  by  Rev.  George 
Peck,  D.  D.,  presiding  elder  of  the  district,  by  the  election 
of  B.  D.  Beyea,  Charles  Pugh,  W.  R.  Sax,  C.  S.  Stark, 
Bradley  Downing,  Daniel  Jones,  Barnard  Sharkey, 
George  B.  Rommel  and  Thomas  Ford  as  trustees,  and 
H.  C.  Dewey,  Peter  Rinker,  Chandler  Williams,  Henry 
Searl,  B.  D.  Beyea,  W.  R.  Sax,  T.  B.  Lana,  William 
McCabe  and  Thomas  Nichols  as  stewards.  The  society 
numbered  about  200  members,  transferred  from  the  old 
church. 

The  corner  stone  for  the  church  edifice  was  laid  in 
the  fall  of  1872  by  Rev.  G.  P.  Porter,  of  Scranton.  The 
church  was  dedicated  September  2nd,  1873.  Rev.  R. 
Nelson,  D.  D.,  preached  to  a  very  large  congregation 
from  Heb.  i,  xiv.  Rev.  B.  I.  Ives,  of  Auburn,  N.  Y., 
preached  in  the  evening  from  Rom.  12.  i.,  and  secured 
pledges  for  $31,000  needed  to  fully  pay  for  the  church. 

The  church  had  in  December,  1879,  325  members, 
with  450  scholars  and  teachers  in  its  Sunday-school. 
Charles  Pugh,  Esq.,  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day-school since  its  organization. 

The  following  clergymen  have  been  pastors:  Rev.  W. 
B.  Westlake,  1873,  1874;  Rev.  S.  Moore,  1875-77;  Rev. 
A.  GrifiSn,  the  present  pastor,  appointed  in  1878. 

First  Presbyterian  Church. — This  society  was  an  over- 
flow of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Pittston.  In  the 
winter  of  1877,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  M.  E.  church  of 
West  Pittston,  it  was  decided  to  organize  a  church  in 
that  borough,  and  a  petition  for  its  formation  was  sent 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Lackawanna  signed  by  many  of  its 
promoters.  A  building  committee  was  appointed,  and 
the  work  of  building  a  chapel  was  speedily  under  way,  a 
lot  having  been  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Exeter  and 
Warren  streets.  The  chapel  was  begun  in  May  and  com- 
pleted the  following  December.  It  is  built  of  brick,  in 
the  Gothic  style  of  architecture,  and  has  a  seating  capa- 
city of  350.  The  design  of  the  building  was  drawn  by 
Mr.  J.  J.  Merriam  of  Pittston.  The  cost  of  its  erection 
and  furniture  was  about  $6,500.  A  committee  appointed 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Lackawanna  for  the  formiition  of 
the  church  met  in  the  new  chapel  December  21st,  1877, 
and  the  organization  was  then  effected.  The  rotary 
system  of  eldership  was  adopted,  and  Messrs.  E.  L.  Elh- 


thorpe,  J.  B.  Hoyt,  William  Slocum,  Theodore  Strong, 
J.  J.  Merriam  and  S.  P.  Fenn  were  elected  elders  for  a 
term  varying  from  five  to  three  years.  The  church  orig- 
nally  numbered  119  members,  nearly  all  of  whom  were 
dismissed  from  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Pittston  and 
received  into  the  new  organization.  December  31st, 
1877,  Mr.  N.  I.  Rubinkam,  then  completing  his  studies 
in  the  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  was  called  to 
become  pastor.  He  being  unable  to  take  charge  until 
the  following  May,  Rev.  R.  E.  Wilson,  of  Hudson,  N.  Y., 
supplied  the  pulpit  until  that  time.  Rev.  Mr.  Rubin- 
kam was  installed  April  31st,  1878.  The  Sabbath-school 
of  which  Mr.  E.  L.  Ellithorpe  is  superintendent,  num- 
bers 250  members.  Its  library  contains  over  300  vol- 
umes. 

In  the  summer  of  1879  an  annex  was  built  on  the 
west  side  of  the  chapel  for  increased  Sabbath-school  facil- 
ities and  for  the  enlargement  of  the  audience  room. 
This  addition  with  furniture  cost  about  $600.  Sixty 
new  members  have  been  added  to  the  original  number. 
The  church  indebtedness  has  been  materially  diminished 
and  very  creditable  contributions  have  also  been  made 
toward  the  benevolent  objects  of  the  church. 

Mr.  Rubinkam  was  born  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  in 
1851;  entered  Princeton  college  in  1870,  and  graduated 
in  1874;  spent  the  winter  and  spring  of  1874-75  '"  ^^^ 
University  of  Halle,  Germany;  entered  Princeton  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  September,  1875;  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  the  Central  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  in 
1877;  graduated  in  theology  at  Princeton  in  1878;  was 
ordained  by  the  Presbytery  of  Lackawanna,  and  installed 
pastor  over  the  above  church.  After  a  pastorate  of 
two  years  he  was  called  to  the  Second  Reformed  church 
of  Philadelphia,  where  he  begun  his  labors  in  May,  j88o. 


FAIRMOUNT  TOWNSHIP 


^AIRMOUNT    was    taken     from     Huntington 
in  April,  1834.     It  has  1085  inhabitants. 

Previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  State  con- 
stitution of  1838  Jacob  Ogden  and  Levi 
Seward  were  commissioned  by  the  governor 
as  justices.  Justices  have  been  elected  under  the 
new  constitution  as  follows:  Levi  Seward  and 
Silas  Callender,  1840;  Jonathan  Pennington  and  James 
Lacock,  1845;  J.  C.  Pennington  and  James  F.  Lacock, 
1850;  James  F.  Lacock  and  John  H.  Smith,  1855;  Wil- 
liam P.  Robinson  and  Jacob  Seeley,  i860;  William  P. 
Robinson  and  Thomas  Ogden,  1865  and  1870.  Nathan 
Kleintob  and  Thomas  Ogden,  1875. 

The  south  half  of  the  township  is  quite  thickly  settled, 
and  embraces  some  fertile  farming  lands.  The  north 
portion  of  the  township  embraces  North  mountain,  a  spur 
ofthe  Alleghanies.  This  mountain  was  so  named  from 
the  fact  of  its  being  the  northerly  one  of   two  mountains 


^= 


*'iO 


t 


4 


254 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


over  which  the  old  turnpike  crossed.  Its  summit  is  some 
2,000  feet  above  the  Susquehanna  at  Beach  Haven,  and 
from  it  can  be  seen  ten  of  the  counties  in  this  State,  also 
the  celebrated  Water  Gap  on  the  Delaware. 

In  the  summer  of  1878  Colonel  Rickets  built  an  obser- 
vatory on  the  top  of  this  mountain,  and  made  it  easy  of 
access  by  a  winding  road  up  the  mountain.  This  tower, 
50  feet  in  height,  with  a  r6-foot  base,  was  destroyed  by  a 
gale  in  the  latter  part  of  1878.  Another,  broader  and 
higher,  is  being  built  by  the  same  gentleman. 

One  of  the  most  important  industries  of  this  township 
is  the  manufacture  of  maple  sugar  and  syrup.  Tl  e 
harvest  is  usually  abundant,  and  lasts  about  six  weeks 
each  year.  Most  of  the  timber  in  the  township  is  sugar 
maple.  There  are  several  large  sugar  orchards  contain- 
ing from  500  to  5,000  trees  each,  averaging  one  and  a 
quarter  pounds  of  sugar  per  tree. 

There  are  hotel  accommodations  at  Fairmount  Springs 
for  those  visiting  that  place  as  a  summer  resort.  There 
is  also  a  store  at  this  place,  one  at  Red  Rock,  and  one  at 
Lacock's,  on  Huntington  creek,  in  the  southeast  corner  of 
the  township.  At  this  place  also  is  a  wagon  and  sleigh 
manufactory.  There  are  also  several  blacksmiths  and 
other  artisans  in  the  township,  and  a  number  of  saw-mills. 

Early  Settlers   and  Business  Enterprises. 

Jacob  Long  is  supposed  to  have  been  one  of  the  first 
settlers,  if  not  the  first.  Some  of  his  descendants  are 
still  on  the  old  homestead  in  the  south  part  of  the  town- 
ship. He  came  in  1792,  journeying  from  the  Delaware 
river  with  an  ox  team,  and  brought  with  him  quite  a 
large  family  and  a  stock  of  provisions,  which  was  expect- 
ed to  last  until  more  could  be  raised.  As  often  happens 
in  a  new  country  the  provisions  would  not  last  unless 
served  out  in  rations.  The  old  mortar  and  pestle  con- 
stituted the  only  grist-mill  until  one  was  built  at  Wap- 
wallopen,  and  then  there  was  no  road  to  it,  and  the  old 
pioneer  had  to  take  his  grist  on  his  shoulder  and  his 
rifle  in  hand  and  march,  marking  the  route  as  he 
went  through  the  woods  that  he  might  not  go  astray  as 
he  returned. 

Joseph  Potter,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  was 
the  first  settler  at  Fairmount  Springs.  He  located  here 
long  before  the  old  Tioga  turnpike  was  built. 

Charles  Fritz  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  the  south 
part  of  the  township.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812,  and  is  now  eighty-eight  years  of  age.  He  has  sev- 
eral children  living  near  him. 

George  Gearhart,  another  pioneer  and  also  a  soldier 
of  the  war  of  1812,  located  in  the  southwest  part  of  the 
township.  Although  eighty-eight  years  old  he  is  as  ready 
and  intelligent  as  most  men  at  fifty.  He  has  lived  to  be- 
stow his  blessing  upon  twelve  children,  eighty-two  grand- 
children and  fifty-three  great-grandchildren. 

Peter  Boston,  another  early  settler,  now  eighty-five  years 
of  age,  located  on  Maple  run,  near  the  center  of  the 
south  half  of  the  township.  He  owns  and  operates  a  saw- 
mill, doing  most  of  the  work  himself.  He  came  here  in 
1820,  and  has  been  one  of  the  most  successful  hunters  of 


his  day.     He    has   killed    over   400  bears,  1,000  deer,  20 
catamounts,  and  wolves  ad  infinitum. 

Joseph  Moss  located  at  what  is  now  known  as  Moss's 
Corners,  south  of  Boston's,  in  the  Maple  run  valley.  At 
this  crossing  are  the  Moss  Methodist  church  and  the  Moss 
school-house. 

The  pioneer  tavern  was  kept  by  Gad  Seward,  in  1818, 
at  Fairmount  Springs.  It  was  a  favorite  resort  for  all 
inclined  to  mirth,  as  Gad  was  always  ready  with  a  sharp 
repartee  or  a  side-splitting  story,  and  for  a  mug  of  hot 
"flip"  he  could  not  be  beaten.  His  larder  was  always 
supplied  with  the  best  game  and  fish  of  the  season,  and 
the  traveler,  wearied  with  stage  coaching  on  the  Tioga 
turnpike,  was  sure  to  leave  Gad's  hostelry  refreshed  as 
with  new  wine. 

About  the  same  time  Andrew  Horn  opened  a  popular 
tavern  at  Red  Rock,  at  the  foot  of  North  mountain.  His 
place,  being  nearer  the  North  mountain,  became  more  of 
a  resort  for  hunters  and  fishermen. 

The  pioneer  foundry  of  Fairmount  was  built  by  Shad- 
rach  Lacock  in  1830,  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  town- 
ship, on  Huntington  creek.  The  Lacock  plow,  quite 
celebrated  in  its  day,  was  made  here.  In  1874  D.  E.  Rit- 
tenhouse  built  his  present  foundry. 

The  first  post-office  was  established  in  1835,  with  J.  C. 
Pennington  as  postmaster.  He  was  succeeded  by  Jere- 
miah Britton.  Theoflficewas  that  now  called  Fairmount 
Springs.  It  was  first  named  "  Fairmount  Township  "  post- 
otfice.  The  next  office  was  established  at  Red  Rock,  and 
the  first  postmaster  there  was  Truman  D.  Taylor. 

Thoroughfares. 

As  in  other  newly  settled  portions  of  our  country,  the 
pioneer  of  Fairmount  traveled  from  place  to  place 
guided  only  by  marked  trees.  Next  would  come  the 
under-brushing  and  cutting  out,  to  make  room  for  the 
ox  team  and  sled,  and  then  other  improvements  followed 
until  roads  were  made.  The  first  of  these  were  in  the 
southeast  part  of  the  township,  and  from  there  they  ran 
westerly  and  northwesterly  along  Maple  run. 

The  Susquehanna  and  Tioga  turnpike  runs  along  and 
nearly  parallel  with  the  west  border  of  the  township, 
from  its  south  Hne  near  S.  White's  place,  northerly 
through  Fairmount  Springs  and  Red  Rock,  to  a  point 
south  of  Dodson's  pond,  where  it  turns  into  Sullivan 
county.  It  was  commenced  in  181 1;  work  was  suspended 
during  the  war  of  1812,  but  resumed  in  1816.  and  the 
road  was  completed  through  this  township  in  1818.  It 
was  built  by  a  stock  company,  and  paid  a  good  dividend 
till  travel  was  diverted  to  the  steam  channel.  In  1845  »' 
was  abandoned  by  the  company  and  surrendered  to  the 
township. 

The  first  stage-drivers  and  mail-carriers  over  this  line 
were  Joshua  Dodson,  Timothy  H.  Tubbs  and  S.  F. 
Headley. 

Early  and  Later  Schools. 

The  pioneer  school-house  in  this  township  was  built, 
of  logs,  in  or  about  1794,  near  the  site  of  the  Methodist 


=^^ 


#= 


<', 


SCHOOLS  AND  CHURCHES  OF  FAIRMOUNT— FOSTER  TOWNSHIP. 


255 


Episcopal  camp  ground,  between  Huntington  and 
Kitchen's  creeks.  The  first  teacher  of  whom  we  have 
any  account  was  Mrs.  Margaret  Trescott,  mother  of 
Colonel  E.  L.  Trescott,  now  living  in  Huntington.  She 
taught  the  school  in  the  summer  of  1796. 

In  1824  a  school-house  was  built  at  Fairmount  Springs, 
on  the  old  Susquehanna  and  Tioga  turnpike.  This  was 
a  double  log  house,  built  both  for  church  and  school 
purposes.  The  pioneer  teacher  was  Miss  Paulina  Culver, 
who  taught  there  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1824. 

The  next  school-house  was  also  of  logs,  and  built  in 
1826,  at  what  is  known  as  Red  Rock,  at  the  foot  of  North 
mountain,  on  the  old  turnpike.  The  first  teachers  were 
James  Park  and  Elias  Myers. 

These  three  old  log  pioneer  school-houses  have  given 
place  to  others  of  modern  architecture,  and  there  are 
now  eight  in  this  township,  with  all  the  modern  appli- 
ances, and  occupied  by  teachers  of  the  first  grade. 
Several  of  the  school-houses  in  the  township  are  also 
used  for  religious  purposes. 

Religious. 

As  early  as  1800  the  veteran  itinerants,  in  their  jour- 
neyings  around  the  circuit,  preached  at  what  was  known 
in  later  years  as  Lacock's  school-house.  Although  no 
organization  was  formed  at  this  place  for  a  number  of 
years,  the  circuit-riders,  including  Gideon  Draper,  Mor- 
ris Howe,  James  Paynter,  John  Rhodes,  Nicholas  Willis 
and  others,  continued  to  find  their  way  to  this  settle- 
ment, also  to  that  on  the  west  side  of  the  township  at 
Fairmount  Springs. 

In  1824  Elder  Elias  Dodson,  a  Baptist  preacher,  found 
his  way  to  Fairmount  Springs,  preaching  there  occasion- 
ally in  the  old  log  school-house  at  that  place.  Just  how 
long  Mr.  Dodson  continued  his  labors  at  this  place  is 
not  now  known.  In  1843,  when  Revs.  J.  W.  Haughawout 
and  Irving  H.  Torrence  were  traveling  the  Bloomingdale 
circuit,  Methodist  classes  were  formed  at  the  Lacock 
school-house,  at  the  Moss  church  and  at  the  Taylor 
church.  In  1847  the  class  at  the  Bethel  school-house 
was  formed,  in  1849  the  one  at  Oakland,  and  in  1852  the 
one  at  Hoover's,  thus  making  six  classes  in  all  in  the 
township,  one  at  each  of  the  two  churches  and  four  at 
school-houses.  Public  services  are  held  by  the  preacher 
in  charge  once  in  two  weeks  with  each  class.  A  Sunday- 
school  is  organized  at  each  appointment,  and  kept  up 
during  the  summer  season. 


FOSTER  TOWNSHIP. 


4= 


N  November  15th,  1855,  this  township  was  set 
off  from  Denison  and  named  after  A.  L. 
Foster,  Esq.,  the  principal  early  benefactor 
of  the  village  of  Eckley.  It  is  noted  for 
the  excellent  quality  and  large  quantity  of 
coal  produced  at  its  mines.  John  Lines  was  the 
pioneer  settler.    Besides  his  garden  patch  where  he 


first  located  he  cleared  a  piece  of  land  at  Terrapin  Pond, 
about  three  miles  southwest,  and  raised  the  first  farm  crop 
in  this  township.  At  that  time  Foster  was  not  surveyed 
into  lots,  but  was  an  unbroken  and  almost  unknown 
wilderness,  filled  with  wild  beasts.  The  nearest  neighbor 
was  at  Lowerytown,  now  Rockport,  seven  miles  down 
the  river,  and  visiting,  especially  in  the  evening,  was  a 
rare  luxury. 

About  1840  Thomas  Morrison  came  in  from  the  valley 
and  located  on  Pond  creek,  three  miles  south  of  White 
Haven.  Here  he  built  two  saw-mills  and  a  grist-mill. 
The  timber  was  soon  exhausted  and  the  saw-mills  went 
to  decay.  Soon  after  Mr.  Morrison  settled  he  was  ap- 
pointed post-master,  and  the  little  settlement  became 
known  as  Morrison's  post-office.  The  grist-mill,  yet  in 
operation,  is  owned  by  Peter  Moyer. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  justices  elected  in  Foster 
since  its  formation  as  a  township,  with  the  years  of  their 
election:  Reuben  Leisenring,  1857;  Thomas  Morrison, 
i860,  1869;  Edward  McHugh,  1864,  1869;  J,ames  Mor- 
rison, 1865;  John  C.  Roach,  1870;  Francis  Gabrio,  1870; 
William  Sneddon,  sen.,  1874;  William  Sneddon,  1875. 

The  population  of  the  township  in  1880  was  5,118, 
against  3,000  in  1870. 

Collieries. 

Highland  colliery,  in  the  west  part  of  the  town,  two  and 
a  half  miles  northeast  of  Jeddo,  is  owned  by  the  High- 
land Coal  Company  and  operated  by  G.  B.  Markle  & 
Co.  G.  B.  Markle  is  superintendent.  At  slope  No. 
I  there  are  four  engines,  with  a  total  of  140  horse  power, 
and  123  men  and  boys  employed  under  ground  and  75 
on  the  surface.  At  colliery  No.  2  there  are  three  en- 
gines, with  a  total  of  no  horse  power.  There  are  8i 
men  and  boys  employed  under  ground  and  77  above. 
At  slope  No.  I  there  were  mined  in  1878,  60,087  to"S  of 
coal  and  at  colliery  No  2,  55,942  tons. 

Sandy  Run  colliery,  on  a  creek  of  that  name  south- 
west from  White  Haven,  is  owned  by  the  Richardson 
estate  and  operated  by  M.  S.  Kem merer  &  Co., 
with  Thomas  M.  Righter  as  superintendent.  There  are 
nine  fengines  at  this  colliery,  with  a  total  of  700  horse 
power.  There  are  97  men  and  boys  employed  under 
ground  and  57  on  the  surface.  In  212  days  in  1878 
they  mined  82,032  tons  of  coal. 

Buck  Mountain  colliery  is  partly  in  Carbon  county. 
It  is  owned  and  operated  by  the  Buck  Mountain  Coal 
Company.  William  Spencer  is  superintendent.  The 
twelve  engines  have  525  horse  power.  There  are  256 
men  and  boys  employed  under  ground,  and  124  above 
the  surface.  The  amount  of  coal  mined  in  1878  was 
113,208  tons. 

Heberton  Circuit. 

The  Heberton  circuit  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
was  organized  May  15th,  1875,  and  embraced  the  fol- 
lowing appointments:  Upper  Lehigh,  South  Heberton 
Highland  and  Jeddo  borough  in  the  township  of  Foster, 
and  Latimer,  Milnesville,  Ebervale  and   Humbolt  in  the 


=^^ 


*€^ 


256 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


township  of  Hazle.  Eckley  was  added,  and  Humbolt 
was  dropped  the  same  year.  In  1876  Harleigh,  in  Hazle 
township,  and  Sandy  Run,  in  Foster,  were  added  to  the 
circuit.  All  of  the  above  were  school-house  appointments 
except  South  Heberton  and  Milnesville.  There  were  then 
112  members  and  46  probationers.  Rev.  N.  S.  Bucking- 
ham was  the  presiding  elder,  and  Rev.  John  Horning 
preacher  in  charge,  with  Rev.  Charles  Buck  junior  preach- 
er. The  local  preachers  were  Revs.  George  Bird  and 
Joseph  Evans. 

Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  South  Heber- 
ton, was  built  in  1874,  at  a  cost  of  $3,500,  and  opened 
for  service  without  any  formal  dedication.  There  are 
18  members  at  this  place.  The,  board  of  trustees  consists 
of  John  M.  Cunius,  Jacob  Mack,  William  H.  Thomas, 
William  Chalinger,  John  Burton,  Joseph  Evans,  Alexan- 
der Steward,  George  Turner  and  William  Carter. 

Latimer  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  built  in  1878, 
and  dedicated  the  same  year  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Leckie.  It 
cost  $1,300.  The  trustees  are  D.  S.  Stine,  William  Mar- 
tin, Joseph  Evans,  H.  Wolf  and  Alexander  Steward. 
Rev.  William  Porter  was  the  preacher  in  charge  in    1879. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Jeddo  was  for- 
merly a  large  school-house,  and  was  purchased  by  the 
society,  remodeled  and  fitted  up  for  a  church.  The  trus- 
tees are  Jacob  Mack,  Robert  Cowen,  William  Thomas, 
Edward  Johnson,  sen.,  and  Thomas  Miller. 

At  Ebervale  the  Methodist  Episcopal  society  worships 
in  a  neat  and  substantial  hall,  built  jointly  by  the  society 
and  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  of  that  place. 
There  is  also  a  flourishing  union  Sunday-school  connect- 
ed with  the  society,  under  the  superintendence  of  Cyrus 
Young,  Esq. 

In  October,  1876,  the  M.  E.  church  at  Milnesville  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  services  have  since  been  held 
in  the  school-house  at  that  place. 

According  to  the  conference  minutes  in  1879  there  were 
352  members  on  the  whole  circuit. 

The  following  preachers  besides  those  named  have 
served  on  this  circuit  since  1875:  Rev.  John  Horning, 
1875,  1876;  Rev.  C.  L.  Bennett,  1877,  1878,  and  the  pres- 
ent pastor.  Rev.  Edmund  White,  1879.  The  junior 
preachers  have  been:  Rev.  Charles  J.  Buck,  1875;  Rev. 
J.  R.  Shipe,  1876,  1877;  Revs.  O.  H.  Huston  and 
George  E.  King  for  a  part  of  1878,  and  Rev.  J.  C.  Brown, 
1879. 

A  union  Sunday-school  exists  in  nearly  every  school- 
house  within  the  borders  of  the  circuit,  and  at  each 
church.  There  are  39  officers  and  teachers,  and  297 
scholars.  The  benevolent  collections  in  these  schools  for 
1878  amounted  to  $107. 

South  Heberton. 

Joseph  Birkbeck  was  born  at  Todd's  House,  Wind- 
mer  End,  near  Brough,  Westmoreland  county,  England, 
May  2nd,  1802,  and  married  Elizabeth  Johnson,  who  was 
born  at  Buck  Hills,  Stainmoor,  near  Brough,  February 
i2th,i8o4.  They  came  to  America  in  1844,  and  the  same 
year  located  at  South  Heberton,  where  he  bought  a  tract 


of  land  of  Edward  Lynch.  Here  he  built  a  log  house, 
the  first  in  this  then  wilderness,  on  the  site  of  the  frame 
house  built  in  i860,  now  occupied  by  his  widow,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Birkbeck.  The  next  settler  was  N.  Howes,  who 
purchased  land  of  Mr.  Birkbeck  and  built  the  first  frame 
house  in  this  section,  just  west  of  Birkbeck's.  Soon  after 
this  other  settlers  came  in,  and  ere  long  the  forest  began 
to  melt  away.  Coal  fields  were  developed  and  the  pros- 
pect of  a  large  consequent  population  and  demand  for 
building  lots  led  Mr.  Birkbeck  to  have  surveyed  the 
town  plot  of  South  Heberton,  and  soon  a  thriving  village 
was  growing  up,  depending  on  surrounding  mining  towns 
for  support. 

Mr.  Birkbeck's  was  the  first  clearing  in  this  then  forest; 
in  it  were  raised  the  first  crops,  and  here  the  first  orchard 
was  set  out. 

The  first  child  born  at  South  Heberton  was  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Birkbeck,  born  in  1845. 
The  first  death  at  this  place  was  that  of  William,  son  of 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Birkbeck,  which  occurred  Feb.  nth, 
1846.     He  was  aged  4  years,  3  months  and   15  days. 

In  1845  and  1846  Mr.  Joseph  Birkbeck  cut  the  road 
through  the  woods  from  South  Heberton  through  Eckley 
to  Buck  mountain.  EcKley  was  then  known  as  Shingle- 
town,  as  no  business  was  done  there  except  by  two  or 
three  parties  whose  occupation  was  making  shingles,  cart- 
ing them  to  either  White  Haven  or  Hazleton  and  trading 
them  for  the  necessaries  of  life,  such  as  whiskey,  pork 
and  tobacco. 

The  first  store  at  South  Heberton  was  kept  by  a  man 
named  Feist,  a  little  west  of  Birkbeck's.  Soon  afterward 
a  Mr.  Minig  kept  a  little  store  near  Feist's. 

The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  N.  Howes,  where  Joseph 
Jamison  now  lives,  a  little  west  of  Birkbeck's.  Previous, 
however,  to  the  opening  of  Howes's  tavern,  Mr.  Birkbeck 
accommodated  parties  who  were  prospecting  in  this 
region  for  anthracite  deposits,  with  the  best  the  house 
afforded.  Among  the  guests  who  partook  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Birkbeck's  hospitality,  were  Judge  Tench  Coxe, 
Prof.  William  F.  Roberts,  Hon,  Ario  Pardee,  Mr.  Leisen- 
ring,  Mr.  Sharp  and  others. 

The  first  school-house  at  this  place  was  built  in  187S, , 
and  is  a  fraine  building. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Birkbeck  moved  into  this  then 
wilderness  they  were  far  from  any  settlement.  At  Mor- 
rison, near  White  Haven,  was  the  nearest  store,  and 
Straw's,  over  in  Butler,  was  the  nearest  grist-mill.  For 
meat  they  depended  upon  such  as  the  forest  afforded, 
which  was  taken  in  different  ways.  Mrs.  Birkbeck  related 
to  us  the  manner  in  which  she  captured  the  "  pride  of  the 
forest."  One  afternoon  in  the  fall  of  the  second  year 
after  they  had  cleared  a  patch  on  the  hillside  above  the 
house,  her  attention  was  attracted  by  some  dogs  making 
a  "great  fuss"  in  the  clearing,  and  she  discovered  a 
noble  buck  with  his  wide  spreading  antlers  coming  down 
the  hillside.  The  thought  flashed  through  her  mind 
what  nice  venison  he  would  make.  With  a  noble  ma- 
tronly spirit  of  providing  for  an  impoverished  larder,  she 
laid  down  her  child  Elizabeth,  caught  up  an  ax  that  lay 


l> 


4. 


^h 


='=^p^ 


ECKLEY  AND  UPPER  LEHIGH. 


257 


near  by,  and  started  for  the  deer.  The  deer  seeing  her, 
and  having  been  worried  and  maddened  by  the  dogs, 
changed  his  course  direct  for  Mrs.  Birkbeck.  She,  not 
dreaming  of  the  danger  she  was  in,  met  the  proud  ant- 
lered  son  of  the  forest,  and  the  battle  commenced.  The 
matroil  finally  struck  the  deer  with  the  ax  on  one  of  his 
fore-legs,  and  breaking  it  brought  him  to  the  ground, 
where  with  the  aid  of  the  dogs  the  venison  was  soon 
secured. 

South  Heberton  now  contains  a  church  (Methodist 
Episcopal),  .1  school-house,  two  stores,  two  hotels,  a  tin 
shop,  a  shoe  shop,  a  blacksmith  shop,  three  saloons,  and 
about  500  inhabitants. 

ECKLEY. 

Eckley  first  came  into  public  notice  in  1854,  when 
Messrs.  Sharp,  Leisenring  &  Weiss  opened  the  coal  mines 
here.  A  branch  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  was  built 
to  this  place  in  1855,  and  a  shipment  of  coal  was  made  in 
September  of  that  year.  A  large  and  commodious  hotel 
was  built  here  in  1857,  and  subsequently  converted  into 
a  dwelling  house.  The  school-house  was  built  in  1858, 
and  the  steam  saw-mill  in  1856.  The  Protestant  Episco- 
pal and  Presbyterian  churches  were  built  in  1858,  and 
since  then  the  Catholic  church.  The  population  is  about 
600.     E.  T.  Dodson  is  the  present  postmaster. 

The  colliery  at  this  place  is  known  as  Co'uncil  Ridge 
Colliery,  and  is  owned  by  the  estate  of  Tench  Coxe,  and 
operated  by  J.  Leisenring  &  Co.  At  slope  No.  2  there 
are  i6o  men  and  boys  employed  under  ground,  and  70  on 
the  surface.  There  are  eight  engines,  with  a  total  of  375 
horse  power.  At  No.  5  there  are  77  men  employed  under 
ground,  and  44  on  the  surface.  There  are  seven  engines, 
of  375  horse  power.  The  number  of  tons  of  coal  mined 
in  1878  for  both  slopes  was  143,884. 

UPPER  LEHIGH. 

Upper  Lehigh  is  an  exception  to  the  rule  in  mining 
towns,  as  it  is  a  model  of  neatness,  presenting  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  tidy  New  England  village.  The  property 
is  all  owned  by  the  Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Company,  and 
the  stockholders  are  personally  represented  in  every  de- 
partment of  the  work.  The  village  was  laid  out  in  1865 
into  regular  streets  and  blocks,  and  the  miners'  houses, 
205  in  number,  making  410  tenements  of  that  class,  are 
substantially  built  upon  solid  foundations,  and  are  of  a 
uniform  size  and  neatly  painted.  The  streets  are  broad 
and  are  kept  scrupulously  clean,  as  no  rubbish  of  any 
kind  is  allowed  to  be  deposited  in  the  streets  or  alleys. 
The  houses  of  the  proprietors,  superintendent,  chief 
clerk  and  foreman  are  of  modern  architecture,  and  are 
painted  a  different  color  from  those  of  the  miners.  The 
town  is  about  700  feet  higher  than  the  Lehigh  at  White 
Haven,  and  is  approached  from  the  east  by  the  Nesco- 
peck  branch  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey, 
which  was  built  to  this  place  in  1867.  The  first  building 
put  up  was  the  steam  saw-mill,  which  was  built  in  the 
fall  of  1865  and  commenced  running  that  winter;  in  the 
spring  of   1866   the   company  built  25  double   houses. 


making  50  tenements.  The  first  school-house,  the 
double  one  on  the  Foster  side  of  the  line,  was  built  in 
1867,  the  second  one  in  1870,  and  the  third  one  in  1876. 
The  last  two  are  on  the  Butler  side  of  the  line.  George 
W.  Kemmerer  was  appointed  postmaster  in  1867.  At 
first  the  mails  were  received  from  Eckley;  they  are  now 
received  daily  by  the  railroad.  H.  M.  Merrick  is  the 
postmaster.  In  1866  the  company  built  a  first  class 
machine  shop,  where  all  its  own  work  is  done  from  the 
raw  material.  The  company  store,  the  only  one  here, 
was  built  in  1866.  The  Upper  Lehigh  Hotel,  built  by 
the  Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Company,  was  opened  for  the 
reception  of  guests  January  28th,  1869,  by  Conrad 
Seiple  as  manager.     This   is  the  only  hotel   in  the   place. 

The  village  is  well  supplied  with  pure  spring  water 
from  the  reservoir  on  the  north  side,  above  the  doable 
school-house.  The  water  is  carried  in  pipes  to  all  parts 
of  the  town,  and  to  the  breaker?. 

The  Upper  Lehigh  cemetery  was  laid  out  into  lots  in 
1866. 

T.  J.  Mays  is  the  resident  physician,  employed  on  a 
salary  and  paid  by  assessment  alike  upon  the  employers 
and  employed. 

There  are  at  this  place  two  churches  (Presbyterian 
and  Welsh),  and  a  Methodist  Episcopal  society  without 
a  church;  a  store,  three  school-houses  and  four  schools, 
a  hall,  a  shoemaker,  and  1,400  inhabitants. 

MINES    AT    UPPER    LEHIGH. 

The  mines  were  opened  by  the  Upper  Lehigh  Coal 
Company  in  the  summer  of  1866,  and  the  first  shipment 
of  coal  was  made  in  March,  1867.     There  are  two 

CHURCHES    AT    UPPER    LEHIGH. 

Welsh  Baptist. — This  society  was  organized  in  1868  in 
the  double  school-house,  by  Rev.  John  Johnson.  He 
was  succeeded  by  George  H.  Hammer,  who  was  the  first 
regularly  installed  pastor  of  the  church,  and  remained 
with  it  seven  years.  The  church  is  located  on  the  south 
side  of  Main  street,  and  was  built  in  1873  at  a  cost  of 
$3,500.  William  Powell  was  at  first  and  is  now  one  of 
the  deacons,  elders,  and  trustees.  The  church  is  without 
a  pastor.  The  present  membership  is  90.  The  value 
of  the  church  property  is  $3,000.  There  is  a  flourishing 
Sunday-school,  with  E.  M.  Williams  as  superintendent. 
Presbyterian. — This  church  owes  its  origin  at  this 
place  to  members  of  the  Upper  Lehigh  Coal  Company 
who  belonged  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  previous  to 
locating  here.  John  Leisenring,  now  of  Mauch  Chunk 
but  at  the  lime  referred  to  mining  coal  at  Eckley,  was 
the  first  to  purchase  the  land  on  which  the  present 
church  edifice  is  built.  With  him  were  associated  such 
Christian  gentlemen  as  Samuel  B.  Price,  Daniel  Bertsch, 
jr.,  and  Walter  Leisenring.  No  sooner  were  the  mines 
in  full  operation  than  these  men  set  about  securing  a 
place  of  worship,  not  only  for  themselves  but  for  those 
in  their  employ.  For  a  time  they  were  supplied  alter- 
nately by  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  ministers,  and 
used  an  extemporized   house  of  worship.     The  church 


^-^^ 


2s8 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


w.is  fonnally  organized  June  28th,  1868,  by  a  committee 
ap])ointed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Luzerne  for  that  purpose, 
with  the  following  members:  Mrs.  Harriet  B.  Price, 
Miss  Leisenring,  Parker  Price,  Mrs.  Anna  Oliver  and 
Mr.=.  Mary  Jamison.  An  election  for  elder  was  held, 
which  resulted  in  the  choice  of  Parker  Price. 

The  present  church  was  built  in  187 1  at  a  cost  for 
building  and  furnishing  of  about  $4,500.  The  present 
value  of  the  church  property  is  $4,000. 

Rev.  John  Johnson  was  the  minister  who  gathered  a 
nucleus  for  a  church.  With  him  Rev.  Mr.  Day,  a 
Methodist  minister,  labored  in  preaching  the  gospel. 
Mr.  Johnson  continued  to  supply  the  pulpit,  with  the 
approval  of  the  Presbytery,  until  the  spring  of  1870. 
Nov.  ist,  1870,  Rev.  George  H.  Hammer  commenced  his 
labors  as  a  supply,  which  he  continued  until  Nov.  i8th, 
1877.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  D.  McLeod,  a  member 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  commenced  his 
labors  as  stated  supply. 

GOOD    templars'    LODGE     AT    UPPER    LEHIGH. 

Peerless  Lodge,  No.  1,283,  Independent  Order  of  Good 
Templars  was  instituted  Feb.  5th,  1878.  The  original 
officers  of  the  lodge  were  Thomas  Jackson,  W.  P.  C.  T.; 
William  Stafford,  W.  C.  T.;  M.  E.  Beyer,  W.  V.  T.| 
George  Vanauker,  W.  S.;  Alexander  Vanauker,  W.  F.  S.; 
W.  M.  Trescott,  W.  T.;  Henry  Helmer,  W.  M.;  Emory 
Shelley,  W.  L  G.;  Evan  Moses,  W.  O.  G,;  Charles  Tres- 
cott, W.  C;  W.  D.  Stafford,  L.  D. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  were  held  in  the 
Butler  school-house  from  the  date  of  organization  until 
the  following  October,  since  which  time  the  lodge  has 
occupied  the  Foster  school-house. 

The  succeeding  presiding  officers  have  been  M.  E. 
Boyer,  George  Vanauker,  James  Brookmire,  Thomas 
Eastwood,  Charles  Croll,  and  W.  G.  Stafford. 

The  lodge  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  officers 
for  1880  are:  J.  W.  McMurtrie,  W.  C.  T.;  Thomas 
Eastwood,  W.  V.  T.;  M.  E.  Boyer,  W.  S.;  W.  W.  Tres- 
cott, W.  F.  S.;  Emory  Shelley,  W.  T.;  J.  Sneddon,  W. 
M.;  WilHam  Kloss,  W.  S.  G.;  William  Shelley,  W.  O.  G.; 
Thomas  Terry,  W.  C;  W.  G.  Stafford,  L.  D. 


^ 


WHITE  HAVEN  BOROUGH. 


^HE   act  of  the  General   Assembly  of   1843  by 
which  this  borough  was   incorporated   stipu- 
ulated  that  the  place  of  holding  the  borough 
elections  should  be  "  the  house  of  Isaac  Rip- 
ple," and  that  the  first  election   for  borough  pur- 
poses should  be  on  the  first  Monday  of  September 
following,  and   others   annually   thereafter  on  the 
third  Friday  in  March. 

The  first  annual  borough    election   took  place   March 
17th,  1843.     George  W.  Butler  was  elected  judge  for  the 


occasion,  George  Straub  inspector,  and  Edward  P.  Tut- 
tle  clerk.  The  following  persons  were  elected  to  fill  the 
several  offices  of  the  borough:  Chief  Burgess,  Joseph 
Yardley;  councilmen — Abiathar  Tuttle,  John  Shefferstine, 
Jacob  Zink,  Samuel  Hunter,  Jonathan  Brock  and  David 
Dean;  constable,  James  B.  Weller;  street  commissioner, 
John  Wasser;  overseer  of  the  poor,  Lucius  Blakeslee. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  town  council  March  20th,  1843,  at 
the  office  of  Abiathar  Tuttle,  they  formed  themselves  into 
a  board,  and  by  lot  divided  themselves  into  two  classes 
as  follows:  First  class — David  Dean,  Samuel  Hunter  and 
John  Shefferstine;  second  class — Abiathar  Tuttle,  Jacob 
Zink  and  Jonathan  Brock.  David  Dean  was  appointed 
clerk  of  the  council  for  the  ensuing  year. 

The  election  held  March  17th,  1843,  having  been  de- 
clared null  and  void  by  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of 
Luzerne  county,  the  Legislature  authorized  a  special  elec- 
tion for  the  third  Monday  of  May,  1848.  An  election  was 
accordingly  held  ''at  the  house  of  Samuel  House,"  when 
the  following  officers  were  elected:  Chief  Burgess,  Jos- 
eph Yardley;  councilmen — David  H.  Taylor,  Edward 
Lockwood,  Horatio  G.  Hoven,  David  Dean,  Daniel  Was- 
ser and  I.  Cowley  Past;  street  commissioner,  George  Ar- 
nold; high  constable,  Wayne  Sprowl;  director  of  the  poor, 
David  Dean.  I.  Cowley  Past  was  appointed  clerk  of  the 
council  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Since  Mr.  Yardley  the  following  persons  have  served 
as  chief  burgess  for  the  borough,  and  for  the  years  named: 
1849-51,  Edward  Lockwood;  1852,  Frederick  H.  Bund; 
1853,  John  H.  Nace;  1854,  David  H.  Taylor;  1855, 
Washington  Torbert;  1856,  Josiah  W.  Enbody;  1857, 
Stephen  Bolles;  1858,  i860,  1863,  Jacob  Wirtler;  1859, 
Samuel  Hunter;  i86r,  1862,  Robert  R.  Morgan;  1864,  S. 
W.  Trimmer;  1865,  George  R.  Crellin;  1866,  Lucius 
Blakeslee;  1867,  1870,  Theodore  Smith;  1868,  1869,  1872, 
Bradley  Childs;  1871,  Otto  Kaiser;  1873,  Edwin  Shortz; 
1874,  Daniel  Steele;  1875-77,  Henry  Kaiser;  1878,  1879, 
Charles  Kleckner,  the  present  burgess. 

The  town  council  for  1879  was  composed  of  the  fol- 
lowing named  persons:  John  J.  Baker,  jr.,  John  W. 
Levan,  Jerome  Scott,  George  W.  Horton,  Rudolph  Feist 
and  Samuel  Wallace.     The  clerk  was  S.  Maguire. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  elec- 
ted for  the  borough  since  it  was  chartered,  and  the  year 
of  their  election: 

David  Dean,  1850,  1862,  1870,  1875;  G.  L.  Staples, 
1852,1857;  Joseph  Knauss,iSss;  Lucius  Blakeslee,  i860; 
Jacob  Ruger,  1865;  William  Eddinger,  i868,  1873;  B.  F. 
Ricker,  1873;  E.  C.  Wasser,  1873;  E.  P.  Tuttle,  1875;  E; 
P.  Morris,"  1876. 

Beginnings  and  Growth. 

White  Haven  was  first  settled  in  1824,  by  John  Lines, 
and  named  in  honor  of  Josiah  White,  who  was  an  early, 
prominent  and  enterprising  citizen  and  the  builder  of  the 
old  fashioned  "bear  trap"  locks  that  made  the  Lehigh 
navigable  as  far  above  here  as  Stoddardsville,  and  were 
in  use  as  late  as  i860,  when  the  old  Lehigh  Navigation 
and  Coal  Company  used  the  river  above  and  the  so-called 


=^H- 


^4 


## 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF   WHITE  HAVEN. 


259 


canal  below  White  Haven  as  a  means  of  transportation. 
The  Lehigh  valley  canal  wa's  built  from  Easton  to  Mauch 
Chunk  and  packets  commenced  running  in  July,  1829. 
In  1835  the  canal  was  commenced  at  White  Haven.  A 
basin  was  constructed  along  the  bank  of  the  river  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  town,  with  a  lock  and  a  dam  across  the 
river  at  the  upper  end  of  the  basin.  This  basin,  lock  and 
dam  still  remain  intact,  as  a  monument  to  the  indomitable 
perseverance  and  enterprise  of  Mr.  White  and  the  Le- 
high Navigation  and  Coal  Company.  This  dam  and  lock 
were  designated  as  dam  No.  i,  the  numbers  increasing 
down  stream. 

At  that  time  the  hills  on  either  side  of  the  river  at  this 
place  were  thickly  covered  with  pine  timber,  that  would 
row  be  considered  very  valuable.  The  company  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  even  before  the  canal  was  finished,  built 
a  saw-mill  near  the  upper  end  of  the  basin,  on  the  river 
side,  and  cut  out  the  lumber  necessary  in  building  the 
original  dam  across  the  river  a  little  above  where  the  Le- 
high Valley  Railroad  crosses.  Other  saw-mills  were  soon 
built,  and  in  a  short  time  White  Haven  was  one  of  the 
busiest  lumber  depots  in  the  State.  It  continued  so  as 
long  as  plenty  of  logs  were  within  a  reasonable  distance, 
and  as  late  as  1 860  there  were  ten  large  saw-mills  at  this 
place,  cutting  out  annually  an  aggregate  of  20,000,000 
feet  of  lumber.  White  Haven  at  that  time  was  an  inter- 
esting place,  both  on  account  of  the  gigantic  series  of 
dams  and  locks  and  the  magnificent  wildness  of  the  nat- 
ural scenery.  This  also  became  the  great  depot  for  the 
sale  of  the  immense  amount  of  lumber  manufactured  at 
the  then  numerous  mills  on  the  river  above,  between  here 
and  Stoddardsville,  as  the  navigation  company  ran  their 
boats  up  through  the  old  bear-trap  locks  to  that  place. 
The  second  saw-mill  at  White  Haven  was  built  in  1836  by 
Mr.  Stenson  Crouse,  a  little  further  down  the  river. 

The  old  canal  locks  and  dams  were  swept  away  by  the 
great  freshet  of  1862.  The  fast  canal  packet  "Washing- 
ton," commanded  in  1835  by  Captain  Hillman,  is  super- 
seded by  two  first  class  lines  of  railroad.  The  little  old 
school-house  and  church  combined  has  given  place  to  a 
fine  large  school  building  and  five  churches  of  modern 
size  and  architecture,  and  the  three  or  four  houses  have 
so  multiplied  as  to  contain  a  population  of  1,408.  The 
single  old  road  that  lay  along  the  bank  of  the  river  has 
become  the  main  street  of  a  flourishing  town,  and  the  lit- 
tle old  tavern  has  been  superseded  by  the  railroad  res- 
taurant, where  hundreds  of  travelers  are  daily  fed. 

The  first  family  to  make  a  permanent  location  in  this 
townshfp  and  borough  was  that  of  John  Lines.  He  came 
from  Hanover  township,  six  miles  below  Wilkes-Barre,  in 
the  latter  part  of  April,  1824,  having  his  household  goods 
on  a  sled,  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  Aside  from  his 
family,  and  good  health,  the  sled  load  of  goods  comprised 
all  his  earthly  possessions.  He  located  at  Linesvilje. 
just  over  the  hill  back  of  White  Haven,  on  Lines  creek, 
Here  he  built  a  log  house  in  May,  1824,  which  was  sub- 
sequently destroyed  by  fire,  when  he  built  a  house  of 
hewed  logs,  which  is  still  standing,  and  now  owned  by 
the  Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal  Company. 


In  that  house  Mr.  Lines  kept  the  first  tavern  in  White 
Haven.  The  next  tavern  in  the  borough  was  where  the 
White  Haven  House  now  stands,  on  the  corner  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Railroad  streets. 

The  first  plank  house  in  the  borough  was  built  by  John 
Fordsman  in  1837,  rn  the  corner  opposite  the  White 
Haven  House,  and  it  is  now  owned  by  James  Trimmer. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  borough  was  built  in 
1838,  of  rough  logs,  and  stood  in  the  rear  of  where  C. 
Kleckner's  store  now  stands,  on  Basin  street.  The  site 
is  occupied  by  the  track  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad. 

The  iron  foundry  and  machine  shops  at  White  Haven 
were  built  in  1839,  by  the  Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal 
Company,  and  Messrs.  Miner  &  Lippincott  were  the  op- 
erators. The  concern  originally  stood  about  half  way  up 
the  basin,  and  in  1866  or  1867  was  moved  to  where  it 
now  stands,  between  the  lower  end  of  the  basin  and  the 
river.     It  is  now  owned  and  operated  by  Samuel  Wallace. 

The  pioneer  store  was  kept  by  A.  O.  Chahoon.  It  was 
of  rough  logs,  was  built  in  1835,  and  stood  at  the  lower 
end  of  Susquehanna  street,  near  where  the  Lehigh  Hotel 
formerly  stood.  The  nearest  trading  points  at  that  time 
were  Wilkes-Barre,  Berwick  and  Mauch  Chunk. 

The  pioneer  physician  in  this  place  was  Dr.  Boyd. 
He  came  from  Wilkes-Barre,  and  was  employed  by  the 
Lehigh  Navigation  Company  on  a  salary  raised  by  as- 
sessment upon  the  men  employed  by  the  company. 
Most  of  the  large  coal  companies  employ  physicians  and 
pay  them  in  the  same  way. 

The  first  resident  lawyer  here  was  Gaius  Halsey,  a 
native  of  the  borough.     He  commenced  practice  in  1870. 

The  post-office  was  established  in  1835,  with  William 
Hoven  as  postmaster.  It  was  kept  in  the  old  log  store 
at  the  foot  of  Susquehanna  street.  The  mails  were 
brought  on  horseback  once  a  week  from  Wilkes-Barre. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  by  John  Lines  in  1826  or 
1827,  on  Lines  creek,  near  where  he  built  his  house. 
He  had  in  connection  with  his  mill  a  turning  lathe,  for 
making  posts  and  rounds  for  old-fashioned  splint  bottom 
chairs.  The  market  for  them  was  at  Wilkes-Barre,  Ber- 
wick and  Allentown.  They  had  to  be  hauled  to  those 
places  with  an  ox  team,  and  the  boy  John,  who  is  now 
an  old  man,  living  in  White  Haven,  was  the  teamster  on 
those  long  trips.  The  journey  to  Wilkes-Barre  and  back 
took  three  days,  to  and  from  Berwick  four,  and  to  Allen- 
town  and  return  six  days;  provided  the  roads  were  pass- 
able, and  the  "  chair  stuff "  found  a  brisk  market  in 
exchange  for  such  things  as  were  necessary  for  the  sus- 
tenance of  the  family. 

The  first  brick  building  in  the  borough  was  built  in 
1851,  by  the  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  Association,  and  it  is 
now  standing  on  Basin  street. 

The  White  Haven  Standard  was  published  by  Mr. 
Miner  from  1876  till  the  ist  of  November,  1879. 

The  White  Haven  water  works  reservoir  was  built  in 
1856  on  lots  20,  22  and  24,  which  were  purchased  of  the 
Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal  Company  for  $300.  The 
borough  is  bountifully  supplied  with  pure  spring  water 
from  the  mountains  of  Foster  township. 


^^ 


260 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


During  the  war  of  1861-65  the  borough  furnished  more 
than  its  full  quota  of  men,  paying  large  bounties,  for 
which  bonds  were  issued.  The  bonds  are  all  paid  and 
the  borough  is  free  from  debt. 

The  Lehigh  Boom  Company  was  organized  May  7th, 
1868.  The  original  directors  and  officers  were  as  fol- 
lows: Directors  — John  Brown,  Bradley  Childs,  Edwin 
Shortz,  David  H.  Taylor  and  William  D.  Brown;  pres- 
ident, John  Brown;  secretary  and  treasurer,  Edwin 
Shortz.  The  booms  were  located  on  the  Lehigh  river  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  White  Haven,  and  their  capacity 
is  30,000,000  feet  of  lumber.  The  present  directors  are 
John  Brown,  William  D.  Brown,  C.  L.  Keck,  A.  Lewis 
and  J.  Staufifir.  President,  John  Brown;  secretary  and 
treasurer,  Charles  L.  Keck.  Besides  the  mills  in  White 
Haven  the  company  supplies  four  other  mills  farther 
down  the  stream  and  a  steam  saw-mill  above  the  upper 
dam. 

The  Knickerbocker  Ice  Company,  of  New  York,  has 
built  a  large  ice  house  at  this  place,  and  gathers  large 
crops  of  ice  here. 

There  are  now  at  this  place  four  saw-mills,  a  foundry 
and  machine  shop,  four  hotels  (White  Haven,  Mansion, 
Eagle  and  Pacific),  several  saloons,  the  usual  number  of 
dry  goods  and  grocery  stores  for  a  place  of  this  size, 
several  wagon,  blacksmith  and  other  shops,  a  job  print- 
ing office,  a  graded  school  building,  a  public  hall,  five 
churches  (Methodist  Episcopal,  Protestant  Episcopal, 
Lutheran,  Presbyterian  and  Roman  Catholic),  and  the 
stations  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  and  the  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  at  both  of  which  all  passenger 
trains  stop.  John  K.  Torbert  is  the  postmaster,  and  the 
office  is  kept  on  Basin  street. 

Fire  Department. 

The  White  Haven  fire  department  was  organized  June 
25th,  1877,  at  a  meeting  of  the  following  named  gentle- 
men: R.  I.  Westover,  Henry  Kaiser,  John  Fisher, 
Samuel  Wallace,  Bradley  Childs,  John  Fiel,  Stephen 
Maguire,  Benjamin  Jacoby  and  James  Ray.  The  follow- 
ing officers  were  elected:  Henry  Kaiser,  president;  Sam- 
uel Wallace,  chief  engineer;  Stephen  Maguire,  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

The  White  Haven  Water  Company  was  organized  in 
1856,  and  a  reservoir  built  on  Church,  between  Buffalo 
and  Hemlock  streets;  over  it  was  built  a  brick  building, 
Xhe  lower  part  of  which  is  used  for  an  engine  and  hose 
house,  and  the  upper  rooms  for  a  town  hall. 

The  borough  the  same  year  bought  a  steam  fire  engine 
of  the  Silsby  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Seneca  Falls, 
N.  Y. 

Charles  Kleckner  is  the  president  of  the  department. 
The  rest  of  the  officers  are  the  same  as  at  first. 

White  Haven  Savings  Bank. 

This  bank  was  opened  January  2nd,  1872,  with  the  fol- 
lowing directors:  A.  F.  Peters,  Charles  L.  Heck,  John 
R.  Crellin,  Samuel  Wallace,  Gains  L.  Halsey  and  Charles 
Kleckner.     The   officers    were:  President,   A.  F.  Peters; 


vice-president,  Charles  L.  Keck;  cashier,  Samuel  Dunbar. 
Mr.  Dunbar  resigned  in  three -months,  and  Reuben  King, 
his  successor,  served  but  three  months.  Stephen  Maguire, 
the  present  cashier,  was  then  elected.  The  directors, 
president,  and  vice-president  are  as  at  first.  The  author- 
ized capital  of  the  bank  is  $25,000,  with  the  privilege  of 
increasing  it  to  $50,000. 

Churches  of  White   Haven, 
presbyterian. 

Rev.  Richard  Webster,  for  a  long  time  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Mauch  Chunk,  a  man  of  much 
missionary  spirit,  was  intimately  connected  with  the  or- 
ganizing of  this  section  as  a  missionary  enterprise,  as  was 
also  Dr.  John  Dorrance,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  At  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Presbytery  of  Luzerne,  in  September, 
1843,  supplies  were  appointed  for  White  Haven.  In  the 
spring  of  1844  Rev.  Darwin  Cook,  a  missionary,  was 
directed  to  give  one  Sabbath  a  month  to  White  Haven. 
There  was  only  one  Presbyterian  in  the  neighborhood. 
A  Sabbath-school  was  also  started  at  the  time.  Subse- 
quently Rev.  Mr.  Moore,  who  preached  at  Beaver  Mea- 
dow, was  appointed  to  spend  one  Sabbath  morning  in 
each  month  at  White  Haven.  In  February,  1848,  Rev. 
David  Harbison  entered  upon  ministerial  labor  in  con- 
nection with  Beaver  Meadow. 

The  Presbyterians  having  held  their  services  thus  far 
in  a  plain  one-story  school-house,  it  was  determined  to 
erect  a  church,  and  in  the  summer  of  1849  the  corner 
stone  was  laid  by  Rev.  Richard  Webster,  of  Mauch 
Chunk.  The  edifice  was  placed  on  the  public  ground, 
means  being  limited.  The  building  was  dedicated  free 
from  debt  December  25th,  1851,  and  stood  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  graveyard  on  the  hill.  It  now  stands 
on  Northumberland  street  and  is  used  as  a  dwelling. 

The  present  Presbyterian  church  of  White  Haven  was 
organized  December  6,  1850,  with  twenty-three  members, 
three  of  whom  are  still  in  White  Haven — Mrs.  Rosanna 
Morris,  Mrs.  Lavina  Peters  and  Mrs.  Margery  S.  Childs. 
At  the  time  of  the  organization  William  Davis  was  or- 
dained elder. 

Rev.  Samuel  A.  Gayley  came  here  in  June,  1850,  and 
labored  six  months.  He  organized  the  Sunday-school 
and  preached  with  much  success. 

Rev.  James  Scott  preached  here  in  the  summer  of 
185 1 ;  Rev.  John  F.  Baker  from  1852  to  1854;  Rev. 
Joseph  W.  Porter,  a  licentiate,  from  May,  1854,  till  the 
autumn  of  1857,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Jona- 
than Osmond. 

Rev.  James  M.  Salmon  was  pastor  from  August  ist, 
1863,  till  August  ist,  1873.  During  his  pastorate  the 
present  church  on  Berwick  street  was  built.  The  corner 
stone  was  laid  October  4th,  1868,  with  a  sermon  by  Rev. 
Dr.  I.  Z.  Grant,  of  Easton;  and  Rev.  Dr.  S.  C.  Logan 
preached  at  the  dedication,  December  2tid,  1869.  The 
amount  of  indebtedness,  $1,400,  was  provided  for  at  the 
time,  so  that  this  house,  like  the  first  one,  was  dedicated 
free  of  debt. 


■^^ 


=-4l 


CHURCHES  OF  WHITE  HAVEN. 


261 


Hh 


Mr.  Salmon  was  the  first  installed  pastor.  Rev.  P.  B. 
Cook  was  the  supply  liere  from  November,  1873,  till  No- 
vember, 1875;  and  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  N.  I.  M. 
Bogert,  began  his  labors  April  ist,  1876. 

The  elders  are  E.  P.  Morris  and  Samuel  R.  Porter; 
deacons,  J.  E.  King  and  L.  Levan;  trustees,  E.  P.  Mor- 
ris, S.  R.  Porter,  J.  E.  King,  A.  F.  Peters,  C.  S.  Keck 
and  William  Buckalew.  The  church  has  a  membership 
of  sixty-three.  The  Sunday-school  numbers  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  scholars. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  White  Haven  was 
organized  in  1835,  in  the  old  log  school-house  that  stood 
back  of  where  Charles  Kleckner's  store  now  stands.  The 
following  were  among  the  original  members:  Abiathar 
Tuttle  and  wife,  Elizabeth  Torbert,  George  F.  Tench  and 
George  Muer.  Rev.  George  Bergstresser,  a  veteran  itin- 
erant, was  the  first  Methodist  preacher  in  this  immediate 
vicinity,  and  was  present  at  the  organization  of  the  so- 
ciety. The  first  class  leader  is  supposed  to  have  been 
Abiathar  Tuttle. 

The  present  church  was  built  in  1839,  when  Rev.  Jo- 
seph A.  Ross  was  the  pastor.  In  1858  the  annual  confer- 
ence made  White  Haven  a  station,  with  Rev.  John  A. 
Price  as  pastor,  who  remained  two  years.  Since  then  the 
pastors  have  been:  Revs.  R.  E.  Wilson,  two  years;  D.  S. 
Monroe,  one  year;  B.  F.  Stephens,  two  years;  Samuel 
Thoma.s,  two  yeajrs;  Henry  G.  Dill,  one  year;  William  C. 
Hesser,  three  years;  John  A.  De  Moyer,  one  year;  J.  B. 
Akers,  two  years;  Emery  T.  S warts,  two  years:  A.  M. 
Kester,  two  years,  and  J.  T.  Wilson,  the  present  pastor 
(1879),  two  years. 

The  value  of  the  church  property  is  $5,000. 

The  Sunday-school  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  under 
the  superintendence  of  the  pastor. 

ST.  PAUL'S  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CONGREGATION. 

This  congregation  was  organized  February  28th,  1864,  by 
the  Rev.  Hermann  Reif,  who  had  been  sent  as  a  missionary 
to  this  region  by  the  Lutheran  Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania. 

At  its  first  communion,  held  April  3d,  1864,  the  follow- 
ing persons  commirned:  John  G.  Baetz,  Adam  Baetz, 
John  Feil,  Nicolaus  Geuss,  Frederick  Holraann,  Freder- 
ick Krueger,  Frederick  Mellies,  J.  Peter  Moyer,  Daniel 
Shantz,  Margaret  Baetz,  Barbara  Braudmeier,  Gertrude 
Fuehr,  Barbara  Geuss,  Lavina  Heimbach,  Catharine  Krue- 
ger, Johanna  Kaiser,  Pauline  Mellies,  Ella  A.  Moyer,  Kate 
Moyer,  Sophia  Vollmer,  Susanna  Washburn. 

The  first  officers  of  the  congregation  were:  Elders, 
Nicolaus  Geuss,  Frederick  Krueger;  deacons— Frederick 
Mellies,  J.  Christian  Heimbach. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Lutheran  Ministerium  of  Penn- 
sylvania held  at  Pottstown  in  May,  1864,  the  congre- 
gation was  regularly  received  into  that  body,  and  it  has 
ever  since  been  in  connection  with  it — the  constitution 
of  the  congregation  does  not  allow  any  minister  to  be 
called  as  its  pastor  unless  he  is  or  is  about  to  be  con- 
nected with  that  body. 


•:■: 


For  more  than  a  year  the  congregation  worshiped  in 
the  Presbyterian  church,  but  difficulties  arising,  and  the 
want  of  a  place  of  worship  of  its  own  being  more  and 
more  felt,  two  lots  were  purchased  during  the  summer  of 
1865,  and  a  church  and  parsonage  erected  thereon.  The 
corner  stone  of  the  church  was  laid  June  25th,  1865,  by 
the  Rev.  C.  F.  Weldon,  missionary  superintendent  of  the 
ministerium,  assisted  by  Rev.  F.  J.  F.  Shantz  and  the 
pastor.  Rev.  G.  F.  W.  Giiensch;  and  on  Christmas  of 
the  same  year  it  was  consecrated  by  the  Rev.  C.  W. 
Shaeffer,  president  of  the  ministerium,  assisted  by  Rev- 
A.  T.  Garsenheimer  and  the  pastor.  The  present  value 
of  the  church  property  is  about  $4,000.  The  congre- 
gntion  was  organized  as  a  German  congregation,  but  on 
February  3d,  1868,  by-laws  were  adopted  allowing  the 
—pastor,  "if  willing  and  able,''  to  preach  sometimes  in  the 
English  language.  Since  then  the  evening  services  have 
been  regularly  held  in  the  English  language,  and  with 
most  favorable  results — the  attendance  at  these  being 
fully  as  large  as  that  of  the  German  morning  service. 

For  eleven  years  this  was  a  mission  congregation,  and 
in  connection  with  the  congregations  at  Eckley,  Jeddo 
and  Weatherly  formed  the  White  H.iven  charge.  In 
1875  the  congregation  became  self-supporting,  called  its 
own  pastor,  and  has  ever  since  faithfully  and  liberally 
supported  him. 

Since  its  organization  about  300  persons  have  been  re- 
ceived from  other  churches  and  by  confirmation.  The 
present  communicant  membership  is  about  225. 

The  following  ministers  have  served  this  congrega- 
tion: Rev.  H.  Reif,  1864,  1865;  Rev.  G.  F.  W.  Guensch, 
1865-68;  Rev.  J.  H.  Schmidt,  1868-75;  Rev.  W.  H.  Lau- 
benstein,  1875-77.  Rev.  G.  T.  Weibel,  the  present  pastor, 
took  charge  of  the  congregation  June  ist,  1878.  The 
present  officers  of  the  congregation  are:  Pastor,  Rev.  G. 
T.  Weibel;  elders,  Henry  Hemsath,  Jacob  Klumb;  trus- 
tees, John  Koib,  Henry  Hemsath;  deacons,  Owen  Moyer, 
John  Kolh,  G.  Huetlinger,  Robert  Earnhard. 

There  is  a  fiourish'ng  Sunday-school  connected  with 
the  congregation.  It  was  organised  in  May,  1866,  with 
.about  40  scholars  and  but  few  teachers.  Its  first  super- 
intendent was  Mr,  Samuel  Tucker. 

The  school  is  now  conducted  alternately  in  the  (jer- 
man  and  English  languages.  German  and  English  hymn 
books  and  text  books  are  used,  and  the  classes  are  ar- 
ranged according  to  language — German  classes  with 
German  teachers,  and  English  classes  with  English  teach- 
ers. The  school  numbers  about  300-  scholars  and  40 
teachers.  It  has  a  fine  library  of  about  300  volumes  of 
German  and  English  books.  Its  present  officers  are: 
German  superintendent,  John  Kolb;  English  superinten- 
dent, James  Deterline;  sec,  Frederick  Baetz;  treas.,  John 
Feil;  librarian,  Edwin  W.  Feist. 

ST.  Patrick's  church  and  congregation. 

St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  church  is  situated  in  the 
southwest  portion  of  the  town,  on  rising  ground  suffic- 
iently elevated  to  overlook  the  entire  borough.  It  is 
built  on  two  lots  each  40  by  150  feet,  extending  north  and 


<^ 


^h 


2^2 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


south  from  Maple  to  Alleghany  street,  and  fronting  on 
another  street.  The  building  is  of  wood,  34  by  60  feet, 
and  18  feet  in  the  clear.  It  makes  no  pretension  what- 
ever to  architectural  beauty;  is  painted  plain  white  on  the 
outside,  the  pews  in  walnut  color.  The  corner  stone  wis 
laid  in  October,  1866,  by  the  Right  Rev.  James  Wood, 
D.  D.,  his  immediate  jurisdiction  at  that  time  still  ex- 
tending over  Luzerne  county.  He  was  attended  during  the 
ceremonies  by  Revs.  Noonan  and  Filan.  The  concourse  of 
spectators  was  very  large,  very  few  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  borough  ever  having  witnessed  such  a  ceremony  be- 
fore. The  frame  work  of  the  church  was  put  up  by  con- 
tract during  the  year,  without,  however,  being  plastered 
or  having  any  pews  inserted.  The  work  was  done  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Noonan,  and  together 
with  the  lots  cost  about  $2,400.  Money  was  most  liber- 
ally donated  by  the  Rev.  gentleman,  members  of  the  con- 
gregation and  men  of  all  denominations  res'iding  in  the 
borough,  donations  ranging  from  $100  downward.  Mr. 
John  McAndrews  and  John  Glynn  acted  as  collectors, 
and  the  latter  also  as  treasurer. 

The  number  of  Catholics  in  the  borough  and  vicinity 
was  estimated  at  eight  or  nine  hundred.  They  were 
mostly  employed  on  the  railroads  then  in  process  of  con- 
struction. This  number  has  since,  as  employment  became 
more  scarce  in  the  vicinity,  steadily  decreased  by  emi- 
gration to  other  parts,  till  at  present  the  congregation 
does  not  number  more  than  450  souls  all  told. 

The  first  Catholic  settlers  of  this  region  were  Francis 
Lynch  and  Patrick  Dolan;  the  foriner  made  his  home  here 
about  1840.  In  the  next  ten  years  the  number  of  Catholics 
gradually  increased  and  they  were  visited  once  a  year 
from  Honesdale  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fitzsimmons,  who  used 
to  hold  services  at  the  house  of  James  and  afterward  of 
Francis  Lynch.  During  1850  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sharp  at- 
tended to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  Catholics  of  White 
Haven,  and  the  Rev.  P.  O'Shanghnessy  during  1851, 
both  coming  across  the  mountains  from  Wilkes-Barre,  the 
whole  distance  covered  by  an  almost  unbroken  forest.  A 
congregation  being  organized  about  this  time  at  Lowry- 
town.  Carbon  county.  White  Haven  and  vicinity  was 
attended  from  there  by  the  Rev.  A.  Sullivan,  who  in 
1853  bought  a  house  in  Denison  township,  in  the  por- 
tion commonly  known  as  "Jerusalem."  This  house 
served  as  a  church  till  the  present  structure  was  erected 
within  the  borough.  After  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sullivan's  death, 
which  occurred  about  four  years  later,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Noonan  succeeded  to  the  charge  of  the  congregation. 
He  visited  White  Haven  every  three  months  when  cir- 
cumstances permitted  during  a  period  of  ten  years.  It 
was  by  his  exertions  that  the  present  church  was  finally 
erected,  the  old  one  having  long  since  become  far  too 
small.  He  was  succeeded  in  1867  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mul- 
len, who  visited  the  church  once  a  month  from  Ecklev,  to 
vchich  place  he  transferred  his  residence.  In  1868  the 
diocese  of  Scranton  was  organized,  which  comprised  both 
Eckley  and  White  Haven  in  this  direction,  and  the  latter 
place  was  henceforth  attended  by  the  clergyman  in  charge 
of  St.  Mary's  church,  Eckley.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Mullen  was 


^- 


for  some  time  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tracy,  and  after- 
wards  by  Rev.  M.  J.  Fallihu,  who   after   the  death    of 
Father  Mullen  remained  in  charge  of  both  places.   He  held 
services  at  White  Haven  every  two  weeks  until,  in  1873, 
he  received  an  assistant  in  the  person  of  Rev.  J.  Bergan. 
After  this  St.  Patrick's  church  was  visited  every  Sunday. 
Finally,  in  Sept.,  1874,  the  Rev.  M.  J.  Bergath  was  ap- 
pointed resident  pastor  of  this   congregation.     He  took 
rooms  at  the  White  Haven  Hotel,  where  he  continued  to 
board  for  two  years.     During  the  same  autumn   he  went 
about  from  house    to    house  among   his    parishioners  to 
take   up   a   collection   to   purchase   ground  to  be   used 
as    a  cemetery,  there   being  no   Catholic    burying   place 
up  to  this  time  nearer  than  Lowrytown,  a  distance  of  at 
least  eight  miles.     Enough  money  was  raised  to  purchase 
three  acres   of  suitable  ground,  from   F.   Lynch,  on   the 
Wilkes-Barre  turnpike  about  one  mile  from  the  church. 
The  ground  cost  $300,  and  about  f  80  more  was  expended 
to  clear  one  acre  from  stumps  and  stones,  and  lay  it  out 
in  lots  according  to  a  plan   drawn  by  the  pastor.     This 
work  was  completed  in  the  spring   of   1875,  ^"d  at  the 
same  time  a  choir  gallery  was  added  to  the  church.     On 
the  iSth  of  July,    1875,   the   Rt.    Rev.   William    O'Hara, 
bishop  of  Scranton,  visited  White   Haven   and   adminis- 
tered the  sacrament  of  confirmation  to  a  large  number  of 
persons,  and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  he  solemnly 
blessed  the  new  cemetery  in  the  presence  of  an  immense 
, concourse  of   respectful   spectators.     During   the    cere- 
mony  he  was  attended   by  the   Revs.   James  Corcoran, 
D.  D.,  of   Philadelphia,  E.  V.  McElhone,  of  Lowrytown, 
J.  J.   Cummiskey,  of  Hazleton,  M.  J."  Fallihu,  J.  Bergan, 
of  Eckley.     During  the  fore  part  of  the  summer  a  choir 
was  successfully  organized,  and  made  its  first  appearance 
at  public  worship  on  this  occasion   of  the   bishop's  visit. 
A  substantial   picket  fence   was   put  around   the   lot   on 
which  the  church  is  erected;  vestments  and  other  neces- 
sary church  furniture  and  ornaments   for   the  altar  were 
procured. 

During  the  last  week  of  August,  1876,  a  fair  was  held 
to  raise  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  residence  for  the 
pastor.  It  was  liberally  patronized  and  had  an  unprece- 
dented success.  On'  the  ist  of  October  the  contract  for 
the  building  was  awarded  to  William  O'Malley,  of  Pitts- 
ton,  for  the  sum  of  fi.gSc.  The  building  was  to  be 
completed  before  the  new  year,  but  on  account  of  some 
unnecessary  delay  was  not  finished  until  near  April,  1877, 
It  is  quite  a  handsome  structure,  fronting  on  Alleghany 
street.  The  house  is  handsomely  furnished  and"  all  the 
work  and  furniture  was  paid  for  at  once,  so  that  no  debt 
rests  on  it. 

On  New  Year's  day,  1878,  the  pastor  announced  to 
the  congregation  that  he  had  determined  with  their 
co-operation  to  erect  a  building  for  school  purposes,  two 
lots  adjoining  the  church  lots  having  already  been  pur- 
chased for  the  purpose.  Quite  a  number  of  men  volun- 
teered to  clear  the  lots,  and  this  prelirninary  labor  was 
soon  accomplished.  Next  the  foundations  were  dug  and 
the  walls  built,  the  lumber  was  soon  on  the  ground  and 
work  was  at  once  begun.     The  weather  was  mild  during 


4^ 


*^^= 


SECRET  SOCIETIES  AT  WHITE  HAVEN. 


263 


4= 


this  season,  and  the  work  was  never  interrupted  on  that 
account.  The  building  is  thirty  by  forty  feet,  with  en- 
trance and  hall,  making  an  addition  of  twelve  by  fourteen 
feet  to  the  main  building.  The  first  floor  is  divided  into 
two  class-rooms,  each  eighteen  by  twenty-nine  feet, 
lighted  by  six  large  windows.  The  second  story,  ten  feet 
high,  is  occupied  as  a  temporary  dwelling  by  the  teachers. 
A  subscription  list  was  opened  before  the  building  be- 
gan, and  funds  were  most  liberally  contributed,  one 
generous  Protestant  gentleman,  who  would  not  permit 
his  name  to  be  made  known,  making  a  donation  of  $100. 
September  ist,  1879,  Sisters  of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of 
Mary,  from  St.  Cecilia's  Academy,  Scranton,  opened 
school  in  the  building  with  an  attendance  of  186  pupils. 
Three  sisters  were  left  in  charge — Sister  M.  Boniface, 
superior ;  Sister  M.  Seraphine  and  Sister  M.  Rosalia. 
The  branches  taught  at  the  school  are,  Christian  doctrine, 
history  sacred  and  secular,  grammar,  geography,  arith- 
metic mental  and  written,  reading,  spelling  and  penman- 
ship; besides  this  the  girls  receive  practical  instructions 
in  plain  and  ornamental  sewing,  etc.  The  more  advanced 
boys  are  taught  the  elements  of  bookkeeping.  Attend- 
ance at  the  school  is  free  to  all  without  distinction  of 
creed  or  nationality.  Instruction  is  imparted  gratuitously, 
no  charge  being  made  any  one  for  attending.  The  sisters' 
salary  is  raised  by  voluntary  contributions,  festivals,  etc. 
The  last  debt  on  the  school  was  paid  in  the  summer  of 
1879,  so  that  at  present  there  is  not  a  cent  of  indebted- 
ness resting  on  church,  school  or  pastoral  residence  of 
St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  Congregation  of  White 
Haven. 

Societies. 

odd  fellows. 

Forest  Lod^e,  No.  251,  was  instituted    on   the  29th  of 

July,  1847,  the  grand  lodge  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 

holding  a  special  session  for  that  purpose. 

The  charter   members  were    Lucius   Blakslee,    E.    F. 

Washburn,  Bradley  Childs,  J.  C.   Past,  Charles  A.  Elliott, 

Abraham  Ripple,  John  Lines,  jr. 

The  first  election  of  officers  resulted  as  follows:  Lucius 
Blakslee,  N.  G.  ;  J.  C.  Past,  V.  G.  ;  Avery  Knapp,  sec; 
E.  F.  Washburn,  treas.  The  presiding  officers  have  been: 
J.  C.  Past,  George  W.  Chowan,  Bradley  Cbilds,  Avery  Knapp,  B. 
P.  Bangs,  John  Taylor,  Wayne  Sprowl,  H.  Kitchen,  W.  S.  Chowan,  J.  C. 
(ri-ay,  E.  P.  Tuttle,  G.  L.  Staples.  J.  Knauss,  W.  Jarrard,  W.  Torbert,  H. 
-Maxwell,  H.  Getling,  L.  Willard,  William  Parsons,  William  Eddinger.  W. 
Whitebread,  Joseph  Howe,  A.  T.  Transue,  Sol.  Custard,  P.  Oberender, 
A.  Gould,  J.  R.  Crellin,  C.  Fulmer,  Otto  Kaiser,  J.  0.  Hurnbaoh,  J.  Drum- 
heller,  Jacob  Wolfe,  G.  W.  Eddinger,  John  Kolb,  Charles  Nagle,  John  N. 
Eddinger,  Jo.seph  Specif,  J.  E.  Dunlap,  Levi  Danner,  J.  Sensenbach,  W. 
S.  Nicholson,  John  H.  Oplinger,  Eev.  James  M.  Salmon,  S.  A.  Stearns, 
D.  Kaiber,  H.  C.  Driggs,  J.  N.  Smith,  J.  Cullison,  T.  Detweiler,  Philip 
Teel,  E.  P.  Morris,  W.  H.  Myers,  T.  H.  Doll,  W.  J.  Hapeman,  J.  N.  Lee, 
A.  Eddinger,  J.  Courtright.  J.  Eller  and  Joseph  Elliot. 

The  present  officers  are  Joseph  Elliot,  N.G.;  Joseph 
Jonas,  V.  G.;  Daniel  Karber,  secretary;  W.  H.  Myers, 
assistant  secretary;  Charles  Leucht,  treasurer. 

During  the  year  1857  a  number  of  the  members  with- 
drew to  organize  White  Haven  Lodge,  No.  457.  The 
lodge  has  initiated  over  500  members,  and  its  old  members 
are  in  all  the  States  of  the  Union. 


White  Haven  Lodge,  No.  457,  was  instituted  November 
17th,  1851,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Lucius 
Blakslee,  Abram  Ripple,  Zachariah  Brutzman,  James 
Cole,  Nathan  Stark,  Theodore  Smith,  Wayne  Sprowl, 
Cyrus  Stark,  William  Fish,  William  Steward,  James 
McLawrence,  William  Leonard. 

The  first  officers  of  the  lodge  were  as  follows:  N.  G., 
Lucius  Blakslee;  V.  G.,  Abram  Ripple;  secretary,  James 
H.  Kinney;  assistant  secretary,  Isaac  Gould;  treasurer, 
Arthur  Smith. 

The  following  were  the  officers  whose  term  of  office 
expired  the  31st  of  March,  1880:  N.G.,  George  H.  Knies; 
V.  G.,  William  Deterline;  secretary,  Daniel  Heimbach; 
assistant  secretary,  James  M.  Deterline;  treasurer,  R.  I. 
Westover;  representative  to  grand  lodge  of  Pennsylvania, 
—William  Deterline;  chaplain,  Forrester  Fellows;  organist, 
Samuel  Garris;  trustees  —  Daniel  Shautz  (presidentj, 
William  Deterline,  William  P.  Mann,  John  Fiel  and 
Daniel  Heimbach  (secretary). 

The  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  Association  of  White  Haven  was 
incorporated  April  6th,  1874.  The  first  directors  were 
Cornelius  Ziegenfeuss  (president),  Daniel  Heimbach 
(secretary),  John  Lines,  Daniel  Shautz  and  James  A. 
Miller. 

The  association  bought  a  lot  on  Basin  street,  and  in  1874 
built  the  present  brick  structure  known  as  Odd  Fellows' 
Hall.  It  is  three  stories  high,  thirty  feet  wide  and  seventy 
feet  long,  and  cost  $6,000.  The  directors  are  William 
Deterline,  William  P.  Mann,  John  Fiel  and  Daniel 
P.  Shautz;  the  last  is  president  of  the  board,  with  Daniel 
Heimbach  as  secretary. 

MASONIC. 

Laurel  Lodge,  No  467,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  was 
instituted  May  23d,  1870,  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers: Edwin  Shortz,  R.  I.  Westover,  D.  Heimbach,  E. 
Tattershall,  Samuel  Wallace,  Niles  M.  Smith,  J.  M.  Salmon, 
Edwin  Voeste,  B.  F.  Gould,  John  Fisher,  Abram  Ripple, 
C.  B.  Kern,  George  Kern,  W.  H.  Heimbach,  Henry 
Kaiser,  J.  W.  Levan,  A.  Whittaker  and  J.  W.  Ray.  The 
first  officers  were:  Edwin  Shortz,  W.  M.;  John  Fisher, 
S.  W.;  R.  I.  Westover,  J.  W.  The  regular  communica- 
tions are  held  on  the  second  and  fourth  Monday  evenings 
of  each  month  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.  The  officers  for 
1879  were:  R.  I.  Westover,  W.  M.;  G.  W.  Wagner,  S.  W.; 
J.  J.  Baker,  jr.,  J.  W.,  and  G.  W.  Koons,  secretary. 

KNIGHTS    OF    HONOR. 

Li-high  Lodge,  No.  1,741,  Knights  of  Honor  was  insti- 
tuted August  30th,  1879,  with  the  following  officers  and 
charter  members. 

Director,  W.  F.  Streeter;  vice-director,  E.  J.  Marple;  assistant  director, 
A.  P.  CTiilds;  reporter,  Samuel  Garris;  financial  reporter,  Benjamin 
.Taooby;  treasurer,  John  K.  Torbert;  chaplain,  Forrester  Fellows;  guide, 
L.  A.  Miner;  guardian,  James  A.  Deterline;  sentinel,  Thomas  Detwiller; 
past  dictator,  R.  I.  Westover;  trustees— W.  F  Streeter,  Edwin  Shortzand 
Samuel  Wallace;  other  members— James  D.  AVoodring,  H.  D.  Spinner, 
Calvin  Kcese,  James  Lee,  M.  W.  Walp,  Stod  Driggs,  W.  H.  Heimbach, 
J.  H.  Turner,  George  IT.  Stinson,  H.  W.  Pursill,  S.  S.  Young,  George  H. 
Knies,  Richard  Heimbach,  Daniel  Heimbach,  Albert  Albee,  James  N. 
Deterline,  William  Deterline.  John  N.  Eddinger,  T.  J.  Heebner. 


=^^ 


*€^= 


=^N 


264 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  present  officers  are  as  at  first,  except  that  Samuel 
Heimbach  is  reporter. 

G.    A.    R. 

D.  J.  Taylor  Post,  No.  813,  Grand  Army  of  the  Repub- 
lic, department  of  Pennsylvania,  was  organized  November 
nth,  1878.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  post  are  held  on 
the  first  and  third  Wednesdays  of  each  month  at  Torbert's 
Hall.  The  officers  for  1879  were:  Rev.  J.  T.  Wilson, 
P.  C;  J.  D.  Wearing,  S.  V.  C;  W.  H.  Heimbach,  J;  V.  C; 
J.  K.  Torbert,  adjutant;  W.  W.  Mabey,  S.  M.;  John 
Fisher,  Q.  M.;  Aaron  Eddinger,  Q.  M.  S,;  Josiah  Lower, 
O.  D.;  Fred.  Kegley,  O.  G.;  C.  H.  Drake,  surgeon; 
Daniel  Keiper,  chaplain;  David  Shaffer,  bugler,and  H.  H. 
Wood,  drill  master. 


FREELAND   BOROUGH. 


,  HE  site  of  Freeland  is  a  part  of  the  old  Lind- 
say tract,  purchased  by  Tench  Coxe,  who 
sold  to  Joseph  Birkbeck,  and  he  to  Mrs. 
Margaretha  Donop,  wife  of  A.  Donop,  Esq. 
in  1872.  They  came  from  New  York  city  and 
were  the  first  settlers  at  Freeland.  Their  house, 
on  the  estate  of  Mrs.  Donop,  Front  and  Centre 
streets,  was  the  first  built  here.  She  also  owns  and  con- 
trols forty  of  the  buildings  and  lots  surrounding  it.  Im- 
mediately after  the  purchase  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Donop  caused 
the  land  to  be  surveyed  into  a  town  plat,  which  they  called 
Freehold,  and  September  nth,  1876,  the  town  was  char- 
tered as  Freeland  borough. 

The  miners'  co-operative  store  on  Walnut  street,  the 
first  in  this  place,  was  opened  in  1874,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Joseph  Lindpay. 

The  town  hall,  on  Ridge  street  between  Front  and 
Walnut,  was  built  by  Mrs.  Donop  in  1875. 

Henry  Coons  opened  the  second  store  in  1877,  on  the 
corner  of  Walnut  and  Centre  streets,  where  he  still  re- 
mains in  trade. 

Welch  &  Furey  were  the  next  to  engage  in  the  mer- 
cantile business,  locating  on  the  corner  of  Washington 
and  Walnut  streets. 

The  first  tavern  was  on  Walnut  street,  built  by  A. 
Donop,  and  kept  by  John  Jones,  who  is  the  present  land- 
lord. 

The  first  blacksmith  in  this  place  was  Peter  Cunning- 
ham, who  located  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Front  streets,  where  he  is  still  engaged  in  the  business. 

The  first  shoemaker  was  Ernest  Stein,  and  the  first 
physician  Dr.  Lloyd;  and  the  first  meat  market  was 
opened  by  Rudolph  Ludwig.  The  present  resident 
physician  is  Dr.  King. 

There  are  two  churches,  Lutheran  and  Presbyterian. 
The  first  was  built  in  1876,  by  the  united  contributions 
of  Presbyterians  and  Lutherans,  and  the  other  in  1880, 
by   the    Presbyterians.     The  present   school-house    was 


built  in  1878,  and  John  McDonald  has  thus  far  been  the 
teacher. 

The  works  by  which  the  town  is  supplied  with  water 
were  constructed  in  1880,  by  A.  Donop  and  J.  Birkbeck. 

There  are  in  the  borough  eight  stores,  a  bakery,  eight 
taverns,  two  undertakers,  two  blacksmith  shops,  a  town 
hall,  and  a  boot  and  shoe  store.  There  are  three  building 
and  loan  associations. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  are  A.  Donop,  elected  De- 
cember 14th,  1876,  and  Isaac  Goodman,  elected  in  Febru- 
ary, 1880.  The  first  burgess  of  the  borough,  Rudolph 
Lubrecht,  was  elected  in  1876,  and  the  present  burgess, 
Dennis  McCarthy,  in  February,  1879.  Luther  Dodson 
has  been  the  only  postmaster.  The  population  of  the 
borough  is  624. 

_The  cemetery  between  Freeland  and  South  Heberton 
is  owned  by  the  Freeland  Cemetery  Association.  The  ' 
first  interment  in  these  grounds  was  that  of  William 
Birkbeck,  in  1846.  Mrs.  Birkbeck  has  three  other  chil- 
dren buried  in  this  cemetery,  viz.:  Agnes,  John  and  Ann 
Victoria. 


FRANKLIN  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  portions  of 
Kingston,  Exeter  and  Dallas,  in  1843,  and 
was  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  John  Frank- 
lin, one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Wyoming.  The 
population  is  593. 
One  of  the  first  settlers  was  Gideon  Bebee,  who 
lived  on  land  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  the  late 
Rev.  Oliver  Lewis.  The  family  moved  away  and  the 
clearing  was  overgrown  with  bushes  and  young  trees. 

About  this  time  a  Mr.  Pease,  living  in  Hanover,  cleared 
a  field  adjoining  Bebee,  walking  about  sixteen  miles  to 
his  day's  work.  He  naturally  gave  it  up,  but  the  im- 
provement was  known  as  Pease's  field  long  after.  These 
improvements  were  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town- 
ship. 

Olds  hill  takes  its  name  from  Ezra  Olds,  who  came 
with  his  family  from  Connecticut  as  early  as  1782. 
Michael  Munson,  also  from  Connecticut,  built  a  house 
about  this  tinie  where  Salmon  Munson  now  lives.  He 
soon  afterward  moved  to  Ohio.  Walter  Munson,  a  rela- 
tive of  Michael,  came  with  his  family  from  Connecticut 
in  1807,  and  built  a  house  near  where  his  son  George  now 
lives,  below  the  Olds  property.  Mrs.  Munson's  maiden 
name  was  Mehetabel  Trowbridge.  They  had  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Salmon  now  lives  on  a  part  of  the  large 
tract  once  owned  by  his  father.  Mrs.  Munson  was  Rhu- 
hamah  Lewis,  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.  Rev.  George 
W.  Munson  married  Sally  Ann  Lewis,  and  lives  on  the 
old  homestead,  where  his  parents  died  many  years  ago. 
Walter  Munson,  sen.,  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  Susnue- 
hanna,  opposite  Wyoming,  before  the  massacre,   and  went 


^h= 


=^¥ 


*^^ 


<^ 


EARLY  SETTLERS  IN  FRANKLIN  TOWNSHIP. 


265 


back  to  Connecticut  on  foot  when  he  was  five  years  old, 
under  the  conduct  of  his  brother  Wilmot. 

Captain  Artemadorus  Ingersol  lived  on  lot  46  of  the 
Connecticut  claim,  just  below  the  Munsons.  He  was 
born  in  Connecticut,  and  was  one  of  the  Revolutionary 
soldiers  entering  the  army  when  but  fourteen  years  of 
age.  He  served  throughout  the  war,  married  a  Miss 
Newberry,  and  moved  to  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  owned  a  saw-mill.  His  family  consisted  of  six  chil- 
dren who  grew  up,  besides  one  little  girl  that  died.  His 
daughter  Fanny  married  one  of  her  teachers,  named  Guy 
Clark.  At  the  close  of  the  war  of  181 2  he  became  dis- 
sipated and  violent,  and  killed  his  wife  with  an  ax,  when 
she  was  living  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  with  their  two  chil- 
dren. Clark  was  executed,  and  the  affair  caused  a  great 
excitement  at  the  time.  Minerva  Ingersoll  married  Al- 
vin  Holmes,  from  New  York  State,  and  died  nearly  two 
years  ago,  aged  about  seventy-seven.  The  last  one  of 
the  Ingersoll  family  in  this  part  of  the  country,  Mr. 
Holmes,  died  some  years  ago.  They  left  quite  a  family. 
Captain  Ingersoll  died  about  forty  years  ago,  and  his  wife 
soon  afterward. 

Alexander  Lord,  born  in  Boston  on  the  19th  of  June, 
1777,  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1809.  In  1813  he  was  a 
drummer  for  the  Wyoming  volunteers  when  they  went  to 
the  frontier.  He  died  on  the  7th  of  September,  1859, 
aged  eighty-two.  Of  his  children  (Cyrus,  John,  Stephen, 
Murphy,  Alexander,  George,  David  and  one  daughter) 
only  Stephen  and  Murphy  now  live  in  the  township. 

Abel  Hall  came  from  Connecticut  about  the  same  time 
as  the  Munsons,  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Mr.  Lord's, 
just  below  what  is  now  known  as  the  Flat  Rock  school- 
house.     The  family  lived  there  many  years. 

The  Rodgers  family  came  from  Connecticut  about  the 
same  time  as  the  other  Connecticut  people.  They  lived 
many  years  in  Franklin,  and  it  is  said  that  Elisha  Rod- 
gers built  the  first  frame  house  in  the  village  of  Orange, 
which  was  standing  a  few  years  ago.  He  and  his  wife 
Rhoda  both  lived  to  a  good  old  age.  Their  son  Alaman- 
za  married  a  Mrs.  Tyrrel.  Her  grave,  and  that  of  Sylva, 
wife  of  Cyrus  Mann,  were  probably  marked  by  the  first 
marble  tombstones  in  the  burying  ground  near  the 
church. 

Elijah  Brace  came,  it  is  believed,  from  Connecticut. 
He  built  a  saw-mill  and  the  first  grist-mill  in  the  town- 
ship, below  the  present  village  of  Orange,  on  the  road  to 
Dallas.  These  mills  were  rebuilt  in  1828  by  Conrad 
Kunkle  (who  was  the  first  postmaster  in  the  township), 
but  all  traces  of  them  are  gone.  Elijah  Brace  lived  where 
Ira  Hallock  built  his  barn.  He  died  in  the  prime  of  life, 
but  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Susannah  Burrell, 
lived  to  be  old.  Of  their  children  Harvey  Brace  lives  in 
the  village  of  Orange.  He  and  his  sister  Perlina  are  the 
only  members  of  the  family  left  in  the  township.  Daniel 
Brace,  a  relative  of  Elijah's,  came  afterward  from  New 
York  State.  He  died  in  the  township.  His  son  William 
(about  eighty  years  old)  is  living  in  Franklin. 

Thomas  Mann  was  one  of  the  early  settlers,  coming 
from  New  Jersey.     He  lived  where  Charles  Frantz  lives. 


Josephus  Cone  (who  lived  near  where  Isaac  Davenport 
lives),  Amos  Jackson,  Robert  Moore,  Jacob  Halstead, 
Benjamin  Decker  and  Jonas  Wood,  were  all  old  settlers. 

David  0.  Culver  about  1790  moved  from  near  Schoo- 
ley's  mountain.  New  Jersey,  to  the  farm  where  he  lived 
and  died,  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  township.  The 
Culver  family  sprung  from  two  brothers,  who  were  among 
the  pilgrims  in  the  "  May  Flower."  The  father  of  David 
Culver,  whose  name  was  also  David,  came  to  Pennsylva- 
nia and  bought  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  on  which  his 
son  David  settled.  The  latter  married,  before  coming  to 
Pennsylvania,  Eunice  Osborne,  of  Scotch  origin.  They 
had  nine  children.  Of  these  Oliver  was  drafted  in  the 
war  of  1812,  and  was  on  his  way  to  Lake  Erie  when  the 
news  of  peace  came.  He  was  afterward  captain  of  a 
militia  company.  John  Culver  died  in  1877,  in  the  sev- 
enty-fifth year  of  his  age,  on  the  farm  where  he  had  always 
lived.  Lewis,  the  youngest  son,  is  still  living  in  the  town- 
ship, being  the  last  one  of  the  family.  Of  the  children  of 
John,  Mary  Dale  and  P.  A.  are  known  as  contributors  to 
various  periodicals,  both  in  prose  and  verse.  On  the 
eastern  part  of  the  Culver  property,  while  the  land  was 
yet  covered  with  woods,  there  was  a  rude  fireplace,  show- 
ing that  it  had  been  made  for  the  purpose  of  cooking,  in 
a  spot  that  looked  as  if  it  had  been  an  Indian  camp 
ground.     When  the  land  was  cleared  it  was  destroyed. 

Rev.  Oliver  Lewis  came  to  Pennsylvania  some  time 
after  the  Culvers  and  settled  below  them  on  the  land 
once  owned  by  Bebee.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut, 
but  from  two  years  old  lived  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
until  he  came  here.  He  was  for  many  years  a  local 
preacher  of  the  M.  E.  church.  He  died  a  few  years  ago 
aged  77  years. 

Samuel  Snell,  from  Tioga  Point,  N.  Y.,  lived  many 
years  in  Franklin  and  died  a  few  years  ago.  His  eldest 
son,  Abram  V.  Snell,  is  the  present  justice  of  the  peace. 

Most  of  the  later  settlers  came  from  New  York  or  New 
Jersey.  The  Winters  family,  the  BadLes,  the  Corwins, 
the  Sewards,  the  Hallocks  and  the  Durlands  came  from 
Orange  county,  N.  Y. ;  the  Casterlins,  the  Longwells 
and  Dewitts  from  New  Jersey.  John  Dewitt  came  with 
his  family  from  New  Jersey  about  sixty  years  ago,  and 
settled  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township,  where  his 
children  still  live.  The  Wintz  family  came  from  Ger- 
many and  live  near  Flat  Rock. 

The  first  saw-mill,  known  as  the  Ingersoll  mill,  was 
built  by  Lewis  Jones,  of  Exeter. 

The  first  circuit  preacher  was  George  Peck. 

The  first  blacksmith  was  probably  Abner  Jackson. 

Orange. 

The  village  of  Orange  is  situated  nearly  in  the  centre 
of  Franklin  township.  We  have  learned  from  some  of 
the  oldest  inhabitants  that  its  original  name  was  Drake 
Town,  in  honor  of  Jacob  Drake,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
at  this  point.  Afterward  it  was  named  Unison,  the  post- 
office  being  of  that  name.  After  the  township  of  Frank- 
in.  was  formed  A.  C.  Thompson,  who  kept  a  store  there, 
called  the  place  Franklin  Centre.     It  was  not  universally 


Hh 


<^ 


266 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


known  by  that  name;  and,  as  there  were  other  Franklins 
in  the  State,  a  new  name  had  to  be  chosen.  As  quite  a 
number  of  the  families  living  there  had  come  from  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.,  it  was  decided  to  call  the  post-office 
Orange. 

The  place  has  also  been  afflicted  with  one  of  those 
foolish  and  whimsical  names  which  seem  to  be  favorites 
with  a  certain  class,  namely,  Pinchersville,  derived  as 
follows:  Almanza  Rodgers  kept  a  store  there  forty  or 
fifty  years  ago.  All  kinds  of  produce  from  the  farm  were 
taken  in  exchange  for  goods,  as  well  as  shingles,  ax- 
handles,  splint-brooms,  etc.  As  a  general  thing  the 
shingles  were  good,  but  a  few  dishonest  backwoodsmen 
formed  the  habit  of  putting  poor  shingles  in  the  inside 
of  the  bunch  while  all  the  good  ones  were  in  the  outside. 
The  merchant  was  cheated  several  times  in  this  way,  and 
he  determined  to  outwit  them.  He  got  a  pair  of  pincers 
so  that  he  could  pull  out  and  examine  the  shingles.  This 
became  known,  and  the  place  came  to  be  called  Pinchers- 
ville. The  merchant  soon  after  removed  to  Illinois. 
Harley  Green,  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  kept  the  store 
afterward.  James  Lawrence  Brown,  from  Exeter,  kept  it 
a  while.  Abel  C.  Thompson  kept  the  store  after  that; 
he  sold  out  to  Benjamin  Baylor,  from  Plains,  called 
"  Uncle  Ben."  Benjamin  Saylor  generally  followed 
mercantile  pursuits,  and  finally  sold  out  to  James  Hol- 
corab.  Since  then  the  store  has  changed  hands  several 
times;  it  is  now  kept  by  Henry  Bodle. 

The  post-office  has  usually  been  kept  at  this  store,  but 
it  is  now  at  the  store  of  John  B.  Winters,  the  other  mer- 
chant of  the  place. 

The  population  of  Orange  numbers  about  eighty  per- 
sons.    The  village  contains   two   stores,  a  hotel,  school- 
-  house,  a  wagon   shop,  a  harness  shop,  a  shoe  shop,  and 
two  blacksmith  shops.     The  church  stands  a  little  above 
the  village,  on  the  road  leading  to  Tankhannock. 

The  first  hotel  was  kept  by  Peter  Hallock.  After  him 
the   landlords   were   John  Worden,  Jacob  Shales,  Dennis 

Alsop, Felton,  Hiram  Brace,  Harvey  Brace,  Major 

Warring,  Mrs.  Warring, Housenick, Robinson, 

Thomas  Totten,  Albert  Smith,  Chauncey  Calkins  and  the 
present  proprietor  D.  A.  La  Barre. 

Some  twenty-five  years  ago  there  was  a  Good  Temp- 
lars' lodge  in  the  village.  About  nine  years  ago  the 
Sons  of  Temperance  had  a  lodge,  but  this  like  the  other 
was  discontinued.  The  Orange  Band  of  Hope  is  their 
successor,  and  perhaps  the  most  successful  of  all.  It 
was  founded  by  Mrs.  Victoria  Seward,  some  four  years 
ago.  She  was  an  earnest  worker  in  the  cause  of  religion 
and  was  the  means  of  doing  much  good.  She  died  sud- 
denly, two  years  ago.  She  was  the  only  daughter  of 
Harvey  Brace.  A.  V.  Snell  was  the  president  a  long 
time,  and  helped  to  keep  the  organization  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  The  membership  includes  both  young  and 
old.  The  first  physician  in  the  place  was  Dr.  Skeels 
who  lived  many  years  ago  where  the  Courtrights  reside. 
Forty  or  fifty  years  ago  Dr.  Brace  practiced  here,  and 
after  him  Dr.  Parker.  Later  came  Dr.  Wm.  Thomson, 
who    now  lives    in    Northmoreland;    and    after  him    Dr. 


*^^ 


McKee,  who  is  now  in  Plymouth.    The  present  physician 
is  John  C.  Morris. 

The  first  roads  passing  through  the  place  were  the  one 
from  Wyoniing,  over  Olds  hill,  to  Tunkhannock;  the 
road  to  Northmoreland,  and  the  one  that  started  at  the 
river,  following  Sutton  creek  and  meeting  the  Wyoming 
road  at  Olds  hill.  This  road  has  been  somewhat 
changed  at  several  points  from  its  first  location. 

Schools. 

The  township  contains  five  school-houses  (Dymond 
Hollow,  Michigan,  Orange,  Flat  Rock  and  Good's),  and 
about  half  of  the  pupils  at  the  Sutton  creek  school-house 
are  from  Franklin,  the  school-house  being  near  the  town- 
ship line.  This  school  has  always  been  one  of  the  best 
as  several  graduates  from  Wyoming  Seminary  and  other 
well  educated  people  whose  early  education  commenced 
here  can  testify.  The  first  school  within  the  memory 
of  the  oldest  inhabitants  was  taught  by  Amarilla  New- 
berry, where  Mr.  Casterlin  now  lives.  The  next  was  in 
a  log  house  above  Raub's,  and  was  taught  by  Ambrose 
Fuller;  the  next  in  another  log  house  opposite  Brace's 
saw-mill,  taught  by  a  sister  of  Elisha  Harris,  of  Kingston 
township.  School  was  also  taught  by  William  Calkins,  in  a 
log  house  that  stood  just  back  of  John  B.  Winters's  store. 
George  Ochmig,  of  Wyoming,  also  taught  there.  Other 
teachers  who  taught  in  the  vicinity  were,  Susan  Farver, 
afterwards  the  wife  of  Daniel  Lee,  of  Wyoming  county; 
Henry  Osborne,  James  Dickinson  and Herring. 

The  first  house  built  for  school  purposes  was  a  two 
story  building,  commenced  about  1815,  which  stood 
where  the  present  one  in  Orange  now  stands.  During 
the  past  thirty  years  as  many  as  forty  school  teachers 
have  received  their  first  instruction  in  Franklin. 

Religious  Interests  of  Franklin. 

The  early  settlers  were,  like  the  present  inhabitants, 
members  of  different  churches;  the  Braces  were  Presby- 
terians; the  Rodgerses  Baptists,  and  the  Munsons  Metho- 
dists; and  ministers  of  these  different  creeds  used  to 
preach  occasionally  in  school-houses  and  private  resi- 
dences. 

Joel  Rodgers  and  Griffin  Lewis  were  Baptist  preach- 
ers, though  they  were  called  Independent,  as  they  dif- 
fered in  some  respects  from  their  church  as  to  forms,  &c. 

As  there  was  a  Presbyterian  church  at  Northmoreland 
the  ministers  used  to  preach  sometimes  in  Franklin,  and 
ministers  of  the  "  Christian"  church  occasionally  came. 
The  first  Sabbath-school  here  was  organized  in  1820  by 
the  Rev.  John  Dorrance,  a  Presbyterian  minister  from 
Wilkes-Barre. 

The  only  church  ever  built  in  the  place  was  the  M.  E. 
church,  commenced  in  1835  and  finished  some  years 
after.  The  Methodist  preachers  meanwhile  held  meet- 
ings in  the  school-house.  Some  of  the  members  of  the 
first  class  were  Samuel  Carver  and  wife  and  Walter 
Munson  and  wife.  Rev.  George  Peck  was  the  minister, 
and  Samuel  Carver  local  preacher.  Jabez  Carver,  a 
brother   of   Samuel,  used   to   preach,    and    Marmaduke 


=^^ 


PREACHERS  IN  FRANKLIN— OLDEST   INHABITANTS— JUSTICES— VOLUNTEERS.  267 


Pearce  used  to  hold  meetings.  The  names  of  different 
ministers  of  the  M.  E.  church  who  have  officiated  as  cir- 
cuit preachers  in  Franklin  are:  "Father"  Rounds,  King 
Elwell,  McRandall  and  Blackman,  v.'ho  preached  here 
over  forty  years  ago;  Cooper,  George  Porter,  Boswell, 
Dean,  "  Father"  Davy,  John  D.  Safford,  John  Mulkey,  C. 
E.  Taylor,  Chubbuck,  S.  S.  Kennedy,  A.  S.  Shoemaker, 
Bronson,  Olaf  Morse,  S.  W.  Weiss,  Kellog  D.  Perso- 
nens,  Henry  Wheeler,  J.  G.  Eckman,  P.  Holbrook,  J.  S. 
Lewis,  Isaac  Austin,  A.  J.  Arnold,  S.  E.  Walworth,  Wil- 
liam Shelp  and  the  present  minister,  Isaac  Austin,  who 
was  formerly  on  the  charge.  C.  E.  Rice  was  also  on  this 
circuit,  and  George  Greenfield. 

Taylor  D.  Swartz  was  on  this  charge  in  1864,  and  in 
August  of  that  year,  when  the  Franklin  and  Exeter  boys 
rallied  to  the  call  of  their  country  by  raising  a  company, 
he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  among  them,  leaving  his  pastoral 
charge  to  be  supplied  by  another.  Being  a  universal  fa- 
vorite with  all,  he  was  soon  promoted  chaplain  of  the 
regiment.  He  died  of  typhoid  fever  in  March,  1865,  at 
City  Point,  Virginia.  His  death  was  supposed  to  have 
been  caused  by  his  making  too  great  exertions  in  build- 
ing a  chapel  in  camp.  His  remains  were  taken  to  Mos- 
cow, his  early  home,  for  interment.  His  age  was  29 
years. 

The  Oldest  Inhabitants. 

Among  the  people  have  died  at  an  advanced  age 
in  Franklin,  Mrs.  Mary  Besteder  died  at  the  house  of 
her  son-in-law,  John  Culver,  in  1861,  in  her  92nd  year. 
Her  rnaiden  name  was  Mary  Schuyler,  and  she  was  a 
near  relative  of  General  Schuyler  of  the  Revolution. 
She  lived  in  New  Jersey  when  a  child,  and  said  she 
remembered  hearing  the  roar  of  the  cannon  at  the  battle 
of  Princeton.  She  had  lived  through  the  Revolution, 
and  died  just  at  the  time  when  our  civil  war  commenced. 
She  had  lived  many  years  in  Pennsylvania. 

Mrs.  Mary  Dymond  died  about  five  years  ago,  at  the 
house  of  her  son,  Isaac  Dymond,  aged  105  years.  She 
remembered  many  interesting  events  of  the  Revolution; 
among  them,  seeing  General  Washington  and  other  great 
men.  Her  maiden  name  was  Mary  Lossing.  She  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  but  had  lived  many  years  in  Penn- 
sylvania. These  old  ladies  retained  the  powers  of  intel- 
lect until  they  died. 

The  oldest  man  in  the  township  is  James  Hadsall, 
whose  94th  birthday  occurred  on  the  20th  of  March, 
1880.  He  is  the  son  of  Edward  Hadsall,  whose  father 
James  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in  1778,  just  a  little  way 
down  Sutton  creek  below  where  Mr.  Hadsall  now  lives. 
He  has  spent  most  of  his  life  in  Exeter,  but  has  lived  in 
Franklin  about  thirty  years.  His  wife  is  some  years  his 
junior.  They  have  been  married  more  than  seventy 
years. 

Justices  of  the  Peace. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  was  Benjamin  Newberry, 
who  came  with  the  early  settlers  and  located  where  James 
Casterlin  now  lives.     The  following  is  a  list  of  the  justices 


who  have  been  elected  (the  elections  of  1875  and  1880 
in  March,  the  others  in  April): 

John  R.  Moore,  1844,  1853;  Henry  B.  Howell,  1845; 
Ira  Hallock,  1849;  Eli  R.  Hallock,  1851;  Charles  Diir- 
land,  1851,  1856;  James  E.  Durland,  1855;  Milton 
Good,  1856,  1861;  Palmer  Harding,  1859;  Daniel 
Davenport,  1864;  Moses  D.  Ketcham,  1867,  1875;  A.  V. 
Snell,  1872,  1877  ;  William  Chandler,  1872  ;  Walter 
Bodle,  1880. 

M.  D.  Ketcham  moved  to  Nebraska,  and  Walter  Bodle 
was  elected  to  finish  his  term  of  office. 

Franklin  during  the  Rebellion. 

Franklin  township  did  her  share  toward  putting   down 

the  Rebellion.     A  number  of  young  men  enlisted  in  the 

beginning  of  the  war.     There  were   drafts  in  1862,   1863 

and    1865.     To  prevent  the  draft  in    1864  the    township 

raised  by  subscription  over  $2,000,  which   was  paid  as  a 

bounty  to  volunteers.     There  was  a  war  tax  in  Franklin, 

which  amounted   to  $3,000.     The   news   of  the   draft  of 

1865  came  about  the  time  that  peace  was  declared.     The 

following  are  the  names  of  the   soldiers   who   went  from 

Franklin: 

Joseph  Hess,  Coe  Durland,  Samuel  B.  Snell,  Winfleld  Snell,  James 
Smith,  Simeon  Lewis,  Jephtha  Lewis,  William  Reisler,  Hichard  Watei-s, 
Georj^e  Waring,  John  Morris,  Martin  Anthony,  .John  Anthony,  Rn.«lin 
Ketcham,  Oliver  Smith,  Samuel  Smith,  Isaac  Howell,  Charles  Dymond, 
Mallery  Williams,  Matthew  Pembleton,  William  Winters,  Homer  Ferrj', 
Charles  Hadsall,  Isaac  Hadsall,  AdelbertLord. 

Of  these  soldiers  Joseph  Hess  was  killed  on  the  day 
that  his  term  of  service  expired.  George  Waring,  Oliver 
Smith  and  Adelbert  Lord  died  in  the  service.  Mallery 
Williams  was  a  while  in  Libby  prison.  Samuel  B.  Snell 
was  wounded  on  the  ist  of  July,  1863,  at  Gettysburg,  by 
a  ball  which  entered  his  cheek  and  remained  in  his  head 
until  the  following  Christmas  morning,  when  in  coughing 
the  ball  came  out  of  his  mouth. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Culver  enlisted  in  1862  at  Shickshinny,  with 
a  company  that  afterward  formed  a  part  of  the  149th 
Bucktail  brigade.  He  was  taken  sick  and  discharged,  but 
served  as  a  surgeon  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he 
returned  to  Franklin,  his  former  home.  So  far  as  is  known, 
all  of  those  soldiers  who  returned  are  yet  living. 

John  Price,  of  Franklin,  enlisted  in  Wilkes-Barre  in  1872, 
with  a  recruiting  officer,  and  went  out  to  fight  the  Indians. 
He  served  five  years  and  returned  to  his  home. 

Although  Franklin  was  in  the  main  loyal,  there 
were  some  persons  who  were  said  to  be  in  sympathy  with 
the  Rebellion.  On  this  supposition,  perhaps,  a  party  of 
that  class  of  people  from  some  of  the  other  townships 
came  into  Orange  and  entered  a  hotel,  and  began  to  hur- 
rah for  Jeff  Davis.  As  it  happened  a  party  of  loyal 
young  men  were  present,  among  whom  were  Rasselasand 
Myron  Brown,  Dr.  J.  B.  and  D.  O.  Culver,  Chandler  and 
Mallery  Williams  and  Calvin  Dymond.  These  young  men 
soon  cleared  the  room  of  the  friends  of  Jeff  Davis,  besides 
whipping  two  or  three  of  them  soundly.  Myron  Brown 
and  Calvin  Dymond  especially  distinguished  themselves. 
The  party  left,  not  as  they  came,  in  defiant  mood,  but 
glad  to  escape  without  broken  bones. 


Hh 


=^¥ 


^B= 


268 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


HANOVER  TOWiNSHIP. 


,  HIS  is  one  of  the  original  townships  laid  out 
by  the  Susquehanna  Company.  It  was  first 
named  Nanticoke,  from  the  Indians  who  had 
a  village  on  the  site  of  Nanticoke  borough. 
After  the  grant  of  the  township  was  made  to 
Captain  Lazarus  Stewart  and  his  associates  in  1770, 
under  the  Connecticut  title,  the  name  was  changed 
to  Hanover,  which  was  the  name  of  the  township  from 
whence  they  came,  now  in  Dauphin  county.  In  1790, 
when  the  county  was  divided  into  eleven  townships,  the 
boundaries  of  Hanover  included  also  what  is  now  Wright, 
Denison  and  Foster.  In  1796  this  whole  territory  con- 
tained but 96  taxable  inhabitants,  58  horses,  in  yoke  of 
oxen  and  152  cows.     The  population  is  now  2,000. 

The  present  township  contains  about  28  square  miles, 
and  is  one  of  the  chief  coal  producing  townships  of  the 
Wyoming  coal  felds.  Nearly  the  whole  township  is 
owned  bv  five  great  coal  companies,  viz.  the  Lehigh 
Navigation  and  Coal,  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Wes- 
tern, Wilkes-Barre  Coal  and  Iron,  New  Jersey  Coal  and 
Susquehanna  Coal  Company. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  justices  of  the  peace 
elected  in  this  township  under  the  State  constitution  of 
1838: 

Samuel  Jameson,  1840;  Israel  Inman,  1840;  John  E. 
Inman,  1842;  Samuel  Pell,  1843,  1848,  1853;  John 
Mensch,  i847;Bateman  Downing,  1852;  Levi  L.  Nyhart, 
1857,  1862,  1876;  John  Robins,  1858;  Matthias  H. 
Petty,  1865;  Francis  H.  Clark,  1866;  Reuben  Downing, 
1870;  John  Reilly,  1872;  Lewis  C.  Green,  1873;  John 
Evers,  1875. 

Early  Times. 

The  first  house  was  built  by  Captain  Lazarus  Stewart, 
in  1 77 1,  on  the  road  between  Button  wood  creek  and 
the  river,  and  north  of  the  canal,  the  place  known  as 
the  Alexander  Jameson  property.  It  was  one  and  a  half 
stories  high,  with  an  overshoot  or  projection  all  round, 
and  loop  holes  on  each  side,  so  that  it  might  be  defend- 
ed against  an  enemy.  The  second  house  was  built  by 
Lieutenant  Lazarus  Stewart  2nd,  in  the  same  year,  on 
the  road  between  Buttonwood  creek  and  the  canal. 

The  pioneer  grist-mill  was  built  in  1783,  of  logs,  by 
Mr.  Delano,  on  the  site  of  the  Behee  mill,  on  Sugar  Notch 
creek,  where  it  crosses  the  road  leading  from  Plumbton 
to  the  river  road  near  the  "  red  tavern."  This  mill  had 
but  one  run  of  stones,  and,  like  others  of  that  day,  was  a 
slow  concern.  A  grist-mill  was  built  as  early  as  1825  by 
Richard  Inman,  at  the  foot  of  the  falls  on  Solomon's 
creek,  above  Ashley.  It  was  converted  into  a  dwelling, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1850  it  was  carried  down  to  the 
flats  by  high  water.  The  mill  at  Nanticoke  was  built 
about  1820  by  Colonel  Washington  Lee. 

The  firsi  school-house  was  on  what  is  known  as  "  the 
green,"  on  the  river  road,  and  Henry  Ernhart  was  the 
first  teacher. 


One  of  the  first  roads  through  the  township  was  the 
Middle  road,  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Hanover  Centre  and 
Newport.  There  was  a  road  previous  to  this  from 
Wilkes-Barre  to  the  mouth  of  Buttonwood  creek.^ 

Lorenzo  Ruggles  was  one  of  the  pioneer  blacksmiths. 
His  shop  was  on  the  Middle  road  east  of  Askam.  He 
was  also  a  plowmaker. 

The  pioneer  carding-mill  was  at  Behee's,  on  the  Sugar 
Notch  creek,  between  Hanover  Centre,  or  Askam,  and 
the  river  road. 

The  first  public  burying  ground  was  that  at  "  the 
green,"  adjoining  the  Reformed  church. 

Among  the  pioneers  were  Comfort  and  Benjamin 
Casey.  Comfort  located  where  William  O'Donnell  now 
lives,  a  little  north  of  Ashley.  Benjamin  settled  at  As- 
kam.    They  built  frame  houses,  the  first  in  this  township. 

The  following    is    a  complete  list    of    persons  against 

whom  a  tax  was  levied  in  Hanover  township  in  1796: 

John  Alden,  Abraham  Adams,  David  Adams,  Edward  Adgerton,  Na- 
thanAbbott,  Jonas  Buss,  Elisha  Blackraan,  jr.,  Stephen  Burrett,  Gideon 
Burrett,  Joel  Burrett,  Thomas  Brinlt,  Rufus  Bennett,  Ishmael  Bennett, 
Frederick  Crisman,  Nathan  Carey.  Wilh'am  Caldwell,  Elisha  Delano' 
Richard  Diely,  Richard  Dlely,  jr.,  George  Espy,  Samuel  Ensign,  Jacob 
Flanders,  Jacob  Fisher,  Cornelius  Garrettson,  Andrew  Gray,  John 
Hames,  Benjamin  Hopkins,  John  Hendershot.  Henry  Huber,  Jacob 
Holdmer,  William  Hyde,  Ebenezer  Hibbard,  Calvin  Hibbard,  John  Hurl- 
bert,  Naphtali  Hurlbert,  Christopher  Hurlbert,  Willis  Hyde,  John 
Jacobs,  John  Jacobs,  jr.,  Edward  Inman,  Richard  Inman,  John  Inman, 
Elijah  Inman,  jr.,  Jonathan  Kellogg,  Conrad  Lyons  or  Lines,  Conrad 
Lyons  or  Lines,  jr.,  .Tamos  Lesley,  John  Lutzey,  John  Lookerly,  Adrian 
Lyons  or  Lines,  Michael  Marr,  Thomas  Martin,  Samuel  Moore,  J.  S.  Mil- 
ler, Darius  Preston,  Josiah  Pell,  Benjamin  Pott,  Josiah  Pell,  jr.,  John 
Phillips,  Jeremiah  Roberts,  John  Ryan,  John  Robinson,  David  Robinson, 
James  A.  Hathbone,  George  Boueh,  George  Stewart,  Edward  Spencer, 
David  Stewart,  James  Stewart,  Dorcas  Stewart,  Josiah  Stewart,  William 
Stewart,  Daniel  Sinons,  Peter  Steel,  David  Steel,  Abraham  Sarver, 
Christian  Saune,  Archibald  Smiley,  John  Spencer,  John  Treadway, 
Nathaniel  Warden,  Abner  Wade,  Arthur  Van  Wie,  Ira  Winter,  Ashbei 
Wallis  and  William  Young.    Total  ni. 

The  Coal  Interest  of  Hanover. 

At  what  date  or  by  whom  all  the  mines  in  this  town- 
ship were  opened  it  is  impossible  to  state,  as  some  of  them 
have  changed  ownership  so  many  times  that  all  records 
that  would  furnish  dates  have  been  placed  beyond  our 
reach.  However,  we  find  in  Pearce's  Annals  of  Luzerne 
some  items  of  interest,  which  we  give.  He  says  that  in 
1 813  James  Lee,  Esq.,  sent  one  four-horse  load  of  coal 
from  Hanover  to  Germantown,  and  continues: 

"  In  1820  Colonel  Washington  Loe  discovered  coal  in  Hanover,  on  the 
Stewart  property,  which  he  had  purchased,  and  in  the  same  year  he 
mined  and  sent  to  Baltimore  1,000  tons,  which  he  sold  at  $S  per  ton.  In 
1833  the  Wyoming  Company  connected  their  lands,  .500  acres  in  Hanover, 
with  the  Nanticoke  pool  or  slack  water,  by  n  railroad  two  miles  in  length 
and  a  basin,  at  a  cost  of  $23,700.  They  shipped  their  first  coal  in  18i0,  and 
in  1847  Colonel  Hillman  shipped  10,000  tonsof  coal  from  theold  Blaokman 
and  Solomon's  Gap,  or  Ross  mines,  to  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  The 
sbaftof  the  Dundee  Company  in  this  township  was  sunk  in  1880  to  the 
depth  of  792  feet,  when  the  Nanticoke  or  Mill  vein  is  struck,  which  is 
twehe  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  the  first  vein  below  the  surface  and  the 
si.xth  from  the  bottom.  This  proves  the  theory  that  the  flats  or  low 
lands  are  underlaid  with  coal." 

The  following  brief  accounts  of  the  different  mines 
and  their  workings  are  gleaned  from  the  report  of  the 
inspector  of  mines  for  1878,  as  none  later  had  been  pub- 
lislied  at  the  time  of  writing. 

Franklin  colliery,  near  Ashley,  is  operated  by  the 
Franklin  Coal  Company,  with  R.  R.  Morgan  as  general 
superintendent,   William   Thomas   inside   foreman    and 


H^= 


^^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

HANOVER  TOWNSHIP   AND   ASHLEY,    NANTICOKE   AND   SUGAR   NOTCH   BOROUGHS. 


<H 


Georgb  H.  Aurbach.  superintendent  of  the  store  of  B.  L.  Gale, 
at  Nantiooke,  is  a  native  of  Trussia,  where  he  was  born  July  24th, 
-  1838.  He  served  during  the  Hebellion  in  Battery  H  of  the  1st  Pennsyl- 
vania light  artillery.  Before  engaging  as  above  he  was  employed  as  a 
clerk. 

J.  H.  Baboook  was  bom  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  June  15th,  1851,  and  was 
married  to  Miss  Annie  Grilich,  of  Sunbury,  Pa.  He  is  a  train  despatcher 
at  Ashley. 

Alexander  B.\xter,  machinist,  was  born  in  Kirkcaldy,  Fifeshire, 
Scotland,  November  10th,  1821.  His  wife  was  Miss  Jane  Kobb,  a  native 
of  the  same  place.  Mr  Baxter's  residence  is  at  Ashley,  where  he  is  em- 
ployed asf  oreman  in  the  machine  shop,  and  has  also  served  as  a  member 
of  the  school  board. 

G.  M.  Bensett,  master  car  builder,  was  bom  in  Hanover  township, 
July  23d,  1813.  His  wife,  u  native  of  Philadelphia,  was  formerly  Miss 
Jane  A.  Bevan.  Mr.  Bennett  is  the  grandson  of  Ishmael  Bennett,  who 
was  an  early  settler  in  the  Wyoming  valley. 

William  Bell,  deceased,  was  born  in  Falkirk,  Scotland,  June  12th, 
1804,  and  married  Miss  Jane  Eliza  Jones,  of  New  York.  He  spent  a  part 
of  his  life  in  farming,  and  was  subsequently  employed  by  the  Susque- 
hanna Coal  Company  as  toll  collector  at  Nanticoke.  His  death  occurred 
October  25th,  1878. 

C.  E.Berkv,  of  Ashley, a  native  of  Lennox,  Susquehanna  county.Pa., 
was  born  April  7th,  1838,  and  mai-ried  Miss  Hannah  Minnicb,  of  Sugar- 
loaf.  Mr.  Berry  is  a  carpenter,  and  is  foreman  for  the  railroad  company. 
He  has  served  as  sergeant  of  Company  B  177th  regiment,  and  at  one 
time  was  a  member  of  the  borough  council. 

James  Black,  merchant,  was  born  in  Ashley,  December  20th,  1847, 
and  now  lives  there.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Eebecca  Butler,  of  Dan- 
ville, Montour  county.  Pa.  He  has  been  president  and  secretary  of  the 
borough  council,  and  treasurer  of  Coalville  Lodge,  No.  474.  He  served  in 
the  ISth  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 

T.  P.  Blodgett,  merchant  at  Ashley,  was  bom  in  Hanover  township, 
October  24th,  1843.  He  married  Miss  Maggie  Y.  Liggett,  of  Parksburg, 
Chester  county.  Pa.    He  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace. 

John  Bowden,  dealer  in  dry  goods  and  groceries,  was  born  in  Corn- 
wall, England,  June  8th,  1841,  and  came  to  this  country  May  1.5th,  1861. 
He  subsequently  made  Ashley  his  home,  where  he  married  Miss  Isabella 
Clark,  a  native  of  the  place. 

J.  C.  Brader,  manager  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company  supply 
store,  was  bom  in  Beach  Haven,  February  12th,  18.)6.  He  has  served  as 
auditor  of  Nanticoke  borough.  He  was  formerly  a  telegraph  operator 
and  dispatcher. 

Thomas  Casseby,  manager,  was  born  at  Wilkes-Barre,  June  21st, 
1853,  and  married  Miss  B.  L.  Roper,  of  Brooklyn,  Pa.  His  former  occu- 
pation was  book-keeping. 

Michael  Cavanagh  was  bom  in  the  county  of  Galway,  Ireland,  in 

1839.  He  came  to  America  in  18C.5,  and  located  at  Ashley  in  1870.  He 
was  married  in  1863  to  Miss  Bridget  Blisrh,  of  Galway,  Ireland.  Mr. 
Cavanagh  is  a  shoemaker. 

J.  W.  COLBORN,  carpenter,  was  born  in  Lycoming  county.  Pa.,  June 
10th,  1831.    He  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Kiese,  of  Ashley. 

J.  W.  Cole,  a  native  of  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  was  born  September 
28th,  1838.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  R.  B.  Driesbach,  of  Ashley.  Mr. 
Cole  is  engaged  in  lumbering  and  has  been  superintendent  of  mining 
work. 

John  Cooper,  manufacturer  of  coal  novelties,  Ashley,  was  born  at 
Mauoh  Chunk,  Pa.,  June  1st,  1843,  and  married  Miss  Eliza  Ti-evarrow,  of 
Nesquehoning,  Pa.  He  was  formerly  a  machinist  and  served  during  the 
late  war  in  Company  H  67th  Pennsylvania  infanti  y. 

W.  S.  Coulter,  civil  engineer,  Ashley,  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, September  14th,  1827.    He  married  Miss  Catharine  Evans. 

FrankP.  Crotzer,  druggist,  Nantiooke,  was  born  in  MilBinburg,  Pa., 
Febmary  7th,  1852. 

William  L.  Dreher,  a  native  of  Stroudsburg,  Pa.,  was  born  February 
9th,  1844,  and  was  married  November  5th,  1874,  to  Lois  A.  Einehammer, 
of  Hanover  township.  Pa.  Mr.  Dreher  is  a  successful  hardware  mer- 
chant of  Ashley. 

Eev.  William  J.  Day  was  born  in  Pasbebiac,  Canada,  February  20th, 

1840.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Mary  Ann  Henderson,  of  Philadel- 
phia. Mr.  Day  is  the  present  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Ashley. 

Clarence  S.  Dbtro,  a  railroad  employe,  of  Ashley,  was  born  in 
White  Haven,  February  21st,  1853. 


John  Ddnn  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  January  22nd,  1843,  and  married 
Miss  Frances  E.  Coolbaugh,  of  Hanover  township.  During  the  late  re- 
bellion he  served  his  country,  and  he  is  captain  of  Company  G  9th  regi- 
ment national  guards  of  Pennsylvania.  He  has  identified  himself  with 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  having  held  the  ofBoe  of  D.  D.  G.  M.  for  a  term  of  four  years. 
He  is  now  a  foreman  in  the  employ  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company. 

Fred  E.  Eldrtoge,  telegraphic  operator  and  assistant  dispatcher  at 
Sugar  Notch,  was  born  in  Barker,  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  March  29th, 
1853.    His  wife  was  Miss  Jane  Whitworth,  of  Sugar  Notch. 

A.  A.  Enke,  bookkeeper,  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Berwick,  Columbia 
county.  Pa.,  June  19th,  1851.  He  man-led  Miss  Mary  A.  Eambach,  of 
Briar  Creek,  Columbia  county,  who  died  May  10th,  1879. 

Daniel  O.  Eroh  was  born  in  Carbon  county,  February  13th,  1849. 
He  went  to  Ashley,  where  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Johnson,  and  where 
he  is  now  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business.  Mr.  Eroh  is  burgess  of 
the  borough  and  is  also  justice  of  the  peace. 

O.  O.  EssER,  general  dispatcher.  Sugar'  Notch,  was  born  in  Mauch 
Chunk,  Pa.,  January  25th,  1850,  and  mai-ried  Mary  Caroline  Mott,  of 
Tunkhannock. 

David  W.  Evans,  mining  boss,  was  born  in  South  Wales,  April  21st, 
1849.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Jane  Jones,  is  also  a  native  of  South  Wales. 

Henry  S.  Fairohild,  farmer,  was  born  in  Nanticoke,  March  18th, 
1839,  and  has  since  resided  there,  where  be  married  Miss  Louisa  Eobbins, 
of  that  place. 

John  Fairchild,  deceased,  was  born  in  Newport,  this  county,  Feb- 
ruary 19th,  1813.  He  married  Miss  Martha  Line,  of  Hanover  township. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  held  the  offices  of  road  commissioner,  poor  direct- 
or, justice  of  the  peace  and  treasurer  of  Nanticoke  borough.  He  was 
1st  lieutenant  of  a  State  militia  rifle  company  for  seven  years.  His 
death  occurred  in  September,  1879. 

George  F.  Falkmyer,  mining  boss,  was  born  in  Prussia,  August 
14th,  1836.     He  married  Miss  Amelia  P.  Kottka,  of  Dauphin  count}'.  Pa. 

J.  H.  Fowler,  engineer.  Sugar  Notch,  was  born  in  Brier  Creek, 
Columbia  county,  Pa.,  Mai'oh  15th,  1836,  and  married  Miss  Elizabeth  B. 
Leyburn,  of  Tamaqua. 

Charles  Frederick  was  born  in  Lower  Nazareth,  Northampton 
county.  Pa.,  March  13th,  1813.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss  Susan  Ereinler, 
was  born  in  the  same  place.  Mr.  Frederick  served  in  the  State  militia. 
His  residence  is  at  Ashley,  where  he  is  employed  in  the  round-house. 

Daniel  Frederic,  carpenter,  Ashley,  was  born  in  Bethlehem, 
Northampton  county.  Pa.,  December  24th,  1807,  and  married  Miss 
Christina  Steel,  of  Buttonwoods,  Hanover  township. 

James  K.  P.  Fenner  was  born  near  the  Delaware  Water  Gap,  Pa., 
July  20th,  1844,  and  in  1870  married  Caroline  P.,  daughter  of  the  late 
J.  Turvey  Fellows,  of  Scranton.  He  engaged  in  trade  as  a  druggist, with 
Dr.  E.  B.  Miner,  at  Wilkes-Barre  in  1863,  and  after  three  years  engaged 
in  general  merchandizing  at  Ashley,  which  he  still  continues. 

E.  B.  Gardner,  Ashley,  was  born  in  Buck  township,  Luzerne  county, 
February  14th,  1843.  His  wife  was  Miss  Kate  Fenner,of  Monroe  county. 
Mr.  Gardner  has  been  engaged  in  lumbering,  and  is  now  constable  and 
a  member  of  the  police  force. 

John  B.  Graham,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  born  July  1st,  1848,  and 
was  married  October  5th,  1876,  to  Miss  Hattie  O'Neill,  of  Ashley,  Pa.  He 
is  an  undertaker  and  extensive  furniture  dealer  of  Ashley. 

Lewis  C.  Green,  a  native  of  Orwell,  Bradford  county,  was  born 
May  28th,  1833,  and  married  F.  Augusta  Walker,  of  Nescopeck  town- 
ship. Mr.  Green  has  been  notary  public,  justice  of  the  peace  and  bur- 
gess. He  was  lieutenant  of  Company  F  147th  Pennsylvania  volunteers 
during  the  Rebellion.    He  is  now  engaged  in  teaching. 

C.  H.  Hay,  postmaster  at  Ashley,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  January 
32nd,  1849.  His  wife,  formerly  Mary  A.  Graham,  was  also  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.    Mr.  Hay  served  three  months  in  the  8th  Pennsylvania  infantry. 

N.  M.  Hartman,  printer,  of  Nanticoke,wasbom  in  Buokhorn,  Colum- 
bia county.  Pa.,  January  14th,  1856. 

John  J.  Hines,  railroad  agent  and  dispatcher  at  Nanticoke,  was  born 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  November  9th,  1852.  He  has  served  the  borough  of 
Nanticoke  in  the  capacity  of  auditor. 

William  H.  Hosking,  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  was  born 
August  27th,  1839.  He  married  Mary  Oats,  of  the  same  county.  She 
died  November  14th,  1867,  and  he  married  Mary  Ann  Neal,  of  Plains 
township.    Mr.  Hosking  is  a  mining  boss  at  Sugar  Notch. 

John  E.  Hunter,  book-keeper.  Sugar  Notch,  was  born  in  Tredegar, 
England,  August  10th,  1843.  He  married  Miss  Jane  B.  Hughes,  of  Pitts- 
ton.    He  has  been  collector  and  treasurer  of  the  school  fund  since  1874. 


268^ 


1  nhif 


Geoboe  W.  Johnson  was  bora  in  Nanticoke,  November  11th,  1848. 
He  married  Miss  Gertrude  Schwab,  of  Dennison,  Ulster  county,  N.  Y. 
He  is  track  foreman  for  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  New  Jersey, 
and  resides  at  Ashley. 

Evan  T.  Jones,  hotel  1-eeper,  post-offloe  address  Askam,  was  born 
in  South  Wales,  March  8th,  1831.  His  wife,  who  was  also  a  native  of 
South  Wales,  was  Miss  Mary  Lewis.   Mr.  Jones  was  formerly  a  miner. 

Alexandeb  Keithline,  post-ofBce  address  Askam,  was  born  in 
Newport  township,  October  Uth,  18i0,  and  married  Martha  A.  Keyser,  of 
Hanover.   He  is  a  carpenter  and  wheelwright. 

Samuel  Keithline,  farmer,  was  born  in  Northampton,  December 
1st,  1823.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eliza  Hoover,  was  of 
Hanover  township.  Mr.  Keithline  has  been  director  of  the  central  poor 
district,  director  of  the  school  board  and  has  held  most  of  the  local 
offices,  if  not  oil. 

A.  A.  Lape,  physician  and  druggist,  was  born  in  Nanticoke,  April 
16th,  1843,  and  has  since  resided  there.  He  was  formerly  a  farmer.  He 
married  Miss  F.  V.  Line,  of  Nanticoke. 

A.  Lape,  butcher,  is  a  lifelong  resident  of  Nanticoke.  He  was  born 
January  28th,  1839,  and  married  Amelia  Jones,  also  of  Nanticoke.  Before 
establishing  his  present  business  Mr.  Lape  was  engaged  in  farming.  He 
was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  council. 

H.  A.  Lawn  was  born  in  Seybertsville,  Sugarloaf  township,  April 
29th,  1848.  He  married  Martha  A.  Dennis,  of  Ulster  county,  N.  T.  She 
died,  and  he  man-ied  Jennie  McAllister,  of  Danville,  Montour  county. 
Pa.  Mr.  Lawn  is  a  tinner  by  trade  and  is  now  employed  In  the  car  repair 
shop  at  Ashley.    He  is  a  member  of  the  A.  T.  M.  and  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

Philip  Leabch  was  born  in  Nanticoke,  June  30th, 1846,  and  has  always 
lived  there.  Mrs.  Learch  was  formerly  Miss  Lydia  Gates,  of  Huntsville, 
this  county. 

Thomas  McNeish,  engineer,  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia, 
July  29th,  1833,  and  married  Miss  P.  A.  Alexander,  of  Nanticoke.  He  was 
an  of&cer  in  the  Rebellion  and  is  the  president  of  the  borough  council. 

George  W.  Nicely,  bookkeeper,  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Conyngham, 
Luzerne  county,  December  19th,  1821.  His  wife  was  Rebecca  A.  Fowler, 
of  Berwick.    Mr.  Nicely  was  formerly  a  hotel  keeper. 

Washington  Noble  was  born  in  Nanticoke,  April  8th,  1860. 

John  O'Neill,  merchant  tailor  at  Nanticoke,  was  born  In  BalUays, 
county  Cavan,  Ireland,  March  2nd,  1844. 

H.  B.  Plbmb,  lawyer,  is  a  lifelong  resident  of  Plumbtown.  He  was 
born  November  13th,  1829,  and  married  Miss  E.  L.  Ruggles  of  Hanover 
He  served  in  Co.  K  of  the  30th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Owen  Richards,  deceased,  formerly  a  superintendent  in  the  employ 
of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company,  at  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  South 
Wales,  August  13th,  3833.  His  wife  was  formerly  Martha  A.  Jones,  of 
Wilkes-Barre. .  Mr.  Richards  was  a  macliinist  and  at  one  time  bad 
charge  of  the  Vulcan  Iron  Works  at  Wilkes-Barre. 

M.  S.  Roberts,  teacher,  was  born  in  Jessup  township,  Susquehanna 
county.  Pa.,  September  16th,  1835,  and  married  Priscilla  L.  Lee,  of 
Wright  township.    He  has  been  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business. 

James  E.  Roderick,  superintendent  of  mines  at  Warrior  Run,  is  a 
native  of  Cardiganshire,  South  Wales,  and  was  born  January  2nd,  ]841_ 
On  the  30th  of  December,  1868,  he  married  Sarah  Davis,  of  New  York 
city.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  town  council  and  of  the  school 
board,  two  terms  each. 

Jacob  Schappert,  clerk.  Sugar  Notch,  was  born  in  Bavaria,  January 
30th,  1839,  and  married  Miss  Margretha  Boilin  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

John  Schwab,  foreman  of  the  car  repair  shop  of  the  Central  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey  at  Ashley,  was  born  in  Ulster  county,  N.  Y.,  September 
2nd,  1842.  He  married  Miss  Sallie  S.  Albertson,  of  Belvidere,  N.  J.  Mr. 
Schwab  has  been  inspector  of  the  mines. 

A.  H.  Seward,  toll  collector,  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Fairraount 
township.  May  13th,  1851.    He  was  formerly  engaged  in  teaching, 

Godfrey  Smith,  a  native  of  Darmstadt,  Germany,  was  born  February 
18th,  1846,  and  married  Miss  S.  H.  Bols,  of  Colrain,  Scotland.  Mr.  Smith 
has  a  meat  market  at  Ashley.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  in  which  he  was  elected  trustee. 

G.  R.  Snyder,  retail  liquor  dealer  at  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Plymouth 
township,  January  I2th,  1650.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  the  sale  of 
tin  and  hardware. 

W.  D.  Snyder,  engineer,  Ashley,  was  born  in  Stroudsburg,  Monroe 
county.  Pa.,  May  20th,  1839.  Mrs.  Snyder,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary 
Sinclair,  was  born  in  England.  Mr.  Snyder  served  during  the  Rebellion, 
holding  the  office  of  lieutenant  in  the  8th  and  132nd  Pa.  volunteers. 

George  Spkowl,  car  machinist,  Ashley,  was  born  in  White  Haven, 
April  22nd,  1830.  He  married  Miss  Rachel  S.  Meixell,  of  Bhickshinny. 
Mr.  Sprowl  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

A.  P.  Strong,  telegraph  operator,  Ashley,  was  born  in  White  Haven, 
November  3d,  1856. 

S.  W.  Sutliff  was  born  in  Huntington  township.  He  married  Jane 
Kastenbauder,  of  Cattawissa,  Columbia  county.  He  is  ;engaged  in  the 
drug  store  of  A.  A.  Lape. 

David  Stetler,  foreman  for  the  Lehigh  "Valley  Railroad  Company's 
car  shops.  Sugar  Notch,  was  born  in  Carbon  county,  December  37th,  1829. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Amanda  Fritz,  also  of  Carbon  county.  Mr.  Stetler 
was  elected  burgess  in  1877. 


L.  E.  Tennant  was  born  in  Atdenville,  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  April  6th, 
1847,  and  married  Miss  Sarah  I.  Strong,  of  White  Haven.  He  is  track- 
master  for  the  Central  Railroad  Company  of  N.  J.,  and  has  been  in  the 
employ  of  the  same  company  fourteen  years.  He  is  president  of  the 
borough  council  of  Ashley,  having  served  as  secretary  and  treasurer. 

William  H.  Thomas,  assistant  superintendent  of  the  Friinklin  mine, 
Ashley,  was  born  in  North  Wales,  August  3Ist,  18J1,  and  m.irried  Miss 
Catharine  Crous,  of  Newton,  Lackawanna  county.  Pa. 

D.  C.  Tiffany,  outside  foreman  ot  breaker  number  10,  Sugar  Notch, 
was  born  in  Harford,  Susquehanna  county,  September  1st,  1855.  He 
married  Miss  Jennie  Titus,  of  Hopbottom,  Susquehanna  county.  Mr. 
Tiffany  is  a  member  of  the  Coalville  Lodge,  No.  474,  at  Ashley. 

M.  L.  Tiffany,  superintendent  In  the  employ  of  Charles  Parrish  & 
Co.,  was  born  March  25th,  1836,  in  Brooklyn,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa., 
where  he  married  Lucy  Ann  Boper.  Mr.  Tiffany  was  secretary  of  the 
Ashley  borough  council,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  Sugar  Notch 
council.    He  was  formerly  a  locomotive  engineer. 

J.  H.  Trimmer,  telegraph  operator  and  assistant  dispatcher.  Sugar 
Notch,  was  born  in  Quakerstown,  Hunterdon  county,  N.  J.,  September 
22nd,  1848.    He  married  Miss  Laura  E.  Breisch,  of  White  Haven. 

William  Vance,  time  keeper.  Sugar  Notch,  was  born  in  Ireland, 
January  9th,  1836.  He  married  Elizabeth  Vance,  of  Randestown, 
county  Antrim,  Ireland.  Mr. Vance  was  an  agent  for  washing-machines 
Before  engaging  in  his  present  business.  He  is  a  member  of  the  A.  Y.  M. 

S.  P.  Vandermark,  farmer,  was  bom  in  Newport  township,  July 
23d,  1811.  He  married  Mary  Rumage  of  Hanover  township,  who  died 
August  9th,  1871.  Mr.  Vandermark  has  held  the  offices  of  justice  of  the 
peace,  supervisor  and  town  clerk. 


J.  C.  Wells,  who  porti'flit  is  here  given,  has  figured  Aery  prominently 
in  the  business  and  official  circles  of  Ashley,  as  mentioned  on  pages  269 
and  270. 

Xavieu  Wernet,  hotel  keeper,  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Baden,  Ger- 
many, January  21st,  1831,  and  came  to  Nanticoke  August  83d,  1851, 
where  he  learned  shocmaking  and  followed  the  business  twelve  years. 
Afterward  he  sold  groceries  three  years,  then  commenced  his  present 
business.    He  married  Miss  H.  E.  Guringer  of  Hanover  township. 

Thomas  R.  Williams,  mine  boss  at  Nanticoke,  was  born  In  South 
Wales,  November  12th,  1842.    Ho.married  Mary  A.  Jones,  of  Nanticoke. 

John  White,  wagon  maker  at  Ashley,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
August  23d,  1823,  and  married  Miss  Melinda  C.  Blackman,  of  Hanover 
township.    He  is  a  member  and  trustee  of  the  Methodist  church. 

The  following  citizens  have  also  contributed  their  support  to  this 

publication :    Jacob  Bring, Flanagan,  W.  C.  Gregory,  W.  F.  Imlay, 

F.  P.  Kennedy,  Frederick  W.  Mason  and  E.  D.  J.  Mej'ers. 


ASKAM— EARLY  HISTORY  OF  ASHLEY. 


269 


Charles  Farren  outside  foreman.  The  mine  bosses  are 
John  Hughes  and  Samuel  Thomas.  In  1878  there  were 
mined  83,241  tons  of  coal.  There  were  156  men  and  boys 
employed  under  ground,  and  169  on  the  surface. 

Espy  colliery,  on  the  line  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Rail- 
road, in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  township,  is  operated 
by  the  Lehigh  &  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company.  George 
Parrish  is  general  superintendent,  and  F.  B.  Parrish  assist- 
ant superintendent.  W.  T.  Leas  and  Robert  O.  Leas  are 
the  outside  foremen,  and  William  T.  Smyth  inside  fore- 
men.    David  R.  Roberts  is  the  mine  boss. 

AsKAM. 

Many  years  ago  this  place  was  known  as  Hanover 
Center.  It  is  located  on  the  Middle  road,  about  a  mile 
north  of  the  west  end  of  Sugar  Notch  borough,  or 
Plumbton.  When  the  po.^t-ofifice  was  established,  in  1864, 
Joseph  Neuhart  was  appointed  postmaster,  and  the  office 
was  named  Askam,  in  memory  of  an  eccentric  gentleman 
who  located  here  in  the  early  settlement  of  this  township. 
One  day,  many  years  ago,  the  wife  of  William  Askam  re- 
quested him  to  go  out  and  get  her  some  oven  wood.  He 
obeyed  orders  as  far  as  going  out  was  concerned.  After 
an  absence  of  seven  years  he  returned,  having  in  the 
meantime  visited  England.  His  family  had  remained  in 
the  same  cabin  in  which  he  left  them,  and  upon  his  ap- 
proach to  the  house  he  gathered  up  an  armful  of  oven 
wood,  carried  it  in,  laid  it  down  carefully,  and  turning 
to  his  wife  said,  "  There  is  the  oven  wood  you  sent  me  af- 
ter." He  lived  at  this  place  many  years  afterward,  and 
died  kindly  remembered  by  all  who  knew  him  as  eccen- 
tric "  Billy  "  Askam. 

There  are  a  Methodist  church,  two  stores,  a  hotel  and 
about  twenty  dwellings  at  this  place.  R.  R.  Metcalf  is 
postmaster. 

HANOVER    CENTER    METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

This  society  was  organized  as  early  as  1820,  in  an  old 
log  school-house  on  Hoover  hill,  on  the  Middle  road,  a 
little  northwest  of  Plumbton.  The  first  class  leader 
was  Nathan  Carey,  and  the  early  members  of  the  society 
were:  Sarah  Carey,  Sally  Bennett,  Harvey  and  Celestia 
Holcomb,  Elsie  and  William  Askam,  Catharine,  Angeline 
and  Lorenzo  Ruggles,  Sarah  Blackman,  Ruth  Ann  Ed- 
gerton,  Sarah  Downing,  Eiisha  Blackman.  Lovinia  Smiley, 
Mary  Ann  Carey,  Joseph,  Sarah  and  Margaret  Steele, 
Elizabeth  and  Joseph  Inman  and  Lucinda  Marcy. 

This  class  belonged  to  a  large  circuit,  under  the  pas- 
toral care  of  Rev.  Epenetus  Owen,  who  was  succeeded 
in  the  itineracy  by  such  noble  men  as  Thomas  Wilcox, 
James  B.  Cooper,  John  D.  Safford,  T.  D.  Walker,  Z.  S. 
Kellogg,  O.  F.  Morse,  N.  Patrick,  J.  K.  Peck,  B.  B.  Emory, 
F.  lUman,  Erastus  Smith,  and  others  of  a  later  date. 

In  1861  the  society  built  the  present  church  of  wood, 
twenty-eight  by  thirty-six  feet,  costing  $500.  B.  Metcalf 
was  then  leader  of  the  class.  The  society  numbers  50 
members.     Rev.  Mr.  Davis  is  the  pastor. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  about  as  early  as  the 
society,  and  is  still  prosperous. 


ASHLEY  BOROUGH. 


^^%  EVERAL    names    have    been    applied   to   this 

^^     place    and    vicinity,    including    Skunktown, 

Hard   Scrabble,  Peestown,  Hightown,  and   as 

late    as      1830    Newtown,     Hendricksburgh, 

^(^^  Coalville  and  Nanticoke  Junction.     Previous 

f^r))  to  1865  there  were  but  a  few  bouses  here,  and  on 
'^'"'"^  the  north  side  of  Main  street  only  the  one  on  the 
flat  where  John  Carey  now  lives.  But  a  very  few  years 
before  this  the  neighborhood  burying  ground  was  along 
the  south  side  of  Main  street,  where  Dr.  Deifenderfer's 
drug  store  and  residence  stand. 

As  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  pioneer  settler  was 
Abner  Wade.  He  built  his  log  hut  on  the  site  of  the 
residence  of  Charles  Frederick. 

The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  Fritz  Deitrick  on  the  site 
of  Payne  &  Conyngham"s  store.  The  old  log  hotel 
now  serves  as  the  private  office  of  the  store.  Samuel 
Pease,  or  Pees,  had  a  log  tavern  where  McKernan's  hotel 
now  stands.  These  taverns  were  there  previous  to  1815. 
Samuel  Black  had  the  first  frame  tavern.  The  house,  on 
West  Main  street,  is  still  occupied  by  his  aged  widow. 
Lewis  Landraesser  also  had  a  tavern  here  many  ytars 
ago. 

As  early  as  1810,  a  log  school-house  W9S  built.  It 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  repair 
and  machine  shops.  This  was  the  church  as  well  as 
school-house,  and  soon  became  too  small  for  the  congre- 
gation, when  Fritz  Deitrick,  Daniel  Deitrick,  Samuel 
Pease,  Comfort  Carey  and  others  built  on  the  site  of 
Deifenderfer's  drug  store  the  first  frame  school-house  in 
this  township.  The  same  building  is  the  session  room  of 
the  Presbyterian  cluncli.  Amo)ig  the  first  preachers  in 
the  old  school-house  were:  Rev.  George  Dorrance,  a 
Presbyterian,  Rev,  Mr.  Boyd,  a  Baptist  preacher,  and 
Rev,  Epenetus  Owen,  a  Methodist  itinerant. 

The  pioneer  store  was  kept  by  Alexander  Gray,  near 
the  Abner  Wade  rnansion.  In  1815  there  was  a  saw-mill 
on  the  site  of  the  barn  behind  T,  P,  Blodgett's  store  on 
West  Main  street.     The  mill  was  built  by  Jacob  Bobb. 

The  old  stone  foundry  and  trip  hammer  shop  of 
Joseph  Van  Lear  stood  near  Solomon's  creek,  west  of 
Charles  Frederick's.  Van  Lear  made  nearly  all  kinds  of 
light  castings,  besides  cylinder  stoves  for  burning  the 
newly  discovered  anthracite  coal.  The  shop  was  de- 
stroyed by  high  water  in  the  spring  of  1850. 

The  Coalville  Building  Association  was  organized  in 
1869  and  expired  in  1877,  Its  stock  was  in  one  thousand 
shares.  The  Ashley  Building  Association,  with  fifteen 
hundred  shares,  was  organized  in  1871  and  expired  in 
1879.  J.  C.  Wells,  who  figures  so  prominently  in  the 
history  of  Ashley,  and  of  whom  a  portrait  appears  here- 
with, was  the  president  of  both  associations. 

He  was  also  president  of  the  Ashley  Cemetery  Associ- 
ation, which  was  organized  in  1870,  with  $3,000  capital, 
and  bought  eighteen  acres  from  the  Lehigh   Navigation 


4^ 


270 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


and    Coal  Company.     James 
and  James  Black  treasurer. 


M.    Snyder  was  secretary, 


Union  Hall  Block. 


Charter  and  Officers. 

The  petitioners  for  a  charter  for  the  borough  of  Ashley 
were  J.  C.  Wells,  E.  L.  Deifenderfer,  C.  T.  Lohr,  Wil- 
liam J.  Day,  George  Dunn,  J.  K.  P.  Fenner,  Samuel 
Cron,  A.  T.  Joslyn,  E.  C.  Cole,  J.  W.  Cole,  William  Pow- 
der, A.  Le  Bar,  John  White  and  others.  The  court. 
Judge  G.  M.  Harding  presiding,  granted  the  petition 
December  5th,  1870. 

The  first  election  for  borough  officers  was  held  Decem- 
ber 20th,  1870.  David  Johnson  was  judge  and  J.  K.  P. 
Fenner  and  M.  J.  Keck  inspectors  of  election.  The 
following  officials  were  elected:  Burgess,  Jeremiah  N. 
Gette;  town  council,  J.  C.  Wells,  M.  A.  McCarty,  E.  L. 
Deifenderfer,  John  Campbell  and  A.  D.  Le  Bar.  J.  C. 
Wells  was  elected  president  of  the  borough  council  and  A. 
D.  Le  Bar  secretary.  The  burgesses  since  Mr.  Gette  have 
been,  as  follows:  1871,  E.  C.Cole;  1872,  1873,  Charles 
H.  Hay;  1874,  William  Fenner;  1875,  William  Vincent 
and  Charles  H.  Hay;  1876,  William  Vincent;  1877,  Wil- 
liam Parsons;  1878,  Charles  Baird;  1879,  Daniel  O. 
Eroh.  The  president  of  the  town  council  for  1879  was 
L.  E.  Tennent;  treasurer,  J.  W.  Deifenderfer;  chief  of 
police,  Robert  Nelson;  secretary,  Thomas  Cassedy.  The 
following  are  the  names  and  years  of  election  of  the 
justices  of  the  peace  for  Ashley:  George  Lawrence,  1 8-  [  • 
Charles  Hays,  1871;  Jame.s  M.  Snyder,  1873;  Wilh'ani 
Fenner,  1874,  1879;  G.  W.  Nichols,  1876;  Thomas  P. 
Blodgett,  1877,  1879;  A.  P.  Fox,  1878;  i:)aniel  O.  Eroh, 
1879;  W.  W.  Vincent,  1879. 

Present  Business  Establishments. 

Here  are  located  the  shops  of  the  Lehigh  and  Susque- 
hanna division  of  the  Central  Railroad    of  New    Jersey 


which  employ  annually  about  350  men.  Here  is  also  the 
foot  of  the  "  Plane,''  the  longest  in  the  world,  built  pri- 
marily for  the  transportation  of  loaded  boats  from  the 
Susquehanna  over  the  mountain  to  the  Lehigh  river,  but 
now  used  for  coal  cars. 

There  are  three  coal  mines,  which  employ, .  when 
working,  about  600  persons.  Jersey  breaker  No.  2,  near 
Ashley,  and  Hartford  colliery,  in  AsUiey,  belong  to  the 
Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company. 

There  are  four  general  dry  goods  and  grocery  stores, 
besides  about  twenty  smaller  establishments;  three 
taverns,  several  saloons,  meat  markets,  shoe,  tailor  and 
milliner  shops;  a  two-story  brick  school-house,  built  in 
1874,  at  a  cost  of  $18,000;  and  three  churches — Methodist 
Episcopal,  Presbyterian  and  Protestant  Episcopal.  The 
post-office  has  formerly  been  known  as  Hendricksburgh 
and  Coalville.  Charles  Hay  is  now  postmaster.  There 
are  two  drug  stores  and  one  savings  bank.  E.  L.  Dei- 
fenderfer and  A.  D.  Tewksbury  are  the  resident  physi- 
cians.    The  population  of  Ashley  is  about  2,800. 

At  the  time  of  the  construction  of  the  public  school 
building  the  directors  were  A.  T.  Joslin  'president),  J.  C. 
AVells  (secretary),  James  Fisher  (treasurer),  J.  W.  Colburn, 
Charles  Caffrey  and  William  Thomas.  The  building 
committee  consisted  of  J.  C.  Wells,  Charles  Caffrey  and 
James  Fisher. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  and  Ashley  (Coahille)  Passenger 
Railroad  Company  was  organized  June  i8th,  i86g,  under 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  approved  March  24th,  1868, 
and  a  supplement  approved  April  15th,  1869.  The  road 
extends  from  the  junction  of  Washington  and  Market 
streets,  Wilkes-Barre,  to  Ashley,  near  the  depot  of  the 
Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  railroad. 

The  Ashley  Savings  Bank  was  chartered  July  3d,  1871, 
with  an  authorized  capital  of  |i75,ooo.  The  paid-up 
capital  of  the  bank  July  ist,  1879,  was  $37,575,  and  it.s 
surplus  capital  was  $7,000.  The  petitioners  for  the 
charter  were  Charles  Parrish,  John  C.  Wells,  Charles  M. 
Conyngham,  J.  K.  P.  Fenner,  Peter  Pursell,  James  A. 
Simpson,  H,  W.  Palmer,  E.  L.  Deifenderfer,  M.  D.,  AV. 
H.  Marcy  and  A.  Le  Bar,  M.  D. 

The  bank  was  opened  March  41)1,  1872.  Le>.  '^■  C. 
Paine,  president;  J.  C.  Wells,  vice-president;  Jan  ■  1. 
Snyder,  cashier. 

THE  ASHLEY  CHURCHES. 

centenary     METHODIST    EPISCOPAL. 

Among  the  earliest  itinerants  to  preach  here  was  Rev. 
Epenetus  Owen.  He  was  one  of  the  strong  and  effect- 
ive men  of  his  time.  Li  1842  "  Peestown,"  Hoover  Hill, 
Nanticoke,  Newport,  Lutzville,  in  Slocum  township, 
and  Stairville,  in  Dorrance  township,  were  set  off  from 
the  old  Wilkes-Barre  circuit.  Mr.  Owens  was  succeeded 
by  Revs.  Thomas  Wilcox,  James  B.  Cooper,  John  D. 
Safford,  Timothy  D.  Walker,  Z.  S.  Kellogg,  Orloff  F. 
Morse,  Noah  Patrick,  O.  F.  Morse  again,  J.  K.  Peck,  B. 
B.  Emory,  Frederick  Illman,  Erastus  Smith,  William 
Keaty,  Joseph  Whitman,  Miner  Swallow  and  A.  D.  Alex- 


ander.  This  circuit  was  in  the  Susquehanna  Conference 
up  to  1843,  when  the  name  was  changed  to  Wyoming, 
and  in  1846  the  name  of  the  circuit  was  changed  to  New- 
port mission.  In  1869  Ashley  was  set  off  as  a  separate 
charge. 

Since  Mr.  Alexander  the  preachers  at  Ashley  have 
been  Revs.  Asa  Bowdish,  J.  G.  Eckman,  J.  F.  Wilbur, 
VV.  S.  Wentz,  and  J.  Underwood,  the  present  pastor. 

The  class  here  was  known  as  the  "  Pees  neighborhood 
class."  The  members  were  Elijah  Richards,  leader; 
Louisa  Richards,  Samuel  and  Lydia  Pees,  Thomas  and 
Maria  Brown,  Joseph  and  Sarah  Barnes,  Phebe  and  De- 
borah Williams,  Christi.vn  Saum,  Hannah  Miller  and 
Rachael  Crosby.  The  first  official  board  was  appointed 
in  1848,  as  follows:  John  Labar  and  William  C.  Morse, 
local  preachers;  Andrew  Lutz,  exhorter;  Harvey  Hol- 
comb,  Lorenzo  Ruggles,  Ziba  Kremer,  Elisha  Blackman 
and  Stephen  Lee,  stewards. 

In  1868  the  society  built  the  present  church,  of  brick, 
on  Main  street.  It  is  forty  by  seventy  feet,  with  base- 
ment, and  cost  $8,000.  It  was  dedicated  in  November, 
1869,  by  Rev.  B.  I.  Ives.  The  society  at  present  num- 
bers 150  members.  The  parsonage  on  the  lot  adjoining 
the  church  was  built  in  1S70,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  The 
church  property  is  valued  at  $20,000. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  simultaneously  with 
the  society,  and  in  1851  Andrew  Lutz  was  superintend- 
ent, and  there  were  sixty  scholars.  John  White  was 
superintendent  from  1855  to  1866.  J.  K.  P.  Fenner  is  the 
present  superintendent,  and  the  school  numbers  over  200 
scholars. 

CO.ALVILLE    PRESBVTERTAN    CHURCH. 

About  1834  a  Sabbath-school  was  organized  by  Wil- 
liam E.  Gildersleeve,  son  of  Rev.  Cyrus  Gildersleeve,  in 
the  old  log  school-house  that  stood  on  the  left  side  of  the 
road  leading  over  to  Buttonwood.  There  had  been  oc- 
casional preaching  in  this  school-house  by  the  Rev. 
Cyrus  Gildersleeve  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Rev.  Mr. 
May  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Owen  of 
the  M.  E.  Church.  Sometimes  services  were  held  in  the 
barn  of  Samuel  Pease,  near  by.  Before  any  church  was 
built  at  Coalville,  as  it  was  then  called,  Mr.  Gildersleeve 
and  his  family  taught  Sunday-school  m  the  vicinity  for 
about  ten  years,  and  during  his  sickness  for  two  years 
Samuel  Huntington  took  charge  of  the  school,  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hoyt  for  assistants. 

■'!•'=  log  school-house  having  become  too  small,  a 
chii.  .,  was  built  in  1844.  The  building  committee  con- 
sisted of  Frederick  Detrick,  Daniel  Frederick,  and  David 
W.  Inman.  The  lot  was  donated  by  George  Lazarus,  of 
Buttonwood,  on  condition  that  there  should  be  no  night 
meetings  held.  The  church  was  finished  in  October, 
1844,  and  the  pulpit  occupied  by  Rev.  John  Dorrance,  of 
the  Wilkes-Barre  Presbyterian  Church.  After  the  death 
of  Mr.  Dorrance  the  church  grew  into  importance  only 
as  the  town  increased  in  population.  The  deed  for  the 
church  lot  was  obtained  of  the  Baltimore  Coal  Company, 
Dec.  nth,  1849.     The  pulpit  was  occupied  for  sometime 


by  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Hunt,  the  celebrated  temperance 
advocate.  Rev.  Jacob  Weidman  served  this  church, 
Nanticoke,  and  Shickshinny  for  five  years,  closing  his 
labors  in  1865.  The  present  pastor,  William  J.  Day,  began 
his  ministry  as  an  evangelist,  in  July,  1865.  The  church 
was  organized  January  17th,  1866,  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Luzerne,  with  17  members.  Daniel  Frederick,  Robert 
H.  Johnson,  and  Robert  Brown  were  chosen  elders. 

In  April.  186.S,  subscription  for  a  new  church  was 
opened  and  $400  was  immediately  subscribed.  The  new 
church  was  dedicated  February  15th,  t86o.  Rev.  Dr.  J.  T. 
Duryea,  of  Brooklyn,  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon. 
The  church  complete  cost  $8,500.  The  old  church  was 
remodeled  at  a  cost  of  $768,  and  dedicated  November 
13th,  1871,  by  Rev.  H.  H.  Wells,  of  Forty  Fort.  It  is 
occupied  by  the  large  and  flourishing  Presbyterian  Sun- 
day-school. Rev.  William  J.  Day  was  called  as  the  pastor 
September  17th,  1873.  In  the  summer  of  1879  the 
church  was  repaired.  The  church  property  is  valued  at 
$10,000. 

The  membership  in  1844  was  five,  as  follows:  Mrs. 
Mary  Steele  (mother  of  Mrs.  Daniel  Frederick),  Samuel 
Huntington  and  wife,  Mrs.  Preston,  and  John  Foust. 
The  present  membership,  including  Mountain  Top  and 
Sugar  Notch,  is  260. 

SECRET   SOCIETIES. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Coalville  Lodge,  No.  689,  I.  O.  O.  F.  was  instituted 
December  nth,  1869,  with  22  charter  members.  The 
officers  installed  at  the  organization  were:  N.  G.,  J.  W. 
Cole;  V.  G.,  E.  O'Neill;  secretary,  James  Black;  assist- 
ant secretary,  F.  H.  Clark;  treasurer,  John  Campbell. 
The  present  officers  are:  N.  G.,  Henry  Skillman;  V.  G., 
E.  P.  Henwood;  secretary,  E.  O'Neill;  assistant  secretary^ 
S.N.Ruth;  treasurer,  Jacob  Drumheller.  The  list  of  past 
grands  comprises  the  names  of  J.  W.  Cole,  E.  O'Neill, 
John  Campbell,  H.  S.  Dennis,  L.  H.  Carle,  Wilson  Beers, 
A.  C.  Fisher,  S.  B.  Watson,  C.  B.  Stivers,  John  Schwab, 
C.  E.  Goble,  F.  H.  Clark,  J.  Drumheller,  Elijah  Doney, 
James  Gilbert,  W.  F.  Kreidler,  Benjamin  Mcintosh, George 
Belles  and  T.  C.  Williams. 

The  lodge  meets  every  Wednesday  night  in  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall.  It  has  in  members,  and  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

MASONIC. 

Coalville  Lodge,  No.  474,  Ancient  York  Masons  was 
instituted  October  27th,  1870.  The  charter  members 
were  Amzi  Lebar  and  the  following  first  officers:  James 
M.  Snyder,  W.  M.;  James  Flemmings,  S.  W.;  David  H. 
Dotterer,  J.  W.;  John  Campbell,  treasurer;  John  C.  Wells, 
secretary;  Rev.  AVilliam  J.  Day,  S.  D.;  Jeremiah  N.  Get- 
tle,  J.  D.,  and  Peter  Rudranft,  pursuivant.        * 

The  succeeding  masters  of  the  lodge  have  been:  James 
M.  Snyder,  James  M.  Flemmings,  David  H.  Dotterer, 
John  C.  Wells,  Morris  J.  Keck,  William  D.  White,  Benja- 
min F.  Tucker,  William  H.  Taylor  and  John  H.  Hunt. 


T 


^4 


*€^= 


-M^ 


272 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  regular  communications  are  held  on  Tuesday 
evening  on  or  before  the  full  moon  in  each  month,  in 
Masonic  Hall. 

The  officers  for  1879  were:  Thomas  C.  Williams,  W. 
M.;  Daniel  0.  Eroh,  S.  W.;  Lines  E.  Tennant,  J.  W.; 
John  B.  Graham,  treasurer;  Benjamin  F.  Tucker,  secre- 
tary.    The  present  membership  is  83. 

AMERICAN    MECHANICS. 

y4s/!/ey  Council,  No.  149,  Junior  Order  United  Ameri- 
can Mechanics.— 'Y'Wk,  council  was  organized  May  i8th, 
1874,  with  the  following  charter  members:  George  A. 
Coles,  E.  W.  Cole,  W.  V.  Warner,  John  A.  Jones,  Charles 
Beltz,  Robert  Dunlap,  G.  W.  Jones,  G.  Leggett,  T.  W. 
Clark,  Jerry  Sassaman,  W.  F.  C.  Buchanan,  Arthur  E. 
Detro,  J.  F.  Kibler,  John  Warner  and  Eldy  Slacker. 

The  first  officers  of  this  council  were;  C.  D.  Herring, 
councillor;  A.  E.  Detro,  vice-councillor;  John  A.  Jones, 
recording  secretary;  Charles  Beltz,  assistant  recording 
secretary;  E.  W.  Cole,  financial  secretary;  E. 
Slacker,  treasurer;  Robert  Dunlap,  conductor;  George 
A.  Coles,  warden;  John  Warner,  inside  sentinel;  G.  W. 
Jones,  outside  sentinel;  trustees — John  A.  Jones,  Charles 
Beltz  and  George  A.  Coles. 

November  15th,  1874,  the  hall  in  which  the  council 
met  was  destroyed  by  fire,  together  with  the  property  of 
the  council.  Meetings  are  now  held  on  Monday  evening 
of  each  week  in  the  Ashley  Bank  Hall.  The  member- 
ship is  36,  with  a  surplus  capital  of  $500. 

The  present  officers  are:  Councillor,  Charles  Vanwhy; 
vice-councillor,  William  Colburn;  R.  S.,  George  A.  Coles; 
A.  R.  S.,  John  Oplinger;  F.  S.,  William  R.  Reed;  treas- 
urer, John  A.  Jones;  conductor,  O.  L.  Hillard;  warden, 
Whittaker  Johnson;  inside  sentinel,  Sylvester  Garrison; 
outside  sentinel,  Robert  Dunlap;  junior  past  councillor, 
A.  E.  Detro;  trustees — Charles  Vanwhy,  A.  E.  Detro 
and  Andrew  Boyd;  representatives  to  State  council — A. 
E.  Detro  and  William  R.  Reed;  deputy  State  councillor, 
William  R.  Reed. 

Ashley  Council,  No.  268,  O.  U.  A.  M.  was  organized 
December  14th,  1875,  with  the  following  named  ])ersons 
as  charter  members:  William  Swank,  James  Metz,  Rus- 
sell Buchannon,  Edward  O'Neill,  John  Young,  Simon 
Miller,  Charles  Keener,  F.  H.  Clark,  Charles  R.  Berry, 
John  H.  Johnson,  Michael  Warner,  E.  P.  Henwood,  John 

D.  Johnson.  J.  H:  Buchannon,  John  W.  Johnson,  Arthur 

E.  Detro,  Charles  Nye,  Elijah  Halderman,  M.  E.  Tiffany, 
Frank  Pugh,  David  F.  Reed. 

The  officers  serving  the  first  term,  commencing  De- 
cember 14th,  187s,  were:  C,  E.  O'Neill;  V.  C,  F.  H. 
Clark;  R.  S.,  J.  H.  Johnson;  A.  R.  S.,  M.  E.  Tiffany;  F. 
S.,  John  Young;  treasurer,  E.  P.  Henwood;  Ind.,  James 
Metz;  Ed.,  Russell  Buchannon;  L  P.,  J.  D.  Johnson;  O. 
P.,  J.   H.   Buchannon;  trustees — W.  Swank,  18  months; 

F.  H.  Clark,  12  months;  E.  O'Neill,  6  months. 

The  subsequent  councillors  have  been  as  follows:  1876, 
F.  H.  Clark;  1877,  J.  H.  Johnson  and  E.  P.  Henwood; 
1878,  J.  D.  Johnson,  John  Young;  1879,  J.  W.  Johnson, 
E.  W.  Breyer. 


The  council  meets  every  Friday  night   in   Mechanics' 
Hall,  Main  street. 


NANTICOKE  BOROUGH. 


'P  to  the  advent  of  the  "  paleface"  this  place 
was  occupied  by  the  Nanticoke  tribe  of  In- 
dians; hence  the  name.  They  were  attracted 
by  the  productive  shad  fishery.  Near  the 
river,  on  the  west  side  of  the  -creek,  was  the 
,  old  camp  of  the  Nanticokes.  Upon  and  around 
the  old  camp  ground  have  been  found  many  relics 
of  the  red-man's  skill.  The  Nanticokes'  burial  ground 
was  between  Broadway  and  the  river,  a  little  below  the 
iron  bridge.  The  plot  of  ground  was  a  little  elevated 
and  mound-shaped.  Here  also  many  relics  of  the  In- 
dians have  been  found,  including  their  bones. 

In  1778  John  and  Mason  F.  Alden  built  a  forge  near 
Col.  Washington  Lee's  grist-mill  on  Nanticoke  creek. 
The  forge  contained  one  hammer  and  only  one  fire. 
The  hammer  was  brought  from  Philadelphia  to  Harris- 
burg  in  a  wagon,  and  from  there  to  Nanticoke  in  a  Dur- 
ham boat.  The  works  were  abandoned  soon  after  1828, 
having  been  in  operation  at  least  fifty  years. 

The  site  of  the  borough  was  formerly  owned  by  Wil- 
liam Stewart,  who  in  1798  surveyed  it  into  town  lots 
(Main  street  being  laid  out  100  feet  wide),  which  were 
sold  during  that  and  a  few  succeeding  years.  He  then 
sold  the  balance  of  the  town  to  Matthias  HoUenback,  who 
sold  to  John  Mills  and  others.  Stewart  paid  his  patent 
or  land  grant  fees  by  labor  performed- in  1825  on  the 
Wilkes-Barre  bridge. 

As  late  as  1820,  when  Silas  Alexander  located  here,  the 
whole  of  the  territory  south  of  Main  street  was  a  dense 
wilderness,  and  between  Main  street  and  the  river  the 
land  was  a  swamp,  considered  worthless.  There  were 
then  but  two  or  three  houses.  John  Mills  located  west 
of  Spring  street,  and  Esq.  Campbell  east  of  \A'alnut 
street.  Esq.  Jennison  and  Washington  and  James  Lee 
came  about  the  same  time. 

Mr.  Silas.  Alexander  says  that  he  has  assisted  in  taking 
from  the  river  at  one  haul  of  the  net  9,999  large  shad. 
The  price  of  shad  at  that  time  (1820-25)  was  from  5  to 
8  cents  each  according  to  size,  or  one  drink  of  New 
England  rum  per  shad. 

The  first  coal  mined  at  this  place  was  mined  by  Col. 
Washington  Lee  about  1825.  He  opened  his  mine  near 
the  river,  and  as  there  was  no  market  up  the  river  for 
coal  he  shipped  a  little  down  the  river  in  Durham  boats. 
The  Stiver  mine  was  opened  about  1825. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  of  logs,  before  1820, 
on  the  site  of  the  old  union  church,  in  the  east  part  of 
the  borough.  The  first  teacher  was  Eliphalet  Buckley, 
and  in  1820  Silas  Alexander  was  the  teacher.  Among 
the  men  who  sent  children  to  Alexander's  school  were 
Colonel  Washington  Lee,  James  S.  Lee,  Isaac  Ripple, 
John  Mills  and  Thomas  Bennett. 


4_-^- 


4 


^h 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  NANTICOKE— CIVIL  RECORD— INDUSTRIES. 


273 


The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  Matthias  Gruver,  on  Main 
street,  nearly  opposite  where  O'Neill's  store  stands.  In 
1820  Thomas  Bennett  kept  a  tavern  where  Mrs.  Rouse 
lives,  and  the  wing  part  of  the  present  building  was  the 
old  tavern. 

In  1820,  and  for  several  years  after,  the  site  of  the  Nan- 
ticoke  Hotel  and  Alexander's  block  was  used  for  coal 
pits  for  the  manufacture  of  charcoal.  At  that  time  the 
site  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company's  works,  on  the 
flats  in  the  north  part  of  'the  borough,  was  a  worthless 
swamp,  which  was  subsequently  drained  at  the  expense 
of  the  State. 

The  pioneer  grist-mill,  saw-mill,  oil-mill  and  forge,  or 
triphammer  shop,  were  bailt  in  1820  by  John  Oint,  and 
sold  to  Colonel  Washington  Lee  at  or  before  completion. 
Lee  built  a  distillery  and  store  at  the  same  place  about 
1825.  These  establishments  were  on  Newport  creek, 
near,  the  depot  of  L.  &  S.  railroad,  and  some  of  the  same 
sites  are  now  occupied  by  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Com- 
pany's breaker  No.  i,  engine  house  and  other  buildings. 

The  first  blacksmith  was  Thomas  Bennett.  His  shop 
stood  opposite  his  tavern,  where  the  National  Hotel  now 
stands.  The  coal  he  used  was  taken  from  the  bank  of 
the  creek,  near  the  iron  bridge.  He  also  tried  the  exper- 
iment of  burning  coal  in  a  grate  in  his  house.  He  used 
steamboat  instead  of  stove  or  grate  coal,  therefore  his 
parlor  fire  was  not  a  success. 

The  first  resident  physician  was  Alden  I.  Bennett,  who 
came  here  in  1825.  He  was  succeeded  by  Drs.  Thomp- 
son, Robbins  and  Harry  Hakes. 

The  first  postmaster,  David  Thompson,  was  appointed 
in  1830,  and  kept  the  office  at  his  house  on  the  hill,  near 
where  C.  M.  Richards  now  lives.  In  1838  Mr.  Thomp- 
son and  Daniel  Stiles  built  a  store  where  Washington 
Lee's  banking  house  now  stands.  The  post-office  was 
kept  there  a  few  years. 

In  1838  Henry  Stains  built  a  store  on  the  site  of  the 
Susquehanna  Company's  store.  In  1845  there  was  a 
small  tannery  on  the  site  of  the  Fountain  Hotel.  In  185 1 
there  were  but  56  dwellings  within  the  present  limits  of 
Nantlcoke.     In  1880  the  population  was  3,884. 

Incorporation  and  Officers. 

The  charter  for  Nanticoke  borough  was  granted  Jan- 
uary 31st,  1874,  and  the  first  borough  election  was  held 
at  the  Fountain  Hotel,  kept  by  Xavier  Wernett,  on  Tues- 
day, February  17th,  1874  E.  N.  Alexander  and  Patrick 
Shea  were  the  inspectors.  Lewis  C.  Green  was  elected 
burgess;  Xavier  Wernett,  E.  N.  Alexander,  Patrick  Shea, 
George  T.  Morgan,  Orin  Council,  Samuel  Lines,  William 
Fairchild,  L.  W.  Carey,  Thomas  R.  Williams,  Joseph 
Shepherd  and  George  Ahrs,  school  board;  Samuel  Keith- 
line,  justice  of  the  peace;  George  Hill,  assessor;  Samuel 
Line,  L.  W.  Carey  and  Dr.  A.  A.  Lope,  auditors;  L.  W. 
Carey,  clerk  of  the  town  council.  The  successive  bur- 
gesses have  been  as  follows; 

187s,  1877,  Lewis  C.  Green:  1876,  Milton  Stiles;  1878, 
1879,  L  D.  Williams.  The  present  town  council  consists 
of  Thomas  McNeish,  John   H.  James,    William  Bayless, 


Alexander  Thompson,  Frank  Micklass  and  John  Dunn; 
Robert  J.  Lanning  clerk.  The  following  justices  of  the 
peace  have  been  elected  in  the  borough:  Samuel  Keith- 
line,  1874;  Isaac  D.Williams,  1878;  Florence  D.  McCarty, 
1879. 

The  Susquehanna  Coal  Company 

in  1878,  as  officially  reported,  operated  slopes  i,  2  and 
4,  tunnels  i,  2  and  4  and  shafts  i  and  2  at  Nanticoke, 
of  which  Joseph  Stickney  was  general  superintendent; 
Owen  Richards  assistant  superintendent  and  general 
outside  foreman,  with  H.  M.  Frederick  as  outside  fore- 
man. George  T.  Morgan  was  inside  foreman,  and  the 
mine  bosses  were;  slope  i,  Timothy  Downing;  tunnels  i 
and  2,  David  W.  Evans;  slopes  2  and  4,  George  Felt- 
jneyer;  tunnel  4,  Samuel  Witson;  shaft  i,  John  Parry; 
shaft  2,  Thomas  R.  Williams. 

The  coal  from  these  different  mines  was  passed  through 
breakers  i  and  2  at  Nanticoke.  The  men  and  boys  em- 
ployed in  connection  with  breaker  No.  i,  inside  the 
mines,  numbered  282,  and  on  the  surface  222.  The  total 
production  of  coal  for  1878  was  82,294  tons.  In  con- 
nection with  No.  2  there  were  408  men  and  boys  em- 
ployed underground,  and  203  on  the  surface.  With  184 
days  worked,  there  were  produced  254,638  tons  of  coal, 
or  1,383  tons  per  day. 

A  new  coal  breaker  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company, 
at  Nanticoke  was  duly  "  christened  "  April  3d,  1880, 
and  will  be  known  as  "  No.  5."  The  structure  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  these  coal  regions,  embracing  all  the 
latest  and  most  modern  improvements  in  this  species  of 
architecture.  It  was  erected  under  the  supervision  of 
Mr.  J.  H.  Bowden,  engineer  and  architect  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.  The  capacity  of  the  breaker  is  from  1,600  to 
1,800  tons  per  day  when  in  full  running  order,  and  it  will 
employ  about  150  hands. 

Present  Institutions  of  Nanticoke. 

Nanticoke  contains  seven  churches,  four  hotels, 
six  dry  goods  and  grocery  and  two  hardware  and  grocery 
stores,  a  merchant  tailor's  establishment,  two  cabinet 
shops,  three  blacksmith  and  two  wagon  shops,  three  jew- 
elry and  three  drug  stores,  four  physicians  (A.  A.  Lape, 
William  G.  Robbins,  R.  T.  Hylton  and  S.  L.  Holley),  a 
banking  house,  a  printing  office,  a  graded  school  and 
four  other  schools,  three  coal  breakers,  and  a  company 
store  where  all  kinds  of  goods  are  sold.  The  place  is 
well  provided  with  railroad  facilities  by  the  Lehigh  and 
Susquehanna  &  D.  L.  and  W.  roads.  The  present 
postmaster  is  Silas  Alexander.  He  was  appointed  by 
Postmaster  General  Wickliff. 

The  Press  of  Nanticoke. 

The  first  number  of  ihe  JVa/?t!i:cike  Chronicle  was  issued 
January  4th,  1879,  by  Snyder  &  Gibson.  The  paper  is  15 
by  20  inches  and  is  issued  weekly,  with  a  present  circu- 
lation of  500.  May  ist,  1879,  the  firm  of  Snyder  &  Gib- 
son was  dissolved.  North  M.  Hartman  became  and  re- 
mained editor  and  publisher. 


=.->=^^ 


*#= 


'MI* 


274 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


CHURCHES    OF    NANTICOKE. 

Besides  the  churches  whose  histories  are  given  below 
there  are  at  Nanticoke  the  St.  Stanislaus  Roman  Catholic 
church  and  the  Primitive  Methodist  society,  of  which  we 
were  unable  to  obtain  data  for  histories. 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL. 

About  the  year  1S12,  when  Nanticoke  was  yet  a  wil- 
derness and  a  swamp,  such  itinerants  as  Benjamin  G. 
Paddock,  Ralph  Lanning,  Ebenezer  Doolittle,  Joseph 
Kinkaid,  Israel  Chamberlain,  Abram  Lawson,  Israel  R. 
Cook,  Thomas  McGee,  Alpheus  Davis,  Benjamin  Bidlack, 
John  Rhodes  and  Marmaduke  Pearce  visited  Nanticoke. 
A  class  was  formed,  composed  of  David  and  Susan 
Thompson,  Martha  and  Priscilla  Lee,  Mary  Miller, 
Richard  Keithline,  Hannah  E.  Stiles,  James  and  William 
Thompson  and  Elizabeth  Mills.  Class  and  prayer  meet- 
ings were  held  at  the  log  cabins  of  the  settlers  till  a  log 
school-house  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  union 
church.  The  latter  was  built  in  1830,  with  a  basement  for 
the  district  school  and  the  upper  part  for  church  pur- 
poses. It  was  about  24  by  36  feet,  one  story  high,  with 
no  gallery,  and  the  entrance  was  at  the  rear  of  the  build- 
ing. This  church  was  to  be  for  the  use  of  the  Method- 
ists and  Presbyterians  particularly,  but  other  orthodox 
denominations  could  occupy  it  when  not  wanted  by  the 
other  two.  The  lot  was  deeded  to  David  Thompson, 
James  Lee,  Henry  Linn,  Silas  Alexander,  Washington 
Lee  and  others. 

From  1861,  when  the  present  Presbyterian  church  was 
completed,  both  congregations  worshiped  in  that  until 
1874,  when  the  Nanticoke  class  was  incorporated  under 
the  title  of  "  Nanticoke  Methodist  Episcopal  church," 
with  Thomas  Hill,  George  O.  Williams,  John  Puckey, 
John  Letcher  and  Luther  Curtis  as  trustees. 

About  this  time  the  two  societies  separated,  the  Method- 
ists holding  their  services  in  a  hall  during  1875.  The 
corner  stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was  laid  in 
1876  by  G.  R.  Hair,  then  presiding  elder  of  the  Wyoming 
district,  assisted  by  Rev.  T.  C.  Roskelly,  preacher  in 
charge.  In  the  latter  part  of  1876  the  basement  was 
completed  and  occupied,  although  the  church  was  not 
finished  until  April,  1880.  It  was  dedicated  March  5th, 
1880,  by  Bishop  Thornas  Bowman,  assisted  by  W.  H. 
Oliver,  P.  E.,  and  other  clergymen.  It  is  of  wood,  45  by 
60  feet,  and  can  seat  450.  It  cost  about  $4,500.  The 
lot  was  deeded  by  the  Siisipiehanna  Coal  Company  to 
Luther  Curtis,  John  Puckey,  George  O.  Willever,  John 
Letcher  and  Thomas  Hill,  trustees. 

In  1877  the  society  built  a  parsonage  on  the  lot  adjoin- 
ing the  east  side  of  the  church,  at  a  cost  of  $500.  The 
present  value  of  the  church  property  is  $10,000.  In 
January,  1880,  the  membership  numbered  87. 

The  preachers  who  have  served  this  people  from  1874 
to  this  writing  are:  Rev.  George  M.  Colville,  1874;  Rev. 
A.  W.  Hood,  1875;  Rev.  T.  C.  Roskelly,  1876  to  1879,  and 
Rev.  Levi  Jennison,  who  was  appointed  to  this  charge  in 
April,  1879. 


NANTICOKE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHQRCH. 

In  the  opening  of  this  century  a  few  hard  working 
farmers  in  Hanover  and  Newport  townships  met  for 
worship  in  a  school-house  near  Mr.  Conrad  Lines's.  On 
the  27th  of  November,  1829,  Rev.  Cyrus  Gildersleeve  and 
Rev.  Nicholas  Murray  (the  celebrated  author  of  Kirwan's 
letters  to  Bishop  Plughes),  who  was  then  or  became  soon 
afterward  pastor  of  the  AVilkes-Barre  Congregational 
Church,  met  the  people  at  the  above  named  school-house 
to  organize  a  church.  Mr.  Murray  preached,  after  which 
ceriificates  of  dismission  were  granted  to  the  following 
members  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  congregation  with  a  view 
to  their  uniting  in  a  new  organization:  John  Schleppy, 
Anderson  Dana,  jr.,  Henry  Styer,  Elizabeth  Fairchild, 
Mary  Line,  Mary  Lueder,  Christian  Schleppy,  Anna 
Styer,  John  Sorber,  Solomon  Mill,  Abraham  Arnold, 
Sarah  Schleppy,  Clara  Sorber,  Elizabeth  R.  Styer,  Eliza- 
beth J.  Thomas,  Rachel  Whipple,  Lorenda  Dilly,  Mar- 
garet Fairchild. 

These  persons  voted  to  organize  a  Presbyterian  church 
to  be  called  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Hanover  and 
Newjjort.  John-  Schleppy,  Anderson  Dana,  jr.,  and 
Henry  Styes  were  elected  elders,  and   J.  Schleppy  deacon. 

At  this  time  Rev.  Cyrus  Gildersleeve  officiated  as  min- 
ister in  charge. 

The  years  of  service  for  each  minister  appear  on  the 
records  of  the  church  only  as  presiding  as  moderators  of 
sessional  meetings.  From  these  sources  we  find  in  1832 
Rev.  Wra.  Rhods  presiding;  in  1836,  Rev.  M.  Corse; 
1837,  Rev.  E.  H.  Snowden.  September  14th,  1839, 
Robert  Robins,  sen.,  was  added  to  the  eldership. 

May  31st,  1843,  Rev.  E.  H.  Snowden  closed  his  con- 
nection with  the  church.  July  ist,  1843,  Rev.  W.  Hunt- 
ing became  stated  supply.  From  May,  1845,  the  church 
was  served  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Snowden  and  Rev.  Thomas 
P.  Hunt.  Darwin  Cook,  then  stationed  at  Conyngham 
valley,  was  invited  to  come  one-half  of  his  time  and 
preach  alternate  Sabbaths  for  one  hundred  dollars  salary. 
April  20th,  1847,  we  find  the  church  under  his  active 
labors,  with  an  earnest  missionary  spirit,  and  26  members 
on  the  roll.  Rev.  D.  Cook  began  his  labors  May  31st, 
1846.  In  184S  he  clospd  them.  In  1849  and  up  to  1854 
Rev.  E.  H.  Snowden  appears  as  minister. 

April  14th,  i860,  a  committee  consisting  of  Rev.  John 
Dorrance,  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Hunt  and  Hon.  Orestus  Col- 
lins, elder  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  church,  was  sent  by  the 
presbytery  to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  church. 
The  committee  unanimously  resolved  to  reorganize  the 
church. 

The  old  members  remaining  were  John  Schleppy, 
Susan  Schleppy,  Susan  Rumbach,  Elizabeth  Fairchild, 
Mary  Lines,  John  S.  Robbins,  S.  Robbins,  Lavina  Espy, 
Elizabeth  Lape,  Elizabeth  Rashly,  Susan  Kocher,  Mrs. 
Silas  Alexander  and  Margaret  Lutsey.  To  these  were 
added  by  dismission  from  the  church  of  Wilkes-Barre 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Alexander,  Miss  Phoebe  A.  Alexander 
(now  Mrs.  T.  McNeish),  John  Fairchild,  Martha  Fair- 
child  and  Catherine  Koerner.  Beside  these  Mrs. Sarah  Lee 


*#-= 


=HN- 


lb 


NANTICOKE  CHURCH  HISTORIES. 


275 


(Miss  Anderson),  Miss  and  Annie  Faircliild  were  received 
inlo  membership  on  profession.  'J'iie  ne.xt  Sabbatli,  April 
iStli,  i860,  after  a  sermon  by  Rev.  John  Dorrance,  Joiin 
Faircliild,  elder  elect,  was  ordained,  the  Lord's  Snpper 
administered,  and  the  church  fully  organized  under  the 
name  of  the  Nanticoke  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  church  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Jacob  Weidmaii,  of 
the  Board  of  Missions. 

In  September,  1862,  the  work  of  building  a  new  church 
was  begun.  'J'he  church  was  finished  and  dedicated  in 
the  fall  of  1863. 

July  i6th,  1865,  Rev.  William  J.  Day  began  his  labors. 
During  the  winter  of  1871  a  union  revival  service  re- 
sulted in  the  accession  of  22  members,  besides  7  others 
received  under  instruction.  The  labors  of  Rev.  W.  J. 
Day  continued  uutil  1874,  after  which  the  church  was 
served  by  Rev.  H.  H.  Wells  and  Rev.  Arthur  Johnson. 
The  present  pastor  of  the  church  is  Rev.  J.  P.  Harsen, 
who  came  as  stated  supply,  preaching  his  first  sermon 
November  23d,  1879.  The  elders  are  George  A.  Pehle 
and  James  A.  McFarland;  trustees— O.  F.  Ferris  (presi- 
dent), A.  A.  Enke  (secretary),  H.  S.  Fairchild  (treas- 
urer), W.  H.  Bates  and  E.  B.  Decker.  Sunday-school 
superintendent,  O.  F.  Ferris.     Number  of  scholars,  145. 

NANTICOKE    WELSH     CONGREG.4TION AL    CHURCH. 

This  society  was  organized  May  2gth,  1870,  by  a  few 
of  the  Welsh  inhabitants  of  the  borough,  under  the  title 
of  "  United  Society  of  Congregationalists  and  Calvinistic 
Methodists.''  The  original  members  were  David  N. 
Williams,  John  Mathews,  William  L.  Evans,  William  Ma- 
thews, Mary  Mathews,  Mary  Thomas,  Mary  Jones,  Ann 
Evans,  Gwenllian  Lewis,  Jennett  Davies  and  Richard 
Williams. 

Meetings  were  held  in  the  old  school-house  until  1874, 
when  the  society  built  its  present  church  on  Main  street, 
which  is  of  wood,  twenty-five  by  forty-five  feet.  It  cost 
$2,400,  and  was  dedicated  in  November,  1874.  The 
membership  is  66.  The  value  of  the  church  property  is 
$3,000.     Thomas  F.  Jacobs  is  the  clerk  of  the  church. 

Rev.  George  Hill  was  pastor  from  1872  to  1876.  Since 
then  the  church  has  been  supplied  by  ministers  from 
other  places. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  with  the  society,  and 
is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  with  an  average  attendance 
of  75  scholars. 

NANTICOKE    WELSH    HAPTIST    CHURCH. 

In  June,  1870,  the  Baptists  of  this  place  assembled  in 
a  private  house  to  consider  the  organization  of  a  church, 
•Most  of  them  were  members  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  church 
of  Wilkes-Barre.  About  twelve  of  those  present  went 
the  following  Sunday  to  Wilkes-Barre,  and  were  organ- 
ized by  the  pastor,  the  Rev.  Theophilus  Jones,  into  a 
regular  Baptist  church.  Job  Samuel  and  John  Williams 
were  at  the  same  time  ordained  deacons. 

The  members  at  first  worshiped  in  private  houses. 
They  engaged  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jones  as  pastor  for  the  first     | 


year  to  preach  once  a  month;  he  was  to  receive   $200  as 
salary. 

For  the  first  twelve   months  the  church   prospered  as 
well  as  could  be  expected.     'I'he  summer  of  187 1  brought 
quite  a  number  of  new  members.     After  this  accession  it 
was  determined  that  a   meeling-house    should  be    built. 
The  lot,  the  northwest  corner  of  Slope  and  Main  streetr, 
was  a  gift  of  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company,  through  its 
agent,  Mr.  Stickney.     Soon  the   foundation  was  laid,  and 
the  wood-work  was  commenced   early  in  July,  1871.     By 
the  end  of  September  a  hou.se  was  ready  for  use.     It  was 
twenty-four  by  ihirty-four  feet,  and   cost    $r,ooo,   and  it 
was  not  long  before  it  v/as  free  from   debt.     By  the  time 
the  tociety  was  ready  to  move  to  the   building   the  Rev. 
Mr.  Jones  had  resigned.     Rev.    D.  Davies,  from  Cardiff, 
^South  Wales,  who  had  just  arrived   in  this    country,  was 
unanimously  called  to  be  pastor  in  June,  1872.    He  left  to 
take  charge  of  the  Parsons   Baptist   church,  and   Rev.  J. 
P.    Harris,   from   Cattaraugus,   N.  Y.,    was   called.        He 
moved  to  Nanticoke  early  in  1873,  and  remained  the  pas- 
tor until  March,  1877,  when  he  removed  to  take  charge  of 
the  Providence  Baptist   church.      In   May,    1878,  W.   F. 
Davies,  an  old  member  of  tlie  church,  and   a   licentiate, 
who  was  studying  for  the  ministry,  was   called  to  be  the 
pastor,  and  accepted.     He  wa^  ordained  in  August,  187S, 
and  he  is  now  the  pastor. 

Much  work  has  been  done  in  connection  with  the  Sun- 
day-school. The  school  now  has  17  classes  and  an  aver- 
age attendance  of  125  scholars. 

The  church  has  licensed  three  to  preach  the  gospel, 
namely  W.  F.  Davis,  the  present  pastor,  I.  D.  Williams 
and  Henry  Hill.  Besides  its  different  pastors  and  licen- 
tiates, other  preachers  have  been  members  of  this  church, 
namely  Rev.  J.  J.  Morris,  late  pastor  of  the  Houtzdale 
Welsh  Baptist  church  of  Clearfield  county.  Pa.,  and 
Enoch  Richard,  now  a  member  of  the  Centennial  Baptist 
Church  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

The  preaching  has  been  Welsh  and  English  alter- 
nately from  the  beginning.  Another  meeting-house,  for 
the  English  portion  of'  the  church,  is  soon  to  be  built. 

THE    REFORMED    CHURCH. 

The  members  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  churches 
organized  and  constituted  the  congregations  which  se- 
cured the  pro|)erty  and  built  the  Hanover  church  "  at 
the  green."  There  were  two  congregations,  but  the 
property  was  held  jointly,  and  the  services  alternately. 

On  the  Reformed  side  the  ministers  were  at  first  oc- 
casional supplies  from  a  distance,  prominent  among  them 
Rev.  Dr.  T.  L.  Hoffeditz  from  Northampton  county. 
The  first  settled  pastor.  Rev.  John  N.  Zeiser,  came  in 
182 T.  He  confirmed  his  first  class  of  catechumens,  13  in 
number,  October  26th,  1822,  and  the  day  following  55 
persons  communed.  He  died  in  1840.  His  successor 
was  the  Rev.  Abraham  Berke.  Then  Rev.  John  W. 
Lesher,  was  pastor  from  1844  to  1855.  After  a  vacancy 
of  several  years  Rev.  Frederick  Strassner  took  charge. 
He  records  a  membership  of  60  ifi  1863.  His  successor 
was  the  Rev.  Dr.  G.  W.  Glessner. 


-'^> 


*^^ 


<h 


276 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


In  1876  a  separate  Lutheran  congregation  was  organ- 
ized. The  larger  part  of  the  old  congregation,  however, 
helil  together,  and  retained  the  services  of  Rev.  Rudolph 
Kiinz,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  who  had  been  pastor  for  some 
time  before  the  division  took  place.  His  successor  in 
Zion's  Reformed  church,  Rev.  F.  K.  Levan,  held  services 
for  this  people  several  times  during  1878. 

With  the  opening  of  1879  it  was  agreed  that  the  con- 
gregation should  be  Reformed  tliereafter,  and  be  served 
in  connection  with  Zion's  church,  Wilkes-Barre.  Wor- 
ship had  all  along  been  held  in  the  old  school-house. 
Preparations  were  made  in  1879  to  build  a  suitable 
church  in  1880.  The  confirmed  membership  numbers 
nearly  loo.  Several  nationalities  are  represented.  Rev. 
F.  K.  Levan,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  is  the  present  pastor. 

ST.  FRANCIS     ROMAN     CATHOLIC    CHURCH. 

Previous  to  1876  Nanticoke  and  the  other  mining  towns 
in  this  vicinity  were  mission  fields,  attended  from  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Scranton.  In  the  year  1876  Father  O'Haran, 
of  Wilkes-Barre,  was  convinced  that  the  borough  of  Nan- 
ticoke, which  had  been  attended  from  Wilkes-Barre,  ought 
to  have  a  church  to  accommodate  the  large  and  rapidly 
increasing  number  of  Catholics  living  there,  and  deter- 
mined that  he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  have  a  worthy 
structure  erected.  One  Sunday  morning  he  held  an  open 
air  meeting  under  a  large  willow  tree  near  Mr.  McGrath's 
residence,  and  unfolded  his  project.  The  plan  was  heart- 
ily approved,  and  quite  a  large  sum  of  money  was  imme- 
diately subscribed.  Subsequent  collections  and  subscrip- 
tions brought  in  sufficient  money  to  warrant  the  construc- 
tion of  a  fine  edifice.  The  church  is  a  fine,  large  brick 
building.  It  stands  on  a  hill  back  of  Main  street,  in  a 
commanding  position,  and  can  be  seen  from  all  parts  of 
the  borough.  Work  was  begun  in  August,  1876,  by  E.  T. 
Long,  and  was  finished  by  William  O'Malley.  The  archi- 
tect was  E.  T.  Durang,  of  Philadelphia.  The  inside  walls 
are  finished  in  white.  The  windows,  of  stained  glass, 
were  all  gifts.  In  the  church  are  two  beautiful  clocks, 
presented  by  D.  Davidsburg  and  Thomas  C.  Parker. 
There  is  a  fine  organ  in  the  gallery.  The  cost  of  the 
church  at  the  time  of  its  dedication  is  estimated  at 
$10,000. 

The  ceremonies  of  dedication  were  performed  by 
Bishop  O'Hara,  of  Scranton,  on  Sunday,  December  21st, 
1879.     Rev.  Father  A.  C.  Mattingley  is  the  present  pastor. 

SOCIETIES. 

Of  the  following  we  were  unable  to  obtain  materials 
for  histories:  Centennary  Lodge,  No.  1,143,  !•  0.  of  G. 
T.;  St.  Francis  Father  Matthew  C.  T.  A.  &  B.  Society; 
P.  M.  S.  S.  Roll  of  Honor;  Snow  Flake  Temple,  Juven- 
ile Templars;  Division  of  Sons  of  Temperance;  Female 
A.  P.  A,;  F.  A.  Lape  Post  G.  A.  R. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

JVarrior  Lodge,  No.  873,  was  instituted  April  21st, 
1874,  with  23  charter  members. 


The  charter  officers  were:  John  Dunn,  N.  G.;  Henry 
C.  Perkins,  V.  G.;  George  W.  Lueder,  S.;  James  S.  New- 
hart,  A.  S.;  Samuel  Lines,  T. 

The  noble  grands  of  this  lodge  have  been:  H.  C.  Per- 
kins, F.  Goss,  L.  S.  Uplinger,  Anson  Dunn,  Robert 
Robbins,  B.  F.  Pollock,  Alexander  Keithline,  John  A. 
Keithline,  Ezra  A.  Stairs,  William  Fairchild,  and  S.  L. 
Lueder. 

The  regular  meetings  of  this  lodge  are  held  in  Alexan- 
der's Hall  on  Saturday  evening  of  each  week.  John 
Dunn  has  been  D.  D.  G.  M.  for  the  second  Luzerne  dis- 
trict. The  membership  is  54.  The  officers  are:  S.  L. 
Lueder,  N.  G.;  E.  Vernet,  V.  G.;  J.  Dunn,  S.;  S.  S. 
Drasbach,  A.  S.;  John  A.  Keithline,  T.;  Robert  Robbins, 
R.  S.  N.  G.;  W.  G.  Hicks,  S.  S.  N.  G.;  F.  Goss,  S.  W.; 
Charles  Allager,  C;  Thomas  Carter,  R.  S.  S.;  A.  Marley, 
L.  S.  S.;  Frank  Meller.  O.  G.;  A.  J.  Belles,  L  G.;  Anson 
Dunn,  R.  S.  V.  G.;  Alexander  Keithline,  L.  S.  V.  G. 

Nanticoke  Lodge,  No.  886,  was  instituted  October  30th, 
1874.  The  first  officers  of  the  lodge  were  L.  C.  Green, 
N.  G.;  John  H.  James,  V.   G.;  George    H.  Aurbach,  S.; 

0.  F.  Neeley,  A.  S.;  S.  P.  George,  T.;  John  Traher,  R. 
S.  N.  G:;  Alvin  Lape,  L.  S.  N.  G.;  James  Vivian,  S.  W.; 
Charles  R.  Green,  C;  M.  L.  Luke,  R.  S.  S.;  William  H. 
Case,  L.  S.  S.;  Thomas  T.  Williams,  O.  G.;  Thomas  E. 
Williams,  I.  G.;  J.  P.  Morris,  Chaplain;  John  K.  Jones, 
R.  S.  V.  G.;  William  Challenger,  L.  S.  V.  G. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on  Friday 
evening  of  each  week  in  Alexander's  Hall. 

The  presiding  officers  of  this  lodge  have  been  John 
H.  James,  James  Vivian,  Brinton  Jackson,  George  H. 
Aurbach,  Thomas  C.  Evans,  Michael  Vivian,  John  H. 
Bates  and  Robert  Schwartz. 

The  present  officers  are  William  Challenger,  N.  G. ; 
John  Traher,  V.  G.;  George  Burr,  S.;  Michael  Vivian, 
A.  S.;  S.  P.  George,  T.;  T.  C.  Evans,  R.  S.  N.  G.;  Sam- 
uel Powell,  L.  S.  N.  G.;  John  H.  James,  S.  W.;  James 
Vivian,  C;  John  K  Jones,  R.  S.  S.;  Andrew  Hagaline, 
L.  S.  S.;  Morgan  D.  Davis,  O.  G.;   Richard  T.  Williams, 

1.  G.;  George  Elmy,  chaplain;  M.  C.  Shepherd,  R.  S.  V, 
G.;   Peter  Haslem,  L.  S.  V.  G. 

Warrior  Encampment,  No.  250,  was  installed  April 
2ist,  1875. 

The  original  officers  of  the  encampment  were:  John 
Dunn,  C.  P.;  Anson  Dunn,  S.  W.;  F.  L.  Garrison,  J.  W.; 
George  W.  Lueder,  S.;  Samuel  Lines,  T.;  L.  S.  Up- 
linger, O.  S.;  John  Keithline,  L.  S.;  John  A.  Keithline, 
G.;  W.  T.  Reese,  first  W.;  B.  F.  Pollock,  second  W.; 
R.  O.  Reese,  third  W.;  J.  S.  Newhart,  fourth  W. 

The  presiding  officers  have  been:  John  Dunn,  Anson 
Dunn,  F.  L.  Garrison,  L.  S.  Uplander,  W.  T.  Leese,  B.  F. 
Pollock,  John  A.  Keithline,  C.  M.  Richards,  and  George 
Burr. 

The  membership  is  32.  The  regular  meetings  are  held 
on  the  second  and  fourth  Tuesday  of  each  month  in 
Alexander's  Hall. 

The  present  officers  are:  Robert  Schwartz,  C.  P.; 
George  Burr,  H.  P.;  F.  P.  Crotzer,  S.  W.;  W.  E.  Wolfe^ 
J.  W.;    John  Dunn,  scribe;     Xavier    Wernet,  treasurer; 


i-¥-- 


^H^ 


SECRET  SOCIETIES  OF  NANTICOKE. 


277 


Conrad  Nagle,  O.  S.;  Frank  Mellen,  I.  S.;  Robert  Rob- 
bins,  G.;  C.  M.  Richards,  first  W.;  J.  A.  Keithline, 
second  W.;  S.  L.  Lueder,  third  W.;  William  Uskretch, 
fourth  W.;  Charles  Wilcox,  first  G.  to  T.;  H.  C.  Shep- 
herd, second  G.  to  T. 

Zatfy  George  Lodge,  No.  106,  Rebecca  degree,  was  in- 
stituted January  ist,  1878,  with  56  charter  members. 
The  first  officers  were:  L.  Vivian,  N.  G.;  F.  A.  Green, 
V.  G.;  Thomas  C.  Evans,  sec;  M.  A.  Keithline,  A.  S.; 
Maria  Goss,  treasurer;  L.  C.  Green,  R.  S.  N.  G.;  Fran- 
cis Dunn,  L.  S.  N.  G.;  Alexander  Keithline,  W.;  Agnes 
King,  Con.;  Daniel  Hassell,  O.  G.;  Anthony  Schwartz, 
I.  G.;  Angelina  Tinsley,  chaplain;  Elizabeth  Porter,  R. 
S.  V.  G.;  Mary  Hassell,  L.  S.  V.  G.;  A.  Schwartz,  F. 
Goss  and  F.  A,  Green,  trustees. 

The  successive  presiding  officers  have  been  F.  A. 
Green,  M.  A.  Keithline  and  Mary  May. 

The  regular  meetings  are  held  in  Alexander's  Hall  on  the 
first  Tuesday  evening  in  each  month.  The  membership  is  40. 

The  officers  for  the  year  ending  December,  1879,  were: 
Mary  May,  N.  G.;  Elizabeth  Hughes,  V.  G.;  T.  C. 
Evans,  Sec;  Mary  Hassell,  A.  S.;  Phebe  Schwartz, 
treasurer;  George  Busley,  R.  S.  N.  G.;  M.  A.  Keithline, 
L.  S.  N.  G.;  Alexander  Keithline,  W.;  Caroline  Nitz, 
Con.;  Charles  Barney,  chaplain;  A.  Schwartz,  O.  G.; 
Joseph  Porter,  I.  G.;  Elizabeth  Hurley,  R.  S.  V.  G.;  and 
Mary  C.  Evans,  L.  S.  V.  G. 

KNIGHTS    OF    PYTHIAS. 

Commendable  Lodge,  No.  439,  was  instituted  December 
17th,  1874. 

The  following  were  the  original  officers:  P.  C,  George 
Hill;  V.  C,  George  T.  Morgan;  C.  C,  William  O.  Davis; 
P.,  John  H.  Williams;  M.  at  A.,  Thomas  W.  Davies;  K. 
of  R.  and  S.,  Isaac  D.  Williams;  M.  of  F.,  Samuel  D. 
Davies;  O.  G.,  Thomas  R.  Williams;  I.  G.,  John  H. 
James;  M.  of  E.,  William  J.  Griffis. 

The  succeeding  presiding  officers  of  the  lodge  have 
been  William  O.  Davies,  John  H.  Williams,  Thomas  W. 
Davies,  John  Hill,  David  W.  Evans,  Thomas  F.  Jacobs, 
Joseph  Martin,  James  Williams  and  William  Warne. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on  Monday 
evening  of  each  week,  in  Alexander's  Hall,  Main  street. 
The  membership  is  61. 

The  officers  are:  James  Williams,  P.  C;  Luke  T. 
Ruberry.C.C;  Henry  J.  Roberts,  V.  C;  James  Vivian,  P.; 
John  H.  Williams,  M.  of  E.;  James  Turner,  M.  of  F.;  Sam- 
uel D.  Davies,  K.  of  R.  and  S.;  Benjamin  Thomas,  M.  at 
A.;  William  Traher,  I.  G.;  William  H.  Vivian,  O.  G. 

FREE    MASONS. 

Nanticoke  Lodge,  No.  541,  was  instituted  August  loth, 
1875.  The  officers  for  that  year  were:  Allen  A.  Lape, 
W.  M.  ;  John  A.  Gruver,  S.  W.;  Eugene  N.  Alexander, 
J.  W.;  William  O.  Davies,  sec;  Xavier  Wernett,  treas. 

The  succeeding  worshipful  masters  have  been  John  A. 
Gruver,  Eugene  N.  Alexander,  Alvin  Lape  and  JohnDunn. 

The  present  officers  are:  John  B.  Anderson,  worshipful 
master;  James  M.  Norris,  senior  warden;  John  A.  Keith- 


line, junior  warden;    Xavier  Wernett,  treas.;    Thomas  F. 
Jacob,  sec. 

AMERICAN    PROTESTANT    ASSOCIATION. 

Guiding  Star  Lodge,  No.  1 14,  N.  E.  district  of  Penn- 
sylvania— This  lodge  was  instituted  December  8th,  1875, 
with  seven  charter  members.  The  original  officers  were: 
Charles  A.  Elliott,  W.  M.;  S.  W.  Sutcliff,  W.  D.  M.;  John 
D.  Williams,  R.  S.;  James  Boline,  F.  S.;  R.  T.  Hylton, 
A.  R.  S.,  and  George  Blakey,  treasurer. 

The  succeeding  presiding  officers  have  been  Samuel 
D.  Davies,  George  Blakey,  William  Andrews,  Thomas 
Auckland,  James  Turner,  David  Coleman  and  William  A. 
Gleeyes. 

Meetings  are  held  on  every  alternate  Wednesday  even- 
ing, at  the  John  A.  Gruver  A.  P.  A.  Hall,  Main  street. 

The  officers  in  January,  1880,  were:  William  A.  Glee- 
yes,  W.  M.;  William  Bailiss,  W.  D.  M.;  John  P.  Morgan, 
R.  S.;  John  Stroud,  F.  S.;  Rees  T.  Lewis,  A.  R.  S.,  and 
S.  W.  Sutclilf,  treasurer. 

John  Bunyan  I^odge,  No.  24,  Junior  American  Protest- 
ant Association. — This  association  was  organized  February 
28th,  1876,  with  the  following  charter  members  and  first 
officers:  William  Edmunds,  W.  M.;  Lee  Mellington,  W. 
D.  M.;  John  Williams,  R.  S.;  Henry  Hill,  F.  S.;  Thomas 
Richards,  T.;  Philip  Richards,  chaplain;  George  P. 
Elmy,  C;  David  G.  Davies,  A.  C. ;  James  B.  Lobens,  I. 
T.;   David   S.  Davies,  O.  T. 

The  following  named  persons  have  been  the  successive 
presiding  officers  of  the  lodge:  Henry  Hill,  second  term; 
John  Williams,  third;  Thomas  Ford,  fourth  and  fifth; 
William  L.  Williams,  sixth;  Eli  Moon,  seventh:  Arthur 
Puckey,  eighth. 

Meetings  are  held  every  alternate  Wednesday  evening 
in  Gruver  Hall. 

The  present  officers  are:  Arthur  Puckey,  W.  M.;  Hen- 
ry Vivian,  W,  D.  M.;  Eli  Moon,  R.  S.;  Silas  James,  A. 
R.  S.;  James  G.  Watkins,  F.  S.;  William  Richards,  T.; 
William  Edmunds,  chaplain;  Edward  Edwards,  C;  James 
Ruberry,  A,  C;  John  P.  Powell,  I.  T.,  and  Thomas  Ford, 
O.  T. 

NANTICOKE    CORNET    BAND. 

This  band  was  reorganized  in  1876,  with  the  following 
named  members:  George  Cox,  leader;  Joseph  Warne, 
treasurer;  Richard  Gerrans,  secretary,  and  Thomas 
Warne,  John  Warne,  James  Bishop  and  Thomas  Tonkin. 
In  1879  Thomas  Stephens,  Arthur  Puckey  and  Henry 
Woods  were  added  to  the  number,  and  in  1880  George 
Ricewick,  making  eleven  members  in  March,  1880. 

AMERICAN    MECHANICS. 

O.  K.  Council,  No.  202,  United  Order  of  American 
Mechanics  was  instituted  March  29th,  1877,  by  G.  W. 
McKee,  D.  D.  G.  M.,  with  thirty-three  charter  members. 

The  following  were  the  first  officers:  Edward  Otto,  C; 
Charles  R.  Green,  V.  C;  John  H.  Craig,  R.  S.;  Philip 
Lerch,  A.  R.  S.;  Samuel  W.  Craig,  F.  S.;  Harry  Temple- 
ton,  treas.;  Thomas  W.  Mellens,  Con.;  Daniel  Snyder, 
Ex.;  Jeremiah  Templeton,   I.   P.;  Abram  Eckert,   O.  P.; 


1^ 


-^. 


f 


278 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


James  H.  Rhome,  senior  Ex.  C;  Henry  Manhart,  junior 
Ex.  C. 

The  officers  for  1879  were:  A.  Lerch,  C;  Benjamin 
Martin,  V.  C;  W.  G.  Hicks,  R.  S.;  Jacob  Cartler,  A.  R. 
S.;  Abram  Eckert,  F.  S.;  J.  P.  Lerch,  treas.;  J.  H.  Cra- 
mer, Con.;  John  Barnes,  Ex.;  S.  O.  Blosser,  I.  P.;  W. 
Andrews,  O.  P.;  A.  M.  Myerly,  junior  Ex.  C;  J.  S.  Tem- 
pleton,  senior  Ex.  C;  T.  W.  Mellens,  John  Dunn  and 
G.  W.  Hicks,  trustees;  J.  H.  Rhome,  D.  D. 

Columbia  Council,  No.  43,  Jr.  O.  U.  A.  M.  was  installed 
September  6th,  1878,  with  twenty-seven  charter  members. 
The  regular  meetings  are  held  on  Wednesday  evening  of 
each  week  in  Lape's  Hall.     The  membership  is  25. 

The  original  officers  were:  William  Richards,  C;  A. 
M.  Myerly,  V.  C;  W.  G.  Hicks,  R.  S.;  A.  Bloom,  A.  R. 
S.;  J.  Lynn,  F.  S.;  Alpheus  Lerch,  treas.;  B.  E.  Fitz- 
gerald, Con.;  E.  Thomas,  warden;  James  Croop,  L  S.; 
J.  Ahrs,  O.  S.;  J.  H.  Rhome,  jr.,  P.  C;  trustees,  W.  G. 
Hicks,  Thoma?  Mellen  and  George  Gruver. 

The  present  officers  are:  Eugene  Fitzgerald,  C;  Wal- 
ter Green,  V.  C;  E.  Thomas,  R.  S.;  T.  W.  Rick,  A.  R. 
S.;  J.  H.  Rhome,  F.  S.;  A.  Lerch,  treas.;  Jacob  Lerch, 
Con.;  J.  Cramer,  W.;  A.  Broom,  L  S.;  Charles  Bellows, 
O.  S.,  George  Gruver,  J.  P.  C;  W.  Richards,  S.  P.  C; 
trustees,  E.  Fitzgerald  and  George  Gruver. 

KNIGHTS    OF    HONOR. 

Assurance  Lodge,  No.  1,853,  Knights  of  Honor  was 
instituted  at  Nanticoke  November  6th,  1879.  The 
charter  members  numbered  28.  The  officers  for  1879 
and  1880  were:  Charles  M.  Richards,  S.  P.  D.;  Robert 
Schwartz,  D.;  John  P.  Jones,  V.  D.;  Charles  H.  Gibbs, 
Asst.  D. ;  Xavier  Wernett,  treasurer;  Thomas  F.  Jacob, 
reporter;  William  H.  Squarey,  financial  reporter;  Frank 
P.  Crotzer,  guide;  James  C.  Brader,  guardian;  William 
E.  Wolfe,  sentinel;  George  O.  Willover,  chaplain;  Alien 
A.  Lape,  medical  director.  Regular  meetings  are  held 
on  each  alternate  Wednesday  evening. 

MILITARY. 

Company  G,  Ninth  Regiment  National  Guard  of  Penn- 
sylvania, was  mustered  into  the  State  service  at  Nanti- 
coke July  isth,  1879,  for  five  years,  under  the  general 
militia  laws  of  the  State. 

Kosciusko  Guard. — This  organization  was  formed  in 
t879.     The  name  indicates  the  nationality  of  the  men. 


SUGAR  NOTCH  BOROUGH. 


HIS  borough  was  incorporated  April  3d,  1867, 
and  the  first  meeting  of  the  town  council  was 
held    March    26th,    1868,   when    George    H. 
Parrish,  burgess,   administered    the  oath    of 
office   to  H.  B.  Plumb,  David  Caird,  Samuel 
™j,        Roberts,    Adam    Schiedel    and    George    Cyphus. 
""^        The    council    was    organized    by    electing    David 
Caird   president   and  Austin   Gallagher   secretary  of  the 


board.      David    Whitworth    was  appointed    street   com- 
missioner and  tax  collector. 

The  following  have  been  burgess  of  the  borough: 
1867-69,  George  H.  Parrish;  1870-74,  Thomas  Cassedy; 
1875,  1876  and  r878,  Patrick  Convery;  1877,  David  Stel- 
ler;   1879,  Thomas  Bennetto. 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  Burgess, Levi  Kintza;  coun- 
cil— David  Steller,  John  E.  Monohan,  Michael  Fahey, 
Thomas  W.  Jones,  James  E.  Roderick  and  John  B.  Bris- 
lin,  with  J.  T.  Conway  as  secretary. 

Sugar  Notch  shaft,  at  Sugar  Notch  borough,  is  operated 
by  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company;  Sugar 
Notch  slope  is  also  worked  by  that  company.  M.  L. 
Tiffany  and  D.  C.  Tiffany  are  outside  foremen,  and  Wil- 
liam T.  Smyth  inside  foreman.  The  mine  boss  is  Wil- 
liam Haskins.  There  were  in  1878  three  hundred  and 
seventy-two  men  and  boys  employed  under  ground,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty-two  on  the  surface.  The  breaker 
was  worked  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  days  in  1878. 
Total  coal  shipped  for  the  year  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty-two  tons. 

The  population  of  the  borough  in  1880  was  1,580 
against  724  in  1870. 

RELIGIOUS    INTERESTS    AT    SUGAR    NOTCH. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Class. — From  the  opening  of  the  Su- 
gar Notch  mines,  about  i860,  there  was  occasional  preach- 
ing by  Methodist  ministers  in  the  school-house  until  March, 
1878,  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Underwood,  of  Ashley,  formed 
a  class,  with  William  Vance  and  Thomas  Brisk  as  lead- 
ers, and  with  the  following  other  members:  Mrs.  Vance 
Mrs.  H.  Floyd,  Mrs.  I.  Hoskins,  George  Lewis  and  wife,' 
Noah  Pursell  and  wife,  John  Fowler  and  wife,  William 
Carpenter  and  wife,  William  Reese  and  wife,  James 
Thomas  and  wife,  William  Netherton  and  wife,  Thomas 
Fulton  and  Ernest  Floyd. 

Public  services  are  held  every  alternate  Sabbath  by  Mr. 
Underwood,  in  the  hall  over  Conyngham's  store. 

Union  Sabbath-school. — In  the  spring  of  1865  a  Method- 
ist Sabbath-school  was  organized  by  C.  D.  Linskill  as 
superintendent  in  a  school-house  on  the  main  road  where 
the  large  boarding-house  now  stands  or  just  below  it. 
Since  the  fall  of  1866  the  school  has  been  kept  in  the 
company  store  building,  and  it  now  occupies  the  whole 
of  the  upper  part  of  the  store.  In  the  fall  of  1866  Sam- 
uel Roberts  was  elected  superintendent,  and  the  school 
became  a  union  school.  Mrs.  Roberts  took  charge  of 
the  infant  school,  and  she  has  made  it  one  of  the  most 
orderly  and  progressive  infant  schools  in  the  Wyoming 
valley.  Owing  to  a  falling  off  of  the  mining  population 
the  school  was  abandoned  for  a  short  time.  In  187 1  it 
was  reorganized  by  Mr.  Kind,  who  was  connected  with 
the  Episcopal  church  of  Ashley.  He  was  superintendent 
through  1872.  Mr.  Samuel  Roberts  succeeded  him.  The 
school  prospered  from  this  time  more  than  ever,  and  the 
rooms  were  newly  carpeted,  furnished  and  decorated, 
Mr.  Roberts  donating  many  articles.  In  October,  1874^ 
Mr.  O.  Esser  was  appointed  superintendent  and  he  served 
through  1875,  Mrs.    Esser   taking  charge   of  the  infant    ■ 


^?'; 


^¥ 


-4 


CHURCHES  AND  LODGES  OF  SUGAR  NOTCH. 


279 


I 

4 


school.  In  1876,  1879  and  1880  David  Steller  was 
superintendent;  1877,  Mr.  Mott,  and  1878,  William 
Vance.  Rev.  William  J.  Day  has  been  preaching  in  the 
Sabbath-school  room  since  January,  1867.  Excepting 
the  year  1871  the  M.  E.  minister  has  preached  occasion- 
ally. The  first  of  all,  Rev.  Mr.  Swallow,  preached  in 
1866.  The  Episcopal  minister.  Rev.  Mr.  McElrey,  and 
Rev.  John  Burrows  preached  a  short  time.  During  the 
winter  of  1877  8,  a  number  of  additions  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  the  Presbyterian  church  were  made. 

Si.  C/iar/es  Boromeo  Catholic  Church,  of  Sugar  Notch, 
was  organized  early  in  1875,  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Robert 
Yates,  under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  Father  O'Haran,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  who  had  been  ministering  in  the  place. 
Measures  were  at  once  taken  for  the  building  of  a  church 
edifice,  and  it  was  finished  that  year,  standing  on  a  lot 
obtained  from  Mr.  Charles  Parrish.  It  is  of  wood,  about 
forty  by  seventy  feet,  with  basement,  and  has  a  seating 
capacity  of  700.  Service  had  sometimes  been  held  at  the 
house  of  Peter  O'Donnel.  Previous  to  1879  Sugar  Notch 
was  a  mission,  attended  from  Wilkes-Barre  and  Scranton. 
August  15th,  1879,  it  was  formed  into  a  parish,  and  Rev. 
Thomas  Rea  was  appointed  its  pastor. 

In  1879  the  society  built  a  parsonage  on  the  lot  adjoin- 
ing the  church. 

The  membership  of  the  society  is  1,000.  The  value  of 
the  church  property  is  $14,000. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  at  the  same  time  as 
the  church,  with  250  scholars.  Father  Rea  has  charge 
of  the  school. 

SUGAR    NOTCH  SOCIETIES. 

Father  Matthew  C.  T.  A.  B.  Society  No.  i  was  organ- 
ized April  8th,  1872,  with  the  following  named  persons  as 
charter  members:  John  McGrane,  James  Corrigan,  James 
Rairden,  Conday  O'Donnell,  John  Quillan,  Patrick  Quil- 
lan,  John  I.  Lavell,  William  Gallagher,  Thomas  Correll 
and  John  Kenny. 

The  original  officers  of  the  society  were:  Patrick  Mc- 
Grane, president;  William  Collens,  secretary,  and  James 
Dolan,  treasurer. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  society  are  held  semi- 
monthly, in  the  St.  Charles  Boromeo  Roman  Catholic 
Church  at  Sugar  Notch.     The  membership  is  80. 

The  present  officers  of  the  society  are:  Peter  T.  Reilly, 
president;  Luke  Welsh,  vice-president;  John  H.  Lena- 
han,  recording  secretary;  James  Coffrey,  corresponding 
secretary;  Cornelius  O'Donnell,  treasurer;  James  Mc- 
Grane, marshal. 

Court  Golden  Miner,  No.  5,877,  Ancient  Order  of 
Friendly  Foresters  was  organized  in  Elliott's  Hall, 
Warrior  Run,  July  28th,  1874,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  John  Elliott,  Henry  Parkins,  Isaiah  Rhine- 
hammer,  Edward  Rugar,  Samuel  Coleman,  Robert 
Looney,  Joseph  Miller,  Alexander  Keithline,  William 
James,  William  Barnes,  Thomas  Tudgay,  Job  Verm,  John 
B.  Jones,  Charles  Britton,  Frank  Bergman,  Robert  Fran- 
cis, William  Bate,  William  Lewis,  John  Williams,  William 
Vivian,  Daniel  Roberts  and  Jacob  Janes. 


The  first  officers  of  the  court  were  as  follows:  John 
Elliott,  C.  R.;  Henry  C.  Parkins,  S.  C.  R.;  Isaiah  Rhine- 
hammer,  treasurer;  Samuel  Coleman,  secretary;  Joseph 
Miller,  senior  W.;  Alexander  Keithline,  junior  W.;  Ed- 
ward Rugar,  senior  B.;  Robert  Looney,  junior  B. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  court  are  held  on  the  first 
and  third  Saturday  evenings  of  each  month.  They  were 
held  in  Elliott  Hall,  at  Warrior  Run,  till  May,  1879,  when 
the  hall  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Since  then  they  have 
been  held  in  Shields  Hall.  The  membership  is  twenty 
five. 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  John  Hange,  C.  R.;  Jacob 
Patterson,  S.  C.  R.;  Neils  Person,  treasurer;  John  Magee, 
secretary;  Walter  S.  Magee,  senior  W.;  John  Williams, 
junior  W.;  John  Lake,  senior  B.;  Benjamin  Monson, 
junior  B. 

Pride  of  the  Valley  Lodge,  No.  658,  /.  O.  of  G.  T.— 
This  lodge  was  organized  September  28th,  1878,  with  the 
followir.g  charter  members:  William  Vance,  W.  H.  Hos- 
king,  sen.;  John  Murrish;  W.  H.  Hosking,  jr.,  David 
Wylie,  jr.,  lago  Jones,  Walter  Magee,  Jonathan  Green- 
wood, Ernest  Floyd,  John  Slacker,  William  Shoemaker, 
Samuel  Lewis,  A.  P.  Magee,  Jane  Faucet,  Jane  Whitworth, 
Mrs.  S.  Lewis  and  Mrs.  J.  Murrish. 

The  first  officers  of  the  lodge  were  as  follows:  William 
Vance,  W.  C.  T.;  A.  B.  Magee,  W.  V.  T.;  Samuel  Lewis, 
W,  Chap.;  Thomas  Murrish,  W.  S.;  John  Slacker,  W.  F. 
S.;  John  Murrish,  W.  A.  S.;  W.  H.  Hosking,  sen.,  W. 
Tr,;  Mrs.  J.  Murrish,  W.  D.  M.;  David  Wyhe,  W.  I.  G.; 
William  S.  Shoemaker,  W.  O.  G;  Jane  Whitworth,  W.  R. 
H.  S.;  Jane  Faucet,  W.  L.  H.  S.;  and  lago  Jones,  W.  P. 
C.  T. 

The  regular  meetings  are  held  Monday  evenings  of 
each  week  in  the  hall  over  Conyngham's  store.  The 
membership  is  30. 

The  officers  for  1880  were  as  follows:  W.  C.  T.,  John 
Murrish;  W.  V.  T.,  A.  B.  Magee;  W.  S.,  William  Vance; 
W.  Treas.,  Joseph  Williams;  W.  F.  S.,  Frederick  Mott; 
W.  chaplain,  Hugh  Jones;  W.  L.  deputj',  David  Stetler; 
W.  I.  G.,  Emma  Worder;  W.  O.  G.,  Frank  Searfoss;  W. 
M.,  Jonathan  Greenwood. 

The  "Cave-in"  at  No.  10  Slope. 

On  the  morning  of  April  23d,  1879,  it  was  learned  that 
the  roof  of  the  mine  reached  by  No.  10  slope  had  fallen 
in  and  imprisoned  William  Hawkins,  Edward  Price, 
Patrick  Green,  John  Green,  Barney  Riley,  John  Clark,  a 
door  boy,  and  William  Kinney,  the  mule  driver,  who 
were  working  at  the  farther  end  of  the  gangway,  over  a 
mile  from  the  top  of  the  slope.  Measures  were  at  once 
taken  by  Mr.  Charles  Parrish,  operator  of  the  mines,  to 
sink  a  shaft  for  their  rescue,  and  by  incessant  labor  for 
five  days  and  nights  the  men  and  boys  were  rescued, 
having  saved  themselves  from  starvation  by  butchering  a 
mule  employed  in  the  mine. 

WARRIOR  RUN. 

The  post-office  at  this  place,  established  in  March, 
1880,  with  George  H.  Pehle  as   postmaster,  goes  by  the 


^^ 


280 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


name  of  Peely;  though  the  station  on  each  of  the  rail- 
roads is  named  as  above. 

WARRIOR   RUN    COLLIERY, 

in  the  southwest  corner  of  Sugar  Notch  borough,  is 
operated  by  A.  J.  Davis  &  Co.,  Mr.  Davis  being 
general  superintendent,  James  E.  Roderick  inside 
foreman,  Robert  F.  Lloyd  outside  foreman,  and  John  C. 
Jones  mine  boss,  The  men  and  boys  employed  inside 
the  mines  in  1878  numbered  146,  and  outside  107.  The 
coal  mined  amounted  to  56,453  tons. 

The  mines  at  Warrior  Run  were  opened  in  1837, 
where  the  lands  were  owned  by  George  Cocker.  Samuel 
Holland  and  Colonel  Hillman  obtained  permission  to 
open  the  mines  and  build  a  railroad  to  the  Susquehanna, 
a  distance  of  about  three  miles;  also  to  construct  a  basin 
at  the  river  for  loading  boats  with  coal.  John  Rheinhei- 
mer,  who  cut  the  first  tree  preparatory  to  opening  these 
mines,  is  still  employed  here  as  one  of  the  outside  men, 
is  preparing  ties  and  other  wood  work  used  here.  The 
first  opening  was  made  at  what  is  now  the  red  ash  slope, 
near  the  Lehigh  Valley  railroad.  They  afterward  opened 
a  drift  farther  down  the  stream.  The  railroad  was  built 
with  wooden  rails,  and  served  the  purpose.  Down  at 
the  basin,  which  is  near  the  Dundee  shaft,  they  had 
a  store,  managed  by  John  Merrick,  son-in-law  of  Mr. 
Holland.  Soon  after  the  mine  was  opened  the  Mauch 
Chunk  Coal  Company  became  the  operators,  and  after 
two  or  three  years  the  mines  were  abandoned.  During 
the  winters  the  coal  was  piled  up  at  the  basin  for  want  of 
transportation.  From  about  1840  there  was  nothing  done 
here  till  1865,  when  the  Warrior  Run  Coal  Company 
commenced  operations  with  Martin  Coryell  as  superin- 
tendent. In  December,  1869,  the  property  was  leased  to 
A.  J.  Davis,  the  present  operator. 

FIRST    PESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    HANOVER. 

This  church  was  organized  in  January,  1871,  at  the 
house  of  James  E.  Roderick  at  Warrior  Run,  were  regu- 
lar services  were  held  for  the  first  year  and  a  half,  after 
which  they  were  held  at  the  office  of  the  Warrior  Run 
Coal  Company  till  November,  1874.  The  original  mem- 
bers were  Robert  F.  Lloyd,  Edward  J.  Edwards  and 
wife,  James  E.  Roderick  and  wife,  and  William  Jones. 
The  first  preacher  was  Rev.  William  D.  Jenkins. 

In  1874  Hon.  Hendrick  B.  Wright  gave  this  people  a 
lot  at  Warrior  Run  near  the  old  Indian  trail,  upon  which 
to  built  a  church.  The  church  was  built  in  1874,  of 
wood,  24  by  40  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $4,000,  and  was  dedicat- 
ed in  November  of  the  same  year,  by  Rev,  Joseph  Davis, 
D.D.,  assisted  by  Revs.  E.  J.  Hughes,  T.  J.  Phillips,  W. 
H.  Williams  and  W.  D.  Jenkins. 

The  present  membership  is  60.  Value  of  church  prop- 
erty $4,000.  The  preachers  since  Mr.  Jenkins  have 
been  Rev.  E.  J.  Hughes  and  Rev.  Joseph  E.  Davis,  D.D. 
The  latter,  who  is  the  present  pastor,  has  served  since 
1874.  The  present  deacons  are  Robert  F.  Lloyd  and 
E.  J.  Edwards;  church  clerk,  James  E.  Roderick;  trustees, 
J.  E.  Roderick,  James  F.  Jones  and  Robert  F.  Lloyd. 


The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1871,  with  12 
pupils,  and  Robert  F.  Lloyd  as  superintendent.  The 
present  superintendent  is  John  Evans.  The  total  num- 
ber of  scholars  is  70,  the  average  attendance  60. 


HAZLE  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS    township    w'as  taken   from    Sugarloaf    in 
.^,      August,  1839,  and  a  part   of  Butler  was  ad- 
ded to  it  November  6th,  1856.     The  township 
derives  it  name    from    Hazle    creek,    which 
rises  on   the  east  border    of  Hazleton;  and    it  is 
said  that   the  creek   was  so  named    from  the    fact 
that   many  hazel  bushes  grew  on  its  banks  near  its 
source. 

The  Hazleton  mine,  just  west  of  the  borough  limits, 
was  opened  in  1836.  Soon  after  this  other  mines  were 
opened,  and  in  a  short  time  this  coal  basin,  number  3, 
became  a  vast  mining  district,  and  soon  afterward  basin 
number  4,  north  of  Council  ridge,  on  the  Big  Black  creek, 
was  explored  and  found  to  contain  large  quantities  of  the 
black  diamonds.  As  soon  as  coal  was  discovered,  the 
population  of  the  township  began  to  increase  and  min- 
ing villages  sprung  up.  In  1804  the  Lehigh  and 
Susquehanna  Turnpike  Company  was  chartered,  and 
soon  afterward  the  road  was  surveyed  and  laid  out  100 
feet  wide,  from  Mauch  Chunk  to  Berwick,  the  route  run- 
ning through  this  township.  That  portion  of  it  run- 
ning through  Hazleton  now  forms  East  and  West  Broad 
streets.  This  was  the  first  road  laid  out  in  the  township. 
Justices  in  this  township  have  been  elected  as  follows: 
David  Travis,  1840;  Conrad  Horn,  1840,  1852;  William 
Kisner,  1843,  1848;  David  Martz,  1849;  George  Fenster- 
macher,  1852;  Adrian  Parber,  1857;  Joseph  Haywood, 
1862;  James  W.  Rhoads,  1865;  M.  G.  McFadden,  1867; 
Charles  McCarran,  i86g;  Malcom  Ferguson,  1872;  Wil- 
liam M.  Jones,  1877. 

The    census    of    1880    made    the  population  of    Hazle 

10.550- 

Mines  and  Mining  Villages. 

Latimer  has  a  company  store  and  post-office,  a  Meth- 
odist church,  and  about  1,000  inhabitants.  Latimer  col- 
liery is  owned  by  the  Black  Creek  Improvement  Com- 
pany, and  operated  by  Pardee  Brothers  &  Co.,  with  M. 
M.  Cooper  as  superintendent.  In  1878  there  were  mined 
at  this  colliery  114,870  tons  of  coal.  There  were  em- 
ployed at  slope  No.  2  140  men  and  boys  under  ground, 
and  153  on  the  surface.  Both  at  breaker  No.  i,  and 
slope  No.  2  there  are  five  engines,  with  a  total  of  280 
horse  power. 

South  Sugarloaf  has  about  350  inhabitants.  South 
Sugarloaf  colliery  is  owned  by  the  Diamond  Coal  Com- 
pany. 

Laurel  Hill  also  has  a  population  of  about  350. 
Laurel  Hill  colliery,- located  here,  is  owned  by  the  L.  V 


*€h 


R.  R.  Co.,  and  operated  by  A.  Pardee  &  Sons,  with  C. 
Pardee  as  superintendent.  At  this  slope  are  seven  en- 
gines, with  a  total  of  285  horse  power.  In  1878  there 
were  employed  under  ground  133  men  and  boys,  and  105 
on  the  surface. 

Surgarloaf  is  another  village  of  about  350  inhabitants. 
Sugarloaf  colliery  is  owned  by  the  Diamond  Coal  Com- 
pany and  operated  by  A.  Pardee  &  Co.,  with  C.  Pardee  as 
superintendent.  There  is  but  one  slope  here,  which  in 
1878  produced  30,903  tons  of  coal.  There  were  em- 
ployed under  ground  73  men  and  boys,  and  61  on  the 
the  surface.     There  are  six  engines,  of  280  horse  power. 

Japan  is  a  small  mining  town,  of  about  400  population; 
with  a  store  and  school-house. 

Oakdale  colliery  is  at  Japan,  and  is  owned  by  the 
Union  Improvement  Company  and  operated  by  G.  B. 
Markle  &  Co.,  with  G.  B.  Markle  as  superintendent. 
There  are  two  slopes,  and  the  total  product  for  1878  was 
124,109  tons.  There  are  six  engines,  of  220  horse  power. 
In  1878  there  were  employed  at  both  slopes  241  men 
and  boys  under  ground,  and  118  on  the  surface. 

Harleigh  is  another  of  the  small  mining  towns  for 
which  Hazle  township  is  noted.  There  are  two  taverns, 
a  company  and  one  or  fwo  other  small  stores,  a  Protes- 
tant school  and  a  school  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Sisters  of  Mercy.  This  place  has  a  population  of  about 
600.  Harleigh  colliery  is  located  here,  owned  by  the 
Big  Black  Creek  Improvement  Company,  and  operated 
by  McNair  &  Co.,  with  James  McKee  as  superintendent. 
In  1878  this  mine  produced  35,000  tons  of  coal,  and  em- 
ployed 70  hien  under  ground,  and  76  on  the  surface. 
There  are  three  engines,  with  130  horse  power. 

Beaver  Brook,  on  the  Carbon  county  line,  has  a  com- 
pany store,  a  post-office,  a  blacksmith  shop,  two  or  three 
groceries  and  about  800  inhabitants.'  Beaver  Brook  col- 
liery is  owned  by  the  Beaver  Brook  Coal  Company,  and 
operated  by  C.  M.  Dodson  &  Co.,  with  E.  S.  Bullock  as 
superintendent.  In  1878  the  company  mined  65,362  tons 
of  coal  and  employed  169  men  and  boys  under  ground, 
and  114  on  the  surface.  At  the  two  slopes  there  are  six 
engines,  with  a  total  of  210  horse  power. 

Cranberry  contains  a  mining  population  of  about  500. 
Cranberry  colliery  is  owned  by  the  estate  of  A.  S.  and  E. 
Roberts,  and  operated  by  A.  Pardee  &  Co.,  with  C.  Par- 
dee as  superintendent.  In  1878  there  were  mined  at  this 
colliery  106,420  tons  of  coal.  There  were  97  men  and 
boys  employed  under  ground,  and  85  on  the  surface. 
There  are  four  engines  at  this  slope,  of  40  horse  power 
each. 

Crystal  Ridge  is  a  mining  village  of  about  400  popula- 
tion. Crystal  Ridge  colliery  turned  out  in  1878  about 
120,000  tons  of  coal.  There  were  62  men  and  boys  em- 
ployed under  ground,  and  72  on  the  surface.  There  are 
at  this  slope  three  engines,  with  a  total  of  145  horse 
power. 

Jeansville  is  a  mining  village  two  miles  south  of  Hazle- 
ton,  on  the  county  line.  It  was  named  from  Mr.  Joseph 
Jeans,  of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of 
the  mines  here.     The  place  was  first  settled  in  1848  by 


William  Milnes,  who  opened  the  first  coal  mine.  There 
are  three  churches — Presbyterian,  Methodist  Episcopal 
and  Welsh  Congregational.;  a  hotel,  a  store,  two  schools, 
and  1,600  inhabitants.  Mrs.  Tubbs  is  the  present  post- 
mistress. Spring  Mountain  colliery  is  located  at  this 
place.  It  is  owned  by  the  Spring  Mountain  Coal  Com- 
pany, and  was  operated  in  1879  by  J.  C.  Hayden  &  Co. 
There  are  three  slopes  at  the  colliery,  two  of  which  pro- 
duced in  1878  168,929  tons  of  coal.  There  were  238  men 
and  boys  employed  under  ground,  and  173  on  the  sur- 
face. At  the  two  slopes  there  are  thirteen  engines,  with 
a  total  of  535  horse  power. 

Stockton  was  named  in  honor  of  Commodore  Stockton, 
of  New  Jersey,  whose  liberality  had  done  much  for  the 
people.  The  mines  were  opened  here  in  185 1  by  Messrs. 
Packer,  Carter  &  Co.,  and  the  first  coal  was  shipped  June 
8th,  1852.  A  sad  calamity  happened  here  December 
i8th,  1869.  The  pillars  of  the  gangway  running  east  and 
west  had  been  so  much  "  robbed  "  as  to  cause  the  cav- 
ing in  of  the  gangway  for  nearly  half  a  mile,  carrying 
down  everything  upon  the  surface  to  the  depth  of  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  feet,  among  other  things  the  dwelling  occu- 
pied by  the  Rough  family,  and  two  of  the  Swank  family. 
The  bodies  were  never  recovered,  as  the  house  took  fire 
from  the  upsetting  of  the  stove  and  the  inmates  Wire 
consumed  by  the  flames.  The  spot  where  the  house  stood 
has  been  filled  up  to  a  level  with  the  ground,  and  a  neat 
marble  slab  laid,  with  the  date  of  birth  of  each  of  the  vic- 
tims and  date  of  death  inscribed  thereon,  as  follows: 

"  EUzabeth  Rough,  May  i8th,  1796.  Margaret  Rough, 
January  i8th,  1837.  Isaac  Rough,  January  22nd,  1839. 
Elizabeth  Rough,  March,  1869.  George  Swank,  1819. 
William  Swank,  1850.     December  i8th,  1869." 

There  are  at  this  place  a  store,  a  tavern,  several  saloons, 
a  church,  two  schools,  car  repair  and  blacksmith  shops, 
and  about  1,500  inhabitants.  The  first  postmaster  at 
this  place  was  Ralph  Tozer,  appointed  in  i860.  The 
present  postmaster  is  William  Smith. 

East  Sugarloaf  colliery  is  located  at  Stockton,  and  is 
owned  by  Smith,  Roberts  cSc  Packer  and  the  Tench  Coxe 
estate,  and  operated  by  Linderman,  Skeer  &  Co.,  with 
William  Airey  as  superintendent.  There  are  three  slope; 
here,  which  in  1878  produced  a  total  of  177,393  tons  of 
coal.  They  employed  358  men  and  boys  under  ground, 
and  220  on  the  surface.  There  are  18  engines,  with  a  total 
of  690  horse  power. 

Mount  Pleasant  has  a  population  of  about  500.  There 
is  a  company  store  at  this  place.  The  mails  are  received 
by  carrier  from  Hazleton.  In  1878  44,198  tons  of  coal 
were  mined  at  Mount  Pleasant  colliery.  The  colliery  is 
owned  by  the  estate  of  C.  Koons  and  others,  and  is  oper- 
ated by  Pardee  &  Sons.  There  are  five  engines,  of  165 
horse  power.  There  were  employed  in  1878  77  men  and 
boys  under  ground,  and  67  on  the  surface.  C.  Pardee  is 
superintendent  of  this  colliery. 

At  Humboldt  there  are  about  450  inhabitants  and  a 
company  store.  Humboldt  colliery  is  owned  by  the  Le- 
high Valley  Railroad  Company,  and  operated  by  Linder- 
man, Skeer  &  Co.,  with  William^  Airey  as  superintendent. 


*ih 


<> 


t^^= 


282 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


In  1878  there  were  mined  at  this  slope  22,476  tons  of 
coal.  There  were  employed  44  men  and  boys  under 
ground,  and  56  on  the  surface,  There  are  four  engines, 
of  145  horse  power. 

Hollywood  has  a  population  of  nearly  400.  There  is  a 
company  store  here.  Hollywood  colliery  is  owned  by 
the  Black  Creek  Improvement  Company  and  operated  by 
Calvin  Pardee  &  Co.,  with  C.  Pardee  as  superintendent. 
In  1878  there  were  mined  at  this  slope  49,078  tons  of 
coal,  and  68  men  and  boys  were  employed  under  ground 
and  87  on  the  surface.  There  are  3  engines,  with  a  total 
of  J 60  horse-power. 

Milnesville  was  settled  and  the  mines  opened  about 
1850  by  William  Milnes,  after  whom  the  place  is  named. 
There  is  a  Methodist  church  here,  a  company  store,  and 
a  post-office,  with  William  Monroe  as  postmaster.  The 
population  is  not  far  from  1,500.  Milnesville  colliery  is 
owned  by  the  Porter  estate,  and  operated  by  the  Stout 
Coal  Company,  with  Charles  Kerbaugh  as  superintendent. 
Only  one  slope  was  worked  in  1878,  and  from  this  were 
mined  66,330  tons  of  coal.  There  were  employed  7.05  men 
and  boys  under  ground  and  74  on  the  surface.  At  this 
slope  there  are  5  engines,  with  a  total  of  290  horse  power. 
Jeddo  borough  was  formed  from  Foster  and  Hazle 
townships,  Oct.  23d,  1871;  its  population  is  350.  Here 
is  the  Woodside  colliery,  owned  by  the  Jeddo  Coal  Com- 
pany and  operated  by  Coxe  Bros.  &  Co. 

Ebervale   has   a   church,   a   school-house,  a  company 
store,  a  hotel,  a  post-office,  with  Cyrus  Young  postmaster, 
and  about  1,500  population.     Ebervale  colliery  is  located 
here,  owned  by  the  Union  Improvement  Company,  oper- 
ated by  the  Ebervale  Coal  Company,  and  superintended 
Thomas  P.  McFarland.      The  number  of  men  employed 
under  ground   in    1878  was  305,  and  on  the  surface  220. 
The  coal  mined  in  1878  at  the  two  slopes  amounted  to 
15^)314  tons.    At  both  slopes  there  are  16  engines,  with  a 
total  of  955  horse  power,  and  one  locomotive  under  ground. 
The  Hazleton  mines  are  located  on  the  north  border  of 
the  borough,  owned  by  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Com- 
pany, and  operated  by  A.  Pardee  &  Co.,  with  C.  Pardee  su- 
perintendent.    They  produced  in    1878  142,152  tons  of 
coal.    There  were  84  men  employed  under  ground  and  75 
on  the  surface.     Hazleton  mine  No.  3  is  abandoned.  It  is 
related  that  in  1826   John  Charles,  a  hunter,   while  dig- 
ging for  a   ground  hog  discovered  coal  at   what   is  now 
knovvn  as  the  "  Old  Hazleton  "  mine,  which  led   to  fur- 
ther explorations  and  finally   to    the    organization  of  the 
Hazleton  Coal  Company.     This   was  the    first   company 
that  was  organized  in  that  portion  of  the  eastern  middle 
coal  fields  lying  in  Luzerne  county. 

Drifton,  like  Upper  Lehigh,  is  a  neat  little  town,  and 
in  appearance  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  in  the 
mining  districts.  It  has  one  hotel,  three  churches — Prot- 
estant Episcopal,  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Roman 
Catholic;  an  opera  house,  built  by  Coxe  Bros,  for  the  use 
of  their  employes;  a  company  store,  school-house,  rail- 
road depot,  "Major  Charles  S.  Coxe  Post  G.  A.'  R.," 
several  civic  societies  and  about  i,ooo  inhabitants.  The 
town  is  well  suppHed  with  water,  brought  in  pipes  from  a 


hill  near  by.  Cross  Creek  collieries  No.  i  and  2  are  lo- 
cated at  this  place,  and  owned  and  operated  by  Coxe  Bros. 
&  Co.     The  mines  in  1878  yielded  285,320  tons  of  coal. 

Drifton  Lodge,  No.  246,  D.  O.  H.  was  instituted  by 
grand  officer  Major  C.  J.  Volkenand,  who  installed  the 
following  officers  of  the  lodge  for  1880:  Martin  Stein- 
heiser,  E.  B.;  Jacob  Bechtlof,  O.  B.;  George  Brandon, 
U.  B.;  Robert  Fuchs,  S.;  Charles  Hordt,  A.  S.;  Jacob 
Nagle,  T. 

Railroads  of  Hazle. 

The  Beaver  Meadow  Railroad  and  Coal  Company  was 
chartered  April  7th,  1830,  and  merged  in  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad  Company  July  8th.  1864.  There  are 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  of  road  in  Hazle  township, 
crossing  the  line  between  Beaver  Brook  and  Jeansville, 
and  leaving  the  township  on  the  line  east  of  Jeansville. 

The  Danville,  Hazleton  &  Wilkes-Barre  (formerly 
Wilkes-Barre  &  Pittston,  and  now  merged  in  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad)  Company  was  chartered  April  i8th, 
1867.  This  road  enters  the  township  from  Sugarloaf 
township,  near  where  Black  creek  crosses  the  line;  runs 
through  the  borough  of  Hazleton  and  village  of  Stock- 
ton, and  leaves  the  township  a  little  east  of  Lumber 
Yard  station,  running  about  ten  miles. 

The  Hazleton  &  Jeansville  Passenger  Railway  Com- 
pany was  chartered  March  30th,  1873.  The  road  has 
not  been  built.  It  was  to  be  a  local  road  between  these 
two  points,  running  around  the  east  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, passing  through  Stockton  and  Lumber  Yard. 

The  Hazleton  Railroad  Company  was  chartered  March 
9th,  1865,  and  merged  in  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad 
Company  May  25th,  1868.  This  road  runs  from  the 
old  Hazleton  mines  to  the  top  of  the  planes  near  Penn 
Haven  Junction,  nearly  six  miles  being  in  this  township. 
The  Jeddo  and  Carbon  County  Railroad  Company  was 
chartered  March  23d,  1854,  the  name  changed  to  Lehigh 
and  Luzerne  Railroad  Company  February  12th,  1856, 
and  it  was  merged  in  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Com- 
pany June  i6th,  1868.  About  one  mile  of  this  road  was 
built  in  the  east  end  of  this  township  from  the  lumber 
yard  north.  It  extended  from  Jeddo  borough  to  Japan, 
Ebervale,  Harleigh,  Milnesville  and  Latimer  in  this 
township  about  six  miles  additional. 

There  are   also   about   twenty-five  miles  of  coal   mine 
branch  road  in  Hazle. 


HAZLETON  BOROUGH. 


^  HIS  is  the  largest  and  most  enterprising  town  in 
the  middle  coal  field  region.    It  is  on  a  broad 
table  land,  1,700  feet  above  tide  water.    The 
borough  is   abundantly   supplied    with  pure 
spring   water  by   the   Hazleton  Water  Com- 
1%       ''''^"^'     '^^^   water  is  obtained    upon    one  of  the 
■^       hills    southeast  of  the  town  and  conveyed  in  terra 
cotta  pipes.     The  altitude  of  Hazleton,  the  purity  of  the 


4.^ 


Pittston, Luzerne  Co., Pa. 


"^  Pittston, Luzerne  C^ 


J.J. WALSH, M.D. 
Pittston, Luzerne  Co.,Pa. 


JOHN     DEKIN. 

Scranton,Lajcl^a\NannaCo.,Pa. 


C.  B.  PRICE. 

Wlkes-Barre,  Luzerne  Co.^  Pa 


Parsons  Sta.,Plains  .Luzerne  Co,Pa. 


ELLIOT  P.KISNER. 
J^azletor^l  Luzerrie  Co,Pa. 


C.  P.  MILLER, 
Tunkhanr\ock,\Nyomin|Co.,Pa. 


i 

*^^= 


--^h 


BUSINESS  CONCERNS  AT  HAZLETON— BOROUGH  HISTORY. 


283 


air  and  water,  with  the  perfect  system  of  sewerage  and 
drainage  and  the  enforcement  of  strict  sanitary  measures, 
make  it  one  of  the  exceedingly  healthy  towns  of  the  State. 
The  water  company  has  in  course  of  construction  an  ar- 
tesian well,  which  when  completed  will  add  largely  to  the 
water  supply. 

There  are  located  at  this  place  the  locomotive  and  ma- 
chine shops  of  David  Clark,  the  extensive  burial  casket 
manufactory  of  L.  W.  Drake,  the  wholesale  furniture  man- 
ufacturing establishment  of  G.  Reinhart,  the  Mountain 
foundry  of  H.  W.  Montz  &  Brother,  the  Phoenix  planing 
mill  of  John  Daniels,  the  Hazleton  lime  kilns  of  Casper 
Shaffer,  several  carriage,  wagon  and  sleigh  manufactories, 
and  the  Lion  brewery,  all  of  which  employ  annually  a  large 
number  of  men,  and  whose  pay  rolls  aggregate  annually  . 
over  $1,000,000.  There  are  also  a  large  number  of  exten- 
sive dry  goods, grocery, hardware, clothing  and  drugstores, 
cigar  factories,,  and  many  other  business  concerns.  The 
principal  hot'els  are  the  Central  and  Hazleton.  There 
are  nine  churches,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of 
5,789.  There  are  twenty-one  schools  within  the  limits  of 
the  borough.  Hazleton  has  also  four  weekly  and  two 
daily  newspapers.  The  population  of  the  boroughjs 
6,893,  against  4,317  in  1870.  James  James  is  the  present 
postmaster. 

As  near  as  can  be  ascertained  the  first  house  built  in 
Hazleton  stood  very  near  the  site  of  David  Clark's  resi 
dence,  on  East  Broad  street.  It  is  known  that  Jacob 
Drumheller  kept  a  tavern  at  that  place  as  early  as  1809. 
The  next  building  stood  where  Henry  Dryfoos  now  lives, 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  West  Broad  and  Vine  streets. 
This  was  called  the  "  Old  State  House,"  since  it  stood  at 
the  crossing  of  the  turnpike  by  the  old  State  road  run- 
ning from  Wilkes-Barre  to  McKeansburgh.  Mr.  Daniel 
P.  Raikes,  now  living  at  Hazleton,  knew  this  place  in 
1817,  when  the  two  houses  mentioned  were  the  only 
ones;  and  as  late  as  1834  the  increase  had  been  but  two 
or  three.  The  next  tavern  after  Drumheller's  was  built 
in  1836,  by  Lewis  Davenport,  on  the  site  of  the  Hazleton 
House;  it  was  subsequently  burned,  and  immediately  re- 
built. 

The  first  store  in  Hazleton  was  on  the  site  of  A.  Par- 
dee &  Co.'s  store,  at  the  southwest  corner  of  West  Broad 
and  Wyoming  streets.  It  was  built  by  Ingham  Brothers, 
who  sold  it  to  Mr.  Cooper,  and  he  to  Pardee,  Miner  & 
Hunt.  The  last  named  was  the  first  operator  of  the  old 
Hazleton  mines.  The  first  blacksmith  shop  was  on  the 
old  turnpike,  near  where  David  Clark's  repair  shop  now 
stands.  The  first  resident  physician  was  a  Doctor  Lewis, 
who  lived  up  what  is  now  West  Boad  street. 

Corporate    History. 

The  borough  was  incorporated  in  accordance  with  an 
act  approved  April  3d,  1851,  and  a  supplemental  act  ap- 
proved April  22nd,  1856.  The  first  election  for  borough 
officers  was  held  at  the  hotel  of  Thomas  Lawall,  on  the 
corner  of  Broad  and  Wyoming  streets,  where  the  Hazle- 
ton House  now  stands,  on  the  27th  of  March,  1857,  and 
resulted  as  follows:    Burgess,  Abraham  Jones;  high  con- 


stable, John  Kahler;  councilmen,  Joseph  Hamburger, 
George  Brown,  John  Schreck,  Andrew  Ringleben,  George 
B.  Markle  and  William  Ulrich.  The  council  elected  as 
president  George  B.  Markle;  secretary,  F.  A.  Whitaker; 
treasurer,  Charles  H.  Meyers;  supervisor,  John  Kahler. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  council  April  30th,  1 85  7,the  first  police 
force  was  appointed,  as  follows:  D.  Kroft,  O.  M.  Martin, 
Emanuel  Dunn,  William  Kortz,  R.  B.  Conner,  Henry 
Schultz,  Frederick  Knyriam,  Reuben  Kulb,  John  Staffen- 
burg,  J.  M.  Whitaker,  John  A  Barton,  J.  P.  Salmon  and 
John  Hademick.  At  a  meeting  of  the  town  council  held 
August  31st.,  1857,  a  contract  was  made  with  George  Brown 
for  building  a  stone  "lock-up"  at  a  cost  of  $300.  It  is 
16  by  20  feet,  12  feet  high,  with  walls  two  feet  thick,  and 
stands  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Mine  and  Cedar 
streets. 

Acts  were  passed  by  the  General  Assembly,  and  ap- 
proved April  15th,  1867,  and  April  gth,  1870,  authorizing 
the  council  of  Hazleton  to  borrow  $20,000,  and  issue 
bonds  therefor,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  apparatus 
for  extinguishing  fires,  grading  and  repairing  streets,  and 
making  and  repairing  culverts  and  sewers.  An  act  was 
also  passed  and  approved  April  9th,  1870,  for  the  division 
of  the  borough  into  two  wards,  dividing  the  wards  and 
fixing  places  for  holding  elections;  also  an  act  to  organize  a 
police  force  approved  by  the  governor  April  15th,  187 1. 
December  nth,  1869,  the  boundaries  of  the  borough 
were  enlarged  so  as  to  take  in  the  lands  of  William  Kortz 
and  forty-nine  other  proprietors,  lying  between  the  lands 
of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company  and  the  Dia- 
mond Coal  Company,  northwest  of  the  old  boundary  line. 
At  a  special  meeting  of  the  borough  council  held  De- 
cember 30th,  1873,  the  police  force  was  changed  from 
the  old  volunteer  system  to  a  paid  force,  similar  to  those 
of  large  cities.  Four  men  were  at  first  employed  and 
uniformed,  one  of  whom  should  act  as  chief.  Since  the 
incorporation  of  the  borough  the  fpllowing  persons  have 
served  as  chief  burgess  and  clerk  of  the  council  for  the 
years  named: 

1857,  Abraham  Jones;  1858  and  1861,  Ezra  C.  Vin- 
cent; 1859  and  1863,  R.  F.  Russel;  i860,  Louis  Lubrecht; 
1862,  Frederick  Knyoir;  1864,  Peter  Breihoff;  1865  and 
1866,  Thomas  S.  McNair;  1867,  Thomas  N.  Smith;  1868, 
Peter  Heidensick;  i86g,  John  A.  Barton;  1870,  Charles 
F.  Hill;  1871,  I.  E.  Ullman;  1872-74,  Joseph  P.  Salmon; 
1875,  Gottlob  Ullman;  1876,1877  and  1879,  John  Pfouts; 
1878,  A.  R.  Longshore. 

The  following  persons  have  served  as  president  of  the 
borough  council:  1857  and  1858,  George  B.  Markle; 
1859-63,  William  Kisner;  1864  and  1865,  A  SiUiman; 
1866,  F.  Lauderburn;  1867-69,  Thomas  S.  McNair;  1870, 
John  A.  Barton;  1871,  A.  R.  Longshore;  1873  and  1874, 
Stephen  D.  Engle;   1875-79,  David  Clark. 

The  following  named  persons  have  served  as  clerk  of 
the  borough  council,  and  for  the  years  named:  1857-64, 
F.  A.  Whitaker;  1864  and  1865,  Cyrus-  G.  Young;  1866  ■ 
68,  J.  S.  McNair;  1869,  W.  P.  Courtright;  1870-72,  John 
E.  Mears;  1873,  E.  S.  Doud;  1874,  M.  B.  Fowler;  1875, 
John  Gorman;  1876-79,  A.  M.  Eby. 


-M^ 


"*-®-»= 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  present  borough  council  consists  of  David  Clark, 
Justus  Altmiller,  Elias  Bachman,  Sylvester  Engle,  Peter 
Heidenreich  and  Philip  Linderman. 

The  borough  has  elected  justices  as  follows:  Frank 
A.  Whittaker  1857;  William  Kisner,  1861;  J.  A.  Yoder, 
1862;  John  Gorman,  1865  and  1877;  Alfred  R.  Long- 
shore, 1865,  1878  and  1879;  William  P.  Courtright,  1868; 
Henry  Mears,  1870;  Thomas  Coburn,  1872;  William  F. 
Roberts,  1874  and  1875;  Charles  Schutter,  1875;  Jacob 
P.  Kreider,  1875. 

Educational. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  by  the  Hazleton  Coal 
Company  in  1837.  It  was  a  frame  building,  and  stood 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  Church  and  Green  streets. 
This  is  the  school-house  referred  to  in  the  history  of  the 
M.  E.  church.  Miss  Fannie  Blackman  was  the  first 
teacher,  and  among  her  immediate  successors  were  N. 
U.  Cortright,  of  Mauch  Chunk,  and  Isaac  H.  Baldwin, 
now  deceased.  In  1843  Lewis  Ketchum,  afterward  a 
member  of  the  California  senate,  took  charge  of  the 
school.  He  was  succeeded  in  1845  by  his  brother,  H. 
H.  Ketchum.  Previous  to  this  and  for  some  time  after- 
ward the  school  was  kept  open  part  of  the  year  by  private 
subscription.  The  first  building  for  a  private  school  was 
erected  by  A.  Pardee  in  1847.  This  school  was  kept 
about  two  years.  The  building  stood  on  the  south  side 
of  Broad  street,  between  Wyoming  and  Laurel. 

The  first  public  school-house  stood  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  Cedar  street  and  Spruce  alley.  In  August, 
1853,  the  school-house  on  the  corner  of  Church  and 
Green  streets  was  burned,  when  the  store  on  the  south- 
east corner  of  Broad  and  Wyoming  streets,  now  occupied 
by  Mrs.  Engle,  was  rented  for  school  purposes.  The 
two-story  brick  school  building  on  the  north  side  of 
Green,  between  Church  and  Laurel  streets,  was  opened 
in  February,  1855,  with  Abel  Marcy  as  principal.  This 
was  the  first  graded  school  in  Luzerne  county.  While 
Mr.  Marcy  was  principal  four  teachers  were  employed, 
and  after  1866  the  length  of  the  school  term  was  eight 
months.  Mr.  M.  was  elected  superintendent  of  the 
county  in  i860. 

In  the  spring  of  1857  the  borough  elected  the  first 
school  board.  In  1.859  C.  L.  Rynearson  was  elected  prin- 
cipal of  the  schools  and  five  teachers  employed,  and  the 
school  term  increased  to  ten  months.  H.  Hutchinson 
was  principal  of  tl.e  schools  from  1865  to  1867.  In  1866 
the  frame  school-house  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Poplar 
and  Chestnut  streets  was  built,  and  it  was  occupied  for 
school  purposes  in  January,  1867.  Two  additional  teach 
ers  were  then  employed.  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  afterward 
(1868-71)  a  teacher  in  the  grammar  schools.  Up  to  this 
time  the  persons  who  had  served  longest  in  the  school 
board  were  A.  Pardee,  William  Kisner  and  Joseph  Gren- 
awald.  In  1867  B.  C.  Youngman  was  elected  principal. 
In  1868  a  frame  building  was  erected  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  Poplar  street  and  Spruce  alley,  in  which  Mr. 
Youngman  conducted  a  private  school  until  1871.  From 
1868  to  1873  the  number  of  schools  increased  from  eight 


to  sixteen;  the  salary  of  the  principal  was  raised  to  $1,200. 
In  1868  the  brick  school-house  on  the  corner  of  Church 
and  Walnut  streets  was  built.  An  additional  school  was 
opened  in  1873,  and  another  in  1874.  In  1874  and  1875 
the  commodious  two-story  brick  school  building  on  Pine, 
between  Oak  and  Hemlock  streets,  was  built.  During 
the  school  year  1875-76  great  improvements  were  made; 
the  nucleus  for  a  school  library  was  formed,  and  the  num- 
ber of  schools  increased  to  twenty-one.  In  June,  1876, 
the  board  voted  to  establish  the  borough  superintendency, 
but  from  the  time  the  schools  were  graded  up  to  this 
time  the  principal  of  the  schools  had  acted  as  district  su- 
perintendent. 

In  1866  a  select  school  was  opened  in  a  building  on  the 
,  private  grounds  of  A.  Pardee.  In  1874  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic citizens  of  the  place  built  a  school  building  on  Wyo- 
ming street,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  Sisters  of 
Mercy  opened  a  school  therein.  From  .  that  time  the 
educational  interests  of  the  borough  and  township  have 
advanced  with  the  necessities  of  an  increased  population. 
The  following  is  the  present  school  board:  T.  S.  Mc- 
Nair,  president;  E.  S.  Doud,  John  Schwartz,  James 
O'Donnell  and  Christian  Specht.  A.  P.  Supple  is  the 
present  superintendent  of  schools. 

The  township  school  board  is  composed  of  Messrs. 
C.  G.  Young,  E.  Turnbach,  J.  H.  McHale,  Robertson, 
Thomas  and  Thompson. 

The  Press  of  Hazleton. 

The  Haddon  Sentinel  was  the  first  newspaper  publish- 
ed here.  It  was  established  by  John  C.  Stqkes,  and  the 
first  number  was  issued  January  i8th,  i866,  as  a  seven- 
column  folio.  In  the  summer  of  1868  Mr.  Stokes  sold 
his  interest  in  the  paper  to  Messrs.  Pardee,  Markle  & 
Grier,  when  Henry  Wilson  became  editor.  The  paper 
was  subsequently  sold  to  Messrs.  Moore  &  Sanders,  and 
J.  S.  Sanders  became  editor.  Subsequently  Mr.  Sanders 
became  sole  proprietor.  The  paper  was  then  consoli- 
dated with  the  Daily  News  and  the  Anthracite  Record, 
and  called  the  Anthracite  Hazeltoti  Sentinel,  by  which 
name  it  is  still  published  weekly.  The  paper  again 
changed  hands  in  September,  1879,  when  C.  B.  Snyder 
became  publisher  and  editor.  Politics,  Republican;  cir- 
culation, 1,500. 

The  Daily  News  was  established  and  the  first  number 
issued  September  15th,  1870,  by  J.  C.  Fincher.  In  the 
consolidation  with  the  Sentinel  in  1875  the  name  was 
changed  to  Hazelton  Sentinel,  and  it  is  now  published  as 
a  Republican  morning  paper  by  C.  B.  Snyder.  Circula- 
tion, 2,000  daily. 

The  Middle  Coal  Field  Advertiser. — The  first  number 
of  this  paper  was  issued  September  19th,  1874,  by  George 
Mancy,  as  a  weekly,  with  a  limited  circulation  and  on  a 
cash  capital  of  $250.  With  increasing  patronage  the 
Advertiser  continued  on  its  mission  until  December  loth, 
1878,  when  it  was  changed  to  the  Daily  Bulletin,  with 
Mr.  Mancy  as  business  manager  of  the  Bulletin  Publish- 
ing Company. 

The  Hazelton   Journal,  a  German   paper,  was    estab- 


*^^-- 


M.¥ 


*ih 


-^^ 


NEWSPAPKRS  OF  HAZLETON— FIRE  DEPARTMENT— COMPANIES. 


285 


lished  in  July,  1876,  by  R.  F.  Stutzbach,  who  is  still  pub- 
lisher and  editor.  It  is  issued  every  Saturday,  at  $2  per 
year.  Its  columns  are  devoted  to  humanity,  education, 
literatureand  general  information.  Present  circulation  600. 

T/ie  Mountain  Beacon  was  established  by  John  C. 
Stokes,  of  Hazleton,  and  the  first  number  was  issued 
October  25th,  1877,  as  a  six-column  foHo.  Meeting  with 
unexampled  success,  the  paper  was  enlarged  May  30th, 
1878,  to  an  eight-column  folio.  It  is  a  non-partisan  and 
independent  journal.  In  August,  1879,  Alfred  F.  Stokes 
became  publisher  and  editor,  under  whose  management 
it  fully  sustains  the  high  moral  character  to  which  it  had 
previously  attained.     Present  circulation,  1,500. 

The  Hazhton  Volksblatt,  published  in  German,  was  first 
issued  April  16th,  1872,  by  Moore  &  Sanders,  who  con- 
tinued its  publication  till  October  29th,  1872,  when  Mr. 
Moore  retired  from  the  firm.  Mr.  Sanders  continued 
its  publication  till  April  ist,  1873,  when  P.  Dershuck  and 
R.  F.  Stutzbach  became  publishers  and  editors.  In  1874 
Mr.  Stutzbach  retired  from  the  firm,  when  Mr.  Der- 
shuck enlarged  the  paper  to  eight  columns.  In  1875  R. 
F.  Stutzbach  became  publisher  and  editor,  and  April  ist, 
1876,  was  succeeded  by  P.  Dershuck.  October  ist,  1877, 
the  latter  changed  the  paper  to  a  seven-column  semi- 
weekly.  October  ist,  1878,  it  was  again  changed  to  a 
weekly,  and  July  ist,  1879,  again  enlarged  to  an  eight- 
column  paper.  It  is  issued  every  Saturday  morning,  and 
has  a  circulation  of  800. 

The  Daily  Bulletin  was  first  issued  December  loth, 
1878,  under  the  title  of  the  Evening  Bulletin,  and  Febru- 
ary 25th,  1879,  the  name  was  changed  to  Daily  Bulletin. 
It  is  published  by  the  Bulletin  company.  Circulation, 
1,200.  S.  B.  Macquade,  editor;  G.  Mauey,  business 
manager;  W.  Sebretch,  foreman. 

Fire  Department. 

The  fire  department  of  Hazleton  was  authorized  by 
the  town  council  March  jsth,  1869,  when  the  following 
named  persons  were  organized  into  afire  company: 

Thomas  S.  McNair,  Thomas  Monroe,  J.  Sharon  Mc- 
Nair,  Alexander  McAllister,  T.  Hall,  John  A.  Barton, 
C.  F.  Barton,  J.  C.  Tomlinson,  John  Lee,  S.  B.  Macquade, 
P.  B.  Conner,  C.  S.  Longshore,  S.  D.  Engle,  Col.  James 
Fitzpatrick  and  Calvin  Pardee.  There  had  been  an  or- 
ganization, but  not  under  the  supervision  or  protection  of 
the  "city  fathers."  In  1867  a  steam  fire  engine  was 
purchased  of  Neafie  &  Levy,  of  Philadelphia,  for  $4,500. 
The  council  also  bought  of  the  Taylor  Hose  Company 
a  hose  carriage,  hose  and  attachments  for  12,346.50.  In 
1868  the  town  council  built  the  present  engine  house, 
which  is  occupied  by  the  engine,  hose  and  hook  and 
ladder  companies.  The  upper  rooms  of  the  building 
are  used  both  for  the  fire  department  and  the  council. 
The  building  is  of  brick,  located  on  the  east  side  of  Wyo- 
ming street,  between  Green  and  Maple  streets,  and  cost 
$4,700.  Jacob  Eroh  was  the  builder.  Hazleton  has  at 
present  a  well  organized  and  efficient  fire  department, 
with  John  C.  Tomlinson  as  chief  engineer,  and  Charles 
Schutter  and  Samuel  Barnes  as  assistants. 


Military. 

Hazleton  organized  in  1870  several  military  companies 
— Zouaves,  Captain  Coburn;  Liberty  Guards,  Captain 
Rosenstock;  National  Rifles,  Captain  Volkenand,  and 
the  Hazle  Troop,  Captain  J.  E.  Giles.  These  companies 
have  been  disbanded.  Company  H,  9th  regiment  N.  G. 
of  Pennsylvania,  was  originally  organized  with  head- 
quarters at  Conyngham,  under  Captain  C.  H.  Kneely. 
In  July,  1877,  M.  J.  Keck  was  commissioned  as  captain, 
and  ordered  to  report  immediately  with  his  company  for 
duty.  The  order  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  the  officers 
and  men  performed  their  duty  in  suppressing  the  rail- 
road riots.  In  September,  1878,  the  9th  was  disbanded, 
and  this  comi)any  attached  to  the  12th,  under  Col.  Stead, 
with  company  headquarters  at  Hazleton.  In  June,  1879, 
it  was  attached  to  the  new  9th  regiment,  under  Col.  G. 
M.  Reynolds.  Captain  Keck  was  promoted  paymaster 
of  the  i2th  regiment,  and  October  30th,  1879,  elected 
lieutenant  colonel  of  the  9th.  The  present  officers  of  the 
company  are:  Captain,  Wilson  W.  Wenner;  first  lieuten- 
ant, Frank  N.  Day;  second  lieutenant,  L.  S.  Allison. 

Hazleton  Gas  Company. 

This  company  was  incorporated  March  14th,  1872, 
and  the  subscription  books  were  opened  April  22nd, 
1872.  The  commissioners  named  in  the  act  of  incor- 
poration were  C.  Pardee,  W.  A.  M.  Grier,  Sylvester 
Engle,  R.  F.  Russell,  John  Bond  and  James  James. 
The  first  officers  were:  President,  C.  Pardee;  secretary 
and  treasurer,  W.  A.  M.  Grier.  The  gas  works  were 
built  in  1872  by  Deily  &  Fowler,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  the  first  gas  was  made  early  in  November  of  the 
same  year.  The  main  building  is  of  brick,  30  by  60 
feet,  and  on  the  north  end  there  is  a  frame  addition 
30  feet  square.  Adolph  Meyer  is  superintendent  of  the 
works.  The  average  quantity  of  gas  consumed  in 
Hazleton  at  present  is  about  150,000  cubic  feet  per  month, 
of  which  about  one-third  is  burned  in  the  street  lamps. 
The  cost  in  October,  1879,  ^^^s  $3  per  1,000  cubic  feet. 
The  directors  and  officers  for  1879  were  as  follows:  Di- 
rectors, David  Clark,  Calvin  Pardee,  Dr.  J.  R.  Casselberry, 
Tames  James  and  W.  A.  M.  Grier;  president,  David 
Clark;  secretary  and  treasurer,  W.  A.  M.  Grier;  superin- 
tendent of  gas  works,  Adolph  Meyer. 

Banking. 

The  banking  house  of  Pardee,  Markle  &  Grier  was 
opened  by  Ario  Pardee,  George  B.  Markle  and  W.  A.  M. 
Grier,  in  the  room  over  the  general  offices  of  the  firm, 
in  the  building  on  the  corner  of  West  Broad  and  Wyom- 
ing streets.  May  ist,  1867.  The  firm  in  1872  built  and  oc- 
cupied their  present  bank  building,  on  the  north  side  of 
Broad,  between  Wyoming  and  Laurel  streets.  The  build- 
ing is  of  brick  with  an  ornamental  iron  front,  and  is  three 
stories  high.  Besides  the  banking  office,  which  occupies 
one-half  of  the  first  floor,  there  is  a  store  16  by  60  feet. 
The  basement  story  is  occupied  by  the  Hazleton  Sentinel 


*^N= 


='^^ 


2  86 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


printing  office,  while  the  upper  story  is  devoted  to  various 
offices. 

The  Hazleton  Savings  Bank  was  established  May  23d, 
1871,  with  a  capital  of  $30,000,  divided  in  $50  shares. 
The  first  officers  and  directors  were  as  follows:  Presi- 
dent, William  Kisner;  vice-president,  W.  R.  Longshore; 
cashier,  N.  H.  Shafer;  directors,  E.  C.  Vincent,  G.  Ulmer, 
C.  F.  Hill,  W.  Kisner  and  W.  R.  Longshore.  The  bank 
was  opened  at  its  present  location, October  2nd,  1871.  The 
present  directors  are  W.  Kisner,  G.  Ulmer,  C.  L.  Lam- 
berton,  E.  P.  Kisner  and  G.  F.  Kisner;  president,  W. 
Kisner;  vice-president,  G.  Uimer;  cashier,  E.  S.  Doud. 

Leading  Industries  of  Hazleton. 

Phanix  Planing  Mills. — These  works  were  erected  by 
MessTF.  Longshore  &  Ilofficker  in  1869,  and  rebuilt  in 
1S7C,  after  being  burned.  'J'liey  are  on  Juniper,  between 
Church  and  Vine  streets.  The  main  building  is  80  by 
ISO  feet,  two  stores  and  atlic.  There  i.i  a  brick  engine 
liOiisc  25  by  30  feet;  a  dry  liouse,  paint  shop  and  lime 
hoL'sc.  Mr.  John  Daniels  bought  an  interest  in  the  mills 
in  1S76,  and  the  balance  January  1st,  187S. 

Hazleton  Lime  Kilns. — These  kilns,  situated  along  the 
Lehigh  Valley  railroad,  about  three  squares  west  of  the 
station,  were  built  in  1875,  by  Mr.  Casper  Schaffer.  The 
limestone  is  brought  from  AUentown  and  Freemansburg, 
Pa.  The  kilns  have  a  daily  capacity  of  250  bushels,  and 
are  kept  constantly  burning. 

Mountain  Foundry. — ^This  foundry,  on  the  corner  of 
Church  street  and  Cranberry  alley,  was  built  in  1867,  by 
Montz,  White  &  Co.  The  original  buildings  were  30  by 
45  feet.  In  1871  an  addition  was  built,  40  by  45  feet  and 
Iv.-o  stories  high.  The  engine-house  is  also  attached  to 
the  foundry.  The  concern  includes  a  first-class  machine 
shop.  From  ten  to  fifteen  men  are  ordinarily  employed. 
The  present  firm  is  H.  W.  Montz  &  Brother. 

Hazleton  Planing  Mill  and  Casket  Manufactory. — 
These  extensive  works  are  located  on  the  corner  of  Pine 
and  Green  streets.  They  were  built  by  Messrs.  Dryfoos 
Grier  &  Youngman,  and  have  passed  into  the  hands  of 
L.  W.  Drake.  Burial  caskets  are  a  specialty  in  his  very 
extensive  business. 

Hazleton  Machine  Shops. — I'hese  shops,  on  the  east 
border  of  the  borough,  cover  an  area  of  56,864  square 
feet.  The  dimensions  are:  machine  shop,  50  by  450  feet- 
foundry,  56  by  104;  car-wheel  shop,  36  by  80,  with  wing 
36  by  36;  boiler  shop,  52  by  102;  forge  or  steam  trip 
hammer  shop,  50  by  50;  blacksmith  shop,  40  by  80;  car 
shop,  50  by  95,  with  addition  63  by  95.  These  are  ex- 
clusive of  offices,  round  houses,  etc.  There  are  250 
hands  employed,  who  receive  an  average  total  monthly 
pay  of  $9,500.  The  round  house,  nearly  adjoining  the 
shops,  furnishes  room  for  twenty-one  locomotives.  There 
are  I  ro  hands  employed  on  this  division  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad,  whose  monthly  pay  constitutes  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  business  interests  of  Hazleton. 
The  annual  product  of  these  shops  is  about  $500,000 
worth  of  locomotives,  cars,  and  mine  machinery.  There 
were  4,000,000  pounds  of  hot  blast   anthracite  iron    and 


^b= 


20,000  pounds  of  brass  castings  made  during  1878,  and 
9,000,000  pounds  of  charcoal  pig  iron  used.  There 
were  made  the  last  year  300,000  pounds  of  forging=i, 
composed  of  mine  and  railroad  axles,  pump  and  engine 
connecting  rods  and  straps,  driving  axles,  line  and  coun- 
ter shafting,  etc. 

Hazelton's  Inventors. 

The  ingenious  devices  of  Stephen  D.  Engle  are  men- 
tioned in  his  biographical  sketch,  to  which  the  reader  is 
referred. 

Charles  F.  Hill  is  another  of  Hazleton's  inventors. 
His  "  folding  Sunday-school  book  case  "  is  one  of  the 
great  conveniences  in  that  branch  of  church  work.  His 
most  important  invention  is  a  new  and  improved  grate,  to 
be  used  in  an  ordinary  parlor  stove  for  burning  refuse 
coal,  now  being  wasted  in  large  quantities  in  mining.  The 
device  consists  in  so  arranging  the  draft  that  the  fine  coal 
will  not  clog  and  prevent  natural  draft.  He  is  also  the 
patentee  of  an  improved  school  desk  and  chair. 

Martin  Bock  is  the  inventor  of  an  improvement  in  heels 
for  rubber  shoes.  It  consists  in  a  wire  spring  fastened  to. 
the  heel  of  the  leather  boot  or  shoe,  to  hold  the  rubber 
and  prevent  its  slipping  off.  His  more  important  inven- 
tion is  a  novel  combination  of  devices  whereby  a  time 
movement,  striking  movement  and  alarm  movement,  in  a 
small  clock,  are  carried  in  and  by  a  single  frame,  making 
the  time  piece  cheap  and  substantial. 

John  E.  Giles  is  the  patentee  of  a  reversible  stationary 
steam  engine,  which  is  a  model  of  ingenuity.  By  the 
moving  of  a  lever  the  motion  can  be  reversed  instantly. 
He  is  also  the  inventor  of  an  improved  machine  for  util- 
izing electric  light,  whereby  large  towns  and  cities  can  be 
lighted  at  very  little  expense. 

THE  CHURCHES  OF  HAZLETON. 

PRESBYTERIAN      CHURCH. 

The  first  Presbyterian  preaching  in  Hazleton  was  in 
1836  or  1837,  by  Rev.  Richard  Webster,  of  Mauch  Chunk. 
The  services  were  held  in  the  school-house.  From  1838 
to  1844  Rev.  Daniel  Gaston,  of  Beaver  Meadow,  preached 
here  once  or  twice  a -month,  and  from  1845  to  1848  every 
alternate  Sabbath  afternoon  Rev.  James  Green  Moore 
preached.  From  1848  to  1852  Rev.  Daniel  Harbison 
preached  every  Sabbath  morning,  and  Rev.  John  John- 
son occasionally  in  the  afternoon  and  evening.  Rev.  Mr. 
Baker  then  preached  until  1854,  when  a  new  brick  church 
was  built. 

The  members  of  the  session  at  the  time  of  the  organi- 
zation were  Henry  A.  Mears  and  Robert  F.  Russell. 
From  the  fall  of  1854  Rev.  John  Armstrong  was  pastor 
ten  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  I.  Newlin.  In 
1868  and  1869  the  present  church  edifice  was  built.  In 
the  spring  of  1S71  Mr.  Newlin  resigned  the  pastorate,  and 
he  was  succeeded  in  October,  187 1,  by  Rev.  I.  A.  Max- 
well. The  present  pastor.  Rev.  A.  B.  Jack,  \yas  installed 
m  July,  1874.  The  church  edifice  is  of  brick,  two  stories, 
and  the  auditorium  seats  500. 


=f 


^h 


CHURCHES  OF  HAZLETON. 


287 


The  church  and  parsonage  are  on  West  Broad  street, 
between  Church  and  Vine  streets,  and  valued  at  $15,000. 

There  is  a  flourishing  Sunday-school  connected  with 
the  church. 

GRACE    REFORMED    CHURCH    (gERMAn). 

This  church  was  organized  about  1845.  The  first  pas- 
tor was  Rev.  C.  Solomon,  from  Germany,  as  were  nearly 
or  quite  all  the  members.  All  the  services  are  held  in 
German.  In  1847  the  society  secured  a  lot  at  the  corner 
of  Broad  and  Cedar  streets,  and  built  a  church  40  by  60 
feet.  It  was  built  as  a  union  church,  but  in  1861  a  por- 
tion of  the  congregation  withdrew  from  Grace,  and 
formed  a  second  German  church.  After  a  few  years 
most  of  them  returned.  In  1869  the  society  bought  an 
organ  costing  $3,500.  The  present  value  of  the  church 
property  is  $15,000.  The  membership  is  900;  number  of 
families  attending,  170;  number  of  Sunday-school  pupils, 
360.  The  following  have  been  the  pastors  since  186  r: 
Rev.  Messrs.  Brandt,  Krahn,  Waldbridge.  Frankel, 
Furndling  and  Kunz,  the  present  pastor. 

SALEM    CHURCH    OF    THE    EVANGELICAL    ASSOCIATION. 

This  church  is  on  the  south  side  of  West  Broad  be- 
tween Vine  and  Locust  streets.  The  society  was  organ- 
ized in  1859,  by  Revs.  J.  Frey  and  I.  E.  Knerr,  with  the 
following  members:  Conrad,  Ernestina  and  Lizzie  Lohr, 
John,  Louisa  and  Sophia  Rippel,  John  and  Catharine 
Berge,  George  and  Catharine  Itter,  George  and  Margaret 
Dutch,  Valentine  Bock,  Adam  Hoffsommer  and  Peter 
Kellmer. 

The  meetings  for  two  years  were  held  at  the  residence 
of  Conrad  Lohr,  nearly  opposite  the  church  site,  and  for 
the  next  year  and  a  half  in  the  school-house  in  the  east 
part  of  the  borough.  During  this  time  the  society  be- 
longed to  Ashland  circuit.  East  Pennsylvania  Conference, 
and  in  1863  was  constituted  a  mission,  and  was  under 
the  charge  of  Rev.  I.  E.  Knerr  for  two  years.  In  1864 
ihe  lot  was  purchased  for  a  church  building,  which  was 
finished  and  dedicated  in  1865,  under  the  ministry  of 
Rev.  T.  A.  Plattenberger.  The  parsonage,  standing  in 
the  rear  of  the  church,  was  built  in  1874.  In  1879  the 
church  was  enlarged,  a  steeple  put  on,  and  the  grounds 
improved,  at  a  cost  of  $800.  Mr.  P.  Kellmer  donated  a 
bell  in  1879.  The  pastors  have  been  as  follows:  1859  to 
[864,  Revs.  J.  Frey  and  I.  E.  Knerr;  1865,  1867,  T.  A. 
Plattenberger;  1867-69,  A.  Shultz;  1869,  1870,  C. 
Myers;  1870-72,  W.  R.  Wiand;  1872-75,  D.  Z.  Kem- 
bel.  Rev.  J.  M.  Rinker,  the  present  pastor,  came  in  the 
spring  of  1877.  The  membership  is  140.  The  Sunday- 
school  was  organized  in  i860,  with  6  pupils,  and  Valen- 
tme  Bock  as  superintendent.  The  present  superintend- 
ent is  Peter  Kellmer.  There  are  225  scholars,  and  an 
average  attendance  of  200. 

ST.  Paul's  methodist  episcopal  church. 

The  first  M.  E.  church  in  Hazleton  was  built  in  i860. 
It  was  a  plain  frame  structure,  thirty-six  by  fifty  feet,  on 
the  site  of  the  Methodist  parsonage.     It  was  dedicated 


by  Rev.  Thomas  Reese,  then  presiding  elder  of  the  dis- 
trict, assisted  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Day,  the  pastor.  Previously 
the  congregation  held  services  in  the  Green  street  school- 
house,  immediately  east  of  the  parsonage,  and  before  that 
in  a  small  school-house  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Church 
and  Green  streets,  which  long  since  passed  away.  Bishop 
Thomas  Bowman  and  Dr.  John  H.  Vincent,  the  leading 
Methodist  Sunday-school  worker,  have  preached  in  the 
old  school-house.  Methodism  here  owes  much  to  Father 
Moistee,  a  local  preacher.  Joseph  A.  Ross,  James  Owens, 
Gideon  H.  Day,  Thomas  H.  Switzer,  William  Gwynn,  P. 
F.  Eyer  and  Elisha  Butler  (by  whom  the  church  was  ht- 
gun  in  1859),  and  some  others,  preached  in  H.Tzleton  ns 
traveling  preachers  on  the  old  Luzerne  (aftrrivnrd  Jenns- 
ville)  circuit.  All  the  above  are  still  living  e.xccpt  T.  H. 
Switzer,  who  died  in  1877  or  187S.  'J'his  circuit  was  then 
in  the  East  Baltimore  Conference.  In  1S69  it  was  put 
in  the  Central  Pennsylvania  Conference. 

Since  the  first  church  was  built,  in  iSCo,  the  following 
pastors  have  been  st.niioned  here,  and  in  the  order  in 
which  they  are  named:  G.  H.  Day,  Tosiah  Forrest  (de- 
ceased), Watson  Case,  J.  C.  Hagey  and  James  V.  Porter. 
Mr.  Porter  died  after  having  served  the  church  only  six 
months.  Rev.  G.  H.  Day  preached  the  rest  of  the  year.  In 
March,  1867,  Hazleton  was  made  an  independent  station. 
At  this  time  E.  T.  Swartz  was  appointed  pastor,  and  he 
remained  two  years.  In  the  spring  of  1S69  I).  Sheffer  was 
appointed,  and  six  months  later  Rev.  F.  R.  Green  for  the 
next  year;    he  was  reappointed  for  the  cnsuini;  year. 

In  1871  Rev.  E.  H.  Yocum  was  appointed.  Under  his 
three  years'  administration  a  new  church  was  begun.  In 
1874  Rev.  W.  W.  Evans  was  appointed.  During  the  first 
of  his  three  years  the  church  was  completed,  at  a  cost  of 
$20,000,  and  dedicated  September  27th  by  Rev.  B.  I. 
Ives,  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.  It  is  a  frame  structure  forty-five 
by  ninety  feet,  with  two  towers.  C.  S.  Weitzell,  of  Dan- 
ville, was  the  architect. 

In  1876  a  beautiful  and  commodious  parsonage  was 
built  on  the  site  of  the  old  church,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000. 
In  March,  1879,  Rev.  G.  T.  Gray,  the  present  pastor,  was 
appointed  to  this  station. 

The  church  property  is  valued  at  $20,000.  The  mem- 
bership numbers  200.  The  trustees  are  H.  E.  Suther- 
land, S.  Smith,  J.  S.  Sanders,  James  Whitaker,  Thomas 
Dickinson,  Charles  W.  Kline,  James  G.  Howe,  Charles  F. 
Hill  and  William 'Llewellyn. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1861.  S.  Smith 
was  superintendent  until  July,  1879.  The  school  has 
been  successful.  It  has  had  more  than  3,000  scholars 
upon  its  rolls.     It  now  numbers  350  scholars. 

Christ's  German  evangelical  protestant  Lutheran 

CHURCH. 

In  1861  a  number  of  Christians  belonging  to  the 
"  Union  Grace  Church''  organized  a  new  congregation, 
and  resolved  to  build  a  church.  The  building  commit- 
tee consisted  of  Nicolaus  Stocker,  George  Gioking  and 
Peter  Breihof.  The  first  church  council  was  composed 
of  elders,  John  Kohlhaas  and  Philip  Kerschner;  deacons. 


^h 


<¥■ 


^h 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Tobias  Kaufman  and  John  Miller;  trustee,  John  Schreck. 
The  corner  stone  of  the  church,  which  is  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  Church  and  Green  streets,  was  laid  Sep- 
tember 28th,  1861,  by  Rev.  R.  S.  Wagner,  pastor;  J.  F. 
Bayer,  of  Tamaqua,  and  D.  M.  Henkel,  of  Danville. 
The  church  was  dedicated  in  1861  by  Rev.  R.  S.  Wag- 
ner, the  pastor.  It  is  a  frame  building,  41  by  61  feet, 
with  a  steeple  and  bell.  The  basement  story  is  used  by 
the  Sunday-school.     The  upper  room  seats  600. 

The  original  members  were  mostly  immigrants  from 
Germany,  Lutheran  or  Reformed,  and  they  united  har- 
moniously, adopting  the  Lutheran  faith.  In  1864  Rev. 
R.  S.  Wagner  left  this  congregation,  and  Rev.  Dr.  W. 
Hasskarl,  who  had  preached  here  several  years  before,  in 
the  Union  church,  was  called  by  the  congregation.  He 
served  eight  years,  during  the  last  of  which  a  commodi- 
ous parsonage  was  built  on  the  lot  next  south  of  the 
church.  Mr.  Hasskarl  was  succeeded  June  2nd,  1872,  by 
the  present  pastor.  Rev.  E.  A.  Bauer.  The  following  are 
the  members  of  the  church  council:  Jacob  Kinsly,  Dan- 
iel Kisthart,  Frederick  and  Anton  Wagner,  Martin  Geb- 
hart,  Philip  Lindeman,  George  and  John  Kirshner, 
Jacob  Rommel,  Andreas  Ammon,  Tobias  Kaufman,  Cas- 
per Weigand,  Henry  Bachman,  Henry  Hahn,  George 
Starkroth,  Christian  Heller,  Frederick  Wetlosan,  George 
Rohrbach  and  Peter  Seiroth. 

The  church  numbers  500  communicants.  The  Sun- 
day-school was  organized  in  1861,  with  Peter  Heiden- 
reich  as  superintendent  (who  continues  in  the  same 
office),  and  360  pupils,  with  38  teachers,  the  same  as 
at  present.  The  German  language  is  used  mainly  in 
the  church  services  and  exclusively  in  the  Sunday- 
school. 

SAINT    GABRTEL'S     ROHAN     CATHOLIC     CHURCH. 

Rev.  Father  Maloney  first  visited  the  few  Catholics 
here  and  formed  the  nucleus  of  this  church.  Subsequently 
Rev  Father  Michael  L.  Scanlon  took  up  his  residence  at 
Beaver  Meadow,  and  Hazleton  became  one  of  his  missions. 
Later  he  removed  to  Hazleton.  In  1863  a  plot  of  about 
eleven  building  lots  on  the  west  side  of  Wyoming  street, 
south  of  Broad,  was  donated  by  Mr.  Ario  Pardee,  on 
which  was  built  a  frame  church  edifice  the  same  year. 
At  the  death  of  Father  Scanlon  Father  Michael  Quilan 
succeeded  to  the  pastorate  of  this  charge.  A  large  and 
commodious  church,  of  brick,  which  was  commenced  in 
t868,  was  dedicated  Sunday,  October  i6th,  1870,  by 
Bishop  William  O'Hara,  of  Scranton,  assisted  by  Bishop 
Shanahon,  of  Harrisburgh,  and  several  other  clergymen. 
Father  Quilan  resigned  in  1869,  and  Rev.  Thomas  C. 
O'Hara  was  pastor  until  the  appointment  of  Rev.  R.  E. 
Hemmeny,  in  1876.  Toward  the  close  of  1877  Rev.  J. 
J.   Commisky,  the  present  pastor,  assumed  control. 

In  connection  with  the  church  is  a  large  school  build- 
ing, in  which  about  350  children  are  instructed  daily, 
irrespective  of  denomination.  The  school  is  conducted 
by  Sisters  of  Mercy  from  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  who  also  keep  a 
branch  school  at  Harleigh,  where  the  attendance  aver- 
ages about  150.     There  is  connected  with  this  church   a 


commodious  parsonage.     The  church  has  a  membership 
of  3,500.     The  property  is  valued  at  $50,000. 

ST.  Peter's  protestant  episcopal  church. 

This  church  was  chartered  as  the  "Rector,  Church 
Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  of  Hazle- 
ton, Luzerne  county,"  December  31st,  1864,  with  the  fol- 
lowing official  members:  Wardens,  Frederick  Lauder- 
burn  and  Henry  Mears;  vestrymen,  Alexander  Silliman, 
James  H.  McKee,  William  Glover,  Francis  Bright,  The- 
odore H.  Knight,  and  William  Taggart.  It  is  believed 
that  the  first  service  was  held  by  Bishop  Henry  A.  Onder- 
donk  before  1840.  In  1849  a  missionary  was  appointed 
for  the  region  of  the  upper  Lehigh,  who  held  several 
meetings  in  Hazleton.  During  1859  Rev.  Peter  Russell, 
who  lived  at  Eckley,  and  Rev.  A.  Pryor,  who  had  become 
associated  with  him,  held  services  here  on  alternate  Sun- 
days. In  i860  Mr.  Russell  made  occasional  visits  here 
until  the  latter  part  of  the  summer,  when  Rev.  W.  S. 
Heaton  took  charge  for  eighteen  months.  Mr.  Russell 
then  held  occasional  services  here  until  about  Christmas, 
1862.  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Steele  was  in  charge  until  the  sum- 
mer of  1863.  Rev.  Henry  S.  Getz  commenced  mission- 
ary labors  here,  and  was  rector  from  September  1st, 
1864,  to  May  ist,  1867. 

The  church  lot,  at  the  corner  of  Chestnut  and  Laurel 
streets,  was  donated  by  the  Hazleton  Coal  Company, 
together  with  $150  toward  building  the  church.  The 
cornerstone  was  laid  Nov.  28th,  1864,  by  Bishop  Stevens. 
The  parish  was  organized  December  21st  of  the  same 
year.  The  first  service  was  held  in  the  new  church  on 
Sunday,  October  8th,  1865.  The  church  edifice  cost 
about  $400,  and  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Vail,  April 
15th,  1866.  The  parish  was  admitted  to  the  convention 
in  the  same  year.  The  font  was  bought  with  a  collec- 
tion taken  by  Miss  Mamie  McKee;  the  Bible  was  a  present 
from  a  number  of  ladies,  and  the  prayer-book  for  the 
chancel  from  Mrs.  McGaw,  of  Philadelphia.  The  com- 
munion service  was  donated  by  St.  Stephen's  Church,  of 
Wilkes-Barre. 

Rev.  Faber  Byllsby  was  rector  from  June  ist,  1867,  to 
July  ist,  1868.  The  church  was  then  closed  until  June  i8th, 
1870,  when  Rev.  Charles  H.  Van  Dyne  became  rector. 

In  the  autumn  of  1871  a  vestibule  was  added  to  the 
church,  a  furnace  put  in,  the  floors  carpeted,  and  seats 
cushioned;  the  expense  being  paid  by  the  ladies  of  the 
parish.  Rev.  J.  M.  Williams  took  charge  of  the  parish  in 
November,  1873,  and  resigned  in  March,  1875.  The 
church  was  then  closed  until  June  4th,  1876,  when  Rev. 
John  Hewit  entered  upon  the  rectorship.  He  resigned 
in  July,  1877,  since  which  time  the  church  has  been 
without  a  rector.  Since  January  ist,  1879,  Mr.  J.  Nevine 
Hill,  a  lay  reader,  has  supplied  the  place  of  rector.  The 
present  number  of  communicants  is  48.  Value  of  church 
property,  $4,000. 

ST.  John's  primitive  methodist  church. 

This  was  formed  July  28th,  1872,  with  about  20  mem- 
bers, prominent  among  whom  were    Mr.  R.  Stevens  and 


HAZLETON  CHURCHES  AND  MUSICAL  SOCIETIES. 


289 


Mr.  B.  Reese.  Rev.  D.  Savage,  of  Tamaqua,  assisted  in 
the  completion  of  the  organization,  when  Rev.  Ralph 
Fothergill  was  appointed  pastor.  The  first  services  were 
held  in  the  Laurel  Hill  school-house,  with  much  success- 
Services  were  subsequently  held  in  what  was  then  a  school- 
liouse,  standing  near  Clark's  car  shops,  now  used  as  a 
dwelling  house.  Mr.  Fothergill  continued  pastor  until 
April,  1874,  during  which  time  the  society  grew  in  influ- 
ence and  nnmbers.  Rev.  G.  Parker  was  then  pastor  a 
few  months,  and  in  April,  1875,  ^^'^-  William  B.  Bache 
was  appointed.  He  at  once  commenced  operations  for 
the  building  of  a  suitable  house  of  worship.  A  lot  was 
purchased  on  the  corner  of  Poplar  and  Juniper  streets. 
The  church  was  dedicated  in  the  fall  of  1876,  having  cost 
$6,000.  It  is  well  lighted  and  warmed,  and  has  seats  for 
350.  Rev.  Thomas  Rent  was  pastor  for  ten  months  from 
May,  1877.  In  April,  1878,  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  W. 
H.  Yarrow,  was  appointed.  During  his  ministry  the  soci- 
ety and  congregation  have  greatly  advanced  in  numbers 
and  influence,  and  the  services  are  largely  attended. 

The  membership  is  over  100,  and  with  branch  societies 
at  Mount  Pleasant  and  Cranberry  amounted  to  151  in 
September,  1879.  The  church  property  is  valued  at 
$6,000. 

The  Sunday-school  has  an  average  attendance  of  130. 
It  has  a  fine  library  and  organ.  Miss  Lizzie  Schallham- 
mer  is  the  organist. 

TRINITY    EVANGELICAL    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  July  13th,  1873,  at  a  meet- 
ing held  for  that  purpose  in  the  "Sons  of  America" 
Hall,  by  Rev.  J.  Wagner,  who  has  been  the  pastor  from 
the  first.  The  church  council  for  two  years  consisted  of 
Charles  Kerbaugh  and  Henry  J.  Schleppy  as  elders,  and 
R.  S.  Beishline  and  Jeremiah  Miller,  deacons.  Mr.  Mil- 
ler was  soon  succeeded  by  Levi  Deitrich.  The  original 
members  were  Charles  Kerbaugh,  R.  S.  Beishline,  Levi 
Deitrich,  Jeremiah  Miller,  George  Pettit,  William  Yeager, 
Otto  Kessler,  John  Pottorf,  Henry  J.,  William  F.,  and 
Mrs.  Barbara  Schleppy,  Mrs.  Eliza  Deitrich,  Mrs.  Lana 
Miller,  Mrs.  Mary  Miller,  Mrs.  Amanda  Deitrich,  Mrs. 
Kate  Bryant,  Mrs.  Alice  Yeager,  Mrs.  C.  Pottorf  and 
Miss  Rachael  Miller. 

The  congregation  worshiped  in  Sons  of  America  Hall 
till  July  5th,  1874,  when  the  Immanuel  German  Reformed 
Chjrch  was  leased  for  one  year.  On  the  expiration  of  the 
lease  the  Presbyterian  congregation  kindly  allowed  the  use 
of  their  church  until  the  erection  of  the  church  building 
on  the  corner  of  Laurel  and  Oak  streets,  which  was  conse- 
crated December  17th,  1876.  The  church  is  a  neat  frame 
building,  35  by  50  feet,  with  a  recess  in  the  rear.  It  is 
tastefully  finished  and  carpeted,  and  has  seats  for  250. 
The  membership  is  100,  and  is  earnest  and  devoted, 
united  and  harmonious. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  July,  1874,  with 
30  pupils,  and  Henry  J.  Schleppy  as  superintendent.  At 
present  the  school  numbers  200,  and  is  in  a  most  flour- 
ishino-  condition.  Eli  Lamberson  is  its  efficient  superin- 
tendent. 


A  Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
composed  of  members  of  the  Trinity  Evangelical  Luth- 
eran Church,  was  organized  April  7th,  1879.  Its  object 
is  "  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  mission  work  in  this 
and  in  foreign  lands  ;  to  create  more  interest  in  the 
work,  and  to  secure  funds  to  prosecute  it."  The  officers 
for  1879  were:  Mrs.  B.  Schleppy,  president;  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Hons,  vice-president;  Miss  Mary  Lubrecht,  recording 
secretary;  Miss  Laura  Helman,  corresponding  secretary; 
Mrs.  Dr.  Nyer,  treasurer.  The  present  membership  is 
35.  The  regular  meetings  are  held  on  the  third  Wednes- 
day evening  in  each  month  in  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church. 

ASSOCIATIONS. 

HAZLETON    CEMETERY    ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  has  control  over  about  twelve  acres  in 
the  northwest  corner  of  the  borough,  donated  by  the  old 
Hazleton  Coal  Company.  The  ground  has  been  beauti- 
fully laid  out.  Among  the  most  attractive  features  is  the 
greenhouse,  with  all  modern  appliances  for  growing  the 
choicest  varieties  of  flowers  during  the  whole  year.  The 
grounds  are  enclosed  by  a  neat  and  substantial  fence. 
The  present  trustees  are  A.  Pardee,  L.  W.  Drake,  John 
A.  Barton,  W.  W.  James  and  J.  Bond. 

SINGING    SOCIETIES. 

The  first  singing  society  organized  in  Hazleton  was  the 
Germania,  on  the  4th  of  October,  1854;  the  teacher  was 
Henry  Strang. 

In  February,  1857,  about  ten  members  left  the  Ger- 
mania and  organized  the  Harmonia,  Philip  J.  Kline  be- 
coming the  teacher.  In  i860  they  became  one  society, 
called  the  Concordia,  with  Philip  J.  Kline  as  teacher. 
Since  1878  Mr.  Joseph  Keller  has  been  the  teacher. 
During  the  time  of  its  existence,  however,  there  have 
been  many  other  teachers,  among  them  Henry  Gliem, 
Lewis  Kreyscher,  Charles  Mehlbeer  and  Frederick  Kep- 
ping. 

The  Concordia  now  has  75  members,  and  holds  weekly 
meetings  in  Concordia  Hall. 

The  Hazleton  Msennerclior,  composed  entirely  of 
Germans,  was  organized  Oct.  7th,  1869,  at  the  Washington 
Hotel.  The  first  officers  of  the  society  were:  President, 
Frederick  Knyrein;  vice-president,  George  Heidenrich; 
treasurer,  William  Schwartz;  secretary  and  teacher,  Max 
Von  Asseburg.  The  presidents  have  been  F.  Knyrein; 
G.  Heidenrich,  W.  Schwartz,  J.  C.  Kornig,  W.  Hartig  and 
George  Steinheiser.  There  are  19  active  and  75  con- 
tributing members.  At  the  annual  election  held  October 
7th,  1879,  the  following  officers  were  elected:  President, 
George  Steinheiser;  vice-president,  W.  Felber;  secretary, 
W.  Schwartz;  assistant  secretary,  H.  J.  Hebel;  treasurer, 
F.  Zullick;  teacher,  W.  Schwartz;  trustees,  G.  Heiden- 
rich and  H.  Hebel.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  active 
members  are  held  on  Monday  evening  of  each  week  in 
Liberty  Hall. 


4d* 


^h 


290 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


HAZLETON    LIBERTY    CORNET    BAND. 

This  band  was  organized  in  Hazleton  in  1856,  under 
the  leadership  of  John  Gliem,  with  the  following  named 
members:  Justus  Altmiller,  John  .  Lapp,  Simon  Gliem, 
George  Reinhart,  George  Schmidt  and  George  Grebe. 
The  band  kept  up  its  organization  till  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Rebellion,  through  which  the  members  served  in 
the  army.  They  have  since  kept  the  organization  in- 
tact. The  following  were  the  ofificers  for  1879:  Musical 
director,  Justus  Altmiller;  president,  George  Grebe; 
secretary  and  treasurer,  John  Schwartz. 

HAZLETON   MUTUAL   BENEFIT    SOCIETY 

was  organized  January  ist,  i860,  as  a  beneficiary  soci- 
ety, with  the  following  officers:  President,  Anthony 
Ringleben;  V.  P.,  Charles  G.  Schumacher;  secretary, 
Hfnry  Klee;  V.  S.,  Frederick  Wetterau;  treasurer,  Louis 
Schmidt;  charter  members:  J.  N.  Eistle,  Ignats  Stein- 
man,  Casper  Prell,  Daniel  Lammert,  John  Klee,  John 
Schorache,  Jolin  Piatt,  Michael  Gulach,  George  Heiden- 
reich,  Justus  Pearson,  Daniel  Kisthard,  George  Happ, 
John  Clausius,  William  Ringleben,  Henry  Lindeman 
and  Dr.  Christian  Arnold. 

The  present  officers  are  as  follows:  President,  Chris- 
tian Beck;  V.  P.,  Nicholaus  Lorgheim;  secretary,  Henry 
Martin;  treasurer,  John  Kirschner;  trustees,  Peter  Brin- 
hoff,  William  Koch  and  Nicholaus  Weigand. 

Cash  in  treasury,  October,  1879,  $'1726;  membership, 
84.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  society  are  held  in  Lib- 
erty Hall,  every  alternate  Wednesday  evening. 

HAZLE    HALL    ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  organized  January  nth,  1866, 
when  the  following  officers  were  elected:  President,  E.  J. 
Newell;  secretary,  J.  S.  McNair;  treasurer,  J.  A.  Barton; 
directors,  J.  A.  Barton,  C.  Pardee,  Rev.  E.  J.  Newell, 
William  Kisner,  G.  B.  Markle,  W.  Taggart,  Gen.  A. 
Pardee  and  T.  S.  McNair.  The  capital  stock  subscribed 
was  130,000.  The  association  was  incorporated  April 
i2th,  1866.  Its  object  was  the  building  of  a  suitable 
block  and  hall  for  public  meetings,  lectures,  &c.  During 
1866  and  1867  the  association  built  the  present  block  on 
the  corner  of  West  Broad  and  Wyoming  streets,  in  which 
Hazel  Hall  is  located  on  the  second  floor,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  600,  and  stage  and  scenery  suitable  for  the- 
atrical purposes.  The  main  floor  is  occupied  by  four 
spacious  stores  on  Broad  street.  In  the  third  story  are 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows'  halls,  where  several  societies 
meet.  The  present  directors  are  Calvin  Pardee,  Gen. 
William  Lilly,  A.  Pardee,  jr.,  J.  O.  Mandeville,  J.  A. 
Barton,  William  Glover,  W.  W.  James,  W.  Kisner  and 
T.  S.  McNair.  Officers:  President,  J.  O.  Mandeville; 
secretary,  T.  S.  McNair;  treasurer,  J.  A.  Barton. 

HAZLETON    LITERARY    ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  formed  January  12th,  1866,  when 
the  following  officers  were  elected:  President,  F.  Lauder- 


burn;  recording  secretary,  H.  Hutchison;  corresponding 
secretary,  William  James;  treasurer,  Sampson  Smith. 

G.    A.    R. 

Robinson  Post,  No.  20,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Department  of  Pennsylvania,  was  chartered  December 
24th,  i866.  The  following  named  persons  were  the  char- 
ter members:  Robert  Boston,  Thomas  Munroe,  James  W. 
Smith,  Alexander  Patterson,  Robert  Munroe,  Robert 
Wattson,  William  Airey,  John  A.  Lyman,  Frederick 
Lauderburn,  C.  S.  Longshore,  M.  R.  Longshore,  John  C. 
Stakes,  J.  P.  Kreider,  George  Moodie  and  Frederick 
Spohn. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  post  are  held  in  Hazle 
Hall,  on  the  first  and  third  Friday  evenings  of  each 
month.     The  present  membership  is  50. 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  J.  Sharon  McNair,  P.  C; 
Edward  Overender,  S.  V.  C;  H.  McDonald,  J.  V.  C; 
(Jeorge  H.  Troutman,  adjutant;  John  Gorman,  Q.  M.; 
Andrew  Lee,  O.  D.;  John  A.  Mason,  chaplain:  J.  C- 
Stokes,  surgeon;  Robert  Munroe,  quartermaster  ser- 
geant; D.  Shearer,  I.  sentinel;  H.  Weaver,  O.  sentinel; 
James  Munroe,  O.  G. ;  C.  Volkenand,  sergeant  major;  H. 
McDonald,  E.  Overender  and  A.  Cutler,  trustees.  Thomas 
Munroe,  delegate;  G.  H.  Troutman,  alternate. 

THE     HAZLETON      BUILDING,    LOAN      AND    TRUST    ASSOCIA- 
TION 

was  organized  April  14th,  1869.  The  following  persons 
were  named  in  the  charter:  F.  Lauderburn,  R.  F.  Russel, 
H.  L.  Freas,  T.  S.  McNair,  Frederick  Knyrim,  Jacob 
Kinzley,  J.  A.  Barton,  Reuben  Kolb,  James  McHale,  J. 
C.  Youngman,  Sampson  Smith  and  C.  F.  Hill. 

The  capital  stock  of  the  association  was  not  to  exceed 
2,500  shares,  of  $200  each.  The  object  was  to  assist 
those  in  want  of  homes,  who  were  unable  to  pay  the 
amount  of  purchase  money  required  by  land  owners  and 
holders.  The  officers  of  thfe  association  are  as  follows: 
F.  Lauderburn,  president;  J.  O.  Mandeville,  vice-presi- 
dent; James  H.  McHale,  secretary;  J.  C.  Youngman, 
treasurer;  Peter  Derschuck,  Enoch  Bartles,  John  Fcrnan, 
Casper  Weigant  and  Justus  Altmiller,  directors.  The 
stated  meeting  of  the  association  is  the  fourth  Saturday 
of  each  month,  at  Hazleton. 

THE    RELIEF     SAVING    FUND    ASSOCIATION 

was  chartered  November  i6th,  1870.  The  following  per- 
sons were  named  in  the  act  of  incorporation:  D.  C.  Swank, 
George  D.  Gorman,  William  Kisner,  W.  L.  Hoffecker,  C. 
F.  Hill,  J.  C.  Youngman,  R.  F.  Russel,  A.  Behrens,  W. 
R.  Longshore,  M.  D.,  and  E.  P.  Kisner. 

The  objects  of  this  association  were  similar  to  those  of 
the  one  first  mentioned.  The  stated  meetings  are  held 
on  the  third  Saturday  of  January  in  each  year,  in  Hazle- 
ton. The  incorporators  named  were  the  directors  for  the 
first  year,  and  the  number  of  shares  was  limited  to  2,500, 
at  $200  each.  The  officers  for  1879  were  as  follows: 
President,  J.  O.  Mandeville;  vice-president,  Joseph  Gren- 


H¥= 


ASSOCIATIONS  AND  LODGES  AT  HAZLETON, 


291 


await;  treasurer,  William  Kisner;  secretary,  G.  D.  Gor- 
man; directors,  Ernst  Bartels,  Peter  Breihof,  Charles  F. 
Hill,  E.  S.  Doud,  John  Fernan  and  Philip  Linderman. 

THE    WEST    HAZLETON  BUILDING  AND    LAND  ASSOCIATION 

was  incorporated  February  12th,  1872,  with  the  following 
named  incorporators  and  directors:  Charles  F.  Hill,  W. 
L.  Hoffecker,  Henry  Klinger,  W.  R.  Longshore,  Asher 
Jacobs,  W.  Kisner,  G.  W.  Meixell,  Jacob  Rosenstock, 
Conrad  Horn,  Herman  Gabriel. 

The  object  of  this  association  is  both  to  lend  money  to 
and  build  houses  for  its  members.  The  houses  are  to  be 
paid  for  by  monthly  installments  or  payments  on  the  stock. 
This  plan  has  furnished  not  only  comfortable  but  elegant 
homes  in  this  borough  to  some  who  might  otherwise  have 
been  without  homes. 

The  following  were  the  directors  and  officers  for  1879: 
Directors — J.  C.  Youngman,  G.  F.  Kisner,  Malachi  Doud, 
Charles  McCarron,  William  Kneiss,  Richard  Smith.  E. 
Bartels,  S.  J.  Schumacker,  and  L.  W.  Drake.  President, 
J.  C.  Youngman;  vice-president,  Charles  McCarron; 
secretary,  Charles  F.  Hill;  attorney,  E.  P.  Kisner.  The 
stated  meetings  of  the  association  are  held  in  Hazleton, 
on  the  fourth  Saturday  of  each  month. 

FATHER    MATTHEW    T.    A.    B.    SOCIETY. 

This  society  was  organized  in  1869,  with  Rev.  Michael 
Filan  as  president,  and  about  40  members.  The  presi- 
dents since  then  have  been  as  follows:   1870,  1871,  1874- 

1876,  Hugh   Conohan;    1872,   1873,   Frank  T.  Slattery; 

1877,  1878,  Peter  Donnelly;  1879,  Michael  Kelly.  The 
society  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  at  present  num- 
bers 100  members. 

HAZLETON    LIBRARY    ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  fully  organized  Monday  evening, 
March  4th,  1872,  by  the  election  of  the  following  direct- 
ors: For  three  years,  C.  Pardee,  W.  H.  Harris,  John 
Bond,  and  J.  C.  Fincher;  two  years.  Rev.  M.  Franklin, 
W.  A.  M.  Grier,  J.  C.  Hayden,  and  H.  E.  Sutherland; 
one  year.  Rev.  J.  A.  Maxwell,  J.  S.  Sanders,  G.  B. 
Markle  and  W.  B.  Fowler.  The  library  purchased  was 
subsequently  turned  over  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  which  now  has  charge  of  it. 

YOUNG    men's   CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION. 

On  Monday  evening.  May  29th,  1876,  at  St.  Paul's  M. 
E.  Church,  a  constitution  for  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  was  adopted, 
and  a  number  of  signatures  secured.  On  June  sth  the 
organization  was  perfected  by  the  election  of  the  follow- 
ing officers  for  one  year:  President,  L.  W.  Grubb;  vice- 
presidents,  C.  W.  Kline  and  J.  R.  Rote;  recording  secre- 
tary, W.  F.  Roberts,  jr.;  corresponding  secretary;  H.  K. 
Connor;  treasurer,  E.  S.  Doud;  librarian,  W.  F.  Schleppy. 
There  were  then  about  20  members.  The  reading  room 
and  library  of  the  Hazleton  Library  Association,  over  the 
store  of  Pardee  &  Co.,  are  in  charge  of  the  association 
and  kept  open  to  the  public  Wednesday  and  Saturday 
evenings  of  each  week.     Business  meetings  are  held  in 


this  room  on  the  first  Monday  evening  in  each  month. 
The  officers  for  1879  were  as  follows:  President,  J.  F. 
Barber;  vice-presidents,  A.  J.  Swalm  and  J.  S.  Rote; 
treasurer,  C.  C.  Heller;  recording  secretary,  W.  F. 
Schleppy;  corresponding  and  financial  secretary,  H.  H. 
Lee;  librarian,  Walter  Dick.  The  present  menibership 
is  60.  Regular  meetings  are  held  on  Tuesday  evening  of 
each  week. 

SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Beaver  Encampment,  No.  67,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  insti- 
tuted by  the  Grand  Lodge  at  Beaver  Meadow,  February 
ist,  1847,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Thomas 
Vogle,  C.  P.  ;  T.  Longshore;  David  Petrie,  J.  W.  ;  A.  E. 
LongshCjre,  H.  P.  ;  W.  A.  Tubbs,  scribe;  J.  Bamberger; 
W.  H.  Trescott,  S.  W.  ;  M.  Miller,  treas,,  and  J.  W.  Righ- 
ter.  The  encampmfent  was  removed  to  Hazleton,  its 
present  location,  September  21st,  1852. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  encampment  are  held  at 
its  roorns  in  Hazle  Hall.  The  present  membership  is  83. 
The  officers  in  October,  1879,  were:  John  Sleep,  C.  P.; 
Jacob  Schumaker,  H.  P.  ;  S.  N.  Hoffman,  S.  W.  ;  Andrew 
Lee,  J.  W.  ;  A.  Behrens,  secretary;  J.  G.  Adey,  treasurer. 

Hazleton  Lodge.  No.  65,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 
at  Hazleton,  October  27th,  1840.  The  stated  meetings 
of  this  lodge  are  held  in  their  rooms  in  Hazle  Hall.  The 
membership  numbers  159. 

The  present  officers  of  the  lodge  are:  Jacob  Schu- 
maker, N.  G.  ;  William  Floyd,  V.  G.  ;  J.  G.  Adey,  secre- 
tary; S.  N.  Hoffman,  A.  S.  ;  William  James,  R.  S.  N.  G.; 
George  Burt,  S.  W.  ;  Adam  Will,  O.  G.;  S.  A.  Lyman, 
I.  G.  ;  John  Lee,  R.  S.  V.  G.  ;  W.  Hamer,  L.  S. 

Lessing  Lodge,  No.  862,  /.  O.  of  O.  A— This  is  known 
as  the  German  lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  was  instituted 
December  nth,  1873,  at  Hazleton,  with  24  members. 
The  following  were  the  original  officers:  Frederick  Ber- 
ger  ,  N.  G.  ;  Peter  Brehm,  V.  G.  ;  Henry  Held,  S.  ; 
Christian  Martin,  A.  S.  ;  Daniel  Lemmert,  treasurer. 
The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on  Thursday 
evening  of  each  week  in  their  rooms  in  Hazle  Hall  in  the 
borough  of  Hazleton.  The  following  persons  have  been 
presiding  officers  of  the  lodge:  Frederick  Berger,  Peter 
Brehra,  Christian  Martin,  Henry  Held,  Daniel  Lemmert, 
John  Schwartz,  Albert  Schweitzer,  Henry  J.  Hebel, 
George  Heemig,  Adolph  Meyer,  William  Koch  and 
Henry  Mans. 

The  present  officers  are:  Simon  Bube,  N.  G.  ;  Baltha- 
zer  Herwig,  V.  G.  ;  Henry  J.  Hebel,  S.  ;  H.  W.  Heiden- 
rich,  A.  S.  ;  John  Schwartz,  treasurer. 

MASONIC. 

Hazle  Lodge,  No.  327,  F.  and  A.  M.  was  instituted 
December  3d,  1858,  at  Hazleton,  Pa.,  with  the  following 
named  persons  as  charter  members:  George  B.  Markle, 
David  Clark,  Alexander  Silliman,  Richard  B.  Fruit, 
Enoch  Mayhew,  Reuben  T.  Kreider  and  Philip  B.  Con- 
ner. The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  George  B.  Mar- 
kle, W.  M.;  David  Clark,  S.  W.;  Alexander  Silliman,  J. 


f 


<¥ 


292 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


■W,;  Richard  B.  Fruit,  T.;  Enoch  Mayhew,  S.;  and 
Adam  Will,  tyler.  The  regular  communications  of  the 
lodge  are  held  in  the  rooms  in  Hazle  Hall  on  Monday 
evening  on  or  before  the  full  moon  in  each  month.  The 
ofiScers  of  the  lodge  for  1879  were  as  follows:  Amantes 
M.  Ely,  W.  M.;  Thomas  J.  Williams,  S.  W.;  Thomas 
Munroe,  J.  W.;  John  C.  Tomlinson,  T.;  Joseph  P. 
Salmon,  S.;  Reuben  Beisel,  S.  D.;  William  Schwartz,  J. 
D.;  William  H.  Bright,  S.  M.  C;  Charles  A.  Smith,  T. 
M.  C;  Jeremiah  McEvoy,  Pur.;  Adam  Will,  tyler.  The 
past  masters  of  this  lodge  are  as  follows:  1858,  1859, 
George  B.  Markle;  i860,  David  Clark;  1861,  Alexander 
SiUiman;  1862,  Richard  B.  Fruit;  1863,  P.  B.  Conner; 
1864,  R.  J.  Kreider;  1865,  Levi  Jones;  1866,  William 
Glover;  1867,  L.  W.  Drake;  1868,  J.'  P.  Salmon;  1869, 
Cyrus  Straw;  1870,  J.  S.  McNair;  1871,  S.  B.  Macquade; 
1872,  R.  Beisel;  1873,  J.  C.  Tomlinson;  1874,  J.  O. 
Mandeville;  1875,  T.  M.  Righter;  1876,  G.  D.  Gorman, 
1877,  C.  Klein;  1878,  J.  W.  Clark.  The  present  number 
of  members  is  125.  Trustees,  J.  O.  Mandeville,  Reuben 
Beisel,  John  W.  Clark. 

D.    O.   H. 

Upland  Lodge,  No.  79,  D.  O.  H.  was  organized  at 
Hazleton,  October  4th,  1859,  with  the  following  charter 
members  and  ofificers:  Henry  Kleim,  Henry  Bach,  Lewis 
Kreiser,  Harmon  Keinholtz,  Nicholas  Weigand,  Freder- 
ick Dipper,  Lewis  Ulrich,  Adam  Schmauck  and  Antony 
Meyer.  Original  officers:  Lewis  Kreiser,  O.  P.;  Nicho- 
las Weigand,  U.  P.;  Frederick  Dipper,  S;  Harmon  Kein- 
holtz, A.  S.;  Antony  Meyer,  T.  The  regular  meetings 
of  this  lodge  are  held  in  Liberty  Hall,  on  Laurel  street, 
on  Tuesday  evening  of  each  week.  The  lodge  has  in 
cash  a  surplus  of  $2,825.  Present  ofificers:  Henry  Shu- 
gard,  O.  P.;  John  Keifer,  U.  P.;  Daniel  B.  Keigle,  S.; 
Henry  Fey,  A.  S.;  Frederick  Wagner,  T.;  and  Conrad 
Volkenand,  D.  D.  G.  P. 

UNITED    AMERICAN    MECHANICS. 

Hazle  Council,  No.  95,  Order  of  United  American 
Mechanics  was  organized  June  22nd,  1865,  with  the 
following  charter  members  and  officers:  C.  G.  Young,  S. 
D.  Engle,  Peter  Dickerson,  D.  B.  Keck,  J.  F.  Black, 
Sampson  Smith,  Henry  Cunius,  Henry  Will,  Uriah  Titus 
and  Frederick  Lauderburn.  The  following  were  the 
original  officers  of  Hazle  Council:  Frederick  Lauder- 
burn, councilor;  C.  G.  Young,  vice-councilor;  J.  F. 
Black,  R.  S.  ;  S.  D.  Engle,  A.  R.  S.  ;  D.  B.  Keck,  Ex.  ; 
Henry  Hill,  Ind.  ;  Henry  Cunius,  I.  P.  ;  Uriah  Titus, 
O.  P.  ;  Sampson  Smith,  treasurer. 

The  following  named  persons  are  past  councilors  of 
Hazle  council:  F.  Lauderburn,  C.  G.  Young,  J.  p. 
Black,  Henry  Mill,  Henry  Cunius,  John  Duser,Amos 
McNeal,  I.  T.  Deremer,  William  H.  Shafer,  S.  H.  Barnes, 
Elias  Lamberson,  Anthony  Fisher,  Solomon  G.  Keck, 
John  A.  Lyman,  Daniel  Knelley,  Nathan  Shafer,  John  H. 
Benner,  John  A.  Russell,  Charles  Pauel,  A.  T.  Wenner, 
James  Good,  N.  H.  Shaver,  John  F.  Pettit,  Joseph  Hol- 
ler, Samuel  Williams,  George  W.  Pettit  and  David  Horn. 


The  regular  meetings  of  the  council  are  held  on  Thurs- 
day evening  of  each  week,  in  Liberty  Hall.  The  num- 
ber of  members  is  44.  The  ofificers  in  October,  1879, 
were  as  follows:  J.  R.  Henry,  C.  ;  William  F.  Schmith- 
comer,  V.  C;  William  H.  Shafer,  R.  S.  ;  James  W.  Bry- 
ant, A.  R.  S.  ;  Nathan  Shafer,  F.  S.  ;  Amos  McNeal, 
treasurer.  Joseph  W.  Flitcher,  Ind.  ;  Jacob  Alerburn, 
Ex.  ;  John  A.  Lyman,  I.  P.  ;  John  Ahret,  O.  P.  ;  David 
Horn,  jr',  Ex.  C. ;  George  W.  Pettit,  Sen.  Ex.  C;  trustees, 
E.  Lamberson,  Joseph  Holler  and  I.  T.  Deremer. 

UNITED    ANCIENT    ORDER    OF    DRUIDS. 

Hazleton  Grove,  N'o.  46,  A.  O.  of  D.  was  organized  at 
Hazleton  June  isth,  1867,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  Elias  Lamberson,  Amos  McNeal,  Stephen 
Horn,  S.  H.  Barnes,  D.  B.  Keck,  J.  T.  Deremer,  J.  P.  Krei- 
der, William  H.  Shafer,  John  Ahret,  A.  T.  Munroe,  Wil- 
liam Gairhart,  Zacharias  Smith  and  George  W.  Meizell. 

The  first  ofificers  were:  J.  P.  Kreider,  P.  A.;  Elias 
Lamberson,  N.  A.;  Amos  McNeal,  V.  A.;  August 
Bharnes,  secretary;  D.  B.  Keck,  treasurer;  J.  T.  Dere- 
mer, conductor;  William  H.  Shafer,  R.  B.  N.  A.;  John 
Ahret,  L.  B.  N.  A.;  Jacob  Lambert,  R.  B.  V.  A.;  Henry 
Weaver,  L.  B.  V.  A.;  Zacharias  Smith,  I.  G.;  George 
Shugard,  O.  G. 

The  following  persons  have  been  presiding  officers: 
J.  P.  Kreider,  Elias  Lamberson,  Amos  McNeal,  J.  T. 
Deremer,  Zacharias  Smith,  William  H.  Shafer,  S.  H. 
Barnes,  Stephen  Horn,  A.  T.  Wenner,  William  Kurtz, 
Gottleib  Ulmer,  Jacob  Lambett,  Joseph  Holler,  Nicho- 
las Weigand,  C.  F.  Miller,  Philip  Mauey,  William  Craige, 
Christian  Specht,  Lewis  Stineman,  Martin  Specht,  Charles 
Lopp,  John  Konery,  Jacob  Shugard,  Nathan  Shafer,  An- 
thony Fisher,  Frederick  Deigerman,  John  Kneiss,  John 
F.  Fearnaman. 

Regular  meetings  of  the  grove  are  held  on  the  first 
and  third  Mondays  of  each  month,  in  Liberty  Hall.  The 
membership  is  40.  The  present  ofificers  are  as  follows: 
Henry  Kneiss,  N.  A.;  August  Bharnes,  V.  A.;  William  H. 
Shafer,  secretary;  Gottleib  Ulmer,  treasurer;  Nathan 
Shafer,  conductor;  C.  P.  Ruelph,  J.  G.;  Frederick  Deig- 
erman, O.  P. 

PATRIOTIC    ORDER    SONS    OF     AMERICA. 

Washington  Camp,  No.  91,  P.  O.  Junior  S.  of  A.— 
This  camp  was  chartered  June  13th,  1S68,  and  rechartered 
March  16th,  1870,  with  the  word  "Junior  "  stricken  out. 
Charter  members:  Evan  J.  Longshore,  George  D.  Gor- 
man, John  E.  Briggs,  Whitfield  H.  Meyer,  P.  L.  Vincent, 
Noah  Moyer,  A.  T.  Wenner,  Miles  Wenner,  W.  H.  Lar- 
vall,  Austin  C.  Howell,  and  Morris  J.  Keck. 

The  first  ofificers  of  the  camp  were:  Past  president, 
Evan  J.  Longshore;  president,  George  D.  Gorman;  vice- 
president,  Morris  J.  Keck;  master  of  forms  and  ceremo- 
nies, John  E.  Briggs;  recording  secretary,  Whitfield  A. 
Meyer;  assistant  secretary,  P.  L.  Vincent;  financial  secre- 
tary, A.  T.  Wenner;  treasurer,  Noah  Moyer;  conductor, 
Milo  Wenner;  inner  guard,  William  H.  Larvall;  outer 
guard,  Austin  E.  Howell 


^^ 


<¥ 


-'<=. 


LODGES  AT  HAZLETON. 


293 


The  successive  presiding  officers  of  the  camp  have 
been  George  D.  Gorman,  A.  T.  Wenner,  John  L.  Wil- 
son, Miles  Wenner,  D.  Tobias  Gost,  Wilson  Wenner, 
Noah  Moyer,  John  E.  Mears,  Taylor  Anwerter,  A.  L. 
Russell,  John  Wiles,  A.  T.  Jones,  F.  M.  Keck,  George 
Mauey,  W.  C.  Longshore,  B.  M.  Crary,  Thomas  Bombay, 
John  Craig,  H.  R.  McCartney,  Robert  E.  Turner,  W.  R. 
Longshore,  M.  D.,  George  R.  Clark,  and  William  F. 
Schleppy. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  camp  are  held  on  Tues- 
day evening  of  each  week,  in  Walnut  Holl,  Broad  street. 
The  present  officers  are  as  follows:  George  R.  Clark, 
P.  P.;  William  F.  Schleppy,  P.;  William  H.  Dick,  V.  P.; 
George  Mauey,  M.  of  F.  and  C;  Albert  T.  Jones,  R.  S.; 
U.  D.  Doud,  V.  S.;  John  Lamberson,  A.  S.;  Morris  J. 
Keck,  T.;  Alexander  Heidenreich,  C;  D.  W.  Hoffman, 
Chap.;  John  Gleim,  J.  G.;  E.  Kraus,  O.  G. ;  L.  B.  Deit- 
rich,  R.  S.;  G.  Greasing,  L.  S.;  trustees,  A.  T.  Jones,  R. 
F.  Turner,  and  George  R.  Clark. 

Hazle  Cominandcry,  No.  17,  ATastcr  ADiericans,  P  O. 
S.of  A.  was  instituted  November  22A,  1877.  The  first 
officers  were:  Commander,  Robert  F.  Turner;  Lt.  com- 
mander, Albert  T.  Jones;  purser,  Morris  J.  Keck;  rector, 
E.  A.  Oberrender;  inspector,  Taylor  Anwerter;  guard, 
George  R.  Clark;  scribe,  John  A.  Kapp;  financiers,  H. 
C.  Longshore,  William  F.  Schleppy,  and  W.  R.  Hay. 

Present  officers:  Commander,  F.  M.  Keck;  Lt. 
commander,  Taylor  Anwerter;  purser,  C.  G.  Young; 
scribe,  John  A.  Kapp;  rector,  F.  L.  Benner;  in- 
spector, John  F.  Lamberson;  guard,  Albert  T.  Jones; 
final  ciers,  John  A.  Kapp,  F.  M.  Keck  and  George 
Mauey.  The  successive  presiding  officers  have  been 
Robert  F.  Turner,  Albert  T.  Jones  and  F.  M.  Keck. 

Meetings  are  held  the  fourth  Thursday  evening  of 
each  month  in  Walnut  Hall. 

KNIGHTS    OF    PYTHIAS. 

Mountaineer  Lodge,  No.  107,  K.  of  P.  was  instituted 
at  Hazleton  September  16th,  1868,  by  the  grand  lodge 
of  Pennsylvania,  with  the  following  officers:  Irven  T. 
Deremer,  V.  P.;  Elias  Lamberson,  W.  C;  William 
Kortz,  V.  C;  William  H.  Schafer,  G.;  Christopher 
Specht,  L  S.;  Ernst  H.  Suldan,  O.  S.;  Clarence  S.  Long- 
shore, R.  S.;  Samuel  H.  Barnes,  F.  S.;  Jacob  Keinzle, 
B.;  Irven  T.  Deremer,  Peter  Heidensick  and  Ernst  H. 
Suldan,  trustees. 

The  regular  communications  of  the  lodge  are  held  on 
Wednesday  evening  of  each  week,  in  Liberty  Hall. 

The  following  are  the  present  officers,  elected  July  rst, 
1879:  P.  C,  Robert  Clyde;  C.  C,  John  Shugard;  V.  C. 
Amos  McNeal;  P.,  Lewis  W.  Grubb;  K.  of  R.  &  S. 
Joseph  Holler;  M.  of  F.,  Elias  Lamberson;  M.  of  E. 
Christopher  Specht;  M.  at  A.,  John  Walper;  I.  G., 
Charles  Paul;  O.  G.,  Samuel  A.  Lyman;  trustees,  Philip 
Maue,  Irven  T.  Deremer  and  Samuel  A.  Lyman. 

U.    O.    of   G.  B. 

Hazleton  Lodge,  No.^,  United  Order  of  Good  Brothers 
was  instituted  September  nth,  1869,  with  the  following 


charter  members:  Henry  Meir,  Daniel  Lamment,  Conrad 
Schuchard,  John  Schwartz,  John  Reinmuller,  Nicholas 
Weignr.d  and  Christopher  Specht.  The  original  officers 
were  as  follows:  O.  M.,  Henry  Meir;  U.  M.,  Daniel 
Lammert;  chaplain,  Conrad  Schuchard;  secretary,  John 
Schwartz;  assistant  secretary,  Christopher  Specht;  trea- 
surer; Rudolph  Kelner.  The  regular  meetings  of  the 
lodge  are  held  on  Saturday  evening  of  each  week,  in 
Liberty  Hall.  The  officers  for  1879  ivere  as  follows:  O. 
M.,  Peter  Hugo;  U.  M,,  John  Kohlhaas;  chaplain,  Dan- 
iel Lnmmert;  secretary,  Philip  Hoebner;  assistant  secre- 
tary, Henry  Martin;  treasurer,  Philip  Jacob. 

I.  o,  OF  M.  n. 

Eintracht  Council,  No.  25,  /.  O.  of  M.  B.  was  organized 
at  Hazleton  October  25th, 1875, with  the  following  officers: 
Chief,  Elias  Breidenbach;  deputy  chief,  August  Behrens; 
secretary,  Henry  Sachs;  treasurer,  Henry  Martin;  war- 
den, Henry  Willmer;  O.  G.,  Henry  Happig;  chaplain, 
George  Fey.  The  regular  councils  are  held  on  the  first 
and  third  Thursday  evening  of  each  month,  in  Walnut 
Hall.  The  present  membership  is  28.  The  following 
persons  have  served  as  chief  of  the  council:  Elias  Brei- 
denbach, August  Behrens,  George  Fey,  Henry  Martin, 
Henry  Sachs,  Christian  Schneider,  George  Gerlach  and 
Adam  Bube. 

The  officers  for  1879  were  as  follows:  Chief,  Adam 
Ganshorn;  deputy  chief,  Joachim  Nicholoy;  secretary, 
Henry  Sachs;  treasurer,  George  Itter;  warden,  John 
Holtzhauer;  O.  G.,  Henry  Willmer;  chaplain,  George 
Fey. 

ROYAL    AKCANUM. 

L-wzerne  Couucil,  No.  167,  R.  A.  was  organized  at  Ha- 
zleton September  i8th,  1878,  with  the  following  charter 
members:  W.  R.  Longshore,  R.  T.   Kreider,  M.  J.  Keck, 

C.  A.  Smith,  Robert  S.  Myers,  J.  E.  Giles,  A.  S.  Monroe, 
H.  A.  Hooven,  AV.  F.  Roberts,  jr.,  T.  M.  Santee,  Noah 
Moyer,  W.  C.  Longshore,   C.  W.   Kline,  E.  S.  Doud,  D. 

D.  Dodge,  T.  H.  Carter,  C.  C.  Heller  and  L.  W. 
Grubb. 

The  following  were  the  first  officers  of  the  council: 
Regent,  J.  E.  Giles;  vice-regent,  T.  H.  Carter;  past  re- 
gent, C.  W.  Kline;  orator  and  medical  examiner,  W.  R. 
Longshore,  M.  D.;  secretary,  T.  M.  Santee;  collector, 
Noah  Moyer;  treasurer,  Charles  A.  Smith;  guide,  C.  C. 
Heller;  warden,  W.  C.  Longshore;  sentry,  A.  S.  Monroe. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  council  are  held  on  the 
evenings  of  the  second  and  fourth  Wednesdays  in  each 
month,  in  Walnut  Hall,  West  Broad  street. 

The  past  regents  of  the  council  are  C.  W.  Kline.  J.  E. 
Giles  and  Thomas  H.  Carter 

The  present  officers  are:  Regent,  D,  D.  Dodge;  vice- 
regent,  Robert  S.  Myers;  past  regent,  Thomas  H.  Car- 
ter; orator,  T.  D.  Jones;  secretary,  Charles  A.  Smith; 
collector,  Noah  Moyer;  treasurer,  C.  F.  Brill,  jr.;  chap- 
lain, C.  C.  Heller;  guide,  A.  T.  Jones;  warden,  H.  F. 
Keller;  sentry,  C.  R.  Bombay;  medical  examiner,  W.  R. 
Longshore,  M.  D. 


294 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUI^s^Y. 


HOLLENBACK  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township   was    taken  from   Nescopeck  in 

August,  1845,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  late 

Matthias  HoUenback.     In  i87oits  population 

was  1,303;  June  7th,    1S75,    the    north   half 

was  taken   off   and   named   in    honor   of    the  late 

Judge  Conyngham,  and   in    18S0   HoUenback  had 

only  736  inhabitants. 

Three  men  have  been  elected   justices  of  the  peace  of 

this  ton-nship,  as   follows:    Peter  Hart,  1846,  1851,  1856, 

1861,  1867,  1877;  John  Fenstermacher,  1850,  1856,  1S61, 

1868,  1873;  John  A.  Hart,  1877,  1878. 

Henry  Whitebread,  father  of  B.  Whitebread,  located 
in  1807  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Tobias  Hess,  about 
a  mile  south  of  Hobbie.  Other  settlers  came  in  that  and 
the  succeeding  year,  including  John  Bachman,  wha  lo- 
cated where  M.  Fox  now  lives,  in  Hobbie.  Abram 
Shortz  located  where  John  Hart  lives,  two  miles  south- 
west of  Hobbie,  and  John  Balliett  where  Mr.  Chippie 
now  lives,  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  township.  Mr. 
Balliett  (who  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  the  township) 
came  from  Switzerland;  hence  the  name  "  Switze  Hill" 
for  that  portion  of  the  township.  David  Eroch,  located 
near  the  Ballietts,  on  the  "Switze." 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  by  a  Mr.  Craig,  on  the 
Shortz  place,  and  went  to  decay  long  ago.  The  pioneer 
grist-mill  was  built  on  the  Big  Wapwallopen,  near  the  site 
of  t'-.e  upper  works  of  the  Dupont  Powder  Mills.  The  first 
and  only  tannery  was  built  by  Samuel  Snyder,  on  the 
creek,  where  J.  Harter  now  lives.  Both  mill  and  tannery 
have  gone  to  decay.  The  first  store  was  opened  about 
1825,  by  Amasa  Shoemaker,  where  John  Fox  now  lives. 
The  first  tavern  wasopened  in  what  is  now  Hobbie,  about 
1825,  by  Peter  Goode.  John  Harter  built  the  first  frame 
house,  in  1848,  where  Wesley  Hess  now  lives.  Bernard 
Whitebread,  now  living  half  a  mile  southeast  of  Hobbie, 
assisted  in  raising  the  frame.  The  first  postmaster  was 
Henry  Gruver.  He  was  appointed  in  1852,  and  kept  the 
office  where  Grover's  store  now  is,  in  the  village  of  Hob- 
bie. The  first  road  laid  out  was  the  one  running  down 
the  creek  from  Hobbie  to  Berwick.  The  pionegr  horti- 
culturist was  Henry  Whitebread.  He  set  out  an  orchard 
in  1808.  He  brought  the  trees  from  his  old  home  at 
Holmesburgh,  on  the  Pennypack  creek,  eight  miles  below 
Philadelphia.  David  Bachman  set  out  an  orchard  on  his 
place  the  following  year.  The  pioneer  preacher  in  this 
section  was  Rev.  Mr.  Adams,  a  Presbyterian  minister 
whose  departure  was  hailed  with  as  much  joy  as  his  ad- 
vent. 

Hobbie 

was  settled  about  1815.  The  land  was  owned  by  Peter 
Goode.  He  sold  it  to  Nathan  Beach,  wlio  had  it  sur- 
veyed into  town  lots  and  sold.  There  are  at  this 
place  two  stores,  a  school-house,  a  hotel,  a  blacksmith 
and  wagon  shop,  a  church    and    about    100   inhabitants. 


The  postmaster  is  Amos  Shaver.     E.  A.  Santee  is  the  res- 
dent  physician. 

Dupont    Povstier  Wokks. 

G.  P.  Parrish  &  Co.  built  four  powder  mills  on  Big 
Wapwallopen  creek,  and  operated  them  for  a  few  years. 
They  then  sold  to  Dupont  Brothers,  of  Wilmington,  Del., 
in  1857,  who  enlarged  the  works,  making  them  one  of  the 
largest  establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  There 
are  three  rolling  mills,  one  of  which  is  the  largest  ever 
built;  weight,  51,000  pounds.  These  three  mills  make 
12,500  pounds  of  powder  daily.  There  are  two  hydraulic 
presses  used,  of  a  capacity  of  800  kegs  per  day.  The  to- 
tal capacity  of  the  works  is  1,000  kegs  of  25  pounds. 

The  buildings  connected  with  these  works  are  scattered 
along  the  gorge  of  the  Wapwallopen  for  nearly  a  raile.  A 
narrow-guage  railroad  was  built  from  the  works  to  the 
Lackawanna  &  Bloomsburg  railroad,  crossing  the  river  by 
means  of  a  ferry.     This  has  been  abandoned. 

The  concern  is  under  the  general  superintendence  of 
C.  A.  Belin,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  W.  J.  Scott  is  in  charge  at 
the  works.     About  200  men  and  boys  are  employed. 

Churches. 

S/.  Peter's  Reformed  Congregation  was  organized  in 
1825  or  1826  by  Rev.  John  N.  Zeizer,  pastor.  On 
Whitsunday  in  1826  the  first  church  edifice  was  dedicated. 
Mr.  Zeizer  preached  the. dedicatory  sermon.  Twenty- 
four  male  members  on  that  day  subscribed  to  a  church 
constitution.  In  1853  another  church  was  built  by  this 
congregation  in  union  with  the  Lutherans,  in  which  both 
are  now  worshiping. 

St.Peter's  congregation  has  the  same  pastor  as  Conyng- 
ham or  Wapwallopen  congregation.  The  ministers 
serving  successively  to  the  present  time  have  been  Revs. 
John  N.  Zeizer,  Isaac  Shellhammer,  Henry  Hoffman, 
A.  R.  Hottenstein  and  Tilghman   Derr. 

The  membership  has  continually  increased,  though  it 
now  includes  but  few  of  the  original  twenty-four  men. 
The  congregation  numbers  about  one  hundred  com- 
municant members.  The  elders  are  Washington  Moyer 
and  Philip  Peter,  and  the  deacons  Silas  F.  Raddler  and 
Daniel  Shelhammer. 

EvangeUcal—lxi  1847  Revs.  E.  Kohr  and  A.  Valen- 
shamp,  then  traveling  Columbia  circuit,  by  invitation, 
came  to  HoUenback  township  and  took  up  an  appoint- 
ment in  the  Peters  school-house,  where  they  continued 
to  preach  and  hold  meetings  for  two  years.  Daniel 
Gruver  then  donated  a  lot,  on  which  was  built  a  church, 
and  quite  a  congregation  was  gathered;  at  the  end  of  the 
second  year  the  society  numbered  30  communicants. 
Then  followed  in  succession  Rev.  Messrs.  Brepler,  Mc- 
Kisson,  Hice,  Binder,  Wolf,  Reeser,  Miller,  Clair,  Hartz- 
ler  Deitrich,  Greham,  Pines,  Luende,  Morris,  Kepner, 
Orwig,  Rhodes,  Burson,  Kreemer  and  Price. 

In  1867,  under  J.  M.  Morris,  the  society  built  a  new 
church  on  land  likewise  donated  by  Daniel  Gruver,  where 
the  congregation  still  worships.  The  same  year  a  par- 
sonage was  built.    The  church  numbers  60  communicants. 


t 


•i¥ 


ip= 


SETTLEMENT  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF   HUNLOCK  TOWNSHIP. 


295 


HUNLOCK  TOWNSHIP. 


4= 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  parts  of  Union 
and  Plymouth  townships,  January  8th,  1877. 
Hiram  Croop  and  William  Pritchard  have 
been  elected  justices  of  the  peace.  The  pop- 
ulation in  1880  was  759. 
Before  the  Indians  left  a  white  family  named 
Boggs  settled  on  the  site  of  the  home  of  Abram 
Vanhorn;  made  some  improvements,  erected  dwellings  of 
logs  and  cleared  and  farmed  land  several  years.  They 
lived  near  a  village  of  Indians,  probably  Shawnees,  who 
also  raised  crops  on  the  plain.  Mr.  Boggs  joined  the 
army  and  was  probably  away  from  his  home  when  the 
family  was  driven  off  or  massacred  at  the  time  of  the  in- 
vasion in  1778.  The  friendly  Indians  who  lived  near 
them  probably  shared  the  fate  of  the  Boggs  family,  as 
no  reliable  account  of  them  can  be  found.  Improve- 
ments were  made  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek  and  just 
below  by  Edward  Blanchard  and  Jonathan  Hunlock 
prior  to  1778,  in  which  year  they  were  also  driven  out. 
They  returned  to  their  homes  probably  about  1790. 
Soon  after  Frederick  Croop  settled  near  the  river,  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  I.  Davenport. 

John  Croop  and  a  large  family  of  Sorbers  about  the 
same  time  moved  in  back  of  the  mountain  and  up  the 
creek,  where  they  built  dwellings,  saw-mills,  and  other 
necessary  improvements. 

It  is  thought  that  Jacob  Sorber,  the  father  of  the 
family,  built  the  first  saw-mill,  on  the  site  of  Hiram 
Croop's  mills,  about  a  mile  up  the  creek  from  its  mouth. 
Philip  Sorber,  a  son  of  Jacob,  soon  after  built  one  a  mile 
further  up  the  creek.  The  Sorbers  and  Croops  have 
carried  on  lumbering  until  the  present  time,  and  available 
timber  is  pretty  much  exhausted.  The  Croop  and  Sorber. 
settlement  was  early  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  other 
German  families  from  the  valley  of  the  Upper  Delaware 
—the  Miller,  Cease,  Davenport,  Cragle,  Diets  and  Brader 
families — who  proved  a  valuable  accession,  and  among 
whom  were  farmers  and  good  mechanics. 

In  1797  Joseph  Dodson,  a  native  of  Northampton 
county,  but  who  had  lived  in  Plymouth  several  years  and 
had  married  Susanna,  daughter  of  Joshua  Bennet,  of  that 
township  (whose  name  is  in  the  list  of  taxable  inhabitants 
of  that  township  in  1796),  moved  into  Hunlock,  having 
bought  eight  hundred  acres  about  five  miles  up  the 
creek,  where  he  brought  up  a  large  family,  who  became 
useful,  respectable  citizens,  farmers,  mechanics  and 
professional  men.  One  of  the  sons,  Joseph  B.  Dodson, 
still  retains  the  old  homestead,  where  he  was  born  in 
1805.  The  other  sons  and  the  daughters  have  passed 
away.  Many  of  their  descendants  still  live  near  and 
several  on  the  original  farm  of  eight  hundred  acres. 
Samuel  Dodson  and  his  sister's  husband,  Isaac  Vanhorn, 
were  among  the  early  inhabitants,  though  coming  a  few 
years  later;  they  all  spent  long,  useful  lives  in  Hunlock. 
The  health  of  the  township  is  vouched   for  by  the  long 


and  industrious  lives  of  those  pioneers  and  families,  as 
many  of  them  reached  four  score  years,  and  several  near 
five  score  years  of  age. 

Manufacture  and  Trade. 

In  1857  an  iron-smelting  furnace  was  built  near  the 
mouth  of  the  creek,  by  William  Koons,  who  owned  and 
operated  it  several  years,  making  some  very  good  pig-iron. 
Only  the  ruins  remain.  The  first  flouring  mill  was  built 
in  1843,  by  Frederick  Harlman,  about  three  miles  up  the 
creek.  It  is  owned  and  operated  by  Ransom  Monroe, 
and  still  does  a  fair  business.  About  four  miles  up  the 
creek  a  saw  and  feed  mill  was  built  by  Leonard  Ritchie, 
in  1850.  In  1857  George  Gregory  bought  Mr.  Pritchard's 
mill,  which  in  1858  was  rebuilt  and  enlarged  at  a  cost 
of  $5,000,  by  George  and  Benjamin  Gregory,  who  still 
own  and  operate  it.  In  1869,  Jacob  Rice  built  a  mill 
about  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  which  is  now 
used  as  a  feed  and  chopping  mill,  being  not  yet  prepared 
for  making  flour.  There  are  several  saw-mills  in  the 
township,  and  other  small  mills  for  the  manufacture  of 
shingles,  lath,  and  various  kinds  of  wood  work. 

Hiram  Croop,  a  grandson  of  both  John  Croop  and 
Philip  Sorber,  is  a  large  operator  in  the  lumber  business, 
owning  several  good  mills  and  employing  many  hands. 
His  residence  and  office  is  about  a  mile  from  the  depot 
of  Hunlock's  Creek. 

Ransom  Pringle  has  for  several  years  been  engaged 
in  merchandizing  and  has  succeeded  in  establishing  an 
active,  prosperous  business,  a  short  distance  above  the 
depot.  Hiram  Croop  is  a  thriving  merchant  near  Croop's 
mills.  Darius  Whitesell  and  Alexander  Dodson  are 
also  in  trade. 

Schools  and  Churches. 

Education  was  generally  neglected  and  books  were  not 
considered  of  i:.iuch  importance  in  the  training  of  the 
young  for  many  years.  If  the  sons  could  mark  lumbei 
and  count  the  profits  and  proceeds  of  the  saw-mill,  they 
were  thought  proficients  in  all  that  was  required  as  prac- 
tical business  men. 

Until  the  public  school  system  was  enforced  many  of 
the  children  grew  up  with  limited,  inadequate  facilities 
for  requiring  much  general  knowledge.  Now  all  have 
accessible  schools,  and  they  are  all  pretty  well  attended 
about  half  the  year;  books,  newspapers  and  magazines 
are  extensively  read,  and  the  literature  of  the  best  writers 
studied  and  appreciated. 

A  good  church  was  built  in  1873  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  township,  near  Whitesell's,  named  "  Rockville 
Church,"  and  a  flourishing  Sunday-school  gathered  there; 
all  belonging,  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  society.  The 
cost  of  the  building  was  over  $1,000. 

In  1876  the  Baptist  society  built  achurch,  costing  $1,200, 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Hunlock,  about  two  miles  from  the 
river,  called  "East  Union;"  which  also  is  occupied  by  a 
Sunday-school  weekly.  Several  school-houses  are  also 
used  as  places  of  worship  in  other  neighborhoods. 


<^ 


296 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Soldiers  of  the  Union. 

When  the  booming  of  the   purloined  cannon  and  the 

shouts  of  traitors  at  Fort  Sumter  resounded   throughout 

the  country,  the  echoes  struck  many  gallant  hearts,  whose 

impulsive  responses  said,   "  We'll   rally   'round  the  flag, 

boys!"     The  following  names  were  inscribed  as  defenders 

of  the  Stars  and  Stripes.     Some  of  the  men   named  fell 

in    the    service,    and   their   names    are    followed    by    an 

asterisk: 

Andrew  Aylesworth,*  John  Aylesworth,  Edward  Avery,  Shadrack 
Austin,*  Torrence  Austin,  Peter  Austin,  David  Appier,  William  H.  Baer, 
George  S.  Baer,  Alexander  Bonham,*  Georpre  Bowman,  David  Bowman, 
D.  W.  Culp,  Anthony  Ci-agle,  Daniel  Ciagle,  Thomas  Cragle,*  Wesley 
Crag-le,Alvin  Croop,  Andrew  Croup,  iSimon  Croup,  Lewis  Gulp,  Charles 
Culp,  Alexander  Dodson,  Charles  M.  Dodson,  0.  S.  Dodson,  Leander 
Dodson,  Ira  Dodson,  Georg-e  Duell,  Seymour  Duell,  George  Davenport, 
David  Davenport,  Jacob  Davenport,  Lyman  Wann;  Andrew  M.  Hunlock, 
Merritt  Koeher,  William  Lamoren,*  Isaac  Lamoren,*  Zetjulon  Moore,* 
William  McShadden,  Charles  W.  Owen,*  Edward  E  Owen,  Gaines  Frit- 
chard,  William  H.  Sharpe,  John  I".  Sharpo,  Daniel  Sorter,  Nathaniel  Sor- 
ber,  Peter  B.  Sites,  Jefferson  Turpin,  Wilson  Turpin,  James  Vauhorn, 
George  Wildoner. 


HUNTINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  is  one  of  the  seventeen  "  certified  town- 
ships "  laid  out  by  the  Susquehanna  Com- 
pany and  confirmed  by  acts  of  the  Assembly 
passed  in  1799.  Under  the  Connecticut 
title,  previous  to  1776,  it  was  known,  as 
Blooraingdale  township,"  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  Huntington  in  1799  in  honor  of  Samuel 
Huntington,  a  native  of  Windham,  Conn.,  who  was  one 
of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

This  township  lay  across  an  ancient  and  well  trodden 
path  of  the  red  man,  and  in  his  travel  to  and  from  the 
western  frontier  during  the  dark  days  of  border  warfare, 
the  few  settlers  suffered  greatly  in  the  loss  of  some  of 
their  number,  who  were  murdered  or  taken  prisoners,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  stock  and  provisions  taken  and  de- 
stroyed by  the  savages. 

The  first  settler  was  John  Franklin.  He  came  from 
Connecticut  in  the  spring  of  1775,  as  one  of  the  Susque- 
hanna proprietors,  under  the  Connecticut  claim.  He 
located  on  Huntington  creek  below  what  is  now  Hublevs- 
ville,  where  he  built  a  log  house  and  spent  most  of  the 
summer  with  his  family.  He  returned  to  his  native  State 
in  the  autumn  on  account  of  the  difficulties  arising  be- 
tween this  country  and  Great  Britain. 

Levi  Seward,  from  Connecticut,  located  in  1776  in  the 
north  part  of  the  township,  and  from  him  has  sprung  a 
large  and  respectable  family.  Nathaniel  Goss  came  in 
1776  and  located  on  the  farm  now  known  as  the  Howard 
Hotel  property  at  Hublensville.  The  tract  of  334  acj-es 
on  which  he  settled  was  granted  to  Henry  Marks  by 
letters  patent  dated  April  4th,  ^775.  In  i7,S2  or  1783 
Abraham  Hess  settled  near  the  head  waters  of  Fishing 
creek,  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  township.  He  came 
from  New  Jersey  and  was   the  progenitor  of   a  large  and 


influential    family.     Stephen    Kingsbury  was  one  of   the 
pioneers  locating  where  J.  W.  Kingsbury  now  lives,  near 
Town  Hill.     He  was  a  surveyor,  and  assisted  in  the  orig- 
inal survey  of  Huntington  township.     Reuben  Culver  ar- 
rived from  Connecticut  February  14th,  1795,  and  located 
in  the  west  part  of  the  township,  where  Oliver  Culver  now 
lives.     The    latter   was  born   March    i8th,    1795,   on  his 
present  farm.     Reuben  Culver  was  the  father  of  a  numer- 
ous family  who  have  married   into  some  of  the  first  fami- 
lies of   this  county.    Abel  Fellows.  Stephen  Harrison  and 
Samuel  and  Amos  Franklin  in  1777  located  in  the  south- 
west part  of  the  township,  where  many  of  their  descend- 
ants  still  reside.       From  1778  Thomas  Williams,  one    of 
the  pioneers  who    escaped  from    Forty  Fort,  lived  at  the 
foot  of  Knob  mountain  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

S^ilon  Trescott  was  born  in  Sheffield,.  Mass.,  iij  1750, 
and  located  in  Huntington  in  June,  1778.  He  built  a 
log  house  near  where  Colonel  E.  L.  Trescott  now  lives. 
About  a  month  after  he  came  he  and  Solomon  Gas  and 
Thomas  and  Samuel  Williams  were  warned  by  the  mili- 
tary authority  to  appear  at  Forty  Fort  for  the  defence  of 
the  inhabitants  against  the  Indians  and  tories.  There 
they  were  taken  prisoners,  but  escaped  the  same  night, 
and  reached  their  homes  in  Huntington  on  the  night  of 
the  third  day.  They  sought  safety  in- Connecticut  in  the 
autumn  of  that  year.  After  a  few  years  Mr.  Trescott  re- 
turned, to  find  that  a  chestnut  tree  had  grown  up  through 
the  middle  of  his  mansion.  He  left  it  as  a  monument  to 
mark  the  place  of  his  pioneer  hut,  and  built  another  and 
better  log  house  a  short  distance  from  the  old  one,  which 
he  occupied  for  many  years.  His  father,  Samuel  Tres- 
cott, held  a  proprietary  right  in  Huntington  under  the 
Connecticut  claim,  and  was  one  of  the  original  surveyors 
of  the  township. 

Colonel  Edward  L.  Trescott  was  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers in  this  township,  and  was  actively  interested  in  local 
military  affairs,  serving  as  major  fourteen  years,  lieuten- 
ant colonel  seven  years,  and  colonel  seven  years,  and  in 
his  last  years  was  an  aide  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Bigler, 
of  this  State.  He  was  a  great  hunter,  and  killed  with  his 
own  rifle  more  than  a  thousand  deer  in  this  township,  be- 
sides a  large  number  of  bears  and  panthers. 

John  Dodson  was  born  in  Northampton  county.  Pa., 
February  26th,  1771,  and  located  in  Huntington  in  1796! 
He  was  the  first  Pennsylvanian  who  settled  in  this  town- 
ship, all  other  settlers  having  come  from  States  east  of 
this.  He  was  a  prominent  and  enterprising  farmer,  and 
died  May  9th,  1859,  leaving  a  widow  and  eighteen'chil- 
dren.  Joseph  Dodson  located  in  Huntington  township 
in  1S06,  on  the  farm  where  he  died  in  1851.  He  was 
prominently  identified  with  all  the  progressive  interests 
of  his  adopted  township.  He  was  the  father  of  twelve 
children. 

John  Koons  located  in  what  is  now  New  Columbus 
borough  in  1819,  and  became  one  of  the  most  prominent 
men  in  this  part  of  the  township.  He  was  largely  inter- 
ested in  the  Nanticoke  and  Hughesville  and  the  Susque- 
hanna and  Tioga  turnpikes.  In  1836  he  was  appointed 
postmaster   of  New  Columbus,  and  in  1858  became  in- 


KARLY  HISTORY  OF    HUNTINGTON   TOWNSHIP. 


297 


terested  in  the  building  of  the  Academy  and  Normal 
Institute  at  that  place.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Shonk  one  of  the  judges  for  Luzerne  county.  He  built 
the  Wyoming  Valley  Canal  from  Shickshinny  to  the 
Search  farm.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  from  187 1 
to  1876.  He  was  a  surveyor  and  a  merchant  at  New 
Columbus.     He  died  February  13th,  1878. 

Jabez  Matthias  and  Reuben  Williams  were  also  early 
settlers.  Jabez  came  in  1798.  John  Johnson  located 
near  or  on  the  town  line  road,  east  side  of  the  township, 
and  was  soon  followed  by  Earl  Tubbs  and  Stephen 
Davenport.  Jonathan  Westover  located  near  Pine  creek, 
in  the  northwest  part  of  the  township,  and  Peter  Wygant 
on  the  hill  above  Jameson  Harvey's  place.  The  Monroe 
family  were  early  settlers  on  Huntington  creek.  Amaziah 
Watson  settled  just  below  the  Scott  house,  on  the  Hunt- 
ington creek  road.  Other  settlers  were  William  Brandon, 
a  Methodist  preacher,  and  William,  Jared  and  John 
Edwards,  who  immigrated  from  Ireland  soon  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Thomas  Patterson,  born  in  Scotland  and  educated  in 
Ireland,  located  in  Huntington  about  1799,  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  township.  Mrs.  Minerva  T.  Patterson 
now  lives  on  the  old  homestead.  Her  grandmother, 
Margaret  Louise,  was  a  cousin  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France. 
The  grandmother  of  Thomas  Patterson  was  a  sister  of 
Lord  Montgomery,  of  Scotland.  Thomas  Patterson's 
wife  was  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Nathan  Denison,  of 
Wyoming  valley  fame. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  previous  to  iSoo  were 
Amos,  Samuel  and  Silas  Franklin,  Richard  Williams, 
David  Woodward,  Stephen  C.  Kingsbury,  Thomas  Tubbs, 
John  Chapin,  George  Stewart,  Peter  Chambers,  Nathan 
Tubbs,  Jonathan  Fellows,  E.  Wadsworth,  Benjamin  Ful- 
ler, Robert  Wilson,  Stephen  Sutliff,  Stephen  Harrison 
(in  1796)  and  Levi  Seward,  who  came  here  in  1776. 

Obadiah  Scott,  who  settled  on  Huntington  creek, 
about  two  miles  below  Hublersville,  built  the  first  frame 
house.  It  is  still  standing,  and  is  known  as  the  "  old 
Scott  house."  John  Koons  had  a  cloth-mill  at  an  early 
date,  and  was  also  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  be- 
sides carrying  on  a  large  farm.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  i8t2.     He  is  now  living  at  New  Columbus. 

Epenetus  Wadsworth,  grandfather  of  P.  C.  Wadsworth, 
located  in  1794  near  Town  Hill.  He  was  the  first  black- 
smith in  Huntington.  He  burned  charcoal  for  himself 
and  others.  He  was  also  the  pioneer  horticulturist,  hav- 
ing set  out  an  orchard  on  his  lot  in  1799,  in  which  most 
of  the  trees  are  still  in  bearing  and  afford  a  good  quality 
of  fruit.  The  Indian  trail  from  Shickshinny  to  Williams- 
port  crossed  his  farm  near  the  brick  school-house  of  Town 
Hill.  The  well  beaten  path  is  still  visible.  Mr.  Wads- 
worth was  an  extensive  land  operator  for  those  days,  and 
was  also  a  local  preacher. 

Thomas  Harvey,  an  Englishman,  located  at  Harvey- 
ville  and  opened  a  shop,  where  he  carried  oh  blacksmith- 
ing  several  years.  This  was  soon  after  the  advent  of 
"  Deacon  Wadsworth."  The  pioneer  tanner  and  shoe- 
maker was  Benjamin  Fuller.     He  located  near  Hunting- 


ton creek,  not  far  from,  the  Earned  place.  The  first  grist- 
mill was  a  log  structure,  built  in  1788,  wiih  one  ruri  of 
stones,  by  Mr.  Hopkins,  at  the  mouth  of  Marsh  creek. 
He  built  a  saw-mill  at  the  same  place.  Nathaniel  Goss, 
grandfather  of  the  present  Nathaniel  Goss,  built  a  grist- 
mill on  the  stream  that  empties  into  Huntington  creek 
from  the  north,  on  the  north  side  of  the  old  Goss  farm, 
now  owned  by  A.  Howard.  It  would  grind  about  three 
bushels  of  corn  per  day.  It  was  first  run  by  hand,  and 
subsequently  by  water  power.  Nathaniel  Goss,  jr.,  built 
the  mill  known  as  the  Workheiser  mill,  which  stands  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  stream  from  the  old  one.  The 
land  on  which  Hopkins's  mill  stood  was  donated  for  mill 
purposes  by  the  Susquehanna  Company.  In  1798  Nathan 
Beach  built  the  Rogers  mill  on  Marsh  creek.  Bacon's 
carding  and  fulling-mill  was  built  on  Huntington  creek 
in  1817.  The  grist-mill  at  Harveyville  was  originally 
built  in  1798,  and  replaced  in  1837  by  a  new  one,  which 
was  subsequently  burned,  and  ■  the  present  one  built  in 
1869. 

The  taxable  inhabitants  of  Huntington  in  1796  were: 
Elijah  Austin,  Ealph  Austin,  James  Hensooter,  Elam  nonamc,  Henry 
Baker,  Anthony  Bensooter,  Andrew  Blanchor,  Isaac  Benseoter,  Daniel 
Culver,  Aaron  Culver,  Reuben  Culver,  lleuben  Blish,  Darius  Cullender, 
John  Chapin,  James  Earles,  John  Evans,  John  Fayd,  Silas  Ferry,  Aliiel 
Fellows,  0\'il  Fellows,  Samuel  Franklin,  Daniel  Fuller,  Benjamin  Ful- 
ler, Cieorse  Fink,  Amos  Franklin,  Nathaniel  Ooss,  Elijah  Goodwin,  Doc- 
tor Gaylord,  Philip  Goss,  Timothy  Hopkins,  Stephen  Harrison,  William 
Harrison,  Caleb  Hoyt,  Samuel  Hover,  Emanuel  Hover,  Nathan  Jen- 
nings, Joseph  Kingrsbury,  Samuel  King-,  Moses  Lawrence,  Elias  Long:, 
.lohn  Long,  Hufus  Lawrence,  jr.,  Rutus  Lawrence,  sen.,  Joseph  Moss, 
Nathan  Monroe,  John  Miller,  Solon  Tresoott,  r.ideon  Post,  Joseph  Pot- 
ter, John  Potter,  Jerry  Preston,  Loyd  Marshall,  Elijah  Wood,  sen.,  Eli- 
jah Wood,  jr.,  Abel  SutlHf,  Miles  Sutlifl,  Thomas  Stephens,  Jonathan 
Stevens,  Amos  Seward,  Barney  Sutliff,  Eli  Seward,  Enos  Seward,  jr., 
Bnos  Seward,  sen..  Gad  Seward,  Obadiah  Scott,  Jesse  Scott,  Obadiah 
Scott,  jr.,  Abraham  Smith,  Thomas  Tubbs,  Thomas  Taylor,  Nathan 
Tubbs,  Earl  Tubbs,  Nathan  Tubbs.  jr..  Job  Tripp,  Jabez  Williams,  Uriah 
Williams,  Thomas  Williams,  Tarball  Whitney,  Daniel  Warner,  John 
Wandall  and  David  Woodward. 

Roads. 

The  old  turnpike  running  from  Berwick  to  Towanda 
was  chartered  June  9th,  1808,  and  ran  across  the  north 
part  of  this  township,  passing  through  the  village  of  Cam- 
bra.  The  road  was  built  about  1820;  daily  lines  of 
stages  passed  over  it  each  day.  It  was  abandoned  as  a 
stage  route  about  r84o,  and   as   a  toll   road  about    1845. 

The  first  road  laid  out  in   this   township    was  the  one- 
through  the  Huntington  creek  valley.     Soon  other  roads  . 
were  surveyed  and  worked. 

April  ist,  1836,  a  charter  was  granted  to  the  Nanticoke 
and  HughesviUe  Turnpike  Company,  the  road  to  run 
from  Nanticoke  Falls  to  HughesviUe,  Lycoming  county, 
passing  through  New  Columbus. 

The  Union  Turnpike  Road  Company  was  formed  in 
187s,  and  was  chartered  in  1876.  The  charter  allows  the 
company  to  extend  its  road  from  Shickshinny  through 
the  township  of  Huntington  to  Fairmount  Springs.  The 
road  is  now  completed  about  six  and  a  half  miles  from 
Shickshinny,  to  the  Huntington  creek  valley,  at  a  cost 
thus  far  of  |i  2,000.  'J'lie  stockholders  are  N.  B.  Crary, 
J.  W.  Stackhouse,  B.  D.  Koons,  William  A.  Campbell, 
F.  A.  B.  Koons.  S.  F.  Monroe  and  D.  G.  Earned.     The 


=-^^ 


officers  of  the  company  are  N.  B.  Crary,  president;  B.  D. 
Koons,  secretary,  and  D.  G.  Larned,  treasurer. 

Justices. 

The  following  have  been  the  justices  of  the  peace 
elected  for  this  township  since  the   consritution  of  1838: 

John  Dodson,  1840;  Jonathan  Westover,  1840;  Jared 
Harrison,  1849;  Silas  Dodson,  1849,  1850;  Benjamin 
Harvey,  1849;  Dyer  L.  Chapin,  1853,  1858;  Thomas  Pat- 
terson, 1854;  G.  C.  McWaine,  1859,  1864;  Barnard  Sut- 
liff,  i860,  1865;  P.  C.  Wadsworth,  1869,  1874,  1879; 
William   H.  Trescott,   1870;  H.  D.  Watson,   1875. 

Churches  and  Chapei.s. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Town  Hill. — The  clouds 
of  Revolutionary  strife  had  not  fairly  blown  away  before 
the  itinerant's  familiar  tin  horn  was  heard  resounding 
through  the  valleys,  echoing  over  the  hills  and  re-echoing 
through  the  forests  of  Huntington,  calling  the  people  to- 
gether for  worship.  Meetings  were  held  in  barns  and 
houses  as  occasion  required,  and  as  soon  as  possible  in 
school-houses.  The  first  building  used  as  a  church  by 
the  Methodists  was  an  old  school-house  southeast  of 
Town  Hill,  on  the  road  toward  Shepherd's  and  Newton's. 
It  was  built  in  the  style  peculiar  to  those  early  days,  for 
the  accommodation  of  both  school  and  church,  with  doors 
in  the  middle  of  the  building  hinged  to  the  ceiling,  and 
dropped  when  it  was  desired  to  make  a  small  room  for 
school  purposes.  This  house  was  used  many  years  for 
this  double  purpose. 

In  1794  the  little  band  was  reinforced  by  Rev.  Epene- 
tus  Wadsworth,  a  local  preacher,  who  settled  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity,  and  was  always  diligent  and  faithful  in 
the  performance  of  his  Christian  duties. 

About  1836  the  society  built  a  small  church  on  :he  cor- 
ner southwest  of  Town  Hill,  near  J.  M.  Shaw's.  In  1873 
this  was  taken  down  and  rebuilt  at  Town  Hill  village, 
where  it  now  stands.  The  society  also  owns  a  parsonage 
at  Town  Hill.  The  present  value  of  the  church  property 
is  $3,000.  The  trustees  in  1879  were  G.  W.  Huff,  J.  W. 
Stevens,  John  Shepherd,  W.  W.  Belles  and  P.  C.  Wads- 
worth. 

Nelso7i  M.  E.  Chapel,  at  Huntington  Mills,  was  built 
in  1871,  and  was  dedicated  by  and  named  in  honor  of  the 
late  Rev.  Reuben  Nelson,  D.  D.,  principal  of  the  Kings- 
ton Seminary,  and  afterward  head  of  the  Methodist  Book 
Concern  at  New  York.  The  building  is  of  wood,  finished 
and  furnished  in  modern  style,  and  cost  $1,500.  The 
membership  of  the  society  is  20. 

Dodson  M.  E.  Chapel,  in  the  southwest  part  of  this  town- 
ship, was  built  in  1876,  of  wood,  and  is  33  by  40  feet,  of 
modern  architecture,  and  substantially  finished  and  fur- 
nished, costing  $1,600.  It  was  dedicated  December  24th, 
1876,  by  Rev.  Aaron  M.  Kester.  The  membership  here 
is  40.  TheJ;rustees  for  1879  were  William,  J.  W.,  W,  J. 
and  R.  F.  Chapin,  S.  C.  and  E.  H.  Kingsbury,  E.  L. 
Phillips,  Paul  Fullmer  and  Hiram  Markle. 

Methodist  Ministers. — These  Methodist  societies  are  in 
the  Bloomingdale  circuit   of  the  Wyoming   Conference. 


Two  or  three  preachers  have  always  been  on  the  circuit 
at  once,  and  therefore  a  great  number  from  first  to  last. 
A  complete  list  since  1804  has  been  preserved  by  Mrs. 
Sarah  Harvey  and  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Bethia  W.  Brown, 
of  New  Columbus.  Those  since  1850  have  been  as  fol- 
lows- 

J.  W.  Hang-hawout,  1850, 1861, 1863  ;  T.  M.  Goodf ellow,  1850 ;  T.  M.  Barn- 
hart,  1851,  1852 ;  A.  M.  Baraitz,  1851 ;  J.  A.  Demoyer,  1833  ;  Franklin 
Dyson,  1863, 1854 ;  Jacob  Eyre,  18.53 ;  B.  P.  King,  ia54, 1869-71 ;  Thomas  H. 
Switzer,  1835, 1856  ;  Asbury  W.  Gwyer,  1855;  Samuel  Shannon,  1856;  Bli- 
sha'Butler,  ia57, 1858 ;  A.  M.  Kester,  1857, 1858 ;  J.  F.  Porter,  1859, 1860 ;  P. 
B.  Kuch,  1859;  Isaac  Austin,  1860;  H.  C.  Paraoe,  1861;  Emory  Swartz, 
1863;  David  Castleman,  1863, 1864 ;  Isaac  Austin,  1863 ;  Watson  Case,  1864; 
Charles  Cleaver,  1865 ;  P.  F-  Eyre,  1865, 1866 ;  M.  P.  Ci-oswaithe,  1866, 186T, 
1808 ;  E.  MeVcy  Chilcoat,  1867 ;  A.  C.  Croswaithe,  1868,  1869 ;  J.  T.  Shan- 
non,' 1870-73;  Henry  Wilson,  1373-74;  M.  C.  Brittain,  1873, 1874 ;  J.  Guss, 
1875 ;  J.  P.  Brenford,  1876 ;  J.  F.  Brown,  1876, 1877 ;  I.  T.  Morehead,  1876 ; 
Eeuben  Loveland,  1877,  1878 ;  W.  A.  Carver,  1878 ;  Eichard  H.  Gilbert, 
1878, 1879;  John  Horning,  1879 ;  Benjamin  H.  Mosser,  1879. 

Pine  Creek  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  known  as  the 
"  Webster  Chapel,"  was  built  in  1869,  and  dedicated  in 
1870,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Webster;  is  located  on  Pine  creek 
northeast  from  New  Columbus,  at  what  is  known  as 
Hess's  Mills.  The  present  trustees  of  the  church  are 
Josiah  Van  Horn,  Thomas  L.  Dodson,  Nathan  Hartman 
and  Gilbert  Colander. 

The  First  Universalisi  society  was  organized  in  1846, 
with  the  following  members:  John  Shively,  John  Koons, 
William  J.  Carman,  Lewis  Stiles,  Hugh  Watson,  Fletcher 
B.  Dodson,  Jorad  Harrison,  James  E.  Shively,  Mary 
Shively,  Emeline  Migrath,  Margaret  Shively,  Rachel 
Seicum,  Joseph  Hedden,  Andrus  Fellows,  Silas  Dodson, 
Jacob  Boston,  H.  H.  Seicum,  Eveline  A.  Koons,  Elvira 
Haynes. 

Standing  committee:  A.  Fellows,  Esq.  Dodson,  Esq. 
Harrison,  James  Hedden,  H.  Watson,  John  Koons,  clerk; 
John  Shively,  treasurer 

Educational. 

The  Columbus  Male  and  Female  Academy  was  built 
in  1858,  with  funds  raised  by  subscription  for  stock  of 
the  concern.  One  hundred  and  fifty-two  shares  at  $10 
each  were  subscribed  for  by  seventy-four  persons.  The 
necessary  buildings  were  erected,  and  the  school  opened 
with  fair  prospects,  but  as  an  academic  school  it  has  not 
been  a  success. 

The  Huntington  Mills  Educational  Society  was  organ- 
ized in  1878.  An  acre  of  land  for  a  building  lot  was 
purchased  of  Amos  Howard  for  $180.  The  building  is 
of  wood,  two  stories  high,  and  conveniently  arranged  for 
an  academic  school.  It  cost  $2,000,  and  was  completed 
in  July,  1878.  The  first  terra  was  opened  September 
2nd,  1878,  with  one  hundred  pupils,  under  charge  of 
Prof.  J.  W.  Swingle,  assisted  by  W.  W.  Van  Horn.  The 
stockholders  of  the  association  are  F.  A.  B.  Koons,  S.  H. 
Dodson,  Franklin  Monroe,  Perry  Monroe,  Clinton  Bacon, 
M.  D.,  Gove  Larned,  Amos  Howard,  George  Remaly, 
William  Workhiser  and  Redmond  Koons.  The  officers 
are  S.  H.  Dodson,  president;  F.  A.  B.  Koons,  secretary; 
George  Remaly,  treasurer. 

In  1878  there  were  twelve  schools  in  the  township 
and  in  New  Columbus,  and  twenty  teachers  employed, 
besides  the  academic  school  at  Huntington  Mills. 


■f^^= 


\ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

DALLAS,    FAIRMOUNT,    FRANKLIN,    HUNTINGTON,    LAKE,    AND     ROSS     TOWNSHIPS,     DALLAS 

AND    NEW    COLUMBUS    BOROUGHS. 


Casper  W.  Bailey,  -bIio  has  been  postmaster  of  Red  Hock  since  1872, 
is  a  native  of  Switzerland,  and  was  born  April  37th,  1833.  He  married 
Sue  E.  Harrison,  of  Fairmount  Springs.  He  was  elected  assessor  of 
Fairmount  in  February,  1880.  for  one  year. 

William  Belles,  a  resident  of  Camden,  is  a  native  of  Benton,  Colum- 
bia county,  Pa.,  and  was  born  November  4th,  1835.  He  is  a  farmer,  mer- 
chant and  marble  dealer.  He  married  Miss  Catharine  Ash,  of  Fishing 
Creek,  Pa.    Their  children  are  Mary  E.,  Ella  M.  and  Eva  C. 

B.  A.  BiDLACK  is  a  farmer  of  Huntington,  and  was  born  in  that  town- 
ship August  1st,  1843,  and  married  Miss  Catharine  Melick,  also  of  Hunt- 
ington.   His  father,  William  Bidlaek,  located  in  Huntington  in  1811. 

S.  M.  Blanchard  is  a  native  of  Boss  township,  and  was  born  June 
4th,  1846.  Mi-s.  Blanchard  was  Mrs.  Cordelia  Moss,  also  of  Boss.  Mr. 
Blanchard,  who  is  now  a  farmer,  served  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
during  the  Hebellion,  enlisting  in  Company  F  143d  Pa.  volunteers  Sep- 
tember 12th,  1863,  and  receiving  bis  discharge  June  12th,  1865. 

J.  W.  BOGART  was  born  in  New  Columbus,  Pa.,  September  28th,  1848. 
He  was  man-ied  February  20th,  1876,  to  Emma  A.  Seward,  of  Hunting- 
ton, Pa.,  who  was  born  October  30th,  1864.  She  was  the  first  female 
school  director  of  New  Columbus  borough.  Mr.  Bogart  has  been  bur- 
gess, auditor  and  councilman  of  New  Columbus.  He  is  at  present  a 
blacksmith  at  Dallas. 

Mrs.  Bethiah  W.  Bowman  resides  at  New  Columbus.  She  was  born 
June  15th,  1817,  in  Harveyville,  Pa.,  and  married  George  W.  Bowman  in 
1838.  Her  present  business  is  farming.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Benja- 
min Harvey,  the  first  settler  of  Hai-vcyville.  She  has  five  sons  and  one 
daughter  living.  B.  B.  Bowman  was  a  member  6t  Company  B  199th  Pa. 
volunteei-s,  and  was  wounded  at  Fort  Gregg,  Va.,  April  2nd,  1865.  C.  F- 
Bowman  was  in  the  7th  Pa. 

Myrtle  W.  Brace,  of  Franklin,  was  born  in  that  townahip  in  1832, 
and  wasmaiTied  in  1853  to  Margaret  Durland;  they  have  three  children. 
He  has  been  a  school  director;  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

D.  C.  Beakdon,  carpenter,  is  a  native  of  Fairmount,  and  was  born 
July  30th,  1851. 

C.  D.  Brahdon  was  born  in  Fairmount,  June  35th,  1853.  He  is  a 
farmer. 

James  Brandoh's  native  place  wits  Huntington.  He  was  born  March 
nth,  1814.  Mrs.  Brandon  was  Jemima  Culver,  of  Huntington,  Mr  B.  is 
engaged  in  farming. 

B.  W  Briokel  was  born  in  Lehigh  county.  Pa.,  September  29th,  1863, 
and  located  in  Dallas  in  1874,where  he  is  now  engaged  in  the  furniture  and 
undertaking  business.  His  wife  was  Mary  E.  Honey  well,  of  Dallas.  She 
was  born  August  35th,  1860.  Their  children  have  been:  Freddie,  born 
March  3nd,  1878,  and  died  February  11th,  1879;  WiUiam  Henry,  born 
September  35th,  1879. 

William  Callender  was  born  in  Fairmount,  July  20th,  1831.  Eliza 
S.  Sutton,  who  became  his  wife,  is  a  native  of  Newton,  Lackawanna 
county.    Mr.  Callender  is  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser. 

Silas  Callender,  son  of  Darius  Callender,  was  born  in  Huntington, 
October  6th,  1805.  Mrs.  Mary  Carkufl!  Callender  is  from  Wllkes-BaiTe. 
Mr.  Callender  Is  a  retired  farmer. 

Prof.  William  A.  Campbell  was  born  in  Nescopeck  township,  August 
13th,  1837.    He  left  home  quite  early  in  life  in  pursuit  of  an  education. 


In  May,  1872,  the  school  directors  appointed  him  county  superintendent, 
to  which  office  he  was  subsequently  elected  by  the  people.  At  present 
he  is  engaged  in  the  hardware  business. 

Edmund  Carey  is  a  farmer  and  resides  at  New  Columbus.  He  was 
born  August  22nd,  1832,  in  South  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  His  first  wife  was 
Phebe  Harned,  of  Union  township.  His  second  wife  was  Almira  B. 
Carnes,  of  Fishing  Ci'eek,  Pa.  Mr.  Carey  has  been  justice  of  the  peace 
since  1875. 

B.  D.  Carey,  of  New  Columbus,  is  a  farmer.  He  was  born  In  Plalns- 
ville.  Pa.,  Api-il23nd,  1831,  and  married  Miss  Mary  Dodder,  of  Fishing 
creek.  Pa.  He  was  a  private  in  Company  H  198th  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers.   His  father  was  an  early  settler  in  Plains. 

J.  L.  Carey,  of  Cambra,  was  born  in  Easton,  Pa.,  October  14th,  1824. 
He  married  Miss  Martha  McHenry,  of  Stillwater,  Columbia  county.  Pa. 
He  was  a  private  in  Co.  1 143d  Pennsylvania  volunteers  from  January  to 
July,  1865.  He  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Pealer  &  Carey,  cabinet  makers. 
His  grandfather  was  a  captain  in  the  Kevolution,  and  also  served  under 
General  Jackson  at  New  Orleans. 

W.  J.  Chapin  resides  at  Dodson's  Chapel,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  was 
born  in  Huntington  township,  October  1st,  1829.  His  wife  was  Marga- 
ret Ehone,  of  Benton,  Columbia  county.  Pa.  Mr.  Dodson  is  a  school 
director,  and  is  town  auditor.  His  pai-ents  were  early  settlers  in  Hunt- 
ington. 

Mrs.  Catharine  M.  Creveling  was  born  in  Huntington,  February 
lst,1813.  Her  maiden  name  was  Fellows.  She  maiTied  Isaiah  Creveling, 
who  was  born  at  Fishing  Creek,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  May  20th,  1810, 
and  died  December  28th.  1864.    She  is  engaged  in  farming. 

David  Martin  Culver,  residing  at  Town  Line,  was  born  May  2nd, 
1822,  in  Union  township.  Pa.  He  mairled  Laura  D.  Watson,  of  Milf ord. 
Pa.,  and  after  her  death  he  mai-ried  a  daughter  of  Captain  Sharon 
Waples,  of  Jersey  City,  N.  J.  Mr.  Culver  is  one  of  the  enterprising 
fanners  of  Huntington  township,  and  an  ardent  and  liberal  supporter  of 
the  M.  E.  church. 

1^.  L.  Davis,  carpenter,  was  born  March  23d,  1823,  in  Cherry  township, 
Sullivan  county.  Pa.  His  first  wife  was  Jane  Edson,  of  Massachusetts, 
who  died  August  35th,  1860.  His  present  wife  was  Amelia  Holmes,  of 
Columbia  county.  Pa. 

A.  G.  Davison,  M.  D.,  a  practicing  physician  of  Cambra,  studied  med- 
icine with  Dr.  E.  F.  Kamerly,  and  graduated  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1871.  He  was  born  in  Berwick,  Pa.,  March  18th,  1844,  and 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  Gearhart,  of  Huntington.  He  served  in  Company 
F  149th  Pa.  volunteers  from  August,  1862,  to  July,  1865. 

T.  L.  Dodson,  a  farmer  and  resident  of  New  Columbus,  is  a  native  of 
Huntington  township,  and  was  born  March  10th,  1810.  His  grandfather, 
Thomas  Dodson,  was  the  one  who  went  after  and  brought  home  Miss 
Abigail  Dodson,  who  was  captured  by  the  Indians  on  the  Lehigh  river 
April  25th,  1780.  Mr.  Dodson's  parents  were  early  settlers  on  Pine 
creek. 

S.  H.  Dodson  was  born  in  Huntington,  June  8th,  1818.  His  wife  was 
Lydia,  daughter  of  Robert  Davenport,  of  Plymouth,  Pa.  Mr.  Dodson  is 
a  farmer. 

Ira  Doty  is  a  farmer,  residing  at  Town  Hill.  He  was  born  in  Pitts- 
ton,  Pa.,  January  22nd,  1842.  His  wife  was  Susan  C.  Ehinard,  of  Center 
township,  Columbia  county.  Pa.  His  parents  were  early  settlers  in  that 
county. 


<^ 


2g&A 


It  p\  J 


2')ZB 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


William  S.  Downing,  farmer  and  formerly  a  lumberman,  wan  born 
at  Lowreytown,  Luzerne  county,  December  4tli,  1836,  and  married  Miss 
Mary  Markle,  of  Town  Hill,  this  county.  He  enlisted  in  Company  I 
143d  Pa.  volunteere,  August  12th,  1863,  and  was  discharged  June  23d,  1864, 
on  account  of  wounds  received  in  action. 

C.  B.  Ddrland,  farmer,  carpenter  and  builder  at  Sweet  Valley,  was 
born  April  21st,  1838,  in  North  Moreland,  Wyoming  county.  His  wife 
was  formerly  Sarah  C.  Furgerson,  of  Jackson,  Pa.  In  February,  1880, 
Mr.  Durland  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  for  five  years. 

LUTHEE  Dymond  is  a  licensed  exhorter  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
has  been  a  school  director  of  Franklin  township.  He  was  born  in  1882, 
and  married  in  1844  to  Rebecca  Snell;  he  has  eight  children. 

J.  H.  Edson,  a  farmer  and  wheelwright  at  Town  Hill,  was  born  at  that 
place,  August  24th,  1845,  and  married  Mary  E.  Harrison,  of  Town  Hill. 
HeservedinCompanyF  149th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  from  August 
16th,  1862,  to  the  close  of  the  civil  war. 

William  A.  Franklin  was  born  at  Huntington  Mills,  September 
14th,  1836,  and  married  Miss  A.  E.  McDaniels,  of  Sussex  county,  N.  J. 
He  is  the  father  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters.  He  was  born  in  the 
house  built  by  his  grandfather,  Samuel  Fi-anklin,  and  occupied  by  his 
father,  William  Franklin,  till  the  latter  died  in  June,  1829.  Mr.  Frank- 
lin is  a  farmer  and  a  teacher. 

JAMES  Garrahan.  a  native  of  Plymouth,  Pa.,  was  born  December 
26th,  1828.  and  married  in  December,  1852,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Pringle,  of 
Plymouth,  Pa.  He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  of  Dallas  since  1870, 
and  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  and  lumber  business  at  that  place. 

Franklin  Gat,  of  Franklin  township,  son  of  William  and  Nancy 
Gay,  was  bom  in  1843,  married  in  1868,  and  has  three  children.  He  has 
been  an  inspector  of  election ;  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 

George  Gearhart  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  having  been  born  in 
Lebanon,  Hunterdon  county,  February  19th,  1792.  He  married  Rebecca 
McPherson,  of  Mount  Bethel,  Northampton  county.  Pa.,  who  was  born 
April  10th,  1795.  He  served  three  months  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  settled 
here  in  1828.  He  was  a  farmer  and  weaver,  but  retired  from  business 
some  time  before  his  death,  which  occurred  Mach  3nd,  1851. 

J.  H.  Gerhard  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  December  23d,  1849, 
and  was  married  March  20th,  1876,  to  Delia  Burgen,  of  Schuylkill,  Pa. 
Their  children  are  Bessie  E.,  born  January  3d,  1877,  and  Katie  M.,  March 
32nd,  1878.    Mr.  Gerhard  is  a  dealer  in  tin  and  hardware  at  Dallas. 

Charles  Good,  farmer,  residing  at  Waterton,  is  a  native  of  Plains- 
vllle,Pa.,  and  was  born  July  10th,  1833.  He  married  Miss  C.  A.  Daven- 
port, of  Town  Line.  His  father,  Jacob  Good,  located  here  in  1836,  on 
the  Fellows  farm,  where  he  still  resides,  aged  eighty-eight.  He  was  in 
the  war  of  1812,  and  is  one  of  the  te,-<n  surviving  pensioners  of  the  war. 

Nathaniel  Goss  is  a  native  of  Huntington.  He  was  born  March 
39th,  1817,  and  married  Mrs.  H.  G.  Barrett,  also  of  Huntington.  He  was 
formerly  a  miller,  but  is  now  farming.  His  ancestors  were  eastern 
people,  who  settled  under  the  Connecticut  claim. 

John  Miner  Goss  wu5  formerly  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  but  is  now 
engaged  In  farming.  He  is  a  native  of  Huntington  township,  and  was 
bom  September  27th,  1813.  Mrs.  Goss,  formerly  Miss  Mary  Love,  was 
horn  in  Huntington,  November  17th,  1809. 

Richard  Gwvnn  Goss  was  born  in  Fairmount,  ^September  23d,  1847. 
His  wife  was  Caroline  Clemtop,  also  of  Fairmount.  Mr.  Goss  is  a 
farmer.     He  has  been  postmaster  and  assessor. 

Charles  H.  Hall  is  a  native  of  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  and  was  born 
April  39th,  1846.  He  enlisted  in  Company  B  0th  Pa.  civalry,  io  1861,  and 
served  three  years  as  bugler.  He  was  married  July  7th,  1807,  to  Miss 
Nettie  A.  Stevens,  of  Nicholson,  Pa.  He  located  in  Dallas  In  1879,  where 
he  is  engaged  in  the  drug  business,  and  is  also  postmaster. 

J.  D.  Harrison,  farmer,  was  bom  in  Huntington  township,  on  the 
20th  of  April,  1814,  arid  married  Nancy  A.  Gearhart,  of  Fairmount,  who 
was  born  July  11th,  1817. 

Colonel  A.  N.  Harvey  is  a  merchant,  miller,  farmer  and  stock  raiser 
at  Harvey  ville,  and  has  been  postmaster  atthat  place  since  1849.  He  was 
born  at  Harveyville,  April  4th,  1837.  His  wife  was  Miss  Sarah  M.  Ci'awford, 
of  Williamsport,  Pa.  Colonel  Harvey  was  commissioned  by  Governor 
Bigler. 

Cyrus  A.  Hazlett,  who  is  now  farming,  was  at  one  time  a  cabinet 
maker  and  undertaker  at  Ross,  and  for  five  years  a  contractor  of  cai- 
penter  work  at  Ashley.  As  a  member  of  Company  B  199th  Pa.  volun- 
teers he  enlisted  August  33d,  1864;  was  wounded  at  Fort  Gregg  April 
3nd,  1865,  and  was  discharged  June  33d,  1835.    He  was  born  in  Mansfield 


Warren  county,  N.  J.,  February  4th,  1849,  and  married  Huldah  Sutllfl, 
of  Fairmount. 

Charles  D.  Henderson  was  born  in  Brier  Creek  township.  Pa.,  No- 
vember 3d,  1846,  and  is  now  engaged  in  farming  in  Dallas  borough.  He 
was  deputy  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county  from  1872  to  1787. 

Amos  B.  Hess,  of  Harveyville,  is  a  farmer  and  market  gardener.  He 
was  born  in  Sugarloaf,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  November  5th,  1845,  and 
was  married  September  20th,  1869,  to  Martha  A.  Hess,  of  Huntington, 
who  was  born  April  6th,  1851.  Mr.  Hess  was  a  private  in  Company  K 
17l8t  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  also  in  Company  D  of  the  58th  during  the 
war  of  1861-65. 

M.  E.  Hess,  a  resident  of  Pine  Creek  and  native  of  Sugarloaf  town- 
ship, Columbia  county.  Pa.,  was  born  October  10th,  1833,  and  married 
Harriet  C.  Golder,  of  the  same  township.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the 
milling  business  in  Huntington  since  December  13th,  1856.  His  great 
grandfather,  William  Hess,  settled  in  Sugarloaf  in  1787. 

William  J.  Honeywell  was  born  in  Dallas,  Pa.,  in  1834,  and  in  1847 
married  Miss  Sarah  Perry,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  is  extensively  engaged 
in  lumbering  and  farming. 

Stephen  Horn  is  a  mechanic  and  painter.  He  enlisted  in  Company 
E  96th  Pennsylvania  volunteers;  was  wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  and 
taken  prisoner,  and  was  two  and  a  half  months  in  Libby  and  Belle  Isle 
prisons.  He  was  born  in  Homtown,  Pa.,  February  11th,  1835.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Bmeline  Andreas,  of  Butler  Valley,  Pa. 

Amos  Howard,  fai-mer  and  hotel  keeper  at  Huntington  Mills,  was 
bom  June  6th,  1838,  in  Maine,  Broome  county,  N.  T.  Mrs.  Howard 
was  Miss  Carrie  M.  Councilman,  of  Maine,  N.  T.  Mr.  Howard  enlisted  in 
Company  E  50th  N.  T.  engineers  September  3d,  1861,  and  was  commis- 
sioned lieutenant  of  the  company  December  30th,  1864 ;  he  was  dis- 
charged July  3d,  1865. 

R.  B.  Huff  is  a  farmer  residing  at  Town  Hill,  where  he  was  bora 
April  19th,  1856.  His  wife  was  Lizzie  Newton,  daughter  of  T.  D.  New- 
ton, of  Town  Hill.    His  parents  were  early  settlers  in  Hanover. 

G.  W.  Hdff,  also  a  farmer  at  Town  Hill,  is  a  native  of  Sullivan 
county,  N.  T.,  and  was  born  November  30th,  1830.  He  married  Miss  M. 
F.  Myers,  of  Huntington.  He  has  been  poormaster  of  the  township, 
and  a  merchant  at  Town  Hill. 

Edwin  F.  Kamerly,  a  practicing  physician  and  druggist  at  Town 
Hill,  is  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  was  born  August  10th,  1838. 
Mrs.  Kamerly  was  Ella  B.  Campbell,  daughter  of  William  Campbell,  of 
Philadelphia.  Dr.  Kamerly  graduated  from  Jefferson  Medical  College 
in  1881,  and  located  at  Town  Hill  in  1867.  His  children  are  Kate  B.,  Ed- 
win F.,  Mary  P.  and  James  C. 

J.  W.  Kinosburry  is  a  farmer  and  resides  at  Dodson's  Chapel,  near 
where  he  was  born,  March  11th,  1840.  He  married  Miss  E.  M.  Sutlift,  of 
Huntington.  His  grafldfather  located  here  soon  after  the  Revolutionary 
war,  and  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  80  years. 

Nathan  Kleintou,  who  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  1875  and 
1880,  is  a  native  of  Salem  township,  and  was  born  August  19th,  1829.  He 
was  principal  musician  of  Company  F  7th  regiment  Pennsylvania  re- 
serve corps  three  years  from  June,  1861.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Swank, 
of  Mifllinville,  Columbia  county,  who  died  February  10th,  1876. 

F.  A.  B.  Koons,  merchant,  farmer  and  paper  manufacturer  at  Hunt- 
ington Mills,  was  born  in  Hxmtington  township,  April  7th,  1831.  His 
wife  wiis  Miss  Helen  M.  Larned,  of  Exeter.  Mr.  Koons  has  filled  differ- 
ent civil  offices.  He  enlisted  November  8th,  ISOl,  and  was  taken  pris- 
oner at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  and  confined  in  Libby  prison.  He 
was  subsequently  commissioned  captain  in  the  56th  Pennsylvania. 

J.  R.  Koons,  of  Huntington  Mills,  was  born  in  New  Columbus,  Pa., 
July  32nd,  1838,  and  is  apaper  manufacturer.  He  married  Miss  C.  C.  Cort- 
right,  of  Foundryville,  Pa.  He  enlisted  in  Company  F,7th  Pennsylvania 
cavalry,  June  24th,  1801,  and  served  throe  years  and  nine  months.  He 
was  a  prisoner  seven  months  in  Libby,  Florence  and  Andersonville. 

T.  M.  Landon,  millwright,  was  born  in  1833,  in  Delaware  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  in  1863  was  married  to  Mary  E.Washburn,  of  the  same  county. 
He  was  formerly  engaged  in  blaeksmithing. 

Martin  Lawler,  farmer,  was  born  at  Jeffersonville,  Sullivan  county, 
N-  Y.,  October  5th,  16.53.    Ho  is  carrying  on  a  tannery  at  Kunkle. 

Samuel  Letteer,  farmer,  was  born  December  IBth,  1834,  and  is  a 
native  of  Ransom  township,  Lackawanna  county.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Harrison,  of  Fairmount.  From  September  1st,  1861,  he  served  as  a 
member  of  Company  H  198th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  till  June.  1865, 
and  was  wounded  at  Five  Forks. 


«^^= 


^> 


i^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


298  C 


F.  M.  LoCKARD,  a  Dative  and  resident  of  New  Columbus,  was  born 
March  Zist,  1845,  and  married  Sarah  E.  Heath,  of  Jackson,  Columbia 
county.  Pa.  Mr.  Lockard  is  a  carpenter.  He  enlisted  In  Company  1 143d 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  August  12th,  1862,  He  "vras  wounded  in  ihe 
battle  of  the  Wilderness  May  Bth,  1864,  and  discharged  June  12th,  1865. 

George  F.  Long  was  born  in  Fairmouut  township,  November  20th, 
1826,  and  married  Minerva  Kyle,  of  Long  Pond,  Columbia  county.  He 
isa  farmer  and  bis  post-office  is  Bloomingdale. 

J.  W.  LOHQ,  who  is  engaged  in  farming,  was  born  on  the  5th  of  April, 
1833,  in  Falrmount.  Mrs.  Long  was  Miss  Ardamanda  Myers,  of  Hunting- 
ton. 

Peter  Melick,  a  farmer  and  tanner,  was  born  in  Huntington,  May 
27th,  1838.  He  enlisted  in  Company  F  149th  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
August  18th,  1862,  and  was  discharged  in  June,  1865.  His  wife  was 
Margaret  Wilcox,  daughter  of  Samuel  Wilcox. 

G.  F.  Moore  resides  at  Town  Hill,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  was  bom 
in  Sugarloaf,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  March  22nd,  1851.  February 
8th,  1874,  he  married  Lottie  S.  Wadsworth,  of  Town  Hill,  who  died 
January  1st,  1879,  leaving  two  boys,  Edwin  Ernest  and  Leroy  Putnam. 

John  Moss,  fai-mer,  Bloomingdale,  was  born  in  this  township,  Sep- 
tember 19th,  1820.  His  wife,  formerly  Eliza  Long,  who  is  also  a  native  of 
Boss,  was  born  June  5th,  1814. 

George  W.  Munson,  an  ordained  local  deacon  of  the  Methodist 
church,  was  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides  in  Franklin  town- 
ship, in  1817.  He  married  Sallie  A.  Lewis  in  1859,  and  has  one  child.  He 
has  held  numerous  township  offices. 

Benjamin  NtrLTON  was  born  in  Franklin,  July  21st,  1821,  and  was 
married  December  17th,  1848,  to  Alvira  Holcomb,  of  Kingston,  Pa.  He 
owns  and  occupies  one  of  the  first  settled  farms  in  Franklin  township. 

Thomas  Ogden  was  born  March  17th,  1814,  in  Mount  Pleasant  town- 
ship, Columbia  county,  and  in  1839  married  Letitia  McCarty,  of  Madison 
township,  Columbia  county,  who  was  born  September  4th,  1816.  He  has 
been  justice  of  the  peace  since  1865  and  held  all  the  other  township  offices 
except  that  of  constable.    He  is  a  farmer. 

George  W.  Osborn  is  engaged  in  the  harness  business  at  New  Colum- 
bus. He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  January  17th,  18,51.  His  wife 
was  Emma  J.  Smith,  of  Conyngham,  Pa.  Mr.  Osborn  is  sergeant  of 
Company  H  9th  regiment  N.  G.  P.,  and  a  member  of  the  common  coun- 
cil of  New  Columbus. 

John  L.  Pealer  (formerly  spelled  Bealer),  a  resident  of  the  village  of 
Cambi-a,  was  born  at  Fishing  Creek,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  May  27th, 
1840,  and  married  Mary  B.  Carey  July  18th,  1867.  She  was  a  daOghter  of 
J.  L.  Carey,  of  Cambra.  Their  children  are  John  L.,  Maud  and  Balph 
B.  Mr.  Pealer  is  a  cabinet  maker  and  undertaker  at  Cambra,  with  J.  L. 
Carey. 

J.  M.  Patten  was  born  in  Huntington  township,  September  8th,  1819, 
and  in  1841  married  S.  M.  Shalfer,  of  Fairmount.    He  is  a  farmer. 

Andrew  Race  was  born  in  Kingston,  Pa.,  in  1819,  and  in  1840  was  mar- 
ried to  Kate  Pierce,  of  Plymouth,  Pa.  He  is  the  genial  and  popular  pro- 
prietor of  the  only  hotel  in  Dallas  borough. 

Captain  Jacob  Bice  was  born  in  Kingston  township,  June  16th,  1817, 
and  in  the  following  year  removed  with  his  parents  to  Dallas,  where  he 
has  since  resided.    He  has  long  been  engaged  in  lumbering  and  farming. 

W.  T.  EiDALL,  one  of  the  enterprising  farmers  of  Huntington,  was 
born  in  that  township,  June  26th,  1844,  and  married  Miss  Sarah  M. 
Thomas,  also  of  Huntington.  He  enlisted  in  Company  I  2nd  Pennsyl- 
vania artillery  in  1863,  and  was  discharged  October  18th,  1865. 

John  Robinson,  born  in  Salem  township,  November  2nd,  1837,  mar- 
ried Sally  C.  Buckalew,  of  Faii-mount.  He  belonged  to  Company  F  7th 
Pennsylvania  reserve  corps  for  three  years  from  June  13th,  1861,  serv- 
ing in  all  the  ranks  from  private  to  captain. 

H  P  Robinson,  teacher,  surveyor  and  insurance  broker  at  Fairmount 
Springs,was  born  in  Fairmount  township,October  17th,1849,  and  man-ied 
Jessie  Smith,  also  of  Fairmount  Springs. 

C.  W.  EuQGLBS,  merchant,  was  born  February  21st,  1849,  in  Boss 
township,  where  he  married  Rosa  H.  Rood. 

Abbam  Btman  was  born  in  DaUas,  August  31st,  1817.  He  was  married 
September  16th,  1842,  to  Miss  Jemima  Kunkle.  In  1850  he  engaged  m 
trade  and  farming,  which  he  followed  until  his  death,  December  17th, 
1873.  His  sons  continue  the  business,  under  the  firm  name  of  A.  Byman 
&Sons,  at  Dallas.  Theodore  F.  was  born  August  23d,  1845,  and  married 
in  1874  to  Miss  E.  M.  Barnes,  of  Mehoopany,  Pa.    William  P.  was  born 


November  5th,  1849  and  married  in  1879  to  Miss  C.  M.  Eaoe,  of  Freeport, 
111.  John  J.  was  born  April  3d,  1853,  and  married  in  1875  to  Miss  M.  C. 
Atwater,  of  Providence,  Pa. 

D.  P.  Shupp  (a  farmer,  formerly  a  lumberman)  was  born  in  Monroe 
county,  November  18th,  1836.  He  married  Lydia  A.  Snyder,  of  Lake 
township. 

Fred.  K.  Sbelet,  carpenter  at  Fairmount  Springs,  is  a  native  of 
Salem  township,  and  was  born  August  8th,  1828.  His  wife  was  EmeUne 
H.  Fritz,  of  Fairmount.  Mr.  Seeley  has  been  elected  justice  of  the 
peace,  auditor  and  school  director. 

Z.  D.  Smith  was  born  in  Dallas,  March  7th,  1857.  In  1879  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  L.  Maria  Frantz,  of  Dallas.  Mr.  Sinith  is  engaged  in  farming. 

Calvin  A.  Spencer,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  bom  in  Dun- 
more,  Pa.,  in  1841.  His  wife,  Ida  E.  Campbell,  is  a  native  of  Abington, 
Pa.    Dr.  Spencer  served  one  year  in  the  171st  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

John  W.  Stevens  is  a  farmer  residing  near  Town  Hill,  where  he  was 
bom  February  16th,  1834.  His  wife,  formerly  Julia  Kile,  was  from  Sul- 
livan county.  Pa.  Mr.  Stevens  has  served  his  township  as  school  direct- 
or and  town  auditor.  His  father,  Thomas  A.Stevens,  located  in  Hun- 
tington in  1789,  and  cleared  up  the  farm  where  he  lived  till  1871,  when  he 
died. 

Z.  S.  Stevens,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in  Cambra,  Pa.,  June 
2l8t,  1835,  and  married  Han-iet  Ann  Seward,  who  wasbornJanuary  10th, 
1835,  In  Fairmount.  Mr.  Stevens's  ancestors  were  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Huntington.  He  was  a  private  in  Company  A  178th  Pennsylva- 
nia volunteers,  and  has  held  several  important  civil  offices. 

A.  A.  Stevens,  farmer,  a  native  and  resident  of  New  Columbus,  was 
bom  May  31st,  1843,  and  married  Miss  Celia  M.  Creveling,  of  New  Colum- 
bus. Their  children  are  Walter  L.,  Dora  C,  Alfred  B.  and  Benjamin  S. 
The  grandfather  of  Mr.  Stevens  was  an  early  settler  at  Town  Hill. 

Barney  Stroud  was  born  in  Middle  Smithfield,  November  30th,  1825. 
He  was  married  February  17th,  1853,  to  Bebecca  S.  Louder,  of  Dushore, 
Pa.,  who  was  bom  February  13th,  1830.  Mr.  Stroud  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace  from  1805  to  1870.    He  is  a  farmer  of  Dallas. 

J.  M.  SUTLIFF  is  a  farmer.  He  served  during  the  last  nine '  months  of 
the  Rebellion  as  a  member  of  Company  B  199th  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers, enlisting  August  23d,  1804.  He  was  born  in  Fairmount  township, 
December  18th,  1844,  and  married  Fanny  Kester,  of  Boss. 

B.  B.  Swayze,  a  resident  of  New  Columbus,  was  bom  in  Hope,  N.  J., 
August  5th,  1809.  He  is  now  engag:ed  in  the  mercantile  business  at  New 
Columbus  and  Mahanoy  City.  His  wife  was  Miss  Sarah  MoMurtrie,  of 
Hope,  N.  J. 

Edward  Traxler  is  a  laborer,  residing  at  Town  Hill,  and  was  born 
there,  September  20th,  1828.  He  served  in  Company  1 143d  Pennsylvania 
volunteers  and  in  the  58th  company  2nd  battalion  veteran  reserve  corps 
during  the  war. 

Luther  (son  of  Solon  and  Margaret)  Trescott  was  born  in  Litchfield 
county.  Conn.,  April  29th,  1787,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Hunting- 
ton March  1st,  1793,  whore  he  lived  a  useful,  respected  citizen,  and  died 
February  1st,  1871.  He  was  a  carpenter,  architect  and  bridge  builder. 
He  was  an  exemplary  member  of  the  M.  E.  church  more  than  fifty 
years.  He  and  his  wife,  Eleanor  Parlts,  were  the  parents  of  four  sons 
and  four  daughters. 

Edmund  Tubes  was  born  in  Fairmount  township,  on  the  23d  of  No- 
vember, 1822.  Cassandana  Emory,  of  Huntington,  who  became  his  wife 
in  October,  1846,  was  born  July  6th,  1838.  Mr.  Tubbs  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany H  of  the  198th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  September  1st,  1864,  and 
served  ten  months.  He  has  been  school  director  for  the  last  six  years. 
He  is  a  farmer. 

William  G.  Tybeman  is  a  farmer  and  bookkeeper,  residing  at  Town 
Hill.  He  is  a  native  of  Salem,  this  county;  was  bom  October  5th,  1812, 
and  married  Lucy  Stevens,  of  Huntington.  He  located  here  in  1829, 
with  50  cents  cash  and  a  few  "  duds  "  tied  up  in  a  handkerchief.  He 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  built  the  shops  now  occupied  by  the 
Bogart  Brothers.  He  also  built  the  houses  occupied  by  Messrs.  Wads- 
worth,  Stiles  and  Bogart,  the  store  of  G.  W.  HufE  and  the  house  where 
he  himself  resides. 

W.  G.  Tyreman  is  a  farmer  and  resides  at  Town  Hill,  where  he  was 
born  April  16th,  1848.  His  wife,  formerly  Eliza  Snyder,  is  a  native  of  the 
same  place.  Their  children  are  Lee  and  Minnie.  Mr.  Tyremau's  father 
was  an  early  settler  in  this  township. 

P.  C.  Wadsworth,  who  holds  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace,  was 
bom  in  Huntington,  September  30th,  1824.  He  is  a  farmer  and  survey- 
or.   His  wife  v/as  Miss  Elizabeth  Thompson,  of  Berwick,  Pa. 


4,= 


-|< 


Hh 


=^N 


298  z» 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE    COUNTY. 


H.  D.  Watson  resides  at  Waterton,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  was  born  at 
this  place,  June  8tli,  1830.  Mrs.  Watson,  formerly  Susan  Pringle,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Plymouth,  Pa.  Mr.  Watson  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  in 
1875  for  five  years.  He  is  the  mail  carrier  between  Shiokshinny  and 
Waterton.  He  has  held  many  of  the  township  offices.  His  children  are 
Franlc  I.  and  Bertha  M.    His  erandfather  was  an  early  settler. 

William  Werkhiseh,  a  resident  of  Huntington  Mills,  was  bom  in 
Monroe  county,  Pa.,  April  30th,  1831.  His  wife  was  Miss  Eebecca  E. 
Sanders,  of  Plainsville,  Pa.,  who  was  born  March  Sflth,  1834.  Mr.  Werk- 
hiser  is  a  merchant  miller.  His  parents  came  from  Germany,  and  were 
early  settlers  of  Monroe  county. 

J.  B.  Westover,  of  Pine  Creek,  was  born  in  Wyoming,  Pa.,  August 
10th,  1835.  His  wife,  now  deceased,  was  a  Miss  Blish,.of  Fairmount. 
Mr.  Westover  is  a  farmer.  He  enlisted  in  Company  F  7th  Pa.  volunteers 
June  13th,  1861,  was  appointed  sergeant,  and  was  discharged  October 
80th,  1862.  He  was  wounded  Juno  87th,  1863,  at  Gaines  Mill.  His  grand- 
father settled  on  Pine  Creek  in  1800. 

Samuel  Wilcox,  a  farmer,  Waterton,  was  born  in  Plains  township. 


August  3l6t,  1801.  His  first  wife  was  Hannah  Bailey,  of  Plains,  who  died 
in  Wilkes-Barre  in  1850.  July  3d,  1853,  he  married  Ellen  liilmer,  of 
Plains.  He  formerly  operated  the  Wilcox  mine  at  Plains.  His  father, 
CrandaU  Wilcox,  located  in  Plains  in  1775.  Mr.  Wilcox  is  a  prominent 
member  and  liberal  supporter  of  the  M.  E.  church. 

Jonathan  Williams  was  bom  in  PeekskiU,  N.  T.,  June  3ith,  1806, 
and  married  Nancy  A.  Mann,  of  Dallas  township.  Mr.  Williams,  who  is 
now  engaged  in  farming,  was  formerly  a  carpenter.  He  has  been  super- 
visor, Justice  of  the  peace  and  town  clerk. 

John  B.  Winters,  postmaster  at  Orange,  Franklin  township,  was  born 
in  1835,  and  married,  in  1877,  Hannah  C.  Ide.  He  has  been  town  treasu- 
rer ;  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Clark  Wolfe  was  bora  June  6th,  1816,  in  Union  township.  He  mar- 
ried Althea  Goss,  of  Huntington.    He  is  engaged  in  farming. 

The  following  citizens  of  the  townships  and  boroughs  here  repre- 
sented also  contributed  their  support  to  this  publication.  C.  T. 
Bamum,  D.  L.  Chapin,  D.  O.  Culver,  Thomas  Oysten  and  F.  K.  Seeley. 


4 


^^  7^ 


if 


VILLAGES  IN  HUNTINGTON  TOWNSHIP— NEW  COLUMBUS  BOROUGH. 


299 


Boring  for  Salt  and  Petroleum. 

In  1825  the  Huntington  Salt  and  Iron  Manufacturing 
Company  was  organized,  with  a  capital  of  $[o,ooo,  in 
shares  of  $25.  The  salt  boring  was  commenced  on  Pine 
creek,  two  miles  east  of  Carabra,  near  a  large  natural 
deer  lick.  At  a  depth  of  480  feet  the  boring  rod  broke 
and  the  enterprise  was  abandoned. 

In  1865  the  "Green  Creek  Petroleum  Company"  was 
organized,  and  work  resumed  in  the  old  bore  with  a  view 
to  striking  oil.  Several  efforts  have  been  made  here, 
and  in  this  vicinity,  with  the  hope  of  striking,  salt,  oil  or 
iron,  but  with  no  paying  results. 

Hamlets  in  the  Township. 

Cambra  was  atone  time  a  central  point  of  trade  for 
this  section.  There  are  here  at  present  two  stores,  kept 
by  James  McHenry  and  William  Belles,  a  hotel  by  M.  H. 
Daily,  a  blacksmith  shop  by  Alfred  McHenry,  a  church, 
a  school-house  and  a  wagon  and  sleigh  shop. 

At  Pine  creek  settlement,  locally  known  as  Hess's 
Mills,  there  is  1  good  water  power,  by  which  M.  E. 
Hess  operates  a  grist-mill  and  saw-mill  owned  by  him. 
There  are  also  at  this  place  a  church  (Methodist  Protest- 
ant), a  school-house,  the  store  and  shoe  shop  of  A.  H. 
Wolfe,  the  carriage  and  sleigh  factory  of  J.  W.  Brittain, 
the  blacksmith  shop  of  D.  H.  Bogart,  and  a  tub  factory 
owned  and  operated  by  J.  Van  Home,  and  J.  Brittain  is 
a  dealer  in  agricultural  implements.  ' 

At  Harveyville  there  are  at  present  a  church  (Method- 
ist Episcopal),  a  grist-mill,  a  saw  mill,  a  school-house 
and  a  store  and  post-office. 

Huntington  Mills  is  the  chief  business  ])lace  of  the 
township.  It  was  settled  in  1775  by  Henry  Marks.  It 
has  a  church  (Methodist  Episcopal),  an  academy,  a  store 
kept  by  F.  A.  B.  Koons,  a  hotel  by  Amos  Howard,  on  the 
old  Marks  place,  two  blacksmith  shops  by  William  Wilson 
&  Sons  and  William  B.  Fritz,  a  cabinet  shop  and  grain 
cradle  factory  by  C.  H.  Gramps,  a  boot  and  shoe  shop  by 
Frank  Belles  and  the  grist  and  carding  mills  of  William 
Werkhiser.  The  Huntington  paper-mills,  a  little  farther 
up  the  stream,  are  owned  and  operated  by  F.  A.  B., 
M.  L.  and  J.  R.  Koons.  They  commenced  the  manu- 
facture of  paper  in  1867.  The  building  was  formerly  a 
grist-mill,  and  converted  by  them  into  apaper-mill,  where 
they  now  manufacture  3,500  pounds  every  24  hours. 

Town  Hill  was  settled  in  1794  by  Epenetus  Wads- 
worth.  The  place  has  a  church  (Methodist  Episcopal), 
the  store  of  George  W.  Huff,  two  physicians,  Charles 
Huff  and  E.  F.  Kamerly,  the  steam  tannery  of  J.  C. 
Harman,  the  blacksmith  shop  of  A.  B.  Bogart,  the  wagon 
and  sleigh  shop  of  W.  F.  Bogart,  and  the  harness  shop  of 
E.  L.  Moore. 


NEW  COLUMBUS  BOROUGH. 


,  HE    borough    of    New  Columbus  was  formed 
from    part    of    Huntington    township,    April 
nth,  1859.     Justices  of  the  peace  for  the 
^^     borough  have  been  elected  as  follows:   Em- 
'^r'y  Ink,  i860;   Dyer  L.  Chapin,  1864,  1869,  1874; 
John   Koons,  1866,   187 1;  Edmund  Carey,   1876; 
John  Yaple,  1879. 
There  are  in  the  borough   two   churches,   Methodist 


Episcopal,  and  Baptist;  one  hotel,  the  old  academy,  two 
general  dry  goods  and  grocery  stores,  kept  by  C.  M. 
Swazey  &  Co.  and  D.  L.  Chapin;  one  boot  and  shoe 
shop,  by  W.  Heddon;  two  blacksmith  shops,  by  David 
Bogart  and  T.  F.  Long;  and  one  harness  shop,  by  George 
W.  Osborn.  C.  M.  Swazey  is  the  present  postmaster. 
The  population  is  267. 

Integrity  Lodge  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  No,  234,  was  moved 
from  Harveyville  to  New  Columbus  in  1867,  where  it 
meets  in  the  hall  weekly. 

Early  Settlers  and  Improvements. 

A  family  named  Boston  was  probably  the  first  to  clear 
up  a  farm  and  put  up  buildings,  and  John  Boston  lived 
here  many  year?,  dying  when  almost  a  century  old. 
—  John  Koons  was  married  to  Anna  A.  Fellows  June 
2ist,  1819,  and  soon  after  commenced  to  clear  up  the 
wilderness  on  the  site  of  the  village.  Other  neighbors 
soon  after  commenced  clearing  off  the  luxuriant  growth 
of  timber,  and  a  few  years  sufficed  for  the  dense  forests 
to  disappear. 

Elias  Dodson  bought  a  large  tract  near  the  creek, 
where  he  built  saw-mills  and  a  small  mill  for  flour  and 
feed.  In  1834  he  and  Eliphalet  Edson  built  a  larger 
grist-mill,  which  cost  them  near  $5,000.  After  the  death 
of  Elias  Dodson  the  mill,  with  part  of  the  farm,  was 
bought  by  Frederick  Hartman;  but  the  old  family  home- 
stead is  still  retained  by  his  son,  Thomas  L.,  and  his 
daughter,  Mabel  Dodson.  Other  heirs  also  possess  part 
of  the  old  farm. 

Samuel  Culver  cleared  up  a  good  farm  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  borough,  now  owned  by  G.  W.  Bow- 
man. Fletcher  Bowman  long  possessed  a  large  farm 
between  Culver's  and  the  village,  with  excellent  buildings, 
orchards,  etc.  The  Dodson  mills  are  now  owned  by 
Daniel  Edgar  and  C.  P.  Fulmer.  There  are  two  saw- 
mills in  the  borough,  owned  by  G.  W.  Bowman  and  Ed- 
mond  Carey. 

Churches  and  Schools. 

A  union  church  was  built  soon  after  1830;  it  is  still 
used  by  different  denominations. 

Elias  Dodson  was  an  active  and  useful  Baptist  preacher, 
of  the  order  known  as  Disciples.  His  efforts,  seconded 
by  John  Koons  and  others,  succeeded  in  erecting  the 
church  which  still  stands  as  a  testimonial  of  their  philan- 
thropy and  zeal  for  the  public  good.  In  1857  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  society  built  its  present  church  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  borough. 

In  1856  anew  academy  was  opened,  which  has  flourish- 
ed until  the  present  time.  The  first  trustees  were  John 
Koons,  James  Tubbs,  D.  L.  Chapin,  Sydney  H.  Warner, 
M.  D.,  N.  D.  Stiles,  B.  M.  Stevens,  John  Yaple  and 
Freese  Brown.  The  school  has  been  taught  by  the  fol- 
lowing named  gentlemen  as  principals:  James  Anderson, 
H.  D.  Walker,  A.  J.  Furman,  Prof.  Bingham,  P.  M. 
Bickley,  J.  L.  Killgore,  Thomas  Farquar,  M.  C.  Brittain, 
James  Coughlin  and  the  present  principal.  Prof.  Denis 
O'Coughlin.     The    academy    is   a    good    school    for   the 


-=h 


3°° 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


study  of  classical  and  scientific  branches,  and  for  busi- 
ness education.  There  is  also  a  good  public  school,  sup- 
ported by  taxation. 

Volunteers  of  1861-65. 

A  spirit  of  patriotism  was  inherited  and  cultivated  in 
most  of  the  descendants  of  the  Revolutionary  patriots, 
and  when  the  call  for  help  to  save  our  free  institutions 
from  anarchy  and  overthrow  was  sounded  from  our 
nation's  ca[)ital  in  1861,  this  village  was  not  found  lack- 
ing in  bravery  and  devotion  to  our  cherished  institutions. 
A  response  of  personal  sacrifice  was  offered  by  Fletcher 
Bowman,  Benjamin  Harvey  Bowman,  Joseph  Bogart, 
Bateman  Carey,  Silas,  Wesley  and  Edward  Cavenagh, 
Alfred  and  Alonzo  Drake,  Myron  Fellows,  Miner  Hoover, 
Livingston  and  Redmond  Koons,  John  Miller,  Wesley 
riatt,  Fletcher  B.  Wilson  and  Fletcher  D.  Yaple. 


JACKSON   TOWNSHIP. 


,HIS  township,  named  in  honor  of  General 
Jackson,  was  set  off  from  Plymouth  in  1844. 
It  has  a  population  of  660. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  by  Palmer 
Ransom  in  1795.  During  this  and  the  following 
ear  Samuel  Allen,  David  Allen,  Jesse  Brown, 
William  Baker,  Jared  R.  Baldwin,  Jude  Baldwin, 
Asahel  Drake,  Rufus  Drake,  Jehial  Fuller,  Thomas  Lam- 
oreux,  John  Lamoreux,  Edon  Ruggles,  Joseph  Reynolds 
and  Matthias  Van  Loon  settled  in  Jackson  township. 
They  were  followed  by  Griffin  Lewis  in  1800;  Thomas 
Case,  Joseph  Reynolds  and  Levi  Bronson  in  1804,  and 
Anson  Carskadden  about  1806,  Jared  R.  Baldwin  in 
1819  and  Joseph  Howard  in  182 1.  The  first  settler  in 
the  western  part  of  the  township  was  Henry  Cease,  who 
settled  on  Harvey's  creek  in  1830. 

The  first  frame  house  was  built  by  the  Fullers  at 
Huntsville,  and  is  owned  by  Dr.  J.  J.  Rogers.  The  next 
oldest  is  now  owned  by  Ziegler  &  Wilcox,  at  Huntsville. 
Griffin  Lewis  built  a  frame  bouse  about  1800. 

Philetus  Fuller,  who  was  killed  by  a  falling  tree  in 
1796,  was  the  first  person  buried  in  Jackson  township, 
He  was  buried  in  the  woods  east  of  Huntsville,  where 
the  cemetery  n,ov/  is. 

Jesse  Brown  was  the  first  carpenter.  The  first  black- 
smith was  Benjamin  Higgins.  Ira  Bronron  was  also  a 
blacksmith.  The  first  saw-mill  was  built  by  Asahel  cS; 
Rufus  Drake,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  M.  Nesbitt 
■  as  early  as  1795.  There  have  been  three  mills  on  this 
place,  but  they  are  all  gone.  Jared  and  Jude  Baldwin 
built  a  saw-mill  at  Huntsville  about  the  same  time,  and 
the  Fullers  one  near  the  Baldwin  mill  within  a  year  after 
that  was  built.  The  mill  of  Ziegler  &  Wilcox  stands 
on  the  site  of  the  Baldwin  mill,  which  was  burned. 
George  P.  Ransom  built  a  mill  in  1815.     This  becoming 


useless,  his  son  Chester  erected  the  present  mill  in  1840. 
John  Lamoreux  and  Daniel  Davenport  erected  a  saw- 
mill on  Bidlack's  creek  about  1823.  Henry  Cease  built 
a  mill  on  the  site  of  the  one  owned  by  Josiah  Cease,  on 
Harvey's  creek,  in  1830.  Sanford  Parsons  built  the 
mill  now  owned  by  Harvey  Fuller,  at  Huntsville,  about 
1847.  Jeremiah  Fuller  and  Truman  Atherton  added  a 
grist-mill  to  their  saw-mill  at  Huntsville  as  early  as  1805. 
Henry  Cease  built  the  Gregory  mill,  on  Harvey's  creek,  in 
1830.  Harvey  Fuller  rebuilt  his  saw-mill  at  Huntsville, 
and  added  a  grist-mill  in  1863.  The  mill  now  owned  by 
Ziegler  &  Wilcox  was  first  built  by  Truman  Atherton, 
Green  Atherton  and  Egbert  Bogardus.  This  is  a  saw 
and  gri.^t-mill,  with  one  water  power. 

Schools. 

The  first  school-house  was  a  log  building,  erected  as 
early  as  1800,  where  the  M.  E.  church  stands.  Another 
was  built  in  1829,  where  the  Van  Buren  school-house  now 
stands.  The  log  house  at  Huntsville  was  followed  by 
the  present  frame  structure,  built  by  the  inhabitants  as  a 
meeting  and  school-house.  Prior  to  1846  the  schools 
were  kept  up  by  private  subscription.  In  March,  1846, 
the  township  adopted  the  school  law,  and  elected  direct- 
ors, who  levied  a  tax  of  $65,  which  was  divided  amcng 
the  four  schools  of  the  town.  There  is  still  a  fund  in  this 
township  arising  from  the  sale  of  the  lands  set  apart  by 
the  proprietors  for  educational  purposes.  There  are  at 
present  five  schools  in  the  township,  with  one  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  pupils.  The  total  expense  for  1878  for  school 
purposes  was  1903.13. 

Huntsville  Post-Office. 

Prior  to  1879,  when  an  office  was  established  at  Cease's 
Mills,  with  Austin  Gregory  as  postmaster,  Huntsville  was 
the  only  office  in  the  township.  Truman  Atherton  was 
the  first  postmaster.  Mails  are  brought  from  Kingston 
twice  a  week.  The  postmaster  is  H.  M.  Hatfield.  The 
first  store  here  was  kept  by  Mr.  Hunt,  after  whom  the 
post-office  was  named.  He  was  followed  by  Obed  Bald- 
win, J.  I.  Bogardus  and  Sanford  Parsons  prior  to  1830. 
There  are  two  stores,  two  blacksmith  shops,  two  grist- 
mills, two  saw-mills  and  a  wagon  shop  here  now.  Dr.  J. 
J.  Rogers,  who  has  lived  here  thirty  years,  is  the  only 
physician  who  ever  located  in  Jackson. 

Township  Officers. 

The  township  records  have  been  well  kept,  especially 
by  J:  R.  Baldwin,  Esq.,  who  has  been  town  clerk  four- 
teen years.  The  officers  of  the  township  have  been  as 
follows: 

Siijjrri'i.siir.s.— M.  Brown,  18).');  .T.  Murphj',  1845;  Obea  Baldwin,  18«, 
18l).3;  Uonrad  Miller,  18-Hi,  1848;  Truman  Atherton,  1847;  Absalom  Case, 
1847,  1850, 1873;  Joseph  Wiloo.x,  1848;  C.  W.  Cease,  1849;  T.  Brown,  184(1; 
Peter  Cense,  1850,  1857;  Miles  Hall,  1850;  Oliver  Davenport,  1851;  Tra 
Mandeville,  1851,  1801;  Levi  Learn,  1853;  Wesley  Lamoreu.\;,  18.53,  1861, 
1873;  Alexander  Lamoveiix,  1853,  1800;  G.  W.  Benedict,  1854,  1857;  G.  W. 
Sohoflold,  1854;  Sidney  Bryant,  1855;  John  Covert,  1855;  Chester  Eauson, 
1850;  Green  Atherton,  1850;  M.  Allen,  1858, 18«i,  1805;  George  Cease,  1858, 
1804, 1865;  P.  N.  Foster,  1859;  J.  M.  Nesbitt,  1800;  Elias  Shaver,  1803;  Martin 
Myers,  1803;  John  Case,  1808;  Joseph  Sweitzer,  1803;  Abram  Frisbee,  1808, 


<^ 


=^h 


CHURCHES  IN  JACKSON  TOWNSHIP— PIONEERS  OF  JENKINS. 


301 


1889;  WiUiam  Booth,  1860, 1870, 1871;  C.  B.  Mandeville,  1867;  Jacob  Cease, 
1867;  W.  H.  Myers,  1868;  J.  O.  Snyder,  1808, 1869:  L.  S.  Simons,  1870, 1876; 
I.  H.  Hale,  1871,  1874;  E.  W.  Shaver,  1873,  1874;  Fletcher  Cease,  1873; 
George  Harllss,  1875,  1878;  M.  Brown,  1875, 1879;  Jacob  Gable,  1877;  M.  M. 
Lainoreux,  1879. 

Tomti  CIcrits.— C.  C.  Cnrtis,  1846,  1848;  M.  Brown.  1847;  J.  C.  Elston,  1849, 
1850;  J.  R.  Baldwin,  1831  to  1854,  and  ISOS  to  1870;  W.  Lomoreu.v,  1855, 
1858;  D.  McNiel,  1867;  Charles  Brown,  1859,  1804;  Philip  Cease,  1804, 1867; 
J.  J.  Rogers,  1877;  Josiah  Cease,  1879. 

JuxtiixK  (with  yeai-s  of  election). -Calvin  W.  Cea.se,  1845, 18.50, 18.56, 1861, 
1867;  Hiram  Drake,  1846;  Truman  Atherton,  1850;  William  M.  Houser, 
1853;  John  Elston,  1855;  P.  N.  Foster,  18.50;  J.  E.  Baldwin,  1806, 1873, 1877. 

ReLKJIOCS    M.-VITERS. 

The  early  religious  teachings  were  by  resident  Baptist 
preachers,  prominent  among  whom  were  Joel  Rogers, 
Griffin  Lewis,  and  one  of  the  Drakes.  At  the  same  time 
Universah'st  preachers,  among  whom  were  Rev.  Mr.  Coffin 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Crooker,  used  to  preach  and  had  a  large 
following.  The  "  Christian  "  society  sent  preachers  to 
Huntsville  as  early  as  1830.  Joseph  Badger,  Seth  Mar- 
vin and  G.  W.  Richmond  were  the  first  preachers  of  that 
denomination.  All  these  societies  held  services  in  the 
school-houses. 

Van  Loon  M.  E.  Church. — A  society  of  Methodists  was 
formed  in  Jackson  township  as  early  as  1820.  The  min- 
isters, as  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  were  Morgan  Sher- 
man, Joseph  Castle,  John  Copeland,  Philo  Barbery, 
George  Peck,  S.  Stocking,  Miles  H.  Gaylord  and  Silas 
Comfort  to  1828.  There  is  no  record  from  this  date  to 
1850.     Since    then    the    pastors    have    been    as   follows: 

Charles  Perkins,  Joshua    S.  Lewis,  Chubbuck,  

Morse,  C.  W.  Griffin,  P.  Holbrook;  D.  Personius,  1863-65; 
George  Greenfield,  1867-69;  Isaac  Austin,  1S69-72;  F. 
A.  King,  1872-75;  J.  B.  Santee,  1875;  R.  C.  Gill,  1876-78; 
and  David  Larrish,  the  present  pastor. 

In  1877  the  society  built  a  fine  wooden  church  build- 
ing. It  was  dedicated  November  22nd,  1877,  by  Rev, 
W.  H.  Olin,  D.  D.  It  takes  its  name  from  James  Van 
Loon,  of  Kingston,  who  contributed  very  largely  toward 
the  building  of  the  edifice. 

Baptist  Church. — The  following  persons    took    letters 

from  the  Plymouth  and   Lehman    Baptist   churches,  and 

organized  a  church  December  i8th,  1864. 

Deacon  Hosea  Hall,  Milton  Brown,  Heni'y  Cease,  Jacob  Cease,  John 
Elston,  Georse  Cease  1st,  George  Cease  2nfl,  Oliver  Davenport,  S.  A. 
Davenport,  Peter  Steele,  Darius  Lamoreux,  Ben.iamin  Higgins,  Peter 
Marsh,  William  Hunter,  Moi-gan  Allen,  William  Lamoreux,  Josejih 
Cease,  Thomas  Lamoreux,  William  Turpin,  Daniel  Turpin,  Christopher 
Elston,  Abram  Cease,  Martha  Lamoreux,  Matilda  Campfleld,  Maria 
Lamoreux,  Sarah  Turpin,  Amelia  Lamoreux,  Marilla  Marsh,  Amelia 
Case,  Oliver  Aokley,  Keziah  Allen,  LucindaDai-enport,  Elizabeth  Da\-cn- 
port,  Lucy  Davenport,  Sarah  Lamoreux,  Caroline  Hall,  Eliza  Foygerson, 
Betsey  Welday,  Lydia  A.  Drown,  Barbara  Cease,  Anna  Fruett,  Anna 
Elston,  Almira  Lamoreux,  Christiana  Cease. 

The  first  minister,  George  W.  Schofield,  had  charge 
from  January  ist,  1845,  to  March,  1846.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  James  Clarkson,  1846-51;  G.  W.  Schofield, 
1856,  1857;  W.  M.  Gay,  1859-61;  E.  N.  Whitney,  1862; 
Benjamin  Shearer,  1869-71;  P.  S.  Brewster,  1872,  R.  C. 
H.  Catterall,  1875,  1876. 

The  society  has  never  had  a  church,  but  has  held 
service  in  the  union  school-house.  Jacob  Cease  is  the 
present  Sunday  school  superintendent  and  deacon  of  the 
church. 


JENKINS  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  taken  from  Pittston  June 
24th,  1852,  and  named  in  honor  of  Colonel 
John  Jenkins,  one  of  the  prominent  settlers 
of  the  Wyoming  valley.  About  one-half  of 
the  township  is  cleared,  and  very  nearly  the 
whole  of  it  is  owned  by  the  Pennsylvania  and  Le- 
high coal  companies,  being  underlaid  with  anthra- 
Only  that  portion  lying  between  the  Susquehanna 
river  and  Gardner's  creek  has  been  settled,  leaving  twto- 
thirds  of  the  territory  without  a  human  inhabitant.  The 
population  is  2,203  against  2,505  in  1870. 

Justices  of  the  peace  for  Jenkins  have  been  elected  as 
follows  Samuel  Hodgson,  jr.,  1855;  Peter  Winter, 
1855  and  i860;  Michael  Philbin,  i860;  Thomas  L. 
McMillan,  1865;  Edward  Riley,  1866;  Theodore  T.  Hall, 
1870  and  1876;  Henry  Jopling,  187 1;  James  Donaghoe, 

1875. 

Earliest  Inhabitants  and  Institutions. 

Joseph  Gardner  and  Isaac  Gould  were  the  pioneer 
.settlers  on  Gardner's  creek.  They  located  near  where 
the  creek  crosses  the  township  line  into  Plains,  a  little 
below  where  the  Laflin  powder  mills  stand.  Here  they 
built  the  pioneer  grist-mill  in  1794. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  a  portable  one,  built  by  Daniel 
Seeley  on  Gardner's  creek,  near  the  opening  of  the  Ever- 
hart  coal  mines.  Jesse  Thomas  had  a  small  saw-mill 
above  the  site  of  the  powder  mills.  These  saw-mills 
have  gone  to  decay. 

James,  John,  Isaac  and  Joseph  Thompson  lived  in  the 
hollow  below  Sevastopol,  on  the  Wilkes-Barre  road  to- 
ward Inkerman,  The  pioneer  blacksmith,  John  Stout, 
had  a  shop  on  the  hill  between  the  school-house  and 
Yatesville.  He  located  here  in  1824.  The  first  brick 
house  was  built  by  George  Price,  in  1846,  on  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Pittston  road.  Mr.  Price  was  a  son-in-law  of 
George  Cooper,  one  of  the  early  settlers.  The  house  is 
still  standing,  and  is  occupied  by  a  Mr.  Butler.  It  is  in- 
teresting to  think  of  the  time  when  Mr.  Price  interviewed 
Mrs.  Cooper  on  the  subject  of  becoming  a  mother-in-law; 
as  it  was  soon  after  the  war  of  1812,  and  Price  was  a 
"  freshman"  from  His  Majesty's  dominions,  while  in  Mrs. 
Cooper's  veins  flowed  the  blood  of  a  true  Connecticut 
Yankee  matron,  who  wondered  at  the  audacity  of  that 
"Britisher"  in  asking  the  hand  of  her  daughter.  The 
reader  can  imagine  the  scene.  However,  the  union  of 
the  two  nationalities  was  arranged,  and  Jenkins  town- 
ship was  none  the  worse  for  it. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  along  the  Wilkes-Barre 
and  Pittston  road  were  Joseph,  James  and  Jacob  Swal- 
low, near  the  southwest  border  of  the  township.  Jesse 
Gardner  located  back  on  Gardner's  creek;  Isaac  Tomp- 
kins, James  and  Joseph  Armstrong  farther  down  toward 
the  river.  WiUiam,  Jacob  and  Daniel  La  Bar,  Peter  Mil- 
ler, Anthony  Lacoe,  Abram,  Thomas  and  John  Hess  and 
a  Mr.  Goode  were  among  the  number. 


<¥ 


SR 


^^ 


302 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


The  first  school-house  was  built  about  1810  or  1812, 
near  where  the  brick  school-house  now  stands,  on  the 
Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston  road,  in  Sevastopol.  The  old 
school-house  is  now  in  use  as  -n  work-shop,  having  been 
sold  to  Francis  Yates.  It  stands  opposite  his  residence 
at  Yatesville.  The  first  teacher  was  Joel  Hale.  There 
was  a  log  school-house  at  Inkerman,  on  the  hill  above 
Port  Blanchard.  John  Blanchard  and  his  sisters  and 
George  Cooper  were  among  the  early  pupils.  Roswell 
Hale  was  the  first  teacher  at  Inkerman. 

The  oldest  cemetery  is  the  Cooper  burying  ground,  in 
the  northwest  corner  of  the  township.  We  find  upon  the 
tombstones  the  following  names  and  dates:  Conrad 
Schiffern,  born  May  i8th,  1744,  died  May  18th,  1820; 
Rachel  Schiffern,  born  June  27th,  1742,  died  January 
23d,  1810;  Adam  Wagner,  born  1754,  died  1806;  Mar- 
garet Tedrick,  died  June  6th,  i8ri;  Peter  Sailor,  died 
March  i8th,  iSog,  aged  39;  Mary  Ann  Sailor,  died  May 
26th,  1814;  Elizabeth  Good,  died  February  27th,  1825, 
aged  30;  Eve  La  Bar,  died  January  loth,  i8og,  aged  36; 
Rensselaer  Billina,  died  April  ist,  1806;  Margaret  Win- 
ter, died  February  14th,  1833,  aged  81;  Peter  Winter, 
died  March  nth,  1814,  aged  65;  James  Swallow,  died 
February  2nd,  1804,  aged  50;  Elizabeth  Swallow,  died 
April  15th,  1814,  aged  60;  Mary  David,  died  January 
26th,  1816,  aged  36;  Nancy  Blanchard,  died  September 
24th,  1809,  aged  18;  Cordelia  Blanchard,  died  December 
27th,  1794;  Henry  Cortnght,  jr.,  died  February  2nd,  1828; 
William  Day,  born  in  England  in  1740,  died  February  7th, 
1829,  aged  89. 

Coal  Interests  of  Jenkins. 

This  township  is  in  the  eastern  district  of  the  Wyoming 
coal  fields,  and  a  large  majority  of  the  coal  lands  belong 
to  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company'  and  the  Everhart 
Coal  Company. 

At  the  Everhart  colliery  there  are  employed  on  the 
inside  78  men  and  boys,  and  58  on  the  outside.  In  1878 
this  colliery  produced  32,276  tons  of  coal  in  the  124  days 
worked. 

Slope  No.  2  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  pro- 
duced 35,177  tons  of  coal  in  1878  in  176  days.  There 
were  employed  80  men  and  boys  on  the  inside,  and  14  on 
the  surface.  Slope  No.  4  of  the  same  company,  near 
Inkerman,  employed  in  1878  121  men  and  boys  inside, 
and  24  on  the  outside,  and  produced  53,311  tons  of  coal. 
Shaft  No.  5  produced  in  the  same  year  55,431  tons  of 
coal.  There  were  employed  under  ground  114  men  and 
boys,  and  59  on  the  surface.  Shafts  Nos.  6  and  11  and 
the  coal  breaker  of  the  Pennsylvania  Company  are  at 
Inkerman.  No.  6  employed  during  1878  114  men  and 
boys  inpide,  and  57  on  the  surface,  and  produced  44,899 
tons  of  coal  in  192  days.  At  shaft  No.  11  there  were 
mined  in  146  days  25,071   tons. 

The  Laflin  Powder  Mills. 

These  mills,  seven  in  number,  are  on  Gardner's  creek, 
near  the  southwest  border   of   the   township,  half  a  mile 


above  where  the  Lehigh  &  Susquehanna  Railroad  crosses 
the  creek.     The  buildings  are   nearly  in   line,  extending 
1,430  feet  along  the  creek  in  a  beautiful  grove  of  white 
oak,  which  in  case   of   an   explosion   of   any  one  of  the 
mills  would  serve  as  a  protection  for  the  rest.     The  en- 
gine-house, which  is  nearly  in  the   center  of   the  line  of 
buildings,  is  built  of  stone,  and  from  it  run  eleven  hun- 
dred feet  of  fx)ur-inch  iron  shafting,  extending  to  the  dif- 
ferent buildings  where  motive   power  is  required.     The 
storehouse  is  the   building  farthest  up   the   creek,  where 
the  stock   for   the   manufacture   of    powder  is   kept.     A 
track  from  the  railroad  runs  alongside  the  storehouse,  in- 
to which  freight  is  taken  directly   from   the   cars.     From 
the  storehouse  the  material  is   transported  on   hand  cars 
to  the  different  mills  through  which  it  has  to  pass  until  it 
reaches  the  graining  mill.     Here  the  powder  is  placed  in 
revolving  cylinders,  and  dried  by  air  which  is  heated  in  a 
furnace  a  short  distance  from  the  graining  mill  and  forc- 
ed  through    pipes   into    the  cylinders  while  they  are  in 
motion.     On  the  right  bank  of  the  creek,  and   ilearly  op- 
site  the  graining  mill,  are  four  brick  coal   pits,  where  are 
annually  consumed   600   cords   of    wood   in   making  the 
charcoal  which  is  required  in  the  manufacture  of  powder. 
These  mills   were    commenced   in    1872,  by  H.  D.  Laflin 
and  C.  M.  Rouse,  the  present  proprietors,  and  completed 
in  1873,  at  a  cost  of  $100,000.     They  employ  16  men,  and 
manufacture  75,000  pounds  of  blasting  powder  annually. 
C.  M.  Rouse,  Esq.,  one  of  the  proprietors,  is  superintend- 
ent of  the  mills,  and  has  had  nearlj'   thirty  years'   experi- 
ence in  the  business. 

VILLAGES. 

Port  Griffith  was  thus  named  in  honor  of  one  of  the 
original  stockholders  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company, 
one  of  whose  mines  is  at  this  place.  It  was  then  the  term- 
inus of  the  company's  railroad.  It  was  for  several  years 
quite  a  flourishing  place,  and  is  at  present  an  ordinary  min- 
ing town.  There  is  a  store  kept  by  Patrick  Moylan,who  is 
also  the  postmaster;  a  station  of  the  Lehigh  and  Susque- 
hanna railroad,  a  school-house,  several  small  groceries 
and  abount  300  inhabitants. 

Port  Blanchard  is  a  railroad  station  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  farther  down  the  Susquehanna,  where 
there  are  now  a  hotel,  a  school-house  and  a  few  dwellings, 
with  about  100  inhabitants.  This  place  was  named  in 
honor  of  John  Blanchard,  an  early  resident  and  one  of 
the  first  coal  operators  iu  this  township. 

The  first  settler  here  was  Captain  Jeremiah  Blanchard. 
He  built  a  log  house  in  the  corner  of  the  lot  east  of  Mrs. 
Blanchard's,  and  subsequently  built  the  house  where 
Ebenezer  Blanchard  now  lives.  The  house  is  known  as 
the  old  "mansion  house.''  In  1823  John  Blanchard  lo- 
cated here,  and  in  1817  built  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Mrs.  Blanchard. 

The  east  part  of  the  hotel  was  built  soon  after  the 
Blanchard  house,  and  it  was  opened  as  a  hotel  in  1845.  It 
was  kept  by\Samuel  Hodgson,  father  of  the  present  propri- 
etor. Mr.  Hodgson  was  appointed  postmaster  about  the 
time  he  opened  his  tavern,  and  held  the  office  while  he 


<^ 


*^H= 


<' 


THE  AVILLIAMS  FAMILY. 


Thaddeus  Williams,  of  Fairfield  county,  Conn.,  was  no 
doubt  a  descendant  of  Robert  Williams  of  Roxbury, 
Mass.,  who  emigrated  to  this  country  from  England  in 
1637.  Thaddeus  married  Frances  Case,  of  Hartford, 
Conn.,  and  moved  with  his  family  to  the  Wyoming  valley 
at  an  early  day.  He  was  driven  from  the  valley  at  the 
time  of  the  massacre,  but  returned  and  settled  in  Wilkes- 
Barre.  Miner's  History  of  Wyoming  (page  262)  gives  the 
following  account  of  an  attack  on  his  house  in  March. 
X779:  "A  party  of  Indians  made  an  assault  on  the  house. 
^  The  father,  sick  and  confined  to  his  bed,  was  unable  to 
lend  any  assistance.  Sergeant  Williams  and  a  brother 
quite  young  were  the  only  persons  capable  of  offering 
the  least  resistance.  Twice  the  Indians  rushed  up  to 
the  door  and  attempted  in  vain  to  force  an  entrance. 
Several  balls  were  fired  into  the  house  through  openings 
in  the  logs,  one  of  which  severely  wounded  the  sick 
father.  He  had  two  guns,  one  of  which  the  lad  loaded 
while  he  fired  the  other.  Watching  his  time  and  taking 
careful  aim,  one  of  the  Indians  fell  and  was  dragged 
away.  Redoubling  their  shouts  the  Indians  returned 
with  brands  of  fire,  but  another  discharge  wounded  their 
leader  and  finally  repelled  them,  leaving  Sergeant  Wil- 
liams victor  and  his  aged  father  and  mother  rescued 


from  death."  Thomas  Williams,  son  of  Thaddeus  Wil- 
liams, was  six  years  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Thad- 
deus died  April  nth,  1796.  His  wife  died  in  August, 
1815,  and  was  buried  in  the  Gore  burying  ground,  in 
what  is  now  Plains  township.  The  gallant  Sergeant 
Thomas  Williams  married  Elizabeth  Robertson,  of 
Bethel,  Conn.,  about  the  year  1782,  and  reared  a  family 
of  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  He  lived  near  Bridge- 
port until  the  spring  of  1790,  when  he  removed  to  Wyom- 
ing valley,  where  he  accumulated  a  handsome  property 
in  the  part  of  Wilkes-Barre  which  is  now  Plains.  His 
wife  died  December  6th,  1835,  aged  71  years.  He  died 
November  12th,  1839,  aged  83  years.  Their  remains 
are  buried  in  the  Hollenbeck  cemetery,  Wilkes-Barre. 
His  descendants  are  numerous.  But  one  son,  the  young- 
est, Jonathan  Robertson,  survives.  He  was  born  in  old 
Wilkes-Barre  township,  December  5th,  1809.  He  has 
been  twice  married:  in  1831  to  Maria  Robertson,  who 
died  in  January,  1876,  and  to  Miss  Lillie  Bell,  of  Plains, 
July  30th,  1879.  Though  declining  political  honors  he 
has  held  the  honorable  position  of  director  of  two  or 
more  banks  in  Wilkes-Barre  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
is  a  farmer,  and  lives  in  a  beautiful  residence  on  his  farm 
in  Plains,  near  where  he  was  born. 


4 


^yi^a^ea  (^^pf^ 


FRANCIS  YATES. 


Francis  Yates  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Herlaton, 
Yorkshire,  England,  November  nth,  1791.  On  the  gth 
of  June,  1817,  he  left  England  for  America,  landing  in 
Philadelphia  on  the  22nd  of  the  following  month.  He 
returned  to  England  after  a  short  visit  to  America,  and 
remained  until  after  his  marriage.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Mary  Pratt,  also  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  who  was 
born  on  the  i8th  of  January,  1789.  They  were  married 
March  24th,  1819,  and  during  the  following  May  left 
England  for  America,  arriving  at  Philadelphia  June  sth. 
Mr.  Yates  very  soon  moved  into  Camden,  where  they  re- 
mained two  or  three  years.  In  1822  he  moved  his  family 
into  Hanover,  Pa.,  and  in  1825  to  Yatesville.  They  had 
seven  children,  four  of  whom  survive.  The  eldest,  John 
P.  Yates,  now  a  farmer  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  was  born 
April  i8th,  1820.  The  second  son,  Francis  Yates,  jr., 
was  born  July  28th,  1824.  The  eldest  daughter,  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  Banker,  of  Pittston,  was  born  September  ist, 
1826,  and  the  youngest,  Mrs.  Jane  Jones,  of  Mill  Creek, 
April  27th,  1831.  Mr.  Yates  came  into  this  county  when 
the  land  which  has  since  yielded  its  vast  stores  of  wealth 
was  but  a  wilderness.     The  now  thriving  city  of  Wilkes- 


Barre  consisted  of  a  few  rude  houses,  and  but  three 
stores  were  kept.  Mrs.  Yates,  who  still  survives,  living 
at  the  homestead  farm  with  her  son  Francis,  tells  of  the 
toils,  the  hardships,  and  the  pleasures  as  well  of  their  pio- 
neer experiences.  Mr.  Yates  was  fully  identified  with  all 
the  enterprises  of  his  day,  and  anything  which  tended  to 
promote  the  interests  of  the  county  in  which  he  lived  re- 
ceived his  hearty  co-operation.  Especially  was  he  inter- 
ested in  the  prosperity  of  the  Methodist  church,  of  which 
he  was  a  member  from  March  i8th,  1820,  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  March  27th,  1862.  What  is  now  the 
village  of  Yatesville  was  once  a  part  of  his  farm.  Here 
his  son  kept  the  first  store.  The  church  here  was  built 
through  his  instrumentality,  and  here  his  son  has  built, 
during  the  last  year,  a  Methodist  parsonage.  The  inter- 
est in  the  public  welfare  which  was  manifested  during  his 
life  by  Francis  Yates,  sen.,  is  maintained  by  his  son 
Francis  at  present.  He  has  held  the  most  important 
elective  offices  in  the  township  and  borough,  and  was  for 
many  years  the  largest  taxpayer  in  the  township.  He  is 
now  a  farmer,  builder,  and  general  agent  at  Yatesville 
for  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company. 


fe^N= 


T 


4 


f 


VILLAGES  IN  JENKINS  TOWNSHIP— YATESVILLE. 


303 


lived  when  it  was  removed  to  Port  Griffith,  and  Patrick 
Moylan  was  appointed. 

George  Cooper  located  a  little  west  of  the  Blanchard 
farn),  and  families  named  Uoty  and  Berger  near  Blanch- 
ard's  about  1800. 

Inkerman. — This  mining  town,  on  the  old  Wllkes- 
Barre  and  Pittston  road,  was  settled  by  Peter  Winter 
about  1810  or  1812.  He  had  a  blacksmith  shop  at  this 
place.  At  present  there  are  two  school-houses  (one  two- 
story  structure  built  in  1879),  two  stores,  several  groceries 
and  a  population  of  600.  Shafts  No.  6  and  No.  1 1  and 
the  only  breaker  in  this  township  are  located  here. 

Sevastopol  is  a  small  hamlet,  formerly  known  as  the 
Thompson  settlement,  at  the  intersection  of  the  Yates- 
ville  road  with  the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston  road.  It 
contains  a  school-house  and  about  twenty-five  dwellings, 
with  150  inhabitants. 


YATESVILLE    BOROUGH. 


N  the  20th  of  May,  1878,  this  borough  was 
formed  from  Jenkins  township  and  incorpo- 
rated, and  the  first  borough  election  was 
held  June  ist,  1878,  when  the  following  offi- 
cers were  elected:  Burgess,  T.  T.  Hale; 
town  council — Thomas  Nattrass,  John  Shields, 
George  Faircloth,  William  Learch,  Alexander  Fra- 
zer,  Alfred  Day.  At  a  meeting  of  the  town  council 
held  June  4th,  1878,  George  Faircloth  was  elected  presi- 
dent and  Thomas  Nattrass  secretary.  John  H.  Monk 
was  elected  street  commissioner,  Matthew  Harrison 
chief  of  police,  and  W.  D.  Hale  collector.  T.  T.  Hale 
is  the  present  burgess,  having  held  the  office  continuously 
since  his  first  election.  The  present  town  council  con- 
sists of  Alexander  Frazer,  sen.,  Thomas  Nattrass,  Alfred 
Day,  W.  A.  Read,  William  Gowan,  sen.,  and  Charles 
Serton.  The  rest  of  the  borough  officers  for  1880  are: 
School  directors,  John  Harding,  James  Carpenter  and 
Charles  Hale;  high  constable,  John  Harding;  auditor, 
George  Faircloth;  assessor,  Francis  Yates;  inspectors, 
William  Gowan,  jr.,  and  George  R.  Smith;  register 
assessor,  Thomas  Nattrass.  The  last  named  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace  March  27th,  1879. 

Settlement  and  Growth. 

Joel  Hale,  in  1809,  built  the  first  frame  house  here. 
It  is  now  occupied  by  John  Monk,  sen.  Mr.  Hale  owned 
most  of  the  sites  of  the  business  portion  of  the  borough. 
It  was  soon  divided  into  smaller  lots  to  suit   purchasers. 

The  next  settlers  here  were  H.,  Frederick  and  George 
Day,  David  Reese,  James  Cooper,  Isaac  and  George 
Naphus,  Joseph  and  John  Stout,  and  James  Thompson, 
all  of  whom  came  in  1809  or  18 10. 

The  first  tavern  was  built  and  kept  by  William  D. 
Hale  in  1859,  on  the  corner  of  Main  street  and  Stout 
road.     It  is  now  kept  by  John  H.  Monk.     The  pioneer 


store  was  opened  in  1855.  The  school-house  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Stout  road  was  built  in  1851.  The  Wcs- 
leyan  church  on  the  east  side  of  the  school-house  was 
built  in  1864.  It  is  now  the  property  of  the  Young 
Men's  Debating  Association,  and  locally  known  as  the 
Theatre. 

Those  who  located  here  between  1812  and  1825  were 
John  and  Isaiah  Hale,  John  Yates,Asa  and  Morris  Naphus, 
and  in  7825  Francis  Yates,  sen.  The  latter,  after  whom 
the  borough  was  named,  was  born  in  England  and  came 
to  America  in  1817.  He  bought  90  acres  of  land  of 
Theophilus  Brooks,  on  which  was  a  log  house  standing  just 
above  the  old  house  between  Francis  Yates's  and  the  rail- 
road station;  and  in  1832  built  the  frame  house  standing 
up  the  road  from  Francis  Yates's  house.  His  wife  is 
still  living,  aged  gt  years,  and  is  actively  engaged  in  the 
lighter  household  duties.  The  farms  of  the  early  and 
later  settlers  are  all  owned  by  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company,  and  are  nearly  all  abandoned  for  farm  pur- 
poses. The  first  anthracite  coal  used  at  this  place  was 
used  by  Francis  Yates  and  the  Hale  family.  The  coal 
cropped  out  near  the  surface,  and  they  used  a  plow  and 
scraper  to  uncover  it.  After  clearing  the  dirt  from  a 
large  surface  they  commenced  digging  and  drawing  out 
the  coal  with  an  ox  team  and  sled.  In  this  way  they 
took  out  enough  for  their  own  use,  besides  selling  large 
quantities,  for  those  days,  to  their  neighbors.  This  was 
the  first  coal  mining  in  Yatesville.  There  are  now  two  tun- 
nels and  one  slope  in  the  borough,  where  many  thousands 
of  tons  are  annually  mined.  The  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company  commenced  operations  here  in  1847,  and  with 
the  mining  business  came  an  increase  of  population. 

The  borough  now  has  one  church  (Methodist  Episco- 
pal), two  stores,  kept  by  T.  T.  Flale  and  John  Shields;  a 
hotel,  a  school-house,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  tin  shop,  a 
shoe  shop,  and  413  inhabitants.  The  valuation  of  the 
borough  for  1879  was  134,644.  A  post-office  was  estab- 
lished January  15th,  1879,  with  Mrs.  Sarah  R.  Hale  as 
postmistress.     Previous  to  this  the  post-office  was  Pittston. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Yatesville. 

This  society  covers  the  territory  lying  between  Pitts- 
ton and  Plainsville  on  the  east  side  of  the  Susquehanna 
river.  It  grew  out  of  the  "Thompson  neighborhood" 
class,  of  which  Francis  Yates  was  leader  in  1825.  The 
original  members  were  Francis  Yates,  Daniel  Bowman, 
Jesse  Garner,  George  Price,  William  Day  and  John 
Thompson  and  their  wives. 

The  meetings  were  held  in  private  houses  until  the 
Thompson  school-house  was  built,  then  in  that  until  1852; 
the  place  of  meeting  was  then  changed  to  the  Yatesville 
school-house  and  another  class  formed,  consisting  of 
Francis  Yates  and  wife,  Joseph  Nattrass  and  wife,  George 
Robinson  and  wife,  Sarah  Learch  and  Rosetta  Monk. 
These  persons  held  their  membership  with  the  Pittston 
M.  E.  church,  and  under  the  leadership  of  Father  Yates 
the  membership  of  the  class  increased,  and  a  Sabbalh- 
school  was  organized. 

In  1862   a  portion  of  the  society  withdrew  and  formed 


<l 


<^ 


3°4 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


a  society  of  "Wesleyan  Methodists,"  built  a  small 
church,  and  for  a  short  time  had  preaching.  In  a  few 
years  most  of  them  returned. 

Until  1874  the  preachers  at  Yatesville  were  Revs.  M. 
Mead,  G.  M.  Peck,  O.  M.  McDowell,  W.  J.  Judd,  Y,  C. 
Smith,  I.  T.  Walker  and  T.  Harroun. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  T.  Judd  at  Pittsfon  the 
M.  E.  society  at  Yatesville  commenced  building  church, 
and  the  basement  was  used  in  1865,  Rev.  Mr.  Sturdevant 
preaching  the  first  sermon  here.  The  society  worshiped 
until  1874,  when  the  church  was  completed  and  dedicated. 
The  sermons  were  preached  by  Rev.  T.  Harroun,  of 
Pittston,  and  Rev.  W.  J.  Judd. 

In  1874  Yatesville  was  set  off  as  a  station.  Rev.  J.  G. 
Stephens  was  pastor  one  year.  The  trustees  were  George 
Robinson,  Thomas  Nat'trass  and  Francis  Yates.  The 
stewards  were  George  Robinson,  Thomas  Nattrass,  James 
Teasdale,  John  W.  Worden,  William  Learch  and  James 
Jones  (recording  steward).  There  were  then  about  20 
members. 

In  1875  Rev.  G.  M.  Colville  was  appointed  here,  and 
under  his  pastorate  of  two  years  the  membership  in- 
creased to  60,  and  the  Sabbath-school  in  proportion. 
From  the  spring  of  1877  Rev.  Wilson  Treible  was  pas- 
tor till  the  spring  of  1S80.  A  parsonage  was  built  in  18S0, 
costing  $1,000. 

The  Sabbath- school  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Moses 
McGee  is  superintendent;  George  Monk  and  Mary  Har- 
rison secretaries,  and  John  Hewit  librarian.  The  total 
number  of  scholars  is  150.     Average  attendance  100. 

Order  of  Foresters. 

Court  Rose  of  the  Valley,  No.  5,517,  Ancient  Order  of 
Foresters  was  instituted  December  12th,  1871,  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  English  High  Court.  December  15th, 
1874,  this  court  seceded  from  the  High  Court  of  England, 
and  united  with  the  Independent  High  Court  of  Foresters 
of  America,  and  since  then  has  been  known  by  the  name 
of  Court  Rose  of  the  Valley,  No.  8,  I.  O.  of  F.  It  has 
an  endowment  fund,  out  of  which  $1,000  is  paid  to  the 
heirs  of  deceased  members. 

The  presiding  officers  since  1874  have  been  George 
Faircloth,  Samuel  Monk,  Thomas  Hoskins,  Charles  Sar- 
tin,  William  J.  Monk,  George  Robinson,  John  Harding, 
G.  R.  Smith,  George  Charlton  and  William  Sraerdon. 

The  officers  for  the  first  term  of  :88o  were:  Charles 
Sartin,  C.  R.  ;  John  Shields,  treasurer;  George  Faircloth, 
secretary.     The  present  number  of  members  is  40. 


KINGSTON  TOWNSHIP. 


¥ 


iN   1790  this  township  was  one  of    the  eleven 
Susquehanna  townships    into  which  old  Lu- 
zerne county   was  divided.     It  is  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  far-famed  Wyoming  valley,  em- 
bracing within  its   29  square  miles  the  most 
productive  agricultural  and  mining  lands   in  the 
valley.     It  has   within  its  boundaries  some  of  the 
most  interesting  localities  and  objects  in  the  State. 


Among  the  forty  persons  who  came  to  the  valley  in 
1769,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Susquehanna  Com- 
pany, was  Ezra  Dean,  Esq.,  whose  wife  was  a  native  of 
Kingston,  Rhode  Island.  From  that  town  this  one  took 
its  name.  In  1796  this  township  included  Dallas  and 
parts  of  Lake  and  Franklin,  and  it  then  contained  only 
100  taxable  inhabitants,  78  horses  and  24  head  of  horned 
cattle.  The  population  in  1870  was  2,825,  ^.nd  in  1880 
S,88i. 

In  1786  Forty  Fort  was  a  formidable  rival  of  Wilkes- 
Barre  for  the  honor  and  advantages  of  being  the  county 
seat. 

In  1840  there  were  but  eleven  persons  engaged  in  min- 
ing in  this  township,  and  only  273  in  agriculture. 

The  taxable  inhabitants  above  referred  to  were  the 
following: 

James  Atherton,  Elisha  Atherton,  John  Allen,  Joseph  Brown,  Oliver 
niglow,  Alexander  Brown,  William  Brown,  Daniel  Biirney,  Andrew 
Bennett,  Josephus  Barber,  Caleb  Brundage,  Samuel  Breese,  Laban 
Blanchard,  Almon  Church.  Gilbert  Carpenter,  Jonathan  Carver,  Samuel 
Carvel-,  James  Carpenter,  Tunis  Decker,  Jesse  Dickersou,  Benjamin  Dor- 
rance,  John  Dorrance,  Nathan  Denison,  Christian  Cornigb,  Joshua  Ful- 
ler, Benajah  Fuller,  Hallet  Gallog,  "William  Gallop,  Peter  Grubb,  John 
Gore,  James  Gardiner.  Lewis  HartsoiF,  John  Horton,  Peter  Hartsoff, 
Daniel  Hoyt,  William  Hurlbert,  Elijah  Harris,  Joseph  Hillman,  John 
Hinds,  Stephen  Hollister,  PbUip  Jackson,  John  Joseph.  John  Keely, 
Samuel  Landon,  Nathaniel  I.andon,  David  Landon,  James  Lan- 
don,  James  Love,  William  Little,  Isaiah  Lucas,  Lawrence  Myers, 
Philip  Myera,  Nathan  Mulford,  Lewis  MuUison,  John  Montoney, 
Isaac  M(mtoney,  Joseph  Montoney,  Andrew  Miller,  Elisha  Matterson, 
Anning:  Owen,  Abel  Pierce,  John  Pierce,  Joseph  Pierce,  Elias  Pierce, 
Oliver  Pettibone,  David  Perkins,  Aaron  Perkins,  John  Bosenkrans,  Aaron 
Roberts,  Benjamin  Roberts.  Nathan  Koberts,  James  Uice,  Sherman 
Smith,  Daniel  Spencer,  Martin  Smith,  Luke  Sweetland.  Joseph  Sweet- 
land,  James  Scofield,  Comfort  Shaw,  Alexander  Swartwout,  Elijah  Shoe- 
maker, Abraham  Shoemaker,  Adam  Shafer,  Peter  Sbafer,  Frederick 
Shafer,  Peter  Shale,  Henry  Tuttle,  John  Tnttle,  Joseph  Tuttle,  William 
Trucks,  Isaac  Tripp,  Israel  Underwood,  Gideon  Underwood,  Abraham 
Van  Gordon,  Lemuel  Wakely,  John  Wai-t,  Ashel  Fish,  Benjamin  Smith. 

Justices  of  the  peace  have  been  elected  as  follows  for 
the  township  of  Kingston  since  the  adoption  of  the  con- 
stitution of  1838:  Addison  C.  Church,  1840;  Alvah  C. 
Phillips,  1840;  John  Johnston,  1841;  Anson  Atherton, 
1845;  Henry  Woodhouse,  1846,  1851,  1856,  1861  and 
t866;  Reuben,  Jones,  1850  and  1855;  William  C.  Haga- 
man,  1858;  Milton  G.  Phillips,  1859;  William  L.  Rice, 
1864,  1869,  1874;  John  J.  Jenkins,  1875;  Steuben  Jenkins, 
1875;  Eugene  S.  Cooper,  1879. 

Anthracite  Interests. 

Long  before  the  present  mammoth  breakers  were  . 
dreamed  of  coal  was  mined  at  or  near  Toby  eddy,  near 
the  mouth  of  Toby  creek.  A  wh.irf  was  built  at  the 
mouth  of  the  creek,  and  another  at  the  mouth  of  Tuttle 
creek,  for  shipping  coal.  Israel  Skeer  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  navigators  of  the  Susquehanna.  He  mined  his 
coal  at  what  is  now  Maltby,  and  shipped  it  at  the  wharf 
last  mentioned. 

Kingston  Coal  Company. — The  first  opening  by  this 
company  in  this  township  was  made  at  shaft  No.  i  in 
1864,  by  Waterman  &  Beaver,  and  breaker  No.  i  was 
built  the  same  year  and  David  Morgan  appointed  super- 
intendent. The  opening  at  shaft  No.  2  was  made  and 
the  breaker  built  in  1872.  In  1877  the  name  of  the  firm 
was  changed  to  the  present  style  of  Kingston  Coal  Com- 
pany (limited).     Daniel    Edwards,    the  present   superin- 


=^^ 


<^7 


COLLIERIES  IN  KINGSTON  TOWNSHIP— THE  WYOMING  MONUMENT. 


30s 


tendent,  succeeded  Mr.  Morgan  in  1868.  He  is  also 
inside  and  general  outside  foreman.  In  1878  Daniel  R. 
Davis  and  Morgan  D.  Rosser  were  mine  bosses,  and  Thomas 
L.  Morgan  and  M.  D.  Rosser  outside  foremen.  There  were 
employed  at  these  two  shafts  295  men  and  73  boys  under 
ground,  and  80  men  and  144  boys  on  the  surface.  There 
were  mined  in  that  year  235,302  tons  of  coal. 

Maltby  Colliery,  at  Maltby  station,  on  the  D.  L.  &  W. 
Railroad,  is  operated  by  C.  S.  Maltby,  with  Oscar  A. 
Fowler  as  general  superintendent,  Charles  Smith  mine 
boss,  and  A.  B.  Tyrell  outside  foreman.  In  1878  this 
colliery  employed  118  men  and  11  boys  under  ground, 
and  44  men  and  72  boys  on  the  surface,  and  in  107  days 
worked  produced  30,000  tons  of  coal. 

Forty  Fort  Colliery,  near  Wyoming  village  is  operated  by 
the  Forty  Fort  Coal  Company;  J.  H.  Swoyer  is  superin- 
tendent; Charles  Leonard,  assistant  superintendent  and 
general  outside  foreman;  William  McCulloch,  inside,  and 

Patten,    outside   foreman;     Phillip    McCabe,    mine 

boss.  In  1878  this  colliery  was  worked  137  days,  and 
produced  127,250  tons  of  coal.  There  were  employed 
during  the  year  214  men  and  48  boys  under  ground,  and 
53  men  and  75  men  on  the  surface. 

The  East  Boston  Coal  Mine  was  opened  and  the  breaker 
built  in  1862.  In  1878  there  were  employed  at  this  mine 
168  men  and  boys  on  the  inside,  and  97  on  the  outside. 
In  189  days  99,048  tons  of  coal  were  mined.  This  col- 
liery is  operated  by  William  G.  Payne  &  Co.  W.  G. 
Payne  is  superintendent;  E.  F.  Payne,  outside  and  inside 
foreman;  Thomas  L.  Jones,  inside  foreman  and  mine 
boss. 

The  Hutchinson  Shaft  and  Breaker  were  constructed 
in  1871  and  1872.  There  were  employed  in  1878  192 
men  and  boys  on  the  inside,  and  90  on  the  outside.  The 
mine  was  worked  only  38  days,  producing  19,947  tons. 
This  colliery  is  operated  by  Charles  Hutchinson,  with  J. 
C.  Hutchinson  as  superintendent;  John  Thomas  is  mine 
boss,  and  William  McCulloch  outside  foreman. 

The  Raub  Mine  was  opened  in  1875;  the  breaker  was 
built  in  1878,  and  commenced  breaking  coal  January  loth, 
1879.     It  is  known  as  the  Raubville  breaker. 

The  Willow  Grove  Breaker  is  located  over  the  hill  west 
of  Mill  Hollow.  This  colliery  is  a  diminutive  affair 
compared  with  those  operated  by  steam,  as  the  breaker 
at  this  place  is  operated  by  horse  power.  The  mine  was 
opened  in  1879  by  Messrs.  Lloy  &  Williams,  who  are  the 
present  owners  and  operators. 

WYOMING. 

This  village,  located  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
township,  has  became  memor.ible  in  song  and  story  be- 
cause of  the  battle  of  July  3d,  1773.  which  is  spoken  of 
at  length  in  the  general  history  of  Luzerne  county.  Per- 
haps the  most  conspicuous  feature  of  the  village  is  the 
monument  that  perpetuates  the  record  of  this  most  mem- 
orable event  in  the  history  of  the  Wyoming  valley. 

The  inscription  on  the  front  tablet  of  the  monument 
reads  as  follows: 

"  Near  this  spot  was  fought,  on  the  afternoon  of  Friday, 


the  3d  of  July,  1778,  the  battle  of  Wyoming;  in  which  a 
small  body  of  patriotic  Americans,  chiefly  the  undisci- 
plined, the  youthful  and  the  aged,  spared,  by  inefificiency, 
from  the  distant  ranks  of  the  republic,  led  by  Colonel 
Zebulon  Butler  and  Colonel  Nathan  Denison,  with  a 
courage  that  deserved  success  boldly  met  and  bravely 
fought  a  combined  British,  tory  and  Indian  force  of  thrice 
their  number.  Numericial  superiority  alone  gave  success' 
to  the  invader,  and  wide-spread  havoc,  desolation  and 
ruin  marked  his  savage  and  bloody  footsteps  through  the 
valley.  This  monument,  commemorative  of  these  events 
and  of  the  actors  in  them,  has  been  erected  over  the 
bodies  of  the  slain  by  their  descendants  and  others  who 
gratefully  appreciate  the  services  and  sacrifices  of  their 
patriotic  ancestors.'' 

The  motto  over  the  names  of  the  slain  is  "Didce  et 
decorum  est  pro  patria  inori."      The  names  are  as  follows: 

'  Oncers.— Lieutenant  Colonel  George  Dorrance,  Major  Jonathan 
Waite  Garrett,  Captains  James  nidlaok,  jr.,  Aholiab  Buck,  llobert 
Durkee,  Rezin  Geei-,  Detrick  Hewitt,  William  McKarrachen,  Samuel 
Kansom,  Lazarus  Stewart  and  James  Wig-ton,  Lieutenants  A.  Atherton, 
Aaron  Gaylord,  Perrin  Ross,  Lazarus  Stewart,  jr.,  Flavius  Waterman, 
Stoddart  Bowen,  Timothy  Pierce,  Elijah  Shoemaker,  Asa  Stevens  and 
James  Welles,  and  Ensigns  Jeremiah  Bigford,  Silas  Gore,  Jonathan 
Otis,  Asa  Gore,  Titus  Hinman  and  William  White. 

fN*)ra(es.— Jabez  Atherton,  Christopher  Avery, Ackke,  A.  Benedict, 

Jabez  Beers,  Samuel  Bigford,  David  Bixby,  Ellas  Bixby,  John  Boyd, 
John  Brown,  Thomas  Brown,  William  Buck,  Joseph  Budd,  Amos  Bul- 
lock, Asa  Bullock,  Henry  Bush,  Enos  Brockway,  John  Caldwell,  Josiah 
Carman,  Joseph  Carey,  Joel  Church,  William  Cofferin,  James  Cofferin, 
Samuel  Cole,  Isaac  Campbell, Campbell,  Robert  Comstock,  Kings- 
ley  Comstock,  three  Cook  brothers,  Christopher  Courtright,  John 
Courtright,  Anson  Corey,  Jenks  Corey,  Rufus  Corey,  Joseph  Crocker, 
Samuel  Crocker,  D.  Denton,  Anderson  Dana,  Conrad  Davenport,  George 
Downing,  James  Dcvine,  Levi  Dunn,  William  Dunn, Dutcher,  Ben- 
jamin Finch,  Daniel  Finch,  John  Finch,  Elisha  Fish,  Cornelius  Fitchett, 
Eliphalet  Follett,    Thomas    Faxon,   John    Franklin,   Stephen   Fuller, 

Thomas  Fuller,  George  Gore, Gardner,  Benjamin  Hatch,  William 

Hammond,  Silas  Harvey,  Samuel  Hutchinson,  Cyprian  Hebard,  Levi 
Hicks,  John  Hutchins,  James  Ho]3kins,  Nathaniel  Howard,  Elijah 
Tnman,  Israel  Inman,  Jamuel  Jackson,  Robert  Jameson,  Joseph  Jen- 
nings, Henry  Johnson,  Joshua  Landon,  Daniel  Lawrence,  Wiltiani 
Lawrence,  Francis  Ledyard,  James  Lock,  Coni-ad  Lowe,  Jacob  Lowe, 
William  Lester,  C.  MoCartee,  Nicholas  Manville,  Nero  Matthewson, 
Alexander  McMillan,  Job  Marshall,  Andrew  Millard,  John  Murphy, 
Robert  Mclntire,  Joseph  Ogden,  Abel  Palmer,  Silas  Parker,  William 
Parker,  John  Pierce,  Henry  Pencil,  Noah  Pettebone,  jr.,  Jeremiah 
Ross,  jr.,  Elisha  Richards,  William  Reynolds,  Elias  Roberts,  Timothy 
Rose,  Abram  Shaw,  James  Shaw,  Joseph  Shaw ,  Constant  Searle,  Abel 
Seely,  Levi  Spencer,  Eleazer  Sprague,  Aaron  Stark,  Daniel  Stark,  Darius 
Spotf  ord,  James  Spencer,  Joseph  Staples,  Reuben  Staples,  Rutus  Stevens. 
James  Stevenson,  Nailer  Sweed,  Ichabod  Tuttle,  Abram  Vangorder, 
John  Van  Wie,  Elihu  Watei-s,  Jonathan  Weeks,  Bartholomew  Weeks, 
Philip  Weeks,  Peter  Wheeler,  Stephen  Whiton,  Eben  Wilcox,  Elihu 
Williams,  jr.,  Rufus  Williams,  Aziba  Williams,  John  Williams,  John 

Ward,  John  Wilson,  Parker  Wilson,  William  Woodring, Wade,  Ozlas 

Yale,  Gershom  Prince,  colored.  Killed  on  the  approach  to  Wyoming- 
William  Crooks,  Miner  Robbins,  Benjamin  Harding,  Stukely  Harding, 
James  Hadsall, "James  Hadsall,  jr.,  Wm.  Martin,  Quocko,  colored. 

On  the  rear  of  the  monument,  over  the  door,  are  in- 
scribed the  following  names  of  the  survivors: 

Q^'cer.'i.— Colonels  Zebulon  Butler  and  Nathan  Denison,  Lieutenants 
Daniel  Gore  and  Timothy  Howe,  Ensigns  Daniel  Downing,  Matthias 
HoUenback  and  Jabez  Fish,  Sergeants  Phineas  SpafFord  and Gates. 

Priraff^.— John  Abbott,  Gideon  Baldwin,  Zerah  Beach,  Rufus  Bennett, 
Solomon  Bennett,  Elisha  Blackman,  Nathan  Carey,  Samuel  Carey, 
George  Cooper,  Joseph  Elliott,  Samuel  Finch,  Roswell  Franklin,  Hugh 
Forsman,  Thomas  Fuller,  John  Garrett,  Samuel  Gore.  Lemuel  Gustln, 
James  Green,  Lebbeus  Hammond,  Jacob  Haldron,  Elisha  Harris,  Ebene- 
zerand  William  Heberd,  Richard  Inman,  David  Inman,  John  Janison, 
Henry  Lickers,  Joseph  Morse,  Thomas  Neill,  Josiah  Poll,  Phineas  Pierce, 
Abraham  Pike,  John  N.  Skinner,  Giles  Slocum,  Walter  Spencer,  Edward 
Spencer,  Roger  Searle,  Gamaliel  Twiesdale,  Cherrick  Westbrook,  Eleazer 
West,  Daniel  Washburn.  Prisoners  taken  from  Wyoming-John  Gardner, 
Daniel  Carr,  Samuel  Carey,  Daniel  Wallen,  Daniel  Rosenkrans,  Elisha 
Wilcox, Pierce. 


^¥ 


<¥ 


Founding  and  Growth  of  the  Village. 

As  soon  as  peace  had  been  assured  after  the  Revolution 
settlers  began  to  return  and  others  to  migrate  hither,  and 
about  1780  the  vicinity  of  Wyoming  began  again  to  show 
signs  of  life.  "  New  Troy  "  was  the  name  by  which  the 
place  was  known  up  to  within  the  memory  of  many  living. 

As  early  as  1780  or  1781  Benjamin  Carpenter,  from 
Connecticut,  located  on  Abram's  creek,  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  gorge  where  the  creek  breaks  through  the  Kings- 
ton mountains.  Here  he  built  a  grist-mill  on  the  site  of 
the  present  one,  also  a  house,  which  is  still  standing  and 
is  occupied  by  Mrs.  Riley.  The  west  wing  of  what  is  now 
the  Pollock  House  was  built  by  Mr.  Carpenter,  and  in 
1829  the  main  part  of  the  hotel  was  built  by  a  Mr.  Allen- 
bach.  Mr.  Carpenter  also  built  the  woolen  factory  at  this 
place,  and  the  Carpenter  family  sold  it  to  Mr.  Anibal, 
and  he  to  Jacob  I.  Shoemaker,  sen.  This  locality,  now 
known  as  Shoemaker's  Mills,  was  for  many  years  known  as 
Carpenter's  Mills  and  Carpenter  Town,  which  latter  name 
it  retained  long  after  it  came  into  the  possession  of  the 
Shoemakers.  In  1807  Mr.  Carpenter  sold  out  all  his 
interests  to  Isaac  C.  Shoemaker  and  moved  to  Ohio. 
There  was  about  that  time  an  ax  factory  further  up  the 
creek,  the  foundation  of  which  is  still  visible.  There  was 
a  small  foundry  a  little  below  the  grist-mill.  The  grist- 
mill was  rebuilt  in  1840  by  Jacob  I.  Shoemaker,  sen., 
when  all  the  improvements  invented  up  to  that  time  were 
added.  Other  improvements,  besides  steam  power,  have 
since  been  introduced. 

In  1820  John  Jones  located"  here  and  engaged  in  the 
blacksmithing  business,  and  the  same  year  Thomas  J. 
Halsey,  M.  D.,  located  in  this  vicinity,  where  he  practiced 
several  years.  Dr.  John  Smith  was  also  one  of  the  early 
resident  physicians. 

In  1802  or  1803  Mrs.  Gordon,  mother  of  James  A. 
Gordon,  Esq.,  of  Plymouth,  taught  school  in  an  old 
school-house  on  or  near  the  corner  where  Laycock's 
Wyoming  House  now  stands. 

William  Swetland,  who  was  postmaster  in  1830,  was 
also  one  of  the  early  merchants.  He  kept  his  store  a 
little  below  the  present  residence  of  Payne  Pettebone, 
Esq.,  on  the  main  road  from  Kingston  to  Wyoming.  John 
Gardner  was  the  pioneer  cabinet  maker  at  Carpenter 
Town  ,locating  there  as  early  as  1820,  in  the  building  now 
occupied  as  a  dwelling  on  the  corner  opposite  the  Pol- 
lock House,  known  as  the  "old  store-house;"  and  he  was 
succeeded  in  1830  by  Charles  Barney,  who  still  continues 
the  business  in  the  building  adjoining.  The  "old 
store-house"  was  occupied  as  early  as  1820  by  Charles 
Tuttle,  who  was  among  the  early  merchants.  The  prop- 
erty is  now  owned  Daniel  Van  Scoy.  As  late  as  1830 
the  flat  between  Shoemaker's  Mills  and  Wyoming  was  a 
dense  wilderness. 

At  Wyoming  there  are  now  two  churches  (Methodist 
and  Presbyterian),  two  general  stores,  two  grocery  stores 
a  drug  store,  a  carriage  factory,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a 
shovel  factory,  terra  cotta  works,  the  hotel  of  Colonel 
H.  A.  Laycock,  the  Luzerne  county  fair  grounds,  a  two- 


story  school-house,  a  railroad  depot,  barber,  shoe,  har- 
ness, millinery,  and  other  shops,  and  one  physician,  Dr. 
Knapp.     J.  B.  Schooley  is  the  present  postmaster. 

At  Shoemaker's  Mills  there  are  a  hotel,  a  store,  black- 
smith, cabinet,  jeweler's  and  shoe  shops,  a  grist-mill  and 
woolen  manufactory.  The  population  of  the  two  places 
is  about  1,000. 

Vi'YOMING    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

The  Wyoming  charge  was  originally  one  of  the  preach- 
ing places  on  the  Wyoming  circuit,  which  in  1880  em- 
braced within  its  limits  Wilkes-Barre,  Kingston,  Plains, 
Forty  Fort,  Pittston,  Providence,  Plymouth,  Dallas,  Han- 
over and  Stoddardsville,  with  numerous  preaching  places 
besides  these  chief  appointments. 

Prior  to  1842  there  was  a  class  in  the  neighborhood, 
worshiping  in  the  district  school-house.  About  1840  the 
"  Christians  "  put  up  a  church  building.  It  was  sold  by  the 
sheriff.  The  purchaser  sold  it  to  the  trustees  of  the  M. 
E.  church  in'  1842.  In  1848  Wyoming  was  made  a  sep- 
arate charge  (New  Troy).  Rev.  Bostwick  Hawley  was 
appointed  preacher  in  charge.  During  his  pastorate  the 
house  of  worship  was  remodeled  and  improved  and  a 
basement  built  for  Sunday-schools.  In  1848,  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  C.  W.  Giddings,  a  parsonage  lot  was 
bought,  and  a  barn  for  the  use  of  the  pastor  and  sheds 
about  150  feet  in  length  were  constructed  for  the  teams 
of  the  congregation.  Early  in  1850  the  parsonage  was 
built.  Rev.  C.  W.  Giddings  being  the  first  occupant. 

On  the  organization  of  the  New  Troy  station  there 
were  about  130  members  and  probationers,  including 
Forty  Fort  and  West  Pittston.  The  following  have  been 
the  preachers  appointed  here  since  the  formation  of  the 
"New  Troy'  charge:  1848,  1849,  Bostwick  Hawley; 
1849,  1850,  C.  W.  Giddings;  1850-52,  B.  W.  Gorham; 
1852-54,  Levi  D.  Tyron;  1854-56,  George  M.  Peck; 
1856,  1857,  A.  H.  Schoonmaker;  1857-59,  H.  Browns- 
combe;   1859,  i860,  A.  Brooks. 

At  the  conference  of  i860  Kingston  and  Wyoming 
were  united  under  the  name  of  New  Troy  and  Kingston 
circuit.  In  i860  and  1861  A.  Brooks  and  W.  T.  Judd 
were  the  preachers.  The  conference  of  1861  changed 
the  title  to  Wyoming  and  Kingston  circuit.  In  i86i  and 
1862  W.  Judd  was  the  pastor;  in  1862,  L.  Cole.  At  the 
conference  of  1864  the  circuit  was  again  divided,  and 
this  charge  has  since  been  known  as  Wyoming  charge. 
The  pastors  since  the  last  named  have  been  as  follows: 
1864-66,  John  La  Bar;  1866,  1867,  Henry  Wheeler; 
1867-70,  A.  J.  Van  Cleft;  1870-72,  S.  W.  Weiss; 
1872-74,  R.  W.  Van  Schoick;  1874-77,  J.  C.  Leacock; 
1877-80,  Frederick  L.  Heller;   1880,  James  C.  Shelland. 

The  members  and  probationers  in  1879  numbered  169; 
Sunday-school  scholars,  263;  Sunday-school  teachers  and 
officers,  26;  volumes  in  library,  782.  There  was  expended 
for  the  school  during  that  year  $117.  The  amount 
raised  for  ministerial  support  was  $1,170;  for  benevolent 
collections,  $320. 

The  church  is  valued  at  $4,000,  and  the  parsonage  and 
sexton's  house,  with  barn  and  sheds,  at  $3,000. 


Mh 


f 


WW^W^' 


^^c 


Y/y-r-c 


COL,  (.:.ri>J'T,Eo  DrihFA>JCE 


^x^™^ 


1\q--!-oii  iiS'JZ.'i  .t  Soivi  r^  n„rdiui  Sc  N'T 


^h 


GENEALOGICAL  AND   PERSONAL  RECORD, 


KINGSTON   TOWNSHIP   AND   BOROUGH. 


f 


KEV.  DR.  COPELAND. 

Kev.  David  Copeland,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  was  born  In  Braintree,  Vt.,  De- 
cember 21st,  1833.  His  anoestoi-s  were  from  England,  and  landed  in 
Boston  in  1630.  They  bore  an  honorable  part  in  the  hardships  and  struy:- 
g-les  incident  upon  the  early  history  of  this  country.  His  father  was 
for  many  years  an  honored  Jfethodist  minister  in  the  Vermont  Confer- 
ence, and  three  of  his  uncles  wore  also  ministers  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  Dr.  Cf)pelnnd  prepared  for  colleg-e  in  the  Newbury  Sem- 
inary, in  Vermont,  and  g'raduatod  from  the  Weslcyan  University,  in 
Middlctown,  Conn.,  in  IS-'ra.  Being  elected  principal  of  (he  Henrietta 
Academy,  in  western  New  York,  ho  at  once  entered  upon  the  work  of 
teaching:.  Although  very  young-  and  with  but  little  experience,  his  ad- 
ministration of  the  affairs  of  the  school  was  very  successful,  the  num- 
ber of  students  increasing- threefold  in  a  few  months.  In  1H.57  he  be- 
came professor  of  mathematics  and  natural  science  in  the  Falley  Semi- 
nary, in  Fulton,  N.  Y.,  and  soon  after  married  Miss  Sarah  Wheelock, 
daughter  of  Hon.  David  Wheelock,  of  Royalton,  Vt.  Feeling-  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  enter  upon  the  pastorate,  he  resigned  his  professorship 
in  the  fall  of  18.18,  and  joined  the  Genesee  Conference.  But  the  church 
demanded  his  services  still  in  the  teacher's  chair,  and  lie  was  imme- 
diatel}'  appointed  principal  of  the  Sprinj-rville  Academy,  in  Erie  county, 
N.  Y.  Under  lii=  management  the  school  rapidly  gained  a  high  repu- 
tation, and  the  increased  patronage  soon  made  it  necessary  to  recon- 
struct and  enlarge  the  building.  At  the  expiration  of  seven  j-ears  Dr. 
Copeland  was  elected  president  of  tlie  Hillsborough  Female  College,  in 
southern  Ohio,  and,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  the  friends  of  the  academy, 
accepted  the  position.  In  bis  new  held  of  labor  he  soon  aci]nired  the 
reputation  of  being  a  superior  educator  and  careful  disciplinarian,  and 
the  school  advanced  rapidly  in  the  estimation  of  the  people.  Here,  too, 
Dr.  Copeland  remained  seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was 
called  to  the  principalship  of  the  Wyoming  Seminary,  in  Kingston,  Pa. 
Here  he  had  a  very  difBcult  position  to  fill.  His  predecessor,  Eev.  Reu- 
ben Nelson,  D.  D.,  had  been  in  charge  of  the  school  for  about  twenty- 
eight  years,  and  by  his  great  success  in  building  up  the  seminary  bad 
gained  great  reputation  as  an  educator.  To  follow  such  a  man  -was  no 
easy  matter,  and  many  very  naturally  feared  that  the  new  principal 
would  prove  a  failure.  Soon,  however,  these  fears  gave  way.  Under 
the  new  administration  the  school  fully  retained  its  proA-ious  standing, 
both  as  to  members  and  scholarship.  Dr.  Copeland  has  now  been  at  the 
head  of  the  school  for  over  eight  years,  and  he  continues  to  have  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him.  Honors  have  come  to 
him  from  high  sources.  Lafayette  College  gave  him  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Philosophy  in  1876,  and  Syracuse  University  and  Wesleyan 
University  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  in  1877;  and  recently  his 
conference  elected  him  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

THE  DOERANCE  FAMILY. 

The  first  account  we  have  of  the  Dorranoe  family  in  America  tells  us 
that  in  1733  Kev.  Samuel  Dorrance,  a  Scotch  Presbyterian,  was  invited 
to  preach  to  the  people  of  Voluntown,  Conn.,  from  December  till 
the  following  May.  He  had  lately  arrived  from  Ireland ;  had  graduated 
at  Glasgow  University  in  1709,  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1711  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Dumbarton,  and  had  brought  with  him  satisfactory  testi- 
monials of  ministerial  character  and  standinff  from  several  associations 
in  Scotland  and  Ireland.  He  was  so  well  liked  that  on  the  17th  of  April, 
1733,  the  people  of  Voluntown  gave  him  a  formal  call  without  a  dissent- 
ing voice,  and  were  to  give  him  "£60  per  year  for  the  present  and  £50  in 
species  suitable  to  promoting  his  building  and  settling."  On  the  23d  of 
October  following  he  was  duly  ordained,  nothwithstanding  some  slight 
opposition  "because  he  is  a  stranger  among  ns."  Beside  him  his 
brothers  George  and  John,  and  John,  jr.,  were  then  found  on  the  church 
rolls.    Time  soon  wrought  a  change,  so  that  the  Eev.  Mr.  Dorrance  was 


no  longer  "ii  ttranger  "  among-  his  people,  and  he  iii-id  ;i  i);n-t  uf  his  de- 
scendants have  lived  in  that  town  from  that  time  to  the  pre.-iutit,  while 
others  have  migrated  to  other  parts.  He  is  found  in  the  ministry  at 
Voluntown  at  1700,  and  at  that  time  his  salary  had  risen  to  £.300.  In  that 
year  James  Dorrance  was  chosen  elder  in  his  church.  He  died  Novem- 
ber 13th,  1776,  aged  ninety  years.  He  married  Elizabeth  Smith  August 
1st,  1736.    She  died  September  10th,  17.50. 

Those  of  the  Dorrance  family  who  came  to  \Yyoming  were  John  and 
George,  sons  of  Eev.  Samuel.  John,  born  July  12th,  17-33,  died  January 
9th,  1801.  He  was  never  married.  He  was  the  defendant  in  the  cele- 
brated test  case  for  the  title  to  lands  at  'Wyoming  between  the  Penna- 
mites  and  Yankees,  known  as  Van Hnnte'n liOinvc  vs.  Dmrancc,  reported 
in  2  DaUoK,  30-(-,  on  which  Governor  Hoyt  has  published  a  very  elaborate 
and  learned  brief,  reviewing-  not  only  all  the  questions  at  is.sue  between 
the  parties  but  their  conduct  during  its  progress. 

George,  born  March  4th,  ]78fi,  slain  July  -Ith,  1778,  was  twice  married. 
By  his  first  wife  he  had  Sarah  Susannah,  who  married  Samuel  Tubbs, 
and  Elizabeth,  who  married  Dr.  Seth  C.  Whitney  February  31st,  1809. 

By  his  second  wife  he  had  ; 

Robert,  who  served  in  the  war  ng-ainst  the  Indians  under  Governor  St, 
Clair,  and  was  killed  at  St.  Clair's  defeat,  November  Ith,  1791. 

Benjamin,  born  1767,  died  August  3-lth,  1837.  He  lived  at  Kingston. 
He  was  the  most  popular  man  of  his  day  ;  wjis  elected  county  commis- 
sioner, high  sherift:  of  the  county  and  seven  times  to  the  Legislature  of 
the  State;  was  the  first  president  of  the  Wyoming  Bank  at  Wilkes-BaiTe, 
the  safest  and  most  popular  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  He 
might  have  enjoyed  other  marks  of  popular  favor,  but  he  refused  them. 

Gershom,  who  went  back  to  the  old  home  at  Voluntown,  -svhere  he 
married  and  had  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 

George  Dorrance  was  a  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  militia  at  Wyoming, 
audits  such  went  out  with  that  little  band  of  heroes  who  thought  to 
drive  their  insolent  invaders  from  the  valley.  He  was  severely 
wounded  on  the  field  of  battle  while  gall.antly  riding  along  the  broken 
lines  and  laboring  to  restore  the  men  to  order  and  position.  He  was  the 
only  one  of  the  wounded  who  was  saved  from  death  on  the  field  or  at 
the  hellish  orgies  of  the  succeeding  night.  His  feeble  condition  on  the 
next  day  making  bim  a  burden  to  his  captors,  they  slew  liim  and  di- 
vided his  garments  and  arms  among-  them. 

Benjamin  Dorrance  married  Nancy  Buckingham,  of  Windham,  Conn., 
her  native  place.  They  had  three  children— John,  Charles  and  George, 
the  latter  of  whom  died  young. 

John  Dorrance  was  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  who  after 
laboring  for  some  time  in  other  localities  succeeded  Rev.  Dr.  Nicholas 
Murray  in  the  charge  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Wilkes-Barre  in 
August,  1833,  and  continued  in  that  charge  until  his  death  in  1861.  He 
was  a  man  of  much  more  than  ordinary  talent  and  character,  and  -was 
honored  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  by  the  College  of  Now 
Jersey,  at  Princeton.  He  was  born  in  1800.  He  married  Penelope 
Mercer,  of  New  Orleans,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  only  two  of 
whom  (daughters)  survive. 

Charles  Dorrance,  born  January  4th,  1803,  married  Susan  E.  Ford, 
youngest  daughter  of  Hon.  James  Ford,  of  Lawrenceville,  Penn.,  by 
whom  he  has  five  children  living,  four  sons  and  one  daughter. 

Colonel  Charles  Dorrance  was  born  and  has  lived  on  the  old  homestead 
farm  of  the  family,  which  has  lost  none  of  its  attractiveness  or  value, 
but  wlilch  has  been  largely  added  to  in  extent,  taste  and  value  since  it 
passed  into  his  hands.  His  home  has  ever  been  the  abode  of  a  large  and 
generous  hospitality,  dispensed  with  all  the  grace  and  dignity  befitting 
his  surroundings.  He  has  ever  been  a  farmer,  and,  commencing  his 
active  business  life  with  a  liberal  education,  has  kept  up  that  intercourse 
with  his  fellow  men  and  given  that  attention  to  the  affairs  of  the  day 
which  bring  out  his  genial  and  warm-hearted  nature,  and  add  a  charm 
to  his  society. 

The  Dorrance  farm  has  long  been  the  model  farm  of  the  valley,  and  the 
colonel,  farming  for  pleasure  as  well  as  profit,  has  succeeded  in  acquir- 


<^ 


*i¥ 


306^ 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


jng  both  results  from  his  labors.  He  early  introduced  the  short  horn 
cattle  on  his  farm,  and  has  taken  great  pains  to  keep  the  stock  in  its 
original  purity.  From  his  herd  the  strain  has  gone  out  into  all  the 
country  round  about,  and  a  great  Improvement  in  stock  is  the  happy 
result. 

He  has  never  sought  ofScial  position,  except  possibly  that  of  captain 
of  the  Wyoming  volunteers,  from  which  he  rose  through  the  various 
grades  to  the  rank  of  colonel,  whioh  title  he  has  enjoyed  for  about 
forty  years.  It  was  a  youthful  fancy  that  led  him  into  military  life, 
awakened  by  flreside  tales  of  the  early  days  of  Wyoming,  in  whioh  were 
recounted  the  gallant  deeds  of  his  ancestor.  Tet  the  colonel's  life  has 
not  been  barren  of  official  honors.  When  the  Luzerne  county  agricul- 
tural society  was  organized.  In  1858,  by  unanimous  choice  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  society,  which  position  he  filled  with  honor  and  dignity 
for  ten  years,  and  its  success  during  that  period  was  largely  due  to  his 
uniform  courtesj'  and  his  superior  skill  in  disposing  of  knotty  subjects, 
as  well  as  in  the  management  of  the  business  affairs  of  the  society.  He 
was,  in  conjunction  with  A.  C.  Laning,  appointed  by  the  late  Judge 
Conyngham,  as  his  last  official  act,  a  commissioner  of  the  Luzerne  county 
prison,  which  position  he  held  by  successive  yearlj^  appointments  until 
it  was  disposed  of  as  a  reward  for  political  services.  He  was  chosen  and 
acted  as  president  of  the  board  during  his  entire  ofBcial  term. 

When  the  patriotic  citizens  of  Wyoming  met  to  effect  an  organization 
for  the  proper  commemoration  of  the  100th  anniversary  of  the  battle 
and  massacre  of  Wyoming  CJolonel  Dorrance  was,  without  a  dissenting 
voice  or  thought,  made  the  president  of  that  organization.  How  well 
and  with  what  grace  and  liberality  he  performed  the  duties  of  that  po- 
sition, and  how  largely  his  means  and  his  hospitalities  were  taxed  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  great  occasion,  is  attested  by  all.  It  is  a 
singular  coincidence  that  the  father  should  have  been  the  first  president 
of  the  Wyoming  Bank,  and  that  after  the  lapse  of  half  a  century  his  son 
should  now  hold  the  same  trust.  Fifty  years  are  said  to  bring  great 
changes,  but  in  this  case  it  has  but  cast  the  mantle  of  the  father  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  son.who  wears  it  with  equal  grace  and  dignity  with 
the  ancestor.  Time  and  space  will  not  permit  to  name  all  the  positions 
of  trust  and  honor  he  has  been  called  upon  to  fill  in  an  active  life  of 
three  score  years.  Whatever  they  may  have  been  he  has  filled  them  all 
with  honesty  and  fidelity,  and  now  at  the  age  of  three  score  and  fifteen 
he  enjoys  the  reputation  of  an  honest  and  honorable  man,  in  whom 
dwell  all  the  sweet  and  tender  elements  of  humanity,  which,  as  occasion 
has  offered,  have  welled  out  to  the  comforting  and  blessing  of  all  who 
have  come  in  contact  with  him.  Blest  in  his  family,  blest  in  his  store 
and  blest  in  all  his  surroundings,  long  may  he  live  to  enjoy  the  blessings 
of  a  well  spent  life,  which  has  diffused  its  sweet  savor  on  all  who  have 
enjoyed  the  pleasure  of  kindly  intercourse  with  him. 

We  append  the  following  obituary  notice,  which  appeared  in  the 
United  States  Gazette,  of  Philadelphia,  of  September  Gth,  1837,  copied 
from  the  Wunming  Jteintblioan  : 

Colonel  Benjamin  Dorrance  is  no  more.  The  place  on  earth  that  once 
knew  him  shall  know  him  no  more  forever.  On  Thursday,  August 
24th,  while  conversing  cheerfully  at  his  own  house  with  a  member  of 
his  family,  he  was  seized  with  an  apoplectic  fit ;  he  fell,  and  in  ii  mo- 
ment the  vital  spark  was  extinct,  ^rhere  are  few  indeed  whose  de- 
parture could  have  occasioned  so  deep  a  void,  so  wide  a  chasm  in  so- 
ciety. Universally  known,  everywhere  respected  and  beloved,  not  by 
his  relations  alone,  but  by  a  numerous  circle  of  friends,  the  bereave- 
ment is  deeply  felt.  Yet  why  should  sorrow  prevail  ?  Who  in  life  has 
been  more  successful?  Who  more  useful  in  his  day  and  generation? 
How  few,  with  his  fine  health,  live  to  so  great  an  age?  Colonel  Dor- 
ranee  was  about  seventy  years  old.  He  was  born  in  Plainfield,  State  of 
Connecticut,  in  1707,  and  came  to  Wyoming  when  quite  a  lad  with  his 
father's  family.  In  the  Indian  battle  his  father,  Lieutemuit  Colonel 
George  Dorrance,  who  was  third  in  command,  standing  next  to  Butler 
and  Denison,  was  slain.  The  day  after,  when  Forty  Fort  was  surren- 
dered, the  object  of  this  notice  was  in  the  fortification,  and  used  to  de- 
scribe with  graphic  clearness  the  entry  of  the  British  at  one  gate  and  of 
the  Indians  at  the  other.  But  this  belongs  rather  to  his  biogra- 
phy than  to  an  obituary  paragraph.  Colonel  Dorrance  was  a  man  of 
sterling  good  sense,  remarkably  pleasing  in  his  manners,  eminently 
hospitable,  liberal  and  benevolent.  The  olHcesof  sheriff,  commissioner 
and  member  of  Assembly,  as  often  as  he  would  accept  a  seat,  show  the 
estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  his  follow  citizens.  No  man  enjoyed 
society  and  the  good  things  of  this  life  with  a  higher  relish  than  Colonel 
Dorrance;  yet  using  them  as  subservient,  and  never  allowing  pleasui'e 
to  mislead  from  the  moral  path,  or  to  interfere  with  health  or  business. 
If  asked  who,  for  the  last  half  century,  has  been  the  happiest  man  in 
the  county,  the  county,  I  think, would  say  Colonel  Dorrance.  Yet  washe 
careful,  active,  intelligent  and  shrewd  in  business— a  strict  economist— 
and  was  abundantly  blessed  with  this  world's  good.  In  fine.  Colonel 
Dorrance  was  an  extraordinary  mtm— mingling  in  his  character  the 
pleasant  and  the  useful,  liberal  expenditures  with  fair  and  steady  ac- 
quisition, sweetening  labor  with  enjoyment,  and  heightening  pleasure 
by  a  prompt  and  energetic  devotion  to  business;  and  throughout  lite 
popular  without  envy,  without  an  enemy,  and  never  yielding  his  inde- 
pendence or  integrity.  Honor  and  affection  to  his  memory.  His 
funeral  took  place  on  Saturday  the  3eth.    A  sermon  suited  to  the  sol- 


emn occasion  was  preached  by  the  Kev.  Mr.  Snowden.  The  remains 
were  attended  to  their  last  resting  place  by  a  very  large  concourse  of 
friends.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the  largest  funeral  procession  ever  seen 
in  the  vaUey. 

THE  JBl^KINS  FAMILY. 

The  Jenkins  name  has  been  intimately  connected  with  the  history  of 
Wyoming  from  its  first  attempted  settlement  by  the  whites.  John  Jen- 
kins the  elder  was  here  in  the  fall  of  1753,  on  a  trip  of  exploration;  was 
at  Albany  in  1754,  when  the  purchase  of  the  country  was  made  from  the 
Indians,  in  the  negotiations  for  which  he  took  an  active  part ;  was  in 
the  valley  in  1755,  making  surveys,  taking  latitude  and  longitude;  was 
at  the  head  of  the  settlement  made  in  1703,  and  was  driven  out  at  the 
massacre  October  15th,  1763.  He  returned  again  in  January,  1709.  as  one 
of  the  committee  who  brought  in  the  forty  settlers  of  the  town  of 
Kingston,  and  was  conspicuous  in  the  Pennamite  war  and  struggles 
previous  to  the  Kevolutionary  war.  He  called  the  first  meeting,  August 
1st,  1776,  to  declare  the  position  of  the  settlers  on  the  controversy  with 
■  Great  Britain,  in  whioh  they  resolved  "  that  they  will  unanimously 
join  their  brethren  in  America  in  the  common  cause  of  defending  tlieir 
liberty."  He  was  the  chairman  of  that  meeting  and  drew  its  resolu- 
tions. The  war  over,  and  liberty  and  independence  assured,  the  Penna- 
mite war  again  assumed  an  unpleasant  shape,  and  i^ut  on  all  the  heat 
and  strife  of  actual  conflict.  He  took  an  active  part  in  belialf  of  the 
settlers  in  this  war ;  was  their  principal  scribe  and  counselor ;  was  five 
times  their  representative  in  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut,  and  in 
every  respect  a  leading  man  among  them.  Driven  out  by  the  Penna- 
mites  in  May,  1784,  in  a  cold  spring  storm,  he  took  a  severe  cold,  which 
taking  the  form  of  rheumatism  and  settling  in  a  wound  in  his  knee 
which  he  received  from  a  ball  at  the  taking  of  Louisburg  in  1745,  he  suf- 
fered on  until  the  month  of  November  following,  when  he  died,  a  victim 
to  Pennamite  injustice  and  cruelty.  He  was  born  in  East  Greenwich, 
R.  I.,  February  15th,  1728,  and  was  the  son  of  John  Jenkins,  of  that  place, 
who  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  under  George  II.  and  member  of  the 
colonial  Legislature  of  that  colony  for  three  years,  and  also  a  commis- 
sioner of  boundaries  of  the  colony.  His  three  brothers,  Jonathan,  Palm- 
er and  Stephen,  also  came  to  Wyoming  in  1769-70,  but  did  not  make  a 
permanent  settlement.  He  married  Lydia,  daughter  of  Stephen  Gard- 
ner, of  New  London,  previously  of  East  Greenwich,  in  February,  1751, 
and  had  seven  children,  the  oldest  of  whom  was  John,  known  to  the 
history  of  Wyoming  as  Colonel  John  Jenkins  He  first  settled  in  Kings- 
ton, February  1st,  1709,  and  then  in  Exeter  (now  West  Pittston),  about 
the  first  of  May,  1773,  which  town  was  granted  to  him  with  others  about 
that  time.  He  was  a  school  teacher,  surveyor  and  conveyancer,  justice 
of  the  peace  and  president  judge  of  the  first  county  court  of  Wyoming 
in  1777. 

Colonel  John  Jenkins,  his  son,  was  born  November  37th,  1751,  at  Gard- 
ner's' Lake,  in  New  London,  Conn.  He  also  was  a  surveyor  and  convey- 
ancer, and  school  teacher,  constable,  agent  of  the  Susquehanna  Company 
at  Wyoming,  farmer,  merchant  and  ironmonger.  He  came  to  the 
.valley  with  his  father  in  1769,  and  at  once  took  an  active  part  in 
the  Pennamite  and  Eevolutionai-y  wars.  He  was  tsiken  prisoner 
by  the  Indians  and  tories  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  1777;  carried  to 
Niagara,  and  in  the  spring  to  Montreal  and  Albany,  whence  they  pro- 
posed taking  him  to  Kanadaseago  to  a  grand  council  for  disposition.  On 
the  way  he  escaped,  and  after  great  fatigue  and  suffering  from  hunger 
reached  home  on  the  2nd  of  June,  1778,  before  the  advent  of  the  force 
under  Butler  and  Grant,  and  of  whose  coming  he  brought  intelligence. 
He  was  in  command  of  Forty  Fort  when  the  settlers  marched  out  to 
meet  and  turn  back  the  invaders.  He  subsequently  joined  Captain 
Spalding's  company  as  a  lieutenant;  went  with  Colonel  Hartley  to  Tioga 
Point  in  the  latter  part  of  September,  177S,  through  an  almost  impene- 
trable wilderness,  with  streams,  swollen  by  the  equinoctial  rains  then 
prevailing,  and  was  an  active  participant  in.  the  battle  at  Indian  Hill, 
below  Wyalusing.  The  next  year,  in  April,  he  waited  on  General 
Washington  and  with  him  planned  the  Sullivan  campaign.  He  served 
throughout  that  campaign  as  chief  guide  of  the  army,  aud  received  the 
thanks  of  Sullivan  in  general  orders  for  his  gallant  conduct  and  im- 
portantserviees  in  the.battlo  of  Newtown,August  39th,1779.  On  the  25th 
February,  1781,  lie  set  out  with  his  company  to  join  General  Washington 
at  headquarters  on  the  Hudson,  and  arrived  on  the  lltli  of  March;  was 
engaged  in  the  battle  of  King's  Bridge  July  3d,  1781 ;  and  when  the  army 
marched  for  Yorktown  accompanied  them ;  was  at  the  surrender  of 
Cornwallis,  October  17th,1781,  serving  under  Baron  Steuben.  Keturning 
with  the  army  to  the  Hudson  that  same  fall,  and  the  war  being  really  at 
an  end,  and  becoming  tired  and  disgusted  with  the  inactivity  and  wear- 
iness of  camp  life,  he,  on  the  1st  of  March,  1783,  resigned  his  commission 
and  returned  home  to  the  defense  of  his  family  and  friends  from  the 
barbarity  of  the  savages  and  Pennamites,  who  still  infested  that  locality. 
He  was  an  active  leading  man  in  all  the  struggles  of  the  settlers  against 
the  Pennamites,  firm  and  unyielding  in  his  adherence  to  their  rights, 
never  compromising,  never  surrendering;  and  when  the  rights  of  the 
settlors  were  in  good  part  gained  he  refused  to  accept  because  it  was 
not  all  he  claimed  and  believed  their  due.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
popular  men  of  his  day.  Under  the  artful  lead  and  intrigue  of  Colonel 
Timothy  Pickering,  who  showed  that  the  way  to  preferment  at  Wy- 


4= 


'  ** 


A-^ '^  ~ 


MITCHELL'S  BRICK  BLOCK  ,  PLAINS,  LUZERNE  CO.,  PA 


^'"Ji'  liy jlKTdtclnt.VJ^- 


fl  oc4'f-t:cyi.yoL-     U .    fU^. 


KO.IM  EUbEAT'.D  B   PAYNK 


oming  was  throuah  the  Federal  party,  Luzerne  county  set  off  with  a 
vote  of  two  to  one  in  its  favor.  Colonel  Jenkins  was  a  Democrat  of  the 
straitest  sect,  and  was  a  leader  in  the  party;  and  notwithstanding  the 
heavy  odds  against  him  he  was  elected  high  sheriff  of  the  county  (though 
a  Federalist,  who  was  second  on  the  return,  received  the  commission), 
county  commissioner  and  member  of  Assembly.  He  was  several 
times  nominated  and  run  for  other  ofBoes,  and  though  defeated  ran 
far  ahead  of  his  ticket.  After  the  Revolutionary  war  he  settled  in 
Exeter,  on  the  battlc-flold,  whore  he  died  on  the  10th  of  March,  1827.  He 
man-led  Bethiah  Harris,  of  Colchestor,  on  the  33d  of  June,  1788,  and  had 
eight  children.  The  eldest,  Lydla,  married  Jabez  Hyde,  jr.,  a  native  of 
Norwich,  Conn.  He  was  elected  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county  in  1810, 
member  of  Assembly  in  1.S13 ;  was  prothonotary,  register,  recorder  and 
clerk  of  courts  of  Susquehanna  county  from  1816  to  1830;  member  of 
Assembly  in  1833  and  182.3;  delegate  to  constitutional  convention  in  183T, 
judge  of  Susquehanna  county  in  181.0  and  died  holding  that  office. 

Harris  .Tenkins,  son  of  Colonel  John  Jenkins,  was  u  mei-chant  and 
farmer,  colonel  of  militia,  collector  of  II.  S.  internal  revenue  in  1816,  re- 
corder of  deeds  and  register  of  wills  and  Justice  of  the  peace. 

James  Jenkins,  his  youngest  son,  was  a  farmer  and  merchant,  post- 
master at  Wyoming,  and  a  leading  founder  and  ten  years  ^'ice-presi- 
dent  of  the  Luzerne  County  Agricultural  Society.  He  was  the  liu-gest 
contributor  to  the  building  of  the  Luzerne  Presbyterial  Institute ;  a 
man  of  sterling  qualities  and  unimpeachable  integrity. 

Three  gonei-atious  of  the  family  residing  at  Wyoming  have  been  treat- 
ed of  and  we  now  come  to  the  fourth.  Of  this  generation  Steuben 
Jenkins,  of  Wyoming,  is  the  best  and  most  widely  known,  and  a  brief 
notice  of  him  must  close  this  sketch.  He  was  born  on  the  28th  of  Sept- 
ember, 1819,  on  the  Wyoming  battle-fleld.  The  tales  of  early  times  to 
which  he  listened  around  the  fire-side  of  his  grandfather,  and  on  the 
field  as  recounted  to  and  by  visitors,  gave  his  mind  a  bent  in  the  direc- 
tion of  gathering  up  the  sad  and  mournful  history  of  the  sufferings  of 
the  earl.v  settlers.  His  knowledge  of  the  events  of  those  times  is  perhaps 
more  intimate  and  correct  than  that  of  any  other  person  living.  He  has 
written  much  for  the  periodicals  of  the  day,  and  for  various  historical 
publications,  besides  addresses;  and  he  indulges  the  hope,  which  other 
people  have  long  since  yielded  up,  that  lie  will  yet  write  a  history  which 
shall  contain  all  that  anyone  may  wish  to  know  of  the  early  days  of  Wy- 
oming. He  prepared  and  delivered  the  historical  address  at  the  monu- 
ment on  the  occasion  of  the  commemoration  of  the  100th  anniversary  of 
the  massacre  of  Wyoming,  in  which  he  gave  the  most  complete  account 
of  that  occurrence  that  has  yet  been  given  to  the  public.  It  has  been 
used  as  the  text  of  the  account  of  that  event  contained  in  this  work. 
The  historical  and  genealogical  material  gathered  by  him  is  immense, 
and  enables  him  to  furnish  information  on  these  subjects  when  all  other 
sources  fail. 

He  is  a  lawyer  by  profession ;  has  held  many  public  offices  and  trusts, 
all  of  which  he  discharged  with  signal  ability,  fidelity  and  honor.  It  is 
hoped  that  he  may  be  spared  to  complete  the  history  for  which  he  has 
labored  so  many  years  in  gathering  the  material,  and  that  it  may  be  all 
that  can  be  desired  both  in  manner  and  matter. 

WILLIAM  LOVBLAND. 

William  Loveland  was  born  in  Kingston,  Pa.,  August  Sth,  1831.  His 
father  was  Elijah  Loveland,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Kingston  and 
an  energetic  and  public  spirited  citizen.  On  his  mother's  side  he  is  of 
the  ninth  generation  of  descendants  of  Thomas  Buckingham,  a  Puritan 
settler  in  America,  who  came  from  England  to  Boston,  Mass.,  in  June, 
1637,  and  who  was  the  ancestor  of  all  of  the  American  Buckinghams. 
Mr.  Loveland  has  always  been  a,  farmer.  At  his  father's  death  he 
assumed  control  of  the  family  homestead,  in  Kingston.  He  has  aided  to 
develop  and  sustain  the  most  important  local  interests.  As  a  business 
man  he  has  ever  been  active  and  prominent.  The  Loveland  family  are 
and  have  for  years  been  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  Eli- 
jah Lo%-eland  was  an  elder  in  the  Kingston  church,  and  all  of  his  sons- 
Thomas  B.,  of  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  William  and  George,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.,  Henry,  of  Steuben  county,  N.  Y.,  and  the  late  John  Loveland,  of 
Pittston— have  at  different  times  held  the  same  position  in  societies  of 
that  denomination.  Of  the  Kingston  church  William  has  long  been  an 
influential  official  member  and  a  liberal  supporter.  Formerly  a  Whig 
politically,  Mr.  Loveland  identified  himself  with  the  Hepublican  party 
at  its  organization,  and  has  been  deeply  interested  in  its  progress  to  the 
present  time,  though  since  1863  he  has  not  been  an  active  politician. 
June  17th,  1856,  Mr.  Loveland  married  Lydia  Hurlburt,  of  Arkport,  N. 
T.,  who  was  born  there  May  30th,  1839,  and  is  a  granddaughter  of  Chris- 
topher Hurlburt,  a  surveyor  well  known  in  the  Wyoming  valley  in  the 
pioneer  days.  They  have  had  seven  children,  of  whom  four  survive. 
George  B.,  son  of  Henry  B.  and  Nancy  Loveland  (brother  of  William 
Loveland  and  sister  of  Mrs.  William  Loveland  respectively),  has  been  a 
member  of  the  family  of  his  uncle  and  aunt  from  infancy.  The  only 
daughter  of  Mr.  Elijah  Loveland  not  previously  mentioned  is  the  wife 
of  Governor  Henry  M.  Hoyt,  now  a  resident  of  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

KEV.  HEUBEN  NELSON,  D.  D. 

The  Eev.  Reuben  Nelson,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Andes,  N.  Y.,  December 


18th,  1818,  and  died  at  his  home  in  New  York  city,  February  20th,  1879. 
He  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  when  sixteen.  In  1840  he 
successfully  commenced  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  the  Oneida  Confer- 
ence. He  soon  left  the  ptistorate,  however,  and  gave  his  attention  to 
teaching.  For  about  two  years  he  was  principal  of  the  Otsego  Acad- 
emy, at  Oooperstown,  N.  Y.  He  commenced  his  work  as  principal  of 
the  Wyoming  Seminary  In  the  fall  of  1844,  and  with  the  exception  of  one 
year  held  the  position  till  the  close  of  the  academic  year  of  1872.  Under 
his  guiding  hand  a  great  school  grew  up  from  small  beginnings.  As 
the  chief  executive  oflioer  of  the  seminary  he  manifested  unusual  tact 
and  sagacity  in  availing  himself  of  the  resources  within  his  reach  for 
the  upbuilding  of  the  Institution.  During  the  years  that  the  school  was 
struggling  with  adversity  he  thought  and  planned  and  labored  from 
early  dawn  till  late  at  night,  never  abating  his  tireless  labors  till  success 
was  assured.  When  new  buildings  were  to  be  erected  he  planned  them, 
purchased  the  materials  and  superintended  the  work.  In  addition  to  all 
this  almost  every  Sabbath  found  him  in  the  pulpit  earnestly  preaching 
the  gospel.  As  a  teacher  this  one  idea  was  always  dominant  in  his 
mind— to  make  out  of  his  pupils  strong  and  noble  men  and  women.  In 
his  estimation,  to  be  learned  and  not  religious  was  to  be  a  failure;  and  so 
he  labored  most  assiduously  for  the  conversion  of  the  youth  who  were 
placed  under  his  care.  As  an  educator  Dr.  Nelson  had  few  equals.  Un- 
der his  management  the  seminary  became  one  of  the  largest  and  best 
sustained  academic  institutions  ia  the  land,  and  to-day  it  stands  as  a 
worthy  monument  of  his  wise  forecast,  patient  toil  and  tireless  energy. 
As  a  preacher  Dr.  Nelson  was  always  interesting,  and  often  eloquent. 
There  was  a  tender  emotion  running  through  his  sermons  which  gave 
them  great  power  over  the  masses.  He  was  ten  times  elected  secretary 
of  his  conference.  Mve  times  he  was  sent  at  the  head  of  his  delegation 
to  the  General  Conference.  In  each  of  these  General  Conferences  his 
influence  was  prominently  felt.  In  May,  1873.  he  was  elected  to  succeed 
Dr.  Carlton  in  the  charge  of  the  church  publishing  interests  in  New 
York.  Under  the  careful  management  of  Dr.  Nelson  and  J.  M.  Phillips 
the  great  publishing  house  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  main- 
tained its  credit  so  as  to  command  the  confidence  of  both  the  church  and 
the  business  public.  A  unanimous  re-election  of  both  agents  in  1876  by 
acclamation  showed  how  fully  the  church  appreciated  and  trusted  them. 
Dr.  Nelson  also  was  treasurer  of  the  missionary  society  of  the  church, 
serving  with  signal  success  till  his  death. 

HON.  HUBBARD  B.  PAYNE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Kingston,  Pa.,  where  he  now 
resides,  July  3Uh,  1839.  His  parents  were  Bsster  and  Polly  Payne,  and 
h3  is  the  only  one  of  their  children  now  living.  His  father  was  very 
generally  knowa  throughout  the  counties  of  Luzerne,  Columbia, 
Wyoming,  Susquehanna  and  Bradford,  Pa.,  as  a  lead  water  pipe  layer. 
Until  he  attained  the  age  of  eighteen  Mr.  Payne  lived  at  home,  worlting 
with  his  father  in  the  lead  pipe  manufactory,  or  by  the  day  for 
the  farmers  of  his  neighborhood,  or  attending  the  schools  in 
Kingston.  He  prepared  for  college  at  the  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kings- 
toa,  and  in  Au^ast,  1857,  eatsrel  the  Wesleyan  University,  at  Middle- 
town,  Conn.  'There  his  life  struggle  really  began.  The  means  of  his 
parents  being  limited,  he  sought  to  aid  them,  and  during  his  college 
course  taught  district  school  three  successive  winter  terms  of  eighteen 
weeks  each,  at  Rocky  Hill,  Conn.,  keeping  up  his  studies  at  the  same 
time.  In  college  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  literary  societies.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Psi  Upsilon  secret  society  and  the  Pytbologian 
Society,  and  by  the  faculty  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  Society.  In  June,  1831,  he  graluated,  standing  number  four  in 
his  class. 

In  August  following  his  graduation  Mr.  Payne  entered  the  office  of 
Hon.  ChirlesDealson,  of  Wilkei-Birre  (afterwards  a  member  of  Con- 
gress for  three  terms),  as  a  law  studeiit.  While  pursuing  his  legal  read- 
ing he  tiught  a  district  schocd  during  the  winter  of  ISBlin  Cinder  Alley, 
Wilkes-Barre,  and  a  public  school  of  boys  in  a  store-room  of  the  Hillard 
block  during  the  winter  of  1803.  In  August,  1863,  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bir  of  L'jzsrne  county,  and  at  once  secured  a  desk  in  the  office  of  Hon. 
W.  W.  Keto'aim,  than  silioitor  of  the  United  States  Court  of  Claims 
and  entered  upon  that  struggle  known  only  to  a  young  lawyer  who, 
without  means  or  inauential  friends,  attempts  to  build  up  a  practice. 
With  the  closest  attention  to  business  and  with  a  strong  determination  to 
deserve  success,  it  was  yet  four  years  before  his  income  equaled  his  ex- 
penses, small  though  they  were.  But,  as  they  invariably  do,  industry, 
integrity  and  frugality  prevailed  finally,  and  with  Mr.  Payne  it  became 
a  question  not  how  to  get  business  but  how  to  attend  to  that  he  had, 
and  his  practice  has  been  lucrative  and  successful. 

Politically,  Mr.  Payne  has  been  from  the  first  a  decided,  active  and 
outspoken  Republican.  Beginning  with  the  Presidential  campaign  of 
1831,  he  has  since  taken  an  active  part  for  his  party  in  local  and  general 
elections,  working  on  committees  and  publicly  addressing  the  people. 
In  1874  he  was  nominated  without  opposition  for  the  State  Senate,  and, 
tohisownsurprlseandthat  of  many  others,  was  elected  by  over  1,200 
majority.  During  his  term  in  tho  Senate  he  was  active  in  the  business 
of  the  sesMon,  serving  on  the  committees  on  "judiciary  general,"  "ju- 
diciary local,"  "  mines  and  mining,"  and  "  new  counties.  In  1876  he  was 


=^^ 


Hh 


*4* 


306  z> 


HISTORY   OF   LUZERNE    COUNTY. 


nominated  without  opposition  for  Congress  in  the  lath  Congressional  dis- 
triot  of  Pennsylvania,  and  at  the  time  of  his  nomination  had  every  pros- 
pect of  election.  But  his  opponent,  Hon.  Hendrick  B.  Wrigrht,  endorsed 
by  both  the  Democratic  and  Greenback  parties,  was  elected  by  a 
smaU  majority.  In  June,  1880,  Mr.  Payne,  having  passed  the  interval 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  was  nominated  without  opposition  by 
the  HepubUoan  party  for  the  office  of  law  judge,  to  flU  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  resignation  of  president  judge  Garrick  M.  Harding,  and 
his  prospects  for  election  (September,  1880)  seem  as  promising  as 
those  of  any  of  his  opponents. 

February  23nd,  1866,  Mr.  Payne  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Lee  Smith,  only 
child  of  Mr.  Draper  Smith,  an  old  resident  of  Plymouth,  Luzerne  cou  nty . 
Prom  this  union  four  children  have  been  born— a  daughter,  Louisa  S. 
Payne,  and  three  sons,  Charles  B.,  Hubbard  B.  and  Paul  D.  Payne.  All 
are  living  but  Charles,  who,  October  3d,  1876,  while  Mr.  Payne  was  en- 
gaged in  his  Congressional  campaign,  fell  from  a  tree  while  gathering 
nuts  and  was  killed.  For  many  years  Mr.  Payne  has  been  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Kingston,  and  he  is  now  serving  his 
fifteenth  year  as  superintendent  of  its  Sabbath-school.  He  hasalsobeen 
active  as  a  free  mason,  and  is  now  a  past  master  by  service  of  Kingston 
Lodge,  No.  396,  A.  Y.  M.  Two  years  he  also  served  as  district  deputy 
grand  master  for  the  district  of  Luzerne  county. 

The  above  is,  briefly,  an  outline  of  the  career  of  Mr.  Payne.  It  has 
been  thus  far  the  career  of  a  selfmade  man  with  an  honest  purpose,  and 
interwoven  day  by  day  with  hard  labor  and  persevering  endeavor.  Such 
lives  bring  their  legitimate  rewards,  and  are  fitting  examples  for  emu- 
lation to  the  youth  of  our  country. 

payne;pbttebone. 

John  Pettebone,  of  French  extraction,  emigrated  from  England  during 
the  turtailent  time  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  and  was  registered  as  a  land- 
holder in  Windsor,  Hartford  county,  Conn.,  in  1658.  February  10th, 
1604,  he  maiTied  Sarah  Egglestnn,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children,  three 
born  at  Windsor  and  si.K  at  SImsbury,  in  the  same  county,  where  he  re- 
moved about  the  time  of  the  liirth  of  his  son  Stephen,  which  occurred 
October  3d,  1609,  locating  on  lands  now  (1880)  in  possession  of  some  of 
his  descendants.  The  name  of  Noah  Pettebone  is  found  attached  to  a 
petition  to  the  Assembly  of  Connecticut  dated  March  2Bth,  1863.  for  per- 
mission to  buy  lands  of  the  Indians  on  the  Susquehanna  at  Wyoming. 
In  1746  he  raai-ried  Huldah  Williams,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  all 
born  in  Connecticut.  He  was  first  at  Wyoming  in  1769,  with  his  three 
sons— Noah,  jr.,  Stephen  and  Oliver;  In  1773  he  settled  on  meadow  lot 
No.  23,  where  his  descendants  have  continued  in  regular  succession  to 
thepresent,  making  considerable  additions  to  the  homestead.  Sometime 
after  the  massacre  of  July  gd,1778,he  returned  to  Connecticut  and  Massa- 
chusetts, where  his  married  daughters  resided,  but  after  a  year  or  two 
returned  to  the  homestead  at  Wyoming,  where  he  died  March  28th,  1791. 
The  children  of  Noah  Pettebone,  all  liorn  at  Simsbury,  Conn.,  were : 
Esther,  born  in  June,  1847,  married  William  A  Iworth  ;  Huldah,  born  in 
August,  1749,  married  Benjamin  Atwater;  Noah,  jr.,  born  in  November, 
1751,  married  Lucy  Scott,  May,  1778,  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Wyo- 
ming, July  3d,  1778;  Hannah,  born  in  Octoter,  1753,  married  Joseph 
Shaw ;  Stephen,  born  in  September,  1765,  was  in  Sullivan's  army  and 
honorably  discharged,  and  after  returning  toWycming  killed  by  Indians, 
February  lOth,  1779,  on  KingstonJFlatsU  Dolly,  boin  in  June,  17-57,  mar. 
ried  Timothy  Stevens  in  1777 ;  Lydia,  born  in  December,  1759,  married 
John  Vaugh ;  Oliver,  born  May  13th,  1763.  married  Martha  Paine,  Decem- 
ber 31st,  1783.  All  of  the  daughters  settled  in  the  Lackawanna  region, 
and  had  considerable  families. 

Oliver  Pettebone,  the  youngest  son  of  Noah,  born  May  13th.  1763,  was 
a  boy  sixteen  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  massacre,  and  with  others  was 
in  Forty  Fort.  He  counted  the  force  as  it  went  out  and  made  the  num- 
ber 383.  The  second  daj'  after  the  massacre  he  returned  to  Connecticut, 
but  subsequently  removed  to  Amenia,  Dutchess  ccunty,  N.  Y.,  Decem- 
ber 21st,  1783,  where  he  married  Martha,  daughter  of  Dr.  Bnrnabns 
Paine  Ithe  family  name  is  now  spelled  with  a  y).  He  settled  on  Living- 
ston manor,  where  three  children  were  born,— Oliver,  jr.,  Esther  and 
Payne.  He  returned  to  Wyoming  in  April,  1788,  and  purchased  the  lot 
adjoining  his  fatlier's  homestead,  both  of  which  lots,  with  added  acres, 
are  owned  and  occupied  by  his  descendants.  After  his  return  to  Wyom- 
ing ten  additional  childi-en  were  born  to  him,  and  all,  except  two  who 
died  young,  raised  quite  large  families.  He  was  a  pi-udeut,  industrious, 
systematic  farmer,  and  kept  everything  in  perfect  order  till  his  death, 
March  17th,  1833.  His  wife  died  December  35th,  1833.  Their  children 
were:  Oliver,  jr.,  born  September 9th,  1784;  Esther,  September  15th, 
1785;  Payne,  January  24th,  1787;  Joshua,  August  31st,  1788  ;  Marcla,  Nov- 
ember 3d,  1790 ;  Lucy,  September  13th,  1703;  Mary,  October  aist,  1794 ; 
Nancy,  November  13th,  1790  ;  Noah,  July  27th,  1798 ;  Huldah,  Februai-y 
14th,  1801 ;  Henry,  October,  6th,  1803 ;  Martha,  December  30th,  1804,  and 
Stephen,  February  3ud,  1807. 

Marrying  Sarah  Tuttle,  Payne,  son  of  Oliver  Pettebone,  was  (he  im- 
mediate ancestor  of  Stoughton  Pettebone,  a  prominent  paper  manufac- 
turer residing  at  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y.,  born  April  9th,  1813,  and  Pavne 
Pettebone,  of  Wyoming,  born  December  2JJd,  1813,  in  Kingston,  where 
Payne  Pettebone,  sen.,  had  located  with  his  family;  his  father-in-law 


(Joseph  Tuttle),  with  his  family,  having  settled  on  Abraham's  creek  at 
the  point  since  known  as  Tuttle's  Mills,  where  the  settlers  on  their  way 
to  the  battle  of  Wyoming  stopped  for  deliberation.  When  young  Payne 
Pettebone  was  only  eight  months  of  age  his  father  died  and  he  was  left 
to  the  care  of  his  maternal  grandfather,  Joseph  Tuttle,  where  he  re- 
mained until  fourteen,  doing  the  varied  and  almost  ceaseless  work  of  a 
farmer's  boy  and  attending  the  winter  schools  in  the  old  school-house, 
with  Blab  benches,  located  near  the  residence  of  the  late  Colonel  Elijah 
Shoemaker,  his  studies  being  limited  to  Webster's  spelling  book,  Daboll's 
arithmetic,  the  old  English  reader  and  the  rudimentary  principles  of 
Murray's  grammar.  For  a  time  succeeding  his  fifteenth  year  he  was  a 
tavern  boy-of-all-wiirk,  but  so  firmly  grounded  were  his  principles  of 
right  and  propriety  that  he  did  not  suffer  any  in  consequence  of  the 
contaminating  influences  by  which  he  was  surrounded.  He  was  subse- 
(luently  clerk  in  a  store  at  Tunkhannook,  Wyoming  county,  from  1838 
to  1831,  at  a  pittance  of  from  $5  to  $10  per  month,  where,  amid  adverse 
circumstances  and  in  bad  society,  he  preserved  his  charact«r  umblem- 
ished;  and,  when  bis  employer  at  Tunkhannock  failed  in  business,  de- 
clined an  offer  to  enter  mercantile  life  as  a  principal  in  partnership 
with  Colonel  Montanye  before  he  was  eighteen.  Returning  to  his 
former  agricultural  employments  with  his  grandfather  he  was  soon 
offered  an  opportunity  to  engage  on  trial  for  two  weeks  as  a  clerk  in 
the  store  of  Swetland  &  Baldwin,  of  Wyoming.  This  position  he  occupied 
and  gave  such  satisfaction  to  his  employers  that  his  services  were  re- 
tained by  this  firm,  and  subsequently  by  William  Swetland,  at  $176  to 
$300  per  annum  and  board;  and  as  evidence  that  he  had  early  learned  to 
appreciate  the  value  of  money  sa\'ed  it  is  only  necessary  to  state  that 
out  of  this  meagre  salary  he  laid  up  about  SlOO  a  year.  After  the  dis- 
solution of  the  firm  of  Swetland  &  Baldwin,  in  July,  1833,  young 
Pettebone  was  offered  service  by  each  of  the  partners,  and  upon  con- 
sidering the  advisability  of  going  into  another  line  of  businesss  was 
prolfered  an  interest  in  the  store  of  Jlr.  Swetland;  and  in  September, 
1834,  entered  as  an  equal  partner  with  him  under  a  contract  drawn  up 
by  himself,  covering  loss  than  one  page  of  foolscap,  which  limited  the 
partnership  to  such  a  length  of  time  as  the  two  could  agree.  This  was 
in  September,  1831, before  Pajue  Pettebone  had  attained  his  majority. 
Tlie  partnership  was  so  mutually  satisfactory  that  it  was  dissolved  only 
by  t\ie  death  of  Mr.  Swetland,  September  3Tth,  1864.  During  the  early 
years  of  their  partnership  they  were  familiar  by  every-day  labor  with 
all  of  the  details  of  duties  which  subseiiuently  de\olved  on  portei-s 
and  junior  clerks. 

To  the  ties  of  mutual  interest  which  united  Mr.  Swetland  and  Mr. 
Pettebone  were  added  those  of  famil.v  relationship  when,  October  3d, 
1837,  Payne  Pettebone  married  Caroline  M.,  daughter  of  William  Swet- 
land, who  has  borne  him  six  children,  two  of  whom  are  living.  These 
are  Kate,  who  married  A.  H.  Dickson,  an  attorney,  residing  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  Robert  Treat,  just  past  his  majority  and  occupying  the  re- 
sponsible position  of  superintendent  of  the  Wyoming  Shovel  Works. 
By  the  will  of  Mr.  Swetland  the  surviving  partner  was  made  executor 
of  his  estate,  which  he  managed  for  fifteen  years,  greatlj-  increasing  its 
value. 

With  the  various  local  interests  of  the  town  in  which  he  lives  Mr. 
Pettebone  has  always  been  closely  identified,  and  aU  enterprises  having 
in  view  the  education,  evangelization  and  general  advancement  of  his 
fellow  men  have  always  found  in  him  a  willing  and  a  liberal  supporter. 
He  has  never  held  public  office  except  local  township  offices,  having 
repeatedly  refused  the  use  of  his  name  in  nominating  conventions 
wlicn  his  party  was  largely  in  the  majority ;  but  with  such  marked  suc- 
cess has  he  conducted  his  private  business  that  he  has  from  time  to  time 
been  burdened  with  the  cares  of  enterprises  of  a  public  cliaracter.  In 
1844  he  was  appointed  a  member  of  a  committee  with  General  William 
S.  Ross  and  Jonathan  J.  Slocum,  by  the  State  authorities,  for  the  sale  of 
the  Delaware  division  of  the  Pennsj'lvania  Canal,  and  aided  to  effect 
the  sale  of  the  same  at  Philadelphia.  From  1854  to  1803  he  was  treasurer 
of  the  Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg  Railroad  Company,  during  the 
trying  years  of  the  financial  embarassment  of  that  corporation  and  the 
construction  of  the  j'oad.  During  that  period  occurred  the 
severest  strain  and  pressure  of  his  business  life,  and  he 
retired  from  the  position  only  when  safety  from  loss  was 
assured  to  the  managei-s  of  the  road,  who  were  chiefly  neighbors 
luid  friends  of  his.  He  was  subsequently  elected  a  director  of  the 
I'oilroad  company,  and- continued  in  that  office  until  the  Lackawanna 
and  Bloomsburg  Railroad  was  consolidated  with  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
"wanna  and  W^cstern  Railroad.  Mr.  Pettebone  has  been  prominently 
concerned  in  various  other  business  and  many  benevolent,  scientific  and 
educational  enterprises,  representing  several  as  president.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  the  old  Pittston  BttLk,  the  Wyoming  Shovel 
Works,  of  which  himself  and  son  are  sole  proprietors,  the  W^yoming 
Terra  Cotta  Works,  board  of  trustees  of  Wyoming  Seminary,  Wyoming 
Biblo  Society,  Wyoming  Camp  Meeting  Association,  Forty  Fort  Ceme- 
tery Association  and  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological  Society.  He 
is  director  of  the  Washington  Life  Insurance  Company,  of  New  York, 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Pittston,  and  Wyoming  National  Dank  and 
the  Miners'  Savings  Bank  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  was  president  and 
director  of  the  Wilkes-Barre  Savings  Bank,  now  in  liquidation.  He  is 
ruitce  of 'W  jcming  ftn  iniirj  and  the  Drew  Theologitul  Seminary,  and 


*^f= 


=^^ 


^^^^^ZZ^-t5^^^^.€_^ 


Einj-  h/  II  !■  H,ul  :;  :.V„s  I)  j:un  ta,,  AV  }/  y 


&^^^^k^^^^ 


'■''•]'■■  .1  E t ^'iZi  A'  r^//,-? ;-  7?,m;j',  ,^'7/;7V 


*^  T^" 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL   RECORD. 


306  £ 


resigned  the  trusteeship  of  the  Wesleyan  University,  of  Mlddletown, 
Conn.,  from  inability  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  board.  Until  1864 
the  Wyoming  monument  grounds  remained  in  a  neglected  condition. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological  Society  that 
year  it  was  resolved  "  that  Payne  Pettebone,  Hon.  William  S.  Boss  and 
Colonel  Charles  Dorranoe  be  a  committee  to  collect  funds  to  defray  the 
expense  of  finishing  Wyoming  monument,  enclosing  and  improving 
the  grounds  of  the  same."  His  duties  on  such  committee  Mr.  Pette- 
bone discharged  with  his  accustomed  ability,  energy  and  success.  In 
1878  he  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  finances  of  the  Centennial 
Memorial  Association,  and  to  his  management  was  the  success  of  the 
enterprise  in  no  small  measure  due.  A  pleasant  incident  connected  with 
this  event  was  the  entertainment,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Pettebone,  of 
President  Hayes  and  his  family  and  cabinet,  Governor  Hartranft,  of 
Penngj'lvania,  and  his  wife  and  suite,  and  many  other  prominent  men  of 
the  State  and  nation.  Mrs.  Hayes,  In  giving  expression  to  her  pleasant 
recollections  of  the  visit,  sent  Mrs.Pettebone  the  following  spring  a  case 
of  rare  flowers.  To  the  varied  employments  above  mentioned,  which 
have  demanded  his  time,  personal  attention  and  financial  support,  from 
time  to  time  have  been  added  the  care  of  interests  in  coal  mines,  farm- 
ing operations  and  an  extensive  sugar  plantation  .in  Louisiana,  where 
the  experiment  is  being  tried  of  keeping  negro  laborers  in  contentment 
by  prompt  pay  and  fair  treatment. 

At  the  altar  of  prayer  in  the  old  Forty  Fort  church,  at  the  age  of  twelve 
or  thirteen,  as  a  seeker  after  salvation,  Mr.  Pettebone  received  lasting 
impressions  for  good;  impressions  which  sustained  him  through  the 
oritical  period  of  boyhood  and  young  manhood,  left  indelibly  upon  his 
mind  those  principles  of  integrity  which  marked  his  whole  career  and 
contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  his  success  in  life;  though  for  years 
thereafter  he  was  not  a  professor  of  religion.  The  most  interestingand 
highly  cherished  event  of  Iiis  life  was  his  conversion  to  God  in  March, 
1848,  at  the  great  revival  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Wyom- 
ing, under  the  pastorate  of  Eev.  Thomas  N.  Pearne,  assisted  by  Rev.  K. 
Nelson.  As  a  member  of  the  church  since  that  time  he  has  been  continu- 
ally in  the  oflficial  board,  serving  in  the  several  departments  as  leader, 
steward,  trustee,  Sunday-school  superintendent  and  delegate  to  the 
General  Conference. 

It  is  a  source  of  pleasure  to  Mr.  Pettebone  to  recall  the  fact  that  in  his 
younger  and  less  prosperous  days  he  was  never  ashamed  of  any  kind  of 
honest  labor.  Work  of  any  kind  was  acceptable  to  him  so  long  as  it 
soiled  his  hands  only  and  not  his  character.  On  the  solid  foundation  of 
industry,  perseverance.  Integrity  and  respect  for  his  fellow  creatures 
and  reverence  for  sacred  things  he  built,  and  built  surely.  A  marked 
trait  of  his  character  is  gratitude  to  those  who  aided  him  with  a  helping 
hand  or  cheered  him  with  a  friendly  word  during  the  rough  experiences 
of  his  boyhood.  The  influences  of  kind  deeds  rendered  him  in  child- 
hood have  so  impressed  him  that  as  he  approaches  the  close  of  life  he 
has  a  smile  and  a  pleasant  word  for  boys  and  girls  entering  upon  its 
checkered  experiences,  and  in  grateful  remembrance  he  holds  the 
friends  of  his  youth  and  the  wise  counselors  of  his  young  manhood. 

WILLIAM  S WETLAND    (DECEASED). 

The  old  Swetland  homestead  in  Kingston  is  a  landmark  in  the  Wyom- 
ing vaUey,but  it  was  not  there  that  the  original  settlement  of  the  family 
in  this  section  was  made.  Luke  Swetland  was  one  of  the  Connecti- 
cut settlers  of  Wyoming  and  one  of  the  proprietors  under  the  Connec- 
ticut elarm,  who  signed  the  agreement  dated  June  20th,  1776,  and  by  the 
advice  of  the  proprietors'  committee,  "  pitched  "  on  land  some  thirty 
miles  above  Wyoming,  near  Mehoopany,where  the  family  settled  after  re- 
turning from  their  old  home  in  Kent,  Litchfield  county.  Conn.,  where 
they  had  taken  refuge  during  the  war.  In  the  winter  of  1777  Luke 
Swetland  was  a  member  of  Captain  Durfee's  independent  company  of 
patriots  encamped  at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  having  enUsted  while  a  resident 
of  the  valley,  September  17th,  1776.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Wyom- 
ing, on  account  of  some  disability,  he  was  in  Forty  Fort  and  did  not 
participate  in  the  engagement.  August  25th,  1778,  he  was  captured, 
with  a  neighbor,  Joseph  Blanehard,  by  the  Indians,  at  the  mouth  of 
Fishing  creek,  and  remained  for  a  considerable  period  a  prisoner  at  dif- 
ferent Seneca  villages  in  the  State  of  New  York.  In  1800  he  removed 
with  his  family  from  Mehoopany  to  the  old  Swetland  farm  at  Wyom- 
ing, where  he  died  January  30th,  1823.  "  In  later  days,"  wrote  Charles 
Miner,  "  I  knew  and  could  not  but  esteem  the  good  old  man.  His  taste 
and  pride  took  a  right  direction  and  were  of  much  value  to  the  settle- 
ment. I  refer  to  his  establishment  of  a  nursery  for  fruit  and  his  intro- 
duction from  New  England  of  various  kinds  of  apples  selected  with 
care."  He  was  bom  June  16th,  1729,  in  Lebanon,  Windham  county. 
Conn.,  and  married  Hannah  Tiffany,  of  that  place,  April  1st,  1762.  She 
died  January  8th,  1809.  Belding  Swetland,  the  oldest  son,  was  born  Jan- 
uary 14th,  1763,  and  was  With  his  father  in  Forty  Fort  at  tlie  time  of  the 
batae  of  Wyoming.  He  married  Sally  Gay,  in  Sharon,  Conn.,  in  1787, 
and  died  at  Wyoming  July  22nd,  1816. 

William  Swetland,  the  oldest  child  of  Belding  Swetland,  was  born  in 
Sharon,  Litchfield  county.  Conn.,  June  26th,  1789.  He  accompanied  the 
family  to  Kingston,  thence  to  Mehoopany  and  thence  to  the  Swetland 
homestead  in  Wyoming,  where  his  early  life  was  passed  as  a  farmer's 


boy  with  very  limited  opportunities  for  education.  About  1812  he  en- 
gaged as  assistant  in  the  store  of  Ellas  Hoyt,  uncle  of  Governor  Henry 
M.  Hoyt,  in  Kingston,-  doing  odd  jobs  and  making  himself  generally 
useful  in  doors  and  out,  and  ultimately  superseding  an  over-nice  head 
clerk  who  was  in  the  store  when  his  term  of  service  began.  In  1816  Mr. 
Swetland  erected  the  old  portion  of  the  store  building  on  the  home- 
stead and  engaged  in  trade  on  his  own  account  with  a  capital  limited  to 
$300. 

About  a  year,  later  Belding  Swetland  died,  leaving  twelve  children,  of 
whom  William  was  the  oldest ;  and  to  him  the  farm  was  left,  with  pro- 
vision for  the  support  of  his  brothers  and  sisters  during  their  minority 
and  the  payment  to  each  of  a  specific  sum  upon  arrlvalat  majority,  a 
responsibility  which,  while  it  was  cheerfully  assumed  as  a  duty  by  the 
young  merchant,  could  not  have  been  otherwise  than  onerous.  Con- 
tinuing in  the  mercantile  business,  which  was  from  time  to  time  en- 
larged and  extended,  at  the  old  stand,  he  had  as  a  partner  from  1830  to 
1832  David  Baldwin,  and  from  1834  to  the  time  of  his  death  Payne  Pette- 
bone. On  Abraham's  creek,  in  the  notch  of  the  mountain,  on  the  road 
from  Wyoming  to  North  Moreland,  Mr.  Swetland  had  a  grist-mill,  a 
saw-mill  and  a  distillery,  the  products  of  which  were  sent  by  teams  to 
the  localities  of  improvements  and  business  operations  in  all  directions 
commercial  relations  having  been  established  by  Mr.  Swetland  with 
various  portions  of  Luzerne,  Wyoming,  Lackawanna  and  Wayne  coun- 
ties. The  distillery  was  closed  about  1840 ;  the  mills  were  exchanged  for 
coal  lands  on  the  Lackawanna  in  1848.  The  customers  at  his  store  for 
many  years  came  from  Mehoopany,  Meshoppen,  SIdnner's  Eddy  and 
other  points  in  Wyoming  county,  from  various  parts  of  Luzerne  county 
and  to  some  considerable  extent  from  the  valley  of  the  Lackawanna. 
At  different  dates  during  his  business  life  Mr.  Swetland  was  engaged  in 
other  important  enterprises.  In  the  early  period  of  the  history  of  the 
Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg  Railroad  he  was  president  of  the  board  of 
managers  for  several  years,  joining  with  others  in  pledging  large  sums 
in  aid  of  the  enterprise  during  days  of  great  financial  uncertainty.  He 
was  president  of  the  Pittston  Bank,  established  under  the  old  State 
banking  laws,  and  subsequently  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Pittston.  He  was  eflBcient  in  the  organization  of  the  Forty  Fort 
Cemetery  Association  and  was  chosen  its  first  president.  About  1844,  in 
making  an  effort  to  assist  some  Irinsmen  at  Hyde  Park  in  business,  he 
was  obliged  to  secure  his  own  interests  by  assuming  the  proprietorship 
of  about  forty  acres  of  coal  lands.  He  added  to  these  possessions  from 
time  to  time,  extending  the  boundaries  of  his  acreage  there,  now  con- 
stituting the  property  of  the  Swetland  heirs  and  Payne  Pettebone,  and 
known  as  the  Swetland  plot  and  Mount  Pleasant  colliery. 

Mr.  Swetland  was  reared  in  the  Democratic  school  politically,  and  was 
an  early  and  generous  contributor  to  the  success  of  that  party,  giving 
largely  toward  the  establishment  of  the  Republican  Farmer  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  a  once  prominent  advocate  of  old  time  Democracy.  He  was  one 
of  the  Luzerne  county  commissioners  three  years.  In  conjunction  with 
Hon.  George  W.  Woodward  and  Dr.  A.  Bedford  he  represented  Luzerne 
county  in  the  constitutional  convention  of  1836 ;  but,  becoming  impa- 
tient at  the  slow  progress  of  the  deliberations  of  that  body,  he  resigned 
before  the  close  of  the  session.  He  voted  the  Democratic  ticket  until 
1860,  when  he  became  an  active  and  enthusiastic  supporter  of  war  meas- 
ures and  the  men  prominent  in  introducing  and  advocating  them,  giving 
of  his  means  with  no  stinted  hand  toward  the  enrollment  and  equipment 
of  troops. 

Early  In  life  Mr.  Swetland  saw  the  folly  of  loose  business  habits. 
Prompt,  true  to  his  word,  energetic,  untiring,  of  an  indomitable  will, 
frank,  friendly  and  generous,  he  won  a  reputation  which  was  the  basis 
of  a  splendid  credit,  which  he  enjoyed  uninterruptedly  from  first  to  last. 
Among  things  common  in  his  day  and  ours  which  he  utterly  eschewed 
were  tobacco  and  spirituous  liquors.  His  habits  were  regular  and  his 
life  methodical.  Assuming  the  care  of  his  brothers  and  sisters,  as  he  did 
early  in  manhood  at  the  solemn  request  of  his  dying  mother,  he  became 
accustomed  to  think  much  of  the  welfare  of  his  relatives  and  friends, 
and  most  of  them  at  different  times  found  in  him  a  friend  in  need.  In 
1848,  at  a  grand  religious  awakening  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
at  Wyoming,  at  a  series  of  meetings  conducted  by  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
Peame,he  sought  and  found  spiritual  salvation,  and  was  ever  afterward 
an  active  and  liberal  member  of  the  church  of  his  choice,  and  most  of 
the  time  an  otEcial,  having  served  as  trustee  and  steward  and  in  other 
capacities,  and  as  president  of  the  Wyoming  Bible  Society.  In  his  will 
he  provided  for  the  repair  and  painting  of  the  old  Forty  Fort-church. 
A  liberal  contributor  to  aU  benevolent  objects,  he  took  a  deep  interest 
in  Wyoming  Seminary,  and  became  a  trustee  of  that  institution.  Be- 
coming acquainted  -with  Rev.  Dr.  Reuben  Nelson,  then  principal,  and 
noting  the  zeal,  industry  and  business  sagacity  with  which  he  was  man- 
aging the  affairs  of  the  seminary  under  adverse  ciroiimstances,  Mr 
Swetland's  sympathy  was  aroused,  and  he  became  one  of  the  most 
thoughtful  and  generous  friends  of  the  institution.  When  the  buildings 
burned  down  he  decided  to  erect  one  of  the  halls  (now  known  as  "Swet- 
jand  Hall ")  at  his  own  expense,  and  he  made  many  other  very  consider- 
able contributions  toward  the  re-ereotion  of  the  buildings  and  the  pay- 
ment of  the  indebtedness  of  the  institution  thus  incurred ;  and  at  the 
time  when  the  burdeu  of  financial  obligation  which  had  so  long  and  so 


'ih 


--^ 


2,06  F 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


grievously  oppressed  it  was  lifted  he  gave  the  sum  of  $5,000,  one  hall  the 
sum  required  for  that  object,  the  check  lor  the  same  helng  the  last  to 
which  he  ever  signed  his  name. 

Mr.  Swetland  married  Catharine  Saylor,  daughter  of  Dr.  Peter  Saylor, 
of  Williams  township,  Northampton  county,  Pa.,  September  28th,  1819, 
who  bore  him  four  children  :  Caroline  (Mrs.  Payne  Pettebone);  Mary, 
who  died  young ;  George  W.,  who  married  Mary  Polen  and  died  In  1860 ; 
and  Margaret  A.,  who  married  William  H.  Brown,  a  merchant  ol  Phila- 
delphia, and  is  now  dead.  He  died  in  the  old  lamily  home  at  Wyoming, 
September  27th,  1864,  deeply  regretted  by  a  very  large  circle  ol  relatives, 
friends  and  business  acquaintances. 

EEV.  E.  H.  SNOWDBN. 
Bev.  E.  H.  Snowden  is  a  grandson  ol  Isaac  Snowden,  once  treasurer 
ol  the  city  ol  Philadelphia,  and  son  ol  Bev.  Samuel  Pindlay  Snow- 
den, first  pastor  ol  the  Presbyterian  church  ol  Princeton,  N.  J.,  and  his 
wife,  Susan  Bayard  Snowden  (a  descendant  ol  Bev.  James  Anderson,  first 
pastor  ol  the  Wall  street  Presbyterian  church.  New  York).  He  was  born 
at  Prinoton,  N.  J.,  June  27th,  1798,  and  while  a  child  removed  to  New 
Hartlord,  Oneida  county,  N.  T.  In  1814  he  entered  Hamilton  College, 
where  he  graduated  in  1818 ;  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at 
Utica,  N.  Y.;  went  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  to  practice,  but  had  united  with 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  soon  decided  to  enter  the  ministry  ol  that 
denomination ;  studied  theology  at  Princeton  College,  and  was  installed 
pastor  ol  the  Presbyterian  church  of  St.  Augustine,  Fla. ;  made  a 
missionary  tour  to  the  Gull  o{  Mexico ;  came  north  and  became  pastor 
ol  the  BrownviUe  church ;  at  the  disruption  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
went  to  Philadelphia  as  a  delegate  to  the  convention  of  1837,  and  while 
there  accepted  an  invitation  to  visit  the  Kingston  church,  of  which  he 
became  pastor  that  fall ;  later  was  pastor  ol  the  churches  ol  Wawasham, 
Bradford  county.  Pa.,  and  Woodstown,  N.  J.;  returned  to  the  valley  and 
preached  at  Plymouth  and  now  resides  at  "  Snowden  Cottage  "  in  King- 
ston, and  is  preaching,  at  the  age  ol  82.  He  was  instrumental  in  building 
churches  at  Kingston,  Plymouth  and  LarksviUe,  the  edifice  at  the  lat- 
ter place  being  imown  as  the  "  Snowden  Memorial  Church." 

B.  W.  Abbott  is  the  present  postmaster  at  MiU  Hollow. 

Mbs.  Kate  Ann  Atherholt  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  184(1,  and  mar- 
ried to  William  Atherholt  in  1875.    She  is  carrying  on  a  farm. 

John  Atherholt  was  bom  in  Kingston  township,  March  25th,  1848, 
and  was  married  to  Miss  Lauan  Dymond,  ol  Franklin.  Their  children 
are:  Alva,  born  November  8th,  1872;  Freddie,  February  16th,  1874;  JJoyd 
H.,  April  Uth,  1875;  Harry  D.,  November  22nd,  1877.  Mr.  Atherholt  is 
engaged  in  milling,  at  Mill  HoUow. 

Christian  Bach,  a  native  of  Waldeck,  Germany,  came  to  Kingston 
in  1875,  and  in  the  same  year  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Humphreys, 
ol  Wllkes-Barre.    He  is  an  enterprising  merchant  tai'or  ol  Kingston. 

Peter  B.  Backus,  loreman  in  the  boiler  department  ol  the  oar  shops 
at  Kingston,  was  bom  in  Germany,  June  15th,  1846;  emigrated  in  18,52, 
and  married  Eunice  Grass,  ol  Frederiokton,  New  Brunswick,  October 
9tb,  1869. 

O.  K.  Bennett,  ol  Kingston,  was  married  to  Miss  E.  W.  Llnd,  ol 
Kingston,  February  36th,  1876. 

Henry  J.  Best,  baker  and  confectioner,  Wyoming,  was  born  in  Kings- 
ton, January  10th,  1841,  and  was  married  March  14th,  1863,  to  Eliza 
Hartzel,  ol  Kingston,  who  was  bom  April  2nd,  1842.  Mr.  Best  was  a 
member  of  the  7th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Mrs.  M.  J.  Bevan  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  1839.  She  lived  in  Pittston 
Irom  1860  to  1879,  then  moved  to  her  present  larm. 

WiNFiELD  S.  BONHAM,  engineer  at  the  East  Boston  mines,  was  born 
in  Kingston,  May  16th,  1848.  He  served  in  the  3d  Pennsylvania  cavalry 
untU  the  close  ol  the  late  war.    He  resides  in  Kingston  township. 

C.  W.  BonoHTiN,  blacksmith  and  wagon  maker,  was  born  in  Orange 
county,  N.  T.,  in  1827,  and  in  1849  married  Mary  A.  Wright,  ol  the  same 
place  (since  deceased),  and  removed  to  Kingston.  In  1873  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mattie  Bogart  ol  Warren  county,  N.  J. 

Lieutenant  William  B.  Brink,  station  agent  at  Kingston,  was  bom 
In  Luzerne  county,  in  1843,  and  married  Louise  M.  Fitch,  ol  Otsego 
county,  N.  T.  He  served  four  years  in  the  11th  Pennsylvania  cavalry, 
and  was  promoted  second  lieutenant. 

N.  W.  Burgess,  Wyoming,  was  born  in  Porkston,  Wyoming  county. 
Pa.,  February  27th,  1826,  and  was  married  January  81st,  1850,  to  Adeline 
Patterson,  ol  Kingston.  He  is  a  farmer  and  dealer  in  agricultural  im- 
plements. 

William  BRroEN,  foreman  in  the  Kingston  machine  shops  ol  the 
D.,  L.  and  W.  Eailroad.  was  born  in  Dumlries,  Scotland,  July  4th,  1841. 
He  has  been  in  the  employ  ol  the  company  since  1857. 

William  Castner,  farmer,  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  1833,  and  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  L'Arooreux,  ol  Plymouth,  in  1856.  He  was  a  member  ol 
the  Plymouth  borough  council  one  term. 

James  Collins  was  born  in  Danville,  Montour  county,  Pa.  in  1848 
and  married  Mary  Sullivan,  of  Carbondale,  Pa.  He  is  a  contractor  and 
stone  mason  ol  Kingston  borough. 


Alfred  H.  Coon  was  bom  in  Carbondale,  May  28th,  1829.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Lorinda  M.  Marcy,  ol  Kingston.  Mr.  Coon  is  a  contractor, 
builder,  larmer  and  miller.  He  was  the  projector  and  builder  ol  the 
Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston  street  railway,  and  waa  the  first  man  in  the 
United  States  to  use  the  T  rail  on  street  railroads. 

James  M.  Coughlin,  superintendent  ol  common  schools  ol  Luzerne 
county,  was  born  November  12th,  1848,  in  Fairmount,  and  married  Miss 
Mary  E.  Welter,  ol  Kingston. 

George  Coubtriqht  was  born  in  Plains,  April  26th,  1818,  and  was 
married  December  30th,  1841,  to  Miss  Mary  Mather,  of  Kingston.  She 
was  born  February  8th,  1823.  Their  children  are  Mary  Louisa,  James 
M.,  John  P.,  William  B.  and  LUian  Fidelia.     Mr.  Courtright  is  a  farmer. 

David  Culver  was  born  on  the  site  of  old  Forty  Port,  August  2nd, 
1832,  and  was  married  August  29th,  1851,  to  Miss  Nancy  Ann  Wise,  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  Their  children  are :  Sarah  E.,  born  September  21st, 
1853;  Stella,  born  August  27th,  1856;  Lewis,  born  February  11th,  18.59; 
Bath,  bom  July  4th,  1861 ;  George  W.,  born  November  19th,  1863 ;  Fred- 
erick and  Fanny,  born  March  15th,  1870  ;  Louisa  J.,  born  August  8th* 
1872.    Mr.  Culver  is  a  farmer  and  ferryman  at  Forty  Fort. 

Jasper  N.  Culver,  carpenter  for  the  Kingston  Coal  Company,  was 
born  in  Union  township,  in  1845,  and  in  1872  married  Melissa  Harrison, 
of  that  township.  He  served  three  years  in  Battery  B  5th  U.  S.  artillery 
during  the  Bebellion,  also  as  a  member  of  the  143d  Pa.  volunteers. 

T.  P.  Culver,  farmer,  was  bom  in  Huntington  township,  April  15th, 
1837.  In  1865  he  was  married  to  Miss  M  J.  Bowman,  ol  Mifflin,  Columbia 
county.  Pa. 

Lorenzo  J.  Curtis  is  a  carpenter  at  Kingston.  He  was  born  in  Ply- 
mouth, October  20th,  1845,  and  served  in  the  143d  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers, Wyoming  Artillery,  from  1862  until  1865.  He  is  still  a  member  ol 
the  Wyoming  Artillery. 

Daniel  B.  Davis  was  born  in  Wales,  in  1842,  and  was  married  in 
1865  to  Bachel  James,  also  a  native  ol  Wales.  Mr.  Davis  is  a  mine  boss 
in  the  employ  of  the  Kingston  Coal  Company. 

John  E.  Davis  is  a  native  of  Wales.  He  married  Jane  Eynon,  of 
Luzerne  county,  since  deceased.  He  is  chief  clerk  of  the  Gaylor  Coal 
Company  at  Kingston. 

John  Denniston  is  a  farmer  at  Mill  Hollow. 

Ira  a.  De  Silva  is  a  native  of  Luzerne  county,  and  was  born  in  1854. 
He  is  a  police  officer  and  night  agent  at  the  Kingston  Eailroad  depot. 

Captain  Butler  Dilley,  cattle  merchant,  Kingston,  was  born  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  June  24th,  1834,  and  married  BUen  Pettebone,  ol  King- 
ston. He  served"  five  years  in  the  regular  army,  was  quartermaster  ol 
the  8th  regiment  in  the  three  months  service,  and  captam  ol  Company 
D  61st  Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  the  three  years  service. 

E.  H.  DODBON,  of  the  firm  of  B.  H.  Dodson  &  Brother,  dealers  in  gen- 
eral merchandise,  is  a  native  of  Huntington  township.  He  married  Eu- 
reka Ludlow,  of  Summerville,  N.  J. 

Wesley  Dodson,  wholesale  and  retaU  dealer  in  general  merchandise, 
is  a  native  of  Union  township.  In  1845  he  was  married  to  Desdemona 
Wadsworth,  daughter  of  Bpaphras  Wadsworth,  ol  Luzerne  county. 

J.  W.  Drake  was  born  in  1848,  in  Kingston,  and  married  Miss  Mary  Jane 
Darlane,  in  1868.    He  is  a  miUer  and  general  merchant  at  Carverton. 

George  W.  Edwards,  loader  boss  lor  the  Kingston  Coal  Company, 
was  born  in  Hyde  Park,  Lackawanna  county,  in  1860. 

James  D.  Edwards,  clerk  lor  the  Kingston  Coal  Company,  was  bom 
in  Hyde  Park,  in  1862. 

Thomas  Edwards,  miner,  piugston,  was  bom  in  Ireland,  in  1847.  He 
married  Mary  A.  SuUivan,  ol  England,  in  1863,  and  emigrated  in  1864 
He  is  sinking  a  new  shalt  by  contract  for  J.  B.  Swoyer. 

Stephen  A.  Edwards  was  born  in  Dallas,  August  9th,  1824  He  was 
married  August  12th,  1848,  to  Miss  Dorinda  C.  Durland,  of  DaUas  who 
was  bom  in  Franltlin,  September  11th,  1825.  Their  children  are  •  Emma 
J.,  born  May  23d,  1849 ;  Delphine  S.,  February  13th,  1851 ;  Angelo  S  De- 
cember 13th,  1852;  Charles  N.,  April  10th,  1855;  Walter  B.,  December 
18th,  1867;  Garret  D.,  November  4th,  1859 ;  Edith  Alberta,  May  9th,  1870 
Mr.  Edwards  is  a  larmer  and  a  clergyman. 

George  W.  Enoel,  lounder  and  machinist,  MIU  Hollow,  was  born  in 
Northampton  county.  Pa.,  in  1840.  In  1872  he  married  Lydia  G  Pette- 
bone, ol  MiU  HoUow.  He  served  three  yem-s  in  the  143d  Pa.  volunteers 
during  the  BebeUlon. 

Lewis  G.  Ensign  was  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  May  7th,  1806  and 
ma,rned  November  4th,  1830,  to  Miss  Bebecca,  M.  Fortner,  ol  Deposit, 
Delaware  county,  N.  T.  She  died  January  13th,  1865,  at  Wyoming  Pa 
June  24th,  1856,  Mr.  Ensign  married  Mary  Ann  Chapin,  ol  Wvomtog 
Mrs.  Ensign  is  the  daughter  of  Deacon  Henry  Hioe,  of  Wyoming  Mr 
Ensign  Is  engaged  in  the  watch  and  jewehry  business  at  Wyoming,  which 
business  he  has  followed  more  than  fifty  years. 

William  P.  Evans  was  born  in  Wales,  in  1825,  and  married  Miss  Ann 
Thomas  in  1842.  He  came  to  Plymouth  in  1867.  He  was  formerTy  a 
miner,  and  is  now  supervisor. 


^¥ 


=4* 


4 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


306  G 


W.  H.  Faulds,  M.  D.,  was  born  In  Morriaville,  Pa.,  January  20tli,  1845 
and  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Thoinpsoa,  of  Berwiclc,  July  9tli,  1868. 
She  died  January  18th,  1872,  and  June  eth,  18T7.  he  married  Miss  Ella 
Curry,  of  Danville,  Pa.  Dr.  Faulda  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Thomp- 
son, of  Danville,  graduated  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  March 
10th,  1876,  and  located  at  Mill  Hollow,  Pa.,  April  25th,  1876,  where  he  has 
since  been  engagred  in  his  profession. 

Gborqe  H.  Flanagan  was  born  in  Lehman  and  resides  in  Kingston. 
He  is  cashier  of  the  Ashley  Savings  Bank,  at  Ashley. 

M.  Bowman  Fowler  was  born  in  Espy,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  March 
27th,  1849,  and  was  married  in  1869  to  Carrie  A.  Smith,  of  Hazleton,  Pa. 
Mr.  Fowler  is  derk  of  the  D.,  L.  and  W.  oar  shops  at  Kingston. 

John  R,  Gates  and  Mart  Goodwin  were  born  In  Kingston,  Novem- 
ber 17th,  1819,  and  were  married  in  1842.  Mr.  Gates  is  a  f  ai-mer,  and  has 
served  in  various  official  capacities  in  the  township  and  borough. 

MBS.  E.  A.  Goodwin  was  born  in  Abington,  Pa.,  about  1825,  and  was 
married  to  Philip  M.  Goodwin,  a  druggist  of  Kingston,  in  1846.  She 
has  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Her  husband  died  February  21st,  1874. 
Her  maiden  name  was  Grosvenor. 

Charles  Gbaham  is  a  native  of  Crosstord,  Fiteshlre,  Scotland,  and 
was  born  April  15th,  1834.  He  married  Miss  Jane  Brydon,  of  Dumfries, 
Scotland.  He  learned  the  machinist's  trade,  and  is  master  mechanic  of 
the  D.,  L.  and  W.  shops  in  Kingston.  He  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the 
company  twenty-flve  years. 

John  L.  GUNTON  was  born  in  Cambridgeshire,  England,  In  1817.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Jane  Smith,  of  that  county.  He  resides  in  Kingston  and 
is  a  broom  maker  and  gardener.  His  son  W.  B.  Gunton  was  born  in 
Kingston,  July  20th,  1858,  and  is  a  house,  sign  and  ornamental  painter. 

Charles  D.  Hazeliine  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  1854,  and  married 
Miss  Addie  M.  McHenry,  of  Franklin,  Pa.    His  business  is  farming. 

Rev.  Frederick  L.  Hiller,  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church  at  Wyoming, 
was  born  in  Dover,  England,  in  1838,  and  in  1850  was  married  to  Margaret 
E.  Wentz,  of  Blnghamton,  N.  T.  He  was  captain  of  the  "  Dickinson 
Light  Artillery  "  in  the  late  war,  which  company  he  assisted  in  raising 
in  Broome  county,  N.  Y. 

Samuel  Honeywell,  farmer,  was  born  in  Dallas,  in  1828,  and  was 
married  December  27th,  1849,  to  Margaret  Frantz,  of  Kingston,  who  was 
born  June  ISth,  1829. 

James  Howell  was  bom  in  "Warren  county,  N.  J.,  May  9th,  1828,  and 
married,  June  21st,  1852,  Miss  Kate  S.  Stocker,  of  the  same  county.  He 
is  engaged  in  farming  and  trout  growing. 

J.  D.  HOTT,  of  Kingston  borough,  was  oorn  there,  August  13th,  1819, 
and  in  November,  1844,  was  married  to  Martha  Goodwin,  of  Kingston. 
June  8th,  185.S,  he  married  Elizabeth  H.  Goodwin,  of  Kingston.  Mr.  Hoyt 
is  a  farmer  and  owner  of  coal  lands . 

H.  F.  Johnson,  hardware  merchant,  was  born  in  Parsons,  Luzerne 
county,  in  1847,  and  in  1888  was  married  to  Lizzie  Bley,  of  Kingston.  He 
has  served  in  various  official  capacities  in  Kingston  borough. 

Dr.  Charles  P.  Knapp,  M.  D.,  Ph.  B.,  was  born  In  WUkes-Barre,  In 
1853.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Lafayette  College,  and  of  Bellevue  Hospital 
Medical  College,  New  York.  Dr.  Knapp  was  resident  physician  to  the 
Wilkes-Barre  City  Hospital  in  1876. 

William  S.  Kdtz,  harness  maker,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  in  1839, 
and  married  Mary  Terry,  of  Tunkhannock,  Wyoming  county.  He  was 
burgess  at  Tunkhannock  in  1871  and  1872. 

Charles  Lapha  was  born  in  Kingston  township,  July  19th,  1815,  and 
married,  November  5th,  1837,Mary  Jackson,  of  Forty  Fort,  w»o  was  born 
October  24th,  1817.  Mr.  Lapha  is  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  but  at  present 
engaged  in  farming.  Their  children  have  been  George  W.,  Ruth  A., 
Charles  P.,  Margaret  A.,  Matilda,  Philip  H.,  John  S.,  Ellen  B.  and 
Rachael  R. ;  of  whom  only  the  last  two  and  the  first  are  living. 

Michael  Lapht  was  bom  in  Mill  Hollow,  July  13th,  1848.  He  was 
married  December  9th,  1871,  to  Maggie  A.  Davis,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  She 
was  born  in  Kingston,  March  22nd,  1851.  Their  children  are  Frederick 
C,  bora  January  15th,  1873,  and  Cora  May,  born  December  3d,  1875.  Mr. 
Lapby  was  a  private  in  Company  K  18th  Pennsylvania  cavalry.  He  is  at 
present  ticket  boss  in  the  Hutchinson  Mine,  at  Mill  Hollow. 

Col.  H.  a.  Latcook,  hotel  proprietor  at  Wyoming,  entered  the 
military  service  in  1861  as  1st  lieutenant  in  the  56th  Pennsylvania  vol- 
unteers. He  was  promoted  captain  in  1862,  major  in  1863,  and  lieutenant 
colonel  and  colonel  in  1864. 

Robert  K.  Latcook,  carriage  maker  at  Wyoming,  was  born  in 
Kennedyville,  N.  J.,  January  24th,  1839,  and  married  Mary  E.  Church,  of 
Kingston.    He  established  his  present  business  in  1863. 

John  D.  Lewis,  of  the  meat  market  firm  of  Dymond  &  Lewis,  was 
bom  in  Exeter,  In  1835,  and  married  Louisa  J.  Dymond,  of  Exeter. 
Calvin  Dymond  was  born  in  Exeter,  in  1837,  and  married  Angeline 
Lewis,  of  Franklin  township. 

Hon.  T.  H.  B.  Lewis,  a  native  of  this  township,  was  bom  in  Truxville, 
February  22nd,  1835,  and  married  Miss  Rosa  M.  Atherton,  of  Bridge- 


water,  Pa.    Mr.  Lewis  is  an  attorney  at  law  in  Wilkes-Barre.   He  was  a 
member  of  the  Pennsylvania  House  of  Representatives  In  1875  and  1876. 

Elijah  Loveland  was  bom  in  Norwich,  Vt.  He  married  Miss  Mary 
Buckingham,  of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  in  1815.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Kingston  and  an  energetic,  public  spirited  citizen,  esteemed 
by  all  who  knew  him.  He-  was  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  each  of  his  sons  has  held  the  same  position.  His  children  have 
been  Thomas  B.,  of  Lock  Haven;  WUliam,  who  retains  the  old  home- 
stead in  Kingston;  George,  an  attorney  at  law  in  Wilkes-Barre;  Henry, 
of  Steuben  county,  N.  T.;  the  late  John  Loveland,  of  Plttston  and  Mrs. 
H.  M.  Hoyt,  now  of  Harrisburg. 

T.  P.  Maofarlanb  was  born  in  Plymouth,  in  1836.  He  married  Miss 
M.  McCulloch,  of  Donaldson.  He  is  a  resident  of  Kingston  and  is  en- 
gaged in  the  coal  business. 

Joseph  P.  Mason  was  bom  in  Dallas  township,  December  12th,  1855. 
He  is  a  gardener  in  the  employ  of  James  Hancock,  at  Wyoming. 

John  Mathers  was  born  in  Mill  Hollow,  in  1813,  and  iwas  married  in 
1841  to  Miss  Ann  Stroh,  of  that  place.    He  is  a  millwright  and  farmer. 

P.  McPiKE  is  proprietor  of  McPike's  Hotel,  Kingston. 

David  Miles  was  born  in  Merthyr  Tydvll,  South  Wales,  in  1826,  and 
married  Margaret  Hopkins,  of  Brigend,  South  Wales.  He  is  foreman  of 
the  blacksmith  department  of  the  oar  shop  at  Kingston. 

Thomas  L.  Morqan  was  born  in  Wales,  in  1832.  He  married  Miss 
Anna  M.  James.    He  is  outside  boss  for  the  Kingston  Coal  Company. 

Thomas  J.  Morgan  was  born  in  Kingston,  June  22nd,  1859.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Mary  J.  Jones,  who  was  born  in  Wales.  He  is  an  engineer  for 
the  Kingston  Coal  Company.    , 

John  J.  Morgan  was  born  in  South  Wales.  He  resides  In  Kingston, 
and  is  a  clerk. 

William  Moses,  engineer,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  in  1838.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  Hughes,  of  Carbondale  (deceased),  and  Mary  I.  Ford,  of 
Bradford  county.  Pa.    He  was  a  corporal  in  the  177th  Pa.  volunteers. 

Aba  MnNSON  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  1827,  and  married  Jane  Harris, 
His  business  is  farming  and  fruit  growing. 

F.  B.  MVERS,  farmer,  was  born  in  Kingston,  June  10th,  1845,  and  was 
married  February  16th,  1869,  to  Miss  N.  A.  Mott,  of  Blakoly. 

T.  Leonard  Newell,  bookkeeper,  "was  bom  in  Canton,  Bradford 
county.  Pa.,  May  7th,  1866.  He  was  formerly  a  commercial  traveler  and 
salesman. 

J.  Milton  Nicholson  is  a  native  of  Wayne  county.  Pa.  He  has  been 
telegraph  train  dispatcher  on  the  Bloomsburg  division  of  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  for  fifteen  years ;  office  at 
Kings  toi;. 

Edward  F.  Payne,  Kingston,  was  bom  in  Minersville,  Pa.,  November 
7th,  1850,  and  married  Elsie  Relth,  of  Kingston.  He  is  a  merchant,  of  the 
firm  Payne  &  Perrin,  and  is  superintendent  of  the  Bast  Boston  mines. 

William  G.  Payne,  a  native  of  Minersville,  Schuylkill  county,  Pa. 
was  bom  July  19th,  1844,  and  in  1868  married  Miss  Ellen  Roberts,  of  Mon- 
treal, Canada.  He  is  a  coal  operator  at  the  East  Boston  mines, 
Kingston. 

W.  G.  Payne  was  born  in  Minersville,  Pa.,  July  19th,  1844.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Ellen  Roberts,  of  Montreal,  Canada.  Mr.  Payne  Is  a  coal  op- 
erator, and  superintendent  of  the  East  Boston  mines,  near  Wyoming. 

Calvin  Perrin,  jr.,  was  born  November  28th,  1842,  in  North  More- 
land  township,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.  He  was  married  to  M.  Caroline 
Winters,  December  30th,  1864.  He  enlisted  in  Company  G  210th  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers  in  August,  1864,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
Rebellion.    He  is  a  merchant  at  Mill  Hollow. 

Elizabeth  Polen,  widow  of  the  late  Henry  Polen,  of  Wyoming,  was 
bom  September  20th,  1812.  She  is  a  granddaughter  of  Thomas  Bennet, 
and  daughter  of  Andrew  Bennet,  captured  in  the  Wyoming  massacre. 

John  Pollock,  proprietor  of  Pollock's  Hotel,  Wyoming,  was  bom 
May  17th,  1829,  in  Columbia  county,  Pa.  In  1863  he  married  Agnes  C. 
McKee,  of  Montour  county,  Pa. 

Samuel  Prinqle  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Pa.,  March  20th,  1818.  He 
located  in  Kingston  in  1839,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  farm- 
ing.   He  is  also  the  owner  of  coal  lands  In  Plymouth  and  Kingston. 

Samuel  Raub  is  engaged  in  coal  mining  in  Mill  Hollow. 

James  Reese  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  1854,  and  married  Miss  Olive 
Blaln,  of  Plymouth.  They  have  one  son,  John  B.  Reese,  born  May  1st, 
1876.    Mr.  Reese  is  breaker  boss  at  the  Hutchinson  mine.  Mill  HoUow. 

Sarah  D.  Rbilay,  widow  of  Gilbert  Reilay,  was  bom  in  1814,  in  her 
present  residence,  which  was  built  in  1790.  She  Is  a  granddaughter  of 
Colonel  Nathan  Denison,  a  leader  in  the  battle  of  Wyoming. 

Mrs.  Mart  Butler  Reynolds  was  born  at  Kingston,  January  13th, 
1822,  and  was  married  to  Elijah  W.  Reynolds  in  1842.  Mr.  Reynolds  was 
for  many  years  a  leading  merchant  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  died  at  Kings- 
ton, September  25th,  1869.  Their  children  are  Pierce  Butler,  William  C. 
and  John  B. 


^h 


--4 


306^ 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


Isaac  Rice  was  born  in  Warren  county,  N.  J.,  May  23(1, 1812,  and  camp 
with  his  parents  to  Truxville,  Pa.,  in  1816.  He  operated  a  store,  tannery 
and  saw-mill  from  1837  to  1856,  when  he  located  in  Kingston  boroug-h, 
and  eng:aged  in  the  mercantile  and  lumber  business,  which  he  still  con- 
tinues. He  was  first  married  to  Miss  Ellen  Pugh,  January  24th,  1837. 
She  died  March  28th,  1840.  He  next  married  Prudence  F.  ^Foster,  Novem- 
ber 28th,  1840,  who  died  January  2nd,  1867.  He  was  married  to  Polly 
Payne,  his  present  wife,  December  10th,  1867. 

J.  P.  EiCE  was  born  in  Warren  county,  N.  J.,  August  5th,  1805.  He 
was  married  to  Sally  Ann  Kunkel,  of  Dallas,  March  6th,  1820,  and  to 
Polly  Eice  June  Snd,  1867.  Mr.  Rice  is  at  present  engaged  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  at  Truxville. 

Wrr:T:TAM  L.  Rice  was  born  June  6th,  1832,  in  Kingston  township.  He 
was  married  December  8th,  1856,  to  lovisa  Harris,  of  that  township.  He 
is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods  at  Truxville. 

Abram  Rinker,  jr.,  farmer,  was  born  in  Eaton,  Wyoming  county. 
Pa.,  November  25th,  1839,  and  was  married  to  Prances  M.  Burgess,  of 
North  Branch,  Wyoming  county,  November  23d,  1865.  Mr.  Rinker 
served  more  than  three  years  in  the  52nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

A.  J.  Boat,  dealer  in  general  hardware  and  mine  supplies,  was  born 
in  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  in  1833,  came  to  Kingston  in  1843,  and  married 
Mary  A.  Gabriel,  of  Plymouth.  He  was  an  enrolling  officer  during  the 
civil  war. 

B.  B.  Boat,  a  native  of  Kingston,  was  born  in  1844,  and  was  married 
lu  1871  to  Kate  L.  Corby,  of  Eaton,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.  In  1877  he 
engaged  in  trade  in  stoves  and  tinware  with  a  capital  of  only  $50,  first 
occupying  a  small  room  in  his  dweUing;  but  by  honorable  dealing  and 
strict  attention  to  business  his  trade  so  rapidly  increased  that  he  was 
soon  able  to  build  a  store  of  sufficient  capacity  to  carry  a  large  stock. 
His  patronage  is  now  larger  than  that  of  any  other  bouse  in  Kingston 
in  his  branch  of  trade.  The  public  has  found  in  Mr.  Roat  a  dealer 
upon  whose  honesty  it  can  always  rely,  whose  motto  is  small  profits 
and  quick  sales. 

William  L.  Robeets  is  a  native  of  Mold,  North  Wales.  He  married 
Charlotte  Evans,  of  Kingston.    Mr.  Roberts  is  a  miner. 

Morgan  D.  Rosser  is  a  native  of  Wales,  and  was  born  November 
7th,  1841.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Edwards,  of  Glamorganshire,  South 
Wales.    Mr.  Rosser  is  a  mine  boss. 

LiEUTENAHT  ROBERT  A.  Saeford,  boss  Carpenter  for  the  Kingston 
Coal  Company,  was  bom  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  1844,  and  married  Estelle 
Ames,  of  Carbondale.  He  was  first  lieutenant  in  the  8th  N.  T.  cavalry, 
and  served  from  1861  to  1865. 

Rev.  O.  W.  Scott  was  born  at  Newbury,  Orange  county,  Vt.,  Octo- 
ber 15th,  1842.  He  was  educated  at  the  Vermont  Conference  Methodist 
Episcopal  Seminary,  and  the  Wesleyan  University,  Middletown,  Conn. 
He  married  Miss  Lucy  A.  Jameson,  of  Irasburgh,  Vt.  He  entered  the 
ministry  in  1867,  and  was  settled  three  years  in  Maine,  three  years  in 
Massachusetts  and  six  years  in  New  Hampshire.  He  is  the  present 
pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Kingston. 

J.  P.  ScHOOLEY  was  born  in  Kingston,  in  1827,  and  married  Miss  Lin- 
dia  Erantz,  of  Franklin,  in  1849.    He  is  a  farmer. 

Jacob  Sharps,  farmer,  was  bom  in  New  Jersey,  in  1807,  and  came  to 
Kingston  in  1816.  In  1833  he  married  Mary  A.  Schooley,  of  Wyoming, 
who  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1814. 

B.  Mod.  Shoemaker,  farmer,  was  born  at  Forty  Fort,  in  1812,  at  which 
place  he  has  been  a  merchant  and  postmaster.  He  assisted  in  building 
the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  Railroad  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  White 
Haven. 

Samuel  R.  Shoemaker,  son  of  Isaac  C.  and  Caty  Ann  Shoemaker, 
was  bom  in  Wyoming,  May  1st,  1841.  He  was  married  January  7th,  1868, 
to  Miss  Jennie  M.  Carver,  daughter  of  Rufus  and  Nancy  Carver,  of 
Wyoming.  She  was  bora  March  7th,  1860.  Mr.  Shoemaker  is  joint 
owner  and  operator  of  the  farm,  grist-mill  and  woolen  factory  of  the 
late  Isaac  C.  Shoemaker,  of  Wyoming. 

William  S.  Shoemaker  was  born  at  Wyoming,  February  19th,  1820 
and  married  March  Uth,  1841,  to  Miss  Mary  Tripp,  daughter  of  Isaac 
Tripp,  of  Providence,  Lackawanna  county.  Pa.  He  is  a  farmer  and 
manufacturer  of  terra  cotta  ware  at  Wyoming.  His  father,  Jacob  I. 
and  grandfather,  Isaac  Shoemaker,  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the 
Wyoming  vaUey.  Mr.  Tripp,  father  of  Mrs.  Shoemaker,  was  an  early 
settler  in  the  Lackawanna  valley. 

Jacob  I.  Shoemaker  was  born  at  Wyoming,  April  7th,  1839.  He  was 
married  December  23d,  1863,  to  Miss  M.  M.  Sharps,  of  Wyoming,  who  was 
bom  October  27th,  1843.  Mr.  Shoemaker  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  woolen  goods  at  Wyoming,  and  in  a  general  milling  business. 

Geokqe  W.  Shonk  was  bom  in  Plymouth,  Pa.,  April  26th,  1850.  He  is 
an  attorney  and  counselor  at  law  at  Plymouth. 


William  Silvebwood,  a  native  of  Sheffield,  England,  born  in  1827, 
emigrated  to  Kingston,  Pa.,  in  1859,  and  February  17th,  1864,  married 
Mary  A.  La  Bar,  of  Upper  Mt.  Bethel,  Pa.  They  had  three  children- 
Jennie,  born  February  7th,  1865,  died  April  Uth,  1868 ;  Willie,  born  Feb- 
ruary 20th,  1867,  and  Frank,  born  July  7th,  1869.  Mr.  Silverw^^od  was  a 
broom  manufacturer.    He  died  May  Uth,  1872. 

Thomas  Somers  came  to  Kingston  in  1866,  and  engaged  i»  business  as 
a  tailor,  which  he  has  continued  to  the  present  time. 

Rev.  L.  L.  Spraque,  A.  M.,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Beekman, 
Dutchess  county,  N.  T.,  December  23d,  1844.  He  was  educated  at  Le 
Raysville  Academy,  Eastman's  Business  College  and  Wyoming  Semi- 
nary. His  degree  of  A.  M.  Was  conferred  by  Allegheny  College.  In 
September,  1863,  he  took  charge  of  the  Le  Raysville  Academy  at  Le 
Raysville,  Bradford  county,  Pa.,  and  in  1868  was  elected  to  his  present 
position  of  principal  of  the  commercial  department  of  Wyoming 
Seminary.  He  joined  the  Wyoming  Conference  of  the  M.  E.  Church  in 
April,  1844.  He  was  married  December  22nd,  1868,  to  Jennie  E.  Russell, 
of  Otego,  Otsego  county,  N.  Y. 

Willie  S.  Tripp,  son  of  Holden  and  Sally  Tripp,  was  born  November 
12th,  1854,  at  Wyoming.  His  father  was  born  October  15th,  1824,  at 
Soranton,  and  died  December  30th,  1870.  His  mother  was  born  March 
.31st,  1825,  and  died  May  11th,  1878,  at  Wyoming.  The  other  children  of 
Holden  and  Sally  Tripp  are  Sterling  B.,  Marcia  A.,  Lizzie  D.,  Charles  C. 
and  Ira  H.  Tripp. 

Alanson  B.  Ttrrell  was  born  in  Watertown,  Conn.,  June  8th,  1833. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Susan  S.  Marks,  of  Waterbury,  Conn.  He  is  a  con- 
tractor, carpenter  and  builder. 

J.  C.  Vanloon,  proprietor  of  a  meat  market,  was  born  in  East  Nanti- 
ooke,  August  7th,  1842,  and  in  1868  married  Mary  E.  Pettebone,  of  Kings- 
ton. 

Henry  Vanscoy  is  the  proprietor  of  the  Kingston  bakery  and  ice 
cream  saloon,  opposite  McPlke's  Hotel. 

George  W.  Waddell,  assistant  superintendent  of  the  Mill  Hollow 
colliery,  was  born  in  Pittston,  in  1853,  and  in  1879  was  married  to  Carrie 
D-  Decker,  of  New  York  city. 

James  Waddell  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1836,  and  emigrated  in  1852. 
He  married  Maria  Williams,  of  Carbondale,  Pa.  He  has  long  been  en- 
gaged in  mining,  and  is  superintendent  of  mines  in  Mill  Hollow. 

Mrs.  C.  a.  Wambold  is  a  resident  of  Kingston  borough. 

Conrad  Z.  Warnick,  foreman  in  the  paint  department  of  the  oar 
shops,  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  in  1842,  and  married  Jane  B. 
Smith,  of  Blairstown,  N.  J.  He  served  in  the  174th  Pa.  militia,  and  two 
years  in  the  3d  N.  J.  cavalry  under  General  Custer. 

Phineas  a.  Watt,  baker  and  confectioner,  was  born  in  Prompton, 
Wayne  county.  Pa.,  in  1846,  and  in  1870  was  married  to  Louisa  Pool,  of 
Kingston.    He  is  an  overseer  of  breaker  machinery. 

Rev.  Henry  Hunton  Welles  was  born  in  Wyalusing,  Bradford 
county.  Pa.,  September  15th,  1824.  He  was  married  October  12th,  1849, 
to  Miss  Ellen  S.  Ladd,  daughter  of  General  Samuel  G.  Ladd,  of  HaUo- 
well,  Maine.  Mr.  Welles  served  the  Kingston  Presbyterian  church  as  its 
pastor  from  December  1st,  1850,  to  AprU  1st,  1871,  and  is  at  present  en- 
gaged in  the  home  missionary  work,  and  also  supplies  the  pulpit  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Plains. 

John  W.  Williamson,  weighmaster  at  the  Mill  Hollow  oolUery,  was 
born  March  11th,  1854,  at  Wanlockhead,  Scotland.  He  married  Miss  Alice 
Adams,  of  Rapids  City,  111.    He  was  formerly  an  engineer. 

Robert  Wilson,  druggist,  Wyoming,  was  born  in  Torkshlre,  Eng.; 
emigrated  in  1843  and  engaged  in  trade  with  John  B.  Wood,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  as  clerk  and  mercantile  partner,  continuing  eight  years.  He 
suffered  heavy  loss  in  the  general  conflagration  of  1859;  then  conducted 
mercantile  and  insurance  business  a  few  years,  and  went  to  Dover, 
Del.,  and  engaged  in  fruit-growing.  In  1874  he  returned  to  Wilkes- 
Barre,  and  in  1876  established  the  first  druB  store  at  Wyoming. 

Peter  Wolcott,  proprietor  of  the  Kingston  Hotel,  Kingston  bor- 
ough, was  born  in  1834,  in  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1854  married 
Harriet  Fellows,  of  Hyde  Park.    He  was  a  locomotive  engineer. 

Eliza  Woodyatt,  hotel  proprietor  at  Mill  Hollow,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, in  1888,  and  emigrated  in  1859.  Her  first  husband  was  William 
Lloyd  (who  died  in  1871),  and  her  present  husband  is  George  Woodyatt 
formerly  of  Plymouth,  Pa. 

Thomas  Wright  is  a  miller  and  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  flour 
and  feed  at  Mill  Hollow. 

The  following  citizens  have  also  contributed  their  support  to  this 
pubUcation:  Miss  M.  D.  Culver,  Mrs.  A.  Silverman,  George  B  Dilley 
Daniel  Edwards,  G.  W.  Ely,  Rev.  F.  N.  Flint,  A.  Goodwin,  jr.,  Thomas 
Hutohms,  Rev.  F.  A.  King,  L.  Mark,  Mrs.  H.  Myers,  Abram  Nesbitt,  A 
J.  Pringle,  A.  H.  Reynolds,  P.  B.  Reynolds. 


* 


^h 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  AND  CEMETERY  ASSOCIATION  OF  WYOMING. 


3°7 


4= 


WYOlirNG     PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

The  first  step  toward  permanent  organization  was  taken 
by  the  Presbyterians  of  Wyoming  in  1833,  when  they 
built  in  the  front  of  the  village  cemetery,  on  a  lot  given 
by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Shoemaker,  a  neat  little  frame  chapel 
in  which  to  hold  their  services.  Wyoming  at  this  time 
constituted  with  Kingston  one  pastoral  charge,  under 
Rev.  Alexander  Heberton,  but  was  granted  an  independ- 
ent organization  in  April,  1847,  on  the  petition  of  Thomas 
F.  Atherton,  Peter  Barber,  Charles  Fuller,  Henry  Hice, 
Andrew  Miller,  George  Wurts,  M.  D.,  R.  E.  Marvine, 
Margaret  Schooley,  Sarah  Ann  Marvine,  Mary  Barber, 
H.  L.  Marvine,  Lucinda  C.  Smith,  Christine  Polen,  Har- 
riet A.  Marvine,  L.  G.  Ensign  and  Mr. 'Miller.  A  com- 
mittee of  the  presbytery  met  at  Wyoming  on  Tuesday, 
May  4th,  1847,  and  organized  the  church.  The  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Jacob  Belville,  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Baltimore,  after  which  the  following  named  elders  were 
elected  and  inducted  into  office:  Henry  Hice,  Charles 
Fuller,  R.  E.  Marvine  and  L.  G.  Ensign. 

The  pulpit  was  supplied  by  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Mitchell,  D. 
D.  On  the  22nd  of  November  following  "  the  school 
of  the  Wyoming  Presbyterian  Church  "  was  opened  with 
25  pupils,  Francis  I.  Smith  being  employed  as  teacher. 
This  school  was  at  last  merged  in  the  "  Luzerne  Presby- 
terial  Institute,"  which  was  opened  in  May,  1849,  when 
Dr.  Mitchell  resigned  his  charge  of  the  church  and  be- 
came principal  in  the  institute. 

Rev.  Paul  Eugene  Stevenson,  of  Williamsburg,  N.  Y., 
was  on  the  19th  of  May,  1850,  installed  as  pastor.  A 
parsonage  lot  was  donated  by  Mr.  David  Perkins  and  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Jane  Ann  Carpenter,  and  by  November, 
1850,  the  building  was  ready  for  occupancy. 

On  November  i8th,  1850,  this  church  and  the  Methodist 
church  of  Wyoming  organized  the  first  Bible  society  ever 
established  in  this  part  of  the  valley,  viz.,  the  Wyoming 
Bible  Society,  auxiliary  to  the  Pennsylvania  Bible  Society. 
This  institution  has  still  a  flourishing  existence,  holding 
meetings  annually,  maintaining  missionary  visitation  and 
the  distribution  of  books.  Mr.  Stevenson  resigned  his 
charge  in  March,  1854.  Rev.  N.  S.  Prime,  D.  D.,  preached 
from  April  until  the  following  September,  and  Rev. 
Thomas  P.  Hunt  from  November  until  May,  1855. 

During  the  summer  of  1854  the  "chapel  "  was  demol- 
ished by  lightning,  and  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the 
large  room  of  the  institute  building  about  three  years. 
In  June,  1855,  Rev.  J.  D.  Mitchell  was  again  secured  as 
stated  supply.  Messrs.  William  Henry,  William  S.  Shoe- 
maker, L.  G.  Ensign,  Thomas  F.  Atherton  and  Steuben 
Jenkins  were  appointed  a  building  committee,  and  the 
present  church  building  was  begun.  It  was  dedicated 
October  22nd,  1857.  The  sermon  was  preached  by  the 
Rev.  Nicholas  Murray,  D.  D.,  of  Elizabeth,  N.  J. 

Mr.  Mitchell  resigned  in  December,  1856,  and  Rev. 
Thomas  P.  Hunt  preached  until  May,  1857.  Rev.  Wil- 
liam L.  Moore  was  pastor  from  July  22nd,  1857,  until 
March,  1858.  Rev.  Frederick  L.  King  followed  as  stated 
supply.     From  the  first  Sabbath  of  May,  1859,  the  Rev. 


Henry  Rinker  was  pastor  until  February,  1861,  and  he 
preached  as  stated  supply  until  the  following  April.  From 
January,  1862,  the  Rev.  H.  H.  Welles  supplied  the  pulpit 
six  months,  when  Rev.  Albert  B.  King  was  engaged.  He 
was  installed  October  25th,  1863,  and  served  until  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1873.  Rev.  Lewis  H.  Boehler  then  preached 
eight  months.  Rev.  Scott  Stites  was  ordained  and 'in- 
stalled pastor  of  Wyoming  October  2nd,  1873.  He  re- 
signed April  ist,  1877,  to  assume  the  pastoral  care  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pittsburg. 

January  2nd,  1878,  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  George 
Wells  Ely,  then  a  student  in  the  theological  seminary 
at  Princeton,  was  called.  He  was  ordained  and  installed 
April  30th,  1878. 

The  most  notable  revival  in  this  church  occurred  dur- 
ing the  spring  of  1848,  when  the  church  was  strengthened 
by  the  accession  of  thirty  new  members  upon  profession. 

During  the  past  few  years  the  congregation  has  repaired 
the  church  building,  built  a  comfortable  sexton's  house 
and  an  addition  to  the  parsonage,  and  otherwise  im- 
proved the  church  property.  The  church  is  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.  The  present  membership  is  79;  that 
of  the  Sunday-school,  144. 

CEMETERY    ASSOCIA'J-IGN    OF     WYOMING. 

The  first  interment  in  the  grounds  of  this  association 
was  that  of  the  remains  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Shoemaker, 
wife  of  Isaac  C.  Shoemaker,  occurred  in  or  about  1837. 
The  original  ground,  containing  i:,4oo  square  feet,  on 
which  was  a  church,  was  deeded  December  t2th,  1837, 
by  Jacob  I.  Shoemaker,  sen.,  for.  $50,  to  the  "  trustees, 
elders  and  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  congregation  of 
Kingston,"  for  the  exclusive  use  of  that  congregation. 
This  lot  was  used  until  1864  as  a  public  burial  ground. 

June  30th  of  that  year  an  association  with  the  above 
title  was  formed.  The  grounds  were  enlarged  by  lands 
purchased  of  Dr.  Wertz  and  George  Lazarus.  The  first 
trustees  under  the  charter  were  Isaac  S.  Shoemaker  and 
John  Brees.  The  first  ofificers  of  the  association  were: 
President,  Isaac  C.  Shoemaker;  secretary,  John  Brees; 
treasurer,  Thomas  Hutchins. 

The  present  officers  of  the  association  are:  William  S. 
Shoemaker,  president;  Jacob  I.  Shoemaker,  secretary  and 
treasurer. 

SECRET    SOCIETIES    AT    WYOMING. 

lVyo?ning  Lodge,  No.  468,^.  Y.M.  was  instituted  in 
May,  1870,  with  the  following  charter  members  and  offi- 
cers: H.  A.  Laycock,  W.  H.;  P.  H.  Polon,  S.  W.;  S.  J. 
Sharks,  secretary;  S.  R.  Shoemaker,  J.  W.; -Henry  Polen, 
treasurer;  R.  H.  Laycock,  Miller  Patterson,  W.  J.  Ben- 
nett, J.  J.  Breese. 

The  regular  communications  of  this  lodge  are  held  in 
Masonic  Hall,  on  Friday  evening  on  or  before  full  moon 
in  each  month.     The  present  membership  is  25. 

The  past  masters  of  this  lodge  have  been  H.  A.  Lay- 
cock, P.  H.  Polen,  S.  R.  Shoemaker,  R.  K.  Laycock,  G. 
F.  Townend,  C.  B.  Baldwin,  C.  H.  Vaughn,  G.  S.  Rich- 
mond and  Walter  Bodle. 


3°« 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


i 


The  present  elective  officers  of  the  lodge  are:  T.  H. 
Alherton,  W.  M.;  R.  H.  Laycock,  S.  W.;  Thomas  Hut- 
chins,  J.  W.:  G.  F.  Townend,  treasurer;  C.  H.  Vaughn, 
secretary. 

May  Lodge,  No.  767,  /.  0.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 
June  26th,  1 87 1.  The  following  were  the  charter  mem- 
bers, also  the  officers  for  the  first  and  second  terms  : 
J.  A.  Shoemaker,  scribe;  B.  Irvine,  N.  G.;  S.  R.  Shoe- 
maker, Nelson  Hoffman;  John  Ailing,  assistant  scribe; 
Frank  Holmes,  E.  M.  Rozell,  A.  J.  Bell,  Jacob  Bell, 
Thomas  Hutchins,  M.  Lord;  S.  D.  Robbins,  treasurer; 
John  Smith,  Stephen  Pollock,  George  Space,  I.  C. 
Edwards;  D.  D.  Durland,  V.  G.;  C.  De  Witt,  David  Mc- 
Gennis,  J.  V.  Baker,  J.  C.  Comstock  and  J.  M.  Lewis, 
M.  D. 

The  succeeding  noble  grands  of  this  lodge  have  been 
D.  D.  Durland,  J.  M.  Lewis,  M.  D.,  J.  V.  Baker,  J.  I. 
Shoemaker,  F.  S.  Holmes,  Thomas  Mulchings,  J.  M. 
Smith,  L.  Peterson,  N.  IT.  Mineg;ir,  I.  C.  Edwards,  J.  S. 
Ailing,  I.  H.  Schooley,  S.  R.  Shoemaker,  J.  W.  Drake,  J.' 
A.  Irwin  and  P.  H.  Dailey. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  in  Hutchins 
Hall,  on  Saturday  evening  of  each  week.  The  lodge 
numbers  25   members. 

The  present  elective  officers  (April,  1880,)  are:  A. 
Hoffman,  N.  G.;  H.  C.  Edwards,  V.  G.  ;  D.  D.  Durland, 
scribe;  J.  V.  Baker,  assistant  scribe;  J.  I.  Shoemaker, 
treasurer. 

Monument  Lodge  I^iiights  of  ILonor,  No.  2,130,  was 
organized  March  29th,  1880,  with  19  charter  members. 

The  first  officers  were:  Past  dictator,  Charles  P.  Kn'app; 
dictator,  J.  I.  Shoemaker;  vice-dictator,  George  S.  Rich- 
mond; assistant  dictator,  R.  K.  Laycock;  reporter,  R.  E. 
Hutchins;  financial  reporter,  George  H.  Barker;  treasurer, 
S.  R.  Shoemaker;  chaplain.  Merit  Serf;  guide.  Nelson 
Huffman;  guardian,  Robert  Smallcomb;  sentinel,  John 
Wilde;  trustees,  R.  K.  Laycock,  George  S.  Richmond, 
J.  P.  Smith;  medical  examiner,  C.  P.  Knapp,  M.  D.  The 
lodge  meets  on  Wednesday  nights. 

Manufactories  at  Wvomino. 

Wyoming  Terra  Cotta  Works. — These  works  are  located 
on  the  north  side  of  the  village  of  Wyoming,  beside  the 
track  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  railroad.  An  association  was 
organized  in  July,  1874,  by  Nathan  Van  Horn,  who  ob- 
tained stock  to  the  amount  of  $18,000  and  conducted 
the  business  till  February  ist,  1876,  when  he  sold  out  to 
Thomas  Hutchins  &  Son  and  Calvin  Detrick,  who  be- 
came the  sole  owners.  In  February,  1878,  Mr.  Detrick 
sold  his  interest  to  William  S.  Shoemaker,  and  the  firm 
became  Hutchins,  Shoemaker  &  Co.,  by  whom  the  manu- 
facture of  sewer  pipes,  fire-brick  and  chimney  tops  is 
now  carried  on,  with  a  capital  of  $18,000.  There  are 
twelve  men  employed  in  the  works,  who  make  annually 
about  $20,000  worth  of  terra  cotta  ware. 

The  Wyoming  Shovel  and  Edge  Tool  Manufacturing 
Company,  whose  shops  are  at  Wyoming,  was  organized 
under  the  manufacturing  laws  of  Pennsylvania  Septem- 
ber  26th,    1874.     It  started   with   a  capital   of  $20,000, 


increased  afterwards  to  $28,000.      Mortgage  bonds  were 
issued  April  9th,  1877,  amounting  to  $25,000. 

The  managers  were  Payne  Pettebone,  Steuben  Jen- 
kins, James  P.  Atherton,  William  S.  Shoemaker,  Thomas 
Hutchins,  John  Sharps,  James  D.  Green,  George  Ricart, 
and  William  Allen.  The  president  was  Payne  Pette- 
bone, the  secretary  Steubin  Jenkins,  and  the  treasurer 
Jacob  I.  Shoemaker.  The  property  has  recently  been 
closed  out  on  the  mortgage,  and  is  now  owned  by  Payne 
Pettebone  and  Robert  Treat  Pettebone,  doing  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Payne,  Pettebone  &  Son.  Exten- 
sive improvements  have  been  made  in  the  machinery,  dies 
and  patterns,  and  with  the  facilities  now  provided  the 
work  of  manufacturing  is  progressing  on  a  largely  in- 
creased scale,  under  the  supervision  of  a  thoroughly  ex- 
perienced foreman,  turning  out  shovels,  spades  and 
scoops  that  will  compare  favorably  with  any  manufac- 
tured in  the  country.  This  location  for  manufacturing 
purposes  has  the  advantage  of  cheap  fuel,  cheap. rents 
and  cheap  living;  and  the  proprietors  may  reasonably 
expect  to  maintain  successful  competition  in  supplying 
their  full  share  in  the  market. 

MILL  HOLLOW. 

The  pioneer  settler  here  was  Zachariah  Hartsive,  from 
New  Jersey.  He  came  as  early  as  1790,  and  Adam  Shafer 
soon  after.  A  settlement  grew  up  known  as  "  Hartsive 
Hollow."  John  Bowman  built  a  blacksmith  shop  near 
the  creek  in  1805,  and  subsequently  put  in  a  trip-hammer, 
and  utilized  the  water  power  for  doing  heavy  work. 
Andrew  Raub,  from  New  Jersey,  in  181 7  located  where 
Samuel  Raub  now  lives,  and  built  a  distillery.  About 
the  same  time  Henry  Buckingham  built  a  paper  mill 
farther  down  the  stream.  It  was  subsequently  owned  by 
one  of  the  Hollenbacks,  who  about  1835  leased  it  to 
Peter  McGuire  and  James  Mather.  They  continued  in 
the  paper  business  till  1840,  when  the  mill  was  taken 
down.  About  1835  the  Louisa  Furnace  was  built  by 
Jacob  Howe  and  George  Little.  It  was  named  in  honor 
of  Mrs.  Louisa  Little.  It  stood  a  few  rods  below  Wright's 
grist-mill,  and  the  railroad  track  now  running  to  Raub's 
coal  breaker  crosses  its  site.  The  furnace  was  purchased 
by  Smith  Gaylord,  who  carried  on  the  business  a  short 
time.  In  1850  it  was  abandoned  and  torn  down.  The 
ore  used  was  brought  from  Danville  to  Wilkes-Barre  in 
boats,  thence  by  wagons  to  the  furnace.  David  Laphy, 
the  pioneer  tailor  in  Hartsive  Hollow,  was  born  here 
August  19th,  1804,  and  practiced  his  trade  for  thirty 
years  from  1834.  He  was  married  February  20th,  1829, 
to  Sarah  H.  Reese,  of  Kingston  township,  and  died  in  Mill 
Hollovv  December  28th,  1879.  An  oil  mill  was  built  by 
one  Hollenback  on  the  site  of  the  present  chop  mill  near 
their  on  bridge  about  1830.  He  sold  it  to  John  Bartholo- 
mew, who  changed  it  into  a  plaster  and  chop  mill,  which 
is  now  owned  and  operated  by  H.  N.  Schooley.  The 
steam  grist-mill  now  operated  by  Thomas  Wright  was 
built  by  Samuel  Raub,  a  part  of  the  frame  used  in  the 
old  foundry  being  used.  The  old  red  mill  of  David 
Atherholt  was  built  by  Judge  William  Hancock.     The 


4h 


-'4¥ 


EARLY  RESIDENTS  AT  MILL  HOLLOW— CHURCH  HISTORIES. 


309 


first  building  on  that  site  was  put  up  by  Reuben  Holgate, 
and  used  for  a  carding  and  fulling  mill  several  years, 
when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Mr.  Holgate  soon  built 
another  mill,  which  was  subsequently  burned,  when  the 
property  was  sold  to  William  Hancock,  who  built  the 
present  flouring  and  chop  mill.  The  old  "white  mill" 
in  the  upper  part  of  the  village,  built  early  in  this 
century,  and  known  for  many  years  as  the  Hicks  mill,  is 
probably  the  oldest  mill  on  the  stream.  It  is  now  owned 
by  Raub  &  Fuller,  who  purchased  it  in  March,  1880. 

The  post-office  was  established  in  May,  1866,  when  E. 
W.  Abbott,  the  present  postmaster,  was  appointed,  and 
the  name  of  the  place  changed  from  Hartsive  Hollow  to 
Mill  Hollow. 

Among  the  early  settlers  at  Hartsive  Hollow  was  David 
Lafa,  who  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1 767,  married  Miss  Ann 
Reed,  located  here  in  1792  or  1793,  and  was  a  hunter  and 
trapper.  He  was  a  member  of  the  "  Kingston  Volun- 
teers," under  Captain  Thomas,  and  a  few  days  before  the 
company  was  to  leave  for  the  frontier  he  died  from  injur- 
ies received  on  his  last  bear  hunt  by  falling  down  a  cliff, 
after  which  fall,  however,  he  killed  a  bear  and  two  cubs. 
The  first  school-house  was  built  about  1820,  on  the  isl- 
and where  the  present  school-house  has  stood  for  forty 
years  or  more.  The  first  resident  physician  was  Dr.  W. 
H.  Faulds,  who  moved  here  in  1876. 

In  1856  Jacob  Hoover  discovered  iron  ore  along  the 
bank  of  Toby's  creek  a  little  above  where  the  toll  house 
now  stands,  on  the  lands  of  Mrs.  Brisbin,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.  The  late  Dr.  Brisbin  opened  the  mine  in  1857, 
with  Mr.  Hoover  as  foreman,  and  several  tons  of  the  ore 
were  sent  to  Danville,  Pa.,  to  be  tried  in  the  furnaces 
there.  The  mine  is  not  worked.  The  foundry  of  Boyd 
&  Engle  was  built  in  1852  by  Robinson  Boyd,  who  was  a 
boss  moulder  in  the  Louisa  furnace  and  foundry. 

The  oldest  house  in  this  village  is  between  the  Method- 
ist and  Presbyterian  churches.  It  was  built  in  1820,  by 
Morris  Craner,  who  occupied  it  until  1874,  when  he  died. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church  over  30  years, 
and  was  a  private  in  Capt.  Thomas's  company  of 
Kingston  volunteers  in  181 2. 

There  were  at  this  place  in  April,  1880,  two  churches, 
(Methodist  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian),  two  school- 
houses;  three  collieries — the  Hutchinson  and  East  Boston, 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  village,  and  Raub's,  in  the  upper 
part;  four  stores— Payne  &  Perrin,  Thomas  Waddell, 
Charles  Atherholt,  and  Phineas  Watts;  a  tobacco  store, 
two  shoe  shops,  two  blacksmith  shops;  two  hotels— one 
kept  by  A.  C.  Church,  and  the  other  by  James  Williams; 
four  grist  mills,  two  markets,  several  saloons,  a  tin  shop, 
the  foundry  of  Boyd  &  Engle;  one  physician.  Dr.  W.  H. 
Faulds;  a  post-office,  and  179  dwellings. 

MILL    HOLLOW     METHODIST     EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

A  Methodist  class  as  early  as  1825  met  in  the  old 
school-house  on  the  island.  The  present  church  building 
was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1873,  and  dedicated  July  sth, 
1874,  by  Rev.  Reuben  Nelson,  D.  D.,  assisted  by  Rev. 
J.  Madison,  the  pastor.     The  church  was  built  by  S.  W. 


Bennett,  on  contract,  and  cost  nearly  $4,000.  It  has 
seats  for  about  400.  The  lot  was  donated  by  Mrs.  Sarah 
Bennett,  widow  of  the  late  Charles  Bennett,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.  The  trustees  at  the  time  of  the  dedication  of  the 
church  were  John  Bartholomew,  John  Mathers,  Joseph 
Welter,  Thomas  C.  Reese,  S.  D.  Fisk,  Charles  Lapha, 
Daniel  Harris,  George  Rice  and  James  Thomas. 

The  present  officers  are:  Stewards,  John  Thomas, 
Jesse  T.  Welter,  Thomas  Kline,  Peter  Austin  and  S.  D. 
Fisk;  trustees,  John  Bartholomew  fpresident"),  John 
Mathers  (treasurer),  AVilliam  Mathers  (secretary),  James 
Thomas,  John  Thomas,  Calvin  Perrin,  S.  D.  Fisk,  Charles 
Lapha  and  Jesse  1".  Welter;  class  leaders,  John  Thomas, 
Thomas  Kline  and  William  H.  Crocker.  The  present 
pastor  is  John  Labar;  membership,  75.  Mrs.  Sarah  H. 
"Laphy,  widow  of  the  late  David  Laphy,  is  the  oldest 
member  of  the  church  now  living,  having  joined  the 
church  in  1823. 

The  present  Sunday-school  organization  consists  of 
Peter  Austin,  superintendent;  William  H.  Crocker,  as- 
sistant superintendent;  William  Mathers,  secretary;  J. 
T.  Welter,  assistant  secretary;  S.  C.  Welter,  librarian; 
Alfred  Wolf,  assistant  librarian;  and  John  Thomas, 
treasurer.  The  number  of  scholars  is  187;  average  at- 
tendance, 90. 

BENNETT    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

This  congregation  first  met  in  the  brown  school-house, 
on  the  Pringle  farm,  early  in  1874,  with  Rev.  A.  C.  Smith 
as  pastor;  and  then  in  the  school-house  on  the  island,  in 
which  the  present  church  was  organized  June  6th,  1874, 
with  eleven  members  dismissed  by  letter  from  the  Kings- 
ton Presbyterian  church.  The  church  thus  formed  wor- 
shiped in  Walker's  Hall  until  the  basement  of  the  present 
church  edifice  was  ready  for  occupancy.  The  latter  build- 
ing was  dedicated  September  24th,  1876,  by  Rev.  T.  P. 
Hunt,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  assisted  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Snowden. 
'I'he  lot  was  donated  by  Mrs  Charles  Bennett,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.     The  cost  of  the  building  was  $6,000. 

The  Sabbath-school  numbers  about  250  members,  and 
was  made  up  of  three  small  schools.  The  pastor,  Rev. 
A.  C.  Smith,  is  superintendent. 

LODGES    AT     MILL    HOLLOW. 

MM  Hollow  Council,  No.  353,  Order  of  United  Amer- 
ican Mechanics  was  organized  in  G.  F.  McGuire's  hall, 
on  the  I  St  of  September,  1875,  with  31  charter  members. 

The  first  officers  were:  Councilor,  W.  T.  Bishop;  vice- 
councilor,  G.  B.  Smith;  R.  S.,  G.  A.  Boughtin;  F.  S., 
■  Carles  Mathers;  treasurer,  G.  F.  McGuire;  I.,  J.  J.  Lloyd; 
Ex.,  John  Osborne;  I.  P.,  J.  C.  Updyke;  O.  P.,  T.  J. 
Laphy;  J.  Ex.  C,  James  Washburn;  S.  Ex.  C,  J.  C.  Tur- 
ner; trustees — J.  C.  Updyke,  John  Osborne,  James  Wash- 
burn. 

The  present  officers  are:  Councilor,  G.  F.  McGuire; 
vice-councilor,  S.  H.  Reese;  R.  S.,  Charles  Mathers;  A. 
R.  S.,  Charles  Atherholt;  F.  S.,  James  Washburn;  treas- 
urer, L.  S.  Walker;  In.,  Newman  Hewitt;  Ex.,  B.  F- 
Williams;  I.   P.,   J.  L.  Simonson;  O.  P.,  T.  J.  Laphy;  J. 


310 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Ex.  C,  J.  C.  Updyke;  S.  Ex.  C,  G.  A.  Boiightin;  trustees 
S.  H.  Reese,  J.  C.  Updyke,  James  Washburn. 
The  council  meets   in    G.  F.  McGuire's   hall,  on  every 
Wednesday   evening.     It  now   has   51    members  in  good 
standing. 

Walnut  Lodge,  No.  953,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 
March  28th,  187S,  with  the  following.,'  members:  John 
Bartholomew,  N.  G.;  William  Moses,  V.  G.;  John  Hill, 
James  E.  Williams,  Amos  T.  Poole,  James  Boyd;  Calvin 
Perrin,  scribe;  Charles  J.  Perrin,  C.  H.  Hagaman,  E.  C. 
Stanley,  Lyman  Harris,  P.  A.  Watt,  S.  A.  Morton;  Wil- 
liam Courtright,  treasurer;  David  Shippe,  Coray  Mathers, 
P.  M.  Austin,  Thomas  Appleton,  George  W.  Rice,  W.  H. 
Faulds,  A.  S.,  and  Robert  Clayton. 

The  succeeding  presiding  officers  of  the  lodge  have 
been  William  Moses,  Charles  J.  Perrin,  Robert  Perrin 
and  P.  M.  Austin. 

The  lodge  had  in  March,  1880,  a  membership  of  46. 
Its  meetings  are  held   each   week  in  Bonhara  Hall. 
The  present  officers  are:  Noble   grand,  P.  M.  Austin; 
vice-grand,  Henry   Badder;  scribe,  David   Shippe;  assis- 
tant   scribe,   William    Moses;    treasurer,   William  Court- 
right. 

Neplw  Lodge,  No.  1,293,  /.  O.  of  G.  11  was  instituted 
May  ist,  1878,  with  32  charter  members.  The  original 
officers  were:  W.  C.  T.,  William  F.  King;  W.  V.  T.,  Ten- 
nie  M.  Smith;  W.  C,  Alexander  C.  Smith;  W.  S.,  W.  P. 
Fisher;  W.  A.  S.,  Lizzie  M.  Bowman;  W.  F.  S.,  John  J. 
Lloyd;  W.  T.,  Lazarus  S.  Walker;  W.  M.,  John  H.  Smith; 
W.  D.  M.,  Anna  D.  Foster;  W.  I.  G.,  John  J.  Morgan; 
W.  O.  G.,  Anthony  O'Brien;  W.  R.  H.  S.,  Bessie  B.  Mc- 
Collum;  W.  E.  H.  S.,  Lizzie  Clark;  P.  W.  C.  T.,  T.  A. 
Houser. 

The  regular  meetings  are  held  on  Tuesday  evening  of 
each  week,  in  Good  Templar  Hall,  corner  of  Perrin  and 
Payne  streets. 

The  past  worthy  chiefs  have  been:  Charles  Perrin, 
two  terms;  A.  W,  Houser,  one  term;  L.  N  Willis,  three 
terms. 

The  present  officers  are:  W.  C.  T.,  Ziba  Martin;  W.V. 
T.,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Edwards;  W.  E.,  E.  W.  Abbott;  W.  T., 
Miss  Mary  E.  Moses;  W.  C,  S.  A.  Edwards;  W.  P.  C." 
L.  N.  Willis;  W.  T.  S.,  Thomas  Boyd;  W.  M.,  C.  Covert' 

Luzerne  Lodgi,  No.  1,913,  Knights  of  LTonor  was  organ- 
ized December  6th,  1879,  with  21  charter  members. 

The  following  were  the  original  officers:  Dictator, 
Thomas  Wright;  vice-dictator,  James  Waddell;  assistant 
dictator,  William  Courtright;  past  dictator,  John  Parry; 
reporter,  A.  C.  Church;  financial  reporter,  Calvin  .Perrin,' 
jr.  The  officers  for  1880  were  the  same  as  the  first 
board,  with  the  addition  of  AVilliam  Moses  for  treasun-r 

FORTY  FORT. 

This  village  bears  the  name  of  the  historic  old  fortress 
from  which  the  patriot  band  marched  on  the  morning  of 
the  fatal  3d  of  July,  1778,  to  meet  the  invading  foe.  As 
near  as  can  be  ascertained,  by  digging  down  and  finding 
the  charred  remains  of  the  old  stockade,  the  fort  was  a 
rectangle,  eighty  by  two   hundred   and   twenty-five   feet 


The  south  line  ran  through    the   center  of  the  site  of  the 
old  house  built  by  William  Culver  in  18 15.      The  house 
stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  road  leading  down  to  the 
ferry.     The  present  highway,  or  "  Forty  Fort  "  road,  as  it 
is  locally  known,  runs  diagonally  through  the  site  of  the 
old  fort.      At  the  centennial  of  the  Wyoming  massacre, 
celebrated   on    these    grounds   in    July,    1878,    Mr.    M. 
Marshall  contributed  the  large  cedar  flag  staff  now  stand- 
ing near  where  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  center  of  the 
fort.       There    was   also  presented   a  national  flag,  upon 
which  was  painted  the  following  inscription:    "Presented 
by   the   lady    descendants,    living    in    Wilkes-Barre,    of 
Anderson   Dana,  Esq.      The   centennial   anniversary  of 
the  battle  and  massacre  of   Wyoming,  Forty  Fort,  1878." 
Mrs.  David  Culver  is  the  custodian  of  the  flag,  which  is  of 
English  bunting  and  of  the  regulation  size.     The  old  log 
house  in  which  the   articles  of  capitulation  for   the  sur- 
render of  the  fort  were  signed  is  still  standing,  adjoining 
the  house  occupied  by  Gordon  Shook. 

The  old  Shoemaker  store  is  now  kept  by  John  Batter- 
ton.  The  old  'Forty  Fort  tavern,  the  south  wing  of  which 
was  built  in  1812,  is  now  kept  by  Fuller  Reese,  and  the 
store  opposite,  that  of  Crandall  Major,  is  of  more  recent 
date.  Samuel  Pugh's  grocery  is  one  of  the  old  buildings 
of  the  place. 

The  old  ferry  way,  at  the  south  of  the  cemetery,  which 
was  used  by  the  early  settlers,  has  long  since  been 
abandoned,  and  the  ferry  from  Forty  Fort  to  Port 
Bowkley,  in  Plains  township,  is  owned  and  operated  by 
David  Culver. 

Hon.  John  B.  Smith's  church,  built  for  the  "  Christian," 
is  now  occupied  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  society. 

This  was  probably  the  first  settlement  in  the  township 
of  Kingston.  There  are  at  this  place  the  old  church, 
built  in  i8o6  by  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians;  the 
Forty  Fort  Hotel,  two  stores  and  a  grocery,  a  rope  ferry 
owned  and  operated  by  David  Culver,  Hon.  John  B. 
Snuth's  church,  a  school-house,  two  resident  ministers 
(Revs.  E.  Hazard  Snowden  and  Henry  Hunton  Welles),  the 
parsonage  of  the  Forty  Fort  and  Mill  Hollow  M.  E. 
society,  blacksmith,  shoe,  tailor  and  millinery  shops  and 
a  population  of  about  500. 

FORTY    FORT    CEMETERY    ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  organized  and  chartered  March 
Cth,  i860.  The  trustees  were  Steuben  Tenkins,  William 
Swetland,  Thomas  P.  Hunt,  Hiram  Denison,  Charles  D. 
Shoemaker,  Charles  Dorrance  and  William  G.  Case. 
William  Swetland  was  chosen  president,  and  Henry 
Woodhouse  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  grounds,  of 
about  five  acres,  formerly  under  control  of  the  agents  of 
the  proprietors  of  the  township  of  Kingston,  were  by 
them  deeded  to  this  association,  and  were  suveyed  into 
bunal  lots  in  July,  1861,  by  J.  Allebach.  In  1876  about 
four  acres  adjoining  on  the  north  were  bought  and  sur- 
veyed by  Irving  A.  Stevens. 

The  present  directors  of  the  association  are  Payne 
Pettebone,  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  Steuben  Jenkins,  Frank 
Helm,  Lawrence   Myers,  George  Shoemaker  and  A.  J. 


RESIDENCE    OT    WG    PAYKJ  E  ,   KINGSTON  ,    LUZERNE  CO  ,  PA 


^   ^  -Ml 


RESIDENCE    QT  W^   LOVELAND,  KINGSTON,  LUZERNE  CO,  PA. 


4=^  ^= 


41 


BUSINESS  HISTORY  OF  TRUXVILLE— CARVERTON  M.  E.  CHURCH. 


311 


Pringle;  president,  Payne  Pettebone;  secretary,  Steuben 
Jenkins;  treasurer,  A.  J.  Pringle. 

TRUXVILLE. 

Truxville  was  settled  about  1809  or  1810,  by  David 
Trux,  who  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  and  built  the  first 
house  at  this  place.  In  1814  Jacob  Rice,  from  New 
Jersey,  bought  600  acres  of  land  of  Mr.  Trux,  upon 
which  Truxville  is  situated.  The  same  year  he  built  a 
grist-mill,  on  the  site  of  Isaac  Rice's  mill,  and  he  also 
built  a  saw-mill  a  short  distance  below.  In  1822  William 
C.  Hagaman  engaged  in  the  tailoring  business.  The 
pioneer  blacksmith  was  Albert  Skeer,  who  came  in  1826. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  built  in  1844, 
and  cost  about  $1,500,  which  was  raised  by  subscription, 
Jacob  Rice  donating  the  church  lot  and  $100  in  cash 
towards  the  enterprise.  This  church  became  part  of  the 
Carverton  circuit  in  1858;  it  then  had  45  members,  and 
William  Booth  was  class  leader. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1825  on  the  site  of 
the  present  one. 

In  1825  Mr.  Rice  built  the  pioneer  store;  it  was  burned 
and  he  built  on  the  same  site  the  present  one,  now  oc- 
cupied by  J.  P.  Rice,  who  formerly  kept  a  store  in  the 
house  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Harder.  Isaac  Rice  was  in 
trade  at  the  same  time  in  the  old  store  where  J.  P.  Rice 
now  is.  In  1830  Jacob  Rice,  Esq.,  , built  a  chop  and 
plaster-mill,  now  owned  by  Henry  M.  Hagaman.  About 
1836  Levi  C.  Rice  had  a  turning  lathe  in  the  old  chop  and 
plaster-mill,  for  the  manufacture  of  broom  handles,  chair 
stuff,  &c.  In  1833  Isaac  Rice  built  a  small  tannery  on 
the  lot  now  owned  by  H.  M.  Hagaman.  The  business 
was  abandoned  in  a  few  years,  and  the  tannery  went  to 
decay.  In  1827  J.  P.  Rice  and  Mr.  Kirkendall  built  a 
.small  cloth-mill  between  the  grist-mill  and  the  chop-mill, 
which  in  a  few  years  went  to  decay.  The  lot  is  now 
owned  by  H.  M.  Hagaman.  In  1830  the  old  grist-mill 
was  sold  to  James  Sitgreaves,  who  used  it.  as  a  distillery 
and  a  dwelling  a  number  of  years.  In  1833  J.  P.  Rice 
built  another  cloth-mill  farther  down  the  stream,  which 
is  now  William  L.  Rice's  woolen  factory.  Dr.  J.  R. 
Lewis  has  lived  at  Truxville  since  1833.  In  1835  J.  P. 
Rice  built  a  saw-mill  about  a  mile  above  Truxville,  on 
Toby's  creek.  It  is  now  owned  and  operated  by  Ziba 
and  George  Rice. 

The  "Ice  Cave"  Hotel,  about  a  mile  below  the  village, 
was  built  in  1867,  by  Daniel  Harris,  for  a  dwelling,  and 
subsequently  sold  to  Mr.  Harder,  who  converted  it  into  a 
hotel.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  Dr.  Throop,  of 
Scranton.     It  is  a  pleasant  summer  resort. 

At  present  there  are  at  Truxville  a  church  (M.  E.),  a 
school-house,  a  woolen  factory,  a  wagon  and  blacksmith 
shop,  the  store  of  J.  P.  Rice,  and  the  stone  quarry  of  Dr. 
J.  R.  Lewis.     The  population  is  about  400. 

Carverton  Circuit. 

Carverton  circuit  has  an  area  of  about  100  square 
miles,  and  comprises  the  Carverton,  Truxville,  Mt.  Zion, 
(Exeter)  and  Dallas  churches  and  two  detached  classes. 


The  circuit  was  formerly  connected  with  Northmoreland 
and  Lehman.  It  was  organized  as  it  now  exists  in  1858, 
and  comprises  six  appointments.  Rev.  John  La  Bar  was 
the  first  pastor  and  remained  two  years.  The  following 
have  been  the  succeeding  pastors:  C.  L.  Rice,  one  year; 
W.  Munger,  two  years;  Y.  C.  Smith,  one  year;  A.  J. 
Van  Cleft,  two  years;  John  La  Bar,  three  years;  Joseph 
Madison,  three  years;  Isaac  Austin,  three  years;  Stephen 
Elwell,  three  years;  F.  A.  King,  the  present  pastor,  on 
his  third  year. 

The  following  was  the  board  of  stewards  in  1858: 
John  P.  Rice,  William  C.  Roushey,  Jacob  Rice,  jr., 
George  Frantz,  Samuel  Durland,  Evi  D.  Wilson,  Levi 
C.  Lewis,  R.  Ryman,  Chester  Harris. 

The  following  have  been  local  preachers:  Abram 
^handler,  J.  P.  Rice,  Elisha  Harris,   Daniel  Harris. 

The  Mount  Zion  M.  E.  church,  built  in  1852,  is  in 
Exeter  township.  It  had  at  the  time  it  became  con- 
nected with  Carverton  circuit  80  members.  George 
Holmes  was  then  class  leader. 

Dallas  M.  E.  church  was  built  in  1854.  It  is  located 
in  the  borough  of  Dallas.  It  had  in  1858  80  members. 
Jacob  Rice,  jr.,  was  then  class  leader. 

Carverton  M.  E.  church,  which  was  built  in  1854, 
is  in  Carverton.  It  had.  in  1858  42  members.  James 
Eaton  was  then  class  leader. 

Harris  class  meets  in  aschool-house  in  the  Harris  neigh- 
borhood, Kingston  township.  It  had  in  1858  ig  mem- 
bers.    Hiram  Harris  was  class  leader. 

Demond  class  meets  in  a  school-house  in  Dallas.  It 
was  organized  in  i860,  with  24  members.  R.  Ryman  was 
class  leader.  The  membership  of  these  appointments  all 
told  is  now  305.  The  four  churches  mentioned  are 
valued  each  at  $1,500. 

There  is  a  Sabbath-school  at  each  appointment,  and 
they  all  flourish  well  during  the  summer;  but,  because  of 
the  bad  roads,  making  it  inconvenient  for  the  children  to 
attend  from  the  distances  at  which  they  live,  they  sus- 
pend during  the  winter;  except  those  at  Dallas  and 
Truxville,  where  they  are  maintained  during  the  entire 
year.  The  number  of  officers  and  teachers  in  all  the 
Sunday-schools  on  the  circuit  is  38;  number  of  schol- 
ars, 291. 

The  M.  E.  parsonage  at  Carverton  was  built  in  i860. 
The  first  minister  who  occupied  it  was  Rev.  C.  L.  Rice. 
It  is  valued  at  ; 


KIiNGSTON  BOROUGH. 


FEW  brief   paragraphs,  beginning  with   1857, 
when   the   village    was    incorporated,    would 
compass  its   history  as  a  borough.     Its  early 
history,  however,  beginning  with  1769,  is  rich 
in  incidents  connected  with  the  first  settlement 
of  this  territory  by  the  colonists  under  the  pat- 
ronage of  the  Susquehanna  Company  and  the 
State  of  Connecticut. 


H^ 


312 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


It  is  not  now  certainly  known  who  was  the  first  settler 
at  the  village  of  Kingston,  but  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
the  township  in  1769  settled  within  the  limits  of  the  bor- 
ough, namely,  James  Atherton,  who,  with  his  sons  James 
Atherton,  jr.,  Asahel  and  Elisha  Atherton,  built  the  first 
log  house,  nearly  opposite  the  site  of  the  old  academy,  on 
Main  street.  There  the  father  resided  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  1790.  His  son  Elisha  occupied  the  old  home- 
stead until  1817,  when  he  died.  The  old  log  cabin  then 
disappeared. 

This  portion  of  the  township  was  the  last  to  be  occu- 
pied by  the  settlers  from  abroad,  and  up  to  1803  there 
were  but  three  houses  between  those  of  James  Atherton 
and  Lawrence  Myers,  the  latter  at  the  corner  where  now 
stands  the  store  of  Abram  Goodwin.  Previous  to  1796 
there  was  a  small  one-story  house  directly  opposite  the 
present  residence  of  Abram  Reynolds,  Esq.  It  was 
painted  red,  and  for  many  years  was  occupied  by  Epaph- 
ras  Thompson,  a  silversmith  and  a  Baptist  of  the  hard- 
shell order.  He  left  here  about  1818,  and  the  house  dis- 
appeared about  1835.  It  was  the  first  frame  house  built 
within  the  limits  of  the  borough. 

Up  to  1818  the  old  township  line  road  was  the  only 
avenue  to  Wilkes-Barre;  it  was  reached  by  the  extension 
of  the  Main  Kingston  road,  99  feet  wide,  and  was  then 
known  as  the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Blind  Town  road,  as  it 
led  from  the  ferry  opposite  the  foot  of  Northampton 
street,  Wilkes-Barre,  to  Blind  Town,  separating  the  town- 
ships of  Kingston  and  Plymouth.  Near  the  point  of  in- 
tersection of  these  roads  was  a  swing  gate  across  the 
Blind  Town  road.  There  were  no  fences  at  that  day  on 
these  extensive  bottom  lands  to  protect  the  crops  from 
trespassing  cattle,  and  every  person  passing  was  enjoined 
by  stringent  laws,  with  heavy  penalties,  to  close  the  gate 
after  him.  This  gate  was  maintained  from  1770  up  to 
the  time  of  building  the  Wilkes-Barre  bridge  and  the 
opening  of  the  present  avenue  from  the  bridge  to  Kings- 
ton, in  1818,  when  the  old  road  from  Eleazer  Loveland's 
to  the  ferry  was  vacated,  the  old  gate  was  unhung,  and 
owners  of  lands  had  to  build  fences  for  the  protection  of 
their  crops. 

The  road  leading  from  Goodwin's  corner  to  the  Blind 
Town  road,  at  the  old  Eleazer  Loveland  place,  was  not 
laid  out  in  the  original  survey  of  the  township,  but  was 
opened  by  Esquire  Myers  and  Hallett  Gallop,  through 
their  own  lands,  on  the  completion  of  the  bridge  in  1818. 
William  Gallop  built  the  first  house  (of  logs)  on  the  site 
where  now  stands  the  residence  of  the  late  Giles  Slo- 
cum. 

At  the  junction  of  the  new  road  given  by  Myers  and 
Gallop  with  the  Blind  Town  road,  on  the  Plymouth  side, 
was  a  small  log  house  as  late  as  1802.  From  this  point 
to  where  the  railroad  now  crosses  the  Blind  Town  road 
there  was  but  a  single  residence,  which  was  occupied  by 
Darius  Williams.  On  the  Kingston  side  of  the  Blind 
Town  road  there  was  not  a  residence  up  to  1796  between 
the  Myers  and  Gallop  road  and  Toby's  creek,  where 
Peter  Grubb  had  a  grist-mill  and  a  saw-mill  and  lived 
on  the  site  of  the  Kingston  Coal  Company's   shaft  No.  i 


from  1790  to  1807.  The  mills  subsequently  became  the 
property  of  Thomas  Borbridge,  who  took  them  down  in 
1826.  These  were  the  only  grist  or  saw-mills  ever  built 
with  the  limits  of  the  borough  of  Kingston. 

On  the  triangle,  in  the  rear  of  the  old  stone  house,  at 
quite  an  early  day  were  a  small  tannery,  a  shop,  and  a 
dwelling  house.  The  date  of  their  erection  is  unknown, 
but  in  1815  the  property  came  into  the  possession  of 
General  Samuel  Thomas,  and  he  built  thereon  a  frame 
dwelling,  which  is  now  standing.  Here  he  kept  his 
justice's  office  from  March  20th,  1816,  till  his  removal  to 
Illinois,  when  he  sold  the  property  to  Ziba  Hoyt.  In 
this  house  Governor  Henry  M.  Hoyt  was  born.  In  1817 
Levi  Hoyt  built  his  house  on  the  triangle,  a  short  dis- 
tance southwest  from  his  brother's.  This  house  is  also 
still  standing.  The  old  homestead  of  Lawrence  Myers 
(of  hewn  logs)  was  probably  built  as  early  as  1787  by  his 
predecessor.  Lawrence  Myers  was  appointed  a  justice 
of  the  peace  July  7th,  1790.  In  this  log  house  he  held 
his  courts  and  continued  to  dispense  justice  to  the  liti- 
gants of  Kingston  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1810. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Stephen  Hollister,  who  left  the 
township  in  1816.  The  latter  was  followed  by  Samuel 
Thomas,  and  he  by  Sharp  D.  Lewis,  who  retired  about 
1840. 

Henry  Buckingham,  from  Connecticut,  opened  the  first 
store,  where  Jacob  Sharps  now  lives,  and  in  or  about  1804 
he  built  a  dwelling  and  store  on  the  lot  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  Abram  Reynolds,  east  of  McPike's  Hotel. 
Here  he  did  business  till  1821,  and  after  him  Thomas 
Borbridge,  from  Philadelphia,  several  years.  William 
C.  Reynolds  was  then  the  merchant  here  until  his  death. 
In  1807  or  1808  Sidney  Tracey  opened  a  short-lived  store 
in  the  Giles  Slocum  house.  In  181 1  Elias  Hoyt  & 
Thomas  Bartlett  opened  a  store  on  Main  street,  a  short 
distance  above  the  Exchange  Hotel;  and  in  1818  Hoyt 
built  and  for  many  years  occupied  the  store  now  occupied 
by  Laycock  &  Pringle.  A.  O.  Chahoon  and  one  Lanning 
succeeded  Hoyt  &  Bartlett.  Goods  were  brought  from 
Philadelphia  and  New  York  on  the  old-fashioned  Cones- 
toga  wagons,  each  drawn  by  lour,  five  or  six  horses.  Der- 
rick Bird,  Joshua  Pettebone  and  John  Shafer  were  among 
the  old  pioneer  teamsters.  James  Barnes  had  a  little 
book  store  connected  with  his  other  business  about  1820. 
He  owned  all  the  land  from  Toby's  eddy  to  Larksville, 
which  is  now  worth  millions  of  dollars. 

Tradition  tells  us  that  at  the  time  of  the  Wyoming  mas- 
sacre a  man  by  the  name  of  Tracey  kept  a  tavern  near 
the  corner  where  now  stands  Mr.  Pike's  Hotel.  He  was 
both  schoolmaster  and  poet.  He  was  the  author  of  the 
ballad  entitled  "  The  Massacre  of  Wyoming."  In  1804 
John  Ebeit  began  building  the  present  Exchange  Hotel. 
He  left  the  country  in  1807,  and  James  Wheeler  built  and 
finished  the  house,  and  kept  it  until  1809  or  1810.  Naph- 
tali  Hurlbut  then  occupied  the  house  several  years.  His 
successor5  were  Archippus  Parrish  and  Oliver  Helm.  Wil- 
liam Johnson,  John  Sax  and  Frank  Helm  have  also  kept 
the  old  tavern,  which  was  a  popular  resort  for  all  the  old 
settlers.     Elnathan  Wilson,  about    1820,  opened  a  tavern 


^mAj 

Eh 

«^' 

^ 

^&''' 

J. 

o 

^m^ 

< 

p^ 

1^^' 

c 

h 

^^p#' 

z 

W' 

z 
o 

Kf 

W 

R 

^ 

o 

p^ 

< 


ti^ 


4- 


RELICS  OF  THE  PAST  AT  KINGSTON— WYOMING  CONFERENCE  SEMINARY. 


313 


where  McPike's  Hotel  now  stands,  and  the  building  was 
occupied  subsequently  by  Thomas  Myers  &  Co.  as  a  store. 

About  1808  or  1810  there  was  a  distillery,  built  of  logs, 
standing  opposite  the  old  Exchange,  on  Main  street,  where 
whiskey  was  manufactured  from  potatoes.  It  was  aptly 
called  the  "  Devil's  Hog  Pen." 

Dr.  Asa  C.  Whitney  was  the  first  resident  physician. 
He  married  a  Miss  Inman,  and  lived  where  Mrs.  Samuel 
Hoyt  now  lives.  He  died  in  1824,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Dr.  Joseph  Wright,  who  in  1830  was  commissioned  a 
surgeon  in  the  regular  army. 

With  the  bounty  of  the  Susquehanna  Company,  and 
private  subscriptions,  schools  were  kept  up  until  1833, 
when  the  present  common  school  system  was  inaugurated. 
In  181 2  the  people  here  built  the  Kingston  Academy. 
The  first  teachers  in  order  were  Thomas  Bartlett,  John 
Bennett,  a  Mr.  Seivers  and  a  Mr.  Bissell,  who  was  after- 
ward governor  of  Illinois.  At  one  time  the  late  Judge 
Ketchum  was  principal. 

Several  of  the  old  Kingston  homesteads  date  back  to 
quite  a  remote  age.  The  "stone  house"  was  built  in 
1818  for  a  store  and  dwelling  by  James  Barnes,  on  land 
belonging  to  Lawrence  Myers,  and  was  known  as  "  Myers's 
cocked  hat,''  from  the  peculiar  three-cornered  shape  of 
the  lot.  It  was  subsequently  occupied  by  Thomas  Bor- 
bridge,  Thomas  Myers  and  others.  The  lower  part  of 
this  house  was  once  used  as  a  foundry,  and  subsequently 
reconverted  into  a  dwelling,  and  the  building  is  now  used 
as  a  store,  justice's  office  and  dwelling. 

There  are  at  least  three  "old  Hoyt"  houses.  The 
one  on  "Goose  island,"  standing  on  the  extension  of 
Main  street,  west  from  Railroad  avenue,  is  the  ancestral 
home  of  Governor  Hoyt.  Another  is  on  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Forty  Fort,  and  the  other  is  on  the  Plymouth  road, 
west  of  Goodwin's  store.  The  old  Loveland  house  has 
been  modernized,  but  the  old  frame  stands  yet,  at  the 
intersection  of  the  old  Myers  and  Gallup,  or  Plymouth 
road  and  the  Blind  Town  road,  and  it  is  now  owned  by 
William  Loveland. 

The  cemetery  known  as  "the  old  burying  ground,"  on 
what  was  formerly  known  as  the  William  Gallup  farm, 
lot  No.  2,  was  the  first  in  the  borough.  The  first  inter- 
ment was  of  the  remains  of  Nathaniel  Gates,  who  came 
from  Connecticut  with  the  pioneer  settlers,  and  died 
November  7th,  1793,  aged  37  years.  The  ground  is  neg- 
lected and  many  of  the  bodies  have  been  removed.  A 
few  of  the  remaining  tomb  stones  are  still  standing, 
to  mark  the  last  resting  place  of  sorpe  of  the  pioneers 
of  this  borough.  Among  the  inscriptions  we  find  the 
following:  Eunice,  wife  of  Aaron  Dean,  died  November 
8th,  1795.  Elizabeth  Grub,  died  July  28th,  1796. 
Peter  Grub,  Esq.,  died  July  23d,  1807.  William 
Gallup,  died  April  8th,  1803,  aged  79.  Judith,  wife  of 
William  Gallup,  died  January  ist,  1815,  aged  81.  Betsey, 
wife  of  Peter  Clark,  died  January  2Sth,  1807.  Hallet 
Gallup,  died  October  sth,  1804.  Mary,  wife  of  Hallet 
Gallup,  died  October  6th,  1804.  Israel  Skeer,  died  Oc- 
tober 14th,  1804.  Hannah,  wife  of  Aseph  Jones,  born  in 
1772,  died  in  1864. 


Wyoming  Seminary. 

This  well  known  and  justly  popular  institution  of  learn- 
ing, located  in  the  classic  valley  of  Wyoming,  has  a  history 
well  worthy  of  note. 

The  friends  of  education  in  the  old  Oneida  M.  E.  con- 
ference, after  establishing  on  a  broad  and  permanent 
basis  a  seminary  at  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  in  the  northern  por- 
tion of  their  territory,  determinedly  entertained  the  pro- 
ject, over  thirty  years  ago,  of  providing  for  the  increas- 
ing educational  demands  of  the  southern  portion  of 
the  work.  With  a  commendable  foresight  they  devised 
measures  for  the  erection  of  an  institution  of  learning 
in  northeastern  Pennsylvania.  At  the  session  of  the 
Oneida  Conference  held  in  Wilkes-Barre  August  gth, 
1843,  the  matter  was  fully  discussed,  and  the  necessary 
preliminary  steps  taken  by  the  appointment  of  David 
Holmes,  jr.,  Lucian  S.  Bennett,  Thomas  Myers,  Mad- 
ison F.  Myers,  Lord  Butler,  Sharp  D.  Lewis  and  Silas 
Comfort  as  "  trustees  of  a  contemplated  seminary  of 
learning,  to  be  located  either  in  Wilkes-Barre  or  Kings- 
ton," according  to  the  amount  of  subscription  obtained 
in  each  place  within  a  given  time.  Kingston,  providing 
the  largest  subscription,  was  the  chosen  locality.  Ai:  the 
first  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  David  Holmes  was 
elected  president,  Silas  Comfort  secretary,  and  Madison 
F.  Myers  treasurer.  The  first  building,  a  brick  structure 
of  three  stories,  37  by  70,  was  erected  and  opened  for 
students  in  1844.  The  size  of  the  chapel  was  24  by  29;  rec- 
itation room,  13  by  29,  and  room  for  primary  department, 
20  by  29,  with  some  twenty  rooms  in  all  for  students; 
cost  of  the  building,  about  $5,000.  Such  was  th.e  beginning 
of  this  educational  enterprise — one  building,  two  teachers 
and  fifty  scholars.  The  trustees  secured  as  their  first  prin- 
cipal Rev.  Reuben  Nelson,  A.  M.,  then  a  young  man, 
but  who  afterward  abundantly  demonstrated  his  fitness 
to  inaugurate  and  carry  forward  such  an  enterprise  to  a 
successful  consummation.  Under  such  leadership, 
seconded  by  the  energetic  co-operation  of  a  noble-minded 
and  self-denying  board  of  trustees  and  a  corps  of  effic- 
ient teachers,  the  institution  attained  a  popularity  and 
influence  second  to  none  of  its  class  in   the  land.  ■ 

In  half  a  dozen  years  after  the  erection  of  the  first 
edifice,  such  was  the  patronage  obtained  that,  an  addi- 
tional building  was  demanded.  In  the  spirit  of  an  un- 
selfish liberality,  the  late  William  Swetland  volunteered 
to  erect  the  projected  additional  building  at  his  own  ex- 
pense. The  second  building  was  named  by  the  trustees 
Swetland  Hall,  in  memory  of  the  respected  donor.  At 
the  same  time  Hon.  Ziba  Bennett  contributed  $1,000  as 
a  foundation  for  a  library.  This  was  thereafter  called,  in 
honor  of  the  giver,  the  Bennett  Library. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1853  additional  facilities  were 
deemed  essential,  and  the  building  of  a  wing  or  wings  to 
the  main  building  was  contemplated,  with  a  vievv  to 
afford  accommodation  to  a  larger  number  of  students. 
On  the  15th  of  March,  1853,  the  seminary  buildings  were 
burned  down.  While  the  brick  and  stone  and  ashes  were 
yet  warm  the  trustees,  with  undaunted  heroism,  in  their 


=^^ 


meeting  on  the  day  of  the  fire  resolved  that  a  com- 
mittee of  three  be  appointed  to  draw  plans  and  speci- 
fications for  the  rebuilding  of  the  seminary.  This 
showed  the  stuff  these  men  were  made  of.  Again  did 
the  tried  friend  of  the  cause,  William  Swetland,  come  to 
the  rescue,  and  he  nobly  undertook,  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, the  work  of  rebuilding  and  enlarging  Swetland 
Hall.  Through  the  liberality  of  P.  Pettebone,  George 
Swetland,  A.  Y.  Smith,  and  Isaac  C.  Shoemaker,  a  third 
building  was  erected  about  the  same  time,  to  which  the 
name  Union  Hall  was  given.  Thus,  through  fire  and  disas- 
ter, larger  and  better  buildings  were  erected,  and  the  three 
blocks,  "  Wyoming  Seminary  "  in  the  center,  with 
"  Swetland  Hall  "  on  the  left,  and  "  Union  Hall  "  on 
the  right,  stood  a  noble  monument  of  the  energy  and 
liberality  of  the  men  of  Wyoming  valley. 

In  a  few  years  afterwards  the  ladies'  boarding  hall 
was  destroyed  by  fire.  Then  a  fierce  tornado  swept 
over  the  place  and  unroofed  the  building.  Then  a 
flood  did  more  or  less  damage  to  the  seminary  property. 
Yet  with  heroic  spirit  the  board  of  trustees  measured  up 
to  every  exigency,  so  that  repeated  difficulties  have  been 
overcome,  financial  embarrassments  removed,  and  the 
whole  machinery  kept  moving  without  intermission  and 
without  a  jar. 

The  civil  war  seemed  for  a  brief  period  to  interfere 
with  the  wonted  success  of  the  institution.  Yet  even 
with  this  temporary  drawback  the  trustees  projected 
other  plans  for  the  success  of  the  school.  A  commercial 
department  was  added  in  1863;  Professor  W.  S.  Smyth, 
afterward  principal  of  Cazenovia  Seminary,  was  secured 
to  take  charge  of  the  commercial  college,  and  under  his 
efficient  supervision  it  proved  a  decided  success.  Pro- 
fessor L.  L.  Sprague  has  been  the  head  of  this  depart- 
ment for  seven  years,  and  under  his  management  it  has 
developed  into  an  institution  equal  to  the  best  schools  of 
the  kind  in  the  country. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  it  was  found  that  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  seminary  was  absolutely  required.  The  three 
buildings  had  already  been  united  by  the  addition  of 
wings,  yet  this  did  not  meet  the  demand  for  room.  In 
the  year  1866,  the  centennial  of  American  Methodism,  it 
was  determined  to  erect  a  memorial  building,  to  be  named 
"  Centenary  Hall."  This  was  commenced  in  1867  and 
completed  in  1868,  at  a  cost  of  about  $25,000.  The 
buildings  are  all  under  one  roof,  three  and  four  stories 
high,  with  350  feet  frontage.  The  edifice,  as  a  whole,  is 
an  ornament  to  the  valley,  and  an  honor  to  the  country 
and  the  church.  There  are  ample  accommodations  for 
17s  boarding  students  and  250  day  scholars. 

At  the  general  conference  of  the  M.  E.  church  held  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  in  1872,  Rev.  Dr.  Nelson,  after  serving 
as  principal  for  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years,  during 
which  time  he  developed  his  skill  as  an  educator  and 
financier,  was  elected,senior  book  agent  at  New  York,  and 
resigned  his  position  as  principal.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  D.  Copeland,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  president  of  the  Fe- 
male College  of  Hillsboro,  Ohio,  a  gentleman  whose  lit- 
erary tastes  and  attainments,  acknowledged  abilities  and 


extended  experience  as  an  educator,  render  him  pre-emi- 
nently fitted  for  the  important  and  responsible  position  of 
principal  of  an  institution  of  this  grade.  Never  was  the 
institution  more  successful.  The  course  of  study  is  most 
thorough  and  elevated.  The  curriculum  will  compare 
favorably  with  that  of  the  highest  institutions  of  its  class. 
Notwithstanding  the  depressing  influence  of  monetary 
panics,  and  the  business  derangement  arising  from  the 
recent  general  suspension  in  the  anthracite  regions,  this 
time  honored  and  deservedly  popular  institution  receives 
its  full  share  of  patronage,  and  under  its  present  efficient 
management  is  destined  to  exert  a  still  more  potent  in- 
fluence in  the  education  of  the  youth  of  our  land. 

The  system  of  instruction  adopted  is  thorough,  and 
designed  to  prepare  the  students  for  the  active  duties  of 
life,  or  for  a  course  of  professional  or  collegiate  study. 
There  are  nine  departments  of  study  provided,  and  eight 
courses  of  study  are  arranged  in  order  to  meet  the  various 
wants  of  students:  The  common  English  course,  course  in 
literature  and  science,  classical  course,  college  preparatory 
course,  musical  course  vocal  and  instrumental,  and  com- 
mercial course.  As  an  evidence  of  the  high  grade  of 
scholarship  of  young  men  prepared  here  for  college,  to- 
day they  stand  among  the  first  at  the  best  colleges  in  the 
country.  Many  leading  men  now  distinguished  in  church 
and  State  have  been  educated  in  this  seminary,  including 
Hon.  W.  W.  Ketcham,  Governor  H.  M.  Hoyt,  Hon.  H.  W. 
Palmer  and  Hon.  H.  B,  Payne,  Rev.  L.  C.  Floyd  and  Rev. 
P.  Krohn,  and  that  fine  pulpit  orator  Rev.  W.  P.  Abbott, 
now  of  New  York. 

The  faculty  of  the  institution  is  as  follows- 

Rev.  David  Copeland,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  principal,  intel- 
lectual and  moral  science. 

Ellen    R.  Martin,  A.  M.,  lady   principal,  belles  lettres. 

Rev.  Levi  L.  Sprague,  principal  of  commercial  college 
and  lecturer  on  commercial  law. 

Rufus  B.  Howland,  B.  C.  E.,  mathematics  and  natural 
science. 

Rev.  Cyrus  C.  Lovejoy,  A.  M.,  ancient  languages. 

Hugo  V.  Stadler,  instrumental  and  vocal  music. 

Wilhs  L.  Dean,  plain  and  ornamental  penmanship, 
book-keeping  and  telegraphy. 

Sarah  M.  Soule,  English  branches. 

Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  lecturer  on  commercial  ethics. 

R.  H.  Tubbs,  M.  D.,  and  P.  B.  Cook,  M.  D.,  lecturers 
on  health. 

Rufus  B.  Howland,  librarian. 

Competent  teachers  in  art  and  modern  languages  will 
also  be  provided. 

Municipal   History. 

The  borough  of  Kingston  was  established  November 
23d,  1857.  The  petition  to  the  Court  of  Luzerne  county 
for  the  creation  of  a  borough  was  signed  by  the  fol- 
lowing: 

llobovt  H.  Tul)bs,  V.  Hclmc,  Rcubon  Jones,  Thomas  Pringle,  Rioliavd 
Hutohins,  William  N.  Raymond,  A.  H.  Reynolds,  Reuben  Marcy,  A  C 
Churoli,  VCillimn  C.  Morris,  M.  G.  Whitney,  George  E.  Hoyt,  Abram  Nes- 
bitt,  William  Pcrig-o,  P.  M.  Goodwin,  Abram  Goodwin,  jr.,  Abram  Good- 
win, Tliomas  Myers,  Francis  A.  Page,  Anson  Atherton,  Isaac  Tripp   M 


<)* 


/X    .       JVt/.'JLj^^''^ 


*^  ^= 


KINGSTON  BOROUGH. OFFICERS— BUSINESS  CONCERNS— M.  E.  CHURCH. 


31S 


F.  Myers,  H.  S.  Butler,  George  Senly,  Thomas  Somers,  Cliarles  Kaymond, 
F.  C.  'Woodhouse,  H.  C.  Silkman,  R.  Nelson,  Sam  Griffln,  William  Love- 
land,  Z.  B.  Hoyt,  Thomas  Slocum,  Albert  Skeer,  H.  M.  Hoyt,  Samuel 
Hoyt,  Bester  Payne,  B.  H.  Little,  Conkling  Bobbins,  Ira  W.  Dilloy, 
Thomas  Fender,  James  Grenaivalt,  John  Keller,  William  C.  Reynolds,  E. 
W.  Reynolds  and  Joshua  Belding. 

The  court  appointed  the  first  election  "  at  the  house  of 
Thomas  Wambold,"  on  the  15th  of  December,  1857,  be- 
tween the  hours  of  one  and  six  o'clock,  and  named  Ira 
Carl  as  judge,  and  Reuben  Marcy  and  Abram  Nesbitt 
inspectors  of  the  election.  On  the  day  indicated  the 
following  officers  were  elected:  Burgess,  Reuben  Jones; 
town  council,  Bestor  Payne,  Marshal  G.  Whitney,  Reuben 
Marcy,  Thomas  Pringle  and  Richard  Hutchins;  high 
constable,  Edward  A.  Pringle.  At  a  meeting  of  the  town 
council  held  December  22nd,  1857,  Thomas  Pringle  was 
chosen  president,  and  Abram  Nesbitt  secretary.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  council,  July  loth,  1858,  C.  W.  Boughtin, 
John  Remell  and  John  Jackson  were  appointed  policemen. 

The  burgesses  of  the  borough  have  been  as  follows: 
From  December,  1857,  to  March,  i860,  Reuben  Jones; 
i86o,  1865,  1869,  1872,  1874,  1877,  1879,  1880,  Ira  Carl; 
1866-68,  Reuben  Jones;  1873,  Henry  Van  Scoy;  1878, 
C.  W.  Boone.  The  town  council  for  1880  consisted  of 
John  Hoyt  (president),  Charles  Graham,  Abraiii  Nesbitt, 
Bowen  Baldwin,  John  Pettebone,  Henry  Van  Scoy  and 
E.  J.  Davis  (clerk). 

The  following  are  the  names  and  years  of  election  of 
the  justices  of  the  peace  for  Kingston  borough:  Reuben 
Jones,  1858,  1862,  1867,  1872;  Zebulon  B.  Hoyt,  1858; 
Alfred  Daste,  jr.,  1866,  187 1;  Ira  Carle,  1875;  C.  W. 
Boone,  1877. 

The  Village  in  1880. 

The  business  interests  of  the  borough  are  in  the  hands 
of  comparatively  few  persons.     There  are  two  churches, 
Methodist  Episcopal  and  Presbyterian.     Here  is  located 
the  Wyoming  (M.    E.)   Conference   Seminary,  and  there 
are  three  district  school-houses  with  four  schools.     Mer- 
cantile business  is  carried   on  by  Edwards  &  Co.,  C.  P. 
Dodson  &  Co.,  and  R.  H.   Dodson  &  Brother,  on  Rail- 
road avenue;  Laycock  &  Pringle,  on   Main  street;  J.  C. 
Hutchinson,  on  the  Blind  Town  road;    and  Hayward,  on 
Page  street.     The  large  three-story  brick   store,  on  Main 
street,  occupied  by  C.  P.  Dodson  &    Co.  was  built   in 
1873,  and  that  of  Edwards  &  Co.  in  1876.     The  druggists 
of  the  borough  are  A.  Goodwin,  Main  street  and  Railroad 
avenue;    R.  H.  Tubbs,  Main   street;   and  Evans  &   Son, 
Railroad  avenue.     The    hardware  merchants    are    A.   J. 
Root  and  H.  F.  Johnson,  Main  street;    and  B.  B.  Root 
Chestnut    street.      The  merchant   tailors   are   Christian 
Bach,    on   Main    street,    and   T.    Somers,    on    Railroad 
avenue.     Mrs.  C.  A.  Wambold  is  engaged  in  the  cabinet 
and    upholstering  business,    and  the  harness  business  is 
carried  on   by  George   F.    Kutz,   on    Main    street,    and 
Charles  Turpiri,  on   Railroad  avenue.     The  blacksmiths 
are  Jacobs  &  Van  Horn,  and  C.  W.  Boughtin,  Main  street, 
opposite  McPike's  Hotel.     The  boot  and  shoe  business  is 
conducted  by  Joel  Walp,  on  the  west  side  of  Railroad 
avenue.     The  marble  works    on  Main  street  are  owned 
and  operated  by  Chandler  &  Pringle.    The  steam  planing 


mill  and  lumber  yard  on  Railroad  avenue  is  owned  and 
operated  by  John  Keller.  The  hotels  are  McPike's,  at 
the  corner  of  Main  street  and  Railroad  avenue,  built  in 
1878,  of  brick;  the  Kingston  House,  kept  by  P.  Wolcott, 
near  the  railroad  depot;  and  the  Exchange  Hotel,  on 
Main  street.  Shops  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  railroad  are  lo- 
cated here,  with  Charles  Graham  as  superintendent.  They 
employ  on  an  average  220  men  annually. 
The  popuation  of  the  borough  is  1,426. 

CHURCHES  OF   KINGSTON  BOROUGH. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL. 

In  1788,  four  years  after  the  Methodist  denomination 
was  regularly  organized  in  the  United  States,  Rev. 
Anning  Owen,  the  pioneer  Methodist  preacher,  organized 
the  first  "class"  at  Rose  Hill.  Occasional  lectures  and 
sermons  by  Methodist  itinerants  were  had  until  the 
beginning  of  the  century,  among  the  preachers  being 
Revs.  Valentine  Cook,  Alward  White,  Marmaduke  Pearce 
and  Elias  Bowen.  From  1800  to  1840  Kingston  was 
included  in  a  "circuit,"  and  was  served  from  year  to 
year  by  regularly  appointed  preachers,  the  place  of  meet- 
ing being  a  small  building  erected  for  the  purpose  on 
what  was  known  as  Plymouth  street.  Among  the  min- 
isters during  these  forty  years  were  Revs.  H.  T.  Rowe, 
King  Elwell,  A.  J.  Crandall,  George  H.  Blakeslee,  F.  H. 
Stanton,  E.  Owen,  V.  Coryell,  and  William  Rounds. 

In  1840  Rev.  John  B.  Benham  was  appointed.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate,  in  1841,  the  society  erected  its  first 
church  edifice  very  near  the  site  of  the  present  one. 
The  stockholders  unanimously  chose  as  building  commit- 
tee Madison  F.  Meyers,  Thomas  Pringle,  and  William 
Hancock.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  in  July.  The 
edifice  was  built  by  R.  Marcy,  Esq.,  was  50  feet  long  and 
36  feet  wide,  and  cost  $2,300;  the  entire  expense  being 
covered  by  subscription,  with  no  debt.  From  this  time  the 
growth  of  the  society  was  constant.  The  following  named 
ministers  served  the  society,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained: 1840,  1841,  Join  B.  Benham;  1842,  1843,  L.  S. 
Bennett  and  William  Rc-.!dy;  1844,  George  H.  Blakeslee; 
1845,  1846,  P.  G.  White;  1847,  Thomas  Pearne;  1848,  P. 
Worden. 

In  1848,  during  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Worden  the  so- 
ciety was  legally  incorported.  The  incorporation  act 
bears  date  April  3d,  1848,  and  is  signed  by  Henry  W 
Boughton,  Thomas  Pringle,  Bester  Payne,  William  Han- 
cock and  Madison  F.  Myers.  From  1849  to  1876  the  fol- 
lowing ministers  served  the  society:  1849,  E.  P.Williams; 
1850,  H.  R.  Clark;  1851,  Asel  Bronson;  1852,0.  H.  Har- 
vey; 1853,  T.  D.  Walker;  1854,  C.  W.  Giddings;  1855, 
S.  S.  Kennedy;  1856,  W.  W.  Welsh;  1857,  J.  J.  Pearce; 
1858,  C.  Perkins;  1859,  Asa  Brooks;  i860,  1861,  Wil- 
iam  J.  Judd;  1862,  1863,  L.  Cole;  1864-66,  Byron  D. 
Sturtevant. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sturtevant  the  church 
edifice  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  twenty-seven  feet 
to  the  rear,  making  it  seventy-seven  feet  by  thirty-six  feet. 
It  was  also  remodeled  inside. 


=4* 


^h 


316 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Iiom  1866  to  1872  the  following  clergymen  served  as 
pastors:  1867-69,  Ira T.  Walker;  1870-72,  George  R.  Hair. 
February  roth,  1872,  the  church  was  burned.  With 
commendable  promptness  and  zeal  the  society  began  to 
agitate  the  project  of  a  new  edifice,  and  meanwhile  wor- 
shiped in  the  seminary  chapel.  The  project  was  favor- 
ably received,  and  this  effort  resulted  in  the  immediate 
erection  of  the  present  elegant  building,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  800,  at  a  cost  of  $58,000.  The  building  com- 
mittee consisted  of  Alexander  J.  Pringle  and  Abram  Nes- 
bitt. .  The  service  of  dedication  was  conducted  by  Rev. 
William  Penn  Abbott,  D.  D.,  of  New  York  city,  and  Rev. 
B.  I.  Ives,  D.  D.,  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.  At  this  service  a 
large  proportion  of  the  expense  of  building  was  sub- 
scribed by  the  people.  A  large  and  handsome  parsonage 
on  the  same  lot  was  built  about  the  same  time,  at  an  ex- 
jjense  of  $6,000.  From  1872  to  1880  the  society  was 
served  by  the  following  named  clergymen:  1873,  H.  V. 
Talbott;  1874,  1875,  Philip  Krohn;  1876-78,  Henry 
Wheeler;   1879,  1880,  O.  W.  Scott. 

At  the  Wyoming  Conference  of  1879  the  following  sta- 
tistics of  the  Kingston  society  were  reported:  Members, 
270;  probationers,  37;  members  of  Sunday-school,  211; 
collected  for  the  benevolent  work  of  the  denomination, 
$356;  preacher's  support,  $1,300  and  parsonage. 

During  a  greater  part  of  the  history  of  the  society  a 
Sunday-school  has  been  maintained.  Madison  F.  Myers 
was  the  first  superintendent;  P.  M.  Carhart  has  served  in 
this  capacity  for  the  last  six  years. 

The  ladies  of  the  church  maintain  an  "Aid  Society," 
which  has  the  following  officers:  President,  Mrs.  L.  L. 
Sprague;  vice-presidents,  Mrs.  Rev.  O.  W.  Scott,  Mrs. 
John  Van  Loon;  secretary,  Mrs.  George  K.  Powell; 
treasurer,  Miss  Martha  Locke.  This  society  is  very  ac- 
tive in  raising  funds  to  assist  in  church  work.  There 
is  also  a  ladies'  missionary  society  here,  auxiliary  to 
the  Women's  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  M.  E. 
denomination.  The  officers  are:  President,  Mrs.  Rev.  O. 
W.  Scott;  vice-president,  Mrs.  A.  Safford;  secretary,  Mrs. 
C.  C.  Lovejoy;  treasurer,  Mrs.  John  Van  Loon. 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    KINGSTON. 

The  Church  of  Christ  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston,  a 
Congregational  church  from  which  sprung  the  Presby- 
terian churches  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston,  included 
in  its  membership  a  number  of  people  living  on  the  west- 
erly side  of  the  Suquehanna.  In  1818,  through  the 
preaching  of  two  missionaries — Rev.  Eleazer  Barrows  and 
Rev.  Hutchins  Taylor — a  revival  of  religion  was  had  re-  . 
suiting  in  the  conversion  of  many  people,  chiefly  in  the 
township  of  Kingston.  The  members  living  in  Kingston 
were  given  a  separate  organization  by  a  council  of  min- 
isters at  the  house  of  Daniel  Hoyt  March  2nd,  1819. 
The  original  members  were  twenty-four  in  number,  of 
whom  twenty  were  received  on  certificates  of  dismission 
from  the  church  of  Wilkes-Barre  and  Kingston,  viz.: 
Mary  R.,  Daniel,  Abel,  Sylinna  and  Rucy  Hoyt,  Nehe- 
miah  and  Betsey  Ide,  Henry  and  Harriet  Buckingham, 
Asa  C.  Whitney,    Elijah  Loveland,    William  and  Salome 


Ticknor,  John  Huff,  John  Gore,  Nancy  Dorrance,  Cla- 
rissa Brown,  Abigail  and  Silas  H.  Orcutt  and  Sybil 
Wheeler;  the  remaining  four  being  received  on  profession 
of  faith,  viz.,  Ebenezer  Brown,  Hannah  Hughes,  Lucy 
Smith,  Parthena  Gordon. 

The  church  elected  Daniel  Hoyt  and  William  Ticknor 
deacons,  Daniel  Hoyt  moderator  and  Henry  Bucking- 
ham clerk.  It  was  incorporated  on  the  23d  of  March, 
1819,  under  the  name  of  the  "Presbyterian  Congregation 
of  Kingston,"  making  it  the  first  distinctively  Presbyterian 
congregation  established  in  Luzerne  county.  Notwith- 
standing its  name,  however,  and  the  fact  that  it  sent  a 
delegate  regularly  to  the  meetings  of  the  Susquehanna 
Presbytery — deacon  Daniel  Hoyt  being  the  first  one 
sent — the  church  continued  to  be  Congregational  in  its 
government  until  the  6tli  of  July,  1823,  when  John  Gore, 
Henry  Hise,  Abel  Hoyt,  George  Albright  and  Elijah 
Loveland  were  duly  set  apart  to  the  ofifice  of  ruling  elder; 
and  from  that  time  the  church  has  been  Presbyterian  in 
government  as  well  as  doctrine. 

The  Kingston  church  in  its  early  days  was  a  mission 
church,  occupying  the  territory  from  Plymouth  to  Exeter 
and  as  far  back  as  Lehman  and  Bowman's  Creek,  where 
lived  some  of  its  members.  Until  1842  it  held  its  meet- 
ings in  different  places,  often  at  the  house  of  Daniel 
Hoyt,  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Pringle  streets,  also 
at  the  academy,  which  was  located  on  Main  street  near 
the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  Elijah  Reynolds.  Some- 
times they  are  held  at  the  old  Forty  Fort  church,  and 
sometimes  in  the  village  of  Wyoming,  at  a  small  meeting 
house  erected  by  Jacob  Shoemaker  on  a  lot  now  included 
in  the  cemetery  at  that  place.  In  1841  the  congregation 
fixed  upon  a  spot  on  the  main  road  near  the  northern 
line  of  the  present  borough  of  Kingston,  where  they 
erected  a  tasty  frame  church  capable  of  seating  about  300 
people,  and  costing  about  $2,500,  which  they  dedicated 
on  the  13th  of  November,  1842,  and  occupied  until  Jan- 
uary,  1876. 

The  upper  portion  of  the  congregation  was  organized 
into  a  church  at  Wyoming  in  1847.  A  lecture-room  was 
built,  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,000,  in  the  borough  of  Kings- 
ton in  1853  for  evening  service  and  Sabbath-school  pur- 
poses. The  new  brick  church  on  the  corner  of  Railroad 
and  Maple  streets  was  dedicated  on  the  26th  of  January, 
1876.  This  church  is  capable  of  seating  about  500  peo- 
ple, and  cost,  including  lot,  about  $48,000. 

For  more  than  two  years  after  its  organization  the 
church  had  no  pastor,  but  depended  for  preaching  upon 
the  missionaries  who  visited  the  valley,  chiefly  the  Rev. 
H.  Taylor.  In  August,  182 1,  Rev.  Cyrus  Gildersleeve 
was  installed  as  its  first  pastor,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Wilkes-Barre  church;  from  which  time,  with  occasional 
intermissions,  it  has  had  a  pastor  and  stated  public  ser- 
vice. The  following  is  a  list  of  the  pastors,  with  date  of 
service:  Rev.  Cyrus  Gildersleeve,  August  2nd,  1821,  to 
1827;  Rev.  Nicholas  Murray,  1829-33;  Rev.  Alexander 
Heberton,  1833, 1834;  Rev.  E.  H.  Snowden,  1837-45;  Rev. 
J.  Delville  Mitchell,  1845-47;  Rev.  J.  Jermain  Porter, 
1847-50;    Rev.   Henry  H.    Wells,    1851-71;  Rev.   W.  P. 


ARCHBALD.LACKAWANNA    COUNTY,PA 


OLYPHANT,LACKAWANNA    COUNTY,PA. 


JOHN    CAMPBELL, 
_^        carbondale:,lackawanna  county,  pa. 


JOHN     HOS I E , 

SCRANTON,    LACKAWANNA    CO.,  PA. 


=MN' 


KINGSTON  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH— LODGE  HISTORIES. 


3^7 


Gibson,  1871-75;   Rev.  F.  W.  Flint,  pastor  elect,   1874  to 
the  present  time. 

From  1834  to  1837  the  congregation  had  stated  preach- 
ing by  Rev.  C.  C.  Corss,  who  occupied  a  large  missionary 
field. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  ruling  elders,  with  the  year 
of  their  ordination:  1823,  John  Gore,  Henry  Hise,  Abel 
Hoyt,  George  .\lbright  and  Elijah  Loveland;  1828,  Hor- 
ace Parker;  1836,  Charles  Fuller;  1838,  Ezra  Hoyt;  1844, 
Charles  D.  Shoemaker  and  Ziba  Hoyt;  1853,  James  W. 
Abbott  and  George  W.  I.oveland;  1858,  Samuel  G.  Ladd 
and  Marshall  G.  Whitney;  1863,  George  Reith;  1867, 
Frederic  Corss  and  T.  H.  B.  Lewis;  iS7t,  James  Vannan 
and  William  Loveland;  1877,  H.  B.  Payne  and  William 
R.  Brink;  1880,  M.  B.  Fowler,  William  F.  Church  and 
Amos  Shortz. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  deacons,  with  the  year  of 
their  appointment:  1819,  Daniel  Hoyt  and  William  Tick- 
nor;  1823,  John  Gore;  1873,  B.  J.  Cruser,  Amos  Shortz 
and  Charles  Hutchinson. 

The  membership  has  ranged  from  60  to  170,  its  present 
number. 

The  Snbbath-school  has  long  been  a  prominent  feature 
of  this  church.  Prior  to  1819  there  had  been  established 
a  neighborhood  or  union  Sabbath-school,  which  met  at 
the  academy  in  the  upper  end  of  the  village  of  Kingston 
until  the  year  1842.  About  this  time  the  Methodists,  hav- 
ing erected  a  house  of  worship  in  the  village,  established 
a  school  of  their  own,  and  the  Presbyterians  removed  their 
school  into  their  new  church,  where  it  continued  until 
removed  into  the  new  lecture-room  in  the  village,  in  1853, 
and  finally  into  the  new  Maple  street  church  in  October, 
1875.  In  its  early  days  the  leading  spirits  in  the  work 
seem  to  have  been  Henry  Buckingham,  Elijah  Loveland 
and  William  Barker,  a  very  large  majority  of  the  admis- 
sions to  church  membership  on  confession  of  faith  having 
come  from  the  Sabbath-school.  Since  Mr.  Loveland  the 
superintendents  have  been:  Samuel  G.  Ladd,  1858-61; 
H.  B.  Payne,  1861-73;  T.  H.  B.  Lewis,  1873-78  and 
H.  B.  Payne,  from  1878  to  this  time.  The  school  now 
consists  of  4  officers,  18  teachers  and  an  average  at- 
tendance of  160  pupils.  The  library  contains  about  500 
volumes.  Five  .of  the  eight  ruling  elders  are  officers  and 
teachers.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev,  J.  J.  Porter  a 
branch  school  was  maintained  for  a  while  at  Mill  Hol- 
low, and  again  in  1868  a  school  was  established  there 
under  the  superintendency  of  T.  H.  B.  Lewis,  assisted 
mainly  by  Mrs.  Margaret  Denison  and  Mrs.  Amelia  D. 
Abbott.  This  school  continued  for  about  two  years,  and 
became  afterward  the  Sabbath-school  of  the  Bennett  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

LODGES    AT    KINGSTON    VILLAGE. 

KINGSTON   LODGE,   NO.  395,   F.    AND   A.   .M. 

This  lodge  was  instituted  August  8th,  1867.  The  char- 
ter members  were  Charles  Graham,  R.  S.  Adams,  Thomas 
H.    Niven,  William  Bryden,   Forbes   H.   Vannan,   James 


Vannan,  Edward  R.  Preston,  Peter  Woolcot,  David  Miles, 
David  I.  Sligh  and  James  P.  Wilkinson. 

The  charter  officers  were:  Charles  Graham,  W.  M.; 
Royal  S.  Adams,  S.  W.;  Thomas  H.  Niven,  J.  W.;  Ed- 
ward R.  Preston,  secretary;  James  Vannan,  treasurer 
(now  the  oldest  mason  in  the  State). 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on  Wednes- 
day evenings  on  or  before  the  full  of  the  moon  in  each 
month,  in  Masonic  Hall,  corner  of  Main  and  Plymouth 
streets. 

The  list  of  past  masters  is  as  follows:  Charles  Gra- 
ham, Erastus  Hill,  Frederick  Corss,  Alfred  Darte,  jr.; 
William  H.  Squarey,  Alanson  B.  Tyrrell,  Charles  Hutch- 
inson, Hubbard  B.  Payne,  William  Bryden,  William  F. 
Church,  P.  Butler  Reynolds,  James  H.  Franck,  Conrad 
Z.  Warnick. 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  George  H.  Flanagan,  W.  M.; 
Luther  C.  Darte,  S.  W.;  John  Grant,  J.  W.;  Alanson  B. 
Tyrrell,  treasurer;  William  F.  Church,  secretary. 

KINGSTON    LODGE,    NO.    709,    I.   O.   O.   F. 

This  lodge  was  instituted  May  19th,  1870,  with  20 
charter  members. 

The  first  officers  were:  A.  Kline,  N.  G.;  J.  H.  Franck, 
V.  G.;  J.  Milton  Nicholson,  secretary;  Amos  Shortz,  as- 
sistant secretary;  P.  McPike,  treasurer. 

The  presiding  officers  since  the  organization  have  beers 
J.  H.  Franck,  Amos  Shortz,  D.  R.  Prendergast,  F.  F. 
Franck,  S.  P.  Harder,  J.  H.  Labar,  Wm.  Cortright,  J.  C. 
Van  Loon,  John  Wallace,  Alexander  Nicol,  J.  H.  Harder, 
Richard  Payne,  Alexander  Scott,  Robert  Cooper,  Robert 
Wallace,  J.  N.  Colver,  Joel  Walp,  Charles  Wiggins  and 
Ira  De  Silva. 

The  officers  in  1880  were:  W.  J.  McCreary,  N.  G.; 
Christian  Bach,  V.  G.;  Alexander  Nicol,  secretary;  C.  W. 
Fairchild,  assistant  secretary;  J.  H.  Franck,  treasurer. 

There  are  54  members.  Meetings  are  held  Tuesday 
evening  of  each  week  in  Keller's  Hall. 

KINGSTON    LODGE,    NO.     1,797,    KNIGHTS    OF    HONOR. 

This  lodge  was  organized  September  26th,  1879,  with 
21  charter  members. 

The  original  officers  of  the  lodge  were:  Dictator,  A.  B. 
Tyrrell;  assistant  dictator,  E.  C.  Green;  vice-dictator, 
J.  C.  Van  Loon;  reporter,  T.  L.  Newell;  financial  re- 
porter, R.  A.  Hutchinson;  treasurer,  N.  A.  Laycock; 
chaplain,  M.  B.  Fowler;  G.,  J.  A.  Linn;  guard,  C. 
Wiggins;  sentinel,  E.  C.  Starbird;  past  dictator,  C.  W. 
Broughton. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  on  the 
evenings  of  the  second  and  fourth  Wednesday  of  each 
month  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.  The  present  membership 
is  22. 

The  officers  in  April,  1880,  were:  Dictator,  E.  C. 
Green;  vice-dictator,  J.  C.  Van  Loon;  assistant  dictator, 
Charles  Wiggins;  reporter,  T.  L.  Newell;  financial  re- 
porter, R.  A.  Hutchinson;  treasurer,  N.  H.  Laycock; 
G.,  J.  A.  Sinn;  guard,  J.  R.  Wright;  S.,  H.  F.  Johnson; 
chaplain,  H.  C.  Conover;   past  dictator,  A.  B.  Tyrrell. 


3i8 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


LAKE  TOWNSHIP. 


AKE  township,  sn  called   from  Harvey's  lake, 

^         was   formed  from    Lehman   and   Monroe  in 

B^^      1841.      A  small  part  was  set  back  in  Monroe 


3s^  'It  ''■>£  division  of  the  county  in  1841.  The 
soil,  except  on  the  mountains,  is  fertile,  and 
fine  fruit  is  raised  along  the  base  of  the  mountains. 
The  population  is  863,  though  but  597  in  1870. 
Harvey's  lake  covers  1,285  acres;  the  water  is  of  great 
purity.  Perch  and  trout  are  indigenous;  pike  were  placed 
in  the  lake  by  Hollenback  &  Urquhart,  who  owned 
nearly  the  whole  of  Lake  township  at  one  time.  Salmon 
were  put  in  the  lake  in  1876,  by  the  State  authorities. 

First  Inhakit.^nts. 

The  first  white  man  who  lived  in  Lake  township  was 
Matthew  Scouten,  who  was  employed  by  the  owners  of 
the  land  to  look  after  the  property,  as  early  as  1792.  He 
cleared  a  small  tract,  where  Jacob  Sorber  afterward  set- 
tled, and  set  out  a  few  apple  trees. 

Daniel  Lee  settled  at  the  head  of  Pike's  creek  in  1806, 
and  the  marsh  is  called  Lee's  pond,  from  him.  He  was. 
employed  by  the  farmers  of  Plymouth  to  care  for  caLlle, 
which  were  driven  h-ere  to  graze  during  the  summer. 

Otis  Allen  came  from  Jackson  township  in  1836,  and 
began  clearing  in  the  vicinity  of  Lee's  pond.  He  brought 
his  family  in  the  spring  of  1838.  During  this  year  Jo- 
siah,  Nathan  and  Stephen  Kocher,  brothers,  moved  into 
the  township  from  Hunlock  township,  and  John  Jackson, 
Andrew  Freeman,  Thomas  Lewis  and  Ephraim  King 
arrived.  In  1839  Jonah  Roberts,  Elon  Davenport,  Dan- 
iel Casebear,  David  Moss  and  John  Fosnot  came,  and  in 
1840  Moses  C.  Perrigo,  Jacob  Sorber,  Jonah  Bronson  and 
Jonathan  Williams.  Previous  to  1845  Clarke  Wolfe, 
Jesse  Kitchen,  George  P.  Shupp,  James  Hawley  and  Ed- 
ward Ide  became  residents. 

Business  History. 

Hollenback  &  Urquhart  built  a  saw-mill  on  the  out- 
let of  Harvey's  lake  in  1839.  Joseph  Frantz  built  the 
mill  known  as  the  Wildrick  mill  in  1843.  It  burned  in 
1879.  Nathan  Kocher  built  a  small  mill  a  mile  below 
the  site  of  the  Beaver  Run  tannery  in  1845.  The  mill 
now  owned  by  S.  Raub  was  built  by  Mr.  Benjamin  in 
1847.  A  lath  and  shingle  mill  is  connected  with  this 
one.  Jonathan  Williams  built  a  small  mill  on  Harvey's 
creek  for  Kocher  &  Urquhart  in  1849.  One  was  built 
by  Otis  Allen  in  i860  on  Pike's  creek.  George  Snyder 
and  Ira  B.  Sorber  built  the  mills  now  owned  by  them  in 
1866.  F.  A.  and  E.  Williams  erected  a  steam  portable 
mill  on  the  site  of  the  Wildrick  mill  in  1879.  The  first 
grist-mill  was  put  up  by  Hollenback  &  Urquhart  in 
1840.  They  built  anew  one  in  i860  just  below.  A 
planing-mill  was  erected  by  the  same  parties.  All  the 
mills    formerly  belonging     to    Hollenback    &    Urquhart 


are  now  (1879)    the  property  of    the    Hoffman    Lumber 
Company. 

The  first  road  through  the  township  was  chopped  out 
by  the  proprietors  about  1795  to  induce  settlement,  and 
ran  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Bradford  county. 

All  the  early  settlers  lived  in  log  houses  except  Otis 
Allen  and  Jacob  Sorber,  who  built  block  houses.  The 
first  frame  dwelling  was  erected  by  Josiah  Kocher  in 
1843.  The  Kocher  brothers  were  carpenters,  as  were  the 
sons  of  Otis  Allen.  The  Aliens  were  also  millwrights. 
Stephen  Kocher  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  Lake  town- 
ship. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Hollenback  &  Urquhart 
for  the  benefit  of  the  men  in  their  employ  frorh  about  1850 
until  r86o.  F.  N.  Ruggles  established  a  store  near  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  township  in  1872,  and  sold  out  in 
1874  to  his  brother  C.  W.  Ruggles,  who  still  continues 
the  business.  James  Sorber  kept  a  store  at  Booth's  Corners 
in  1863-65.  Ruggles  &  Shonk  have  a  store  in  connec- 
tion with  their  tannery.  Simeon  Lewis  has  kept  store 
since  1871. 

The  Ruggles  &  Shonk  tannery  was  built  in  1874.  The 
firm  had  built  a  saw-mill  in  1872,  which  burned  in  the 
■fall  of  that  year  and  was  rebuilt  in  1873.  The  tannery 
building  is  225  by  24,  and  2)4  stories  high,  and  contains 
46  vats.  The  beam  house  is  24  by  60.  There  are  14 
men  employed  at  the  tannery  and  7  around  the  mill. 
'The  tannery  uses  1,200  cords  of  bark  per  year,  which  is 
peeled  in  the  vicinity. 

The  Lake  House,  on  the  east  shore  of  Harvey's  lake, 
was  built  by  Henry  Hancock  and  Jonathan  Husted  in 
1857.  It.is  86  by  36,  with  a  wing  52  by  32.  The  propri- 
etor, J.  W.  Rhoads,  has  a  large  number  of  boats,  and  the 
lake  is  a  popular  resort  for  fishing  and  gunning. 

Cemeteries. 

The  first  person  buried  in  Lake  township  was  Otis 
Allen,  who  died  in  January,  1842,  aged  56  years.  He 
was  buried  in  the  Allen  cemetery.  In  September,  1842, 
Samuel  C.  Allen  was  buried  here.  The  first  person  bur- 
ied in  the  Kocher  cemetery  was  Stephen  Kocher,  who 
died  in  September,  1842.  The  first  in  the  West  Corner 
cemetery  was  Mrs.  Sarah  Perrigo,  wife  of  Moses  C.  Per- 
rigo, June  26th,  1852;  the  next  Martin  M.,  son  of 
Moses  C.  Perrigo,  May  2nd,  1853,  aged  4  years.  The 
first  burial  in  the  White  cemetery  was  that  of  Eva  A., 
daughter  of  Theodore  Wolfe,  vvho  died  August  2nd,  1872, 
aged  2  months;  then  Gabriel  Valentine,  a  stranger  who 
died  in  the  vicinity.  The  third  was  Mrs.  Margaret  Sny- 
der, wife  of  Henry  Snyder,  who  died  September  2nd, 
1872,  aged  79. 

Schools. 

The  first  school  in  Lake  was  taught  by  Jonathan  Wil- 
liams at  the  house  of  Otis  Allen  during  the  winters  of 
1842  and  1843  and  1843  and  1844.  A  school-house  was 
built  during  the  summer  of  1844  on  the  farm  of  Henry 
Ide.  The  first  school-house  at  West  Corner  was  taught  by 
a  Mr. Williams  in  the  winters  of  1847  and    1848  and  1848 


-M^ 


«<H= 


■  I 
-M 


OFFICERS  AND  CHURCHES  OF  LAKE— LEHMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


319 


and  i849,in  the  house  of  Nathan  Kocher.  A  school-house 
was  built  here  in  1849,  and  Miss  Eliner  Montross  en- 
gaged as  teacher.  Mr.  Williams  also  taught  the  first 
school  at  the  outlet,  during  the  winter  of  1849  and  1850. 
In  1878  there  were  seven  schools,  with  an  average  atten- 
dance of  119  pupils,  and  $1,002.21  were  expended  for 
educational  matters. 

Mail  Facilities. 

Lewis  Allen  was  the  first  postmaster.  The  office  was 
called  Lake.  This  office  has  been  moved  several  times 
and  is  now  at  the  Outlet  Mills.  J.  C.  Morgan  is  post- 
master. The  other  offices  are  Ruggles,  Josiah  Ruggles, 
postmaster;  Pike's  Creek,  C.  W.  Ruggles  postmaster; 
Fade's  Creek,  L.  Hawley  postmaster,  and  Loyalville,  W. 
I.  Booth  postmaster.  Mails  are  brought  to  Lake  and 
Ruggles  from  Kingston  three  times  a  week;  to  Pike's 
Creek,  Fade's  Creek  and  Loyalville  from  Nanticoke  once 
a  week. 

The  Succession  of  Township  Officials. 

Sii|)cnifeo):s.— Jonathan  Williams,  1843 ;  Stephen  Kocher,  1842, 1843 ;  John 
Posnot,1813;  Lewis  Allen,  1844;  Ira  Bronson,  1844-16 ;  Daniel  Casebear, 
1846-48, 1865 ;  Joseph  Frantz,  184T,  1848,  1801 ;  Jacob  Welda,  18.t9-.51 ;  Jesse 
Kitchen,  1849;  Adna  T.  Aldrich,  1850 ;  Josiah  Kocher,  1851-64, 1858, 1800 ; 
Joseph  A.  Booth,  1853-54;  Henry  Ide,  1854,  1855;  John  B.  Kocher,  1856, 
1860;  Garret  Durland,  1856;  G.  P.  Shupp,  1857, 1863 ;  Joseph  Wovden,  1857; 

F.  A.  Williams,  1839, 1860 ;  J.  G.  Sutton,  1859, 1879 ;  Joseph  L.  Bilby,  1800 ; 
S.  Anderson,  1861 ;  J.  D.  Whitesell,  1863;  Moses  C.  Perrigo,  1863  ;  William 
Gray,  1864 ;  Nathan  Beard,  1864 ;  J.  E.  Brown,  1865 ;  Antony  Foss,  1800  ; 
L.  H.  Williams,  1867 ;  Nathan  Kocher,  1867-75 ;  G.  H.  Bronson,  1869-73, 
1874,1875;  Peter  Wentz,  1873;  Edward  Williams,  1876, 1877 ;  John  Weber, 
1876 ;  George  Hoover,  1877 ;  L.  D.  Kocher,  1878 ;  Simon  Belles,  1878, 1879. 

Tnum  C!ci*s.— Curtis  Allen,  1843;  William  Allen,  1844 ;  J.  Williams,  1852, 
1858, 1855-<il ;  G.  H.  Bronson,  1854 ;  Joel  Roberts,  1861-63 ;  David  Kocher, 
1865 ;  Stephen  Scott,  1366 ;  T.  T.  Kocher,  1867-70 ;  W.  J.  Booth,  1870, 1871 ;  H. 
Delong,  1872,  1873  ;  P.  N.  Allen,  1874-77;  B.  W.  Ide,  1878;  A.  J.  Meeker, 
1879. 

Justices  (with  years  of  election).— Ira  Bronson,  1843 ;  Nathan  Kocher, 
1844, 1860, 1865 ;  Jonathan  Williams,  1847, 1833  ;  Horace  Hawley,  1850 ;  John 

G.  Sutton,  1855;  Levi  N.  Hawley,  1859;  Hehin  Davenport,  1864;  C.  B. 
Durland,  1869 ;  F.  A.  Williams,  1870 ;  Thomas  T.  Kocher,  1872  ;  L.  N.  Haw- 
ley, 1875 ;  C.  H.  Anderson,  1877. 

Churches. 

The  people  of  Lake  depended  entirely  upon  preachers 
from  other  towns  for  several  years.  Meetings  were  held 
at  the  houses  of  the  different  settlers  until  the  erection  of 
school-houses.  The  first  preacher  was  Elder  Clark,  a 
"  Christian  "  minister  from  Plymouth.  After  him  came 
a  Methodist  named  Davie.  These  men  preached  wher- 
ever the  people  would  come  out  to  hear. 

Methodist  Episcopal.— K  class  was  formed  in  1845,  con- 
sisting of  James  Hawley,  Amanda  Hawley,  Horace  Haw- 
lew,  Sarah  Hawley,  J.  R.  Bronson,  Elizabeth  Bronson, 
George  Levally  and  wife,  William  H.  Edwards  and  wife, 
and  Welcome  Fisk.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  school- 
house  until  1872,  when  the  society  erected  a  church  build- 
iug  costing  about  $2,250.  The  church  was  dedicated  in 
January,  1873.  The  following  ministers  have  been  sta- 
tioned on  the  different  circuits  to  which  this  class  has  been 
attached:  John  Malkey,  George  Parton,  Erastus  Smith, 
G.  W.  Griffin,  P.  Holbrook;  D.  Personius,  1863-65;  (ieorge 
Greenfield,  1865-67;  J.  C.  Laycock,  1867-69;  Isaac  Aus- 
tin, 1869-72;  F.  A.  King,  1872-75;  J.  B.  Santee,  1875;  R. 


C.  Gill,  1876-78,  and  P.  Honck,  the  present  incumbent. 
A  Sunday-school  was  established  in  1847,  with  Barton 
Mott  as  superintendent,  followed  by  William  H.  Ed- 
wards, who  was  the  first  class  leader.  There  are  at  pres- 
ent about  65  pupils. 

Lake  First  Baptist  Church. — This  society  was  organized 
March  12th,  1856,  with  Clark  and  Althea  Wolfe,  Thomas 
and  Mary  Lewis,  Garrett  and  Elinor  Post,  and  John  and 
Catharine  Crispell  as  members.  Meetings  were  held  in 
the  school-house  until  1878,  when  a  church  was  erected, 
at  an  expense  of  $2,500.  It  was  dedicated  June  27th, 
1878.  The  first  nunister  was  Rev.  G.  W.  Schofield,  from 
1856  to  1858;  followed  by  Benjamin  Shearer,  1858-60;  E. 
N.  Whitney,  1866-68;  Benjamin  Shearer,  1868-70;  Mark 
Parks,  1870-73;  R.  C.  H.  Catterall,  1876-79,  and  E.  N. 
'Whitney,  the  present  pastor. 

Union  Church. — A  church  building  was  erected  near 
the  Outlet  Mills  by  Hollenback  &  Urquharf  about  i860, 
and  was  intended  for  the  Presbyterian  society.  As  one 
was  never  formed  the  building  is  used  by  all  denomi- 
nations. 


LEHMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


f  EHMAN  township   was  set  off  from  Dallas  in 
"      1829,  and  comprised  the  present  township  of 

Lehman,  and  the  greater  part  of  what  is  now 

Lake. 

Abram  or  "Indian"  Pike  came  into  this 
township  from  Plymouth  in  the  spring  of  1780  to 
Si  make  sugar.  His  camp  was  where  Pike's  swamp 
now  is.  March  29th,  1780,  he  was  surprised  and  captured 
by  Indians,  together  with  his  wife  and  an  infant  child.  The 
savages  had  captured  Jonah  Rogers,  a  boy  of  fourteen,  a 
boy  named  Pence,  and  Moses  Van  Carapen  in  Plymouth 
on  the  previous  day.  They  spent  the  night  at  the  camp 
of  Pike.  In  the  morning  the  child  was  rolled  up  in  a 
blanket  and  thrown  on  top  of  the  cabin,  when  the  Indians 
started  for  Niagara  with  their  prisoners.  Arriving  at  the 
top  of  the  mountains  they  painted  the  face  of  Pike's 
wife  and  released  her,  when -she  returned  to  the  cabin,  and 
taking  her  child  made  her  way  to  Plymouth.  About  the 
3d  of  April  the  band  encamped  for  the  night  on  the 
Susquehanna  river,  near  Tioga  point.  Young  Rogers, 
being  left  unbound,  obtained  the  knife  of  the  chief  and 
cut  the  bonds  of  Pike,  who  soon  released  the  others. 
Placing  themselves  at  the  head  of  the  sleeping  savages. 
Pike  and  Van  Campen  made  an  attack  with  tomahawks. 
Three  were  killed  outright.  The  rest  sprang  to  their 
feet  to  do  battle  with  their  late  prisoners,  but  a  shot  by 
young  Pence  which  killed  one  and  wounded  two  more 
sent  them  flying  into  the  woods.  The  whites  followed 
the  river  back  to  their  homes.  For  this  deed  Pike  was 
called  "Indian  Pike."  He  lies  in  one  corner  of  the  Ide 
cemetery  in  this  township. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  was  made  by  Nehemiah 
Ide  and  Jeremiah  Brown,  who  came  from  Stockbridge, 


*i¥ 


=-i\ 


320 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Mass.,  in  1801.  A  man  named  Avery  came  the  same 
year,  but  did  not  remain.  William  Fuller  came  from 
Jackson  in  1802.  His  brother,  Isaac,  followed  in  1804. 
Joseph  Worthington  settled  on  the  shore  of  Harvey's 
lake  in  1806.  William  Newman  also  came  this  year. 
John  Whiteman  settled  in  the  western  part  of  the  town- 
ship in  1813,  and  J.  I.  Bogardus  and  Ogden  Mosely 
in  1814.  Minor  Fuller  and  Fayette  Allen  came  from 
Jackson  township  about  1819.  Thomas  Major,  an  Eng- 
lishman, came  from  Wyoming  in  1821,  with  his  sons. 
Oliver  Mekeel  came  from  Plymouth  in  1823. 

The  first  frame  house  was  built  by  William  Fuller,  in 
1801  or  1802,  opposite  the  residence  of  his  son,  Chester 
Fuller.  Isaac  Fuller  built  a  house  in  1804;  S.  P.  Ide, 
in  1807;  J.  I.  Bogardus  and  Ogden  Mosely,  in  1814; 
Ezra  Ide,  in  1819.  Fayette  Allen  was  the  first  carpen- 
ter in  the  township;  Daniel  Whiteman,  Nehemiah  Ide 
and  Oliver  Ide  were  others.  Jonathan  Heusted  was  the 
first  blacksmith;  his  shop  stood  near  the  line  of  Jackson 
township  at  Huntsville.  David  Gordon  began  black- 
smithing  in  1839,  near  where  Z.  G.  Gordon  now  lives. 
He  was  in  partnership  with  Ira  Lain,  a  cooper,  and  they 
carried  on  both  trades.  William  Gordon  was  the  first 
shoemaker.  He  lived  where  William  Wolfe  now  resides. 
Dr.  J.  J.  Rogers,  now  of  Huntsville,  was  the  first  physi- 
cian.    He  was  followed  by  Dr.  Moody  about  1857. 

The  first  school-house  was  a  log  building,  built  as  early 
as  i8ro,  near  the  site  of  W.  H.  Ide's  house.  J.  I.  Bogar- 
dus and  Obed  Baldwin  were  the  earliest  teachers,  and 
were  followed  by  Julius  Pratt,  Burr  Baldwin,  Mr.  Perry 
and  Elijah  Worthington.  The  first  school-house  at 
Lehman  Center  was  built  in  1836  by  Daniel  and  Oliver 
Ide.  Ellen  Pugh  and  Maria  Fuller  were  the  first  teachers 
here.  Miss  Fuller  is  now  Mrs.  A.  Ketchara  of  Lehman 
township.  The  next  school-house  was  the  West  Lehman 
school-house,  erected  in  1842  by  Nathan  and  Oliver  Ide. 

The  first  mill  was  erected  in  1837  by  Lewis  Hoyt, 
Frederick  Hartman  builder,  on  Harvey's  creek.  George 
Sorber  built  one  this  year,  which  was  purchased  by 
Jameson  Harvey  in  1840.  This  was  burned  in  1876,  and 
Mr.  Harvey  built  the  present  mill  on  the  site.  Mills 
were  built  by  J.  Harris  in  1838;  by  Frederick  Hartman, 
on  the  C.  B.  Major  farm,  in  1838,  for  Ephraim  King;  by 
Robert  Major  in  1836;  by  R.  W.  Foster  and  Ansel  Hoyt 
in  1840;  by  Rice  &  Mumford  in  1844;  by  George  Shupp 
in  1856,  and  by  the  Rice  Brothers  in  1873.  Several  of 
these  mills  have  been  burned,  and  some  are  entirely 
gone.  Of  the  pre.sent  mills  Morris  Lain's  stands  where 
J.  Harris  built  his;  I.  Rice  of  Kingston  owns  the  mill 
built  by  R.  W.  Foster;  Jefferson  Miers  rebuilt  the  Ansel 
Hoyt  mill  in  1856,  and  it  is  now  the  property  of  M.  V. 
Bogart;  Sidney  Major  rebuilt  the  Rice  Sz  Mumford  mill, 
which  is  now  owned  by  Jameson  Meeker;  the  George 
Shupp  mill  was  burned  in  1873,  and  is  now  owned  by 
W.  O.  Ruggles. 

The  first  store  was  opened  about  1848,  by  Daniel  Ur- 
quhart  and  Edward  Shott,  near  where  the  Lehman  Cen- 
ter school-house  now  stands.  They  sold  to  Bogardus  & 
Fisher,  who  sold  to   Flick  &  Flannigan.     Mr.  Flick  sold 


his  interest  to  Flannigan,  who  kept  the  store  in  his  own 
name  for  a  long  time  and  then  sold  to  R.  A.  Whiteman, 
who  now  carries  on  the  business  on  the  corner  at  Lehman 
Center — now  the  only  store  in  Lehman. 

The  first  post-office  was  established  about  1820,  with 
John  Whiteman  as  postmaster.  Mails  were  brought 
from  Kingston  once  a  week.  R.  A.  Whiteman  is  the  post- 
master. 

The  first  person  buried  in  the  township  was  Nehemiah 
Ide,  who  died  February  8th,  1823,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven  years  and  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  near  the 
Presbyterian  church.  The  next  was  Annie  Brown, 
daughter  of  Amos  Brown,  who  died  July  23d,  1823,  aged 
fourteen  years,  and  was  also  buried  in  this  cemetery.  The 
first  burial  in  the  cemetery  near  Lehman  Center  was  that 
of  two  children  of  Thomas  Major,  jr.  As  there  are  a 
great  many  graves  unmarked  in  this  cemetery  the  names 
of  the  first  adults  buried  here  cannot  be  ascertained  with 
certainty. 

There  are  now  three  blacksmith  shops,  two  wagon  shops 
and  one  shoe  shop  in  the  township.  In  1878  there  were 
seven  schools,  with  an  average  attendance  of  140  pupils, 
and  $1,600.77  was  expended  on  educational  interests. 
The  population  is  942.  Dr.  W.  Colley  is  the  only  physi- 
cian in  the  township. 

Township  Officers  from  the  First. 

Swpcci'isms.— William  Ide,  imo,  1833, 1834 ;  John  Whiteman,  1830 ;  Julius 
D.  Pratt,  lasi ;  Squire  Wedg-e,  3831 ;  Amos  Brown,  1832;  John  Tde,  1832, 
1839,  lam,  1846,  18153,  18.56,  18.5V,  18.59,  1860,  1863,  1864  ;  Nehemiah  Ide,  1833, 
18M;  Oliver  Mekeel,  1835, 1836, 1837 ;  Jeremiah  Brown,  1835-37;  John  Jack- 
son, 183-5, 1830;  William  Mn.ior,  1838;  Benajah  Fuller,  1840-42;  John  Mil- 
lard, 1841-43 ;  Josiah  Lamoreux,  1844 ;  William  Harris,  1844 ;  Henry  But- 
ton, 184.5, 1840 ;  David  Gordon,  1847;  Cornelius  Site,  1848;  Major  Alden, 
1849 ;  John  Linskill,  1850 ;  Reuben  Lain,  18.52  ;  William  Gordon,  18.52, 1867 ; 
Abijah  Beard,  1863, 1807  ;  Ezra  Ide,  1853 ;  Daniel  Kulp,  1854 ;  S.  C.  Mulli- 
son,  1835 ;  James  Shcphard,  18.50 ;  Jacob  Johnson,  1857 ;  Levi  Ekton  1859- 
01, 1868-70;  Jared  Green,  1861, 1802;  W.  C.  Mullison,  1802-04  ;  Nathan  Ide, 
1863,  1873;  Edward  Ide,  1865;  Chester  Fuller,  1866;  J.  B.  Edwards,  1806, 
1870-72 ;  M.  D.  Norris,  1874  ;  Noah  Hisgins,  187.5,  1870  ;  Cornelius  Gordon, 
1877,  1878  ;  Han-som  Elston,  1877-79. 

.7»s(,Vrs.-Jaoob  I.  Bogardus,  1830-40 ;  Peter  Allen,  1840-5.5  ;  B.  F.  Wes- 
ley, 1840-45;  Amos  Brown,  jr.,  184.5-50 ;  Elmer  Bennett,  lS.50-:58  ;  Benjamin 
Wol£,  1855-70;  David  Ide,  1858-SO;  J.  0.  Ide,  1870-80. 

Tnwn  Oloife.-Joseph  Worthington,  1830-32 ;  J.  1.  Bosnrdus  183:!-37  •  D 
J.  Whiteman,  1838-42, 1853-01;  Amos  Brown,  jr.,  ],S4.3-.51 ;  Elmer  Bennett^ 
18.52  ;  David  Ide,  1802-80. 

Odd    Fellows. 

■Osage  Zodge,  No.  712,  was  instituted  June  18th,  1870, 
with  the  following  charter  members:  R.  A.  Whitemim, 
William  Major,  J.  O.  Ide,  Jacob  Johnson,  David  Ide', 
James  P.  Brooks,  S.  R.  Ferrel,  George  R.  White,  D.  J. 
Whiteman,  S.  P.  Ide,  J.  S.  Ide  and  Chester  Fuller.' 

The  first  officers  were:  S.  P.  Ide,  N.  G.;  S.  R.  Ferrel, 
V.  G.;  David  Ide,  S.;  J.  O.  Ide,  A.  S.:  R.  A.  White- 
man,  T. 

The  successive  past  grands  have  been:  S.  P.  Ide,  J.  O. 
Ide,  S.  J.  Whiteman,  Isaac  Austin,  T.  N.  Major,  J.  A. 
Brown,  G.  C.  Frisbie,  Jared  Green,  William  H.  Miers, 
Simon  Belles,  Ira  Gallup,  Thomas  Atkinson,  I.  B.  Ide, 
Morris  Lain,  H.  G.  Delong,  Z.  G.  Gordon,  John  W.  Rog- 
ers, O.  A.  Kocher  and  James  Wilcox. 

The  present  officers  are:  J.  0.  Ide,  N.  G.;  Abram 
Frisbie,  V.  G.;  George  R.  White,  S.;  C.  L.  Ide,  A.  S  ; 
and  R.  A.  Whiteman,  T. 


*^^ 


Hh 


CHURCHES  OF    LEHMAN  TOWNSHIP. 


321 


There  are  now  83  members.  The  lodge  meets  at 
Lehman  Center  on  each  Saturday  night. 

Oneida  Encampment,  No.  207,  was  instituted  May  9th, 
187 1.  The  charter  members  were  George  R.  White, 
Isaac  Austin,  R.  A.  Whiteraan,  S.  J.  Whiteman,  William 
Major,  D.  J.  Whiteman,  S.  P.  Ide,  David  Ide,  J.  G.  Ida, 
Levi  W.  Davenport  and  Jacob  Johnson. 

The  first  officers  were:  Isaac  Austin,  C.  P.;  George  R. 
White,  H.  P.;  J.  O.  Ide,  S.  W.;  David  Ide,  J.  W.;  S.J. 
Whiteman,  scribe;  S.  P.  Ide,  T.;  Jacob  Johnson,  I.  G.; 
and  Levi  W.  Davenport,  0.  G. 

The  successive  chief  patriarchs  have  been:  Isaac  Aus- 
tin, George  R.  White,  J.  O.  Ide,  S.  P.  Ide,  R.  A.  White- 
man,  Jacob  Johnson,  I.  B.  Ide,  George  C.  Frisbie,  Jared 
Green,  I.  S.  Ide,  Thomas  Atkinson,  Morris  Lain,  M.  S. 
Lewis,  James  Wilcox,  A.  J.  Hoover  and   Henry  Randall. 

The  present  officers  are:  S.  C.  Mandeville,  C.  P.; 
David  Ide,  H.  P.;  George  R.  White,  S.  W.;  David  Lar- 
rish,  J.  W.;  J.  O.  Ide,  S.,  and  R.  A.  Whiteraan,  T.  The 
encampment  meets  on  the  first  and  third  Wednesday 
nights  of  each  month  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  at  Lehman 
Center. 

CHURCH  HISTORY. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

The  Ides  and  Browns,  from  Massachusetts,  were  Pres- 
byterians while  those  who  came  from  Jackson  township 
were  either  Methodists  or  Baptists.  For  a  long  time 
there  was  no  preaching  regularly,  and  the  people  were 
connected  with  churches  in  adjoining  townships.  It  is 
related  of  Neheraiah  Ide  that  each  third  Sunday  he 
would  ride  to  the  Kingston  Presbyterian  church,  where 
he  was  a  deacon.  The  Methodists  were  the  first  to  send 
preachers  into  this  township,  as  the  Plymouth  circuit  was 
extended  so  as  to  embrace  the  territory  of  Lehman. 
Morgan  Sherman  and  Joseph  Castle  came  in  1824,  fol- 
lowed by  John  Copeland  and  Philo  Barbery,  George 
Peck,  S.  Stocking,  Miles  H.  Gaylord,  Joseph  Castle  and 
Silas  Comfort.  There  is  no  record  to  show  the  min- 
isters from  then  up  to  about  1850. 

In  1852  the  society  built  a  parsonage  at  Lehman 
Center,  costing  about  $800,  and  in  1856  a  church,  which 
cost  about  $1,500.  The  ministers  who  have  been  in 
charge  of  this  circuit  have  been   Revs.  Charles  Perkins, 

[oshua   S.    Lewis, Chubbock, Morse,  G.  V. 

Griffin,  P.  Holbrook;  D.  Personius,  1863-65  ;  George 
Greenfield,  1867-69;  Isaac  Austin,  1869-72;  F.  A.  King, 
1862-75;  J-  B.  Santee,  1875;  R.  C.  Gill,  1876-78;  and 
D.  Larrish,  the  present  pastor.  This  circuit,  known  as 
the  Lehman  circuit,  comprises  five  charges,  of  which 
three  are  in  Lehman  township  the  Lehman  class,  Ide 
school-house  class  and  Forest  school-house  class.  Sun- 
day-schools are  held  at  each  place.  Elijah  Ide  was  the 
first  class  leader  in  Lehman. 

In  1848  Amos  Brown  gave  land  on  which  to  build  a 
church,  and  a  building  was  erected  costing  about  $1,000. 
A  parsonage  was  erected,  also  costing  $1,000. 

E.  F.  Ide  is  the  present  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  has  about  25  pupils. 


HUNTSVILLE    "CHRISTIAN"    CHURCH. 

The  society  of  "Christians  "  sent  a  minister  named  G. 
AV.  Richmond  to  preach  to  the  people  of  Jackson  and 
Lehman  township  in  1832.  He  organized  a  society  com- 
posed of  citizens  of  both  townships,  but  as  their  church 
building  stands  in  Lehman  their  history  will  be  given 
here.  The  organization  dates  from  October  15th,  1845, 
with  Truman  Atherton,  Reuben  I,ain,  Obed  Baldwin, 
Fayette  Allen,  S.  Snyder,  Joseph  and  Peter  Allen  as  the 
first  members. 

Elder  William  Lane  was  the  first  regular  preacher,  and 
he  was  followed  by  Job  Harvey  and  S.  Montgomery. 
For  a  long  time  there  was  no  minister.  Rev.  L.  B.  Hyatt, 
of  Kingston,  was  the  last  one.  In  1848  Truman  Atherton 
gave  the  land  on  which  to  erect  a  church  edifice.  This 
was  to  be  used  by  all  denominations.  It  is  now  owned 
and  controlled  by  the  "  Christian  "  denom'nation. 

nAPTlST     CHURCH. 

The  first  preachers  were  Rev.  Messrs.  Parker  and  Mott, 
who  came  from  New  York  State  in  1831,  as  missionaries. 
The  society  was  formed  by  them  in  1834,  with  the  fol- 
lowing members:  Thomas  Major,  John  Ide,  Sarah  Ide, 
Nehemiah  Ide,  jr.,  Lola  Foster,  Lucy  A.  Trux,  Josiah 
Lamoreux,  Mary  Major,  Minor  Fuller,  Thomas  Major, 
jr.,  Francis  Major,  Ellen  Lamoreux  and  Mary  Fuller. 

The  next  preacher  was  D.  D.  Gray,  but  there  are  no 
records  showing  when  he  came.  After  him  the  following 
officiated:  James  Clark;  G.  W.  Schofield,  1842  to  1845; 
P.  P.  Frink,  1845;  Benjamin  Shearer,  1858-60;  E.  N. 
Whitney,  1860-68;  Benjamin  Shearer,  1868-70;  Mark 
Parks,  1870-73;  P.  S.  Brewster,  1873-76;  R.  C.  H. 
Catterall,  1876-79;  and  Jacob  Gessner,  the  present 
pastor.  There  have  been  other  ministers,  but  the 
records  do  not  show  their  names. 

LEHMAN    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

Although  the  first  settlers  were  Presbyterians,  that  de- 
nomination was  the  last  one  to  organize  a  church.  This 
society  organized  in  February,  1862,  with  G.  W,  Oliver, 
elder;  Z.  S.  Weeley,  deacon;  Matthew  Brown  and  wife, 
Robert  Norton  and  wife,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Oliver,  Mrs.  Z.  S. 
Weeley,  John  Whiteside  and  J.  B.  Adams  as  the  first 
members.  The  first  minister  was  J.  S.  Ferguson,  who 
preached  for  three"  years,  and  was  followed  by  Charles  E. 
Van  Allen  in  1868,  Ashbel  G.  Harned  in  1869,  Charles 
K.  Canfield  in  187 1,  and  W.  B.  Darrach  in  1878,  who  still 
continues  to  officiate.  The  church  has  a  membership  of 
twenty- five. 

MARCY   TOWNSHIP. 


N    quarter  sessions  of   the   court   of   Luzerne 
county,  Monday,  January  19th,    1880,   it  was 
decreed  that  the  township  of  Marcy  be  formed 
from  the  townships  of    Old  Forge,   Ransom 
and    Pittston,  the   boundaries    to   be  accord- 
g  to  a  report  of  commissioners  filed  in  Decem- 
ber, 1879.     The  population  was  found  by  the  cen- 
sus of  1880  to  be  1,159. 


*^^ 


t 


322 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  following  officers  were  appointed  to  serve  until 
the  election  in  February,  1881,  and  until  their  successors 
should  be  qualified:  Charles  A.  Price,  town  clerk;  Gil- 
bert Alexander,  John  Holgate,  F.  B.  Dills,  Evan  J. 
Evans,  Michael  Callahan  and  James  Gallagher,  scl.ool 
directors;  Robert  Oliver,  William  G.  Evans  and  John  S. 
Marcy,  auditors;  Eben  Foot  and  George  T.  Chester, 
supervisors  of  highways;  John  S.  Marcy,  constable; 
William  Anderson,  assessor;  Gilbert  Sullivan,' judge  of 
election;  Patrick  Filbin,  majority  inspector  of  elections; 
Joseph  Curtis,  minority  inspector  of  elections. 

June  26th,  1880,  the  court  confirmed  the  report  of 
commissioners  dividing  Marcy  township  into  two  election 
districts;  all  that  portion  formerly  comprised  in  the 
townships  of  Ransom  and  Old  Forge  to  be  designated 
the  north  district,  and  all  that  portion  formerly  com- 
prised in  the 'township  of  Pittson  the  south  district. 
Until  otherwise  ordered,  the  court  fixed  the  polling  place 
of  the  south  district  at  No.  3  school-house,  near  Daniel 
Mosier's  house.  The  court  appointed  the  following  elec- 
tion officers:  Gilbert  Alexander  judge  of  election,  Pat- 
rick Philbin  majority  inspector,  and  Joseph  Curtis 
minority  inspector  for  the  south  district;  and  J.  S. 
Marcy  judge  of  elections,  Eben  Foote  majority  inspec- 
tor, J.  B.    Diel  minority  inspector  for  the  north  district. 

The  new  township  was  named  in  honor  of  Zebulon 
Marcy,  who  emigrated  from  Connecticut  in  the  spring  of 
1770  and  located  about  three  miles  above  Pittston 
borough,  on  the  left  side  of  the  road  leading  up  the  valley. 
Choosing  this  spot  for  his  residence,  upon  the  warrior's 
path,  his  rude  log  hut  soon  became  famous  for  conve- 
nience and  for  the  genial  hospitality  of  its  host.  Mr. 
Marcy  became  a  man  of  local  importance  and  was 
elected  in  Januar)',  1772,  the  first  constable  of  Pittston 
township. 

When  Conrad  Weiser,  a  celebrated  Indian  interpreter, 
visited  Wyoming  in  1754,  he  found  an  Indian  village 
called  "Asserughney  "  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna 
between  the  mouth  of  the  Lackawanna  river  and  Camp- 
bell's Ledge,  near  the  site  of  the  depot  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad,  It  was  a  small  village,  hunting  and  fish- 
ing being  the  main  sources  of  support.  The  summit  of 
Campbell's  Ledge,  towering  above,  afforded  an  uninter- 
rupted lookout  over  the  valley  below,  and  was  used  by 
the  Indians  not  only  in  watching  over  their  wigwams  nes- 
tled along  the  river,  but  as  a  place  to  kindle  their  beacon 
or  signal  fires.  This  castle  or  encampment  was  the  up- 
per one  of  the  Delawares  in  the  Wyoming  valley.  It  was 
a  point  of  importance  because  of  its  favorable  location 
for  trading  purposes.  The  great  war  path  from  the  in- 
land lakes  of  New  York  to  Wyoming  and  the  south,  and 
the  trail  down  the  Lackawanna  from  the  Minisink  homes 
on  the  Delaware,  passed  through  it. 

The  far-famed  Campbell's  Ledge  is  situated  on  the  west 
border  of  the  township,  where  the  Susquehanna  seems  to 
have  broken  through  the  mountain  barrier,  forming  a 
wide  gorge.     The  ledge  was  formerly  called   Dial   Rock 


from  the  fact  of  its  presenting  a  nearly  perpendicular 
face  of  considerable  length,  lying  directly  north  and 
south,  and  being  first  illuminated  when  the  sun  reaches 
the  meridian.  The  Indians  and  the  white  people  of  the 
upper  end  of  the  valley  thus  had  a  timepiece,  more  ser- 
viceable than  many  town  clocks. 

The  name  Campbell's  Ledge  is  understood  to  have 
been  given  in  honor  of  the  author  of  "  Gertrude  of  Wy- 
oming." There  is  a  legend,  however,  which  seeks  to 
otherwise  account  for  the  name.  It  is  to  the  effect  that 
a  man  named  Campbell,  being  pursued  by  the  Indians, 
took  refuge  in  the  ravines  of  this  mountain,  where  are 
many  living  springs  and  where  the  thick  foliage  seems  to 
afford  a  safe  shelter.  But  the  fierce  red  man,  his  old 
enemy,  is  on  his  track,  and  he  is  singled  out  as  a  subject 
for  special  torture.  He  knows  his  fate  if  taken,  and  tries 
every  path  that  winds  out  into  the  deeper  forest,  but 
without  success.  He  is  hemmed  in  like  the  roe  by  a 
pack  of  relentless  wolves.  He  does  not  hesitate,  but 
springs  forward  to  the  verge  of  the  overhanging  rock.  One 
glance  behind  shows  him  there  is  no  escape.  The  yells 
of  the  savages  pierce  his  very  soul  as  they  rush  upon  their 
prey.  With  a  scream  of  defiance,  he  leaps  from  the 
ledge  into  the  friendly  arms  of  death. 

Methodist  Church  of  Marcy. 

The  early  meetings  of  the  Methodists  in  what  is  now 
Marcy  township  were  held  in  the  little  old  log  school 
house  that  stood  where  the  present  building  stands,  on 
the  township  line,  near  the  brick  church.  The  pioneer 
class  was  formed  here  as  early  as  1815,  and  we  find  among 
the  early  leaders  the  names  of  Rufus  Miller,  Charles 
Wright  and  Deodat  Smith.  Ebenezer  Marcy  and  Jona- 
than Marcy  were  also  among  the  original  members. 

The  society  continued  its  meetings  in  school-houses 
till  about  1850,  when  the  present  church  was  built,  a 
brick  structure,  40  by  60  feet,  costing  about  $2,000.  It 
was  commenced  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Charles  W. 
Giddings,  and  finished  and  dedicated  in  .August,  1853. 
The  site  of  the  church  and  parsonage  was  purchased  at  a 
nominal  sum  from  Ebenezer  Marcy. 

We  are  indebted  to  John  D.  Miller,  Esq.,  who  has 
been  a  member  of  this  church  48  years,  for  the  following 
list  of  preachers  who  have  served  this  people  since  1832: 
Revs.  Marraaduke  Pearce,  Benjamin  Ellis,  William 
Rounds,  William  Reddy,  Charles  W.  Giddings,  Erastus 
Smith,  John  D,  Safford,   Perry  G.   White,  Abel  Barker, 

Pilbean   Joshua  S.  Lewis,  Timothy  D.   Walker, 

Taylor  D.  Swartz,  Isaac  Austin,  R.  S.  Rose,  John  La  Bar, 
Joseph  Madison,  John  C.  Laycock,  J.  R.  Wagner  and  N. 
J.  Hawley,  the  present  pastor. 

The  present  membership  is  100.  Joseph  Holland  is 
class  leader. 

The  church  property  is  valued  at  $7,000. 

A  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1825,  which  is  still 
in  existence,  with  140  pupils  and  an  average  attendance 
of  80.     Carpenter  Gates  is  the  present  superintendent. 


*1?- 


4^ 


(^^j^^fyr^       Y<>^'t'^t'^''t^^i^^ 


RESIDENCE  OF  J.T.  JENNINGS,  MEHOOPANY, WYOMING  CO.,  PA. 


^Z-^yt-ce-u^^ 


W.   G.  DANIELS, 
Scranton,  LackawMina  Co.,  Pa. 


BENJAMIN  EVANS, 
Nescopeck,   Luzerne   Co.,    Pa. 


H.  W.  BARDWELL, 
Tunkhannock,  Wyoming  Co.,  Pa. 


4- 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL   RECORD, 

CONYNGHAM,    DORRANCE,    HOLLENBACK,    LEHMAN,    NESCOPECK,    NEWPORT,    SLOCUM    AND 

WRIGHT    TOWNSHIPS. 


BENJAMIN    EVANS. 

Benjamin  Evans  is  a  native  of  Brier  Creek,  Columbia 
county,  Pa.,  and  was  born  July  14th,  1819.  His  father, 
David  Evans,  who  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  his 
township  and  for  many  years  the  only  millwright  in  this 
part  of  the  valley,  became  proprietor  of  what  is  known  as 
the  Evans'  mills,  at  Nescopeck,  of  which  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  the  present  owner  and  operator.  He  has 
held  several  important  township  offices,  and  is  now  serv- 
ing his  second  term  as  justice  of  the  peace.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Nancy  Banham,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Ban- 
ham,  Esq.  She  was  a  faithful  and  devoted  member  of 
the  M.  E.  Church.     She  died  in  1876. 

MICHAEL    RABER. 

Michael  Raber  was  born  in  Northampton  county,  Sep- 
tember 15th,  1807.  His  wife  was  Miss  Sarah  Hess,  of 
Hollenback  township.  Mr.  Raber  has  been  engaged  in 
farming,  and  has  been  elected  to  numerous  township 
offices,  besides  having  served  one  term  as  county  com- 
missioner. 


Emanuel  Albertson,  born  December  9th,  1836,  in 
Huntington  township,  is  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  He 
enlisted  August  18th,  1862,  in  Company  F  28th  regiment 
Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  June  12th,  1865.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Sarah  Drum,  of  Hollenback. 

Henry  C.  Angstadt  was  born  in  Montgomery  county, 
Ohio,  September  7th,  1842,  and  married  Miss  Christiana 
Briggs,  of  Nescopeck.  He  enlisted  in  186 1  in  Company 
F  nth  Ind.  regiment.  He  was  wounded  at  Champion 
Hill,  Miss.,  May  i6th,  1863,  and  was  transferred  to  the 
invalid  corps,  and  discharged  December  9th,  1864. 

C.  G.  Bittenbender  is  a  native  of  Shamokin,  Pa.,  and 
was  born  February  i8th,  1844.  He  enhstedin  Company 
C  131st  regiment  Pa.  volunteers,  August  8th,  1862,  and 
was  discharged  May  23d,  1863.  He  re-enlisted  February 
24th,  1864,  and  was  discharged  July  i6th,  1865.  He  was 
in  the  battles  of  Fredericksburg,  Antietam,  Atlanta  and 
Savannah.  His  wife  was  Miss  Emeline  Critz,  of  Cata- 
wissa.  Pa. 

Daniel  Bloss  was  born  in  Nescopeck  township,  Au- 
gust 6th,  1827.  He  was  formerly  a  carpenter  and  builder, 
and  is  now  a  farmer.  His  wife  was  Miss  Esther  Snyder, 
of  Hollenback. 

Aaron  Boyd  was  born  in  Mt.  Bethel,  Pa.,  August 
26th,  1826.  He  is  a  farmer  and  lumberman.  His  wife 
was  a  lady  of  Slocum. 

Jacob  Brong,  weighmaster  of  the  Central  Railroad  of 
New  Jersey  at  Solomon's  Gap,  was  born  in  Monroe  county. 
Pa.,  August  5th,  1846,  and  married  Miss  Anna  M.  Gro- 
ver,  of  Weissport,  Pa. 


WiLLOUGHBY  BuFF  was  bom  in  Hollenback  township, 
March  13th,  1850.  His  wife  was  Miss  Lucinda  Houck, 
of  Dorrance.  Mr.  Buff  is  proprietor  of  the  Dorrance 
flour  and  feed  mills. 

Charles  D.  Clarke  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa., 
November  13th,  1843.  He  married  Susan  Lutsey,  of 
Slocum  township.  He  was  formerly  a  teacher,  but  is 
now  an  assistant  weighmaster,  residing  at  Penobscot. 

William  W.  Cooper  was  born  in  Nescopeck  town- 
ship, July  24th,  1856.  He  was  formerly  a  clerk  and  is 
now  an  attorney  at  law  at  Nescopeck. 

Rev.  Tilghman  Derr,  who  resides  at  Berwick,  has 
charge  of  the  Reformed  churches  of  Nescopeck,  Conyng- 
ham  and  Hollenback  townships.  He  was  born  in  Tur- 
bertsville,  Northumberland  county,  March  gth,  1843. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Ellen  Wagner,  of  the  same  place. 

William  H.  Edwards  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N. 
Y.,  September  14th,  1813.  He  removed  to  Lake  town- 
ship in  1844,  and  from  there  to  Newport  about  1876. 
He  has  charge  of  the  farms  of  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes- 
Barre  Coal  Company  in  Newport.  He  married  Miss 
Eveline  Mott,  of  Ross  township.  He  was  formerly  a 
teacher. 

Matthias  Eroh,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Hollenback 
township,  and  was  born  April  15th,  1832.  He  has  been 
school  director,  collector  and  treasurer,  and  is  the  pres- 
ent supervisor  of  Dorrance.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary 
Maria  Spade,  of  Dorrance. 

C.  S.  Fargo,  who  has  charge  of  the  depot  of  the  Cen- 
tral Railroad  of  New  Jersey  at  Wanamie,  was  born  at 
Montrose,  Pa.,  September  i8th,  1842.  He  married  Miss 
Mary  E.  Swisher,  of  Mill  City,  Wyoming  county,  who 
died  June  28th,  1878.  Mr.  Fargo  was  formerly  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits.  He  served  three  years  in  the  gth 
Pennsylvania  cavalry  and  has  been  postmaster  three 
years. 

Nelson  Fortner  is  a  native  of  Conyngham,  Pa.,  and 
was  born  February  7th,  1820.  He  is  a  farmer  and  grain 
grower.  He  was  drafted  during  the  Rebellion  and  paid 
$300  commutation.  He  married  Miss  Mary  Ann  Peck, 
of  Salem  township. 

Franklin  Fortner,  farmer,  was  born  August  24th, 
i8[8,  in  Sugarloaf  township.  He  is  school  director  and 
township  auditor.  He  married  Miss  Harriet  Williams,  of 
Nescopeck. 

Aaron  W.  George,  salesman  for  H.  H.  Ashley  &  Co. 
at  Wanamie,  was  born  at  Lyon  Valley,  Lehigh  county, 
June  i6th,  1849.  He  married  .Miss  Maggie  H.  Love,  of 
Plymouth.  Mr.  George  was  formerly  engaged  in  teach- 
ing. 

P.  H.  Good  is  a  native  of  Nescopeck  township,  and 
was    born    Seftember    15th,    1832.       He    married     Miss 


Hh 


-^ 


f 


322  B 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


k 


Catharine  Fenstermacher,  of  Salem,  Pa.     He  has  been 
school  director  and  supervisor,  and  is  now  a  farmer. 

Z.  G.  Gordon,  wheelwright  and  blacksmith,  was  born 
September  3d,  1846,  in  Lehman,  and  married  Sarah  E. 
Rice,  of  that  township. 

John  Gruver,  farmer  in  Newport  township,  was  born 
in  Northumberland  county,  July  28th,  1807,  and  came 
to  Newport  in  1812.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Thomas, 
of  Montgomery  county,  who  died  August  3d,  1871.  He 
was  formerly  a  landlord. 

George  W.  Guldin  was  born  in  Pottstown,  Pa.,  Sep- 
tember 20th,  185 1,  and  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Moyer,  of 
Dorrance.  His  present  business  is  farming  and  lumber- 
ing. 

S.  J.  Harlacher,  born  in  Nescopeck  township,  Jan- 
uary ist,  1824,  married  Miss  Rebecca  Eroh,  of  Dor- 
rance township.  Mr.  Harlacher  was  formerly  engaged  in 
lumbering,  but  is  now  working  at  his  trade  as  a  carpenter. 

J.  W.  Harter,  a  farmer  and  resident  of  Wapwallopen, 
was  born  in  Salem,  Pa.,  June  17th,  1854.  His  wife  was 
Miss  M.  A.  Weiss,  of  Conynghara. 

A.  W.  Harter  is  a  native  of  Sakm  township,  and  was 
born  January  31st,  1844.  He  is  a  farmer.  Mrs.  Harter 
was  Miss  Anna  Eliza  Whitebread,  of  Hollenback. 

N.  S.  Hauser  was  formerly  engaged  in  railroading, 
and  is  now  keeping  a  hotel  at  South  Fairview.  He  was 
born  in  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.,  April  9th,  1839,  and  mar- 
ried Mary  Lentz,  of  Lehigh  county.  He  has  been  school 
director  and  served  nine  months  in  the  173d  Pennsylva- 
nia volunteers. 

Albert  D.  Hay,  farmer,  was  born  in  New  Jersey, 
September  24th,  1854.  His  wife,  who  was  of  Dallas 
township,  was  Elizabeth  Brace. 

Renatus  Heller  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township, 
October  r3th,  1823.  He  married  Miss  Cathare  Swearer, 
of  Butler  township.  Mr.  Heller  is  a  farmer  and  lumber- 
man. There  is  said  to  be  a  valuable  deposit  of  zinc  ore 
on  his  farm  in  Dorrance. 

Joseph  Hess  was  born  August  21st,  1812,  in  Conyng- 
ham  township.  He  has  been  supervisor,  assessor,  school 
director  and  overseer  of  the  poor  of  that  township,  and 
is  now  a  farmer.     He  has  been  married  twice. 

Stephen  Hess,  farmer,  was  born  April  5th,  1827.  He 
has  been  overseer  and  school  director  of  Conyngham. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Susan  Knorr,  of  Brier  Creek  township. 
Pa. 

Jeremiah  Hess  was  born  in  Salem  township,  Novem- 
ber 8th,  1808.  He  has  been  overseer  of  poor,  school 
director,  and  supervisor  of  his  township  for  ten  years. 
He  married  Miss  Sarah  Walp,  of  Conyngham. 

J.  W.  HoucK  is  a  native  of  Union  township,  Schuylkill 
county,  Pa.,  and  was  born  November  20th,  1841.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  Swank,  of  Beaver  township.  Pa. 
Mr.  Houck  is  a  miller. 

David  Ide,  a  lifelong  resident  of  Lehman  township, 
was  born  April  i6th,  1825,  and  has  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  twenty-one  years.  He  has  been  town  clerk. 
Mrs.  Ide,  whose  maiden  name  was  Jane  E.  Vanderlyn, 
was  of  Lehman  township. 

J.  0.  Ide,  who  was  born  in  Lehman  township,  July 
22nd,  1828,  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  ten  years,  and 
has  been  D.  D.  G.  M.  of  the  1.  O.  O.  F.,  4th  district  of 
Luzerne  county.  He  married  Charlotte  A.  Wesley,  of 
Ross  township,  who  died  August  9th,  1858,  and  he  sub- 
sequently married  Margaret  Shires,  of  Lone  Rock,  Rich- 


land county,  Wis.     Mr.  Ide  is   a  carpenter  by  trade  but 
is  now  farming. 

S.  P.  Ide,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Lehman  township, 
and  was  born  December  loth,  1818.  Mr.  Ide's  first  mar- 
riage was  with  Mary  A.  Green,  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  who 
died  November  3d,  1867.  His  present  wife  was  Marga- 
ret Montanye,  who  was  the  widow  of  William  L.  Dyman, 
of  Monroe  township,  Wyoming  county.  Pa. 

James  Jackson,  of  Slocum,  who  has  lived  in  Luzerne 
county  forty-eight  years,  -was  born  in  Northampton 
county,  August  19th,  1826.  He  married  Miss  Lucy  Ros- 
encranz,  of  Slocum.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  lum- 
bering, but  is  now  farming.     He  has  been  town  clerk. 

F.  P.  Kennedy,  telegraph  operator  at  Solomon's  Gap 
for  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  is  a  native  of 
Cornwall,  Lebanon  county.  Pa.,  and  was  born  July  20th, 
1854.     He  was  formerly  a  book  agent. 

J.  A.  Kepner  was  born  January  3d,  1850,  in  Juniata 
township.  Perry  county.  Pa.  He  is  a  justice  of  the  peace 
and  township  auditor;  also  a  local  preacher,  and  now 
carpenter  at  the  Dupont  Powder  Mills.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Lydia  Myers,  of  Slocum  township. 

Abram  a.  Ketcham,  farmer,  formerly  a  carpenter, 
was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  July  17th,  1813,  and 
married  Maria  Fuller,  of  Huntsville,  Lehman  township. 

John  La  France,  of  Penobscot,  is  a  native  of  Scran- 
ton,  and  was  born  April  20th,  1842.  Mrs.  La  France 
was  Miss  Theresa  Bellows,  of  Salem,  Wayne  county.  Pa. 
Mr.  La  France  was  a  member  of  the  187th  Pa.  volunteers 
in  the  civil  war.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  railroad- 
ing, and  is  now  a  locomotive  engineer. 

C.  O.  Learn,  blacksmith,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
March  25th,  185 1,  and  married  Isabella  Mathers,  of 
Taylorvilie. 

Walter  T.  Leas,  superintendent  for  the  Lehigh  and 
Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company  at  Wanamie,  was  born  at 
Tunkhannock,  in  1841.  He  married  Miss  MaryT.  Quick, 
of  Wilkes-Barre.     He  was  formerly  a  contractor. 

Robert  O.  Leas,  outside  foreman  at  Wanamie,  was 
born  in  Logan  county,  Ohio,  in  1836.  He  married  Miss 
Margaret  Moore,  of  Dunmore,  Pa.  He  was  formerly  a 
carpenter  and  builder. 

George  P.  Lindsay,  manager  of  the  store  of  H.  H. 
Ashley  &  Company,  at  Wanamie,  was  born  in  Plains 
township,  September  25th,  1855.  He  was  formerly  a 
clerk. 

Redmond  Line  was  born  in  Hanover  township,  Octo- 
ber 26th,  1840,  and  married  Mary  Shafer,  of  Wright 
township.  He  was  a  member  of  the  52nd  Pa.  volunteers. 
He  was  at  one  time  a  lumberman,  but  is  now  an  engineer 
on  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  residing  at  Moun- 
tain Top. 

Robert  Major,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Yorkshire, 
England,  March  3d,  1809.  He  married  Sarah  Adleman, 
of  Union  township. 

S.  C.  Mandeville,  farmer,  was  born  in  Dallas  town- 
ship, September  27th.  1824,  and  married  Frances  B.  Ful- 
ler, of  Jackson  township. 

Jameson  Meeker,  farmer  and  lumberman,  was  born 
in  Huntington,  December  7th,  1821.  He  married  Mary 
Dunbar,  of  White  Haven. 

A.  J.  Meeker  was  born  in  Wright  township.  May  i6th, 
1852,  and  married  Frances  E.  McKee,  of  the  township 
of  Lehman.  He  is  a  lumberman  and  has  been  town 
clerk. 


Mh 


M 


GENEALOGICAL   AND   PERSONAL   RECORD. 


322  C 


E.  D.  J.  Meyers,  foreman  in  the .  Central  Railroad 
car-shop  at  Penobscot,  is  a  native  of  Whitehall  township, 
Lehigh  county,  and  was  born  January  23d,  1848.  He 
married  Elmira  Viege,  of  North  Whitehall,  in  that 
county.  He  has  been  president  of  the  board  of 
school  directors  of  Wright  township. 

James  W.  Moore,  who  was  born  in  Dallas  township, 
December  14th,  1846,  has  resided  in  Slocum  nine  years. 
He  married  Miss  Fidelia  S.  Hontz,  of  Ross  township. 
He  is  engaged  in  farming. 

William  Morgan,  of  Wanamie,  was  born  in  Wales, 
February  26th,  1841,  and  married  Miss  Jane  Fairchild, 
of  Newport.  He  works  in  the  mines.  He  is  justice  of 
the  peace. 

R.  H.  Nicholas,  assistant  dispatcher  on  the  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey  at  Penobscot,  was  born  at 
Wurtsboro,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  March  29th,  1846. 
Mrs.  Nichols  was  Miss  Catharine  Williamson,  of  Ontario, 
Canada.  Mr.  Nichols  served  in  the  47th  New  York  vol- 
unteers, and  has  been  auditor  of  the  township. 

James  M.  Norris,  bookkeeper  of  the  Lehigh  and 
Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company  at  Wanamie,  was  born  at 
Port  Deposit,  Md.,  August  21st,  1852.  He  married  Miss 
Grizzle  G.  Gates,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Jonas  Peter  was  born  in  Hollenback  township,  July 
20th,  1828,  and  is  a  lumberman.  His  wife  was  Eliza- 
beth Whitebread,  of  Hollenback. 

Thomas  Peter  is  a  farmer.  He  was  born  August 
30th,  1816,  at  Heidleberg,  Pa.,  and  married  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Radler,  of  Hollenback. 

Philip  Peters  was  born  June  24th,  1837,  in  Hollen- 
back township.  He  has  been  school  director  and  audi- 
tor, and  is  a  farmer.  His  wife  was  Miss  Permelia  Fens- 
termacher,  of  Hollenback. 

John  Peters  was  born  in  Heidleberg  township, 
Lehigh  county,  Pa.,  in  January,  1807,  and  is  a  farmer  and 
weaver.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Rebecca  Radler,  his 
second  Mrs.  Rebecca  Fenstermacher,  and  his  third 
Hannah  Gresman,  all  of  Hollenback. 

Nathan  Peters  is  a  native  of  Hollenback  township, 
and  was  born  June  13th,  1846.  He  enlisted  in  Company 
A  97th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  October  22nd,  1864, 
and  was  discharged  August  28th,  1865.  He  married 
Miss  Catharine  E.  Eroh,  of  Hollenback. 

John  T.  Peters,  who  is  a  carpenter  and  builder,  was 
born  December  sth,  1848.  He  has  been  a  school  direct- 
or of  Hollenback.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  C.  Hess,  of 
Hollenback. 

Rev.  James  M.  Price  was  born  in  Bloomsburg,  Colum- 
bia county.  Pa.,  February  4th,  1834.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Ellen  M.  Prentiss,  is  of  the  same 
place.  Mr.  Price  was  formerly  a  printer.  His  post- 
office  address  is  Wapwallopen,  Pa. 

William  O.  Ruggles  was  born  in  Ross  township, 
September  12th,  1850,  and  married  Mary  A.  Ide,  of  Leh- 
man township.  He  is  a  farmer  and  is  engaged  in 
lumbering. 

E.  A.  Santee,  M.  D.,  Hobbie  post-office,  was  born  in 
Union  township,  July  8th,  1837,  and  married  Miss  T.  R. 
Post,  of  that  township. 


James  A.  Sargent,  of  Penobscot,  has  made  a  business 
of  railroading,  and  is  now  a  conductor  on  the  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey.  He  served  nine  months  in  the 
132  Pennsylvania  volunteers  during  the  Rebellion.  He 
was  born  in  Rutland,  Mass.,  October  20th,  1841,  and 
married  Clara  A.  Benscoter,  of  Shickshinny. 

Amos  Schobert,  merchant  and  postmaster  at  Hobbie, 
was  born  September  15th,  1842,  in  Hollenback,  and  mar- 
ried Sabilla  G.  Grover,  of  the  same  township. 

William  J.  Scott,  accountant  for  the  Dupont  Powder 
Company, was  born  at  Philadelphia,  in  1842.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Mary  Scanlin,  of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Scott  served 
during  the  war  as  a  member  of  the  71st  Pennsylvania 
volunteers. 

Abraham  Shantz,  of  Belbend,  was  born  April  3d, 
1841,  in  Hollenback  township.  He  is  keg  repairer  at  the 
Dupont  Powder  Works.  He  enlisted  in  April,  1861,  in 
Company  A  6th  Pennsylvania  reserve,  and  was  discharged 
in  June,  1864.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Davis,  of  Hol- 
lenback township. 

G.  B.  Stewart,  of  Penobscot,  was  formerly  a  ma- 
chinist and  locomotive  engineer,  and  is  now  foreman  of 
the  round-house.  He  has  been  a  school  director.  He 
was  born  September  20th,  1844,  and  married  Drusilla 
Cramer,  of  Nanticoke. 

S.  P.  SWARTWOOD,  an  engineer  on  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad,  resides  at  South  Fairview.  He  was  born  Oc- 
tober 4th,  1847,  in  Wright  township,  of  which  his  wife, 
formerly  Miss  M.  A.  Carey,  was  also  a  native. 

Julius  Tenschent  was  born  in  Austria,  January  9th, 
1846.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Bertha  Young,  of  Read- 
ing, Pa.  He  is  a  farmer  and  proprietor  of  the  Dorrance 
tannery. 

William  W.  Wayne,  of  Belbend,  was  born  February 
19th,  1849,  in  Taylorville,  Carbon  county,  Pa.,  and  is  a 
millwright.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Keller,  of  Hudson- 
dale,  Pa. 

William  Weiss,  a  native  of  Conyngham,  was  born 
August  4th,  1 81 7,  and  died  June  i6th,  1878.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Julia  Fenstermacher,  of  Salem. 

Barnet  Whitebread  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
March  31st,  1800,  and  married  Miss  Anna  Briggs,  of 
Nescopeck. 

William  Whitebread  was  born  March  6th,  1829,  in 
Hollenback,  and  married  Magdalena  Moyer,  of  Hol- 
lenback, who  died  in  December,  1863.  He  is  an 
insurance  agent.  He  has  been  supervisor,  assessor, 
inspector,  etc. 

Samuel  Williams  is  a  native  of  Nescopeck  and  is  the 
proprietor  of  the  Susquehanna  House  at  that  place.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Abbie  Noncaster,  of  Mifflin  county.  Pa. 

Milton  F.  Williams  was  born  in  Brier  Creek, 
Columbia  county,  March  26th,  1849,  and  married  Miss 
Alice  S.  Adams,  of  that  place.  He  is  a  merchant  and 
postmaster  at  Nescopeck.  He  has  been  driver  on  the 
canal,  teamster  and  clerk,  and  overseer  of  poor. 

The  following  contributed  to  the  support  of  this  work 
in  the  townships  here  represented :  W.  A.  Baucher, 
William  W.  Cooper,  J.  A.   Hart,  W.   S.   Heller,  Philip 

Weiss. 


4 


=«=^N 


PHILIP  ROBINSON,  Jr. 


Philip  Robinson,  jr.,  was  born  at  Lauterbrecken,  in 
Bavaria,  in  1841.  He  came  to  this  country  with  his 
parents  in  1854  and  located  in  Scranton  with  his  father, 
Philip  Robinson,  who,  together  with  his  sons,  engaged  in 
the  business  of  brewing.  The  brewery  was  situated  on 
Cedar  street.  In  1868  the  firm  was  dissolved.  Philip 
Robinson,  jr.,  became  the  sole  proprietor  of  the  business, 
which  was  carried  on  in  his  name  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  September  20th,  1879.  Without 
taking  a  prominent  part  in  party  politics  he  was  always 
a  Democrat  and  was  occasionally  called  upon  to  fill  local 
offices,  especially  such  as  required  clear  business  judg- 
ment and  strong  integrity,  and  he  always  justified  the 
public  trust.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  Dem- 
ocratic candidate  for  county  treasurer  and  was  regarded 
as  being  by  far  the  strongest  man  on  the  ticket.  To  his 
friends,  to  his  family  and  those  of  the  poor  in  his  im- 
mediate  vicinity,  Mr.  Robinson   was  endeared   by   his 


goodness  of  heart,  his  kindness  and  his  generous  liberal- 
ity. He  was  charitable  without  display,  generous  with- 
out seeking  publicity,  and  his  business  integrity  was  of 
that  sterling  order  which  believes  in  the  honorable  fulfil- 
ment of  all  obligations.  He  was  a  man  of  abrupt  address 
and  often  made  antagonisms  by  his  manner  with  those  who 
did  not  know  him  well;  but  the  undercurrent  of  real 
kindness  and  benevolence  that  moved  him  to  liberal 
charities  and  helpfulness  held  to  him  in  strong  bonds  of 
friendship  all  who  knew  him  well.  He  was  a  member 
of  Schiller  masonic  lodge  and  also  of  the  Turnverein 
and  Liederkranz  societies. 

In  1862  he  married  Miss  Mina  Schimpff,  of  Scranton, 
Pa.  Children  were  born  to  them  as  follows:  Philip, 
August  24th,  1864;  Edmund,  March  17th,  1868;  Robert, 
December  i8th,  1869;  Minnie,  July  6th,  1873;  Otto, 
June  28th,  1875;  Lena,  August  isth,  1878. 


H^= 


*V  T^~ 


Dr.   C.   H.   fisher. 


Dr.  Charles  H.  Fisher  was  born  at  Owego,  Tioga 
county,  N.  Y.,  June  12th,  1837.  He  is  of  German  and 
English  extraction,  tracing  his  ancestry  on  his  mother's 
side  back  to  the  landing  of  the  "  Mayflower,"  while  his 
great-grandfather,  Leonard  Fisher,  emigrated  from  Ger- 
many and  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  New  York 
city. 

Leonard  Fisher  was  a  dentist  and  was  the  first  to 
practice  that  profession  in  New  York  city,  if  not  in  the 
New  World.  He  served  with  distinction  as  a  lieuten- 
ant during  the  Revolution  and  died  at  New  York  at  an 
advanced  age,  leaving  a  large  family  of  children.  Dr.  C. 
H.  Fisher's  grandfather,  Brigadier  General  George 
Fisher,  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Tioga  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  his  father,  Doctor  George  L.  Fisher,  was  a  den- 
tist and  for  nearly  twenty  years  practiced  in  Scranton. 

Doctor  Fisher  received  a  thorough  academic  course  at 
the  Owego  Academy  and  was  prepared  to  enter  the  sopho- 
more class  in  college  when  the  Rebellion  brok«  out.  He 
at  once  abandoned  the  idea  of  taking  a  collegiate  course, 
and  with  a  view  of  entering  the  medical  department  of 
the  army  he  placed  himself  under  the  private  tuition  of 
Professor  H.  N.  Eastman,  of  Geneva  Medical  College, 
and  took  his  first  course  of  lectures  at  that  institution 
in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1862  and  1863.  At  the  close  of 
the  course  he  proceeded  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  hav- 
ing passed  an  examination  before  the  U.  S.  medical 
board  was  appointed  medical  cadet  U.  S.  A.,  and  as- 
signed to  duty  at  General  Field  Hospital  No.  i,  Mur- 
freesboro,  Tenn.  He  served  under  Rosecrans  during 
the  campaign  which  terminated  with  the  battle  of 
Chickamuaga,  and  was  then  assigned  to  duty  at  General 
Hospital  No.  i,  Nashville,  Tenn.  While  on  duty  at  this 
hospital  he  attended  his  second  course  of  lectures  and 
graduated  at  the  University  of  Nashville  Medical  Col- 
lege, in  the  spring  of  1864.  His  term  of  service  as  med- 
ical cadet  having  expired,  he  was  appointed  acting  assist- 
ant surgeon  U.  S.  A.,  in  which  capacity  he  served  at 


Hospital  No.  i  and  Cumberland  Hospital  until  August, 
1865.  Then,  having  passed  a  second  examination  before 
the  U.  S.  A.  examining  board  at  Nashville,  he  was  pro- 
moted to  a  full  surgeoncy  and  assigned  to  duty  as  surgeon 
of  the  96th  regiment  U.  S.  C.  "T.,  Department  of  the 
Gulf.  He  was  honorably  mustered  out  of  the  service 
with  his  regiment  at  New  Orleans,  January  28th,  1866. 
Being  tendered  a  position  as  surgeon  in  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau  he  accepted,  and  was  assigned  to  duty  as  surgeon 
in  charge  of  Freedmen's  Hospital,  at  Shreveport,  La. 
He  resigned  this  position  in  the  fall  of  1866,  and  re- 
turning north  attended  a  third  course  of  lectures  at 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  New  York.  Having 
determined  to  devote  his  attention  principally  to  disea- 
ses of  the  eye  and  ear,  he  took  a  private  course  under 
Professor  Noyes,  at  the  New  York  Eye  and  Ear  Infir- 
mary, and  in  the  spring  of  1867  hung  out  his  shingle  in 
the  city  of  Scranton.  He  has  been  in  contiuous  prac- 
tice since  that  time  and  has  won  a  wide  and  deserving 
reputation  as  an  occulist  and  aurist.  In  1878  he  founded 
the  Scranton  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  associating  with 
himself  Doctor  R.  A.  Squire  and  Doctor  B.  H.  Throop 
as  consulting  surgeons.  This  institution  supplies  a  long- 
felt  want  in  the  Lackawanna  coal  regions,  and  although 
not  strictly  eleemosynary  does  a  large  amount  of  charity 
business.  Doctor  Fisher  was  for  a  number  of  years  a 
member  of  the  Luzerne  County  Medical  Society  and  is  a 
charter  member  of  the  Lackawanna  County  Medical 
Society.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of 
the  Lackawanna  Hospital,  at  Scranton,  and  for  several 
years  was  connected  with  its  medical  staff.  When  the 
new  county  of  Lackawanna  was  erected  Doctor  Fisher 
was  appointed  county  physician,  and  he  is  now  serving  his 
second  term  in  that  capacity.  He  is  also  post  surgeon 
of  Lieutenant  Ezra  S.  Griffin  Post  G.  A.  R.  Doctor 
Fisher  married  Miss  Mary  J.  Miner,  of  Hudson,  N.  Y. 
May  i2th,  1869.  Their  children  are:  Jessie  May,  aged 
10;  Maud,  aged  8;  and  Mary  A.,  aged  4. 


=^^ 


JONATHAN  APGAR  AND   FAMILY. 


Jonathan  Apgar  was  born  in  Cokesburg,  Hunterdon 
county,  N.  J.,  November  29th,  1811.  He  was  the  fifth  in  a 
family  of  ten  children  of  William  Apgar — seven  sons  and 
three  daughters.  Mr.  Apgar  received  a  good  common 
school  education  in  his  native  town.  By  trade  he  was  a 
carpenter.  December  20th,  1834,  he  married  Cornelia 
Wiggins,  of  Mount  Hope,  Miorris  county,  N.  J.  She  was 
born  at  Mount  Hope,  February  15th,  1805.  After  mar- 
riage he  settled  in  Flanders,  Morris  county,  N.  J.,  where 
besides  working  at  his  trade  he  carried  on  a  farm,  as  he 
did  subsequently  at  Chester,  Morris  county. 

In  April,  1853,  having  sold  his  property  in  New  Jersey, 
he  removed  to  Dunmore,  and  purchased  and  settled  on 
the  place  now  occupied  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Nye.  He 
continued  to  work  at  his  trade  and  upon  his  farm  in 
Dunmore  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
December  6th,  1872.  His  wife  survived  him  seven  years, 
dying  February  21st,  1879.  She  was  a  member  of  the 
Dunmore  Presbyterian  Church,  and  of  the  Rockaway 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Morris  county,  N.  J. 


Their  children  were  as  follows  : 

Melissa,  born  September  2Sth,  1835;  married  to  Phijip 
Gulick  March  3d,  1858;  living  at  Clinton,  Hunterdon 
county,  N.  J. 

Robert  D.,  born  July  13th,  1838;  died  October  31st, 
1842. 

William  W.,  born  September  nth,  1840;  died  August 
31st,  1841.     • 

Lettie  C,  born  December  27th,  1843;  died  September 
24th,  1844. 

Cornelia  W.,  born  January  29th,  1845;  married  to 
George  Couch  January  2nd,  1866;  living  at  Phillipsburgh, 
N.J. 

Susan  A.,  born  January  5th,  1849;  married  October 
5th,  1875,  to  Irvin  Nye.  The  latter  was  born  at  Lacey- 
ville,  Wyoming  county,  Pa.,  March  22nd,  1849.  ^'■-  ^^^ 
Mrs.  Nye  own  and  live  at  the  homestead  in  Dunmore. 
They  have  two  children — Harry  Apgar,  born  October 
4th,  1876,  and  George  C,  born  April  27th,  1878. 


4^ 


*^H= 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  NESCOPECK  TOWNSHIP. 


3^3 


NESCOPFXK  TOWNSHIP. 


jESCOPECK  township,  named  from  Nesco- 
peck  creek,  was  set  off  from  Newport  in 
1792  and  then  comprised  also  Hollenback 
and  Conyngham.  Nescopeck  creek  it  is 
said  takes  its  name  from  its  dark  color, 
caused  by  coal  veins  near  its  source;  the  name 
signifying  "deep  black  waters '' in  the  Indian 
tongue.  The  population  of  the  township  was  968  in 
1870  and.  1,205  in  '880. 

The  first  settler,  George  Walker,  located  near  the  site 
of  the  grist-mill  of  Benjamin  Evans,  as  early  as  1786. 
He  made  improvements  here,  and  attempted  to  build  a 
mill,  but  was  washed  out  by  the  great  freshet  of  October, 
1786,  known  as  the  "pumpkin  flood."  A  family  settled 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Michael  Raber.  They  were 
killed  by  the  Indians,  and  it  was  claimed  that  the  savages 
were  incited  to  the  deed  by  Walker,  who  was  jealous  of 
neighbors.  The  feeling  against  him  among  the  people  of 
adjoining  townships  was  so  strong  that  he  thought  it 
safer  to  go  west. 

A  road  was  laid  out  from  Nescopeck  falls  to  the 
Lehigh  in  1787,  which  followed  very  nearly  the  course  of 
the  present  turnpike.  It  was  opened  by  authority  of  the 
commonwealth,  and  Evan  Owens,  proprietor  of  Berwick, 
was  appointed  to  superintend  its  construction.  The 
road  was  completed  in  1789.  The  turnpike  was  chartered 
about  1803. 

The  first  land  grant  was  of  that  part  of  the  Campania 
tract  lying  west  of  Big  Wapwallopen  creek,  which 
was  surveyed  to  Daniel  Grant  in  1769,  and  patented  by 
George  Campbell  in  1773.  The  next  was  of  the  land  on 
which  the  Evans  mill  stands,  to  Jacob  Bittenbender,  in 
1808.  Several  tracts  had  been  taken  up  previous  to  this, 
but  the  patents  were  not  taken  out. 

In  1791  Jacob  Smithers,  Jacob  Shover,  Martin  Aton 
and  Jacob  Seyberling  settled  along  the  banks  of  the  Nes 
copeck  creek.  In  1807  Henry  Dewespecht,  Michael 
Harrier,  Conrad  Bloos,  Jacob  Bittenbender,  jr.,  William 
Moore,  Thomas  Cole,  Conrad  Reiderich,  John  Henry, 
Caspar  Henry,  Michael  Whitenecht,  Michael  Nauss,  Con- 
rad Bingheimer,  Peter  Clingeman,  Bernard  Snyder,  John 
Rooth,  George  Bittenbender,  George  Keens,  John  Buss, 

Daly, Bassinger,  and   a   surveyor  by   the  name 

of  Chesney  had  settled  in  Nescopeck.  They  were  nearly 
all  from  Northampton  county.  From  this  time  settlers 
came  in  rapidly.  The  Fortners,  Sloyers  and  Smiths 
came  about  1828,  and  the  families  of  Evans  and  Wil- 
liams soon  after.  Jonas  Buss,  who  settled  here  in  1807, 
is  now  living  at  Mififlin,  Columbia  county,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-nine.  He  still  retains  his  memory  of  early  events 
in  a  remarkable  degree,  and  we  are  indebted  to  him  for 
many  facts  concerning  the  early  history  of  the  township. 
William  Rittenhouse,  who  owned  large  tracts  of  land 
in  this  and  adjoining  towns,  built  a  small  log  grist-mill  on 
Nescopeck  creek  about  1795,  a^^"  inducement  for  settlers 


to  purchase  his  lands.  He  sold  to  Jacob  Rittenhouse  in  . 
1808.  Nathan  Beach  built  a  small  log  mill  on  Wapwall- 
open creek  about  1795,  near  the  place  called  "Powder 
Hole.''  There  were  three  mills  on  this  site,  and  all 
burned  by  accident,  A  still  was  connected  with  the 
second  one.  Samuel  Mifflin  built  a  saw-mill  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Nescopeck  creek  in  1795.  Logs  floating 
down  the  river  were  caught  and  sawed  at  this  mill.  In 
1824  Henry  Bowman  built  a  large  three-story  grist-mill, 
using  the  same  dam  and  water  privilege.  He  sold  this 
to  Daniel  Evans  in  1838,  who  added  a  plaster  mill.  The 
mill  is  still  the  property  of  the  heirs  of  Daniel  Evans. 
John  McMutria  built  a  grist-mill  above  the  Evans  mill 
about  1853.     He  sold  to  J.  Johnson  in  i860. 

A  saw-mill  was  built  by  H.  Haschner  about  1867.  A 
wool-carding  and  fulling  mill  was  built  by  John  T.  Davis, 
on  a  branch  of  Nescopeck  creek  in  1S40.  J.  Stephenson 
bought  it  in  1S60,  and  still  operates  it,  employing  four 
persons,  and  making  yearly  $3,000  worth  of  satinet  and 
cloth,  flannel  and  yarn. 

E.  and  J.  Leidy  built  a  forge  on  Nescopeck  creek  in 
1830,  containing  two  hammers  and  three  fires.  They 
made  bar  iron  and  blooms,  from  ore  dug  in  Columbia 
county  and  from  pig  metal.  Hon.  Simon  Cameron  once 
had  an  interest  in  this  forge.  It  finally  passed  into  the 
hands  of  S.  F.  Headly,  who  enlarged  the  works  and 
operated  them  successfully  several  years.  The  forge  has 
been  idle  since  1854. 

Theodore  and  George  Naugle  built  a  tannery  on  Nes- 
copeck creek  about  1858,  which  was  operated  until  1870. 
Their  present  saw-mill  was  built  in  1851. 

Previous  to  1796  the  people  traded  at  Sunbury,  going 
and  returning  in  canoes.  At  this  time  Samuel  Mifflin 
started  a  small  store  near  the  bank  of  the  river,  on  the 
site  of  the  village  of  Nescopeck.  William  Baird  had 
charge  as  agent,  and  lived  in  the  same  building,  which 
was  the  first  frame  building  in  the  township.  The  first 
blacksmith  shop  was  on  the  bank  of  the  river  near  the 
present  residence  of  William  Harter,  and  was  owned  by 
George  Rough.  The  first  hotel  was  kept  by  one  Steiner, 
in  a  small  log  house  at  the  ferry.  John  Myers  built  the 
first  frame  hotel  in  1807.  Another  was  built  by  John 
Rothermel  in  1815.  His  son,  the  painter  of  the  celebrat- 
ed picture  "  The  Battle  of  Gettysburg,"  was  born  here. 
In  1817  Christian  Kunkle  built  the  stone  house  now 
owned  by  the  Cooper  heirs,  in  Nescopeck  village,  burn- 
ing the  brick  for  the  chimneys,  and  for  a  three-story 
building  in  Berwick,  on  the  ground.  Michael  Raber 
built  the  first  brick  dwelling  and  burned  the  brick 
for  all  the  rest. 

The  bridge  across  the  Susquehanna  was  built  in  18 16, 
at  a  cost  of  $36,000.  A  flood  swept  the  bridge  away  in 
1836,  and  the  following  year  it  was  rebuilt  by  Millard  & 
Ephraim  Edson,  for  $27,500.     It  is  1,250  feet  long. 

The  first  school  was  taught  by  William  Coder,  about 
1 8 10,  near  the  residence  of  Martin  Frey.  The  house  was 
built  by  gatherings  of  the  men  of  the  neighborhood. 
Teachers  \yere  hired  by  the  quarter,  or  term  of  three 
months.     Each    man   paid   according  to  the    number  of 


*^h= 


324 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


f 


children  sent  to  school  by  him.  The  first  school  on  the 
river  was  taught  byThontias  Miller,  a  tailor,  in  1828.  The 
first  building  for  a  free  school  was  built  in  1838,  by  Jo- 
seph Schlusser,  on  the  site  of  the  brick  school-house  in 
Nescopeck  village.  A  new,  two-story,  graded  school 
building  has  just  been  completed  near  Nescopeck  village. 
In  T878  there  were  five  schools  taught  in  the  township, 
with  an  average  attendance  of  216  pupils,  and  a  total 
expenditure  of  $2,130.42  for  educational  matters. 

John  Briggs,  jr.,  appointed  in  r8ii,  was  the  first  post- 
master in  Nescopeck.  Mails  were  carried  from  Berwick 
to  Easton,  on  horseback,  by  one  Smith.  There  are  now 
two  post-offices,  one  at  Nescopeck,  Milton  Williams 
postmaster;  and  the  other  at  Briggsville,  on  the  turnpike, 
A.  G.  Briggs  postmaster.  Mails  are  now  carried  from 
Berwick  to  Conyngham  and  from  Nescopeck  to  Slocum 
twice  a  week. 

Nescopeck  Village. 

The  village  of  Nescopeck  was  laid  out  at  an  early  day 
by  Isaiah  Chapman,  who  had  a  large  frame  store-house 
on  the  river  bank.  The  village  contains  nearly  a  tiundred 
dwellings.  Samuel  Williams  keeps  the  only  hotel. 
There  is  one  store,  kept  by  J.  Williams  &  Son.  A.  Wantz 
has  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  a  small  pottery  for  the  manu- 
facture of  flower  pots  was  started  by  August  Thiel  in 
1879.  Nearly  all  the  men  are  employed  during  the  day 
in  the  shops  at  Berwick. 

The  Nescopeck  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company,  or- 
ganized in  August,  1857,  has  its  office  here.  The  officers 
are:  Michael  Raber,  president;  Benjamin  Evans,  secre- 
tary. 

The  Reformed  Church. 

The  Reformed  congregation  in  Nescopeck  took  its  rise 
in  181 1.  On  September  3d  of  that  year  the  corner  stone 
of  the  first  church  edifice  was  laid  by  Rev.  Jacob  Dief- 
fenbach,  from  Berks  county.  There  was  no  regular 
Reformed  pastor.  This  church  was  completed  in  1814. 
Rev.  Thomas  Pomp,  a  Reformed  minister  of  Easton, 
preached  the  consecratory  sermon.  In  1S15  Rev.  Jacob 
Dieffenbach,  having  located  at  Bloomsburg,  Columbia 
county,  became  pastor  of  this  congregation,  and  he  served 
il  for  a  number  of  years.  Afterward  Rev.  John  Nicho- 
laus  Zeizer  became  pastor,  succeeded  by  Rev.  Isaac  Shell- 
hammer,  and  he  by  Rev.  Horace  Daniel.  From  the  fall 
of  1857  Rev.  Henry  Hoffman  was  pastor  nine  years,  and 
Rev.  A.  R.  Hottenstein  ten  years  from  1866.  In  the  fall 
of  1876  Rev.  Tilghman  Derr,  the  present  pastor,  was 
called.  There  were  intervals  of  several  years  when  the 
congregation  had  no  Reformed  pastor.  In  1868  this  con- 
gregation, in  union  with  the  Lutherans,  built  the  present 
commodious  brick  church.  There  are  sixty  communicant 
members.  The  elders  are  Michael  Raber  and  Thomas 
Bower;  deacons,  Philip  Fenstermacher  and  Milton 
Smith. 

Supervisors  .\nd  Justices. 

The  first  township  officers   were  elected  in  1806,  being 
Michael  Weiss   and  Martin    Hirst,  supervisors;   Ambrose 


Tille,   clerk;    and  John    Henry,  auditor.     Since  1806  the 
following  persons  have  held  the  office  of  supervisor: 

William  Moore,  1807;  Michael  Weiss,  1807,  1810,  1817,  1834;  Thomas 
Kocher,  1808;  Abram  Shortz,  1808, 1828;  Jacob  Hess,  1809, 1812, 1826;  Jacob 
Bittenbender,  1809, 1815, 1816, 1823, 1826, 1831;  Jacob  Smithers,  1810;  Philip 
Fenstermacher,  1811,  1815;  John  Bittenbender,  1811,  1817;  John  Buss, 
1812;  Peter  Rookel,  1813,  1836;  Georg-e  Henry,  1813;  Philip  Badler,  1814; 
Conrad  Line,  1816;  Henry  Whitebread,  1818;  Martin  Harter,  1818,  1830, 
18'12,  1843;  Jacob  Weiss,  1819;  George  Rough,  1819;  William  Hess,  1820; 
Jonas  Buss,  1820;  Philip  Meixell,  1821,  1831;  John  Henry,  1821, 1836;  Jere- 
miah Hess,  1822;  Peter  Good,  1822,  1857;  Peter  Mowery,  1823;  Daniel 
Rough,  1823;  Christian  Stout,  1824;  William  Henry,  1824, 1876;  James  Dod- 
son,1837;  John  Boughman,  1827;  John  Cool,  1838;  John  Briggs,  1839;  John 
Baugher,  1839;  John  Whitebread,  IKiO;  George  Fenstermacher,  1832;  Jacob 
Hart,  1833, 1845;  Daniel  Wall,  1833;  Benjamin  Smith,  1834;  Abraham  Keen, 
1834;  John  M.  Briggs,  1836, 1859,  1800;  Jacob  Shafter,  1835-37;  John  Weiss, 
1837-40;  John  Henry,  jr.,  1837, 1838;  Jacob  Buzzard,  1838, 1841, 1854, 1855; 
John  N.  Zeizer,  1839, 1841;  Christian  Schobert,  1840, 1842;  Frederick  White- 
bread,  1843;  John  Anderson,  1844;  William  Fowler,  1844;  Jacob  Frey,  1845, 
1846;  Philip  Naugle,  1846-49,  1851;  Jacob  Bryfogle,  1847^9,  1852, 1861, 1883; 
George  Karohner,  1&50;  Michael  Kaber,  1850;  David  Hartzell,  1852, 1853; 
John  Smith,  1853-55, 1868;  Jesse  Weiss,  1856,  1857;  Jacob  Harter,  jr.,  1858- 
60,  1869,  1870;  William  Aton,  1860;  Samuel  Harter,  1863,  1863,  1871-70; 
Theodore  Naugle,  1863, 1864, 1874;  William  Kishbach,  1864, 1877, 1878;  John 
Nauss,  1865-07;  William  Thrash,  1865-67;  Levi  Lutz,  1868;  Alexander  San- 
tee,  1868, 1869;  Samuel  Rough,  1870-73;  Jacob  Radler,  1873;  PhiUp  Fenster- 
macher, jr.,  1874;  Henry  Eeilly,  1878;  John  F.  Whitebread,  1879. 

Ambrose  Tille  held  the  office  of  town  clerk  for  the 
years  i8o6  and  1807,  since  which  time  there  has  been 
none.     Justices  have  been  designated  as  follows  : 

Jacob  Bittenbender,  1800;  George  Drum,  1810;  WilUam  Baird,  1811;  John 
Buss,  1813;  Valentine  Senvell,  1814;  Daniel  Bitter,  1817;  Abram  Shirtz, 
1818;  George  Drum,  jr.,  1834;  Jonas  Buss,  1836,  1864;  Christian  Kunkle, 
1838;  Moses  S.  Brundage,  1832;  Henry  Tost,  1832;  John  Briggs,  1834;  John 
Fenstermacher,  1840;  Benjamin  Evans,  1850,  1855,  1860,  1865,  1870,  1875; 
Joseph  Hampton,  1851, 1866;  A.  G.  Briggs,  1861, 1866. 


NEWPORT  TOWNSHIP. 


i  HE  township  of  Newport,  which  formerly  com- 
prised Newport,  Slocum,  Dorrance,  Hollen- 
back,  Conyngham  and  Nescopeck,  was  one  of 
those  laid  out  by  the  Susquehanna  Company. 
It  is  now  reduced  to  an  area  of  nineteen  square 
miles,  and  has  a  population  of  1,531.  All  the 
farms  are  owned  by  coal  companies,  and  are  either 
worked  by  men  in  the  employ  of  the  companies  or  by 
tenants  on  leases  for  one  year.  The  short  lease  holds  out 
no  inducement  to  the  tenant  to  improve  the  land,  and 
consequently  the  farms  are  in  an  impoverished  state. 

Settlement  .\nd  Early  Corporate  Action. 

The  first  settler  in  the  township  was  Major  Prince  Al- 
den,  who  settled  on  Newport  creek  in  1772.  He  was 
followed  by  his  sons,  Mason  F.  and  John,  and  a  Mr.  Chap- 
man, and  they  by  other  settlers,  as  the  following  copy  of 
the  minutes  of  a  township  meeting  will  show.  The  re- 
sult of  the  investigation  ordered,  which  is  appended  in 
tabular  form,  was  arrived  at  June  13th,  1787. 

"NEwrouT  To*KSHip.-At  a  meeting  legally  warned  and  held  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  Prince  Alden,  on  Saturday,  Juno  9th,  1787,  made  choice 
ot  JMr.  Pnnce  Alden  moderator,  and  Mason  F.  Alden  clerk 

'•  Isl.  Came  to  the  following  resolutions,  viz  :  Whereas,  the  survey  ot 
this  town  was  utterly  lost  at  the  destruction  of  this  settlement,  it  is 
therefore  resolved  that  a  commitee  of  three  persons  be  appointed  to 
carefully  mspeot  into  and  ascertain  the  proprietors  and  actual  settlers 
Of  the  town  of  Newport  at  or  before  the  decree  of  Trenton ;  and  also  to 


f 


<l 


EARLY  INHABITANTS  01-   NEWPORT  TOWNSHIP. 


325 


ei'cct  the  pounds,  which  were  burnt  down  since  the  town  was  iillotted 
out,  and  also  to  find  out  the  numbers  of  the  lots. 

"  3ud.  Voted,  thiit  Mr.  Prince  Alden,  Mason  F.  Alden  and  Captiiin 
John  P.  Schott  be  appointed  for  the  purpose  aforesaid,  as  a  conunittee  ; 
and  also  to  allot  out  the  third  division,  which  will  comprehend  the 
whole  of  300  acres  to  each  proprietor  of  said  town,  in  one  or  more  lots,  us 
they  shall  think  most  convenient. 

"  3d.  Voted,  that  the  ])roprietors  will  poy  each  committee  man  one 
dollar  per  day  when  on  duty,  and  for  the  purpose  a  tax  to  belaid  on 
each  rijjht  to  dofiiiy  the  expense." 


Names  of  Owners. 


James  Baker 

Mason  Fitch  Alden.. 


John  P.  Schott 

Prince  Alden,  sen 

William  H.Smith. 


.John  Heg-cman 

Ebenezer  Williams — 

William  Smith 

Caleb  Howard .-. .. 

Clement  Baniel 

Isaac  Bennett 

William  Stewart 

G^eorge  Miner 

Pele^  Co  rastock 

Samuel  Jackson 

Beniamin  Baily 

Anderson  Dana 

John  Canaday 

John  Jame.son 

Elisha  Drake 

.John  Carey 

Edward  Lester 

Luke  Sweatland 

William  Hyde 

Harableton  Grant — 

Turner  Jameson 

John  Bradford 

John  Nobles 

James  Barks 

Prince  Alden,  jr 

Andrew  Alden 

Solomon  Ilambleton. 

Ephraim  Harris 

William  Avery 

Gershom  Breed 

Jabez  Deans ■ 

Amos  Wells 

Dolas  Brouffhton 


='S 


Cri  C 


5,6 

9 


En     .. 


~0. 


tK 

51 

( r,n,  51. 

1  A\  47 

39,30,46,  35 

i5 

1  4i),  13 

4,  12,  7 

53,  53 

81,16 

)  37,  46 

30,  28,  26 

131 
1  37,  48 

■S}.  23,  53 

1,42 

35,13 

18,3 

31,  17 

2:^ 

50 

1^-S 


..a 

'A 


The  last  seven  are  noted  as  being  non-resident  owners. 
The  costs  of  the  survey,  amounting  to  ;£'i6  19s.  6^d., 
were  divided  among  the  owners  of  rights  at  the  rate  of 
7s.  loj^d.  to  each  right.  It  was  voted  that  this  should 
be  paid  in  produce,  at  the  market  price,  to  be  delivered 
at  the  house  of  John  P.  Schott,  in  Wilkes  Barre,  or  at  the 
house  of  Mason  F.  Alden,  in  Newport,  on  or  before  the 
first  day  of  November,  1787. 

July  7th,  1787,  Prince  Alden  and  Captain  John  P. 
Schott  were  appointed  agents  of  the  town,  to  lay  out  the 
lands,  and  to  accompany  the  surveyors.  Shubart  Bidlack 
and  Ichabod  Shaw  were  appointed  chain-bearers,  and 
Elisha  Bennet  ax-man,  to  mark  the  lines.  It  was  voted 
to  pay  each  agent  los.  and  each  chain-bearer  or  ax-raan 
SB.  per  day,  to  be  paid  in  produce,  to  be  delivered  at 
such  place  as  the  agents  might  direct. 

September  isth,  1790,  William  Jackson,  Isaac  Bennet 
and  Silas  Smith  were  appointed  a  committee  to  take  care 
of  the  public  lands,  and  in  case  of  any  damage  being 
done  to  summon  the  proprietors  to  a  meeting,  that  steps 
might  be  taken  to  prosecute  the  offenders.  John  Hager- 
man  was    appointed    to  revise  the    records  of    Newport 


township.  It  was  voted  that  the  proprietors  of  Newport 
should  thereafter  in  voting  be  each  entitled  to  as  many 
votes  as  the  number  of  "rights"  they  owned  or  had 
charge  of. 

In  1792  William  Jackson,  John  Fairchild,  Mason  F. 
Alden,  M.  Smith,  Daniel  McMullen  and  Abram  Smith 
were  appoined  a  committee  to  lay  out  roads.  Christo- 
pher Flurlbut  did  the  work. 

August  23d,  1794,  it  was  voted  to  sell  part  of  the  pub- 
lic lands  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  land  trials  with 
the  Pennsylvania  claimants.  Isaac  Bennet,  Sidney 
Drake,  John  Fairchild,  Jonathan  Smith  and  William 
Jackson  were  appointed  a  committee  to  do  any  township 
business  they  might  think  necessary,  and  were  empowered 
to  lease  public  lands  for  a  term  of  nine  hundred  years. 
October  4th,  1794,  the  committee,  by  virtue  of  the  au- 
thority granted  them,  leased  lot  No.  18,  2nd  tier,  ist  di- 
vision, to  Elias  Decker,  for  nine  hundred  years,  at  a 
yearly  rental  of  one  pepper  corn  per  year,  (/  dcinaiidcd, 
to  be  paid  into  the  town  treasury.  Also  to  Jacob  Crater 
lot  No.  49,  3d  division,  for  the  same  time  and  at  the  same 
rate.  November  28th,  1791,  a  bill  of  Putnam  Catlin  for 
expenses  of  land  trials,  amounting  to  ^25  17s.  3d.  was 
allowed.  March  isth,  1800,  the  committee  leased  to 
John  Alden  lot  No.  25,  3d  division,  for  nine  hundred 
and  ninety-nine  years,  for  I43,  to  be  paid  before  the  ex- 
jiiration  of  the  lease,  and  $2.58  per  year,  to  be  paid  to  the 
town  treasurer;  to  Henry  Schoonover  lot  No.  i,  3d  di- 
vision, for  the  same  time  at  $82;  to  Abram  Setzer  lot 
No.  13,  2d  division,  for  $61;  to  Andrew  McClure  lot.«i 
Nos.  26  and  43,  2nd  division,  for  the  same  time,  at  $180 
and  a  yearly  sum  of  $10.80. 

In  all  these  leases  the  lessee  was  bound  to  pay  all 
taxes  on  the  lands,  and  the  lessor  agrees  to  defend  against 
all  parties  claiming  under  the  Susquehanna  Company. 

February  25th,  1805,  at  a  town  meeting  the  following 
persons  bound  themselves,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  to 
abide  by  the  lines  and  surveys  as  established  by  William 
.Montgomery,  surveyor  to  the  committee  under  the  con- 
firming act: 

Silas  Jackson,  James  Stewart,  John  Noble,  Uenjamin  Berry,  Matthew 
Cavel,  Andrew  Dana,  Nattian  Whipple,  Maitin  Vandyne,  Abraham 
Smith,  jr.,  John  Fairchild,  Abraham  Smith,  James  Mullen,  Frederick 
Jiarkman,  Philip  Croup,  William  Bellestelt,  Cornelius  Bollcsfolt,  Isaac 
Bennet,  Andrew  Keithline,  Cornelius  Smith,  William  Nelson,  Jacob 
Itceder,  Christian  Sowev,  Oisomin  Fetterman,  Daniel  Adams,  Jaines 
Kecder,  John  R.  Little,  Jonathan  Kelley,  Daniel  Sims,  William  Jackson, 
John  Jacob,  ji'.,  Elisha  Bennet,  Henry  Bennet,  Michael  Hofl'man,  Valen- 
tine Smith,  John  Lutsey,  James  Millage,  Andrew  Lee,  Jacob  Lutsoy, 
Conrad  Line,  jr.,  Jacob  Schleppey  and  Henry  Fritze. 

The  early  settlers  of  this  township,  were  engaged  in  the 
Indian  and  Pennamite  wars.  The  names  of  Captain  Schott, 
Major  Prince  Alden,  and  others,  will  often  be  met  with 
in  the  history  of  the  early  troubles  of  the  country.  The 
inhabitants  of  Newport  had  to  depend  entirely  upon  the 
grist-mill  of  Mr.  Chapman,  on  Nanticoke  creek,  for  the 
"rinding  of  their  grain.  This  mill  was  threatened  by  the 
Indians  in  1780,  and  was  saved  by  a  lieutenant,  a  ser- 
geant and  nine  privates.  After  this  mill  had  become 
useless  William  Jackson  built  one  on  Newport  creek. 
This  was  the  last  grist-mill  in  the  township.  John  Schlep- 
pey (since  spelled  Slippey)  built  a  saw-mill  about  a  mile 


^ 


*^^ 


32C 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


west  of  Wanamie,  which  he  afterward  changed  into  a 
foundry  and  cast  ploughs  as  early  as  1820.  There  are 
now  no  mills  of  any  kind  in  the  township.  In  1778 
Mason  F.  and  John  Alden  erected  a  small  forge  on  Nan- 
ticoke  creek  near  the  mill  of  Mr,  Chapman.  It  contained 
a  single  fire  and  one  hammer.  The  ore  of  Newport  pro- 
duced thirty-three  per  cent,  of  metal;  it  was  iTjaniifac- 
tured  into  bar  iron  and  afforded  the  only  supjjly  for  the 
smiths  of  that  day.  It  is  declared  to  have  been  equal  to 
the  best  Center  county  iron.  In  TS28  Colonel  Lee  Fold 
iron  from  this  forge  at  ^120  per  ton  of  2,000  pounds. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Jacob  Rambach,  on  the 
road  leading  from  Wanamie  to  Nanticoke.  Until  lately 
Newporters  had  to  trade  at  Wilkes-Barre.  The  first  post- 
office  was  at  Newport  Centre,  and  mails  were  carried 
through  the  township  by  coaches  from  Wilkes-Barre  to 
Conyngham.  This  office  has  long  been  abandoned.  The 
first  stone-house  was  built  by  Michael  Gruver,  who  came 
into  the  township  from  Northumberland  county  in  1812. 
It  is  now  occupied  by  D.  P.  Keency.  Daniel  Rambach 
built  the  first  brick  house.  The  first  hotel  was  kept  by 
Adam  Labach,  near  where  the  Lines  hotel  now  is.  'I  he 
first  blacksmith  was  George  Frantz,  Dr.  William  'J'honip- 
son,  who  lived  near  the  line  of  Hanover,  was  the  only 
physician  who  ever  lived  in  the  township.  The  first 
road  was  the  State  road  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Conyng- 
ham, in  Sugarloaf  township. 

In  September,  1796,  Jonathan  Smith  deeded  to  the 
town  half  an  acre  off  the  east  side  of  his  and  Sidney 
Drake's  lots  for  burial  iiurposes.  This,  the  only  ceme- 
tery in  the  township,  holds  the  remains  of  many  of  the 
early  settlers.  The  graves  are  unmarked.  Jonathan 
Coe  was  the  first  man  buried  here.  Previous  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  cemetery  the  dead  were  buried  on  a 
knoll  near  the  Hanover  line,  which  is  now  plowed  over 
and  the  mounds  effaced. 

Schools. 

As  early  as  1803  there  was  a  school-house  on  the  Mid- 
dle road  opposite  the  cemetery.  There  is  no  record  of 
any  of  the  early  teachers,  and  no  one  now  living  can 
remember  them.  January  3d,  1806,  it  was  voted  that 
the  interest  of  the  public  monies  for  the  three  years  past 
be  appropriated  to  the  benefit  of  the  schools.  Six  trus- 
tees were  appointed  to  divide  the  township  into  three 
school  districts.  The  committee  reported,  January  6th, 
1806,  that  the  north  division  had  51  children;  the  south 
division  72,  and  the  west  division  34.  Schools  were  then 
established  in  each  division.  There  are  now  six  schools 
in  the  township,  with  an  average  attendance  of  206 
pupils.  The  total  expenditure  of  the  township  for  edu- 
cational matters  during  1878  was  $2,888.43.  I'lie  town- 
ship provides  all  pupils  with  books,  thus  insuring  a  uni- 
form series. 

Religious  Enterprises. 

March  ist,  1810,  it  was  voted  that  the  interest  of  the 
public  monies  be  appropriated  to  build  i  nieeting-house. 
This,   however,  was  not   done    u::til    1826,  when,  by  the 


united  efforts  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  congrega- 
tions, a  wooden  church  edifice  was  erected.  This  was 
used  by  both  societies  several  years;  but  the  lands  were 
bought  up  by  the  coal  companies,  the  old  families  moved 
away,  and  neither  denomination  now  has  an  organiza- 
tion. 

A  church  was  built  early  in  this  century  for  the  Re- 
formed and  Lutheran  congregations.  The  pastors  at 
Hanover  were  pastors  at  Newport.  The  first  church 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  Newport  graveyard.  Tl  e 
present  building  is  used  by  the  Methodists,  who  have  a 
class  here.  The  minister  is  Rev.  William  Davis,  who  re- 
sides at  Hanover. 

There  is  a  society  of  Welsh  Baptists  at  Wanamie,  who 
have  their  own  minister  and  hold  meetings  in  the  school- 
house. 

Mining  Interests. 

The  present  interests  of  the  people  are  entirely  con- 
nected with  the  operations  of  the  Lehigh  &  Wilkes- 
Barre  Coal  Company,  at  their  mines  at  Wanamie.  In 
1868-69  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  who  owned  a  large  share 
of  the  coal  lands  in  Newport,  built  a  branch  of  the  Lehigh 
&  Susquehanna  railroad  to  Wanamie  and  began  opera- 
tions there.  He  soon  sold  to  the  present  owners,  who 
built  two  large  breakers,  now  known  as  Wanamie  Nos.  i 
and  2,  or  as  Lehigh  &  Wilkes-Barre  Nos.  18  and  19. 

Breaker  No.  i  has  a  daily  capacity  of  1,500  tons,  and 
No.  2,  r,ooo  tons.  The  company  owns  125  tenant  houses 
at  this  place,  and  employs  about  400  men  and  boys.  The 
officers  of  the  company  at  Wanamie  are;  W.  T.  Leas, 
superintendent;  James  M.  Norris,  accountant;  R.  O. 
Leas,  outside  foreman:  Morgan  R.  Morgans,  inside  fore- 
man. 

Wanamie. 

Wanamie  is  almost  entirely  a  village  of  tenement 
houses.  The  mines  and  offices  of  the  Wanamie  colliery 
are  here.  The  principal  store  is  that  of  H.  H.  Ashley  & 
Co.;  George  P.  Lindsey  superintendent,  A.  W.  George 
bookkeeper,  David  J.  Jenkins  and  J.  E.  Hassler  clerks. 
The  only  other  store  is  that  of  John  A.  Gruver.  W.  C. 
Gruver  keeps  the  only  hotel  in  Wanamie.  C.  S.  Fargo 
has  charge  of  the  railroad  affairs  at  this  place. 

The  Succession  of  Township  Officers. 

.Siij)fm»„-,v.-Jnhn  Alden,  ISOI,  IRIl,  1,S13;  Abviiliam  Smith,  1801;  Cor- 
nelius Belles,  ISW,  l,s23, 1823;  Willinm  Neilson,  1802;  Ji.hn  Fairoliild,  IBM, 
1810, 1818;  .laeot)  Eeeder,  180:1;  Fi-erlei-iuk  Uurkman,  1804;  Jonathan  Kelle.v, 
1801, 1807;  Jonathan  Smitli,  ISO.'i;  Nathan  Whipple,  1805;  David  Adams, 
1806;  Nathan  Vand.vno,  180(i:  Christian  Sorber,  ISOT,  1818;  John  Jacob, 
180H;  Jacob  liambaeh,  1808,  1809;  Andrew  Koithline,  1800, 1810,  1837, 1838; 
Jacob  iSchleppy,  1811;  Adam  Labech,  1S12-U;  Andrew  Croop,  18U,  1817, 
1333;  Philip  Shue:nan,  lsr>,  ISIfl,  18il;  ,Tohn  Sohlepp,v,  1315,  1837;  Isaac 
Cruver,  ISlli,  1817;  John  Sorber,  ISKi;  Jeremiah  Vandtrmark,  1818,1830; 
John  Vanderniark,  181!),  ls,i3,  13(11;  John  Rambach,  1830,  1831;  Michael 
Rruvor,  1831;  John  A,  I,nb,  1833;  Henry  Dotterer,  1834;  Joseph  Keithline, 
1835;  Jacob  Dapport,  1825,  1820;  nen.1aniin  Vandormnrk,  1820;  George 
Gruver,  1337;  Adam  Belles,  1838-:!1;  Conrad  Lines,  1828-30;  Nicholas  Bark- 
man,  1831-33,  1835,  1830;  Richard  Paine,  1&37;  John  Kester,  18-40;  Peter 
Belles,  1835,  18.30,  1838,  1850,  1851;  Philip  Houpt,  mi,  1840,  1841;  Henry 
Dolterer,  1843, 1848;  William  Lut.sey,  1843,  1844, 1847;  Eli,iah  Vandermark, 
1844,  1854;  John  Dotterer,  1845;  John  Fairchlld,  1845,  1805,  1800-71, 1873; 
Adam  Bridinser,  1840,  1848-50;  Philip  Myers,  1847,  1851;  George  Foster, 
1848;  Daniel  Walp,  1849;  Henry  llaiseley,  1861;  Michael  Mosher,  18.53; 
George  Dotterer,  18.5.3;  John  Gruver,  1853;  George  Shireman,  1854;  Daniel 


H^ 


Hh 


NEWPORT  TOWNSHIP  OFFICERS— LODGES  AT  WANAMIE— PITTSTON  TOWNSHIP. 


327 


Rambaoli,  IS-Vy,  John  Miller,  1855;  Mosos  Vanaermark,  1850;  Peter  Deets, 
1858, 1857;  George  P.  Obitz,  1857;  D.  P.  Keeney,  1858, 1874;  Daniel  Raiscley, 
ISSS-e-J;  Sims  Vandermarlc,  1859-03;  Solomon  Fairoliiia,  1803,  1871,  1873; 
Willtam  Belles,  1803,  1801;  John  Hawk,  1801;  Samuel  Womelsdorf,  isi;5; 
Abraham  Fairohild,  ISCj;  Winiam  Jones,  18O0;  Abraham  Lines,  1307, 
1S«S;  Michael  Moses,  1837;  L.  J.  Vanrtermarli.  1805,  1873,  1874;  William 
Croop,  18011,  1S70;  Hug:h  noyle,  1873;  W.  C.  Graver,  1875,  1870;  Ebimezer 
Morjfan,  1875;  A.  J.  Belies,  1870, 1877;  Philip  Belles,  1877;  William  Dehincy, 
1878;  J.  P.  Alexander,  1878;  John  Semmer,  1879;  Adam  R.  Belles,  1879. 

Town  Plcrlts.—Masnn  F.  Alden,  1767-93;  Fredericl:  Cresmer,  1794  ;  Jona- 
than Smith,  179.5-1800;  Jonathan  Kellcy,  1800-07  ;  Robert  Lewis,  1807-31 ; 
John  Kidney,  1831-35 ;  Henry  Deflord,  183.)-28  ;  John  Vanrtermarli,  1838- 
50 ;  S-  P.  Vandermark,  1857 ;  Silas  Itombach,  1857-59 ;  Jacob  Kocher,  ISOO  ; 
William  Sehloppey,  1800 ;  James  Black,  1801,  since  which  time  there  lias 
been  none. 

JiKdVc^.— Appointed:  Christian  Stout,  1813;  Francis  AlcShane,  1813;  Isaac 
Hartaell,  1814;  Jacob  Rambach,  1819;  Samuel  .lameson,  1833 ;  Bateman 
Downing,  1833.;  Thomas  Williams,  1831;  John  Vandermark,  18:18  :  John 
Forsman,  1839.  Elected :  John  Vandermark,  18+0, 1845, 1858 ;  Jacob  Ram- 
bach, latO;  Da\'id  Thompson,  1845;  Philip  Myers,  1847,  18.53;  William 
Belles,  18.50;  William  A.  Schlcppy,  1855;  William  Belles  3ud,  18.50  ;  Simon 
P.  Vanderm.irk,  1800,  1805,  1870;  Andrew  J.  Smith,  1873;  E.N.  Adams, 
1874;  William  Morgan,  1878. 

Lodge  Histories. 

Wntiamie  Loilge,  A^o.  S67,  /.  O.  O.  F.  was  instituted 
March  5th,  1874,  with  the  following  charter  members: 
Past  grand,  William  Barnes;  J.  U.  Oplinger,  John  Sem- 
mer, Joseph  Biirley,  George  Hurley,  John  W.  James, 
Thomas  Parker,  William  Morgan,  John  Elliott,  Gomer 
Jones,  Evan  T.  Jones,  S.  P.  George,  C,  S.  Fargo,  John 
W.  Crane,  E.  N.  Adams,  J.  P.  Fine,  S.  Bradley,  A.  Lape 
and  George  Seager. 

The  first  officers  were:  George  Burley,  N.  G.;  John 
Elliott,  V.  G.;  William  Morgan,  secretary;  Joseph  Bur- 
ley,  A.  S.;  John  Semmer,  treasurer.  The  following  per- 
sons have  presided  in  this  lodge:  Joseph  Burley,  ThoiTias 
Parker,  John  D.  Williams,  Daniel  J.  Lewis,  C.  S.  Fargo, 
W.  L.  Jones,  S.  H.  Oplinger  and  Dr.  William  Barnes. 

The  present  officers  are:  William  L.  Jones,  N.  G.;  Dan- 
iel Lloyd,  V.  G.;  C.  S.  Fargo,  secretary;  J.  P.  Fine,  A. 
S.;  J.  M.  Norris,  treasurer.  Meetings  are  held  each 
Saturday  night  at  Wanamie. 

Golden  Chain  Lodge,  No.  332,  K.  of  P.  was  instituted 
November  2gth,  1871.  The  charter  members  were  Wil- 
liam S.  Williams,  David  Edwards,  Abenego  Reese,  John 
G.  Phillip.s,  Evan  J.  Jones,  Thomas  J.  Davis,  William  F. 
Giles,  Thomas  A.  Stevens,  John  F.  Good,  Thomas  Half- 
penny, Reese  Thomas,  William  Jenkins,  David  Williams, 
William  C.  Dunn,  G.  Matthews,  Thomas  York,  Evan  P. 
Evans  and  William  Reese.  The  first  officers  were:  T.  J. 
Edwards,  W.  C;  A.  Reese,  V.  C;  Thomas  Halfpenny, 
V.  P.;  Thomas  York,  W.  G.;  William  Davis,  W.  B. 

The  past  chancellors  of  this  lodge  are  T.  J.  Edwards, 
A.  Reese,  Thomas  Halfpenny,  George  York,  John  York, 
Thomas  York,  C.  S.  Fargo,  William  Morgan,  J.  W.  Crowse 
and  John  Folo. 

The  present  officers  are:  Evan  B.  Jones,  C.  C;  Henry 
M.  Davis,  V.  C;  William  Morgan,  K.  of  R.;  C.  S.  Fargo, 
M.  of  E.     Lodge  meets  at  Wanamie. 

Som  of  Temperance. — A  division  of  this  order  was  es- 
tablished at  Wanamie  March  21st,  1879,  with  James 
Thomson,  Dr.  John  Gendell,  Samuel  Salmon,  George  L. 
Morgan,  James  A.Young,  Addie  Fairchild,  Jane  Morgan, 
Elizabeth  Gendell  and  Addie  Montgomery  as  charter 
members.     The   officers   were:    William   Morgan,  W.  P.; 


E.  N.  Adams,  R.  C;  Samuel  Salmon,  F.  S.;  Mrs.  E.  N. 
Adams,  I.  G.,  and  James  A.  Youngs,  O.  G.  The  division 
meets  at  the  M.  E.  church. 

A  Workingwan's  Association  was  organized  in  April, 
i86g,  with  John  L.  Davis  president,  James  Burns  vice- 
president,  Richard  Richards  secretary.  After  passing 
through  ^•arious  vicissitudes,  and  playing  an  important 
part  in  (he  strifes  between  the  men  and  the  company,  the 
association  was  disbanded  in  1S72. 


PITTSTON  TOWNSHIP 


HIS  is  one  of  the  original  Connecticut  town- 
ships whicli  retained  its  name  at  the  time  of 
the  second  division,  in  1790.  It  was  first 
called  Pittston  in  honor  of  Sir  William  Pitt. 
It  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, immediately  below  the  mouth  of  the  Lack- 
awanna, and  contains  the  remaining  thirty-six 
square  miles  of  old  Pittston,  one  of  the  five  townships 
which  the  Susquehanna  Land  Company,  in  1768,  resolved 
to  survey  in  the  heart  of  Wyoming  valley.  The  flood  of 
March,  1784,  swept  away  the  surveyor's  landmarks,  and 
on  the  17th  of  that  month  an  act  was  passed  to  provide 
for  ascertaining  and  confirming  to  certain  persons,  called 
Connecticut  settlers,  the  title  gained  prior  to  the  decree 
of  Trenton.  The  lands  in  Pittston  township  certified  to 
be  in  constructive  possesion  of  Connecticut  settlers  be- 
came certified  Pittston.  In  1790  John  Phillips,  David 
Brown,  J.  Blanchard,  Caleb  Bates,  John  Davidson  and 
J.  Rosin  appear  as  aboard  with  authority  to  lay  out  public 
highways  in  the  township. 

The  pioneers  of  Pittston  were  principally  Connecticut 
Yankees,  with  a  small  complement  of  New  Jersey  people, 
some  of  whom  came  here  by  way  of  the  older  settlements 
farther  down  the  valley.  The  settlements  on  this  side  of 
the  river  must  date  from  as  early  as  1770,  for  in  1772 
John  Jenkins,  Isaac  Tripp,  Jonathan  Dean  and  others 
established  a  ferry  across  the  river  to  connect  this  with 
the  settlement  at  Wyoming  and  Exeter;  and  the  following 
year  James  Brown,  Lemuel  Harding  and  Caleb  Bates 
were  constituted  directors  of  the  township,  with  authority 
to  assess  and  collect  taxes. 

A  list  of  the  people  who  were  assessed  in  1796  in  what 
was  then  Pittston  preserves  the  names  of  a  large  part  of 
the  settlers  prior  to  that  date.  The  list,  as  copied  by  Mr. 
Pearce  in  his  Annals  of  Luzerne,  is  appended: 

James  Armstrong,  Enos  Brown,  David  Brown,  Elisba  Bell,  Waterman 
Baldwin,  Jeremiah  Blanchard,  John  Benedict,  Ishmael  Bennett,  A. 
Bowcn,  James  Brown,  jr.,  Anthony  Ben.5choter,  R.  Billings,  Conrad 
Bcrger,  J.  Blanchard,  .ir.,  Samuel  Gary,  John  Clark,  George  Cooper, 
James  Christy,  Jcdediah  Collins,  John  Davidson,  David  Dimoek,  Asa 
Dimock,  Robert  Faulkner,  Solomon  Finn,  Nathaniel  Giddings,  Isaac 
Gould,  Ezekiel  Gobal,  Joshua  Griffin,  Daniel  Gould,  Jesse  Gardner, 
Richard  Halstead,  Isaac  Hewitt,  Daniel  Hewitt,  John  Honival,  Joseph 
Hazard,  Abraham  Hess,  Jonathan  Hutchlns,  John  Herman,  Lewis  Jones, 
Joseph  Knapp,  Samuel  Miller,  William  Miller,  Samuel  Miller,  jr.,  Ebene- 
zer  Marcy,  Jonathan  Marcy,  Isaac  Miles,  Cornelius  Nephew,  John  Phil- 
lips, James  Scott,  John  Scott,  William  H.  Smith,  Rodger  Searle,  William 


•^ 


328 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


SearJe,  Miner  Searle,  James  Stephens,  Elijah  Silsby,  Elijah  Silsby,  jr.. 
Comfort  Shaw,  Jonathan  Stark,  James  Thompson,  Isaac  Wilson,  .Tohn 
Warden,  Crandall  Wilcox,  Thomas  Wright. 

The  settlers  on  this  side  of  the  river  in  1778  bore  their 
part  in  the  common  defence,  for  we  find  records  and 
traditions  of  at  least  two  forts  or  stockades  here,  one 
near  Patterson's  lumber-yards  and  the  other  not  far 
from  the  stone  grist-mill  at  the  ferry  bridge. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Giddings  was  the  first  physician  in  the 
settlement.  He  came  from  Connecticut  in  1787,  aid 
practiced  medicine  here  until  his  death,  in  1851.  He 
set  one  of  the  first  orchards  in  the  township  on  his  farm, 
near  the  Ravine  shaft.  About  the  time  he  came  Z. 
Knapp,  grandfather  of  Dr.  A.  Knapp,  located  in  that 
vicinity.  William  Searle  came  from  Connecticut  before 
the  massacre,  and  occupied  a  farm  near  those  just  men- 
tioned. Rodger  Searle's  first  hou.se  stood  where  the 
Ravine  shaft  is,  but  in  1789  he  moved  to  Pleasant  Valley. 
David  Brown,  mentioned  as  assessed  in  1796,  had  settled 
the  D.  D.  Hosier  place  as  early  as  1790.  Some  of  the 
trees  he  set  for  an  orchard  on  this  farm  are  still  standing, 
and  mark  the  spot  where  he  lived.  His  .son,  Richard 
Brown,  settled  Thomas  Benedict's  farm.  Samuel  Miller's 
farm  was  in  this  immediate  vicinity.  His  date  is  1789. 
Elijah  Silsbee  was  here  in  1778.  His  residence  was  on 
the  north  side  of  Parsonage  street,  opposite  James  L. 
Giddings.  William  Slocum  lived  where  Edward  Morgan 
now  does,  and  the  Benedict  family  lived  near  Mr.  Mor- 
gan's stone  quarry.  One  of  the  first  clearings  in  what  is 
now  the  lower  part  of  Pittston  borough  was  made  where 
the  depot  and  the  Farnham  House  now  are.  One  of  the 
early  orchards  was  here.  Another  was  set  by  Mr.  Ben- 
edict near  where  the  Pittston  knitting-mill  stands,  and 
Rodger  Searle  set  another  at  the  same  time  on  his 
place. 

For  sixty  years  after  the  settlements  were  begun  in 
Pittston  the  Yankee  element  predominated  in  the  popu- 
lation of  the  township,  but  with  the  discovery  of  coal 
began  the  great  influx  of  the  various  European  nationali- 
ties that  make  up  the  heterogeneous  pojjulation  as  it  is 
found  to-day. 

The  Scotch  came  in  large  numbers  in  1850-55,  al- 
though many  of  the  most  experienced  miners  came  to 
America  before  coming  to  Pittston,  attracted  by  the  gold 
mining  of  California. 

The  inroad  of  the  Welsh  was  more  gradual,  as  ihey  had 
previously  come  to  the  older  mines  at  Carbondale,  and 
came  down  the  valley  as  the  coal  fields  were  developed. 
The  English  element,  less  numerous  than  the  others, 
came  here  at  various  times  with  the  growth  of  the  place. 
Old  Erin  and  Germany  are  represented  here  by  pros- 
perous and  substantial  people. 

The  population  of  the  township  is  2,666. 

MiNiiiiG  IN  Pittston  BoROUr:H  and  TnwNsinp. 

The  growth  of  Pittston  and  the  boroughs  surrounding 
it  are  as  purely  the  result  of  the  discovery  of  coal  here 
as  is  the  prosperity  of  any  place  in  the  anthracite  region. 
Before  the  opening  of  the  canal   in    1832,  Calvin  St^ock- 


bridge  and  Col.  James  W.  Johnson  had  sent  considerable 
quantities  of  coal  down  the  river  to  tide  witer  in  "arks" 
as  they  were  called.  These  arks  were  roughly  built  boats 
eighteen  feet  wide  and  eighty  or  ninety  feet  long,  and 
would  carry  eighty  tons.  They  were  usually  built  and 
loaded  on  the  shore  during  low  water  and  "run"  during 
the  freshets,  after  the  manner  of  rafting. 

Col.  Johnson  sold  his  works  to  William  R.  Griffith  and 
associates,  who  also  purchased  the  franchises  of  the 
Washington  Railroad  Company  and,  by  a  consolidation 
of  charters,  formed  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  a 
corporation  which  operates  a  large  proportion  of  all  the 
collieries  in  this  vicinity. 

The  Erie  railroad  owns,  under  the  name  of  the  Hillside 
Coal  and  Iron  Company,  an  extensive  colliery  at  Pleasant 
Valley. 

The  Ontario  colliery,  at  Pleasant  Valley,  consisting  of 
two  tunnels,  one  slope  and  a  shaft,  is  owned  by  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Coal  Company. 

The  Pittston  Coal  Company  was  organized  in  1875  by 
parties  who  had  bought  the  property  of  the  old  Pittston 
and  Elmira  Company.  They  operate  the  Seneca  slope, 
the  Ravine  shaft  and  the  twins. 

The  Columbia  mine,  at  the  head  of  the  canal,  opened 
in  1862,  is  worked  by  Grove  Bros.,  Danville,  Pa.  The 
Phoenix  Coal  Company  is  operating  in  this  vicinity. 

J.  McFarlane  &  Co.  sunk  the  Eagle  shaft  at  Tomp- 
kins colliery  in  1850.  Alvah  Tompkins,  the  present 
owner,  succeeded  them  in  1855. 

The  Butler  Coal  Company  is  operating  the  old  Butler 
mines,  which  were  opened  in  1835  by  John  L.  &  Lord  But- 
ler. Judge  Mallory,  of  Philadelp'-.ia,  a  brother-in-law  of 
the  Butlers,  became  a  partner,  and  their  canal  shipping 
port  at  Pittston  thus  came  to  be  called  Port  Mallory— a 
name  also  applied  to  the  old  hotel  at  that  point.  The 
company  has  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  with  one 
shaft  and  one  breaker.  About  twenty  acres  of  their  old 
workings  are  on  fire,  and  the  pillars  and  abandoned  coal 
are  burning.  No  value  is  being  destroyed,  although  a 
good  deal  has  been  written  of  the  burning  mine.  They 
are  working  the  Marcy  vein  immediately  under  the  fire. 


HUGHESTOWN  BOROUGH. 


^  HIS  new  borough  was  formed  from  the  part  of 
J^^      Pittston    township    situated   between    Pleas 


|lj      ant  Valley  on  the  east  and    Pittston  borough 


«#=«= 


It.,  „.. 

f^^^      on  the  west.     It  was  chartered   on    the   19th 

^      borough  election  was  held. 

J.  J.  Schmaltz  was  elected  burgess;  Cnthbert 
Snowdon,  Gotlieb  Schmaltz,  John  B.  Clarke,  Charles 
Mathewson,  George  Gill  and  John  W.  Williams,  council- 
men;  r.  J.  Snowdon,  clerk;  Aaron  Oliver,  chief  of  police: 
Daniel  S.  Hosier,  treasurer,  and  John  B.  Hosier,  justice! 


^ 


*^^ 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF   PITTSTON   BOROUGH— HOTELS— MAILS. 


329 


The  principal  business  of  the  borough  is  that  carried 
on  in  LOnnection  with  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company's 
extensive  collieries  located  here.  The  population  is 
1,200. 


PITTSTON  BOROUGH. 


^N  the  5th  of  January,  1853,  the  grand  jury  of 
Luzerne  county  was  petitioned  by  a  majority 
of  the  freeholders  to  incorporate  a  portion  of 
Pittston  township  as  a  borough.  The  judg- 
ment of  the  grand  jury  was  favorable  to  the  peti- 
tioners, and  April  nth,  1833,  the  court  con- 
firmed the  judgment  of  the  grand  jury  and  the 
borough  was  organized,  and  the  following  year  the 
boundaries  were  extended. 

Although  several  of  the  earliest  settlements  of  the  town- 
ship were  within  the  present  borough  lines,  yet  in  1828 
there  were  but  fourteen  heads  of  families  living  within  the 
present  limits  of  the  borough.  These  were  John  Al- 
ment,  Calvin  T.  Richardson,  Calvin  Stockbridge,  John 
•-Stewart,  who  kept  a  hotel,  Nathaniel  Giddings,  John  Bene- 
dict, Jacob  Lance,  who  came  from  New  Jersey  in  1820, 
Samuel  Miller,  Solomon  Brown,  a  blacksmith,  Adam  Bel- 
cher, Amos  Fell,  Ishmael  Bennett,  a  blacksmith,  and 
Frank  Belcher. 

When  the  borough  was  laid  out  there  was  a  deep  ravine 
crossing  Main  street,  near  the  present  ofiSce  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Coal  Company.  This  was  bridged  by  a  tressle 
forty  or  fifty  feet  high,  and  since  then,  after  at  least  one 
stage  load  of  passengers  had  been  precipitated  through  it, 
the  whole  ravine  has  been  graded  in,  and  a  well  paved 
street  and  substantial  buildings  cover  the  spot.  When 
the  Pittston  and  Wilkes-Barre  plank  road  was  built,  in 
185  r,  a  large  tressle  work  was  put  in  near  Patterson's 
lumber  yard,  to  straighten  the  street  by  crossing  the 
ravine.  Grading  here  too  has  since  taken  the  place  of 
the  tressle.  Parsonage  street,  by  the  way  of  Hughestown, 
was  the  old  original  Scranton  road.  The  formation  of 
the  municipal  government  was  completed  on  the  30th  of 
April,  1853,  by  the  election  of  John  Hosie,  burgess; 
J.  v!  L.  Dewitt,  H.  P.  Messenger,  George  Daman, 
Theodore  Strong  and  James  McFarlane,  councilmen; 
John  Kelchner,  constable;  D.  P.  Richards,  John  Sax  and 
Ralph  D.  Lacoe,  assessors;  Smith  Sutherland,  Valentine 
Rowe,  overseers  of  poor;  Alvah  Tompkins,  Nathaniel 
Giddings,  James  M.  Brown,  Levi  Barnes,  J.  A.  Hann, 
John  Love,  school  directors;  Jesse  Williams,  C.  R. 
Gorman,  H.  S  Phillips,  auditors;  Nathaniel  Giddings, 
Joseph  Knapp,  Michael  Reap,  inspectors  of  election. 

The  following  is  as  complete  a  list  of  burgesses  as  the 
imperfect  condition  of  the  borough  records  can  furnish: 
E  B  Evans.  1854;  William  Furgeson,  1855;  Charles  R. 
Gorman,  1856,  1857;  J-  B.  Fisher,  Abram  Price;  M. 
Reap,  1S61-65;  James  Brown;  R  Sheridan,  1867;  John 
B  Smith  1868;  James  Walsh,  1869;  Andrew  Law,  1870; 
J   P  Schooley,  1871;    James  L.  McMillan,  1872;   James 


McKane,  1873;  Michael  Reap,  1874-76;  Joseph  Cool, 
1877;  Patrick  Henrey,  1878;  James  O'Donnell,  1879; 
L.  B.  Ensign,  1880. 

The  population  of  the  borough  in  1880  was  7,472 
against  6,760  in  1870. 

Hotels. 

The  first  attempt  at  tavern  keeping  at  Pittston  was 
made  about  1799,  by  Colonel  Waterman  Baldwin,  on  the 
lower  side  of  Main  street,  above  the  Seneca  store.  Un- 
der the  huge  antlers  that  surmounted  the  bar.  Miner 
Searle,  Jacob  Bedford,  John  Sax  and  Calvin  T.  Richard- 
son have  since  stood  and  ministered  to  the  demands  of 
thirsty  travelers.  The  Baltimore  House  was  the  next. 
It  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Main  street,  near  House's 
■saloon.  Beginning  with  1805  the  landlords  of  old  times 
were  Peter  Decker,  Eleazer  Gary,  Asaph  Pratt  and  William 
Hart.  The  Bull's  Head  was  built  by  John  Benedict,  sen., 
near  Edward  Morgan's  stone  quarry.  Thomas  Benedict's 
father  kept  it  several  years,  and  finally  it  was  occupied 
by  John  C.  Doty  as  a  dweUing.  The  Stockbridge  Hotel 
was  built  in  1830  by  Calvin  Stockbridge,  a  contractor  on 
the  canal.  The  Butler  Coal  Company  became  the  owners, 
and  Judge  Garret  Mallory,  a  partner  in  the  company, 
named  the  hotel  Port  Mallory.  Subsequently  a  large 
swan  was  displayed  as  the  sign,  and  it  came  to  be  known 
as  the  Swan  Hotel.  George  Lazarus  kept  it  until  1848, 
when  he  built  the  Eagle  Hotel,  now  kept  by  Julius  Scott. 
James  D.  Fonsman  next  kept  the  Swan,  and  subsequently 
Mrs.  Ehret  has  kept  it  as  the  Farmers'  Hotel.  Mr.  Fons- 
man in  T849  built  the  Butler  House,  now  kept  by  Robert 
Green.  The  principal  hotels  now  are  the  Farnham  House, 
by  L.  F.  Farnham,  and  the  Eagle  Hotel,  both  well  fur- 
nished and  well  kept  as  first-class  houses  of   the  modern 

style. 

Postal  Facilities. 

When  the  weekly  mail  route  was  established,  in  1799, 
between  Wilkes-Barre  and  Owego,  the  mail  for  Pitts- 
ton was  distributed  from  the  houses  of  William  Slocum 
and  Doctor  Giddings,  and  this  irregular  arrangement 
continued  until  iSto  as  a  sort  of  branch,  by  way  of  the 
ferry,  from  the  regular  mail  route,  which  was  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  Susquehanna.  In  181 1  a  post-office  was  es- 
tablished and  Eleazer  Cary  was  appointed  postmaster. 
A  route  from  Scranton  to  Wilkes-Barre  supplied  the  office 
with  a  weekly  mail.  Deodat  Smith  and  Zephaniah 
Knapp  were  the  mail  carriers  on  this  route  until  about 
1821.  Zephaniah  Knapp,  the  second  post-master  here, 
caused  the  removal  of  the  office  to  Babylon,  and  soon 
afterwards  the  Pittston  Ferry  post-office  was  established, 
with  John  Alment  as  post-master.  Alment  was  an  Irish 
Quaker,  blind  in  one  eye  and  deaf  in  one  ear.  He  had  kept 
an  early  store  in  a  log  house  near  the  Hughestown  ceme- 
tery. The  boys  had  robbed  him  and  made  his  business 
quite  unprofitable,  so  he  bought  a  frame  building  on 
Parsonage  street  and  moved  it  to  the  site  of  Pugh  Bros,' 
store  on  Main  street.  In  this  building  he  kept  the  post- 
office,  and  at  that  time  it  was  the  most  southerly  building 
but   one   on    Main   street.       The   successive  postmasters 


Hh 


^H= 


33° 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


have  been  Abram  Bird,  Dr.  Anson  G.  Curtis,  William  S. 
Ridin,  Charles  R.  Gorman,  James  Searle,  James  Walsh, 
George  M.  Ridiart,  Benjamin  Ensign  and  J.  B.  Shiffer, 
the  present  incumbent. 

Journalise  in  Pittston. 

The  Pitiston  Gazette  was  established   in   August,  1850, 
by    G.    M.    Richart   and    H.  S.   Phillips,  both    practic:  1 
printers.     It  was   a  twcnty-eight-column   paper,  twenty- 
four  by  thirty-eight,  and  received  from  the  first  a  cordial 
support.     The  paper  was  Whig  in  politics  until  the  \Vhig 
party  was  supplanted  by  the  Republican,  when  it  look  a 
leading  position  in  the  new  ranks.     In  November,  1S53, 
Mr.  Richart  bought   out  his  partner.     He  published  the 
paper  until   March,  1S57,  at  which    time  he   sold   to  Dr. 
John  Henry  Puleston,  of  New  York.     Dr.  Puleston,  who 
is  now  a  member  of  the  British  Parliament,  was  a  Welsh- 
man  of   refined  manners  and   liberal   education,  and  his 
labors  in  the   Fremont   campaign  had   given  him  a  wide 
and  favorable  reputation.     He  was  a  ready  and  forcible 
writer,  so  that  under  his  management  the  good  standing 
of  the  Gazette  was  fully  sustained.     In  the  spring  of  i860 
Dr.  Puleston  sold  to  G.  M.  Richart,  Benjamin   D.  Beyea 
and  Abel  C.  Thompson.     The  firm   of  Richart,  Beyea  & 
Thompson   contended   until   the  fall   of   1863,  when  Mr. 
Richart  for  the  second  time  assumed  the  sole  proprietor- 
ship of  the  paper.     In  June,  i86g,  Mr.  Richart  leased  for 
one  year  to  J.  W.  Freeman,  and  again   took  possession  in 
June,  1870.     In  June,  1874,  a  half  interest  in  the  Gazette 
office  was  sold  to  Theo.  Hart,  jr.     The   firm  of   Richart 
&  Hart  continued  until  the  ist  of  May,  1878.      Mr.  Hart 
has  since  been   the   sole   editor  and   proprietor.     Under 
his  management  the  Gazette  is  wielding  strong  influence 
in  the  public  affairs  of  the  Wyoming  valley,  and  maintains 
its  position   as  a  substantial  factor   in    local   journalism. 
It  is  now  the  oldest  paper  under  its   original    title  in  the 
Lackawanna  and  Wjoming  valleys.     Up  to  the  winter  of 
1867   the    Gazette  was    printed    on  a    No.  4  VVashingtt  n 
hand  press,  when  Mr.  Richart  purchased  a  new  cylinder, 
and   enlarged   to   thirty-two   and   subsequently  thirty-six 
columns.     As  early  as  1854  he  put  into  the  Gazette  office 
a  ruling  machine,  and   in  1858  added   to    his  job  print- 
ing office  a  power  job  press.     These  two  machines  were 
the  pioneers  of  their  kind   in  the  Lackawanna  and  Wyo- 
ming valleys. 

The  Pittston  Herald,  a  small  Democratic  paper,  was 
started  in  the  winter  of  1855  by  Edward  S.  Neibell,  a 
young  printer  from  Wayne  county.  In  a  few  weeks 
some  persons  unknown  invaded  the  office  at  night  and 
"pied  "  the  type.  Soon  afterward  an  incendiary  fire  com- 
pletely demoralized  things  again,  and  Mr.  Neibell  sold  his 
material  to  Mr.  Richart,  of  the  Gazette,  and  removed. 

The  Pittston  Free  Press,  a  seven-column  weekly,  in- 
dependent in  politics,  was  published  a  few  months  in 
1859  by  Lieutenant  Arnold  C.  Lewis. 

The  Wyoming  ]'alley  Journal  was  established  in  1871 
by  J.  M.  Armstrong,  B.  F.  Hughes  and  George  D.  Leis- 
enring.  It  was  a  well-equipped  paper  at  the  outset. 
After  a  few  months  Mr.  Armstrong  bought  out  his  part- 


ners, and  employed  at  different  times  as  editors  Col.  D. 
C.  Kitchen,  W.  J.  Bruce,  Col.  W.  W.  Shore  and  others. 
He  also  issued  for  a  short  time  a  small  evening  pa|)jr 
called  the  Daily  Journal.  These  papers  were  indepcml- 
ent  in  politics,  and  in  moral  sentiment  always  high-toned. 
After  some  two  years  the  concern  was  leased  to  J.  \V. 
Freeman,  who  consolidated  it  with  the  Pittston  Comet, 
which  he  had  started  in  1870.  The  consolidated  paper 
was  known  as  the  Pittston  Comet  anil  Wyoming  Vallev 
Journal,  and  was  a  decidedly  live  element  in  local  jour- 
nalism. It  acquired  a  large  circulation  and  a  State  re[)u- 
tation.  In  1877  it  was  discontinued  and  the  material 
sold  to  Lewis  Gordon. 

Next  in  order  comes  the  Piizerne  Leader,  a  Democratic 
paper,  started  in  1S76  by  E.  A.  Niven  and  Charles  H. 
Chamberlin.  After  some  months'  existence  here  it  was 
bought  by  parties  in  VVilkes-Barre,  to  which  place  it  was 
removed.  It  was  subsequently  consolidated  with  the 
/.i/zerne  Union,  and,  as  the  Union-Leader,  has  become 
the  leading  Democratic  paper  of  Luzerne  county. 

The  Evening  Press  was  started  in  1877  by  W.  B.  Kel- 
ler, in  the  job  printing  office  of  Lewis  Gordon.  Mr. 
Keller  retired  after  a  few  months,  being  succeeded  by 
Messrs.  Yost  &  Sutton,  later  by  Messrs.  Tinker  &  Rus- 
sell, and  in  the  spring  of  1880  by  Lewis  Gordon,  the 
present  publisher. 

The  Sunday  Plain  Dealer  was  established  in  1S78  by 
J.  C.  Coon,  and  in  a  few  months  removed  to  Wilkes- 
Barre,  where  the  paper  is  still  published  by  Mr.  Coon 
under  the  title  of  the  Sunday  News  Dealer.  It  is  issued 
simultaneously  in  Scranton  and  Wilkes-Barre. 

The  Pittston  Express,  a  very  neat  evening  paper,  was 
published  during  the  latter  half  of  August,  1878,  by  J.  T. 
Sutton  and  W.  H.  Rutledge. 

The  publication  of  the  Daily  Watchman,  a  five-column 
local  evening  paper,  was  begun  May  26th,  1880,  by 
Charles  Tinker  and  S.  J.  Richards. 

Ferries  and  Bridges. 

The  first  bridge  across  the  Susquehanna  between 
Wilkes-Barre  and  Tunkhannock  was  built  here  in  1850 
by  the  Pitts  Ferry  Bridge  Company,  succeeding  the  old 
rope  ferry  near  the  same  point.  This  first  bridge  was  re- 
placed in  1864  by  a  covered  wooden  bridge,  which  was 
destroyed  in  the  ice  flood  of  1875.  Within  eleven  months 
the  King  Iron  Bridge  Company,  of  Cleveland,  put  up  the 
beautiful  iron  bridge  now  standing.  It  belongs  to  the 
Ferry  Bridge  Company  and  cost  about  $72,000. 

The  Depot  Bridge  Company  in  1874  built  another 
bridge  to  span  the  river  at  Pittston.  It  cost  $75,000  and 
was  partially  destroyed  on  the  17th  of  February,  1875. 
It  was  rebuilt  the  same  year,  at  a  cost  of  $45,000. 

The  iron  bridge  belonging  to  the  Bloomsburg  r.iilroad 
was  built  in  1874,  in  the  place  of  a  covered  wooden  bridge 
which  had  been  built  when  the  railroad  was  opened. 
This  was  also  seriously  damaged  in  the  flood  of  1875  and 
rebuilt. 

The  destruction  of  these  means  of  river  transit  made 
room  for  two  or  three  steamboats  for  a  short  time. 


4.¥> 


--»«^^ 


^2^-^ 


^c^^  ^:^7C^p'' c:^/^ 


Unq^  lilj  EJ-I.  aall  S.  Stns  13  Baraaii  St  IT.T. 


i^h- 


=*<^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND   PERSONAL  RECORD, 

EXETER    AND    PITTSTON    TOWNSHIPS,    HUGHESTOWN,    PITTSTON,    PLEASANT   VALLEY   AND 

WEST   PITTSTON    BOROUGHS. 


«S^(»»-  ^ 


MISS  SUSAN  EVELYN  DICKINSON. 

Miss  Susan  Eyelyn  Dickinson,  whose  initials  are  familiar  in  the  pages 
of  the  New  York  Graphic,  the  Philadelphia  Frc»i  and  other  prominent 
journals,  where  her  delightful  letters  from  the  interior  of  Pennsylvania 
are  eagerly  scanned  by  a  large  clientage,  is  one  of  the  most  diligent 
workers  of  the  day,  and  has  done  more  than  any  other  writer  to  pre- 
sent to  the  world  the  bright  and  best  side  of  life  In  the  coal  regions. 
Previous  to  her  advent  to  the  Wyoming  valley  many  metropolitan 
readers  were  inclined  to  doubt  whether  there  was  any  bright  side  to 
the  coal  fields.  The  dark  side  had  been  given  in  all  its  sombre  depth, 
and  it  remained  for  Miss  Dickinson  to  show  the  silver  lining.  From  her 
home  among  the  willows  of  West  Pittston  she  took  long  trips  up  and 
down  the  valley  in  quest  of  information  for  whatever  theme  she  pro- 
posed writing  upon,  deeming  no  amount  of  personal  privation  or  incon- 
venience too  great  in  getting  at  some  new  phase  in  the  social  condition 
of  the  mining  masses.  No  one  could  be  more  industrious  than  this  fair 
little  woman,  pushing  her  way  like  a  messenger  of  light  among  the 
grime  and  dust  of  coal  breakers,  the  roar  of  machinery,  or  along  the 
subten-anean  chambers  of  the  mine;  while  her  face  is  familiar  at  all  the 
El4ed,ip«lan  or  literary  and  musical  gatherings  of  the  Welsh,  as  well  as 
the  Father  Matthew  and  other  temperance  conventions  of  the  Irish. 
The  result  of  her  observation  and  research  is  shown  in  her  admirable 
letters  to  the  papers  already  named.  Slie  writes  with  the  earnestness  of 
pi  ofound  conviction,  and  her  style  is  incomparable  for  its  amplitude 
and  elegance.  She  has  not  sought  the  surface,  like  many  of  her  sex  of 
much  inferior  ability,  who  have  become  noted  writers  of  fashion  and 
gossip;  because  she  feels  it  her  duty  even  in  the  ordinary  pursuit  of  life 
to  be  doing  good -righting  some  wrong,  oori-ecting  some  error,  suggest- 
ing some  reform  by  which  men  and  women  wo  uld'be  their  better  selves. 


She  has  not  ventured  on  the  uncertain  sea  of  popular  applause,  but,  en- 
joying life  most  when  she  worlced  the  liardest,  has  preferred  that 
sphere — 

"  That  can,  the  world  eluding,  be  itself 
A  world  enjoyed,  that  wants  no  witnesses 
But  its  own  sharers  and  approving  lieaveu; 
That,  like  a  Hower  deep  hid  in  roclty  cleft. 
Smiles,  though  'tis  loolcing  only  at  tlie  sky." 
Susan  Evelyn  Dickinson  was  born  at  the  old  homestead  in  Berks 
county,  but  as  her  life  from  childhood  was  passed  in  Philadelphia  she 
delights  in  being  known  as  a  Philndelphian.  Her  ancestors  came  to 
this  country  in  William  Penn's  time,  and  she  was  brought  up  in  the 
Society  of  Friends,  but  joined  the  Protectant  Episcopal  chui'ch  after 
leaving  school.  Her  talent  as  a  writer  was  ilovelnped  early— even  as  a 
sehiDol  gii'l- and  her  verses  over  the  signatures  etf  "  Elfie  Evergreen  " 
and  "Ada  Vernon,"  in  the  Philadelphia  SutnnlKn  EituIhu  P'wf,  and 
"  Violet  May  "  in  the  Boston  Tritri /'"'/fi^/ attrn.eted  attention  and  favor- 
able comment.  Subsequently  she  discontinued  writing  for  several 
years,  the  earlier  ones  being  ocunpicd  as  tciicher  in  the  public  schools 
of  Philadelphia.  In  1S73  her  pen  was  emplciy(Hl  during  the  Greeley  cam- 
liaign,  and  in  1874  she  accepted  an  engagement  on  the  New  York 
Hrrnlil  Rtflft",  beginning  with  the  admirable  reiinrt  of  the  great  Empire 
mine  fire  at  Wilkes-Barre.  Since  then  she  liixs  dime  some  excellent 
special  department  work  on  that  joiii-niil,  and  furnished  it  with  occa- 
sional correspondence  from  the  coal  region,  besides  contributing  a 
valuable  series  of  northeastern  Pennsylvania  letters  to  the  Graithk  and 
Philadelphia  PrciH  and  writing  se\'eral  ideiisant  sketches  and  short  stories. 
Justly  proud  of  her  sister  Anna's  brilliant  talents.  Miss  Susan  E.  Dick- 
inson in  another  and  equally  important  sphere  is  still  exerting,  by 
means  of  her  facile  pen,  her  power  for  good  on  the  public  mind,  and 
residing  with  her  venerable  mother  in  the  romantic  retirement  of  fair 
Wyoming. 

ANDREW  BKYDEN. 

Andrew  Bryden,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this  work,  is  a  native  of 
Ayrshire,  Scotland.  He  was  born  January  27th,  1837.  After  coming  to 
this  country  he  engaged  in  mining,  and  married  Miss  Ann  Law,  of  Car- 
bondale,  Pa.  Mr.  Bryden  is  now  employed  by  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company  and  is  associated  with  William  Law  as  mine  superintendent 
at  Pittston. 

E.  L.   ELUTHOBP. 

Emmet  L.  Ellithorp  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y., 
December  6th,  1840,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Susan  Gilmore,  of  Cohoes, 
Albany  county,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Ellithorp  .served  as  lieutenant  during  the 
Hebellion  and  has  filled  various  offloial  positions.  He  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  knit  shirts  and  drawers  at  the  West  Pittston  Knitting 
Mills. 

J.  D.  GREEN. 

John  D.  Green,  stove  manufacturer,  Pittston,  was  born  at  Scranton, 
July  1st,  1850.  Mrs.  Green,  formerly  Miss  Hattie  A.  .loiies,  is  also  a  na- 
tive of  Scranton. 

DANIEL  HARDING  (Deoeared). 

The  Harding  family,  which  has  been  identified  with  the  affairs  of  the 
Wyoming  valley  from  its  early  settlement,  is  of  English  e.vtraotion.  The 
name  is  traceable  in  English  records  as  early  as  1380.  There  are  thirteen 
males  of  the  family  registered  in  New  England  in  1030,  and  it  is  probable 
that  they  came  with  the  John  Endicott  company.  Thomas  Harding  of 
Connecticut  was  the  father  of  James  Harding,  who  came  to  Exeter  in 
1807.  James's  family  consisted  of  seven  children,  of  whom  Daniel— the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  the  oldest  sou.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut, 
in  1802,  and  hence  was  but  Ave  years  of  age  when  his  father  removed  to 
Exeter.    His  early  j'ears  were  spent  on  the  farm  with  his  parents,  and 


1^ 


4h 


*4= 


=HP* 


33°^ 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


there,  under  the  stern  tutorage  of  necessity,  he  formed  as  a  toy  the 
habits  of  industry  and  frugality  which  were  traceable  throughout  his 
subsequent  career  as  a  man.  Socially  Ms  life  was  an  eventful  one.  On 
December  2nd,  1831,  he  was  married  to  Nancy,  daughter  of  Gould  Whit- 
look,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  township.  In  July,  1848,  she  died, 
and  in  October  of  the  following  year  he  was  married  to  Nancy  Lee.  Her 
death  on  the  17th  of  May,  1858,  loft  Mr.  Harding  alone  with  a  family  of 
five  children.  Eight  years  later,  on  the  3nd  o£  February,  1866,  Abigail 
Sutton,  daughter  of  George  Sutton,  from  Connecticut,  came  to  his 
home  as  the  wife  of  his  declining  years.  Here  she  survives  him,  deserv- 
edly enjoying  a  competence  from  the  ample  estate  which  Mr.  Harding's 
correct  business  habits  had  enabled  him  to  accumulate.  Mr.  HarJiUR's 
death  occurred  in  April,  1880.  Politically  he  was  a  lifelong  Democrat, 
and  though  prominent  as  such,  we  And  those  who  were  politically  op- 
posed to  him  to  have  been  among  his  firmest  friends  and  most  ardent 
admirers.  He  was  called  by  the  people  to  the  important  duties  of  trea- 
surer of  Luzerne  county  at  a  time  when  the  financial  troubles  of  1838-43 
had  left  the  finances  of  the  county  in  a  critioiil  condition.  He  discharged 
the  duties  in  a  maste.-ly  manner  and  made  hundreds  of  lifelong  friends. 
Being  a  large  stockholder  in  the  Pittston  Ferry  Bridge  Company,  he 
was  called  to  supervisees  affaii-s  as  president,  which  position  he  filled 
until  a  short  time  before  his  death.  Mr.  Hai-ding  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  public  spirited  and  best  read  men  of  his  township.  The 
charitable  acts  by  which  his  life  was  characterized  have  embalmed  his 
uame  in  r.ve  hearts  of  all  the  poor  who  know  him,  and  more  than  justify 
this  passiag  tribute  to  a  man  whose  lite  work  was  a  worthy  pattern  for- 
posterity. 

HENET  HAHDING. 

Henry  Harding,  deceased,  a  son  of  John  Harding,  was  born  in  1801, 
and  married  in  1825  to  Sally,  daughter  of  Andrew  Montanye,  sen.  Mr. 
Harding  died  in  1868,  after  a  useful  Ufe.  His  widow  occupies  the  home- 
stead, a  view  of  which  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

GEORGE  HICB. 

George  Hice,  a  son  of  Henry  Hice,  who  came  from  New  Jersey  to  the 
Wyoming  valley  about  1817,  was  born  at  Wyoming,  in  1823.  He  came  to 
his  present  farm  in  Exeter  in  1860.  The  same  year  be  was  married  to 
Emily  Mathers,  of  Wyoming.  Their  family  consists  of  two  sons,  John 
F.,  in  Kansas,  and  Charles  F.,  operating  the  home  farm. 

J.  T.  KERN. 

J.  T.  Kern,  a  gardener  at  the  head  of  theWyoming  valley,  is  the  son  of 
Henry  Kern,  jr.,  and  grandson  of  Henry  Kern,  who  came  from  New 
Jersey  about  1812.  He  was  horn  in  1830,  and  luarried  in  1864  to  Mary 
Honawell,  of  Dallas,  Pa. 

WILLIAM  LAW. 

William  Law  is  one  of  the  representative  men  of  Scottish  birth  who 
form  so  prominent  an  clemeut  of  the  present  population  of  Pittston. 
He  was  born  December  8th,  1824,  and  after  coming  to  America  married 
Catharine  Bryden,  of  Carbondale,  a  sister  of  Andrew  Bryden.  Mr. 
Law  has  been  for  years  in  the  employ  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Com- 
pany, and  is  now  superintendent  (associated  with  Andrew  Bryden)  of 
the  company's  work  in  and  around  Pittston. 

JAMES  MCMILLAN 

is  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  was  born  at  Wanlockhead,  in  the  county 
of  Dumfries.  After  completing  the  usual  course  of  Scottish  boys'  edu- 
cation at  the  village  school  he  passed  through  the  practical  course  of  a 
lead  miner.  In  a  few  years  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  Several 
members  of  the  family  had  preceded  him  to  America,  and  their  settle- 
ment at  Pittston  determined  his  pubUc  career.  He  came  to  the  Wyom- 
ing valley  in  the  autumn  of  1853,  worked  for  a  number  of  years  as  a 
miner  in  the  works  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  revisited 
his  native  country  in  1667,  taking  advantage  of  an  older  brother's 
residence  In  Edinburgh  to  pursue  some  practical  studies  in  that  city. 
Returning  to  Pennsylvania  in  1868,  he  went  after  a  time  to  the  California 
gold  fields,  but  soon  abandoned  the  rough  life  of  that  newly  opened 
country  for  the  quieter  if  less  lucrative  engagements  of  the  anthracite 
coal  fields.  His  careful  education  stood  him  in  good  stead  and  he  soon 
found  a  suitable  sphere  for  its  exercise.  After  having  been  occupied 
foratimeon  the  county  survey  of  Luzerne  he  entered  on  a  situation 
of  trust  in  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company's  service,  from  which  after 
some  years,  he  retired  to  carry  on  business  on  his  own  account.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  has  been  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Law  &  McMillan 
Pittston,  managing  the  Pleasant  Valley  branch  of  the  business.  Mr! 
McMillan  has  been  postmaster  at  Marr  since  the  establishment  of  an  of- 
fice in  that  village,  and  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  all  the  ecclesiastical 
educational  and  political  affairs  of  the  district.  ' 


JAUfES  O'DONNELL. 

James  O'Donnell,  burgess  of  Pittston  borough  in  1879,wasborn  in  Ire- 
land, in  1823,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1847.  He  was  one  of  the  origi- 
nators of  the  Miners'  Saving  Bank  of  Pittston.  He  was  formerly  a 
farmer  in  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  but  since  1860  has  been  in  commercial 
business  in  Pittston. 

REV.  N.  G.  PARKE. 

The  Rev.  Nathan  Grier  Parke  comes  of  a  good  old  American  stock,  in 
which  Scottish  and  English  blood,  with  the  Presbyterianism  of  the  one 
and  the  Puritanism  of  the  other,  are  very  fairly  mingled.  He  is  in  a 
double  sense  "  a  son  of  the  manse,"  his  mother  having  been  a  daughter 
of  the  Rev.  Nathan  Grier,  for  many  years  pastor  of  Brandywine  Manor 
church,  Chester  county,  and  his  father  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parke,  pastor  of 
Slateridge  church,  in  York  county,  Pa.  His  father's  parsonage  was  a 
good  school  for  a  boy,  and  his  training  developed  a  vigorous,  self-reliant 
character.  He  graduated  from  Jefferson  College  before  he  had  com- 
pleted his  twentieth  yeaf ;  and  four  years  later,  in  the  spring  of  1844,  he 
received  his  diploma  in  theology  from  Princeton.  Immediately  after 
graduation  Mr.  Parke  entered  on  his  life-work  at  Pittston,  and  under 
circumstances  which  vividly  illustrate  the  changes  wrought  during  the 
last  forty  years.  The  church  at  Wilkes-Barre  was  then  the  center  of 
Presbyterian  influence  in  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  valleys.  North 
of  the  Susquehanna,  as  far  up  as  Carbondale,  the  "  forest  primeval  " 
was  almost  unbroken.  The  Lackawanna  poured  its  f  uU  flood  of  clear, 
limpid,  trout-abounding  waters  along  a  channel  overshadowed  with 
mighty  pines  and  hemlocks,  and  through  glades  of  grand  old  beeches 
and  maples  and  oaks.  A  few.Bcattered  homesteads  with  theirpatches  of 
cultivated  cornfield  and  meadow  dotted  the  wilderness.  The  old  forge 
at  Babylon  was  a  sort  of  exchange,  where  the  farmers  for  many  mile* 
around  used  to  congregate  for  the  transaction  of  business.  Half  a  dozen 
families  clustered  on  the  hillside  overlooking  Slocum  Hollow,  with  its 
sparse  settlements  of  lumbermen.  Scranton  was  not.  Beyond  the  flats 
of  Capoose,  on  the  edge  of  the  mountains,  the  village  of  Providence 
nestled  amid  its  leafy  dells.  The  hunter,  the  trapper  and  the  woodman 
had  the  upper  reaches  of  the  Lackawanna  aU  to  themselves.  A  man  of 
far-seeing  penetration  and  true  missionary  spirit  chanced  to  be  forty 
years  ago  minister  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Dr.  John  Dorrance  cared  for  the 
scattered  families  away  out  in  the  wilderness  as  well  as  for  the  flock 
safely  housed  in  the  fold.  He  was  like-minded  with  the  Bev.  Cyrus 
Glldersloeve,  his  predecessor  in  the  charge  of  Wilkes-Barre,  who,  as 
early  as  1821,  added  to  his  other  labors  those  of  a  teacher  and  evangelist 
in  the  cottages  and  hamlets  along  the  Lackawanna.  He  foresaw  the 
future  of  the  valley,  and, unable  personally  to  supply  the  means  of  grace 
to  the  scattered  settlers,  he  employed  missionaries  to  labor  among  them 
under  his  direction.  He  was  fortunate  in  the  men  whom  he  called  to  his 
aid.  Most  notable  among  those  early  Presbyterian  evangelists  was 
Father  Hunt,  a  man  altogether  unique,  who  so  lately  as  the  winter  of 
1876,  in  a  ripe  old  age,  passed  to  his  reward.  One  still  survives,  honor- 
ably retired  from  the  ministry,  the  Kev.  Charles  Evans,  of  South  Bend, 
Indiana.  It  was  in  succession  to  Mr.  Evans  that  Mr.  Parke  entered  on 
his  life  work  in  the  Lackawanna  valley.  To  a  young  man  of  high  spirit 
and  fresh  from  the  seminary  there  was  little  inviting  in  the  position  of 
an  evangelist  among  the  Moosic  mountains;  and  possibly  had  the  offer 


^^- 


<¥ 


hi'i'i  h'l  II  II-  Hall.  ^-  ■,'-u£  I .  i.-'U  .  h„j  SiN  r 


Untj^^y  B.£.IlaV  ii  Soils  L3  Barclay  SrlT.Y^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


330  C" 


of  a  permanent  appointment  been  presented  to  him  the  young'  preacher 
might  have  declined  it.  But  Dr.  Dorranoe  made  his  proposal  in  the 
first  instance  to  a  college  friend  of  Mr.  Parlte,  who,  heing  at  the 
moment  not  free  to  accept  the  engagement,  begged  the  future  minister 
of  Pittston  to  occupy  that  outpost  until  he  should  himself  be  ready 
to  enter  the  field.  Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  young  Parke  came  to  the 
valley  as  a  substitute  for  one  for  whom  by  the  time  he  was  ready  to  en- 
ter personally  on  the  ministry  Providence  had  prepared  another  and  not 
less  important  sphere  in  the  far  northwest.  John  W.  Sterling,  whom 
Dr.  Dorranoe  had  designed  to  be  his  coadjutor  in  the  gospel  among  the 
farmers  and  lumbermen  of  Lackawanna,  has  spent  an  active  life  and 
still  works  with  unabated  vigor  as  a  leading  educationalist  in  the  State 
University  of  Wisconsin.  Nathan  Grior  Parke,  whom  Sterling  sent  to 
Lackawanna  as  his  locicm  tcncm^  remains  there,  holding  the  fort,  with  all 
the  dew  of  his  youth  upon  him,  for  Christ  and  His  gospel.  It  was  in  the 
spring  of  1844  that  the  young  preacher  left  his  father's  manse  at  Slate- 
ridge,  mounted  on  horseback,  and  a  ride  of  two  hundred  miles  across 
mountain  and  forestbroughthim  after  some  days  to  VVilkes-Uarre.  There 
was  little  of  the  "  domine  "  in  the  young  man's  aspect.  The  toll  keeper 
at  Wilkes-Barre  bridge  exacted  his  accustomed  fare  as  he  passed  the  re- 
ceipt of  custom,  handsomely  apologizing  afterward  for  the  levy  on  the 
ground  that  the  rider  did  not  look  like  a  preacher.  But  the  preacher 
learned  to  like  the  people  among  whom  his  lot  had  been  thus  cast,  while 
the  people  t-ook  at  the  same  time  a  strong  liking  for  the  preacher.  Nor 
have  well  nigh  forty  years  of  mutual  ijitercourse  altered  the  estimate 
which  so  early  each  formed  of  the  other.  One  hundred  dollars  a  year 
guaranteed  by  the  board  of  home  missions  was  the  sole  income  of  Mr. 
Parke  on  his  entrance  to  the  ministry.  But  Elisha  Atherton  had  a 
prophet's  chamber,  in  which  for  the  space  of  three  years  the  young  min- 
ister was  hospitably  lodged,  and  the  stout  steed  which  had  borne  him 
from  his  father's  manse  shared  with  his  master  the  best  of  the  farmer's 
fodder.  So,  unburdened  with  anxiety  as  to  what  he  should  eat  or  what 
he  should  drink,  or  as  to  raiment— what  he  should  put  on,  with  a  true 
apostolic  spirit  he  set  himself  to  teach  and  to  preach,  journeying  far 
and  near,  up  the  valley  and  across  the  mountains,  ministering  at  cottage 
firesides  and  roadside  schoolrooms  at  Pittston,  then  a  straggling  village ; 
at  Old  Forge,  the  main  commercial  center  of  the  region ;  at  the  hamlet 
of  Taylorville,  amid  the  swamps  of  Harrison  (as  Scranton  was  then 
called),  to  the  lumbermen  at  Hyde  Park,  to  the  villages  of  Providence, 
and  over  the  hills  In  Abington  and  Newton.  Father  Hunt  used  to  tell 
that  two  years  of  continuous  itinerating  in  the  same  field  brought  him, 
in  addition  to  his  allowance  from  the  mission  board,  a  supplemental 
salary  from  his  scattered  flock  in  the  shape  of  a  finely  dressed  skunk's 
skin  and  several  pairs  of  stockings.  Mr.  Parke  fared  better  indeed  dur- 
ing these  early  years  of  itineracy,  but  the  utmost  ever  raised  in  aid  of 
his  salary  left  him  still  passing  rich  on  less  than  two  hundred  dollars. 
All  the  same  with  a  light  purse  he  bore  about  with  him  a  light  heart. 
His  bread  was  ever  given  him,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  prospered  in 
his  hand.  Three  years  passed  of  earnest,  continuous,  painstaking  work, 
and  now  It  became  plain  that  Pittston  must  be  the  center  of  Mr.  Parke's 
work.  A  substantial  brick  building,  now  used  as  a  public  school,  situate 
near  the  head  of  the  old  canal,  was  erected  and  dedicated.  Into  this  new 
church  the  congregation  already  gathered  passed  from  the  old  red 
school-house  close  by,  where  they  used  to  meet  and  where,  on  the  7th 
of  July,  1846,  Mr.  Parke  was  ordained.  Here  for  eleven  years  the  Pres- 
byterian congregation  of  Pittston  continued  to  worship,  until  the 
present  edifice  received  the  largely  increased  fiock  which  waited  on  his 
mraistry.  Scranton  had  developed  its  great  proportions,  and  demanded 
all  the  care  that  a  separate  pastor  could  bestow,  and  in  due  season 
Pleasant  Valley,  away  up  in  a  wooded  hollow  among  the  hills,  began  to 
attract  a  large  working  population  of  miners;  while  the  west  side  of  the 
Susquehanna  offered  special  inducements  to  the  wealthy  citizens  of 
Pittston  to  seek  a  pleasant  home  amid  its  shades.  In  Scranton,  Pleasant 
Valley  and  West  Pittston  thriving  Presbyterian  churches  under,  their 
several  pastors  have  been  organized  and  established.  But  amid  all 
changes,  and  in  spite  of  these  successive  migrations  from  the  original 
home,  the  church  of  Pittston  holds  its  own,  strong  in  numbers  and  intel- 
ligence and  Christian  activities,  while  Mr.  Parke  stands  facile  princeps 
among  his  brethren,  a  true  Presbyterian  bishop  by  the  will  of  man  and 
none  the  less  by  the  grace  of  God. 

In  1847  Mr.  Parke  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  Elizabeth  Cildersleeve,  a 
granddaughter  of  the  old  minister  of  Wilkes-Barre,  by  whom  he  has 
had  a  family  of  seven  children,  of  whom  three  sons  and  a  daughter 
survive. 

MICHAEL  HEAP. 

Michael  Heap  was  born  in  Ballyoastle,  county  Mayo,  Ireland,  on  the 
31st  of  September,  1831,  and  died  in  Pittston,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  May 
nth,  1878.  On  landing  in  this  country,  in  1840,  he  had  only  two  British 
pennies  in  his  pocket,  and  had  had  but  limited  opportunities  for  educa- 
tion in  his  boyhood.  He  immediately  sought  and  obtained  work  on  the 
Erie  Canal.  Subsequently  he  labored  on  a  farm-  in  Blakely  township, 
and  in  the  fall  of  1843  obtained  employment  at  a  blast  furnace  in  Scran- 
ton, where  by  his  industry  and  application  he  reached  the  position  of 
keeper  of  the  furnace,  at  $1.50  per  day,  which  compensation  was  large  m 
comparison  with  the  prices  paid  for  labor  at  that  time.    After  leaving 


the  furnace  he  opened  a  smaU  grocery,  and  in  1851,  in  connection  with 
Mr.  Thomas  Benedict,  started  in  Pittston  a  general  country  store  under 
the  firm  name  of  Heap  &  Benedict.  In  1855  Mr.  Benedict  retired  and 
Mr.  Heap  continued  the  business  until  1867,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  and  nephew.  He  retired  from  his  mercantile  pursuits  having 
accumulated,  by  his  own  indomitable  energy  and  good  business  quali- 
fications, what  was  considered  a  snug  fortune.  He  gave  generously  of 
his  time  and  money  to  aid  in  building  up  his  adopted  town,  Pittston. 
He  was  seven  times  elected  burgess  of  the  borough.  He  was  active  and 
instrumental  in  introducing  gas  and  water  into  the  borough,  and  was 
president  of  the  Pittston  Gas  Light  Company  and  treasurer  of  the 
Pittston  Water  Company.  In  1869  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  Miners'  Savings  Bank  of  Pittston,  and  its  vice-presi- 
dent until  1872,  when,  the  president,  Mr.  J.  B.  Smith,  retiring,  he  was 
elected  his  suoee.ssor,  which  position  he  retained  until  failing  health,  a 
few  months  previous  to  his  death,  compelled  him  to  resign.  During  the 
panic  caused  by  the  failure  of  Jay  Cooke  &  Co.  it  was  reported  in  the 
local  papers  that  the  bank  had  failed ;  but  the  report  was  false,  and 
how  zealously  its  president  guarded  the  interest  of  its  depositors  was 
demonstrated  on  that  occasion,  when  he  nobly  pledged  his  own  estate 
'  and  stood  in  the  gap  ready  to  secure  any  and  all  who  had  deposited 
their  hard  earned  earnings  in  his  care.  The  bank,  however,  passed 
through  the  ordeal  unscathed  and  came  forth  with  the  still  greater  con- 
fidence of  the  public.  In  1844  Mr.  Reap  was  married  to  Miss  Honora 
Connor,  an  Irish  lady  then  living  at  Carbondale,  and  in  1849  to  Miss  Mary 
Bowlin,  who  survives  him.  He  was  always  a  great  friend  to  education — 
having  been  deprived  of  its  advantages  in  his  youth— and  his  first  care 
for  his  children  was  to  see  that  they  were  well  educated;  and  at  his 
death  he  left  a  legacy  for  the  founding  of  a  convent  school  in  Pittston. 
Hewas  a  consistent  and  good  Catholic  and  was  always  attentive  to  his 
Christian  duties.  His  success  in  life  was  attributed  to  his  determina- 
tion to  rise  in  the  world,  aided  by  his  never  tiring  industry;  always  cau- 
tious, never  venturing  beyond  liis  depth  and  not  given  to  wild  specu- 
lation, but  confining  himself  to  a  safe,  legitimate  business,  he  is  with- 
out doubt  a  true  type  of  the  self-made  man. ' 

WILLIAM  SCHOOLET. 

William  Schooley,  a  resident  of  Exeter  for  sixty-two  years,  was  born 
In  New  Jersey,  in  1816,  and  came  to  Exeter  with  his  father  when  only 
two  years  of  age.  He  was  married  in  1844  to  Sarah  Breese,  who  was  born 
in  Kingston  in  1819.  Their  only  child  is  Mrs.  J.  H.  Andrews.  Although 
Mr.  Schooley  has  been  a  farmer  all  his  life  he  is  not  without  the  spirit 
of  public  enterprise;  he  was  one  of  the  original  stockholders  and  officers 
of  the  Pittston  Ferry  Bridge  Company,  and  is  a  director  at  the  present 
time.  He  is  now  in  the  si.xty-fif  th  year  of  his  age,  and  completed  his 
harvest  of  the  year  1880,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  in  the  month  of 
June,  doing  nearly  all  the  labor  himself.  His  father,  Joseph  Schooley, 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers  of  the  valley.  In  1835  he  took  from  the 
bed  of  the  Susquehanna  half  a  ton  of  coal,  drew  it  sixty -seven  miles  to 
Easton,  and  sold  it  to  a  blacksmith  for  $10. 

HON.  GEOEGE  B.  SBAMANS,  M.  D. 

Hon.  George  B.  Seamans,  M.  D.,  was  born  November  11th,  1880,  at  Abing- 
ton, Pa.,  and  graduated  from  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  College  in  1853. 
He  practiced  at  Dunmore  until  1870,  when  he  removed  to  Pleasant 
Valley.  He  was  coroner  of  Luzerne  county  three  years,  and  in  1876  was 
elected  senator  from  the  twentieth  district.  In  1878  he  was  re-elected 
for  the  long  term,  which  he  is  serving. 

THE  SLOCUM  FAMILY. 

On  the  records  of  the  town  of  Warwick,  K.  I.,  is  found  the  following 
entry:  "These  lines  may  certify  that  Jonathan  Slocum  and  Kuth 
Tripp,  both  of  the  town  of  Portsmouth,  county  of  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  were  lawfully  niarried  in  Warwick  on  23d  of  February,  in  the 
year  1758,  by  me,  Ebenezer  Slocum,  justice  of  the  peace." 

On  the  6th  of  November,  1775,  Jonathan  Fitch  conveys  to  Jonathan 
Slocum,  blacksmith,  of  Warwick,  Kent  county,  R.  I.,  lot  No.  15,  3nd 
division,  Wilkes-Barre  town  plot.  Jonathan  Slocum  moved  into  Wyo- 
ming valley  in  November,  1777,  with  seven  sons  and  three  daughters, 
and  settled  on  the  lot  he  had  bought  of  Fitch,  On  the  2nd  of  Novem- 
ber, 1778,  his  daughter  Frances  was  carried  into  captivity  by  Indians, 
and  never  returned.  After  a  long  search  by  relatives  she  was  found 
living  near  Logansport,  Ind.,  where  her  brothers  and  other  relatives 
visited  her  in  1837.  See  Miner,  pages  247,  etc.,  and  Peck,  pages  234,  etc. 
She  was  married  to  an  Indian  and  had  children.  She  died  on  the  Missi- 
sinewa,  near  Peru,  Wabash  county,  Ind.,  at  her  residence,  on  the  23d 
of  March,  1847.  Kekenaknshawa,  her  daughter,  wife  of  Captain  Brou- 
riette,  died  on  the  13th  of  March,  1847,  aged  forty-seven  years. 

On  the  16th  of  December,  1778,  Jonathan  Slocum  and  his  father-in-law, 
Isaac  Tripp,  were  killed  by  Indians  and  tories  on  the  town  plot  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  and  William  Slocum,  Jonathan's  son,  was  wounded.  The 
father  was  shot  dead.  Tripp  was  wounded  and  then  speared  and  toma- 
hawked.   Both  were  scalped. 


*€¥ 


^^:^ 


*^H= 


iZoD 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Jonathan  and  Euth  were  the  heads  of  the  SloOTm  family  at  Wyoming, 
their  family  reeord  is  as  follows: 

Jonathan  Slooum,  born  in  1735,  was  killed  Dceomber  lOth,- 1778.  Ruth 
Tripp,  born  March  31st,  1736,  died  May  Gth,  1807.  They  were  marrii'd 
February  g3d,  1738. 

Of  their  children  Giles,  born  January,  1760,  died  November  14th,  1826. 

Judith,  born  October,  1760,  died  March  11th,  1814.  She  married  Hugh 
Forsman,  February  8ith,  1782. 

William,  born  January  6th,  1763,  died  October  3Cth,  I8I0. 

Ebenezer,  born  January  10th,  1766,  died  July  36th,  1833. 

Mary,  born  December  32nd,  1708,  died  April  5th,  1818.  She  married 
Town. 

Benjamin,  born  December  7th,  1770,  died  July  5th,  18.33. 

Fi-anoes,  born  March,  1773,  died  March  3d,  1847. 

Isaac,  born  March  4th,  1775,  died  in  1858  in  Ohio. 

Joseph,  born  April  3d,  1776,  died  September  27th,  1836;  was  associate 
judge  of  Luzerne  county  1840-53. 

Jonathan,  born  September  13th,  1777,  died  in  September,  1843. 

Of  these  William  Slooum  was  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county  from  1790  to 
1799,  in  the  territoi-y  included  in  Luzerne,  Wyoming,  Susquehanna  and 
part  of  Bradford  county.  On  March  9th,  1799,  ho  bought  of  Nathan 
Baldwin  property  in  Pittston,  to  which  he  removed  and  there  died. 
January  4tb,  1786,  he  married  Sarah  Sawyer,  who  was  born  May  13th, 
1764,  and  died  March  leth,  1832.  Their  children  were;  Lemuel,  born 
March  24th,  1787,  who  married  Nancy  Collins  December  30th,  1813,  and 
died  August  34th,  1830;  Elizabeth,  born  October  3d,  1788,  who  married 
William  Jenkins  in  1809  .and  Zenas  Barnum  in  1816  and  died  August  22nd, 
1869;  Frances,  born  August  26th,  1790,  who  married  Eleazer  Carey,  Esq., 
August  30th,  1813,  and  died  April  7th,  1S33;  Laton,  born  August  16th, 
1792,  who  died  January  10th,  1833;  Sarah,  who  was  born  August  13th, 
1794,  and  died  March  17th,  1839;  Ithoda,  born  July  17th,  1796,  who  married 
James  Wright  May  37th,  1839;  Merit  Slocum,  born  July  13th,  1798,  died 
July  11th,  1838,  was  register  and  recorder  from  1838  to  the  time  of  his 
death ;  Giles,  who  was  born  Jlay  4th,  1801,  married  Sai-ah  Perkins  March 
9th,  1836,  and  Sarah  Heese  Feoruary  9th,  1847,  and  died  May  7th,  1878; 
William,  born  May  4th,  1803,  married  Ann  Stewart  in  September,  1838. 

On  the  first  of  February,  1819,  Laton  Slocum  married  Gratey  Scovell, 
who  was  born  December  34th,  1796,  and  died  September  .5th,  1839.  Chil- 
dren wore  born  to  them  as  follows :  Frances  Carey,  May  33d,  1833 ;  James 
Soovell,  Ju  ly  ]2th,  1837 ;  WilUam,  January  9th ,  1839.  Gratey  Scovell  was 
a  daughter  of  James  Scovell  (born  August  23d,  1701)  and  Thankful  Nash 
(born  in  1781).  He  died  at  the  head  of  the  valley,  January  8th,  1810.  She 
died  in  Lower  E.veter  in  1840. 

Their  daughter,  Frances  Carey  Slocum,  married  Richard  A.  Oakford, 
December  37th,  1843.  Of  their  children  Joseph  Lloyd  was  born  Decem- 
ber 7th,  1844,  and  died  August  9th,  1846.  Elizabeth  Paschall,  born  Decem- 
ber 8th,  1810,  died  August  33th,  1849.  Anna  Wickersham,  born  August 
17th,  1849,  married  Justice  Cox,  jr.,  October  29th,  1873.  Laton  Slocum, 
born  February  16th,  1852,  married  Ella  S.  Smith,  November  15th,  1877. 
Mary  FuUei',  born  January  12th,  18.57,  died  May  7th,  1838.  James  William 
was  born  June  5th,  1859.  Richard  Adolphus,  born  July  20th,  1861,  died 
September  38th,  1801. 

Colonel  Richard  A.  Oakford  was  acting  aft  justice  of  the  peace  in  the 
borough  of  Seranton  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion.  He  went  out 
with  the  tirst  bod,y  of  three  months  men  as  colonel  of  the  15th  regiment. 
On  his  return  he  raised  a  regiment,  of  which  he  was  elected  colonel, 
known  as  the  1.33nd  Pa.  volunteers.  He  was  killed  on  the  17th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1863,  at  the  battle  of  Antietam,  while  gallantly  leading  his  men 
into  the  thickest  of  the  action. 

James  Scovell  Slocum  was  never  married.  He  grew  up  on  u  farm  at 
Exeter  and  removed  to  Seranton  in  1854,  where  he  took  an  active  part 
in  politics  as  a  republican  in  the  election  of  1856.  He  was  one  <if  the 
proprietors  of  the  Scrantim  BcimhUfan,  a  inomber  of  the  Republican 
State  Central  Committee  in  1860,  and  attended  the  Chicago  Convention 
with  that  committee.  He  fuj-nished  two  men  to  do  his  share  of  the 
fighting  in  the  late  Rebellion,  and  in  1863  went  himself  as  a  member  of 
the  13th  Pennsylvania  militia  under  Colonel  Johnson.  He  was  chair- 
man of  the  Sanitary  Commission  at  Seranton  in  1863,  when  over  $6,000 
was  raised  for  the  soldiers.  In  1809  he  was  appointed  by  President 
Grant  postmaster  at  Seranton;  re-appointed  in  1874,  and  resigned  soon 
after  and  retired  to  his  farm  in  Exeter,  where  he  now  resides.  Since 
his  return  to  his  old  home  his  neighbors  have  elected  him  justice  of  the 
peace,  overseer  of  the  poor,  etc. 

February  17th,  1804,  William  Slocum  (born  January  9th,  1839)  married 
Mary  Ann  I-Ioyt,  daughter  of  Abel  Hoyt.  She  was  born  November 
20th,  1834.  Their  children  are  James  Phillips,  born  August  10th,  1863, 
and  William  Giles,  born  November  33d,  1863.  WilUam  Slocum  was 
brought  up  on  a  farm  in  Exeter;  commenced  business  as  a  merchant 
in  Pittston;  sold  out  and  retired  to  his  farm  in  Exeter,  where  he  now 
resides.  He  furnished  a  man  to  fight  the  Rebellion  In  his  place,  he 
being  Incapacitated  by  a  defect  in  one  of  his  eyes.  He  wiis  anxious, 
however,  to  do  his  share  and  hence  scut  a  substitute. 


William  Abbott,  superintendent  of  mines  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company,  is  a  native  of  England.  He  came  to  Pittston  in  1830,  and  was 
married  in  1873  to  Emma  Weeks,  of  Pittston. 


Gilbert  Alexander,  a  native  of  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  was  born  In 
1827,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1&51.  His  wife  was  Margaret  McMillan, 
who  was  born  in  Dumfriesshire.  He  is  employed  as  blacksmith  at 
Pleasant  Valley  by  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 

John  Anderson,  superiutendent  of  the  Pittston  Water  Company, 
was  born  in  Scotland,  May  23nd,  1838.  He  came  to  America  and  became 
a  resident  of  Pittston,  where  he  mai-ried  Miss  Mary  llryden. 

Robert  Anderson,  from  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  was  born  in  1835. 
His  wife  was  Mary  Davie,  from  Scotland.  He  came  to  America  in  1866, 
and  was  for  a  time  a  miner  at  Hillside,  but  since  1878  has  been  mining  at 
Spring  Brook. 

David  Anthony,  a  native  of  South  Wales,  was  born  in  Caermarthen- 
shire,  in  1835.  He  was  married  in  1845  to  .Tane  Jones,  of  Wales,  and  came 
to  this  country  in  18.52.  He  is  now  a  merchant  taylor  at  Ptttston ;  was 
formerly  a  cutter  with  Lewis  Cohen.  He  has  been  president  of  the 
borough  council. 

Henry  Armitage,  proprietor  of  a  local  express  business  at  Pittston, 
was  a  soldier  in  Compaiay  B  11th  Pennsylvania  infantry  from  1861  to 
1863.    He  has  been  high  constable  in  Pittston  four  terms. 

George  T.  Ash  was  born  in  Plains  township,  in  1842.  His  wife  was 
Elizabeth  Morgan,  of  Pittston.  He  is  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  is  now 
outside  carpenter  at  the  Tompkins  colliery.  He  has  served  as  ward 
assessor  one  year. 

James  S.  Baker,  of  Pittston,  was  born  in  Berks  county.  Pa.  After 
residing  for  a  time  in  Montgomery  county  he  removed  to  Pittston, 
where  he  has  been  since  1863,  dealing  in  tobacco  and  segars.  Under  his 
management  as  chief  of  police  that  branch  of  the  municipal  govern- 
ment is  most  elficiently  administered. 

David  Berlew,  farmer,  was  born  in  Northumberland  county,  in 
1820,  and  came  to  Exeter  with  his  uncle,  William  Shipman,  when  pnly 
three  years  of  age.  He  was  married  in  1844  to  Susannah  Kern,  who  died 
January  7th,  1847,  and  in  1849  to  Phcebe  Sutton,  his  present  wife.  He  has 
been  school  director  and  held  other  offices.  His  former  business  was 
butchering. 

John  W.  Berry  is  a  native  of  Pittston,  and  has  been  engaged  in  civil 
and  mining  engineering  since  1870.  He  is  the  author  of  "'Mathematical 
Problems  in  Rhyme." 

WiLLLVM  Bestford,  a  native  of  Durham,  England,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 11th,  1817,  and  came  to  America  in  1849.  He  located  in  Pittston  in 
18.50,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  mining.  He  w.as  fii-st  married 
to  Miss  Mary  Richardson,  of  England.  She  died  January  30th,  1853,  and 
he  married  Esther  Powall  in  July,  1869. 

S.  Whitman  Blakslee  was  born  at  Springville,  Pa.,  February  26th, 
1831.  He  was  married  in  18-56  to  Martha  J.  Bayne,  who  was  born  at 
Mauch  Chunk,  August  12th,  1833.  There  are  throe  children  and  an 
adopted  daughter  in  the  family.  Mr.  Blakslee  has  been  a  railroad  engi- 
neer twenty-six  years. 

Mrs.  Rettie  W.  Bowkley,  residing  at  Pittston,  is  the  youngest 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Amy  Wagner,  and  was  born  at  Pittston,  October 
18th,  1S02.  She  was  married  to  Benjamin  F.  Bowkley,  of  that  place,  Jan- 
uary 15th,  1880. 

H.  S.  Brandon,  son  of  James  Brandon  and  grandson  of  William  Bran- 
don (who  came  to  Huntington  township  from  Ireland  about  1800),  was 
born  in  Fairmuuut  township,  in  1847.  His  wile  was  Rose  Blain,  of  Fair- 
mount.    He  is  now  engaged  with  Patterson  &  Co.  at  Pittston. 

A.  W.  Breese,  of  Elizabeth  street,  Pittston,  was  born  in  Pittston,  in 
1853.  He  was  formerly  fireman  and  sinue  1873  has  been  engineer  at  No. 
7  slope.  His  father,  William  Breese,  who  was  killed  at  Tompkins  shaft 
in  1853,  came  from  Wales  to  this  country  and  wa<  one  of  the  first  settlers 
in  Oregon. 

P.  B.  Breqony,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  in  1837,  in  Galway, 
Ireland.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1833 ;  spent  ten  years  in  Australia, 
preceding  18117  ;  was  engaged  in  farming  for  a  time  and  is  now  a  liquor 
dealer  and  grocer  at  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he  is  serving  his  third  term 
as  burgess. 

Richard  Brenton,  contractor  and  bricklayer,  was  born  in  1825,  in 
Cornwall,  England  ;  married  Ann  Browning,  of  the  same  county,  in 
1849  ;  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Pittston  the  same  year.  His  wife 
died  December  16th,  1834.  In  1830  he  married  Nellie  A.  Carney,  of  Wyo- 
ming county. 

James  Brooks,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Great  Bend,  Pa.,  in  1855.  In  March, 
1877,  ho  graduated  from  the  medical  department  of  the  Northwestern 
University,  at  Chicago.  He  practiced  for  two  years  with  Walter 
Brooks,  of  Binghauiton,  and  then  located  at  Pleasant  Valley.  In  1880 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  A.  A.  Barton,  of  Plains,  Pa. 

James  N.  Brown  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the  Tyne  in  Northumber- 
land county,  England.     He  married  in  1836  Mary  Young,  who  was  born 


*^-^= 


--^e* 


C-f^^ 


L-0~L^ 


In,  ^••yK'^mi  i  »»■.  ^'3  "«'■='''>' ''  ^  ^ 


'*€> 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL   RECORD. 


33°  -E 


at  Kenton,  in  the  same  countj-,  and  came  to  America  in  1843,  and  to 
Pittston  in  18i3.    He  has  been  a  mine  oontraotor  and  miner  since. 

William  Brown,  a  miner  at  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  October  28th, 
1848,  at  Garsphern,  in  Kirkenbrightshire.  His  wife,  Annie  G.  Glendon- 
ingr,  was  born  at  Crawford,  Scotland.  They  came  to  America  in  1808. 
Mr.  Brown  is  clerk  of  the  borough  of  Pleasant  Valley. 

Myron  Brown  was  born  February  10th,  1840,  in  Pittston.  He  was 
married  in  1867  to  Eleanor  E.  Atherton,  of  Plymouth.  They  have  five 
ohildi'eu.    Mr.  Brown  is  a  farmer. 

James  A.  Bbyden,  superintendent  of  mines,  was  born  in  Scotland, 
in  1833,  and  came  to  Pittston  in  1853.  He  was  married  iu  186J  to  Marga- 
ret Young,  of  Pittston. 

Archibald  L.  Bkyden,  de.\ler  in  dry  gools  at  Pittston,  was  born  In 
Carbondale,  Pa.,  March  3d,  1848.  He  married  Miss  Anna  A.  D.unan,  of 
West  Pittston,  where  he  now  resides. 

J.  A.  A.  BuRSCHEL  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1848.  His  wife  was  Anna 
Lutzinger,  from  Switzerland.  He  was  revenue  assessor  in  1839.  He 
built  the  Forest  Castle  brewery,  in  E.xotcr.  His  father,  Peter  Bursohel, 
was  with  Carl  Schurz  in  his  esc.ipe  in  1819. 

Charles  H.  Campbell,  salesman  in  the  lumber  yard  at  Pittston,  was 
born  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  March  23nd,  1835.  He  mirrled  Miss  BUenor 
Korts,  of  Easton,  Pa.  Mr.  Campbell  was  formerly  a  railroad  con- 
ductor. 

Henry  Campbell,  deceased,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  in  Ireland. 
He  came  to  America  in  1S44.  He  enlisted  as  a  private  with  Company  G 
187th  regiment  and  served  through  most  of  the  civil  war,  losing  a  leg  in 
front  of  Petersburg. 

Isaac  Carpenter,  son  of  Baltzer  Carpenter  and  grandson  of  Isaac 
Carpenter,  of  New  Jersey,  was  born  in  Kingston,  OctDber  39th,  3835.  He 
came  with  his  father  to  the  "old  tavern  at  the  head  of  the  valley"  when 
two  yeai's  old,  and  returned  to  Kingston  in  1847.  He  was  married  .lune 
3nd,  1870,  to  Mai-y  F.  Sohooley,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  is  a  gardener  and 
farmer.  His  mother  was  Jane  Ann  Bennett,  of  tlie  Bennett  family  of 
Wilkes-Barre. 

Jesse  B.  Carpenter,  dairy  farmer  and  gardener,  was  born  in  King- 
ston, January  23d,  1840,  and  came  to  the  "old  tavern"  with  his  father, 
John  S.  Carpenter,  in  1847.  In  1873  he  married  Charlotte  B.  Laird,  of 
Wilkes-Barre.  He  enlisted  August  37th,  18G1;  was  wounded  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Antietam,  and  discharged  December  30tb,  1803,  and  subsequently 
enlisted  in  the  construction  corps. 

John  S.  Carpenter,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Kingston,  August 
12th,  1811,  and  came  in  1835  to  the  "old  tavern  at  the  head  of  the  valley" 
with  his  father,  Isaac  Cari^enter,  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  man-ied 
Elizabeth  Schooley,  who  was  born  in  Exeter,  September  3d,  1818.  They 
have  two  children  living. 

V.  M.  Carpenter,  agent  for  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  was  born  iu 
North  Moreland,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  March  23d,  1832.  He  came  to 
Pittston  at  a  later  date,  where  he  married  Miss  Maria  H.  Taggart,  on 
Christmas,  1877.  His  first  marriage  was  in  1800,  to  Mary  E.  Peel,  of  Phil- 
adelphia, a  desceudant  of  Sir  Bobert  Peel.  She  died  in  December,  1881. 
Mr.  Carpenter's  son,  Joseph,  is  a  telegraph  opei-ator  for  the  Lehigh  Val- 
ley Kailroad  Company,  at  Pittston. 

Enoch  C.  Cabtwright,  miner,  was  born  in  Wolverhampton,  Staf- 
fordshire, England,  in  1826 ;  came  to  America  in  1848,  and  married  Mary 
Ann  Preston,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  in  1855.  He  has  formerly  superintended 
boring  and  sinking  shafts  for  coal,  both  in  the  west  and  here. 

Henry  Chapman  is  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  from  whence  he 
came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1866.  He  Is  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  in  May, 
1878,  was  commissioned  justice  of  the  peace  at  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he 
now  has  his  ofHce. 

William  B.  Colb0BN,  the  general  foreman  at  the  Hillside  colliery  at 
Pleasant  Valley,  has  been  in  that  position  since  1874.  He  has  been  en- 
gaged about  the  mines  all  his  life,  and  was  superintendent  for  Mr. 
Swoyer  at  Plains  seven  years.  He  was  a  soldier  in  1864  and  1805  with 
Company  F  303d  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

John  A.  Collier,  Butler  junction,  Pittston,  was  born  at  Nanticoke, 
in  June,  1837.  He  was  married  in  April,  1860,  to  Ann  Gallagher,  of 
county  Donegal,  Ireland.  He  is  weighmaster  for  the  Pittston  Coal  Com- 
pany. He  has  served  in  the  school  board  of  Pittston,  and  is  now  pres- 
ident of  the  Catholic  temperance  society  of  the  State. 

J.  W.  Compton,  proprietor  of  the  steam  dyeing  works  at  Pittston,  is 
a  New  Jersey  man.  He  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  in  1844,  and  has  made 
this  his  business  most  of  his  Ufe.  He  established  his  present  business 
about  three  years  ago. 

David  Cranston,  a  native  of  Dumfriesshire,  Scotland,  and  his  wife, 
Sarah  Williamson,  also  from  Dumfriesshire,  came  to  this  country  in  1863.       I 


Mr.  Cranston  was  one  of  the  first  miners  in  Pleasant  Valley,  where  he 
now  resides,  working  in  the  Brown  colliery  tunnel  as  early  as  1864. 

E.  B.  Cutler,  an  extensive  undertaker  and  furniture  dealer  at  Pitts- 
ton, began  business  in  1848  on  Kennedy  street.  The  next  year  he  built 
the  old  wooden  building  below  the  National  Bank,  and  in  partnership 
with  Mr.  Haas  built  his  present  brick  building  in  1865. 

L.  G.  Damon  established  the  first  livery  business  in  West  Pittston  in 
July,  1874.  He  is  a  native  of  Fulton  county,  N.  Y.,  but  came  to  Pittston 
in  1848  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  hardware  business,  the  paper-mill 
and  the  Pittston  foundry. 

Rev.  Isaac  E.  Da  vies,  who  resides  on  Oak  street,  Pittston,  was  bom 
at  Blaenavon,  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales.  He  was  married  to  Mar- 
garet Edwards  prior  to  coming  to  America  in  1865.  His  family  consists 
of  six  sons  and  three  daughters.  While  in  Wales  he  was  a  merchant,  but 
since  coming  to  this  country  he  has  been  mining.  He  is  a  local  preacher 
in  the  Baptist  church. 

John  W.  Davies,  a  native  of  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  was  born 
in  1811.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1833  and  in  1833  was  married  to  Mag- 
dalene Daniels,  of  that  town.    He  is  a  stone  mason. 

W.  Delany  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1834,  and  came  to  Pittston  in 
1857.  He  is  employed  at  the  Columbia  colliery.  For  about  eleven  years 
he  kept  a  hotel  near  the  head  of  "the  canal  in  Pittston  township,  where 
he  resides. 

J.  P.  Delahanty,  superintendent  of  the  West  Pittston  knitting- 
mill,  was  born  at  Brookfleld,  Mass.,  in  1833.  Ho  has  been  making  cotton 
and  woolen  goods  since  1834,  and  has  been  for  twenty  years  of  that  time 
a  machinist,  having  suggested  profitable  changes  in  Tomkin's  knitting 
machine.  He  was  married  in  1846  to  Emeline  Pollock,  of  Dutchess 
county,  N.Y.  They  have  three  sons.  They  came  from  Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  to 
West  Pittston  in  1874. 

C.  G.  Dewitt,  a  farmer  at  Exeter,  who  was  born  in  1831,  at  Decker- 
town,  N.  J.,  is  a  son  of  Charick  Dewitt,  who  came  to  Pennsylvania  in 
1839.  His  mother  was  Esther  Decker,  of  Decfcertown.  He  was  married 
in  1847  to  Emeline  Fitch,  of  North  Moreland.  She  died  in  1879,  leaving 
two  daughters  and  one  son. 

Cornelius  Donnelly  was  born  in  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  in  1840.  His 
wife,  Ellen  Neville,  who  died  March  7th,  1878,  was  from  Little  Meadows, 
Susquehanna  county.  Pa.  Mr.  Donnelly  was  formerly  a  carriage  maker, 
but  is  at  present  a  furniture  dealer  and  undertaker  in  Pittston,  carrying 
on  an  extensive  business  on  South  Main  street. 

Bradley  Downing,  grandson  of  Samuel  Carey,  a  prisoner  in  the 
Wyoming  massacre,  is  a  native  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  has  been  twice 
married— to  Hellen  M.  Stewart  (deceased)  and  to  M.  J.  Baker  (in  I860), 
He  is  a  foreman  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  has  been  in 
their  employ  nearly  thirty  years.  He  has  been  burgess  of  West 
Pittston. 

Jefferson  Dkiesbach,  farmer,  was  born  in  1833,  in  Carbon  county. 
July  4th,  1863,  he  married  Amelia  J.  Anthony,  who  was  born  March  1st, 
1841,  in  Monroe  county.  They  have  one  child,  William  J.  Driesbach,  born 
July  38th,  1873. 

John  J.  Dubkin,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  at  Scranton,  November 
1st,  1831.  His  wife  was  M.  A.  McDonald,  of  Penn  Yan,  N.  Y.  He  was 
formerly  a  merchant,  but  is  at  present  justice  of  the  peace,  having  pre- 
viously held  various  borough  oflSces. 

P.  W.  Early,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  at  Carbondale.  His  wife 
was  Ann  Coleman,  from  Indiana.  Since  1863  he  has  been  engaged  in 
boot  and  shoemaking  where  he  now  resides.  He  was  elected  burgess  of 
Pleasant  Valley  in  1880. 

M.  J.  Eastman,  contractor  and  builder,  was  born  at  Rome,  Pa.,  in 
1844.  He  entered  the  army  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  served  three 
years  and  three  months.  His  wife  was  Mary  A.  Keller,  of  Stroudsburg, 
Pa.  He  came  here  in  1808,  and  by  undiverted  attention  has  made  his 
business  a  success. 

Samuel  Edwards,  of  Pittston,  a  retired  miner,  was  born  in  South 
Wales,  in  1814.  He  was  married  in  1835  to  Rachel  Williams,  of  South 
Wales,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1863.  Two  of  their  ten  children  are 
living.  Mr.  Edwards  was  a  miner  for  forty-seven  years  and  has  been 
deacon  in  the  Baptist  church  for  thirty-five  years. 

J.  W.  Enbody,  the  present  agent  for  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  at 
the  Pittston  junction,  was  born  in  Berwick,  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  in 
1818.  He  has  been  engaged  as  a  boat  builder  at  Mauoh  Chunk  and  as 
railroad  contractor.  He  was  for  a  time  in  charge  of  coal  ports  for  the 
Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal  Company. 

Evan  J.  Evans  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  in  1840.  His 
wife,  Ellen  Hughes,  was  born  at  Kingston.  He  was  formerly  outside 
foreman  for  Waterman  &  Beaver  at  Kingston,  but  since  1869  has  been 


t^;N= 


='=^i^ 


33° -P" 


HISTORY   OF   LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


general  superintendent  of  the  Columbia  mines.  He  enlisted  in  the 
2nd  Pennsylvania  artillery  Aug:ust  13th,  1803,  and  wiis  discharged  in 
June,  1883. 

Isaac  Everitt,  agent  for  the  Central  E.vpress  Company,  Pittston, 
was  born  in  Montag-ue,  Susse.x  county,  N.  J.,  December  31st,  1818.  His 
wife  was  formerly  Miss  P.  L.  Brawn,  of  Pittston.  Mr.  Everitt  has  been 
engaged  in  mercantile  business. 

John  Pagan  was  born  at  Honesdale,  Wayne  county,  in  1854.  His 
wife  was  Mary  Ann  Evans.  He  was  formerly  clerk  in  the  ICingston 
House,  but  since  1877  has  been  proprietor  of  the  Pittston  Valley  House 
at  Upper  Pittston. 

Obed  B.  Peak,  weighmaster  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company, 
was  born  in  England,  in  1822,  whence  he  emigrated  in  1850.  His  wife, 
Hannah  Groves,  Is  also  a  native  of  England. 

William  Ferguson  was  born  in  Dallas  township,  December  33nd, 
1832.  He  first  came  to  West  Pittston  in  January,  1847.  He  was  married 
to  Margaret  Kiple,  of  Tobyhanna,  Pa., JUay  3nd,  1847.  His  former  busi- 
ness was  general  merchandising  and  farming.    He  is  now  a  merchant. 

Charles  W.  Fisher  was  born  in  Carbon  county.  His  wife  was 
Hannah  J.  Selser,  of  Lycoming  county.  Pa.  He  was  formerly  a  mill- 
wright, but  is  at  present  manager  of  the  Ontario  colliery,  at  Pleasant 
Valley.  He  served  three  years  as  private  in  Company  C  of  the  3d  Penn- 
sylvania cavalry. 

A.  Fleischer  was  born  in  Austria,  in  1814,  and  came  to  this  countr.v 
in  1866.  He  was  married  in  1877  to  Flora  Cohen,  of  New  York.  Since 
1873  he  has  been  carrying  on  an  e.vlensive  leather  business  stt  Pittston. 
The  business  was  established  in  18S7,  by  A.  P.  Sheetz.  Mr.  Fleischer  also 
operates  a  tannery  and  a  shoe  factory. 

Joseph  Frederick,  engineer  at  Barnum  shaft.  No.  3  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Coal  Company,  was  born  March  29th,  1839.  He  came  to  West 
Pittston  in  1868,  and  wiis  married  the  same  year  to  Ettie  Shannon,  a 
daughter  of  George  Shannon.  He  served  in  Battery  M  2nd  Pa.  artillery 
three  years,  and  in  State  service  five  years. 

John  Pulton,  carpenter  and  lumberman,  was  born  in  Canistco,  N.  Y., 
January  28d,  18a'),  and  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Rogers,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.  He  served  seventeen  months  in  the  civil  war,  participating  in  bat- 
tles at  Fredericksburg,  Laurel  Hill  and  other  places. 

O.  P.  Gaines,  of  West  Pittston,  was  born  in  Morris  county,  N.  J.,  in 
1839.  His  wife  was  Helen  A.  Ellithorp,  from  Niiigara,  N.  Y.  He  was 
assistant  assessor  and  collector  of  internal  revenue,  and  in  1877  and  1878 
was  sergeant-at-arms  of  the  House  of  Kepresentatives. 

Samuel  Gardner,  son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  Gardner,  was  born  in 
Ransom,  October  24th,  1S51,  and  married  Flora  E.  Ives,  of  the  same 
township,  on  the  27*h  of  March,  1873.  He  is  a  car  inspector  on  the  Le- 
high Valley  Railroad,  and  lives  at  Pittston.  His  grandfather,  Richard 
Gardner,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hansom. 

William  B.  Gardner,  weighmaster  of  No.  0  shaft,  was  boi-n  in  Sus- 
quehanna county,  in  1844,  and  in  181)3  married  Sarah  Dolman,  a  native 
of  England.  He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  auditors  of  Hughestown 
borough. 

James  L.  Giddings,  a  retired  farmer  at  .54  Parsonage  street,  Pittston, 
is  a  son  of  Dr.  Nathaniel  Giddings,  who  came  to  Pennsylvania  from 
Connecticut  in  1787.  Mr.  Giddings  was  married  in  1834  to  Mary  H.  Pratt, 
from  Massachusetts. 

P.  W.  Ginz  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1816,  and  came  to  New  Orleans 
in  1849.  He  was  in  the  United  States  service  four  and  one-half  years; 
was  with  Fremont  as  civil  engineer  in  Colorado  and  New  Mexico, 
and  since  1875  he  has  been  proprietor  of  the  Wyoming  Valley  House, 
which  was  built  by  Irvin  Orr  in  1837. 

Lewis  Gordon,  iirinter  and  proprietor  of  the  Eocniiiii  Press,  Pittston, 
was  bona  at  Stroudsburg,  Monroe  counts'.  Pa.  He  married  Miss  Char- 
lotte Meleck,  of  Bclvidere,  N.  J. 

W.  D.  Green,  grocer  at  West  Pittston,  succeeded  John  S.  Hurlbut  in 
1878  in  busijicss  at  the  foot  of  Wyoming  avenue.  Mr.  Green  was  a  pri- 
vate in  Company  B  143d  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  has  been 
in  business  at  Pittston  iind  Wyoming. 

Thomas  Halppennv,  proprietor  of  the  Luzerne  House,  West  Pitts- 
ton, was  born  in  England,  in  1835.  He  was  formerly  engaged  as  engi- 
neer. He  came  to  Pittston  in  1809.  His  wife  was  Clara  Hemes,  from 
England.  His  commodious  hotel  was  built  in  1856  by  the  coal  com- 
pany. 

N.  V.  Hapeman,  a  native  of  Greene  county,  N.  Y.,  came  to  Pittston  in 
1854,  in  the  employ  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  is  foreman 
of  the  company's  car  shop  at  Pittston.  He  married  Caroline  Swack- 
hammer,  of  Now  Jersey. 


Theodore  Hart,  jr.,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Pittston  Gazette, 
was  born  at  Athens,  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  September  lOtb,  1847.  He 
married  Miss  Rebecca  Dymond,  of  North  Moreland,  Wyoming  county, 
Pa. 

William  Heisler,  of  E.veter,  has  been  a  farmer  since  1848.  He  was 
born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  in  1814,  and  was  married  in  18.50  to  Lorinda 
White,  who  died  February  18th,  1877,  leaving  three  sons.  Mr.  H.  has 
been  president  of  the  school  board  since  1874. 

Peter  Henry,  retail  grocer,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1837,  and  came 
to  Pittston  in  1869  and  opened  a  grocery.  He  is  a  member  of  the  royal 
'  Irish  constabulary. 

Captain  Joseph  Hileman  was  born  in  Huntingdon  county.  Pa.  He 
served  two  years  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  subsequently  for  ten  years 
cari'ied  on  the  livery  business  at  Pittston.  He  served  as  captain  of 
Company  H  19th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  afterward  enrolled  and 
commanded  Company  E  49th  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  insurance  business.  , 

Michael  T.  HonAN  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  18.39.  His  wife  was  Bridget 
Barrett,  of  Carbondale.  He  was  engaged  in  mining  twenty  years,  but 
since  1875  has  kept  a  grocery  and  provision  store  at  Pleasant  Valley. 
He  has  served  sevei'al  years  as  collector  and  school  director  of  the 
borough. 

A.  C.  HOLDEN,  the  principal  harness  malcer  in  Pittston,  began  busi- 
ness in  1877.  Prior  to  that  time  he  was  eleven  years  with  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Coal  Company.    His  present  business  employs  five  men. 

W.  H,  Hollister,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  at  Brooklyn,  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pa.,  in  1850.  His  wife  was  Ella  Bremer,  of  Newton,  Pa. 
Beginning  as  a  clerk  he  has  steadily  advanced, until  now  he  ranks  among 
the  first  as  a  dealer  in  general  merchandise. 

Alvin  Holmes,  jr.,  was  born  in  Exeter,  January  30th,  1842;  married 
Minnie  J.  Casterlin,  of  Orange,  March  10th,  1808,  and  came  to  West  Pitts- 
ton in  1872.  They  have  one  child,  Herbert  L.  Mr.  Holmes  is  a  con- 
tractor and  builder.  His  grandfather,  Artemidorus  Ingersoll,  of  New 
England,  was  in  the  battles  of  Bunker  hill  and  Saratoga  and  others. 

Lawrence  Hoover,  farmer  and  milk  dealer,  was  born  in  Morris 
county,  N.  J.,  on  Christmas,  18.20.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Hoover 
in  1810.  He  has  himself  cleared  fifty  acres  of  his  present  farm  of  fifty- 
four  acres.    He  has  been  supervisor.' 

John  W.  Hughes,  merchant  tailor,  was  born  at  Holyhead,  North 
Wales,  in  1830 ;  came  to  Pottsville,  Pa.,  in  1847,  and  in  18.52  married  Anna 
Cook,  who  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales.  He  was  in 
business  thirteen  years  at  Carbondale,  and  died  at  Scranton  Novem- 
ber 13th,  1866.    Mrs.  Hughes  afterward  came  to  West  Pittston. 

John  S.  Hurlbut,  merchant,  was  born  in  Wyoming,  Luzerne  county, 
Pa.,  February  8th,  1829,  and  married  Miss  Cornelia  E.  Jones,  of  the  same 
village.  He  is  the  son  of  Lyman  Hurlbut,  who  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  May  4th,  1797,  and  grandson  of  Napthali  Hurlbut,  one  of  the 
first  sheriifs  of  Luzerne  county. 

J.  M.  Isaac,  carpenter  and  builder,  was  born  in  England,  in  1844,  and 
came  to  Pittstonin  1870  and  engaged  in  building.  In  1873  he  was  married 
to  Elizabeth  Kirslake.    His  shop  is  on  Deck  street. 

David  G.  James  was  born  in  South  Wales,  in  1855,  and  came  to  this 
county  in  1877.  He  Is  a  clerk  witli  J.  L.  Morgan,  of  Pittston,  and  is  sec- 
retary of  the  Welsh  Congregational  church. 

Charles  A.  Jones  was  born  at  Wilkes-Barre,  whore  he  now  resides. 
He  has  been  successively  engaged  as  book  clerk  for  various  corpora- 
tions, including  the  First  National  Bank  and  Wyoming  National  Bank 
of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  is  now  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in  Pleasant 
VaUey.    He  is  captain  oC  Company  E  0th  regiment  Pennsylvania  militia. 

J.  Benedict  Jones,  who  was  born  in  Exeter,  in  1811,  is  a  grandson  of 
Benjamin  Jones,  a  lieutenant  in  the  American  army  during  the  Rev- 
olution, who  came  to  E.veter  from  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1804.  Mr. 
Jones  was  married  in  1843  to  Lydia,  daughter  of  George  Prothingham. 
He  has  boeu  for  years  an  oHioer  in  the  Baptist  church.  Their  family 
consists  of  two  daughters  and  a  son,  L.  B.  Jones. 

H.  D.  JuDD,  of  the  firm  of  H.  D.  Judd  &  Co.,  furniture  dealers  and 
undertakers,  was  born  in  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to  Pittston 
in  1884  and  engaged  in  trade.  In  1874  he  was  married  to  Hattie  E. 
Oliver,  of  Pittston.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Binghamton  Commercial 
College. 

Hon.  George  Judge,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  married  to  Catherine 
Gallagher,  of  New  York,  in  1853,  and  in  1854  came  to  Pittston  and  en- 
gaged in  mining.  He  was  supervisor  of  Pittston  township  three  years, 
and  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1877  and  1878. 

William  Kammer,  track  carpenter,  isa  naUveof  Germany,  and  came 
to  Pittston  in  18!>2.  He  married  Henrietta  Weiskerger,  of  Pittston.  He 
served  in  the  0th  Ponusvlvania  cavalry  in  1861  and  1803. 


+ 


^h 


=-il 


GKNEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAT.  RECORD. 


33°^ 


William  H.  Kerk  was  bovn  in  Cftnadi',  in  18-U,  ond  caine  to  Pittston 
in  18(i9nnd  en^iig-ed  in  biticksmithlnjf  and  carriage  making,  which  he 
still  continues.  He  wiis  married  in  1376  to  Hattie  Perrin,  of  Pittston. 
Residence,  West  Pittston. 

John  King  was  born  in  Hawlej',  Wayne  count3^  Pa.,  in  1855.  His  wife 
was  Katie  Neulis,  from  Lackawanna  r oiiiity.  He  was  formerly  a  clerk, 
but  is  now  a  merchant  at  Pleasant  "S'ullcy. 

Jacob  Kintz  was  boni  March  Kind,  18M,  in  Monroe  county.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Eliza  Shupp,  of  the  same  county.  They  came  to  Exeter  in 
18G2,  and  his  occupation  since  has  been  lumbering  and  farming.  He 
serA-ed  in  the  Union  army.  Their  children  are  Sally,  Hannah  E.,  Mil- 
lard, Flora,  Tllysses  G.,  Ida,  Jennie  and  Ella. 

SHEHEniAii  Kitchen,  farmer  in  Exeter,  was  born  in  New  .Jersey,  in 
1837,  and  came  to  this  count.v  with  his  parents  in  18:il.  He  was  married 
in  1842  to  Margaret  Jenkins.  He  has  served  two  terius  as  supervisor  and 
two  as  poormaster. 

Dr.  A.  Knapp,  son  of  Z.  Knapp,  jr.,  who  came  to  Pittston  with  his 
grandfather  in  1798,  was  born  in  1815,  at  Pittston,  where  since  1855  he  has 
carried  on  a  drug  store.  Dr.  Knapp  graduated  at  Gene\-a  Medical  Col- 
ege  in  1816,  and  for  a  time  practiee<l  in  White  Haven.  His  wife  is  Fran- 
ces S.,  daughter  of  Eli.«!ha  Blackman,  of  Pittston. 

Joseph  K.  Kyte,  hatter  and  furrier,  is  a  New  Jersey  man.  He 
traveled  nine  years  for  a  hat  and  fur  .lobbing  house,  and  after  being- 
two  years  with  Henry  Cohen  he  established  his  present  business  in 
1876. 

Joseph  Langfokd,  a  native  of  England,  was  born  March  5th,  1838, 
He  is  jit  present  a  contractor,  residing"  at  West  Pittston.  His  wife  was 
Mary  Anabell  Wells,  of  Pike,  Pa. 

John  B.  Law,  assistant  superintendent  of  minos,  graduated  from  La- 
fayette College.  {IS  ci\il  and  mining  engineer,  in  1873.  He  has  been 
engineer  for  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Company  at 
Scranton,  and  superintended  the  sinking  of  Nos.  12, 13,  and  Law's,  shafts. 
He  was  man-ied  in  1874  to  Jliss  Jennie  McDougall,  of  Pittston. 

Charles  W.  Lewis,  foreman  of  lumber  and  mine  supplies  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  was  born  in  Maine,  in  1847.  His  wife, 
formerly  Kate  Love,  was  born  in  Carbondale.  Mr.  Lewis  was  formerly 
a  dealer  in  dry  goods  and  groceries. 

Giles  Lewis,  a  native  of  Exotor,  was  born  April  30th,  1846.  He  mar- 
ried Mary  E.  Jenkins,  in  ]88'.l  He  is  a  son  of  Levi  C.  Lewis,  who  was  bom 
April  Sid,  1798,  in  Connecticut,  and  came  to  E.'ceter  in  1834.  Giles  Lewis 
f^crved  in  the  army  ;  is  now  a  farmer. 

J.  Morgan  Lewis  was  born  in  18"i3,  and  graduated  at  Lafayette  Col- 
lege in  1875.  He  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Pittston  Water  Com- 
pany, and  in  1876  entered  the  service  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company 
iis  assistant  superintendent.  He  was  married  in  1875  to  MissE.  A.  Kiutx, 
of  Easton,  Pa. 

L.  H.  LiTTS  was  born  at  Dcckertown,  N.  J.,  m  March,  1830,  and  mar- 
lied  Pally  Beemer  in  February,  1840.  His  piuents  came  to  Luzerne 
county  in  his  early  childhood.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  when 
twenty-two,  and  held  several  county  and  government  offices.  He  re- 
moved to  Abilene,  Kan.,  in  1878. 

Henry  J.  Luchsinger  was  born  in  Switzerland,  December  12th,  184S, 
and  came  with  his  father,  Baltez  Luohsinger,  to  America  when  siv  years 
old,  and  to  West  Pittston  in  1856.  He  married  M.  Addie  Keeler,  of 
Keelersburg,  Pa.,  in  1874.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Heister  Keeler.  Mr. 
Luchsinger  is  a  butcher  on  North  Main  street,  Pittston. 

James  C.  Ltdon  was  born  January  21st,  1851,  in  Pittston  borough. 
He  is  financial  and  recording  secr.tary  of  the  Catholic  Young  Men's 
Literary  and  Benevolent  Society. 

Charles  H.  Mahon  was  bom  at  Providence,  in  1840.  Four  years 
later  his  father  removed  to  Tunkhannook  and  engaged  in  farming.  He 
worked  on  the  fai-m  with  his  father  until  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Lock 
Haven  and  engaged  In  lumbering  with  Woods,  Wright  &  Co.,  remaining 
with  them  six  years.  During  this  time  he  was  married  to  Laura  Alice 
Potts.  They  removed  to  Pittston  in  1872,  where  he  is  engaged  with  the 
Singer  Manufacturing  Company.  OfBce,  Water  street;  residence.  Broad 
street. 

James  Maloney  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1848,  and  came  to  this  country 
in  1851,  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  railroading,  but  since  1873  has  been 
a  merchant  at  Pleasant  Valley.  He  has  been  prominently  identified 
with  the  school  interests  of  Pleasant  Valley,  and  is  now  president  of  the 
common  council. 

Thomas  Malonet  came  to  Pittston  in  1849,  and  after  serving  as  a 
clerk  for  Michael  Keap  he  became  a  partner  in  a  general  store  with  Mr. 
Heap's  son  in  1887.  Three  years  later  Mr.  Maloney  became  the  sole  pro- 
prietor, and  the  business  has  grown  to  be  the  largest  retail  business  in 
Pittston.  Mr.  Maloney  has  been  collector  two  years,  school  director 
three  years  and  councilman  eight  years. 

John  McDocgall  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1819,  and  in  1840  was  mar- 
ried to  Janette  Gardner.  Ten  years  later  they  came  to  Pittston,  and  he 
built  the  block  now  occupied  by  his  family  on  South  Main  street.  Here  he 


kept  a  hotel  from  1880  until  his  death,  In  1806.  That  year  Mrs.  McDougall 
opened  a  book  ajtd  stationery  store,  which  she  still  carries  on.  Mrs.  Mo- 
Dougalland  son  carry  on  the  hardware  business  in  the  same  block. 

SAMur«L  McDowALL,  weighmastcr  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Com- 
pany, wasborn  in  Scotland,  in  1838.  He  was  married  to  MarySymonton, 
of  Scotland,  and  came  to  Pittston  In  1853.  He  was  a  member  of  the  118th 
Pennsylvania  infanti-y- 

J.  L.  McMillan,  merchant,  was  born  in  Dumfriesshire,  Scotland, 
April  4th,  1830.  His  wife  was  Miss  Hanna  Howarth,  of  Carbondale.  Mr. 
McMillan  has  served  two  terms  as  burgess,  two  years  as  treasurer  and 
five  years  in  the  town  council.  He  resides  in  Yorkavenue, West  Pittston. 

lloiiERT  McMillan,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  scm  of  James  McMillan,  sen., 
who  died  one  year  after  coming  to  America,  was  born  in  Dumfilcsshiro, 
Scotland,  in  18:14.  Ills  wife  was  Margaret  'J'aylor,  of  Glasgow.  He  was 
in  Australia  fr(nn  1863  to  IStiSmining  quartz.  Since  1875 he  has  been  boss 
of  No.  13  shaft. 

Thomas  McNajiar.a  was  born  In  Ireland.  He  came  to  Pittston  in 
1859,  and  was  for  a  time  a  clerk,  b'ut  for  the  last  fifteen  years  he  has 
been  a  dealer  in  general  merchandise.  He  served  as  poor  director  from 
1877  to  1879. 

John  Mead  was  born  in  England,  in  1849.  While  living  in  England  he 
was  a  brick  moulder.  He  came  to  Pleasant  Valley  in  1870,  and  has  been 
-school  director  three  years.  He  is  at  present  engaged  in  mining.  His 
wife  was  Mary  McGanu,  from  England, 

John  Merritt,  superintendent  of  the  Pittston  gas  works,  was  born  in 
Somersetshire,  England,  March  24th,  1830.  His  wife,  formerly  Miss 
Margaret  Stephens,  is  a  native  of  Pittston. 

George  Miller,  son  of  John  and  grandson  of  Thomas  Miller,  was 
born  in  Tiuikhannock,  in  1803,  and  came  to  Exeter  in  1838.  His  wife  was 
Mary  Jenkins,  of  Eaton,  Pa.  He  has  been  an  extensive  farmer  and  has 
held  I'arious  ollicial  positions. 

John  Mitchell  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1821,  and  came  to  this  country 
in  1843.  His  wife  was  Blary  Day,  also  from  Ireland.  Since  18.50  he  has 
been  in  the  employ  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company;  since  18.57  as 
engiiteer  at  No.  23  plane.    He  resides  at  Plea.«ant  A''alley. 

Andrew  Montanye  was  born  in  Exeter,  where  he  now  resides,  in 
1795.  His  first  wife,  Mary  Keeler,  died  in  1867,  lea^-ing  three  danghtci-*s. 
One  is  in  Colorado,  one  is  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Weiss  and  one  is  Mrs. 
Shippey,  of  Exeter.  Mr.  Montanye's  father,  Andrew,  settled  in  Exeter 
about  1703. 

Philander  Moon,  dispatcher  at  No.  3  plane  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company,  is  a  native  of  Blakely  township.  He  hirs  been  in  the 
company's  employ  twenty-five  years,  and  in  his  present  position  since 
1863.    Mrs.  Moon  was  Sarah  A.  Benjamin,  of  Salem,  Pa. 

Edward  Morgan,  blacksmith  and  miner,  was  born  in  Montgomery- 
shire, North  Wales,  in  1835,  and  was  married  in  ia50  to  Jane  Daniels, 
from  Wales.  He  came  to  Utica,  N.  Y.,  in  1843  and  to  Pittston  in  1845. 
He  subsequently  spent  four  years  in  the  gold  mines  of  Australia  and  is 
now  living  retired  at  Pittston. 

J.  L.  Morgan  was  born  in  Pembrokshire,  South  AVales,  in  1845.  His 
wife  was  Ann  Phillips,  also' of  Pembrokeshire.  He  came  to  Pittston  in 
1809,  and  since  1872  has  carried  on  a  grocery  and  provision  store  on  South 
Main  street. 

M.  W.  Morris  was  born  March  1st,  18:30,  in  Kinvarra,  county  Galway, 
Ireland.  After  coming  to  this  country  he  was  married  to  Miss  B.  E. 
Mulligan,  of  New  York  city.  He  was  deputy  postmaster  in  Hawley, 
where  he  was  a  merchant  from  1849  to  1853 ;  also  commissioned  by 
Governor  Pollock,  captain  of  the  Ennnet  Guards,  of  Hawley.  He  is  now 
a  merchant  miller  at  Wilkes-Barre.  He  resides  at  Pittston,  where  he 
was  school  director  fifteen  years. 

Walter  W.  Morton,  a  shoemaker  at  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  in 
Dumfriesshire,  Scotland,  in  1817.  His  wife  was  Isabelle  Carrie,  from 
Farforshire,  Scotland.    He  came  to  this  country  in  1870. 

D.  D.  Mosier  was  born  at  Middle  Smithfield,  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  in 
1816.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Ward,  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.  He  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  since  1843.  His  farm  covers  some  si.xty  acres  of 
valuable  coal  beds,  which  are  worked  by  the  Pittston  Coal  Company. 
The  brickyard  on  this  farm  is  operated  by  Mr.  Mosier.  He  has  served 
In  several  minor  offices  and  ten  years  as  justice  of  the  peace. 

Frank  C.  Mosier,  son  of  D.  D.  Mosier,  was  born  in  Pittston  town- 
ship, in  1847.  During  the  rebel  invasion  of  Maryland,  in  1863,  he  enlisted 
with  the  19th  Pennsylvania  luiUtia.  He  subsequently  read  law  with  the 
late  Conrad  S.  Stark,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Luzerne  bar  in  1874.  Two 
years  later  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  borough  council  of  Pitts- 
ton, of  which  honorable  body  he  was  chosen  president. 

W.  J.  MuRTHE,  of  Upper  Pittston,  was  born  at  Honesdale,  in  1851.  He 
was  formerly  a  brakemau  on  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  and  is  now 
fireman. 

John  Myers  was  born  in  1835,  in  New  Jersey.  He  was  married  in 
1857  to  Harriet  B.  Goodwin,  who  was  born  May  6th,  1837,  in  the  old 
framed  house  on  the  site  of  Fort  Wintermoot,  near  their  present  real- 


Hh- 


^ 


^ 


dence.  Her  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eachel  Jenkins,  a 
daughter  of  Colonel  John  Jenkins,  was  also  born  on  the  same  site,  in  a 
log  house. 

Matthew  G.  Neary,  of  Pittston,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1845.  His 
wife,  formerly  Mary  A.  Carroll,  is  from  Carbondale,  Pa.  He  was  first 
superintendent  of  the  Carbondale  public  schools,  six  years,  and  clerk  of 
the  mayor's  court  of  Carbondale  six  years.  He  was  instrumental  in 
organizing  at  Carbondale  the  first  Father  Matthew  Society  of  Pa.,  and 
is  at  present  corresponding  secretary  of  the  C.  T.  A.  U.  of  Pennsylvania. 

J.  W.  NiMMO,  the  leading  merchant  tailor  of  Pittston,  is  a  Scotch- 
man by  birth,  and  came  to  Pittston  in  1873.  For  four  years  he  was  cut- 
ter for  Henry  Cohen  and  then  began  business  for  himself  at  No.  42 
North  Main  street.  Mrs.  Nimmo  is  Louise,  daughter  of  Daniel  Jones  and 
Catherine  Jenkins. 

James  W.  Nultok,  a  native  of  Dallas,  was  born  in  1849.  His  father, 
Blisha,  and  grandfather,  Jacob  Nulton,  were  New  Jersey  people  who 
came  to  Franklin  about  1815. 

Casper  Obbrdorfee,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Exeter,  was  born  in 
Wurtemburg,  in  1834.  His  wife  was  Mary  Sohultheas,  of  Hesse  Darm- 
stadt, Germany.  Mr.  Oberdorfer  has  held  various  township  offices;  was 
supervisor  thirteen  terms,  and  census  enumerator  in  1880.  Their  family 
consists  of  three  sons  and  five  daughters. 

William  O'Malley,  architectand  builder,  is  a  native  of  Ireland.  He 
emigrated  in  1848,  and  married  Catharine  M.  Ward,  of  New  York.  Mr. 
O'Malley  leads  his  profession  in  the  Wyoming  valley.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  on  buildings  of  the  Wyoming  centennial. 

Walter  McI.  Ostrander,  dentist,  was  bom  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
August  4th,  1839.  He  is  engaged  in  his  profession  at  Pittston,  where  he 
married  Miss  Annie  De  Witt,  a  native  of  the  place. 

John  J.  Owens  was  horn  in  Wales,  in  1813,  and  was  married  to  Eliza- 
beth Morgans  in  1840.  He  opened  a  grocery  in  1873,  previously  having 
been  engaged  in  mining. 

Chester  R.  Patterson,  mantifacturer,  was  born  in  Union,  Broome 
county,  N.  Y.,  July  21st,  1833.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Bancroft,  of 
Owego,  Tioga  county,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Patterson's  former  business  was  that 
of  a  builder  and  millwright. 

Dr.  a.  O.  Payne,  son  of  B.  W.  Payne,  of  Corning,  N.  Y.,  was  born  in 
1851.  He  received  his  literary  education  at  Genesee  College  and  Cornell 
University.  In  1869  he  entered  the  oflice  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Graves,  Corning, 
as  a  medical  student.  He  graduated  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  in  1875,  and  was  a  private  student 
under  Professors  Loomis,  Wood  and  Howe,  of  New  York.  From  1876 
to  the  fall  of  1878  he  practiced  at  Carbondale,  and  then  located  at  Pitts- 
ton. 

Isaac  Peterson,  farmer,  was  born  February  25th,  1811,  in  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.  He  came  with  his  father,  Isaac  Peterson,,  sen.,  to  North 
Moreland,  Pa.,  in  1832.  His  first  wife,  Phoebe  Wilcox,  died  in  1838.  He 
afterward  married  Mary  Jane  Wilcox.  He  has  lived  on  his  present  farm 
since  his  first  marriage,  1836.  His  children  are  Henry,  Phoebe  J.,  Mar- 
tha, Lewis  and  Elizabeth. 

William  J.  Philbin  was  born  in  Jenkins  township,  in  1854.  He  was 
a  student  with  Michael  Eegan,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  graduated  at  Co- 
lumbia law-school,  in  May,  1870.  He  practiced  at  Wilkes-Barre  from 
November,  1876,  to  October,  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Pittston. 

Jacob  Phillips  was  born  at  Easton,  Fa.,  November  3d,  1839;  came  to 
Plymouth  in  1864,  married  Alvira  Barney  the  next  year,  and  came  to 
West  Pittston  in  1867.  Their  children  are  Edith  May  and  Areta.  He  is 
in  the  employ  of  the  Lee  Arms  Company;  formerly  he  was  a  contractor 
and  builder. 

Peter  POLENwasborninl804,inthiscounty,andwas  married  January 
3d,  1830,  to  Catharine  P.  Gardner,  of  Exeter,  who  was  born  in  1805.  They 
moved  on  to  a  farm  which  comprised  all  the  central  portion  of  the  site 
of  West  Pittston.  Mr.  Polen  is  now  dead.  Mrs.  Polen  is  the  oldest  resi- 
dent in  West  Pittston.  Her  grandfather  was  John  Gardner,  who  was 
taken  prisoner  in  Exeter  and  burned  by  the  Indians. 

BOBERT  S.  Poole  was  bom  February  31st,  1833,  at  Dudley,  England, 
where  he  became  a  coal  and  iron  operator.  Ho  came  to  America  in 
I860  and  returned  to  England  in  1863  to  take  charge  of  iron  works  there. 
In  1866  he  came  again  to  Pittston,  where  he  is  a  coal  operator. 

Charles  A.  Price,  of  Pittston,  was  born  in  South  Wales,  in  1840,  and 
married  to  Catharine  Thomas,  of  South  Wales,  in  1800.  He  came  to  this 
country  in  1809,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  Columbia  mine. 

S.  H.  Rau  was  born  in  Pittston  township,  in  1861.  He  is  a  conductor 
on  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad,  and  has  been  in  the  employ  of  that  com- 
pany since  1871. 

Frank  P.  Heap,  cashier  of  the  Miners'  Savings  Bank,  was  born  in 
Pittston,  February  8th,  1853,  and  graduated  at  the  U.  S.  Military  Acad- 
emy in  June,  1872.  He  is  a  son  of  Michael  Heap,  deceased.  He  married 
Miss  Annie  M.  McCann,  of  Scranlon.  Mr.  Heap  served  in  the  United 
States  army  as  lieutenant. 


Abednego  Reese,  mine  superintendent  at  Exeter  colliery,  is  a  native 
of  Carbon  county,  Pa.  Fi-om  1872  to  1875  he  was  boss  for  the  Lehigh  and 
Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company,  but  after  the  West  Pittston  disaster  in  1871 
he  has  had  charge  of  that  mine. 

William  Eeid  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1835,  and  in  1849  married 
Caroline  Williamson.  He  came  to  Pittston  in  1851  and  engaged  in 
mining.    He  is  mine  boss  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 

J.  N.  Rice,  M.  D.,  was  bora  in  1845,  in  Faotoryville,  Pa.  He  was  in 
Company  H  2nd  Pennsylvania  regiment,  and  was  wounded  at  Cold 
Harbor.  He  graduated  at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  in  1868,  and 
after  three  years'  practice  with  his  pi'eceptor  he  located  at  Pittston,  and 
is  practicing  medicine  and  surgery.  He  has  secured  patents  on  several 
valuable  inventions,  including  a  spiral  carriage  spring. 

S.  Y.  Richards  was  bom  at  Red  Point,  Montour  county,  August  31st. 
1830,  and  married  in  1861  Matilda  Hine,  of  Danville,  Pa.  He  has  been  a 
photographer  since  1808,  and  is  well  known  as  a  thoroughly  skilled 
artist.     He  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Main  streets,  Pittston. 

H.  EiEMER,  a  farmer  and  resident  at  Fairmount  Springs,  was  born  in 
Hanover,  October  26th,  1818.  His  wife  was  Sarah  Jane  Rugglos,  of  Han- 
over. He  enlisted  in  Company  D  1st  Pa.  cavalry,  February  Snd,  1803; 
was  wounded  at  Fredericksburg  April  18th,  1863,  and  discharged  May 
11th,  1863.    Mr.  Hiemer  is  the  father  of  eleven  children. 

J.  P.  RosENKRANS,  dispatcher  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company, 
has  been  in  the  company's  employ  twenty-eight  years.  He  was  born  in 
Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  In  1831,  and  came  to  Pittston  in  1848.  He  served  as 
school  director  three  years,  poor  director  four  years,  auditor  thirteen 
years  and  deputy  provost  marshal  during  1863  and  1864.  His  great-grand- 
father, James  Rosenkrans,  came  to  Wyoming  and  settled  before  1776.  - 
He  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  and  his  wife  with  six  children  es- 
caped to  New  Jersey. 

David  L.  Ross,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Rhode  Island,  in  1845.  He  graduated 
at  Hush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  in  1872.  He  has  been  practicing  at 
Pittston  since  1874.  He  was  three  years  with  Company  B  10th  Connecti- 
cut volunteers. 

A.  RuOFF,  cabinet  maker  and  undertaker,  is  a  German  by  birth.  He 
came  to  America  in  1850,  and  two  years  later  was  married  to  Miss  K. 
Schwarz.  Mr.  H.  was  thirteen  years  with  R.  B.  Cutler,  and  in  1805 
established  hispresent  business  on  Main  street. 

William  H.  Rutledge  was  born  in  Pittston,  in  1857.  He  is  telegraph 
operator  for  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey.  He  was  one  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  PiitstoJi  DaUij  Exiyrcss. 

Charles  D.  Sanders  was  born  in  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1840.  He 
married  Mary  McNalley,  of  Carbondale,  Pa.  Since  1872  he  has  been  su- 
perintendent of  the  stock  of  the  Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  at 
Pleasant  Valley.  He  served  as  di%'ision  wagonmaster  in  Schooley's 
battery. 

Elsie  Sands,  of  Exeter  village,  was  born  in  Exeter,  October  IQth,  1817, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  James  Hadsall,  who  is  now  ninety-three  years 
of  age,  and  a  descendant  of  the  Hadsall  family  of  Wyoming  massacre 
fame.  Her  husband,  J.  D.  Sands,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  in  1810,  and 
died  in  1856.  Two  sons  served  in  the  army,  one  of  whom  died  at  City 
Point,  Va. 

Ernest  Schmaltz,  lumber  merchant,  Hughestown,  was  born  in 
Berne,  Switzerland,  in  1843,  and  came  to  Pittston  in  1853.  His  wife  was 
Catharine  Simmen,  of  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  He  served  in  the  8th 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  1801. 

Gottlieb  Schmaltz,  miner.wasbornin  Switzerland,  in  1832,  and  came 
to  Pittston  in  1853  and  engaged  in  mining.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
brass  band  of  the  9th  Pennsylvania  cavalry.  In  1856  he  was  married  to 
Katie  Weiskerger,  of  Pittston,  who  was  born  in  Ashley,  in  1841. 

Jacob  J.  Schmaltz,  burgess  of  Hughestown,  wa?  born  in  Switzer- 
erland,  in  1833,  and  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Moss,  of  Germany,  in  1869. 
He  served  in  the  n2th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  (heavy  artillery)  from 
1803  to  1883.    He  is  engaged  in  blacksmithing. 

Cassie  a.  Schooley,  daughter  of  the  late  Abram  Price,  was  born  in 
Pittston,  in  1845,  and  was  married  to  E.  J.  Schooley,  of  Pittston,  in  1867. 
Her  father  was  the  proprietor  of  a  blast  furnace  in  Harrisburg. 

James  Searle,  son  of  Henry  Luther  Searle  and  grandson  of  William 
Searle,  an  early  settler,  was  born  in  1830,  in  Greenfield  township.  Pa. 
From  1601  to  1867  he  was  postmaster  at  Pittston.  Previously  he  was  a 
farmer,  and  subsequently  established  his  present  jewelry  business  at 
Pittston.  Mrs.  Searle  was  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  More  Furman,  of 
Scranton. 

Henry  Searle,  great-grandson  of  Constant  Searle,  a  victim  of  the 
Wyoming  massacre,  was  born  in  Luzerne  county,  in  1837,  and  married 
Martha  Powell,  of  Wales,  in  1850.  He  is  foreman  of  No.  10  breaker  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Comjiany,  and  has  been  in  the  service  of  this 
company  twenty-flvo  years. 

Adam  D.  Serfass,  a  native  of  Monroe  eou-nty,  was  born  February 
13th,  1847,  and  came  to  Exeter  in  1860.  He  was  married  in  1873  to  Amanda 
Driesbach.    He  is  a  farmer,  and  has  sold  milk  in  Pittston  several  years. 


^ 


4^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL   RECORD. 


33°^ 


He  has  an  apiary  of  Italian  and  Albino  bees,  and  is  engagei  in  the  breed- 
ing and  sale  of  them. 

George  Shales,  a  track  carijenter  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  at 
Kingston,  in  1829,  and  since  September,  1849,  has  been  in  the  employ  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 

Franklin  W.  Shannon,  son  of  George  Shannon,  was  born  March 
24th,  1840,  in  Hartford,  Pa.  He  was  married  in  1863  to  Agnes  Moister, 
a  granddaughter  of  Rev.  Bodger  Molster,  of  WUkes-Barre.  He  en- 
listed in  the  Union  service  in  April,  1861.  He  is  engineer  at  No.  4  shaft 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 

WiLLLAM  H.  Shepherd  was  born  in  Salop  county,  England,  in  1839, 
and  married  Harriet  A.  Monk,  of  .Pittston.  He  has  been  engineer  for 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  seventeen  years.  He  is  a  school  direct- 
or of  Hughestown  borough. 

Jeremiah  B.  Shipper,  postmaster,  was  born  In  Plttston  township, 
November  8th,  182.5,  and  has  been  engaged  in  mercantile  business  in 
Plttston,  .where  he  married  Miss  Almeda  B.  Lance.  Mr.  Shifter  has 
served  as  assistant  enroUmg-  officer  and  assistant  revenue  assessor. 

J.  S.  SiCKLER,  d  native  of  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  was  born  in  1837. 
He  was  married  in  18C4  to  Nancy  Dymond.  Mr.  Sickler  removed  to 
Pittston  in  1872  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade,  which  he  still  con- 
tinues. 

Robert  W.  Smiles,  miner,  was  born  in  England,  in  1846,  and  emigrated 
in  1848.  He  married  Sarah  Embleton,  also  a  native  of  England.  Mr. 
Smiles  served  In  the  11th  and  16th  U.  S.  infantry  three  years. 

J.  B.  Smith,  a  native  of  Pulda,  Germany,  was  born  in  1814.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  J.  Feuerstein,  of  the  same  place.  He  was  major  of  the 
66th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  during  the  Bebellion,  and  has  filled  vari- 
ous township  offices.  Mr.  Smith,  previous  to  retirement  from  active 
employment,  was  a  bricklayer. 

Samuel  Smyth,  of  York  avenue,  West  Pittston,  was  born  in  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pa.,  In  1841.  He  was  in  business  at  Bridgewater  until 
1877,  when  he  came  to  Pittston,  associated  with  V/.  N.  Monies,  Lewis 
Pughe  and  John  D.  Green  under  the  firm  name  of  U.  S.  Duplex  Grate 
Company,  and  began  the  extensive  manufacture  of  the  grate  which  Mr. 
Smyth  had  Invented  and  patented  in  1879. 

T.  J.  Snowden,  son  of  Cuthbert  Snowden,  of  English  descent,  was 
bom  February  6th,  1852,  at  Dunmore,  Pa.  His  present  residence  is  at 
Pittston,  where  he  is  a  clerk  with  C.  E.  Patterson. 

G.  M.  Snyder,  formerly  boss  at  Brown's  colliery,  now  boss  at  Central 
breaker.  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  at  Baston,  Pa.,  in  1834.  Hia  wife  was 
Sarah  Williamson,  from  Bingham  ton,  N.  Y.  She  is  a  grand  daughter 
of  Isaac  B.  Van  Wart,  who  aided  in  the  capture  of  Major  Andre.  Mr. 
Snyder  served  in  1863  and  1863  with  Company  K  133nd  Pennsylvania 
volunteers. 

James  A.  Space,  son  of  John  Space,  was  born  at  Wyoming,  in  1851. 
His  early  years  were  spent  on  a  farm,  and  in  1870,  after  being  in  the 
employ  of  the  L.  &  S.  and  Bloomsburg  railroads,  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company.  He  was  married  in  1870  to 
Catherine  C.  Bilbj',  of  Wyoming. 

H.  M.  Steevbr  was  born  at  Lykens  Valley,  Pa.,  in  1811.  He  was  post 
clerk  at  Millei-sburgh  from  1860  to  1865,  and  a  telegraph  operator  from 
1889  to  1877.  He  is  an  agent  for  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  and 
auditor  of  Pleasant  Valley  borough. 

William  Stroh,  a  native  of  Livingston  county,  N.  Y.,  engaged  in 
blacksmithing  in  Pittston  in  1865,  and  is  a  stock  member  of  the  Union 
Stove  Manufacturing  Company  of  Pittston.  Mr.  Stroh  was  an  artificer 
in  Schooley's  battery.    His  wife  was  Miss  Jannett  Holden. 

Captain  Solomon  Stcbmer,  of  Pittston,  was  born  in  Baden, 
Germany,  in  1825;  came  to  this  country  in  1848,  and  was  married  in 
1852  to  Mary  A.  Goodwin,  who  died  in  1837.  His  present  wife  was  Valaria 
Shultz.  to  whom  he  was  married  In  1863.  He  carried  on  an  extensive 
boot  and  shoe  business  in  Pittston  about  thirty  years.  He  was  captain 
of  Company  D  15th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  1861. 

C.  F.  Sutherland  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1843.  From 
December,  1872,  for  three  years  he  was  a  wholesale  jobber  in  farm  pro- 
duce, and  is  now  in  the  grain  business  at  Pittston.  Residence,  Exeter 
street,  West  Pittston. 

Smith  Sutherland,  son  of  Brush  Sutherland,  was  born  at  Stamford, 
Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  October  21st,  1818,  removed  to  Otsego  county  in 
1836,  and  married  in  1846  Lucy  P.  Fuller,  who  died  January  15th,  1850. 
He  removed  to  Pittston  in  1851,  and  in  1861  married  Laura  L.  Stanton,  of 
Exeter.  He  has  been  mail  contractor  since  July  1st,  1870.  He  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace  in  Pittston  borough  from  1869  to  1879. 

Ghifttith  Thomas  is  a  native  of  Wales.  He  came  to  Pittston  in  1812, 
and  in  1852  man-led  Mary  Jenkins,  of  Scranton.  He  is  the  owner  of  and 
for  a  time  conducted  the  Cambrian  House,  of  Pittston.  He  is  superin- 
tendent of  the  Pittston  street  railroad. 

Alexander  Thompson,  mine  boss,  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1844,  and 
came  to  Pittston  in  1863  and  engaged  in  mining  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company.    He  was  married  in  186S  to  Anna  Held,  of  Pittston. 


David  Thompson,  a  native  of  Scotland,  was  born  in  1855,  and  emi- 
grated to  Pittston,  in  1869.  He  has  since  been  engaged  in  mining  for  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 

Gideon  Underwood,  physician,  was  born  In  Kingston,  Pa.,  Decem- 
bpr  3d,  1819,  and  mai-ried  Miss  Martha  Newman,  of  Eaton,  Wyoming 
county. 

John  Vandeuuerg,  a  carpenter  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company, 
was  born  in  Plttston  in  1840,  and  married  Mary  Sheppard,  of  Pittston. 
He  served  three  years  in  the  56th  Pennsylvania  infantry. 

A.  J.  Van  Tuyle,  farmer,  was  born  in  1828,  at  Eaton,  Pa.,  and  mar- 
ried Emma,  daughter  of  George  Miller,  in  1844.  He  is  the  son  of  Hiram 
and  grandson  of  Jonathan  Van  Tuyle,  who  came  from  Orange  county, 
N.  Y.,  about  1820.  Mr.  Van  Tuyle  has  held  moat  of  the  township  offices 
and  Is  now  clerk  of  the  school  board  of  Exeter. 

Hon.  Thomas  Waddell,  coal  operator,  is  a  native  of  Scotland.  He 
married  Jannet  Wallace,  and  in  1860  came  to  the  Wyoming  valley.  He 
was  engaged  in  gold  mining  in  California  from  1855,  to  1858,  and  began 
to  operate  in  coal  in  1859.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1873 
and  1874. 

Charles  M.  Wagner,  of  Pittston,  son  of  Peter  and  Amy  Wagner, 
was  born  at  Wyoming,  Pa.,  August  5th,  1860. 

John  Wabdon,  of  English  and  Dutch  descent,  was  born  in  Hanover 
township,  in  1796.  He  married  Susannah  Morrison,  of  Lowery  Town, 
on  the  Lehigh,  in  1826.  He  lost  two  sons  in  the  late  war.  His  grand- 
father, Conrad  Lines,  came  to  Wyoming  before  the  massacre;  was  ap- 
prized of  the  danger  by  an  Indian  girl,  and  his  family  with  others  es- 
caped over  the  mountains. 

James  Watson,  mine  boss  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  was 
born  in  Scotland,  in  1836.  In  1849  he  was  married  to  Ann  Law,  and  in 
1854  he  emigrated  to  America  and  engaged  in  mining  at  Pittston. 

William  L.  Watson,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Pittston, 
was  born  in  Wanlockhead,  Scotland,  November  6th,  1850.  He  married 
Miss  Jean  H.  Law,  of  Pittston.  He  was  formerly  a  bookkeeper  with 
Law  &  McMillan. 

William  Webber,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  was  born  in  England,  in  1835, 
and  came  to  this  country  in  1852.  His  wife  was  Ellen  Foley,  of  New 
York.  He  was  for  fourteen  years  a  conductor.  Since  1866  he  has  been 
engineer  at  No,  3  plane.  He  was  in  the  177th  and  187th  regiments  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers. 

William  H.  Wetherb^  is  a  native  of  Huntington  township.  Pa. 
His  wife,  Lucy,  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Sally  Harding.  Mr.  W.  en- 
listed in  Schooley's  Battery  in  August,  1863,  and  through  several  promo- 
tions was  made  1st  lieutenant;  he  was  discharged  In  1866. 

Joseph.Whipp  was  born  in  Lancashu-e,  England,  February  33,  1811. 
He  was  married  on  his  26th  birthday  to  Anna  Dugdale,  a  native  of  the 
same  place.  They  arrived  in  America  June  14th,  1841,  and  came  to 
Exeter  the  same  year.    His  occupation  is  farming. 

John  W.  Williams  was  born  at  Carbondale,  in  1847.  He  was  formerly 
a  blacksmith  and  miner,  but  in  1879  he  started  in  business  at  Hughes- 
town  in  groceries,  provisions  and  novelties.  His  wife  was  Helen  Simp- 
son, of  Pittston. 

John  Williams  was  born  in  Carnarvonshire,  North  Wales,  in  1815. 
His  wife  was  Eleanor  Jones,  of  the  same  place.  He  was  formerly  a 
quarryman,  but  is  now  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Congi-egational  Church  at 
Plttston. 

James  R.  Wright,  carpenter  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company, 
was  born  in  Susquehanna  county,  in  1844,  and  married  Emily  Coon,  of 
Scranton,  in  1888.  In  1873  he  came  to  Pittston  and  engaged  with  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  He  was  an  orderly  sergeant  in  the  4th  Pa. 
cavalry.    He  served  four  years. 

Henry  Ziegleb  and  Catharine  Weiskercher,  natives  of  Germany, 
were  married  in  1851.  Mr.  Ziegler  has  served  as  supervisor  and  school 
director  of  Pittston  township.  He  is  a  real  estate  broker  and  lumber 
dealer. 

The  following  citizens  of  the  townships  and  boroughs  here  represented 
also  contributed  their  support  to  this  publication  :  William  Allen,  J.  H. 
Andrews,  C.  J.  Barrett, Thomas  Benedict,  Benjamin  Bevan,  F.  Branden- 
burg, M.  Brehony,  John  G.  Bryden,  Andrew  Brydie,  Michael  L.  Carmody, 
John  Christie,  Peter  J.  Connor,  P.  J.  Cooper,  B.  A.  Coray,  M.  F.  Crane, 
A.  Mel.  De  Witt,  Z.  Du  Bois,  John  B.  Dymond,  Thomas  J.  Elms,  L.  H. 
Evans,  D.  W.  Evans,  W.  G.  Evans,  J.  W.  Evans,  F.  L.  Farnham,  William 
Gee,  George  R.  Gill,  A.  Griffin,  T.  D.  Headley,  J.  M.  Headley,  Morris 
Hughes,  John  S.  Jenkins,  Peter  Joyce,  Miss  Ellen  Kern,  George  H. 
Kirkland,  D.  S.  Koon,  R.  D.  Lacoe,  E.  G.  La  France,  John  F.  McLaugh- 
lin, P.  I.  O'Malley,  Robert  S.  Porle,  G.  M.  Bichart,  John  W.  Roberts, 
K.  J.  Ross,  N.  I.  Bubinkam,  W.  H.  Rutledge,  Tinker  &  Russell,  C.  B. 
Tinker,  A.  Tompkins,  G.  F.  Sharkey,  F.  W.  Sherman,  C.  S.  Stark,  George 
W.  Streng,  I.  W.  Wheeler,  A.  D.  Willifer,  R.  J  Wisner,  W.  H.  Young. 


Hh 


^^ 


=*<^ 


JAMES  F.  STARK. 


THE  STARK   FAMILY. 


Christopher,  James  and  Henry  Stark  were  the  father, 
grandfather  and  great  grandfather  of  James  and  John 
Stark,  well  known  as  prominent  residents  of  Plains  for 
many  years.  All  three  are  buried  in  the  family  burying 
ground  northwesterly  from  the  road,  nearly  a  mile  from 
the  Pittston  line.  The  family  were  originally  from 
England,  three  brothers  having  emigrated  to  New 
England  at  an  early  date.  General  Stark,  the  hero  of 
Bennington,  was  a  descendant  of  one  of  them,  and  a  rel- 
ative of  those  of  the  name  in  the  Wyoming  valley.  "  On 
the  enlistment  of  the  independent  companies  of  Durkee 
and  Ransom,"  says  Miner,  "James  Stark,  son  of  James 
and  brother  of  Henry  (whose  burial  place  we  have  des- 
ignated) joined  the^  army  and  marched  to  meet  the 
enemy."  Three  of  the  name,  Daniel,  Aaron  and  James, 
were  in  the  battle,  the  latter  only  escaping  death. 

"  The  first,  and  for  many  years  the  largest  and  best 
frame  house  in  Upper  Wilkes-Barre,  belonged  to  the 
Stark  family,"  Miner  wrote,  in  1845.  "  Painted  red  more 
than  half  a  century  ago,  situate  on  the  first  rise  from  the 
river,  commanding  a  pleasant  prospect  of  the  Susque- 
hanna and  the  large  meadows,  it  was  quite  an  object,  in 
the  old  times,  of  curiosity  and  attention."  James  and 
John  Stark  were  long  magistrates  in  Upper  Wilkes-Barre, 
and  the.  former  was'Jinstrumental,  at  a  comparatively 
early  day,  in  introducing  ^choice  sorts  of  fruit  in  the 
valley. 

Henry  Stark,  son  of  James,  was  born  April  19th,  1762, 
and  died  January  22nd,  1S07.  Another  son  was  Paul 
Stark.       Both  were  driven  from  the  valley  at  the  time  of 


the  massacre  ;  both  returned,  Henry  becoming  the 
owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land  now  in  the  township  of 
Plains,  Paul  removing  at  a  comparatively  early  date  to 
New  York,  thence  to  Ohio. 

Elizabeth,  wife  of  Henry  Stark,  was  born  April  12th, 
1773,  and  died  December  24th,  1851.  They  had  nine 
children,  of  whom  James  Stark  was  the  eldest,  born  April 
4th,  1792,  on  the  Stark  homestead.  He  married  Mary 
Wagner  for  his  third  wife,  February  23d,  1823.  The 
eldest  son  by  this  marriage  was  James  F.  Stark,  born  in 
the  home  of  his  forefathers,  January  7th,  1824.  He  mar- 
ried Helen  Stocker,  of  Plains,  and  died  June  6lh,  1872, 
and  was  buried  in  Hollenback  cemetery,  Wilkes-Barre,  a 
larger  concourse  of  people  assembling  at  his  funeral  than 
ever  before  or  since  attended  a  funeral  in  Plains.  Honor 
and  integrity  characterized  his  daily  intercourse  with  his 
fellow  men,  who  sought  him  for  advice  and  counsel,  and 
always  found  in  him  a  true  friend  and  a  wise  adviser.  In 
the  affairs  of  the  township  he  was  a  leading  man  during 
his  active  career,  and  while  he  loved  the  comfort  and  re- 
tirement of  his  home  better  than  the  honors  of  public 
life  and  never  sought  political  preferment,  he  was  often 
made  official  custodian  of  the  best  interests  of  his  fellow 
townsmen,  discharging  all  duties  devolving  upon  him 
with  remarkable  fidelity  and  signal  success.  A  lover  of 
books  and  an  ardent  seeker  after  knowledge,  he  was  an 
active  friend  of  all  educational  movements  in  the  vicinity; 
and,  though  he  never  united  with  any  religious  denomi- 
nation, he  was  a  liberal  supporter  of  neighboring  churches 
and  the  friend  of  the  deserving  poor  wherever  found. 


^^ 


-^¥ 


4> 


==*=#^ 


^^ 


HON.A.I.  ACKERLEY,    south  ABlNGTON,LACKAWANNft  CO.,Pft.      MRS.  A  .  1 .  AC  KERUkY,  SOUTH    ABINGTON, LACKAWANNA   CO.,PA. 


HON.  PATRICK   KEARNEY, 

ARCH  BALD     UACKAWANIMA     CO., PA. 


QR     VVV    FERRIS, 

OLYPHANT,     LACKAWANNA      CO.,    PA. 


=*=^b^ 


4h 


-^^ 


PITTSTON   BUSINESS  HOUSES  AND  MANUFACTORIES. 


331 


Business  Enterprises. 

Pittston  is  the  trade  center  for  a  population  of  fully 
20,000  people.  Prior  to  1805  there  was  very  little  business 
done  here. 

The  first  merchants  were  Wright  &  Duane,  in  1799. 

In  1847  James  Searle  established  the  first  jewelry  busi- 
ness in  Pittston,  in  a  building  on  the  site  of  Leon  Sacks's 
clothing  house.  Five  years  later  he  built  on  the  site  of 
the  First  National  Bank  a  wooden  building,  then  the  best 
in  town.  It  is  yet  standing  on  the  same  lot.  Mr.  Searle, 
\V.  L.  McUougall  and  W.  W.  Berry  are  the  jewelers 
at  the  present  time. 

The  clothing  business  is  represented  by  Henry  Cohen, 
David  Anthony,  G.  David,  Leon  Sacks  and  Lewis  Cohen. 
Henry  Cohen  began  business  in  1849  and  is  the  leading 
dealer  in  town.  J.  W.  Nimmo  is  the  leading  merchant 
tailor.  David  Anthony,  Lewis  Cohen  and  several  others 
either  learned  the  business  or  formerly  worked  at  it  with 
Mr.  Cohen. 

In  1866  the  firm  of  Miller  &  Ross,  wholesale  dealers 
in  grain,  flour  and  feed,  began  business  on  upper  Main 
street,  in  the  brick  building  opposite  the  Central  Hotel. 
They  subsequently  built  the  building  that  was  recently 
occupied  by  Charles  Pugh  as  a  grocery  jobbing  house, 
and  in  1869  removed  their  business  to  it.  Two  years 
later  Mr.  Miller  retired,  and  K.  C.  Ross,  the  junior  part- 
ner of  the  firm,  continued  the  business  under  the  name 
of  Ross  &  Co.  About  this  time  they  abandoned  their 
trade  in  grain  and  feed,  confining  their  operations  exclu- 
sively to  provisions  and  pork,  in  which  branch  they  soon 
became  the  largest  dealers  in  this  section  of  the  State. 
The  trade  soon  demanded  larger  storehouse  accommo- 
dations, and  in  1874  the  lot  was  purchased  at  the  corner 
of  Water  and  Crone  streets  and  their  large,  substantial 
brick  building  was  erected,  where  they  have  warehouse 
and  packing  rooms  to  accommodate  their  trade,  which  is 
the  only  wholesale  provision  business  in  Pittston  and  the 
largest  in  this  section  of  the  State. 


"       .^       ^     jf^    i, 

r    —  r  ."^ 

,     7n      III  ciiri  (      r".  "'  ii»  j;  I 


rIF         •Iri* 

Til*  l«  ■! 


-i  l^■'^ 


J 


I   'A«    ,r«    'SI*-  ''^tff|f'!|  f   ■!'!'"   '     Ills 


Union  Stove  and  Manufacturing  Company. — In  1867, 
on  the  site  of  the  fine  structure  of  this  enterprising  com- 


pany, represented  in  the  accompanying  cut,  was  a  small 
foundry  owned  by  Williain  Lester.  In  1868  the  building 
was  burned.  Lester  became  financially  embarrassed  and 
the  property  was  sold  by  the  sheriff  in  March,  1869. 
Monies  &  Piighe,  of  Scranton,  bought  it,  and  in  July,  1 869, 
organized  a  comiiany  with  a  capital  of  $40,000.  The 
first  president  was  Hon.  Lewis  Pughe;  secretary  and 
treasurer,  I.  J.  Vincent.  The  first  year's  business  aggre- 
gated $17,000.  In  1879  that  increased  to  $75,000,  the 
company  having  made  and  sold  over  4,000  ranges  and 
stoves.  Smyth's  Patent  Duplex  and  Grate,  the  most  con- 
venient and  economical  in  use,  is  put  in  all  their  stoves, 
which  has  added  much  to  the  success  of  this  industry, 
together  with  the  fine  casting  and  superior  finish  of  nil 
the  goods  manufactured.  The  buildings  extend  250  feet 
on  William  street  and  the  whole  block  on  Foundry  street. 
The  store,  pattern  and  office  building  is  60  feet  square, 
built  of  solid  masonry  and  brick,  five  stories  high,  a 
model  of  neatness  and  utility,  with  elevator  from  the 
basement  to  the  upper  floor.  The  machine  and  finishing 
shop  on  Foundry  street  is  100  by  60  feet,  three  stories, 
built  of  brick,  with  slate  roof.  In  this  building  is  the 
machinery  for  grinding,  polishing  and  fitting  stoves, 
ranges  and  furnaces.  On  the  third  floor  are  the  pattern 
and  tin  shops.  The  moulding  shops  are  on  Foundry 
street,  adjoining  the  machine  shop.  One  is  100  by  75, 
with  an  addition  80  by  60.  The  whole  moulding  floor  is 
180  by  135  feet.  The  engine  house  is  stone  and  brick. 
It  contains  a  splendid  engine  of  45  horse  power,  built  by 
the  Dickson  Manufacluiing  Company,  of  Scranton;  also 
two  large  boilers.  There  is  in  the  rear  of  the  machine 
shop  a  building  40  by  60  feet,  for  store  and  lumber  room. 
There  are  on  the  property  four  dwelling  houses  to  accom- 
modate employes.  The  buildings  and  improvements 
cover  about  one  acre.  This  industry  has  steadily  increas- 
ed under  the  present  able  management,  until  the  goods 
are  sought  for  by  dealers  in  northeastern  Pennsylvania  and 
the  adjoining  States,  and  the  concern  stands  in  the  trade 
as  the  foremost  stove  works  in  the  State  outside  of  Phil- 
adelphia and  Pittsburgh.  The  present  capital  is  $40,000; 
surplus  $41,000;  directors — William  N.  Monies,  Thomas 
Orchard,  C.  L.  McMillan,  Judge  Cool,  Lewis  Puglie,  John 
D.  Green  and  E.  E.  Thomas;  president.  Colonel  W.  N. 
Monies;  vice-president,  C.  L.  McMillan;  treasurer  and 
general  manager,  John  D.  Green. 

The  Pittston  Knitting  Company  was  organized  in  Jan- 
uary, 1879,  with  a  capital  of  $25,000;  officered  by  R.  J. 
Wisner,  president;  William  Allen,  secretary;  J.  E.  Patti- 
son,  treasurer.  The  factory  is  on  North  Main  street. 
A  sixty  horse-power  engine  is  used  for  running  the  ma- 
chinery. The  produce  of  the  mill  is  twenty  dozens 
cardigan  jackets  per  day,  worth  from  $14  to  $40  per 
dozen.  They  take  the  wool  in  the  bale  and  put  it 
through  all  the  steps  of  scouring,  coloring,  carding,  spin- 
ning and  knitting,  furnishing  employment  for  one  hundred 
operatives.     Their  pay  roll  is  about  $1,800  per  month. 

The  terra  cotta  w.orks  were  established  in  1869  by 
William  Lee  &  William  Woods,  and  that  year  they  made 
the  first  terra  cotta  ever  made  in  this  section  of  the  State. 


-^Jt* 


HISTORY  OV   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  clay  is  easily  obtained  from  the  mines,  where  it  is 
counted  as  refuse.  Another  quality,  which  is  used  now 
for  e.xtra  work,  is  obtained  from  New  Jersey.  Since  1878 
Mr.  Lee  has  had  the  business  alone,  and  is  manufactur- 
ing house-tile,  chimneys  and  fire-brick. 

About  thirty-four  years  ago  Messrs.  Howarth  &  Law 
built  the  Dock  Street  Ale  and  Porter  Brewery,  having  a 
capacity  of  about  twenty-five  barrels  per  day.  In  i860 
H.  R.  &  M.  Hughes  purchased  the  property,  increased 
the  capacity  to  sixty  barrels  per  day,  and  added  a  malt- 
house  capable  of  malting  i8,ooo  bushels  in  a  season.  In 
1878  ;hey  purchased  the  Forest  Castle  Lager  Brewery  in 
Exeter,  where  they  are  brewing  forty-five  barrels  per  day. 
This  brewery  was  built  in  1875  by  J.  A.  A.  Burschell.  The 
\ault  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State,  being  a  tunnel  twelve 
liy  fifteen  feet  driven  fifty  yards  into  the  solid  rock. 

The  Pittston  Bank  was  incorporated  May  sth,  1857, 
with  George  Sanderson  prej^idenf,  and  T.  M.  Burton 
cashier.  The  stf  ck  consisted  of  five  hundred  shares,  of 
;$[oo  each.  On  the  28th  of  November,  1859,  the  officers 
resigned,  and  William  Swetland  and  Thomas  F.  Atherton 
were  elected  to  fill  their  respective  places.  The  capital 
was  increased  to  $200,000  on  the  29th  of  April,  1862. 
On  November  of  the  following  year  the  president  died, 
and  Payne  Pettebone  succeeded  him. 

The  First  National  Bank  (No.  478)  was  opened  on  the 
6lh  of  July,  1864,  with  a  capital  of  |i5o,ooo.  B.  I). 
Beyea  was  made  cashier,  H.  S.  Phillips  teller,  and  R.  D. 
Lacoe  vice-president.  The  Pittston  Bank  was  merged  in 
the  First  National  September  i6th,  1865,  at  which  time 
the  capital  of  the  National  was  increased  to  $500,000. 
Thomas  Ford  succeeded  Mr.  Lacoe  as  vice-president,  and 
W.  L.  Watson  followed  Mr.  Beyea  as  cashier.  In  1876 
the  elegant  bank  building  at  the  corner  of  M^in  and  Wil- 
liam streets  was  erected.  Theodore  Strong  has  been 
jjresident  since  the  organization. 

The  People's  Savings  Bank  was  organized  April  ist, 
1872,  and  began  business  at  No.  16  North  Main  street, 
in  its  present  building.  C.  S.  Stark  was  elected-  presi- 
dent, Samuel  Price  vice-president,  and  H.  C.  Dewey  was 
chosen  cashier.  The  capital,  then  $56,250,  has  been  in- 
creased to  $74,000.  Four  per  cent,  interest  is  paid  on 
deposits,  and  the  stock  yields  two  semi-annual  dividends 
of  four  per  cent.  each.  The  present  ofificers  are  the  first 
incumbents.  The  death  of  Mr.  Stark  occurred  early  in 
1880.  The  present  directors  are  Samuel  Pi  ice,  Benjamin 
Price,  A.  Armstrong,  D.  D.  Mosicr,  William  Allen,  R.  B. 
Cutler,  H.  Cohen,  J.  I.  Shoemaker,  G.  J.  Sharps,  B.  Shar- 
key, W.  H.  Cool  and  M.  L.  Perrin. 

The  Miners'  Savings  Bank  was  organized  on  the  ist  of 
November,  1869,  with  John  B.  Smilh  president,  Michael 
Reap,  vice-president,  and  A.  A.  Bryden,  cashier.  The 
capital  was  $30,000,  which  was  doubled  in  1S74.  From 
1871  Mr.  Reap  was  president  until  December  loth,  1877, 
and  since  the  election  of  January  i6th,  1878,  A.  A.  Bry- 
den has  been  president;  James  L.  McMillan  vice-presi- 
dent and  Frank  P.  Reap  cashier.  The  stock  has  yielded 
six  annual  dividends  of  ten,  one  of  eight,  two  of  nine 
and  one  of  seven  per  cent. 


In  1854  F.  Brandenburg  began  the  first  bakery  in 
Pittston.  There  was  not  demand  enough  for  bread  at 
two  dozen  loaves  per  day  to  make  it  pay,  so  beer  was 
added  to  the  trade;  but  finally  bread  won,  beer  was 
banished,  and  now,  with  two  large  ovens  and  three 
bakermen,  the  average  is  400  loaves  per  day.  His 
present  place  of  business  was  built  in  1863. 

Schools. 

The  first  public  school  in  Wyoming  valley  was  taught 
in  Pittston.  John  Jenkins  is  known  to  have  taught  a 
school  near  the  Ravine  colli.jry  for  several  winters  prior 
to  1 781.  In  1810  a  school-house  was  built  not  far  from  the 
up-town  brick  school-house,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Main  street.  It  was  used  for  religious  meetings  and  was 
furnished  with  a  loft  and  elevated  pulpit. 

March  21st,  1810,  "at  a  meeting  of  the  subscribers  for 
building  a  school-house  near  Jedediah  Collins's,"  William 
Slocum  presided  and  John  Phillips,  William  Slocum 
and  Nathaniel  Giddings  were  elected  a  committee  to  buy 
or  lease  a  lot  from  said  Collins  and  have  a  school-house 
built.  They  sold  the  building  contract  by  auction,  at 
$215,  to  Miner  Searle. 

An  early  school  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Blakely  Hall  on 
"The  green,"  a  portion  of  the  present  borough  between 
the  L.  V.  depot  and  Main  street.  This  building  was  pur- 
chased by  the  railroad  company  and  used  for  a  depot 
until  it  was  displaced  by  their  present  depot  building. 

The  township  of  Pittston  has  now  twelve  public 
schools,  and  Pittston  borough  has  twenty-one  schools, 
kept  in  five  school  buildings.  T.  S.  Briggs  is  principal  of 
the  Uptown  school;  W.  S.  Stevens,  Butler  Hill  school;  W. 
S.  Neville,  Welsh  Hill  school;  J.  T.  Rutledge,  Ma'rket 
street  school;  C.  J.  Barrett,  Oregon  school.  Prof.  Bar- 
rett has  one  assistant;  each  of  the  others  has  four  assis- 
tants. 

LODGES,  CLUBS  AND  ASSOCIATIONS. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Gohonto  Lodge,  No.  314,  was  instituted  on  the  18th  of 
June,  1848,  in  compliance  with  a  petition  of  John  Kern- 
aud,  John  Sax  and  the  following,  who  were  the  first  offi- 
cers: John  W.  Davies,  treasurer;  Jesse  Williams,  N.  G.; 
Thomas  E.  Curtis,  V.  G.;  Ephraim  Johnson,  secretary; 
Joseph  Knapp,  assistant  secretary.  Mr.  Davies  is  the 
only  remaining  charter  member. 

In  October,  1854,  about  twenty  members  withdrew  and 
became  the  charter  members  of  Thistle  Lodge,  No.  512, 
from  which  twenty-one  members  withdrew  in  1870  and 
instituted  Luzerne  Lodge,  No.  721.  In  1874  five  mem- 
bers obtained  dismissals  from  this  lodge  to  institute  Ben- 
nett Lodge,  No.  907;  and  in  1876  sixteen  of  the  former 
members  of  Gohonto  Lodge  instituted  Pittston  Lodge, 
No.  941. 

The  present  membership  of  these  five  lodges  is  about 
450,  with  a  surplus  capital  to  sustain  their  charities  of  not 
less  than  $30,000.  The  fraternity  has  a  very  well  select- 
ed library  of  general  literature,  accessible  to  its  members. 


-^=. 


MASONIC  LODGES  AND  OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS,  PITTSTON. 


333 


MASONIC. 

Saini  John's  Lodi;e,  No.  233,  was  instituted  on  the  17th 
of  April,  1848,  and  opened  the  same  day  in  the  next 
month  in  a  hall  in  the  attic  of  the  old  White  Swan  Hotel. 
The  first  master  was  William  S.  Reddin,  and  the  now  ven- 
erable and  always  venerated  Elisha  Blackman  was  the  first 
secretary.  He  is  now  the  only  survivor  left  in  Plttston  of 
the  original  members  of  this  lodge.  The  first  board  of 
officers  also  included  Thomas  Tully,  R.  A.  Oaliford,  Wil- 
liam Stang,  Frederick  Helf,  Peter  Winters  and  Oilman 
Converse.  Temple  Lodge,  No.  248,  of  Tnnkhannock, 
Hiram  Lodge,  No.  122,  of  Providence,  Kingston  Lodge, 
No.  39S,  of  Kingston,  and  Wyoming.  Lodge,  No.  468,  of 
Wyoming,  were  composed  principally  of  members  from 
St.  John's.  Several  worshipful  masters  have  served  more 
than  one  term.  In  ihe  following  list  the  names  occur  in 
the  order  of  their  first  election:  William  S.  Reddin,  R.  A. 
Oakford,  Frederick  Hepler,  L.  B.  Ensign,  Henry  Cohen, 
H.  K.  Ebert,  Henry  Evans,  Alexander  A.  Bryden,  Charles 
R.  Gorman,  Alexander  Craig,  Willi;im  Abbott,  John  INIer- 
ritt,  David  McKown,  G.  Cadman,  J.  J.  Kelchner,  Charle.s 
H.  Footer,  James  B.  Bryden,  Adam  A.  Bryden,  Joseph 
Langford,  Charles  L.  McMillan.- 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  John  Portius,  W.  M.;  John 
B.  Smith,  S.  W.;  John  W.  Thompson,  J.  W.;  Thomas 
Ford,  treasurer;  Theodore  Hart,  jr.,  secretary. 

Valley  Lodge,  No.  499,  F.  and  J.  M.  was  chartered 
on  the  22nd  day  of  January,  1872,  and  included  in 
its  membership  some  who  had  been  members  of  St. 
John's  Lodge,  above  referred  to,  and  some  formerly  mem- 
bers of  the  lodge  at  Tunkhannock.  It  was  chartered  as 
a  West  Pittston  lodge,  but  the  meetings  are  held  in  the 
masonic  hall  at  Pittston.  Official  posts  were  filled  by 
the  following  gentlemen:  Thomas  E.  Grier,  W.  M.;  J.  J. 
Hurlbut,  S.  W.;  Thomas  B.  Lance,  J.  W.;  G.  W.  Farrer, 
treasurer;  Joel  Brenton,  secretary.  The  regular  commu- 
nications are  held  on  the  evening  of  the  Wednesday  pre- 
ceding the  full  moon  in  each  month. 

During  the  history  of  this  lodge  the  following-named 
members  have  occupied  the  oriental  chair:  Thomas  E. 
Grier,  Addison  K.  Howe,  Henry  T.  Hepler,  John  S. 
Hurlbut,  Thomas  B.  Lance,  Isaac  E.  La  Barre,  W.  McI. 
Ostrander  and  Charles  Howitz. 

At  the  election  of  December  24th,  1879,  John  B.  Law 
was  elected  W.  M.;  T.  W.  Kyte,  S.  W.;  William  D. 
Evans,  J.  W.;  Alexander  McDougal,  treasurer;  and 
Thomas  J.  Snowdon,  secretary. 

Royal  Arch  Chapter  No.  242  was  instituted  February 
i8th,  1878,  with  sixteen  members.  First  officers:  Thomas 
E.  Grier,  H.  P.;  Charles  R.  Gorman,  K.;  D.  McKown, 
scribe;  John  S.  Hurlbut,  treasurer;  L.  B.  Ensign,  secretary. 

The  past  high  priests  are:  Thomas  E.  Grier,  David  Mc- 
Kown, James  Davis,  Charles  R.  Gorman,  Addison  K. 
Howe  and  Tohn  Merritt. 

Stated  meetings  are  held  on  the  last  Thursday  of  each 
month.  The  present  officers  are:  Dr.  W.  McI.  Ostrand- 
er, M.  E.  H.  P.;  Jesse  B.  Carpenter,  K.;  John  B.  Law, 
S.;  D.  McKown,  treasurer;    L.  B.  Ensign,  secretary. 


THE  cali;doni.\n  club. 

This  association  was  organized  in  1863  by  a  company 
of  Pittston  Scots,  for  athletic  sports  and  mutual  improve- 
ment. A  library  has  been  established,  valued  at  $2,000. 
The  club  holds  regular  meetings  monthly  for  the  transac- 
tion of  the  usual  business.  Yearly  celebrations  are  held 
under  its  auspices  in  honor  of  their  national  bard,  Robert 
Burns.  Annual  games  or  Scottish  pastimes  have  been 
held  for  the  past  seventeen  years  on  Everhart's  island. 
The  meeting  of  the  North  American  association  as  guests 
of  this  club  in  July,  1880,  was  a  marked  event  in  their 
history.  The  Highland  games,  presided  o\er  by  the 
honored  chief  Thomas  Waddell,  were  participated  in  by 
Scots  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

TKMPERANCE    SOCIETIES. 

In  May,  1870,  the  Father  Mathew  T.  A.  B.  A.  was  or- 
ganized, with  twenty-eight  members,  and  it  was  chartered 
April  24th,  187 1.  The  membership  is  about  400.  The 
spiritual  director  is  Rev.  John  Finnan.  The  first  officers 
were:  Richard  Leahy,  president;  John  McLee,  vice-presi- 
dent; M.  J.  Reddington,  secretary;  James  FitzPatrick, 
treasurer.  The  society  meets  on  alternate  Sundays  at 
Catholic  Hall.  The  present  officers  are:  John  A.  Collier, 
])resident;  M.  J.  McAndrews,  vice-president;  F.  J.  Con- 
Ian,  secretary;  M.  J.  Walsh,  corresponding  secretary; 
John  Crrady,  financial  secretary;  M.  W.  Morris,  treasurer. 

This  society  has  made  liberal  contributions  to  the  var- 
ious enterprises  of  the  church,  among  which  was  $250  to- 
ward the  $50,000  monument  at  Philadelphia. 

St.  John's  Cadets  is  an  auxiliary  to  this  society,  and 
contains  about  300  children  between  nine  and  sixteen 
years  of  age. 

There  are  several  Good  Templar  lodges  also  doing  ef- 
ficient work. 

About  sixteen  years  ago, by  a  united  effort  of  the  Protest- 
ant churches  the  Band  of  Hope  was  organized  in  Pittston 
and  West  Pittston,  and  it  has  since  been  very  successfully 
carried  on.  The  working  of  this  society  is  under  the 
direction  of  a  board  of  council  consisting  of  Charles 
Cool  and  James  Searle. 

FIRE    COMPANIES. 

FAigle  Hose  Company,  No.  i,  was  chartered  in  October, 
1858.  The  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  subsequently 
donated  a  building  lot  on  Kennedy  street,  where  the 
company  erected  a  substantial  brick  building  which  is 
occupied  also  by  Thistle  Band.  The  company  owns 
three  hose  carriages  and  2,000  feet  of  hose. 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  William  Quinn,  president; 
C.  F.  Sutherland,  vice-president;  L.  K.  Streng,  foreman; 
R.  M.  Hughes  and  Samuel  Sands,  assistant  foremen;  C. 
H.  Cutler,  secretary;  and  R.  C.  Hitchner,  treasurer. 
The  board  of  directors,  consisting  of  twelve  members, 
has  general  charge  of  the  company  property.  The  pres- 
ident of  this  board  is  Frederick  Weiskerger. 

Niagara  Steam  Fi)  e  Engine  Company,  No.  2,  was  or- 
ganized on  the  27th  of  July,  1S75.     The  following  were 


H¥ 


^^l 


^^ 


334 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4= 


the  first  officers:  President,  Frank  C.  Mosier;  vice-pres- 
ident, Peter  Henry;  secretary,  James  P.  Reap;  treasurer, 
Patrick  Battle,  and  foreraan,  James  S.  Baker.  The 
steam  fire  engine  was  built  by  the  Silsby  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  and  cost  $5,000.  It 
was  presented  to  the  company  by  the  borough  authori- 
ties on  the  occasion  of  the  company's  first  anniversary, 
July  27th,  1876.  The  company  has  rendered  valuable 
services  and  saved  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  prop- 
erty. 

The  present  officers  are:  President,  Benjamin  Price; 
vice-president,  Thomas  W.  Haines;  secretary,  John  H. 
Mullen  ;  treasurer,  Cornelius  Donnelly,  and  foreman, 
James  S.  Baker.  The  engine-room  is  on  Water  street, 
adjoining  the  town  hall,  and  is  a  substantial  brick  struc- 
ture erected  by  the  borough  authorities. 

KNIGHTS    OF    HONOR. 

This  is  a  fraternity  for  purposes  of  mutual  life  insur- 
ance. It  has  a  total  membership  in  the  United  States  of 
about  70,000,  and  in  Pennsylvania  of  about  4,800. 

IVyoming  Lodge,  No.  68,  was  instituted  January  26th, 
1875,  with  Charles  B.  Tinker  as  P.  D.;  S.  H.  Rhoades, 
D.;  J.  D.  McMillan,  V.  D.;  George  H.  Hagadorne,  A. 
D.;  Samuel  Barber,  R.;  William  Kerr,  F.  R.;  Joel  Bren- 
ton,  chaplain. 

Black  Diamond  Lodge.,  No.  169,  was  instituted  October 
14th,  1876.  The  following-named  gentlemen  filled  the  of- 
fices of  Ihe  lodge  during  the  first  term:  G.  L.  Field,  J.  H. 
Houck,  L.  G.  Wildoner,  C.  C.  Porter,  S.  M.  Field,  jr.,  T. 
Howell,  S.  M.  Field,  B.  Harding,  C.  L.  Brown,  James  A. 
Space,  E.  F.  Ballanger,  Dr.  J.  N.  Rice. 

The  membership  of  this  lodge  amounts  to  fifty-four. 
Equity  Lodge,  No.  1,350,  was  organized  January  20th, 
1879,  with  twenty-seven  charter  members.  The  follow- 
ing officers  were  elected:  Dictator,  J.  W.  Artley;  V.  D., 
John  Merritt;  P.  D.,  F.  Weiskerger;  A.  D.,  D.  L.  Mac- 
farlane;  chaplain,  H.  Searle;  guide,  J.  C.  Barber;  re- 
porter, G.  F.  Sharkey;  financial  reporter,  W.  H.  Young; 
treasurer,  J.  D.  Green;  guardian,  J.  H.  Mosier;  sentinel, 
W.  H.  Kerr.  Meets  second  and  fourth  Monday  nights 
of  each  month  in  the  hall,  on  Main  street. 

THE    ROYAL     ARCANUM. 

This  is  one  of  the  numerous  mutual  life  insurance  frater- 
nities of  recent  origin.  Pittston  Council,  No.  134,  was 
the  first  council  organized  in  the  Lackawanna  or  the 
Wyoming  valley.  At  its  organization,  August  rst,  1878, 
the  membership  was  composed  of  somj  of  the  most  prom- 
inent citizens  of  the  borough,  and  the  following  corps  of 
officials  was  elected:  James  L.  McMillan,  P.  R.;  James 
H.  Mosier,  R.;  John  D.  Green,  V.  R  ;  John  G.  Bryden, 
O.;  Alexander  Bryden,  secretary;  W.  H.  Young,  collect- 
or; John  Merritt,  treasurer;  B.  G.  Cooper,  chaplain; 
Robert  Bryden,  guide;  William  B.  Miller,  warden;  Cyrus 
T.  Meaker,  sentinel.  Regular  elections  are  held  at  the  last 
stated  meeting  in  December  of  each  year.  The  present 
number  of  members  is  fifty,  and  is  largely  on  the  increase. 

The    leading   officers    in   January,   1880,    were:    John 


Merritt,  R.;  John  W.  Howarth,  V.  R.;  John  D.Green, 
P.  R.;  William  B.  Miller,  orator;  Willis  Brenton,  secre- 
tary; W.  H.  Young,  collector;  A.  J.  Griffith,  treasurer; 
John  Scrimgeour,  chaplain;  T.  W.  Kyte,  guide;  Robert 
Bryden,  warden;  J.  H.  Mosier,  sen.;  Dr.  J.  N.  Rice, 
medical  examiner;  James  H.  Mosier,  D.  D.  G.  R. 

Regular  meetings  of  the  council  are  held  on  the  first 
and  third  Monday  of  each  month  at  Royal  Arcanum  Hall, 
South  Main  street. 

PITTSTON    CHURCH   HISTORIES. 

FIRST    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  December,  1776,  with 
thirty-two  members,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Benedict,  from  War- 
wick, Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  and  two  of  his  parishioners- 
The  membership  included  twelve  who  had  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Warwick  church,  namely  :  Jonathan  Weeks, 
Abigail  Weeks,  Daniel  Cash,  Mary  Cash,  Ephraim  San- 
ford,  Samuel  Roberts,  Sarah  Roberts,  Daniel  Roberts, 
Hezekiah  Roberts,  Ebenezer  Roberts,  Abigail  Roberts, 
and  Mary  Roberts.  Among  the  earliest,  if  not  con- 
stituent members,  were  Sarah  Mitchell  (afterwards 
Frear),  Abraham  Frear,  John  Phillips,  Isaac  and  Eleanor 
Tripp,  Aulda  Bates,  Elisha  and  Martha  Harding,  David 
Brown,  and  Elijah  and  Lucinda  Silsbee. 

The  Wyoming  massacre  scattered  and  nearly  broke  up 
the  church,  and  though  some  of  the  members  returned 
to  their  homes  but  few  meetings  were  held  at  this  time. 
In  1786  the  church  was  reorganized — through  the  efforts 
of  Elders  Benedict  and  Finn — and  took  the  name  of  the 
Pittstown  Baptist  Church. 

It  was  united  with  the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Associa- 
tion until  1801,  when,  no  delegate  appearing  to  repre- 
sent the  church,  its  name  disappeared  from  their  list. 

From  1806  it  was  connected  for  twenty-seven  years 
with  the  Abington  Baptist  Church,  but  retained  all  the 
privileges  of  an  independent  body,  except  that  of  the  ex- 
clusion of  members. 

September  3d,  1833,  this  connection  was  dissolved. 
During  the  summer  of  that  year  meetings  had  been  held 
in  the  church,  resulting  in  the  addition  of  a  number  of 
members.  After  the  reorganization  Rev.  Charles  Brown 
preached  until  the  spring  of  1834.  In  the  same  year  the 
church  joined  the  Bridgewater  Association,  reporting  a 
total  membership  of  41.  Elder  W.  K.  Mott,  of  Hyde 
Park,  was  pastor  from  1834  to  1848,  preaching  a  part  of 
the  Sabbath  once  in  two  weeks.  After  this  the  church 
was  destitute  of  ministerial  labor  much  of  the  time,  being 
supplied  for  a  time  by  Elder  John  Boyd,  of  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  church,  until  1853,  when  Elder  Sanford  Leach  was 
called.  He  was  pastor  two  years.  The  second  protracted 
meeting  was  held  in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1855,  and 
increared  the  membership.  From  the  22nd  of  Novem- 
ber, 1865,  Elder  A.  Francis  preached  in  what  was  known 
as  the  "  School-house  on  the  Green,"  near  the  site  of  the 
present  building,  until  June,  1857,  and  52  were  added  to 
the  church.  From  August  following  Elder  S.  J.  Thomas 
was  pastor  about  six  months.     After  this  Elder  Mott  was 


<^ 


*i^= 


=»=€ 


BAPTIST  AND  M.  E.  CHURCHES  OF   PITTSTON  BOROUGH. 


335 


again  called  to  the  pastorate,  in  connection  with  the  Hyde 
Park  church,  preaching  here  once  every  Sabbath  until 
the  spring  of  i860.  After  i860  Elder  E.  M.  Alden,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  supplied  the  church  with  great  acceptance 
until  December,  1863. 

For  eighty-seven  years  this  church  worshiped  in  private 
houses.  December  27th,  1863,  Elder  John  R.  Shanafelt 
was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  during  the  succeeding 
year,  through  the  energy  and  perseverance  of  the  ladies' 
society,  a  parsonage  was  built  and  occupied  by  the  pastor. 
September  27th,  1865,  the  corner  stone  of  the  present 
church  edifice  was  laid  with  ajjpropriate  exercises;  ad- 
dresses being  delivered  by  the  pastor,  by  Rev.  T.  D.  An- 
derson, D.  D.,  and  Rev.  H.  G.  Weston,  D.  D.,  of  New  York, 
and  Rev.  Dr.  Bevan,  of  Scranton.  On  the  27th  of  June, 
1867,  the  house  was  dedicated,  Rev.  Thomas  Arn:iitage, 
D.  D.,  of  New  York,  preaching  the  sermon.  The  whole 
cost  of  the  house  was  about  $14,000,  of  which  Mr.  Elisha 
A.Corey  gave  $5,000,  and  its  erection  marked  anew  erairi 
the  history  of  the  church.  In  1867  the  total  membership 
reported  was   150. 

Elder  Shanafelt's  pastorate  closed  November  ist,  1867. 
Rev.  B.  D.  Thoma.s — recently  from  Wales — was  called  to 
the  pastorate  November  23d,  1868,  and  held  it  two  years 
and  seven  months.  The  membership  of  the  church  in- 
creased to  2og.  From  his  departure  until  April,  1872, 
preaching  was  maintained  by  supplies.  Rev.  Emerson 
W.  Bliss  was  then  pastor  three  years.  During  his  ad- 
ministration the  house  of  worship  was  renovated  and  im- 
proved at  an  expense  of  $2,500. 

For  four  months  the  church  was  again  without  a  pastor. 
Rev.  G.  S.  Bailey,  D.  D.,  was  pastor  from  August  ist, 
1875,  until  April,  1878.  The  following  month  the  church 
called  Rev.  A.  D.  Willifer,  who  has  been  the  pastor 
since  June  ist,  1878.  In  this  connection  we  present  the 
names  and  date  of  service  of  the  pastors  of  the  church 
from  its  organization:  James  Benedict,  1776-85;  James 
Finn,  1786-92;  William  Bishop,  1794-1806;  John  Miller, 
1806-33;  P-  P-  Brown  and  Charles  Brown,  1833,  1834; 
William  K.Mott,i834-48;  John  J.Carey,i853— 6  months; 
John  Boyd,  1853,  1854;  Sanford  Leach,  1854-56;  E.  A. 
Francis,  1856,  1857;  S.  J.  Thomas,  1857,  1858;  William 
K.  Mott,  1858-60;  E.  M.  Alden,  1860-63;  J.  R.  Shanafelt, 
1864-68;  Benjamin  D.  Thomas,  1868-71 ;  Emerson  W. 
Bliss,  1872-75;  Gilbert  S.  Bailey,  1875-78;  A.  D.Willifer, 
since  1878. 

Probably  from  1,000  to  1,200  persons  have  at  some 
time  been  members  of  this  church.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  360. 

THE    FIRST    M.    E.    CHURCH    OF    PITTSTON 

dates  back  to  the  heroic  days  of  Methodism.  The  earli- 
est records  of  this  circuit  are  of  1791,  when  Pittston 
was  a  part  of  the  Wyoming  charge.  A  class  was  formed 
here  about  1806.  Mrs.  Fanny  S.  Carey,  of  Wyoming, 
joined  this  class  in  1809,  when  there  were  but  ten  mem- 
bers, namely:  The  leader,  Roger  Searles;  Mr.  Miles  and 
wife,  Jared  Marcy  and  wife,  Jesse  Gardner  and  wife, 
Lucy  Drake,  Elizabeth  Bennett  and  Sarah  Collins. 


While  this  is  the  earliest  record,  it  is  possible  that  a 
class  was  formed  and  Methodist  meetings  held  still  earlier 
There  is  no  complete  record  of  the  class  from  1813  to 
1825,  but  it  is  remembered  that  Rev.  George  Peck 
preached  his  first  sermon  at  Forty  Fort  August  9th,  1818, 
the  day  after  his  twenty-first  birthday;  and  on  Thursday, 
August  20th  of  that  year,  he  preached  at  the  house  of 
Ebenezer  Marcy,  near  the  site  of  Pittston  borough,  and 
subsequently  filled  a  regular  preaching  appointment  at 
the  Marcy  house.  In  1828  a  class  was  organized  by 
Rev.  Joseph  Castle  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Thompson, 
near  where  the  Yatesville  road  intersects  the  road  leading 
to  Plains. 

Meetings  were  held  in  private  houses  and  school  build- 
ings until  1849.  In  August,  1846,  a  building  committee 
_consisting  of  James  McFarlane,  John  D.  Stark  and 
Elisha  Blackman  was  appointed.  A  site  was  donated  for 
a  church  by  Messrs.  Johnson  &  Bennett,  on  Broad  street. 
The  church  was  dedicated  in  1850.  At  that  time  Pittston 
station  formed  a  part  of  Pittston  circuit,  but  in  1856  it 
was  made  a  separate  station.  Selah  Stocking,  a  supernu- 
merary or  superannuated  preacher,  was  in  charge  two 
years.  The  first  parsonage  was  built  in  1850  and  1 851,  on 
Pario;iage  street.  In  1866  this  was  sold  and  a  house  and 
lot  on  Church  and  Broad  streets  bought  for  <|4,6oo.  The 
church  property  has  been  rated  at  $6,000,  the  parsonage 
at  $s,ooo. 

In  connection  with  this  charge  is  a  church  at  Yates- 
ville, which  was  built  in  1865;  a  building  thirty-two  by 
forty  feet,  with  basement,  and  when  first  completed 
valued  at  $2,500. 

Among  the  pioneers  of  the  church  in  Pittston  were: 
William  Ford,  Rev.  Thomas  V.  Tear  (a  local  preacher) 
and  his  wife,  who  still  survives;  also  Elisha  Blackman, 
who  at  eighty-two  years  is  still  a  faithful  and  devoted 
member  of  the  church.  This  church  has  a  membership 
of  314;  a  flourishing  Sabbath-school  with  275  pupils, 
under  the  efficient  superintendence  of  C.  R.  Patterson. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  preachers  stationed  at 
Pittston  since  it  became  a  separate  charge:  1856  and 
1857,  S.  Stocking;  1858  and  1859,  A.  P.  Mead;  i860  and 
186 r,  Geo.  M.  Peck;  1862  and  1863,  O.  M.  McDowall; 
1864-66,  W.  J.  Judd;  1867-69,  Y.  C.  Smith;  1870-72, 
Ira  T.  Walker;  1873-75,  Thomas  Harrora;  1876-78,  J.  O. 
Woodruff;  1879,  L.  VV.  Peck;  1880,  S.  C.  Fulton. 

The  first  trustees  of  the  Pittston  church  were  Edwin 
F.  Ferris,  Elisha  Blackman,  James  McFarlane,  David 
Richards,  William  Ford,  Francis  Yates,  Francis  Watson, 
Isaac  Thompson  and  Miner  Swallow.  The  first  board  of 
the  Yatesville  church  were  William  Perrin,  Thomas 
Wattress,  John  Shields,  Francis  Yates,  James  Teasdale, 
Richard  Boslock,  Robert  Shields,  Alfred  Day. 

FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    PITTSTON. 

The  first  stated  preaching  in  the  valley  by  a  Presby- 
terian minister  was  in  Wilkes-Barre,  in  182 1.  His  ap- 
pointments were  for  the  most  part  in  private  houses.  He 
received  very  considerable  accessions  to  his  church  from 
Pittston.     Pittston  members  would  go  down  on  Saturday 


H 


Hh 


336 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


h 


afternoon  to  preparatory  lecture,  and  remain  until  the 
Sabbath  with  hospitable  VVilkes-Barre  friends.  The  Pres- 
byterian church  of  Wilkes-Barre  has  always  been  a  kind 
of  mother  to  her  Pittston  child. 

This  church  was  organized  on  the  25th  of  February, 
1842,  by  the  Presbyterians  of  Susquehann.i,  as  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Lackawanna,  with  30  members, 
namely:  John  M.,  Eleazer  and  Catharine  Atherton,  Ma- 
ria Coon,  Jacob  Whitbeck,  Ruth  Diltz,  Myria  Oiddings, 
Fannie  McCalpin,  Sarah  Austin,  Parthenia  Gordon,  Nancy 
Race,  Sarah  Blackman,  Anna  Decker,  Richard  and  Phebe 
Hollenback,  John  M.  and  Catharine  Moore,  Hanna 
Phillips,  Nancy  Kennedy,  Sarah  Shafer,  Phebe  Vande- 
berg,  Hermon  B.  and  Hannah  Dailey,  Maria  Fellows, 
Mary  Jeffreys,  James  W.  Sands,  Elijah  Couch  and  wife, 
and  James  Helm.  February  29th  Elijah  Couch  and  John 
M.  Atherton  were  chosen  elders,  and  Thomas  B.  Dailey 
deacon.     They  were  ordained  by  Rev.  John  Dorrance. 

Shortly  after  this  the  Presbytery  of  Luzerne  was  form- 
ed, and  the  church  of  Lackawanna  was  placed  under  its 
care.  This  church  was  incorporated  January  22nd,  1848, 
as  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pittston.  The  organ- 
ization was  effected  in  what  was  then  Harrison,  now  Scran- 
ton,  in  a  small  school-house  that  stood  on  the  north  side  of 
Roaring  brook,  near  where  the  large  furnaces  of  the  Lack- 
awanna Iron  and  Coal  Company  stand.  The  church  after- 
ward moved  into  the  old  red  school-housein  North  Pittston. 

Until  1844  the  preacher  was  the  Rev,  Charles  Evans,  a 
missionary.  Since  1844  the  church  has  been  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Rev.  N.  G.  Parke. 

A  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1846,  and  was  a  sub- 
stantial brick  building,  costing  about  $2,000.  In  1856  it 
was  found  to  be  too  small,  and  not  in  the  right  place,  and 
in  1857  the  congregation  left  it  for  the  house  down  town. 
A  large  proportion  of  the  money  for  building  the  new 
house  was  collected  outside  of  the  congregation,  chiefly 
in  Wilkes-Barre,  Easton,  Belvidere,  and  Elizabeth.  The 
principal  contributors  in  the  congregation  were  Zenus 
Barnum,  Theodore  Strong,  Elisha  Atherton  and  Peter 
Wagner.  Others,  including  those  residing  in  Scranton, 
did  what  they  could.  John  D.  Butler,  Rev.  John  Dor- 
rance, Mrs.  Chester  Butler  and  Mrs.  Emily  Hollenback 
aided  nobly  in  the  work;  but  for  their  sympathy  and 
encouragement  the  enterprise  would  have  failed.  The 
building  was  dedicated  free  of  debt.  There  is  a  flourish- 
ing Sabbath-school  connected  with  this  church. 

The  church  very  early  established  Sabbath-schools 
throughout  the  mission  field.  In  Pittston  there  was  a 
flourishing  school,  conducted  by  Mr.  Strong  in  the  old 
red  school-house  near  the  Junction  in  North  Pittston. 
It  was  a  union  school,  and  the  only  Sabbath-school  at 
the  time  (1844)  in  the  township.  There  was  a  union 
school  also  in  Scranton.  Between  these  two  points 
several  schools  were  established,  including  one  in  the 
Hollenback  school-house,  not  far  from  Taylorville, 
which  at  one  time  numbered  over  a  hundred  scholars. 

In  the  Melanie  Chapel,  in  North  Pittston,  erected  re- 
cently and  controlled  by  this  church,  a  union  Sabbath- 
school  is  maintained,  and  also  a  preaching  service. 


PITTSTON    VS'ELSH    CONnREGATIONAL    CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  ii)  1847,  and  for  nearly  two 
years  met  in  the  dwellings  of  ihe  members,  most  of  whom 
lived  in  that  portion  of  Pittston  generally  known  as  Welsh 
Hill.  Late  in  1849  a  chapel  was  dedicated  on  Pine 
street,  and  David  R.  Lewis  became  the  first  settled  pastor. 
His  successors  have  been  Evan  B.  Evans,  Cadwallader 
Jones,  Edward  R.  Lewis,  John  R.  Williams,  Owen  Owens 
David  Davis,  Evan  R,  Jones,  and  since  1876  the  present 
pastor.  Rev.  John  Williams. 

In  i860,  during  the  pastorate  of  C.  Jones,  the  Pine 
street  chapel  was  sold  to  the  borough  for  a  school-house, 
and  the  present  comfortable  church  edifice  was  erected 
on  Lagrange  street,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000. 

ST.    JAMES    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

The  records  of  this  parish  trace  back  its  beginning  to 
"two  or  three"  theological  students  of  the  Alexandria 
Seminary,  in  Virginia,  who  spent  their  vacation  in  1848 
as  licensed  colporteurs,  and  reported  the  names  and 
need  of  the  few  Episcopalians  whom  they  found  to  the 
Rev.  W.  Miles,  of  St.  Stephen's  church,  Wilkes-Barre, 
by  whose  labors  the  parish  came  into  existence.  In 
the  summer  of  1849  the  first  service  was  held  in  the 
Welsh  church;  and  on  the  12th  of  August  that  year  an 
organization  was  effected,  under  the  name  of  St.  James 
Church.  The  incorporators  were  42  in  number,  as  fol- 
lows: 

William  S.  Heddin,  Benjamin  D.  Beyea,  .T.  Williams,  .John  It.  Keeler 
Edward  B.  Hughes,  J.  H.  Babcock,  Henry  Protyus,  Jobn  Baker,  John 
Howarth,  jr.,  Thomas  Simons,  M.  L.  Everitt,  George  Everitt,  C.  II. 
Gorman,  George  W.  Sickler,  J.  H.  Bailey,  Stephen  B.  Jenkins,  Edward 
Clarkson,  George  Damon,  Charles  F.  Ingham,  William  Tompkins,  Wil- 
liam K.  Griffiths,  William  Ferguson,  Geoige  Liizarus,  Daniel  Lloyd, 
Lagrange  Damon,  Miles  .lacobs,  T.  B.  Day,  Joseph  Knapp,  Robert  S  C. 
Ivnapp,  Cornelius  Stark,  H.  M.  Damon,  B.  J.  Wisner,  R.  S.  Co.\,  E.  J. 
Curtis,  0.  Johnson,  John  Love,  William  Howarth,Abram  Bird,  G.  tJnder- 
wood,  H.  A.  Dow,  Lewis  M.  Ketcheson,  jr.,  and  J.  P.  Sehooly,  jr. 

Of  these  only  Mr.  R.  K.  Wisner  is  now  a  member. 
The  first  visit  of  the  bishop,  Alonzo  Potter,  took  place 
in  July,  1851,  and  the  first  confirmation  June  12th,  1855^ 
the  candidates  being  Mrs.  Anna  E.  Wisner  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Damon.  In  May,  1852,  the  parish  was  admitted 
into  union  with  the  diocesan  convention  of  Pennsylvania. 
In  that  year  the  Rev.  John  Long,  as  a  missionary,  had 
charge  of  Pittston  a  few  months.  It  was  not  till  Sep- 
tember, 1857,  that  a  minister,  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Robinson, 
succeeded  Mr.  Long.  His  ministry  lasted  a  little  over  a 
year.  During  this  time  the  congregation  worshiped  "  in 
various  school-houses  on  either  side  of  the  river,"  until  a 
rooin  was  secured  on  the  east  side,  over  the  store  of  Mr. 
Charles  Law,  which  was  fitted  up  for  this  purpose.  The 
present  church  edifice  was  commenced  on  the  23d  of 
February,  1858.  Mr.  Robinson  found  23  families  and  45 
individuals  "  favorable  to  the  church  and  attendants 
upon  her  worship."  During  his  ministry  the  number  was 
increased  to  "55  families,  comprising  over  100  persons." 
The  Sunday-school  then  had  120  scholars  and  ten 
teachers,  the  scholars  including  fifty  belonging  to  Meth- 
odists and  Presbyterians.  Mr.  H.  L.  Phillips  became  the 
superintendent  in  the  spring  of  1858.     In  the  latter  part 


=^ 


^h 


CHURCHES  OF  PITTSTON  BOROUGH. 


337 


of  1858  Mr.  Robinson  resigned.  From  January,  1859, 
Rev.  John  A.  Jerome  was  rector  three  years.  March 
27th,  1859,  the  congregation  met  for  the  first  time  in  the 
basement  of  the  church,  and  May  15th  the  church  was 
formally  opened. 

From  the  autumn  of  1862  Rev.  Chandler  Hare  was 
the  rector  till  May  22nd,  1871.  He  found  the  parish  "  in  a 
very  decrepit  condition."  His  salary  was  only  $300,  with  a 
missionary  stipend  of  $175.  The  church  building  was  in  a 
neglected  condition, "unfenced"  and  "unconsecrated,"and 
had  been  sold  for  debt  and  was  owned  by  R.  J.  Wisner 
and  Henry  Evans.  Mr.  Hare  raised  $1,200  to  pay  the 
debt,  and  on  the  30th  of  June,  1863,  the  church  was 
consecrated  and  thirty  persons  were  confirmed.  The 
salary  was  raised  to  $1,000.  In  1870  the  pew  rental 
amounted  to  $1,350.  Mr.  Hare  added  an  organ  to  the 
church,  improved  the  site  of  the  building  by  a  wall  and 
fence  and  enlarged  its  capacity  by  a  transept,  established 
a  parochial  school,  and  during  his  ministry  two  hundred 
and  sixty  persons  were  baptized  and  ninety-three  con- 
firmed. The  number  of  communicants  was  largely  in- 
creased and  there  was  an  active  charity  in  all  depart- 
ments of  church  work.  Mr.  Hare  ended  his  faithful 
ministry  on  the  evening  of  the  22nd  of  May,  187 1.  He 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  S.  H.  Boyer,  and  he  by  the 
Rev.  John  K.  Karcher.  The  Rev.  George  C.  Foley,  in 
the  latter  part  of  1875,  succeeded  Mr.  Karcher.  He 
found  the  parish  in  a  troubled  state,  but  soon  succeeded 
in  restoring  unity,  and  in  gaining  the  affectionate  regard 
of  the  congregation.  He  left  at  Easter,  1879,  and  was 
succeeded  in  August,  1879,  by  the  Rev.  George  A.  Kirk- 
land. 

The  last  report  to  the  bishop  showed  one  hundred 
and  ten  communicants;  one  hundred  and  fifty  Sunday- 
school  scholars,  under  sixteen  teachers;  offerings  for  the 
year  $1,988.13,  of  which  $1,730.59  were  for  parochial 
expenses.  There  are  two  societies  connected  with  the 
church,  the  Ladies'  Aid  and  the  St.  James  Guild.  The 
present  wardens  of  the  church  are  Messrs.  Thomas  E. 
Grier  and  John  Howell. 

THE    METHODIST     PROTESTANT     CHURCH     OF    PITTSTON 

was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1852,  with  a  small  mem- 
bership, as  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  of  Pittston. 
The  first  official  board  consisted  of  James  Challenger, 
Obadiah  B.  Fear,  Benjamin  Harding,  William  Chivers, 
Mark  Hilbert,  James  Brown,  Thomas  Fear  and   William 

Harding. 

The  congregation  worshiped  a  number  of  years  in 
a  small  building  on  Scotch  hill.  In  186 1  a  building  lot 
was  secured,  and  a  small  church  built,  on  Broad  street, 
near  Foundry.  In  1874  the  church,  to  accommodate  the 
increased  membership,  was  enlarged  to  its  present  seat- 
ing capacity  of  about  300.  About  500  members  have 
been  connected  with  the  church  since  its  organization. 
The  society  is  free  from  debt.  The  church  is  valued  at 
$4,500,   and   the   parsonage    in   the  rear   of  it  is  worth 

dtf    COO, 

The   following  ministers  have  officiated  here:     Revs. 


George  R.  Hoer,  John  Gregory,  Harvey  Lounsberry, 
William  West,  George  B.  Dotson,  Henry  Palmer  and  Z. 
Du  Bois  Baird,  the  present  pastor.  The  membership  is 
168. 

The  Sabbath-school  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Its 
report  for  the  year  ending  October  7th,  1879,  gives  the 
following  figures:  Scholars,  100;  teachers,  13;  officers,  6; 
volumes  in  library,  708;  conversions  during  the  year,  ir, 
all  of  whom  have  joined  the  church  in  full  membership. 

In  connection  with  the  churcn  there  is  a  total  absti- 
nence organization,  called  the  "  Pittston  Band  of  Hope," 
numbering  370  members,  who  abstain  from  tobacco  as 
well  as  intoxicants. 

In  the  fall  of  1878  the  church  joined  the  New  York 
Methodist  Protestant  Conference,  having  previously  re- 
ceived its  ministers  from  the  Syracuse  and  Pittsburgh 
conferences. 

ST.    JOHN    EVANGELIST    CHURCH    (rOMAN    CATHOLIC) 

on  William  street,  Pittston,  was  built  during  the  pastor- 
ate of  Rev.  John  P.  O'Shaughnessy,  who  was  in  charge 
from  1853  to  1859.  It  was  dedicated  October  17th,  1858. 
Mr.  O'Shaughnessy  was  succeeded  in  May,  1869,  by  Rev. 
Patrick  A.  Prendergast,  who  was  pastor  until  his  death, 
Nov.  i2th,  1861.  His  successor  was  the  present  pastor. 
Rev.  John  Finnen,  who  had  been  assistant  to  each  of  the 
previous  pastors.  Many  improvements  have  been  made 
under  the  present  pastor.  In  1864  a  double  brick  build- 
ing next  the  church  was  purchased  and  remodeled  for 
school  and  Sisters'  dwelling.  In  it  the  Sisters  of  the  Im- 
maculate Heart  have  taught  a  select  school  during  the 
past  fifteen  years.  An  addition  to  the  church  was  built 
in  1870,  which  made  its  seating  capacity  about  1,050.  In 
the  same  year  a  commodious  brick  pastoral  residence  was 
erected,  and  in  1880  a  new  brick  school  was  built,  a  por- 
tion of  which  is  devoted  to  the  use  of  the  societies  con- 
nected with  St.  John's  church. 

The  Father  Matthew  Total  Abstinence  Benevolent  So- 
ciety was  established  in  1870  and  is  in  a  flourishing  con- 
dition, having  a  larger  roll  of  membership  than  any  other 
Catholic  total  abstinence  society  in  the  State.  The 
Young  Men's  Catholic  Literary  and  Benevolent  Society, 
established  in  April,  1872,  has  a  membership  of  200  and 
a  library  of  450  volumes. 

GERMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

The  German  Catholics  of  Pittston  built  a  church  in 
1865.  The  first  mass  in  it  was  on  the  last  Sunday  of 
May,  1865.  Rev.  Father  P.  C.  Nagel,  from  Wilkes- 
Barre,  supplies  the  pulpit. 

ST.  John's    and    st.   peter's    evangelical    lutheran 

CHURCHES. 

On  the  22nd  of  November,  1857,  Rev.  G.  H.  Vossler, 
then  pastor  in  Wilkes- Barre,  came  to  Pittston  and  organ- 
ized a  church  with  50  members.  Their  meetings  were 
held  seven  years  in  the  school-house  at  Hamtown,  a  por- 
tion of  Pittston  township  adjacent  to  Pittston  boTough. 
When  a  church  building  was   contemplated    dissensions 


-M> 


■4h 


338 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


arose  regarding  a  location,  and  the  congregation  was  di- 
vided: one  part,  under  the  old  name,  St.  Peter's,  erected 
a  church  building  in  Hamtovvn,  and  the  other  part  organ- 
ized as  St.  John's,  and  built  the  church  on  Wood  street, 
in  Pittstor,  borough,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  the  corner  stone 
being  laid  on  the  30th  of  October,  1863.  The  first  sermon 
was  preached  the  i6th  of  the  following  October.  The 
ladies  subsequently  furnished  the  church,  and  the  youn.; . 
men's  society  raised  funds  for  a  bell  and  an  organ,  the 
aggregate  cost  being  $1,000.  A  Sunday-school  was  or- 
ganized on  the  27th  of  November,  1864,  with  34  scholars 
and  8  teachers. 

The  St.  Peter's  building  was  also  erected  in  1864,  and 
dedicated  the  22nd  of  September.  The  ladies'  society  of 
this  church  raised  funds  to  furnish  the  church  and  supply 
a  bell.  A  Sunday-school  has  been  maintained  here  since 
1857.  It  now  numbers  80  pupils  and  12  teachers.  Since 
its  organization  it  has  been  under  the  superintendency  of 
C.  Schule. 

Rev.  G.  H.  Vossler  was  succeeded  as  pastor  of  St. 
Peter's  church  in  1858  by  C.  M.  Gaeger;  August  19th, 
i86r,  C.  Speidel;  July  6th,  1862,  C.  Oefinger;  October 
nth,  1868,  L.  Gluber;  May  1st,  1872,  A.  Sommer;  Sep- 
tember 26th,  1875,  A.  Richter;  January  14th,  1877,  F. 
Ehinger;  August  ist,  1879,  G.  A.  Struntz,  the  present 
pastor.  Since  the  division  these  churches  have  been 
served  on  alternate  Sabbaths  by  the  same  pastor. 


PLEASANT  VALLEY  BOROUGH. 


PORTION   of  the   township  of  Pittston  was 
incorporated    as    Plea'^ant    Valley    borough 
under  an  act  passed  May  24th,  1871.     The 
first    meeting   of    the    common   council    was 
held    May    25th,    1872.      The    council    has 
consisted  of  three  members  since  the  borough 
was  organized.     The  president  for  each   year  is 
mentioned  first,  the  secretary  next. 

1872 — P.  B.  Brehony,  Robert  Reid,  George  Lampman; 
1873 — Brehony,  Lampman,  Peter  J  Connor;  1874 — 
Thomas  Herbert,  Thomas  Tigue,  Connor;  1875— Tigiie, 
David  Cranston,  Connor;  1S76— Cranston,  Tigue,  John 
J.  Darkin;  1877— Cranston,  Darkin,  Peter  Foy;  1878 
—Michael  Lawlor,  Foy,  Darkin;  1879— James  Maloney, 
William  Brown,  Lawler. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  have  been  elected  bur- 
gess: M.  C.  Early,  1872;  P.  F.  Callahan,  1873;  Heniy 
P.  Shales,  1874;  William  Schoonover,  1875;  P-  B-  Bre- 
hony, 1876,  1877,  1879;  Robert  Scott,  1878;  P.  W.  Early, 
1880. 
The  population  in  1880  was  reported  as  1,974. 

Early  Settlers. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers   were  James  Brown,  sen.; 
Aaron  Riddle,  who  lived  in  an  old  farm  house  near  the 


t 


depot;  and  John  Mitchel,  in  an  old  farm  house  near 
where  No.  3  plane  crosses  Main  street.  Jacob  Lidy  had 
settled  at  Little  York.  James  L.  Giddings  lived  in  a  log 
house,  and  a  Mr.  Ellis  on  Thomas  Weir's  lot.  He  after- 
ward built  the  house  owned  by  James  and  William 
Bron'n.  Mr.  McAlpin  and  William  Rau  were  also  among 
these  early  settlers. 

Business  Houses. 

A.  McAlpin  built  a  shop  here  in  1837  for  making  half 
bushel  and  peck  measures  by  water  power;  subsequently 
a  steam  power  was  added  and  the  manufacture  of  kegs 
and  cigar  boxes.  This  building  was  burned  in  1854,  and 
the  new  one  erected  was  blown  up  in  1872,  and  immedi- 
ately rebuilt.  In  1874  the  firm  name  was  changed  to 
McAlpin  &  Son,  and  the  manufacture  of  pails  and  pow- 
der kegs  was  added  to  the  business.  C.  A.  McAlpine 
bought  the  shop  in  1879,  and  the  business  is  now  the 
manufacture  of  kegs,  butter  packages,  &c.  The  capacity 
of  the  machinery  is  500  kegs  and  500  pails  per  day. 

Martin  F.  Reap  was  the  first  merchant.  His  store  was 
on  the  site  of  Hollister's  brick  store,  which  was  built  by 
Mr.  Reap  in  1871.  In  1869  Law  &  McMillan  established 
a  branch  store  at  Marr.  James  McMillan  was  made  a 
partner,  and  the  firm  name  of  James  McMillan  &  Co.  was 
adopted.  The  building  occupied  was  erected  in  1869, 
burned  in  1875  and  immediately  rebuilt  and  enlarged. 
James  Maloney  established  a  general  merchandise  bus- 
iness here  in  1873,  making  a  specialty  of  groceries  and 
provisions;  his  store  was  built  in  1875.  John  King, 
formerly  a  clerk  with  James  Maloney,  established  a 
similar  business  in  1876.  Thomas  McLaughlin  began 
building  a  store  here  in  1871,  but  his  death  prevented  its 
completion  until  1875.  It  is  now  occupied  and  a  good 
business  done  by  his  sons.  In  1871  J.  H.  Swoyer  built 
the  store  now  owned  by  Charles  A.  Jones.  It  was  then 
known  as  the  company  store.  From  1870  to  1873  Mr. 
Swoyer  was  very  prominently  identified  with  the  business 
interests  of  Pleasant  Valley.  In  1877  Mr.' Jones  was 
manager  for  Mr.  Swoyer.  The  next  year  he  bought  a 
half  interest  in  the  store,  and  January  1st,  1879,  succeeded 
to  the  whole  of  the  business. 

Schools. 

There  are  six  well  organized  public  schools  in  the 
borough,  with  an  average  daily  attendance  of  425  pupils. 
Two  gentlemen  and  four  lady  teachers  are  employed. 

Postal  Facilities. 

The  earlier  residents  were  accommodated  with  mail 
by  the  office  at  Pittston.  Subsequently  the  department 
established  a  mail  route  from  Pittston  to  Pleasant  Valley. 
James  McMillan  was  appointed  postmaster  in  April,  1871, 
and  Andrew  L.  Flock  carried  the  mail  daily  until  July, 
1872.  The  ofifice  was  named  Marr  in  allusion  to  James 
H.  Marr,  the  chief  clerk  in  the  first  assistant  postmaster 
general's  office. 

In   1873  a  daily  mail  route  was  established  from  Old 


4^ 


*ih 


LODGES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  AT  PLEASANT  VALLEY. 


339 


Forge  to  Marr,  and  now  a  daily  mail  is  supplied  to  all 
these  communities  by  rail. 

Lodges,  Societies  and  Companies. 

Way  Aug  Lodge,  No.  784,  /.  O.  O.  F.  was  instituted  on 
the  19th  of  December,  1871,.  with  twenty  charter  mem- 
bers. The  first  officers  were:  William  Barnes,  N.  G.; 
Lyman  K.  Drake,  V.  G.;  John  House,  R.  S.;  John  B. 
Swartz,  A.  S.;  James  B.  Wood,  treasurer;  G.M.Snyder, 
S.  P.  G. 

The  present  officers  are:  James  Webber,  N.  G.;  Theo- 
dore Smith,  V.  G.;  John  Hailstone,  R.  S.;  John  Hastie, 
F.  S.;  David  Muir,  A.  J.;  C.  E.  Rolls,  treasurer. 

The  lodge  meets  each  Saturday  evening  at  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall,  which  was  built  in  1875. 

The  Emerald  Benevolent  Association  is  represented  at 
Pleasant  Valley  by  branch  No.  36,  which  was  organized 
on  the  sth  of  October,  1873,  with  25  members.  The  ob- 
ject of  this  society  is  to  furnish  relief  for  the  family  of 
deceased  members,  and  weekly  benefits  to  the  needy  and 
disabled.  It  is  under  the  auspices  of  St.  Mary's  church, 
Rev.  M.  F.  Crane  being  the  spiritual  director.  Michael 
Whalen  was  elected  first  president;  M.  T.  Hoban,  secre- 
tary; Lawrence  Morrahan,  treasurer;  John  D.  McCarthy, 
marshal. 

The  membership  is  now  about  175.  The  present  of- 
ficers are:  John  D.  McCarthy,  president;  John  Mead, 
secretary;  James  Dougherty,  treasurer;  John  McKeone, 
marshal.  The  stewards  in  charge  of  disbursements  are 
Patrick  Loughery  and  John  McCabe;  John  Mead,  James 
Ward  and  Patrick  Doran,  trustees. 

Marr  Lodge,  No.  1,131,  /.  O.  G.  T.,  was  instituted 
April  28th,  1876,  chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  James 
Graham.  The  first  officers  were:  Robert  Oliver,  W.  C. 
T.;  Mrs.  James  McMillan,  W.  V.  T.;  James  Hastie,  W, 
Chap.;  Andrew    Flock,  W.    R.    S.;  John   Anderson,   W. 

A.  S.;  John  Hastie,  W.  F.  S.;  James  McMillan,  W.  T.; 
William  Dick,  W.  M.;  S.  O.  Ella  Flock,  W.  D.  M.; 
James  Graham,  W.  I.  G.;  Robert  Anderson,  W.  O.  G.; 
Mrs.  Allan  McDonald,  W.  R.  H.  S.;  John  Connor,  P. 
W.  C.  T. 

The  present  officers,  in  the  same  order  as  the  first,  are: 
Robert  Anderson,  Mrs.  Simon  Bouse,  James  Hastie, 
James  Anderson,  S.  O.  Ella  Flock,  John  Sutcliffe,  Mrs. 
Andrew  Flock,  Frank  Snyder,  Mary  McMillan,  Marion 
Graham,  Charles  Cranston,  Frances  Porter,  Jean  Mc- 
Crindle,  John  McCrindle. 

The  lodge  meets  Tuesday  evening  of  each  week,  at 
Webber's  Hall,  and  for  a  time  had  108  members  in  good 
standing,  the  largest  membership  in  the  county. 

Father  Matthew  T.  B.  A.— A.  preliminary  meeting  was 
held  in  school-house  No.  i  on  the  26th  of  October^ 
1876,  when  about  thirty  Catholic  young  men  enrolled 
themselves  as  the  nucleus  of  a  Temperance  Beneficial 
Association.     John  Meade  was  chosen  president,  with  P. 

B.  McKune,  secretary  and  P.  B.  McKune,  sen.,  treasurer. 
On  the  sth  of  the  following  month  Rev.  M.  F.  Crane 

administered  the  pledge  of  total  abstinence  to  thirty-five 
members,  and  he  became  the  spiritual  director  of  the  so- 


ciety. The  membership  has  nearly  doubled,  and  a  suit- 
able hall  has  been  provided  for  their  meetings  on  the 
first  and  third  Sundays  of  each  month. 

The  present  officers  are:  Rev.  M.  F.  Crane,  spiritual 
director;  John  McHale,  president;  John  McKune,  secre- 
tary; Patrick  Doran,  treasurer. 

The  Father  Matthew  Cadets  is  an  auxiliary  to  the  T.  B. 
A.,  numbering  about  seventy  Catholic  boys,  who  as  they 
arrive  at  the  proper  age  are  eligible  to  membership  in  the 
latter.  This  society  was  organized  in  the  autumn  of 
1879,  and   is    under  the   spiritual  direction   of    Rev.  M. 

F.  Crane. 

Knights  of  Honor. — On  the  evening  of  November  23d, 
1876,  Pleasant  Valley  Lodge,  170,  of  this  order  was 
formed.  From  a  membership  of  fifty-three  the  following 
officers  were  elected:     Gilbert   Alexander,  past  dictator; 

G.  M.  Snyder,  dictator;  David  Cranston,  vice-dictator; 
F.  J.  Boon,  assistant  dictator;  John  H.  Christian,  re- 
portjr;  James  Morse,  financial  reporter;  Thomas  Mc- 
Crindle, treasurer;  George  W.  Schales,  chaplain;  Wil- 
liam Brown,  guide;  James  Allen,  guardian;  George 
Lampman,  sentinel. 

The  present  leading  officers  are:  James  Allen,  D;  Da- 
vid Cranston,  reporter,  and  Gilbert  Alexander  treasurer. 
Lodge  meetings  are  held  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall. 

Band. — The  Father  Matthew  Silver  Cornet  Band  is  a 
brilliant  young  band  of  fifteen  pieces,  organized  in  1872. 
James  Gilhooley  is  president;  James  Jennings  secretary, 
and  William  Saramon  leader. 

The  Emmet  Guards. — In  June,  1879,  this  company 
was  organized  in  Emmet  Hall, with  thirty-eight  of  the  most 
enterprising  young  men  of  Irish  descent  as  members. 
The  list  increased  to  forty-five,  and  in  July  James  Quinn 
was  elected  captain,  P.  W.  Early  first  lieutenant,  and 
James  Quinnan  2nd  lieutenant.  The  non-commissioned 
officers  are  P.  H.  Flaherty,  Patrick  Chambers,  Peter  Far- 
rell,  Edward  Murphy  and  Thomas  Herbert,  sergeants; 
John  Walsh,  Frank  McGuire  and  John  Flaherty,  cor- 
porals. The  company  is  fully  uniformed  and  equipped, 
armed  with  Springfield  rifles. 

Company  E,  gth  Regiment,  P.  S.  M.  contains  60  privates 
and  a  full  corps  of  officers.  It  was  uniformed  in  August, 
1879,  and  during  the  following  month  was  armed  with 
Springfield  rifles.  The  following  is  the  list  of  officers: 
Chaplain,  Charles  A.  Jones;  ist  lieutenant,  Charles  W. 
Fisher;  2nd  lieutenant,  Ebenezer  Frew;  sergeants — J. 
Wesley  Sanders,  Charles  A.  McAlpine,  James  Morse, 
Adelbert  M.  Sanders,  Thomas  F.  Currie;  corporals — 
George  Lampman,  Eugene  McAlpine,  Thomas  M.  Crans- 
ton, Michael  Reap,  Simon  Rumage,  John  T.  Mitchell, 
Lemuel  B.  McAlpine,  James  Murdock. 

Churches. 

St.  Mary's  congregation  numbers  about  250  families, 
in  the  borough  and  the  adjoining  townships  of  Marcy  and 
Lackawanna.  It  formerly  belonged  to  St.  John's  congre- 
gation, Pittston,  and  was  regularly  attended  by  the  priests 
of  that  place  till  November,  1875,  when  as  a  separate 
parish  it  was  placed  in  charge  of  its  present  pastor,  Rev. 


<^ 


=^^ 


34° 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


^h 


M.  F.  Crane.  Previous  to  1874  service  was  occasionally 
lield,  amid  many  difficulties  and  inconveniences,  in  No.  i 
school-house.  Rev.  John  Finnan,  pastor  St.  John's,  Pitts- 
ton,  secured  from  the  New  York  &  Pittston  Coal  Com- 
pany two  building  lots,  on  which  he  caused  to  be  built 
the  prtsent  beautiful  and  substantial  frame  church.  It  is 
in  the  Roman  style  of  architecture,  48  by  96  feet,  and  has 
seats  for  over  700  persons.  The  corner  stone  was  laid 
in  1871  byBishopO'Hara,  and  three  years  later  the  church 
was  dedicated  by  him  under  the  patronage  of  the  ever 
blessed  Virgin. 

Since  Rev.  Father  Crane  has  been  placed  in  charge  the 
congregation  has  erected  a  pastoral  residence  equal  to  any 
other  dwelling  in  the  borough,  and  has  bought  and  en- 
closed, at  a  cost  of  $1,500,  five  acres  of  ground  for  burial 
purposes, and  made  many  improvements  around  the  church 
and  pastoral  residence. 

Langcliffe  Presbyterian  C/z/z/c/;.— About  the  middle  of 
the  village,  in  a  spacious  open  lot  beautified  with  shade 
trees,  is  the  Langcliffe  Presbyterian  church.  An  old  and 
honorable  English  family,  the  Dawsons  of  Langcliffe,  held 
an  interest  some  years  ago,  as  partners  in  the  New  York 
and  Pittston  Coal  Company,  in  the  lands  now  worked  by 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  and  the  name  of  this 
(hurch  commemorates  the  interest  which  they  took  in  the 
religious  welfare  of  the  people  settled  on  the  coal  lands. 
Soon  after  the  opening  of  the  mines  a  member  of  the 
family  took  steps  toward  forming  a  church.  Those  in- 
terested were  chiefly  Presbyterians  of  Scottish  birth  and 
members  of  the  church  at  Pittston,  but  others  of  Ameri- 
can birth  and  Presbyterian  faith  acted  with  them. 
Among  these  persons  may  be  mentioned  James  McMillan, 
William  MacCrindle,  Thomas  Weir,  George  M.  Snyder 
and  Albert  MacAlpine.  They  were  authorized  to  select 
a  lot  on  the  company's  estate.  The  lot  chosen,  150  by 
300  feet,  together  with  $600  from  Miss  Dawson,  was. 
donated  to  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  The 
handsome  edifice  which  Miss  Dawson  suggested,  and  to 
which  she  had  so  liberally  contributed, appropriately  bears 
the  name  of  her  English  patrimonial  estate  "Langcliffe." 

Mr.  Edwin  F.  Brown  of  New  York,  was  another  early 
benefactor,  furnishing  the  parsonage  lot  for  a  merely 
nominal  sum,  and  giving  an  elegant  silver  communion 
service,  consisting  of  four  patens,  four  cups  and  a  flagon, 
in  memory  of  his  son. 

The  entire  cost  of  church  and  parsonage  was  $6, 000. 
The  property  is  unencumbered. 

The  congregation  was  fully  organized  as  a  Presbyterian 
church  on  the  18th  of  September,  1870,  by  a  committee 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Lackawanna,  twenty-four  persons 
presenting  letters  of  dismission  from  the  church  at  Pitts- 
ton. William  Anderson,  lately  elder  of  the  United  Pres- 
byterian church  at  Creetown,  Scotland,  was  the  first 
elder,  Thomas  Weir,  a  Scotchman  from  Lanarkshire, 
being  associated  with  him.  Early  in  1872  Rev.  Archi- 
bald S.  Stewart  was  installed  as  joint  pastor.  He  grad- 
uated in  theology  at  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  in  1856,  and 
]jreached  at  F'armsville,  Fort  Washington  and  Grefton, 
Wis.,  and  at    Wallburg,  N.  Y.,  before   coming  here.     He 

■v 


died  in  his  57th  year  at  Langcliffe  parsonage  January  ist, 
1876.  On  the  i6th  of  June,  1876,  Rev.  Andrew  Brydie 
was  installed,  having  been  called  from  Scotland.  He  is 
a  Master  of  Arts  of  the  University  of  Edinburgh  and  a 
graduate  of  the  New  College  of  Edinburgh. 

,  The  several  organizations  of  the  church  for  Christian 
work  are  vigorously  maintained.  The  membership  has 
increased  from  24  to  102.  The  Sabbath-school  is  effect- 
ively officered.     The  attendance  is  about  150. 

A  wing  of  the  church  and  Sabbath-school  of  Langcliffe 
has  been  established  in  Moosic.  Mr.  Brydie  holds  service 
there  every  Sunday  afternoon,  and  a  flourishing  Sunday- 
school  is  carried  on  by  Mr.  William  E.  Olds,  of  the 
Moosic  Powder  Company.  The  library,  maintained  by 
the  generosity  of  an  individual,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
county. 


PLAINS  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  November  loth, 
1851,  from  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston,  and 
covers  an  area  of  15  square  miles. 

It  was  originally  owned  and  occupied  by 
the  Wanamie  tribe  of  the  Delaware  Indians, 
^^^  whose  chief  was  named  Jacob.  He  lived  on  that 
'  '^  level  portion  of  the  township  near  the  borough  of 
Parsons,  and  the  name  Jacob's  Plains  was  given  to  that 
locality;  but  upon  the  formation  of  the  township  the  old 
Indian's  name  was  left  out. 

The  original  Wyoming  settlers,  who  came  from  Connec- 
ticut in  the  summer  of  1762,  located  in  Plains.  They  ar- 
rived, to  the  number  of  about  two  hundred,  in  Augusti 
and  settled  just  above  the  mouth  of  Mill  creek,  building 
a  village  of  small  cabins.  The  Delaware  Indians,  who 
were  familiar  and  friendly,  had  been  cultivating  some 
small  clearings,  but  except  these  the  pioneers  found  the 
forest  prevailing.  They  sowed  a  few  acres  of  wheat  and 
in  November  returned  to  New  England.  Early  the  next 
spring  they  returned  with  their  families  and  others,  bring- 
ing some  live  stock  and  provisions. 

During  the  summer  of  1763  a  number  of  the  Iroquois 
came  among  the  Delawares  in  the  garb  of  friendship,  and 
fired  the  dwelling  of  Teedyuscung,which  was  consumed, and 
the  venerable  Delaware  chieftain  perished  in  the  flames. 
The  culprits  charged  the  crime  upon  the  colonists,  and 
the  aggrieved  Delawares  resolved  to  avenge  themselves. 
On  the  15th  of  October  they  fell  upon  the  unsuspecting 
pioneers  in  the  fields,  killed  twenty  or  thirtp  of  them,  took 
several  prisoners,  and  drove  off  the  live  stock.  The  sur- 
vivors who  were  not  captured  fled  to  the  mountains, 
while  the  savages  burned  their  houses.  The  fugitives, 
destitute  of  every  preparation  for  a  journey,  had  no  al- 
ternative but  to  strike  out  into  the  wilderness  for  a  trip 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  their  old  homes  in  New 
England,  and  for  several  succeeding  years  the  history  of 
Plains  is  a  blank. 


RESIDENCE.OFF1CE,&DRUGSTORE.«D?PETERC.SHIVE,PIAINS,LUZERNECO,PA.  BUILT  1877 


f 


i^ 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF  PLAINS   TOWNSHIP— COAL    MINING. 


341 


In  January,  1769,  Amos  Ogden,  John  Jennings  and 
Charles  Stewart  leased  of  the  proprietaries  100  acres  of 
land,  and  came  on  and  took  possession  of  the  improve- 
ments made  by  the  Connecticut  people  who  were  driven 
away  by  the  Indians  in  1763.  Near  the  mouth  of  Mill 
creek  Ogden  and  his  party  built  a  block  house,  which 
was  called  Fort  Ogden.  The  Connecticut  people,  learn- 
ing of  the  action  of  the  Ogden  party,  returned  in  the 
spring  of  1769,  and  from  that  time  till  the  final  adjust- 
ment of  the  difficulties  between  the  Susquehanna  Com- 
pany and  the  proprietaries  of  Pennsylvania,  there  was 
an  almost  continuous  series  of  victories  and  defeats  for 
each  claimant. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  Plains,  in  point  of  settlement, 
is  the  senior  township  in  the  valley;  and  that  her  soil  was 
the  first  to  be  moistened  by  the  tears  of  affliction  and 
sorrow,  and  drank  the  blood  and  entombed  the  bodies 
of  the  first  victims  of  savage  hate  in  the  bloody  annals  of 
the  Wyoming  valley. 

Notwithstanding  the  reverses  which  the  pioneers  had 
suffered,  the  year  1773  found  them  in  possession  of 
Plains  and  Mill  creek.  Yet  in  the  spring  their  provisions 
were  so  nearly  exhausted  that  five  persons  were  selected 
to  go  to  the  Delaware  river  near  Stroudsburgh  for  sup- 
plies, that  being  the  nearest  point  at  which  meal  and 
flour  could  be  obtained.  John  Carey,  then  a  lad  of  six- 
teen, volunteered  as  one  of  the  party.  On  this  journey 
fifty  miles  of  mountainous  forest,  intersected  by  deep 
ravines  and  numerous  streams,  including  the  rapid  and 
ice-burdened  Lehigh,  had  to  be  traversed.  The  destitu- 
tion relieved  by  this  arduous  expedition  gave  way  to 
plenty  when  the  shad-fishing  seassn  arrived,  and  a  perma- 
nent supply  of  breadstuffs  was  insured  by  the  construc- 
tion of  a  grist-mill  by  Nathan  Chapman  in  the  spring  of 
1773.  He  was  granted  the  site  of  the  Hollenback  stone 
mill  and  forty  acres  around  it.  "  The  irons  fo"  the  mill 
were  brought  by  Mr.  Hollenback,  in  his  boat,  from 
Wright's  ferry,  and  on  the  way  up  the  river  Lazarus 
Young  was  drowned." 

Very  soon  after  this,  by  a  vote  of  the  people,  "all  the 
privileges  of  the  stream  called  Mill  creek,  below  Mr. 
Chapman's  mill  was  granted  to  Stephen  Fuller,  Obadiah 
Gore,  jr.,  and  Mr.  Seth  Marvin,  to  be  their  own  property, 
with  full  liberty  of  building  mills  and  flowing  a  pond — 
but  so  as  not  to  obstruct  or  hinder  Chapman's  mills — 
provided  they  have  a  saw  mill  ready  to  go  by  the  first 
day  of  November,  1773;  which  gift  shall  be  to  them, 
their  heirs  and  assigns  forever."  This  was  the  first  saw- 
mill built  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Susquehanna.  As 
soon  as  the  mills  were  built  and  in  operation,  a  ferry  was 
established  at  the  mouth  of  Mill  creek,  to  Forty  Fort, 
which  is  still  in  existence. 

The  old  Indian  fortifications,  as  they  are  called,  were 
on  the  river  flats,  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Hancock 
property,  and  on  a  direct  line  from  Swoyer  hill  to  the 
Susquehanna  river,  just  northwest  from  the  Burroughs 
colliery.  The  outlines  of  the  works  are  still  visible.  The 
form  was  that  of  a  four-bastion  battery,  well  calculated 
for  defence  if  properly  located. 


There  are  three  places  in  the  township  that  were  once 
known  as  burying  grounds.  The  Gore  burying  ground 
was  on  the  flats,  between  the  old  plank  road  and  the  ca- 
nal, northeast  of  the  Henry  colliery.  Another  was  near 
the  M.  E.  church,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township, 
and  the  third  in  Wilcox's  field,  near  Plains  village.  These 
grounds  have  long  since  been  abandoned,  and  no  stone 
marks  the  resting  place  of  the  dead. 

The  pioneer  "  weaver  of  the  Plains  "  was  James  Camp- 
bell, a  Scotch-Irishman.  He  was  an  expert  in  the  art  of 
weaving,  and  was  noted  for  the  fancy  work  that  he  turned 
out  from  his  loom.  In  1815  George  Gore  worked  at 
blacksmithing  on  the  flats,  near  the  Gore  burying  ground. 

The  Wilkes-Barre  Water  Works  reservoir,  on  Laurel 
hill,  a  short  distance  above  the  borough  of  Parsons,  was 
built  in  1858.  Calvin  Parsons,  of  Parsons  borough,  was 
one  of  the  commission  that  located  it  (appointed  in  1852), 
and  the  only  one  living  in  i88o. 

The  following  justices  of  the  peace  have  been  elected 
for  the  township  of  Plains:  James  Williams,  1857  and 
1862;  John  J.  Thompson,  1864;  John  C.  Williams,  1867, 
1874;  Patrick  Cox,  1870;  Jenkins  B.  Jones,  1872;  M.  C. 
Vaughn,  1876;  Evan  T.  Morgan,  1877;  Thaddeus  M. 
Conniff,  1879. 

The  population  of  the  township  in  1880  was  5,354, 
against  4,018  in  1870. 

The  Anthracite  of  Plains  Township. 

We  are  indebted  to  Pearce's  Annals  of  Luzerne  for  a 
few  items  in  relation  to  the  use  of  anthracite  coal  in  this 
township.  "In  1769  Obadiah  Gore  and  his  brothers  came 
from  Connecticut  with  a  body  of  settlers,  and  the  same 
year  used  anthracite  coal  in  his  blacksmith  shop."  This 
appears  to  be  the  first  coal  known  to  have  been  used  in 
this  tovvnship.  Gore's  shop  was  on  the  river  flats,  near 
where  Enterprise  colliery  is  located. 

"  In  1876  two  Durham  boats  vi'ere  sent  from  belovv  to 
Wyoming  for  coal,  which  was  purchased  from  Mr.  R. 
Geer,  and  mined  from  the  opening,  now  the  property  of 
Mr.  John  Wells  Hollenback,  above  Mill  creek."  This 
appears  to  have  been  the  first  shipment  of  coal  from  this 
township. 

In  1808  Henry  Stark,  of  this  township,  having  wit- 
nessed the  burning  of  anthracite  coal  in  the  grate  at 
Judge  Jesse  Fell's,  returned  home  and  tried  the  experi- 
ment with  success,  and  becamethe  pioneer  coal  burner 
of  Plains  township. 

"In  1813  Col.  George  M.  Hollenback  sent  two  four- 
horse  loads  of  coal  from  the  mine  now  worked  by  Colonel 
H.  B.  HiUman,  above  Mill  creek,  in  this  county,  to  Phil- 
adelphia." This  appears  to  have  been  the  first  shipment 
of  coal  from  this  township  to  Philadelphia,  and  the  first 
sent  out  by  teams. 

"In  1813  Colonel  G.  M.  Hollenback  employed  Daniel 
Gould  to  mine  two  ark  loads  of  coal  from  the  bed  above 
Mill  creek,  at  75  cents  per  ton.'' 

"  In  1814  Crandall  Wilcox  entered  the  trade, and  sent 
several  ark  loads  of  coal  down  the  river  from  the  old 
Wilcox  mine  in  Plains  township." 


^¥ 


<^ 


^h 


342 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  Hillman  shaft  and  breaker  are  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  township,  in  Mill  creek  valley.  There  were 
employed  at  this  shaft  in  1878  66  men  and  boys  inside, 
and  27  outside  the  mine.  The  coal  mined  (in  107  days) 
amounted  to  30,000  tons.  This  mine  was  operated  by 
H.  B.  Hillman,  who  was  also  the  general  superintendent. 
George  Faurick  was  mine  boss,  and  George  H.  Hillman 
outside  foreman. 

Enterprise  colliery  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  canal, 
below  Swoyer's  hill,  and  in  1878  produced  64,500  tons  of 
coal.  There  were  employed  inside  the  mine  171  men  and 
boys,  and  90  men  and  boys  outside.  The  number  of 
days  worked  was  106.  The  colliery  is  operated  by  the 
Forty  Fort  Coal  Company,  with  J.  H.  Swoyer  as  superin- 
tendent, and  Charles  Leonard  as  assistant.  William  Mc- 
CuUoch  was  inside  and  John  Eustice  was  outside  fore- 
man, and  Robert  Hyslop  mine  boss. 

Wyoming  colliery  is  located  at  what  is  known  as  Port 
Bowkley,  on  the  North  Branch  canal,  and  is  operated  by 
the  River  Side  Coal  Company,  who  in  1878  employed 
262  men  and  boys  inside  the  mine,  and  128  on  the  out- 
side. They  worked  134  days,  and  mined  and  shipped 
127,250  tons.  J.  H.  Swoyer  is  the  general  superintend- 
ent; William  McCulloch  inside  foreman,  Jenkins  B. 
Jones  mine  boss,  and  Philip  Wintersteen  outside  fore- 
man. 

The  Henry  colliery  is  north  of  Wyoming  colliery,  on 
the  canal.  There  are  employed  inside  the  mine  254  men 
and  boys,  and  88  on  the  outside.  The  mines  were 
worked  160  days  in  1878,  and  there  were  mined  110,000 
tons  of  coal.  The  colliery  was  operated  by  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Coal  Company,  with  Frederick  Mercur  as  super- 
intendent, Thomas  E.  Lewis  mine  boss,  and  William  E. 
Lines  outside  foreman. 

Mineral  Spring  colliery  is  on  the  line  of  the  Lehigh  and 
Susquehanna  railroad,  southeast  .■^ide  of  the  township, 
and  is  operated  by  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company, 
with  Frederick  Mercur  superintendent.  This  colliery 
was  idle  during  1878. 

Midvale  colliery  is  also  operated  by  the  same  company, 
and  was  idle  in  1878. 

Mill  Creek  colliery  is  operated  by  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company,  with  A.  H.  Vandling  as  general 
superintendent,  and  C.  Scharar  as  assistant  and  inside 
foreman.  John  E.  Cook  is  mine  boss,  and  William  Foote 
outside  foreman.  There  were  employed  in  1878  251 
men  and  boys  on  the  inside,  and  134  on  the  surface. 
The  mine  was  worked  154  days,  and  ])roduced  158,478 
tons  of  coal. 

Pine  Ridge  colliery  employed  in  1878  on  the  inside 
259  men  and  bo3S,  and  132  on  the  surface.  The  mine 
was  operated  in  1878  by  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company.  A.  H.  Vandling  was  general  superin- 
tendent, John  T.  Moore  mine  boss,  S.  W.  Franklin  out- 
side foreman,  and  Christopher  Scharar  inside  foreman. 
This  mine  produced  in  1878  :  14,066  tons  of  coal. 

Laurel  Run  colliery  was  operated  in  1878  by  the  Dela- 
ware and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  with  A.  H.  Vandling 
as  superintendent.     Hugh  McDonald  was  mine  boss   D. 


Hh 


W.  Kemble  outside  foreman,  and  C.  Scharar  inside 
foreman  and  assistant  superintendent.  There  were  em- 
ployed in  the  mine  196  men  and  boys,  and  106  on  the 
outside.  The  mine  was  worked  125  days,  and  produced 
100,978  tons  of  coal. 

Baltimore  slope  was  worked  in  1878  with  196  men  and 
boys  inside,  and  122  on  the  outside.  In  137  days  they 
mined  102,818  tons.  The  slope  was  operated  by  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company.  A.  H.  Vandling 
was  general  superintendent,  C.  Scharar  assistant  superin- 
tendent and  inside  foreman,  Thomas  Tamblyn  mine 
boss,  and  John  Bowers  outside  foreman. 

Hollenback  colliery  was  operated  in  1878  by  R.  S. 
Pool,  who  was  also  general  superintendent  and  mine 
boss,  and  John  Bowers  outside  foreman.  There  was  no 
coal  shipped  from  this  mine  in  1878. 

Prospect  colliery,  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  town- 
ship, near  the  mouth  of  Mill  creek,  is  operated  by  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company,  with  Frederick  Mercur  as 
general  superintendent,  and  Charles  Leonard  assistant; 
William  Samuel  is  mine  boss,  and  William  Patten  outside 
foreman.  In  1S78  there  were  289  men  and  boys  em 
ployed  under  ground,  and  167  on  the  surface.  The 
mine  was  worked  150  days,  and  produced  135,000  tons. 

The  Wilcox  colliery  is  in  Plains  village.  It  is  a  small 
colliery,  and  not  reported  by  the  mine  inspector. 

Welsh  Congregational  Church. 

This  church  was  organizec^  in  the  school-house  of 
school  district  No.  3,  in  May,  1 869,  by  Rev.  David  Davies, 
D.  D.,  late  of  London  and  at  that  time  pastor  of  the 
Welsh  Congregational  church  at  Pittston,  and  the  Rev. 
David  Parry,  of  Providence,  Pa.  The  original  members 
were  George  D.  Price  and  wife,  Hopkins  J.  Jenkins  and 
wife,  Evan  E.  Davies  and  wife,  William  Samuel,  William 
Griffith,  David  W.  Davies,  Thomas  Butler,  Evan  R. 
Davies  and  Mrs.  Jenkins  B.  Jones. 

The  first  officers  of  the  church  were-  Hopkins  J. 
Jenkins,  deacon  and  treasurer,  and  William  Samuel,  sec- 
retary. 

The  school  house  in  district  No.  3  was  used  by  the 
society  about  two  years.  The  work  of  building  a 
church  was  commenced  in  February,  187 1,  the  miners 
(who  were  then  out  of  work  on  a  strike)  quarrying  the 
stone  for  and  buMding  the  foundation  walls.  Most  of 
the  carpenter  work  was  also  done  by  the  miners,  under 
the  supervision  of  Andrew  A.  Williams  and  Hiram  Shif- 
fer,  and  in  a  short  time  a  church  24  by  36  feet  was  com- 
pleted at  a  cost  of  less  than  $500  in  cash.  Previous  to  the 
building  of  the  church  the  society  was  without  a  regular 
pastor,  being  served  only  by  the  three  local  preachers 
belonging  to  the  church,  viz.,  George  D.  Price,  Jonathan 
J.  Jones  and  David  J.  Jones.  In  1871,  soon  after  the 
completion  of  the  church  edifice,  Rev.  Dr.  Davies,  of 
Pittston,  was  engaged  as  pastor.  He  served  two  years. 
During  1873  nnd  1874  there  was  no  pastor.  Deacons 
Griffith  and  Jenkins  died,  and  the  membership  decreased 
rapidly.  In  1875  Jenkins  J.  Lewis  and  George  Tasker 
were   elected  deacons,  and    Rev.    John   W.   Williams,  of 


MTV,  th 


House  built  bjf  LORD  BUTLER,Corriar)<orth.amptoriaiid-l^iverStr's.,WilK.es-Barre,  Pa.,  aboutth,e  year  l787,taKeaclowniqMa'-cti  1867. 
TV\e  ^cordso^  tVyeCourvl^  vNere\^e9t\ntW\s\\puse  ar\dtV\_e'J'irstCourtOr^ar\\xeA . 


^  r.<r 


^'M  C^y>iU^f,d^ 


'.^fi(^=^^^^^ 


^^^^mmmmm 


RESIDENCE   OF  TAMMIE   H  .  STOCKER  ,  PLAINS,  LUZERNE  CO  PA 
HOMESTEAD   OF  THE    LATE   THOMAS    STOCKER. 


=•=?  7 


CHURCHES  OF  PLAINS— BUSINESS   HISTORY. 


343 


Parsons,  the  present  pastor,  was  engaged,  and  the  church 
revived. 

Early  in  1877  the  church  building  was  moved  from 
Miner's  Station  to  Miner's  Hill,  about  three-fourths  of  a 
mile.  John  Samuel,  of  Taylorsville,  did  the  work  for 
$235.  In  June  the  church  was  again  ready  for  occu- 
pancy, having  been  enlarged  and  modernized.  It  is  val- 
ued at  $2,000.  The  membership  of  the  society  numbers 
96.  Deacons  J.  J.  Lewis  and  George  Tasker  were  killed 
by  an  explosion  of  gas  at  Prospect  shaft,  October  8th, 
1878.  The  present  deacons  are  William  R.  Jones  and 
Thomas  R.  Powell,  and  David  J.  Morgan  is  church  clerk. 
The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  iSyr, 
by  Jenkins  B.  Jones,  the  present  superintendent,  and 
had  an  average  attendance  of  40  pupils,  meeting  in  the 
school-house  occupied  by  the  society.  It  now  has  ser- 
vices in  the  church,  and  numbers  120  members. 

PLAINS  VILLAGE. 

Plains,  knovvn  for  many  years  as  Jacob's  Plains  and 
Plains  Post-Office,  was  no  doubt  settled  about  as  soon  as 
any  portion  of  the  township  northeast  from  the  mouth  of 
Mill  creek.  Among  the  early  settlers  were  John  Cort- 
right,  Elisha  Blackman,   James  Stark,  Thomas  Williams, 

Richardson  and  Samuel  Carey. 

The  first  tavern  we  have  any  account  of  was  kept  by 
John  Cortright,  in  1815,  on  the  site  now  occupied  by 
Hancock  &  MacKnight's  store,  on  the  south  corner  of 
Main  and  Merritt  streets.  Elisha  Blackman  and  a  Mr. 
Richardson  kept  tavern  here  at  an  early  date.  The  first 
blacksmith  in  Plains  village  was  James  Canady.  His 
shop  stood  where  is  now  the  west  side  of  Jonathan  R. 
Williams's  door-yard,  next  to  Dr.  Shive's  yard.  His  house 
was  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Williams's  house, 
on  the  west  corner  of  Main  and  Merritt  streets. 

The  pioneer  store  Was  kept  by  James  Stark,  on  the  hill 
above  the  village.  This  was  in  1812  or  1813.  The  first 
frame  school-house  was  built  here  about  1820,  and  stood 
near  the  site  of  the  present  school-house.  The  first 
school  was  kept  in  the  house  standing  north  of  the  pres- 
ent school- house,  owned  by  Crandall  Wilcox.  There  is 
now  a  two-story  school-house,  in  which  a  graded  school 
is'kept.  It  was  built  in  1866  and  1867.  The  pioneer 
postmaster  was  one  Cortright.  He  kept  the  office  at  his 
residence,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  present  office.  The 
present  postmaster  is  O.  B.  MacKnight.  In  1S08  Henry 
Stark,  of  Plains,  succeeded  in  burning  anthracite  coal  in 
a  grate.  This  was  the  second  successful  attempt,  and 
was  undertaken  soon  after  Judge  Fell's  success.  The 
first  resident  physician  was  Dr.  P.  C.  Shive,  who  resides 
on  Main  street,  nearly  opposite  the  Presbyterian  church. 
He  came  in  1867. 

The  village  now  boasts  six  churches,  one  general  dry- 
goods  and  grocery  store  (Hancock  &  MacKnight's),  sev- 
eral groceries,  one  hardware  store,  two  physicians  (Drs. 
P.  C.  Shive  and  A.  A.  Barton),  two  blacksmith  and  wagon 
shops,  a  tailor  shop,  and  the  Wilcox  mine  or  slope,  opened 
in   1874-75  by  John  D.  Wilcox,  and  now  worked  by  Mr. 


Cortright.     The  coal  is  drawn  from  the  slope  to  the  small 
breaker  by  horse  power  attached  to  a  windlass. 

CHURCHES    OF    PLAINS    VILLAGE. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — Previous  to  1843    the   Methodist 

Episcopal  society  at  Plains  village  was  a  part  of  a  charge 

which  is  now  three  societies,  viz.:  Plainsville,  Plains  and 

Parsons.      In  1843  that  portion  of  the  old  society  living 

at  and  near  what  is  now  Plains  decided  to  form  a  society 

at  that  place  and  build  a  church.     The  following  extract 

is  taken  from  the  original  records  of  the  society  at  Jacob's 

Plains: 

"At  a  meeting  held  at  the  Plains  school-house  April  Uth,  IMS,  to  take 
into  consideration  the  erection  of  a  house  for  public  worship,  the  follow- 
ing: were  present:  James  Hanoock,  James  Stark,  John  Ahbott,  Jonathan 
K.  Williams,  Warren  Wilcox,  Ezra  Williams,  William  Apple,  Samuel 
Wiloo.i:,  John  Soarle,  William  Abbott,  B.  Bailey,  D.  G.  Bailey,  Benjamin 
Cortrig-ht  and  S.  F.Abbott.  The  meeting-  was  organized  by  placing  Rev. 
John  Seys,  the  preacher  in  charge,  in  the  chair,  and  D.  G.  Bailey  secre- 
tary. Decided— we  are  able  and  willing  to  build  a  meeting  house.  The 
question  arising-  shall  it  be  a  Methodist  or  a  union  house,  after  con- 
sideration it  was  agreed  that  it  be  a  Methodist  Episcopal  house,  with  the 
understanding  that  all  truly  religious  denominations  of  Christians  have 
a  right  to  occupy  the  house  by  asking  and  obtaining  leave  of  the  .trus- 
tees, at  any  time  that  may  not  interfere  with  the  regular  appointment 
of  the  Methodist  preacher  in  charge." 

.'^pril  15th,  1843,  James  Stark,  John  Carey  and  James 
Hancock  were  appointed  a  building  committee.  They 
contracted  with  Gilbert  Barnes  to  build  the  church,  except 
the  foundation,  for  $940.  It  was  built  on  a  lot  north  of 
the  present  parsonage,  donated  by  John  Carey,  and  sub- 
sequently moved  to  its  present  location,  on  Main  street. 
July  7th,  1843,  Benjamin  Bailey,  John  Carey,  James 
Stark,  John  Searle,  and  William  Apple  were  elected  trus- 
tees. The  church  was  completed  and  dedicated  Decem- 
beniber  14th,  1843,  by  Rev.  Silas  Comfort,  then  presiding 
elder. 

The  following  named  preachers  have  served  this  society 
in  connection  with  the  Plainsville  or  brick  church,  which 
is  a  part  of  the  charge:  Rev.  John  Seys,  1843,  1844;  Ira 
Wilcox,  E.  B.  Tewney,  John  Mulchahey,  O.  P.  Morse, 
Erastus  Smith,  Asa  Brooks,  William  Reddy,  Charles 
Giddings,  George  Peck,  Roger  Moyster,  a  local  preacher; 
Samuel  M.  Bronson,  Jonathan  K.  Peck,  Henry  Whee- 
ler, Luther  Peck,  William  Keatly,  Miner  Swallow,  J.  S. 
Lewis,  Jacob  D.Woodruff,  F.  A.  King,  N.J.  Hawley, 
W.  J.  Hill,  H.  H.  Dresser  and  J.  L.  Race,  the  present 
pastor,  who  was  appointed  in  the  spring  of  1879.  The 
local  preachers  residing  on  the  charge  are  J.  C.  Wil- 
liams, W.  A.  Wagner  and  James  Jones.  The  class 
leader  at  Plains  is  James  Jones.  The  trustees  are  John 
Wilcox,  O.  B.  MacKnight,  W.  A.  Wagner,  W.  H.  Bennett, 
J.  C.  Williams,  Thomas  Laidler  and  W.  S.  Stark.  The 
value  of  the  church  property  (which  is  unencumbered)  is, 
including  the  parsonage,  $3,500.  The  membership  of  the 
church  is  90.  The  Sunday-school  has  been  kept  up  from 
about  the  time  the  church  was  built.  The  superinten- 
dent is  W.  E.  Doron,  and  J.  H.  Race  is  assistant.  There 
are  200  scholars. 

Presbyterian  Church  of  Plains. —  November  i8th,  1869, 
Revs.  N.  Park,  F.  B.  Hodge  and  A.  C.  Smith  met  at 
Plains  village  by  recommendation  of  the  Presbytery,  and 
organized  the  following  named  persons    into    the  "  First 


^^ 


4 


344 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Presbyterian  Church  of  Plains  ":  James  Steele  and  wife, 
James  Allen  and  wife,  Mrs.  Jane  Smith,  Maggie  Smith, 
John  Granlow,  Abraham  True,  Mrs.  Annie  True,  William 
Hazle  and  wife,  and  E.  M.  Jones.  The  ruling  elders 
elected  were  James  Allen  and  James  Steele. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was 
laid  November  19th,  1871.  The  building  is  of  wood, 
with  a  brick  basement  in  which  are  suitable  rooms  for 
Sunday-school,  lectures  and  social  meetings.  The  audi- 
torium can  seat  350.  The  edifice  was  dedicated  in 
October,  1872,  having  cost  $7,200  for  building  and 
furniture. 

Rev.  A.  C.  Smith  was  pastor  from  the  organization  of 
the  church  till  1876;  then  Rev.  A.  L.  Loder,  until  the 
summer  of  1879.  Rev.  Henry  H.  Welles,  of  Forty  Fort, 
has  since  supplied  the  pulpit.  The  membership  is  about 
60.  The  ruling  elders  are  E.  M.  Jones  and  Garvin 
Burt.  The  church  property  is  estimated  to  be  worth 
$8,000. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1869,  with  Ed- 
ward M.  Jones  as  superintendent,  and  about  40  scholars 
and  teachers.  The  present  superintendent  is  Matthew 
Gray.  The  school  now  numbers  about  75  scholars  and 
teachers,  with  an  average  attendance  of  60. 

Primitive  Methodist. — The  Primitive  Methodist  society 
at  Plains  was  organized  in  1870,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Acornly, 
with  the  following  members:  John  Brew  and  wife,  John 
Hays  and  wife,  Aaron  Hilbert  and  wife,  Daniel  Lewis  and 

wife,  John  Goss  and  wife,  Samuel   Beven   and  wife, 

Walker  and  wife,  John  Hays,  jr.,  Joseph   Goss   and  Wil- 
liam Hilbert. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  at  the  residences  of  John 
Carnell  and  John  Ward,  in  the  village  of  Plains.  Then 
Kaufman  Hall  w^as  used  about  two  and  a  half  years.  In 
1873  the  present  church  was  built,  at  a  cost  of  $1,300, 
and  dedicated  by  Rev.  J.  Barker.  It  was  built  on  land 
owned  by  John  D.  Wilcox,  and  in  1879  was  moved  to  its 
present  lot,  donated  to  the  society  by  Hon.  C.  A.  Miner. 
The  cost  of  moving  and  repairing  the  building  was  $800. 
The  society  was  chartered  in  1876,  with  the  following 
trustees,  who  are  still  in  office:  John  Wall  (president), 
Evan  T.  Morgan  (secretary),  William  Hilbert,  Daniel 
Lewis,  John  Brew,  John  Bath  and  Joseph  Goss. 

The  membership  in  1880  was  35.  The  value  of  the 
church  property  is  put  at  $2,500. 

The  following  preachers  have  served  this  church  and 
congregation:  Rev.  John  H.  Acornly,  from  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  society  till  the  dedication  of  the  church  in 
1873;  Rev.  C.  H.  McKechnie,  from  that  time  until  1875. 
Rev.  J.  Beach  then  preached  six  months,  and  Rev.  H. 
Russell  until  the  annual  conference  of  1879,  when  Rev. 
Moses  Harvey,  the  present  pastor,  was  appointed. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1873,  with  Samuel 
Beven  as  superintendent.  The  present  membership  is 
85.  Evan  T.  Morgan  is  superintendent,  and  the  average 
attendance  is  67  pupils.  . 

Advent  Christian  Church. — This   church  was  organized 

Nov.  2nd,  1875,  by  Elder  I.  N.  Wilfong,  of  Philadelphia. 

In  1876   the  society  built    a  chapel  in    Plains   village. 


seating  200.  It  was  of  wood,  cost  $1,400,  and  was  dedi- 
cated October  15th,  1876,  by  Elder  Miles  Grant,  of 
Boston,  Mass.  The  lot  was  donated  by  William  T. 
Merritt,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  At  the  dedication  the 
membership  of  the  society  had  more  than  doubled.  Rev. 
John  E.  Cook,  one  of  the  elders  of  the  church,  has  filled 
the  pulpit  nearly  all  the  time  since  the  dedication  of  the 
church,  with  satisfaction  to  the  congregation,  and  is  the 
present  pastor.  The  membership  is  24;  value  of  church 
property  $2,000.  The  Sunday-school  was  organized 
about  1876;  there  are  60  pupils  and  10  teachers. 

SECRET    SOCIETIES    AT    PLAINS. 

Sodi  Lodge,  No.  670,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 
July  19th,  1869,  with  the  following  charter  members,  who 
were  also  the  first  officers  of  the  lodge:  Mark  Walker, 
N.  G. ;  William  H.  Young,  V.  G.;  Joseph  Embleton,  sec- 
retary; Peter  Reisurck,  A.  S.;  Mark  Wilson,  treasurer; 
L.  D.  Mott,  S.  warden;  John  E.  Cook,  conductor;  Silas 
Derr,  J.  warden;  John  Scott,  O.  G.,  and  Samuel  Maiden, 
I.  G. 

For  the  first  year  meetings  were  held  in  the  hall  over 
the  shop  of  J.  Bell.  Since  then  the  lodge  has  occu- 
pied the  upper  story  over  Hancock  &  MacKnight's  store. 
The  regular  meeting  is  held  each  Tuesday  evening. 
The  lodge  has  ro6  members.  The  presiding  officers  have 
been  Mark  Walker,  William  H.  Young,  John  E.  Cook, 
Mark  Wilson,  William  H.  Bennett,  Silas  Derr,  James  H. 
Jones,  James  D.  Patten,  David  J.  Morgan,  Stern  G. 
Learn,  Evan  T.  Morgan,  Edward  Ayers,  John  Wall, 
James  Martin,  William  Hurn,  Simpson  Wharton,  Robert 
S.  Mulligan,  Richard  Moore  and  James  Gartley. 

The  elective  officers  of  the  lodge  in  i88o  were:  John 
Ralston,  N.  G. ;  Thomas  Edwards,  V.  G  ;  James  Martin 
recording  secretary;  Thomas  Davies,  assistant  secretary; 
and  John  D.  Wilcox,  treasurer. 

Star  of  America  Encampment,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.  of  Penn- 
sylvania, was  instituted  December  14th,  1871,  with  the 
following  charter  members  and  officers:     Peter  C.  Shive, 

C.  P.;  William  H.  Bennett,  H.  P.;  William  S.  Stark,  s! 
W.;  John  E.  Cook,  J.  W.;  James  H.  Jones,  scribe;  Mark 
Wilson,  treasurer;  and  Robert  Hayes,  sentinel. 

The  regular  communications  of  the  encampment  are 
held  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  on  the  second  and  fourth 
Friday  evening  of  each  month.  The  encampment  num- 
bers thirty-five  members. 

The  following  were  the  elective  officers  for  1879: 
Silas  Derr,  C.  P.;  William  George,  H.  P.;  John  Ralston, 
S.  W.;  William  Pennhale,  J.  W.;  David  Morgan,  scribe; 
John  D.  Wilcox,  treasurer. 

True  Ivorites  0;v/^/-.  — "  Rhys  Ap  Tervdur,"  No.  17,  of 
subdivision  C,  was  instituted  in  the  hall  of  J.  B.  Jones, 
September  23d,  1873,  with  the  following-named  charter 
members  as  first  officers:  President,  David  M.  Jones; 
vice-president,  James  Herring;  secretary,  David  J.  Jones! 
treasurer,  David  Lewis;  steward,  David  S.  Morgan;  con- 
ductor, John  D.  Hopkins;  watchers,  John  Hughes  and 
Daniel  D.  Hopkins;  trustees,  Jonathan  Jones  and  Georce 

D.  Price. 


^^= 


-^^-^ 


-/Z^::^^^c^^^c^ 


q'  In,  R.DKdi  :■-  Jt'".i  J-'  r'^-'^'-tn  -' "  ■ 


*^^= 


4> 


GENEALOGICAL    AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

JENKINS   AND   PLAINS   TOWNSHIPS,    PARSONS   AND   YATESVILLE   BOROUGHS. 


JOHN  ABBOTT. 

John  Abbott,  whose  portrait  we  give,  washorninWilkes-BaiTe  town- 
ship, Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  April  8th,  1800.  His  father,  Stephen  Abbott, 
was  the  son  of  John  Abbott  who  came  to  the  valley  in  1769  and  built 
the  first  dwelling  house  in  the  borough  of  Wilkes-Barre.  In  1813  the 
old  fire-place  was  still  to  be  seen  on  the  corner  lot  of  Northampton 
and  Main  streets,  from  whence  he  removed  to  the  Plains  in  1774  and 
settled  on  the  same  farm  afterward  occupied  by  Stephen  Abbott  dur- 
ing his  life,  and  where  he  died.  After  the  battle  of  Wyoming,  in  1778, 
John  Abbott  returned  to  his  previous  home  on  the  Plains,  with  a  view 
to  gather  and  save  of  his  crops  what  the  Indians  had  left;  and  while 
engaged  in  this  work  in  company  with  Isaac  Williams,  a  brother  of 
the  late  Thomas  Williams,  was  attacked  and  shot  by  a  party  of  In- 
dians. 

On  the  maternal  side  the  subject  of  this  memoir  was  descended  from 
Constant  Searle,  a  member  of  Captain  Hewet's  company,  who  was 
slain  at  the  battle  of  Wyoming,  July  3d,  1778,  at  the  very  commence- 
ment of  the  action.  His  granddaughter  was  the  mother  of  our  John 
Abbott,  who,  it  will  be  seen,  has  abundance  of  martyr  blood  in  his 
veins. 

Mr.  Abbott  continued  with  hisfather,goingto  school  and  working  on 
the  farm,  until  he  had  attained  his  majority,  when  he,  like  many  other 
young  men,  went  to  Mauch  Chunk  and  entered  the  service  of  the  Le- 
high Navigation  and  Coal  Company,  in  which  he  continued  for  about 
ten  years.  This  was  before  the  company  had  made  their  canal  nart- 
gation,  and  his  business  was  to  run  the  old  rude  coal  boxes  to  Phila- 
delphia down  the  slackwaternavigation  and  through  the  "bear-trap" 
locks.  Skill  was  required  in  this  work  and  Mr.  Abbott  very  soon  ac- 
quired the  reputation  of  an  expert,  and  a  popularity  along  the  line  for 
the  dry  wit  and  humor  whiah  he  always  had  at  command.  In  1829  he 
left  Mauch  Chunk  and  returned  to  his  farm  on  the  Plains  with  $1,500, 
the  net  savings  of  his  nine  years  of  hard  service.  In  1830  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Hannah  Courtright,  the  daughter  of  Cornelius  Couitright,  Esq., 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Luzerne  county.  From  this  time  Mr.  Abbott 
was  engaged  in  farming,  in  which  he  was  very  successful,  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  23d  of  November,  1881.  His  widow, 
one  son  and  two  daughters  still  survive  him. 

The  prominent  traits  of  John  Abbott's  character  may  be  written  in  a 
few  lines.  He  was  a  good  neighbor  and  friend,  a  first  rate  financier  in 
making  his  Investments,  and  a  most  industrious  business  man. 

E.  A.  HANCOCK. 

Elisha  A.  Hancockwas  born  in  Plains  township,Luzerne  county,Pa.,  in 
June,  1839.  He  served  in  the  9th  Pennsylvania  cavalry  from  its  organi- 
zation in  the  fall  of  1801  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  lost  a  leg  at  the 
battle  of  Averysville,  N.  C.  His  regiment  was  the  only  one  of  Pennsyl- 
vania cavalry  which  accompanied  Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea.  He  is 
at  present  attached  to  the  staff  of  Governor  Henry  M.  Hoyt  as  quarter- 
master general  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Hancock,  Heels  &  Co.,  who  are  doing  a  large  shipping  and  commission 
business  in  Philadelphia.  In  the  spring  of  1866  he  associated  himself  in 
business  at  Plains  with  O.  B.  Macknight,  under  the  firm  name  of  Han- 
cock &  Macknight,  and  from  a  smaU  beginning,  in  a  new  building,  which 
was  intended  to  be  used  as  a  small  store  and  large  hotel,  their  business 
kept  increasing  until  the  entire  building  is  controlled  by  them. 

O.  B.  MACKNIGHT. 

0.  B.  Macknight  was  bom  in  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  in  July,  1839.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  9th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  and  served  from  its 
organization  in  1861  until  its  muster-out,  at  Lexington,  N.  C,  July,1865. 
He  joined  as  an  enlisted  man,  and  through  gradual  promotion  was  mus- 
tered out  with  the  rank  of  captain.    At  the  close  of  the  war  he  settled 


at  Plains;  married,  and  entered  into  business  with  E.  A.  Hancock,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Hancock  &  Macknight ;  doing  a  general  merchandising 
business.  He  is  postmaster ;  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  county 
auditors  of  Luzerne  county,  and  one  of  the  directors  of  the  poor  for  the 
central  poor  district. 

JOHN  MITCHELL. 

John  Mitchell,  of  Plains,  Luzerne  county,  is  a  native  of  Scotland,  hav- 
ing been  born  in  Ayrshire,  in  1816.  He  is  a  son  of  Robert  Mitchell  and 
Mary  Brown  Mitchell,  who  came  to  West  Pittston  in  1851,  where  they 
resided  until  the  death  of  Bobert  Mitchell  in  1882.  He  had  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  seventy-five  years.  His  wife,  who  survived  him,  died 
in  1875,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  Their  son,  the  subject  of  this  article, 
came  to  the  coal  fields  of  Pennsylvania  in  1849,  and  since  that  time  his 
career  has  been  so  eventful  and  successful  that  a  passing  mention  of  his 
life  and  character  should  not  be  omitted  from  the  pages  that  record  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  industry  in  which  he  has  been  promi- 
nent. When  he  was  but  a  mere  child— a  boy  of  eight  years— he  began 
working  as  a  slate-picker  in  the  mines  of  Scotland,  where  he  spent  about 
five  years.  In  1829  he  went  from  home  and  made  himself  a  home  in  Nova 
Scotia,  where  he  resided  until  his  removal  to  the  Wyoming  valley  in 
1849.  During  the  twenty  years  of  his  residence  in  Nova  Scotia  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Isabella  Smith,  a  native  of  that  province.  She  died  in 
September,  1878.  Mr.  Mitchell's  first  work  in  this  State  was  done  at  Port 
Griffith  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  For  eight  years  he  worked 
'as  a  miner,  but  in  18.57  he  began  a  more  independent  career  by  taking  a 
contract  from  the  North  Branch  Coal  Company  to  mine,  prepare  and 
deliver  their  coal  in  coal  barges  for  eighty-five  cents  per  ton.  He  sub- 
sequently made  similar  contracts  with  Thomas  Pender,  of  Plymouth, 
and  in  1860  he  leased  a  coal  property  in  Plains  of  Volney  Maxwell,  Esq., 
and  became  «  coal  operator.  The  following  year  he  leased  another 
property  at  very  favorable  rates,  and  from  these  two  properties  he 
amassed  during  the  first  three  years  of  the  civil  war  a  large  part  of  the 
magnificent  estate  which  he  has  since  retired  to  enjoy.  In  1864  Mr. 
Mitchell  sold  his  rights  under  these  leases  and  invested  the  proceeds  in 
valuable  coal  lands  in  the  same  vicinity,  which  he  now  leaFCs.  After  be- 
coming a  citizen  under  the  American  government  he  cast  his  first  vote  for 
JohnC.  Fremont,  and  he  has  ever  since  been  identified  with  the  Kepubli- 
can  party.  He  was  one  of  the  Presidential  electors  elected  by  the  Re- 
publicans in  1880.  He  has  lived  to  see  his  children— three  sons  and  four 
daughters— all  well  situated  in  pleasant  homes. 

CALVIN  PARSONS. 

Calvin  Parsons  was  born  April  2nd,  1815,  where  he  now  lives.  He  was 
married  August  17th,  1837,  to  Miss  Ann  Parsons,  of  Enfield,  Hartford 
county.  Conn.  Mrs.  Parsons  was  born  June  32nd,  1814.  Tlieir  children 
are :  Oliver  A.,  born  May  11th,  1838 ;  Louisa  A.,  May  4th,  1840 ;  Almeda 
A.,  July  31st,  1843;  Annie  D.,  July  24th,  1848,  and  Hezekiah,  October  20th, 
18.54.  Mr.  Parsons  was  for  many  years  a  manufacturer  of  woolen  goods 
at  Parsons  and  is  now  a  farmer.  He  was  commissioned  in  1835  as  cap- 
tain of  the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston  Eifie  Blues,  an  independent 
company. 

JOHN  AND  MARY  SEARLE.    * 

John  Searle,  deceased,  was  a  son  of  Rodger  Searle,  who  was  in  the 
Wyoming  massacre,  and  a  grandson  of  Constant  Searle,  from  Connecti- 
cut. He  was  born  February  1.5th,  1795,  and  died  in  1863.  He  drove  stage 
from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Montrose  in  an  early  day  and  was  interested  in 
stage  and  mail  routes  until  his  death.  He  was  married  in  September, 
1822,  to  Mary,  daughter  of  the  late  Henry  Stark.  She  was  born  at  Plains, 
Februaryl6th,  1800,  in  the  old  house  that  stood  where  the  shaft  of  the 
Enterprise  colliery  is  sunk,  on  the  farm  where  she  now  resides.  This 
house  was  built  by  her  father,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the 


Hh- 


=^^ 


344-^ 


nh 


344^ 


HISTORY   OF   LUZERNE   COUNTY. 


township.  Mr.  Searle's  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and  six  daughters. 
His  son,  Jobn  Rodger,  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  58th  Pennsylvania  and 
died  in  the  service  December  13tb,  1803. 

PETEU  C.  SHIVE,  M.  D., 

of  Plains,  one  of  the  mnst  suooossful  bmineas  men  of  this  section,  is  of 
German  extraction  and  one  of  the  third  generation  of  his  family  borri 
in  America.  He  was  born  in  Buolts  county,  Pa.,  August  18th,  1830.  His 
early  years  were  spent  on  a  farin,  and  as  he  approached  his  majority  his 
time  was  divided  between  farming  and  school  teaching.  November 
11th,  1853,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Delp,  of  Bucks  county.  She  died 
November  35th,  1803,  and  he  was  married  October  15th,  1801,  to  Miss 
Hannah  Seiple.  His  early  educational  advantages  were  only  such  as 
the  common  schools  atfordcd,  with  the  exception  of  eight  months  at  an 
academy,  liarely  is  the  title  "  a  self  made  man  "  so  deservedly  given 
as  in  the  case  of  Br.  Shive.  By  diligent  application  and  untiring  effort 
bo  overcame  obstacles  which  to  a  less  positive,  determined  nature  would 
have  seemed  insurmountable  ;  pursued  his  studies  when  any  possible 
time  could  be  secured,  and  March  3nd,  1881,  received  the  degree  of  M.  D. 
from  the  medical  department  of  the  Pennsylvania  University,  of  Phila- 
delphia. He  located  at  Plains  in  March,  1807.  There  was  then  no  resi- 
dent physician  between  Willtes-Barre  and  Pittston.  He  brought  with 
him  such  astock  of  medicines  as  was  then  necessary  to  his  practice.  To 
this  he  has  gradually  added  until  he  has  one  of  the  most  atti-active  and 
best  stocked  drug  stores  in  the  county.  His  store  and  residence,  a  view 
of  which  is  found  elsewhere,  is  the  tinest  building  in  his  vicinity.  It  was 
erected  in  1877.  During  his  residence  at  Plains  the  doctor  has  seen  at 
least  a  dozen  rival  physicians  come  and  go,  while  he  has  enjoyed  the 
increasing  couUdence  of  the  people  to  the  present  time. 

THOMAS  STOCKER. 

Thomas  Stocker,  whose  portrait  appears  elsewhere,  was  born  in  Forks 
township,  Pa.,  July  20th,  1800,  the  fourth  child  of  a  family  of  eleven— a 
sou  of  Jobn  and  a  grandson  of  Adam  Stocker,  of  German  stock,  promi- 
nent citizens  and  landowners  at  Stockertown,  Pa. — and  was  of  the  third 
generation  of  American  descendants.  In  1816  he  removed  to  Luzerne 
county  with  his  lather's  family,  and  in  1821  married  Catharine  Ann 
Hartiimn,  of  Heading,  Pa.,  a  woman  remarkable  for  her  beauty  and  her 
many  amiable  qualities,  who  through  a  career  of  rigid  economy,  marked 
by  the  sterling  industry  and  strict  integrity  wbich  characterized  him  as 
an  eminently  self-made  man,  was  a  wise  counselor  and  a  worthy  help- 
meet to  him.  His  father  was  a  large  landowner  in  Plains,  bis  possessions 
consisting  of  over  two  bundred  acres  and  covering  millions  of  dollars' 
worth  of  coal.  They  were  purchased  for  an  old  shot-gun,  and  on  ac- 
count of  their  uncultivated  and  unproductive  state  Mr.  Stocker,  not 
knowing  their  value,  permitted  them  to  be  sold  for  taxes.  The  son  was 
a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  at  an  early  day  assisted  to  construct  dams  at 
Easton,  Pa.  As  the  years  went  by  he  prospered  and  eventually  became 
the  owner  of  considerable  real  estate,  which  increased  in  value  as  the 
interests  of  the  section  were  developed.  He  was  noted  far  and  wide  as 
a  successful  hunter  and  a  staunch  Democrat.  Reared  in  the  German 
Reformed  faith,  he  with  his  family  became  identified  with  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Wilkes-Barre,  in  which  he  was  Ion;?  iin  elder, 
and  later  with  that  at  Plains,  the  house  of  which  was  erected  largely  at 
his  expense.  He  was  charitable  and  beloved  by  the  poor,  especially  the 
miners  living  in  his  neighborbood,  many  of  whom  sought  his  advice  and 
counsel.  He  died  January  7tb,  1878;  his  wife  January  24th,  1880.  They 
had  four  daughters— Mrs.  William  Spear,  Mrs.  Helen  Stark,  Mrs.  D.  D- 
Wilcox  and  Tammie  H.  Stocker. 


■VViLLiAM  W.  Amsbry  is  a  native  of  Bingliamton,  N.  T.,  and  was  born 
September  18th,  1841.  He  was  married  in  1869  to  Miss  Marj-  H.  Mitchell, 
of  Plains,  who  was  born  February  17th,  1846.  Mr.  Amsbry  is  general 
agent  for  several  coal  land  owners  in  this  township. 

Mbs.  Sarah  Bi^AKCtiABD,  widow  of  the  late  John  Blanchard  and 
daughter  of  George  Lazarus,  one  of  the  early  settlors  of  Hanover  town- 
ship, was  born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  June  loth,  1803,  and  married  to 
John  Blanchard  February  0th,  1833.  Mr.  Blanch ird  died  July  ffijd,  1853, 
in  Jenkins.  Mrs.  Blanchard  has  occupied  her  present  i-esidence  at  Poi-t 
Blanchardfor  the  last  flfty-seven  years.  She  Is  the  mother  of  eleven 
children,  the  oldest  and  the  youngest  of  whom  are  still  living. 

George  D.  Ci.artc,  who  is  a  native  of  Plainsville,  was  born  August 
loth,  1S43,  and  was  married  December  2flth,  1806,  to  Miss  Lizzie  Tisdol,  of 
North  Moroland,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.  Mrs.  Clark  was  born  April  28th, 
1810.  Their  children  are  Anna  May,  born  December  Wth,  1871,  and  Sarah 
Emily,  born  November  11th,  1874.    Mr.  Clark  is  a  farmer. 

John  Clark,  a  native  of  Wilkes-Barre,  was  bor'n  Februar-y  3Sth,  1701. 
When  he  was  eight  months  old  bis  parents  located  in  this  township,  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  grandson,  George  D.  Clark,  whore  he 
lived  over  eighty  years.  He  then  moved  to  the  house  now  occupied  by 
bis  daughters.  Misses  Parma  and  Sybil  Clark,  where  he  died  in  December, 


1878.  Mr.  Clark  was  one  of  the  foumlers  and  snpDoi-ter*  of  the  Method- 
lit  Episcopal  church  of  Plains  township.  He  was  the  father  of  four 
sons  and  three  daughters. 

John  D.  Colvin  was  born  in  Abington.  Pa.,  June  2»th,  1835,  and  mar- 
ried April  18th,  1887,  to  Miss  Olive  S.  Richards,  who  was  born  in  Provi- 
dence, Pa.,  April  31st,  1848.  They  have  three  children  Mr.  Colvin  en- 
listed in  Company  C  of  the  47th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  July,  1861, 
and  in  October,  1801,  was  transferred  to  the  U.  S.  signal  corps,  and 
mustered  out  as  lieutenant  September  28th,  1805.  He  is  a  Knight  Temp- 
lar, Knight  of  Honor,  and  a  member  of  Ely  Post,  No.  97,  G.  A  H.  He  is 
first  lieutenant  of  Company  C  9th  regiment  N.  G.  Pennsylvania.  For 
the  past  fourteen  years  he  has  been  foreman  for  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son Canal  C<unpany  and  the  Lehigh  Valley  Coal  Company. 

Jason  P.  Davis,  fire  boss,  Baltimore  mine?,  was  born  in  Pembroke- 
shire, South  Wales,  May  17tb,  1821,  and  in  1849  was  married  to  Mary 
Jenkins,  of  Swansea,  Glamorgansliire,  South  Wales.  He  has  been 
school  director  and  secretary  of  Parsons  borough. 

J.  H.  Erhert.  anative  of  Plainsville.  Pa.,  was  asoldior  with  Company 
G  1st  New  Jerscj' cavalry.  Enlisting  in  1801  hs  served  until  July  28th, 
1861,  when  be  lost  a  leg  in  consequence  of  a  wound.  He  was  elected  clerk 
of  county  courts,  Luzerne  county,  in  the  fall  of  1879. 

Patrick  Golden  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Pa.,  in  1840. 

T.  T.  Hale,  a  native  of  Pittston  township,  was  born  June  4th,  1838, 
and  on  the  18th  of  December,  1859,  married  Miss  Sarah  R.  Phillips,  of 
Benton,  Pa.,  who  was  born  July  27th,  1839.  He  is  a  mBrchantat  Yates- 
ville.  He  has  been  burgess  of  Yatesville  since  it  was  cbjirterej  as  a 
borough  and  is  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Mrs.  Hale  was  appointed  post- 
mistress at  Yatesville  January  13th,  1880. 

William  D.  Hale  was  born  in  Yatesville,  April  1.5tb,  1831,  and  was 
married  January  3d,  1856,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Learcb,  of  Pittston  township. 
Mrs.  Hale  was  born  in  Newport,  Pa..  December  13th,  1838.  They  have  a 
family  of  eight  children.  Mr.  Hale  is  a  mine  carpenter.  His  father, 
John  Hale,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  at  Yates\'ille. 

Hev.  Moses  Harvey,  pastor  of  the  Protestant  Methodist  church  at 
Parsons,  was  born  in  Bristol,  England,  August  Cth,  1836,  and  married 
Mary  Sutton,  of  the  same  place,  April  Ist,  18.W. 

John  W.  Henshall,  son  of  Thomiis  and  Mary  Henshall,  was  bom  in 
Jenkins  township,  February  18th,  1856.  His  father  was  killed  in  Shaft 
No.  7  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company,  November  1st,  1875.  Mr.  Hen- 
shall is  a  painter. 

John  S.  Jenkins  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Pa.,  December  20th,  1842. 
He  was  married  at  Northumberland,  Pa.,  February  20th,  1846,  to  the 
eldest  daughter  of  Samuel  Wilcox.  She  was  born  in  Plains,  December 
36th,  1846.  Mr.  Jenkins  served  threemonths  in  Company  P  8th  Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers,  and  three  years  in  Company  A  52nd  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  commanded  by  Colonel  H.  M.  Hoyt.  He  is  breaker  boss  at 
a  shaft  in  Plains  township. 

Jenkins  B.  Jones  is  a  native  of  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales  ;  was 
born  May  28th,  1820,  and  married  September  12th,  1847,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Parry,  of  the  same  county.  He  came  to  America  in  18.')7  and  located  in 
Luzerne  county  in  1859.  He  has  worked  underground  for  the  last  forty- 
five  years,  being  inside  foreman  twenty  years.  He  now  holds  that  posi- 
tion at  the  Wyoming  colliery,  operated  by  J.  H.  Swoyer. 

D.  W.  Kembel  was  born  in  Lower  Mahanoy,  Northumberland 
county,  Pa.,  May2?th,  1830,  and  wasm.irried  January  10th,  1805,  to  Julia 
Foulds,  in  Upper  Mahanoy,  Pa.  Mrs.  Kembcl  was  born  in  Derbyshire, 
England,  March  21st,  1845.  Mr.  Kembel  was  brought  up  on  u.  farm, 
learned  the  trade  of  a  miller,  ser\ed  three  yoiirs  in  the  47th  Pennsylva- 
nia volunteers  in  the  late  war,  and  since  1869  has  been  superintendent  of 
the  Laurel  Run  coal  mine  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company. 

Lewis  R.  Lewis,  hotel  keeper  at  Parsons,  was  formerly  a  miner.  He 
was  born  in  South  Wales,  In  1825,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1853,  having 
married  Raohael  Williams  the  preceding  year.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
155r.h  Pennsylvania  volunteers;  has  been  commissioner  of  highways  one 
year,  and  is  now  treasurer  of  Parsons  borough. 

Edward  R.  Mason,  merchant's  clerk,  was  born  in  England  in  1846, 
and  emigrated  in  1861.    He  married  Margaret  Jones,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 
'  He  is  W.  M.  of  the  American  Protestant  Association,  of  Parsons. 

Hugh  McDonald  is  a  native  of  Pottsville,  Pa.  He  w.ts  married  in 
1870  to  Miss  Huldah  A.  Millar,  a  native  of  Fairmount,  this  county.  He 
is  inside  foreman  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  at 
Parsons.  His  father,  John  McDonald,  was  the  Inventor  of  the  blasting 
barrel,  now  in  general  use  in  the  coal  mines  of  this  State. 

Leonard  Miller,  son  ot  John  and  Kate  Miller,  was  born  in  Plains- 
ville, March  9th,  1.954.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Kate  Aten.  She 
was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1819.  Ilisfather  was  born  iu  1818.  Mr.  Miller 
is  a  carpenter  and  mason. 


«^= 


HN 


«^= 


=H^ 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL   RECORD. 


344  C 


KOUEHT  C.  Mitchell  is  a  native  of  Sydney,  Nova  Soolia,  and  was 
born  December  33d,  1841.  He  located  In  Plainsville  in  March.  183S.  He 
was  man-ied  April  2-tth,  1867,  to  Miss  Cella  Alexander,  of  Burliniftim, 
Bradford  county.  Pa,  where  she  was  born  March  19th,  1847.  He  is  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  and  the  present  postmaster  at  Plainsville. 

Evan  T.  MonoAN,  mine  contractor,  was  born  In  Wales,  in  18H,  and  in 
1863  married  Rachel  Melville,  of  Cape  Dreton,  Nova  Scotia.  Mr.  Morgan 
has  been  justice  of  the  peace  of  Plains  three  years. 

Thomas  Nattuass,  sen.,  was  born  in  Durham,  England,  in  1831 ;  came 
to  America  in  1847,  and  located  at  Yatesville  in  the  spring  of  1849.  He 
was  married  in  1845  to  Miss  Margaret  Wilson,  a  native  of  England.  He  is 
a  miner  and  resides  at  Tatesville. 

B.  F.  OPLiNGERisa  nativeof  Plains  township,  and  was  born  in  1830. 
He  was  married  in  1851  to  Mary  Hay,  also  of  Plains.  She  was  born  in 
this  township,  in  1836.  Mr.  Oplinger  has  followed  mining  nearly  all  his 
life,  and  is  at  present  boss  carpenter  at  Laurel  Eun  mine,  No.  4. 

Hezekiah  Parsons  was  born  in  the  borough  of  Pai-sons,  October 
30th,  1854.  He  is  a  merchant  and  is  also  postmaster  at  Parsons,  and  first 
lieutenant  of  Company  I  9th  regiment  N.  G.  of  Pennsylvania. 

Majoe  Oliver  A.  Parsons  was  born  in  Plains,  in  1838,  and  married 
Martha  W.  Stark,  of  Plains.  He  enlisted  in  the  first  company  from 
Luzerne  county  in  the  civil  war.  He  re-enlisted  in  the  33d  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  and  received  promotions  through  all  the  grades  from  ser- 
geant to  major. 

John  B.  Read  was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  in  1831,  and  was  mar- 
ried in  1847  to  Miss  Grace  Stodd,  of  Staffordshire,  England,  who  was  born 
December  4th,  1828.  Mr.  Read  came  to  America  in  1841  and  located  in 
Jenkins  township  in  1853.    He  is  a  miner  and  a  farmer. 

George  Robinson  is  a  native  of  Durham,  England.  He  came  to 
America  in  1852,  and  located  in  Yatesville  in  1857.  He  wasborn  January 
13th,  1837,  and  married  in  1847  Mary  Peart,  of  South  Church,  England, 
who  was  born  in  Wordell,  in  1836.    Mr.  Robinson  is  a  miner. 

C.  M.ROOSE  is  a  native  of  Bennington,  Vt.  He  wasborn  December 
15th,  1831,  and  married  (August  15th,  1858)  Miss  Wealthy  J.  Van  Anden, 
of  Hampton,  Washington  county,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Kouse  has  been  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  gun  and  blasting  powder  since  1854,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  proprietors  and  superintendent  of  the  Laflin  Powder  Mills. 

JOHN  Shields  was  born  in  South  Shedds,  county  of  Durham,  England, 
August  3nd,  1833,  and  came  to  America  and  located  in  Yatesville  in  1853. 
He  was  married  in  1855  to  Miss  Elizibeth  Powall,  of  England.  He  is  a 
merchant  and  a  miner  at  Yatesville. 


Jeremiah  Shiffer  was  born  in  what  is  now  Plains  township,  Decem- 
ber 33d,  183;,  and  in.irriod  Mary  A.  Sperring  in  1819.  Mrs.  Shifter  was 
born  in  Cleveland,  0.,  August  1st,  1832.  They  have  seven  children,  two 
of  whom  are  married.  Nettie,  their  oldest  daughter,  is  Mrs.  James 
Mitchell,  and  their  second  daughter,  Nellie,  is  Mrs.  Robert  McKay.  Mr. 
Shiffer  is  a  mason  by  occupation. 

John  K.  Stark  was  bom  in  Plains  township,  December  15lh,  1834,  and 
married  June  0th,  1877,  to  Miss  Rebecca  Wharram,  of  Plymouth,  Pa.  He 
is  a  f  ai'mcr. 

Rev.  Wilson  Treidle  was  born  at  Shawnee,  Monroe  county.  Pa  , March 
3tlth,  1850.  lie  entered  the  ministry  in  1874,  and  was  married  November 
28th,  1878,  to  Miss  Eva  Belcher,  of  Factoryville,  Pa.  He  was  pastor  of 
the  Yatesville  M.  E.  church  from  the  spring  of  1877  to  the  spring  of  1880. 

Daniel  Waoner  was  born  in  Plainsville,  January  11th,  1833.  He  still 
lives  near  his  birthplace,  and  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  enterprising 
fanners  of  the  tjwnship. 

Martin  J.  Walsh  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1842,  aud  in  1861  married 
Bridget  Golden,  of  Arohbald.  Golden  &  Walsh,  general  merchants, 
he^ran  business  in  Arohbald  in  186S,  and  in  1869  removed  to  Parsons, 
where  they  are  CDjJaafci.i^  an  extensive  cash  trade. 

JOHN  E.  Watkins,  station  agent  at  Parsons,  was  born  in  Carbondalc* 
July  24th,  1835,  and  in  1363  married  Sarah  Price  (deceased),  and  in  1863 
Charlotte  Kennedy,  of  jlauch  Chunk,  Pa.  He  was  postmaster  at  Parsons 
from  1872  to  1875. 

Daniel  D.  Wilcox,  a  native  of  Plains  township,  was  born  January 
15th,  1835,  and  was  married  in  1833  to  Miss  Rebecca  Stocker,  of  Plains. 
His  grandmother  was  in  Forty  Fort  at  the  time  of  the  massacre  in 
1778. 

Andrew  J.  Williams  was  born  in  Wllkes-Barre,  Pa.,  October  19th, 
1820.  In  1813  he  married  Miss  Louisa  Mills,  of  Tunkhannook,  Pa.  They 
have  eight  children.  Mr.  Williams  is  a  farmer.  He  was  elected  com- 
missioner of  Luzerne  county  in  1870. 

The  following  citizens  of  the  townships  of  Jenkins  and  Plains  and  the 
boroughs  of  Yatesville  and  Parsons  also  contributed  their  support  to 
this  publication :  Lyman  Albert,  A.  A.  Barton,  John  Bowers,  John  D. 
Capin,  H.  J.  Gary,  John  E.  Cook,  George  Cooper,  Alfred  Day,  W.  L. 
Foote,  Alexander  Fraser,  sen.,  M.  Galvin,  William  Gowan,  James  JoneSt 
M.  W.  Kintner,  W.  E.  Lewis,  E.  Mackin,  M.  L.  McGee,  John  Monk,  sen., 
J.  T.  Moore,  Patrick  Moylan,  William  Patten,  C.  C.  Rhodes,  W.  W.  Rice. 
J.  B.  Robinson,  H.  Shiflfer,  John  S.  Schumacher,  W.  S.  Stark,  William 
Tasker,  C.  T.  Wilcox. 


4=.= 


<¥ 


N^= 


4, 


HENRY   ISAAC  JONES. 


Henry  Isaac  Jones  is  a  licentiate  of  the  Royal  College 
of  Physicians,  Edinburgh;  licentiate  of  the  Faculty  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Glasgow;  licentiate  in  Mid- 
wifery of  Edinburgh;  member  of  the  American  Medical 
Association,  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  Society  and  the 
Lackawanna  County  Medical  Society;  five  years  surgeon 
for  H.  M.'s  Indian  army  and  late  surgeon  for  the  National 
Steamship  Company,  and  the  South  Wales  Iron  and  Conl 
Company.  He  was  born  at  Tremedoc,  Carnarvonshire, 
North  Wales,  September  22nd,  1844.  His  father,  Robert 
Isaac  Jones,  chemist  and  druggist,  is  a  celebrated  poet 
and  literateur,  known  to  the  Welsh  speaking  people  of 
the  world  under  the  no7n  de  plume  "Alltud  Eifion."  Dr. 
Jones  is  the  third  son.  On  the  father's  side  he  is 
descended  from  a  race  of  distinguished  surgeons  known 
through  Wales  for  centuries;  on  his  mother's  side  from  a 
race  of  fine  farmers.  He  attended  the  national  school 
in  his  native  town;  afterward  Mr.  Rushby's  grammar 
school,  Farn  Hill,  near  Chester.  At  15  years  of  age  he 
was  apprenticed  to  his  profession  at  the  Quarry  Hospital, 
Festiniog,  Merionethshire,  North  Wales.  During  this 
time  he  went  to  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and  passed  the  pre- 
liminary examination  in  arts,  and  in  returning  took 
French  leave  and  ran  the  blockade  in  1861  to  Wilming- 
ton, N.  C.  He  soon  returned;  attended  college,  Ander- 
son University,  Glasgow,  one  term;  then  joined  the  Con- 
federate cruiser  "  Georgia,"  under  Lieutenant  W.  L. 
Maury,  and  went  for  a  cruise  from  March,  1863,  to  May, 
1864,  around  the  world.  After  this  he  went  to  the  Glas- 
gow University,  and  studied  closely  until  1866,  when  he 
graduated  as  a  surgeon  and  physician.  Immediately 
after  this  he  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  government 
emigrants  in  the  ship  "  Escort,"  to  New  York  from  Liv- 
erpool. On  his  return,  in  June,  1866,  he  was  appointed 
assistant  surgeon  for  the  Aberdare  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany, then  surgeon  at  the  Amman  Iron  Works,  Caermar- 
thenshire,  and  Ynysgedwyse  Iron  Works.  Then  he  was 
appointed  surgeon  in  the  National  Steamship  Company's 


fleet.  Leaving  the  company  through  sickness  in  Decem- 
ber, 1868,  he  assisted  several  surgeons  in  Essex,  Wilt- 
shire, after  which  he  competed  for  the  appointment  of 
surgeon  in  H.  M.'s  Indian  medical  service.  He  was  suc- 
cessful and  was  sent  to  Her  Majesty's  Royal  Victoria 
Hospital  to  study  military  medicine  under  McLean;  mili- 
tary surgery  under  Professor  Longmore;  military  hygeine 
under  the  late  Professor  E.  A.  Parkes,  and  pathology 
under  Professor  W.  Aitken.  Here  he  had  the  opportun- 
ity of  seeing  and  treating  invalid  soldiers  from  every  part 
of  the  world  (British),  assisted  by  a  magnificent  library, 
museum,  laboratory,  microscope  rooms — in  fact  every- 
thing that  a  rich  government  could  buy  to  assist  its  med- 
ical men  to  become  efficient  officers  for  the  welfare  of 
Her  Majesty's  troops  in  India.  Here  he  had  to  pass 
another  six  days'  competitive  examination,  at  which  he 
was  successful,  receiving  a  royal  commission  from  Queen 
Victoria  and  also  the  honor  of  being  presented  to  the 
Queen  by  the  Duke  of  Argyle,  then  Secretary  of  State 
for  India.  He  set  sail  for  Madras,  East  Indies,  in  April, 
1870.  He  served  with  the  native  troops  at  Trichenopoly, 
southern  India;  was  also  in  charge  of  a  lunatic  asylum. 
Next  he  was  acting  civil  surgeon  of  Coimbatore  and  of 
Chitore  jail  and  district.  For  two  years  he  was  garrison 
surgeon  of  Bangalore,  Mysore  district;  then  was  appointed 
surgeon  of  the  8th  regiment  Madras  native  infantry. 
Dr.  Jones  did  short  service  with  the  i6th  lancers  and 
45th  infantry.  He  fell  sick  with  the  8th  regiment  at 
.  Nagpore,  Central  Province,  and  left  for  Europe  round 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  arriving  in  Europe  in  October, 
1874.  The  English  climate  did  not  suit  him  after  the  four 
years  of  heat  in  India.  He  set  sail  for  the  United  States, 
and  landed  in  New  York  Thanksgiving  day,  1874.  He 
practiced  for  a  little  while  in  Brooklyn,  L.  I.  Finding 
a  better  field  amongst  his  countrymen  in  Scranton,  he 
arrived  at  the  latter  place  March  31st,  1875.  He  married 
(August  16th,  1875)  Mary  Amelia  Boardman,  of  Bridge- 
port, Conn. 


*^^ 


;=*=^  ^ 


CHURCHES  AT  PLAINSVILLE— COLLIERIES  IN  PLAINS. 


345 


The  regular  meetings  are  held  in  Tasker  hall,  on  the 
first  and  third  Saturday  evenings  of  each  month.  The 
following  were  the  officers  named  in  the  charter:  Presi- 
dent, B.  Hughes;  vice-president,  David  T.  Davies;  sec- 
retary of  the  order,  Morgan  Evans.  The  lodge  numbers 
forty-two  members. 

The  officers  for  1880  were  as  follows:  President,  Jen- 
kins J.  Jones;  vice-president,  Richard  Roberts;  financial 
secretary,  George  D.  Price;  recording  secretary,  David 
T.  Jones;  steward,  Edward  F.  Reese;  conductor,  John 
Hughes;  watchers,  Evan  A.  Price  and  Thomas  Powell; 
committee  to  visit  the  sick,  Edward  F.  Reese  and  Evan 
A.  Price;  treasurer,  Jenkins  B.  Jones;  trustees,  Jenkins 
J.  Jones,  Thomas  W.  Lewis  and  Thomas  H.  Thomas. 

Plainsvili.e. 

Plainsville  is  a  station  on  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad, 
near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  township.  The  place 
has  a  store,  tavern  and  a  post-office;  Robert  C.  Mitchell 
is  the  postmaster.  A  Methodist  Episcopal  church  edifice 
stands  near  the  village. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH    OF    PLAINSVILLE. 

This  society  seems  to  have  been  organized  about  1830, 
with  George  Cooper  as  class  leader,  and  the  following 
named  persons  members  of  the  class:  Jerusha  Cooper, 
Miner,  Mary  and  Joseph  Swallow,  Mrs.  Hannah  Sailor, 
Benjamin  Sailor  and  wife,  George  Swallow  and  wife, 
John  Clark,  Sarah  Hale,  John  Carey  and  wife,  and  Wil- 
liam La  Bar  and  wife.  For  several  years  the  Methodist 
"  circuit  riders  "  had  been  traveling  through  this  region, 
preaching  at  different  points,  including  the  old  red 
school-house  on  the  cross  road  between  the  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Pittston  road  and  the  river,  or  plank  road. 

The  school-house  was  a  frame  building,  filled  in  with 
brick,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  this  part  of  the  county. 
Here  the  parent  class  was  formed,  out  of  which  have 
grown  the  societies  of  Plainsville  and  Plains. 

In  1844  the  society  decided  to  build  a  church,  and 
Conrad  Saxe  donated  the  lot.  The  church  was  built  the 
same  year,  of  brick,  at  a  cost  of  f  1,000,  and  was  dedicat- 
ed February  13th,  1845,  by  Rev.  D.  A.  Shepherd,  assisted 
by  Rev.  Silas  Comfort  and  Rev.  Ira  Wilcox.  The  building 
committee  were  Miner  Swallow,  George  Cooper  and 
William  Apple. 

The  first  trustees  were  John  Clark,  George  Cooper, 
William  Apple,  William  La  Bar  and  Miner  Swallow. 
Lewis  Ketchum,  father  of  the  late  Judge  Ketchum,  did 
the  painting  of  the  church  inside  and  out. 

Among  the  Methodist  preachers  who  early  visited  the 
place  it  is  believed  Vincent  M.  Coryell,  John  Copeland 
and  Marmaduke  Pearce  were  the  first.  Then  Samuel 
Griffin,  a  local  preacher,  living  in  Abington,  preached 
occasionally.  The  preachers  following  Mr.  Griffin  pre- 
vious to  the  building  of  the  church  were  as  follows,  as 
nearly  as  can  be  ascertained:  Abel  Barker,  Erastus 
Smith,  Peleg  G.  White,  Benjamin  Ellis,  Epenetus  Owen, 
William  Raum,  Thomas  Wilcox  and  William  Philbin, 
which  brings  us  down  to  1845,  when  Ira  Wilcox  was   the 


pastor.  Since  then  the  preachers  and  the  order  of  their 
succession  have  been  as  follows:  E.  B.  Tenney,  John 
Mulchahey,  O.  S.  Morse,  Erastus  Smith,  Asa  Brooks, 
William  Reddy,  Charles  Giddings,  George  M.  Peck, 
Rodger  Moyster,  a  local  preacher,  Samuel  M.  Bronson 
Jonatham  K.  Peck,  Henry  Wheeler,  Luther  Peck,  Wil- 
liam Keatly,  Minor  Swallow,  J.  S.  Lewis,  Jacob  D.  Wood- 
ruff, F.  A.  King,  N.  J.  Hawley,  W.  J.  Hill,  H.  H. 
Dresser  and  J.  L.  Race,  the  present  pastor,  who  was  ap- 
pointed to  this  charge  in  the  spring  of  1879. 

The  present  trustees  of  the  Plainsville  church  are 
John  C.  Williams,  William  A.  Wagner,  John  D.  Wilcox, 
O.  B.  MacKnight,  William  H.  Stark  and  William  H. 
Bennett.     The  church  property  is  valued  at  $1,500. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  about  1830,  by 
George  Cooper,  who  was  the  first  superintendent.  His 
successors  have  been  Miner  Swallow,  J.  J.  Meixell,  John 
C.  Williams  and  Charles  I.  A.  Chapman,  the  present 
superintendent.  There  are  about  80  pupils  on  the  roll 
and  an  average  attendance  of  sixty  scholars  and  teach- 
ers. 

ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

The  Catholics  of  Plainsville  were  attended  from  St. 
Mary's  church,  Wilkes-Barre,  until  April  1880,  when 
Father  O'Haran,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  purchased  an  extensive 
lot,  on  which  is  being  built  a  beautiful  edifice.  Service 
has  been  held  in  an  old  building  not  constructed  for 
church  purposes. 

Mining  Hamlets. 

The  Enterprise  colliery  is  between  Swoyer's  hill  and 
the  river  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  J.  H.  Swoyer  is  general 
superintendent,  and  the  place  was  named  after  him. 
Here  are  three  or  four  groceries  and  a  school-house. 

Mill  Creek  has  a  school-house,  a  company  store,  a 
church  (Independent)  and  two  coal  breakers. 

Miner's  has  a  tavern,  several  stores  and  a  school-house. 
The  place  was  named  in  honor  of  Hon.  Charles  A. 
Miner. 

At  Pine  Ridge  is  C.  A.  Miner's  grist-mill,  with  steam 
as  the  principal  motor. 

Port  Bowkley  is  the  site  of  the  Wyoming  and  Henry 
collieries.  Several  small  groceries  are  the  other  principal 
business  establishments. 


PARSONS  BOROUGH. 


S  late  as  1819  the  site  ot  the  flourishing  borough 
of  Parsons  was  covered  by  a  dense  forest,  in- 
habited  only   by   wild   beasts,  except  a   spot 
here  and   there,  where  a  brave   pioneer  had 
made  a  "  pitch." 

In  1785  Daniel  Downing,  from  Connecticu'i 
located  on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  Thomas 
Goven.  Mr.  Downing's  was  the  first  house  in  Parsons. 
In  1800  he  built  a  saw-mill   across   the  run,  opposite  the 


<^ 


Hh 


346 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


4= 


site  of  the  residence  of  Calvin  Parsons.  This  mill  was 
in  constant  use  until  1842,  when  it  was  rebuilt  by  Calvin 
Parsons,  who  had  purchased  the  property.  In  1876  the 
mill  was  taken  down  by  Mr.  Parsons. 

In  the  spring  of  1813  Hezekiah  Parsons  built  the  main 
part  of  the  house  now  occupied  by  his  son,  Calvin  Par- 
sons. The  house  was  then  but  one  story  high,  and  was 
the  tirst  framed  house  in  Parsons.  Hezekiah  Parsons 
was  a  clothier  by  trade,  and  built  a  cloth-dressing  mill  on 
the  north  side  of  Laurel  run,  a  short  distance  from  his 
house.  In  1814  he  associated  with  him  in  business  Je- 
hoida  P.  Johnson,  and  they  built  a  carding-mill,  and  car- 
ried on  both  branches  of  business  until  1820,  when  Mr. 
Parsons  became  sole  proprietor.  He  continued  the  bus- 
iness till  1850,  when  he  sold  all  the  machinery  to  J.  P. 
Rice,  who  removed  it  to  Truxville,  where  it  is  still  in  oper- 
ation. In  or  about  18 10  Jehoida  P.  Johnson  built  a  grist- 
mill near  Laurel  run,  below  where  the  carding-mill  was 
built.  In  1812  John  Holgate  built  a  turning-mill  below 
Johnson's  grist-mill.  They  were  both  on  what  is  now 
known  as  the  Johnson  property;  they  went  to  decay  many 
years  ago. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  in  1818,  on  the 
road  between  Johnson's  and  Miner's  grist-mills.  It  was 
of  round  logs,  and  was  well  ventilated.  The  first  teacher 
was  Sylvester  Dieth,  an  eccentric  Yankee  and  a  good 
teacher.  The  old  log  school-house  was  used  summers 
till  1824  or  1825,  when  the  school  was  kept  in  Mr.  Par- 
sons's  house  until  1829;  then  the  little  white  school-house 
was  built.  This  was  a  frame  building,  twenty  by  twenty- 
four  feet,  lathed  and  plastered,  and  was  at  that  time  the 
best  school-house  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Asahel  P. 
Gridley,  a  graduate  of  the  seni'nary  at  Cazenovia,  N.  Y., 
was  the  first  teacher.  This  building  served  until  18C9, 
when  a  twostory  house,  twenty-two  by  forty  feet,  was 
built,  which  is  occupied  by  five  schools. 

In  1832  Hiram  McAlpine  built  a  turning-mill  on 
Laurel  run,  near  Mr.  Parsons's  house,  f'or  the  manufac- 
ture of  scythe  snaths;  in  1839  the  machinery  was  moved 
to  Wilkes-Barre.  The  first  resident  blacksmith  in  Par- 
sons borough  was  Rufus  Davidson.  He  worked  in  Mc- 
Alpine's  shop.  In  1838  Captain  Alexander  built  a  pow- 
der-mill on  the  site  of  Laurel  Run  coal  breaker.  It  was 
blown  up  several  times,  last  in  1864  or  1865,  when  owned 
by  Captain  Parrish.  In  1844  the  Johnson  heirs  built  a 
powder-mill  just  above  the  side  of  the  grist-mill  on  Laurel 
Run.  This  mill  was  blown  up  in  1848  and  was  never  re- 
built. J.  P.  Johnson  and  C.  Parsons  manufactured  pow- 
der kegs  on  Laurel  run  from  1838  until  1858. 

The  first  store  in  the  borough  was  kept  by  Golden  & 
Walsh,  on  the  corner  of  Main  street  and  VVatton  avenue; 
and  the  first  tavern  was  the  Eagle  Hotel,  kept  by  Lewis 
R.  Lewis,  on  the  corner  of  Main  street  and  Hollenback 
avenue.  The  next  hotel  was  kept  by  Morgan  Morgan, 
on  Main  street,  between  Hollenback  and  Welles  avenues. 
The  pioneer  postmaster  was  Samuel  Davis.  He  kept 
the  post-office  at  the  corner  of  Main  street  and  George 
avenue.  The  next  postmaster  was  John  W.  Watkins,  who 
was  succeeded  by  G.  A.    Freeman,  and  he   by    Hezekiah 


Parsons,   who  keeps   the  office   in   his    store,  on   (ieorge 
avenue. 

The  first  successful  coal  mining  in  Parsons  was 
done  in  1866,  when  the  Mineral  Spring  mine  was 
opened,  and  the  coal  breaker  built  by  the  Mineral 
Spring  Coal  Company.  The  spring  from  which  this 
company  takes  its  name  was  on  the  lands  of  Calvin 
Parsons.  It  had  gained  some  notoriety  by  the  cirative 
quality  of  its  waters,  and  an  effort  was  made  but 
a  year  or  two  before  the  opening  of  the  coal  mines  to 
buy  the  property,  in  order  to  establish  a  water  cure. 
When  the  mining  commenced  in  1866  the  source  of  the 
spring  was  tapped,  and  it  was  destroyed. 

The  next  coal  mine  in  this  borough  was  opened  in 
1867  or  1868  by  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company,  at  the  Laurel  Run  breaker. 

Besides  the  two  coal  mines  at  Parsons,  with  the  large 
business  connected  with  the  production  of  at  least  150,- 
000  tons  of  coal  per  year,  there  are  three  large  stores 
and  several  small  groceries,  a  drug  store,  the  depot  of 
the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  railroad,  two  physicians, 
offices,  four  churches,  three  blacksmith  and  wagon  shops, 
a  graded  school,  a  union  Sunday-school,  four  taverns  and 
1,500  inhabitants. 

The  borough  was  chartered  March  23d,  1879.  Patrick 
Cox  and  M.  M.  D.  Shoemaker  have  been  the  justices. 

Borough  History. 

Parsons  borough  was  formed  January  17th,  1876. 
John  D.  Calvin  was  the  first  burgess  and  the  councilmen 
were  William  Smurl  (president),  O.  A.  Parsons,  G.  W. 
Mitchell,  A.  A.  Fenner,  H.  McDonald  and  Philip  Harris. 
Richard  Buchanan  was  clerk. 

The  following  have  served  as  burgess:  1877,  William 
Sword;  1878,  John  Trethaway;  1879,  A.  W.Bailey;  1880, 
Patrick  Cox. 

The  present  town  council  consists  of  Oliver  A.  Parsons, 
president;  D.  W,  Kemble,  A.  C.  Johnson,  William  Smurl, 
George  W.  Lewis  and  D.  M.  Jones;  Thomas  Sholton  is 
the  clerk  of  the  council. 

Religious  Institutions  of  Parsons. 

TAe  Union  Sunday-school. — In  181 2  John  Holgate  lo- 
cated in  Parsons,  and  his  house,  as  well  as  the  hospitable 
home  of  Hezekiah  Parsons,  was  at  the  disposal  of  the 
pioneer  preacher. 

The  first  religious  organization  was  the  union  Sunday- 
school,  organized  in  1817,  at  the  house  of  John  Holgate, 
who  was  the  first  superintendent.  There  were  but  ten  or 
twelve  pupils.  In  1826  Judge  Mallory  built  a  new  barn 
near  by,  and  the  Sunday-school  was  held  in  that,  as  well 
as  the  preaching  services.  After  Mallory's  barn  was  oc- 
cupied by  the  school  Sally  Jewett  was  superintendent 
many  years.  The  little  white  school-house,  as  it  was 
called,  was  used  by  the  Sunday-school  from  1829  until 
1869,  when  the  school  was  moved  into  the  upper  room  of 
the  school-house  now  known  as  the  old  one,  where  it  still 
meets.  There  is  an  average  attendance  of  75  pupils.  Rev. 
Thomas  M.  Phillips  is  superintendent.     The  school   is 


=HN- 


*^^ 


4 


CHURCHES  OF  PARSONS. 


347 


under  the  fostering  care  of  Calvin  Parsons,  who  has  been 
a  member  since  its  organization  in  1817. 

Parsons  Welsh  Baptist  Church. — This  church  was  or- 
ganized in  March,  1869,  at  the  old  Laurel  Run  school- 
house,  with  the  following  original  members:  William,  Ann 
and  Mary  McGregor,  James,  John  A.  and  Barbara  John, 
Jonah  and  Margaret  Griffiths,  William  and  Jane  Thomas, 
William  C.  and  Ellen  Williams,  John  and  David  Pugh 
and  William  and  Martha  Evans. 

In  1871  the  society  built  the  present  church  edifice,  of 
wood,  forty  by  fifty-six  feet,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
500,  at  a  cost  of  $5,500.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  in 
March,  187 1,  by  John  A.  John  and  Jonah  Grififiths.  The 
church  lot,  on  Hollenback  avenue,  was  donated  by  John 
W.  Hollenback.  The  membership  of  this  church  num- 
bers 130.  The  church  property  is  valued  at  $5,000.  The 
first  local  preacher  was  Rev.  James  Reese.  He  was  with 
the  charge  about  the  time  of  its  organization."  The  first 
pastor.  Rev.  Jonathan  Nicholas,  a  graduate  from  Lewis- 
burg,  was  ordained  in  the  old  Laurel  Run  school-house, 
and  remained  about  two  years.  Rev.  D.  Davies,  from 
Wales,  was  then  pastor  two  years,  and  Rev.  John  Seth 
Jones,  of  Danville,  Pa.,  two  years.  The  next  pastor  was 
Rev.  D.  T.  Phillips,  of  South  Wales.  The  church  in  1880 
had  no  pastor. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  February  14th,  1869, 
with  40  scholars.  William  Thomas  was  and  is  the  super- 
intendent. There  is  an  average  attendance  of  125 
scholars. 

Primitive  Methodist  Church. — At  the  house  of  Joseph 
Williams,  in  1871,  Rev.  J.  H.  Acornly  assisted  in  forming 
a  class  consisting  of  the  following  named  persons:  James 
Brinn,  John  and  Mary  Graltan,  Isabella  Moore,  Joseph 
and  Ann  Williams,  W.  H.  Thompson,  Ann  Keates,  Mary 
Trethaway,  Hugh  Thomas,  Thomas  and  Margaret  Pur- 
cell,  John  Geen  and  Thomas  M.  Phillips.  The  last 
was  appointed  leader.  In  1872  the  society  built  its 
present  church  on  Hollenback  avenue,  at  a  cost  of  $800. 
The  building  is  of  wood,  26  by  40  feet,  and  was  dedicated 
in  the  fall  of  1872. 

The  following  have  been  the  pastors:  Revs.  J.  H. 
Acornly,  Charles  McKechnie,  T.  C.  Bates,  H.  G.  Russell 
and  the  present  pastor,  M.  Harvey. 

The  present  trustees  of  the  church  are  Thomas  M. 
Phillips,  George  Carter,  James  Frezise,  Henry  Felton, 
William  Mitchell  and  John  Geen.  The  church  property 
is  valued  at  $1,000.  The  membership  is  22.  The  Sun- 
day-school was  organized  in  1870,  with  40  scholars,  and 
Henry  Jones  as  superintendent.  The  membership  is  now 
100,  with  an  average  attendance  of  90.  William  Mitchell 
is  the  superintendent. 

Zoar  First  Congregational  Church  was  organized  in 
187 1,  at  what  is  known  as  "  Baltimore  Patch,"  by  David 
Evans,  Thomas  E.  Lewis,  James  S.  Davies,  Mrs.  William 
Roberts,  Jane  L.  Davies  and  Mrs.  Harriet  Llewellyn,  at 
the  house  of  Mr.  James  S.  Davies.  Here  they  held  regu- 
lar services  for  two  months.  George  D.  Price  and  Jona- 
than Jones,  local  preachers  from  Mill  Creek,  assisted. 
Rev.  Mr.  Davies,  of  Pittston,  visited  them  once  a  month 


to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  services  were 
subsequently  held  in  a  private  house  at  "  Brewery  Hill," 
by  Rev.  E.  B.  Evans,  of  Hyde  Park.  Next  services  were 
held  at  the  office  of  the  Mineral  Spring  Coal  Company  a 
few  weeks.  The  society  then  used  the  old  school-house 
near  Parsons  railroad  station  about  a  year.  In  this  time, 
Thomas  E.  Lewis,  James  S.  Davies  and  John  G.  Jones 
were  elected  deacons,  and  David  Evans  treasurer  of  the 
church.  Rev.  E.  B.  Evans,  of  Carbondale,  was  engaged 
to  preach  one  Sunday  in  a  month. 

Early  in  1872  the  society  was  incorporated  as  Zoar 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Parsons.  The  congrega- 
tion and  membership  had  increased  beyond  the  seating 
capacity  of  the  school-house,  and  Durkin's  Hall  was  used 
a  few  months.  It  was  then  burned  and  St.  George's  Hall 
^as  rented  and  used  a  year  and  a  half. 

During  the  occupancy  of  this  hall  it  was  decided  by 
the  congregation  to  build  a  church.  At  this  time  (1874) 
Rev.  John  W.  Williams,  of  Ohio,  was  ordained  as  pastor 
of  the  church,  and  during  the  year  1874  a  building  lot 
was  bought  of  Calvin  Parsons,  on  Oliver  street,  and  the 
corner  stone  of  a  substantial  church  edifice  was  laid. 
The  church  building  has  not  been  formally  dedicated. 
The  membership  of  the  church  is  37.  It  is  without  a 
pastor.  The  deacons  are  William  Morgan  and  Jason 
P.  Davies;  Jason  P.  Davies,  secretary;  William  Morgan, 
treasurer. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  at  the  same  time 
and  place  as  the  church,  with  James  S.  Davies  as  the 
superintendent,  and  about  20  scholars.  The  present 
superintendent  is  Edward  R.  Mason.  There  is  an 
average  attendance  of  35  pupils. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — This  society  was  organ- 
ized June  ist,  1872,  in  the  school-house.  Parsons  was  then 
a  part  of  the  Plains  charge,  under  Rev.  N.  J.  Hawley. 
The  following  persons  were  appointed  a  building  com- 
mittee: Calvin  Parsons,  president;  D.  W.  Kemble,  secre- 
tary; John  D.  Colvin,  treasurer;  O.  C.  Barnard,  Simon 
Deeks,  F.  M.  Decks  and  Rev.  N.  J.  Hawley.  July  5th 
Mr.  Calvin  Parsons  donated  lot  No.  25,  50  by  100  feet, 
on  Oliver  street,  to  John  Clark,  Simon  Deeks,  William  A. 
Wagner,  John  J.  Meixell,  John  C.  Williams,  William  H. 
Bennett  and  John  D.  Wilcox,  as  trustees.  He  also  gave 
|i,ooo  in  cash  and  furnished  the  corner  stone,  which  was 
laid  in  November,  1872.  The  building  committee  met 
June  loth,  and  decided  to  build  the  church  of  wood,  44 
by  60  feet,  with  a  bell  tower  in  front  10  by  16  feet,  and 
with  a  basement  of  stone  and  brick.  July  6lh  Jeremiah 
Shiffer  was  awarded  the  contract  for  laying  the  stone  and 
brick.  October  14th,  1872,  Mark  Wilson  was  awarded 
the  contract  for  the  superstructure  for  $3,765. 

In  the  spring  of  1873  this  appointment  was  set  off 
from  the  Plains  charge,  and  April  loth,  1866,  the  society 
was  incorporated  as  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of 
Parsons,  Pa.,  with  John  D.  Colvin,  John  Alderson,  S.  W. 
Franklin,  Simon  Deeks,  F.  M.  Smith  and  O.  C.  Barnard 
as  trustees.  March  4th,  1880,  an  application  was  made 
to  the  courts  to  change  the  name  to  The  William  Abbott 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Parsons,  Pa. 


^ 


^ 


348 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  present  membership  is  sever.ty-four.  The  trustees 
are  John  D.  Colvin,  W.  A.  Gustin,  John  Alderson,  Wil- 
liam Sward  and  D.  W,  Kembel.  The  value  of  the 
church  property  is  |7,ooo. 

The  pastors  who  have  served  this  church  are:  N.  J. 
Hawley,  1872;  J.  W.  Hill,  1873;  G.  M.  Chamberlain, 
1874,  1875;  Rev.  H.  Brownscombe,  the  present  pastor, 
who  was  appointed  in  1876. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  May  i8th,  1873,  with 
Simon  Deeks  as  superintendent,  and  John  D.  Colvin  li- 
br.irian,  which  position  he  still  holds.  The  number  of 
scholars  at  the  organization  was  70.  The  present  super- 
intendent is  W.  A.  Gustin.  The  average  attendance  is 
90  pupils. 

Societies  at  Parsons. 

Laurel  Run  Lp:l'^e,  No.  569,  /.  O.  of  G.  T.  was  insti- 
tuted January  4th,  1871,  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  at  Plains,  and  subsequently  occupied  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall  at  that  place  one  year,  when  the  lodge  was  re- 
moved to  Parsons.  The  original  officers  were:  Calvin 
Parsons,  VV.  C.  T.;  Rev.  T.  M.  Phillips,  W.  C;  Evan  T. 
Morgan,  W.  A.  S.;  J.  Embliston,  W.  T.;  A.  J.  Ward,  W. 
U.  M.;  S.  D.  Mitchell,  W.  O.  G.;  Laura  Croop,  W.  L.  S,; 
Mrs.  Kate  Laidler,  W.  V.  T.;  M.  G.  Smith,  W.  S.;  M.  O. 
Chamberlain,  W.  F.  S.;  R.  K.  Laidler,  W.  M.:  R.  Hayes, 
W.  I.  G.;  Anna  Deeks,  W.  R.  S.;  Simon  Deeks,  P. 
^V.  C.  T. 

The  regular  meetings  are  held  in  Saint  George's  Hall, 
on  Friday  evening  of  each  week.  The  present  elective 
officers  are:  Calvin  Parsons,  W.  C.  T.;  A.  W.  Bayley,  sec- 
retary; Peter  Burt,  F.  S.;  Alice  Rhodes,  I.  G.;  A.  W. 
Bayley,  lodge  deputy;  Lizzie  Shoemaker,  W.  V.  T.;  Mrs. 
Eliza  Cutler,  treasurer;  William  Gardner,  marshal; 
George  Yarnes,  O.  G. 

Laurel  Run  Building  Association. — This  organization 
was  chartered  July  25th,  1871.  The  first  officers  were: 
Nathaniel  Heft,  president;  H.  C.  Johnson,  secretary;  Cal- 
vin Parsons,  treasurer.  The  object  of  such  an  associa- 
tion is  mutual  benefit,  by  loaning  sums  of  money  to  mem- 
bers of  the  association  to  assist  those  in  moderate  cir- 
cumstances to  provide  homes  for  themselves  and  families. 
The  present  officers  are:  President,  D.  W.  Kimball;  sec- 
retary,- A.  C.  Johnson;  treasurer,  Calvin  Parsons. 

Coal  Brook  Lodge,  No.  411,  Knights  of  Hotwr  was  in- 
stituted December  15th,  1876,  with  39  charter  members. 
The  first  officers  were  as  follows:  John  C.  Williams,  P. 
D,;  John  D.  Colvin,  D.;  George  W.  Reeder,  V.  D.;  Rich- 
ard Stear,  A.  D.;  Richard  Martin,  chaplain;  ]\L  J.  Hall, 
Rep.;  H.  McDonald,  F.  R.;  A.  F.  Fenner,  treasurer;  L. 
D.  Austin,  guide;  James  Giles,  guardian. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  lodge  are  held  in  Rich- 
ards Hall,  on  the  first  and  third  Monday  evenings  of 
each  month. 

The  officers  for  1880  were  as  follows:  Samuel  Nixson, 
P.  D.;  Joseph  Stephens,  D.;  John  Snedden,  V.  D.;  Rich- 
ard Martin,  A.  D.;  H.  McDonald,  chaplain;  Thomas 
Shotton,  Rep.;  A.  F.  Fenner,  F.  R.;  John  C.  Williams, 
treasurer    S.  Nixson,  guide;  George  M.  Lewis,  guardian; 


H.  Parsons,  sentinel;  Dr.  W.  H.  O'Neal,  medical  exam- 
iner; trustees — Thomas  Shotton,  John  C.  Williams  and 
Samuel  Nixson. 

Lauj-el  Run  Lodge,  No.  103,  A.  P.  A. — This  lodge  of 
the  American  Protestant  Association  was  organized  in 
1872,  and  reorganized  in  October,  1879,  with  the  follow- 
ing officers,  who  are  now  serving:  G.  D.  Price,  W.  M.;  E. 
R.  Mason,  W.  D.  M.;  William  E.  Lloyd,  M.D.,  W.  R.  S.; 
D.  W.  James,  W.  A.  S.;  William  Gough,  F.  S.;  James 
Brinn,  W.  T.;  Thomas  McGregor,  chaplain;  J.  Pugh,  A. 
C;  George  Richards,  L  T.  ;J.  Jones,  O.  T.;  Reese  Lloyd 
and  John  Williams,  trustees. 

The  lodge  numbers  28  members,  and  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  The  regular  meetings  are  held  on  Thursday 
evening  of  each  week  in  Fenner's  Hall. 


PLYMOUTH   TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  is  one  of  the  original  five  townships 
formed  by  the  Susquehanna  Company,  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  resolution  passed  by  the 
directors  at  Hartford,  December  28th,  1768. 
The  township  was  originally  five  miles 
square,  but  was  enlarged  by  the  Legislature  of 
Pennsylvania  to  include  what  is  now  Plymouth 
and  Jackson.  By  the  setting  off  of  Jackson  township  in 
1844,  and  of  a  part  of  Hunlock  in  1877,  Plymouth  has 
been  reduced  to  an  area  of  about  21  square  miles.  The 
population  was  4,669  in  1870,  and  7,323  in  1880. 

The  surface  is  underlaid  with  rich  veins  of  coal  near 
the  river,  while  the  soil  of  the  uplands  produces  fine 
crops;  thus  making  Plymouth  one  of  the  richest  town- 
ships in  Luzerne  county. 

Settlement. 

The  settlement  period,  in  the  history  of  Plymouth,  ex- 
tends from  1768  till  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary 
war.  The  first  attempt  at  a  settlement  was  made  in 
1769.  The  Susquehanna  Company  allotted  lands  in  Ply- 
mouth township  to  40  settlers,  most  of  whom  came  during 
this  year  and  settled  along  the  river  where  the  borough 
of  Plymouth  now  stands. 

By  an  enrollment  of  the  resident  inhabitants  of  the 
valley,  made  in  1773,  in  the  handwriting  of  Col.  Zebulon 
Butler,  the  following  persons  are  known  to  have  been 
settlers  in  Plymouth:  Noah  Allen,  Peter  Ayres,  Captain 
Prince  Alden,  John  Baker,  Isaac  Bennett,  Daniel  Brown, 
Naniad  Coleman,  Aaron  Dean,  Stephen  Fuller,  Joseph 
Gaylord,  Nathaniel  Goss,  Comfort  Goss,  Timothy  Hop- 
kins, WilUiam  Leonard,  Jesse  Leonard,  Samuel  Marvin, 
Nicholas  Manville,  Joseph  Morse,  James  Nesbitt,  Abel 
Pierce,  Timothy  Pierce,  Jabez  Roberts,  Samuel  Sweet, 
John  Shaw,  David  Whittlesey  and  Nathaniel  Watson. 

Immediately  after  this  enrollment  Caleb  Atherton, 
James  Bidlack,  Henry  Barny,  Benjamin  Harvey,  Samuel 
Ransom,    David    Reynolds,    Benedict    Satterlee,    Noah 


=«=W* 


=^ 


EARLY  RESIDENTS  OF  RLYMOUTH  TOWNSHIP— SUFFERINGS  IN  WAR. 


349 


Wadhams,  Silas  Wadhams  and  Elijah  Wadharas  came 
into  the  township,  if  some  of  them  were  not  there  before. 
An  old  deed  is  mentioned  by  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  in  his 
"  Sketches  of  Plymouth,"  as  having  been  found  in  the 
valley  archives,  bearing  date  November  5th,  1773,  from 
"  Samuel  Love  of  Connecticut  to  Samuel  Ransom,  late 
of  Norfolk,  Connecticut,  now  living  at  Susquehanna." 
This  is  thought  to  have  been  for  the  Ransom  homestead 
property.  Another  deed,  bearing  date  September  29th, 
1773,  from  Henry  Barney  to  Benedict  Satterlee  is  to  be 
seen  among  the  same  collection. 

Between  this  time  and  the  year  1777  Mason  F.  Alden, 
Isaac  Benjamin.  Benjamin  Chirk,  Gordun  Church,  Nathan 
Church,  Price  Cooper,  Charles  Gaylord,  Ambrose  Gay- 
lord,  Daniel  Franklin,  Asahel  Nash,  Ira  Sawyer,  John 
Swift,  Aziba  Williams,  Thomas  Williams,  Jeremiah  Cole- 
man, Jesse  Coleman,  Benjamin  Harvey  and  Seth  Marvin 
came  into  the  township. 

The  growth  of  the  settlement  was  very  slow  from    this 

time  until  about  1800,  the  settlers  being  greatly  harassed 

by  the  Indians,  the  Pennamites  and  the  British  and   tory 

forces    daring    the    Revolutionary    war.     In     1796    the 

following  names  appear  in  the  list  of  taxables: 

Samuel  Allen,  Stephen  Allen,  David  Allen,  Ellas  Allen,  William  Ayros, 
Daniel  Ayres,  John  Anderson,  Moses  Anderson,  Isaac  Bennett,  Benjamin 
Bennett,  Joshna  Bennett,  Benjamin  Barney,  Daniel  Barney,  Henry  Bar- 
ney, Walter  Brown,  Jesse  Brown,  William  Baker,  Philemon  Bidlack, 
Jared  Baldwin,  Jude  Baldwin,  Amos  Baldwin,  Jonah  Big-sley,  Peter 
Chambers,  William  Craig,  Jeremiah  Coleman,  Thomas  Davenport,  Asahel 
Drake,  Rufus  Drake,  Aaron  Dean,  Henry  Decker,  Joseph  Dodson,  Leon- 
ard Desoan.s,  Joseph  Duncan,  Jehiel  Fuller,  Peter  Grnbb,  Charles  B.  Gay- 
lord,  Adolph  Heath,  John  Heath,  Samuel  Hart.  Elisha  Harvey,  Samuel 
Harvey,  Josiah  Ives,  Josinh  Ives,  jr.,  Crocker  Jones,  T.  and  J.  Lamoreux, 
John  Leonard,  Joseph  Lenaberger,  Samuel  Jliu-vin,  James  Marvin, 
Timothy  Meeker,  Ira  Manville,  Ephraim  McCoy,  Phineas  Nash,  Abram 
Nesbitt,  Simon  Pai-ks,  Samuel  Pringle,  Michael  Pace,  David  Pace, 
Nathan  Parrish,  Oliver  Plumley,  Jonah  Rogers,  Elisha  Rogers,  Edon 
Ruggles,  Hezekiah  Roberts„David  Reynolds,  Joseph  Reynolds,  George  P. 
Ransom,  Nathan  Rumsey,  Michael  Scott,  Lewis  Sweet,  Elam  Spencer, 
William  Stewart,  Jesse  Smith,  Ichabod  Shaw,  Palmer  Shaw,  Benjamin 
Stookey,  John  Taylor,  John  Turner,  Abraham  Tilbury,  Mathias  Van 
Loon,  Abraham  Van  Loon,  Nicholas  Van  Loon,  Calvin  Wadhams,  Noah 
Wadhams,  Moses  Wadhams,  Ingersol  Wadhams,  Amariah  Watson,  Darius 
Williams,  Rufus  Williams  and  John  Wallen. 

None  of  these  were  living  at  the  time  of  the  pub- 
lication of  the  "  Sketches  of  Plymouth  "  by  H.  B. 
Wright,  in  1873. 

About  1815  Joseph  Keller,  Peter  Snyder,  George 
Snyder,  Stephen  Devens,  Leonard  Devens,  a  Mr.  Cooper 
and  one  Howard  settled  northeast  of  the  village,  around 
the  location  of  the  Boston  mines.  The  settlement  of  that 
part  of  Plymouth  lying  between  Jackson  and  Hunlock 
townships  was  not  begun  until  1827,  when  Henry  Cease, 
George  Sorber  and  Jacob  Sorber  moved  into  the  woods 
ind  began  clearing  land.  They  all  sold  out  and  moved 
farther  into  the  woods. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  lower  end  of  the  township 
was  built  by  Jameson  Harvey,  near  the  mouth  of  Harvey's 
creek,  in  1834.  Miss  Anna  Homer  was  the  first  teacher 
here.'  She  had  taught  one  summer,  previous  to  the 
building  of  the  school-house,  in  a  wash-house  of  Mr. 
Harvey's.  In  1879  there  were  nineteen  schools,  having 
an  average  daily  attendance  of  620  pupils.  Schools 
are  kept  open  nine  months  at  an  annual  cost  of  over 
$6,900. 


Early  War  Times. 

The  jjeople  of  Plymouth  bore  their  full  share  of  the 
hardships  of  those  times.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolution  they  erected  a  small  fort  on  "Garrison  Hill," 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  present  Plymouth  borough.  The 
only  use  to  which  this  fort  was  put  was  defense  against 
Indians. 

On  December  4th,  1785,  was  fought  the  most  serious 
of  all  the  battles  of  the  Pennamite  war,  known  as  Plun- 
kett's  battle.  The  rocks  along  the  river  just  above  the 
mouth  of  Harvey's  creek  were  the  battle  field,  and  Ply- 
mouth furnished  the  majority  of  the  fighting  men  under 
Colonel  Butler,  who  commanded  the  settlers. 

It  is  not  known  how  many  were  killed  in  this  battle, 
hut  as  the  people  of  the  town  of  Westmoreland  voted  (on 
December  29th,  1785),  to  collect  "the  charity  of  the 
people  for  the  widow  Baker,  the  widow  Franklin  and  the 
widow  Ensign,"  Baker  and  Franklin  being  known  to  have 
been  Plymouth  men,  it  is  known  that  they  were  killed. 
August  24th,  1776,  "at  a  meeting  legally  warned  and 
held,  in  Westmoreland,  Wilkes-Barre  district,"  it  was 
voted  to  build  forts  for  the  defense  of  the  people.  In 
r.ccordance  with  this  resolution  the  people  of  Plymouth 
proceeded  to  erect  a  fort  upon  "Garrison  Hill,"  Captain 
Samuel  Ransom  hauling  the  first  log  and  Benjamin  Har- 
vey planting  the  flag  upon  the  turret.  Samuel  Ransom 
was  appointed  a  captain  by  Congress,  August  26th,  1776, 
with  authority  to  raise  a  company  to  be  "stationed  in 
proper  places  for  the  defense  of  the  inhabitants  of  said 
town."  Relying  upon  the  promise  of  Congress  that  they 
should  not  be  called  away  from  home,  the  men  of  Ply- 
mouth and  neighboring  townships  soon  enrolled  them- 
selves to  the  number  required,  eighty-four,  to  make  up 
the  company. 

But  on  December  12th,  1776,  Congress  ordered  Cap- 
tain Ransom  to  report  to  General  Washington  with  all 
possible  expedition.  The  names  of  the  following  Ply- 
mouth men  appear  in  the  list  of  Captain  Ransom's  com- 
pany: Caleb  Atherton,  Mason  F.  Alden,  Isaac  Benjamin, 
Olmer  Bennett,  Benjamin  Clark,  Nathan  Church,  Pierce 
Cooper,  Daniel  Franklin,  Charles  Gaylord,  Ambrose  Gay- 
lord,  Timothy  Hopkins,  Benjamin  Harvey,  Asahel  Nash, 
Ebenezer  Roberts,  George  P.  Ransom,  Samuel  Sawyer, 
Asa  Sawyer,  John  Swift,  Thomas  Williams,  Aziba  Wil- 
liams, Jeremiah  Coleman,  Jesse  Coleman,  Nathaniel 
Evans,  Samuel  Tubbs  and  James  Gould. 

It  is  very  probable  that  other  Plymouth  men  enlisted 
in  the  companies  of  Captains  Wisner  and  Strong,  which 
had  been  previously  recruited  in  the  valley.  It  is  cer- 
tainly known  that  Benjamin  Bidlack  served  through  the 
entire  war,  but  his  name  appears  in  none  of  the  lists. 
Many  of  the  Plymouth  men,  leaving  the  army  in  June, 
1778,  arrived  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  bloody  battle  of 
Wyoming.  Captain  Asaph  Whittlesey,  with  44  men  from 
Plymouth,  was  engaged  in  the  battle.  Of  these  forty-four 
the  names  of  Samuel  Ransom,  Asaph  Whittlesey,  Aaron 
Gaylord,  Amos  Bullock,  John  Brown,  Thomas  Fuller, 
Stephen  Fuller,  Silas  Harvey,  James  Hopkins,  Nathaniel 


H¥ 


='^H 


35° 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Howard,  Nicholas  Manville,  Job  Marshall,  John  Pierce, 
Silas  Parke,  Conrad   Davenport,  Elias   Roberts,  Timothy 

Ross, Reynolds,  James  Shaw,  Joseph   Shaw,  Abrara 

Shaw,  John  Williams,  Elihii  Williams,  jr.,  Rufus  Wil- 
liams, Aziba  Williams  and  William  Woodring  appear  upon 
the  Wyoming  monument  as  having  been  slain  in  the 
battle. 

The  women  and  children  of  PIymo',;th  fled  down  the 
river  the  night  of  the  battle,  making  their  way  to  Fort 
Augusta,  at  Sunbury.  The  savages  destroyed  all  the 
houses,  and  Plymouth  w.is  but  little  better  than  a  wilder- 
ness. As  soon  as  the  enemy  had  retired  from  the  country 
the  people  began  to  find  their  way  back  to  their  homes, 
and  to  build  new  houses  where  their  former  ones  had 
stood.  By  the  fall  of  this  year  all  were  comfortably 
housed  in  log  buildings.  Depredations  were  committed 
by  the  savages  for  some  time  after  this.  John  Perkins 
was  killed  November  17th,  1778,  in  the  lower  end  of  the 
township.  Elihu  Williams,  Lieutenant  Buck  and  Stephen 
Pettibone  were  killed  in  March,  1779,  and  Captain  James 
Bidlack,  jr.,  was  taken  prisoner.  He  made  his  escape 
about  a  year  afterward. 

The  elder  Mr.  Harvey,  Elisha  Harvey,  Miss  Lucy 
Bullford,  Miss  Louisa  Harvey  and  George  P.  Ransom 
were  captured.  The  women  were  set  at  liberty  upon 
the  arrival  of  the  Indians  at  the  top  of  the  Shawnee 
mountains.  Mr.  Harvey  was  tied  to  a  tree  and  the 
young  Indians  cast  their  tomahawks  at  his  head.  As 
they  failed  to  hit  him,  the  chief  set  him  at  liberty,  de- 
claring him  to  have  a  charmed  life.  Elisha  Harvey  was 
released  in  an  exchange  of  prisoners  about  two  years 
afterward.  George  P.  Ransom,  after  enduring  cruelties 
and  indignities  without  number,  succeeded  in  making 
his  escape  from  an  island  in  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  and 
with  two  others  made  his  way  through  the  forests  to  Ver- 
mont, and  thence  to  Connecticut.  No  person  was  killed 
by  the  Indians  in  Plymouth  after  this  date. 

During  the  winter  of  1872  and  1873  the  men  returned 
from  the  army  of  Washington,  and  they  spent  the  follow- 
ing summer  in  preparing  the  ground  for  winter  grains. 
But  they  were  not  to  reap  the  fruit  of  their  labors.  On 
March  13th  and  14th,  1784,  occurred  the  greatest  ice 
floods  ever  know  in  the  Susquehanna  river.  There  were 
eight  or  nine  dwellings  upon  "Garrison  Hill,"  which 
were  swept  away,  together  with  nearly  all  the  other  build- 
ings in  the  place.  Rev.  Benjamin  Bidlack  was  carried 
away  with  his  house.  After  being  tossed  about  by  huge 
cakes  of  ice  during  the  whole  night  he  effected  a  landing 
on  the  lower  end  of  Shawnee  flats.  This  time  of  trouble 
was  seized  upon  by  Alexander  Patterson,  the  civil  magis- 
trate of  Wilkes-Barre,  as  a  fit  opportunity  to  dispossess 
the  Connecticut  settlers  of  their  lands.  The  suffering 
people  were  driven  from  their  homes  by  soldiers,  and  not 
even  allowed  to  pass  over  the  road  leading  along  the 
river,  but  compelled  to  take  the  road  over  the  mountains 
toward  Stroudsburg  and  the  Delaware.  May  15th,  1784, 
witnessed  the  departure  of  the  suffering  settlers,  old  men^ 
women  and  children,  on  foot  and  without  provisions  for 
the  journey.     The  bridges  were  all  gone,  and   the  road 


Hh 


torn  by  the  late  flood.  Several  of  the  unhappy  people 
died  in  the  wilderness.  A  poor  widow  of  a  fallen  soldier, 
with  her  family  of  children  crying  for  the  food  which 
she  could  not  give  them,  was  among  the  rest.  One  of 
her  children  died  on  the  journey. 

This  cruel  act  aroused  the  sympathies  of  the  people  of 
Pennsylvania  in  favor  of  the  settlers,  and  the  authorities 
of   the   State   directed   the   sheriff   of    Northumberland 
county  to  place  them  in  possession  of  their  lands.     Mes- 
sengers were   sent  to  the   Delaware,  inviting  them  to  re- 
turn   and    giving    assurance    of    protection.       Nothing 
daunted,  they  set  out  on  their  return,  but  on  their  arrival 
at   the  top  of  the  Wilkes-Barre   mountains,  they  halted 
and  sent  forward  a  committee  to  see  how  matters  stood. 
These  men  were  seized  by  Patterson,  and  cruelly  beaten 
with    iron    ramrods.       Proceeding    cautiously    to    their 
homes,  the  settlers  began  to  make  preparations  to  gather 
their  crops  planted  in  the  spring.     While  engaged  in  this 
work  they  were  attacked  by  a  body  of   Patterson's  men, 
on    the  western  slope  of  Ross  hill.      A  skirmish  ensued, 
in  which   Elisha  Garrett  and  Chester  Pierce  were  killed 
on  the  side  of  the  settlers.     Now  fully  aroused,  the  set- 
tlers  placed    themselves    under    the    command   of   John 
Franklin  and,   marching  through   the  Shawnee  country, 
effectually  cleared  the  place  of  the  tory  element.      This 
was  the  last  serious  trouble  of  the  Plymouth  settlers. 

Industrial  and  Commercial  History. 

The  lands  of  Plymouth  were  surveyed  by  the  Susque- 
hanna company  into  lots  22  rods  in  width,  and  extending 
back  over  the  mountains  a  distance  of  about  five  miles. 
Thus  each  settler  had  both  river  flat  and  mountain 
lands.  The  Shawnee  flats  being  found  free  from  trees, 
all  farming  was  done  there.  Each  settler  had  his  strip 
of  land  extending  across  the  flats. 

After  the  great  flood  of  1784  no  fences  were  built  on 
the  flats,  except  one  fence  inclosing  the  whole  tract  to 
protect  the  crops  from  cattle.  One  road  was  used  by 
all  the  farmers  owning  lands  on  the  flats,  and  where  this 
road  left  the  main  road  a  gate  was  erected,  known  as  the 
swing  gate.  This  was  kept  locked,  and  was  opened  in 
the  early  morning  when  the  men  and  boys  wended  their 
way  to  their  labors,  carrying  their  dinners  that  they  might 
spend  the  entire  day  in  the  labors  of  the  field.  A  large 
square  inclosure  around  an  area  of  about  one  thousand 
square  feet  was  erected  as  a  pound.  (  In  this  inclosure, 
which  stood  on  the  lands  of  the  late  Colonel  Ransom,  at 
the  junction  of  the  flat  road  with  the  principal  street, 
were  placed  all  cattle  found  running  at  large  during  the 
day.  The  owners  were  obliged  to  pay  a  fine  of  about 
twenty-five  cents  per  head  to  obtain  their  release.  This 
was  paid  to  the  "  key  keepers,"  of  whom  Thomas  Heath 
was  the  first,  having  been  appointed  at  a  meeting  of  the 
people  of  the  town  of  Westmoreland,  March  2nd,  1774. 
It  was  the  duty  of  the  "  key  keeper  "  to  carry  the  keys  of 
the  church,  fort,  school-house,  pound  and  swing  gate. 

Farming  was  conducted  in  the  most  primitive°style,  no 
machinery  being  known.  The  winters  were  passed  in 
threshing  the   grain   and  hauling  it  to    Easton,    the  only 


GROWTH  OF  PLYMOUTH'S  BUSINESS  INTERESTS. 


35 1 


market  within  reach  of  the  early  settlers.  Benjamin 
Harvey,  who  lived  in  the  lower  end  of  the  township, 
near  the  mouth  of  Harvey's  creek,  used  the  surface  of  a 
large  flat  rock  as  a  threshing  floor.  This  rock,  which 
was  one  of  the  defences  used  by  the  settlers  at  "  Plunk- 
ett's "  battle,  has  been  broken  up  ;ind  carried  away. 
Each  farmer  had  his  plot  of  flax,  and  the  cloth  for  the 
clothes  of  the  men  and  boys  was  made  at  home. 

The  first  mills  were  built  about  1780,  Robert  Faulkner 
having  erected  a  log  grist  mill  on  Shupp's  creek;  while 
Benjamin  Harvey  in  the  same  year  built  a  log  grist-mill 
and  residence  on  Harvey's  creek.  The  Harvey  mill  was 
occupied  by  Abrara  Tilbury,  the  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Har- 
vey. The  nrst  saw-mill  was  also  built  in  that  year,  by 
Hezekiah  Roberts,  on  Ransom's  creek,  and  in  1795 
Samuel  Marvin  built  a  saw-mill  on  Whittlesey's  creek. 
Philip  Shupp  built  a  grist-mill  on  Shupp's  creek  below 
the  site  of  the  old  Faulkner  mill,  that  Colonel  Wright 
thinks  must  have  been  built  as  early  as  1800,  and  in  the 
time  of  his  boyhood  was  the  principal  flouring  mill  in 
the  town.  The  only  mill  now  in  operation  in  the  town- 
ship is  the  grist-mill  on  Harvey's  creek  at  West  Nanti- 
coke.  This  was  built  by  Henry  Yingst,  a  German  from 
Dauphin  county,  for  Joshua  Pugh,  about  1833.  Mr. 
Yingst  was  the  first  miller  employed  in  this  mill.  The 
mill  has  passed  through  the  hands  of  several  persons. 

Previous  to  1774  the    settlers  of    Plymouth   depended 
entirely  on  getting  their  supplies  of  such  articles  as  were 
absolutely  necessary  from  Wilkes-Barre  or   Sunbury.     In 
this  year  Benjamin  Harve}',  jr.,  established  a  small  retail 
store  in  the  log  house  of  his  father,  near   the   site  of  the 
present    "  Christian  "    church    building.     "  Here,  for    a 
couple  of  years,  he  dealt  in  a  small  way  in  articles  of  ab- 
solute necescity — salt,  leather,  iron  ware,  a  few  groceries, 
etc.     At  that  time,  and   for   many   subsequent    years,  all 
articles  of   merchandise  were  transported  upon  the  river 
in  '  Durham  boats.'     Ten  or  twelve  miles  up  the  stream 
was  considered  a  fair  day's  work."     Until  the  completion 
of   the   Easton   and    Wilkes-Barre    turnpike,  in  1807,  no 
other  means  of   transportation   was   known.     "  After  the 
enlistment  of  Mr.  Harvey  in  the  United   States  army  his 
father  took  charge  of  his  small  stock  of  goods  and  sold 
them  out,  but  the  store   was   never   replenished."     From 
this  time  to  1808,  a  period  of   thirty-two  years,  there  was 
no    store  kept   in    Plymouth.     Joseph   Wright,  father  of 
Colonel  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  now  of   Wilkes-Barre,  and 
author   of  "Sketches    of   Plymouth,"    came   into  Union 
township  with  bis  father,  Caleb  Wright,  from  New  Jersey, 
in  T79S.     He  married  and  settled  in  Plymouth,  where  he 
started  a  small  retail  store  in  the  east  room  of  the  Wright 
homestead,  now  standing   just  below   the   hmits  of    the 
present  borough   of    Plymouth.     The    first  sale  made  in 
this  store   was  of  a  Jew's  harp  to  Jameson   Harvey,  who 
paid  a  sixpence  in  ms/i.     The  first  entry  upon  the  books 
of  Mr.  Wright,  now  in  the  possession  of  his  son.  Colonel 
H.  B.  Wright,  is   dated   February  26th,  1808,  and  reads: 
"Abraham  Tilbury,  dr.,  to  one  qt.  of  rum,  at  7-6  per  gal- 
lon,  £0   IS.    lo^^d."     As   only   the   necessaries  of  life 
were  then  kept,  rum  must  have  been  considered  essential. 


Mr.  Harvey,  who  bought  the  Jew's  harp  when  a  boy, 
is  now  living,  at  the  advanced  age  of  82  years,  and  is  un- 
doubtedly the  only  person  now  living  who  traded  at  this 
store  during  the  first  year  of  its  existence.-  The  "  Cones- 
toga  wagon"  had  been  added  to  the  means  of  transpor- 
tation, and  goods  were  now  brought  overland  from  Eas- 
ton as  well  as  by  water  from  Sunbury.  All  goods  were 
brought  into  the  valley  by  one  or  the  other  of  these 
means  of  carriage  until  the  opening  of  the  canal  in  1830. 
Rev.  George  Lane  bought  the  store  of  Joseph  Wright  in 
i8r2,  and  kept  it  nearly  a  year,  when  he  entered  into  a 
partnership  with  Benjamin  Harvey,  son  of  Elisha  Har- 
vey. The  new  firm  did  business  in  a  small  frame  build- 
ing on  the  site  of  Smith's  Opera  House  until  1816,  when 
Mr.  Lane  went  to  Wilkes-Barre,  and  Mr.  Harvey  to  Hun- 
tington. Immediately  after  the  sale  of  his  store  to  Mr. 
Lane,  Joseph  Wright  entered  into  a  partnership  with 
Benjamin  Reynolds  and  Joel  Rogers.  They  opened  a 
store  in  a  small  frame  building  on  the  east  side  of  the 
road,  opposite  the  present  (1873)  residence  of  Henderson 
Gaylord."  This  firm  dissolved  in  October,  18 14,  and  the 
business  was  continued  by  Joel  Rogers  &  Co.  up  to 
1816,  then  by  Reynolds,  Gaylord  &  Co.  to  December, 
1818,  then  by  Mr.  Gaylord  to  the  fall  of  1824,  when  he 
entered  into  a  ten  years'  partnership  with  the  late  Wil- 
liam C.  Reynolds.  Gaylord  &  Reynolds  established  a 
branch  at  Kingston.  From  1836  Mr.  Gaylord  and  Dra- 
per Smith  formed  a  partnership  to  1839.  From  1816 
to  1827  the  business  stand  was  on  the  premises  now 
occupied  as  a  hotel  by  John  Deane.  In  1827  Mr.  Gay- 
lord built  a  store  qcross  the  street,  in  which  he  and  Mr. 
Smith  traded  till  they  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Gaylord  to 
1856,  when  he  retired. 

About  1828  John  Turner  opened  a  store  where  Turner 
Brothers  now  are.  Soon  after  that  he  sold  his  stock  to 
Gaylord  &  Reynolds.  Asa  Cook  commenced  business 
in  the  Turner  store,  and  was  soon  followed  by  John  Tur- 
ner, and  the  establishment  has  been  continued  down  to 
the  present  time  either  in  his  name  or  the  name  of  his 
sons.  Samuel  Davenport  and  Elijah  Reynolds  opened  a 
store  in  1834.  This  firm  was  dissolved  in  1835,  and  the 
business  continued  by  Samuel  Davenport  to  1840,  then 
by  him  and  John  B.  Smith  till  1850,  and  for  several  years 
succeeding  by  Mr.  Smith.  Ira  Davenport  opened  his 
store  in  1845.  Jameson  Harvey  opened  a  store  at  West 
Nanticoke  about  1843. 

As  the  saw-mill  of  Marvin  was  built  in  1795,  it  is  alto- 
gether probable  that  frame  houses  were  constructed  soon 
after,  and  that  several  were  built  about  the  same  time. 
Of  these  first  houses  there  are  now  standing  the  old  red 
house,  or  Ransom  homestead,  the  Davenport  homestead, 
the  widow  Heath  house  and  the  Joseph  Wright  house. 
The  first  stone  house  was  built  by  Mr.  Coleman  in  1806, 
and  is  now  known  as  the  "  Hodge  house."  In  digging 
the  cellar  of  this  house  the  bones  of  Indians  *ere  ex- 
humed. The  first  coal  ever  burned  in  Plymouth,  for  do- 
mestic purposes,  was  burned  in  thi?  house,  by  Abijah 
Smith,  who  boarded  there  while  working  his  mine. 
Freeman  Thomas  built  the  stone  house  that  is  now  occu- 


=i&i^ 


<h 


352 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


pied  by  M.  Garrahan  in  1830.  The  first  brick  building 
was  buill  by  Matthias  Nesbitt  in  1847.  This  was  a  story 
and  a  half  dwelling  and  was  afterward  burned.  Samuel 
Davenport  buik  a  brick  dwelling  in  1848,  and  the  J.  B. 
Smith  homestead  was  erected  in  1849. 

George  P.  Smith  kept  tavern  in  the  old  red  house,  as 
did  the  widow  Heath  in  the  old  house  now  standing  by 
the  old  elm  tree,  which  was  probably  the  first  tavern  in 
the  township.  Oliver  Davenport  kept  tavern  where  the 
Hon.  J.  J.  Shonk  lives,  as  early  as  1822.  A  hotel  was 
built  by  Mr.  Deittrich  where  the  Eley  house  now  stands, 
and  was  kept  by  several  persons.  This  was  afterward 
burned.  Daniel  Carey  built  a  Hotel  about  1832,  where  the 
Harvey's  Creek  Hotel  now  stands.  He  afterward  built  a 
large  house  where  the  canal  barn  now  stands,  which  was 
moved  in  1839  by  Joseph  Edwards  and  George  Mack  to 
where  it  now  stands.  It  is  the  Harvey's  Creek  Hotel, 
James  J.  Ruch  proprietor. 

Civil  Government. 

Plymouth,  being  one  of  the  districts  of  the  town  of 
Westmoreland,  was  governed  by  ihe  digest  of  rules  and 
regulations  prepared  by  the  Susquehanna  Company,  under 
which  the  principal  authority  as  to  township  government 
was  vested  in  a  board,  "  to  be  composed  of  three  able 
and  judicious  men  among  such  settlers."  These  were 
elected  on  the  first  Monday  of  December  of  each  year, 
and  were  "  to  take  upon  them  the  direction  of  the  settle- 
ment of  each  town,  under  the  company,  and  the  well 
ordering  and  the  governing  of  the  same."  These  direct- 
ors were  required  to  meet  on  the  first  Monday  of  each 
month,  with  their  peace  officers,  and  to  take  into  consid- 
eration the  good  of  the  people,  as  well  as  to  hear  and 
decide  such  disputes  as  might  be  brought  before  them. 
They  were  empowered  to  inflict  punishment  upon  of- 
fenders, either  by  reproof  and  fine,  or  fine  and  corporal 
punishment.  The  directors  of  all  the  towns  were  re- 
quired to  meet  quarterly,  to  take  into  consideration  the 
good  of  the  whole  people,  or  of  any  particular  town;  to 
hear  the  appeal  of  any  who  might  think  themselves  ag- 
grieved by  the  award  of  the  directors  of  their  own  town; 
and  to  come  to  such  resolutions  as  they  might  think  for 
the  general  good.  No  appeal  lay  "  from  the  doings  of 
such  quarterly  meeting,  or  their  decrees,  to  the  Susque- 
hanna Company,  save  in  disputes  as  to  land." 

Phineas  Nash,  Captain  David  Marvin  and  J.  Gaylord, 
elected  in  December,  1774,  were  the  first  directors  of 
Plymouth.  March  ist,  1774,  it  was  voted  that  "Ply- 
mouth, with  all  ye  land  west  of  Susquehanna  river,  south 
and  west  to  the  town  line,  be  one  district,  by  the  name  of 
Plymouth  district."  Samuel  Ransom  was  appointed  se- 
ectman;  Asaph  Whittlesey,  collector  of  rates;  Elisha 
Swift,  Samuel  Ransom  and  Benjamin  Flarvey,  surveyors 
of  highways;  John  Baker  and  Charles  Gaylord,  viewers 
of  fences;  Ehsha  Swift  and  Gideon  Baldwin  as  listers,  to 
make  enrollments;  Phineas  Nash  and  Thomas  Heath,  as 
grand  jurors;  Timothy  Hopkins,  tithing  man,  and  Thomas 
Heath,  key  keeper.  It  was  ■'  voted  at  this  meeting  that 
for  ye  present  ye  tree  that  stands  northerly  from  Captain 


H^ 


Butler's  house  shall  be  ye  town  sign-post."  March  24th, 
1786,  it  was  voted  "  that  all  such  houses  as  are  within  the 
limits  or  this  common-field,  and  occupied  with  families, 
be  removed  out  of  said  field  by  the  tenth  of  April  next; 
the  committee  to  give  speedy  warning  to  any  such  resi- 
dents and  see  it  is  put  in  execution.  The  house  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  widow  Heath  excepted,  provided  the  said 
widow  Heath  shall  run  a  fence  so  as  to  leave  her  house 
without  said  field."  The  best  authoiities  locate  the 
"common-field"  on  the  brow  of  Ant  hill,  as  the  old 
frame  house  still  standing  and  occupied  by  William  Jen- 
kins was  the  property  of  widow  Heath.  The  school- 
house  which  stood  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road,  and 
a  little  below  the  old  elm  tree,  was  most  probably  the 
place  in  which  all  public  meetings  were  held,  and 
the  old  elm  tree  the  sign  and  whipping  post  of  old 
Plymouth. 

The  records  of  the  township  officers  of  Plymouth  un- 
der the  Pennsylvania  jurisdiction  extend  no  further  back 
than  1828,  and  even  these  are  but  poorly  kept.  It  is 
known,  however,  that  Joseph  Wright  and  Henderson 
Gaylord,  both  men  of  signal  ability,  kept  an  eye  on  the 
business  of  the  township  and  straightened  many  a  tangled 
account  for  the  township  officers  between  the  years  1807 
and  1828.  But  the  records  of  their  work,  if  any  were 
made,  have  all  been  lost.  The  following  have  been  the 
principal  township  officers  of  Plymouth,  as  far  as  can  be 
ascertained: 

Supcruisoi-s.— William  Hunt,  1838 ;  John  Smith,  1828 ;  Isaac  Puller,  1829; 
Jameis  Nesbitt,  1839 ;  Sam  uel  Rnnson,  1830, 18-11 ;  Joseph  Keller,  1831, 1834, 
1835,1837;  James  Hayward,  1831;  Benjamin  Reynokis,  1S30;  Hiram  Drake, 
1833;  Joseph  L.  Worthinjrton,  1832, 1833, 1841,  1847-49 ;  Javed  L.Baldwin, 
18.33;  Fi-eeman  Thomas,  1834-38, 1840;  Jonathan  McDonald,  1836-38;  Sam- 
uel Van  Loon,  1838 ;  William  Hansom,  1839 ;  Oliver  Davenport  3nd,  1839  ; 
John  Elston,1840;  James  Van  Loon,  1842;  Truman  Atherton,  1843;  Henry 
Sears,  1843;  Samuel  Coons,  1845,  1803,  1804;  John  Moyer,  1845;  Caleb 
Atherton,  1840;  Samuel  Daveuport,  1847;  William  Nesbitt,  1848;  J.  F. 
Reynolds,  1849;  Ira  Davenport,  1850,18ii4;  Benjamin  Duran,  1850;  Joel 
Gabriel,  1851 ;  Oliver  Davenport,  1853, 1853, 1&55  ;  Hiram  Davenport,  1853, 
18.53;  Benjamin  Devens,  1854;  Clark  Davenport,  185i>-01, 1803-60;  George 
Davenport,  1850-58,  lSOO-62;  George  Hoover,  1838  ;  Gardner  Nesbitt,  1862: 
John  Jessup,  1865-07  ;  Thomas  Harris,  1807 ;  Joseph  Ja(iuish,  1868-71;  Sam- 
uel Harrison,  1869, 1S70;  J.  H.  Linn,  1S72 ;  Henry  L.  Hughes,  1873;  Owen 
Doyle,  1873,  1874;  Owen  McDonald,  18'. 4  ;  Daulel  Fraoe,  1S75;  William 
Charles,  1875;  Patrick  Cowell,  1876;  Martin  Collins,  1870 ;  Joseph  Linn, 
1877 ;  Hiram  Labar,  1877 ;  Patrick  Koan,  1878  ;  Abram  Deets,  1878  •  Wil- 
liam P.  Evans,  1879 ;  H.  Smith,  1879. 

Jusficcs.-Appointed:  James  Sutton,  July  4th,  1808;  Daiid  Perkins, 
September  30th,  1808;  William  Trux,  March  30th,  1809;  Moses  Scovel,  July 
13th,  1809 ;  Stephen  HoUister,  June  30th,  1810 ;  Charles  Chajunan,  January 
18th,  1813;  Samu.-l  Thomas,  March  20th,  1816  ;  Jacob  I.  Bosjardus,  Janu- 
ary 9th,  1817;  Dr.  John  Smith,  Augrust  3nd,  1819;  Benjamin  Hevnolds, 
Auifust  17th,  1830;  Alva  C.  Phillips,  November  15th,  1&>3  ;  John  Bennett 
November  1st,  1836;  Tliomas  Irwin,  December  llih,  1836 ;  Keubeu  Holg-ate' 
November  2ith,  1830;  James  Nesbitt,  December  16th,  1831;  Simeon  F 
Rogers,  December  16th,  1831;  Fisher  Gay,  December  4th  1S32-  J  It 
Baldwin,  May  27th,  1833;  Watson  Baldwin,  December  30th,  1833-  Sharp  d' 
Lewis,  April  18th,  18;J5;  J.  I.  Boffardus,  July  1.5th,  ISX;  Caleb  Atherton' 
September  30th,  1837;  John  P.  Rice,  September  30th,  1837;  Peter  Allen 
October  35th,  1838;  Henderson  Gaylord,  October  39th,  18;!S ;  Addison  c' 
Church,  May  10th,  1839.  Elected  for  terms  of  five  years:  Samuel  WadI 
hams,  1840 ;  Ebonezer  Chamberlin,  1840,  1845,  1856,  1861 ;  Hiram  Drake- 
1841;  John  Ingham,  1845 ;  George  Brown,  1815;  Samuel  Davenport  1851- 
Caleb  Atherton,  1851;  Elijah  C.  Wadhams,  1855,  1800,  1865;  E  L  Prince' 
1855;  John  B.  Smith,  1861;  Joseph  Ives,  1807, 1872;  John  C.  Januisb,  1868- 
Harrison  Nesbitt,  1873;  James  Stookey,  1875;  William  L.  Pritchard,  1878. 

Hamlets. 
The  hamlet  of  West  Nanticoke,  situated  at  the  mouth 
of  Harvey's  creek,  contains   about   twenty  dwellings,  the 
Harvey's    Creek    Hotel,  James    J.  Ruch  proprietor ;'  the 


CHURCHES  OF  PLYMOUTH  TOWNSHIP. 


353 


store  of  William  Yingst  and  a  grist-mill.  James  Stookey, 
Esq.,  is  postmaster  at  this  place. 

At  Grand  Tunnel  are  most  of  the  houses  connected 
with  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company's  mine.and,  it  being 
at  the  head  of  the  Pennsylvania  Canal,  the  business  of 
shipping  coal  is  done  here.  The  post-office  is  in  the 
store  of  Hildreth  &  Co.;  John  M.  Lyon  superintendent 
of  the  store  and  postmaster. 

Larksville  is  the  meeting  place  of  Wahoo  Tribe,  No. 
119,  I.  O.  R.  M.  which  was  instituted  March  30th,  1870, 
by  Grand  Sachem  Charles  C.  Conly,  of  Philadelphia, with 
the  following  charter  members:  John  C.  Jaquish,  Har- 
rison Nesbitt,  George  Kelley,  David  Shipp,  D.  R.  Pender- 
grast  and  S.  D.  Robbins. 

The  first  officers  were:  David  Shipp, S.;  John  C.  Jaquish^ 
S.  S.;  Harrison  Nesbitt,  J.  S.;  George  Kelley,  C.  of  R.; 
D.  R.  Pendergrast,  R.  of  W. 

The  past  sachems  are  David  Shipp,  John  C.  Jaquish, 
Harrison  Nesbitt,  Peter  Brown,  J.  L.  Samison,  James 
Hayward,  Isaac  Samison,  William  Blackman,  David  L. 
Davis,  John  Powell,  Daniel  S.  Davis  and  Edwin  Howe. 

The  present  officers  are:  Stephen  Dodson,  S.;  David 
Shipp,  C.  of  R.;  Harrison  Nesbitt,  R.  of  W.  The  lodge 
meets  each  Saturday  night  at  Snyder's  Hall. 

Churches  of  the  Township. 

Methodist  Class  of  Larksville. — The  Methodists  formed 
a  class  at  Larksville  or  Blind  Town  at  an  early  day,  but 
owing  to  the  loss  of  all  the  early  class  books  no  record 
of  the  original  members  can  be  given.  John  Culvert  was 
the  first  class  leader,  and  after  him  Joseph  Jaquish  acted 
in  that  capacity  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  The  minis- 
ters were  supplied  from  the  Kingston  church,  of  which 
this  class  formed  a  part.  In  1873  a  church  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000.  This  was  soon  afterward  sold 
at  sheriff's  sale,  and  bought  by  the  "Christian"  society. 
Since  that  time  the  meetings  have  been  held  in  the 
school-house.  The  preachers  have  been  supplied  by  the 
Kingston  Seminary,  Mr.  M.orish,  a  student  of  that  insti- 
tution, being  the  present  minister. 

Snowden  Memorial  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Larksville. 
— The  Presbyterians  of  Larksville  organized  a  church  soci. 
ety  May  27th,  1870,  with  the  following  as  the  original  mem- 
bers: Mrs.  Charles  Hughes,  Mrs.  Ellen  Keller,  Mrs.  John 
Keller,  Mrs.  William  Bryden,  Mrs.  Samuel  Diggery,  Mrs. 
John  Bersch,  Miss  Pantha  Keller  and  J.  Warden  and  wife. 

Although  the  members  of  the  church  were  nearly  all 
ladies  their  husbands  freely  gave  their  money  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  church,  as  the  fact  that  they  built  a  church  in 
1872  costing  from  $3,000  to  $4,000  will  prove.  The  first 
service  held  in  the  church  was  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Samuel 
Vanette,  March  26th,  1872;  the  next  being  the  funeral 
of  Hiram  Hunter,  March  28th,  1872.  Rev.  Dr.  Roberts, 
of  New  Jersey,  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon,  July 
30th,  1872.  The  church  property  is  located  at  Larksville, 
a  place  which  was  named  in  memory  of  Mrs.  Polly  Lark, 
who  owned  the  land  on  which  the  village  is  located,  was 
very  liberal  with  her  property  and  died  at  the  age  of  one 
hundred  and  six  years. 


This  church  was  named  "  Snowden  Memorial  church" 
from  the  fact  that  it  was  the  third  Presbyterian  church  in 
the  valley  for  which  Rev,  E.  Hazard  Snowden  had  been 
instrumental  in  providing  sanctuaries.  Two  of  these,  the 
Plymouth  and  Larksville  congregation.s,  were  gathered 
from  the  world  and  organized  by  Mr.  Snowden. 

The  church  edifice  is  pleasantly  situated  on  an  elevated 
plateau,  where  it  meets  the  eye  in  all  directions;  the  lot 
is  120  feet  square  and  was  donated  to  the  congregation 
by  the  Northern  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

The  church  was  taken  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Lackawanna  at  its  stated  meeting  in  September,  1879. 
Mr.  Snowden  continues  pastor, although  overseventyyears 
old.     The  Sabbath-school  is  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

"Christian  "  Church  of  Larksville. — In  1832  Rev.  G.  W. 
Richmond,  a  "Christian  "  minister,  formed  a  cl'.urch  here, 
including  the  Snyders  and   a  part  of  the   Keller  family. 

Meetings  were  held  in  the  school-house  until  the  pur- 
chase of  the  building  erected  by  the  Methodist  society 
about  1875.  This  church  has  the  same  minister  as  the 
"Christian''  church  in  Plymouth  borough. 

Welsh  Coiigrezational  Church. — The  Welsh  Congre- 
gationalists  residing  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Ross'  hill,  in 
Plymouth  township,  completed  the  organization  of  a 
church  society  November  i8th,  1868.  The  members  of 
the  society  at  this  time  were  William  L.  Roberts  and 
wife,  Edward  Hopwood,  John  T.  Davis  and  wife,  David 
S.  Isaacs  and  wife,  Isaac  Jones  and  wife,  Isaac  Thomas, 
Reese  Jones  and  wife,  William  Hatchwell  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Jones  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Reeves.  Meetings  were  held  in 
one  of  the  houses  of  the  Kingston  Coal  Company  for 
some  time.  In  187 1  the  congregation  erected  a  fine 
wooden  edifice,  costing  about  $7,000.  The  dedicatory 
services  were  held  in  March,  1872.  There  were  present 
Revs.  David  T.  Davis,  T.  C.  Edwards,  Edward  T.  Lewis, 
D.  Daniels,  D.  E.  Evans,  S.  R.  Jones,  and Hare. 

The  first  minister  was  Rev.  David  T.  Davis,  pastor 
from  1871  to  1874;  Rev.  John  G.  Evans  from  September, 
1875,  to  1877,  when  Rev.  T.  C.  Edwards  was  placed  ovL'r 
the  church,  who  continues  to  preach  to  the  congregation. 

Isaac  Jones  was  the  first  Sunday-school-superintendent. 
There  is  now  an  attendance  of  225  pupils. 

First  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Kingston  — This  churcli. 
on  Ross  hill,  was  organized  by  the  Welsh  miners  working 
in  the  vicinity,  in  June,  1871.  Daniel  Griffith  was  elected 
deacon  and  William  Samuel  clerk.  The  ether  members 
were  Mrs.  Daniel  Griffith,  Mrs.  William  Samuel,  David 
Pritchard  and  wife,  Morgan  Williams  and  wife  and 
Thomas  D.  Davis. 

Meetings  were  held  in  the  Yellow-wash  school-house. 
The  church  was  supplied  by  different  ministers,  but  prin- 
cipally by  Rev.  Theophilus  Jones,  of  Wilkes- Barre,  until 
August  i8th,  1876;  since  then  James  R.  Price  has  been 
the  pastor. 

A  neat  and  commodious  church,  costing.  $2,000,  was 
opened  for  service  November  gth,  1879,  and  dedicated  on 
Christmas  day,  1879.  Henry  Jenkins  was  the  first  super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday-school.  About  90  children  at- 
tend the  school. 


<¥. 


*#^= 


354 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


COAL  MINING  IN  PLYMOUTH  TOWNSHIP. 

Daniel  Davenport  was  engaged  in  the  mining  of  coal 
in  Plymouth  as  early  as  1826.  In  1828  Freeman  Thomas 
began  driving  what  is  known  as  the  "  grand  tunnel," 
which  was  the  first  rock  tunneling  ever  done  in  the  Wyo- 
ming valley.  After  three  or  four  years  of  persevering  la- 
bor he  struck  the  big  red  ash  vein,  much  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  his  neighbors,  who  had  laughed  at  his  efforts, 
Jameson  Harvey  began  operations  on  his  property  below 
the  "  grand  tunnel  "  in  1832,  and  rained  coal  for  several 
years. 

Among  the  early  coal  operators  of  Plymouth  were  Ziba 
Davenport,  Thomas  Borbidge,  Francis  J.  Smith,  John 
Ingham,  John  Flanigan  and  Martin  Brennan;  and  of  a 
later  day  John  J.  Shonk,  W.  L.  Lance,  E.  C.  Wadhams, 
John  B.  Smith  and  others.  There  are  now  no  individual 
operators  in  Plymouth,  all  the  mines  being  worked  by 
some  one  of  the  large  coal  companies,  except  one  operated 
by  a  cor.ipany  of  three  men. 

DELAWARE,    LACKAWANNA    &    WESTERN    RAILROAD    CO. 

This  company  operates  two  breakers  in  Plymouth,  the 
Boston  and  Avondale,  under  lease. 

The  Boston  Mine,  situated  near  Laiksville,  was  opened 
in  1857,  by  the  Boston  Coal  Company,  who  operated  the 
mine  one  year  and  then  leased  the  works  to  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  Company.  The 
Boston  Coal  Company  sold  to  the  Delaware  &  Hudson 
Canal  Company  in  1868,  and  the  latter  now  owns  the 
mine,  subject  to  the  lease  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
&  Western.  The  breaker,  located  near  the  river,  and  just 
above  the  old  cemetery,  is  reached  by  a  railroad  nearly  two 
miles  in  length,  over  which  the  coal  is  hauled  by  a  twenty 
ton  locomotive.  Robert  Hutchinson  is  superintendent, 
with  H.  P.  Davis  as  inside  boss.  There  are  iii  men  and 
boys  employed  outbide,  and  167  inside.  The  mine  is 
working  the  "Cocper"  and  "Patent"  veins,  forming 
the  "Baltimore"  vein.  There  are  36  tenant  houses  con- 
nected with  the  works. 

The  Avondale  Mine  was  leased  by  John  C.  Phelps,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  June  13th,  1863,  of  William  C.  Reynolds, 
Henderson  Gaylord  and  others.  In  January,  1866,  Mr. 
Phelps  assigned  it  to  the  Steuben  Coal  Company,  which 
was  subsequently  merged  with  the  Nanticoke  Coal  and 
Iron  Company.  The  latter  erected  the  breaker  and 
leased  to  the  Delaware,  I/ackawanna  and  Western  Railroad 
Company. 

One  of  the  most  frightful  accidents  that  ever  occurred 
in  America  took  place  here  September  gth,  i86g.  The 
breaker  burned,  and  there  being  but  one  outlet,  and  that 
through  the  breaker,  two  hundred  and  eight  men  were 
suffocated.  The  coroner's  jury  returned  a  verdict  de- 
claring that  the  men  came  to  their  deaths  from  ''the  ex- 
haustion of  atmospheric  air  and  the  prevalence  of  sul- 
phuric and  carbonic  acid  gases  in  the  said  Avondale  mine 


caused  by  the  burning  of  the  head  house  and  breaker 
at  said  mines."  By  this  accident  seventy-two  widows  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty-three  orphans  were  left  to  mourn 
the  loss  of  husband  and  father.  Relief  committees  were 
organized  in  various  towns,  and  by  October  2nd  the  sub- 
scriptions amounted  to  $155,825.10.  Thomas  W.  Wil- 
liams, of  Plymouth,  and  David  Jones,  of  Grand  Tunnel, 
lost  their  lives  in  the  attempt  to  reach  the  men  in  the 
mines.  A  new  breaker  was  erected  at  once,  and  the  mine 
has  been  operated  ever  since.  Conrad  Lee  is  outside 
foreman,  and  T.  J.  Philips  inside  boss;  240  men  and 
boys  are  employed  inside,  and  about  150  outside.  About 
800  tons  of  coal  are  min,ed  daily. 

CHAUNCEY    BREAKER. 

This  mine  is  situated  between  the  Avondale  mine  and 
the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company's  breaker.  Charles 
Hutchinson  &  Co.  began  work  here  in  i860.  They  sold 
to  Albrighton  &  Co.,  and  the  present  owners  bought  in 
August,  1868.  The  capacity  is  200  tons  daily,  but  the 
production  is  only  125  tons,  fifty  men  and  boys  being  em- 
ployed. Thomas  P.  Macfarlane  is  outside  foreman  and 
Buckley  Allebach  mining  boss. 

SUSQUEHANNA    COAL    COMPANY'S    BREAKER    NO.    3 

is  situated  on  the  "  grand  tunnel  "  property  of  Freeman 
Thomas,  and  also  works  the  coal  from  the  lands  of 
Jameson  Harvey.  The  company  erected  the  present 
breaker,  as  the  old  workings  were  farther  from  the  river, 
coal  having  been  hauled  to  the  river  and  shipped  without 
being  prepared. 

The  Buck  mountain  vein,  with  its  red  ash  benches,  is 
worked.  The  machinery  consists  of  5  rolls,  15  screens, 
2  hauling  engines  of  370  horse  power,  with  a  capacity  of 
840  tons  daily;  3  pumps  with  a  capacity  of  400  gallons 
per  minute,  and  20  boilers  of  800  horse  power.  One  hun- 
dred and  eighty  men  and  boys  are  employed  inside,  under 
Worthy  Carver,  mining  boss,  and  150  outside,  under  James 
AV.  Macfarlane,  outside  foreman.  O.  K.  Bennett  has  charge 
of  the  office  of  the  company  at  this  place. 

James  Macfarlane  opened  the  Macfarlane  shaft  in 
1857,  between  the  Susquehanna  breaker  and  the  Union 
mine.  The  breaker  burned  down  in  1865,  and  the  mine 
having  been  connected  with  the  workings  of  the  Susque- 
hanna Coal  Company,  it  is  worked  through  their  breaker. 

KINGSTON    COAL    COMPANY'S    BREAKER    NO.    2. 

This  breaker  is  located  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Ross 
hill  in  Plymouth  township,  and  the  mine  is  worked  by 
Waterman  &  Beaver.  Morgan  D.  Rosser  is  mining  boss, 
and  about  225  men  and  boys  are  employed  inside  and 
150  outside.  Some  1,250  tons  of  coal  are  mined  daily. 
The  shaft  is  about  half  a  mile  from  the  breaker,  the  coal 
being  hauled  by  mine  locomotives.  John  J.  Morgan  has 
charge  of  the  office  connected  with  the  breaker. 


4 


=«=^pt 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

PLYMOUTH   TOWNSHIP   AND    BOROUGH   AND   JACKSON   TOWNSHIP. 


1 1 


E.  J.  AOHENBAOH,  ticket  agent  for  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad,  Plymouth,  was  born  August  3d,  1849,  at  Three  Rivers, 
Michigan,  and  mai'ried  Miss  Kate  Weiss,  ot  Bloomsburg,  Columbia 
county,  Pa. 

F.  Howard  Armstrong,  clerk,  formerly  a  farmer,  was  born  in 
Rilcysville,  Wayne  county,  Pa,,  January  8th,  1844,  and  married  Hannah 
B.  Jaquish,  of  Plymouth.  Mr.  Armstrong  served  in  the  army  during 
the  civil  war  and  was  mustered  out  as  second  lieutenant  of  Company  F 
8nd  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 

J.  R.  Baldwin,  a  farmer  of  Jackson  township,  was  born  in  Newark, 
N.J.  He  married  Mary  Baker,  who  died  in  1844.  May  2nd,  1864,  he  mar- 
ried Anna  Pratt,  of  Nicholson,  Wyoming  county.  He  was  county  com- 
missioner's clerk  from  1814  to  1860. 

B.  D.  Barthe  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  September  7th,  1839,  and 
married  Mars:aret  Collins,  of  the  same  city.  During  the  Rebellion  he 
served  as  sergeant  in  the  26th  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  has  for 
some  time  published  the  Pltjmtmtli  Star  {office  Main  street,  east  ward), 
and  has  been  burgess  of  Plymouth. 

A.  F.  Bates,  stable  boss,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  Luzerne  county, 
February  18th,  1846.  His  wife  was  formerly  Sarah  Dreher,  of  Strouds- 
burg.  Pa. 

E.  W.  Beckwith,  photographer,  was  born  May  1st,  1830,  in  Windsor, 
Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  and  married  Miss  Julia  Chamberlain,  of  Great 
Bend,  Pa. 

James  Bird,  agent  for  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Bail- 
road  at  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Bear  Gap,  Northumberland  county. 
Pa.,  December  7th,  1855,  and  married  Lillie  F.  Nicely,  of  Shickshinny, 
Luzerne  county. 

Elias  Bittenbender,  who  was  formerly  engaged  in  shoemaking,  now 
an  engineei'  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company, 
was  born  in  Nescopeck  township,  February  3nd,  1834,  and  married  Eliza- 
beth Frantz,  of  Berwick,  Columbia  county,  Pa. 

Brice  S.  Blaik,  justice  of  the  peace  and  assistant  burgess,  Plymouth, 
was  born  in  Candor,  N.  Y.,  December  25th,  1833.  His  wife  was  Miss  Flor- 
ence E.  Davenport,  of  Plymouth. 

J.  H.  Campbell,  wheelwright,  now  foreman  in  the  employ  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Nescopeck,  March  4th,  1843, 
and  married  M.  M.  Post,  of  Union. 

Worthy  Carver,  mining  foreman.  West  Nanticoke,  was  bom  in 
England,  in  1835.    His  wife  was  Hannah  Williams,  of  Schuylkill  county. 

Calvin  W.  Case,  a  life-long  resident  of  Jackson  township,  was  born 
March  18th,  1812.  He  married  Miss  Olive  L'Amoreux,  also  of  Jackson. 
He  is  engaged  in  farming  and  bee-keeping,  and  has  served  as  justice  of 
the  peace  twenty  years. 

Rev.  Ralph  C.  H.  Catterall,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Ply- 
mouth, was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  May  3d,  1840.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Caroline  Held,  of  Staffordshire,  England. 

George  Cease,  farmer  and  manufacturer  of  lumber,  was  bom  in 
Beach  Haven,  Pa.,  August  34th,  1813,  and  married  Jane  L'Amoreux,  of 
Jackson  township.    He  has  served  as  supervisor. 

Jacob  Cease,  faraier  and  lumberman,  was  bora  in  Plymouth  town- 
ship, FebruaiT  4th,  1817,  and  married  Emma  J.  Van  Loon,  of  Plymouth. 
He  has  been  supervisor. 

JosiAH  Cease  was  born  in  Jackson  township,  March  3d,  1833.  He 
married  Sarah  J.  Ide,  of  Lehman  township.  Mr.  Cease,  who  is  engaged 
in  farming  and  lumbering,  has  served  as  town  clerk  of  Jackson. 

William  Coelet,  mining  boss,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  England,  Oc- 
tober 6th,'1828,  and  married  Helen  Savery,  of  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.  She 
died  in  1870,  and  his  second  wife,  Ann  Gruntlett,  of  Plymouth,  died  in  1874. 

George  R.  Conners,  outside  foreman  of  Nottingham  breaker  No.  1.5, 
Plymouth,  was  born  in  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.,  February  3nd,  1853,  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Elizabeth  Rlckett,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Thomas  D.  Davis,  miner,  was  born  in  Wales,  in  1846,  emigrated  in 
1885,  and  married  Jane  Davis,  a  native  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

William  Davis,  merchant,  Plymouth  (residence  on  WUlow  street), 
was  bom  in  Schuylkill  county.  Pa.,  in  August,  1840.  He  was  formerly 
employed  as  a  clerk. 

G.  B;  De  Witt,  freight  agent  for  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  Company, 
was  born  in  Light  Street,  Columbia  county,  October  21st,  1853,  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Jennie  S.  Lam  on,  of  Kingston. 

W.  W.  Dietrick,  a  lifelong  resident  of  Plymouth,  was  born  in  1846. 
For  several  years  he  has  been  cashier  of  the  Plymouth  Savings  Bank. 
His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Georgie  Parsons,  of  Look  Haven,  Pa. 


JosiAH  W.  Bno  was  born  in  Slmsbury,  Hartford  county,  Conn.,  Feb- 
ruary 23d,  1820,  and  married  Louisa  B.  Glassell,  of  Culpepper  county,  Va. 
Mr.  Eno,  who  is  j  ustloe  of  t he  peace,  was  formerly  engaged  in  mercantile 
and  coal  Inisiness. 

Rev.  D.  E.  Evans  was  born  in  Wales,  August  7th,  1825.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Elizabeth  Evans,  of  Hazleton.  Mr.  Evans  is  pastor  of  the  Welch 
Independent  Church  at  Plymouth. 

Charles  W.  Evans,  breaker  boss  for  the  Kingston  Coal  Company, 
was  born  in  Wales  In  1836.  His  wife,  Mary  Troy,  is  a  native  of  Pittston. 
Mr.  Evans  was  a  clerk  at  General  Terry's  headquarters  in  the  late  war. 

John  W.  Evarts,  farmer,  was  born  in  North  Guilford,  Conn.,  in  1844, 
and  married  Emma  D.  Nevel,  ot  Ross  township.  He  served  ten  months 
In  the  97th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  during  (he  Rebellion. 

William  Frain,  a  resident  of  LarksvlUe,  was  born  in  Shickshinny, 
May  31st,  1859. 

Edward  C.  Fletcher,  physician,  was  born  in  England,  July  3d,  1842, 
and  married  M.  A.  Richards,  of  Plymouth. 

Samuel  Livingston  French,  burgess,  was  bom  in  Plymouth,  Sep- 
tember 28th,  1839,  and  has  since  lived  there,  having  been  elected  to  the 
otBces  of  register  of  wills  for  the  county,  secretary  of  the  borough 
council  and  secretary  of  the  school  board,  and  now  serving  his  third 
term  as  burgess.  He  enlisted  for  service  in  the  62nd  Pennsylvania  vol- 
unteers, and  afterward  served  with  a  company  of  militia  from  Plymouth. 
Mr.  French  married  Harriet  S.  Turner,  of  Kingston. 

Hakvet  Fuller  was  born  in  HuntsviUe,  Jackson  township,  October 
30th,  1820.  He  married  Mary  Santee,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  is  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  lumber  and  Houring-mill. 

P.  C.  Gates,  proprietor  of  the  Central  Restaurant,  Plymouth,  was 
born  in  Philadelphia,  January  7thi  1951,  and  married  Mary  A.  Snyder, 
of  Plymouth. 

Rev.  Prank  Gray,  Church  street,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  Stafford- 
shire, England,  and  married  Margaretta  AUbrighton,  of  Plymouth.  He 
is  engaged  in  the  sale  of  coal. 

Austin  Gregory,  miller,  formei'ly  postmaster,  was  born  in  Union 
township,  June  7th,  1823.  He  had  previously  worked  at  the  carpenters' 
trade  and  farming. 

Edward  HAHN,foreman  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company, 
was  born  April  30th,  1833,  in  Germany.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Burns, 
of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  was  formerly  engaged  in  boating. 

William  B.  Hance,  grocer,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  Vienna,  N.  J. 

Joseph  Harris,  tobacconist,  was  born  in  Loughor,  South  Wales, 
March  4th,  1848.  His  wife  was  Miss  Catherine  Phillips,  of  Cumavon, 
Glamorganshire,  South  Wales.  Mr.  Harris  was  formerly  engaged  in 
painting. 

Samuel  Hakrison,  farmer,wasbom  in  Hunterdon  county,  N.  J.,  Sep- 
tember 17th,  1817,  and  man-ied  Rachel  Whitenie,  of  Newport  township. 
Mr.  Hai-rison,  who  was  formerly  engaged  in  mining,  has  served  as 
supervisor. 

WiLLABD  HiCKOK,  forwarding  agent  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Barryville,  Sullivan  county,  N.Y.,  August 
9th,  1852.  His  wife  was  formerly  Mary  B.  Thompson,  of  Hight  Palls, 
Ulster  county,  N.  Y. 

ROBERT  Hutchison,  who  was  born  in  Pictou,  Nova  Scotia,  January 
30th,  1835,  is  employed  as  superintendent  of  the  Boston  mines,Plymouth. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Sophia  J.  Easton,  of  Trevorton,  Pa. 

Charles  M.  Hyatt,  dealer  in  jeweli-y,  groceries  and  lumber,  was 
born  in  Bast  Smithfleld,  Pa.,  October  30th,  1855,  and  married  Emma  A. 
Case,  of  Belbend. 

Henry  T.  Hutchens  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  April  16th,  1827,  and 
married  Christina  Cease,  of  Jackson.  Mr.  Hutchens,  who  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming,  has  also  been  in  the  lumber  business. 

Joseph  Jaquish,  who  died  at  his  residence  in  Larksville,  January 
31st,  1875,  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  September  36th,  1811,  and  mar- 
ried Huldah  Smalley,  of  Larksville,  whose  death  occurred  September 
23d,  1852.    Mr.  Jaquish  was  a  farmer. 

William  Jenkins,  carpenter,  was  born  in  Plymouth  township,  April 
6th,  1818.  He  married  Mary  Chamberlain,  of  Plymouth.  She  died  No- 
uember  27th,  1851,  and  he  married  Ellen  Shaffer,  of  Dallas. 

John  S.  Jones,  a  native  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  was  born  in  1833,  and  mar- 
ried Hannah  Scott,  of  Plymouth,  Pa.  He  is  an  engineer  in  the  employ 
of  the  Kingston  Coal  Company. 

Philip  Keller,  a  native  and  life-long  resident  of  Plymouth  town- 
ship, was  bom  March  16th,  1833,  and  married  Esther  Davenport,  of  the 


=H^ 


■i'^4^ 


f 


=4^ 


354^ 


HISTORY  OF   LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


same  township.  Mr.  Keller,  who  was  formerly  engaged  in  canal  toat- 
iug,  is  now  occupied  in  farm'.ng. 

William  E.  Labae,  harn  boss,  Avondale,  was  born  in  Union,  March 
28th,  1857. 

Db  Haven  Lanoe,  superintendent  of  the  Water  and  Gas  Company, 
Plymouth,  formerly  superintendent  of  the  Norfolk  Manufacturing 
Company,  was  horn  October  9th,  1846,  at  Minersville,  Schuylkill  county. 
Mrs.  Lance  was  formerly  Miss  Mary  McParlane,  of  Plymouth. 

Walteb  W.  Lahoe,  civil  engineer,  was  born  it  Pottsville,  Schuylkill 
county,  September  30th,  1844,  and  married  Julia  E.  Sooville,  of  Williams- 
port.    He  was  formerly  a  well  known  coal  operator. 

Charles  Lawson,  outside  superintendent  for  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  (breaker  No.  4),  was  formerly  engaged  in  engi- 
neering. He  was  born  in  Scotland,  November  6th,  1839,  and  married 
Harriet  Adella  Snyder,  of  Plymouth  township. 

Conrad  Lee,  church  street,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  Wright  township, 
November  3d,  1843,  and  married  Agnes  Weir,  of  Hazleton.  Mr.  Lee,  who 
is  superintendent  of  the  Avondale  mines,  has  held  that  position  lor  the 
last  thirteen  years. 

John  R.  Lee,  merchant,  was  born  in  Wright  township,  November 
16th,  1848.    His  wife  was  formerly  Emily  G.  Pell,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Henry  Lees,  merchant  tailor.  Main  street,  Plymouth,  was  born  in 
England,  in  1841.    He  married  Jjorinda  Davenport,  of  Plymouth. 

Colonel  Andrew  P.  Levi,  bookseller,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  September  19th,  1845,  and  married  Ellen  0.  Davenport,  of  Ply- 
mouth. He  is  colonel  of  the  15th  regiment  national  guards  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 

James  Linn  was  born  in  Warren  county,  N.  J.,  December  11th,  1836, 
and  maiTied  Ellen  Alkins,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Mr.  Linn,  who  was  for- 
merly engaged  in  boat  building,  is  now  employed  by  the  Lehigh  and 
Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company  as  foreman  of  breaker  No.  11. 

E.  M.  LowERT,  carpenter,  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Greenfield  township,  Lackawanna 
county.  May  Sth,  1848.  His  wife,  a  native  of  the  same  county,  was  for- 
merly Miss  Mai-y  Cole,  of  Scott  township. 

James  W.  Macparlane,  a  native  of  Perth  county,  Canada,  was  born 
July  6th,  1847,  and  married  Agnes  Weir,  of  Plymouth.  Pormerly  Mr. 
Maefarlane  was  engaged  ie  contracting  and  building,  but  he  is  now  em- 
ployed as  foreman  for  the  Susquehanna  Coal  Company. 

Isaac  M.  Mask,  master  mechanic,  Plymouth,  was  born  January  22nd, 
1825,  in  Baltimoi-e,  where  he  married  Mary  C.  Nye,  of  that  city.  He  was 
formerly  a  machinist. 

C.  W.  McAlarney,  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in  Mifflinburg,  Union 
county,  December  20th,  1848.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  at  Plymouth. 

G.  W.  McKee,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  born  in  Bradford  county. 
May  loth,  1831,  and  married  N.  A.  Prantz,  of  Pranklin.  Dr.  McKee  came 
to  Plymouth  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  August, 
1867. 

B.  A.  OuTTEN,  agent  for  the  Nottingham  Coal  Company,  was  born  in 
Norfolk,  Va.,  May  9th,  1838,  where  he  was  subsequently  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business.  His  wife,  a  native  of  Norfolk  county,  Va.,  was 
formerly  Miss  G.  V.  Foreman. 

B.  R.  Peckens  was  born  in  Montrose,  Susquehanna  county,  June 
16th,  1831,  and  married  Mary  Alherton,  of  Kingston.  During  the  Rebel- 
lion he  was  captain  of  Company  H  53nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  Mr. 
Peckens,  who  lias  always  been  engaged  in  the  coal  business,  is  now 
superintendent  of  the  Plymouth  division  oi;  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company. 

A.  G.  Peiper,  engineer,  Avas  born  in  Philadelphia,  August  14th,  1842. 
His  wife  was  formerly  Susan  Vannetter,  of  Plymouth. 

E.  G.  Pettebone,  farmer,  was  born  November  1st,  1818,  in  Kingston, 
where  he  married  Margaret  A.  Seagravcs. 

Rev.  T.  J.  Phillips,  superintendent  of  Avondale  mines  and  pastor 
of  the  Welsh  Presbyterian  church,  Plymouth,  was  born  in  South  Wales, 
July  5th,  1825.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ann  Jones,  is  a  native 
of  the  same  county. 

William  L.  Pritchahd,  justice  of  the  peace,  Plymouth,  was  boi-n 
in  South  Wales,  September  aSth,  1825.  Mrs.  Pritchard,  who  is  also  a 
native  of  South  Wales,  was  formerly  Ann  Watkins.  Mr.  Pritchard  is 
engaged  in  mining. 

George  B.  Ransom,  farmer,  was  born  November  14th,  1852,  in  Jaokson 
township,  and  married  Elizabeth  P.  Wilcox,  of  the  same^township. 

Frank  H.  Hat,  a  native  of  Columbia  county,  was  born  December 
3d,  1849,  and  married  Emoline  Hens,  of  Plymouth.  Mr.  Ray,  whose 
former  business  was  railroading,  now  holds  a  responsible  position  in  the 
employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company. 

Daniel  Reese,  son.,  mine  boss,  was  born  in  South  Wales,  November 
25th,  1816,  and  married  Sarah  Jones,  of  Summit  Hill,  Carbon  County,  Pa. 


Theodore  Renshaw,  a  native  of  Plymouth,  was  horn  November  11th, 
1836,  and  has  been  employed  as  mine  overseer.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the 
livery  business  and  as  an  ice  dealer.  He  has  been  twice  married;  his 
first  wife  was  Emily  Bangs  and  the  second  Charity  Smith,  both  of  Ply- 
mouth. 

George  P.  Richards,  liquor  merchant,  was  born  in  Monmouth- 
shire, South  Wales,  April  17th,  1829.  His  wife,  of  the  same  place,  was 
formerly  Sarah  Thomas.  Mr.  Richard  was  elected  clerk  of  the  courts  of 
the  county  in  1870,  which  ofBce  he  held  one  term. 

James  J.  HuOH,  hotel  keeper  at  West  Nantiooke,  was  born  in  Lehigh- 
ton.  Pa.,  October  16th,  1842,  and  married  Minerva  J.  Hummel,  of  Beach 
Haven,  where  he  was  at  one  time  assistant  collector  for  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Canal  Company. 

August  Schnell,  who  is  a  native  of  Germany,  and  who  married  Wil- 
hehnine  Kroeller,  of  that  county,  was  born  November  4th,  1822.  He 
was  engaged  in  surveying  before  coming  to  America,  and  is  now  em- 
ployed as  outside  foreman  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company's 
breaker  No.  5,  at  Plymouth. 

Fred.  Schwartz,  liquor  dealer  at  Plymouth,  was  born  in  New  York, 
January  18th,  1850. 

Charles  Shupp,  a  native  of  Plymouth,  was  born  in  1832,  and  married 
H.  Mary  Levi,  also  of  that  place.  His  mercantile  business  is  located  on 
Main  street  at  the  corner  of  Centre  avenue. 

Peter  Shupp,  a  nativcand  life-long  resident  of  Plymouth,  was  born 
August  IGth,  18.^2,  and  married  Martha  Bangs  of  the  same  place.  Mr. 
Shupp  was  married  a  second  time,  to  Ellen  Remmel,  of  Kingston.  He 
was  for  many  years  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  from  which  he 
has  retired. 

Peter  B.  Sites,  carpenter,  was  born  in  Lehman  township,  September 
4th,  1830,  and  married  EUen  E.  Hungorford.  She  died  June  17th,  1870, 
and  he  married  May  A.  Lattirae,  of  Plymouth 

Frank  R.  Snyder,  formerly  publisher  of  the  Plymimth  Herald,  was 
born  in  Orangeville,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  August  IGth,  1834,  and  mar- 
ried Lucy  E.  Coffman,  of  Bloomsburg. 

Joseph  Sweitzer,  furniture  dealer,  was  born  in  Wittemburg,  Ger- 
many, February  29th,  1828.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Ritterspack,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Bavaria,  Germany. 

Charles  Van  Loon,  formerly  a  blacksmith,  now  employed  as  fore- 
man for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Ply- 
mouth, July  31st,  1836,  and  married  Elizabeth  Powell,  of  that  place. 

C.  F.  Walton  was  born  in  Columbia  county,  January  18th,  1857.  He 
was  previously  engaged  in  farming  but  is  now  employed  as  clerk  in  H. 
H.  Ashley's  store. 

BoiN  Wilcox,  brick  manufacturer,  was  born  in  Plains  township, 
March  2nd,  1818,  and  married  Nancy  Maxfleld,  of  Braintrim,  Wyoming 
county.    Mr.  Wilcox  has  also  been  engaged  in  farming  and  mining. 

C.  M.  Wilcox,  dock  boss  of  the  Avondale  breaker.  West  Nanticoke, 
was  born  in  Plains  township,  Augiist  9th,  1835.  Mrs.  Wilcox's  maiden 
name  was  Esther  A.  Cease,  and  she  was  a  resident  of  Plymouth. 

Stephen  F.  Williams  was  born  in  Huntington  township,  and  is  now 
engaged  in  the  sale  of  drugs  at  Plymouth,  on  Main  above  Centre  street. 

Charles  H.  Wilson,  M.  D.,  whs  born  in  Berwick,  Columbia  county, 
August  17th,  1835,  and  married  Maria  A.  Egerton,  of  Carbondale.  He 
was  appointed  postmaster  at  Plymouth,  January  4th,  1879.  He  served 
as  surgeon  in  the  49th  regiment,  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  from  1801 
to  1804,  with  rank  as  major;  and  as  surgeon-in-chiof  of  the  3d  division  of 
the  national  guards  of  Pennsylvania,  ranking  as  lieutenant  colonel, 
from  1870  to  1878. 

William  E.  Wolfe,  agent  for  the  Ponnsylvnia  Railroad,  was  born  in 
Union  county,  on  St.  Patrick's  day,  m-iS.  He  was  formerly  a  clerk  in 
the  employ  of  the  same  company,  at  Sunbury,  and  is  now  living  at 
Grand  Tunnel,  Plymouth  township. 

JORDEN  Womelsdorf,  looktondor  for  the  Pennsylvania  Canal  Com- 
pany, West  Nanticoke,  was  born  in  Reading,  Berks  county,  August  11th, 
1814.  His  wife,  whoso  maiden  name  was  Mary  Belles,  of  Newport  town- 
■shlp,  died  in  1800. 

A.  R.  Worthington,  liveryman,  was  born  at  Harvey's  Lake,  October 
15th,  1828,  and  married  C.  D.  Pringlo,  of  Plymouth. 

Harvey  Yeaqer  was  born  in  Slabtown,  Columbia  county,  November 
23d.  1847,  and  married  M.  E.  R.  Smith,  of  Kingston.  He  was  formerly  a 
salesman,  but  is  now  carrying  on  a  general  mercantile  business. 

William  Tiegst,  merchant  at  West  Nanticoke,  was  born  at  that 
place  July  19th,  1833.  He  mai-ried  Olive  C.  Baird,  of  Jaokson  township. 
His  former  occupation  was  farming. 

We  may  mention  also  among  the  well  known  residents  of  Plymouth 
township  and  borough  the  following :  P.  Bacon,  C.  K.  Bennett,  Rev.  F. 
J.  Donahue,  M.  Garrahan,  R.  H.  Gibbons,  Jameson  Harvey,  G.  P.  Mae- 
farlane, Commodore  Mack,  E.  W.  Marple,  John  J.  Morgan,  Charles  Nel- 
son, Rev.  T.  J.  Phillips,  Samuel  Shaffer,  Draper  Smith,  A.  B.  Tyrrell. 


N^ 


=KN 


*ii- 


^ 


PROFESSIONAL  AND  BUSINESS  MEN  OF   PLYMOUTH. 


355 


PLYMOUTH  BOROUGH. 


;OVEMBER  30th,  1865,  the  petition  of  John 
B.  Smith,  Peter  Shupp,  H.  Gaylord,  Draper 
Smith,  J.  W.  Eno  and  fifty-three  others  was 
filed  in  court,  asking  that  a  borough  might 
be  incorporated,  and  that  its  name  should  be 
Plymouth.  The  grand  jury  reported  the  same 
day  in  favor  of  granting  the  petition,  and  April 
23d,  1866,  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  granted  a  char- 
ter, and  appointed  Oliver  Davenport  judge,  and  J.  J. 
Shonk  and  Ira  Davenport  inspectors,  to  hold  an  election 
for  borough  officers  on  the  2nd  Tuesday  of  May,  1866. 
At  this  election,  E.  C.  Wadhams  was  elected  burgess,  and 
the  following  persons  as  town  council:  Samuel  Wad- 
hams,  Henderson  Gaylord,  Peter  Shupp,  Ira  Davenport 
and  Frank  Turner.  Theodore  Renshaw  was  elected  high 
constable,  and  J.  W.  Eno  auditor.  August  3d  a  full 
code  of  regulations  for  the  borough  government  was 
adopted.  The  borough  was  divided  into  two  wards  in 
1872,  and  in  1876  into  eight  wards.  The  population  in 
1870  was  2,684,  and  in  1880  6,065. 

Early  Schools  and  Teachers. 

The  settlers  of  Plymouth,  early  recognizing  the  im- 
portance of  education,  established  schools  as  soon  as  the 
country  became  quiet  after  the  Revolution.  Two  school- 
houses  were  built,  one  near  the  common-field  and  the 
other  near  Ransom's  creek.  Jonah  Rogers  was  one  of 
the  first  teachers  and  commenced  teaching  about  1800. 
A  Mr.  Hamilton,  from  Connecticut,  taught  in  the  lower 
school-house  in  1806;  followed  by  one  Hazleton.  The 
old  academy  was  built  in  1815.  The  early  teachers  in 
this  building  were  Jonah  Rogers,  Thomas  Patterson,  Dr. 
Thomas  Sweet  and  Charles  C.  Curtis.  "  The  languages 
were  first  taught  in  the  old  academy  as  early  as  1829  " 
by  Benjamin  M.  Nyce.  Nyce  and  Patterson  taught 
three  or  four  years,  and  then  Mr.  Seivers,  the  last  teacher 
who  taught  the  dead  languages  in  the  old  academy.  A 
school  was  established  in  a  building  which  stood  nearly 
opposite  the  residence  of  George  Snyder,  in  Larksville, 
as  early  as  1825.  This  was  afterward  removed  to  the  lo- 
cation of  the  present  school-house.  The  borough  has 
sixteen  schools.  In  1876  it  had  fourteen,  with  an  average 
attendance  of  628  pupils.  Schools  were  kept  seven 
months,  at  an  expense  of  $6,584.89. 

The  old  academy  is  still  used,  and  a  fine  brick  build- 
ing has  been  erected  in  the  west  end  of  the  borough. 
Prof.  P.  Bacon  has  been  principal  of  the  high  school 
for  several  years.  There  are  over  600  children  in  daily 
attendance,  and  more  than  $6,500  is  annually  expended 
on  educational  matters. 

Early  Doctors  and   Lawyers. 

Dr.  William  H.  Smith  was  the  earliest  practitioner  of 
medicine.  He  was  not  a  resident  of  the  town,  however. 
Dr.  Anna  Morse,  formerly  Mrs.  Heath,  practiced  medi- 
cine early  in  the  present  century.     She  used  herbs,   calo- 


mel and  jalap  as  her  principal  remedies.  She  was  suc- 
ceeded, about  1814,  by  Dr.  Moreland,  who  lived  here 
two  years.  Dr.  Ebenezer  Chamberlin  came  into  the 
town  in  i8r6,  and  continued  in  the  practice  of  medicine 
until  his  death  in  1866.  Dr.  Charles  E.  Gaylord,  the  son 
of  one  of  the  original  ''Forty,"  was  the  first  native  of 
Plymouth  to  study  medicine.  He  did  not  practice  here, 
but  returned  here  to  spend  his  old  age  with  his  son, 
dying  in  February,  1839. 

James  A.  Gordon,  the  oldest  member  of  the  Luzerne 
county  bar,  resides  here,  and  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  the 
next  oldest,  was  born  here,  and  only  left  when  he  went 
to  Wilkes-Barre  to  practice  his  profession.  Thomas 
Nesbitt  was  the  first  resident  lawyer.  He  was  followed 
by  James  A.  Opp,  H.  C.  Magee,  C.  W.  McAlarney  and 
George  W.  ShonkI 

Business  Growth. 

The  business  of  Plymouth  borough  has  increased 
wonderfully  during  the  last  fifteen  years,  as  the  following 
list  of  the  principal  brick  business  places  will  prove.  The 
first  brick  store  in  the  borough  was  built  by  E.  C.  Wad- 
hams  about  1850,  and  is  now  used  by  the  Lehigh  and 
Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company,  as  an  office.  George  P. 
Richards  built  a  brick  two-story  hotel  building,  which 
he  still  occupies.  Peter  Shupp  erected  the  three-story 
brick  block  at  the  corner  of  Main  street  and  Center 
avenue,  in  1867.  His  son  Charles  now  occupies  the 
building  for  a  store.  G.  P.  Richards  put  up  in  1868  the 
building  occupied  by  C.  W.  Jenkins  as  a  hardware  store. 
In  187 1  D.  K.  Spy  erected  the  block  where  R.  Robert's 
drug  store  now  is.  J.  B.  Smith's  opera  house  was  begun 
in  1871  and  finished  in  1872.  In  1872  Orange  Gould 
erected  a  two-story  brick  store,  having  Lewis  Boughton's 
wagon  and  blacksmith  shop  under  the  same  roof.  In 
this  year  G.  P.  Richards  built  the  Plymouth  House  and 
the  store  occupied  by  Reese  D.  Williams,  and  Antony 
Duffy  built  the  Duffy  block,  occupied  by  Sol.  Hirsch  as  a 
dry  goods  store.  In  1873  Henry  Lees  built  his  store; 
James  Lynchkill,  the  building  occupied  by  D.  K.  Spy  as  a 
drug  store;  James  McAlarney,  the  block  he  now  occu- 
pies; the  Odd  Fellows,  the  block  adjoining  McAlar- 
ney's,  and  now  owned  by  J.  J.  Shonk  and  D.  K.  Spy;  and 
Mark  Duffee  the  store  occupied  by  Hanes  Brothers.  In 
1874  Daniel  Antony  built  the  store  now  occupied  by  A. 
F.  Levi  as  a  book  store;  William  Davis,  a  double  store; 
J.  Dennis,  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  Star  drug 
store,  and  Samuel  Snyder  the  store  occupied  by  McKin- 
ney  &  Simons.  In  1875  McKinney  &  Simons  built  the 
store  now  occupied  by  A.  Reese,  and  J.  J.  Davis  his 
music  store.  In  1876  D.  P.  Williams  built  the  double 
store  now  occupied  by  W.  C.  Sponsler  and  Thomas 
Roberts;  Richard  Lewis,  a  double  store;  J.  J.  Shonk,  the 
store  occupied  by  F.  Schwartz;  and  S.  Snyder,  a  two- 
story  building  now  used  as  a  barber  shop.  Ii,  1878  S. 
F.  William  built  his  drug  store.  In  1879  Lee  Brothers, 
James  B.  Davis  and  Abram  Straus,  each  erected  two- 
story  brick  stores,  and  Joseph  Sweitzer  a  double  two- 
story  brick  store. 


*^h= 


<l 


-<<^ 


356 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  principal  hotels  are  the  Parrish  House,  Milton 
Charles  proprietor;  the  Ely  House,  James  Ely  proprie- 
tor; and  the  Frantz  House,  Luther  C.  Frantz  proprie- 
tor. 

The  Wren  Iron  Works,  built  in  187 1,  by  John  Y.  Wren, 
a  native  of  Scotland,  are  principally  occupied  in  the  cast- 
ing of  mine  machinery.  Iron  fences  and  other  ornamen- 
tal castings  are  also  made  at  these  works,  which  have  a 
capacity  equal  to  the  work  of  twenty-five  men.  Owing 
to  the  dullness  of  the  trade,  but  a  small  force  is  now  en- 
g;:ged.     John  Y.  Wren  is  superintendent  and  manager. 

Harvey  Brothers  &  Co.'s  planing-mill  began  in  April, 
187  r,  in  a  building  229  by  70  feet,  that  had  formerly  been 
used  as  a  machine  shop.  The  capital  invested  was  $48,- 
000.  The  works  are  principally  occupied  in  making 
d  jors,  mouldings,  sash,  &c.,  and  can  employ,  when  run- 
ning to  their  full  capacity,  65  men.  The  machinery  is 
driven  by  one  thirty-five  hor.se-powcr  engine,  with  three 
boilers  32  feet  long  and  32  inches  in  diameter.  The 
works  are  under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  John 
Kern,  one  of  the  firm. 

The  first  bank  in  Plymouth  was  the  First  National  Bank, 
which  was  chartered  December  loth,  1864.  The  capital 
stock  was  $100,000,  in  shares  of  $100.  The  first  officers 
were  J.  B.  Smith,  president,  and  Henderson  Gaylord, 
cashier.  J.  B.  Smith  is  now  president,  Draper  Smith  vice- 
jjresident,  and  J  W.  Chamberlin  cashier.  The  bank  is 
located  in  a  brick  building  owned  by  its  proprietors  on 
Main  street. 

Plymouth  Savings  Bank  was  incorporated  in  1871;  au- 
thorized capital,  $250,000;  capital  taken,  $25,000.  Offi- 
cers: Ira  Davenport,  president;  Peter  Shupp,  vice-presi- 
dent, and  W.  W.  Deitrick,  cashier. 

THE  COAL  INTEREST. 

FIRST    USE,    MINING    AND    SHIPMENTS. 

To  Plymouth  belongs  the  honor  of  having  sent  the  first 
ant'iracite  coal  to  market,  and  to  Abijah  Smith  the  greater 
honor  of  having  been  the  pioneer  of  the  great  anthracite 
coal  trade  of  Pennsylvania.  He  came  to  Plymouth  in 
r8o6,  and  bought  75  acres  of  coal  land  on  the  east  side 
of  Ransom's  creek.  In  1807  he  began  mining,  and  coal 
has  been  mined  from  the  opening  made  by  him  nearly 
every  year  since.  In  this  year  he  bought  of  John  P. 
Arndt,  for  $24,  an  "  ark  "  that  had  been  used  in  bringing 
plaster  down  the  river,  and  loaded  it  with  about  fifty  tons 
of  coal,  mined  on  the  lands  of  Calvin  Wadhams  by  strip- 
ping off  the  earth.  Late  in  the  season  he  ran  the  ark  to 
Columbia,  Lancaster  county.  This  was  the  first  anthra- 
cite coal  ever  offered  in  the  market.  In  the  spring  of 
1808  Abijah  Smith  and  his  brother  John,  who  had  come 
to  Plymouth  from  Derby,  Conn.,  and  bought  an  adjoining 
tract  of  120  acres  of  coal  land,  loaded  two  arks  and  took 
them  to  Columbia;  but  they  could  not  sell  it,  as  the  peo- 
ple declared  the  black  stones  to  be  worthless.  Not  to  be 
discouraged  they  again  loaded  their  arks,  and  the  next 
year  went  again  10  Columbia,  but  this  time  provided  with 
a  grate.    This  was  put  up  in  the  presence  of  the  spectators 


and  a  fire  built  with   coal.     Doubt  was  dispelled,  and  an 
opening  made  for  a  small  trade. 

Coal  was  then  quarried  rather  than  mined.  Teams 
drove  right  into  the  Smith  mine  and  loaded;  six  loads 
being  considered  a  day's  work.  The  arks  in  which  the 
coal  was  shipped  were  built  on  the  bank  of  the  small 
stream  that  crosses  the  street  near  the  blacksmith  shop  of 
A.  Gabriel.  The  Smiths  had  constructed  a  basin  near 
the  mouth  of  this  stream,  where  the  arks  were  built,  and 
all  the  men  in  the  neighborhood  assisted  in  launching 
them.  Coal  was  sent  to  market  in  lump,  and  was  broken 
by  the  consumer  with  hammers.  The  first  coal-breaker 
was  driven  by  horse  power.  It  was  in  Plymouth  that 
powder  was  first  used  in  coal  mining  in  Pennsylvania. 
Abijah  Smith  got  John  Flanigan,  from  Milford,  Conneo 
ticut  to  begin  blasting  in  March,   1818. 

LEHIGH    AND    WILICES-H ARRB    COAL     COMPANY. 

This  company  first  began  mining  coal  in  Plymouth  in 
1874,  having  leases  of  the  Lance  breaker,  Nottingham 
shaft  and  Washington  breaker.  The  superintendent  of 
the  works  of  the  company  in  Plymouth  is  F.  E.  Tiffany, 
with  E.  M.  Marple  as  accountant  and  J.  Jones  machinist. 
The  company  has  seventy-three  tenant  houses  in  con- 
nection with  its  different  works.  It  put  its  mines 
under  contract  to  Charles  Parrish,  January  ist,  1871,  and 
he  now  operates  them. 

The  ZMiire  Breaker,  also  known  as  Lehigh  and  Wilkes- 
Barre  Coal  Company's  Breaker  No.  11,  was  first  opened 
by  John  J.  Shonk  and  W.  L.  Lance  in  1864.  Mr.  Shonk 
sold  to  Mr.  Lance  in  1866,  and  he  to  Samuel  Bonnell  in 
1871.  The  present  owners  bought  of  Mr.  Bonnell. 
James  Linn  is  outside  foreman,  and  Daniel  Reese  min- 
ing boss.  The  breaker  has  a  capacity  of  875  tons  daily, 
but  in  October,  1879,  was  only  worked  up  to  700  tons. 
The  "  Bennett  "  vein  is  being  worked.  Ninety  men 
and  boys  are  employed  outside,  and  two  hundred  and 
thirty  inside. 

Nottingham  Breaker  (Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal 
Company's  No.  15)  was  first  opened  by  the  Nottingham 
Coal  Company,  who  sank  the  shaft  to  the  "  7-foot  "  vein 
and  then  leased  to  Thomas  Broderick  &  Co.,  in  August, 
1869.  Broderick  &  Co.  sank  the  shaft  to  the  red-ash  or 
"B  "  vein,  and  sold  their  lease  to  the  Lehigh  Navigation 
and  Coal  Company,  April  ist,  1872.  This  company  sold  to 
the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Company,  January  1st, 
1874.  This  breaker  employs  two  hundred  and  fifty  men 
and  boys,  under  the  charge  of  George  R.  Conner,  outside 
foreman.  Five  hundred  men  and  boys  are  employed  in- 
side, under  James  B.  Davis,  inside  boss.  The  breaker  is 
one  of  the  largest  in  the  valley,  having  a  capacity  of 
1,700  tons  daily,  and  is  now  working  to  1,500  tons. 

Washington  Breaker  (Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal 
Company's  No.  16)  was  first  opened  by  John  Shay,  about 
1854,  who  partly  erected  the  breaker,  drift  and  inclined 
plane.  He  then  formed  a  company  under  the  title  of 
Shutz,  Shay  &  Heebner,  who  operated  the  mine  for  a 
time,  with  John  B.  Smith  as  superintendent.  Thomas 
Broderick  &  Co.  obtained  a  lease  of  these  works  August, 


A^ 


*^H 


-^h 


COLLIERIES  AT  PLYMOUTH. 


357 


1869,  and  sold  their  lease  April  ist,  1872,  to  the  Lehigh 
Navigation  and  Coal  Company,  who  sold  to  the  Wikes- 
Barre  Coal  Company  January  ist,  1874.  The  works  em- 
ploy one  hundred  and  twenty  men  and  boys  outside,  un- 
der Peter  H.  Garrehan,  outside  foreman,  and  two  hun- 
dred inside,  under  David  W.  Evans,  mining  foreman. 
The  breaker  has  a  capacity  of  six  hundred  tons  per  day, 
and  the  mine,  situated  on  the  hill  one-fourth  of  a  mile 
away,  is  worked  to  the  full  capacity  of  the  breaker. 

DELAWARE    AND    HUDSON    CANAL    COMPANY. 

This  company  has  five  breakers  in  Plymouth  township 
and  borough.  It  first  began  mining  here  in  1872,  by 
shipments  from  No.  2  breaker.  It  has  one  hundred  and 
ten  tenant  houses.  E.  R.  Peckins  is  gen..'ral  superintend- 
ent in  Plymouth,  and  Isaac  Mark  machinist. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  No.  i  was  opened  by  Robert 
Hutchinson  &  Brother  in  1855,  for  a  company  of  Phila- 
delphia men,  under  the  name  of  the  Plymouth  Coal  Com- 
pany. They  sold  to  the  Northern  Coal  and  Iron  Com- 
pany in  1869,  and  they  to  the  present  owners.  The 
breaker  burned  in  1877,  since  which  time  the  mine  has 
been  idle.  There  are  four  engines  with  an  aggregate  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  horse  power. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  No.  2,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  No.  i,  was  opened  by  the  present  owners  in  i86t. 
The  breaker  was  not  erected  until  1864.  The  outside 
foreman  is  Charles  Van  Loon,  and  William  Cobley  is 
mining  boss.  The  mine  has  a  capacity  of  about  seven 
hundred  tons  per  day,  and  employs  two  hundred  men 
and  boys  inside,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  outside. 
The  works  are  operated  by  five  engines  of  an  aggregate 
of  two  hundred  and  ten  horse  power.  The  mine  was 
opened  in  the  "Cooper  "  vein. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  No.  .3,  on  the  railroad  leading 
from  the  Boston  mine  to  the  Boston  breaker,  and  about  a 
mile  from  the  river,  was  opened  to  the  "  Cooper  "  vein 
in  1870-71.  The  shaft  was  only  rock  over  one-half  of 
its  area,  the  other  half  being  quicksand.  The  breaker 
has  a  capacity  of  800  tons  daily,  but  stood  idle  from  its 
completion  to  October,  1879.  It  has  four  engines,  with 
an  aggregate  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  horse  power, 
and  one  Cornish  bull  pump  of  ten  feet  stroke. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  No.  4  was  worked  by  Patten, 
Fenderson  &  Co.  up  to  1850,  when  they  were  closed  out  at 
sheriff 's  sale,  and  the  property  bought  by  A.  C.  Laning 
&  Co.  In  i860  J.  J.  Shonk,  Payne  Pettebone  and  William 
Swetland  bought  the  mine,  and  they  worked  it  till  1863, 
when  they  sold  to  the  Jackson  Coal  Company,  which 
now  owns  the  land,  and  which  leased  to  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1878.  This  breaker  has  a 
capacity  of  over  700  tons  per  day,  and  employs  about 
90  men  and  boys  outside,  and  230  inside.  The  works  are 
operated  by  five  engines,  aggregating  195  horse  power, 
and  include  three  pumps,  with  a  capacity  of  45  barrels 
per  minute.  The  outside  foreman  is  Charles  Lawson,  the 
mining  boss  Edward  Hahn.  The  breaker  is  in  Poke  Hol- 
low, Plymouth  township. 

Delaware  and  Hudson  No.  5  was  begun  in  1858,  by  the 


Plymouth  Coal  Company,  under  the  superintendence  of  J. 
C.  Fuller.  That  company  sold  to  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company  in  1865.  The  breaker  is  on  the  railroad 
running  to  No.  4,  and  is  within  the  borough  limits.  The 
outside  foreman  is  August  Schnell,  and  the  mine  boss  Ca- 
leb Shonk.  The  breaker  produces  about  400  tons  daily, 
and  employs  90  men  and  boys  outside,  and  130  inside. 
There  are  5  engines,  with  an  aggregate  of  185  horse 
power.     There  is  a  slope  inside  2,100  feet  in  length 

DOtlSON    SHAFT. 

This  breaker,  on  the  Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg 
railroad,  was  opened  in  1869  by  Fellows,  Dodson  &  Co., 
who  operated  the  mine  until  1872.  They  then  sold  their 
lease  to  the  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  who 
^operated  the  mine  until  they  went  into  the  hands  of  a 
receiver,  in  1877.  The  works  remained  idle  from  this 
time  to  October  ist,  1878,  when  the  Plymouth  Land 
Company— J.  J.  Shonk  and  J.  W.  Eno,  the  lessors— again 
got  control  of  the  lands  and  leased  to  J.  C.  Haddock, 
G.  W.  Shonk  and  E.  F.  Stevens,  who  now  operate  the 
mine.  E.  F.  Stevens  is  superintendent  and  Michael 
Shonk  inside  boss.  There  are  about  200  men  and  boys 
employed  about  the  works.  The  power  is  furnished  by 
two  eighty  horse  power  hoisting  engines,  one  forty  horse 
power  breaking  engine,  one  pair  twenty-five  horse  power 
slope  engines  and  one  bull  pump.  There  are  fifty 
tenant  houses  belonging  to  the  works.  The  capacity  of 
the  breaker  is  200  tons  daily.  A  slope  is  being  driven 
to  a  lower  vein,  when  the  capacity  will  be  greatly  in- 
creased. 

GAYLORD    COAL    COMPANY. 

This  company's  mine,  northwest  of  Delaware  and 
Hudson  breaker  No.  4,  was  opened  by  Henderson  Gay- 
lord  about  1854.  The  property  was  leased  to  Van  Homer 
&  Fellows  for  several  years;  then  to  Mr.  Hedstrum,  of 
Buffalo;  then  to  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  Coal  Com- 
pany. The  works  were  idle  four  years,  after  which  Mr. 
Gaylord  took  them  into  his  own  hands.  March  isth, 
1879,  the  breaker  burned  down.  The  old  breaker  had  a 
cipacity  of  500  tons  daily,  and  employed  55  men  and 
boys.  A  new  breaker  is  now  being  built  under  the  su- 
pervision of  A.  B.  Tyrrell,  of  Kingston,  contractor,  which 
will  haVe  a  capacity  of  1,500  tons,  and  be  able  to  employ 
150  men  and  boys.  There  will  be  thirteen  engines.  The 
general  superintendent  is  Daniel  Edwards,  with  David 
Isaacs  as  outside  foreman  and  George  Pictou  inside  boss. 
The  company  has  270  acres  of  coal. 

The  Press  of  Plymouth. 

In  1856  James  Murill  Denn  published  twenty-one 
numbers  of  the  Plymouth  Register,  on  basswood  paper 
manufactured  by  W.  L.  Lance,  at  Rupert's  Station, 
Columbia  county. 

The  Plymouth  Star  was  started  in  January,  1869,  by 
E.  D.  Barthe,  who  still  continues  its  publication.  The 
Star  was  Republican  one  year,  and  has  since  been  inde- 
pendent.    In  January,  1879,  the  title  was  changed  to  the 


■•NH= 


4^ 


*%  ?=^= 


358 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


IVeMy  Star.      The  S/ar  is   an    eight-page,    six-column 
paper. 

The  Temperance  Record  "n^i,  pubHshed  in  1872  by  O.  I. 
Leach.  About  a  year  after,  A.  F.  Levi  and  others  took 
charge  of  it  and  changed  the  title  to  the  Plymouth  Index. 
From  the  fall  of  1873  Levi  &  O'Hara  published  it  until 
1874,  then  H.  D.  Bixby  and  A.  F.  Levi  a  few  weeks, 
then  A.  H.  &  H.  D.  Bixby  a  short  time,  when  the  publi- 
cation stopped.  It  was  revived  under  the  name  of  Ply- 
mouth  Herald,  by  Snyder  &  Cooker,  November  30th, 
1878.  In  February,  1879,  t^e  latter  retired,  and  N.  M. 
Hartraan  was  associated  with  Frank  R.  Snyder.  The 
paper  was  under  this  management  until  May  ist,  1879, 
when  Mr.  O'Hara  was  associated  with  Mr.  Snyder  until 
November  ist,  1879.  J-  S-  Sanders,  formerly  of  the 
Hazleton  Sentinel,  then  purchased  the  establishment,  and 
he  continued  to  publish  the  paper. 

Frank  R.  Snyder  published  the  Plymouth  Enterprise  a 
short  time  during  1878. 

Shawnee   Cemetery  Association. 

The  Shawnee  Cemetery  Association  was  chartered 
September  5th,  1873,  with  Draper  Smith  president,  Peter 
Shupp  treasurer,  and  R.  N.  Smith  secretary,  who  still 
serve.  The  capital  was  $10,000,  in  shares  of  |so.  Land 
was  bought  of  Ira  Davenport,  John  B.  Smith  and  Oliver 
Davenport,  on  the  hill  back  of  the  borough,  in  Plymouth 
township,  and  improvements  commenced  immediately- 
The  first  person  buried  here  was  a  child  of  William  Shock, 
aged  two  years,  buried  October  27th,  1863.  The  next 
was  William  Jones,  who  was  killed  by  cars  November 
6th,  1873. 

Previous  to  the  establishment  of  this  cemetery  burials 
were  made  on  a  knoll  near  the  Boston  breaker.  The 
Davenport,  Hodge  and  Reynolds  families  each  had  their 
family  cemeteries.  The  bodies  are  being  removed  from 
these  old  burying  grounds  to  Shawnee  cemetery  as  rap- 
idly as  possible.  The  affairs  of  the  association  are  being 
conducted  by  the  following  board  of  managers:  John  B. 
Smith,  Ira  Davenport,  Peter  Shupp,  James  McAlarney, 
John  J.  Shonk)  James  B.  Pierce,  Brice  S.  Blair,  William 
Davis  and  A.  S.  Davenport. 

Gas  and  Water  Companies. 

The  Plymouth  Gas  Company  was  chartered  in  1875, 
with  a  capital  of  $20,000  in  shares  of  $50.  The  first 
officers,  who  have  held  their  offices  to  the  present,  were: 
Draper  Smith,  president;  J.  W.  Chamberlin,  secretary 
and  treasurer,  and  DeHaven  Lance,  superintendent. 
Gas  is  made  from  naphtha  by  what  is  known  as  the  Paten 
process.     The  main  pipes  are  all  four  inches  in  diameter. 

The  Plymouth  Water  Company  organized  June  12th, 
187s,  with  Draper  Smith,  president;  J.  W.  Chamberlin, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  and  DeHaven  Lance,  superin- 
endent,  all  still  serving.  The  capital  is  $50,000,  in  shares 
of  $50.  The  reservoir  is  just  below  the  depot  in  Ply- 
mouth village.  The  water  is  collected  from  streams  fed 
by  springs  in  the  mountains  of  Plymouth  township,  one 
and  one-half  miles  from    the  center  of  the  borough,  and 


^¥ 


is    of  great  purity.     It    is  collected  by  a  series  of  dams, 
each  one  being  filled    by  the   surplus  water  overflowing 
the  one   above.     Dam  No.  i  is  of  stone,  fifteen  feet  high. 
The  water  has  a  fall  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet 
from  this  dam    to  the    gauge   in   the  company's    office  in 
the  village.     The   main  pipe    leading    from    this  dam  is 
twelve  inches   in  diameter.     The    pipe    running  up  Main 
street  is  eight  inches,  and    the  one  in    Back    street  is  six 
inches.     There    are  five  four-inch    pipes,    running   from 
Back  street  to   Main  street.     All    these  pipes    have  gates 
which  allow  of  their  being  washed  out  at  any  time.    Dam 
No.   2   is   about  one  hundred  rods  above  No.  i,  on  the 
same  stream,  and  is   twenty  feet  high.     No.  3,  forty   rods 
further  up,  is  twenty  feet   high,  and  No.  4,  one   hundred 
and    fifty  rods  above  this    is  now   building,   and  will  be 
thirteen  feet  high.     All  these   dams   are  built  of  stone,  in 
the  best  possible  manner,  with  a  view  to  durability.   There 
are  no  pipes  above  No.  i. 

Principal  Borough  Officers. 

The  following  persons  have  served  as  burgesses:  E. 
C.  Wadhams,  1866-69;  J-  W.  Eno,  1870,  1871,  1873, 
1874;  C.  H.  Cool,  1872;  E.  D.  Barthe,  1875;  S.  L. 
French,  1876,   1877,  1879;  J.  Y.  Wren,  1878. 

The  list  of  justices,  with  dates  of  commission,  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

Josiah  W.  Eno,  April  9th,  1807;  E.  C.  Wadhams,  November  6th,  1869; 
Josiah  W.  Eno,  April  9th,  1SY3;  John  E.  Halltck,  east  ward,  April  15th, 
1873  ;  Bryoe  S.  Blair,  west  ward,  April  1.5th,  1S73 ;  J.  W.  Eno,  first  ward, 
March  17th,  1877  ;  C.  S.  Neshitt,  first  ward,  first  Monday  in  May,  1878  ;  J. 
B.  Halleck,  sooond  ward,  first  Monday  in  May,  1879 ;  Richard  M.  Roberts, 
third  ward,  March  11th,  1876  ;  Abel  Moss,  third  ward,  first  Monday  May, 
1879 ;  Augustus  Sohnell,  fourth  ward,  March  11th,  1876 ;  William  Gwynne 
Jones,  fourth  ward,  first  Monday  May,  1879;  Draper  Smith,  fifth  ward, 
March  11th,  1870  ;  Ziba  Van  Loon,  sixth  ward,  March  17th,  1877  ;  Bryce  S. 
Blair,  seventh  ward,  first  Monday  May,  1873 ;  Samuel  Albrighton,  eighth 
ward,  March  11th,  1876 ;  D.  C.  Neagley,  second  ward,  first  Monday  May, 
1879. 

The  officers  in  1879  wei-e:  S.  L.  French,  burgess;  A. 
F.  Levi,  H.  H.  Ashley,  Ira    Davenport,   Thaddeus  Eddy, 

Powell,  D.  K.  Spy  and  Frank  Turner,   councilmen; 

Samuel  Shaffer,  clerk. 

RELIGIOUS  MATTERS. 

Count  Zinzendorf,  the  Moravian  missionary,  is  known 
to  have  preached  to  the  Indians  on  the  site  of  Plymouth 
as  early  as  1742.  He  spent  several  days  here,  preaching 
to  the  Shawnees,  through  an  interpreter.  The  tent  of 
Count  Zinzendorf  is  known  to  have  stood  directly  oppo- 
site the  site  of  the  "  Christian  "  church. 

The  early  settlers  had  no  regular  meeting  place,  but 
met  at  the  most  convenient  private  houses.  Most  of  the 
people  and  all  of  the  preachers  for  several  years  were 
Presbyterians.  Rev.  George  Beckwith,  of  Lyme,  Mass., 
came  in  1769.  He  was  succeeded  in  1770  by  Rev. 
Jacob  Johnson,  of  Groton,  Conn.,  and  the  latter  in  a 
few  months  by  Rev.  Elkanah  Holmes.  In  1772  Rev. 
Noah  VVadhaius,  of  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  a  graduate 
of  Princeton  College,  first  preached  in  Plymouth.  Meet- 
ings were  held  in  barns,  school-houses  and  private 
dwellings,  Mr.  Wadhams  often  preaching  in  his  own 
house  on  the  back  road,  where  he  died  in  1802. 


-^¥ 


►^5- 


4 


M.  E.  AND  WELSH   INDEPENDENT  CHURCHES  OF   PLYMOUTH, 


359 


METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

Rev.  Noah  Wadhams,  who  came  from  Litchfield, 
Conn.,  in  1789,  was  originally  a  Congregationalist,  but 
soon  after  settling  in  Plymouth  he  became  a  Methodist, 
and  united  with  that  church,  at  the  forming  of  a  class,  in 
1791.  No  records  are  extant  showing  the  full  member- 
ship of  this  class;  but  it  is  known  that  Noah  Wadhams, 
Moses  Wadhams,  Calvin  Wadhams,  Mrs.  Benjamin  Har- 
vey, Mrs.  Turner,  Mrs.  Davenport,  Mrs.  Pugh,  Joshua 
Pugh,  Peter  Pugh  and  Thomas  Pringle  were  members  of 
the  early  class,  or  before  1795- 

By  the  accession  of  families  from  New  York  and  New 
Jersey  the  Methodists  became  the  leading  denomination 
in  Plymouth  township.  A  class  was  formed  as  early  as 
1803,  known  as  the  Ross  Hill  class,  which,  from  the 
showing  in  the  steward's  book  of  the  amount  paid  by 
each  class,  was  one  of  the  largest  in  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  quarterly  conference.  This  class  met  in  a  school- 
house,  while  the  Plymouth  or  Shawnee  class  met  in  the 
school-house  or  the  dwellings  of  its  members. 

The  Plymouth  class  continued  small  to  1847.  The 
same  preacher  had  supplied  both  Plymouth  and  Kings- 
ton, but  the  Plymouth  class  then  got  a  minister  from 
New  Jersey.  All  meetings  had  been  held  in  the  academy 
since  1815,  but  in  1853  the  Plymouth  class  was  reorgan- 
ized and  began  building  a  church.  It  was  dedicated 
in  1856.  There  had  been  a  Sunday-school  for  a  long 
time  under  the  general  direction  of  the  Methodists;  but 
at  this  time  a  distinct  Methodist  Sunday-school  was 
formed,  which  has  been  kept  up  ever  since.  From  this 
time  the  church  began  to  increase  in  numbers. 

In  1877  an  elegant  brick  church  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  $34,000.  The  dedication  took  place  on  January  gth, 
1878.  There  are  now  about  300  members  in  the  con- 
gregation, and  420  pupils  connected  with  the  Sunday- 
school. 

The  following  ministers  are  known  to  have  been  in 
charge  of  the  Plymouth  class  at  the  time  stated: 

James  Campbell,  1791 ;  William  Hardesty,  1793;  William  Colbert  and 
Antony  Turch,  1793;  James  Paynter,  179i;  A.  White,  ITO.'i;  Koser  Ben- 
ton, 1797 ;  William  Colbert  and  David  Stevens,  1798 ;  James  Moore  and 
Benjamin  Bidlack.  1799 ;  Ephraim  Chambers,  Edward  Larkins  and  Asa 
Smith,  1800-03 ;  James  Polhemus  and  Hugh  McCurdy,  1803 ;  Morris  Howe 
and  Kobert  Bursch,  1804 ;  James  Paynter  and  Joseph  Carson,  180.5 ;  Chris- 
tian Frye  and  Alfred  Griffith,  1806 ;  Gideon  Draper  and  William  Butler, 
1807;  James  Eidley  and  Henry  Montouth,  1808;  George  Lane  and  Abra- 
ham' Dawson,  1809 ;  Thomas  Wright  and  Elijah  Metoalf,  1810 ;  Noah 
Bigelow  and  William  Brown,  1811 ;  John  Kimberlin  and  Elislia  Bibbins, 
1813 ;  Marmaduke  Pearce,  1813 ;  Benjamin  G.  Paddock,  1814 ;  George  W. 
Densmore,  181.5 ;  Elias  Bowden,181fl,  1817 ;  George  Peek,  1818 ;  Marmaduke 
Pearce,  1819;  Blisha  Bibbins,  1830, 1831 ;  J.  D.  Gilbert  and  W.  W.  Rundell, 
1832;  George  Lane  and  Gaylord  Judd,  1823 ;  Morgan  Sherman  and  Joseph 
Castle,  1824 ;  John  Copeland  and  Philo  Barbery,  1835 ;  George  Peck  and 
Philo  Barbery,  1826 ;  S.  Stocking  and  Miles  H.  Gaylord,  1827 ;  Joseph 
Castle  and  Silas  Comfort,  1838 ;  Leonard  Cole,  1856, 1867 ;  A.  H.  Schoon- 
maker  1858  1859;  John  W.  Hunger,  1860,  1861;  C.  L.  Rice,  1802,  1863; 
John  G.  Eekman,  1864;  C.  W.  Todd,  1865, 1866;  I.  N.  Pardee,  1867, 1868;  J. 
La  Bar,  1869-71 ;  Leonard  Cole,  1873-74 ;  S.  C.  Fulton,  1875  ;  E.  W.  Caswell, 
1876-78 ;  and  F.  S.  Brown,  the  present  minister. 

WELSH    INDEPENDENT     CHURCH. 

The  nucleus  of  this  church  existed  from  about  1855 
in  the  persons  of  David  Levi,  William  Charles,  David 
Morris     and     Enoch     Powell.     Preaching    and     prayer 


meetings  were  had  in  private  houses.  In  1864  the  con- 
gregation had  increased  to  about  forty-five  members, 
mostly  Welsh  Presbyterians.  Rev.  T.  J.  Phillips,  super- 
intendent of  the  Jersey  mines,  preached  in  an  old 
house  at  the  foot  of  Coal  street.  In  1865  the  congre- 
gation bought  a  lot  of  Mr.  Gaylord  and  built  a  church 
at  a  cost  of  about  $2, 000.  For  some  time  the  church 
was  occupied  by  the  Welsh  Independents,  Welsh  Pres- 
byterians and  Welsh  Baptists,  all  uniting  in  divine  ser- 
vice. Revs.  T.  J.  Phillips  and  William  Davis,  of 
Plymouth,  E.  B.  Evans,  of  Hye  Park,  and  D.  E.  Evans, 
of  Providence,  preached  on  alternate  Sabbaths. 

The  officers  of  the  church  at  this  time  for  the  Inde- 
pendents were  David  Levi,  William  Charles  and  David 
George;  for  the  Baptists,  Peter  Roberts. 

The  congregation  became  too  large  for  the  house  and 
the  Baptist  portion  in  1866  began  separate  services  in  the 
school-house  at  the  foot  of  Coal  street.  In  1867  the 
Presbyterians  separated  themselves  and  worshiped  in  the 
old  academy. 

The  Welsh  Independents  were  left  in  possession  of  the 
church,  with  about  45  members.  William  D.  Rogers  and 
David  Jones  were  added  to  the  list  of  officers. 

In  1868  the  church  had  the  first  minister  who  was 
wholly  sustained  by  the  Independent  congregation.  Rev. 
John  Pentyrch  Evans,  who  had  just  completed  a  course 
at  one  of  the  colleges  in  Wales.  He  was  ordained  at 
Hyde  Park,  in  September,  1868,  and  installed  pastor. 
During  the  winter  of  1868  and  1869  by  a  revival  some  25 
names  were  added  to  the  church  rolls.  This  church  lost  7 
members  in  the  Avondale  disaster.  Rev.  J.  P.  Evans 
going  to  Yale  College  in  the  fall  of  1869,  the  church  de- 
pended on  neighboring  pastors  for  preaching  for  fifteen 
months. 

September  15th,  1871,  Rev.  B.  E.  Evans,  the  present 
pastor,  responded  to  the  call  of  the  church.  The  church 
then  numbered  150  members,  and  rapidly  increased.  A 
large  number  left  during  the  dull  times,  but  there  still  re- 
main nearly  200.  A  gallery,  seating  150  persons,  was 
added  in  1872,  at  a  cost  of  $150.     A   lot  was   bought  in 

1873,  and  a  church  building,   forty   by  sixty,   erected  in 

1874,  by  Harvey  Brothers,  contractors.     Church  'and  lot 
cost  about  |ro,3oo. 

The  church  established  a  night  grammar  school,  under 
the  direction  of  D.  E.  Evans,  and  as  a  result  four  young 
men  were  sent  to  Bangor,  Me.,  for  seminary  preparation. 
Two  Sunday-schools  have  been  kept  up;  one  in  the 
church,  with  200  pupils,  and  one  on  Welsh  hill,  with  about 
65  pupils. 

The  present  officers  are:  Deacons — William  Charles, 
Edward  Hopwood,  Isaac  Thomas,  Isaac  Edwards,  John 
E.  Jones  and  John  Walton;  secretary,  Thomas  Jones,  and 
pastor.  Rev.  D.  E.  Evans. 

ST.   VINCENT'S    ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH. 

A  Roman  Catholic  society  was  first  organized  in  No- 
vember, 1872,  with  the  above  title,  having  been  a  part  of 
the  parish  of  St.  Mary's,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  under  the 
pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  Father  O'Haran.    A  brick  church 


<^ 


*i> 


360 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


was  built  in  1872.  Rev.  Richard  Hennessey  had  charge 
from  1872  to  January,  1876;  then  Father  Patrick  Tor.er 
until  May,  1877,  when  Father  O'Haran  again  took  charge, 
services  being  performed  by  priests  from  the  cathedral  at 
Scranton. 

Rev,  Father  T.  J.  Donahue  has  been  pastor  since  Sep- 
tember ist,  1877.  The  society  built  a  parsonage  costing 
$3,000.  The  Sunday-school  has  400  pupils,  and  there 
are  over  1,200  communicants  connected  with  the  church. 

ST.  Stephen's  episcopal  church. 

An  Episcopal  society  was  organized  in  Plymouth  in 
April,  1856,  and  Rev.  George  D.  Miles,  rector  of  St. 
Stephen's  church  of  Wilkes-Barre,  held  services  for  some 
time,  but  the  society  fell  through  for  lack  of  support.  It 
was  again  organized  in  April,  1873.  Charles  Parrish  do- 
nated a  building  that  had  belonged  to  the  Wadhams  es- 
tate and  been  used  for  a  school-house.  This  building, 
which  stands  by  the  side  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  was 
fitted  up  at  an  expense  of  $1,200.  Rev.  R.  H.  Williams, 
of  St.  Stephen's  church,  Wilkes-Barre,  held  occasional 
services  for  some  time.  Rev.  W.  S.  Heaten  was  rector 
from  February  to  November,  1874,  and  from  February, 
1875,  Rev.- J.  R.  Furey  was  rector  until  June,  1875. 
From  this  time  to  August,  1878,  there  were  no  regular 
services.  Then  Rev.  H.  L.  Jones,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  held 
services  up  to  July,  1879.  The  parish  was  then  con- 
nected with  Wilkes-Barre  and  Rev.  Horace  E.  Hayden, 
assistant  rector  of  St.  Stephen's  church,  holds  services 
once  each  Sunday. 

first    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

The  first  organization  of  Presbyterians  in  Plymouth 
was  effected  in  1S56,  although  several  ministers  of  that 
denomination  had  previously  labored  here.  September 
17th,  1856,  a  petition  was  presented  for  the  organization 
of  "The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Plymouth,"  by 
Louisa  B.  Eno,  Thomas  W.  Prosser,  Mary  F.  Lewis,  Ann 
D.  Lewis,  Ann  D.  Rhys,  William  Stont,  Hannah  Stont, 
Elizabeth  Stont,  Charles  Hutchinson,  Agnes  Hutchinson, 
Archibald  Hutchinson,  Margaret  Hutchinson,  Jane 
Hutchinson,  Ann  Hutchinson,  William  McGuffie,  Ellen 
McGuffie,  Robert  Hutchinson,  Jane  Hutchinson,  Ellen 
Wright,  Joseph  Lind,  Jane  Lind,  James  Lind,  as  mem- 
bers of  the  church  and  Robert  Love,  Agnes  Love, 
James  Hutchinson,  George  F.  Cook,  Sarah  Ann  Cook, 
Charles  Bowie,  Robert  Bowie,  Thomas  Wier,  Mar- 
garet Wier,  Robert  Hutchinson,  Isabella  McGuffien 
and  Josiah  W.  Eno.  October  5th,  1856,  a  com- 
mittee of  the  presbytery  organized  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Plymouth.  Charles  Hutchinson  and 
William  Stont  were  elected  elders,  but  Mr,  Stont  not 
being  present,  he  was  never  ordained  to  the  ofi[ice.  J. 
W.  Eno,  William  Stont,  Stewart  Craig,  Charles  Hutchin- 
son and  Robert  Love  were  elected  trustees.  Rev.  E.  H. 
Snowden  preached  as  stated  supply  for  fifteen  years. 
He  preached  here  once  in  two  weeks,  alternating  with 
North  Moreland.  Rev.  William  P.  White  has  been  pastor 
since  July,  1870.     The  membership  is  over  two  hundred. 


■4h 


The  foundation  of  the  present  church  huilding  on  Church 
street  was  laid  in  1866,  but  the  building  was  not  com- 
pleted until  two  years  later.  It  is  of  wood,  forty  by 
sixty  feet,  with  a  gallery  in  one  end,  and  cost  $4,000. 
The  church  was  dedicated  June  i3lh,  1868,  Rev.  Dr. 
Cuyler,  of  Brooklyn,  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon. 
Rev.  N.  G.  Parke  read  the  Scriptures.  Rev.  E.  H. 
Snowden  (as  was  most  fitting,  the  erection  of  the  edifice 
being  mainly  due  to  his  labors)  pronounced  the  dedication. 
A  Sabbath-school  was  early  organized  in  the  school- 
house  at  the  lower  end  of  the  town.  Charles  Hutchin- 
son was  the  first  superintendent,  and  Mrs.  L.  B.  Eno 
assistant.  There  are  now  200  pupils.  Branches  were 
established  on  Welsh  hill  and  Boston  hill,  and  there  is 
one  with  about  50  scholars  now  at  Avondale,  under  the 
charge  of  M.  Garrahan. 

ZION    PRIMITIVE    METHODIST. 

This  church,  whose  house  of  worship  is  on  Church 
street,  Plymouth,  was  organized  early  in  1871  with  12 
members.  The  first  meeting  was  held  on  Temperance 
hill,  in  a  public  school-house.  The  first  minister  was 
Rev.  Francis  Gray,  who  served  first  as  a  local  preacher, 
as  also  did  Revs.  Henry  Gray,  Henry  Jones  and  J.  W. 
Morgan.  Six  m.onths  from  beginning  Rev.  Francis  Gray 
was  engaged  as  preacher,  and  served  the  church  until  the 
next  annual  conference,  which  was  held  in  May,  1872. 
The  church  recommended  him  as  a  candidate  for  the 
ministry,  with  a  strong  request  that  he  should  be  ap- 
pointed for  another  year.  He  accepted  on  probation, 
and  was  restationed.  Preaching  was  then  commenced  in 
Shupp's  Hall,  Main  street,  Plymouth,  and  congregations 
were  large  and  attentive.  Two  Sunday-schools  were 
kept  up  and  two  preaching  services  at  Temperance  hill 
and  Plymouth.  This  society  also  established  preaching 
service  at  Nanticoke,  Pittston,  Pleasant  Valley  Plains, 
Laurel  Run,  Coal  Brook  and  Wilkes-Barre.  From  Ply- 
mouth sprang  all  the  Primitive  societies  in  these  places, 
with  Rev.  F.  Gray  as  minister  and  a  staff  of  local  preachers. 

At  the  conference  of  1873  Mr.  Gray  was  removed  to 
St.  Clair,  Schuylkill  county.  Pa.,  and  Revs.  W.  B.  Beach 
and  J.  H.  Acornley  were  appointed  on  the  Plymouth 
circuit,  Mr.  Beach  living  in  Plymouth.  During  his  two 
years  ministry  the  present  church  was  built,  a  neat 
frame  building,  seating  about  300.  Rev.  T.  C.  Beach 
and  Rev.  C.  Spurr  each  served  two  years,  after  which 
Rev.  Francis  Gray  again  had  charge.  The  church  being 
considerably  in  debt,  he  gave  his  services  for  one  year, 
during  which  time  over  $600  indebtedness  was  paid;  the 
church  is   now     prosperous    financially    and    s])iritually. 

There  are  three  Sunday-schools,  the  principal  one 
being  at  Plymouth  borough.  There  is  an  average  attend- 
ance of  125  scholars.  Rev.  Francis  Gray  is  the  super- 
intendent.    Rev.  H.  G.  Russell    is'the   present  minister. 

LODGE  AND  SOCIETY  HISTORIES. 

I.    O.    O.    F. 

Shawnee  Lodge,  No.  225,  the  oldest  lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows    in     Plymouth,    was    organized    February    15th, 


=•=4* 


1847,  with  the  following  officers  and  members:  J.  F. 
Smith,  N.  G.;  Draper  Smith,  V.  G.;  J.  F.  Reynolds,  sec- 
retary; Samuel  Davenport,  A.  S.;  Ira  Davenport,  trea- 
surer; Charles  L.  Farnham,  Samuel  Van  Loon  and  E. 
Bulkeley. 

The  present  officers  are:  E.  H.  Woods,  N.  G.;  James 
Rowe,  V.  G.;  James  Lewis,  secretary;  James  Pierce,  A. 
S.,  and  A.  S.  Davenport,  treasurer. 

The  lodge  has  75  members,  and  meets  at  Smith's  Opera 
House  on  each  Saturday  night. 

Plymouth  Encampment  was  instituted  April  ist,  1868, 
with  the  following  officers  and  charter  members:  David 
Levi,  C.  P.:  John  J.  Shonk,  H.  P.;  John  E.  Halleck,  S. 
W.;  Lewis  Boughton,  J.  W.;  Michael  Shonk,  scribe;  SJ 
M.  Davenport,  treasurer,  and  A.  F.  Levi,  G. 

The  successive  chief  patriarchs  have  been  John  J. 
Shonk,  David  McDonald,  Samuel  Davenport,  A.  F.  Levi, 
Lewis  Boughton,  J.  S.  McDonald,  D.  Brown,  August 
Schnell,  James  McFarlane,  Joseph  Bodman,  William  F. 
Major,  Richard  Kelley,  G.  W.  Shonk,  D.  L.  Richards, 
James  Trebilcock,  James  Peafse,  James  G.  Wier,  Stephen 
Stevens,  Charles  Jones,  G.  W.  McKee,  Joseph  Sweitzer 
and  J.  J.  Phillips. 

The  present  officers  are:  C.  A.  Husche,  C.  P.;  George 
P.  Richards,  S.  W.;  R.  M.  Evans,  J.  W.;  J.  Bachman, 
treasurer;  A.  Schnell,  scribe.  Meetings  are  held  on  the 
second  and  fourth  Fridays  of  each  month. 

Wadhams  Lodge,  No.  872,  was  instituted  April  25th, 
1874,  with  the  following  officers:  George  P.  Richards, 
N.  G.;  Charles  Murray,  V.  G.;  G.  W.  McKee,  secretary; 
R.  H.  Bursch,  A.  S.;  Joseph  Sweitzer,  treasurer. 

The  past  grands  are  G.  P.  Richards,  N.  G.  Downes, 
Charles  Murray,  G.  W.  McKee,  R.  H.  Bursch,  R.  C. 
Young,  D.  P.  Williams,  Sol  Hirsch,  C.  B.  Knapp,  William 
Heffman,  F.  C.  Gates,  Frederick  Schwartz. 

The  present  officers  are:  J.  W.  Williams,  N.  G.;  C.  A. 
Kusche,  V.  G.;  G.  W.  McKee,  secretary;  Richard  Rock- 
weiler,  A.  S.,  and  Joseph  Sweitzer,  treasurer.  The  lodge 
meets  at  Richards  Hall  on  each  Friday  night,  and  has  a 
membership  of  51. 

Elm  Lodge,  No.  642,  was  instituted  October  3d,  1878, 
when  the  following  officers  were  installed:  N.  G.,  J.  W. 
S.  McDonald;  V.  G.,  S.  M.  Davenport;  secretary,  C.  F. 
Derby;  assistant  secretary,  A.  F.  Levi;  treasurer,  Lewis 
Boughton;  Rep.  to  grand  lodge,  John  J.  Shonk. 

Elm  Lodge  meets  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  on  Main  street, 
on  Wednesday  evening  of  each  week.  It  has  a  member- 
ship of  87,  and  has  $i,T28  on  interest,  and  $742  in  the 
treasury.  The  following  are  the  officers:  N.  G.,  James 
Bunney;  V.  G.,  Daniel  E.  Frantz;  secretary,  Robert  M. 
Evans;  assistant  secretary,  Richard  Kelly;  treasurer, 
Joseph  Bodman;  trustees— F.  Howard  Armstrong,  Daniel 
Richards  and  Philip  Walters;  Rep.  to  grand  lodge,  Jos- 
eph Bodman. 

MASONIC. 

Plymouth  Lodge,  No.  332,  A.  V.  M.  was  chartered 
March  7th,  1859,  and  was  duly  constituted  on  the  27th 
of  April  following,  by  Sharp  D.  Lewis,  Esq.,  D.  D.  G.  M., 


in  the  present  lodge  room  in  the  brick  store  building  of 
L.  C.  Wadhams,  Esq. 

The  officers  installed  at  that  time  were:  Robert  Love, 
W.  M.;  Josiah  W.  Eno,  S.  W.;  Elijah  C.  Wadhams,  J.  W.; 
David  Levi,  treasurer,  and  Bryce  R.  Blair,  secretary; 
these  five  constituting  the  entire  membership. 

The  officers  installed  December  27th,  1878,  were:  Enoch 
W.  Marple,  W.  M.;  Peter  N.  Garrahan,  S.  W.;  John  R. 
Lee,  J.W.;  Charles  W.  Jenkins,  treasurer,  and  S.  L.  French, 
secretary.  Plymouth  lodge  was  the  nucleus  from  which 
were  formed  the  lodges  at  Shickshinny  and  Dallas.  The 
membership  December  27th,  1878,  was  54.  Meetings  are 
held  Tuesday  evenings  on  or  before  full  moon,  and  St- 
John  the  Evangelist's  day. 

Valley  H.  R.  A.  Chapter,  No.  214,  was  chartered  May 
2ist,  1867,  and  constituted  on  the  8th  of  August  follow- 
ing, in  the  Masonic  Hall  at  Plymouth.  The  officers  at 
that  time  installed  were:  Bryce  R.  Blair,  M.  E.  H.  P.; 
Elijah  C.  Wadhams,  K.  and  S.;  Livingston  French,  S.; 
H.  W.  French,  treasurer;  Thomas  P.  Macfarlane,  secre- 
tary. The  other  charter  members  were  Rev.  J.  G.  Eck- 
man,  Lewis  Gorham  and  Bryce  S.  Blair. 

The  entire  membership  from  the  organization  to  De- 
cember 27th,  1878,  was  68  members.  The  time  of  stated 
meetings  is  Friday  evening  on  or  before  full  moon  of 
each  month. 

Mount  Horeb  Council,  No.  34,  P.  S.  E.  and  S.  M.  was 
constituted  in  the  Masonic  Hall,  Plymouth,  on  the  6th 
of'  April,  1868.  The  original  petitioners,  officers  and 
charter  members  were:  E.  C.  Wadhams,  T.  I.  G.  M.; 
S.  L.  French,  D.  I.  G.  M.;  Rev.  J.  G.  Eckman;  H.  W. 
French,  M.  of  Ex.;  T.  P.  Macfarlane,  recorder;  Lewis 
Gorham;  Bryce  R.  Blair,  P.  C.  of  W.;  Bryce  S.  Blair, 
Rev.  J.  N.  Pardee. 

The  presiding  officers  have  been  E.  C.  Wadhams,  S.  L. 
French,  B.  R.  and  B.  S.  Blair,  John  J.  Kelchner,  W.  B. 
Poush,  S.  U.  Shaffer,  A.  P.  Bar])er,  A.  G.  Rickard,  L.  W. 
Jones. 

The  present  officers  are:  Latham  W.  Jones,T.  I.  G.  M.; 
S.  U.  Shaffer,  D.  I.  G.  M.;  Olin  F.  Harvey,  P.  C.  of  W.; 
C.  W.  Jenkins,  treasurer,  and  S.  L.  French,  recorder. 

The  total  membership  from  the  organization  to  Decem- 
27th,  1878,  was  62.  The  stated  meetings  are  Friday 
evening  on  or  next  preceding  full  moon  of  each  month. 

I.    o.    R.   M. 

Lackawanna  Tribe,  No.  no,  was  organized  June  loth, 
1869,  with  the  following  charter  members:  Benjamin 
Walton,  S.;  D.  E.  Frantz,  S.  S.;  E.  Meredith,  J.  S.;  N. 
G.  Dennis,  P.;  G.  W.  Patterson,  C.  R.;  William  Ely,  K. 
W.;  Jerome  Hooven,  E.  H.  Wood,  Y.  W.  Daniels,  Wesley 
Slocum,  Nelson  Knapp,  Jacob  Hooven,  John  Lees  and 
Jacob  Ely. 

The  past  sachems  are  D.  E.  Frantz,  D.  McDonald,  E. 
Meredith,  D.  Brown,  B.  F.  Walton,  Jerome  Hooven, 
John  Lees,  E.  D.  Barthe,  David  Fox,  James  Lewis, 
Thomas  Lewis,  Thomas  M.  Reese,  George  Evans,  George 
Hughey,  William  Hooper,  John  Bright,  David  P.  Davis 
and  George  Grandison. 


^V 


<¥ 


^h 


362 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


The  present  officers  are:  Enos  Wilks,  S.;  Thomas  Ap- 
pleton,  S.  S.;  William  Sevan,  J.  S.;  John  Sprague,  C.  R.; 
Thomas  M.  Reese,  K.  W. 

The  membership  is  48.  The  tribe  meets  each  Friday 
night  in  the  Thomas  building  on  Main  street. 

WASHINGTON  CAMP,  NO.    I37,  P.  O.   S.   OF  A. 

This  camp  was  organized  August  24th,  1870,  with  95 
charter  members.  The  first  officers  were:  Frederick  K. 
Kilmer,  Pres.;  Charles  Butler,  M.  of  F.;  Irwin  Shupp, 
R.  S.;  Charles  Lance,  F.  S.;   W.  R.  Sherman,  T. 

The  past  presidents  are  Frederick  Kilmer,  Irwin  Shupp, 
William  Nead,  James  H.  Wier,  Charles  Shupp,  William 
Robbins,  Samuel  Moore,  I.  W.  Shellhamer,  H.  R.  Afleck, 
J.  W.  Brodeau,  A.  Easton,  Richard  Dennis,  Isaac  B. 
Ford,  Wheeler  Van  Loon,  Peter  Walters  and  Emnut 
Lowery. 

The  present  officers  are:  Albert  Bates,  Pres;  Frank  H. 
Ray,  V.  P;  William  Sandor,  M.  of  F.;  H.  R.  Afleck,  R.  S; 
S.  P.  Love,  T.  S.;  and  W.  G.  Wandel,  T.  The  camp  has 
105  members,  and  meets  every  Wednesday  evening  in 
Spy's  Hall. 

PLYMOUTH    STAR    COUNCIL,    NO.    255,    O.    U.    A.    M. 

was  instituted  March  4th,  1871,  with  16  charter  mem- 
bers. The  first  officers  were:  E.  D.  Barthe,  C;  W.  D. 
Fritz,  V.  C;  John  H.  Case,  R.  Sec;  W.  F.  Major,  Ast. 
Sec;  D.  E.  Frantz,  F.  S.;   D.  C.  Neagley,  Treas. 

The  present  (December  i8tb,  1879)  officers  are:  A. 
B.  Clewell,  C;  H.  R.  Afleck,  V.  C;  James  H.  Perry, 
Sec;  John  Maxwell,  C.  Sec;  F.H.Ray,  F.  S.;  LB. 
Fredrici,  Treas.;  A.  B,  Clewell,  William  Deets  and  H.  R. 
Afleck,  trustees. 

The  council  has  one  hundred  and  ten  members,  and 
meets  every  Saturday  night  in  Forester's  Hall. 

ACOLADE    CONCLAVE,    NO.    2g,    K.    OF    P. 

Acolade  Conclave  was  instituted  December  30th,  1874, 
with  the  following  members  and  officers:  E.  D.  Barthe, 
C;  James  Trebilcock,  V.  C;  Samuel  Harris,  R.;  Wil- 
liam Trembath,  H.;  William  Bravin,  T.;  Wesley  Dennis, 
C;  D.  K.  Spy,  Sol.  Hirsch,  E.  Antrim,  W.  S.  Fisher, 
James  Oats. 

The  present  officers  are:  David  Fox,  C;  James  Smellie, 
V.  C;  E.  D.  Barthe,  R.;  T.  P.  Davenport,  H.;  William 
Ratchinson,  T. 

The  conclave  has  twenty-three  members,  and  meets  in 
Forester's  Hall  on  the  second  and  fourth  Wednesday 
nights  of  each  month.     E.  D.  Barthe  is  G.  R.  of  G.  C. 

CRYSTAL    CASTLE,    NO.    79,    ANCIENT    ORDER,    KNIGHTS    OF 
THE    MYSTIC    CHARM 

was  organized  September  6th,  1875,  with  27  charter 
members.  The  first  officers  were:  Jon  May,  Chaplain; 
J.  W.  Lillhamer,  C;  Alexander  Ferguson,  V.  C;  Wil- 
liam Trembath,  first  Lieut.;  James  Finn,  R.  S.;  E.  M. 
Branch,    Asst.     R.    S.;    Benjamin  Jacka,     F.    S.;    John 


H^ 


Rickard,   Treas.     William   B.   Lewis  has   also   held  the 
office  of  commander. 

The  present  officers  (December,  1879,)  are:  Chaplain, 
George  Stocking;  Com.,  Daniel  Reese;  Vice-Corn., 
William  Hopper;  first  Lieut.,  James  H.  Kemp;  R.  S., 
Daniel  Lewis;  Asst.  R.  S.,  John  Sprague;  Treas.,  Enoch 
Jones. 

Crystal  Castle  meets  on  each  Monday  evening  in 
Richards  Hall,  Main  street. 

ST.    Patrick's    benevolent    society,  no.    162,    irish 

CATHOLIC    benevolent    UNION. 

This  society  was  organized  May  20th,  1876,  with  James 
V.  Perse,  Hugh  F.  Rutledge,  John  Russell  and  Thomas 
Smith  charter  members.  The  first  officers  were:  Charles 
Smith,  president;  Hugh  F.  Rutledge,  vice-president; 
James  V.  Perse,  secretary;   Daniel  Dooley,  treasurer. 

Charles  Smith  has  been  the  only  president.  The  other 
officers  at  present  are:  John  Russell,  vice-president; 
James  V.  Perse,  secretary;  Daniel  Dooley,  treasurer.  The 
object  of  the  society  is  to  visit  the  sick  and  to  bury  the 
dead.  It  meets  on  the  fourth  Sunday  of  each  month,  in 
the  basement  of  St.  Vincent's  Catholic  church.  The 
membership  is  54. 

PLYMOUTH    ST.    VINCENT    T.    A.    B.    SOCIETY. 

This  society  was  organized  October  12th,  1878,  with  5 
members.  The  first  officers  were;  John  F.  O'Hora,  pres- 
ident; John  McGorey,  V.  P.;  John  Sweeney,  R.  S.;  P. 
J.  Smith,  C.  S.;  and  Christopher  Savage,  treasurer. 

The  present  officers  are:  A.  J.  Lynch,  president; 
Thomas  O'Hora,  V.  P.;  William  McAvery,  C.  S.;  David 
Grimes,  R.  S.;  and  James  Doyl,  treasurer.  There  is  a 
cadet  corps,  consisting  of  about  200  boys,  from  seven  to 
fifteen  years  of  age,  connected  with  this  society.  John 
T.  O'Hora  is  president;James  Gill,V.  P.;  John  McNamor, 
secretary. 

GAYLORD    POST    G.    A.    R. 

This  post,  named  after  Asher  Gaylord  of  Plymouth, 
who  was  killed  at  Hatcher's  Run,  was  mustered  in  Octo- 
ber i8th,  1S78,  with  19  charter  members.  The  first 
officers  were:  E.  D.  Barthe,  P.  C;  James  LewLs,  Sr.  V.  C; 
H.  M.  Gordon,  jr.,  V.  C;  S.  L.  French,  Adj.;  Joseph 
Shiner,  surgeon;  J.  Y.  Wren,  Q.  M.  Present  officers  are: 
D.  W.  Morris,  P.  C;  H.  W.  Carter,  Adj.;  J.  Y.  Wren, 
Q.  M. 

There  are  now  twenty-six  members.  The  post  meets 
on  the  first  and  third  Tuesdays  of  each  month  in  Spy's 
Hall. 

PLYMOUTH    LODGE,    NO.    1,785,    K.    OF    H. 

was    instituted    September    24th,    1879,    by  D.  G.    D. 
Fields,  of  Pittsburg,  with  24  charter  members. 

The  officers  are:  William  Davis,  D.;  C.  H.  Wilson,  P. 
D.;  E.  J.  Achenbach,  V.  D.;  S.  U.  Shaffer,  R.;  C  S. 
Nesbitt,  F.  R.;  F.  E.  Spry,  Ch.  The  lodge  meets  on  the 
first  Wednesday  night  of  each  month  at  Richards  Hall. 


:qf* 


PIONEERS  IN  ROSS— UNION  SOLDIERS— PRESENT  INSTITUTIONS. 


■'=4.  ^ 


ROSS  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  in  January,  1842, 
from  Union  and  Lehman,  and  named  in 
honor  of  General  William  S.  Ross,  then  one 
of  the  judges  of  the  county.  The  township 
has  an  area  of  about  forty-six  square  miles, 
and  a  population  of  1,053,  against  990  in  1870. 
Justices  of  the  peace  for  this  township  have 
been  elected  as  follows:  John  A.  Hess,  1843;  Philip 
Callender,  1855;  George  A.  Crocket,  1845,-1850;  John 
Blanchard,  1850,  1855,  i860;  Sylvester  White,  i860;  A. 
W.Wilkinson,  1865;  James  Crockett,  1865,1870,1875; 
H.  C.  Harvey,  1870;  Ira  Rood,  2nd,  1875. 

As  early  as  1795  Abram  Kitchen,  from  Connecticut, 
located  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  James  Crockett,  on 
"  Broadway;"  made  considerable  improvements,  in  1795 
setting  out  an  orchard,  some  of  the  trees  of  which  are  still 
standing. 

In  1808  Francis  Irvin,  from  Connecticut,  located  in 
the  south  part  of  the  township.  He  had  the  first  horse 
team  in  Ross.  Paul  Wolf  located  in  the  south  part  of 
Ross  in  1806.  Timothy,  Aaron  and  Jacob  Meeker 
settled  west  of  Grassy  pond  about  1796,  and  in  1800  sold 
to  G.  M.  Pringle  and  Hiram  Berth. 

Daniel  Devore,  who  came  to  this  township  in  1793,  is 
still  living,  aged  one  hundred  and  four  years.  Farming 
was  his  occupation  while  in  active  business. 

The  pioneer  store  was  kept  by  Alvin  Wilkinson  in 
1835,  at  Bloomingdale,  and  Josiah  Ruggles  was  the 
pioneer  merchant  and  first  postmaster  at  Sweet  Valley. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1820.  Joseph 
Moss  and  Anna  Turner  were  the  pioneer  teachers,  Mr. 
Moss  teaching  the  first  winter  and  Miss  Turner  the  first 
summer  school. 

Years  ago  Mr.  George  A.  Crockett,  while  plowing  his 
garden,  struck  a  large  flat  stone  covering  a  walled-up 
grave,  containing  bones  supposed  to  be  those  of  an  Indian. 
Another  grave  was  found  a  few  years  ago,  near  North 
pond,  in  which  were  the  bones  of  an  Indian  whom  Mr. 
L.  T.  Myers  told  Nathaniel  Goss  that  he  killed.  While 
out  hunting  he  was  chased  by  Indians  into  a  swamp  near 
North  pond,  shot  and  wounded  one  of  them,  but  was 
captured  and  compelled  to  assist  in  carrying  the  wounded 
Indian  to  about  the  spot  where  this  grave  was  found. 
One  of  the  Indians  was  left  in  charge  of  Myers  and  the 
wounded  man.  The  second  night  the  wounded  Indian 
died,  and  Myers  escaped  and  returned  to  his  family. 

In  former  accounts  of  Indian  tragedies  it  is  reported 
that  Philip  Goss  was  killed  near  Wapwallopen  by  the 
Indians.  In  conversation  with  the  Goss  family,  now  liv- 
ing in  Fairmount,  it  was  learned  that  it  was  David  Goss 
instead  of  Philip  who  was  so  killed,  and  they  authorize 
this  correction. 

Citizen  Soldiers. 

Archibald  Berth  was  a  patriot  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  after  escaping  from  the  British  service.     He 


settled  in  Ross  in  1800,  died  in  1820,  and  was  buried  in 
the  Arnold  burying  ground  in  Union  township. 

John  Wandel,  who  located  in  the  south  part  of  this 
township  about  1800,  was  also  a  soldier  of  the  Rev- 
olution, and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of  Bur- 
goyne.     He  has  descendants  still  living  in  this  township. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Wesley  was  a  volunteer  soldier  and 
sailor  of  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  taken  prisoner  at 
Queenstown.  He  died  in  Ross  in  1830,  leaving  a  number 
of  descendants  in  this  township. 

Ebenezer  Wilkinson,  late  of  Ross  township,  was  one  of 
the  volunteers  of  the  war  of  1812.  Some  of  his  classmates 
still  reside  here. 

As  near  as  can  be  ascertained  the  following  list  com- 
prises the  soldiers  representing  the  town  of  Ross  in  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion: 

Colonel  K.  P.  Crockett,  Captain  James  Davenport;  George  W.  Holmes, 
killed;  Wilson  Long,  Luther  Dodson,  I.  U.  Dodson,  Abiel  Siitliff,  Andrew 
Sutliffi,  A.  W.  Siitlilt ;  William  Thompson,  died  in  service ;  A.  S.  Rood, 
James  Henry,  I.  M.  Calver,  I.  P.  Long,  C.  Rood,  Almon  Rood,  James 
Rood,  Henry  Sutliff,  D.  W.  Seward,  J.  R.  Seward,  S.  H.  Sutlift,  J.  Blanch- 
ard, Elijah  Moon,  I.  B.  Stevens,  Wilbur  Stearns,  H.  H.  Holmes,  J.  M. 
Holmes,  Isaac  Naphus,  Sidney  Naphus,  Thomas  Shaw,  John  Shaw,  Cyrus 
Rummage,  Lewis  Rummage,  Jordan  Wolf,  Edward  Mott,  Lafa.vette 
Hann,  William  Edwards,  Thomas  Long,  Nathaniel  Wolf;  W.  I".  White, 
killed  ;  Lorenzo  Ruggles,  William  Nagle,  Wesley  Hontz,  Josiah  Hontz ; 
Henry  White,  died  in  service ;  Alonzo  P.  White,  wounded ;  Aaron  Phil- 
lips, Richard  Morris;  Charles  Wesley,  killed  ;  Weston  D.  Millard,  killed  ; 
John  Rood,  Silas  Nevil ;  James  Nevil,  lost  an  arm  ;  Jacob  Nevil,  killed  ; 
Webster  Long,  killed ;  Samuel  P.  Wandel,  Samuel  Montgomery ;  C. 
Moore,  wounded  in  eye ;  Warren  Mott,  killed  ;  George  Moore,  killed ; 
Henry  Kil  Chen,  P.  D.  Edwards,  Clark  Edward,  David  Ross,  Miles  Ross, 
William  Lewis,  Abram  Agnew,  J.  W.  Davenport,  William  Wesley,  Ben- 
jamin Wesley,  Edward  Wilkinson,  Joseph  Totten,  James  Congleton, 
Jonah  Post, Post, Post.  Zephaniah  Long;  Morris  Hatten,  wound- 
ed ;  Jerome  Hatten  ;  Aaron  Freeman,  wounded  ;  John  Freeman. 

Institutions  of  To-Day. 

At  Bloomville  there  are  a  store,  a  post-office,  a  school- 
house,  an  M.  E.  church,  a  saw-mill,  a  blacksmith  shop 
and  about  75  inhabitants.  At  Sweet  Valley  there  are  a 
store  and  a  post-office,  a  "  Christian  "  church,  a  black- 
smith shop,  a  saw-mill,  a  school-house  and  about  75  in- 
habitants. At  what  is  known  as  Broadway  there  are  a 
church  ("  Christian"),  a  school-house,  a  shoe  shop  and  a 
few  dwellings. 

There  are  in  the  township  seven  school-houses,  in  each 
of  which  school  is  kept  six  months  in  each  year.  Farm- 
ing is  carried  on  to  some  extent  in  the  south  part  of  the 
township,  and  the  most  extensive  farm  is  that  of  G.  A. 
Crocker  &  Sons,  who  have  over  three  hundred  acres,  on 
which  are  large  apple  and  pear  orchards,  and  a  large 
vineyard. 

Religious  Interests. 

Methodism  in  Ross  township  dates  back  to  1796,  when 
the  itinerant  who  traveled  the  old  Berwick  circuit 
preached  in  a  log  school-house  near  where  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  now  stands,  at  Bloomingdale.  In  1800 
a  class  of  seven  persons  was  formed  here,  with  E.  Wads- 
worth  as  leader,  and  taken  into  the  Wyoming  circuit  by 
Rev.  Ephraim  Chambers,  who  was  then  traveling  the  cir- 
cuit with  Rev.  William  Brandon.  For  several  years  there 
was  occasional  preaching  by  ministers  of  other  denomi- 
nations.    From    1820  Jonathan  Nicholson  was  in  Ross 


3'M 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


about  six  years,  preaching  on  Sundays  wherever  he  could 
find  hearers. 

In  1846  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Blooming- 
dale  was  built.  It  is  of  wood,  of  modern  architecture, 
and  seats  about  300. 

The  Muhlenburg  circuit  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  was  a  part  of  the  Bloomingdale  circuit  until  the 
spring  of  1869,  when  it  was  set  off.  At  the  time  of  its 
organization  the  only  church  on  the  circuit  was  that  at 
Bloomingdale.  This  was  a  good  substantial  frame  build- 
ing. Rev.  E.  H.  Yocum  was  the  first  pastor,  one  year 
from  March,  1869.  The  circuit  then  embraced  Bloom- 
ingdale church,  and  the  Muhlenburg,  Cragle  Hill,  Van 
Horn  and  Rock  school-houses.  The  local  preachers 
then  were  Revs.  Robert  Aylesworth  and  John  Holmes. 
After  Mr.  Yocum  Rev.  H.  B.  Fortner  preached  two 
years,  followed  by  W.  M,  Reilly  and  Rev.  W.  W.  Reese- 
During  the  latter's  pastorate,  the  "Oakville"  church  was 
built,  at  Red  Rock.  In  1874  and  1875  the  pastor  was 
Rev.  William  Moses.  In  1874  a  parsonage  was  bought 
half  a  mile  northeast  of  Muhlenburg  Corners,  in  Union 
township  on  the  Hunlock  road.  After  Mr.  Moses,  Rev. 
N.  B.  Smith  preached  two  years.  Rev.  Owen  Hicks,  the 
present  pastor,  was  appointed  in  March,  1878. 

When  this  circuit  was  organized  it  embraced  only  four 
preaching  places,  while  there  are  now  eight,  with  seven 
classes.  The  preaching  places  are  the  Bloomingdale  and 
Oakville  churches,  and  the  Marsh,  Muhlenburg,  Van 
Horn,  Croop,  Cragle  Hill  and  Sorber  school-houses. 

The  local  preachers  are  Rev.  Robert  Aylesworth  and 
Rev.  E.  B.  Dodson;  exhorter,  T.  F.  Wolfe.  The  mem- 
bership is  200.  The  church  property  is  valued  at  $3,000. 
There  are  seven  Sunday-schools,  numbering  about  400 
officers,  teachers  and  scholars. 

Rev.  Owen  Hicks,  pastor  as  above  mentioned,  was 
born  in  Macham,  Monmouthshire,  England,  in  May, 
1842;  came  to  this  country  with  his  parents  in  1847,  and 
settled  in  the  central  part  of  Pennsylvania.  He  served 
in  the  Union  army  three  years.  He  joined  the  M.  E. 
Church  when  J3  years  old;  was  licensed  as  an  exhorter  at 
16;  entered  the  traveling  ministry  in  1866,  and  preached  in 
the  South  nine  years.  After  being  repeatedly  mobbed 
by  the  ex-rebels,  and  losing  his  health,  he  was  transferred 
to  Pennsylvania  in  the  spring  of  1876. 

Two  "Christian''  churches  were  built  in  1870.  There 
are  Sunday-schools  held  in  all  the  churches  in  the  town- 
ship, besides  four  or  five  in  the  school-houses. 


SALEM   TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  is  one  of  the  original  townships,  and  re- 
tained its  name  as  one  of  the  eleven  town- 
ships into  which  old  Luzerne  county  was 
divided  in  1790.  The  name  adopted  was 
that  of  a  town  in  Windham  county.  Conn., 
from  which  the  early  settlers  came.  The  area  re- 
mains the  same  (about  twenty-nine  square  miles)  as 


in  1793,  after  Huntington    was    taken    off.     The  popula- 
tion was  1,525  in  1870  and  1,448  in  1880. 

We  have  been  permitted  to  extract  the  following  facts 
from  the  original  records  of  the  township.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Susquehanna  proprietors,  held  April  ist,  1793,  at 
Windham,  Connecticut,  Capt.  Aaron  Cleveland  modera- 
tor, "Nathaniel  Wales  ye  3d"  and  Ebenezer  Gray,  jr., 
were  appointed  a  committee  "  to  repair  to  Susquehanna 
river  and  make  a  pitch  for  a  township  and  survey  and 
lay  out  the  same,  Mr.  Wales  to  receive  six  shillings  per 
day  from  the  time  he  sets  out."  Thomas  Gray  was 
chosen  "'clerk  of  this  town  and  treasurer";  and  the 
name  Salem  was  adopted. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Salem 
on  Susquehanna  river,  legally  warned  and  held  at  Wind- 
ham, July  7th,  1793,"  "the  report  of  the  doing  of 
Messrs.  Nathaniel  Wales  3d  and  Ebenezer  Gray,  jr.,  who 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  lay  out  said  town  of 
Salem,  and  who  have  laid  out  the    same,"  was    accepted. 

It  was  "voted  that  the  7th  lot  in  the  first  division  now 
laid  out  belong  to  Mr.  Nathan  Beach  *  *  *  because 
he  now  lives  on  the  same;  and  said  Beach  is  to  have  an 
equal  share  with  other  proprietors  in  the  remainder  of 
the  land  that  is  undivided  in  said  town  of  Salem;  pro- 
vided the  said  Beach  pay  his  equal  proportion  of  the 
cost  of  laying  out  said  town  and  other  necessary  charges." 

Lots  51,  52  and  53  "  that  are  laid  out  in  the  first  divi- 
sion ''  were  declared  "  the  three  rights  that  was  voted 
by  the  Susquehanna  company  to  be  laid  out  in  each  town 
for  the  public  use." 

A  meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  Salem  was  held  in 
Windham  November  7th,  1774,  at  which  the  following 
action  was  taken: 

•'  Viited,  That  Messrs.  Ebenezer  Lathrop,  jr.,  and  Asa  Edgerton  be  a 
committee  to  repair  to  and  lay  out  the  town  of  Salem  in  lots  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner :  viz.  to  lay  out  in  the  best  manner  on  the  most  fertile 
lands  one  hundred  and  six  one  hundred  .lore  lots;  viz.  two  one  hundred 
acre  lots  to  each  proprietor  and  to  each  public  right,  and  the  remain- 
ing land  to  divide  equally  to  every  proprietor  and  public  right;  and 
then  to  make  each  division  ecpial  by  numbering  the  lot,  that  is  by 
putting  the  good  and  bad  to  the  same  number,  so  as  to  do  justice  to 
each  proprietor  in  the  division  of  said  township ;  and  that  Thomas 
Gray  be  collector." 

"  Vnted,  That  for  the  future  Samuel  Gray,  Jacob  Lyman,  Esqs.,  and 
Prince  Tracy  be  a  committee  to  warn  meetings  of  this  proprietary 
and  to  take  care  of  the  prudential  matters  of  this  township." 

February  8th,  1775,  it  was  voted  "to  accept  of  the 
doings  of  Messrs.  Ebenezer  Lathrop,  jr.,  and  Asa  Edger- 
ton,  surveying  and  laying  out  53  loo-acre  lots  in  this 
town  according  to  the  plan  that  they  have  made  thereof, 
with  a  reserve  for  a  needful  highway  through  the  lots 
from  No.  33  to  No.  41  inclusive,  and  also  with  a  reserve 
for  a  needful  highway  through  the  lots  from  No.  42  to 
No.  48  inclusive." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors  at  Windham,  October 
i3fh,  1787,  Joseph  S.  Kiff  moderator,  Colonel  Ebenezer 
Gray  was  appointed  their  agent  and  "  invested  with 
full  power  and  authority  to  appear  before  any  court, 
judges  or  commissioners,  or  any  other  persons  who 
are  or  shall  be  authorized  to  quiet  the  settlement  and 
establish  the  title  to  said  township,  and  there  to  prose- 
cute the  same  to  effect   and  final  issue  with   power  of 


*#- 


=*=A* 


^^ 


<^ 


THE  PIONEERS  OF  SALEM. 


365 


substitution."     One   dollar  was   levied   on  each  right  to 
defray  the  expense  of  the  agency. 

The  introduction  of  ballots  in  town  meetings  occurred 
at  the  one  held  "at  the  house  of  James  Campbell" 
March  2nd,  1816,  when  Alexander  Jamison  was  so 
elected  town  clerk.  As  a  committee  "  to' settle  the  busi- 
ness of  the  township  for  this  year,"  Sebastian  Sibert, 
James  Santee  and  Joseph  Jamjson  were  elected.  They 
were  authorized  to  divide  the  township  into  school 
disfricts,  which  was  done  July  sth,  1817,  and  at  the  meet- 
ing of  the  proprietors  held  at  the  house  of  Henry  Hepler 
March  28tli,  1818,  the  division  was  confirmed.  The 
numbers  of  children  in  each  district  were  as  follows: 
First  district,  64;  second,  82;  third,  72;  fourth,  75;  fifth 
46;  total,  344.  The  sixth  district  was  not  formed  till 
June  5th,  1839.  The  present  school  directors  of  Salem 
are  Paul  Grover,  George  Thomas,  Samuel  Pollock,  jr., 
F.  E.  Brockway,  Thomas  E.  Moore  (president)  and 
Stephen  Hill  (secretary). 

Nathan  Beach  was  the  pioneer  settler,  locating  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Jona  Gould.  He  was  long  one  of 
the  most  distinguished  men  of  Luzerne  county.  He  was 
for  many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  for  a  long  time 
postmaster  at  Beach  Grove,  being  the  first  postmaster  of 
this  township.  He  also  represented  Luzerne  county  in 
the  Legislature.  He  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  He 
was  always  in  the  front  rank  of  every  enterprise,  inclu- 
ding building  turnpikes  and  mills.  He  took  an  active 
part  in  the  construction  of  the  Wyoming  Valley  Canal, 
and  was  one  of  the  party  that  broke  ground  for  that 
enterprise. 

Elisha  Cortright,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  located  in 
Beach  Haven  about  1787,  and  opened  a  tavern,  the  first 
in  this  township.  Michael  Seeley  located  at  Beach 
Haven  the  same  year.  Samuel  and  John  Seeley  came 
soon  after  the  others,  locating  near  Belbend.  They 
raised  and  marketed  the  first  wheat  sold  from  Salem 
township.  Elisha  Cortright  had  the  first  spring  wagon. 
It  was  then  looked  upon  as  a  great  luxury. 

David  Thompson,  who  now  resides  at  the  celebrated 
lona  farm,  witnessed  the  burning  of  the  first  coal  fire 
where  anthracite  coal  was  successfully  used,  at  the  tav- 
ern of  Judge  Jesse  Fell,  in  Wilkes-Barre,  in  1808. 

James  Lockhart  was  an  early  settler  in  Beach  Haven, 
and  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  this  township  from 
1795  to  1830. 

Doctor  Mason  Crary,  a  native  of  Stonington,  Conn,, 
located  about  1795.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Nathan 
Beach,  and  was  the  first  resident  physician. 

Joseph  Walton,  from  Bucks  county.  Pa.,  located  in 
1803  at  Beach  Grove,  where  he  carried  on  blacksmithing 
and  farming,  buying  his  land  for  $2.50  per  acre.  The 
early  settlers  along  the  river  had  regular  shad  fishing 
grounds,  from  which  their  less  fortunate  neighbors  were 
excluded,  except  on  payment  of  a  fee.  Mr.  Walton 
bought  up  several  of  those  grounds,  paying  $1,000  for  the 
fishing  grounds  of  Gould's  island,  in  the  river  above 
Hick's  Ferry.     The  sales  of  shad  averaged  for  several 


years  nearly  $50  per  day  during  the  fishing  season. 
There  are  now  but  few  if  any  shad  at  these  once  famous 
fishing  grounds. 

John  A.  Harmon  was  born  in  Salem  township,  October 
19th,  1795,  near  Stephen  Hill's  present  farm,  north  of 
Beach  Haven.  From  youth  he  lived  on  a  farm  northwest 
from  where  he  was  born  until  his  death,  in  1878. 

The  Copes,  Seyberts,  Pollocks,  Kecks,  Rosses  and 
Braders  were  among  the  early  settlers  in  the  west  part  of 
the  township;  and  the  Hesses,  Starks,  Hills,  Thomases 
and  MifHins  settled  in  the  east  part  of  the  township. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  taxable  inhabitants 
of  Salem  in  1796: 

Nathan  Dlaok,  William  Bryan,  John  Cortright,  Elisha  Cortrighi:, 
Abraham  Cortright,  Joseph  Curry,  Christopher  Klinetob,  Robert  Dunn, 
Elisha  Decker,  Thomas  Dodson,  James  Dodson,  John  Dodson,  William 
Cray,  Andrew  Gregff,  Samuel  Hicks,  Christopher  Hans,  Joseph  Hans, 
Mariin  Hart,  Moses  Johnson,  Alexander  Jamison,  Joseph  Jamison,  Jon- 
athan Lee,  William  Love,  James  Lockhart.  Jonathan  Lewis,  David  Mo- 
Lain,  Andrew  Mowrey,  Amos  Park,  John  Rhodes,  George  Smuthers, 
Henry  Smuthers,  James  Santee,  Valentine  Santee,  Jacob  Smuthers, 
Reuben  Skinner,  Oliver  Smith,  Reuben  Smith,  Sebastian  Sibert,  Jacob 
Smuthers,  jr.,  Richard  Smith,  Jacob  Shones,  Levi  Thomas,  Richard 
Thomas,  John  Varner  and  Anthony  Weaver. 

Sebastian  Sibert,  now  spelled  Seybert,  settled  about 
1780  near  the  mouth  of  Seybert  or  Varner's  creek,  about 
a  mile  west  of  Beach  Haven.  Here  he  built  a  grist-mill, 
saw-mill,  clothiery  and  distillery.  The  grist-mill  was  of 
logs,  had  but  one  run  of  stones,  and  could  grind  only 
from  four  to  six  bushels  of  grain  a  day.  The  saw-mill 
was  of  the  old  "  flutter  wheel "  style,  and  would  cut 
about  1,000  feet  of  lumber  in  twenty-four  hours.  The 
clothiery  was  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  and  the  distil- 
lery was  the  best  that  could  be  built  at  that  day.  They 
have  all  gone  to  decay,  except  the  grist-mill,  which  is 
now  owned  by  Edward  Lutz. 

From  1825  Uriah  Seybert  had  a  grist-mill  and  a  saw- 
mill farther  up  the  stream  for  a  few  years.  The  grist-mill 
at  Beach  Haven  was  built  in  1847  or  1848  by  A.  T.  Mc- 
Clintock.  The  original  water  power  proved  insufficient, 
and  subsequently  steam  was  applied.  The  capacity  of 
the  mill  is  100  barrels  of  flour  per  day.  The  saw-mills 
at  the  head  waters  of  Mill  creek  were  built  since  1840. 
The  upper  mill  is  owned  by  S.  Pollock,  and  the  one  far- 
ther down  the  stream  by  Daniel  Hill.  There  are  also 
two  saw-mills  at  the  head  waters  of  Seybert  creek.  The 
tannery  at  Beach  Haven  was  built  by  Albert  Hinsey  in 
or  about  1847.  It  is  now  owned  by  Andrew  Seeley  and 
has  been  abandoned  as  a  tannery. 

Justices  of  the  Peace. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  justices  of  the  peace  elected 
in  this  township  since  the  adoption  of  the  State  constitu- 
tion of  1838,  together  with  the  years  of  election: 

Andrew  Cortright,  1845;  John  Kisner,  1840,  1845; 
William  Hicks,  1841;  Isaac  Courtright,  1846;  Jacob 
Seeley,  1850;  Isaac  Courtright,  2nd,  185 1;  Daniel  G. 
Driesbach,  1855;  John  R.  Anderson,  1856;  James  Bel- 
ford,  1859,  1864,  1869;  Samuel  H.  Hicks,  i860;  Daniel 
Brader,  1863,  1868;  F.  E.  Brockway,  1873,  1878;  J.  W. 
Meixell,  1874,  1879. 


<^ 


AR 


^- 


366 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Church  Histories. 

Beach  Haven  M.  E.  Church. — Long  before  there  was  a 
church,  or  even  a  Methodist  class  here,  the  church-going 
people  would  meet  at  the  old  stone  church  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  northwest  from  Beach  Haven,  and  listen  to 
either  a  Lutheran  or  Reformed  preacher,  or  occasionally 
a  Methodist  itinerant.  Two  men,  named  Tobias  and 
Loder,  after  hearing  the  quaint  old  "  circuit  rider,''  met 
at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Catherine  McGraw,  at  Beach  Haven, 
and  arranged  for  Methodist  preaching  at  the  school-house- 
This  resulted  in  the  building  of  a  union  church  on  the 
west  side  of  Mill  creek,  between  the  highway  and  where 
the  railroad  now  runs.  The  building  lot  was  donated  by 
Josiah  T.  Beach. 

In  1848  a  Methodist  Episcopal  society  was  formed, 
which  continued  to  worship  in  the  union  church  till  early 
in  1870.  In  1869  the  society  built  the  present  brick 
church  on  East  Main  street,  forty  by  sixty  feet,  at  a  cost 
of  $2,700.     It  was  dedicated  in  February,  1870. 

The  first  preacher  was  Adam  Brittain.  Beach  Haven 
was  attached  to  the  Baltimore  Conference;  then  to  East 
Baltimore  and  finally  to  the  Central  Pennsylvania  Con 
ference.  The  successive  ministers  on  this  charge  have 
been  as  follows:  1868,  1869,  P.  F.  Eyre;  1870-72,  Adam 
Brittain;  1S73,  1874,  John  Stiner;  1875-77,  H.  B.  Fortner; 
1878,  Adam  Brittain;   1879,  R-  L.  Armstrong. 

The  following  appointments  are  connected  with  the 
Beach  Haven  church:  Beach  Grove  school-house, Walton 
school-house,  Dodson  or  Shickshinny  valley  school-house, 
Kenzie  school-house  and  the  Sloyer  church.  The  Beach 
Haven  circuit  was  organized  in  1875.  The  present 
trustees  are  Daniel  Brader,  J.  F.  Hicks,  William  Edwards, 
Nathan  Robert  and  William  Keiner.  The  value  of  the 
church  property  is  $2,500. 

The  union  church  above  referred  to  was  accidentally 
burned  in  1877. 

The  Evangelical  Society  of  Beach  Haven  is  of  recent 
organization,  and  is  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Ettinger  of  Berwick.  Its  public  services  are  held  in 
the  brick  school-house. 

The  old  "Stone  Chii7-ch,"  about  a  mile  and  a  half  north- 
west from  Beach  Haven,  is  occupied  alternately  by  the 
Lutheran  and  Reformed  congregations.  Rev.  Mr.  Steck 
is  pastor  of  the  Lutheran  congregation,  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Derr  of  the  Reformed.  Rev.  Mr.  Dixon,  Presbyterian, 
preaches  here  occasionally.  The  church  lot  was  donated 
by  Christian  Bielhemer. 

Beach  Haven. 

This  village  was  named  in  honor  of  Nathan  Beach, 
who  owned  the  land.  Mr.  Beach  was  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut, and  became  one  of  the  proprietors  of  this  town- 
ship under  the  Connecticut  title,  locating  here  in  the 
early  part  of  1773. 

One  of  the  first  settlers  in  Beach  Haven  was  John 
Kulp.  He  is  understood  to  have  lived  on  the  site  of  the 
old  log  house,  with  stone  chimney,  now  standing  in  the 
lot  opposite  J   F.  Hicks's  store  on  Main  street. 


Mr.  Beach  had   a   town  plot  surveyed   soon   after  the 
public  highway  or   "  river  road  "   was   laid  out.     Beach 
Haven  grew  slowly  until  the  completion  of  the  Wyoming 
valley   canal.     Then   came   an   increase  of   business,  as 
this    point    soon    became    the  boat   yard    for    the  entire 
length  of  the  canal,  giving  employment  to  hundreds  of 
men.     With  the  advent  of  the  railroad    the  business  on 
the  canal  began  to  increase,  and  boat  building  declined, 
until  at  present  but  an  occasional  boat  is  built  here,  and 
comparatively  few  are  repaired.     The  large  flouring   mill 
built   here    in  1847  or  1848,  manufacturing  and  shipping 
one  hundred  barrels  of  flour  per  day,  has  dwindled  down 
to  an  ordinary  custom  mill.  The  lumber  trade  has  ceased, 
the  available  supply  of   timber  being  exhausted.     Of  half 
a  dozen  stores  once  doing  a  large  and  profitable  business 
now  only  those    of   J.    P'.   Hicks,    A.  W.  HoUoway    and 
Wesley  Robert  do  a  general  business.     Boat  repairing  is 
done  by  Daniel  Brader  at  the  old  boat  yard.     There  are 
two  hotels,  the  Beach  Haven  House,  kept  by  G.W.  Fisher, 
and    the    Union    Hotel,    by   *"    I.    Hess.     There    is    one 
church  (Methodist  Epifcopal),  one  two-story  brick  school 
building,  and  a  railroad  depot.     W.  G.  Dreisbach  is  the 
station  agent,  telegraph  operator  and  postmaster.     J.  W. 
Meixell  is  collector  of  tolls  on  the  canal.     He  has  passed 
through  the  lock  at  this  place  as  many  as  4,500   boats   in 
one  season.     There  is  also  a  weigh  lock  here. 

Ferries. 

Salem  Ferry  Company  was  organized  in  May,  1878. 
A  one-and-a-quarter-inch  wire  rope,  1,950  feet  in  length, 
is  used,  which  cost  $1,100.  The  officers  and  directors  of 
the  company  are:  President,  George  W.  Fisher;  secretary, 
Daniel  Brader;  treasurer,  John  Mifflen;  directors,  Daniel 
Brader,  George  W.  Fisher,  William  G.  Morris,  Andrew 
Seeley,  Samuel  Mifflen,  F.  E.  Brockway  and  J.  M. 
McCale. 

The  rope  ferry  at  Hicks  Ferry  was  built  as  early  as 
1825 ;  it  was  a  private  enterprise  and  for  many  years  afford- 
ed the  only  means  of  crossing  between  Nanticoke  and 
Berwick.  It  was  put  in  operation  by  William  Hicks,  one 
of  the  early  settlers,  who  owned  the  land  in  the  bend  of 
the  river  at  this  point.  The  property  is  now  owned  by 
the  powder  company  whose  mills  are  in  Hollenback 
township,  about  one  mile  from  the  ferry,  on  the  Big 
Wapwallopen  creek. 


SLOCUM  TOWNSHIP. 


^  HE  township  of  Slocum  was  separated  from 
Newport  in  1854.  It  has  a  farming  popula- 
tion numbering  377,  again  of  60  since  1870. 
The  township  is  divided  into  five  school  dis- 
tricts. In  1878  there  were  five  months'  school, 
and  125  pupils  in  attendance.  The  whole  amount 
of  money  expended  in  that  year  for  educational 
purposes  was  $[,116.59.  The  average  wages  paid  to 
teachers  was  $30  per  month. 


■^3= 


=*A» 


=.^^ 


EARLY  TIMES  IN  SLOCUM  AND  SUCxARLOAF  TOWNSHIPS. 


367 


Pioneer  Times. 

John  Lutsey  settled  in  the  township  about  1785,  near 
where  William  Lutsey  now  lives.  His  sons  William, 
Henry  and  Joseph,  came  with  him.  William  Lutsey, 
grandson  of  John  Lutsey,  is  now  living  in  the  township, 
at  thj  advanced  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  The  Lutseys 
were  soon  followed  by  others,  and  in  1799  '^'"'^  following 
persons  were  rated  as  taxables  in  the  township,  then  New- 
port, viz.:  John  Alder,  John  Lutsey,  James  Millage, 
Jacob  Mullen,  James  Mullen,  James  Mullen,  jr.,  Henry 
Fritz  and  Jeremiah  Vandermark.  Soon  after  the  year 
1800,  Ira  Winters,  John  Ogin,  Jacob  Weiss,  Jacob  Paine, 
Richard  Paine,  Jacob  Finks,  John  Rosencrans,  one  Fred- 
ericks and  one  Delemater  moved  into  the  township. 

The  early  settlers  were  compelled  to  go  to  Newport 
and  Wapwallopen  to  do  their  trading  and  milling,  going 
one  day  and  returning  the  next.  In  many  cases  the 
men  were  compelled  to  carry  the  grain  on  their  backs. 
A  saw-mill  was  built  by  John  Rosencrans  about  1836. 
Since  that  time  there  have  been  several  small  water- 
mills,  and  one  steam  mill,  owned  by  Aaron  Boyd. 
There  are  no  mills  in  operation  in  the  township  at  the 
present  time. 

Silas  Alexander  opened  a  small  store,  where  Mr. 
Stackhouse  now  lives,  about  1848.  This  was  the  first 
store  in  Slocum.  Mr.  Alexander  was  followed  in  a  few 
years  by  B.  Lear,  Esq.,  who  moved  into  the  town  from 
Bucks  county.  He  was  followed  by  P.  J.  Myers,  Esq., 
who  is  the  present  postmaster  and  keeps  the  only  store. 
At  an  early  day  a  post-office,  called  Lutsey,  was  estab- 
lished, with  John  Rosencrans  as  postmaster.  The  name 
of  the  office  was  afterwards  changed  to  Slocum.  Mails 
were  formerly  brought  from  Nescopeck  once  a  week. 
They  are  now  brought  from  there  twice  a  week. 

A  building  was  erected  just  below  the  residence  of  P. 
J.  Myers,  Esq.,  in  1838,  to  be  used  as  a  meeting  and  school 
house.  Mr.  Myers  gave  the  lot.  John  Rosencrans  was 
the  first  teacher,  and  many  of  the  older  people  speak  of 
that  as  the  first  school  they  ever  attended? 

The  first  frame  house  was  built  by  William  Lutsey, 
about  1837.  Hiram  Rosencrans  was  the  first  blacksmith. 
B.  Lear  is  the  only  one  in  the  township  now. 

The  land  for  the  cemetery  was  left  to  the  town  by  John 
Ogin  in  his  will.  His  wife  was  the  first  person  buried  in 
Slocum  township.  She  died  about  1836,  and  was  buried 
on  a  knoll  west  of  the  cemetery;  but  Mr.  Ogin,  not 
liking  the  location,  had  her  body  removed  to  the  present 
site,  where  he  was  himself  buried  in  1844,  being  the  sec- 
ond person  to  be  buried  in  the  cemetery. 

Evangelical  Church. 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  this  society  all  religious 
meetings  were  held  in  school-houses.  For  many  years 
the  Evangelists  and  German  Reformed  had  sent  their 
ministers  to  preach  to  the  people  of  Slocum.  January 
19th,  1869,  the  society  organized  with  the  following  mem- 
bers:' B.  Lear,  Samuel  Stair,  Eliza  Stair,  John  Myers_ 
Lydia  Myers,  Mary  A.  Ogin,  Lydia    Myers,   jr.,  Priscilla 


Hoch,  E.  A.  Boyd,  R.  J.  Myens,  Mary  A.  Myers,  LaFay- 
ette  Stair,  Rebecca  Stout,  Margaret  Myers,  P.  J.  Myers, 
Mary  J.  Lear,  Patience  Lear,  Ellen  Broivn,  Rosanna 
Paine,  Henry  Defrain,  Catherine  Defrain,  Zura  Simms, 
Catherine  Simms,  J.  Simms,  Anna  Boyd  and  B.  F. 
Wilson. 

The  first  minister  in  charge  was  Rev.  T.  M.  Morris, 
who  was  followed  in  1870  by  Rev.  D.  Kepner.  Mr. 
Kepner  preached  two  years,  Rev.  P.  S.  Orwig  two  years. 
Rev.  W.  H.  Rhoads  two  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Barson  three 
years  and  Rev.  A.  Kreamer  one  year.  The  present  min- 
ister is  Rev.  J.  M.  Price. 

In  i860  a  wooden  church  building  was  erected  on  the 
corner  opposite  the  house  of  W.  Brown,  by  the  united 
efforts  of  the  people  of  Slocum,  without  regard  to  sect. 
The  church  was  built  by  W.  H.  Brader,  and  cost  $500. 
It  is  used  by  all  denominations  who  may  have  occasion 
to  hold  services. 

The  following  persons  were  commissioned  as  justices 
in  the  years  given,  viz.:  Benjamin  Lear,  1856,  i86r, 
1866,  1872,  1877;  Philip  J.  Myers,  1857,  1868;  Aaron 
Boyd,  1863. 

The  following  have  served  as  supervisors:  Philip  Hoch, 
seven  years;  Benjamin  Vandermark,  one  year;  William 
Lutsey,  three  years;  Thomas  Lutsey,  three  years;  George 
W.  Keyser  two  years;  Jacob  Lutsey,  one  year;  Aaron 
Boyd,  one  year;  Jacob  Kester,  four  years;  Jesse  Rosen- 
crans, one  year;  Philip  Meyers,  two  years;  Isaiah  Jones, 
one  year;  George  Myers,  one  year;  Abraham  Jones,  five 
years;  Thomas  Fink,  two  years;  Zura  Simms,  one  year; 
Frederick  Seigle,  two  years;  William  Brown,  two  years; 
Samuel  Stair,  one  year;  Nathan  Hontz,  one  year;  Wil- 
liam Arnold,  two  years;  W.  S.  Moore,  one  year,  and  John 
Sponenberger,  one  year.  C.  B.  Jones  was  town  clerk  one 
year;  Charles  Weiss  one  year,  James  M.  Moore  two 
years,  James  Jackson  five  years. 

The  present  justice  is  B.  Lear;  clerk,  Enos  Hontz; 
supervisors,  William  Arnold  and  John  Sponenberger. 


SUGARLOAF  TOWNSHIP. 


,  HIS  township  derives  its  name  from  Sugarloaf 
mountain.  It  was  formed  from  Nescopeck 
in  April,  1809,  and  formerly  embraced  the 
townships  of  Butler  and  Hazle,  which  were 
taken  off  in  August,  1839,  and  Black  Creek,  which 
was  taken  off  August  8th,  1848.  The  population 
in  1870  was  1,240,  and  in  1880  1,390. 
Settlement  began  between  1775  and  1780,  although 
grants  of  land  had  been  given  as  early  as  1769.  The 
earliest  grant  or  patent  was  from  Thomas  and  John  Penn 
to  John  Foreman.  The  application  for  the  same  is  num- 
bered 3,701,  and  was  entered  August  3d,  1769.  This 
grant  was  311^  acres,  and  the  consideration  was  ;^i5 
irs.  9d.  The  tract  was  called  in  the  conveyance  "New- 
berg,"  and  was  west  from  Seybertsville.     Most  of  it  is  now 


<h 


^^ 


=^^ 


368 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


(1879)  occupied  by  William  Seiwell,  in  whose  possession 
is  the  original  deed  given  by  the  Penns.  This  was  sub- 
sequently deeded  to  John  Maxwell  Nesbitt,  and  by  him 
to  Redmond  Conyngham,  who  deeded  to  Valentine  Sei- 
well, father  of  the  present  owner.  The  Seiwells  located 
on  this  place  in  181 1. 

The  Osterdock  family  located  near  the  site  of  the  toll- 
house of  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  turnpike,  half  a 
mile  above  Conyngham.  It  is  believed  they  were  here 
at  the  time  of  the  massacre  in  1780,  and  if  not  partici- 
pants in  that  bloody  transaction  were  fully  cognizant  of 
the  facts.  The  Shaffer  family  were  here  at  the  same  time, 
and  located  a  little  farther  south  along  the  side  of  the 
mountain. 

The  first  carding-mill  was  built  by  Abraham  Stahr  in 
1814,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Engle.  There  was 
also  a  saw-mill  at  the  same  place.  Both  have  gone  to 
decay.  About  1809  there  was  a  carding-mill  on  the  north- 
east side  of  the  Little  Nescopeck,  where  it  crosses  the 
Butler  road  from  Conyngham.  There  was  also  a  saw-mill, 
the  foundations  of  which  are  still  visible. 

The  first  farm  cleared  to  any  extent  was  William  Sei- 
well's,  and  Mrs.  Engle's  the  next. 

The  first  road  through  the  town  was  made,  or  rather 
called  a  road,  before  1800.  It  was  the  Owens  road,  from 
Berwick  to  Mauch  Chunk,  and  passed  through  the  farm 
now  owned  by  William  Seiwell.  The  next  road  of  any 
importance,  the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  turnpike,  from 
Berwick  to  Mauch  Chunk,  was  chartered  March  19th, 
1804,  and  constructed  about  1810.  It  must  have  been 
surveyed  between  1804  and  1808,  as  lots  in  the  village  of 
Conyngham  were  bounded  by  the  center  of  this  turnpike. 
The  first  bridge  was  where  the  turnpike  crosses  the  Nes- 
copeck. 

The  grist-mill  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Jesse  Johnson,  south 
of  Seybertsville,  was  built  in  1820  by  George  Koenig. 
Benjamin  Koenig  built  one  at  Seybertsville,  on  the  Little 
Nescopeck,  in  1815,  and  Richard  Allen  built  a  saw-mill 
above  the  site  of  the  grist-mill  in  1798.  They  both  went 
to  decay  many  years  ago.  The  first  blacksmith,  Jacob 
Mace,  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  William  Seiwell, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers.  The  next  blacksmith,  a 
Mr.  Law,  lived  on  the  Black  Creek  road  from  Conyng- 
ham. The  first  shoefnaker  was  George  Rupert.  He 
lived  near  the  west  line  of  the  township.  The  first  brick 
house  was  built  by  Daniel  Brown,  and  it  is  now  part  of 
the  Brown  estate.  The  first  steam  mill  in  this  township 
was  built  by  Stephen  Yost  in  1865,  on  the  road  from  Black 
Creek  to  Conyngham. 

The  Sugarloaf  Valley  Massacre. 

The  victims  of  this  butchery  by  the  "  noble  red  men  " 
were  not  the  loving  mother  and  the  innocent  babe,  but  a 
party  of  thirty-three  "seven  months  men  "  on  their  way 
to  the  Wyoming  valley.  They  had  come  up  from  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  State,  crossing  over  Broad  and 
Buck  mountains,  passed  down  through  the  ravine  south- 
east from  Conyngham,  and  halted  at  the  spring  on  E. 
Frederick's  lot,  north  of  the  road  and  west  of  the  Little 


Nescopeck  creek,  where  it  crosses  the  Butler  road,  on  the 
east  side  of  Conyngham.  Feeling,  no  doubt,  a  degree  of 
safety,  the  little  band  set  their  guns  around  a  tree,  and 
were  refreshing  the  inner  man  with  the  pure  water  from 
the  spring.  While  thus  employed  they  suddenly  found 
themselves  separated  from  their  trusty  old  firelocks  by  a 
band  of  Indians,  with  here  and  there  a  heartless  tory 
among  them.  The  enemy  had  come  down  through  the 
same  ravine,  and  taking  the  troops  at  such  disadvantage 
completely  discomfited  them. 

The  accounts  given  in  former  histories  of  this  bloody 
transaction  differ  materially  from  the  facts  given  by  those 
who  in  former  times  conversed  with  some  of  the  party 
that  escaped,  and  by  those  who  were  sent  to  bury  the 
dead.  The  Gilbert  family  were  captured  in  the  spring  of 
1780,  and  with  them  was  Abigail  Dodson,  who  was  taken 
to  Canada.  The  massacre  occurring  after  her  capture- 
she  obtained  her  information  from  a  prisoner  whom  the 
savages  spared  and  turned  over  to  the  British;  and  she 
told  the  story  as  here  given.  A  great  uncle  of  the  Engle 
brothers  now  living  in  Hazleton  escaped  over  the  Nesco 
peck  mountains,  and  reached  Fort  Jenkins.  Abram  Kla- 
der,  a  brother  of  the  officer  in  commend  of  the  patriot 
party,  escaped  by  concealing  himself  in  the  Little  Nesco- 
peck creek,  clinging  to  a  tree  that  had  fallen  across  the 
stream,  and  keeping  only  his  face  above  water,  until  the 
savages  had  disappeared.  Frederick  Shickler  escaped 
over  Buck  mountain,  avoiding  the  Indian  trail,  and  finally 
reached  the  settlement  in  the  Lehigh  valley.  The  num- 
ber of  whites  killed  is  given  by  Miner  as  fourteen.  Both 
Miner  and  Pearce  say  that  the  company  of  seven  months 
men  were  commanded  by  Captain  Myers,  while  Chapman 
says  that  William  Moyer  was  in  command;  but  the  most 
reliable  tradition  and  testimony  of  descendants  of  the 
murdered  men  declare  that  Captain  Daniel  Klader  was 
in  command.  After  performing  deeds  of  valor  that 
caused  his  name  afterward  to  inspire  feelings  akin  to  ven- 
eration, he  was  finally  killed  and  scalped  by  the  savages, 
and  subsequently  buried,  as  were  also  others  of  the  party, 
on  what  is  now  the  farm  of  Samuel  Wagner,  half  a  mile 
east  of  Conyngham.  No  trace  is  to  be  seen  of  the  grave 
of  Klader.  The  oak  tree  under  which  he  was  laid,  and 
upon  which  were  cut  the  initials  of  his  name,  was  sacri- 
legiously cut  down  several  years  ago,  and  even  the  stump 
is  decayed  and  gone.  He  sold  his  life  as  dearly  as  pos- 
sible, killing  several  Indians.  An  old  flintlock  and  gun 
barrel  were  plowed  uponKlader's  grave  several  years  ago, 
and  they  are  now  in  possession  of  Hon.  George  W.  Drum, 
of  Conyngham. 

Sugarloaf  Rifle  Company. 

As  soon  as  the  population  of  this  township  had  become 

sufficiently    numerous    there    was    organized.    May    6th, 

1822,  the  "Sugarloaf  Rifle  Company."     The  following  is 

a  copy  of  the  old  muster  roll: 

Captain,  Jacob  Drumbellor;  first  lieutenant,  Jo1in  Balliet;  second 
lieutenant,  George  Klinger.  Privates— George  Drum,  jr.,  George 
Betteriy,  Abraham  Stanner,  Arobibald  D.  Murraj',  Samuel  Balliet, 
Abram  Miller,  George  Stahr,  George  Wenner,  Jacob  Fether,  Leonard 
Wener,   John  Henry,    Marthen  Smith,    John  Dombaoh,  Jacob  More, 


*ih 


^:=#* 


^ 


^ 


<&^^=^ 


RESIDENCE     OF     NATHAN     SNYDER,  SUGAR     LOAF      IF.  LUZERNE     CO.,    PA. 

SUGAR  LOAT  MOUNTAIN    IN    THE    DISTANCE 


"GERMAN     CARP"  "FISH     PONDS"  "TROUT" 

RESIDENCE    or   S.   D.YOST,   SUGAR    LOAF    TP,         LUZCRNE    CO.,    PA. 


^ 
■^ 


^^^ 


ABRAHAM    DRUM,    (detce  as  c  o)    BUTLER  ,  TP. 

LUZERNC     CO>Ji\iT,    PA. 


H0N.G.W.DRUM,CONYNGHAM,UUZERNe     C  O.,  P  A. 


PHILIP     V.   WEAVER,    HAZLETON. 
LUZERNE     COUNTY,    PA. 


STEPHEN     D.ENGLE,    MAZLETON. 
LUZERNE     COUNTY,    PA. 


=^H 


VOTERS  OF  SUGARLOAF  TOWNSHIP— CHURCH  HISTORIES. 


369 


Abraham  Bulliet,  Georg:e  Earo,  John  Smith,  Jeremiah  Heller,  Peter 
Minig,  William  Heller,  Ludwiek  Heller,  Jacob  Keifer,  Andrew  Miller, 
John  Keiter,  Charles  Rittenhouse,  Salmon  Staahr,  Amos  Foster,  John 
Clear,  Abraham  Maurer,  John  Wintersteen,  George  Becsline,  Jacob 
Earo,  Jacob  Drum,  Andrew  Maurer,  Abraham  Drum,  William  Winter- 
steen, Ira  Heemans,  Alexander  Klinger,  Peter  Soheitz,  Christian  Henry, 
John  Miller,  Philip  Drum,  Daniel  Wenner,  Jacob  Minig,  Philip  Weaver, 
J^cob  Oxrider,  Daniel  Weaber,  Philip  Seine,  Henry  Maurer,  Jacob 
Geiting,  Frederick  Neisley,  Thomas  W.  Troy,  John  Beesleine,  James 
Smith,  Jacob  Kocher,  Benjamin  Kingr,  John  Andreas,  James  McCarty, 
Stephen  BalUet,  John  Bright,  George  Schadle  and  Jacob  Schaver. 

Items  of  Civil  History. 

In  1810  there  were  sixty-seven  taxable  inhabitants,  and 
the  total  tax  levied  was  $110.05.  The  township  then  in- 
cluded Black  Creek,  Sugarloaf,  Butler,  Hazle,  and  a  part 
of  Foster.  The  amount  of  taxes  for  Sugarloaf  for 
1879  was  $6,000. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  poll  list  kept  at  a  gene- 
ral election  held  in  the  school-house  at  Conyngham, 
October  13th,  1818,  when  the  township  included  Sugar- 
loaf,  Black  Creek,  Butler  and  Hazle. 

Valentine  Seiwell,  Henry  Gidding,  John  Wolf,  John  Gidding,  Jacob 
Drumheller,  jr.,  Conrad  Harman,  Casper  Horn,  Henry  Winter,  Jeremiah 
Heller,  Jacob  Keifer,  Philip  Woodring,  James  Lormison,  Archibald 
Murray,  Jacob  Drum,  Richard  Allen,  Andrew  Decker,  George  Drum,  jr., 
Joseph  McMertrie,GeorgeDrum,  Sr.,  Abraham  Smith,Danlel  Shelhamer, 
Samuel  Harman,  Phineas  Smith,  James  Smith,  Andrew  Wolf,  John 
Merrick,  Michael  Funton,  Henry  Tost,  Michael  Boesline,  Jacob  Spaid, 
Henry  Boesline,  Jacob  Boesline,  Daniel  Maurer,  jr.,  George  Penig,  Sr., 
Christian  Weaver,  George  Clinger,  Anthony  Weaver,  Andrew  Oxrider, 
Philip  Tost,  Michael  Marklcy,  Peter  Stoehr,  Michael  Frous,  Samuel 
Tost,  George  Wener,  Valentine  Line,  John  Cool,  Philip  Drum,  George 
Thresher,  Michael  Shrieder,  Archibald  Murray,  Jacob  Foose,  Peter 
aaiss,  Jacob  Thresher,  Conrad  Bellasfelt,  Abraham  Miller,  Philip  Root, 
George  Hoofman,  George  D.  Strain,  Solomon  Stroam,  Jacob  Taflecker, 
Abraham  Steiner,  John  Adam  Winters,  David  Seiokard,  Jacob  Drumhel- 
ler, Sr.,  Christian  Wenner  and  John  McMertrie.    Total  sixty-six. 

In  1835  there  were  158  voters  in  the  same  territory. 
In  1879  there  were  3,425,  and  in  the  present  township  of 
Sugarloaf  242.  The  justices  of  the  township,  with  the 
years  of  their  election,  have  been  as  follows: 

Jackson  S.  Harrison,  1840;  Jacob  Drumheller,  1840,  1845,  1850;  Jesse 
Hart,  1843;  John  Andreas,  1851;  George  H.  Gardner,  1855;  William  Engle, 
1855;  Robert  F.  Brown,  1869;  Daniel  Brown,  1860;  George  W.  Drum, 
1860, 1865, 1870,  1875;  Oliver  P.  Kester,  1886,  1871;  William  S.  Miller,  1876; 
N.D.Smith,  1879. 

CHURCHES. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL. 

John  Rhodes  was  the  first  to  plant  the  banner  of 
Methodi.sm  in  the  Sugarloaf  valley.  He  wended  his 
way  over  mountains,  down  ravines,  through  stream  and 
forest,  until  he  reached  what  is  now  Conyngham.  His 
preaching  drew  the  settlers  from  far  and  near.  Four 
acres  of  land  were  deeded  by  Redmond  Conyngham  to 
Archibald  Murray,  George  Drum,  jr.,  Jacob  Drumheller, 
Philip  Woodring  and  Peter  Scheide,  as  trustees;  and  a 
long  church  building  was  put  up,  just  south  of  the 
English  burying  ground,  on  the  site  of  the  school-house 
in  the  north  part  of  Conyngham.  One  half  of  it  was  to 
be  used  by  all  the  religious  denominations  for  preaching, 
and  the  other  half  as  a  school-house.  There  were  large 
doors  in  the  middle  of  the  building,  hinged  at  the  top, 
so  as  to  be  swung  up  and  fastened  to  the  ceiling,  in  order 
to  make  double  room  for  extra  occasions. 

Here  was  formed  the  first  Methodist  class  in  this  town- 
ship.    Mr.   Rhodes   was   the  preacher,  Charles  Bowman 


the  first  leader  of  the  class,  and  a  Mr.  Witherstine  assist- 
ant leader.  David  Richards  and  wife,  James  Smith  and 
wife,  Sarah  McMurtie,  Mary  McMurtie,  Phebe  Troy 
Catharine  Troy,  Mary  Cowley  and  John  Cowley  were 
among  the  first  members  of  the  class. 

In  i866  the  society  built  their  present  church,  in  the 
north  part  of  the  village  of  Conyngham,  at  a  cost  of 
$2,500.  The  church  lot  was  donated  by  Dr.  Cassel- 
berry,  of  Hazleton.  The  church  is  of  wood,  40  by  50 
feet,  with  seats  for  three  hundred. 

The  old  union  church  was  moved  in  1854  or  1855 
down  the  street,  opposite  the  Phoenix  Hotel,  and  it  is  now 
occupied  by  Henry  Shepperly  as  a  stove  and  tin  shop. 

Mr.  Rhodes  was  succeeded  by  Kevs.  Messrs.  Shepherd 
and  Thomas,  Oliver  Ege,  Charles  Brown,  John  Lloyd, 
George  Bergstresser,  Thomas  Bowman,  G.  H.  Day,  A. 
Britton,  T.  H.  Switzer  and  John  Nicholson.  In  1852 
Rev.  Messrs.  Barnhart  and  Elisha  Butler  were  on  this 
charge.  This  brings  us  down  to  the  church  records  of 
i860,  when  we  again  find  G.  H.  Day  appointed;  1862, 
B.  P.  King;  1864,  Josiah  Forrest  and  J.  C.  Hagey;  1866, 
James  F.  Porter;  1867,  Henry  S.  Mendenhall;  i868, 
James  B.  Cuddy,  C.  L.  Benscotten  and  Pemberton  Bird; 
1870,  A.  S.  Bowman  and  N.  W.  Colburn;  1873,  J.  Farron 
Brown  and  J.  B.  Moore.  In  1874  J.  Horning  came  in 
place  of  Mr.  Moore.  G.  B.  Savage,  T.  H.  Tubbs  and 
William  A.  Carver  were  also  on  this  district.  In  1874  the 
old  Jeansville  circuit  was  divided,  leaving  the  townships 
of  Butler,  Sugarloaf  and  Black  Creek  in  one  charge.  In 
1875  Rev.  J.  Stine  was  appointed  here,  and  in  1877  G. 
M.  Larned,  the  present  pastor.  The  present  value  of  the 
church  property  is  $2,000. 

The  first  Sunday-school  was  organized  by  Asher  Stout, 
soon  after  the  old  union  church  was  built.  The  present 
superintendent  is  M.  T.  Boston,  with  W.  F.  Tressler  as 
assistant.  The  total  number  of  scholars  is  116;  of 
teachers,  16;  average  attendance  of  scholars,  75;  volumes 
in  the  library,  492-. 

CHRIST    CHURCH. 

This  church  is  owned  jointly  by  the  Reformed  and 
Lutheran  congregations.  These  organizations  were  formed 
simultaneously  about  the  year  1800,  when  all  denomina- 
tions held  their  meetings  in  the  old  union  church,  and 
obtained  of  Redmond  Conyngham  a  deed  of  the  lot  for 
Christ  Church.  The  deed  was  given  to  Peter  Stare, 
Philip  Woodring,  Stephen  Balliett,  Samuel  Yost  and  Val- 
entine Sewell,  trustees,  and  dated  November  i6th,  1820. 
In  1826  the  two  congregations  built  thereon  a  log  church, 
the  corner  stone  of  which  was  laid  May  15th,  1826,  by 
Rev.  John  N.  Zeizer  of  the  Reformed  church,  and  Revs. 
Peter  Kessler  and  George  Eister  of  the  Lutheran.  The 
elders  were  John  A.  Winter  and  Jacob  Getting;  deacons, 
Peter  Klees,  Peter  Oxrider  and  John  Seiwell;  building 
committee,  Henry  Yost  and  Jacob  Drumheller.  The 
members  of  the  church  at  the  time  were  the  following: 

Abraham  Minig,  Jacob  Oxenrider,  George  Koenig,  George  Drum,  jr.' 
Casper  Horn,  Charles  Keck,  John  Bergy,  Peter  Brisel,  Abraham  Klotz, 
Peter  Stahr,  George  Hoffman.  Conrad  Fisher,  Henry  Oxrider,  John  Tost, 
John  Smith  2nd,  Jacob  Speth,  Michael  Kuns,  jr.,  George  Diter,  Andrew 


<^ 


♦«>■ 


4* 


37° 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


Maurer,  Valentine  Seiwell,  Samuel  Yost,  George  Stahr,  Jacob  Billheimer, 
Michael  Koontz,  sen.,  Christian  Henry,  Christian  Shadle,  John  Charles, 
John  Miller,  George  Shadle,  Benjamin  King,  Jacob  Mahs,  jr.,  John  Turn- 
bach,  Jacob  Klaehs  and  Abraham  Miller,  jr. 

In  the  old  log  church  the  congregations  continued  to 
worship  alternately  until  1872,  when  they  built  a  framed 
church,  a  little  south  of  the  old  one,  at  a  cost  of  $7,000. 
The  corner  stone  was  laid  June  2nd,  1872.  The  building 
committee  consisted  of  Samuel  Benner,  Nathan  Snyder, 
and  John  Gifting  of  the  Reformed,  and  William  Distil- 
horst  and  Samuel  Wagner  of  the  Lutheran  church.  The 
new  church  was  dedicated  October  6th,  1872.  This  edi- 
fice was  burned  January  nth,  1873,  after  which  the  two 
congregations  again  worshiped  in  the  old  log  church  until 
a  new  church  was  built  the  following  summer,  at  a  cost 
of  $6,000.  The  corner  stone  of  this  building  was  laid 
June  15th,  1873,  and  it  was  dedicated  January  i8th, 
1874. 

The  following  ministers  of  the  Reformed  church  have 
served  this  people:  John  N.  Zeizer,  Isaac  Shellharaer, 
John  A.  Reubelt,  John  W.  Lesher,  Samuel  Seibert,  who 
resigned  in  1855;  John  B.  Porner,  Henry  Hoffman,  who 
left  in  the  spring  of  1871,  and  the  present  pastor,  John 
M.  Clemens,  who  was  installed  in  the  autumn  of  1871. 

The  Lutheran  preachers  have  been:  Revs.  George 
Eyster,  John  Benninger,  Jeremiah  Shindle,  Rev.  C.  F.  F. 
Sallmon,  1842-56;  Rev.  William  Haskarl,  1857,  1858; 
Rev.  R.  S.  Wagner,  1859-64.  The  Lutherans  were 
without  a  pastor  until  the  autumn  of  1867,  when  Rev.  S.  S. 
Kline  was  installed.  He  remained  till  the  autumn  of  1873.- 
In  the  spring  of  1874  Rev.  Jacob  H.  Neiman,  the  present 
pastor,  was  installed.  The  present  trustees  of  the  church 
are:  William  Seiwell  and  Jacob  J.  Minnick,  Reformed, 
and  Samuel  Wagner  and  Christian  Else,  Lutheran. 

The  present  membership  of  the  Reformed  church  is 
250  and  that  of  the  Lutheran  235.  The  church  property 
is  valued  at  $6,000. 

The  union  Sunday-school  of  these  churches  grew  out 
of  the  school  organized  by  Asher  Stout  in  the  old  school- 
house  soon  after  it  was  built.  Samuel  Benner  is  super- 
intendent; S.  B.  Drum,  secretary;  E.  P.  Snyder  and  W. 
Heller,  librarians;  Anna  Benner  and  E.  P.  Snyder,  man- 
agers. The  total  number  of  scholars  is  113;  average 
attendance,  75. 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    CONYNGHAM. 

This  church  was  organized  by  a  committee  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Newton,  December  19th,  1841,  and  composed 
of  eighteen  members  received  by  letter  from  the  Pres- 
byterian church  of  Beaver  Meadow,  Pa.,  viz.:  Philip 
Winterstene,  William  T.  Rhoads,  Archibald  Delaney, 
James  Gilmore,  Mary  Winterstene,  Amy  Rhoads,  Letitia 
McCarty,  Jane  Sterling,  Martha  Shelhammer,  Mary 
Muncey,  Keziah  Brundage,  Cornelia  Godfrey,  Martha 
Kan,  Mary  Sterling,  Margaret  Winterstene,  Sarah  Ann 
Miller,  Jane  Miller  and  Elijah  Cramer. 

Philip  Winterstene  was  installed  as  ruling  elder.  The 
first  pastor,  Rev.  Daniel  Gaston,  served  from  1841  to 
1844.  The  first  place  of  meeting  was  the  Pine  Grove 
school-house,  Seybertsville.     A  branch  society  of  about  a 


dozen  members  was  formed  at  the  same  time  at  Drum's. 
The  first  and  only  church  building  was  built  of  brick  on 
the  hill  north  of  Seybertsville. 

From  1841  to  1844  Daniel  Gaston  was  pastor;  Robert 
Steele,  a  licentiate,  then  served  three  months;  Rev. 
Darwin  Cook  was  stated  supply  from  1845  to  1847;  Rev. 
John  Johnson  from  1848  to  1871,  and  Rev.  C.  Bridgman 
six  months  in  1873  and  1874.  Since  then  Rev.  Homer 
S.  Newcomb  has  been  pastor.  The  membership  is  51; 
value  of  church  property,  $2,000. 

IMMANUEL    EVANGELICAL    LUTHERAN    CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1858,  in  the  old  school- 
house  at  Conyngham.  The  original  members  were 
Thomas  Houseknecht  and  his  wife  Nancy  Houseknecht, 
Elijah  McMurtrie  and  a  Miss  Root.  The  regular  ser- 
vices were  held  once  in  two  weeks,  alternately  by  Revs. 
Messrs.  Culler,  E.  A.  Sharretts  and  George  Bergstresser. 
In  the  spring  of  i860  Rev.  R.  H.  Fleck  became  pastor. 
The  place  of  preaching  was  now  changed  to  the  old  Pine 
Grove  school-house  at  Seybertsville.  The  following 
winter  a  number  were  converted  there  and  united  with 
this  church.  After  Mr.  Fleck  Rev.  Mr.  Crebbs  preached 
a  short  time,  and  next  Rev.  George  Eicholtz.  During 
his  administration  (in  1865)  the  society  built  its  present 
church  edifice  in  the  village  of  Seybertsville,  a  ta  cost  of 
$1,300.  Mr.  Eicholtz  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  B. 
Shoup.  Seybertsville,  Black  Creek  and  Butler  were  then 
known  as  the  "  Conyngham  charge."  During  his  ad- 
ministration a  large  number  were  added  to  the  church. 
Rev.  George  S.  Battersby  was  then  pastor  until  187 1. 
From  1871  to  1874  the  church  was  supplied  by  different 
ministers  and  theological  students.  Since  June,  1874, 
Rev.  J.  Wager  has  been  pastor.  The  membership  is  about 
60. 

Conyngham. 

This  town  plot  was  surveyed  as  early  as  1806.  The 
land  was  owned  formerly  by  John  Maxwell  Nesbitt,  who 
received  it  by  patent  dated  July  4th,  1787.  September 
26th,  1803,  it  was  willed  to  David  Hayfield  Conyngham. 
September  27th,  1806,  the  land  passed  from  John  God- 
fried  Watchmuth  to  Benjamin  Rush,  who  deeded  it  May 
nth,  1809,  to  Redmond  Conyngham,  who  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  men  of  his  time  in  the  township.  He 
had  the  village  site  surveyed,  and  named  Conyngham. 
July  ist,  1809,  Conjngham  deeded  to  Jacob  Drumheller 
lot  No.  6,  in  the  south  part  of  this  plot,  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  Samuel  Wagner.  Lot  No.  7,  now  occupied 
by  Thomas  Bowman,  was  deeded  in  i8o8  by  Benjamin 
Rush  to  Philip  Drum. 

The  first  tavern  at  Conyngham  was  built  on  the  site  of 
the  Conynham  Hotel  in  1815.  It  was  partly  of  logs  and 
partly  framed.  Soon  afterward  Samuel  Harmon  built  a 
tavern  of  hewn  logs  on  the  site  of  the  Phoenix  Hotel. 
He  had  a  trout  pond  in  the  rear  of  where  William 
Charles's  store  now  stands. 

Mr.  Harnnon  was  the  first  postmaster.  William  Drum 
kept  the  office  in  1830,  where  C.  H.  Kneely  now  lives. 


«^B= 


^4 


CONYNGHAM  VILLAGE— SEYBERTSVILLE— UNION'S  PIONEERS. 


371 


A  tannery  on  the  site  of  Nathan  Radler's  larger  estab- 
lishment was  built  in  i8zo  by  a  Mr.  Lomison.  The  iron 
foundry  was  built  in  1842  by  M.  Hutton,  and  is  now 
owned  by  James  Getting. 

Conyngham  has  two  churches,  Methodist  Episcopal 
and  Christ  Church  (^German  Reformed  and  Lutheran); 
three  physicians,  a  school-house,  two  hotels,  two  stores, 
two  harness  shops,  two  tin  shops,  two  blacksmith  shops, 
a  tailor  shop,  two  milliner  shops,  a  planing  mill  recently 
built,  and  an  iron  foundry.     The  population  is  400. 

During  the  spring  of  1880  the  Black  Ridge  Coal  Com- 
pany was  engaged  in  "proving  coal"  near  Conyngham 
station,  preparatory  to  putting  up  a  breaker.  The  com- 
pany owns  two  400-acre  tracts.  The  westerly  one  con- 
tains Conyngham  station. 

Coxa  Bros.  &  Co.  were  lately  building  a  wagon  road 
from  the  Conyngham  Station  road  to  Gowen.  They 
control  all  the  land,  except  one  tract  at  Tomhicken,  for 
nearly  15  miles  westward  from  the  Conyngham  station 
tract,  and  are  sinking  a  slope  just  east  of  Tom- 
hicken. 

Conyngham  Lodge,  No.  308,  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  was  instituted  in  1848.  The  lot  and  building 
where  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  now  stands,  near  Christ 
Church,  were  donated  by  Jacob  Drumheller.  The  old 
building  was  enlarged,  a  lodge  room  arranged  overhead; 
and  the  lower  room  fitted  up  for  a  store,  the  whole  cost- 
ing about  $1,000,  which  was  put  into  stock  and  taken  by 
the  members  of  the  lodge,  who  number  about  60, 

The  first  lease  of  water  privilege  was  given  by  Conrad 
and  Sarah  Harman,  September  ist,  18 14,  for  fifty  years, 
"  the  inhabitants  of  Conyngham  to  have  free  ingress  and 
egress  to  and  from  the  spring."  The  spring  thus  leased 
is  a  little  south  of  the  present  post-office.  The  property 
is  now  owned  by  G.  H.  Knelly. 

The  next  lease  for  water  for  the  village  was  obtained 
by  John  Cool  and  George  Drum  from  the  Conyngham 
family,  and  ran  for  30  years  from  August  i6th,  1821, 
with  a  rental  of  one  shilling  a  year.  The  spring  covered 
by  this  lease  is  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  southeast  of 
the  village.  The  first  pipe,  consisting  of  logs,  was  laid  to 
supply  the  town  with  water.  Each  person  or  family 
using  the  water  paid,  or  was  to  pay,  twenty  cents  per 
month  for  it.  This  rate  did  not  keep  up  needed  repairs, 
and  the  shilling  a  year  to  Conyngham  was  never  paid. 
Before  the  lease  expired  John  N.  Conyngham  sold  the 
land  upon  which  the  spring  is  located,  to  Mordecai  Hut- 
ton.  Hutton  was  sold  out  by  the  sheriff  in  1853  and  left 
the  country,  and  the  old  company  by  their  heirs  have 
had  control  of  the  water. 

January  3d,  1880,  the  Conyngham  Water  Company  was 
chartered,  with  a  capital  of  $2,000,  divided  into  100 
shares  The  directors  are  Samuel  Benner,  Frank  M. 
Brundage,  J.  D.  Getting,  John  F.  Robbins,  Thomas 
Bowman,  George  W.  Drumheller,  G.  H.  Knelly,  William 
F  Tressler  and  Hon.  G.  W.  Drum.  President,  John  F. 
Robbins;  treasurer,  F.  M.  Brundage;  secretary,  Samuel 
Benner.  Iron  pipes  of  sufficient  size  were  laid  in  1880  to 
supply  the  town  of  Conyngham  with  water. 


SeYBER-TSVILLE. 

This  village  was  settled  as  early  as  181 1  or  181 2. 

The  first  tavern  here  wss  built  by  Benjamin  Koenig  in 
1825,  where  Henry  Dryfoos's  house  now  stands,  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  the  crossing.  It  was  rebuilt  in  1835. 
'  The  first  school-house  was  built  by  subscription  in  1836 
or  1837,  and  stood  where  the  prepent  one  stands,  a  little 
west  from  the  corners. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Henry  Seybert  in  1833,  on 
the  southeast  corner,  where  Mrs.  Billhamer  now  lives. 
Henry  Seybert  was  the  first  postmaster.  Samuel  Balliett 
is  the  present  one.  and  the  office  is  kept  in  W.  Santee's 
store,  on' the  southeast  corner. 

The  present  grist-mill  was  built  in  1861,  by  Jacob  Bill- 
hamer, and  it  is  now  owned  by  Henry  Bird. 
~The  place  has  a  hotel,  one  physician,  two  churches 
(Presbyterian  and  Evangelical  Lutheran),  a  harness  shop, 
a  store,  two  blacksmith  shops,  a  wagon  shop,  a  school- 
house,  a  grist-mill  and  150  inhabitants. 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 


'NION  township  was  formed  of  part  of  Hunt- 
ington at  the  quarter  sessions  of  the  court  of 
Luzerne  county  in  July,  1813.  It  extends 
along  the  Susquehanna  river  about  three 
miles,  and  back  from  the  river  northwest  five 
or  SIX  miles.  The  population  was  1,687  'r>  187O1 
and  920  in  1880. 
The  earliest  settlement  is  believed  to  have  been  made 
about  1790,  by  Peter  Gregory  and  George  Fink,  who  had 
married  each  other's  sisters,  and  had  formerly  lived  in 
the  valley  of  the  Delaware.  They  settled  on  a  large 
tract,  embracing  a  beautiful  and  fertile  valley,  on  the 
northwest  side  of  the  river  mountain.  The  east  branch 
of  the  Shickshinny  creek  furnished  power  for  mills  and 
other  machinery,  which  was  soon  used.  The  first  mills 
were  built  on  their  claim,  which  is  yet  nearly  all  in  pos- 
session of  their  descendants.  Soon  afterward  Stephen 
Arnold  and  Moses  Derby,  brothers-in-law,  located  where 
Muhlenburg  now  is.  They  were  Yankees  from  Connec- 
ticut, and  soon  cleared  farms.  Deer  and  other  animal  i 
were  often  shot  in  their  small  clearings.  In  1793  both 
settlements  made  hospitable  resting  places  for  the  emi- 
grants to  Huntington  valley,  where  they  were  cared  for 
without  being  asked  for  any  recompense.  During  that 
year,  and  several  succeeding  years,  a  large  immigration  to 
Huntington  valley  was  continued  by  people  from  Connec- 
ticut. The  moving  was  generally  accomplished  in  the 
winter,  on  sleds  drawn  by  oxen,  with  occasionally  ahorse 
hitched  before  as  leader,  and  when  the  Hudson  river  was 
frozen,  crossing  that  and  other  streams  on  the  ice.  The 
roads  were  the  old  Indian  paths,  slightly  improved,  and 
nearly  impassable  by  wagons.  In  1797  Stephen  Roberts, 
from  Plymouth,  settled  about  midway  between  the  other 


4h 


4h 


372 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


settlements,  and  shortly  Marvins,  Culvers  and  Shaws  were 
making  pleasant  homes  in  the  wilderness. 

About  the  same  time  the  families  of  James  Van  Scoter 
(now  called  Benscoter)  and  his  sons  Anthony  and  John, 
also  three  then  unmarried  sons,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob, 
were  added  to  the  Dutch  settlement;  all  left  numerous 
descendants.  About  the  same  time  also  the  Bellas,  Dav- 
enport, Hans,  Muchler,  Huff  and  Cragle  families  were 
added. 

In  1799  William  Moore,  an  Irishman  from  Maryland, 
with  a  large  family,  settled  at  the  place  now  known  as 
Mooretown.  His  descendants  still  own  the  farm.  A 
granddaughter,  Mrs.  John  Harned,  now  lives  there.  The 
Huffman,  Harned,  Post,  Bonham,  Wolfe,  Johnson  and 
Santee  families  came  soon  after  1800,  and  nearly  all  homes 
then  formed  are  still  retained  in  the  families  of  descend- 
ants. 

December  24th,  1801,  Shadrach  Austin,  a  son  of  the 
first  occupant  of  Shickshinny,  married  Mary  Gregory, 
d.uighter  of  Peter  Gregory,  sen.,  and  bought  the  present 
Austin  homestead,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  was  ^  teacher  and  a  leader  among  his  neigh- 
bors, and  during  a  long,  active  life  "  Uncle  Shadrach  " 
was  almost  universally  spoken  of  as  an  examplar  worthy 
of  imitation.  He  was  born  July  12th,  1770,  and  died  De- 
cember 26th,  1850. 

In  1815  John  Hartman,  of  Northampton  county,  bought 
a  farm  and  moved  into  a  house  where  Samuel  Huff  had 
lived  several  years,  which  is  now  owned  by  his  son 
Stephen  Hartman.  As  the  land  could  be  bought  at  a 
low  price  and  proved  very  productive,  other  old  neighbors 
from  Northampton  and  Lehigh  counties  soon  followed, 
and  a  German  settlement  was  formed,  as  the  Masters, 
Hobbes,  Baer,  Adelman  and  Neville  families  all  obtained 
land  near  the  Hartmans,  and  long  retained  many  of  the 
customs  and  characteristics  of  the  German  population  of 
the  Lehigh  valley. 

Peter  Gregory,  jr.,  and  Richard   Gregory,   sons  of  the 

first  settler,  bought  and  occupied  farms.     P^ichard  is  still 

living,  aged  ninety-two  years.     Joseph  Gregory  and  John 

Gregory,  sons  of  Peter,  own  and  occupy  parts  of  the  old 

I         homestead. 

In  1813  James  Search  bought  of  Philip  and  Margaret 
Hann  the  place  near  the  river  now  known  as  the  Jessup 
farm,  where  he  raised  his  family.  His  son  Lot  married 
Christina  Fink,  and  settled  just  above  Shickshinny.  A  very 
good  quarry  of  building  and  flag  stones  is  now  owned 
and  worked  by  his  son-in-law,  A.  C.  Nicely,  on  the  place 
where  he  raised  his  family  and  built  a  large  stone  houie 
and  other  good  buildings,  which  have  all  been  abandone.l. 
for  several  years  past,  as  all  the  children  made  homes  in 
Shickshinny. 

Teachers,  Sch(;oi.s  and   Churches. 

One  generation  grew  up  without  suitable  provision  for 
instruction,  though  many  succeeded  in  learning  to  read 
and  write,  and  some  attained  to  more  intellectual  eleva- 
tion. Shadrach  Austin  was  a  teacher.  Jonah  Rogers 
taught  some  time  in  the  Marvin   and   Roberts  neighbor- 


hood with  good  success.  Truman  H.  Clark,  from  New  York 
State,  was  a  popular  and  useful  teacher  many  years.  Miss 
Caroline  Turner,  Miss  Anne  Turner,  Mrs.  M.  L.  T.  Hart- 
man, Miss  Leah  Santee  and  other  educated  women  were 
of  much  benefit  to  the  young,  and  assisted  in  infusing  a 
general  desire  for  their  advancement  in  mental  culture. 

Now  the  public  schools  are  well  attended  by  industrious 
pupils.  Thert-,  are  seven  school-houses,  in  which  schools 
are  taught  six  or  seven  months  each  year.  There  are 
Sunday-schools  held  in  four  school-houses  and  two 
churches. 

Zerah  Marvin,  an  early  resident,  spent  a  long,  useful 
life  as  farmer,  merchant  and  preacher,  assisted  by  others 
of  the  Baptist  faith — Joel  Rogers,  Elias  Dodson  and 
Samuel  Chapin,  in  Huntington,  and  Griffin  Lewis,  of 
Plymouth.  Their  labors  each  Sunday,  places  for  preach- 
ing and  other  ministrations,  were  mutually  arranged,  and 
extended  over  nearly  half  the  county.  They  worked 
without  pay.  All  lived  comfortably  on  farms,  and  each 
reached  near  four-score  years.  If  the  needy  asked  as- 
sistance, temporally  or  spiritually,  they  were  sure  of  meet- 
ing with  brotherly  regard. 

There  are  two  churches  in  the  township,  both  built  in 
1850;  one  by  the  Baptists,  near  Muhlenburg,  and  the 
other  by  the  Methodists,  near  Mooretown;  each  costing 
$1,000  or  $1,200.  The  M.  P.  church  has  preaching  and 
other  services  at  school-houses.  All  support  salaried 
ministers. 

Societies. 

Muhlenburg  Lodge,  No.  899,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  in- 
stituted in  1875,  January  28th.  The  present  officers  are: 
R.  M.  Edwards,  N.  G.;  Arthur  S.  Hartman,  V.  G.;  J.  L. 
Glace,  secretary;  William  H.  Masters,  treasurer;  past 
officers,  J.  L.  Glace,  Charles  B.  Gregory,  T.  M.  Bonham, 
T.  M.  Brown,  John  Harnet,  A.  H.  Allen,  J.  K.  Lunger, 
A.  S.  Hartman  and  Elisha  Roberts.  Meetings  are  held 
weekly  at  the  hall,  on  Saturday  evenings. 

McKendree  Grange  was  organized  September  29th, 
1876,  with  J.  Miner  Woodworth,  M.;  R.  M.  Edwards.O.; 
T.  F.  Shepherd,  L.;  M.  L.  T.  Hartman,  C;  R.  A.  Har- 
rison, P.;  S.  A.  Woodworth,  F.;  Addie  H.  Edwards, 
L.  A.  S.;  B.  B.  Harrison,  Chap.;  J.  B.  Benscoter,  S.;  J.  C. 
Tubbs,  A.  S.;  William  H.  Harrison,  Sec;  Joseph  H. 
Harrison,  Treas.;  J.  Masters,  G.  K.;  committee  for  busi- 
ness, Washington  Wheeler,  Silas  Benscoter,  Dodson 
Culver.  It  continues  in  good  working  order,  with  much 
benefit  to  the  membership  ,^nd  neighborhood.  It  meets 
weekly — Thursday  evenings. 

Justices. 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  Union  township  John  T. 
Miller  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace,  under  the  con- 
stitution of  1790,  for  life  or  during  good  behavior. 

In  1818  Ichabod  Shaw  was  appointed;  1820,  Shad- 
rach Austin;  1832,  Lot  Search.  The  last  two  appointees 
served  until  1840,  when  the  office  became  elective. 
John  Blanchard  and  Truman  H.  Clark  were  elected  for 
five  years   from  April   14th,  1840.       By  the   division    of 


# 


4, 


f 


<^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

HUNLOCK,    SALEM    AND    UNION    TOWNSHIPS    AND    SHICKSHINNY    BOROUGH. 


J.  F.  BHIGGS,  M.  D. 

J.  F.  Briggs,  M.  D.,  of  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Hollenback,  February 
38th,  1836,  and  is  a  physician  and  drug'g-ist.  He  married  Miss  Sallie 
Whitebread,  of  HoUenback.  He  was  a  member  of  Company  C  178th  Pa. 
vdluuteei-s  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 

'  MRS.  M.  L.  T.  HARTMAN. 

3yfi*s.  M.  L.  T,  Hartman,  a  daughter  of  Luther  Ti-escott,  was  born  in 
Hkintington,  September  7th,  1817.  She  received  such  education  as  the 
schools  of  those  days  afforded.  By  a  judicious  course  of  I'eading  and 
clpse  observation  she  has  become  eminent  for  her  intelligence  and  eon- 
ve^ational  powers.  At  interviils  for  the  last  forty  years  she  has  been 
efigaged  in  teaching.  A  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  Union  township 
between  ten  and  thirty-ftvc  years  of  age  have  at  some  time  been  her 
pirpils.  She  divides  her  time  between  the  duties  of  a  farmer's  wife  and 
tlk^^  of  press  correspondent,  local  historian  and  poetess.  She  married 
"  i^flien  Hartman,  July  2nd,  1840. 

"r  WILLIAM  KOONS. 

William  Koons,  miller  and  farmer,  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa., 
April  14th,  1800,  and  when  about  seventeen  came  to  Luzerne  county. 
Where  he  carried  on  a  mercantile  business  over  forty  years.  He  has 
b  een  twice  married.  Miss  Sarah  Fuller,  of  Huntington  township,  being 
li  is  first  wife,  and  Susan  Horton  (formerly  Susan  Bacon,  daughter  of 

eptimus  Bacon)  his  second.  Mr.  Koons  had  a  family  of  eight  sons  and 
cjne  daughter.  In  1835  he  w.is  elected  to  the  office, of  coimty  commis- 
slioner,  and  in  1847  to  that  of  sheriff.  His  residence  is  at  Stone  Bridge, 
dne  mile  west  of  Shickshinnj'. 


(  Geohqe  W.  Abbot,  boat  builder  and  ^wagon  maker,  was  born  in 
Ifiight  Street,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  September  16th,  1835.  He  is  the  son 
ibf  Jonas  Abbot,  who  died  in  that  county  June  30th,  1839.  Mr.  Abbot 
linarried  Jane  McCorty,  who  died,  and  he  was  subsequently  married  to 
iliss  Margaret  McNeal,  of  MifHinville,  Columbia  county.  Pa.  He  served 
Jn  Company  C  309th  Pa.  volunteers  during  the  Rebellion.  Mr.  Abbot's 
grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  John  Jacob  Johnston,  served  through 
the  Revolutionary  war  in  Colonel  Baker's  cavalry,  and  was  wounded 
Ave  times.    He  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  one  hundred  and  two. 

.  ,  Rev.  E.  L.  Armstrong,  son  of  John  Armstrong,  was  born  in  Cham- 
Jbersburg,  Pa.,  May  22nd,  1843.  He  was  converted  in  1865,  entered  Dick- 
inson College,  Carlisle,  In  1868,  and  became  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  con- 
ference of  central  Pennsylvania  in  1873.  He  married  Lizzie  C.  Peffer,  of 
McConnellsburg.  He  is  the  present  pastor  of  the  Methodist  church 
at  Beach  Haven. 

Thomas  Bauoder  was  born  July  4th,  1838,  in  Danville,  Pa.    He  is  a 
^-(superintendent  of  powder  mills.    He  married  Miss  Margaret  Swank,  of 
Nesoopeok. 

[  John  Bersoh,  station  agent,  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Berlin,  Prus- 
sia, December  31st,  1845,  and  married  Emma  M.  Keller,  of  Kingston, 
'  Luzerne  county.  Mr.  Bei-sch  was  formerly  a  clerk  in  the  county  re- 
corder's office. 

John  B.  Bertels,  merchant,  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
April  33nd,  1848.  He  man-ied  Agnes  B.  Neyhart,  of  Ransom,  Luzerne 
county.  Mr.  Bortels  served  in  Company  D  9th  regiment  Pa.  volunteer 
cavalry. 

David  T.  Bound  was  boi-n  at  Conklin  (now  Kirkwood),  Broome 
county,  N.  T.,  October  14th,  1839.  He  remained  on  the  farm  with  his 
parenfa  until  the  age  of  ten  years,  when  he  began  life  independently  as 
a  farm  hand  at  $4  per  month.  He  assisted,  as  a  teamster,  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  Brie  Railway,  and  was  afterward  a  track  laborer  and 
assistant  foreman  until  1853,  when  he  became  track  master  on  a  western 
railroad  for  six  months.  He  returned  that  year  and  entered  the  employ- 
ment of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  Company.  He  began  as  a  laborer,  and 
rose  to  be  a  conductor,  a  dispatcher  and  superintendent  of  the  L.  &  B. 
division.    He  married  Janett  M.  Hotchklss,  of  Windsor,  N.  T. 


Enos  L.  Bower,  post-ofBce  address  Berwick,  Columbia  county,  was 
born  in  Evansville,  Columbia  county,  October  38th,  1843.  Mr.  Bower  is 
a  blacksmith.  He  served  as  drum  major  in  the  179th  and  21Dth  regi- 
ments Pa.  volunteers 

Daniel  Brader,  boat  builder.  Beach  Haven,  was  bom  in  North- 
ampton county,  February  18th,  1828,  and  married  Sarah  McGraw,  of 
Beach  Haven.  He  has  worked  at  his  trade  fifteen  years.  He  served  as 
j  ustice  of  the  peace  ten  years,  having  been  elected  to  that  olSce  in  1863. 

Frank  E.  Bbockwat  was  bom  in  Berwick,  Columbia  county,  Feb- 
ruary 7th,  1845,  and  married  Cora  Campbell,  of  Beach  Haven.  He 
served  three  years  and  ten  months  in  the  army,  participating  in  thirty- 
two  engagements.  During  the  time  of  his  service  he  held  the  position 
of  second  lieutenant  of  Battery  P  1st  Pennsylvania  light  artillery.  Mr. 
Brockway  has  been  mercantile  appraiser  of  Luzerne  county  and  justice 
of  the  peace  for  seven  years,  and  still  holds  the  latter  office.  He  has  a 
boot  and  shoe  manufactory  and  is  the  proprietor  of  a  brick  yard,  man- 
ufacturing about330,000  bricks  annually. 

Hiram  H.  Brown,  tailor,  was  born  in  Bloomsburg,  Columbia 
county,  October  23nd,  1833,  and  married  Sarah  Ann  Murray,  of  Beach 
Haven.  During  the  war  he  held  the  office  of  fourth  sergeant  of  Comp- 
any A  74th,  and  of  Company  H  133nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Mr. 
Brown  lost  two  sons,  William  M.  and  James  M.  Brown,  in  the  army.  The 
former  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Petersburg,  and  died  at  Annapo- 
lis November  4th,  1864,  and  the  latter  died  of  typhoid  fever  while  a 
member  of  Company  A  74th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

George  W.  Case,  Shickshinny,  was  bom  in  Sugarloaf  township, 
Columbia  county,  December  10th,  1844.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Baker,  of  Muncy,  Lycoming  county.  Mr.  Case  served  nearly  two  years 
in  Company  D  84th  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  is  now  a  farmer, 
having  pre\aously  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brooms. 

Hiram  Croop,  lumberman,  is  a  life-long  resident  of  Hunlock  town- 
ship, and  married  S.  S.  Dodson,  also  of  Hunlock.  He  was  born  Febru- 
ary 16th,  1833,  and  was  engaged  in  farming  for  some  time.  He  has  been 
justice  of  the  peace. 

William  C.  Davenport,  proprietor  of  the  Eagle  hotel,  Shickshinny, 
was  born  in  Plymouth,  Luzerne  county,  April  18th,  1866,  and  Is  the  son 
of  Chester  Davenport,  whose  ancestors  came  to  this  country  from 
France.  Mr.  Davenport  attended  the  State  normal  school  at  Blooms- 
burg, and  schools  at  New  Berlin  and  Plymouth.  His  wife  was  formerly 
Miss  Agnes  Driesbach,  of  New  Berlin,  Union  county. 

John  T.  Downs,  of  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Pa.,  August 
19th,  1855,  and  is  a  miner.  His  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  Murray,  of  Tama- 
qua.  Pa. 

WiLBER  G.  Driesbach,  station  agent,  was  born  in  Beach  Haven, 
August  27th,  1847,  and  has  since  lived  there,  engaged  in  milling  and 
other  business  and  holding  the  office  of  postmaster  for  the  last  ten 
years.    He  married  Ettie  E.  Fowler,  of  Berwick,  Columbia  county. 

George  W.  Fisher,  proprietor  of  the  Beach  Haven  hotel,  was  bom 
in  Northumberland  county,  March  36th,  1833,  and  lived  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  was  of  age,  when  he  learned  the  milling  business,in  which 
he  continued  fourteen  years.  In  1857  he  built  the  brick  hotel  in  which 
he  has  since  lived.  His  wife,  formerly  Caroline  E.  Wolf,  daughter  of 
John  Wolf,  of  Covington,  Luzerne  county,  was  born  August  14th,  1830. 

E.  W.  Garrison,  telegraph  operator  at  Shickshinny,  was  bom  in 
Shickshinny  valley,  November  1st,  1854.  His  grandfather,  Matthias 
Garrison,  of  New  Jersey,  married  a  granddaughter  of  Lord  Archibald 
Douglas,  who  resided  near  Glasgow,  Scotland. 

Ephraim  Gregory  was  born  September  34th,  1808,  and  married  Susan 
Adleman,  of  Union  township.  He  was  a  farmer  for  many  years,  but 
has  now  retired  from  active  labor.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace 
in  1843,  and  served  two  terms  of  Ave  years  each. 

Georgb  Gregory  was  bom  February  3d,  1830,  in  Union  township, 
where  he  married  Frances  Roberts.    Mr.  Gregory,  who  is  the  proprietor 


^ 


<H 


372  £ 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


of  a  custom  flourinff  mill,  was  elected  constable  In  1841,  and  justice  of 
the  peace  in  1850.    He  is  now  auditor  of  Hunlock  township. 

Babisl  Hill  wae  torn  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  in  1792,  and  moved  to 
liUzeme  county  in  1816  or  1818.  He  died  December  28th,  1873.  He  had 
eig-ht  children— Desiah,  who  married  Wallace  Seybert ;  Sarah,  who  mar- 
ried Reuben  Miller ;  Charles ;  Elizabeth,  who  married  James  Hess  ; 
Catharine,  who  married  Daniel  Tetter ;  Stephen,  Daniel  and  Jacob  Hill. 

M.  B.  Hughes,  physician,  was  born  in  Beach  Grove,  Luzerne  county, 
September  17thi  1842.  He  married  Kate  Patterson,  of  Orangeville, 
Columbia  county.  Dr.  Hughes  at  an  earlier  date  was  engaged  in  teach- 
ing. 

Isaiah  M.  Jones,  farmer,  was  born  in  Chester  county,  November  5th, 
1832,  and  married  Rebecca  Arnold,  of  Slocum  township,  Luzerne  county_ 
Mr.  Jones  enlisted  in  Company  A  143d  Pa.  volunteers  in  August,  1862. 
He  received  a  wound  July  1st,  1863,  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  re- 
turned home  in  March,  1864. 

William  Kkiner,  manufacturer  of  boots  and  shoes  and  dealer  in 
notions,  Beach  Haven,  was  bom  in  HoUenback  township,  Luzerne 
county,  February  16th,  1843.  He  married  Rebecca  A.  Weiss,  of  the  same 
township.  Mr.  Keiner  enlisted  in  Company  F  147th  Pa.  volunteers,  par- 
ticipated in  several  battles,  and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville.    His  present  business  was  established  about  1870. 

J.  S.  KooNS,  merchant.  Stone  Bridge,  Luzerne  county,  is  the  son  of 
William  Koons,  who  established  himself  in  the  mercantile  business  at  a 
very  early  date.  He  was  born  in  Huntington  township,  April  1st,  1837. 
His  wife,  formerly  Miss  J.  C.  Robinson,  is  of  the  same  township. 

Oliver  Leach,  fruit  grower,  lona,  was  born  in  Dauphin  county,  Pa., 
September  25th,  1827,  and  married  Miss  Margaret  Hepler,  of  Pittston. 
He  served  as  minute  man  in  the  militia.    He  is  a  brick  layer. 

Andrew  Lutz,  miller.  Beach  Haven,  was  born  in  Sugarloaf  township, 
Columbia  county,  December  10th,  1822.  His  wife  was  Miss  Susannah 
Santee,  of  Wilkes-Barre  township. 

J.  W.  Meixell,  son  of  Peter  Meixell,  of  Belbend,  was  born  in 
Conyngham  township— then  HoUenback— Mai'ch  18th,  1844,  and  married 
Anna  M.  Hicks,  of  Beach  Haven.  He  has  been  employed  as  collector  of 
tolls  by  the  Pennsylvania  Canal  Company  for  the  last  nine  years.  He 
has  been  justice  of  the  peace  siz  years,  and  has  four  years  to  serve. 

Peteb  Meixell  was  born  in  Conyngham  township,  Luzerne  county, 
September  15th,  1820,  and  moved  to  Salem  township  in  1844.  His  father, 
Philip  Meixell,  of  Scotch  descent,  was  born  in  Northampton  county,  in 
1796,  and  died  in  Conyngham  township  at  the  age  of  sixty-two.  Mr. 
Meixell  married  Elizabeth  Weiss  for  his  first  wife,  and  Elizabeth  Fenster- 
macher,  of  HoUenback  township,  for  his  second.  He  has  a  family  of 
seven,  three  sons  and  four  daughters. 

J.  T.  MiFFxiN  was  born  in  Nescopeok,  May  30th,  1851.  His  father, 
Francis  Mifflin,  of  Philadelphia,  came  from  that  city  to  Nescopeck,  and 
afterward  removed  to  BeEich  Haven,  where  he  died  November  17th,  1872. 
Mr.  Mifflin  is  engaged  in  farming. 

Thomas  Mohtgomeby,  accountant,  was  born  in  Bo'ness,  Scotland, 
June  20th,  1845.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Mattie  M.  Sherrin,  of  Calne, 
England.    Mr.  Montgomery  was  formerly  engaged  in  shipping  coal. 

A.  C.  Nicely,  'grocer  and  proprietor  of  a  stone  quarry,  was  born 
in  Salem  township,  June  3d,  1825,  and  married  Elizabeth  Search,  of 
Union  township,  Luzerne  county.  In  early  life  he  was  engaged  with 
his  father  in  boat  building,  and  subsequently  in  the  butchering  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Nicely  has  served  several  terms  as  school  director,  council- 
man and  tax  collector. 

James  Post,  justice  of  the  peace,  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Union 
township,  February  15th,  1836.  He  married  Miss  Carrie  Blanchard,  of 
Ross,  Luzerne  county.  He  was  promoted  captain  of  Company  F;i49th 
Pa.  volunteers,  in  which  he  served  three  years. 

Wesley  Rauekt,  merchant  at  Beach  Haven,  was  born  in  Salem  town- 
ship, July  31st,  1843,  and  married  Lydia  A.  Weiss,  of  HoUenback.  He 
has  held  the  office  of  town  clerk  for  the  Inst  ten  years. 

Simon  Remaly,  miller,  Shiokshinny,  was  born  in  Salem  township, 
July  12th,  1842,  and  married  aara  I.  Couglin,  of  Shiokshinny.    He  en- 


listed in  1862,  joining  Company  F,  143d  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  honorably 
discharged  June  12th,  1865. 

John  Rohdb,  tailor,  Shiokshinny,  was  born  in  Prussia,  May  26tb,  1819, 
and  married  Martha  Witzel,  a  native  of  Rothenburg,  Prussia,  from  which 
place  he  came  to  America  in  May,  1847. 

Davtd  S.  Ross,  shoemaker,  was  born  in  Columbia  county,  Pa.,  August 
9th,  1842.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Catharine  Remaly,  of  Salem  town- 
ship. Mr.  Ross  served  in  the  late  war  from  April,  1861,  to  July,  1865, 'iff. 
Company  A  6th  Pa.  volunteer  infantry. 

William  O.  Rourke,  farmer,  was  born  in  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,' 
February  29th,  1840.    His  father,  Samuel  Rourke,  was  born  in  Scottona,- . 
where  he  married  and  afterward  removed  to  Ireland,  where  he  died, 
Mrs.  Rourke  came  to  America  with  her  family,  and  died  while  het^son' 
William  was  in  the  army.     He  was  color  sergeant  in  Company  Bgijia..;,-,; 
Conn,  volunteers,  and  served  three  years,  receiving  three  wounds. 
Rourke  married  Susan  Adams,  of  Shiokshinny. 

F.  A.  SjJABERT  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada,  April  17th,  1838.    He  wjas 
educated  at  Brattleboro,  Vt.;  graduated  from  Bellevue  Medical  CoUegjS,. . 
and  was  a  member  of  the  149th  Pa.  volunteers  during  the  RebeUiopi 
From  1807  to  1880  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna' 
and  Western  Railroad  Company.    He  is  now  in  charge  of  the  Berlin  Ir(|ift';' 
Works,  in  Union  county.  Pa.  He  married  Mary  E.  Bird,  of  Huntingtop.,^ . 

P.  H.  Seely,  farmer  and  lifelong  resident  of  Salem  township,  wasboi  Q  ' 
February  23d,  1835.  His  grandfather,  John  Seely,  was  born  in  Susse  k'  . 
county,  N.  J.,  in  1778 ;  came  to  Luzerne  county  with  his  brother  in  l^fe--,  ■- 
and  raised  the  first  wheat  that  was  taken  to  Beading  to  market  ffbin'^'^*' 
Salem  township.  Mr.  Seely  served  as  sergeant  of  Company  D  199th^ai. ' ; . 
volunteers  during  the  last  year  of  the  civil  war,  participating  in  seY^'r  '.. 
eral  engagements.    He  married  Sarah  E.  Harman,  of  Salem. 

Hiram  Smethers,  coal  inspector,  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Nesco^^  ^^-- , 
February  2eth,  1824.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  Reider,  of  Berwick.  ;S6  '^'i- 
Smethers  was  formerly  a  boatman.  He  is  a  member  of  the  police  fore  B^;^^v 
of  the  borough.  ■  "  ^"^  ' ' 

Isaiah  Stiles,  whose  father,  a  native  of  New  Jei-sey,  emigrated^  t  ?;y;f 
the  township  of  Salem  previous  to  1814,  was  born  there,  September  18t:  1  r 
of  the  year  mentioned,  and  has  been  engaged  in  farming  during  his'lifle  - " 
to  date. 

R.  Millard  Tubus,  editor  of  the  Mmmtain  Echo,  published  at  Shlok  • 
shinny,  was  born  in  Huntington,  August  12th,  1851,  where  his  father , 
Colonel  James  Tubbs,  was  also  born.  He  was  married  December  23d , 
1879,  to  Miss  LiUie  A.,  only  child  of  Z.  S.  Stevens,  of  Cambi-a. 

Eldad  M.  Turner  was  born  in  Briar  Creek  township,  Columbia 
county,  July  14th,  1828,  and  married  Miss  Mary  Shokely  of  the  townshi]  > 
and  county  mentioned.  Mr.  Turner,  who  is  a  cai-penter,  enlisted  in  1861  >' 
and  eerved  in  Company  D  143d  re'giment  Pennsylvania  voUmteers  tw( ' 
years  and  ten  months. 

J.  A.  Van  Horn,  farmer,  was  bom  in  Union  township,  Septembeif' 
11th,  1839.  He  enlisted  in  September,  1861,  and  served  four  years  ai 
veterinary  surgeon  in  the  4th  Pennsylvania  cavalry.  ' 

Malcom  E.  Walker,  of  Shickshinny,  was  born  in  Waverly,  Laeka-' 
wanna  county,  April  8th,  1847.    He  was  formerly  a  teacher,  but  is  now^     • 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  the  legal  profession.    He  married  T.  A.  Van-I     ' 
netta,  of  Bloomsburg,  Columbia  county.  ^ 

Wesley  White,  station  agent  and  postmaster  at  Hunloek's  Creek,! 
was  born  in  Light  Street,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  January  19th,  1849.  He' 
married  Emma  Hess,  of  Muhlenburg.  He  was  formerly  engaged  iff 
lumbering. 

W.  H.  H.  Wolf,  a  native  of  Muhlenburg,  Union  township,  was  born 
September  6th,  1840.  His  wife,  also  of  Muhlenburg,  was  foi-meriy  Cla- 
rissa Hess.  Mr.  Wolf  served  two  years  and  nine  months  in  Company 
I  143d  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  is  now  in  the  mercantile  business; ; 
was  formerly  a  farmer.  ._    ,,'; 

The  foUowing  also  contributed  their  support  to  this  publication  to 
Hnulock,  Salem  and  Union  townships  and  Shickshinny  borough: 
Charles  A.  Boone,  H.  Brewer,  D.  M.  Culver,  S.  J.  Dosay,  Amos  Howard, 
Thomas  McMillan,  G.  R.  Pringle,  Lot  Search  and  W,  H.  Sharp. 


N 


^- 


=& 


VOLUNTEERS   FROM  UNION  TOWNSHIP— BEGINNINGS  AT  SHICKSHINNY. 


373 


the  township  in  1842  John  Blanchard  was  in  Ross 
township  and  Ephraim  Gregory  was  elected.  Truman 
H.  Clark  was  elected  in  1845;  Ephraira  Gregory,  1847; 
George  (Gregory,  1850;  Jacob  Benscoter,  1852;  Shad- 
rach  Gregory,  1855,  1861;  Griswold  C.  Benscoter,  1856; 
Daniel  Bulkeley,  i860;  William  S.  Monroe,  1862;  Jona- 
than Bonham,  1866,  1871,1877  (appointed  to  fill  vacancy), 
1878;   Hiram  Croop,  1867,  1872;   J.  L.  Glace,  1876. 

Soldiers  from  Union. 

Many  of  the  pioneers  had  served  in  ttie  war  for  inde- 
pendence, some  of  whom  received  pensions;  others  were 
enlisted  or  drafted  into  the  army  engaged  in  the  war  of 
181 2-15,  all  of  whom  except  Richard  Gregory  have 
passed  away. 

During  the  southern  Rebellion  many  noble  volunteers 

and  some  drafted  men  did  good  service  in  defense  of  the 

flag  and  government.     In  the  following  list   of  them  the 

names  followed  by  an  asterisk  are  those  of  men  who  died 

in  the  service. 

Alfred  Allen,  Denison  Arnold,  Jefferson  Arnold,  Solomon  Aldeman, 
Charles  Baer,  Josiah  Baer,*  George  W.  Baer,  Stephen  Bouhain,  Hender- 
son Bonham,*  J.  and  S.  Bonham,  Griswold  C.  Benscoter,*  Crawford  L. 
Benscoter,  William  M.  Benscoter,*  John  B.  Culver,  M.  D. ;  Newton  Cul- 
ver, Peter  N.  Bilby,  George  W.  Bilby,*  Abraham  Davenport,*  George  W. 
Fink,  Asahel  Gregory,  Stephen  Gregory,  Jacob  L.  Glace,  Luther  T.  and 
I.  T.  Hartman,  P.  S.  Hartman,  Benjamin  H.  Hartraan,  Elias  B  Hartman,* 
Alexander  Harned,  Wesley  Harned,  Wesley  Hans,  Daniel  Hans,  Jacob 
Hobbs,  Nehemiah  Hess,  John  Hess,  Philip  Hess,  Zerah  Marvin,  Judson 
Marvin,  William  H.  Masters,  Sylvester  Masters,  Alanson  Marvin,  George 
Mc'GJll,  Conrad  Miller,  Moses  Miller,  James  S.  Muchler,  Silas  Roberts,  J. 
Wesley  Roberts,  Elisha  Roberts,  Simon  Remaly,  John  Scott,  Elisha 
Scott,*  George  W,  Sorber,  William  Sorber,  Sylvester  Sorber,  Ephraim 
Santee,  Hamilton  Tubbs,  Nathan  Tubbs,  Isaac  B.  Tubbs,*  Jonas  C. 
Tubbs,  Manuel  Turner,  Joseph  M.  Turner,  Christian  Vanhorn,  Elijah 
Wheeler,  Wesley  C.  Wheeler,  Jasper  Winans,  Henderson  Wolfe,*  Wm.  H. 
H.  Wolfe,  Theodore  P.  Wolfe. 


SHICKSHINNY  BOROUGH. 


HICKSHINNY  borough  was  formed  of  parts 
of  Union  and  Salem  townships,  November 
30th,  i86r.  The  line  of  those  townships  for- 
merly ran  near  Shickshinny  creek.  The 
name  given  to  this  locality  by  the  Indians 
signified  the  place  where  five  mountains  meet, 
"^s^  referring  to  the  River  mountain,  the  Knob  moun- 
tain, Rocky  mountain,  Lee's  mountain  and  Newport 
mountain.  This  was  a  favorite  hunting  and  fishing  re- 
sort for  the  Indians,  and  there  are  still  traces  of  their 
paths  leading  toward  the  notch  from  all  directions. 

The  population  of  the  borough  in  1880  was  1,068,  a 
gain  of  23  from  1870. 

Occupation  by  White  Settlers. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  was  made  under  the 
claim  of  Connecticut,  by  Ralph  Austin  and  a  family 
named  Crossley,  who  fled  to  Connecticut  after  the  battle 
of  Wyoming.  After  a  few  years  the  Austin  family  re- 
turned, put  up  log  buildings  and  otherwise  improved  the 
place,  and  became  farmers  and  inn-keepers.    The  parents 


and  several  children  were  buried  on  the  mountain  side, 
on  the  place  now  known  as  Rockview,  where  their  graves 
with  others  could  be  seen  but  a  few  years  since,  but  now 
no  trace  remains.  Matthias  Hollenback  came  into  pos- 
session of  the  place  under  the  Pennsylvania  claim.  The 
farm,  256  acres,  covers  nearly  all  of  the  present  borough. 
It  afterward  passed  into  possession  of  Mrs.  Cist,  a 
daughter  of  M.  Hollenback,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Chester  Butler;  and  after  her  death  the  estate  was  sold 
by  her  heirs  to  the  present  company,  as  proprietors  of 
Shickshinny,  in  1857.  The  names  of  the  company  were 
George  W.  Search,  Lot  Search,  Nathan  B.  Crary  and 
Nathan  Garrison;  by  them  the  present  town  was  planned 
and  partially  built,  lots  sold  and  other  improvements 
commenced.  Nathan  Garrison,  dying  in  1862,  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  widow,  Rachel  Garrison,  and  heirs.  The 
present  proprietors  paid  $20,000  for  the  tract. 

Business  Enterprises. 

The  tenants  of  the  farm  were  inn-keepers.     They  were 

Ralph    Austin,  William    Bellas,    George   Muchler '  

Coates,  William  H«yt,  Headley  &  Wilson,  who  had  a 
temperance  house  kept  by  different  men  until  they,  in 
1850,  gave  possession  to  William  Koons;  B.  D.  Koons, 
Edward  Barman,  Jacob  Laycock,  William  A.  Tubbs  and 
H.  J.  Yaple,  who  is  the  present  landlord,  near  where  the 
first  log  hotel  was  built.  William  Shoemaker  occupies  a 
part  of  the  house  more  recently  built,  in  which  he  still 
continues  the  business,  but  by  changing  and  straightening 
streets  it  is  left  some  distance  from  the  old  river  road  or 
Main  street. 

After  the  opening  of  the  Lackawanna  and  Blooms- 
burg  railroad  Caleb  Atherton  built  a  brick  hotel  near 
the  depot  for  the  accommodation  of  business  men  and 
railroad  employes,  which  has  been  well  patronized.  It 
is  owned  by  Jacob  Gould  and  kept  by  William  Daven- 
port. 

The  first  store  house  was  built  by  Stephen  Vaughn  for 
Mrs.  Cist  soon  after  the  Pennsylvania  canal  was  chartered, 
and  a  store  was  kept  in  it  by  Vaughn  for  several  years. 
The  old  store  house  is  now  occupied  as  a  dwelling,  owned 
by  heirs  of  A.  Heller.  After  Vaughn  the  Crary  Brothers 
kept  the  store  until  1841;  then  Miller  &  Chapin,  until 
Headley  &  Wilson  leased  the  property  in  1846.  William 
Koons  kept  the  store  from  1850  to  1856.  He  was 
followed  by  Thomas  Davenport,  who  was  the  last  mer- 
chant here,  as  in  planning  the  present  town  the  old 
historic  house  was  left  without  a  street  near  enough  for 
business  purposes,  and  was  changed  into  a  dwelling 
house.  The  first  store  outside  the  old  store  house  was 
started  by  Nathan  Garrison  and  Andrew  J.  Eldon  in 
June,  1857.  After  a  few  months  Eldon  was  intrusted 
with  the  money  to  purchase  new  goods,  as  they  were 
doing  a  cash  business.  The  goods  came  on,  but  not  paid 
for,  and  the  dishonest  partner  was  soon  on  his  way  to 
China  with  about  $3,000  of  Garrison's  money.  Nathan 
Garrison  was  forced  to  close  business  and  sold  to  the 
present  merchant,  Nathan  B.  Crary.  In  the  shipping  dis- 
asters Eldon  was  reported  about  two  months  later  as  lost 


=i^H 


H^ 


374 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


in  a  storm,  having  so  much    gold  on  his   person   that  he 
sank  while  trying  to  reach  a  life  boat. 

At  present  there  are  five  stores  of  dry  goods  and  gene- 
ral merchandise  kept  in  the  borough,  two  drug  storesj 
four  groceries,  two  hardware  and  tin  shops,  three  mil- 
linery stores  and  one  cabinet  warehouse,  all  doing  a  fair 
business  for  the  town  and  surrounding  country.  A  post- 
office  has  been  kept  at  this  place  many  years,  as  it  was  on 
the  stage  route  along  the  Susquehanna  from  Wilkes- 
Barre  south. 

Within  (he  limits  of  the  borough  the  only  buildings 
were  those  necessary  for  the  farm,  and  the  store  (except 
the  workmen's  shanties  during  the  making  of  the  canal, 
from  1828  to  its  completion)  until  1846,  when  Headley& 
Wilson  leased  land  and  built  a  charcoal  furnace  and 
other  buildings  for  business  and  tenement  houses.  The 
iron  ore  and  lime  were  brought  in  boats  from  Columbia 
county,  and  the  charcoal  was  burned  on  the  neighboring 
mountains.  The  furnace  made  very  good  pig  iron. 
Headley  &  Wilson  and  their  employes  built  up  an  active, 
progressive  business.  They  sold  their  lease  to  William 
Koons,  who  carried  on  the  business  from  1850  until  1856, 
when  the  furnace  and  part  of  the  buildings  were  moved 
to  Hunlock's  Creek,  and  most  of  the  people  also  left  the 
place  before  the  purchase  of  the  properly  by  the  Shick- 
shinny  company  in  1857. 

An  excellent  flouring  mill  was  built  in  1865  by  George 
W.  and  Lot  Search,  costing  $5,000  and  containing  four 
runs  of  stones.  It  employs  several  men  and  does  a  prof- 
itable,business. 

A  foundry  was  built  by  Jesse  Beadle,  L.  T.  Hartman 
and  Frederick  Beach  in  1866,  a  few  rods  above  the  rail- 
road depot  and  between  the  railroad  and  canal,  costing 
near  $3,000.  It  was  run  by  a  steam  engine;  is  now  oper- 
ated by  Luther  T.  Hartman. 

The  planing-mill  between  the  depot  and  foundry  was 
built  by  Amos  Hess  in  1874,  36  by  60  feet  in  area  and 
costing  $6,000. 

The  Mountain  Echo  was  first  issued  in  1873  t>y  C.  A. 
Boone  and  M.  E.  Walker,  and  transferred  in  1875  to  the 
present  editor  and  proprietor,  R.  M.  Tubbs,  who  has  im- 
proved it  in  tone  and  literary  merit;  claiming  neutrality 
in  politics  it  is  free  to  censure  all  parties  and  administra- 
tions. 

There  are  three  blacksmith  shops,  two  of  which  are 
connected  with  wheelwright  establishments,  owned  and 
operated  respectively  by  Miner  Brown  and  Henry 
Wagner. 

Mines  and  Mining. 

Coal  was  first  found  on  Rocky  mountain  about  1830, 
on  land  owned  by  Nathan  Beach,  by  Humphrey  Daven- 
port, who  was  employed  by  Beach  to  prospect  for  it. 
Veins  were  struck  in  several  places  and  small  amounts 
mined  by  Davenport.  The  coal  was  hauled  off  the 
mountain  with  teams  for  several  years.  In  1840  Darwin 
Crary,  a  grandson  of  Nathan  Beach,  commenced  improve- 
ments by  which  the  coal  might  be  brought  to  the  canal  at 
less  cost;  a   chute    was   constructed,  through  which   the 


coal  was  run  for  several  months.  In  1842  James  A. 
Gordon  built  the  first  plane  for  Beach  &  Crary,  which 
did  good  service  for  several  years.  Afterward  the  mines 
were  operated  by  Truman  H.  Clark  and  other  lessees 
several  years.  In  1865  John  M.  Stackhouse  and  Matthew 
Wier  bought  the  mines  and  made  improvements. 

In  1866  Cyrus  Stackhouse  bought  Wier's  stock,  and  as- 
sisted his  brother  in  the  management  until  1869,  when 
it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Paxton  Coal  Company, 
who  built  breakers,  etc.  In  1873  the  present  firm, 
known  as  the  •"  Salem  Coal  Company,"  was  formed. 
The  yearly  production  averages  65,000  tons,  employing 
near  two  hundred  men  and  boys. 

In  the  Newport  mountain,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Susquehanna,  are  rich  deposits  of  superior  coal,  which 
was  mined  several  years  successfully. 

Bridges,  Ro.ads  and  Mails. 

In  1857  a  company  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of 
mining  in  the  Newport  mountain  and  building  roads 
and  bridges  to  connect  with  the  Lackawanna  &  Blooms- 
birg  railroad.  The  company's  works  were  managed  by 
Jedediah  Irish,  Jesse  Hart,  Henry  C.  Carey  and  othet 
active,  enterprising  men,  who  opened  mines,  built  roads, 
and  a  bridge  over  the  river.  The  superstructure  was 
built  by  Luther  and  William  H.  Trescott,  and  opened 
for  travel  in  1859.  March  17th,  1865,  a  flood  swept  off 
the  superstructure  except  one  reach,  and  the  works 
passed  soon  afterward  into  the  hands  of  the  Mocanaqua 
Company.  A  new  bridge  was  built,  but  was  worn  out 
and  went  down.  Travel  is  now  accommodated  by  a 
ferry,  managed  by  a  company  of  stockholders. 

Shickshinny  creek  is  crossed  on  Main'street  by  a  good 
iron  bridge,  built  partly  by  the  county  commissioners. 
Main  street  was  long  known  as  the  river  road,  and  was 
a  stage  and  mail  route  until  superseded  by  the  railroad. 

A  turnpike  from  Shickshinny  to  places  back  of  the 
mountain  is  chartered  and  partly  constructed. 

Moral  and  Religious  Influences. 

A  Sunday-school  was  maintained  by  employes  of  the 
furnace  company  from  1846  until  1856.  When  the  popu- 
lation, which  had  been  quite  numerous  although  neces- 
sarily transient,  was  scattered,  schools,  Sunday-schools 
and  churches  or  associations  for  worship  were  nearly 
all  discontinued. 

John  McCauIy,  the  superintendent  of  the  furnace,  was 
also  a  local  preacher  of  the  M.  E.  church.  Thomas  Care, 
a  class  leader,  and  other  zealous  and  efficient  members  of 
that  church  soon  organized  societies,  and  meetings  for 
religious  services  were  regularly  attended  during  their 
stay  at  Shickshinny. 

Samuel  F.  Headley,  one  of  the  proprietors,  was  a  strict 
prohibitionist,  and  a  very  popular  temperance  lecturer; 
he  kept  watch  on  every  grogshop  started,  and  drunken- 
ness and  dissipation  were  discountenanced  and  kept  un- 
der tight  reins. 

After  the  exit  of  the  furnace  population  and  the  ad- 
vent of  the  present  proprietors,  Rosaline  Gordon,  wife  of 


=T* 


^h 


CHURCHES  AND  LODGES  AT  SHICKSHINNY. 


375 


Lot  Search,  started  a  union  Sunday-school  in  the  school' 
house.  This  opened  the  way  for  preaching,  by  different 
denominations,  in  the  school-house. 

The  first  church  was  built  by  the  Methodist  Protestants 
and  Presbyterians,  in  i860,  at  a  cost  of  |8oo,  shared 
equally  by  those  two  denominations.  The  trustees  were 
Peter  Masters,  A.  C.  Nicely,  Henry  Baer,  George  W. 
Search  and.  Lot  Search.  It  was  uped  by  all  denom- 
inations for  several  years,  and  is  now  by  the  Methodist 
Protestants. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  congregation  built  a  brick 
church  in  1870,  costing  $ri,ooo,  which  is  large  and  com- 
modious, with  a  basement,  containing  rooms  for  Sunday- 
school  and  class  meetings,  also  a  very  good  library,  cost- 
ing $500. 

The  pastors  of  this  M.  E.  church  have  been  E.  H.  Yo- 
cum,  George  W.  Miller,  John  A.  Gere,  Joseph  King, 
Aaron  Kester,  John  Morehead  and  George  Warren.  The 
present  membership  is  180;  Sunday-school  pupils,  200. 

The  trustees  were  John  M.  Stackhouse,  Cyrus  Stack- 
house,  M.  W.  Millard,  George  Rustay,  Thomas  Senior, 
John  Thomas,  W.  F.  Kline,  N.  B.  Crary,  James  Post  and 
Daniel  Baer. 

The  Presbyterians  built  a  very  neat  church  of  wood, 
with  a  basement  of  stone,  costing  $4,700.  In  1874  the 
basement  was  finished  and  dedicated,  and  it  was  used  for 
all  needed  purposes  until  March  7th,  1878,  when  the 
audience  room,  nicely  finished  and  furnished,  was  dedi- 
cated. 

The  church  in  its  earlier  stages  was  ministered  to  by 
James  Ferguson,  William  J.  Day  and  others,  who  lived  at 
a  distance  and  could  only  give  a  small  part  of  their  time 
and  service.  From  May,  187 1,  Rev.  W.  B.  Darrach  was 
pastor  until  1878,  when  the  present  pastor,  Arthur  John- 
son, was  installed  November  6th. 

The  membership  numbers  about  100,  and  the  Sunday- 
school  130.  The  elders  are  G.  W.  Search,  Charles  A. 
Boone,  Miner  Brown  and  Dr.  M.  B.  Hughes.  Trustees 
— John  R.  Bertels,  Thomas  Montgomery,  Lot  Search,  C. 
A.  Boone,  Dr.  M.  B.  Hughes  and  G.  W.  Search.  A  good 
library  is  kept  up  for  the  benefit  of  its  members. 

The  Evangelical  or  German  Methodists  h^ve  quite  a 
numerous  society  and  Sunday-school,  with  a  stationed 
minister  and  regular  services,  held  in  a  rcom  rented  for 
the  purpose,  but  have  not  yet  built  a  church. 

In  1876  Rev.  W.  M.  Croman,  then  serving  Berwick  mis- 
sion, made  an  appointment  in  Shickshinny,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  year  1877  the  communicants  numbered  80. 
In  1878  Rev.  Mr.  Hernberger  succeeded  him,  and  at  the 
conference  session  of  1879  Shickshinny,  with  75  mem- 
bers, was  added  to  Luzerne  circuit.  Rev.  J.  M.  Price 
pastor. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  church  has  45  members  and 
75  in  the  Sunday-school.  Rev.  J.  Farrah  is  the  pastor. 
During  the  ten  years  of  the  occupation  of  the  place  by 
the  furnace  company  good  schools  were  kept  in  differ- 
ent places,  no  house  for  the  purpose  being  built  until 
1858,  when  Union  township  built  the  brown  school-house 
now  used  for  the  primary  school,  on  Main  street.     A  few 


years  later  a  house  containing  two  large  school-rooms  was 
built  on  Church  street,  in  which  are  taught  the  higher  and 
intermediate  grades,  under  the  care  of  carefully  selected 
teachers.  The  present  principal  is  Professor  Ned  Ross- 
The  moral  status  of  Shickshinny  is  above  the  average 
of  towns  of  its  size;  the  borough  having  been  favored  in 
all  the  institutions  of  society  with  the  influence  of  many 
excellent  women  residing  there,  including  Mrs.  Rachael 
Garrison,  Mrs.  Rosaline  and  Elizabeth  Search,  Mrs.  Anna 
Beadle,  Mrs.  Lucinda  Sleppy,  Mrs.  J.  F.  and  Elizabeth 
Nicely,  Miss  Emily  V.  Gordon,  Miss  Elizabeth  Gordon 
and  others. 

Physicians. 

The  first  resident  physician,  L.C.White,  practiced  sev- 
eral years  from  1846.  Since  1847  his  brother-in-law, 
Charles  Parker,  has  resided  in  the  borough.  Others,  as 
Drs.  D.  Crary,  J.  B,  Culver  and  E.  A.  Santee,  were  here 
short  periods.  Since  1862  William  D.  Hamilton,  M.  D., 
formerly  of  Baltimore,  has  been  in  practice  here.  Since 
1869  M.  B.  Hughes,  M.  D.,  has  practiced  here.  Soon 
afterward  Jacob  Briggs,  M.  D.,  opened  an  office.  He 
also  keeps  a  drug  store,  assisted  by  Dr.  Harding,  a 
brother-in-law. 

Sundry  Organizations. 

The  Shickshinny  Cornet  Band  was  organized  Novem- 
ber, 1865,  with  William  J.  J.  Sleppy  as  leader.  In  1868 
it  reorganized,  with  Chester  B.  Clark  as  leader.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1878,  J.  W.  Shoemaker  was  chosen  leader.  The 
members  meet  for  practice  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Fri- 
day evenings.  T.  Wetherill  and  D.  Brooks  are  the 
teachers. 

Shickshinny  Lodge,  No.  180,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  organ- 
ized April  22nd,  1846.  The  first  officers  were:  Samuel 
F.  Headly,  N.  G.;  Hiram  Wilson,  V.  G.;  James  S.Camp- 
bell, secretary;  E.  A.  Leclere,  A.  S.;  Jacob  Sorber,  treas- 
urer. The  officers  for  1879  were:  H.  C.  Kinger,  N.  G.; 
R.  M.  Tubbs,  V.  G.;  F.  A.  Seabert,  secretary;  Daniel 
Shoemaker,  A.  S.;  James  Post,  treasurer.  The  lodge 
meets  each  Saturday  evening.  A  Josephine  Rebecca  de- 
gree lodge  was  organized  June  29th,  1869,  with  the  fol- 
lowing officers:  F.  A.  Seabert,  N.  G.;  Carrie  B.  Post,  V. 
G.;  B.  D.  Koons,  secretary;  Lucinda  Sleppy,  A.  S.;  Sallie 
Briggs,  treasurer.  The  meetings  were  held  in  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall,  on  Thursday  evenings.  The  lodge  is  not  in 
working  order. 

Sylvania  Lodge,  No.  354,  A.  Y.  M.  was  instituted  June 
29th,  1865,  with  the  following  officers:  Jedediah  Irish,  W. 
M.;  John  F.  Nicely,  S.  W.;  A.  B.  Weil,  J.  W.;  G.  W. 
Search,  secretary;  A.  C.  Nicely,  treasurer.  The  officers 
for  1879  were:  Joseph  Wandel,  W.  M.;  M.  B.  Crary,  S. 
W.;  Joseph  M.  Turner,  J.  W. ;  C.  A.  Boone,  secretary; 
G.  W.  Search,  treasurer;  and  Monday  evening,  on  or  be- 
fore full  moon,  is  the  time  of  meeting. 

Quindara  Lodge,  No.  483,  /.  O.  of  G.  T.  was  organized 
December  29th,  1867.  The  first  officers  were:  Dr.  James 
L.  Killgore,  W.  C.  T.;  Fannie  Millard,  W.  V.  T.;  John 
Thomas,  W.  C;  Elizabeth  E.  Gordon,  W.  S.;  W.  D.  Gar- 


^Hh 


^ 


376 


HISTORY  OF  LUZERNE  COUNTY. 


WRIGHT  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  Hanover,  April 
12th,  1851,  and  named  after  Hon.  Hendrick 
B.  Wright,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  The  population 
was  603  in  1870,  and  881  in  1880. 

The  first  white  inhabitant  was  James 
Wright,  from  the  Wyoming  valley.  He  had  to 
chop  out  a  road  before  his   ox  team   to  his  place 


rison,  W.  F.  S.;  C.  A.  Boone,  treasurer;  Emily  V.  Gordon, 
W.  M.;  R.  B.  Nicely,  G.;  Winfield  Scott,  S.  The  officers 
for  1879  were:  Rev.  George  Warren,  W.  C.  T.;  Hattie 
Arnold,  W.  V.  T.;  J.  R.  Bidleman,  W.  C.;  R.  M.  Tubbs, 
W.  S.;  J.  M.  Stackhouse,  W.  T.;  J.  W.  Miller,  W.  F.  S.; 
May  Winans,  W.  M.;  Lottie  Sunderland,  W.  G.;  Charles 
W.  Laycock,  S. 

Shickshinny  Council,  No.  115,  O.  U.  A.  M.  was  insti- 
tuted May  17th,  1869.  The  first  officers  were:  A.  H. 
McWayne,  C;  J.  W.  Romich,  V.  C;  G.  W.  Briggs,  R.  S.; 
J.  M.  Snyder,  A.  S.;  N.  B.  Allegar,  F.  S.;  Aaron  Briggs, 
E.;  J.  H.  Rhone,  O.;  J.  L.  Winner,  treasurer.  The  pres- 
ent officers  are:  George  W.  Youells,  C;  N.  C.  Laning,  V. 
C;  John  S.  Prince,  R.  S.;  W.  W.  Smith,  A.  S.;  A.  M. 
Everhart,  F.  S.;  V.  E.  Chapin,  E.;  S.  A.  Welsh,  O.;  P. 
Weiss,  treasurer.  The  council  meets  weekly  at  Mechan- 
ics' Hall,  East  Union  street. 

Knapp  Lodge,  No.  209,  K.  of  P.  was  organized  De- 
cember loth,  1869.  The  first  officers  were:  B.  D.  Koons 
P.  C;  A.  McDowell,  C.  C;  E.  W.  Stiles,  V.  C;  John  F. 
Caslon,  K.  R.  S.;  H.  M.  Briggs,  M.  E.;  M.  J.  Sdyder,  M. 
F.;  C.  A.  Boone,  M.  A.;  J.  H.  Rhone,  I.  G.;  G.  C. 
McWayne,  O.  G.  The  officers  for  1879  were:  B.  D. 
Koons,  P.  C;  John  F.  Caslon,  C.  C;  Edward  S.  Hart- 
man,  V.  C;  J.  S.  Sunderland,  P.;  W.  Miller,  M.  E.; 
Luther  T.  Hartman,  M.  G.;  M.  B.  Hughes,  K.  R.  S.; 
Hiram  Dietrick,  M.  A.;  C.  W.  Dietrick,  1.  G.;  P.  M. 
Koons,  O.  G.  The  lodge  meets  weekly  at  Mechanics' 
Hall,  Monday  evenings. 

Civil  War  Times. 

During  the  efforts  to  suppress  the  Rebellion  Shick- 
shinny was  a  general  rallying  point  and  recruiting  station. 
At  the  first  call  for  volunteers,  Henry  M.  Gordon, 
Charles  B.  Post,*  John  Minich,  Emanuel  Dietrich  and  J. 
C.  Turner  responded,  and  joined  the  first  company  raised 
in  the  county  in  April,  186  r.  Afterward  their  noble  ex- 
ample was  followed  by  James  Post,  W.  A.  Tubbs,* 
Thomas  Davenport,  Frank  A.  Seabert,  James  McNeal,* 
William  J.IMcNeal,  Martin  McNeal,  I.  &  W.  Scott,*  George 
Wildoner,  Conrad  Jumper,  H.  S.  Clark,  W.  F.  Kline, 
Levi  Arnold,  William  Weatherwax,*  Moses  Springer,  J. 
L.  Winner,  Joshua  McAffee,  Elijah  Dietrick,*  Hiram 
Dietrick,  William  Wright,*  George  Youells,  Andrew  H. 
McWayne,*  N.   B.   Fitzgerald,   Isaac   B.  Titus,  Bowman 

Garrison, Garrison. 

♦  Died  in  the  service. 


r>n  the  Big  Wapwallopen  creek,  about  a  mile  southwest  of 
Penobscot  station.  He  built  a  log  cabin  and  at  various 
times  three  saw-mills,  which  have  gone  to  decay.  The 
next  settler  was  Harvey  Holcomb,  from  Connecticut. 
He  located  a  short  distance  down  the  creek  from 
Wright's.  Samuel  B.  Stivers  and  William  Vandermark 
soon  afterward  located  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town- 
ship, a  little  south  of  Triangle  pond.  They  were  natives 
of  this  county,  and  their  families  still  live  where  they 
first  located.  John  Hoffman,  about  the  same  time  as  the 
two  last  named,  located  near  Stivers's  place.  Elias  Carey, 
from  the  Wyoming  valley,  in  1833  bought  the  Holcomb 
improvements.  He  had  a  large  family  of  children.  Cor- 
nelius Garrison  was  the  next  settler.  He  built  a  saw- 
mill on  the  Big  Wapwallopen  creek,  in  the  southwest 
part  of  the  township,  on  the  site  of  the  only  one  now 
in  this  township.  He  also  raised  the  first  crop  of  grain 
and  set  out  the  first  orchard. 

The  first  road  was  the  Wilkes-Barre  and  Hazleton 
turnpike,  running  diagonally  across  the  township  from 
Solomon's  Gap  to  where  N.  Hildebrand  now  lives;  the 
surveyor  was  Harry  Colt,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  of  logs,  in  1840,  and 
stood  near  S.  B.  Stivers's,  in  the  northwest  part  of  the 
township.  The  first  teacher  was  Charles  Fine.  The 
surviving  pupils  are  Eleazer,  George  and  Andrew  Carey, 
Hiram  Arnold  and  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Vandermark. 
The  first  store  was  kept  by  Stephen  Lee,  near  S.  B.  Sti- 
vers's. James  Wright  kept  the  first  tavern,  where  he  first 
located.  Another  was  kept  by  a  Mr.  Willis,  where  R. 
Conedy  now  lives.  Almost  every  one  kept  liquors  to 
stimulate  the  weary  traveler. 

The  first  graveyard  was  located  in  the  southwest  part 
of  the  township,  where  E.  Lines  now  lives. 

The  pioneer  blacksmith,  Stephen  Lee,  worked  in  con- 
nection with  his  store,  near  Samuel  B.  Stivers's  place. 
The  next  blacksmith  was  George  Garrison,  whose  shop 
was  where  the  Big  Wapwallopen  crosses  the  west  town- 
ship line. 

The  pioneer  postmaster  was  William  G.  Albert.  His 
office  was  where  J.  Shafer  now  lives,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  township.  The  mails  came  at  first  once  a  week,  on 
horseback.  Afterward  Horton  &  Gilchrist,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  started,,  a  stage  line  between  Wilkes-Barre  and 
Hazleton,  and  then  the  mails  were  received  three  times 
a  week. 

At  the  first  town-meeting  Eleazer  Carey  was  elected 
assessor.  He  held  the  office  for  eight  years.  Mr.  Carey 
is  now  superintendent  of  the  roundhouse  of  the  Central 
railroad  at  Penobscot.  Morris  Bush  was  the  supervisor 
and  collector  for  1879. 

Justices  of  the  peace  for  this  township  have  been 
elected  as  follows:  George  Carey,  1852;  Stephen  Lee, 
1858;  Willard  Ruger,  1868;  Peter  Miller,  1870;  John  B. 
Glover,  1874. 

Business  Centers  of  To-Day. 

Summit  Station  is  a  hamlet  of  about  40  inhabitants. 
There  are  a  hotel  and  a  school-house  at  this  place. 


*^- 


<¥ 


Penobscot  contains  about  200  inhabitants.  Here  is 
the  depot  for  engines  employed  in  assisting  freight  trains 
over  the  mountain  and  for  hauling  trains  of  coal  mined  at 
Solomon's  Gap.  Here  are  repair  shops  and  round  house 
for  the  accommodation  of  16  engines.  Dr.  J.  M.  Crede 
is  the  resident  physician,  paid  by  an  assessment  on  the 
employes  of  the  road  living  at  this  place. 

At  Solomon's  Gap  (post-office  Mountain  Top)  are  the 
engine  house  and  turn-table  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  road, 
and  station  for  its  extra  engines  for  mountain  work. 
There  is  also  a  coal  breaker  in  the  Gap.  There  are  two 
stores;  and  a  post-office,  with  William  Schoonover  as 
postmaster. 

At  South  Fair  View  there  are  twelve  dwellings  and  a 
hotel. 

The  number  of  persons  in  Wright  liable  to  pay  a  tax  in 
1879  was  64.  G.  D.  Harris,  of  this  township,  is  one  of 
the  present  county  commissioners. 

Presbyterian  Church  of  Mountain  Top. 

In  May,  1876,  a  committee  consisting  of  John  B. 
Gloman,  John  M.  Chase  and  others  was  sent  by  the  peo- 
ple of  Solomon's  Gap,  Fairview  and  Penobscot  to  Rev. 
William  J.  Day,  of  Ashley,  to  invite  him  to  come  up  to 
Mountain  Top  and  organize  a  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school.  A  day  was  fixed  and  the  Sunday-school  or- 
ganized,  with   John    B.   Gloman    superintendent;    D.   F. 


Deitrick,  assistant  superintendent  and  H.  Deitrick,  sec- 
retary. Rev.  W.  J.  Day  preached  there  in  the  school- 
house  of  that  district  every  two  weeks  after  the  close  of 
the  Sabbath-school  exercises.  In  June,  1879,  collections 
were  made  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  church.  In 
August  1879,  the  Lehigh  Navigation  and  Coal  Company 
donated  the  church  a  fine  lot  100  by  190  feet,  on  the 
Penobscot  road,  for  the  site  of  a  church. 

The  church  edifice,  which  is  the  only  one  in  the  town- 
ship, was  built  largely  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Day. 
He  offered  to  raise  $1,500  if  $500  should  be  raised  by 
others  interested,  and  the  necessary  funds  were  collected 
by  him  and  Miss  Nellie  Chesney.  In  September  ground 
was  broken  for  the  new  church.  The  ladies  raised  $126 
for  the  bell.  The  total  cost  of  the  building  was  $3,160. 
It  was  dedicated  in  the  evening  of  February  20th,  1880. 
Rev.  F.  B.  Hodge,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  preached  the  ser- 
mon, and  $782  was  then  subscribed  to  complete  payment 
for  the  edifice.  A  special  train  on  the  Lehigh  and  Sus- 
quehanna railroad  carried  many  persons  to  the  meeting 
free  from  Wilkes-Barre  and  intermediate  points. 

The  building  committee  consisted  of  G.  B.  Stewart, 
Jacob  Brong,  William  T.  Small  and  John  M.  Chase. 

The  elders  of  the  church  are  John   M.  Chase  and  Dan- 
iel Deitrick.       There  are  some  25  members.       Mountain' 
Top  being   the   great  outlet  of   the  Wyoming  valley  coal 
carrying  companies,  it   will  be  an  important  location  for 
a  church  for  long  years  to  corrie. 


4.^ 


^4 


<H 


LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


*^- 


-FIRST     INHABITANTS COUNTY     ORGANIZATION 

OFFICIALS. 


I  HE  American  Indians  rarely,  if  ever,  gave  ar- 
bitrary nanaes  to  persons  or  places.  A  local- 
ity was  designated  by  a  word  expressive  of 
some  peculiarity  in  or  about  it,  of  some  his- 
torical event  connected  with  it,  or  of  something 
directly  or  remotely  pertaining  to  it.  The  name 
Lackawannock,  or  Lackawanna,  is  derived  from  the 
Delaware  language,  and  it  has  come  to  its  present  form 
through  many  corruptions.  The  original  meaning  of  the 
word  is  the  place  where  two  streams  of  water  meet,  and 
it  was  applied  to  the  locality  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Susquehanna  and  Lackawanna  rivers.  From  this  the 
river  took  its  name,  as  did  also  the  valley  through  which 
it  runs  and  ultimately  the  county  which  includes  it. 

When  the  Lackawanna  valley  was  settled  by  the  whites 
there  were  two  Indian  settlements  or  villages  within  its 
limits.  One  of  these  was  'Asserughny,  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Susquehanna  and  Lackawanna  rivers,  under 
Campbell's  Ledge.  The  other  was  about  ten  miles  up  the 
Lackawanna,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Nay  Aug  (now 
Roaring  brook).  It  was  called  Capoose,  after  a  chief  of 
that  name,  who  came  from  New  Jersey  about  the  year 
1700  and  who  was  noted  for  his  peaceful  character. 
Trails  ran  from  this  village  to  Wyoming,  to  Cochecton 
and  to  Oquago,  now  Windsor,  Broome  county,  N.  Y. 
The  Indians  inhabiting  these  villages  were  Monseys. 
They  left  the  valley  after  the  massacre  of  Wyoming.  In 
addition  to  these,  traces  were  found  of  five  other  Indian 
villages  that  had  long  previously  been  inhabited  and 
abandoned,  all  located  on  the  west  bank  of  the  stream. 

Of  the  settlement  of  this  county  mention  is  made  in 
the  histories  of  the  different  townships  and  other  munici- 
palities. The  settlers  obtained  the  titles  to  their  lands 
by  warrants  from  the  State. 

In  April, 1 878,the  Assembly  passed  an  act  to  provide  for 


the  formation  of  new  counties.  The  result  of  an  election 
on  the  13th  of  the  following  August  in  the  present  terri- 
tory of  Lackawanna  county  was  a  vote  of  9,615  in 
favor  of  the  new  county  and  1,986  against  it.  The  fol- 
lowing officers  were  at  once  appointed:  A.  I.  Ackerly, 
sheriff;  F.  L.  Hitchcock,  prothonotary;  Joshua  B.  Thom- 
as, clerk  of  the  courts;  A.  Miner  Renshaw,  recorder;  J. 
L.  Lee,  register;  W.  N.  Monies,  treasurer;  P.  M.  Walsh, 
surveyor;  Leopold  Schumpff,  coroner;  F.  W.  Gunster, 
district  attorney;  H.  L.  Garge,  J.  C.  Kiersted  and  Dennis 
Tierney,  county  commissioners;  Thomas  Phillips,  E.  J. 
Lynett  and  Duncan  Wright,  auditors.  A.  B.  Stevens 
was  afterward  appointed  sheriff,  and  Horace  F.  J.  Barrett 
county  commissioner,  in  place  of  Messrs.  Ackerly  and 
Kiersted,  who  were  ineligible  because  of  being  repre- 
sentatives. Robert  Reeves  and  William  J.  Lewis  were 
appointed  auditors  in  place  of  Messrs.  Phillips  and 
Wright,  who  declined  to  act. 

An  ample  area  of  the  ground,  near  the  center  of  the 
city  of  Scranton,  was  donated  as  a  site  for  the  county 
buildings  and  a  public  park,  by  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company  and  the  representatives  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna and  Wyoming  Railroad  and  Coal  Company- 
Courts  were  at  first  held  in  the  Washington  Hall  building, 
on  the  corner  of  Lackawanna  and  Penn  avenues,  and  the 
county  offices  kept  in  the  Second  National  Bank  build- 
ing, directly  opposite,  on  Lackawanna  avenue.  The  tem- 
porary jail  is  a  three-story  brick  storehouse,  securely 
fitted  up  for  the  purpose,  in  the  rear  of  Lackawanna 
avenue,  between  Washington  and  Adams  avenues. 

The  present  county  officers  are:  John  Handley,  pre- 
sident judge;  Alfred  Hand,  additional  law  judge;  Jason 
H.  Welles,  court  clerk;  H.  H.  Coston,  court  stenographer; 
E.  W.  Simrell,  district  attorney;  A.  B.  Stevens,  sheriff; 
Henry  Summers,  prothonotary;  Ezra  H.  Ripple,  treasu- 
rer; W.  G.  Daniels,  clerk  of  the  courts;  Thomas  R.  La- 
throp,  recorder;  George  Farber,  register  of  wills;  W.  J. 
Daniels,  coroner;  H.  F.  Barret,  R.  C.  Drum,  Dennis  Tier- 
ney, commissioners;  G.  L.  Newton,  mercantile  appraiser; 
Richard  Evans,  surveyor;  W.  L.  Halstead,  P.  J.  Philbin, 
jury  commissioners;  A.  C.  Sisson,  W.  W.  Williams,  Fran- 
cis Johnson,  auditors. 

In  the  civil  war  of  1861-65  the  people  of   this  county 


=#♦ 


PROPOSED  LACKAWANNACOUNTY  COURT  HOUSE,  SCRANTON, PA 


HISTORICAL    SKETCHES,  LUZERNE  CO.,  PA. 


Wutsarjiec. 


LEWIS  LE  grand's  CARRIAGE  MANUFACTORY  419,421  &  423  SMainStrbelowRoss 
A^t.-JorLe  Grand's  Celebrated  PATENT  BUCK  BOARDjWilkes-^arrePa. 


ST  MARY'S  CHURCH  AND   PAROCHIAL  RESIDENCE, PLEASANT  VALLETY. LUZERNE  CO  ,  PA 


^h 


_Wj 


RAIi\ROADS  in  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


379 


which  was  then  a  part  of  Lu2;erne,  sustained  their  full 
share  of  the  burden  which  fell  on  that  county;  and  the 
history  of  Luzerne  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  necessa- 
rily embraces  the  history  of  this  county,  which  cannot  be 
separated  from  it. 


CHAPTER  IL 


THE    DELAWARE    AND      HUDSON    CANAL    COMPANY RAIL- 
ROADS   OF    LACKAWANNA    COUNTY. 


^  HE  history  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  is  so  entirely  identified  with  that 
of  the  coal  trade  that  it  is  given  in  connection 
with  the  latter,  on  page  79.  During  the  war 
of  the  Rebellion  the  company  was  very  pros- 
perous, and  in  1864  its  capital  stock  was  increased 
to  ten  millions  of  dollars.  During  the  decade 
from  i860  to  1870  the  policy  of  extending  the  railroad 
communications  of  the  company  and  the  purchase  or 
lease  of  other  lines  was  vigorously  pursued,  while  at  the 
same  time  additional  coal  lands  and  collieries  were  ac- 
quired. The  company  was  thus  enabled  to  enter  into 
successful  competition  with  other  companies  in  various 
markets  in  the  interior,  as  well  as  at  tide  water,  where 
most  of  its  trade  had  been.  The  same  policy  had  been 
pursued  since  1870,  and  among  the  important  line;  thus 
acquired  are  the  Albany  and  Susquehanna  and  the  Rens- 
selaer and  Saratoga  road  and  its  branches. 

In  1849  the  Lackawanna  and  Lanesboro  railroad  was 
chartered.  This  was  in  fact  a  revival  of  the  lapsed 
charter  of  the  Lackawannock  and  Susquehanna  railroad. 
It  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  New  York  and  Erie  Rail- 
way Company  in  1851,  and  soon  afterward  the  Jefferson 
branch  of  the  New  York  and  Erie  was  built.  About  six 
miles  of  this  road  pass  through  the  townships  of  Carbon- 
dale  and  Fell  in  this  county.  It  is  operated  by  the  Dela- 
ware and  Hudson  Canal  Company. 

DELAWARE,    LACKAWANNA    AND    WESTERN    RAILROAD. 

Plans  for  an  avenue  of  transportation  and  travel 
through  the  Lackawanna  valley  were  conceived  during 
the  time  of  its  early  settlement.  In  1817  a  company  was 
organized  for  improving  the  navigation  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna river,  but  the  project  was  never  carried  into 
effect. 

In  1826  a  plan  was  formed  and  a  charter  obtained  by 
Henry  W.  Drinker  for  a  transportation  route  along  the 
Lackawanna  river  by  canal  and  railroad,  the  planes  of 
the  latter  to  be  operated  by  water  power  and  horses  to 
be  used  between  the  planes.  Nothing  was  done  toward 
the  accomplishment  of  this  project  beyond  the  appoint- 
ment of  commissioners  and  preliminary  survey  of  a  route, 
with  which  the  southern  division  of  the  Delaware,  Lack- 
awanna and  Western  Railroad  is  mainly  coincident. 


Another  road  was  projected  from  the  mouth  of  Legget's 
creek,  in  Providence,  to  Great  Bend,  on  the  Susque- 
hanna river.  It  was  called  the  Lackawannock  and  Sus- 
quehanna Railroad,  and  was  popularly  known  as  the  Mere- 
dith road.  The  Leggett's  Gap  Railroad  was  chartered 
about  the  same  time,  and  a  company  was  organized  in 
1832  for  the  construction  of  this  road  and  much  was 
done  on  paper,  but  nothing  more. 

In  1838  a  perpetual  charter  was  obtained  for  a  road 
from  Pittston  to  the  New  York  State  line,  and  it  was 
hoped  that  the  New  York  and  Erie  Company  would 
adopt  the  route  of  this  and  the  Susquehanna  and  Dela- 
ware Canal  and  Railroad  Company's  surveyed  route;  but 
this  hope  was  not  realized,  and  during  ten  years  there 
seemed  scarcely  more  prospect  of  the  construction  of 
these  roads  than  at  the  beginning. 

In  March,  1849,  the  charter  of  the  Leggett's  Gap  road, 
which   had  not  been    permitted  to  lapse,  was  purchased, 
and  a  new  charter  granted  during  the  same  month.  The 
company  was  organized  in    January,  1850,  and   the  con- 
struction of  the  road  prosecuted  with  such  vigor  that  it 
was  open  for  use  in   the   autumn  of  185 1.     In   April  of 
that  year,  by  an    act  of   Assembly,  the   corporate  title  of 
the  company  was    changed    to  "  The    Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company.''    This  became  the  northern 
division  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Rail- 
road.    In  April,   1849,  a  charter  was  granted  to  the  Del- 
aware and  Cobb's  Gap  Railroad,  which  was  to  extend  be- 
tween Scranton  and  the   Delaware  river,  via  Cobb's  and 
the  Delaware  Gap.    This  company  was  also  organized  in 
1850,  and  it  subsequently  became  the  southern    division. 
In  March,  1853,  the    two  companies   were  by  an  act  of 
Assembly  consolidated  as  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company,  and  the  construction  of  the 
southern   division    was     prosecuted    with    energy.      The 
northern  division,  from    Scranton  to  Great  Bend,  has    a 
length  of  fifty  miles,  and  the  southern,  between  Scranton 
and  the  Delaware  sixty-one.     These  constitute  the  orig- 
inal main  line  of  the  road. 

Of  the  immense  shops  of  this  company  an  account  is 
given  elsewhere.  The  policy  of  the  company,  like  that 
of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  has  been 
to  acquire  extensive  coal  territory  and  establish  and  con- 
duct collieries.  It  has  also  by  purchase  and  lease  ac- 
quired the  control  of  many  other  railroads,  and  it  is  thus 
enabled  to  compete  successfully  with  other  companies  in 
all  parts  of  the  country. 

PENNSYLVANIA    COAL    COMPANY'S    RAILROAD. 

The  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  was  chartered  by  an 
act  of  the  Legislature  in  1838,  and  was  organized  by  the 
commissioners  appointed  in  the  act  in  the  spring  of  1839- 
It  was  proposed  to  form  a  connection  by  railroad  between 
the  Susquehanna  near  Pittston  and  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal,  at  some  point  on  the  Wallenpaupack 
creek,  in  Wayne  county,  and  thus  make  an  outlet  in  either 
direction  for  the  coal  mined  by  the  company. 

At  about  the  time  of  chartering  this  company  the  char- 
ter of   the   Washington    Coal  Company    was   granted  to 


^X 


i 


\. 


380 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUI^TV. " 


some  parties  in  Honesdale.     In  1847,  after  a  repose  of  nine 
years,  this  charter  was  sold  to  Messrs.  Wurts  and  others. 

"  An  act  incorporating  the  Luzerne  and  Wayne  Rail- 
road Company,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $500,000,  with 
ntithority  to  construct  a  road  fron;i  the  Lackawaxen  to 
the  Lackawanna,"  was  passed  in  1846.  The  charter  of 
this  company  and  that  of  the  Washington  Coal  Company 
were  purchased,  and  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  merged 
in  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Cotiipany  in  1849. 

The  road  was  commenced  in  1847,  and  completed  in 
1850.  It  has  a  length  of  forty-seven  miles  between  Port 
(.riffith  and  Hawley.  It  passes  through  Lackawanna, 
Scranton,  Dunmore,  Roaring  Brook  and  Jefferson,  in  this 
county.  It  is  a  gravity  road.  The  ascent  of  the  moun- 
tains is  made  by  a  series  of  planes,  vith  stationary  en- 
i,ir,es,  and  the  descent  by  gravity  over  another  track, 
'i'he  road  is  used  almost  wholly  for  the  transportation  of 
coal,  which  it  is  found  can  l.e  ihus  transported  with  less 
exjjense  than  by  any  other  means.  From  Dunmore  to 
Hawley  passengers  are  carried,  though  not  in  large  num- 
bers. Tourists  and  pleasure  seekers  frequently  pass  over 
this  portion  in  summer  to  enjoy  the  romantic  scenery 
which  is  presented  along  the  route.  Connections  are 
made  at  Port  Griffith  with  the  Lehigh  Valley,  at  Dun- 
more with  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western,  and 
at  Hawley  with  the  Hawley  branch  of  the  New  York, 
Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroads.  The  present  capacity 
of  this  company's  mines  and  of  the  road  is  estimated  at 
1,800,000  tons  per  annum. 

John  B.  Smith  has  been  superintendent  since  the  com- 
mencement of  the  road,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  of 
him  that  in  his  administration  of  the  business  he  has  been 

without  reproach.  

CHAPTER   III. 


THE      I3TH      REGIMENT     OF     THE     NATIONAL      GUARD      OF 
PENNSYLVANIA. 


HE  13th  regiment  N.  G.  P.  was  organized  in 
October,  1878,  at  the  time  of  the  general  re- 
organization of  the  State  militia,  upon  the 
foundation  offered  by  the  battalion  of  the 
Scranton  City  Guard.  The  four  companies 
composing  the  S.  C.  G.,  now  companies  A,  B,  C 
and  D  of  the  13th  regiment,  were  the  outgrowth 
of  the  brave  and  historic  "  Citizen  Corps  "  recruited 
upon  the  call  of  Mayor  McKune  for  the  preservation  of 
law  and  order  at  the  time  of  the  labor  troubles  in  the 
summer  of  1877;  forty  of  whose  members  hastily  as- 
sembled at  a  moment's  notice,  under  the  leadership  of 
Captain  Bartholomew  of  the  present  Company  B,  and 
dispersed  the  mob  that  had  attacked  the  mayor.  The 
original  officers  of  the  regiment  were: 

Field  and  SfaiT.— Major. H.  M.  Boies,  commandant;  First  Lieutenant  F. 
L.  Hitchcock,  adjutant;  Captain  H.  A.  Kingsbury,  commissary;  First 
Lieutenant  James  Kuthven,  quartermaster;  First  Lieutenant  N.  Y.  Leet, 
assistant  surgeon;  chaplain,  S.  C.  Logan,  D.  D. 

Nnn-Oomml«slonal  Staff.— H.  N.  Bunnell,  sergeant  major ;  S.  G.  Kerr, 
quartermaster  sergeant;  G.  H.  Maddox,  commissary  sergeant;  W.  W. 
Ives,  hospital  steward;  M.  D.  Smith  and  Edward  Brady,  principal  mu- 
sicians; John  J.  Coleman,  battalion  clerk. 


I/ine  QfxCTS.-Company  A :  Captain,  A.  Bryaon,  jr.;  first  lieutenant, 
H.  A,  Knapp ;  second  lieutenant,  E.  J.  Smith.  Company  B :  Captain,  B. 
T:.  Merriam;  first  lieutenant;  D.  Bartholomew;  second  lieutenant, 
William  Kellow.  Company  C :  Captain,  H,  A.  Coursen ;  first  lieutenant. 
James  E.  Brown ;  second  lieutenant,  L.  A.  Watres,  Company  D :  Cap- 
tain, E.  H.  Hippie;  first  lieutenant,  J.  A.  Linen;  second  lieutenant, 
Samuel  Hlnes. 

In  August  of  that  year  the  Honesdale  Guard  (Com- 
pany E— Captain,  George  F.  Bentley;  first  lieutenant,  D. 
R.  Atkinson;  second  lieutenant,  H.  G.  Young)  and  the 
Van  Bergan  Guards  (Company  F,  of  Carbondale— Cap- 
tain, John  O  Miles;  first  lieutenant,  Thomas  M.  Lindsay; 
second  lieutenant,  William  M.  Thompson)  were  recruited 
and  added  to  the  battalion,  which  was  subsequently  or- 
ganized as  a  regiment  by  the  addition  of  the  Zouaves  of 
Susquehanna  (Company  G— Captain,  James  Smith;  first 
lieutenant,  S.  L.  French;  second  lieutenant,  George  A. 
Post)  and  Captain  Boone's  company  of  the  old  9th  regi- 
ment from  Pleasant  Valley  (Company  H.) 

■  In  1878  the  Pleasant  Valley  company  was  disbanded 
and  a  new  Company  H  organized  in  Providence,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  E.  W.  Pearce,  former  major  of 
the  old  9th,  with  Frank  Courtright  first  lieutenant,  and 
R.  E.  Westlake  second  lieutenant.  The  regiment  has  a 
fine  band,  whose  uniform  and  instruments  belong  to  the 
Scranton  City  Guard,  and  carries  a  handsome  State  color 
presented  by  the  ladies  of  Scranton  to  the  S.  C.  G.  It 
was  highly  commended  by  the  adjutant  general  of  the 
State,  in  his  report  for  1878,  for  its  discipline  and  drill, 
and  has  gained  an  enviable  reputation  all  over  the  State. 
Colonel  Boies  was  the  first  regimental  commander  in  the 
State  to  organize  and  institute  a  system  of  rifle  practice 
in  his  command,  and  probably  has  contributed  largely  to 
encourage  the  cultivation  of  a  taste  for  this  g,entlemanly 
science  among  the  guardsmen  of  the  State.  As  a  result 
of  the  first  year's  practice  51  members  of  the  Scranton 
City  Guard  companies  were  qualified  as  marksmen,  and 
were  presented  with  badges  by  the  governor  and  staff  on 
the  evening  of  the  annual  inspection,  December  6th,  1878. 
The  following  year  135  membersof  the  regiment  were  quali- 
fied as  marksmen,  under  the  rules  of  Wingate's  Manual, 
Company  D  qualifying  79  per  cent,  of  all  on  its  rolls. 

The  regiment  went  into  camp  for  instruction  and  drill 
at  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  in  August,  1879,  for  seven  days, 
where  its  appearance  and  demeanor  were  highly  com- 
mended by  many  military  men  and  the  newspapers  gener- 
ally.    The  following  is  the  present  roster  of  the  officers: 

Field  Und  Staff.— Colonel  Henry  M.  Boies,  commandant ;  lieutenant 
olonel,  F.  L.  Hitohoook ;  major,  B.  H.  Ripple ;  Major  H.  N.  Dunnell, 
surgeon ;  Captain  H.  A.  Kingsbury,  commissary ;  Firet  Lieutenant 
James  Ruthven,  quartermaster;  Captain  George  L.  Breck,  paymaster 
and  inspector  of  rifle  practice ;  First  Lieutenant  R.  Macmillan,  adjutant; 
First  Lieutenant  W.  H.  Cummings,  assistant  surgeon ;  chaplain,  S.  C. 
Logan,  D.  D. 

iVon-r/jm missioned  Staff.— E.  P.  Chamberlin,  sergeant  major;  M.I. 
Corbett,  quartermaster  sergeant ;  L.  M.  Horton,  commissary  sergeant ; 
Walters,  ho-^pital  steward ;  Frederick  Becker,  jr.,  principal  musi- 
cian. 

Line  0#ccr«.— Company  A :  Captain,  H.  A.  Knapp ;  first  lieutenant,  B. 
J.  Smith  ;  second  lieutenant,  J.  C.  Highriter,  jr.  Company  B :  Captain, 
D.  Bartholomew:  first  lieutenant,  William  Kellow;  second  lieutenant, 
H.  R.  Madison.  Company  C:  Captain,  H.  A.  Coursen;  first  lieutenant, 
t"  .■  y^''t'"es;  second  lieutenant,  T.  F.  Penman.  Company  D:  Captain, 
J.  A.  Linen ;  first  lieutenant,  Samuel  Hines ;  second  lieutenant,  E.  S. 
Jackson.  Company  E  :  Captain,  G.  P.  Bentley ;  first  lieutenant,  D.  R. 
Atkinson;  second  lieutenant,  H.  G.  Young.  Company  P:  Captain, 
Ihonms  M.Lindsay;  first  lieutenant,  Sheldon  Norton ;  second  lieuten- 
ant, W.  H.  Langfelder.  Company  H  :  Captain,  B.  W.  Pearce  ;  first  lieu- 
tenant, P.  Courtright ;  second  lieutenant,  R.  B.  Westlake. 


THE  CITY  OF  SCRANTON 


AND  DUNMORE  BOROUGH. 


<¥ 


THE  TOWNSHIP  OF  PROVIDENCE. 


5ITHIN  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Scranton  are 
included  the  former  borouE;hs  of  Hyde 
Park,  Scranton  and  Providence,  and  a  por- 
tion of  Dunmore  as  formerly  bounded. 
The  land  now  embraced  by  the  boundaries 
t^ir  of  Scranton  and  Dunmore  was  formerly  included 
K:'-^  in  the  township  of  Providence,  now  extinct. 
Hence  a  necessary  introduction  to  the  history  of  Scran- 
ton and  Dunmore  will  be  a  sketch  of  that  of  Providence. 
Providence,  named  from  Providence,  R.  I., was  formed  in 
1770,  the  sixth  of  the  townships  allotted  by  the  Susque- 
hanna Company  to  the  Connecticut  settlers.  That  por- 
tion of  the  Lackawanna  valley  between  the  Delaware 
town  of  Asserughney,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and 
"Capoose,"  the  Monsey  village,  the  site  of  which  is 
within  the  Scranton  city  limits,  was  explored  as  early  as 
17S3-  When  Pittston  was  laid  out  it  extended  from  the 
junction  of  the  Lackawanna  with  the  Susquehanna  five 
miles  up  the  valley,  and  Providence,  which  was  surveyed 
five  miles  square,  occupied  the  valley  for  the  same  dis- 
tance up  from  the  northeast  boundary  of  Pittston,  its  re- 
motest limit  being  ten  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lack- 
awanna. 

The  township  was  under  the  ordinances  adopted  by 
the  Susquehanna  Company  at  a  meeting  at  Hartford, 
June  2nd,  1773,  until  they  were  annulled;  and  at  the  time 
and  place  above  referred  to  Gideon  Baldwin,  Timothy 
Keyes  and  Isaac  Tripp  were  appointed  directors  and  pro- 
prietors of  Providence,  to  serve  until  the  first  Monday  of 
the  following  December. 

PROVIDENCE    IN    '' YE    NORTH    DISTRICT." 

From  the  erection  of  Westmoreland  to  the  Trenton 
decree,  eight  years  later,  Providence  was  within  its  civil 
jurisdiction.  At  the  first  town  meeting  held  in  West- 
moreland, at  which  the  town  was  divided  into  eight 
districts,  Providence  was  included,  with  "  Exeter  and  all 
the  lands  west  and  north  of  ye  town  line,"  in  "  ye  North 
District."     The  following  were  chosen  to  fill   the  offices 


mentioned  for  the  ensuing  year:  Isaac  Tripp,  selectman; 
John  Dewitt,  surveyor  of  highways;  John  Abbott,  fence 
viewer;  Gideon  Baldwin,  lister;  Barnabas  Garey  and 
Timothy  Keyes,  grand  jurors;  James  Brown,  tithing 
man.  The  names  of  some  of  those  mentioned  above  will 
be  recognized  as  those  of  some  of  the  earliest  settlers 
within  the  present  limits  of  Scranton,  at  "Capoose  Mea- 
dows."    Isaac  Tripp  refused  to  serve. 

At  the  same  meeting  it  was  "  voted  that  ye  Indian  apple 
tree,  so  called,  at  Capoose  shall  be  ye  town  sign  post  for 
ye  town  of  New  Providence."  Each  of  the  seventeen 
townships  had  a  tree  recognized  as  the  town  sign  post, 
and  all  notices  affixed  to  it  were  considered  as  legal  and 
binding  as  the  seal  of  a  court  of  common  pleas  can  make 
a  notice  now.  In  the  absence  of  a  printing  press  within 
the  county  such  notices  were  always  written.  This  apple 
tree,  planted  more  than  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  perhaps 
by  the  peaceful  hand  of  Capoose,  yet  stands  by  the  road- 
side between  Scranton  and  Providence,  but  a  few  hundred 
feet  above  the  site  of  the  wigwams  of  Capoose.  Under 
its  shelter  the  settlers  met  for  business  purposes  until  the 
valley  was  depopulated  by  the  massacre  of  1778.  August 
Hunt  and  Frederick  Vanderlir,  because  they  acted  with 
the  Pennamites,  were  expelled  from  the  township. 

December  20th,  1775,  there  was  an  important  meeting 
held  under  the  Indian  apple  tree  to  draw  for  lots  in  the 
township  of  Putnam  (now  Tunkhannock).  Among  those 
who  drew  lots  were  John  Gardner,  Paul  and  Job  Green, 
William  West,  Zebulon    Marcy  and  Isaac  and  Job  Tripp. 

A      TOWNSHIP    IN      NORTHUMBERLAND    AND    LUZERNE 
COUNTIES. 

After  the  decree  of  Trenton,  in  1782,  Providence  be 
came  one  of  the  townships  of  Northumberland  county 
which  had  been  organiz.ed  in  1772  and  embraced  the 
territory  in  dispute  between  Connecticut  and  Pennsylva- 
nia. Upon  the  erection  of  Luzerne  county,  four  years 
later,  it  was  included  within  its  boundaries;  but  it  was 
not  organized  as  a  township  of  said  county  ur^til  1792, 
when  it  was  separated  from  Pittston.  As  a  township. 
Providence  has  lost  its  identity.  In  April,  1819,  a  portion 
was  set  off  as  a  part  of  Blakeley;  January  4th,  1829,  the 


-w. 


382 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


western  portion  was  reannexed  to  Pittston  township; 
March  14th,  1849,  Providence  borough  was  erected  from 
its  territory;  Hyde  Park  borough,  May  4th,  1852;  Scran- 
ton  borough,  February  14th,  1856;  Dunmore  borough, 
April  loth,  7862;  April  23d,  1866,  Scranton  city,  which 
includes  all  of  the  boroughs  n.nmed  except  the  greater 
portion  of  Dunmore  and  what  little  of  the  original  town- 
ship had  not  been  included  in  their  limits. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  in  the  districts  of  which  the 
township  of  Providence  formed  the  whole  or  a  part  pre- 
vious to  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1838  have 
been  mentioned  on  page  56.  The  incumbents  of  the 
office  after  that  date  until  the  extinction  of  the  township 
are  named  below,  the  term  of  office  being  five  years  from 
about  the  middle  of  April  in  the  year  given:  John  Vaughn, 
1840;  Alva  Heermans,  1840;  Silvester  Bristol,  1842; 
Ebenezer  Leach,  1845;  Benjamin  Fellows,  1846;  Charles 
W.Potter,  T850;  Daniel  Ward,  1851;  Henry  W.  Derby, 
1855;  Calvin  Spencer,  1856,  i860;  Thomas  Collins,  i2^;, 
1862;  Patrick  Collary,  1863. 

In  October,  1854,  there  were  2,137  taxable  inhabitants 
in  the  township  of  Providence. 

CAPOOSE    AND    THE    MONSEVS. 

The  earliest  occupants  of  any  portion  of  the  land  now 
within   the  borders   of    the  city  of    Scranton    were    the 
Monseys,  or  an  important  branch  of  that  tribe  of  Indians, 
who  left  the  Minisink  as  early  as  any  authentic  history  of 
the  Lenni-Lenapes  is  known  to  us.     Between  Scranton 
and  Providence,  on  the  flat  west  of  the  Lackawanna,  was 
located  their  chief   village,  though   they  were   scattered 
through  the  valley.     This  locality  was  known  to  the  early 
white  inhabitants   as   "Capoose   Meadow,"  in   honor  of 
Capoose,  a  chief  of  the  Monseys,  who  is  said  to  have  been 
friendly    and     partially    civilized.       Count    Zinzendorf 
visited  this  village  in  1742,  and  the  date  of  its  first  occu- 
pancy by  the  Monseys  must  have  been  thirty  years  before. 
The  old  Scranton  race-course  lies   within   its   limits.      A 
quarter  of  a  mile  up  the  river,  on   the  high   bank  of  the 
Lackawanna,  was  their  burial  place,  long  since  obliterated 
by  the  cultivation  of  the  spot  by  the  whites.   Herein  1795 
were  discovered  a  number  of  Indian  graves,  which  were 
opened,  according  to  Hollister,  "  by  a  party  of  settlers  in 
search  of  antiquarian  spoil."     He  continues:  "As  one  of 
the  mounds  seemed  to  have  been  prepared  with  especial 
attention,  and  contained,  with  the  bones  of  the  warrior,  a 
great  quantity  of  the  implements  of  the  deceased,  it  was 
supposed,  erroneously,  no  doubt,  to  have  been   the  grave 
of  the  chieftain  Capoose.     These  graves,  few  in  number, 
perhaps  pointed  to  the  last  of  the  group  of  Monsey  war- 
riors who  had  offered   incense   and  sacrifice  to  the  great 
spirit  of  'Capoose.'  " 

On  a  low  piece  of  land  through  which  passes  the 
Scranton  and  Providence  Street  Railway,  east  of  the  track 
stands  the  apple  tree  previously  mentioned,  and  a  monu- 
ment, it  is  supposed,  to  whatever  of  civilization  was  pos- 
sessed by  the  Monseys.  This  tree,  which  is  large,  is  the 
last  remaining  one  of  an  orchard.  Evidences  that  there 
had  at  one  time  been  permanent  residents   in  the  vicinity 


were  discovered  by  the  first  whites  who  visited  the  valley. 
Other  apple  trees  were  cut  down  early  in  the  present  cen- 
tury. One  hundred  and  fifty  concentric  circles  were 
counted  in  one  felled  in  1801.  "  The  domestic  habits  of 
the  Monsey  tribe,"  says  Hollister,  "  when  not  engaged  in 
warfare  were  extremely  simple  and  lazy.  Patches  of  open 
land  or  'Indian  clearings  '  early  were  found  in  the  valley, 
where  onions,  cantaloupes,  beans  and  corn,  and  their  fa- 
vorite weed,  tobacco,  were  half  cultivated  by  the  obed- 
ient squaw."  The  Monseys  accompanied  the  Delawares  to 
Ohio,  and  subsequently  were  merged  in  th;  latter  tribe. 

EARLY  SETTLEMENT. 

The  first  whites  who  located  in  Providence,   as    origin- 
ally   bounded,    were    Timothy  Keyes,  Andrew  Hickman 
and  Solomon   Hocksey,  in  1777.     They  erected    a   cabin 
where  Taylorville   now    is,   on    the   bank  of    the    creek 
which   has  since  been   named   in  honor    of    Mr.   Keyes. 
Mrs.  Hickman  was  one  of  the  first  five  women  in  Wyom- 
ing.    The   lands   of  "  Capoose  "  originally  fell   into  the 
hands  of  Captain  John  Howard,  as  a  purchase   from    the 
Susquehanna    Company.     He     was    unacquainted    with 
their  location  or  their  suitability    for    immediate   cultiva- 
tion.    They  had  been  to  a  considerable  extent  cleared  by 
the  Monseys,  and  where  they    had   not  been  cleared   the 
heavy  timber  had  much  of  it  been  blown  down  by    whirl- 
winds.    Captain    Howard  interested   Christopher   Avery 
and   Isaac   Tripp  with  him  in  the   land.^.     Both  of  these 
men    were    among    the  "  wild    Yankees,"  and  came    to 
Wyoming  as  early  as  1769.     Near  the   vacated    wigwams 
of  the  Indians  Mr.  Tripp  built  his  log  cabin  in  1771,  and 
without  clearing  a  foot  of  land  planted  and  raised  a  crop 
of  corn  the  first  season,  on  the  plantation  deserted  but  a 
short  time  before. 

Like  Tripp,  John  Stevens  was  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  Susquehanna  Company,  his  land  lying  in  "  ye 
township  called  ye  Capoose  Meadow."  He  bequeathed 
to  his  step  son,  John  Youngs,  a  "settling  right"  at 
"Capoose  Meadow."  A  lot  surveyed  to  Colonel  Lod- 
wick  Ojidirk  passed  into  the  hands  of  Jonathan  Slocum 
in  1771,  on  account  of  Slocura's  "  Doeing  ye  Duty  of  a 
settler  "  for  Ojidirk.  August  Hunt,  before  mentioned, 
was  a  settler  in  1782.  Major  Fitch  Alden  purchased 
lot  No.  2,  containing  370  acres,  of  John  Stevens,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  for  ^^15.  Other  purchasers  in  the  town- 
ship between  1772  and  1775  were  Solomon  Strong,  Chris- 
topher Avery  (before  mentioned),  John  Aldren,  Major 
Fitch,  Jonathan  Slocum,  John  Stevens,  Gideon  Baldwin, 
James  Leggett,  Ebenezer  Searles,  Matthew  Dalson,  Ben- 
jamin Bailey,  Thomas  Pukits,  Solomon  Johnson,  Isaac 
Tripp,  jr.,  Frederick  Curtis,  Andrew  Hickman  and  John 
Dewitt.  Strong,  Fitch,  Searles,  Aldren  and  Stevens,  like 
Ojidirk,  had  no  interest  in  the  township  other  than  a 
speculative  one. 

In  1775  James  Leggett  emigrated  from  New  York  and 
located  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek  now  bearing  his  name. 
He  was  the  first  to  make  an  improvement  above  Provi- 
dence village.  In  the  Connecticut  Susquehanna  Com- 
pany's original  plat  of  the  township  this  spot  had  beenal- 


=f 


*^H= 


4^ 


EARLY  SETTLERS  IN  PROVIDENCE. 


3^3 


lotted  to  Abraham  Stanton,  in  1772,  The  next  year  it 
was  transferred  by  Stanton  to  John  Staples.  On  account 
of  some  dereliction  of  duty  Staples's  claim  was  declared 
forfeited,  and  in  1774  it  was  granted  to  Davis  Thayer- 
When  he  sold  it  to  Leggett,  in  June,  1775,  with  several 
other  tracts  of  land  in  the  vicinity,  the  forest  with  which 
it  was  covered  was  unbroken.  Benjamin  Bailey,  who  has 
been  mentioned  as  an  early  purchaser,  bought  a  lot  of 
Solomon  Strong,  below  Leggett's  location,  in  1775.  and 
in  1776  sold  it  for  a  flintlock  gun  and  a  not  very  valuable 
lot  of  furs  (about  the  same  consideration  for  which  he 
had  purchased  it\  to  Mr.  Tripp.  The  next  year  Matthew 
Dalson,  who  had  come  some  time  previously,  purchased 
375  acres  adjoining  Leggett's  southern  boundary, 
which  purchase  included  the  lands  since  known  as  "  Un- 
cle Joe  Griffin's  farm."  A  new-comer  in  1774  was  Isaac 
Tripp,  a  grandson  of  the  Isaac  Tripp  already  men- 
tioned. He  was  then  quite  young.  Isaac  Tripp  3d 
came  from  Rhode  Island  in  1786,  accompanied  only  by 
his  son  Stephen,  then  ten  years  old.  In  1788  his  family 
made  their  permanent  residence  at  Capoose. 

During  the  same  year  Enoch  Holmes  erected  the  first 
house  on  the  site  of  Providence  village,  near  what  is  now 
the  corner  of  Oak  and  Main  streets.  It  was  a  double  log 
cabin  and  no  doubt  an  imposing  structure  for  the  time 
and  locality.  Settlers  in  1790  were  Conrad  Lutz,  John 
Gifford,  Constant  Searles,  John  House,  Jacob  Lutz,  Ben- 
jamin Pedrick,  Solomon  Bates  and  the  Athertons.  This 
year  Holmes  removed  north  of  Leggett's  creek,  after 
leading  a  precarious  life  for  two  years,  consumed  in  cul- 
tivating the  land  in  the  spring,  summer  and  autumn,  and 
the  manufacture  of  brooms,  baskets  and  snow  shoes  in 
the  winter,  which  he  carried  to  Wilkes-Barre  to  exchange 
for  necessities  at  the  store.  Daniel  Waderman,  of  Ham- 
burg, Germany,  was  the  second  settler  on  the  village  site. 
He  had  been  seized  by  a  press  gang  in  London  in  1775, 
and  compelled  to  serve  with  the  forces  of  the  English 
until  1779,  when  he  was  captured  by  the  Americans  and 
served  with  them  until  the  close  of  the  war  with  great 
credit.  He  erected  a  rude  cabin  in  1790  on  the  site 
since  occupied  by  the  residence  of  Daniel  Silkman. 
Twenty-one  years  later  he  removed  fuaher  up  the  val- 
ley, where  he  died  in  1835. 

The  Grififin  family  have  from  an  early  date  been  well 
known  in  Providence.  The  first  of  the  name  in  the 
township  was  Stephen,  who  came  from  Westchester 
county,  N.  Y.,  in  1794  and  located  near  Lutz's  fordway. 
In  1811  Thomas  Grififin  came;  James  in  1812  and  Joseph 
and  Isaac  in  1816.  Says  Hollister:  "The  far-seen  hill 
below  Hyde  Park,  crowned  on  its  western  edge  by  a 
noble  park  reserved  for  deer,  is  known  throughout  the 
valley  as  'Uncle  Joe  Griffin's  place,'  where  he  lived  for 
half  a  century.  He  filled  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace 
for  many  years.  In  1839-40,  conjoined  with  the  late  Hon. 
Charles  Butler,  he  represented  the  interests  of  the  county 
in  the  State  Legislature  with  credit.  With  the  exception 
of  Isaac  Tripp,  sen.,  sent  to  Connecticut  from  Westmore- 
land in  1777,  Joseph  Griffin,  Esq.,  was  the  first  man 
thus  honored  by  the  people  of  the  valley." 


The  Tripps,  who  have  been  briefly  referred  to,  are 
deserving  of  more  particular  mention.  "  Isaak  Tryp,"  as 
the  name  was  spelled  in  the  Westmoreland  records,  was; 
says  Hollister,  "  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Susque- 
hanna Company.  He  had  seen  some  service  in  French 
and  Indian  wars."  Coming  to  Wyoming  in  1769,  he 
served  prominently  in  the  Pennamite  war. 

In  the  Revolutionary  war  the  British,  for  the  purpose  of 
inciting  the  savages  to  more  murderous  activity  along  the 
frontier  and  exposed  settlements,  offered  large  rewards 
for  the  scalps  of  Americans.  From  the  reliable  source 
previously  quoted  we  learn  that  "as  Tripp  was  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  efficiency  and  prominence  in  the 
colony,  the  Indians  were  often  asked  by  the  British  why 
he  was  not  slain.  The  unvarying  answer  was  that  Tripp 
was  'a  good  man.'  He  was  a  Quaker  in  his  religious  no- 
tions, and  in  all  his  intercourse  with  the  Indians  his  man- 
ner had  been  so  kind  and  conciliatory  that  when  he  fell 
into  their  hands  as  a  prisoner  the  year  previous,  at 
Cajioose,  they  dismissed  him  unharmed,  and  covered  him 
with  paint,  as  it  was  their  custom  to  do  with  those  they 
did  not  wish  to  harm.  Rendering  himself  inimical  to  the 
tories  by  the  energy  with  which  he  assailed  them  after- 
ward in  his  efforts  to  protect  the  interests  of  the  Wyoming 
colony  at  Hartford,  whither  he  had  been  sent  to  repre- 
sent its  grievances,  a  double  reward  was  offered  for  his 
scalp;  and,  as  he  had  forfeited  their  protection  by  the  re- 
moval of  the  war  paint,  and  incurred  their  hostility  by  his 
loyal  struggles  for  the  life  of  the  republic,  he  was  shot 
and  scalped  the  first  time  he  was  seen;  this  was  in  1799, 
near  the  Wilkes-Barre  fort.  Isaac  Tripp  2nd  also  event- 
ually died  at  the  hands  of  the  savages.  Colonel  Ira 
Tripp  is  a  descendant  of  this  historical  pioneer  family. 

In  1809  or  1810  H.  C.  L.  Von  Storch,  a  German,  set- 
tled in  the  township.  He  had  previously  located  in 
Blakeley,  and  had  passed  some  time  in  Philadelphia  as  a 
clerk  in  a  store.  Afterward  he  traveled  through  the 
country  selling  goods  to  the  inhabitants  and  gaining  the 
confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  dealt.  At  the  date  men- 
tioned he  located  across  the  road  from  where  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son  Theodore  stands.  There  he  opened  a 
store.  He  bought  land  below  Hyde  Park,  above  the  site 
of  Carter's  factory,  where  he  erected  his  dwelling  and 
store.  On  account  of  failing  health  he  was  obliged  to 
abandon  business,  and  died  in  1826.  He  amassed  a  con- 
siderable fortune.  Many  of  his  descendants  are  living  in 
the  vicinity.  The  Von  Storches  were  among  the  earliest 
in  this  section  to  engage  in  the  coal  trade.  There  were 
oiitcroppings  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  Mr.  Von  Storch 
mined  coal  to  burn  in  his  own  house,  as  did  many  other 
of  the  early  residents.  His  sons  mined  and  sold  coal  in 
limited  quantities  from  1830  to  1854.  At  the  latter  date 
their  land  was  leased  to  the  Von  Storch  Coal  Company. 
In  1859  the  leases  were  transferred  to  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company. 

We  now  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  the  settlement 
at  "  Deep  Hollow,"  as  the  site  of  the  Scranton  beginning 
was  early  known.  Early  in  1788  Philip  Abbott,  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  who  had   come   to  Wyoming  before   the 


^^= 


384 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Revolution,  owned  land  under  the  Connecticut  title, 
which  he  transferred  to  his  brother  James,  and  had  been 
expelled,  with  the  latter,  by  the  tories  and  Indians  in 
1778,  came  to  the  Hollow  from  his  old  home  in  Wind- 
ham, Conn.,  where  he  had  spent  most  of  the  interim,  and 
in  May  marked  out  his  clearing.  He  erected  a  log  hut, 
the  first  domicile  where  Scranton  afterward  grew  up,  on 
a  ledge  of  rocks  near  the  locality  of  the  old  Slocum 
house.  He  was  joined  by  his  brother  James  in  the  fol- 
lowing October,  and  in  the  spring  of  1789  Reuben  Taylor 
came  to  the  Hollow  and  built  the  second  house  there,  on 
the  bank  of  the  brook  a  little  below  Abbott's.  A  clearing 
was  made  on  the  elongated  point  of  land  betvyeen  Roar- 
ing brook  and  the  Lackawanna,  on  which  a  crop  of  wheat 
and  corn  was  harvested  that  year.  Taylor  had  previously 
located  on  land  which  included  the  Uncle  Joe  Grififin 
place,  only  a  few  acres  of  which  he  redeemed  from  the 
forest,  and  which  he  disposed  of  for  a  trifle. 

The  Howes,  two  brothers  John    and    Seth,    purchased 
the  improvements   made    at    the    Hollow.     John  had  a 
family.     Seth  was  unmarried  and  lived   with  them  in  the 
house  vacated  by  Taylor.     In  July,  1798,  Ebenezer    Slo- 
cum and  James  Duwain  purchased  of  the  Howes  the   un-. 
divided    land   at  "Deep    Hollow."     Duwain    was    soon 
succeeded  by   Benjamin    Slocum.     This  transfer  on  the 
part  of  the  Howes,  who  had  settled   at    the   Hollow  with 
the  intention  of  making  it  their  permanent  abiding   place 
and  a  theatre  for  the  exercise  of  their  energy   and    enter- 
prise, was  hastened,  says  Hollister,  by  a  domestic  tragedy. 
"  Lydia,  the  eldest   born    of  John    Howe,   depressed  by 
some  disappointed  visions  of  girlhood,    was    found    dead 
in    her   chamber,    having   hanged   herself  with    a   garter 
attached  to  her  bedpost.     The  effect  of  this  suicide — the 
first  in  the  valley — removed  every  speculating  considera- 
tion or  cavil  from  a  trade  which  placed  the  mill  and    the 
wild  acres  around  it  in  the  hands  of  the  Slocum.s."     The 
father  of  the  new  owners  of  the  land  at  the    Hollow  was 
Jonathan  Slocum,  who  emigrated  from  Rhode    Island  to 
Wyoming  in  November,  1777,  and  was  slain  and  scalped 
by   the    Indians    near    the    Wilkes-Barre  fort,  with  Isaac 
Tripp,  his  father-in-law,  in  December,  1778;  and  the  Slo- 
cum brothers  were  nephews  of  Frances  Slocum,    the    In- 
dians' captive  and  adopted  daughter,  whose  name    is    fa- 
miliar wherever  the  pioneer  history   of  our   country  is 
known. 

A  noteworthy  landmark  at  Slocum  Hollow  was  the 
old  Slocum  house.  It  was  erected  by  Ebenezer  Slocum 
in  1805,  and  during  its  existence  was  the  oldest  house  in 
Scranton.  It  stood  on  a  stone  foundation  which  with 
the  chimney  and  other  mason  work  was  built  by  Chester 
Kimball.  The  main  part  was  17  by  44  feet,  and  had  a  wing 
at  the  rear  17  by  34  feet.  The  upper  portion  was  burned 
April  loth,  1869,  and  repaired  in  the  following  month. 
In  a  room  over  the  kitchen  was  organized  the  first  lodge 
of  Odd  Fellows  in  Scranton.  It  was  torn  down  in  1865 
to  enlarge  the  yard  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal 
Company's  works.  The  second  frame  house  was  built 
by  Benjamin  Slocum,  who  at  the  time  of  his  advent  at 
the  Hollow  and  for  some  years  later   was  a    single  man. 


He  married  Phebe  La  France,  daughter  of  an  early  set- 
tler. Ebenezer  had  been  married  for  a  considerable 
time  to  a  daughter  of  Doctor  Davis,  who  joined  him  at 
the  Hollow  in  1800.  Another  early  settler  was  Elisha 
Hitchcock,  in  1809. 

The   old  road  through    the  Lackawanna  valley  passed 
near  the  foot  of  the  Hyde  Park  hill  and  about  on  the  line 
of  Wyoming  street.     Preserved  Taylor  lived  on  land  now 
covered  by  the  culm  pile   of  the  Mount  Pleasant  colliery, 
and  Holden  Tripp's  residence  was  several  rods  northeast 
of   the  same.     A   little  south  from    where  the  street  rail- 
way diverges  from    Wyoming    street  stood  another  dwel- 
ling and  a  distillery.     About  1790   the  course  of  the  road 
was  changed  here  and  laid  upon,  the  present  line  of  Main 
street,  or  nearly  so.     About  the  same  time  a  Mr.  Lindley 
made  a   clearing  and  built   a  log  house    a  short  distance 
northerly    from    the    corner    of  Main    and   Washington 
streets,  about    where    the    Calvin    Washburn    house  now 
stands.     A   Mr.  Dolph  made  a   clearing  and  built  nearly 
opposite,  on  what   has  since    been    known  as  the  Knapp 
place.     Another    of    the    same    name  settled    near  the 
westerly  corner  of  Main  street  and   Sixth  avenue,  on   the 
site  of  the  residence  of    the   late  Benjamin  Fellows,  Esq. 
Later  came  William  Bishop,a  Baptist  preacher  and  school 
teacher,  who  cleared  the   land  and    built  a  house  on  the 
ground   occupied    by  the    residence    of  the   late    Judge 
Merrifield,  one  of  the  apple  trees  planted  by  him  remain- 
ing.    These  were  the  first   settlements'  made   on  the  hill. 
Originally  that    whole  section  was  a    dense  forest,  thickly 
marked    by  lofty    pines,    many  of    the  stumps  of    which 
have     been    removed    within     the     last      thirty    years. 
The     houses    were     all    built     of     logs.       Joseph     Fel- 
lows,     Esq.      (father     of     Joseph,      Benjamin,      Henry 
and   Sylvester   Fellows  and    Mrs.    Knapp),    Mrs.    Brown 
and    Mrs.   Heermans    came    about    r795.     He    seems  to 
have  been  a  contractor  for  most  of  the  lands  about  Hyde 
Park,  as  his   son    Joseph  subsequently   paid    for  and  re- 
ceived the  titles  to  the  same.     In  r8r4  came  Philip,  father 
of  Sylvanus,  John  and  Edmund  Heermans.     He  lived  at 
first  in   the    Bishop    house,  and    afterward    built,  on  the 
northerly  corner  of  Jackson  and  Main  streets,  the  house 
which  was  later  so  long  known  as  "  the  old  white  tavern." 
This  was  the  first  framed  house  erected  in  the  place,  and 
after  being  considerably  enlarged  r-emained   the  principal 
hotel  for  r-nany  years. 

The  locality  of  the  thriving  bor-ough  of  Dunmoi-e  was 
often  explored  by  passers  between  Connecticut  and  Wyo- 
ming in  the  early  days;  but  no  settlers  made  an  opening 
m  the  forest  at  this  point  until  the  advent  of  William  Alls- 
worth,  from  New  York  State,  in  1783. 

PIONEER    EXPERIENCES. 

Doctor  Hollister  gives  the  following  incidents  in  the 
conflict  of  this  pioneer  family  with  the  wild  beasts  which 
everywhere  abounded  in  the  primitive  wilderness: 

"From  the.  Lncknwa  settlement,  on  tlie  Pairpack,  some  four  and 
twenty  miles  from  the  cabin  of  Allsworth,  there  stood  but  two 
habitations  in  1783,  one  at  Little  Meadows,  the  other  at  Cobb's, 
both  kept  as  houses  of  entertainment.  The  need  of  more  places 
of  rest  to  cheer  the  emigrants  tolling  toward  Wyoming  with  heavy 


*^h= 


=^^ 


TROUBLES  OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  PIONEERS— TAXPAYERS  IN  1796. 


38s 


4^- 


burdens,  drawn  by  the  sober  team  of  oxen,  induced  Mr.  Allsworth 
to  fix  his  abode  at  this  spot.  While  he  was  building  his  cabin 
from  trees  felled  for  the  purpose  of  gaining:  space  and  material, 
his  covered  wagon  furnished  a  home  for  his  family.  At  night  heaps  of 
logs  were  kept  burning  until  long  after  midnight  to  intimidate  wolves, 
bears,  wildcats  and  panthers  inhabiting  the  chaparral  toward  Roar- 
ing brook  and  Capoose.  Deer  and  bears  were  so  abundant  for  many 
years  within  sight  of  his  clearing  that  his  family  never  trusted  to 
his  rifle  in  vain  for  a  supply  of  venison  or  the  substantial  haunches 
of  the  bear.  In  the  fall  and  winter  months  wild  beasts  made  in- 
cursions with  such  frequency  that  domestic  animals  at  night  could 
be  safely  kept  only  in  palisaded  inclosures.  These  were  a  strong 
stockade  made  from  the  well  driven  sapling,  and  generally  built 
contiguous  to  the  dwelling,  into  which  all  kinds  of  live  stock 
were  driven  for  protection  after  nightfall.  Every  farmer  in  the  town- 
ship of  Providence  unwilling  to  see  his  home  invaded  and  occupied  by 
the  common  enemy  at  the  dead  of  night  took  this  precaution  less  than 
eighty  years  ago.  And  even  then  they  were  not  exempt  from  depreda- 
tion at  Mr.  AUsworth's.  At  one  time,  just  at  the  edge  of  evening,  a  bear 
groped  his  way  into  the  pen  where  some  of  his  pigs  were  slumbering, 
seized  the  sow  in  his  brawny  paws  and  bore  the  noisy  porker  hurriedly 
into  the  woods,  where  it  was  seen  no  more.  The  affrighted  pigs  were 
left  unharmed  in  the  pen.  At  another  time,  during  the  absence  from 
home  of  Mr.  Allsworth,  11  large  panther  came  to  his  place  before  sun- 
down in  search  of  food.  This  animal  is  as  partial  to  veal  as  the  bear  is 
to  pork.  A  calf  lay  in  the  unguarded  inclosure  at  the  time.  Upon  this 
the  panther  sprang,  when  Mre.  Allsworth,  alarmed  by  the  bleat  of  the 
calf,  seized  a  pair  of  heavy  tongs  from  the  fire-place,  and,  with  a  heroism 
distinguishing  most  of  the  women  of  that  day,  drove  the  yellow  intruder 
away  without  its  intended  meal.  The  same  night,  however,  the  calf  was 
killed  by  the  panther,  which  in  return  was  captured  in  a  trap  the  same 
week,  and  slain." 

LOCAL     INCIDENTS     OF     THE     MASSACRES     OF     1778     AND 
1779. 

Alarmed  in  1778  by  the  increasing  enmity  of  the  In- 
dians, who  were  incited  to  lawless  deeds  by  the  tories  and 
British,  most  of  the  settlers  in  Providence  fled  to  Strouds- 
burg  or  sought  fancied  safety  at  Wyoming;  but  Isaac 
Tripp,  Timothy  Keyes,  James  Hocksey  and  Andrew 
Hickman  and  his  wife  remained.  Hickman  and  his  wife 
and  child  were  killed.  Keyes  and  Hocksey  were  taken 
prisoners  and  were  tomahavi-ked  and  scalped  in  the  forest 
above  Leggett's  gap  (now  Abington),  while  Isaac  Tripp 
the  younger,  taken  at  the  same  time,  was  released. 

During  the  autumn  of  1778  some  of  the  settlers  came 
back  to  Capoose  and  saved  a  small  portion  of  their  crops. 
On  this  and  the  abundant  game,  which  could  be  had  for 
the  killing,  they  lived  comfortably  and  unmolested 
through  the  following  winter.  In  March,  1779,  however, 
Isaac  Tripp,  jr.,  who  had  escaped  death  only  at  the  caprice 
of  his  savage  captors  the  previous  year,  "  was  shot  in  his 
own  house  on  the  flats;  and  three  men  named  Jones, 
Avery  and  Lyons  were  carried  away  in  the  forest  and 
never  heard  of  afterward."  It  was  not  until  after  Sulli- 
van's campaign  that  the  majority  of  the  settlers  who  had 
removed  ventured  back  to  Providence  to  rebuild  their 
cabins,  and  for  the  second  time  set  up  their  homes  in  the 
township;  and  even  then,  intimidated  by  the  Pennamites, 
they  were  unable  to  make  very  rapid  advances  towards 
improvements  and  civilization  for  several  years. 

TAX     ASSESSMENT    IN    1 796. 

In  1796  the  number  of  persons  liable  to  taxation  in  the 
township,  which  then  embraced  the  entire  settlement 
from  Pittston  to  Rix's  gap,  was  ninety,  twenty-nine  of 
whom  were  non-residents,  as  is  indicated  by  the  following 
assessment  roll  for  that  year: 


Names  of  Inhabitants. 


Atherton,  Cornelius 

Atherton,  John 

Atherton,  Elezer  

Atwater,  Benjamin 

Abbott,  PhiliiJ 

Alesworth,  William  — 

Abbott,  James 

Bishop,  William 

Brown.  James 

Bagley,  James 

Brown,  Ben,7amin 

Bagley,  Asher 

Bagley,  Jesse 

Butler,  Zeb'n,  heirs 

Bidwell,  David 

Benedict,  Silas 

Bates,  Solomon 

Carey,  Barnabas 

Corey,  Phebe 

Cogwell,  William 

Cobb,  Asa 

Carey,  John 

Chamberlain,  John 

Clark,  William 

Conner,  James 

Covel,  Matthew 

Dolph,  Aaron 

Dolph,  Charles 

Dolph,  Moses 

Dolph,  Jonathan 

Dean,  Jonathan 

Pellows,  Joseph 

Goodridg,  William 

Gardner,  Stephen 

Gaylor,  John 

Gifford,  John 

Hoyt,  Stephen 

How,  John 

How,  John,  jr 

Hoyt,  Hansford 

Hardy,  William 

Holmes,  Enoch 

Hall,Nathan 

Hunter,  John 

Halstead,  John 

Halstead,  Jonar 

Hopkins,  Icha  bod 

Howard,  James 

Hlbbert,  Ebenezer 

Lutz,  Conrad 

Lutz,John 

Lam  kins,  John 

Lewis,  James 

Lewis,  James 

Lutzs,  Mich 

Lutz,  Jacob 

Lutzens.  Nicholas 

Miller,  Christopher 

Miller,  Samuel 

McDaniel,  John 

Mills,  John 

Obedike,  Lodwick 

Park,  Ebenezer 

Picket,  Thomas 

Pedrick.  Benjamin 

Potter,  David 

Boss,  William 

Ross,  Timothy 

Boss,  Nathan 

Ralph,  Jonath.an 

llozel,  John 

.Smith,  Thomas 

Stephen,  Timothy 

Slaiter,  Samuel 

Simral,  William 

Scott,  Daniel 

Searles,  Constant 

Sills,  Shadriok 

Selah,  Obediah 

Stanton,  William 

Taylor,  Daniel 

Taylor,  John 

Taylor,  Preserved 

Taylor,  Abraham 

Tompkins,  Benjamin.... 

Tripp,  Isaac,  Jr 

Tripp,  Amasey 

Tripp,  Isaac 

Wright,  Thomas 

Washburn,  Elizabeth  ■ . . . 


Occupation 

or 
profession. 


Farmer. 
Farmer. 

do 

do 

Inkeeper. 

do 
Preacher. 
Tailor. 
Farmer. 

do 

do 

do 


Farmer. 

do 
Spinster. 
Farmer. 

Farmer. 


Physician. 
Farmer. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


do 
do 

do 
do 

do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 

do 
do 

do 
do 

Farmer. 

do 
do 
do 


do 
do 
do 
do 

Farmer, 
do 


do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Merchant. 
Spinster. 


Residence. 


Providence, 
do 
do 
do 

do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
do 
Wilkes-Barre. 


Providence, 
do 
do 
do 

Providence. 


Wilkes-Barre. 
Providence. 

do 

do 

do 
Khode  Island. 
Providence. 

do 

do 

Connecticut. 
Providence. 

do 

do 


do 

do 

New  York. 
Providence. 

do 

Stockbridge. 
Connecticut. 
Nanticoke. 
Providence. 

do 

do 

do 

do 
do 

do 
Pittston. 

Pittston. 
Rhode  Island. 
Providence. 

do 

do 

Wilkes-Barre. 


Providence. 
New  York. 
ProA-idence. 
do 

Providence. 

do 

do 
Lonenburg. 

Providence. 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 
Pittston. 
Providence. 


1..51 
1.39 
1.20 

.06 
3.0.5 
4.69 
1.00 

.IB 
3-MH 

.90 
1.66 

.07 

.7.5 

1:35 

.06 
1.01 

.36 
2.36 

.32 

l.r,6j^ 

1.20 
.3!) 

■lea 

.6.5 

.3.5 

.71 
1.77 

.70 
1.99 
1.10 

.30 
1.41 
3.56!^ 

.60 

.34 

.73 
1.14 
1.14 

.33 

.ma 

1.26 

.65 
2.00 

.06 
-.30 
1.33 

.60 

.40 
1.44 

.IB 

.62 
2,37 

..50 
1.07 
3.03 

.07 

.30 
1.05 

77 

.60 
1.69 

•3.5J4 
3.07J^ 

.60 
1.10 

..55 

.i« 

3.00 
1.63 

.68 
l.TO 

.75 

.79 
1.14 
1.10 

.00 

.85 
1.71 

.88 
1.83 

.56 

.80 

•44H 
1.00 
15.89 
3.12 

.45 


EARLY    TOWN    MEETINGS  UNDER    THE   COUNTY  ORGANIZA- 
TION—  BALLOTS. 

Town  meetings  in  the  early  days  were  held  at  the 
house  of  Stephen  Tripp.  The  first  of  which  there  is  any 
record  was  in  1813.  The  entire  vote  of  the  township 
then  extending  jurisdiction  over  the  subsequently  organ- 
ized towns   of   Lackawanna,  Covington,  Blakeley,  Jeffer- 


<b^ 


^h 


mu 


386 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


son,  Scott  and  Greenfield  was  as  follows  in  the  years 
mentioned:  1813 — Federal  vote  46,  Democratic  36;  1814 — 
Federal  47,  Democratic  36;  1S15  — Federal  51,  Demo- 
cratic 44.  The  voters  were  few,  and  the  electtions  had  no 
stirring  interest. 

THE    PIONEER    DOCTOR    AND    PREACHER. 

According  to   Hollister,  "  the   general   history   of  the 
township  contains  little  of  general  interest.     Roads  were 
few  and  rugged,  and  the  inhabitants,  priding  themselvc's 
in   assiduous   labor   and   frugality,   lived   and   died    con- 
tented.    They    enjoj'ed    neither   churches    nor    school- 
houses,  for  none   had  yet  emerged   from   the  clearings; 
were  annoyed  by  few  and  only  light  taxes;  *    *    *    the 
general  health  was  good,  with  no  prevailing  sickness  uniil 
1805,  when  the  typhus  fever  or  'black  tongue,'  as  it  wcs 
termed,  carried   its  ravages   into  settlements  just   begin- 
ning to  feel  the  impulse  of  prosperity  along  the  borders 
of  the  Susquehanna  and   the  Lackawanna.     Drs.  Joseph 
Davis  and    Nathaniel  Giddings   (the  latter  of   whom  set- 
tled in   Pittston  in   1783)  became  the  healing  Elishas  to 
many  a  needy  household."     The  first  named  was  the  pio- 
neer physician   in  the  township.     He  settled   in    1800  at 
"  Slocum  Hollow,"  though  he  had  originally  located  near 
Spring  brook.     He  was  born  in    New  Haven,  Conn.,  in 
1732,    and    graduated    at  Yale    College.     Such    was    his 
ability  and   force  of  character  that,  in  spite  of  uncouth 
manners  and  eccentric   habits,  he  controlled  almost   the 
entire  surgical  practice  of  the  two  valleys  and  a  large  ex- 
tent  of  country  for  a    hundred  and    fifty  miles  around. 
As  he  grew  old  the  doctor  became  a  persistent   hoarder 
of  money,  and  quite  a  sum  of  silver  dollars  was  found  in 
an  old  wooden  chest  some   years  after  his   death,  which 
occurred  July  30th,  1830,  at  the  extraordinary  age  of  98. 
In  1823   Dr.  Silas  B.  Robinson  came  into  the  township, 
where  he  practiced  his  profession  until  his  death,  in  i860. 
It  is  said  that  his  manners  were  blunt,  his  heart  kind  and 
his   life  blameless.      He  was  well  known  and  everywhere 
welcome. 

William  Bishop,  who  has  been  alluded  to  as  the  first 
settler  at  Hyde  Park,  was  the  first  preacher  who  took  up 
his  residence  in  the  township,  and  was  a  Baptist. 

EART.V    ROADS. 

One  of  the  three  war  paths  of  the  Indians  leading  out 
of  Wyoming  terminated  at  Cochecton,  a  small  Indian 
settlement  on  the  upper  Delaware,  and  passed  through 
Providence,  following  the  course  thus  minutely  described 
by  Doctor  Hollister:  "  Leaving  the  valley  at  .^sseruijhney 
village,  standing  at  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  it  followed 
the  eastern  hank  of  the  Lackawanna  up  to  Spring  brook, 
Stafford  Meadow  and  Nny  Aug,  or  Roaring  brook,  cross- 
ing the  last  two  named  ones  a  ^hort  distance  below  the 
present  location  of  Scranton,  and  passed  into  the  Indian 
town  of  Capoose.  Here  one  path  led  off  to  Oquago, 
New  York  (now  Windsor),  through  Leggett's  gap  and  the 
Abingtonian  wilderness;  while  the  other,  diverging  from 
Capoose  in  an  easterly  direction,  passing  along  where 
Dunmore  now  stands  up  the  mountain  slope  to    its   very 


summit"  crossed  the  Moosic  range  and  emerged  through 
Salem  to  the  low  Wallenpaupack  country  .beyond.  The 
first  road  from  Pittston  to  the  Delaware,  passing  on  the 
line  of  the  old  warrior's  trail  through  Providence,  was' 
commenced  in  November,  T772;  and  "every  person 
owning  a  settling  right  in  the  valley,  or  on  '  ye  east 
branch  of  the  Susquehanna  river,'  from  the  Indian  village 
of  Capoose  to  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  assisted  toward 
its  construction."  The  wages,  paid  were  one  and  three 
shillings  per  diem,  according  to  the  locality,  those  east  of 
the  great  swamp  (now  known  as  "  Shades  of  Death  ") 
receiving  the  higher  rate.  Isaac  Tripp  was  appointed  to 
oversee  the  work  and  was  paid  five  shillings  a  day.  The 
next  road  of  importance  was  the  Drinker  turnpike, 
chartered  in  1819  and  completed  in  1826.  The  Luzerne 
and  Wayne  county  turnpike  was  constructed  the  same 
year,  and  intersected  the  former  at  Providence  village. 

There  was  no  bridge  spanning  the  Lackawanna  at 
Providence  until  the  year  just  mentioned,  the  only  means 
of  crossing  the  river  there  previously  haiing  been  sup- 
plied by  fording  places;  though  in  1796  Joseph  Fellows, 
sen.,  aided  by  the  Capoose  farmers,  had  thrown  one  of  a 
single  span  across  the  river  lower  down,  on  the  flat.s, 
where  a  fordway  now  marks  the  spot. 

PRIMITIVE    MILLS. 

James  Leggett  has  been  mentioned  as  a  settler  in  1775. 
After  getting  his  improvement  under  some  advancement 
he  removed  to  White  Plains,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained 
until  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Providence  and  not  long  afterward  erected  a 
savif-mill  on  Leggett's  creek,  as  the  stream  is  called  in 
his  honor.  That  it  was  a  very  small  affair  and  very 
simple  in  construction  may  well  be  imagined.  For  sev- 
eral years  after  that  grain  could  not  be  milled  until  it  was 
carried  twenty  miles  away  in  the  Wyoming  valley,  unless, 
as  was  frequently  the  case,  recourse  was  had  to  the 
"hominy  block"  so  common  in  the  days  of  our  pioneer 
forefathers. 

The  manifest  necessity  of  a  grist  mill  nearer  home  led 
Philip  Abbott  to  build  on  Roaring  brook,  in  1788,  the 
first  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  vicinity.  The  con- 
struction of  this  establishment  was  simple  in  the  ex- 
treme. It  soon  became  evident  that  capital  was  requisite 
to  enlarge  and  improve  the  mill.  In  October  of  the  same 
year  Mr.  Abbott's  brother  James  joined  him  in  the  en- 
terprise, and  the  firm  was  further  strengthened  by  the 
admission  of  Reuben  Taylor  in  the  spring  of  1789.  A 
year  later,  however,  they  sold  the  mill  and  their  other 
property  at  the  Hollow  to  John  and  Seth  Howe,  who  in 
July,  1798,  sold  the  same  with  their  improvements,  as 
has  been  stated,  to  Ebenezer  Slocum  and  James  Duwain. 
A  saw-mill  was  built  early  by  Captain  John  Stafford  on 
Stafford  Meadow  brook  about  half  a  mile  below  Scranton, 
which  Hollister  states  was  planned  in  1790.  That  it 
was  not  immediately  constructed  and  put  in  running 
order  is  evident  from  the  statement  that  the  plank  used 
upon  the  bridge  built  by  Joseph  Fellows,  sen.,  and  others 
in  1796  were  "the  first  production  of  this  mill." 


f^^ 


JAMES  JORDAN. 

OlypHaat,Lacl\a.wanna  Co.,  Pa. 


SUMNER  D.DAVIS, M.D. 
Jermyn , Lackawanna-  Co.,Pa. 


JOHN  FOOTE.M.D. 
ArcF\balolj  Lacl<awarinaCo.,Pa. 


MARTIN   CRIPPEN     • 

01yph)ar\t,  Lackawanna  Co..Pa. 


In  1796  a  small  grist-mill  was  built  by  Isaac  and 
Stephen  Tripp,  on  Leggett's  creek,  in  Providence.  The 
dam  was  three  times  built  and  washed  away,  in  conse- 
([uence  of  defective  construction;  and  thus  proving  a 
failure  the  mill  was  abandoned.  About  the  same  time  or 
a  little  later  the  same  parties  established  two  stills  on 
Tripp's  flats,  which  were  in  successful  operation  for  some 
time. 

THE  OPERATIONS  OF  THE  SLOCUMS. 

The  grist-mill  at  the  Hollow  was  enlarged  and  im- 
proved and  a  distillery  added  to  it  in  1798  and  1799. 
During  the  latter  year  Slocum  and  his  partner,  James 
Duwain,  built  a  saw-mill  a  little  above  the  grist-mill.  A 
log  blacksmith  shop  was  erected  near  the  creek.  This, 
with  the  mills  and  distillery,  four  or  five  rude  houses  and 
a  cooper  shop  constituted  all  that  was  visible  in  the  way 
of  architecture  of  the  settlement  of  Slocum  Hollow  in 
the  early  part  of  1800.  In  that  year,  after  consultation 
with  Dr.  William  Hooker  Smith  (who,  having  faith  in  the 
deposits  of  iron  ore  in  the  vicinity,  had  established  a 
forge  at  the  locality  known  as  "'  Old  Forge  "  in  the  spring 
of  1789),  the  Slocum  brothers  (Duwain  having  withdrawn 
from  the  firm,  discouraged  by  the  loss  of  the  two  mill 
dams  by  the  spring  freshet,  and  his  place  having  been 
filled  by  Benjamin  Slocum)  constructed  a  forge  at  the 
Hollow,  which,  as  the  day  of  anthracite  was  yet  in  the 
future,  depended  solely  on  charcoal  as  a  heating  agent. 
The  forge  had  two  fires  and  one  trip  hammer  and  smith 
shop  attached,  worked  by  Peter  La  France,  foreman,  and 
John  Gordon,  Thomas  Williams,  George  Worten  and 
Henry  Stark  (the  latter  two  being  colored,  and  at  that 
time  slaves),  who  wrought  from  the  ore  and  iron  all  of 
the  needed  implements  of  the  country  for  many  miles 
around.  The  iron  ore  was  placed  in  stone  furnaces,  where 
it  was  mixed  with  the  proper  quantity  of  charcoal  and 
melted  and  separated  from  the  slag.  It  was  again  heated 
and  formed  into  balls,  making  a  fair  quality  of  iron, 
said  to  have  been  strong  and  worked  into  any  desired 
shape  by  means  of  the  trip  hammer. 

The  dams  were  speedily  rebuilt  by  a  "bee,"  in  which 
every  farmer  in  the  township  participated,  and  conse- 
quently the  proprietors  did  not  lose  much  by  the  disaster 
by  which  they  were  swept  away,and  the  public  suffered 
little  inconvenience.  The  grist-mill  was  a  success.  It 
was  patronized  by  the  settlers  far  and  wide.  Elisha 
Hitchcock  was  a  young  and  energetic  man  and  a  mill- 
wright by  trade.  He  repaired  the  mill  and  in  1811  mar- 
ried Ebenezer  Slocum's  eldest  daughter,  Ruth.  Mr. 
Hitchcock  remained  in  the  place  of  his  early  business 
experiences,  became  identified  in  after  years  with  other 
enterprises  and  died  much  esteemed  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  wife  survived  him.  In  181 1  the  Slocums  put 
a  second  still  in  operation,  and  while  the  wood-choppers 
cleared  the  land  about  the  Hollow  the  place  turned  out 
such  quantities  of  iron,  lumber,  flour,  feed  and  whiskey 
as  to  bring  the  settlement  before   the  country   as  one  of 


promise  and  importance. 


"  All  transactions  here  and  all 


transactions  upon  my  father's  books,"  states  the  venerable 


Joseph  Slocum,  a  son  of  Ebenezer  Slocum  (now  in  his- 
eighty-first  yeai,  a  resident  of  Scranton)  "bear  the  nam*; 
of  Unionville  as  late' as  1828;  but  the  place  was  known 
far  and  near  as  Slocum  Hollow,  and  was  so  named  in 
1816  by  a  jolly  Dutchman  named  James  Snyder.  That 
year  was  known  as  the  'cold  season.'  Little  or  no  corn 
escaped  the  ravages  of  the  frost,  which  killed  all  perisha- 
ble vegetation.  This  Dutchman,  who  was  fond  of  whis- 
key and  convivial  sports,  employed  at  the  forge,  had  ever 
before  called  the  place  Skunk's  Misery;  but  when  this 
frost,  with  its  disastrous  breath,  froze  everything  it  could 
reach,  he  indignantly  exclaimed  that  this  spot  was  fit 
only  for  a  Slocum  to  live  in,  and  he  should  name  it  Slo- 
cum Holler."  The  Slocums  kept  many  teams  on  the 
road  carting  whiskey,  pork,  beef,  flour  and  feed  to  Eas- 
tffn,  Wilkes-Barre,  Montrose,  Paupack  and.  Bethany. 
From  30  to  50  men  were  employed  about  the  works. 
The  coal  and  ore  were  moved  by  ox  teams.  The  first 
collier  who  supplied  the  forjje  with  coal  was  a  man  named 
Ostin.  The  Slocum  Hollow  iron  was  used  and  held  in 
high  esteem  in  all  directions,  but  the  product  of  the  forge 
gradually  diminished  as  the  ore  began  to  fail,  and  June 
loth,  1822,  the  last  iron  was  made  by  the  Slocums. 
"Up  to  this  time,"  remarks  HoUister,  "these  primitive 
iron  works  were,  in  the  hands  of  these  unobtrusive  men, 
yielding  their  conquests  and  diffusing  a  spirit  of  enter- 
prise amidst  accumulative  difficulties,  in  a  valley  having 
no  outlet  by  railroad,  no  navigable  route  to  the  sea  other 
than  shallow  waters  long  skimmed  by  the  Indian's 
canoe."  Rival  forges  and  furnaces  sprung  up,  reducing 
the  demand  for  the  Slocum  Hollow  iron;  the  cost  of 
transporting  the  ore  over  roads  at  times  impassable  was 
an  item  of  much  importance  in  the  competition;  and  the 
works,  which  had  been  in  constant  use  for  over  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century,  had  become  unequal  to  the  purpose  for 
which  they  were  intended.  The  last  whiskey  was  made 
at  the  Hollow  in  December,  1826.  Jacob  Myers,  in  1824, 
and  William  Johnson,  in  1826,  were  the  last  distillers 
there.  The  succession  of  harvests  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country,  together  with  the  absence  of  an  avail- 
able grain  market  and  the  frequent  calls  for  whiskey 
from  abroad,  had  rendered  the  stills  not  only  a  profitable 
property  to  their  owners,  but  a  commercial  necessity  to 
the  community. 

Ebenezer  and  Benjamin  Slocum  dissolved  partnership 
in  the  spring  of  1826,  and  the  latter  removed  to  Tunk- 
hannock,  Wyoming  county,  where  he  died  in  1832.  The 
decline  and  abandonment  of  the  business  at  the  Hollow 
by  Ebenezer  Slocum  has  been  thus  commented  on  by  his 
son,  Joseph  Slocum: 

•'  As  tiusiness  slackened  and  declining:  years  came  over  father,  and 
wishing-  to  divide  the  property,  one  still-hoiise  was  abandoned  and  a  di- 
vision of  the  lands  effected.  April  15th,  1828, 1  took  my  father's  place  in 
business  here,  in  connection  with  my  brother  Samuel.  The  stone  store- 
house, cooper  shop  and  other  improvements  were  in  a  tolerably  g:ood 
condition,  excepting  two  or  three  log  houses,  abandoned  in  1817.  We 
erected  a  new  barn  in  the  rear  of  the  Slocum  house  and  carried  on  farm- 
ing and  business  generally.  By  father's  advice  Mr.  Hitchcoek  put  in  a 
tub  water  wheel  and  gearing  for  the  saw-mill,  which,  proving  a  failure, 
prevented  the  use  of  the  mill  for  nearly  a  year.  Father's  death,  July 
35th,  1833,  placed  the  entire  property  in  the  hands  of  Merritt  Slocum,  ad- 
ministrator, who  turned  the  still-house  into  a  dwelling  and  proceeded  to 
apportion  and  divide  the  estate  into  four  shares.    Lot  No.  1,  or  saw-mill 


=-^ 


=4^f* 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


lot,  consisting  of  503  acres,  valued  at  $4,415,  fell  into  tlio  hands  of  Alva 
and  Sylvenas  Heermans,  was  afterwards  owned  by  Messrs.  Merrifleld, 
Albro  and  Eiokerson,  and  from  them  passed  to  the  Scrantons.  Lot  No. 
2,  or  ffrist-mill  lot,  of  373  acres,  valued  at  $7,500,  went  to  Bbenezer  Slo- 
cum.jr.,  and  Aaron  Brown,  and  after  two  other  changes  was  sold  to 
1  he  Scrantons.  Lot  No.  3,  or  house  lot,  of  388  acres,  valued  at  $3,580,  and 
No.  4,  or  Griffin  lot,  of  695  acres,  valued  at  $1,700,  passed  to  Joseph  and 
Piimucl  Sloeum  conjointly.    We  dissolved  partnership  in  1837." 

Mr.  Joseph  Slocum  erected  a  saw-mill  in  1848,  which 
he  sold  to  Thomas  P.  Remington,  who  failed  to  pay  for 
it.  It  was  sold  at  sheriff's  sale  and  bid  in  by  Mr.  Slocum, 
who  sold  it, to  John  Beekman  in  1858.  It  has  long  since 
gone  to  decay,  and  the  only  work  of  the  Slocums  now  left 
to  view  is  the  grist-mill  dam  built  in  1800,  the  frame  of 
which  is  substantially  the  same  as  then.  The  grist-mill 
w.is  torn  down  in  the  summer  of  1856.  During  their 
active  career  .at  the  Hollow  the  Slocums  had  become 
lif)ssessed  of  over  t,8oo  acres  of  land,  nearly  all  of  which 
,    was  underlaid  with  coal. 

The  abandonment  of  active  operations  by  the  Slocums 
■n  1826,  and  the  relapse  into  inactivity  of  the  stills  and 
tnrge,  seriously  checked  the  progress  of  the  settlement. 

EARLY    TAVERNS. 

The  earliest  tavern  in  the  township  of  which  any  in- 
formation can  be  obtained  was  the  house  of  Stephen 
Tripp,  so  called,  though  it  is  doubtful  if  the  accommoda- 
tions were  either  many  or  remarkable.  The  house  of 
AVilliam  Allsworth,  at  Dunmore,  was  another  pioneer 
candidate  for  public  patronage.  Jonathan  Dolph  opened 
his  house  at  Hyde  Park  as  a  tavern  at  an  early  date. 
Travelers  were  entertained  at  the  homes  of  the  Slocums 
and  other  of  the  more  prominent  early  comers.  In  1810 
^  Philip  Heermans  opened  a  tavern  at  Hyde  Park,  in  com- 
pliance with  a  demand  for  a  public  house  at  which  town 
.  meetings  and  elections  could  be  held. 

I  HOW    THE    TOWNSHIP    APPEARED    IN    1804. 

The  following,  condensed  from  a  description  of  the 
Lackawanna  valley  furnished  to  Doctor  Hollister  by  the 
late  Elder  John  Miller,  will  be  found  of  interest:  Along 
the  path  from  Keyes  creek  to  Providence  the  woods  re- 
tained their  native  aspect  until  the  "  Uncle  Joe  Griffin 
farm  "  came  into  view.  There  stood  a  log  cabin  with  its 
roof  running  to  the  ground,  occupied  at  that  time  by 
Reuben  Taylor.  Mr.  La  France  held  a  possession  right 
immediately  above  Taylor's,  while  the  residence  of  Joseph 
Fellows,  sen.,  was  visible  on  the  slope  of  the  hill.  Elder 
William  Bishop's  unhewn  log  cabin  stood  on  the  site  of 
the  residence  of  Hon.  William  Merrifield.  Only  one  acre 
was  cleared  where  Hyde  Park  afterward  grew  up.  With 
the  exception  of  the  Indian  clearing  and  a  little  additional 
chopping  around  it  the  central  portion  of  "  Capoose 
Meadow,"  or  "  Tripp's  Flats,"  was  covered  with  tall  white 
pines.  The  road  lay  along  the  brow  of  the  hill  for  nearly 
half  a  mile  from  Bishop's,when  it  reached  the  two-roomed 
log  tavern  of  Stephen  Tripp,  whose  distillery  was  near  at 
hand.  About  midway  between  this  point  and  the  river, 
a  little  northeast  of  the  present  location  of  the  Diamond 
mines,  was  a  small  tract  of  land  only  then  recently  pur- 
chased  by   Lewis  Jo'nes  from  John   Gifford  and  William 


Tripp.  Gifford  was  a  son-in-law  of  Isaac  Tripp,  and 
lived  there  at  the  time.  John  Staples  occupied  the  widow 
Griffin  farm.  The  Von  Storch  clearing  was  not  far  dis- 
tant. Between  it  and  the  cabin  of  Enoch  Holmes  was  a 
belt  of  pine  timber.  Holmes's  cabin  stood  on  the  site  of 
the  village  of  Providence.  Where  now  stands  the  cottage 
of  Daniel  Silkman  lived  Henry  Waderman.  James  Bagley 
lived  on  the  flats  now  known  as  the  Rockwell  farm.  Selah 
Mead  cultivated  a  narrow  intervale  at  the  mouth  of 
Leggett's  creek,  while  Mr.  Hutchins  occupied  a  patch  of 
land  rising  from  the  brook,  known  now  as  the  McDaniels 
farm.  The  next  clearing  was  that  of  Ephraim  Stevens. 
A  traveler  over  that  part  of  the  township  of  Providence 
at  present  bounded  by  the  city  limits  of  Scranton  would 
have  seen,  besides  the  improvements  mentioned,  only- 
those  at  Slocum  Hollow  and  elsewhere,  previously  de- 
scribed. 

In  1828  hopes  began  to  be  entertained  of  the  extension 
of  the  North  Branch  Canal  from  Pittston  to  Slocum  Hol- 
low. The  expectations  of  the  hardy  veterans  of  the  forest 
with  regard  to  the  canal  having  been  chilled,  "  they  still 
had  in  their  minds  an  idea  of  a  railroad.  It  was  but  the 
budding  of  something  to  come,  and  was  called  the  Drink- 
er Railroad;  and,  while  it  never  came  in  the  manner  and 
shape  originally  looked  for,  still  it  carried  along  with  its 
excitement  a  man  by  the  name  of  William  Henry,  who 
never  tired  studying  over  it  and  planning  out  its  route 
somewhere  through  '  Drinker's  Beech.'  "  During  his 
constant  traveling  and  surveying  over  the  proposed  route 
he  learned  that  the  region  contained  large  quantities  of 
of  iron  ore,  which  would  some  day  enrich  the  country; 
but  he  foresaw  that  it  would  require  strong  hearts  and 
willing  hands  to  render  it  commercially  available. 

Mr.  Henry,  then  a  resident  of  Stroudsburg,  was  a  man 
of  enterprise,  but  of  an  obstinate  will  and  inclined  to 
over-sanguine  views,  a  combination  which  prevented  his 
ever  attaining  great  success  in  life.  When  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  Lackawanna  region  were  revealed  to  him  he 
determined  that  its  resources  should  be  developed,  and 
to  that  end  he  worked  untiringly.  Mr.  Drinker  was  the 
owner  of  the  district  known  as  "  Beech  Woods,"  or 
"  Drinker's  Beech."  He  was  a  man  of  perception  and 
culture,  and  he  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  improve- 
ments of  that  early  day.  His  mind  was  active  in  con- 
templating projects  by  which  an  outlet  to  the  more  ex- 
tensively settled  regions  of  Easton,  New  Jersey  and  New 
York  could  be  reached,  and  in  181 9  he  explored  the 
country  from  the  Susquehanna  at  Pittston  to  the  Dela- 
ware Water  Gap,  with  a  view  of  connecting  the  two  points 
by  a  railroad,  to  be  operated  by  hydraulic  power  where 
nature  favored  that  means  of  locomotion,  and  by  horses 
in  sections  not  admitting  the  employment  of  that  means. 
Of  course  the  interests  of  Drinker's  Beech  were  upper- 
most in  his  mind,  though  the  contemplated  route  of  the 
proposed  road  was  by  way  of  Slocum  Hollow.  "  Messrs. 
Drinker  and  Henry,  undismayed  by  the  cold,  solemn 
avowal  of  the  inhabitants  occupying  the  valleys  of  the 
Delaware  and  Susquehanna  that  no  such  road  was  possi- 
ble, or  necessary  to  their  social  condition,  taking  advai.t- 


<^ 


■  ^^ir* 


.  1-S-. 


'o~:^.y(^^  ^^y^^-c^^ 


/'„:■'  '-I  II  li  ii.iii.  .:■  .\.i,..',  /.■;  lUMTiiti,  Sf  t^ 'r 


'4h 


WILLIAM  HENRY'S  OPERATIONS— ADVENT  OF  THE  SCRANTONS. 


389 


age  of  the  speculative  wave  of  1836,  called  the  friends  of 
the  road  to  Easton  at  this  time,  says  Hollister,  "  to  de- 
vise a  practical  plan  of  action.  Repeated  exertions  in 
this  direction  had  hitherto  yielded  a  measure  of  ridicule 
not  calculated  to  inspire  great  hopes  of  success.  At  this 
meeting,  prolonged  for  days,  Mr.  Henry  assured  the  mem- 
bers of  the  board  that  if  the  old  furnace  of  Slocum's  at 
the  '  Hollow  '  could  he  reanimated  and  sustained  a  few 
years,  a  village  would  sjiring  up  between  the  ungarded 
passes  of  the  Moosic  calling  for  means  of  communication 
with  the  seaboard  less  inhospitable  and  tardy  than  the 
loitering  stage  coach."  The  plan  was  a  novel  one,  but  it 
did  not  strike  a  majority  of  those  present  as  promising 
any  adequate  return  for  the  capital  it  would  be  necessary 
to  invest.  Mr.  Clark  states  that  "the  boldness  of  the 
scheme  staggered  them  all  but  one,  whose  name  has  hith- 
erto received  little  mention  at  the  hands  of  local  writers  " 
(though  Dr.  Hollister  does  him  justice).  Edward  Arm- 
strong, the  one  favorably  inclined  listener  referred  to, 
was  a  gentleman  of  considerable  wealth  and  of  great 
benevolence  and  courtesy,  who  resided  on  the  Hudson 
river,  and  whose  financial  transactions  occasionally  called 
him  to  the  Hollow. 

The  selection  of  a  site  for  a   furnace   was    left   by  Mr. 
Armstrong  wholly  to   the   discretion  of  Mr.   Henry,  the 
former  offering  to  share  with  the  latter  any  responsibility 
and   financial   investment   and  any  consequent   profit  or 
loss;  and  Mr.  Henry  chose  as  the  location  of  the  furnace 
a  spot  a  few  rods  above   the  ruins   of  Slocum's  forge,  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from   the  mouth  of  Roaring  brook — 
"  the  very  spot,"  Mr.  Clark  remarks,  "  that  would  have 
gratified   the  spirit  of    Ebenezer    Slocum."     In    March, 
1840,  Messrs.  Henry  and  Armstrong  purchased  503  acres 
of  land  of  William  Merrifield,  Zenas  Albro  and  William 
Ricketson    for  $8,000,  a  price   remarkable    at  the  time 
for  its  liberality.     The  purchase  money  was  to  be  paid 
by  Mr.  Armstrong,  who  required  the  deed  to  be  made 
in  his  name.     Mr.   Henry,  by  whom  the  details  of  the 
business  were  conducted,  gave  as   the  first    payment  a 
draft  for  $2,500    on    Mr.    Armstrong,    in  favor    of  the 
owners    of  the  property,  payable  in   thirty    days.       Mr. 
Armstrong   died   very   suddenly   before  its  maturity  and 
his  administrators,  having  little  confidence  in  the  Slocum 
Hollow  scheme,  requested  Mr.  Henry  to  forfeit  the   con- 
tract, regardless  of  their  knort'ledge  of  the  fact    that  Mr. 
Armstrong  had  gone  into  the   venture  deliberately  and 
earnestly.     Crushing  as  such  an  unexpected   blow  might 
well  have  been,  it  did  not  daunt  the    determination  of 
-Mr.  Henry.     Securing  an  extension  on  the  obligation  for 
thirty    days,    he  proceeded  to    iVew    Jersey    to    consult 
with  parties  who  had  vvished  to  embark    in  an  enterprise 
of  the  character    of    that  to  which  he  was  devoting  his 
energies.     He  met  his  son-in-law,  Selden  T.  Scranton,  at 
Oxford  Furnace,  New  Jersey,  and  after  some   discussion 
persuaded  him  to  assist  him  in  carrying  out  the  plans  he 
and  Mr.  Armstrong  had  formed.     Mr.  Scranton  enlisted 
his  brother  George  W.   Scranton  in  behalf  of  the   enter- 
prise, and  they  determined  to  accompany   Mr.   Henry  to 
the    Lackawanna    valley.     They  started    August    17th, 


1840,  but  before  leaving  New  Jersey  prevailed  upon  San- 
ford  Grant,  of  Belvidere,  to  follow  them  in  the  explora- 
tion.    On  both  sides  of  Roaring    brook,   lying  between 
two  veins  of  coal,    they  found    abundant    quantities  of 
ball  or  kidney  ore  visible.     Tiie    surrounding    country, 
and  particularly   Roaring   brook  and    Hyde    Park,  were 
speedily  explored,  and  the  day  after  their  arrival  (August 
20th,  1840)    titles  for  the  land  ])urchased   by  Mr.   Henry 
were  executed  and  a  company  was  formed,  the  members 
of  which  were  George  W.  and  Selden  T.    Scranton  and 
Sanford  Grant.     It  being  desirable  to  further  strengthen 
the    company,    Mr.   Phillip    Mattes  was    soon   afterward 
admitted    and    the    firm   was    announced    as    Scrantons, 
Grant  &  Co.,  William  Henry  being  named  as  agent.     The 
capital  represented    was   $20,000,    of   which  George  W. 
and  Selden  T.  Scranton  invested  $10,000,  Sanford  Grant 
$5,000  and  Philip    H.  Mattes  $5,000.     In    thirteen    days 
from  the  date  of  the  title  to  the  land  Mr.  Henry  employed 
Simon  Ward  to  do  the  first  day's  work,  at  75  cents,  in  the 
interest  of  what  is  now  known    as   the    Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company.     Mr.  Ward  has  stated    that    he    bor- 
rowed a  crowbar    of  Mr.    Elisha    Hitchcock    and    com- 
menced prying  out  stone  at  a  spot  near  the  north    corner 
of  the  brick  engine  house  of  the   furnace    containing  the 
vertical  engines.     The  work  of  laying  the    foundation    of 
the  first  furnace  (afterwards  for  a  time  known  as    No.    i) 
was  begun  September  20th.     Mr.    Henry   removed  from 
Stroudsburg  to  Hyde   Park,   and  under  his  management 
the  work"  was  pushed  forward  to  completion. 

SCRANTONS   &    PL.4TT. 

The  first  and  second  efforts  to  start  the  furnace  were 
abortive,  owing  to  ignorance  in  the  use  of  anthracite 
coal.  The  third  and  successful  attempt  was  made  in 
December,  1841.  On  the  i8th  of  January,  1842,  the 
furnace  was  blown  in.  The  blast  ended  February  26th> 
and  about  seventy-five  tons  of  iron  had  been  made. 

The  ball  ore  found  near  at  hand  was  found  to  be  too  ex- 
pensive to  mine.  In  the  spring  of  1841  a  large  amount 
of  iron  ore  was  discovered  on  the  slope  of  the  Moosic 
mountain,  only  about  three  miles  distant,  which  with 
the  intervening  land  was  purchased  by  the  company. 
The  additional  expense  thus  involved,  in  a  great  measure 
unprovided  for,  and  the  early  difficulty  in  starting  the 
furnace,  exhausted  the  company's  capital  and  plunged  it 
in  debt.  At  this  juncture,  Mr.  Henry's  management  not 
being  successful,  George  W.  Scranton  came  in  the  fall  of 
1 841,  to  assume  the  responsibility  of  a  large  portion  of 
the  business  of  the  company.  Sanford  Grant  had  re- 
moved to  the  Hollow  early  in  the  ])revious  spring,  and 
Mr.  Charles  F.  Mattes,  son  of  Mr.  P.  H.  Mattes,  repre- 
senting the  latter's  interest,  in  April.  The  most  earnest 
efforts  of  the  company  had  in  many  quarters  been  re- 
ceived with  sneers.  The  enterprise  was  dubbed  a  "  Jer- 
sey humbug.''  But  the  comparatively  successful  blast  of 
the  winter  of  1841-42  inspired  the  public  with  more  con- 
fidence, and  those  who  had  any  interest  in  the  vicinity 
began  to  anticipate  good  fortune  as  the  result  of  what 
would  follow. 


^^ 


i=4-=^=s 


«^ 


39° 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


One  difficulty  was  the  lack  of  facilitit-.s  for  transporta- 
tion.    It  was  necessary  to  haul  the  product   in   wagons 
either  to   Pittston,  on    the    North    Branch  Canal,  seven 
miles,  or  to  r"arbondale,  on  the  Delaware   and  Hudson 
Canal  Company's  line,  fifteen  miles,  and  the  roads  were 
bad.     An   added  disadvantage  was  the  financial   embar- 
rassment of  the  period,  which  menaced   the   destruction 
of   manufacturing   interests   in    all    quarters.     The   first 
year's    product   of    the    furnace   was    shipped    over   the 
North  Branch    and    Tide   Water   Canals,  via  Havre-de- 
Grace,  to  New  York  and  Boston,  at  a  time  when  the  price 
of  iron  was  depreciating  daily.    Since  tlie  commencement 
of  the  forge,  in  the  fall  of   1840,  iron  had   fallen  in  value 
more   than   forty  per  cent.,  and   Lackawanna  valley  iron 
had  no  reputation  and  no  prestige  in  the  markets.     The 
credit   system    was   common    in    the  valley,  but,  having 
begun  to   lose  faith  in  the  future  of  the  iron  enterprise, 
the  citizens  of  the  surrounding  country  refused  to  accord 
it  to  the  company.     "The  darkest  period  in  the  history 
of  the  partnership,"  says  Hollister,  "was  seen  in  1842-43. 
In  a  remunerative  sense  the  iron  specu''.ation  had  proved 
a  failure  and  left  the  treasury  worse  than  empty.     With- 
out character,  money  or  credit,  its  affairs  began  to   look 
hopeless.     Their  notes   given   to   individuals  in   lieu   of 
money  were  daily  offered   to  farmers   at  forty  per  cent, 
discount   in  the  uncurrent  tender  of  Pennsylvania  cur- 
rency.    Every  petty   claim   of  indebtedness  was    urged 
and  pressed  before  the  justices  of  the  township  with  an 
ea'rnestness   really  annoying."     In   this  strait  Joseph  H. 
and   Erastus  C.  Scranton,  then   of   Augusta,  Georgia,  in- 
terposed to  avert  the  impending   disaster  by  advancing 
funds  to  bolster  up  and  sustain  the  enterprise;  and  Sep- 
tember  7th,    1843,  a   new  partnership   was    formed,    by 
which    the   title   Scrantons  &   Grant    was   retained   and 
Joseph  H.  and  Erastus  C.  Scranton  were  admitted  to  the 
firm  without   the  withdrawal  of  any  of  the  former  mem- 
bers.    But,  notwithstanding  the   relief  thus   afforded,  it 
became  more  and  more  plainly  manifest  that  unless  some 
more  profitable  element   could   be  introduced,  the   busi- 
ness would  continue   to   be  a  losing  one  and  eventually 
fail;  and  the  idea  was  conceived  of  the  erection  of  a  rol- 
ling mill  and  nail  factory  on  Roaring  brook   below  Nay 
Aug  falls,  which  by  converting   the  company's   iron  into 
bars  and  nails  would   enhance  its  value  at  least   twenty- 
five   per   cent;    though    without    additional   capital    this 
measure,  however  promising  in  its  results,  was   impracti- 
cable.    G.  W.  Scranton  was  sent  to  New  York  and  suc- 
ceeded in  interesting  Mr.  John  H.  Howland  in  the  pro- 
ject to  the  extent  of  $20,000.     Later  John  Howland,  a 
son   of    the    above   mentioned,    became    a    partner   and 
brought  more  capital  to  the  company. 

The  erection  of  the  rolling-mill  and  nail  factory  (which 
was  begun  in  r843  and  finished  in  February,  1844,)  by 
the  aid  of  New  York  capital  led  to  the  subsequent  in- 
vestment in  the  Lackawanna  coal  field  of  $150,000,060 
from  the  same  quarter.  In  1841  the  company  had 
erected  a  building  which  served  the  purposes  of  store 
and  office  and  a  dwelling  for  Mr.  Grant.  In  the  winter 
of  1844  and  1845  a  brick  store  was  built  near  the  furnace 


^:^= 


and  occupied  in  1845.     In  1847  and  1848  it  was  enlarged, 
the  main  building  then  being  26  by  100  feet,  with  a  wing 
25    feet   square.     At  various  times  the  offices  were  en- 
larged until  they  occupied  a  floor  space  of  85  by  25  feet. 
The    store  was    under    the    management    of    Mr.  Grant. 
From  time   to  time  dwellings  had   been   put   up  for  em- 
ployes as  occasion  required.     In  March,  1844,  Selden  T. 
Scranton    took    up  his    abode    at    the  Lackawanna  Iron 
Works,  and  his  brother  George  W.  Scranton  returned  to 
New  Jersey  and  succeeded  him   in   the  management  of 
Oxford  furnace.     In  September,  1845,  Joseph  H.  Scran- 
ton, who,  as  already  narrated,  had    previously  advanced 
money  largely  to   sustain    the  wavering    fortunes  of   the 
concern,  bought  out  Mr.  Grant  and   E.  C.  Scranton,  and 
came   to  the  valley  to   reside   permanently  early  in  1847. 
Quiet,  unobtrusive  and    indifferent    as    to    who    got    the 
credit  for  what  he  did,  so  long  as  the  work  was  done,  he 
was  a  man  of  most  indomitable  energy,  iron  will  and  ex- 
ecutive capacity;  and,  though  new  to    the   iron   business, 
rapidly  mastered  its  details  and  by  his  force  of  character, 
his  wide   and  valuable  acquaintance,  at   once   assumed  a 
leading  position  in  the  firm,  quickly  taking,  by  common 
consent,  general  charge  of  its  manufacturing  and  mining 
operations  and  of  the  ever  increasing  new  constructions, 
furnaces,  mills  and  tlieir  adjuncts,  to  which  these  opera- 
tions led.     With  his  arrival   on   the   scene  began  the  era 
of  permanent,   solid  construction,  and  of  steady  growth 
based  on    sound  judgment.      Exce])t   some  parts  of   the 
old    store,   little  remains  of   work    built    previous    to  his 
coming. 

In  1845  the  first  T  rail  was  manufactured  in  the  United 
States.       The   attention  of  the  company  was  directed  to 
this  new  branch  of  the  iron  industry  during  the  construc- 
tion of  the  New  York  and  Erie  Railway.     Thus  far  rails 
had  been  imported  from  England  by  the  Erie  contractors 
at  a  cost  of  $80  per  ton.     The  Scrantons  agreed  with  the 
Erie  Railway  Company  to  furnish    12,000   tons   of   iron 
rail,  to   weigh  fifty-six   pounds   to   the   yard,  and    be   de- 
livered to   the   railway   authorities   at   the  mouth  of  the 
Lackawaxen  during   1847   and    1848  at  $70  and  $80  per 
ton.     This  important  undertaking  made  another  demand 
for  increased  capital,  which    was   loaned   to   the  Messrs. 
Scranton,  on    their  personal   security,  to   the  amount  of 
$100,000  by  several  wealthy  capitalists,  who  had  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Erie  Railway  at  heart.   New  machinery  (which 
had   been    carted   by  mules   sixty  or  seventy  miles   over 
mountains  and  through  forests)  was  put  into  their  rolHng- 
mills.       "Until  now,"   writes    Hollister,  "  the    means    of 
transportation   to   market   of   the  now   largely  increased 
annual  product  of  iron  remained  as  difficult   as   at   the 
commencement,  with  the  exception    of   the   extension  of 
the   Delaware   and    Hudson  Canal  Company's   railroad 
from  Carbondale  to  Archbald,  which  reduced  the  hauling 
by  teams  to  nine   miles;  the   iron   ore   was  carted   three 
miles  and  a  half  from  the  mines;    the  limestone  and  extra 
pig  iron  needed  by  the  mill,  purchased  at  Danville,  drawn 
from  the  canal  at  Pittston;  and  the  railroad  iron,  now  the 
principal  product  of  the  works,  was   drawn    to   Archbald 
upon  heavy  wagons,  requiring  the  use  of  over  four  hun- 


'^. 


BLISHA 


HUTH  HITCHCOCK. 


[»■*&!, 


EBBNEZER  HITCHCOCK. 


MAHION^  HITCHCOCK. 


AMANDA  HITCHCOCK. 


lb 


SCRANTONS  &  PLATT— JOSEPH  H.  SCRANTON— PROVIDENCE  BOROUGH. 


391 


dred  horses  and  mules.  Even  this  large  force,  gathered 
from  the  farmers  of  Blakeley,  Providence  and  Lackawanna, 
sometimes  at  the  expense  of  agricultural  interests,  was 
able  to  move  the  first  rail  only  with  provoking  tardiness." 
The  first  1,500  tons  of  the  12,000  contracted  were  de- 
livered at  the  place  designated.  The  balance,  in  accord- 
ance with  an  amendment  to  the  contract,  were  delivered 
at  different  points  on  the  line  of  the  Delaware  division  of 
the  road,  thus  enabling  the  railway  company  to  construct 
that  portion  of  the  road  four  days  before  a  date  specified 
at  which,  if  it  should  be  so  constructed,  the  State  of 
New  York  was  to  appropriate  $3,000,000  toward  the  com- 
pletion of  the  railroad.  The  promptness  and  energy  of 
the  Scranton  company  thus,  as  Mr.  Loder,  president  of 
the  Erie  company,  afterward  avowed,  saved  the  railway 
company  from  failure  or  suspension;  and  at  the  same 
time  not  only  brought  the  Scranton  works  into  notice 
but  aided  to  hasten  the  day  when  they  would  be  no 
longer  obliged  to  reach  the  markets  with  such  tar- 
diness and  at  such  an  undue  expense  as  they  had  had 
to  incur  heretofore.  In  1846  Mr.  J.  C.  Piatt,  a  brother- 
in-law  of  J.  H.  Scranton,  was  admitted  to  the  firm  and 
assumed  the  position  of  store-keeper,  and  the  company 
was  reorganized  November  7th,  1846;  George  W.,  Joseph 
H.  and  S.  T.  Scranton  and  J.  C.  Piatt  being  the  general 
and  several  wealthy  gentlemen  of  New  York  the  special 
partners  of  the  firm  of  Scrantons  &  Piatt,  the  capital 
being  increased  by  the  reorganization.  October  ist,  1848, 
a  new  partnership  was  entered  into,  which  includ.-d  the 
same  general  and  more  special  partners.  G.  W.  Scranton 
gradually  withdrew  from  active  participation  in  the  affairs 
of  the  iron  works  to  look  after  the  railroad  interests  of 
the  partnership,  and,  later,  to  enter  political  life,  and 
after  1850  had  little  to  do  with  the  business.  When,  in 
1853,  the  firm  of  Scrantons  &  Piatt  was  merged  in  the 
Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  and  S.  T.  Scranton 
was  made  president,  Joseph  H.  Scranton  took  the  place 
of  general  superintendent,  and  pushed  actively  to  com- 
pletion much  projected  and  unfinished  work.  When  the 
company  was  again  and  for  the  last  time  brought  to  the 
very  brink  of  ruin  during  the  panic  of  1857,  Mr.  S.  T. 
Scranton  having  resigned  and  returned  once  more  to 
New  Jersey  (where  he  later  started  and  managed  the 
well-known  Oxford  Iron  Company,  which  failed  so  dis- 
astrously in  1879),  Joseph  H.  Scranton  was  elected 
president  of  the  company,  with  full  charge  of  its  in- 
terests, financial  and  manufacturing.  Never  was  cor- 
poration more  fortunate  in  the  choice  of  an  officer.  With 
immense  capacity  for  work,  devoted  to  and  delighting  in 
his  business,  master  of  its  details,  and  with  a  fierce  de- 
termination to  make  it  succeed,  he  touched  the  corpse  of 
the  company's  credit  and  it  was  reanimated.  The  com- 
pany was  quickly  relieved  from  its  embarrassments,  its 
debts  were  paid,  its  bonds  taken  up,  it  commenced  the 
payment  of  dividends  to  its  long  suffering  stockholders, 
and  long  before  the  fourteen  years  of  Mr.  Scranton's  ad- 
ministration were  terminated  by  death  he  had  the  satis- 
faction of  knowing  that  the  stock,  which  when  he  as- 
sumed the   presidency  was  all  but  valueless,  was   selhng 


in  open  market  at  300;  that  the  concern  had  not  one  dol- 
lar of  debt;  that  he  had  raised  the  product  of  the  mills 
from  10,000  tons  of  rails  to  50,000  tons,  and  had  the  con- 
struction of  another  still  larger  mill  commenced,  which 
later  in  the  hands  of  his  son  was  to  increase  the  capacity 
of  the  concern  80,000  tons  more;  and  that  the  Lacka- 
wanna Iron  and  Coal  Company  not  only  ranked  as  one 
of  the  two  largest,  but  was  also  generally  known  in  the 
trade  as  the  best  paying  and  most  ably  managed  concern 
of  its  kind  in  the  United  States. 

Upon  Mr.  Scranton's  death,  in  1872,  he  was  succeeded 
in  the  presidency  of  the  Iron  Company  by  Moses  Taylor, 
of  New  York;  and  in  the  management  of  affairs  at  Scran- 
ton till  September,  1874,  by  his  brother-in-law,  J.  C.  Piatt. 
Then  Mr.  Scranton's  son  W.  W.  Scranton  was  made 
general  manager,  and  he  still  remains  so.  During  his 
administration  the  Bessemer  steel  works  have  been 
built,  the  steel  rolling  mill  has  been  completed,  the  blast 
furnaces  made  larger,  the  new  blast  engine  house  built, 
additions  made  to  the  foundry,  machine  shop  and  collier- 
ies, and  the  productive  capacity  of  the  concern  consider- 
ably more  than  doubled;  so  that  it  ranks  to-day  among 
the  seven  or  eight  large  iron  works  of  the  world. 

Owing  to  the  death  of  Joseph  H.  Scranton  and  his 
cousin  George,  and  to  the  removal  to  New  Jersey  of  S. 
T.  Scranton  and  G.  W.  Scranton's  sons,  the  sons  of  Mr. 
Joseph  H.  Scranton,  Joseph  A.  and  W.  W.  Scranton,  are 
the  only  men  of  the  name  now  residing  in  the  city. 

THE  BOROUGH  OF  PROVIDENCE. 

The  village  of  Providence,  two  miles  from  Scranton, 
although  incorporated  into  the  first  and  second  wards  of 
the  city,  preserves  its  name,  its  post-office  and  other  in- 
dependent features.  As  a  village  its  growth  was  tardy 
until  1826,  when  it  consisted  of  but  seven  dwellings  and 
was  called  "  Razorville  "  or  "  the  corners." 

EARLY    INTERESTS. 

Large  numbers  of  sheep  were  raised  in  the  township, 
and  the  inhabitants,  depending  wholly  upon  their  own 
woolen  goods  for  raiment,  early  gave  attention  to  carding 
and  fulling  mills.  The  hardy  pioneer  women  were  ever 
busy  in  dealing  out  their  warp  and  filling  for  frocks, 
coats,  trowsers  and  flannel  petticoats,  and  these  mills 
were  regarded  as  equally  important  to  the  weal  of  the 
neighborhood  with  the  grist-mill  and  the  saw-mill.  A 
carding  and  fulling  mill  was  built  a  little  above  Provi- 
dence in  1808  by  John  Watres,  and  passed  into  the  hands 
of  Messrs.  Carter  &  Miller  in  1841.  The  earlier  exports 
of  Providence  were  grain,  lumber  and  whiskey.  Of  the 
latter  a  large  quantity  was  manufactured  at  Tripp's  still, 
half  a  mile  below  the  village. 

During  1826  Colonel  Henry  W.  Drinker,  of  "  Drink- 
er's Beech  "  gave  a  brisk  impulse  to  the  village  when 
he,  with  trifling  State  aid,  crossed  the  valley  with 
the  Philadelphia  and  Great  Bend  turnpike  and  opened 
communication  with  New  York  city  by  a  tri-weekly 
stage.     Passengers   could   then   go   from     Providence  to 


<^ 


392 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


New  York  by  way  of  Stroiidsburg  in  three  days.     The 
Lackawanna  was  first  bridged  here  by   Drinker   in    1826. 

BUSINESS    PROGRESS — POST-OFFICE. 

On  what  has  since  become  the  southwest  corner  of 
Market  and  Main  streets,  in  Providence,  in  1828 
Messrs.  Elisha  S.  Potter  and  Michael  McKeal  opened  a 
country  store.  During  the  same  year  Mr.  Potter  and 
Nathaniel  Cpttrill  bought  fourteen  acres  of  the  Enoch 
Holmes  tract,  which  included  the  water  privileges  of  that 
locality.  Not  long  subsequently  Mr.  Cottrill  purchased 
the  interest  of  the  late  Mr.  Potter,  and  thus  controlling 
the  whole  property,  in  1829  erected  a  grist-mill  upon  it. 
He  also  built  a  tavern,  still  standing  and  known  as  the 
Bristol  House,  in.  1828.  In  1830  another  hotel  was 
erected  in  the  village. 

The  second  store  was  on  the  corner  opposite  the  Pot- 
ter &  McKeal  store,  by  Alexander  Jeffreys,  an  eccentric 
Scotch  bachelor,  who  filled  it  with  such  a  heterogeneous 
stock  of  merchandise  as  has  perhaps  never  before  or 
since  been  gathered  under  one  roof.  Dr.  Hollister  states 
that  "books,  drugs,  hard  and  soft  ware  and  every  con- 
ceivable thing  from  a  pulpit  to  a  pig-yoke  stood  upon 
the  shelves."  The  drugs  were  sold  in  1843  to  Dr.  Ben- 
jamin H.  Throop. 

The  post-office  in  Slociim  Hollow  was  removed  to 
Providence  in  1829.  John  Vaughn,  jr.,  was  appointed 
postmaster.  The  following  named  gentlemen  have  since 
been  postmaster  of  the  village  :  Voltaire  Searles,  J. 
R.  Bloom,  H.  Reichardt,  D.  S.  Koon,  S.  Easterbrooks, 
H.  Hollister,  B.  P.  Couch,  J.  R.  Bloom  and  H.  Roberts, 
in  the  order  named,  the  latter  being  the  present  incum- 
bent (1880). 

FIRST    CHURCH LEADING    CITIZENS A    FLOOD. 

In  the  days  of  its  infancy  the  village  laid  no  especial 
claim  to  piety,  and  yel  one  of  the  first  churches  in  the 
valley  was  planned,  raised  and  partially  completed  there 
when  the  great  hurricane  of  1S34  blew  it  down  and 
swept  the  rafters  half  a  mile  away.  It  was  never  re- 
built. 

During  the  few  years  succeeding  1840  Providence  de- 
veloped an  extensive  country  trade.  Among  the  mer- 
chants then  or  subsequently  in  business  there  may  be 
named  James  J.  Clayton,  John  Vaughn,  Bennett  & 
Weaver,  Arteraas  Miller,  Sylvenus  Easterbrooks,  Charles 
T.  Atwater,  W.  W.  Winton,  Winton  &  Dunning,  John 
Harding,  William  M.  Champion  &  Co.,  Gardner  & 
Couch,  B.  H.  Throop,  Kennedy  &  Osterhout,  Silas  Oster- 
hout,  Osterhout  Brothers,  Samuel  Wycoff,  Mulley  & 
Benjamin,  Ambrose  Mulley,  H.  B.  Rockwell,  Gillespie 
Brothers,  Von  Storch  &  Co.  and  Rockwell  &  Hurlburt. 
The  first  newspaper  in  the  present  city  was  established 
at  Providence  in  1845,  and  the  last  journalistic  venture 
in  the  city  to  date  was  begun  there  in  1879.  A  tempo- 
rary check  was  given  the  growth  of  the  viljage  about  1845 
by  an  overflowing  of  the  Lackawanna  which  swept  awav 
the  dam  and  carried  away  the  bridge  and  Jerison  White's 
ax  factory  and  several   other  buildings,   causing  a   great 


destruction  of  property.  In  the  summer  of  1866  the 
street  railway  between  Scranton  and  Providence  was 
opened. 

CIVIL    HISTORY. 

Providence  borough  was  incorporated  by  act  of  As- 
sembly March  14th,  1849.  The  following  were  the  first 
borough  officers:  J,  R.  Wint,  burgess;  W.  W.  Winton,  S.  ■ 
Gardner,  Asa  Coursen  and  Ira  Tripp,  councilmen;  Fran- 
cis Fuller,  constable;  David  S.  Koon,  justice  of  the  peace; 
Theodore^  Von  Storch,  assessor;  Jacob  R.  Bloom  and 
William  H,  H.  Crandall,  inspectors  of  election;  Nathaniel 
Cottrill,  judge  of  election;  and  C.  T.  Atwater,  S.  Easter- 
brooks and  D.  R.  Randall,  school  directors.  The  suc- 
ceeding burgesses  were  as  follows:  N.  D.  Green,  1850; 
A.  B.  Dunning,  1851,  1852;  Sanford  Grant,  1853;  E. 
Leach,  1854;  Theodore  Von  Storch,  1855-57;  E.  S.  M. 
Hill,  1858;  E.  Leach,  1859;  Daniel  Silkman,  i860; 
Theodore  Von  Storch,  1861,  and  re-elected  each  subse- 
quent year  until  borough  elections  ceased  to  be  held  on 
account  of  the  incorporation  of  the  borough  with  the  city 
of  Scranton. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  commissioned  in  Providence 
borough  in  different  years  were  as  follows:  David  S. 
Koon,  1850;  E.  Leach,  1850,  1855,  i860,  1865;  Theo- 
dore Von  Storch,  1854,  1859;  G.  W,  Miller,   1865. 

HYDE  PARK    BOROUGH. 

The  Heermans  House,  or  '"old  white  tavern,"  has 
been  referred  to  as  long  a  place  of  popular  resort.  At 
this  place  the  elections  in  Providence  were  often  held  be- 
fore the  boroughs  of  Providence,  Scranton,  Hyde  Park 
and  Dunmore  were  formed,  and  it  was  the  scene  of  many 
a  fierce  and  exciting  contest.  It  was  the  changing  place 
and  dinner  station  on  the  stage  route  between  Wilkes- 
Barre  and  Carbondale,  and  after  the  establishment  of  the 
daily  line  of  four-horse  coaches  presented  a  lively  appear- 
ance about  noonday.  Under  the  proprietorship  of  Nor- 
vel  D.  Green,  and  afterward  of  John  Merrifield  and  Samuel 
Slocum,  it  achieved  a  notable  reputation  as  a  hostelry. 
The  second  tavern  built  in  Hyde  Park  was  erected  by 
Anson  H.  Wood  in  1831,  on  the  north  corner  of  Main 
and  Franklin  streets,  on  land  now  own..'d  by  the  Catholic 
church.  It  was  known  for  many  years  as  "the  yellow 
tavern,"  and  was  burned  in  1868.  The  first  school-house 
in  Hyde  Park  was  erected  in  1816  or  thereabout,  on  the 
westerly  corner  of  Main  street  and  that  upon  which  the 
public  school-house  is  located.  It  served  several  years 
as  a  meeting-house,  and  Elder  Richmond  often  held 
meetings  there. 

PROGRESS    OF    SETTLEMENT. 

As  late  as  1820  Hyde  Park  had  not  attained  to  the 
size  of  a  village.  A  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop  stood 
opposite  the  Heermans  tavern.  Between  that  and  Mr. 
Washburn's,  who  came  during  that  year,  timber  grew  on 
both  sides  of  the  street;  opposite  Washburn's  Zei^haniah 
Knapp  lived;  in  the  next  house,  below  and  across  the 
way  from  the  school-house,  lived  Robert  Merrifield,  who 


^^ 


^4* 


4 


HON.   WILLIAM   MERRIFIELD. 


•f= 


Hon.  William  Menifleld,  prominently  connected  with  the  early  history 
and  growth  of  the  Lackawanna  valley,  was  born  at  Pine  Plains,  Dutchess 
county,  N.  T.,  April  23nd,  1808.  His  ancestry  upon  his  mother's  side 
were  of  German  descent;  upon  his  father's  English.  His  great-grand- 
father, Kobert  Merrifleld,  was  horn  in  England,  in  1703,  and  emigrated 
with  a  brother  or  brothers  to  America,  settling  in  Bhode  Island.  His 
grandfather  William,  an  only  son,  was  born  in  the  latter  State,  in  1753, 
andcame  with  his  father  to  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.  He  was  a  school 
teacher  and  continued  to  live  in  Dutchess  and  Columbia  counties  until 
his  death,  in  1836.  Robert,  father  of  William  the  subject  of  the  present 
sketch,  was  born  in  Columbia  county,  in  1778;  emigrated  with  his  family 
to  Pennsylvania  in  1819,  and  settled  in  the  then  township  of  Providence, 
subsequently  Hyde  Park.  Here  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  clearing 
away  the  forest  and  farming.  He  was  assisted  by  his  son  William, 
whose  axe  in  boyhood  helped  to  fell  the  gigantic  trees  that  once  towered 
where  now  are  hundreds  of  human  habitations.  Robert  Merrifleld 
died  universally  beloved,  at  the  advanced  age  of  nearly  eighty-seven 
years. 

The  education  of  William  was  limited  to  district  schools,  but  his  mind 
was  sufficiently  stored  to  enable  him  to  teach,  and  for  five  winters  he 
engaged  in  this  occupation.  While  teaching  at  Wyoming  he  maiTied 
Almira,  sister  of  the  late  William  Swetland,  and  soon  after  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  Centre  Moreland,  Luzerne  county.  Before 
going  there  he  had  been  instrumental  in  getting  a  post-office  established 
at  Hyde  Park,  and  was  appointed  the  first  postma-ster  in  1831.  He  re- 
mained at  Centre  Moreland  about  one  year,  returned  to  Hyde  Park, 
was  reappointed  postmaster  and  held  the  office  about  ten  years.  At  the 
same  time  he  erected  a  store  building,  and  followed  the  business  of  a 
merchant  almost  uninteiTuptedly  until  1864. 

He  early  foresaw  the  advantages  of  this  section  as  a  mining  and  man- 
ufacturing center,  and  in  1837  became  a  joint  owner  of  the  main  portion 
of  the  lands  where  is  now  built  the  central  part  of  Scranton.  Heat 
once  commenced  operations,  through  correspondence  and  otherwise, 
toward  calUngthe  attention  of  capitalists  to  this  point ;  and  in  1838  the 
tract  was  disposed  of  to  Colonel  George  W.  Scranton  and  others,  by 
whose  energy  and  perseverance  It  received  the  impetus  that  has  made 
it  a  flourishing  city.  ,       .  ,.,.,. 

In  1843  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  to  which  he 
was  returned  for  three  successive  terms.  As  a  legislator  he  was  regard- 
ed as  a  safe  adviser,  his  opinion  being  frequently  sought  and  highly 
respected.  Besides  serving  on  other  committees  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Committee  of  Ways  and  Means ;  at  one  session  was  chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Banks,  at  another  on  Inland  Navigation  and  Public  Im- 
provements, at  the  time  considered  among  the  most  responsible  positions 
in  the  House.  His  struggles  for  the  welfare  of  the  Lackawanna  valley 
exhibit  him  on  the  legislative  records  as  the  ablest  champion  ever  sent 
from  this  locality.  This  is  particularly  true  because  of  the  mtriguing 
attempts  made  at  that  time  by  other  sections  of  the  State  to  burden  the 
anthracite  region  with  onerous  taxation.  A  speech  upon  this  question 
made  by  him  during  the  session  of  1846  was  considered  a  masterly  effort, 
replete  with  good  sense  and  full  of  such  a  well  considered  array  of  sta- 
tistical information  as  to  virtually  effect  the  defeat  of  the  measure. 
But  his  greatest  effort  was  in  behalf  of  the  proposed  new  county  of 
Lackawanna,  the  bill  for  which  he  succeeded  in  passing  through  the 


lower  house,  and  was  only  defeated  in  the  Senate  by  a  tie  vote.  He 
was  an  earnest  worker  in  favor  of  the  extension  of  the  North  Branch 
Canal;  also  for  the  project  of  slackwater  navigation  on  the  Susque- 
hanna and  Lackawanna  rivers  with  a  view  of  opening  up  the  Lackawanna 
coal  fields. 

He  was  an  enthusiastic  friend  and  supporter  of  the  public  schools  of 
his  neighborhood,  and  contributed  liberally  toward  the  erection  of  the 
churches.  He  ofli elated  as  school  director  at  the  time  of  the  building 
of  the  first  frame  school-house  in  Hyde  Park,  and  again  during  the 
construction  of  the  more  recent  graded  sohoolbuildlng.  Hewas  among 
the  first  to  give  an  impetus  to  the  growth  of  the  town,  by  plotting  his 
tract  of  land,  in  the  central  portion  thereof,  into  village  lots,  subse- 
quently laying  out  another  tract  in  the  westerly  part,  known  as  "  Mer- 
rifield's  plot  of  lots  in  Keyser's  valley." 

In  1856  he  was  elected  associate  judge  of  Luzerne  county,  serving  at 
the  time  the  late  lamented  Judge  Conyngham  presided,  with  whom  he 
held  the  most  pleasant  relations.  He  had  been  an  attentive  reader  of 
law  books,  and  while  occupying  this  position  his  general  knowledge  of 
law  came  well  in  play,  as  hewas  called  upon  to  hear  important  matters  at 
chambers,  in  the  disposition  of  which  he  acqullted  himself  with  ability. 

In  1870  he  was  chosen  president  of  the  Hyde  Park  bank,  which  during 
his  life  was  a  flourishing'  institution,  enjoying  the  confidence  of  the 
entire  community.  At  his  death  the  board  of  directors,  at  a  meeting 
called  upon  that  occasion,  unanimously  passed  a  flattering  series  of 
resolutions,  expressing  their  confidence  in  his  ability  and  integrity,  and 
deploring  their  great  loss. 

As  a  politician  he  belonged  to  the  old  Democratic  school,  and  was 
ever  known  as  a  conscientious  advocate  of 'purity  in  public  affairs,  his 
wishes  always  being  for  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  nation.  The 
public  offices  that  were  conferred  upon  him  Avere  given  in  every 
Instance  without  solicitation  upon  his  part,  and  were  invariably  ad- 
ministered to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  constituents. 

Judge  Merrifleld  was  emphatically  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune. 
Aside  from  the  financial  ability  that  had  made  him  comfortable  in  his 
declining  years,  he  was  a  ripe  scholar  in  all  that  pertains  to  an  English 
education.  He  was  a  profound  historian  and  well  versed  in  science  and 
general  literature  ;  indeed,  he  was  so  diligent  a  reader  even  after  hav- 
ing passed  his  three  score  and  ten  that  it  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
predisposing  cause  of  bis  death. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1877,  after  an  illness  of  a  little  more  than  two 
months,  he  died,  universally  respected  and  mourned  by  the  entire  com- 
munity ;  and  as  the  solemn  funeral  ooi'tege  passed  through  the  princi- 
pal street  business  was  entirely  suspended  as  a  token  of  respect  to  his 
memory. 

There  were  few  men  who  possessed  more  fully  the  entire  confidence 
of  acquaintances,  his  chief  characteristics  being  those  of  honesty  and 
integrity  and  a  conscientious  discharge  of  all  duties  entrusted  to  him. 
Not  a  breath  of  stfspicion  ever  tainted  his  character,  and  he  'will  long 
be  remembered  for  his  manly  virtues  and  kindness  of  heart.  It  was  in 
the  home  circle,  around  his  own  fireside,  that  his  intelligence  and  good- 
ness shone  pre-eminently,  and  made  the  father  and  husband  the  idol 
of  his  home.  His  life  presents  a  record  which  proves  conclusively  that 
the  right  road  to  success  in  Ufe  is  that  of  unceasing  labor  and  undevlat- 
ing  integrity. 


^ 


COLONEL  W.   N.   MONIES. 


Scotland  has  contributed   many  an 

active  brain    to  the  development  of 

American  resources,  but   none    more 

active,  earnest,  or  industrious  than 
that  of  William  N.  Monies.    Nurtured 

in  an  atmosphere  that  g-ave  to  the  world 
a  Sir  Walter  Scott,  a  Rohert  Burns  and 
a  Thomas  Carlyle,  his  mature  seems  to 
have  imbibed  the  imagery  of  the  author 
of  Kenilworth,  the  -warm-heartedness  of 
the  *'  Bard  of  Ayr,*'  and  the  common 
sense  of  the  admirer  of  Fi-ederick  the 
Great,  together  with  his  hearty  detesta- 
tion of  shams.  At  this  time  of  writing, 
in  the  year  1880,  when  he  stands  in  the 
vigor  and  pi-irae  of  life,  one  would 
hardly  think  that  the  possessor  of  such 
a  robust  manhood  and  genial  nature 
had  such  an  eventful  history.  There  are 
few  men  who,  having  passed  through  so 
many  dangers,  borue  -so  many  afflic- 
tions, encountered  such  a  series  of  rev- 
erses and  successes,  can,  with  William 
N.  Monies,  "  look  back  and  smile  at 
perils  past."  Yet,  despite  his  checkered 
career,  attrition  with  fife's  battles  seems 
to  have  brought  out  the  brighter  qual- 
ities of  his  nature  and  given  them  an 
added  lustre  instead  of  wearing  them 
out  as  is  the  case  with  the  majority  of 
men. 

William  N.  Monies  was  born  in  the 
village  of  New  Dailly,  Ayrshire,  Scot- 
land, on  the  10th  of  May,  1837 ;  attended 
the  village  school  at  the  age  of  four,  and 
was  apprenticed  to  a  baker  at  ten  years 
of  age.  His  young  mind  gave  evidence 
of  early  development.  His  school  days 
were  full  of  earnest  work,  and  fore- 
shadowed the  activity  which  has  ever 
since  characterize'!  an  unusually  busy 
life.  At  'the  age  of  eighteen  he  began 
business  on  his  own  responsibility  in 
the  town  of  Dalmelington,  in  his  native 
shire,  and  carried  it  on  successfully  for 
two  years.  His  ambition  and  inherent 
love  for  a  wider  sphere  of  action  natu- 
rally prompted  him  to  turn  his  thoughts 
toward  the  United  States,  and  he  came  to  this  country  in  1849.  His 
wife,  Mary  Kirk,  crowed  the  ocean  in  the  same  ship  with  him,  and  the 
young  lovers  crowned  their  romantic  trip  by  being  united  in  marriage 
on  their  arrival  in  Carbondale,  Pa. 

On  settling  in  Carbondale  Mr.  Monies  obtained  employment  with 
Andrew  Law  at  his  trade  as  a  baker,  earning  $G  a  week,  and  worked 
there  for  six  months.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  started  business  on 
his  own  responsibility  in  the  same  town,  and  carried  it  on  until  1853; 
when,  becoming  interested  in  the  gold  discoveries  of  California,  his 
natural  love  for  adventure  led  him  to  organize  an  expedition  by  the 
overland  route  to  the  rich  region  toward  which  so  many  were  hurry- 
ing. All  the  sailing  vessels  found  the  voyage  a  tedious  and  highly  per- 
ilous one  at  that  time.  It  rcciuired  no  small  share  of  courage  in  those 
days  to  rlave  the  dangei-s  of  a  .iourney  of  such  magnitude  and  involving 
so  many  hazards  and  hardships,  Yetthe  indomitable  pluck  and  hero- 
ism of  Mr.  Monies  led  him  to  get  together  his  hardy  little  band  of  eight- 
een and  prepare  for  the  journey.  When  everything  was  in  readiness 
for  the  start  so  gloomy  did  the  outlook  appear  that  the  expedition  was 
abandoned  by  all  his  companions  with  the  exception  of  live,  and  with 
these  he  started  out  for  the  land  of  gold.  The  entire  population  of  Car- 
bondale turned  out  to  wish  the  little  party  God  speed  on  their  danger- 
ous and  supposed  foolhardy  journey.  The  gold  hunters  proceeded  to 
Great  Bend,  the  nearest  railwuy  station,  by  Morrison's  team,  and  then 
took  passage  on  an  emigrant  train  to  Dunkirk,  N.  Y.,  whence  they 
crossed  Lake  Erie  in  a  somewhat  jirimitive  boat,  such  as  was  then  in 
use.  Then  iiroceuding  by  the  Michigan  Central  to  Chicago,  they  took  a 
canal  boat  to  La  Salle  and  went  by  steam  to  St.  Louis.  From  this  point 
they  jonrneyd  by  boat  on  the  Missouri  river  to  St.  Joseph.  Hei'C  they 
remained  a  tew  dsiys  in  a  log  cabin  preparing  for  the  roughest  part  of 
the  journoy.  I'hcy  purchased  twelve  oxen  and  two  wagons, 
loaded  their  traps,  laid  in  provisions,  and  struck  out  through 
the  Indian  country  now  known  as  Nebraska.  The  journey  lasted  five 
months  and  four  days,  leading  through  a  wild  and  desolate 
region.  The  history  of  this  adventure  alone  would  fill  a  volume  with 
hairbreadth  escapes  and  incidents  of  a  thrilling  character.  Suffice  it 
to  say  that  1-hc  party  arrived  in  California  almost  devoid  of  clothing, 
footsore,  hungry,  yet  full  of  hope.  Three  hundred  milRs  before  reach- 
ing California  the  piirty  was  out  of  provisions,  and  managed  itself  as 
best  it  could  by  trading  and  giving  such  assistiuice  as  it  could  to  others 
found  in  distress  by  the  way.  On  reaching  California  Mr.  Monies 
obtained  employment  at  his  trade,  receiving  $5  a  day,  and  continued  to 

■  work  at  it  a  year,  after  which  he  engaged  in  Hver-mining  for  gold. 
Here  he  invested  h'"  savings  in  the  construction  of  flumes  and  dams, 
which  were  no  soo  ^r  completed  than  they  were  swept  away  by  a 
freshet.  Thus  the  p.  ject  in  which  his  earnings  and  energies  were  con- 
centrated was  suddenly  annihilated,  and  he  was  once  more  penniless. 
This  incident  broke  up  the  party.  By  the  aid  of  somefriends  Mr.  Monies 
was  enabled  to  take  the  contract  for  a  hotel,  and  in  a  few  mouths  elenred 
$1,100.  The  desire  to  see  his  wife  then  caused  him  to  turn  his  thoughts 
homesvard,  and  he  returned  to  Carbondale,  where  he  received  an  en- 
thusiastic welcome.  .  After  remaining  at  home  a  few  weeks  he 
went  back  to  California,  once  more  engaging  as  a  baker  on  the  steam- 
ship "Yankee  Blade."  In  these  two  adventures  occurred  the  greatest 
struggles  of  his  life,  but  he  rose  triumphant  above  all  adversities  and 
came  through  the  ordeal  unscathed.  On  reaching  California  the  second 
time  the  subject  of  our  sketch  started  a  bakery  and  boarding-house  in 
the  gold  region,  and  in  less  than  a  year  and  a  half  secured  a  handsome 


competency.  He  then  sold  out  his  busi- 
ness and  returned  to  Pennsylvania. 
When  he  reached  Carbont3aIe  he  en- 
gaged in  business,  and  had  considerable 
success.  The  spring  following  bis  re- 
turn he  was  elected  poormaster  of  the 
city,  and  three  years  later  he  went  into 
the  milling  business  at  Pi'ovidence— 
now  a  part  of  the  city  of  Scranton— with 
Joseph  Gillespie.  This  was  in  1858.  In 
1859  he  was  elected  burgess  of  the  bor- 
ough of  Providence,  and  in  1860,  feeling 
desirous  of  seeing  his  native  land,  he 
returned  to  Scotland  on  a  visit  to  the 
scenes  of  his  childhood.  After  a  short 
absence  he  returned  and  in  the  spring 
of  1862,  when  the  civil  war  was  raging, 
his  heart  beat  in  sympathy  with  the 
cause  of  the  Union,  and  he  organized  a 
company  in  less  than  three  days.  Has- 
tening to  Hari*lsburg,  he  was  appointed 
captain  of  Company  B  I3ath  Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers.  The  enlistment  was 
for  nine  months'  service,'  but  eleven 
months  elapsed  before  Captain  Monies's 
company  was  mustered  out,  after  hav- 
ing engaged  in  the  stormy  struggles  of 
Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  ChauccUors- 
ville  and  many  exciting  skirmishes.  He 
then  came  back  to  the  "  music  of  the 
mill."  The  war  still  raged,  and  the  life 
of  the  Republic  was  threatened.  Gover- 
nor Curtin  called  for  volunteers  to  de- 
fend the  State.  In  twenty-four  hours 
after  the  famous  proclamation  was 
issued  Captain  Monies  was  in  Harris- 
burg  with  13(j  men,  offering  his  sword 
and  his  services  once  more  to  his  coun- 
try. He  had  the  distinguished  honor  of 
being  the  first  to  respond  to  the  call  of 
the  war  governor.  The  morning  after 
his  arrival  at  the  State  capital  men 
began  to  pour  In  from  all  parts  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  by  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  governor  and  adjutant 
general  at  a  meeting  of  the  officers 
Captain  Monies  was  elected  colonel  of 
a  regiment.  The  regiment  was  at 
once  formed,  and  numbered  the  30th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  after- 
wards known  as  the  "Monies  Tigers."  At  the  skirmishes  of  Oyster 
Point  and  Carlisle  the  "Tigers"  rendered  effective  service,  for  which 
they  received  the  thanks  of  the  governor.  In  about  three  months  the 
emergency  that  called  the  regiment  into  existence  culminated  at  Gettys- 
burg, and  Colonel  Monies  returned  to  the  peaceful  pursuit  of  milling, 
which  he  carried  on  with  his  characteristic  energj\  In  1865  he  pur- 
chased the  bakery  of  Mr.  Charles  Schlager,  corner  of  Lackawanna  and 
Washington  avenues,  Scranton.  At  that  time  he  disposed  of  his  interest 
in  the  mill  to  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  John  B.  Gillespie,  and  formed  a  part> 
nership  in  the  baking  business  with  Mr.  Lewis  Pughe,  under  the  "firm 
name  Monies  &  Pughe,  which  still  exists. 

In  the  year  1860  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Scranton  for  three 
years,  an  honor  all  the  greater  considering  the  fact  that  he  was  a 
Republican  and  the  city  had  a  Democratic  majority  of  1,200.  He  served 
as  mayor  with  great  credit  during  one  of  the  most  trying  periods  of  the 
city's  history,  growing  out  of  the  labor  troubles.  Meanwhile  he  con- 
tinued his  business  and  engaaed  with  his  partner  and  others  in  the  pur- 
chase of  large  tracts  of  coal  lands,  realizing  handsome  profit  from  the 
investment.  In  1874  he  again  visited  his  native  couuti-y,  and  made  a 
tour  of  the  continent.  His  love  of  enterprise  had  previously  led  him, 
in  company  with  several  others,  into  the  purchase  of  a  foundry-  at  Pitts- 
ton,  which  has  grown  rapidly  and  at  this  writing  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  bestequipped  stove  foundries  in  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Monies  being 
president  of  the  company.  The  tlrm  Monies  &  Pughe  has  also  invested 
largely  in  silver  mines  in  the  celebrated  San  .Inan  country.  Colorado. 
Colonel  Monies  went  in  person  to  examine  and  locate  them.  The  trip 
was  made  in  company  with  Governor  Hoyt.of  Pennsjlvania,  and  others, 
and  several  members  of  the  party  were  severely  injured  by  the  upset- 
ting of  the  coach  and  the  running  away  of  the  horses  in  cros.sing  the 
mountains,  In  the  forty-years  fight  for  the  creation  of  the  new  county 
or  Lackawanna  from  a  portion  of  Luzernt*  Colonel  Monies  was  an  active 
participant  from  time  to  time,  and  when  the  new  county  act  wasfinally 
passed  he  wits  appointed  the  first  treasurer  of  the  countv.  His  manage- 
ment of  its  financial  affairs  was  signalized  bv  honesty  and  elhciency, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  oifice  his  accounts  with  the  State  department 
were  settled  to  the  cent.  Subsequentlv  he  was  nominated  for  the  same 
office  by  the  Republican  party,  and  elected  by  a  handsome  vote.  The 
Supreme  Court  of  the  State  decided  that  there  was  no  election  at  the 
time,  and  his  appointment  continued  over  the  term.  It  was  fortunate 
for  the  new  coimty  to  have  a  man  of  such  sterling  worth  for  its  first 
financial  office.  His  books  were  admirably  kept,  and  his  accounts  with 
Stateandcountyclosedsatisfactorily  onthelastday  of  his  term,  thus 
settmg  a  noblo  example  for  his  successors  in  office.  After  settling  up 
his  affairs  .as  treasurer  of  Lackawanna  county  he  took  an  extended  tour 
in  1880  through  Scotland,  England  and  Ireland,  and  his  impressions  of 
the  trip,  which  have  found  their  way  into  print,  are  decidedly  interests 
ing  and  original. 

Colonel  Monies  is  now  actively  engaged  in  pushing  forward  his 
numerous  business  enterprises.  He  is  well  known  and  highly  esteemed 
not  only  m  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  valleys  but  throughout 
Pennsylvania,  and  even  beyond  the  borders  of  the  keystone  State.  He 
is  regarded  by  hosts  of  friends  as  a  social,  pleasant  gentleman.  He  is 
In  the  fullest  sense  a  public-spirited,  representative  man,  who  has  won 
his  way  through  "iron  fortune"  to  a  position  of  competency  and 
esteem.  But  success  has  not  spoiled  him,  for  his  warm  heart  and 
generous  disposition  still  stamp  him  aa  one  of  Nature's  noblemen. 


Hh 


4. 


THE  FOUNDERS  OF  HYDE  PARK. 


393 


came  in  1819.  Just  below  lived  old  "  Squire  "  Joseph 
Fellows  and  his  sons  Benjamin  and  Henry.  Above  the 
tavern  or  the  right  hand  side  of  the  road,  about  half  way 
between  Jackson  and  Franklin  streets,  was  a  dwelling 
house;  the  Bishop  house  had  been  destroyed  by  fire. 
Farther  up  were  the  homes  of  Preserved  Taylor  and 
Holden  Tripp;  and  there  may  have  been  one  or  two 
other  families  in  the  neighborhood.  Shortly  after  this 
period  Philip  Heermans,  with  the  assent  of  his  brother- 
in-law  Joseph  Fellows,  who  resided  in  Albany,  laid  out 
a  few  lots  of  about  ten  acres  each,  which  measure  maybe 
said  to  have  marked  the-commencement  of  the  village. 
It  received  a  name  between  1825  and  1830.  Harvey 
Chase,  who  came  from  Hyde  Park,  Dutchess  county, 
N.  Y.,  lettered  the  name  "  Hyde  Park  "  on  aboard  and 
stuck  it  up  in  the  yard  of  one  of  the  neighbors,  from 
which  time  the  village  was  known  by  that  name. 

THE     POST-OFFICE EARLY    STORE. 

July  14th,  1832,  a  post-office  was  established  under  the 
now  well  known  name,  and  William  Merrifield  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster.  Previously  there  had  been  a  post- 
office  at  Slocum's,  on  the  Scranton  side  of  the  river,  but  it 
had  now  been  abandoned,  and  the  postmaster  was  directed 
to  receive  the  papers  and  key  to  the  mail  pouch  from 
Pittston.  The  appointment  was  resigned  shortly  after, 
and  Robert  Merrifield  was  commissioned,  under  date  of 
August  9th,  1832.  William  Merrifield  was  reappointed 
June  5th,  1834,  and  held  the  office  about  nine  years.  The 
first  store  was  erected  in  1833  by  William  Merrifield,  the 
old  building  yet  standing  on  Main  street  opposite  the 
Methodist  church.  The  Judge  Merrifield  residence  was 
built  about  the  same  time.  Prior  to  that  Charles  Atwater 
had  kept  a  few  goods  for  sale,  occupying  a  dwelling  house 
near  where  the  McKeever  block  now  stands;  but  practi- 
cally Merrifield's  was  the  pioneer  mercantile  establish- 
ment in  the  place.  The  second  store  was  built  by  David 
Benedict  about  1836,  where  the  McGarrah  block  now 
stands.  Here  he  conducted  business  for  a  year  or  two, 
when  he  moved  down  to  the  Fellows  corners.  There  he 
was  succeeded  by  William  Blackman  &  O.  P.  Clark. 
This  was  about  1840,  when  the  village  contained,  besides 
the  church  and  school-house,  two  stores,  two  taverns,  two 
blacksmith  and  wagon  shops,  a  cabinet  and  one  or  two 
shoemaking  establishments,  and  not  more  than  twenty 
dwellings. 

MEN    OF    ENTERPRISE. 

April  4th,  1833,  Calvin  Washburn  donated  the  land 
on  the  north  corner  of  Main  and  the  street  leading  to 
the  school  building,  where  was  built  the  first  meeting 
house.  It  was  generally  recognized  as  belonging  to  the 
"Christian  "  church,  but  other  denominations  were  per- 
mitted to  worship  in  it.  Rev.  Wm.  Lane,  a  noted  and 
able  "  Christian  "  preacher,  was  at  one  time  the  regular 
occupant  of  the  pulpit,  but  did  not  remain  longer  than 
two  years.  Rev.  William  K.  Mott  was  an  early  settler  in 
Hyde  Park,  and  preached  in  this  church  most  of  the 
time  during  its  occupancy. 


Dr.  Silas  B.  Robinson  at  first  settled  in  Hyde  Park, 
living  on  the  easterly  side  of  Main  street,  about  midway 
between  Troy  street  and  Lackawanna  avenue.  Here  he 
remained  about  ten  years,  when  he  moved  a  mile  and  a 
half  up  the  road  toward  Providence  village.  From  that 
time  there  was  no  resident  physician  until  Dr.  Pier  came 
in  1846. 

Charles  H.  Silkman,  subsequently  a  noted  lawyer  and 
politician,  came  about  1835,  and  shortly  after  married 
the  daughter  of  Holden  Tripp.  At  this  time  the  value 
of  the  coal  deposits  was  little  appreciated,  all  the  lands 
about  having  no  money  value  other  than  for  farming 
purposes.  Silkman  and  William  Merrifield  devoted  a 
great  deal  of  their  leisure  time,  by  correspondence  and 
otherwise,  towards  drawing  attention  to  the  great  wealth 
buried  underneath  the  valley,  and  the  advantages  existing 
at  and  near  this  section  for  manufacturing.  In  1838  Mr. 
Merrifield,  William  Ricketson  and  Zenas  Albro  became 
the  purchasers  of  the  site  of  the  iron  works  and  the 
largest  portion  of  Scranton  proper.  The  development  of 
this  property  by  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany, to  the  pioneers  of  which  it  was  sold  by  the  gentle- 
men named,  is  the  realization  of  their  hopes  for  the 
future  of  the  locality.  From  the  time  of  that  transaction 
Hyde  Park  improved  slowly;  but  it  was  not  until  the 
northern  division  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  was  commenced  that  the  village  in- 
creased in  size  and  population  with  much  rapidity. 
In  1850  William  Merrifield  and  B.  S.  Tripp,  who  owned 
adjoining  lands,  embracing  nearly  all  the  property  lying 
between  Main  and  Wyoming  streets  east  and  west  and 
Jackson  street  and  Lackawanna  avenue  north  and  south, 
laid  them  out  into  village  lots,  most  of  which  were  readily 
sold.  Mr.  Merrifield  prevailed  upon  his  brother-in-law, 
William  Swetland,  who  was  the  owner  of  the  Mount 
Pleasant  colliery  property,  to  lay  out  a  portion  of  the 
same  in  lots  in  1852,  from  which  time  the  growth  of  the 
place  has  been  steady  and  rapid.  Edmund  Heermans 
was  an  active  and  earnest  worker  for  the  benefit  of  Hyde 
Park;  he  it  was  that  induced  his  uncle  Joseph  Fellows 
to  plot  that  body  of  land  embracing  nearly  all  the  south- 
ern portion  of  the  town,  and  he  made  extensive  improve- 
ments which  had  a  tendency  to  facilitate  its  progress. 
Similar  measures  on  a  more  or  less  liberal  scale  were 
projected  by  W.  W.  Winton  at  a  later  date.  The  popu- 
lation of  Hyde  Park  is  made  up  partially  of  Ameri- 
cans, Irish  and  Germans,  but  mostly  of  Welsh;  indeed, 
the  latter  people  have  given  the  place  a  distinctive  char- 
acteristic. By  their  prudence,  exemplary  conduct  and 
general  intelligence  they  have  done  much  to  add  to  its 
welfare  and  prosperity. 

CIVIL    HISTORY. 

The  borough  of  Hyde  Park  was  incorporated  May  4th, 
1852.  Judge  William  Merrifield  was  the  first  burgess 
and  probably  served  two  years.  According  to  the  records 
of  the  borough  Josejih  Fellows  was  elected  to  that  posi- 
tion in  1854  and  re-elected  in  1855  and  1856.  His  suc- 
cessors have  been  as  follows:   1857,  William  Smith;   1858, 


y- 


<^ 


*^^ 


394 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Joseph  Fellows  2nd;  1859,  i860,  1864  74,  E.  Heermans; 
1861,  Joseph  T.  Fellows;  1875-79,  A.  B.  Stevens.  Owing 
to  unsettled  local  business  the  borough  organization  of 
Hyde  Park  is  continued,  though  the  territory  embraced 
within  its  limits  is  incorporated  with  the  city  of  Scranton. 
As  soon  as  the  outstanding  business  is  adjusted  borough 
elections  will  be  discontinued. 

The  following  named  persons  were  commissioned  as 
justices  of  the  peace  in  Hyde  Park  borough  from  the 
date  of  its  incorporation  to  that  of  its  inclusion  in  the 
city:  William  Pier,  1853;  William  P.  Stephens,  1854; 
Sheffield  Reynolds,  1857;  C.  H.  Wells,  1858;  Hirara 
Stark,  1862;  S.  Reynolds,  1863. 

THE   BOROUGH   OF   SCRANTON. 

The  beginning  and  growth  of  the  village  among  the 
hills  which  afterwards  became  known  as  the  borough  of 
Scranton  were  coincident  with  the  inception  and  pro- 
gress of  the  successive  enterprises  which  culminated  in 
the  formation  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany. At  the  time  Messrs.  Scrantons,  Grant  &  Co. 
began  their  initial  operations  at  the  Hollow  there  were 
only  five  dwellings,  a  cooper  shop,-  a  school-house,  a 
saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill  there.  These  and  the  debris  of 
the  old  forge  constituted  all  that  then  existed  of  the  sub- 
sequent important  borough  of  Scranton;  and  within  the 
present  city  limits  and  those  of  Dunmore  borough  there 
were  only  two  stores,  two  taverns  and  twenty-eight  dwel- 
lings. Gradually  after  the  iron  works  were  established 
there  sprung  into  existence  near  by  a  rude- row  of  houses 
on  either  side  of  an  equally  rough  and  unsightly  road- 
way extending  from  the  site  of  the  Adams  Avenue  Meth- 
odist church  to  the  entrance  of  the  railway  tunnel  near 
the  Lehigh  and  Susquehanna  depot;  which  from  the  fact, 
it  is  said,  that  the  women  living  along  it  often  appeared 
outside  their  doors  in  groups  all  clad  in  their  home-made 
petticoats,  each  of  which  was  very  like  all  the  others, 
which  with  only  one  other  garment  from  the  waist  to  the 
shoulders  completed,  so  far  as  was  observable,  the  cos- 
tume of  each,  came  to  be  called  "  Petticoat  Alley."  The 
course  of  this  early  street  was  nearly  coincident  with  a 
portion  of  that  of  the  present  Lackawanna  avenue. 

VILLAGE    NAMES THE    POST-OFFICE. 

The  village  had  a  population  of  loo  in  1840,  and  was 
laid  out  on  a  circumscribed  scale  in  1841  by  Captain 
Stott,  a  Carbondale  civil  engineer.  William  Henry, 
whose  sterling  perseverance  had  sowed  the  seeds  of 
progress  at  the  Hollow,  was  deeply  interested  in  the 
election  of  William  Henry  Harrison  to  the  presidency 
of  the  United  States,  and  in  honor  of  his  favorite  candi- 
date he  gave  the  embryo  city  the  name  of  Harrison  in 
1845,  at  which  time  the  population  was  500.  The  people 
were  not  ready  to  adopt  it  and  the  old  name  of  Slocum 
Hollow  still  clung  to  the  locality,  even  after  it  had  at- 
tained a  population  of  2,730  and  been  rechristened  in 
honor  of  its  active  founders  Scrantonia;  which  name 
likewise,  did  not  fit  nicely    to    the  lingual  capacities  of 


*iV 


the  denizens  of  the  Hollow,  although  it  had  been    given 
to  the  post-office  upon  its  re-establishment,  after  much 
difficulty  had  been    overcome,    April  ist,    1850.      The 
postmaster  was  Mr.  John  W.   Moore,  for  many  years  a 
merchant  and  now  a  retired  resident  of  Scranton.     Mr. 
J.  C.  Piatt  received  the  first  letter  and  the  first  newspaper 
through  the  office.     January  27th,  185 1,  the  name  of  the 
post-office  was  shortened  to  Scranton;  and  so  the  borough 
and  city  have  justly  been  known  since.     Postmasters  since 
Mr.  Moore  have  been  appointed  as  follows:  Joel  Amsden 
and  B.  H.  Throop,  1853;  L.  S.  Fuller,  1857;  D.  H.   Jay, 
1861;  William    H.    Pier,    1865;  James  S.    Slocum,   1869; 
J.   A.   Scranton,  1876.     The   post-office  was   opened  in 
1850  in  a  building  near  the  iron  works.     It  was   removed 
to  Amsden's  block  early  in  1853,  and  soon  afterward  to  a 
building  which  stood  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
tobacco  house  of  Messrs.   Clark   &    Snover.     In    1855  it 
was  removed  to  Fuller's  drug  store;  in  1857    to   the    cor- 
ner of  Wyoming  avenue  and  Center  street;  in  July  of  the 
same  year  to  Fuller's  drug  store;  in  1861  to  a  building  on 
the  site  of  the  First  National  Bank;  in  1864  to  a  building 
on  the  site  of  310  Lackawanna  avenue;  in   1865   to  the 
corner  of  Center  street  and  Penn  avenue;   and  in  1871  to 
its  present  location  on  Wyoming  avenue. 

GENERAL     PROGRESS. 

The  road  between  Scranton  and  Providence  is  one  of 
the  oldest  highways  within  the  city  limits.  It  formerly 
ran  by  way  of  the  Presbyterian  church  to  the  locality  of 
the  Forest  House  stables,  across  the  lower  outlet  of  the 
swamp,  diagonally  to  the  present  course  of  the  city 
streets.  Penn  avenue  was  cut  out  after  Lackawanna 
avenue  was  opened,  and  it  is  said  that  the  stumps  were 
visible  in  the  street  for  years.  Ten  years  after  the  first 
circumscribed  survey  of  the  village,  as  it  then  was,  by 
Captain  Stott,  another  and  a  more  extensive  survey 
(which  was  afterward  adopted  by  the  borough  authorities 
as  the  survey  of  the  borough)  was  made  by  Joel  Amsden, 
under  direction  of  Mr.  J.  C.  Piatt,  of  the  firm  of  Scran- 
tons &  Piatt,  proprietors  of  the  site  of  the  village,  in 
1850-51;  and  to  the  foresight  of  Mr.  Piatt  and  the  able 
judgment  of  Mr.  Amsden  must  credit  be  given  for  the 
width  and  regular  arrangement  of  the  streets.  The  first 
sale  of  lots  was  effected  in  the  fall  of  1851  to  Messrs. 
Grant,  Champin  &  Chase,  who  purchased  two  lots  on 
the  north  corner  of  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  avenues 
for  $2,000. 

The  first  brick  building  of  any  importance  erected  in 
Scranton  was  the  Wyoming  House,  which  was  justly  re- 
garded as  the  boldest  architectural  attempt  in  the  valley. 
Says  Mr.  Clark: 

"  The  spirit  of  the  Iron  and  Coal  Company  exhibited  its  daring-  and  its 
faith  in  the  future  of  the  young  city  when,  in  1850,  it  planted  in  the  for- 
est the  largest  hotel  outside  of  the  great  cities  of  that  day.  During  the 
same  year  Messrs.  Grant,  Champin  &  Chase  erected  a  brioli  structure 
on  the  corner  opposite,  now  used  as  a  wholesale  clothing  store  by 
Messrs.  Cramer  &  Goldsmith.  About  the  same  time  the  corner  below, 
now  linown  as  the  Coyne  House,  was  finished  by  Mr.  Lewis.  The  next 
buildmg  m  the  block  was  the  one  which  to-day  is  the  lowest  one  in  the 
row,  occupied  by  Jonas  Lauer  as  a  clothing  store.  Before  these  had 
been  built  Dr.  Throop  had  erected  a  small  house  in  the  pines,  on  the  lo- 
cation recently  occupied  by  Kent's  mai-ket.    Where  Doud's  hardware 


^¥ 


*T  7=*= 


<  = 


EARLY  STORES  AND  RESIDENCES  IN  SCRANTON— GREEN  RIDGE. 


395 


store  now  stands  tbere  commenced  a  row  of  one-story  frame  houses, 
extending  up  nearly  to  the  residence  of  Colonel  George  W.  Scranton, 
now  occupied  by  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  G.  A.  Fuller." 

The  Amsden  block,  as  the  wooden  structure  at  the 
corner  of  Lackawanna  and  Washington  avenues  came  to 
be  known  afterwards,  was  erected  in  1851  and  1852,  and 
occupied  during  the  latter  year,  the  rear  portion  as  a 
dwelling  by  Joel  Amsden,  the  proprietor,  and  three 
small  stores  in  front  by  lessees.  In  the  corner  store  was 
opened  in  1853  the  first  book-store  in  Scranton,  by  Mr. 
Amsden  and  Dr.  Leavitt.  The  adjoining  building  up 
the  street  was  erected  a  little  later  by  Jacob  Lehman, 
who  lived  in  the  back  part  and  rented  the  front  as  a  gro- 
cery. The  other  structures  now  constituting  the  row 
were  built  soon  afterwards.  The  pioneer  drug  store  was 
erected  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Throop,  where  Clark  &  Snover's 
tobacco  establishment  now  stands.  The  store  was  kept 
a  short  time  by  Doctors  Throop  and  Sherrerd,  and  was 
sold  to  Messrs.  L.  S.  &  E.  C.  Fuller,  who  are  well-known 
dealers  in  the  same  line  to-day.  The  next  year  after  the 
erection  of  the  Wyoming  House  Simon  Jones  put  up  in 
the  woods  the  first  house  on  Penn  avenue,  at  the  corner 
of  Spruce  street.  The  pioneer  on  Mifflin  avenue  was 
Mr.  Dotterer,  and  on  one  occasion,  when  the  woods  in 
that  locality  were  burning,  the  people  had  to  turn  out  and 
fight  the  fire  in  order  to  save  his  house  from  destruction. 
W.  N.  Jenks's  gothic  cottage  at  the  corner  of  Wyoming 
avenue  and  Spruce  street  was  built  in  1854.  A  brick 
store  was  opened  at  the  corner  of  Lackawanna  and  Wash- 
ington avenues  by  Charles  Schlager,  January  9th,  1856. 
July  nth,  1857,  J.  C.  Piatt's  house,  on  Ridge  row  and 
Jefferson  avenue,  was  completed  and  occupied,  two  days 
after  that  of  C.  F.  Mattes  on  Jefferson  avenue.  The  res- 
idence of  W.  W.  Manness,  on  the  same  avenue,  was  com- 
pleted and  occupied  December  4th,  1856.  Mr.  Manness's 
was  the  first,  and  Mr.  Mattes's  the  second  family  on  that 
street.  The  residence  of  James  Archbald,  on  Ridge  row, 
was  occupied  August  8th,  1857.  A  building  known  as 
Tewksbury's  brick  block  was  erected  in  1857  at  the  south 
corner  of  Lackawanna  and  Adams  avenues.  The  resi- 
dence of  Joseph  Slocum  was  built  in  1859.  These  resi- 
dences have  been  mentioned  because  they  were  the  first 
in  their  respective  localities,  or  are  entitled  to  attention 
on  account  of  their  cost  and  elegance.  The  residence  of 
the  late  Joseph  H.  Scranton  was  erected  in  1867  and  1868. 

GREEN    RIDGE. 

The  residence  of  Elisha  Hitchcock  in  1840,  and  for 
some  years  afterward,  was  at  what  is  now  the  east  corner 
of  Monroe  avenue  and  Linden  street,  on  the  old  road  to 
Dunmore.  To  Hon. George  Sanderson  is  due  much  credit 
for  opening  a  not  inconsiderable  portion  of  the  present 
city.  Mr.  Sanderson,  while  in  the  Senate  of  1853,  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Colonel  George  W.  Scranton,  at 
whose  solicitation  he  visited  Scranton  for  the  first  time 
in  1854,  and  again  in  1855;  and  in  April  of  that  year  he 
bought  the  Hitchcock  farm,  of  about  220  acres.  He 
gave  $65,000,  and  sold  an  undivided  half  a  few  weeks 
later  for  that  sum.     In  1856  he  became  a  permanent  res- 


ident. He  began  to  lay  out  streets,  and  opened  Wash- 
ington, Adams  and  Wyoming  avenues  from  Spruce  street 
to  Vine.  This  part  of  Scranton  is  one  of  the  wealthiest 
in  the  city  in  aggregated  capital,  is  marked  by  many  fine 
residences,  and  is  known  locally  as  Sanderson's  Hill. 
Here  he  erected  for  his  own  use  the  residence  now  owned 
by  James  Blair,  and  near  by  several  others,  and  he  do- 
nated for  the  public  use  the  lots  on  which  the  central 
school  building  stands.  He  next  purchased  that  portion 
of  the  city  now  known  as  Green  Ridge,  and  surveyed  it 
into  large  lots  suitable  for  sites  for  costly  residences,  and 
it  has  become  one  of  the  most  attractive  parts  of  the 
city. 

Two  well-known  natural  features  of  the  city  topogra- 
phy have  disappeared.  Reference  is  made  to  the  "lily 
~pond"  or  swamp  in  the  centre  of  Scranton,  surrounded 
by  Spruce  street,  Wyoming  avenue,  Linden  street  and 
Adams  avenue,  and  the  rock  which  reared  itself  some 
twelve  or  fifteen  feet  at  the  intersection  of  Jefferson  and 
Lackawanna  avenues  and  Ridge  row.  Adams  avenue 
was  graded  across  the  swamp  early  in  the  summer  of  1857 
and  was  then  first  passable  there.  In  January,  1858,  the 
work  of  grading  Washington  avenue  across  the  swamp 
was  begun.  A  large  portion  of  the  swamp  has  since 
been  graded  up  to  a  level  with  the  surrounding  land,  by 
the  use  of  ashes  and  other  refuse  from  the  iron  rolling- 
mill,  conveyed  to  the  locality  by  a  tunnel  cut  through  a 
vein  of  coal  for  that  purpose,  which  terminated  at  the 
corner  of  Bank  and  Linden  streets,  and  which,  having 
served  its  purpose,  is  now  (1880)  being  closed.  The  gra- 
ding of  the  rock  was  begun  June  24th,  1861,  by  the  uni- 
ted efforts  of  the  borough  authorities,  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company  and  the  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  As- 
sociation. The  work  was  continued  from  time  to  time 
until  February  5th,  1867,  when  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company  removed  the  last  of  the  rock,  which 
had  filled  nearly  all  of  the  triangle  formed  by  the  junc- 
tion of  the  three  streets  mentioned.  Much  of  the  rock 
was  used  by  the  city  authorities  in  grading  and  in  other- 
wise improving  portions  of  the  city.  The  grading  of 
Ridge  row  by  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  Company  was  finished  August  10th,  1861,  the 
rock  being  used  as  ballast.  The  grading  of  Bank  street 
was  begun  December  4th,  1857.  Linden  street  was 
staked  out  from  Madison  to  Monroe  avenue  in  April, 
1858.  The  next  year  the  first  bridge  over  Roaring 
brook  and  one  over  the  tail  race  of  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company's  foundry  were  built,  affording 
communication  between  the  center  of  the  borough  and 
Slocum  Flats  by  way  of  Washington  avenue.  Later, 
bridge  communication  between  Scranton  and  Hyde  Park 
was  established. 

BUSINESS    MEN    OF    SCRANTON    BOROUGH. 

Early  in  December,  1852,  the  following  named  firms 
and  individuals  had  stores  in  Scranton;  Scrantons  & 
Piatt,  near  the  blast  furnaces;  Champin  &  Chase,  Lack- 
awanna and  Washington  avenues;  Hawley  &  Barton, 
where  No.  505  Lackawanna  avenue  now  is;  T.  F.  Hunt, 


<^ 


^ 


^N 


396 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


(JH^-t  opened)  on  Lackawanna  avenue;    Diirfee,  late 

Diirfee  &  Wel;;h,  on  the  Flats;  S.  W.  Thompson  (t)<en 
closing  out  his  stock  at  auction),  south  of  Roaring  brook; 
George  Washington,  clothing,  site  of  504  Lackawanna 
avenue;  W.  G.  Doud,  hardware,  site  of  509  Lackawanna 
avenue;  Peckens  and  a  partner,  whose  name  is  believed 
10  have  been  Phillips,  Penu  avenue  and  Vine  street;  Dr. 
]>.  H.  Throop,  drugs,  Lackawanna  avenue  and  Mattes 
street,  near  what  is  now  (t88o)  the  south  corner  of  Lack- 
awanna and  Adams  avenues;  Dr.  Sherrerd,  drugs,  Lack- 
awanna and  Washington  avenues;  and  five  or  six  insig- 
nificant groceries.  At  the  same  time  the  following  med- 
ical men  were  located  in  the  village:  Drs.  B.  H.  Throop, 
W.  H.  Pier,  J.  E.  Leavett,  C.  Gorman,  George  W.  Masser, 
and  a  German,  lately  from  Wisconsin;  and  T.  J.  Folsom 
and Pierce,  dentists. 

The  razing  of  Dr.  Sherreril's  drug  store,  above  men- 
tioned, a  three-story  brick  building  at  the  corner  of  Lack- 
awanna and  Washington  avenues,  early  in  1880,  for  the 
l)urpose  of  replacing  it  with  one  better  adapted  for  mer- 
cantile use,  suggested  the  following  reminiscences,  which 
appeared  in  the  Da/Iy  Republican  of  March  9th,  1S80: 

"  It  was  the  third  brick  building  erected  on  Lacka- 
wanna avenue,  the  Wyoming  House  and  the  store  opposite 
it  on  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  avenues  being  the  two 
Rrst.  The  building,  originally  a  drug  store  and  dwelling, 
was  an  enterprise  of  Dr.  John  B.  Sherrerd;  was  occupied 
by  him  until  his  death,  and  still  belongs  to  his  heirs.  It 
was  built  in  1851  and  1852.  *  *  *  In  its  third  story, 
now  crumbling  under  the  destroying  hand  of  the  artisan, 
was  the  first  select  school  of  the  then  scattered  village, 
and  from  its  second  story  for  years  hung  the  banner  of 
our  first  daguerrean.  *  *  *  In  its  day  it  was  a  pre- 
tentious structure,  and  even  at  this  time,  in  its  exterior 
appearance,  compares  favorably  with  all  but  the  most 
modern  fronts  on  the  avenue." 

The  following  business  directory  is  said  to  include  the 

names  of  all  those  engaged  in  business  in  the  borough 

in  1857: 

lAtffUmwnwa  Iron  ami  Goal  C'tmiiauij's  it^fTwitds  and  principal  ewphines: 
Selden  T.  Scran  ton,  president;  Joseph  H.  Scranton,  general  superintend- 
ent; James  Hunter  Piiinney,  secretary;  J.  C.  Piatt,  real  estate  agent;  C. 
G.Saxon,  booklieeper;  E.  P.  King*sl)ury,  casliier;  C.  F.  Mattes,  superin- 
tendent of  .furnaces;  J.  M.  Davis,  time  lieeper  of  furnaces;  W.  H.  Piatt, 
time  keeper  of  rolfine:  mill;  Simon  Jones,  foreman  of  foundry;  Abner 
Tisdel,  machinist;  David  Majoi-,  boiler  malier;  G.  S.  Schott,  bookkeeper; 
B.  F.  Henry  and  John  Ward,  carpenters;  John  Bawin,  blacksmith;  Dan- 
iel Williams,  heater  in  rolling:  mills;  A.  H.  Coursen,  clerk;  Charles  Fuller, 
general  time  keeper.  QlUciahi  and  ]niiicipal  cmphitjcs  nf  the  Delau^arc, 
Xiachawanna  and  Western  Railnxtd  :  John  Brisbin,  superintendent ; 
James  Archbald,  general  agent;  William  N.  Jenks,  general  ticket  agent; 
R.  A.  Henr.v,  general  freight  agent ;  James  J.  Albright,  general  coal 
agent;  F.  J.  Leavenworth,  paymaster;  Watts  Cook,  master  mechanic ; 
H.  L.  Marvine,  manager  of  machine  shops;  John  Grier,  engineer  of  ma- 
chine shops;  A.  Frothingham,  extra  conductor;  J.  Anisden,  resident 
engineer;  A.  W.  Rogers  and  G.  H.  Wilson,  superiutendent  and  conduc- 
tor Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg  Railroad.  Scrantnn  Bitller  and  Ma- 
chine Shop  ;  Dickson  &  Co.,  C.  T.  Paison.  Planinu  Mill  a/id  Car  Faetnn/: 
R.  A.  Oakford,  E.  H.  Kerlin  and  B.  Goodshall.  1-hitcU :  Wyoming 
House,  S.  Bristol  proprietor;  Mansion  House.  J.  W.  Humphrey;  Eagle 
Hotel,  F.  Lecher;  Franklin  Hotel,  F.  Weichel;  Washington  Hotel,  A. 
Fasold.  Attornem :  Lathrope  &  Jones,  E.  N.  Willard,  Daniel  Rankin 
(Providence).  P/i//sic/an«;  William  E.  Rogers,  George  AV.  Masser,  A.  P. 
Jleylert,  R.  A.  Squire,  J.  Sullivan.  Dcntintn:  W.  A.  Chittenden,  P.  C. 
Morgan.  Dri((/(/is(.i:  L.  S.  &  E.  C.  Fuller,  George  B.  Boyd.  Real  estate 
dealers:  George  Sanderson,  Lathrope  &  Jones,  Michael  Meylert,  Richard 
Drinker.  Banken :  Mason,  Meylert  &  Co.,  George  Sanderson  &  Co. 
(James  C.  Wright  clerk).    Decderii  in  drij  durjrte  and  grimerlca:  Doubleday 


&  Dunham,  Hawley  &  Barton,  Lewis  Lewis,  L  Scott,  W.  0.  Kiser,  Phln- 
ney  &  Sehott,  Joseph  Chase,  A.  C.  Fetherman,  J.  W.  Brock.  Birney  & 
Co.,  M.  M.  Grady.  Dcalern  in  Im/rdimre.  <te.:  Hunt  Brothers,  C.  H.  &  W. 
G.  Doud.  aintUers  and  merchant  taOms :  D.  Morris  &  Co.,  P.  Shively, 
David  Bashore,  P.  Gangelhofl  &  Co.,  Barbe  &  Aub.  iiguor  dealers:  J.  T. 
Braoos,  J.  J.  Postens.  Limry  and  exchange :  A.  Kenner,  C.  S.  Niver. 
nuhhrrs:  J.  Jiffkins  &  Son,  J.  Imberry.  Carpenters  and  huilders:  A.  B. 
and  Daniel  Silkman.  .laeob  Bryant,  Samuel  Shopland,  Joseph 
L.  Powell.  Barhcm:  C.  W.  Rossler,  S.  Mason;.  Justices  nf  the  Peace: 
Henry  W.  Derby,  M.  L.  Newman.  Saloon  keepers :  Charles 
Sohur,  Peter  Bloom.  FitrnUm-e  dealers:  A.  Corson,  D.  C.  Har- 
rington &  Co.  ymeellanerna:  U,  D.  Engle,  jeweler ;  Dana  L.  Scott,  boot 
and  shoe  dealer ;  Charles  Schlager,  baker  and  grocer;  Joseph  Fellows 
2nd,  agent  for  L.  S.  R.  R.  and  dealer  in  coal ;  J.  Robinson,  brewer;  G.  H. 
Walter,  stationer  ;  A.  W.  Gunster,  cabinet  maker;  J.  Harrington,  un- 
dertaker; J.  A.  Moss  &  Brother,  dealers  in  leather  and  provisions; 
George  Cone  &  Co.,  dealers  in  flour  and  provisions;  W.  J.  Walker, 
tobacconist ;  Charles  A.  Paine,  oyster  and  vegetable  market ;  Adams  & 
Davis,  publishers  of  the  Herald  nf  the  Untnn.  Gas  and  Water  Company: 
J.  H.  Scranton,  president;  C.  D.  Rockwell,  superintendent;  George 
Sanderson,  treasurer ;  Edward  Kingsbury,  secretary. 

The  population  of  the  borough  at  this  date  was  10,000; 

the  number  of  taxable  inhabitants  was  2,200. 

CIVIL    HISTORY    OF    SCRANTON    BOROUGH. 

Scranton  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  February 
14th,  1856,  The  first  council,  organized  on  the  evening 
of  March  27th,  1856,  at  the  house  of  D.  K.  Kressler, 
consisted  of  James  Harrington,  J.  C.  Piatt,  John  Hince- 
helser,  D.  K.  Kressler  and  William  W.  Ward.  The  suc- 
cessive burgesses  were  elected  as  follows:  Joseph  Slocum, 
1856;  George  Sanderson,  1857,  1864;  George  W.  Scran- 
ton, 1858;  William  H.  Pier,  1859;  L.  S.  Fuller,  1861; 
Frederick  Simons,  1862;  Adam  L.  Horn,  1863;  James 
r.uthven,  1865;  J.  W.  Gregory,  1866.  The  latter  was 
re-elected  in  1867  and  served  one  year,  as  the  borough 
council  existed  about  two  years  after  the  incorporation 
of  the  city.  The  last  council  consisted  of  William 
Stein,  Joseph  Godfrey,  Philip  Weichel,  James  Mullin 
and  John  Zeidler. 

The  following  persons  were  commissioned  justices  of 
the  peace  in  Scranton  borough:  1856,  1861,  1866,  Benja- 
min Jay;  1856,  Martin  L.  Newman;  i860,  Richard  A- 
Oakford;  1863,  Henry  Wilbur;  1864,  P.  J.  Coyne;  1859, 
1864,  Thomas  J.  Walsh;  1859,  Matthias  Gaines;  1861, 
James  Mullin;  1866,  Thomas  D.  Kelley;  1864,  Matthias 
Gehen;   1865,  Samuel  Dolph. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  hisotry  of  Providence  town- 
ship four  election  polls  were  opened  October  nth,  1853, 
the  voting  places  being  Scranton,  Providence,  Hyde 
Park  and  Dunmore.  The  elections  at  Providence  were 
borough  elections.  Scranton  and  Dunmore  were  the 
voting  places  for  what  at  that  time  remained  of  Provi- 
dence township.  Some  of  the  voters  in  the  north-'-estern 
part  of  the  township  came  through  Hyde  Park  to  the 
polling  place  at  Scranton,  where  255  ballots  were  depos- 
ited. March  i6th,  1855,  the  Providence  township  elec- 
tion was  held  at  the  Scranton  House,  kept  by  David  K. 
Kressler.  and  the  total  roll  of  the  township,  exclusive  of 
the  boroughs  of  Providence  and  Hyde  Park,  was  165. 
March  27th,  1856,  the  first  borough  election  of  the  newly 
incorporated  borough  of  Scranton  was  held  at  Kressler's. 
May  1 2th  following  the  first  borough  assessment  roll  was 
presented  to  the  council,  and  exhibited  an  assessed  val- 
uation of  $453,280.     The   total  vote   in    the   borough  at 


^¥ 


^ 


^h 


=-^5 


HOTELS  OF  SCRANTON— BEGINNINGS  AT  DUNMORE. 


397 


the  presidential  election   held  November  4th  that  year 
was  951. 

The  borough  council  contracted  for  two  lots  on  the 
corner  of  Adams  avenue  and  Mechanics'  street  (since 
closed),  and  early  in  1857  had  a  building  erected  thereon 
the  first  floor  of  which  was  used  as  a  lock-up,  the  office 
and  council  room  being  above,  where  the  council  met 
for  the  first  time  February  2nd,  1857.  The  first  prisoner 
was  confined  in  the  lock-up  January  21st  preceding. 
February  10th  the  building  was  burned,  as  was  supposed 
from  some  defect  in  the  stove  or  stove-pipe,  and  Freder- 
ick Hurd,  an  occupant  of  the  lock-up,  perished. 


The  first  store  and  offices  of  the  iron  company  were 
in  a  building  which  they  erected  near  the  first  furnace 
in  1841,  and  which  also  served  as  a  dwelling  for  Sanford 
Grant  and  his  family.  This  was  abandoned  in  1845, 
after  the  erection  of  larger  and  more  convenient  quarters, 
and  was  occupied  as  a  hotel  and  boarding  house  by 
Joseph  Snyder  until  1848,  under  the  name  of  the  "Home.'.' 
This  was  the  first  public  house  in  the  borough  of  Scran- 
ton.  David  K.  Kressler  took  possession  of  the  building 
in  1848,  named  it  the  Scranton  House  and  kept  it  open 
as  a  hotel  until  the  autumn  of  1856,  when  it  was  torn 
down  by  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company.  The 
work  of  destruction  was  begun  September  •22nd  of  that 
year  and  Mr.  Kressler  vacated  the  building  October 
i8th. 

The  Forest  House,  so  named  early  in  its  history  from 
its  then  sylvan  environments,  was  erected  by  a  Mr. 
Sprague,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  was  in  use  for  a  time  as 
a  boarding  house.  It  was  opened  as  a  hotel  by  Joseph 
Godfrey  and  managed  by  him  until  1866,  when  he  sold 
out  to  Spencer  J.  Reed,  from  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  who 
has  been  succeeded  by  the  present  proprietor,  Mr.  U.  G. 
Schoonmaker.  An  engraving  of  this  hotel  appears  here- 
with. 


A      *.      ^     l«i  i    l*(  I*   |if  r 
r-i     jTlBUSC       l-OPCs-ri' 

J       H      !l      I    r       L  r 


iV 


The  Wyoming  House  was  built  in  1850.  J.  C.  Bur- 
gess, who  died  in  October,  1879,  became  the  owner  of 
the  house,  and  under  various  managers  it  has  ever  been 
popular.     The  present  proprietor  is  Mr.  J.  B.  Stark. 


The  St.  Charles  House  was  erected  by  Miller  &  Cliff, 
and  opened  July  4th,  1859,  by  David  D.  Kressler,  the 
former  landlord  at  the  Scranton  House.  In  1868  it  was 
purchase  by  D.  B.  Brainard,  an  early  employe  of  the 
Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  who  is  the  present 
proprietor. 

The  Lackawanna  Valley  House  was  built  by  Jacob 
Robinson  in  1867,  and  was  opened  by  E.  B.  Burnham. 
It  has  several  times  changed  hands  and  is  now  managed 
successfully  by  I.  Eugene  Whipple. 

The  Susquehanna  House  is  of  comparatively  recent 
date,  having  been  opened  as  a  hotel  a  few  years  ago  in  a 
reconstructed  mercantile  block.  The  present  proprietor 
is  Oscar  Carpenter.  The  Scranton  House  was  erected  a 
few  years  ago  by  L.  Koch  and  subsequently  sold  to  Vic- 
tor Koch. 

There  are  other  public  houses  of  more  or  less  prom- 
inence, but  those  mentioned  are  the  most  popular  and 
most  liberally  patronized. 

DUNMORE  BOROUGH. 

The  settlement  of  William  Allsworth  on  the  site  of  this 
now  flourishing  borough  has  been  adverted  to.  His  rude 
cabin,  brush-roofed  and  its  bar-room  "  fortified  with  long 
pickets  extending  to  the  ceiling,"  stood  upon  the  spot 
now  occupied  by  the  brick  store  of  John  D.  Boyle.  In 
after  years  it  came  to  be  known  as  "  the  old  tavern." 
Allsworth  was  succeeded  as  landlord  in  turn  by  Philip 
Swartz,  Isaac  Dolph,  J.  D.  Bloom,  Henry  W.  Drinker 
and  Samuel  De  Puy. 

EARLY     EVENTS    IN    DUNMORE. 

It  is  conceded  that  to  no  one  person  is  the  early  im- 
provement of  Dunmore  due  more  than  to  Hon.  John  B. 
Smith,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  Up  to  1847 
or  1848  Dunmore  consisted  of  but  four  houses.  The 
place  had  been  named  about  the  time  of  the  construction 
of  the  Drinker  turnpike,  by  Henry  W.  Drinker,  who  ac- 
quired the  ownership  of  much  of  the  land  within  the 
limits  of  the  present  borough. 

John  Allsworth  and  Philip  Swartz  came  in  1816. 
Among  other  early  settlers  were  Edward  Lunnun,  John 
West,  Isaac  and  Charles  Dolph,  Levi  De  Puy  and  James 
Brown. 

The  oldest  native  resident  of  the  Lackawanna  valley  is 
Allen  Secor,  son  of  John  Secor,who  wa.=  born  in  Blakeley, 
iibout  two  miles  from  Dunmore,  in  March,  1804,  and  now 
lives  in  Dunmore.  He  has  spent  his  whole  life  in  this 
valley.  He  helped  to  erect  the  first  log  house  in  Carbon- 
dale,  and  he  ran  the  last  raft  that  descended  the  Lacka- 
wanna. 

About  1820  a  store  was  opened  at  "the  Corners,"  as 
the  locality  came  to  be  called,  under  the  impulse  given 
to  the  section  by  the  Drinker  turnpike  project.  It  was  a 
small  affair.  The  pioneer  wagon  maker  and  repairer  was 
James  Yates;  Joseph  Tanner  was  the  first  blacksmith. 
The  first  store  of  any  pretensions  was  opened  in  1845  by 
C.  W.  Potter.      It  was  occupied  by  Atwater  &  Swartz 


=41 


^h 


4U 


398 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


from  1848  to  1853;  then  by  Ward  &  Swartz  till  1870, 
since  when  Daniel  Swartz  has  been  sole  proprietor. 
About  1853  J.  D.  Boyle  erected  his  brick  store  on  the 
ground  formerly  occupied  by  the  pioneer  tavern,  and  he 
has  since  traded  there.  Two  saw-mills  were  in  operation 
in  1857,  owned  by  Daniel  Swartz  and  E.Spencer  re- 
spectively. 

POST-OFFICE    AND    SCHOOLS. 

The  post-office  at  Dunmore  was  established  in  1848. 
G.  P.  Howell  was  the  first  postmaster  and  soon  resigned 
in  favor  of  Daniel  Swartz,  who  served  until  1853.  The 
succeeding  incumbents  have  been,  in  the  order  named, 
Francis  Quick,  N.  Sommes,  George  Black,  S.  W.  Ward, 
N.  Sommers  and  D.  W.  Himrod. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1825,  and  though 
rude  and  small  was  ample.  It  was  also  used  occasionally 
for  church  purposes.  With  the  influx  of  population 
educational  facilities  have  kept  pace.  There  are  now 
seven  school-houses  in  the  borough  and  a  large  number 
of  scholars  are  accommodated. 

CIVIL    HISTORY. 

Dunmore  borough  was  incorporated  April  loth,  1862, 
from  portions  of  I'rovidence  township  and  Scranton 
borough. 

The  following  justices  of  the  peace  for  Dunmore  have 
been  elected  in  the  years  specified:  Edward  Loughlin, 
1865;  N.  W.  Warner,  1867,  1872,  1877;  Anthony  Horan, 
1870;   David  McDonnell,  1875. 

The  burgesses  have  been  as  follows:  1863,  1864,  Cal- 
vin Spencer;  1865,  G.  W.  Simpson;  1866,  R.  P.  Savage; 
1867,  Anthony  McDonnell;  1868,  1872,  Peter  Burschel; 
1869,  1871,  Anthony  McDonnell;  1870,  N.  W.  Warner; 
1873,  Thomas  Cawley;  1874,  Lewis  Minnich;  1875, 
Thomas  Widdowfield;  1876,  D.  P.  Barton;  1877,  Owen 
Flynn;   1878-80,  F.  D.  Chambers. 


THE  CITY  OF  SCRANTON. 


Following  the  consideration  of  the  boroughs  of  Provi- 
dence, Scranton,  Hyde  Park  and  Dunmore  naturally  is 
that  of  the  city  of  Scranton,  the  limits  of  which  embrace 
all  of  the  first,  second  and  third,  and  a  portion  of  the 
latter  as  formerly  bounded. 

To  the  courtesy  of  Hon.  Lewis  Pughe,  president  of  the 
board  of  trade,  we  are  indebted  for  much  of  the  following 
descriptive  and  statistical  matter: 

The  city  of  Scranton  occupies  a  succession  of  hills  and 
eminences,  the  most  important  of  which  is  Hyde  Park 
hill,  from  which  a  magnificent  view  of  the  place  and  sur- 
rounding scenery  may  be  obtained.  The  rapid  strides 
in  population,  wealth  and  in  permanent  prosperity  of 
Scranton  have  heretofore  attracted  attention.  Situated 
upon  the  highlands  of  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
northern    anthracite   coal    field,    and    within   about    one 


hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  New  York,  and  nearly  the 
same  distance  from  Philadelphia,  Scranton  is  admirably 
located  to  command  an  influence  and  growth  larger  than 
it  has  yet  experienced.  The  city  is  surrounded  by  small 
towns  of  from  1.500  to  .4,000  inhabitants,  £ind  Scranton 
is  the  natural  center  of  trade  and  travel.  Underlying 
the  whole  section  is  what  is  known  as  the  northern  an- 
thracite coal  field,  comprising  198  square  miles,  or  126,- 
720  acres  of  this  valuable  deposit,  which  is  variously  esti- 
mated to  contain  from  50,000  to  100,000  tons  to  the  acre. 
These  enormous  figures  are  conclusive  evidence  of  the 
stability  and  development  of  the  future,  as  this  great  re- 
source appears  to  be  almost  inexhaustible.  With  the 
advantage  of  from  thirty  to  fifty  feet  of  solid  coal,  which 
all  the  industries  and  the  households  of  the  world  de- 
mand, it  is  difficult  to  predict  any  limit  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  locality.  The  process  of  mining  or  producing 
coal  is  carried  on  at  a  rate  of  which  the  general  public 
have  little  conception.  From  25,000  to  35,000  tons  are 
daily  shipped  by  the  different  carrying  companies  that 
center  here. 

•  According  to  the  latest  published  commercial  reports, 
there  are  989  business  establishments  in  the  city,  where 
are  sold  nearly  every  variety  of  articles  for  the  use  of  the 
people  of  this  section.  The  mercantile  buildings  are 
fine  structures,  and  the  operations  of  trade,  particularly 
in  the  leading  dry  goods  houses,  are  conducted  upon  the 
most  approved  plan. 

The  population  of  Scranton  borough  in  1853  was  3,000; 
in  i860,  9,223;  in  1870  the  population  of  the  city  was 
35,092;  in  1880,  45,925.  The  unprecedented  and  unre- 
peated  advance  in  population  between  i860  and  1870 
was  due  to  the  incorporation  of  Providence  and  Hyde 
Park  and  a  portion  of  Dunmore  with  Scranton;  and  the 
figures  of  a  later  date  indicate  the  population  of  the  three 
former  boroughs  combined,  together  with  that  of  such 
other  territory  as  was  included  within  the  city  limits. 
Mr.  W.  W.  Winton  has  contributed  considerably  to  the 
extension  of  the  populous  portions  of  the  city  by  his  ad- 
ditions to  Scranton,  Hyde  Park  and  Providence. 

The  Scranton  Board  of  Trade. 

The  organization  of  the  Scranton  Board  of  Trade  was 
completed  December  12th,  1867,  the  following  firms 
through  their  representatives  signing  as  charter  members: 
D.  B.  Oakes  &  Co.,  J.  Phillips  &  Co.,  Monies  &  Pughe, 
Fisher,  Sutphin  &  Co.,  F,  J.  Fisher  &  Co.,  Cone  &  Lent, 
Phelps  &  Chase,  David  Patterson,  Dale  &  Keene  and 
George  Coray  &  Co.  An  election  held  the  first  Tuesday 
in  January,  1868,  resulted  in  the  choice  of  the  following 
named  officers  and  directors:  Elisha  Phinney,  president; 
George  Coray,  vice-president;  Lewis  Pughe,  secretary; 
D.  Cone,  treasurer;  directors — M.  Dale,  T.  J.  Fisher,  D. 
Patterson,  George  Fisher,  Lewis  Pughe  and  J.  C.  Phelps. 
The  board  was  incorporated  February  4th,  1871.  The 
annual  income  from  estate  held  by  the  corporation  was 
limited  to  $10,000. 

Up  to  the  date  of  the  first  annual  election  under  the 
act  of  incorporation  the  following  members  of  the  board 


^^ 


^^^x< 


rwi  :>.i:.Halis.i'ina  ji  a.^r.^j,  s:  It : 


<^ 


SCRANTON  BOARD  OF  TRADE— CHARITABLE   INSTITUTIONS. 


399 


had  served  as  president:  Elisha  Phinney,  1863,  1869; 
Lewis  Pughe,  1870,  1871  ;  secretaries — Lewis  Pughe, 
1868;  F.   L.    Hitchcock,  i86g;  Walter  W.  Winton,  1870; 

F.  L.  Hitchcock,  1871.  January  ist,  1872,  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  George  Fisher,  president;  T.  F. 
Hunt,  vice-president;  F.  L.  Hitchcock,  secretary;  G.  A. 
Fuller,  treasurer.  The  successive  presidents  since  that 
time  have  been:  George  Fisher,   re-elected,  1873,  1874; 

G.  A.  Fuller,  1875,  1876;  Lewis  Pughe,  1877-80.  F.  L. 
Hitchcock  was  re-elected  secretary  in  1873.  His  suc- 
cessors have  been  as  follows:  H.  A.  Vail,  1874;  E. 
L.  Fuller,  1875;  A.  D.  Holland,  1876-78  (resigning  in 
March  of  the  latter  year);  I.   F.  Fuller,  1878,  1879;  John 

B.  Owens,  1880.  The  officers  not  mentioned  above, 
elected  for  1880,  were:  Vice-president,  R.  W.  Luce; 
treasurer,  A.  W.  Dickson  ;  assistant  secretary,  J.  M. 
Hunt.  Messrs.  G.  A.  Fuller,  William  H.  Perkins  and 
William  Conn  ell  are  the  trustees. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  members  of  the  Board 
of  Trade  representing  individual  interests:  C.  E.  Chit- 
tenden, H  A.  Coursen,  George  Fisher,  G.  W.  Fritz,  A. 
G.  Gilmore,  J.  M.  Hunt,  N.  A.  Hulbert,  C.  J.  Johnson, 
J.  Kemerer,  Thomas  Lucas,  F.  E.  Nettleton,  M.  Norton, 
L.  B.  Powell,  Joseph  Chase  and  W.  T.  Smith.  The  fol- 
lowing members  represent  the  firms  or  corporations  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  their  names: 

■William  H.  Allen,  Allen  &  Powell;  Henry  Battin,  Connell  &  Battin; 
William  Connell,  Alexander  Connell;  A.  H.  Coursen,  A.  H.  &  B.  G.  Cour- 
sen ;  M.  H.  Dale,  Dale  &  Co.;  A.  M.  Decker,  Stowers  Pork  Packing  Com- 
pany; A.  W.  Dickson,  Weston  Mill  Company,  limited ;  E.  A.  Forrester, 
Forrester  Brothers ;  G.  A.  Fuller,  G.  A.  Fuller  &  Co.;  B.  L.  Fuller,  Hunt 
Brothers  &  Co.,  limited ;  E.  C.  Fuller,  L.  S.  &  B.  C.  Fuller ;  M.  Goldsmith, 
Goldsmith  Brothers;  J.  H.  Gunster,  Scranton  City  Bank;  B.  A.  Hill, 
Hill  &  Keiser  ;  S.  P.  Hull,  G.  M.  Hull  &  Co. ;  A.  D.  Holland,  H.  &  A.  D. 
Holland;  C.  F.  Jones,  Jones  Brothers ;  B.  E.  Leonard,  Leonard  Brothers; 
K.  M.  Lindsay,  Lindsay  &  Liddie;  R.  W.  Luce,  C.  G.  Courtrig-ht  &  Co.; 
T.  J.  Luce,  Luce  &  Shoemaker ;  E.  J.  Matthe'.  3,  Matthews  Brothers  ; 
M.  Maloney,  Maloney  Manufacturing'  and  Gas  Light  Company;  Lewis 
Pughe,  Monies  &  Pughe;  J.  A.  Price,  Scranton  Stove  Works;  C.  E. 
Pryor,  Pryor  &  Tliompson ;  W.  H.  Perkins,  Dickson  Manufacturing 
Company,  Simon  Rice,  Simon  Rice  &  Brother;  W.  H.  Richmond,  Elk 
Hill  Iron  and  Coal  Company;  J.  H.  SteUe,  Beadle  &  Stelle;  D.  Silkman, 
Silkman,  Winton  &  Co.;  T.  C.  Snover,  Clark  &  Snover;  T.  G.  Smith, 
Smith  &  Clearwater. 

The  board  of  trade  has  one   honorary  member,  Mr.  J. 

C.  Piatt,  who  was  early  and  has  been  long  identified  with 
the  mercantile  and  commercial  interests  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna valley.  In  addition  to  the  usual  objects  the  Scranton 
Board  of  Trade  has  a  distinctive  benefit  in  a  commercial 
agency  department,  which  is  attached  to  the  institution 
under  charge  of  the  secretary,  which  is  confined  to  the 
use  of  the  members  of  the  board,  its  operation  and  influ- 
ence covering  the  territory  canvassed  by  the  wholesale 
dealers. 

The  Board  of  Health. 

This  board  consists  of  five  members,  including  the 
mayor,  who  acts  as  president  ex  officio.  The  first  board 
was  elected  June  ist,  1878,  two  members  being  chosen 
for  one  year  and  two  for  two  years.  The  term  of  office 
is  two  years.  June  nth,  1878,  the  board  met,  with  the 
mayor  as  chairman,  and  perfected  the  organization,  with 
George  B.  Boyd,  M.  D.,  as  health  officer,  and  George  B. 
Foster   as    secretary,   and    necessary    committees.     The 


books  were  opened  October  ist  for  the  collection  of  sta- 
tistics relating  to  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  city,  em- 
bracing a  record  of  marriages,  births  and  deaths;  also  the 
licensing  of  persons  to  act  as  scavengers,  and  the  keep- 
ing of  complaint  books. 

Home  for  the  Friendless. 

In  response  to  a  call  from  the  members  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  of  Scranton,  a  public  meet- 
ing of  ladies  was  held  September  27th,  1871,  at  the  rooms 
of  that  society  to  Inaugurate  a  movement  in  behalf  of 
friendless  women  and  children  of  the  city.  A  house  con- 
taining eight  rooms,  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  avenue  and 
Linden  street,  had  been  leased  temporarily  and  partially 
furnished  and  fitted  up  with  money  provided  by  the  city 
poor  directors.  Seven  women  and  nine  children  had 
been  admitted.  A  committee  of  ten  ladies  was  chosen  to 
take  preliminary  steps  for  the  organization  of  a  society 
for  a  home  for  the  friendless.  October  4th,  at  a  public 
meeting,  a  constitution  was  adopted  and  fifty  ladies  signed 
it  and  paid  the  yearly  dues  ($3);  three,  by  the  payment  of 
$50  each,  became  life  members.  Officers  were  elected 
as  follows:  Mrs.  C.  H.  Doud,  president;  Mrs.  Thomas 
Moore  and  Mrs.  C.  F.  Mattes,  vice-presidents;  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam Brock,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  L.  B.  Powell, 
recording  secretary;   Mrs.  H.  B.  Rockwell,  treasurer. 

In  the  following  April  the  Home  was  removed  to  a 
house  near  the  corner  of  Jefferson  avenue  and  Linden 
street.  October  26th,  1873,  "  the  Society  of  the  Home 
for  Friendless  Women  and  Children  of  the  City  of  Scran- 
ton "  was  chartered.  Some  lots  on  Adams  avenue  were 
secured,  on  which  a  commodious,  substantial  and  conven- 
iently arranged  building  was  erected  in  1874  at  a  cost 
of  a  little  over  f8,ooo.  This  institution  is  now  in  a 
flourishing  condition  financially.  The  number  of  inmates, 
June  15th,  1879,  was  thirty-seven,  of  whom  sixteen  were 
male  children,  eighteen  female  children  and  three  adults. 

The  officers  elected  for  1879  were:  Mrs.  H.  S.  Pierce, 
president;  Mrs.  James  Blair,  vice-president;  Mrs.  Thomas 
Moore,  chief  manager;  Mrs.  H.  F.  Warren,  recording 
secretary;  Mrs.  C.  P.  Matthews,  corresponding  secretary; 
Mrs.  G.  L.  Dickson,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Helen  Owen,  matron. 

The  Lackawanna  Hospital. 

An  act  approved  May  18th,  1871,  incorporated 
William  N.  Monies,  John  B.  Smith,  William  F.  Hall- 
stead,  B.  H.  Throop,  R.  A.  Squire,  A.  Davis,  E.  C.  Fuller, 
William  Merrifield,  Henry  Griffin,  Charles  Doud  and 
W.  W.  Winton,  and  their  associates  and  successors,  under 
the  title  of  the  Lackawanna  Hospital  of  Scranton,  Penn- 
sylvania. The  following  named  persons  constituted  the 
first  board  of  directors:  Col.  William  N.  Monies,  Hon. 
John  B.  Smith, William  F.  Hallstead,  B.  H.  Throop,  M.  D., 
R.  A.  Squire,  M.  D.,  A.  Davis,  M.  D.,  E.  C.  Fuller,  Wil- 
liam Merrifield,  Henry  Griffin,  Charles  Doud  and  W.  W. 
Winton. 

A  building  on  Franklin  avenue  was  secured  and  opened 
as  a  hospital.  It  is  a  brick  structure  40  by  60  feet  and 
three  stories  high,  standing  on  a  pleasant  lot  120  by  160 


*ih 


f 


=^^ 


400 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


feet,  and  has  accommodations  for  fifty  patients.  The  hos- 
pital has  been  constantly  open  since  this  time,  and  the  fol- 
lowing summary  of  the  number  of  patients  treated  will 
afford  an  idea  of  the  amount  of  work  it  has  accomplished 
for  the  cause  of  humanity  during  its  brief  career:  From 
January,  1872,  to  January,  1875,  ward  patients,  225,  dis- 
pensary patients  211;  1875,  ward  patients  85,  dispen- 
sary patients  480;  1876,  ward  patients  1 11,  dispensary 
patients  531;  1877,  ward  patients  89,  dispensary  patients 
621;  1878,  ward  patients  144,  dispensary  patients  1,636; 
total  to  January,  1880,  6,524  patients  treated. 

Three  appropriations  from  the  State  have  been  re- 
ceived, amounting  to  $35,000.  The  officers  of  the  hos- 
pital are  (January  ist,  1880):  Thomas  Phillips,  presi- 
dent; James  Ruthven,  secretary;  E.  C.  Fuller,  treas- 
urer; James  O.  Brown,  steward;  D.  N.  Green,  J.  C.  Piatt, 
James  Ruthven,  Nicholas  Washburn  and  Thomas  Phillips, 
executive  committee;  Hon.  Alfred  Hand,  Rev.  Moses 
Whitty,  J.  C.  Piatt,  D.  N.  Green,  James  Ruthven,  Thomas 
Phillips,  Nicholas  Washburn,  E.  C.  Fuller  and  William 
Connell,  directors.  Doctors  William  H.  Heath,  J.  W. 
Gibbs,  L.  H.  Gibbs,  William  F.  Pier,  J.  E.  O'Brien  and 
William  H.  Pier  constitute  the  medical  staff. 

Public  Education. 

In  181 2  a  large  tract  was  donated  by  the  original  pro- 
prietors of  Providence  township  for  educational  purposes, 
but  owing  to  protracted  litigation  between  the  boards  of 
the  different  school  districts  of  this  city  the  proceeds  of 
the  grant  have  afforded  very  little  benefit  to  the  cause  of 
education. 

The  cause  of  public  education  in  Scranton  has  ad- 
vanced in  proportion  to  everything  else  in  this  city  of  al- 
most mushroom  growth.  The  school  districts  belonging 
to  Providence,  Hyde  Park  and  Scranton  boroughs  were 
under  entirely  distinct  and  separate  managements  from 
the  time  of  their  establishment  until  1877,  when,  by  the 
adoption  of  the  new  charter,  making  Scranton  a  city  of 
the  third  class,  the  different  school  districts  were  consol- 
idated. In  1818  the  first  school-house  in  Providence 
township  was  erected  a  short  distance  from  the  Holmes 
house;  it  is  still  standing,  though  not  used  for  educational 
purposes.  Before  the  erection  of  this  building  the  chil- 
dren were  instructed  in  private  houses,  and  during  the 
summer  time  often  in  the  open  air  under  the  shade  of  a 
tree. 

During  1834  another  school  building  was  erected  in 
the  township,  and  was  known  as  the  Bell  school-house, 
from  its  having  the  first  bell  in  the  valley.  On  account 
of  a  political  strife  arising  between  the  Whigs  and  the 
Democrats  a  third  school-house  was  erected  in  1836  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  Lackawanna  river,  in  which  sev- 
eral well  known  persons  have  taught,  including  the  late 
Judge  Ketchum,  D.  R.  Randall,  Ann  Stephens  and  W.W. 
Winton. 

At  the  time  of  the  consolidation  of  the  school  districts 
in  1877  the  Providence  district,  in  connection  with  the 
second  school  district,  contained  nine  school  buildings, 
six  of  which  were  framed   and   three  brick,  with   an   at- 


tendance of  about  1,300  pupils.  The  Hyde  Park,  eras  it 
was  more  generally  termed  the  third,  school  district 
was  comprised  in  what  is  now  the  fourth,  fifth,  sixth, 
fourteenth,  fifteenth  and  eighteenth  wards  of  Scranton.  In 
1852,  at  the  time  Hyde  Park  was  incorporated  as  a  bor- 
ough, there  were  but  two  school-houses  in  the  district. 
One  of  these  was  erected  probably  before  1820,  near  the 
southwesterly  corner  of  Main  street,  and  was  used  for 
religious  as  well  as  educational  purposes.  Prior  to 
this  many  of  the  children  attended  the  schools  at 
Providence.  The  other  was  built  in  1837,  on  the 
site  of  the  Methodist  church.  It  was  quite  a  pretentious 
building  for  those  days  and  became  somewhat  celebrated 
for  the  character  of  the  schools  maintained  there.  Among 
the  teachers  in  this  building  may  be  mentioned  William 
Ricketson,  D.  R.  Randall  and  John  L.  Richardson.  The 
public  schools  of  the  district  were  closed  during  the 
winter  of  1854  and  until  the  fall  of  1855  on  account  of 
the  resignation  of  the  principal  teacher,  Mr.  Tallman.  A 
brick  school  building  was  erected  in  1858  on  the  site  of 
school-houses  Nos.  14  .ind  15,  to  take  the  place  of  one 
which  had  been  sold  to  the  Methodist  society;  and  in 
this  building  were  established  the  first  graded  schools  in 
the  district.  Two  school  buildings  were  erected  between 
i860  and  1870,  and  in  187 1  a  borough  superintendent 
was  elected.  At  the  time  of  the  consolidation  this  district 
contained  several  school  buildings,  five  of  which  were 
framed  and  two  brick,  fully  equipped  with  teachers  and 
having  a  large  number  of  pupils  enrolled. 

There  were  five  schools  reported  in  the  Scranton  or 
fourth  school  district  at  the  beginning  of  1857,  held  in 
five  one-story  frame  buildings,  each  building  representing 
a  sub-district.  During  this  year  the  site  of  the  high 
school  building  was  secured,  and  a  brick  building  two 
stories  high  was  opened  for  school  January  ist,  1858. 
This  was  designated  the  central  building  and  contained 
four  rooms,  in  which  were  established  the  first  graded 
schools  in  the  city,  primary,  intermediate,  grammar  and 
high  school.  E.  D.  Rawson,  elected  January  ist,  1858, 
was  the  first  principal  of  these  graded  schools.  From 
November,  1858,  E.  A.  Lawrence  was  principal  four 
years,  during  which  time  many  important  changes  were 
made  in  the  condition  of  the  schools.  The  directors 
brought  the  different  sub-districts  under  one  management 
and  appointed  Mr.  Lawrence  principal  of  all  the  schools 
in  the  borough,  which  position  he  held  for  three  years. 
During  this  administration  two  brick  buildings  were 
erected,  an  addition  was  made  to  the  central  building, 
which  increased  the  number  of  rooms  to  six,  and  three 
new  sub-districts  were  established,  making  a  total  of  eight 
sub-districts  and  sixteen  schools. 

Joseph  Roney  was  superintendent  of  the  schools  in 
the  fourth  district  from  March,  1868,  until  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  districts.  During  this  interval  two  more 
school  buildings  were  erected,  making  eleven,  nine  of 
which  were  first  class,  with  sittings  for  3,000  pupils;  the 
number  of  teachers  was  increased  from  22  to  74;  the  cen- 
tral building  was  enlarged  to  eleven  rooms,  with  suitable 
recitation  rooms  connected    with  each  school;  a  depart- 


*#= 


<^ 


4 


D.  W.   CONNOLLY. 


D.  W.  Connolly,  the  Democratic 
and  N.  G.  L.  candidate  for  Con- 
gress in  the  Xllth  Congressional 
district,  was  born  in  the  village  of 
Cocheton,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y., 
on  the  24th  day  of  April,  1847. 
His  father,  John  Connolly,  well 
known  in  this  section  of  the  coun- 
ty for  twenty-five  years  before  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1873,  as 
a  railroad  contractor,  was  born  in 
Ireland,  and  removed  to  this  coun- 
try with  his  parents  when  he  was 
about  eight  years  old.  He  lived 
in  New  York  city  until  he  attained 
his  majority.  About  that  time  the 
Albany  and  Boston  Railroad  Com- 
pany commenced  the  construction 
of  their  road  in  Massachusetts,  and 
John  Connolly  accepted  a  position 
as  foreman  with  Mr.  O'Neill,  his 
brother-in-law  and  a  prominent 
contractor,  for  a  portion  of  the 
road  near  Springfield,  Mass.  While 

engaged  in  this  position,  as  foreman,  near  the  town  of 
Montgomery,  Mass.,  Mr.  Connolly  became  acquainted 
with  Miss  Ann  Adelia  Allyn,  the  daughter  of  Deacon 
David  Allyn,  a  thriving  and  highly  respected  farmer  of 
Montgomery,  and  their  marriage  followed  soon  after. 
Some  of  the  best  blood  of  New  England  flows  through 
Mrs.  Connolly's  veins.  Her  ancestors  came  from  Eng- 
land early  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  settled  at  a 
place  now  called  Allyn's  Point  in  Connecticut.  Her 
grandfather,  David  Allyn,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
having  fought  under  General  Washington  in  the  war  for 
independence.  Her  grandmother  was  named  Tyler  and 
was  a  near  relative  of  John  Tyler,  President  of  the  United 
States. 

In  the  spring  of  1868  D.  W.  Connolly  entered  upon  the 
study  of  law  in  Scranton.  At  the  end  of  the  prescribed 
term  of  service  Mr.  Connolly  passed  a  very  creditable 
examination  before  Judges  Lewis  Jones,  Alfred  Hand  and 
W.  G.  Ward,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Mayor's 
Court  for  the  city  of  Scranton  and  in  the  several  courts 
of  Luzerne  county  in  May,  1870. 

Since  his  admission  to  the  bar,  as  well  as  previous  to 
that  time,  Mr.  Connolly  has  been  a  close  student.  His 
mind  is  built  on  a  broad  gauge;  he  possesses  the  faculty 
of  grasping  all  the  points  in  a  case  on  presentation  of 
the  facts,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  most  able  law- 
yers of  old  Luzerne  confessed  that  with  Mr.  Connolly  on 
the  other  side  of  a  case  they  had  a  foeman  worthy  of 
their  steel.  To-day  he  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  the 
able  lawyers  of  northeastern  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a 
wise  counselor,  manages  a  case  with  adroitness  and  good 
judgment  and  has  a  clear  and  perspicuous  style  of  pre- 
senting facts  to  a  jury. 

No  lawyer  was  ever  more  faithful  to  the  cause  of  a 
client  than  Mr.  Connolly.     The  writer  of  this  sketch  had 


the  pleasure  of  being  for  some 
time  intimately  connected  with 
him,  and  he  knows  whereof  he 
speaks  when  he  says  that  if  Mr. 
Connolly  takes  a  case  he  goes  into 
the  work  with  his  whole  heart  and 
soul.  No  motives  of  personal  com- 
fort or  convenience  are  allowed  to 
distract  him  from  the  work  in  hand, 
and  if  the  case  is  lost  it  is  not  be- 
cause of  either  lack  of  ability  or 
inattention  on  his  part. 

Through  all  the  years  of  his 
active  life  Mr.  Connolly  has  borne 
an  unblemished  reputation.  His 
record  will  bear  the  closest  scru- 
tiny. It  is  because  of  his  untar- 
nished reputation  and  eminent 
abilities  that  he  is  universally  re- 
spected by  all  classes. 

Mr.  Connolly's  parents  located 
at  Hyde  Park  in  1849,  when  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  only  two 
years  old.  No  man  more  fully 
possessed  the  confidence  and  respect  of  those  with  whom 
he  came  in  contact  than  John  Connolly,  and  when  he  died, 
in  October,  1873,  the  whole  community  mourned  his  loss. 
D.  W.  Connolly  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Hyde  Park.  He  was  always  bright  and  in- 
telligent and  stood  high  in  his  class.  At  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen years  he  left  school  and  removed  with  his  parents 
to  Little  Neck,  Long  Island.  Here  he  was  engaged  as 
clerk  and  book-keeper  in  a  country  store,  and  remained 
in  that  position  for  about  six  months.  Returning  to 
Scranton  he  entered  the  office  of  the  Lackawanna  Herald, 
a  Democratic  paper,  edited  by  the  late  Hon.  E.  S.  M. 
Hill,  where  he  filled  the  position  of  clerk  and  proof- 
reader. He  remained  with  Mr.  Hill  for  some  time,  and 
upon  leaving  received  a  most  flattering  letter  of  recom- 
mendation from  his  employer. 

In  1872  considerable  opposition  was  shown  to  the 
tickets  nominated  by  the  Democratic  and  Republican 
parlies  in  the  city  of  Scranton,  and  a  new  party  was 
formed  under  the  name  of  the  "  Labor  Reform  party." 
This  party  placed  a  ticket  in  the  field  with  Mr  Connolly 
for  district  attorney.  Although  defeated  he  received  a 
vote  600  in  excess  of  that  for  the  Republican  candidate. 
In  his  own  district,  which  was  strongly  Republican,  he 
received  a  large  majority.  In  1878  Mr.  Connolly  was 
nominated  by  the  Democratic  and  National  Greenback 
Labor  parties  of  Lackawanna  county  for  president  judge. 
His  opponent  was  Judge  Benjamin  S.  Bentley,  of  Williams- 
port.  Again  his  popularity  was  shown  by  his  receiving  a 
much  larger  vote  than  any  other  candidate  upon  the  ticket. 
Although  elected  by  a  large  majority  a  question  was  raised 
as  to  a  vacancy  existing  in  the  office  of  president  judge, 
and  the  matter  was  carried  to  the  Supreme  Court,  where 
it  was  decided  that  no  vacancy  existed.  By  this  decision 
Mr.  Connolly  was  deprived  of  his  seat  upon  the  bench. 


=K^ 


*^h 


*^N 


Dr.   HORACE   HOLLISTER. 


This  gentleman  was  born,  in  [Salem,  Wayne  county, 
Pa.,  November  2nd,  1822.  His  parents,  Alanson  and 
Sally  HoUister,  came  from  Connecticut  some  years  pre- 
vious, and  made  their  way  into  the  Salem  forest  before  the 
wolf  and  the  bear  had  deigned  to  leave  its  solitude.  He  was 
reared  amidst  the  peaceful  scenes  of  his  father's  farm,  re- 
ceiving a  common  school  education  at  his  home  and  an 
academic  one  at  Bethany  and  Honesdale  in  1840-43. 
He  spent  the  summers  of  1837  and  1838  in  boating  on 
the  North  Branch  canal,  Union  canal  and  Schuylkill 
canal  as  Captain  Hollister,  transporting  general  merchan- 
dise from  Philadelphia  to  Wilkes-Barre  and  Pittston,  with 
whiskey,  staves  and  grain  as  return  freight.  He  then 
read  medicine  alternatively  with  Doctor  Charles  Burr,  of 
Salem,  Dr.  Ebenezer  T.  Losey,  of  Honesdale,  and  Dr. 
Benjamin  H.  Throop,  then  of  Providence;  graduated  at 
the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  March, 
1846,  entering  at  once  into  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Providence,  Pa.,  where  for  the  last  thirty-four  years 
he  has  devoted  his  time  and  talent  to  the  often  thankless 
duties  of  his  profession  with  acknowledged  fidelity  and 
skill.  In  the  original  five-mile-square  township  of  Provi- 
dence, of  which  the  city  of  Scranton  embraces  but  a 
part,  no  physician  but  the  late  Silas  B.  Robinson  and  Dr. 
Hollister  essayed  to  practice  medicine  as  late  as  1846, 
where  now  some  fifty  medical  men  sustain  their  own  ani- 
mation. Dr.  Throop  had  temporarily  removed  to  Car- 
bondale.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  is  of  an  original 
and  somewhat  eccentric  character,  blunt  and  even  rude 
in  his  manners,  yet  kind,  true  and  benevolent.  His 
literary  taste  and  thorough  knowledge  of" the  valley  have 
enabled  him  to  write  the  "  History  of  the  Lackawanna 
Valley^'  "Coal  Notes,"  "  History  of  the  Delaware  and 


Hudson  Canal  Company,"  "  Recollections  of  our  Physi- 
cians "  and  many  newspaper  and  magazine  articles  of 
interest.  He  is  also  proprietor  of  "Dr.  HoUister's 
Family  Medicines",  which  have  great  local  repute.  The 
doctor  is  a  great  student  and  lover  of  archaeological 
matters.  No  person  within  the  commonwealth  of  Penn- 
sylvania has  given  such  assiduous  attention  to  collecting 
and  arranging  the  Indian  stone  relics  of  the  country  as 
has  the  doctor;  whose  immense  collection,  open  and  free 
to  all,  acknowledged  to  be  the  largest  and  most  complete 
in  Europe  or  America,  embraces  20,000  pieces  of  stone, 
burned  clay,  bone  and  copper,  representing  every  known 
weapon  of  Indian  warfare  and  every  variety  of  stone  im- 
plement once  used  by  the  skin-clad  savages.  The  collec- 
tion is  valued  at  $10,000,  and  yet  an  insurance  company 
willing  for  years  to  renew  the  policy  and  receive  the 
premium  annually  declared  through  its  agent  that  Indian 
relics  had  no  value  and  if  burned  up  they  would  be  worth 
just  as  much  !  The  late  Professor  Henry,  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  at  Washington,  and  his  learned  succes- 
sor Prof.  Baird,  made  repeated  and  unsuccessful  efforts 
to  obtain  this  unequaled  collection  for  that  institution. 
Dr.  Hollister  affiliates  with  no  church,  accepts  no  creeds, 
dogmas  or  doctrines  recognized  by  the  majority,  believes 
in  the  golden  rule  and  looks  carefully  and  gratuitously 
after  the  physical  needs  of  all  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
indigent  widows  and  children  living  within  his  precinct. 
He  is  a  member  of  several  State  historical  societies;  a 
nephew  of  P.  G.  Goodrich,  author  of  the  History  of  Wayne 
County,  Pa.,  and  brother  of  Mrs.  Harriet  G.  Watres,  of 
Scranton — "  Stella  of  Lackawanna,"  a  poetess  whose 
tender  songs  and  sonnets  will  carry  her  name  far  into 
the  future. 


*x  T^- 


-T 


Va/wv' 


\\d. 


AA1^^  A,V!^iN. 


f 


<'. 


DR.  HENRY  ROBERTS. 

We  have  presented  an  admirable  likeness  of  Dr.  Henry- 
Roberts,  of  Scranton,  a  man  who  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  the  interests  of  this  county  for  more  than 
thirty  years.  He  took  up  his  residence  in  Providence  in 
May,  1850,  when  it  was  but  a  rural  village,  and  when  the 
land  now  composing  Scranton  was  an  almost  uninhabited 
swampy  forest.  Though  naturally  retiring  and  modest 
he  has  ever  been  active  in  promoting  what  in  his  judg- 
ment seemed  to  be  for  the  pecuniary,  political  and  moral 
interests  of  the  county.  He  was  born  of  Welsh  and  Eng- 
lish parents,  on  the  14th  of  June,  182 1,  in  the  towni-hip 
of  Eaton,  Wyoming  county,  Pa.  The  history  of  his  fam- 
ily is  easily  traceable  four  generations  back,  to  the  latter 
part  of  the  sixteenth  century,  whun  three  brothers  from 
the  north  of  Wales  came  to  America,  two  of  whom  settled, 
lived  and  died  in  New  England.  A  third  one  followed  a 
life  upon  the  sea  till  all  traces  of  his  whereabouts  were 
finally  lost.  Dr.  Henry  Roberts  is  a  direct  descendant 
of  one  of  the  two  brothers  who  early  in  life  took  up  their 
abode  in  Massachusetts.  His  grandfather  when  a  young 
man  moved  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  to  Tague's  Hill, 
now  Washington  township,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.  From 
thence  he  moved  to  Providence  township,  now  Hyde 
Park,  Lackawanna  county.  Pa.  Having  resided  there 
about  twelve  years  he  moved  to  the  township  of  Pittston, 
from  whence  shortly  afterward  he  moved  to  the  township 
of  Eaton,  Wyoming  county. 

Hon.  Henry  Roberts,  father  of  the  subject  of  our 
sketch,  was  born  on  Tague's  Hill,  July  28th,  1794. 
March  i6th,  1817,  he  married  Miss  Nancy  Wilson, 
daughter  of  Rev.  John  Wilson,  and  in  the  summer  fol- 
lowing they  moved  on  to  the  farm  formerly  occupied  by 
his  mother's  father,  David  Morehouse,  Esq.  It  is  here 
he  has  already  spent  more  than  sixty  years  of  his  life, 
and  where  at  the  present  time,  with  his  wife,  he  is  still  in 
the  enjoyment  of  unusual  health,  and  with  remarkable 
vigor  is  able  to  prosecute  the  work  incidental  to  the  life 
of  the  agriculturist.  Though  aspiring  only  to  be  a  pros- 
perous farmer  he  has  all  his  life  occupied  various  positions 
of  trust  and  confidence  in  the  community.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  commissioners  of  Wyoming  county,  for  many 
years  associate  judge  in  the  courts  of  Wyoming  county, 
postmaster  at  Falls  during  several  terms,  and  for  a  long 
time  justice  of  the  peace,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharg- 
ed with  promptness  and  unusual  favor.  Indeed  it  is  not 
overdrawing  the  picture  to  say  that  for  nearly  three 
quarters  of  a  century  he  has  enjoyed  the  uninterrupted 
respect  of  all  who  have  known  him,  and  that  stranger 
and  friend  have  ever  been  welcome  to  the  hospitality  of 
his  home. 

Dr.  Henry  Roberts  is  the  third  of  a  family  of  fourteen 
children  (eight  brothers  and  six  sisters),  all  of  whom  ex- 
cepting one  brother  and  two  sisters  are  now  living.  His 
early  years  were  spent  at  the  home  of  his  parents,  where 
he  received  the  ordinary  advantages  of  a  common  school 
education.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  entered  the  store 
of  Sinton,  Tracey  &  Co.,  at  Wilkes-Barre,  as  a  clerk.  It 
was  while  in  the  employ  of  this  firm  that  he  made  the 
acquaintance  of  the  Hon.  L.  D.  Shoemaker,  then  a  rising 
young  lawyer,  through  whose  friendship  and  counsel  he 
was  greatly  benefited  in  the  prosecution  of  studies  pre- 


paratory to  a  contemplated  entry  upon  the  study  of 
medicine.  In  the  year  1842  he  entered,  as  a  student,  the 
office  of  I.  M.  Roberts,  his  uncle,  of  Cardington,  Ohio, 
with  whom  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1843,  when  he 
entered  the  Jefferson  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia. 
Having  faithfully  and  successfully  followed  the  course  of 
instruction  there  he  graduated  with  honor  in  1845,  and 
in  the  succeeding  summer  located  at  Laceyville,  Wyom- 
ing county,  Pa.,  where  he  entered  upon  an  extensive 
practice  in  his  profession.  Three  years  afterward,  on  the 
14th  of  June,  1848,  his  twenty-eighth  birthday,  he  was 
married  to  Lucetta  H.  Hartley,  daughter  of  Judge  William 
Hartley,  of  Susquehanna  county,  the  ceremony  being  per- 
formed by  Rev.  Everett  E.  Guild,  of  Wayne  county. 
From  this  happy  union  have  been  born  six  children, 
three  of  whom  are  now  living,  the  eldest  bei-ng  the  wife 
of  Dr.  Furman  B.  Gulick,  of  Scranton.  Having  passed 
five  years  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Laceyville 
he  disposed  of  his  property  there  and  spent  the  winter  of 
1849-50  at  Philadelphia  in  hospital  study  and  practice. 
In  the  following  May  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Provi- 
dence, his  present  home.  The  year  of  1853  and  part  of 
1854  he  spent  in  New  York  city.  In  the  summer  of  1854 
he  embarked  in  mercantile  business  at  Fleetville,  Pa.,  with 
Hon.  William  Hartley,  where  he  remained  four  years.  At 
the  end  of  this  time  he  disposed  of  his  interests  at  that 
place  and  removed  to  Illinois,  near  Dixon,  from  which 
point  he  was  engaged  in  1859  in  fitting  out  a  party  to 
Pike's  Peak  and  across  the  plains  to  California.  The 
object  of  the  expedition  was  to  explore  that  vast  section 
of  country  lying  west  of  Missouri  and  extending  in  wild- 
ness  even  to  the  Pacific  coast.  The  doctor  with  his 
party  celebrated  the  4th  of  July,  1859,  at  Independence 
Rock — so  named  by  Captain  John  C.  Fremont  in  his 
memorable  expedition  through  that  then  unexplored 
country.  It  was  just  after  this  that,  while  in  camp  at  the 
fifth  crossing  of  the  Sweetwater  river — a  tributary  of  the 
Platte — a  thousand  miles  beyond  the. Missouri,  on  the 
eve  of  July  nth  he  was  wounded,  resulting  in  the  loss  of 
the  use  of  his  right  arm,  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a 
gun  in  the  hands  of'a  friend  and  companion,  from  whom 
he  received  the  closest  attention  during  a  long  suffering 
in  that  wild,  romantic  country.  Shortly  after  the  accident 
he  was  carried  to  South  Pass,  an  Indian  trading  post, 
where  he  received  kind  hospitality  at  the  hands  of  Gen- 
eral Landers,  who  at  that  time  was  opening  a  govern- 
ment wagon  road  from  this  point  into  the  Walla-Walla 
valley.  Here  he  remained  about  two  months,  when  he 
removed  to  Salt  Lake  City,  where  he  for  a  short  season 
was  the  guest  of  Brigham  Young's  family  physician. 
From  Salt  Lake  he  pursued  a  southerly  and  entirely  new 
route  to  California,  reaching  there  late  in  the  fall  of  1859. 
After  a  six  months  sojourn  among  the  principal  cities 
and  various  places  of  interest  in  that  State  he  returned 
east  by  way  of  Panama.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  again 
took  up  his  residence  in  Providence,  where  he  resumed 
the  practice  of  medicine,  and  where  ever  since  he  has 
been  regarded  as  a  physician  of  eminent  judgment  and 
success.  Perhaps  nowhere  are  the  sterling  worth,  candid 
judgment  and  extraordinary  mental  capacity  of  Dr.  Rob- 
erts.more  clearly  seen  than  in  his  public  life  of  more  than 
a  quarter  of  a  century.     At  tlie  present  time  the  Ameri- 


i 


■A 


#«= 


=^l* 


can  people  are  inclined. to  treat  with  suspicion  the  name 
of  nearly  every  one  associated  with  the  p\iblic  interests 
of  a  community,  especially  when  those  interests  are  of  a 
political  nature.  It  has  been  observed  that  for  the  past 
twenty-five  years  many  men  who  have  lived  honest  lives 
while  private  citizens  have  in  public  oiifice  been  utterly 
disregardful  of  either  honesty  or  shame.  But  as  Dr.  Rob-  ' 
erts  has  been  in  private  life — thoroughly  conscientious  and 
open  in  all  his  dealings — so  has  he  ever  been  in  public 
life.  When  as  a  representative  of  the  community  he  has 
had  in  charge  any  of  its  interests  his  course  has  been  re- 
garded with  respect  by  both  friends  and  opponents. 
There  is  hardly  one  in  his  section  of  the  State  whose 
judgment  has  been  so  constantly  consulted  by  men  of 
every  class  as  his,  and  whose  counsel  has  been  so  univer- 
sally approved;  and  this  is  not  saying  too  much,  even 
though  we  bear  in  mind  that  he  has  taken  a  prominent 
part  in  the  encouragement  of  railroad  facilities,  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  schools,  in  securing  proper  accommodation 
for  the  poor  of  the  county  and  promulgating  through  the 
county  and  State — in  their  purity — the  principles  of  a 
republican  form  of  government.  In  politics  he  was  in  the 
earlier  part  of  his  life  of  the  Clay  and  Webster  school, 
and  took  an  active  part  as  a  young  man  in  the  Henry 
Clay  campaign  of  1844.  Clay  was  the  first  Presidential 
candidate  for  whom  he  voted,  and  from  that  time  until 
the  old  Whig  party  days  ended  he  was  conspicuous  in 
the  organization.  He  attended  the  last  Whig  convention 
in  Luzerne  county,  and  was  foremost  in  the  organization 
of  the  Republican  party  in  this  section  of  the  State, 
which  immediately  followed  the  national  convention  as- 
sembled at  Chicago  in  1856  and  which  adopted  that 
name  for  the  party. 

In  1857,  along  with  the  late  Henderson  Gaylord,  of 
Plymouth,  and  Daniel  Driesbach,  of  Beach  Haven,  he 
was  the  unanimous  choice  of  a  convention  of  representa- 
tives of  the  new  party  as  their  first  candidate  for  election 
to  the  Legislature.  His  great  popularity  is  observed  in 
the  result  of  that  contest,  when  he  received — excepting 
sixteen — the  combined  vote'of  all  parties  in  tTie  borough 
of  Providence,  and  in  the  county  over  three  hundred 
more  than  David  Wilmot,  candidate  for  governor. 

Early  in  the  war  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  State 
marshals  for  enrolling  men  subject  to  military  duty. 
During  the  invasion  of  the  State  in  1863  he  enrolled  in 
less  than  twenty-four  hours  a  full  company  of  men  for 
the  emergency,  and  accompanied  them  immediately  to 
Camp  Curtin,  at  Harrisburg,  where  he  organized  the 
30th  regiment  Pennsylvania  State  troops,  with  W.  N. 
Monies  as  its  colonel,  and  with  it  served  as  volunteer 
surgeon  until  the  discharge  of  the  regiment.  In  1864  he 
was  appointed  a  commissioner  to  the  army  for  supplying 
blanks  and  gathering  the  returns  of  the  elections  held  in 
the  army.  In  April  of  the  same  year  he  was  conjmission- 
ed  by  President  Lincoln  an  examining  surgeon  for  claim- 
ants for  pensions,  which  position  he  continues  to  hold  as 
president  of  the  Scranton  board.  In  1866  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  select  council  of  the  newly  formed  city 
of  Scranton,  and  was  re-elected  to  that  ofifice  for  nine 
consecutive  years.  In  April,  1868,  he  was  appointed  by 
Hon.  John  A.  J.  Cresswell,  then  Postmaster- General, 
as  postmaster  at  Providence,  and  he  now  holds  his 
fourth  commission,  signed  by  President  Rutherford  B. 
Hayes,  and  dated  in  January,  1880.  As  has  been  said. 
Dr.  Roberts  comes  of  the  good  old  Whig  stock  and  was 
an  active  worker  in  the  party;  likewise  when  the  Repub- 
lican party  came  into  existence  he  was  at  once  one  of  its 
leaders,  and  he  has  never  wavered  in  his  devotion  to  the 
principles,  policies,  and  measures  of  that  party;  and  sel- 


dom indeed  does  it  happen  that  we  find  a  man  who  has 
ever  been  as  willing  as  he  to  sacrifice  self  interest  for  the 
welfare  of  his  party.  In  1878  he  accepted  through  con- 
ferrees  the  nomination  for  Congress  from  the  Xllth  dis- 
trict of  Pennsylvania;  and  as  an  evidence  that  he  has 
more  than  sustained  his  well  deserved  popularity  it  is 
noticed  that  in  a  canvass  of  three  weeks  he  secured  not 
only  his  full  party  vote,  but  drew  largely  from  the  ranks 
of  the  opposite  party. 

Dr.  Roberts  is  still  in  the  prime  of  life  and  continues  to 
take  deep  interest  in  whatever  concerns  the  social,  moral 
and  political  interests  of  the  county  and  community;  al- 
ways stands  ready  with  a  word  of  caution  or  encourage- 
ment according  ap  in  his  judgment  the  circumstances  of 
the  case  may  deserve.  In  social  life  he  is  exceptionally 
cordial  and  sincere,  being  easy  of  approach  and  winning 
the  implicit  confidence  of  all  who  come  in  contact  with 
him.  He  retains  with  unusual  affection  the  associations 
and  associates  of  his  younger  days,  but  enjoys  none  the  less 
friendships  formed  more  recently  in  life  and  scenes  that 
have  marked  his  later  years.  In  a  single  sentence, — Dr. 
Henry  Roberts  is  a  man;  and  that,  says  an  old  philoso- 
pher of  the  Greek  school,  is  exceptionally  true  among 
men. 


5^= 


HON.  J.  A.  SCRANTON. 
Joseph  Augustine  Scranton,  journalist,  born  July  26th, 
1838,  at  Madison,  Conn.,  is  the  only  son  of  Joseph  H. 
Scranton  by  his  first  wife,  Eliza  Maria,  daughter  of  Col- 
onel J.  S  Wilcox,  of  Madison,  Conn.  He  was  liberally 
educated  in  New  England  schools,  fitted  for  college  under 
Dr.  Taylor  at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  gradu- 
ating in  the  class  of  1857,  and  entered  Yale  College  in  the 
class  of  1861.  Hemorrhage  of  the  lungs  compelled  his 
withdrawal  from  college  during  the  freshman  year  and 
terminated  his  educational  course.  He  married  Ada 
Elizabeth,  eldest  daughter  of  General  A.  N.  Meylert,  of 
Scranton,  Pa.,  July  23d,  1863.  They  have  two  children, 
Robert  Meylert,  born  June  lith,  1865,  and  Eliza,  born 
July  20th,  1868. 

Mr.  Scranton  was  internal  revenue  collector  in  1862-66, 
under  President  Lincoln,  for  the  Xllth  Congressional 
district  of  Pennsylvania,  which  then  comprised  the 
counties  of  Luzerne  and  Susquehanna.  Jn  September, 
1867,  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Scranton  Republican 
and  founded  the  daily  edition  of  that  paper,  issuing  the 
initial  number  on  the  ist  of  November  following.  In 
March,  i86g,  he  assumed  sole  proprietorship  of  the  con- 
cern, which,  under  his  personal  supervision,  has  become 
a  large  and  successful  establishment.  In  1871  he  built 
the  elegant  and  commodious  printing-house  on  Wyoming 
avenue  since  occupied  by  his  extensive  business.  His 
paper  is  the  leading  journal  in  northeastern  Pennsylvania, 
and  has  been  of  signal  and  generally  recognized  service 
to  the  Republican  party. 

Mr.  Scranton  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Scranton  by 
President  Grant  April  ist,  1874,  and  received  a  re- 
appointment from  President  Hayes  in  1878.  He  has  been 
active  in  politics  for  twenty  years,  always  a  Republican. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  national  Republican  convention 
at  Philadelphia  in  1872;  has  repeatedly  been  a  delegate 
to  State  and  county  conventions,  and  a  successful  chair- 
man of  county  committees  in  both  Luzerne  and  Lacka- 
wanna counties.  He  was  elected  as  a  Republican  in 
1880  to  represent  the  Xllth  district,  comprising  parts  of 
Luzerne  and  Lackawanna  counties,  in  the  Forty-seventh 
Congress,  receiving  13,455  votes  to  10,948  for  D.  W.  Con- 
nolly, Democrat  and  National  Greenback-Labor,  and  4,174 
votes  for  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  independent  Democrat. 


^ 


r-J  /OOc^CyL/     -■Co^6^i.,'z.-^2^ 


II 


NEWSPAPERS  AND  JOURNALISTS  OF  SCRANTON. 


401 


ment  called  preparatory  was  established,  intermediate 
between  the  grammar  and  high  school  departments,  and 
the  annual  graduation  of  a  class  from  the  high  school  was 
inaugurated  with  suitable  commencement  exercises  at  the 
close  of  the  school  year  of  1876-77. 

The  school  boards  of  the  separate  districts  consolida- 
ted at  the  commencement  of  the  year  ending  June  ist, 
1878.  In  November,  1878,  Joseph  Roney  was  commis- 
sioned city  superintendent  of  the  Scranton  school  dis- 
trict. Under  him  the  grades  were  classified  alike,  a 
uniform  system  of  books  was  adopted  throughout  the 
city,  and  a  semi-monthly  teachers'  institute  was  estab- 
lished. The  report  for  the  term  ending  with  January, 
1880,  shows  the  number  of  school  buildings  in  the  Scran- 
ton school  district  to  be  29,  16  of  which  are  frame  and  13 
brick;  number  of  teachers  158;  number  of  pupils  en- 
rolled 7,673. 

The  Press  and  Books  and  Literary  People. 

No  printing  press  was  set  up  within  the  present  city 
limits  until  the  winter  of  1845,  when  a  paper  called  the 
Providence  Mirror  and  Lackawaiinian  was  issued  at 
Providence.  It  was  a  bright  sheet,  everywhere  welcomed, 
but  the  good  it  did  was  more  than  counterbalanced  by 
the  hostile  feeling  it  engendered  against  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  then  mining  coal  in  Arch- 
bald.  Franklin  B.  Woodward,  who  two  years  later  found 
a  grave  in  Virginia,  was  the  editor..  The  paper  was  es- 
tablished to  advocate  the  erection  of  a  new  county,  and 
if  possible  prevent  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany from  beginning  any  mining  operations  below  the 
village  of  Archbald.  Harrison  (as  Scranton  was  then 
called)  was  represented  by  only  one  advertisement  in  this 
paper.     Its  publication  ceased  in  1846  or  1847. 

February  5th,  1853,  Charles  E.  Lathrop  issued  a  pros- 
pectus for  an  independent  weekly  paper.  The  first 
number  appeared  April  3d  following.  It  was  called  the 
Lackawanna  Herald,  and  was  the  first  journalistic  ven- 
ture in  the  borough  of  Scranton.  January  25th,  1855, 
the  first  issue  of  a  Democratic  paper  named  the  Spirit  of 
the  Valley  appeared.  It  was  published  a  year  by  Thoinas 
A.  Alleger  and  J.  B.  Adams,  from  an  office  next  door  to 
that  of  the  Lackarcanna  Herald.  At  the  expiration  of 
that  time  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Lackawanna  Her- 
ald under  the  title  of  the  Herald  of  the  Union.  This 
paper  was  purchased  by  Ezra  B.  Chase,  a  gentleman  of 
superior  literary  attainments,  who  on  account  of  failing 
health  disposed  of  it  to  Dr.  A.  Davis  and  J.  B.  Adams. 
Dr.  Davis  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Adams  in  the 
spring  of  1859  and  sold  it  to  Dr.  Silas  M.  Wheeler,  and 
the  two  physicians  published  a  paper  into  which  they  in- 
fused, it  is  said,  "a  degree  of  originality  and  spiciness 
rarely  seen  in  a  country  newspaper."  February  ist, 
1855,  the  initial  number  of  a  paper  called  the  Tri-  Weekly 
Experiment  was  issued,  ostensibly  by  F.  Dilly,  from  the 
office  of  the  Lackawanna  Herald.  It  was  never  any- 
thing but  an  experiment,  and  if  it  was  in  existence  at  the 
time  of  the  consolidation  of  the  Herald  2.nA.  the  Spirit,  it 
probably  lost  its  identity  then.     In   1866  J.   B.  Adams 


begun  the  publication  of  a  daily  called  the  Morning 
Herald,  which  had  a  brief  career.  The  last  number  of 
the  Herald  of  the  Union  under  that  title  appeared  Janu- 
ary 27th,  i860;  but  it  had  a  subsequent  existence  in  the 
Scranton  Register,  owned  by  E.  S.  M.  Hill,  who  estab- 
lished the  Daily  Register,  edited  in  its  local  department 
by  J.  B.  Adams,  which  he  sold  in  the  summer  of  1868  to 
Carl  &  Burtch.  It  subsequently  passed  into  the  hands 
of  J.  H.  Burtch,  Mr.  Carl  selling  out  and  returning  to 
Binghamton,  whence  he  had  come  in  1868,  and  its  publi- 
cation ceased  about  a  year  later. 

In  August,  1856,  when  the  Know-Nothing  party  was  in 
its  glory,  and  the  whole  country  was  in  a  heated  Presi- 
dential contest,  the  first  number  of  the  Scranton  Republi- 
can, a  sheet  22  by  32  inches,  was  issued  by  Theodore 
Smith,  of  Montrose.  The  Lackawanna  Herald,  a  Know- 
Nothing  organ,  was  its  only  local  opponent.  The  cam- 
paign in  this  section  wac  a  bitter  one,  and  by  its  opposi- 
tion to  the  Know-Nothing  ticket  the  Republican  gained 
somewhat  in  public  favor;  but  progressed  indifferently 
until  the  spring  of  1858,  when  it  was  purchased  by  F.  A. 
Macartney,  who  enlarged  it  and  made  other  material 
changes  and  improvements.  It  was  ably  conducted  by 
Mr.  Macartney  from  1858  to  1863,  though  not  a  success- 
ful financial  enterprise,  and  in  the  summer  of  1863 
Thomas  J.  Alleger  purchased  the  concern,  and  published 
a  very  inferior  paper  until  1866.  In  March  of  that  year 
Mr.  F.  A.  Crandall  came  from  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  pur- 
chased a  half  interest  with  Mr.  Alleger,  and  shortly  after- 
wards became  sole  proprietor.  During  the  same  year 
Mr.  Crandall  disposed  of  a  half  interest  to  Mr.  R.  N. 
Eddy,  of  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  and  in  September,  1867, 
Mr.  J.  A.  Scranton,  the  present  proprietor,  purchased  Mr. 
Eddy's  interest,  and  the  first  number  of  the  Morning 
Republican  was  issued  the  first  of  the  following  No- 
vember. 

February  5th,  1868,  the  office  was  burned,  .with  nearly 
all  its  contents.  Fifteen  days  later  the  publication  of  the 
paper  was  resumed,  and  it  has  since  been  continued  un- 
interruptedly. In  March,  1869,  Mr.  Scranton  purchased 
the  interest  of  Mr.  Crandall  and  he  has  since  been  sole 
proprietor.  The  general  business  of  the  Republican  so 
steadily  increased  that  in  1871  Mr.  Scranton  commenced 
the  erection  of  the  imposing  and  costly  five-story  brick 
and  stone  structure  known  as  the  Republican  building, 
which  stands  as  a  monument  to  his  tact,  ability,  enterprise 
and  perseverance.  The  total  value  of  the  establishment, 
including  the  building,  amounts  to  $100,000.  The  edi- 
torial and  reportorial  staffs  of  the  Republican  have  always 
been  chosen  from  competent  grades,  and  have  done  much 
to  mould  opinion  in  the  two  coal  valleys.  The  corps  of 
paid  writers,  reporters  and  correspondents  is  much  larger 
than  that  of  any  other  Pennsylvania  journal  outside  of 
Philadelphia  and  Pittsburg,  and  its  political  utterances 
are  a  power  in  its  party.  The  annual  outlay  for  tele- 
graphic news  and  special  reports  is  large,  and  the  unri- 
valed circulation  of  the  daily  in  Democratic  localities  is 
the  best  evidence  of  its  val-ie  as  a  newspaper. 

The    Scranton     Wochenblatt,    a    German    Democratic 


*6^ 


* 


402 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


paper,  was  established  by  E.  A.  Ludwig,  in  January, 
1865.  It  was  sold  to  F.  Wagner  and  by  him  to  August 
Stutzbach,  the  present  proprietor  and  publisher. 

The  Scranton  City  Journal  was  established  in  March, 
1867,  by  E.  A.  &  G.  W.  Benedict,  who  came  from  Car- 
bondale.  In  1869  Mr.  S.  D.  Baker  of  Carbondale  was 
admitted  to  the  firm,  the  style  of  which  was  changed  to 
Benedict  Brothers  &  Baker.  Mr.  Baker  retired  at  the 
expiration  of  a  year  and  a  half,  the  business  being  con- 
tinued by  Benedict  Brothers.  In  1875  G.  W.  Benedict 
purchased  the  interest  of  his  brother  and  changed  the 
name  of  the  paper  to  the  Scranton  Journal.  It  is  an 
independent  family  newspaper  with  Republican  proclivi- 
ties. A  paper  was  issued  the  same  year  by  J.  D.  Rea- 
gan, which  was  afterwards  merged  in  the  Democrat. 
The  Examiner  was  published  in  1868  by  J.  D.  Reagan.  It 
was  purchased  by  J.  B.  Adams  and  its  title  was  changed 
to  the  Democrat.  It  was  a  popular  weekly  paper  several 
years,  but  has  gone  out  of  existence.  It  has  been  de- 
scribed as  a  "  bold,  original  ultra  Democratic  paper." 
The  Daily  Democrat,  an  evening  paper,  was  published  for 
a  time.  The  Baner  America  {American  Banner'),  the 
pioneer  Welsh  paper  of  Scranton,  was  established  in  1869. 
It  was  owned  by  a  corporation  and  at  different  times 
edited  by  H.  M.  Edwards,  T.  B.  Morris,  W.  S.  Jones,  D. 
J.  Evans  and  E.  R.  Lewis.  In  1874  it  was  sold  to  Thomas 
Phillips,  and  in  1S76  to  D.  J.  Evans,  and  was  published 
and  edited  by  him  for  a  year,  when  he  sold  it  to  Messrs. 
Lewis  &  Holmes,  Mr.  Lewis  assuming  editorial  charge. 
Its  publication  was  discontinued  in  1879.  It  was  Repub- 
lican politically  and  was  at  one  time  an  influential  party 
journal.  It  was  a  large,  eight-page  paper,  neat  typograph- 
ically and  at  times  ably  and  vigorously  edited. 

The  Daily  Times  was  founded  in  1870  by  a  company. 
It  was  first  edited  by  J.  A.  Clark  for  a  few  months;  then 
by  W.  H.  Stanton  till  September  ist,  1872,  and  since  by 
Aaron  Augustus  Chase.  It  is  published  every  week-dny 
morning  and  is  Democratic  politically.  The  U'eekly  Times, 
founded  in  1873,  is  published  every  Thursday.  It  is 
Democratic  and  is  edited  by  Aaron  Augustus  Chase.  The 
Law  Times  was  founded  in  1873.  It  is  a  law  magazine, 
published  every  Friday;  Aaron   Augustus  Chase   editor. 

The  Sunday  Morning  Free  Press,  the  pioneer  Sunday 
newspaper  of  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  was  started  by 
an  association  of  practical  printers  known  as  the  Co-opera- 
tive Printing  Association.  The  first  number  was  issued 
June  loth,  1872.  To  compensate  for  the  lack  of  mail 
facilities,  the  association  at  once  projected  pony  express 
routes  to  all  points  within  twenty  miles  of  Scranton 
which  have  ever  since  been  maintained  and  been  more 
than  doubly  extended  by  the  present  management.  F.  A. 
Beamish,  its  present  proprietor,  was  the  first  subscriber 
on  its  list.  The  paper  was  purchased  by  F.  E.  Clark 
February  T5th,  1873,  and  continued  in  his  possession  until 
May  nth,  1874,  when  it  was  purchased  by  Mr.  F.  A. 
Beamish,  who  has  since  been  its  editor  and  proprietor. 
Its  job  office  was  burned  December  14th,  1876,  necessi- 
tating a  removal  to  the  Baner  America  office.  In  the 
spring  of    1878  an  entire  new  outfit  of  type  and  material 


t 


was  procured  at  considerable  expense,  and  the  Free  Press 
was  enlarged  from  a  twenty-eight  to  a  thirty-two  column 
paper.  The  columns  were  also  lengthened,  increasing  its 
size  about  one-fourth.  July  15th,  1878,  the  publication 
office  was  removed  to  the  republican  building,  on 
Wyoming  avenue.  The  Free  Press  is  independent-Dem- 
ocratic in  politics,  has  always  advocated  the  cause  of  the 
people  and  has  a  circulation  equaled  by  few  papers  in  the 
State  outside  of  the  large  cities. 

In  1873  the  Hyde  Park  Visitor  was  established  by  Mr. 
E.  R.  Williams,  better  known  by  his  nom  de  plume  of 
"Jenkins."  It  was  racy,  witty  and  sensational,  and  its 
local  news  department  was  excellent.  It  was  issued  reg- 
ularly for  about  eight  months,  gaining  rapidly  in  popular 
favor  and  circulation.  Its  publication  ceased  on  account 
of  the  sudden  death  of  its  projector  and  publisher. 

The  Scranton  Herald,  the  official  German  Republican 
organ  of  Lackawanna  county,  was  established  in  1874. 
Mr.  Nicholas  Kiefer  is  the  sole  editor  and  proprietor.  It 
circulates  in  Lackawanna,  Wayne,  Wyoming,  Pike,  Lu- 
zerne, Carbon  and  other  counties.  The  Avalanche  was 
published  as  a  Democratic  campaign  paper  in  1876,  by 
the  Co-operative  Printing  Company,  J.  C.  Coon  manager. 
The  publication  of  a  small  paper  called  the  Daily  Observer 
was  begun  in  1877.  In  1878  it  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Messrs.  Holmes  &  Jones,  who  changed  its  name  to  the 
Evening  Star  and  continued  its  publication  a  short  time. 

The  People's  Shield  [Tarian  y  Bol>e\  another  Welsh 
paper,  was  issued  in  1877  by  John  Morris,  editor  and 
proprietor.  Its  political  proclivities  were  Republican. 
It  was  a  neatly  printed  weekly  sheet,  sprightly  and  newsy, 
and  its  editorial  department  was  vigorous.  Some  of  the 
best  Welsh  writers  contributed  to  its  columns.  Its  pub- 
lication was  discontinued  in  1878,  owing  to  a  change  in 
the  politics  of  the  Welsh  people  of  the  counties  of  Lu- 
zerne and  Schuylkill,  who  were  its  chief  supporters. 
During  1877  a  comic  ])aper,  the  Wesh  Punch  {Y Pioncli), 
was  started;  but  its  matter  was  obnoxious  to  a  large  class 
of  the  Welsh  population,  and  its  life  was  short. 

November  ist,  1S78,  Reagan  &  Higgins  issued  the  first 
number  of  the  Sunday  Visitor,  the  publication  of  which 
was  continued  about  six  months.  In  the  fall  of  1877  the 
Industrial  Advocate  was  established  by  the  Industrial 
Advocate  Publishing  Company.  It  appeared  regularly 
for  abont  a  year.  In  1878  the  initial  number  of  the 
Daily  Advocate  was  issued.  It  suspended  in  four  or  five 
months. 

The  IVorhingman's  Banner  {Baner  y  Gweithiwr)  is 
owned  and  edited  by  D.  J.  Evans.  It  is  a  Welsh  Repub- 
lican paper,  well  printed,  interesting  and  spicy.  It  is 
creditably  edited  and  has  a  corps  of  able  contributors. 
It  has  a  large  and  increasing  circulation.  Its  publication 
was  begun  in  May,  1879.  The  Lackawanna  Union  was 
the  name  of  a  daily  campaign  paper  published  a  few 
months  in  1879  in  the  interest  of  William  H.Stanton, 
then  a  candidate  for  additional  law  judge  of  the  45th 
judicial  district.  The  Sumiay  Breeze  was  published  two 
weeks  in  1879  by  the  Breeze  Publishing  Company.  It 
was  merged  in  the  News-Dealer,  a  Sunday  paper  pub- 


=^H 


^^ 


4 


LITERARY  PEOPLE  OF  SCRANTON— BANKS. 


403 


lished  simultaneously  at  Wilkes-Barre  and  Scranton. 
The  Scranton  department  is  ably  conducted  by  Mr. 
Frank  P.  Woodward.  Several  Welsh  campaign  papers  have 
been  issued  at  various  times.  The  Providence  Echo  was 
started  in  1879.  It  is  probable  that  mention  of  some  papers 
which  have  had  an  ephemeral  existence  has  been  omitted, 
but  it  is  thought  that  all  journals  which  have  ever  been 
established  and  become  well  known  have  received  due 
attention.  A  paper  in  the  interest  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  was  published  in  Scranton  for  a  short  time.  An  ad- 
vertising sheet  was  published  in  the  interest  of  the  business 
men  of  Scranton  by  Mr.  John  T.  Howe  during  1877.  It 
had  a  large  gratuitous  circulation,  and  was  issued  monthly. 
The  Christmas  Argosy,  an  annual,  containing  many  val- 
uable articles  of  high  literary  character,  was  issued  dur- 
ing the  holidays  of  1879-80  by  John  E.  Barrett  and 
Frank  P.  Woodward.  Captain  O'Brien's  Monthly  Mag- 
azine first  appeared  February  4th,  1880.  It  is  a  neat 
brochure  of  romance,  poetry  and  news  of  the  day.  Its 
motto  is  "to  serve  God,  aid  mankind  and  make  money," 
and  it  will  be  issued  on  the  last  Saturday  of  every  month. 
The  legal  fraternity  of  Lackawanna  county  have  sup- 
ported several  law  publications,  which  have  been  or  are 
issued  in  Scranton. 

A  love  for  business  and  a  taste  for  literary  matters  are 
opposites,  generally  speaking.  Scranton  has  fostered  the 
one  and  not  the  other;  the  result  is  few  writers  and 
authors  within  its  limits. 

Richard  Drinker,  who  died  in  Scranton  a  few  years 
ago,  was  a  quaint  writer  of  poetry  and  prose  of  unques- 
tioned merit.  He  published  no  books,  and  it  is  to  be 
regretted  that  his  effusions  were  not  collected  and  pre- 
served in  a  printed  volume  for  posterity,  for  they  well  de- 
serve a  place  in  all  libraries.  Rev.  George  Peck,  D.  D., 
a  pioneer  Methodist  Episcopal  minister  in  this  portion  of 
Pennsylvania  and  an  author  of  national  reputation,  wrote 
and  published  the  "History  of  Wyoming,"  "Early  Meth- 
odism "  and  many  other  religious  and  historical  works  of 
great  labor  and  value,  which  are  everywhere  regarded  as 
standard  publications.  The  city  of  Scranton  may  well 
feel  proud  of  the  literary  achievements  of  this  remarkable 
man,  who  has  gone  to  his  reward.  "Contributions  to  the 
History  of  the  Lackawanna  Valley,"  a  volume  of  328 
pages,  issued  in  1857,  and  "The  History  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna Valley,"  entirely  re-written  and  enlarged  to  442 
pages,  published  in  1869  and  1875  by  H.  Hollister, 
M.  D.,  are  well  known  works  of  rare  historical  merit  and 
more  than  local  popularity.  For  the  last  thirty  years 
the  doctor  has  contributed  many  articles  to  the  mag- 
azines and  newspapers  of  the  country.  He  is  now  pre- 
paring the  history  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company.  Mrs.  Harriet  G.  Watres,  wife  of  Alderman 
Lewis  S.  Watres,  of  Scranton,  whose  tender  and  patriotic 
sonnets  have  been  widely  read,  under  the  nom  deplume  of 
"  Stella  of  Lackawanna,"  has  adorned  many  literary  mag- 
azines and  newspapers  with  her  poetic  gems.  In  her  poetry,  ' 
which  as  yet  has  never  been  published  in  book  form,  are 
pictured  real  scenes  of  nature  in  rare  pathos,  sometimes 
radiant  with  sunshine,  but  oftener  tinged  with  a  pathetic 


sadness.  Her  "Centennial  Ode," at  Wyoming,  July  4th, 
1878, was  not  only  original  and  grand  in  its  character,but  in 
the  language  of  that  fine  critic  the  Rev.  Abel  Barker,  of 
Wyoming,  "it  was  a  poem  that  Longfellow  himself  might 
be  proud  of."  "  TheWyomingValley.UpperWaters  of  the 
Susquehanna  and  the  Lackawanna  Coal  Region,"  by 
James  Albert  Clark,  appeared  first  in  pamphlet  and  then 
in  book  form  in  1875.  It  is  an  attractive  and  valuable 
work,  illustrated  with  twenty-five  photographs.  The 
chapters  devoted  to  railroad  and  ni'ning  history  evince 
much  painstaking  research.  The  work  is  well  written  and 
is  valued  by  those  interested  in  local  history. 

The  most  versatile  writer  in  Scranton  is  recognized  in 
the  local  editor  of  the  Scranton  Daily  Republican,  Hon. 
John  E.  Barrett,  who  for  the  last  six  years  has  given  this 
department  of  the  paper  spirit,  popularity  and  character. 
No  man  in  Scranton  can  take  the  raw  material  of  daily 
events  and  transfer  them  so  readily  and  in  so  life-like  a 
way  to  paper  as  this  gentleman.  He  lays  no  claim  to  the 
gift  of  beautifying  creation  in  poetry,  but  his  sensibilities 
are  so  fine  as  to  be  in  themselves  poetical.  If  he  excels 
in  any  one  branch  of  literary  work  it  is  as  a  novelist,  all 
of  his  stories  having  been  widely  and  some  of  them  ex- 
tensively read.  Frank  P.  Woodward,  who  manages  the 
Scranton  office  of  the  Sunday  News-Dealer  and  is  one  of 
the  editors  of  that  paper,  is  a  graceful  writer  of  tales, 
many  of  which  have  appeared  in  the  popular  journals  of 
the  day.  As  a  writer  of  historical  and  statistical  articles 
on  Scranton  and  the  Lackawanna  valley  Hon.  Lewis  Pughe 
is  well  known.  Colonel  H.  M.  Boies  is  a  contributor  to 
magazines,  writing  on  military  and  kindred  topics. 

Banks  and  Bankers. 

May,  loth,  1855,  Mason,  Meylert  &  Co.  opened  the 
first  bank  in  the  city  at  the  corner  of  Wyoming  avenue 
and  Center  street.  The  building  now  occupied  by  the 
Scranton  Savings  Bank  was  erected  and  occupied  by  this 
firm  about  i860.  There  were  two  or  three  changes  in 
the  organization  of  the  firm,  which  continued  business 
until  about  1864,  Gordon  F.  Mason  and  Michael  and  A. 
N.  Meylert  being  the  partners. 

The  Lackawanna  Valley  Bank  had  its  origin  in  the 
private  banking  house  of  George  Sanderson  &  Co.,  who 
began  business  in  November,  1855.  In  August,  1873, 
the  institution  was  incorporated  as  a  State  bank,  with  a 
paid-up  capital  of  $83,500.  The.  original  policy  of  sus- 
taining a  department  for  general  banking  business  and  a 
department  devoted  exclusively  to  savings  deposits,  bear- 
ing interest  payable  semi-annually,  is  continued  by  the 
Lackawanna  Valley  Bank.  In  1880  George  Sanderson 
was  president  and  W.  E.  Watkins  cashier. 

The  Second  National  Bank  of  Scranton  was  establislied 
in  the  latter  part  of  1863,  and  is  now  in  the  hands  of  a 
receiver.  The  officers  chosen  at  the  time  of  organization 
were  as  follows:  President,  T.  F.  Hunt;  vice-president. 
Doctor  John  Wilson;  cashier,  W.  W.  Winton.  The  re- 
ceiver is  Mr.  G.  S.  Goodale.  In  1865  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Providence  was  organized.  It  was  consolidated 
with  the  Second  National  Bank  of  Scranton. 


4^ 


H^ 


The  /"//-J/  National  Bank  of  Scranton  was  organized 
May  30th,  1863,  with  a  capital  of  $200,000.  The  direct- 
ors were  Joseph  H.  Scranton,  Thomas  Dickson,  John 
Brisbin,  Joseph  J.  Albright  and  Joseph  C.  Piatt;  presi- 
dent, Joseph  H.  Scranton;  vice-president,  Joseph  J.  Al- 
bright; cashier,  William  Gushing.  John  Brisbin  removed 
to  New  York  in  1864  and  George  L.  Dickson  was  elected 
10  fill  the  vacancy.  William  Gushing,  cashier,  resigned 
in  June,  1865,  and  James  A.  Linen  succeeded  him.  Jo- 
seph H.  Scranton  died  at  Baden  Baden,  Germany,  June 
6th,  1872,  and  Joseph  J.  Albright  was  elected  president, 
Joseph  G.  Piatt  vice-presidtnt,  and  James  Blair  director. 
Dividends  of  ten  per  cent,  were  made  from  the  date  of 
organization  to  1869;  from  7869  to  1872,  twelve  per 
cent.;  from  1872  to  1874,  sixteen  per  cent.;  from  1874 
lo  1880,  twenty  per  cent.,  and  in  addition  the  bank  has 
accumulated  a  surplus  of  $255,000.  Edward  S.  Jackson 
has  been  teller  since  1867. 

The  Scranton  Savings  Baukwaf.  incorporated  February 
26th,  1867.  T.  F.  Hunt,  George  Fisher,  J.  H.  Sutphin, 
S.  Grant,  John  Hadley,  G.  P.Matthews  and  all  other 
subsequent  stock  holders  were  named  as  the  corporators. 
August  5th,  1867,  James  Blair  subscribed  for  one  hundred 
shares  of  capital  stock,  and  S.  Grant,  T.  F.  Hunt,  George 
Fisher,  J.  H.  Sutphin,  John  Handley,  J.  S.  Slocum, 
Charles  P.  Matthews  and  A.  E.Hunt  fifty  shares  each, 
making  500  at  a  par  value  of  $100  each,  and  the  amount 
subscribed  $50,000,  fifty  per  cent,  of  which  was  paid  in 
then,  and  the  balance  July  6th,  1870. 

September  loth,  1867,  the  following  permanent  organ- 
ization was  effected;  James  Blair,  president;  James  Arch- 
bald  and  John  H.  Sutphin,  vice-presidents;  T.  F.  Hunt, 
secretary;  Oscar  G.  Moore,  cashier;  the  first  four  and 
John  Handley,  S.  Grant,  Daniel  Howell,  George  Fisher 
and  James  S.  Slocum  directors  and  trustees.  The  bank 
was  opened  October  7th,  1867,  at  No.  309  Lackawanna 
avenue.  In  June,  1869,  the  building  No.  120  Wyoiining 
avenue,  known  as  the  "  Meylert  Banking  House,"  was 
purchased  and  the  bank  removed  thereto,  where  it  has 
since  been  localed. 

George  H.  Birdsall  succeeded  Mr.  Moore  as  cashier 
January  ist,  1876,  and  H.  A.  Vail  succeeded  Mr.  Bird- 
sail  April  20th,  1878.  Of  the  original  managers  only 
James  Blair,  George  Fisher  and  James  S.  Slocum  remain. 
The  management  in  1879  consisted  of  John  L  Blair, 
James  Blair,  George  Fisher,  A.  M.  Decker,  G.  H.  Gatlin, 
James  Archbald.  jr.,  G.  A.  Fuller,  James  S.  Slocum  and 
H.  A.  Vail,  directors  and  trustees;  James  Blair,  president; 
H.  A.  Vail,  secretary  and  cashier.  The  original  managers 
(practically)  continued  in  office  until  June,  1877,  'h^ 
bank  doing  a  remunerative  business;  but  the  hard  times 
obliged  some  of  them  to  resign.  The  new  managers  who 
(in  June,  1877,  and  later,  in  1878,)  followed  remain 
directors  and  trustees. 

The  resignations  mentioned  and  the  rumors  and  sus- 
picions thereby  excited  culminated  in  June,  1877,  in  a 
three  weeks  run  upon  the  bank  by  depositors,  during 
which  the  bank  paid  out  about  $62,500.  The  new  man- 
agement increased    the    capital    stock    to  $100,000     of 


which  amount  $99,000  have  been  paid  in.  The  bank 
transacts  a  general  banking  business,  and  deals  in  foreign 
and  domestic  exchange  and  government  bonds  and  sells 
steamship  tickets.  ^ 

The  Scranton  Trust  Company  and  Savings  Bank,  organ- 
ized January  ist,  1870,  is  now  in  the  hands  of  an  assignee. 

The  Merchants  and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  Scranton  was 
organized  August  6th,  1870,  succeeding  in  business  John 
Handley  &  Co.,  with  the  following  directors:  John 
Handley,  Daniel  Howell,  Thomas  Moore,  D.  T.  Richards, 
Patrick  M.  Cann,  Edward  Jones,  D.  B.  Brainard,  J.  H. 
Gunster,  M.  M.  Kearney,  D.  B.  Oakes  and  Peter  Bur- 
schel.  Hon.  John  Handley  was  elected  president,  J.  G. 
Burgess  vice-president,  and  W.  H.  Fuller  cashier.  The 
paid-up  capital  of  the  bank  was  $125,000;  the  authorized 
capital  $500,000.  The  place  of  business  was  and  is  at 
No.  420  Lackawanna  avenue.  May  i8th,  187 1,  R.  T. 
McCabe  was  elected  cashier  in  place  of  Mr.  Fuller,  re- 
signed, and  in  March,  1873,  the  capital  stock  was  in- 
creased to  $250,000.  In  1875  Mr.  Handley  retired  from 
the  presidency,  having  been  elected  judge  of  Luzerne 
county,  and  E.  Phinney  succeeded  him.  In  1876  R.  T. 
McCabe  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  Pennsylvania  An- 
thracite Coal  Company,  and  John  T.  Richards  became 
cashier.  The  present  officers  are:  Daniel  Howell,  pres- 
ident; Thomas  Moore,  vice-president;  John  T.  Richards, 
cashier.  The  directors  are  Daniel  Howell,  Thomas 
Moore,  Edward  Jones,  James  Jordan  and  D.  B.  Brainard. 
Up  to  February  ist,  1880,  the  bank  had  paid  in  dividends 
to  its  stockholders  $150,000,  besides  adding  a  surplus  of 
$50,000,  and  paying  to  depositors  $75,290.51  as  interest, 
and  $22,963.50  in  taxes. 

The  7 hird  National  Bank  of  Scranton  was  organized 
March  ist,  1872,  by  the  election  of  the  following  direct- 
ors: Alfred  Hand,  John  Jermyn,  Lewis  Pughe,  J.  A. 
Scranton,  Henry  M.  Boies,  William  Matthews,  George  H. 
Catlin,  James  Archbald,  William  Gonnell,  Frederick  W. 
Gunster  and  Edward  C.  Lynde.  The  following  officers 
were  chosen:  President,  Alfred  Hand;  vice-president, 
George  H.  Gatlin;  secretary  and  temporary  cashier,  Ed- 
ward G.  Lynde.  March  16th,  1872,  N.  H.  Shafer  was 
elected  cashier.  The  bank  began  business  April  15th, 
1872,  at  504  Lackawanna  avenue,  with  a  capital  of  $200,- 
000,  and  removed  to  the  Republican  building  July  29th, 
1872.  The  present  commodious  building  was  erected  by 
the  bank  and  occupied  November  1st,  1877.  Hon.  Al- 
fred Hand  was  appointed  additional  law  judge  in  March, 
1879,  and  resigned  the  presidency  of  the  bank.  Lewis 
Pughe,  vice-president  (since  January,  1875),  acted  as 
president  the  remainder  c,f  the  year.  January  13th,  1880, 
the  board  of  directors  was  reduced  from  eleven  to  nine, 
and  the  following  persons  were  elected  directors  for  the 
ensuing  year:  William  Connell,  George  H.  Catlin,  John 
Jermyn,  Lewis  Pughe,  H.  M.  Boies,  James  Archbald, 
Fred.  W.  Gunster,  Henry  Belin,  jr.,  and  W.  H,  Rich- 
mond. The  officers  elected  were:  William  Connell,  presi- 
dent; George  H.  Gatlin,  vice-president;  N.  H.  Shafer, 
secretary  and  cashier.  The  capital  is  $200,000;  surplus, 
$3S,ooo. 


i**3^=«= 


=^H 


Lackawanna  Valley   House. 


I.   E.   WHIPPLE. 


I.  Eugene  Whipple,  son  of  Isaac  and  Emma  (Lathrop) 
Whipple,  was  born  in  Jackson,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa., 
February  19th,  1849.     His  great-grandfather,  Ebenezer 
Whipple,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  came  to  Susquehanna 
county  and  settled  near  Montrose  in  1793,  upon  a  farm 
which  he  cleared  up,  and  upon  which  he  resided  until  his 
death,  being  more  than  eighty  years  of  age.  He  had  three 
sons  who  came  with  the  family,  all  of  whom  married  and 
reared  families.  The  eldest,  Ebenezer,  jr.,  was  one  of  the 
first  settlers  in  Iowa.     Hiram,  a  farmer,  settled  in  Sus- 
quehanna county,  where  he  died  in   1872,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years.     Cyrus  lived  in  Susquehanna  county  until  he 
was  nearly  seventy  years  of  age,  when  he  moved  to  Iowa, 
where  his  sons  had  resided  several   years.     He  died  in 
J878,  aged  eighty  years.     Isaac,  the  father  of  the  subject 
of  our  sketch,  is  a  physician,  and  has  been  in  practice 
for  several   years  in  Stevensville,  Bradford  county.  Pa. 
He  had  seven  children — four  sons  and  three  daughters — 
all  living.     I.  Eugene,  the  eldest,  spent  his  boyhood  at 
home  and  in  the  schools  of  his  native  town.     He  com- 


pleted his  education  at  the  Stevensville  Academy,  where 
he  was  a  student  for  three  years.  After  he  became  of  age 
he  purchased  the  stage  business  between  Laceyville  and 
Montrose,  which  he  carried  on  for  one  year,  when  he 
sold  out  and  entered  the  boot  and  shoe  trade  in  Stevens- 
ville. After  continuing  the  business  a  year  he  sold  out 
and  was  engaged  as  clerk  in  the  Eagle  Hotel,  Pittston, 
which  position  he  filled  three  years,  when  (in  1876)  he 
became  the  proprietor  of  the  St.  Charles  Hotel  in  the 
same  place.  In  1878  he  came  to  Scranton  and  leased 
the  Lackawanna  Valley  House,  of  which  he  is  at  present 
the  popular  proprietor;  a  view  of  the  house  may  be  seen 
above. 

On  October  nth,  1876,  he  married  S.  Ophelia,  daugh- 
ter of  Evan  Evans,  of  Jackson  Valley,  Susquehanna 
county,  Pa.  She  was  born  August  27th,  1854.  Mr. 
Whipple  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  never  sought 
political  preferment.  He  is  identified  with  the  Baptist 
church,  of  which  both  his  parents  have  been  members  for 
several  years. 


'Vs_)v>^^i_A.-^v.N-A-/^33s3- 


—4* 


EUGENE   W.   SIMRELL. 


Eugene  W.  Simrell  was  born  in  Scott  township,  Lu- 
zerne (now  Lackawanna)  county,  October  3d,  1851,  the 
eldest  child  of  Warren  W.  and  Frances  C.  (Decker)  Sim- 
rell. His  great-grandfather,  William  Simrell,  emigrated 
with  his  family  from  Ireland  and  settled  in  Rhode  Isl- 
and. His  grandfather,  Nathaniel  Simrell,  was  born  in 
Rhode  Island,  married  Lydia  Wall,  moved  from  Rhode 
Island  and  settled  in  Scott  township,  Luzerne  county, 
about  the  year  1800,  and  raised  a  large  family  there. 

Warren  W.  Simrell,  E.  W.  Simrell's  father,  was  born  in 
Scott,  and  married  Frances  C.  Decker,  daughter  of  Ste- 
phen and  Louisa  (Giddings)  Decker.  By  this  union 
there  were  seven  children,  three  of  whom  are  deceased. 
Henrietta,  Myra  and  Lydia,  three  daughters,  are  living  at 

home. 

Eugene  W.  Simrell  was  brought  up  on  a  farm.  He 
■received  his  education  in  the  common  school  at  Scott, 
Gardner's  Commercial  College  atScranton,  Kingston  Sem- 
inary and  the  Bloomsburg  and  Mansfield  State  normal 
schools.     In  1873  he  entered  the  Mbany  law  school,  from 


which  institution  he  was  graduated  in  1874,  receiving  the 
degree  of  LL.  B.  He.  opened  a  law  office  in  Scranton 
in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  and  has  practiced  his  profes- 
sion there  since. 

In  politics  Mr.  Simrell  is  a  Republican.  In  1875  he 
was  appointed  by  the  U.  S.  Circuit  Court  commissioner 
for  the  western  district  of  Pennsylvania,  which  position 
he  held  up  to  January  ist,  1880.  He  received  the  nom- 
ination of  the  Republican  party  for  district  attorney  in 
1878  and  was  elected;  but  by  the  decision  of  the  Supreme 
Court  the  election  being  declared  void,  he  did  not  serve. 
At  the  election  in  1879,  having  again  received  the  nomi- 
nation of  his  party  to  the  office,  he  was  elected,  and  he  is 
the  present  incumbent  of  the  office,  the  duties  of  which 
he  has  filled  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  community. 
Of  the  many  young  attorneys  who  largely  compose  the 
membership  of  the  Lackawanna  county  bar,  it  may  well 
be  said  that  none  have  made  a  better  record  or  give 
greater  promise  of  future  success  in  the  profession  than 
Eugene  W.  Simrell. 


^- 


=4* 


<^ 


BANKS  OF  SCRANTON— WARDS  AND  OFFICERS. 


40s 


The  Scranton  Savings  Bank  and  Trust  Company  was 
organized  December  13th,  1873,  and  opened  for  business 
June  loth,  1874,  with  a  capital  of  $250,000,  and  with  the 
following  directors  and  officers:  John  Handley,  E.  A. 
Coray,  F.  D.  Collins,  U.  M.  Stowers,  E.  N.  Willard, 
Thooias  Phillips  and  Rev.  Moses  Whitty,  directors;  E. 
N.  Willard,  president;  John  Handley  and  Rev.  Moses 
Whitty,  vice-presidents;  L.  A.  Watres,  cashier.  January 
4th,  1875,  John  Handley,  having  been  elected  law  judge 
of  Luzerne  county,  resigned  the  presidency  and  E.  N. 
Willard  was  elected  in  his  stead.  A  good  business  is  now 
(1880)  being  done  under  the  following  management: 
Directors,  E.  N.  Willard,  William  M.  Silkraan,  E.  P. 
Kingsbury,  Hon.  F.  D.  Collins,  M.  J.  Wilson  and  L.  A. 
Watres;  president,  E.  N.  Willard;  vice-president,  Wil- 
liam M.  Silkman;  secretary,  L.  A.  Watres;  cashier,  A.  H. 
Christy. 

The  Scranton  City  Bank  was  incorporated  in  1S73. 
The  capital  is  $500,000.  The  president  is  Victor  Koch; 
the  cashier,  J.  H.  Gunster. 

The  Miners  and  Mechanics'  Loan  and  Banking  Associa- 
tion, of  Hyde  Park,  was  organized  in  May,  1874,  with  the 
following  named  officers:  Hon.  George  Sanderson,  pres- 
ident; A.  B.  Stevens,  secretary  and  treasurer;  H.  T. 
Sawyer,  cashier.  Mr.  Sawyer  was  succeeded  by  L.  Rey- 
nolds in  1876.  Mr.  Reynolds  died  in  November,  1877, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  cashier,  A.  B.  Eynon. 

The  Citizens  and  Miners'  Savirigs  Bank  and  Trust  Com- 
pany of  Providence,  now  in  the  hands  of  assignees,  had 
its  origin  in  the  private  banking  firm  of  Winton,  Clark  & 
Co.  There  have  been  from  time  to  time  private  banking 
offices  opened  in  different  parts  of  the  city. 

Incorporation  and  Civil  History. 

The  city  of  Scranton  was  incorporated  April  23d, 
1866,  and  embraces  within  its  territorial  limits  all  that 
then  remained  of  the  ancient  township  of  Providence  and 
the  boroughs  of  Providence,  Hyde  Park  and  Scranton. 

The  act  of  incorporation  provided  for  the  division  of 
the  city  into  twelve  wards,  constituted  as  follows:  ist 
ward,  that  part  of  the  borough  of  Providence  lying  north- 
east of  East  Market  street  and  the  old  road  leading  to 
Scranton;  2nd  ward,  the  remaining  portion  of  the  borough 
of  Providence,  lying  southwest  of  said  street  and  road; 
3d  ward,  the  remaining  portion  of  the  township  of  Provi- 
dence; 4th  ward,  that  part  of  the  borough  of  Hyde  Park 
lying  northeast  of  Jackson  street  and  the  road  leading  to 
Scranton;  sth  ward,  that  portion  of  Hyde  Park  borough 
lying  southwest  of  the  said  street  and  road  and  west  of 
the  Lackawanna  and  Bloomsburg  Railroad  track;  6th 
ward,  the  remaining  portions  of  the  borough  of  Hyde 
Park,  lying  east  of  said  railway  and  south  of  the  road  to 
Scranton;  7th  ward,  all  that  portion  of  Scranton  borough 
lying  north  of  Pine  brook;  8th  ward,  that  portion  of  the 
said  borough  lying  south  of  Pine  brook  and  north  of 
Roaring  brook  between  the  Lackawanna  river  and  Wash- 
ington avenue;  9th  ward,  that  portion  of  the  said  borough 
lying  north  of  Roaring  brook  and  between  Washington 
avenue  and  the  southeasterly  borough   line,  except   so 


much  of  said  territory  as  was  included  in  the  tenth  ward; 
loth  ward,  that  portion  of  the  said  borough  bounded  on 
the  southwest  by  Olive  street,  on  the  northwest  by  Clay 
avenue,  on  the  northeast  by  the  borough  line  and  the 
boundary  line  of  said  borough  on  the  southeast;  nth 
ward,  that  portion  of  the  said  borough  lying  south  of 
Roaring  brook,  between  the  Lackawanna  river  and  Pitts- 
ton  avenue;  12th  ward;  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
said  borough  lying  southwest  of  Roaring  brook  and* 
southeast  of  Pittston  avenue.  In  1875  the  2nd,  4th,  5th, 
Sth  and  9th  wards  were  divided,  creating  the  13th,  14th, 
15th,  i6th  and  17th  wards.  The  13th  was  formed  from 
a  part  of  the  second  and  a  small  portion  of  the  borough 
of  Diinmore;  the  14th  was  taken  from  the  4th,  the  15th 
from  the  5th.  thei6th  from  the  8th  and  the  17th  from 
the  9th.  In  1876  the  6th  and  12th  wards  were  divided, 
creating  the  18th  from  the  former  and  the  19th  and  20th 
wards  from  the  latter.  The  3d  ward  was  divided  in 
1877,  forming  the  21st. 

Under  the  act  of  April  23d,  1866,  each  of  the  wards 
was  entitled  to  one  member  in  the  select  and  two  mem- 
bers in  the  common  council,  to  be  elected  at  the  annual 
municipal  elections,  held  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  June. 
An  act  supplementary  to  that  above  referred  to  was  passed 
March  30th,  1867,  reducing  the  number  of  members  of 
the  common  council  so  that  each  ward  should  have  only 
one  representative  in  that  branch.  This  apportionment 
continued  in  force  until  April  4th,  1877,  when  the  new 
charter,  under  the  act  of  May  23d,  1874,  was  adopted, 
by  authority  of  which  each  ward  was  again  entitled  to 
two  members  of  the  common  council  and  an  additional 
member  for  every  four  hundred  taxable  inhabitants  and 
fraction  thereof  exceeding  three  hundred. 

The  successive  mayors,  with  their  terms  of  service 
under  the  first  charter,  were  as  follows:  E.  S.  M.  Hill, 
1866-69;  William  N.  Monies,  1 869.-7 2;  M.  W.  Loftus, 
1872-75;  R.  H    McKune,  1875-78. 

The  first  select  council  was  organized  June  9th,  1866, 
at  the  office  of  Hand  &  Post.  S.  G.  Oram  was  unani- 
mously chosen  chairman  and  E.  N.  Willard  secretary.  The 
following  were  the  members  of  the  council:  ist  ward, 
Henry  Roberts;  2nd,  Frank  B.  Marsh;  3d,  S.  G.  Oram; 
4th,  A.  B.  Stevens;  5th,  Edmund  Heerraans;  6th,  Patrick 
Mahon;  7th,  Patrick  Scanlon;  Sth,  Samuel  Shopland; 
gth,  Alfred  Hand;  loth,  Maurice  Taner;  nth,  Jacob 
Robinson;   12th,  Darby  Melvin. 

The  first  common  council  was  organized  at  Washing- 
ton Hall,  June  23d,  1866.  J.  H.  Gunster  was  chosen 
chairman  and  Charles  Du  Pont  Breck  secretary.  The 
members  were  T.  F.  Hunt,  George  Grteber,  George 
Griffin,  D.  Evans,  James  Brogan,  John  Waller,  H.  O. 
Silkman,  Walter  Phillips,  Joseph  Westhausen,  William 
P.  Connell,  Thomas  Watkins,  Patrick  Walsh,  Paul  Jones, 
Michael  Corbett,  Charles  Schlager,  Thomas  E.  Geddis, 
L.  Toomey,  Peter  Gallagher,  F.  W.  Watson,  Adam  Koch, 
George  Hartman,  John  Walsh,  J.  H.  Gunster  and  J.  T. 
Walsh. 

Under  the  act  of  April  23d,  1866,  the  select  council 
exercised  the  functions  of  ex  officio  commissioners,  and 


'<'^ 


Jil 


40  6 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


as  such  had  complete  control  of  the  city  finances,  making 
contracts,  levying  taxes  and  disbursing  all  public  money. 
Under  the  act  of  May  23d,  1874,  the  select  and  common 
councils  have  equal  power  in  passing  bills,  enacting  ordi- 
nances and  the  transaction  of  other  business  formerly 
belonging  to  the  select  council  only.  After  claims  are 
presented  against  the  city  they  must  pass  both  councils, 
and  afterward  the  mayor  and  the  controller  must  both 
approve  them  before  they  cnr;  '  e  paid;  and  the  controller 
is  empowered  to  take  legal  evidence  and  demand  that 
any  claim  shall  be  sworn  to  if  he  has  any  reason  to  sus- 
pect it. 

The  new  charter  was  adopted  by  the  council  March 
i6th,  1877.  The  action  of  the  councils  was  as  soon  as 
practicable  reported  to  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania, 
who  approved  the  same  and  issued  letters  patent  to  the 
city  April  4th  following.  Charles  Du  Pont  Breck  was 
elected  first  controller.  He  was  succeeded  by  E.  P. 
Kingsbury.  The  first  mayor  elected  under  the  new 
charter,  T.  V.  Powderly,  was  elected  in  1878  and  re- 
elected in  1880. 

According  to  the  report  of  the  controller  of  the  city, 
the  following  is  the  financial  statement  of  the  resources 
and  indebtedness  for  the  year  ending  March  31st, 
1879:  Bonded  debt,  $326,300;  floating  debt,  represented 
by  warrants  outstanding,  $18,797.43;  unsettled  claims  to 
date,  $8,001.69;  total  $353,099.09;  less  resources  ($154,- 
026.70),  $199,072.39,  the  net  debt;  showing  an  actual 
decrease  in  the  net  debt  of  $47,789.39  since  the  control- 
ler's last  annual  report. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  aldermen  elected  in  the 

different  wards  of  the  city: 

First  ward— G.  W.  Miller,  1870,  1875.  Seooiia-Ebonezer  Leach,  1670, 
1875;  J.  L.  Lawrence,  1877.  Tliird-Michael  Gallafflier,  1807, 1873  ;  Thomas 
Dougrherty,  1875.  Fourth— David  M.  Jones,  1808, 1873 ;  Kichard  K.  Cran- 
fleld,  1877.  Fifth— Benjamin  Slocum,  1880  ;  John  Levi,  1871 ;  M.  L.  Blair, 
1878.  Sixth— Patrick  Coroner,  1868 ;  .Tohn  Timlin,  1871;  P.  Mahon,  187.5, 
1876.  Seventh— Matthew  W.  Loftus,  1800, 1871,  1877;  Jiilin  Barrett,  1873. 
Eighth— Benjamin  Jay,  1871;  Frederick  Puller,  1871;  Francis  E.  Loomis, 
1875;  C.  W.  Rocsler,  1876.  Ninth— Lewis  S.  Watres,  1808, 1871, 1876.  Tenth 
—John  Butterman,  1867.  Eleventh— Freeman  Moore,  18cn  ;  Leopold 
SohimpfE,  1874.  Twelfth— Thomas  D.  Kelly,  1871;  Michael  J.  Mahon,  187i; 
James  Hannon,  1875.  Thirteenth— G.  P.  McMillan.  Fourteeth— John 
Cawley.  Fifteenth— John  Lei'i.  Sixteenth— Vrederick  Fuller.  Seven- 
teenth—Isaac L.  Post.  These  last  five  were  commissioned  March  31st, 
1876.  Eighteenth— James  M.  Brogan,  1876;  .John  Kelly,  1877.  Nineteenth 
—James  Hannon,  1877.    Twentieth— Patrick  Moore,  1877;  Patrick  Roach, 


1878. 


ScRANTON  Poor  District. 


In  this  district  (formerly  known  as  Providence  town- 
ship), as  elsewhere  in  the  then  county  of  Luzerne,  the 
poor  were  before  the  incorporation  of  the  district  cared 
for  by  the  township  and  were  farmed  out  to  the  lowest 
bidder.  This  annual  hiring  or  letting  out  of  the  paupers 
is  said  to  have  been  the  occasion  of  much  competition, 
and  inasmuch  as  they  were  awarded  to  the  lowest  bidder 
it  usually  happened  that  the  price  was  low  and  the  fare 
correspondingly  meagre.  As  time  went  on  greater  atten- 
tion here  as  in  other  portions  of  the  country  was  given  to 
the  subject  of  public  charities,  and  the  gradual  develop- 
ment of  the  present  and  prospective  facilities  for  the  care 
of  the  poor  is  the  result.  In  April,  1862,  a  law  was  en- 
acted by  the  legislature  "  to  authorize  the    erection  of  a 


poor    house  by  the    borough    of    Dunmore,    borough   of 
Scranton  and  township  of  Providence."     The  corporators 
and  first  commissioners  were  Edward  Spencer,    of    Dun- 
more;  Joseph  Slocum  and  David  K.  Kressler,  of    Scran- 
ton; and  Henry  Griffin,  of  Providence.     On   the  30th  of 
June,  1862,  the  district  purchased  a  farm  (now  known  as 
the  "  Hillside  farm  ")  in  the  township   of  Newton,  about 
nine  miles  from  Scranton.     Additions  to  this  have   since 
been   made   and   it   now  consists  of  about  148  acres,  the 
original  cost  of  which   was  $9,020.50.     The  farm  house 
was    first   used  as  a  poor    house,    b,      .ater  another  was 
erected.     It  was   a   wooden    building    30  by  60  feet,  two 
stories  in  height  above  the  basement,  and  the  farm  house 
has   since   been    used    as  the  superintendent's  residence. 
The  insane  hospital,  ^o  feet  square,  two  stories  in  height, 
stands  60  feet  in  the  rear  of  the  old  poor-house.     In  1878 
a  new  poor-house  was  completed.     It  is  of  brick,  50  by 
TOO  feet  and  four  stories    in    height.     The    dining  room, 
kitchen,   etc.,   are   in    the   basement   and  the  dormitories 
and  other  rooms  in  the   other    stories.     It    is    heated  by 
steam  and  each  floor  is  supplied  with  both  cold    and  hot 
water.     Throughout  it  is  well  finished  and    it   is  capable 
of  accommodating  250  paupers.     The  cost  of  the    build- 
ing and  fixtures  was  $r8,ooo.     It  is  intended  to    build  a 
central  administrative  building  of  brick,  56  by  64  feet,  2 
stories  in  height  above  the  basement,  with  a  wing  on  each 
side,  of  the  same  height,  45   by  50  feet,    for    the   insane, 
one  for  females,  the  other  for  males,  each  with  a  capacity 
for  50  patients.     These  are  to   be  placed  at  one    side  of 
the    present  poor    house.     On    the   other  side    of    these 
another  poor  house   is  to   be   built,  like  the  present  one. 
and  when  completed  one  will  be  used  for  males   and  the 
other  for  females. 

The  Post-Office,   Past  and  Present. 

The  post-ofl^ce  in  Providence  township  was  originally 
established  at  Slocum  Hollow  in  181 1,  with  Benjamin 
Slocum  as  the  first  postmaster.  In  1829  the  office  was 
removed  to  Providence  and  John  Vaughn  was  appointed 
postmaster.  An  office  was  established  at  Hyde  Park  in 
1832.  William  Merrifield  was  postmaster  there.  The 
mail  was  carried  weekly  on  horseback  from  Easton  to 
Bethany,  by  Zephaniah  Knapp,  7,1a  Wilkes-Barre  and 
Providence.  It  has  been  stated  that  all  of  the  mail  sent 
to  the  Lackawanna  settlement  at  that  time  was  a  small 
package  in  comparison  with  the  amount  now  received 
daily  by  any  one  of  a  number  of  the  leading  business 
firms  of  Scranton.  In  1850  a  post-office  was  established 
at  the  Hollow  with  John  W.  Moore  as  postmaster.  The 
receipts  for  the  ensuing  year  were  $901.27.  A  striking 
contrast  between  the  amount  of  postal  business  at  that 
time  and  that  of  the  present  will  be  observed  by  reference 
to  the  following  exhibit  of  the  amount  of  mail  matter 
handled  at  the  three  post-oftices  within  the  city  limits 
during  the  first  seven  days  of  November,   1879: 

T,.tt„,.=  ,   A        .  ,                     Scranton.  HydePark.  Providence.  Total. 

Letters  and  postals  sent,               13,380          1,180                1,0.57  15  617 

Iteffular  papers  sent,                     10,039         none                   4.33  1073 

Papers,  books,  circulars,  &o.,        3,381             105                    109  3;."g5 

350               13                        B  ''om 


Merchandise, 


4^ 


'*i^- 


A.    H.    WINTON. 


A.  H.  Winton  was  bora  November 
nth,  1838,  at  Scranton,  Pa.  He  re- 
ceived his  preparation  for  coUegre  at 
Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  Pa., 
Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  and 
Williaton  Seminary,  East  Hampton. 
Mass.  He  graduated  at  Mount  Wash- 
ington College,  the  valedictorian  of  his 
class.  During  this  period  his  father  was 
aagaged  in  mercantile  piii-suits  in  New 
York:,  and  having  returned  to  Scranton, 
Pa.,  became  a  leading  banker,  and  for 
many  years  was  president  of  the  Second 
National  Bank. 

After  graduation  our  subject  read  law 
with  David  K.  Kaudall,  Esq..  and  on  the 
22nd  of  August,  1860,  was  admitted  to 
practice  in  the  several  coui'ts  of  Luzerne 
county,  and  in  due  time  to  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  various 
courts  of  the  United  States.  He  became 
an  accurate  short-hand  reporter,  but 
never  practiced  it  for  remuneration, 
and  declined  the  appointment  of  court 
reporter  when  tendered  to  him  by  the 
Hon.  John  N.  Conynghara.  His  system- 
atic business  habits,  and  arrangement 
and  care  of  papers  and  dockets,  won 
the  admiration  of  clients  and  fellow 
attorneys,  and  he  devised  the  present 
admirable  aiTangement  of  keeping  the 
dockets,  issue-lists,  etc.,  in  the  Protho- 
notaries'  oflBoes  at  Wilkes-Barre  and 
Scranton.  He  prepared  and  published 
the  lAbz&rv£  Legal  Jmimal^  now  con- 
tinued under  the  name  of  the  Lvzeme 
hegdi  Register,  and  was  long  connected 
with  the  Scmntim  Law  Times,  the  legal 
official  organ  of  the  courts  of  the  county 
of  Lackawanna.  Immediately  after  his 
admission  to  the  bar  he  entered  into  a 
business  partnership  with  Hon.  Garrick 
M.  Harding,  late  president  judge  of 
Luzerne  county;  and  in  the  first  three 
months  of  his  law  practice  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  famous  Corwin  murder 
trial,  and  in  his  maiden  speech,  in  this 
case,  at  once  gained  renown  as  a  talents 
ed.  gifted  and  powerful  debater  and 
orator.  Since  then  he  has  been  engaged 
in  very  many  of  the  most  prominent 
criminal  and  civil  eases,  where  he  was 
associated  with  or  opposed  to  many  of 
the  criminal  lawyers,  judges  and  states- 
men of  Pennsylvania. 

In  1866  he  removed  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Scranton,  and  at  once  took 
rank  among  the  foremost  pleaders  at  that  bar.  He  conducted  the  pros- 
ecution and  secured  the  conviction  of  the  Carbondale  Bank  robbers, 
who,  being  well  disguised,  on  the  14th  of  January,  18T5,  entered  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Carbondale,  Pa.,  at  noon,  and  after  gagging  the 
cashier  succeeded  in  escaping  with  many  thousand  dollars.  In  connec- 
tion with  detective  Robert  Pinkerton,  as  counsel  for  the  bank,  Mr.  Win- 
ton  went  to  work  with  scarcely  a  shadow  of  a  clue  to  begin  with,  and 
eventually  enmeshed  all  the  robbers  and  their  accomplices  in  the  net  of 
the  law,  and  recovered  most  of  the  stolen  funds. 

On  the  12th  of  December,  1874,  four  young  men  from  Binghamton  ar- 
rived in  Scranton  and  began  to  buy  all  the  oil  barrels  that  could  be  ob- 
tained from  about  forty  of  the  leading  merchants  in  Scranton,  Dun- 
more  and  adjacent  villages,  paving  in  many  places  nearly  double  price, 
they  claiming  that  they  needed  them  immediately  for  a  Binghamton 
oil  refinery.  Suspicions  were 'aroused  at  their  strange  and  hasty  con- 
duct, and  it  was  discovered  that  there  was  a  sharp  law  in  Penosylvania 
fixing  a  penalty  of  $300  for  selling  any  barrel  without  removing  the 
brand  of  the  inspector,  and  very  many  of  these  oil  barrels  were  so  sold. 
These  audacious  young  men  from  another  State  at  once  began  to  teach 
Pennsylvanians  their  own  law  by  bringing  several  suite  for  many 
thousand  dollars  as  fines  and  penalties.  Great  consternation  seized 
upon  the  merchants  and  they  at  once  retained  Mr.  Winton,  who  forth- 
with caused  the  ai'rest  of  the  young  men  upon  a  criminal  charge,which 
was  so  vigorously  prosecuted  that  they  were  at  length  glad  to  settle, 
and  withdraw  their  suits  for  penalties  and  escape  over  the  line,  to  feast 
their  eyes  upon  their  expensive  oil  barrels ;  and  they  have  never  since 
attempted  to  operate  in  such  a  "  corner." 

Mr.  Winton  appeared  in  the  defense  of  F.  A.  Beamish  in  the  celebrat- 
ed JPreePress  libel  suit,  prosecuted  by  Judge  Alfred  Hand,  growing  out 
of  the  publication  of  an  article  entitled  the  "School  Board  Muddle;"  and 
after  a  three  days  struggle,  wherein  he  was  pitted  againstattorney  gen- 
eral H.  W.  Palmer  and  other  distinguished  counsel,  he  bore  his  client 
through  all  difBculties  and  on  the  Z7th  of  May,  1875,  secured  the  coveted 
prize  of  a  verdict  of  acquittal. 

The  court  rules  of  Luzerne  county,  by  reason  of  Various  amendments, 
having  reached  a  somewhat  chaotic  condition,  the  court  on  the  4th  of 
January,  1878,  appointed  a  committee  to  revise  the  same.  Mr.  Winton 
as  chairman  of  this  committee  reported  a  complete  set  of  rules,  which 
were  promptly  approved  by  the  rest  of  the  committee  and  were  soon 
almost  entirely  adopted  by  the  court,  and  subsequently  formed  the 
basis  for  the  ruU  s  of  the  court  of  Lackawanna  county. 

In  many  other  mportant  causes  than  those  named,  notably  that  of 
the  State  vs.  F.  S.  Pauli,  in  which  he  made  the  closing  argument  for 
the  commonwealth  Mr.  Winton  has  taken  a  leading  part  as  attorney 


ps-- 


f or  prosecution  or  defense.  In  the  lat- 
ter case  he  was  opposed  by  Daniel 
Dougherty,  the  noted  and  eloquent 
lawyer  of  Philadelphia. 

Mr.  Winton  is  often  called  upon  for 
speeches  on  other  occasions  than  In 
arguments  before  juries.  Upon  the 
same  day  he  won  his  verdict  In  the  last 
case  named  above,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  opening  of  the  armory  of  the  Scran- 
ton City  Guards,  on  behalf  of  the  citi- 
zens he  made  the  presentation  speech. 
He  was  selected  to  make  the  Decoration 
Day  address  at  the  Academy  of  Music  on 
the  80th  of  May,  1878,  before  the  Veteran 
Association .  H  e  has  had  the  honor  upon 
several  occasions  to  deliver  addresses  at 
the  request  of  the  lady  managers  of  the 
Home  for  the  Friendless,  at  large  assem- 
blies, and  upon  several  excursions  had 
in  their  behalf.  He  also  greatly  aided 
the  Father  Matthew  Society  by  fre- 
quently delivering  addresses  and  recita- 
tions for  them.  The  Eobert  Bums 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  had  him  as  their 
orator  on  one  or  two  of  their  anniver- 
sary festivals. 

The  struggle  for  a  division  of  Luzerne 
county,  reaching  back  to  a  time  before 
his  birth,  engaged  his  attention  for 
years  up  to  1878;  when  with  purse,  pen 
and  tongue  he  became  one  of  the  most 
active  new  county  advocates,  daily 
writing  editorials  and  nightly  speaking 
in  its  behalf  until  the  election  of  the 
17th  of  August,  1878,  crowned  the  efforts 
of  its  friends  with  Lackawanna  county 
as  an  established  fact. 

The  24th  of  October,  1877,  was  a  red 
letter  day  in  the  history  of  Scranton, 
the  occasion  being  an  inspection  and 
review  of  the  City  Guard  and  the  first 
regiment  of  the  State  militia  by  Gover- 
nor J.  F.  Hartranft  and  staff.  A  colla- 
tion was  tendered  by  the  prominent 
citizens  at  noon  -in  the  Lackawanna  Val- 
ley House.  General  Morron,  field  and 
staff,  of  the  regular  army;  Colonel 
Howard,  field  and  staff,  N.  G.  Pa.,  and 
other  prominent  national  and  Stiite 
officers  and  military  men,  who  had  been 
on  active  duty  during  the  late  riots, 
were  assembled.  Of  Mr.  Wlnton's  after 
dinner  speech  made  on  this  occasion 
the  ScraTtUm  Republican  of  the  next  day 
said :  "  Mr.  Wlnton's  effort  was  replete  with  eloquence,  beauty,  wit  and 
fun,  and  he  was  greeted  with  long  applause." 

In  the  temperance  work  Mr.  Winton  has  manifested  ability,  earnest- 
ness and  talent.  When  on  his  summer  vacation  in  Massachusetts  the 
papers  of  that  State  spoke  of  him  as  an  "eloquent,  powerful  and  very  bril- 
liant temperance  speaker."  In  July,1877,  he  was  the  orator  on  the  occasion 
of  a  large  temperance  meeting  at  Plymouth, Pa., and  theScranton  Evening 
Star,  in  reporting  the  meeting,  said :  "  Mr.  Winton  was  the  principal 
speaker  of  the  evening,  and  in  his  eloquent  style  spoke  for  an  hour, 
holding  his  audience  spell-bound  by  his  remarkable  oratorical  powers, 
apt  quotations  and  wonderful  brilliancy  in  describing  the  evils  of  intem- 
perance." Other  city  papers  of  Scranton  and  Wilkes-Barre  have  noticed 
his  temperance  addresses  in  the  most  glowing  terms. 

At  the  convention  of  the  reform  party,  which  met  at  Harrisburg  on 
the  12th  of  September,  1877,  he  was  unanimously  placed  in  nomination 
as  candidate  for  the  high  office  of  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Penn- 
sylvania. The  Pft,t?<ide/33?iia  Time.?  in  noticing  his  nomination  says:  "A. 
H.  Winton,  the  candidate  for  supreme  judge,  is  a  prominent,  accom- 
plished and  highly  respected  lawyer  of  Scranton,  in  the  prime  of  life. 
He  is  not  a  politician  in  the  generally  accepted  sense  of  the  term,  but 
possesses  all  the  necessary  qualifications  for  his  office.  A  more  worthy 
and  suitable  person  could  not  be  found  in  our  State,  and  the  convention 
may  be  considered  fortunate  in  this  selection." 

A  few  years  since  he  became  largely  interested  in  several  tracts  of 
coal  land,  whereon  is  situated  the  thrivioj^  village  of  Winton,  recently 
incorporated  as  a  borough  and  as  a  mark  of  honor  given  his  name.  For 
the  ten  years  previous  to  1877  he  had  been  director  of  the  poor  of  Scran- 
ton, and  most  of  the  time  acting  secretary.  His  urbanity  of  manner, 
systematic  habits  of  business,  and  clear  judgment  have  won  the  esteem 
of  the  needy  and  hearty  commendation  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

At  the  organization  of  the  Law  and  Library  Association  he  was  made 
treasurer,  and  has  ever  since  retained  that  position;  and  for  many  years 
has  also  beeti  treasurer  of  the  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  of  Scranton. 
He  married  on  the  9th  of  May,  1865,  Alice  M.  CoUings,  of  WUkes-Barre, 
Pa.,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Hon.  Samuel  P.  Colhngs,  former  U.  S.  consul 
at  Tangier,  and  a  granddaughter  of  Hon.  Andrew  Beaumont,  deccEtsed, 
former  member  of  Congress  from  this  district,  whose  honored  sons. 
Colonel  B.  B.  Beaumont,  U.  S.  A.  cavalry  instructor  at  West  Point,  and 
Commodore  J.  C.  Beaumont,  U.  S.  navy,  commandant  of  navy  yard  at 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  are  among  the  most  distinguished  officers  now  serv- 
ing our  country.  Among  her  other  relatives  are  Jacob  S.  Dillinger, 
attorney  and  late  prothonotary  at  AUentown.  Pa.;  Henry  C.  Smith,* 
cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Wilkes-Barre  ;  Lieutenant  E.  Z. 
Steever,  mathematical  instructor  at  West  Point,  and  John  B.  CoUings, 
attorney-at-law  at  Scranton. 


^Mm^ 


<i 


«=,=.=N= 


=^^ 


WILLIAM   S.  JONES. 


William  S.  Jones  was  born  in  Booneville,  Oneida  county,  N.  Y., 
July  31st,  1832,  of  poor  but  respectable  parents,  who  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  from  Angleseashire,  North  Wales,  in  1830,  and  located  in 
Oneida  county.  In  February,  1839,  his  parents  emigrated  from  that 
place  and  settled  in  Carbondale,  Luzerne  (now  Lackawanna)  county, 
where  his  father  died,  October  31st,  1841,  leaving  his  mother  with  five 
children.  In  1849  his  mother  contracted  a  second  marriage,  with  Mr. 
William  D.  Thomas,  wholdied  November  19th,  1862,  leaving  her  a  widow 
for  the  second  time.  She  ;died  April  24th,  1871.  Nine  children  were 
born  to  them,  four  in  Wales  and  the  other  five  in  this  country,  of  whom 
only  three  are  living.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  the  first  of  the 
family  bom  in  America.  When  hie  father  died  he  was  obliged  to  go 
out  into  the  world  to  earn  his  own  living,  and  for  two  years  was  hired 
out  to  farmers  in  Susquehanna  county,  the  first  year  for  his  board  and 
a  suit  of  clothes  and  a  quarter  of  schooling  in  the  winter.  He  received 
his  board  and  the  suit  of  ^clothes,  but  he  was  denied  the  privilege  of 
even  as  much  as  seeing  the  inside  of  a  school-house.  The  second  year 
his  pay  was  II  per  month  and  board.  Prom  this  time  forward  he  was 
obliged  to  toil  hard  to  assist  his  mother  to  support  the  family.  In  the 
winter  of  1845-6  he  drifted  into  the  coal  mines,  and  the  first  work  he 
did  was  that  of  loading  coal ;  which  for  the  time  ended  January  12th, 
1846,  when  the  mine  in  which  he  was  working  caved  in,  killing  fifteen 
persons  and  imprisoning  about  sixty  others.  Our  miner  boy  toiled  in 
the  mines  until  he  grew  to  manhood,  performing  every  kind  of  work 
connected  with  mining.  By  his  own  exertion,  by  study  at  night  often 
extending  into  the  early  hours  of  the  morning,  and  without  a  tutor,  he 
acquired  a  good  English  education. 

In  December,  1859,  he  left  the  anthracite  coal  regions  of  Pennsylvania 
and  settled  in  West  Springfield,  Mass.  In  his  new  home,  among  entire 
strangers,  he  was  engaged  to  take  charge  of  a  large  farm,  consisting  of 
310  acres,  within  about  three  miles  of  the  city  of  Springfield.  He  fol- 
lowed this  new  avocation  until  the  Kebellion  broke  out,  in  the  spring 
of  1881,  when  he  enlisted  for  three  years  in  Company  I  of  the  10th  Mass. 
volunteer  infantry,  serving  his  full  term  of  enlistment  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  The  regiment  waa  mustered  Into  the  United  States  ser- 
vice Juno  21st,  1861,  and  mustered  out  July  Ist,  1864.  He  took  part  in 
nearly  all  the  battles  fought  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  from  the  first 
battle  of  Bull  Bun,  July  21st,  1861,  until  and  including  the  battle  of 
Spottsylvania  Court-house,  at  which.  May  18th,  1864,  he  was  wounded. 
Before  he  recovered  from  his  wounds,  his  term  of  enlistment  having 
expired,  he  was  honorably  discharged,  and  his  soldier  life  ended. 

In  November,  1864,  after  returning  from  the  army,  he  was  induced  to 
return  to  Pennsylvania  by  the  entreaties  of  his  aged  mother,  and  on 
reaching  his  old  home  in  Hyde  Park  he  was  again  employed  as  a  miner 
until  his  health  failed,  in  March,  1869.    On  the  9ih  of  August  of  thesauje 


year  he  was  engaged  by  the  '*  Baner  America  Company  "  as  managing 
editor  of  "  Bmier  America,"  a  Welsh  weekly  newspaper.  After  five 
years'  experience  as  an  editor  he  resigned  that  position,  and  devoted 
himself  for  two  years  to  the  study  of  mining  and  mechanical  engineer- 
ing, the  chemistry  of  gases  found  in  coal  mines,  the  science  of  ventila- 
tion and  other  scientific  and  philosophical  subjects,  with  the  view  of 
entering  a  competitive  examination  for  an  appointment  to  the  position 
of  "inspector  of  coal  mines."  under  an  act  of  Assembly  entitled  "  an 
act  providing  for  the  health  and  safety  of  persons  employed  in  coal 
mines,"  approved  March  3d,  1870.  He  was  appointed  to  this  responsible 
position  on  the  recommendation  of  a  board  of  examiners  by  Governor 
Hartranft,  October  4th,  1876,  for  the  term  of  five  years.  Nearly  all  the 
corporations  and  operators  engaged  in  mining  coal  exerted  their  whole 
influence  in  opposition  to  his  appointment.  In  relation  to  this  he  said : 
"  I  am  not  conscious  of  ever  having  done  anything  to  justify  the  oppo- 
sition of  these  parties.  Their  reasons  for  opposing  my  appointment  are 
best  known  by  themselves."  He  has  held  this  important  ofBce  now  for 
four  years,  and  has  endeavored  to  perform  his  duties  conscientiously, 
and  with  as  much  moderation  and  forbearance  to  all  parties  con- 
cerned as  the  health  and  safety  of  the  16,000  to  17,000  persons  for 
whose  benefit  the  office  was  created  would  permit.  Great  improve- 
ments have  been  effected  in  the  condition  of  the  ooUeries  under  his 
charge,  and  the  ventilation  of  the  mines  has  been  vastly  improved 
under  his  direction,  thus  inproving  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  mines 
to  a  great  extent.  Evidently  he  has  never  sought  for  the  commendation 
or  approbation  of  any  class,  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  only  when  it 
comes  to  him  in  the  path  of  right  and  justice.  He  has  never  been 
known  to  do  an  unjust  or  dishonorable  act  for  policy's  sake,  and  never 
could  believe  that  it  is  ever  justifiable  to  "  do  evil  that  good  may 
come."  At  present  Mr.  Jones  is  president  of  the  Welsh  Philosophical 
Society  and  Free  Library  Association,  of  Hyde  Park. 

September  2l8t,  1861,  at  Carbondale,  he  married  Miss  Gwenllian,  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  D.  Lewis,  and  sister  to  Hon.  William  J.  Lewis 
*now  of  Providence.  Her  death  occurred  in  October,  1857.  May  3d,1859,he 
married  his  present  wife.  Miss  Moxy  Jeanette,  daughter  of  William  W. 
Thomas  and  Ann  Thomas,  of  Hyde  Park,  who  was  bom  February  28th, 
1840,  in  Brooklyn,  N.  T.  Her  parents  were  both  natives  of  North 
Wales,  but  emigrated  to  this  country  when  young.  Nine  children  have 
been  born  as  the  issue  of  this  marriage— six  daughters  and  three  sons— 
of  whom  two  of  the  sons  and  one  daughter  died  In  infancy,  leaving  five 
daughters  and  one  son.  The  eldest  is  Sarah  Ann,  born  September  26th, 
1860,  in  West  Springfield,  Mass.  The  others  living  are  :  Frank  Fuller, 
born  January  17th,  1870;  Mildred  Alma,  born  September  17th,  1872; 
Mary  EUenor,  born  December  16tb,  1874 ;  Annie  H.,  born  February  26th, 
1877 ;  and  Alice,  born  August  30th,  1879 ;  all  in  Hyde  Park.  Pa. 


^- 


<^ 


4^ 


LACKAWANNA  IRON  AND  COAL  COMPANY. 


407 


MANUFACTURING  INTERESTS. 

The  pioneer  manufacturing  enterprises  in  the  territory 
now  embraced  within  the  city  limits  have  been  mentioned 
in  the  early  history  of  the  locality,  because  they  were 
instrumental  in  bringing  about  such  primitive  advances 
toward  civilization  and  prosperity  as  were  made  during 
that  period.  "  Of  this  class  of  enterprises,  but  the  most 
prominent  of  all,  and  the  most  potent  in  their  influence 
upon  the  development  of  this  region  and  the  growth  of 
the  backwoods  settlement  where  they  were  begun  to  the 
third  city  in  size  in  the  State,  were  the  pioneer  iron  enter- 
prises of  the  Slocums  and  the  subsequent  operations  of 
the  Scrantons,  the  history  of  which  is  so  intimately  iden- 
tified with  the  earlier  history  of  Scranton  as  to  render 
their  separate  consideration  impossible. 

THE    LACKAWANNA     IRON    AND    COAL    COMPANY. 

The  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company  was  incor- 
porated June  loth,  1853,  and  organized  with  the  follow- 
ing officers  and  directors;  Selden  T.  Scranton,  president; 
Joseph  H.  Scranton,  generalsuperintendent;  M.W.Scott, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  Samuel  Mafsh,  William  E.  Dodge, 
L.  ¥..  Sturges,  D.  3.  Miller,  John  I.  Blair,  George  W. 
Scranton,  Joseph  H.  Scranton  and  Joseph  C.  Piatt,  di- 
rectors. Mr.  Piatt  resigned  at  the  first  or  second  meet- 
ing, and  S.  T.  Si.-nion  resigned  the  office  of  president 
soon  after  the  panic  of  1857,  and  from  January  2nd,  1858, 
Joseph  H.  Scranton  was  president  till  his  death  in  Baden 
Baden,  Germany,  June  6th,  1872.  The  officers  of  the 
corporation  in  1880  were:  President,  E.  F.  Hatfield,  jr.; 
general  manager,  W.  W.  Scranton;  secretary,  Edward  C. 
Lynde;  treasurer,  N.  W.  Hix;  assistant  treasurer,  E.  P. 
Kingsbury;  directors — Moses  Taylor,  William  E.  Dodge, 
John  I.  Blair,  P.  R.  Pyne,  W.  W.  Scranton,  Selden  T. 
Scranton,  Joseph  C.  Piatt  and  B.  G.  Clarke. 

The  company  has  at  Scranton  five  blast  furnaces  of 
great  capacity,  an  iron  rolling  mill,  a  steam  saw  mill,  a 
grist  mill;  a  foundry,  making  500  tons  of  castings  week- 
ly; machine,  car,  carpenter,  harness  and  wheelwright 
shops;  a  brick  yard,  a  large  mercantile  establishment  and 
the  offices  in  the  same  building  with  the  latter.  A  glance 
at  the  magnitude  of  the  works  of  this  corporation  will 
well  repay  the  tourist,  and  they  are  justly  regarded  as 
the  most  prominent  objects  of  interest  in  the  city.  The 
sizes  of  their  blast  furnaces  may  be  inferred  from  their 
height  and  the  diameter  of  their  boshes.  Two  of  them 
measures  17,  one  23,  one  19,  and  one  18  feet,  while  two 
are  70  feet  high,  two  65  feet,  and  one  67  feet.  Into  these 
furnaces  the  air  is  forced  by  two  pairs  of  large  condens- 
ing blowing  engines  of  the  double  lever  beam  variety, 
built  by  I.  P.  Morris  &  Co.,  of  Philadelphia,  and  by  three 
horizontal  engines  erected  in  1879.  Engines  numbers  i 
and  2  were  erected  in  the  fall  of  1854,  and  were  regarded 
as  the  largest  engines  of  their  class  in  the  country.  The 
steam  cylinders  are  54  inches  in  diameter,  and  the  blow- 
ing cylinders  were  then  no  inches  in  diameter,  but  were 
subsequently  reduced  to  84  inches  to  increase  the  pressure 
of  the  blast  from  5   to   9  pounds.     The  stroke  of  these 


engines  is  10  feet  and  they  make  16  to  20  revolutions  per 
minute.  Engines  3  and  4  were  erected  in  the  fall  of 
1857.  The  steam  cylinders  are  58  inches  in  diameter 
and  the  blowing  cylinders  92,  their  stroke  being  10  feet. 
Owing  to  greater  height  added  to  the  furnaces  under  Mr. 
W.  W.  Scranton's  management,  and  their  increase  in 
product  from  an  average  of  200  to  about  500  tons  weekly, 
additional  blast  was  required,  to  give  which  in  1879 
another  engine  house  was  erected  near  furnace  No.  2,  90 
feet  long  by  72  feet  wide,  a  massive  brick  structure,  con- 
taining three  horizontal  conducting  engines  with  steam 
cylinders  60  inches  diameter,  blowing  cylinders  80  inches 
diameter  and  loo  inch  stroke.  The  combined  efforts  of 
the  seven  engines  at  20  revolutions  each  deliver  a  volume 
of  77,000  cubic  feet  of  air  per  minute.  About  125,000 
tons  of  pig  metal  can  now  be  produced  annually  at  Scran- 
ton, and  25,000  tons  at  the  company's  Franklin  furnace, 
N.  J.  The  principal  product  of  the  mills  is  railroad  bars, 
of  which  50,000  tons  of  iron  and  80,000  tons  of  steel  rails 
can  be  produced  each  year,  besides  about  5,000  tons  of 
merchant  iron.  The  roiling  mills  contain  ,113  puddling 
and  35  heating  furnaces. 

The  blast  furnaces  have  always  been  locally  known  by 
their  numbers.  The  dates  of  their  erection  were  as  fol- 
lows: Number  i,  1843;  ^  ^"d  3,  1848;  4,  1853;  5,  1857. 
In  1869  another  furnace,  the  largest  in  the  United  States, 
was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  original  Numberi,  and  its 
average  product  exceeds  that  of  any  other  anthracite  fur- 
nace, reaching  629  tons  in  one  week.  Parts  of  the  iron 
rolling  mills  were  erected  in  1843-44;  a  puddling  mill 
was  added  in  1846-47.  The  first  iron  rails  were  rolled 
here  July  23d,  1847.  Regular  work  was  begun  August 
9th.  In  1859-60  another  puddling  mill  was  added.  The 
puddling  mill  now  connected  with  the  steel  rolling  mill 
antedates  the  other  portions  of  that  establishment,  the 
ground  having  been  staked  out  February  8th,  1864,  and 
its  erection  begun  long  afterward,  the  first  fires  having 
been  kindled  in  the  furnaces  August  22nd,  1867,  and  the 
first  puddle  bars  rolled  the  following  day  under  the  su- 
perintendence of  W.  W.  Scranton.  Excavation  for  the 
s^eel  works  was  begun  in  the  vicinity  of  the  company's 
rolling  mill  on  Washington  avenue,  on  Good  Friday, 
1874;  the  foundations  were  begun  June  i6th  and  the  first 
brick  work  on  the  walls  was  laid  August  29th  of  that 
year.  The  work  was  rapidly  pushed  forward  to  comple- 
tion and  the  first  steel  was  made  October  23d,  1875;  the 
first  ingots  rolled  December  iSth  and  the  first  rails  De- 
cember 29th.  The  steel  works  consist  of  a  cupola  room 
44  by  71  feet  and  49  feet  to  the  eaves;  a  converting 
room  84  by  124  feet  and  21  feet  high;  an  engine  room 
54  by  77  feet  and  16  feet  high,  and  a  boiler  room  46  by 
73  and  16  feet  to  the  eaves,  all  of  these  buildings  being 
arranged  in  a  rectangle  124  by  202  feet. 

In  the  cupola  room  were  originally  located  four  cupo- 
las of  seven  and  a  half  feet  diameter,  four  feet  in  depth 
of  tuyres,  and  fifteen  feet  high  to  the  charging  doors, 
each  capable  of  smelting  five  tons  in  thirty  minutes, 
which  have  been  replaced  by  larger  ones.  Also  two  ten 
ton  ladles  mounted  on  scales  for  receiving  the  molten  pig 


4 


^> 


4i* 


408 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


iron  from  the  cupolas,  and  in  which  it  is  weighed  before 
being  converted  into  steel;  also  three  reverberatory  fur- 
naces for  melting  the  spiegel,  the  ofRce  of  which  is  to 
impart  to  the  converted  product  its  requisite  hardness  as 
well  as  to  remove  impurities.  In  each  end  of  the  cupola 
room  is  a  hoisting  tower,  furnished  with  a  hydraulic  ele- 
vator of  six  tons  capacity  and  fifty  feet  travel.  The  two 
seven-ton  converters  are  of  eight  feet  external  diameter 
and  fifteen  feet  high.  These  are  lined  with  refractory 
material  ten  inches  thick  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  and 
provided  with  stout  trunions  eighteen  inches  in  diameter, 
and  with  hydraulic  gear  for  rotating,  mounted  on  iron 
frames  and  columns.  They  are,  by  means  of  the  hy- 
draulic rotating  gear,  first  put  in  a  nearly  horizontal  posi- 
tion, for  receiving  the  molten  pig  iron;  next  in  an  upright 
position,  while  the  iron  is  being  converted,  and  lastly  in 
a  reversed  position  while  discharging  the  yet  hissing  steel. 
Immediately  in  front  of  the  converters  is  the  casting  pit, 
thirty-eight  feet  in  diameter  and  two  and  a  half  feet  deep, 
and  commanded  by  a  central  hydraulic  ladle-crane  of 
twelve  tons  capacity.  At  its  extreme  end  is  mounted  a 
ladle  which  receives  the  steel  from  the  converters.  This 
ladle-crane  is  then  swung  over  the  several  ingot-moulds 
in  rotation,  when  the  liquid  metal  is  tapped  from  the  bot- 
tom of  the  casting  ladle,  to  avoid  the  slag  becoming 
mixed  with  the  steel.  The  steel  ingot  is  then  allowed  to 
solidify,  after  which  it  is  weighed  and  stamped  with  the 
number  of  the  charge  and  its  degree  of  hardness,  and  is 
then  ready  for  blooming  and  rolling  into  rails.  The  size 
of  the  ingot  depends  on  the  weight  of  the  rail  to  be  pro- 
duced, averaging  12  inches  square  and  45  inches  long, 
and  for  30-foot  rails  65  pounds  per  yard.  In  the  con- 
verting-room four  more  hydraulic  cranes  are  located 
about  the  castirg  pit  and  the  converters  for  manipula- 
ting the  ingots,  moulds,  ladles  and  other  implements. 
Thirty  heats  of  yj4  tons  each,  or  about  225  tons,  are 
turned  out  every  twelve  hours.  All  the  hydraulic  ma- 
chinery is  actuated  by  two  hydraulic  duplex  force  pumps, 
having  two  steam  cylinders  20  inches  in  diameter,  and 
two  water  cylinders  9  inches  in  diameter  with  a  24-inch 
stroke.  Another  pump  is  provided  for  use  in  case  of 
accident.  These  pumps  are  in  the  engine  room,  where 
are  also  two  independent  horizontal  and  condensing 
blowing  engines,  50  inches  in  diameter,  and  a  blowing  cyl- 
inder 54  inches  in  diameter  and  5  feet  stroke.  The  boiler 
house  is  occupied  by  a  battery  of  12  boilers  of  the  loco- 
motive type,  each  having  112  tubes  16  feet  long  and  3 
inches  in  diameter.  The  steam  engines  were  built  by  the 
Dickson  Manufacturing  Company.  All  of  the  other  ma- 
chinery described  was  built  in  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and 
Coal  Company's  shops.  The  steel  works  can  now  pro- 
duce about  120,000  tons  of  ingots  per  annum.  February 
25th,  1867,  masons  began  to  lay  the  foundation  of 
the  company's  stores  and  offices,  a  commodious  struc- 
ture TOO  by  113  feet  and  three  stories  high,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  Lackawanna  and  Jefferson  avenues  and  Ridge 
row.  The  building  was  completed  and  first  occupied 
May  1 2  th,  1868. 

In  addition  to  its  old  ore  mines  on   Moosic  mountains 


^^ 


no  longer  used,  the  company  has  mines  at  Mt.  Hope, 
N.  J.,  with  a  capacity  of  about  150,000  tons  yearly;  and 
of  Bessemer  ores  a  mine  at  Brewsters,  N.  Y.,  good  for 
100,000  tons  yearly;  Baker  mine,  near  Dover,  N.  J.,  good 
for  50,000  yearly,  and  its  mine  of  Franklinite  and 
Bessemer  ores  at  Franklin,  N.  J.,  where  the  company  has 
a  large  blast  furnace. 

The  company  has  three  coal  mines — Rolling  Mill  slope, 
Pine  Brook  shaft  and  Briggs  shaft.  The  Briggs  has 
workings  in  five  different  veins,  but  the  fifth  vein  alone 
is  now  worked  on  account  of  the  superior  quality  of  the 
coal.  This  colliery  has  lately  been  put  in  excellent  shape, 
and  hoists  70  cars  an  hour  from  a  depth  of  450  feet,  or 
about  1,000  tons  per  day.  Large  as  this  amount  is,  how- 
ever, preparations  are  now  being  made  to  increase  it. 
The  company  does  not  prepare  coal  for  market,  but  mines 
for  its  own  use  only,  and  raises  about  400,000  tons  per 
annum. 

THE    DICKSON    MANUFACTURING     COMPANY, 

of  Scranton  and  Wilkes-Barre,  was  organized  in  1856. 
The  partners  began  operations  under  the  name  of  Dick- 
son &  Co.,  and  were  engaged  in  constructing  stationary 
engines,  boilers  and  machinery  for  mining  purposes  gen- 
erally. A  foundry  and  machine  shop  were  put  in  oper- 
ation May  ist,  1856,  and  in  that  year  the  company  con- 
tracted for  and  built  the  engines  and  boilers  used  by  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in  constructing 
their  new  road  over  Moosic  mountain.  The  work  gave 
such  satisfaction  that  their  reputation  was  at  once  estab- 
lished, and  thenceforward  their  machinery  was  sought 
after  for  all  mining  and  kindred  purposes;  and  it  may  be 
justly  asserted  that  the  perfection  to  which  they  have 
brought  this  class  of  machinery  has  placed  the  region 
where  their  works  are  established  far  in  advance  in  the 
economy  of  mining  and  preparing  coal  and  other  natural 
products. 

The  panic  of  1857  they  weathered  successfully,  and  to 
such  an  extent  did  their  business  subsequently  increase 
that  in  1862  they  obtained  a  charter  from  the  Legislature 
of  Pennsylvania  under  the  name  of  the  Dickson  Manufac- 
turing Company,  with  a  capital  of  $200,000.  Upon  the 
organization  of  the  enterprise  in  1856  they  employed 
seventy-five  hands,  and  had  about  $50,000  capital.  The 
working  force  was  increased  from  time  to  time  as  the  re- 
quirements of  the  business  demanded,  and  in  1862  num- 
bered 350  regular  employes. 

The  capital  has  been  increased  to  $800,000,  with  the 
privilege  of  making  it  $1,000,000  should  that  amount  be 
required. 

In  1862  the  company  purchased  the  Cliff  works,  and 
there  added  to  their  business  the  manufacture  of  cars 
and  locomotives.  Greatly  enlarging  their  works,  and 
addmg  the  most  improved  machinery,  they  rapidly  ac- 
quired a  wide  reputation  as  locomotive  builders,  and  a 
large  number  of  their  engines  can  be  found  on  many  of 
the  leading  railroads  of  the  country.  In  1864  a  planing 
mill  adjoining  the  Cliff  works  was  purchased,  and  to  the 
already  extensive  business  of  the  company  was  added  the 


-M^ 


VAu^^, 


^y^ 


JEn^  i  l)y  HJS.  Hall  •%.  Sot^s  13  Barclay  Si  N.  Y. 


^h 


IRON  AND  POWDER  WORKS,  SCRANTON. 


409 


manufacture  of  doors,  sisli,  blinds,  etc.  This  part  of  the 
business  has  been  discontinued,  as  it  was  thought  that 
these  shops  could  be  more  profitably  used  for  car  build- 
ing. 

In  1866  the  foundry  and  machine  shops  of  Laning  & 
Marshall,  at  Wilkes-Barre,  were  purchased,  and  a  branch 
established  there.  Here  are  made  stationary  engines, 
boilers,  all  kinds  of  mining  machinery  and  car  wheels. 
In  February,  1875,  a  fire  at  the  Cliff  works  destroyed  the 
main  building,  containing  the  power-tools,  with  a  large 
quantity  of  material  and  unfinished  work,  involving  a 
loss  of  about  $200,000  more  than  the  insurance.  New 
buildings  were  at  once  erected,  with  increased  capacity, 
and  such  changes  introduced  in  the  construction  as  it  is 
thought  renders  the  recurrence  of  any  such  disastrous 
fire  almost  impossible.  These  shops  are  now  capable  of 
turning  out  eight  locomotives  per  month. 

At  present  (1880)  the  works  in  Scranton  consist  of  a 
foundry,  two  machine  shops,  two  smith  shops,  a  car  shop 
and  a  boiler  shop,  and  the  company  is  prepared  to  manu- 
facture the  heaviest  and  most  expensive  machinery.  The 
works  in  Scranton  alone  cover  six  acres,  and  when  all 
the  departments  are  in  full  operation  they  furnish  em- 
ployment to  about  1,000  men. 

The  officers  in  1880  were:  George  L.  Dickson,  presi- 
dent; W.  H.  Perkins,  secretary  and  treasurer;  W.  B. 
Culver,  general  superintendent;  James  P.  Dickson,  agent 
at  Wilkes-Barre. 

THE    SCRANTON    CITY    FOUNDRY. 

'  Finch  &  Co.'s  Scranton  City  Foundry  and  Machine 
Works  are  on  the  Hyde  Park  side  of  the  river,  a  short 
distance  above  the  railroad  bridge.  They  were  estab- 
lished in  1855,  by  A.  P.  Finch.  The  grounds  were  pur- 
chased from  William  Swetland,  and  comprise  about  eigh- 
teen city  lots,  with  a  front  of  something  over  240  feet  on 
the  railroad.  The  main  buildings  are  two  stories  high, 
140  feet  long  by  40  feet  wide,  with  additions-  running 
back,  which  contain  the  boilers,  the  heavy  iron  planer, 
the  core  oven,  etc.  There  is  also  a  boiler  shop  30  by  50 
feet,  containing  all  the  appliances  and  tools  necessary  to 
that  branch  of  the  manufacture.  In  the  rear  of  the 
grounds  was  erected  years  ago  a  separate  building  as  a 
storehouse  for  patterns,  and  in  1879  a  second  pattern 
house  was  erected.  In  the  spring  of  1857  B.  G.  Morss, 
of  Red  Falls,  N.  Y.,  became  associated  with  Mr.  Finch, 
and  until  the  spring  of  1865  they  carried  on  a  general 
foundry  and  machine  business,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Finch  &  Morss.  At  that  time  I.  A.  Finch  purchased  Mr. 
Morss's  interest,  and  the  firm  has  since  been  known  as 
Finch  &  Co.  A.  P.  Finch  has  had  many  years'  experi- 
ence as  proprietor  and  manager,  and  I.  A.  Finch  has 
gained  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  business,  which  ena- 
bles him  to  assume  the  active  management  of  the  con- 
cern the  elder  Finch  now  devoting  much  of  his  time  to 
the  management  of  an  extensive  hardware  trade  in  Hyde 
Park.  For  years  the  firm  manufactured  a  turbine  water 
wheel,  a  useful  invention  of  the  senior  partner.  They  do 
a  thriving  business  in  the  manufacture  of  stationary  and 


portable  engines,  mining  machinery,  circular  saw-mills, 
iron  fronts  for  buildings,  and  steam  heating  apparatus. 
The  works  are  stocked  with  machinery  capable  of  turn- 
ing out  the  heaviest  work,  which  is  driven  by  a  twenty- 
five  horse-power  enj^ine  of  the  firm's  own  manufacture. 

THE   MOOSIC    POWDER    COMPANY. 

The  Moosic  Powder  Company,  whose  general  office  is 
at  Scranton,  has  a  stock  capital  of  $300,000.  It  was 
organized  April  22nd,  1865,  with  $100,000  capital,  at  the 
instance  of  several  of  the  principal  managers  and  coal 
operators  of  the  region,  who  had  been  greatly  troubled 
during  the  war  to  procure  blasting  powder;  in  connection 
with  members  of  the  Smith  and  Rand  Powder  Company, 
of  New  York.  Its  works  were  built  near  Jermyn,  about 
five  miles  below  Carbondale;  had  a  capacity  of  about 
200  kegs  of  blasting  powder  per  day,  and  were  managed 
by  George  W.  Rand,  brother  of  the  president  of  the  Smith 
and  Rand  Powder  Company.  In  1869  the  firm  of 
Laflins,  Boies  &  Twick,  which  had  in  1865  purchased 
the  Raynor  works  on  Spring  Brook,  at  Moosic,  and  re- 
built them,  was  consolidated  with  the  Moosic  Powder 
Company.  The  Spring  Brook  mills  had  a  capacity  of 
producing  650  kegs  per  day  and  were  under  the  manage- 
ment of  H.  M.  Boies,  one  of  the  partners,  who  now  be- 
came president  of  the  new  company,  the  capital  being 
increased  to  the  present  amount.  In  May,  1872,  the 
old  IMoosic  works  near  Jermyn  were  blown  up,  and 
they  were  rebuilt,  with  a  capacity  of  350  kegs  per  day. 
The  company  therefore  is  able  to  manufacture  1,000  kegs 
of  blasting  powder  daily.  The  works  have  been  run  only 
half  time  during  the  period  of  depression  in  the  coal 
business. 

The  president,  Mr.  Boies,  inherits  a  natural  taste  for 
the  business,  being  in  the  third  generation  of  powder 
manufacturers  in  his  family;  he  is  the  patentee  of  several 
valuable  improvements,  the  most  important  of  which  per- 
haps is  the  idea  of  packing  the  powder  in  flexible  water- 
proof tubing,  so  that  miners  may  prepare  their  charges 
without  exposing  the  powder  either  to  the  moist  air  of 
the  mines  or  the  fire  of  their  lamps,  from  which  latter 
cause  many  fatal  and  serious  accidents  have  occurred. 
J.  C.  Piatt,  formerly  manager  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company's  stores,  is  treasurer  of  the  company, 
and  J.  D.  Sherer  has  been  its  secretary  ever  since  the 
consolidation  with  Laflins,  Boies  &  Twick.  The  Moosic 
mills  are  run  under  the  efficient  superintendence  o(  W. 
E.  Olds,  an  old  powder  maker,  and  the  Jermyn  mills 
under  that  of  his  son-in-law,  W.  S.  Hutchings,  who  has 
grown  up  with  the  company. 

BRASS    AND    FILE    WORKS. 

Prominent  among  the  manufacturing  interests  of  the 
city  is  the  Scranton  Brass  and  File  Works  of  J.  M.  Ever- 
hart.  This  establishment  was  founded  in  1853  by  John 
McLaren.  In  187 1  Mr.  Everhart  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  him.  They  continued  business  until  October, 
1873,  under  the  firm  name'  of  McLaren  &  Everhart, 
when,  at  the  death  of  Mr.    McLaren,    Mr.    Everhart  be- 


^-4^ 


*€^ 


^H 


410 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA   COUNTY. 


4= 


came  the  sole  proprietor.  Always  employing  skilled 
labor,  and  using  only  new  metals,  he  has  more  than  quad- 
rupled the  former  capacity  of  the  factory;  and  turning 
out  only  the  best  quality  of  work  he  does  a  more  exten- 
sive business  than  any  similar  establishment  in  eastern 
Pennsylvania.  In  1875  he  begun  the  manufacture  of 
the  Carr  &  Wilcox  cut  file.  The  works  are  on  Cliff 
street.  Mr.  Everhart  employs  as  many  men  manu- 
facturing files  as  in  his  brass  works,  and  contemplates 
a  still  further  increase  of  facilities  at  an  early  date. 
John  H.  Hilpert,  who  has  been  in  Mr.  Everhart's  em- 
ploy for  the  past  five  years  and  now  holds  the  position 
of  superintendent  of  the  works,  ably  seconds  the  pro- 
prietor's efforts  toward  an  extension  of  the  business. 

THE    SCRANTON    FILE    WORKS 

were  established  on  Green  Ridge  avenue  by  Guesford 
&  Sheldon  in  September,  1875.  The  present  factory  was 
erected  in  1876,  and  occupied  in  September  of  that  year. 
In  August,  1879,  Charles  Guesford  became  the  sole  pro- 
prietor. About  a  dozen  hands  are  employed;  the  an- 
nual product  of  the  factory  is  about  $7,000,  and  the  de- 
mand is  constantly  increasing.  If  facilities  permitted, 
twice  the  amount  of  business  could  be  done.  A  full  line 
of  files  and  rasps  is  manufactured. 

SPENCER    &    price's 

Green  Ridge  Merchant  Iron  Mill,  an  establishment  of 
comparatively  recent  date,  should  also  be  mentioned 
among  the  busy  and  thriving  iron  works  of  Scranton. 

MILLING     operations. 

Elsewhere  is  given  the  milling  history  of  Scranton  pre- 
vious to  the  erection  of  the  old  Jeffries  grist-mill  at  Pro- 
vidence, about  1840.  A  few  years  later  this  mill  was 
bought  by  a  Mr.  Campbell,  of  Carbondale.  It  passed 
from  his  hands  to  those  of  Horatio  Pierce  about  1865. 
In  1866  or  1867  Allen  Anderson  became  the  owner,  and 
Edgar  Frear  in  1870.  It  has  been  run  since  that  time  by 
Frear  &  Maynard,  Edgar  Frear  and  Jacob  T.  Nyhart 
successively. 

About  1861  Patterson  &  Johnson  erected  a  flouring 
and  feed  mill  opposite  the  Dickson  works  on  Penn  av- 
enue. After  a  few  years  Mr  Johnson  withdrew  and  the 
business  was  continued  by  David  Patterson  until  1868, 
when  it  was  purchased  by  D.  Silkman  &  Co.  They  were 
succeeded  about  two  years  later  by  D.  B.  Oakes  &  Co., 
who  in  a  year  or  two  converted  the  establishment  into  a 
brewery. 

White's  steam  flouring  mill,  on  Centre  street  and  Mif- 
flin avenue,  was  erected  in  1864  and  1865  by  Seybolt  & 
White,  and  was  leased  for  five  years  to  John  Phillips  & 
Co.  Six  months  before  the  expiration  of  the  lease  the 
firm  of  Phillips  &  Co.  was  succeeded  by  that  of  Phillips 
&  Seybolt,  who  conducted  a  successful  business  until  the 
destruction  of  the  mill  by  fire  October  8th,  187 1.  An- 
other mill,  of  double  the  capacity  of  the  former  one,  was 
immediately  erected  on  the  same  site  by  Seybolt  &  White. 
A  portion  of  its  machinery  was  put  in  motion  May  27th 


1872,  and  the  mill  was  completed  in  the  following  Sep- 
tember. It  was  leased  for  five  years  to  Phillips  &  Sey- 
bolt, but  at  the  expiration  of  two  years  Calvin  Seybolt 
purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner,  John  Phillips, 
and  he  has  since  operated  the  establishment  very  suc- 
cessfully. 

The  Weston  Mill  Company  (limited),  the  successors 
of  C.  T.  Weston  &  Co.  (limited)  and  C.  T.  Weston  &  Co., 
was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1864  for  manufacturing  flour 
and  feed  on  Lackawanna  avenue,  having  already  in  opera- 
tion a  small  feed-mill  in  Carbondale.  The  business  was 
continued  under  the  style  of  C.  T.  Wetson  &  Co.,  under 
the  active  management  of  Charles  T.  Weston,  until  the 
autumn  of  1874,  when  it  was  reorganized  with  Charles  T. 
Weston  as  president;  J.  C.  Piatt  as  secretary  and  A.  W. 
Dickson  as  treasurer.  Two  years  later  C.  T.  Weston 
retired;  J.  C.  Piatt  was  chosen  president,  and  A.  W. 
Dickson  secretary  and  treasurer  and  active  business  man- 
ager, the  firm  name  being  changed  to  the  Weston  Mill 
Company  (limited).  In  the  spring  of  1879  the  large  four- 
story  building  No.  45  Lackawanna  avenue  was  leased 
and  fitted  with  new  and  improved  machinery  for  making 
crackers  and  cakes  and  other  baker's  products.  The 
success  of  the  Lackawanna  Steam  Biscuit  Bakery  has 
demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  the  movement. 

The  founder  of  the  firm  of  C.  T.  Weston  &  Co.  came 
to  Scranton  in  1864  from  Carbondale,  to  which  place  he 
had  removed  during  the  early  years  of  the  war  from  Riv- 
erton,  Va.,  where  he  had  been  engaged  for  some  yeais  in 
milling,  until  his  property  was  burned  by  the  federal 
forces  under  General  Sheridan.  The  present  business, 
manager,  A.  W.  Dickson,  came  to  Scranton  from  Phila- 
delphia in  1865,  and  has  since  been  in  service  with  the 
concern  as  employe  or  partner. 

The  Rockwell  grist  mill,  at  Providence,  was  erected  in 
1876. 

axes  and  edge  tools. 

In  1840  Jerison  White  built  the  first  edge  tool  factory 
at  Capoose,  and  soon  after  sold  out  to  Pulaski  Carter, 
removed  to  Providence  and  erected  a  second  factory, 
which,  with  his  dwelling,  was  swept  away  by  a  flood. 
He  built  a  small,  rude  shop,  in  which  he  placed  a  bellows, 
and  with  the  help  of  a  boy  began  business  on  a  limited 
scale.  He  built  a  factory  in  1847  and  occupied  it  until 
1861,  when  he  sold  it  to  his  nephew,  Crandall  White,  who 
conducted  it  a  while.  After  the  war  Edward  H.  White 
was  taken  into  partnership  with  his  father,  J.  White,  and 
they  resumed  business,  removing  to  Green  Ridge  avenue 
in  1874,  where  they  had  erected  the  shops  now  standing 
there  unoccupied.  They  abandoned  the  business  in  May, 
1878.  For  many  years  the  establishment  enjoyed  the 
highest  reputation,  the  specialty  being  axes  of  all  kinds. 
These  were  made  of  the  best  Sheffield  steel  and  tempered 
by  a  process  of  the  senior  proprietor's.  They  were  also 
the  inventors  and  manufacturers  of  an  improved  pruning 
hatchet  and  box  opener,  which  had  a  large  sale. 

In  1841  the  land  at  Capoose  came  into  the  hands  of 
Pulaski   Carter,   a    young   man   from   Windham    county. 


4^ 


'^v 


HENRY  SOMMERS. 


Henry  Soramers  was  born  June  24tli,  1829,  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Laudenbach-am-Meisner,  Germany,  then  under 
the  protectorate  of  Austria.  He  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  After  a  tedious  voyage  of 
about  three  months  he  landed  at  New  York  in  May, 
1845.  His  brother,  Peter  Sommers,  some  years  his 
senior,  had  preceded  him  several  years,  and  located  in 
Carbondale.  Pa.  Young  Sommers  at  once  proceeded  to 
the  home  of  his  brother  Peter,  by  the  way  of  Rondout 
and  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  to  Honesdale,  and 
thence  by  the  gravity  road  to  Carbondale — there  being 
no  railway  facilities  in  those  days  between  New  York  and 
northern  Pennsylvania.  Shortly  after  being  settled  in 
the  home  of  his  brother  he  was  bound  an  apprentice  to 
John  Reider,  the  principal  watchmaker  and  jeweler  of 
Carbondale,  to  learn  the  art  and  mystery  of  the  trade. 
Young  Henry  was  faithful  and  industrious,  soon  becom- 
ing an  expert  at  his  trade,  winning  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  his  employer  and  patrons. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  determined  to  enter  the 
battle  of  life  on  his  own  resources.  So  in  1850  he  re- 
moved to  the  borough  of  Dunmore,  and  swung  out  his 
shingle,  "  Henry  Soramers,  Watchmaker  ";  where  here- 
sided  and  continued  in  active  business  until  1880,  when 
he  entered  on  the  duties  of  prothonotary  of  Lackawanna 
county. 

In  1855  Mr.  Sommers  married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Griffin, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Griffin,  of  Providence,  one  of  the 
oldest  and  most  honorable  families  in  the  Lackawanna 
valley.  Their  union  has  been  a  long  and  happy  one. 
They  have  had  two  children,  daughters,  now  grown  to 
ripe  womanhood,  of  fine  culture  and  refinement. 

In  political  faith  Mr.  Sommers  is  a  Republican,  having 
connected  himself  with  the  party  at  the  time  of  its  organ- 
ization and  ever  since  been  an  active  worker  for  its  suc- 
cess and  perpetuity.  He  has  been  honored  by  the  na- 
tional government  and  the  judiciary  of  his  county  with 
several  important  and  responsible  public  offices.     In  the 


year  1856  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Dunmore, 
under  the  administration  of  President  Pierce,  which  of- 
fice he  held  until  he  resigned  in  1861.  He  was  again  com- 
missioned for  the  same  office  in  1872  by  President  Grant, 
and  held  the  same  until  he  resigned  in  January,  1880. 
In  1 87 1  he  was  appointed  by  Hon.  Garrick  M.  Harding, 
president  judge  of  Luzerne  county,  director  of  the  poor, 
representing  Dunmore  borough  in  the  Providence  poor 
district,  to  which  he  was  reappointed  in  1877,  and  again 
in  1880,  by  Judge  Rice,  president  judge  of  Luzerne 
county,  for  three  years.  For  the  past  three  years  he  has 
been  honored  with  the  position  of  president  of  the 
board. 

In  the  fall  of  1878  the  new  county  of  Lackawanna  was 
formed  out  of  part  of  Luzerne  county.  Governor  Hart- 
ranft  made  the  appointments  of  the  several  county 
officers.  At  the  fall  election  that  year  Mr.  Sommers  was 
duly  elected  to  the  office  of  prothonotary,  on  the  regular 
Republican  ticket;  but  by  a  decision  of  the  Supreme 
Court  the  appointees  of  the  governor  held  over  until 
January,  i88o.  In  the  fall  of  1879  Mr.  Sommers  was 
again  nominated  by  the  Republican  party  and  triumph- 
antly elected,  although  the  new  county  is  largely  Demo- 
cratic. As  an  evidence  of  the  popularity  and  high 
esteem  in  which  Mr.  Sommers  is  held  in  his  own  borough, 
where,  he  has  resided  for  the  past  thirty  years,  it  is  a 
fact  that  where  the  Democrats  poll  nearly  300  ma- 
jority Mr.  Sommers  received  a  clear  majority    of   303. 

In  all  the  relations  of  life,  private  and  public,  Mr. 
Sommers  has  proved  by  his  conduct  a  worthy,  reliable 
officer  and  citizen,  having  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
all  who  have  had  business  connections  with  him,  ever 
cautious  and  gentlemanly  in  his  deportment.  His  history 
is  worthy  of  record — how  a  stranger  emigrant  to  our 
country,  from  humble  conditions  in  early  life,  can  by  in- 
dustry and  perseverance  build  up  a  character  that  will 
win  his  way  up,  against  adverse  circumstances,  to  posi- 
tions of  honor  and  trust. 


=*=(N 


If 


=4 


LEOPOLD  SCHIMPFF. 


Leopold  Schimpff  was  born  in  the  city  of  Landau,  in 
the  Rheinfalz  or  Palatinate  of  Germany,  November  14th, 
1844.  After  receiving  a  good  common  school  education 
he  learned  the  trade  of  a  baker  with  his.  father, who  there 
had  an  extensive  business.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  com- 
menced to  travel,  which  every  journeyman  in  Germany 
is  obliged  to  do  for  at  least  three  years,  at  the  expiration 
of  which  time  he  can  start  for  himself.  His  travels  were 
mainly  in  southern  Germany,  but  he  also  journeyed  ex- 
tensively in  the  Tyrol,  Steinmark,  Hungary,  Slavonia,  the 
Danubian  principalities  and  Italy.  At  Vienna,  the  cap- 
ital of  Austria,  he  located,  intending  to  make  that  city 
his  permanent  residence,  and  worked  at  his  trade  until 
his  parents  concluded  to  emigrate  to  America,  when  he 
left  for  home,  after  an  absence  of  two  years.  Coming  to 
this  country  with  his  parents  he  located  in  Scranton,  and 
he  has  lived  here  ever  since.  Mr.  Schimpff  was  in  his 
seventeenth  year  when  he  arrived  in  this  country,  and 
only  a  short  time  after  his  arrival  the  war  broke  out  be- 
tween North  and  South.  He  enlisted  in  a  New  York 
regiment  of  artillery  and  served  two  years,  participating 
in  the  battles  of  Winchester,  Cross  Keys  and  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run.  After  two  years'  service  in  the  artil- 
lery he  enlisted  in  the  igth  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  served 
three  years  and  was  discharged  May  i6th,  1866,  at  New 
Orleans.  The  regiment  in  -which  he  served  did  glorious 
work  in  the  Western  Army,  under  General  Grierson. 


Since  his  return  from  the  army  he  has  been  in  Scran- 
ton. In  1869  he  was  employed  as  book-keeper  in  the 
brewery  of  Philip  Robinson,  jr.,  which  position  he 
filled  for  nine  years.  Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Robinson 
Mr.  Schimpff  has  had  the  entire  management  and  super- 
vision of  the  business.  He  was  elected  alderman  of 
the  eleventh  ward  in  1874,  with  260  votes  for  and  only 
one  vote  against  him.  During  his  eventful  life  Mr. 
Schimpff  has  made  a  record  of  which  any  American 
citizen  may  well  be  proud.  There  was  no  necessity 
for  him  to  join  the  army  when  he  enlisted.  He  was 
an  alien  and  a  minor,  and  a  wide  field  was  open  for  a 
man  of  his  ability  in  the  then  prosperous  Union;  but 
casting  aside  self-interest  he  enrolled  himself  among  the 
patriots  who  succeeded  in  saving  the  Union  from  dis- 
memberment and  dishonor.  His  comrades  in  the  hard- 
fought  battles  in  which  he  participated  bear  witness  to  the 
unflinching  bravery  of  their  beardless  comrade,  and  tell 
many  tales  of  his  dauntless  courage.  In  civil  as  well  as 
military  life  Mr.  Schimpff  is  respected  by  all  who  know 
him. 

The  general  satisfaction  expressed  in  his  appointment 
as  coroner  in  1878,  and  the  fact  that  but  one  vote  was 
cast  against  him  when  he  was  a  candidate  for  an  office 
in  his  own  ward,  are  conclusive  testimony  of  the  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held  in  the  community. 


^¥ 


AX,  SCYTHE  AND  STOVE  WORKS,  SCRANTON— BREWERIES. 


411 


Conn.,  who  rented  the  recently  built  shop  of  Jerison 
White,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  put  three  trip  hammers 
and  three  forges  in  motion,  and,  purchasing  the  property, 
established  what  is  now  known  far  and  wide  throughout 
the  State  as  "  Carter's  Capouse  "  works.  Three  oper- 
ators besides  himself  were  employed  in  1841,  using  three 
tons  and  a  half  of  iron  and  making  180  dozen  scythes  and 
160  dozen  axes,  which  were  ground,  polished,  boxed  and 
sold  by  Mr.  Carter  himself,  who  was  foreman,  salesman 
and  bookkeeper.  The  pioneers  in  this  section  pronounced 
these  implements  of  superior  quality.  The  shop,  then  a 
single  building,  thirty  by  fifty  feet,  has  given  place  to  a 
cluster  of  thirty  or  more  buildings.  One  hundred  tons 
of  iron  are  used  annually,  and  more  than  1,000  dozen 
scythes  and  2,000  dozen  axes,  besides  a  large  number  of 
edged  tools  used  by  workers  of  wood,  iron  and  stone, 
and  embracing  carpenters'  and  railroad  and  track  adzes, 
and  miners'  and  gravel  picks,  grub  hoes,  drills,  crowbars, 
wedges  and  harrow  teeth,  are  produced. 

Blake  &  Co.,  in  the  spring  of  1863,  established  an  ax  fac- 
tory where  the  office  of  the  Cliff  works  now  stands.  The 
establishment  was  burned  about  1867  and  was  not  rebuilt. 

In  1876  a  building  was  erected  at  Green  Ridge,  which 
was  opened  in  April  of  that  year  by  Messrs.  J.  W.  Pike 
c&  Co.  as  a  manufactory  of  mining  and  edge  tools.  The 
business  increased  steadily,  several  men  being  employed 
in  the  shop,  until  the  building  was  burned  in  January, 
1880.  Other  accommodations  were  soon  secured  and 
business  was  resumed.  During  1879  about  $500  worth  of 
tools  were  turned  out  per  month. 

STOVE    MANUFACTURE. 

The  Scranton  Stove  Manufacturing  Company  was  or- 
ganized in  July,  1865,  under  the  firm  name  of  Fisher  & 
Co.  It  was  the  design  to  manufacture  stoves  and  hollow 
ware.  The  first  manufactured  articles  were  produced  in 
December  of  the  same  year.  In  May,  1868,  the  company 
was  largely  increased  in  membership  and  capital,  and  in- 
corporated, having  as  directors  H.  S.  Pierce,  T.  F.  and  A. 
E.  Hunt,  C.  H.  and  W.  G.  Doud,  S.  Grant  and  J.  A. 
Price.  H.  S.  Pierce  was  elected  president,  and  J.  A. 
Price  general  superintendent  and  treasurer.  The  prop- 
erty of  the  company  is  centrally  located,  in  proximity  to 
the  shipping  points  of  the  various  railroads  centering  in 
Scranton.  The  buildings  consist  of  a  foundry  building, 
two  fitting,  mounting  and  machine  buildings,  and  two 
warehouses.  The  capacity  of  the  establishment  is  about 
thirty  stoves  per  day,  requiring  the  employment  of  about 
80  men.  During  the  season  of  1879  the  facilities  were 
increased.  The  company  have  adopted  the  recent  useful 
invention  in  stove  grates  called  "  the  dock  ash  "  grate, 
the  demand  for  which  has  been  constantly  ahead  of  the 
ability  to  supply,  and  indicates  a  very  extensive  increase 
during  the  coming  year.  New  buildings  are  contemplat- 
ed, and  this  industry,  the  first  important  one  of  its  kind 
in  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  bids  fair  to  rival  the  larger 
and  older  growths  of  stove  manufacturing  centers. 

The   stove    manufactory  of   H.  O.  Silkman,  at  Provi- 
dence, was  long  a  prominent  business  interest. 


THE    BREWING    INTEREST. 

The  first  brewery  in  Scranton  was  the  Scranton  City 
Brewery,  on  Cedar  street,  established  in  1854  by  Philip 
Robinson,  sen.  A  few  years  later  the  business  passed 
into  the  hands  of  his  sons,  Jacob,  Philip,  jr.,  and  Chris- 
tian, and  was  conducted  by  them  Linder  the  firm  name  of 
Jacob  Robinson  &  Co.,  erecting  the  present  building  in 
1864.  In  1868  this  firm  was  succeeded  by  Philip  Robin- 
son, jr.,  who  died  September  12th,  1879,  leaving  the  en- 
terprise to  his  family,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Leo- 
pold Schimpff,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  business 
of  Mr.  Robinson  since  1869.  The  buildings  are  to  be 
greatly  enlarged,  and  the  capacity  of  the  brewery  increas- 
ed to  20,000  barrels  yearly.  About  7,000  barrels  of  lager 
are  now  manufactured  annually.  An  engraving  of  this 
brewi.ry  appears  herewith. 


.^>r%' 


Til' 


g;.,P-   "''*i« I"  EI 


\^itt 


The  well  known  brewery  of  E.  Robinson,  at  the  foot 
of  Seventh  street,  Hj'de  Park,  was  completed  and  occu- 
pied in  1876.  A  large  ice-house  was  erected  in  1879. 
The  business,  under  the  proprietor's  efficient  management, 
has  been  successful.  About  twenty  men  are  employed 
and  from  15,000  to  20,000  barrels  of  hger  are  made 
annually.     E.  Robinsons  brewery  is  represented  below. 


The  Star  Ale   Brewery  was  established   at   the   end   of 
Scranton  avenue  bridge,  in  Hyde  Park,  in  i860,  by  Pos- 


^i-= 


<h 


^h 


412 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


tens  &  Heller.  In  1863  Ransom  Briggs  superseded  Mr. 
Heller  in  the  firm,  and  the  entire  business  was  purchased 
by  Messrs.  Morton  &  Renwick  in  1868.  In  1872  George 
Morton  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner,  Frank  Ren- 
wick, and  in  1874  Mr.  Briggs  again  became  a  member  of 
the  firm  by  the  acquirement  of  a  half  interest,  and  the 
style  was  changed  to  Morton  &  Briggs,  as  the  firm  has 
nince  been  known.  The  original  buildings  were  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1874  and  rebuilt  on  the  old  foundations, 
with  enlarged  capacity  for  production.  Five  men  are 
employed  and  about  3,000  barrels  of  ale  and  porter  are 
manufactured  annually. 

Nine  or  ten  years  ago  Oakes  &  Renwick,  who  suc- 
ceeded Oakes  &  Co.,  millers,  embarked  in  the  brewery 
business  in  the  reconstructed  flouring  mill  of  the  former 
lirm.     The  enterprise  was  abandoned  in  about  a  year. 

SASH    AND    BLINDS  —  I  UMRKR    YARDS. 

The  manufactory  of  William  B.  Rockwell  at  Providence 
is  a  large  building,  stocked  with  all  necessary  modern 
machinery  for  making  sash,  doors,  blinds,  mouldings  and 
other  building  materials  in  that  line.  In  1848  Hand  & 
Von  Storch  rented  the  second  floor  of  White's  axe  factory 
and  put  in  machinery  for  making  sash  and  blinds.  In 
the  April  following  William  and  Gregory  Von  Storch 
purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Hand,  and  continued  the 
business  until  the  spring  of  1851,  when  the  establishment 
was  sold  to  E.  J.  Hand  &  Son.  About  a  year  afterward, 
by  the  accession  of  L.  White,  the  firm  became  Hand, 
White  &  Co.  It  was  changed  to  Hand,  Ward  &  Co.  in 
1862,  to  Hand  &  Bristol  in  1863,  to  Hand  &  Coston  in 
1865,  to  Hand,  Coston  &  Co.  in  1868,  and  to  Coston  & 
Spencer  in  1872.  This  firm  was  succeeded  by  H.  B.  Rock- 
well in  1876,  and  he  by  William  B.  Rockwell  in  June,  1879. 

In  1866  Joseph  Ansley  established  his  lumber  yard  in 
Hyde  Park,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  N.  Wash- 
burn and  Samuel  Heller  became  partners.  Mr.  Ansley 
bought  out  Heller  in  1868  and  Washburn  in  the  spring 
of  1 87 1.  A  year  later  C.  C.  Hand  became  his  partner, 
and  he  was  connected  with  the  enterprise  about  a  year, 
the  business  being  transacted,  however,  as  before,  in  the 
name  of  Mr.  Ansley.  The  planing-mill  and  sash  and 
blind  manufactory  were  established  in  1869  by  Ansley  & 
Washburn.  The  building  known  as  the  Heermans  shop 
was  occupied  until  the  completion  of  the  present  sub- 
stantial stone  and  wood  shops,  early  in  1879.  They  were 
begun  in  1876.  A  large  amount  of  business  has  been 
done,  the  aggregate  reaching  $150,000  in  1870,  though 
the  past  few  years  have  witnessed  a  considerable  reduc- 
tion.    About  tnirty  hands  are  employed. 

Mr.  John  Benore,  a  well-known  contractor  and  builder, 
established  a  lumber  yard  in  the  spring  of  187 1.  His 
planing-mill  was  erected  in  1S75,  on  Scranton  avenue,  in 
Hyde  Park.  About  twenty  men  are  employed  and  an 
annual  business  of  some  $25,000  is  done. 

BAKERIES. 

In  the  fall  of  1867  Monies  &  Pughe  purchased  the 
business  and  succeeded  Charles  Schlager  in  his  steam 


bakery.  Leasing  the  property  from  Schlager  for  a  term 
of  ten  years,  at  a  rental  of  $1,400  a  year,  they  put  in 
new  machinery  and  reel  ovens  (the  first  in  northeastern 
Pennsylvania).  The  result  of  their  enterprise  was  an  es- 
tablished success.  They  introduced  their  well  known 
trade  mark,  "  Star,"  on  their  best  crackers,  which  com- 
manded a  continuous  large  sale.  So  successful  was 
their  enterprise  that  in  1870  they  purchased  the  property, 
paying  $35,000,  and  subsequently  expended  $10,000  on 
improvements  which  made  their  bakery  one  of  the  best 
and  largest  in  the  State  outside  of  Philadelphia  and  Pitts- 
burgh. In  connection  with  the  manufacture  of  crackers 
Monies  &  Pughe  bake  large  quantities  of  bread  and  cake. 

EARLIER    ENTERPRISES MISCELLANEOUS THE    FUTURE. 

In  1808  John  Watres,  a  clothier  from  New  York  State, 
bought  the  tract  where  Carter's  factory  stands,  and  built 
a  mill  for  wool  carding  and  cloth  dressing.  In  1812  Tohn 
Watres  and  Isaac  Hart,  who  had  bought  land  of  Matthias 
Hollenback,  built  and  operated  a  grist-mill,  saw-mill  and 
workshop  upon  the  property.  A  portion  of  this  land 
passed  successively  through  the  hands  of  Linus  Cham- 
pion, Rufus  Bennett,  Henry  Champion  and  Lyman 
Smith.  Smith,  who  came  in  1826,  introduced  from  New 
England  the  most  advanced  machinery  then  in  use  for 
the  manufacture  of  woolen  yarns,  which  was  operated  by 
his  wife.  The  yarn  so  made  was  let  out,  in  accordance 
with  the  custom  of  the  country,  to  weave  in  families  who 
would  weave  it  and  return  the  cloth  to  the  mill  for  color- 
ing, fulling  and  finishing.  Mrs.  Thomas  GriflSn,  yet 
living,  a  daughter  of  Elisha  S.  Potter,  did  weaving  for 
this  mill  as  late  as  1829. 

A  horseshoe  factory  was  established  near  the  depot  in 
1855  and  opened  August  17th,  when  the  first  horseshoes 
were  made.  In  a  short  time  the  establishment  passed 
into  the  hands  of  William  Cook  &  Co.,  who  tried  without 
success  to  make  locomotives,  and  sold  out  to  Dickson 
&  Co. 

The  extensive  business  of  B.  &  A.  Galland,  manufac- 
turers of  ladies'  underwear  at  534  Lackawanna  avenue, 
was  begun  in  February,  1877. 

The  Scranton  Silk  Manufacturing  Company,  of  New 
York,  purchased  the  property  of  the  Scranton  Silk  Com- 
pany (whose  business  was  established  some  years  since) 
in  October,  1879.  It  employs  about  150  hands,  almost 
exclusively  girls  under  twenty  years  of  age,  and  produces 
about  750  pounds  of  silk  per  week,  mostly  for  weaving 
purpoFjcs,  valued  at  $5,000. 

Garney,  Short  &  Co.,  302  Lackawanna  avenue,  manu- 
facturers of  fine  domestic  cigars,  and  the  largest  jobbers  of 
leaf  and  manufactured  tobacco  in  Scranton,  succeeded 
C.  Wise  in  1869,  and  are  the  pioneers  of  extensive  cigar 
manufacture  in  Scranton.  They  employ  fifty  to  sixty 
hands  and  their  annual  sales  of  cigars  exceed  2,000,000. 
They  have  a  large  trade  in  manufactured  tobacco,  hav- 
ing control  in  their  market  of  the  most  popular  brands  of 
fine  cut  tobacco  manufactured  in  Detroit  and  New  York. 

Clark  &  Snover  are  the  only  parties  who  manufacture 
fine  cut  tobacco  in  Scranton  or  the  northeastern  part  of 


+ 


rv  ■•  j.>^'^ 


SU&^R  LOAF  MQUNTAIH 


I^S.of  Mrs.  JOHN  ENGLE  , Seybertsville.Sugarloaf  Township  ,Luzeri\e  Co.,Pa.. 


ii  r 


ta*t^. 


HUNT  BROTHERS&CO,   DEALERS  IN  HARDWARE,  SCRANTON.PA. 


\^   ^ 


or  J.W.  DENISON, 
Mehoopany  Tp.,  Pa. 
Wyoming  County. 


!•  *^ 


HON.  HENRY  LOVE, 

jvlehoopany  Tp,  Pa. 

Wyoming  County. 


.7-^c^y 


A  .    H  .    RUSSE  L  L, 
Washington  Tp.,  Pa. 
Wyoming  County. 


=^^ 


BUSINESS  CORPORATIONS,  SCRANTON. 


413 


Pennsylvania.  Their  business  is  extensive.  They  paid 
for  revenue  stamps  in  1878  $62,305.80;  in  1879,  eight 
months,  $40,852.08,  making  a  total  in  twenty  months  of 
$103,157.88. 

Among  the  prominent  objects  of  the  Scranton  board 
of  trade  are  the  establishment  of  manufactures  and  the 
encouragement  of  industrial  enterprises.  This  organiza- 
tion proposes  to  institute  measures  for  the  utilization  of 
the  culm  or  waste  coal  deposit  for  furnishing  steam  heat 
and  steam  power  from  a  central  point  to  any  section 
within  a  radius  of  three  nifles. 

Insurance. 

T/ie  Cambrian  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Couipatiy,  Hyde 
Park,  was  established  in  January,  1S71.  Its  assets  Decem- 
ber 31st,  1878,  were  $10,567,50;  its  premium  notes  sub- 
ject to  assessment  amounted  to  $117,050.68;  the  total 
expense  for  the  year  1878  was  $1,190.11.  'Uie  business 
of.the  company  for  1S79  improved  its  standing.  Property 
owned  by  the  Welsh  people  in  Lackawanna  and  adjoin- 
ing counties  is  seldom  burned  and  the  risk  is  small.  The 
Cambrian  Fire  Insurance  Company  was  formed  to  insure 
this  class  of  property.  The  officers  for  1879  were  as  fol- 
lows: President,  B.  Hughes;  vice-president,  Edward 
Hughes;  treasurer,  D.  M.  Jones;  secretary,  B.  E.  Evans. 
There  are  fifteen  directors,  five  elected  annually. 

The  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Scranton, 
426  Lackawanna  avenue,  was  chartered  in  1875.  In 
April,  1878,  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Hon. 
John  Handley,  president;  George  L.  Dickson,  vice-presi- 
dent; E.  P.  Kingsbursy,  treasurer;  William  Assion,  sec- 
retary; directors,  Hon.  John  Handley,  George  L.  Dick- 
son, E.  P.  Kingsbury,  Hon.  F.  D.  Collins,  D.  B.  Brainard, 
B.  E.  Leonard,  Hon.  F.  W.  Gunster,  P.  McCann,  J.  H. 
Gunster  and  James  Jordan.  ^ 

Gas  and  Water  Companies. 

The  Scranton  Gas  and  Water  Company  was  chartered 
March  16th,  1854,  and  organized  in  1857,  with  the  fol- 
lowing officers  and  directors:  Joseph  H.  Scranton,  jjres- 
ident;  George  Sanderson,  S.  &  T.;  T.  F.  Hunt,  E.  H. 
Kerlin,  James  Fuller,  C.  D.  Rockwell  and  W.  E.  Rogers, 
directors.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  officers 
and  directors  in  January,  1880:  W.  W.  Scranton,  presi- 
dent; George  B.  Hand,  secretary;  G.  E.  Judson,  super- 
intendent and  treasurer;  Thomas  Dickson,  J.  J.  Albright, 
Joseph  Godfrey,  James  Archbald,  Henry  Battin  and  C. 
E.  Judson,  directors.  The  company  has  t,^  miles  of  gas 
and  water  pipe,  from  24  down  to  3  inches  in  diameter. 
The  gas  works  can  make  300,000  cubic  feet  of  gas  daily 
and  store  120,000  feet.  The  gas  is  manufactured  by  the 
Lowe  process;  no  public  lamps  are  lighted  by  the  com- 
pany. 

There  are  300,000,000  gallons  of  water  constantly  on 
storage,  and  the  present  daily  consumption  is  about 
5,000,000  gallons.  The  mains  can  supply  14,000,000 
gallons  daily.  There  are  loi  hydrants.  The  works  cost 
over  $700,000  and  expensive  additions  have  been  made 
from  time  to  time.     Very  large  extensions  in   the  water 


department  were  made  in  1879,  and  others  still  rnore  ex- 
tensive were  decided  on  for  1880. 

The  Hyde  Park  Gas  Company  was  organized  August 
18th.  1875,  with  Thomas  Phillips  as  president,  A.  Davis 
as  secretary,  William  Merrifield  as  treasurer  and  Martin 
Maloney  as  superintendent,  and  the  same  as  directors. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  those  in  office  in  January, 
1880:  W.  W.  Scranton,  president;  George  B.  Hand, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  C.  E.  Judson,  superintendent 
and  engineer;  Joseph  Godfrey,  C.  E.  Judson,  W.  W. 
Manness  and  Martin  Maloney,  directors.  This  company 
has  about  two  and  a  half  miles  of  pipe  and  lights  sixty- 
three  public  lamps. 

A  water  company  with  necessary  facilities  for  supply- 
ing that  portion  of  the  city  is  in  existence  in  Providence. 

Street  Railways. 

Hyde  Park,  Providence,  Scranton,  Dunmore  and 
Green  Ridge  are  connected  by  the  People's  Street  Rail- 
way, formed  by  the  consolidation  of  the  Scranton  and 
Providence  Passenger  Railway  and  the  People's  Street 
Railroad  May  nth,  1868.  The  companies  were  formed 
and  operations  begun  in  1867,  and  for  a  time  previous  to 
their  consolidation  they  bitterly  contested  their  respect- 
ive claims  to  the  principal  streets.  The  president  of  the 
People's  Company  at  its  organization  was  James  Blair; 
of  the  other,  Hon.  George  Sanderson.  The  officers  and 
directors  of  the  former  in  1880  were  aj  follows:  William 
Matthews,  president;  Alfred  Hand,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer; William  Matthew's,  James  Blair,  J.  C.  Piatt,  William 
Connell,  W.  W.  Scranton,  W.  R.  Storrs,  Alfred  Hand,  W. 
W.  Winton  and  John  B.  Smith.  The  length  of  the  road 
is  nine  and  one-half  miles.  During  the  year  ending 
October  31st,  1878,  235,163  passengers  were  carried  over 
the  road. 

Halls — The  Opera  House — The  Academy  of  Music. 

Before  the  days  of  public  halls  there  stood  on  an 
eminence  of  solid  rock  where  Jefferson  avenue  now  is, 
between  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company's  stores 
and  the  carriage  entrance  to  J.  C.  Piatt's  grounds,  a 
structiire  known  as  Odd  Fellow's  Hall,  which  was  erected 
by  the  early  Odd  Fellows  of  Scranton.  It  was  taken 
down  in  1865  and  re-erected  as  a  block  of  dwellings  on 
Dodge  street,  near  the  old  rolling  mill.  In  this  quaint 
building  were  formed  the  early  societies  of  Scranton. 
For  years  it  was  a  public  hall,  open  to  all  for  all  proper 
purposes,  and  the  people  assembled  there  for  amusement, 
deliberation  and  worship.  This  building  was  occupied 
only  rarely  after  the  completion  of  Washington  Hall,  in 
the  brick  block  at  Lackawanna  and  Penn  avenues,  now 
in  use  as  the  Lackawanna  county  court  room.  Other 
commodious  halls  have  been  opened  from  time  to  time 
within  the  city  limits,  one  of  the  oldest  of  which  is  Pa- 
noo-ka  Hall,  in  Providence. 

Klein's  Opera  House  was  erected  in  1871  by  E.  C. 
Klein.  It  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  Scranton 
Opera  House  Company  in  1874.  That  company  was  or- 
ganized with  E.  Frear  as  president  and  O.  C.  Moore  as 


<^ 


•8=^  ^=»= 


414 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA   COUNTY. 


secretary  and  treasurer.  Later  C.  A.  Stevens  was  presi- 
dent and  Joseph  Walker  manager.  The  opera  house  was 
burned  in  March,  1876. 

The  Academy  of  Music,  on  Wyoming  avenv.e,  was 
erected  in  1876-77  at  a  cost  of  $40,000,  exclusive  of  the 
site,  by  a  stock  company  consisting  of  James  Blair  (presi- 
dent), James  S.  Slocum,  T.  F.  Hunt,  A.  E.  Hunt  and  J. 
H.  Sutphin  (treasurer).  It  is  one  of  the  most  complete 
theatres  in  the  country.  It  is  on  the  ground  floor  and 
has  a  seating  capacity  of  1,500,  divided  into  parquet  and 
dress-circle,  balcony  circle  and  gallery.  The  stage  is  35 
by  60  feet.  The  academy  was  opened  in  April,  1877, 
under  the  management  of  Joseph  Walker.  C.  H.  Lind- 
say assumed  the  management  in  the  following  September, 
and  has  since  conducted  the  academy  with  marked  suc- 
cess. The  company  in  1879  consisted  of  James  Blair 
(president),  J.  A.  Linen  (treasurer),  James  S.  Slocum,  A. 
S.  Blair  and  J.  S.  Blair. 

The  School  of  the  Lackawanna. 

In  September,  1873,  Rev.  Thomas  M.  Cann,  A.  M.,  es- 
tablisued  a  young  ladies'  institute.  A  male  department 
was  added.  A  suitable  building  having  been  erected  in 
February,  1875,  the  two  departments  were  put  into  opera- 
tion under  the  name  of  th-e  Young  Lndies'  Institute  and 
Boys'  Classical  Academy.  In  March,  1876,  an  advisory 
board  of  trustees,  of  which  Hon.  Alfred  Hand  was  made 
president,  was  called  in,  and  the  school  reorganized 
under  the  name  of  The  School  of  the  Lackawanna.  The 
institution  has  earnestly  worked  in  the  cause  of  higher 
education  and  Christian  culture.  Many  of  its  male  grad- 
uates are  to  be  found  in  colleges  or  in  business,  and  two 
classes  of  young  ladies  have  received  the  medal  of  the 
institution  upon  their  graduation.  The  curriculum  em- 
braces not  only  the  ordinary  classical  and  scientific  pre- 
paration for  college  and  university  education,  but  also 
instruction  in  music,  painting  and  the  modern  languages. 
The  instructors  are  teachers  of  skill  and  experience, 
having  made  the  science  of  education  and  the  art  of 
teaching  a  life  work. 

Forest  Hill  Cemetery  Association. 

The  Forest  Hill  Cemetery  Association  was  organized 
in  the  fall  of  1869  and  incorporated  in  April,  1870.  The  act 
of  incorporation  decrees  that  the  proceeds  of  all  sales  of 
lots  shall  be  devoted  exclusively  to  the  purchase,  preserva- 
tion, improvement  and  embellishment  of  the  cemetery 
and  to  the  payment  of  its  current  and  incidental  ex- 
penses. George  Sanderson,  EHsha  Phinney,  J.  A.  Rob- 
ertson, J.  Gardner  Sanderson  and  C.  Du  Pont  Breck 
were  elected  trustees.  The  present  (1879)  officers  are  as 
follows:  George  Sanderson,  president;  J.  A.  Robertson, 
superintendent;  and  they  with  the  other  trustees  above 
mentioned,  constitute  the  management.  A  location  was 
decided  upon  and  the  ground  purchased  for  a  cemetery 
late  in  the  autumn  of  1869.  The  tract  contains  48  acres; 
is  situated  on  the  heights  near  Green  Ridge,  and  within 
its  borders  when  completed  will  be  three  small  lakes. 
The  ground    is    undulating   and    diversified,  presenting 


many  changes  of  surface  and  scenery.  The  cemetery  is 
divided  into  sections  and  blocks,  separated  by  avenues, 
lanes  and  paths,  the  main  continuous  avenue  extending 
more  than  two  miles  in  length,  and  is  provided  with  con- 
veniences common  to  cemeteries.  There  are  some  fine 
monuments  and  vaults  noticeable,  among  which  are  the 
Tripp  monument  and  those  of  Messrs.  Matthews  and 
Connell  and  the  vault  of  Mrs.  Barnes.  Each  lot  contains 
300  square  feet  and  is  surrounded  by  paths.  Up  to  the 
winter  of  1879  there  had  been  about  900  interments,  and 
about  $40,000  had  been  expended  in  permanent  im- 
provements. 

Local  Railway    Enterprise — Railway  Commu- 
nications. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  commissioners  to  obtain  sub- 
scriptions to  the  capital  stock  of  the  Leggett's  Gap  Rail- 
road, which^  afterwards  became  the  northern  division  of 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad,  was 
held  in  Scranton  March  7th,  1849.  January  2nd,  1850, 
the  first  meeting  of  the  stockholders  for  the  election  of 
officers  was  held  in  Scranton.  H.  W.  Drinker  was  elected 
chairman;  John  S.  Sherrerd,  secretary;  and  William  H. 
Tripp  and  J.  C.  Piatt  judges  of  the  election.  These 
names  and  most  of  the  following  (those  of  the  officers 
chosen)  are  familiar  to  every  citizen  who  has  grown  to 
manhood  in  Scranton:  John  J.  Phelps,  president;  Sel- 
den  T.  Scranton,  treasurer;  Charles  F.  Mattes,  secretary; 
John  I.  Blair,  Henry  W.  Drinker,  J.  C.  Piatt,  Jeremiah 
Clark,  Andrew  Bedford,  George  W.  Scranton,  Joseph 
H.  Scranton,  Fred  R.  Griffin,  Daniel  S.  Miller  and  Charles 
Fuller,  managers.  Some  of  these  men  are  among  the 
most  prominent  residents  of  the  city.  March  28th,  1850, 
Colonel  George  W.  Scranton  was  appointed  general 
agent  and  the  road  was  so  far  completed  under  his  oer- 
sonal  management  as  to  be  open  for  traffic  October  20th, 
185 1,  though  nine  days  previously  the  first  train  of  cars 
that  entered  Scranton  came  down  from  Great  Bend 
under  charge  of  Conductor  Richard  W.  Olmstead,  drawn 
by  the  locomotive  "  Wyoming."  In  April  of  this  year 
the  corporate  name  of  the  company  had  been  changed  to 
the  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company.  The 
Delaware  and  Cobb's  Gap  Railroad  Company,  which  had 
been  organized  in  1850,  with  Selden  T.  and  Joseph  H. 
Scranton  and  J.  C.  Piatt  among  its  directors,  and  C.  F. 
Mattes  as  secretary,  was  consolidated  with  the  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  Railroad  Company  early  in  1853,  and 
completed  in  1856.  May  7th  a  passenger  car  was  sent 
from  Scranton  to  bring  the  directors  up,  and  returned  the 
next  day  with  President  George  D.  Phelps,  the  directors 
and  others  on  board.  Residents  of  Scranton  have 
always  been  conspicuous  in  the  management  of  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad.  From  Scran- 
ton its  numerous  branches  and  connections  reach  out  in 
all  directions,  and  largely  by  their  means  is  carried  on 
that  traffic  which  has  caused  a  goodly  city  to  spring  up 
where  a  century  ago  the  locality  had  scarcely  been  re- 
deemed from  the  wilderness.  In  a  year  or  two,  by  way 
of  its  projected  line  from  Binghamton  to  Buffalo,  we  may 


^^= 


4* 


-M^- 


RAILROAD   FACILITIES    AT   SCRANTON— COLLIERIES. 


415 


expect  to  see  Jay  Gould's  mighty  "Wabash"  system  of 
western  roads  adding  its  immense  business  to  this 
great  trunk  line. 

In  1853  a  commodious  passenger  car  house  was  erected 
at  Scranton.     The  freight  depot  stood  down  in  the  yard, 
in  the  rear  of  where  Hunt's  hardware  store   now  stands, 
and  the  passenger  house  a  trifle  northwest,  about  in  the 
rear   of   the   present   Hitchcock  &  Coursen's   crockery 
establishment.     Besides  making  provision  for  all  the  or- 
dinary repairs  of  the  rolling  stock  in  use  on  the  road,  and 
the  machinery  and  cars  of   the  coal   department,  in  view 
of  the  favorable  location  of  Scranton  for  such  purposes, 
and  the  accessibility  of   ample   supplies  of   iron,  lumber 
and  other   necessary    materials,  the    managers    early  ar- 
ranged for  the  erection  of  shops  and  supplying  them  with 
facilities  for  the   manufacture   of   cars.     In    1854    these 
shops  consisted  of  one  brick  E  shaped  building  on  Wash- 
ington avenue.     The  main  building  was   200  by  55  feet, 
and  contained  a  smith  and   pattern   shop,  the   office  and 
the  engine  and  boiler  room.     The  two  wings  were  each 
200  by  55  feet;  the  western  one   was   used  as  a  car  and 
repair  shop,  and  the  eastern  one  as  an  engine  house  and 
repair    shop.     In    1855    an   iron  foundry  was  erected  on 
the  same  street,  and  a  round  house  at  the  north  ends  of 
the  two  wings  of  the  shops  was  begun,  which  when  com- 
pleted, in  1856,  was  surmounted  by  a  dome  98  feet  high, 
and  was   large   enough    to  house   30   locomotives.     The 
dome  was  one  of  the   most    sightly   objects  in  the  place, 
but  in  1865  it  was  found  to  be  settling   and   was   taken 
down.     The  growing  business  of  the  road  necessitated  an 
addition  to  the  shop  room,  and  a  building  100  feet  square 
was  erected  north  of  the  main  building  and  between  the 
two  wings,  between  1857  and  i860;  and  in  1862  a  smith- 
shop  was  built  on  the  south  side  of   Washington  avenue, 
near  the  other  buildings,  in   which  were  placed  a  steam 
trip  hammer  and  32  forges,  and  the  smiths  were  removed 
to  it  from  the  main  building,  which  was    afterward  used 
as  a  repair  shop  for  engines    and    cars.     The    company 
bought  the  ground  between   their  previous   purchase,  on 
Washington  street  and  Cliff  street,  for  additional  buildings 
The    present    large    round    house    was    begun    in     1865 
and  completed   and   occupied   in    July,    1866.     The  old 
round  house  was  altered  and  has   since  been  used   as  an 
engine  house.     The  company  built  another  foundry,  100 
feet  square,  with  facilities  for   making  about  ten  tons   of 
engine   and   car  castings  per   day.     The   depot   of  this 
company,  the  most  sightly    and  commodious  in   the  city, 
was  completed  and  occupied  November  28th,  1854.     The 
old  depot  had  previously  been  removed  to  near   the  site 
of  the  new  one.     It  now  constitutes  a  part  of  the  freight 
house,  a   little    northwest  of  the    passenger  depot.     The 
first  railroad  bridge  of  the  company  at  Scranton,  a  wooden 
structure,  was  burned  April  29th,  1864.     It  was  replaced 
by  a  temporary  structure,  which  served  until  the  present 
stone  bridge  was    completed,  which   was  used  first    May 
9th,  1867. 

Centering  in  Scranton  are  several  large  railway  organi- 
zations, connecting  with  all  points  north,  south,  east  and 
west.     The  lines  of  communication  include,   besides  the 


Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western,  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company's,  the  Central  of  New  Jersey 
and  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company's  road,  connecting 
with  the  Erie.  Hence  it  will  be  seen  that  the  facilities 
for  transportation  and  travel  are  excellent,  and  that  the 
city  is  by  no  means  dependent  upon  any  one  road  for  an 
outlet.  September  8th,  1863,  the  first  locomotive  over 
the  extension  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  reached 
Scranton.  The  works  of  the  Dickson  Manufacturing 
Company  take  the  place  of  car  and  locomotive  shops  of 
this  road  that  must  otherwise  have  been  erected  in  Scran- 
ton. About  March  1st,  i86o,  passenger  communication 
was  opened  from  Scranton  over  the  gravity  road  to  Car- 
bondale. 

Early  in  the  summer  of  1855  a  telegraph  line  was  put 
up  through  Scranton  and  offices  were  opened  at  Provi- 
dence, Hyde  Park  and  Dunmore.  An  office  was  opened 
in  Scranton  July  25th,  1855.  A  line  was  in  operation 
along  the  southern  division  of  the  D.  L.  &  W.  Railroad 
late  in  1859  or  early  in   i860. 

Coal  Mines. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  city  are  the  following  mention- 
ed drifts,  shafts  or  slopes. 

The  Park  Coal  Company's  slope  in  Hyde  Park  is 
operated  by  the  School  Fund  Coal  Association.  It  was 
opened  in  1845.  The  veins  are  named  "F"  and  "G," 
and  the  capacity  is  350  tons  per  day.  Two  hundred  men 
and  boys  are  employed.  From  July,  1874,  the  slope  was 
operated  by  the  Park  Coal  Company  till  March,  1877, 
since  when  it  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the  present  opera- 
tors. Mount  Pleasant  slope,  Hyde  Park,  was  opened  by 
Lewis  &  Howell  in  1854.  It  was  operated  by  the  Mount 
Pleasant  Coal  Company  from  1864  until  1877,  since  then 
by  William  T.  Smith.  It  is  the  property  of  W.  Swetland's 
heirs.  It  has  a  capacity  of  150,000  tons  per  annum  and 
employs  300  men  and  boys.  The  veins  are  called  respec- 
tively "  Diamond,"  "  Rock,"  "  Big  "  or  "  G  "  and 
"Clark."  William  Connell  &  Co.  own  and  operate  Mea- 
dow Brook  shaft  and  National  colliery  in  Scranton. 
Each  has  a  capacity  of  150,000  tons  annually.  Most  of 
the  coal  now  shipped  from  the  National  (which  was 
opened  by  the  National  Anthracite  Coal  Company  in 
1856  and  operated  by  Theodore  Vetterlein  from  1858  to 
1865  and  from  that  time,  until  the  succession  of  William 
Connell  &  Co.,  by  the  Susquehanna  and  Wyoming 
Valley  Railroad  and  Coal  Company),  coines  from  the 
openings  near  Meadow  Brook  mines,  and  is  taken  to  the 
National  mines  over  a  narrow  gauge  track  which  runs 
along  the  side  of  the  hill.  The  Meadow  Brook  shaft, 
opened  by  Messrs.  Connell  &  Co.,  in  1870,  is  operated 
by  a  shaft  and  several  drifts.  Five  hundred  men  and 
boys  are  employed.  The  force  at  the  National  colliery 
is  about  200,  merely  sufficient  to  prepare  the  coal  for  the 
market.  These  mines  are  both  in  the  "  Clark  "  and 
"  Buck  Mountain  "  veins. 

The  following  mines  are  operated  by  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company:  No.  2 
Diamond   shaft,   Tripp's   slope,  No.  2   slope   and  No.  2 


-^^ 


4 

*4^ 


41* 


416 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


f 


shaft  in  Hyde  Park,  known  as  the  Diamond  mines,  work- 
ing the  veins  known  as  "E,""F"  and  "  G,"  producing 
1,800  gross  tons  per  day,  and  employing  800  men  and 
boys;  Oxford  shaft,  Flyde  Park,  in  veins  "  E"  and  "  F," 
opened  by  S.  T.  Scranton  &  Co  ,  in  1862,  and  taken  pos- 
session of  by  the  company  in  August,  1868,  having  a  ca- 
pacity of  600  tons  daily;  Cayuga  shaft,  Providence,  open- 
ed July  20th,  1870,  by  the  Delaware,  Lackawnnna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company,  with  a  daily  capacity  of  700 
tons,  and  affording  employment  to  280  men  and-  boys; 
Central  shaft,opened  by  the  company  October  22nd, 1870, 
working  "  Big  "  or  "  G  "  vein,  with  a  capacity  of  900 
tons  per  day,  and  employing  336  men  and  boys;  Brisbin 
shaft,  Providence,  opened  May  5th,  1875,  in  "  G  "  vein, 
having  a  capacity  of  800  tons  per  day,  and  employing  294 
hands;  Hyde  Park  shaft,  in  veins  "  G"  and  "F,"  open- 
ed in  1858,  and  operated  since  1869  by  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  capacity 
700  tons  per  day.  The  Fairlawn  slope  was  begun  by 
contractors  June  i6th,  1872.  The  breaker  was  complet- 
ed and  started  August  20th,  1873,  under  the  name  of  the 
Fairlawn  colliery.  The  proprietors  were  Hosie,  Robert- 
son &  Hosie.  January  ist,  1874,  the  Archbald  heirs 
bought  the  interest  of  John  Robertson,  and  the  firm  con- 
tinued under  the  name  of  Hosie,  Archbald  &  Hosie 
until  July  30th,  1874,  at  which  time  the  parlies 
in  interest  organized  as  the  Fairlawn  Coal  Com- 
pany (limited).  This  mine  is  in  the  "  Clark  "  and 
"Upper,"  "2nd"  and  "3d  Dunmore "  veins.  The 
Fairlawn  Coal  Company  is  working  the  "  Clark "  vein 
alone,  the  capacity  of  which  and  the  other  veins  is  esti- 
mated at  about  1,000  tons  of  mercliantable  coal  to  each 
foot  in  thickness  of  vein  per  acre,  the  capacity  of  the 
breaker  is  about  275  tons  per  day.  Eighty  men  and  60 
boys  are  employed.  Jermyn's  Green  Ridge  shaft  was 
opened  by  the  present  owner  and  operator,  John  Jermyn, 
June  9th,  1876.  It  is  in  the  "Clark"  vein  and  its  ca- 
pacity is  800  tons  daily;  350  to  400  men  and  boys  are 
employed.  Von  Storch  slope,  Leggett's  Creek  slope 
and  Marvine  shaft.  Providence,  are  operated  by  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company.  The  number  of 
employes  at  these  collieries  in  1878  was  711  inside, 
1,080  outside.  Capoose  and  Pine  Brook  shafts,  in  Hyde 
Park  and  Scranton  respectively,  are  owned  and  operated 
by  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  mention  of 
whose  mines  will  be  found  elsewhere. 

The  Von  Storch  colliery,  owned  and  operated  by  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  is  in  the  second 
ward.  It  has  a  shaft  532  feet  in  depth  and  a  slope  1,062 
feet  in  length.  The  breaker  has  a  capacity  of  1,000  tons 
per  day,  mining  from  the  Diamond,  Clark  and  Fourteen- 
feet  veins.  The  shaft  was  sunk  in  1857  by  the  Von 
Storch  Coal  Company,  composed  of  John  Hovvarth,  Joel 
Bowkley,  B.  F.  Sawyer,  Abel  Bennett  and  Charles  T. 
Pierson,  with  John  Howarth  as  president.  The  first  coal 
was  shipped  in  the  fall  of  1858  by  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  Railroad.  That  company  finally  de- 
clining to  transport  the  coal,  the  works  were  idle  until 
April,  1859,  when  a  contract  was  made  with  the  Delaware 


and  Hudson  Canal  Company  to  mine  and  transport  the 
coal.  It  became  necessary  for  them  to  sink  a  slope  on 
the  river  bank,  the  shaft  and  breaker  being  about  half  a 
mile  distant  and  a  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
railroad.  This  new  slope  was  commenced  about  the  first 
of  September,  1859,  and  the  Diamond  vein  of  coalwas 
reached  the  next  Christmas,  when  a  grand  supper  was 
given  the  employes.  Thomas  Dickson,  now  president  of 
the  D.  and  H.  C.  Company,  was  then  superintendent  of 
the  coal  department.  The  old  breaker  was  removed  to 
the  new  slope  and  the  company  commenced  shipping 
coal  in  the  summer  of  i860.  The  breaker  and  machinery 
were  rebuilt  in  1874  on  the  most  improved  plans.  In 
connection  with  the  long  slope  on  the  river  bank  is  a  tun- 
nel extending  from  the  foot  of  the  slope  in  the  Diamond 
vein  to  the  shaft.  The  shaft  from  this  point  is  sunk  to 
the  Clark  vein.  From  this  point  the  coal  is  hoisted  to 
the  Diamond  vein,  and  then  run  under  ground  to  the 
foot  of  the  slope,  from  where  it  is  hoisted  to  the  breaker 
on  the  river  bank.  The  number  of  men  and  boys  em- 
ployed to  produce  one  thousand  tons  daily  is  560,  and  it 
requires  the  use  of  twenty-three  large  boilers. 

The  Marvine  shaft.  Providence,  was  sunk  in  1872-73, 
and  the  first  coal  taken  out  in  1876.  It  belongs  to  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  and  taps  the 
Fourteen-feet,  Diamond  and  Clark  veins.  It  produces 
about  850  tons  per  ten  hours,  employing  420  hands. 
The  outside  foreman  is  George  Griffin,  and  the  inside 
foreman  Joseph  V.  Birtley.  The  Leggett's  Creek  shaft, 
also  in  Providence,  was  opened  in  1866,  by  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Company,  which  now  owns  and  operates  it. 
It  takes  800  tons  per  ten  hours  from  the  same  veins  as 
the  Marvine,  employing  400  hands.  J.  L.  Atherton  is 
the  outside  superintendent  and  Finley  Ross  inside. 

The  mining  interest  in  Dunmore  centers  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania Coal  Company's  collieries,  there  being  but  one 
other  in  the  borough.  Roaring  Brook  colliery.  Htmt, 
Davis  &  Co  began  operations  there  in  1863  and  com- 
menced shipping  coal  June  20th,  1864.  In  187876,053 
tons  of  coal  were  produced  at  this  mine,  and  between 
500  and  600  men  and  boys  were  employed  outside  and 
inside. 

The  Fire  Department. 

Dwellings  and  stores  were  at  first  built  principally  of 
wood,  as  it  was  the  cheapest  and  most  available  material. 
After  a  few  accidental  fires  the  necessity  of  fire  appa- 
ratus was  felt.  The  D.,  L.  and  W,  Railroad  Company 
and  Lackawanna  Coal  and  Iron  Company  each  agreed 
to  furnish  one  hand  engine  and  three  hundred  feet  of  hose, 
provided  the  companies'  property  should  have  the  prefer- 
ence in  case  of  need;  which  was  agreed  to,  and  soon  Scran- 
ton was  rejoicing  over  two  second-hand  "gooseneck" 
engines,  purchased  in  New  York,  together  with  the  prom- 
ised hose. 

Ncpluiie,  No.  I.— As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  an  en- 
gine would  be  furnished,  C.  W.  Roesler  proceeded  to  or- 
ganize a  fire  company  and  succeeded  in  enrolling  and 
uniforming  about  forty  members,  who  took  charge  of  the 


I'lkh;  COM  PAN  lies  ()]■■  SCRAN'l'ON. 


417 


engine  lii'loiiniim  ici  ilu-  )),,  i„  ;,i,,|  W.  Riiilrond  iind  rliris- 
li'iu-il  it  NeiiliiiK-,  N(i.  I.  Ii  was  lioiisi'd  in  ilic  corner  of 
one  of  the  Hhops  in  the  comiiany's  ynrd.  The  following 
year  Honic  of  Neiiliinc's  nu'iiilicrs  and  olhi'is  oif^ani/.i'il 
another  conipany,  look  llif  (jiiicr  fn^int:  and  named  it 
Wttshiiinlon,  No.  2.  The  rivalry  of  these  two  conipanieH 
made  u  fiicinan's  life  exciting.  The  NepliineH  generally 
l)rove<l  the  most  ef/ieii'iii,  and  in  the  l.iller  p.irl  of  1859 
the  lioroiigh  eonneil  bought  a  $1,500  engine  for  Ihein, 
whieh  IN  Htill  in  llieir  poKsession,  .although  the  city  has 
providi'd  the  eonip.Tny  with  a  $5)°"°  steamer.  VVhi'n 
Seranton  was  incorpor.iled  oh  a  city,  the  commissioner 
pMt  the  Nci)tiine  eni^ine  np  for  sale.  ( '.  W.  Roesler  hid 
il  in  for  II400  .and  liinied  i(  over  to  the   old  company. 

Il'(is/iini;/iiii,  A',1.  2.- -\n  (he  laller  part  of  1856  this 
company  wan  orp;ani/,ed  for  the  engine  furnished  by  the 
I. ackaw.anri.i  Iron  .111(1  Coal  ( !om|)any,  who  had  built  a 
prelly  little  brick  eiij^ine  house  of  two  slcnaes  for  hous- 
ing it.  The  upper  slory  w.is  lilled  up  for  a  meeting 
room,  mid  the  lower  slory  <'onl.iined  (he  "  Washin^;lon" 
and  a  nondesciipl  <alled  the  "  N  i.ig.ira."  John  (ireer 
w.as  elected  foreman;  D.ivid  lli'ccher,  assist.anl  fcn'ein.in; 
and  D.ivid  I  )ale,  secii'l.ny.  M  r.  Ilee<hcr  brought  the 
comjiany  up  (o  ellicieiicy  ,iiid  Mr.  (Ireer's  popularity 
kep(  it  lo^edicr  until  the  Rehellion,  when  nearly  the 
whole  coinp.iny  enlisted.  The  ((iiii|i,any  alleiward 
raised  ljii,700  and  lionght  a  second  hand  engine,  but  it 
proved  vvorlhless  and  (he  company  was  disbanded. 

A'fM'  .///,<,'  //<iu' (vm/'<iiiy,  A'lK  1.— The  rivalry  existing 
be(ween  "Nepdine"  and  "  W.ishiiiglon  "  frccpienlly 
led  (o  <dllisi(iiis  at  liies,  and  in  some  cases  thev  stopped 
|)laying  on  (he  lire  (o  play  cm  each  other.  This  slate  of 
all.airs  cimllnued  uiilil  earlv  in  rSjH,  when,  the  water 
pipes  having  been  laid  thioiigh  (he  borough,  (he  citizens 
bought  a  hose  c.airi.ige  and  hose  and  the  .above  named 
company  was  organized.  It  was  composed  ol  merchaiils, 
clerks  .and  law  s(udeii(s,  who  were  designa(ed  "silk 
s(oekings."  C,  1'.  Madhews  was  elec  led  foreman.  The 
company  virtually  disb.aniled  during  the  Rebellion. 

JVl'itX'"'',  A'ri.  ,;, The  old  nondescript  "Niagara" 
was  overhaule.l  and  repaired,  and  .1  company  was  formed 
in  (he  spring  of  I, S_58,  to  which  none  but  mariied  men 
were  admiKed,  excep(  the  torch  boys.  Rich.ard  Slilwell 
was  chosen  foreman;  J.  O.  Kiersled  assis(aii(  foreman, 
and  1).  Is.   Kressler,  secre(ary. 

///f  />',iivi/x/i  /<'iiY  /)f/>iir//Hf/i/.-  As  scum  as  the 
"Niagara"  was  (i(  for  service  il  was  proposed  that  a 
regular  lire  department  should  be  eslablished  and  the 
lamncil  look  (he  proper  .action.  At  the  first  election 
C.eorge  Mshrr  was  chosen  chief  engineer  and  Messrs.  1''. 
W.  Walson  and  J.  W.  brock  first  and  second  assistants. 
A  representative  body  known  as  "  ihe  l''ireman's  Hoard  " 
was  organized,  consisting  of  the  chief  and  assistant  en- 
gineers and  two  delega(es  from  each  company;  of  which 
the  'chief  engineer,  ,-,\' ,)///, w,  was  presidenl.  Doetcn-  A. 
Davis,  from  No.  a,  was  eleeled  secretary,  and  1).  K. 
Kressler,  from  No.  ,i,  treasurer.  The  borough  council 
npproiiriated  $80  for  the  expenses  of  the  board.  The 
ccnupanies  not  respecdng  (he  orders  of  (he  chief  engineer. 


Mr.  l''isher  resigned.  A  new  "  Neptune"  was  bought  in 
i860.  Mr.  Watson  kept  the  department  together  until 
his  term  expired,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  J.  O.  Kier- 
sted,  the  l.ist  chief  engineer  under  the  borough.  The 
comuiencement  of  the  war  carrying  off  nearly  all  the 
active  members,  the  whole  fire  organization  was  virtually 
disb.inded  until  a  destructive  fire  occurred  in  1867,  which 
showed  tlie  need  of  .1  fire  department. 

At  the  formation  of  the  city  there  were  only  two  hand 
engines  and  one  hose  carriage  fit  for  service,  viz.;  Frank- 
lin engine,  of  Hyde  Park,  Neptune  engine,  of  Seranton, 
and  Nay  Aug  hose. 

Jniiiikliii  li'irc  r(v///'(?//r  was  incorporated  July  3d,  1855, 
and  has  since  been  in  active  service.  The  engine  was  of 
the  Daltimore  style  .and  rendered  valuable  aid  at  fires  in 
Seranton  .and  Hyde  Park  until  1869,  when  engine  house 
and  engine  were  burned.  The  citizens  subscribed  $850, 
with  which  an  engine  was  bought,  and  in  1876  the  city 
gave  the  company  a  third  class  Silsby  steamer  in  exchange 
for  the  hand  engine,  which  went  into  the  jjossession  of 
Relief  lOngine  Company. 

Srnni/nii  Ci/y  Fiir  J)cl>artiiicnl. — In  1867  the  city 
councils  esl.ablisliecl  a  fire  department  and  bought  two  or 
three  hook  and  ladder  trucks.  J.  R.  Keeley  was  elected 
chief  engineer,  and  succeeded  by  R.  Stillwell,  C.  W. 
Roesler,  |i',noch  Page  (three  terms),  Henry  Ferber  and 
S.  H.  Stilwell,  who  is  now  serving  his  third  term. 

'J"he  following  comp.auies  and  apparatus  are  now  in 
active  service  and  uiuler  the  control  of  the  city;  Franklin 
l'',ngine  rompany,  ste.imer,  Hyde  Park;  Nejitune  Engine 
Coiiipany,  steamer  and  hand  engine.  Cedar  street;  Nay 
Aug  I  lose  Company,  steamer  and  hose  carriage,  Lacka- 
wanii.a  avenue;  I'rystal  Hose  Company,  steamer,  Linden 
street;  Liberty  Hose  Company  and  Liberty  Hose  Com- 
pany, jr.,  hose  carriages.  Providence;  General  Phinney 
Hose  ("oinpany,  hose  carriage.  Green  Ridge;  Relief 
I'higine  Company,  hand  engine,  Petersburg;  Phcenix 
Hose  ('ompany,  hose  carriage,  Lackawanna  avenue; 
C!oliimbia  Hose  Company,  hose  carriage,  Hyde  Park; 
ILuid-in-ILind  Engine  Company,  awaiting  an  engine, 
Itellevue. 

Crystal  Hose  was  admitted  to  the  fire  department  in 
187,^;  Liberty  Hose  Company,  1868;  Liberty  Hose  Com- 
pany, jr.,  1.S7O;  Ceneral  J'hinney  Hose  Company,  1877; 
Hand  in-Hand  I'ingine  Company,  1877;  Relief  Engine 
C'ompauy,  1878;  Phuuiix  Hore  Cimipany,  1879;  Colum- 
bia Hose  was  organized  in  1S77,  but  has  not  been  admit- 
ted. 

An  organization  called  the  Citizens'  Fire  Association 
was  incorporated  in  1807,  with  a  capital  of  $5,000  in 
$.'5  shares,  to  buy  a  steam  fire  engine.  The  citizens 
bought  (he  steamer  now  in  possessicm  of  Nay  Aug  Hose 
C'ompany. 

NOTAIU.I',    LAROR   TROUBLES. 

Scrandm,  as  th«  center  geographically  and  commer- 
cially of  the  eastern  coal  district,  has  from  time  to  time 
been  the  scene  of  some  of  those  confiiets  between  capital 
and    labor  common    to  all    localities  where   mining   and 


-^^ 


*€h 


418 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


manufacturing  are  carried  on  extensively.  The  local 
troubles  have  been  so  frequent  that  it  would  be  neither 
profitable  nor  interesting  to  notice  all  of  them.  Often 
they  have  been  confined  to  one  mine  or  manufacturing 
establishment  and  have  been  speedily  adjusted  without 
serious  loss  or  inconvenience.  The  more  notable  strikes 
at  Scranton  occurred  in  1869,  in  1870-71  and  in  1877. 

THE    miners'    strike    OF    1869. 

A  general  strike  of  all  the  miners  in  the  employ  of  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company, 
together  with  those  at  all  collieries  whose  coal  was  pur- 
chased by  this  corporation  except  the  Nay  Aug  or  Roar- 
ing Brook  colliery,  began  May  25th,  1869,  and  continued 
until  August  27th.  The  miners  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  struck  at  the  same  time,  but  did 
not  resume  work  until  about  a  week  after  the  date  last 
mentioned.  The  cause  for  the  action  of  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company's  miners 
was  the  refusal  of  the  company  to  grant  an  increase  of 
ten  cents  a  car  in  the  price  of  mining.  The  difficulty 
was  finally  adjusted  by  the  promise  of  the  company  to  pay 
the  same  price  for  mining  that  was  paid  by  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Coal  Company,  and  not  to  make  any  reduction  be- 
fore December  ist  following,  without  thirty  days'  notice. 
Roaring  Brook  colliery  and  the  mines  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nia Coal  Company  were  worked  during  this  period  of 
loss  and  inactivity  without  interruption.  This  was  the 
first  general  strike  in  the  Lackawanna  district. 

THE    strike    and    RIOTS    OF    187O    AND    1871. 

December  5th,  1870,  the  miners  of  the.  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company  and  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  stopped  work.  From  time 
to  time  the  employes  of  other  companies  joined  the 
movement,  and  during  the  next  five  months  and  more, 
with  few  exceptions,  the  mines  in  and  about  Scranton,  as 
well  as  throughout  the  entire  anthracite  coal  region,  were 
idle,  the  miners  remaining  stubborn  in  their  demands  for 
higher  wages  and  the  coal  companies  in  their  refusal  to 
grant  any  concessions.  The  effect  of  the  suspension  was 
disastrous  not  only  to  miners  and  operators,  but  to  the 
business  prosperity  of  the  city  and  the  surrounding 
country,  and  among  the  former  there  were  numerous  in- 
stances of  want  and  destitution. 

During  the  war  the  rapid  increase  in  the  demand  for 
coal  stimulated  production  beyond  precedent,  forced 
higher  rates  for  mining  than  was  paid  by  any  other 
branch  of  industry,  and  attracted  to  the  mines  more  men 
that  could  be  profitably  employed  when  business  returned 
to  its  natural  channel.  To  maintain  the  then  current 
high  wages,  the  miners  formed  an- association,  which  in 
a  short  time  embraced  the  entire  anthracite  region,  and 
in  1869  resolved  that  they  would  not  only  determine  the 
rates  to  be  paid  for  labor,  but  would  also  control  and  de- 
termine the  production  of  the  mines  and  the  value  of 
coal  to  the  consumer.  This  new  and  extraordinary 
claim  was  conceded  by  a  majority  of  the  producers,  but 
was  successfully  resisted   by  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 


<^h= 


and  Western  Railroad  Company,  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son Canal  Company  and  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 
This  protracted  period  of  inactivity  and  distress  engen- 
dered a  hostile  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  strikers  towards 
such  of  their  occupation  as  continued  to    work  here  and 
there,  which  culminated  in  the  well  remembered  riots  of 
April  6th  and  7th,    1871.     On  the   6th  a    mob  gathered 
at  Tripp's   slope,  and    tried  to  prevent  the    men  working 
there  from  coming  out  of  the  mine  at  quitting  time.    The 
next  day  men    were   beaten,  the  work    at  mines  stopped 
and    much    property    was    destroyed.       A    breaker   was 
burned  down,  and  a  force  of  miners  estimated  at  about 
1,000  carried  terror  in   all  directions.       Upon  application 
from    Mayer    Monies,  the  governor  sent   Major  General 
Osborne  and  a  portion  of  his  division,   the  Hazleton  Bat- 
talion   under    Major    Swank,    the   15th   regiment    under 
Colonel  O.    K.  Moore,    together  with   the    Thomas    and 
Franklin  Zouaves    of  Scranton.     These  forces  were   put 
on  guard,  and  though    all  attempts   at  an  adjustment  of 
the  differences  between  employers  and  employes  by  arbi- 
tration or   otherwise   failed  for  some  time,  there  was  no 
further    violence.      Work  was    generally    resumed  May 
22nd,  though  some  miners,   notably  those  in  the  employ 
of    the    Lackawanna    Iron  and    Coal    Company,  had  re- 
sumed a  few  days  earlier. 

THE    great    riots    OF    1877. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  troubles  which  culminated 
in  the  wide-spread  strikes    and  riots  of    1877,  Scranton, 
the  most    important   point  in  the  coal  region,   was  pro- 
foundly   agitated.       The  strike   in  the    city  proper   was 
begun  July    24th  by  the    employes  of    the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal    Company,  though    the   employes  at    the 
Meadow   Brook  mines,  numbering  about  300,  had   struck 
the  night  before.   It  was  first  declared  at  noon  in  the  old 
rolling-mill,  and  the  men  retired  from  the  building,  leav- 
ing the  partly  formed    rails    in  the    rolls  and  the  fires  in 
the  furnaces  still  burning,  and  proceeded  in  a  body  to  the 
company's  steel  mills,  where    work    was  suspended,  the 
employes  joining  the  strikers  and  marching   with    them 
to  the  shops  and  foundries,   where  work  was    also  stop- 
ped; the  entire  force  of  workmen  in  all  of  these  establish- 
ments, to  the  number  of  about  1,500,  having  struck,  de- 
claring that   they  had  been    unable  to  live  on  the  wages 
they  had  received  up  to  the  15th  of  that  month,  at  which 
date  a  reduction  of  ten  per  cent,    more  had  been  made. 
During  the  afternoon  a  meeting  was  held  at  which  it  was 
determined  to  demand  the   restoration  of   this  last  reduc- 
tion.    The  employes  of   the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company  and  the   Delaware  and  Hud- 
son Canal  Company    struck  that   day.     The   locomotives 
were  run  into  the  yard,  where  their  fires  were  drawn  and 
they  were  left   in   good    order.     Passenger   trains    were 
taken  to   their  destinations,  but    upon   their   arrival  the 
fires  were  drawn  and  the   engines    placed  on  side  tracks. 
There  was  no  disposition   shown  by  the  fireinen  to  injure 
any    of    the  companies'   property,    which    they  declared 
they  would  protect.     A  coal  train  which   left  Scranton  at 
five  o'clock  was  returned  and  placed   in  the  yard  with 


if 


nearly  a  score  of  others  fimilarly  loaded.  A  demand  had 
previously  been  made  on  Superintendent  Manville,  of  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  by  the  firemen 
in  the  employ  of  that  corporation,  but  concessions  had 
been  refused  by  him  that  afternoon.  No  engineers,  con- 
ductors or  brakemen  were  concerned  in  the  movement 
at  that  time,  though  the  brakemen  afterward  joined  it. 
It  was  announced  by  the  railway  authorities  that  no  trains 
would  run  until  the  difficulty  was  settled.  All  shipments 
of  coal  ceased,  and  the  mines  in  all  parts  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna valley  were  thus  rendered  idle.  The  excitement 
in  the  city  was  intense.  Doubt,  uncertainty  and  appre- 
hension were  everywhere  manifest.  A  proclamation  was 
issued  by  Mayor  McKune,  urging  the  necessity  of  sober, 
careful  thought  and  pointing  out  the  criminal  folly  of 
any  precipitate  action. 

The  excitement  increased,  and  on  the  25 th  the  crowds 
of  idle  and  eagerly  talking  men  about  the  streets  were 
augmented  by  Ihe  arrival  of  thousands  of  miners  who 
flocked  in  from  all  directions.  The  strikers  said  they 
would  not  obstruct  the  carrying  of  the  mails,  but  declared 
they  would  suffer  no  passenger  cars  to  pass  over  the 
roads.  When  the  10  o'clock  train  fiom  Binghamton  ar- 
rived it  was  boarded  by  a  number  of  strikers,  who  un- 
coupled the  express  and  passenger  cars  as  it  neared  the 
depot,  but  permitted  the  mail  to  pass.  The  railway  offi- 
cials refused  to  go  through  with  the  mail  unless  the  pas- 
senger cars  were  permitted  to  pass,  but  the  striuers  pro- 
cured orders  for  the  governor  to  Superintendent  Hal- 
stead  to  allow  the  mails  to  pass  as  usual.  A  statement 
was  prepared  by  a  committee  of  the  strikers  for  publica- 
tion in  the  local  papers,  setting  forth  their  grievances 
and  the  cause  for  their  action.  A  petition  was  adopted 
asking  the  saloon  keepers  to  close  their  places  of  busi- 
ness. 

The  miners  of  the  Scranton  district,  representing  not 
less  than  40,000  men,  demanded  an  increase  of  twenty- 
five  per  cent,  on  their  wages  during  the  day,  causing  aug- 
mented excitement  in  the  city.  W.  R.  Storrs,  general 
coal  superintendent  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company,  was  waited  on  by  a  com- 
mittee of  six  who  presented  a  series  of  resolutions,  repre- 
senting that  the  men  had  been  subjected  to  repeated  re- 
ductions until  their  wages  were  far  less  than  adequate  to 
heir  support  and  that  of  their  families,  and  that  they 
would  not  longer  endure  it,  but  were  determined  to  con- 
tinue the  strike  until  their  demand  should  be  complied 
with,  even  though  the  railway  employes  should  return  to 
their  work.  Mr.  Storrs  forwarded  their  petition  to  the 
general  ofifice  of  the  company  and  promised  the  commit- 
tee a  reply  on  the  following  Friday;  and  the  strikers 
called  a  mass  meeting  in  the  woods,  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
city,  for  the  afternoon  of  the  26th.  The  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company's  employes,  including  the  work- 
men in  the  iron  and  steel  works,  sent  a  committee  during 
the  day  to  wait  on  W.  W.  Scranton,  the  general  superin- 
tendent, and  demand  an  increase  of  wages  to  the  amount 
of  twenty-five  per  cent.,  which  he  was  unable  to  grant. 
The  strike  was  rendered  general  by  a  demand  of  the  em- 


ployes in  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  car 
shops  of  an  increase  of  twenty-five  per  cent.,  and  it  now 
extended  to  every  important  branch  of  industry  in  the 
valley;  and  one  of  the  most  dangerous  elements  in  the 
trouble  was  supplied  by  the  action  of  the  miners,  who, 
not  satisfied  with  quitting  work,  refused  to  allow  the 
pumps  of  the  mines  to  be  operated.  The  men  who  at- 
tempted to  keep  them  going  to  prevent  the  mines  from 
flooding  were  driven  away  by  the  strikers  and  the  engines 
were  stopped,  allowing  the  water  to  flow  steadily  into  the 
mines,  injuring  some  of  them  to  an  almost  inestimable 
extent.  The  prevailing  state  of  affairs  at  the  time  was 
thus  summed  up  in  a  despatch  from  Scranton,  July  29th: 
"  The  entire  Laoknwanna  rcjfion  is  idle.  Week  before  last  this  region 
sent  nearly  1.50,000  tons  of  coal  to  market.  Last  week  it  did  not  send  a 
tithe  of  that  quantity,  and  ne.\-t  week  it  will  not  send  any.  The  minors 
of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  quit  work  yesterday  morn- 
ing, and  those  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  are  in  enforced  idle- 
ness on  account  of  the  destruction  of  a  head-house  and  bridge  <m  their 
gravity  railroad.  The  head-house,  which  was  situated  in  the  woods  east 
of  this  eity,  was  burned  down  at  three  o'clock  this  morning,  by  a  mob 
which  surprised  the  watchman  and  tied  him  with  ropes  to  a  neighboring 
tree.  They  satu  rated  the  wood  work  of  the  head-house,  and  then  set  it  off 
with  a  match.  It  made  a  fierce  bhi/.e,  which  was  plainly  visible  here. 
Destruction  of  the  head-house  causes  a  complete  stoppage  from  Hawley 
toPittston.  It  was  not  the  work  of  the  comjjany's  employes,  but  of 
outside  persons,  who  took  that  mode  of  forcing  (he  strike  upon  them. 
The  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  have  recently  been  working  on  full 
time  at  their  mines,  and  the  best  of  feeling  exists  between  themselves 
and  their  workmen.    The  latter  are  indignant  at  the  dastardly  act." 

The  mayor  was  very  active  in  efforts  to  effect  an  ad- 
justment of  the  troubles,  and  succeeded  at  length  in  in- 
ducing the  miners  in  the  vicinity  of  Scranton  to  allow  the 
pumps  to  be  put  to  work  by  the  civil  engineers,  bosses 
and  clerks  of  the  coal  companies. 

By  dint  of  strong  effort  on  the  part  of  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company  and  the  city 
authorities  the  employes  of  that  corporation  gave  up  the 
struggle  July  30th,  and  resumed  work  at  their  former 
wages.  This  action  was  brought  about  chiefly  by  the 
mayor,  who  sent  for  the  executive  committee  of  the 
striking  railway  employes  and  informed  them  that  travel 
would  have  to  be  resumed  over  the  road  the  next  morn- 
ing, even  if  the  presence  of  troops  should  be  necessary  to 
such  a  result.  At  a  meeting  held  early  in  the  afternoon 
the  men  decided,  by  a  vote  01  82  to  9,  to  return  to  their 
work,  and  a  committee  proceeded  to  inform  Superintend- 
ent Halstead  of  their  determination,  the  only  terms 
asked  being  the  promise  of  the  superintendent  that  no 
one  who  had  taken  an  active  part  in  the  strike  should  be 
prosecuted.  This  condition  was  not  refused,  and  pas- 
senger and  freight  traffic  was  speedily  re-established. 

The  miners  declared  iheir  intention  to  hold  out,  and 
bitterly  denounced  the  concession  of  the  railway  em- 
ployes, their  turbulence  augmenting  day  by  day  to  such 
a  pitch  as  to  make  troops  necessary.  Some  of  the  miners 
resumed  work  stealthily.  On  the  morning  of  August  1st 
a  inass  meeting  of  about  5,000  strikers  was  held  in  the 
suburbs.  The  situation  was  discussed  bV  partisan  speak- 
ers with  more  fervor  than  deliberation.  The  policy  of 
the  railroad  and  coal  companies  was  denounced  in  bitter 
terms,  and  the  action  of  the  workmen  who  had  resumed 
their  former  positions  in  the  shops  and  blast  furnaces 
was   scathingly  reprobated.     An  incendiary  letter  from 


<> 


-mU 


420 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


some  anonymous  person  was  read,  which  stated  that  W. 
W.  Scranton  had  declared  he  would  have  the  men  at 
work  for  thirty-five  cents  a  day,  stirring  the  multitude  up 
to  a  pitch  of  almost  ungovernable  excitement.  Curses 
and  threats  were  heard  almost  on  every  hand,  and  the 
influence  of  addresses  by  a  few  of  the  more  conservative 
of  the  leaders,  which  had  been  listened  to  with  attention 
and  respect,  seemed  to  have  been  destroyed  in  a  moment. 
A  few  reporters  were  present,  and  as  soon  as  they  were 
recognized  their  notes  were  seized  by  the  strikers  and 
they  were  driven  from  the  ground.  The  men  then  sepa- 
rated in  two  squads,  proceeded  to  the  machine  shopp, 
foundries  and  furnaces  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coat 
Compmy,  and  drove  off  a  number  of  men  and  boys  who 
were  at  work.  They  th.;n  went  to  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  car  shops.  The  workmen  there  were 
|ianic-sricken  and  fled  in  terror.  Some  of  them  were 
seriously  injured,  as  was  also  a  foreman  named  Little. 
Mayor  McKune;  appearing  upon  the  scene,  was  hooted 
After  vainly  addressing  the  mob,  he  was  driven  from  the 
ground.  In  a  rush  which  followed,  Mr.  Lilly,  a  lumber 
boss  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  shops,  was  beaten.  The  mayor  endeavored  by 
all  the  means  in  his  power  to  disperse  the  crowd,  but  was 
knocked  down  and  severely  injured. 

Upon  learning  the  extent  of  the  riot  the  mayor  had 
summoned  a  posse  which  had  previously  been  organized 
in  view  of  the  dangers  which  threatened  the  city,  under 
command  of  W.  W.  Scranton,  which  promptly  assembled 
and  marched  about  fifty  strong  to  the  scene  of  danger, 
encountering  the  mob  at  the  intersection  of  Washington 
and  Lackawanna  avenues,  near  where  they  saw  the 
mayor,  bleeding  from  his  recent  wounds.  As  the  posse 
approached  him  for  instructions  some  of  the  more  reck- 
less of  the  rioters  attacked  the  armed  men  with  a  shower 
of  stones  and  other  raisiles;  and  a  moment  later  one  of 
them  shot  T.  W.  Bortree,  who  was  in  the  rear  of  the 
mayor's  posse,  in  the  knee  with  a  pistol  ball;  and  imme- 
diately the  po.';se  faced  about  and  a  number  of  them 
fired,  killing  or  fatally  wounding  four  of  the  rioters  and 
injuring  others  more  or  less  seriously.  The  crowd  fled 
and  sought  safety  in  various  directions  at  the  first  volley. 
It  was  followed  by  two  others  in  quick  succession,  and 
by  this  time  the  mob  was  utterly  routed  and  the  streets 
were  soon  clear,  except  for  the  presence  of  the  dead, 
dying  and  wounded  and  those  whom  humanity  or  curi- 
osity had  called  to  the  spot.  Four  had  been  killed  or 
fatally  wounded,  and  it  is  estimated  that  no  less  than  a 
score  of  persons,  including  those  killed,  were  injured.  It 
was  manifest  that  order  could  be  preserved  only  by 
armed  force.  The  streets  were  patrolled  by  armed  citi- 
zens and  an  urgent  appeal  for  military  assistance  was 
forwarded  to  the  govenor  at  Pittsburgh.  Threatened 
freight  cars  were  guarded. 

Before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  August  2nd  men 
were  pouring  in  by  hundreds  from  the  neighboring  min- 
ing districts  and  concentrating  near  the  depot.  Here 
Governor  Hartranft,  with  a  large  force  of  soldiers  under 
command  of  General    Huidekoper,   arrived    about    the 


same  time,  just  in  time  to  avert  the  impending  difficulty. 
As  the  troops  arrived,  with  two  cannon- on  a  platform  car 
in  advance  of  the  locomotive   and  hundreds  of  bayonets 
protruding  from   the  car  windows,   the   rioters  made  an 
instant  stampede.     The  troops  were  warmly  welcomed  by 
the  citizens,  and  went  into  camp  in  various   parts   of  the 
city  and  its  suburbs.     The    Delaware,    Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company,  under  their  protection,    put 
its  trains   in   motion,   and  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  was 
held   endorsing   the  warlike   action  taken  by  the  mayor's 
jiosse  and  pledging  a  firm  support  to  the  city    authorities 
in  behalf  of  law  and   order.     Despite  the   powerful  pro- 
tection now  afforded  to  those  who   desired  to  engage  at 
their  old  pursuits,   none   of   the  miners  returned  to  work 
and  the  mine  pumps  were  still  operated  by  the  engineers, 
clerks  and  bosses,  and  it  was  menacingly   said   that  grass 
would  grow  in  the  mines  and  water  flow  from  the  mouths 
of  the  shafts   before   work   would  be  resumed  at  the  old 
rate  of  wages.     At  one  o'clock  on  the  3d  a  meeting  of  at 
least  5,000  miners   and  other  workmen  was   held  in  the 
woods,  at  which  a  committee  of  six  was   appointed  who 
souglit  and  obtained   an  interview  with   the   governor  in 
his  car,  which   resulted  in   nothing   more  than  a  friendly 
advisory  talk  to  the  committee,  as  the    representatives  of 
the  great  body    of  strikers,    by    the    governor,    who,  as 
representative  of  the  State,  could  not  act  as  arbitrator  in 
such  a  matter. 

The  excitement  caused  by  the  miners'  riot  and  their 
encounter  with  the  mayor's  posse  continued  for  some 
time.  In  spite  of  the  protection  afforded  by  the  soldiers 
the  workmen  returned  to  their  labor  in  the  various  indus- 
trial establishments  slowly,  being  afraid  of  the  miners, 
whose  attitude  was  defiant  and  determined.  A  meeting 
of  delegates  from  every  mine  in  the  section  was  held  at 
Scranton,  to  appoint  a  general  executive  committee  and 
form  plans  to  secure  a  perfect  unity  of  action  among  the 
strikers,  so  that  the  men  in  all  directions  would  simulta- 
neously resume  work  in  all  of  the  mines  whenever  the 
time  for  resumption  should  be  declared.  On  the  7th  a 
large  store  was  opened  by  the  miners'  executive  commit- 
tee to  relieve  the  immediate  necessities  of  such  of  their 
families  as  might  suffer  for  food,  and  it  was  soon  filled 
with  provisions.  By  the  friendly  co-operation  of  busi- 
ness men  in  the  city  and  elsewhere,  and  the  farmers 
throughout  the  section,  trains  were  placed  at  their  dis- 
posal, and  donations  of  potato  patches  and  other  crops 
were  made,  and  many  miners  went  to  the  country  in 
gangs  to  do  work  and  receive  their  pay  in  provisions. 
Information  was  received  on  the  7th  of  intended  depre- 
dations by  the  strikers,  and  a  double  guard  was  placed  on 
duty  in  all  parts  of  the  city.  Meetings  of  miners  were 
held  at  night  in  the  woods  round  about,  and  rocket  sig- 
nals were  sent  up  occasionally  from  every  hill. 

In  the  meantime  a  despicable  effort  had  been  made  by 
the  friends  of  the  rioters  who  had  been  killed  to  be  re- 
venged on  the  members  of  the  mayor's  posse.  A 
coroner's  jury,  composed  of  sympathizers  with  the 
miners,  held  an  inquest  on  the  bodies,  and  August  8th 
returned  a  verdict  of  wilful  murder  against  the  fnemberg 


Hh 


ED¥/ARD    MERRIFIELD. 


This  gentleman  was  born  in  the  village  of  Wyoming, 
Luzerne  county,  July  30th,  1832.  He  was  the  eldest  and 
is  now  the  only  child  living  of  Judge  William  and  Almira 
Merrifield.  A  biographical  notice  of  his  father  appears 
on  another  page  of  this  volume.  Edward  Merrifield.  with 
the  exception  of  the  first  year  of  his  life,  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Scranton.  His  education  was  received  in  the 
public  schools  at  Hyde  Park  and  in  an  attendance  of  about 
two  years  at  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  and  between 
two  and  three  years  at  Oxford  Academy,  Chenango  county, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  prepared  for  college.  On  account  of 
impaired  health  the  idea  of  a  college  course  was  aban- 
doned. 

Upon  his  return  from  Oxford  he  engaged  in  company 
with  his  father  at  Hyde  Park  in  mercantile  business,  in 
which  he  continued  but  one  year.  In  the  spring  of  1852 
he  entered  the  law  academy  at  Easton,  Pa.,  Judge  Mc- 
Cartney principal,  where  he  remained  one  term.  In  1853 
he  entered  the  law  oflSce  of  Harrison  Wright,  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  where  he  remained  two  years.  At  the  August  term 
of  court  in  1855  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  the  same 


year  opened  an  office  at  Hyde  Park,  In  1861  he  removed 
from  Hyde  Park  and  opened  an  office  in  Scranton.  In 
1867,  for  the  purpose  of  recruiting  his  health,  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  on  the  Raritan  river,  Somerset  county,  N,. 
J.,  which  he  carried  on  two  years.  Having  fully  recov- 
ered his  health,  he  returne'd  and  again  opened  a  law  office 
in  Scranton,  where  he  has  since  practiced.  In  politics 
Mr.  Merrifield  has  acted  with  the'Democratic 'party. 

For  a  number  of  years  he  was  president  of  the  Scran- 
ton Law  and  Library  Association.  He  was  very  active  in 
securing  the  formation  of  the  county  of  Lackawanna,  and 
to  no  one  man  was  due  more  credit  for  the  final  success 
of  that  project.  His  pleasant  home  on  Wyoming  avenue 
was  built  in  1870.  He  married  (November  25th,  1855) 
Jennie  Eldridge,  daughter  of  James  M.  and  Elvira  El- 
dridge,  of  Owego,  N.  Y.  They  have  one  daughter,  Jes- 
sie. In  his  profession  Mr.  Merrifield  is  regarded  espec- 
ially as  a  safe  and  thoroughly  reliable  counselor,  and  as 
a  citizen  enjoys  in  the  largest  measure  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  the  entire  community  in  which  he  has  spent 
his  life. 


^ 


Dr.    JOHN    WILSON    GIBBS,   Jr. 


^,  Dr.  John  Wilson  Gibbs,  jr.,  one  of  the  older  physicians 
of  Scranton,  was  born  in  Jefferson  village,  near  Newark, 
N.  J.,  October  loth,  1823.  In  1846  he  married  Euphe- 
raia,  daughter  of  William  Patton,  a  Philadelphia  banker. 
He  was  a,  graduate  of  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  College, 
Philadelphia.  The  scene  of  his  early  professional  life 
was  in  Schuylkill  county,  where  he  made  many  warm 
friends.  In  1856  he  visited  the  south  with  his  family, 
wintering  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.  In  1857  he  returned  north 
and  settled  in  Hyde  Park,  Scranton,  where  he  at  once 
entered  upon  a  lucrative  and  extensive  practice  in  medi- 
cine and  surgery.  He  was  elected  and  served  as  coroner 
to  the  old  county  of  Luzerne  during  the  war  of  the  Rebel- 
lion. 

In  the  spring  of  1870,  during  some  relaxation  from  his 
arduous  duties,  he  made  the  tour  of  Europe,  returning  to 


his  labors  with  a  body  invigorated  and  a  mind  refreshed. 
In  1879  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  medical  staff  of 
the  Lackawanna  Hospital,  and  re-elected  in  1880.  At 
its  inception  he  was  made  treasurer  of  the  Lackawanna 
County  Medical  Society,  to  which  position  he  was  re- 
elected at  the  last  election.  The  doctor  comes  of  a  fam- 
ily singularly  devoted  to  the  science  of  medicine,  his 
father,  a  clergyman  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  having 
subsequently  graduated  in  medicine.  Three  of  his 
brothers  were  physicians,  as  is  also  one  of  his  sons.  The 
latter.  Dr.  L.  H.  Gibbs,  is  a  resident  of  Scranton,  and  en- 
joys a  large  practice.  Another  son,  W.  St.  Clair  Gibbs, 
is  now  (1880)  a  student  of  medicine  at  Philadelphia. 
Robert  Patton  Gibbs,  a  third  son,  prepared  for  college  at 
Keystone  Academy,  at  Factoryville,  Pa.,  with  the  purpose 
of  entering  Columbia  College. 


H= 


='=^^ 


THE  ODD  FELLOWS  OF  SCRANTON. 


421 


of  the  posse;  and  the  alderman  who  had  acted  as  coroner 
issued  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  six  of  the  accused  and 
placed  them  in  the  hands  of  three  constables  for  imme- 
diate service.  T.  F.  Hunt  (who  was  not  a  member  of 
the  posse  but  against  whom  the  charge  had  probably 
been  urged  by  an  enemy)  was  arrested  at  his  residence 
that  evening,  with  Mr.  C.  F.  Chittenden,  and  they  would 
have  been  taken  to  the  sixth  ward,  the  most  lawless  part 
of  the  city,  had  they  not  been  rescued  from  the  constables 
by  soldiers,  at  the  instance  of  General  Huidekoper,  and 
conveyed  to  military  headquarters,  where  they  were  pro- 
tected during  the  night.  The  next  day  ihey  were  handed 
over  to  the  sheriff  and,  with  a  majority  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  citizens'  party,  were  taken  by  special 
train  to  Wilkes-Barre,  where  they  gave  bail.  Upon  trial 
they  were  acquitted.  A  number  of  the  more  prominent 
strikers  were  also  arrested,  but  none  were  punished; 
all  aggressive  measures  were  abandoned  on  both  sides, 
and  in  time  the  rancorous  animosity  which  had  been  en- 
gendered died  out.  Had  Messrs.  Hunt  and  Chittenden 
fallen  into  the  power  of  the  friends  of  the  dead  rioters, 
who  were  numerous  in  the  sixth  ward,  it  is  not  unlikely 
that  they  would  have  been  murdered. 

SECRET   AND   SOCLA.L   ORGANIZATIONS. 

INDEPENDENT    ORDER    OF    ODD    FELLOWS. 

Capouse  Lodge,  No.  170  (Hyde  Park). — This  is  one  of 
the  oldest  lodges  in  northeastern  Pennsylvania.  Its 
charter  members  were  mostly  from  Cambrian  Lodge,  No. 
58,  of  Carbondale,  and  it  was  instituted  July  24th,  1S46, 
in  the  old  "  Slocum  house."  The  following  were  in- 
stalled as  the  first  officers:  E.  S.  M.  Hill,  N.  G.;  William 
Hawket,  V.  G.;  J.  S.  Sherrerd,  secretary;  John  D.  Mead, 
treasurer.  In  1848  the  lodge  was  located  in.  Hyde  Park, 
building  a  hall  on  the  site  of  the  Hyde  Park  Bank. 
From  March  2nd,  1872,  when  the  structure  was  burned, 
until  the  erection  of  the  new  building  on  the  lot  adjoining 
the  former  one,  the  lodge  met  in  the  halls  of  the  Co-op- 
erative Association  and  Warnke  &  Hower.  The  new 
hall  was  dedicated  in  June,  1874,  but  had  to  be  sold  for 
debt.  The  lodge  once  had  a  membership  of  376,  but 
became  reduced  to  about  100.  September  30th,  1S79, 
120  members  were  enrolled,  and  the  prospects  are 
brighter  than  they  have  been  for  years.  The  officers  in 
November,  1879,  were  as  follows:  William  R.  Williams, 
N.  G.;  John  R.  Morris,  V.  G.;  W.  Gaylord  Thomas,  sec- 
retary; Charles  V.  Smith,  assistant  secretary;  William  H. 
Decker,  F.  secretary,  and  John  Harwin,  treasurer. 

Lackawanna  Lodge,  No.  291  (Scranton).— In  old  Odd 
Fellow's  Hall,  Lackawanna  Lodge,  No.  29 1,  I.  0.  of  O. 
F.  was  instituted  March  i6th,  1848,  with  the  following 
charter  members:  Henry  McCarty,  N.  G.;  John  W. 
Moore,  V.  G.;  Dr.  B.  H.  Throop,  Sec;  W.  W.  Manness, 
Asst.  Sec;  J.  C.  Piatt,  Treas.;  John  Travis,  Robert 
Henderson,  Matthias  Henderson,  Thomas  Reese  and 
Alanson  Bemer.  Lackawanna  Lodge  has  been  the 
parent  of  two  other  lodges  (the  Residenzc  and  the  Robert 
Burns)    besides    providing    charter  members    for  several 


others.  Since  the  organization  of  the  lodge  $13,000  has 
been  expended  in  benefits,  and  it  is  now  in  prosperous 
condition,  promptly  meeting  all  demands  for  aid  from 
its  members  and  rendering  aid  as  occasion  requires  to 
sister  lodges. 

'^\-\t  Odd  Fellows'  Llall  and  Cemetery  Association  is  an 
incorporated  body  composed  entirely  of  the  membership 
of  Lackawanna  Lodge.  It  was  incorporated  November 
iSth,  1873,  and  has  property  valued  at  $16,000,  consist- 
ing of  over  three  acres  of  the  Forest  Hill  Cemetery  and 
the  lot  on  Wyoming  avenue  occupied  by  Messrs.  A.  O. 
Snow  and  J.  D.  Williams.  December  6th,  1879,  the  fol- 
lowing board  of  directors  for  the  ensuing  year  was 
chosen:  John  T.  Howe,  Horace  Shirer,  George  B.  Chase, 
Dr.  H.  N.  Dunnell,  F.  B.  Sturges,  C.  Sensaubaugh 
and  Israel  Ruth.  The  board  immediately  organized 
by  electing  Israel  Ruth  president  and  George  B.  Chase 
secretary  and  treasurer. 

Scrantonia  Encampment,  No.  81  (Scranton). — This  en- 
campment was  instituted  March  i6th,  1849,  as  Lacka- 
•  wanna  Encampment,  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers and  first  officers:  J.  Curtis  Piatt.  C.  P.;  O.  P. 
Clark,  H.  P.;  W.  AV.  Manness,  S,  W.;  J.  W.  More,  J.  W.; 

B.  H.  Throop,  S.;  D.  K    Kressler,  T.;  J.  Williams,  Sent. 
The  officers  in  November,  1879,  were:    Horace  Shirer, 

C.  P.;  Benjamin  Jenkin,  H.  P.;  Alfred  E.  Finch,  S.  W.; 
John  Kraeger,  J.  W.;  Israel  Ruth,  S.;  D.  K.  Kressler,  T. 
The  encampment  has  been  particularly  fortunate  in  the 
choice  of  its  officers,  some  of  whom  have  been  re-elected 
year  after  year.  Thomas  P.  Harper  was  scribe  in  1851 
and  from  1854  until  his  death,  June  7th,  1879.  D.  K. 
Kressler  has  been  treasurer  since  June  gth,  1854. 

Lincoln  Lodge,  No.  492  (Providence),  was  instituted  at 
Dunmore  July  loth,  1853,  as  Dunmore  Lodge,  No.  492, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  was  removed  to  Providence  November 
ist,  1864,  when  the  present  name  was  adopted.  The 
charter  members  and  officers  were:  Joseph  Godfrey,  N. 
G.;  Henry  W.  Derby,  V.  G.;  Chauncy  H.  Derby,  S.  W.; 
George  B.  Wert,  T.;  Robert  W.  Kiple,  A.  S.;  John 
Lewis,  Luke  Harding,  Stinson  Smith,  Frederick  Kester, 
Joseph  Seigle  and  Owen  R.  Bloom. 

The  officers  in  the  fall  of  1879  were:  William  J. 
Davis,  N.  G.;  Finlay  Ross,  V.  G.;  Willam  H.  Williams, 
financial  secretary;  William  S.  Morgan,  treasurer; 
Thomas  S.  Morgan,  secretary. 

Alliance  Lodge,  No.  540  (Scranton),  was  chartered  in 
May,  1858,  and  instituted  June  8th,  the  following  officers 
being  chosen:  Jacob  Robinson,  N.  G.;  F.  Weichel,  V. 
G.;  Siegfried  Sutto,  recording  secretary;  John  Walter, 
treasurer;  Henry  Winkler,  financial  secretary.  The  as- 
sets of  the  lodge  amount  to  $5,239,  mostly  invested  in 
the  German  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  building.  The  member- 
ship December  31st,  1879,  was  140.  The  officers  at  that 
date  were:  Conrad  Sahmes,  N.  G.;  Adam  Neuls,  V. 
G.;  Theodore  Hessinger,  secretary;  F.  Leuthner,  treas- 
urer. 

Residenze  Lodge,  No.  513  (Scranton),  was  instituted 
with  seventeen  charter  members,  December  aglh,  under 
a  charter  granted  Novemb.T  2nd,  1854.     The   first   offi- 


=^¥ 


Hh 


<H 


422 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


4- 


cers  were  as  follows:  Bernard  Ofner,  N.  G.;  Peter 
Heib,  V.  G.;  John  Mayer,  secretary;  Felix  Walter,  assis- 
tant secretary;  F.  Weichel,  treasurer.  Among  the  more 
prominent  of  the  early  members  of  the  lodge  were  the 
following,  all  of  whom  served  as  N.  G. .  August  Farber, 
Henry  Assion,  Jacob  Frick,  Samuel  Wertheimer,  Jacob 
Engel,  Carl  Helm,  Carl  Fischer,  Carl'  Duppre,  Joseph 
Baumeister,  John  Scheuer,  George  Kaiser,  Charles 
Heussner,  Rheinhardt  Schoenfeldt,  Emanuel  Green, 
Jacob  Sapp,  Charles  Art,  George  Hartman,  Peter  Mich- 
aelis  and  Daniel  Kullmann.  In  December,  1879,  the 
lodge  numbered  214  members  and  had  assets  to  the 
amount  of  $6,000,  largely  invested  in  the  German  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall  building.  The  officers  were:  Arnold  Zur- 
fli,  N.  G.;  Carl  Molter,  V.  G.;  Peter  Hartman,  secretary; 
John  M.  Scheuer,  assistant  secretary;  Henry  Vockroth, 
treasurer. 

Ar:  'm  Eiuainpineiit,  No.  124  (Scranton),  was  institut- 
ed May  22nd,  1857,  with  the  following  named  charter 
members,  who  were  the  first  officers:  Bernard  Ofner,  C. 
P.  ;  Peter  Heib,  H.  P.;  Joseph  Gunster,  S.  W.;  Jacob 
Kuntz,  J.  W.;  Ferdinand  Burger,  scribe;  F.  Dittman, 
treasurer. 

The  officers  in  December,  1879,  were:  Charles  D. 
Neufer,  C.  P.;  P.  Klein,  H.  P.;  Henry  Sahmes,  S.  W.; 
August  Kraft,  J.  W.;  T.  Hessinger,  secretary;  August 
Ricke,  treasurer.  The  assets  of  the  encampment  amounted 
to  $2,320,  $2,000  being  invested  in  the  German  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Hall.     The  membership  in  1880  was  153. 

Silurian  Lodge,  No.  763  (Hyde  Park),  was  instituted 
May  12th,  1871,  at  Lewis  Hall,  with  the  following  offi- 
cers: Thomas  D.  Davies,  N.  G.;  Joseph  Lewis,  V  G. ; 
John  P.  Lewis,  treasurer;  Thomas  W.  Morgan,  assistant 
secretary;  William  Miles,  secretary.  During  the  first 
six  months  42  members  were  initiated.  At  the  end  of 
three  years  the  membership  was  173,  and  the  funds 
amounted  to  $2,983.67.  During  the  succeeding  years 
the  membership  was  reduced  to  144.  The  assets  in 
December,  1879,  were  $3,500.  $3,088  had  been  expended 
for  the  relief  of  members;  $120  in  aid  of  widows  and 
orphans;  $735  for  the  burial  of  the  dead,  and  $165  in 
miscellaneous  donations.  The  officers  in  December, 
1879,  were:  Samuel  Powell,  N.  G.;  William  Hayward, 
V.  G.;  Samuel  A.  James,  secretary;  Thomas  D.  Evans, 
assistant  secretary;  Joseph  R.  Lewis,  permanent  secretary; 
Jolin  T.  Williams,  treasurer. 

Park  Hill  Encampment,  No.  221  (Hyde  Park),  was  or- 
ganized December  13th,  i87i,with  the  following  officers: 
John    Levi,    trea.surer;  D.   M.    Jones,    C.  P.;  Joseph   O. 

Lewis,  J.  W.;  Thomas  W.  Morgan,  S.;  Edwards,  H. 

P.;  John  M.  Davies,  S.  W.  The  officers  in  November, 
1879,  were:  C.  P.,  John  S.  Davies;  H.  P.,  William  D. 
Morris;  S.  W.,  Edward  C.  Williams;  J.  W.,  Evan  J. 
Evans;  S.,  B.  E.  Evans;  treasurer,  John  P.  Lewis. 

Christiana  Rebecca  Lodge,  No.  64  (Scranton),  was  in- 
stituted May  23d,  1872.  T.  Kessinger  was  elected  N.  G., 
Mrs.  C.  Sollner  V.  G.,  C.  Sollner  secretary,  and  A.  Wei- 
chel treasurer.  The  lodge  has  assets  to  the  amount  of 
$1,000,  mostly    invested   in    the    German    Odd    Fellows' 


Hall.  In  case  of  sickness  a  member  is  entitled  to  a  weekly 
donation  of  $3  from  the  lodge.  The  membership  in  De- 
cember, 1879,  was  S3.  C.  Art  was  N.  G.,  Anna  Winter- 
stein  V.  G.,  George  Soeber  secretary,  and  Barbara  Bueter 
treasurer. 

Dunmore  Lodge,  No.  816. — This  lodge  was  instituted 
November  27th,  1872.  The  first  officers  were:  William 
Harper,  secretary;  William  Seigle,  V.  G.;  William  Smith, 
N.  G.;  John  Harper,  treasurer.  The  officers  in  January, 
1880,  were:  James  Hallock,  N.  G. ;  Charles  Chamber- 
lin,  V.  G.;  A.  E.  Finch,  secretary;  Joseph  Jackson,  as- 
sistant secretary;  Warren  Coon,  treasurer;  William  Har- 
per, Daniel  Powell  and  G.  W.  Potter,  trustees.  This 
lodge  originated  from  the  old  Dunmore  (now  Lincoln) 
Lodge,  24  of  its  members  together  with  nine  members  of 
other  lodges  constituting  its  charter  members.  Its  mem- 
bership was  71  in  1880.  This  lodge  has  paid  out  for  the 
relief  of  its  own  members  $950;  for  donations  to  other 
lodges,  ,$147.65;  for  burying  the  dead,  $194.  Total 
amount  paid  for  relief,  $i,.29i.65.  The  total  assets  of 
the  lodge  are  $2,264.12;  loi  members  have  been  con- 
nected with  this  lodge;  68  have  been  initiated  and  2 
buried. 

Celestial  Lodge,  No.  833  (Providence). — To  a  lack  of 
harmony  among  the  members  of  the  only  lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows  then  existing  in  Providence,  may  be  attributed 
the  organization  of  Celestial  Lodge,  No.  833,  which  was 
instituted  at  that  place  April  21st,  1873,  under  a  charter 
granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Pennsylvania  to  J.  B. 
Fish,  N.  G.;  T.  J.  Detwiler,  V.  G.;  O.  P.  Miller,  S.;  C. 
E.  Anderson,  A.  S.;  and  William  Love,  T.  The  officers 
in  November,  1879,  ^^ere:  W.  H.  Sisco,  N.  G.;  Thomas 
D.  Glenn,  V.  G.;  E.  E.  Corwin,  S.;  E.  F.  Hartzell,  A.  S.; 
C.  E.  Anderson,  T.  September  30th,  1873,  the  lodge 
had  a  membership  of  35,  which  increased  to  60,  then  fell 
away  to  40.  The  return  of  more  prosperous  times  is, 
however,  increasing  the  membership.  Up  to  October  ist, 
1879,  Celestial  Lodge  paid  as  .sick  benefits  $471.50;  and 
for  burying  the  dead  $140;  besides  contributing  liberally 
to  other  lodges  petitioning  for  aid. 

Robert  Burns  Lodge,  No.  859  (Scranton),  has  a  mem- 
bership of  150,  composed  mostly  of  active  and  intelligent 
young  men;  its  financial  standing  is  good  and  it  is  justly 
regarded  as  one  of  th-  most  active  and  enterprising 
benevolent  organizations  in  northeastern  Pennsylvania. 
It  was  organized  October  30th,  1873,  with  the  following 
named  charter  members  and  officers:  Donald  M.  Stewart; 
James  Moir,  V  G.;  C.  Ditchburn,  N.  G.;  I.  B.  Tyrrell, 
Asst.  Sec;  William  McConnell,  J.  T.  Young;  Alexander 
Inglis,  Treas.;  Douglass  Morton,  John  McCracken,  Tho- 
mas Shepherd,  James  S.  Matherson,  William  Hall,  James 
Johnson;  James  Smellie,  Sec;  A.  E.  Norton,  Duncan 
Wright,  Coleman  Cohen,  Samuel  Saniter,  Peter  Milligan 
and  Robert  Stewart.  The  present  officers  are;  Duncan 
Wright,  N.  G.;  James  Riach,  V.  G.;  George  F.  Millet, 
Sec;  D.  W.  Swan,  Ass't  Sec;  William  O.  Connell, 
Treas. 

Globe  Lodge,  No.  958  (Hyde  Park),  was  organized  July 
24th,   1879,   with  the  following  named   officers:  Joseph 


=^H 


^h 


<l 


MASONIC  AND  JEWISH  SOCIETIES,  SCRANTON. 


423 


i 


Thirlwell,  Sec;  George  W.  Skillhorn,  Treas.;  George  C. 
Courtright,  Ass't  Sec;  John  H.  Fellows,  N.  G.;  Tho- 
mas W.  Evans,  V.  G.  The  officers  in  November,  1879, 
were:  N.  G.,  C.  H.  Avery;  V.  G.,  S.  Y.  Hoiipt;  Sec, 
Joseph  Thirlwell;  Ass't  Sec,  J.  B.  Austin;  Treas., 
George  W.  Skillhorn. 

MASONIC      SOCIETIES. 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  261,  F.  and  A.  M.  (Providence)  was 
instituted  May  27th,  1852,  with  the  following  named 
charter  members  and  officers:  Elisha  Hitchcock,  W.  M.; 
S.  B.  Robinson,  S.  VV.;  William  Pier,  J.  W.;  S.  Grant, 
Treas.;  A.  B.  Dunning,  Sec;  O.  P.Clark,  S.  D.;  J.  R. 
Bloom,  J.  D.;  Joseph  T.  Fellows,  P.;  M.  P.  Baldwin,  T.; 
S.  Bristol  and  Caleb  Bloom.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  those  in  office  in  the  fall  of  1879:  William  A. 
Bunting,  W.  M.;  J.  B.  Nicholas,  S.  W.;  J.  W.  Pike,  J. 
W.;  George  Griffin,  Treas.;  T.  S.  Morgan,  Sec. 

Union  Lodge,  No.  291,  was  constituted  November 
29th,  1854,  with  the  following  named  officers:  R.  A. 
Oakford,  W.  M.;  John  D.  Mead,  S.  W.;  William  H. 
Pier,  jr.,  J.  W.;  O.  P.  Clark,  treasurer;  G.  B.  Boyd,  secre- 
tary. Since  the  organization  of  this  lodge  the  following 
lodges  have  been  constituted,  all  drawing  largely  for  their 
charter  members  from  Union  Lodge:  Peter  Williamson 
Lodge,  No.  323,  Hyde  Park  Lodge,  No.  339,  Schiller 
Lodge,  No.  345. 

Lackawanna  Chapter,  No.  185,  H.  R.  A.  M.  (Scranton) 
was  constituted  June  3d,  1856.  The  following  were  the 
first  officers:  Robert  C.  Simpson,  H.  P.;  Elisha  Hitch- 
cock, K. ;  George  S.  Kingsbury,  S. 

Ca:ur  De  Lion  Coinmandery,  No.  17,  K.  T.  (Scranton) 
was  constituted  April  28th,  1858,  with  the  following  first 
officers:  Robert  C.  Simpson,  E.  C;  Thomas  Dickson, 
G.;  Joseph  Godfrey,  C.  G.;  W.  H.  Perkins,  P.;  E.  H. 
Kirlin,  T.;  W.  P.  CarHng,  R.;  George  S.  Kingsbury,  S. 
W.;  Edward  Kingsbury,  J.  W.;  R.  S.  Searle,  standard 
bearer;  A.  E.  Hunt,  sword  bearer;  N.  F.  Marsh,  W.; 
Hezekiah  Fisher,  S. 

Peter  Williamson  Lodge,  No.  323,  A.  Y.  M.  (Scranton) 
was  instituted  in  Masonic  Hall  in  Scranton,  July  15th, 
1858,  with  the  following  officers:  N.  F.  Marsh,  W.  M.; 
W.  A.  Chittenden,  J.  W.;  R.  W.  Luce,  treasurer;  E.  C. 
Lynde,  secretary;  William  H.  Perkins,  S.  W. 

The  officers  installed  December  23d,  1879,  were: 
George  W.  Bushnell,  W.  M.;  C.  L.  Van  Buskirk,  S.  W.; 
Thomas  F.Wells,  J.  W.:  E.G.  Lynde,  treasurer;  M.  I. 
Corbett,  secretary. 

Hyde  Park  Lodge,  No.  339,  A.  Y.  M.  was  constitut- 
ed June  20th,  i860,  with  the  following  officers  :  R.  W. 
Luce,W.  M.;  John  R.  Keely,  J.  W.;  Burr  S.  Kellogg,  S. 
W.;  David  F.  Richards,  secretary;  O.  P.  Clark,  treasurer. 
March  2nd,  1872,  the  building  and  hall  which  was 
jointly  owned  by  this  lodge  and  Capouse  Lodge  I.  O.  O. 
F.  was  burned,  with  all  the  furniture  and  regalia  belong- 
ing to  the  lodge.  The  corner  stone  for  the  new  building 
was  laid  June  24th,  187.2.  The  hall  was  dedicated  Octo- 
ber isth,  1873,  all  the  masonic  bodies  of  Scranton  at- 
tending. 


The  officers  installed  in  December,  1879,  were: 
John  A,  Mears,  W.  M.;  John  D.  Phillips,  S.  W.;  Fred 
Becker,  jr.,  J.  W.;  Charles  Corless,  treasurer;  F.  Williams, 
secretary. 

Schiller  Lodge,  No.  345,  F.  6^  A.  M.  (Scranton). — For 
the  purpose  of  organizing  a  German  masonic  lodge  in 
Scranton  Bernard  Ofner,  Ferdinand  Burger,  Christian 
PN.obinson,  Julius  Josephson,  Judas  N.  Josephson,  Jacob 
Robinson,  George  Graeber  and  John  and  Louis  Koch,  all 
members  of  Union  Lodge,  No.  291,  F.  &  A.  M.,  assembled 
at  Lafayette  Hall.  The  present  name  was  adopted.  The 
lodge  was  instituted  June  loth,  1864.  The  following 
named  brethren  were  installed  in  the  offices  indicated: 
Bernard  Ofner,  W.  M.;  Ferdinand  Burger,  S.  W.;  Chris- 
tian Robinson,  J.  W. ;  Jacob  Robinson,  treasurer;  Julius 
Josephson,  secretary.  December  8th,  1879,  the  following 
officers  were  elected  to  serve  the  ensuing  year:  Robert 
Schimpff,  W.  M.;  M.  Brown,  S.  W.;  Frederick  Durr,  J. 
W. ;  Victor  Koch,  treasurer;  John  Fahrenholdt,  sec- 
retary. 

The  Scranton  Masonic  Benefit  Association  was  organ- 
ized for  the  benefit  of  members  of  the  masonic  fraternity, 
and  has  grown  into  important  proportions.  It  has  lost 
23  members;  9  new  members  were  added  in  1879,  and  2 
dit-d.  January  2nd,  1880,  the  following  officers  were 
elected:  President,  E.  P.  Kingsbury;  vice-president,  John 
B.  Gillespie;  treasurer,  E.  C.  Lynde;  secretary,  C.  R. 
Smith,  and  23  directors. 

ISRAELITISH    SOCITIES. 

Amos  Lodge,  No.  136,  /.  O.  B.  B. — Prominent  features 
of  the  Independent  Order  B'nai  B'rith  are  an  endowment 
fund,  which  pays  the  widow  or  children  of  a  deceased 
member  $1,000,  and  a  sick  benefit  fund,  from  which  a 
sick  member  receives  $4  per  week.  Pursuant  to  a  call 
issued  December  26th,  1869,  twenty-one  gentlemen  as- 
sembled at  Lafayette  Hall  to  organize  a  lodge  of  the  I. 
O.  B.  B.,  under  a  charter  previously  obtained.  The  first 
officers  were:  Pres.,  Siegfried  Sutto;  V.  P.,  Morris  Cohen; 
Treas.,  Jonas  Lauer;  Sec,  F.  Alexander;  Fin.  Sec,  Leo 
Lipschitz.  The  officers  in  November,  1879,  were:  J,  Lauer, 
Pres.;  William  Stern,  V.  P.;  F.  L.  Wormser,  Treas.;  Alex- 
ander S,  Nye,  Sec;  M.  Brown,  Fin.  Sec. 

The  Scranton  Deborah  Hebrew  Ladies'  Society  was  or- 
ganized October  12th,  1870,  with  thirty-nine  charter 
members.  The  first  president  was  Dorothea  Galland. 
The  president  January  ist,  1880,  was  Mrs.  E.  Levy.  The 
other  officers  were  Mrs.  P.  Brown,  V.  P.;  S.  Freudenthal, 
Sec;  Mrs.  R.  Goldsmith,  Treas.  The  society  has  done 
much  good  in  the  assistance  of  the  poor  without  distinc- 
tion of  creed  or  nationality.  About  $300  was  expended 
for  charitable  purposes  in  1879.     The  membership  is  17. 

Centennial  Lodge,  No.  29,  Improved  Order  Free  Sons  of 
Israel  was  organized  March  2nd,  1876,  with  forty-four 
charter  members.  The  first  officers  elected  were:  Morris 
Cohen,  P.;  Fred.  L.  Wormser,  V.  P.;  Henry  Schubach, 
Sec;  Ancil  Cramer,  Fin.  Sec;  N.  G.  Goodman,  Treas.; 
Albert  R.  Harris,  G.;  Samuel  Lewis,  W.;  John  Morris, 
Guar.     The   following  are   the  names  of  the  successive 


4^ 


4 


=-■1* 


424 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


ex-presidents:  Morris  Cohen,  Fred.  L.  Wormser,  Henry 
Schubach,  Julius  Suite,  N.  G.  Goodman  and  A.  S.  Nye. 
The  official  list   in  December,  1879,  was  as  follows:     P., 

A.  S.  Nye;  V.  P.,  Samuel  Morris;  Sec,  Fred.  L.  Worm- 
ser; Fin.  Sec,  Samuel  Freudenthal;  G.,  Morris  Gold- 
smith; Treas.,  S.   Krotosky;    W.,  Samuel    Lewis;  Guar., 

B.  H.  Bergman. 

UNITED    AMERICAN    MECHANICS. 

Scranton  Council,  No.  229,  of  the  order  of  United 
American  Mechanics  was  instituted  March  17th,  1870, 
with  the  following  officers:  Lewis  P.  Post,  C;  Henry  R. 
Smith,  V.  C;  George  M.  Hill,  O.  P.;  Conrad  Ward,  T.; 
L.  D.  Kemerer,  R.  S.;  L.  D.  Van  Fleet,  A.  R.  S.;  W.  R. 
Van  Fleet,  E.  S.;  H.  W.  Toirgee,  Ex.;  M.  Betts,  L  P. 
The   officers  in  February,  1880,  were:  W.  S.  Miller,  C; 

C.  W.  Carey,  V.  C;  H.  N.  Colvin,  R.  S.;  James  Barnes, 
A.  R.  S.;  James  L  Randolph,  F.  S.;  L.  D.  Kemerer,  T.; 
Philip  Schuler,  L;  Charles  Nothacker,  Ex.;  H.  J.  Kei- 
fer,  L  P.;  John  J.  O'Neil,  O.  P.;  J.  H.  Bacchus,  W.  S. 
Miller  and  H.  N.' Colvin,  trustees;  representative  to  the 
State  council,  H.  N.  Colvin;  pro-Kj',  W.  A.  Hendershot. 

Nay  Aug  Council,  No.  344  (Hyde  Park). — This  coun- 
cil was  originally  organized  January  ist,  1875,  with  26 
charter  members  and  the  following  named  officers:  C,  L 

D.  Westbrook;  V.  C,  A.  Woodworth;  R.  S.,  L.  A.  Ste- 
vens; assistant  R.  S.,  William  H.  HoUister;  financial  sec- 
retary, D.  M.  Carpenter;  T.,  F.  Washburn;  I.,  Charles 
Stevens;  Ex.,  Thomas  Dickinson;  I.  P.,  Albert  Kime;  O. 
P.,  William  Polhamus.  The  council  increased  to  a  mem- 
bership of  59  before  the  fall  of  1876.  Subsequently  it 
diminished  to  barely  a  quorum.  The  initiation  fee  was 
reduced,  and  a  few  energetic  members  exerted  themselves 
to  retrieve  the  fallen  fortunes  of  the  council  so  success- 
fully that  within  four  months  43  members  were  initiated. 
In  1879  '^2  council  had  over  100  members.  The  official 
list  November,  1879,  was  as  follows:  C,  M.  L.  Payne;  V. 
C,  John  Kinchler;  R.  S.,  G.  A.  Plympton;  assistant  R. 
S.,  William  G.  Moore;  Fin.  S.,  Ira  L.  Smith;  T.,  E.  C. 
Post;  I.,  S.  N.  Peckens;  Ex.,  N.  C.  Benson;  I.  P.,  A.  E. 
Shafer;  O.  P.,  Gideon  Lisk;  trustees — William  W.  Hurd, 
William  H.  Smith  and  William  M.  Darling. 

KNIGHTS    OF    PYTHIAS. 

Scranton  Lodge,  No.  263. — This  was  the  first  lodge  of 
the  order  in  Scranton.  It  was  instituted  August  19th, 
J870,  with  17  members  and  the  following  officers:  C.  E. 
Up  De  Graff,  V.  P.;  C.  M.  Steel,  R.  S.;  E.  B,  Miller,  W. 
G.;  J.  M.  Williams,  V.  C;  J.  N.  Goodshall,  O.  G.;  Peter 
Hattich,  G.;  E.  A.  W.  Elster,  F.  S.;  A,  Hoos,  I.  G. 
The  names  of  those  in  office  in  November,  1879,  are  as 
follows:  P.  C,  L  S.  Jones;  C.  C,  W.  J.  Welsh;  V.  C,  J. 
W.  Brack;  P.,  Stephen  Jones;  M.  A.,  A.  Brandt;  K.  of 
R.  and  S.,  Martin  Joyce;  M.  of  E.,  H.  N.  Dunnell. 
Over  200  members  have  been  initiated. 

Roaring  Brook  Lodge,  No.  401  (Scranton),  was  organ- 
ized July  2nd,  1873,  with  the  following  named  charter 
members  and  first  officers:  P.  C,  Albert  G.  Zink;  C.  C, 
Theodore    Carhart;    V.    C,    John    Johnson;    P.,    L.    K. 


Gleason;  M.  of  E.,  W.  Deakin;  M.  of  F.,  M.  W.  Price; 
K.  of  R.  &  S.,  T.  J.  Everist;  M.  at  A.,  Stephen  Higgs; 
I.  G.,  D.  W.  Evans;  O.  G.,  William  Maylin.  The  suc- 
cessive presiding  officers  have  been  W.  C.  Beaumont, 
John  Lyons,  Morris  Cohen,  Davison  Castles,  George  W. 
Roberts,  W.  N.  Danvers,  Rowland  D.  Clark,  Enoch  Dun- 
kerly,  David  Brown,  John  Hendrews  and  Robert  H. 
Frear.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  officers  late 
in  1879:  P.  C,  Robert  H.  Frear;  C.  C,  W.  H.  Coslett; 
V.  C,  Howard  S.  Brown;  P.,  John  C.  Brown;  M.  of  E., 
Albert  G.  Zink;  M.  of  F.,  W.  O.  Wilson;  K.  of  R.  &  S., 
David  Brown;  M.  at  A.,  John  J.  Shopland;  I.  G.,  John 
J.  O'Neil;  O.  G.,  John  F.  Ridenbach.  The  membership 
was  then  6.5.  The  amount  expended  for  relief  had  been 
$1,223.60;  the  total  funds  of  the  lodge  and  the  amount 
invested  were  $931. 

Panooka  Lodge,  No.  308  (Providence),  was  organized 
August  nth,  187 1,  with  John  Casterline,  D.  P.  Birtley, 
T.  M.  Miller,  O.  P.  Miller,  N.  Fitch,  W.  P.  Birtley  and  J. 
G.  Chenoweth  as  charter  members.  D.  P.  Birtley  was 
the  first  presiding  officer.  His  successors  have  been  T. 
M.  Miller,  H.  C.  Putney,  J.  V.  Birtley,  G.  A.  Sheppard, 
John  Long,  William  Davis,  L.  J.  Blume,  John  Hunt, 
Charles  Barriett,  Edwin  Leah,  J.  J.  Chenoweth,  D.  T. 
Price,  J.  C.  Kern,  J.  B.  Davis  and  D.  G.  Jones. 

TEMPERANCE    ORGANIZATIONS. 

Tbe  Fatlicr  MaftJicw  Total  Abstinence  Beneficial  Soci- 
ety No.  170  was  organized  with  40  members  July  17th, 
1870,  and  is  numbered  170  on  the  National  roll.  The 
first  officers,  elected  August  7th,  1870,  were  as  follows: 
N.  Martin,  president;  Richard  Lonergan,  vice-president; 
J.  J.  O'Boyle,  recording  secretary;  M.  J.  Hawley,  cor- 
responding secretary;  P.  J.  McCann,  treasurer.  The 
officers  January  ist,  1880,  were:  James  Mitchell,  presi- 
dent; John  Gurry,  vice-president;  P.  M.  Welch,  recording 
secretary;  M.  J.  Lovern,  corresponding  secretary;  Edward 
Maloney,  treasurer;  John  Gilgallon,  financial  secretary. 
The  membership  of  the  society  is  about  150. 

The  LLydc  Park  Father  Matthew  Total  Abstinence  and 
Benevolent  Society  \vn.s  organized  in  1S73.  The  following 
are  the  names  of  the  officers  January  ist,  1880:  Peter  J. 
McCann,  president;  Charles  Reagan,  vice-president; 
pjdward  F.  Blewitt,  recording  secretary;  Patrick  Mul- 
herin,  assistant  recording  secretary;  Michael  Lavelle, 
treasurer;  Henry  Jordan,  sergeant-at-arms;  James  C. 
Gallagher,  John  Crowley  and  Jeffry  T.  Powers,  trustees; 
Rev.  P.  T.  Roche,  spiritual  director.  The  membership  is 
TOO.  A  sick  member  is  entitled  to  $3  weekly;  funeral 
benefits  are  fixed  at  135.  The  financial  condition  of  the 
society  is  good.  It  owns  property  in  the  sth  ward  of 
Scranton  valued  at  |r,6oo,  and  has  $100  in  the  treasury. 

Young  Men's  Temperance,  Literary  and  Benevolent  So- 
ciety of  Diinniore. — This  society  was  organized  in  Decem- 
ber, 1875,  and  chartered  April  4th,  1876.  The  charter 
members  were  John  F.  Moore,  R.  W.  Howard,  John  F. 
O'Hara,  Peter  Gallagher  and  Christopher  McCormick- 
The  first  officers  were:  John  F.  Moore,  P.;  Christopher 
McCormick,   V.   P.;  Edward    F.   Boyle,  R.  S.;  Philip  J. 


^¥ 


-^^ 


SOCIAL  AND  MILITARY  ORGANIZATIONS,  SCRANTON. 


425 


Carroll,  F.  S.;  Edward  Coleman,  C.  S.;  John  F.  O'Hara, 
Treas.  P.  O'Hara  succeeded  Mr.  McCormick  as  pres- 
ident. The  officers  in  January,  1880,  were:  M.  E.  Mc- 
Dowell, P.;  James  Gilligan,  V.  P.;  J.  F.  Flannelly,  R. 
Sec;  E.  L  Coleman,  F.  Sec;  R.  W.  Howard,  Treas. 
The  society  has  a  membership  of  120,  has  over  $600  in 
the  treasury,  and  owns  property  to  the  amount  of  $275; 
$5  weekly  is  paid  to  a  member  in  sickness;  funeral  bene- 
fits are  $50;  $1,121.92  has  been  disbursed,  and  224  mem- 
bers have  been  enrolled. 

Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars. — Two  well  known 
Good  Templars'  lodges  are  the  Rescue  I^odge,  No.  91,  of 
Providence,  and  Echo  Spring  Lodge,  No.  1,072,  of  Green 
Ridge.  The  officers  of  the  latter  are  as  follows:  W.  C. 
T.,  C.  L.  L.  Hawley;  VV.  V.  T.,  Mrs.  D.  J.  Levi;  Sec,  D. 
J.  Levi;  F.  Sec,  F.  F.  Lack;  Treas.,  L.  P.  Smith;  Chap., 
Mrs.  L.  P.  Smith;  M.,  A.  H.  Rambo;  G.,  William  James; 
S.,  M.  C.  Carr;  P.  W.  C.  T.,  F.  C.  Smith. 

OTHER     FRATERNITIES. 

Panvokah  Tribe,  No.  141,  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
(Hyde  Park)  was  organized  November  25th,  1870,  with 
59  charter  members  and  the  following  first  officers:  Lew- 
is Hancock,  S.;  David  C.  Williams,  K.  of  W.;  George 
Jones,  Jr.  S.;  William  R.  Williams,  Sen.  S.;  William 
Eynon,  P.;  Thomas  Lowry,  C.  of  R. 

The  officers  in  November,  1879,  were  as  follows:  S., 
John  K.  Jones;  Sen.  S.,  David  S.  Davis;  Jr.  S.,  Christian 
Fieler;  P.,  Jacob  Reibert;  C.  of  R.,  Thomas  Thomas;  K. 
of  W.,  Benjamin  D.  Beddoe. 

St.  George's  Lodge,  No.  i,  Society  of  the  Sons  of  St. 
George  (Scranton). — The  order  of  the  Sons  Of  St.  George 
(a  relief  society  limited  to  Englishmen)  was  established 
in  Scranton  under  a  charter  granted  to  the  following 
named  persons:  Thomas  O.  Jones,  S.  S.  Bice,  Richmond 
Tyack,  Joseph  Davenport,  William  Maylin,  George  Allen, 
George  Cooper,  Edward  C.  Fletcher,  Albert  Roskelly, 
William  Jarvis,  H.  S.  Wyatt  and  Thomas  Watkins.  St. 
George's  Lodge,  No.  i,was  instituted  in  December,  1870, 
with  Thomas  O.  Jones  as  president,  S.  S.  Bice  as  secretary. 

The  present  officers  (December,  1879)  are  as  fol- 
lows: Edward  Harris,  P.;  William  Maylin,  V.  P.;  Frank 
Sweet,  Sec;  G.  W.  Roberts,  Asst.  Sec;  Joseph  Ware, 
Treas.';  Thomas  Spencer,  M.;  WilUam  Maylin,  Thomas 
Drew  and  James  Back,  trustees.  The  lodge  numbers 
about  60  members. 

Protection  Lodge  Knights  of  Honor  (Scranton)  was  or- 
ganized August  13th,  1879,  with  26  members.  William 
C.  MacDdnald  was  chosen  and  installed  D.;  Jeremiah  S. 
Hufford,  V.  D.;  Daniel  SchoonoveJ-,  A.  D.;  Alexander 
S.  Nye,  Rep.;  H.  N.  Colvin,  F.  Rep.;  William  H.  Fuller, 
Treas.;'  J.  T.  Howe,  P.  D.;  I.  E.  Whipple,  G.;  James 
Bovee 'and  Bernard  Moses,  protectors;  James  Moir,Chap.; 
Robert  M.  Lindsay,  Morris  Goldsmith  and  A.  R.  Roub, 
trustees. 

MILITARY. 

The  Scranton  City  Guard.— Kt  the  time  of  the  riots  in 
1871  the  necessity  for  an   efficient   military  organization 


impressed  itself  so  forcibly  upon  the  minds  of  the  people 
in  Scranton  that  a  large  subscription  was  raised  for  the 
equipment  of  the  Scranton  City  Guard,  by  means  of 
which  these  four  companies  were  not  only  fully  uniform- 
ed, but  a  plot  of  ground  on  Adams  avenue  was  purchased 
and  a  commodious  and  substantial  armory  of  brick  was 
built  for  them.  It  contains  two  headquarters  rooms,  four 
company  rooms,  a  drill  room  75  by  90  feet,  a  janitor's 
room  and  store  room.  The  building  committee  was  com- 
posed of  James  Archbald,  William  Connell  and  U.  G. 
Schoonmaker,  on  the  part  of  the  citizens,  and  Major  H. 
M.  Boies,  Captain  A.  Bryson,  jr.,  and  Lieutenant  William 
Kellow  of  the  Guard.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  by  the 
masonic  fraternity,  November  14th,  1877,  and  the  armory 
opened  for  use  by  a  grand  military  ball  January  31st, 
1878.  The  city  guard  had  the  honor  of  receiving  and 
escorting  the  President  of  the  United  States  on  his  visit 
to  the  Wyoming  Centennial,  July  3d,  1878,  and  was  high- 
ly complimented  for  discipline  and  drill.  It  now  consti- 
tutes companies  A,  B,  C  and  D  of  the  13th  regiment  of 
the  National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Nay  Aug  Rifle  Association  is  connected  with  the 
Guard.  Its  object  is  the  cultivation  of  a  taste  for  and 
proficiency  in  rifle  shooting.  It  was  organized  in  1879. 
The  officers  January  ist,  1880,  were:  H.  M.  Hannah, 
president;  Major  Henry  Belin,  jr.,  vice-president;  M.  I. 
Corbett,  secretary;  Captain  George  L.  Breck,  treasurer; 
Colonel  H.  M.  Boies,  Major  E.  H.  Ripple,  Major  Henry 
Belin,  jr.,  Enoch  Page,  Captain  George  L.  Breck,  H.  M. 
Hannah,  Charles  H.  Welles,  Lieutenant  Colonel  F.  L. 
Hitchcock,  George  B.  Foster,  U.  G.  Schoonmaker,  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  George  Sanderson,  jr.,  W.  S.  Millar,  M.  I. 
Corbett,  E.  Chamberlin  and  Frank  demons,  directors. 

The  Veteran  Soldiers'  Association  of  Scranton  was  or- 
ganized May  8th,  1877,  with  the  following  officers:  Pres- 
ident, William  N.  Monies;  first  vice-president,  Leopold 
Schimpff;  second  vice-president,  P.  De  Lacy;  recording 
secretary,  Charles  R.  Smith;  corresponding  secretary, 
Samuel  W.  Heller;  treasurer,  J.  W.  Howell.  The  officers 
in  December,  1879,  were:  J.  W.  Howell,  president;  Wil- 
liam Kellow,  first  vice-president;  Joseph  Beavers,  second 
vice-president;  Fred.  J.  Amsden,  recording  secretary; 
Jason  H.  Wells,  corresponding  secretary;  Ezra  H.  Rip- 
ple, treasurer. 

Lieutenant  Ezra  Griffin  Post,  No.  139,  G.  A.  R.  was 
mustered  July  7th,  1879,  with  the  following  named  char- 
ter members:  Edwin  W.  Pearce,  Ezra  H.  Ripple,  Edward 
L.  Buck,  Robert  C.  Clark,  Rufus  Messenger,  Fred.  J. 
Amsden,  Daniel  Bartholomew.  William  Kellow,  George 
F.  Millett,  Charles  R.  Smith,  Thomas  Wagner,  M.  J. 
Andrews,  Frank  P.  Amsden,  Thomas  D.  Lewis,  Fred.  F, 
Adams,  Fred.  \,.  Hitchcock,  William  J.  Lewis,  J.  B.  Fish. 
AVilliam  Martin  and  James  J.  Maycock.  The  following, 
in  office  December,  1879,  were  the  first  officers:  Fred.  J. 
Amsden,  P.  C;  Thomas  D.  Lewis,  sr.,  V.  C;  James  J. 
Maycock,  jr.,  V.  C;  Robert  C.  Clark,  Adj.;  William  Kel- 
low, Qr.;  Daniel  Bartholomew,  O.  of  the  D.;  George  F. 
Millett,  O.  of  the  G. 

Soldiers'  Memorial  Association. — For  some  years  there 


^^ 


■*4= 


=Np* 


426 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


has  existed  in  Scranton  an  association,  chiefly  of  veteran 
soldiers,  the  object  of  which  is  the  decoration  of  the 
graves  of  soldiers  who  died  in  service  during  the  Rebel- 
lion, and  of  veterans  who  have  since  died  and  been  buried 
in  the  various  cemeteries  of  Scranton  and  Dunmore, 
numbering  150. 

LACKAWANNA    COUNTY    MEDICAL    SOCIETY. 

The  Lackawanna  County  Medical  Society  was  organ- 
ized December  4th,  1878,  with  officers  and  membership 
as  follows:  B.  H.  Throop,  Pres.;  Charles  Burr  and  G.  B. 
Boyd,  V.  Ps.;  E.  A.  Heennans,  Sec;  L.  Wehlau,  C.  H. 
Fisher  and  H.  L  Jones,  censors;  S,  B.  Reed,  L  F.  Ever- 
hart,  J.  W.  Gibbs,  L.  H.  Gibbs,  P.  J.  Higgins,  Horace 
Ladd,  B.  C.  Hopkins,  B.  F.  Evans,  W.  E.  Allen,  Thomas 
Stewart,  Charles  Frischkorn,  J.  W.  Robathan,  William 
H.  Heath,  J.  W.  Houser,  H.  C.  Wheeler,  S.  D.  Davis,  R. 
A.  Squire,  J.  Burnett,  William  F.  Pier,  G.  S.  Throop,  A. 
J.  Connell. 

The  society  meets  at  the  arbitration  room  in  the  court- 
house in  Scranton,  at  a  o'clock  P.  M.,  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  January,  March,  May,  July,  September  and 
November. 

Essays  form  an  interesting  feature  of  the  meetings,  and 
interesting  surgical  classes,  so  abundant  in  the  raining 
region,  are  frequently  brought  before  the  society  for  mu- 
tual study. 

MUSICAL. 

The  Scranton  Philharmonic  Society. — This  society  was 
organized  in  October,  1875,  with  the  following  board  of 
managers:  President,  James  Ruthven;  vice-presidents, 
John  D.  Fuller,  L.  B.  Powell  and  William  H.  Freeman; 
secretary,  E.  J.  Dimmick;  treasurer,  George  A.  Jessup; 
librarian,  William  T.  Hackett;  directors,  Isaac  F.  Fuller, 
A.  W.  Dickson  and  N.  A.  Hurlbert;  musical  conductor, 
Charles  B.  Derman;  pianist.  Miss  Stella  Seymour.  The 
board  of  management  for  the  season  of  1879-80  is:  George 
A.  Jessup,  president;  William  H.  Freeman  and  J.  H. 
Bessel],  vice-presidents;  William  T,  Hackett,  secretary; 
C.  F.  Whittemore,  treasurer;  E.  E.  Wells,  librarian;  John 
J.  Coleman,  assistant  librarian;  John  Silkman  and  E.  J. 
Smith,  directors;  Charles  B.  Derman,  musical  director; 
Miss  Stella  Seymour,  pianist.  The  society  numbers  about 
65  active  and  150  sustaining  members.  Glees,  operas 
and  oratorios  are  rehearsed  and  three  concerts  are  given 
each  season  in  the  Academy  of  Music. 

Bauer's  Band,  well  known  throughout  northeastern 
Pennsylvania,  was  organized  June  30th,  1877,  by  the  fol- 
lowing musicians:  R.  J.  Bauer,  S.  R.  Price,  Frank  Wash- 
burn, R.  H.  Brader,  A.  M.,  E.  B.  and  H.  D.  Morse, 
Harry  and  H.  R.  Williams,  Henry  Cook  and  John 
Thomas.  During  the  first  two  months  S.  R.  Price  was 
leader,  Mr.  Bauer,  who  had  previously  devoted  almost 
his  entire  time  to  the  violin,  not  being  a  proficient  cornet 
player,  but  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  Mr.  Price  re- 
signed in  his  favor.  The  membership  in  January,  i88o, 
was  twenty-six.  A  large  proportion  of  the  members  have 
been   pupils  of  Mr.    Bauer.     In    September,    1879,    this 


band  furnished  the  music  for  the  grand  musical  festival 
held  in  the  Main  Centennial  building,  at  Philadelphia,  by 
the  united  choirs  from  Luzerne,  Lackawanna,  Schuylkill 
and  Carbon  counties.  Pa.,  aggregating  1,200  voices. 

Handel  and  Hayden  Oratorio  Society  (Hyde  Park). — 
This  society  was  reorganized  February  13th,  1880,  with 
the  following  management:  President,  W.  H.  Freeman; 
vice-president,  B.  G.  Beddoe;  corresponding  secretary, 
John  Morris;  recording  secretary,  Daniel  Elsinger;  treas- 
urer, E.  G.  Griffith;  pianist,  Silas  Rosser ;  directors, 
Isaac  B.  Morgan  and  John  Frear;  librarian,  W.  S.  Evans. 

MISCELLANEOUS    ORGANIZATIONS. 

The  Scranton  Poultry  and  Pet  Stock  Association  was  or- 
ganized in  January,  1877.  The  oiificers  were:  D.  N. 
Green,  president;  George  S.  Horn,  secretary;  John  H. 
Phelps,  treasurer.  The  present  (1880)  officers  are:  R. 
M.  Lindsay,  president;  George  S.  Hern,  secretary;  Rob- 
ert McMillan,  treasurer.  The  object  of  this  association 
is  the  promotion  of  purebred  stock.  Three  exhibitions 
have  been  held. 

TYi^  Printers'  Union  of  Scranton  meets  in  Odd  Fellows' 
Hall  the  second  Saturday  of  each  month.  It  has  been 
in  existence  about  eleven  years  and  has  about  30  mem- 
bers. It  is  a  non-beneficial  body.  Officers  are  chosen 
semi-annually.     The  president  is  M.  Watson. 

Lackawanna  Game  and  Fish  Association. — January  18th, 
1879,  at  an  informal  meeting  of  a  number  of  gentlemen 
of  Scranton  favorable  to  the  protection  of  game  and  the 
propagation  of  fish,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draw 
up  a  preamble,  constitution  and  by-laws,  and  to  report 
at  the  office  of  Dr.  J.  F.  Everhart  June  25th,  at  which 
time  the  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted,  and  the 
following  officers  elected:  Dr.  J.  F.  Everhart,  president; 
Henry  Beyer  and  R.  M.  Lindsay,  vice-presidents;  Jason 
H.  Wells,  secretary;  Charles  R.  Smith,  treasurer;  Dr.  C. 
A.  Stevens,  Dr.  C.  H.  Fisher,  Milo  J.  Wilson,  Cornelius 
Smith  and  G.  H.  Birdsal,  board  of  managers. 

CHURCH  HISTORY. 

PRESBYTERIAN. 

First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scranton. — The  earliest 
regular  preaching  in  the  Lackawanna  valley  was  by  Rev. 
Cyrus  Gildersleeve,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  as  early  as  1827,  and 
the  few  Presbyterians  in  the  lower  half  of  the  valley  were 
connected  with  the  church  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Once  in 
four  or  six  weeks  Mr.  Gildersleeve  traversed  the  valley, 
and  preached  on  week  days  in  school-houses,  barns,  pri- 
vate dwellings  and  the  open  lir,  at  T,ackawanna,  at 
Hyde  Park  and  at  Providence.  For  more  than  ten  years 
following  Mr.  Gildersleeve's  ministry  there  were  not  more 
than  six  families  residing  east  of  the  river,  in  what  is  now 
the  main  part  of  Scranton.  From  1834  Rev.  John  Dor- 
rance,  D.  D.,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  Rev.  Thomas  P. 
Hunt,  of  Wyoming,  occupied  the  Lackawanna  mission 
field.  In  1835  and  1836  Rev.  Thomas  Owen,  a  Welsh 
Presbyterian,  traversed  the  valley  on  foot,  preaching  at 
all  the  stations.     Next  an  Irishman  named  Turbitt  labored 


*^H'= 


=4* 


•%.%z^9?w^ 


-M^ 


FIRST   PRFSBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  SCRANTON. 


427 


about  six  months.  From  1842  to  1844  Revs.  Owen 
Brown  and  Charles  Evans  successively  occupied  the  same 
field,  and  Rev.  G.  Parke  from  June,  1844,  until  after  the 
organization  of  the  Firs:  Presbyterian  church  of  Scran- 
ton.  There  was  no  preaching  in  the  Scranton  settlement 
till  1839.  In  1842  the  union  church  was  completed  by 
the  people  of  the  settlement  and  vicinity;  it  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Methodists.  A  committee  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Susquehanna,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Dorrance, 
Hunt  and  Brown,  met  in  the  school-house,  near  the  site 
of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company's  blast  fur- 
nace, Friday,  February  26th,  1842,  and  organized  a  Pres- 
byterian church,  with  John  M.  Atherton  and  Benjamin 
Couch  as  elders,  and  Hiram  E.  Dailey  as  deacon.  It 
was  called  the  Lackawanna  church,  and  embraced  a  mem- 
bership living  all  along  from  Providence  to  Pittston,  in- 
cluding both  places.  In  June,  1844,  Rev.  Mr.  Parke  as- 
sumed the  pastoral  charge.  A  church  edifice  was  erected 
at  Lackawanna,  and  dedicated  in  1848.  Scranton  was 
then  merely  a  preaching  station.  Christians  of  all  de- 
nominations worshiped  together  in  the  union  church  and 
sustained  a  common  Sunday-school.  The  growing  vil- 
lages of  Pittston  and  Lackawanna  both  claimed  the  Lack- 
awanna church,  while  the  congregation  covered  an  ex- 
tensive field;  but  Scranton  had  begun  to  be  recognized 
as  the  chief  point.  After  much  discussion  it  was  decided 
to  organize  a  separate  church  there. 

A  petition  signed  by  eighteen  communicants  of  differ- 
ent Presbyterian,  Congregational  and  Moravian  churches, 
besides  a  number  of  citizens  not  communicants,  was  sent 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Luzerne,  asking  for  a  church  organ- 
ization under  the  care  of  that  Presbytery.  In  answer  to 
this  petition  the  Presbytery  appointed  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  Revs.  John  Dorrance,  D.  D.,  and  N.  G.  Parke 
with  power  to  organize  a  church.  This  committee  met 
October  14th,  1848,  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  in  Scranton, 
and  organized  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scranton, 
with  the  following  members:  Selden  T.  and  George  W. 
Scranton  and  their  wives,  Nathaniel  B.  James  and  Mrs. 
Rebecca  A.  Hutchison,  Mrs.  Mary,  Mrs.  Sarah  and  Miss 
Mary  A.  Coursen,  Misses  Catharine  and  Temperance 
Miller,  Mrs.  Maria  Fellows,  Peter  Clark,  Charles  Fuller, 
Richard  Hollenback  and  Simon  Ward.  William  H.  Piatt, 
Mrs.  Emily  Piatt  and  Mrs.  Catharine  S.  S.  Piatt  were 
among  the  most  earnest  and  efficient  in  securing  the  or- 
ganization of  the  church,  but  were  not  formally  recog- 
nized at  its  organization  because  their  certificates  of 
admission  failed  to  reach  them  until  a  few  days  after- 
ward. Rev.  N.  G.  Parke  served  the  church  six  months 
after  its  organization  as  stated  supply.  Rev.  J.  D.  Mitch- 
ell was  pastor  from  December  i6th,  1849,  to  October, 
1853.  His  stated  salary  was  $600.  Rev.  John  F.  Baker 
was  pastor  from  May,  1854,  to  January  14th,  1855,  at  $600 
per  year.  Rev.  Milo  J.  Hickok,  D.  D.,  of  the  Presby- 
tery of  New  York,  was  installed  August  5th,  1855.  His 
salary  was  $800.  He  was  disabled  by  paralysis  while  in 
the  pulpit  October  isth,  1867,  and  the  church  was  sup- 
plied by  Revs.  W.  C.  Cattell  and  W.  W.  Atterbury  until 
he  resigned,  in  1868.     His  salary  had  been  increased  to 


$2,500  a  year  and  the  use  of  the  parsonage.  A  portion 
of  the  last  year  of  his  active  pastorate  was  spent  in  trav- 
elling in  Europe  and  his  expenses  were  paid  by  the  con- 
gregation, and  his  support  was  continued  by  the  church 
until  his  death,  July  rgth,i873.  The  present  (1880I  pastor, 
Rev.  S.  C.  Logan,  D.  D.,  of  the  Presbytery  of  Lake,  was 
elected  August  25th,  1868,  while  secretary  of  the  assembly 
committee  on  freedmen.  Without  being  released  from 
the  duties  of  that  office,  he  began  supplying  the  church 
December  5th,  1868.  He  accepted  the  call  June  ist, 
1869,  and  was  installed  September  3d  following,  on  a  sal- 
ary of  $2,500  (since  increased  to  $3,000)  and  the  occu- 
pancy of  the  parsonage. 

Charles  Fuller  and  N.  B.  Hutchison  were  ordained 
elders  of  the  church  at  its  organization.  Mr.  Fuller  has 
been  clerk  of  sessions  ever  since.  Mr.  Hutchison  was  dis- 
missed, June  i6th,  i860,  to  the  First  Prpsbyterian  Church 
of  Providence,  and  has  since  died.  James  Harrington 
was  an  elder  from  July  20th,  1853,  to  February  24th, 
1865;  Samuel  Sherrard  from  May  31st,  1S57,  to  June 
29th,  1867.  Charles  F.  Mattes  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled May  3  tst,  1857;  George  Fuller  November  25th, 
i860.  January  30th,  1871,  the  latter  resigned.  E.  A. 
Lawrence  was  an  elder  from  November  25th,  i860,  to 
December  13th,  1863;  R.  M.  Arnold  from  November 
25th,  i860,  to  October  28th,  1867.  Alfred  Hand  was 
ordained  and  installed  April  17th,  1867.  Robert  Blake 
held  the  office  of  elder  from  April  17th,  1867,  to  July 
27th,  1871;  Edward  Judson  from  April  T7th,  1867,  to 
June  23d,  1871.  U.  M.  Stowers  was  installed  April  17th, 
1867;  C.  H.  Doud,  William  H.  Piatt  and  Alexander  W. 
Dickson,  February  19th,  1871.  The  latter  was  chosen 
assistant  clerk  of  sessions  October  30th,  187 1.  The 
present  ruling  elders  are  Charles  Fuller,  Charles  F.  Mat- 
tes, Alfred  Hand,  C.  H.  Doud,  William  Piatt  and  Alex- 
ander W.  Dickson. 

In  1846  $640  was  secured  at  home  toward  the  first 
church  building,  and  it  was  increased  abroad  to  $3,395. 
Of  the  amount  obtained  abroad  $50  came  from 
Wilkes-Barre  and  the  balance  from  New  York  city  and 
the  friends  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company 
in  Connecticut.  The  amount  was  increased  to  about 
$7,000  before  the  edifice  was  comjileted.  In  1841  the 
Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company  took  the  subscrip- 
tion made  and  assumed  the  burden  of  building  the 
church,  for  which  they  proposed  to  give  the  lots.  The 
ground  had  to  be  cleared  of  timber.  The  late  Joel  Ams- 
den  was  the  architect.  The  frame  of  the  spire  was  raised 
September  30th,  1851.  The  bell  was  hung  Novem- 
ber 26th  and  rung  for  the  first  time  the  next 
day  (Thanksgiving).  The  building  was  completed 
at  a  cost  of  about  $13,000,  and  was  dedicated  September 
19th,  1852.  The  company  now  proposed  that  if  the  con- 
gregation would  secure  $5,000  of  the  indebtedness  by 
mortgage  and  insurance,  the  lots  and  balance  should  at 
once  be  given  to  the  church,  allowing  ten  years  to  meet 
the  obligation.  This  generous  offer  was  accepted  and 
ten  years  later,  under  the  management  of  Thomas  Dick- 
son and    J.  J.  Albright,  the  whole   indebtedness  ($6,300) 


I 
-h-^Ph 


-4* 


428 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


w;is  paid,  with  a  recorded  recognition  of  the  generosity  of 
the  company,  which  had  subscribed  $i,ooo.  The  house 
was  at  once  occupied  by  the  church.  April  i6th,  i860, 
the  work  of  enlarging  it  was  completed  at  a  cost  of 
$4,000,  making  the  audience  room  80  feet  square.  In 
1866  a  lecture  room  was  added  at  a  cost  of  $3,200.  In 
1879  the  interior  of  the  church  was  repaired  and  re- 
jiainted.  The  parsonage  was  erected  in  1855,  at  a  cost 
of  $3,200.  In  1869  it  was  enlarged  and  improved  at  an 
outlay  of  $2,700.  The  cost  of  building  the  church  and 
parsonage,  exclusive  of  minor  repairs,  has  been  $26,200. 
The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the 
church  was  celebrated  November  i6th,  1873,  at  which 
time  an  endowment  fund  of  $10,000  was  established  for 
the  benefit  of  the  poor  of  the  congregration.  The  present 
church  membership  is  450. 

The  first  Sunday-school  in  Scranton  was  a  union 
school,  organized  May  ist,  1S41.  August  r7th,  1846,  a 
second  school  was  organized,  in  the  membership  of  which 
Presbyterians  largely  predominated.  September  12th; 
1852,  a  Sunday-school  was  organized  by  members  of  the 
first  Presbyterian  church,  with  which  it  was  connected. 
Joseph  H.  Scranton  was  superintendent;  J.  C.  Piatt,  sec- 
retary; W.  W.  Manness,  librarian;  H.L.  Marvine,  treas- 
urer. It  has  been  kept  up  since  that  date  and  is  now 
one  of  the  largest  in  the  city.  Mission  Sunday-schools 
have  been  organized  as  follows:  At  the  Continental  mine 
in  the  summer  of  185 1;  the  Pine  Brook  school,  in  the 
spring  of  1853;  the  Briggs  shaft  school,  in  the  following 
summer;  the  Hickory  street  school,  in  June,  18C7;  the 
Cedar  street  school,  in  April,  1872;  and  others,  including 
the  Zion  Sabbath-school  (colored),  which  have  been  kept 
in  various  localities  longer  or  shorter  periods. 

'Y\\e.  First  Presbyterian  cliiirch  of  Duiiiiwre  was  organ- 
ized February  18th,  1854,  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Swartz, 
with  the  following  named  members:  Jacob  Swartz,  Wil- 
liam B.  and  Susan  A.  Letchworth,  Mrs.  Susanna  Rey- 
nolds, Mrs.  Sarah  O.  More,  Mrs.  Jane  Ann  Coolbaugh, 
Cornelia  E.  Smith,  Elizabeth  and  Janet  Clave,  Mary  and 
Isabel  Youngs.  The  first  meeting  was  held  in  the  village 
school-house.  Rev.  Burr  Baldwin,  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Montrose,  acting  as  moderator.  The  first  pas- 
tor was  Rev.  J.  R.  Townsend,  who  labored  as  stated  sup- 
ply for  twelve  years.  Then  Rev.  R.  S.  Foster  was  pastor 
seven  years.  The  present  pastor  begun  his  labors  No- 
vember 9th,  1873,  and  was  installed  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Lackawanna  May  8th,  1874.  The  church,  a  wooden 
structure,  was  erected  in  1853,  at  a  cost  of  $2,500. 
The  first  Sunday-school  superintendent  was  William  B. 
Letchworth. 

Washburn  Street  Pi  esbyterian  Clmrch  (Hyde  Park). — 
This  church  was  organized  August  i8th,  1854,  at  the 
residence  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Piante,  with  the  following  named 
constituent  members:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Piante,  Mrs. 
William  Pier,  Mrs.  Corydon  H.  Wells,  Mrs.  William  Jane, 
Mrs.  Henry  Hufford  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alpheus  B.  Ful- 
ler. A  resolution  was  adopted  that  a  delegate  should 
attend  the  next  stated  meeting  of  Montrose  Presbytery, 
to  ask  that  this  church  should  be   taken  under  its  care. 


The  church  manual  of  Montrose  Presbytery  was  adopted. 
The  minutes  of  the  meeting  are  signed  by  Burr  Baldwin, 
general  missionary  of  Montrose  Presbytery.  Of  the 
eight  persons  whose  names  appear  in  the  first  record  only 
Mrs.  Pier  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Wells  remain  with  the  church. 
The  church  was  incorporated  in  1855,  one  year  after  its 
organization,  under  the  name  of  the  "  First  Presbyterian 
Church  and  Congregation  of  the  Borough  of  Hyde 
Park."  In  1872  the  name  was  changed  to  the  "Wash- 
burn street  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scranton."  Of  the 
charter  members  only  A.  P.  Finch  and  J.  D.  Peck 
survive. 

Messrs.   Piante  and   Snidicor   were    elected    elders  in 

1857.  In  1879  Messrs.  Wells,  Oram,  Frink  and  Bagley 
constituted  the  session. 

In  1855  Rev.  J.  R.  Townsend  began  his  labors  as 
stated  supply,  succeeding  Rev.  Burr  Baldwin,  having 
charge  also  of  the  church  at  Dunmore,  and  remaining 
five  years.  He  died  in  September,  1875,  at  Meridian,  N. 
Y.  November  i8th,  i860,  Rev.  A.  L.  Clark  began  his 
labors  as  stated  supply,  and  he  was  installed  pastor  of 
the  church  June  nth,  i86r,  and  preached  his  farewell 
sermon  April  24th,  1870.  From  February  7th,  187:, 
Rev.  W.  B.  Culliss  was  pastor  till  October  26th,  1873. 
December  14th  following  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  D.  K. 
Freeman,  was  called.  He  was  installed  by  a  committee 
of  the  Presbytery  May  13th,  1874.  During  Mr.  Free- 
man's pastorate  to  the  present  time  (1880)  150  have  been 
added  to  the  membership,  and  32  lost  by  removal  and 
death.     The  membership  is  197. 

The  church  was  erected  in  August,  1863,  at  a  cost  of 
$6,000,  and  enlarged  to  its  present  attractive  dimensions 
in  1871-72,  at  a  cost  of  over  $12,000. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  organized  in  1855,  with  19 
scholars.  There  are  now  about  300.  The  superintend- 
ent is  Mr.  T.  F.  Wells.  The  Briggs  shaft  Sunday-school, 
also  under  charge  of  this  church,  has  a  membership  of 
nearly  250. 

The  celebration  of  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the 
organization  of  this  church  took  place  August  iSth, 
1879,  afternoon  and  evening.  The  audiences  at  both 
services  were  large  and  attentive.  A  number  of  the 
ministers  of  Lackawanna  Presbytery  were  present,  among 
them  Revs.  N.  G.  Parke,  of  Pittston;  H.  H.  Welles,  of 
Kingston;  A.  L.  Clark,  a  former  pastor  of  the  church; 
Dr.  Logan,  of  Scranton,  and  Mr.  Brydie,  of  Pleasant 
Valley. 

The  German  Presbyterian  Church,  on  Hickory  street, 
Scranton,  was  organized  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  January 
28th,  1856,  with  60  constituent  members,  and  was  re- 
ceived under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Luzerne  June 
25th,  1856.  The  successive  pastors  and  their  terms  of 
service  have  been  as  follows:  Revs.  Herman  Veith,  Jan- 
uary,   1856,  to   March,  1858;  Thomas  Gradman,  March, 

1858,  to  February  5th,  1859;  Charles  David  Rosenthal, 
March  1st,  1859,  to  October  2nd,  1864;  William  C.  Wun- 
dcrlich,  November  20th,  1864,  to  the  present  time  (De- 
cember, 1879).  In  1856  the  church  lots  on  Hickory 
street,  between  Cedar  street  and  Pittston  avenue  were 


4^ 


PRESBYTERIAN  AND  METHODIST  CHURCHES  OF  SCRANTON. 


429 


4^ 


purchased  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company. 
The  corner  stone  of  a  new  church  was  laid  September 
5th,  1857,  and  the  church,  a  wooden  structure  valued 
with  the  site  at  $3,500,  was  consecrated  November  6th, 
1859.  The  membership  is  nearly  275.  The  Sunday- 
school,  with  400  pupils,  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  On 
Pittston  avenue  is  the  cemetery  of  this  church,  valued  at 
$6,000. 

Petershurg  German. — This  church,  taking  its  name 
from  that  of  a  portion  of  the  city  where  it  is  located,  on 
Centre  street,  was  organized  in  a  school  house  in  Janu- 
ary, 1858.  George  N.  and  Peter  Engel,  Conrad  Otto, 
John  M.  Thauer,  John  Fries,  Jacob  Saar,  Charles 
Schmidt,  Fred  Teufel,  John  Baumann,  Henry  Wenzel, 
Henry  Schulz,  Joseph  Faber,  William  Vetzel  and  Franz 
Ziegler  were  the  constituent  members. 

The  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  donated  a  lot  and 
the  corner  stone  of  the  church  was  laid  September  19th, 
1868.  The  building  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $2,500, 
and  consecrated  July  2Sth,  1869.  The  congregation  had 
been  received  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Lu- 
zerne June  23d.  The  membership  of  the  church  in  1879 
was  55.  The  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school 
(now  flourishing  with  75  pupils)  was  Conrad  Otto. 
Rev.  Thomas  Gradman  was  pastor  (the  first)  from  March 
until  February,  1859;  Rev.  Charles  David  Rosen- 
thal from  March,  1859,  until  October,  1864.  Rev.  WiU 
liam  C.  Wunderlich  has  been,  pastor  since  November 
20th,  1864. 

&(ro;7// (Scranton). — The  house  of  worship  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  from  which  the  Second  sprang,  for 
several  years  prior  to  the  division  was  over-crowded.  A 
new  organization  was  effected  June  27th,  1874,  with 
Messrs.  J.  P.  W.  Riley,  C.  W.  Kirkpatrick  and  F.  L.  Hitch- 
cock as  elders,  and  Thomas  Dickson,  E.  B.  Sturges,  H. 
M.  Boies,  Charles  H.  Welles,  J.  O.  Kiersted  and  J.  A. 
Price  as  trustees.  The  membership  numbered  88,  of 
whom  80  had  been  identified  with  the  parent  church. 
Lots  were  soon  after  purchased,  and  the  frame  chapel 
since  occupied  erected  for  use  until  a  more  pretentious 
church  edifice  can  be  provided. 

From  a  date  late  in  1874  Rev.  J.  W.  Partridge  was 
pastor  until  July,  1876,  and  from  the  latter  part  of  1876 
Rev.  William  Cullis  was  stated  supply  until  June  ist, 
1877.  From  the  following  September  Rev.  William  H. 
Belden  was  pastor  until  August,  1879.  In  March,  1880, 
Rev.  T.  R.  Beeber,  of  Danville,  Pa.,  was  called  to  suc- 
ceed him. 

The  membership  numbers  about  160.  It  is  organized 
in  all  the  ordinary  departments  of  church  activity,  and 
has  a  Sabbath-school  numbering  about  175  members, 
officered  as  follows:  Superintendent,  F.  L.  Hitchcock; 
assistant  superintendent.  J.  H.  Torrey;  second  assistant 
superintendent,  E.  G.  Coursen;  secretary,  O.  B.  Wright; 
treasurer,  George  H.  Ulmer;  superintendent  of  primary 
department,  S.  P.  McDivitt. 

The  church  officers  are  as  follows:  Members  of  the 
session,  James  A.  Linen,  Charles  H.  Welles,  F.  L.  Hitch- 
cock  C.  W.  Kirkpatrick  and  Frederick  Fuller;  members 


of  the  board  of  trustees.  Col.  H.  M.  Boies,  president; 
William  H.  Fuller,  vice-president;  S.  P.  McDivitt,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer;  George  Fisher,  J.  A.  Price  and  Thom- 
as Dickson. 

The  Green  Ridge  Avenue  Church  (Scranton)  was  organ- 
ized by  the  Presbytery  of  Lackawanna  June  24th,  1875, 
with  39  members,  28  of  whom  came  from  the  Providence 
Presbyterian  church  and  6  from  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Scranton.  Roswell  E.  Marvin,  Joseph  Crane 
and  George  E.  Stone  were  chosen  elders.  The  building 
committee  (the  original  trustees)  were  F.  S.  Pauli,  S.  P. 
Hull,  J.  L.  Fordham,  H.  F.  Atherton,  E.  S.  Jackson  and 
Israel  Crane.  The  church  edifice  was  completed  before 
the  organization  of  the  church  and  was  first  occupied  on 
that  occasion.  It  is  a  stone  structure,  octagonal  in  form, 
and  will  seat  250  persons.  It  stands  on  the  rear  of  the 
lot,  at  the  corner  of  Green  Ridge  avenue  and  Eighth  street, 
and  is  intended  to  be  the  chapel  of  a  larger  building  when 
the  increase  of  the  membership  of  the  church  will  war- 
rant its  erection.  The  architect  was  J.  C.  Cady,  of  New 
York.  Tlie  cost  of  the  building,  with  the  land  on  which 
it  stands,  was  about  $10,000.  The  church  was  never  a 
mission  and  has  been  from  the  first  self-sustaining.  It 
has  steadily  grown  from  the  date  of  its  organization. 
The  membership  is  now  (1880)  about  loo. 

October  igth,  1875,  Rev.  W.  B.  Waller,  then  assistant 
pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Norristown, 
Pa.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  entered  upon  his 
duties  January  ist,  1876,  his  installation  taking  place  the 
second  of  the  following  May.  The  Sunday-school  was 
organized  June  27th,  1S75,  and  Dr.  J.  L.  Ford  was  chosen 
superintendent.  The  school  then  numbered  less  than 
100.     The  membership  is  now  150. 

METHODIST. 

First  Methodist  Episcopal  (Providence). — This  society 
was  organized  in  1829  with  nine  members,  as  follows: 
William  Silkman  and  wife,  Artemas  Miller  and  wife, 
Daniel  Bowman,  wife  and  daughter,  Dency  A.  Corson 
and  Hannah  M.  Von  Storch.  It  was  part  of  the  exten. 
sive  Pittston  circuit.  Its  place  of  meeting  was  a  school- 
house,  since  converted  into  a  dwelling  and  for  some  time 
past  owned  and  occupied  by  Ziba  Knapp,  Esq.  Promi- 
nent among  the  preachers  during  the  connection  with 
Pittston  circuit,  and  prior  to  the  erection  of  its  first 
church  edifice,  were  Dr.  George  Peck,  H.  Agard,  Samuel 
Griffin,  M.  Pearce,  Benjamin  Ellis,  Charles  Giddings, 
Abel  Barker,  William-  Reddy,  A.  Bronson  and  others. 
The  first  church  building  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the 
present  one  in  1852.  It  was  built  of  brick,  at  a  cost  of 
$4,000,  and  dedicated  in  1853,  Henry  Brownscombe  being 
pastor  both  years.  Succeeding  clergymen  have  served 
the  church  as  follows:  Charles  Perkins,  1854;  J.  F.  Wil- 
bur, 1855,  1856;  George  M.  Peck,  1857,  1858,  1865,  i866; 
J.  F.  Munger,  1859;  A.  Schoonmaker,  r86o,  1861;  Henry 
Brownscombe,  1862,  1863;  George  H.  Blakeslee,  1864; 
Dr.  George  Peck,  1867,  1868;  S.  W.  Weiss,  1869,  1870; 
W.  J.  Judd,  1871-73;  William  Bixby,  1874,  1875;  Leonard 
Cole,  1876,  1877;  Robert  W.  Van  Schoick,  1878-80.     In 


^^¥ 


*^r 


43° 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAAVANNA  COUNTY. 


1867  the  church  edifice  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of 
two  class-rooms  at  a  cost  of  about  f  1,000.  In  1873  it 
was  rededicated,  by  Bishop  Ames,  having  been  re- 
modeled and  enlarged  to  its  present  capacity  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $8,000.  The  valuation  of  the  church  property, 
which  includes  a  furnished  parsonage,  is  $15,000.  The 
church  numbers  400  members,  divided  into,  four  classes. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  the  spring  of 
1854,  with  a  membership  of  64  scholars  and  it  officers 
and  teachers.  Ebenezer  Leach,  Esq.,  was  the  first  super- 
intendent, serving  two  years.  S.  W.  VVyckoff  succeeded 
him  one  year.  Since  1856  George  W.  Miller  has  been 
superintendent.  The  school  now  numbers  400  member.^, 
with  34  officers  and  teachers.  A  valuable  library,  hand- 
somely incased,  numbering  406  volumes,  was  presented 
to  the  school  in  1878  by  Ambrose  Mulley.  There  is 
also  a  reserve  supply  of  200  volumes.  The  Sunday- 
school  nas  separate  rooms  for  the  Bible  classes  and  the 
primary  department. 

First  Methodist  Episcopal  (Scranton). — This  church  is 
the  outgrowth   of  a  society  organized   in  the  vicinity  of 
Scranton  about  1840.     Some  of  the  constituent  members 
were  William  Silkman,  Barton  Mott,  Nancy  Mott,  Nich- 
olas Washburn,   N.  W.   Tripp,  J.   A.  Atherton,    Mary  A. 
Slocum,  Fanny  Tripp,  Marilla  Fellows,  Sarah  Hitchcock 
and  Ruth  A.  Hitchcock.     This  society  was  the  result  of 
much  preaching  before  that  date,  and  had  been  preceded 
by  classes   of   Methodists   at    Slocum  Hollow  and    else- 
where  in   the  vicinity.     "In    1793,"   wrote   Rev.  George 
Peck,  "William  Colbert,  a  pioneer  preacher,  visited   Ca- 
poose,  and  preached  to  a  few  people  at  Brother  Howe's 
and  lodged  at  Joseph  Waller's.     Howe  lived   in  Slocum 
Hollow,  and  Waller  on  the  main  road  in  or  near  what  is 
now  Hyde  Park.     In  1798   Daniel,Taylor's,  below  Hyde 
Park,  was   a  preaching  place.     For   years   subsequently 
the  preaching  was   at   Preserved  Taylor's,  who  lived   on 
the  hillside  in    Hyde  Park,  near   the  old    Tripp    place. 
When    Mr.   Taylor  moved  the    preaching  was  taken  to 
Razorville,  now  Providence,  and   the  preachers  were  en- 
tertained by  Elisha  Potter,   Esq.,  whose  wife  was  a  very 
exemplary  member   of    the  church.     Up  to  this  period 
preaching  was  held  in  private  houses."      Meetings  were 
held    in     school-houses    at     a    later     date.      In    June, 
1841,     a    proposition    was    entertained     by    the     quar- 
terly   conference    of   the    circuit    to    raise    subscriptions 
for     the     purpose     of     erecting    a    "meeting     house'' 
somewhere  in   the    Lackawanna    valley.      Barton    Mott, 
Erastus    Smith   and  William    Silkman  were   appointed  a 
committee  to  receive  subscriptions  and  to  proceed  to  the 
accomplishment  of  the  work.     William    Henry  was   asso- 
ciated with  them,   and  the  four   resolved  themselves  into 
a  building  committee,  appointing  Erastus  Smith  president, 
William    Silkman    secretary,  and   Barton  Mott   treasurer. 
The  liberal  contributions  of   the    people  about    the  iron 
works  secured  the  location  at  Harrison.      A  lot  was  pro- 
vided at  the  corner  of  Lackawanna  and   Adams  avenues 
by  Scrantons,  Grant  &  Co.     The  conditions  of    the  sub- 
scription provided  that  when  the  house  was  not  occupied 
by  the  Methodists  other  evangelical  denominations  should 


have  the  privilege  of  occupying  it,  a  provision  of  which 
the  Presbyterians  availed  themselves  for  years.  The  two 
denominations  held  a  union  Sunday-school  in  the  "vil- 
lage chapel,"  as  the  little  church  was  known,  with  the 
utmost-harmony,  until  the  Presbyterians  secured  better 
accommodations. 

The  early  class  leaders  were,  in  the  order  named,  Mar- 
tin Washburn,  Barton  Mott,  Adam  L.  Horn  and  Samuel 
Culver.       Barton    Mott,      Matthias     Henderson,     Noah 
Davis    and   Adam  L.     Horn   were    early   Smday-school 
superintendents.     The  two  last  mentioned  were  also  local 
ministers.     The  "  village  chapel  "  was  occupied  by  the 
Methodists  until  the  present   structure  was  erected.     In 
1856  it  was    purchased  by  the   German   Methodists  and 
removed  to  the  corner  of  Adams  avenue  and  Vine  street. 
The  erection  of    the  present  church   was  begun  in    1854, 
and  in  1856  the  basement  was  opened  for  public  worship. 
In  September,  1858,  it  was  completed  and  dedicated.  The 
audience  room  was  first  occupied    on  the  evening  of  the 
8th  of  that   month  with  a   reception    complimentary    to 
Nellie,  daughter  of  the  pastor.  Rev.  B.  W.  Gorham,  then 
just  married  to  Rev.  W.    L.   Baldwin,  a  missionary   who 
soon  after  sailed  for  India.     The  circuit  which   included 
the  site  of  the  present    city  was    often  changed   in  name 
and   boundaries      in    the    early  days,  being  successively 
known  as  the  Pittston  circuir,  the  Providence  circuit  and 
the     Lackawanna    circuit.      Among    the    early   itinerant 
preachers  on  this   circuit  may  be   mentioned   Revs.  Ben- 
jamin Ellis,   William  Round,    Ira   Wilcox,  J.  Mulkey,  A. 
Bronson,   H.    Brownscombe    and  S.   S.  Kennedy.     As  a 
separate  charge    the   Scranton  church  has  been    served 
successively  by  the  following   named  pastors  during  the 
terms  designated;   Revs.  H.  A.  Schoonmaker,  1854,  1855; 
George    Peck.   D.  D.,  1856,    1857;  B.    W.  Gorham,  1858, 
1859;  George    C.  Bancroft,    i860,    1861;  J.    V.    Newall, 
1862,    1S63;  J.  A.    AVood,   1864;  N.    W.    Everett,    1865, 
1866;    Byron    D.   Sturdevant,   1S67,  1868;  J.    C.  Nobles, 
1869;  P.   Krohn,  1870,  1871;  George  P.    Porter,  1872;    I. 
T.Walker,    1873,   1874;    L.  C.    Floyd,   1875,    1876;  J.  G. 
Eckman,  1878,  1879. 

In  June,  1879,  it  "'^s  resolved  by  a  vote  of  the  members 
and  congregation  to  enlarge  and  beautify  the  church. 
Hon.  Lewis  Pughe,  William  Connell  and  Charles  Forres- 
ter, trustees,  were  appointed  to  make  a  contract  and 
supervise  the  improvements.  June  28th  the  contracts 
for  the  buildmg  and  alterations  were  awarded.  The 
building  was  extended  20  feet  in  length,  and  has  a  tran- 
sept, one  end  of  which  is  20  by  20  feet,  and  will  be  used 
as  an  organ  chamber.  The  other  is  an  e.xtension  of  5  by 
20  feet,  admitting  of  a  side  entrance  to  the  church.  Sev- 
enteen stained  glass  windows  enhance  the  beauty  of  the 
place.  Three  of  these  are  memorial  windows.  One  was 
put  up  in  memory  of  Mary  Ann  Slocum,  who  left  the 
church  $Soo  when  she  died,  in  1875.  Another,  presented 
by  Horace  Phelps,  commemorates  the  name  of  his 
mother,  Mrs.  Hannah  Phelps,  who  presented  the  church 
Bible.  The  third  window  is  inscribed  to  Hattie  B.  Nivi- 
son.     This  was  presented  by  Mrs.  Nivison. 

The  Sunday-school  room,  on    the    ground    floor  of  the 


+ 


^h 


=^H 


DUNMORE  M.  E.  CHURCH— FIRST  M.  E.  CHURCH,  HYDE  PARK. 


431 


building,  was  extended  10  feet,  and  the  addition  of  20 
feet  in  the  rear  is  neatly  furnished  for  a  separate  social 
parlor  and  infant  class  room.  The  seating  capacity  of 
the  church  has  been  increased  from  450  to  900. 

The  dedication  took  place  Sunday,  January  2Sth,  1880. 
The  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Olin,  D.  D., 
presiding  elder  of  Wyoming  district;  Rev.  C.  H.  Fowler, 
D.  D.,  of  New  York,  and  Rev.  Phillip  Krohn,  D.  D.,  of 
West  Troy,  N.  Y.  The  cost  of  the  improvements  and 
furnishing  was  $10,000,  the  whole  of  which  was  pledged 
on  the  day  of  dedication.  The  Wyoming  annual  confer- 
ence held  its  session  in  Scrai.ton  in  i860  and  1880. 

The  first  Sunday-school  was  opened  in  1858,  with  25 
members.  The  present  membership  is  380.  That  of  the 
church  is  375.  Hon.  Lewis  Pughe  was  superintendent  of 
the  school  from  1871  to  1880.  He  was  succeeded  by  G. 
F.  Reynolds. 

Dunmore  Methodist  Episcopal. — Among  the  residents 
of  Dunmore  in  185 1  were  Mrs.  Sabra  Jackson,  Chauncey 
Derby  and  wife,  Joseph  Savage  and  wife,  Mrs.  Dupuy 
and  a  few  other  earnest  Methodists.  They  met  for  wor- 
ship in  the  school-house  on  Blakely  street,  were  con- 
nected with  the  Providence  district  of  the  Wyoming  con- 
ference and  were  supplied  with  a  preacher  for  one  ser- 
vice every  Sabbath.  After  two  years  they  held  services 
about  a  year  in  Coolbaugh's  Hall,  on  Drinker  street,  their 
numbers  gradually  increasing  until  it  was  felt  that  a 
church  edifice  was  demanded.  One  was  soon  erected  on 
a  plot  of  ground  on  Chestnut  street  which  was  donated 
for  that  purpose  by  Mr.  Edward  Spencer.  It  was  used 
by  all  evangelical  denominations  about  five  years,  when 
the  Methodists  finally  decided  to  build  a  church  for  their 
own  use.  Mr.  Spencer  presented  another  lot  on  Chest- 
nut street,  upon  condition  that  the  seats  in  the  church 
should  always  be  free,  and  should  the  society  at  any  time 
decide  to  rent  the  seats,  the  ground  should  be  purchased. 
The  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  society  bought  an  ad- 
joining lot  from  Mrs.  Sarah  Potter,  and  a  committee  on 
building  was  appointed  consisting  of  John  Butler,  Stewart 
Dilley  and  George  W.  Simpson.  The  edifice  is  of  brick, 
35  by  52  feet.  The  property  is  valued  at  $3,000.  As 
soon  as  the  building  was  ready  for  occupancy  the  con- 
gregation removed  thereto,  and  April  nth,  1861,  Rev. 
Reuben  Nelson,  D.  D.,  of  Wyoming  Semmary,  dedicated 
it;  and  the  First  Dunmore  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  organized  with  the  following  named  members,  with 
others:  William  Jackson  and  wife,  Stewart  Dilley  and 
wife,  John  Butler  and  wife,  Joseph  Savage  and  wife, 
Artenias  Miller  and  wife,  John  Rice  and  wife,  James 
Haskins  and  wife,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Simpson,  J.  W.  Silsbee  and 
Thomas  Dorsheimer. 

Rev.  Luther  Peck  was  pastor  three  years.  The  follow- 
ing named  preachers  have  been  his  successors,  serving 
from  one  to  three  years  each:  Revs.  C.  L.  Rice,  J.  A. 
Lippincott,  W.  H.  Gavitt,  J.  T.  Crowell,  T.  B.  Jayne,  C. 
A.  Ward,  J.  F.  Williams,  G.  A.  Severson,  J.  La  Bar  and 
Joseph  Madison. 

A  few  years  after  the  organization  of  the  church  it  was 
decided  to  rent  the  seats  in  order  to  raise  the  preacher's 


salary,  the  free  seat  system  having  proved  a  failure,  and 
the  society  bought  the  lot  as  agreed.  In  1871  Mr.  Spencer 
again  generously  presented  flie  church  a  plot  of  ground, 
on  Apple  street,  on  which  a  parsonage  was  built.  It  is 
a  wooden  building,  valued  at  $2,000.  October  3d,  1878, 
the  roof  of  the  church  was  blown  off.  It  was  immedi- 
ately repaired.  The  membership  of  the  church  was 
about  125  in  January,  1880;  it  is  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion spiritually  and  financially.  The  ofificial  members 
were  as  follows:  Trustees — Allen  Secor,  Thomas  Dor- 
sheimer, Dan  Powell,  John  Harper,  John  Butler  and 
Thomas  Sly;  stewards — Dan  Powell,  John  Rice,  Elijah 
Shaffer,  Reuben  Mowry,  Albert  Wagner,  Hall  Thornton 
and  Henry  Thorn.  The  Sunday-school  was  organized 
May  i2th,  1861,  with  John  Butler  as  superintendent. 
"'The  number  of  scholars  was  76;  volumes  in  library,  142. 
In  1880  it  was  in  excellent  condition  under  the  manage- 
ment Of  Thomas  Sly,  superintendent.  The  number  of 
scholars  was  175;  volumes  in  library,  200. 

Firsi  Methodist  Episcopal  (Hyde  Park). — This  society 
was  chartered  November  23d,  1859,  on  petition  of  Wil- 
liam H.  Omro,  William  Munson,  jr.,  Issacher  Pauling  and 
John  M.  Acker.  But  as  early  as  1851  there  was  a  class 
in  Hyde  Park  connected  with  the  Scranton  church,  the 
pastor  preaching  each  alternate  Sunday  afternoon  wher- 
ever he  could,  the  Baptist  church  being  used  generally. 
Of  the  members  of  that  early  class  only  William  Munson 
and  Mrs.  M.  A.  Varnes  are  residents  of  Hyde  Park.  At 
a  conference  held  in  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  July  6th,  1856, 
the  Taylorville  class  (located  at  the  place  now  known  as 
Brick  Church,  near  Pittston)  and  Hyde  Park  were  organ- 
ized into  a  circuit  under  the  name  of  Lackawanna  mis- 
sion. The  entire  membership  was  only  70.  The  pastor 
was  Rev.  F.  Illman.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  old 
school-house  in  Hyde  Park,  which  soon  after  was  pur- 
chased, with  the  lot  on  which  it  stood,  and  repaired  and 
converted  into  a  church,  which  in  i860  was  replaced  by 
a  fine  brick  structure  with  a  parsonage  close  by.  This 
society  was  then  in  a  thriving  condition. 

In  1862  Hyde  Park  became  a  separate  charge,  with  a 
membership  of  55.  Rev.  W.  J.  Judd  was  pastor.  Feb- 
ruary 14th,  i86g,  the  church  and  the  parsonage  were 
burned  down.  The  society  had  just  succeeded  in  liqui- 
dating all  its  obligations.  The  estimated  value  of  the 
church  was  $6,000;  of  the  parsonage,  $2,500.  The  insur- 
ance amounted  to  only  $1,100.  On  the  evening  of  the 
T6th,  at  a  public  meeting,  preliminary  steps  were  taken 
toward  rebuilding  the  house  of  worship.  Rev.  F.  L.  Hil- 
ler  was  appointed  pastor.  The  present  commodious  and 
substantial  brick  edifice  was  dedicated  February  22nd, 
1872,  Rev.  William  P.  Abbott,  D.  D.,  preaching  in  the 
morning  and  Rev.  B.  I.  Ives,  D.  D.,  in  the  evening.  It  is 
valued  at  $2,500,  and  will  seat  700.  A  parsonage  valued 
at  $4,500  was  subsequently  erected  at  the  rear  of  the 
church,  fronting  on  Hyde  Park  avenue.  The  present 
membership  of  the  church  is  nearly  600. 

The  successive  pastors  of  the  church  in  the  order  of 
their  appointment,  with  the  term  of  service  of  each,  have 
been:     Revs.  Y.  Illman,   1856;    Joshua  S.  Lewis,  1857, 


=KN 


^^ 


<h 


432 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


1858;  S.  S.  Barter,  1859,  i860;  N.  W.  Everett,  186 1; 
W.  J.  Judd,  1862,  1863;  R.  Van  Valkenburg,  1864  (five 
months);  F.  S.  Hiller,  1864,  1865;  L.  W.  Peck,  1866, 
1867;  D.  A.  Shepherd,  1868;  F.  S.  Hiller,  1869-74  (Mr. 
Hiller  was  financial  agent  of  the  church  and  Rev.  Sam- 
uel J.  Austin  pulpit  supply  in  1872);  I.  B.  Hyde,  1873; 
R.  W.  Van  Schoick,  1874-76;  Willis  L.  Thorpe,  now 
(1879)  closing  the  third  year  of  his  pastorate.  The  organ- 
ization of  the  Sunday-school  dates  with  the  early  history 
of  the  church,  and  its  progress  has  been  gratifying.  The 
average  attendance  has  been  about  500  for  quite  a  length 
of  time.  For  a  number  of  years  Thomas  H.  Dale  has 
been  superintendent. 

German  Methodist  Episcopal  {'siCX3Xi\.ox^. — At  the  ses- 
ion  of  the  Wyoming  M.  E,  Conference  in  1854  a  resolu- 
tion was  passed  to  petition  the  board  of  missions  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  a  German  missionary  at 
Scranton.  Rev.  F.  W.  Flocken  was  sent  to  minister  to 
the  2,000  Germans  then  in  and  around  Scranton;  arriv- 
ing in  July,  1855,  and  preaching  his  first  sermon  in  the 
village  chapel.  Thechur;h  was  organized  October  30th, 
1855,  with  fifteen  members.  Of  these  the  following  are 
still  in  active  membership:  Michael  Lutz,  his  son  John 
Lutz,  Jacob  Walter  and  John  Schlaeger.  Mr.  Flocken 
bought  the  "  chapel  "  or  old  Methodist  church  .for  $100,' 
and  had  it  removed  to  the  present  location,  in  the  rear  of 
the  new  church,  where  it  is  used  for  school  purposes. 

The  following  were  the  succeeding  pastors  and  their 
time  of  service:  Revs.  John  G.  Lutz,  two  years;  Jacob 
Weeks,  who  built  the  present  parsonage,  to  which  addri- 
tions  were  made  by  subsequent  pastors,  two;  Leonhaad 
Meyer,  two;  Louis  Wallon,  two;  Paul  Guattlaender,  who 
secured  the  present  church  lot,  90  by  150  feet,  at  a  cost 
of  $1,650,  three;  Jacob  Kolb,  two;  William  Kurth,  three — 
under  his  administration  the  present  beautiful  golhic 
church  at  the  corner  of  Adams  avenue  and  Vine  street 
was  built,  42  by  75  feet  with  a  steeple  120  feet  high,  cost- 
ing $16,000  and  dedicated  in  1872  by  Rev.  Dr.  Jesse  T. 
Peck;  Rev.  G.  H.  Mayer,  three;  his  labors  were 
crowned  with  a  revival  by  which  more  than  eighty  were 
converted.  Rev.  F.  W.  Dinger,  the  present  pastor,  came 
in  1877.  He  has  succeeded  in  paying  the  regularly  ac- 
cruing interest,  meeting  current  expenses  and  reducing 
the   debt   of  $9,000  to  $7,300. 

The  Sunday-school  was  established  by  Rev.  F.  W. 
Flocken,  without  books  or  other  aids,  July  8th,  1855.  In 
the  following  October  there  were  37  male  and  8  female 
scholars.  The  following  were  the  succeeding  superin- 
tendents: Frederick  Bonn,  John  Schlaeger,  Frederick 
Mueller,  Stanislaus  Haag,  William  G.  Schulz,  William 
Busche,  John  W.  Schulz,  Jacob  Hetzel,  John  Lutz.  A 
mission  Sunday-school  was  opened  in  1875  in  Petersburg, 
and  the  schools  numbered  about  200  scholars,  with  12  offi- 
cers and  50  teachers,  and  a  library  of  300  volumes  in 
1879. 

Ebenezer  Calvinistic  Methodist  Welsh  Church  'Hyde 
Park). — This  society  was  organized  in  1863,  as  a  branch 
from  another  society  of  the  same  denomination  which 
existed  in  Bellevue.     The  Bellevue   society   at  that  time 


had  a  membership  of  about  80,  residing  at  Hyde  Park 
and  Bellevue.  Some  of  them  determined  to  organize  a 
branch  society  in  Hyde  Park  and  build  a  church  there. 
A  building  committee  was  appointed  consisting  of  Walter 
Phillips,  Llewelyn  Jenkins,  John  Davis,  Richard  Jones 
and  Daniel  Moses.  Having  purchased  the  site  where 
the  church  now  stands,  they  awarded  the  contract  for  its 
building  to  Thomas  Hammond.  Work  began  in  Septem- 
ber, 1863;  it  was  under  roof  in  December.  The  lecture 
room  was  finished  May  ist,  1864,  and  the  auditorium  (65 
by  45  feet)  was  completed  July  ist  following.  The  cost 
was  about  $10,250,  which  sum  was  raised  in  about  a  year 
and  a  half  after  the  completion  of  the  building.  The 
value  of  the  church  property  is  estimated  at  $15,000. 

The  formal  organization  of  the  Ebenezer  society  was 
effected  June  ist,  1864,  in  the  lecture  room  of  the  new 
church,  by  Rev.  J.  E.  Davies,  D.  D.,  and  wife,  Joshua 
Williams  and  wife,  John  E.  Davies  and  wife,  Daniel 
Hughes  and  wife,  Richard  Jones  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Rob- 
ert Williams,  all  of  Hyde  Park.  The  first  service  was 
held  in  the  new  church  May  15th,  1864,  and  services  were 
continued  weekly  until  July  17th,  1864,  when  the  church 
was  dedicated,  the  services  continuing  two  days.  Rev.  J. 
E.  Davies,  D.  D.,  was  the  first  pastor,  oflSciating  in  the 
services  alternately  with  the  Ebenezer  and  Bellevue 
churches,  and  served  (dating  from  December  27th,  1863) 
three  successive  years.  Rev.  M.  A.  Ellis,  M.  A.,  was 
pastor  (the  third)  from  January  ist,  1869,  six  years;  Rev. 
R.  H.  Evans,  three  years  from  April  1st,  1875.  At  pres. 
ent  (January  ist,  1S80)  there  is  no  pastor.  The  number 
of  church  members  is  about  150.  The  first  Sabbath- 
school  superintendent  was  Richard  Jones.  The  average 
attendance  of  pupils  is  125. 

First  Methodist  r rotestant  {Kyde.  Park).— This  church 
was  organized  by  Rev.  F.  B.  Fletcher,  at  the  house  of 
Mrs.  Julia  Felts,  December  igth,  1868,  with  the  follow- 
ing named  members:  John  Fern  and  wife,  David  Myers 
and  wife,  Valentine  Erbach  and  wife,  Jacob  Hall,  Richard 
Maxie  and  wife,  David  Nimon  and  wife,  Augustus  Brin- 
ton,  William  Newton,  John  Shoeman,  John  and  Julia 
Felts,  Mrs.  Benedict  Eggert,  AsaR.  Cramer  and  wife  and 
Mrs.  Margaret  Armitage.  A  thorough  organization  was 
effected  by  the  election  of  the  following  officers:  David 
Myers,  secretary;  Valentine  Erbach,  treasurer;  John 
Fern  and  Asa  R.  Cramer,  class  leaders;  William  Newton, 
Richard  Brinton,  Richard  Maxie,  David  Nimon  and 
John  Shoeman,  stewards.  The  new  organization  held 
regular  Sunday  afternoon  services  in  the  Baptist  church, 
until  the  completion  of  a  small  two-story  building,  the 
lower  floor  of  which  was  arranged  for  the  purposes  of 
worship,  and  the  upper  part  fitted  up  for  use  as  a  par- 
sonage, about  six  weeks  later.  Here  services  were  con- 
ducted regularly  for  about  two  years,  when  a  neat  and 
commodious  edifice  was  built  on  a  portion  of  the  same 
lot  (the  first  building  still  doing  service  as  a  parsonage) 
and  dedicated  early  in  January,  1873. 

The  progress  of  the  church  has  been  steady  and  rapid, 
the  membership  in  1880  numbering  about  150.  Its  prop- 
erty,is  beautifully  located  on  Park  Hill,  and  is  valued  at 


*i¥ 


*ih 


Mrs.    M.    C.    NIVISON,    M.    D. 


Mrs.  M.  C.  Nivison,  M.  D.,  daughter  of  Hiram  and 
Harriet  (Brewster)  Owen,  of  Enfield,  Tompkins 
county,  N.  Y.,  and  wife  of  Oziel  Nivison,  M.  D.,  of 
Dryden-  Springs,  N.  Y.,  was  born  June  3d,  1834.  She 
received  her  preliminary  education  in  the  district  and 
select  schools  of  Mecklenburg,  N.  Y.  In  1867  she  com- 
menced the  study  of  medicine  with  her  sister-in-law, 
Miss  Anna  T.  Nivison,  M.  D.,  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  with 
whom  she  studied  for  three  years,  during  which  time 
she  attended  two  courses  of  lectures  at  the  Eclectic  Med- 
ical College  of  New  York  city,  and  was  graduated  there- 
from in  March,  1871.  In  the  following  May  she  com- 
menced the  practice  of  her  profession  in  Scranton,  where 
she  has  since  been  continuously  engaged,  and  is  now 
(August,  1880)  enjoying  an  extensive  and  successful 
practice.     Both  her  mother  and  daushter  Hattie  came 


to  Scranton  with  her,  the  former  of  whom  died  here  Sep- 
tember 2ist,  1872,  and  the  latter  January  25th,  1878, 
aged  nineteen.  Mrs.  Nivison  lost  her  only  son  in  New 
York  State  in  1857.  Her  husband.  Dr.  Nivison,  is  in 
practice  in  the  sanitarium  at  Dryden,  Tompkins  county. 
N.  Y.  Mrs.  Nivison  is  the  pioneer  female  doctor  in  the 
Lackawanna  valley,  and  was  obliged  to  contend  with 
many  difi5culties  on  account  of  the  prejudice  against 
women  in  the  practice  of  the  medical  profession;  but  she 
overcame  them  all  and  has  the  confidence  and  patronage 
of  a  very  large  circle  of  friends,  and  has  opened  the  way 
for  many  others  who  have  followed  her  in  the  profession 
in  the  valley.  She  was  elected  vice-president  of  the  State 
Eclectic  Medical  Association  which  met  at  Altoona  in 
1879.  She  has  been  for  many  years  a  consistent  mem- 
ber of  the  M.  E.  Church. 


-M^ 


*=^^ 


=-f 


Ot^£-^  Q/^'^- 


REESE  T.  EVANS. 

Reese  T.  Evans  was  born  in  Caermarthenshire,  South 
Wales,  in  May,  1825,  the  fifth  child  of  Theophilus  and 
Mary  Evans.  There  were  six  children  in  his  father's 
family: — Ann,  Stephen,  Catharine,  Martha,  Reese  T.  and 
Mary.  Ann,  Stephen  and  Mary  are  deceased.  Catha- 
rine, widow  of  John  Griffiths,  and  Martha,  wife  of  John 
O.  Jones,  are  both  residents  of  Hyde  Park,  and  each  has 
four  children  living.  Mrs.  Jones  was  the  first  of  the  fam- 
ily who  came  to  America,  coming  in  1851. 

After  receiving  an  education  limited  to  the  common 
school  of  his  native  place,  at  the  age  of  thirteen  Reese 
T.  Evans  entered  upon  the  life  of  a  miner,  and  followed 
it  all  the  time  he  was  in  the  old  country.  December  22nd, 
1845,  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Enoch  and  Sarah 
Evans,  of  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales.  He  emigrated 
with  his  family  to  America  in  1852,  and  first  settled  in 
Pittston,  Luzerne  county,  where  he  was  employed  for 
four  years  as  a  miner.  In  the  fall  of  1857  he  moved  to 
Hyde  Park,  where  he  has  since  resided.  During  eight 
years  he  was  employed  as  a  miner  in  the  Diamond  mines. 
In  1865  he  was  appointed  foreman  of  these  mines,  and  he 
has  ever  since  held  that  position.  Mr.  Evans  is  a  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  has  always  taken  an  active  part 
in  the  conduct  of  political  matters  in  his  locality.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Scranton  for  the 
years  1854-56,  and  was  elected  to  the  office  of  city  treas- 
urer for  1867  and  1868.  The  fidelity  and  thoroughness 
with  which  the  responsible  duties  of  this  office  were  dis- 
charged by  him  are  indicated  by  the  following  notices  pub- 
lished at  the  time.  The  city  controller,  Charles  Du  Pont 
Breck,  in  his  report  says:  "  This  department  [the  treas- 
urer's] of  our  government  has  been  conducted  in  a  man- 
ner reflecting  the  highest  credit  on  the  treasurer  and  the 
officials  in  charge,  and  our  citizens  are  to  be  congratu- 
lated on  the  fact  that  the  public  finances  have  been  cared 


for  with  a  degree  of  integrity  worthy  ofjemulation."  The 
Scrmiton  Republican  upon  the  completion  of  his  term  of 
office  published  the  following  tribute  of  prase:  "The 
outgoing  treasurer  is  absolutely  the  first  in  the  history  of 
Scranton  that  leaves  the  office  with  a  clean  and  honora- 
ble record.  Mr.  Evans's  incumbency  is  charcterized  by 
an  honest  and  careful  management  of  our  city  finances 
which  reflects  honor  upon  the. city  and  credit  upon  the 
voters  who  elected  him."  Though  strongly  urged  to 
accept  a  nomination  to  the  office  he  declined. 

Mr.  Evans  has  been  a  [member  of  the  church  since 
eleven  years  of  age,  at  Hyde  Park  of  the  Welsh  Congre- 
gational.    His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  same  church. 

There  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  twelve 
children,  four  of  whom  were  born  in  Wales,  two  in  Pitts- 
ton  and  six  in  Hyde  Park.  Two  of  the  four  born  in 
Wales  died  there.  Mary,  wife  of  Elizur  Evans,  born 
May  i6th,  1846,  and  Sarah,  wife  of  David  R.  Richards, 
born  January  22nd,  1848,  were  born  in  Wales  and  are 
now  residents  of  Hyde  Park.  The  former  has  two  chil- 
dren, the  latter  eight.  Stephen  and  David  were  born  in 
Pittston;  the  former  January  23d,  1854,  the  latter  De- 
cember 19th,  1855.  Stephen  married  Martha  Phillips; 
they  have  three  children.  Thomas,  born  March  8th, 
1858,  married  Nellie  Moses,  by  whom  he  has  one  child. 
Elizabeth,  born  December  8th,  1859;  George  W.,  born 
November  15th,  1861;  Cassie,  born  January  25th,  1863; 
Reese  (deceased),  born  February  26th,  1865;  and  Miri- 
am, born  December  21st,  1866,  were  born  in  Hyde  Park. 
Five  of  the  children  are  living  at  home  in  Hyde  Park. 

In  these  days,  when  one  child  in  the  family  is  often 
considered  one  too  many,  and  it  would  seem  the  purpose, 
especially  of  native  Americans,  to  banish  from  earth  the 
very  name  of  brother  and  sister,  it  is  refreshing  to  come 
upon  one  of  the  old-time  families,  like  that  of  Mr.  Evans, 
who  may  well  rejoice  not  only  in  the  character  but  also 
in  the  number  of  his  children  and  grandchildren. 


*^  sf* 


about  $5,000.  Its  Sunday  school,  of  which  Jolin  Vern  was 
the  first  superintendent,  has  always  been  under  the  man- 
agement of  an  efficient  corps  of  officers.  The  scholars 
number  about  loo;  the  volumes  in  the  library,  575.  The 
names  of  the  pastors,  with  their  terms  of  service  (begin- 
ing  August  ist),  are  as  follows:  Revs.  F.  B.  Fletcher, 
1868-70;  Joseph  Watrous,  1870,  1871;  H.  G.  Russell, 
1871-73;  John  Jones,  1873,  1S74;  O.  C.  Payne,  M.  D., 
1874-76;  George  Shaver,  1876-78;  Thomas  B.  Dodd, 
1878,  1879;  Alexander  Patton,  1S79  (present  incumbent). 

Primitive  Methodist  Mission  (Hyde  Park). — This  society 
was  originally  organized  under  the  name  of  the  "  Method- 
ist Protestants  "  in  1876.  The  members  were  John  G. 
Nicholson,  William  A.  Jones,  Richard  Riddle,  William 
Richardson,  Elizabeth  Williams,  Elizabeth  Eddy,  Delia 
Davies  and  Margaret  Fox.  The  place  of  meeting,  then 
and  since,  was  Briggs  shaft  school-house.  The  first 
minister  was  Rev.  O.  C.  Payne,  who  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  George  Shafer.  The  following  named  members  of 
the  society  seceded  frora'the  Methodist  Protestant  church 
in  September,  1878,  at  the  close  of  Rev.  George  Shafer's 
ministry,  and  united  with  the  Primitive  Methodist  de- 
nomination: J.  G.  Nicholson,  E.  E.  Williams,  James 
Evans,  Richard  Riddle,  William  Richardson,  Elizabeth 
Williams,  Delia  Davies,  Mary  Grassey,  Jane  Davies,  John 
Camphell,  Sarah  Morgan,  Margaret  Evans,  Walter  Price 
and  wife,  James  Price  and  Charles  Riddle. 

The  pulpit  was  supplied  by  preachers  of  other  Primi- 
tive Methodist  churches,  and  the  church  was  under  the 
superintendence  of  Rev.  H.  G.  Russell,  pastor  of  the 
Plains  circuit,  from  September,  1878,  till  the  beginning 
of  June,  1879,  when  Rev.  J.  T.  Matthews  became  its  first 
regular  pastor. 

BAPTIST. 

First  (Hyde  Park).— In  1833  Rev.  William  K.  Mott, 
then  pastor  at  Pittston,  commenced  preaching  occasion- 
ally in  the  Lackawanna  valley.  He  baptized  several 
converts,  who  were  received  into  the  church  at  Pittston. 
It  was  not  until  1849  that  the  church  at  Hyde  Park  was 
organized.  It  was  publicly  recognized  September  12th 
of  the  same  year,  with  Mr.  Mott  as  pastor,  who  remained 
until  January  ist,  1871.  It  was  through  his  efforts  that 
the  church  edifice  was  erected  and  paid  for.  It  is  a  brick 
building  and  cost  $2,500.  It  was  dedicated  January  4th, 
1852,  and  was  at  that  time  a  very  comfortable  and  sub- 
stantial building.  There  was  at  one  lime  a  branch  of  the 
church  at  Minooka.  The  members  at  that  place  were 
organized  into  a  separate  church  in  1871,  but  did  not 
long  succeed  in  maintaining  their  existence  as  such. 
During  that  year  the  church  was  for  several  months  sup- 
plied by  Rev.  W.  B.  Grow  and  Rev.  J.  H.  Asternul!  be- 
came pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  J.  Millard 
and  he  by  Rev.  Alfred  Cauldwell.  The  present  pastor, 
Rev.  Isaac  Bevan,  became  such  April  ist,  1876.  The 
church  has  never  been  large,  and  yet  has  received  during 
its  history  a  considerable  number  of  members.  It  has 
been  the  mother  of  two  very  efficient  and  successful  off- 
shoots, the  Penn  avenue  church,  Scranton,  and  the  Jack- 


son street  church,   Hyde   Park.     At    present  it  numbers 
about  70  members. 

Welsh  (Hyde  Park).— This  church  and  the  Sunday-school 
connected  with  it  were  organized  in  1850,  in  the  school- 
house  near  the  old  iron  rolling-mill  in  Scranton.  Previ- 
ous to  this,  Rev.  William  Richmond,  of  Carbondale,  had 
held  service  in  the  same  place.  The  first  settled  pastor 
was  Rev.  John  W.  James,  who  resigned  in  1859.  Then 
Rev.  Theophilus  Jones  was  pastor  two  and  a  half  years. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Isaiah  Davis.  It  was  during 
his  ministry  that  the  brick  church  edifice  on  Mifflin  ave- 
nue, Scranton,  was  erected.  It  was  afterwards  sold  to 
the  German  Lutheran  church.  From  1862  the  church 
held  services  in  Fellows  Hall,  Hyde  Park,  the  majority  of 
the  Welsh  people  of  Scranton  living  on  that  side  of  the 
river,  until  the  present  commodious  house  of  worship 
was  erected.  The  foundation  of  this  building  was  laid  in 
1864.  It  was  not  finished  until  1868.  Rev.  J.  P.  Harris 
was  pastor  for  two  years  and  a  half  from  1863;  then 
Rev.  Fred.  Evans  three  years;  Rev.  D.  W.  Morris,  from 
November,  1870,  until  1876;  Rev.  M.  Wright  from  Janu- 
ary, 1877,  to  December  24th,  1878,  when  he  died.  Since 
that  the  church  has  had  no  settled  pastor,  but  has  de- 
pended on  supplies.  The  congregation  has  been  large. 
The  present  church  edifice  cost  $14,450.  The  present 
number  of  members  is  350;  number  in  Sunday-school 
500. 

Penn  Avenue  Chicrch  (  Scranton  ). — This  church  was 
organized  August  i8th,  1859,  at  the  house  of  Nathaniel 
Halstead,  with  25  members,  most  of  whom  had  been  dis- 
missed from  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Hyde  Park,  of 
which  Rev.  W.  K.  Mott  was  pastor.  By  request,  Rev. 
Isaac  Bevan  was  present  and  aided  in  the  organization. 
August  24th  he  preached  at  the  public  recognition  of  the 
church.  Soon  after  he  received  a  call  to  become  the 
pastor,  and  began  his  labors  early  in  the  following  No- 
vember. The  church  then  numbered  23,  two  members 
having  taken  letters  of  dismission  and  left  the  place. 

For  more  than  a  year  the  church  worshiped  in  the  old 
Odd  Fellows'  Hall.  From  the  completion  of  Washing- 
ton Hall  tl'.e  church  used  that  until  it  entered  the  lecture 
room  of  its  new  edifice  on  Penn  avenue.  In  about  two 
years  the  main  audience  room  was  finished  and  dedi- 
cated. The  dedication  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev. 
T.  D.  Anderson,  of  New  York  city.  Elisha  A.  Coray,  of 
New  York,  started  the  subscription  with  $2,000  and  at 
the  dedication  added  $500,  and  E.  E.  Hendricks,  of  Car- 
bondale, gave  $300.  There  were  others  who  gave  with 
equal  liberality  according  to  their  means.  The  pastor 
collected  in  all  about  $12,000.  The  lots  as  originally 
bounded  on  Penn  avenue  were  secured  from  the  Iron 
and  Coal  Company  for  $3,600,  they  donating  to  the 
church  $1,000.  The  church  purchased  a  narrow  strip 
on  the  rear  of  the  lots  which  had  come  into  the  hands  of 
Hon.  John  Handley,  for  $2,500. 

Mr.  Bevan  was  pastor  to  the  last  of  November,  1869, 
when  the  church  numbered  a  little  over  200.  Its  Sab- 
bath-school was  large  and  flourishing,  and  had  had  as  its 
superintendents  J.    F.  Friant,  R.  A.   Henry  and  the   pas- 


♦^H= 


<h 


434 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


tor.  Their  successors  have  been  Thomas  Moore,  Rev. 
W.  P.  Hellings  and  L.  Amerman.  After  Mr.  Bevan,  Rev. 
W.  P.  Hellings,  from  Germantown,  was  pastor  over  seven 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  A. 
M.  Hopper,  D.  D.,  from  Bridgeport,  Conn.  The  mem- 
bership of  the  church  is  about  300;  that  of  the  Sunday- 
school  about  400;  the  number  of  volumes  in  the  library 
is  590. 

Welsh  (Providence). — This  church  was  organized  early 
in  1864,  with  28  constituent  members.  The  services  were 
held  in  Panooka  Hall,  by  Theophilus  Jones,  B.  E.  Bovven, 
P.  L.  Davis  and  others.  The  founders  of  the  church  were 
Richard  Harris  and  wife,  William  Williams,  B.  Hughes 
and  wife,  Thomas  Morrib  and  wife,  John  P.  Lewis  and 
wife,  Thomas  Powell,  William  Roberts,  William  W. 
Reese  and  wife,  Thomas  D.  Davies  and  others.  Richard 
Harris  and  John  P.  Lewis  were  appointed  deacons.  Meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  "  Notch  "  school-house  as  early  as 
1863.  There  the  Sunday-school  was  organized,  with  B. 
Hughes  as  its  first  superintendent.  Rev.  J.  P.  Harris,  then 
pastor  of  the  Hyde  Park  church,  administered  the  ordi- 
nances; several  converts  were  baptized  by  him. 

Lots  for  erecting  a  house  of  worship  were  secured  in 
1S65,  on  Market  street,  and  the  present  house  was  built 
in  1866  and  dedicated  late  that  year.  The  estimated 
value  of  the  church  property  is  $4,000.  A  rectory  was 
added  in  1878,  valued  at  about  $300.  Rev.  John  Evans, 
then  just  arrived  from  Wales,  became  the  first  pastor  in 
April,  1868,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Parry,  also 
then  just  from  Wales,  who  was  installed  the  first  Sunday 
in  August,  1870,  and  remained  nearly  two  years.  From 
September,  1874,  Rev.  Llewelyn  Rees  was  pastor  one 
year.  The  present  incumbent,  Rev.  J.  P.  Harris,  began 
his  labors  in  December,  1877.  At  the  close  of  1879  the 
membership  of  the  church  was  150,  and  the  average  at- 
tendance at  the  Sunday-school  130. 

Jackson  Street  Church  (Hyde  Park). — This  church  was 
organized  June  22ncl,  187 1,  with  nine  members,  and 
recognized  September  13th,  1871,  by  a  council  of  dele- 
gates from  various  churches.  For  more  than  two  years 
the  Sunday  services  were  held  in  Clark's  Hall,  on  Main 
street.  From  November  ist,  1873,  Fellows  Hall,  on  the 
op[)osite  side  of  the  street,  was  used  till  the  opening  of 
the  meeting  house  on  Jackson  street,  west  of  Main  street, 
June  2ist  and  22nd,  1877.  The  house  is  a  one-story 
wooden  structure,  plain  but  tasteful  and  commodious, 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  450  to  500,  and  with  the  lot 
cost  $5,510. 

The  first  and  present  pastor,  Rev.  B.  W.  Thomas,  as- 
sumed charge  January  ist,  1872,  and  was  installed  in 
Clark's  Hall,  Sunday,  January  28th,  1872.  The  present 
membership  of  the  church  is  200.  The  congregation  is 
large.  The  church  has  always  conducted  a  prosperous 
Sunday-school.  The  first  superintendent  was  B.  G.  Bed- 
doe.  For  six  or  seven  years  a  mission  school,  under 
charge  of  Mr.  Howell,  was  conducted  near  the  Conti- 
nental mines. 

Fint  German  {Zcxa.ntoi-\). — This  church  is  on  Pittston 
avenue.     Upon  the  request  of  some  members  of  the  Penn 


Avenue  Baptist  church,  that  church   resolved  to  establish 

a  mission  among   the  Germans  of  Scranton  and  vicinity; 

and  October  ist,  187 1,  with  the  aid  of  the  Baptist  Home 

Mission,  engaged  Rev.  Adolph  Ginius,  from  Erie,  Pa.,  as 

a  missionary.     The  church  was  organized  September  4th, 

1874,  with  the  following  constituent  members: 

Charles  and  Miner  Kiesel,  Albert  and  Ferdinand  and  Henrietta  Flesch, 
sen.  and  jr.,  Aug:uste,  Elizabeth,  .Jacob,  Peter,  Christopher  and  Adam 
Keeh,  bod.  and  .ir.,  Mary  Bonn,  Henry  and  August*  Baumann,  Fidel 
Wandler,  PrederJct  and  B3t*th±  ttosder,  Ciroline  Petri,  Frederick,  Con- 
rad and  Caroline  Kieferle,  Christian  and  Ernestine  Blum,  Margaretha 
Klein,  Caroline,  John,  Mary,  Ernestine  and  John  Kohler,  jr.,  Elizabeth 
Berthold,  Fredericic  and  Anna  Urnveider,  John  and  Charlotte  Dietz, 
Ilichard  and  Rosa  Berber,  Frederick  and  Aug-ustine  Shumann,  Frederick 
and  Carl  Blum,  Mary  Kiefenberg,  Wilhelm  Butler,  Christoph  Endcriein, 
Willjelm  Mueller,  Frederick  Maier,  Louise  Jacke,  Henriette,  Lidia  and 
Martha  Ginius,  Henry  Klein,  John  and  Barbara  Mohr,  Bertha  Schmidt, 
HichardandOscarStrauch,  John  and  Magdalena  Biroher,  and  Andreas 
Neiger. 

The  iirst  pastor  was  Rev.  Adolph  Ginius.  He  served 
from  October  ist,  1871,  until  April  ist,  1877,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  Henry  Griep. 
The  church  is  a  one-story  frame  building,  formerly  be- 
longing to  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  M.  E.  church  'and  loca- 
ted on  River  street,  and  was  removed  from  there  to  its 
present  place.  The  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  was  Frederick  Shuman.  The  church  has  a  mis- 
sion school  in  Taylorville,  under  the  management  of 
Conrad  Kieferle.  The  number  of  scholars  in  both 
schools  is  130;  teachers,  20;  volumes  in  library,  250. 

ROMAN    CATHOLIC. 

Roman  Catholic  Interest  in  Scranton  and  Dunnwre. — 
Previous  to  1846  the  Catholics  of  Scranton  and  vicinity, 
few  in  number,  of  scanty  means,  and  scattered  here  and 
there,  did  not  enjoy  religious  attendance  and  spiritual 
instruction.  In  that  year,  however,  Rev.  P.  Pendergast, 
at  that  time  stationed  at  Carbondale,  was  the  first  Catho- 
lic clergyman  to  minister  to  their  spiritual  wants.  As 
the  luxury  of  a  cnurch  was  not  yet  afforded  them,  he 
was  obliged  to  celebrate  mass  and  hold  meetings  from- 
time  to  time  in  a  small  apartment  of  a  private  dwelling 
on  Division  street.  In  1S48  was  begun  the  erection  of  a 
small  frame  building,  35  by  25  feet,  on  a  large  plot  of 
ground  donated  by  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany for  church  and  cemetery  purposes,  which  was  soon 
completed  and  ready  for  occupancy.  About  this  time 
Rev.  John  Loughran  became  the  first  resident  priest  of 
Scranton,  remaining  till  July,  1852,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  James  Cullen.  The  little  church  on 
Division  street  soon  became  inadequate,  and  the  pastor 
secured  ground  on  Franklin  avenue,  where  he  immedi- 
ately commenced  the  erection  of  a  substantial  frame  edi- 
fice 96  by  45  feet.  On  Sunday,  November  13th,  1853, 
the  new  building,  though  not  yet  quite  finished,  was 
blessed  with  appropriate  ceremonies  and  opened  to 
the  use  of  the  congregation.  In  April,  1854,  Rev. 
Father  CuUm  was  removed,  and  Rev.  Moses  Whitty, 
who  had  been  stationed  at  Honesdale  in  charge  of  the 
missions  in  Wayne  county,  assumed  the  pastorate.  Be- 
fore the  end  of  the  year  he  coinpleted  the  unfinished 
structure.     This,  too,  soon  proved  inadequate.     In  1856 


^B= 


-4. 


ii?C-^- 


C-i^-^ 


Piifl-'  (>\j  lia  Ball  -^  ,^'-n,i  IZ  Btipctmi  St  h'J. 


4^- 


=-^ 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCHES  OF  SCRANTON. 


435 


a  frame  church  75  by  45  feet  was  built  at  Durimore,  and 
the  people  of  that  locality  ceased  to  attend  service  at 
Scranton. 

Notwithstanding  the  relief  afforded  by  this  measure, 
the  congregation  at  Scranton  still  felt  the  want  of  room, 
and  in  1858  a  frame  church  70  by  30  feet  was  con- 
structed in  that  portion  of  Providence  known  as  Bloom's 
Patch,  now  the  second  ward  of  Scranton.  The  congre- 
ga'ion  then  consisted  of  about  250  members,  and  servi- 
ces were  attended  regularly  from  Scranton.  In  the  lat- 
ter part  of  187 1  Providence  became  a  separate  parish, 
and  Rev.  Moses  Whitty  was  assigned  to  the  new  charge, 
and  labored  so  successfully  for  the  erection  of  a  building 
adequate  to  the  wants  of  the  congregation,  now  unable  to 
gain  access  to  the  old  church,  that  the  year  1873  wit- 
nessed the  ceremony  of  laying  the  corner  stone  of  St. 
Mary's  Church,  which  was  completed,  and  on  the  nth 
of  October  of  the  same  year  dedicated.  The  old  church 
in  Bloom's  Patch  was  at  once  abandoned  as  a  place  of 
worship  and  devoted  exclusively  to  school  and  society 
purposes.  The  congregation  now  numbers  about  1,900 
members.  The  Sunday-school  is  composed  of  not  less 
than  450  children. 

But  to  return  to  the  church  at  Scranton  proper.  The 
population  was  increasing  rapidly  and  the  membership 
steadily  augmenting,  and  soon  the  inconvenience  of  an 
over-crowded  church  was  once  more  experienced.  To 
remedy  this  deficiency  the  Rev.  Father  Whitty  com- 
menced, in  the  summer  of  1865,  the  building  of  the 
Church  of  St.  "Vincent  de  Paul,  at  the  corner  of  Wyoming 
avenue  and  Linden  street.  On  its  completion  the  old 
church  on  Franklin  avenue  was  moved  to  Hyde  Park, 
where  it  still  serves. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  present  cathedral  was  laid 
July  2nd,  1865,  by  Rt.  Rev.  James  F.  Wood,  then  bishop, 
now  archbishop,  of  Philadelphia.  The  work  was  rapidly 
pushed  forward,  and  soon  Scranton  could  boast  of  one 
of  the  largest  and  handsomest  churches  in  the  State.  It 
is  built  in  the  Grecian  style  of  architecture,  from  designs 
furnished  by  Joel  Amsden,  and  is  158  by  68  feet  inside. 
Its  seating  capacity  is  2,300.  It  is  lighted  by  nine  large  win- 
dows on  each  side,  besides  thirty-two  smaller  ones  in  the 
upper  portion  of  the  building,  all  of  stained  glass.  It  was 
opened  and  dedicated  March  loth,  1867.  Its  cost  is  es- 
timated at  $70,000.  The  tower,  which  is  not  com- 
pleted, will  be  170  feet  in  height.  This,  with  other  im- 
provements novir  in  contemplation,  will  cause  an  additional 
expense  of  about  $20,000.  September  12th,  1868,  oc- 
curred the  installation  of  the  Rt.  Rev.  William  O'Hara, 
formerly  of  St.  Patrick's  church,  Philadelphia,  as  first 
bishop  of  Scranton.  Rev.  Father  Whitty,  however,  re- 
mained pastor  of  the  church  until  he  assumed  charge  of 
the  mission  at  Providence.  On  his  removal,  in  the  fall 
of  1871,  the  bishop  appointed  Rev.  Richard  Henessy  rec- 
tor of  the  church  at  Scranton.  Rev.  Mr.  Henessy  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  N.  J.  McManus,  and  he  by  Rev.  John 
W.  Dunn.  In  August,  1878,  the  trust  was  confided  to 
the  Rev.  R.  A.  McAndrew,  the  present  occupant  of  the 
position.     Since  the  arrival  of  the  bishop  various  improve- 


ments have  been  made  in  the  church  property  in  and 
around  Scranton.  Among  others  worthy  of  note  are  the 
large  addition  attached  to  the  rear  of  the  church  and  used 
as  a  sacristy  and  chapel,  the  present  convent  known 
as  St.  Cecelia's  Academy,  and  the  orphan  asylum  at  Hyde 
Park,  capable  of  sheltering  40  or  50  children. 

The  different  clergymen  who  have  been  stationed  in 
Scranton  since  the  foundation  of  the  first  Catholic 
church,  besides  Rev.  Moses  Whitty,  now  vicar  general 
of  the  dioceFe,  and  the  several  rectors  mentioned  above, 
have  been  Revs.  John  Lough  ran,  James  Cullen,  F.  P.  Mul- 
grew,  Thomas  Joseph  Lydon,  E.  W.  Fitzmaurice,  P.  Mc- 
Swiggan,  Hugo'P  Fitzsimmons,  Thomas  Toner,  T.  Han- 
nigan,  John  Cox,  P.  McEnroe,  S.  Mattingly.  Since  the 
arrival  of  Bishop  O'Hara  the  following  clergymen  have 
been  assistants  at  the  cathedral,  for  longer  or  shorter 
periods:  Revs.  Gerald  McMurray,  M.  J.  O'Brien,  M.  F. 
Crane,  F.  McAtee,  P.  Shields,  P.  Hurst,  P.  McManus,  P. 
O'Rourke,  John  Lally,  James  B.  Whelan,  Charles  F. 
Kelley,  T.  Donahoe,  P.  T.  Roche,  James  Cummisky,  F. 
P.  McNably,  E.  S.  Phillips,  E.  J.  Melly,  Thomas  F. 
Coffey,  James  Heally.  The  last  three,  with  Rev.  Father 
McAndrew,  the  rector,  are  still  retained  in  Scranton.  The 
societies  attached  to  the  church,  under  the  charge  of  the 
Rev.  E.  J.  Melly,  are  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The 
Sunday-school,  which  at  present  numbers  at  least  1,200 
children,  is  under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  F. 
Coffey,  and  is  rapidly  increasing. 

The  church  in  Hyde  Park  is  under  the  pastoral  charge 
of  Rev.  Patrick  J.  Roche.  A  large,  costly  and  elegant 
house  of  worship  has  replaced  the  first  church  in  Dun- 
more.  The  congregation  and  Sunday-school  are  large 
and  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  P- 
McMurray. 

^9/.  Mary's  German  Catholic  (Scranton). — This  German 
Catholic  congregation,  consisting  of  about  25  families, 
was  at  first  visited  monthly  by  Rev.  Casper  Muller,  of 
Honesdale,  from  January  to  September,  1854.  From 
January,  1855,  until  June,  1856,  Rev.  Laurentine  Schnei- 
der, of  Honesdale,  attended  the  congregation.  From 
July,  1856,  to  October,  1858,  Rev.  Severin  Somner,  of 
Honesdale,  officiated  at  Scranton.  In  December,  1858, 
Rev.  Peter  C.  Nagel,  of  St.  Nicholas's  church,  Wilkes- 
Barre,  visited  the  congregation  every  alternate  Sunday. 
During  this  time  the  Irish  Catholic  congregation  permit- 
ted the  Germans  to  use  their  church.  In  1865  Rev.  P.  C. 
Nagel  built  a  brick  church,  no  by  48  feet,  on  River 
street,  which  was  dedicated  Sunday,  March  nth,  1866, 
by  Bishop  Wood,  of  Philadelphia.  On  the  same  day  the 
present  pastor.  Rev.  John  Schelle,  was  installed  as  the 
first  resident  priest.  He  bought  a  lot  on  Hickory  street 
and  built  a  parsonage  in  1872.  He  bought  also  two  lots 
adjoining  St.  Mary's  church,  and  erected  thereon  a  paro- 
chial school-house  in  1874.  The  congregation  consists 
(1879)  of  200  families,  or  about  1,500  souls.  The  schools 
are  frequented  by  225  children,  taught  by  a  male  teacher 
and  three  Sisters  of  Christian  Charity,  who  came  from 
Westphalia,  Prussia,  in  1874.  The  leader  and  principal 
of  the  Sunday-school  is  the  pastor. 


•#-= 


436 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Kl'ISCOPAL. 

Sf.  Z!/ie's  (Scranton). — The  first  public  service  of  this 
church  in  Scranton  was  held  on  the  evening  of  August 
5th,  1851,  in  the  Methodist  chapel,  by  Rev.  John  Long, 
for  some  time  an  itinerant  missionary  in  the  Lackawanna 
and  Wyoming  valleys.  After  service  a  meeting  of  per- 
sons attached  to  the  church  was  held,  and  it  was  deemed 
expedient  to  organize  a  parish  and  elect  a  vestry.  A 
parish  was  formed,  with  the  above  name,  and  Elisha 
Hitchcock  and  J.  C.  Burgess  were  chosen  wardens  and 
Charles  Swift,  Jacob  Kerlin,  Dr.  B.  H.  Throop,  L.  N. 
Clark  and  E.  S.  M.  Hill  vestrymen.  An  application  for 
incorporation  was  made  in  the  following  November. 
Services  were  held  by  Mr.  Long  from  time  to  time  in  the 
Methodist  chapel,  in  the  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  in  the  third 
slory  of  Hunt's  building  and  over  Chase's  store  until 
Easter,  1852,  when  he  regularly  assumed  the  charge  of 
Ihe  parish  as  a  mi.s.ticrriy  i  rc'cr  ll  c  direction  of  the  So- 
ciety for  the  Advancement  of  Christianity  in  the  Diocese 
of  Pennsylvania.  In  1853,  through  the  efforts  of  Mr. 
Long  and  the  gift  of  friends  abroad,  a  frame  church,  cost- 
ing $2,600,  was  erected  on  lots  donated  by  the  Lacka- 
wanna Iron  and  Coal  Company,  ground  having  been 
broken  for  the  work  on  Easter  Monday,  and  the  corner 
stone  laid  April  19th,  by  the  rector,  assisted  by  Revs. 
George  D.  Miles,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  G.  M.  Skinner,  of  New 
Milford,  and  Edmund  Mendenhall,  of  Salem.  The  first 
service  was  held  and  the  Sunday  school  organized  in  the 
basement  of  the  church  on  the  last  Sunday  in  July  that 
year.  The  edifice  was  completed  in  October  and  conse- 
crated November  13th  by  Bishop  Alonzo  Potter.  Dur- 
ing the  following  year  a  parsonage  was  erected  at   a  cost 

of  |l,200. 

Mr.  Long  resigned  the  charge  of  the  parish  November 
29th,  1858.  From  February  ist,  1859,  Rev.  W.  C.  Rob- 
inson was  rector  until  December  1st,  1862.  From  |anu- 
ary  25th,  1863,  Rev.  A.  A.  Marple  was  rector  more  than 
fourteen  years.  During  his  first  year  the  parish  was 
freed  from  debt,  and  through  the  ladies'  sewing  society 
began  collecting  money  for  a  new  church.  Lots  180  by 
160  were  secured  on  Wyoming  avenue  and  ground  was 
broken  for  the  new  house  of  worship  July  5th,  1866.  Oc- 
tober 9th,  1867,  the  corner  stone  of  the  present  edifice,  a 
gothic  structure  of  Oxford  dressed  stone,  was  laid  by 
Rev.  Dr.  William  Bacon  Stevens.  The  church  was 
opened  for  worship  July  2nd,  1871,  Dr.  Stevens  officiat- 
ing. This  handsome  edifice,  which  was  designed  by  Mr. 
R.  M.  Upjohn,  is  not  entirely  completed,  the  tower 
never  having  been  erected.  October  ist,  1877,  Rev.  A. 
A.  Marple  resigned  the  charge  of  the  parish.  Rev.  C.  P. 
Chapin  was  rector  from  November,  1877,  to  April  15th, 
1879.  From  the  later  date,  services  were  kejjt  up 
by  Rev.  P.  B.  Leighton  and  others.  October  ist.  Rev. 
J.  P.  B.  Pendleton,  late  of  Washington,  D.  C.  assumed  the 
rectorship.  The  Sunday-school  numbers  about  36  of- 
ficers and  teachers,  and  250  children.  A  Ladies'  Guild 
has  been  organized  in  the  parish  which  is  doing  a  good 
deal  of  active  work. 


^^ 


7%c  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  (Green  Ridge). — Rev. 
John  Long  held  the  first  service  of  the  Episcopal  church 
in  this  parish,  in  his  own  house,  July  12th,  1868.  Other 
services  were  held  in  the  depot  of  the  Lehigh  and  Sus- 
quehanna railroad,  in  one  of  their  passenger  coaches  and 
in  the  carriage  house  of  J.  Gardner  Sanderson,  Esq. 
The  Sunday-school  was  organized  August  9th,  1868. 
The  church  was  chartered  February  23d,  i86g;  the 
charter  was  approved  by  the  standing  committee  of  the 
diocese  November  3d,  1870,  and  at  the  diocesan  con- 
vention of  187 1  the  church  was  admitted  into  union  with 
the  diocese.  Early  in  1869  efforts  had  been  begun  look- 
ing towards  building  a  church.  A  lot  on  Eighth  street 
was  donated  by  George  Sanderson,  Esq.,  a  considerable 
sum  of  money  was  raised,  and  August  26th,  1869,  the 
corner  stone  of  the  present  edifice  was  laid  by  Bishop 
Stevens,  assisted  by  Revs.  John  I.  Robertson,  Leighton 
Coleman  and  John  Long,  rector  and  missionary.  Suffi- 
cient funds  having  been  secured,  the  work  of  building 
was  pushed  forward,  and  June  5th,  1870,  the  first  service 
was  held  "in  the  new  church.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  those  who  applied  for  permission  to  organize  a 
church  in  Green  Ridge:  George  Sanderson,  J.  Gardner 
Sanderson,  J.  Atticus  Robertson,  Jason  H.  Wells, 
Matthew  Harlon,  E.  L.  Riggs,  O.  B.  Salisbury.  Attached 
to  the  charter  are  the  following  names  as  those  who 
acted  as  the  vestry  of  the  parish  till  the  next  Easter:  J. 
Gardner  Sanderson,  Matthew  Harlon,  Thomas  Sly,  Ed- 
ward L.  Riggs,  Jason  H.  Wells,  J.  Atticus  Robertson, 
William  W.  Winton. 

The  church  has  had  five  rectors:  Revs.  John  Long, 
H.  Hobart  Millett,  G.  W.  Southwell,  S.  C.  Thompson 
and  Joseph  P.  Cameron.  There  have  been  t6i  baptisms, 
80  confirmations,  11  marriages  and  40  burials.  The  fol- 
lowing items  from  the  parochial  report  to  the  convention 
of  1879  will  indicate  its  present  strength:  Families,  53; 
baptized  persons,  145  ;  church  accommodations,  175; 
communicants,  69;  Sunday-school  teachers,  14;  pupils, 
120. 

St.  David's  Church  (Hyde  Park).— This  is  a  compara- 
tively young  parish,  and  has  no  church  building  as  yet. 
In  February,  1879,  efforts  were  begun  to  secure  a  build- 
ing fund.  About  one-third  of  the  required  amount  is 
now  secured. 

For  many  years  a  few  Episcopalians  who  resided  at 
Hyde  Park  attended  St.  Luke's  church  at  Scranton.  In 
1858  Rev.  John  Long  began  holding  services  in  a  build- 
ing belonging  to  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Hyde  Park. 
After  a  while  the  services  were  discontinued  rill  1870; 
then  they  were  held  occasionally  by  Revs.  Marple,  Long 
and  Kennedy.  Valuable  lay  work  was  done  by  Doctor 
Thomas  McCune.  In  1877  Rev.  S.  C.  Thompson  was 
appointed  to  this  field  in  connecrion  with  Green  Ridge. 
From  1870  to  1878  the  services  were  held  in  the  Welsh 
Calvinistic  church  and  in  various  halls.  They  are  now 
held  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall.  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Cameron 
was  called  to  the  charge  of  the  parish,  in  connection  with 
that  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  at  Green  Ridge,  September 
ist,  1878.     A  charter  was  obtained   February  28th,  1879, 


-^ 


'*T  T^- 


^-Z^ 


ANDREW  NICOL. 

Andrew  Nicol,  son  of  John  and  Jannet  (  Gray  )  Nicol, 
was  born  at  Dalyuharran,  parish  of  New  Daily,  Ayrshire, 
Scotland,  August  20th,  1818.     At  the  age  of  twelve  years 
he   commenced  to  learn    the  carpenter's    trade  with    his 
father,  who  was  for  many  years  a  carpenter  to  the  Right 
Honorable  Francis  Kennedy,    of  Dalyuharran.     Having 
mastered  his  trade,  in   1834  he  went  to  Glasgow,  and  was 
there  engaged    as  a    journeyman    joiner    for    two  years, 
when  he  was  employed  for  one  year  as  pattern  maker  in 
Girdwood's  foundry  at   the    city  of    Glasgow,  and    one 
year  by  the  Summerlee  Iron    Company,  at  Coat    Bridge, 
in  the  same  capacity.     In   1839  he  commenced  to  learn 
the  machinist's  trade  at  the  Summerlee  works,  and    after 
remaining  four  years  he  was  appointed  foreman  machinist 
of    the  company.     This  position    he  filled    six    months, 
when  the  general  manager,  Mr.  Neilson,  gave  him  a  situ- 
ation with  his  civil   and  mining  engineer  corps,  and  he 
was  soon  engaged   in  surveying  and  mapping  the  mine 
work.     In  this  capacity  he  was  engaged  for  a  year  and  a 
half;  then  was  Assistant  superintendent  of  all  their  mines 
and  machinery  until   1847.     On    October  ist,  1847,  Mr. 
Nicol   was   engaged   by  the   Right    Honorable   Francis 
Kennedy  to  take  charge  of  his  mines  and  machinery,  and 
he   remained   in   this   position   until  March,  185 1.     He 
with  his  wife  and  two   children    set   sail   from  Glasgow 
April  6th,  1851,   and    arrived  in   New  York  May   i8th. 
June   ist   they  arrived  at  Carbondale  and  Mr.  Nicol  en- 
gaged the  same  day  with  James  Clarkson,  superintendent 
of  the  coal  department  of   the    Delaware   and    Hudson 
Canal  Company,  to    be  his   assistant,  which  position  he 
filled  until  1863.     In  1863  he  was  appointed  general  su- 
perintendent of  the  mines  of  the  company,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  continued  until  1870.     He  received  the  only  first- 


class  certificate  as  inspector  of  mines  of  the  eighteen 
candidates  who  were  examined  by  the  board  appointed 
by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  received  his  commis- 
sion for  five  years  from  Gov.  Geary  as  inspector  of 
coal  mines,  eastern  district,  being  the  first  inspector  of 
coal  in  the  anthracite  coal  fields  of  Pennsylvania.  He  re- 
signed his  position  with  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  inspector  July 
20th,  1870.  January  loth,  187 1,  he  tendered  his  resig- 
nation and  resumed  his  former  position  with  the  com- 
pany, which  he  filled  until  December  31st,  1873.  After 
having  charge  of  the  Green  Ridge  colliery  until  1875  he 
again  resumed  his  position  with  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son Canal  Company,  which  he  now  occupies.  Mr.  Nicol 
is  the  patentee  of  several  inventions.  One  is  a  water 
ejector,  operated  by  a  direct  steam  jet  without  machin- 
ery; now  much  used  on  steamships  for  pumping  bilge 
water.  Another  is  a  stove  for  domestic  purposes  to 
burn  culm  or  waste  anthracite  coal,  and  another  a  porta- 
ble miner's  hand  drill. 

June  i2th,  1846,  Mr.  Nicol  married  Helen,  second 
daughter  of  David  Brown,  a  merchant  and  manufacturer 
of  Maybole,  Ayrshire,  Scotland.  She  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Maybole,  August  18th,  1824.  They  have  had 
five  children: — Jannet,  deceased;  Andrew  B.,  at  present 
division  superintendent  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company,  who  married  Alice  H.,  daughter  of  Or- 
ville  Brown,  of  Watertown,  N.  Y.,  and  has  two  children- 
Agnes  and  George;  Agnes,  deceased;  Margaret  E.  and 
Mary  H.  Mr.  Nicol  has  been  a  consistent  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  since  he  was  sixteen  years  of 
age.  In  all  the  varied  business  interests  with  which  he 
has  been  prominently  identified  he  has  been  uniformly 
successful,  strong  common  sense  and  unfaltering  energy 
being  his  marked  characteristics. 


*^h 


.lb 


JOHN    F.    CONNOLLY. 


John  F.  Connolly  was  born  in  Scranton,  Pa.,  April 
27th,  1853 — the  youngest  child  of  Owen  and  Catharine 
(Boland)  Connolly.  His  father  emigrated  from  Ireland 
in  1847  and  settled  in  Scranton.  The  first  years  of  his 
residence  there  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company.  In  1854  he  moved  to  Lehigh 
Summit,  Lackawanna  county,  where  he  resided  three 
years  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company.  In  1857  he  returned  to 
Scranton,  where  he  remained  but  a  few  months.  He 
then  moved  to  Lackawanna  township,  where  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Minooka  he  became  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade, 
and  has  ever  since  resided  there.  There  were  five  chil- 
dren in  the  family,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy;  Maria, 
wife  of  F.  A.  Kane,  of  Minooka,  is  the  only  child  living 
who  was  born  in  Ireland.  PhiUp  C,  born  in  Scranton, 
is  associated  in  business  with  his  father. 

John  F.  Connolly  received  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict school  at  Minooka,  supplemented  by  one  year's  at- 
tendance at  the  Scranton  high  school.  On  the  3d  of 
October,  1871,  he  entered  the  Columbia  College  law 
school.  New  York,  and  after  a  regular  course  there  was 


graduated  on  the  14th  of  May,  1873.  He  was  but  twenty 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  graduation,  consequently 
could  not,  under  the  statute  of  the  State,  receive  his  di- 
ploma and  degree  until  the  commencement  of  the  fol- 
lowing year,  at  which  time  his  diploma  with  degree  of 
LL.  B.  was  conferred  upon  him.  In  June,°  1874,  he 
opened  a  law  office  in  the  city  of  Scranton,  and' on  the 
ist  of  September  following  entered  into  a  law  partner- 
ship with  D.  W.  Connolly,  Esq.,  and  he  has  continued 
the  practice  of  his  profession  under  this  partnership 
since.  Mr.  Connolly  possesses  in  large  measure  a  nat- 
ural aptitude  for  the  legal  profession..  Both  as  coun- 
selor and  advocate  he  stands  high  among'  the  young 
men  of  the  Lackawanna  bar.  In  the  latter  capacity,  es- 
pecially, few,  if  any,  are  his  superiors. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  Hejeceived  the  nomi- 
nation of  his  party  in  Lackawanna  county  for  Congress  in 
1878,  but  at  the  conference  withdrew  in  favor  of  the 
Hon.  H.  B.  Wright,  who  was  elected.  He  married  (Sep- 
tember i2th,  1877)  Mary  C.  Carroll,  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  Carroll,  of  Scranton.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren—Catharine and  John  E. 


4= 


=6^. 


f 


CHURCHES  OF  SCRANTON— Y.  M.  C.  A. 


437 


I, 


to  which  the  following  names  were  attached:  Henry  Isaac 
Jones,  Edward  Thorp,  Thomas  White,  B.  G.  Morgan,  J. 
W.  Gibbs,  John  Morris,  John  G.  Noakes  and  William 
Vickery  Smith.  The  strength  of  the  parish  is  indicated 
in  the  following  items  taken  from  the  journal  of  the  con- 
vention of  1879:  Families,  53;  baptized  persons,  144; 
communicants,  47;  Sunday-school  teachers,  7;  pupils,  83. 
Up  to  December  31st,  1879,  there  were  23  baptisms,  14 
confirmations,  2  marriages  and  7  burials. 

OTHER    CHURCHES. 

Welsh  Gongregatioital  (Providence). — The  Providence 
Welsh  Congregational  church  was  organized  August  19th, 
1855,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Providence,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  E.  B.  Evans,  then 
of  Pittston.  The  original  members  were  only  fifteen  or 
twenty,  including  Rhys  Price  and  wife,  Henry  Christmas 
and  wife,  Thomas  L.  Davis  and  wife  and  Thomas  and 
Ann  Williams.  Thomas  L.  Davis  was  elected  deacon 
and  Rhys  Price  secretary.  Deacon  Davis  died  in  May, 
1872.  For  about  eight  months  services  were  held  in  the 
Presbyterian  church;  afterward  the  school-house  at  the 
Notch  was  used  until  the  completion  of  the  present 
house  of  worship.  This  structure  stands  on  a  lot  pur- 
chased by  the  church  in  1859,  on  the  west  side  of  Market 
street,  and  is  48  by  32  feet.  It  cost  $1,300,  and  was 
consecrated  Christmas,  1862.  In  1873  and  1874  it  was 
remodeled  and  enlarged  at  an  expense  of  $4,450.  A 
debt  was  thus  incurred  which  has  not  been  entirely  liqui- 
dated. 

About  1856  Rev.  E.  B.  Evans  assumed  pastoral  charge 
of  the  church,  in  connection  with  the  Hyde  Park  Welsh 
Congregational  church,  but  resigned  the  Providence 
charge  in  1866.  From  1867  Rev.  David  Parry  was  the 
pastor  until  his  death,  September  8th,  1870.  Early  in 
the  spring  of  1872  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  Rees  S.  Jones, 
was  called.  Under  his  pastorate  the  church  has  pro- 
gressed favorably.  The  membership  is  about  200;  the 
average  attendance  at  Sunday-school  is  from  200  to  225. 
The  services  are  held  almost  exclusively  in  the  Welsh 
language. 

Evangelic  Lutheran  Zion's  (Scranton). — In  1859  the 
Evangelic  Lutheran  Synod  of  Pennsylvania  appointed 
the  late.  Rev.  N.  Yaeger,  of  Bethlehem,  to  work  as  mis- 
sionary among  the  numerous  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church  who  lived  in  Scranton  and  vicinity.  He  visited 
Scranton  several  times,  preaching  and  administering  the 
sacraments  in  Wyoming  Hall.  In  accordance  with  his 
advice,  the  synod  sent  Rev.  P.  F.  Zizelman  to  Scranton, 
to  work  and  see  whether  a  permanent  organization  could 
be  effected  there.  In  May,  i860,  he  preached  his  first 
sermon  in  Wyoming  Hall.  In  August  the  same  year  an 
organization  was  effected.  The  congregation  was  duly 
incorporated.  Its  charter  members  were:  Elders,  John 
Malter,  Christian  Gans,  Christoph  Forbach;  deacons, 
Peter  Kaehler,  John  Schumacher,  Horace  Schirer,  C. 
Soellner,  C.  Forbach  and  J.  Schumacher.  C.  Soellner, 
H.  Schirer  and  P.  Kaehler  are  still  living.  On  the  date 
of  organization  the  constitution   of  the  congregation  was 


signed  by  20  male  members.  In  spite  of  difficulties,  the 
congregation  prospered,  and  needing  a  more  suitable 
place  of  worship,  in  October,  1863,  bought  its  present 
church,  with  the  parsonage  lot,  on  Mifflin  avenue,  of  the 
First  Welsh  Baptist  church.  In  1864  the  parsonage  was 
built.  In  1866  the  basement  under  the  church  was  fin- 
ished for  a  parochial  school,  which  is  yet  in  existence.  A 
Sunday-school  was  established  in  i860,  with  about  40 
scholars;  its  first  superintendent  was  Peter  Kaehler;  his 
successors  were  P.  Doersam,  W.  Schultz,  George  Pfeifer.. 
P.  Geiger,  John  Greiner,  I.  G.  Mayer,  W.  F.  Kiesel  and 
C.  Lange.  The  present  superintendent  is  M.  Blickens. 
The  pastor  also  has  general  supervision  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  numbers  about  350  scholars,  with  35  teach- 
ers. The  parochial  school  numbers  from  50  to  80 
scholars,  all  under  one  teacher,  who  is  occasionally 
assisted,  in  particular  branches,  by  the  pastor. 

Rev.  P.  F.  Zizelman,  the  founder  of  the  congrega- 
tion, is  its  pastor;  he  is,  next  to  Father  Moses  Whitty, 
the  oldest  resident  pastor  of  Scranton.  The  congrega- 
tion is  without  debt. 

Hebrew  Coiigrigation  Anshe  Chescd  (Scranton). — The 
synagogue  is  on  Linden  street,  with  parsonage  adjoining, 
occupied  by  the  minister  of  the  congregation.  Rev.  S. 
Freudenthal.  The  congregation  was  organized  August 
26th,  i860,  with  a  membership  of  16,  viz.:  G.  Brooks,  Isaac 
and  M.  Newhouse,  S.  and  M.  Green,  Jonas  Lauer,  Jacob 
Galland,  Samuel  Fulda,  E.,  S.  and  J.  Sutto,  Julius  and 
Judas  Josephson,  S.  Wertheimer,  S.  Krotoski  and  N. 
Kramer.  A  charter  was  granted  to  them  January  7th, 
1862.  Up  to  1868  the  congregation  occupied  Alhambra 
Hall,  on  Lackawanna  avenue,  for  church  and  school  pur- 
poses. In  1867  the  lots  on  Linden  street  were  purchased 
of  the  Lackayvanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  and  building 
thereon  was  commenced  at  once  under  the  supervision  of 
S.  Sutto,  J.  Galland,  J.  Josephson,  D.  Ackerman  and  I. 
Newhouse.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  by  the  masonic 
fraternity  of  Scranton.  The  building  was  completed  in 
April,  1868,  and  dedicated  by  Dr.  T.  M.  Wise,  of  Cincin- 
nati. The  congregation  has  a  cemetery  on  the  road  be- 
tween Scranton  and  Duninore.  The  board  of  trustees 
consists  of  S.  Sutto,  S.  Rice,  S.  Krotoski,  E.  Morris,  N. 
G.  Goodman,  B.  Moses  and  S.  Goldsinith. 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association.— T\\t  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  of  Scranton  was  organized  in  No- 
vember, 1868,  with  the  following  officers:  Pres.,  Alfred 
Hand;  Vice-Pres'ts,  L.  B.  Powell  and  Rev.  F.  Evans; 
Cor.  Sec,  H.  M.  Boies;  Sec,  C.  W.  Hartley;  Asst.  Sec, 
Joseph  Bachelor;  Treas.,  A.  D.  Holland;  Lib.,  N.  H. 
Shafer,  and  the  following  board  of  directors:  J.  A. 
Linen,  F.  E.  Nettleton,  Thovnas  Moore,  A.  M.  Decker, 
J.  S.  Reynolds,  C.  Brinkerhoff,  G.  W.  Miller,  Corydon 
H.  Wells,  H.  aM.  Boies,  H.  B.  Rockwell,  R.  W.  Luce  and 
P.  B.  Finley.  The  association  occupied  rooms  over  No. 
324  Lackawanna  avenue  until  the  fall  of  187 1,  when 
apartments  were  secured  in  the  Exchange  block.  This 
block  burned  January  13th,  1877,  and  the  association  oc- 
cupied a  room  in  the  Trust  and  Savings  Bank  hviilding 
until  April,  1878,  when  it  removed  to  its  present  location, 


f 


*#^: 


438 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY 


Nos.  314  and  316  Lackawanna  avenue.  The  presidents 
have  been  as  follows:  Alfred  Hand,  1869;  H.  M.  Boies, 
1870.72;  E.  B.  Sturges,  1873,  1874;  F.  L.  Hitchcock, 
1875-77;  J.  H.  Torrey,  1878,  1879. 

From  August,  1870,  W.  D.  Mossman  was  general 
secretary  until  July,  1872.  At  no  time  in  its  history  has 
the  association  done  so  much  or  so  efficient  work  as  dur- 
ing Mr.  Mossman's  secretaryship.  It  was  during  this 
period,  and  principally  through  his  efforts,  that  steps  were 
taken  which  have  culminated  in  the  Home  for  Friendless 
Children,  whose  record  is  one  of  great  usefulness.  F.  A. 
Goodwin  was  general  secretary  for  six  months  from 
April,  1873;  William  Hadden  from  December,  1873,  until 
July,  1874.  During  his  secretaryship  the  association 
began  to  hold  meetings  in  Park  Place,  which  resulted  in 
a  revival  of  religion  there,  the  erection  of  a  chapel  and, 
eventually,  the  organization  of  the  Park  Place  Methodist 
church.  George  A.  Jessup  and  Doctor  Thomas  McCune 
performed  some  of  the  duties  of  the  general  secretary 
when  there  was  no  incumbent.  From  January,  1875,  W. 
H.  Chapin  was  general  secretary  until  September,  1876; 
T.  H.  Roe  from  December  of  that  year  till  February, 
1879.  He  was  an  active  worker,  especially  in  connection 
with  the  charitable  work  of  the  ladies'  aid  society  for  the 
poor  of  the  city.  It  was  during  his  term  of  office  that 
the  fire  occurred,  already  referred  lo,  by  which  the  asso- 
ciation lost  its  museum  and  library  and  all  of  its  records; 
the  insurance  was  $2,000.  In  March,  1878,  C.  W.  Kirk- 
patrick  was  employed  as  general  secretary,  and  served 
seven  months,  entering  with  much  spirit  into  the  temper- 


ance work  which  was  begun  by  Francis  Murphy  and 
carried  on  by  Prof.  Kelly,  of  Pittsburg.  After  Mr.  Kirk- 
patrick's  retirement  the  office  was  vacant  until  Novem- 
ber, 1879,  when  W.  A.  Cook,  of  York,  Pa.,  assumed 
its  duties. 

Besides   the   general   work   of   such   associations,  the 
Scranton  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  has  organ- 
ized the  Home  for  Friendless  Children,  Park  Place  Mis- 
sion, Cedar  Street  Mission   and  Green   Ridge  Sunday- 
school;  has  held  meetings  in' the  poor   house,  jail  and 
hospital,  and  has  actively  and   efficiently  co-operated  in 
every  general  religious  reformatory  and  charitable  effort 
in  the  city  and  vicinity  since  its  organization.   The  expen- 
ses of  its  work  from  November,  1868,  to  November,  1879, 
were  from  $28,000  to  $30,000,  which  have  been   met  by 
membership   dues,  voluntary  subscriptions,  and   the  pro- 
ceeds   of    entertainments,    lectures,    &c.     The    present 
membership  of  the  association  is  about  200.     The  library 
contains    from    1,100    to    1,200    volumes.      The    annual 
election     of     officers    for     1879-80     was    held    at    the 
rooms    of   the  association    Tuesday  evening    November 
25th,    1879,  ^"<^   resulted   as   follows:   Pres.,   G.  F.   Rey- 
nolds; Vice-pres.,  Charles   Henwood  and   H.  C.  Cornell; 
Rec.  Sec,  W.  F.   Hackett;  A.sst.  Rec.  Sec,  E.  G.  Cour- 
sen;    Cor.    Sec,    E.    B.   Sturges;  Treas.,    Lt.  Col.  F.  L. 
Hitchcock;  Lib.,  E.  H.  Ripple,  and  the  following  board 
of  managers:    H.  M.  Boies,  Rev.    Thomas  M.  Cann,  H. 
F.  Warren,  A.  W.  Dickson,  Dwight  Baker,  J.  H.  Torrey, 
S.  P.   McDivitt,  J.  L.  Connell,  L.  M.   Horton  and  W.  A. 
May. 


(/•^ii,  I lB.. "'!>.' I  ■<■  umj.  k',/-!"iyl,n  Si-.f^.'r: 


..!-.■  liiirLl'U,  Srjl  r. 


t 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 


SCRANTON   AND    DUNMORE. 


HON.  PATRICK  DE  LACf, 

son  of  William  anrl  Cathcrine(0-n<)yle)DeLacy,the  former  of  county  Wex- 
ford and  the  latter  a  native  of  Kilkcn  nyjreland.was  born  November  aoth, 
18a5,  and  is  tlie  seeond  child  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  fourboysand 
three  girls,  all  of  whom  are  now  living:.  This  family,  both  on  the  fath- 
er's and  mother's  side,  was  prominently  identified  with  the  rebellion  of 
1T98  in  Ireland,  and  Is  of  French  extraction.  William,  i.  shoemaker  by 
trade,  emisratcd  to  America  when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  and 
was  among  the  early  settlers  of  Carbondale,  where  he  resided  and  worked 
at  his  trade  until  1839,  when  ho  moved  to  Tamaqua,  Schuylkill  county,  and 
subsequently  to  Hazlcton,  Luzerne  county,  and  removed  to  Carbondale 
in  1840,  and  in  1843  to  Scranton.  After  residing  in  Scranton  (then  Slo- 
cum  HoUow)  one  year  ho  removed  to  Covington  township  and  purchas- 
ed a  farm,  upon  which  he  resided  until  1801,  when  ho  returned  to  Scran- 
ton, whore  he  died  in  1863. 

Patrick  De  Lacy  spent  his  early  boyhood  on  the  farm,  and  his  educa- 
tion was  Umitod  to  the  common  school.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he 
commenced  life  for  himself  as  a  laborer  in  the  coal  mines,  and  in  1853 
he  commenced  to  learn  the  tannerand  currier's  trade  with  John  Mehan, 
of  Covington,  with  whom  he  remained  two  years  and  a  half,  most  of 
which  time  he  was  foreman,  having  full  charge  of  the  business.  After 
spending  one  year  with  his  father-in-law,  Jeremiah  Wouders,  in  com- 


pleting the  trade  of  currier,  he  was  employed  as  journeyman  in  King- 
ston and  vicinity  until  1868. 

January  9th,  1858,  he  married  Rebecca  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Jei'C- 
miah  and  Sarah  A.  Wouders,  of  Wyoming.  She  was  bom  April  11th, 
1840.  The  result  of  this  union  is  as  follows :  Sarah  Catherine,  born  June 
1st,  1861;  Mary  Elizabeth,  bom  April  9th,  1863;  Anna  C,  born  February 
14th,  1866;  William  P.,  born  March  15th,  1868;  Nellie,  born  December  19th, 
1870  (died  when  two  years  and  six  months  old);  Julia  (died  in  infancy) 
and  Susan,  born  December  19th,  1873  (died  November  8th,  1876).  After 
his  marriage  he  moved  to  Newai'k,  N.  J.,  and  followed  his  trade  for  one 
year,  when  he  was  engaged  as  foreman  currier  in  the  tannei-y  of  A.  G. 
Hull,  at  BushkiU,  Pike  county.  Pa.,  for  a  year  and  a  half;  then  he  re- 
moved to  Truxville,  Luzerne  count}',  where  he  leased  a  tannery  which 
he  conducted  for  a  short  time,  when  he  abandoned  It  and  entered  the 
army  as  a  private  in  the  143d  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers  ( Colo- 
nel Dana's  regiment),  and  was  soon  promoted  sergeant  of  Company 
A.  He  was  in  every  engagement  in  which  his  regiment  participated 
(some  twenty  general  battles  and  several  Rkirmishes)  and  at  one  time 
during  that  memorable  epoch  was  under  fire  every  day  for  thii*ty 
days.  In  the  fall  of  1864  he  was  promoted  sergeant  major ;  in  the 
spring  of  1865  was  made  lieutenant,  and  was  honorably  mustered  out  of 
service  with  his  regiment  in  June,  1865.  As  an  officer  and  soldier  his 
reputation  is  best  attested  by  his  old  comrades  in  arms,  who  have 
elected  him  president,  for  the  past  fourteen  years,  of  the  Veteran  Sol- 
diers' Association,  composed  of  the  old  143d,  149th  and  150th  regiments. 

In  1867  Mr.  De  Lacy  was  appointed  United  States  deputy  marshal  by 
General  Thomas  A.  Rowley,  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  the  fall  of 
1871,  when  he  resigned  to  take  his  seat  in  the  State  Assembly,  having 
been  elected  to  the  Legislature  that  fall  by  the  Democratic  party ;  he 
was  again  elected  in  1873.  In  the  fall  of  1874  he  was  a  candidate  for 
the  State  Senate,  but  owing  to  a  split  in  his  party  was  defeated  by  tho 
opposing  faction.  In  1875  he  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff  under  W.  P. 
Kirkendall,  which  position  he  filled  one  year,  and  in  1876  was  appointed 
county  auditor  for  two  years;  and  in  addition  to  this  he  was  appointed 
chief  of  police  of  the  city  of  Scranton,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

THE  EVERHART  FAMILY. 

This  is  one  of  the  oldest  family  names  in  America.  The  subjects  of 
our  engravings  spring  from  Zachariah  Bvorhart,  who  came  to  this 
country  from  Saxony,  Germany,  in  1689,  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania 
nine  years  after  William  Penn  founded  the  colony.  His  son.  Christian, 
was  born  in  1728  and  died  in  1777.  He  was  a  man  of  prominence,  and 
held  a  royal  commission  under  the  crown.  He  was  the  father  of  nine 
children,  and  with  the  exception  of  two,  who  died  young,  the  aggregate 
ages  of  the  remaining  seven  reached  574  years,  or  an  average  of  83  years. 
James,  the  third  child,  grandfather  of  James  M.  and  Dr.  Everhart,  was 
born  in  1760  and  died  in  1853.  He  was  remarkable  for  activity,  strength 
and  a  good  constitution,  which,  with  scarcely  a  day's  sickness,  carried 
him  through  the  experiences  of  nearly  a  century.  Bred  in  the  heroic 
period  of  the  public,  amid  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  the  Revolution, 
in  which  he  was  a  soldier,  he  passed  the  memorable  winter  of  1778  at 
Valley  Forge  under  Washington,  whose  imposing  form  and  features  ho 
well  remembered,  together  with  the  handsome  face  of  Wayne  and  the 
youthful  figure  of  La  Fayette.  He  had  seen  individuals  who  had  held 
office  under  Penn,  and  soldiers  who  fought  under  Braddock.  He  had 
three  children,  William,  John  and  James,  all  of  whom  became  men  of 
wealth  and  prominence.  James,  the  youngest  and  father  of  the  sub- 
jects of  our  sketch,  was  born  in  1789,  and  died  in  1863.  He  was  an  officer 
iu  the  war  of  1813.  After  the  war  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business 
in  Chester  county,  Pa.,  during  which  time  he  took  a  ship  load  of  bark 
to  England  and  exchanged  it  for  merchandise.  In  1820  he  moved  to 
Berks  county,  where  he  became  extensively  engaged  in  agriculture, 


Hh 


^^ 


^h 


438^ 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


tanning  and  the  iron  trade.  He  was  a  man  of  sound  judgment  and  cor- 
rect principles,  whose  influence  was  more  than  local,  and  whose  opinion 
was  sought  as  a  matter  of  worth  by  those  who  knew  him  best.  In  all 
the  leading'  topics  of  the  day  he  was  a  close  observer,  and  in  those  cal- 
culated for  the  general  good  he  was  deeply  interested.  He  was  an 
ardent  supporter  of  the  free  school  system,  and  before  its  day  estab- 
lished schools  at  his  own  expense,  in  order  that  the  rising  generation  of 
his  neighbors  might  have  the  rudiments  of  a  common  education.  He 
was  in  no  sense  of  the  word  a  politician,  though  twice  he  represented 
his  district  in  the  Legislature,  the  second  time  receiving  the  unanimous 
support  of  both  political  parties.  He  was  urged  to  accept  a  nomination 
to  Congress  which  was  equivalent  to  an  election,  and  declined.  In  18  L7 
he  married  Mary  M.,  the  only  child  of  Isaac  and  Catharine  Templin,  a 
woman  noted  for  her  many  good  qualities  of  head  and  heart.  This 
happy  union  was  blessed  with  eight  children :  John  T.,  Mary,  Eveline, 
William,  James  M.,  Samuel  A.,  Oliver  I.  and  Isaiah  P, 

James  M.  EvEnHART,the  subject  of  one  of  our  engravings,  is  the  third 
son  and  was  born  June  7th,  1828.  After  receiving  a  common  school  edu- 
cation he  entered  his  father's  tannery,  on  account  of  ill  health,where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a  tanner  in  all  its  branches.  His  health  recovered, 
he  entered  the  New  London  Academy,  one  of  the  oldest  high  schools  of 
the  State,  and  was  graduated  from  that  institution  with  honors.  After 
serving  two  years  iu  his  uncle's  store  in  West  Chester,  Pa.,  he  went  to 
Philadelphia,  and  entered  tlie  wholesale  house  of  Odenhcimer  &  Tenent, 
then  doing  the  largest  western  trade  of  any  firm  in  that  city.  In  1853  he' 
came  to  Pittston,  Pa.,  with  his  brother  John  to  superintend  large  landed 
interests  which  his  father  had  purchased  in  the  coal  fields  of  that 
region.  Situated  on  these  lands  are  several  of  the  farms  lying  in  the 
valley  at  the  foot  of  Campbell's  Ledge,  and  that  beautiful  spot  in  the 
Lackawanna  known  as  Everhart's  Island.  When  Pennsylvania  was  in- 
vaded by  the  rebel  army  he  volunteered  his  time  and  influence,  and 
hurried  to  the  front.  In  18G7  he  made  an  extensive  tour  through 
Europe  in  company  with  his  brother.  Dr.  Everhart,  gaining  much  valu- 
able information.  Shortly  after  his  return  he  came  to  Scranton  and 
purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  Scranton  Brass  Works.  On  the  death  of 
his  partner,  John  McLaren,  he  succeeded  to  the  entire  control,  and  by 
the  introduction  of  new  machinery  and  skilled  workmen,  with  a  liberal 
expenditure  of  money,  has  raised  the  standard  of  the  establishment  to 
the  front  rank  of  brass  works  in  the  State.  Mr.  Everhart  being  a  man  of 
ingenious  turn  of  mirid,  he  is  the  patentee  of  several  impoi-tant  inven- 
tions and  has  improved  and  perfected  several  others,  some  of  which  he  is 
now  extensively  manufacturing.  In  jjerson  he  is  a  man  of  mild  and 
even  disposition,  with  strong  traits  of  character,  business  qualities  of  no 
ordinary  merit,  against  whose  honor  and  integrity  there  has  never  been 
thefirstshadow  of  suspicion.  Blessed  with  h  robust  constitution  and 
excellent  health,  his  lease  of  life  bids  fair  for  many  years  of  usefulness. 
Dr.  Isaiah  P.  Everhart  is  the  youngest  child,  and  was  born  Janu- 
ary 23nd,  1810.  He  spent  his  early  youthat  the  old  homestead,  attending 
the  common  schools  and  academies  of  the  neighborhood.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  entered  Franklin  and  Marshall  College,  Lancaster,  Pa., 
where  he  spent  four  years  in  the  completion  of  a  sciontiflo  course,  pay- 
ing special  attention  to  the  natural  sciences,  for  which  he  has  always 
shown  a  marked  fondness.  He  then  read  medicine  under  his  brother-in- 
law.  Dr.  Charles  A.  Heckel,  a  most  excellent  practitioner,  whore  he 
received  his  first  lessons  in  that  most  intricate  science  which  knows  no 
limit.  The  great  civil  war  breaking  out,  he,  becoming  impatient  to 
servo  his  country  as  medical  cadet,  entered  the  West  Philadelphia  or 
Saterlee  United  States  Military  Hospital,  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  1. 1. 
Hayes,  of  Arctic  expedition  fame.  Here  was  material  sulDcicnt  to  sat- 
isfy the  most  enthusiastic  iEsculapian,  witb  nearly  four  thousand  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers,  who  upon  tlie  Held  of  battle  had  received  wounds 
of  almost  every  imaginable  description,  or  on  the  march  or  in  the  bi\-- 
ouac  of  war  had  contracted  nearly  every  ailment  to  which  the  soldier 
of  our  northern  clime  has  fallen  heir. 

With  the  class  of  1803-03  he  graduated  from  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  sliortly  after  went  to  the  front  as  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
8th  regiment  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  witli  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
During  the  active  operations  of  1803, 1801  and  1833,  in  ail  the  campaigns 
in  which  the  regiment  was  engaged,  in  over  thirty  battles,  he  was  faith- 
fully athis  post,  discharging  the  duties  of  full  surgeon.  February  4th, 
18«5,  he  was  promoted  full  surgeon,  and  on  the  consolidation  of  the 
8th  and  10th  regiments  of  Pennsylvania  cavalry  he  was  made  surgeon  of 
the  10th  regiment,  and  took  charge  of  the  military  district  of  Lynch- 
burg, Va.,  which  position  he  held  until  mustered  out  of  senice  with  the 
regiment,  August  11th,  1805.  Thus  in  the  three  great  wars  through 
which  the  nation  has  struggled  this  family  has  been  represented-by  the 
grandfather  in  the  llevolution,  the  father  in  the  war  of  1813  and  the 
sons  in  the  Bebellion. 

On  his  return  from  an  extended  tour  through  Europe  in  1807  the 
doctor  settled  in  Scranton,  where  he  has  since  successfully  pursued  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  has  gained  the  confldence  and  respect  of  the 
people  and  built  up  a  reputation  for  honesty  and  integrity  second  to 
none.  During  thegreat  strike  in  the  coal  regions  in  1871  he  was  surgeon 
of  the  9th  Pennsylvania  guards.  Seven  years  he  was  a  member  of  the 
medical  staff  of  the  Lackawanna  Hospital,  and  now  is  a  member  of  the 
Scranton  board  of  health  and  president  of  the  Lackawanna  Game  and 


Fish  Association.  The  doctor  is  deeply  interested  in  ornithology  and  is 
an  expert  and  skill  ful  taxidermist.  Twenty  years  ago  he  conceived  the 
idea  of  making  a  full  collection  of  the  native  birds  and  animals  found 
within  the  limits  of  the  State,  and  to  this  end  has  ardently  pursued  the 
work— preparing  and  mounting  ail  his  specimens-untii  he  now  has  one 
of  the  flnest  and  largest  private  collections  in  the  State  ;  his  intention 
being,  after  its  completion,  to  donate  it  to  some  scientiflc  institution. 
He  is  a  close  student  of  nature  and  a  great  lover  of  field  sports, 
being  a  capital  wing-shot  and  fully  at  home  with  rod  or  gun  amid  the 
beauties  of  field,  forest  or  stream,  and  every  year  he  takes  an  extended 
hunting  and  fishing  trip  for  recreation.  In  1871  he  married  Annie 
Victoria,  only  child  of  Peter  and  Margaret  Ubil  (a  neighbor  adjoining 
the  old  homestead),  a  most  excellent  woman  in  mind  and  heart,and  held 
in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  who  know  her.  They  have  one  child. 
Edwin  Ellsworth,  a  bright  and  interesting  boy  of  seven  years,  who 
inherits  many  of  the  good  qualities  of  both  parents. 

D.  B.  HAND. 

Dr.  David  B.  Hand  was  born  in  Hawley,  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  March 
31st,  1848,  the  sixth  child  of  Robert  and  Susan  (Goble)  Hand.    His  great 
grandfather  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  raised  a  family  of  twenty 
children.    His  grandfather  was  born  in  Morris  county,  N.  J.,  and  lived 
to  the  age  of  sixty-five.    His  father,    Robert  Hand,  was  born  in  Sussex 
county,  N.  J.,  and  moved  to  Hawley,  where  he  had  purchased  a  large 
tract  of  land,  and  where  for  many  years  he  carried  on  an  extensive  busi- 
ness in  lumber.    He  died  there  in  1854.    The  latter's  mother,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Crandemeyer,  was  born  in  Germany;  came  to  New 
Jersey  when  but  five  or  six  years  old,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven.    Her  father  lived  to  be  more  than  one  hundred  years  old.    Dr. 
Hand's  great-grandfather  on  his  mother's  side  was  born  in  England ; 
came  to  America  and  settled  in  Mon-is  county,  N.  J,,  before  the  war  of 
the  Revolution;  lived  near  Valley  Forgo,  and  during  the  hard  winter  the 
army  had  its  winter  quarters  there  he  spent  nearly  his  entire  fortune, 
which  was  large,  in  feeding  the  patriot  soldiers.    His  wife  was  from 
Scotland,  and  her  father,  Stephen  Eoy,  fied  for  his  life  from  persecution 
there,  and  came  to  America.    Dr.  Hand's  grandfather  Nathan  Goble 
was  born  in  Morris  county,  N.  J.,  and  was  a  farmer  and  drover.    The 
doctor's  mother  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  and  is  a  lineal  descendant 
of  Francis  Price,  from  whom  the  township  of  Frankford  was  named, 
and  who  was  judge  of  the  court  in  that  county  for  thirty-two  years. 
Some  of  his  descendants  have  filled  prominent  positions  in  the  State. 
Dr.  Hand  was  one  of  seven  children,  to  wit:  Nathan,  Charles  F.,  Eliza- 
beth L.,  Melissa  A.,  William  J.,  David  B.  and  Sarah  A.    Nathan  died  in 
the  army ;  William  J.  served  through  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  and  was 
for  two  months  confined  in  Libby  prison. 

Upon  the  death  of  the  father  the  entire  charge  of  the  family  devol- 
ved upon  the  mother,  and  well  and  faithfully  was  her  task  performed. 
She  was  determined  her  children  should  have  the  advantage  of  an  edu- 
cation, and  by  her  efforts,  coupled  with  a  will  on  their  part  in  all  ways 
to  help  themselves,  they  all  received  a  liberal  education.  Mrs.  Hand, 
enjoying  in  the  fullest  measure  the  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  acquaint- 
ances, and  the  recipient  of  loving  attentions  from  her  children,  who 
f  uUy  appreciate  her  worth,  is  still  living  in  Hawley. 
:  Having  received  a  good  English  education,  the  subject  of  our  sketch 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  G. 
B.  Curtis  at  Hawloy,  and  was  graduated  from  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York  in  1808.  He  entered  upon  the  practice  at  South 
Canaan,  Wayne  County,  Pa.,  where  he  remained  three  years.  He  then 
removed  to  Carl)ondale,  where  ho  practiced  seven  j  cars.  His  health 
failing  in  consequence  of  overwork,  ho  sold  his  practice  and  went  to 
California.  He  traveled  for  several  months  through  California  and  the 
Western  States,  but  not  finding  a  location  to  suit  liim  lie  returned  oast 
and  settled  in  Columbia,  Pa.  His  predilection  for  the  coal  regions,  how- 
ever, induced  him  to  come  to  Scranton  in  the  spring  of  ISSO,  where  he  pur- 
chased the  property  of  Dr.  Horace  Ladd,  one  of  the  oldest  physicians  in 
tliat  city.  Dr.  Ladd  having  removed  to  Philadelphia,  Dr.  Hand  succeeded 
hlminhispr,aotico.  Dr.  Hand,  although  comparatively  a  young  man, 
has  by  his  energy  and  skill  amassed  a  competency,  and  bids  fair  to  take 
a  leading  position  among  the  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Sorantoii. 

He  married  Miss  Sarah  T.  Cromwell,  daughter  of  James  Cromwell,  of 
Hawloy,  in  1370.  She  was  born  May  2nd,  1851,  in  Hawley.  Her  famfly 
were  Quakers.  Hor  grandfather  was  Oliver  Cromwell,  who  settled  in 
Canterbury,  near  Nowburgh,  on  the  Hudson  river,  whore  he  carried  on 
the  trade  of  a  tanner. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hand  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  their  eldest  child, 
Mamie,  a  brightllttle  girl  of  six  years,  at  Columbia;  their  only  remain- 
ing child,  Freddie,  is  now  four  years  of  ago. 

ELISHA  HITCHCOCK, 

a  son  of  John  and  Phebe  (Tyler)  Hitchcock,  natives  of  Connecticut  (the 
former  born  Juno  10th,  1847,  and  the  latter  in  1850),  wasborn  in  Clermont, 
Cheshire  county,  New  Hampshire,  January  21st,  1778.  He  was  the  third 
in  a  family  of  fifteen  ohfidren,  twelve  sous  and  three  daughters,  none  of 
whom  are  now  living. 


< 


i:x_^c- 


-.^^ 


lirt^i  liyKSMlL  .iSiiiu  13  FwrJay  Sx  NT 


f 


4^ 


GENEALOGICAL   AND   PERSONAL    RECORD. 


438  C 


4^= 


Deacon  John  Hituhcocik,  the  (freiit-grandfather  of  Elishii,  died  in  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  Octobor  UtU,  ]7uJ,  ajfed  sixty-eight  years.  John,  hi.s 
grandfather,  died  July  2<lth,  1761,  ag-ed  flfty-seveii  years  ;  and  John,  hi.s 
father,  died  July  17th,  1S3J,  aged  eijfhty-eight  years,  aad  his  wife,  I'hehe, 
January  30th,  1821.  He  was  a  farmer  by  oeoupation,  and  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Clermont,  where  he  settled  in  1767.  Ho  built  the  first  barn 
in  the  township  in  1768,  in  which  all  the  wheat  raised  north  of  Sugar 
rirer  was  stored  that  year.  He  was  tor  many  years  prominently 
identified  with  the  town,  and  held  many  oflices,  and  was  for  several 
years  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  came  from  New  Hampshire  in  1809,  and  was 
engaged  in  building  grist-mills  in  Slocum  Hollow,  Wilkes-Barre  and 
Pittston  until  ho  married  Ruth,  daughter  of  Bbenezer  Slocum,  July  24th, 
1811,  when  he  returned  to  his  native  town ;  and  in  1820  he  removed  to 
Slocum  Hollow,  now  Scranton,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  October 
16th,  1858,  aged  nearly  eighty-one  years.  Ruth  survives  him,  and  is  liv- 
ing with  her  son  Ebenezer,  at  the  advanced  age  of  oighty-nlne.  He  fol- 
lowed his  trade  (millwright)  tor  several  years  ;  also  purchased  a  tract 
of  wild  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  residence  of  Ebenezer  Hitchcock, 
the  old  homestead  and  now  the  most  beautiful  part  of  the  city  of 
Scranton,  which  he  cleared  up  and  tilled  for  several  years.  He  was 
for  many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  for  more  than  fifty  years  a 
prominent  mason.  He  contributed  largely  to  the  building  of  the  first 
church  in  Scranton,  of  which  ho  and  his  wife  wore  for  several  years 
members. 

Ebenezer  Hitchcock  was  born  in  Clermont,  New  Hampshire,  April 
27th,  1815,  and  is  the  second  in  a  family  of  seven  children,  viz.:  Elisha, 
born  June  29th,  1813  (died  April  28th,  1855) ;  Sarah,  born  October  14th, 
1817  (wife  of  Abel  Gardner,  of  Abington,  Pa.);  lluth  Ann,  born  January 
29th,  1830  (died  October  23d,  1804);  Zenas,  born  March  33th,  1822  (died  June 
4th,  1880);  Mary,  born  May  11th,  1837  (wife  of  Dr.  William  H.  Heath,  of 
Hyde  Park),  and  Eliza,  born  July  13th,  1831  (died  August  2ath,  1843). 
Ebenezer  came  to  Scranton  with  his  parents  when  he  was  eleven  years 
of  age.  His  educational  advant.iges  were  limited  to  the  district  school. 
He  was  twice  married;  first,  December  34th,  1856,  to  Marion,  daughter 
of  Helon  Budd,  of  Troy,  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  who  was  born  June  28th, 
1834,  and  died  February  2nd,  1857.  He  married  for  his  secoud  wife 
Amanda,  daughter  of  William  Swaekhammer,  of  Waymart,  Wayne 
county.  Pa.,  February  30th,  1806.  She  was  born  February  .5th,  1838,  and 
died  in  1880.  Three  children  were  born  of  this  marriage:  Marion,  March 
16th,  1867;  Hattie,  September  18th,  1873  (died  December  28th,  1878);  and 
William,  February  4th,  1873.  In  1853  Mr.  Hitchcock  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Pollock  as  one  of  his  aides-de-camp,  with  the  rank  of  lieuten- 
ant colonel.  He  has  always  been  engaged  in  farming  and  lumbering;  is 
Republican  in  politics.  He  was  for  several  years  identified  with  the 
Episcopal  church. 

A.  E.  HUNT. 

Alexander  E.  Hunt,  of  the  firm  of  Hunt  Brothers  &  Co.  (limited), 
Scranton,  was  born  in  Paulina,  N.  J.,  April  1st,  1836,  and  married  Frances 
E.  Gay,  of  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.  He  has  sei-ved  as  treasurer  of  the  above 
named  firm. 

HORACE  LADD,  A.  M.,  M.  D. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  September  14th, 
1826.  He  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city  and 
graduated  at  the  high  school,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  as  Bachelor  of  Arts. 
He  soon  entered  as  a  medical  student  the  office  of  Professor  John  K. 
Mitchell,  in  whom  he  found  a  generous  and  influential  friend.  In  the 
spring  of  1818,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
the  degree  of  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him.  It  was  a  proud  day  for 
the  young  man  and  for  his  widowed  mother,  who  had  made  many  saori- 
flces  to  secure  her  son  a  liberal  education.  The  young  doctor  placed  his 
sign  on  the  house  in  which  he  was  born,  and  very  soon  the  poor  of  his 
neighborhood,  who  had  known  him  from  his  boyhood,  called  upon  him 
when  sick.  It  was  not  long  before  he  received  handsome  tokens  of  appre- 
ciation in  successive  appointments  as  vaccine  physician,  by  the  city 
council;  dispensary  physician,  by  the  managers  of  the  Philadelphia  Dis- 
pensary, and  resident  physician  to  the  Bush  Hill  hospital,  by  the  board 
of  health  In  the  fulfillment  of  the  duties  of  the  latter  position  he  was 
exposed  constantly  to  cholera,  small-pox  and  ship-fever,  but  his  cnthu- 
.siastie  devotion  to  his  profession  was  never  dampened  for  a  moment. 
Shortly  after  the  close  of  the  epidemic  of  cholera,  during  which  he  had 
been  actively  engaged.  Dr.  Ladd  received  a  cordial  invitation  from 
prominent  citizens  of  Carbon  county,  Pa.,  to  locate  at  Summit  Hill. 
Being  assured  of  a  handsome  practice  and  a  certain  income,  he  deter- 
mined to  leave  his  home  for  a  time  and  devote  himself  to  the  care  of 
the  health  of  the  denizens  of  the  coal  regions.  Hosts  of  friends  gathered 
around  him  in  his  new  field  of  usefulness,  and  the  doctor  soon  took 
front  rank  among  his  medical  brethren  in  that  section. 

From  Summit  Hill,  after  a  successful  career  of  five  years,  he  was  in- 
duced by  force  of  circumstances  to  remove  in  1834  to  Mauch  Chunk, 
eight  miles  distant  from  the  first  named  place.  A  sudden  outbreak  of 
cholera  prostrated  two  of  the  oldest  and  most  trusted  physicians  of 
Mauch  Chunk,  both  of  whom  died.  Dr.  Ladd  was  urged  at  once  to  set- 
tle in  the  town  whore  he  had  shown  himself  so  fearless  and  successful 


in  staying  the  ravages  ofthe  appalling  epidemic.  He  was  still  a  single 
man;  his  success  had  been  uninterrupted  from  the  commencement  of 
his  professional  career  and  fortune  favored  him  still,  and  in  May,  1836, 
he  married  Miss  Ellen  C.  Brooks,  of  Philadelphia.  He  continued  the 
practice  of  his  profession  with  the  most  gratifying  success,  but  the  fall- 
ing health  of  his  wife  and  other  personal  interests  induced  hlra  to  de- 
cide to  remove  from  the  region  where,  he  has  often  said,  he  had  passed 
ten  of  the  happiest  years  of  his  life. 

In  June,  1839,  he  removed  to  Scranton.  His  reputation  as  aaucoessful 
and  conscientious  physician  had  preceded  him.  He  was  cordially  wel- 
comed by  medical  brethren,  os  well  as  by  the  citizens  generally.  He 
has  enjoyed  a  lucrative  practice  in  Scranton  for  twenty  years.  He  has 
over  been  a  liberal  contributor,  according  to  his  means,  to  all  the 
churches  where  his  help  was  needed,  and  has  been  identified  with  most 
if  not  all  of  the  public  charities  wherever  he  has  resided.  He  has  been 
successively  physician  to  the  city  hosDital,  the  home  for  the  friendless, 
the  alms  house  and  hospital  for  the  same.  He  has  aided  in  the  organi- 
zation of  medical  societies  wherever  he  has  lived,  and  has  represented 
his  region,  repeatedly,  in  the  State  Medical  Society  and  in  the  Ameri- 
can Medical  Association.  Now,  while  this  work  is  being  compiled,  he  is 
closing  his  labors  in  the  region  where  he  has  been  so  long  and  favorably 
known,  with  a  view  of  returning  to  his  native  city,  for  the  purpose  of 
being  near  his  beloved  mother,  to  watch  over  and  cheer  the  remainder 
of  her  long  and  devoted  life.  That  success  and  happiness  may  follow 
him,  and  that  his  life  and  usefulness  may  be  prolonged,  will  be  the 
earnest  and  sincere  wish  of  his  hosts  of  friends. 

CHARLES  T.  PIERSON. 

Mr.  Pierson  was  born  in  Sag  Harbor,  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  July  5th, 
1805,  the  second  child  in  a  family  of  five  children  of  Jeremiah  and  Phebe 
(Terbell)  Pierson.  The  family  is  of  English  descent.  When  Charles  T. 
was  only  a  boy  bis  father  moved  from  Long  Island  and  settled  in  Forest- 
burg,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  where,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  he  was 
extensively  engaged  in  the  lumber  trade.  His  widow  subsequently 
married  David  Hammond,  and  movedto  Montlcello,  Sullivan  county, 
N.  Y.  After  the  death  of  her  second  husband  she  resided  with  her 
children.  She  died  in  Buffalo,  at  the  residence  of  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
Schryver,  March  5th,  1833,  aged  84.  By  her  first  husband  she  had  five 
children,  viz.:  Charity  H.,  Charles  T.,  Stephen  H.,  Louisa  and  Phebe  Ann- 
Charity  H.,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  A.  L.  Schryver,  of  Buffalo.  Stephen 
H.  married  Ann  Eliza  Mirvin,  was  a  resident  of  Carbondale  for  many 
years  and  died  there.  Louisa,  widow  of  W.  F.  Ketchum,  partner  for 
rajny  years  in  the  boot  and  shoe  business  at  Buffalo  with  Mr.  Schryver, 
is  still  living  in  the  latter  city.  Phebe  Ann  married  James  McMaster,  a 
retired  merchant,  living  in  London,  England. 

Charles  T.  Pierson  received  his  education  in  'the  common  schools  of 
Forestburg  and  Montlcello.  Not  possessing  a  strong  constitution  he 
was  not  fitted  for  the  heavy  work  connected  with  his  father's  business 
of  lumbering,  and  at  about  the  age  of  sixteen  he  became  clerk  in  the 
store  of  Case  Cuddeback,  at  Cuddebackville,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y., 
where  he  remained  about  thres  years.  He  was  for  about  three  years 
thereafter  clerk  for  Morris  Wurts,  at  Wurtsboro,  in  the  same  county. 
Here  he  became  acquainted  with  Catharine,  daughter  of  David  and 
Anna  Dorrance,  whom  he  married  January  10th,  1837.  Mrs.  Pierson  was 
burn  in  Wurtsboro,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  February  17th,  1803.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  was  captain  in  the  Revolution  of 
a  company  in  General  La  Fayette's  corps  and  was  in  active  service  dur- 
ing the  continuation  of  the  war,  except  about  six  months,  during  which 
he  was  an  inmate  of  the  hospital  on  account  of  a  wound.  He  moved 
from  Rhode  Island  to  Windham,  Conn.,  where  for  many  years  he  kept  a 
hotel.  From  Windham  he  moved  to  Wurtsboro,  N.  Y.,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  large  tract  of  timber  land  and  engaged  extensively  in  lumber- 
ing. He  died  there.  H3r  mother  was  a  native  of  Windham,  Conn. 
She  survived  her  husband  a  number  of  years  and  died  in  Wurtsboro. 
They  had  ten  children  (seven  sons  and  three  daughters);  all  are  dead  ex- 
cept Mrs.  Pierson. 

After  his  marriaga  Mr.  Pierson  lived  about  two  years  at  Forestburg, 
being  employed  in  settling  up  his  father's  estate.  ;He  next  engaged  in 
the  dry  goods  trade  for  about  two  years  at  Montlcello.  N.  Y.  In  1833  he 
moved  to  Carbondale,  Luzerne  (now  Lackawanna)  county.  Pa.,  where 
he  at  first  engaged  in  trade.  He  subsequently  sold  his  store,  and  under 
the  firm  name  of  Pierson  &  Co.  established  a  foundry,  with  which  he  was 
connected  for  eighteen  years.  The  company  did  an  extensive  and  lu- 
crative business.  Mr.  Pierson's  first  partner  was  a  Mr.  Wilbur;  his  second 
Joseph  Benjamin,  who  purchased  Wilbur's  interest.  In  1853,  having 
sold  his  interest  in  the  foundry,  he  moved  to  New  York  city,  where  he 
was  interested  in  the  dry  goods  house  of  Lathrop,  Luddington  &  Co.,  and 
in  the  boot  and  shoe  house  of  Wells  &  Co.  He  continued  in  business  in 
New  York  four  years.  In  1836  he  returned  to  Carbondale,  and  for  the 
next  two  years  was  interested  in  the  Von  Storch  coal  works  at  Prov- 
idence. In  1858  he  moved  to  Scranton,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  celebrated  Dixon  Manufacturing  Company,  of  that  city.  He  was 
employed  in  this  enterprise  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
September  18th,  1859. 

Mr.  Pierson  was  naturally  of  a  quiet,  reserved  disposition,  a  ,  man  of 


=4 


«=€^= 


H^ 


438  z? 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


few  words,  and  though  warmly  attached  to  friends  did  not  go  out  of  his 
way  to  make  new  acquaintances. 

He  was  energetic  and  almost  uniformly  successful  in  carrying  for- 
ward his  business  enterprises.  He  was  among  the  first  in  his  locality  to 
espouse  the  anti-slavery  cause,  and  the  slaveseeking  to  escape  from 
bondage  found  in  him  a  friend. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Bepublican  party  he  became  its  firm 
supporter.  For  many  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  In  his  family  no  man  was  ever  more  beloved  than  he. 

Mrs.  Pierson,  at  the  advanced  age  of  77,  is  still  a  resident  of  Scranton, 
occupying  the  pleasant  home  on  Washington  avenue  built  by  her  hus- 
band just  previous  to  his  death.  She  has  been  for  many  years  a  consist- 
ent and  worthy  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 

Only  one  child,  Helen  E.,  wife  of  William  K.  Laverty,  of  New  York 
city,  is  living.  She  has  five  children,  viz. :  William  P.,  Charles  T.,  Helen 
K.,  Elttie  D.  and  Fannie  G.  Mrs.  Laverty  was  born  in  Carbondale,  April 
14th,  1845. 

HON.  LBWIS  PUGHB. 

Hon.  Lewis  Pughe,  one  of  the  originators  of  the  Scranton  Board  of 
Trade,  served  as  its  first  secretary  and  has  since  been  its  president  six 
years.  Mr.  Pughe  was  born  March  6th,  1820,  in  Montgomeryshire,  North 
Wales,  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1843  and  settled  in  Carbon- 
dale  (then  in  Luzerne  county).  He  was  elected  the  first  treasurer  of  the 
city  of  Carbondale,  and  was  subsequently  elected  alderman  and  asso- 
ciate judge  of  the  mayor's  court.  He  was  elected  by  the  Hepublicans 
a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  in  1859  and  1881.  He  removed 
to  Scranton  in  March,  1868,  and  in  1871  was  elected  scoool  director  and 
treasurer  of  the  school  board.  In  1872  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
constitutional  convention,  and  served  with  distinguished  honor  and 
ability.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Third  National  Dank  of  Scranton;  was 
president  of  the  first  lay  delegate  convention  of  the  Wyoming  confer- 
ence of  the  M.  B.  Church,  held  in  Owego  in  1872,  and  has  taken  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  management  of  the  public  charities  of  Scranton.  Mr. 
Pughe  is  a  member  of  the  successful  firm  of  Monies  &  Pughe.  He  is  a 
thoroughly  self-made  man,  having  risen  fron  tlie  ranks  to  successively 
higher  positions  of  honor  and  responsibility  in  city,  county  and  State. 
With  broad  common  sense  views  of  men  and  measures,  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance and  varied  exerience,  he  is  eminently  qualified,  as  president  of  the 
board  of  trade,  to  foster  the  great  growing  manufacturing  and  general 
business  interests  of  the  city  of  Scranton,  and  to  him  much  is  due  for 
their  past  advancement. 

MAJOR  EZRA  H.  KIPPLE 

was  bom  in  Mauoh  Chunk,  Carbon  county.  Pa.,  February  14th,  1842. 
His  grandfather,  Peter  Hippie,  emigrated  to  this  country  from  Hesse 
Darmstadt,  Germany,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  18th  century,  and  settled 
in  Newport,  Luzen^e  county.  Pa.  Here  he  reared  a  family  of  fourteen 
children,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  (1880)  living,  viz.  Isaac  Ripple,  a 
resident  of  White  Haven,  Luzerne  county.  Silas  Ripple,  father  of  the 
major,  the  youngest  of  the  fourteen,  was  born  at  Newport,  April  2nd, 
1811,  settled  in  Mauch  Chunk  in  1832,  and  there  married  Elizabeth 
Harris  in  1840.  Hero  their  three  children,  Ezra  H.,  Mary  M.  and  a  child 
who  died  in  infancy,  wore  born.  Mary  M.  is  the  wife  of  H.  B.  Doster  and 
resides  in  Bethlehem,  Northampton  county.  Pa.  In  1840  he  moved  with 
his  family  to  Duck  Mountain,  Carbon  county,  whore  for  eleven  years  he 
kept  a  hotel.  In  1857  he  moved  to  Hyde  Park,  where  until  his  death  he 
kept  the  "  Old  White  Tavern  "  at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Main  streets. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Whig  and  Republican.  He  was  a  genial  companion, 
hospitable  to  strangers,  a  kind  neighbor,  and  a  man  thoroughly  devoted 
to  his  family.  He  died  of  congestion  of  the  brain,  after  a  short  illness, 
December,  1801.    His  wife  survives  him  and  lives  in  Allentown,  Pa. 

Major  Ezra  H.  Ripple  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  at 
Duck  Mountain  and  Hyde  Park  and  by  an  attendance  of  about  four 
years  in  the  Wyoming  Seminary,  of  which  the  Rev.  Reuben  Nelson  was 
then  principal.  After  leaving  school  he  was  employed  in  his  father's 
hotel  at  Hyde  Park,  and  continued  there  after  his  father's  death  up  to 
April,  1802.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  though  strongly  desiring 
so  to  do,  he  was  prevented  from  enlisting  by  the  death  of  his  father, 
which  left  the  whole  care  of  the  family  and  of  his  father's  estate  upon 
his  hands.  After  leaving  the  hotel  he  engaged  in  the  drug  business, 
in  which  he  continued  up  to  1804.  Twice,  however,  dui'ing 
this  time  he  responded  to  calls  for  "  minute  men "  to  aid  in 
repelling  invasions  of  the  North  by  the  enemy;  first,  when 
the  southern  army  invaded  Maryland,  ho  volunteered  under 
Lieutenant  Mcl^iune,  since  mayor  of  Scranton,  and  marched  for  Antie- 
tam.  Here  he  wos  permitted  to  hear  the  guns,  but  like  Job's  war  horse 
only  smelled  the  battle  afar  off.  Again,  in  the  great  emergency  of  1803, 
when  General  Lee  invaded  Pennsylvania,  he  served  under  Colonel  W. 
N.  Monies  at  the  time  of  the  Gettysburg  battle.  In  March,  1804,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  arranging  his  business  and  enlisted  in  the  B2nd  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  then  commanded  by  Colonel  (now  Governor)  H.  M.  Hoyt. 
He  was  soon  made  leader  of  the  2nd  brigade  band,  but  held  the  position 
only  for  a  short  time,  as  the  band  was  broken  up  by  military  orders. 
Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  band  he  entered  upon  duty  in  his  company, 


i'^^ 


and  went  with  the  regiment  as  bugler  on  two  occasions  in  venturesome 
excursions  up  the  AshepooandCombahee  rivers,  in  South  Carolina.  But 
his  military  activity  was  speedily  terminated  in  a  night  attack  on  Fort 
Johnson  in  Charleston  harbor,  where.with  Colonel  Hoyt  and  Lieutenant 
colonel  Conyngham  and  about  140  others  of  the  regiment,  he  was  taken 
prisoner.    Thus  after  three  months'  actual  service  he  found  himself  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1804,  safely  housed  with  others  in  the  jail  of  the  city  of 
CJharleston.    From  here  he  was  speedily  removed  to  the  infamous  stock- 
ade of  Andersonville.    After  three  months  of  terrible  sufi'erlng  and 
destitution  he  was  taken  back  to  Charleston,  only,    however,  to  be 
transferred  to  the  stockade  at  Florence,  S.  C;  and  here,  for  five  months, 
in  fearful  exposure  and  utter  destitution,  he  suffered  tortures  such  as 
no  words  would  be  adequate  to  describe.    From  Florence,  with  eighteen 
other  prisoners,  he  escaped  and  attempted  to  reach  the  Union  lines. 
He  found  after  traveling  a  few  miles  that  he  was  too  weak  to  keep  up 
with  his  companions.    Hearing  in  the  distance  the  baying  of  blood- 
hounds, he  took  refuge  in  a  swamp,  but  was  soon  tracked  to  his  place 
of  concealment.    With  his  back  to  a  tree,  with  no  weapon  save  his 
poorly  shod  feet,  he  fought  for  his  life  with  those  savage  beasts  until 
finally  rescued  by  their  brutal  masters,  who  had  followed  the  dogs  into 
the  swamp;  but  not  until  his  limbs  had  been  gashed  to  the  bone  and 
from  the  loss  of  blood  he  was  more  dead  than  alive.    The  scars  from 
this  battle  with  the  dogs  are  permanent.    He  was  driven  back  to  his 
horrid  burrow  in  the  stockade,  where  he  was  left  without  either  food  or 
medical  relief.    The  sufferings  he  endured  during  his  slow  recovery  are 
beyond  description.    They  made  a  permanent  and  horrible  impression 
upon  the  gallant  soldier.    The  whole  scene  still  comes  back  to  him  in 
dreams  as  a  horrible  nightmare.    He  was  exchanged  about  a  month 
after  his  recapture,  and  upon  his  arrival  at  home  he  was  prostrated  with 
camp-fever,  which  both  tested  and  demonstrated  his  magnificent  power 
of  endurance.    He  was  regularly  discharged  at  Camp  Parole,  Annapolis, 
Md.,  after  the  surrender  of  Lee. 

In  September,  ]805,  he  entered  Eastman's  Commercial  College  at 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  where  he  took  a  three  months'  course.  Retuminff 
to  Hyde  Park  he  went  into  the  ofHoe  of  a  railroad  and  coal  com- 
pany as  book-keeper,  in  which  capacity  he  served  three  years.  In 
1809  he  entered  into  partnership  with  F.  L.  Hitchcock  in  the  crockery 
business  in  Scranton.  In  October,  1872,  he  sold  his  interest  in  this  store 
to  H.  A.  Coursen,  and  became  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  William  Connell 
cfc  Co.,  proprietors  of  the  Meadow  Brook,  National  and  Stafford  mines, 
all  situated  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  Scranton,  his  department  of 
the  business  being  the  management  of  its  accounts. 

In  the  excitement  and  upheavals  in  the  city  of  Scranton  in  1877  Major 
Ripple,  in  company  with  two  or  three  young  men,  quietly  organized  a 
company  of  vlgilanta  to  aid  the  mayor  in  obtaining  order,  and  he  was 
chosen  its  captain.  The  dispersion  of  the  mob  by  these  young  men  on 
the  1st  of  August  led  to  the  organization  of  the  four  companies  of  the 
City  Guard,  when  he  was  selected  and  commissioned  captain  of  Company 
n.  Upon  the  consolidation  of  the  guard  with  the  13th  regiment  na- 
tional guard  of  Pennsylvania  Captain  Hippie  was  elected  and  commis- 
sioned miijor,  which  position  he  still  holds  and  fills  to  the  entire  satisfac- 
tion of  his  comrades. 

In  politics  the  major  is  Republican.  In  1879  he  received  the  nomina- 
tion of  his  party  for  the  office  of  county  treasurer,  and  the  ability, 
honesty  and  fidelity  with  which  he  has  fulfilled  the  trusts  of  his  life 
were  fully  attested  by  the  fact  that  the  voters  of  Lackawanna  county, 
by  a  strikir)g  majority,  elected  him  to  that  responsible  position.  It  has 
been  well  written  of  him:  "  In  civil  life  he  has  demon.strated  an  ability 
for  running,  of  which  his  military  career  gave  neither  promise  or 
prophecy." 

The  major  has  been  an  active  member  of  the  Fii-st  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Scranton  since  1871.  He  married,  April  22nd,  1844,  Sarah  H.,  daughter 
of  Richiird  M.  and  Susnn  Hackctt,  of  Scranton.  Mrs.  Ripple  was  born 
m  Nesquehoning,  Carbon  county.  Pa.,  November  13th,  1843.  Their  chil- 
dren are:  Mary  M.,  born  February  3d,  1ST5,  died  February  0th,  1879; 
Hannah,  born  .lanuary  0th,  1877,  and  Ezra  H.,  born  January  31st,  1879. 

DR.  SILAS  D.  ROBINSON. 

Dr.  Silas  B.  Robinson  was  bora  February  2.-,th,  1795,  in  Hartwick,  Ot- 
sego county,  N.  Y.  His  father,  a  farmer  in  moderate  cireumstimces, 
was  able  to  give  him  only  an  ordinary  education;  yet  by  the  aid  of  an 
industry  that  ncvor  deserted  him  during  a  long  life  he  attained  a  gen- 
eral medical  knowledge  under  the  tuition  of  Dr.  Stephen  Wilson,  of 
Lawrence,  N.  Y.,  sufficient  to  entitle  him  to  a  diploma  from  the  Otsego 
County  Medical  Society  in  March,  1821.  In  November  of  the  same  year 
he  located  in  Abington,  Pa.,  and  practiced  his  profession  there  until  the 
following  March.  He  then  removed  to  Providence,  living  two  years 
with  Stephen  Tripp,  near  Hyde  Park.  At  this  time  no  other  practitioner 
save  Davis  and  Giddings  lived  in  the  valley,  nor  was  the  wild  region 
known  as  Drinker's  Beach  trodden  by  a  physician  until  long  after  this 
tune. 

On  a  knoll  just  below  the  village  of  Providence  now  stands  the  low 
brown  cottage  where  Dr.  Robinson  commenced  prnefice  in  1823  His 
practice  embraced  a  large,  sparsely  settled  territovy.ho  making  his  visits 
always  on  foot.    The  doctor  would  make  jouiueys  into  Woyne  county, 


=^)* 


l-r'  l-'l  ^  C  IJ-U'  0.  .•^'■"SL  l^u:.Uiij  Jl    A/  I 


GENEALOGICAL  AND   PERSONAL   RECORD. 


438^ 


crossing  Cobb  mountain  at  midnight  with  a  single  mcsseoger,  while  the 
pursuing:  wolves  were  howling  butafew  rods  behind  his  shivering  foot- 
steps. For  this  three  days  and  nights  of  profession  il  labor,  and  often 
fraught  with  peril,  his  usual  charge  was  three  dollai-s,  and  this  amount 
he  sometimes  received  in  goose  feathers. 


DR.  SILAS  B.   ROBINSON. 

Dr.  Kobinson  made  no  pretension  at  surgery,  of  which  there  was  com- 
paratively none  in  the  country,  yet,  as  a  man  who  contributed  very 
much  toward  ameliorating  the  infirmities  of  age  or  the  sorrows  of  the 
younger  wayfarer,  who  by  his  kind  nursing,  his  continued  and  cheering 
presence  in  the  sick  room,  and  his  ready  willingness  to  do  and  endure 
for  others,  heboid  in  his  declining  years  more  of  the  real  love  and  kind- 
lier feelings  of  the  older  settlers  than  any  physician  ever  before  or 
since  in  the  Iiackwanna  valley. 

Everybody  knew  Dr.  Robinson,  and  he  knew  everybody,  and  yet  no 
manever  Jived  in  the  county  who  knew  and  cared  so  little  about  his 
neighbors'  business  and  dissensions.  Ee  was  emphatically  the  poor 
man's  friend,  attending  all  patients  far  and  near  regardless  of  fee  or  re- 
ward ;  a  matter  of  fact  man,  a  prominent  mason,  and  one  who  brought 
no  discredit  upon  a  character  adorned  by  a  long  life  of  sobriety,  indus- 
try and  usefulness. 

Dr.  Eobinson  died  suddenly,  January  10th,  1860,  of  congestion  of  the 
lungs.  During  the  day  he  had  attended  to  the  duties  of  his  profession 
as  usual,  visiting  patients  within  two  hours  of  his  death;  returned  home 
in  the  evening,  retired  to  his  bed  in  apparent  health  and  in  thirty 
minutes  was  dead.  He  was  twice  married,  and  his  excellent  lady  sur- 
vived him  only  three  years. 

U.  G.  SCHOONMAKER. 

U.  G.  Schoonmalcer,  proprietor  of  the  Forest  House,  Scranton,  was 
born  in  Rosendale,  tJlster  county,  N.  Y,  January  3Ist,  1845.  His  wife 
was  Louise  J.  Eeed,  of  Binghamton,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Schoonraaker  has  been 
a  member  of  the  select  council  of  the  city. 

JOSEPH  SLOCUM. 

The  history  of  any  locality  could  be  written  and  many  family  names 
left  out  without  doing  them  or  the  reader  any  great  injustice.  There 
are  others,  however,  who  have  left  so  indelibly  the  impress  of  their 
lives  upon  the  communities  of  which  they  formed  apart  thatno  history 
would  be  complete  that  did  not  make  mention  of  them.  To  the  latter 
class  belongs,  pre-eminently,  the  name  that  heads  this  sketch.     An  ex- 


tended genealogy  of  the  Slocum  family,  with  record  of  dates  of  births, 
marriages  and  deaths,  and  notices  of  Some  of  its  prominent  members, 
appears  on  another  page  of  this  volume,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred. 
Of  its  members  who  still  survive  none  occupies  a  higher  position  in 
the  esteem  of  his  fellow  men  than  does  "  Uncle  "  Joseph  Slocum.  He 
was  born  in  Wilkes-Borre,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  July  16th,  1800.  He  has 
thus  for  upwards  of  eighty  years  been  identified  with  the  communities 
of  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  valleys,  of  which  it  may  well  be  said 
of  him,  as  of  Aeneas  of  old,  "he  has  himself  formed  a.  conspicuous 
part." 

His  father,  Bbenezer  Slocum,  fourth  child  of  Jonathan  and  Euth 
(Tripp)  Slocum,  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  E.  L,  January  10th,  1768,  and 
married  Sarah,daughter  of  Joseph  and  Obedience  (Sperry)  Davis,  Decem- 
ber 3d,  1790.  She  was  born  August  31st,  1771.  To  this  worthy  couple 
were  born  thirteen  children,  as  follows : 

Euth,  born  September  13th,  1791,  married  Elisha  Hitchcock  July  34th, 
1811,  an  account  of  whose  family  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
Sidney,  born  March  17th,  1794,  married  (July  1st,  1813)  Jane  La  France,  by 
whom  he  had  six  children,  two  of  whom  are  living.    He  was  killed  in  a 
grist-mill  at  Providence  January  30th,  1835.    Ebenezer,  jr.,  born  June 
6th,  1796,  married  Sally  Mills.    Benjamin,  born  July  19th,  1798,  married 
Matilda  Griffin,  August  1st,  1819.    They  had  six  chUdren,  three  of  whom 
are  living.    He  died  October  19th,  1833.   Joseph  was  born  July  15th,  1800. 
Samuel,  born  May  13th,  1803,  married  Polly  Dings  May  13th,  1830.    They 
had  six  children,  three  of  whom  are  living.    He  died  August  18th,  1851. 
Thomas,  born  May  31st,  1804,  married  Sarah  S.  Jenkins  December  14th,' 
1837.    They  had  six  children,  three  of  whom  are  living.    He  died  Decem- 
ber 30th,  1879.    Sarah,  born  December  34th,  1800,  married  Alva  Hermans 
September  5th,  1833.    They  had  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living. 
She  died  November  28th,  1878.    Cliarles  M.,  born  December  S4th,  1808,' 
died  August  37th,  1877.    William,  born  September  30th,  1810,  married 
Jane  Lockwood  March  30th,  1843.    They  had  ten  children,  seven  of  whom 
are  living.    He  is  still  living  in  Abington,  Lackawanna  county.    Mary, 
born  December  3d,  1813,  died  January  Snd,  1875.    Esther,  born  March 
30th,  1816,  married  Lester  Bristle.    They  had  four  children,  three  of 
whom  are  living.    He  is  hving  in  Hoboken,  N.  J.    Giles,  born  December 
]lth,1830,  married  Sarah  Decker,  by  whom  he  had  one  child.    He  is  a 
resident  of  Scranton.    Ebenezer  Slocum  moved  from  Wilkes-Barre  and 
settled  in  what  was  then  called  UnionviUe,  now  a  part  of  the  city  of    ' 
Scranton,  in  1798,  and  lived  in  a  log  house  situated  on  the  bank  of  Eoar- 
ing  Brook  near  the  spot  where  the  Scranton  grist-mill  now  stands.    In 
company  with  his  brother  Benjamin  he  built  a  grist  and  saw-mill,  a 
forge,  a  still  house  and  smith  shop.    These,  with  five  log  houses,  made 
up  the  village  of  UnionviUe.    The  "  Old  Slocum  Eed  House,"  a  land- 
mark for  many  years  in  Scranton,  was  built  by  him  in  1805.    It  was  still 
standing  in  1876,  but  has  given  place  to  the  retaining  wall  of  the  Scran- 
ton steel  works.    He  subsequently  built  a  second  still  house.    Whiskey, 
lumber,  iron,  flour  and  feed  were  manufactured  in  such  quantities  as 
to  bring  the  settlement  before  the  county  as  one  of  prominence  and 
importance.    A  detailed  account  of  the  business  operations  of  the  Slo- 
cums  appears  elsewhere.      Bbenezer  Slocum   died   of  appoplexy  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  July  25th,  1833.    His  wife  survived  him  more  than  ten 
years.    She  died  November  1st,  1843. 

Mr.  Slocum  left  an  estate  of  1,800  acres  of  land,  all  lying  within  the 
limits  of  the  present  city  of  Scranton,  which  was  divided  into  four  lots 
or  parcels,  and  assigned  by  the  administrator  to  his  several  heirs. 
Joseph  Slocum,  during  his  minority,  was  employed  in  the  different  en- 
terprises carried  on  by  liis  father.  In  all  departments  of  the  mechanic 
art,  he  was  an  expert.  He  could  make  anything,  from  a  horseshoe  to 
the  most  compUcated  piece  of  machinery  required  for  the  times.  He 
made  the  shoes  and  boots  for  the  family,  and  was  an  excellent  horse  ■ 
shoer.    For  many  yeare  he  ran  the  saw-mill. 

In  1836,  in  order  to  effect  a  settlement  of  business  between  his  father 
and  his  uncle  Benjamin.all  enterprises  were  stopped,  and  Joseph  went  to 
work  on  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal,  remaining  four  months  at  J12 
per  month.  He  afterward  worked  eighteen  months  for  Bodolphus 
Bingham.  A  division  of  property  having  in  the  mean  time  been  effected 
he  returned  home,  and  in  April,  1838,  in  company  with  his  brother 
Samuel,  assumed  the  management  of  his  father's  estate,  and  was  so  em- 
ployed to  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  in  1833. 

December  33nd,  1830,  he  married  Edilda,  daughter  of  Eodolphus  and 
Sally  (Kimball)  Bingham.  Mrs.  Slocum  was  born  in  the  town  of  Palmyra 
Pike  county.  Pa.,  December  34th,  1805.  Mr.  Slocum  had  made  her  ao! 
quaiutance  while  at  work  for  her  father.  For  neariy  two  years  after 
their  marriage  both  lived  at  their  own  homes.  August  18th,  1832  they 
xjommenoed  house-keeping  in  a  new  frame  house.near  the  old  stone  still 
house.  They  afterwards  moved  into  the  "old  red  Slocum  house,"  his 
brother  Samuel  occupying  also  a  part  of  it.  In  about  one  year  they 
moved  into  the  "  old  possession  "  log  house,  on  what  was  known  as  the 
Griffln  lot,  and  afterward  into  a  frame  house,  which  was  subsequently 
burned.  Mr.  Slocum  built  his  present  residence  in  1839  and  moved  mto 
it  in  January,  1860.  Upon  the  division  of  his  father's  estate  lot  No  4 
or  the  GriiBn  lot,  consisting  of  595  acres,  fell  to  him,  conjointly  with  his 
brother  Samuel.  By  subsequent  purchases  from  his  brother  and  others 
he  became  the  owner  of  636K  acres;  which,  being  located  in  the  heart  of 
the  city  and  on  account  of  the  coal  underlying  it,  became  of  great  value 


*4h 


438  i^ 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


By  the  sale  of  these  lands  Mr.  Slocum  has  realized  a  handsome  fortune. 
Inheritinir  a  vigorous  constitution,  few  men  could  endure  more  long 
continued  physical  exertion  than  Mr.  Slocum.  The  following  incident 
in  his  life,  related  by  him  to  the  writer,  occurred  in  the  year  of  his 
reaching  his  majority :  Meetingin  Philadelphia  Erastus  Hill  and  another 
gentleman,  residents  of  Kingston,  he  was  offered  by  them  a  seat  in  their 
carriage  and  a  ride  to  Willces-Barre.  He  jokingly  replied,  "  I  can  beat 
your  horse  home."  The  race  for  Wilkes-Barre  was  speedily  arranged, 
each  agreeing  to  keep  an  accurate  account  of  the  time  they  were  on 
the  road,  not  including  stops.  The  result  was  Mr.  S.  reached  Wilkes- 
Barre  two  hours  ahead  of  the  horse,  his  walking  and  running  time  being 
20  hours,  4  minutes  and  30  seconds. 

The  distance  was  130  miles.  It  was  a  common  thiug  with  him  to 
walk  from  Scranton  to  Wilkes-Barre  and  back,  a  distance  of  thirty-six 
miles,  between  breakfast  and  dinner.  Mr.  Slocum  has  experienced  a 
succession  of  more  serious  accidents  than  often  fall  to  the  lot  of  one 
man.  He  lias  had  the  thumb  of  his  left  hand  cut  off  three  times.  In 
1810  he  had  two  ribs  broken  by  being  thrown  from  a  horse.  May  8th, 
1835,  several  of  his  ribs  were  broken  by  his  being  thrown  from  a  wagon. 
In  the  winter  of  1831,  by  an  accident  in  the  mill,  four  of  his  ribs  were 
broken.  In  1827  his  collar-bone  was  broken  by  a  handspike.  August 
18th,  1851,  while,  in  company  with  his  son,  looking  for  a  cow  in  the  woods, 
he  fell  from  a  high  ledge  of  rocks,  which  crushed  in  his  breastbone  and 
broke  several  more  of  his  ribs.  From  the  effect  of  the  latter  accident  he 
has  never  fully  recovered.  That  he  survived  it  at  all  demonstrated  his 
remarkable  power  of  endurance.  Though  crippled  in  body  by  these  and 
other  accidents  not  detailed,  age  seems  to  have  wrought  no  change  in 
his  mental  vigor.  His  memory  of  events  and  dates  is  remarkable.  Any 
one  in  seai-ch  of  statistics,  especially  of  the  early  times  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna valley,  would  be  quite  certain  of  obtaining  them  by  calling  on 
Mr.  Slocum.  He  has  always  been  a  man  of  strictly  temperate  habits. 
Though  engaged  in  the  aistiling  of  whiskey,  at  a  time  when  its  manu- 
facture was  considered  legitimate,  he  has  never  himself  been  a  user  of 
ardent  spirits  or  of  tobacco. 

In  polities  he  has  been  identified  with  the  Whig  and  Republican  par- 
ties. Though  not  a  seeker  of  office,  he  has  flUed  several  of  the  local 
offices.  He  was  collector  in  1833  and  the  first  burgess  of  Scranton 
borough,  and  has  been  city  auditor. 

Of  Mrs.  Slocum,  his  faithful  and  devoted  companion,  with  whom  he 
has  Journeyed  for  nearly  a  half  century,  it  is  but  just  to  say  she  has 
played  well  her  part  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  as  wife,  mother,  friend. 
If  spared  to  the  33nd  of  December,  1880,  this  worthy  couple  will  celebrate 
their  golden  wedding. 

The  record  of  their  children  is  as  follows :  JosephWarren  Slocum,  born 
July  33d,  1833,  married  Hannah  M.  Collins,  February  Sist,  1856.  His  chil- 
dren were :  Florence,  born  April  8d,  1858 ;  Frank  H.,  born  June  20th,  1861 ; 
Kate,  born  July  22nd,  1865  ;  Joseph,  born  November  31st,  1867 ;  Ida,  born 
May  7th,  1870,  died  October  17th,  1870;  Bessie,  born  October  16th,  1871, 
died  October  8th,  1877,  and  George  W.,  born  May  3oth,  1876.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  Joseph  W.  Slocum  has  been  deputy  United  States  marshal. 
He  lives  with  his  family  atthe  homestead.  Rodolphus  Bingham  Slocum, 
born  May  4th,  1845,  married  Annie  Lloyd,  by  whom  he^had  three  chil- 
dren, Edilda,  Joseph  B.  and  a  babe  not  named.  He  is  a  farmer,  living 
near  JanesviUe,  Wis. 

EDWAKD  SPENCER, 

son  of  Edward  and  MarylFinoh)  Spencer,  was  born  in  what  is  now 
Scranton,  October  3d,  180.5.  He  is  of  English  extraction,  being  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Edward  Spencer,  who  came  from  England  at  an  early 
■date,  and  settled  in  Connecticut. 

He  is  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  seven  children,  as  follows :  Sarah,  wife  of 
Julius  Bailqy,  of  Granville  Center,  Bi'adford  county.  Pa.,  now  living  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-three  years,  born  May  7th,  1797 ;  Mehitabel 
Gi-ifHn  (late  Broome],  of  Scranton,  born  March  6th,  1799  ;  Eliphas,  born 
December  18th,  1803,  died  in  Texas  in  1860;  Mai-ia,  born  August  13th, 
1804,  now  (1880)  residing  in  Dunmore;  Edward  Ambrose,  born  March  !lth, 
1809,  died  in  June,  1834;  Calvin,  born  March  11th,  1810,  died  in  Maryland, 
September  3].st,  1866. 

Edward,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Connecticut, 
May  7th,  1763,  and  was  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  Wyoming 
valley.  He  wasa  farmer  by  occupation  During  the  early  Indian  trou- 
bles he  iled  to  Sunbury;  after  Sullivan's  army  had  driven  the  Indians 
from  the  valley  he  returned  to  his  home,  to  find  his  house  burned,  and 
for  six  weeks  he  and  his  sister  lived  in  the  hollow  of  a  fallen  button- 
wood  tree. 

He  was  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  died  in 
Providence,  Pa.,  December  39th,  1829;  and  his  mother,  born  in  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.,  May  3nd,  1774,  died  in  Dunmore,  October  33nd,  1849. 

Edward,  the  grandfather,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  born  March  4th 
1711,  moved  to  Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Shawnee,  Luzerne  county  ' 
and  was  also  a  fanner     He  died  in  1800. 

Edward  Spencer,  whose  portrait  is  the  subject  of  one  of  our  plates, 
spent  his  youth  at  home  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  ago,  when  ho 
wont  to  live  with  Joseph  Hutchings,  a  cooper  of  Old  Providence,  with 
whom  he  remained  one  winter  and  attended  school.    He  paid  his  board 


by  working  in  the  shop  nights  and  mornings  and  chopping  wood  Satur- 
days. At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  engaged  for  one  season  on  his 
brother  Eliphas's  farm  at  $10  per  mouth,  and  the  following  winter  (1831) 
was  employed  in  hauling  coal  from  Carbond.ale  to  the  Dyberry  river. 
The  two  following  years  he  was  a  peddler  with  horse  and  wagon,  pur- 
chasing the  goods  of  his  brother  Eliphas,  who  had  engaged  in  trade  in 
connection  with  his  farming.  Daring  1833  he  was  eng.iged  as  teamster 
in  hauling  goods  from  Newburg,  N.  T.,  to  his  brother's  store  in  Provi- 
dence and  on  his  return  trips  taking  wheat  to  the  former  place  to  be 
sent  to  market ;  and  the  following  year  he  was  clerk  in  his  brother's 
store  at  Brown's,  near  Wurtsboro,  on  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal. 
In  1835  he  built  a  small  store  at  Loekport,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  and 
engaged  in  trade.  In  January,  1837,  he  removed  to  Providence,  Pa., 
and  continued  in  the  mercantile  business  there  for  several  years.  While 
engaged  in  trade  in  Providence  he  purchased  his  father's  farm  and 
saw-mill  and  grist-mill,  which  business  was  also  carried  on  by  him  until 
1843,  when  he  sold  out  and  removed  to  Dunmore,  and  settled  upon  a 
farm  which  he  purchased  of  Stoddard  Judd.  Here  he  opened  a  coal 
'  mine  for  his  own  use,  which  is  now  the  Roaring  Brook  mine,  it  having 
been  leased  of  Mr.  Spencer  in  1863.  In  1835  he  purchased  the  John  Bris- 
bin  residence,  No.  123  Wyoming  avenue,  Scranton,  where  he  now  resides. 
Since  he  became  a  resident  of  Scranton,  he,  with  his  family,  has  spent 
fourteen  months  in  traveling  through  Colorado  and  Texas,  camping  out 
most  of  this  time. 

On  November  10th,  183.5,  he  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Andrew 
Deved,  of  Mammakatiug,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  who  was  born  October 
30th,  1807,  and  died  December  8th,  1846.  The  children  by  this  marriage 
were :  Calvin  A.,  born  Auffust  37th,  1836  ;  Sarah  Ann,  born  January  9th, 
1839,  died  March  13th,  1870 ;  Gustavus  C,  born  April  14th,  1880,  died  when 
fourteen  months  old ;  Mary  Elizabeth,  born  February  11th,  1833,  died 
August  38th,  1858 ;  Phebe  Ann,  born  January  15th,  1834,  died  December 
21st,  1870 ;  Mehitabel  M.,  born  February  29th,  1836  ;  Andrew  D.,  bora 
October  5th,  1838 ;  and  Edward  B.,  born  April  14th,  1842.  Mr.  Spencer 
married  for  his  second  wife  Susan,  daughter  of  George  Hines,  of  Dun- 
more, Lackawanna  county.  Pa.  She  was  born  March  18th,  1829.  The 
children  of  this  union  are :  Ambrose  L.,  born  August  18th,  1850 ;  Charles 
W.,  born  July  35th,  1855 ;  Elsie  Bell,  born  April  25th,  1853 ;  and  Frank  M., 
born  September  20th,  1859. 

ASA  B.  STEVENS. 

Asa  B.,  a  son  of  William  and  Marion  (Piper)  Stevens,  of  New  England 
parentage,  was  born  in  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1834. 

His  grandfather,  Reuben,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  was  for  fifty  years 
a  Methodist  clergyman,  and  his  great-grandfather,  Samuel  Stevens,  born 
in  1731,  in  Connecticut,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  His  maternal 
grandfather  (Piper),  of  German  parentage,  was  born  in  Massachusetts, 
in  1769,  and  his  maternal  grandmother,  Jerusha  (Lyon),  was  born  in 
Boston,  Mass.,  in  1767. 

Mr.  Stevens's  boyhood  days  were  spent  working  on  his  father's  farm 
in  summer,  and  attending  the  district  school  in  winter.  He  completed 
his  school  days  at  the  Binghamton  academy.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he 
was  apprenticed  to  J.  N.  Congdon,  of  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  and  there 
learned  the  trade  of  marble-cutter.  In  1830  he  moved  t«  Abington, 
Lackawanna  county.  Pa.,  and  entered  into  copartnership  with  D.  N.  Sc 
L.  R.  Green  in  the  nmrble  business,  and  remained  there  for  five  yeara. 
In  March,  1861,  he  removed  to  Scranton  and  engaged  in  business  as  (i 
marble  dealer,  which  he  carried  on  successfully  for  six  years. 

In  August,  1801,  Mr.  Stevens  enlisted  as  a  jirivatc  in  Company  C  of  the 
2:3d  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers  (Burnlo's  sharp-shooters),  and  in 
less  than  two  months  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  flret  lieutenant, 
and  served  as  such  until  lh3  end  of  the  war.  Notwithstanding  the  fact 
thnt  he  was  oxumincd  and  recommended  as  major  of  c<ilored  troops,  he 
declined  to  leave  the  men  that  he  had  induced  tu  enlist.  Lieutenant 
Stevens  was  in  every  battle  in  which  his  regiment  engaged,  as  follows: 
Deep  Bottom,  Pm-t  Harrison,  second  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  Fort  Fisher 
and  Wilmington,  N.  C.  At  Cape  Fear  and  Fort  Fisher  he  received  hon- 
orable mention  from  the  oiTieers  of  his  regiment,  and  complimentary 
resolutions  were  passed  by  t'ae  members  of  his  .company,  who  declared 
that  they  did  n(]t  dc3ire  to  follow  any  batter  or  braver  soldier,  whose 
courage  nobly  stood  the  test  of  that  terrible  fight.  He  was  in  command 
of  the  color  company  at  Port  Fisher,  and  liis  co'.ors  were  the  first  to 
enter  the  fort. 

Mr.  Stevens  has  been  three  times  elected  to  the  office  of  select  council- 
man of  the  city  of  Sorau  ton,  and  has  served  as  such  for  more  than  six 
years.  In  1805  ho  was  elected  marsh .il  of  the  mayor's  court  for  the  city 
of  Scranton,  on  the  Republican  ticket,  by  a  large  majority,  and  he  made 
a  faithful  and  energetic  olBcer.  Mr.  Stevens  cast  his  first  ^■ote  for  John 
C.  Fremont  for  President,  and  has  ever  been  an  earnest,  hard-working 
Republican.  For  the  yeirs  1876,  1877  and  1878  he  w.as  secretary  Jand 
treasurer  of  the  School  Fund  Co  il  Association  and  of  the  Miners'  and 
Mochtnios'  Loan  and  Banking  Association. 

In  August,  1878,  Mr.  Stevens  was  appointed  by  the  governor  the  first 
sheriff  of  the  now  county  of  Lacltawanna.  In  November,  1879,  Mr. 
Stevens  was  elected  to  the  same  ofBoe  by  a  handsome  majority  over  aU 
obher  partiea  (three)  combined,  and  he  has  to  the  present  time  (October, 


=4* 


^(^cyUA^€o^^  &^ 


i:iig'  by  Jif.mi.  ASxii.  /::  efrcha/  MJfT 


1T!<7  ?  Si;  KB.Mtl  i.  Sins.  13  Jim-day  Si  /fT. 


*ih 


i 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


438  G 


1880),  discharged  the  Uiitlej  of  the  position  to  which  he  has  been  called 
with  fidelity  to  the  trust  reposed  in  hlin,  with  honor  to  himself,  and  with 
satisfaction  to  the  public. 

Mr.  Stevens's  affable  and  courteous  manner,  sound  learning,  good 
judgment  and  candor  h  i\'e  wo:i  for  him  in  a  remarkable  degree  the 
esteem  and  confldcnee  of  hii  fellow  citlz3ns.  In  1858  he  married  Elvira 
A.,  daughter  of  Jason  P.  and  Osenti  t'olvin,  of  Abingtcm,  Lackawanna 
county.  Pa.  Their  family  consists  of  two  children,  ,lulian  G.,  born  in 
1859,  and  Tred.  E.,  born  in  1830. 


/ 


I  'Wr  '  rtr,  .<•  ■«  ! 


^^^..^^^^i^   /7l.f^<Aj^ 


tHAKLllS  A.  SrEVENS,  M.  D. 

Charlcji  A.,  son  otSam\ii.'l  and  Betsey  (Sykes)  Stevens,  was  born  in 
HarpersUeld,  Delaware  coimty,  N.  Y.,  Januari'  19th,  1818.  He  was  the 
youngest  in  a  family  of  sixteen  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  now 
living.  He  spent  hii  lioyhood  on  his  father's  farm  and  in  the  district 
school  of  his  native  town,  completing  his  education  at  Homer  Acade- 
my, N.  Y.  He  determined  upon  the  study  of  medicine,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose in  1833  he  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  H.  P.  Burdick,  of  Preble,  Cort- 
land county,  N.  Y.,  with  whom  he  remained  one  year,  when  he  became 
a  private  student  of  Dr.  John  iStevens,  a  prominent  practitioner  of 
Ithaca,  N.  Y. 

Under  the  recommendation  of  Dr.  Stevens  he  matriculated  at  Geneva 
Medical  Ctollege,  and  after  having  completed  the  curriculum  of  study  in 
that  institution  he  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.inl8«.  During 
his  stay  at  college  his  ambition  led  him  to  investigate  the  difl:erent  sys- 
tems and  schools  of  medicine,  past  and  present,  and  their  merits  and 
weakness  claimed  his  earnest  attention.  Naturally  he  was  led  to  the 
examination  of  the  comparatively  new  system  of  homosopathy.  The  ef- 
fect of  his  studies  in  thU  direction  may  be  divined:from  his  subsequent 
course;  for,  though  remaining  to  finish  his  course  and  receive  his  di- 
ploma at  Geneva  college,  he  had  obtained  ideas  which  rendered  it  im- 
possible for  him  to  practice  under  the  doctrines  of  the  allopathic  school, 
and  in  March  following  his  graduation  he  went  to  Senaca  Falls,  N.  Y., 
where,  in  company  with  Edward  Bayard,  then  a  lawyer,  now  a  success- 
ful homeopathic  physician  of  New  York  city,  he  pursued  still  further 
his  investigations  of  honueopathy. 

At  that  time,  such  a  course  required  considerable  nerve  and  firmness, 
for  the  adherents  of  the  then  new  system  had  to  contend  agamst 
the  obloquy,  ridicule  and  persecutions  of  the  old  school  fraternity,  as 
well  as  the  prejudice  of  the  public.  In  1842  Dr.  Stevens  went  to  Pal- 
myra, N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  but  two  years,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Buffalo,  being  the  first  homceopathic  physician  in  that  city.  In  1&50 
he  went  to  New  Orleans,  chiefly  for  pleasure  and  travel,  and  on  his  re- 
turn spent  one  year  in  Cortland,  N.  Y.,  after  which  he  removed  to  Co.x- 
sackie,  and  in  1855  he  settled  in  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  quite  suc- 
cessful. In  1663  he  received  inducements  to  take  up  his  residence  in 
Soranton,  where  he  has  since  remained.  He  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
large  practice,  and  ranks  among  the  most  eminent  practitioners  of  that 
section.    June  38od,  1812,  Dr.  Stevens  married  Emily  M.,  daughter  of 


Julius  M.  and  Martha  Dunning,  of  New  York  city.  Their  children  are : 
Eitslle,  born  September  30th,  1813  (Wife  of  Prof .  Charles  B.  Derman,  of 
Serantan);  Samuel  H.,  born  March  19th,  18t5;  Julius  D.,  born  October  9th, 
1813;  and  B:aily  M.,  born  November  2rth,  1850.  Dr.  Stevens  is  a  gentle- 
man well  and  favorably  known,  and  one  who  is  very  highly  respected 
and  esteemed. 

BENJAMIN  H.  THROOP,  M.  D., 

one  of  Soranton's  early  settlers,  was  born  in  Oxford,  Chenango  county, 
N.  Y.,  Novembar  9th,  1811,  to  which  place  his  parents  had  emigrated 
from  Connecticut  in  1800.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  by  the  death  of  his 
father,  he  vrm  left  to  the  care  of  a  good  mother,  of  Puritan  ancestry, 
whose  only  care  was  for  him,  he  being  the  youngest  and  the  only  one 
that  remained  of  six  children  to  comfort  her  in  her  declining  years.  She 
died  in  1812,  aged  seventy-three. 

Fortune  did  not  favor  the  doctor  in  his  early  years  and  he  was  conse- 
quently the  artisan  of  his  own  fortune.  Being  at  an  early  age  obliged 
to  look  out  for  himself,  he  was  educated  to  adversity,  which  prepared 
him  the  better  to  buifet  life's  vicissitudes.  His  education  was  limited  to 
th3  facilities  afforded  in  the  old  Oxford  academy,  and  his  classmates 
were  such  men  as  Hon.  Horatio  Seymour,  Hon.  Ward  Hunt  and  many 
others  who  date  their  first  impulse  for  honor  and  position  to  this  aZma 
mater^  which  still  exists  and  flourishes.  There  he  qualified  himself  to 
enter  the  office  of  the  eminent  Dr.  Packer,  and  continued  with  him 
until  he  graduated  in  medicine  in  1832,  at  the  Fairfield  Medical  College. 
In  February,  1833,  he  made  his  professional  debut  in  Honesdale,  Pa.,  a 
little  village  then  emergingrapidly  from  one  of  the  glens  of  the  Dyberry, 
the  terminus  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal.  There,  in  spite  of  the 
competition  of  old  and  able  physicians  long  established  in  Wayne  county, 
young  Dr.  Throop,  by  the  aid  of  a  correct  knowledge  of  medicine  and 
of  msa,  ro3e  rapidly  to  a  position  at  the  head  of  his  profession.  In  1835 
he  went  to  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  for  nearly  a  year.  He 
then  opened  an  olfice  in  New  York  city  and  continued  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  till  1810.  In  the  fall  of  this  ye'ar  he  went  to  Honesdale  to 
spend  a  few  weeks,  and  was  again  beset  for  his  professional  services, 
and  had  a  call  to  the  valley  of  Lackawanna  in  counsel;  and  finding  It  a 
field  of  great  interest,  not  only  in  his  profession,  but  of  much  commer- 
cial promise,  he  concluded  to  make  it  his  home,  and  on  the  8th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1840,  located  in  Providence. 

The  purchase  of  Slocum  Hollow  by  the  late  G.  W.  and  Selden  T.  Scran- 
ton,  Sanford  Grant  and  others,  was  made  about  this  time,  and  Dr. 
Throop  early  became  intimately  acquainted  with  them,  and  married  a 
sister  of  Mr.  Grant's  wife.  Of  five  children  born  to  them  but  two  re- 
main, Mrs.  H.  B.  Phelps  and  George  S.  Throop,  M.  D.,  residents  of  Scran- 
ton.  The  doctor  remained  in  Providence  until  1845,  when  he  was  in- 
duced to  remove  to  Scranton  and  was  the  first  to  take  possession,  with 
the  consent  of  its  owners,  of  land  for  a  homestead;  and  accepting  the 
offer  of  Colonel  G.  W.  Scranton  he  built  the  first  house  in  Scranton 
proper,  outside  of  what  was  owned  by  the  iron  company. 

The  new  village  of  Harrison  (now  Scranton)  was  planned  on  paper, 
and  the  doctor,  full  of  the  gift  of  cheer  and  encouragement  which  en- 
abled him  to  assist  others,  began  to  aid  in  expanding  it.  In  1853  the 
doctor,  recognizing  the  prospects  of  a  grand  future  for  the  valley,  em- 
barked largely  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  coal  lands.  He  sold  many 
very  valuable  properties  and  formed  mining  companies.  As  communi- 
cation was  opened  direct  to  New  York  by  the  completion  of  the  Dela^ 
ware,  Lackawanna  and  Westsrn  Railroad,  the  lands  about  Soranton 
enhanced  in  value,  and  he  made  leases  of  several  tracts  of  coal  lands 
that  are  now  lai'gely  productive.  As  the  place  grew  in  population  and 
wealth  he  made  additions  to  Scranton,  Hyde  Park,  Providence  and  Dun- 
more,  and  laid  out  in  Blakely  the  village  of  Price,  and  sold  lots  to  set- 
tlers at  these  several  localities,  and  is  still  settling  them  as  opportunities 
occur.  He  has  never  been  charged  with  oppression  by  his  hundreds  of 
tenants,  and  has  ahvays  taken  an  interest  in  their  prosperity.  The  New- 
ton turnpike  was  completed  under  his  supervision,  and  is  the  outlet  for 
a  large  population  beyond  the  western  mountain  to  the  markets  of  the 
city.  As  long  since  as  1851  he  spent  the  winter  in  Harrisburg,  urging 
the  Legislature  to  authorize  the  erection  of  a  new  county,  a  long  desired 
consummation  which  was  reached  only  after  years  and  years  of  futile  ef- 
forts, in  1877;  not,  however,  without  the  important  "sinews  of  war" 
freely  spent  in  its  behalf,  and  the  doctor  was  prominent  in  securing  the 
necessary  element  of  success. 

When  President  Lincoln,  in  1831,  called  for  volunteers  Dr.  Throop  was 
t'.ie  first  surgeon  in  old  Luzerne  to  respond  to  the  call.  He  was,  without 
SJlicitition  on  hij  part,  ooaimissioned  surgeon  of  the  8th  Pennsylvania 
voluatesr  rejim  j.it,  April  331, 18SL.  The  laws  of  hygeine  were  so  thor- 
oughly enforced  by  him  in  his  regiment  thit  he  did  not  lose  a  man  by 
diseaie  while  absont  from  home.  He  started  the  first  fields  hospital  at 
Chambarsburg  in  April,  1831,  of  the  late  war.  The;  doctor  was  on  duty 
six  weeks  or  more,  after  the  battle  of  Antietam,  as  a  volunteer  surgeon, 
aniestablis'iel  in  aforest  the  Smoketown  field  hospital,  to  which" 
the  badly  wounded  were  taken  from  the  various  field  hospitals  of  the 
regiments  that  were  engaged  in  that  sanguinary  conflict,  and  remained 
with  them  until  they  died,  or  were  sent  to  the  north  among  their  friends, 
or  to  other  government  quarters.    He  followed  the  army  to  Harper's 


-r^ 


*4h 


1 


338^ 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Ferry,  and  though  worn  out  with  care  and  fatigue  was  pressed  hard  to 
continue  his  services  there,  hut  an  attack  of  typhoid  fever  oblig-ed  him 
to  return  home.  At  this  time  his  business  and  other  eng-agements  drew 
attention  and  occupied  his  time  so  much  that  he  withdrew  from  the  ac- 
tive practice  of  his  profession,  and  he  baa  since  acted  only  in  counsel 
and  surgical  duties  that  fell  in  his  way. 

During  all  the  years  of  Scranton's  marvelous  growth  no  Christian  or 
humane  movement  has  been  begun  without  Dr.  Throop's  hearty  co- 
operation and  substantial  aid.  He  introduced  the  first  general  supply 
of  milk,  the  first  livery  stable,  the  first  drug  store,  the  first  railway 
packa^re  express  on  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad, 
and  was  prominent  in  the  establishment  of  the  post-oiBce.  He  was  one  of 
the  originatorsof  the  Scranton  Gas  andWater  Company,whose  charter  he 
framed.  Though  in  principle  a  firm  Episcopalian,  he  assisted  the  Pres- 
byterian church  in  providing  its  place  of  worship,  and  in  many  ways 
generously  aided  the  deserving  brethren  of  other  denominations,  whose 
tenetswereradically  opposed  to  his  own.  St.  Luke's,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  church  structures  in  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  stands  as  an 
enduring  witness  of  his  liberality  in  the  cause  of  Christianity.  He  also 
was  one  of  the  foremost  in  the  establishment  of  the  first  lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows  in  Scranton. 

Though  retired  from  active  employment  in  his  profcsfion,  he  has  held 
for  a  number  of  years  the  position  of  chief  surgeon  to  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Bailroad,  and  the  Delaware  and  Hud.son 
Canal  Company's  railroad.  By  appointment  from  Governor  Hartranf t 
he  was  made  trustee  of  the  Danville  Insane  Hospital,  a  position  which 
at  presest  he  fills  with  advantage  to  the  institution  and  honor  to  him- 
self. He  also  established  the  hospital  now  known  as  the  Lackawanna 
Hospital,  and  at  his  own  expense  maintained  it  for  a  long  time.  Ihe 
number  of  patients  treated  and  the  varied  surgical  rperations  per- 
formed there,  gave  it  prominence,  and,  largely  through  the  tfioits 
of  Dr.  Tbroop,  it  was  liberally  endowed  by  the  State. 

In  private  life  Dr.  Throop  is  noted  for  his  unsectarian  hun.anity  and 
cheerful  hospitality,  while  his  learning,  brilliant  conversational  powers 
and  suave  courtesy  make  him  a  valued  and  entertaining  companion. 
Since  1840  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Scranton,  where  he  has  been  recog- 
nized and  still  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  and  most  accomplished  sur- 
geons in  the  commonwealth.  Possessing  a  fertility  of  resources  belong- 
ing to  few  others,  an  aptness  and  originality  in  their  prompt  applica- 
tion in  professional  cases  that  distinguish  him  as  a  medical  man  and 
make  him  master  of  his  art,  he  is  always  characterized  by  those  broad, 
independent,  original  habits  of  action  and  thought  which  render  him  a 
character  alike  eminent  and  esteemed,  and  which  will  make  hisname  re- 
membered long  after  twilight  has  gathered  around  his  final  resting 
place. 

IRA  TRIPP, 

the  second  son  of  Isaac  and  Catharine  (La  France)  Tripp,  was  born  Jan- 
uary 0th,  1814,  in  the  old  township  of  Providence.  Isaac  Tripp,  his  great- 
grandfather, moved  with  his  family  from  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  Wyoming  valley,  locating  in  Wilkes-Barre 
in  1769.  He  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  while  foddering  his  cattle.  He 
was  a  Quaker  in  his  religious  notions,  and  in  all  his  intercourse  with  the 
Indians  his  manner  had  been  so  kind  and  conciliatory  that  when  he  fell 
into  their  hands  as  a  prisoner,  the  year  previous,  at  Capoose,  they  dis- 
missed him  unharmed  and  covered  him  with  paint,  as  it  was  their  cus- 
tom to  do  with  those  they  did  not  wish  to  harm.  He  was  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  efflcienoy  and  prominence  in  the  colony,  and  the  Indians 
were  often  asked  by  the  British  why  he  was  not  slain,  and  the  unvarying 
answer  was,  "Tripp  is  a  good  man."  In  his  efforts  to  protect  the  in°- 
terests  of  the  Wyoming  colony  at  Hartford,  whither  he  had  been  sent  to 
represent  its  grievances,  he  made  himself  inimical  to  the  tories,  and  a 
double  reward  was  offered  for  his  seal  p.  As  ho  had  forfeited  their  pro- 
tection by  the  removal  of  the  war  paint,  and  incurred  their  hostility  by 
his  loyal  struggles  for  the  life  of  the  republic,  he  was  shot  and  scalped 
the  first  time  he  was  seen.  His  son  Isaac  settled  in  the  valley  about 
mi,  and  took  up  a  tract  of  land  of  about  1,000  acres  in  the  heart  of  the 
present  thriving  city  of  Scranton.  His  children  wore  William,  Amaso, 
Stephen,  Isaac,  Holden,  Polly,  Patty,  Betsey,  Catharine,  Susan  and 
Nancy,  all  of  whom  lived  to  adult  age,  were  married  and  raised  families. 
By  gift  from  his  father,  and  purchase  of  his  brothers  and  sisters,  Isaac 
Tripp,  the  father  of  Ira,  became  the  owner  of  000  acres  in  the  central 
part  of  the  city  of  Scranton.  By  his  maiTiage  with  Catharine  La  France, 
a  native  of  Providence  township,  he  had  nine  children,  as  follows: 
Benjamin,  Ira,  Isaac,  Holden  (deceased!,  Diana  (deceased),  Phebe 
(deceased),  Mnria,  Catharine  and  Mahala  (deceased). 

Ira  Tripp  spent  his  youthen  his  father's  farm,  and  his  jiducational 
facilities  were  limited  to  the  common  schools  of  Providence.  February 
20th,  1838,  he  married  Rosanna  G.,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 
Shoemaker,  of  Wyoming,  Pa.  She  was  born  September  20th,  1817  The 
result  of  this  union  is :  Isaac  C,  born  March  29th,  1830 ;  Leander  S '  born 
February  27th,  184),  and  Gertie,  born  January  lEth,  1848  (died  May  3d 
1874).  About  eight  years  after  his  marriage  he  purchased  the  interest  of 
his  two  brothers  in  the  homestead  (a  view  of  whith  may  be  seen  on 
another  page  of  this  work),  and  moved  there.  He  was  appointed  by  Gov- 
ernor Pollock  as  one  of  his  aides-de-camp,  with   rank  of  lieutenant 


colonel.  In  1861  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  8th  Pennsylvania  regi- 
ment, and  served  nine  months  as  hospital  steward.  Mr.  Tripp  was  orig- 
inally a  Henry  Clay  Whig,  and  afterwards  a  staunch  Republican,;but 
never  sought  political  pi'eform^nt.  He  possesses  a  genial  nature,  which, 
added  to  his  courtesy  anda£fabilit,v,  malceshim  apleasant  and  entertain- 
ing companion,  and  wins  him  many  warm  friends. 


-M^ 


le^y- 


Dr.  Pier  was  born  in  Warren,  Warren  county.  Pa.,  in  1823,  and  was  the 
second  child  and  only  son  of  William  and  Caroline  (Hathaway)  Pier. 
His  grandfather  came  at  an  early  day,  and  settled  at  a  place  now  called 
Pierstown,  in  Otsego  county.  New  York.  His  father  was  a  tanner  and 
currier  by  trade.  After  his  marriage  he  moved  to  Jamestown,  Chau- 
tauqua county,  N.  T.,  where  he  remained  about  four  yeara;  next  to 
Warren,  Pa.,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  eighteen  years.  In  1837 
he  moved  to  Mt.  Pleasant,  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  and  in  1839  to  Chenango 
county,  N.  Y.,  first  to  Guilford  Center,  then  to  O.xford.  Bath,  Steuben 
county,  N.  Y.,  was  his  next  place  of  residence.  He  finally  settled  in 
Hyde  Park,  where  for  a  number  of  years,  and  till  near  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  there,  he  filled  the  position  of  justice  of  the  peace. 
His  wife  survives  him,  and  is  still  a  resident  of  Hyde  Park,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-three  years. 

The  doctor  became  a  student  of  medicine  at  Oxford,  N.  Y.,  with  Dr. 
William  G.  Sands;  attended  medical  lectures  at  Albany  College  during 
the  winter  of  1844-45,  and  received  his  diploma  from  the  censors  of  the 
Chenango  County  Medical  Society  in  August,  1845.  In  October  following 
he  opened  an  office  in  Hyde  Park,  being,  except  Dr.  Throop  and  the 
late  Dr.  Silas  B.  Robinson,  whose  daughter  he  shortiv  afterward  mar- 
ried, the  only  physician  at  this  time  living  between  Pittston  and  (5»r- 
bondale. 

In  1840  he  moved  across  the  Lackawanna  and  built  him  a  house  in  a 
meadow  near  Joseph  Slocum's,  before  Ward  street  had  a  name  or  scarcely 
a  dwelling  between  his  place  and  Roaring  brook.  With  but  a  slight 
interval  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Scranton  ever  since,  devoting  his 
energies  and  time  wholly  to  a  profession  in  which  he  has  attained  pre- 
eminence as  an  obstetrician,  and  earned  a  character  tor  integrity  and 
plain  common  sense  surpassed  by  no  medical  man  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
city  of  Scranton.  With  him  the  practice  of  medicine  never  sinks  down 
to  a  consideration  of  dollars  and  cents.  The  dignity  of  the  profession 
m  his  hands  rises  above  mere  pay.  He  always  attends  to  all  calls, 
whether  coming  from  the  rich  or  poor. 

An  incident  transpiring  in  his  ofiace  some  years  ago  and  related  by  a 
brother  physician,  who  happened  to  bo  present,  afforded  a  beautiful 
illustration  of  his  generous  impulse  and  love  of  humanity  in  this  re- 
spect. A  lone  woman,  pale  and  thin  with  suffering,  came  into  his  office 
toward  evening,  and  asked  the  doctor  to  visit  her  child,  some  miles 
down  the  valley,  which  had  been  taken  suddenly  if  not  alarmingly 
"1.  You  go  home  and  I'll  soon  be  along,"  answered  the  sympathizing 
doctor.  As  her  footsteps  grew  fainter  from  the  door  his  professional 
n-iend  laughed  at  him  for  promising  to  go  so  far  upon  such  a  thankless 
ei  rancl,  where  he  would  probably  be  the  subject  of  no  fee  but  a  "  Thank 


=i^ 


-*'      .  *v/ 

B      '^'  ' 

^^       'J     f"                                      fe 

^^""'i^'V 

•>' 


] RA    TRIPP 


=*^  7^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


438/ 


you  "  or  "God  bless  you,  dootorl"  "No  matter  about  the  pay,"  re- 
plied Dr.  Pier,with  a  blunt,  unsel&sh  readiness,  showing  his  real  charac- 
ter ;  "she  loves  her  child,  and  the  thought  of  having  been  the  means  of 
saving  its  life  will  be  pay  enough  for  me." 

Dr.  Pier's  popularity  is  not  strictly  professional.  As  a  citizen  and 
neighbor  he  Is  warmly  appreciated  through  a  wide  section  of  country, 
and  when  he  allows  himself  to  run  for  any  office  the  number  of  votes 
bestowed  on  him  by  his  f  eUow  voters  indicates  that  he  holds  a  prominent 
place  in  the  affection  of  the  people  with  whom  he  is  Identified.  In  1861 
he  was  elected  prothonotary  of  old  Luzerne  country,  the  duties  of  which 
office  called  him  to  Wilkes-Barre,  where  he  resided  until  the  spring  of 
1865,  when  he  returned  to  Scranton.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  with  the  same  unwavering  kindness  and  assiduity 
characterizing  him  In  and  out  of  the  sicJi  room. 

FEANCIS  ALLEN  BEAMISH. 

Pranoia  Allen  Beamish,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Scranton  Pree 
Press,  was  bom  in  County  Cork,  Ireland,  March  9th,  1845,  and  married 
Mary  Loftus,  of  Hanover,  Luzerne  county,  Pa.  He  served  In  the  army, 
In  1863-64,  as  an  officer ;  was  sergeant-at-arms  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  1865-66 ;  has  been  a  member  of  the  Scranton  board  of  edu- 
cation six  years,  and  secretary  of  the  board  three  years ;  a  member  of 
the  select  council  six  years ;  clerk  of  city  commlsaioners  two  years ;  a 
member  of  the  board  of  charities  five  years,  and  long  identified  with 
local  newspapers  and  political  Interests. 

JOHN  DEKEN. 

John  Dekln,  of  Dunmore,  was  bom  in  London,  England,  July  10th, 
1842.    He  is  now  keeping  hotel  at  Dunmore. 

LUDWIG  WBHLAU,  M.  D. 

Dr.  "Wehlau  was  bom  in  Oldenburg,  Germany,  November  6th,  1851, 
and  was  the  third  child  of  Johann  and  Elizse  Wehlau.  He  Is  the  only 
member  of  his  father's  family  now  living.  He  received  his  primary  edu- 
cation at  the  gymnasium  at  Aldenburg  and  Berlin;  his  medical  educa^ 
tlon  at  Geneva,  Berne  and  Zurich  in  Switzerland,  and  graduated  from 
theWurzburg  Medical  College,  Bavaria,  in  1874.  He  practiced  his  profes- 
sion for  a  short  time  In  Witteghausen,  in  Baden;  then  accepted  the  ap- 


LUDWIG    WEHLAU,   M.  D. 

polntment  of  physician  for  the  North  German  Lloyd  Steamship  Com- 
pany, in  which  capacity  he  served  about  two  years,  crossing  the  Atlantic 
in  that  time  thirty-one  times.  He  came  to  America  in  1876  and  settled 
in  the  city  of  Scranton,  where  he  has  since  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medicine,  taking  high  rank  among  the  medical  fraternity  of  that  city. 
Doctor  Wehlau  married  Louisa  Conrad,  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Catha- 
rine Conrad,  of  Green  Hidge,  Scranton,  May  15th,  1879. 


4"=~ 


SCEANTON. 


4> 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL   RECORD. 


438/ 


JOHN    HOSIE 


Of  the  various  nationalities  which  have  become  united  in  the  New 
World  and  which  make  up  the  American  people  no  nation  has  contribu- 
ted a  more  sturdy  or  better  element  than  has  Scotland.  Wherever, 
almost  without  exception,  a  son  of  Scotia  is  found  you  may  be  certain 
of  finding  an  honest  and  useful  citizen,  and  to  no  one  of  their  number 
win  the  remark  apply  more  fittingly  than  to  the  man  whose  name  stands 
at  the  head  of  this  sketch. 

John  Hosie  was  born  in  Stirlingshire,  Scotland,  June  Snd,  181S,  the 
seventh  child  in  a  family  of  eleven  children  of  James  and  Jane  (Bowie) 
Hosie.  His  father  was  a  mason  and  stpne  cutter  by  trade,  and  was  a 
heavy  bulldinB  contractor.  He  was  a  man  of  decided  religious' convic- 
tions, of  great  firmness  of  character  and  of  sterling  integrity.  He  died 
about  the  year  1837  at  the  old  homestead  In  Scotland,  aged  seventy- 
four.  His  wife,  who  was  a  woman  thoroughly  devoted  to  her  family 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  her,  survived  him  about  four  years. 

Mr.  Hosie's  education  was  limited  to  an  attendance  at  the  common 
schools  of  his  neighborhood.  As  early  as  at  the  age  of  ten  years  he 
conceived  the  idea  of  marking  out  for  himself  a  career  which  should  be 
Independent  of  all  help  from  his  family.  To  this  end,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  earning  something  for  himself,  having  been  made  a  present 
of  a  pony  by  an  elder  sister,  who  was  landlady  of  a  large  hotel,  he  made 
good  use  of  it  in  delivering  packages  which  were  given  bim  for  that  pur- 
pose by  guests  of  the  hotel.  He  was  thus  employed,  after  school  hours, 
for  two  or  three  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  found  himself  the 
possessor  of  about  £60,  a  fact  known  only  to  himself.  He  had  already 
decided  that  when  he  got  suiScient  means  he  would  go  to  America.  At 
the  age  of  fourteen  he  went,  unknown  to  any  member  of  his  family, 
to  Greenock,  a  shipping  port  of  Scotland,  where  he  purchased  his  pas- 
sage, taking  a  receipt  therefor.  He  first  told  his  mother  what  he  had 
done,  which  took  the  good  woman  utterly  by  surprise.  "  Boy,  what 
could  y(tu  do  in  America?"  "I  will  do somc(7nn.ff/*  was  the*'boy's" 
reply.  "  Where  did  you  get  the  money  ?"  was  the  next  question.  Ho 
satisfied  her  he  had  come  honestly  by  it.  The  father,  upon  his  return  at 
evening,  repeated  about  the  same  questions,  with  the  same  answers. 

He  told  the  boy  if  ho  would  give  up  going  for  the  present  he  would 
give  him  three  years  of  schooling,  and  if  at  the  end  of  the  time  he  still 
desired  to  go  he  would  give  him  money  to  go  with;  but  no  persuasion 
could  turn  him  from  his  purpose.  Accordingly  the  clothes  for  the 
journey  were  got  in  readiness,  to  which  were  added  by  the  thought- 
ful mother  a  Bible  which  had  been  in  the  family  over  n  hundred 
years,  and  some  good  Presbyterian  books.  Everything  being  in 
readiness,  in  the  month  of  March,  1839,  at  the  hour  ot  midnight  in  order 
to  avoid  notice,  he  left  the  old  hearthstone  for  the  seaport.  He  was 
ovei-taken  at  Glasgow  the  next  day  by  his  father,  an  elder  brother  and 
a  sister,  who  made  another  attempt  to  persuade  him  to  return,  but 
without  success).  It  was  finally  decided  if  John  was  going  his  brother 
Andrew  should  go  too,  and  thus  by  the  persistence  of  a  boy  of  fourteen 
years  America  gained  two  good  citizens  instead  of  one. 

The  next  day  after  landing  in  New  York,  in  company  with  his  brother 
he  went  over  to  Newark  and  applied  for  a  job  of  work  at  a  stone  cut- 
ter's. There  was  something  in  the  appearance  and  bearing  of  the  lad 
that  pleased  the  proprietor,  and  he  set  him  at  work  at  stone  cutting. 
His  brother  found  work  in  Newark  at  his  trade  asa  carpenter  and  joiner. 
Our  subject  remained  with  Ills  first  employer  seven  months,  receiving 
very  nearly  the  same  wages  as  the  men.  He  next  went  to  Philadelphia, 
where  for  six  years  following  he  was  in  the  employ  of  an  elder  brother, 
James  Hosie.  His  first  work  under  him  was  on  the  masonry  of  the 
Columbia  Bailroad  bridge  over  the  Schuylkill  river.  In  1833  he  went  to 
Canton,  Mass.,  where  he  was  employed  for  nearly  three  years  in  super- 
intending the  construction  of  the  viaduct  at  that  place.  Ho  superin- 
tended the  masonry  work  for  Dodd,  Clark  &  Co.,  contractors  for  the 
construction  of  a  portion  of  the  Hartford  and  New  Haven  Kailroad;  also 
for  Dodd,  Baldwin  &  Co.,  on  the  Morris  and  Essex  Railroad.  He  next  en- 
gaged with  his  brother  in  building  the  railroad  bridge  across  the  Haritan 
river  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  He  then  went  to  Bridgeport,  Conn., 
where  he  constructed  the  masonry  on  the  Housatonie  Railroad.  For 
the  next  six  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  construction  of  the  New  York 
city  water  works,  under  Bishop  &  Campbell,  contractors.  He  super- 
intended the  heavy  masonry  on  those  works  between  Tarrytown  and 
Dobb's  Ferry,  also  across  Glcndening  Valley.  At  the  solicitation  of  the 
chief  and  resident  engineers  he  wont  to  Seal  Harbor,  Maine,  and  cut 
the  stone  for  the  Harlem  high  bridge.  ,    ^  ,,_ 

In  1843  he  engaged,  under  James  Archbald,  in  the  management  of  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company's  Eailroad  from  Carbondale  to 
Honesdale,  and  during  the  two  years  he  was  thus  employed  he  repaired 
the  masonry  on  the  company's  canal.  In  1845  he  accepted  the  position  of 
assistant  superintendent,  under  Archbald,  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
coal  mines  at  Carbondale.  ^  ,.      ,      ,       ,*        t 

On  the  12th  of  November,  1845,  he  married  Julia  A.,  daughter  of 


Philander  and  Louisa  Beattys,  of  Waymart,  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  and  in 
the  following  spring  commenced  housekeeping  at  Archbald.  January 
13th,  1846,  occurred  a  most  thrilling  and  memorable  event  in  the  life  of 
Mr.  Hosie.  which  put  to  the  full  test  the  indomitable  will  and  magnifi- 
cent pluck  of  the  man,  so  stronsrly  shadowed  forth  In  the  boy,  and 
which  at  the  time  was  heralded  xo  the  farthest  limits  of  civilization. 
About  8  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  that  day  he  went  Into  mine  No.  2 
level  at  Carbondale.  He  had  been  in  the  mine  less  than  an  hour  when 
about  forty  acres  of  the  overhanging  rooks  and  earth  caved  in.  He 
was  alone  and  very  near  the  center  of  this  fall.  Fifteen  miners  in  other 
^parts  of  the  mine  were  Instantly  killed  by  the  concussion  of  the  air. 
Mr.  Hosie  was  saved  from  instant  death  by  the  refuse  coal  which  is 
ordinarily  left  on  the  bottom  of  the  mine.  As  it  was  he  was  pressed 
between  the  fallen  rocks  and  the  bottom  of  the  mine,  with  barely  space 
left  for  his  prostrate  body.  In  utter  darkness,  with  nothing  but  his  bare 
-._hands  to  work  with,  for  twenty-four  hours,  every  one  of  which 
seemed  an  age,  he  dug  for  his  life,  throwing  behind  him  the  fallen 
debris  and  refuse  coal  upon  which  the  fallen  mass  rested.  His  fingers 
were  worn  to  the  bone  and  still  bear  the  marks  of  the  terrible  struggle. 
At  length  he  reached  a  place  where  he  could  stand  up,  only  to  find,  how- 
ever, he  was  still  inside  the  fall.  He  attempted  to  reach  the  air  shaft,  but 
did  not  succeed.  It  finally  occurred  to  him  that  by  following  the  break 
in  the  overhanging  rocks  made  next  to  the  line  of  solid  coal  he  might 
work  his  way  to  the  main  entrance.  Following  up  this  thought  he  finally, 
after  having  been  literally  buried  in  this  living  tomb  for  forty-eight 
hours,  effected  his  escape.  He  had  been  given  up  for  dead,  as  it  was 
known  he  was  in  the  very  center  of  the  fall,  having  been  seen  there  by 
a  mule  driver  as  he  was  passing  along  just  previous  to  the  fall.  He  met 
a  party  of  miners  before  reaching  the  entrance,  who  had  entered  the 
mine  for  the  purpose  of  digging  for  his  body.  Instead,  they  found  a 
pretty  lively  corpse  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Hosie  himself  approaching 
them.  The  news  of  his  escape  sent  a  thriU  of  joy  throughout  the  coun- 
try. It  would  not  be  in  the  power  of  pen  to  describe  the  feelings  of  the 
young  wife,  who  had  given  her  husband  up  for  lost,  when  the  glad 
tidinffs  wore  borne  to  her  that  he  was  yet  alive. 

He  continued  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company 
until  1850.  He  then  became  general  superintendent  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company,  taking  charge  of  their  mines  at  Pittston  and  Dunmore. 
This  position  he  resigned  in  the  fall  of  1854,  having  taken  a  contract  for 
mason  work  and  grading  on  the  Michigan  Southern  Railroad,  at  Toledo, 
Ohio.  It  wtis  the  year  of  cholera  and  the  deaths  for  three  weeks  among 
the  men  employed  in  the  work  averaged  twelve  a  day.  Of  448  men  on 
the  pay  roll  Mr.  Hosie  was  the  only  one  who  was  not  taken  sick  during 
the  time. 

Keturning  to  the  valley  he  took  charge  of  the  works  of  the  North 
Pennsylvania  and  the  North  Branch  Coal  Companies,  making  head- 
quarters at  Pittston.  He  also  had  an  interest  in  the  Pittston  Coal  Com- 
pany. 

In  the  fall  of  1856  he  went  to  Portland,  Me.,  to  build  a  portion  of  the 
Portland  and  Saco  Kailroad.  In  1858  went  to  Virginia,  where,  in  comp- 
any with  General  MoAlister,  of  AUentown,  Pa.,  he  built  a  part  of  the 
Covington  &  Ohio  Railroad.  They  remained  there  till  the  opening  of  the 
Rebellion,  when  thej'  had  to  leave.  The  contract  was  with  the  State,  and 
the  latter  still  owes  them  $30,003  and  in  all  probability  always  will.  Re- 
turning to  Pittston,  Mr.  Hosie  remained  out  of  active  employment  on 
account  of  impaired  health  for  about  one  year.  In  1863  he  took  an 
interest  with  Alexander  Gray  &  Co.  in  the  Hollenback  colliery  at  Wilkes- 
Barre.  In  1864  he  sold  his  interest  and  purchased  the  Silver  Brook  coal 
works,  near  Hazleton,  where  he  remained  six  years.  He  then  sold  out 
and  took  charge  of  the  Bear  Pine  colliery,  near  Mahanoy,  Schuylkill 
county.  In  1872  he  resigned  his  position,  having  leased  the  Fair  Lawn 
coal  property  at  Scran  ton,  which  mine  he  opened  that  year  and  he  is  at 
present  (1880)  working  it.  In  1877  he  became  a  partner  in  the  Pierce  Coal 
Company  at  Winton,  and  he  is  its  general  manager. 

As  will  be  seen  from  this  narrative  Mr.  Hosie  has  led  a  most  active 
and  laborious  life.  He  has  always  thrown  his  whole  energies  into  what- 
ever enterprise  he  engaged  in  and  has  been  almost  uniformly  successful. 
As  a  manager  of  men  his  equal  will  hardly  be  found  in  the  entire  coal 
region.  He  has  always  commanded  the  respect  of  all  men,  high  or  low 
sick  or  poor.  One  must  travel  a  long  way  before  finding  a  man  who 
would  speak  ill  of  John  Hosie.  He  has  been  too  busy  with  his  own 
affairs  to  take  an  active  part  in  public  affairs,  and  never  filled  or  sought 
oiBce.  In  politics  he  has  been  identified  with  the  Whig  and  Republican 
parties. 

He  has  had  five  children,  viz. :  Helen  E.,  wife  of  A.  D.  Soxseltzinger 
of  Schuylkill  county ;  James  P.,  associated  with  his  father  at  the  Fair 
Lawn  mines;  John  H.,  superintendent  of  the  Pierce  Coal  Company  at 
Winton ;  George,  deceased ;  and  JuUa  A.,  residing  at  home.  Mrs.  Hosio 
died  November  4th,  1879. 


4. 


^¥ 


='4* 


438  A- 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Dr.   W.    E.    ALLEN. 


^- 


Dr,  W.  E.  Allen  was  born  in  Wantage,.  Sussex  county, 
N.  J.,  October  8th,  1836,  the  youngest  child  of  the  Rev. 
Edward  and  Elizabeth  (Linn)  Allen.  Gabriel  Allen, 
his  grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Connecticut;  a  sea  cap- 
tain by  occupation  ;  he  married  a  Miss  Churchill,  and 
raised  six  sons  and  four  daughters.  Edward  Allen  was 
born  in  Saugatuck  (now  Westport),  Conn.,  June  8th,  1792; 
prepared  for  the  junior  class  of  Princeton  in  the  academy 
of  his  native  town,  and  was  graduated  from  college  in 
1815.  He  was  principal  of  the  academy  at  Elizabeth- 
town,  N.  J.,  and  at  Trenton,  for  three  years  after  his 
graduation.  During  this  time  he  studied  the  Hebrew 
language,  and  in  the  spring  of  1818  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Presbytery  of  New  Jersey;  and  in  the  autumn 
following  was  ordained  by  the  same  body.  He  was  pas- 
tor of  churches  at  the  following  places,  in  the  order 
named:  Wantage,  Milford  (county  seat  of  Pike  county), 
again  at  Wantage,  for  two  years  again  at  Milford;  Car- 
bondale.  Pa.,  from  1843  to  1847;  Belvidere,  Warren 
county,  N.  J.,  and  lastly  at  Gibson.  He  retired  from  the 
ministry  in  1874.  He  died  at  Harford  (where  he  had 
taught  a  family  school  for  boys  for  several  years)  August 
ist,  1877,  aged  eighty-five.  He  was  a  fine  scholar,  an  ex- 
cellent teacher,  and  a  faithful  and  devoted  pastor,  in 
which  relation  he  seemed  to  possess  especial  fitness  for 
the  organization  of  new  churches,  often  succeeding  where 
others  had  failed.  He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
was  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Judge  Linn,  by 
whom  he  had  seven  children — two  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters— all  of  whom  are  living.  His  first  wife  died  during 
his  second  pastorate  at  Wantage.     His  second  wife  was 


Mrs.  Louisa  T.  Richardson,  widow  of  Deacon  Preston 
Richardson,  of  Harford.  By  this  union  there  was  one 
son,  now  deceased. 

Doctor  Allen  received  his  education  at  the  Belvidere 
Academy;  studied  Latin  and  Greek  with  his  father;  read 
medicine  with  his  brother.  Dr.  J.  Linn  Allen,  in  Branch- 
ville,  Sussex  county,  N.  J.;  was  graduated  from  the  Al- 
bany Medical  College  in  1856,  at  the  age  of  twenty;  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine  at  Milford,  Pike  county, 
Pa.,  where  he  remained  one  year.  His  health  failing 
him,  he  withdrew  from  practice  two  years.  He  pur- 
chased and  carried  on  a  drug  store  in  Hyde  Park,  which 
in  1859  he  sold,  and  again  opened  an  office  there;  and, 
with  the  exception  of  a  period  of  service  in  the  civil  war, 
has  uninterruptedly  followed  his  profession  at  Hyde  Park, 
enjoying  a  most  extensive  and  lucrative  practice.  In 
July,  1862,  he  went  to  Fortress  Monroe,  acting  as  assist- 
ant surgeon  U.  S.  A.  in  the  Chesapeake  General  Hospi- 
tal. He  was  there  eighteen  months,  and  for  the  last  six 
was  executive  officer  of  the  hospital.  On  account  of  ill 
heallh  he  resigned  his  position,  and  returned  to  Hyde 
Park.  In  June,  1864,  he  re-entered  the  service,  and  was 
an  officer  in  the  Christian  street  hospital,  Philadelphia, 
till  it  was  discontinued.  He  then  returned  to  Hyde 
Park.  He  soon  after  received  the  appointment  of  assist- 
ant surgeon  to  the  board  of  enrollment,  Scranton  district, 
which  position  he  held  till  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  doctor  married  (June  6th,  1865)  Amelia  B.,  daugh- 
ter of  Nathaniel  and  Cynthia  Clapp.  Mrs.  Allen  was  born 
July  sth,  1842.     They  have  one  child,  Julia,  born  April 

2ISt,   1867. 


^If 


^^ 


-f 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL   RECORD,  SCRANTON  AND   DUNMORE. 


438  Z 


J.  M.  Acker,  Bellevue,  Hyde  Pnrlc,  superintendent  of  the  Dellevue 
mines  (formerly  a  plasterer),  was  born  in  Rockport,  Pa.,  Novemter 
23nd,  1831,  and  married  Margaret  Eidall,  of  Wilkes- Barre. 

Bybon  F.  Akerlt,  attorney  ( office  Fecond  National  Bank  building, 
Soranton ;  residence  10th  street,  Hyde  Park  I,  was  born  April  2nd,  1844, 
in  South  Abington  township,  where  he  was  formerly  a  farmer,  and  mar- 
ried Sarah  Qark. 

I.  H.  Allen,  stationary  engineer,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Blossburg, 
Pa.,  December  3d,  1841,  and  married  Maria  Smith,  of  Carbondale.  Dur- 
ing the  Rebellion  heserved  three  years — in  Company  1 133nd  Pennsylva- 
nia volunteers  nine  months  and  in  the  signal  corps  .twenty-seven 
months. 

Fred  J.  Amsdek,  Soranton,  son  of  Joel  Amsden,  architect  and  civil 
engineer,  and  for  seven  yojirs  city  surveyor,  was  born  in  Rome,  N.  V., 
June  lOfch,  1841.  During  the  war  he  hold  the  oSBce  of  second  lieutenant 
of  Company  B  130th  Pennsylvania  infantry,  and  was  afterwards  promot- 
ed to  ilrst  heutenant.  He  was  subsequently  appointed  second  lieuten- 
ant of  the  signal  corps,  United  States  army,  and  discharged  in  IBfiB. 

George  Archbald,  Providence,  near  the  depot,  assistant  boss  at 
the  Leggett's  Creek  mine,  was  born  in  Chattau,  England,  January  1st, 
1844,  and  man-ied  M.  E.  Catterson,  of  Sterling,  Wayne  county.  Pa. 

John  Armbrust,  butcher,  Scranton,  was  born  In  Bavaria,  Germany, 
September  17th,  1832,  and  married  Caroline  Veolker,  of  his  native  State. 

WiLLLAM  AssiON,  secretary  of  the  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
residence  Willow  street,  11th  ward,  is  u,  native  of  Scranton,  and  was 
born  November  18th,  1856. 

J.  L.  Athebton,  Providence,  formerly  a  carriage  manufacturer,  now 
superintendent  of  coal  works,  was  born  in  the  Wyoming  valley,  Janu- 
ary 6th,  1836.  His  first  wife,  formerly  Clara  Bullard,  died  August  13th, 
1871.    His  present  wife  was  Nellie  Frost  Dlair,  of  Boston. 

S.  G.  Barker,  formerly  superintendent  of  machine  shops,  now  scale 
manufacturer,  was  born  In  Kingston,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  May  23nd, 
1B21,  and  married  Susan  Keidder,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Residence,  338  Madi- 
son avenue,  Scranton. 

D.  P.  Barton,  formerly  a  carriage  maker,  now  proprietor  of  livery 
and  exchange  stables,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
March  24th,  1825,  and  married  Mehetabcl  Krotzer,  of  Providence  town- 
ship. He  served  three  terms  as  deputy  sheriff  of  Luzerne  county,  and 
three  years  as  sealer  of  weights  and  measures. 

Horace  F.  Barrett,  a  merchant  of  Schultzville,  is  one  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna county  commissionei-s.  He  was  born  on  Staten  Island,  N.  Y., 
October  18th,  1848,  and  married  Jennie  E.  Nichols,  of  Clark's  Green. 

Daniel  Bartholomew,  saddler  and  hai-ness  maker,  Scranton,  was 
born  in  Scranton,  June  17th,  1843,  and  married  Anna  Powell,  also  of 
Soranton.  He  served  three  years  in  Company  K  17th  Pa.  cavalry,  and 
is  captain  of  Company  B  13th  regiment  national  guards  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

B.  Grietiths  Beddob,  druggist,  Hyde  Park,  was  bom  in  Merthyr 
Tydvil,  South  Wales,  May  19th,  1855. 

George  W.  Benedict,  Scranton,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Scranton 
JnwmaL,  303  Lackawanna  avenue,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  November 
28th,  1839.    His  wife  was  formerly  Jennie  S.  Widger,  of  Waymart. 

Henry  Betba,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  Decem- 
ber 27th,  18a5,  and  married  Ellen  Pursel,  of  Bear  Greek,  Pa.  Mr.  Beyea 
is  paymaster  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company. 

H.  R.  Bishop,  Scranton,  foreman  blacksmith,  and  for  many  years  in 
the  employ  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  Company,  was  born  in  New  Yoi-k 
city,  August  1st,  1828,  and  married  Rebecca  Roslin  Colcher,  of  Port 
Colden,  N.  J. 

M.  Lewis  Blair,  formerly  a  farmer,  a  school  teacher  and  a  merchant, 
now  alderman  of  the  5th  ward,  residence  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Nel- 
son, Madison  county.  New  York,  January  18th,  1836,  and  married  Hattie 
Phillips,  of  Hyde  Park.  He  was  captain  of  Company  E  143d  regiment 
Pa.  volunteers  three  years  during  the  late  war. 

William  Blumb,  carriage  manufacturer,  residence  in  31st  ward,  Hyde 
Park,  was  born  in  Germany,  April  6th,  1838,  and  married  Julia  A.  Brown, 
of  Columbia,  N.  J.  He  was  orderly  sergeant  of  Company  G  31st  N.  J. 
volunteers. 

Garrett  Bogart,  corner  Adams  avenue  and  Spruce  street,  Scranton, 
is  assistant  superintendent  for  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad.  He  was  born 
at  Bhiuveltville,  N.  Y.,  June  8th,  1837,  and  married  Maggie  H.  Voss,  of 
Bridgeville,  N.  J. 

Colonel  Henry  M.  Boies,  of  the  13th  regiment  N.  G.  Pa.  (president 
of  the  Moosic  Powder  Company),  was  born  in  Lee,  Mass.,  August  18th, 
1837,  and  married  Elizabeth  L.  Dickson,  of  Scranton,  February  17th,  1870. 
Residence,  Clay  near  Vine  street,  Soranton. 


Morgan  Bowen,  residence  Chestnut  street,  Hyde  Park,  inside  fore- 
man in  the  School  Fund  Association's  mines,  was  born  in  Llangonyd, 
Glamorgiuishire,  South  Wales,  April  27th,  1828,  and  married  Margaret 
Williams,  of  Bryn  Mnwr,  Breconshire,  South  Wales.  He  was  formerly  a 
mInoT',  and  has  served  as  common  councilman. 

J.  C.  Bowman,  Providence,  formerly  engineer,  now  foreman  of  Ca- 
yuga mines,  was  born  in  Sentzburg,  Switzerland  May  38th,  1838,  and 
married  Jennie  Coal,  of  Falmouth,  England. 

Daniel  B.  Brainard,  proprietor  of  the  St.  Charles  Hotel,  Scranton, 
was  born  in  Boston,  March  loth,  1825,  {ind  married  Ann  Rafter,  of  Car- 
bondale. Mr.  Brainard  was  superintendent  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and 
Coal  Company's  rolling  mills  for  twenty  years. 

William  rsniOHT,  carriage  manufacturer  and  blaclcsmith.  Providence, 
residence  at  Greco  Ilklge,  was  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  April  19th, 
1848,  and  married  Lucy  A.  Titus,  of  Harpersfield,  N.  Y. 

Cornelius  Brinckerhoef,  jr.,  architect  and  civil  and  mining  engi- 
neer, was  born  in  New  York,  July  39th,  1839.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he 
began  an  apprenticeship  to  the  carpenter's  trade  in  the  Gosport  navy 
yard,  Virginia,  where  he  worked  until  the  spring  of  1803,  when,  in  com- 
pany with  his  father,  he  engaged  in  the  book  trade  at  Portsmouth,  Va., 
remaining  there  until  the  fall  of  1804,  since  which  time  he  has  been  em- 
ployed in  his  present  profession.  He  inarried  Mii'iam  Fowler,  of 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Scranton  since  July,  1866. 

SiDNBY  Broadbent,  Superintendent  of  machine  shops,  Scranton,  was 
born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  April  16th,  1828,  and  married  Catharine 
Broadbent,  of  Paterson,  N.J. 

H.  Evelyn  Brooks,  Scranton  (formerly  a  teacher),  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  was  born  in  LInesville,  Crawford  county,  Pa.,  Feb- 
ruary 5th,  1841. 

R.  G.  Brooks,  superintendent  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Com- 
pany's coal  mines,  residence  Jackson  street,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in 
Scranton,  December  25th,  1847,  and  maiTied  Mary  Ann  Morgan,  of  Nes- 
quehoning,  Carbon  county.  Pa. 

James  O.  Broavn,  Scranton,  steward  and  house  surgeon  of  the  Lacka- 
wanna Hospital,  formerly  an  apothecary,  was  born  March  14th,  1853,  in 
Factory vllle,  and  married  Ella  A.  Sturdevant,  of  Laceyville. 

Edward  L.  Buck,  Scranton,  assistant  postmaster,  formerly  a  confec- 
tioner, was  born  in  Easton,  -August  35th,  1844.  He  served  three  years 
and  two  months  in  the  51st  Pennsylvania  volunteei's  dur-ing  the  Rebel- 
lion, and  one  year  in  the  U.  S.  army  as  commissary  general  of  subsistence. 
He  married  Maggie  A.  Coslette,  of  Scranton. 

Henry  Burnish  was  born  in  Worcestershire,  England,  December 
35th,  1803;  married  Mary  Jenkins,  a  native  of  Gloucestershire,  England; 
came  to  America  in  1843  and  located  In  Scranton  in  1847.  Since  that  time 
he  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company 
as  bricklayer  and  furnace  builder. 

John  Butler  has  been  thirty  years  a  resident  of  Dunmore  and  an 
employe  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  He  is  now  master 
mechanic.  He  was  born  in  Staffordshire,  England,  September  1st,  1817, 
and  was  married  there  to  Mary  Ann  Hill. 

Eev.  Joseph  1'.  Cameron,  rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd, 
Green  Ridge,  and  St.  David's  Church,  Hyde  Park,  residence  Green  Ridge, 
Scranton,  was  born  in  the  Bermudas,  August  9th,  1846,  and  married 
Mary  O.  Johnstone,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Kbv.  Thomas  M.  Cann,  principal  of  the  School  of  the  Lackawanna, 
Scranton,  was  born  in  New  Castle  county,  Delaware,  August  19th,  1819, 
and  married  Sarah  S.  Goodnow,  of  Framingham,  Mass.  He  graduated 
at  Delaware  College  in  September,  1843,  and  entered  the  ministry  in  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  1846. 

Thomas  B.  Carey,  bridge  and  breaker  builder,  Hyde  Park,  was  bom 
in  Wayne  county,  in  1836,  and  married  Ellen  A.  Mumford,  of  Belmont, 
Pa. 

Oscar  Carpenter,  proprietor  of  the  Susquehanna  House,  Scranton, 
was  born  in  Lenox  township,  Susquehanna  county,  in  1840,  and  married 
Emeline  Pedrick,  of  Nicholson,  Wyoming-  county.  Mr.  Carpenter,  who 
was  formerly  engaged  in  farming,  served  in  Company  G  198th  Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers. 

Thomas  Cakson,  inside  foreman  at  the  Hampton  mine,  was  born  in 
Breconshire,  South  Wales,  June  11th,  1837,  andmarried  Catharine  Eynon, 
(if  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales.  Residence  Washburn  street,  Hyde 
Park. 

B.  J.  Chamberlain,  M.  D.,  residence  onBlakely  street,  Dunmore,  was 
born  in  Hanover,  Luzerne  county,  January  18th,  1824,  and  married 
Sarah  Lewis,  of  Schuylkill  county,  Pa. 

John  Chamberlin,  carriage  manufacturer,  Apple  street,  Dunmore, 
was  born  in  Bloomjburg,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  June  23th,  1836,  and 


<^ 


*=6N= 


4 


43871/ 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


4- 


married  Mary  H.  Ward,  of  Providence.  He  served  four  years  and  one 
month  during  the  Hebellion,  most  of  the  time  in  the  surgical  corps  of 
the  U.  S.  army. 

George  B.  Ohasb,  United  States  ganger,  residence  on  Monroe  avenue, 
Soranton,  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  April  lOth,  1810,  and 
married  Jane  Hutchinson,  of  New  Jersey.  He  was  f  oi'merly  a  photog- 
rapher. 

0.  P.  CiiARK.  formerly  a  merchant,  was  horn  in  Bloomingbury,  N.  Y., 
February  13th,  1S18,  and  married  Sarah  A.  Barton,  of  Honesdale,  Wayne 
county.  Pa.    ttesidence  SI  South  Main  street,  Hyde  Park. 

HOBEBT  C.  Clabk,  Soranton,  foreman  boiler  maker,  was  born  in 
Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  July  4th,  1836,  and  mai-ried  Mai-y  Ester. 
Subsequently  he  was  married  to  Anna  Dekin.  Mr.  Clark  served  during 
the  war  in  Company  G  141st  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

HON".  Francis  D.  Collins,  attorney  at  law,  Dunmore,  was  born  in 
Saugerties,  Ulster  county,  N.  Y.,  March  5th,  1844.  Mr.  Collins  has  served 
as  district  attorney  and  State  senator,  and  has  been  two  terms  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress. 

H.  N.  COLVIN,  book-keeper  (residence  MiflSin  avenue,  corner  of  Spruce 
street,  Scranton),  was  born  July  0th,  1850,  in  North  Ablngton,  and  mar- 
ried Kosa  C.  Phillips,  of  Soranton.    He  was  formerly  a  milk  dealer. 

William  Cornell,  coal  operator,  Soranton,  was  born  September 
loth,  18S7,  at  Cape  Breton,  Nova  Scotia.  His  wife  was  formerly  Miss 
Ann  Lawrence,  of  Llewellyn,  SehuylkiU  county. 

Daniel  W.  Connolly,  attorney,  Soranton,  was  born  in  Colchester, 
Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  April  24th,  1847,  and  married  Margaret  J.  Coi-nel- 
ison,  of  Danville,  Montour  county,  Pa. 

George  Cooper,  contractor  and  builder,  residence  Hyde  Park,  was 
born  In  Newent,  England,  February  10th,  1841,  and  married  Ellen  Butler, 
of  the  same  town,  born  March  6th,  1839. 

H.  H.  COSTON,  lawyer,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Honesdale,  June  0th, 
1849. 

Charles  Corless,  carpenter  and  builder,  residence  Main  street,  Hyde 
Park,  was  born  in  Vincenttown,  Burlington  comity,  N.  J.,  December 
10th,  1838,  and  married  Louisa  B.  Fuller,  of  Hartford,  Susquehanna 
county.  Pa.  He  served  two  years  during  the  Hebellion  in  the  construc- 
tion department  of  Sherman's  army. 

Eev.  Joseph  Cory,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church.  Dun- 
more,  was  born  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  February  34th,  1807,  and  married 
Mary  M.  Magie,  of  his  native  place.  He  has  been  a  preacher  forty-two 
years. 

A.  Hampton  Coitrsen,  grocer,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Deekertown,  N. 
J.,  May  3nd,  1833,  and  married  Kate  Wheatley,  of  Northumberland,  Pa. 
In  1803  he  was  appointed  postmaster  by  President  Lincoln,  and  served 
until  removed  by  a  change  of  administration.  In  1809  he  was  acting 
postmaster  for  Dr.  W.  H.  Pier. 

W.  M.  Darling,  formerly  a  carriage  m.nnufacturer,  now  a  railway 
conductor,  was  born  in  Greenwich,  N.  J.,  March  Hth,  1840,  and  married 
Mary  A.  Powell,  of  Heading,  Pa.  He  served  three  years  during  the  late 
war  in  Company  H  3d  Pa.  reserves.    Ilesidenoe  in  Hyde  Park. 

John  B.  Davis,  miner.  Providence,  was  born  in  Glamorganshirei 
South  Wales,  .January  1.3th,  1846,  and  married  Janet  James,  of  Provi- 
dence. 

John  F.  Davis,  formerly  superintendent  of  iron  furnaces,  now  re- 
tired, residence  Monroe  avenue,  Soranton,  was  born  in  Breconshiro, 
South  Wales,  January  13th,  1809,  and  first  eamc  to  Scranton  in  1843.  He 
married  Ann  Clinton,  of  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  born  March  8th, 
1813. 

John  E.  Davis,  fire  boss,  formerly  a  miner,  residence  Jackson  street, 
Hyde  Park,  was  born  April  5th,  1834,  in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales, 
and  married  Jane  Williams. 

John  W.  Davis,  proprietor  of  the  oldest  dyeing  and  scouring  estab- 
lishment in  Scranton,  residence  308  Penn  avenue,  was  born  in  Hudders- 
fleld,  England,  March  3jil,  1849,  and  married  Anna  S.  Johnson,  of  Lee, 
Massachusetts. 

Thomas  D.  Davis,  formerly  a  minor,  now  1  he  general  inside  foreman 
of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Itnilroad  Company's  mines, 
residence  Main  street,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Caorniurthenshire! 
Wales,  April  15th,  1835,  and  married  Mary  Thomas. 

Arthur  D.  Dean,  lawyer,  Soranton,  was  born  January  30th,  1840,  in 
Abington. 

W.  S.  Decker,  Hyde  Park,  served  during  a  portion  of  the  Hebellion 
in  the  11th  Penns.ylvania  cavalry.  He  is  a  druggist,  and  was  born  in 
Abington  township,  May  17th,  1834.  He  married  B.  J.  Decker,  of  New- 
ton, Pa.. 


W.  H.  Decker,  residence  Hyde  Park  avenue,  Hyde  Park,  blacksmith, 
was  born  in  Blakely  township,  January  )4th,  1830,  and  married  Fanny 
F.  Shal'er,  of  Brewerton,  Onondaga  county,  N.  Y.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  borough  council  since  1800. 

William  Denman,  mason  and  builder,  Hyde  Park,  was  bom  in  Sur- 
rey, England,  February  38th,  18,39,  and  married  Miss  Elvira  Bariger,  of 
Gibson,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa. 

Ale.\ander  W.  Dickson,  Scranton,  formei'ly  in  the  flour  and  grain 
trade  at  Philadelphia,  now  of  the  firm  of  the  Weston  Mill  Company, 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  February  7th,  1843,  and  was  married  to  Louisa 
J.  Cole,  of  Westport,  Essex  count.y,  N.  Y.,  who  diedNovember31st,  1879. 
Mr.  Dickson  has  served  as  treasurer  of  the  Soranton  Board  of  Trade, 
president  of  the  Board  of  School  Control,  and  sergeant  of  Company  D 
13th  regiment.  National  Guard,  Pennsylvania. 

George  L.  Dickson,  Scranton,  president  of  the  Dickson  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  was  born  in  Scotland,  August  3d,  183D.  In  June,  1836,  Mr. 
Dickson  went  to  Carbondale,  where  he  man-led  Lydia  M.  Poore,  and 
January  loth,  1809,  removed  to  Soranton,  where  he  has  since  lived. 

Hev.  p.  W.  Dinger,  pastor  of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Aran,  Switzerland,  May  35th,  1831,  and 
married  Miss  Carohne  Guck,  of  Gottingen,  Prussia.  ^ 

P.  C.  Dolphin,  dealer  in  tin  and  hardware.  Providence,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 30th,  1834,  in  Port  Griffith. 

William  Dowse,  inside  foreman  of  the  Continentil  mines,  Hyde 
Park,  was  born  May  1st,  1834,  in  Devizes,  England,  and  married  Ann 
Walters,  of  Pembrokeshire,  Wales.  He  hjis  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education. 

S.  M.  Drew,  blacksmith,  formerly  proprietor  of  a  livery  and  ex- 
change stable,  residence  on  Franklin  avenue,  Sci-anton,  was  born  in 
Cornwall,  England,  October  38th,  1830,  and  mai-ried  Maria  Helms,  of  Mil- 
ford,  Pa.  He  served  as  veterinary  surgeon  of  the  17th  Pennsylvania 
c.ivalry  two  and  a  half  years  during  the  late  war. 

Joseph  H.  Duggan,  engineer  at  Marvine  shaft.  Providence,  was  born 
in  Dublin,  Ireland,  August  4th,  1851,  and  married  Bridget  CuUen,  of 
Schuylkill  county,  Pa. 

Alexander  Dunn,  residence  on  Washington  avenue,  Scranton,  en- 
glneei',  employed  at  Bellevue  since  1850,  was  born  in  Ayrshire,  Scotland, 
June  7th,  1838,  and  married  Agnes  Wyle,  of  Pittston.  Mr.  Dunn  was  a 
volunteer  in  the  43nd  Pennsylvania  infantry. 

Henry  M.  Edwards,  attorney  at  law,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  Febru- 
ary 13th,  1844,  in  Monmouthshire,  England.  He  married  Jennie  Bioh- 
ards,  of  Hyde  Park.    Hesidenee,  Hyde  Park. 

B.  E.  Evans,  formerly  a  school  teacher,  secretary  and  general  agent 
of  the  Cambrian  Fire  Insurance  Company,  of  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in 
Wales,  March  15th,  1833,  and  man-ied  Matta  A.  Owen,  of  Susquehanna 
Depot,  Pa. 

Daniel  D.  Evans  was  born  in  Merthyr  Tydvil,  South  Wales,  Febru- 
ary 13th,  1823,  and  married  Elizabeth  Jones  of  liis  native  place.  He  was 
formeriy  a  miner  and  is  now  a  merchant  at  Hyde  Park.  His  son,  David 
D.  Evans,  was  born  in  Merthyr  Tydvil,  South  Wales,  August  31st,  1848, 
married  Margaret  Jones,  a  native  of  Carbondale.  Pa.,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  mercantile  Arm  of  Daniel  D.  Evans  &  Son. 

Daniel  J.  Evans,  formeriy  a  farmer,  now  editor  of  the  Bamr 
1  GiteMewr,  was  born  in  Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales,  April  30th 
1833,  and  married  Sar.ah  Prothroe,  of  Glamorganshire.  Residence, 
Hyde  Park. 

Rev.  E.  B.  Evans,  M.  D.,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Congregational 
church,  Hydo  Park,  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  December  14th, 
ISIO;  came  to  America  in  1833  and  to  Scranton  in  1857,  and  married  Jane 
Jones,  of  Utiea,  N.  Y. 

E.  S.  BvAKS,  miner,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Breconshire,  South  Wales, 
November  38th,  1840,  and  married  Mary  E.  Evans,  of  Monmouthshire, 
South  Wales. 

James  W.  Evans,  miner,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Monmouthshire 
bouth  Wales,  June  6th,  1845,  and  married  Mai-garet  Jones,  of  his  native 
place. 

Lewis  H.  Evans,  formerly  portrait  painter,  now  artistand  photog- 
rapher, Sernnton,  was  born  in  Wales,  August  3nd,  1845,  and  miu-ried 
Alice  Virginia  Wagstatr,  of  Jolmstown,  Pa. 

Richard  Evans,  county  surveyor  of  Lacka\ranna  county,  formeily 
civil  and  nimingongineor,  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales, 
July  29th,  1330.    Uosldoucc,  Orchard  street,  Hyde  Park. 

T.  R.  Evans,  formerly  a  miner,  now  clerk  and  eoUeotor  in  the  city 
treasurer's  office,  was  born  in  Hyde  Park,  March  8th,  1858,  and  married 
Nellie  L.  Moses,  of  that  place,  where  he  resides. 


=^¥ 


'*^¥ 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL  RECORD,  SCRANTON   AND  DUNMORE. 


438  iV^ 


A.  B.  Eynon,  Hyde  Parle,  formerly  a  merchant  but  for  some  time 
cashier  of  the  Millet's'  and  Mechanics'  Loan  Association,  was  born  at 
Cai-bondale,  September  ith,  18i7,  and  married  Annie  B.  Hushes,  of  Hyde 
Park. 

George  Fairchild,  proprietor  of  the  Hcermans  House,  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  in  Essex,  England,  December  31th,  1837,  and  while  yet  a  resi- 
dent there  married  Emma  Howard. 

A.  B.  Parnham  was  born  in  Benton  township,  October  eth,  1830,  and 
married  Phebe  E.  Atherton,  of  Lackawanna  township.  lie  is  a  wood 
machlDist  by  trade,  but  was  formerly  a  farmer.  He  has  served  as  cor- 
poral in  Company  C  of  the  list  regiment  Pennsylvania  militia,  and  as 
school  director.    Kesidenee  120  Cedar  street,  Seranton. 

Clarence  Farnham,  forwarding  and  recording  clerk  at  Seranton  for 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  was  born 
in  Carbondale,  Pa.,  July  15th,  1637,  and  married  Kate  M.  Barber,  of 
Archbald,  Pa.    He  was  formerly  a  lumberman. 

George  H.  Fellows,  stationary  engineer,  Hyde  Park,  was  born 
October  33a,  ia>t,  and  married  Hannah  R.  Weaver,  of  Hyde  Park. 

John  Fellows,  retired  (formerly  a  farmer  and  brick  manufacturer), 
was  born  at  Hyde  Pai'k,  where  he  now  resides,  July  32nd,  1815.  He  mar- 
ried Cynthia  J.  Price,  of  Cooperstown,  Otsego  county,  N.  Y. 

John  H.  Fellows,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  there,  July  23nd,  1849.  He 
was  formerly  a  painter,  but  is  now  an  insurance  agent.  He  married 
A.  Genevieve  Overfleld,  of  Meshoppen,  Pa. 

John  S.  FERcnsoN,  Hyde  Park,  has  been  for  twent.v-six  years  in  the 
employ  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Eaih-oad  Companyi 
and  is  a  machinist.  He  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  September  31st, 
1836,  and  married  Janet  Newlands,  of  his  native  town,  who  died  Novem- 
ber 20tli,  1879. 

Ben.jamin  F.  Fillmore,  coal  operator  and  superintendent,  formerly 
a  railroad  contractor.  Green  Kidge,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Syracuse, 
N.  T.,  in  1831,  and  married  Hetta  L.  Atherton,  of  Kingston,  Pa. 

A.  P.  Finch,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Windham,  N.  Y.,  November  30th, 
1809,  and  married  Sarah  Tuthill,  of  that  place.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Finch  &  Co.,  foundry  proprietors  and  machinists  and  dealers  in 
hardware.  He  has  held  the  oiBces  of  councilman  and  justice  of  the 
peace. 

Irving  A.  Finch,  iron  founder  and  machinist,  residence  Washington 
avenue,  corner  Mulberry  street,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Windham, 
Greene  county,  N.  Y.,  August  Ith,  1836,  and  married  Hannah  S.  Bump,  of 
that  place. 

JOHN  B.  Fish,  superintendent  of  the  Providence  Gas  and  Water 
Company  and  manufacturer  of  portable  gas  machinery,  was  born  in 
Liberty,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  March  14th,  1839,  and  married  S.  A.Tur- 
ner, of  Bainbridge,  N.  Y.  He  served  three  months  during  the  Rebellion 
in  the  11th  Pa.  volunteers  as  lieutenant,  and  three  years  and  three 
months  in  the  52nd  Pa.  volunteers  as  lieutenant  and  captain. 

George  Fisher,  dealer  in  dry  goods,  was  born  in  Spencer,  N.  Y. 
John  Fltnn,  inside  foreman  of  Central  shaft,  residence  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1835,  and  married  Mary  Clark,  of  Ireland. 

John  H.  Fordham,  formerly  a  teacher  and  merchant,  and  for  twenty- 
three  years  superintendent  for  the  Dickson  Manufacturing  Company 
(Green  Eidge,  Seranton),  was  born  in  Montrose,  Pa.,  December  Otb,  1831, 
and  married  Isabel  L.  Dickson,  of  Scotch  nativity. 

George  B.  Foster,  city  clerk,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Au- 
gust 29th,  1848,  and  married  Augusta  S.  Kirkpatrick,  of  Seranton.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  13th  regiment  N.  G.  of  Pa. 

Eev.D.K.  Freeman,  pastor  of  the  Washburne  street  Presbyterian 
ohuroh,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Blairstown,  Warren  county.  New 
Jersey,  October  25th,  1830,  and  married  Henrietta  L.  Wildrick,  of  his 
native  town. 

William  H.  Freeman,  Hyde  Park,  land  agent  for  the  Delaware, 
Laokawannna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  formerly  a  merchant, 
was  born  at  Lisle,  N.  Y.,  December  39th,  1830,  and  married  Rachel  J. 
Landes,  of  Hyde  Park. 

Rev.  S.  Freubenthal,  pastor  of  the  Jewish  church,  Seranton,  was 
bom  in  Baden,  Germany,  December  13th,  1841,  and  married  Bertha  Levi, 
of  Williamsj)ort,  Pa. 

Henry  Fret,  photographic  artist,  corner  of  Main  and  Jackson 
streets,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Switzerland,  June  4th,  1844. 

Edward  Laton  Filler,  formerly  a  hardware  dealer,  now  an  iron 
broker,  was  born  in  Hawley,  Pa.,  October  10th,  1851,  and  married  Helen 
M.  Silkman,  of  Providence.    Residence  Seranton. 


John  D.  Fuller,  insurance  agent,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Wyoming, 
Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  November  0th,  1834,  and  married  Emma  C.  Lathrop, 
of  Norwich,  Conn. 

Mrs.  J.  S.  Puller,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Pittston,  Pa.,  December 
35th,  1817,  and  married  Robert  Porter,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  who  died  Au- 
gust 30th,  1850.  Later  she  married  J.  S.  Fuller,  a  native  of  Exeter,  Lu- 
zerne county,  and  identified  with  John  B.  Smith,  of  Pittston,  in  the  coal 
bu.slness,  who  died  January  2nd,  1877.  Her  maiden  name  was  Mercy  P. 
Bai'num. 

W.  H.  Puller,  ticket  agent  at  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  West- 
ern Railroad  depot,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Montrose,  Pa.,  August  10th, 
1830,  and  married  Mary  C.  Wheeler,  of  Honesdale,  Pa. 

Berthold  Galland,  manufacturer  of  ladies'  underwear,  Seranton, 
was  born  in  Posen,  Pi-ussia,  May  1st,  1814.  He  married  Annie  Hawley,  of 
Seranton.    Formerly  he  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  trade. 

L.  H.  GiBBS,  M.  D.,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1843 
and  was  for  a  time  engaged  in  banking  in  New  York.  He  married  Liz- 
zie Ann  Sharp. 

John  B.  Gillespie,  merchant.  Providence,  was  born  in  Carbondale, 
November  4th,  1844,  and  married  Maggie  Monies,  of  Providence,  Sep- 
tember 19th,  1871.  Mr.  Gillespie  has  been  director  of  the  poor  of  Provi- 
dence since  1873,  and  was  a  member  of  the  common  council  of  Seranton 
in  1371. 

Alfred  Goodshall,  foreman,  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware,  Lack- 
awanna and  Western  Railroad  Companj',  residence  Hyde  Park,  was 
born  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  February  33d,  1838,  and  married  Caroline 
Hine,  of  Wilkes-Barre.  He  served  five  months  during  the  Rebellion  in 
General  Sherman's  construction  corps. 

Mrs.  James  M.  Gorsline,  Main  street,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 10th,  1830,  in  Plains,  Luzerne  county,  where  her  grandfather,  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  was  an  early  settler.  Her  late  husband,  for 
many  years  a  merchant  and  commercial  traveler,  was  born  in  Dutchess 
county,  N.  Y.,  came  to  Hyde  Park  in  1850,  and  died  jSeptember  21st,  1865. 

Marietta  B.  Griffin,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  In  Pine  Plains,  Dutchess 
county,  N.  Y. 

Reese  R.  Griffiths,  Hyde  Park,  inside  foreman  of  Pine  Brook  col- 
liery, was  born  at  Dowlais,  Glamorgan.shire,  South  Wales,  December 
14th,  18.1)8,  and  married  Elizabeth  Jones,  of  Hirwain,  Glamorganshire. 

Charles  Guesford,  of  the  Seranton  File  Works,  Guesford  &  Sheldon 
proprietors,  was  born  in  Stourbridge,  England,  September  Gth,  1859. 
Residence  at  Providence. 

Rev.  George  E.  Guild,  pa-stor  of  the  Pi-esbyterian  church.  Provi- 
dence, was  boi-n  in  Walton,  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  November  9th,  1850, 
and  married  Mary  S.  Clark,  of  Northampton,  Mass. 

Hon.  Fred  W.  Gunster,  attorney,  residence  at  Pairlawn,  Seranton, 
was  born  in  Lookweiler,  Prussia,  September  15th,  1845,  and  married 
Maggie  Brahl,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  Mr.  Gunster  Avas  a  member  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Legislature  In  1875-70,  and  the  first  district  attorney  of 
Lackawanna  county. 

John  Hale,  of  Bellevue,  Hyde  Park,  mine  foreman,  was  born  in  Wilts 
county,  England,  June  3d,  1832,  and  married  Miss  Ann  J.  Grilfiths,  of 
Merthyr,  South  Wales.  He  has  served  as  school  director  and  justice  of 
tha  peace,  and  held  other  official  positions. 

A.  R.  Gould,  patentee  of  the  Gould  side-bar  buckboard  and  carriage 
manufacturer,  Seranton,  business  established  1867,  was  born  in  Wolver- 
hampton, England,  June  23th,  1844.  He  married  Anna,  daughter  of 
WilUam  Swetland,  of  Wyoming. 

Birdsall  C.  Green,  36  Hyde  Park  avenue,  Hyde  Park,  outside  fore- 
man of  Hampton  mines,  was  born  in  Columbia,  Warren  county,  N.  J., 
May  2nd,  185.3,  and  married  Mary  E.  Acker,  of  Hyde  Park. 

D.  N.  Green,  Seranton,  chief  clerk  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Hyde  Park,  October  8th,  1844,  and  married 
Emma  C.  Posten,  of  Seranton.  Mr.  Green  was  formerly  employed  as 
clerk  in  the  coal  department  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  Company,  and  served  in  company  D  30th  P.  V.  M.  in  1803.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  select  council  for  the  9th  ward,  and  has  served  in  the 
common  council. 

J.  F.  Green,  superintendent  of  the  Continental  mines,  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  in  Warren  county,  N.  J.,  February  1st,  1827,  and  married  C.  R. 
Vankirk,  of  Knowlton,  N.  J.  Mr.  Green  served  as  lieutenant  of  the  31st 
regiment  New  Jersey  volunteers. 

SAMtjBL  Gress,  blacksmith  and  carriage  maker,  Hyde  Park,  was  born 
in  Wilkes-Bari'e,  Pa.,  October  37th,  1839,  and  married  Phebe  A.  Wiokizer, 
of  Auburn,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.  During  the  Rebellion  he  served 
a  year  in  Company  D  13th  New  York  cavalry. 


<^ 


^^ 


^4* 


4380 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Casper  G.  Gkifpin,  statle  boss  at  Biisbiu  shaft,  Providence,  served 
three  years  and  two  months  in  Company  F  53nd  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers in  the  Rebellion.  He  was  born  in  Middletown,  Delaware  county, 
N.  Y.,  May  1st,  1843,  and  married  Alvina  Chambers,  of  Providence. 

John  K.  Hall,  locomotive  engineer  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Eailroad  Company,  residence  on  South  Bj  non 
street,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Tunkbannock,  Wyoming  county,  April 
23d,  1848,  and  married  Sarah  A.  Lieb,  of  Milton,  Pa. 

Chartwell  V".  Hallstead  served  in  Company  B  130th  Pennsylvania 
volunteers  nine  months  during-  the  Eebellion.  He  was  formerly  a  car- 
penter and  machinist,  and  is  now  engineer  at  Brisbin  shaft.  Besidcnoe 
at  Providence.  He  was  born  at  Dundaff,  Pa.,  September  mh,  1845,  and 
married  C.  Anna  Sayers,  of  Scranton. 

Hon.  Alfred  Hand,  Scranton,  was  born  at  Honesdale,  Pa.,  March 
26th,  1835,  and  married  Anna,  daughter  of  Judge  Jessup,  who  died  in 
1872.  His  present  wife  was  Miss  Helen  E.  Sanderson,  of  Boloit,  Wiscon- 
sin. Mr.  Hand  has  served  as  additional  law  judge  of  the  45th  judicial 
district  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  November,  1876,  was  elected  to  the  po- 
sition of  president  judge. 

Thomas  P.  Harper,  who  died  in  Scranton,  June  7th,  1879,  was  born 
August  13th,  1806,  in  Jarrittown,  Pa.,'  and  married  Susan  Gruer,  of 
Hope,  N.  J.  He  was  by  trade  a  millwright,  and  came  to  Scranton  in 
1841,  helping  to  erect  the  iirst  blast  furnace  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company,  in  whose  employ  he  remained  until  his  death. 

Rev.  John  Philip  Harris,  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  church, 
Providence,  was  born  in  Pembrokeshire,  South  Wales,  January  27th, 
1820,  and  was  formerly  a  clerk  in  astore.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Hum- 
phreys, a  native  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Samuel  Y.  Haupt,  lumber  dealer,  Hyde  Park,  formerly  bookkeeper, 
was  born  in  Sunbury,  Northumberland  county.  Pa.,  August  24th,  1843, 
and  manied  Amelia  S.  Gossler,  of  that  place.  He  enlisted  August  20th, 
1861,  in  Company  C  47th  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1863,  he  re-enlisted  in  the  same  regiment,  and  served  until  January, 
1865. 

W.  H.  Hazlett,  for  eight  years  a  resident,  and  a  prominent  under- 
taker and  dealer  in  picture  frames,  mirrors  and  similar  goods,  of  Scran- 
ton, was  born  in  Belvidere,  Warren  county,  N.  J.,  July  24tb,  1841,  and 
married  Sallie  H.  Skoer,  of  Kingston,  Luzerne  county. 

John  Heath,  teacher,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Honesdale,  Wayne 
county,  June  24th,  1840,  and  man-ied  Miss  Mary  Lynch,  of  Scranton.  1-i  e 
sei-ved  in  the  133nd  Pennsylvania  and  the  13Cth  New  i'ork  volunteers. 

Charles  Henwood,  druggist  and  bookseller,  Providence,  was  born  iti 
Penzance,  England,  May  28th,  1846,  came  to  Scranton  in  1803,  and  estab- 
lished himself  in  business  in  1870.  He  married  Ada  E.  Hartley,  of  Glen- 
wood,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa. 

T.  N.  Hetsell,  liveryman  and  farmer,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Oi-ange 
county,  N.  Y.,  September  13th,  1S33,  and  married  Sarah  Underbill,  of 
Warren  county,  N.  J.  He  was  formerly  a  tanner  and  currier  and  has 
been  a  railway  employe. 

John  C.  Highfield,  Scranton,  superintendent  ot  farms  and  teams  for 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  was  born 
in  Chester  county.  Pa.,  March  1st,  1834,  and  married  Rebecca  L.  Brad- 
ford, of  Delaware. 

Samuel  Hines,  Scranton,  supei-intendent  of  the  Hillside  Conl  and 
Iron  Company,  was  born  in  Washington,  D.  C,  July  21st,  1843.  Mr. 
Hines  was  formerly  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Mercer  Ii'on  and  Coal 
Company  and  of  the  Jamestown  and  Franklin  Railroad  Conipany,  Mer- 
cer count}'. 

Ebenezer  HiTCHCOcic,  retired  farmer  and  lumberman,  was  born  in 
Clai-emont,  N.  H.,  April  a7th,  181.5,  and  came  to  the  site  of  Scranton  with 
his  father,  July  5th,  1826.  He  has  been  twice  married:  to  Marian  Budd, 
of  Troy,  Pa.,  who  died  February  3nd,  lKi7,  and  to  Amanda  Swaokham- 
mer,  of  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  who  died  January  5th,  1879. 

Sorelle  A.  HOLLISTER,  Scranton,  general  agent  of  the  National  Mu- 
tual Aid  Association,  was  born  in  Westfleld,  N.  Y.,  in  1810.  He  served  in 
the  83d  Pennsylvania  volunteers  flvemonths,in  the  money  ordordepart- 
ment  of  the  Chicago  post-office  five  years  and  as  apsistant  in  the  prov<ist 
marshal's  office  for  the  31st  district  of  New  York  in  1863-04.  He  married 
Emma  G.  Gordon,  of  Erie,  Pa. 

John  U.  Hopewell,  formeriy  a  canal  boy,  now  editor  and  publisher 
of  the  Providence  Echo,  was  born  in  Northumberland,  Pa.,  July  35th, 
1857,  and  married  Annie  Heck,  of  his  native  place. 

B.  C.  Hopkins,  M.  D.,  Chestnut  street,  Dunmoro,  was  born  in  Plelton 
Kent  county,  Delaware,  November  24th,  1829,  and  married  Annie  E. 
Sudler,  of  Annapolis,  Md. 

George  R.  Horner,  flroman  at  Legget's  Creek  mine.  Providence,  was 
born  in  Providence,  April  20th,  1857. 


James  S.  Hobton,  artistic  printer,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Terrytown, 
Bradford  county.  Pa.,  September  26th,  1856,  and  married  Ida  A.  Noll,  of 
Scranton. 

Jambs  H.  Hosie,  constable  of  the  6th  ward,  is  a  huckster  by  occupa- 
tion and  resides  on  6tb  avenue.  He  was  bom  in  Ireland,  November 
15th,  1845,  and  married  Annie  B.  Jordan,  of  Arohbald,  Pa. 

Thomas  Houser,  for  nineteen  years  inside  foreman  for  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  and  now  jail  keeper,  was 
born  in  Schuylkill  county.  Pa.,  March  4th,  1832,  and  married  Elizabeth 
Moser,  of  Schuylkill  county.    Residence,  Chestnut  street,  Hyde  Park. 

Daniel  Howell,  president  of  the  Mechanics'  and  Merchants'  Bank, 
Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales,  September  37th, 
1826.  He  came  to  Scranton  in  1854,  and  was  formerly  a  coal  operator. 
He  married  Mary  Richards,  of  Carbondale.  She  died  April  23d,  1873. 
His  present  wife  was  Sophia  Stevens,  of  Macedonia,  Pa. 

Captain  J.  W.  Howell,  formerly  a  merchant,  during  the  war  captain 
of  Company  K  143nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  served  three  years 
and  was  discharged  in  1865;  is  now  agent  for  the  Northwestern  Life  In- 
surance Company.  He  was  born  at  St.  Donnatts,  Glamorganshire, 
South  Wales,  August  9th,  1837,  and  married  Agnes  Walter  Crawford,  of 
Pittston.    Residence,  Green  Ridge. 

B.  Hughes,  general  foreman  of  the  mines  of  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  Railroad  Company,  with  which  he  has  been  con- 
nected for  twenty-flve  years,  and  president  of  the  Cambrian  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Breconshire,  Wales, 
October  2.5th,  1834,  and  married  Mary  Davis,  of  Bryn  Mawr,  Breconshire. 
He  was  formerly  a  miner  and  has  been  school  director  and  councilman. 

Morris  W.  Hughes,  dealer  in  hardware,  stoves,  &o.,  Hyde  Park,  was 
born  in  Llangefni,  Anglesea,  Wales,  May  5th,  3854,  and  married  Mary 
A.  Thomas,  of  Hyde  Park. 

R.  I.  Hughes,  tinner  and  hardware  dealer,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in 
Anglesea,  South  Wales,  March  23d,  1841,  and  mai-ried  Elizabeth  Lewis,  of 
Glamorganshire,  South  Wales.  He  has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education  three  years. 

John  L.  Hull,  of  the  flinn  of  J.  L.  &  A.  Hull,  dealers  in  roofing  and 
school  slate,  Hyde  Park,  was  formerly  engaged  in  the  furniture  trade 
and  served  two  years  and  nine  months  in  the  late  war  in  Company  H 
62nd  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  was  born  February  16th, 
1839,  and  married  Susan  A.  Winsor,  of  Smithfleld,  R.  I.,  who  died  in 
November,  1872.  His  present  wife  was  Florence  E.  Healy,  ot  Blakely, 
his  native  township. 

D.  W.  HUMPHUEY,  formerly  a  druggist,  chemist  for  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Lansford,  Carbon 
county.  Pa.,  July  37th,  1830. 

J.  M.  Hunt,  grocer,  Scranton,  was  born  January  13th,  1841,  in  Pratts- 
ville.  Green  county,  N.  Y.,  and  married  Mary  E.  Braudow,  of  that  place. 

Stephen  V.  D.  Huntington,  formerly  a  clerk,  now  connected  with 
the  blast  furnace,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Fond  du  Lac  county.  Wis.,  in 
18.55. 

Irwin  Ives,  formerly  a  merchant,  now  farmer,  lumberman  and 
teacher,  Di-inker  street,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  New  Milford,  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pa.,  May  30th,  1818,  and  married  Lucinda  Krotzer,  of 
Dunmore.  He  lived  twenty-four  years  in  Madison  township,  Lacka- 
wanna county,  and  was  justice  of  the  peace  ten  years  and  served  as  con- 
stable and  president  of  the  board  of  school  directors. 

James  B.  James,  for  fifteen  years  inside  foreman  of  Mount  Pleasant 
colliery,  residence  Hyde  Park,  was  born  February  3nd,  1827,  in  Mon- 
mouthshire, Wales.  He  married  Mary  Abrahams,  of  Wales,  who  died 
May  5th,  1878.  His  present  wife  was  Mnrgaretta  Thomas,  of  Hyde 
Park. 

Charles  P.  Jadwin,  formerly  a  druggist,  now  general  agent  at 
Scranton  for  the  Pennsylvania  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  was 
born  in  Carbondale,  Pa.,  September  13th,  1840,  and  married  Sarah  Au- 
gusta Hampton,  of  that  place. 

Mrs.  Robert  J.  James,  formei'ly  Jane  Rosser,  was  born  in  Brecon- 
shire, South  Wales,  April  15th,  1848.  Her  late  husband  was  born  in 
Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  March  7th,  1835,  and  died  October  6th, 
1879,  at  Hyde  Park,  where  he  had  lived  since  January,  1866.  He  came  to 
America  in  August,  1803,  and  located  in  Schuylkill  county.  Pa. ;  was  en- 
gaged in  mining  until  1872;  general  agent  of  the  Cambrian  Mutual  In- 
surance Company  of  Hyde  Park  until  1876,  when  he  was  elected  clerk  of 
the  Luzerne  county  courts.  In  1866  he  organized  a  musical  society 
-"The  Cambro-American  Choral  Society— "  of  which  he  was  leader 
until  his  death. 

Joseph  J.  Jermyn,  coal  operator,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Hyde  Park, 
July  31st,  1853. 


<)* 


4^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD,  SCRANTON  AND  DUNMORE. 


438/' 


0.  S.  Johnson,  formerly  a  merchant,  now  a  coal  operntor,  Scranton, 
was  torn  in  New  York  city,  January  31st,  1847,  and  married  Mary  H. 
Mylert,  of  Butler,  Butler  county.  Pa.    Residence  333  Wyoming  avenue. 

Hon.  D.  M.  Jones,  city  treasurer,  residence  in  Hyde  Park,  was  born 
in  Wales,  June  36th,  1830,  and  came  to  Scranton  in  August,  1831.  He 
was  two  years  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  alderman  of  the  city  nine 
years,  and  served  in  Company  I  lllth  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  Mrs. 
Jones  was  Annie  E.  Williams,  of  Plymouth. 

Edward  D.  Jones,  formerly  a  miner,  now  inside  foreman,  was  horn 
in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales,  July  SQth,  1813,  and  married  Margaret 
Parry,  of  G-laraorganshire,  South  Wales.  He  served  two  years  as  coun- 
cilman, and  is  at  present  school  director  of  the  1st  ward  of  Scranton. 
Residence  at  Providence. 

H.  D.  Jones,  grocer,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Newcastle,  Schuylkill 
county.  Pa.,  December  2Sth,  1841,  and  married  Mary  E.  Lewis,  of  Miners- 
inne,  Pa. 

John  D.  Jones,  Hyde  Park,  miner,  was  born  in  Monmouthshire, 
Wales,  May  13th,  1836.  He  married  Lucretia  Morris,  of  Pittston,  who 
died  in  1865.  His  present  wife  was  Janette  Reese,  of  Glamorganshire, 
Wales. 

Ret.  Reese  S.  Jones,  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Congregational  church,  Prov- 
idence, was  born  in  Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales,  in  March,  1843,  was 
brought  up  on  a  farm,  and  married  Elvira  Jenkins,  of  Cowbridge, 
Glamorganshire,  South  Wales. 

Stephen  Jones,  formerly  a  machinist,  dealer  in  sewing  machines,  No. 
323  Lackawanna  avenue,  residence  Main  street,  Hyde  Park,  was  boi'u  in 
Breconshire,  South  Wales,  May  20th,  1843,  and  married  Agnes  M.  Barrow- 
man,  of  Hyde  Park. 

W.  W.  Jones,  engineer,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Bryn  Mawr,  Wales, 
December  26th,  1845,  and  married  Elizabeth  James,  of  Neath,  South 
Wales. 

Charles  T.  Kaur,  of  the  firm  of  Karr  &  McDonnell,  general  insur- 
ance brokers,  Scranton,  and  general  manager  for  eleven  States  of  the 
Endowment  and  Relief  Association  of  Cardington,  0.,  was  born  in 
Brownville,  N.  Y.,  March  2nd,  1863.  and  married  Fannie  B.  Jacocks,  of 
New  Haven,  Conn. 

D.  F.  Keaenet,  wholesale  liquor  dealer,  324  Penn  avenue,  Scranton, 
was  born  in  Archbald,  Lackawanna  county,  November  3d,  1857.  The 
house  of  M.  M.  Kearney,  wholesale  liquor  dealer,  was  established  in 
1864.  The  firm  subsequently  became  Kearney,  Burke  &  Co.,  succeeded 
in  March,  1880,  by  D.  F.  Kearney. 

William  D.  Kennedy,  book-keeper  at  the  Capoose  Works,  Provi- 
dence, was  born  in  Lackawanna,  September  34th,  1843,  and  married 
Amelia  M.  Carter,  of  Providence. 

Samuel  Griffith  Kerr  was  born  in  Donegal,  Ireland,  May  29th, 
1839,  and  married  Catharine  Noble,  of  Castlederg,  Tyrone  county,  Ire- 
land. With  his  parents  he  landed  at  Philadelphia  May  39th,  1851.  In 
boyhood  he  was  employed  in  a  confectionery  store  and  in  a  saw-mill, 
learning  scroll  sawing.  He  worked  a  year  as  a  journeyman ;  then  ten 
years  (from  1861)  in  the  carpet  store  of  William  A.  RoUin.  After  a  year 
with  Leedom,  Shaw  &  Stewart,  carpet  makers,  he  opened  a  carpet  store 
in  AUentown.  In  July,  1873,  he  removed  to  Scranton,  where  he  pursues 
the  same  business.  He  was  quartermaster  sergeant  of  the  City  Guard 
from  its  organization  to  January  37th,  1879,  when  he  was  discharged  for 
disability. 

N.  KiEFER,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Scrantnn  Hcrnlcl,  was  born  in 
Germany,  February  16th,  1850,  and  married  Miss  M.  Weber,  of  Taylors- 
ville.    He  has  been  a  member  of  the  common  council  of  Scranton. 

Edward  P.  Kingsbcrt,  assistant  treasurer  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company,  and  controller  of  the  city  of  Scranton,  was  born  in 
Honesdale,  Pa.,  May  19th,  1834,  and  married  Anna  L.  Kressler,  of  Scran- 
ton. 

Hekrt  a.  Kingsbcrt,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Montrose,  Susquehanna 
county,  December  10th,  1831.  In  December,  1859,  he  came  to  Scranton 
as  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company; 
later  he  removed  to  Oxford  Furnace,  N.  J.,  to  take  charge  of  S.  T. 
Scranton  &  Co.'s  store.  He  returned  to  Scranton  in  March,  1875,  and 
has  since  managed  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Comnany's  stores, 
and  their  mine  stores  in  New  Jersey.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  B.  Hutch- 
inson, of  Scranton. 

N.  J.  W.  Kingsbury,  Scranton,  was  corn  in  Hornellsville,  N.Y.,  Janu- 
ary 5th,  1858.    He  was  formerly  a  clerk,  but  is  now  a  steel  blower. 

Nathan  Kramer,  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  in  1832,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1847,  and  established  the  first  clothing  house  in  Scranton.  He  was 
a  prominent  member  of  the  Scranton  "Yagers,"  the  earliest  military 
organization  in  the  vicinity.  He  died  in  1875,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son,  Louis  N.  Kramer. 


Rev.  William  H.  Kurth,  Scranton,  was  bom  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
June  19th,  1840,  and  married  Miss  Doretta  Seidel,  of  New  York  city. 

Lorenzo  G.  La  Bar,  principal  of  high  school,  Scranton.  was  born  in 
North  Moreland,  Wyoming  county.  Pa.,  September  30th,  1836. 

Edward  D.  Lathbop,  Scranton,  formerly  local  editor  oC  the  Corbon- 
dalc  Leader,  now  deputy  recorder  of  deeds  of  Lackawanna  county,  was 
born  in  Independence,  Buchanan  county,  Iowa,  February  19th,  1868. 

John  L.  Lee,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Silver  Creek,  Schuylkill  county, 
Pa.,  March  30th,  18)3,  and  married  Mary  Smith,  of  PottsviUe,  that 
county.  Mr.  Lee  came  to  Scranton  September  13th,  1876,  and  has  served 
one  tern  as  a  councilman.  He  is  the  present  register  of  wills  of  Lacka- 
wanna county. 

Thomas  P.  Leonard,  of  the  firm  of  Leonard  Brothers,  hardware 
dealers,  Lackawanna  avenue,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Enniscrone,  Sligo 
county,  Ireland. 

T.  P.  Letchworth,  undertaker,  Dunmore,  was  born  May  30th,  1830, 
in  Mouut  Holly,  N.  J.,  and  his  wife  was  formerly  Miss  Annie  Branin,  of 
that  place. 

Isaac  Levy,  a  native  of  Alsace,  Germany,  was  bom  in  1832,  and  em- 
igrated to  the  United  States  in  1847.  He  settled  in  Philadelphia  in  1857, 
where  he  carried  on  awholesaie  and  retail  business  in  notions  and  fani;y 
goods  until  1870,  when  he  removed  to  Scranton.  Here  he  commenced 
an  extensive  dry  goods  and  notion  business,  wholesale  and  retail,  which 
grew  with  great  rapidity.  In  1877  he  opened  a  branch  store  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Pa.  In  the  spring  of  1880,  having  previously  taken  his  two  sons, 
Joseph  and  Leon,  into  partnership  with  him,  he  disposed  of  his  interest 
to  Henry  Wertheimer,  a  young  man  who  had  grown  up  in  his  business. 
Mr.  Wertheimer  and  Joseph  and  Leon  Levy  carry  on  the  business  in 
Scranton  and  Wilkes- Barre  under  the  firm  name  of  Levy  Brothers  &  Co. 

B.  R.  Lewis,  residence  Madison  avenue,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  North 
Wales,  June  18th,  1833,  and  married  Miss  Ann  Jenkins,  of  Carbondule, 
Pa.,  January  iith,  1837.  He  is  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  and 
manager  of  the  Scranton  ollice  of  Y  Drjjch,  the  national  organ  of  the 
Welsh  people  of  the  United  States. 

Hon.  T.  1).  Lewis,  druggist.  Providence,  was  born  in  Wales,  January 
23th,  1847,  and  when  five  weeks  old  came  with  his  parents  to  the  United 
States.  He  married  Miss  Emma  L.  Holdren,  of  Miuersville,  Schuylkill 
county,  and  served  two  years  during  the  war  in  the  48th  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  and  was  a  captain  in  the  9th  regiment  National  Guard  Penn- 
sylvania in  1870;  since  promoted  to  lieutenant  colonel,  and  colonel  1873- 
79;  now  major  and  commissary  of  the  3d  brigade.  He  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature  for  the  years  1878-80. 

C.  H.  Lindsay,  manager  of  the  Scranton  Academy  of  Music,  was  bom 
in  Bath,  Steuben  county,  N.  Y.,  March  9th,  1846,  and  was  formerly  in 
the  hardware  business. 

R.  M.  Lindsay,  dealer  in  dry  goods,  residence  Green  Ridge,  was  born 
October  29th,  1839,  in  Scotland,  and  married  L.  R.  W.  Gunn,  of  Glas- 
gow, Scotland. 

jAiiES  A.  Linen,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank,  Scranton,  has 
served  as  lieutenant  in  the  3Gth  New  Jersey  volunteers  and  captain  of 
Company  D  Scranton  city  guard. 

B.  J.  Longshore,  physician  and  drug-gist,  of  Scranton,  was  born  in 
Wyoming,  Luzerne  county,  March  13th,  1844,  and  served  in  Company  F 
147th  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers  seven  months  during  the  lie- 
bellion. 

Jacob  Lotz,  bookbinder  and  blank  book  manufacturer,  was  born  at 
Trevorton,  Pa.,  August  12th,  1857. 

Thomas  Lo^'ERIng,  stable  boss,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Devonshire, 
England,  August  38th,  1819,  and  married  Elizabeth  Hughes,  of  Cardigan- 
shire, South  Wales. 

M.  O.  LovERN,  Scranton,  principal  of  No.  10  school,  was  born  in  Bally- 
burke.  County  Mayo,  Ireland,  February  5th,  1840,  and  married  Mary  Ann 
Lyons,of  his  native  place.  He  graduated  from  the  normal  school  at  Dub- 
lin, in  June,  1863. 

J.  D.  Lloyd,  formerly  a  miner,  now  inside  boss  at  Jermyn  mines,  res- 
idence Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  February  22nd, 
1844,  and  married  Hannah  Jones,  of  his  native  shire. 

Edward  C.  Lynde,  Scranton,  secretary  for  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and 
Coal  Company,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  July  22nd,  1831.  His  wife  was 
Gertrude  W.  Murray,  of  Honesdale,  Pa. 

Thomas  Lyshon,  miner,  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales, 
November  35th,  1831,  and  married  Ann  Jones,  of  his  native  place,  born 
in  1830.    Residence  Hyde  Park. 

H.  A.  Mace,  Green  Ridge,  train  dispatcher,  was  born  in  Factoryville, 
June  16th,  1850,  and  married  Amanda  Seaman,  of  Scranton.  Mr. 
Mace  is  a  member  of  the  Scranton  City  Guards. 


*^= 


^h 


^ 


438  e 


HISTORY  OF    LACKAWANNA   COUNTY. 


C.  P.  Manness,  formerly  time  keeper  for  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and 
Coal  Company,  now  assistant  superintendent  of  rolling  mills,  was  born 
in  Serantoc,  December  30th,  1853,  and  married  Ella  J.  Pascoe,  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

William  W.  Manhess,  Scranton,  is  superintendent  ot  the  lumber 
department  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  in  whose  era- 
ploy  he  has  been  since  18J0,  the  date  of  his  settlement  in  Scranton.  He 
wasborninHunterdoncounty,  N.  J.,  August  SOtli,  1810,  and  married 
Elvira  Carpenter,  of  Luzerne  county. 

KoswELL  E.  Maevine,  residence  Green  Ridge,  Scranton,  was  born  in 
Hobart,  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  November  28tli,  1707,  and  married 
Sophia  Raymond,  of  Walton,  Delaware  county,  N.  T.,  who  died  July 
13th,  1843.  His  present  wife  was  Sarah  Ann  Payne,  of  New  York.  He 
came  to  Carbondalein  May,  1829,  from  Canaan,  Pa.,  and  for  six  years  was 
a  merchant;  was  paymaster  for  the  Delawai-e  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany, 1835-42;  was  engaged  in  trade  and  manufacture  till  1854,  and  was 
real  estate  agent  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  till  1803. 
He  removed  to  Green  Kidge  in  May,  1809. 

Frederick  W.  Mason  was  born  in  Derby,  Derbyshire,  England,  Octo- 
ber 10th,  1834.  In  1830  he  located  ia  Hyde  Park,  Scranton,  and  November 
18th,  1858,  married  Sarah  Elizabeth  Fellows,  ot  Hyde  Park.  He  has 
alyaj's  been  engaged  In  mercantile  business;  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Scranton  city  council  and  identified  with  its  growth. 

Hev.  Richard  McAndrews,  assistant  pastor  of  the  Catholic  cathe- 
dral, resides  at  30"  Wyoming  avenue,  Scranton. 

McDonnell  &  Gibbons  are  general  insurance  brokers  and  managers 
of  the  Eastern  department  of  the  Mutual  Endowment  and  Relief  Asso- 
ciation, of  Cardington,  Ohio.  Office,  room  14,  Library  building,  Wyo- 
ming avenue,  Scranton. 

John  McFarlane,  engineer.  Green  Ridge,  is  a  native  of  Pittston  and 
was  born  December  9th,  1844.  He  served  three  years  in  Company  K  11th 
cavalry,  and  married  Sarah  J.  Knight,  of  Providence. 

C.  W.  McKiNNEY,  blastfurnace  superintendent,  resides  at  the  corner 
of  Adams  avenue  and  Spruce  street,  Scranton.  He  served  in  the  army 
three  months  during  the  Rebellion. 

Robert  MoKenna,  Scranton,  a  native  of  Scotland,  was  born  August 
2nd,  1820,and  married  Annie  Ferguson,  of  New  York  city.  Mr.  McKonna, 
who  is  a  ear  builder,  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  oar  shop  since  June  1.5th,  1870. 

Robert  H.  McKdne,  insurance  agent,  Scranton,  mayor  of  the  city 
1876-78,  was  born  in  Newburg,  N.  Y.,  August  19th,  1823,  and  mar- 
ried Elmira  Smith,  of  that  State.  For  many  years  Mr.  McKune  has 
been  actively  identified  with  the  lire  departments  of  Newburg,  Bing- 
hamton,  San  Francisco  and  Scranton.  He  was  for  a  number  of  years 
United  States  commissioncrfor  the  western  district  of  Pennsj'lvania. 

Joseph  A.  Mears,  merchant,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Greenfield 
township,  August  3d,  18S3,  and  married  Lettie  Munson,  of  Hyde  Pai-k 

Hubert  H.  Merrill  was  formerly  in  the  mercantile  business,  and 
Is  now  teacher  of  a  classical  school.  He  was  born  at  Sackett's  Harbor, 
N.  Y.,  October  29th,  3834,  and  married  Susan  E.  Moody,  of  Monson,  Mass. 
Residence  004  Jefferson  avenue,  Scranton. 

F.  P.  Merriman,  civil  engineer  in  the  employ  ot  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company  at  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Franklin  township,  Susque- 
hanna county,  November  1st,  1840.  He  married  Helen  A.  Messenger,  of 
Pittston. 

Patrick  J.  Messett,  grocer,  5tb  avenue,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Cnr- 
bondale,  February  26th,  18S3,  and  married  Bessie  Waldron,  of  Scranton. 

Geoboe  W.  Miller,  Providence,  alderman  of  the  1st  ward  of  Scran- 
ton since  180t,  was  formerly  a  merchant,  and  was  captain  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania militia,  which  saw  service  during  the  confederate  raid  into 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  born  in  Bedford,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y., 
July  21st,  1828,  and  married  Hannah  A.  Bristol,  of  Amenia,  Dutchess 
county,  N.  Y. 

John  W.  Millett,  merchant,  3d  street,  Scranton,  is  a  native  of  Scran- 
ton. He  was  born  February  3nd,  1807,  and  married  Mary  Keady,  of  Irish 
birth.  His  father,  Daniel  MlUett,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  has  been 
thirty  years  in  America. 

Jambs  Moir,  tailor,  408  Lackawanna  avenue,  Scranton,  was  born  in 
Aberdeen,  Scotland,  in  October,  1839,  and  married  Prances  L.  Flint,  of 
London,  England. 

P.  0.  Moody,  formerly  a  United  States  detective,  i.^  n-iw  a  .shirt  man- 
ufacturer in  Scranton.  He  was  born  in  Frenclitcnvn,  Bnidtord  county. 
Pa.,  April  9th,  1831,  and  married  Martha  E.  Kozoll,  of  Sci  an  1 01.. 

John  W.  Moore,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Hardwick,  N.  J.,  September 
20th,  1809,  and  married  Edna  Laing,  ot  his  native  place.    He  came  to 


Scranton  from  Belvldei-e,  N.  J.,  and  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  for 
many  years  a  prominent  merchant. 

B.  G.  Morgan,  druggist  and  notary  public,  Hyde  Park,  formerly  en- 
gaged in  raining,  teaching  and  clerking,  was  born  in  Merthyr  Tydvil, 
Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  November  25th,  1839,  and  married  Emily 
C.  Wade,  of  Hyde  Park. 

Thomas  T.  Morgan,  miner  and  alderman  of  the  15th  ward,  residence 
Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Tonyrevail,  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  in 
1833,  and  married  Caroline  Gore,  of  Radnashire,  South  Wales. 

William  P.  Morgan,  rainer,  residence  on  Washington  street,  Hyde 
Park,  was  born  in  Carbon  county,  Pa.,  November  22nd,  1853,  and  married 
Ruth  Mazy,  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales. 

H.  T.  Morgan,  brewer,  Hyde  Park,  formerly  engaged  in  the  grocery 
trade,  was  born  in  Northumberland,  England,  March  14th,  1848,  and  mar- 
ried Ellen  Tighe,  of  Hyde  Park. 

Lewis  Morse,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Paxton,  Mass.,  August  24th, 
1833,  and  married  Eliza  E.  Parnell,  of  Mendon,  Mass.,  born  January  24th, 
1833.  In  1801  he  came  to  Scranton  from  Great  Bend,  Pa.,  and  in  1804  es- 
tablished himself  in  the  bottling  busines,  and  the  manufacture  of  soda 
water,  .sarsaparilla,  etc.  In  1878  he  was  succeeded  by  his  sons  A.  M.  and 
E.  B.  Morse,  under  the  firm  name  of  Lewis  Morse's  Sons ;  manufactory 
at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Prospect  streets,  Hyde  Park. 

D.  W.  MOSER,  inside  foreman  at  Hyde  Park  shaft,  residence  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  in  Lynn,  Lehigh  county,  Pa.,  August  22nd,  1834,  and  married 
Sarah  Rickert,  of  White  Haven,  Luzerne  county.  He  served  nine  months 
during  the  Rebellion  in  Company  G  199th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

B.  J.  Neville,  tea  agent,  formerly  principal  of  the  Pittston  graded 
school,  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  December  13th,  1840,  and 
married  Sarah  L.  Barrett,  of  Hawley,  Pa. 

Richard  Nicholls,  merchant  tailor,  residence  on  Washington  street, 
Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Tenby,  Pembrokeshire,  South  Wales,  No- 
vember 4th,  1847,  and  married  Ann  Beddoe,  of  Merthyr  Tydvil, 
Glamorganshire. 

B.  S.  NiEBELL,  Scranton,  superintendent  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and 
Coal  Company's  machine  shops,  was  born  iu  Pennsylvania,  August  7th. 
1828,  and  married  Emelie  Smith,  of  Scranton. 

C.  W.  Northrup,  formerly  a  fai-mer,  now  a  bookkeeper,  residence 
Green  Hidge,  Sci-anton,  was  born  in  Abington,  December  2Sth,  1854,  and 
married  H.  E.  Swick,  of  that  township. 

Michael  Norton,  dealer  in  books,  stationery  and  wall  paper,  322 
Lackawanna  avenue,  Scranton,was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1841,  and  married 
Mary  E.  Jones,  of  Stamford,  Conn.  He  began  his  business  cai-eer  as  a 
railway  newsboy  in  1852,  and  opened  a  store  in  l&5e. 

IRVIN  W.  Nye,  ot  Dunmore,  formerly  a  railroad  conductor,  now  a 
farmer,  was  born  in  Laceyville,  Wyoming  county,  Pa.,  March  23nd,  1849, 
and  mai-ried  Susan  A.  Apgare,  of  Chester,  Morris  county,  N.  J.,  born 
June  5th,  1849.  Her  father,  Jonathan  Apgare,  removed  to  Scranton  in 
1833,  and  resided  there  until  his  death. 

J.  T.  Nyhart,  mUlcr,  Providence,  was  bom  in  Hamilton,  Monroe 
county,  April  20th,  1843,  and  married  Sarah  A.  Shook,  of  Overheld,  Wy- 
oming county. 

Mrs.  Richard  A.  Oakford,  formerly  Mrs.  Francis  C.  Slooum,  was 
born  in  Exeter,  Luzerne  county,  May  23d,  1S23.  Her  late  husband  was 
born  December  8th,  1820.  Soon  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion  he 
was  elected  colonel  of  the  15th  Pennsylvania  regiment,  recruited  for 
three  months,  and  commanded  It  through  the  campaign  in  the  Shenan- 
doah valley.  In  August,  1803,  he  was  commissioned  colonel  ot  the  I30th 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  served  until  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Antietain,  September  17th,  1803.  His  body  was  brought  home  and  buried 
with  militiu-y  and  masonic  honors  in  the  Slouum  burying  ground  in  Exe- 
ter, and  subsequently  rc-interred  in  HoUenback  cemetery,  Wilkes-Barie. 

A.  F.  O'BOYLE,  teacher  of  grammar  school  No.  22,  Providence,  was 
born  in  Mayo,  Ireland,  March  17th,  1840,  and  married  Miss  R.  S.  Stephens, 
of  West  Port,  Ireland. 

William  Ooksenreader,  Dunmore,  superintendent  of  repairs  of 
tracks  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  for  three  years,  was  born  in 
Carbon  county.  Pa.,  April  18th,  1839,  and  married  Lucena  W.  Bennett,  of 
Wayne  county,  Pa. 

p.  J.  O'DONNELL,  engineer  at  Lcggett's  Creek  mines.  Providence,  ia 
serving  his  second  term  as  a  member  of  the  select  council  of  Scranton. 
He  was  born  in  Carbondale,  November  ]9th,  1840,  and  married  Bridget 
Philbin,  of  Louisville,  Ky. 

Hev.  \V.  O'Haba,  bishop  of  Scranton  and  pastor  of  St. Vincent  Roman 
Catholic  church,  resides  on  Wyoming  avenue,  Scranton. 

James  Oliver,  tax  collector,  formerly  a  miner,  residence  in  North- 
ampton street,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales, 


=^H 


H^ 


-:'^> 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD,  SCRANTON  AND   DUNMORE. 


438^ 


March  luth,  1835,  aud  manied  Margaret  Price,  of  Brecoushiro,  South 
Wales. 

William  Ouam,  of  Hyde  Park,  forinorlj-  an  iron  moulder,  now  in- 
spector of  cars  for  the  Delaware,  Lacltawanna  and  Western  Railroad 
Company,  was  bora  in  Clittord,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.,  January  1th, 
1822,  and  married  Mary  J.  O'Daniel,  of  Wilming-ton,  Del. 

W.  H.  Owen,  photographer,  309  and  311  Lackawanna  avenue,  Seranton, 
was  liorn  in  Minisink,  Orange  county,  N,  Y-,  June  8th,  1843,  and  married 
Hattie  C.  niake,  of  Evansville,  Wis. 

Lawrence  Page,  Mulberry  street,  Seranton,  superintendent  of  the 
Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company's  foundry,  formerly  a  moulder, 
■was  born  in  Columbia  county,  N.  T.,  June  lOth,  1830,  and  married  Sarah 
J.  Clark,  of  Chatham,  Columbia  county,  N.  Y. 

r.  S.  PAtiLr,  hatter,  furrier  and  dealer  in  famishing  goods,  217  and  319 
Lackawanna  avenue,  was  born  in  Reading,  March  28th,  1833,  and  mar- 
ried Martha  Young,  of  Ea^ton ;  residence  at  Green  liidge. 

Robert  M.  Pearce,  engineer,  Green  Ridge,  was  born  March  19th, 
1833,  in  Dethany,  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  and  married  Mary  D.  Lawrence,  of 
Providence. 

J.  B.  Peck,  locomotive  engineer,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Clifford, 
Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  October  11th,  1S15,  and  married  Jemima  Rich- 
ards, of  Carbondale,  Pa. 

Rev.  J.  Philip  B.  Pendleton,  S.  T.  B.,  rector  of  St.  Luke's  church, 
Seranton,  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  December  18th,  1855 ;  graduated 
from  Rutgers  College,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  from  the  General 
Theological  Seminary,  New  York  city,  in  1877,  and  married  Miss  Edith 
Hewer,  of  tii  ranton. 

Horace  B.  Phelps,  coal  operator,  Seranton,  has  been  paymaster  for 
the  D.,  L.  and  W.  Railroad  Company  thirteen  years,  and  has  been  en- 
gaged in  mercantile  and  banking  business.  He  was  born  in  Corning,  N. 
Y.,  May  11th,  1843,  and  married  Mary  E.  Throop,  of  Providence. 

Jeremiah  J.  Phillips,  mining  engineer,  Main  street,  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  in  Wales,  August  8th,  1S4S,  and  married  Zeruiah  Jones,  of 
Minersville,  Pa. 

John  D.  Phillips,  iron  moulder,  was  born  in  Breconshire,  South 
Wales,  September  3na,  1845,  and  married  Ann  Reese,  of  Glamorganshire, 
South  Wales.    Residence,  Hyde  Park. 

Joseph  P.  Phillips,  Hyde  Park,  who  has  sev\ed  three  years  as  a 
member  of  the  city  select  council  and  one  yearasits  president,  was  born 
in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales,  December  30th,  1845,  and  is  a  mining 
engineer.  He  man-led  Esther  H.  Hughes,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Luzerne 
county,  Pa. 

Thomas  W.  Phillips,  formerly  a  merchant,  now  a  miner,  residing 
at  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Minersville,  Schuylkill  county.  Pa.,  Au- 
gust 3rth,  1848,  and  married  Annie  J.  Hughes,  of  aifford,  Susquehanna 
county,  Pa. 

William  J.  Phillips,  deceased,  was  the  father  of  John  H.  Phillips, 
a  resident  of  Hyde  Park,  and  died  there  March  23d,  1875.  He  was  born  in 
Cardiganshire,  South  Wales,  in  August,  1S30,  and  married  Margaret  Ed- 
wards, of  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales. 

James  Pittawat,  foreman  in  the  steel  mills  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company,  Seranton,  and  for  twenty-eight  years  an  employe  of 
that  corporation,  was  born  in  O.xfordshire,  England,  December  1st,  1830. 
and  married  Emily  Erp,  of  Staffordshire,  England. 

George  W.  Potter,  butcher,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Susquehanna 
cjunty,  October  26th,  1839,  and  married  Julia  Sipe,  of  Madison  ville. 

T.  V.  PowDEiii/Y,  mayor  of  Seranton,  residence  on  Main  street,  Hyde 
Park,  was  born  January  22nd,  1849,  in  Carbondale,  where  he  man  led 
Miss  Hannah  Dover.  Mr.  Powderly  has  been  secretary  of  the  Machin- 
ists' and  Blacksmiths'  Union  for  ten  years,  and  deputy  president  of  the 
Industrial  Brotherhood  of  Pennsylvania. 

Dan  Powell,  merchant,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Blaina,  Monmouth- 
shire, South  Wales,  January  10th,  1853,  and  married  Sarah  E.  Space,  of 
Hampton,  N.  J. 

Joseph  Powell,  miner,  I>rovidenoe,  was  born  in  Light  Street,  Col- 
umbia county.  Pa.,  May  8th,  1833,  and  married  Elizabeth  Williams,  a 
native  of  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales. 

J.  H.  Powell,  formerly  a  miner,  now  one  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  of 
Lackawanna  county,  was  born  in  Wales,  March  13th,  1810.  Residence 
Hyde  Park. 

P.  C.Powell,  Bellevue,  Hyde  Park,  served  as  first  sergeant  of  Com- 
pany I  4Cth  Pa.  volunteers,  three  years  and  two  months  during  the  late 
war.  He  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  South  Wales,  November  29th, 
1839,  and  married  Mary  Jones,  of  Merthyr,  Sou  th  Wales.  He  is  engineer 
at  the  Bollevue  mines. 


William  Price,  undertaker,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Dolgelley, 
Wales,  May  lOth,  1833,  and  married  Jane  Reese,  of  Schuylkill  county. 

John  Quinnan,  teacher  of  school  No.  23,  Seranton,  was  born  in  the 
city,  April  18th,  1858. 

Charles  IIafpelt,  Seranton,  superintendent  of  boiler  shops,  was 
born  in  Reading,  September  5th,  18.3S,  and  married  Anna  Horndister,  of 
Seranton. 

James  Lenox  Rea,  M.  D.,  Green  Ridge,  Seranton,  was  born  in  Loys- 
ville,  Perry  county,  Pa.,  .January  24th,  1855 ;  graduated  from  Jefferson 
Medical  College  in  1870,  practiced  two  years  in  Harrlsburg,  Pa.,  where 
he  had  been  for  some  time  a  resident,  and  located  in  Seranton  November 
1st,  1878. 

Ben,tamin  S.  Reynolds,  Hyde  Park,  formerly  a  farmer,  now  a  sta/- 
tionary  engineer,  was  born  in  Carbon  county.  Pa.,  March  12th,  1841,  and 
married  Sarah  Jones,  of  Schuylkil  county,  Pa.,  born  October  11th,  1888. 

Thomas  E.  Reynolds,  formerly  in  the  mercantile  business,  now  first 
deputy  of  the  sheritt  of  Lackawanna  county,  residence  at  Hyde  Pari', 
was  born  In  Clittord,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.,  September  27th,  1813,  and 
married  Jen:;io  R.  Heese,  of  Gibson,  Pa. 

Emerson  Rhule,  engineer  at  Cayuga  breaker,  Providence,  was  born 
in  Hanover,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.,  June  29th,  1851. 

D.  T.  Richards,  merchant,  Hyde  Park,  son  of  Thomas  Richards,  was 
born  in  Carbondale,  December  25th,  1833,  and  married  Margaret  N. 
Roberts,  of  Pottsville,  Pa. 

Isaac  Richards,  Hyde  Park,  was  formerly  a  miner,  but  is  now  a 
farmer.  He  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  in  March,  1831 ; 
married  Catharine  Jones,  of  Cardiganshire,  and  came. to  America  in 
1850.    He  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council. 

Thomas  Richards,  retired  shoemaker,  was  born  in  Caermarthenshire, 
South  Wales,  June  12th,  1812,  and  married  Margaret  Morgans,  of  his  na- 
tive shire.  He  came  to  America  in  1833,  and  located  at  Carbondale.  In 
1807  he  came  to  Hyde  Park.  John  T.  Richards,  son  of  the  above  men- 
tioned, was  born  in  Carbondale,  September  15th,  1863,  and  married  Pan- 
nieVarnes,of  Hyde  Park.  Hels  cashier  of  the  Merchants  and  Mechanics' 
Bank,  420  Lackawanna  avenue,  Seranton. 

John  R.  Richardson,  driver  boss.  Providence,  was  born  in  Mon- 
mouthshire, South  Wales,  April  10th,  1853,  and  married  Nellie  Louisa 
Norton,  of  Durham,  England. 

John  William  Robatham,  M.  D.,  Hyde  Park,  is  a  native  of  England. 
He  was  born  August  11th,  1840,  and  married  Annie  Bowen,  of  Olyphant, 
Pa.  Dr.  Robatham  served  as  assistant  surgeon  on  Generel  Weitzel's 
staif  in  1805. 

Lewis  Roberts,  residence  Bellevue,  post  olfloe  Hyde  Park,  inside 
foreman  of  the  Dodge  mine,  was  born  in  Caermarthenshire,  South 
Wales,  December  35th,  1830,  and  married  Mary  Todd,  of  Breconshire, 
South  Wales. 

John  M.  Robertson,  bookkeeper  and  paymaster  for  the  Hillside  Coal 
andiron  Company,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  March 
23nd,  1843,  and  married  Jennie  H.  Law,  of  Arehbald,  Pa. 

Jacob  ItOBiNSON.  founder  of  the  brewing  business  in  Hyde  Park 
now  conducted  by  his  son  E.  Robinson,  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany, 
April  24th,  1819 ;  came  to  Seranton  In  1852 ;  went  to  New  York  in  1870 ; 
returned  to  Seranton  in  1875,  and  died  there  in  July,  1877. 

David  P.  Roche,  formerly  a  teacher,  now  tax  collector,  residence 
Providence,  was  born  in  county  Cork,  Ireland,  in  April,  1826,  and  mar- 
ried Catharine  Cooney,  a  native  of  Ireland. 

John  E.  Roche,  Penn  avenue,  Seranton,  formerly  a  traveling  sales- 
man, now  a  grocer,  was  born  in  Cecilstown,  county  Cork,  Ireland,  June 
13th,  1850,  and  married  Maria  L.  Campbell,  of  Carbondale. 

Rev.  p.  T.  Roche,  pastor  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  Church,  Hyde  Park, 
resides  at  151  Jackson  street. 

Henry  B.  Rockwell,  merchant  and  contractor.  Providence,  was  born 
in  Butternuts,  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  December  20th,  1818.  He  practiced 
law  for  some  time,  and  was  married  to  Anna  M.  Bishop,  of  Bainbridge, 
Chenango  county,  N.  Y. 

Charles  W.  Roesler,  Seranton,  alderman  of  the  8th  ward,  was  born 
in  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  April  9th,1823,and  married  M.  I.  Bell,  of  Lur- 
gan.  County  of  Armagh,  Ireland.  Mr.  Roesler,  who  was  formerly  a 
barber,  has  served  as  cimstable,  chief  of  police,  chief  of  the  fire  depai-t- 
ment,  U.  S.  revenue  assessor,  assistant  U.  S.  marshal  for  the  western  dis- 
trict of  Pennsylvania  and  city  marshal. 

Finlay  Ross,  inside  foreman  at  Leggett's  Creek  mine.  Providence, 
was  bom  in  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  January  31st,  1839,  and  married  Eliza- 
beth Jones,  of  Pittston,  Pa. 


'if= 


-^ 


John  Ross,  merchant  tailor  and  proprietor  of  Boss's  ladies'  suit  em- 
porium (Scranton),  was  born  in  Manchester,  England,  July  34th,  1840, 
and  married  Ellen  Cooper,  of  Bolton,  Enprland. 

J.  Elliott  Ross,  principal  of  the  ITydo  Park  central  preparatory 
school,  was  born  in  Northumberland  county,  England,  April  2nd,  1847 ; 
came  with  his  parents  to  America  at  the  age  of  five ;  began  life  in  the 
mines  at  eight;  worked  his  way  up  and  procured  an  education  which 
was  finished  by  a  classical  course  at  Lafayette  College,  Easton,  Pa.,  in 
the  class  of  1875,and  received  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  June,  1880. 
He  married  Fannie  M.  HtiU,  of  Milesburg,  Center  county.  Pa. 

P.  J.  KuANE,  merchant  at  the  High  Works,  Providence,  was  born  in 
Eondout,  N.  Y.,  September  17th,  1851,  and  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
select  council  of  Scranton  in  1876;  was  chaii'man  two  years,  and  was  re- 
elected for  three  years  in  1879. 

James  Ruthven,  accountant  in  the  coal  office  of  the  Delaware,  Lack- 
awanna and  Western  Railroad  Company,  Scranton,  was  born  in  New 
York  city,  September  3d,  1828,  and  married  Mary  A.  Arehbald,  of  Auries- 
vllle,  N.  Y.  He  has  served  as  burgess  and  councilman  of  Scranton  bor- 
ough, school  director  and  jury  commissioner,  and  as  quartermaster  of 
the  13th  regiment  N.  G.  Pennsylvania. 

George  Sandekson,  jr.,  Scranton.  attorney  at  law,  was  born  in 
Towanda,  August  32nd,  1846,  and  married  Miss  Jackson,  of  Philadelphia. 
He  has  .served  as  lieutenant  colonel  and  inspector  of  rifle  practice  in 
the  N.  G.  Pennsylvania. 

Joseph  W.  Sanbo,  foreman  at  the  Dickson  Manufacturing  Company's 
machine  shops,  was  born  in  Pottsville,  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.,  December 
2nd.  1335,  and  married  Mary  Grogan,  of  that  place.  Residence,  Scranton. 

Robert  P.  Savage,  carriage  manufacturer,  residence  on  Green  Ridge 
avenue,  Dunmore,  served  one  year  during  the  late  war  in  the  quarter- 
master's department  of  the  IT.  S.  army.  He  was  born  in  Somersetshire, 
England,  May  19th,  1835,  and  man-led  Lizzie  C.  Potter,  of  Dunmore. 

Mrs.  a.  E.  Scherlenzky,  whose  maiden  name  was  Annie  Onsted,  was 
born  in  Rockaway,  N.  J.,  in  1843.  Her  late  husband,  Francis  Scbei-lenzky, 
was  born  in  Frankfort,  Germany,  July  13th,  183.5,  and  died  in  New  York, 
January  14th,  1878.  He  was  formerly  in  the  hotel  business,  and  was  for 
several  years  agent  and  cashier  of  emigration  at  Castle  Garden,  New 
York. 

Andrew  Schoen,  proprietor  of  Schoen's  hotel  and  restaurant,  res- 
idence on  Jackson  street,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Saxony,  Germany, 
June  38th,  1834,  and  married  Helena  Hornung,  of  Immenhausen,  Ger- 
many.   He  was  formerly  a  harness  maker. 

John  Scism,  formerly  a  carpenter  and  for  some  time  in  the  U.  S.  M. 
construction  coi-ps  as  general  foreman  or  captain,  now  foreman  of  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company's  ear  shops, 
Scranton,  was  born  in  Milan,  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  August  19th,  1839, 
and  married  Adelia  MoFarlin,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  N.  Y. 

Frederick  Shrader,  beer  manufacturer  and  bottler.  Mulberry 
street,  Scranton,was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany,  December  33d,  1818,  and 
married  Armenia  W.  Brink,  of  Hawley, Wayne  county.  Pa.  He  came  to 
America  June  34th,  1833;  settled  in  Wilkes-Barre  in  the  fall  of  1834,  and 
was  then  engaged  in  brewing  and  bottling  until  the  spring  of  1853,  when 
he  removed  to  Dunmoi-e  and  established  the  first  bottling  works  there ; 
and  two  or  three  years  later  he  removed  to  Scranton.  In  1806  he  was 
elected  the  first  treasurer  of  the  city, 

Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Scranton  was  born  at  Lennox,  Berkshire  county, 
Mass.,  February  32nd,  1823.  Her  maiden  name  was  Cornelia  Walker. 
She  married  Joseph  H.  Scranton,  one  of  the  most  prominent  men 
in  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  who  was  born  in  Madison,  New 
Haven  county.  Conn.,  June  38th,  1813,  and  died  in  Baden-Baden,  Ger- 
many, June  6th,  1873.  Residence  on  Ridge  Row,  at  the  corner  of  Monroe 
avenue,  Scranton. 

N.  H.  Shafer,  formerly  engaged  in  farming  and  school  teaching  in 
New  Jersey,  and  for  a  time  employed  as  posto-flScc  clerk  in  Scranton, 
now  cashier  of  the  Third  National  Bank  of  Scranton,  was  born  in  John- 
sonburg,  Warren  county,  N.  J.,  August  Gth,  1841,  and  married  Katha- 
rine H.  Bentley,  of  Montrose,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  October  14th 
1875. 

John  D.  Sherer,  bookkeeper,  Scranton,  was  boi'n  in  Doylstown, 
Bucks  county.  Pa.,  November  21st,  1841,  and  married  Ella  Masser,  of 
Scranton. 

William  Shoemaker,  shoemaker,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Schoharie 
county,  N.  Y.,  August  11th,  1808,  and  married  SoiJhia  Rose,  of  that 
county. 

Frank  B.  Silkman,  dealer  in  hardware.  Providence,  was  born  in 
New  York,  December  13th,  1836,  and  married  Lida  J.  Fuller,  of  Dun- 
more. 


William  M.  Silkman,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Westchester  county,  N. 
Y.,October  31st,1834,  and  married  Frances  E.  Eltinge,  of  Kingston, Ulster 
county,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Silkman,  who  is  now  engaged  in  keeping  a  livery 
and  exchange  stable,  was  formerly  in  the  hardware,  gas  fitting  and 
plumbing  business.  He  was  vice-president  of  the  Scranton  Savings 
Bank  and  Trust  Company. 

Frederick  Simon,  retired,  formerly  heater  in  rolling  mill,  was  bur- 
gess of  Scranton  borough  two  years  and  treasurer  one  year,  and  has 
served  as  menjber  of  the  poor  board  two  years.  He  was  born  in  Prussia, 
Germany,  August  15th,  1833,  and  married  Margaret  Gehen,  of  Prussia. 
Residence,  Pine  Brook,  Scranton. 

G.  W.  Simpson,  for  thirty  years  boss  carpenter  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company,  residence  on  Drinker  street,  Dunmore,  was  born  in 
Albany  county,  N.  Y.,  March  37th,  1819,  and  married  Mary  Jane  Brandur, 
of  Prattsville,  Greene  county,  N.  Y. 

John  F.  Snyder,  civil  and  mining  engineer,  Scranton,  was  bom  in 
Auriesville,  N.  Y.,  October  32nd,  1835,  and  man-led  Mary  Fisher,  of 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

A.  L.  Spencer,  of  the  firm  of  Spencer  &  Price,  proprietors  of  the 
Green  Ridge  Merchant  Iron  Mill,  was  born  in  Dunmore,  August  18th, 
18.50.  His  wife  was  Josephine  Russell,  of  Callensburg,  aarion  county. 
Residence  in  Scranton. 

W.  T.  Spbaque,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  August  14th, 
1857,  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  insurance  business.  He  is  now  em- 
ployed as  steel-blower  by  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company. 

John  O.  Stanton,  Scranton,  foreman  of  the  steel  works  of  the  Lack- 
awanna Iron  and  Coal  Company,  was  born  in  Somerset  county,  April 
9th,  1849,  and  married  EUie  Orr,  of  Johnstown,  Pa.  Mr.  Stanton  was 
formerly  employed  in  the  Stanton  Mills,  Somerset  county. 

Hon.  William  H.  Stanton,  attorney  at  law,  Hyde  Park,  was  bom  in 
New  York  city,  July  37th,  1843,  and  married  Miss  Anna  Mary  Allen,  of 
Scranton.  He  has  served  as  district  attorney  of  the  mayor's  court  three 
years  and  State  senator  two  years,  and  has  represented  his  district  in 
Congress,  and  been  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  He  was 
formerly  editor  of  the  Scranton  Daily  Times. 

Thomas  P.  Stephens,  miner,  residence  on  Orchard  street,  Hyde  Park, 
was  bom  in  Pembrokeshire,  South  Wales,  March  1st,  1844,  and  married 
Mary  Watkins,  of  Glamorganshire.  He  is  serving  his  second  term  as 
city  councilman. 

George  E.Stone,  boot  and  shoe  man  ufacturer.  Green  Ridge  (for- 
merly assistant  paymaster  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany), was  born  January  2Ist,  18.50,  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Wayne  county,  and 
married  Martha  J.  Hays,  of  Providence. 

Andrew  Strang,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Linlithgowshire,  Scotland,  Sep- 
tember 13th,  1845 ;  came  to  America  in  November,  1872 ;  was  two  years 
book-keeper  for  Cape  Fear  Iron  and  Steel  Company,  Chatham  county. 
North  Carolina;  afterward  studied  medicine  for  four  years  under  Dr. 
Daniel  W.  Williams,  Lonaconlng,  Maryland,  and  graduated  at  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Baltimore,  Maryland,  in  March,  1880,  and 
came  to  Scranton  in  April,  1880. 

U.  M.  Stowers,  of  Scranton,  deceased,  was  born  November  31st,  1808,  in 
Chester,  Vt.  In  1833  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Bingham- 
ton,  where  in  1835  he  married  Miss  Catharine  Whiting.  In  1863  he  re- 
moved to  Scranton,  and  was  in  the  flour  and  provision  business  until 
1870,  when  the  Stowers  Pork  Padding  and  Provision  Company  was 
organized,  with  Mr.  Stowers  as  manager  and  treasurer,  which  position 
he  filled  until  his  death. 

R.  A.  Squire,  M.  D.,  203  Wyoming  avenue,  Scranton,  was  born  at 
Lisle,  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  January  3d,  1826,  and  married  Mary  C. 
Wheeler,  of  Whitney's  Point,  N.  Y. 

Edward  B.  Sturoes,  attorney-at-law,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Fair- 
field, Conn.,  February  16th,  1845. 

August  Stdtzbach,  publisher  of  the  Scrantnn  Woclwnlikitt,  was  born 
in  Prussia,  Germany,  August  3d,  1845,  and  married  Lena  Shinnen,  of 
Atlantic  City,  N.  J. 

Addison  Sweetser,  brick  manufacturer,  Hyde  Park,  was  bom  In 
Worcester  county,  Mass.,  December  13th, '1830,  and  married  Angelia 
Jones.  He  came  to  Hyde  Park  in  1850,  and  engaged  in  his  present 
business. 

Benjamin  Sweetser  was  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  January  9th,  1839,  and 
since  he  came  to  Hyde  Park,  over  thirty  years  ago,  has  been  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  brick.  He  married  Catharine  Davis,  of  Hyde  Park, 
a  native  of  South  Wales. 

David  P.  Thomas,  formerly  a  painter,  now  secretary  of  the  Scranton 
schools,  residence  Providence,  was  born  in  South  Wales,  December  3d, 
1850,  and  married  Melrlon  Roberts,  of  Danville,  Montour  county,  Pa. 


=4* 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD,  SCRANTON  AND  DUNMORE. 


438^ 


^ 


Edwahd  E.  Thomas,  residence  at  Dodge  mines,  near  Scranton,  ot 
which  he  is  outside  foreman,  was  born  at  Vron-Cysyllte,  Denbighshire, 
North  Wales,  December  25th,  1830.  He  has  been  twice  married ;  to  Eliz- 
abeth Jones,  Sirhowy,  South  Wales,  who  died  eight  months  later,  and  to 
Catharine  Edwards,  of  Llanymddyfri,  Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales. 

MOROAH  W.  Thomas,  formerly  a  miner,  now  a  machinist,  Providence, 
was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  in  March,  1827,  and  was  there 
married  to  Sophia  Myles. 

Thomas  G.  Thomas,  merchant  tailor,  residence  on  Jefferson  avenue, 
Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Pembrokeshire,  South  Wales,  December  17th, 
1845,  and  married  Jane  Lewis,  of  Cacrmarthen,  Wales, 

Richard  Thomas,  formerly  a  grocer,  now  tax  collector  and  agent, 
has  served  as  a  member  of  the  select  council  of  the  city  of  Scranton. 
He  was  born  in  Wales,  February  24th,  1840,  and  married  Margaret  Wil- 
liams, of  Treherhert,  Wales. 

T.  D.  Thomas,  postmaster  at  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Wales,  January 
27th,  1827,  and  has  been  engaged  in  mining.  His  wife  was  Martha  Ed- 
wards, of  Spring  Brook. 

William  G.  Thomas,  Hyde  Park,  deputy  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Lack- 
awanna county,  engineer  and  machinist  by  trade,  was  born  in  Wales, 
October  22nd,  1849,  and  married  Margaret  A.  Davis,  of  Pittston.  He  came 
to  Scranton  in  1865. 

Adam  Thompson,  carpenter  and  builder,  Scranton,  was  born  in  New- 
ton township,  Lackawanna  county,  February  18th,  1822,  and  married 
Lydia  J.  Rosenkranz,  of  Sussex  county,  N.  J. 

C.  M.  Thompson,  mantle  manufacturer.  Green  Hidge,  was  born  in 
Pittston,  May  2nd,  1824.  He  is  a  grandson  of  James  Thompson,  who 
came  into  the  valley  ninety-seven  years  ago  and  married  Nancy  New- 
comb,  who  when  thirteen  years  old  led  her  little  brother  across  the 
mountains  after  the  massacre.  Mr.  Thompson  has  been  in  the  real 
estate  business,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  select  council.  He 
married  May  H.  Carkhutf,  of  Wiikes-Carre. 

J.  A.  Van  Horn,  proprietor  of  Van  Horn's  European  Hotel  and 
dining-rooms,  Lackawanna  avenue.  Scran  ton, was  born  at  Bergen  Point, 
N.  J.,  October  3d,  1828,  and  married  Ann  S.  Van  Winkle,  of  Bergen 
Hill,  N.  J. 

Hev.  K.  W.  Van  Schoick,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  at  Decatur,  Otsego 
county,  N.  Y.,  April  6th,  1843,  and  married  Mary  J.  Winton,  of  Norwich, 
N.  T. 

E.  T.  Varnks,  locomotive  engineer  for  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
and  Western  Railroad  Company,  residence  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in 
Danville,  Pa.,  July  24th,  1847,  and  married  Lydia  Eandolph,  of  Scranton. 

Godfrey  Von  Storch,  formerly  n  farmer  and  carpenter  and  coal 
operator,  now  retired,  residence  Providence,  is  a  son  of  the  prominent 
early  settler  H.  L.  C.  Von  Storch,  and  was  born  in  Providence,  July 
24th,  1821.     He  married  Maiy  Rogers,  of  Eaton,  Wyoming  county,  Pa. 

J.  S.  Walden,  dentist,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Nelson,  Madison  county, 
N.  Y.,  February  23d,  1844,  and  married  Josephine  Fisher,  of  Scranton. 
During  the  late  war  he  served  .in  Company  I  142nd  Pennsylvania  vol- 
unteers three  years. 

Robert  W.  Walker,  carpenter  and  rail  inspector  for  the  Delaware 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  residence  at  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  December  3d,  1835,  and  married  Cath- 
arine E.  Shively,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Luzerne  county.  During  the  Rebel- 
lion he  served  the  United  States  government  three  years  as  locomotive 
engineer, 

Simon  Ward,  retired,  Scranton,  was  bom  in  Plainfleld,  Northumber- 
land county,  Pa.,  January  5th,  1802,  and  married  Susan  Kniobt,  of 
Northampton  county.  Pa.  He  came  from  Stroudsburg,  Pa.,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1840,  and  as  is  stated  in  the  history  of  Scranton  did  the  first  day's 
work  toward  the  erection  of  the  many  buildings  of  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company.  He  was  for  fifteen  years  in  the  employ  of  the 
company  as  a  mason  and  afterwards  for  fifteen  years  superintendent  of 
their  farms  and  teams. 

HON.  W.  G.  WARD,  of  the  firm  of  Ward  &  Home,  attorneys,  Scranton, 
residence  in  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Dover  Plains,  Dutchess  county,  N. 
T.,  October  7th,  1823.  He  married  Maria  White,  of  Columbia  county,  N. 
Y.,  who  died  December  2nd,  1872.  His  present  wife  was  Louisa  Z.  Hurl- 
burt,  of  North  Adams,  Mass.  Mr.  Ward  was  recorder  of  the  mayor's 
court,  Scranton,  1870-75,  when  he  resigned. 

Richard  Walsh,  miner,  was  elected  a  member  of  the  city  council  in 
1879  He  was  born  in  county  Mayo,  Ireland,  November  12th,  1862,  and 
married  Ann  Haban,  of  Mayo,  who  died  October  28th,  1879.  Residence, 
Providence. 

Nicholas  Washburn,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  January  23d,  1816,  in 
Columbia,  N.  T.,  and  came  to  the  site  of  Scranton  in  1820.    He  isamem- 


ber  of  the  council,  and  has  been  poormaster  twelve  years.  Before  his 
retirement  from  active  employment  Mr.  Washburn  was  a  coal  weigher. 
His  wife  was  Maria  Smith,  also  of  Columbia,  N.  Y. 

Thomas  E.  Watkibs,  inside  mining  foreman,  Hyde  Park,  was  bom 
in  Breconshire,  South  Wales,  February  12th,  1829,  and  married  Rachel 
Lewis,  of  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales.  He  has  served  as  councilman 
from  the  5th  ward  of  Scranton. 

W.  J.  Watkins,  book  and  job  printer,  over  Decker's  store,  Main  street, 
Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  November  29th, 
1857,  and  married  Hattie  Serine,  of  Scranton. 

Isaac  Waters,  miner,  has  been  coal  weigher,  boss,  &c.,  and  resides  at 
Hyde  Park.  He  was  born  October  19th,  1814,  in  Monmouthshire,  South 
Wales,  where  he  married  Miss  Ann  Jones. 

L.  A.  Watres,  attorney-at-law,  426  Lackawanna  avenue,  Scranton, 
was  born  at  Mt.  Vernon  mills,  Luzerne  county,  April  21st,  1851,  and  mar- 
ried EfBe  J.  Hawley,  of  Scranton.  Mr.  Watres  was  engaged  as  cashier 
of  Scranton  Savings  Bank  and  Trust  Company  five  years,  and  has  been 
deputy  marshal  two  years. 

Lewis  S.  Watres,  105  Adams  avenue,  Scranton,  formerly  a  farmer 
and  lumberman,  now  and  for  some  time  past  one  of  the  aldermen  of  the 
city  of  Scranton,  was  born  in  Phoenixvllle,  Chester  county.  Pa.,  Febru- 
ary 6th,  1808,  and  married  Miss  H.  G.  Holllster,  of  Bden,  Wayne 
county.  Pa. 

W.  S.  Watrous,  of  Scranton,  son  of  J.  B.  Watrous,  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  1812,  was  born  at  Salem,  Pa.,  in  1847.  His  wife  was  Annie  M.  Edwards, 
of  Luzerne  county.  J.  B.  Watrous  wa«  a  son  of  a  Revolutionary  soldleri 
and  his  grandfather  was  captain  under  General  George  Washington. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  four  brothers  in  the  Federal  array  from 
1861  to  1863.    He  was  for  a  time  a  clerk,  but  is  now  a  conductor. 

Frank  W.  Watson,  Scranton,  dealer  in  hardware,  plumber  and  gas 
fitter,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  December  14th,  1826.  and  married 
Fanny  Cornish,  of  Carbondale,  Pa.  He  was  elected  first  assistant  engi- 
neer of  the  Scranton  fire  department,andby  the  resignation  of  the  chief 
became  chief  engineer,  serving  ten  months— until  the  expiration  of  the 
term.  He  has  been  an  assistant  assessor  of  internal  revenue,  and  presi- 
dent and  secretary  of  the  Scranton  school  board  one  year  each,  and  was 
commissioned  3nd  lieutenant  of  Company  F  50th  N.  Y.  regiment,  and  1st 
lieutenant  of  Company  1 104th  Pa.  regiment. 

Charles  H.  Welles,  attorney  and  for  a  time  clerk  of  the  mayor's 
court,  Scranton,  residence  on  Vine  street  near  Jefferson  avenue,  was 
born  at  Dundaff,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.,  April  16th,  1845,  and  married 
Hannah  B.  Sherrerd,  of  Scranton. 

CORYDON  H.  Wells,  insurance  agent  and  member  of  the  law  firm  of 
C.  H.  Wells  &  Son,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Dundaff,  Susquehanna  county. 
Pa.,  October  1st,  1826,  and  married  Mary  G.  Bass. 

Giles  Whitbeck,  Scranton,  lumberman,  was  born  In  Exeter,  Luzerne 
county.  May  9th,  1825,  and  is  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  married  Catha- 
rine Ruple,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 

Charles  W.  White,  formerly  a  bookkeeper,  now  stationary  engineer 
for  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company,  residence  Scranton,  was 
born  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  September  28th,  1847,  and  married  Catharine 
Ryan,  of  Chatham,  N.  Y.  Daring  the  Rebellion  he  served  three  years  in 
the  15th  N.  J.  volunteers,  and  after  the  war  was  seven  years  and  a  half 
in  the  regular  army  of  the  United  States. 

Rev.  Moses  Whittby  is  the  pastor  of  the  St.  Mary's  Catholic  church 
of  Providence. 

Robert  Widdowmeld,  Scranton,  foundry  superintendent,  was  born 
in  New  York  city,  in  1852. 

Thomas  Widdoweield  was  born  in  Gates  Head,  England,  September 
2ith,  1826.  His  wife  was  Miss  S.  Jackson,  also  of  England.  Mr.  Widdow- 
field,  who  has  been  burgess  of  Dunmore  borough,  is  superintendent  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company's  foundry, 

John  Wilkins,  pattern  maker,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in  Monmouth- 
shire, South  Wales,  May  8th,  18.38,  and  married  Susan  Stokes,  of  Somer- 
setshire, England,  born  March  16th,  1843. 

E.  N.  WiLLABD,  attorney,  notary  public  and  register  in  bankruptcy, 
was  bom  in  Madison,  New  Haven  county.  Conn.,  April  2nd,  1835,  and 
came  to  Scranton  in  November,  1856,  where  he  married  Ellen  C.  Hower. 
He  was  admitted  to  practice  law  in  New  Haven,  Conn.,  in  1856,  and  at 
the  Luzerne  county  bar  in  1857.  He  has  served  as  notary  public  nine 
years;  attorney  and  secretary  for  the  borough  of  Scranton  four  years; 
attorney  for  the  city  of  Scranton  and  secretary  of  select  council  from 
charter  of  the  city  for  four  years  and  captain  in  the  127th  regiment  U. 
S.  C.  T.  fifteen  months,  and  is  now  counsel  and  attorney  for  the  Dela^ 
ware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company,  the  Hillside  Coal  and  Iron  Company  and  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Anthracite  Coal  Company,  and  attorney  and   secretary  of  the 


<^ 


select  council  of  the  city  ot  Scranton  and  president  of  the  Scranton 
Savings  Banlc  and  Trust  Company,  the  Stowers  Pork  Packing  and  Pro- 
vision Company,  and  the  Green  Bidge  Coal  Company  (Limited). 

Daniel  Williams,  contractor  and  builder,  Hyde  Park,  was  born  in 
Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales,  December  9th,  1825,  and  married  Jenette 
Howell,  of  Glamorganshire. 

John  F.  Williams,  inside  mining  foreman,  residence  Hyde  Park,  was 
born  in  Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales,  January  31st,  .1839,  and  married 
Mary  Lewis,  of  Caermarthenshire. 

John  H.  Williams,  chief  engineer,  formerly  a  machinist,  was  born  in 
Dowlais,  Wales .  March  12th,  1848.  He  mai-ried  Mary  B.  Smith,  of  Scran- 
ton.   Mr.  Williams  served  nine  months  in  the  50th  N.  Y.  engineers. 

T.  E.  Williams,  clerk,  was  born  in  Breconshire,  South  Wales,  Febru- 
ary 7th,  1827,  and  married  Ann  Jones,  of  his  native  shire.  Residence  at 
Providence. 

W.  W.  Williams,  builder  and  county  auditor  for  Lackawanna  county, 
residence  at  Providence,  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  December 
31st,  1836,  and  married  Elizabeth  Jenkins,  of  Bangor,  Wis. 

William  B,  Williams  has  served  as  common  councilman  and  mem- 
ber of  the  select  council  ot  the  city  of  Scranton.  He  was  born  in  Bre- 
conshire, Wales,  November  16th,  1825,  and  resides  in  Hyde  Park.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Morris,  of  his  native  shire. 

W.  O.  Williams,  miner,  formerly  a  merchant,  residence  Bellevue, 
HydePark,  was  bom  in  Breconshire,  South  Wales,  August  20th,  1840, 
and  married  Margaret  James,  of  Caermarthenshire,  South  Wales. 

Jonathan  B,  Wint,  residence  Green  Kidge,  Scranton,  retired,  was 
bom  in  AUeotown,  Lehigh  county.  Pa.,  September  28th,  1808,  and  mar- 
ried Euphemia  Johnston,  of  Easton,  Pa. 

Theodore  G.  Wole,  Scranton,  superintendent  at  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company's  rolling  mills,  Scranton,  was  born  at  Easton, 
Pa.,  May  26th,  1844,  and  married  Lizzie  E.  Poulke,  of  Stroud  township, 
Monroe  county,  Pa.    He  was  formerly  a  clerk. 

Prank  P.  Woodward,  editor  and  manager  of  the  Scranton  issue  of 
the  News  Dealer  and  general  writer,  formerly  a  farmer  and  teacher,  resi- 
dence Park  Place,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  in  January 
1853,  and  married  L.  M.  De  Long,  of  Paupack,  Wayne  county.  Pa, 


Warren  Woodward,  attorney,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.,  October  23d,  1854.  His  oflBce  is  at  room  No.  7  Second  National  Bank 
Building,  Lackawanna  avenue. 

James  Woolsey,  contractor  and  builder,  formerly  a  manufacturer 
of  sash,  blinds  and  doors,  Scranton,  was  born  in  Bedford,  Westchester 
county,  N.  Y.,  January  14th,  1833,  and  married  Jane  Couch,  of  Phillips- 
port,  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.  He  has  served  five  years  as  a  member  of 
the  select  council  of  the  city  of  Scranton. 

O.  B.  Wright,  Scranton,  formerly  for  eleven  years  United  States 
deputy  collector,  12th  district  of  Pennsylvania,  now  deputy  phothono- 
tary  of  Lackawanna  county,  served  in  Company  K  132nd  regiment 
Pennsylvania  volunteers  nine  months  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
and  was  wounded  at  the  battle  .of  Fredericksburg,  Va.  He  was  bom 
in  Adams,  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.,  August  11th,  1836. 

Rev.  W.  C.  Wunderlich,  pastor  of  the  German  Presbyterian  Church, 
Scranton,  was  born  at  Sondershausen,  Germany,  October  9th,  1827 

A.  F.  Yost,  formerly  an  editor  and  publisher,  and  now  managing 
editor  of  the  Saranton  Republican,  was  born  in  South  Easton,  Pa.,  July 
10th,  1841,  and  married  Charlotte  R.  Irvin,  of  Bloiiirisburgb,  Columbia 
county.  Pa.,  May  31st,  1866.    Residence  Hyde  Park. 

James  Young,  mine  superintendent,  Dunmore,  was  born  in  Scotland, 
March  26th,  1843.    He  married  Charlotte  Harrington,  of  Dunmore. 

Charles  W.  Ziegler,  residence  at  Providence,  for  nine  j'ears  out- 
side superintendent  at  the  Von  Storch  colliery,  was  born  in  Germany, 
March  3d,  1849,  and  has  been  employed  at  this  mine  for  twenty  years. 
He  married  Nellie  A.  Kelly,  of  Dunmore,  Pa. 

Kev.  Ph.  Fr.  ZizELMANN,  pastor  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church, 
Scranton,  was  born  at  Cleebronn,Wurtemburg,  Germany,  October  10th, 
1824,  and  maiTied  Ch.  B.  nei  Schlatterbeck,  of  Bablinger,  Wurtemburg. 

The  following  citizens  of  Scranton  and  Dunmore  also  contributed  their 
support  to  this  publication:  W.  E.  Allen,  Thomas  D.  Bevan,  S.  D. 
Buckley,  G.  H.  Catlin,  G.  J.  Chamberlain,  A.  A.  Chase,  W.  B.  Culver, 
James  P.  Dickson,  G.  P.  Eynon,  C.  S.  Farrer,  William  Gillmore,  A.  R. 
Gould,  D.  N.  Green,  W.  F.  Hallstead,  Kev.  Lot  Lake,  D.  LangstafE, 
Amanda  Lamb,  Harold  Leach,  Silas  Leach,  Arthur  C.  Logan,  R.  T. 
McCabe,  John  Morris,  C.  Osterhout,  Mrs.  M.  D.  Osterhout,  J.  W.  Pike, 
Conrad  Sohroeder,  W.  W.  Scranton,  John  B.  Smith,  Thomas  Stewart, 
G.  M.  Williams. 


ih 


=*=^k 


*^^= 


=^^ 


THE  CITY  OF  CARBONDALE 


HE  city  of  Carbondale  was  formed  by  an  act 
of  Assembly  March  isth,  1851,  from  part  of 
Carbondale  township,  bounded  as  follows: 
Beginning  at  a  corner  in  the  southerly  line 
of  the  township  of  Fell  at  the  point  where  the 
Milford  and  Owego  turnpike  road  crosses  said  Fell 
township  line;  thence  south  32°  west  662  perches, 
to  a  corner  in  the  northerly  line  of  Thomas  Meredith's 
■'Cottage"  farm;  thence,  by  a  line  due  east,  488  perches,  to 
a  corner  in  the  empty  or  return  track  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company's  Blakely  railroad;  thence  north 
32"  east  662  perches,  to  a  corner  in  the  southerly  line  of 
Fell  township;  thence  along  said  line  of  Fell  township, 
due  west,  488  perches,  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The 
city  was  divided  into  four  wards. 

Settlement  and  Early  Events. 

About  1812  William  Wurts,  of  Philadelphia,  became 
possessor  of  large  tracts  hereabouts.  He  and  his  brother 
Maurice,  becoming  satisfied  of  the  richness  of  the  coal 
deposits  in  the  Lackawanna  valley,  made  preparations  to 
begin  mining.  In  1824  they  erected  a  log  house  near 
where  the  house  of  Patrick  Early,  on  Seventh  street,  now 
stands.  Uriah  Williams  and  Hiram  Frisbee  lived  in  this 
house  and  boarded  the  miners.  Deacon  Young  came 
during  the  summer  of  1826,  to  superintend  the  coal  oper- 
ations. The  next  occupant  of  the  log  house  was  Salmon 
Lathrop,  a  contractor  on  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company's  railroad,  who  moved  into  the  building 
in  March,  1827.  He  kept  the  place  as  a  hotel,  and  was 
succeeded  in  1828  by  Sylvester  Jessup.  John  M.  Poor, 
clerk  for  the  Wurts  brothers,  and  Eleazer  M.  Townsend 
came  during  the  summer  of  this  year. 

Carbondale  had  received  its  name  before  this  time,  it 
having  been  announced  on  the  boxes  containing  tools 
for  the  laborers  on  the  railroad,  which  were  consigned  to 
"Carbondale;"  thus  proclaiming  along  the  route  from 
New  York  that  a  new  town  had  sprung  up  in  the  wilds 
of  the  Lackawanna. 

From  the  completion  of  the  railroad,  in  1828,  the  set- 
tlement was  quite  rapid.  Dwellings  and  stores  were  be- 
ing built  along  Main  and  Church  streets.  The  company 
had  small  shops,  and  began  to  ship  coal  during  the  sum- 


mer in  small  quantities.     Previous  to  1832  the  following 
persons  were  among  those  living  in-Carbondale: 

Uriah  Williams,  Hiram  Frisbee,  Deacon  Young-,  Salmon  Lathrop,  John 
M.  Poor,  E.  M.  Townsend,  Dr.  T.  Sweet,  D.  N.  Lathrop,  S.  B.  Baynor, 
Samuel  Mills,  R.  E.  Marvin,  Henry  Johnson,  Stephen  Rodgers,  Terence 
Powderly,  John  Gilligan,  Daniel  Taylor,  John  Simpson,  Jesse  Gardner, 
James  Birdsall,  Wanton  Hill,  Stephen  Marsh,  Jesse  Clark,  Addison  Clark, 
H.  B.  Jadwin,  .John  Lee,  E.  Carleton  Overton,  Nathan  Eaynor,  Joseph 
Stott,  Patrick  Nealon,  Joseph  Benjamin,  Henry  Van  Bergen,  James  W. 
Go£E,  William  Eggleston,  James  Dickson,  Thomas  Gillisplo,  H.  S.  Pierce, 
William  Ball,  J.  W.  Burnham,  Charles  T.  Pierson,  Charles  White,  Patrick 
MolBtt,  William  Brennan,  Daniel  Scurry,  Samuel  Baker,  S.  T.  Hopkins, 
Jedediah  Bowen,  Samuel  Mills,  George  Dies,  Judson  Clark,  Stephen 
Clark,  Charles  Smith,  John  Love. 

The  population  increased  with  the  business  of  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  and  in  1850 
there  were  4,954  inhabitants  in  the  township.  The  cen- 
sus of  1880  showed  7,719  people  within  the  city  limits. 

A  store  for  the  men  employed  by  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son was  established  by  Salmon  Lathrop,  at  the  log-house, 
in  1827.  He  erected  a  frame  building  on  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Salem  streets,  where  Pascoe  &  Scurry  now  are, 
in  1828,  for  a  store  and  dwelling.  He  soon  sold  his 
stock  to  John  M.  Poor.  Hackley  &  Townsend  began 
trading  where  the  Harrison  House  now  stands  as  early  as 
1829.  R.  C.  Overton  had  a  store  where  the  building  of 
Evans  &  Alexander  now  is,  and  Samuel  Hodgson  one 
where  the  workingmen's  co-operative  store  is.  Eggle- 
ston  &  McEntee  had  established  themselves  in  business 
prior  to  1830. 

The  first  tailor  was  S.  Shelley,  from  New  York, who  be- 
gan business  over  Mr.  Overton's  store  in  1829.  John  H. 
Waterbury  began  the  tailoring  business  in  183 1,  and 
Charles  Levan,  Washburn  Race  and  Edgar  Bogardus  in 
1833.  L.  G.  Ensign,  who  was  the  first  to  establish  a  jew- 
elry _'store  (in  1829),  began   the  hat  and  cap   business   in 

1832,  and  James  A.  Smith  &  Co.  in  August,  1833. 
Hodges   &   Bennet   first  kept   books    and    stationery  in 

1833.  J.  W.  Burnham  was  the  second  jeweler,  having 
begun  business  in  1832.  The  first  drug  store  was 
opened  by  Doctors  Carter  and  Brundage  in  1832, 
and  closed  in  May,  1834.  Sweet,  Benjamin  &  Co. 
began  dealing  in  drugs  in  1835.  Stephen  Rodgers, 
the  first  shoemaker,  came  in  1829.  H.  B.  Jadwin  came 
soon  after  and  continued  in  business  for  several 
years.     Mr.  Jadwin  had  been  in  the  village  as  early  as 


<^- 


44° 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


1828,  but  only  stayed  a  short  time.  W.  S.  Vail  began 
shoemaking  in  1832.  I.  S.  Ditmar  first  began  black- 
smithing  as  a  business  separate  from  that  of  the  com- 
pany. He  came  in  1828  as  foreman  for  the  company,  in 
which  position  he  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  Mills.  John 
Simpson,  a  Scotchman,  was  the  next  blacksmith;  his  shop 
standing  on  the  site  of  that  of  his  son.  James  Lewis  had 
a  shop  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  Simpson  and 
Lewis  both  came  about  1833. 

A  place  of  entertainment  was  kept  in  the  old  log 
house  by  Uriah  Williams,  and  after  him  by  Salmon 
Lathrop;  then  by  Sylvester  Jessup  in  1829.  Mr.  Lathrop 
built  a  hotel  (the  Mansion  House)  on  Main  street,  oppo- 
site his  store  in  1829.  E.  M.  Townsend  built  the  Railway 
Hotel  about  the  same  time,  and  James  D.  Treat  took  it  in 
October,  1833.  D.  B.  Blanchard  kept  the  Mansion 
House  two  or  three  years,  and  was  followed  by  Zepha- 
niah  Knapp,  in  March,  1836.  August  7th,  1840,  Mr. 
Lathrop  again  took  "possession.  A.  Smith  and  Charles 
Cox  kept  the  Railway  Hotel  in  1841.  Both  these  houses 
were  burned  September  28th,  1850.  Since  then  several 
other  hotel  buildings  have  been  burned. 

Daniel  Taylor,  now  living  in  the  city,  came  here  in 
1828,  from  New  York,  and  began  wagon  making.  His 
shop  was  on  Wyoming  street.  Ned  Rogers  began  busi- 
ness as  a  cabinet  maker  in  1832,  and  Alexander  Fergu- 
son in  June,  1833.  The  first  saddler  was  Milton  Moon, 
agent  for  Warner  Haden,  who  started  business  in  the 
store  formerly  occupied  by  Drs.  Carter  and  Brundage, 
one  door  east  of  the  Mansion  House,  in  June  1S33. 

Henry  Johnson,  who  came  to  the  place  in  1830,  was 
one  of  the  earliest  contractors  and  builders,  if  not  the 
very  first,  and  has  erected  many  of  the  stores  and  dwel- 
lings of  the  city. 

The  first  millinery  establishment,  that  of  Misses  Low 
&  Benjamin,  in  the  store  formerly  occupied  by  Eggleston 
&  McEntee,  was  opened  in  the  fall  of  1830.  Mrs.  Car- 
ter had  a  shop  as  early  as  1832.  Mrs.  Curlis  and  Mrs. 
Johnson  engaged  in  the  business  in  1834.  Williams  and 
Jackson  established  the  first  tin  shop  in  1S34. 

Dr.  Thomas  Sweet,  who  came  in  1S2S,  was  the  first 
resident  physician.  March  7th,  1833,  Drs.  Carter  and 
Brundage  (botanic)  advertised  themselves  as  graduates 
of  the  "Reformed  College  of  Physicians  of  New  York," 
and  opened  an  office.  They  left  in  1834.  J.  Stott  began 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  September,  1833,  having  his 
office  at  the  home  of  his  father,  James  Stott,  at  the  cor- 
ner of  the  parade  ground.  Drs.  John  P.  Farnham  and 
N.  Jackson  began  practicing  in  1837,  and  Dr.  E,  A. 
Webb  in  August,  1839.  The  first  dentist  was  Dr. 
Knapp,  in  1835.  D.  F.  Dederich,  1837,  was  the  next. 
Doctors  and  dentists  have  come  and  gone  almost  every 
year  for  several  years,  and  it  would  be  impossible  to  give 
a  full  list.  There  are  now  seven  physicians  and  three 
dentists  in  the  city. 

Lawyers  have  begun  practice  in  Carbondale  as  fol- 
lows: 

William  Wurts,  March  31st,  1833;  D.  N.  Lathrop,  May  lith,  ISM ;  Lewis 
Jones,  March  1st,  1886;  ¥.  M.  Crane,  1840;  Amzi  Wilson,  1841 ;  Samuel 
Hodgson,  November,  1843;  H.  B.  Burnham,  November,  1844;   Alfred 


Dart,  February,  1745 ;  P.  Byrne,  July,  1847  ;  P.  0.  Gritman,  November 
1848;  F.  Saxton,  January,  1849;  G.  W.  Perkins,  1851;  L.  E.  Miller,  1851; 
Henry  Wilson,  May,  1859 ;  I.  D.  Eiohards,  April,  1861 ;  M.  Carnavan,  May 
39th,  1803 ;  C.  B.  Lathrop,  admitted  June  12th,  1857,  began  practice  June 
1st,  1808 ;  G.  H.  Squiers,  If 70 ;  M.  M.  Thorpe,  July,  1870 ;  B.  Bobinson, 
1873;  Wilbur  F.  Lathrop,  1873;  Q.  A.Gates,  July,  1874;  James  E.  Burr, 
July,  1877. 

Of  these  Alfred  Dart,  P.  C.  Gritman,  C.  E.  Lathrop, 
George  H.  Squiers,  Wilbur  F.  Lathrop  and  James  E. 
Burr  are  now  practicing  in  Carbondale. 

The  first  road  was  laid  out  December  21st,  1828,  ex- 
tending from  Carbondale  to  the  Milford  and  Owego 
turnpike. 

The  first  white  children  born  within  the  city  limits 
were  a  son  of  Hiram  Frisbee  and  a  daughter  of  Uriah 
Williams,  both  born  in  the  spring  of  1825  in  the  old  log 
house.  The  first  child  born  of  American  parents  after 
the  settlement  had  really  begun  was  Helen  Dwight 
Blanchard,  daughter  of  D.  B.  and  Sophronia  Blanchard, 
born  August  17th,  1829,  and  now  the  wife  of  Hon.  J.  P. 
Foster,  mayor  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  The  first  marriage 
was  that  of  D.  B.  Blanchard  to  Sophronia  Lathrop,  in 
1828. 

The  first  saloon  was  opened  in  August,  1832,  "to 
prevent  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  by  the  miners,"  by 
furnishing  them  malt  drinks. 

James  J.  Hetherby,  who  came  to  Carbondale  in  May, 
1842,  was  the  first  music  teacher,  and  taught  band  and 
piano  music.  Kellam  &  Davis  established  the  first 
bakery  in  August,  1842.  S.  S.  Benedict  first  began  tak- 
ing daguerreotypes  in  January,  1S44,  at  the  Mansion 
House.  The  first  livery  stable  was  established  by  W.  W. 
Bronson,  in  1849.  W.  W.  Lathrop  began  in  the  news 
business  in  November,  1855.  The  first  brick  house  was 
erected  in  1866,  by  John  Kase,  on  River  street.  P. 
Moffit  built  one  on  Main  street  about  the  same  time. 
The  first  brick  store  was  that  of  J.  Alexander  &  Sons, 
built  in  1867. 

Railroad,    Express    and    Telegraphic    Communica- 
tions. 

The  completion  of  the  gravity  road  of  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  in  the  fall  of  1829,  first  es- 
tablished communication  with  the  outside  world.  The 
operation  of  the  road  was  attended  with  great  difficulties, 
arising  from  the  breaking  of  the  chains  used  on  the  in- 
clined planes.  In  April,  1830,  tarred  ropes  were  substi- 
tuted for  the  chains,  with  very  desirable  results.  Freight 
was  first  regularly  carried  in  1843.  This  road  carried  no 
passengers  for  some  years  after  its  completion.  Passen- 
ger cars  were  first  attached  to  the  rear  of  the  coal  "trips." 
Upon  the  return  or  "light  "  track  being  built  cars  made 
the  round  trip  instead  of  returning  by  the  old  road.  The 
head  of  each  plane  was  raised  and  the  foot  lowered,  so 
that  cars  could  run  down  each  plane  by  gravity,  whereas 
horses  had  been  used  to  haul  the  loaded  cars  one  way 
and  the  empty  ones  the  other.  In  i860  the  company  had 
extended  the  road  to  Providence,  and  passenger  cars  be- 
gan to  run  over  the  road.  It  was  extended  to  Scranton, 
and,  forming  a  connection  with  the  Delaware,  Lackawan- 
na and  Western,  was  changed  to  a  locomotive  road.    The 


^^- 


<^ 


^^ 


^P' 


EARLY  BUSINESS  PLACES  OF  CARBONDALE— ROADS  AND  MAILS. 


441 


first  locomotive  reached  Carbondale  in  the  latter  part  of 
September,  1870.  Coal  trains  ran  during  November. 
Passenger  travel  was  opened  July  4th,  187 1.  The  Jeffer- 
son branch  of  the  Erie  was  completed  during  this  year, 
passenger  business  beginning  May  15th,  1871. 

The  first  express  company  that  reached  Carbondale 
was  Hope's  express,  which  used  the  gravity  road  until  its 
extension  to  Providence,  when  the  Central  express  was 
put  on  the  road.  June  ist,  1873,  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna and  Western  express  began  running  to  Carbondale, 
and  J.  H.  Wilson  has  been  the  agent  ever  since.  The 
office  is  on  Main  street.  The  United  States  Express 
Company  has  used  the  Jefferson  branch  of  the  Erie  ever 
since  it  was  completed.     A.  B.  Durfee  is  agent. 

The  Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  leases  the 
lines  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  and 
has  an  office  near  the  office  of  the  company,  M.  E.  John- 
son manager.  This  company  does  nearly  all  the  public 
business,  although  the  railroad  companies  have  tele- 
graph oflSces. 

Mails  and  Routes. 

John  Knapp,  now  living  in  Old  Forge  township,  car- 
ried the  mail  from  where  Scranton  now  is  to  Newburgh, 
N.  Y.,  passing  through  the  place  were  Carbondale  now 
stands,  before  any  clearing  was  made.  For  two  years 
the  people  of  Carbondale  had  to  depend  on  a  post-office 
six  miles  away,  Clarkstown  being  the  nearest  established 
office.  In  August,  1829,  the  office  at  Carbondale  was 
established,  with  James  W.  Goff  postmaster:  A  route 
from  Carbondale  to  Clarkstown  was  established,  mails 
being  carried  twice  a  week.  In  January,  1833,  there 
were  two  lines  of  stages  passing  through  the  place.  A 
route  was  established  in  1836  from  Carbondale  to  Tunk- 
hannock,  via  Greenfield,  Wallsville,  Abington  and  Nichol- 
son. Mails  arrived  as  follows:  During  1843,  on  Tuesday, 
Thursday  and  Saturday — southern,  z'ta  Wilkes-Barre,  3 
P.  M.;  New  York,  10  P.  M.;  Owego,  7  P.  M.  Friday — 
Nicholson,  via  Greenfield  and  Abington,  g  A.  M.  Mails 
closed  for  the  same  points  on  the  same  days.  The  post- 
masters at  Carbondale  have  been  appointed  as  follows: 
James  W.  Goff,  1829;  William  Eggleston,  1833;  Horatio 
S.  Pierce,  1837;  J.  P.  Williams,  Calvin  Benjamin  and  C. 
T.  Pierson,  1841;  Martin  Curtis,  1842;  F.  M.  Crane, 
1843;  H.  P.  Ensign,  1844;  Joseph  Gillispie,  1849; 
Anthony  Grady,  1854;  D.N.  Lathrop,  i86r;  William  R. 
Baker,  1864;  Daniel  Prendegrast,  1867;  P.  S.  Joslin, 
1869,  who  still  holds  the  office. 

Mails  now  arrive  from  Honesdale  and  from  the  south 
twice  a  day;  from  the  north  once  a  day,  by  rail,  and 
from  Dundaff  once  a  day  by  stage. 

When  the  employes  of  the  railroad  began  settling  in 
Carbondale  the  only  road  was  a  bridle  path  running 
along  the  Lackawanna  river.  The  first  road  out  was  one 
leading  from  near  the  railroad,  in  the  first  ward  of  the 
city,  to  the  Milford  and  Owego  turnpike.  This  was  laid 
out  December  21st,  1828. 

The  Carbondale  and  Blakely  Turnpike  Company  was 
organized  in  1833.     D.  B.  Blanchard,  Alexander  Dolph 


and  Henry  Van  Bergen  were  the  first  board  of  managers, 
and  Joseph  Benjamin  treasurer. 

Books  were  opened  for  subscription  to  the  stock  of  the 
Carbondale  and  Lackawanna  turnpike,  at  the  Mansion 
House,  June  30th,  1834.  D.  B.  Blanchard,  E.  M.  Town- 
send,  William  Eggleston,  Thomas  Meredith,  Marshal 
Dimick  and  Raynsford  Smith  were  the  commissioners. 
This  road  leads  from  Carliondale  to  Belmont,  Wayne 
county,  following  the  river;  proposals  were  advertised 
for  May  27th,  1836,  for  the  building  of  such  parts  as 
might  be  located. 

There  were  only  three  roads  leading  into  Carbondale 
in  1836.  John  Searle,  of  Pittston,  held  the  contract  of 
carrying  the  mail  from  Scranton  to  Honesdale,  and  upon 
the  completion  of  the  wagon  road  put  on  a  wagon  and 
carried  passengers  and  freight.  G.  A.  Whitney  was  the 
first  driver. 

Harvey  C.  Nash,  agent,  put  a  daily  line  of  stages  on 
the  road  from  Carbondale  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  September, 
1845,  making  three  trips  a  week  by  the  direct  route  and 
three  by  Harrison's  Mills.  L.  Searle  &  Co.  began  run- 
ning a  daily  line  of  stages  to  Montrose  in  January,  1851, 
charging  a  fare  of  $1.50.  The  line  to  Wilkes-Barre  after- 
ward passed  into  the  hands  of  Bronson  &  Allen,  who 
continued  to  run  it  until  i860,  when  they  drew  off  from 
the  valley  route,  as  the  railroad  offered  superior  facilities 
for  traveling. 

Business  Growth. 

From  a  single  log  house  in  1827,  the  place  had  in- 
creased to  a  village  of  600  inhabitants  in  J 833,  with  six 
stores,  one  apothecary  shop,  one  clothing  store,  several 
groceries,  two  hotels,  two  physicians,  one  lawyer,  me- 
chanics of  all  kinds,  millinery  shops,  and  four  churches. 
As  the  business  of  mining  coal  increased  so  did  the  busi- 
ness of  all  kinds.  The  prosperity  of  Carbondale  has 
always  depended  on  the  amount  of  work  done  by  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company.  The  mercantile 
appraisement  of  1837  shows  ten  stores  in  the  village, 
and  the  foundry  of  Pierson  &  Co.  was  doing 
a  good  business.  The  number  of  stores  had 
increased  to  thirteen  in  1845,  ^"d  the  name 
of  P.  Moffitt,  who  is  still  in  business  here,  appears  in 
the  list.  The  business  of  Carbondale  received  a  severe 
blow  September  28th,  1850,  by  a  disastrous  fire,  which 
broke  out  in  the  Carbondale  House,  kept  by  G.  W. 
Thomas,  and  burned  nearly  the  entire  business  part  of 
the  town.  The  space  burned  over  extended  from  the 
parade  ground  to  the  turnpike,  on  Main  street,  and  west 
side  of  Church  street,  including  twelve  stores,  five  dwel- 
lings, three  hotels,  one  saddle  and  harness  shop,  the  post- 
office,  several  offices  and  both  newspaper  establish- 
ments. Yet  in  1855  there  were  41  stores,  12  saloons,  one 
brewery,  three  foundries,  a  marble  yard  and  two  firms  do- 
ing brokers'  business.  Eighteen  of  the  forty-one  stores 
are  assessed  as  dealing  in  liquors.  There  were  in  1879 
twenty  general  stores,  thirteen  groceries,  three  hardware 
stores,  three  merchant  tailoring  establishments,  four  to- 
bacconists, one  gentlemen's  furnishing  goods  store,  two 


Hh 


=-^^ 


*i> 


^H 


442 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


harness  shops,  six  milliners,  six  meat  markets,  thirteen 
restaurants  and  saloons,  three  foundries,  four  furniture 
stores,  besides  planing-mills,  etc. 

The  First  National  Bank  was  organized  in  November, 
1864,  with  a  capital  of  $110,000,  all  paid  in,  and  began 
business  January  ist,  1865.  The  first  officers  were:  H. 
S.  Pierce,  president;  John  S.  Law,  vice-president;  James 
Stott,  cashier.  These  have  remained  the  same  with  the 
exception  of  John  S.  Law,  who  has  been  succeeded  by 
W.  W.  Bronson. 

The  Miners  and  Mechanics'  Savings  Bank  was  organiz- 
ed in  June,  1872,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $50,000.  The 
first  officers  were:  John  Jermyn,  president;  E.  E.  Hen- 
drick,  vice-president;  James  R.  Lathrop,  cashier.  The 
bank  has  erected  a  fine  stone  building,  with  a  vault  of 
solid  masonry,  on  Main  strtot.  The  building  is  two 
stories  high  with  a  basement 

The  present  officers  are:  John  Jermyn,  president;  E. 
E.  Hendrick  and  Alfred  Pascoe,  vice-presidents;  C.  E. 
Spencer,  cashier;  S.  E.  Raynor,  teller. 

Manufacturing  Interests. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  machine  shop  was  started 
in  a  small  wooden  building  near  the  site  of  the  present 
building,  soon  after  1831.  This  was  burned  in  1845,  and 
replaced  by  another  wooden  structure.  This  was  burned 
in  June,  1857,  when  the  present  stone  building  was  erect- 
ed. Work  began  in  February,  1858,  under  the  charge  of 
James  Dickson.  The  machinery  was  run  by  water  power 
till  1870,  when  a  thirty-horse  power  engine  was  added  to 
the  works.  This  shop  repairs  all  the  machinery  of  the 
gravity  road,  cars,  stationary  engines,  etc.  About  45  men 
are  employed.  Pierce  H.  Butler  is  master  mechanic,  Wil- 
liam Johnson  is  foreman  of  the  machine  shop,  and  An- 
drew Wylie  of  the  blacksmith  shop.  The  company  has 
also  had  three  car  shops,  two  having  been  burned.  The 
present  shop  is  a  brick  structure.  The  main  part  is  180 
by  50  feet,  and  is  used  for  building  and  repairing  freight 
and  passenger  cars.  There  is  a  wing  175  by  50,  used  for 
woodwork.  Cars  for  the  gravity  road  are  also  built  here. 
A  paint  shop  is  situated  a  short  distance  from  the  main 
shop.  There  is  a  small  shop  on  the  switch-back,  and  also 
one  on  the  line  of  the  Erie  road,  which  are  connected 
with  this  shop,  and  used  for  slight  repairs.  Axles  are  fin- 
ished in  the  main  shop.  These  shops  can  employ  175 
men,  but  do  not  employ  over  75.  Thomas  Orchard  is  super- 
intendent of  all  car  or -repair  shops,  with  George  Egg 
foreman  at  the  gravity  shop,  Frank  Shannon  of  wood- 
work, William  Boyd  of  the  freight  and  passenger  car 
shop,  Patrick  Powderly  at  the  switch-back,  Fred- 
erick Tappan  at  the  shop  on  the  Erie  road,  and 
Edward  Blocksligg  of  the  paint  shop.  The  car 
shop  uses  about  2,000,000  feet  of  lumber  per 
year.  The  Delaware  and  Hudson  locomotive  shops  were 
erected  in  1876.  They  do  a  general  business  in  rebuild- 
ing and  repairing  the  locomotives  of  the  company,  and 
employ  about  thirty  men.  The  shop  has  a  capacity  of 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  locomotives  per  year,  and  the  ex- 
penses are  from  $50,000  to  $60,000.     There  are  thirty- 


six  locomotives  on  the  Pennsylvania  division  that  depend 
upon  this  shop.  The  building  is  of  brick,  125  by  75  feet. 
The  engine-house  has  room  for  twenty-four  locomotives. 
S.  H.  Dotterer  is  superintendent  of  the  shop,  with  Jacob 
Eitel  dispatcher,  and  John  Seager  foreman  of  shop. 

Hanford  &  Burr  erected  a  planing-mill'  near  the  river, 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  street,  in  1861,  which  they  oper- 
ated until  1865,  when  Mr.  Burr  sold  to  Poor  &  Mills, 
and  the  firm  became  A.  O.  Hanford  &  Co.  Samuel  Mills 
purchased  the  interests  of  the  other  partners  in  1871,  and 
carried  on  the  business  alone  for  a  year.  He  then  sold 
a  share  to  N.  P.  Cramer  and  S.  P.  Baker.  Mr.  Cramer 
retired  from  the  firm  in  October  of  the  same  year,  and 
the  firm  name  became  Mills  &  Baker.  F.  W.  Mills  ob- 
tained an  interest  in  the  business  in  June,  1876  and  the 
firm  became  as  now.  The  works  are  employed  in  making 
sash,  doors  and  blinds,  besides  doing  a  general  business 
in  manufactured  lumber,  using  250,000  feet  per  year. 
There  is  a  thirty-five  horse  power  engine. 

Andrew  Mitchell's  planing-mill, above  the  head  of  plane 
No.  1  on  the  gravity  road,  was  erected  in  1871.  Mr. 
Mitchell  manufactures  sash,  blinds,  doors  and  flooring, 
besides  furnishing  all  kinds  of  building  material,  and  can 
use  400,000  feet  of  pine  and  200,000  feet  of  other  woods 
per  annum. 

The  Bunnell  Manufacturing  Company  began  making 
agricultural  implements  and  bed-springs  in  1875,  oppo- 
site the  carriage  shop  of  N.  Moon  &  Brother.  L.  I.  Bun- 
nell bought  the  establishment  in  April,  1879.  He  employs 
seven  men.' 

N.  Moon  &  Brother  began  the  carriage  and  wagon 
business  on  the  corner  of  Belmont  avenue  and  Canaan 
street  in  1874.  They  employ  seven  men.  William  Crago 
had  a  carriage  shop  on  the  corner  of  Church  and  Salem 
streets  in  1864.  He  moved  to  the  corner  of  River  and 
Dundaff  streets  in  1869.  He  has  erected  three  large  vats 
for  making  cider  vinegar  in  his  shop. 

The  first  foundry  in  Carbondale  was  established  in 
1833.  Alanson  Reed,  a  Methodist  preacher,  and  Abiran 
Gurncy  were  proprietors.  It  was  on  Church  and  Foundry 
streets  and  was  principally  occupied  in  casting  wheels  for 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  cars-  Reed  &  Gurney  dis- 
solved partnership  February  14th,  1834,  and  the  firm  be- 
came Eggleston  &  Reed,  William  Eggleston  having  pur- 
chased an  interest.  The  foundry  was  burned  February 
^th.  1835,  and  rebuilt  in  ten  days.  The  loss  was  $2,000. 
By  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Reed  the  firm  became  Eggles- 
ton &  Wilbur  in  June,  1836.  They  sold  to  Pierson  & 
Co.  in  August,  1837,  and  the  foundry  was  called  "  Lu- 
zerne County  Stove  Foundry."  A  ten-horse-power  en- 
gine and  three  lathes  were  put  in  in  September,  1843, 
and  the  establishment  advertised  to  do  general  casting. 
By  the  death  of  Samuel  T.  Hopkins,  one  of  the  firm, 
July  2nd,  1847,  the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Pierson  & 
Benjamin.  Mr.  Pierson  retired  April  ist,  1850,  and  J. 
Benjamin  &  Co.  carried  on  the  business  until  April  3d, 
1873,  when  the  firm  became  J.  B.  Van  Bergen  &  Co. 
This  firm  removed  the  establishment  to  its  present  loca- 
tion near  Dundaff  street,  where  they  have  erected  brick 


^h 


4h 


^h 


=^^ 


MANUFACTORIES  AND  SCHOOLS  OF  CARBONDALE. 


443 


buildings.  They  have  a  fine  brick  store  connected 
with  it. 

Peter  Campbell  built  the  Union  Stove  Foundry  about 
1842.  Soon  afterward  he  entered  Into  partnership  with 
John  Aitkin,  and  they  operated  the  foundry,  casting 
wheels,  stoves  and  plows,  until  1859,  when  they  sold  to 
David  Lister.  He  sold  to  Samuel  Lister  and  Frederick 
T.  Gelder  July  22nd,  1865.  Frederick  T.  Gelder  has 
owned  the  establishment  since  September  ist,  1865. 
The  foundry  is  at  the  upper  end  of  River  street.  It  now 
casts  wheels  and  mining  machinery,  stoves  and  plows. 

John  Simpson  erected  a  stove  foundry  on  Seventh 
street,  west  of  the  river,  in  1843  or  1844.  He  sold  to  J. 
Stuart  &  Co.  in  November,  1856.  R.  V.  Muir,  the  part- 
ner, withdrew  in  a  short  time,  and  Mr.  Stuart  carried  on 
the  business  until  October  14th,  1865,  when  A.  Mitchell 
became  interested  with  him,  under  the  name  of  J.  Stuart 
&  Co.  William  Lindsay  bought  the  interest  of  Mr. 
Mitchell  and  Patrick  Early  bought  out  Mr.  Stuart,  and 
the  foundry  began  running  under  the  firm  of  Lindsay  & 
Earley  October  14th,  1869.  This  firm  still  owns  the  es- 
tablishment. A  grist-mill  was  run  in  connection  with 
the  foundry  by  Mr.  Simpson.  The  boiler  of  the  "  Stour- 
bridge Lion",  the  first  locomotive  engine  ever  run  in 
America,  was  used  to  drive  the  engines  of  this  establish- 
ment for  several  years.  The  boiler,  which  was  made  of 
plates  five-eighths  of  an  inch  thick, with  only  two  flues,  of 
an  oval  form,  about  eight  inches  by  twelve  inches,  now 
lies  by  the  side  of  the  building.  It  has  been  run  up  to 
250  pounds  of  steam.  Lindsay  &  Earley  replaced  it  with 
a  ten-horse  engine  of  modern  make.  They  employ  seven 
men. 

The  Weston  mill  was  built  in  1857,  by  Griswold,  Wurts 
&  Co.,  for  the  purpose  of  grinding  fine  coal  to  make 
black  paint.  This  enterprise  failing,  they  sold  to  the 
present  owners  in  1859.  This  is  the  only  flouring  mill 
in  the  city  or  vicinity. 

E.  E.  Hendricks  first  began  the  business  of  oil  refining 
on  the  line  of  the  gravity  road.  In  1876  he  removed  his 
refinery  to  its  present  location,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river  below  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  depot,  where  the 
works  were  put  up  on  a  more  extensive  plan.  They  have 
a  capacity  of  1,000  barrels  per  day,  and  employ  32  men 
here  and  four  men  at  the  old  place  on  the  gravity  road. 
All  kinds  of  burning  and  lubricating  oils  are  made  here. 
John  Herbert  is  the  foreman. 

The  only  saw-mill  now  in  operation  in  the  city  is  that 
of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  above  the 
shops  and  on  the  Lackawanna  river.  Steam  from  the 
locomotive  works  is  used  when  there  is  not  water  enough 
to  run  the  mill.  This  mill  cuts  3,000,000  feet  of  lum- 
ber per  annum.  The  company  uses  twice  that  amount 
at  this  place.  E.  M.  Peck  has  charge  of  the  lumber  de- 
partment of  the  company.  The  Hollenback  mill  was 
built  in  1850,  on  the  hill  near  Highland  avenue.  Dilton 
Yarrington  took  charge  of  the  mill  April  7th,  185 1.  The 
mill  burned  in  1862,  and  was  rebuilt  at  once.  Mr.  Yar- 
rington afterward  bought  the  mill,  and  it  was  run  by  D. 
Yarrington  &  Son.     It  was  burned  in  1876. 


The  marble  business  was  first  started  in  Carbondaleby 
Lewis  Morton,  in  1849.  His  yard  was  in  the  rear  of 
Pascoe  &  Scurry's  store.  He  sold  his  business  to  Wil 
liam  H.  Richmond  and  A.  L.  Hunt  in  185 1,  who  con- 
tinued in  business  together  until  1857,  when  Mr.  Hunt 
bought  out  Mr,  Richmond  and  removed  the  business  to 
the  present  place,  on  Salem  street,  where  he  has  been  in 
business  ever  since.  C.  P.  Jadwin  started  in  the  business, 
in  a  small  way,  in  1859,  and  soon  sold  to  H.  B.  Jadwin, 
who  only  kept  up  the  business  about  three  months. 

Richard  Howarth  &  Brothers  began  brewing  about 
1840,  in  a  building  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  resi- 
dence of  John  Nealon,  on  Church  street.  They  were 
burned  out  in  1849,  and  bought  a  carpenter  shop  of  An- 
gus Cameron,  farther  up  the  street,  and  turned  it  into  a 
brewery.  The  place  was  idle  about  six  months,  and  was 
then  sold  to  John  Nealon,  who  began  brewing  in  April, 
1859.  He  has  made  several  additions  to  the  buildings. 
The  brewery  was  employed  in  making  ale  until  1877, 
since  which  time  only  lager  beer  has  been  brewed.  The 
works  have  a  capacity  of  150  barrels  per  week.  About 
half  the  malt  is  made  here.  There  was  a  brewery  on 
Main  and  Eighth  streets  from  1837  to  1841,  carried  on 
by  Mr.  Birdsall. 

Schools. 

In  1831,  and  for  some  years  after,  there  were  no  side- 
walks and  but  two  streets  in  the  place.  But  in  this  year 
we  find  two  new  school  buildings  erected  between  the 
sites  of  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  churches.  They 
contained  one  room  each.  Their  teachers  were  Messrs. 
Evarts  and  B.  G.  Root. 

In  1837  a  third  school,  for  advanced  pupils,  was  located 
on  the  lot  where  the  English  Baptist  church  now  stands. 
It  was  the  first  school  of  a  graded  character  in  the  place, 
and  its  teacher  was  S.  S.  Benedict.  After  quitting  the 
profession  of  teacher  he  assumed  that  of  editor,  in  which 
business  he  has  been  ever  since  successfully  engaged. 
Successively  he  filled  the  offices  of  justice  of  the  peace, 
member  of  the  Legislature,  select  council,  notary  public 
and  school  director,  the  latter  from  1848  to  1854  and 
from  i860  to  1880.  The  services  he  rendered  to  the 
cause  of  education  during  those  years  can  hardly  be 
overestimated.  Some  of  his  former  pupils  are  as  fol- 
lows: Thomas  Dickson,  president  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company;  J.  N.  Wilson,  M.  D.;  John  S. 
Law,  president  of  the  Miners'  Bank,  Wilkes-Barre; 
David  G.  Smith,  machinist  and  patentee;  Edward 
Jones,  coal  operator;  O.  H.  Jadwin,  wholesale  druggist. 
New  York;  S.  E.  Raynor,  teller  in  the  Miners'  and  Me- 
chanics'Bank;  Edward  and  Alexander  Hodgdon;  Henry 
L.  Marvin,  John  S.  Farnham,  Charles  and  George 
McAlpine    and    Richard    Antony. 

In  1837  we  find  Amzi  Wilson,  J.  W.  Burnham  and 
Bonaparte  Baker  acting  as  school  directors.  A  fourth 
school  was  organized  in  1838,  having  John  Walsh  for 
teacher.  Mr.  Walsh  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being  an 
excellent  teacher,  being  specially  strong  as  a  matlie- 
matician.     In   1840   another   school   was   added  to  the 


Hh 


<^ 


^:h 


I 


444 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


number.     From  this  date  to   1851   the  teachers  were  as 
follows: 

A.  M.  Jeffords,  John  K.  Fordham,  Phillips  Wilson,  Miss  Adams,  Miss 
B.  Harvey,  Miss  M.  Smith,  Miss  Eliza  G res vener,  Jeremiah  O'Mara,  Miss 
Bussel,  Miss  Dart,  Miss  Mary  Vannan,  Miss  Harriet  Jackson,  P.  C.  Grit- 
man,  H.  C.  Ensign,  Miss  E.  Hubbard,  George  Perkins,  Martin  Canavan, 
Miss  Flynt,  Miss  Meaohim,  Miss  Sarah  M.  Shafer,  Miss  Mary  Farrer,  Alon- 
zo  Richardson  and  John  Kelly. 

Mr.  Kelly  has  taught  from  1849  to  the  present,  except- 
ing a  term  of  service,  during  the  Rebellion,  in  the  United 
States  navy.  During  the  period  of  ten  years  just  men- 
tioned the  prominent  school  officers  were  Nathan  Jack- 
son, Patrick  Mofifitt,  R.  W.  Graves,  H.  P.  Ensign,  John 
R.  Fordham,  S.  S.  Benedict,  Anthony  Miles,  Daniel 
Scurry  and  William  Brennan. 

From  1850  to  1860  the  number  of  schools  increased  to 
seven,  the  principal  teachers  of  which  were  Bernard 
McTighe,  Henry  B.  Jadwin,  jr.,  P.  J.  White,  Paulinus  A. 
Lewis,  C.  C.  Jadwin,  John  Joseph  Purtell,  Alfred  Dart, 
jr.,  Martin  J.  Byrne  and  L.  E,  Judd.  The  first  two  were 
elected  directors  in  1858.  Mr.  McTighe  served  until 
1874,  and  Mr.  Jadwin  until  1869.  Another  director 
worthy  of  notice  was  Honorable  Lev/is  Pughe,  now  a 
prominent  merchant  of  Scranton. 

In  i860  a  graded  building  was  erected  in  the  second 
ward,  on  Salem  street.  The  schools  of  the  building  were 
divided  into  four  departments:  Primary,  intermediate! 
grammar  and  high.  The  first  principal  was  A.  J.  Wells. 
The  grades  and  classifications  made  by  him  have  been 
closely  adhered  to  by  his  successors.  Among  the  princi- 
pals of  the  high  school  who  have  achieved  success  in 
teaching  are  W.  H.  Parsons,  H.  D.  Cable,  Charles  L. 
Wheeler,  D.  G.  Allen  (superintendent  in  Wayne  county) 
and  Edwin  Francis.  In  addition  to  the  common  branches, 
algebra,  geometry,  bookkeeping,  philosophy,  rhetoric  and 
Latin  have  been  taught  in  the  "  high  school." 

Down  to  1869  air  the  other  schools  remained  ungraded. 
Each  room  was  about  30  feet  long  and  24  feet  wide,  with 
a  height  of  8  feet  from  floor  to  ceiling.  Around  the 
walls,  supported  on  standards,  projected  pine  boards 
covered  with  hieroglyphics  of  successive  generations  of 
whittlers.  The  pupils  sat  facing  the  wall.  The  main  floor 
was  covered  with  rows  of  long  benches,  many  of  which 
were  without  back-rests.  From  Soto  120  pupils,  in  all 
stages  of  mental  progress  from  the  alphabet  to  geometry 
were  in  attendance.  The  class  for  recitations  stood  in  a 
line,  closing  up  the  passage  which  led  to  the  door,  and 
the  seats  vacated  by  one  class  were  made  to  serve  the 
class  which  preceded  in  recitation.  In  this  way  the 
teacher  managed  to  accommodate  a  greater  number  of 
pupils  than  there  were  seats.  A  terrestrial  globe,  a  set  of 
outline  maps  and  alphabetical  cards  were  provided  for 
each  school  before  the  close  of  this  period.  Text  books 
were  becoming  uniform  throughout  the  district.  The 
teacher's  institute  had  become  instructive  and  entertain- 
ing, and  a  decided  improvement  in  school  clas.sification 
was  apparent. 

In  1869  a  one-story  frame  building  was  erected  on 
Main  street,  in  the  fourth  ward.  It  contained  two  rooms. 
This  was    enlarged    in    1876    by    an  additional    story    in 


height,  and  now  contains  four  rooms,  three  of  which  are 
well  furnished.  In  1870  a  school-room  was  completed  in 
the  fourth  ward,  on  Brooklyn  street.  The  vestibule, 
though  illy  adapted  to  the  purpose,  has  been  used  ever 
since  as  a  school-room.  In  1871  a  primary  school  build- 
ing was  erected  on  Cemetery  street,  in  the  first  ward> 
which  in  1875  was  made  two  stories  high,  containing 
four  rooms.  In  1872  a  frame  building,  two  stories  high, 
containing  four  spacious  rooms,  was  erected  on  Laurel 
hill,  in  the  second  ward.  In  1874  two  new  school- 
houses,  each  two  stories  in  height  and  having  two  large 
rooms  were  completed  on  Salem  street,  in  the  second 
ward,  and  another  on  Powderly  road,  in  the  fourth 
ward.  In  1874  a  private  school  was  organized  by  a  few 
gentlemen  who  were  desirous  of  giving  their  sons  an 
academic  course.  Twelve  students  attend.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1876,  Sisters  of  the  Order  of  the  Immaculate  Heart 
founded  a  convent  in  the  first  ward,  between  Hendrick 
avenue  and  Salem  street.  There  are  three  school  rooms 
in  the  building,  and  four  Sisters  are  teaching.  Besides 
the  common  branches,  drawing  and  music  are  taught. 
The  average  daily  attendance  of  these  schools  is  about 
100  pupils.  Two  private  schools  of  primary  grade,  with 
40  pupils,  are  taught  in  the  first  ward. 

In  September,  1876,  a  graded  course  of  study  for  the 
public  schools  was  adopted.  General  history,  astronomy 
and  drawing  were  added  to  the  curriculum  of  the  high 
school. 

The  following  classification  shows  the  number  of 
teachers  in  each  department,  and  the  number  in  attend- 
ance during  the  year,  according  to  the  school  report  of 
1877.  The  high  school  had  at  the  close  of  the  year  one 
male  and  one  female  teacher;  the  average  daily  attend- 
ance, was  39.  In  the  grammar  department  the  number 
of  teachers  was  3;  average  daily  attendance,  138.  Inter- 
mediate department — teachers,  5;  average  daily  attend- 
ance, 277.  Primary  department — teachers,  10;  average 
daily  attendance,  637.  Total  average  monthly  enrollment 
of  pupils,  1,305;  total  average  daily  attendance,  1,091. 
If  to  this  we  add  the  attendance  at  private  schools,  we 
shall  have  an  average  monthly  enrolment  of  1,482,  and 
an  average  daily  attendance  of  1,243. 

There  have  been  many  private  schools.  The  first  was 
taught  by  Miss  Sophia  Nobles,  over  the  tailor-shop  of  Race 
&Bogardus,  in  the  summer  of  1833.  She  also  taught  in  1834. 

John  Walsh  taught  in  the  Catholic  chapel  in  1836,  and 
D.  Tripp,  late  from  Oxford  Academy,  taught  in  1837. 
Mrs.  J.  Hudson,  from  Long  Island,  taught  a  select  school 
for  young  ladies  in  1838.  Miss  Tuck  opened  a  school 
for  girls  and  John  S.Ward  one  for  boys  in  1840.  Besides 
these,  schools  have  been  taught  by  Andrew  Leighter,  Mrs. 
Hamilton,  J.  L.  McKim,  J.  S.  Miller  and  John  L.  Rich- 
ardson. P.  C.  Gritman  was  the  first  principal  of  the 
Lackawanna  Institute,  which  was  kept  several  years. 
Mrs.  L.  A.  Munger  taught  select  school  during  1870. 
There  are  now  no  private  schools. 

In  1879  there  were  twenty  schools  in  the  district,  with 
an  average  attendance  of  620  pupils.  The  schools  were 
kept  open  nine  months  at  an  expense  of  $6,906.78. 


^¥ 


f 


4^- 


JOURNALISM  AT  CARBONDALE— CEMETERY— FIRES. 


445 


In  1876  Carbondale  city  had  twenty  schools,  with  a 
total  average  attendance  of  1,088.  The  schools  were 
kept  open  nine  months,  at  an  expense  of  $13,083.17. 

Maplewood  Cemetery — Notable  Epidemics. 

In  1831  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company 
deeded  a  tract  of  land  on  the  hill  above  its  shops  to  J. 
W.  Burnham,  D.  B.  Blanchard,  Lathrop  Burgess,  Bona- 
parte Baker,  John  Bovven  2nd,  and  R.  E.  Marvin,  as 
trustees,  for  a  Protestant  cemetery.  Subscri])tions  were 
raised  to  improve  the  ground.  The  lots  were  sold  by 
auction  April  27th,  1833.  J.  W.  Burnham  was  the  first 
superintendent.  The  first  burial  was  that  of  William 
Evans,  who  died  October  29th,  1832,  aged  75  years.  The 
grounds  have  been  enlarged  three  times  and  are  sur- 
rounded by  a  strong  stone  wall.  The  present  trustees 
are  S.  S.  Benedict,  J.  B.  Van  Bergen,  A.  O.  Hanford, 
Henry  Johnson,  E.  E.  Thomas  and  R.  W.  Graves.  Mr. 
Graves  has  been  superintendent  since  1862. 

Carbondale  has  been  visited  with  some  severe  epi- 
demics. The  spotted  fever  broke  out  in  the  city  in  the  fall 
of  1863.  By  the  beginning  of  1864  it  had  increased  to 
an  epidemic,  and  continued  its  ravages  until  near  the  end 
of  May.  One  hundred  and  one  of  its  victims  were  buried 
in  the  Protestant  cemetery,  among  whom  was  Rev.  T.  S. 
Ward,  of,  the  Presbyterian  church.  It  is  not  known  how 
many  were  buried  in  the  Catholic  cemetery,  but  probably 

fifty  or  sixty. 

The  Press  of  Carbondale. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Carbondale  was  the 
Northern  Pennsylvanian,  which  was  removed  from  Dun- 
daff,  Susquehanna  county,  in  1833.  Amzi  Wilson  was 
editor  and  proprietor,  and  published  the  paper  until  De- 
cember, 1837,  when  he  sold  to  Willam  Bolton,  who  re- 
moved the  paper  to  Wilkes-Barre  April  24th,  1840.  It 
was  a  Democratic  paper. 

The  Carbondale  Journal,  a  Whig  paper,  was  established 
in  1838  by  James  B.  Mix.  Charles  Mead  bought  it  in 
1839,  and  sold  to  William  S.  Ward  the  following  year. 
The  paper  was  discontinued  September  2nd,  1841. 

The  Carbondale  Gazette,  neutral  in  politics,  was  estab- 
lished May  5th,  1842,  by  Philander  S.  Joslin,  who  sold  an 
interest  to  Francis  B.  Woodward  July  6th,  1843.  This 
partnership  continued  until  November  8th,  1844,  when 
Mr.  Joslin  sold  to  Woodward,  who  changed  the  title  to 
the  County  Mirror,  and  advocated  Whig  doctrines.  This 
paper  was  removed  to  Providence  in  January,  1846. 

The  Carbondale  Democrat  was  established  by  P.  S. 
Joslin  and  Silas  S.  Benedict,  in  1845.  The  paper  was 
enlarged  and  the  title  changed  to  Lackawanna  Citizen 
and  Carbondale  Democrat  in  1849,  by  S.  S.  Benedict,  who 
had  had  entire  control  of  the  paper  since  April  ist,  1846. 
The  title  was  changed  again  December  13th,  1850,  to 
the  Lackawanna  Citizen.  P.  K.  Barger  became  a  partner 
with  Mr  Benedict  in  the  summer  of  1852.  Mr.  Bene- 
dict retired  December  ist,  1852,  when  Homer  Grenell 
entered  into  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Barger  under  the 
name  of  P.  K.  Barger  &  Co.  The  publication  of  this 
paper  was  discontinued  April  ist,  1854. 


The  Lackawanna  Journal,  a  Whig  paper,  was  estab- 
lished January  20th,  1849,  by  George  M.  Reynolds,  who 
took  Dewitt  C.  Kitchen  into  partnership  December  27th, 
1850.  The  title  was  changed  to  Carbondale  Transcript 
and  Lackawanna  Journal,  February  25th,  185 1.  Mr. 
Kitchen  retired  the  same  year.  Mr.  Reynolds  sold  to  R. 
H.  Willoughby,  May  ist,  1857.  The  title  was  now 
changed  to  the  Advance.  Dr.  Charles  E.  Burr  and  G. 
M.  Reynolds  purchased  the  paper  October  3d,  1857. 
They  published  it  until  February,  1858,  when  Reynolds 
became  sole  proprietor.  He  sold  to  S.  S.  Benedict  in 
May,  1859.  Mr.  Benedict  changed  the  title  to  the 
Weekly  Advance  and  still  continues  its  publication. 

About  August  ist,  1854,  J.  T.  Alleger  and'j.  B.  Adams 
began  the  publication  of  the  Carbondale  Democrat.  This 
paper  was  discontinued  January  ist,  1855. 

The  Democratic  Standard  and  Know  Nothing  Exposi- 
tor, by  John  J.  Allen,  issued  its  first  number  January  ist, 
1855.  The  office  was  burned  in  the  fire  of  that  year,  and 
the  paper  was  never  started  again. 

A.  W.  Cook  began  the  publication  of  the  Carbondale 
Leader  in  June,  1872.  He  sold  to  M.  H.  Barber  in  No- 
vember, 1877,  and  he  to  D.  N.  Lathrop  in  October,  1878. 
Mr.  Lathrop  still  publishes  the  paper. 

The  Critic  was  started  by  A.  W.  Cook,  May  ist,  1879, 
and  it  is  still  being  published,  as  an  independent  journal. 

During  the  winter  of  1842  and  1843  the  publication  of 
the  papers  was  suspended  for  five  weeks,  as,  owing  to 
the  great  amount  of  snow,  it  was  impossible  to  get  paper 
on  which  to  print. 

Fires  and  Fire  Companies. 

The  first  organization  intended  as  a  protection  against 
fire  was  "  Rescue  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,"  formed 
in  1843.  This  company  did  good  service  at  several 
small  fires,  and  in  1847  was  officered  as  follows:  George 
Love,  foreman;  John  Lewis,  assistant  foreman.  Twenty 
members  were  on  the  roll. 

The  fire  of  September  28th,  1850,  awakened  the  people 
to  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  a  fire  organization,  and 
four  companies  were  organized,  known  as  Neptune,  No. 
i;  Eagle,  No.  2;  Rescue,  No.  3,  and  Good  Will,  No.  4. 
Each  company  was  provided  with  a  small  engine  of  little 
value,  built  at  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  shops.  Decem- 
ber 3d,  1852,  James  Ruthven  was  elected  chief  engineer 
of  the  fire  department.  These  companies  continued  to 
practice  for  some  time,  but  not  receiving  proper  support 
from  the  city  authorities  they  disbanded.  Neptune  led 
the  way  by  resigning  on  June  28th,  1854. 

A  fire  broke  out  in  W.  W.  Bronson's  hotel  September 
i6th,  1855,  which  destroyed  the  hotel  and  several  other 
buildings.  The  property  owners  of  the  second  ward, 
aroused  to  a  sense  of  their  insecurity,  assessed  themselves 
for  the  support  of  Eagle  Engine  Company,  No.  2,  and 
formed  it  into  a  hook  and  ladder  and  bucket  company. 
All  the  engines  were  returned  to  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son company.  The  city  authorities  now  took  the  matter 
in  hand,  and  purchased  an  engine  of  the  "  Button's 
Piano"  pattern,  which  arrived  July  10th,  1855. 


*^^ 


=K^ 


^h 


446 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Columbia  Fire  Company,  No.  5,  was  formed  about  this 
time,  with  ninety-six  men  on  the  roll.  The  officers  were: 
David  Pendergrast,  foreman;  Richard  Howarth,  first  as- 
sistant foreman;  Charles  B.  Campbell,  second  assistant 
foreman.  This  is  the  only  fire  company  in  the  city,  and 
it  has  done  good  work  since  its  formation.  It  is  only 
called  upon  to  use  its  engine  when  the  fire  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  hydrants.  These  hydrants,  distributed 
through  the  greater  part  of  the  first,  second  and  third 
wards,  have  sulificient  head  to  throw  water  over  any  build- 
ing that  can  be  reached  with  hose.  Columbia  has  about 
forty  members  now,  and  is  officered  as  follows:  John  B. 
Collins,  foreman;  Joseph  Jenkins,  first  assistant  foreman; 
George  Davis,  second  assistant  foreman. 

April  10th,  1859,  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  office  of  Alfred 
Dart,  which  burned  the  Harrison  House,  together  with 
several  stores  and  offices  on  the  west  side  of  Main  street, 
between  Salem  street  and  the  parade  ground.  Another 
fire  occurred  September  15th,  1866,  which  destroyed 
buildings  on  the  east  side  of  Main  street,  from  Dundaff 
street  down,  to  the  value  of  $50,000.  March  2gth,  1867, 
the  entire  business  portion  of  the  city  below  the  city  hall 
was  burned,  the  flames  destroying  forty  stores  and  shops, 
and  leaving  sixty  families  homeless.  The  entire  loss  was 
$200,000,  with  an  insurance  of  $100,000. 

Municipal  Government. 

A  charter  was  drawn  by  Hon.  Lewis  Jones,  and  by  an 

act  of   the  Assembly  approved   March  15th,  1851,  Car- 

bondale  became  a  city,with  four  wards.  The  first  election 

was  held  March  21st,  1851,  and  resulted  in  the  election 

of  the  following  city  officers: 

Mayor,  James  Archbald :  select  council  — Joseph  Benjamin,  Peter 
Campbell,  Thomas  Gillespie  and  Michael  Flynn;  common  council- 
Thomas  Sweet,  Daniel  Scurry, William  Ball,  Patrick  Moilitt,  James  Clark- 
son.W.W.  Bronson,  Edward  Jones,  Alexander  Bryden,  Hichard  Howartb, 
Terence  Powderly,  Patrick  Connor  and  Daniel  Thatcher;  prosecuting 
attorney,  George  W.  Perkins;  clerk  of  the  mayor's  court,  William 
Brennan;  treasnrer,  Lewis  Pughe;  assessor,  Philip  Wilson;  auditors- 
William  H.  Kichmond,  James  Stott  and  Thomas  Voyle ;  poor  masters- 
John  Campbell  and  John  lee;  alderman  fourth  ward,  Patrick  Farrcll. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  holding  commissions  in  Car- 
bondale  township  and  living  in  the  city  were  empowered 
to  act  as  aldermen  until  the  expiration  of  their  commis- 
sions. 

The  oath  of  office  was  administered  to  the  mayor 
clerk  of  court  and  prosecuting  attorney  March  26th, 
1851,  at  theM.  E.  church,  by  Hon.  William  Jessup,  presi- 
dent judge  of  the  judicial  district.  The  select  council 
organized  by  choosing  Peter  Campbell  as  president  and 
Michael  Flynn  as  clerk.  The  common  council  chose 
James  Clarkson  chairman  and  William  Ball  secretary. 
The  first  ordinance  passed  related  to  the  granting  of 
licenses.  By  the  provisions  of  the  charter  the  city  had  its 
own  court,  which  was  styled  the  recorder's  court  and 
presided  over  by  the  president  judge  of  the  judicial  dis- 
trict sitting  as  recorder,  assisted  by  the  mayor  and  such 
of  the  aldermen  as  might  be  present.  This  court  had 
concurrent  jurisdiction  with  the  county  courts,  except  in 
oyer  and  terminer  cases  and  in  cases  belonging  to  the 
orphan's  court.     Its  jurisdiction  extended  at   times  over 


Fell,  Carbondale,  Blakely  and  Greenfield  townships.  The 
first  session  of  the  mayor's  court  was  held  in  the  M.  E. 
church.  May  13th,  1851,  Judge  Jessup  presiding.  No 
business  was  done  at  this  term,  except  to  provide  for  the 
drawing  of  juries. 

A  grand  jury  was  impaneled  for  the  term  beginning 
September  8tb,  1851,  of  which  Judson  W.  Burnham  was 
foreman.  Courts  were  held  in  the  M.  E.  church  until 
1852.  A  room  at  the  Carbondale  House,  Jonathan 
Gore  proprietor,  was  used  as  a  jury  room.  A  wooden 
court-house  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  which  was 
burned  February  14th,  1869,  by  a  fire  originating  in  the 
cell  of  Owen  Coleman,  committed  for  drunkenness.  He 
was  burned  with  the  building.  The  present  brick  build- 
ing was  put  up  at  once. 

By  the  operation  of  the  constitution  of  1873  the 
mayor's  court  was  abolished  December  31st,  1875,  since 
which  time  the  city  hall  has  been  a  useless  structure. 
The  effects  of  the  change  have  been  disastrous  to  the 
city. 

The  principal  city  officers  have  been  as  follows: 

Recrrnlers.—By  virtue  of  their  office  of  judge :  William  Jessup,  May 
12th  to  December  8th,  1851;  J.  N.  Conyngham  to  December  15th,  1868; 
Henry  M.  Hoyt  (acted  as),  December,  18C7;  E.  L.  Dana,  to  September 
13th,  1870.  (Elected  for  terms  of  one  year) :  D.  N.  Lathrop,  1870;  Alfred 
Dart,  1873 ;  I.  D.  Richards,  1873,  who  died  in  office,  and  Alfred  Dart  was 
appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  elected  in  1874. 

District  Attorncjjs.—QeoTge  W.  Perkins,  1851-59;  P.  C.  Gritman,  1857-69, 
1863-65,  1880-71;  D.  N.  Lathrop,  1863-65;  I.  D.  Richards,  1885-69;  Alfred 
Dart,  1871-73;  George  H.  Squier,  1873  to  December  31st,  3875. 

Clerlis  of  the  Mayor's  C!ourt.— William  Brennan,  1851;  Bernard  McTighe, 
1834-63;  John  E.  Browne,  1863;  George  H.  Squier,  18G7;  M.  G.  Neary,  1870 
to  December  31st,  1875. 

Jfavoi-s.- James  Archbald,  1851-35;  Edward  Jifkins,  1855;  Gideon  Fro- 
thlngham,  1856;  John  M.  Poor,  1857-fll;  Canfleld  Harris,  1861;  Anthony 
Grady,  1803-65;  William  Brennan,  1803;  John  M.  Poor,  1866;  Thomas 
Voule,  1807, 1808;  J.  B.  Van  Bergen,  1867-73;  Thomas  Voule,  1873;  William 
Morrison,  1874;  John  Nealon,  1875, 1876;  Joseph  Birkett,  1877;  L.  Marshall, 
1878;  William  Brennan,  1879. 

AhUi-men.—Fivst  ward:  Lewis  Pughe,  1853,  1857;  Charles  Burr,  1859, 
1804;  J.  N.  Wilson,  1869;  John  Stuart,  1809, 1875. 

Second  Ward :  William  Root,  1834, 18.59, 1864 ;  Bartholomew  Morrison, 
1809 ;  Jesse  G.  Thompson,  1873, 1878. 

Third  Ward:  Bartholomew  Morrison,  1854 ;  John  Kelley,  1859 ;  Amzi 
Wilson,  1803  ;  Dennis  Graham,  1867;  Jules  F.  Kinback,  1873, 1877. 

Fourth  Ward:  Patrick  Farrell,  1851 ;  Amzi  Wilson,  1867;  Patrick  Boy- 
Ian,  1875. 

The  Great  Flood. 

The  great  flood,  which  occurred  on  the  night  of  July 
19th,  1850,  was  caused  by  the  breaking  of  a  dam  on 
Rackett  brook,  a  mile  above  the  village.  The  water 
swept  everything  before  it,  and  damaged  property  to  the 
extent  of  $100,000.  John  Aitkin,  jr.,  John  Hewitson, 
James  Dickson,  Lewis  Pughe,  The  Union  Foundry  and 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  were  the 
principal  sufferers  Two  sons  of  William  Davis  were 
drowned.  The  flooding  of  the  mines  caused  a  serious 
delay  in  mining,  as  the  water  was  not  pumped  out  suffi- 
ciently to  enable  work  to  be  resumed  before  November 
iSth,  1850. 

The  Water  and  Gas  Supply. 

The  Crystal  Lake  Water  Company  was  formed  in  1858, 
and  began  to  furnish  water  in  July,  1859.  The  reservoir 
is  about  a  mile  from  the  center  of  the  town,  on  Rackett 
brook.     The    main    pipes  run    down  Main    and  Church 


^^= 


4¥ 


THOMAS  R.   LATHROPE. 


There  are  many  persons  who  occupy  prominent  positions  in  society, 
who  amass  wealth  and  secure  an  honorable  name  among  their  fellows, 
and  yet  whose  lives  are  unmarked  hy  any  tmusual  features.  They 
grow  up  in  a  community,  spend  their  lives  in  the  same  locality,  and 
through  a  modest,  retiring  disposition  fail  to  attract  the  notice  of  those 
who  regard  the  sensational  in  man's  career  as  the  highest  development 
of  true  genius.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  subject  of  the  following 
sketch,  and  what  may  he  said  of  him  may  be  said  of  the  great  majority 
of  the  solid  men  of  the  country.  They  constitute  the  mass  of  enter- 
prising business  men,  endowed  with  natural  abilities  of  a  high  order, 
men  of  stability  of  character,  intelligent,  free-hearted,  generous,  and 
worthy  of  all  praise. 

Thomas  R.  Lathrope  was  bom  in  Carbondale,  September  9th,  1842. 
His  father,  Hon.  D.  N.  Lathrope,  and  his  grandfather,  Salmon  Lathrope, 
were  among  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  the  place,  the  latter  having 
been  the  first  to  bring  his  family  to  the  infant  town,  as  far  back  as 
March,  1827,  and  remaining  a  resident  until  his  death,  in  November, 
1868,  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  The  earlier  years  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  were  not  marked  by  any  peculiar  circumstances;  In- 
deed, his  whole  life  has  been  one  which  befitted  the  natural  quiet  and 
modesty  of  his  disposition.  In  youth  he  developed  a  marked  taste  for 
rural  life,  and  for  some  years  his  time  in  the  summer  was  devoted  to 
work  on  his  father's  farm  in  Scott  township,  where  his  love  for  the 
usual  farm  work  had  fuU  play.  Though  not  a  collegian,  his  education 
was  not  neglected.  He  attended  the  home  district  and  select  schools; 
spent  some  time  In  school  at  Soranton,  and  went  through  a  full  course 
at  the  institute  of  Bev.  Alonzo  Hack,  A.  M.,  at  Claverack,  N.  T.  Not 
having  a  taste  for  either  of  the  professions,  he  deoUned  to  pursue  a 
college  course.  He  had  also  the  advantage  of  a  home  education,  which 
in  a  large  degree  supplemented  that  of  the  schools,  and  which  amply 
fitted  him  for  the  business  he  intended  to  engage  in,  and  for  occupying 
a  fair  position  among  his  fellow  men.  His  ideas  of  business  were  emi- 
nently practical,  and  he  was  early  and  easily  taught  that  an  active, 
laborious  life  was  honorable,  and  hence  he  did  not  shrink  from  many 
tasks  which  young  men  are  apt  to  think  degrading.  For  a  time  he  sup- 
plied newspapers  and  periodicals  to  the  town  people,  and  in  various 
ways  made  himself  self-supporting.  In  1861  his  father  was  appointed 
postmaster  at  Carbondale,  and  he  became  a  post-ofiice  clerk,  which  oc- 
cupation he  continued  until  the  resignation  of  his  father  in  1864,  about 
which  time  Ihe  succeeded  to  the  insurance  agency  business  of  the  late 
John  Gore,  which  he  has  continued  in  a  much  enlarged  sphere  up  to 
the  present  day. 

During  the  war  of  the  EebeUionhis  patriotism  was  marked  by  his 
enlistment  in  a  company  of  "  emergency  men,"  caUed  out  by  the  gov- 
ernor of  Pennsylvania  in  1863  to  defend  the  State  from  the  invasion  of 
its  territory  by  the  rebel  hordes  under  General  Lee,  and  he  spent  several 
weeks  at  the  front  in  discharge  of  military  duty. 

Previous  to  this  time,  when  the  second  call  of  troops  was  made  to  serve 
nine  months,  and  when  he  was  about  twenty  years  of  age,  he  visited 
Harrisburg  in  company  with  several  of  the  youths  of  his  own  age  and 


younger,  determined  to  enlist  in  the  service,  but  was  rejected  because 
he  did  not  have  the  approval  of  his  parents  in  writing.  The  little  com- 
pany had  confidently  expected  to  be  accepted  and  the  refusal  was  a  great 
disappointment  to  them.  They  had  neglected  to  provide  themselves 
with  funds  to  return  home  and  were  consequently  put  to  great  straits 
to  accomplish  this  feat.  Our  hero  was  the  only  one  who  had  any  means — 
about  $10— and  it  was  determined  to  foot  it  and  take  their  chances  along 
the  tow-path  of  the  Pennsylvania  canal.  The  $10  was  laid  aside  for  pro- 
visions on  the  way,  and  the  little  party  started  on  their  journey.  They 
occasionally  caught  a  ride  on  the  empty  coal  boats,  and  thus,  weary 
and  foot-sore,  they  arrived  in  due  time  at  Pittston,  the  northern  termi- 
nus of  the  canal,  whence  by  "  Walker's  line  "  and  the  coal  cars  on  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  railroad,  they  made  their  way  home. 

In  the  conduct  of  his  business  he  has  been  systematic  and  prudent, 
though  the  accumulation  of  wealth  has  not  in  any  degree  stunted  the 
natural  generosity  of  his  disposition,  and  there  are  many  of  his  fellow 
townsmen  of  the  poorer  class  who  can  testify  to  this  fact. 

At  an  early  age  and  for  several  years  he  was  a  director  of  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Carbondale,  and  in  1872,  in  company  with  a  few  other 
capitalists,  be  aided  in  establishing  the  Miners'  and  Mechanics'  Savings 
Bank,  of  which  he  is  now  a  director  and  was  the  first  cashier. 

Under  the  teachings  of  a  devotedly  pious  mother  his  religious  impres- 
sions found  rapid  development,  and  in  early  life  he  united  with  the 
Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  is  a  member.  Tn  politics,  from  edu- 
cation and  conviction,  he  has  acted  with  the  Republican  party,  with 
the  exception  of  the  campaign  of  1873,  when  with  a  large  number  of 
other  Republicans  he  supported  Horace  Greeley.  His  great  admiration 
for  the  veteran  editor,  of  whose  journal  he  had  been  a  constant  reader 
for  many  years,  as  well  as  his  conviction  that  the  Republican  party  was 
being  controlled  by  unscrupulous  leaders,  led  him  to  take  this  course  ; 
but  he  at  no  time  abandoned  the  great  principles  of  the  party,  and  with 
this  exception  he  has  uniformly  supported  its  regularly  nominated  can- 
didates. Although  much  interested  in  political  questions  he  has  never 
been  a  seeker  of  ofBce.  In  1872  he  was  nominated  by  acclamation  in  a 
citizens'  caucus  for  school  director,  but  declined  to  run.  In  1876  at  the 
city  election  he  was  prevailed  upon  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  offloo 
of  city  auditor,  and  though  his  election  was  contested  by  an  estimable 
citizen  he  was  elected  by  a  large  majority ;  and  when,  in  1878,  at  the  for- 
mation of  Lackawanna  county,  he  was  nominated  for  recorder  of  deeds, 
it  was  entirely  the  work  of  his  friends  and  without  solicitation  on  his 
part.  At  this  election  his  popularity  was  shown  by  his  receiving  a  vote 
considerably  in  excess  of  some  others  on  the  same  ticket,  particularly  in 
his  own  town  and  vicinity.  The  opposition  was  divided  in  its  support 
of  candidates,  and  his  plurality  over  the  highest  competitor  was  over 
1,600  votes.  But  though  thus  triumphantly  elected  he  failed  to  secure 
his  office,  owing  to  a  decision  of  the  supreme  court,  which  rendered  the 
election  null  and  void.  In  the  following  year  he  was  renominated  for 
the  same  ofSee,  and  his  popularity  was  thoroughly' tested;  for,  although 
the  opposition  were  now  united  on  his  competitor,  Mr.  John  Kelley,  an 
estimable  citizen  of  the  same  town,  his  majority  was  nearly  4<X). 


<^ 


GEORGE  B.  KULR 


-«■< 


-  1 


For  the  grandeur  and  good  that  are  in 
this  republic  of  ours  not  so  much  is  due 
those  who  are  esteemed  its  "  great 
men,"  and  whose  doing  and  sayings 
enter  into  history  as  the  outcome  of 
eminencCn  as  to  the  thousands  of  con- 
stant workers  in  the  humbler  oflBcial 
stations.  These  latter,  who  have  the 
custody  of  our  schools,  the  control  and 
direction  of  our  municipalities,  and  the 
local  administration  of  the  laws  of  the 
State  and  nation,  bring  to  the  perform- 
ance of  their  severally  allotted  tasks  a 
degree  of  patience  and  industry,  and  a 
cultivated  thought  and  experience, 
without  which  the  wisest  leadership  in 
national  affairs,  the  most  beneficent  leg- 
islation, were  useless  to  promote  the 
happiness  and  prosperity  of  our  people. 
Their  work  is  done  without  pecuniary 
compensation  more  frequently  than 
otherwise,  and  generally  with  so  little 
fuss  or  publicity,  that  many  of  them, 
after  long  lives  of  usefulness,  pass  away 
"unknown,  unhonored  and  unsung," 
even  in  the  immediate  vicinities  of 
where  their  labors  were  so  modestly  per- 
formed, and  where  their  results  abide, 
the  sole  monument  to  their  self-sacri- 
ficing devotion  to  the  cause  of  liberty 
and  progress. 

In  the  army  thus  briefly  sketched, 
George  Brubaker  Kulp,  lawyer  and 
editor,  of  Wllkes-Barre,  is  a  faithful 
veteran  soldier.  He  was  born  at  Reams- 
town,  I/ancaster  county.  Pa.,  February 
11th,  1839,  and  descends,  on  the  father's 

side,  from  the  Kulps  and  Sellers,  two  of  the  oldest  famUles  in  the  south- 
eastern section  of  the  State.  The  Kulps,  as  the  name  indicates,  are  of 
German  extraction,  the  founders  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family 
having  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  as  early  as  1730.  George's  father,  Eli 
Sellers  Kulp.was  a  native  of  Kulpsville,  Montgomery  county  (the  Sellers, 
to  which  family  his  mother  belonged,  were  among  the  earliest  settlers 
of  Bucks  county.  Pa.),  and  removing  to  St.  Georges,  Delaware,  became 
one  of  the  leading  educators  of  that  State.  George  had  a  common 
school  education,  but  suffering  the  loss  of  his  father  at  an  early  age,  was 
compelled  to  seek  work  on  the  canals  and  railroads  to  earn  a  livelihood. 
While  thus  employed,  most  of  his  spare  time  was  devoted  to  study, 
and  with  such  good  effect  that  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was  found 
fitted  and  entrusted  with  the  charge  of  a  village  school.  One  year  later, 
while  yet  pursuing  the  avocation  of  a  teacher,  he  began  the  reading  of 
the  law.  In  the  year  1863  he  removed  to  Luzerne  county,  to  whose  bar 
he  was  admitted  August  80th,  1860,  having  studied  the  law  in  the  office  of 
Lyman  Hakes,  Esq.  In  October  of  that  year,  before  he  had  arrived  at 
the  age  of  twenty-two,  he  was  elected  register  of  wills  of  the  county 
for  three  years.  In  1863  he  was  re-elected  for  another  three  years  by 
over  three  thousand  majority.  The  limited  education  which  his 
exertions  had  procured  for  him  having  netted  him  so  handsomely 
thus  early  in  life,  it  was  small  wonder  that  Mr.  Kulp's  thoughts  were 
turned  to  the  common  schools  as  one  of  the  most  benign  of  our 
country's  institutions,  and  as  calling  loudly  for  the  aid  and  encourage- 
ment of  all  good  citizens.  In  1864  there  were  but  three  school-houses, 
all  one-story  buildings,  in  the  then  borough,  now  city,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
and  upon  these  there  were  but  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  scholars  in 
attendance.  In  1863  Mr.  Kulp  was  elected  a  school  director,  as  were  also 
Hon.  D.  L.  Rhone,  now  judge  of  the  Orphans'  Court  of  the  county,  and 
Rev.  George  D.  Miles,  of  the  Episcopal  church.  During  that  year,  prin- 
cipally through  the  efforts  of  these  three,  the  present  large  Washington 
school  building  was  erected.  In  1866  Governor  Henry  M.  Hoyt  and 
Attorney-General  Henry  W.  Palmer  became  members  of  the  board. 
This  twain  seconding  the  progressive  policy  of  the  aforementioned  trio, 
the  handsome  Franklin  school  building  was  soon  in  course  of  erection 
and  before  the  close  of  the  year  it  was  completed  and  ready  for 
occupancy.  The  number  of  scholars  had  now  increased  to  six  hundred 
and  seventy-six,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  Mr.  Kulp's  directorship  this 
number  had  augmented  to  seventeen  hundred  and  sixteen.  The 
Conyngham  school  was  also  built  during  Mr.  Kulp's  membership  in  the 
board,  which  covered  a  period  of  twelve  years'  continuous  service,  end- 
ing in  1876.   During  most  of  this  time  he  was  either  president  or  sec- 


-\, 


X 


^\ 


\-' 


..NWWWWN^v 


retary  of  the  board,  and  upon  his  retire- 
ment his  fellow  directors  unanimously 
passed  the  following  resolution : 

"fTTiereoa,  Our  fellow  member  George 
B.  Kulp,  the  presiding  officer  of  this 
board,  inconsequence  of  his  recent  elec- 
tion to  the  Important  and  honorable 
position  of  councilman  of  the  city  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  has  at  this  meeting  of 
the  school  board  resigned  as  a  member 
thereof ;  therefore,  be  it— 

"Besolved,  By  the  school  board  of  the 
city  of  Wilkes-Barre,  that  we,  his  col- 
leagues, desire  thus  publicly  to  testify 
our  regret  at  his  retirement  from  this 
body,  and  our  admiration  of  the  indus- 
try, integrity  and  ability  with  which  he  . 
has  discharged,  for  the  past  twelve  con- 
secutive years,  the  duties  of  a  member 
of  the  school  board  of  this  city." 

On  January  29th,  1867,  Mr.  Kulp  was 
lolntedby  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
■  assistant  assessor  of  internal  rev- 
le  for  the  Twelfth  Congressional  dis- 
!t.  On  June  11th  of  the  same  year  he 
1  appointed  specially  by  the  commis- 
ler  of  internal  revenue  to  make 
assessments  for  all  taxes  imposed  on 
legacies  and  distributive  shares  of  per^ 
sonal  property  and  succession  to  real 
estate  in  Luzerne  county.  These  two 
offices  he  held  until  June,  1869.  He  was 
attorney  for  the  county,  with  but  one 
year's  intermission,  from  November 
13th,  1874,  to  January,  1879.  In  1876  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  city  coun- 
cil and  was  re-elected  in  1879.  He  is 
still  a  member  of  that  body  and  one  of 
the  most  attentive  and  active  in  it.  In 
January,  1872,  he  established  the  Jjuzeme 
Legal  Register^  of  which  publication  he 
is  still  the  editor  and  proprietor.  In  February,  1877,  in  connection  with 
Joseph  K.  Bogert,  he  established  the  Leader^  a  weekly  Democratic  news- 
paper, which,  in  January,  1879,  absorbed  the  lAuzemt  Union,  then  the  only 
other  Democratic  paper  (English)  in  the  county,  and  became  the  Union- 
Leader.  InOctober,of  the  latteryear,adaily  edition  of  the  Unionr-Leader 
was  established  by  the  firm,  from  which  Mr.  Kulp  retired  in  April,  1880, 
his  interest  having  been  purchased  by  Mr.  Bogert. 

In  addition  to  the  editorial  labors  thus  recorded,  Mr.  Kulp  has  com- 
piled and  published  two  legal  worksof  great  local  value,  being  the  Rules 
of  the  Courts,  of  which  a  second  edition  has  been  emitted,  and  an  index 
to  and  digest  of  the  corporations  and  local  laws  of  Luzerne  county.  Mr. 
Kulp  is  a  man  of  very  pronounced  political  convictions,  and  has  fre- 
quently been  a  delegate  to  Democratic  city,  county  and  State  conven- 
tions. That  he  is  a  lawyer  of  no  mean  merit,  the  positions  he  has  held, 
and  the  legal  publications  he  has  issued,  amply  attest.  That  he  is  one  of 
his  adopted  city's  most  useful  and  enterprising  citizens,  has  its  proof  in 
the  record  of  his  services  in  the  school  board  and  in  the  city  council, 
much  of  the  legislation  of  which  latter  body  has  been  the  creation  of 
his  genius  and  perseverance;  though  it  is,  perhaps,  in  obstructing  and 
preventing  the  passage  of  mischievous  ordinances,  to  the  preparation 
and  possibilities  of  which  insufiaoient  or  purblind  thought  had  been  paid, 
that  his  services  have  been  most  valuable  to  the  city.  In  this  way  he 
has  saved  the  citizens  many  thousands  of  dollars  in  taxes,  and  the  cor- 
poration many  possibly  costly  law  suits.  In  the  care  of  the  interests  of 
the  poor  he  has  been  especially  zealous;  and  while  his  blunt  and  straight- 
forward manners,  his  conternpt  for  that  nice  diplomacy  which  charac- 
terizes the  conduct  of  many  public  men,  sometimes  awakens  against 
him  considerable  antagonism,  time  and  reflection  are  always  certain  to 
set  him  right  In  the  eyes  of  the  people,  as  his  frequent  re-election  to  the 
school  board  and  the  council  in  a  ward  politically  opposed  to  him  by  a 
large  majority  conclusively  proves.  His  success  is  the  result  of  earnest 
purpose ;  determination  which  never  flags ;  exactness  and  promptness 
in  the  transaction  of  business ;  a  deep  sympathy  with  others'  wants ;  a 
sacred  regard  for  his  word,  and  a  faithful  discharge  of  all  obligations, 
with  a  settled  purpose  of  right  which  knows  no  such  word  as  fail.  On 
October  4th,  1864,  Mr.  Kulp  married  Mary  E.  Stewart,  daughter  of  John 
Stewart,  Esq.,  of  Scranton.  Mr.  Stewart  is  the  great-grandson  of  Robert 
Stewart,  first  Marquis  of  Londonderry  (father  of  Lord  Castlereagh).  On 
the  mother's  side,  Mrs.  Kulp  is  the  great-granddaughter  of  Sergeant 
Thomas  Williams,  a  conspicuous  character  in  the  early  and  exciting 
history  of  the  Wyoming  valley.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kulp  have  a  family  of 
three  children — two  sons  and  one  daughter. 


4- 


i 


COAL  MINES  AT  CARBONDALE— NEALON'S  OPERA  HOUSE. 


447 


streets.  Hydrants  are  established  where  the  pipes  run, 
and,  having  a  fall  of  250  feet  from  the  reservoir,  water  can 
be  thrown  over  any  building  within  reach  of  hose.  L. 
Egerton  is  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  has  general  charge 
of  the  affairs  of  the  company. 

The  Carbondale  Gas  Company  was  chartered  in  1859. 
R.  Manville  was  president,  and  L.  Egerton  secretary  and 
treasurer.  The  officers  remain  the  same.  The  works  are 
on  Gas  House  lane,  below  Eighth  street  and  west  of  the 
river.  John  Moon  has  charge  of  them.  Gas  is  made  en- 
tirely from  coal.  Pipes  are  laid  through  Main  and  Church 
streets. 

Nealon's  Opera  House. 

John  Nealon  erected  a  frame  store  on  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Eighth  streets  in  1863,  with  a  hall  in  the  second 
story.  This  was  burned  in  March,  1867.  In  1868  he 
built  the  present  fine  brick  building.  The  lower  floor  is 
occupied  by  two  stores.  The  hall  is  95  by  46  feet,  with 
a  height  of  28,  taking  up  the  second  and  third  stories  of 
the  building.     There  are  seats  for  800  people. 

COAL   OPERATIONS. 

DELAWARE    AND    HUDSON  CANAL    COMPANY. 

We  have  already  given  the  history  of  this  company's 
lines  of  transportation,  and  need  only  speak  here  of  its 
operations  at  Carbondale. 

The  first  car  load  of  coal  was  shipped  on  October  9th, 
1829.  The  first  coal  was  mined  at  the  foot  of  Damon's 
plane  from  the  bed  of  the  river,  by  diverting  the  river 
from  its  channel  and  running  a  level  into  the  hill.  The 
coal  was  run  out  on  a  wheelbarrow.  This  was  called 
Inghram's  level.  In  1829  a  tunnel  was  driven  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river  at  old  No.  i  drift.  This 
drift  was  worked  till  1857.  No.  2  drift,  west  of  No.  1, 
was  opened  in  1830.  January  12th,  1846,  the  roof  of 
this  mine  fell  in  over  a  space  of  half  a  mile  long  and 
forty  rods  wide.  About  sixty  men  were  shut  in,  of  whom 
all  but  fourteen  succeeded  in  effecting  their  escape.  The 
bodies  of  five  were  never  recovered.  No.  3,  on  the 
"  High  road  "  drift,  was  opened  about  the  same  time. 
This  was  a  slope  and  was  pumped  by  water  power  up  to 
1838. 

The  "  New  mine,"  at  the  foot  of  Davis's  back  plane, 
was  opened  in  1835  and  worked  until  1856.  No.  i  shaft, 
which  was  the  first  shaft  put  down  here,  was  sunk  in 
1843.  This  was  used  for  pumping  water.  The  first  rock 
slope  in  the  Lackawanna  valley  was  started  at  high  water 
mark  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  descended  to  the  coil 
at  a  pitch  of  nine  and  one-half  degrees.  Six  hundred 
tons  per  day  are  now  hauled  up  this  slope,  besides  pump- 
ing the  water  from  the  mine  by  water  power.  The  top 
vein  is  worked  out  here  and  the  bottom  is  being  worked. 
The  two  are  separated  by  eighteen  inches  of  bony  coal. 

Fall  Brook  levels  i,  2  and  3  were  opened  in  1846  and 
abandoned  about  1857.  The  coal  from  these  levels  is 
worked  from  the  "  White  Bridge  "  tunnel  and  hoisted  at 
No.  I  plane.     The  "White  Bridge  "  was  begun  in  1865. 


No.  2  shaft,  near  the  line  of  Fell  township,  on  Coal 
creek,  was  started  in  1853  and  abandoned  in  1861.  No. 
3  or  "  Lookout  "  shaft  was  started  at  the  same  time  in 
the  third  ward  of  the  city.  The  engine  house  of  this 
shaft  burned  May  20th,  1874,  but  was  rebuilt  the  same 
year.  Here  are  two  Cornish  bull  pum[)s,  lifting  2,700 
gallons  per  minute  a  height  of  74  feet.  Steam  was  first 
used  at  shafts  2  and  3. 

The  Powderly  tunnel,  which  was  started  in  1855,  has 
been  full  of  water  more  than  five  years,  having  filled  dur- 
ing a  miners'  strike.  The  Powderly  mine,  in  the  south 
district  of  Carbondale  township,  was  begun  in  1845.  It 
has  three  drifts,  but  never  did  much.  Coal  Brook  rock 
tunnel,  800  feet  long,  was  started  at  the  mouth  of  No.  2 
shaft,  and  is  now  working.  Lackawanna  tunnel  was 
started  in  1864  near  Coal  Brook  breaker,  and  driven 
north  to  the  bottom  vein.  Forrest  tunnel,  fifty  feet 
higher,  driven  to  the  top  vein,  was  begun  in  1867  and 
abandoned  in  1871.  Valley  tunnel,  east  of  the  others 
and  working  the  bottom  vein,  was  driven  in  1868,  and  is 
now  working.  "Breaker"  slope  was  driven  in  1869,  to 
the  bottom  vein,  and  has  been  idle  since  1876.  Mill 
Ridge  slope,  to  the  top  vein,  driven  the  same  year,  is 
now  being  worked,  as  is  also  the  "  Midland,''  driven  in 
1873.  The  company  has  no  breaker  in  Carbondale,  and 
separates  the  coal  into  lump,  steamer  and  "breaker" 
coal.  The  last  is  taken  to  a  breaker  at  Rackett  brook, 
where  it  is  prepared.  This  breaker  was  built  in  1856,  and 
rebuilt  in  1868. 

Coal  Brook  breaker,  just  above  the  depots  of  the  rail- 
roads in  the  city,  was  erected  in  1867,  and  is  the  largest 
in  the  United  States.  It  has  a  capacity  of  r,4oo  tons  per 
day.  It  has  no  rolls,  and  the  coal  is  separated  by  screens, 
the  finer  coal  going  to  the  Rackett  Brook  breaker. 

About  1,200  men  and  boys  are  employed  by  the  com- 
pany at  its  mines  here.  A.  H.  Vandling  is  superinten- 
dent of  coal;  A.  G.  Nicol,  general  mine  boss;  William 
Bowers,  outside  foreman;  John  Campbell,  mine  boss  at 
No.  i;  John  Hughes,  mine  boss  at  No.  3;  William  Mc- 
Myne,  mine  boss  at  Coal  Brook.  About  1,600  tons  per 
day  are  mined,  while  the  mines  have  a  capacity  of  2,500 
tons. 

BELMONT     MINE. 

This  mine,  near  Belmont  avenue,  was  opened  in  1862 
by  Joseph  Birkett,  the  owner,  who  operated  it  ten  years 
and  then  leased  to  Thomas  Brennan,  Holborn  &  Kelley. 
In  1879  Mr.  Birkett  sold  to  Watt  &  Co.,  and  they  leased 
to  Watkins  &  Williams,  who  now  operate  the  mine.  This 
mine  produces  a  superior  quality  of  coal,  which  is  used 
mostly  for  home  consumption,  though  some  is  shipped, 
being  hauled  to  the  railroad  by  wagon.  There  is  one  en- 
gine, of  50  horse  power.  The  mine  is  worked  to  its  full 
capacity,  50  tons  per  day. 

E.    E.    HENDRICK's   MINE. 

E.  E.  Hendrick  has  opened  a  mine  on  his  land  on  the 
line  of  the  return  or  light  track  of  the  gravity  road,  in 
the  city  of  Carbondale. 


<^ 


*^^= 


4U 


448 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


RELIGIOUS    BODIES. 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 

During  the  autumn  of  1828  a  few  Methodists,  among 
whom  were  Jesse  Gardner,  James  Birdsall,  Wanton  Hill, 
Stephen  Marsh,  Jesse  Clark,  Addison  Clark,  H.  B.  Jad- 
win'and  John  Lee,  began  to  hold  meetings  at  the  house 
of  the  latter,  which  stood  where  Nealon's  building  now 
stands.  Father  Griffin,  a  local  preacher  from  Canaan, 
was  the  pioneer  preacher. 

In  the  autumn  of  1830  Rev.  Alanson  Reed  was  ap- 
pointed to  this  charge,  and  he  organized  the  Carbondale 
M.  E.  Church.  Some  of  the  first  members  were  John  Lee 
and  wife,  Jesse  Gardner  and  wife,  James  Birdsall  and 
wife.  Wanton  Hill  and  wife,  Stephen  Marsh  and  wife, 
Jesse  Clark  and  Addison  Clark. 

The  first  church  building  was  erected  in  1832.  John 
McKune  was  the  builder,  and  it  stood  in  front  of  the 
present  site. 

October  i6th,  1839,  the  first  trustees  were  elected,  viz.: 
Jesse  Gardner,  for  one  year;  James  Birdsall  and  Wanton 
Hill,  two  years;  Silas  Burrows  and  Judson  Clark,  three 
years. 

The  present  church  building  was  dedicated  in  May, 
1850,  by  Rev.  Nathan  Bangs,  D.  D.  It  is  a  heavy  framed 
building,  45  by  75  feet.  The  audience  room  will  seat 
450.  The  basement  is  above  ground,  and  contains  large 
Sunday-school  and  class  rooms.  It  stands  on  Church 
street,  between  the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  churches, 
surrounded  with  a  beautiful  lawn  and  shaded  with  large 
and  handsome  maples.  The  first  parsonage  was  built  in 
1843,  and  stood  near  where  the  new  one  stands.  It  was 
burned  in  1878,  and  the  same  year  the  present  large,  com- 
fortable and  convenient  parsonage  was  erected,  at  a  cost 
of  about  $2,000. 

The  following  are  the  names  of    the   different   pastors 

and  the  time  of  their  appointment: 

Alanson  Eeed,  1831; Cushman,  1833;  Hiram  Shepherd,  183i ;  A.  J. 

Crandall,  1830;  F.  H.  Stanton,  1888;  Asal  Bronson,  1840;  William  Eeddy, 
1841;  J.  B.  Benham,  1843;  H.  E.  Luther,  1845;  Bichard  Cook,  1846;  B.  W. 
Gorham,  1848;  H.E.Clark,  1851;  William  Wyatt,  1852;  Henry  Brown- 
scombe,  1864;  T.  D.  Walker,  1855;  Abel  Barker,  1866;  S.  H.  Blakslee,  1858 ; 
D.  A.  Shepherd,  1859;  J.  M.  Snyder,  1881;  G.  M.  Peck,  1862;  Ira  T.  Walker, 
1864;  J.  O.  Woodruff,  1867;  Y.  0.  Smith,  D.  D.,  1870;  J.  L.Wells,  3  months, 
1872;  Austin  Griffin,  1872;  D.  D.  Lindsley,  1875;  J.  C.  Shetland,  1876;  Sam- 
uel Moore,  1878. 

The  official  directory  of  the  church  in  May,  1879,  was 
as  follows:  Rev.  Samuel  Moore,  pastor,  salary  1,000; 
Rev.  H.  P.  Hathaway,  local  preacher;  Pierce  Butler  and 
John  B.  Chisholm,  exhorters;  Joseph  M.  Alexander, 
superintendent  of  Sunday-school;  John  Ferrell,  William 
K.  Allen,  Pierce  Butler,  William  Blake,  W.  E.  Kirby  and 
Rev.  S.  Moore,  class  leaders;  Pierce  Butler,  district 
steward;  C.  Churchill,  recording  steward;  A.  L.  Hunt 
G.  W.  Reynolds,  D.  C.  Benscoter,  William  K.  Allen, 
George  M.  Rowley,  Thomas  Evans  and  Alfred  Pascoe, 
stewards;  Henry  Johnson,  president;  Alfred  Pascoe, 
secretary;  Daniel  Taylor,  Stephen  S.  Clark,  G.  W.  Rey- 
nolds, Daniel  Scurry,  Joseph  Isgar,  Henry  B.  Jadwin, 
and  John  Watt,  trustees.  Membership  250.  The  Sun- 
day-school was  organized   before  1840.     Among   the  su- 


perintendents were  Daniel  Taylor,  Abram  Snyder,  Lewis 
Pughe,  Rev.  Ira  T.  Walker,  N.  P.  Cramer,  Pierce  Butler, 
Henry  B.  Jadwin  and  Joseph  M.  Alexander.  There 
were  in  May,  1879,  twenty-nine  officers  and  teachers,  and 
275  scholars. 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

June  27th,  1829,  Rev.  Joel  Campbell,  from  the  Presby- 
tery of  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  reached  here  and  proceeded  to 
organize  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Carbondale.  Rev. 
Lyman  Richardson,  of  Hartford,  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Susquehanna,  assisted.  The  following  named  persons 
presented  their  letters  from  other  churches  and  we  read- 
mitted as  members  of  this  new  church:  Sylvanus  Jessup, 
Margaret  Jessup,  his  wife;  Eliza  Townsend,  Dr.  Thomas 
Sweet,  Samuel  Hodgdon,  Ann  Hodgdon,  his  wife;  Gilbert 
M.  Lee,  Chapman  Halsey.  Sylvanus  Jessup  and  Samuel 
Hodgdon  were  made  ruling  elders. 

On  the  ■  following  day,  Sunday,  June  28th,  the  session 
was  organized  and  held  its  first  meeting.  It  consisted  of 
Rev.  Joel  Campbell,  as  moderator,  and  Elders  S.  Jessup 
and  S.  Hodgdon.  Mrs.  Charlotte  Sweet  and  Mrs.  Sophia 
Marvine  met  with  the  session  and  were  received  to  mem- 
bership. September  6th,  1829,  at  another  meetir^g  of 
the  session,  the  following  persons  were  received  on  profes- 
sion: Mr,  Amaziah  Hall,  Roswell  E.  Marvine,  Richard 
C.  Overton,  Mrs.  Margaret  Hudson,  Miss  Sarah  Jessup, 
Miss  Susan  E.  Jessup,  Mr.  Samuel  S.  Jessup,  Miss  Har- 
riet Townsend,  Miss  Phoebe  Harris,  Mrs.  Betsy  Hall^ 
Miss  Mary  Jessup;  also  by  letter,  Mrs.  Jane  Overton  and 
Braton  Richardson. 

Meetings  were  held  in  the  school-house,  which  stood 
near  the  site  of  the  present  church,  and  had  been  built 
of  large  size,  that  it  might  be  used  for  all  public  purposes. 
The  first  minister  was  Rev.  John  Noble,  as  stated  supply. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  following  ministers:  T.  L. 
Conklin,  1833;  M.  Fuller,  1835;  John  R.  Mosier,  1835, 
as  stated  supply;  R.  E.  Taylor,  1840;  Edward  Allen, 
1842;  E.  D.  Willis,  1847;  T.  S.  Ward,  1851;  Oliver 
Crane,  1864;  E.  D.  Bryan,  the  present  pastor,  1870. 

The  deacons  have  been:  Peter  J.  Dubois,  1851; 
Jeremiah  P.  Foster,  1851;  Samuel  E.  Raynor,  1854;  Mer- 
ritt  Wilson,  1856.  The  elders  have  been:  Sylvanus  Jes- 
sup and  Samuel  Hodgdon,  1829;  Gilbert  M.  I-ee,  1830; 
James  Warner,  1831;  Roswell  E.  Marvine  and  Lewis  C. 
Ensign,  1832;  William  Root  and  Henry  Van  Bergen, 
1834;  Charles  T.  Pierson  and  E.  A.  Webb,  1840;  George 
Foster,  Benjamin  Sherwood  and  William  Wurts,  1849; 
Charles  A.  Robinson,  1851;  Dilton  Yarrington,  1854; 
Rensselaer  Ottman  and  Samuel  E.  Raynor,  1865;  James 
Douglas,  James  Dickson  and  Charles  E.  Lathrop,  1869. 
On  the  site  of  the  school-house  a  substantial  wooden 
church  building  was  erected  in  1834,  by  Henry  Johnson, 
builder.  The  church  was  incorporated  February  17th, 
1836,  under  the  name  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Carbondale.  A  bell  was  procured  during  this  year. 
In  1840  and  1841  an  addition  was  put  on  the  church, 
but  in  June,  i860,  the  old  church  had  to  be  removed  to 
make  way  for  a  new  building.     The   corner  stone  of   the 


=-^H 


^h 


EPISCOPAL  AND  BAPTIST  CHURCHES  OF  CARBONDALE. 


449 


present  brick  structure  was  laid  by  Rev.  T.  S.  Ward,  the 
pastor,  September  yth,  1863. 

The  church  was  dedicated  August  31st,  1863,  the  au- 
dience room  being  completed.  The  dedication  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Sylvester  Cook,  of  Wantage,  N.  J., 
followed  by  a  sermon  in  the  evening  by  Rev.  Dr.  Hickok, 
of  Scranton.  Soon  after  this  work  was  resumed  on  the 
lecture  and  Sabbath  school-room, which  was  far  too  small. 
The  rear  wall  was  taken  down  and  the  foundation  extend- 
ed to  nearly  double  its  first  dimensions.  March  17th, 1866, 
this  part  was  completed  and  ready  to  occupy.  The  first 
meeting  was  held  in  it  March  21st.  On  the  following 
Sabbath,  March  2Sth,  the  first  session  of  the  Sabbath- 
school  was  held  in  the  new  room,  when  the  different  de- 
partments of  the  school  were  organized. 

TRINITY    (episcopal)    CHURCH. 

A  congregation  of  Episcopalians  was  first  organized  in 
Carbondale  during  the  summer  of  1832,  by  the  Rev. 
James  H.  Tyng,  a  missionary.  About  this  time  a  vestry 
was  formed,  consisting  of  Messrs.  John  H.  McAlpine, 
David  P.  Mapes,  Thomas  Meredith,  David  B.  Blanchard, 
William  Cocks,  Stephen  Rogers,  Samuel  Albro  and  Daniel 
N.  Bacon.  The  vestry  procured  a  charter  February  26th, 
1833.  The  Rev.  Samuel  Marks  was  in  charge  of  the 
parish  from  1834  until  August,  1836. 

Early  in  1828  he  united  in  matrimony  Asa  Packer 
(then  a  poor  working  man)  and  a  Miss  Blakesly.  Fifty 
years  later  he  came  from  Ohio,  where  he  had  long  been 
living,  to  attend  the  golden  wedding  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Packer,  at  Mauch  Chunk,  and  in  the  following  year  he 
came  once  more,  to  officiate  at  the  funeral  of  his  early 
friend. 

On  the  gth  of  May,  1839,  Rev.  John  Linn  McKim  be- 
came the  rector,  and  on  the  23d  of  July  following  the 
first  Episcopal  visitation  was  made,  by  Bishop  Onder- 
donk.  At  that  time  the  following  persons  were  confirmed: 
Joseph  Benjamin,  Mrs.  Francis  Farnham,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Brown,  Mrs.  Miller,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Cunningham,  Miss  Mar- 
garet Miller,  Miss  Jane  Miller,  Miss  Elizabeth  Meredith, 
Miss  Mary  L.  Seely  and  Miss  Catharine  Jane   Faulkner. 

The  first  service  was  held  in  the  present  church  build- 
ing July  17th,  1842.  On  the  14th  of  the  following  De- 
cember the  church  was  consecrated. 

Mr.  McKim  concluded  his  ministry  here  in  August, 
1843,  and  was  immediately  followed  by  the  Rev.  Samuel 
P.  Nash.  In  May,  1845,  the  parish  was  for  the  first  time 
represented  at  the  annual  convention  of  the  church,  held 
in  Philadelphia.  Rev.  John  Reynolds  was  rector  from 
November,  1845,  to  January  24th,  1849,  when  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Randall  took  temporary  charge.  From  the  following 
July  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Stone  was  rector  until  1853.  In 
February,  1850,  the  first  session  of  the  northeastern  con- 
vocation was  held  in  Trinity  church.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Beatty  took  charge  of  the  parish  in  October,  1853,  and 
Rev.  Thomas  Drumm  in  March,  1857.  August  21st,  1857, 
a  bell  weighing  609  pounds  and  costing  $562  was  hung 
in  the  tower  of  Trinity  church,  and  an  organ  costing  $260 
was  placed  in  the  gallery  instead  of  the  old  worn  out  or- 


gan formerly  used.  Late  in  1859  an  addition  of  fifteen 
feet  was  made  to  the  length  of  the  church  (divided  into 
choir  apartment,  chancel  and  vestry  room),  and  the  whole 
building  was  raised  six  feet. 

Mr.  Drumm  was  succeeded  in  the  fall  of  i860  by  Rev. 
Benjamin  Abbott,  who  served  about  four  years,  including 
the  prevalence  of  the  "  black  fever;  "  when,  besides  ad- 
ministering spiritual  consolation  to  the  sick  and  dying,  he 
officiated  at  81  funerals. 

During  the  next  decade  Revs.  J.  M.  Harding,  Edward 
De  Zing,  M.  L.  Kern  and  R.  B.  Peet  were  the  ministers, 
the  latter  four  years.  Rev.  T.  A.  Stevenson  became  rector 
of  the  parish  in  the  fall  of  1875,  and  was  followed  two 
years  later  by  the  Rev.  J.  A.  D.  Hughes. 

The  present  rector,  Rev.  Charles  E.  Betticher,  entered 
upon  his  duties  December  loth,  1878.  The  parish  is  in 
a  prosperous  condition.  It  is  entirely  free  from  debt 
and  nearly  every  pew  is  rented.  There  is  a  flourishing 
Sunday-school,  under  T.  Griffin  Smith;  an  interesting 
adult  Bible  class,  taught  by  Mrs.  R.  Manville,  and  a  very 
successful  infant  school,  numbering  about  130  scholars, 
taught  by  Miss  Mary  Burr.  The  Sunday-school  num- 
bers about  250  scholars  and  teachers. 

A  great  de^l  of  attention  has  been  paid  to  church 
music.  There  is  a  volunteer  choir,  composed  of  forty 
boys  and  girls  and  young  men.  Miss  Annie  Kenworthy 
is  the  organist.  The  vestry  consists  of  Dr.  Charles  Burr, 
senior  warden;  E.  C.  Harnden,  junior  warden;  R.  Man- 
ville, Thomas  Orchard,  William  Bowers,  A.  O.  Hanford, 
A.  B.  Durfee  and  T.  Griffin  Smith,  treasurer. 

first  baptist  church  (welsh). 

In  the  summer  of  1830  twenty  Welsh  families  came  to 
Carbondale  to  work  in  the  new  coal  mines.  Among  them 
were  four  regular  Baptists,  John  and  James  Brown  and 
their  wives.  John  was  a  deacon  in  the  church  whence 
he  came,  while  James  was  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  faith. 
Prayer  and  preaching  meetings  were  soon  commenced  at 
the  house  of  Deacon  Bowen,  on  the  site  of  the  store  of 
Patrick  Moffitt,  jr.  For  a  time  the  congregation  consisted 
of  only  a  few  Welsh  families.  These  subsequently 
united  with  the  Greenfield  church,  but  in  the  spring  of 
1833  took  letters  of  dismission  and  organized  the  "First 
Baptist  Church  of  Carbondale,"  with  43  constituent 
members,  and  subsequently  built  a  house  of  worship,  now 
standing  on  South  Church  street.  The  present  value  of 
the  church  property  is  $5,000.  The  membership  is  120. 
William  Davies  is  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school. 

WELSH    CALVINISTIC    METHODIST    CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  as  early  as  1832  or  1833^ 
The  original  leaders  in  Carbondale  were  Evan  Price, 
John  Evans,  Daniel  Moses  and  Daniel  Scurry.  For  some 
time  before  building  the  church,  meetings  were  held 
every  Sabbath,  alternately  at  the  houses  of  the  members. 
The  first  minister  was  Rev.  John  Davis,  and  the  first  reg- 
ular preacher  was  Rev.  John  Griffiths.  This  organiza- 
tion has  never  been  able  to  sustain  a  minister,  but  has 
had  preaching  nearly  every  Sabbath   by  ministers   from 


=-^  = 


*^^= 


■f 


450 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


other  places.     The  present  number  of  communicants   is 
35.     The  church  property  is  valued  at  $3,000. 

A  Sunday-school  has  been  held  in  the  church  nearly 
every  Sunday.  The  present  number  of  scholars  is  40. 
Rt-.ese  Williams  is  the  superintendent. 

WELSH    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH. 

This  organization  was  effected  about  T835,  by  a  few 
Welsh  families.  They  have  a  commodious  church 
edifice  on  South  Church  street,  valued  at  about  $4,000. 
Rev.  L.  Williams  is  the  pastor. 

BEREAN     BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

The  Berean  (English)  Baptist  Church  was  organized 
March  ist,  1848.  The  constituent  members  were  Rev. 
W.  E.  Bopen,  John  B.  Lewis,  George  R.  Haskins,  Mary 
Bowen,  Sarah  Glover,  Louisa  L.  Berry  and  Mary  J. 
Cramer.  March  13th  Rev.  Mr.  Bowen  was  called  to 
the  pastorate,  which  he  held  about  six  months.  On  the 
29th  Mr.  Enoch  Jones  was  elected  deacon.  Seventeen 
members  were  added  during  Mr.  Bowen's  ministry.  From 
February,  1849,  Rev.  A.  Curtis  was  pastor  till  January, 
185 1.  In  August,  1849,  Homer  Grennell  was  chosen 
deacon.  A  meeting  house  was  bought  of  the  Methodist 
society  in  1850,  moved  to  the  site  of  the  present  church 
on  Church  street,  and  after  repairing  and  remodeling  was 
opened  for  worship.  Rev.  Charles  Griffin  was  ordained 
pastor  May  22nd,  1851,  and  remained  through  the  year. 
March  20th  Francis  Perkins  and  A.  O.  Hanford  were 
elected  deacons.  Rev.  F.  Glanville  was  pastor  from  Oc- 
tober, 1S52,  to  March,  1853.  The  church  grew  in  strength 
and  numbers  under  each  of  these  pastors.  Rev.  E.  L. 
Bailey  commenced  a  ten  years'  pastorate  January  12th, 
1854,  having  also  preached  since  the  preceding  May 
On  the  29th  of  November,  1850,  the  present  church  was 
dedicated.  It  is  constructed  of  wood,  in  the  Doric  style 
of  architecture,  and  cost  between  $6,000  and  $7,000. 
One  hundred  and  thirteen  members  were  added  to  the 
church  during  Mr.  Bailey's  ministry.  Rev.  T.  B.  Tombes, 
from  Philadelphia,  was  pastor  from  July  26th,  1866,  to 
November  2nd,  1868.  February  ist,  1869,  Rev.  E.  L. 
Bailey  accepted  a  call  to  return  to  the  pastorate.  March 
15th  the  ladies  of  the  church  bought  a  house  on  Hendrick 
avenue  for  a  parsonage.  On  the  morning  of  Sunday,  May 
5th,  1869,  Mr.  Bailey,  while  conducting  morning  services, 
became  sick,  with  severe  pain,  and  was  carried  from  the 
pulpit  to  his  house.  He  died  on  the  Saturday  following, 
in  the  46th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a  faithful  minister, 
and  very  highly  esteemed. 

Rev.  J.  J.  Owen  became  pastor  October  7th,  1869. 
"June  12th,  187 1,  E.  W.  Peck  was  elected  a  deacon.  Jan- 
uary i2th,  1873,  Mr.  Owen,  while  preaching,  became 
paralyzed,  and  was  carried  home.  He  died  in  the  even- 
ing of  that  day;  he  also  was  a  minister  of  sterling  worth 
and  in  the  prime  of  life,  being  about  fifty-five  years  of 
age. 

Rev.  J.  E.  Zants  was  pastor  from  March  27th,  1873, 
to  May,  1874;  Rev.  H.  B.  Grow  from  November  and, 
1874,  to  March  6th,  1876.       The  present  pastor,  Rev.  C. 


Wilson  Smith,  commenced  his  ministry  here  August  7th, 
1876.     The  membership  of  the  church  is  now  189. 

The  first  Sunday-school  record  is  in  1855.  The  school 
was  then  in  a  flourishing  condition,  with  about  100 
scholars.  It  has  now  28  officers  and  teachers  and  216 
scholars. 

ASSOCIATIONS  AND  LODGES. 

TEMPERANCE    ORGANIZATIONS. 

There  has  been  some  organization  of  the  temperance 
people  of  Carbondale  since  1833.  The  Cai-bondale  Tem- 
perance Society  was  directed  to  meet  at  the  school-house 
January  24th,  1833,  by  R.  Marvine,  secretary.  Notices 
of  the  meeting  of  this  and  kindred  societies  are  found  in 
the  papers  continuously  from  that  date  until  within  a  few 
years. 

Sons  of  Temperance. — The  first  secret  temperance  so- 
ciety was  Beacon  Light  Division  of  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance, organized  in  1843  and  continued  till  1846.  It 
was  reorganized  in  December,  1865,  and  disbanded  again 
in  August,  1867.  Beacon  Light  Lodge  of  Good  Tem- 
plars was  organized  in  May,  1868,  and  continued  in  ex- 
istence upto  1874. 

A  Band  of  Hope  was  organized  by  S.  E.  Raynor  and 
others  March  23d,  1861,  which  now  numbers  over  three 
hundred  and  fifty  members  and  meets  every  second  Sat- 
urday afternoon  in  Raynor's  Hall.  It  has  had  the  names 
of  over  one  thousand  children  on  its  roll. 

Beacon  Light  Lodge,  No.  557,  I.  O.  of  G.  T.  was  or- 
ganized on  the  ruins  of  the  old  lodge  in  April,  1877.  The 
first  officers  were:  Willis  Barger,  W.  C;  Hattie  Secor, 
V.  T.;  M.  D.  Wingate,  C.  S.;  Mariette  Jones,  F.  S.; 
Robert  Van  Bergen,  treasurer;  lodge  deputy,  William 
Nicol. 

The  present  officers  are:  James  M.  Nicol,  W.  C;  Hat- 
tie  Secor,  V.  T.;  Thomas  Levison,  R.  C;  William  F. 
Blair,  W.;  William  Small,  treasurer;  A.  Wylie,  L.  D.; 
William  Nicol,  P.  W.  C.  T.  The  lodge  has  a  member- 
ship of  about  100. 

CARBONDALE    LYCEUM. 

The  Carbondale  Lyceum  met  during  the  winter  of 
1832  and  1833.  April  25th,  1836,  a  committee  of  five 
was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution.  A  lyceum  was 
then  permanently  established,  and  met  weekly  at  the 
school-house.  This  has  continued,  under  different  names, 
to  the  present  time. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Cambrian  Lodge.— The  first  lodge  of  any  kind  organ- 
ized in  Carbondale  was  Cambrian  Lodge,  No.  58,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  which  was  instituted  April  20th,  1838,  with  David 
Thomas,  Noah  Davis,  Thomas  Phillips,  Evan  Evans  and 
Ebenezer  Williams  as  charter  members.  The  lodge  was 
reduced  to  12  members  in  1857.  Since  then  there  has 
been  a  steady  increase  of  membership,  and  there  were  in 
November,  1879,  163  names  on  the  roll.  During  the  time 
when  the  lodge  was  so  reduced,  the  members  paid  double 


^H= 


=-i)* 


f 


4i 


SECRET  SOCIETIES  OF  CARBONDALE. 


4SI 


dues  to  keep  it  running.  A  hall  was  erected  at  the 
corner  of  Church  and  Seventh  streets,  by  the  members 
taking  stock.  This  was  dedicated  July  4th,  1847.  This 
lodge  has  bought  up  all  the  stock  and  now  owns  the  hall. 

The  present  officers  are:  Thomas  Jenkins,  N.  G.; 
Lewis  Rehkop,  V.  G.;  John  R.  Price,  secretary;  Alexan- 
der VVylie,  assistant  secretary;  Henry  Watts,  treasurer; 
trustees,  George  H.  McMinn,  L.  A.  Diets  and  Alvia 
Dolph;  Robert  Holland,  O.  G.;  William  Nicol,  I.  G.;  L. 
N.  Bailey,  conductor;  William  B.  Lane,  R.  S.  S.;  Joseph 
Jenkins,  L.  S.  S.;  John  Moon,  warden;  George  Simrel,  R. 
S.  V.  G.;  and  Harry  Tuttle,  L.  S.  V.  G. 

0/ize  Leaf  Lodge,  No.  156,  was  instituted  May  sth, 
1846.  The  first  officers  and  charter  members  were:  J. 
B.  Smith,  N.  G.;  George  F.  Wilbur,  V.  G.;  George  H. 
Wentz,  secretary;  H.  A.  Chambers,  assistant  secretary; 
H.  C.  Nash,  F.  S.;  William  S.  Morgan,  treasurer;  John 
W.  Davis,  H.  E.  Luther,  Hiram  Wentz,  David  Hall  and 
A.  R.  Fuller. 

The  lodge  is  in  a  prosperous  condition,  although  it 
has  seen  its  dark  days,  having  been  reduced  to  little 
more  than  a  quorum  at  one  time.  The  membership  is 
now  71.  The  officers  in  November,  1879,  were:  Henry 
S.  Kegler,  N.  G.;  George  H.  Knight,  V.  G.-;  Henry  J. 
Baer,  secretary;  Aaron  Hedding,  assistant  secretary; 
Thomas  Evans,  treasurer. 

Lackawanfia  Encamptnent,  No.  16. — This  encampment 
was  the  first  in  this  section  of  Pennsylvania,  being  insti- 
tuted February  24th,  1845.  The  charter  members  were 
William  J.  Morgan,  John  B.  Lewis,  William  Garbert,  John 
M.  Davis,  John  Kenan,  William  Brown,  John  Gerrond, 
George  F.  Wilbur  and  Joseph  Gillispie.  The  first  seven 
of  these  were  the  originators  of  the  matter,  and  were 
obliged  to  go  to  Reading  to  become  members  of  an  en- 
campment, that  they  might  be  enabled  to  apply  for  a 
charter.  William  J.  Morgan  was  the  first  chief  patriarch 
and  George  F.  Wilbur  the  first  scribe.  John  Gerrond  is 
the  only  one  of  the  original  members  now  in  connection 
with  the  encampment.  After  the  burning  of  the  books 
and  other  property  of  the  encampment,  in  1850,  it  was 
discontinued  until  April  21st,  1865,  when  a  new  charter 
was  granted  to  Thomas  Dickson,  C.  P.;  John  Campbell, 
H.  P.;  John  Showerman,  S.  W.;  Bernard  Campman,  J. 
W.;  John  Gerrond,  scribe;  William  Law,  treasurer;  James 
Dixon  and  William  Brown.  The  encampment  has  since 
prospered,  and  now  has  37  members. 

The  officers  in  December,  1879,  were:  Francis  Lud- 
wig,  C.  P.;  Henry  J.  Baer,  S.  W.;  Thomas  R.  Kirkbride, 
H.  P.;  David  McMyne,  J.  W.;  William  M.  Thompson, 
scribe;  John  O.  Miles,  treasurer. 

MASONIC. 

Carbondale  Lodge,  No.  249,  was  chartered  in  July,  1850, 
and  instituted  September  nth,  1850.  The  charter 
members  were:  J.  W.  Burnham,  W.  M.;  Robert  Max- 
well, S.  W.;  John  G.  Murray,  J.  W.;  Rice  Lewis,  secre- 
tary; William  Root,  George  H.  Leach  and  Henry  Evans. 

The  officers  for  1879  were:  Joseph  Alexander,  W.  M.; 
William  A.  Weaver,  S.  W.;  S.  A.  McMullen,  J.W.;  Jos- 


eph Birkett,  treasurer;  C.  0.  Mellen,  secretary.  The 
membership  was  then  150. 

Eureka  Chapter,  No.  179,  Royal  Arch  Masons  was  in- 
stituted February  19th,  1855.  The  first  officers  were: 
P.  C.  Gritman,  H.  P.;  W.  R.  Baker,  K;  S.  E.  Bilger,  S. 
The  past  high  priests  have  been  VV.  R.  Baker,  J.  B.  Van 
Bergen,  Joseph  Alexander,  jr.,  S.  D.  Davis  and  M.  H. 
Barber.  The  present  officers  are:  H.  B.  Wilbur,  H.  P.; 
John  Scurry,  K.;  Solomon  Bolton,  S.;  Joseph  Birkett, 
treasurer;  W.  R:  Baker,  secretary. 

Palestine  Convnandery,  No.  14,  Knights  Templar  was 
organized  May  1st,  1856.  The  petitioners  to  constitute 
the  commandery  were  John  L.  Gore,  William  N.  Monies, 
Samuel  E.  Bilger,  William  W.  D ivies,  George  L.  Dickson, 
Philo  C.  Gritman,  W.  R.  Baker,  William  Root,  Washing- 
ton Burr,  Almon  Crocker  and  Alfred  Dart. 

In  March,  1880,  the  following  officers  were  elected: 
G.  F.  Swigert,  E.,C.;  S.  D,  Davis,  G.;  John  Scurry,  C. 
G.;  S.  A.  McMullen,  T.;  H.  B.  Wilbur,  R.  The  com- 
mandery has  about  70  members. 

FATHER     MATTHEW     TOTAL     ABSTINENCE     AND      BENEVO- 
LENT   ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  organized  September  nth,    1868,  ■ 
with   the   following  first  officers   and   charter   members: 
John  Kelley,  president;  J.  J.  Forbes,  vice-president;  Eli 
Beirs,    treasurer;   Patrick    Pidgeon,    Rec.     Sec;    M.   G. 
Neary,  Cor.  Sec;  James  Norton  and  James  Kirkwood. 

John  Kelley  was  president  each  alternate  term  for  six 
years,  and  was  recording  secretary  three  years.  The 
present  officers  are:  Eli  Beirs,  president;  James  Kirk- 
wood, vice-president;  John  Kelley,  secretary;  Patrick 
McCabe,  treasurer. 

The  membership  reached  the  highest  number,  307,  in 
1874.     There  are  now  over  two  hundred  members. 

THE    YOUNG    MEN*S    LIBRARY  ASSOCIATION. 

This  association  was  chartered  January  26th,  1875, 
with  26  charter  members.  The  object  is  declared  to  be 
"  to  establish  and  maintain  a  library  and  reading  room 
in  the  city  of  Carbondale."  Any  person  contributing $50 
becomes  a  life  member,  and  for  each  $50  shall  be  entitled 
to  name  a  life  member.  Any  person  approved  by  the 
directors  becomes  a  subscribing  member  by  paying  $3 
annually  or  $1  quarterly.  Ladies  are  admitted  upon  the 
payment  of  37^  cents  quarterly.  The  first  directors 
were  R.  Manville,  O.  D.  Shephard,  E.  E.  Hendrick,  E. 
M.  Peck,  J.  B.  Van  Bergen,  E.  Francis,  R.  B.  Peet,  J. 
W.  Aitkin  and  George  D.  Couch. 

The  people  of  Carbondale  subscribed  $1,000  for  books 
at  the  organization.  There  were  875  volumes  in  the 
library  February  ist,  1875,  and  in  December,  1879,  a 
little  over  1,500.  A  charge  of  five  cents  per  week  is 
made  for  the  use  of  books. 

The  association  has  a  room  in  the  office  of  the  Dela- 
ware and  Hudson  Canal  Company's  railroad  office. 

THE     WORKINGMEN's     CO-OPERATIVE     ASSOCIATION 

was  organized  in  April,  1877,  with    an    unlimited  capital. 


♦^H= 


^h 


452 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


The  purpose  was  to  enable  the  workingmen  to  trade  at 
as  low  a  price  as  possible.  Shares  were  placed  at  $5, 
no  share-holder  to  own  more  than  twenty  shares.  The 
shareholders  are  mostly  mechanics,  railroad  men  and 
miners. 

The  officers  in  1877  were:  S.  A.  Dilts,  president;  Wil- 
liam Nicol,  secretary;  J.  W.  Jones,  treasurer.  The 
president  and  secretary  remain  the  same.  John  P.  Camp- 
bell is  the  treasurer. 

MILITARY. 

Carhondale  Rifles. — An  independent  military  company 
was  organized  in  August,  1877,  under  the  title  of  the 
Carbondale  Rifles.  The  officers  were:  John  B.  Chisholm, 
captain;  Michael  Quinn,  ist  lieutenant;  A.  G.  Nicol,  2nd 
lieutenant.  The  rank  and  file  numbered  ninety-five  men. 
Andrew  R.  Fagan  was  chosen  captain  and  Thomas 
Mooney  znd  lieutenant  within  a  few  months  after  the 
formation  of  the  company.     The  men"got  their  uniforms 


July  3d,  1879.     There  are  now  (1879)  sixty-eight  men  in 
the  company. 

Van  Bergen  Guards. — This  company  (Company  F,  13th 
regiment,  3d  brigade,  National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania) 
was  organized  August  27th,  1878.  The  membership  is  as 
follows: 

Oncers.— Captain,  Thomas  M.  Lindsay :  first  lieutenant,  Sheldon  Nor- 
ton; second  lieutenant,  John  H.  Ling^elrer;  first  sergeant,  Thomas  E. 
Kirltbride;  second,  Joseph  Lindsay;  third,  William  W.  Muir;  fourth, 
John  B.  Kirkbride;  fifth,  Richard  Ridgway;  first  corporal,  J.  Burton; 
second,  J.  H.  Campbell;  third,  John  E.  Mack;  fourth,  John  Reid;  fifth, 
Thomas  Hunter;  sixth,  Albert  E.  legar;  seventh,  Alexander  Messenger; 
eie:hth,  Thomas  W.  Parry ;  musicians— Edward  T.  Corby,  Harry  Fisher. 

Priuatcs.— William  R.  Burrell,  John  E.  Bone,  Frank  C.  Crawford,  John 
K.  Campbell,  Albert  B.  Clark,  George  J.  Davis,  John  E.  Fuller,  Herman 
Faatz,  Aaron  Hedden,  John  M.  Harvey,  William  J.  Harvey,  John  Jones, 
Howard  Knapp,  Henry  S.  Kegler,  James  Lindsay,  Francis  Ludwig. 
George  Lindsay,  William  Martin,  Walter  Morgan,  David  Morgan,  Robert 
Maxwell,  John  Newton,  George  Pattent.  Cornelius  Person,  John  Rafter, 
Thomas  J.  Simons, Walter  J.  Stuart,  Harvey  L.  Smith,  James  H.  Sillsbee, 
Henry  Seibold,  Gershom  Vaogorder,  John  Williams,  William  White, 
Henry  T.  Smith,  William  M.  Bunnell,  Othmar  Balbacb,  Gustavus  Kin- 
baoh,  John  Wark,  James  Wark,  Charles  B.  Groover,  Clyde  Blair,  William 
Moyles. 


^h 


.^^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

CARBONDALE    CITY   AND    CARBONDALE,    FELL   AND    GREENFIELD   TOWNSHIPS. 


=ih 


John  W.  Aitken,  wholesale  and  retail  druggist  and 
bookseller,  was  born  March  4th,  1850,  in  Carbondale, 
where  he  married  Miss  Isabella  Morss. 

I.  W.  Allen,  principal  of  the  Carbondale  graded  school, 
was  born  in  York  county,  Pa.,  in  1850,  and  married  Ida 
R.  Joslin,  of  Carbondale. 

William  Atkinson  was  born  in  England,  in  1825, 
and  married  Hannah  Hurd.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in 
i860,  and  entered  the  service  of  the  D.  and  H.  C.  Company 
in  1863.  Since  July  5th,  1864,  he  has  been  lumber  in- 
spector. 

William  G.  Atkinson  was  born  in  Scott,  August  2Sth, 
1856,  and  came  to  Carbondale  in  1863,  where  he  has 
been  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  most  of  the  time 
since  1873. 

Edwin  P.  Aunger,  of  the  firm  of  Hall  &  Aunger, 
carpenters,  builders  and  furnishers,  near  corner  of  Salem 
and  Church  streets,  was  born  in  England,  in  1834;  came 
to  Carbondale  in  1859,  and  entered  his  present  business 
ift  1877.  Mr.  Hall  was  from  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  and 
was  born  in  1846.     He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1865. 

Charles  Avery  was  born  in  New  London,  Conn., 
February  7th,  1823,  and  married  Lorinda  Young,  who 
died.  His  present  wife  was  Louisa  Moon,  of  Blakely. 
He  was  a  sailor  for  sixteen  years,  and  is  now  a  farmer. 
He  came  to  Greenfield  township  in  1854.  During  the 
Rebellion  he  was  deputy  marshal,  and  he  has  filled  a 
number  of  town  offices. 

Joseph  L.  Avery,  farmer,  was  born  in  New  London, 
Conn.,  May  i6th,  1827;  came  to  Greenfield  about  1847, 
and  married  Almira  Burdick,  of  Clifford,  Pa. 

D.  Leland  Bailey,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Susquehanna 
county.  Pa.,  January  27th,  1851;  first  came  to  Carbondale 
in  1873;  graduated  from  the  University  of  New  York  in 
1875,  and  began  practice  in  Dundaff.  In  1879  he  re- 
moved to  Carbondale.  He  married  Elizabeth  Clark,  of 
Clark's  Green,  Pa. 

P.  K.  Bargar,  farmer,  justice  of  the  peace  and  notary 
public,  formerly  a  printer,  was  born  in  Harrison  county, 
O.,  in  1831.  He  published  the  Carbondale  Democrat  for 
about  three  years,  and  afterward  the  Luzerne  Union  at 
Wilkes-Barre.  He  was  for  many  years  an  accountant. 
His  wife  was  Caroline  Marsh,  of  Waymart,  Pa. 

A  Battle,  merchant,  is  a  native  of  Ireland.  His 
wife' was  Catharine  Murray,  also  of  Irish  birth.  Perhaps 
the  most  remarkable  incident  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Bat- 
tle was  his  assault  and  the  robbery  of  his  store  by  bur- 
glars in  1872.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Carbondale 
February  17th,  1880. 


Hon.  S.  S.  Benedict,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Car- 
bondale Advance  for  twenty-nine  years,  was  born  in  Walton, 
Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  March  ■7th,  1816,  and  married 
Rowena  K.  Bartlett,  of  Waymart,  Wayne  county.  Pa. 
Mr.  Benedict  was  formerly  a  teacher,  and  has  served  as 
alderman  five  years,  member  of  the  Legislature  two  years, 
school  director  twenty-five  years  and  notary  public 
eighteen  years. 

Bryce  R.  Blair,  shovel  manufacturer,  formerly  civil 
engineer,  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  September 
2ist,  1832.  He  married  Emma  I.  Tubbs,  of  Shick- 
shinny. 

Truman  D.  Bradley,  jeweler,  303  Main  street,  was 
born  in  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  December  5th,  1839,  and 
married  Ruth  Amelia  Davis,  of  Carbondale.  He  has 
been  a  resident  of  Carbondale  since  1840,  and  has  been 
in  his  present  business  since  1871.  He  served  in  the 
United  States  army  from  August,  186  j,  to  February, 
1867. 

Martin  Brennan,  miner  at  Coldbrook  breaker  mine, 
was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1839,  and  came  to  Carbondale  at 
the  age  of  five  or  six.  He  began  life  as  a  driver  in  the 
mines  at  twelve  or  thirteen.  He  has  been  twice  married; 
to  Mary  Toolan  and  Bridget  Howard. 

Thomas  Brennan,  coal  operator  and  merchant,  was 
born  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  Carbondale  in  1842.  He 
was  mayor  of  Carbondale  in  1879.  His  wife  was  Eliza- 
beth Brennan,  also  of  Irish  birth. 

L.  I.  Bunnell,  who  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
agricultural  implements  and  bed-springs  in  Carbondale, 
was  born  in  Bradford  county,  September  15th,  1838.  He 
has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife  having  been  Miss 
Helen  Dikeman,  of  New  Milford,  Susquehanna  county. 
Pa.,  who  died  March  24th,  1866,  and  his  second  Miss  T. 
E.  Kent,  of  Brooklyn,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.  He 
was  formerly  a  carriage  maker. 

Charles  Burr,  physician  and  surgeon,  was  born  in 
Meredith,  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  April  30th,  1815. 
He  married  Leonora  Farrer,  of  Carbondale. 

James  E.  Burr,  lawyer  and  city  attorney  (elected  in 
1879),  was  born  in  Carbondale,  in  1853. 

George  Burrell  was  born  in  Dundee,  Scotland,  in 
1843;  came  to  Carbondale  in  the  spring  of  1850:  entered 
the  service  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company 
in  1859;  was  made  foreman  of  general  carpenter  work 
in  1865  and  became  master  of  bridges  and  buildings  in 
1S75.     He  married  Lucy  J.  Blair,  of  Carbondale. 

Pierce  Butler,  master  mechanic  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company's  gravity  road,  was  born  at  Kings- 


='=i* 


^.zA 


Hh 


452^ 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


ton,  Luzerne  county,  October  13th,  1831.  He  married 
Catharine  A.  Kelley,  of  Wurtsboro,  N.  Y.,  who  died 
August  14th,  1874.  His  second  wife  was  a  Miss  Fanny 
P.  Wood,  of  Newark,  N.  J.  Mr.  Butler  was  formerly  a 
machinist. 

John  Campbell,  born  in  Scotland,  March  ist,  1805, 
served  seven  years  in  the  British  army,  after  which  he 
settled  in  Carbondale.  He  has  been  mine  boss  since 
1854,  and  served  as  school  director  six  years  and  as 
overseer  of  poor  for  five  years.  He  married  Miss  Mary 
Fairchild,  of  Hanover  township,  Luzerne  county. 

Joseph  Carpenter  was  born  in  Scituate,  R.  I.,  Janu- 
ary 17th,  1790,  and  married  Rhoda  Graves,  of  his  native 
place.  He  was  formerly  a  shoemaker  and  farmer,  and 
latterly  a  farmer.  He  came  to  Abington  (now  Scott)  in 
1815. 

Tylman  Carpenter,  farmer  and  formerly  a.  lumber- 
man, one  of  the  organizers  and  the  first  lieutenant  of 
the  'Greenfield  Greens,"  was  born  in  Otsego  county, 
N.  Y.,  June  15th,  1798.  He  has  been  twice  married. 
His  present  wife  was  Maria  Hoag,  of  Sherman,  Conn., 
born  November  14th,  181 1.  They  were  married  June 
22nd,  1867. 

Joseph  L.  Chapman,  train  dispatcher  for  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Montrose, 
Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  in  1844,  and  married  Annie 
Krotzer,  of  Providence.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in 
187 1,  having  formerly  been  station  agent  at  Pittston. 

Edward  Clarkson  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Decem- 
ber 6th,  1831,  and  married  Cornelia  V.  Mellen,  of  Hud- 
son, N.  Y.     He  was  formerly  engaged  in  coal  operations.- 

Woodbury  Coil  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county, 
Pa.,  September  3d,  1830,  and  married  Margaret  Baker, 
of  that  county.  Mr.  Coil  is  a  farmer  and  serves  as 
school  director  and  assessor.  His  grandfather  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier. 

Thomas  Coogan,  foreman  of  No.  3  shafi,  was  born 
in  Carbondale,  in  1834,  and  married  Rosanna  Fitzpatrick, 
a  native  of  Ireland.  He  began  work  for  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1846,  was  appointed 
headman  of  the  shaft  in  1858  and  foreman  in  i860.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  home  guard  and  took  part  with  it 
in  its  limited  service  during  the  Rebellion. 

A.  W.  Cook,  editor  of  the  Criiir,  was  born  in  Schene- 
vus,  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  January  loth,  1844. 

George  W.  Cowperthwait,  farmer,  formerly  sales- 
man, was  born  in  Greenfield,  June  26th,  1841,  and  mar- 
ried Sarah  Snyder,  of  Scott. 

James  Cowperthwait,  farmer,  formerly  blacksmith 
and  dealer  in  agricultural  implement!;,  was  born  in  West- 
moreland, England,  March  14th,  1806,  came  to  Green- 
field in  1833,  and  married  Nancy  C.  Worth. 

L.  T.  Curtis,  proprietor  of  steam  bakery  (ofiRce  12 
Salem  street,  bakery  on  Church  street),  was  born  in 
Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  December  25th,  1849,  where  he 
married  Alice  Hathaway.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in 
1873  and  purchased  an  interest  in  the  bakery  of  D.  W. 
Williams  (estabhshed  about  1867).  In  the  fall  of  1874 
be  succeeded  to  the  entire  business. 

Alva  W.  Daley,  livery  proprietor  since  September, 
1878,  and  formeriy  for  twelve  years  conductor  for  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  was;  born  in 
Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  in  1838,  and  married  Martha 
Widger,  of  England.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1858 
and  served  in  the  United  States  army  from  June  to 
August,  1863. 


Alfred  Dart,  attorney,  born  in  Bolton,  Conn.,  July 
14th,  i8io,  is  the  oldest  attorney  in  the  county  and 
the  first  one  admitted  under  Judge  Bentley.  He  was  in 
the  army  of  the  north  from  April,  1861,  to  the  winter  of 
1864,  serving  as  captain  of  Company  K  25th  Pennsyl- 
vania infantry,  captain  of  Company  M  4th  Pennsylvania 
cavalry,  as  commander  of  Fort  Porter  about  nine  months, 
and  as  colonel  of  an  Indiana  regiment.  Upon  the  or- 
ganization of  the  veteran  volunteer  companies  he  was 
cliosen  lieutenant  general.  He  has  been  district  attorney 
and  recorder  of  the  mayor's  court.  He  came  to  Carbon- 
dale in  1829  and  began  practicing  his  profession  there 
in  1845.     He  married  Ann  Eliza  Cone,  of  New  York. 

Peter  Davidson,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield, 
March  8th,  1S31,  and  married  Charlotte  Park,  of  South 
Abington.  His  father,  Robert  Davidson,  came  to  the 
county  about  1828.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was 
Helen  Kelly. 

John  B.  Davis,  engineer  at  Erie  breaker,  was  born  in 
Wales,  December  31st,  1835:  came  to  Carbondale  in 
March,  1869  ;  was  appointed  to  his  present  position  in 
the  August  following,  and  married  Jennie  Price,  of 
Carbondale. 

John  C.  Davis  was  born  at  Carbondale  ;  married  Ida 
Van  Rants,  of  New  York  city,  in  1845  ;  began  work  for 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1850; 
went  to  New  York  in  1857  ;  returned  and  re-engaged 
with  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1863 
and  is  engineer  at  "  No.  4."  He  was  in  the  United 
States  army  from  October  2gth,  1864,  to  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  is  a  member  of  the  school  board  of  Carbon- 
dale township. 

George  D.  Dimock,  for  thirty  years  an  employe  of 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  for  whom  he 
first  worked  in  1838,  was  born  in  Montrose,  Susquehanna 
county,  Pa.,  February  12th,  1822,  and  married  Sarah 
Swackhammer,  of  Washington,  N.   f. 

Peter  Doland  is  the  oldest  harness  maker  now  in 
business  in  Carbondale  and  has  long  been  prominently 
identified  with  various  secret  societies.  He  has  served 
as  a  member  of  the  common  council  (1869-71),  and  in 
1873  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  council.  He  was 
born  in  Honesdale,  Pa.,  June  23d,  1S41,  and  married 
Charlotta  Herbert,  of  Carbondale. 

S  H.  DoTTERER,  master  mechanic  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Reading,  Pa.,  July 
24th,  1837.  He  married  Miss  Henrietta  Trowbridge,  of 
Great  Bend,  Susquehanna  county.  He  was  formerly  an 
engineer. 

John  Duffy,  formeriy  a  miner,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in 
1827  ;  married  Mary  Coultry  (also  of  Irish  nativity); 
came  to  Carbondale  in  1S37  ;  was  a  member  of  the  com- 
mon council  in  1851  and  1852;  was  city  treasurer  in  1878; 
and  was  appointed  street  commissioner  in  the  spring  of 
1880.  '■       ^ 

A  B.  Durfee,  proprietor  of  livery  and  exchange 
stables  was  born  in  Maine,  Broome  county,  N  Y, 
November  2nd,  1829,  and  married  Matilda  BIy,  of  Car- 
bondale.    He  IS  a  carpenter. 

Jacob  Eitel  was  born  in  1831,  in  Germany,  where  he 
married  Louisa  Romelmeyer  ;  came  to  Carbondale  in 
1S71  ;  engaged  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company,  and  in  1874  was  appointed 
foreman  of  the  round-house.  He  served  in  the  \L  war, 
m  '^    ^"^^^  infantry,  from     1861    to    Jidy, 


Captain  Andrew  R.  Fagan 


was    born    August  4th, 


4. 


A= 


GENEALOGICAL   AND   PERSONAL   RECORD. 


452  C 


1839,  in  Ireland,  and  married  Mary  Moran.  He  was 
in  the  United  States  service,  as  private,  captain  and 
major,  from  June  i6th,  1861,  to  August,  1865,  and  was 
elected  captain  of  the  Carbondale  rifles  in  Septemb(  r, 
1867.  He  was  formerly  a  foundryman  and  now  is  pro- 
prietor of  a  restaurant. 

ZiPRON  Ferris,  farmer,  was  born  in  Orange  countj', 
N.  Y.,  June  i6th,  1803,  and  came  to  Greenfield  in  1824 
and  became  identified  with  the  ''Susquehanna  Invinci- 
bles."  He  married  Tamar  Rowley,  of  Abington,  and 
has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  three  terms. 

Martin  P.  Flynn,  since  April  ist,  1878,  proprietor  of 
the  Harrison  House  (built  in  1859  by  Canfield  Harrison), 
was  born  in  Carbondale,  March  6th,  1850. 

George  H.  Foster,  engineer  at  engine  No.  8,  -was 
born  in  Canaan,  Pa.,  in  1851,  and  married  Leonora 
Chapman,  of  Prompton,  Pa.  Mr.  Foster  has  for  some 
time  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company,  and  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  was 
the  youngest  engineer  on  the  line. 

P.  J.  Foster,  engineer  at  engine  No.  7  since  1861,  and 
a  resident  of  Carbondale  since  1856,  was  born  in  Sus- 
quehanna county.  Pa.,  in  1837,  and  married  Lucy  Shel- 
don, of  Bradford,  Pa. 

Franklin  Pierce  Franey  was  born  in  Providence, 
August  26th,  1853;  was  a  member  of  the  Providence 
military  company  five  years;  came  to  Carbondale  April 
13th,  1877,  and  worked  at  the  Powderly  mines  about 
four  months,  and  was  appointed  engineer  at  No.  3  shaft 
November  13th,  1879.  He  had  formerly,  been  engineer 
at  Leggett's  creek  four  years.  He  married  Alvira  Jen- 
kins, of  Schuylkill  county. 

Henry  S.  Frank  was  born  in  England  (where  he 
married  Charlotte  Madison),  in  1834.  He  has  been  con- 
stable for  three  years.  Having  worked  as  paper-hanger 
and  decorator,  he  began  trade  as  a  paper  merchant  under 
the  firm  name  of  H.  S.  Frank  &  Son,  in  the  spring  of 
1880. 

Michael  Garvey  began  work  for  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1859,  and  has  been  wheel- 
man at  shaft  No.  I  since  1871.  He  was  born  March 
2gth,  1846,  at  Carbondale,  where  he  married  Bridget 
Duffy. 

Frederick  T.  Gelder  was  born  in  England,  in  1840, 
and  married  Catharine  Blake,  of  Bethany,  Wayne  county. 
Pa.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in  the  ist  New  Jersey  cavalry, 
and  served  until  discharged  in  1864,  having  three  horses 
shot  under  him.  In  1865  he  came  to  Carbondale.  In 
1866  he  engaged  in  the  foundry  business;  location,  64 
to  68  River  street. 

J.  B.  Gilhool,  hardware  merchant  (established  1873), 
97  South  Main  street,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  in  1852, 
and  married  Maria  Lynch,  of  Olyphant. 

W.  W.  Graham,  shoemaker,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  He  has  served  in  the  common  councd  and 
school  board  of  Carbondale. 

Charles  Hagan,  dealer  in  boots  and  shoes,  was  born 
in  Draperstown,  County  Derry,  Ireland,  August  6th, 
1816,  and  married  Mary  Grady,  of  Westport,  Ireland. 

E.  E.  Hendrick,  refiner  and  dealer  in  oil,  was  born 
May  9th,  1832,  in  Plymouth,  Wayne  county,  Mich.,  where 
he  married  Caroline  P.  Hacketl.  Mr.  Hendrick,  who 
has  been  engaged  in  coal  operations,  has  served  as  vice- 
president  of  the  Miners'  and  Mechanics'  Savings  Bank 
of  Carbondale. 

John  Hughes  was  born  in  Wales,  March  24th,  1819, 


and  married  Lucretia  Smith.  He  came  to  Scranton  in 
1842,  and  to  Carbondale  in  1846.  He  became  a  miner 
in  the  employ  of  the  D.  &  H.  C.  Company,  and  in  March,, 
1 85 7,  became  mine  boss. 

A.  L.  Hunt,  marble  worker,  Terrace  sireet,  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  in  1828,  and  married  Margaret  Emma 
Corby,  of  New  Jersey.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1850, 
and  in  185 1  engaged  with  Mr.  Richmond  in  the  marble 
trade,  and  about  1854  succeeded  to  the  entire  business. 
In  1874  he  sold  out  to  Dart  &  Collins,  and  re-engaged  in 
the  business  in  1876. 

Adam  Hunter,  engineer  at  engine  No.  5,  was  born  in 
Scotland,  in  1834,  and  married  Mary  Lynce,  of  Ireland. 
He  was  a  sailor  about  nineteen  years,  and  came  to  Car- 
bondale in  1869  and  has  since  been  in  the  employ  of  the 
D.  &  H.  C.  Company,  formerly  at  engine  No.  3. 

Joseph  Isger,  formerly  in  the  employ  of  the  D.  &  H. 
Canal  Company,  but  a  foundryman  since  December,  1875, 
was  born  in  England,  in  1826,  and  married  Janet  Mauds- 
ley.  He  belonged  to  the  ''  Wurts  Guards,"  and  accom- 
panied the  company  as  an  "emergency  man."  He  came 
to  Carbondale  in  186 1. 

David  O.  Jones  is  the  oldest  hotel  man  in  Carbondale. 
He  was  for  five  years  proprietor  of  the  Harrison  House, 
and  is  now  owner  and  manager  of  the  American  House. 
He  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  in  September,  1815; 
was  a.  member  of  a  military  organization  there  at  seven- 
teen, and  has  been  a  resident  of  Carbondale  since  1870. 
He  married  Mary  H.  Bunts,  of  Middlesex  county,  Conn. 

P.  S.  JosLiN,  who  has  been  postmaster  at  Carbondale 
ten  years,  was  born  in  Rome,  N.  Y.,  April  24th,  1817, 
and  married  Miss  Lucy  A.  Steiner.  He  subsequently 
married  Caroline  VVhitmin,  of  Berwick.  He  was  engaged 
in  printing  and  editing  fifteen  years,  and  served  as  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  five  years. 

Augustus  Kase  came  to  Carbondale  in  1857,  and  has 
since  been,  as  are  his  three  sons,  in  the  employ  of  the 
D.  and  H.  C.  Company.  He  was  formerly  a  cabinet 
maker.  He  was  born  June  ioth,i825,  in  Germany,  where 
he  married  Elizabeth  Pforr. 

John  Kase,  undertaker]  and  dealer  in  furniture,  was 
born  in  Germany,  December  24th,  1821.  He  married 
Martha  Burr,  and  after  her  death  Elide  Burr,  of  Carbon- 
dale. 

J.  F.  Kenyon,  farmer  and  secretary  of  the  Greenfield 
school  board,  was  born  September  5th,  1847,  in  Green- 
field, where    he  married  Maryette  Briggs. 

SiLAS  C.  Kilmer,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield,  Oc- 
tober ist,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of* P.  L.  Kilmer,  who  came 
to  that  township  in  1839,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
the  "Greenfield  Greens." 

William  F.  Kilmer,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield, 
May  2oih,  1851,  and  married  Melinda  Wayman,  of  that 
township. 

J.  F.  Kinback,  alderman  and  dealer  in  furniture,  was 
born  in  Germany,  on  the  Rhine,  March  23d,  1823.  He 
married  Miss  Amy  S.  Sarony,  of  Dundaff,  Pa.  He  has 
been  in  the  furniture  business  in  Carbondale  since  1848. 
He  has  been  alderman  since  1872,  was  auditor  four  years 
and  has  served  as  overseer  of  poor  and  councilman. 

Mrs.  Sara  L.  King,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Angelica, 
N.  Y.,  and  graduated  from  the  Ann  Arbor  Medical  Col- 
lege, Michigan,  in  1867.  She  practiced  her  profession  in 
Mount  Morris,  N.  Y.,  four  years,  and  came  to  Carbondale 
in  March,  1878. 

Philo    Lee,    farmer   and   lumberman,    was    born   in 


<^ 


4= 


Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1809,  and  came  to  Lacka- 
wanna county  in  1818,  and  to  Carbondale  township  in 
1874,  and  in  the  spring  of  187.1;  erected  his  saw-mill.  He 
married  Roxanna  Vail,  of  Scott. 

Philo  Lee,  jr.,  was  born  in  Greenfield  township, 
February  20th,  T846,  and  married  Catharine  Horn,  of 
Carbondale.  He  came  I0  the  township  with  his  father  in 
1874,  and  is  identified  with  him  as  a  farmer  and  lumber- 
man. 

Captain  Thomas  M.  Lindsay  was  born  in  Carbon- 
dale, October  3d,  1841,  and  married  Mary  A.  Reese,  of 
Wales.  He  was  formerly  a  blacksmith,  and  is  now  in 
the  employ  of  the  D.  &  H.  Canal  Company.  At  the  or- 
ganization of  Van  Bergen  guards.  Company  F  13th  regi- 
ment N.  G.  Pa.,  he  was  its  ist  lieutenant,  and  was  pro- 
moted to  the  captaincy  March  4th,  1879. 

Thomas  C.  Lister,  machinist.  No.  11  South  7th  street, 
was  born  in  England,  in  1815,  and  married  Anna  Anty. 
He  served  in  the  British  army  nine  months.  He  came 
to  Carbondale  in  1862,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in 
business  since  September  ist,  1866. 

John  McLaughlin,  farmer  and  lumberman,  was  born 
in  Greenfield,  August  29th,  1841,  and'married  Martha  A. 
Snyder.  He  is  president  of  the  Greenfield  school  board. 
His  father,  Thomas  McLaughlin,  came  to  Carbondale  in 
1830. 

Silas  A.  McNIullen  was  born  in  Clinton,  Wayne 
county,  Pa,,  October  9th,  1836,  and  married  Louisa  A. 
Hubbard,  of  Wayne  county.  Pa.  He  came  to  Carbondale 
February  22nd,  1869,  and  since  March  ist  following  has 
been  assistant  superintendent  of  the  Pennsylvania  division 
of  the  D.  &  H.  Canal  Company's  railroad. 

W.  McMullen,  master  of  the  trade  and  transportation 
department  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany's railroad,  was  born  March  12th,  1844,  in  Clinton 
township,  Wayne  county,  and  married  Mary  Thorpe,  of 
the  same  county. 

Peter  Mang,  proprietor  of  the  bakery  at  Church 
and  Main  streets,  was  born  in  1840,  in  Germany.  He 
married  Anna  Bohrs.     He  came  to  Carbondale  in'  1870. 

R.  Manville,  superintendent  and  engineer,  was  born 
in  Whitehall,  N.  Y.,  November  6th,  1824.  He  married 
Helen  M.  Gilbert,  of  Ghent,  Columbia  county,  N.  Y. 

J.  AV.  Marcy,  hotel  proprietor,  was  born  in  Lacka- 
wanna, April  9th,  1848,  and  married  Juniata  S.  Horton, 
of  Providence,  Pa.  He  has  been  in  the  insurance  busi- 
ness. 

Lucius  Marshall,  ex-member  of  the  common  council 
and  ex-mayor,  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  in 
1840,  and  married  Mary  Burrell,  of  New  York.  He 
served  in  the  United  States  army  from  August,  1862,  to 
June,  1865.  He  was  formerly  a  carpenter,  and  is  mana- 
ger of  the  co-operative  store. 

Charles  0.  Mellen,  book-keeper  for  Van  Bergen  & 
Co.,  was  born  in  Hudson,  Columbia  county,  N.  Y.,  March 
17th,  1842,  and  married  Maggie  Ottman,  of  Carbondale. 
He  was  city  treasurer  for  1874,  1875  and  1876. 

John  E.  Mills  (formerly  a  carpenter),  farmer,  was 
born  in  Greenbush,  N.  Y.,  August  4th,  1834,  and  married 
Mary  Ann  Williams,  of  Luzerne  county.  He  and  his 
brother,  Dwight  Mills,  served  in  the  army  from  October 
nth,  1862.,  to  August  6th,  1863,  and  he  has  held  the  of- 
fices of  treasurer,  assessor  and  school  director. 

Andrew  Mitchell,  owner  of  Mitchell's  planing-mill, 
was  born  in  Sterlingshire,  Scotland,  in  1831.  He  spent 
thirteen  years  in  Cuba,  putting  up  machinery.     His  wi 


was  Miss  Mary  Douglass,  of  Providence.  Mr.  Mitchell's 
former  business  was  that  of  a  machinist  and  millwright. 
Patrick  F.  Moffitt,  merchant  at  the  corner  of  Main 
and  7th  streets,  and  formerly  a  member  of  the  Carbon- 
dale poor  board,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  in  1847. 

P.  M.  Moffet,  harness  maker,  was  born  in  Ireland, 
March  sth,  1837.  He  has  served  as  associate  judge  and 
city  treasurer.  He  married  Bridget  Keernan,  of  Car- 
bondale. 

John  Moon,  manager  of  the  gas  works,  has  held  that 
position  since  1869.  He  was  born  in  England  in  1838, 
and  married  Susan  Rowe. 

Rev.  Samuel  Moore,  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church  of 
Carbondale,  was  born  at  Gilboa,  Schoharie  county,  N.  Y., 
January  21st,  1836.  His  wife  was  Miss  Laura  J.  Day,  of 
Norwich,  N.  Y.      He  was  formerly  engaged  in  teaching. 

William  MoRRisoN,undertaker  and  dealer  in  ice,  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Sth  streets,  was  born  May  6th,  1843, 
in  Carbondale,  where  he  married  Jane  Quinn  (born  in 
1846). 

D.  K.  MORSS,  farmer,  was  born  in  Windham,  Greene 
county,  N.  Y.,  January  27th,  1821.  He  came  to  Luzerne 
county  in  1844,  and  married  Emma  Mott.  He  was  for- 
merly a  merchant,  and  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace, 
assistant  United  States  assessor  and  associate  judge. 

William  P.  E.  Morss,  foreman  of  breaker  at  Racket 
Brook  since  February,  1867,  was  born  in  Greene  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1827,  and  came  to  Carbondale  in  1832.  He 
married  Margaretta  E.  Burnham,  of  Spencer,  Columbia 
county,  N.  Y. 

John  Nealon,  born  in  Carbondale,  June  i8th,  1830, 
is  engaged  in  brewing,  and  is  proprietor  of  Nealon's 
Opera  House.  He  was  a  merchant  twenty-nine  years, 
and  has  been  mayor  two  years,  city  treasurer  two  years 
and  select  councilman  four  years.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Mary  Moffitt,  of  Carbondale. 

Thomas  M.  Nealon,  member  of  the  common  council 
in  1874  and  a  member  of  the  school  board  1875-80,  was 
born  in  Lower  Canada,  in  1846,  and  came  to  Carbondale 
July  2nd,  1858.     He  married  Annie  McHale. 

Andrew  B.  Nicol,  formerly  a  surveyor,  and  since 
April  ist,  1871,  general  inside  foreman,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land, in  1849,  and  married  Alice  H.  Brown,  of  South  Rut- 
land, N.  Y.     He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1851. 

G.  W.  NoRRis,  foreman  of.  car  repairs  for  the  N.  Y., 
L.  E.  and  W.  Railroad  Company  since  1875,  when  he 
came  to  Carbondale,  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
in  1838,  and  married  Elinor  L.  Muir,  of  New  Jersey. 

Thomas  Orchard,  superintendent  of  the  car  shops  of 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  was  born  in 
England,  March  20th,  1820.  I^is  wife  was  Miss  Mary 
Griffin,  of  Providence.  Mr.  Orchard  was  formerly  a 
carpenter, 

Rensselaer  Ottman,  M.  D,,  was  born  March  9th, 
1821,  in  Schoharie  county,  N,  Y.,  where  he  married 
Nancy  HoUenbeck,  Dr.  Ottmann,  who  is  also  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business,  was  an  army  surgeon  during 
the  Rebellion, 

George  C.  Pierce,  son  of  Zopher  Pierce,  who  came 
to  Greenfield  in  1835,  was  born  in  Greene  county,  N,  Y., 
April  6th,  1828,  His  first  wife  was  Sarah  Kilmer;  his 
present  wife  was  Fidelia  Newkirk,  of  Benton,  Pa.  He  is 
a  farmer,  and  has  served  his  township  as  treasurer,  super- 
visor and  school  director,  and  as  assessor  five  years. 

T.  F.  Pierce,  farmer,  wool-buyer  and  stock  dealer  (for- 


Hh 


merly  a  mechanic),  was  born  in  Grenfield,  January  8th, 
1838,  and  married  Harriett  A.  Kenyon,  of  Greenfield. 

Joseph  Powderly,  manager  of  the  "Lackawanna 
Store,"  was  formerly  a  merchant.  He  was  born  in  Car- 
bondale,  May  sth,  1841. 

Lewis  Rehkop,  cigar  maker  and  wholesale  and  retail 
dealer  in  tobacco  and  snuff  at  233  South  Main  street, was 
born  in  Carbondale,  in  1855,  and  married  Mary  Senberg, 
of  Honesdale. 

Augustus  J.  Rehner,  associated  with  William  Baird, 
marble  dealer,  124  South  Main  street,  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, in  1857,  and  came  to  Scranton  in  1871  and  to  Car- 
bondale in  1880. 

T.  C.  Robinson,  carpenter  and  builder.  Cemetery 
street,  established  his  business  soon  after  he  came  to 
Carbondale,  in  187 1.  He  was  born  in  Greenfield,  in  1843, 
and  married  Lois  Britton,  of  Falls,  Wyoming  county,  Pa. 

Charles  Rosner,  cabinet  maker  and  dealer  in  fur- 
niture,came  to  Carbondale  in  November,  1866,  and  estab- 
lished his  business  (junction  South  Main  street  and  the 
turnpike)  March  15th,  1877.  He  was  born  in  Germany, 
November  22nd,  1843,  and  married  Mary  Birrer,  of  Car- 
bondale. 

George  M.  Rowley  was  born  in  Addison,  N.  Y.,  in 
1840,  and  married  Angellne  Foster,  of  Easton,  Pa.  He 
served  (1861-64)  in  Company  C  6th  Pa.  volunteers; 
came  to  Carbondale  in  the  latter  year  and  was  engaged 
in  lumbering  until  1868,  since  when  he  has  been  lumber 
contractor  for  the  D.  and  H.  Canal  Company. 

Mrs.  John  Russell  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Septem- 
ber i8th,  1841,  and  was  married  May  24th,  i860.  Mr. 
Russell  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  came  to  America 
with  his  father's  family  in  1840.  He  filled  nearly  every 
office  in  the  gift  of  his  townsmen  and  died  April  22nd, 
1880. 

J.W.  Russell,  son  of  James  Russell,  who  came  to  Green- 
field in  1 840,  was  born  in  Fell,  October  24th,  1 85 1 .  He  is  a 
farmer  and  one  of  the  school  directors  of  Fell  township. 

Margaret  Russell  was  born  in  Scotland,  came  to 
Carbondale  in  April,  1847,  and  married  James  Russell  in 
January,  1851.  Mr.  Russell  came  with  his  father's  fam- 
ily to  Greenfield  in  the  fall  of  1840,  and  has  been  known 
as  a  farmer  and  dairyman. 

J.  W.  SiCKLER,  farmer  and  manufacturer,  was  born  in 
Beekman,  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  November  2nd,  1826. 
He  came  to  Greenfield  in  1828  or  1829,  and  married 
Harriet  Britton,  of  Abington. 

Andrew  Simpson  was  born  in  Scotland,  in  1828;  mar- 
ried Martha  W.  Stevens,  of  Susquehanna  county;  came 
to  Carbondale  with  his  father's  family  in  1834  and  began 
working  at  his  trade  of  blacksmith  in  1841. 

T.  Griffin  Smith,  freight  agent  for  the  D.  and  H. 
Canal  Company,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  in  1853,  has 
been  employed  in  the  freight  office  since  1872,  and  has 
been  agent  since  1879. 

John  G.  Snyder,  farmer,  was  born  in  Blakely,  August 
9th,  1817,  and  came  in  1823  to  Greenfield,  where  he 
married  Sallie  Ann  Cobb.  He  served  seven  years  m  the 
"  Greenfield  Greens,"  part  of  the  time  as  orderly  sergeant 
and  lieutenant. 

Matthias  Spreicher,  foreman  of  the  machine  shop  of 
the  D.  and  H.  Canal  Company  since  1876,  and  in  the 
employ  of  the  company  at  Archbald  from  1870  to  that 
date,  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1845,  and  married  Fran- 
cisca  Willz,  of  Archbald. 


Thomas  Sullivan  was  born  in  Ireland  (where  he 
married  Bridget  Morrison)  March  17th,  1836;  came  to 
Carbondale  in  July,  185 1;  served  in  the  152nd  regiment, 
3d  artillery,  1863-65;  was  constable  of  Carbondale  1866- 
68,  and  assessor  in  1880;  and  is  the  proprietor  of  a  res- 
taurant, opposite  the  depot,  on  old  Dundaff  street. 

Daniel  Taylor,  born  in  Delaware  county,  N.  Y., 
September  3d,  1807,  was  the  first  wagon-maker  in  Car- 
bondale. He  followed  the  business  of  wagon-making, 
carpentering  and  pattern-making  until  within  a  few  years. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Lydia  Swartz,  of  Easton,  Pa.,  but  lat- 
terly of  Providence. 

Henry  Taylor,  farmer  and  physician,  was  born  in 
Greenfield,  October  14th,  1829,  and  married  Mary  M. 
Cook,  of  Scott. 

Elias  Thomas,  watchman  at  engine  No.  28  since  1862, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Carbondale  since  1832,  and  in  the 
employ  of  the  D.  and  H.  Canal  Company  since  1836. 
He  was  born  in  Wales,  June  6th,  1823,  and  married 
Bridget  D.  McCaulay. 

Elias  E.  Thomas  was  born  in  South  Wales,  October 
2nd,  1830,  and  married  Ellen  Jones,  of  Carbondale, where 
he  has  lived  since  1853.  He  was  a  member  of  the  common 
council  in  1867.  Mr.  Jones,  his  father-in-law,  came  to 
Carbondale  in  1832. 

J.  G.  Thompson  was  a  member  of  the  common  coun- 
cil in  1854;  auditor  in  1855  and  1856;  assistant  provost 
marshal  in  1862;  assessor  of  internal  revenue  in  1863-65, 
and  has  been  alderman  of  the  2nd  ward  since  1873.  He 
was  born  in  Pittston  township  in  18 13;  came  to  Carbon- 
dale in  1832;  married  Samantha  Monroe,  of  New  York, 
and  was  formerly  a  merchant. 

Ira  D.  Traphagan,  foreman  of  Van  Bergen's  foundry 
since  1852,  was  born  in  Lexington,  N.  Y.,  in  1829,  and 
married  Sarah  H.  Whiting,  of  Providence,  Pa.  He  came 
to  Carbondale  January  4th,  1850. 

D.  P.  Truex,  proprietor  of  coffee  and  spice  mills  since 
1877,  and  formerly  a  merchant,  was  born  in  Herrick, 
Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  in  October,  1847,  and  came  to 
Carbondale  in  1863.  He  married  Cornelia  Tourtellot, 
of  Providence. 

George  W.  Vail,  farmer  and  carpenter,  is  the  young- 
est son  of  Micah  Vail,  and  served  in  the  Greenfield 
Greens.  He  was  born  in  Greenfield,  January  3d,  1823, 
and  married  Emeline  Fierce,  of  Durham,  N.  Y. 

Harvey  Vail,  farmer,  was  born  in  Orange  county, 
N.  Y.,  January  i8th,  1800.  He  married  Jerusha  Orvis, 
who  lived  only  about  a  year  afterward.  His  second  wife 
was  Abigail  Farnum,  whose  grandfather,  Eliab  Farnum, 
was  a  captain  in  the  Revolutionary  service.  His  father, 
Micah  Vail,  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  April,  1765; 
came  to  Scott  in  1806  and  died  in  1835. 

Jonathan  Vail,  farmer,  was  born  in  Orange  county, 
N.  Y.,  January  7th,  1802,  and  married  Uretta  Ball,  born 
August  15th,  1809.  He  has  filled  important  town  offices 
in  Scott,  Carbondale  and  Fell,  and  "  trained  "  with  the 
"Abington  Rifles  "  and  the  "  Greenfield  Greens."  He 
came  to  Abington  in  1806. 

Joseph  B.  Van  Bergen  was  born  in  Bainbridge,  N.Y., 
February  28th,  1828,  and  married  Mary  F.  Boal,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, O.  Mr.  Van  Bergen,  who  is  proprietor  of  the 
foundry  and  machine  works,  has  been  engaged  in  the  in- 
surance business,  and  was  mayor  of  Carbondale  four 
consecutive  terms. 

James  Vannan,  engineer  at  engine  No.  i,  was  born 
in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  in  1834,  and  married  Euphemia, 


-^ 


Kh 


=•4* 


452^ 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Harris,  of  New  Jersey.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in  the 
fall  of  184s  and  has  held  his  present  position  since 
i860. 

Thomas  Voyle,  merchant,  was  born  in  Wales,  in  1820, 
and  came  to  America  in  1833,  and  married  Ann  Daven- 
port, of  Luzerne  county.  Pa.  He  was  elected  collector 
in  1842  and  held  the  office  nine  years;  in  185 1  he  was  a 
member  of  the  select  council;  was  commissioner  seven 
,  years;  was  marshal  from  1869  to  1872  and  has  since  been 
mayor  three  years.  He  began  life  in  the  coal  mines  at 
the  age  of  nine  and  engaged  as  clerk  for  Lewis  G.  En- 
sign in  1834. 

William  Walker,  Glenwood,  outside  foreman  at  Erie 
breaker  since  1874,  formerly  track-layer  in  the  mines, 
was  born  in  Carbondale  township,  November  3d,  1854 
and  married  Sarah  Mooney,  of  Carbondale. 

Henry  S.  Warren,  farmer,  was  born  in  Nicholson, 
Wyoming  county.  May  27th,  1822,  and  came  to  Green- 
field in  1827.  He  married  Sarah  Ann  Glaze,  of  New  Jer- 
sey, and  has  filled  several  township  offices. 

W.  H,  Warren,  wagon  maker  and  blacksmith,  was 
born  in  Greenfield,  August  13th,  1S49,  and  married 
Norah  Bell,  of  Chfford,  Susquehanna  county. 

John  Waterfield,  inside  foreman  at  No.  i  shaft,  was 
born  in  England,  June  12th,  1846;  married  Janet  Mc- 
Myne,  of  Maryland,  and  came  to  Carbondale  in  1873. 

William  W.  Watkins,  of  Watkins  &  Williams,  opera- 
tors of  the  Belmont  coal  mines,  was  born  in  Wales,  in 
1832,  and  married  Esther  Lewis.  He  came  to  Carbon- 
dale in  i86g,  and  mined  for  the  D.  and  H.  Canal  Com- 
pany until  1876,  when  the  above  named  firm  was  formed. 

Henry  Watts,  weigh-master  and  coal  agent  for  the 
D.  and  H.  Canal  Company,  formerly  a  blacksmith,  was 
born  in  Ireland  (where  he  married  Isabella  Miller),  Jan- 
uary 24th,  1824.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1850,  and 
at  once  entered  the  service  of  the  D.  and  H.  Canal  Com- 
pany. 

Henry  C.  Wheeler,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Windsor,  N. 
Y.,  in  1850;  is  a  graduate  of  the  Jefferson  Medical  Col- 
lege; came  to  Carbondale  in  1874,  and  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  the  winter  of  1876. 

Charles  H.  Whitman,  farmer,  formerly  coal  operator 
and  incumbent  of  several  township  offices,  was  born  in 
Rhode  Island,  in  1818,  and  married  Jennie  Van  Gordie, 
of  Scott. 

H.  B.  Wilbur,  carpenter  and  bridge  builder,  is  a  well 
known  member  of  the  masonic  fraternity.  He  was  born 
in  Clinton  county.  Pa.,  June  23d,  1843,  came  to  Carbon- 
dale in  December,  1867,  and  married  Maiia  Taylor. 

D.  W.  Williams,  of  Watkins  &  Williams,  operators  of 
the  Belmont  coal  mine,  was   born  in  Wales,  in  1855,  and 


married  Jane  Roberts.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in  1869 
and  engaged  in  mining  for  the  D.  and  H.  Canal  Com- 
pany. 

George  J.  Williams,  son  of  William  P.  Williams, 
who  came  to  the  county  in  April,  1831,  was  born  in 
Fell,  September  30th,  1844,  and  married  Emma  Gardner, 
of  Greenfield.  He  is  a  farmer  and  has  been  supervisor 
of  Fell  township  seven  years  and  has  served  as  school 
director  and  in  other  official  capacities. 

John  W.  Williams,  formerly  butcher,  now  coal  opera- 
tor, lumberman  and  farmer,  was  born  in  Carbondale, 
September  6th,  1833,  and  is  a  brother  of  George  J. 
Williams  mentioned  above.  He  has  been  twice  married — to 
Jerusha  and  Martha  Vail — and  has  filled  several  township 
offices. 

J.  D.  WiNGATE,  D.  D.  S.,  was  born  in  Snyder  (formerly 
Union)  county.  Pa.,  in  December,  1821;  came  to  Carbon- 
dale in  1871,  and  is  the  oldest  dentist  there.  He  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Philadelphia  Dental  College.  His  wife 
was  Catharine  Wolfe,  of  Pennsylvania. 

Edmund  Worth,  farmer,  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, April  13th,  1807,  and  came  to  Greenfield  in  1821. 
He  married  Susanna  Doud,  of  Susquehanna  county,  Pa. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  first  sergeant  in  the  Ben- 
ton military  organization. 

John  L.  Worth,  farmer,  formerly  an  insurance  agent, 
was  born  in  Greenfield,  April  26th,  1834,  and  married 
Mary  M.  Colvin,  of  Abington. 

G.  L.  Wurt,  of  Fell  township,  was  born  in  May, 
1816,  in  Windham,  Greene  county,  N.  Y.  He  is  a 
farmer  and  a  tanner.  Mrs.  Wurt  was  Miss  Lois  A 
Tuttle,  of  Windham,  N.  Y. 

Andrew  Wyllie,  foreman  of  the  D.  and  H.  Canal 
Company's  blacksmith  shop,  was  born  in  Scotland,  and 
married  Isabella  Diack.  He  came  to  Carbondale  in 
1851. 

DiLTON  Yarrington,  lumberman,  was  born  in  Wilkes- 
Barre,  October  8th,  1803,  and  married  Rebecca  Lambert, 
of  Wyalu&ing,  Pa.  He  formerly  worked  at  the  black- 
smith's trade.  He  was  justice  of  the  peace  at  Dundaff, 
Susquehanna  county,  for  the  ten  years  beginnins  with 
1836. 

Henry  C.  Yarrington,  photographer,  312  Main 
street,  was  born  in  Dundaff,  Pa.,  in  1842;  came  to  Car- 
bondale in  1865,  and  married  Lucy  Stowell,  of  Wellsboro, 
Pa.  He  served  in  the  142nd  Pa.  volunteers  from  1862, 
to  June,  1865. 

The  following  citizens  of  Carbondale,  Fell  and  Green- 
field also  contributed  their  support  to  this  publication  : 
Joseph  Birkett,  F.  W.  Carew,  George  W.  Conklin,  M.  A. 
Coughan,  R.  W.  Graves,  Henry  Johnson,  D.  N.  Lathrop, 
G.  L.  Moss,  W.  L.  Potter,  F.  T.  Sedler,  Andrew  and 
W.  W.  Watt  and  Solomon  Wedeman. 


<h 


-M^ 


Mh 


TOWNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH  HISTORIES, 


LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


ABINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


pN  the  Connecticut  claim  and  survey  this  town- 
ship was  called  Ebbington,  in  honor  of  Col. 
Ebbings,  an  extensive  land  agent  of  Connec- 
ticut, through  whom  titles  to  these  lands 
were  obtained  on  very  reasonable  terms;  but 
these  titles  proved  illegal  and  hence  valueless, 
under  the  Pennsylvania  laws  which  finally  obtained, 
an^  the  land  holders,  being  indignant,  changed  the  word 
to  Abington,  the  name  of  a  township  in  Connecticut. 
Under  the  Pennsylvania  laws  this  was  included  in  a  large 
tract  called  Tunkhannock.  In  1806  a  new  township 
was  formed  from  Tunkhannock  including  this  tract,  and 
the  name  Abington  was  restored.  This  included  several 
of  the  present  surrounding  townships. 

In  1814  a  part  of  Abington  was  annexed  to  Nicholson, 
and  in  1816  Greenfield  township  was  taken  off.  The 
township  was  divided  in  1867  into  North  and  South  Ab- 
ington. The  boroughs  of  Waverly  and  Glenburn  were 
formed  from  this  township  in  1854  and  1877  respectively. 
The  contention  of  the  "Yankees"  and  "  Pennamites  " 
retarded  the  early  settlement  of  Abington,  as  did  the 
large  and  almo-st  impassable  mountains  on  the  south. 
The  township  remained  an  unbroken  and  unknown  wil- 
derness until  about  1796,  when  it  was  surveyed  by  a 
party  from  Rhode  Island  under  the  Connecticut  claim. 
About  the  same  year  three  trappers  made  a  small  clear- 
ing and  a  rude  cabin  near  the  site  of  Waverly,  with  a 
view  of  making  a  settlement;  but  their  provisions  be- 
came exhausted,  and  tiring  of  venison  and  bear  meat  they 
abandoned  tlie  enterprise;  so  no  actual  settlement  was 
made  until  several  years  later. 

In  the  spring  of  1797  the  first  immigrating  party  at- 
tempted to  pass  tlirough  the  curved  and  rocky  gorge  in 
the  Moosic  range  opposite  Leggett's  gap,  since  known  as 
the  old  Drinker  road,  leading  from  Lackawaxen  to  Ab- 
ington. They  found  the  route  impracticable  for  their 
force,  so  the  more  southern  gap,  adjacent  to  Leggett's,  was 
selected  for  a  wagon  road.  Through  this  untrodden  route 
these  pioneers  found  their  way  into  the  wilds  of   Abing- 


ton. They  were  William  Wall,  John  Tripp  and  a  few 
young  men;  among  whom  were  Ezra  Dean,  who  settled 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township,  and  Robert 
Reynolds,  who  settled  in  what  is  now  Factoryville. 

In  1799  Deacon  William  Clark  and  family  (including 
his  three  sons,  William,  Jeremiah  and  John),  Thomas 
Smith  and  Ephraim  Leach  came  from  Connecticut. 
They  crossed  the  Leggett  mountain,  at  a  gap  westerly 
from  where  the  road  now  pass?s,  their  team  being  one 
poor  horse,  and  their  conveyance  a  drag  made  of  poles 
fastened  at  the  back  of  the  horse.  On  this  drag  were 
placed  a  sap  kettle,  their  axes,  and  a  few  clothes  and 
provisions.  These  adventurers  found  their  way  to  a  spot 
near  the  residence  of  Mr.  Wall,  upon  which  they  made 
their  camp  on  the  15th  of  March,  1799.  During  the 
summer  and  fall  they  made  clearings  in  several  places, 
and  opened  a  path  through  Leggett's  gap.  Deacon  Clark 
settled  at  what  is  now  Clark's  Green,  a  name  given  in 
his  honor,  and  Leach  settled  near  Leach  Flats,  so  named 
from  him.  During  1800  there  came  from  Rhode  Island 
Jonathan  Dean  and  his  sons,  James  and  Jeffrey;  Jonathan 
Hall,  and  Jonathan  and  Stephen  Capwell.  Mr.  Dean 
settled  in  the  western  part,  Mr.  Hall  near  the  center,  and 
Jonathan  Capwell  in  the  northern  part.  The  latter  sur- 
veyed his  farm  of  three  hundred  acres  by  pacing  and 
carrying  a  pocket  compass.  A  correct  survey  afterward 
made  showed  only  four  acres  in  excess  of  Mr.  Capwell's 
crude  but  ingenious  measurement. 

In  the  winter  of  1801  George  Bailey,  John  Briggs  and 
family,  Samuel  Hall  and  family,  and  several  young  men 
sought  their  fortunes  in  the  "Beech,"  as  it  was  then 
called.  During  the  fall  and  winter  John  Lewin  and 
family  and  Stephen  Parker  and  family  arrived.  Mr. 
Parker  settled  near  the  center  of  the  township.  In  1802 
John  Miller  and  family  came  from  Connecticut  and 
settled  near  the  site  of  Waverly.  Phineas  and  Solomon 
Reynolds  and  Abner  Sherman  also  came  during  the  same 
year. 

"  Elder  John  Miller  "  was  the  natural  leader  in  the 
early  settlement  of  Abington.  He  was  born  in  Windham 
county,  February  3d,  1775,  and  emigrated  to  Abington  in 
1802.  He  settled  on  the  site  previously  occupied  by  the. 
trappers,    and   began   clearing   and  preaching;  and   for 


=^B 


^.h 


4S4 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


4"^ 


fifty-five  years  was  a  faithful  minister,  "turning  many 
to  righteousness."  He  conducted  many  revivals,  baptized 
two  thousand  persons,  preached  eighteen  hundred  funeral 
sermons,  and  married  more  than  nine  hundred  persons. 
Being  a  practical  suryeyor  and  naturally  ingenious,  his 
services  were  often  required  and  cheerfully  rendered. 
Tlie  condition  of  society  in  Abingtnn  is  largely  the  out- 
growth of  Elder  Miller's  efforts.     He  died  in  1857. 

The  tide  of  immigration  set  in  more  rapidly  after 
i8oo.  Lemuel  Stone  settled  here  in  1806;  Robert,  John 
and  James  Stone,  Asa  Knight  and  his  son  Asa  (still  liv- 
ing), in  the  northern  part  in  1810;  Peleg  Aylesworth  in 
the  northern  part  in  1811;  Deacon  Phillips,  at  Clark's 
Green;  Jacob  Calvin  in  West  Abington  in  1817;  Thomas 
Smith,  John  and  Job  Northup  in  1818;  and  Dr.  A.  Bed- 
ford in  1824.  After  1809  there  was  a  rapid  increase  of 
settlers. 

The  early  settlers  of  Abington  suffered  from  the  incur- 
sions of  beasts  of  prey,  which  often  confronted  them, 
especially  in  Leggett's  gap,  while  making  their  frequent 
trips  to  the  mill  in  Slocum  Hollow,  or  visiting  the  dif- 
ferent settlements.  "Many  a  time,"  said  Mr.  Leach,  "  in 
passing  through  the  notch  with  my  little  grist  upon  my 
shoulders,  have  I  kept  the  wolves  at  bay  with  a  long  club 
which  I  kept  swinging  vigorously  as  they  came  growling 
around  me,  and  to  my  faithful  club,  often  bitten  and 
broken,  have  I  been  indebted  for  my  life."  On  one  oc- 
casion he  kept  off  the  wolves  by  thrumming  on  a  mili- 
saw  which  he  was  carrying. 

About  seven  years  after  the  first  settlements  the  out- 
look was  quite  promising.  Titles  to  the  lands  could  be 
obtained  on  easy  terms,  and  the  toils  of  the  farmer  were 
rewarded  with  excellent  crops.  But  the  nearest  market 
was  Wilkes-Barre,  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  to  the  south, 
with  only  a  single  pathway  leading  to  it  through  a  dark 
extent  of  forests. 

I  The  first  teacher,  preacher  and  postmaster  of  Abing- 
ton was  Elder  John  Miller.  The  first  framed  building 
was  erected  near  the  site  of  Glenburn.  Lemuel  Stone 
did  the  carpenter  work.  He  was  the  first  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  le  first  Sunday-school  superintendent.  He 
and  Dr.  A.  Bedford  were  the  first  to  do  their  harvesting 
without  whiskey,  and  were  always  conspicuous  in  the 
cause  of  temperance. 

The  first  factory  (cotton)  was  built  about  1815,  near 
the  site  of  Mr.  Shoemaker's  factory.  Otis  Colvin  put  in 
the  machinery,  which  was  drawn  from  Newburgh,  N.  Y. 
Drs.  W.  H.  Nicholson  and  Henry  Green  were  the  first 
resident  physicians.  Samuel  Griffin  kept  the  first  store 
at  Clark's  Green.  The  first  blacksmith  was  Samson 
Wright.     He  sold  his  land  claim  to  Asa  Knight,  sen. 

Jonathan  Dean  was  one  of  the  Rhode  Island  survey- 
ors who  surveyed  Abington  under  the  Connecticut 
claim.  Nancy  Bailey,  Eliza,  Philo  and  Sophia  Hall  were 
among  the  early  teachers.  The  first  school-house  was 
built  in  the  hollow  near  the  site  of  the  residence  of  Rev. 
B.  Miller.  The  early  town  meetings  and  religious  ser- 
vices were  held  in  it.  The  first  church  was  built  by  the 
Baptists  on  the  farm  of  Elder  John  Miller.     James  Dean 


built  the  first  gristmill,  on  the  site  of  Shoemaker's  factory. 
He  and  Henry  Hall  each  had  a  still-house. 

The  wife  of  Dean  William  Clark  was  the  first  white 
woman  in  Abington.  Delia  Parker  was  probably  the 
first  white  child  born  in  the  township.  The  first  mar- 
riage ceremonies  were  performed  by  Elder  John  Miller, 
as  follows :  Ezra  Dean  to  Amy  Gardner;  Sheldon  Wall 
to  Eunice  Capwell;  Jatnes  Dean  to  Catharine  Tripp,  of 
Providence;  Henry  Hall  to  Warty  Reynolds;  George 
Capwell  to  Mary  Gardner;  Daniel  Reynolds  to  Mercia 
Hall;  all  in  1803. 

The  first  cemetery  was  begun  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  Rev.  B.  Miller. 

Abington  Civil  List. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  of  Abington  from  1840,  with 
the  years  of  their  election,  were  as  follows:  Nicholas 
Reynolds  and  Benjamin  F.  Baily,  1S40,  1845;  Thomas 
Smith,  1850,  1855;  H.  V.  Hall,  1855,  1865;  N.  D. 
Green,    1858;   Hiram    Nichols,   i860;  William   B.  Swick 


NORTH  ABINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


N  1867  this  township  was  formed  from  Abing- 
ton. The  first  auditors  were  J.  H.  McAlpine, 
B.  F.  Bailey  and  Amasa  Dean;  treasurer,  N. 
D.  Green.  The  present  officers,  except  jus- 
tices, are:  Assessor,  W.  W.  Smith;  auditors, 
Isaac  Ellis,  J.  G.  Northup,  J.  P.  Stevens;  clerk, 
C.  W.  Purdy;  supervisors,  E.  C.  Rozcll,  James  A. 
Stone;  constable,  M.  Edwards;  treasurer,  F.  M.  Calvin; 
school  directors,  George  Seamans,  D.  N.  Kennedy,  Mon- 
roe Dean,  George  T.  Bailey,  John  Beisecker  and  W.  W. 
Smith. 

The  justices,  with  the  date  of  beginning  of  terms,  have 
been:  Oscar  A.  Franklin,  1869;  W.  R.  Swick,  1869;  J. 
J.  Shook,  1872,  1877;  L.  R.  Howe,  1875;  R.  N.  Holgate, 
1878;  L.  R.  Green,  1880. 

The  population  of  the  township  is  1,072.  The  most 
important  village  is 

Dalton. 

This  village  contains  a  flouring  mill,  plaster  and  saw 
mill,  one  large  hotel,  the  agricultural  warehouse  of  C.  L. 
Briggs,  stores  and  shops  of  various  kinds,  three  church 
societies,  a  post-office  and  a  thriving  public  school. 
There  are  some  fine  residences,  including  the  beautiful 
house  and  grounds  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Miles,  the  only  resident 
physician,  who  has  been  in  practice  for  many  years. 

Dalton  post-office  was  instituted  in  1854,  and  H.  L. 
Halsted  appointed  postmaster.  His  successors  have 
been  L.  R.  Green,  N.  D.  Green  and  the  present  incum- 
bent, C.  L.  Briggs,  who  is  also  station  agent. 


^4* 


GENEALOGICAL    AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

BENTON,  NORTH  ABINGTON  AND  SOUTH  ABINGTON  TOWNSHIPS,  GLENBURN  AND  WAVERLY 

BOROUGHS. 


4= 


HON.    A.  I.    A.CKERLY. 

Hon.  Albert  I.  Ackerly,  farmer  and  surveyor,  was  born 
in  Abington,  in  1834,  and  married  Miss  E.  A.  Swallow,  of 
Abington.  Major  Ackerly  was  ist  lieutenant,  captain 
and  major  in  the  iitli  Pa.  cavalry,  and  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature  since  1877.  Post-office,  Chin- 
chilla, Pa. 

C.    L.    BRIGGS. 

C.  L.  Briggs,  postmaster  and  station  agent  at  Dalton, 
also  dealer  in  agricultural  implements,  was  born  in  Fac- 
toryville,  in  1844,  and  married  Clementine  Schott,  of  New 
York.  He  was  a  member  of  the  132nd  Pa.  volunteers, 
and  was  severely  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  Pa. 

S.    H.    PELHAM. 

S.  H  Pelham,  farmer,  was  born  in  Delaware  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1827,  and  came  to  Abington  in  1839.  He  was' 
married  in  1851  to  Maria  Smith,  of  Orange  county,  N.  Y. 

LEWIS    VAN    SICKLE,  M.  D. 

The    subject    of    this    sketch    was    born    in    Sussex 
county,  N.  J.,  in  1833.    His  father  was  James  Van  Sickle, 
who  married   Mary  Fradenburg.     Both  were  natives  of 
Sussex    county.     The   family  migrated    to   Lackawanna 
county  (at  that  time  Luzerne)  about  the  year  1843,  and 
located  in  the  town  of   Newton,  where   for  many   years 
they  kept  a  hotel.     About   the    year   1856  L.  Van  Sickle 
commenced  studying  medicine   with  Dr.  James   Decker, 
of  Newton, and  in  the  years  1858  and  1859  studied  at  Mich- 
igan   University,   Ann  Arbor.      Returning,   he   spent  a 
time   with    Dr.  B.  A.  Boughton,    Scranton.     In   i860  he 
located  at  Clark's  Green.     In  1868  and  1859  he  attended 
a  course  of  lectures   at    Jefferson    College,  Philadelphia, 
and  received  a  diploma.     In  1872  he  took  a  full  course 
in   Bellevue   Hospital   Medical   College,  New  York  city. 
In  1875  he  attended  part  of  a  course  in  the  Pennsylvania 
University,  medical   department.     He  has  been  located 
for  the  past  eight  years  in  Waverly,  where  he  has  acquired 
a  very  extensive  practice,  extending  into  all  the  adjoining 
towns  and  counties.     Dr.  Van  Sickle  married  Miss  Dor- 
cas A.  Gardner  in  1857,  in  Abington.     J.  W.  Van  Sickle 
was   born   September   loth,  i860,  and  died  in  January, 
1862.     F.  L.  Van  Sickle,  a  son,  was  born  September  12  th, 
1862.     Dr.  Van  Sickle  was    physician  for  the  poor  farm, 
Scranton  city,  about  twelve  years,  and  the  towns  of  New- 
ton and  Abington  about  fourteen  years. 

G.  V.  Adams,  farmer,  a  native  of  Vermont,  was  born 
in  1824,  and  married  Mary  A.  Parker,  of  Susquehanna 
county.  Pa.     He  was  formerly  engaged  in  railroading. 

William  Austin,  born  in  Rhode  Island,  in  1829,  was 
.married  in  1852  to  Elizabeth  Wideman,  of  the  same 
State.  He  is  a  dairy  farmer  and  has  been  school  director 
four  terms.     He  has  four  children. 

George  T.  Bailey,  farmer  and  postmaster  at  La 
Plume,  was  horn  in  Abington,  in  1848,  and  in  1871  vvas 
married  to  Miss  Ada  Reynolds,  of  Benton.  Mr.  Bailey 
has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board. 

Dr.  Andrew  Bedford,  druggist,  Waverly,  was  born 
in  Kingston,  Luzerne  county,  April  22nd,  1800.  He  grad- 
uated at  Yale  Medical  College  in  1824,  receiving  the  de- 
gree of  M.  D.,  and  in  the  same  year  began  the  practice 
of  medicine  in  Abington.     He  was  a  member  of  the  con- 


454^4 


stitutional  convention  of  Pennsylvania  in  1838,  and  served 
as  prothonotary  and  clerk  of  courts  of  Luzerne  county 
from  1840  until  1846. 

Rev.  a.  M.  Calkin,  a  native  of  Cochecton,  N.  Y., 
born  July  13th,  1815,  was  married  to  Augusta  H.  Hed- 
den,  of  Damascus,  Pa.  In  early  life  he  was  a  teacher, 
but  he  has  long  been  a  Baptist  clergyman. 

Mrs.  Sally  Clark  was  born  in  Factoryville,  Pa., 
October  27th,  1796,  and  was  married  in  1814  to  John 
Clark,  of  Abington,  who  died  aged  sixty  years,  having 
been  born  in  1788.  Mrs.  Clark  resides  with  her  daughter. 
Miss  R.  P.  Clark,  on  the  old  homestead  at  Clark's  Green. 

Arthur  A.  Davis  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  August 
2Sth,  1844,  and  married  Lena  Marx,  of  New  York  city, 
February  27th,  1876.  Mr.  Davis  is  a  wheelwright  and 
teacher  of  vocal  music  at  Clark's  Green. 

David  Davison,  born  in  Connecticut,  in  1787,  mar- 
ried in  1822  Betsey,  daughter  of  Job  Briggs,  of  Rhode 
Island.  They  had  two  sons,  Henry  and  Alva.  Henry 
served  in  the  civil  war  nearly  three  years,  when  he  was 
taken  prisoner,  and  after  suffering  in  Salisbury  for  seven 
months  died  while  on  his  way  home.  David  Davison 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812  and  a  prisoner  of  war 
eighteen  months. 

F.  B.  Davison,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  in 
1817,  and  married  (October  7th,  1852)  a  Miss  Gardner, 
.  of  Tunkhannock.  He  has  practiced  medicine  since  1853, 
residing  several  years  in  Iowa,  where  he  was  for  two 
years  treasurer  of  Black  Hawk  county.  He  is  the  post- 
master at  Fleetville  and  was  surgeon  of  the  45th  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers  during  the  Rebellion. 

Isaac  Ellis,  farmer  and  surveyor,  was  born  September 
27th,  1834,  and  married  Miss  M.  E.  Coon,  of  Lacka- 
wanna township.  He  served  as  school  director  sixteen 
years  and  was  town  auditor  seven  years. 

F.  B.  Finn,  a  son  of  A.  Papherus  Finn,  deceased,  was 
born  in  Lackawanna  township,  in  1855.  He  lives  with 
his  widowed  mother.  He  is  one  of  a  family  of  four  sons 
and  one  daughter. 

Rev.  Solomon  F.  Forgeus,  Baptist  minister  at  Clark's 
Green,  was  born  in  1844,  in  Chester  county,  Pa.,  and 
married  Ida  Kennedy,  of  Lewisburgh,  Pa.  He  served  in 
the  134th  infantry  and  the  3d  artillery  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  and  as  second  and  first  lieutenant  and  adju-  ■ 
tant  in  the  9th  U.  S.  colored  troops. 

B.  S.  Gardner  was  born  in  Benton,  in  1827,  and  in 
1853  married  Catharine  A.,  daughter  of  Crispin  Reynolds. 
They  have  two  children.  Mr.  Gardner  operates  a  grist 
and  saw-mill  and  cultivates  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres. 

James  C.  Gardner,  now  living  on  the  place  where  he 
vvas  born  in  1837,  was  married  in  1864  to  Louisa,  daugh- 
ter of  Lyman  Green.  They  have  two  children.  Mr. 
Gardner  is  a  township  auditor  and  assessor. 

James  Gay,  born  in  Scotland  in  1828,  married  in  1852' 
Helen  Morton,  daughter  of  James  Callandar,  and  came 
to  this  State  in  1854.  ^ 

P.  M.  Green  was  born  on  his  present  farm,  in  1838. 
In  1861  he  married  a  daughter  of  Benedict  Carr,  and  he 
has  five  children.  He  served  in  the  army  as  musician. 
He  is  a  school  director. 


454-5 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


J.  W.  Griffin,  Esq.,  farmer,  was  born  in  Luzerne 
county,  October  29th,  1830,  and  married  Miss  H.  M. 
Allen  (great  niece  of  Col.  Ethan  Allen),  of  Ulster  county, 
N.  Y.  Mr.  Griffin  is  justice  of  the  peace  of  South  Abing- 
ton. 

Frank  C.  Hall  was  born  in  North  Abington,  July 
17th,  i860,  and  removed  to  South  Abington.  He  is  a 
butcher. 

John  C.  Higgins,  tailor,  Clark's  Green,  was  born  in 
Minisink,  N.  Y.,  October  22nd,  1822,  and  married  Miss 
Mary  Churchill,  of  Herrick,  Pa.  Mr.  Higgins  served  as 
sergeant  in  the  203d  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

William  M.  Hobbs,  born  in  1830,  married  in  1851 
Emily,  daughter  of  David  Farnham.  They  have  one 
adopted  daughter.  Mr.  Hobbs  is  a  farmer,  and  is  an 
elder  in  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Nicholson. 

Rev.  S.  S.  Kennedy  was  born  in  Cumberland  county, 
Pa.,  November  20th,  1823,  and  was  married  October  14th, 
1858,  to  Carrie  Miller,  of  Waverly,  Pa.  He  was  educated 
at  the  Wyoming  Seminary  and  admitted  to  the  Wyoming 
M.  E.  conference  in  1853,  and  has  been  agent  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Bible  Society  since  1856. 

Asa  Knight,  farmer,  was  born  in  Coventry,  R.  I., 
April  27th,  1803,  and  came  with  his  father  to  Abington 
in  18 10  and  settled  upon  his  present  farm.  His  wife, 
Elvira  Rice,  deceased,  was  a  native  of  New  York  State. 
Mr.  Knight  was  overseer  of  the  poor  of  Abington  several 
years. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Miller,  son  of  Elder  John  Miller, 
was  born  in  Abington,  March  4th,  1808,  and  married 
Ruth  Dean,  of  Abington.  Mr.  Miller  is  a  farmer  and  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel. 

Hiram  Nichols,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Oxford,  Chenan-* 
go  county,  N.  Y.,  June  nth,   1807,  and   was   married  in 
1835   to  Sarah  Clark,  of  Clark's  Green.    Dr.  Nichols  has 
been  a  practicing  physician  nearly  fifty  years. 

J.  G.  NoRTHUP  was  born  January  8th,  1821,  and  mar- 
ried Emeline  Capwell,  of  Abington.  He  is  engaged  in 
farming  and  milling.  He  was  first  lieutenant  in  the 
"emergency"  service  in  1862. 

N.  C.  NoRTHUP,  farmer,  Glenburn,  was  born  in  Ab- 
ington, May  28th,  1824,  and  in  1853  married  Almira  L. 
Stone,  of  Abington.  Mr.  Northup  was  appointed  burgess 
of  Glenburn  upon  the  organization  of  that  borough. 

Hon.  Gideon  W.  Palmer,  farmer  and  politician,  was 
born  in  Rhode  Island,  April  i8th,  1818,  and  married 
Elizabeth  Burdick,  of  Greenfield,  Pa.  He  has  been 
sheriff  of  Luzerne  county,  member  of  the  Legislature,  and 
also  a  member  of  the  State  constitutional  convention. 

W.  L.  Potter,  stone  mason,  was  born  in  Abington, 
February  2Sth,  1851,  and  is  a  great-grandson  of  General 
Greene,  of  Revolutionary  fame.  His  father,  Dennis  M. 
Potter,  came  to  Abington  from  Rhode  Island,  at  the  age 
of  seven,  in  1819. 

C.  Relph,  farmer,  was  born  in  Scituate,  R.  I.,  May 
22nd,  1810.  In  1829  he  married  Cynthia  Fisk,  of 
Rhode  Island,  who  died  in  1844,  and  in  1846  he  mar- 
ried Harriet  Franklin,  also  of  Rhode  Island.  His 
daughter,  Miss  P.  D.  Relpli,is  preceptress  of  the  Waverly 
High  School. 

S.  P.  Reynolds,  dairy  farmer,  born  in  1828,  married 
Susan  E.  Thomas  in  1853.     They  have  three  children, 

ZiBA  Reynolds  was  born  in  1832,  and  in  1859  mar- 
ried Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  Russell  Patten,  of  Rhode 
Island. 


Rev.  D.  Ross  was  born  In  Hoosick  Falls,  N.  Y.,  July 
z5th,  1826,  and  married  Mary  Stark,  of  Nicholson,  Pa. 
He  is  pastor  of  the  Six  Principle  Baptist  Church  of  Dal-" 
ton.  He  was  formerly  superintendent  of  public  schools 
in  Vermont. 

James  Seamans,  born  in  Connecticut  in  1813,  came  to 
Abington  in  1817,  and  in  1834  married  Irena,  daughter 
of  Asa  Knight,  of  Rhode  Island.  He  is  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist  church. 

Jeremiah  Seamans,  a  native  of  Abington,  born  in 
1832,  married  in  1861  Huldah  E.,  daughter  of  John 
Dickson.  They  have  two  children.  Mr.  Seaman  is  a 
stone  cutter  and  a  farmer,  and  is  a  steward  in  the  M.  E. 
church. 

G.  E.  Sherman  is  a  founder  and  manufacturer  of  agri- 
cultural implements  at  Waverly.  He  was  born  May  31st, 
1845,  and  was  married  May  21st,  1878,  to  Miss  E.  C. 
Dayis,  of  Clark's  Green. 

A.  C.  SissoN,  well  and  widely  known  as  a  horticultu- 
rist, resides  near  La  Plume.  He  has  been  a  resident  of 
Abington  for  forty-three  years,  and  was  until  a  few  years 
since  a  merchant  at  Waverly.  He  has  a  farm  of  nearly 
three  hundred  acres,  devoted  mainly  to  fruit  interests. 

F.  W.  Slade,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  married  in  1869 
Cornelia  N.  Van  Fleet,  of  Benton.  He  served  in  the 
i4rst  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  four  times  wounded. 

Lieut.  Andrew  J.  Smith,  attorney  at  law  at  Waverly, 
was  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  nth  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 
He  was  born  in  Abington,  December  15th,  1837.  His 
wife,  formerly  Josephine  A.  Green,  of  Waverly,  is  dead. 

Thomas  Smith,  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  settled  in 
Abington  in  18 18.  He  died  in  1856,  aged  sixty-two 
years.  His  widow,  originally  Mary  Northup,  aged 
eighty-three  years,  resides  with  her  son,  Thomas  Smith, 
who  owns  the  homestead. 

O.  U.  Smith  was  born  in  1840,  and  in  1865  mar- 
ried Martha,  daughter  of  Edmund  Worth.  They  have 
five  children. 

Samuel  States,  deceased,  was  born  in  Bucks  county, 
in  1797,  and  was  married  in  1821  to  Hannah,  daughter 
of  David  Smith.  He  was  a  gunsmith,  a  miller  and  a 
farmer,  and  left  a  family  of  three  children. 

Minerva  A.  Swallow  was  born  in  Plains,  Luzerne 
county,  Pa.,  August  14th,  1844,  and  married  Freeman 
Leach,  of  South  Abington.  Mrs.  Leach  is  engaged  in 
farming. 

William  H.  Swallow  was  born  in  Pittston  township, 
in  1842,  and  removed  with  his  parents  to  Abington.  He 
has  long  been  engaged  in  farming. 

C.  J.  Thomas,  born  in  Nicholson  in  1835,  was  married 
to  Helen  Mumford,  of  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1865. 
He  is  a  farmer  and  a  mechanic. 

Peter  Townsend  was  born  in  Falls  township,  in  1830. 
He  removed  to  Benton  in  1872.  He  was  married  Sep- 
tember isth,  1854,  and  has  eight  children.  He  is  a  dairy 
farmer. 

Daniel  Van  Fleet  was  born  in  Pittston,  in  1806, 
and  has  lived  in  Benton  fifty-four  years.  He  married  in 
1828  Mary,  daughter  of  Stephen  Parker,  of  Abington,  who 
died  in  1848,  leaving  four  children.  In  1850  he  married 
Mary  A.  Hull,  of  Susquehanna  county. 

■The  following  residents  of  these  townships  and  bor- 
oughs also  contributed  their  support  to  this  publication  : 
^^'n?,"!!^'^"'  ^-  N-  Colvin,  C.  L.  Prings,  I.  F.  Tillinghast, 
■•).  Tilhnghast. 


,^ 


=^N 


4 


LA  PLUME— CHURCHES  OF.  NORTH  ABINGTON. 


455 


La  Plume. 

This  name  is  of  recent  origin,  being  the  nom  de  plume 
of  a  popular  contributor  to  the  local  press,  Mrs.  L  F. 
Tillinghast. 

The  principal  business  is  the  extensive  seed  and  plant 
trade  conducted  by  Isaac  F.  Tillinghast,  who  ships  plants 
and  seeds  to  nearly  every  state  and  territory.  George 
F.  Bailey  is  erecting  a  large  building  to  contain  a  grocery 
and  the  seed  store  of  Mr.  Tillinghast.  Other  and  minor 
business  interests  are  conducted  here. 

The  post-office  at  La  Plume  was  established  in  1876, 
with  William  P.  Slocum  postuiaster.  He  was  succeeded 
by  George  F.  Bailey,  who  is  the  present  postmaster,  with 
Isaac  F.  Tillinghast  as  deputy. 

NouTH  Abington  Church  Histories. 

Six  Principle  Baptist. — In  1817  Elder  William  Stovier, 
from  Rhode  Island,  settled  in  Abington.  He  held  meet- 
ings in  different  parts  of  Luzerne  county,  and  in  1821 
the  Six  Principle 'Baptist  Church  of  Abington  was  or- 
ganized. William  Stovier  was  pastor  until  1830.  George 
A.  Bailey  and  Ezra  Capwell  were  deacons  until  the  close 
of  their  lives.  Rev.  John  A.  Shaw  succeeded  Mr.  Stovier 
as  pastor;  under  his  labors  the  church  was  signally  pros- 
perous. He  left  in  1841.  From  1844  Rev.  James 
Brown  was  pastor  until  1864,  when  he  went  into  the 
army  and  soon  after  died.  From  1864  to  1874  the 
church  was  supplied  by  itinerant  ministers  of  the  same 
faith.  Since  the  28th  of  February,  1874,  Rev.  D.  T. 
Ross,  from  New  York,  has  been  pastor.  During  his  pas- 
torate eighty-four  persons  have  been  added  to  the  church, 
a  parsonage  has  been  built,  and  the  church  building  re- 
paired. This  church  once  numbered  338  members,  but 
six  or  seven  branches  have  been  formed  from  it.  The 
one  at  Factoryville,  Wyoming  county,  was  organized  in 
1846. 

The  church  edifice  at  Abington  was  built  in  1846,  and 
the  church  property,  including  the  parsonage,  is  valued 
at  $6,000;  it  is  free  from  debt. 

The  first  Sabbath-school  of  this  society  was  organized 
about  fifty  years  ago,  with  Rev.  Gilbert  Bailey,  of  Abing- 
ton, as  superintendent,  and  has  ever  since  been  main- 
tained.    Mr.  N.  T.  Purdy  is  the  superintendent. 

Mrs.  Mary  Colvin,  aged  eighty-nine  years,  is  the  only 
one  living  of  the  original  members  of  this  society. 

Methodist  Episcopal.— lx\  1832  Rev.  S.  Griffin  began 
preaching  at  Aylesworth's  school-house  in  North  Abing- 
ton. A  class  was  formed,  consisting  of  Benjamin  Knight 
and  wife,  W.  D.  Stevens  and  wife,  Charles  King  and 
wife,  Mrs.  Hurlburt,  Mary  Ann  White  and  William 
White.  In  1837  a  revival  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Reddy  and  Rev.  C.  W.  Giddings  brought  in  Leon- 
ard Hoppfer,  Daniel  Long,  William  Hierlihy,  Christiana 
White,  Anthony  Weidman  and  others.  This  class  devel- 
oped into  the  North  Abington  church,  which  built  a 
frame  edifice  in  i860.  A  Sunday-school  is  successfully 
maintained. 

The   church   at  West   Abington  was   erected   in    1853. 


The  class  here  is  the  fruit  of  an  early  appointment  for 
preaching  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Esther  Taylor.  This 
church  supports  a  successful  Sunday-school. 

The  M.  E.  class  at  Dalton  was  organized  by  Rev.  C. 
E.  Taylor  in  1866,  and  in  1874  bought  and  enlarged  a 
chapel.  This  appointment  belongs  to  the  Waverly 
charge.     A  Sunday-school  is  supported. 

Abington  Valley  Baptist  Church. — This  church  was 
constituted  at  Dalton,  February  23d,  1856,  with  the  fol- 
lowing members  : 

Miii-y  Colvin,  Ocena  Colvin,  Elvira  A.  Colvin,  Jane  O.  Colvin,  Caroline 
M  Colvin,  Ermine  M.  Colvin,  Lueretia  E.  Colvin,  Elizabeth  M.  Colvin, 
Polly  Franklin,  Harriet  Franklin,  Edwin  A.  Franklin,  Oscar  Franklin, 
Otis  Colvin,  Henry  J.  Colvin,  Ezra  Colvin,  Normon  O.  Colvin,  Jason 
P.  Colvin,  Henry  H.  Colvin,  Hiram  Baily,  Daniel  Patterson,  John  WiRht 
and  L.  R.  Green. 

Fourteen  of  these  are  still  living.  Henry  J.  Colvin  was 
chosen  deacon  March  22nd,  1856.  The  church  was  admit- 
ted into  the  Abington  Association  September  4th,  1856. 
From  the  first  year  they  had  preaching  occasionally  by 
Elders  William  K.  Mott  and  Charles  Parker.  They 
commenced  the  building  of  their  present  church  edifice 
in  1856,  and  it  was  dedicated  April  3d,  1857.  Elder 
Mott  preached  the  sermon.  Rev.  T.  J.  Cole  was  pastor 
from  1857  until  1871.  Rev.  H.  J.  Millard  resigned  in 
1872.  The  church  was  considerably  revived  under  his 
short  ministry.  Rev.  J.  G.  Brensingle,  his  successor,  re- 
mained until  1873.  Rev.  D.  J.  R.  Strayle  came  in  1874 
and  resigned  in  1875.  Rev.  Alfred  Cauldwell  began  his 
pastorate  in  1875  and  closed  in  1878.  The  present  pas- 
tor, W.  Cattell,  came  in  May,  i88o.  There  have  been 
178  members;  of  these  13  have  died,  18  have  been  ex- 
cluded, 56  dismissed  by  letter,  and  11  erased.  The 
present  membership  is  74. 

The  Sunday-school  has  been  kept  up  from  the  early 
organization  of  the  church.  Henry  Northup  has  been 
superintendent  more  than  twenty  years. 

North  Abington  Baptist  Church. — A  Baptist  organiza- 
tion has  lately  been  effected  at  the  Aylesworth  school- 
house.     Rev.  Newell  Callender  is  pastor. 


SOUTH  ABINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


T  a  special  meeting  held  in  the  southern  dis- 
trict of  Abington,  October  8th,  1867,  100 
votes  were  cast  in  favor  of  a  division  of  the 
township,  and  24  against.  A  majority  being 
gained  in  both  districts  in  favor  of  division, 
it  was  carried  into  effect  on  the  2Sth  of  No- 
ember,  1867.  Among  the  first  officers  of  South 
Abington  were:  Auditors,  H.  V.  Hall  and  Freeman 
Leach;  overseers  of  poor,  J.  W.  Griffin  and  George 
Swallow;  clerk,  J.  C.  Higgins;  treasurer,  C.  F.  Van  Nort. 
The  present  officers  are  as  follows:  Justices,  Henry 
Sisco  and  Joseph  W.  Griffin;  supervisors,  J.  P.  Skinner 
and  W.  H.  Smith;  auditors,  J.  C.  Higgins,  James  Tink- 
ham  and  J.  S.  Wagner;  judge  of  elections,  Henry  Leach; 


4. 


^^= 


45  6 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


inspectors  of  elections,  E.  A.  O'Mally  and  N.  S.  Davis; 
clerk,  Arthur  A.  Davis;  poor  director,  Norman  Leach; 
school  directors,  Samuel  Stevenson,  Norman  Leach,  R. 
P.  Parker,  G.  Stanton,  J.  Brown. 

Justices  have  been  elected  as  follows:  James  Tmk- 
ham,  1868;  H.  V.  Hall,  1879;  Joseph  W.  Griffin,  1873, 
1878;  Henry  Sisco,  1874. 

Six  good  public  schools  are  maintained.  Two  tan- 
neries are  in  operation;  one  at  Leach  Flats  and  one  near 
Waverly,  J.  Tinkham  proprietor.  The  Knapp  tannery, 
built  in  1835,  has  suspended  operations.  There  are  two 
grist-mills  and  two  saw-mills  in  South  Abington. 

The  population  in  1880  was  923. 

Irish  War. 

In  1850  the  extreme  enmity  existing  between  the  two 
Irish  factions  called  "  Corkonians  "  and  "  Fardowns  " 
resulted  in  a  conflict  near  Clark's  Green.  The  belliger- 
ents met,  armed  with  old  muskets,  picks,  scythes  and 
shillalahs,  and  for  two  days  the  battle  raged.  The  military 
company  was  finally  called  out,  and  dispersed  the  rioters 
■without  firing  a  gun.  In  the  conflict  only  two  men  were 
killed,  but  many  wounded. 

The  Stevenson  Nurseries. 

These  nurseries  cover  more  than  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  acres.  The  proprietor,  Samuel  Stevenson, 
has  spared  no  pains  and  expense  in  fitting  and  planting 
his  grounds  with  the  choicest  fruits,  trees  and  slirubbery. 
Clark's  Summit  is  his  receiving  and  shipping  depot. 

CLARK'S   GREEN. 

William  Clark  made  the  first  clearing.  This  for  many 
years  was  known  as  the  "  Green,"  and  from  it  the  settle- 
ment was  named.  This  green  is  a  triangular  plot  of  sev- 
eral acres,  upon  which  stands  the  residence  of  S.  A. 
Northup.  The  village  has  two  churches  and  several 
thriving  business  concerns  (among  which  are  Decker  & 
Frace,  merchants,  J.  C.  Higgins,  tailor,  and  Arthur  A.  Da- 
vis, carriage  maker),  a  post-office  and  a  flourishing  public 
school.  Hiram  Nichols,  M.  D.,  and  B.  F.  Evans,  M.  D., 
are  among  the  most  prominent  physicians  of  the  town. 
Dr.  Nichols  has  been  in  practice  about  fifty  years. 

The  post-office  at  Clark's  Green  was  established  in 
1850,  with  S.  A.  Northup  as  postmaster.  His  successors 
have  been  J.  C.  Higgins,  H.  Harrington,  Dr.  L.  Van 
Sickle,  and  the  present  postmaster,  S.  A.  Northup;  E.  S. 
Decker  is  deputy. 

Clark's  green  churches. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — In  1848  the  M.  E.  class  was  or- 
ganized at  Clark's  Green.  It  was  one  of  the  appoint- 
ments of  Abington  charge  until  18C5,  when  it  was  at- 
tached to  the  Clark's  Green  charge  with  Leach  Flats 
and  Ackerley's.  Rev.  Parley  H.  Scovell  was  the  first 
pastor.  Near  the  close  of  his  pastorate  the  flourishing 
society  at  Schultzville  was  added,  and  Ackerley's 
merged  in  Leach  Flats.     The  first    class-leader  was  Sid- 


ney Osborne,  and  under   the  new  arrangement  John  C. 
Higgins  was  appointed  class-leader. 

Until  1867  this  society  had  no  church  of  its  own.  In 
that  year  Rev.  J.  B.  Davis  succeeded  Mr.  Scovell.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate  a  comfortable  church  was  built,  costing 
between  $3,000  and  $4,000.  The  contributions  of  the 
charge  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  amount  to  from 
$1,000  to  $1,200  per  annum.  The  following  preachers 
have  served  the  church:  Rev.  P.  H.  Scovell,  three 
years;  Rev.  J.  B.  Davis,  two  years;  Rev.  O.  M.  Martin, 
three;  Rev.  S.  J.  Austin,  two;  Rev.  F.  A.  King,  three; 
Rev.  G.  C.  Lyman,  the  present  partor,  two.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  official  board  are:  Class-leader,  J.  C.  Hig- 
gins; stewards,  J.  S.  Wagner,  E.  S.  Decker,  F.  Miller; 
trustees,  J.  S.  Wagner,  president;  J.  C.  Higgins,  secre- 
tary; W.  S.  Frace,  treasurer.  The  number  of  members 
is  one  hundred  and  sixty-three;  probationers,  forty-four. 
The  Sunday-school  was  first  organized  in  1871.  C.  F. 
Van  Nort,  J.  C.  Higgins  and  E.  S.  Decker  have  been  the 
superintendents.  The  present  superintendent  is  F.  A. 
Miller;  number  of  teachers,  eight;  of  pupils,  ninety-two. 
Julius  P.  Skinner  is  the  only  one  of  the  original  members 
of  this  society  remaining. 

ClarKs  Green  Baptist  Church. — The  early  history  of 
this  church  is  included  in  that  of  the  Six  Principle  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Abington.  Members  living  at  or  near 
Clark's  Green  held  conference,  prayer  and  covenant 
meetings  for  three  years.  Elders  Joshua  Baker  and 
James  Brown  and  other  ministers  had  occasionally 
preached.  In  1853  twenty-five  of  these  members  pro- 
cured a  separate  organization  as  the  Second  General 
Baptist  Church  of  Abington.  This  organization  con- 
tinued until  1864,  Elders  J.  Brown,  J.  Baker  and  A.  J. 
Harrington  preaching. 

At   this    time  the  name  was  changed  "to  the    Regular 

Baptist  Church  at  Clark's  Green.     The  church  was  duly 

recognized  by  a  council   in  the  same  year.     The  original 

members  were: 

C.  L.  Parker,  Clara  A.,  Nellie,  Cornelia  K.,  Stephen,  Levi  J.  and  Jere- 
miah Northup,  Emma,  Victoria,  Emily  A.,  Amy  A.,  Sophia  and  Ellen 
Clark,  Margaret  A.  and  Adam  E.  Zedrick,  S.  J.  and  H.  V.  Hall,  Susannah 
and  Silas  Hobbs,  M.  A.  Brigham,  Phebe  N.  Van  Nort,  Dorcas  A.  Van 
Sickle,  E.  H.  Benscoter,  Ruth  H.  and  Angeline  Dewey,  Martha  Spencer, 
Rachel  Beagle,  Sally  Knapp,  Jennie,  Sarah  and  James  Nichols  and 
Thomas  Y.  Atherton. 

Rev.  C.  A.  Fox  first  served  the  new  church  as  pastor. 
His  successors  have  been  Rev.  D.  W.  Halsted,  from  No- 
vember, 1864,  until  April,  1866;  Newell  Callender  until 
1867;  A.  M.  Calkin,  a  short  time;  John  N.  Lukens  until 
1879;  Benjamin  Miller  until  1870;  Isaac  Bevan  until 
1876;  Thomas  B.  Jayne  until  1878.  October  ist,  1878, 
Rev.  S.  F.  Forgens  entered  upon  the  pastorate. 

A  frame  church  was  built  during  the  pastorate  of  Elder 
John  A.  Shaw.  It  remained  unfinished  and  unused  for 
several  years.  In  1852  Charles  Bailey  contracted  to 
finish  it  for  $625.  In  1853  the  committee  contracted  with 
Mr.  Bailey  to  new-roof  the  building,  enlarge  it  to  fifty- 
eight  by  thirty  feet,  and  build  a  belfry  and  steeple  at  a 
cost  of  $210.  It  was  dedicated  August  4th,  1853,  Rev. 
John  Tillinghast  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon.  In 
1869  it  was   sold   for  $300.     A   new  church   edifice  was 


=^^ 


4 


LEACH  FLATS— GLENBURN  AND  WAVERLY  BOROUGHS. 


4S7 


built  in  1869,  which  is  thirty-four  by  fifty  feet,  with  a 
lecture-room  on  the  rear  twenty  by  twenty-four  feet,  and 
an  octagonal  tower  in  front.  It  stands  on  the  site  of  the 
old  building.  It  was  consecrated  December  21st,  1869, 
Rev.  B.  D.  Thomas,  of  Pittston,  preaching. 

The  withdrawal  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  part  of 
the  union  Sunday-school  necessitated  the  organization 
of  a  Baptist  school,  which  was  effected  by  the  election  of 
S.  A.  Northup  as  the  first  superintendent.  In  that  year 
they  reported  3  officers,  8  teachers  and  78  pupils. 

H.  V.  Hall,  J.  H.  Pellam,  R.  P.  Parker,  Orlando  B. 
Jones  and  Robert  Hancox  have  been  deacons.  Mr. 
Jones  alone  is  now  in  office.  Stephen  A.  Northup  has 
been  clerk  since  the  organi.Tation,  except  for  a  short  time 
during  which  R.  P.  Parker  acted.  The  membership  is 
now  60. 

Leach  Flats. 

Ephraim  Leach  was  the  original  owner  of  a  large  tract, 
in  the  southern  part  of  this  township,  upon  a  portion  of 
which  this  small  village  was  built.  It  contains  two  hotels, 
a  grist-mill,  several  shops,  a  tannery,  a  church  and  a 
post-office,  established  in  1880,  under  the  name  of  Chin- 
chilla.    George  Tanner  is  the  postmaster. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — The  first  Methodist  ser- 
mon in  Abington  township  was  preached  by  Rev. 
George  Peck,  at  the  house  of  Ephraim  Leach,  in  1818. 
The  members  of  the  first  class  formed  at  Leach  Flats 
were  Gideon  Ellis  and  wife,  James  Ross  and  wife, 
Ephraim  Leach  and  wife,  John  Weiss  and  wife,  and 
David  Silsbee.  A  neat  frame  chapel  was  erected  in 
1869,  and  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  George  Peck,  D.  D., 
of  Scranton.     An  interesting  Sunday-school  is  sustained. 


GLENBURN  BOROUGH. 


I  HIS  town,  formerly  Huraphreysville,  was 
founded  in  1848  by  the  erection  of  a  mill 
dam  and  flouring-mill  by  George  E^  Hum- 
phrey, who  came  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
and  purchased  the  property  of  the  heirs  of  Thomag 
(^^  Meredith.  The  mill  was  a  well  built  wooden 
structure,  four  stories  in  height,  and  had  four 
runs  of  stones.  It  was  burned  about  five  years  since. 
Mr.  Humphrey  was  mainly  instrumental  in  erecting  a 
village  of  considerable  size  and  importance,  but  through 
financial  embarrassments  he  was  forced  to  abandon 
further  operations  and  sell  his  interest  at  a  great  sacrifice. 
The  mill  property  is  now  owned  by  Hon.  G.  W.  Palmer, 
who  built  a  new  mill  on  the  old  site,  but  smaller  and  of 
insufficient  capacity.  A  lumber-mill  is  also  in  operation. 
In  1877  this  village  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  and 
received  the  name  of  Glenburn.  It  was  formed  from 
portions  of  North  and  South  Abington,  chiefly  taken 
from  the  latter.  The  following  is  the  list  of  corporate 
officers:  Burgess,  N.    C.   Northup;  council,  E.  A.  Ather- 


ton,  W.  N.  Sherman,  Jabez  Hall,  Andrew  Leighton, 
Jerome  Morrow  and  William  C.  Hall;  secretary,  Andrew 
Leighton;  justices  of  the  peace,  George  Sherman  and  D. 
S.  Ball. 

The  present  officers  are:  Burgess,  William  C.  Hall; 
council,  E.  A.  Atherton,  Jerome  Morrow,  W.  N.  Sher- 
man, S.  L.  Hall,  Philip  Harlos,  H.  W.  Northup;  secre- 
tary, W.  C.  Atherton;  treasurer,  William  A.  Gardner; 
auditors,  H.  L.  Hall,  A.  Ball,  George  Sherman.  The 
justices  are  the  same  as  at  the  organization. 

A.  Ball  is  the  present  postmaster.  The  population 
was  returned  by  the  census  of  1880  as  290. 


WAVERLY  BOROUGH. 


'NTIL    about     1820     Abington     Centre — now 
Waverly — remained  an  unbroken  forest.    The 
first  house  was  built  by   a   Mr.  Flanegan,  on 
the  site  of  the  residence  of  Rev.  A.  M.  Calkin. 
The  second  was  built  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Nicholas, 
the    northeast    corner  of  the  square,  in  1822. 
Dr.   Nicholas   practiced  in   Abington   from    1815 
until  his  death,  in  1824. 

In  1826  Dr.  Andrew  Bedford  purchased  of  Rev.  John 
Miller  ten  acres  of  timber  land,  lying  on  both  sides  of 
Main  street,  south  of  Academy  street,  on  which  the  prin- 
cipal business  places  of  Waverly  now  stand;  had  the  tim  ■ 
ber  cleared  off,  and  built  a  dwelling  and  office  in  1828. 
About  1830  Thomas  Smith  bought  of  Dr.  Bedford 
the  corner  of  Academy  and  Main  streets;  built  a  house 
and  occupied  it  until  his  death  by  a  railroad  accident  in 
1865. 

The  first  store  was  established  by  Elder  John  Miller, 
John  Stone  and  Stephen  Parker,  who  conducted  a  general 
dry  goods  and  grocery  trade.  Dr.  A.  Bedford  and  Leon- 
ard Batchelor  opened  a  store,  which  was  burned  in  1S49 
and  immediately  rebuilt.  In  1853  Dr.  Bedford  opened 
the  first  drug  store. 

The  borough  was  incorporated  in  January,  1854,  and 
named  Waverly,  since  which  time  it  has  pretty  steadily 
increased  in  population  and  business  enterprise.  The 
population  in  1880  was  .329,  a  loss  of  24  from  1870. 

The  principal  interests  are  represented  by  A.  Bedford 
&  Son,  druggists;  M.  W.  Bliss  and  Gates  White,  dry- 
goods  and  groceries;  J.  Shane  and  G.  W.  Bailey,  grocer- 
ies; C.  A.  Cowles,  tin  and  hardware;  T.  C.  Kennedy  and 
J.  T.  Mead,  harness-makers;  E.  J.  Bailey,  watchmaker 
and  jeweller;  besides  many  shops  and  various  indus- 
tries. 

The  Waverly  Hotel  was  built  by  a  company  for  a  tem- 
perance house,  but  this  enterprise  was  soon  abandoned. 
J.  J.  Posten  is  the  present  proprietor. 

The  legal  profession  is  represented  by  Andrew  J.  Smith 
and  George  S.  Nicholson. 

L.  Van  Sickle,  M.  D.,  and  C.  A.  Miles,  M.  D.,  represent 


*4^ 


=^h 


458. 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


the  medical  profession.  A.  Bedford,  M.  D.,  druggist, 
has  retired  from  active  practice. 

The  Waverly  post-office  is  a  continuation  of  the  old 
Abington  post-office,  e.stablished  many  years  ago  at  the 
house  of  Elder  John  Miller.  It  was  removed  to  Waverly 
and  Dr.  Bedford  appointed  postmaster.  The  present  in- 
cumbent is  M.  W.  Bliss. 

The  Waverly  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized 
in  1867,  and  the  foundry  and  shop  erected  by  A.  P. 
Bedford,  who  is  the  present  proprietor.  This  establish- 
ment has  made  large  quantities  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments; since  1873  it  has  been  under  the  management  of 
G.  E.  Sherman,  who  maintains  its  reputation  for  first 
class  implements,  for  which  the  demand  is  continually 
increasing.  The  machinery  is  run  by  steam  power  and 
has  a  capacity  for  supplying  a  still  greater  demand. 

Civil  Record. 

Among  the  first  elected  officers  of   Waverly  were  the 
following:  Dr.  A.    Bedford,   burgess;  S.    D.  Dean,  judge 
of  elections;  A.   Z.  Mogg  and  James  Mc.\lpine,  inspec- 
tors of  elections;    G.  W.  Bailey,  assessor;  C.  Bailey  and 
John    Thompson,   poor  masters;  H.   S.    Cooper,    C.    A. 
Cowles  and    L.   Batchelor,  auditors;  N.  N.  Dean,   J.  V. 
Lynch,  Samuel  Whaling,  John  Stone  and  Thomas  Smith, 
council.     Thomas  Smith  was  chosen  secretary  and  trea- 
surer,   and  R.   Sisson    street    commissioner.       The  first 
school  directors  were:  Dr.    Bedford,   Dr.   J.  C.   Miles,  J 
G.  Fell,  N.  N.  Dean,  Samuel  Whaling  and  C.  A.  Cowles 
Dr.  Bedford  was  burgess   continuously  until   1871;  J.  C 
Fell,  A.   Bedford,    W.   W.  Smith  and  Dr.    L.  Van  Sickle 
have  since  served.  Justices  have  b.-en  elected  as  follows 
Harvey  S.  Cooper,   1857;  Thomas  Smith,  1859,  1864;  G 
W.   Bailey,    1861,    1866;  Andrew  J.    Smith,    1865,  1870 
1875;  J.  A.  La  Bar,  1871,  1877. 

The  present  officers  are:  Burgess,  Dr.  A.  Bedford 
council,  John  Stone,  Stephen  Wright,  Samuel  Whaling, 
G.  E.  Sherman,  J.  C.  Reynolds  and  W.  E.  Rice;  audi- 
tors, G.  S.  Nicholson,  John  Mahoney;  justices,  G.  W. 
Bailey  and  James  McAlpine:  constable,  T.  C.  Kennedy; 
school  directors,  J.  H.  McAlpine,  president;  J.  W.  Mer- 
shon,  treasurer;  A.  B.  Winchel,  secretary;  F.  A.  Parker, 
George  Perry  and  E.  G.  Carpenter. 

CHURCHES. 

FIRST    ABINGTON    BAPTIST. 

In  Februar)',  1802,  John  Miller,  with  his  family  and  a 
few  other  Baptists,  settled  in  Abington.  William  Clark 
and  Jonathan  Dean,  with  their  families,  had  already 
come — the  former  from  Plainfield,  Conn.,  in  1799,  the 
latter  from  Exeter,  R.  I.,  in  1800.  Meetings  for  singing, 
prayer  and  exhortation  were  now  established  and  sus- 
tained. On  the  22nd  of  Mnj',  1802,  at  the  house  of  Wil- 
liam Clark,  Rev.  Samuel  Sturdevant  organized  the  fol- 
lowing persons  as  a  church;  Jonathan  Dean,  John  and 
Polly  Miller,  George  Gardner,  Jeremiah,  William  and 
Mary    Clark,    Russell    Hall    and    Alice    Lewin.      The 


church   was  duly  recognized  in   November  of  the  same 
year. 

Rev.  John  Miller  was  the  pastor  until  1850,  when  Rev. 
Andrew  Hopper  became  associated  with  him,  at  his  re- 
quest. Rev.  C.  A.  Fox  was  pastor  for  eleven  years  from 
1853,  and  Rev.  T.  J.  Cole  about  two  years.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1866,  Rev.  A.  M.  Calkin,  the  fourth  and  present 
pastor,  entered  upon  his  labors. 

The  following  persons  have  served  as  deacons:  Wil- 
liam Clark,  James  Hulse,  John  Phillips,  Jeremiah  G. 
Northup,  Jeffery  Dean,  Isaac  Tillinghast,  Stephen 
Wright  and  Joseph  and  Benjamin  Miller.  As  clerks, 
Jonathan,  Jeffrey  and  William  Dean,  Ezra  Wall  and 
Joseph  B.  Miller  have  served,  the  latter  twenty-eight 
years. 

In  1821  the  society  built  its  first  meeting  house  half  a 
mile  east  of  Waverly.  Another  was  subsequently  built 
in  the  village,  and  in  187 1  it  was  thoroughly  and  taste- 
fully remodeled. 

From  May,  1806,  Pittston  Baptist  Church  was  a  branch 
of  this  until  it  became  self-sustaining.  It  the  autumn  of 
1818  this  church  dismissed  seventy-four  members  by  let- 
ter, chiefly  to  form  new  churches  at  Clifford  and  Green- 
field. In  1824  eighteen  members  left  to  form  the  Eaton 
church.  In  1832  thirty-six  more  were  constituted  into  the 
Nicholson,  now  Benton,  church.  In  1855  the  West  Ab- 
ington (now  Factoryville)  church  was  formed  by  fifty- 
five  members  dismissed  from  this  church  Mt.  Bethel, 
also  with  a  constituency  of  fifty  members,  sprang  from 
this  prolific  mother  of  churches. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL. 

The  first  appointment  for  Methodist  preaching  in  Wa- 
verly was  established  in  1832,  through  the  agency  of  Rev. 
Samuel  Griffin  and  others.  The  meetings  were  held  in 
the  school-house,  still  standing,  near  the  residence  of 
Col.  J.  G.  Fell.  The  first  members  were  Owen 
Wright  and  wife,  Nehemiah  Tinkham  and  wife.  Rev.  S. 
Griffin  and  wife,  Mrs.  Elvira  Whaling  and  Ann  Evans. 
Of  these  persons  only  Mrs.  Catherine  Tinkham  is  living, 
aged  eighty-eight.  She  is  the  mother  of  nine  children, 
and  has  fifty-six  grandchildren  and  eighty  great-grand- 
children. Among  the  members  who  joined  the  church 
later  were  William  La  Bar  and  wife,  John  S.  Mershon 
and  wife,  Jane  Tinkham,  Sarah  J.  and  Celinda  Stone, 
Rhoda  M.  Jones,  Mary  A.  Sherman,  William  R.  Finch 
and  wife,  A.  M.  Coon  and  wife,  Mary  Thoinpson,  Benja- 
min Knight,  A.  J.  Stone  and  wife,  Deborah  Bedford,  Dr. 
A.  Bedford,  Lois  B.  Gorman,  Elizabeth  Palmer,  Rebecca 
Wait,  Elizabeth  Bailey,  N.  N.  Dean  and  wife,  and  the 
decendants  of  those  here  named. 

Until  1871  this  charge  was  the  central  point  of  the 
Abington  circuit,  which  embraced  North  Abington 
and  Clark's  Green.  Among  the  early  preachers  who 
traveled  the  circuit  were  Revs.  Benjamin  Ellis,  William 
Reddy,  C.  W.  Giddings,  Dayton  F.  Reed,  Thomas 
Wilcox,  Epenetus  Owen,  Abel  Barker,  J.  F.  Wil- 
b  ir  and  C.  E.  Taylor.  A  frame  church  was  built  in 
Waverly  in   1842,  and   a  parsonage   bought   about   1851. 


^ 


<^ 


CHURCHES  OF  WAVERLY  BOROUGH— MADISON  ACADEMY.  459 


Afterward  the  following  preachers  served  the  charge:  A. 
Bronson,  L.  Cole,  D.  Worrell,  S.  S.  Barter,  H.  Browns- 
combe,  A.  Brooks,  D.  C.  Olmstead,  C.  E.  Taylor,  and  F. 
L.  Hilles.  In  1871  Waverly  was  made  a  separate  charge, 
with  Dalton  attached.  Since  then  the  pastors  have  been 
J.  G.  Eckman,  A.  C.  Bowdish,  S.  C.  Fulton,  L.  W.  Peck. 
G.  A.  Severson  and  A.  W.  Cooper. 

Owen  Wight,  the  first  class  leader,  died  while  in  office; 
after  him  John  S.  Mershon  served  many  years;  the  next 
was  James  R.  Clark.  At  present  Dr.  Andrew  Bedford  is 
class  leader,  and  Dr.  J.  P.  Coult  assistant.  The  trustees 
are  Rev.  S.  S.  Kennedy,  R.  J.  Stone,  J.  T.  Case,  J.  R. 
Clark,  G.  E.  Sherman,  J.  S.  Mershon  and  Samuel  Wha- 
ling. The  stewards  are  J.  T.  Case,  John  W.  Mershon, 
William  R.  Finch,  David   Hallock  and  Sterling  Bedford. 

Mrs.  Deborah  Bedford  joined  the  class  at  Ross  Hill, 
in  Kingston,  in  1788,  and  lived  an  irreproachable  Chris- 
tian life  for  eighty  years.  She  died  in  i86g,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  her  son  Dr.  A.  Bedford,  in  her  ninety-seventh 
year. 

William  La  Bar  settled  in  Abington  Centre  in  1848, 
and  assisted  in  starting  the  first  M.  E.  Sunday-school, 
which  he  superintended  and  his  daughters  aided  in  teach- 
ing for  a  number  of  years.  Dr.  Bedford  was  superinten- 
dent from  about  1856  to  1873,  and  his  son,  Sterling  Bed- 
ford, has  filled  that  office  since  1874. 

AFRICAN    M.    E.      CHURCH. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1844,  with  about  twenty 
members.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  James  Hyatt,  and 
the  first  officers  were  as  follows:  Class  leader,  George 
Keyes';  stewards,  Lot  Norris,  George  Keyes,  W.  M.  John- 
son, Charles  Allen  and  John  Mason.  The  first  place  of 
meeting  was  a  school-house  in  Abington  Centre.  In 
1854  the  first  and  present  church  edifice  was  erected  and  ■ 
consecrated  by  Rev.  William  Burch,  P.  E.  The  follow- 
ing clergymen  have  been  pastors: 

Kevs.  James  Hyatt,  Joseph  Turner,  Thomas  M.  D.  Ward,  William  Her- 
mans, Thomas  De  Remus,  William  Watson,  Alexander  Walker,  William 
Johnson,  Theodoi-e  Gould,  Mr.  Jackson,  Mr.  Davis,  Jeremiah  Youngs, 
William  Henson,  William  Taylor,  William  Laws,  William  Chase,  John 
Stephenson,  Elijah  Hammet,  Nathaniel  Evans,  J.  M.  Morris  and  the 
present  pastor.  Rev.  Anthony  Waldron. 

The  membership  is  thirty-four,  four  of  whom  are  pro- 
bationers. The  officers  are:  Ignitus  Thomas,  class-leader: 
J.  Thomas,   Richard  Lee  and  Peter    Norris,  trustees. 

A  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1856,  with  Joanna 
Raymond  as  superintendent.  It  numbers  about  twenty- 
five  members,  with  Catherine  Walker  as  superintendent, 
and  is  flourishing. 

The  church  has  connected  with  it  a  literary  society, 
well  sustained. 

FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Abington  (now  Wa- 
verly) was  organized  in  1850,  with  01  ly  five  members. 
The  membership  now  numbers  60,  including  a  few  non- 
residents. Midway  in  its  history  its  membership  was 
more  than  70. 

It  first  worshiped  in  the  Methodist  church.  In  1859  it 
occupied  the  basement  of  a  new  edifice  on  Beach  street, 


and  later  the  upper  room,  where  it  continued  until  about 
1869,  when  the  building  was  sold  to  the  borough  for  a 
school-house.  The  present  building  was  then  erected  at 
the  northern  limit  of  the  village,  at  1  cost  of  about  f  6.000, 
which  is  fully  paid.  The  pulpit  has  been  supplied  by 
Baptist,  Methodist  and  Free-Will  Baptist  preachers.  The 
Presbyterian  clergymen  who  have  been  stated  supplies 
are  the  following,  named  in  order  of  service:  Revs.  Burr 
Baldwin,  Joel  Barton,  J.  A.  Whittaker,  John  L.  Landis,  C. 
F.  Muzzy,  W.  J.  Parro"t,  Yates  Hickey,  H.  H.  Welles,  J. 
H.  Clark  and  (at  present)  J.  M.  Phillips. 

A  cause  of  weakness  in  the  society  was  the  contro- 
versy between  the  old  and  new  schools.  Abington  being 
on  the  border  of  two  adjoining  presbyteries  of  different 
schools,  each  claimed  the  ground.  The  people  were  fi- 
nally allowed  to  choose  between  the  respective  schools, 
and  it  was  agreed  that  if  the  Montrose  (new  school) 
Presbytery  should  pr&))erly  support  the  .Abington  church 
the  Luzerne  Presbytery  would  be  quiet. 

The  present  board  of  elders  is  as  follows:  M.  R- 
Wheeler,  Bernard  Dorshimer,  Samuel  Whaling,  Thomas 
Chamberlin,  M.  W.  Bliss  and  L.  Bntchelor.  A  Sunday- 
school  is  sustained,  with  M.  W.  Bliss  as  superintendent. 

FREE     METHODIST. 

This  church  was  organized  about  1872,  through  the 
efforts  of  a  few  Free  Methodists  of  the  Abington  cir- 
cuit and  the  pastor  in  charge,  Rev.  George  Harvey, 
who  became  the  first  pastor  of  this  society.  The  orig- 
inal members  were  thirteen.  The  preachers  have  been: 
Rev.  George  Harvey,  one  year;  Rev.  James  Bristol,  two; 
Rev.  E.  Adams,  two;  Rev.  William  Jones,  one;  and  the 
present  pastor,  Rev.  James  Bradbrook.  The  member- 
ship has  been  reduced  by  removals  to  seven  in  the  class. 
Their  church  is  a  convenient  gothic  building,  belonging 
to  Waverly  borough, 

Madison    Academy. 

This  institution  was  incorporated  in  1840.  The  first 
board  of  trustees  consisted  of  Rev.  John  Miller  (presi- 
dent), Leonard  Batchelor  (secretary).  Dr.  Andrew  Bed- 
ford, Thomas  Smith,  Lemuel  Stone,  William  Thompson 
and  Nicholas  Reynolds.  The  building  was  erected  in 
1844,  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,000.  It  is  a  two-story  wooden 
structure,  standing  ninety  feet  above  the  center  of  the 
borough.  The  school  was  opened  upon  the  completion 
of  the  building,  with  Rev.  G.  S.  Bailey  as  principal  and 
Miss  Sarah  Bunnell  preceptress.  Mr.  Bailey  continued 
but  one  year.  His  successors  were  Profs.  L.  G.  Dim- 
mock,  Harvey  D.  Walker,  Granger,  Carter,  Carr,  Rose, 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Stewart.  For  a  time  the  building  was 
used  for  a  public  school,  and  again  resumed  as  an 
academy  until  1878,  when  it  was  given  to  the  school 
directors  of  the  borough  for  a  graded  school.  Among 
the  graduates  of  this  academy  may  be  named  G.  M. 
Harding,  G.  B.  Nicholson,  G.  R.  Bedford,  A.  H.  Farn- 
ham,  J.  S.  Bedford,  G.  W.  Smith,  D.  L.  Patrick  and 
Frank  Lee  Benedict,  the  author. 


=4h 


^^' 


-^) 


460 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Waverly  High  School. 

The  graded  public  school  of  Waverly  was  organized 
in  1878.  Under  the  management  of  Prof.  S.  M.  Ward 
and  Miss  P.  D.  Relph  thorough  discipline  and  high 
scholarship  have  been  secured. 

Lodges. 

IVaj'erly  Lodge,  No.  301,  F.  and  A.  M.  was  organized 
September  9th,  1856.  The  following  officers  were  cho- 
snn,  being  all  the  charter  members:  William  H.  Smith, 
W.  M.;  C.  A.  Cowles,  S.  W.;  Harrison  Smith,  J.  W.; 
Gershom  Post,  S.  D.;  Abel  Harrington,  J.  D.;  Samuel 
Tripp,  F.;  N.  B.  Hills,  S.;  Philip  Franklin,  tiler.  Many 
members  have  left  this  lodge  to  organize  new  ones,  and 
the  present  membership  is  42. 

The  following  are  the  present  officers:  S.  A.  Hobbs, 
W.  M.;  J.  D.  Knight,  S.  W.;  Henry  Cisco,  J.  W.;  M.  W. 
Bliss,  T.;  N.  B.  Hilh,  S. 

The  /.  O.  of  O.  P.  of  Waverly  was  organized  in  1847. 
Among  the  leading  members  were  T.  W.  Patterson,  G. 
W.  Bailey,  C.  A.  Cowles,  John  Stow,  Thomas  Smith, 
Davis  Dean,  Amasa  Dean,  O.  L.  Halsted,  and  Dr.  A. 
Bedford.  In  1859  the  lodge  surrendered  its  charter  and 
ceased  to  exist. 

The  /,  O.  of  G.  T.  of  Waverly  was  organized  in 
1 866,  with  nearly  forty  members.  It  steadily  increased 
in  numbers  and  influence  until  many  of  the  best  citizens 
of  both  sexes  were  among  its  membership.  Two  monthly 
papers  were  published,  viz.:  "  Waverly  Magazine"  and 
"Ladies'  Templar."  This  society  has  surrendered  its 
charter. 


BENTON  TOWNSHIP. 


rN  1838  this  township  was  formed  from  Nichol- 
son, and  was  named  in  honor  of  the  late  Hon. 
Thomas  H.  Benton,  a  United  States  senator 
from  Missouri.  Its  population  was  1,055  '" 
1870  and  1,148  in  1880. 
At  the  head  of  Finn  pond  was  the  old  camping 
ground  of  the  Indians.  It  lay  on  the  trail  from  the 
head  waters  of  the  Lehigh  to  Great  Bend,  on  the  Susque- 
hanna. Here  have  been  found  large  quantities  of  arrow 
heads,  stone  hatchets,  and  other  relics. 

One  Bassett,  after  whom  Bassett  pond  is  named,  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  pioneer  settler  of  Benton. 
He  located  at  the  mouth  of  Basselt  creek,  near  Walls- 
ville,  in  1810  or  181 1,  where  D.  Long  now  lives.  This 
land  was  obtained  from  the  State  by  a  patent  deed,  as  it 
was  called,  and  was  formerly  known  as  the  "  Esquire 
John  Marcy  tract."  It  is  now  known  as  the  "  Prickley 
Ash  flats."  The  old  Bassett  property  is  now  owned  by 
different  parties. 

The  next  settler  was  James  Halsted,  who  built  his 
log  cabin  in  the  hollow  north  of  Fleetville,  at  the  head 
of  Finn  pond,  on  the  west  side  of  the  turnpike. 


In  1820   two   frame   houses  were   built,  the   first  by 
Thomas   Chambers,  where   D.   Sweet   now  lives,  on   the 
turnpike  south  of  Fleetville,  and  the  other  by  John  Finn, 
north   of   Fleetville,  where   Mrs.  Jane  Green   now  lives. 
The  pioneer  frame  barn  (still  standing)  was  built  in  1820 
by  William  Finn,  near  Mrs.  Green's,  at  the  head  of  Finn 
pond.     The  first  brick  house  was  built  by  Ira  L.  Lewis 
in  1838  or  1839,  in  the  south  part  of  the  township,  where 
Mrs.  Lewis  still  resides.     Mr.  Lewis  made  the  brick  on 
the  farm.     Timothy  Warner  built   a  house   and   barn   in 
1820  or  1821,  where  J.  W.  Everts  now  lives.    The  pioneer 
nurserymen  were  Isaac    Doud  and  Parmenus  Brundage, 
who    set  out  orchards    as  early  as  1820,  in  the  northeast 
part  of  the  township.     The  first  death  was   that  of  Solo- 
mon Finn.     He  died   in  1821,  and  was   buried   at   Fleet- 
ville.    The  first  road  through  this  township  ran  from  the 
bend  in  Tunkhannock  creek,  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
the    township,  southerly   over   Tunkhannock    mountain, 
past    the  head  of   Finn  pond,  keeping  west  of    what  is 
now   Fleetville,   crossing   the    turnpike    south   of   Fleet- 
ville,   going    we.st    of     the    Bassett    pond,    and    cross- 
ing the  south  branch  of  the  Tunkhannock   creek  at  the 
"  Prickly  Ash   road   bridge."     The  first  bridge  was  built 
in   1 82 1,  across    the  south   branch  of   the  Tunkhannock 
creek,   where    the    turnpike    crosses    that    stream.     Two 
grave    yards    were  occupied    as    early    as    1821 — one  at 
East  Benton,  on  the  Seth  Colvin  property,  where  his  son 
now  lives,  and  the  other  at  the  head  of  Finn  pond,  near 
Mrs.  Jane  Green's.     The  pioneer  school-house  was  built 
about  1820,  in    the  northeast    corner  of    the  township,  a 
little  east  of  where   the  present  school-house  stands.     It 
was  made  of  logs,  and  many  years  ago  gave  place  to  the 
present  frame  building. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  in  1812  by  a  Mr.  Monroe. 
He  made  a  failure  and  left.  His  mill  was  just  below 
Finn  pond.  The  saw-mill  at  the  outlet  of  Finn  pond 
was  first  built  in  1821  by  William  Finn,  and  has  been  re- 
built four  times.  The  pioneer  grist-mill  was  built  in  1820 
by  Benjamin  Spencer,  on  the  south  branch  of  the  Tunk- 
hannock creek,  near  the  present  property  of  Price  & 
Halsted.  It  had  but  one  run  of  stones  and  was  in  oper- 
ation only  ten  or  fifteen  years.  Another  was  soon  after 
built  farther  down  the  creek  by  S.  States;  it  was  burned 
in  1850.  W.  E.  Manchester  owns  and  operates  a  small 
grist-mill  at  the  outlet  of  Walling  pond,  in  the  southwest 
part  of  the  township.  There  is  also  a  grist-mill  at  the 
outlet  of  Bassett  pond,  built  and  operated  by  D.  Letson. 
The  pioneer  tannery  was  built  in  1836  by  one  Taft,  where 

D.  Letson's  grist-mill  now  stands.  It  1837  John  Ray- 
mond built  a  small  tannery  on  the  little  creek  west  of 
Walling  pond,  on  the  property  now  owned  by  H.  Gard- 
ner. About  1852  or  1853  E.  Stiles  built  a  small  tannery 
on  the  south  side  of  Finn  pond.  It  was  burned  in  1876. 
The  tannery  now  standing  at  the  outlet  of  Finn  pond  was 
built  in  1862  by  a  Mr.  Baylor.  The  turning  shop  on 
Walling  creek,  owned  by  C.  Newcomb,  was  built  by  W. 

E.  Manchester.  The  pioneer  blacksmith,  John  White, 
located  in  1812  at  the  head  of  Finn  pond.  His  shop 
was  made  of  two  crotches,  a  ridge  pole,  and  poles  run- 


^ 


<^ 


VILLAGES  AND  CHURCHES  OF  BENTON— BLAKELY  TOWNSHIP. 


461 


ning  from  that  on  either  side  to  the  ground,  the  two  roofs 
covered  with  hemlock  bark;  the  ends  of  the  building 
were  left  open  for  the  ingress  and  egress  of  customers 
and  fresh  air.  The  earliest  shoemaker,  Elnathan  Baker, 
opened  a  shop  south  of  the  village  about  1820.  The 
first  postmaster  was  John  Wells.  He  kept  the  office  at 
his  house,  two  miles  east  of  the  village  of  PMeetville, 
where  A.  Wells  now  lives. 

Justices. 

The  justices  of  the  peace  elected  by  the  people,  since 
the  adoption  of  the  State  constitution. of  1838,  have  been 
as  follows:  George  W.  Browning,  1840,  1845;  Stephen 
N.  Farnham,  1840;  Orrin  L.  Farnham,  1845;  O.  L.  Hal- 
sted,  1850;  Hiram  Green,  1850;  I.  M.  Semmons,  1855; 
W.  A.  Browning,  1855;  Henry  Newcomb,  i860;  Joseph 
Chase,  i860,  1865,  1870;  Daniel  C.  Brundage,  1862;  J. 
M.  Seamans,  1866.  1872;  Andrew  J.  Smith,  1871;  De- 
wilton  Sweet,  1874;   E.  C.  Reynolds,  1875. 

Villages. 

FleetviUe  is  named  after  James  Van  Fleet.  The  land 
was  formerly  owned  by  Meredith  and  Clymer,  who  once 
owned  nearly  or  (juite  the  whole  township.  They  were 
the  contractors  for  the  turnpike  frqm  Easton  to  Great 
Bend,  and  built  it  through  this  township.  They  caused 
lots  to  be  surveyed,  running  back  three  quarters  of  a  mile 
each  way  from  their  turnpike,  and  sold  what  they  could 
from  $2.50  to  $5  ])er  acre,  according  to  quality.  The 
property  subsequently  fell  into  the  hands  of  Thomas 
Meredith  and  George  Clymer,  sons  of  the  old  proprie- 
tors, and  they  made  large  sales  to  others.  William  Finn 
bought  of  them  all  the  land  on  the  west  side  of  the  turn- 
pike from  lot  14  to  lot  22,  covering  FleetviUe  on  that  side 
of  the  road,  and  all  the  land  around  Finn's  pond.  Wil- 
liam Hartley  and  Esquire  Halsted  purchased  the  land  on 
the  other  side  of  the  turnpike,  upon  which  the  village  is 
partly  situated. 

The  pioneer  store  was  built  in  1838,  by  Rowland 
Richards  and  Nehemiah  Finn,  on  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Nicholson  streets.  It  was  burned  in  1842  and  never  re- 
built. The  land  is  now  owned  by  O.  F.  Gunther.  The 
next  store  was  built  by  Esquire  Hartley,  where  the  Ben 
ton  House  now  stands.  This  stone  building  was  con- 
verted into  a  hotel  in  1878,  and  is  now  kept  by  J.  W. 
Umphred.  The  first  tavern,  the  FleetviUe  House,  was 
built  in  1837  or  1838,  by  Dr.  Brundage,  and  kept  for 
several  years  as  a  temperance  house.  It  is  novv  kept  by 
A.  Wedeman. 

The  earliest  physician  here  was  Dr.  Nott,  who  remain- 
ed but  one  year.  Dr.  S.  M.  Wheeler  and  Dr.  Brundage 
followed.  The  present  physicians  are  Doctors  Robinson, 
Scott  and  F.  B.  Davidson. 

There  are  here  two  churches  (Universalist  and  Baptist), 
two  hotels,  the  stores  of  Elliott  Sweet  and  C.  R.  Bliss,  a 
school -house,  a  wagon  shop,  the  blacksmith  shops  of 
Phillips  and  Hiram  Chase,  the  saloon  of  H.  Finn,  and 
the  shoe  shop  of  Mr.  Crawford.  The  population  is 
about  200.     F.  Chase  is  the  present  postmaster. 


It  is  recorded  that  James  Van  Fleet  made  and  sold 
nearly  all  the  plows  used  in  the  first  agriculture  of  the 
valley.  He  made  plow-shares  of  gnarled  knots  of  trees 
for  a  score  of  years  or  more.  He  lived  to  extreme  old 
age. 

At  Wallsvilk  Simmons  &  Green  opened  a  store  in 
1850.  J.  M.  Seaman  keeps  the  present  store.  There  is 
also  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  ten  or  twelve  dwellings. 

East  Benton  consists  of  a  post-office,  a  blacksmith 
shop  and  half  a  dozen  dwellings.  A.  G.  Colvin  is  the 
postmaster. 

Churches. 

The  "  Strict  Baptist  Church  of  Nicholson,"  located  at 
FleetviUe,  was  organized  pursuant  of  request  made  June 
9th,  1832,  to  take  letters  from  the  "  Strict  Baptist  Church 
of  Abington,"  by  Earl  and  Lucy  Manchester,  Harvey 
Dan  Exed,  Horace,  Asahel  and  Narcissa  Gardner,  Wil- 
liam and  Hiram  Green,  Peter  and  Polly  Cole,  Silas 
Rhoda  and  John  Gorman,  John  Cure,  Daniel,  Eva, 
George,  Chloe,  Stephen  and  Julia  Reynolds,  Celinda 
Green,  Mary  Stanton,  Phebe  Smith  and   Roda   Peterson. 

A  council  from  neighboring  churches  met  in  Hiram 
Green's  barn  July  loth,  1832,  to  constitute  the  appli- 
cants into  a  church.  This  church  was  accepted  Septem- 
ber 6th,  1832,  as  a  member  of  the  Abington  Baptist  As- 
sociation, and  Earl  Manchester  was  chosen  the  first 
church  clerk.  July  21st,  1832,  Ezra  Reynolds  and  Earl 
Manchester  were  chosen  deacons. 

May  loth,  1834,  Elder  Miller  was  engaged  to  preach 
once  a  month  for  the  year.  Nathan  Callender  preached 
half  of  the  time  for  four  months  from  May  20th,  1847, 
for  $20.  The  meeting  house  was  built  in  1852,  of  wood, 
and  cost  about  $1,500. 

We  find  by  the  records  that  the  following  pastors  have 
served  this  people:  Elders  Miller,  Silas  Finn,  Nathan 
Callender,  Finn,  T.  G.  Cole,  H.  J.  Millard,  Stair,  C.  M. 
Tower,  John  Ballentine  and  Castell,  the  last  in  1880. 
The  church  has  a  Sabbath-school  of  about  60  scholars, 
with  Oscar  Smith  as  superintendent. 

The  Universalist  Church  at  FleetviUe  was  built  in 
1852,  of  wood,  and  cost  $2,500.  The  lot  and  $500  were 
donated  by  William  Finn. 


BLAKELY   TOWNSHIP. 


^HIS  township,  formed  from    parts    of    Provi- 
dence   and    Greenfield    in     1818,    was    first 
settled    by    Timothy    Stevens,  who    located 
near    what    is    now    Dickson    City    in   1786 
__  reared  a  family.     In   1814   he  built  the  first 

^^  grist-mill  on  the  Lackawanna,  which  was  known 
for  many  years  as  Mott's  mill  after  a  later  owner. 
In  179s  Nicholas  F.  Leuchens  built  a  log  cabin  where 
Peckville  now  stands.  He  was  an  eccentric  German, 
given  to  various  superstitions  and  possessing,  so  tradition 


='=^^ 


*^H= 


462 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


states,  a  penchant  for  the  collection  of  feather  beds.  He 
was  the  father  of  God  Save  Nicholas  F.  Leiichens,  who 
figured  somewhat  in  the  history  of  lAizerne  county  and 
whose  portentous  name  was  an  evidence  of  the  eccentric- 
ity of  his  sponsor.  Captain  John  Vaughn  settled  here  in 
1797  and  Moses  Dolph  in  1798,  the  latter  becoming  the 
owner  of  lands  which  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants 
have  proved  a  valuable  property. 

The  settlement  of  the  township  was  slow.  In  1840  it 
contained  only  570  inhabitants,  scattered  over  an  area  of 
forty-eight  square  miles,  of  whom  4  are  described  as 
engaged  in  mining  and  1 19  in  agriculture.  Ten  years  later 
the  developments  of  coal  at  Carbondale  and  Providence 
had  swelled  the  population  to  1,703,  but  up  to  this  date 
only  one  colliery  had  been  opened  within  the  township 
limits — that  at  White  Oak  Run,  now  Archbald.  The 
building  of  the  gravity  road  to  Archbald  in  1845  was 
the  cause  of  a  rapid  increase  of  population  and  of  im- 
portant developments  in  the  coal  fields  of  the  township, 
and  in  i860  the  census  shows  an  increase  of  more  than 
one  hundred  per  cent,  over  the  totals  of  the  previous  de- 
cade. 

Engaged  in  farming  on  a  small  scale,  and  in  lumbering 
and  running  lumber  in  small  rafts  down  the  Lackawanna 
and  into  the  Susquehanna  river,  the  early  settlers  were  a 
rough  and  reckless  class  of  men,  and  but  few  of  them 
remained  as  permanent  residi.-nts;  while  to  another  class, 
who  came  in  about  1832,  is  due  the  development  of  the 
agricultural  interests  of  the  valley. 

The  old  "ten  mile  tavern,"  a  short  distance  north  of 
Priceville,  was  the  first  regular  hostelry,  and  at  this  place 
for  many  years  the  post-office  was  kept. 

The  proximity  of  the  township  to  Providence  and 
Carbondale,  and  its  sparse  and  unsettled  population, 
made  it  for  the  first  half  century  a  suburb  of  those 
towns;  the  opening  of  collieries  at  various  places  caused 
the  building  of  villages,  of  which  in  1880  there  were  six, 
with  populations  varying  from  five  hundred  to  three 
thousand  souls.  Among  the  first  immigrants  were  the 
Welsh,  who  were  followed  closely  by  Irish,  Scotch  and 
Germans,  and  within  the  past  twenty  yearsby  a  consider- 
able number  of  English  families,  whose  settlements  were 
made  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  The  princi- 
pal part  of  the  business  done  in  the  villages  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  Irish,  Welsh,  Scotch  and  English. 

The  fact  that  the  township  as  a  distinct  organization  is 
now  extinct  has  rendered  it  difficult  to  trace  its  civil  his- 
tory, but  the  reader  will  find  annexed  as  complete  a  list 
of  justices,  with  the  years  of  election,  as  can  be  collected 
from  available  sources: 

Stephen  Callender,  1840,  WU>,  18.50, 1855, 1860, 1865 ;  Lewis  S.  Watrea,  1840, 
1845,  1853,  1860;  Sylvanus  Osborn,  1849;  .Tnhn  P.  Parnham,  1850,  1858; 
David  J.  Brown,  1855;  John  Gardner,  1863,  1800;  Patrick  Carroll,  laoj'; 
Edward  Carroll,  1887,  1872;  Patriclc  Loftus,  1868;  Thomas  Nealon,  1870- 
P.  J.  White,  1873. 

The  township  was  named  after  Captain  Johnson  Blakely, 
who  commanded  the  American  sloop  of  war  "  Wasp  "  in 
her  spirited  battle  with  the  British  sloop  "  Avon  "  in  i8r4. 

In  1867  Blakely  borough  was  formed  from  the  territory 
lying -west  of  the  Lackawanna  river  and  between  the  vil- 


lages of  Olyphant  and  Rushdale.  In  1870  the  last  named 
was  made  a  borough  under  the  name  of  Gibsonburg, 
since  changed  to  Jermyn.  In  1875  Dickson  City  was  in- 
corporated, and  two  years  later  Olyphant,  Archbald  and 
Winton  divided  the  remaining  territory  of  the  township, 
leaving  only  a  poor  district  corresponding  with  the  old 
town  boundaries  and  governed  by  a  board  of  three  direct- 
ors. In  1880  there  still  remained  a  floating  indebted- 
ness against  the  township,  and  commissioners  had  been 
appointed  to  apportion  it  among  the  boroughs. 

During  the  enrollment  for  the  first  draft  ordered  by 
President  Lincoln,  in  1862,  dissatisfaction  arose  among 
the  foreign  born  population,  and  an  attack  was  made  upon 
the  enrolling  officer  at  Archbald  that  drove  him  from 
his  work.  A  posse  summoned  to  support  him  visited  the 
place  October  loth,  1862,  and  on  being  attacked  by  a  mob 
of  women  and  boys,  who  followed  the  party  through  River 
into  Bridge  street,  fired  a  volley  that,  as  is  usual  in  such 
cases,  involved  the  innocent  with  the  guilty.  Patrick 
Gilmartin,  an  old  and  respected  merchant,  fell  dead  with 
five  balls  in  his  breast,  and  four  other  persons  were 
wounded.  This  decisive  act  rendered  further  violence 
unnecessary. 


ARCHBALD  BOROUGH. 


HE  earliest  settlements  within  the  present 
limits  of  this  borough  were  made  by  Welsh 
immigrants  in  1831 — the  families  of  John 
Evans,  John  D.  Jones  and  Daniel  and  Evan 
Price.  Another  party  followed  in  1834,  con- 
sisting  of  John  Rees,  David  Davis,  John  ,Owens, 
''^  Rev.  John  Davis  and  Deacon  John  Bowen.  The 
settlers  devoted  their  attention  to  cultivating  farin  pro- 
ducts for  the  supply  of  the  miners  at  Carbondale  and 
vicinity  until,  in  1856,  their  lands  proving  to  be  coal  prop- 
erty, they  sold  to  the  Tinklepaugh  Coal  Company  for 
$125  per  acre  (the  cost  to  them  being  about  $3).  In 
1862,  the  purchasing  company  having  failed  to  fulfill  their 
contract,  and  the  lands  reverting  to  the  .original  owners, 
they  sold  to  A.  Corry  and  Jones,  Simpson  &  Co.,  at  $200 
per  acre. 

The  first  permanent  residents  in  the  valley  were 
Thomas  Swift,  Michael  Gilroy,  Patrick  Gilmartin  and  a 
few  others,  who  came  in  1845  to  work  on  the  gravity 
road.  In  the  following  year  the  opening  of  the  White 
Oak  colliery  drew  many  more  to  the  place.  From  that 
time  the  growth  of  the  place  has  been  healthy.  The 
population  in  1880  was  3,059. 

The  name  was  given  to  the  place  by  Alver  Eaton  in 
honor  of  James  Archbald;  the  name  of  the  first  settle- 
ment and  post-office  had  been  White  Oak  Run. 

The  first  child  born  in  the  place  and  surviving  the  ills  of 
infancy  was  John  J.,  son  of  Thomas  Swift.  The  post- 
ofi^ce  was  established  in  1S47,  with  G.  H.  Snyder  post- 
master.    The  first  store,  opened   in    1846,    was    that    of 


=^^ 


David  H.  Taylor  &  Co.,  and  was  kept  in  the  building 
now  occupied  by  William  H.  Kearney  &  Co.  Nearly 
contemporaneous  was  that  of  John  Farnham,  who  was 
for  years  very  prominent  and  influential  in  local  affairs. 
Other  early  merchants  were  Peter  Walsh,  Thomas  Healy, 
who  brought  a  stock  of  goods  here  from  England,  and  who 
is  now  a  prominent  dealer;  Patrick  Kearney  and  Patrick 
Gilmartin.  The  first  hotel  was  built  by  a  man  named 
Cannon  in  1846,  and  was  burned  in  1852.  The  first 
regular  mails  were  received  in  1846,  by  wagons  between 
Providence  and  Carbondale.  The  Scranton  and  Car- 
bondale  plank  road  was  built  in  1851.  Among  the 
names  most  prominent  in  local  affairs  at  this  period  were 
those  of  Messrs.  Hackler,  Cannon,  Farnham  and  Hosie. 
The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1847,  and  James 
Savage  was  the  first  teacher.  Archbald  graded  school 
was  organized,  with  seven  departments  and  eight  teach- 
ers, in  1875.  The  school  building  was  put  up  in  that 
year  by  tne  Blakely  township  school  board,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $10,500. 

Present  Business  Interests. 

The  ''company  store"  of  Jones,  Simpson  &  Co.,  opened 
in  1866,  does  a  large  and  evidently  lucrative  business; 
Thomas  Healy  carries  a  large  and  varied  stock  of  gen- 
eral merchandise;  W.  H.  Kearney  &  Co.,  successors  to 
Patrick  Moyles,  is  also  a  popular  trading  point;  while 
Adam  Behle  &  Son  keep  a  large  stock  of  boots  and 
shoes;  Dr.  John  Foote  a  well  filled  drug  store;  Bishop 
Brothers  a  fine  assortment  of  general  hardware  and  min- 
ers' supplies;  F.  J.  O'Boyle  carries  on  the  tin  and  sheet 
iron  trade;  M.  F.  Lynott  and  Anthony  Broderick  the 
wholesale  wine  and  liquor  business;  Anthony  Kinback 
and  John  Sweeney  the  undertaking  and  furniture  trade; 
while  two  tailor  shops,  two  millinery,  two  boot  and  shoe 
shops,  three  restaurants,  three  confectionery  stores,  two 
groceries,  three  hotels,  a  carriage  shop  and  two  black- 
smith shops  complete  the  list  of  mercantile  and  mechan- 
ical establishments. 

A  handsome  view  of  Bishop  Bros.'  fine  establishment 
may  be  seen  on  another  page. 

Civil  Government. 

Archbald  borough  was  incorporated  in  February,  1877, 
the  first  election  of  officers  being  held  on  the  third  Tues- 
day of  that  month,  and  resulting  as  follows:  Burgess, 
John  B.  Lack  ;  council— Michael  Spelman  (president)^ 
Thomas  Law  (secretary),  P.  J.  Henegan,  Thomas 
Malone,  John  Morrell,  John  Hofsomer;  chief  of  police, 
M.  J.  Walsh;  school  directors.  Dr.  John  Foote,  J.  W. 
Dick,  John  J.  Kearney,  John  Barrett,  John  J.  Swift, 
James  H.  White;  justices  of  peace,  Edward  Carroll,  P. 
J.  White;  high  constable,  James  Gilroy. 

During  that  year  a  neat  brick  council  house  and  jail 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  $1,500,  including  lot,  and  a  borough 
indebtedness  of  $1,600  incurred. 

The  officers  for  1878  were:  Burgess,  James  McGrail; 
president  of  council,  Jacob  Wagner;  secretary,  Thomas 
Law;  councilmen,  John  Phillips,  John  Kearney,  Edward 


McDonnell;  school  directors.  Dr.  Foote,  Dr.  Dick,  John 
Kearney,  James  J.  Jordan,  J.  H.  White,  John  J.  Swift; 
justices,  Edward  Carroll,  John  Carroll;  chief  of  police, 
M.  J.  Walsh;  high  constable,  Thomas  Gildea. 

In  1879  the  borough  was  divided  into  three  wards. 

In  1880  the  officers  were:  Burgess,  James  McGrail; 
councilmen— ist  ward,  Thomas  Law,  John  Beck;  2nd 
ward,  Charles  Ready,  M.  K.  Muney;  3d  ward,  D.  J.  Gil- 
martin,  Martin  J.  McHale;  president  of  council,  D.  J. 
Gilmartin;  secretary,  Thomas  Law;  school  directors — 
ist  ward,  A.  V.  Gerbig,  J.  J.  Williams,  Hermaq  C.  Mil- 
ler; 2nd  ward,  M.  J.  Walsh,  John  J.  Kearney,  James 
Kelley;  3d  ward,  Thomas  Holmes,  Anthony  Broderick, 
J.  J.  Jordan;  president  of  board,  James  J.  Jordan;  sec- 
retary, M.  J.  Walsh;  high  constable,  James  Gilroy;  con- 
stable, Thomas  Gildea. 

The  heavy  freshet  of  September,  1878,  damaged  the 
borough  streets  to  a  large  amount,  but  so  economical 
has  been  the  management  that  but  $1,250  of  indebted- 
ness was  outstanding  January  ist,  1880. 

Mining   Interests. 

The  White  Oak  Colliery. — This  drift  was  opened  by 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1845,  and 
operated  by  them  until  1859,  when  it  was  sold  to  Judge 
Birdseye,  of  New  York  city,  and  operated  under  lease 
successively  by  H.  Jenkins,  William  Nichols,  Robert 
Salton  and  Patrick  Kearney.  After  the  building  of  the 
breaker,  in  i860,  work  was  suspended  six  months,  and  in 
1861  Hosie  &  Jadwin  leased  the  property,  working  until 
1863,  when  John  Jermyn  became  its  operator  for  two 
years,  succeeded  by  the  Boston  and  Lackawanna  Coal 
Company,  who  purchased  the  land  of  Birdseye  and 
worked  the  mine  until  1870.  Then,  on  their  bankruptcy, 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson  again  came  into  possession, 
and  have  operated  it  since.  The  breaker  has  a  capacity 
of  650  tons  daily.  The  number  of  men  and  boys  em- 
ployed is  230.  One  bleaker  engine  supplies  the  power. 
The  drifts  are  worked  to  a  distance  of  one  and  one-half 
miles  from  the  entrance,  which  is  about  800  feet  from 
the  breaker.  Thirty-eight  mules  are  in  use.  In  1880  a 
shaft  was  being  sunk  to  a  depth  of  eighty  feet,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  one-third  mile  south  of  the  breaker.  The  out- 
side foreman  is  Thomas  Law;  inside  foreman,  Hugh 
Jones;  and  D.  J.  Gilmartin  and  Thomas  Hunter  are 
weighmasters.  The  average  daily  production  is  about 
equal  to  the  capacity  of  the  breaker.  John  Hosie  was 
the  first  foreman,  succeeded  by  James  Liddle,  then  by 
William  Law,  and  in  1854  by  Edward  Jones,  who  had 
charge  of  the  works  until  1858.  The  vein  of  coal  worked 
is  the  Archbald,  with  an  average  depth  of  ten  feet. 

The  Eaton  Colliery. — In  the  year  1856  Edward  Jones, 
Alver  Eaton,  George  Simpson  and  Dr.  Robert  Westcott 
formed  a  partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  Eaton  & 
Co.,  and  opened  the  drift  that  is  still  known  as  the  Eaton 
mine,  shipping  during  the  year  about  30,000  tons  and 
since  that  time  2,500,000  tons.  Dr.  Westcott  retired 
from  the  firm  in  June,  i860,  disposing  of  his  interest  to 
Edward   Jones    and   George   Simpson.     Mr.   Eaton   re- 


4. 


^^ 


4 


464 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


mained  at  the  head  of  the  firm  until  bis  death,  which  oc- 
curred May  24th,  1874;  when  the  surviving  partners 
purchased  the  interest  of  his  estate,  and  they  have  con- 
ducted the  business  under  the  name  of  Jones  &  Simpson. 
The  breaker  was  built  in  i860,  with  a  capacity  of  750 
tons  daily,  the  colliery  producing  about  550.  One  pair 
of  forty  horse  and  four  thirty  horse  power  engines  are  in 
use,  with  two  steam  pumps  and  a  powerful  ventilating 
fan  driven  by  two  engines.  The  total  number  of  men 
and  boys  employed  is  305.  The  vein  worked  is  the 
Archbald,  known  in  Scranton  as  the  "  Clark."  The 
headings  extend  two  miles  through  tracts  of  C.  B.  Hack- 
ler,  Ruth  and  Prudence  Dilly,  D.  Howell,  the  Equity 
Improvement  Company,  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company,  Nathan  Wagner  and  Jones  &  Simpson,  the 
last  firm  owning  105  acres.  The  foremen  have  been 
Alver  Eaton,  James  Liddle,  George  W.  Eaton  and  John 
Whyte,  the  last  two  being  in  charge  in  1880.  The  com- 
pany owns  besides  the  colliery  buildings  an  engineer's 
house,  office  and  store  building,  and  conducts  a  general 
store  under  the  name  of  Jones,  Simpson  &  Co.  J.  J. 
Williams  is  the  silent  partner  and  business  manager. 

Societies  and  Corporations. 

Ai-chbald  Dratnaiic  Iiistitiilc. — This  society  was  organ- 
ized in  December,  1878.  Its  first  officers  were:  John  B. 
Lack,  president;  stage  manager,  J.  W.  Dick;  secretary^ 
D.  J.  Gilmartin;  treasurer,  H.  Lathrop.  It  numbers 
about  twenty  ladies  and  gentlemen,  bears  a  good  reputa- 
tion for  dramatic  talent  and  devotes  its  surplus  receipts 
to  the  maintenance  of  a  free  public  library  and  reading 
room.  Dr.  John  Foote  is  the  president  of  the  institute 
and  John  B.  Lack  librarian. 

The  Archbald  Water  Company. — June  3d,  1875,  at  a 
meeting  of  citizens  a  committee  was  appointed  to  solicit 
subscriptions  to  the  capital  stock  of  a  water  company; 
and  during  the  same  month,  the  desired  capital  having 
been  pledged,  the  Archbald  Water  Company  was  incor- 
porated. H.  D.  Lindeman,  Patrick  Kearney,  J.  T.  Wil- 
liams, John  C.  Peters  and  John  Sweeney  were  chosen 
provisional  trustees,  and  at  a  meeting  held  June  23d  of 
that  year  the  following  officers  were  elected:  James  J. 
Williams,  president;  W.  H.  Kearney,  secretary;  John 
Sweeney,  treasurer.  A  supply  of  excellent  water  was  ob- 
tained from  a  mountain  spring  some  two  miles  east  of 
the  village.  A  contract  for  construcling  the  necessary 
works  was  awarded  to  Kirlin  &  Palmer.  The  charter 
(perpetual)  is  dated  October  28th,  1875,  at  which  time  J. 
J.  Williams,  Thomas  Healy,  H.  D.  Lindeman,  John  C. 
Peters,  John  Sweeney,  H.  C.  Miller  and  W.  H.  Kearney 
were  elected  directors.  Thomas  Law,  A.  V.  Gerbig  and 
Anthony  Kinback  were  constituted  a  board  of  audit,  and 
W.  H.  Kearney  superintendent.  In  June,  1876,  he  re- 
signed, but  in  October,  1876,  was  re-elected,  and  in 
1879  he  was  chosen  secretary.  In  1878  Dr.  John 
Foote  was  elected  president;  1879,  J.  J.  Williams,  and 
in  that  year  Philip  Behle  was  elected  treasurer  and 
George  Bishop  superintendent.  The  capital  is  two  hun- 
dred  shares   of  $50   each,    of   which    one  hundred  and 


eighty  have  been  issued.  The  mains  laid  extend  about 
two  miles,  and  a  sufficient  head  is  obtained  at  the 
hydrants  to  throw  water  over  any  building  in  the  business 
part  of  the  borough.  The  value  of  the  property  is  about 
$14,000. 

The  Catholic  Total  Abstinence  Society  was  organized 
February  12th,  i88o,with  52  memberp.  The  names  of  the 
first  officers  are:  James  T.  White,  Pres.;  John  Carroll, 
V.  P.;  Rev.  N.  J.  McManus,  Treas.;  J.  A.  Reilly,  Fin. 
Sec;  Mark  McDonell,  S.  at  A. 

Archbald  Lodge,  No.  392,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 
July  4th,  1850.  The  first  officers  were:  L.  S.  Watres,  N. 
G.;  M.  T.  Sayres,  V.  G.;  J.  S.  Spangenburg,  Sec;  D.  G. 
Sligh,  Asst.  Sec;  D.  H.  Taylor,  Treas.  It  has  paid  for 
the  relief  of  brothers  $3,686.50.  Its  officers  for  1880  are: 
William  H.  Callaway,  N.  G.;  Chris  Rahbine,  V.  G.;  J.  S. 
Lindeman,  Sec;  W.  Foster,  Asst.  Sec;  Jacob  Wagner, 
Treas. 

Rebekah  Degree  Lodge  No.  85  was  chartered  in  1877, 
at  Peckville,  and  removed  to  Archbald  in  June  of  that 
year.  Its  first  officers  were:  N.  G.,  John  G.  Berry;  V. 
G.,  Katie  Roll;  Treas.,  Susannah  Stage;  Sec,  Margaret 
Barlett.  The  charter  members  numbered  16.  The  offi- 
cers in  June,  1880,  were:  N.  G.,  Dora  Bishop;  V.  G., 
Sophia  Pfoor;  R.  S.,  Justus  Bishop;  P.  S.,  Mary  Beck; 
Treas.,  Catharine  Lindeman;  Chap.,  Mary  Meyers. 

Schiller  Cornet  Band  Wis  org3.mztA  in  1878,  with  Edward 
F.  Belding  as  leader,  and  the  following  members:  Charles 
and  Chris  Rahbine,  Henry  and  John  Hickman,  William 
Bonner,  Peter,  Anthony  and  John  Probst,  Herman  and 
Henry  Miller,  William  Bartlett,  John  Otto,  Christian 
Dipple,  Willard  Hennemott.  President,  Charles  Rah- 
bine; secretary,  William  Bonner;  treasurer,  Henry  Hick- 
man. 

Centennial  Cornet  Band  was  organieed  as  the  Arch- 
bald Band,  in  1873,  by  John  Miles,  John  J.  Gallagher, 
Peter  J.  Ort,  John  Douthen  and  Peter  Frantz.  Its  offi- 
cers for  1880  were:  President,  John  Lally;  secretary, 
James  Kane;  treasurer,  M.  J.  Walsh;  teacher  and  leader, 
Edward  F.  Belding. 

Churches. 

The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  was  organized 
among  the  Welsh  settlers  on  "the  Ridge"  by  Rev.  Johff 
Davis,  in  1834.  In  1848  he  secured  the  erection  of  a 
building,  and  a  church  organization,  of  which  Daniel  and 
Evan  Price  were  the  deacons,  and  to  which  Father  Davis 
ministered  continuously  until  his  death,  in  1866.  The 
society  has  been  weakened,  but  it  still  holds  services  with 
some  regularity. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church. — The  first  church  of 
this  denomination  was  organized  at  what  was  called 
Blakely  Centre  April  23d,  1839,  by  Rev.  J.  R.  Moser,  of 
Carbondale,  and  Rev.  J.  B.  Graves,  of  Honesdale.  It 
consisted  of  Frederick  W.  and  Clarinda  Walton,  John 
Decker,  Lewis  S.  Watres  and  Mrs.  Catharine  Miller 
uniting  by  certificate,  and  Samuel,  Sarah,  Samuel  Lyman, 
Sarah  W.  and  Arethusa  B.  Peck,  Annis  Case  and  Eliza- 
beth Aker  on  profession  of  faith.      Frederick  W.  Walton 


\ 


,  »,.LrANA/AWKitco    PA    amdRESIDENCEOFTHEAGENT.C   l  briggs 
RAILROAD  STATION  at  DALTON, LACKAWANNA  CO  .  PA  ,  amdrcoi 


REV.  WM  JENKINS, 
Toyin  of  Jermyn,  Lackawanna Co.,Pa. 


ALVER    EATON, 
Town  of  /krcl|bald,Lacka.v<annaCo.,Pa. 


or   P.F.HUBLER, 
Newton,  LackawannaCo.,Pa. 


REV.  J.B.KENYON, 
TownofOlyphant,  Lackawanna  Co., Pa. 


residence:     of      D?     J      L      S  hum  an,  WAPWALL  O  pen  ,     L.U2ERN..E     CO   ,   P  A  . 


■^"S^^Sh*.  '^^=^^< 


s'-    js 


1-^   ^  \ 


^1^' 


RESIDENCE     Of      MICHAEL      R  A  B  E  R  ,    N  E  S  CO  P  E  C  K    TP.,   LUZERNE     CO.,   PA. 


t 


f 


=»=^,^ 


S.H.PELLAM,  MRS.  S.H.  PELLAM, 

NORTH    ABINSTON    TP.,LA  CK  AWA  N  N  A    COUNTY,  PA.         NORTH    ABINGTON    TP.J-A  C  KAWA  N  N  A    COUNTY,  PA. 


#;r^^     h.    '"^r 


-*< 


RESIDENCE  of  S.  H  .PELLAM,  NORTH  ABINGTON   TR,LACKAWAN  N  A    CO.. PA. 


=(M 


W 


-^^0= 


=o4H 


r#-.»^^"^-*vC<^« 


*JJ 


5<1 
.  — ii  -  *  It  ,0  I 


•«*>      , 


D«   LEWIS  VAN    SICKLE, 

WAVERUY,     LACKAWANNA     COUNTY,  PA. 


4 


JESIDCNCE     of     L  .VAN.SICKLE:,M. P.,  WAVERLY,   LACKAWANNA    CO.,PA. 


=tt=^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

ARCHBALD   BOROUGH   AND   SCOTT   TOWNSHIP. 


WILLIAM  BISHOP. 

William  Bishop  came  from  Prussia  to  Archbald  in 
1849,  bringing  with  him  his  two  children.  He  worked 
as  a  miner.  His  eldest  son,  George,  became  a  partner 
in  the  hardware  house  of  Foyne  &  Co.  in  1868,  "and 
Justus,  the  youngest  son,  was  in  1869  admitted  to  the 
firin,_  which  took  the  name  of  Bishop  Bros.,  Mr.  Foyne 
retiring.  George  now  resides  in  Carbondale,  where  tlie 
firm  carry  on  a  branch  of  their  business;  while  Justus, 
who  married  Doretha  Niemeyer,  of  Archbald,  has  charge 
of  the  firm's  affairs  there.  A  view  of  the  neat  brick  store 
erected  by  them  in  1875  appears  on  another  page. 

ALVER    AND    JAMES    M.    EATON. 

Alver  Eaton  was  born  in  AVendall,  New  Hampshire, 
and  married  Euphemia  Simpson,  of  Carbondale,  in 
January,  1847.  She  died  in  1858,  leaving  five  children, 
three  of  whom  now  reside  in  the  place.  Mr.  Eaton  was 
again  married  in  i860,  to  a  lady  who  survives  him  but 
is  a  resident  of  another  county.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  an  active,  energetic  business  man,  of  fine 
social  qualities,  and  took  an  active  part  in  developing 
local  interests,  leaving  an  impress  on  society  that  will  be 
long  felt.  His  death,  which  occurred  May  24th,  1874, 
was  regretted  by  a  large  circle  of  friends.  His  eldest 
son,  George  W.,  residing  on  the  old  homestead,  is  the 
outside  superintendent  of  the  Pierce  Coal  Company. 

James  M.  Eaton,  a  brother  of  Alver  Eaton,  was  born 
in  Montrose,  and  came  to  Archbald  about  1858  as  inside 
foreman  at  the  Eaton  colliery,  which  position  he  still 
holds.  He  married  Mary  Vannan,  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  has  seven  children  living  :  James  V.,  a  locomotive 
engineer  at  the  Pierce  colliery  ;  John,  a  track  foreman 
for  the  same  company  ;  Thomas  V.,  an  engineer  at  the 
Eaton  colliery  ;  Mary,  now  Mrs.  William  Klus  ;  Alzina, 
Maggie  and  Charles,  residing  with  their  parents. 

JOHN    FOOTE,    M.    D. 

John  Foote,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Ireland,  read  for  his 
profession  with  Drs.  Floyd  and  Asa  Blakeslee,  and  grad- 
uated at  the  Yale  medical  school  in  the  class  of  1857, 
since  which  year  he  has  been  practicing  at  Archbald,  and 
has  had  a  large  experience  as  consulting  surgeon.  He 
married  (September  22nd,  1867,)  Margaret  Ann  .Mc- 
Andrew,  of  Archbald,  and  has  four  children.  Dr.  Foote 
is  an  earnest  friend  of  popular  education,  is  the  president 
of  the  Archbald  Institute  and  Free  Library  and  a  direct- 
or of  the  Archbald  Water  Company. 

THE    KEARNEY    FAMILY. 

Hon.  Patrick  Kearney  came  to  Carbondale  in  1830  from 
County  Mayo,  Irelapd.  For  many  years  he  was  a  railroad 
contractor,  building  roads  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company,  Morris  and  Essex  Railroad  Company,  in 
Philadelphia  on  the  Chestnut  Hill  extension  and  else- 
where. In  1846  he  removed  to  Archbald,  then  known  as 
White  Oak  Run,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  that  bor- 
ough. He  served  as  one  of  the  board  of  charities  of  the 
Blakely  poor  district  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  ap- 
pointetl  associate  judge  of  the  Carbondale  district  court 
by  Governor  Hartranft.  On  the  expiration  of  his  term 
he  was  elected  to  the  same  position  by  the  popular  vote, 
and  held  a  seat  on  the  bench  until  the  court  was  abolished 
by    the    workings    of    the    new    constitution.       Judge 


Kearney  married  Mary  Moyles,  of  Carbondale,  and  has 
had  twelve  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  has  for  many  years  been  prominent  in  re- 
ligious and  social  interests,  and  has  left  the  impress  of  a 
well  balanced  mind  and  superior  executive  ability  on 
whatever  he  bec.ime  identified  with. 

Patrick  Kearney  came  to  America  in  1840,  and  settled 
in  Archbald  in  1845,  marrying  Mary  O'Boyle.  He  has 
had  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living,  viz.:  John 
J.,  the  eldest,  now  serving  a  second  term  as  school  di- 
rector; Michael  J.,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Healy;  Bridget,  now  Mrs.  Heffers,  of  Olyphant;  Patrick, 
a  teacher  in  the  Archbald  school,  and  three  younger 
children  living  at  home;  Francis,  a  theological  student  at 
a  Catholic  college,  died  at  Wilkes-Barre  on  his  return 
from  a  vacation. 

Wilson  H.  Kearney  is  one  of  Archbald's  best  known 
merchants,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Archbald  Water 
Company  and  one  of  its  directors,  and  an  active  and 
widely  known  politician.  He  is  a  son  of  Hon.  Patrick 
Kearney,  and  succeeded  Patrick  Moyles  in  business, 
which  he  conducts  at  the  old  stand  of  Snyder  &  Co. 

GEORGE    SIMPSON. 

George  Simpson  came  from  Carbondale,  Pa.,  in  1858. 
He  commenced  business  at  Archbald  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Eaton  &  Co.,  and  was  one  of  their  successors,  the 
present  firm  of  Jones,  Simpson  &  Co.  He  is  an  active, 
public  spirited  man,  and  takes  a  lively  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  place  of  his  adoption.  He  is  one  of  the 
principal  owners  of  the  Scranton  and  Carbondale  Turn- 
pike, and  one  of  the  firm  of  G.  &  A.  Simpson,  who  own 
the  Crystal  lake  property  illustrated  on  another  page. 

JAMES    J.  WILLIAMS. 

James  J.  Williams  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Pa.,  and 
married  a  Miss  Simpson  of  that  place.  In  1864  he  re- 
moved to  Archbald,  and  became  a  partner  in  the  firm 
of  Eaton  &  Co.,  and  on  its  dissolution  in  1874  remained 
as  partner  in  the  mercantile  department  of  Jones,  Simp- 
son &  Co.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  the  first 
president  of  the  Archbald  Water  Company,  and  is  a  di- 
rector in  the  school  board.  His  father,  Joseph  Williams, 
came  from  Connecticut  to  Carbondale  in  1835,  and  died 
at  Wilkes-Barre  in  1S50,  leaving  five  children:  Asa,  who 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge;  Charles,  living 
in  Danville,  111.;  two  daughters,  one  the  widow  of  George 
Van  Law,  the  other  the  wife  of  Simeon  Haven,  both  of 
Danville,  Pa.;  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose 
portrait  appears  on  another  page. 


John  T.  Akerley,  farmer,  was  born  in  Providence, 
Lackawanna  county,  April  14th,  1834,  and  married  Phebe 
Brown,  of  Greenfield. 

Justus  Aicerley,  farmer,  was  born  in  Ulster  county, 
N.  Y.,  September  5th,  1810,  and  came  to  Scott  in  No- 
vember, 1835.  He  married  Eliza  Johnson,  of  Providence. 
He  has  held  many  township  offices,  and  was  for  three 
years  a  member  of  the  Abington  rifle  corps. 

Nelson  Akerley,  farmer,  was  born  in  Scott,  October 
17th,  1835,  and  married  Annie  Tinklepaugh,  of  Pittston. 
During  a  portion  of  the  Rebellion  he  was  in  the  United 
States  army.     He  has  served  as  school  director. 

John  Beck  came  from  Germany  in  1857,  married 
Eliza  Shaffer  and  has  four  children.     He  is  a  trustee  in 


464.  A 


=4" 


i^ 


464  B 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


the  German  Evangelical  church.     He  has  charge  of  the 
car  shop  at  the  White  Oak  colliery. 

Adam  Behle  came  from  Hesse  Darmstadt  to  Amer- 
ica, embarking  on  the  9th  of  May,  1852,  and  landing  in 
New  York  July  2nd  of  that  year.  He  spent  a  year  and 
a  half  in  Haverstraw,  Clarkstovvn  and  Springville,  work- 
ing as  a  farmer,  and  came  to  Archbald  in  1854.  He  was 
born  in  1817,  married  Elizabeth  Kellen,  and  brought  Iwo 
children  to  this  country — Philip,  born  in  1843,  and  Eliza- 
beth, born  in  1838.  Philip  married  Mary  Kiesler,  of  Car- 
bondale,  who  was  born  in  1844,  and  has  five  children. 

Patrick  Boland,  a  native  of  Carbondale,  came  here 
in  1847.  He  was  married  May  31st,  1863,  to  Nancy  Mul- 
hoUand.  He  has  been  one  of  the  Blakely  township 
school  directors,  and  was  president  of  the  board  when 
the  Archbald  school  building  was  erected. 

Jerome  Brixton,  farmer,  was  born  in  Scott,  June  6th, 
1844,  and  married  Frances  E.  Hall,  of  Abington.  His 
father  was  Jeremiah  Britton. 

Anthony  Broderick  came  to  America  from  Ireland 
in  1850,  settling  in  Archbald,  where  he  worked  as  a 
miner  for  eleven  years,  opening  a  liquor  store  in  1861. 
He  was  two  years  a  supervisor  of  Blakely  township,  tax 
collector  seven  years,  and  is  now  a  school  director.  He 
married  Sarah  Malven,  of  Archbald,  in  1865,  and  has 
eight  children. 

Charles  Carpenter  was  born  in  Abington  (now 
Scott),  August  20th,  1817,  and  married  Mary  Johnson,  of 
New  Jersey.  He  is  a  farmer,  and  was  for  a  time  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Abington  rifle  corps. 

D.  H.  Carpenter,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield 
(now  Scott),  January  17th,  1820,  and  married  Lydia  Hier- 
lihy,  of  Rhode  Island.  He  served  in  the  Abington  rifle 
corps  seven  years. 

John  Carroll,  born  in  Ireland,  came  to  Archbald  in 
1846  with  his  parents.  He  married  Helen  Marley.  He 
was  first  president  of  the  Father  Matthew  society,  and 
has  been  justice  of  the  peace  since  1878. 

H.  E.  Church,  a  descendant  of  Captain  Church,  the 
Indian  fighter,  of  Rhode  Island,  was  born  in  Hopkinton, 
R.  I.,  June  27th,  1826,  and  came  to  Greenfield  (now 
Scott)  in  December,  1828.  He  married  Susan  Weatherby, 
of  Greenfield,  and  has  been  a  lifelong  farmer.  He  was 
second  lieutenant  in  the  Scott  artillery. 

William  N.  Decker,  farmer,  was  born  in  Pittston, 
Pa.,  April  loth,  1824,  and  married  Catharine  Scott,  of 
Columbia  county,  N.  Y.     He  fought  in  the  civil  war. 

Peter  Fike,  farmer,  was  born  at  "Slocum  Hollow  " 
(now  Scranton),  March  i8th,  1834,  and  married  Eliza- 
beth Britton,  of  Scott. 

Adam  V.  Gerbig,  station  and  express  agent,  came 
from  Germany  to  America  in  1852.  His  first  occupation 
was  that  of  a  teacher  of  German.  He  afterward  became 
clerk  for  John  P.  Farnham  at  this  place,  and  on  his  re- 
tirement for  Peter  Walsh;  and.when  the  passenger  busi- 
ness of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  gravity  road  opened 
was  appointed  station  agent.  He  married  in  1855  a 
daughter  of  C.  A.  Miller,  of  Archbald,  and  has  eight 
children.  He  was  one  of  the  board  of  school  directors 
for  1880. 

Thomas  Gildea,  a  native  of  Ireland,  has  been  for 
several  years  a  borough  constable,  and  is  considered 
an  efficient  officer.  He  is  married  and  has  two  chil- 
dren. 

James  Gilgallon,  born  in  Ireland,  settled  here  in 
1847.  He  married  Bridget  Marley  in  October,  1850, 
and  has  had  nine  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  His 
son  Michael,  born  in  November,  i86r,  was  killed  by  a 
railroad  train  while  attempting  to  cross  the  track  at 
Archbald,  April  21st,  1880.  Mr.  Gilgallon  has  followed 
teaming  for  twenty-six  years. 


Patrick  Gilmartin,   born  in   Ross,   County    Mayo, 
Ireland,  in  1808,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the    bor- 
ough of  Archbald.     In  1836  he  emigrated  to  Maryland. 
He    revisited  Ireland    the    following   year  and  married 
Ellen  Cook,  of  Ross,  in  1838.     He  returned  to  America 
in    1840,  becoming  a  contractor  on    public   works,  and 
in  the  pursuit  of  his  business  settled    in    Archbald    in 
1845,  erecting   the  first   house  built  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Lackawanna  river,  which  is  still  the  residence  of  his 
widow  and  her  sons.      Mr.    Gilmartin  was    killed  by  a 
volley  fired  by  a  marshal's  posse  during  a  draft  riot  on 
the  i8th  of  October,  1862,  while  passing  from  his  house 
to  his  store.     He  was  a  merchant  from   1850  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.     He  left  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 
Michael  Gilrov,   a   native   of   Ireland,    came   from 
Canada  in  1840  and  to  Archbald  in  1845,  in  the  employ 
of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company.     He  has 
worked  for   the   Eaton   colliery  twenty  years.     He  has 
served  as  school  director  and  was  the  Republican  candi- 
date for  county  commissioner  one  year,  when  he  tied  his 
opponent's  vote,  though  the  average   opposition  majority 
in  the  county  was  over  1,500.     He  married  Bridget  Kin- 
ney, of  Archbald,  and  has  seven  children. 

Thomas  F.  Gilroy,  a  son  of  Michael  Gilroy,  born 
January  3d,  1857,  has  been  a  public  school  teacher  since 
1872.  He  was  educated  at  Wyoming  Seminary,  has 
taught  two  years  in  Archbald,  and  since  1876  had  charge 
of  a  school  in  Winton. 

Albert  Graves,  farmer,  and  for  fifteen  years  justice 
of  the  peace,  was  born  in  Greenfield,  May  i6th,  1825, 
and  married  Margaret  Miller,  of  Greenfield. 

Richard  Graves,  sen.,  was  orderly  sergeant  aud  lieu- 
tenant of  the  "  Greenfield  Greens,"  and  has  filled  several 
township  officers.  He  was  born  at  John.ston,  R.  I.,  May 
2Sth,  1801;  came  to  Greenfield  (now  Scott)  in  1819,  and 
married  Almira  Tompkins,  of  Scituate,  R.  I. 

A.  U.  Gritman,  farmer,  was  born  December  27th, 
1836,  in  Greenfield  (now  Scotl),  where  his  father,  Samuel 
Gritman,  settled  about  1832  or  1833,  and  married  Ade- 
laide Clark,  of  Orange  county,  N.  Y. 

George  H.  Gritman,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield 
(now  Scott),  March  3[st,  1838,  and  married  Mary  E. 
Marvin,  of  Union  township. 

Jerome  Grosvenor,  farmer  and  lumberman,  was  born 
in  Greenfield  (now  Scott),  March  iSth,  1823,  and  married 
Lauretta  Gritman,  of  Roxbury,  N.  Y.  His  father  came 
to  the  township  in  1868  or  1869.  For  seven  years  Mr. 
Grosvenor  was  a  member  of  the  Benton  rifle  company. 

James  Hennican  came  to  Carbondale  from  Ireland 
about  1838;  married  Sarah  Swift  in  1S43,  a'ld  'lad  ten 
children,  only  four  of  whom  are  living.  James  H.  Hen- 
nigan,  one  of  his  sons,  lives  in  Archbald.  He  was  for- 
merly a  shoemaker;  is  now  the  proprietor  of  a  restaurant. 
William  B.  Hierlihy,  farmer,  lumber  and  cider  manu- 
facturer and  route  agent  in  the  United  States  postal  ser- 
vice, was  born  in  Abington,  May  7th,  1826,  and  has  been 
justice  of  the  peace  and  held  other  township  offices  and 
was  the  first  Luzerne  county  jury  commissioner.  He 
married  Catharine  G.  Decker,  of  Abington  township. 
His  father,  William  Hierlihy  came  to  Scott  in  1816  and 
died  January  28th,  1875,  aged  nearly  79. 

N.  B.  Hills,  who  has  filled  several  township  offices, 
was  born  in  Coventry,  R.  I.,  Januarv  30111,  1821,  and 
married  Harriet  F.  Harrington,  of  Burrelsville,  R.  I. 
He  came  to  Scott  in  1857  and  is  a  farmer. 

Sumner  Hubbard,  farmer,  formerly  manufacturer, 
was  born  in  Ringe,  N.  H.,  November  10th,  1808,  and 
married  Harriet  Barker,  of  Acton,   Mafs. 

Hon.  Nathan  Jackson,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  New 
London,  Conn.,  December  8th,  1804,  and  married  Rachel 
Stone   Hart,   of  Massachusetts.      Dr.  Jackson   came  to 


-t^*i> 


T 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


464  C 


Scott  in  1823  and  w.is  elected  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Pennsylvania  in  1847. 

B.  F.  Johnson,  farmer,  vvas  born  in  Scott,  June  8th, 
1835,  and  married.  Emma  R.  Stanton,  of  Abington. 
He  served  six  months  in  the  army  of  the  north  during 
the  Rebellion.  James  Johnson  enlisted  in  the  fall  of 
1861  and  was  killed  at  Fort  Wagner  July  nth,  1863. 
George  VV.  Johnson  enlisted  in  the  winter  of  1863,  and 
died  April  5th,  1864. 

David  H.  Jones,  born  in  Aburysdith,  Wales,  in  1842, 
has  worked  in  mines  since  childhood.  He  came  to 
Scranton,  Pa.,  in  1SC3,  and  worked  in  the  Von  Storch 
shaft  until  1S78,  when  he  accepted  the  position  of  mine 
foreman  for  the  Pierce  Coal  Company  at  this  place.  He 
married  (July  3d,  1864)  Ann  Elizabeth  Roberts,  of  Dan- 
ville, Pa.,  and  has  three  children  living.  He  has  made  a 
specialty  of  mining  and  mine  engineering. 

Hugh  Jones,  a  native  of  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  came  in 
1866  to  Pittston,  removing  to  Olyphant  two  years  later  to 
work  in  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  mines.  There  he 
worked  until  1876,  when  he  was  appointed  inside  fore- 
man of  the  White  Oak  colliery.  He  married  in  1869 
Margaret  Pettigrew,  of  Olyphant,  and  has  three  children. 

Richard  Jordan  came  from  Ireland  to  America  in 
1847,  and  settled  here.  He  has  eight  children,  of  whom 
James  J.,  born  in  1852,  is  residing  with  his  parents  and  is 
a  headman  on  the  gravity  road.  The  latter  has  been 
president  of  the  Archbald  school  board  and  his  father 
laorough  treasurer  since  1878. 

G.  M.  Kennedy,  farmer,  was  born  in  Abington,  March 
20th,  1836,  and  married  S.  L.   Smith,  of  that  township. 

Anthony  Kinback  came  from  Germany  to  Carbon- 
dale  in  T851,  and  to  Archbald  in  1858.  He  married 
Catharine  Ulmar  and  has  six  children,  having  lost  four. 
Charles  Edward,  born  September  23d,  186  r,  died  April 
Sth,  1864.  Louisa  Regina,  born  March  4th,  1S63,  died 
April  20th,  1866.  Mary  Magdalina,  born  September  7th, 
1868,  died  March  9th,  r876.  Edward,  born  November 
20th,  1870,  died  March  3d,  1876.  Mr.  Kinback  is  an 
extensive  furniture  dealer  and  undertaker. 

John  B.  Lack  was  born  in  England,  in  1836,  and  came 
to- America  in  1854,  settling  in  Minersville  as  bookkeeper 
for  Charles  Britton,  and  his  successor,  William  Da  Haven, 
coal  operators.  He  afterwards  removed  to  New  York 
city,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  coal  trade  ten  years. 
He  came  to  Archbald  in  1870,  and  entered  the  employ 
of  Jones,  Simpson  &  Co.,  as  confidential  clerk.  On  the 
erection  of  the  borough  government  he  was  elected  the 
first  burgess.     He  is  married  and  has  two  children. 

F.  A.  Lamoreux,  lumberman  and  proprietor  of  a 
saw-mill,  was  born  in  Monroe,  N.  Y.,  November  23d, 
1839,  and  married  Corintha  A.  White  of  Scott. 

Thomas  Law,  mine  foreman,  was  born  March  20th, 
1847,  in  Scotland,  and  came  to  this  country  when  a 
child,  his  parents  settling  in  Dunraore,  Pa.  His  first 
work  in  connection  with  mining  was  acting  as  weigh- 
master  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  at  Diinmore. 
Coming  to  Archbald  in  i860  he  served  as  weighmaster 
at  the  White  Oak  colliery  until  1870,  wh;n  he  was  pro- 
moted to  his  present-  position,  that  of  outside  foreman. 
Mr.  Law  married  (August  17th,  1876)  Frances,  daugh- 
ter of  A.  V.  Gerbig,  of  Archbald,  and  has  two  children. 
He  has  served  as  president  of  the  borough  council,  and 
has  been  its  secretary  since  1877. 

P.  J.  Lee,  farmer,  born  in  Greenfield,  October  14th, 
1834,  married  Ellen  McLaughlin,  of  Carbondale. 

John  M.  Leonard,  farmer,  was  born  in  Scott,  Au- 
gust 2Sth,  185 1,  and  married  Regina   Thacher,  of   Scott. 

Christopher  LiNDE  was  born  in  Brunswick,  Germany; 
came  to  America  in  1850,  and  to  Blakely  township  some 
years  later.     He  married  Catharine  Rahbine  and  has  five 


children  living:  Minnie,  born  January  loth,  1866; 
Christopher,  born  August  23d,  1868  ;  Annie,  October 
29th,  1869  ;  Fred,  May  gth,  1876  ;  and  Mamie,  Novem- 
ber 27th,  1879.  Mr.  Linde  has  since  1868  been  proprie- 
tor of  the  Archbald  House. 

Wright  Lowry  was  born  in  Dundaff,  Susquehanna 
county,  December  i6th,  1838,  and  married  Rebecca  S. 
Jenkins,  of  Wyoming,  Pa.,  whose  grandfather  was  at  the 
Wyoming  massacre.     He  was  one  of  the  Clifford  guards. 

Hon.  Martin  F.  Lynott  was  born  in  Archbald,  but 
resided  in  Scranton  from  childhood  until  1878.  He  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  Hon.  Patrick  Kearney,  and  was 
elec:ed  to  the  State  Legislature  from  the  sixth  district  of 
Luzerne  county  in  1876  as  the  candidate  of  the  "young 
Democracy  "  over  the  regular  Democratic  nominee.  He 
was  only  twenty-five  years  old  when  he  took  his  seat  and 
had  already  represented  his  party  as  delegate  to  State 
conventions  in  1874  and  1875. 

James  McGreal,  burgess  of  Archbald  since  1877,  was 
born  in  county  Mayo,  Ireland,  and  came  to  Carbondale 
in  1857,  residing  there  two  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  a  resident  of  Archbald.  He  was  for  seven  years 
connected  with  the  machinery  department  of  the  gravity 
road,  and  is  now  weighmaster  at  Jermyn.  August  nth, 
1861,  he  married  Mary  Devine,  who  died  November 
2Sth,  1873,  aged  thirty-eight  years.  Mr.  McGreal  was  a 
member  of  the  8th  Pa.  volunteers  in  the  late  civil  war. 

J.  McHale,  one  of  the  borough  councilmen  for  1880, 
is  a  native  of  this  place  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  McHale, 
an  early  settler  here. 

James  Mack,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  from  Man- 
chester, England,  to  this  place  in  1862.  He  married 
Bridget,  daughter  of  Francis  O'Boyle,  of  county  Mayo, 
Ireland,  and  has  five  children: — iVIichael  C,  born  in 
Ireland,  and  James  P.,  Francis  F.,  Mary  Ann  and  Bridget 
born  in  England.  Michael  is  a  miner  and  James  P.  a 
blacksmith  in  the  employ  of  the  White  Oak  colliery. 
Francis  is  a  theological  student. 

Charles  Mii.haus,  a  native  of  Lahr,  Baden,  Germany, 
came  to  America  in  1860,  and  after  spending  some 
years  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Scranton  and  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  came  to  Archbald  in  1867,  where  he  had  married  the 
previous  year  Emma,  daughter  of  A.  C  Miller.  He  was  a 
wheelwright  in  Gerra.iny,  but  since  coming  to  America  has 
been  a  carpenter  and  builder.     He  has  two  children. 

George  F.  Miller,  farmer,  born  in  Scott,  September 
23d,  1850,  married  Harriet  Ellis,  of  Pennsylvania. 

Stephen  D.  Miller,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield 
(now  Scott),  April  12th,  1830,  and  married  Mary  Stan- 
ton, deceased,  of  Abington.  His  present  wife  was  Mar- 
tha J.  Johnson.  He  served  in  the  Abington  volunteer 
rifle  company.  His  father,  Stephen  Miller,  settled  May 
5th,  1812,  on  the  farm  where  Stephen  D.  now  lives. 

Thomas  F.  Mcllen,  born  in  Honesdale,  Pa.,  is  the 
youngest  son  of  James  Mullen,  of  Ireland,  who  settled 
in  Honesdale  in  1844.  He  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the 
White  Oak  colliery  as  blacksmith  since  1872,  and  served 
on  the  Archbald  police  force  in  1877. 

G.  L.  Newton,  farmer  and  appraiser  of  mercantile  and 
other  license  tax  of  this  county,  was  born  in  Greenfield, 
February  Sth,  1835,  and  married  Sophronia  Isham,  of 
Plainfield,  Conn.     He  has  held  many  township  offices. 

F.  J.  O'Boyle  is  a  native  of  Archbald,  and  has  carried 
on  the  tin  and  stove  business  since  1870.  He  was  mar- 
ried October  21st,  1874,  to  Margaret  Berry,  of  Hyde 
Park,  and  has  one  child. 

William  C.  Ogden,  farmer,  has  been  chosen  to  many 
official  positions  in  the  township.  He  was  born  in  Green- 
field (now  Scott),  August  18th,  1844,  ^^nd  married  Esther 
J.  Lee,  of  Greenfield. 

Anthony   O'Hora    early  settled   at   Archbald,    and 


•=€  ^- 


;>«- 


■-f 


464  z> 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


-war 


has  for  many  years  been  a  miner  at  the  White  Oak  col- 
liery. He  has  eight  children  living.  Anthony,  jr.,  the 
youngest  son,  works  at  his  father's  occupation,  and  with 
five  others  of  the  children  resides  with  his  parents. 

Henry  Ort  came  from  Germany  to  Carbondale  at  an 
early  day,  and  settled  in  Archbald  in  1848,  being  the  first 
German  settler.  His  first  son,  Peter,  who  died  in  infancy, 
was  the  first  child  of  that  nationality  born  in  the  place. 
Mr.  Ort  was  a  contractor,  and  in  1854  opened  the  Union 
House,  which  he  kept  until  his  death. 

John  Pfoor  was  born  in  Germany,  coming  here  when 
a  child.  He  married  Sophia  Linderman.  He  has  been  in 
the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company 
twelve  years,  and  since  1878  has  been  engineer  at  plane 
No.  zo  on  the  gravity  road. 

J.  Potter,  a  member  of  the  old  Abington  rifles,  was 
born  in  Abington,  March  29th,  1820,  and  came  to  Scott 
in  1841.     He  married  Lucy  Moredock,  of  Abington. 

Albert  B.  Russell  is  a  farmer,  and  the  present  (1880) 
supervisor  of  Scott.  He  was  born  in  Batavia,  N.  Y., 
February  27th,  1855,  and  his  grandfather  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  married  Chloe  Britton, 
of  Delaware  county,  N.  Y. 

Warren  W.  Simrell,  farmer  and  merchant,  was  born 
in  Greenfield  (now  Scott),  November  T3th,  1820,  and 
married  Francis  C.  Decker,  of  Abington. 

David  F.  Smith,  farmer,  formerly  mason  and  black- 
smith, was  born  in  Stamford,  N.  Y.,  August  24th,  1832, 
and  married  Jane  E.  Riker,  of  Scranton.  He  served  in 
the  army  from  December  isl,  186^,  to  February  cth, 
1866. 

Elias  Snvder,  farmer,  formerly  a  lumberman,  was 
born  in  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  August  i6th,  1808,  and 
came  to  Scott  in  1823.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Stuart, 
of  Greenfield  (now  Scott).  Mr.  Snyder  was  connected 
with  a  military  company  during  the  old  militia  days. 

Benoni  Stone  (farmer),  son  of  William  Stone,  a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier,  was  born  in  Coventry,  R.  I.,  August 
iSth,  1788.  He  was  formerly  a  carpenter  and  has  held 
several  township  offices.  He  married  Aurelia  Blanchard 
in  1812.  She  died  March  12th,  1847.  May  8th,  1851, 
he  married  Catharine  M.  Miller,  his  present  wife. 

Earl  Stone,  farmer  and  mill  proprietor,  was  born  in 
Coventry,  R.  L,  August  ist,  1807,  and  came  to  Scott  in 
1808.  He  married  Fannie  Hierlih)',  of  Rhode  Island, 
who  died  in  1847.  I"  October,  1848,  he  married  Rebecca 
P.  Hierlihy. 

John  Sweeny,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  here  in  1849, 
entering  the  employ  of  D.  G.  Sly,  the  first  blacksmith  in 
the  place,  whom  he  succeeded  in  1855.  He  opened  a 
furniture  store  in  1874.  and  does  a  lart-e  business.  He 
is  the  owner  of  Sweeny's  Hotel  in  Scranton.  He  married 
in  1855  Sarah  Fallon,  of  Carbondale,  and  has  six  children 
living.  He  has  occupied  official  positions  for  many 
years,  and  is  a  director  in  the  Archbald  Water  Company. 
John  J.  Swift  is  a  son  of  Thomas  Swift,  who  set- 
tled here  in  1845,  and  was  the  first  child  born  in  Arch- 
bald village.  He  married  Sabina  Gil-Ballon,  and  has  three 
children.  He  is  the  owner  of  Swift's  Hall,  which  he 
erected  in  1872  and  which  is  rented  for  dramatic  and 
lecture  purposes. 

J.  T.  Swift,  son  of  William  Swift,  is  a  miner.  He 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  Richard  Jordan,  who  settled 
here  m  1848.  He  was  the  treasurer  of  the  Blakely  school 
board  when  the  Archbald  building  was  erected. 

Patrick  J.  Swift,  a  resident  of  Archbald,  is  one  of 
the  propnelors  of  the  Lackawanna  Paint  Works  in  Win- 
ton  borough.  He  was  born  in  Carbondale;  married  in 
June,  1S74,  to  Kate  Collins,  of  Archbald,  and'  has  four 
children.     He  is  lax  collector  for  Archbald. 

Beniue  Taylor,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield  (now 


Scott),  September  i6th,    1835,  and  married    Lydia  Ann 
Stone,  of  his  neighborhood. 

Charles  C.  Taylor,  farmer,  who  has  held  different 
town  offices,  was  born  in  Greenfield  (now  Scott),  April 
17th,  1827,  and  married  Lucy  A.  Stone,  of  Scott. 

John  M.  Taylor,  farmer,  was  born  in  Scott  (then 
Greenfield),  September  r4th,  1822,  and  has  held  several 
township  offices.  His  grandfather,  Reuben  Taylor,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  war  for  independence. 

Silas  A.  Taylor,  farmer,  formerly  a  member  of  the 
"Greenfield  Greens,"  was  born  in  Scott,  October  31st, 
1818,  and  married  Louisa  Carpenter,  cf  Abington. 

Reuben  W.  Taylor,  farmer,  justice  of  the  peace  and 
tax  collector,  was  born  in  Greenfield,  April  ist,  1842, 
and  married  Elizabeth  Wheeler,  of  Greenfield. 

Theodore  O.  Taylor  served  in  the  Union  army  dur- 
ing the  Rebellion.  He  is  a  great  grandson  of  Captain 
Taylor,  and  was  born  in  Scott,  October  7th,  1844.  He 
married  Caroline  H.Stone. 

David  S.  Vail  is  a  son  of  Wilmot  Vail  (who  was  born 
in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in  r789,  came  to  Scott  in  1813 
and  died  in  1866),  and  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
March  24th,  1811.  He  was  formerly  a  farmer  and  lum- 
berman and  is  now  a  farmer.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Snyder,  of  Greenfield. 

Mic  ah  Vail,  farmer,  was  born  in  Greenfield  (now  Scott), 
October  15th,  1832,  and  married  Caroline  A.  Hubbard. 

M.  J.  Walsh,  miner,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  and  came 
to  Archbald  in  i860.  He  was  the  first  chief  of  police  in 
the  borough,  and  is  one  of  the  school  directors. 

Everett  L.WETHERBY,farmer  and  mason, bcrn  in  Scott, 
October  5th,  1852,  married  Caroline  Obest,  ol  Pittston. 

J.  M.  Wetherby,  farmer,  was  born  in  Abington  (now 
Scott),  April  28th,  1816,  and  married  Huldah  Phillips,  of 
Abington.  He  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  "  Green- 
field Greens."  His  father,  Levi  Wetherby,  was  a  settler 
in  Scott  as  early  as  1804. 

Henry  White,  who  has  filled  several  official  positions 
in  Scott,  was  born  in  Roxbury,  Delaware  county,  N. 
Y.,  April  3d,  1821;  came  to  Scott  in  1827  and  married 
E.  P.  Mills,  of  Patterson,  N.  Y. 

James  H.  White,  son  of  Manin  White,  was  born  in 
Carbondale,  July  22nd,  1844,  and  came  to  Archbald  in 
1858.  He  married  Catharine  Dcvine,  of  Carbondale, 
and  has  four  children.  He  has  been  a  teacher  at  Arch- 
bald since  1877,  and  school  director  two  terms. 

Patrick  White,  miner,  came  to  America  from  Ire- 
land in  1830,  and  settled  in  Archbald  in  1S47.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  Gilgallon,  of  New  York,  and  died  in  1877 
leaving  five  children.  James  T.,  his  son,  who  married 
Bridget  Dugan  in  1S68,  was  the  first  tax  collector  of  the 
borough,  and  is  president  of  the  Father  Matthew  society 
Patrick  J.  White,  born  and  educated  in  Ireland, 
cnme  to  America  in  1S50,  settling  in  Carbondale.  He  was 
a  commercial  traveler  four  years,  and  since  that  time  has 
been  a  teacher  m  the  public  schools,  having  been  prin- 
cipal of  the  Archbald  schools  since  1868.  He  was  for- 
merly an  active  politician,  taking  a  livelv  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  old  Luzerne   county. 

John  W'hyte,  mine  foreman,  was  born  in  Dumfries- 
sliire,  Scotland.  Coming  to  America  in  1869,  he  settled 
in  Ransom  township,  removing  to  this  place  in  1870, 
where  he  was  married  in  May,  1S72,  to  Sarah  Willis.  He 
lias  three  children.  He  was  weightmaster  at  the  Eaton 
colliery  until  1878,  when  he  was  apnointed  outside  fore- 
man, which  position  he  now  filLs. 

Elizabeth  Woodward   was    born    in    Hanover    Pa 
April  27th,  1801,  and  married  Eiam  Woodward  of  \Vayne 
ITV,'    ?""•     ?','''    '■"''^"  "'"^   William  Max'cey,  where 
Mr   Woodward  located  when  he  came   to    the    township 
and  IS  a  granddaughter  of  Martha  Marcy  ' 


4^ 


*T^= 


-^^ 


CHURCHES  OF  ARCHBALD— BLAKELY  BOROUGH. 


465 


H^ 


and  Lewis  S.  Watres  were  ordained  ruling  elders.  Rev. 
Charles  Dewitt  Tappan  was  the  pastor  for  two  years 
from  October  ist,  1840;  then  Rev.  J.  Bartow  about  two 
years,  after  which  the  church  was  destitute  of  a  regular 
supply  until  October,  1852,  when  it  was  disbanded  and 
letters  granted  to  such  as  wished  to  unite  with  a  new  or- 
ganization then  forming  at  Archbald.  Five  accepted 
such  letters,  four  new  members  were  received  on  profes- 
sion, and  the  following  Sabbath  these  nine  were  consti- 
tuted the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Archbald.  Rensselaer 
Ottman  and  John  M.  Snedecor  were  ordained  ruling 
elders.  From  November,  1853,  Rev.  H.  Herrick  was 
stated  supply  till  1855.  Then  there  seems  no  record  of 
any  regular  church  meetings  until  1865.  In  December 
of  that  year  Rev.  B.  S.  Foster  commenced  preaching  to 
the  church,  and  April  isth,  1866,  a  reorganization  was 
effected.  Andrew  C.  Wise  and  Ambrose  Brundage  were 
chosen  ruling  elders,  and  ten  new  members  were  ad- 
mitted. The  church  now  owns  a  plain  edifice  in  Arch- 
bald, and  has  a  branch  organization  at  Olyphant  with  a 
neat  chapel. 

Church  of  Si.  Thomas  Aquinas. — The  Catholic  church 
of  Archbald  was  founded  by  the  efforts  of  Rev.  Father 
Prendergast,  of  Carbondale,  and  a  frame  building  erect- 
ed m  1847,  which  was  enlarged  and  improved  under  the 
ministry  of  Father  McSwiggan,  the  first  resident  pastor. 
In  1870  Rev.  John  Loughran,  who  succeeded  Father  Mc- 
Swiggan, procured  pledges  of  monthly  contributions  for 
building  a  larger  church.  In  1873  the  corner  stone  was 
laid  by  Bishop  O'Hara.  Eaton  &  Co.  were  the  contract- 
ors, and  the  architect  was  A.  F.  Amsden,  of  Philadel- 
phia; the  cost  was  $58,000.  A  fine  view  of  the  exterior, 
to  be  found  on  another  page,  will  give  the  reader  a  better 
idea  of  the  architectural  elegance  of  the  church  than  any 
mere  pen  picture.  The  decoration  of  the  interior  was 
intrusted  to  two  Italian  artists.  M.  Costiggini,  to  whose 
pencil  is  due  the  beautiful  altar  piece  and  lifelike  panel 
pictures,  is  the  successor  of  the  famous  Brumidi  in  com- 
pleting the  paintings  in  the  great  dome  of  the  Capitol 
building  at  Washington.  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
N.  J.  McManus,  in  1878,  the  debt  on  the  building 
amounted  to  some  $8,000,  with  arrears  of  interest.  The 
creditors  demanded  their  dues.  The  congregation  united 
in  a  request  to  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany for  the  privilege  of  working  an  extra  week  (they 
then  working  only  half  time),  to  save  their  beautiful 
church  from  ruin,  a  request  which  was  promptly  granted; 
and  for  a  week  every  man  and  boy  worked  faithfully  in 
the  mines  and  at  the  breakers.  "Voluntary  contributions 
swelled  the  total  of  that  week's  work  to  $7,500,  and  en- 
abled the  pastor  to  cancel  the  b'alance  of  the  indebted- 
ness at  an  early  date.  The  edifice  was  completed  in 
187s,  and  in  August  of  that  year  was  solemnly  blessed 
and  occupied  for  the  first  time.  The  pastor  and  congre- 
gation acknowledge  their  indebtedness  for  repeated  acts 
of  liberality  to  Messrs.  Eaton,  Jones  &  Simpson,  of  the 
Eaton  colliery;  Filer  &  Livy,  of  Winton;  Mr.  John 
Jermyn  and  the  officers  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
canal  Company. 


Rev.  N.  J.  McManus,  the  present  popular  pastor,  suc- 
ceeded Rev.  John  Loughran  in  1875,  and  by  his  efforts 
the  church  was  completed  and  the  debt  provided  for. 
Father  McManus  has  been  for  many  years  an  active 
church  builder,  and  some  of  the  most  successful  monu- 
ments of  that  kind  in  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna 
valleys  are  due  to  his  self-sacrificing  efforts. 


BLAKELY  BOROUGH. 


,  HIS  borough  comprises  the  B.  McLean,  C. 
Weaver,  J.  Randall,  D.  Sherrard,  J.  Angle 
and  E.  London  warrantee  tracts,  and  is  the 
best  farming  part  of  the  old  Blakely  town- 
ship. The  farm  lands  are  now  owned  principally 
by  coal  companies.  The  borough  comprises  Peck- 
ville,  which  has  been  built  up  mainly  since  the 
completion  of  the  gravity  road,  and  settled  by  railroad 
men  and  retired  farmers.  The  population  of  the  borough 
in  1880  was  875. 

The  first  grist-mill  was  on  the  Mott  place,  and  the  old 
ten  mile  tavern,  near  Priceville,  was  for  many  years  the 
voting  place  and  post-office  of  the  town. 

The  charter  incorporating  Blakely  borough  was  granted 
August  27th,  1867,  and  the  first  election  held  at  the  house 
of  L.  Lillibridge,  October  8th,  1867,  resulting  in  the 
choice  of  ihe  following  officers:  Burgess,  J.  B.  Kenyon; 
councilmen,  W.  H.  Hull,  jr.,  C.  D.  Barber,  J.  W.  Peck, 
Alexander  Berry  and  William  Bell;  overseers  of  poor,  L. 
L.  Lyons,  A.  C.  Wise;  constable,  David  Lewis;  assessors, 
L.  Lillibridge,  J.  H.  Fisher,  D.  Aylesworth;  auditors, 
William  Page,  Ebenezer  Davis,  C.  Cray;  .school  directors, 
G.  M.  Hull,  George  Newton,  William  H.  Hughes,  Wil- 
liam C.  Cormack,  Theron  Ferris,  Thomas  Kelly;  justice, 
Edward  Jones.  Other  justices  have  been  elected  as  fol- 
lows: D.  T.  Lewis,  1868;  Stephen  Callender,  1870,  1875; 
W.  V.  Mace,   1873,  1878. 

The  borough  ordinances  were  adopted  in  1868.  The 
successive  burgesses  have  been:  For  1868,  W.  J.  McCor- 
mack;  1869,  A.  C.  Wise;  1870,  1871,  Edward  Jones; 
1872,  J.  W  Peck;  1873-75,  Jospph  Travis;  1876,  J.  D. 
Peck;  1877.  1878,  J.  G.  Bell;  1879.  S.  N.  Callender. 

The  officers  for  i88o  were:  Burgess,  J.  D.  Peck;  coun- 
cilmen, J.  R.  Colvin,  S.  N.  Callender,  M.  V.  Doud,  J.  C. 
Tuthill,  F.  L.  Taylor;  clerk,  J.  C.  Tuthill. 

The  graded  school,  taught  by  Prof.  H.  E.  Barnes  and 
two  assistants,  has  three  departments  of  three  grades  each, 
with  a  total  list  of  230  scholars,  and  sustains  a  high  rep- 
utation. 

The  First  Baptist  Church 

of  Blakely  was  early  supplied  by  Elders  John  Finn,  John 
Miller,  J.  B.  Chase  and  W.  K.  Mott,  and  was  a  branch  of 
the  Greenfield  church  from  1820  until  1843,  when  it  was 
formed  into  a  church,  with  twenty-seven  members.  Revs. 


-=# 


466 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Henry  Curtis,  W.  K;  Mott,  Silas  Finn  and  D.  E.  Bowen 
officiating  at  its  institution. 

The  first  meeting  house  was  built  in  1832,  and  is  yet 
standing.  In  1873  the  society  built  a  new  edifice,  forty 
by  sixty  feet,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  sou'h  of  the 
old  one,  at  a  cost  of  |6,ooo;  and  in  1880  a  mission  chapel 
at  Peckville,  costing  about  $[,500. 

Among  the  pastors  have  been  Revs.  W.  K.  Mott,  0.  L. 
Hall,  Charles  Parker,  J.  W.  Lyons,  J.  B.  Kenyon  and  D. 
J.  Williams.  The  pulpit  is  now  occupied  by  Rev.  Newell 
Callender,  a  former  member  of  the  church.  The  two 
Sunday-schools  have  250  scholars,  and  the  church  mem- 
bership is  about  90. 

PECKVILLE 

contains  two  churches,  four  stores,  the  Purdy  House,  the 
extensive  planing  and  saw-mills  of  Peck  Brothers,  a  first- 
class  grist-mill,  operated  by  A.  C.  VVise,  the  foundry  of 
S.  F.  White,  a  fine  public  school  building  built  for  the 
Peckville  graded  school,  and  about  700  inhabitants. 

The  first  impetus  to  business  was  given  by  Samuel 
Peck  &  Brother,  who  came  here  in  183 1  and  built  a  sash 
and  door  factory  and  small  grist-mill  on  the  site  of  the 
present  works  of  Peck  Brothers. 

The  Purdy  House,  kept  by  W.  F.  Ketchum,  is  the  only 
hotel  in  the  village  and  the  best  in  the  borough.  Mr. 
Ketchum  is  a  native  of  Prompton,  Wayne  county,  and  was 
formerly  in  the  employ  of  the  Erie  Railway  Company,  at 
Carbondale.  He  purchased  the  house  in  April,  1880. 
His  wife  was  Francis  Corey,  of  Preston,  Pa.,  whom  he 
married  June  20th,  1875.     He  has  two  children. 

The  M.  E.  Church  of  Peckvii.lk. 

The  first  Methodist  preacher  at  Peckville,  then  called 
Blakely,  was  Rev.  David  Williams,  ap]joinled  in  1857.  It 
was  then  a  mission  and  u  part  of  the  Providence  charge. 
The  preaching  services  were  held  in  "  the  old  school- 
house,"  in  the  lower  part  of  the  village.  Methodist 
preachers  had  before  visited  the  place  and  occasionally 
preached  to  the  people,  among  the  number  the  distin 
guished  Rev.  Ur.  George  Peck.  Mr.  Williams  served  the 
charge  two  years,  and  organized  the  Peckville  church 
The  original  class  was  composed  in  part  of  Jeremiah  Sils- 
bee  and  wife,  George  W.  Thomas  and  wife,  Emeline  Ben 
jamin,  Barbara  Carey,  Henry  Newton,  Calvin  Peck,  Anna 
Styles  and  Dorcas  Travis,  with  Jeremiah  Silsbee  as  class 
leader.  The  successive  class  leaders  have  been  Calvin 
Peck,  J.  D.  Peck,  Charles  Dowrick,  C.  D.  Barber  and 
Robert  Tuthill. 

In  i860  Rev.  J.  C.  AVoodruff  became  pastor,  when 
Blakely  mission  was  organized  into  the  Blakely  charge, 
including  Peckville,  Olyphant,  Archbald  (where  the  pas- 
tor then  resided)  and  Jermyn.  During  this  pastorate  a 
revival  at  Peckville  resulted  in  substantial  accessions  of 
membership.  In  1862  I.  T.  Walker  came  to  the  pastor- 
ate. He  was  the  first  pastor  residing  at  Peckville.  From 
1864  Rev.  C.  Hynson  was  the  pastor  three  years;  then 
Rev.  S.  F.  Wright,  two  years.     In  1868  he  built  a  church 


on  a  lot  donated  by  J.  D.  Peck,  in  the  center  of  the  vil- 
lage, on  the  northwest  side  of  Main  street.  It  is  a  wooden 
structure  substantially  built,  seating  three  hundred  and 
costing  $4,000.  It  was  dedicated  July  4th,  1868,  Rev. 
Dr.  R.  Nelson,  nf  Wyoming  Seminary,  officiating.  Rev. 
G.  M.  Chamberlin  began  a  year's  pastorate  in  1868,  dur- 
ing which  a  revival  increased  the  membership  and  greatly 
strengthened  the  church.  From  i86g  Rev.  J.  F.  Wilbur 
was  pastor  until  1872;  then  Rev.  G.  M.  Chamberlin. 
Rushdale  was  now  constituted  a  separate  church,  called 
Gibsonburg,  and  the  old  charge  was  given  the  present 
name  of  Peckville.  In  1874  Rev.  J.  Underwood  became 
pastor,  and  in  1876  Rev.  W.  J.  Hill,  who  remained  until 
1879,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  present  incumbent. 
Rev.  F.  (iendall. 

In  1877  a  parsonage  was  built  for  $1,000  on  a  lot  oppo- 
site the  church,  donated  by  the  New  York  and  Erie  Coal 
Company. 

In  1868  a  Sunday-school  was  organized  by  Rev.  S.  F. 
Wright,  with  G.  W.  Thomas  as  its  first  superintendent, 
who  was  succeeded  by  H.  Gleddon,  A.  Simpson,  S. 
White,  J.  D.  Peck  and  Charles  Trevcrton.  It  has  150 
members. 

The  original  trustees  of  the  church  were  G.  W.  Thomas, 
C.  D.  Barber,  William  Purdy,  Alerick  Berry,  J.  W.  Peck, 
S.  F.  White,  William  Williams  and  James  Hurd. 

The  cl-nirch  numbered  in  1880  go  members,  with 
Robert  Tall. ill  as  class  leader  and  J.  D.  Peck  as  his  as- 
sistant. The  stewards  that  year  were  John  Tuthill, 
John  English,  William  Bell,  J.  D.  Peck,  Oliver  David  and 
Albert  Newton.  The  church  property  is  held  in  trust 
by  C.  D.  Barber,  president;  S.  F.  White,  secretary;  John 
English,  treasurer;   Robert  Tuthill  and  S.  Reese. 

Harper  Lodge,  No.  707,  I.  O.  of  O.  F. 

This  lodge,  April  25th,  1870,  was  instituted  by  and 
named  after  D.  D.  Harper.  There  were  twenty  charter 
members.  Payments  from  the  benefit  fund  to  date 
amount  to  $1,217.24. 


DICKSON  CITY  BOROUGH. 


iHIS  borough  had  little  or   no   importance  be- 
fore Richmond  and  Chittenden   commenced 
developing  coal  drifts,  in  1859.     The  hamlet 
of   Priceville   then   sprung  up   about  a  mile 
north  of  the    collieries,  and  several  private  enter- 
l)rises  were  undertaken  at  what   is   now   known  as 
Dickson  City,  where  the   Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron 
Company  absorbed  most  of  the  business. 

The  borough  was  chartered  in  1875.  The  first  election, 
held  in  October  of  that  year,  resulted  in  the  choice  of  H. 
\V.  Loftus  as  burgess,  Henry  W.  Smith  as  president,  and 
Frank  Day  as  chairman  of  the  school  board.  Patrick 
Reilly   was   the  first   chief  of  police.     The   first    school 


NiH= 


=^H 


OFFICERS  OF  DICKSON  CITY  AND  JERMYN— W.   H.  RICHMOND'S  ENTERPRISES.  467 


4 


board  was  organized  in  1876.  There  are  three  school- 
bouses,  all  built  prior  to  the  erection  of  the  borough. 

The  borough  officers  for  1880  were:  Burgess,  Martin 
Cnppen;  council — H.  A.  Zimmerman  (president),  James 
Labar  (secretary),  Patrick  Reilly  (treasurer),  Lucius 
Lake,  James  McCauley,  James  Rogers  and  Jaines  Dough- 
erty; president  of  school  board,  Thomas  Grier;  secretary, 
Michael  McNulty;  treasurer,  Thomas  Hanahan;  chief  of 
police,  Thomas  McCauley.  The  floating  debt  of  the  bor- 
ough is  $r,3oo. 

The  post-office  was  established  in  1874,  with  L.  E. 
Judd  postmaster.  Thomas  Grier,  the  present  incumbent, 
was  appointed  April  30'h,  1879.  The  first  justices  of 
the  peace  were  William  D.  Burke  (elected  in  1875)  and 
Thomas  McCauley  (1877);  the  latter  died  during  his  term 
of  office,  which  was  finished  by  James  A.  Savage,  who,  as 
well  as  his  associate  Mr.  Burke,  still  holds  the  office. 

The  population,  which  was  329  in  1870,  had  increased 
to  841  in  1S80. 

The  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company. 

This  company's  colliery  was  opened  by  W.  H.  Rich- 
mond &  Co.,  in  1859;  the  breaker,  erected  in  i860,  was 
the  first  on  the  gravity  road  between  Carbondale  and 
Scranton.  It  was  operated  by  Richmond  &  Co.  until 
1863,  when  W.  H.  Richmond,  Charles  P.  Wirtz,  George 
L.  Morss,  Alfred  Wirtz  and  G.  L.  Dickson  organized  the 
Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  and  succeeded  to  the 
ownership  of  the  mine.  The  lands  worked  are  the  prop- 
erty of  the  Central  Coal  Companv,  the  principal  owners 
of  which  are  Colonel  J.  H.  Johnson  and  Abel  Bennett, 
jr.,  who  opened  the  first  colliery  at  the  Notch  in  1853  and 
sold  to  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  the  lands  that 
formed  the  nucleus  of  its  present  immense  business. 
Thevein  is  worked  from  drifts  extending  in  one  direction 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  opening.  The  capacity  of  the 
breaker  is  300  tons  daily;  average  production,  about  250 
tons.  The  number  of  tenement  houses  is  sixty;  total 
number  of  men  and  boys  employed,  225.  One  forty 
horse  power  engine  is  used  at  the  breaker. 

The  cloven  foot  of  Molly  Maguireism  developed  itself 
in  the  attempted  asrassination  of  Superintendent  L.  E. 
Judd,  of  Richmond  colliery,  in  1872,  and  in  the  inaugu- 
ration of  strikes,  the  only  effect  of  which  was  the  injury  of 
the  participants.  The  efforts  of  Treasurer  Richmond  of 
the  Elk  Hill  Company  to  prevent  the  unlicensed  sale  of 
liquor  in  the  vicinity  of  the  works  have  had  a  beneficial 
effect  on  all  concerned. 

The  Dickson  City  File  Works  is  owned  by  the  Elk 
Hill  Coal  and  Iron  Company,  and  makes  the  "  tip  top 
hand  cut  steel  files."  It  employs  ten  hands,  under  Fore- 
man Thomas  Sheldon,  an  old  Shetfield  file  cutter,  who 
claims  to  be  able  to  equal  the  best  work  of  English  fac- 
tories. 

Besides  the  above  named  establishments,  the  company 
owns  a  large  brick  yard  and  a  general  store. 

Richmond  Hill  Farm. 

The  elegant    mansion    of  William    H.  Richmond,  the 


treasurer  of  the  Elk  Hill  Coal  and  Iron   Company,  com- 
pleted in  1874,  is  a  fine  specimen  of  modern  architecture 
and  embodies  some  ideas  of  its  owner  that  are  well  worthy 
of   note,  among  which   are  its  superior  arrangements  for 
heating  by  steam,  the  sensible  location  of  registers  at  ex- 
posed points,  a  perfect  and  thorough  ventilation,  and  a 
uniform  heat  secured  at  a  very  low  pressure.     Near  this 
house  are  two  spacious  greenhouses,  to  the  contents  of 
which  an  experienced  Scotch  gardener  is  constantly  add- 
ing; milk,  carriage  and  boiler  houses,  and  a  fine  poultry 
house  and  yard.     In    the  barn    yards  may  be   seen    the 
finest  specimens    of   Jersey  cattle,  the  importation    and 
breeding  of  which  is  part   of.  the  business  of   the  farm. 
Every  part  of  the  hundred  acres  is  being   brought  under 
the  best  of  treatment,  and  experiments   in  various  crops 
afford  the  owner  employment  for  his  leisure  and  the  pur- 
suance of  his  favorite   theory  of   improving  the  farms  in 
this  vicinity.     The  English   system  of  '" soiling''  cattle  is 
pursued,  with  satisfactory  results. 


JERMYN  BOROUGH. 


'N  the  3d  of  January,  1870,  a  petition  for  the 
incorporation  of  the  borough  of  Gibsonburg 
was  granted,  and  a  charter  issued  naming 
January  28th  of  that  year  for  the  first  borough 
election;  Newton  H.  Barber  as  judge  of 
elections;  Josiah  Bloss  and  Patrick  Farrell  as 
inspectors;  and  James  A.  Rynier  to  give  legal 
notice  to  voters  of  such  election.  January  8th,  1872,  the 
borough  lines  were  extended.  The  borough  was  named 
after  John  Gibson,  of  Philadelphia,  an  extensive  owner  of 
lands  here  which  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1874,  when  that  corpor- 
ation changed  the  name  of  the  railway  station  to  Jermyn 
in  honor  of  John  Jermyn.  This  change  of  title  was 
adopted  by  the  borough  and  the  post-office  department. 
The  officials  elected  January  28th,  1880,  were:  bur- 
gess, John  Jermyn;  town  council,  Oliver  G.  Morgan,  Pat- 
rick J.  Mullen,  Dr.  S.  D.  Davis,  Henry  Tripp,  Josiah 
Bloss;  borough  secretary,  S.  D.  Davis;  borough  .treas- 
urer, A.  L.  Green.  First  meeting  of  town  council,  Feb- 
ruary 4th,  1870, 

The  succeeding  burgesses  have  been  as  follows:  John 
Jermyn,  1870;  S.  S.  Vail,  October  24th,  1870,  to  March 
28th,  1872;  Miron  H.  Barber,  1872;  Alfred  L.  Green, 
1873;  Henry  Niemyer,  1874;  Joseph  Dunn,  1875;  John 
Gardner,  1S76;  N.  Smith,  1877;  Calvin  Vail  (appointed!, 
July  1st,  1877,  to  April  2nd,  1878;  William  Lietz,  1878, 
1879;  Joseph  Harris,  1880. 

The  borough  treasurers  have  been  as  follows:  A.  L. 
Green,  1870-72;  S.  D.  Davis,  1873;  Thomas  Reunie,  1874; 
William  B.  Swick,  1875;  C.  D.  Winter,  1876,  1877;  Joseph 
Harris,  1878;  James  D.  Strieker,  1879;  J.  R.  Jones,  i88o. 
The  present  valuation  for  tax  purposes  is  $119,454. 
The  borough  officers   for   1880   were:  Joseph  Harris, 


•=M= 


=h;  ;  1 


^^ 


468 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


II 


burgess;  council,  David  Carle,  Benjamin  Davis,  C.  M. 
Berry,  Thomas  Rich,  William  H.  Jones;  secretary,  P.  J. 
NTiiUen;  treasurer,  J.  R.  Jones. 

The  population  of  Jermyn  was  1,156  in  1870,  and  1,541 
in  1880. 

Justices  have  been  elected  as  follows:  Henry  D.  Carey, 
1870,  187s;  John  B.  Cole,  1875;  John  Gardner,  1874; 
Ira  G.  Westcott,   1876. 

Hotels,  Mines,  Manufactories,  etc. 

The  first  hotel  was  built  by  Louis  Pizer,  in  1866,  and  is 
slill  standing,  one  block  west  of  St.  George's  Hotel, 
erected  by  him  in  1872,  and  well  known  as  the  leading 
house  in  the  village.  Mr.  Pizer  is  still  in  charge.  He 
was  born  in  England,  came  to  America  in  1862  and 
settled  for  a  short  time  in  Archbald,  commencing  busi- 
ness here  in  1866.  The  popular  Sweeney  House  was 
built  in  1870  by  Eben  Roberts,  and  passed  through  a 
number  of  hands  before  it  was  purchased  by  Ira  G. 
Westcott  in  1880.  The  Farmer's  Hotel  was  built  by 
John  Nicholson  in  1866. 

The  post-ofiRce,  under  the  name  of  Gibsonburg,  was 
established  in  1869,  with  John  Gardner  as  postmaster  for 
the  first  six  months;  since  that  time  it  has  been  kept  by 
Dr.  S.  D.  Davis. 

A  furniture  store  kept  by  Gustav  Battinburgh,  a  tailor 
shop  by  W.  R.  Palmer,  the  harness  and  saddlery  shop  of 
Thomas  Walkey,  a  blacksmith  shop,  the  drug  and  book 
store  of  Dr.  S.  D.  Davis,  the  general  store  of  John 
Jermyn,  the  meat  market  of  Hill  &  Walters  and  a 
bakery  and  confectionery  comprise  the  business  places 
of  the  borough  aside  from  mines  and  manufactories 
mentioned  below. 

Breaker  No.  i  is  supplied  by  a  shaft  sunk  in  1857 
by  Offermann,  afterwards  operated  for  several  years  by 
Winton  &  Chittenden,  and  after  lying  idle  for  two  years 
leased  by  John  Jermyn  in  1865.  The  breaker,  built  in 
i860,  has  a  capacity  of  600  tons  daily.  Three  engines 
and  four  pumps  are  in  use,  and  300  men  and  boys 
employed.     Robert  Carter  is  the  superintendent. 

Breaker  No.  2  works  coal  from  a  slope  opened  in  1867, 
in  which  year  it  was  erected.  It  has  a  capacity  of  800 
tons  daily.  The  Archbald  vein  is  here  worked  through 
some  two  thousand  acres  of  the  Lee,  Rider  and  other 
tracts.  A.  L.  Green  is  the  superintendent.  About  300 
men  and  boys  are  employed. 

The  Eureka  Coffin  and  Casket  Factory  (Miller  Broth- 
ers &  Co.)  was  undertaken  in  1872  by  its  present  owners, 
and  has  grown  to  be  an  important  industry,  employing 
some  40  men  and  boys  and  turning  out  about  30  com- 
pleted cofifins  daily.  The  capital  represented  is  about 
$40,000,  and  the  business  is  increasing.  Steam  is  the 
motive  power.  H.  C.  Miller,  a  practical  cabinet  maker, 
was  the  founder,  and  is  at  the  head  of  the  firm. 

The  Jermyn  Steam  Flouring  Mills  were  erected  by 
John  Jermyn,  their  present  owner,  in  1870.  The  building 
is  a  frame  structure,  40  by  80  feet  and  four  stories  in 
height;  contains  five  runs  of  stones  operated  by  a  60  horse- 
power engine.     Five  men   are  employed.     The  mill  can 


produce  100  barrels  of  flour  and  20  tons  of  feed  or  meal 
daily.  Mr.  Jermyn  imports  from  the  west  200  car  loads 
of  grain  annually  for  use  here.  A  specialty  is  made  of  the 
Valley  Star  brand  of  flour,  which  is  well  known  through- 
out the  Lackawanna  valley.  William  B.  Swick  is  the 
manager  and  miller. 

Rushdale  Powder  Mills. — Powder  was  first  made  here 
by  A.  T.  Rand  &  Co.,  who  built   the   first  mills  in   1864, 
and  sold  to  the  Moosic  Powder  Company,  who  enlarged 
and  improved  the  works  in  187210  their  present  capacity 
of  about  325  kegs  daily,  employing  about  40  men.  Thirty- 
five  acres   of  land   are   owned   by   the   company,  ten  of 
which  are  enclosed  in  a  high  fence  and  contain  the  build- 
ings, comprising  eighteen  blocks  so  arranged  as  to  reduce 
the  risk  of  a  general  destruction  by  fire  or  explosion  to  a 
minimum.     Great  care  is  taken    in   the   manipulation  of 
materials,  but  the  drying  house  exploded  November  loth, 
1867;  another  building  twice   in    1870  (one   man  killed), 
and  May  13th,  1872,  an  explosion   totally  destroyed  the 
works.     By  the  explosion  of  the   press  house,  November 
4th,  1873,  three  lives  were  lost,  and  the  glazing  mill  blew 
up  June  2oth,  1879,  when  the  watchman  was  saved  by  a 
section  of  a  boiler  falling  over  him   and   shielding  him 
from  the  falling  walls.     The  office   of   the   mills  is  con- 
nected by  a  telegraph  line   with   the  company's  office  in 
Scranton  and  their  mills  at  Moosic.     A  market  is  found 
in  the  Lackawanna  valley  for   the   entire   product  of  the 
mills,  and  the  company  claim  that   long  familiarity  with 
the  needs  of  miners  and  the  use  of  the  cartridge  package 
enables  them  to  produce  a  superior  article. 

The  superintendents  have  been  G.  W.  Rand,  A.  H. 
Boies  (now  president  of  the  company)  and  W.  S.  Hutch- 
ings,  the  present  manager. 

A  Molly  Maguire  Outrage. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2gth  of  July,  1874,  during  the 
"Molly  Maguire"  reign  of  terror.  Mine  Foreman  A.  L. 
Green  was  set  upon  by  three  strangers,  who  fired  nine 
pistol  shots,  bringing  him  to  the  ground  wounded  in  three 
places,  but  not  fatally.  William  B.  Swick  and  his  son,  Rob- 
ert Pierce  and  Charles  McCracken,  who  were  at  the  Jer- 
myn mill,  about  fifty  yards  away,  chased  off  the  assailants, 
killed  one  and  wounded  another  in  the  foot.  The  corpse 
being  given  to  the  physicians  for  dissection,  persons  from 
Dunmore  claimed  it  as  the  body  of  one  O'Malia.  This 
and  other  clues  brought  about  the  arrest  of  the  wounded 
assassin,  and  under  the  name  of  Sharkey  he  was  con- 
victed of  an  attempt  at  manslaughter,  and  sent  to  the  peni- 
tentiary for  six  years  and  eight  months.  So  bold  was 
this  band  of  murderers,  and  so  subservient  were  some  of 
the  local  judiciary,  that  a  warrant  was  actually  obtained 
from  a  Scranton  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  arrest  of 
Robert  Pierce  for  the  murder  of  O'Malia,  and  a  gang  of 
men  visited  Jermyn  to  take  him;  but  he  had  been  secre- 
ted by  his  friends,  who  followed  the  agents  of  the  outlaws 
with  such  pertinacity  and  so  strong  a  front  that  they 
abandoned  the  search;  after  which,  to  avoid  further  com- 
plications, a  formal  complaint  was  made,  Mr.  Pierce 
taken   to  Wilkes-Barre,   and  at  the   first  session   of  the 


+ 


-T    -t    - 


I.I-JJ-'  i'^  lit.  .!'<'     i:.V,M   Ci  /Vr,;',.,/    ;rf.-}r 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 


JERMYN    BOROUGH. 


9. 


JOHN  JERMYN 

was  bora  in  Suffolk,  England,  in  1837.  Without  the  advantage  of  a 
thoroug-h  education,  or  wealthy  and  influential  relatives,  and  early  in 
life  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  for  a  livelihood,  he  had  to  struggle 
with  the  many  vicissitudes  and- trials  incident  to  youth  single-handed 
and  alone,  and  yet  we  find  that  In  almost  every  instance  he  rose  above 
and  superior  to  them  all  and  was  successful.  Finding  the  avenues  to 
successful  business  enterprise  very  narrow  and  hedged  closely  about  by 
difficulties  in  his  native  England,  and  hearing  of  the  golden  opportunities 
open  to  those  who  cared  to  succeed  in  the  United  States,  he  in  company 
with  others,  in  the  spring  of  1847,  set  sail  for  the  "  promised  land."  On 
arriving  in  New  York  his  attention  was  directed  to  Scranton  (then 
tflocum  Hollow  ,  as  the  most  likely  place  at  which  to  realize  his  expecta- 
tions. Accordingly,  the  second  day  after  landing  in  New  York  city 
found  him  set  down  in  the  then  almost  unbroken  wilderness  of  the 
Lackawanna  valley.  To  an  aspiring  youth  of  twenty  years,  who  had 
teen  accustomed  to  the  streets  and  active  scenes  of  London,  and  whose 
every  thought  and  purpose  had  been  bent  to  the  task  of  bettering  his 
position  in  life,  one  can  readily  imagine  came  a  bitter  feeling  of  dis- 
appointment and  discouragement  when  this  change  first  broke  upon  his 
mind. 

The  bright  scenes  and  active  duties  of  London  life  were  left  behind, 
with  all  their  fascination;  with  a  vast  ocean  between  him  and  relatives, 
in  the  midst  of  strangers,  cold,  heartlciss  and  exacting;  with  no  capital 
save  the  strong  arms  and  willing  heart  with  which  nature  had  endowed 
him,  with  no  broad  avenue  opening  before  him  to  friends  and  affluence, 
he  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  wilderness  with  no  immediate  prospect 
of  employment  or  business.  To  one  of  a  less  ardent  and  hopeful  nature 
the  realization  of  these  facts  would  have  been  crushing.  Not  so,  how- 
ever, to  3*oung  Jermyn.  In  casting  his  eye  about  him  he  soon  discov- 
ered that  others  were  in  the  path  of  success;  that  the  new  world  on 
which  he  had  just  stepped  was  wide  and  full  of  rich  opportunities  for 
him  as  well  as  them,  and  his  determination  was  soon  formed  and  his  plans 
laid.  Making  application  to  Scrantons  &  Piatt,  his  first  day's  work  was 
done  at  the  old  furnace  unloading  coal,  and  so  well  and  faithfully  was 
his  task  performed  from  day  to  day  that  he  soon  attracted  the  attention 
of  his  employers,  and  before  many  days  had  passed  he  was  advanced. 
Encouraged  by  this,  greater  efforts  were  put  forth,  and  position  after 
position  attained,  until  when  but  a  few  years  had  passed  young  Jermyn 
was  no  longer  a  dependent  upon  others  for  employment;  but  with  ex- 
perience obtained  under  others,  and  powers  for  controlling  and  direct- 
ing the  labor  of  others  enlarged,  he  was  prepared  to  contract  for  himself 
and  thus  reap  the  benefit  of  his  own  powers  and  genius.  Readily  per- 
ceiving this  he  sought  and  secured  the  contract  for  opening  the  Diamond 
coal  mines  at  Scranton,  and  was  the  first  man  to  put  a  shovel  into  that 
important  wo&.  Never  scorning  labor  himself,  he  was  ever  ready,  by 
his  example  and  superior  knowledge  of  the  application  of  means  to  the 
accomplishment  of  ends,  to  further  his  enterprises  and  to  gain  the  con- 
fidence as  well  as  the  hearty  co-operation  of  those  under  his  control. 

His  first  contract  having  been  pushed  to  a  successful  and  satisfactory 
close  during  the  years  1851  to  1854,  he  soon  after  entered  into  a  contract 
to  open  and  develop  the  coal  of  the  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company,  situated  in  the  notch  of  the  mountain  above  Providence,  and 
since  known  as  the  "  Rockwell  mines."  In  this  undertaking  he  was  en- 
gaged some  four  or  five  years  and  was  highly  successful.  The  contract 
having  been  filled  and  the  work  accepted  by  the  company,  in  the  year 
1859  he  entered  into  a  contract  with  Judson  CJark,  Esq.,  for  the  sinking 
of  a  slope  and  mining  the  coal  from  the  lands  of  the  said  Clark,  situated 
on  the  Abington  turnpike  and  near  the  mines  of  the  New  York  and 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  Here  he  was  engaged  for  some  two  years, 
when,  Judson  Clark  having  died,  he,  jointly  with  a  Mr.  "Wells  and  Mr. 
CJark  of  Carbondale,  Pa.,  became  the  proprietor  of  the  mines  under  a 
lease  with  the  estate,  under  the  firm  name  of  Jermyn,  Well3&  Co.    This 


lease  continued  for  three  years,  when  the  mining  of  the  coal  at  this 
point  was  abandoned. 

Always  on  the  alert  for  an  opening,  and  with  a  wonderfully  penetra- 
ting mind,  we  find  Mr.  Jermyn  always  looking  in  advance,  and  before 
he  had  closed  his  engagement  at  one  point  he  had  another  in  waiting  for 
him.  Thus,  before  his  lease  expired  with  the  Judson  Clark  estate,  he 
had  effected  another  with  Judge  Birdseye,  of  New  York  city,  for  the 
working  of  his  mines  at  Archbald,  Pa.,  two  miles  up  the  valley  from  the 
scene  of  his  last  previous  operations.  These  mines  had  been  badly 
managed  for  many  years,  and  their  reputation  was  such  that  the  pro- 
prietor found  it  difficult  to  operate  them  successfully.  This  Mr.  Jermyn 
soon  remedied,  however,  and  he  had  not  been  in  possession  of  the 
mines  more  than  three  years  when  the  proprietor  was  enabled  to  sell 
his  mines  and  coal  lands  to  the  Boston  and  Lackawanna  Coal  Company 
at  a  very  large  profit. 

Mr,  Jermyn  closed  his  engagement  here  with  the  same  success  which 
seems  ever  to  attend  him,  and,  with  the  same  foresight  which  has  all 
through  life  characterized  him,  sought  out  and  before  closing  his  bus- 
iness at  ArchbaM  effected  a  contract  for  mining  the  coal  from  the 
lands  of  the  Gibson  estate,  situated  two  miles  up  the  Lackawanna  river 
from  Archbald,  at  what  was  then  known  as  Rushdale.  Here,  as  at 
Archbald,  the  reputation  and  the  quality  of  coal  to  be  mined  were  such 
that  mining  operations  had  been  abandoned  entirely,  and  the  opera- 
tors almost  literally  driven  from  the  field,  the  mines  having  stood  idle 
for  several  years.  With  all  these  discouragements  and  contrary  to  the 
advice  of  his  friends,  who  could  see  nothing  but  failure  and  disaster  in 
the  undertaking,  Mr.  Jermyn,  after  having  examined  the  mines  for 
himself  and  satisfied  his  own  mind  that  there  was  money  to  be  made 
there,  pushed  steadily  forward  with  his  improvements,  keeping  his  own 
counsel  until  he  should  be  fully  prepared  to  enter  upon  his  mining  op- 
erations. 

Having  put  his  machinery  and  buildings  in  thorough  repair,  and  added 
largely  to  his  facilities  for  mining  and  preparing  coal,  in  1875  Mr.  Jermyn 
entered  upon  the  most  successful  undertaking  of  his  life,  and  laid  the 
foundation  for  a  large  share  of  the  prosperity  and  wealth  which  to-day 
crown  his  career.  Having  effected  two  new  leases  of  coal  to  the  amount 
of  one  million  tons  each,  besides  filling  successfully  the  original  contract 
of  one  million  tons,  aU  from  the  same  estate,  and  with  facilities  for  min- 
ing and  delivering  the  entire  two  million  tons  of  coal  within  the  next 
ten  or  fifteen  years,  Mr.  Jermyn  stands  to-day  among  the  most  success- 
ful and  wealthy  coal  operators  of  the  valley.  Instead  of  the  predictions 
made  when  he  was  about  to  enter  on  this  enterprise  proving  true,  just 
the  reverse  has  been  the  result.  Thoroughly  sifting  the  community 
when  he  came,  none  but  the  better  portion  was  retained,  and  the  refuse 
driven  out.  Upright,  honest  and  industrious  men  were  encouraged  to 
come  in,  and  with  a  liberality  which  has  always  been  a  characteristic  of 
Mr.  Jermyn  the  helping  hand  was  extended  and  the  encouraging  word 
spoken  to  those  who  wished  to  obtain  a  house  for  their  families  ;  until 
from  a  little  cluster  of  shanties  found  here  when  Mr.  Jermyn  took 
possession,  in  which  the  occupants  had  no  interest,  has  grown  a 
large  and  flourishing  borough,  with  large  and  well-filled  churches,  a 
graded  school  second  to  none  in  the  county,  together  with  fine  hotels 
and  places  of  business.  When  the  borough  of  Gibsonburg  was  incor- 
porated in  1869  it  was  thought  fitting  that  it  should  bear  the  name  of 
the  estate  on  which  it  was  founded;  hence  the  name  of  Gibsonburg.  But 
during  1873,  the  growth  and  interests  of  the  borough  having  from  its 
formation  been  so  Intimately  connected  with  Mr.  Jermyn  and  his  family, 
it  was  thought  but  just— and  the  spontaneous  expression  of  the  entire 
community  was  given— that  the  name  of  the  borough  be  changed  to 
Jermyn. 

In  1851  Mr.  Jermyn  married  Susan,  daughter  of  Joseph  Knight,  Esq.* 
of  Cornwall,  England,  a  very  estimable  lady,  who  has  been  a  faithful 
sharer  of  all  his  toils  and  cares,  and  now  enjoys  with  him  the  harvest  of 
their  accumulated  wealth.    She  was  born  in  1824.    Their  children  are- 


<^ 


*$* 


468^ 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


Joseph  J.,  born  July  31st,  1852;  Willie,  born  in  1854  (died  in  1874);  Frank 
H.,  bom  in  1856;  Myron,  deceased;  George,  born  in  1862;  Walter,  born 
in  1864;  Edward,  born  in  1866;  Emma,  born  in  1869;  Susan,  born  in  1871, 
and  John,  born  in  1873.  We  cannot  dismiss  the  subject  without  point- 
ing the  moral  and  drawing  therefrom  a  lesson  for  the  good  and  encour- 
agement of  young  men.  Mr.  Jermyn,  beginning  in  life  at  the  bottom 
round  of  the  ladder  and  ascending  step  after  step  to  its  top,  always  gen- 
erous, never  withholding  aid  when  appealed  to  by  the  truly  needy, 
prompt  in  the  payment  of  his  debts,  ever  ready  to  right  a  wrong  unwit- 
tingly committed,  uncompromising  In  his  integrity,  temperate  in  all  his 
habits,  stands  a  bright  example  to  those  who  would  succeed  in  life  and 
be  honored  by  the  community  in  which  they  live. 

SUMNEE  D.  DAVIS. 

Sumner  D.  Davis,  M.  D.,  a  son  of  Elisha  and  Latira  A.  Davis,  was 
born  in  Nelson,  Cheshire  county,  N.  H.,  March  1st,  1846.  and  married 
MisB  Laura  E.  Wilson,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  December  27th,  1865.  They  have 
three  girls  living.  Mr.  Davis  came  to  Hyde  Park,  Pa.,  in  the  spring  of 
1868  nearly  penniless,  and  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  A.  Davis.  He  earned 
and  saved  enoughmoney  bybookkeeping,keeping  up  his  studies  nighte, 
to  pay  his  expenses  during  the  three  years  of  study,  besides  the  expenses 
of  two  courses  of  medical  lectures,  one  at  the  University  of  Michigan 
and  the  other  at  Harvard  Univei'sity  Medical  College,  Boston,  Mass., 
where  he  graduated  March  10th,  1869,  aged  twenty-three  years,  indebted 
pecuniarily  to  no  one,  but  with  his  savings  exhausted.  He  borrowed 
J50  of  a  brother  and  located  in  Bushdale,  now  Jermyn,  Pa,,  In  May,  1869. 
He  borrowed  money  and  built  a  drug  store  in  thespring  of  1870.  During 
his  period  of  study  he  served  as  assistant  assessor  of  internal  revenue 
for  April  and  May  of  1867  and  1868,  also  during  the  summer  of  1868.  He 
also  worked  a  few  months  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Com- 
pany, making  out  pay  roUs  and  paying  the  men  at  the  Baltimore  Coal 
mines,  near  Wilkes-Barre.  Afta:  the  incorporation  of  the  borough  of 
Gibsonburg,  now  Jermyn,  he  was  elected  one  of  the  town  council  for 
three  successive  tenns.  He  has  been  borough  secretary  four  terms  and 
borough  treasurer  one  term ;  past  master  of  Aurora  lodge,  No.  523.  F. 
and  A.  M.;  past  N.  G.  of  Eushbrook  lodge,  No.  850,  I.  O.  0.  P.  and 
past  high  priest  of  Eureka  chapter.  No.  179,  H.  E.  C,  of  Carbondale  ; 
and  is  the  present  (1880)  general  of  Palestine  commandery.  No.  14,  K.  T., 
of  Carbondale.  A  Democrat  in  politics,  he  has  been  postmaster  from 
February  13th,  1871,  about  six  months  after  the  estabUshment  of  the 
post-office  of  Gibsonburg,until  the  present  time.  He  has  been  secretary 
of  the  Gibsonburg  Building  and  Loan  Association  from  its  organization, 
in  October,  1871,  until  the  present  time.  He  joined  the  Masonic  order  in 
June,  1868. 

A.  L.  GREEN. 

Arthur  L.  Green,  superintendent  of  the  Jermyn  collieries,  is  a  native 
of  England  and  has  been  prominently  .identified  with  colliery  interests 
for  many  years,  formerly  residing  at  Providence.  He  has  two  children, 
one  a  daughter  residing  with  her  parents,  the  other  a  son,  JohnD.  Green, 
manager  of  the  Union  Stove  Works  at  Pittston,  Pa.  Mr.  Green  was  the 
subject  of  a  cowardly  attempt  at  assassination  described  in  the  history 
of  the  borough,  which  seriously  impaired  his  general  health. 

•  W.  S.  HUTCHINGS. 

W.  S.  Hutchings,  superintendent  of  the  Bushdale  Powder  Mills, 
is  a  native  of  Bermuda,  West  India  Islands.  He  came  to  America  when 
seventeen  years  of  age.  He  entered  the  employ  of  the  Moosic  Powder 
Company  as  a  clerk,  married  the  daughter  of  the  superintendent,  was 
afterwards  appointed  assistant  superintendent  at  Moosic  and  in  1810 
was  promoted  to  his  present  responsible  position. 

EEV.  WILLIAM  JENKINS. 

Eev.  William  Jenkins  was  born  in  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  March  1st, 
1800,  and  married  at  Tie^elhin  Chuich  in  Mctmouththiie  to  Mifs  Ann 
MUes,  who  became  the  mother  of  ten  children  and  died  at  Jermyn  in 
1880.  Father  Jenkins  was  lieenscd  to  preach  in  1835,  and  in  1869  came  to 
America  and  in  the  following  year  tect.me  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  Jermyn.  Of  his  children  one  son,  Eev.  D.  M.  Jenkins  is  the 
pastor  of  a  large  Welsh  church  in  Liverpool,  England;  another,  Bev.  B. 


H.  Jenkins,  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and 
several  others  are  living  at  Jermyn  and  other  points  in  the  Lackawanna 
vaUey. 

Gdstav  BATTBNBnRQH,  d  native  of  Germany,  came  to  Scranton  in 

1869,  to  Archbald  the  following  year,  and  to  Jermyn  in  1876.  He  was  em- 
ployed in  the  Eureka  Casket  Works  until  the  spring  of  1880,  when  he 
established  himself  In  the  furniture  and  undertaking  business.  He  mar- 
ried Jennie  Jones,  of  Jermyn,  and  has  two  children. 

Baknabas  Carter,  a  native  of  Durham,  England,  born  January  10th, 
1823,  has  been  for  many  years  identified  with  mining  interests  in  this 
State.  He  married  Elizabeth  Watson  and  has  eight  children  Uving.  Mr. 
Carter  is  a  prominent  Free  Mason,  a  Son  of  St.  George,  and  a  warden  in 
St.  James  Protestant  Episcopal  church. 

John  Gardneb,  born  in  Nottinghamshire,  England,  came  to  Car- 
bondale, Pa.,  in  1845.  He  married  Elizabeth  Pratt,  of  Yorkshire, 
England,  and  has  five  children  living.  He  has  been  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  sixteen  years  and  has  spent  the  most  of  his  time  in  this  coun- 
try in  the  villages  of  Archbald  and  Jermyn. 

Joseph  Harris,  born  in  Bloomsburgh,  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  came 
to  Luzerne  county  in  1802  and  to  Jermyn  in  1866.  He  married  Mary  L. 
Martin,  of  Carbondale,  and  has  been  since  his  settlement  here  connected 
with  the  mercantile  department  of  the  Jermyn  collieries.  He  has 
served  as  borough  treasurer,  member  of  the  council,  and  as  burgess  for 
1880. 

William  L.  Hill  came  from  Cornwall,  England,  in  1870,  commencing 
business  as  a  butcher  in  Carbondale  and  two  years  later  coming  to 
Jermyn,  where  he  died  March  19th,  1874.  He  married  Grace  Josephine 
Olver,  of  Cornwall,  England,  who  survives  him.  His  children  were 
William  0.  who  married  Ida  W.  Newell,  of  Jermyn,  January  29th,  1879, 
and  succeeds  his  father  in  business  in  the  firm  of  Hill  &  Walters; 
Mary  Olver,  married  to  George  E.  Walters,  the  other  partner;  Grace, 
married  to  Thomas  Dyer,  of  Philadelphia';  Emma  M.  to  William  A 
Stewart,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Alexander,  deceased. 

EiCHARD  JAT,  a  native  of  St.  Blazy,  England,  came  to  Jermyn  as  a 
miner  in  1867  and  has  since  spent  several  years  in  California  and  Nevada. 
He  married  Catharine  Griffiths,  of  Jermyn,  a  native  of  Wales,  and  is 
the  leader  and  teacher  of  the  well-known  Jermyn  Cornet  Band. 

John  Knight,  mine  foreman,  is  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  and 
came  to  America  in  1848.  He  has  been  engaged  in  mining  since  boy- 
hood, working  in  copper,  iron,  gold  and  coal  mines,  and  helped  sink  the 
first  slopes  sunk  at  Hyde  Park.  His  adventures  in  the  mines  of  this 
and  other  countries  would  of  themselves  form  an  interesting  narrative. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Coombs,  of  Flacerville,  California;  has 
two  children  living  and  since  1869  has  been  an  outside  foreman  for  Mr. 
John  Jermyn. 

Thomas  Eennie,  born  in  Durham,  England,  came  to  Jermyn  in  1866, 
married  Hannah  Pizer,  and  has  nine  children.  He  has  been  engineer  at 
Jermyn  collieries  for  thirteen  'yeai-s,  served  as  borough  treasurer  one 
term,  and  since  1871  as  school  director. 

William  B.  Swick,  a  native  of  Bath,  N.  Y.,  settled  in  Abington  town- 
ship in  1853,  and  engaged  in  the  business  of  a  miller.  He  came  to  Jermyn 
and  started  the  Jermyn  Steam  Flour  Mills,  and  is  now  in  charge  of 
them.  He  married  a  Miss  Proper,  of  New  York  State,  and  has  two 
children.  He  served  as  deputy  marshal  and  enrolling  officer  during  the 
war  for  the  Union. 

Thomas  Walkey,  born  in  Callington,  England,  came  to  America  in 

1870,  opening  a  harness  shop  in  Jermyn.  He  married  at  Honesdale,  Pa., 
Anna  Smith.  His  son,  Alfred  William,  was  born  in  1874.  Mr.  Walkey  is 
a  Son  of  St.  George  and  an  Odd  Fellow. 

Ira  G.  Westcott,  a  native  of  Susquehanna  county,  came  to  Jermyn 
in  1888,  working  as  a  carpenter  until  1880,  when  he  purchased  the 
Sweeney  House,  of  which  he  isuow  proprietor.  Mr.  Westcott  married 
Josephine  Hughes,  of  Hyde  Park,  and  has  served  one  term  as  jusiice  of 
the  peace— from  1876  to  1879. 


Hh 


f 


<m 


CHURCHES  AND  LODGES  OF  JERMYN. 


469 


*%= 


court  discharged  with  a  compliment  for  his  courage  and 
success. 

Churches. 

S(.  James  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, — This  society- 
was  organized  in  1875,  and  by  the  munificence  of  John 
Jermyn  a  neat  edifice,  costing  $6,000 — fSi°°°  of  which 
was  donated  by  its  liberal  projector — was  erected,  and  con- 
secrated the  following  year.  Bishops  Stevens,  of  the  dio- 
cese, and  Potter,  of  New  York  city,  officiating.  Rev.  R.  B. 
Peet  became  rector.  Since  his  removal  the  parish  has 
been  without  a  resident  pastor. 

M.  E.  Church. — The  first  Methodist  Episcopal  society 
in  Jermyn  was  organized  in  1862,  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  Rev.  I.  T.  Walker,  then  stationed  at  Peckville.  It 
held  its  services  in  the  public  school  building.  The 
membership  was  small  and  at  first  increased  slowly.  The 
pastors  at  Peckville  preach  on  alternate  Sabbaths.  Un- 
der the  labors  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Wilbur  a  site  was  obtained 
in  the  center  of  the  town,  and  the  present  church  edifice 
begun.  J.  Jermyn,  W.  J.  Hill  and  F.  R.  Gill  were  the 
building  committee;  and  J.  P.  Sampson,  F.  R.  Gill,  C.  D. 
Winter,  J.  Maynard,  J.  Jermyn,  J.  Rymer  and  S.  Jay 
were  trustees. 

April  16th,  1872,  Rev.  S.  F.  Wright  was  stationed  here. 
Under  his  labors  the  church  was  finished,  and  it  was 
dedicated  in  July,  1872.  The  following  named  pastors 
have  served  the  church,  in  the  order  in  which  they  are 
given:  Revs.  S.  E.  Wright,  two  years;  R.  Hivens,  two; 
J.  F.  Williams,  two;  J.  V.  Newell,  three.  The  Sunday- 
school  numbers  about  2co  members.  C.  D.  Winter  has 
been  superintendent  from  its  organization. 

Much  credit  is  due  to  Mr.  J.  Jermyn  for  his  liberality  in 
donating  to  this  society  the  entire  amount  of  a  heavy 
church  debt,  and  for  the  payment  of  one-seventh  of  the 
pastor's  salary  each  year.  This  church  contains  an  audi- 
ence room  seating  four  hundred  persons;  lecture  room, 
pastor's  study  and  class  room,  and  a  large  hall  for  dona- 
tions and  festivals.  A  good  parsonage  occupies  an  ad- 
joining lot.  The  cost  of  church  and  parsonage  was 
$10,000. 

The  Jermyn  Welsh  Congregational  Church  was  organ- 
ized about  1865,  by  John  W.  Morgans  and  John  W. 
Edwards  as  elders,  with  about  40  members.  The  first 
minister,  Rev.  D.  E.  Evans,  was  ordained  pastor  of  this 
church  in  1866.  Owing  to  a  scattering  of  members,  the 
organization  was  ultimately  abandoned.  It  was  reorgan- 
ized in  the  summer  of  1870,  with  about  30  members. 
Rev.  William  Jenkins  has  been  pastor  since  July  4th, 
1870.  The  church  under  his  care  flourished  greatly  for 
a  time,  but  owing  to  the  unsettled  state  of  the  coal  trade 
over  forty  members  have  moved  away.  Services  are  held 
in  a  hall,  no  church  ever  having  been  built. 

Lodges  and  Associations. 

Aurora  Lodge,  No.  523,  F.  6-  A.  M.  was  constituted 
October  loth,  1873.  The  officers  installed  were:  Dr. 
Sumner  D.  D^vis,  W.  M.;  C.  D.  Vail,  S.  W.;  0.  G.  Mor- 
gan, J.  W.;  Thomas   Rennie,  Sec;  John  Jermyn,  Treas. 


The  charter  members  numbered  16.  The  present  officers 
are:  C.  D.  Vail,  W.  M.;  A.  W.  Shaw,  S.  W.;  Frank  A 
Bryant,  J,  W.;  Dr.  S.  D.  Davis,  Sec:  B.  Carter,  Treas.; 
James  Shields,  S.  D.;  Calvin  Vail,  J.  D.;  James  Dunn,  S 
M.  of  C;  E.  Banfield,  Pur.;  P.  Aylesworth,  tiler.  The 
membership  is  28.  Up  to  January,  1878,  meetings 
were  held  in  Kinback's  Hall;  since  then  in  Rymer's 
Hall. 

Rushbrook  Lodge,  805,  /.  O.  O.  F.  was  chartered  July 
i2th,  1873,  with  the  following  officers:  John  C.  Evans, 
N.  G.;  Charles  Hambly,  V.  G.;  Michael  Roberts,  Sec; 
I.  D.  Stocker,  Ass't.  Sec;  Henry  Niemyer,  Treas.  The 
first  meeting  was  held  at  Kinback's  Hall,  and  officers  in- 
stalled, August  jth,  1873.  There  were  21  charter  mem- 
bers. The  total  amount  paid  for  relief,  donations  and 
l3Urying  the  dead  is  $727.15;  collected  for  dues,  $3,119; 
in  treasurer's  hands  and  in  bank,  $651.49.  The  present 
officers  are:  James  P.  Sampson,  N.  G.;  John  Solomon, 
V.  G.:  John  D.  Williams,  Sec;  Richard  Jay,  Ass't.  Sec; 
A.  Battenburg,  Treas.;  Thomas  Jay,  John  B.  Davis, 
Henry  Niemyer,  trustees.  Number  of  members  in  good 
standing  to  July  i,  1880,  70;  died  since  organization,  i; 
suspended  or  withdrawn,  7.  Meetings  were  held  in  A. 
Kinback's  Hall  until  September,  1876;  since  in  Rymer's 
Hall. 

Mayflower  Lodge,  No.  3,  Sofis  of  St.  George  was  or- 
ganized October  21st,  1871,  by  the  election  of  John 
Gardner  president,  John  Nicholson  vice-president,  John 
Ayres  secretary  and  Oliver  Morgan  treasurer,  with  sev- 
enty charter  members.  The  hard  times  following  the  panic 
of  1873  caused  for  a  time  a  suspension  of  its  operations. 
Its  presiding  officers  have  been  John  Gardner,  John 
Nicholson,  John  Bainbridge,  Barnabas  Carter  and  George 
Bennett.  Since  its  reorganization  relief  funds  have  been 
paid  only  to  persons  who  have  been  members  for  six 
months,  and  the  amount  fixed  at  $3  per  week. 

The  Gibsonhurg  Building  and  Loan  Association,  whose 
founders  were  M.  H.  Barber,  S.  S.  Vail,  Henry  Kennedy, 
S.  D.  Davis,  John  Jermyn,  Thomas  Rennie,  J.  B.  Cole, 
|.  A.  Rymer,  J.  A.  Vanderford  and  H.  T.  Howell,  was 
incorporated  November  27th,  1871.  Its  first  officers 
were:  M.  H.  Barber,  president;  S.  S.  Vail,  vice-president; 
Dr.  S.  D.  Davis,  secretary;  John  Jermyn,  treasurer.  The 
officers  for  1880  were:  James  D.  Stocker,  president; 
Frank  M.  Graves,  vice-president;  Dr.  S.  D.  Davis,  secre- 
tary; C.  D.  Winter,  treasurer;  directors — D.  Carle,  George 
McClosky,  Thomas  Rich,  F.  R.  Gill,  E.  T.  Davis,  L- 
Pizer,  Thomas  Griffiths,  H.  Neal,  Thomas  Heniwood. 
M.  H.  Barber  was  president  until  1875;  James  Rymer 
from  October,  1875,  until  his  death,  in  January,  1879; 
since  then  Mr.  Stocker.  Dr.  S.  D.  Davis  is  in  the  ninth 
year  of  service  as  secretary.  John  Jermyn  was  treasurer 
two  years;  J.  J.  Jermyn  four  years,  and  C.  D.  Winter  is 
serving  his  third  year.  The  total  amount  collected  for 
dues,  interest  and  fines  has  been  about  $40,000.  The 
amount  paid  out  on  dues  and  withdrawn  stock  is  nearly 
the  same.  But  three  foreclosures  on  real  estate  claims 
have  occurred.  The  association's  report  of  October 
15th,  1879,  showed  a  capital  of  $24,874.66. 


4 


*^h 


-^ 


470 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


OLYPHANT  BOROUGH. 


HE  opening  of  Jones  &  Co.'s  colliery  drew 
here  families  from  Archbald,  Carbondale  and 
the  Wyoming  valley,  there  having  been  but 
five  or  six  families  here.  Jones  &  Co.  opened 
the  first  store  in  connection  with  their  col- 
liery, and  were  followed  in  1858  by  D.  M.  Voyle, 
who  is  still  a  prominent  merchant.  The  next 
merchant  of  any  note  was  James  Jordan,  who  opened  a 
store  in  1859,  and  is  also  now  a  prominent  business  man, 
a  large  land  owner  and  a  director  of  the  Merchants'  and 
Mechanics'  Bank  of  Scranton. 

The  first  school  was  taught  in  1859.  The  first  church 
building  was  erected  by  the  Catholics.  The  post-office, 
which  until  1867  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  and 
known  as  Blakely,  was  removed  in  that  year  to  the  build- 
ing next  door  to  the  Lackawanna  House,  and  the  name 
changed  to  Olyphant. 

In  1877  the  borough  was  incorporated,  and  the  first 
charter  election  was  held  February  28th,  1877,  resulting 
as  follows:  M.  Grimes,  burgess;  James  Jordan,  president; 
D.  M.  Voyle,  secretary;  R.  J.  McHill,  collector;  P.  Mc- 
Andrew,  treasurer;  Edward  Hughes,  street  commis- 
sioner; William  Mason,  chief  of  police.  This  meeting, 
as  well  as  the  regular  meetings  of  the  borough  council 
for  some  time,  was  held  at  the  residence  of  D.  M.  Voyle. 
The  council  then  used  Voyle's  Hall  until  the  completion 
of  the  village  hall  and  lockup,  in  September,  1877,  at  a 
cost  of  about  $500.  The  borough  laws  were  adopted 
April  znd,  1877.  The  territory  included  in  the  borough 
limits  covers  the  Levi  Pierce,  Seth  Pierce,  Sarah  Bell 
Hannah  Bell,  Robert  Wain,  Joseph  Thomas  and  Lewis 
Farmer  warantee  tracts. 

The  burgesses  have  been  M.  Grimes,  John  Humph- 
reys, John  P.  McHale  and  George  Pettigrew.  In  the 
spring  of  1879  the  borough  was  divided  into  three  wards. 
The  police  department  consists  of  12  men.  Patrick 
Loftus  was  chosen  justice  in  i878,and  William  Williamson 
and  J.  D.  Regan  in  1877.  Cornelius  Smith,  Alexander 
Farnham  and  John  F.  Connolly  have  been  attorneys  for 
the  borough. 

The  population  in  1870  was  2,327  and  in  1880  2,097. 
The  first  hotel  was  built  by  John  McKay,  in  1861, 
and  kept  for  a  time  by  one  Barnes.  In  1866  it  was  pur- 
chased by  William  Mahon,  its  present  proprietor,  and  it 
is  known  as  the  Mahon  House.  It  is  a  well  kept  and 
popular  hostelry.  The  Mansion  House  was  built  by 
John  C.  Edwards,  in  1870.  He  came  from  Carbondale 
in  1858,  and  in  1861  opened  a  hotel  in  a  frame  building, 
which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1870;  when  the  present 
handsome  block,  containing  two  stores,  the  hotel,  and 
the  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  was  erected,  it  being  the  first 
brick  building  put  up  in  the  village.  The  Lackavvanna 
House,  owned  by  John  Lloyd,  is  an  old  and  well  known 
house,  with  an  enviable  reputation  for  neatness  and 
quiet. 


Mining   Interests. 

The  first  important  mining  operations  were  conducted 
by  Edward  Jones,  Lewis  Pughe,  Louis  Landmasser  and 
others;  the  two  former  opening  a  drift  in  the  spring  of 

1858  under  the  name  of  E.  Jones  &  Co.,  and  shipping  in 

1859  80,000  tons,   their  first  mine  being  on  the   Levi 
Pierce  tract. 

Landmasser  &  Co.  carried  on  operations  on  a  sinall 
scale  a  year  or  so;  their  drift  was  on  the  William  Pierce 
tract  and  afterward  operated  by  the  Delaware  and  Hud- 
son Canal  Company  as  Breaker  No.  3. 

Jones  &  Co.  next  opened  the  Eddy  Creek  colliery, 
and  in  the  spring  of  i860  erected  No.  i  breaker,  which 
was  completed  in  July  of  that  year  at  a  cost  of  $15,- 
000  and  was  the  second  breaker  on  the  gravity  road. 
During  the  same  year  they  completed  No.  2  breaker,  at 
Eddy  Brook,  and  operated  both  of  them  until  1867, 
when  they  sold  to  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company. 

The  Landmasser  colliery  was  abandoned  after  work- 
ing out  the  drifts,  and  No.  i  breaker,  after  standing 
idle  several  years,  was  burned  in  April,  1880.  The  col- 
lieries now  in  operation  in  the  borough  are  the  Eddy 
Creek  and  Grassy  Island. 

The  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  having 
become  owners  of  Jones  &  Co.'s  breaker,  sunk  a  shaft 
four  hundred  and  fifty  feet  deep.  The  workings  ex- 
tend about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  shaft,  through 
portions  of  the  Hull,  North  and  Mann  Coal  Company's 
and  Delaware  and  Hudson  lands.  The  Archbald  and 
Grassy  Island  veins  are  worked.  The  capacity  and 
average  production  of  the  breakers  are  about  600  tons 
daily.  Two  pairs  of  30  horse  power  hoisting  engines, 
one  breaker  engine-of  40  horse  power,  and  two  single  en- 
gines of  30  horse  power  each  are  used.  The  number  of 
men  and  boys  employed  inside  is  285,  and  outside  120. 
James  Nicol  is  the  inside  foreman,  and  William  Bell 
outside  foreman. 

Grassy  Island  shaft  was  sunk  by  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  in  1864,  and  the  breaker  com- 
pleted in  the  spring  of  1865.  The  shaft  is  three  hundred 
feet  deep,  the  working  sloping  some  fifty  feet  deeper  and 
extending  three-fourths  of  a  mile  through  the  Hull,  Mott, 
Barker,  Hallsted,  B.  T.  Reed  and  Delaware  and  Hudson 
tracts.  Joseph  Atherton  was  the  first  outside  foreman  suc- 
ceeded by  William  Bell,  and  in  1872  by  J.G.  Bell,  the  present 
manager.  The  first  mine  foreman  was  James  Nicol,  fol- 
lowed by  Joseph  Davis,and  in  1874  by  Andrew  Patton,  who 
has  the  position  to  this  time.  Two  pairs  of  hoist  engines 
of  thirty  horse  power  each  and  one  breaker  engine  of  the 
same  power  are  in  use.  A  self-acting  inclined  plane  fa- 
cilitates the  transfer  of  cars.  Two  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  men  and  boys  are  employed  in  the  workings,  and 
one  hundred  and  five  men  and  boys  and  one  locomotive 
about  the  breaker.  The  daily  capacity  and  production  is 
750  tons,  having  recently  been  increased  from  650.  The 
shaft  is  five-eighths  of  a  mile  from  the  breaker.  The 
number  of  tenant  houses  is  nineteen. 


*^  ^- 


=4^ 


i^^i^Vf 


-%= 


ALFRED     L.  GREEN, 

JERMYN,    LACKAWANNA       COUNTY.,      PA. 


D?    A . P. GARDNER, 

F.OARiInG     ti  RUO  K, LACKAWANNA      CO  UISi  T  Y.    PA. 


ANDREW    PATTEN, 

OLYPHANT,   LACKAWANNA    COUNTY.,    PA 


HON   A  .B.WALKER, 

N  I  CH  O   LS  ON,  WYO  M  I  N  G      COUNTY.,  PA 


*i^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

BLAKELY,    DICKSON   CITY   AND   OLYPHANT   BOROUGHS. 


WILLIAM    FERRIS. 

William  Ferris  came  to  Blakely  township  when  it  was 
a  part  of  Providence,  his  father,  James  Ferris,  being  the 
first  settler  on  the  east  side  of  the  Lackawanna  river, 
and  building  a  cabin  in  1798  where  James  J.  Lynch's 
store  now  stands.  William,  although  for  a  long  lifetime 
in  rather  delicate  health,  became  an  extensive  farmer  and 
the  first  practicing  physician  of  the  place,  his  skill  in 
preparing  roots  and  herbs  making  him  widely  known 
among  the  old  pioneers.  He  died  in  1878,  aged  eighty- 
four,  after  eighty  years  spent  in  sight  of  the  place  to  which 
he  was  brought  when  a  child.  He  married  Anna  Van 
Luvannee,  of  Philadelphia,  in  1819,  and  had  four  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  living.  A  portrait  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  and  a  view  of  the  residence  of  his  widow  ap- 
pear on  another  page. 

WILLIAM    HULL. 

William  Hull  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Blakety, 
coming  to  this  place  in  1835,  from  Massachusetts.  He 
was  a  selfmade  man,  starting  in  life  as  a  laborer  and 
pedlar  of  wooden  trays  for  his  brother-in-law,  one  Bar- 
ber, who  had  settled  here  and  carried  on  their  manufac- 
ture on  a  small  scale.  After  years  of  economy  he  became 
the  owner  of  two  tracts  of  land  which  proved  to  be  coal 
property.  He  had  nine  children,  six  by  his  first  marriage 
and  three  by  his  second  wife.  The  latter  lady,  who  was 
Maria  B.  Dewey,  a  native  of  Old  Hadley,  Mass.,  survived 
him,  residing  on  the  old  homestead  in  Blakely.  Mr. 
Hull  died  February  8th,  1872,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six 
years. 

EDWARD    JONES. 

Edward  Jones,  born  near  St.  Donats,  Wales,  in  18 14, 
educated  at  Cowbridge  scientific  school  and  coming  to 
America  in  1837  to  avoid  a  sea-faring  life  for  which  his 
parents  had  intended  him,  has  filled  so  prominent  a  place 
among  the  business  men  of  the  Lackawanna  valley  as  to 
deserve  more  than  a  passing  mention.  Entering  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  at  Car- 
bondale,  as  a  miner,  he  was  in  a  few  years  promoted  to  ■ 
be  a  mine  boss  and  in  1854  was  placed  in  charge  of  that 
company's  mines  in  Archbald,  where  he  remained  until 
1858,  when  he  became  a  partner  in  the  successful  firm  of 
Eaton  &  Co.,  coal  operators  at  that  place.  In  the  fall 
of  that  year,  in  company  with  two  partners,  he  commenced 
operations  which  led  to  the  successful  development  of 
the  coal  fields  of  Olyphant,  which  were  continued  until 
1864  under  the  firm  name  of  E.  Jones  &  Co.,  and  then 
sold  to  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company.     He 


was  afterward  employed  by  the  Erie  Railway  Company 
in  developing  and  perfecting  their  extensive  collieries 
near  Carbondale,  and  is  now  actively  connected  with 
coal  operations  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Jones,  Simp- 
son &  Co.,  successors  to  Eaton  &  Co.,  and  also  as  a 
director  of  the  Pierce  Coal  Company.  In  1875  he  was 
elected  a  director  of  the  Merchants  and  Mechanics'  Bank 
of  Scranton.  In  1877  he  was  nominated  for  Congress  by 
the  Republicans  of  his  district,  and  was  only  defeated  by 
nineteen  votes  in  a  district  usually  Democratic  by  2,500 
majority.  As  a  business  man  he  is  prudent  and  saga- 
cious. As  a  practical  geologist  he  has  few  superiors  in 
the  mining  regions.  If  an  unblemished  reputation,  a  life 
spent  in  successfully  developing  the  material  resources 
of  one's  country,  and  a  well  balanced  mind  are  evidences 
by  which  it  is  safe  to  judge,  the  historian  deems  it  not  an 
exaggeration  to  note  the  subject  of  this  sketch  as  a  suc- 
cessful man. 

JAMES    JORDAN. 

James  Jordan,  one  of  Olyphant's  oldest  and  most  suc- 
cessful merchants,  was  born  in  Ireland;  came  from  Arch- 
bald  to  this  place  in  1859  and  commenced  mercantile 
business.  He  married  Ann  Monohan,  of  Scranton,  and 
has  five  children.  He  built  in  1868  the  brick  building 
now  occupied  by  hira;  was  the  president  of  the  first 
borough  council  of  Olyphant;  is  an  extensive  property 
owner  and  a  director  of  the  Merchants'  &  Mechanics' 
Bank  of  Scranton.  Among  his  business  associates  he  is 
known  as  a  man  of  generous  impulses  and  unswerving 
integrity. 

REV.    J.    B.    KENYON. 

Rev.  Jefferson  B.  Kenyon  was  born  in  Pawling,  Dutch- 
ess county,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to  Blakely  about  1832.  In 
1836  he  married  Rhoda  H.,  daughter  of  Levi  Callender, 
of  that  town.  Mr.  Kenyon  was  one  of  the  earliest  resi- 
dent pastors  of  the  Baptist  church  of  Blakely,  and  sup- 
plied the  pulpit  of  the  church  in  Scott  township  for 
seven  years.  He  retired  from  active  service  in  187 1, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  looking  after 
his  farming  interests.  He  has  six  children  living.  Har- 
riet J.  married  William  H.  Hull,  jr.;  Ann  Eliza  married 
I.  D.  Kinsley;  Mary  Emma  married  John  T.  Howe; 
Carrie  A.  engaged  in  teaching,  and  Lizzie  E.  is  a  student. 
Charles  P.  Kenyon  is  the  only  son.  Mr.  Kenyon  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Blakely  poor  board. 

J.    J.    LYNCH. 

James  J.  Lynch,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  Olyphant 
in   1858.     He   was  married  on    the  22nd   of   February, 


<H 


470^ 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


1870,  to  Mary  E.  Mooney,  of  Dunmore  borough,  and  has 
three  children.  He  commenced  the  mercantile  business 
here  in  1870,  and  has  been  active  in  public  affairs,  serv- 
ing as  collector  of  Blakely  township  in  1871  and  1872, 
jury  commissioner  (the  first  of  Lackawanna  county) 
eighteen  months,  and  now  as  president  of  Blakely  district 
poor  board.  He  is  still  a  young  man,  with  a  fine  public 
and  business  record  and  a  large  circle  of  friends. 

ANDREW    PATTEN. 

Andrew  Patten,  mine  foreman,  was  born  in  Northum- 
berland county,  England,  and  came  to  America  in  1837, 
settling  at  Mine  Hill  Gap,  Schuylkill  county,  where  for 
thirteen  years  he  was  mine  superintendent  for  Charles 
M.  Hill.  In  1850  he  removed  to  Plymouth,  where  with 
several  others  he  opened  a  colliery.  Six  years  later  he 
sold  his  interest  to  his  partners,  and  after  superintend- 
ing the  Spring  Brook  colliery  for  four  years  came  to 
Blakely,  where  he  had  charge  of  works  for  Chittenden 
&  Richmond.  In  1864  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  at  Olyphant, where 
he  is  now  engaged  as  inside  foreman  of  Grassy  Island 
colliery.  He  married  a  Miss  Percy,  of  England,  and 
has  eight  children. 


H.  E.  Barnes,  principal  of  the  Peckville  graded 
school,  is  a  native  of  Franklin,  Delaware  county,  N.  Y., 
and  a  teacher  of  long  experience  and  uniform  success. 
He  has  held  his  present  position  since  1877.  He  mar- 
ried a  Miss  Hogoboom,  of  Oneonta,  N.  Y.,  and  came  to 
this  county  in  1874,  teaching  in  Scranton  three  years 
following. 

Joseph  G.  Bell,  mine  foreman,  born  in  Carbondale, 
commenced  mining  in  1865  at  Grassy  Island  colliery,  hav- 
ing previously  served  through  the  late  war  as  orderly 
sergeant  of  Company  H  sand  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Williamsport  and  Fair 
Oaks,  the  seven  days'  fight  and  the  sieges  of  Forts  Wag- 
ner and  Johnson.  He  has  been  outside  foreman  of 
Grassy  Island  since  1872  and  member  of  the  coal  and 
iron  police.  He  married  Eveline  Silsbee,  of  Peckville, 
where  he  now  resides,  and  has  one  son. 

William  Bell,  mine  foreman,  was  born  in  Carbondale 
and  commenced  mining  in  1867,  being  engaged  as  out- 
side foreman  at  Grassy  Island  for  four  years  and  since 
1871  at  Eddy  Brook  No.  2.  He  married  Kate  Cool,  of 
Pittston,  and  has  six  children.  He  resides  in  Blakely 
borough  and  has  been  for  years  one  of  its  officials,  and 
is  the  treasurer  of  Harper  Lodge  I.  O.  of  O.  F. 

Alaric  Berrv,  manufacturer  of  and  dealer  in  furni- 
ture, and  undertaker,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  and  is  a 
son  of  Alaric  Berry,  who  built  the  first  frame  house  in 
that  city.  He  has  been  in  business  at  Olyphant  since 
i860.  He  married  a  Miss  Carpenter,  of  Uniondale,  and 
has  four  children  living.  His  son  Cyrus,  a  promising 
young  man,  died  December  nth,  1879,  of  malarial  dis- 
ease contracted  in  Kansas.  Mr.  Berry  was  formerly  a 
sailor;  entering  on  an  Arctic  whaling  expedition  October 
26th,  1852,  he  spent  some  years  in  ocean  service.  His 
grandfather,  Cyrus  Berry,  was  a  surgeon  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  his  great-grandfather  was  killed  in  the  French 
and  Indian  war.  Mr.  Berry's  father  served  in  the  war  of 
1812  with  the  rank  of  captain. 

Rev.  Benjamin  E,  Bowen  came  to  America  from 
Wales  m  1841,  and  resided  in  Philadelphia  five  years 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  East  Pennsylvania 
Welsh  Baptist  Association,  and  has  been  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Olyphant  thirteen  years.     He  married  in  Wales 


and  has  had  eleven  children,  only  three  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing; one  of  them  is  a  clergyman  in  Randolph,  N.  Y.; 
another  the  widow  of  the  late  Dr.  Robethan,  of  Provi- 
dence. 

Charles  Bonner,  a  native  of  New  York  city,  when  a 
boy  of  fifteen  years  shipped  in  the  coasting  service,  and 
spent  five  years  in  that  and  the  whaling  service,  visiting 
all  points  of  prominence  in  the  Pacific.  He  then  engag- 
ed as  engineer  on  the  steamer  "Alabama,"  of  the  Savan- 
nah line.  He  married  Julia  D.  Prellis,  of  Lebanon,  Pa,, 
by  whom  he  had  five  sons,  four  of  whom  are  living.  She 
died  August  14th,  1877.  He  married  in  May,  1879, 
Miss  Belle  Moffat,  of  Carbondale.  Since  1868  he  has 
been  engineer  at  plane  C  on  the  gravity  road,  residing  in 
Peckville. 

Anthony  Corcoran,  miner,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and 
came  to  America  in  1846,  living  in  Carbondale  fourteen 
years.  He  married  in  1857  Mary  Haley,  of  Honesdale, 
Pa.,  and  has  eight  children.  He  has  been  a  councilman 
of  Dickson. 

Martin  Crippen  was  born  in  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y., 
April  gth,  1810.  He  came  to  Blakely  township  in  1826, 
attended  school  and  worked  for  his  board.  The  follow- 
ing year  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company.  When  he  became  of  age  he 
married  a  daughter  of  Esquire  Potter,  of  Providence,  and 
in  company  with  Charles  Potter  bought  the  "  ten  mile  " 
property  in  1838.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he 
married  Maria  Moore,  of  Blakely,  and  on  her  decease  he 
was  married  to  Charity  Van  Louven,  a  niece  of  Geort^e 
R.  Ransom,  a  Wyoming  pioneer.  He  was  the  father  of 
twenty  children  by  his  several  marriages,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  a  large  owner  of  coal  lands  and  a  successful 
farmer.  His  son  Martin  married  Emma  Dearie,  of  Oly- 
phant, April  r4th,  1880,  and  succeeds  his  father  as  oper- 
ator of  the  Crippen  colliery. 

David  R.  Davis  was  born  in  Wales,  but  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  infancy.  As  a  boy  he  worked  in  the  Carbondale 
mines,  then  as  a  runner  on  the  gravity  road.  He  came 
to  Olyphant  in  1858,  at  the  opening  of  the  road  here. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  s6th  Pa.  volunteers,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  war  re-entered  the  employ  of  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Company  as  station  agent  at  Olv- 
phant.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Thomas,  a  native  of 
Wales,  and  has  one  daughter. 

Silas  Eamer,  born  in  Somersetshire,  England,  married 
Mary  Reese,  of  Brecon  City,  Wales,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1853.  He  worked  nine  years  for  the  Lackawanna 
Iron  and  Coal  Company  at  Scranton,  and  came  to  Oly- 
phant in  1862.  He  has  three  children.  He  is  a  school 
teacher  and  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow. 

J.  D.  Everson,  dealer  in  jewelrv,  watches,  music  and 
fancy  goods  at  Olyphant,  is  a  son  of  William  Henry  Ever- 
son, one  of  the  pioneers  of  Blakely  township  Mr  Ever- 
son opened  his  store  in  1S68.  He  served  in  the  late  war 
as  a  member  of  30th  Pa.  reserves.  He  married  Carrie 
daughter  of  Benjamin  Watres,  of  Susquehanna  county, 
and  has  four  children. 

T  ^^TR'CK  Flynn,  a  son  of  Michael  Flynn,  was  born  in 

Ire  and,  and  came  to  Olyphant  in  1865,  since  which  time 

e  has  spent  six  years  in  Scranton.     He  is  a  member  of 

.r.H.°Q?'f    ^°""'"';  ^"4  ^^s  a  delegate   to   the  Demo- 

lim  or  h     •'  "°"^="t'°"'  '»  '876  and  1877.      He  is  in  the 
liquor  business. 

RiCH.iRD  J.  Gallagher  was  born  in  county  Mayo 

ntfScv   '«S^,  and  came  to  America  with    his'parents 

hood  .n7-       .'  ^^^  ^""  ■""e^g"'^  '"  ™'"i"g  since  child- 
hood and  is  a  driver  boss  in  the  Filer  colliery. 


=^ 


<-^ 


GENEALOGICAL   AND   PERSONAL   RECORD. 


470  C 


Richard  J.  Gallagher,  dealer  in  general  merchan- 
dise, boots  and  shoes  a  specialty,  was  born  in  New  York 
city;  came  to  Luzerne  county  when  a  child,  and  estab- 
lished his  trade  in  1878.  He  married  Bridget  Fadden, 
of  Olyphant.     He  is  a  school  director  of  that  borough. 

Rev.  FRA>fCis  Gendall,  born  in  Cornwall,  England, 
came  to  America  in  187 1.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
St.  Just,  and  traveled  as  an  itinerant  preacher  for  four 
years  in  England.  His  first  appointment  by  the  Wyom- 
ing Conference  was  in  Wayne  county,  where  he  filled 
several  appointments.  He  is  now  in  his  second  year  at 
Peckville.  He  married  Grace  B.  White,  of  Cornwall, 
England. 

Thomas  Grier,  one  of  the  best  known  citizens  of 
Dickson  City,  was  born  in  Ireland,  but  came  to  this 
country  in  infancy  with  his  parents,  who  settled  in  Hones- 
dale,  Pa.  In  1863  be  commenced  work  for  the  firm  of 
Richmond  &  Co.,  and  in  1866  he  removed  to  this  place 
and  took  a  position  in  the  company's  store,  of  which  he 
has  been  manager  since  1870.  He  married  in  1873  Miss 
Ann  Grier,  of  Dickson;  has  served  as  school  director;  in 
1870  was  vice-president  of  the  county  organization  of  the 
Father  Matthew  Total  Abstinence  Society,  and  in  1876 
and  for  two  years  following  was  vice-president  of  the 
State  Catholic  Temperance  Union. 

Henry  T.  Howell  came  from  Scranton  to  Winton 
in  1874  as  bookkeeper  for  Filer  &  Livy,  which  position 
he  now  holds.  He  was  formerly  a  clerk  in  the  Second 
National  Bank  of  Scranton. 

PaxRlCK  Jordan,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  Oly- 
phant in  i860,  and  was  engaged  in  mining  for  some 
years.  He  has  traveled  in  the  west,  spending  a  year  in 
Minnesota,  two  in  steamboating  on  the  Mississippi,  and 
one  in  the  coal  business  in  St.  Louis.  He  married  Mary 
Brogan,  of  Carbondale,  and  has  six  children.  He  has 
been  dealing  in  general  merchandise  and  miners'  supplies 
since  1866. 

James  P.  Kane,  principal  of  the  Olyphant  graded 
school,  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  where  he  taught  in  the 
model  schools  of  Dublin.  He  came  to  America  in  i860, 
and  to  Olyphant  in  1878.  He  has  taught  some  twenty- 
four  years. 

John  D.  Lloyd,  oldest  son  of  John  Lloyd,  married 
(November  27th,  1879)  Fannie  M.  Stanton,  of  Montrose, 
Pa.  He  was  formerly  in  charge  of  a  coffee  and  tea  store 
at  Scranton;  later  in  the  employ  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron 
and  Coal  Company's  stores,  and  is  now  employed  by  the 
miners  as  check  weighraaster  at  the  Filer  breaker. 

Thomas  J.  Loftus,  grocer  at  Olyphant,  was  born  in 
SeeleyvilL',  Pa.,  and  married  (January  24th,  1872)  Ann 
Brogan,  of  Carbondale;  they  have  two  children.  He  has 
been  a  miner  since  he  was  sixteen  years  old.  He  estab- 
lished his  business  in  1866,  but  is  still  employed  m  min- 
ing at  Grassy  Island.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  Hnjernian 
Benevolent  Society;  for  two  years  has  been  a  school  di- 
rector of  Olyphant,  and  in  1880  was  treasurer  of  the 
board. 

William  Hull,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  came  to 
Blakely  about  1820  and  traveled  for  several  years  for  a 
brother-in-law,  Calvin  Barbour,  who  had  a  small  manu- 
factory of  woodenware.  He  afterward  purchased  a  tract 
of  four  hundred  acres  in  what  is  now  Olyphant,  which 
nroved  a  valuable  coal  property;  and  another  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  acres,  on  which  he  farmed  until  his 
death,  February  8th,  1872,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six 
years  He  married  in  1834  Rebecca  Parker  of  Abing- 
ton  Pa  She  died  in  1849,  leaving  seven  children,  and 
November  29th,  i860,  Mr.  Hull  married  Maria  B.  Dewey, 


of  Old  Hadley,  Mass.,  who  become  t'le  mother  of  three 
children  and  is  now  living  on  the  old  homestead.  Mr. 
Hull  was  a  man  of  marked  financial  ability  and  accumu- 
lated a  handsome  property. 

Frederick  Lloyd,  miner,  born  in  Glamorganshire, 
Wales,  married  Ann  Evans  of  the  same  place,  came  to 
America  in  1858  and  in  1859  to  Olyphant.  He  has 
eight  children,  six  of  whom  were  born  in  America.  He 
is  a  school  director  of  Blakely  borough  and  an  ofificer  in 
the  Welsh  Baptist  church. 

Edward  Lyons,  miner,  born  in  Ireland,  came  to 
America  in  1862,  and  spent  three  years  in  Mahanoy  City 
and  several  years  in  Illinois.  He  came  to  Dickson  in 
1870  and  married  (June  nth,  1873,)  Margaret  Livers,  of 
Dunmore.  They  have  three  children.  Mr.  Lyons  has 
been  for  four  years  the  assessor  of  Dickson  City. 

Patrick  H.  McCann,  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1841, 
came  to  Olyphant  in  1858.  He  served  in  the  war  for 
the  Union,  as  a  member  of  the  25th  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers (three  months  men),  then  in  the  136th  Pennsylvania 
reserve,  and  finally  in  Battery  H  Pennsylvania  artillery. 
He  was  married  January  ist,  1865,  to  Jane,  daughter  of 
George  Patton.  He  has  served  as  assessor  of  the 
borough  and  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Labor  Re- 
form party. 

John  McHugh  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  where  he  learned 
shoemaking.  He  came  to  America  in  1867,  and  in  1868 
to  Olyphant,  where  he  married  Catharine  Burke,  a  native 
of  Carbondale.  He  has  three  children.  He  has  been 
councilman,  and  is  secretary  of  the  Hibernian  Benevolent 
Society,  and  corresponding  secretary  of  the  C.  Y.  M.  T. 
A.  B.  S.  of  Olyphant. 

A.  F.  McNuLTY  was  born  in  Carbondale,  October 
1 8th,  1874.  He  married  Mary  Doud,  of  Olyphant,  and 
has  three  children.  He  is  a  miner  and  engineer  and  is 
the  secretary  of  the  C.  Y.  M.  T.  A.  B.  S. 

U.  V.  Mace,  born  in  Abington  township,  in  1828,  mar- 
ried Miss  H.  Louisa,  daughter  of  Rev.  William  Frear. 
Mr.  Mace  was  for  sixteen  years  station  and  express  agent 
at  Factoryville,  Pa.,  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware,  Lack- 
awanna and  Western  Railroad  Company,  during  which 
time  he  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  ten  years  and  was 
also  a  county  auditor  of  Wyoming  county  three  years. 
He  has  been  agent  for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  at  Peckville  for  nine  years  and  is  in  his  second 
term  as  justice  of  the  peace  in  Blakely  borough.  His 
parents  settled  in  Providence  township  in  1808. 

Thomas  Mason,  born  in  Wales,  came  from  Gettys- 
burg, Pa.,  to  Olyphant  in  1868.  He  is  a  miner.  He 
leads  the  Olyphant  Brass  Band,  and  is  secretary  of  the 
school  board.  He  married  Elizabeth  Martin,  of  County 
Cornwall,  England,  and  has  two  children. 

Charles  Morton,  a  native  of  Canada  East,  came  to 
the  United  States  in  1861,  enlisting  in  Company  G  sth 
New  Hampshire  volunteers  and  serving  through  the  war; 
was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  at  Cold  Harbor  and 
was  in  Libby  prison  nine  months.  He  married  Ellen  L. 
Williams,  a  native  of  Wales,  and  has  three  children.  He 
opened  the  Lackawanna  Paint  Works  in  1878  and  is  one 
of  its  owners. 

James  Nicol,  mine  foreman,  is  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  came  to  America  when  nineteen  years  old.  He  has 
been  engaged  in  railroad  contracting  and  mining  since 
1852.  He  became  inside  superintendent  of  Eddy  Brook 
colliery  in  1877.  He  married  Annie  Hunter,  of  Grassy 
Island,  and  has  four  children. 

David  L.  Owens  was  born  in  Swansea,  Wales,  where 


f 


470  2? 


HISTORY  OF    LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


he  worked  as  a  miner.  He  came  to  America  in  1866, 
settling  in  Olyphant  in  the  ensuing  year.  He  married 
Hannah  Clement,  of  Swansea,  Wales;  has  had  and  lost 
five  children  and  has  now  an  adopted  son,  Edward  G. 
Owens.     He  is  a  member  of  Colfax  Encampment. 

J.  W.  Patten,  dealer  in  general  hardware,  stoves  and 
miners'  supplies  at  Olyphant,  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Pa.; 
married  a  Miss  I,ewis,  of  Carbondale,  Pa.,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  mining  until  1875,  when  he  established  his  pres- 
ent business.     He  has  one  child. 

Thomas  Patten,  grocer,  tobacconist  and  dealer  in 
gentlemen's  furnishing  goods  at  Olyphant,  is  a  native  of 
Mine  Hill  Gap,  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.  He  came  to  Oly- 
phant in  1864,  and  was  engaged  in  mining  until  1879, 
when  he  commenced  trading.  He  has  served  as  lieuten- 
ant in  the  Olyphant  guards,  was  first  triennial  assessor  of 
the  borough,  and  is  a  member  of  Colfax  Encampment. 

John  Dwight  Peck,  cf  the  firm  of  Peck  Brothers, 
was  born  in  Greenfield,  and  came  to  Blakely  in  child- 
hood. He  was  married,  in  1852,  to  Sarah  Snedecer,  who 
died  in  1857,  leaving  three  children;  and  again  in  i860, 
to  Delana  Stone,  who  died  in  1876,  leaving  three  children. 
His  present  wife,  whom  he  married  in  1879,  was  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  Robinson.  He  has  served  his  borough  as 
burgess  and  is  prominently  connected  with  local  interests. 

J.  W.  Peck,  a  native  of  Massachusetts  and  son  of 
Samuel  Peck  and  member  of  the  firm  of  Peck  Brothers, 
married  for  his  first  wife  a  Miss  Hall  of  Abington,  who 
died,  leaving  four  children.  His  present  wife  was  Hattie 
Clapp,  of  Massachusetts. 

George  Pettigrew,  miner,  a  native  of  Edinburgh, 
Scotland,  came  to  America  in  1850,  and  to  this  town  in 
1856.  In  1863  he  married  Catharine  Matilda  Davis,  a 
native  of  Wales,  and  he  has  two  children.  In  1880  he 
was  elected  burgess  of  Olyphant. 

John  Reed,  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  married  Ann 
Arter,  of  Cardiganshire,  Wales,  and  came  to  America  in 
1865.  He  has  lived  in  Olyphant  since  1866.  He  has 
had  eifiht  children,  five  of  whom  are  living.  He  has  been 
councilman  of  the  borough,  and  is  a  miner. 

Benjamin  F.  Rees  was  born  in  Blakely  township,  and 
resided  in  Gibson,  Susquehanna  county,  for  sixteen 
years.  Since  1878  he  has  owned  and  operated  a  market 
at  Olyphant.  He  married  (August  13th,  1877)  Frances 
A.  Lyons,  of  Blakely,  and  has  one  child. 

E.  A.  Reynolds,  harness  and  saddlery    merchant,   a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  resided  in  Providence,  Pa.,  until ' 
1877,  when  he  established  himself  in  Olyphant.     He  mar- 
ried Annie  Miles,  of  Providence,  and  has  one  child. 

John  P.  Richards,  dealer  in  stoves,  tin  and  hardware, 
came  to  Olyphant  from  Herrick,  Susquehanna  county. 
Pa.  He  is  a  native  of  England.  He  settled  here  in 
1864,  and  married  a  Miss  Turner,  a  native  of  Wales,  by 
whom  he  has  had  six  children.  He  succeeded  H.  O. 
Silkman  in  his  present  business  in  1867. 

Peter  G.  Rolls,  grocer,  is  a  native  of  Susquehanna 
county;  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Canal  Company  for  fifteen  years  and  established  his 
present  business  in  1870.  His  present  wife  is  Emma 
C.  Evans,  a  native  of  the  Wyoming  valley.  By  an 
earlier  marriage  with  Gelana  Dexter,  deceased,  he  has 
three  children,  all  residing  in  Blakely. 

William  Shea,  wholesale  liquor  dealer,  is  a  native  of 
Ireland.  He  came  from  Vermont  to  Archbald,  where 
he   carried  on  business  in  company  with  Robert  Simp- 


4 


son  for  some  years.  His  present  establishment  has  been 
in  operation  since  1866.  He  has  served  as  tax  collector 
and  poor  director  several  terras.    , 

Jasper  B.  Sicki.er,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Greenfield 
township,  read  medicine  with  Dr.  Simmons,  of  Carbon- 
dale,  and  graduated  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
in  1877.  He  married  a  Miss  Hermans,  of  Scott 
township,  and  has  practiced  in  Peckville  since  he 
graduated. 

A.  A.  Swingle,  born  in  Canaan,  Wayiie  county,  has 
resided  in  Peckville  since  1867,  serving  as  weighmaster 
for  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal  Company  for  eleven 
years.  He  married  Sarah  Curtis,  of  Salem  Corners, 
Wayne  county.  Pa.,  and  has  four  children.  He  is  the 
acting  postmaster  and  conducts  a  stationery  and  con- 
fectionery store  at  Peckville. 

John  Taylor,  boot  and  shoemaker,  is  a  native  of 
Birmingham,  England,  but  came  to  America  in  early  life 
and  settled  in  Carbondale,  removing  to  Olyphant  in 
1865.  He  married  Mrs.  Martha  Fox,  of  Carbondale,  a 
daughter  of  one  of  the  old  Welsh  settlers.  She  has 
had  twenty-three  children,  only  five  of  whom  are  now 
living. 

The  medical  profession  in  Olyphant  is  represented  by 
Edward  Travers,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Washington 
D.  C,  who  studied  with  Dr.  Edward  Fowler,  of  Laurel, 
Del.,  and  graduated  at  the  University  of  Maryland  in 
1868;  practiced  oneyearin  Maryland,  and  in  1870  came 
to  Olyphant  from  Providence,  Pa.  He  has  a  large  and 
growing   practice. 

Thomas  Twaddel,  born  in  Inverary,  Scotland,  came 
to  America  in  1854,  settling  in  Pittston.  He  came 
to  Olyphant  in  1862  and  married  Ann  Pettigrew.  He  was 
engaged  in  mining  in  Scotland,  and  has  worked  in  the 
mines  and  at  carpenter  work  since  he  came  to  Olyphant. 
He  has  six  children  and  has  lost  four.  He  is  a  miner  at 
Grassy  Island. 

George  H.  Vannan,  a  native  of  Carbondale,  has 
been  a  plane  engineer  in  the  employ  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  since  1874,  and  took  charge  of 
the  engine  on  plane  23  at  Olyphant   March  27th,  r88o. 

David  M.  Voyle,  dealer  in  general  merchandise  at 
Olyphant,  is  a  native  of  Hazleton,  Pa.  He  came  from 
Carlsondale  to  Olyphant  in  1859,  opening  the  first  gen- 
eral store  in  the  village.  He  married  Jane  Price,  a  na- 
tive of  Harrisburg,  and  has  six  children.  He  served  as 
auditor  and  secretary  of  Blakely  township  from  1868, 
and  has  passed  the  chairs  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Ma- 
sonic lodges. 

William  Wheeler  came  from  England  to  America  in 
1856,  and  to  Olyphant  in  1859.  He  served  ten  years  in 
the  British  army  in  India,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  our  late 
war  enlisted  in  Company  K  9th  Pennsylvania  cavalry, 
and  was  promoted  first  lieutenant  for  bravery  on  the  field 
of  battle.  He  married  Maria  Loftus,  of  Olyphant,  and 
has  had  seven  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  living.  He 
is  a  miner. 

Richard  R.  Williams,  a  native  of  South  Wales, 
came  to  Hyde  Park  in  1862,  and  to  Olyphant  in  1864. 
He  married  Ann  Jones,  of  Treforest,  Wales,  and  has 
seven  daughters.  He  was  formerly  a  miner,  and  is  now 
a  contractor  for  building  and  flag  stones. 

The  following  also  contributed  their  support  to  this 
publication :  Martin  Griffin,  M.  F.  Ketcham,  F.  W. 
Simpson,  P.  J.  Swift  and  A.  C.  Wise. 


=H^ 


OLYPHANT  WELSH  BAPTIST  CHURCH— LODGES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS. 


471 


The  Welsh  Baptist  Church 

was  organized  November  ist,  1859,  by  Rev.  TheophiUis 
Jones,  of  Scranton,  with  the  following  members;  David  J. 
and  Mrs.  Mary  Powell,  Robert  and  Mrs.  Emma  Thomas, 
David  Jenkins  and  wife,  Richard  Davies,  Thomas 
Bowen,  Thomas  Williams  and  wife,  Daniel  Stevens  and 
wife,  James  Stuart,  David  Watters  and  wife,  Frederick 
Lloyd,  Evan  Mills  and  wife,  Margaret  W.  Edwards,  Ann 
Griffiths,  John  Williams  and  wife,  Rachel  Nicholas  and 
Ann  Morris. 

The  first  minister,  Philip  L.  Davies,  served  this  church 
and  one  at  Carbondale  a  year.  Succeeding  him,  Rev. 
Benjamin  E.  Bowen  served  from  February  loth,  1867, 
two  years  and  five  months,  and  Rev.  Edward  Jenkins  one 
year  from  August,  187 1.  Since  then  the  church  has  had 
no  pastor,  but  Rev.  Benjamin  E.  Bowen  is  supplying  the 
pulpit. 

The  church  building,  a  frame  structure  32  by  40  feet, 
was  commenced  in  1870  and  dedicated  June  i6th,  1872. 
Its  builders  were  Samuel  &  Sanders,  of  Pittston,  and  it 
cost  $2,627.     The  membership  in  1880  was  about  40. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  organized  in  1859,  with  thirty 
scholars  and  D.  J.  Powell  as  superintendent.  At  one 
time  it  numbered  140. 

SOCIETIES  AND  LODGES. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Olyphant  Lodge,  No.  581,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 
December  30th,  1865,  with  20  charter  members.  The 
first  officers  were:  Andrew  Patton,  N.  G. ;  George  Petti- 
grew,  V.  G.;  Silas  Eames,  secretary;  John  E.  Jones, 
assistant;  Daniel  Nichols,  treasurer. 

The  lodge  numbered  in  1880  ninety-eight  members, 
and  had  then  received  $14,937.87,  of  which  $6,399  ^^^ 
been  paid  out  for  relief,  $4,421  for  general  expenses,, 
and  $3,217.84  invested  as  a  permanent  fund. 

Colfax  Encampment,  No.  176,  was  instituted  April  loth,     , 
1869,  with  12  charter' members.     The  first  officers    were:     | 
C.  P.,  Silas  Eames;  H.  P.,  Andrew  Patton;  S.   W.,  John     i 
C.    Edwards;  J.  W.,   Benjamin    Walters;    scribe,    David 
M.   Voyle;  Treas.,  Daniel   Nicholson.     The   officers  for 
1880  were:  Edward  Morris,  C.  P.;  A.  Patton,  H.  P:;  Wil- 
liam  V.    Davis,  S.  W.;  Alexander    Frew,   J.    W.;     Silas 
Eames,  scribe;  Evan  Miles,   Treas.     The   total    receipts 
to  April,  1880,  were  $4,883;  paid  for  benefits,  $2,776.10; 
funds  on  hand  and  invested,  $350.70;  operating  expenses, 
$1,756.89. 

HIBERNIAN    BENEVOLENT    SOCIETY    NO.    279 

was  chartered  November  i8th,  1867.  The  first  officers 
were:  R.  McHale,  president;  Anthony  Corcoran,  Sec; 
Michael  Cummings,  Treas.  The  charter  members  num- 
bered 12.  The  society  has  paid  for  relief  of  members 
$1,684;  dividend  to  members,  $636.25;  operating  ex- 
penses, etc.,  $756.84.  The  officers  for  1880  were:  Presi- 
dent, William  Best;  vice-president,  Michael  Clarry;  sec- 
retary, John  McHugh;  treasurer,  Thomas  J.  Loftus. 


OLYPHANT    BUILDING    ASSOCIATION. 

This  institution  was  incorporated  September  4th,  1868, 
with  Andrew  Patton  (president),  D.  M.  Voyle  (secretary), 
J.  P.  Richards  (treasurer),  W.  W.  Waters,  Valentine 
Birtley,  Isaac  D.  Secor,  Allen  Anderson,  Daniel  Nicholas, 
and  J.  M.  C.  Ronk  as  incorporators.  It  has  issued  six- 
teen series  of  stock,  in  shares  of  $200  each,  of  which  the 
first  ten  series  have  matured  and  are  in  process  of  liqui-- 
dation;  has  loaned  $140,000  within  the  limits  of  the  bor- 
ough, of  which  about  $18,000  was  outstanding  March  ist, 
1880.     The  officers  are  as  at  first. 


c.    Y.    M.    T.    A. 


B.     SOCIETY. 


In  April,  1869,  Rev.  John  Loughran,  of  St.  Patrick's 
church,  pledged  to  the  cause  of  total  abstinence  P.  B. 
Gilmartin,  P.  J.  McCormick,  Michael  Kaveny  and  A.  F. 
McNulty,  who  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  above  named 
organization,  effected  May  22nd,  1869.  R.  J.  McHale 
was  first  president;  Thomas  McHale,  vice-president; 
Thomas  Murphy,  recording  secretary;  Martin  Mooney, 
treasurer.  By  1873  there  were  89  members  in  good 
standing,  with  84  cadets  (boys  under  fifteen),  and 
in  the  same  year  the  society  was  incorporated.  In 
1874  the  members  mustered  105  and  the  cadets  115,  and 
the  society  attained  its  maximum  numbers  and  influence. 
In  April,  1878,  no  cadets  remained  and  but  eight  mem- 
bers, viz.:  Bernard  Mahon,  John  Lavin,  James  Clancy, 
John  J.  and  William  F.  Loftus,  Patrick  Healy,  Anthony 
F.  McNulty  and  Michael  Ruddy. 

In  July,  1877,  the  society  abandoned  its  hall  and  began 
using  a  public  school  room.  In  the  winter  of  1879  ten 
members  were  added.  Sick  benefits  have  amounted  to 
$1,542.50,  and  payments  to  friends  of  deceased  members 
$160.  This  society  was  admitted  to  the  C.  T.  A.  Union 
of  Pennsylvania  March  7th,  1872,  and  numbered  21  on 
the  consolidated  roll;  and  to  the  C.  T.  A.  Union  of  Amer- 
ica in  the  same  year  as  16.  It  is  how  prosperous.  The 
officers  for  1880  were:  P.  A.  O'Rorke,  spiritual  director; 
John  J.  Lavin,  president;  James  J.  Walsh,  vice-presi- 
dent; Anthony  F.  McNulty,  recording  secretary;  John 
McHugh,  corresponding  secretary;  Bernard  Mahon,  treas- 
urer; Martin  Curran,  messenger;  directors — A.  F.  Mc- 
Nulty, P.  B.  Gilmartin  and  Bernard  Mahon.  Since 
January  ist,  1880,  the  society  has  resumed  the  payment 
of  $3  per  week  during  the  illness  of  members,  and  $25  as 
a  burial  fund  i-n  case  of  deaths. 

LIEUTENANT    STEVENS    POST,   NO    I97,     G.   A.   R. 

was  organized  October  21st,  1869,  with  the  following 
charter  members:  P.  H.  McCann,  Benjamin  Walters, 
Herbert  Edwards,  Thomas  Patton,  Thomas  Nealon,  John 
W.  Edwards,  William  H.  Waters,  Frederick  Whitehead, 
L.  J.  Bowen,  Griffith  Jones,  William  R.  Edwards,  Herbert 
Williams,  Thomas  D.  James,  Robert  Howe,  William  J. 
Hug-hes,  Frank  Pickering  and  Henry  Everson.  The  post 
flourished  until  1871,  when  from  want  of  interest  its 
meetings  were  discontinued.  There  were  then  forty-two 
members  in  good  standing  and  sufficient  assets  to  pay  all 
liabilities. 


=-^i 


*4h 


<H 


472 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


MASONIC. 

Kingsbury  Lodge,  No.  466,  F.  A.  M.  was  instituted  May 
6th,  1870.  The  following  officers  were  installed:  Wil- 
liam Williamson,  W.  M.;  John  C.  Edwards,  S.  W.;  Luther 
S.  Lyons,  J.  W.;  Edward  Jones,  treasurer;  Josiah  H. 
Trine,  secretary;  W.  D.  Carpenter,  S.  D.;  M.  V.  Doud, 
J.  D.;  Thomas  W.  Edwards,  S.  M.  C;  William  Waters, 
J.  M.  C;  William  J.  Smith,  Pur.;  Benjamin  Davis,  tiler. 
The  officers  for  1880  were:  John  Penman.  W.  M.;  Frank 
Williams,  S.  W.;  Alexander  Frews,  J.  W.;  William  Wil- 
liamson, Treas. ;  John  C.  Edwards,  Sec. 

VALLEY    CONCLAVE,    NO.   22,  S.  P.   K.  OF  PA. 

This  organization  was  instituted  in  May,  1873,  atPeck- 
ville,  and  shortly  after  removed  to  Olyphant.  The  first 
commander  was  David  McDonald.  The  officers  for  1880 
were:  John  P.  Williams,  commander;  William  R.  Ed- 
wards, recorder.  The  object  of  the  order  is  to  aid  its 
members  in  distress,  accordingto  the  necessity  of  each  case. 


WINTON  BOROUGH. 


4= 


HIS  borough  comprises  the  warantee  tracts  of 
Thomas    and    Benjamin     Bell,    Herrington, 
Robert    Dana,    Sarah    Dana,    Eliza  Rought, 
William  Rowle,  R.  Lewis,  Daniel  Lewis    and 
Sternheimer. 
Prior  to  1848  Judge  L.  S.  Watres,  now  of  Scran- 
ton,   had  a   saw-mill  at   Winton,  which   was   then 
known  as  Mount  Vernon. 

The  land  in  the  borough  is  now  owned  by  coal  and 
railway  companies,  the  Erie  Railway,  Pierce  Mining 
Comp'-'nv;  'W.  W.  Winton  and  Filer  &  Livy  being  the 
piinr.ip^,  '^xs.  The  borough  contains  two  small  ham- 
lets; Jessup,  in  the  southern  part,  on  the  site  of  the  Jes- 
sup  colliery,  is  occupied  by  miners'  families.  A  number 
of  low  saloons,  a  hotel  opened  in  1880  by  W.  R.  Burke, 
and  a  small  grocery  store  comprise  its  business  interests. 
Winton  contains  the  colliery  store  of  Filer  &  Livy  and 
the  office  and  breaker  of  the  Pierce  Coal  Company  and 
three  school-houses,  and  had  905  inhabitants  in  1880. 

The  borough  was  incorporated  in  1877,  the  first  bur- 
gess being  W.  J.  Burke,  who 'served  for  two  years;  for 
justices,  Henry  T.  Howell  and  James  F.Loftus  were  elected. 
The  officers  for  1880  were:  Burgess,  P.  F.  McAndrew 
councilmen,  J.  F.  Loftus,  James  Ward,  Michael  Howard 
Martin  Lynch,  Martin  Walsh,  Michael  Sweeney;  school 
directors,  W.  H.  O'Connor,  W.  J.  Burke,  John  Ward 
John  Walsh,  J.  E.  McDermott,  Thomas  Gallagher. 

Mining  History. 

In  the  year  1855  Judge  Jessup,  Michael  Meylert,  H. 
S.  Pierce,  Samuel  Meredith  and  others,  under  the  cor- 
porate title  of  the  Lackawanna  Railroad  Company,  com- 
menced building  a  railroad  from  Dunmore  to  Jessup  and 
established  extensive  coal  works  and  railroad   shops.     A 


shaft  was  sunk  by  Andrew  Nicol,  and  the  shipment  of 
coal  commenced  in  1857.  The  enterprise  proved  a  dis- 
astrous failure  and  the  financial  ruin  of  several  of  the 
proprietors,  and  caused  great  loss  to  creditors,  including 
small  tradesmen  and  employes  of  the  company.  The 
lands  have  since  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Erie  Rail- 
way Company.  The  village  built  up  by  the  excitement 
has  become  an  unimportant  hamlet. 

The  Livy  breaker,  erected  in  1880,  will  employ  several 
hundred  men  and  boys,  and  bids  fair  to  restore  the  lost 
prestige  of  Jessup. 

T/ie  Pierce  Coal  Company's  Breaker  was  erected  by 
Filer  &  Livy  in  1872,  at  a  cost  of  about  $50,000,  and  sold 
to  its  present  owners  in  1877  for  $22,000,  the  purchase 
including  eighteen  acres.  The  coal  is  mined  from  drifts 
in  Archbald  some  two  miles  north  of  the  breaker,  the 
mine  being  connected  with  it  by  a  railroad.  The  work- 
ings extend  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  opening.and 
one  shaft  has  been  sunk  ninety  two  feet.  The  vein 
worked  is  the  Archbald,  nine  feet  thick.  The  total  num- 
ber of  men  and  boys  employed  is  237.  Two  mine  loco- 
motives are  in  use,  and  one  breaker  and  two  pair  of 
hoisting  engines.  The  capacity  of  the  breaker  is  800 
tons  daily;  average  production  about  500  tons.  Opera- 
tions were  commenced  in  December,  1877, and  to  January 
ist,  i88o,the  total  shipments  were  170,000  tons.  The  com- 
pany bought  eleven  hundred  acres  from  the  heirs  of 
Charles  Wirtz,  of  Philadelphia.  It  has  invested  about 
$90,000  in  lands,  workings  and  working  plant.  The 
office  of  the  company  is  at  Archbald.  Its  incorporators 
were  Edward  Jones,  J.  Hosie,  H.  B.  Phelps  and  H.  S. 
Phelps. 

The  Filer  Breaker. — This  colliery,  on  the  Elizabeth 
Rought  tract,  was  erected  in  1874.  The  first  coal  was 
shipped  in  May,  1875.  George  Filer  and  Thomas  Livy 
were  the  builders  and  are  the  owners.  When  working  to 
full  capacity  about  500  men  and  boys  are  employed. 
The  capacity  of  the  breaker  is  800  tons  daily;  production 
about  600.  Five  pumps  are  worked  in  the  mines  and 
three  pairs  of  stationary  engines.  The  veins  worked  are 
the  Archbald,  with  an  average  depth  of  seven  feet,  and 
the  Grassy  Island,  averaging  twelve  feet.  Workings  ex- 
tend through  portions  of  the  Jessup  tract,  owned  by  the 
firm  the  Bell  tract,  owned  by  the  Hillside  Coal  Com- 
I)any;  the  Rought  tract,  owned  by  Winton  &  Dolf,  and 
the  Dana  tract,  owned  by  W.  W.  Winton  and 'othtrs. 
The  firm  has  thirty-five  tenant  houses  and  a  large  store 
for  supplying  its  men.  The  outside  foreman  is  F.  K. 
Taylor,  the  inside  foreman  R.  D.  Roberts. 

The  Lackawanna  Paint  Works. 

This  establishment  was  founded  by  Morton,  Stevens 
&  Co.,  in  September,  1878,  for  making  mineral  paints 
from  a  vein  on  the  David  Brown  tract.  The  present 
proprietors  are  Morton  &  Swift.  The  paints  made  are 
umber  and  sienna,  burned  and  raw.  The  firm  controls 
the  only  veins  of  the  kind  in  this  part  of  the  State  and 
makes  a  staple  article  cheaply  and  under  very  favorable 
circumstances. 


-KN 


CARBONDALE  TOWNSHIP. 


HE  pioneer  settler,  David  Ailsvvorth,  from 
Rhode  Island,  located  in  1802  on  the  ''Mer- 
edith place."  He  began  clearing  a  farm, 
built  a  little  log  cabin,  and  in  the  fall  re- 
turned to  Rhode  Island  for  his  family.  The  next 
spring  he  settled  permanently  back  on  the  side  of 
the  mountain.  Mrs.  Ailsworth  was  the  pioneer 
weaver  of  Carbondale. 

The  next  settlers  in  this  rough  wilderness  were  James 
Holden  and  family,  who  came  in  1805  and  began  a  clearing 
near  Ailsworth 's.     In  two  years  they  removed  west. 

In  1806  Franklin  Ailsworth,  son  of  David,  came.  Pe- 
ter Wedeman  and  James  Lewis  in  1807  located  on 
"  Ragged  island."  Lewis  remained  but  two  years.  Wede- 
man stayed  and  raised  a  family  here.  His  attire  was  very 
imposing.  He  wore  a  bearskin  for  a  coat,  the  fore  legs 
serving  for  sleeves;  a  fawn  skin  vest,  buck  skin  pants, 
and  a  raccoon  skin  cap  with  the  tail  hanging  behind  when 
worn. 

From  i8og  Roswell  B.  Johnson,  from  New  York,  lived 
five  years  near  the  old  toll  house  below  Carbondale  city. 
Early  in  the  spring  of  i8og  George  Parker  and  his  son-in- 
law,  Winley  Skinner,  made  a  clearing  on  the  ''  big  flats," 
now  occupied  by  a  portion  of  Carbondale.  They  staid 
but  a  few  months. 

Christopher  E.  Wilbur,  from  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y., 
located  in  1810  on  the  Horace  Stiles  place.  He  came 
to  manufacture  the  old  fashioned  wooden  spinning  wheels 
used  along  the  border  at  that  time.  Nearly  every  fireside 
in  the  valley  was  soon  gladdened  by  the  hum  of  his 
wheels.  He  built  a  miniature  grist-mill  in  1812,  on  the 
small  stream  near  where  he  lived.  It  had  but  one  run  of 
stones,  no  bolt,  and  the  corn  crushed  by  it  had  to  pass 
through  a  common  seive  before  being  fit  for  use.  In  1813 
his  house  was  thrown  open  for  the  use  of  a  school  and 
for  religious  services,  and  Elder  John  Miller,  a  Baptist, 
and  Mr.  Cramer,  a  Methodist,  alternately  preached  once 
a  month. 

The  wild  land  about  Carbondale  was  originally  owned 
by  an  Englishman  named  Russell,  living  at  Sunbury. 
In  181 2  it  came  into  possession  of  William  and  Maurice 
Wurts,  of  Philadelphia,  and  they  gave  the  name  "Car- 
bondale." It  was  a  part  of  Blakely  and  Greenfield  town- 
ships, and  in  April,  1831,  Carbondale  township  and  cit)', 
and  a  portion  of  Gibsonburg  borough,  containing  in  all 
23  square  miles,  were  set  off  from  these  townships  and 
named  "  Carbondale." 

In  November,  1822,  the  Wurts  brothers  built  a  low, 
long  log  house  for  the  occupancy  of  themselves  and  the 
workmen  employed  by  them  in  digging  for  the  black  dia- 
monds. Nothing  but  a  single  path  by  marked  trees  then 
led  up  through  this  township;  it  passed  out  through  Rix's 
gap.  The  pioneer  framed  house  was  built  in  October, 
1828,  by  James  W.  Goff,  afterward  sheriff  of  the  county. 
The  Milford  and  Owego  turnpike  was  built  about  this 


time,  and  in  this  year  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  completed  their  road  to  this  township,  which 
was  then  its  western  terminus. 

The  population  was  721  in  1870,  and  1,163  in  1880. 

Since  the  election  of  justices  of  the  peace  by  the  people 
the  following  gentlemen  have  been  chosen  for  this  town- 
ship: 

Henry  P.  Ensig-n,  1810;  Gilbert  Burrows,  1840 ;  Eobert  MoFarlane,  1842 ; 
Bartholomew  Morrison,  1843. 1844;  William  Boot,  1843, 1844, 1849;  Arwhi- 
bald  Law,  1845;  Silas  S.  Benedict,  1847;  Philander  S.  Joslin,  1849;  Gideon 
W.  Palmer,  1849;  John  Godding,  1851,  1857;  Horace  Stiles,  18S4;  Ira  A. 
Goodrich,  1876. 


CLIFTON  TOWNSHIP. 


DECEMBER  14th,  187s,  this  township  was 
formed  from  Covington.  It  was  originally 
a  part  of  "  Drinker's  Beech." 

Jacob  Gress,  the  first  settler,  located 
about  1840,  on  his  present  place.  Here  he 
jpened  a  tavern  in  the  most  primitive  style. 
The  old  historic  log  house  subsequently  gave 
way  to  the  present  frame  building,  of  ancient  architec- 
ture. The  old  "  bar-room  "  sign  in  yellow  letters  on  a 
green  door  at  the  south  end  of  the  house  is  still  visible. 
Jacob  Gress  is  the  oldest  resident  of  Clifton,  and  delights 
to  entertain  his  visitors  with  blood-chilling  bear  and 
panther  stories.  He  has  been  a  mighty  hunter  in  his 
day.  He  is  the  hero  of  seventy-three  bear  skins,  and 
has  killed  over  seven  hundred  deer,  a  large  number  of 
panthers  and  wolves,  and  much  small  game. 

The  next  tavern  was  built  by  R.  Gersbacher,  on  the 
plank  road,  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  town-^'  ^.  He- 
located  here  in  1857,  and  in  1863  built  his  ri'^  („jge. 
and  commodious  Plank  Road  Hotel.  He  also  built  and 
kept  a  store  at  this  place  in  1870,  and  a  blacksmith  shop 
in  1872. 

The  first  store,  however,  was  built  in  1863  or  1864  by 
Herbine,  Baum  &  Co.,  at  Clifton.  The  saw-mill  here 
WIS  built  in  1852  by  Colonel  Drinker,  and  was  subse- 
que.itly  sold  to  Herbine,  Baum  &  Co.,  who  carried  on 
the  lumber  business  until  May  20th,  1875,  when  mill  and 
other  buildi.igs  were  burned.  About  1850  Colonel 
Drinker  built  a  saw-mill  nearly  a  mile  northeast  from 
Clifton  village,  and  in  1867  or  1868  the  Reading  Lumber 
Company  built  a  steam  saw-mill  at  the  same  place.  This 
company  also  had  a  store  and  blacksmith  shop,  and  car- 
ried on  a  very  extensive  lumber  business.  There  is  no 
business  done  at  present,  the  place  consisting  of  a  school- 
house  and  four  or  five  dwellings.  In  1873  or  1874  J.  J. 
Wagenhorst  built  a  steam  saw-mill  about  half  way  from 
Gersbacher's  hotel  to  Cress's  hotel.  In  1875  the  boiler 
exploded,  destroying  the  mill,  killing  a  Mr.  Hoffert,  ar.d 
injuring  several  other  persons.  The  mill  has  not  been 
rebuilt. 

There  are  but  two  school-houses  in  this  township — 
one   at   the  Reading   Lumber  Company's  mills,  built  in 


^^ 


=^^ 


^h 


474 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


1854,  and  the  other  on  the  Drinker  turnpike,  south  of 
Cress's  hotel,  built  later. 

The  first  postmaster  at  Clifton  was  H.  W.  Drinker, 
who  was  appointed  about  1852.  The  present  postmaster 
is  William  Rees,  who  is  also  one  of  the  largest  lumber 
dealers  in  the  township. 

W.  L.  Harvey  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  March 
17th,  1877.  The  population  of  the  township  in  1880  was 
282. 


COVINGTON   TOWNSHIP. 


BOUT  25,000  acres,  including  this  township, 
was  purchased  of  the  State  in  1787  by  Henry 
Drinker,  father  of  H.  W.  and  Richard 
Drinker.  It  has  since  been  known  as 
"  Drinker's  Beech,"  from  the  timber  that  cov- 
ered it.  In  the  summer  of  1814  these  lands 
were  resurveyed  by  Jackson  Torrey,  of  Beth- 
any, Wayne  county,  into  lots  averaging  one  hundred 
acres  each.  Lots  were  sold  at  $5  per  acre  on  five  years 
credit,  the  first  two  years  without  interest;  payment  to  be 
made  in  lumber,  shingles,  labor,  stock,  produce,  or  any- 
thing the  farmer  had  to  spare. 

The  township  of  Covington  was  formed  in  1818  from 
the  township  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  embraced  at  that 
time  the  whole  of  Drinker's  possessions  in  the  south  part 
of  old  Luzerne  county.  It  was  named  Covington  at  the 
suggestion  of  H.  W.  Drinker,  in  honor  of  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral Covington,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg, 
in  Upper  Canada. 

Encampments  and  Clearings. 

The  first'  encampment  of  the  force  of  the  Messrf. 
Drinker  was  made  in  1815  near  the  mouth  of  Wild  Mea- 
dow brook,  now  known  as  Mill  creek,  on  the  Lehigh 
river,  where  they  built  a  bark  shelter  and  slept  rolled  in 
their  blankets  on  a  bed  of  boughs,  while  a  large  fire 
blazed  in  front  of  the  cabin.  Novv  and  then  they  were 
annoyed  by  the  serenade  of  a  school  of  owls  attracted  to 
the  camp  by  the  strange  glare  of  the  fire,  or  the  piercing 
screams  of  the  sleepless  panther,  and  in  damp  weather 
by  the  bite  of  the  gnats,  or  "punkies,"  as  they  were  some- 
times called.  Trout  and  venison  fed  them  abundantly, 
but  if  they  needed  other  provisions  supplies  were  taken 
up  the  Lehigh  from  Stoddardsville  in  a  large  batteau, 
towed  by  horse  power  and  pushed  with  the  setting  pole. 
The  first  clearing  was  rnade  in  Drinker's  settlement,  in 
1815,  by  the  late  H.  W.  Drinker,  on  a  ridge  of  land  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  his  late  residence,  where  he 
built  a  log  house. 

In  1792  John  Delong,  of  Stroudsburg.  was  employed, 
by  Mr.  Drinker,  with  several  others,  to  mark  or  cut  a 
wagon  road  to  these  beechen  possessions,  from  a  point  at 
or  near  "the  twenty-one  mile  tree"  on  the  north  and 
south  road,  also    called   the  "  Drinker  road  "  from  the 


fact  that  it  was  opened  principally  at  the  expense  of 
Henry  Drinker.  The  road  cut  by  Delong  extended  in 
an  easterly  direction,  passing  Lake  Henry,  and  crossed 
the  line  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Rail- 
road, and  thence  taking  a  southerly  course  terminated 
on  the  Bell  Meadow  brook,  a  tributary  of  the  Lehigh. 
After  the  return  of  the  choppers  the  road  grew  full  of 
underbrush  and  was  a  thoroughfare  only  to  the  hunter 
and  his  game.  In  reopening  it  in  182 1  the  inscription 
"  Henry  Drinker,  1792"  was  found  rudely  carved  upon 
a  tree.  The  celebrated  "  Drinker  turnpike  "  was  built 
through  this  township  in  1828,  the  charter  having  been 
obtained  in  1819.  This  road  runs  nearly  due  north  and 
south  through  the  township.  Its  terminal  points  were 
Philadelphia  and  Great  Bend.  The  next  road  was  from 
near  J.  Kitson's  to  Turnersviile. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  Edward  Wardell,  David 
Dale,  Esby  and  Wihiam  Holmes,  George  Frazee,  John 
Genther,  Henry  Ospuck,  John  Thompson,  Jacob  Gress, 
Patrick,  Owen  and  John  Simpson,  Thomas  and  George 
White,  William  and  John  Copeland  and  Daniel  Staples. 

The  first    grist-mill   was    built  in    1864,    by   Nicholas 
Marcy,  in    the  northeast   corner   of    the    township,    on 
Roaring  brook.     It  is    now  owned    by  Mr.  Poston,   and 
operated  by  A.  Hinds,  of  Moscow.   The  pioneer  saw-mill 
was  built  in  182 1,  by  Esby  and  William  Holmes,  and  was 
subsequently  burned.     It    stood  on    the  site  of   William 
Beck's  mill.     A    saw-mill  was  built  about  1840  on  Roar- 
ing brook,  at  the  grist-mill  of    Mr.  Poston,  which  is  still 
operated    by  A.    Hinds.     The  first    steam   saw-mill  was 
built  by    David  Dale  in  1855.     Another  was   soon    after 
built  by   Daniel   Staples.     The  next    was  built  by  David 
Dale  &  Sons,  on  the  Spring  Brook  road,   a  little  west  of 
Daleville.      This  mill,    four  houses  and    two  barns  were 
burned  in  May,    1880,  by    forest  fires.     The  next   steam 
saw-mill  was  built  by  William  Dale  &  Sons,  at  Daleville. 
Each  of  the  present  mills  is  doing  an  extensive   business. 
In   1827,  when  Edward  Wardell,  jr.,  was  township  col- 
lector,   the  duplicate  amounted    to  $96.     The    territory 
embraced  in  the  township  at  that  time  covered  the  present 
townships  of  Covington,    Buck,    Lehigh,    Clifton,  Spring 
Brook  and  Madison.       There  was  no  one  living  in    what 
is  now   Spring  Brook  township.     Mr.    Wardell   was    the 
first  justice    of  the   peace    for  Covington   township,  and 
served  25  years,     He  was  75  years  of  age  in  July,  1880. 
The   first   settler  at  what   is   now   Holgate's   Mill  was 
Mathew   Hodgson,   who   came    from    London,    England, 
and  built  a  log   house   at   the   intersection    of  the  Lake 
Henry  road  and  the  Drinker  turnpike.     Both  roads    and 
teams  were  rather  scarce,   and  to   get   boards  for  a  floor 
and   door  Mr.  Hodgson  carried  the  lumber   on   his  back 
from   the   Lehigh    river — six   miles.     The   old   log  cabin 
gave  way  to  a  frame  house   a  little   nearer  the   turnpike, 
the  foundation  of  which  is  still  visible.     Soon    after  Mr. 
Hodgson  other  settlers  came  in. 

As  a  great  deal  of  the  timber  in  this  vicinity  was  sugar 
maple,  sugar  making  in  the  spring  was  the  principal  busi- 
ness. After  that  was  over,  the  pioneers  would  strap  a 
portion  of  the  sweet  proceeds  of  their  labor  upon  their 


*^> 


backs  and  start  for  the  store  at  Nobletown,  in  Wayne 
county,  a  distance  of  ten  miles;  there  they  exchanged 
their  sugar  for  a  few  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  such  as 
snuff,  tea,  tobacco,  and  occasionally  a  little  rum,  just  for 
camphor. 

The  pioneer  who,  more  fortunate  than  his  neighbor, 
owned  a  cow  and  an  ox,  would  hitch  them  together  to 
do  logging,  farming  and  milling.  The  nearest  mills 
were  at  Stoddardsville,  down  on  the  Lehigh,  and  at 
Slocum  Hollow,  now  Scranton.  Previous  to  the  advent 
of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad 
the  product  of  the  Holgate  mills  had  to  be  carted  to 
Philadelphia  on  wagons,  which  took  ten  days  to  make 
a  trip. 

The  following  justices  of  the  peace  for  this  township 
were  elected  in  the  years  mentioned  in  connection  with 
their  names:  Richard  Drinker,  1840;  Jacob  Beesecker, 
1840,  1845;  Charles  A.  Havenstrite,  1845;  Mahlon  R. 
Risler,  1848;  Edward  Wardell,  1850,  1858,  1863,  1868, 
1873;  Nathaniel  Whitmore,  1850;  John  P.  Havenstrite, 
1853;  Allen  Hodgson,   1856,  1865;  David  Dale,  1876. 

The  population  of  the  township  in  1870  was  1,-182;  in 
1880  it  had  fallen  off  to  88 r. 

Wilderness  Experiekces. 

In  the  winter  of  1819  and  1820,  which  was  a  severe 
one,  the  family  supplies  had  all  to  be  brought  from 
Stoddardsville  (18  miles),  Wilkes-Barre  (30  miles),  or  Slo- 
cum Flollow  (13  miles);  either  on  hand-sleds  or  on  men's 
shoulders,  as  it  was  very  rarely  that  a  team  came  from 
either  of  those  places,  and  the  settlers  were  not  able  to 
hire  any  conveyance.  David  Dale,  father  of  Mark  Dale, 
came  near  losing  his  life  on  one  of  those  trips  to  Stodd- 
ardsville. Having  gone  for  flour  he  was  drawing  a  bag 
or  barrel  of  it  on  a  hand-sled;  but  not  getting  home 
when  he  was  expected,  the  family,  became  alarmed  and 
went  to  meet  him.  They  found  him  about  two  miles 
from  home  almost  overcome  by  fatigue,  and  he  would 
have  perished  with  cold  before  morning. 

Another  incident  looks  very  much  like  a  "providence." 
Before  the  raising  of  the  first  log  building  that  Mr.  Dale 
put  up,  probably  the  next  summer,  they  had  no  meat  and 
no  way  to  get  any;  but  on  the  morning  of  the  raising  a 
fawn  seemingly  about  four  or  five  weeks  old  came  to 
where  they  were  preparing  the  timbers.  Not  thinking 
of  trying  to  kill  it  they  drove  it  away,  but  in  an  hour  or 
so  it  came  back  and  would  not  leave  them;  and  at  the 
suggestion  that  it  must  have  been  sent  to  supply  the  lack 
of  meat  it  was  killed  and  dressed,  and  proved  very  good. 
So  remarkably  timid  and  wild  are  young  deer,  that  Mark 
Dale,  after  sixty  years'  experience  with  wild  animals,  can 
account  for  the  actions  of  the  fawn  on  no  instinct  or 
habit  of  the  deer  kind. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  1855,  a  little  girl  named 
Elizabeth  Pembridge  got  lost  in  the  woods.  "  Uncle 
Mark"  Dale,  of  Markhampton,  near  Daleville,  known  to 
be  familiar  with  the  wilderness,  was  appealed  to  for  aid 
in  the  search,  and  shouldering  his  trusty  rifle  ("Old  Pre- 
cision ■'  he  called   it)  he  set  out.     The  child  was  traced 


to  the  lower  end  of  Cabin  hollow,  but  here  all  traces  dis- 
appeared; and  it  was  only  after  most  of  the  searchers 
had  gone  home,  tired  out,  that  one  of  the  few  men  re- 
riiaining,  impelled  by  an  influence  he  could  not  under- 
stand, and  disregarding  repeated  calls  from  the  others, 
walked  directly  to  a  spot  in  the  neighborhood  of  where 
the  most  thorough  search  had  been  made,  and  found 
the  missing  child.  Mr.  Dale  fired  his  rifle  three  times  to 
announce  the  discovery  to  all  interested,  and  the  long 
and  anxious  search  ended  with  great  rejoicing. 

Two  or  three  years  after  this  Uncle  Mark  led  a  search 
for  a  man  who  had  wandered  into  the  forest  in  a  fit  of 
insanity,  and  again  had  the  pleasure  of  being  with  the 
successful  party  and  announcing  the  glad  tidings  to  the 
others  through  the  medium  of  "Old  Precision." 

Daleville. 

Daleville  is  the  principal  village  of  the  township.  The 
first  settler  here  was  Edward  Wardell,  a  native  of  York- 
shire, England.  He  located  here  in  September,  1819, 
having  bought  250  acres  of  land  of  H.  W.  Drinker,  at  $5 
p2r  acre.  His  house  was  of  hewn  logs,  and  stood  be- 
tween the  site  of  the  residence  of  E.  Wardell  and  the 
Spring  Brook  road. 

The  next  settler,  coming  a  week  later,  was  David  Dale, 
also  from  England,  after  whom  the  village  was  named. 
His  log  cabin  stood  in  the  rear  of  the  hotel  now  kept  by 
Lewis  Jones.  He  bought  of  H.  W.  Drinker  the  land  on 
which  most  of  the  village  is  situated.  The  next  settlers 
were  Matthew  Hodson,  Robert  Roseman,  John  Fish  and 
Frederick  Raish. 

The  first  wheat  crop  in  this  part  of  the  township  was 
raised  by  Edward  Wardell  and  David  Dale,  in  1820.  It 
was  sown  in  the  fall  of  1819.  The  first  frame  house  in 
Daleville  was  built  in  1826  by  Edward  Wardell,  where  he 
now  resides.  The  present  hotel  was  built  in  1827,  by 
David  Dale.  The  pioneer  blacksmith  in  Daleville  was 
Thomas  White.  His  shop  stood  where  William  Dale's 
store  now  stands.  The  first  shoemaker  was  George 
White.  His  shop  stood  directly  opposite  Dale's  store. 
Mrs.  Sarah  Raish  was  the  pioneer  weaver.  Mr.  Miller's 
house  stood  on  the  site  of  Mrs.  Raish's  log  cabin. 

The  pioneer  merchant  in  this  village  was  Mr.  Dale,  the 
present  merchant.  His  old  store  was  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  road,  at  the  north  side  of  the  cemetery.  He 
commenced  business  here  in  183 1.  The  next  store  was 
opened  the  same  year  by  Levi  Lillibridge,  in  the  front 
room  of  E.  Wardell's  house.  The  first  tavern  at  this 
place  was  opened  by  David  Dale  in  1827.  The  same 
house  is  now  occupied  by  Lewis  Jones  as  a  hotel.  The 
next  tavern  was  one  kept  a  few  years  by  E.  Wardell  where 
he  now  lives.  Amasa  HoUister  kept  tavern  where  Frank 
HoUister  now  lives.  In  1856  E.  Wardell  built  the  store 
opposite  his  present  residence,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  several  years.  The  pioneer  phy- 
sician hereabouts  was  Dr.  C.  Frieschkorn,  who  is  still  in 
practice.  The  first  couple  married  in  Daleville  (1823) 
were  Mr.  John  Dale  and  Miss  Ellen  Yates,  of  Philadel- 
phia.    The   next   were   E.  Wardell,  jr.,  and   wife.     The 


=^H 


^> 


-'<H 


476 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


oldest  cemetery  in  this  township  is  the  one  opposite  Wil- 
liam Dale's  store  in  Daleville.  The  land  for  cemetery 
purposes  was  donated  by  E.  Wardell  and  D.  Dale.  The 
school-house  standing  opposite  Dale's  store  was  built  in 
1829.  One  was  built  at  Turnersville  in  the  same  year. 
The  first  death  in  this  township  was  that  of  Henry  Raish 
in  1828.  He  was  a  son  of  Frederick  Raish,  one  of  the 
pioneer  settlers,  and  was  about  eight  years  of  age.  The 
pioneer  school  was  taught  in  1824  by  John  Fish,  in  his 
own  house.  Some  of  the  surviving  pupils  are  David,  Wil- 
li.ini,  Franklin  and  Mark  Dale,  and  Allen,  Susan  and  Har- 
riet Hodgson.  The  first  carrier  of  mail  from  Stroudsburg 
to  Great  Bend  was  William  Cottrell.  The  route  was  over 
the  Drinker  turnpike,  and  Daleville  was  one  of  the  offices 
at  wliich  the  mails  were  changed.  David  Dale  was  the 
first  postmaster,  and  his  son  William  Dale  is  the  present 
one. 

There  are  now  at  Daleville  two  churches  (Methodist 
Protestant  and  Methodist  Episcopal),  the  steam  saw-mill 
of  W.  Dale  &  Sons,  a  school  house,  a  hotel,  the  blacksmith 
shop  of  M.  W.  Hurley,  a  wagon  shop,  the  store  of  William 
Dale  &  Sons,  and  about  150  inhabitants.  There  is  a 
branch  railroad  from  the  D.  L.  &  W.  at  Beck's  Mills  to 
this  place.  The  grade  is  such  that  the  cars  loaded  at  the 
mills  at  Daleville  run  down  by  gravity  to  the  main  line, 
and  on  their  return  mules  are  the  motive  power. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  society  of  Daleville,  which  is 
now  a  part  of  the  Moscow  charge,  was  organized  in  1877, 
and  consisted  of  Methodists  living  in  that  vicinity,  togeth- 
er with  several  from  the  Methodist  Protestant  church  in 
that  place.  D.  F.  Waddell,  one  of  the  latter,  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  the  new  organization.  Since  1878  this 
place  has  been  united  with  Moscow  in  pastoral  relation. 
In  1878  a  new  church  edifice  was  dedicated,  Rev.  Dr. 
Charles  H.  Fowler,  late  editor  of  the  Christian  Advocate, 
and  Rev.  L.  W.  Peck,  presiding  elder,  officiating.  D.  F. 
Waddell  was  appointed  pastor  in  1877,  G.  M.  Colville  in 
1878,  and  W.  B.  Westlake,  the  present  pastor,  in  1879. 

Turnersville 

was  settled  in  1826  by  William  Copeland,  John 
Simpson,  Owen  Simpson,  John  Holgate  and  Godfrey 
Janes.  Four  of  these  men  were  turners  by  occupation, 
hence  the  name.  There  being  a  large  (juantity  of  the 
right  kind  of  timber  in  this  vicinity,  inducements  were 
offered  by  Henry  W.  Drinker,  the  owner  of  the  land, 
mills  were  built,  and  the  manufacture  of  all  kinds  of 
brush  handles  was  soon  commenced.  George  Frazee, 
now  a  resident  of  Turnersville,  worked  for  H.  W.  Drinker 
on  the  first  saw-mill  built  here.  He  is  the  oldest  resident 
of  the  place.  He  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  September 
15th,  1792;  was  a  private  in  Captain  Coons's  Com- 
pany, i6th  U.  S.  infantry,  during  the  war  of  1812,  and 
was  in  the  battle  of  Cook's  Mills.  The  first  frame 
house  in  this  place  was  built  in  1827  by  John  Simpson; 
it  is  still  standing. 

In  1830  Rev.  George  Evans,  of  the  Oneida  M.  E.  Con- 
ference, made  Turnersville  one  of  his  appointments.  A 
class  was  formed  and  a  church  built,  which  is  still  stand- 


ing, and  occupied  by  the  Methodists,  with  Rev.  Mr. 
Stanley  as  pastor. 

Turnersville  is  now  a  farming  community,  as  the  tim- 
ber is  all  gone,  and  nothing  remains  of  the  extensive 
turning  business  except  some  of  the  foundations  upon 
which  the  mills  stood. 

Beck's  Mills. 

The  first  mill  here  was  built  in  182 1,  by  Richard  Es- 
bee.  The  old  saw-mill  was  taken  down  several  years 
ago,  and  the  present  large  mills  were  built  by  Mr.  Beck. 
There  are  several  dwellings  and  about  50  inhabitants. 

Staplesville 

was  settled  in  November,  1866,  by  J.  W.  Brock  and 
Daniel  Staples,  who  built  a  steam  saw-mill.  In  July, 
1867,  Mr.  Brock  retired  from  the  firm,  leaving  Mr. 
Staples  sole  proprietor.  In  1873  Mr.  Staples  introduced 
improved  machinery  for  making  clothes-pins,  and  in  1874 
he  associated  J.  S.  Brown  with  him  in  business.  The 
firm  continues  to  make  all  kinds  of  lumber,  also  1,000 
boxes  of  clothes-pins  per  week,  of  five  gross  each;  25 
men  are  employed. 

Holgate's  Mills. 

Cornelius  Holgate,  great-grandfather  of  the  Holgate 
Brothers,  who  now  operate  the  turning  mills  at  this  place, 
commenced  the  turning  business  in  Roxbury,  a  suburb 
of  Philadelphia,  in  1775.  In  1805.  he  transferred  the 
business  to  his  son,  John  Holgate,  who  in  1818  moved 
his  brush  block  factory  to  Laurel  Run  (now  Parsons 
borough),  Luzerne  county,  and  in  1826  to  Turnersville. 
In  1841  he  transferred  the  business  to  his  son,  Silas  G. 
Holgate,  at  what  is  now  Holgate's  Mills,  where  the 
latter  in  turn  was  succeeded  in  1873  by  his  two  sons,  the 
Holgate  Brothers,  who  are  now  making  all  kinds  of 
brush  blocks  and  handles.  The  enterprise  and  thrift  of 
this  establishment  are  shown  in  the  continual  increase  of 
facilities,  and  the  extent  of  their  orders,  which  far  exceed 
the  increased  capacities  of  their  mills. 


FELL  TOWNSHIP. 


,  HIS    township   was  formed    from   Carbondale 
township,  in  November,    1845,  and  named  in 
honor  of  the  late  Judge  Jesse  Fell,  who  ac- 
quired  considerable  fame  in   the   Wyoming 
valley  in  its  early  history.     Its  population  in  1870 
was  343,  and  441  in  1880. 

Peter  F.  Ball  located  here  in  the  spring  of  1818. 
He  came  from  the  State  of  New  York,  and  settled  very 
near  the  present  residence  of  Woodbury  Coil,  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  township.  Here  he  built  the  pioneer 
log  house  of  this  township,  which  was  then  a  dense  wil- 
derness of  valuable  timber.  Up  to  1825  the  settlers  were 
but  few;  nearly  or  quite   all  up  to  that  time  had  located 


'#= 


^¥ 


^^ 


PIONEER  TIMES  IN  FELL  AND  GREENFIELD. 


477 


+ 


along  the  western  border  of  the  township,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Crystal  creek.  Among  them  were  John  Carr,  Jona- 
than Vail,  George  Reynolds,  John  Mills,  James  Farris 
and  Peter  Wedeman,  who  located  in  1825  where  his  son 
Henry  Wedeman  now  lives. 

Up  to  1825  no  frame  buildings  had  been  put  up,  ex- 
cept the  house  of  George  Reynolds,  and  that  was  cover- 
ed, sides  and  roof,  with  long  white  ash  shingles  split  out. 

The  first  framed  house  after  1825  was  built  by  John 
Montgomery,  where  his  son-in-law,  Jackson  Baker,  now 
lives.  The  pioneer  framed  barn  was  built  by  George 
Reynolds  in  1825,  and  another  in  the  same  year  by  Peter 
Wedeman,  on  Henry  Wedeman's  farm;  it  is  still  standing 
and  in  good  condition. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  (of  logs)  about 
1820,  on  the  creek,near  Jonathan Vail's,  and  was  known  as 
the  "Carr  school-house,"  as  it  was  near  Carr's  residence. 
The  first  frame  school-house  was  built  in  1831,  on  Vail's 
land,  now  belonging  to  the  John  Russel  estate.  The 
pioneer  school  teacher  was  Biah  Hudson,  whose  descen- 
dants now  live  along  the  turnpike  about  a  mile  and  a 
quarter  from  Carbondale.  John  Nelson  taught  in  the 
old  log  shool-house  in  1825;  some  of  his  pupils  still  living 
are  Samuel  Reynolds,  Euresta  Ball,  now  Mrs.  Vail,  Maria 
Reynolds,  Henry  Wedeman,  George  Reynolds,  Sheff 
Reynolds,  Eli  Farris,  Silas  Farris  and  Deacon  Finch. 

The  earliest  grave  yard  was  on  the  farm  where  George 
W.  Stone  now  lives,  known  as  the  old  Wedeman  farm, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Fall  brook  and  Crystal  lake  road. 
The  next  was  on  the  Avery  place.  A  Rider  family  lived 
there,  and  the  first  interment  was  of  the  remains  of  Jon- 
athan Rider. 

The  first  wedding  of  Fell  township  took  place  in  1827. 
Otis  Williams  and  Emma  Reynolds  were  the  contracting 
parties. 

The  pioneer  road  was  the  one  now  leading  from  Dun- 
daff  to  Carbondale,  known  as  the  "  old  turnpike;"  and 
the  first  bridge  was  built  on  the  Milford  and  Owego 
turnpike,  and  was  150  feet  long  and  30  feet  high. 

The  pioneer  saw-mill  was  built  by  George  Reynolds  in 
1824,  on  Fall  brook,  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  town- 
ship. It  was  destroyed  by  a  flood,  and  rebuilt.  The 
next  one  was  also  destroyed  by  a  flood,  since  which  there 
has  been  no  mill  at  that  place.  The  next  mill  was  built 
in  1825,  on  the  Lackawanna  river,  above  G.  L.  Morse's 
tannery.  There  were  subsequently  several  saw-mills 
built  on  Fall  brook,  and  in  1862  they  were  all  destroyed 
by  the  breaking  of  the  reservoir  dam  owned  by  the  Dela- 
ware and  Hudson  Canal  Company,  near  the  head  waters 
of  the  creek. 

The  Lorillard  tannery,  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
township,  on  the  Lackawanna  river,  about  two  miles  from 
Carbondale,  was  built,  burned  and  rebuilt  previous  to 
1842,  when  G.  L.  Morss,  the  present  proprietor,  purchased 
the  property.  The  tannery  was  burned  again  in  1855, 
and  rebuilt  the  same  year  on  a  much  larger  scale  than 
before.  This  is  the  only  tannery  in  the  township;  it  em- 
ploys from  IS  to  20  men,  and  can  tan  30,000  sides  of 
leather   annually.     The   only  store  in  this  township  was 


fid 


built  by  G.  L.  Morss  in  1853,  merely  to  accommodate  his 
employes. 

Amzi  Wilson  and  James  Ferris  were  elected  justices  in 
1846;  James  Russell,  1851,  1856,  1862  and  1867;  D.  K. 
Morss,  1862;  John  W.  Williams,  1872. 

The  Williams  coal  mine,  on  Elk  creek,  was  opened  in 
December,  1864,  by  J.  W.  &  J.  P.  Williams,  and  the 
breaker  was  built  in  1874.  It  has  a  capacity  of  100  tons 
per  day.  It  is  run  only  through  the  winter  and  averages 
about  1,500  tons.  There  is  one  sixty  horsepower  engine 
and  six  men  are  employed.  John  W.  Williams  is  the 
superintendent.  A  saw-mill  connected  with  this  breaker 
was  built  in  1874,  with  a  capacity  of  10,000  feet  of  lumber 
per  day. 

Elk  Creek  mine,  on  Elk  creek,  was  opened  and  the 
breaker  built  in  1873  by  Clarkson  &  Brennan.  There  is 
in  use  one  engine  of  30  horse  power.  There  are  employed 
on  the  inside  of  the  mine  60  men  and  5  driver  boys,  and 
13  men  and  12  breaker  boys  on  the  outside.  The  average 
production  of  coal  from  January  ist,  1880,  to  June  ist, 
1880,  was  100  tons  per  day.  The  outside  foreman  is 
Patrick  Bridgett;  inside  foreman,  John  Killien;  breaker 
boss,  Patrick  Smith;  coal  inspector,  William  Peel. 


GREENFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  Abington  in 
January,  1816.  It  embraces  about  20  square 
miles,  and  had  821  inhabitants  in  1880,  two 
less  than  in  1870. 
Among  the  pioneer  settlers  were  Elijah  Hobb 
and  James  Sacket,  from  Vermont,  the  latter  locat- 
ing in  the  west  part  of  the  township,  near  where 
Mr.  Finn  now  lives.  Nathan  and  Levi  Wetherby  came 
as  early  as  1804  or  1805.  Isaac  Finch  came  from  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.,  and  built  a  log  house  half  a  mile  above 
Carey's  Corners  in  March,  1809.  A  Mr.  West  and  Mr. 
Smith  came  the  same  year,  a  little  later,  and  located  near 
Carey's  Corners,  which  was  then  the  business  part  of  the 
township.  Here  was  opened  the  first  store,  in  1830,  and 
the  first  tavern,  about  1820.  These  buildings  were  of 
unhewn  logs.  The  tavern  was  one  and  a  half  stories 
high,  with  one  low  room  below  which  answered  every 
purpose  for  the  public,  and  one,  a  little  lower,  above, 
which  accommodated  the  family.  The  floor  between,  as 
well  as  the  roof,  was  made  of  bark.  Charles  Berry  was 
the  landlord;  meals  were  procured  for  a  York  shilling 
{J2j4  cents),  and  lodging  was  only  6  cents.  Drinks  were 
correspondingly  cheap — rum  3c.,  gin  or  brandy  4c.,  and 
if  sweetened  only  5c.;  a  nip  of  grog  4c.,  and  a  bowl  of 
toddy  or  sangaree,  which  would  make  a  man  happy,  only 

I2C. 

At  this  time  most  of  Greenfield  was  an  undeveloped 
wilderness,  and  no  mansions  better  than  a  double  log- 
house,  wiih  the  cracks  filled  in  with  sticks  and  mud,  had 
yet  been  built.     Barns  were  mere  hovels,  thrown  up  more 


='<h 


^ 


478 


ilSTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


for  the  enclosure  of  stack  than  for  their  protection 
against  storms  or  for  the  storage  of  grain,  as  that  and  the 
hay,  such  as  it  was,  were  usually  stacked  and  a  few  brush 
fastened  on  the  top  of  the  stack,  dignified  by  the  name  of 
roof. 

The  nearest  grist-mill  was  thirty  miles  away,  at  Slocum 
Hollow,  now  Scranton,  and  men  had  to  carry  their  grists 
on  their  backs  through  the  forests,  guided  only  by  marked 
trees. 

Elijah  Welch  begun  blacksmithing  near  where  Tilman 
Carpenter's  barn  now  stands,  in  the  south  part  of  the 
township,  about  1812.  He  subsequently  built  a  shop  a 
little  south  and  across  the  road  from  the  present  fine 
farm  residence  of  Charles  Avery.  There  he  remained 
till  lie  died.  The  pioneer  shoemaker,  Nathaniel  Finch, 
located  in  i8r6  on  the  turnpike,  between  the  sites  of  the 
residences  of  H.  C.  Spencer  and  Rev.  L.  Williams. 

The  pioneer  school-house  in  school  district  No.  i  was 
built  in  1820,  of  logs,  and  stood  opposite  the  site  of  the 
Free  Will  Baptist  church.  The  first  frame  house  was 
built  in  1824,  by  Leonard  Spencer,  nearly  on  the  site  of 
the  residence  of  H.  C.  Spencer. 

Greenfield  boasts  the  largest  apple  tree  in  Lackawanna 
county.  It  stands  on  the  farm  of  John  Lowrey,  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  township,  and  the  trunk  three  feet 
from  the  ground  measures  eight  feet  and  three  inches  in 
circumference. 

Among  the  oldest  living  inhabitants  of  Greenfield  is 
Mrs.  Anna  Finch  Spencer,  who  was  born  in  1797,  and 
has  three  brothers  and  three  sisters  living  whose  ages 
aggregate  S43  years.  Others  are  Tilman  Carpenter,  aged 
83;  Mrs.  Catharine  Kilmer,  aged  84;  and  Mrs.  Ephan 
Phelps,  aged  82;  all  in  good  health  and  of  sound    minds. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  justices  of  the  peace 
elected  in  this  township  since  the  adoption  of  the  State 
constitution  of  1838:  Zephron  Ferris,  1840,  1847,  1852; 
Marcus  Leonard,  1840,  1845;  Henry  Coon,  1845;  Wil- 
liam Kilmer,  1847;  William  B.  Cramer,  1S52,  1857; 
James  Cobb,  1857,  1862;  John  Lee,  1862;  John  G.  Sny- 
der, 1866;  J.  W.  Sickler,  1867;  Jasper  Sickler,  1872; 
Solomon  Wedeman,  1874;  George  W.  Cramer,  1877. 

Churches. 

The  pioneer  preacher  was  Elder  John  Miller,  a  Bap- 
tist missionary.  He  came  through  here  in  1815,  mak- 
ing and  filling  appointments,  the  first  of  >hich  was  at 
Levi  Wetherby's  barn,  as  the  most  central  point  and 
most  commodious  place  in  which  to  hold  services.  He 
filled  this  appointment  several  years.  Whenever  the 
weather  was  too  cold  for  services  in  the  barn  they 
were  held  at  some  of  the  pioneer  cabins.  ' 

lVo?-t/i  Baptist  Church. — This  organization  has  a  meet- 
ing house  on  the  west  line  of  the  township.  The  asso- 
ciation of  the  Six  Principle  Baptist  church  met  at  this 
place  November  22nd,  1852,  organized  a  church  and 
chose  Elder  James  Brown  as  pastor  iir.d  Daniel  Green 
and  John  Worth  as  deacons.  Trustees  were  also  elected, 
and  a  building  committee  appointed  to  finish  the  meet- 
ing   house,    which    had    been     commenced    some  time 


previous.  The  meeting  house  was  built  by  a  stock  com- 
pany, with  shares  at  $ro  each,  and  each  share  was 
entitled  to  one  vote  in  all  business  matters  pertaining  to 
the  church  property.  It  was  dedicated  November  7th, 
1873,  ^nd  cost  $1,400.  There  were  then  about  fifty  mem- 
bers. 

The  following  pastors  have  served  this  church:  Elders 
James  Brown,  Joshua  Baker,  S.  E.  Miller,  William  A. 
Miller,  Charles  Tower,  Mark  Paiks  and  Benjamin  Miller. 
The  present  deacon  is  John  Worth;  church  clerk,  John 
L.Worth.     The  membership  is  55. 

The  Sundaj -school  has  an  average  attendance  of  50 
pupils.     Z.  Cure  is  the  Superintendent. 

"  Tlte  General  Six  Principle  Baptist  Church  "  was  or- 
ganized February  7th,  1872,  at  the  meeting  house  known 
by  some  as  Thorn  Hill  church.  At  that  time  there  were 
42  members.  Their  church  edifice  was  commenced  in 
1854,  but  was  not  completed  till  1865  or  1866.  The 
original  members  were  formerly  connected  with  those  at 
Worth  church,  and  up  to  1872  the  same  pastors  served 
both  churches.  The  present  membership  is  41.  The 
pastor  is  Elder  A.  J.  Harrington;  church  clerk,  J.  A. 
Felts. 

Bree-  IViil  Baptist  Church. — The  following  were  among 
the  early  members,  and  probably  the  first:  Deacon  Solo- 
mon Finch,  Joseph  Avery  and  wife,  John  Avery  and 
wife,  Mrs.  John  Rivenburg,  Laura  Wedeman,  Mrs.  Simp- 
son and  Sally  Finch. 

The  church  edifice  was  dedicated  in  September,  1870. 
Elder  Halloway  Clancey  was  the  first  pastor.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Elders  Greer  and  Alva  Fisher.  The 
latter  left  in  1878.  Since  then  there  has  been  no  pastor. 
The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  started  by  Rev. 
Silas  Comfort,  at  the  house  of  Leonard  Spencer,  on  the 
site  of  the  residence  of  H.  C.  Spencer.  Among  the  first 
members  were  George,  Albert  and  Richard  Graves  and 
their  wives,  Polly  and  Susan  Hutchins,  Samuel  Hutchins 
and  wife,  Homer,  Elisha  and  Rufus  Davidson  and  their 
wives  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  Finn.  The  class  was  subse- 
quently transferred  to  Tompkinsville,  where  in  1851  the 
society  built  a  neat  and  substantial  church,  with  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  200. 


JEFFERSON  TOWNSHIP. 


I^^SFLTHOUGH     Jefferson     township    was    only 
'ttiylL^i       formed  in    1836,  from    Providence  township, 
.its   settlement    dates   back   to    1781   or  1782, 
when    John    Somers   made  a  clearing  at  the 
foot   of    Cobb's   mountain,  about  thirty  rods 
a-'as'  *^^'  °^  where  Asa  Cobb  now  lives.     In  1784  he 

■^■^  sold  to  Asa  Cobb,  grandfather  of  the  present 
owner,  who  became  the  first  permanent  settler.  His 
cabm  offered  hospitality  lo  all  passing  between  the  \Vyo- 
ming  valley  and  Connecticut      It  was  for  many  years  the 


^ 


only  habitation  between  Dunmore  and  the   Little  Mead- 
ows, in  Wayne  county. 

The  next  settler,  Elisha  Potter,  made  a  clearing  and  a 
log  cabin  in  1795  on  the  Army  road,  near  the  site  of  the 
saw-mill  of  E.  S.  H.  &  J.  Cobb. 

An  Indian  trail  ran  in  nearly  an  east  and  west  course 
across  the  township,  south  of  Moosic  lake  and  north- 
westerly to  the  top  of  Cobb's  mountain,  which  was  a  place 
for  signal  fires.  On  this  mountain  was  found  at  an  early 
day  a  large  quantity  of  implements  used  by  the  savages 
both  in  hunting  and  war.  There  was  also  an  Indian 
camping  ground  about  a  mile  north  of  J.  Kizer's,  near  A. 
C.  Beemer's  place. 

The  Moosic  or  Cobb's  mountain,  interposing  its  gran- 
ite bowlders  between  Jefferson  and  the  Lackawanna,  has 
shut  off  all  traces  of  coal  formation,  yet  coal  was  discov- 
ered east  of  this  range  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago,  where  an  inventive  genius  had  deposited  it,  having 
been  promised  a  farm  by  the  owner  of  the  land  should  he 
find  coal.  He  got  his  farm,  and  the  capitalist  and  pros- 
pector lived  long  afterward  to  join  in  a  hearty  laugh 
over  what  at  least  one  of  the  parties  considered  a  good 
joke. 

As  late  as  1830  there  were  but  very  few  settlers  in  the 
township.  Some  had  settled  on  the  old  Army  road,  and 
others  at  long  intervals  along  the  foot  of  Moosic  moun- 
tain, as  far  up  as  Rider's  gap.  In  1830  Jacob  Kizer  lo- 
cated where  he  still  lives.  He  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in 
1800.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  Emory, 
was  also  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  Mr.  Kizer  bought  land 
of  John  Spangenburg.  He  is  a  veteran  hunter  and  the 
hero  of  numerous  exciting  and  amusing  "  bear  stories." 
Rider's  gap,  in  the  north  part  of  the  township,  was 
named  after  John  Rider,  who  located  where  Jonathan 
Swingle  now  lives.  Joel  Beers  came  about  1828  or  1830 
and  bought  a  place  of  Asa  Cobb,  on  the  Mountain  road, 
near  the  Cobb  road,  where  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  Among  the  other  inhabitants  in  1830  we  find  John 
Swingle,  Charles  Potter,  William  Barlow,  Abrara  Beards- 
ley,  John  Sharp,  Conrad  Swingle  and  Alonzo  ColHns;  the 
last  named  in  1830  married  Miss  Abigail  Spangenburg. 
Most  of  these  settlers  came  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y. 

A  church  was  organized  as  early  as  1825  by  William 
Barlow,  a  Methodist  Protestant  preacher.  Joseph  Zuilaer, 
Michael  Mack  and  Michael  Henforth  were  among  the 
early  members. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  in  1836  by  Alanson  Stevens, 
where  the  Lehigh  and  Wilkes-Barre  turnpike  crosses  the 
Moosic  creek.  The  property  is  now  owned  and  operated 
by  E.  S.  H.  and  J.  Cobb.  Another  saw-mill  was  built 
about  the  same  time  by  William  Barlow,  on  the  Mountain 
creek,  where  it  crosses  tlie  Mountain  road.  The  next 
was  built  by  Jacob  Kizer,  east  of  his  present  residence. 
Mr.  Kizer  also  had  a  mill  at  Shaver  hollow.  The  steam 
and  water  saw-mills  now  owned  and  operated  by  the 
Kizer  brothers  were  built  originally  by  George  Spangen- 
burg. 

The  pioneer  tannery  was  built  by  Asa  Cobb  and  M. 
McKinney  in  1835,  near  where  Asa  Cobb  now  lives.    The 


vats  were  troughs  dug  out  of  large  logs.  The  tannery  now 
operated  by  H.  B.  Loveland  was  built  by  Horace  Kinney. 
It  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Kelly. 

The  pioneer  store  was  opened  by  John  Loveland,  who 
had  a  harness  shop  in  connection  with  it.  a  little  west  of 
Mr.  Cobb's  residence.  In  1848,  and  for  a  few  years  sub- 
sequent, Miles  &  Stanton  kept  a  store  in  the  wagon  house 
of  J.  Kizer. 

The  first  tavern  was  kept  by  Asa  Cobb,  as  early  as 
1800,  on  the  old  Cobb  place.  This  was  on  the  main 
thoroughfare  from  Connecticut  and  other  eastern  points 
to  the  Wyoming  valley,  and  became  one  of  the  most 
popular  resorts  and  stopping  places   on  the    whole  route. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  by  B.  Myers,  in 
1835,  with  funds  subscribed.  It  was  about  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  east  of  Cobb's,  on  the  turnpike. 
The  first  teacher  here  was  John  Swingle,  and  the  only 
surviving  pupils  are  Asa  and  Amy  Cobb.  The  first 
school,  however,  was  taught  by  Miss  Maria  Waters,  in  a 
log  bam  on  John  Swingle's  farm,  now  owned  by  Charles 
Hoffman.  Asa  and  Amy  Cobb  studied  here.  The  second 
school-house  was  built  in  1835,  at  the  fork  of  the  roads 
north  of  Jacob  Kizer's,  and  the  first  teacher  here  was  a 
Mr.  Chamberlain.  Some  of  the  surviving  pupils  are 
Zachary,  John,  Susan,  J.  E.  and  E.  Kizer;  Maria,  Holley, 
George  and  Andrew  Spangenburg  and  John  Collins. 

The  oldest  grave-yard  in  the  township  is  on  the  Elisha 
Potter  place  on  the  east  boundary  line;  the  first  body 
buried  there  was  that  of  Asa  Cobb,  sen.,  who  died  in 
1808. 

The  first  postmaster  was  A.  L.  Burns.  He  kept  the 
office  at  his  house  on  the  Canaan  road.  Joseph  Myers 
now  owns  the  place.  The  first  mail  carrier  was  Jacob 
Myers. 

The  first  bridge  was  built  in  1826,  across  the  Moosic 
Lake  creek  at  Cobb's  Mills. 

The  population  of  this  township  waj  776  in  1870  and 
794  in  1880. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  for 
lefferson  township,  with  the  years  of  their  election  : 
Jacob  Kizer,  1840;  Jacob  Myers,  1845;  Jairus  M.  Buck- 
ingham, 1847;  Jacob  E.  Myers,  1850,  1865,  1870;  C.  S. 
Cobb,  1855,  i860;  Marcus  Day,  1855,  i860;  Asa  Cobb, 
1840,  1865,  1870;  James  L.  Brown,  1875;  H.  V.  Mitchell, 
1877;   Frank  Raushmire,  1878. 

Pioneer  Roads. 

In  1769  a  narrow  road,  long  called  the  "Cobb  road," 
was  opened  from  the  province  of  New  York  to  the  Wyo- 
ming valley.  This  was  the  only  road  entering  the  valley 
from  the  eastward  from  1769  to  1772.  Among  the  fur 
traders  traversing  this  lone  forest  path  was  the  afterward 
celebrated  John  Jacob  Astor.  In  1793  there  were  but 
three  dwellings  on  this  road  from  the  Paupack  clearings, 
in  Wayne  county,  to  the  Lackawanna — one  at  Little 
Meadows,  Cobb's,  and  Allsworth's,  at  Dunmore.  This 
road  is  known  also  as  the  "  old  Army  road,"  over  which 
Sullivan  marched  a  portion  of  his  troops  in  1779,  on  their 
way  to  the  Wyoming  valley  and  thence  to  western  New 


=^H 


^h 


480 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY 


York.  The  Luzerne  and  Wayne  Turnpike  Company  fol- 
lowed nearly  the  line  of  the  old  Army  road  when  it  built 
its  turnpike  in  1826  and  1827;  and  this  route  is  known  as 
the  Cobb  road,  Army  road  and  Luzerne  and  Wayne  turn- 
pike. 

The  second  road  is  the  one  running  from  W.  L.  Peek's, 
on  the  Cobb  road,  to  near  J.  Swingle's  place,  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  township,  and  known  as  the  Mountain 
road,  from  the  fact  of  its  running  along  the  foot  of  Ca- 
poose  or  Cobb  mountain. 

Villages. 

No.  21. — This  is  the  number  of  a  plane  on  the  Penn- 
sylvania Coal  Company's  gravity  railroad.  In  1847,  when 
the  road  was  building,  this  became  a  center.  Settlers 
came,  and  at  present  there  are  about  200  inhabitants. 
There  are  here  the  stores  of  G.  M.  &  A.  S.  Keyes  and  B. 
J.  Cameron,  and  the  hotel  kept  by  Alpheus  Compton. 
Blacksmithing  is  done  by  J.  L.  Brown.  The  shoemakers 
are  J.  H.  Edwards  and  H.  T>.  Spangenburg. 

A  post-office  under  the  name  of  Drinker  was  established 
here  in  1878,  with  G.  M.  Keyes  as  postmaster. 

Gravity  Lodge,  No.  945,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  organized 
April  6th,  1877,  at  No.  21,  with  the  following  officers: 
Asa  Compton,  N.  G.;  J.  W.  Fisher,  V.  G.;  S.  S.  Swartz, 
secretary;  J.  L.  Brown,  assistant  secretary;  Rhodes  Berry, 
treasurer.  The  chief  officers  in  May,  1880,  were:  J.  C. 
Lang,  N.  G.;  N.  Ferris,  V.  G.;  J.  L.  Brown,  secretary. 
The  membership  is  37. 

Kizkr's  Mills 

is  a  hamlet  of  about  60  inhabitants.  There  are  water 
and  steam  power  saw-mills  and  a  brush  handle  factory 
here.  The  steam  saw-mill  was  built  in  1875.  The  aver- 
age amount  of  lumber  turned  out  by  these  mills  is  about 
300,000  feet  annually.  J.  E.  Kizer  is  making  all  kinds 
of  brush  handles  and  other  wooden  ware.  A  post-office, 
named  Kizer's,  was  established  here  in  October,  1879, 
with  H.  A.  Kizer  as  postmaster.  Kizer's  store  was  built 
in  1879. 


LACKAWANNA  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  portions  of 
Pittston  and  Providence  townships,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1839.  The  population  in  i88o  was 
5,822.  Concerning  the  origin  of  the  name  a 
historian  has  written:  "  Lackawanna  is  a 
corruption  of  the  Indian  Lee-ha-iigh-hunt  m  Lec- 
haw-hatina;  Lee-haw  or  Lee-ha,  the  prefix,  sig- 
nifies the  forks  or  points  of  intersection:  hanna,  as  in 
Susquehanna,Tobyhanna,  Toppahannock,  Rappahannock, 
Tunkhannock  and  Tunkhanna,  implies,  in  Indian  lan- 
guage, a  stream  of  water.  Hence  the  name  Lackawanna, 
the  meeting  of  two  streams." 

Lackawanna  was  settled    by  Connecticut  Yankees  as 
early  as  1769  or  1770.      This  territory  was  a  part  of  that 


in   dispute  between   the   Yankees   and  the  Pennamites. 
Topez  Williams,  Silas  Parks  and  Prince  Alden,  Connecti- 
cut claimants,  were  dispossessed   by  the   Pennamites  in 
1770.       In  1771    the  following  persons   "drew  lands  in 
Lackawanny:"     Jacob    Anguish,     Peter    Daman,    John 
Osborn,    John    Depeiw,    Levi    Green,    Peter   Matthews, 
James  Hesdale,  David  Sanford,  by  Jenks   Corey,  David 
Brown,    Martin    Weilson,    Elipolet    Stevens,    Daniel   St. 
John,  Elizar  FiUsbury,  Stephen   Wilkox,  Richard  Wood- 
ward, Samujl  Slaughter,  Ebenezer  West,  Samuel  Stubbs, 
by  Austin   Hunt;   Ebenezer  Marcy,  by  Isaac  Allen,  and 
Caleb   Bates,  by  William   Hopkins.       In   1772   Jeremiah 
Blanchard,  Abrara  Harden,  Richard  West,  Samuel  Slater, 
John  Corey,  Daniel   Haller,  Joseph   Fish   and    Ebenezer 
Bachus  drew  lots  north  of  the  Lackawanna  river,  and  on 
the  south  side  the  following:    Jonathan  Corey,  Ebenezer 
West,  David  Sanford,  Abraham  Utter,  Stephen  Harding, 
Ebenezer  Marcy,  Augustus  Hunt,  Captain   Bates,  David 
Brown  and  James  Fledget. 

It  was  voted,  April  25th,  1772,  by  the  Susquehanna 
Company,  "  that  those  35  men  that  is  now  in  ye  township 
of  Lockavvorna  shall  be  entitled  to  all  ye  Companyes 
Rights  to  sd.  township." 

December  17th,  1771,  it  was  voted  that  Joseph  David 
Sanford,  Barnabas  Gary,  Elezer  Gary,  jr.,  Arter  French, 
John  Frazier,  Timothy  Reine,  jr.,  Stephen  Harden  and 
Caleb  Bates  "  have  each  one  a  Settling  Right  in  ye  town- 
ship." 

Barnabas  Carey  built  the  first  log  cabin  erected  by  the 
white  man  above  the  falls  of  the  Lackawanna.  The  next 
year  he  sold  his  claim  to  "  the  eight  meadow  lott  in  ye 
township  Lockaworna  to  Jeremiah  Blanchard  for  thirteen 
pounds  and  four  shillings."  Constant  Searles  and  John 
Phillips  located  in  the  valley  in  1771.  Frank  Phillips, 
who  was  voted  a  "settling  right  "in  December,  1771,  was 
only  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  settled  in  the  "  gore," 
between  Pittston  and  Providence.  Six  years  later 
Phillips's  farm  was  sold  to  hi-s  son, John,  for  thirty  pounds, 
current  money.  Phillips  and  his  family  were  among  those 
driven  from  their  farms  in  1784,  in  a  manner  so  graphi- 
cally described  by  Hon.  Charles  Miner  in  nis  history  of 
Wyoming.  After  the  compromising  laws  had  pacified  the 
valley  PhiHips  returned  and  took  possession  of  his  former 
farm.  The  Westmoreland  records  of  1772  inform  us  that 
"Augustine  Hunt,  one  of  ye  Proprietors  in  ye  Susque- 
hanna Purchois,  has  made  a  pitch  of  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  of  Land  in  Lockaworna  township." 

The  first  saw  and  grist-mills  were  built  by  the  town 
(then  Pittston)  in  1774,  just  below  the  falls  on  the  Lacka- 
wanna river.  In  1775  they  were  sold  to  Solomon  Strong, 
and  soon  afterward  were  destroyed  by  a  flood.  In  1779 
Mr.  Keys  built  a  saw-mill  on  one  of  the  creeks  emptying 
mto  the  Lackawanna,  and  the  lumber  for  Lord  Butler's 
dwelling  in  Wilkes-Barre  was  sawed  at  this  mill  and 
rafted  down  the  river.  The  next  mills  were  built  along 
up  the  Lackawanna,  and  have  gone  to  decay. 

Civil  List  of    Lack.\wanna. 

The  following  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace  from 


4" 


t 


MINES  AND  VILLAGES  OF  LACKAWANNA  TOWNSHIP. 


481 


the  ado])tion  of  the  State  constitution   in  1838  to  1878, 

when  the  township  was  merged  in  Lackawanna  county: 

Comer  Phillips,  1840, 1845;  James  S.  Kennedy,  1840;  George  W.  Smith, 
1848;  Newman  Brown,  1850;  G.  M.  Miller,  1855, 1880;  Andrew  W.  Wheeler, 
ISie;  George  W.  Albright,  1858, 1859,  1811;  John  D.  Miller,  1805;  Lyman 
Drake,  1861,  Robert  Eng-liser,  1809;  John  Hale,  1873;  Martin  McDonough, 
1872, 1877;  Terrenoe  MoAndrew,  1877. 

IjACkawanna's  Coal  Mines. 

Taylor  shaft,  a  little  north  of  Taylorsville,  is  owned  by 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com- 
pany. In  1878  there  were  employed  in  this  shaft  353 
men  and  boys,  who  produced  102,392  tons  of  coal. 
Sloan  shaft,  owned  by  the  same  company,  is  in  the  north 
part  of  the  township.  There  were  employed  at  this  shaft 
during  1878  317  men  and  boys,  and  the  mine  produced 
97,840  tons.  Bellevue  slope  and  shaft,  in  the  north 
corner  of  the  township  and  owned  by  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Company,  produced 
in  1878  126,540  tons  of  coal,  employing  369  men  and 
boys.  Greenwood  colliery,  in  the  south  part  of  the 
township,  employed  393  men  and  boys  in  1878,  who  pro- 
duced 139,44s  tons  of  coal.  Spring  Brook  colliery  pro- 
duced 49,408  tons  in  1878,  employing  241  men  and  boys. 
Hampton  shaft,  on  the  boundary  line  of  the  towni^hip, 
is  owned  by  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  Company.  In  1878  there  were  13  men  and 
boys  employed.  Dodge  shaft,  in  the  north  part  of  the 
township  and  owned  by  the  same  company,  was  idle 
during  1878.     The  same  is  true  of  Archbald  shaft. 

Moosic. 

Moosic  has  a  population  of  about  600.  Here  is  the 
Langcliffe  mission  church,  built  in  1880  by  the  Moosic 
Powder  Company,  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000.  The  build- 
ing is  of  wood,  in  octagon  form,  covered  with  slate  and 
has  a  bell  tower  in  front.  The  windows  are  of  stained 
glass;  the  seats  are  placed  in  semi-circular  form,  facing 
the  north  side,  where  is  a  beautiful  platform  of  modern 
architecture.     Rev.  Andrew  Brydie  supplies  the  pulpit. 

There  are  also  at  this  place  six  stores,  four  blacksmith 
shops,  two  lumber  yards,  two  physicians,  two  hotels  and 
the  Moosic  powder  works.  An  account  of  the  latter  ap- 
pears on  page  409,  in  the  history  of  Scranton,  where  the 
general  office  is  located. 

Taylorville. 

At  Taylorville  and  in  the  immediate  vicinity  are  the 
Taylor,  Pyne,  Archbald  and  Sibley  coal  mines. 

The  first  settlers  were  Eleazer  Atherton,  who  located 
before  1800  where  Ira  C.  Atherton  now  lives,  and  John 
Atherton,  who  settled  in  1800,  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  Company.  Benjamin  Pedrick 
came  about  the  same  time.  The  pioneer  tavern  was  kept 
Casper  Obendorfer,  where  Weber's  Union  Hotel  now 
stands.  The  first  store  was  kept  by  James  A.  Gordon  in 
1816,  just  below  Ira  C.  Atherton's.  Adam  A.  and  John 
A.  Coon  came  here  in  1818. 

There  are  at  this  place  six  churches  (Calvinistic 
Methodist,  Methodist  Episcopal,  Welsh  Congregational, 


Welsh  Baptist,  Primitive  Methodist  and  Gernifn  Baptist), 
nine  stores,  six  taverns,  a  barber  shop,  two  livery  stables, 
an  undertaker,  two  shoe  shops,  a  meat  market,  a  drug 
store,  a  school-house  and  about  3,000  inhabitants. 

The  first  church  was  built  in  1848,  in  the  cemetery  op- 
posite the  Union  House,  on  Main  street. 

SECRET    SOCIETIES   AT    TAYLORVILLE. 

Martin  Luther  Lodge,  No.  22,  Junior  American  Protes- 
tant Association  was  organized  April  23d,  1875,  with  the 
following  charter  members,  who  were  also  the  first 
officers:  Morgan  J.  Watkins,  John  Stone.  Thomas  W. 
Watkins,  John  Francis,  John  W.  Reese,  John  Harris, 
Joseph  R.  Howells,  Henry  B.  Jones,  James  Evans,  David, 
James  and  Benjamin  J.  Thomas.  It  admits  none  but 
male  Protestants,  between  the  ages  of  16  and  30.  The 
membership  is  48.  The  present  officers  are  as  follows: 
W.  M.,  Thomas  \V.  Reese;  W.  D.  M.,  John  T.  Reese;  R. 
Sec,  Joseph  R.  Howells;  A.  R.  S.,  William  J.  Hoskin?; 
Treas,,  Henry  B.  Jones;  F.  S.,  John  T.  Walkins;  Chap., 
Thomas  R.  Davies;  C,  Thomas  D.  Jones;  A  C,  Thomas 
Reynolds;  I.  T.,  Thomas  Williams;  O.  T.,  William 
Carter. 

Temple  of  Love  No.  7,  /vorit\\  District  D. — This  tem- 
ple was  instituted  June  22nd,  187 1,  with  fifty  char- 
ter members  and  the  following  officers:  President,  Rev. 
James  R.  Price;  vice-president,  William  M.'  Hughes; 
secretary,  Evan  W.  Hughes.  All  temple  business  is 
transacted  in  the  Welsh  language.  The  temple  property 
is  valued  at  $200,  besides  a  fund  of  $900  on  interest. 
The  present  officers  are:  President,  Thomas  E.  Evans; 
vice-president,  James  E.  Rees;  secretary,  William  J. 
Jones.     Present  membership  88. 

Other  Villages 

At  Minooka  there  is  a  Roman  Catholic  church,  three 
or  four  stores,  a  small  tavern,  blacksmith,  shoe  and  other 
shops,  a  school-house  and  about  500  inhabitants. 

Feltsville,  named  after  Isaac  P'elts,  is  a  mining  town 
owned  by  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  Company,  and  has  four  or  five  hundred  inhabi- 
tants. 


LEHIGH  TOWNSHIP. 


'PON  the  formation  of  Lackawanna  county  its 
southwestern  line  ran  through  the  township 
of  Buck,  dividing  it  into  nearly  equal  parts, 
and  that  portion  lying  east  of  the  new  line 
was  subsequently  named  Lehigh,  from  the 
river. 

The  first  settler  was  Isaac  Lewis,  who  is  still 
living.  He  purchased  land  of  Charles  Terwilliger  along 
the  Lehigh  river  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  township. 
He  came  in  1842  and  built  the  first  framed  house  in  the 
township.  The  first  year  he  was  here  he  cleared  thirty 
acres,  planted  it  all   to   corn,  and    raised   the  first   crop 


^1= 


at 


4- 


482 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


raised  in  Lehigh.  He  was  the  first  man  married  in  this 
township. 

The  pioneer  school  was  kept  in  Mrs.  G.  F.  Wardnall's 
house,  near  G.  Chamberlain's,  on  the  plank  road,  and 
the  first  school-house  was  built  in  1870.  It  is  known  as 
the  "Briar  Patch"  school-house  and  stands  a  little  up 
from  the  plank  road  on  the  road  to  D.  Nagle's  saw-mill. 
There  are  now  two  school-houses. 

The  first  graveyard  was  the  one  near  Mrs.  Nagle's,  and 
the  first  interment  was  that  of  Mrs.  John  Scott. 

The  pioneer  saw-mill  was  built  by  D.  Nagle  at  the  end 
of  the  highway  leading  up  Choke  creek. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  were  G.  Stinger,  S.  and 
H.  Nagle,  A.  A.  Chase,  A.  and  G.  Chamberlain,  A.  Her- 
bin,  G.  Rinker,  Adam  Gott,  J.  Williams,  J.  L.  Scott  and 
P.  Vandom. 

The  township  is  settled  only  along  the  Lehigh,  and 
has  a  population  of  793. 


GOULDSBOROUGH. 


iHIS  borough  was  formed  May  12th,  1871,  from 

that  part  of  Buck  township,  Luzerne  county, 

which   is   now  Lehigh,  Lackawanna  county. 

The  first  charter  election  was  held  May  30th, 

1872,   when  the    following  officers    were   chosen: 

Burgess,   James  McAsy;  councilmen,   Charles    F. 

Call,  James    H.  Hoffman,  J.  C.  Moe,  William  Mc- 

Daniel  Snyder  and    James  McAsy.     James  H.   Hoffman 

was  elected  president   and   Charles  F.  Call   secretary  of 

the  board  of  councilmen. 

The  following  persons  have  served  as  burgesses  of  the 
borouf^h:  James  Mc.^sy,  1872-74;  William  Leonard,  1875, 
1876;  Samuel  Smith,  1877;  John  B.Gardner,  1878,1879; 
1).  S.  Engler,  1880. 

The  town  council  for  1S80  consisted  of  James  McAsy 
(president],  Simon  Smith,  A.  Y.  Transue  and  G.  E.  Brown 
(secretary). 

J.  C.  Moe  was  elected  justice  in  1S73,  J.  S.  Bachman 
in  1874  and  R.  C.  Drum  in  1877. 

The  population  of  the  borough  is  250. 

Settlement  and  Business  History. 

Hon.  James  McAsy  came  to  this  place  in  April,  1856, 
with  Colonel  Zadoc  Pratt,  when  not  a  tree  had  been  cut 
except  in  making  a  roadway.  He  built  on  the  site  of  the 
house  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  McAsy,  a  little  east  of  the 
borough. 

The  first  tannery  here  was  built  in  1856,  by  Zadoc 
Pratt  and  Jay  Gould  (since  the  world-renowned  railroad 
operator),  and  operated  by  them  from  August,  1857,  to 
February,  1859,  when  Pratt  sold  his  share  to  Gould,  who 
sold  a  two-third  interest  to  Loup  &  Lee,  of  New  York. 
This  was  an  unhappy  copartnership,  resulting  in  the  death 
of   Mr.  Loup.     In    i86o   occurred   the  "  Gouldsborough 


war,''  resulting  in  several  persons  being  shot,  and  in  Mr. 
Gould's  gaining  and  retaining  possession  of  the  tannery 
property.  Nothing  remains  of  the  tannery  but  the  black- 
ened outlines. 

The  pioneer  store  was  built  in  1856,  by  ^oseph  Fenner, 
on  the  corner  of  the  street  opposite  Hon.  James  McAsy's 
hotel.  It  is  now  occupied  by  Drum  Brothers  as  a  general 
dry  goods  and  fancy  store. 

The  first  postmaster  was  Jay  Gould,  appointed  in  1856. 
The  hotel  now   kepi   by   Hon.  J.  McAsy    was   built  in 
1858;  he  bought  it  in  1864,  and  has  occupied  it  since  1865. 
The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  in  1856;  the  pres- 
ent one  in  1870. 

The  second  store  was  built  by  Hon.  James  McAsy  in 
1867,  and  he  was  in  trade  till  1870.  Rev.  R.  C.  Gill, 
pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church,  now  lives  in  the  building.  The 
next  store  was  built  by  Abial  Leonard,  opposite  the  M. 
E.  church. 

In  1858  a  plank  road  was  built  by  a  stock  company 
from  Gouldsborough  to  the  Sand  Cut  station  on  the  D., 
L.  &  W.  railroad,  a  distance  of  eleven  miles,  at  a  cost  of 
$22,000.     It  is  still  kept  up  as  a  toll  road. 

In  1866  an  establishment  for  extracting  the  juices  from 
hemlock  bark  was  built  at  this  place  by  George  Blakely, 
who  operated  it  until  1868,  when  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire. 

Woodlawn  Tannery  was  built  in  1867,  by  H.  D.  H.  Sny- 
der, at  a  cost  of  $35,000,  with  a  capacity  for  tanning  an- 
nually 85,000  sides  of  leather.  In  1873  it  was  purchased 
by  Hoyt  Brothers,  of  New  York,  by  whom  it  is  now  op- 
erated. They  also  have  a  store,  and  a  wagon  and  black- 
smith shop  in  connection  with  the  tannery,  and  employ 
annually  about  60  men. 

Churches. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — As  early  as  1845  the  itinerant 
preached  at  the  "Briar  Patch"  school-house,  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  east  of  Gouldsborough.  A  class  is  said  to 
have  been  formed  from  which  resulted  the  building  of 
the  present  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  on  Main  street, 
in  1857  or  1858,  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,000.  It  is  a 
very  neat  wooden  building  seating  about  200.  The 
present  membership  is  27. 

The  Sunday-school  numbers  60  pupils.  Peter  Wil- 
liams is  superintendent. 

The  pastors  at  Stoddardsville  have  been  the  preachers 
here.  The  Rev.  Richard  C.  Gill  is  closing  his  third  year's 
service  in  this  place. 

Roman  Catholic— '^\\e.  Roman  Catholic  church  at 
Gouldsliorough  was  dedicated  November  9th,  1870,  by 
Bishop  O'Hara,  of  Scranton,  assisted  by  Father 
McManiis,  of  Dunmore.  It  is  of  wood,  26  by  40  feet, 
and  cost  $1,400.  The  lot,  on  Main  street,  was  donated 
by  Hon.  James  McAsy,  who  was  one  of  the  original  mem- 
bers. Others  were  Daniel,  Patrick,  John,  Ann,  Mary, 
Alice  and  Eliza  McAsy.  The  present  membership  is  70. 
This  is  a  mission  church,  and  is  attended  by  Rev.  Father 
Broderick,  of  Dunmore.  The  value  of  the  church  prop- 
erty is  $2,000. 


=^N 


♦^^ 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

CLIFTON,  COVINGTON,  JEFFERSON,  LEHIGH,  MADISON,  ROARING  BROOK  AND  SPRING  BROOK 

TOWNSHIPS  AND  GOULDSBORO. 


* 


Obadiah  Arnold  is  a  miller  at  Moscow.  He  was 
born  in  Stroudsburg,  Pa.,  May  20th,  1844,  and  was 
married  in  1872  to  Miss  Lucretia  A.  White,  of  Terry, 
Bradford  county.  Pa.  Their  children  are  :  A.  E.,  born 
July  17th,  1873,  and  Gracie  E.,  born  July  12th,  1879. 

J.  S.  Bachman  is  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  from  1873  to  1877  was  a  councilman  of 
Gouldsboro.  He  was  born  in  Lehigh  county.  Pa.,  Feb- 
ruary 14th,  1838,  and  was  married  October  nth,  1873,  to 
Julia  A.  Gress,  of  Covington,  Pa.    They  have  five  children. 

William  K.  Beck,  manufacturer  of  all  kinds  of  lum- 
ber at  Beck's  Mills,  was  born  in  Stockport,  Pa.,  in  1849. 
He  was  married  in  1870  to  Miss  H.  M.  Hollister,  of 
Covington,  Pa.     They  have  five  children. 

L.  C.  BoRTREE,  farmer,  was  born  in  Moscow,  Pa.,  June 
24th,  1832.  He  served  three  years  in  the  199th  Penn- 
sylvania volunteers,  and  has  been  deputy  sheriff  for 
twenty-two  years.  He  was  prominently  active  in  quell- 
ing the  riots  at  Scranton  in  1877,  and  was  three  times 
honorably  acquitted  for  the  supposed  shooting  of  Mollie 
Maguires  during  the  riots.  He  was  married  January 
28th,  1866,  to  Rebecca  Wardell,  of  Covington,  Pa. 

T.  R.  BowEN  was  born  July  5th,  185 1,  in  Scranton, 
Pa.,  and  went  to  Iowa  in  May,  1880.  He  is  a  tinsmith 
and  dealer  in  hardware. 

William  Bowen  was  born  in  South  Wales,  October 
x6th,  1822,  came  to  America  in  1849,  located  in  Coving- 
ton in  1869,  and  died  July  5th,  1877.  His  wife  was  Ann 
Powell,  of  South  Wales.  Mr.  Bowen  was  a  farmer  at 
the  time  of  his  death. 

George  E.  Brown,  superintendent  of  Woodlawn  tan- 
nery, Gouldsboro,  was  born  in  Stamford,  Conn.,  Novem- 
ber 13th,  1844.  He  was  married  January  27th,  1870,  to 
Lizzie  Maddock,  of  England.    They  have  three  children. 

George  E.  Chamberlain  is  a  farmer  and  lumberman 
at  Gouldsboro.  He  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa., 
March  21st,  1838.  He  paid  $600  for  a  substitute  during 
the  civil  war.  He  married  Sarah  Butler,  of  Wayne 
county.  Pa. 

Alfred  Chamberlain,  also  a  farmer  and  lumberman, 
living  at  Gouldsboro,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  in  1822. 
He  was  married  in  1863  to  Emma  L.  Widnall,  of  Lon- 
don, England.     They  have  five  children. 

W.  T.  Clements,  a  merchant  of  the  firm  of  Gaige  & 
Clements,  of  Moscow,  since  1864,  was  born  November 
6th,  1840,  in  Salem,  Pa.,  and  came  to  Moscow  in  Novem- 
ber, 1858.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Angelicher  Yeager, 
September  13th,  1864.  They  have  one  child,  H.  L., 
born  September  23d,  1873.  Mr.  C.  is  part  owner  of  the 
grist-mill  of  H.  L.  Gaige  &  Co. 

Alpheus  Compton,  of  Drinker,  proprietor  of  the  hotel 
at  No.  21,  was  born  February  8th,  1834,  in  Jefferson. 
His  wife  was  Bedelia  Simonds,  of  Ireland.  Of  their 
children  Friend  was  born  August  13th,  1874,  and  died 
January  6th,  1877.  Cora,  born  August  21st,  1875,  died 
November  21st,  1875.      Fred,  was  born  April  7th,  1878. 

Rev.  Mark  Dale  is  a  farmer  as  well  as  a  clergyman. 
He  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  July  ist,  1816,  and 
located  in  Covington  in  1840.  He  has  held  several 
township  offices.  He  was  first  married  in  1839,  to  Miss 
L.  Tribley,  who  subsequently  died.  He  was  married 
July  4th,  1843,  to  Mary  Ann  Bennett.  He  is  the  father 
of  thirteen  children. 

William  Dale  is  a  merchant  and  lumber  dealer,  and 
postmaster  at  Daleville.  He  was  born  in  England,  in 
November,  1809,  and  married  November  29th,  1834, 
Susan  Hodgson,  of  Daleville. 

E.    W.    Davis,    a   great-great-grandson   of   Ebenezer 


Marcy,  of  Wyoming  and  Lackwanna  fame,  was  born  in 
Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  November  12th,  1849,  and  came  to 
Dunning  in  1871,  where  he  has  been  employed  as  rail- 
road station  agent  and  telegraph  operator.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1878  to  Miss  Sarah  Noack,  of  Moscow,  Pa. 

P.  O.  Dixon,  proprietor  of  the  Central  Hotel,  Mos- 
cow, was  born  in  Dalton,  Pa.,  in  1853. 

Patrick  Doran,  a  farmer  of  Covington,  was  born  in 
reliii,  February  22nd,  1814;  cams  to  America  in  1838, 
and  located  in  Covington  in  1840.  He  served  three 
years  and  three  months  in  the  107th  Pennsylvania  vol- 
unteers. He  was  married  August  13th,  1843,  to  Harriet 
H.  Hands,  of  England. 

William  H.  Dotter  is  a  millwright  and  lumberman. 
He  was  born  in  Carbon  county,  September  4th,  1845, 
and  married  in  1867  Maggie  E.  Bush,  of  Monroe  county. 
Pa. 

A.  R.  Dunn  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  December  4th 
1814.  He  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1848,  and  is  a  rail- 
road conductor. 

John  Dunstone,  a  retired  farmer  of  Moscow,  was 
born  in  Somersetshire,  England,  in  August,  1808,  and  lo- 
cated in  Moscow  in  1858.  His  wife  was  Mary  Sparks, 
of  Somerset,  England. 

W.  B.  Edwards,  undertaker  and  carriagemaker  at 
Dunning,  was  born  in  Abington,  Pa.,  May  27th,  1828. 
He  was  married  in  1857  to  Miss  Ann  Sherwood,  of 
Blakely,  Pa. 

William  Ehrgood,  manufacturer  of  woodenware  at 
Moscow,  was  born  in  Greene,  Pike  county.  Pa.,  January 
ist,  1842.  He  was  married  in  1867,  to  Julia  Sayers,  of 
White  Haven,  who  was  born  January  i8th,  1852.  They 
have  one  child,  Alvin  B.,  born  February  loth,  1872. 

A.  P.  Gardner,  M.  D.,  proprietor  and  manager  of 
Glen  Home  farm,  was  born  in  Warren,  Orange  county, 
N.  Y.,  May  12th,  1S18,  and  was  one  of  a  family  of  seven 
children.  His  ancestors  were  from  England,  and  located 
on  Long  Island.  He  graduated  in  New  York  in  1841, 
and  located  in  Carbondale,  Pa.  In  i860  he  removed  to 
his  farm.  His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth  G.  Gardner,  who 
died  in  1850,  leaving  two  children.  He  was  married  in 
1855  to  his  present  wife,  Mary  Augusta  Tremper,  of  Yates 
county,  N.  Y. 

Milton  J.  Gerhart  was  born  in  Bucks  county.  Pa., 
in  1826,  and  was  married  in  1847  to  Miss  Catharine  M. 
Slate,  of  Sterling,  Pa.  They  have  had  nine  children. 
Mr.  Gerhart  has  been  in  the  milling  business  for  thirty- 
six  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  203d  Pa.  volunteers. 
He  is  the  inventor  of  Gerhart's  buck  huUer. 

Rev.  Richard  Chappell  Gill  was  born  in  Barnsley, 
England,  November'  i6th,  1841.  He  was  formerly  a 
book-keeper.  He  is  now  a  member  of  the  Wyoming 
Conference,  and  stationed  at  Gouldsboro.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Elizabeth  Temperton,  of  Lincolnshire,  England. 

Charles  A.  Havenstrite  was  born  in  Montgomery 
county.  Pa.,  February  25th,  1810.  He  was  married  May 
i6th,  1836,  to  Catharine  Hunter,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Their  children  are:  Mary,  born  July  28th,  1838;  James, 
August  loth,  1840;  William,  October  21st,  1842  (died 
July  24th,  1843);  Martha,  born  August  9th,  1844;  Eme- 
line,  September  26th,  1846  (died  November  24th,  1850); 
Charles,  born  August  23d,  1849.  Mr.  Havenstrite  is  a 
retired  farmer. 

Alanson  Hind,  a  liveryman  and  farmer  of  Moscow, 
was  born  in  Schoharie,  N.  Y.,  August  23d,  1823.  He 
was  a  lieutenant  in  the  old  militia.  He  was  married  Jan- 
uary 23d,  1845,  to  Sarah  J.  Depew,  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
was  born  in   1821. 


< 


4S2A 


Hi- 


4, 


482  2>' 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


HoLGATE  Brothers,  at  Holgate  Mills,  succeeded  S. 
G.  Holgate  in  1873  in  the  manufacture  of  brush  blocks 
of  all  kinds. 

M.  W.  Hurley,  a  native  of  Honesdale,  Wayne  county, 
Pa.,  was  born  October  27th,  1832.  In  his  youth  he 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in  the 
8th  Pennsylvania  volunteers  for  three  months;  afterward 
served  three  years  as  first  sergeant  of  Company  M  3d 
Illinois  cavalry;  was  then  detailed  to  the  quartermaster's 
department  and  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war.  In 
1873  he  married  Miss  Josephine  Trible,  of  Daleville,  Pa., 
where  he  engaged  in  blacksmithing,  wagon  making  and 
farming. 

Lewis  Jones,  of  Daleville,  proprietor  of  the  Daleville 
House,  was  born  in  Berlin,  Pa.,  May  18th,  1846.  He 
was  first  married  September  29th,  1873,  to  Miss  Myra 
Hine.  He  was  married  in  1879  to  Mrs.  Emma  Smith.  G. 
F.  Smith,  son  of  Mrs.  Jones,  was  born  March  17th,  1879. 

William  H.  Jones,  of  Yostville,  is  a  farmer.  He  was 
born  in  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  May  3d,  1828.  He  located 
at  Yostville  when  that  place  was  a  wilderness.  He  was 
married  February  6th,  1848,  to  Mary  C.  Felts,  who  was 
born  January  28th,  1828. 

A.  S.  Keyes,  of  the  firm  of  A.  S.  &  G.  M.  Keyes,  at 
Drinker,  or  Plane  No.  21,  is  engaged  in  a  general  mer- 
cantile business.  He  was  born  December  22nd,  1847, 
in  Wayne  county.  Pa.,  and  was  married  November  25th, 
1869,  to  Martha  Bunnell,  of  that  county.  Their  children 
are:  Minor  E.,  born  May  17th,  1871;  Frank  O.,  March 
26th,  1873,  and  Ellis  D.,  November  28th,  1874.  G.  M. 
Keyes  was  born  in  Dyberry,  Pa.,  August  24lh,  1850,  and 
was  married  November  19th,  i86g,  to  Olive  Allen,  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  Pa. 

Jonathan  E.  Kizer,  Kizer's  Mills,  was  born  in  New 
Jersey,  in  1830,  and  was  married  March  29th,  1863,  to 
Lienor  Bartlow,  of  Jefferson,  Pa.  They  have  five  chil- 
dren. Mr.  Kizer  is  the  proprietor  of  the  Jefferson  saw 
and  planing-mills,  where  he  manufactures  lumber  and 
broom  handles. 

Zachariah  Kizer  is  a  farmer  and  lumberman.  He 
was  born  in  Jefferson  in  1832.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary 
Bartlow,  of  Jefferson.  They  were  married  in  1854  and 
have  eight  children  living. 

John  Latouche,  railroad  agent  at  Moscow,  has  been 
in  the  employ  of  the  D.,  L.  &W.  Railroad  since  1856.  He 
was  born  in  Union  Village,  Washington  county,  N.  Y., 
February  23d,  1837.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  L.  Depew, 
of  Moscow. 

Mason  D.  Lear,  foreman  in  Staples  &  Brown's 
clothes-pin  factory,  was  born  in  Goshen,  N.  Y.,  Decem- 
ber 2nd,  1849.  He  was  married  September  19th,  1876, 
to  Phebe  C.  Staples,  of  Spraguesville,  Pa. 

Fred  E.  Lear,  who  is  an  engineer  at  Staples's  steam 
mills,  was  born  in  Goshen,  N.  Y.,  January  17th,  1853. 

Hon.  James  McAsy,  farmer  and  proprietor  of  the 
Gouldsboro  House,  was  a  member  of  the  State  Legis- 
lature for  1875  and  1876.  He  was  born  in  Queens 
county,  Ireland,  July  i6th,  1827,  and  married  in  1874 
Catharine  Brannan,  of  Ulster  county,  N.  Y. 

W.  H.  Reese  is  a  contractor  and  lumberman,  also 
postmaster  at  Clifton.  He  was  born  in  Monroe  county, 
Pa.,  December  29th,  1837,  and  in  1868  married  Emma 
Smith,  of  Chestnut  township,  Pa.  He  served  through 
the  Rebellion  with  the  Pennsylvania  reserves,  and  was 
at  one  time  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels. 

Merritt  Scott,  a  farmer  of  Spring  Brook,  was  born 
in  Lackawanna,  Pa.,  August  19th,  1823.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  April,  1842,  to  Julia  A.  Decker,  of  Lackawanna, 
Pa.,  and  is  the  father  of  twelve  children. 

Andrew  Sheley  is  a  blacksmith  at  Gouldsborough. 
He  was  born   January    31st,     1832,  in   Warsock,  N.  Y. 


He  was  married  September  2rst,  18^5,  to  Maria  J. 
Sherman,  of  New  York  State.  They  have  three  children. 
Edward  Simpson  is  a  farmer  and  lumberman  at 
Moscow.  He  was  born  at  Stoddardsville,  Pa.,  October 
2rst,  1823.  He  was  married  in  1845  to  Anna  M.  Smith, 
of  Queen  Anne  county,  Md. 

John  Simpson,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Turnersville, 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Armagh,  County  Tyrone,  Ire- 
land, in  December,  1789,  and  emigrated  to  Philadelphia 
about  1810.  He  married  Mary  McCurdy,  who  was  born 
in  Londonderry,  Ireland,  December  31st,  1792.  They 
had  seven  sons  and  five  daughters.  In  1817  the  family 
removed  to  Stoddardsville,  Pa.,  and  finally  to  Turners- 
ville. John  Simpson  died  August  9th,  1866,  having 
long  filled  a  most  important  place  in  the  community  in 
which  he  lived. 

Samuel  Snyder,  blacksmith  and  laborer  at  Goulds- 
boro, was  born  in  Jackson,  Monroe  county,  Pa.,  Novem- 
ber 22nd,  1847.  He  was  married  in  1875,  '°  Sophia 
Deiter,  of  Monroe  county,  Pa. 

A.  R.  Spicer,  book-keeper  at  Gouldsboro,  was  born  in 
Wellsville,  Allegany  county,  N.  Y.,  June  27th,  1853. 

Daniel  Staples  is  a  merchant  and  manufacturer  of 
clothes  pins  at  Staplesville.  He  was  born  July  27th, 
1829,  in  Stroudsburg,  Pa.  He  was  sutler  of  the  i68th 
Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  was  married  May  loth, 
185 1,  to  Anna  E.  Eckert,  of  Northampton  county,  Pa., 
and  is  the  father  of  nine  children. 

Rev.  B.  F.  Summerbell  is  in  the  mercantile  business 
in  Moscow.  He  was  born  in  Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  Septem- 
ber 19th,  1819.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Martin,  of  New 
Jersey.     He  was  formerly  a  clergyman. 

Charles  Sutter  is  a  lumber  contractor  and  farmer  at 
Sand  Cut.  He  was  born  in  Germany,  November  19th, 
1843,  and  married  July  4th,  1870,  Ella  English,  of  Brad- 
ford county.  Pa.     They  have  five  children. 

Isaac  Swarts,  proprietor  of  the  Valley  House,  at 
Moscow,  was  born  in  Dunmore,  Pa.,  in  1826.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Elizabeth  Biestcker,  of  Dunmore,  Pa. 

John  Thomas,  a  farmer  of  Spring  Brook,  was  born  in 
Wales,  September  5th,  1847.  His  wife  was  Catharine 
Mathews,  of  Carbondale,  Pa. 

Nathan  Turner  resides  at  Yostville.  He  was  born 
in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  May  i8th,  1827,  and  is  the  oldest 
resident  of  Spring  Brook  lownship.  He  was  married  in 
January,  1852,  to  Sarah  Wilson,  of  Belvidere,  N.  J.  He 
was  a  member  of  Company  D  6ist  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers during  the  Rebellion;  is  now  an  engineer. 

Henry  Van  Campen,  farmer,  was  born  July  i6th, 
1814,  in  Warren  county,  N.  J.  He  was  married  in  1838 
to  Rebecca  Hamilton,  of  Warren,  N.  J.  Their  children 
were  John  S.,  born  April  6th,  1839,  who  died  December 
9th,  1871;  and  Henry  O  ,  born  December  4th,  1S41,  who 
died  July  6th,  1866. 

C.  J.  Wardell,  a  lumberman  of  Daleville,  was  born 
at  that  place,  June  25th,  1849. 

Henry  Wardell  was  born  in  England,  in  1810,  and 
came  to  America  in  1819.  He  was  married  in  1833,  to 
Isabella  Airay,  of  Worthington,  England.  They  have  had 
thirteen  children,  ten  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Wardell 
IS  a  farmer. 

W.  W.  Webster,  of  Daleville,  a  retired  farmer,  was 
born  in  York,  England,  August  14th,  t8io,  and  came  to 
America  in  1833.  He  was  married  September  14th,  1835, 
to  Miss  C.  A.  Merkles,  of  Germany.  They  have  ten 
children. 

Rev.  W.  B.  Westlake,  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  Church 
at  Moscow,  was  born  September  27th,  1831,  in  Newburgh, 
N.  Y.  He  was  married  October  27th,  1875,  to  Lizzie 
Emory,  of  Montrose,  Pa.  He  entered  the  Wyoming 
Conference  in  1863. 


+ 


MADISON  TOWNSHIP. 


N  August  7th,  1849,  this  township  was  formed 
from  Covington  and  Jefferson,  and  was 
named  in  honor  of  James  Madison,  because 
it  adjoins  a  township  named  in  honor  of 
another  President  of  the  United  States.  It 
had  r,53o  inhabitants  in  1S79,  and  1,041  in 
1880. 

The  pioneer  settlers  were  Thomas  Biesecker  and 
Richard  Edwards,  who  in  the  fall  of  1824  located  on  a 
lot  warranted  to  Thomas  Match,  in  the  northwest  part  of 
the  township,  where  they  built  log  cabins,  and  in  January, 
1825,  they  moved  their  families  into  them.  The  farm 
on  which  Mr.  Biesecker  located  is  owned  by  Peter  Swartz. 
John  H.  Edwards,  a  descendant  of  the  pioneer  Edwards, 
owns  and  occupies  the  farm  on  which  Richard  located. 
The  next  settler  was  Thomas  Depew,  who  is  still  living, 
and  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  much  valuable  informa- 
tion. He  located  May  26th,  1825,  on  the  lot  where  he 
still  lives.  It  was  surveyed  by  Henry  Drinker  and  war- 
ranted to  John  McClennan.  Mr.  Depew,  until  age  and 
infirmity  prevented,  was  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
farmers  in  the  township.  He  also  practiced  surveying 
till  the  autumn  of  1879.  He  was  born  in  Wales,  Sussex 
county,  N.  J.,  in  1795,  ^nd  was  married  in  Providence, 
Pa.,  July  4th,  1816,  to  Miss  Abigail  Rice,  of  Old  Stock- 
bridge,  Mass.  She  is  still  living,  and  in  possession  of  all 
her  faculties.  The  first  framed  house  was  built  by  Mr. 
Depew  in  1830,  on  the  site  of  his  present  residence.  He 
also  built  the  first  framed  barn,  in  1825.  It  is  still  in 
good  condition.  Depew  and  Thomas  Biesecker  each 
raised  a  few  acres  of  winter  wheat  in  1826,  the  first  in 
the  township.  The  first  orchard  was  set  out  in  1826  or 
1827  by  Mr.  Depew,  on  his  present  farm. 

The  first  road  laid  out  ran  from  Pole  ridge  northeast- 
erly through  to  Hartford,  in  Wayne  county.  The 
Drinker  turnpike  was  built  through  this  township  during 
1826  and  1827.  The  first  bridge  was  built  over  Roaring 
brook  at  Madisonville  in  1830,  by  Nathaniel  Carter.  An 
iron  bridge  has  superseded  it. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  about  1830,  by 
Thomas  Depew,  near  where  William  Swartz  now  lives, 
and  was  known  as  the  Bear  Creek  school-house.  It  is 
now  being  used  by  William  Swartz  as  a  wagon  shed. 
Mahala  and  Abram  Depew,  who  are  still  living,  were 
among  the  pioneer  pupils. 

Levi  Depew  built  a  small  grist-mill  in  1836  on  the  site 
of  Ives's  furnace,  and  about  1830  he  built  a  log  house  on 
or  near  the  site  of  M.  J.  Robinson's  house. 

The  first  marriage  was  that  of  Thomas  J.  Edwards  to 
Miss  Eliza  Carter,  in  1827  or  1828.  The  first  death  was 
that  of  Merritt  Depew,  November  27th,  1838. 

The  oldest  public  burying  ground  is  the  one  at  the 
Bear  Creek  school-house.  The  land  was  donated  to  the 
township  for  burial  purposes  by  Henry  Drinker. 

The  pioneer  postmaster  was  Thomas  Depew,  who  was 


appointed  about  1835,  and  kept  the  ofifice  in  the  old 
house  on  the  site  of  his  present  residence.  He  procured 
the  establishment  of  a  mail  route  from  Hamilton,  in 
Wayne  county,  to  Daleville.  Abel  Wright  carried  the 
mail,  on  foot,  once  a  week  each  way. 

The  first  collector  elected  after  the  formation  of  the 
township  was  Edward  Simpson,  Esq.  Justices  of  the 
peace  for  this  township  have  been  elected  as  follows: 
Joseph  Potter,  1850,  i860;  Gilbert  Dunning,  1852;  Irvin 
Ives,  1855;  Stephen  S.  Welch,  1858,  r868;  Franklin  Lan- 
caster, 1865,  1870,  1875;  John  Evans,  1877. 

Union  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

For  many  years  previous  to  the  organization  of  a  class 
there  was  preaching  here  by  the  Methodist  itinerant. 
The  first  Methodist  class  here  was  formed  in  1852,  by 
Rev.  Peter  J.  Coxe,  of  the  Philadelphia  Conference. 
The  members  were  P.  V.  Bross  and  wife,  Charles  and 
Abigail  Swartz,  Thomas  and  Abigail  Depew,  Philip  and 
Elizabeth  Weldy,  Adam  and  Ella  Yeager,  Daniel  and 
Susan  Evans  and  Mahala  Schoonover.  Mr.  Bross  was 
appointed  class  leader.  This  was  then  a  part  of  the 
"  Union  charge.''  The  church  is  of  wood,  30  by  40  fee', 
cost  $800,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  250.  It  stands 
at  the  "  Union  "  crossing,  a  little  northeast  of  the  village 
of  Madisonville.     The  society  has  a  membership  of  25. 

The  preachers  here  have  been  as  follows:     1872-74,  S. 

F.  Wright;   1874-77,  Joseph  T.  Burrall;   1877-80,  Joseph 

G.  Stevens. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1872,  with  20 
scholars,  and  Michael  Mitchell  as  superintendent. 
Charles  Swartz  is  the  present  superintendent. 

The  Union  Horse  Company, 

of  Madison,  Covington  and  Spring  Brook  townships,  was 
incorporated  April  23d,  1866,  the  object  being  to  capture 
horse  thieves  and  recover  stolen  animals  or  pay  losses 
sustained  by  members  at  the  hands  of  thieves.  Until  the 
election  of  officers  F.  W.  Wambacker  served  as  president, 
Charles  A.  Havenstrite  secretary,  and  Samuel  Swartz- 
treasurer. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  first  officers  and  commit- 
tees elected  by  this  company:  L.  C.  Bortree,  president; 
G.  Y.  Haines,  secretary;  Isaac  Swartz,  treasurer;  B.  F. 
Hollister  and  George  Swartz,  captains;  Alanson  Hinds, 
express  rider;  G.  W.  Swartz,  Irvin  Ives,  Anson  Swingle, 
Joseph  Loveland,  William  Yeager  and  Peter  Frederick, 
committee  of  six;  Alfred  Wilcox,  F.  W.  Wambacker  and 
Charles  Swartz,  committee  on  accounts.  The  officers  for 
1880  were:  L.  C.  Bortree,  president;  Isaac  Swartz,  treas- 
urer; Frank  Lankester,  secretary. 

MOSCOW. 

This  village,  the  principal  one  of  the  township,  was 
so  named  by  Henry  W.  Drinker,  from  the  fact  that  there 
were  living  here  a  number  of  natives  of  the  famous  Rus- 
sian city  of  that  name. 


-=^* 


4- 


484 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


As  soon  as  Mr.  Drinker  had  commenced  work  on  his 
turnpike  settlers  began  to  locate  along  the  road,  and  com- 
menced opening  this  previously  undeveloped  wilderness. 
The  first  settler  at  Moscow  was  Rev.  Peter  Rupert,  who 
had  been  a  Lutheran  preacher.  On  the  north  side  of  Cis 
creek  and  the  west  side  of  the  turnpike  can  be  seen  the 
outline  of  an  old  cellar.  Over  this  spot  Mr.  Rupert  built 
in  1830  the  pioneer  log  house.  Here  he  opened  a  tavern. 
The  principal  fare  was  pork  and  beans  and  New  England 
rum.  Mr.  Rupert  owned  the  whole  site  of  Moscow,  and 
sold  it  in  1850  to  the  Scranton  Iron  Company  for  |i, 000. 
The  first  saw-mill  here  was  built  by  Mr.  Rupert  in  1831, 
on  Roaring  brook,  just  above  the  mouth  of  Cis  creek.  It 
soon  gave  place  to  others.  Mr.  Rupert  also  built  the  first 
framed  house,  on  the  site  of  the  old  log  cabin.  It  was  a 
one-story  house  with  a  shed  roof. 

The  next  settler,  George  Swartz,  in  1830  built  a  log 
cabin  where  now  stand";  the  ele;.,':uit  mnnsion  of  Edward 
Simpson.  Mr.  Swartz  is  a  shoemaker,  and  worked  at  his 
trade  for  Mr.  Drinker  during  the  building  of  the  turn- 
pike, keeping  the  men  in  boots  and  shoes,  taking  half  his 
pay  in  cash  and  half  in  land.  The  land  is  that  on  which 
Mr.  Simpson  lives.  While  thus  engaged  he  acquired  the 
title  of  "  Turnpike  George."  He  moved  into  his  log 
house  on  the  third  Sunday  in  May,  1830.  It  was  quite 
uncomfortable,  without  windows,  doors,  or  chimney,  as 
two  feet  of  snow  fell  that  day  and  night. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  in  1838  or  1839, 
on  the  site  of  Gaige  &  Clements's  store.  It  was  used  for 
church  purposes  until  1852.  The  first  teacher  here  was 
Elijah  Depew,  and  some  of  the  surviving  pupils  are  E. 
Simpson,  Jacob  and  Charles  Swartz,  Fanny  Gritfin,  Sally 
Jane  Hines,  Joseph  and  Henry  Loveland  and  Hiram  De- 
pew. 

The  first  marriage  in  the  village  was  that  of  Leander 
L.  Griffin,  in  1852,  to  Miss  Emeline  Swartz.  The  first 
death  was  that  of  a  daughter  of  George  Swartz. 

The  first  postmaster  at  Moscow  was  Leander  L.  Griffin. 
He  kept  the  office  from  1852  to  1856  in  his  store,  which 
stood  on  the  site  of  the  one  now  kept  by  O.  E.  Vaughn, 
who  is  the  present  postmaster. 

A  stage  line  was  established  in  1848  from  Strouds- 
burgh  to  Scranton,  running  over  the  Drinker  turnpike, 
and  in  1856  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  was  completed  through  this  village.  John  La- 
tousche  has  ever  since  been  station  agent.  George 
Swartz  was  the  first  and  is  the  present  mail  carrier. 
He  first  carried  the  mail  from  Moscow  to  Clifton,  and 
now  carries  it  from  Moscow  to  Spring  Brook. 

The  first  saw-mill,  built  by  Peter  Rupert  in  1831,  has 
long  since  gone  to  decay.  The  next  saw-mill  was  built 
by  Storms  &  Gardner  in  1855;  it  is  now  owned  by  the 
estate  of  E.  Hermans,  of  Hyde  Park.  The  third  is  the 
steam  saw-mill  in  the  western  part  of  the  village,  built 
by  C.  P.  Van  Brunt  and  still  owned  and  operated  by 
him.  The  next  was  a  steam  saw-mill,  built  by  William 
E.  Dodge,  on  the  site  of  Rupert's  garden.  It  was  burned 
and  the  site  is  now  owned  by  Rev.  N.  G  Parke,  of  Pitts- 
ton.      The   first  grist-mill  after    that   built    in   1836   by 


Levi  Depew  and  rebuilt  in  1842  by  Joseph  Potter  was 
begun  in  1868  by  Mr.  Ehrgood,  and  finished  in  1873. 
It  is  still  operated  by  him  and  stands  on  Mill  street. 
The  steam  grist-mill  on  Mill  street  was  built  in  1873,  by 
H.  L.  Gaige  &  Co.,  and  it  is  now  owned  and  operated 
by  Gaige  &  Clements. 

The  pioneer  merchant  was  Leander  L.  Griffin.  His 
first  store  was  on  the  vacant  lot  opposite  the  depot. 
He  soon  after  built  one  on  the  site  of  Vaughn's  store. 
He  sold  in  1856  to  William  Dale  and  Edward  Simpson, 
and  they  in  1862  to  Smith  &  Dale.  The  store  was 
burned  and  the  lot  sold  to  S.  W.  Wykoff,  who  built  the 
present  store  building.  The  next  merchant  was  Joseph 
Loveland,  who  built  a  store  between  the  sites  of  the 
Moscow  House  and  Pelton's  store.  This  was  burned  in 
March,  1870.  In  1857  Yeager  &  Gaige  commenced  the 
mercantile  business,  and  the  firm  was  soon  after  changed 
to  Gaige  &  Clements.  Tunstall  &  Pelton  were  the  next 
merchants.  They  were  burned  out  in  1879,  and  the 
same  year  Frank  Pelton  built  his  present  store  on  the 
site  of  the  old  hotel  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Church 
streets.  In  1877  B.  F.  Summerbell  opened  his  dry  goods 
and  grocery  store  on   Mill  street. 

The  first  tavern  was  that  of  Rev.  Peter  Rupert,  already 
described.  The  next  one  was  built  in  1856  or  1857,  by 
William  and  Roswell  Noble,  on  the  site  of  Frank  Pelton's 
store.  They  sold  to  Elias  Swartz,  and  to  Mr.  Townsend. 
This  hotel  was  burned  in  1867.  The  Moscow  House, 
Main  and  Factory  streets,  was  built  in  1859,  by  Martin 
Reap,  who  sold  to  Mr.  Keller,  the  present  proprietor. 
The  Valley  House,  at  the  foot  of  Mill  street,  was  built  in 
1873  o""  1874,  by  Lyman  Dixon,  and  sold  in  1879  to 
Isaac  Swartz,  the  present  proprietor. 

The  Moscow  cemetery  was  first  located  on  land  now 
occupied  by  the  D.,  L.  and  W.  Railroad,  north  of  the  depot. 
The  land  was  bought  of  Rev.  Peter  Rupert.  The  rail- 
road company  gave  the  cemetery  association  the  present 
cemetery  lot  on  Rupert  hill  and  $75  in  cash  for  the  original 
lot,  through  which  their  road  runs. 

The  graded  school  building  was  erected  in  1872;  is  of 
wood,  two  stories  high,  and  cost  $5,000. 

The  Roman  Catholic  church  on  Rupert  hill  was  built 
in  1872  or  1873. 

The  first  resident  physician  and  druggist  in  the  village 
was  Dr.  Wilbur,  who  is  still  practicing  here.  He  was 
followed  by  Dr.  E.  A.  Glover.  Dr.  C.  Frischkorn,  who 
lives  just  out  of  the  village,  in  the  township  of  Covington, 
located  there  about  1850,  and  is  still  in  practice. 

There  are  now  two  churches — Methodist  Episcopal 
and  Roman  Catholic;  three  hotels— the  Moscow  House, 
Valley  House  and  Dixon  House;  the  stores  of  B.  F. 
Summerbell,  Gaige  &  Clements,  O.  E.  Vaughn  and  Frank 
Pelton;  the  grocery  and  livery  stable  of  A.  Hinds; 
harness  shop,  jewelry  store,  two  blacksmith  shops,  the 
furniture  store  of  G.  S.  Brown,  two  shingle-mill.s,  two 
grist-mills,  the  foundry  of  Irving  Ives,  one  saw-mill,  a 
railroad  depot,  a  school-house,  and  about  300  inhabitants. 
Samuel  Carey,  jr.,  now  a  resident  of  Moscow,  was  a 
private  in  Captain  Peter  Hallock's  company  of   Pennsyl- 


4¥ 


^¥ 


<'. 


VILLAGES  IN  MADISON  TOWNSHIP— MOSCOW  M.  E.  CHURCH  AND  LODGES. 


48s 


vania  militia  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  holds  a  pension 
certificate. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH    OF    MOSCOW. 

The  class  from  which  this  church  grew  was  organized 
by  William  Noble,  a  local  preacher  from  Sterling,  at  Dale- 
ville,  in  1826.  This  was  the  first  religious  organization  in 
Covington  township.  Its  members  were  Thomas  Depew, 
John  Fish  and  wife,  Frederick  Rush  and  wife,  and  Mrs 
Dale,  wife  of  the  elder  David  Dale.  Soon  after  the  or- 
ganization Mrs.  Thomas  Depew,  Mrs.  Wardell,  mother  of 
Edward  Wardell,  and  Mrs.  Lucy  Rice,  mother  of  Mrs. 
Depew,  united.     Thomas  Depew  was  leader. 

The  appointment  was  a  part  of  the  Canaan  circuit, 
Oneida  conference.  In  1828  Rev.  Vincent  M.  Coryell 
was  on  the  Canaan  circuit,  and  preached  here.  Among 
his  successors  were  Revs.  Benjamin  Ellis,  Morgan  Rugor, 
William  Reddy  and  Abel  Barber.  When  William  Reddy 
and  Abel  Barber  were  on  the  circuit — in  1836 — the  meet- 
ings of  the  society  were  held  at  Joseph  Loveland's  house, 
on  the  Daleville  road,  near  Moscow.  Afterward  they  were 
held  at  the  Rupert  House,  near  the  culvert  of  the  D.,  L. 
and  W.  Railroad.  After  the  school-house  was  built  on 
the  site  of  Gaige  &  Clements's  store  the  meetings  were 
held  there  till  the  church  was  built. 

After  Thomas  Depew  Owen  Simpson  was  class  leader 
till  1859.     Since  then  George  Swartz  has  been  leader. 

This  territory  seems  to  have  been  in  the  Philadelphia 
conference  from  1836  or  1840  till  1852,  and  had  the  fol- 
lowing pastors:  Revs.  P.  J.  Coxe,  Philo  Blackman,  Mc- 
Farland,  Calaway,  Pearsall,  William  Walton,  Munger, 
Hare  and  Frederick  lUman.  During  the  administration 
of  the  latter  it  was  transferred  to  the  Wyoming  confer- 
ence, and  with  it  the  incumbent. 

In  1853,  and  for  several  years  thereafter,  the  charge 
was  known  as  Madison  mission,  of  the  Honesdale  dis- 
trict. Rev.  J.  S.  David  was  pastor.  At  this  time  it 
embraced  Moscow,  Turnersville,  Union  church  and 
other  school-house  appointments.  Under  the  super- 
vision of  Mr.  David  the  present  church  building  was 
commenced.  George  Swartz  and  his  cousin.  George  W. 
Swartz,  rendered  indispensable  aid  in  collecting  funds. 
Tfie  church  was  dedicated  in  the  winter  of  1855.  Charles 
White  was  pastor.  Abel  Barker  preached  the  dedicatory 
sermon.  Dr.  N.  Round,  P.  E.,  conducted  the  dedicatory 
services. 

Since  its  connection  with  the  Wyoming  conference  the 
following  is  a  consecutive  list  of  pastors:  Frederick  Illman, 
1852;  J.  S.  David,  1853,  1854;  Charles  White,  1855; 
William  Shup,  1856,  1857;  C.C.  Smith,  1858,  1859;  J. 
L.  Race,  i860;  A.  J.  Van  Cleft,  i86i;  David  Personeus, 
1862;  H.  Stanley,  1863;  J.  T.  Crowell,  1864,  1865;  G. 
M.  Chamberlain,  1866,  1868;  G.  A.  Severson,  1869-71; 
J.  C.  Leacock,  1872,  1873;  I.  B.  Hyde,  1874;  S.  C. 
Austin,  187s,  1876;  G.  M.  Colville,  1877,  1878;  W.  B. 
Westlake,  1879,  1880. 

LODGES   AT    MOSCOW. 

Moscow  Lodge,  No.  703,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted 


March  30th,  1870.  The  following  first  oflHcers  comprised 
air  the  charter  members  except  S.  G.  Coglizer:  Franklin 
Lancaster,  N.  G.;  William,  H.  Brindle,  V.  G.;  William 
Brown,  secretary;  A.  Caterson,  assistant  secretary;  C. 
P.  Van  Brunt,  treasurer;  W.  S.  Watrous,  R.  S.  N.  G.; 
B.  E.  Mitchell,  L.  S.  N.  G.;  D.  K.  Watrous,  conductor; 
O.  S.  Wilcox,  R.  S.  S.;  F.  Striker,  L.  S.  S.;  J.  H.  Depew, 
O.  G.;  D.  A.  Wilder,  I.  G.;  J.  A.  Hallett,  R.  S.  V.  G.; 
and  W.  J.  Smith,  L.  S.  V.  G. 

The  membership  is  69.  The  officers  for  the  present 
term  (May,  1880)  are  as  follows:  John  Smith,  N.  G.;  J. 
McCarty,  V.  G.;  C.  P.  Van  Brunt,  Sec;  Moses  Davis, 
A.  S.;  Fianklin  Lancaster,  treasurer. 

Moscow  Lodge,  No.  504,  F.  and  A.  M.  was  instituted 
April  12th,  1872,  \^ith  14  charter  members.  The  original 
officers  were:  W.  M.,  Jacob  H.  Pile;  S.  W.,  Albert  L 
Ackerly;  J.  W.,  Elijah  A.  Glover;  secretary,  Daniel 
Staples;  treasurer,  Henry  L.  Gaige. 

The  present  membership  is  35.  The  officers  of  the 
lodge  for  1880  were:  A.  H.  Bortree,  W.  M.;  E.  T.  Swartz, 
S.  W.;  Peter  Walters,  J.  W.;  W.  A.  Holgate,  secretary; 
Isaac  Swartz,  treasurer;  Chester  Swartz,  tiler. 

Clarksville 

was  first  settled  by  Philip  Weldy,  who  deeded  the  land  to 
his  son  Isaac,  and  he  to  Dr.  Milton  Clark,  from  whom  the 
hamlet  is  named.  He  came  here  in  1848.  There  was 
once  a  considerable  business  done  here.  Charles  Frazer 
built  and  operated  a  sash  and  blind  factory,  and  there 
was  a  steam  planing-mill.  F.  M.  Depew  kept  a  store  a 
few  years.  Mr.  Clark  (a  "Christian")  preached  several 
years  at  Madisonville.     He  died  in  1873. 

Carey's  Corners. 

This  hamlet  was  named  after  Parker  Carey,  who  was 
the  first  settler,  locating  where  Mrs.  Carey  now  lives. 
Benjamin  Pedrick,  another  early  settler,  located  above 
the  Corners,where  Mrs. Pedrick  now  lives.  Dr.Charles  H. 
Fikes  has  practiced  here  since  1876.  John  Alt,  the  village 
blacksmith,  came  in  i860;  Peter  Alt  in  1840,  since  when 
he  has  worked  at  the  tailors'  trade.  The  carpenter  of 
the  hamlet  is  George  Markley,  who  came  in  1876. 
Samuel  J.  Hornbecker,  shoemaker,  moved  here  in   1868. 

Madison  Hall,  a  wooden  building,  twenty-two  by  thirty- 
six  feet,  built  in  1868,  is  used  by  the  Good  Templars.  It 
was  built  by  a  stock  company,  and  cost  $600.  The  pop- 
ulation of  the  place  is  about  75. 

Madisonville. 

This  viltage  was  first  settled  by  William  Evans,  a  farmer, 
in  1830.  The  first  business  establishment  was  the  store 
kejn  by  Collins  &  Swartz,  in  1854.  They  were  succeeded 
by  John  Evans.son  of  William  Evans,  in  1856;  he  by  Philip 
Callender  in  1869;  Callender  by  Myers  &  Summerbell 
in  1876,  and  the  business  was  carried  on  by  B.  S.  Myers 
in  1878  and  1879.  A  new  store  house  was  built  by  John 
Evans  in  1878-79,  and  business  resumed  in  it  by  him  in 
December,  1879.  -f'  '^  ^  two-story  building,  the  lower 
part  occupied  by  Mr.  Evans  as  a  general  dry  goods  and 


*^= 


=^^ 


A. 


486 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


grocery  store,  and  the  upper  part  as  a  hall,  locally  known 
as  Evans's  Hall.  This  is  the  only  store  here.  There  are 
about  60  inhabitants,  a  "Christian"  church,  the  steam 
saw-mill  of  Irving  Ives,  a  school-house  and  blacksmith 
shop.  John  Evans  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  his  wife, 
Mrs.  Ella  Evans,  is  now  postmistress. 

The  burying  ground  at  Madisonville  was  donated  by 
Henry  W.  Drinker,  who  gave  eighty  acres  for  both  school 
and  burial  purposes.  The  school-house  was  built  in  1835, 
and  stands  at  the  crossing  half  a  mile  north  of  the  vil- 
lage. 

The  "  Christian  "  Church  at  Madisonville  was  organ- 
ized in  the  spring  of  1842,  at  Bear  brook  school-house, 
by  Elder  William  Lane,  assisted  by  J.  I.  Harvey.  The 
original  members  were  Isaac  Depew,  B.  L.  and  Mary 
A.  Beemer,  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Swartz  and  Samuel 
Hornbaker.  Isaac  Depew  and  Samuel  Hornbaker  were 
appointed  elders  and  B.  L.  Beemer  church  clerk. 

The  meeting  house  was  built  in  1852,  at  a  cost  of  $950. 
It  was  built  by  contribution,  and  is  free  for  all  denomina- 
tions when  not  in  use  by  the  "Christians."  The  lot  was 
donated  by  William  Evans. 

The  first  pastor  was  Elder  Alva  Harmans.  Milton 
Clark  was  pastor  from  1848  till  his  death  in  1873.  The 
next  pastor,  Elder  Hrnry  Block,  was  succeeded  after  a 
year  by  Elder  N.  Russell  (1874  and  1875),  when  Elder 
William  Hornbaker  preached  one  year  (1876).  Elder  B. 
F.  Summerbell  supplied  the  pulpit  for  1877-79.  Ths 
present  pastor  is  P.  R.  Pitman,  from  Carverville,  Pa. 

The  deacoiis  are  Samuel  Swartz,  J.  D.  Hendershot, 
William  N.  Hockenberg,  J.  S.  Hornbaker  and  Thomas 
Walters;  Elders — Samuel  Hornbaker,  John  Evans,  Isaac 
Biesecker,  Eneas  Swartz  and  Peter  Hornbaker;  church 
clerk,  T.  Walters;  Trustees — Samuel  Hornbaker,  Thomas 
Walters,  Isaac  Biesecker,  Peter  Hornbaker  and  John 
Evans. 

The  membership  is  36.  The  Sunday-school  organized 
in  1852  with  50  scholars,  Samuel  Hornbaker  superintend- 
ent. The  present  number  is  80;  P.  R.  Pitman  is  superin- 
tendent and  Reuben  Noack  assistant  superintendent. 

Madisonville  Lodge,  No.  222,  /.  O.  of  G.  T.  was 
instituted  September  5th,  1866,  with  22  charter  members. 
The  original  officers  were:  Irving  Ives,  W.  C.  T. ;  Mary 
Sipe,  W.  V.  T.;  John  Montgomery,  W.  S.;  William 
Hornbaker,  W.  C, ;  Samuel  Hornbaker,  W.  T. ;  Darius 
Finch,  W.  M. 

The  lodge  has  initiated  500  members,  and  it  is  still 
flourishing.     There  are  27  members. 

The  present  officers  are:  Peter  Hornbaker,  W.  C.  T.; 
Hannah  Hornbaker,  W.  V.  T.;  M.  M.  Evans,  W.  S.;  I. 
E.  Mead,  W.  T.;  C.  J.  Anderson,  W.  F.  S.;  J.  M.  Horn- 
baker, W.  M.;  O.  L.  Mead,  W.  C. 


4^= 


NEWTON  TOWNSHIP. 

NTIL  1842  this  was  a  part  of  Falls  township. 
In  that  year  Wyoming  county  was  formed 
from  Luzerne,  the  easterly  line  of  the  new 
county  running  through  Falls  township;  and 
in  1844  that  portion  of  Falls  southeast  of  the 
new  county  line  was  organized  into  a  township, 
and  named  Newton,  as  many   of   the   first  settlers 


were  from  a  township  of  that  name  in  Sussex  county,  N.J. 
Richard  Gardner  was  the  pioneer  settler.  He  began 
a  clearing  (the  present  Kern  farm)  in  1803  and  built  a 
log  house,  but  in  1807  sold  out  to  Jesse  Harding  and 
moved  to  what  is  now  Ransom  township.  Among  the 
settlers  that  came  soon  after  Gardner  we  find  a  Mr.  Lutz, 
Zebulon  Comstock,  Elias  Smith,  Joseph  Coon,  John  Mc- 
Millan, Charles  McClusky,  Parley  Von  Cleveland,  Henry 
Walters,  Henry  Litts,  Jacob  Biesecker  and  Henry 
Beemer.  Lutz  located  on  the  farm  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  Henry  Jacobs.  Parley  Von  Cleveland 
located  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Henry  Smith. 
Morgan  J.  Jones,  a  brother-in-law  of  Von  Cleveland, 
located  on  the  present  farm  of  William  Lacoe.  James 
Williams  took  up  the  Van  Sickler  farm,  where  he  died 
at  an  advanced  age,  syrrounded  by  a  large  family.  The 
farm  now  owned  by  William  Ayers  was  cleared  up  by 
Zephaniah  Haven.  Adam  Thompson  in  1819  located  on 
the  farm  of  Truman  Knapp.  Two  of  his  children,  John 
and  Mrs.  Jane  Courtright,  still  reside  in  Newton.  Lewis 
Casner  came,  as  did  most  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  from 
Sussex  county,  N.  J.  He  located  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  his  son,  Samuel  Casner.  William  A.  Brink 
took  a  tract  including  the  present  farms  of  Amos  Learn, 
jr.,  and  William  Shelly,  sen.,  and  the  Williams  farm  on 
the  mountain.     He  died  in  1858,  at  an  advanced  age. 

Charles  McClusky  came  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
in  i8i8,  and  located  on  the  present  Kern  farm.  He 
lived  in  the  log  cabin  built  by  Richard  Gardner  several 
years.  His  nearest  neighbor  was  Elias  Smith,  ten  miles 
distant.  Two  of  Mr.  McClusky 's  six  children  survive, 
viz.,  Timothy,  who  is  still  a  resident  of  Newton,  and  a 
daughter  living  in  Pittston. 

Joseph  Coons  came  from  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  in  1816, 
and  located  on  the  fine  farm  now  owned  by  his  son,  John 
Coons.  Elias  Smith  also  came  from  New  Jersey  in  1816, 
and  bought  400  acres,  through  which  ran  Gardner's  creek. 
He  built  a  log  house  and  cut  a  wagon  road  from  it  to 
Ransom;  there  had  been  no  foot  path  and  not  even  a 
marked  free  to  guide  him  to  his  place. 

Henry  Litts  came  from  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  about 
1816,  with  all  his  earthly  goods  and  his  family  loaded  on 
a  sled,  drawn  by  one  yoke  of  oxen.  He  found  his  way 
by  the  aid  of  marked  trees.  He  lived  in  a  log  house 
many  years.  His  family  consisted  of  five  sons  and  two 
daughters.  In  1842  he  built  a  framed  house,  now  owned 
by  his  son  Lewis.  He  died  in  1864.  He  has  a  daughter, 
Mrs.  Jane  Thompson,  living  in  Newton.  Mrs.  Litts  was 
one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  loved 
for  her  acts  of  kindness  and  Christian  benevolence.  She 
died  in   1861. 

Henry  Beemer  was  also  a  native  of  Sussex  county,  N. 
J.  He  cleared  up  a  farm  of  which  his  sons,  Sidney  and 
Elias,  retain  a  portion.     Mr.  Beemer  died  in  1863. 

Anthony  Lacoe  was  born  in  France,  March  nth,  1780; 
came  to  Philadelphia  in  1792.  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1810, 
and  was  married  in  1811  to  Miss  Amelia  Duprey,  who 
died  in  1844.  He  came  to  Newton  in  1850  with  his  son's 
family,  where  he  still  resides.      He  is  now  in   perfect 


4^ 


t^h= 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

LACKAWANNA,   NEWTON,   OLD   FORGE   AND   RANSOM   TOWNSHIPS. 


A.     B.     M  KINSTRY. 

This  gentleman,  whose  extensive  property  is  repre- 
sented among  our  illustrations,  was  born  in  Hudson 
county,  N.  J.  His  "  Keystone  Tannery  "  is  the  princi- 
pal institution  of  Schultzville.  This  village,  how  having 
about  200  inhabitants,  was  founded  by  John  B.  Schultz, 
who  moved  into  Pennsylvania  in  the  spring  of  1858,  from 
Illinois.  In  July  of  that  year  he  commenced  the  erection 
of  a  large  tannery,  together  with  the  other  necessary 
building,  for  carrying  on  the  tannery  business — such  as 
store,  tenements,  shop,  etc.  He  carried  on  the  business 
of  tanning  until  January,  1866,  when  he  sold  the  property 
to  A.  B.  McKinstry  and  Nial  T.  Childs,  of  Ulster  county, 
N.  Y.  They  carried  on  the  business  until  May  4th, 
1876,  at  which  time  A.  B.  McKinstry  purchased  the 
interest  of  N.  T.  Childs,  and  from  that  time  the  business 
has  been  conducted  under  his  name.  The  tannery  is 
known  as  the  "  Keystone";  employs  about  50  men,  and 
has  a  capacity  for  tanning  40,000  hides  of  Union  crop 
leather  (worth  $175,000)  per  annum.  A  farm  of  500 
acres  (considered  the  largest  and  most  productive  in  the 
county)  is  worked  in  connection  with  the  tannery;  over 
300  tons  of  hay  are  cut  annually  besides  other  crops. 

The  Gravel  Pond  farm  of  A.  B.  McKinstry,  consisting 
of  105  acres,  is  situated  in  the  borough  of  Glenburn,  on 
the  borders  of  Gravel  Pond,  two  miles  from  Abington 
depot  on  the  line  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad;  100  acres 
are  in  a  good  state  of  cultivation.  The  buildings  are 
in  fine  condition.  This  place  is  particularly  adapted 
for  a  summer  resort,  having  the  advantages  of  a  tine 
grove  on  the  border  of  the  lake,  and  the  lake  itself  being 
a  fine  place  for  boating  and  fishing. 


John  Armfield  resides  at  Moosic,  and  is  a  miner  by 
occupation.  He  was  born  in  Cheshire,  England,  August 
nth,  1838,  and  married  Miss  Martha  Maynard,  of  Eng- 
land. 

Charles  Aten  is  a  native  of  Pittston;  he  was  born 
in  January,  1828,  and  married  Henrietta  Hoover,  of  Old 
Forge.     He  is  a  farmer. 

John  Bacorn,  a  superintendent  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W. 
stables  at  Scranton,  is  a  native  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  was 
born  December  27th,  1822.  He  married  Miss  Clarissa 
Hess,  of  Morris  county,  N.  J.     She  died  July  i8th,  1879. 

Philip  Barrier  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa., 
November  sth,  1813,  and  in  1840  located  in  Ransom, 
where  he  carries  on  a  farm.  He  married  Miss  Susan 
Dersheiraer,  of  Ransom. 

Joseph  Beagle,  lumberman  and  farmer,  was  born  in 
Roaring  Brook  township,  June  12  th,  1863. 

J.  W.  BoiCE,  formerly  chief  of  police  in  Scranton,  is 
now  superintendent  of  "  Hillside  farm,"  Scranton  poor 


district.  He  was  born  in  Walton,  N.  Y.,  June  ist, 
1840.  His  wife  was  Maggie  Vannakin,  of  Hamden, 
N.  Y. 

F.  J.  Boone  was  born  in  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  June 
9th,  1845.  He  enlisted  in  February,  1863,  in  Company 
E  79th  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  July  12th, 
1865.  His  wife  was  Ella  Coolbaugh,  of  Lackawanna. 
Mr.  Boone  is  a  foreman  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Com- 
pany. 

BuRREL  Brace,  who  resides  at  Schultzville,  was  born 
in  Wyoming  county. 

Eli  Brown  was  born  in  Scott  township.  Pa.,  Novem- 
ber i6th,  1858.  He  enlisted  February  7th,  1865,  in 
Co.  A  147th  Illinois  volunteers,  and  was  discharged 
February  7th,  1866.  He  was  agent  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company  three  years,  and  is  now  steward  of  the 
alms-house  at  Ransom.  His  wife  was  Frances  E.  Jakes, 
of  North  Moreland,  Pa. 

Michael  L.  Carmody  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1858, 
and  came  to  Waverly,  N.  Y.,  in  1863.  He  lost  a  foot 
in  1869  on  the  Erie  railroad  at  Waverly,  and  subse- 
quently attended  school  four  years  under  Prof.  C.  J. 
Lang.  He  is  now  employed  by  the  P.  &  N.  Y.  Railroad 
Company  at  Coxton. 

Alexander  Connell  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  June 
30th,  1840.  He  is  a  general  merchant.  His  wife  was 
Elizabeth  Campbell,  of  Lackawanna  township. 

P.  C.  Connolly  was  born  in  Scranton,  October  17th, 
1850.  He  is  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  and  is 
a  school  director  in  Lackawanna. 

Owen  Connolly,  merchant  at  Minooka,  was  born  in 
Sligo,  Ireland,  in  182 1.  He  has  been  a  school  director 
for  twelve  years.  He  married  Catharine  Boland,  of 
Sligo. 

George  Coon,  who  resides  in  Mountain  Valley,  was 
born  in  Newton,  Pa.,  March  6th,  1848,  where  he  is  now 
engaged  in  farming.  His  wife  was  Jane  L.  Moore,  of 
Vernon,  Wyoming  county.  Pa. 

M.  H.  Coon,  farmer,  was  born  May  21st,  1836,  in 
Newton.     He  married  Martha  Bitton,  of   Falls  township. 

Levi  Coon  was  born  in  Newton,  Pa.,  June  29th,  1834, 
and  is  a  farmer.  His  wife  was  Eliza  Hopkins,  of 
Newton. 

H.  S.  Cooper,  M.  D.,  is  practicing  in  Newton.  He 
was  born  in  Pittston,  August  29th,  1822,  and  married 
Irene  Green,  of  Abington,  Pa.  She  died  and  he  married 
Augusta  A.  Weed,  of  Stamford,  Fairfield  county,  Conn. 

William  Cornell  is  a  farmer,  carpenter  and  builder. 


Hh 


< 


^h 


=4h 


485^ 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


4= 


He  was  born  in   Kent  county,  R.    I.,  August  loth,  1820. 
His  wife  was  Mary  Capwell,  of  Factoryville. 

W.  F.  CouRTRiGHT  is  a  native  of  Stoddardsville,  Pa., 
and  was  born  May  23d,  1848.  He  is  inside  foreman  for 
the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Company  at  Old  Forge.  His  wife 
was  Miss  Zilpha  H.  Winslow,  of  Wilmont,  Pa. 

James  Coyne,  an  engineer  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company,  was  born  in  Durham,  England,  August  6th, 
1850.  His  wife  was  Miss  Ann  Elizabeth  Pointon,  of  Old 
Forge  township. 

M.  L.  Coyne,  who  was  born  in  Counts  Roscommon, 
Ireland,  in  1847,  is  now  a  foreman  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company  at  Greenwood  colliery.  His  wife  was 
Catharine  Sullivan,  of  Hyde  Park. 

John  B.  Crowell  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Pa.,  in 
November,  1840.  He  served  three  years  in  Company  D 
iSth  New  York  volunteers.  His  wife  was  Mary  A.  Jones, 
of  Danville,  Pa.     Mr.  Crowell  is  a  miner. 

Elijah  Dagger  was  born  in  Somersetshire,  England, 
August  1 2th,  1844.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth  Harris,  of 
Monmouthshire,  South  Wales.  Mr.  D.  is  an  inside  fore- 
man for  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad 
Company  at  Archbald. 

John  Dersheimer  is  a  native  of  Monroe  county.  Pa., 
and  was  born  May  23d,  1822.  His  first  wife  was  Mary 
E._  Cole,  of  Newton,  who  died  September  i8th,  1853. 
His  second  wife,  formerly  Harriet  S.  Smith,  of  Abington, 
died  July  25th,  1878.  His  son  J.  W.  is  principal  of  the 
Commercial  College  at  East  Greenwich,  R.  I.  Mr.  D. 
has  a  daughter,  Eva  Mary.     He  is  a  farmer. 

Bernard  Dersheimer  is  a  farmer  and  is  supervisor 
of  Newton.  He  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  Sep- 
tember 17th,  1822,  and  married  Rosella  Rozell,  of  New- 
ton, Pa. 

C.  H.  Dorr  was  born  July  12th,  1847,  in  Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.,  and  is  now  a  merchant  at  Old  Forge.  He  enlisted 
November  7th,  1863,  in  Battery  M  2nd  Pa.  Artillery,  and 
was  discharged  February  6th,  1866.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Louise  E.  Smith,  of  Old  Forge. 

Thomas  Drake  is  a  native  of  Ofd  Forge,  and  was  born 
December  25th,  1828.  He  is  a  farmer.  He  married 
Miss  Eliza  McHale,  of  Old  Forge. 

L.  K.  Drake  was  born  in  Old  Forge  township,  August 
28th,  183s,  and  married  Miss  Hula  A.  Smith,  of  Old 
Forge.     He  is  a  retired  merchant. 

A.  F.  DouD  is  an  outside  foreman  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company.  He  was  born  in  Madison,  Conn.,  March 
14th,  1834,  and  married  Martha  A.  Knapp,  of  Olyphant, 
Pa. 

J.  W.  Fallon  is  a  native  of  Roscommon,  Ireland,  and 
was  born  June  24th,  1834.  He  is  now  engaged  in  min- 
ing.    His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Conhn,  of  Easton,  Pa. 

Isaac  B.  Felts  was  born  in  Lackawanna  township, 
August  2ist,  1820.  He  is  a  farmer,  merchant  and  dealer 
in  real  estate. 

John  Fern,  superintendent  of  the  Archbald  mines, 
was  born  in  Carbondale,  March  14th,  1845.  He  enlisted 
August  9th,  1862,  in  Company  I  132nd  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  and  was  discharged  May  24th,  1863.  His 
wife  was  Euphemia  B.  Hall,  of  Bellevue,  Pa. 

Peter  Finkley,  who  is  a  farmer  and  gardener,  was 
born  July   nth,  1829,  in   Prussia,     His  first   wife,  Mar- 


garet Harold,  of  Hanover,  died  March  28th,  185 1.       His 
present  wife  was  Lena  Meltenberg,  of  Ransom,  Pa. 

F.  H.  Freeman,  gardener  and  dairy  farmer,  was  born 
in  Lisle,  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  March  i8th,  1850,  and 
married  Lizzie  B.  Smith,  of  Lackawanna. 

C.  F.  Garinger,  of  Moosic,  was  born  in  White  Haven, 
Pa.,  July  23d,  1854.  He  ic  now  engaged  in  the  lumber 
business.  He  married  Miss  Lina  E.  Ziegenfuss,  of  White 
Haven. 

J.  A.  Hann,  M.  D.,  is  a  practicing  surgeon  and  physi- 
cian of  Newton.  His  wife  was  Frances  H.  Lewis,  of 
Stanhope,  N.  J.  Dr.  Hann  was  born  September  6th, 
1818. 

Morgan  J.  Harris  was  born  in  Glamorganshire, 
South  Wales,  May  22nd,  1836.  He  is  inside  foreman  for 
the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  Company  at  the  Taylor  mines. 
His  wife  was  Ann  Price,  of  Glamorganshire. 

G.  W.  Hessler  was  born  in  Beaumont,  Pa.,  April  27th, 
1848,  and  married  Emma  E.  Laflin,  of  Southwick,  Mass. 
He  is  a  furniture  dealer  at  Moosic. 

David  Hollenbeck  was  born  in  Lackawanna,  Sep- 
tember 2nd,  1825.  He  is  stable  boss  for  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Coal  Company  at  the  Greenwood  mines.  His  wife 
was  Sarah  Davis,  of  Lackawanna. 

Andrew  Hopkins,  a  resident  of  Milwaukee,  was  born 
in  Ransom,  January  8th,  1842.  He  is  a  farmer.  His 
wife  was  Sarah  Michaels,  of  Ransom,  Pa. 

David  Hopkins  was  born  in  Newton,  Pa.,  in  1834. 
He  was  married  in  1861  to  Martha  Bedell,  also  of  New- 
ton.    He  is  a  farmer. 

P.  F.  Hubler,  M.  D.,  is  a  surgeon  and  physician. 
He  was  born  December  17th,  1850,  in  Huntington, 
Pa.  His  wife  was  Annie  E.  Good,  of  the  same  town- 
ship. 

Frederick  Huggler  was  born  in  Meyringen,  Can- 
ton Berne,  Switzerland,  January  8th,  1857,  and  is  at 
present  an  engineer  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal  Com- 
pany.    His  wife  was  Miss  Ellen  Wylam,  of  Old  Forge. 

Lieutenant  D.  M.  Huthmaker  was  born  in  Monroe 
county,  Pa,,  September  4th,  1833,  and  was  married  July 
2nd,  1859,  to  Barbara  A.  Dersheimer,  of  Ransom.  He 
has  served  his  township  as  clerk  for  15  years,  judge  of 
election,  .school  director  7  years,  and  town  auditor,  and 
has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace  since  1862.  He  was 
first  lieutenant  of  the  Union  Invincibles  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. His  children  are  Frank  E.,  Alice  May,  Ada 
Ursula  and  Dora  Ann. 

J.^mes  Ingles,  a  superintendent  at  the  Taylorville 
stables^ for  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Rail- 
road Company,  was  born  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  De- 
cember 18th,  1828.  His  first  wife  was  Caroline  Adrian, 
of  Scranton,  Pa. 

Robert  Inglis  was  born  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland, 
April  15th,  T803.  He  is  horse  farrier  and  superintend- 
ent of  stock  stables  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  at  Taylor- 
^  J  r-  ^^  ^^^^  ^  justice  of  the  peace  for  one  term  in 
Old  Forge  township.  His  wife  was  Miss  Jennett  Mon- 
teith,  of  Sterlingshire,  Scotland. 

H.  P.  Jacobs  was  born  in  E.xeter  township,  December 
5th,  1836,  and  IS  a  farmer.  His  wife  was  Miss  E.  E. 
Reynolds,  of  Factoryville,  Pa. 

Thomas  Johnston  was  born  in  Dumfriesshire,  Scot- 


<}* 


4h 


=HN 


GENEALOGICAL   AND   PERSONAL   RECORD. 


4&6C 


land,  October  5th,  1827,  and  came  to  America  in  1850. 
He  has  served  15  years  as  school  director,  2  years  as 
township  treasurer,  2  years  as  township  clerk,  and  is 
the  present  postmaster  at  Milwaukee,  Pa.  He  is  a  miller 
and  merchant.  His  wife  was  Catharine  Duncan  Ward- 
law,  of  Perthshire,  Scotland. 

A.  H.  Kern,  of  Schultzville,  was  born  in  Newton, 
September  20th,  1845.  His  wife  was  Alice  I.  Owen,  of 
Falls,  Pa.  Mr.  Kern  follows  farming  and  is  a  school 
director. 

Joseph  Kircher  was  born  January  19th,  1841,  in 
Germany.  He  enlisted  in  October,  1862,  in  Company  G 
177th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  at  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  service.  He  is  a  farmer  and 
is  the  supervisor  of  Newton.  ■  His  wife  was  Miss  L. 
Kern. 

Wentzle  Klippel,  a  farmer  of  Ransom,  was  born  in 
Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany,  February  21st,  1821,  and 
married  Catharine  Zeiss,  also  of  Germany.  He  has  held 
several  important  offices  in  his  township,  and  is  one  of 
the  school  directors. 

Alexander  Laird  was  born  in  Mairkirk,  Scotland, 
June  2ist,  1821.  He  is  an  inside  foreman  for  the  Penn- 
sylvania Coal  Company.  He  married  Jane  Mitchell 
Schotz,  of  Jenkins,  Pa. 

Daniel  W.  La  Rue  is  a  farmer  and  carpenter.  He 
was  born  May  sth,  1827,  in  Franklin,  N.  Y.  His  wife 
was  Abigail  Ann  Warren,  of  East  Benton,  Pa.  Mr.  La 
Rue  has  been  auditor  and  assessor  of   Newton  township. 

David  Learn  was  born  in  Newton,  Pa.,  January  2gth, 
1847.     He  is  engaged  in  farming. 

John  L.  Lewis  was  born  in  Monmouthshire,  South 
Wales,  December  25th,  1815.  His  first  wife  was  Eliza- 
beth Edwards,  who  died  in  September,  1872;  his  second 
wife  was  Mary  Morgan,  of  Hyde  Park.  Mr.  Lewis  is 
inside  foreman  for  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  Company  at 
the  Pyne  colliery. 

A.  A.  Lockard  was  born  in  Biickhorn,  Pa.,  January 
28th,  1833.  He  enlisted  March  17th,  1864,  in  Company 
G  S2nd  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  July  15th, 
1865.  He  married  Miss  Hattie  D.  Swartz,  of  Scranton. 
He  is  at  present  a  wheelwright  at  Moosic. 

William  Loftus  was  born  in  Hawley,  Pa.,  in  1850. 
He  is  a  saloon  keeper. 

Martin  McDonough,  a  general  merchant  at  Minooka, 
was  born  in  county  Mayo,  Ireland,  in  October,  1852.  He 
is  a  justice  of  the  peace.  His  wife  was  Bridget  Murray, 
of  Lackawanna. 

Denis  Mehaels,  carpenter  and  joiner,  was  born  in 
Ransom,  in  1842,  and  married  (December  30th,  1865) 
Samantha  Ace,  of  Ransom,  Pa. 

John  D.  Miller  was  born  in  Scott  township.  Pa.,  May 
iSth,  1816,  and  is  a  blacksmith.  His  wife  was  Miss 
Mercy  A.  Decker,  of  Scott.  Mr.  Miller  has  been  justice 
of  the  peace  several  terms,  besides  holding  minor  offices. 
He  is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  justice  of  the  peace 
in  Old  Forge  township. 

S.  H.  Miller  was  born  November  2nd,  1829,  in  Pitts- 
ton,  Pa.  He  is  a  foundryman  and  manufacturer  of  agri- 
cultural implements,  and  a  specialty  of  his  trade  is  the 
"  Miller "  plow.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  A.  Stark,  of 
Plains.  Pa. 


Charles  Monie  was  born  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland, 
June  2nd,  1837,  and  married  Helen  CuUins,  of  Sterling- 
shire,  Scotland.  He  is  an  engineer  for  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company. 

E.  P.  MucKi.ow,  a  clerk  at  Greenwood,  was  born  June 
17th,  1856,  in   Coalcastle,  Pa. 

William  E.  Olds  was  born  in  Bennington,  Vt.,  Janu- 
ary 13th,  1818.  He  is  superintendent  of  the  Moosic 
Powder  Mills,  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  powder  busi- 
ness thirty-five  years.  His  wife  was  MissM.  M.  Morgan, 
of  Bennington,  Vt. 

George  H.  Pearel  is  a  machinist  and  millwright  for 
the  Moosic  Powder  Company.  He  was  born  June  28th, 
1848,  in  Frederick,  Md.,  and  married  Fanny  K.  Black- 
man,  of  Moscow,  Pa. 

Captain  N.  G.  Reed,  of  Milwaukee,  is  a  farmer,  and 
is  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  born  in  Abington,  Pa., 
December  iSth,  1827,  and  was  married  January  27th, 
1869,  to  S.  A.  Petty,  of  Pittston,  Pa.  He  lias  been  post- 
master at  Milwaukee,  and  captain  of  the  ''Union  In- 
vincibles." 

Adam  Reinhardt,  who  was  born  February  27th,  1838, 
in  Weisenbach,  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  is  outside  fore- 
man at  the  Pyne  colliery.  Mrs.  R.  was  Catharine 
Schulthus,  of  Lackawanna,  Pa. 

P.  K.  Richards  is  a  native  of  Ransom,  and  was  born 
September  13th,  1832.  His  wife  was  Rosina  C.  Corse- 
lius,  of  Newton,  Pa.  Mr.  Richards  is  one  of  the  enter- 
prising farmers  of  Ransom,  and  has  been  honored  with 
several  important  trusts  in  the  gift  of  his  townsmen. 

H.  R.  Sanders,  driver  boss  for  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 
Company,  was  born  in  Kirkwood,  N.  Y.,  October  29th, 
1848,  and  married  Nancy  Goodwin,  of  Lackawanna. 

Captain  Amos  Sax  is  a  native  of  Northampton 
county,  Pa.,  and  was  born  in  1823.  He  is  engaged  in 
farming.  He  was  married  in  1857,  to  Sarah  A.  Hopkins. 
He  was  a  captain  in  the  State  militia. 

John  Shook  was  born  in  Newton,  December  27th, 
1841.  His  wife  was  Maria  Swartwood,  of  Exeter, Wyom- 
ing county,  Pa.     Mr.  Shook  follows  farming. 

Garrett  Smith  was  born  in  Belvidere,  N.  J.,  Septem- 
ber 17th,  1831.  He  is  a  farmer  and  a  miller,  and  is  sup- 
erintendent of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  &  Coal  Company's 
mill.     His  wife  was  Mary  H.  Landis,  of  Scranton. 

William  N.  Smith  was  born  in  Newton,  March  6th, 
1844,  and  married  Maggie  Neary,  of  the  same  township. 
He  enlisted  October  2nd,'i86i,  in  Company  H  S2nd 
Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and  was  discharged  November 
14th,  1864;  was  wounded  at  the  siege  of  Charleston,  S.  C, 
August  27th,  1864. 

George  S.  Snovrr,  of  Bald  Mountain,  was  born  in 
Blairstown,  N.  J.,  April  i8th,  1838.  He  enlisted  March 
9th,  1863,  in  Company  B  143d  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
and  was  discharged  June  20th,  1865.  He  is  now  a  farm- 
er, and  is  school  director  of  Newton.  His  wife  was 
Mary  Kresge,  of  Newton. 

Adam  Thompson  is  a  farmer.  He  is  assessor,  and  was 
formerly  school  director.  He  was  born  at  Schultzville, 
January  14th,  1840.  His  wife  was  Kate  E.  Smith,  of 
Newton. 

Charles  Thompson  was  born  in  Carbondale,  May 
12th,  1844.     He  is  an  engineer  for  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  Rail- 


<^ 


H^ 


486  z» 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


road  Company  at  Archbald.  His  first  wife,  formerly 
Ella  Schoonover,  of  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  died  April  5th, 
1875,  and  he  married  Ella  S.  McArthur,  of  Scranton. 

Ira  Tinklepaugh,  farmer  and  saloon  keeper,  was 
born  November  2gth,  1819,  in  Lackawanna,  Pa.,  and 
married  Aurilla  Scott,  of  Moscow,  Pa. 

C.  H.  Van  Horn  is  a  native  of  Fairmount,  Pa.,  and 
was  born  August  isth,  1841.  He  is  a  merchant  at  Tay- 
lorville,  and  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Febru- 
ary, 1878,  for  five  years.  His  wife  was  Miss  Kate  P. 
Atherton,  of  Old  Forge. 

John  Von  Weissenfluh  was  born  in  Canton  Berne, 
Switzerland,  May  21st,  1831,  and  married  Miss  Ann  Kel- 
ler, of  the  same  c;inton.  He  is  proprietor  of  the  Wilhelm 
Tell  Hotel  at  Taylorville. 

John  Weber  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  was  born  April 
2nd,  1823.  He  married  Miss  R.  Tracey,  of  Germany. 
He  is  proprietor  of  the  Union  House  at  Taylorville. 

John  Weber,  jr.,  was  born  in  Germany,  December 
24th,  1849,  and  married  Miss  Minnie  Youngblood,  of 
Kingston,  Pa.  He  is  also  engaged  in  the  Union  House 
at  Taylorville. 

Thomas  Weir  was  born  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland, 
February  27th,  1827.  He  is  boss  at  No.  13  shaft  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Coal  Company.  His  wife  was  Ellen  M. 
Hunter,  of  Manchester,  England. 

B.  F-.  White  was  born  in  Scott,  Pa.,  December  19th, 
1845.     He  is  a  wholesale  dairy  farmer. 


Britain  Williams,  who  resides  at  Milwaukee  village, 
was  born  July  7th,  1823,  and  is  now  a  farmer. 

J.  B.  WiNSLOW  is  a  merchant  at  Taylorville,  of  the  firm 
of  J.  B.  Winslow  &  Co.  He  was  born  April  26th,  1848, 
in  Wyoming  county.  Pa.  His  wife  was  Miss  Hannah  J. 
Hunzinger,  of  CoUey,  Sullivan  county.  Pa. 

Lieutenant  J.  B.  Wood  was  born  in  Warwick,  Or- 
ange county,  N.  Y.,  August  9th,  1831.  He  enlisted  Aug- 
ust 6th,  1862,  in  Company  M  17th  Pa.  cavalry,  and  was 
discharged  October  6th,  1863,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  hav- 
ing lost  his  right  leg  in  the  battle  of  Upperville,  Va., 
June  2ist,  1863.  He  was  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in 
February,  1863.  His  wife  was  Miss  Mary  C.  Jackson,  of 
Great  Bend,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Wood  is  the  proprietor  of  the 
Old  Forge  Hotel,  at  Old  Forge. 

A.  Woodworth,  of  Bald  Mountain,  was  born  in  Union, 
Pa.,  April  ist,  1841.  He  enlisted  June  loth,  1861,  in 
Company  F,  Pa.  reserves,  and  was  discharged  in  October, 
1863.  His  wife  was  S.  A,  Hollister,  of  Brooklyn,  Pa. 
He  is  a  farmer. 

Nicholas  Young  was  born  in  Prussia,  January  loth, 
1832.  His  wife  was  Harriet  McEwen,  of  Tuthill,  Ulster 
county,  N.  Y. 

Christopher  Zeiss,  a  native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt, 
Germany,  was  born  June  27th,  1824,  and  married  Eliza- 
beth Klippel,  of  Germany.  He  has  been  judge  and  in- 
spector of  election,  and  is  the  present  treasurer  of  Ransom 
township. 


t^^= 


^¥ 


*4=- 


THE  PIONEER  PERIOD  IN  NEWTON  TOWNSHIP. 


487 


health,  and  converses  as  fluently  as  a  man  of  fifty.  Paul 
Aten,  aged  91,  is  in  good  health,  and  reads  the  papers 
without  the  aid  of  glasses.  Mrs.  Ringsdorf,  though  91, 
is  in  the  possession  of  all  her  faculties.  Mrs.  Benjamin, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Newton,  is  now  85. 

Zebulon  Comstock,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  New- 
ton, was  a  bold  and  experienced  hunter,  and  spent  a 
good  part  of  his  time  in  hunting  and  trapping.  On  his 
return  one  evening  from  what  is  now  Hyde  Park,  a  huge 
panther  sprang  out  of  the  thicke<  just  behind  him.  He 
quickly  turned  around,  faced  the  savage  beast,  and  thus 
walked  backward  about  half  a  mile,  keeping  his  eye 
steadily  fixed  upon  the  eye  of  the  panther,  when  the 
animal  finally  turned  and  left  him  the  victor.  Early  the 
next  morning  Comstock  shouldered  his  rifle,  and,  accom- 
panied by  his  faithful  dog,  returned  to  the  spot  where 
the  panther  sprang  from  the  thicket.  Here  he  found  the 
remains  of  a  deer  the  panther  had  killed  and  carefully 
covered  with  leaves.  The  dog  followed  the  track  of 
the  panther  about  three  miles,  and  treed  him,  when 
Comstock  shot  him. 

At  an  early  day  in  Newton's  history  the  nearest  store 
was  at  Wilkes-Barre.  Joseph  Coon,  in  relating  some 
of  his  pioneer  experiences,  says  that  he  once  carried  a 
grist  of  rye  to  mill  at  Slocum  Hollow  (Scranton)  on 
his  back;  on  his  return  he  dared  not  take  the  flour  from 
his  shoulders,  for  fear  he  would  not  have  strength 
to  shoulder  it  again,  and  he  rested  by  leaning  against  a 
tree  whenever  his  strength  began  to  fail  him. 

Timothy  McClusky  says  that  in  his  youthful  days  he 
used  to  go  down  on  to  the  river  flats  and  woirk  for 
farmers,  taking  his  pay  in  grain,  and  at  night  carry  the 
grain  on  his  back  to  the  mill  at  Pittston,  wait  for  it  to 
be  ground  and  take  the  flour  home  the  same  night.  One 
night,  while  returning  over  the  mountain,  he  was  over- 
taken by  a  storm;  and,  it  being  too  dark  to  find  his  way, 
he  had  to  spend  the  night  in  the  forest,  frightening  off 
the  wolves.  He  also  says  that  he  has  carried  butter 
from  Newton  to  Wilkes-Barre  and  traded  it  off  at  six 
cents  per  pound  for  groceries. 

The  pioneer  store  and  ashery  was  kept  by  Elias  Smith. 
He  bought  ashes  of  the  settlers  and  made  from  them 
potash,  which  he  traded  in  Wilkes-Barre  for  such  dry 
goods  and  groceries  as  the  pioneers  needed,  and  took 
more  ashes  from  his  neighbors  in  pay  for  the  goods.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  died  in  1864.  He 
built  the  first  fmmed  house  in  Newton  township. 

The  first  regular  store  was  kept  by  Solomon  Strong,, 
where  the  Van  Sickler  Hotel  now  stands  at  Newton 
Center.  Dr.  Charles  Kelly  succeeded  Strong,  but  in  a 
short  time  returned  to  Tunkhannock.  In  1842  E.  A. 
and  George  Carey  and  Thomas  Atherton  purchased  a 
barn  of  Chauncey  Sherwood  and  converted  it  into  a  store, 
which  they  kept  about  twelve  years.  They  were  suc- 
ceeded by  L.  H.  Litts,  who  subsequently  built  a  store  on 
the  site  of  John  Hice's  residence.  This  was  burned  in 
1 86 1,  and  Mr.  Litts  occupied  Sherwood's  store  till  his 
appointment  as  warden  of  Pittston  poor-house,  when  he 
sold  his  goods  to  Chauncey  Sherwood,  who  .continued  in 


the  business  several  years.  Henry  Sham  has  kept  a 
clothing  store  at  Newton  Center  at  three  different  times. 
The  old  Sherwood  store  is  now  occupied  by  L.  B.  Ayres 
as  a  dwelling.  In  1861  or  1862  Ira  Litts  built  the  Hice 
store;  a  few  years  later  he  sold  to  John  Hice,  the  present 
merchant  at  Newton  Center. 

Previous  to  1841  there  was  no  licensed  tavern  in  New- 
ton township.  The  traveler  was  accommodated  by  any 
of  the  hospitable  citizens  upon  whom  he  happened  to 
call.  In  1841  James  Van  Sickler  purchased  the  stone 
building  of  Solomon  Strong  and  converted  it  into  a 
tavern,  which  he  kept  several  years.  At  his  death  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  son  Solomon,  who  now  keeps  the  Van 
Sickler  House  at  Newton  Center.  In  1842  Chauncey 
Sherwood  built  a  dwelling  house  at  Newton  Center,  and 
subsequently  converted  it  into  a  hotel,  known  as  the 
Sherwood  House,  which  he  kept  several  years.  The 
property  is  now  owned  by  Aaron  Fuller,  and  is  occupied 
as  a  private  dwelling. 

Dr.  Andrew  Bedford  was  the  first  practicing  physician, 
and  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Hiram  Nichols,  who  lived 
in  Abington.  Dr.  H.  S.  Cooper,  who  studied  medicine 
with  B.  A.  Benton,  M.  D,,  of  Tunkhannock,  and  grad- 
uated from  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  College,  at  Phil- 
adelphia, located  at  Newton  Center  in  1842;  left  in  1850, 
but  has  practiced  here  since  1858,  excepting  a  year  in  the 
army.  Dr.  S.  M.  Wheeler  practiced  for  a  few  months 
after  1850,  and  was  followed  by  Dr.  J.  Keeney,  from  La- 
ceyville.  He  died  in  the  spring  of  1852.  Dr.  James 
Decker  was  the  next  physician.  He  died  here  in  i860. 
Dr.  J.  A.  Hann  has  been  at  Newton  Center  since  i860. 
Dr.  P.  F.  Hubler,  of  Huntington,  Pa.,  graduated  from  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  at  Philadelphia,  in  1877,  and 
located  in  Newton  the  same  year,  where  he  is  practicing. 
The  first  school  was  taught  by  Parley  Von  Cleveland, 
as  early  as  1812  or  1815,  in  a  log  house  built  for  that 
purpose.  He  was  succeeded  by  John  Mott  and  Anthony 
Briggs. 

Some  years  later  a  larger  and  more  convenient 
house  was  built  of  hewn  logs,  on  the  "  widow  Shaw 
place."  Anthony  Briggs  and  others  taught  in  it.  Among 
the  surviving  pupils  of  these  pioneer  schools  are  Jane 
Courtright,  John  Thompson,  Timothy  McClusky,  Charles, 
William  and  Zebulon  Comstock  and  Ellen,  Jacob  and 
David  M.  Smith.  In  1830  a  frame  school-house  was 
built  in  front  of  where  the  Baptist  church  now  stands, 
but  it  has  been  gone  several  years. 

Newton  Hall  Academy,  on  Presbyterian  hill,  was 
built  in  1847,  and  the  first  term  was  taught  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Osmond.  The  late  C.  S.  Stark,  of  Pittston,  also 
taught  one  term.  None  but  the  higher  branches  were 
taught.  The  academy  building  is  now  occupied  by  the 
Good  Templars. 

There  are  six  good  schools  in  this  township,  the  Ridge, 
Lacoe,  Casner,  Shook,  Fireproof,  Shultzville  and  Port 
Royal  schools. 

Until  1844  the  nearest  post-office  was  at  Buttermilk 
Falls.  In  1844  Henry  Litts  was  appointed  postmaster 
and  he  kept  the  office  at  his  house.     The  mail  was  then 


«^H= 


=4* 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


brought  once  a  week  on  horseback  over  the  mountain 
from  Old  Forge.  Mr.  Litts  was  succeeded  by  Chauncey 
Sherwood,  who  kept  the  office  at  his  house  in  Newton 
Center. 

The  pioneer  saw-mill  was  built  by  Elias  Smith,  in  1821, 
on  Gardner's  creek.  He  operated  it  till  it  was  worn  out. 
He  then  built  the  one  now  owned  and  operated  by  his 
son  Elias  Smith.  In  1841  L.  H.  Litts  and  Chauncey 
Sherwood  built  the  saw-mill  half  a  mile  east  of  the  Litts 
farm.  The  Fitch  saw-mill,  on  Falls  creek  at  Brinktown, 
was  built  in  1840,  and  is  now  owned  and  operated  by  L. 
G.  Damon,  of  Pittston.  A  steam  saw-mill,  one  and  a  half 
miles  north  of  Newton  Center,  on  the  road  to  Shultzville, 
was  built  by  Solomon  Hopkins  &  Son  in  1868.  The 
Hartley  saw-mill,  near  Shultzville,  was  built  by  Esquire 
Hartley  about  1850.  McKinstry  &  Childs  converted  it 
into  a  steam  mill,  and  it  was  subsequently  burned. 

Edward  Rozell  carried  on  blacksmithing  a  number  of 
years  from  1821.  C.  Van  Buskirk  subsequently  built  his 
present  shop  at  Newton  Center. 

The  Keystone  tannery,  at  Shultzville,  was  built  in  i860 
by  John  B.  Shultz,  who  sold  it  in  1865  to  McKinstry  & 
Childs.  About  1875  McKinstry  became  sole  owner. 
This  is  a  sole  leather  tannery,  and  employs  about  60  men 
annually.  There  is  a  large  corap.iny  store  in  connection 
with  the  tannery,  kept  by  A.  B.  McKinstry. 

Civil  List  of  Newton. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  justices  of  the  peace 
elected  for  Newton,  from  the  organization  of  the  town- 
ship: Lewis  H.  Litts,  1843;  Chauncey  Sherwood,  1843, 
1850,  1856,  1862;  Henry  S.  Decker,  1846,  1855,  i860; 
Henry  Kern,  1846;  Timothy  McCiusky,  1852,  1857, 
1862;  Hezekiah  Ferguson,  1856;  H.  S.  Cooper,  1864, 
1869;  D.  W.  Richards,  1868,  1874;  H.  P.  Jacobs,  1874; 
Horace  F.  Barrett,  1877,  1878. 

Newton  in  the  War  for  the  Union. 

The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  the  Union  soldiers 
who  went  from  this  township  in  the  various  Pennsylvania 
regiments  : 

Fifty-second  Infantry,— Jasoa  Ayere.  Andrew  S.  Collum,  died  from 
disease  contracted  in  the  army.  Leonard  Harris.  Baldwin  Kern,  died 
In  hospital.  Myron  Maxfleld.  Jacob  Mnxfield,  died  coming  home  after 
dischar£?e.  John  Sister.  Solomon  Van  Sickler. 

Eleventh  Gavalry.— George  Beemer.  S.  S.  Brink,  killed.  Charles  Brink. 
George  Sigman.  Levi  Lewis,  shot  by  rebel  scouts. 

One  Hundred  and  Forty-third  Infantry.— Norvnnn  Butterfleld,  Lewis 
Courtright,  Oliver  Decker.  Samuel  Docker,  wounded;  Geore:e  Hopkins, 
killed;  John  Kichards,  died  in  hospital  at  Washington  from  amputation 
of  limb;  Ira  Sutten,  John  R.  Smith,  George  Inover. 

Miscellaneous.— Harvey  Coon,  missing;  Alien  Collum,  died  from  disease 
contracted  in  the  army;  John  Drisler,  missiniif;  James  Fish,  Pa.  Buclc- 
tails;  Joseph  Garey,  141st,  wounded  in  the  'Wilderness;  Andrew  Han-is, 
3nd  cavalry,  died  at  Andersonville;  William  Kern,  navy;  Lewis  McCius- 
key,  Peter  McCluskey,  144th;  William  Smith,  lost  leg  by  bvirsting  shell 
at  Charleston. 

Villages. 

Newton  Center  (Bald  Mount  post-office)  has  a  Presbyte- 
rian, a  Baptist  and  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  the  store 
and  post-office  kept  by  J.  Hice,  the  blacksmith  shop  of 
C.  Van    Buskirk,  the  hotel  of  S.   Van    Sickler,  a  school- 


house,  three  physicians  (Drs.  Cooper,  Hann  and  Hubler), 
and  a  population  of  about  150. 

Shultzville  was  named  by  John  B.  Shultz,  who  was 
formerly  owner  of  the  land  and  other  property  here. 
The  place  contains  a  church,  a  school-house,  a  store,  a 
tannery  and  a  post-office,  with  H.  F.  Barrett  postmaster; 
population  125. 

RELIGIOUS. 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    OF    NEWTON. 

This  church,  worshiping  at  Newton  Center,  was  organ- 
ized October  29th,  1835,  by  Revs.  J.  Rhoades  and  J. 
Dorrance.  The  original  members  were  Peter  Corselius, 
Peter  Richards,  Peter  Ayers,  Isaac  Rozell  and  Samuel 
Clark  and  their  wives,  Sarah  Comstock,  Mary  Carman, 
Matilda  Rozell  and  Harriet  Thompson.  Of  these  only 
Maria  Corselius,  Matilda  Rozell  and  Harriet  Thompson 
are  living. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  school-houses,  and  the 
first  minister  after  the  organization  was  Rev.  J.  Rhoades, 
about  two  years;  Rev.  N.  G.  Parke,  of  Pittston,  then  sup- 
plied the  church  every  four  weeks.  Rev.  Owen  Brown 
preached  once  in  two  weeks  for  about  two  years.  Rev. 
Jonathan  Osmond  was  pastor  for  two  years  from  1848; 
then  Rev.  W.  E.  Holmes,  two  and  a  half  years;  Rev.  J. 
B.  Adams,  five  years;  Rev.  J.  H.  Sargent,  five  years;  Rev. 
A.  G.  Harnard,  five;  Rev.  J.  S.  Hanna,  one.  The 
church  is  now  without  a  pastor.  The  pulpit  is  supplied 
by  Rev.  J.  M.  Phillips. 

A  neat  church  edifice,  of  wood,  was  built  in  1848,  on  a 
lot  donated  by  W.  C.  Ayers.  The  society  also  owns  a 
parsonage.     The  church  membership  is  about  80. 

Horace  Collum  was  the  first  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school. 

BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

This  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  Falls  Baptist  church,  and 
was  constituted  in  the  spring  of  1828,  in  the  eastern  part 
of  Falls,  now  Newton  township,with  four  members — Elias 
Smith,  Samuel  Mittain,  Catharine  Litts  and  Mrs.  Fritchell. 
Rev.  Isaac  D.  Jones,  a  licentiate  of  the  church  at  Exeter, 
was  the  preacher  until  1833.  Rev.  John  Miller  preached 
occasionally  from  1836  to  1839,  and  Rev.  James  Clark 
part  of  1840. 

February  2nd,  1845,  the  Falls  Baptist  church  was  for- 
mally disbanded,  and  the  Newton  Baptist  church  organ- 
ized. Rev.  Silas  Finn  preached  half  the  time  during  the 
next  three  years,  and  in  1853  Rev.  John  Miller  accepted 
a  call  to  preach  half  the  time.  February  9th,  1877,  he 
became  pastor,  and  H.  S.  Cooper  and  John  Rosenkrans 
were  elected  deacons.  Rev.  Charles  Parker  succeeded 
Mr.  Miller,  and  preached  till  March,  1859;  Rev.  J.  C. 
Sherman  till  December,  1861,  and  in  the  summer  of  1862, 
when  he  entered  the  army  as  chaplain.  Till  April,  1867, 
the  church  was  without  a  pastor.  Then  Rev.  J.  C.  Sher- 
man preached  a  year. 

All  this  time  the  church  had  been  meeting  in  school- 
houses  and  wherever  most  convenient.  January  i8th, 
1868,  Dr.  H.  S.  Cooper,  Rev.  Mr.  Sherman,  J.   Rolosen^ 


<^ 


f 


='=^^ 


CHURCHES  OF  NEWTON  TOWNSHIP— PIONEERS  OF  OLD  FORGE. 


489 


Mr.  Biesecker  and  E.  Taylor  were  appointed  a  building 
committee.  The  church  building  was  dedicated  Novem- 
ber 28th,  1871,  by  Rev.  W.  P.  Helling,  of  Scranton.  It 
is  of  wood,  thirty-six  by  fifty  feet,  neatly  finished  and  fur- 
nished. 

After  Mr.  Sherman  Rev.  George  Lukins  preached  a 
year,  and  Rev.  Newell  Callender  three  years.  Rev.  W. 
G.  Comstock  is  the  present  pastor.  The  church  property 
is  valued  at  $5,000. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1872.  John  Coon 
is  the  superintendent. 

THE    CHAPEL    AT    SHULTZVILLE 

was  built  by  John  B.  Shultz  in  1861  or  1862,  and  was  for 
several  years  used  jointly  for  school  and  religious  pur- 
poses. Since  the  building  of  a  school-house  there  the 
chapel  is  occupied  exclusively  for  religious  meetings. 

NEWTON    M.    E.     CHURCH. 

The  old  red  school-house  at  Newton  Center  was  a 
regular  place  for  preaching  for  20  years  before  the  cor- 
porate organization  of  the  church  in  November,  1846. 
The  first  trustees  were  Jacob  Smith,  Nathaniel  Richards, 
Timothy  Drake,  Peter  Bedell,  Jesse  Beeraer,  Alexander 
Beemer,  George  Albright,  Noah  Patrick  and  John  Meiss. 
Peter  Bedell,  Jacob  Smith,  James  Van  Sickler,  Nathaniel 
Richards  and  Peter  Rutan  were  the  building  committee 
who  had  a  church  erected  in  1847,  at  a  cost  of  $600. 
During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  C.  E.  Taylor  Jacob  Smith 
was  appointed  leader  of  a  class  numbering  23.  After 
holding  occasional  revivals,  with  a  steady  increase  of 
membership,  for  28  years  the  old  house  was  abandoned 
on  the  8th  of  December,  1875.  A  new  charter  was  ob- 
tained and  in  1876  a  church  edifice  with  steeple  and  bell 
(the  first  church  bell  in  the  township)  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  $4,000.  The  Newton  circuit  is  believed  to  have 
been  constituted  in  1840,  with  five  regular  places  of  wor- 
ship— Newton  Center,  Milwaukee,  Falls,  Mill  City  and 
Overfield.  The  new  church  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Reuben  Nelson  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Isaac 
Austin. 

The  Sabbath-school,  which  was  established  in  the  early 
days  of  the  society,  is  still  flourishing,  numbering  45 
scholars.     The  church  membership  is  56. 

The  pastors  since  the  new  charter  are  Revs.  Isaac 
Austin  and  William  Shelp.  Those  previous:  Revs. 
Charles  Giddings,  White,  Reddy,  Samuel  Griffin,  John 
Mulkey,  Dayton  F.  Reed,  C.  E.  Taylor,  Wilcox,  Benjamin 
Ellis,  Owen,  Schoonmaker,  Sterling,  E.  F.  Roberts,  John 
La  Bar,  John  Wilbur,  J.  D.  Safford,  Miner  Swallow,  G. 
W.  Leach,  P.  S.  Holbrook,  J.  W.  Munger,  G.  M.  Peck, 
D.  Personius,  E.  N.  Pardee,  Asa  J.  Van  Cleft,  E.  Pufl^er, 
Isaac  Austin,  R.  S.  Rose,  A.  Brigham    and  A.  J.  Arnold. 

Bald  Mount  Lodge,  No.  731,  I.  O..  of  G.  T. 

was  instituted  at  Newton  Center,  July  30th,  1869,  with 
SO  charter  members.  It  is  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
holding  regular  meetings  on  Friday  evening  of  each 
week  in  Good  Templars'  Hall.     It  has  enrolled  over  300 


members  and  has  a  full  treasury.  Miss  Jennie  Petty,  a 
member  of  this  lodge,  is  an  earnest  advocate  and  worker 
in  the  temperance  cause. 


OLD  FORGE  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  Lackawanna 
township.  May  26th,  1871,  and  contains 
about  nine  square  miles.  The  population  in 
1880  was  1,408. 

Among  the  pioneers  none  was  more 
prominent  in  business  affairs  and  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  township's  resources,  than  Doctor 
William  Hooker  Smith,  who  came  here  in  1789,  after 
having  lived  in  the  Wilkes-Barre  clearing  from  1772.  He 
was  a  competent  surgeon  and  physician,  and,  excepting 
Dr.  Sprague,  he  was  the  only  physician  in  1772  between 
Cochecton  and  Sunbury,  a  distance  ol  150  miles.  He 
was  a  plain,  practical  man,  with  all  the  old  fashioned 
faith  in  the  virtues  of  bleeding. 

In  the  spring  of  1789  Dr.  Smith  and  James  Sutton  built 
a  forge  just  above  the  mouth  of  Ascension  brook,  on  the 
rocky  edge  of  the  Lackawanna  and  just  below  the  rapids 
or  falls.  This  was  the  only  concern  of  the  kind  in  all 
old  Westmoreland,  except  one  at  Newport,  built  in  1777. 
The  traces  of  the  old  forge  are  still  plainly  to  be  seen, 
and  antiquarians  still  dig  around  it  for  relics.  From  it 
the  township  derives  its  name. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  was  William  Miller,  who 
in  1782  built  a  little  grist-mill  on  Miller's  Mill  creek, 
across  the  road  from  shaft  No.  13  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Coal  Company.  It  went  to  decay,  and  a  saw-mill  was 
built  on  the  same  site,  which  has  given  place  to  a  black- 
smith shop.  A  part  of  the  old  dam  is  still  there.  Many 
a  good  joke  is  told  of  "  Uncle  Billy,"  as  he  v/as  familiarly 
c:illed.  He  was  always  unusually  attentive  to  the  spout 
where  the  meal  from  his  customers'  grists  came  from  the 
stone,  and  was  always  feeling  of  the  meal  as  it  came 
through  ;  and  his  coat  sleeves,  being  large,  would  natu- 
rally catch  considerable  dust  (not  any  meal,  of  course  !), 
which  he  jvould  shake  off  into  an  empty  barrel.  Every- 
body though  him  honest,  but  wondered  how  "  'mazin' 
fast  that  bar'l  filled  up." 

Charles  Drake  in  1808  built  the  house  now  occupied 
by  Ebenezer  Drake,  near  the  Lackawanna  depot.  He 
built  a  tannery  on  a  small  scale  where  Drake's  store  now 
stands,  at  Old  Forge  village,  and  afterward  kept  a  tavern 
at  the  same  place. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  of  logs,  on  the  site 
of  the  present  one,  on  the  corner  west  of  John  D.  Mil- 
ler's. 

The  foundry  now  owned  and  operated  by  G.  M.&S.  H. 
Miller  was  built  by  John  Drake,  who  sold  to  William 
Howard.  A  foundry  was  built  by  Edmund  B.  Babb  about 
1820,  a  short   distance  above  the    mouth  of   Ascension 


<^ 


Hh 


490 


HISTORY  OF  LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


creek,  which  he  operated  for  a  few  years,  but  it  finally 
went  to  decay. 

The  little  hamlet  below  the  Lackawanna  depot  was 
named  "  Babylon  "  by  John  B.  Babb,  who  kept  a  store 
there  a  few  yeirs  in  the  primitive  days.  Calvin  Stock- 
bridge  kept  a  tavern  at  Babylon  in  1832.  Li  pioneer 
times  John  B.  Babb  had  a  small  grist-mill  a  short  distance 
above  the  mouth  of  Ascension  creek.  He  built  the  origi- 
nal log  bridge  across  the  Lackawanna  river,  on  the  site 
of  the  present  iron  bridge. 

John  D.  Miller  has  lived  where  he  now  resides  since 
1832,  but  has  by  the  changing  of  county  and  township 
lines  lived  in  two  counties  and  three  townships;  he  has 
also  been  justice  of  the  peace  in,  the  two  counties  and 
three  townships,  having  been  elected  first  in  Pittston,  then 
in  Lackawanna  and  twice  in  Old  Forge. 

Erastus  Smith,  James  Knapp,  James  Scott  and  the 
Atherton  family,  who  located  in  the  north  end  of  the 
township,  were  among  the  pioneers. 

In  1816  James  A.  Gordon  built  the  old  wood  colored 
house  just  below  the  old  Atherton  place.  Here  he  kept 
a  store  several  years. 

The  first  postmaster  of  Old  Forge  was  William  Drake; 
the  present  one  is  Ebenezer  Drake. 

The  following  justices  have  been  elected  for  Old  Forge: 
A.  B.  Weisenflue,  1S74;  Charles  Smith,  1875;  John  D. 
Miller,  -1877;  E.  E.  Astor,  1877;  Joseph  Marcy,  1879. 

Coal  Interests  of  Old  Forge. 

Pyne  shaft,  in  the  north  end  of  the  township,  owned  by 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  Com- 
pany, employed  in  1878  297  men  and  boys,  and  mined 
109,506  tons.  Sibley  shaft,  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship, employed  during  1878  247  men  and  boys  in  the 
mine,  which  produced  51,472  tons.  Shaft  No.  13,  in  the 
sontheast  corner  of  the  township,  owned  by  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Coal  Company,  employed  in  1878  35  men  and  boys. 
The  production  foi"  that  year  was  12,718  tons. 


RANSOM  TOWNSHIP. 


4- 


|ANSOM  township  was  formed  in  1849,  from 
parts  of  Exeter  and  Newton,  and  named  in 
honor  of  Captain  Samuel  Ransom,  who 
raised  a  company  in  1777  for  the  defense 
of  the  Wyoming  valley,  and  fell  in  the  battle 
of  July  3d,  1778.  The  population  of  the  town- 
ship was  646  in  1880. 
The  first  white  inhabitant  was  John  Gardner,  who 
came  in  1769  from  Colchester,  Conn.  In  1778,  a  few 
days  before  the  Wyoming  massacre,  he  was  captured  by 
Indians  and  tories.  Before  his  departure  he  advised  his 
wife  to  take  their  five  children  to  Conne,cticut,  and  re- 
main with  her  friends  until  it  would  be  safe  to  return. 
He  then  bade  his  wife  and  children  a  final   farewell;  an 


Indian  placed  a  load  upon  his  shoulders  which  he  could 
scarcely  raise,  then  put  a  halter  around  his  neck,  and 
led  him  away  as  he  would  a  beast.  Mr.  Gardner  became 
exhausted  before  reaching  what  is  now  Geneva,  N.  Y., 
and  was  given  over  to  the  squaws,  who  tortured  him  to 
death  by  driving  his  body  full  of  pitch  pine  sticks  and 
setting  them  on  fire.  Mrs.  Gardner  returned  with  herfive 
children  to  Connecticut.  In  due  time  she  came  back 
to  Ransom,  and  lived  with  her  son  John  till  her  death, 
which  occurred  August  25th,  1834,  when  she  was  91 
years  old.-  She  was  buried  in  the  old  ground  at  Ransom. 
John  and  Richard  Gardner  settled  on  the  farm  pur- 
chased by  their  father  in  1769,  at  the  mouth  of  Gardner's 
creek.  John  was  chiefly  engaged  in  farming.  He  was 
the  father  of  four  children,  and  died  March  30th,  1836, 
aged  64  years.  Richard  established  Gardner's  Ferry  at 
Ransom.  He  was  accidentally  shot  by  a  companion  in 
one  elbow  while  on  a  bear  hunt.  He  was  the  father  of 
eleven  children,  three  of  whom  are  yet  living.  He  died 
July  4th,  1859,  aged  92  years.  His  son  Benjamin,  though 
permanently  paralyzed  in  the  lower  limbs  at  the  age  of 
eleven,  became  an  active  business  man,  filling  the  posi- 
tions of  merchant,  tavern  keeper  and  postmaster  for 
many  years,  and  was  known  throughout  the  country  as 
"  Uncle  Benny  "  Gardner.  He  died  October  24th,  1879, 
at  the  age  of  85.  The  three  surviving  children  are  Sam- 
uel, aged  82;  Celinda,  aged  80;  and  Harriet,  widow  of 
the  late  Silas  Sutton,  aged  73. 

Peleg  Comstock  came  from  Connecticut  about  the 
same  time  with  the  Gardners,  and  settled  on  a  tract  of 
land  which  he  "  patented,"  near  Gardner's  creek,  now 
owned  by  P.  K.  &  Jesse  Richards.  He  had  a  large 
family.  He  died  at  an  advanced  age,  and  was  buried  in 
the  old  ground  at  Ransom. 

John  McMillan,  from  Ireland,  early  located  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  D.  M.  Huthmaker.  He  was  a  school 
teacher  and  a  physician.  He  had  eleven  children.  His 
son  Alexander  married  Nancy  Montanye,  and  the  names 
of  "  Uncle  Aleck  "  and  "Aunt  Nancy  "  were  synonyms 
for  good  in  every  household.  He  died  November  25th, 
1869,  at  an  advanced  age. 

F.  Sandway,  John  Baumgardner,  John  Rader,  Andrew 
Nett,  Philip  Shellenberger  and  Charles  Resler  came  to 
Ransom  in  1841,  from  Germany,  and  settled  on  what  is 
known  from  then  as  "  German  hill." 

The  pioneer  grist-mill  was  built  on  Gardner's  creek,  in 
1825,  by  Phineas  Sherwood,  who  sold  it  to  Absalom 
Young,  and  he  to  Jacob  Dershimer,  who  in  1844  built 
the  present  mill  on  the  site  of  the  old  one.  It  was  next 
owned  by  Nathan  and  Jacob  Keim,  and  is  now  by 
Thomas  Johnson.  A  foundry  was  built  in  185 1  by  Wil- 
liam Vosburg,  a  short  distance  from  the  mill.  It  is  now 
owned  by  S.  E.  Griffin,  who  is  building  a  new  one  near. 
The  first  saw-mill  was  built  in  185 1,  by  one  Twitchel, 
across  the  creek  from  the  grist-mill.  It  was  rebuilt  by 
William  Vosburg  and  is  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Wil- 
liam Timpkins.  The  saw-mill  in  Ransom  village  was 
built  in  1875,  by  J.  G.  Osborn,  and  is  now  operated  by 
F.  P.  Osborn.     The  pioneer  blacksmith  shop  was  at  Mil- 


4¥ 


4- 


CHURCHES   AND  VH.LAGES  OF  RANSOM   TOWNSHIP— EARLY  INSTITUTIONS. 


491 


waukee  village,  and  was  rebuilt  in  1836  by  Abraham 
Michaels,  who  worked  in  it  a  number  of  years.  It  was 
bought  and  rebuilt  by  Daniel  Skinner  and  L.  H.  Winters. 
The  present  owner  is  William  Meyer,  and  the  business  is 
carried  on  by  E.  M.  Winters.  The  first  blacksmith  shop 
m  Ransom  village  was  built  in  1847,  by  Benjamin  and 
Warren  Smith. 

The  Ransom  Valley  Turnpike  Company  was  incorpor- 
ated February  i8th,  1871,  and  the  following  persons 
were'  appointed  commissioners:  L.  H.  Litts,  P.  K. 
Richards,  Peter  Bedell,  George  Damon,  Chauncey  Sher- 
wood, D.  M.  Huthmaker  and  Amos  S.ix.  The  present 
officers  are  N.  G.  Reed,  Thomas  Johnson,  Amos  Sax, 
Henry  S.  Decker  and  D.  M.  Huthmaker. 

The  pioneer  tavern  was  kept  by  Benjamin  Gardner,  at 
Ransom,  for  about  twenty-five  years  from  1812.  It  was 
opened  in  a  small  log  cabin,  built  for  that  purpose  by  his 
father,  Richard  Gardner.  A  larger  and  more  convenient 
house  was  built  for  him  across  the  street.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Benjamin  Smith  and  Philip  Drear,  who  made 
many  improvements.  The  property  was  next  owned  by 
A.  W.  Clark,  who  sold  to  I.  D.  Gulick,  and  the  building 
was  burned  in  March,  1855.  Gulick  then-  kept  tavern 
a  year  in  another  house.  F.  Sandway  purchased  the 
property  and  kept  a  tavern  some  years  and  sold  to  Jacob 
Bertels.  The  building  is  now  a  private  dwelling.  The 
present  hotel  was  built  in  1876,  by  J.  Crowel,  the 
present  proprietor.  In  1846  a  tavern  was  built  at  the 
head  of  the  first  narrows  on  the  road  from  Pittston  to 
Ransom,  by  George  Sax;  it  is  now  kept  by  J.  Nafus. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Benjamin  Smith  and  Ira 
Gardner,  in  1835.  This  store  was  built  by  Samuel 
Gardner  in  1832,  for  a  dwelling.  It  is  now  used  for  a 
stable.  There  was  no  other  store  here  (excepting  Uncle 
Benny's  grocery)  till  1846,  when  Abel  and  James  Thomp- 
son built  and  opened  one,  which  was  burned  in  1855.  In 
1864  Jacob  Bertels  built  and  opened  a  store  near  the 
depot  at  Ransom,  and  in  1866  sold  to  F.  Sandway,  who 
still  occupies  it  as  a  store  and  post-office.  The  first  post- 
office  was  established  about  1849,  when  Benjamin  Gard- 
ner was  appointed  postmaster.  The  post-office  at  Mil- 
waukee was  established  in  1861,  with  N.  G.  Reed  as 
postmaster.  Thomas  Johnson  is  the  present  incumbent. 
The  office  at  Mountain  Valley  was  established  in  1868, 
with  E.  Trively  as  postmaster.  M.  Trively  has  suc- 
ceeded him. 

Previous  to  1846  there  was  a  burying  ground  on  the 
bank  of  the  canal  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  D.  M. 
Huthmaker.  The  first  interment  was  that  of  Richard 
Gardner's  child,  who  died  March  3d,  1797.  The  bury- 
ing ground  near  the  Presbyterian  church  was  donated  by 
Jacob  and  John  Dersheimer.  The  first  interment  was 
that  of  Conrad  Shafer,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  who 
died  in  1846. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  the  justices-  of  the  peace 
elected  for  Ransom:  Peter  A.  Smith,  1849,  1855; 
Benjamin  Smith,  1849;  Jacob  AUabach,  1859;  N.  G. 
Reed,  i860,  1865,  1870,  1875;  D.  M.  Huthmaker,  1862, 
1867,  1872,  1877. 


Cfiurches. 

Lutheran. — This  church,  in  the  village  of  Ransom, 
was  built  in  1845  and  dedicated  in  1847,  during  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  John  Lescher.  For  several  years  the  pul- 
pit has  been  supplied  by  preachers  from  other  places. 

Evangelical  Church. — A  religious  society  was  formed 
in  the  vicinity  of  Ransom  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  May  and 
Jacob  Hartzlen  in  1858.  Services  were  held  regularly  at 
the  house  of  Miss  Celinda  Gardner  for  fifteen  years.  In 
1871  a  frame  church  was  built  on  a  lot  donated  by  Sebas- 
tian Dersheimer.  It  was  dedicated  in  1872.  The  fol- 
lowing ministers,  and  in  the  order  named, have  served  this 
church:  Rev.  Messrs.  May,  J.  Hartzlen,  S.  Smith,  S.  P. 
Davis,  H.  A.  Dietrick,  Solomon  Buck,  I.  M.  Pines,  U.  F. 
Swengle,  J.  M.  Price,  W.  M.  Crawman,  S.  I.  Sharters, 
P.  S.  Ornig,  W.  W.  Rhoades,  A.  J.  HoUenback  and  G. 
Burscon. 

In  1867  a  union  Sunday-school  was  organized  at  the 
house  of  Miss  Celinda  Gardner.  On  the  completion  of 
the  church  the  school  was  removed  to  it.  The  present 
superintendent  is  Peter  Sutton.  This  denomination  uses 
the  school-house  at  Mountain  Valley  for  meetings  and 
Sunday-school. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— The  M.  E.  society  at 
Milwaukee  held  services  several  years  in  the  school- 
house,  the  following  ministers  from  Newton  circuit  preach- 
ing: Rev.  Samuel  Griffin,  White,  J.  M.  Munger,  Luther 
Ellis,  J.  D.  Safford,  Miner  Swallow,  Philip  Holbrook, 
J.  W   Wilbur  and  John  La  Bar. 

In  the  summer  of  1859  the  society  built  a  framed 
church  at  a  cost  of  $4,500,  which  was  dedicated  the  fol- 
lowing winter  by  Rev.  Dr.  George  Peck.  It  was  re- 
paired in  1875,  ^^  a  cost  of  $500. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  ministers  who  have 
served  this  society  :  Revs.  George  Peck,  D.  Personeus, 
G.  W.  Leach,  J.  M.  La  Bar,  I.  N.  Pardue,  A.  J.  Van  Cleft, 
Isaac  Austin,  S.  Rose,  A.  Brigham,  A.  J.  Arnold  and 
William  Shelp,  the  present  pastor. 

A  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  the  school-house  in 
1852,  and  removed  to  the  church  upon  its  completion. 
The  superintendent  is  N.  G.  Reed. 

Villages. 

Milwaukee  is  a  small  but  very  pretty  village,  contain- 
ing a  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a  school  building, 
blacksmith  and  wagon  shop,  grist  and  saw-mills,  a  store, 
a  post-office  and  a  foundry. 

Mrs.  Ann  Bedell,  widow  of  the  late  Peter  Bedell,  of 
Milwaukee,  was  murdered  in  her  house  in  June,  1876. 
The  guilty  party  or  parties  have  never  been  brought  to 
justice. 

Hansom  Village  contains  two  churches,  two  hotels,  two 
school  buildings,  a  saw-mill,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  store,  a 
post-office,  the  depot  of  the  Lehigh  Valley  railroad,  and  a 
number  of  fine  residences.  Here  is  also  located  the  Pitts- 
ton,  Jenkins  and  Old  Forge  alms-house  and  farm.  The 
house  is  a  large,  substantial  and  commodious  brick  build- 
ing, with  modern  improvements  for  the  comfort  and  con- 


<^ 


^ 


492 


HISTORY  OF   LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 


venience  of  both  inmates  and  keepers.  The  old  build- 
ing has  been  fitted  up  for  an  asylum  for  the  insane,  and 
a  neat  farm  house  built  between  the  two.  The  present 
number  of  inmates  is  fifty,  including  ten  insane,  who  are 
well  cared  for  by  the  gentlemanly  steward,  Eli  Brown. 
The  attending  physician  is  Dr.  Rice,  of  Pittston. 

Mountain  Valley,  on  the  road  leading  to  Pittston  and 
Scranton,  has  a  new  school-house,  a  post-ofifice  and  sev- 
eral farm  buildings. 


ROARING  BROOK  TOWNSHIP. 


HIS  township  was  formed  May  24th,  1871,  out 
of  the  borough  of  Dunmore  and  the  town- 
ships of  Jefferson  and  Madison,  and  named 
from  the  stream  passing  through  it.  James 
Locklin  and  Joshua  S.  Miller  were  elected 
_.|S^  justices  in  187 1,  and  Thomas  Hardenbiirgh  and  J. 
'^  S.  Miller  in  1S76.  The  population  in  1880  was  769. 
Among  the  most  prominent  points  of  agricultural  in- 
terest is  the  Glen  Home  farm  of  Dr.  A.  P.  Gardner,  about 
mile  southeast  of  Dunning.  Here  can  be  found  the 
most  complete  establishment  of  the  kind  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  It  is  a  romantic  and  enchanting  spot.  The 
cottage  and  farm  buildings  are  of  the  latest  architectural 
design,  while  the  grounds  are  laid  out  with  pleasant 
walks,  and  planted  with  peach,  pear,  plum  and  many 
varieties  of  apple  trees,  together  with  all  kinds  of  small 
fruits.  Dr.  Gardner  has  a  well  stocked  trout  pond  in 
his  grounds,  from  which  his  table  is  supplied.  His  farm 
stock  is  of  the  best  blood.  The  hospitality  of  host  and 
hostess  of  Glen  Home  farm  is  most  generous. 

Before  and  after  the  construction  of  the  Drinker  turn- 
pike the  township  was  a  solitude;  for  there  had  been  no 
settlement,  and  when  the  road  was  made  passable  the 
men  employed  on  it  moved  along  with  the  work.  No 
permanent  settlement  was  made  till  1847,  unless  we  count 
Barney  Carey,  who  kept  the  toll  gate  on  the  turnpike 
about  a  mile  below  Dunning.  Gilbert  Dunning  located 
at  that  village  in  1847,  and  the  same  year  John  C.  Dun- 
ning south  of  the  steam  saw-mill,  where  Mrs.  Thomas 
now  lives.  Here  he  built  a  log  house.  Isaac  Depew 
south  of  the  village,  and  S.  S.  Welsh,  W.  B.  Edwards  and 
John  S.  Finch  in  Ihe  village,  were  the  next  settlers. 
Amasa  Burns  lives  where  Mr.  Sanders  located  and  built 
a  log  house.  The  pioneer  framed  house  was  that  of  Gil- 
bert Dunning.  He  raised  the  first  crops  in  the  township. 
The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1855.  It  was  the  one 
known  as  the  Forest  Hill  school-house,  between  Dun- 
ning and  the  steam  saw-mill,  now  operated  by  E.  Simp- 
son. The  first  store  was  kept  by  Strong  &  Robinson, 
and  the  next  by  Eugene  Snyder,  who  also  had  a  store  at 
Dunning   several    years.      The    pioneer    tavern    was    at 


"  Hunter  Range,"  a  mile  below  Dunning,  at  the  intersec- 
tion of  the  Cobb  road  with  the  turnpike.  This  place  was 
once  famed  for  trout  .'  shing  and  whisky,  and  was  a 
place  of  resort  for  the  early  settlers  on  rainy  days.  The 
next  tavern  was  built  by  Harrison  Rhodes  at  Dunning. 
It  was  burned  a  few  years  ago.  It  stood  opposite  the 
present  Railroad  House.  The  last  named  hotel,  at  the 
depot,  was  built  in  1872  or  1873  by  Crockett  Robinson, 
and  is  now  owned  and  kept  by  Jacob  Garman,  who  pur- 
chased it  of  Truxell,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  in  1875.  George 
Slote  kept  the  hotel  built  by  Rhodes  at  the  time  it  was 
burned. 

The  first  postmaster  at  Dunning  was  D.  J.  Peck.  He 
was  appointed  in  1858  or  1859,  and  kept  the  office  in  the 
tannery  office. 

The  first  and  only  resident  physician  is  Dr.  A.  P. 
Gardner,  of  Glen  Home  farm. 

The  first  wedding  was  that  of  William  Robinson  and 
Miss  Jane  Dunning,  and  the  first  birth  was  that  of  Miss 
Ada  Robinson. 

The  first  water  power  saw-mill  is  still  standing  at  Dun- 
ning; it  was  built  by  Gilbert  Dunning.  The  next  was  built 
by  Peck  &  Stevens,  farther  down  the  stream.  They  sold  to 
Dr.  Throop,  and  the  mill  is  now  owned  by  Joshua  Miller. 
The  next  two  mills  were  built  by  Dr.  Throop  at  Throops- 
ville.  The  first  steam  saw-mill  was  built  by  Dr.  A.  P. 
Gardner  in  1857,  a  little  south  of  Forest  Hill.  The  first 
two  mills  on  the  same  site  were  burned,  and  the  one  now 
standing  is  operated  by  Edward  Simpson.  The  next 
steam  saw-mill  was  built  by  Stout  &  Kreistick,  on  the 
mountain  two  miles  southwest  from  Dunning;  it  is  now 
owned  by  John  Peck.  The  third  steam  saw-mill  was  that 
built  by  Eugene  Snyder,  about  five  miles  southwest 
from  Dunning,  and  now  owned  and  operated  by  J.  M. 
Rhodes. 

The  tannery  at  Dunning  was  built  in  1857  or  1858,  by 
L.  Maynard.  He  subsequently  sold  it  to  Strong  Rob- 
inson &  Co.,  and  they  to  Eugene  Snyder.  It  is  now  in 
the  hands  of  Shultz,  Southwick  &  Co.,  of  New  York.  It 
has  a  capacity  of  tanning  50,000  sides  of  leather  per 
year. 

Villages. 

Gilbert  Dunning  formerly  owned  all  the  land  on 
which  stands  the  village  bearing  his  name.  There 
are  now  at  this  place  the  tannery  and  the  store  of 
J.  H.  Snyder,  a  church  (Baptist),  a  school-house,  two 
hotels,  the  blacksmith  shops  of  B.  E.  Whitman  and  B. 
Partridge,  the  carriage  and  coffin  factory  of  W.  B.  Ed- 
wards and  the  planing-mill  of  C.  C.  Clay.  E.  W.  Davis 
is  the  station  agent  and  J.  H.  Snyder  the  postmaster. 

Forest  Hill  is  a  hamlet  about  a  mile  south  of  Dunning, 
where  is  situated  Forest  Hill  Cemetery.  The  first  mon- 
ument was  that  of  Charles  Thompson,  who  died  in 
March,  1875.  Here  is  also  the  only  grist-mill  in  the 
township.  It  is  owned  by  J.  M.  Rhodes,  and  was  built 
in  1876.  Mr.  Rhodes  also  has  a  saw-mill,  a  store  and  a 
blacksmith  shop  here. 


^¥ 


4.¥ 


CHURCHES  OF  ROARING  BROOK  TOWNSHIP— EARLY  DAYS  IN  SCOTT. 


493 


Churches   of  the  Township. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — The  first  preaching  in  Roaring 
Brook  was  in  1853,  by  a  Methodist  minister,  at  the  house 
of  J.  M.  Stevens,  about  a  mile  below  Dunning.  Services 
were  held  in  the  school-house  on  the  Cobb  road  in  sum- 
mer, and  at  the  house  of  J.  M.  Stevens  during  the  winter. 
The  first  class  was  formed,  however,  in  a  small  building 
at  Dunning,  owned  by  S.  S.  Welsh  and  used  as  a  school- 
house.  This  was  in  1856.  William  C.  Robinson  was 
appointed  leader.  The  other  members  were  Margaret 
and  Jennie  Robinson,  and  J.  M.,  Sarah  W.  and  Elenora 
A.  Stevens.  The  class  was  transferred  in  1857  to  the 
Forest  Hill  school-house,  at  the  south  side  of  the  Forest 
Hill  camp  ground. 

The  first  pastor  was  David  Davis,  appointed  in  the 
spring  of  1854.  Rev  G.  A.  Cure  was  appointed  in  the 
spring  of  1880.  The  present  class  leader  is  J.M.Ste- 
vens; there  are  26  members. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  the  Forest  Hill 
school-house  in  1858,  with  William  C.  Robinson  as  super- 
intendent and  16  pupils.  The  present  superintendent  is 
G.  A.  Megarget.  The  total  number  of  scholars  is  45; 
average  attendance,  35. 

Baptist  Church. — This  church  was  organized  March 
19th,  1869,  in  the  district  school-house  at  Dunning,  by 
Rev.  J.  C.  Sherman.  Eugene  Snyder,  Phineas  Tuthill, 
Stephen  and  Elizabeth  Vail,  E.  G.  Harailton,  A.  L.  and 
M.  A.  Burns,  R.  B.  Wallace,  S.  E.  Snyder  and  T.  Seror 
were  the  members.  The  church  edifice  and  lot  were  do- 
nated by  Eugene  Snyder,  and  the  building  was  dedicated 
in  1870.  The  furniture  was  provided  by  the  ladies  of  the 
church.  The  church  and  furniture  cost  $2,500.  The 
pastors  since  Mr.  Sherman  have  been  Revs.  George  C. 
Craft,  Charles  M.  Power,  C.  W.  O.  Nyce,  P.  S.  Brewster 
and  I.  P.  Fergens.  The  value  of  the  church  property  is 
$2,500.     The  membership  of  the  society  is  30. 

The  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  was 
Phineas  Tuthill,  who  had  60  scholars.  The  present  su- 
perintendent is  C.  C.  Clay,  and  there  are  70  pupils. 


SCOTT  TOWNSHIP. 


'  COTT  was  formed  from  Greenfield  iri  1846,  and 
named  in  honor  of  Hon.  David  Scott,  one  of 
the  associate  judges  of  Luzerne  county.  It 
had  1,132  inhabitants  in  1870,  and  1,263  m 
1880. 
This  is  one  of  the  townships  across  which  the 
ndians  traveled  from  the  Susquehanna  to  the  head 
waters  of  the  Delaware.  One  of  their  camping  grounds 
was  near  Scott  village.  Evidences  of  their  lengthy  or 
frequent  campings  have  been  and  still  are  found  here. 

The  earliest  and  most  prominent  of  the  pioneers  were 
Roger  Orvis  (1802),  Micah  Vail  (1806),  Seth  Howe  (1800J, 
Daniel  Wall,  James  Brown,  Joseph   Berry  (1S08),  Elijah 


Hobbs,  Caleb  Brown,  Joseph  Sackett,  William  Sirarell, 
William  Carey,  Nathaniel  Finch,  Samuel  Callender,  Ben- 
jamin Wetherby,  Dr.  Westcott  Stone;  and  the  Graves 
family. 

Roger  Orvis,  from  Vermont,  located  in  1802  at  Orvis 
Corners.  He  built  the  pioneer  log  cabin  in  that  part  of 
the  township,  and  made  the  first  clearing.  Micah  Vail, 
from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  located  the  same  year  near 
Chapman's  lake.  Daniel  Wall,  from  Rhode  Island,  and 
Elijah  Hobbs,  from  Vermont,  located  near  Orvis  Corners. 
Joseph  Berry,  from  Connecticut,  located  at  Orvis  Corners. 

The  first  grist-mill  was  built  of  logs  by  Seth  Howe,  in 
1800,  at  the  outlet  of  Chapman's  lake,  and  run  by  a  Mr. 
Hickman.  It  had  but  one  run  of  rock  stones.  The 
water  was  conveyed  from  the  outlet  through  troughs  of 
logs  to  an  overshot  wheel.  About  the  same  time  a  small 
saw-mill  was  built  by  William  Hierlihy  at  Brown  Hollow. 
After  a  few  yttars  it  went  to  decay.  In  1804  James  Brown 
built  a  saw-mill  at  Brown  Hollow.  This  also  went  to 
decay  after  several  years'  use.  A  Mr.  Gritman  had  a 
short  lived  grist-mill  on  the  same  stream.  In  1806  or 
1 808  Major  Westcott  Stone  built  grist  and  saw-mills  on 
the  west  side  of  the  township,  where  E.  Stone  now  lives. 
They  were  destroyed  by  flood  in  1811  or  i8r2.  James 
Brown  built  a  grist-mill  at  Brown  Hollow,  and  used  the 
same  stone  that  Mr.  Gritman  had  used. 

In  1808  the  only  frame  building  in  the  township  was  a 
barn  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Charles  Lowrey,  a  little 
north  of  Chapman's  lake.  It  was  built  by  William  Sim- 
rell,  who  lived  in  a  log  house. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  an  old  log  building  near 
Orvis  Corners,  and  the  first  frame  school-house  was  built 
at  Orvis  Corners  in  1814,  near  where  the  present  one 
stands.  The  first  teacher  was  Josiah  Pell.  Soon  after 
this  there  was  a  school-house  near  C.  Lowrey's  place, 
known  as  the  "  Hibbard  school-house."  Among  the 
other  early  teachers  were  John  Sherman,  Fanny  Hierlihy 
and  Harriet  McKinney. 

Milbury  Burget  and  Joseph  Berry  were  the  first  con- 
stables. 

The  contracting  parties  to  the  first  wedding  were  Joel 
Comstock  and  Nancy  Cook.  Esquire  Roger  Orvis,  the 
pioneer  justice  of  the  peace,  married  them. 

Up  to  1807  marked  trees  outlined  the  winding  paths 
which  were  the  only  roads.  In  that  year  Joseph  Berry 
made  two  miles  of  the  road  from  Orvis  Corners  toward 
Abington.  In  1823  the  Dundaff  turnpike  was  built 
through  Scott  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  on  the  Car- 
bondale  township  line. 

At  Carey's  Corners  Timothy  Lomedue,  who  had  a 
good  sized  log  house  on  the  line  of  travel,  used  to  keep 
over  night  roost  of  the  travelers,  and  his  house  become 
known  as  "Loitiedue's  tavern."  The  first  genuine  tavern 
was  kept  by  Henry  Cobb,  in  i8i5,on  the  Hubbard  place, 
north  of  Chapman's  lake.  His  hotel  was  about  twelve 
by  fourteen  feet,  built  of  logs,  of  course,  with  the  (tivo) 
different  apartments  furnished  in  the  best  style  that  slab 
benches  or  log  stools  and  beds  of  hemlock  or  spruce 
boughs  could  afford.     His  larder   was   always  well   sup- 


*T  T*' 


^^ 


^h 


'4U 


494 


HISTORY   OF   LACKAWANNA   COUNTY. 


plied  with  "  hog  and  hominy  "  and  wild  game.  His  barn 
was  such  as  the  outspreading  branches  of  the  noble 
forest  trees  furnished,  as  the  stock  was  always  tied  under 
them  at  night.  A  creaking  sign-board  bore  the  follow- 
ing inscription:  "cNTiirTaNeMeNT  fore  MaN  eNd 
BeeST."  The  next  tavern  was  kept  by  William  Simrell, 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Charles  Lowrey.  This  was 
also  a  log  house,  but  somewhat  modernized,  having  two 
apartments  in  the  first  story  and  three  up-stairs.  The 
getting  up-stairs  was  done  by  a  ladder,  that  the  guests 
could  pull  up  after  them,  which  of  course  saved  doors 
and  locks. 

The  pioneer  store  was  kept  for  several  years  from  1821 
by  George  Horbiger,  on  the  old  Hubbard  farm,  now 
owned  by  Clark  Lowrey.  Another  store  was  started  in 
1828,  on  the  north  township  line,  by  George  and  Israel 
Sheldon,  who  were  succeeded  by  Charles  Berry.  In  1830 
Newel  D.  Green  opened  a  store  near  the  site  of  the  resi- 
dence of  Joseph  Carpenter,  on  the  Abington  turnpike. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  James 
Brown,  at  Brown  Hollow.  Subsequent  ones  were  held 
at  Samuel  Vail's,  near  Orvis  Corners,  for  several  years, 
and  they  were  finally  transferred  to  the  "Town  Hall  "  at 
Brown  Hollow. 

The  pioneer  shoemaker,  Joseph  Carpenter,  was  followed 
by  Graves,  Sharer  and  others. 

The  pioneer  physician,  Westcott  Stone,  located  in  1S06 
near  the  Abington  township  line,  on  the  plfce  now  owned 
by  Beiidni  Stone. 

The  first  postmaster  was  Charles  Berry.  He  lived  a 
little  south  of  Heart  lake,  on  the  Dundaff  turnpike.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Wilmot  Vail,  and  he  by  Daniel  Vail. 
The  office  was  at  first  called  Greenfield,  and  subsequently 
"  Green  Grove,"  when  it  was  moved  to  its  present  loca- 
tion, about  a  mile  south  of  Brown  Hollow.  The  present 
postmaster  is  W.  W.  Simrell.  The  earliest  mail  carrier, 
Zephaniah  Knapp,  father  of  Dr.  Knapp,  of  Pittsfon,  is 
still  living. 

The  first  property  burned  was  the  house  and  barn  of 
Joseph  Berry,  which  were  totally  destroyed,  with  their 
contents,  in  the  autumn  of  1813,  subjecting  the  family  to 
great  hardship. 

Melaina  Mills,  now  a  resident  of  this  township,  was  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Dundaff.  She  was  born  Novem- 
ber 19th,  1798.  Hollister  says  that  during  the  "great 
blow"  of  July,  1834,  she  was  blown  out  from  her  house 
into  the  meadow.  She  says  this  is  a  mistake  that  it  was 
only  her  bed,  which  hung  on  the  fence,  that  was  blown 
out  into  the  meadow,  and  not  herself. 

Benoni  Stone  and  Joseph  Carpenter,  natives  of  Rhode 
Island,  came  here  among  the  early  settlers.  The  former 
is  aged  92,  and  the  latter  90.  Harry  Vail  and  Earl 
Stone,  who  lived  in  this  township  in  18,08,  are  still  here.' 
Deacon  Berry,  who  lived  here  in  1808,  now  lives  in  Car- 
bondale  city,  aged  82. 

There  are  eleven  school  districts  in  the  township,  with 
good  school-houses  and  teachers. 

Since  the  adoption  of  the  State  constitution  in  1838 
the  following  justices  for  the  township  of  Scott  have  been 


elected  :  Warren  W.  Smith,  1850;  Marcus  Leonard,  Sid- 
ney P.  Stone,  1855;  Nelson  Callender,  1855,  i860:  John 
Wallace,  i860;  Chester  B.  Wetherby,  1865;  Albert 
Graves,  1865,  1869,  1875;  John  B.  Nichols,  1869;  W.  B. 
Hierlihy,   1870;  M.   B.  Vosburg,  1874. 

Villages. 

Brown  Hollmv  y^a.'s,  settled  about  1800.  At  this  place 
there  are  Baptist  and  Methodist  Episcopal  churches,  a 
school-house,  a  hotel,  a  town  hall,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a 
harness  shop  and  a  grist-mill,  and  about  150  inhabitants. 

Green  Grove  contains  a  store  and  a  post-office,  with  W. 
W.  Simrell  as  postmaster. 

Scott  Village  has  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop,  a  saw- 
mill, a  school-house,  a  store  and  a  post-office. 

Religious. 

Elder  Bishop  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  preacher. 
He  was  buried  at  Brown  Hollow.  Elder  John  Millernext 
labored  among  this  people  for  many  years,  preaching  his 
last  sermon  about  three  months  before  he  died.  He  was 
old  and  feeble,  and  had  to  be  carried  to  the  meeting  in 
his  chair,  in  which  he  sat  and  preached  the  funeral  ser- 
mon of  one  of  his  old  parishioners. 

The  Mount  Bethel  Baptist  Church  was  organized  from 
the  Abington  Baptist  Association  June  15th,  1853.  Its 
meeting  house,  at  Brown  Hollow,  was  built  in  1856. 

Methodism  in  Scott. — The  first  Methodist  class  in  this 
township  was  formed  in  the  summer  of  1870,  with  15 
members,  and  A.  H.  Benedict  as  leader.  The  class  was 
made  a  society  in  the  spring  of  187 1,  Rev.  S.  J.  Austin 
pastor.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  village  school- 
house  till  the  completion  of  the  church  edifice.  Mr. 
Austin  was  succeeded  in  the  spring  of  1873  by  Rev.  N. 
J.  Hawley.  The  society  commenced  building  its  church 
in  the   spring   of   1874,   and  dedicated  it  November  4th, 

1875- 

The  pastors  have  been:  Revs.  S.  J.  Austin,  1871-73; 
N.  J.  Hawley,  1873-76;  J.  B.  Sauter,  1876-79;  William 
J.  Hill  since. 

The  trustees  are  William  B.  Hierlihy  (president),  Na- 
thaniel Decker  (secretary),  Leonard  Hopfer,  Harrison 
Hopfer,  S.  J.  Cook,  Jerome  Grosvener  and  A.  H.  Bene- 
dict, who  is  also  the  class  leader.  The  membership  is 
114. 

SPRING  BROOK  TOWNSHIP. 


,  HIS  township  was  formed  from  Covington, 
Novemb:r  22nd,  1853.  The  population  in- 
1870  was  426,  and  in   1880,  658. 

The    north     half    was     originally    owned 

_       by     Dr.     Hoosic     and     the     south     half     by    a 

ri^     Mr.  Fisher,  except  800   acres  at   Yostville,  owned 

by  H.  W.  Drinker.     The  first  settlement  was  made 

in     1832     by   Abraham  Turner,    on    the    present     Evjn 

Williams  estate,  near  the  center    of  the  township.     Bar- 


»^= 


=Hh 


t^H= 


<¥ 


BEGINNINGS  IN  SPRING  BROOK  TOWNSHIP— VILLAGES. 


49S 


ney  Carey,  in  1832  or  1833,  located  on  what  is  now  the 
James  Slote  place.  In  1833  Morgan  Daniels  located 
where  William  Daniels  now  lives,  and  the  same  year  Wil- 
liam Thomas  settled  where  William  D.  Thomas  now 
lives,  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  township.  G.  Laugher 
located  about  1832  where  he  now  lives,  south  of  Spring 
Brook  village.  In  1847  G.  Y.  Haines  came  to  his  pres- 
ent place. 

The  pioneer  saw-mill  was  built  in  1830  by  one  Yeager, 
at  the  mouth  of  Panther  creek  on  Spring  brook.  The 
next  mill  was  built  soon  after  by  A.  Dolph,  just  below  the 
present  residence  of  G.  Y.  Haines.  William  Dole  and 
brother  built  a  mill  about  1845,  on  Spring  brook,  directly 
south  of  G.  Y.  Haines's  place.  There  was  a  large  busi- 
ness done  there  for  a  while,  but  finally  the  mills  were 
abandoned.  Edward  Dolph  built  the  fourth  mill  on 
Spring  brook,  subsequently  owned  by  Foxell  brothers  of 
Scranton 

The  first  framed  house  was  built  by  Jonathan  Price, 
on  the  N.  Kesler  place,  a  little  north  of  G.  Y.  Haines's. 
Soon  after  this  John  Longshore  built  a  framed  house 
where  William  Ward  lives,  on  the  east  side  of  the  town- 
ship. The  next  one  was  built  by  John  Thomas  where  G. 
Y.  Haines  lives.  John  Edwards  built  the  house  where 
R.  Mathews  lives,  which  was  at  the  time  the  best  house 
in  the  township. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  bijilt  in  1832.  It  was  a 
framed  building,  and  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Calvinistic 
Methodist  church.  The  first  school  was  taught  by  Miss 
Emeline  Griffin.  Among  the  first  pupils  were  Mary 
Thomas,  William  Daniels  and  Nathan  Turner,  who  are 
still  living.  The  old  school-house  was  also  used  for 
singing  school,  and  the  first  "  singing  master  "  was  Wil- 
liam Morgan. 

A  tannery  was  built  by  James  Parry  at  Rattlesnake 
falls  in  1845.  The  business  was  abandoned  in  a  few 
years  and  the  property  is  now  owned    by  Edward  Dolph. 

The  first  road  was  from  Spring  Brook  village  to  Dale- 
ville,  in  Covington,  and  the  next  one  from  Spring  Brook 
to  Pittston.  The  first  bridges  were  built  on  the  Pittston 
road,  by  David  Dale.     He  built  three  of  them. 

The  earliest  wedding  occurred  in  1835.  The  contract- 
ing parties  were  Morgan  Pugh  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Davis. 
The  pioneer  baby  was  born  in  1834;  namely,  Caleb  W., 
son  of  Abraham  and  Mary  Turner.  The  first  death  was 
that  of  Thomas  Williams,  who  was   killed   by  a  'falling 


tree,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  William  Snyder.  Mor- 
gan Pugh  was  crippled  by  the  same  accident.  The  oldest 
grave  yard  is  the  one  opposite  James  Slote's  house,  be- 
tween the  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Independent  Method- 
ist churches. 

The  first  postmaster  was  William  C.  Turner,  who  was 
appointed  in  i860.  His  office  was  at  the  forks  of  the 
road,  where  William  Davis  now  lives.  The  first  mail 
carrier  was  George  Swartz,  who  still  carries  the  mail  be- 
tween Moscow  and  this  place.  The  railroad  for  trans- 
porting lumber,  built  by  Sax  and  Hesler,  up  Spring 
brook  from  Moosic  to  near  the  mouth  of  Plank  road 
creek,  is  now  owned  by  George  Carey. 

The  following  were  the  justices  of  the  peace  and  the 
years  of  their  election  previous  to  the  township  being 
merged  in  Lackawanna  county:  Nathan  Turner,  1856, 
i86r;  William  C.  Turner,  1864;  Matthew  Laugher,  1869; 
Frank  Irving,  1876;  George  Y.  Haines,  1878. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  there  were  no  voters  registered 
in  this  township. 

Hamlets. 

Spring' Brook  is  the  oldest  settlement  in  the  township. 
There  is  here  one  store,  kept  by  William  Davis,  who  is 
also  the  postmaster.  Here  are  three  churches.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  was  built  in  1866.  The  society  has 
a  membership  of  12.  The  preacher  is  Rev.  John  Sweet. 
The  Independent  Methodist  church  was  built  in  1869. 
The  membership  of  the  society  numbers  39.  The  minis- 
ter is  the  Rev.  Mr.  Evans.  The  Calvinistic  Methodist 
church  is,  like  the  othtrs,  a  wooden  building,  and  was 
built  in  1871.  The  society  numbers  12  members.  The 
present  pastor  is  Rev.  William  R.  Matthews.  The  first 
man  who  held  religious  services  in  this  township  was 
Rev.  Evan  Evans,  an  Independent  Methodist  clergy- 
man, who  came  here  in  1830  or  1832.  There  are  at  this 
place  about  100  inhabitants. 

At  Maple  Lake  there  are  a  steam  saw-mill,  a  black- 
smith shop,  a  school-house,  and  about  75  inhabitants. 

Yostvillc,  on  the  east  border  of  the  township,  was 
settled  in  1870,  when  Yost,  Pile  &  Co.  built  a  steam  saw- 
mill, a  store  and  several  dwellings.  Joshua  Yost  now 
owns  the  property.  A  post-office  was  established  here 
in  1876,  and  Joshua  Yost  has  always  been  postmaster. 
Quite  a  large  lumbering  business  is  done  here  by  Joshua 
Yost  &  Son,  most  of  the  lumber  being  delivered  on  cars 
at  Moscow,  on  the  D.,  L.  and  W.  Railroad. 


4 


=k¥ 


^^ 


WYOMING  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    I. 


RELICS    OF    AN    EARLIER  RACE ORGANIZATION  OF  WYOM- 
ING   COUNTY OFFICERS  AND  REPRESENTATIVES. 


(LONG  the  Susquehanna  and  its  tributaries, 
within  the  present  territory  of  Wyoming 
county,  evidences  are  found  of  the  former 
existence  of  Indian  towns  at  different  points. 
These  evidences  consist  of  the  relics  which  are 
discovered  in  abundance  at  these  places,  not 
alone  of  weapons  and  hunting  implements,  but 
of  such  simple  domestic  utensils  and  ornaments  of  shell 
and  terra  cotta  as  were  in  use  among  the  pre-Columbian 
Indians.  In  some  of  these  localities  such  relics  are  so 
abundant  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  casual  observers, 
and -considerable  collections  of  them  have  been  made. 
Had  these  places  been  examined  by  a  practiced  archae- 
ologist before  they  were  many  times  disturbed  by  the 
plow,  the  size,  form  and  even  the  age  of  these  villages 
might  have  been  determined  M'ith  a  reasonable  degree  of 
accuracy.  Gradually,  however,  all  traces  of  the  people 
who  formerly  inhabited  these  regions  are  becoming 
fainter,  and  as  time  goes  on  they  will  be  wholly  oblit- 
erated. 

The  county  of  Wyoming  was  formed  out  of  the  north- 
ern part  of  Luzerne,  by  an  act  of  Assembly  approved 
April  4th,  1842.  When  the  petition  for  its  organization 
was  presented  to  the  Legislature  the  petitioners  asked 
that  it  might  be  called  Putnam — the  name  of  one  of  the 
certified  townships  in  the  county.  Through  the  influence 
of  a  member  from  Luzerne  county  the  name  Wyoming 
was  substituted  for  Putnam,  and  thus  the  act  passed. 
Henry  Colt,  of  Luzerne  county,  George  Mack,  of  Colum- 
bia county,  and  John  Boyle,  of  Susquehanna  county, 
were  by  the  act  appointed  commissioners  to  survey  and 
mark  the  boundary  lines  of  the  county.  By  a  supplemen- 
tary act,  approved  June  28th  the  same  year,  the  present 
boundaries  were  established,  and  it  was  ordered  that 
three  commissioners  be  appointed   by    the    governor  to 


locate  the  county  seat.  The  act  also  provided  for  the 
election  of  county  ofificers  on  the  second  Tuesday  in 
October,  1842;  and  until  such  ofificers  were  elected  and 
qualified  the  government  of  Wyoming  was  to  be  admin- 
istered by  the  ofificers  of  Luzerne  county. 

It  was  provided  by  section  10  of  the  act  that '' the 
inhabitants  of  the  counties  of  Luzerne  and  Wyoming 
shall  jointly  elect  two  members  to  the  House  of 
Representatives  of  this  commonwealth  ;  and  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  counties  of  Luzerne,  Wyoming,  Wayne, 
Pike  and  Monroe  shall  elect  one  member  of  the  Senate 
of  this  commonwealth  ;  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
counties  of  Luzerne,  Columbia  and  Wyoming  shall 
elect  one  member  of  Congress."  The  county  was  an- 
nexed to  the  northern  district  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and 
made  a  part  of  the  eleventh  judicial  district  of  the  com- 
monwealth. The  Luzerne  county  jail  was  to  be  used  by 
this  county  three  years,  or  until  a  jail  was  erected  in 
Wyoming  county. 

The  commissioners  appointed  to  locate  the  county  seat 
and  public  bnildings  were  Hendrick  B.  Wright,  of  Lu- 
zerne, S.  J.  Headly,  of  Columbia,  and  Thomas  Gratton, 
of  Monroe.  These  commissioners  in  the  autumn  of  1842 
determined  on  Tunkhannock  as  the  county  seat,  and  the 
square  now  bounded  by  Marion,  Washington,  Warren  and 
Putnam  streets  for  the  public  buildings.  The  ground, 
which  was  then  a  part  of  a  farm  and  cultivated  as  such, 
was  donated  to  the  county  by  Thomas  T.  Slocum. 

The  first  court  house  and  jail  were  erected  in  1843, 
with  funds  (about  $5,000),  raised  by  subscription  among 
the  citizens  of  Tunkhannock  and  vicinity.  They  were 
erected  under  the  supervision  of  a  committee  appointed 
by  the  subscribers,  and  afterward  turned  over  to  the 
county  commissioners,  by  whom  they  were  furnished  at 
th?  expense  of  the  county.  The  contractor  who  built 
them  was  Thos.  H.  Parker.  They  were  brick  structures — 
the  first  brick  buildings  erected  in  the  borough.  The 
courthouse  was  forty  feet  square,  two  stories  in  height. 
The  second  story  was  wholly  occupied  as  a  court  room, 
and  the  public  offices  and  jury  rooms  were  on  the  first 
floor.  The  first  session  of  the  court  held  in  this  house 
was  in  1844.  Previous  sessions  had  been  held  in  the 
Methodist   and  Presbyterian    churches.     The  public  of- 


4* 


WILLIAM   KOONS, 

Shicksl^inny. 
Luzerrje  County. 


Pittston.  "^^^ — , 

Luzerne  County. 


LUTHER  TRESCOTT, 

Luzerne  County'. 


>1rs.  M.L.T.HARTMAM, 
Uniori. 

Luzerne  County. 


t  '»■!/."  ''"eosCv  1  1      *k  3**1        i 

f^  ^    •    -.-.  ^-;!i  '.J  "^    ifi   \\ 


COURT  HOUSE,  TUNKHANNOCK  .WYOMING  CO.,PA. 


4 


WYOMING  COUNTY  ]^UII,DINGS— CIVIL  LIST— JUDGE  JESSUP. 


497 


fices  were  kept  in  a  building  on  what  was  then  kjiown  as 
Turnpike  street.  This  building  was  subsequently  taken 
down  to  make  way  for  the  canal. 

The  jail,  which  stood  about  150  feet  in  the  rear  of  the 
court-house,  had  a  stone  basement,  in  which  were  four 
cells  for  prisoners,  and  a  superstructure  of  brick  for  the 
sheriff  or  jailer's  residence.  It  was  first  occupied  as  a 
prison  in  1844.  These  buildings  were  occupied  with  no 
more  than  ordinary  repairs  till  the  erection  of  the  present 
court-house  and  jail. 

The  present  jail  was  erected  in  1866,  on  the  west  side 
of  Slocum  street.  It  is  of  stone,  one  story  in  height, 
with  a  brick  front  of  two  stories  for  a  sheriff's  residence. 
The  jail  proper  is  33  by  35  feet.  It  has  six  cells  and  has 
a  capacity  for  ten  prisoners.  The  brick  front  is  32  by 
46.  The  cost  of  the  whole  was  $15,520,  including  extras. 
G.  W.  Lung  was  the  architect  and  Charles  Place  the 
contractor. 

In  1869,  by  authority  of  the  Legislature,  the  county  is- 
sued bonds  to  the  amount  of  $r5,ooo,  for  the  repair  of 
the  court-house  and  improvement  of  the  public  grounds. 
On  the  15th  of  May,  1869,  a  contract  was  given  John  W. 
Crawford  for  the  repair  of  the  old  court-house  and- the 
erection  of  a  new  front,  constituting  in  fact  almost  a  new 
structure,  for  the  sum  of  $18,980.  The  actual  cost  of  the 
building,  which  was  completed  by  Charles  Place,  the 
surety  of  the  contractor,  was  $^24,880,  the  additional  $5,- 
goo  being  for  extra  work  directed  by  the  commissioners. 
The  building  was  completed  and  accepted  in  1870.  The 
front  is  76  by  40  feet,  three  stories  in  height,  with  a  rear 
projection  of  two  stories,  70  feet  square.  'I'he  whole  is 
of  brick,  covered  with  cement.  The  architect  was  D.  R. 
Nott. 

While  the  court-house  was  in  process  of  repair  the 
court  was  held  in  the  basement  of  the  Methodist  church. 
The  public  offices  were  kept  in  the  second  story  of 
Little's  building,  on  the  east  side  of  Warren  street. 

But  two  members  of  Congress  have  been  chosen  from 
this  county  since  its  organization,  and  each  but  for  part 
of  a  term.  Hon.  Chester  Butler,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  died 
October  5th,  1850,  and  John  Brisbin,  then  a  member  of 
the  Wyom'ng  county  bar,  was  elected  to  supply  the 
vacancy  in  Congress  caused  by  Mr.  Butler's  death.  Mr. 
Brisbin  represented  the  district  until  the  close  of  the 
ensuing  session,  March  4th,  1851,  a  period  of  about  two 
months  from  the  date  of  his  election.  In  the  fall  of  1872 
Hon.  U.  Mercur,  of  Towanda,  who  then  represented 
this  district  in  Congress,  was  chosen  one  of  the  justices 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  resigned  his  seat  in  Congress. 
F.  C.  Bunnell,  of  Tunkhannock,  was  elected  to  supply 
the  vacancy,  and  held  the  office  until  the  end  of  the 
ensuing  session,  March  4th,  1873. 

As  State  senators  Hon.  William  M.  Piatt,  of  Tunk- 
hannock, was  elected  in  the  fall  of  1858,  and  Hon.  P. 
M.  Osterhout,  also  of  Tunkhannock,  in  the  fall  of  1868. 
Each  held  for  one  term. 

Members  of  the  State  House  of  Representatives  from 
this  county  have  been  elected  as  follows: 

1843,  John  P.  Smith;  1844,  Thomas  Morley;   1845, 1846,  Schuyler  Fassett 


1847, 1848,  Bobert  B.  Little;  1849,  Ezekiel  Mowry;  1850,  Ezekiel  Mowry,  jr; 
1853,  John  D.  Denison;  1854,  John  Sturdevant;  1855, 1857,  John  V.  Smith; 
1856,  Alfred  Hine;  1859,  Samuel  Oaks;  1860,  Thomas  Osterhout;  1861, 
George  S.  Tutlon;  IfiBi,  1885,  Peter  M.  Osterhout;  1866,  Jacob  Kennedy; 
1867,  Ziba  Lott;  1871,1872,  Martin  Brunges;  1873,  Robert  E.  Little;  1874, 
Giles  Roberts;  1876,  John  Jackson;  1878,  1879,  A.  W.  Stevens. 

The  following  sheriffs  have  been  elected  in  the  years 
stated.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  all  these  gentlemen 
are  now  (1880)  living. 

1842,  Thomas  Osterhout ;  1845,  James  Kelly ;  1848,  John  Jackson  j  1851, 
Gordon  Swetland;  18.54,  James  B.  Harding;  1857,  ZIba  Billings;  1880, 
Levi  H.  Stevens;  1863,  Alvira  Gay;  1860,  Moses  W.  Dewitt;  1869,  Har- 
rison Comstook ;  )872,  Edwin  Stevens ;  1875,  H.  T.  Carter ;  1878,  Geoorge 
L.  Kennard. 

The  following  prothonotaries  have  been  elected: 
1842,  George    Brown;    1845,  1848,  Peter  M.  Osterhout;  1851,  Thomas 
A.   Miller;  1854,   1857.   Daniel  D.  Dewitt;    I860,  1863,  1878,  Ziba  Lott; 
1866, 1869,  Ephraim  J.  Keeney ;  1872, 1875,  A.  B.  Fitch. 

The  county  commissioners  elected  were: 

1842,  William  R.  Robinson,  Henry  Roberts,  Gordon  Pike;  1843,  Gordon 
Pike;  1844,  John  Sturdevant,  Samuel  Harding;  1845,  John  Townsend; 
1846,  Samuel  Stark;  1847,  Ashbel  Lee;  1848,  Stephen  Capwell;  1849, 
Cyrus  L.  Vaughn;  1850,  Josiah  Rogers;  1861,  Joseph  Burgess;  1852, 
David  Patrick:  1853,  M.  W.  Newberry ;  1854,  Josiah  Fassett ;  1855,  James 
Townsend ;  1856,  John  Lum ;  1857,  Hafrison  Comstock ;  18.58,  Benjamin 
P.  Carver ;  1659,  Lewis  Armstrong ;  1800,  James  W.  Garey ;  1861,  Francis 
Hough ;  1862,  Theron  Vaughn ;  1863,  Edwin  Stevens ;  1804,  Hiram  Bodle  ; 
1865,  Lewis  Cook ;  1803,  G.  W.  Sherwood';  1867,  William  B.  Overfield ; 
1808,  William  F.  Carl ;  1869,  George  Henning ;  1870,  Keim  ;  1871,  George 
Jayne ;  1872,  B.  M.  Hall ;  1873,  George  W.  Stark ;  1874,  Calvin  Robinson  ; 
1875,  Philip  Thomas,  Theodore  Williams,  Reuben  Bendor;  1878,  John  G. 
Herman,  William  Sicklcr,  Asa  H.  Frear. 

The  population  of  Wyoming  county  was  12,540  in 
i860,  and  14,585  in  1870.  The  census  of  1880  was  in 
progress  during  the  preparation  of  this  work,  and  showed 
the  population  to  be  15,684  plus  that  of  Lemon,  which 
we  were  unable  to  learn  in  time  to  include. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE    BENCH    AND    THE    BAR    OF    WYOMING    COUNTY. 


?N  1842,  when  the  act  creating  the  county  of 
Wyoming  was  passed,  Hon.  William  Jessup, 
of  Montrose,  was  the  president  judge  of  the 
•f^  judicial  district  including  the  new  county. 
This  eminent  judge  had  enjoyed  a  large  ex- 
perience in  the  judicial  ofifice  before  assuming 
the  bench  in  Wyoining,  at  the  first  term  of  court 
held  therein,  in  the  spring  of  1843.  In  1850  the  elective 
judiciary  amendment  of  the  State  constitution  was  rati- 
fied by  a  majority  of  the  popular  vote,  and  the  commis- 
sions of  the  existing  judges,  who  had  held  their  offices 
by  executive  appointment,  expired  soon  afterward.  On 
retiring  from  the  bench  Judge  Jessup  opened  an  office  at 
Montrose.  After  a  few  years  of  practice  he  was  pros- 
trated by  a  lingering  disease,  which  incapacitated  him 
for  labor  of  every  sort,  and  of  which  he  finally  died.  As 
a  jurist  Judge  Jessup  had  few  superiors.  His  most  con- 
spicuous characteristic  was  quickness  of  comprehension. 
Generally  his  opinions  were  formed   on   the  instant,  and 


♦^  7^ 


^^ 


498 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


^^ 


rarely  changed.     They  experienced  their  full  proportion 
of  reversals  by  the  Supreme  Court. 

Hon.  John  W.  Conyngham,  his  successor  on  the  bench 
of  Wyoming  county,  had  also  enjoyed  a  considerable  ex- 
perience upon  the  bench.  He  resided  at  Wilkes-Barre. 
Wyoming  county  was  attached  to  his  district  shortly  be- 
fore the  elective  judiciary  amendment  went  into  effect. 
On  the  expiration  of  the  commission  which  he  held  by 
appointment  he  was  elected  by  the  people  in  the  fall  of 
1851  for  ten  years.  In  1856  Luzerne  county  was  made 
a  separate  judicial  district.  In  Judge  Conyngham's  per- 
formance of  official  duty  friendship  and  enmity  were 
alike  powerless  to  move  him  a  hair's  breadth  from  the 
path  indicated  by  his  intelligent  and  conscientious  com- 
prehension of  the  law.     His  record  is  without  a  blemish. 

In  1856  Wyoming,  Columbia,  Montour  and  Sullivan 
counties  were  formed  into  a  judicial  district,  and  Hon. 
Warren  J.  Woodward  was  appointed  president  judge 
thereof.  He  was  elected  in  the  fall  of  that  year  and 
served  until  1862;  then  lT6ld  the  judgeship  of  Schuylkill 
county  until  his  promotion  to  tlie  Supreme  Court,  of 
which  he  was  serving  his  second  term  as  a  member  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  in  the  fall  of  1879.  His  mental 
ability  was  of  a  high  order,  and  his  published  opinions  in 
the  Supreme  Court  reports  abundantly  attest  his  capacity 
as  a  judge. 

A.  K.  Peckham,  of  Tunkhannock,  succeeded  Judge 
Woodward  by  appointment. 

In  the  fall  of  1862  Hon.  William  Ehvell,  then  of  To- 
wanda,  Pa.,  was  elected  president  judge  of  this  district, 
and  in  1872  he  was  re-elected,  without  opposition,  for  a 
second  term  of  ten  years.  By  an  act  of  1874  provision 
was  made'  for  the  appointment  of  an  additional  law  judge, 
and  Thomas  J.  Ingham,  of  Laporte,  Sullivan  county,  was 
appointed.  Later  in  the  same  session  a  supplement  was 
passed  making  a  separate  district  of  Wyoming  and  Sulli- 
van counties.  This  act  limited  Judge  Elwell's  regular 
services  to  the  counties  of  Columbia  and  Montour.  It 
is  entirely  safe  to  say  that  no  Common  Pleas  judge  in 
the  State  stands  higher  in  the  eslimntion  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession than  he.  Mr.  Ingham  was  elected  president 
judge  in  the  fall  of  1874,  and  is  still  serving. 

ASSOCIATE    JUDGES. 

Perrin  Ross,  of  Tunkhannock  borough,  and  William  S. 
Jayne;  of  Washington  township,  were  commissioned  as 
associate  judges  for  the  county  of  Wyoming  on  the  25th 
of  February,  1843.  Judge  Ross  survived  his  appoint- 
ment but  about  one  year.  Judge  Jayne  continued  in  of- 
fice until  the  termination  of  his  commission  by  the  eltc- 
tive  judiciary  amendment.  On  the  3d  of  February,  1845, 
Persifer  Lemon,  then  of  Windham  township,  was  com- 
missioned in  place  of  Judge  Ross,  and  he  held  the  office 
five  years.  Sherman  D.  Phelps,  of  Tunkhannock  bor- 
ough, was  appointed  on  the  12th  of  February,  1850.  His 
official  term  was  abridged  by  the  operation  of  the  consti- 
tutional amendment  referred  to.  In  1851,  at  the  first 
election  of  judges,  Washington  Stansberry,  of  Tunkhan- 
nock, and  Nicholas   Overfield,  of  Washington   township, 


were  elected  associate   judges  for   five   years.     In  1856 
Henry  Love,  of  Mehoopany  township,  and  Ira  Avery,  of 
Tunkhannock  borough,  were   elected;  in    i86r    Samuel 
Roberts,  of  Falls,  and  Dr.  Nathan  Wells,  of   Meshoppen. 
Pending  his  official  term  Judge  Roberts  entered  the  army, 
and  was  killed  before  Petersburg.     In    his  place  Henry 
Roberts,  his  father,  was  appointed  on   the   27th  of  July, 
1864.     Dr.  John  V.  Smith,  of  Tunkhannock  borough,  was 
elected  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  for  the  regular  term, 
and  in  1866  Gordon  Pike,of  North  Moreland  township, was 
chosen  to  succeed  Judge  Wells.     In  1869  Harvey  Sickler, 
of  Tunkhannock  borough,  succeeded  Dr.  Smith.     In  1872 
he  resigned.     C.  D.  Gearhart,  of  Tunkhannock  borough, 
was  appointed  as  his  successor,  and   at  the  ensuing  elec- 
tion he  was  elected.     In  1871  George  Osterhout,  of  Tunk- 
hannock township,  was  elected  as  the  successor  of  Judge 
Pike.     In  1876  James  Phoenix,  of  Monroe  township,  suc- 
ceeded  Judge   Osterhout,  and  in   the   fall  of    1878  Paul 
Billings,    of   Tunkhannock   borough,  was  chosen  as  the 
successor  of  Judge  Gearhart. 

THE    WYOMING    COUNTY     BAR. 

In  the  formation  of  Wyoming  county  a  considerable 
list  of  causes  whose  sihcs  was  within  the  limits  of  the  new 
county  were  transferred  from  Luzerne,and  this  occupied  the 
attention  of  the  Common  Pleas  largely  for  several  succes- 
sive terms,  giving  to  the  young  lawyers  ample  employment. 

About  a  year  before  the  organization  of  the  new  county 
James  Holliday  and  A.  K.  Peckham  opened  offices  at 
Tunkhannock.  William  H.  Miller,  having  graduated  at 
the  Carlisle  Law  School,  opened  an  office  some  six  months 
later,  and  on  the  ist  of  March,  1843,  R.  R.  Little,  Esq., 
having  been  admitted  at  Montrose,  Susquehanna  county, 
in  September  of  the  previous  year,  also  located  at  the 
seat  of  the  new  county  and  formed  a  partnership  with 
Mr.  Miller.  These  were  the  only  law  offices  in  this 
county  until  after  the  first  term  of  court.  Mr.  Holliday, 
after  the  close  of  the  September  term  of  1843,  removed  to 
Milwaukie,  Wis.  Late  in  the  fall  of  1843  Mr.  Miller  re- 
turned to  Carlisle.  Mr.  Peckham  continued  in  practice 
until  his  death,  in  1865.  Of  the  four  gentlemen  named 
above  Mr.  Little  is  now  (February,  1880,)  the  sole  survivor, 
and  he  has  not  yet  completed.his  sixtieth  year.  With  the 
exception  of  three  terms  of  Legislative  service  at  Harris- 
burg  and  about  one  year  of  service  as  judge  advocate  of 
a  special  naval  court  at  Washington,  Mr.  Little's  life  has 
been  spent  in  the  active  pursuit  of  his  profession  in  Wy- 
oming county,  until  his  recent  substantial  withdrawal 
from  the  practice,  on  account  of  the  wear  and  strain  of 
forensic  life  upon  a  physical  constitution  never  very  ro- 
bust. His  forensic  career  of  about  thirty-five  years  was 
especially  distinguished  by  his  uniform  courtesy  of  de- 
portment toward  the  younger  members  of  the  bar,  and  by 
his  fixed  purpose  to  maintain  in  his  own  practice  the  dig- 
nity, integrity  and  high  character  of  his  profession. 

At  the  first  term  of  court  John  Brisbin — having  just 
completed  his  term  of  study — was  admitted,  and  William 
M.  Piatt,  admitted  at  the  ensuing  terra,  formed  with  Mr. 
Brisbin  the  firm  of  Brisbin  &  Piatt. 


=^N 


^^ 


=J=^  ?= 


THE   BAR  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


499 


The  firm  continued  until  about  1854,  when  Mr.  Brisbin 
entered  the  service  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  Company,  and  removed  to  Scranton. 
He  died  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  on  the  3d  of  February,  1880. 
Mr.  Piatt  has  practiced  here  until  the  present,  except  a 
few  months  in  or  about  1863  in  Towanda,  and  a  senator- 
ial term  at  Harrisburg,  ending  about  1856. 

S.  S.  Winchester  was  admitted  at  the  September  term 
of  1843,  and  about  ten  years  later  removed  to  Wilkes- 
Barre.  Edward  Elwell,  from  Bradford  county,  located  at 
Tunkhannock  late  in  1843;  was  associated  with  Mr.  Little 
in  business  for  about  two  years,  and  soon  afterward  re- 
moved to  Sheboygan,Wis.  Elhanan  Smith  was  a  member 
of  the  bar  of  this  county  for  ten  years  from  1844.  During 
a  considerable  portion  of  this  time  he  was  associated  with 
Mr.  Peckham,  in  the  firm  of  Peckham  &  Smith;  after- 
ward with  F:  C.  Ross  in  the  firm  of  Smith  &  Ross. 
F.  C.  Ross  was  admitted  in  1847,  opened  an  oflfice-soon 
afterward  and  continues  in  practice.  George  S.  Tutton 
practiced  at  Tunkhannock  from  1847  until  his  death,  in 
1866.  B.  F.  Harding  came  to  the  bar  of  this  his  native 
county  late  in  1847;  was  associated  with  Mr.  Little — 
under  whose  directions  he  had  studied — during  the  ab- 
sence of  the  latter  at  Harrisburg  at  the  Legislative  ses- 
sion of  1848,  and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  removed  to 
Illinois.  He  is  now  president  judge  of  a  judicial  dis- 
trict in  Oregon.  E.  H.  Little,  Esq.,  since  1849  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  bar  of  Columbia  county,  associated 
himself  with  his  brother,  R.  R.  Little,  in  the  fall  of  1848, 
and  occupied  the  office  of  the  latcer  during  his  second 
Legislative  term,  in  1849.  John  J.  Millon  located  at 
Tunkhannock  about  1850;  was  soon  after  appointed 
prosecuting  officer  for  the  county,  and  died  about  1855. 
Milton  Dana  located  at  Tunkhannock  about  the  same 
time  and  removed  to  Texas  a  few  years  later. 

P.  M.  Osterhout,  Esq.,  came  to  the  bar  of  this  his 
native  county  in  1852 — having  held  the  office  of  protho- 
notary  during  the  two  preceding  terms.  Mr.  Osterhout 
was  associated  with  Mr.  Little  two  years,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  two  terms  as  representative  and  one  as 
senator  at  Harrisburg,  his  practice  has  been  without 
interruption.  During  the  past  few  years,  from  inclination 
rather  than  from  failure  of  either  physical  or  mental 
power,  he  has  withdrawn  from  the  more  active  and 
laborious  duties  of  the  profession,  though  he  yet  appears 
occasionally  in  the  courts,  as  active  and  apparently  as 
vigorous  as  in  his  early  prime. 

R.  R.  Ross  was  admitted  in  1853,  and  soon  afterward 
joined  his  brother,  F.  C.  Ross,  in  the  present  firm  of  F. 
C.  and  R.  P.  Ross.  Harvey  Sickler  came  to  the  bar  in 
1856,  and  soon  afterward  became  district  attorney.  In 
1861,  or  thereabout,  he  closed  his  law  office,  and  assumed 
the  charge  of  the  Wyoming  Democrat,  having  published 
which  for  several  years  he  sold  to  its  present  publisher, 
and  was  elected  to  the  office  of  associate  judge.  He  re- 
signed in  1872,  and  has  since  been  practicing.  Jacob 
Dewitt  was  admitted  in  1857,  and  was  associated  with 
Mr.  Little  until  about  1863,  when  he  removed  to  To- 
wanda.    George  P.  Knowles  was  admitted  in   1862,  and 


occupied  the  office  of  Judge  Peckham  that  year.  When 
Judge  Elwell  succeeded  to  the  bench  Mr.  Knowles  re- 
moved from  this  county.  Stanley  *W.  Little,  Esq.,  was 
admitted  about  1863;  was  associated  with  his  uncle,  R. 
R.  Little,  about  one  year,  when  he  removed  to  Bradford 
county,  engaged  in  mercantile  business  for  a  few  years, 
and  afterward  resumed  the  practice  of  law  at  Towanda, 
where  he  still  resides.     John  B.  Rhoads  was  admitted  in 

1865,  and  removed  to  Kansas  about  1869.  O.  L.  Parrish 
came  to  the  bar  in  1865.  He  was  register  and  recorder 
one  term;  then  practiced  till  1872,  when  he  removed  to 
Chicago.     W.  E.  Little,  Esq.,  entered  the   profession  in 

1866,  and  joined  his  father,  R.  R.  Little,  in  business  in 
the  same  year.  From  1869  to  1872  he  was  one  of  the 
firm  of  Little  &  Sittser,  and  since  about  1872  he  and  his 
younger  brother,  C.  A.  Little,  Esq.,  have  composed  the 
firm  of  W.  E.  &  C.  A.  Little.  George  W.  Dewitt,  ad- 
mitted in  1867,  was  associated  with  Mr.  Osterhout  a  short 
time,  but  never  opened  a  separa_te  office.  John  A.  Sittser 
came  to  the  bar  in  1868;  formed  a  partnership  with  W. 
E.  Little  in  1869,  and  resumed  practice  by  himself  in 
1873.  He  is  now  associated  with  Henry  Harding  in  the 
firm  of  Sittser  &  Harding.  F.  Ansart,  Esq.,  has  practiced 
here  since  1870  save  while  engaged  as  chief  civil  engineer 
in  the  laying  out  and  construction  of  the  Montrose  Rail- 
way. James  W.  Piatt  was  admitted  in  187 1,  and  has 
since  been  associated  with  his  father,  W.  M.  Piatt.  In 
the  fall  of  1874  he  was  elected  district  attorney.  C.  A. 
Little,  Esq.,  was  admitted  in  1871,  and  since  about  1872 
has  been  a  member  of  the  firm  of  W.  E.  &  C.  A.  Little. 
Henry  Harding  was  admitted  in  1874  and  since  1875  has 
been  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Sittser  &  Harding.  B.  W. 
Lewis,  admitted  in  1874,  has  continued  in  business  since. 
J.  Wood  Piatt  was  admitted  in  1876,  and  is  associated 
with  his  father  and  brother,  W.  M.  and  James  W.  Piatt. 
C.  O.  Dershimer  was  admitted  and  elected  district 
attorney  in  1877.  Charles  E.  Terry  was  admitted  at  the 
November  term  of  1879.  William  A.  Wilcox,  of  Nichol- 
son borough,  was  admitted  at  the  January  term  of  1880. 
The  foregoing,  except  Mr.  Wilcox,  have  had  their  offices 
at  Tunkhannock.  T.  J.  Chase  was  admitted  some  ten 
years  ago;  opened  an  oflice  in  Nicholson,  and  removed 
to  Wilkes-Barre  about  three  years  ago.  S.  L.  Tiffany, 
admitted  about  the  same  time,  still  has  an  office  in 
Nicholson. 

Mr.  Tutton  and  Judge  Peckham  died  in  their  prime. 
With  the  exception  of  a  term  of  service  as  member  of  the 
Legislature,  the  former's  practice  was  without  interrup- 
tion to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  cautious,  pains- 
taking and  strictly  upright  lawyer,  and  an  accomplished 
musician;  especially  eminent  as  a  composer  and  per- 
former of  band  music.  Judge  Peckham  was  of  an  exci- 
table temperament,  and  rather  aggrecsive  in  his  method 
of  dealing  with  opposing  witnesses  and  their  testimony, 
but  by  no  means  without  self-control.  In  trials,  his  chief 
strength  was  said  to  consist  in  his  remarkable  ability  to 
make  the  most  of  a  bad  cause  by  the  ingenious  use  of  ir- 
relevant testimony,  and  in  giving  to  it  an  aspect  of  rele- 
vancy in  his  comments  to  the  jury. 


=^^ 


f^H- 


■f 


500 


HIS'^ORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


As  a  whole,  the  bar  of  Wyoming  county  has  always 
been  a  strong  one;  and,  as  a  rule,  the  litigated  cases  have 
been  ably  prepared  and  thoroughly  tried. 


CHAPTER  III. 


CANAL    AND     RAILROAD     COMMUNICATIONS     IN    WYOMING 
COUNTY. 


HE  first  letting  of  the  North  Branch  Canal  in 
this  county  was  at  Tunkhannock,  in  1838. 
Thaddeus  Stevens  and  John  Dickey,  as  com- 
missioners, were  present.  The  section 
through  the  narrows,  or  the  rock  jobs,  as  they 
were  called, were  let  at  that  time.  In  1842  the  North 
Branch  Canal  Company  was  chartered,  but  in 
1849  ^^^  work  was  resumed  by  the  State  and  the  other 
sections,  through  the  flats  and  the  rocks,  aqueducts,  etc., 
were  put  under  contract.  In  1852  the  first  boat  passed 
up  this  canal  through  what  is  now  Wyoming  county.  It 
bore  the  name  of  "  Seth  Clover,"  who  was  one  of  the 
canal  commissioners  at  that  time. 

The  northern  division  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
and  Western  Railroad  passes  through  the  townships  of 
Clinton  and  Nicholson.  It  has  stations  at  Factoryville 
and  Nicholson  borough.  Between-  them  a  hill  was  for- 
merly surmounted  by  a  zigzag.  This  is  now  replaced  by 
a  tunnel. 

During  1868  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  was  completed 
to  a  point  a  mile  below  the  borough  of  Tunkhannock. 
The  telegraph  line  of  the  road  was  completed  to  this 
point  during  the  presidential  election  in  that  year,  and 
the  news  of  the  result  was  transmitted  on  that  line. 

The  bridge  over  the  Tunkhannock  creek  was  not  com- 
pleted till  1870.  During  that  year  trains  ran  through  to 
Waverly,  where  connection  was  made  with  the  Erie. 

In  the  summer  of  1868  an  interest  began  to  be  felt  in 
the  project  of  a  railroad  between  Montrose, and  some 
point  on  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  Canal  and  Rail- 
road Company's  road  in  Wyoming  county.  At  a  meeting 
held  in  Montrose  in  January,  1869,  "  W.  H.  Jessup  and 
A.  J.  Turrell  were  appointed  to  prepare  a  charter  and 
obtain  an  act  of  incorporation  by  the  Legislature  for  a 
railroad  from  some  point  on  the  Lehigh  vallev  road,  at 
or  near  Tunkhannock  or  Meshoppen,  to  the  State  line 
of  New  York,  with  a  view  to  connecting  with  the  Albany 
and  Susquehanna  railroad  at  Binghamton."  According 
to  a  report  made  January  8th,  1872,  the  Montrose  Rail- 
road Company  was  organized  at  a  meeting  held  in  Spring- 
ville  on  the  27th  of  April,  1871,  and  the  following  officers 
were  chosen:  President,  James  I.  Blakeslee;  directors, 
William  H.  Cooper,  Samuel  H.  Sayre,  H.  R.  Sherman, 
Samuel  Stark,  C.  L.  Brown,  C.  M.  Gere,  D.  Thomas,  G.  E. 
Palen,  W.  H.  Jessup,  S.  Tyler,  B.  F.  Blakeslee  and  Felix 
Ansart.     The  survey  of  the  route  was   commenced  May 


iSth,  1871,  and  the  road  was  put  under  contract  .the 
same  year.  Trains  ran  over  it  in  1872.  The  grading, 
bridging,  etc.,  were  done  by  the  company  at  a  cost  of 
$100,000;  and  by  an  arrangement  with  the  Pennsylvania 
and  New  York  Canal  and  Railroad  Company  the  super- 
structures were  furnished  and  put  on  it  by  the  latter,  at 
an  expense  of  $200,000,  for  which  it  was  paid  in  the 
stock  of  the  Montrose  Railroad  Company  at  par.  The 
chief  engineer  was  Felix  Ansart.  The  road  is  equipped 
with  two  locomotives,  two  passenger  cars,  a  baggage  and 
mail  car,  and  the  requisite  number  of  flat  and  box  cars_ 
It  has  declared  no  dividends,  but  has  paid  running  ex- 
penses and  interest  on  its  bonded  debt,  except  for  the 
year  1879,  in  which  there  was  a  deficiency  of  $50.  The 
president  is  James  I.  Blakeslee.  The  directors  are  Rob- 
ert Clotz,  Charles  O.  Skeel,  S.  D.  Thomas,  H.  R.  Sher- 
man, C.  M.  Gere,  William  J.  Mulford,  E.  F.  Palen,  Ben- 
jamin F.  Blakeslee,  Sylvanus  Tyler,  Samuel  H.  Sayre, 
Azor  Lathrop  and  Paul  Billings. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


AGRICULTURAL    SOCIETIES WYOMING    COUNTY    BIBLE    SO- 
CIETY  MILITARY  COMPANIES. 


BOUT  1855  was  organized  the  Wyoming  County 
Agricultural  Society.  It  was  not  incorporat- 
ed, and  was  under  a  code  of  laws  voluntarily 
adopted.  Its  first  president  was  Elisha 
Sharp.  The  society  leased  and  temporarily 
fitted  up  a  lot  of  five  acres,  a  portion  of  which 
is  now  the  Tunkhannock  cemetery;  and  on  this 
ground  three  annual  fairs  were  held.  At  these  fairs 
creditable  exhibitions  were  made,  and  the  balance  be- 
tween the  receipts  and  expenditures  was  nearly  even. 
The  society  ceased  to  exist  after  the  third  fair. 

On  the  30th  of  August,  1876,  another  society  was  or- 
ganized, with  a  perpetual  charter,  under  the  name  of  the 
Wyoming  County  Agricultural  Society.  It  was  organized 
as  a  stock  company,  under  the  provisions  of  the  act  of 
1874.  The  capital  stock  was  fixed  at  $2,000,  in  eighty 
shares.  The  corporators  were  Henry  W.  Chase,  A.  B_ 
Fitch,  H.  W.  Bardwell,  F.  L.  Sittser,  Charles  M.  Leej 
James  W.  Pratt,  H.  P.  Carter,  Harvey  Sickler,  F.  C.  Bun- 
nell, J.  W.  Dinsmore,  D.  D.  Dewitt;  B.  W.  Lewis.  The 
first  officers  were:  F.  C.  Bunnell,  president;  S.  J.  Hard- 
ing, vice-president;  C.  M.  Lee,  clerk;  B.  W.  Lewis,  treas- 
urer; directors,  Harvey  Sickler,  Albert  Townsend,  E.  F. 
Avery,  B.  P.  Carver,  Alvin  Day,  H.  W.  Bardwell  and 
Jonathan  Jenkins. 

September  25th,  1876,  the  society  leased  of  S.  J.  Hard- 
ing, for  a  fair  g;round,  twenty-one  acres  in  the  township 
of  Eaton,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  borough 
of  Tunkhannock.  This  ground  was  at  once  enclosed  and 
fitted  up,  and  in  the  latter  part  of   October  of   the  same 


H^= 


=^^ 


WYOMING  COUNTY  BIBLE  SOCIETY  AND  MILITIA  COMPANIES. 


S°i 


year  a  fair  was  held.  The  grounds  have  been  still  further 
improved;  commodious  pens  and  an  exhibition  building 
have  been  erected,  a  driving  track  and  a  grand  stand  have 
been  constructed,  and  annual  fairs  have  been  held. 
These  fairs  have  been  sustained  with  increasing  interest, 
and  the  exhibits  have  year  by  year  increased  in  number 
and  quality. 

The  president,  vice-president  and  treasurer  elected  in 
1876  have  served  since.  James  W.  Piatt  has  been  secre- 
tary since  1877.  The  present  directors  are  Harvey  Sick- 
ler,  Albert  Townsend,  B.  P.  Carver,  H.  P.  Carter,  Jona- 
than Jenkins,  Ziba  Billings  and  N.  J.  Harding. 

WYOMING    COUNTY  BIBLE    SOCIETY. 

This  society,  which  had  had  a  previous  existence,  was 
reorganized  in  the  spring  of  1864,  with  Ira  Avery  presi- 
dent, Samuel  Stark  secretary,  Peter  M.  Osterhout  treas- 
urer, and  S.  S.  Kennedy  agent.  During  1864  an  explor- 
ation of  the  county  was  made  by  the  agent,  and  the  fol- 
lowing are  the  statistical  results  reported  by  him: 

Sermons  and  addresses  delivered,  54;  families  visited, 
1,400;  families  found  destitute  of  the  Bible,  64;  destitute 
families  supplied  by  sale,  42;  by  gift,  16;  prices  of  Bibles 
given  to  destitute,  $9.60;  Bibles  sold,  227;  Testaments 
sold,  300;  total  volumes  distributed,  543;  received  for 
sale  of  books,  $568.60:  collections,  $2  j  1.48. 

There  has  been  no  canvass  of  the  county  for  Bible  dis- 
tribution since  1864.  A  Bible  depository  is  kept  for  the 
society  by  O.  B.  Mills,  in  Tunkhannock. 

VOLUNTEER    MILITIA    COMPANIES. 

The  first  company  of  National  Guard  formed  in 
Wyoming  county  was  organized  March  19th,  1871, 
under  the  name  of  Wyoming  County  Veterans.  It  was 
composed  wholly  of  veterans  of  the  war  of  1861-65.  ^• 
W.    Bannatyne,    formerly    captain    of  Company  B    S2nd 


Pennsylvania  volunteers,  was  chosen  captain,  William 
Brooks  first  lieutenant,  and  M.  L.  McNeil  second  lieu- 
tenant. The  company  comprised  some  of  the  best  citi- 
zens of  the  county.  Captain  Bannatyne  was  promoted 
in  October,  187 1,  aide  de  camp  on  the  staff  of  General 
Osborne,  with  the  rank  of  major.  The  other  commis- 
sioned officers  were  promoted  in  regular  gradation,  and 
H.  W.  Bardwell  was  made  second  lieutenant.  When  the 
gth  regiment  of  the  National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania  was 
organized  this  company  was  made  a  part  of  it.  Lieu- 
tenant Bardwell  became  adjutant  of  the  regiment,  and 
John  Broughton  was  made  second  lieutenant  in  his  place. 
The  company  continued  in  existence  till  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  the  National  Guard  in  1878,  when  it  was  dis- 
banded by  a  general  order.  By  reason  of  the  service 
which  the  veterans  composing  this  company  had  seen, 
and  its  remoteness  from  the  scene  of  the  mining  and 
railroad  strikes  and  riots,  the  company  was  relied  on 
with  no  distrust  for  the  preservation  of  peace  when  the 
regiment  was  called  out  to  suppress  these  riots. 

The  Eaton  Rifles,  an  independent  military  company, 
was  organized  in  May,  187 1,  with  James  B.  Harding  cap- 
tain, Samuel  Fruchey  first  lieutenant,  and  N.  Atherton 
second  lieutenant.  The  members  of  the  company  were 
residents  of  the  township  of  Eaton.  The  company  was 
attached  to  the  9th  division  of  the  uniformed  militia  of 
the  State,  and  constituted  a  part  of  a  battalion  under 
Major  R.  W.  Bannatyne.  It  acquired  reasonable  profi- 
ciency in  military  drill.  It  was  not  called  into  actual  ser- 
vice, but  at  the  time  of  the  Williamsport  riot  it  was 
during  two  days  kept  in  readiness  for  moving.  With  the 
Wyoming  County  Veterans  it  participated  in  several  pa- 
rades and  celebrations,  among  which  was  one  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  July  4th,  1872.  On  the  organization  of  the  9th 
regiment  N.  G.  P.  this  company  was  disbanded  by  a 
general  order. 


=H^ 


-^U 


TOWNSHIP  AND  BOROUGH  HISTORIES, 


WYOMING   COUNTY. 


BRAINTRIM  TOWNSHIP. 


RAINTRIM  township   is  among  the   first  or- 
ganized  within   the   present   limits  of  Wyo- 
ming  county,  and   formerly   embraced  Mes- 
hoppen  and  a  portion  of  Washington  town- 
ships.    It  is  supposed  to  have  been  named  after 
Braintree  in  Connecticut,  whence  some  of  the 
early  settlers  came.     It  had  621  inhabitants   in 
1870,  and  gained  50  before  1880. 

The  Pioneer  Period. 

Most  of  the  early  white  inhabitants  were  migratory 
hunters  and  trappers.  Occasionally  patches  of  the  rich 
bottom  lands  along  the  river  were  cleared  and  cultivated 
by  the  Indians  or  transitory  white  men,  but  only  two 
settlements  are  known  to  have  been  made  previous  to 
the  Revolution. 

John  Depew  located  at  the  mouth  of  Tuscarora  creek 
before  1776  under  the  Pennsylvania  title.  His  farm 
passed  into  the  hands  of  William  Hooker  Smith,  and  was 
for  a  time  occupied  by  his  son,  James  Smith.  Depew 
was  a  Pennamite  and  a  tory,  and  was  for  a  time  a  prisoner 
in  the  hands  of  the  "  Yankee  "  settlers  in  the  Wyoming 
valley. 

Frederick  Vanderlip  settled  on  Black  Walnut  bottom 
previous  to  the  Revolution,  on  a  large  tract  which 
he  also  held  under  the  Pennsylvania  title.  Here  he 
opened  a  tavern,  which  soon  became  a  favorite  stopping 
point.  General  Sullivan's  army  encamped  here  on  the 
night  of  the  4th  of  August,  1779,  on  its  march  up  the 
river. 

No  other  settlements  were  attempted  until  about  1786, 
when  immigrants,  for  the  most  part  direct  from  Connec- 
ticut, began  to  locate  along  the  river.  Between  1786  and 
1794  a  dozen  or  more  families  of  them  had  begun  to  hew 
out  permanent  homes  in  this  wilderness.  Prominent 
among  the  first  permanent  settlers  were  the  Keeneys, 
from  Litchfield  county,  Conn.  (Mark  and  his  sons 
Richard  and  Joshua,  and  Thomas,  a  distant  relative  or 
Mark),  many  of  whose  descendants  still  live  in  the  town- 


ship. Thomas  Keeney,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  with  his 
family,  came  from  New  York  State  in  the  spring  of  1786 
and  settled  near  Keeney's  Ferry.  Here  he  built  a  tem- 
porary shanty  on  the  southwest  bank  of  the  river.  The 
same  season  he  built  a  comfortable  log  house  on  the  op- 
posite bank,  in  Braintrim  (the  site  of  which  abode  was 
long  since  washed  away),  and  the  following  autumn 
moved  his  family  into  it,  thus  becoming  the  first  settle- 
in  the  township  west  of  Skinner's  Eddy.  His  wife  and 
his  daughter  Mercy  were  the  heroines  of  several  courage- 
ous exploits.  It  is  related  that  Mercy  once  kept  a  pan- 
ther treed  near  Rocky  Forest,  while  a  party  of  men 
went  a  mile  or  more  for  fire  arms  with  which  the  beast 
was  dispatched.  Thomas  Keeney  and  his  wife  returned 
to  New  York  State  in  three  or  four  years,  leaving  the 
place  in  possession  of  their  daughter  and  son-in-law, 
Richard  Keeney.  Richard  and  Joshua  Keeney  came  to 
the  Wyoming  valley  in  1787.  The  following  year  Richard 
came  to  Braintrim,  where  he  was  married  September 
18th,  1788,  to  Mercy  Keeney.  He  became  a  permanent 
settler  on  the  farm  which  his  father-in-law  had  com- 
menced to  improve,  and  which  is  still  in  possession  of 
some  of  his  descendants.  He  early  established  the 
Keeney  Ferry,  which  is  still  operated  by  members  of  the 
family.  He  was  born  in  Connecticut,  June  17th,  1762, 
and  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  raised  a  large 
family,  most  of  whom  were  life-long  residents  of  Brain- 
trim. He  died  July  nth,  1831.  His  wife,  Mercy,  was 
born  February  15th,  1770,  and  died  March  14th,  1856, 
having  lived  on  the  same  farm  nearly  70  years.  Joshua 
Keeney  returned  to  Connecticut  in  1789,  where  he  mar- 
ried Phebe  Sturdevant  in  February,  1790,  and  soon  after 
located  permanently  at  Black  Walnut  bottom,  on  a  tract 
of  400  acres,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age.  He  was 
a  useful  and  influential  citizen  and  church  member.  He 
reared  eleven  children  and  lived  to  see  them  all  married 
and  pleasantly  located.  Mark  Keeney,  the  father  of 
Richard  and  Joshua,  a  soldier  in  the  French  and  Revolu- 
tionary wars,  was  born  in  Litchfield  county,  Connecti- 
cut, Mayist,  1740.  He  lived  in  Braintrim  from  about 
1790  until  his  death, October  7th,  1804.  His  wife,  Abigail 
B.,  died  July  7th  of  the  same  year,  aged  65  years. 

Isaac  Lacey,  who  has  numerous  descendants  in  Brain- 


^h 


=^^ 


4^= 


M^ 


MAKERS  OF  BRAINTRIM'S   HISTORY. 


S°3 


trim,  was  among  the  pioneers.  He  was  born  in  Fairfield 
county,  Conn.,  April  2nd,  1754,  and  married  Lydia  Pratt, 
of  the  same  place,  March  nth,  1784.  In  1792  he  located 
on  a  farm  on  Lacey  street,  named  after  him.  He  bought 
the  Connecticut  title,  but  had  to  re-purchase  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania proprietors  or  lose  his  farm.  He  was  a  weaver 
and  spent  much  time  at  the  loom,  but  found  time  to  clear 
up  and  cultivate  his  farm  with  the  assistance  of  his  sons. 
He  reared  a  large  family,  most  of  whom  always  lived  in 
the  township.  He  died  November  2nd,  1830;  his  wife 
March  i6th,  1809.  His  father,  Ebenezer  Lacey,  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  April  19th,  1727,  and  came  to  Brain- 
trim  in  1794,  where  he  died  December  21st,  1807.  His 
wife,  Freelove,  died  March  5th,  1801,  aged  74  years. 
Ebenezer  Lacey,  oldest  son  of  Isaac  Lacey,  was  born  in 
Vermont,  November  28th,  1788.  From  1792  he  lived  in 
this  township,  farming  and  hunting.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  granted  a  land  warrant  for 
his  services.  He  was  also  noted  as  a  builder  of  "  arks," 
the  principal  means  of  transportation  in  early  days.  He 
married,  June  sth,  1809,  Zeruah  Northrup,  who  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  April  3d,  1789,  and  came  to  Laceyville  in 
1807.  She  died  March  ist,  1869.  Mr.  Lacey  died 
April  24th,  1872. 

Samuel  Sturdevant,  born  in  Connecticut  in  1740,  lo- 
cated in  1792  at  Black  Walnut,  on  the  land  previously 
occupied  by  Frederick  Vanderlip,  where  he  a  few  years 
later  built  a  framed  dwelling  (splitting  from  pine  logs  the 
lumber  for  finishing  it,  and  dressing  it  with  his  own 
hands),  in  which  he  resided  until  his  death,  April  19th, 
1828.  Samuel  Sturdevant,  jr.,  was  born  in  Danbury, 
Connecticut,  September  i6th,  1773;  came  to  Braintrim 
with  his  father,  or  about  the  same  time,  and  soon  after  lo- 
cated at  Skinner's  Eddy,  where  he  married  a  daughter  of 
Ebenezer  Skinner,  about  1795.  He  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  founding  the  village  which  soon  sprang  up  at 
the  eddy.  He  was  a  man  of  large  business  capacity,  and 
during  most  of  his  life  was  extensively  engaged  in  land 
speculating,  lumbering,  grist-milling  and  farming.  He 
remained  a  resident  until  his  death,  March  4th,  1847. 
His  five  sons— John,  Peter  B.,  Liverus  D.,  Ebenezer  W. 
and  Charles — became  prominent  and  influential  citizens 
of  this  section. 

Henry  B.  Charapin  lived  east  of  Skinner's  Eddy  for 
several  years  from  about  1792.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
justices  of  the  peace.  Ebenezer  Skinner  settled  at  Skin- 
ner's in  1792,  where  he  died  October  i6th,  1804,  aged 
71  years. 

Benjamin  Edwards  came  to  Braintrim  in  1825.  He 
was  born  in  Connecticut,  September  ist,  1793.  He 
taught  school  and  afterwards  spent  several  years  in  the 
southern  States,  peddling  tinware,  yankee  clocks  and 
notions.  Soon  after  coming  here  he  opened  a  store  at 
Skinner's  Eddy.  From  1832  he  spent  many  years  at 
Laceyville  in  mercantile  and  other  business.  He  was  a 
successful  business  man  and  a  respectable  member  of 
the  M.  E.  church.  He  died  in  Laceyville,  February 
24th,   1876. 

General  Bradley  Wakeman   was  born   in  Connecticut, 


Septenber  21st,  1800,  and  was  married  in  1824  to  Maria 
Edwards.  In  June,  1828,  he  came  to  Skinner's  Eddy 
and  joined  Benjamin  Edwards,  his  brother-in-law,  in 
trade.  From  the  spring  of  1832  he  traded  successfully 
at  Laceyville  until  1861.  He  was  nominated  by  the 
Whigs  for  State  representative,  and  associate  judge. 

William  Thompson  was  born  in  Bradford  county,  in 
1812;  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  at  Laceyville,  and 
married  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Daniel  P.  Lacey,  in  1831. 
He  lived  in  Braintrim  after  1854,  where  he  died  in  April, 
1876  He  was  justice  of  the  peace  many  years.  His 
widow  is  still  living  on  the  old  homestead  on  Lacey 
street. 

Levi  Gregory  was  born  in  Connecticut,  February  isth, 
1794,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Susquehanna  county. 
Pa.,  in  his  childhood.  He  was  married  January  ist, 
1822,  to  Miranda  Hayward,  a  native  of  Cazenovia,  N.  Y. 
He  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner  by  trade.  In  1839  he  lo- 
cated on  a  farm  on  Lacey  street,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death,  November  25th,  1855.  He  held  several  town- 
ship offices.  His  widow  is  still  a  resident  of  the  town- 
ship. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  by  Samuel  Sturdevant,  jr., 
as  early  as  1797,  on  Tuscarora  creek,  near  its  mouth.  A 
few  years  later  he  built  one  on  the  river  bank  near  the 
mouth  of  the  creek.  Another  was  built  about  1810,  near 
the  mouth  of  Little  Tuscarora  creek.  He  also  put  up 
the  first  grist-mill,  near  the  site  of  his  second  saw-mill, 
about  18 19,  Isaac  Camp  being  employed  as  raill-wright. 
The  site  of  these  mills  was  long  since  washed  away. 
This  mill,  containing  but  one  run  of  home-made  stones, 
accommodated  the  neighborhood  many  years. 

A  wool  carding  and  cloth  dressing  establishment  was 
erected  on  Tuscarora  creek,  by  Peter  B.  Sturdevant, 
about  1830,  and  was  in  operation  many  years. 

A  post  route  was  established  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Ti- 
oga via  Black  Walnut  bottom  in  1803.  The  mail  was 
carried  on  foot  once  in  two  weeks.  From  1810  Conrad 
Teter  carried  the  mail  in  coaches  once  a  week  over  this 
route  for  many  years.  A  post-ofifice  was  early  established 
at  Black  Walnut,  and  was  kept  by  Daniel  Sterling,  who 
lived  in  the  present  township  of  Meshoppen.  About 
1822  the  Skinner's  Eddy  post-office  was  established,  and 
John  Sturdevant,  who  then  lived  in  the  house  now  occu- 
pied by  Paul  Lacey,  was  appointed  postmaster.  About 
1834  General  B.  Wakeman  was  appointed,  and  the  office 
was  removed  to  his  store  at  Laceyville.  Thomas  Morley 
became  postmaster  in  1837,  and  the  office  was  removed 
to  Skinner's  Eddy,  where  it  has  since  remained.  About 
1841  the  Laceyville  post-office  was  established  under  its 
present  name,  and  Thomas  Parker,  a  merchant  in  com- 
pany with  General  Wakeman,  was  appointed  the  first 
postmaster. 

Joseph  Gamble  opened  a  day-school  as  early  as  1813, 
in  a  log  dwelling  nearly  opposite  John  B.  Edwards's 
store  in  Laceyville.  "  Early  schools  were  also  kept  in  a 
log  house  near  the  site  of  the  present  grist-mill  in  Lacey- 
ville. The  house  had  been  previously  occupied  and 
probably  put  up  by  Garret  Smith.     The  first  school-house 


*^N= 


f 


5°4 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


in  the  western  part  of  the  township  was  built  about  1824, 
on  Lacey  street,  near  the  residence  of  C.  B.  Lacey. 
George  Gamble  taught  the  first  school  here.  Among 
other  early  teachers  were  John  Sturdevant,  one  Carpen- 
ter, Anna  Keeney,  a  Miss  Smith  and  a  Miss  Graves.  A 
school-house  was  erected  at  Skinner's  Eddy  about  1829, 
nearly  opposite  Leon  Smith's  residence.  The  present 
two-story  school  building,  which  accommodates  Lacey- 
ville  and  Skinner's  Eddy,  was  erected  in  1864. 

Frederick  Vanderlip  was  the  first  tavern  keeper  in 
the  township,  keeping  previous  to  and  during  the  early 
part  of  the  Revolution.  The  second  tavern  was  opened 
at  Skinner's  Eddy  previous  to  1800,  and  was  kept  for 
several  years  by  Wait  S.  Skinner.  Samuel  Sturdevant,  jr., 
subsequently  became  proprietor,  remaining  until  about 
1830,  when  the  house  was  closed  to  the  public. 

Drs.  Royal  Robinson  and  Edward  Crandall  located  at 
Skinner's  Eddy  about  1823,  and  were  the  first  resident 
physicians.  Dr.  Robinson  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  N.  Y., 
and  married  Fanny  Fassett,  of  Windham.  He  practiced 
here  until  his  death,  May  27th,  1841.  Dr.  Crandall  con- 
tinued here  till  about  1830.  Among  their  successors 
were  Drs.  Plant,  Roberts,  Dimock,  Jones  and  James. 

The  first  death  among  the  residents  of  Braintrim  was 
that  of  a  child  named  Baker,  who  died  about  1793  or 
1794,  and  was  buried  in  the  Lacey  street  cemetery,  which 
has  ever  since  been  used  as  a  graveyard.  It  now  con- 
tains seven  acres,  and  is  the  resting  place  of  many  of  the 
first  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  township.  The  Black 
Walnut  burying  ground  was  begun  as  early  as  1795. 
Among  the  first  burials  was  that  of  Sarah,  wife  of  Samuel 
Sturdevant.  The  graveyard  at  Skinner's  Eddy  was 
started  some  years  later. 

The  first  marriage  was  celebrated  September  i8th,  1788, 
the  contracting  parties  being  Richard  and  Mercy  Keeney 
(very  distantly  related).  The  first  known  birth  was  that 
of  Chester  Keeney,  their  son,  December  loth,  1789. 

The  first  framed  building  was  a  dwelling  built  for 
James  Smith  by  Elihu  Hall,  who  was  the  first  carpenter 
and  joiner.  The  house  stands  opposite  the  Laceyville 
school-house. 

The  first  preacher  was  Rev.  Jacob  Drake  (Baptist),  who 
preached  occasionally  at  Black  Walnut  and  other  parts  of 
the  township  in  1792  or  soon  after.  Among  others  pre- 
vious to  any  church  organization  were  Revs.  Davis  Dim- 
mock,  Griffin,  Lewis  and  Joel  Rogers. 

Skinner's  Eddy. 

Ebenezer  Skinner  and  his  son.  Wait  S.,  located  just 
below  the  mouth  of  Tuscarora  creek  in  1792  or  1793,  and 
subsequently  opened  a  tavern.  This  used  to  be  a  favor- 
ite stopping  place  for  raftsmen  and  boatmen,  and  soon 
came  to  be  known  as  Skinner's  Eddy.  The  principal 
part  of  the  village  originally  stood  on  the  flat  near  the 
river  bank,  but  an  unprecedented  freshet  in  the  spring  of 
1865  destroyed  it,  sweeping  away  twenty-five  or  thirty 
buildings.  This  flat  was  originally  cleared  by  Samuel 
Sturdevant,  jr,  who  built  a  saw-mill  here  and  a  grist- 
mill. 


Benjamin  Edwards  was  the  first  merchant,  in  1826.  In 
1828  Bradley  Wakeman  became  a  partner  with  him. 
They  were  also  engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  sale  of 
gloves  and  mittens  to  quite  an  extent.  They  remained 
until  1832,  and  were  followed  by  John  Sturdevant. 
Thomas  Morley  opened  a  store  on  the  west  side  of  the 
creek  about  1835,  and  subsequently  a  foundry  and  ma- 
chine shop.  The  "  Tuscarora  Iron  Works  "  was  founded 
in  1874  by  John  S.  Peelis,  the  present  proprietor.  In 
1863  Philip  Thomas  built  a  tannery,  which  he  operated 
until  November  19th,  1879,  when  it  was  burned. 

The  village  now  contains  two  general  stores,  a  church, 
a  hotel  and  railroad  station,  the  Tuscarora  Iron  Works, 
a  blacksmith  and  wheelwright  shop,  and  about  100  inhab- 
itants. 

M.  E.  Clwrch  at  Skinner's  Eddy. — Meetings  were  held 
by  itinerating  Methodist  preachers  as  early  as  1810,  and 
about '1812  a  class  was  formed  at  the  house  of  Joshua 
Keeney  at  Black  Walnut,  and  stated  preaching  was  had 
for  a  few  years. 

About  1828  a  class  was  formed  at  the  school-house  on 
Lacey  street,  composed  of  Simon  Z.  Keeney  and  Louisa, 
his  wife,  Charles  Keeney,  Thomas  Morley,  Clarissa 
Sturdevant,  Betsey  Smith  and  Mrs.  Joshua  Keeney. 
Revs.  George  Comfort  and  Vincent  Coryell  were  the 
ministers  on  this  circuit.  The  place  of  meeting  was  soon 
changed  to  Skinner's  Eddy,  being  the  dwelling  of  Major 
John  Sturdevant,  and  afterward  the  school-house  until 
1838,  when  the  present  meetinghouse  was  built.  Among 
the  early  preachers  were  Rev.  Messrs.  Comfort,  Coryell, 
Bibbins,  Barker,  Torrey,  Ellis  and  Lull. 

Laceyville, 

the  principal  village,  has  three  general  stores,  one  hard- 
ware store,  one  grist  and  one  saw-mill,  three  millinery 
stores,  two  jewelry  shops,  a  hotel,  a  church,  a  planing 
mill,  a  proportionate  number  of  mechanics'  shops,  three 
physicians  and  about  400  inhabitants.  Braintrim  was 
the  name  until  the  establishment  of  the  post-office,  when 
it  received  the  name  of  Laceyville,  after  Henry  W. 
Lacey,  then  an  influential  business  man  of  the  place. 

Samuel  Sturdevant,  jr.,  owned  and  cleared  the  land 
on  which  the  east  part  of  the  village  stands,  up  to  the 
street  east  of  the  hotel.  One  or  two  log  houses  were 
built  before  1809.  In  that  year  Hiram  Ward  and  his 
brother  John  located  here,  and  the  former  built  the  first 
framed  building,  on  the  corner  opposite  B.  W.  Edwards's 
store.  He  soon  after  opened  a  store  in  it  and  did  an  ex- 
tensive business  two  or  three  years,  when  he  failed  and 
removed.  From  about  1829  Thomas  Morley  kept  a  store 
in  the  .Ward  building  a  few  years.  In  1831  Benjamin 
Edwards  removed  from  the  Eddy  to  Laceyville,  where 
he  was  in  trade  most  of  the  time  for  many  years.  Bradley 
Wakeman  was  in  trade  here  for  thirty-five  years  from 
1832.  Among  other  early  merchants  were  Edward  Mer- 
rit  and  Thomas  Parker.  The  latter  about  1848  built  the 
store  now  occupied  by  George  W.  Smith.  Benjamin 
Edwards  constructed  a  tannery  at  Laceyville  in  1832, 
the  first  in  Braintrim.     In  1837  he  sold  it  to  Isaac    J.  La 


=4* 


*X  7=*= 


CHURCHES  AND  LODGES  OF    LACEYVILLE— CLINTON  TOWNSHIP. 


505 


Barre.     Philip  Thomas  bought  it  and  carried  it  on  until 
about  1863,  when  it  was  abandoned. 

Isaac  J.  La  Barre  was  the  first  hotel  keeper  here,  be- 
ginning in  1848.  Soon  afterward  Tileson  D.  Spring 
opened  the  present  "  Kennard  House,"  of  which  he  was 
for  many  years  proprietor. 

In  1871  David  Goodale  and  C.  I.  Lacey  built  a  steam 
grist-mill  containing  three  runs  of  stones,  which  is  now 
the  only  one  in  Braintrim.  In  the  spring  of  1880  a 
saw-mill  was  annexed  to  the  grist-mill,  which  is  run  by 
the  same  power. 

Bapftsi  Church  of  Laceyville.—TW\&  church  was  organ- 
ized May  24th,  1794,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Sturdevant. 
The  members  were  Samuel,  Azor,  Fear,  Noah  and  Molly 
Sturdevant,  Joseph  and  Hannah  Wescott,  Jedediah  and 
Olive  Coon,  and  Samuel  Sturdevant,  jr. 

Samuel  Sturdevant  was  ordained  by  this  church  Octo- 
ber 25th,  1794,  and  was  its  pastor  until  his  death,  April 
9th,  1828.  After  about  one  year's  vacancy  Rev.  Joseph 
W.  Parker  preached  until  1833  ;  then  Rev.  Charles  A. 
Fox  tilll  1836,  and  Rev.  D.  Dimock  until  October  28th, 
1846,  after  which  the  church  was  supplied  for  a  time  by 
Rev.  Ira  G.  Stoddard,  when  Joseph  W.  Parker  was  re- 
called, who  served  until  April  23d,  1849.  Since  Novem- 
ber 23d,  1849,  excepting  1869  (when  Rev.  John  A.  Ball 
supplied  the  pulpit).  Rev.  D.  D.  Gray  has  been  pastor. 
Previous  to  1839  church  services  were  held  principally 
on  Lacey  street  in  dwellings  and  the  school-house.  The 
present  church  was  begun  in  1839,  and  dedicated  in  1840 
by  Rev.  Henry  Curtis,  of  Bethany,  Pa.  In  1866  the  so- 
ciety bought  the  present  parsonage. 

As  the  result  of  a  religious  revival  in  1843  63  members 
were  added  to  the  church  ;  in  1854,  91,  and  in  1870,  67. 
The  present  membership  is  about  190. 

Laceyville  Lodge  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  439  (the  first  in  the 
county),  was  organized  July  22nd,  1851,  with  six  charter 
members.  The  same  day  eight  others  were  received. 
Since  1863  the  membership  has  ranged  from  ten  to  fifty- 
two,  the  present  number. 

The  first  elective  ofificers  were  :  T.  D.  Spring,  N.  G. ; 
George  R.  Ackroyd,  V.  G.;  Edward  Merritt,  secretary; 
George  M.  Black,  treasurer. 

Franklin  Lodge  F.  and  A.  M.  received  a  warrant 
dated  December  27th,  1822,  and  on  May  2gfh,  1823,  the 
lodge  was  constituted,  with  Jasper  Fassett  as  W.  M., 
John  Ford  S.  W.,  and  Isaac  Lacey,  jr.,  J.  W.  There 
were  in  1824  39  members.  This  lodge  was  suspended  in 
1828  for  non-payment  of  Grand  Lodge  dues. 

April  5th,  1852,  a  warrant  was  granted  to  Thomas 
Morley  as  W.  M.,  John  Sturdevant  as  S.  W.,  and  Nathan 
Osburn  as  J.  W.,  for  the  formation  of  a  lodge  "  to  be 
held  at  Skinner's  Eddy,  or  within  five  miles  of  that  place, 
and  called  Franklin  Lodge,  No.  263."  This  lodge  was 
constituted  June  ist,  1852,  with  12  members.  Walter  W. 
Dimock  was  elected  secretary;  Hamlet  Hill,  treasurer  ; 
John  C.  Lacey,  S.  D.;  Isaac  J.  La  Barre,  J.  D.,  and 
James  M.  Robinson,  tiler.  The  lodge  now  meets  in  La- 
ceyville.    In  January,  1880,  it  had  65  members. 


CLINTON  TOWNSHIP. 


I  HIS  township,  originally  forming  parts  of  Ab- 
ington,  Nicholson  and  Tunkhannock,  was 
settled  during  the  first  years  of  the  present 
century,  by  families  from  Rhode  Island. 
Robert  Reynolds,  with  his  sons  Solomon,  George 
and  Phineas,  settled  about  1800  on  the  site 
of  Factoryville.  A  numerous  family  of  their  de- 
scendants still  reside  in  the  village  and  vicinity.  In  the 
following  year  Stephen  Capwell  settled  on  the  present 
William  Perigo  farm.  He  had  five  sons  and  three 
daughters,  and  many  of  his  descendants  live  here.  Ben- 
jamin Carpenter  is  reported  to  have  settled  in  1808,  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  the  village.  He  left  six  sons  and 
three  daughters.  Nearly  contemporaneous  was  the  com- 
ing of  Elisha  Madison  and  David  Arnold.  Madison 
settled  on  the  top  of  Bunker  hill.  David  and  Preserved 
Taylor  were  pioneers  of  about  the  same  date.  In  1813 
the  first  resident  physician,  Dr.  Henry  Green,  came  from 
Sherburne,  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.,  and  a  year  later 
his  brother  William  Green,  now  living  (1879)  in  hale  and 
graceful  old  age  in  the  village.  Job  Briggs,  Gifford 
Mathewson  and  William  Price  came  between  1813  and 
1815.  Hampton  Moore  settled  on  the  Jones  farm,  half 
a  mile  above  the  depot,  and  Benjamin  Green  in  1817  in 
the  village.     Dr.  John  Wilson  came  prior  to  r82o. 

In  case  of  a  break  in  the  communications  with  Wilkes- 
Barre,  the  nearest  village,  the  settlers  often  suffered  for 
want  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  had  to  depend  on 
game  for  food;  and  they  were  subject  to  the  same  depre- 
dations of  beasts  of  prey  everywhere  experienced  by  the 
pioneers. 

It  is  said  that  an  Indian  trail  ran  through  the  site  of 
the  village  and  over  the  hills  south,  and  in  its  vicinity 
have  been  discovered  arrowheads,  pestles,  etc.  In  1870, 
as  Benjamin  Carpenter  was  digging  a  cellar  in  Factory- 
ville, the  workmen  came  upon  a  decayed  box,  containing 
the  remains  of  a  human  being.  The  box,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  made  of  plank  split  with  an  axe  from  the 
body  of  a  tree,  lay  beneath  a  stratum  of  gravel,  and  the 
death  must  have  occurred  before  the  earliest  settlement 
of  the  valley. 

The  first  school  was  kept  in  a  little  log  building  about 
a  mile  south  of  the  village,  by  Job  Briggs.  Hulda  Alls- 
worth,  of  Pittston,  was  the  next  teacher.  About  1824 
the  old  "  square- top  "  school- house  was  built,  on  the  site 
of  the  depot,  and  for  many  years  it  served  as  a  church 
and  school  building.  Among  the  early  pedagogues  was 
Elizabeth  Wilson. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  a  short  distance  from  where 
Math.'wson's  grist-mill  now  stands,  by  Joseph  Capwell, 
about  1820.  The  first  grist-mill  was  built  by  Capwell 
about  1838,  and  it  is  still  running,  owned  by  C.  Mathew- 
son.  James  and  Ezra  Dean  and  others  put  up  a  log' 
distillery  on   the    creek    flat,  removing    it  about  1828  a 


*=#=.= 


5o6 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


mile  further  up  the  creek.  After  the  failure  of  the  cot- 
ton-mill enterprise  the  staple  commodity  for  exportation 
seems  to  have  been  tow  cloth,  the  flax  for  which  was 
broken,  hetchlerl  and  woven  by  the  same  fair  hands  that 
afterward  took  it  on  horseback  to  Wilkes-Barre,  mainly 
by  a  bridle  path,  and  there  bartered  it  for  the  few  neces- 
saries and  rare  luxuries  of  the  day. 

The  population  of  Clinton  was  834  in  1870  and  842  in 
1880. 

FACTORYVILLE. 

This  village  was  known  early  in  the  present  century  as 
''  the  Factory,"  being  the  place  where    a  cotton-mill  was 
built  hardly  more  than  a  dozen  years  after  the  first  settle- 
ment of  the  township.     It  was  operated  on  a  small  scale 
for  a  year  or  two  and  was    then    abandoned,    the   cotton 
being  hauled  150  miles  or  more  through   the  woods  from 
Newburgh,    N.   Y.     The    old    building,  having    passed 
through  a  variety  of  experiences  and  renovations,  is  now 
the  store  of  James  Frear.     The  earliest   settlers  were  the 
Reynolds,   Dean,  Capwell,   Green  and   Wilson  families- 
It  was  not  until  nearly  twenty  years  after   the  place   ob- 
tained its  present  name  by  the  establishment  of  the  post- 
office  that  it  began  to   assume   the   proportions   of  a  vil- 
lage.    The  post-office  was  established  in    1828,  the  first 
postmaster  being  Dr.  John  Wilson,  who  kept  the  office  in 
the  house  of  Jeremiah  Wilson,   some  distance  from   the 
village.     The  early  opening  of  the  Drinker  turnpike  fur- 
nished communication  with  the    outer  world.     The  pio- 
neer meetings  were  in  the  "square-top",  or  at  the  houses 
of  the  citizens.     Since  the  building  of  the   railroad  the 
growth  f  f  the  place  has  been  more  rapid. 

This  small  village  in  1869  founded,  almost  unaided, 
one  of  the  best  educational  institutions  in  this  part  of 
the  State,  and  has  since  then  supported  and  developed  it 
with  a  unanimity  and  liberality  worthy  of  the  highest 
praise. 

The  first  physician  was  Dr.  Henry  Green.  The  medi- 
cal profession  is  now  represented  by  Drs.  A.  M.  Capwell, 
A,  T.  Brundage  and  George  H.  Brundage.  The  mercan- 
tile business  is  conducted  by  the  firms  of  James  Frear, 
Gardner  &  Gilmore,  James  M.  Seaman  &  Co.,  C.  S. 
Hinds,  S.  H.  Briggs,  S.  C.  Mathewson  and  J.  Moore. 
The  first  hotel  was  built  by  Joseph  Capwell,  who  kept  it 
many  years  as  a  temperance  house  and  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  C.  Mathewson.  It  is  known  as  the  Depot 
Hotel,  being  near  the  railway  station  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  business  portion  of  the  village.  The  Factory- 
ville  House  was  built  and  for  a  time  kept  by  S.  C.  Mathew- 
son, and  has  since  been  kept  by  Colonel  1).  N.  Mathew- 
son. It  is  on  the  main  street,  centrally  located,  and  is 
a  quiet,  pleasant  stopping  place.  The  only  manufactories 
in  the  town  are  an  upper  leather  tannery  and  a  custom 
grist-mill. 

FACTORVVILLE    CHURCHES. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — The  first  Methodist  in  this  vicin- 
ity, so  far  as  we  can  learn,  was  "  Mother  "  Taylor,  wife 
of  Preserved  Taylor,  who  lived  on  the  hill  where   Martin 


Pelham  now  resides.     At  her  house  the  Methodist  meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  early  days,  say  from    1820  to  1825, 
and  many  old  people  recollect  hearing  Rev.  John  Cope- 
land  preach  with  great  unction  and  power  in  1825.     The 
''  square-top  "  school  house  was  built  in  1825,  and  there- 
after was  used  as  a  meeting-house.     It  was   near  where 
the  railroad  depot  now  stands.     A  class  was  in  existence 
at  the  square-top  in  1830,  and  Rev.  Selah  Stocking  was 
the  preacher  at  that  time,  when  "  Aunt  "  Eunice  Gard- 
ner united   with   the    church,  it  being  then  an  outlying 
appointment   on   the  Wyoming   circuit.     Preaching  was 
had  once  in  two  or  three  weeks   for  nearly   twenty  years 
following.      Among   the   preachers    were    Revs.  Samuel 
Griffin,  Solomon   Ellis,  V.  M.  Coryell   and   Mr.  Wilcox. 
The  society  was  small  and  struggling  until  about  1848  or 
1849,  when  a  revival  occurred  under  the  labors  of  Revs. 
A.  H.  Schoonmaker  and  J.  F.  Wilbur,  and   quite  a  num- 
ber were  added  to  the  class.     At  this  period  the  appoint- 
ment was  attached  to  Nicholson  circuit,  and  was  supplied 
by  Revs.    E.  F.  Roberts,   C.  E.  Rice    and    G.    L.   Griffin 
successively.     During  Mr.  Griffin's  pastorate  the  church 
at  Factoryville  was  built  in  the  summer  of  1854.     It  was 
a  frame  building,  30  by  42  feet,  cost  $855,  and  was  ded- 
icated in  the  fall  of  that  year  by  Rev.  Dr.  George  Peck, 
then  presiding  elder  of  the  district.     The  charge  then  in- 
cluded Factoryville,  Nicholson  and  West  Nicholson,  and 
was  called   Nicholson   circuit.     Rev.  B.  B.   Emory  was 
pastor  two  years,  during  which  a  parsonage  was  purchas- 
ed (in  1855);  it  was  rebuilt  and  enlarged  in  1872.     Rev. 
D.  Worrell  was  pastor   in   1857    and    1858;  Rev.  Ira  D. 
Warren,  in  1859;  Rev.   J.   F.    Wilbur,   i860,    1861;  Rev. 
John  La  Bar,  1862-64.     Then  came  again  Rev.  D.  Wor- 
rell, who  was  twice  returned  to  the  charge,  and  died  here 
in  1866.     The  appointment  was  supplied  for  the  balance 
of  the  year  by  Rev.  J.  V.  Newell,  then   living  in  Spring- 
ville.     In  the   spring  of    1867    the   conference  stationed 
Rev.  E.  H.  Hynson  at  Factoryville,  and  Rev.  T.  B.  Jayne 
at   Nicholson,  who   changed    appointments    every    other 
Sabbath.     The  next  spring  the  circuit  was  divided,  and 
Factoryville   was    supplied   by  Rev.   E.  F.  Roberts  one 
year,  he  living  at  Meshoppen.     Rev.  E.  M.  High   served 
in    1869-71;  Rev.  J.  S. -Lewis   three   years,  under  whose 
ministry  in  1872  a  large  number  were  added  to  the  class, 
of  whom  the  greater  part  remain.     After  him  came  Rev. 
P.  R.  Tower,   two   years,   and   Rev.   D.  C.  Barnes,   three 
years.     In  1878  the  church   at   Factoryville   was  rebuilt, 
enlarged,  refitted  and  refurnished  throughout,  and  a  tow- 
er and  bell  were  added,  at  a  total  cost  of   $1,800.     The 
church  wasrededicated  October  2nd,  by  Rev.  J.  E.  Smith, 
D.  D.,  assisted  by  the  presiding  elder,  William  Bixby,  and 
the  pastor.     In  1879   came  Rev.  A.  J.  Cook,  the  present 
pastor,  under   whose  efficient    ministrations  the  congre- 
gations have  been  well  sustained,  and  sheds  and  an  exten- 
sion of   the  church   lot   added   to   the   church   property. 
The  class  now  has  150  members. 

The  Factoryville  Baptist  Church  was  organized  Decem- 
ber igth,  1850.  A  council  of  delegates  from  nine  neigh- 
boring churches  was  convened  at  the  New  Bethel  Bap- 
tist meeting  house,  in  West  Abington.     Fifty- six  persons 


i 


-t=fi^ 


OSTERHOUT    HOMESTEAD,  LAGRANGE,  WYOMING     CO     PA 


-■*'~!^'^p^S?S 


SARAH     OSTfeRHOUT      AGE:"tt      88    YEARS 
TUNKHANNOCK       WYOMING     CO.,    PA. 


vr-i^^s^'i'-T^:!^^,^^. 


i\^r, 


^r..... -fcri 


K  EYST  ONE      ACADEIVIY,     FACTOPYVILLE,    WYOMING     CO,   Pa    ESTABLISHEO     IN    1359 


residence:   of  a.  p. burgess  esq 


FORKSTON  ,  WYOM  I  N  G     CO.,   Pa. 


STORE    of    A    P    BURGESS 


=i¥^ 


M  9  NE  IS  H,  ALEXANDER  and  SNYDER   BLOCK,  STORES  and  the  WERNET  HOUSEjXAVIER   WERN  ET,  PROP'R 

NANTI  COKE  ,    LUZER  N  E    CO.,    PA.   BUILT     1870. 
N  ANTICOK  E, 


THOMAS    M9  N  EISH, 
E.N.AtEXANDER.y  PRO  PR'S 
SNYDER   BROS, 


LUZERNE    COUNTY,    PA. 


*v-*'^/     -v^  -_.J33.*-JS5^    j^^ 


.^^^^^^g '  T^''?^|^?S::?W?8sS*iiSfc>v^jjr  2 


ST.  THOMAS    CHURCH     and    PARSONAGE     REV    N    J.MCMANUS,PASTOR     ARCH  BALD,    PA. 


=0=4  H" 


4^= 


4 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

CLINTON,   EATON,   FALLS   AND   OVERFIELD   TOWNSHIPS. 


ANDERSON    DANA. 

Anderson  Dana  was  born  at  Eaton,  in  1836.  He  has 
been  judge  and  inspector  of  elections  and  was  elected 
auditor  in  1880.  He  married  Mindwell  Felts,  of  Eaton. 
Mrs.  Dana  is  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  church. 

JAMES    FREAR. 

James  Frear,  who  since  1857  has  been  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  in  Factoryville,  is  a  native  of  Eaton 
township.  He  married  Sarah  Osterhout,  of  Tunkhan- 
nock,  and  has  a  family  of  two  children.  Mr.  Frear  was 
one  of  the  founders  and  most  liberal  patrons  of  the  Key- 
stone Academy,  and  has  been  its  treasurer  since  its 
origin. 

CHAUNCEY  SHERWOOD. 

Chauncey  Sherwood  was  born  in  the  township  of  Falls, 
on  the  26th  of  November,  1812.  For  fourteen  consecu- 
tive years  he  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
town  three  months  out  of  every  year,  the  other  nine 
months  being  employed  in  working  on  the  farm;  was 
never  "sent  away"  to  school  but  three  times;  afterward 
he  taught  school  three  years.  When  twenty-one  years  of 
age  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Webb.  Their 
daughter,  Mahala  S.,  was  married  to  Dr.  J.  M.  Carey, 
now  of  Meshoppen,  Pa.,  and  had  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, the  eldest  being  the  son  Chauncey  Sherwood  Carey, 
M.  D.,  of  Mill  City.  Mrs.  Sarah  Jane  Sherwood  died  in 
185s,  and  in  1859  Mr.  Sherwood  married  Miss  Lois  C. 
Gorman,  his  present  wife.  He  has  been  a  consistent 
member  of  the  M.  E.  church  of  Mill  City  for  many  years. 
Politically  he  is  a  Democrat.  As  a  magistrate  he  has 
been  elected  for  nine  consecutive  five-year  terms,  and  has 
proved  a  prudent,  painstaking,  conscientious  and  impar- 
tial officer.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  audi- 
tor of  Luzerne  county,  before  the  county  was  divided,  for 
three  years.  Having  served  his  term  he  studied  law  un- 
der H.  W.  Nicholson,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  most  of  the  time 
for  three  years,  but  having  three  stores  at  the  time  he 
gave  up  the  practice  of  law,  excepting  while  acting  as 
magistrate  for  those  years.  He  continued  in  the  mercan- 
tile business  and  hotel  keeping  for  thirty  years;  He  may 
justly  be  called  the'founder  of  Mill  City. 


Joseph  Ace  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  May 
27th,  1818.  After  being  in  several  townships  he  settled 
in  Eaton  in  1865.  March  6th,  1841,  he  married  Sarah 
Smith,  of  Smithfield,  Monroe  county.  Pa.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ace  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Eaton.  Mr. 
Ace  has  filled  the  office  of  deacon  in  his  church. 

Charles  Armstrong  was  born  at  Pittston,  in  1824. 
He  first  came  into  Eaton  in  1841,  and  was  a  resident  till 
1850,  when  he  went  to  California.  He  returned  to  Eaton 
in  1864,  and  bought  a  farm  in  South  Eaton.  This  he 
sold  and  bought  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives.  He 
was  married  to  Mary  J.  Harding,  daughter  of  Samuel  J. 
Harding  and  Sally  Bird,  sister  of  James  Bird,  of  histori- 
cal note. 

Andrew  AuMiCK  was  born  in  Luzerne  county,  in  1808. 
He  came  to  Eaton  in  1818  with  his  parents.  He  was 
married  to  Elnor  Place,  daughter  of  William  Place,  and 
had  eight  children,  three  of  whom  are  living — William, 
born  May  20th,  1835;  Mary  E.,  born  in  1845,  and  Wesley, 


born  in  1850.      Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aumick  and   their  three 
children  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Silas  Aumick  was  born  at  Wilkes-Barre,  May  13th, 
1813.  He  married,  in  1841,  J.  Anne  Jayne,  of  Washing- 
ton, Pa.  He  enlisted  as  a  volunteer  in  the  12th  Penn- 
sylvania reserves  in  i860,  and  was  discharged  in  conse-. 
quence  of  a  wound  received  in  the  left  leg.  He  again 
enlisted,  in  the  143d  Pennsylvania  regiment,  received  five 
more  wounds  and  was  discharged  in  1865.  His  son, 
Benjamin,  was  also  in  the  143d,  and  was  taketi  prisoner 
and  sent  to  Andersonville,  where  he  died  of  starvation. 

David  B.  Austin  was  born  in, Oswego,  N.  Y.,  in  1833, 
and  married  Margery  C.  Fitch  in  1853.  They  had  three 
children.  Mr.  Austin  was  a  farmer.  He  served  in  the 
Rebellion,  and  died  at  Andersonville. 

John  Ayer  was  born  in  New  Baltimore,  Greene  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1800.  In  1825  he  settled  in  Overfield,  and  in 
1827  married  Sally  Avery,  by  whom  he  has  had  two  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  is  a  farmer. 

Rev.  John  Ballantine,  teacher  of  classics  at  Keystone 
Academy,  was  born  near  Belfast,  Ireland,  and  graduated 
at  Lewisburgh  in  the  class  of  1872.  He  taught  a  graded 
school  at  Smithfield,  Pa.,  a  year,  and  then  accepted  his 
present  position.  He  married  Harriet  B.  Gerould,  of 
Smithfield,  December  25th,  1872,  and  has  one  child  liv- 
ing. Prof.  Ballantine  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Benton 
Baptist  church  in  August,  1877,  and  has  done  much  mis- 
sionary work,  supplying  the  pulpits  of  weak  churches. 

Orval  W.  Benjamin  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1815, 
and  moved  to  Eaton  in  1844.  He  has  been  assessor  nine 
years  and  supervisor  one  term.  He  married,  in  1839, 
Phebe  Ann  McNish,  of  New  Jersey.  They  have  two 
children,  Sarah  Caroline,  born  in  1840  (married  to  Samuel 
Harding),  and  Huldah,  born  in  1843  (married  to  S.  D. 
Bacon,  of  Tunkhannock). 

Chauncey  Benson  was  born  at  Dover,  N.  Y.,  January 
6th,  1810.  He  came  to  Eaton  in  1835  and  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land.  He  married,  in  1835,  Sarah  Brutz- 
man,  of  Smithfield,  Pa.  They  have  had  seven  children — 
Emma,  born  in  1835;  Etna,  born  in  1837  (died  in  1842); 
Mary  May,  born  in  1839;  Susan,  born  in  1841;  Jeanette, 
born  in  1843;  George  Adam,  born  in  1848;  Martha 
Elizabeth,  born  in  1850. 

George  A.  Brundage,  M.  D.,  born  in  Benton,  studied 
with  Dr.  A.  T.  Brundage,  and  graduated  in  medicine  at 
Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  in  March,  1876.  He  has  been  in  prac- 
tice in  Factoryville  since  that  date.  He  married  Una, 
daughter  of  A.  W.  Gardner. 

Albert  M.  Capwell,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Factoryville, 
Pa.,  May  4th,  1831,  and  married  Miss  C.  A.  Chambers,  of 
Waverly,  Pa.  (since  deceased).  Dr.  Capwell ,  isj^a- physi- 
cian and  druggist  of  Factoryville.  He  was  married  in 
1877  'o  Mamie  E.  Smith,  of  Scranton. 

Henry  Chase  was  born  in  Abington  township,  Luzerne 
county,  in  1820.  In  1844  he  married  Elizabeth  Canon,  of 
Chenango,  N.  Y.     They  have  two  children. 

Stephen  Clark  was  born  in  Plains,  Luzerne  county, 
in  1814,  and  married  May  Wagner,  of  Monroe  county,  in 
1838.  They  have  had  nine  children;  eight  are  living. 
Mr.  Clark  is  a  farmer. 

Eleazer  Dana  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  1842.  He  re- 
sides on  the  old  Jenkins  homestead.     He  was  supervi- 


<h 


*ih 


506.5 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


sor  in  1878.     He  married,  in  1872,  Nancy  E.  Miller,  of 
Eaton. 

Emeline  M.  Dana  was  born  in  Windham,  Pa.,  in 
1823,  and  was  married  to  Stevens  Dana,  of  Eaton,  in 
1843.  Her  husband  was  born  at  Eaton,  in  1820.  He  was 
for  thirty  years  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
during  the  last  six  years  of  his  life  was  ruling  elder.  He 
left  a  widow  and  six  children.  The  latter  are  Nancy  P., 
born  in  1845;  Caroline  M.,  born  in  1846;  Sarah  A.,  born 
in  1848;  Edmond  S.,  born  in  1851;  Helen  J.,  born  in 
1855;  and  George  F.,  born  in  1866. 

C.  O.  Dersheimer,  of  Falls  township,  is  a  native  of 
Ransom,  Lackawanna  county,  and  was  born  February 
19th,  1851.  He  graduated  from  the  College  of  New  Jer- 
sey in  1874,  and  received  the  degree  of  A.  M.  in  1877. 
He  was  class  day  orator  at  the  graduation.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  the  legal  profession.  His  wife  was  Miss  Jen- 
nie E.  Harding,  of  Eaton  township,  Wyoming  county. 
Pa. 

Edmund  Dersheimer,  farmer,  was  born  at  Chestnut 
Hill,  Northampton  county,  Pa.,  in  1824.  In  1849  he  mar- 
ried Deborah  Colvin,  of  Abington.  They  have  five  chil- 
dren. 

Lewis  C.  Drake  was  born  in  1848,  in  Franklin,  Pa., 
and  is  a  son  of  George  W.  Drake,  who  was  born  Febru- 
ary 22nd,  1818,  at  Jackson,  Pa.  He  married  Jemima 
Wilcox,  of  Franklin,  Pa. 

Thomas  E.  Field,  superintendent  of  the  Rand  Keg 
Manufactory,  Falls,  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1842, 
and  married  Philena  Witt  in  1862.  He  came  to  Penn- 
sylvania in  1871. 

S.  Fitch  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  in  1811,  and 
married  Elizabeth  Sickler.  They  have  eight  children. 
The  farm  on  which  Mr.  Fitch  lives  was  cleared  by  his 
grandfather. 

Morgan  Fitch,  farmer,  was  born  in  Falls  township  in 
1809,  and  married  Mary  A.  Williams  in  1828.  They 
have  had  eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living. 

Asa  H.  .  Frear,  farmer,  county  commissioner  and 
postmaster,  formerly  clerk  and  auditor,  was  born  in  Eaton 
township,  in  1841,  and  married  Angelica  Stearns,  of  Over- 
field,  in  1866.     They  have  four  children. 

Charles  Frear,  son  of  Abram,  jr.,  son  of  Abram 
Frear,  sen.,  was  born  in  Eaton  township,  in  1815,  and  mar- 
ried Miss  N.  H-  Stanton,  by  whom  he  has  five  children 
living.     He  is  a  farmer  and  miller. 

George  C.  Green,  son  of  Benjamin  Green,  is  a  native 
of  Clinton.  He  served  in  the  array  during  the  Rebel- 
lion and  received  an  honorable  mention  from  his  com- 
mander-in-chief for  valuable  services  as  a  scout.  He  is 
a  practical  bee  keeper,  the  inventor  and  manufacturer  of 
an  improved  hive,  and  deals  in  bee  keepers'  supplies. 
He  married  Parmelia  L.,  daughter  of  E.  D.  Gardner,  of 
Clinton,  and  has  two  children. 

G  -t^ge  W.  Griswold,  M.  D.,  D.  D.  S.,  was  born  in 
v^"  ":,»,'";  ^..  ^-f  September  29th,  1820,  and  in  1854 
sett.  ''■*':  '  .;:.aie,  where  for  many  years  he  practiced 
-.depiBWiiy,  becoming  well  known  as  a  successful  inventor. 
Dr  Griswold  was  the  author  of  a  number  of  published 
poems  of  decided  merit.  He  married  Mary  A.,  daughter 
of  George  Capwell,  of  Clinton,  in  1870,  and  settHng  near 
the  academy  erected  a  handsome  residence,  now  occu- 
pied by  his  widow  and  his  son.  He  died  September 
26th,  1875. 

N.  J.  Harding  was  born  in  1838,  in  the  house  where 
he  still  lives.  He  was  married  to  Mary,  daughter  of 
Chauncey  Benson,  of  Eaton,  in  i860.  They  have  had 
eight  children:  William,  born    in.   1861;    John,   born   in 


1863;  Sarah  Ellen,  born  in  1865;  Nancy,  born  in  1867; 
Martha,  born  in  1870;  Walter,  born  in  1873;  Amy,  born 
in  1875;  and  Arthur,  born  in  1877. 

Samuel  Harding  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  1841,  where 
he  has  resided  all  his  life.  He  has  been  school  director, 
poor  master  and  auditor  of  his  town.  He  married  in 
1867,  Sarah  Caroline,  daughter  of  Orval  W..Benjamin,  of 
Eaton.  They  have  four  children:  Benjamin  W.,  born  in 
1869;  Libbie,  in  1870;  Willard,  in  1873;  and  Phebe,  in 
1876. 

S.  J.  Harding  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  1841,  in  the  house 
where  he  lives.  He  has  been  school  director  three 
years.  He  was  married  in  1873  to  Matilda  Bullock,  by 
whom  he  has  had  two  children:  Ruth  J.,  born  in  1873, 
and  Rosa  Esther,  born  in  1878  (died  in  1879).  His 
father,  Stephen  D.,  was  born,  lived  and  died  on  the  same 
farm.  He  died  in  i868.  Mrs.  Harding's  father,  Benja- 
min Bullock,  was  a  soldier  in  the  52nd  Pa.  volunteers, 
and  died,  in  1875,  from  disease  contracted  in  the  Chick- 
ahominy  swamp. 

Stedman  Harding  was  born  in  Harford,  Pa.,  in  1808. 
He  came  to  the  township  of  Eaton  in  1825.  In  1834  he 
purchased  a  farm  of  wild  land.  He  has  filled  the  offices 
of  county  auditor,  collector  and  school  director.  He  was 
married  in  1834  to  Martha  Mitchell,  of  EatonI  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harding  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 
Thomas  Harding,  Mr.  Harding's  father,  was  born  in  1786, 
in  Lackawanna.  In  the  later  years  of  his  life  he  took  up 
his  residence  with  his  son,  and'  lived  with  him  till  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1857. 

Rev.  John  H.  Harris,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at 
Factoryville,  was  born  in  western  Pennsylvania,  April 
24th,  1847,  and  married  Mary  E.  Mace,  of  Factoryville. 
He  was  formerly  principal  of  the  Keystone  Academy. 

John  C.  Herman  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  in  1819. 
He  married  Mary  Walter,  of  Eaton,  and  had  twelve  chil- 
dren, nine  of  whom  are  living.  He  has  been  supervisor, 
and  was  elected  one  of  the  county  commissioners  in  1878. 
He  was  left  an  orphan  at  a  very  early  age,  and  owes  his 
present  position  to  his  own  industry  and  integrity. 

Daniel  W.  Herman  was  born  at  Middle  Smithfield, 
Monroe  county.  Pa.,  in  1843.  He  has  filled  the  offices  of 
auditor,  inspector  of  election  and  school  director  of  his 
township.  He  enlisted  in  the  12th  N.  Y.  cavalry,  and 
during  a  raid  on  Kingston,  N.  C,  was  taken  prisoner 
through  his  horse  falling  upon  hira  and  breaking  his  leg. 
He  suffered  great  privations  during  his  confinement.  On 
three  occasions  his  rations  were  withheld  for  three  days 
at  a  time  in  punishment  for  not  disclosing  where  his  fel- 
low-prisoners had  made  tunnels  for  escape.  He  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service  at  the  termination  of  the  war. 
He  married  Kate,  daughter  of  Joseph  Ace. 

C.  S.  Hinds  was  born  at  Montrose,  Pa.,  and  is  a  son  of 
S.  B.  Hinds,  who  died  at  Factoryville,  June  i8th,  1879, 
after  a  residence  there  of  seven  years.  Mr.  Hinds  suc- 
ceeds his  father  in  the  mercantile  bu.siness,  and  served  as 
town  clerk  in  1879.  He  is  one  of  a  family  of  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  Lydia  married  William  Carpenter,  of  Ben- 
ton; E.  S.  is  a  blacksmith  in  Factoryville,  and  Nannie 
S.  resides  with  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  with  whom  his 
mother  is  also  living. 

Edward  S.  Hinds  married  Louisa  M.,  daughter  of 
Ziba  Reynolds,  They  have  two  children,  Emma  A., 
born  July  sth,  1870,  and  Ziba  C,  born  November  7th, 
1875.     Mr.  Hinds  is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow. 

J.  K.  HuBLER,  miller  and  farmer,  was  born  in  Center 
county.  Pa.,  in  1817,  and  married  Catharine  Frank,  of 
New  Berlin,  Union  county,  Pa.,  in  1837.  They  have  six 
children. 


<H 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


506  C 


B.  L.*  Hunter  was  born  in  1834,  in  Eaton",  where  he 
has  resided  all  his  life.  He  has  filled  the  office  of  super- 
visor, and  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  1880.  He 
was  married  April  6th,  1859,  to  Chloe  A.  Harding,  who 
was  born  in  1842,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Jesse  Harding,  of 
Eaton.  Mr.  Hunter  was  enrolled  September  29th,  1864, 
in  Company  F  6ist  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was  present  at  the 
surrender  of  Lee. 

Smith  B.  Jayne  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  Pa.,  in  1837. 
He  moved  into  Eaton  in  1874,  and  bought  his  present 
farm.  He  was  married  in  i860  to  Catharine  E.  Hull,  of 
Sussex  county,  N.  J.  His  father,  Benjamin  Jayne,  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Mehoopany  township,  and  his 
grandfather  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812. 

Joseph  C.  Kishbaugh  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1805. 
After  moving  to  several  towns  he  finallv  settled  al  Eaton 
in  1850.  He  was  married  in  1832  to  Violetta,  daughter 
of  Sebastian  Miller,  of  Philadelphia.  The  father  of  Mr. 
Kishbaugh  was  an  old  Revolutionary  soldier. 

Thomas  J.  McComb  was  born  at  New  York,  in  1835. 
He  came  to  Eaton  in  1862,  was  absent  in  California  some 
years,  and  returned  in  1873.  He  married,  in  187 1,  Mar- 
garet, daughter  of  Judge  Kellam,  of  Pike  county,  and 
widow  of  P.  D.  Hagerty,  Esq. 

Charles  Edward  McVicar  was  born  at  Crawford, 
N.  J.,  in  1840.  After  several  removals  he  settled  at 
Eaton,  where  he  followed  the  blacksmith  and  wagon  iron- 
ing trade.  He  married,  in  1862,  Rosaltha  Franklin. 
They  have  two  children — Marion  Elizabeth,  born  July 
7th,  1863,  and  William  S.,  born  July  15th,  1865. 

F.  W.  Major,  born  at  Lemon  in  1853,  is  the  son  of 
Thomas  Major,  who  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in 
1799,  and  settled  in  Lemon,  where  he  died  in  1864.  He 
married  Mary  Ide,  of  Lemon.  Five  of  their  seven  chil- 
dren are  living,  F.  W.  being  the  youngest. 

Colonel  David  N.  Matthewson  is  a  son  of  Josiah 
Gifford  Matthewson,  who  came  to  Clinton  in  1814.  He 
was  engaged  in  railroading  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Re- 
bellion, when  he  entered  the  Union  service  as  captain  of 
Company  B  12th  Pa.  reserves,  which  position  he  after- 
ward resigned  to  accept  the  lieutenant-colonelcy  of  the 
30th  Pa.  infantry. 

Andrew  Miller  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1815, 
and  came  to  Pennsylvania  with  his  parents  in  1835.  In 
1838  he  married  Fannie  Dersheimer,  of  Exeter.  They 
have  three  children. 

Elisha  H.  MiTCHELwas  born  in  Eaton,  January  20th, 
1810.  He  was  county  treasurer  in  1847  and  1848.  He 
married,  in  1839,  Elizabeth  Swetland,  by  whom  he  had 
four  children— Margaret  J.,  born  in  1839;  Mary  Virginia, 
born  in  1844;  Thomas  Z.,  born  in  1850,  and  Benjamin  N., 
born  in  1822. 

John  S.  Moore  is  a  native  of  Clinton  and  a  son  of 
Hampton  Moore.  He  served  his  country  in  a  Michigan 
regiment  during  the  Rebellion,  enlisting  as  a  private  and 
being  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain.  He  is  now  in 
the  grocery  business  in  Factoryville. 

Riley  Mott,  born  in  Falls  township,  in  1824,  married 
Mary  Patrick  in  1850.  He  is  a  lumberman  and  the  own- 
er of  a  farm  of  fifty  acres. 

Henry  Newcombe,  born  in  Tolland,  Conn.,  came  in 
1 861  to  Clinton,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  furniture 
business.  He  married  Experience  Gardner,  and  has  two 
children  living,  Lettie  B.  and  Frank  A.  A  daughter 
named  Ida  died  at  Tolland,  in  1853.  Mr.  Newcombe  is 
the  present  district  deputy  I.  O.  of  O.  F. 

John  Ney,  father  of  Elijah  C.  Ney,  was  born  in 
Northampton  county.  Pa.,  in  1814.     He  came  to  the  town 


of  Eaton  in  1S37,  and  was  married  that  year  to  Sarah 
Casebeer,  of  Lower  Smithfield,  Monroe  county,  Pa.  He 
has  been  supervisor  and  school  director. 

Elijah  C.  Ney  was  born  in  Eaton  in  1842.  He  has 
been  a  school  teacher  six  terms.  In  1878  he  bought  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  acres,  partly  improved 
land,  and  he  continues  to  improve  it.  He  was  married  in 
1867  to  Rebecca,  daughter  of  John  C.  Herman,  of  Eaton. 
They  have  two  children,  Elmer,  born  January  8th,  i86g, 
and  Frederick  C,  born  in  1874. 

George  Ney  was  born  in  Northampton,  in  1812,  and 
came  to  Eaton  about  1845.  He  filled^  the  office  of  su- 
pervisor twenty-two  years  ago  and  again  in  1879.  He 
was  married  in  1859  to  Ann  D.  Pace,  daughter  of  Michael 
and  Lena  A.  (Cleveland)  Pace.  There  are  five  children 
by  this  marriage. 

Miss  Lu.  Northup,  preceptress  of  the  Keystone 
Academy  since  1876,  is  a  native  of  Clark's  Green,  Pa., 
and  prior  to  her  present  engagement  taught  in  public 
schools.  The  Latin  and  German  classes  at  the  Academy 
are  under  her  care. 

Rev.  Noah  Patrick,  farmer  and  pastor  of  the  M.  E. 
church,  was  born  in  Tunkhannock  (now  Falls),  in  1804. 
In  1826  he  married  Catharine  Ager,  who  died  May  sth, 
1843,  after  bearing  him  nine  children,  three  of  whom  are 
living.  In  1847  Mr.  Patrick  married  Mary  Kennedy, 
who  died  in  1878. 

Henry  Pike,  a  native  of  England,  has  for  twenty- 
three  years  been  the  merchant  tailor  of  Factoryville. 
Mrs.  Pike  is  an  English  lady,  formerly  Miss  Tucker. 
They  have  five  children  living,  all  pursuing  active  busi- 
ness careers. 

Martin  N.  Reynolds,  descended  from  early  settlers 
here,  served  in  the  army  in  the  late  war  in  the  12th 
Pennsylvania  reserves.  He  married  Christiana,  daugh- 
ter of  Abel  Capwell.     They  have  seven  children. 

ZiBA  S.  Reynolds,  a  son  of  Solomon  Reynolds,  an  old 
pioneer,  was  born  in  Clinton  in  i8i6,  and  married  a 
daughter  of  Hanson  Moore,  also  a  native  of  Clinton, 
October  Sth,  1842.  His  children,  all  born  in  Clinton, 
are  Louisa  (married  to  E.  S.  Hinds),  Cromwell  (married 
to  Elizabeth  Chase,  of  Abington),  Richard  (married  to 
Fanny  Todd,  of  Clinton),  Simon  M.  (married  to  Belle 
Maynard,  of  Clinton)  and  Belle  F.  (unmarried).  Mr. 
Reynolds  is  the  county  collector  for  Clinton  township. 

George  Rinker  was  born  in  Monroe  county  in  1819. 
He  moved  to  Eaton  in  1836  with  his  parents.  His  father 
was  born  in  1781,  in  Northampton,  and  married  Elizabeth 
Moyer.  There  were  nine  children  by  this  marriage, 
George  being  the  youngest  but  one. 

Hon.  Giles  Roberts  was  born  in  Falls,  in  1838.  In 
i860  he  married  Margaret  Fleet.  He  was  the  first  Re- 
publican elected  from  Wyoming  county  to  the  State 
Legislature. 

John  M.  Robinson  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  1828.     He 
was  the  son  of  Joseph   H.  Robinson,  who  was  botwaai 
Cooperstown,  in   1779,  moved. into  Eaton,  in    i828iiiiidj;tf, 
was  among  the  first  settlers.      John  M.  married  SeVifiilh  ,  ' 
Potter  in  1859,  and  in  1864  Anna  E.  Thatcher,  of  S?"^'"" 
Luzerne  county.  ■  .-.'# 

Enos  a.  Shelley  was  born  in  Northampton  county. 
Pa.,  in  1827,  and  married  Malvina  A.  Whitney,  of  West 
Abington,  Pa.,  in  185 1.  They  have  had  seven  children, 
five  of  whom  are  living.  Until  1871  he  was  an  architect 
and  builder;  since  then  has  been  a  farmer. 

George  W.  Sherwood  was  born  in  Falls  township,  in 
1827,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Elvira  Waller,in  18^7. 
The  farm  on  which  he  lives  was  settled  by  his  father  in 
1789.  -      -      .  ■    - 


.^!fc 


■¥ 


Samuel  Morris  Sleight  is  a  son  of  Alfred  Sleight. 
The  latter  was  born  at  Strasburg,  Pa.,  in  1829,  and  in  1836 
moved  with  his  parents  to  what  is  now  the  Sleight  home- 
stead in  Eaton.  In  1867  he  married  Catherine  Small, 
and  had  two  children— the  subject  of  this  sketch,  born 
in  1851,  and  Emma  H.,  born  in  1863.  Alfred  Sleight 
died  May  17th,  1869.  He  was  and  his  widow  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church. 

Samuel  B.  Smith  was  born  at  Smithfield,  Monroe 
county,  Pa.,  in  1835,  and  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
William  Jayne.  The  children  are:  Charles  W.,  born  in 
1858,  who  married  Jennie  Kisbaugh  in  1879;  George  W., 
born  in  1859;  Hattie  E.,  1863;  Adrian  Grant,  1867; 
Walker  L.,  1870;  Emma  D.,  1872. 

Austin  O.  Sterns  was  born  at  Gibson,  Pa.,  in  1847. 
He  resided  in  his  native  town  till  1871,  and  came  to 
Eaton  in  1877.  He  finished  his  education  at  Keystone 
Academy,  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  1876,  has  been 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Eaton  two  years  and  is 
now  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  North  Moreland. 
He  was  married  to  Loretta  E.  Eymer,  of  Gibson,  Pa. 
Their  children  are  Frank  A.,  born  in  1869,  and  Bessie 
May,  1874. 

Damon  Stevens  was  born  in  Windham,  Pa.,  in  1799. 
He  came  to  Eaton  in  1834,  and  in  1823  married  Cynthia 
Taylor,  of  Eaton.  His  father,  Asa,  born  in  1768,  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Wyoming  county.  He  married 
Esther  Downing.  They  had  three  children,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  being  the  oldest. 

Theodore  Streater  was  born  March  i6th,  1844,  at 
Lexington,  Greene  county,  N.  Y.  He  was  married 
January  25th,  1845,  to  Nancy  P.,  daughter  of  Stevens 
David,  and  has  one  child,  Stevens,  born  February  12th, 
l$74. 

Jacob  Swartwood  was  born  in  Pike  county,  Pa.,  in 
1816,  and  is  a  farmer.  He  married  Sarah  Shoemaker  in 
1844.  She  bore  him  five  children,  and  died  March  12  th, 
1877,,  aged  fifty-seven. 

Lyman  Swartz,  farmer,  was  born  in  Luzerne  county, 
Pa.,  in  182.1;.  In  1850  he  married  Margaret  A.  Hunter, 
of  Overfield,  by  whom  he  had  three  children.  Mrs. 
Swartz  died  December  loth,  1855,  and  in  i860  Mr. 
Swartz  married  Isabel  Fitch,  of  Falls.  They  have  three 
children. 

Uriah  Swetland  was  born  at  Kingston,  Pa.  In  1848 
he  bought  his  present  farm.  He  was  married  in  1824  to 
Elizabeth  Shales,  of  Kingston.  They  have  one  daughter, 
Matilda  Caroline,  born  in  1825  and  married,  in  1842,  to 
J.  B.  Harding. 

Milton  Tiffany  was  born  at  Harford,  Pa.,  in  1810. 
After  several  removals  he  settled  in  Eaton.  He  married 
Anne,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Catherine  (La  Grange) 
Rynearson.  They  had  twelve  children,  ten  of  whom  are 
living. 

Rev.  William  C.  Tilden,  A.  M.,  principal  of  Key- 
stone Academy  since  August  26th,  1879,  was  born  in 
Lebanon  county,  May  ist,  1829,  and  removed  to  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pa.,  when  a  child.  He  was  educated  at 
Madison  University,  graduating  in  the  class  of  1857,  and 
was  ordained  in  November  of  that  year.  Locating  at 
Forest  Lake,  he  assumed  the  duties  of  a  pastorate  which 
he  filled  until  1869,  when  he  was  elected  superintendent 
of  public  schools  for  Susquehanna  county,  which  office 
he  filled  until  1878,  traveling  more  than  64,000  miles  with 
a  horse  and  wagon  in  that  time.  He  married  at  Jessup, 
Pa.,  in  August,  1850,  Amelia  F.  Russell,  and  has  two 
children. 

Isaac  F.  Tillinghast,  the  well  known  seedsman  and 
agricultural  writer,  is  pleasantly   located  at  La  Plume, 


where  power  presses  print  the  thousands  of  copies  of 
Seed  Time  and  Harvest  distributed  monthly  by  him.  Mr. 
Tillinghast  won  the  first  prize  of  the  Pennsylvania  Agri- 
cultural Society  in  1879  for  a  collection  of  fruit  and  veg- 
etable seeds,  besides  a  large  number  of  cash  prizes. 

Benjamin  E.  Walter  was  born  in  Newton,  Lacka- 
wanna county,  in  1832.  In  1856  he  married  Sarah 
Canon,  who  has  born  him  four  children,  two  of  whom  are 
living.     He;  is  a  farmer  and  carpenter. 

Michael  Walter,  farmer,  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in 
1813,  and  removed  to  Pennsylvania  with  his  parents  in 
1825,  locating  in  Newton  township,  Lackawanna  county, 
and  in  1830  removed  to  his  present  residence.  In  1835 
he  married  Esther  Howell,  by"  whom  he  had  eight  chil- 
dren, and  who  died  in  1877. 

George  Walter  was  born  in  Newton,  Lackawanna 
county,  in  1830.  In  1851  he  married  Jane  Buton,  by 
whom  he  has  had  thirteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  are 
living.     He  is  a  farmer  and  mechanic. 

Jacob  Walters  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1812,  and 
is  a  farmer  and  carpenter.  In  1834  he  married  Elmira 
Clark,  by  whom  he  had  four  children.  She  died  in 
1859.  In  i860  Mr.  Weller  married  Elmira  Hall,  formerly 
Elmira  Wheelock.     They  have  a  son. 

Warren  A.  Warner,  a  native  of  Mt.  Pleasant,  Pa., 
married  Emeline  Coyle,  of  Waymart,  Pa.  They  have 
three  children.  Mr.  Warner  carries  on  the  carriage 
making  business  and  is  prominently  identified  with  the 
Odd  Fellows  and  Masons. 

Irvin  Wheelock  was  born  in  1830,  in  Eaton,  where 
he  resided  till  1855.  He  then  went  to  California  and 
remained  eight  years;  traveled  in  several  other  States, 
and  returned  to  Eaton  in  1862.  He  was  then  in  trade  in 
Ross  township  seven  years,  and  was  postmaster  there 
under  Lincoln.  He  again  returned  to  Eaton,  where 
he  has  since  been  in  the  mercantile  and  railroad  tie 
business.  He  has  been  postmaster  at  Eaton  since  1870. 
He  was  married  in  1866  to  Rebecca  Reynolds,  daughter 
of  C.  W.  Reynolds,  of  Bradford  county,  Pa. 

Hugh  L.  Williams  was  born  at  Forkston,  Wyoming 
county.  Pa.,  in  1842,  and  removed  to  Eaton  in  1869.  He 
fills  the  office  of  school  director.  His  father,  Hugh,  was 
born  in  Wales,  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1833,  and 
came  to  Eaton  in  1876.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  mar- 
ried Harriet  Malvina  Robinson,  of  Eaton. 

Dr.  John  Wilson  was  born  near  Pittston,  in  1801, 
and  graduated  at  Yale  College  and  came  to  Clinton  in 
1829,  where  he  practiced  medicine  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  February,  1879.  He  married  Elsie  Capwell,  of 
North  Abington,  who  was  born  November  16th,  1809, 
married  March  3d,  1830,  and  died  in  1863,  leaving  eight 
children.  In  1869  he  married  Corrinna  Brodhead,  of 
Clinton,  who  became  the  mother  of  four  children,  and 
survives  him.  Giles  S.,  a  son  by  the  first  marriage,  mar- 
ried January  28th,  1868,  Helen  M.  Day,  and  resides  in 
Factoryville  and  has  charge  of  the  settlement  of  his 
father's  estate.     He  is  a  prominent  Mason. 

Frederick  Wright,  a  native  of  Stuttgart,  Germany, 
served  with  credit  in  the  Franco-Prussian  war  and  at  its 
close  came  to  America.  He  married  (in  February,  1877) 
Ella  Clifford,  of  Clinton.  He  is  a  painter  by  trade,  and 
an  active  Odd  Fellow. 

The  following  citizens  of  Clinton,  Eaton,  Falls  and 
Overfield  also  contributed  their  support  to  this  publica- 
tion: Andrew  Ager,  David  Aumick,  S.  H.  Briggs,  W. 
G.  Comstock,  Charles  Gardner,  A.  J.  Gilmore,  Charles 
Greskey,  Jesse  Harding,  B.  J.  Hinds,  Genrge  and  W.  A. 
Jayne,  James  Jenkins,  C.  Matthewson,  B.  N.  Mitihell, 
S.  B.  Sayre,  A.  C.  Sisson,  Smith  Brothers. 


^^ 


4- 


FACTORYVILLE   BAPTIST  CHURCH— ODD  FELLOWS  AND  MASONS. 


S°7 


(23  males  and  33  females),  all  but  one  with  letters  of  dis- 
mission from  the  First  Abington  church,  were  recognized 
as  the  West  Abington  Baptist  Church,  which  name  was 
subsequently  changed  to  Factoryville.  Rev.  Andrew 
Hopper  immediately  became  pastor.  He  resigned  in  April, 
1852.  For  a  year  from  May,  185 2,  Rev.  Sanford  Leach  was 
pastor;  a  revival  occurred  and  many  were  added  to  the 
church.  P'rom  the  spring  of  1853  Rev.  Charles  A.  Fox 
was  pastor  until  the  spring  of  1859;  Rev.  Newell  Callen 
der  from  April,  1859,  until  the  spring  of  1864;  a  large 
number  were  added  to  the  church  during  his  labors. 
Rev.  J.  Kennedy  was  next  called,  and  served  until  Oc- 
tober, 1865.  Rev.  William  A.  Grow  supplied  the  church 
until  October,  i866;  about  sixty  members  were  added 
during  his  stay.  Rev.  S.  C.  Moore  was  pastor  from  Oc- 
tober, 1866,  until  the  spring  of  1868;  Rev.  George  Bow- 
man from  August,  1868,  until  November,  1870.  Rev.  J. 
H.  Harris,  then  principal  of  Keystone  Academy,  supplied 
the  church  until  April,  187 1,  when  Rev.  A.  J.  Furman 
became  pastor,  who  labored  very  successfully  four  years. 
Rev.  C.  M.  Tower  supplied  the  church  from  April,  1875, 
until  October  following,  when  Rev.  T.  J.  Cole  became 
pastor,  who  still  continues  such. 

Isaac  Tillinghast,  William  Dean,  E.  D.  Gardner  and 
Benedict  Taylor  were  the  first  deacons.  The  first  named 
died  in  1852;  Deacon  Dean  in  1868  removed;  Deacon 
Taylor  died  in  May,  1874;  Deacon  Gardner  survives, 
nearly  eighty  years  of  age.  James  Frear  has  been  deacon 
since  June  8th,  1872,  and  treasurer  for  many  years.  Wil- 
liam Green  was  chosen  deacon  April  12th,  1879;  George 
T.  Bailey  April  12th,  1879. 

E.  P.  Tillinghast  was  clerk  until  his  death,  in  July, 
1853;  Alvinzy  Gardner  from  August  following  until  he 
died,  February  i6th,  1863;  Edrick  Frear  the  next 
twelve  years.     A.  C.  Sisson  has  since  been  clerk. 

The  first  church  edifice  was  a  plain  wooden  building, 
about  a  mile  south  of  Factoryville,  known  as  the  New 
Bethel  Baptist  meeting  house;  it  was  built  in  1838,  by 
members  and  friends  of  the  First  Abington  church  who 
resided  in  the  vicinity.  It  cost  about  $2,500,  and  was 
dedicated  July  4th,  1839.  It^  was  occupied  until  it  be- 
came necessary  to  remove  the  place  of  meeting  to  Fac- 
toryville. In  i860  the  present  church  building  was  com- 
menced and  in  January,  1862,  the  basement  was  occupied. 
The  building  was  dedicated  in  September,  1866;  it  is  a 
substantial  brick  structure  costing  about  $8,000.  The 
list  of  members  of  this  church  has  included  397  names. 
The  present  membership  is  290. 

This  church  has  always  sustained  a  flourishing  Sunday- 
school,  open  throughout  the  year,  with  from  50  to  175 
pupils.  Alvinzy  Gardner  was  the  first  superintendent. 
A  large  proportion  of  additions  to  the  church  member- 
ship come  from  its  ranks.  A  mission  school  is  sustained 
at  La  Plume. 

ODD    FELLOWS. 

Red  Jacket  Lodge,  No.  524,  was    instituted   February 


6th,  1856,  with  the  following  charter  members:  B.  B. 
Emory,  E.  N.  Bacon,  S.  C.  Mathewson,  Henry  Clough, 
P.  B.  Baldwin,  S.  B.  Baldwin,  C.  L.  Jackson,  Robert 
Mills,  John  Backer. 

The  officers  for  1880  were:  N.  G.,  Fred.  Wright;  V.  G., 
C.  D.  Capwell;  Sec,  T.  R.  Armstrong;  Ass't  Sec,  S.  M. 
Reynolds;  Treas.,  C.  C.  Mace;  R.  S.  N.  G.,  J.  W.  Rey- 
nolds; L.  S.  N.  G.,  L.  Armstrong;  W.,  E.  S.  Hinds;  C, 
W.  A.  Warner;  Chap.,  Z.  S.  Reynolds;  O.  G.,  G.  Piper, 
I.  G,,  J.  W.  McKown;  R.  S.  V.  G.,  C.  A.  Sisk;  L.  S.  V. 
G.,  G.  E.  Snyder;  representative  to  grand  lodge,  E.  S. 
Hinds. 

The  lodge  has  been  a  prosperous  organization.  Its 
disbursements  for  benefts  and  charity  amount  to  $3,688; 
present  investments  $6,500,  of  which  the  available  cash 
assets  are  $4,000. 

Paiilowna  {Rebecca  Degree)  Lodge,  No.  58,  was  institu- 
ted September  29th,  1871.  The  first  officers  were:  N. 
G.,  A.  C.  Clifford;  V.  G.,  J.  T.  Neyhard;  Sec,  Mrs.  S. 
H.  Briggs;  Treas.,  Mrs.  J.  Roberts.  The  officers  for 
1880  were:  N.  G.,  Mrs.  C.  A.  Reynolds;  V.  G.,  Mrs. 
George  Pifer;  Sec,  Mrs.  S.  H.  Briggs;  Treas.,  Mrs. 
Henry  Newcomb;  W.,  Mrs.  S.  Reynolds;  C,  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Sisk;  I.  G.,  J.  W.  McKown;  O.  G.,  George  Pifer;  Chap., 
Z.  S.  Reynolds. 

Factoryville  Encampment,  246,  was  instituted  Novem- 
ber 26th,  1874.  The  charter  members  and  first  officers 
were:  C.  P.,  Henry  Newcomb;  S.  W.,  A.  C.  Clifford; 
H.  P.,  James  Roberts;  J.  W.,  E.  S.  Hinds;  scribe,  W.  A. 
Warner;  treasurer,  S.  C.  Mathewson;  I.  S.,  Lewis  Arm- 
strong; O.  S.,  R.  H.  Reynolds.  The  election  in  Septem- 
ber, 1879,  resulted  as  follows:  C.  P.,  J.  W.  McKown; 
S.  W.,  Ignatius  Kohn;  H.  P.,  James  Roberts;  J.  W., 
James  Crnup;  scribe,  E.  S  Hinds;  treasurer,  S.  C. 
Mathewson;  I.  S.,  Lewis  Armstrong;  O.  S.,  J.  G.  Capwell. 
From  this  encampment  A.  C.  Clifford  and  Henry  New- 
comb have  been  elected  district  deputies.  The  latter 
now  holds  that  office.  The  representative  to  the  grand 
lodge  for  1880  was  E.  S.  Hinds. 

MASONIC. 

Factoryville  L^odge,  No.  341,  F.  Sr  A.  M.  was  consti- 
tuted in  August,  i860.  The  charter  members  were: 
John  Wilson,  M.  D.,  W.  M.;  Edrick  Frear,  S.  W.;  Mason 
Parker,  J.  W.;  J.  D.  Colvin,  secretary;  Milo  J.  Wilson, 
treasurer.     The  lodge  numbers  about  60  members. 

Factoryville  Chapter,  No.  205,  H.  R.  A.  M.  was  con- 
stituted May  loth,  1866  (A.  T.  2396),  with  the  following 
officers:  John  Wilson,  M.  E.  H.  P.;  Edrick  Frear,  king; 
G.  S.  Wilson,  S.;  Francis  B.  Davidson,  treasurer;  C.  L. 
Van  Buskirk,  secretary.  A.  T.  Brundage,  K.  R.  Taylor, 
M.  D.  Osterhout,  S.  G.  Lewis  and  Henry  P.  Halsted  were 
the  other  charter  members.  The  present  officers  are: 
Ezra  C.  Browning,  M.  E.  H.  P.;  D.  D.  Gardner,  king; 
C.  C.  Mace,  scribe;  G.  S.  Wilson,  treasurer;  B.  S.  Gard- 
ner, secretary. 


^ 


^ 


So8 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


4 


EATON  TOWNSHIP. 


,HIS  township,    named    after    General    Eaton, 
the    hero    of  Tripoli,   was    erected   in    1817 
from  the  portion  of  Tiinkhannnck  lying  west 
of   the    Susquehanna    river.       The    scenery 
comprises  a  charming  variety.     On   some   of  the 
«»v        wilder  mountain    barrens   whortleberries   abound, 
and  these  have  been  for  many  years  the  resort   of 
parties  of  berry  pickers  from  all  the  country  round. 

The  township  is  well  watered  by  deep  creeks.  The 
principal  one,  Bowman's,  running  nearly  through  the 
center  of  the  township,  was  once  famed  for  its  trout; 
these  have  been  partially  exterminated,  but  the  stream  is 
still  a  popular  resort  for  fishermen,  who  come  often  from 
adjacent  States.  The  rivi.r  is  stocked  with  black  bass, 
and  in  the  early  years  of  the  present  century  a  productive 
shad  fishery  was  in  operation  at  Hunter's  Ferry,  but 
dams  have  destroyed  it.  The  beasts  of  the  forest  and 
game  birds  were  formerly  abundant. 

The  township  had  830  inhabitants  in  1870,  and  956 
in  1880. 

The  Hardings  and  Other  Pioneers. 

That  portion  of  the  township  bordering  on  the  river 
was  settled  before  the  Revolution.  The  first  to  come 
were  Zebulon  Marcy,  Adam  Wortman,  Philip  Buck  and 
Adam  Bowman,  the  last  three  named  being  low  Dutch- 
men and  tories.  All  of  these,  except  Wortman,  left  the 
place  during  the  Revolution,  and  he  was  shot  during  a 
raid  by  a  patriot  scouting  party.  Zebulon  Marcy  re- 
turned after  the  war  and  closely  following  him  came 
Obadiah,  Aaron  and  John  Taylor.  Obadiah,  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  Soon 
after  the  war  he  settled  on  lot  No.  33,  at  Hunter's  Ferry, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  The  U.  S.  government 
granted  him  a  pension  for  life.  His  remains  lie  in  the 
family  burying  ground  on  the  homestead,  which  a  grand- 
son, Markland  Robinson,  has  inherited.  Joseph  Earl 
and  his  sons,  Solomon  and  Benjamin,  were  the  next  to 
arrive,  coming  about  1790.  Abraham  Frear  came  about 
1792,  finally  settling  on  Frear  hill.  He  married  the 
widow  of  David  Mitchell,  and  had  several  children. 
Abraham  became  a  Methodist  preacher.  William  was 
many  years  the  pastor  of  the  E^ton  Baptist  Church,  and 
James  a  prominent  merchant  in  Clinton.  Abraham 
Frear  died  in  1823,  aged  84;  his  wife  in  1845,  aged  85. 

Elisha,  son  of  Stephen  Harding,  was  the  next  settler. 
He  was  born  in  Colchester,  Conn.,  April  8th,  1760.  He 
lived  with  his  father  in  Exeter  from  17741111  the  Wyo- 
ming massacre.  In  connection  with  that  tragedy  Benja- 
min and  Stukely  Harding  were  killed,  but  Elisha  escaped 
with  other  members  of  the  family  to  Orange  county,  N. 
Y.  He  spent  the  rest  of  the  Revolutionary  period  in 
Connecticut,  and  was  one  of  the  volunteers  who  went  to 
the  defence  of  New  London  when  that  town  was  sacked 
by  Arnold.     He   returned   to   Wyoming  in  1784,  just  in 


time  to  be  again  driven  out  by  the  Pennamites,  but  soon 
returned  to  fight  it  out.  He  was  captured  by  the  treach- 
ery of  Armstrong  and  put  in  jail  at  Easton,  but  escaped 
and  returned.  He  married  in  1781  Martha  Rider,  of 
Pittston,  and  settled  near  the  mouth  of  the  Lackawanna. 
He  moved  in  1789  to  Eaton.  He  was  justice  of  the 
peace  from  1799  to  1812.  In  1809  he  was  elected  one  of 
the  county  commissioners  of  Luzerne  county.  He  died 
August  Tst,  1839,  and  was  buried  in  the  cemetery  adjoin- 
ing the  Baptist  church.  Only  two  of  his  seven  children 
are  now  living — Mary,  the  widow  of  Thomas  Mitchell, 
now  ninety-three  years  of  age,  and  Jesse  Harding,  living 
just  above  the  narrows  on  the  road  from  Eatonville. 
Jesse  was  born  in  1802,  where  he  now  lives.  He  was  a 
justice  of  the  peace  from  1840  to  1850,  and  filled  several 
other  offices.  He  was  married  in  1826  to  Nancy  Miller, 
of  Eaton,  a  daughter  of  George  Miller.  John  Harding, 
another  son  of  Elisha,  settled  on  a  lot  north  of  Bow- 
man's creek. 

Another  brother  who  occupied  a  prominent  position  in 
the  town  was  Elisha,  father  of  N.  J.  Harding.  He  was 
born  in  Eaton,  in  1790.  He  married  Amy  Jenkins,  and 
his  second  wife  was  a  Miss  Nancy  Jackson,  who  survives 
him,  and  now  resides  with  her  son.  He  was  a  justice  of 
the  peace  thirty  years,  and  may  be  said  to  have  practi- 
cally filled  all  of  the  offices  and  managed  all  of  the  pub- 
lic business  of  the  town.  He  acted  as  general  convey- 
ancer and  legal  adviser  for  his  townsmen. 

There  is  a  large  number  of  the  descendants  of  this 
family  in  the  townships  of  Eaton  and  Tunknannock,  who 
inherit  the  integrity  and  independence  of  their  ances- 
tors. 

Israel,  a  brother  of  Elisha  Harding,  was  a  member  of 
Captain  Durkee's  company  from  Wyoming,  was  at  Bran- 
dywine  and  Valley  Forge,  and  with  his  company  arrived 
just  too  late  to  prevent  the  terrible  massacre  of  Wyoming. 
He  married  Lydia  Reed,  and  came  to  Eaton  after  the 
close  of  the  war.  He  died  in  Eaton  in  1835,  aged  about 
eighty  years. 

Newton  Smith,  a  Methodist  local  preacher,  settled 
about  1800  just  below  the  Narrows.  John  Wilson,  another 
pioneer,  was  for  years  a  Methodist  local  preacher,  later 
becoming  a  Baptist.  Jacob  Patrick  came  next.  He  sold 
out  to  Samuel  Roberts,  and  removed.  A.  Wheelock 
about  1805  purchased  one  hundred  acres  where  Charles 
Wheelock  now  lives  ;  his  son  Irvin  is  the  present  post- 
master and  merchant,  also  dealing  in  lumber,  railroad 
ties,  etc.  Jesse  Lee  came  about  1804,  and  kept  the  first 
tavern.  Daniel  and  Forbes  Lee  came  about  181 2.  They 
were  men  of  sterling  character  and  left  their  mark  in  the 
town,  where  their  sons  now  occupy  a  foremost  position. 
John  Williams,  whose  father  lost  his  life  at  Wyoming, 
Ezekiel  Newman  and  John  Evans  also  settled  in  the  first 
years  of  the  present  century. 

Thomas  Mitchell,  born  in  Warwick,  Orange  county,  N. 
Y.,  in  1780,  was  the  son  of  Daniel  Mitchell,  an  early 
settler  in  Pittston,  where  he  died  in  1787.  Thomas 
came  to  Eaton  about  1818,  purchasing  the  farm  on  which 
his   son   now   lives.     A   log  house   was   the  home  of  the 


=*<N 


r:>^^^^^g^5£--^(';>.^^:E::-r;:5;<'' 


/j  (l-^V-TZw:^ 


tUiq-'  I'll  URIInh    -i.  .'I'uii.':.  n  finrrlfiii     !tj>/ }■ 


4 


4 


MAn,S,  CEMETERIES,  SCHOOLS  AND  INDUSTRIES  OF  EATON. 


S°9 


4-flX^- 
^ 


family  until  the  present  building  was  erected.  He  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  Elisha  Harding,  who  survives 
him'. 

John  Aumick  settled  about  1818  where  his  son  Andrew 
now  lives.  He  purchased  the  land  of  Thomas  Hawkins. 
Among  those  who  came  later  were  Christopher  Minor,  O. 
W.  Benjamin,  Chauncey  Benson,  Damon  Stevens,  George 
Rinker,  William  Moneypenny  and  Uriah  Swetland,  whose 
grandfather  was  at  Wyoming  during  the  battle  in  the 
valley.  After  the  massacre  he  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  Indians,  and  suffered  great  hardship  while  in  their 
custody.  He  was  also  a  participant  in  the  Pennamite 
strife. 

Asa  S.  Dana,  who  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  December 
17th,  1794,  was  the  son  of  Anderson  Dana,  whose  father 
was  killed  in  the  Wyoming  massacre.  After  the  war 
Anderson  Dana  returned  to  his  father's  home  in  the 
Wyoming  valley,  where  he  spent  a  busy  and  active  life 
and  died  at  the  age  of  80.  Here  Asa  S.  was  born.  In 
the  spring  of  1818  he  removed  with  his  wife  and  child  to 
the  farm  in  Eaton  directly  opposite  where  Tunkhannock 
now  stands.  He  built  a  log  house  and  cleared  up  this 
farm.  Through  his  industry  he  accumulated  consider- 
able property  in  Wyoming  and  Luzerne  counties.  He 
was  twice  married  and  had  seven  children  by  each  wife, 
eight  sons  and  six  daughters.  In  1845  he  united  with 
the  Presbyterian  church  of  Tunkhannock,  and  he  con- 
tributed liberally  of  his  means  for  its  support.  He  died 
July  29th,  1874,  in  his  80th  year. 

Industrial  Development. 

The  first  store  is  thought  to  have   been  kept  by  Jesse 
Lee.     The  first  grist-mill  was  erected  by  Israel  Harding, 
north  of  the  site  of  Rev.  W.  O.  Stern's  residence.     There 
are  now  two  principal  grist-mills.     O.  W.  Benjamin's  was 
built  in  1832,  by  Abraham  Frear.     In   1857  it  came    into 
the  possession  of  its  present  owner,  by  whom  it  has  been 
thoroughly  repaired,   and   it  is  doing  a  flourishing  busi- 
ness.    The  grist-mill  at  Kingfisher  run  was  built  in  1868, 
by   A.  W.    Dana;  it   has    four   runs  of  stones,  and  takes 
water  from  Sugar  Hollow  creek  by  a  wooden   conduit  of 
great  length.     The  saw-mill  of  W.  L.  Hunter  stands    on 
the  site  of  one  built  70  years  ago.     Mr.  Hunter  has  twice 
rebuilt  the  present  mill;  on  one   occasion   it  was  carried 
away  by  high  water.     This  mill  does  a  large   amount  of 
work.     The  steam  saw-mill  at  Sugar  Hollow  was  put  up 
in  1878,  by  James  Donnelly;  it  is  now  owned  and  run  by 
P.    Shippey.     A    steam    saw-mill   is    run  and  owned  by 
Charles  Rosengrantz.     William   B.   Moneypenny  put  up 
in  1830  a  large  merchant  mill  at  a  cost  over  $10,000.     It 
was  operated  over  twenty  years,  when  the  enterprise  failed 
from  the  drying  up  of  the  stream.     It  was  used  at    times 
as  a  clover  mill,  and  was  devoted  on  many    occasions  to 
quarterly  meetings  and  other  large  gatherings  of    the  M. 
E.   church.     It   was  finally   taken   down  in    1879.     The 
first   blacksmith,   it   is   said,   was   Elisha    Harding,    sen. 
Among  the  present  blacksmiths  is  Charles  Edward    Mc- 
Vicar.     He  commenced   his   establishment  in  1868,  and 
has  kept  adding  to  it  until  it  is  now  a  well  appointed 


shop.  Volney  Rosengrantz  has  a  blacksmith  and  wagon 
repairing  shop  opposite  his  residence.  He  owns  another 
shop  at  the  head  of  Sugar  Hollow.  The  only  wagon  shop 
in  the  town  is  that  of  J.  F.  Garing.  J.  Hall  was  the 
first  cooper  in  the  township.  The  present  shop  was  put 
up  in  1877  by  Joseph  Neyhart,  and  is  worked  by  him. 
Joseph  Ace  is  the  only  regular  boot  and  shoe  maker. 

Communications  and  Post-Offices. 

In  very  early  days  a  four  horse  stage  ran  through  the 
township,  going  up  into  New  York  from  Wilkes-Barre. 
The  coach  stopped  at  a  house  on  the  site  of  the  one  now 
occupied  by  Anderson  Dana,  to  supply  the  inner  wants 
of  man  and  beast.  There  are  two  post-offices  in  the 
township,  at  Eaton ville  and  South  Eaton.  At  both  there 
are  daily  deliveries  of  mail.  The  first  postmaster  was 
Jesse  Lee.  The  office  was  once  kept  at  Mr.  Miller's, 
with  that  gentleman  as  postmaster.  It  is  now  at  the 
store  of  Irvin  Wheelock,  who  has  been  postmaster  since 
1870.  William  B.  Moneypenny  has  been  the  postmaster  at 
South  Eaton  since  1856. 

Schools. 

The  first  school-house  (of  logs)  stood  near  where  the 
Baptist  church  stands.  Greased  paper  was  used  for 
window  glass.  Jesse  Harding  assisted  at  the  raising  of 
the  first  framed  school-house,  and  was  one  of  the  first 
teachers  in  it.  The  first  teachers  were  John  Evans  and 
one  Scott. 

There  are  now  eleven  school  districts  in  the  township. 
The  first  independent  district  was  set  off  in  1878.  The 
school-house  was  built  in  1879.  The  attendance  of 
scholars  at  all  the  schools  is  good.  Within  a  few  years 
past  a  new  series  of  educational  works  has  been  intro- 
duced. 

Cemeteries. 

The  first  burial  grounds  in  the  town  are  the  one  near 
Markland  Robinson's  residence  and  that  near  the  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  Strough,  in  which  the  remains  of  Jesse  Lee 
and  some  of  his  descendants  are  buried. 

The  buiial  ground  adjacent  to  the  Baptist  church  was 
given  to  the  township  by  Elisha  Harding,  sen.,  about 
1825.  The  first  burial  here  was  that  of  Abraham  Frear, 
and  here  lie  the  remains  of  the  Harding  ancestors. 

Close  by  is  the  Dana  burial  ground,  owned  by  Dr. 
Dana  and  laid  out  in  lots.  The  first  burial  here  was  that 
of  Irvin  Wheelock's  father. 

That  at  South  Eaton  is  also  a  public  cemetery,  and 
here  are  buried  some  of  Eaton's  best  citizens. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Eaton. 

By  a  council  at  Eaton,  November  20th,  1823,  a  church 
was  formed,  consisting  of  the  persons  named  below: 

William  Frear,  Zebulon  Maroy,  jr.,  Jackson  Smith,  Caleb  Mead,  Shubell 
Darling,  Margaret  "Wilson,  Huldah  Bates,  Betsy  Roberts,  James  E. 
Roberts,  Sally  Mitchell,  Eleanor  Wheelock,  Polly  Mitchell,  Sarah  Smith! 
Sarah  Wilson,  Mary  Suter,  Martha  Harding,  Mary  Mead,  Sarah  Frear,' 
Elizabeth  Durland  and  Mary  Van  Tuyle. 

Thomas    Mitchell  and  Jackson  Smith   were  the   firs 


Sio 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


deacons.  Meetings  were  held  at  private  houses  and  at 
the  school-house  at  the  mouth  of  Bowman's  creek  until 
1850,  when  the  present  church  was  completed  and  oc- 
cupied. 

Rev.  William    Frear  was  the  pastor   until  his  death,  in 
1874,  more  than  half  a  century.   He  was  born  in  Pittston, 
Pa.,  November  12th,    1792.     His  parents  were    members 
of    the  first  Baptist  church   in    that    place,  his   mother 
being  the  first  person  ever   baptized  in  the  Wyoming  val- 
ey.     In  1798   the  family  moved  to  Eaton  and  in  1804  to 
the  farm  now  in  possession  of  the  family.     When  sixteen 
years  old  William  carried  the  mail  from  Tunkhannock  to 
Binghamton   by  way  of  Great    Bend,  often  on   foot  over 
roads    almost  impassable,  running   through  miles   of  un- 
broken  forest  infested  with   wild   animals.     In    1814  he 
went  with    Captain  Camp's  company  to   the  defense    of 
Baltimore.     In   1S18  he    married    Hannah  Wheelock,  of 
Tunkhannock.      He  educated  himself.     He   joined   the 
Abington  church   in   1820.     In  1822   he  was   licensed  to 
preach  and  ordained.     His    life  was  singularly  pure  and 
his  influence  widely  and  favorably  felt.     He  attended  the 
dedication  of   Keystone  Academy,   and   while   receiving 
the  greetings    of  his  friends   he    fell   insensible    into   the 
arms  of  one  of  them,  and  in  a  few  moments  breathed  his 
last.     During  his  last  years  Revs.  J.  iCfnnedy,  A.  J.  Fur- 
man,  P.  S.  Everett  and  N.  Whitney  were  associated  with 
him  in  the  pastorate.    The  next  pastor  of  the  church  was 
Elder  Grow,  who  was  succeeded  by    Arthur  O.    Sterns, 
since  the  close  of  whose  pastorate  in  1877  there  has  been 
no   stated  pastor,    though  regular   meetings   have    been 
maintained. 

Jackson  Smith  was  the  clerk  of  the  church  from  1823 
to  1856;  Samuel  Harding  and  J.  M.  Miller  have  since 
filled  the  office.  The  present  deacons  are  George  Rin- 
ker  and  A.  Fratchey.  The  Sunday-school  numbers  forty- 
five  scholars.     The  superintendent  is  D.  W.  Herman. 


EXETER  TOWNSHIP. 


XETER  is  one  of  the  original  townships.  It 
was  named  from  Exeter,  R.  I.,  and  is  known 
as  Little  Exeter,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
larger  part  of  the  original  township  just 
across  the  line  in  Luzerne  county. 
Among  the  pioneers  were  a  Mr.  Stule,  who  set- 
tled in  the  north  end  of  the  township,  opposite 
Keeler's  Ferry;  Paul  Keeler,  after  whom  the  ferry  was 
named;  the  families  of  Smith,  Hadley,  Swarlwout,  Hard- 
ing, Coolbaugh,  Burgess,  Montayne,  Dymond  and  others. 
A  post-ofiice  was  established  in  1812  at  Keeler's  Ferry, 
and  Asa  Keeler  was  appointed  postmaster.  He  moved 
up  into  North  Moreland  township,  taking  the  office  with 
him.  He  was  postmaster  till  his  death,  in  1867,  at  Kee- 
lersburg. 

The  population    of  this  township   fell  off  from   211  to 


151  between  1870  and  1880. 


FALLS  TOWNSHIP. 


H^ 


HIS  township  was  formed  from  Tunkhannock, 
in   1824.     John    Osterhout,  an   early   settler, 
wished  to  have  it  named  in  honor  of  Stephen 
Meredith,  while  Jacob  Sickler  urged  the  name 
"  Buttermilk  Falls.''     After   discussion    and  due 
deliberation  the  court  decided  on  "  Falls." 
Matthew  Sherwood  was   among  the   first  settlers. 
He  came  in  the  autumn  of    1789,  from   Danbury,  Conn., 
with  his  wife  and  seven  children  and  all  his    earthly  ef- 
fects on  a  cart  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen   and   a  span  of 
horses.     He  located  two  miles  up  the  river  from  Butter- 
milk Falls,  having  bought  200   acres    between   the  farms 
of  John  Fitch    and   David   Morehouse,  who    had  settled 
here  the  year  before.     Among  the  other  pioneers  we  find 
the  names  of   Gideon  and  Jeremiah  Osterhout,  Ephraim 
Lockwood,  Jesse  Jones,  Peleg  Comstock,  Ebenezer  Wil- 
liams and  Thomas  Joslin. 

At  that  time  there  were  no  roads  except  the  old  Davis 
path  from  Old  Forge  to  Wyalusing.  This  former  Indian 
trail  had  been  considerably  improved  by  two  distin<'uished 
land  speculators  living  in  Philadelphia,  Davis  and  Nich- 
olson, but  was  not  wide  enough  for  a  wagon. 

We  regret  that  we   cannot    dwell    on    all    the    circum- 
stances of  pioneer  life   here,  but   such    experiences  have 
already  been  sketched,  and  cannot  be  repeated  for  each 
township.     Deer  and  bears   furnished  most  of  the  meat, 
and  johnny  cake  was  the  prevailing  bread.    In  1795  some 
fur  traders  from  Harrisburg  came   up  the  river  in  boats, 
and  traded  salt,  ammunition  and  iron  for  furs  and  skins. 
The  salt  was  a  special  God-send  to   the   settlers.     These 
traders  came  again  in    1796,  with   a   stock   to  barter  for 
salt  shad,  furs,  skins   and  venison,  the   chief   articles  of 
export.     Powder  and  lead  were  among  the  most   import- 
ant imports.     As   long  as  their    ammunition   lasted  the 
pioneers  were  secure  against  starvation,  and  when  it  was 
gone  there  was  no  place  near   where    they   could  get  a 
supply,  unless  they  found  a  new   comer    who  had    some 
and  would  divide.     The  first  clothing  was  made  from  the 
skins  of  animals,  tanned  with  their  brains  and  buffed  with 
a  ball  of   yellow   clay    rubbed    over    the    surface  of  the 
leather,  which  added  a  beautiful  lustre.    Home  spun  linen 
and  woolen,  however,  soon  furnished   the  summer  attire. 
In  1792  the  population  had  materially  increased.     Da- 
vid M.  Delevan  had  come.     Reuben    Taylor  had  settled 
on  the  flats  above  the  falls,  and    for   a   number  of  years 
that  neighborhood  was  called  Taylortown.     David  Daily 
settled  at  the  foot  of  the  narrows  below  Osterhout's,  and 
Nathan  Jones   and  an   old   negro   named  "Ding"  came 
and  lived  with  Jesse  Jones.     Levi  Townsend  settled  near 
Benjamin  Jones,  on  the  flats  below  Buttermilk  Falls.   Pe- 
ter Harris,  the  tory,  also  setcled  near  Benjamin  Jones. 

During  the  winter  of  1792-93  Zuriel  Sherwood  made 
the  first  pigeon  net  in  this  valley  and  the  first  seine  used 
on  the  upper  Susquehanna  for  catching  shad;  and  the 
first  haul  of  shad  was  made   by  Mr.  Sherwood  with  his 


4. 


>i^ 


f, 


EARLY  EVENTS   IN  FALLS  TOWNSHIP— MILL   CITY. 


5" 


new  seine  in  May,  1793.  Had  the  shad  taken  in  that 
haul  been  sold  for  two  cents  each  they  would  have  paid 
for  the  net. 

Jesse  Jones  settled  on  Buttermilk  Falls  creek,  and  built 
the  first  grist-mill  in  this  township,  near  its  mouth.  This 
mill  was  built  of  logs  and  twelve  feet  square  ;  the  mill 
stones  were  of  the  size  of  a  half-bushel  measure,  made 
from  the  conglomerate  rock  found  along  the  Lackawanna 
river.  The  second  grist-mill  at  the  Falls  was  built  by 
John  Burj',  about  1806.  In  1807  Mr.  Bury  built  the  first 
saw-mill  at  Buttermilk  Falls.  In  181 2  Jonathan  Bulkley 
kept  the  first  store,  and  in  1814  and  1815  he  and  one  Arnt 
built  the  second  saw-mill  and  third  grist-mill.  Jacob 
Sickler,  sen.,  bought  them  out  in  a  year  or  two.  There 
were  then  three  or  four  distilleries  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Falls. 

In  1800  a  settlement  was  commenced  on  the  flats  two 
miles  below  Buttermilk  Falls,  where  Benjamin  Jones 
built  the  first  tavern.  This  was  the  most  thickly  settled 
part  of  the  township,,  and  was  for  many  years  known 
along  the  river  as  "  Jonestown."  Just  below  lived  the 
notorious  old  tory  Peter  Harris. 

Chauncey  Sherwood,  Esq.,  tells  us  that  the  first  school 
he  attended  (which  was  in  Falls  township)  was  taught  by 
Hon.  Henry  Roberts,  who  is  still  living  on  the  same  old 
farm.     The    second  term  he    attended  was   taught  near 
Keeler's   Ferry,  by   Fanny   Keeler,  whose   vigorous  dis- 
cipline made  a  heavy  draft  on  the  sprouts  growing  in  the 
neighboring    woods.     The    text-books    were   Webster's 
speller  and  Daboll's   arithmetic,  and  but  very  few  could 
read  or   spell  well    or  write    legibly.     In  1828,  1833  and 
1834  the  English  reader  and   grammar  were    introduced. 
The  district  schools  began  to   be   organized  and  school- 
houses  erected  under  the  school  laws,  and  educational  in- 
terest in  Falls  township  has  since  rapidly  increased.     In 
1811   the  first  school  known  was  built  on  Post  hill,  and  a 
school  was  taught  there  the  next  winter  by  John  Lott,  of 
Mehoopany.     Mary  Post  also  taught  here    several  terms. 
At  that  time  there  was  no  road  along  the  river  below  the 
F'alls.     Chiefly  by  the    exertions    of  Jacob    Sickler    the 
road  along  the  river  was  built  through  in   1818.     In  1820 
the   first   store   house  was  built   by  Phineas   Sherwood, 
where  Chauncey  Case   kept  store   two   years.     The  first 
town   meetings  and  elections  were    held  at    the  house  of 
Mr.   Osterhout,  a  short    distance  back  from  the  river  ; 
later  ones  at  the  house  of  Mr.    Sickler.     He  was   a  man 
of  large   business  experience  and   made   many  improve- 
ments about  the   Falls.     He  had  mills,  a  distillery,  and 
several  shops.     The  business  of  carding  wool  was  carried 
on  by  Dr.  Lyman  C.  Kidder,  a  brother  of  the  late  Judge 
Kidder,  of  Wilkes-Barre.     The  third  store  was  kept  by 
Beach   Tuttle,  the   fourth   by  Brace   &  Moore,  and   the 
fifth   by  Brace   &   Tanning,  who   built   the   second  store 
building,  continued   in   the  business   till   1835,  and  sold 
to  Chauncey  Sherwood,  who  conducted  the  business   till 
1841.     Jacob  Sickler  built  the  fourth  school-house  at  his 
own  expense,  and  the  fourth  grist-mill.     This  and  a  full- 
ing-mill were  swept  away  by  a  flood.     When  the  North 
Branch  Canal  was  building  through  this  township,  in  1839- 


40,  there  were  seven  stores  and  two  taverns  at  the  Falls. 
A  small  tannery  was  built  by  Olmsted  &  Parkeston,  and 
there  were  only  one  store  and  one  tavern  from  1843  to 
1S63. 

George  Humphrey  commenced  a  plaster-rnill,  which 
was  finished  by  H.  L.  Ferguson,  converted  into  a  grist- 
mill, and  used  as  such  till  superseded  by  the  large  flour- 
ing-mill  built  by  Brown  &  Vantuylc.  The  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  was  built  through  here  in  1869,  when  bu..iness 
revived  somewhat. 

Hon.  Henry  Roberts  was  born  on  Teague's  hill,  now 
in  Washington,  in  1794,  and  his  recollection  extends  back 
into  the  last  century,  when  Jesse  Jones  still  owned  the 
little  grist-mill  at  the  Falls.  According  to  his  represen- 
tations Reuben  Taylor  lived  on  the  McKeene  flats, 
Matthew  Sherwood,  sen.,  John  Fitch  and  David  More- 
house on  the  flat  btlow,  Paul  Keeler  and  Zephaniah 
Townsend  on  the  Townsend  flat.  His  grandfather,  at  a 
very  early  day,  used  to  go  to  Hollenback's  mill  with  a 
canoe.  Old  settlers  he  says  used  to  exchange  possessions, 
and  "  boot  "  was  always  paid  in  cattle  and  other  neces- 
saries. He  never  knew  till  about  1805  or  1806  farms 
being  sold  for  cash.  The  settlers  back  from  the  river 
exchanged  with  those  on  the  river  one  pound  of  maple 
sugar  for  a  shad.  About  181 1  saw  logs  and  produce 
were  considered  legal  tender  for  goods,  as  no  money 
could  be  obtained  for  wheat  short  of  Easton. 

The  old  Morehouse  farm,  now  owned  by  Hon.  Henry 
Roberts,  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  two 
miles  above  Buttermilk  Falls  creek.  Some  Indian  names 
have  been  found  in  old  title  papers  locating  the  Headley 
tract  a  mile  above  Falls,  at  Roberts  point. 

This  township  had  1,096  inhabitants  in  1870  and  gained 
30  in  the  following  decade. 

Villages. 

The  founder  of  Mill  City,  Chauncey  Sherwood,  is  per- 
haps its  most  notable  citizen.  He  is  a  versatile  and  in- 
telligent writer,  and  has  published  many  incidents  of 
olden  times,  with  which  his  studious  habits  and  retentive 
memory  have  nxade  him  familiar. 

The  first  postmaster  at  this  place  was  Stephen  O.  Cor- 
win,  appointed  about  1865.  The  others  have  been 
Chauncey  Sherwood,  Charles  S.  Fargo  and  E.  C.  Clark, 
the  present  official.  The  mails  are  received  daily  from 
Falls  station. 

There  are  also"  at  this  place  two  general  stores,  a 
drug  store,  a  harness  shop,  a  tin  shop,  a  grist-mill, 
a  foundry,  a  sash  and  blind  factory,  a  feed-mill, 
a  saw-mill,  7  blacksmith  shops,  3  planing  mills,  3 
shingle  and  lath  mills,  3  shoe  shops,  one  church,  Metho- 
dist Episcopal,  2  physicians  (C.  S.  Carey  and  D.  Kelly) 
and  two  clergymen,  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Baptist; 
population  500. 

Falls  village  has  among  its  institutions  the  hotel  of 
Charles  Kresky,  the  store  of  Henry  Turn,  the  blacksmith 
shop  of  George  Winard,  the  grist-mill  of  Aaron  Brown, 
the  saw-mill  and  powder  keg  factory  of  Thomas  Fields, 
the  wagon  shops  of  Allen   Weed  and  John  Swartwood, 


■-f 


^^ 


=hI* 


SI2 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


and  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  A  wire  rope  ferry  was 
established  in  1875  or  1876  by  Aaron  Brown,  the  present 
proprietor. 

CHURCHES  OF  FALLS. 

MILL    CITY    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

The  establishment  of  a  Baptist  church  in  Mill  City 
grew  out  of  the  labors  of  one  William  Stover,  who  came 
from  Rhode  Island  in  1816,  and  settled  in  Bailey  Hollow, 
now  Dalton,  Lackawanna  county.  In  1817  he  com- 
menced preaching  on  Post  Hill  in  a  log  school-house, 
at  private  dwellings,  in  barns  and  wherever  the  doors 
were  opened  for  him;  and  continued  his  labors  until 
about  1838,  when  he  retired  and  soon  after  returned  to 
Rhode  Island. 

Post  Hill  derived  its  name  from  one  Joseph  Post,  who 
came  from  Bolton,  Conn.,  in  the  spring  of  1793.  In  the 
24th  year  of  his  age  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Daily,  on 
the  30th  of  December,  1793,  and  in  1800  settled  on  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  Amasa  Freutishe.  They  had 
seven  boys  and  two  girls,  named  respectively  Stephen, 
Hiram,  Isaac,  Daniel,  David,  Betsey,  Hannah,  John  D. 
and  William  B.  Post.  Some  of  the  children  went  west. 
Among  those  that  lingered  around  the  old  homestead  was 
the  venerable  Deacon  Stephen  Post,  now  in  his  86th 
year,  who  was  the  first  deacon  of  the  Baptist  church.  In 
June,  1820,  Rev.  William  Stover  began  preaching  among 
the  people  regularly  once  a  month.  In  the  autumn  fol- 
lowing a  revival  occurred  and  Betsey,  Joseph,  Daniel, 
Elizabeth,  Hiram  and  Hannah  Post,  Helen  Wilsey  and 
Olive  Patrick  were  baptized  and  received  into  the  Abington 
Six  Principle  Baptist  church  at  Baily  Hollow,  then  known 
as  the  Baily  Hollow  church.  In  the  fall  of  182 1  Stephen 
Post,  Jacob  Wilsey  and  Clarisa  Townsend  were  baptized 
and  united  with  the  church  at  Baily  Hollow.  In  the  winter 
following  David,  Betsey  and  Hannah  Post,  Amanda  and 
Amy  Holmes,  Elizabeth,  Betsey,  Nelson  and  Elisha 
Armstrong,  Patience  Williams  and  Noah  and  Amanda 
Taylor  were  baptized  and  received  into  the  Baily  Hollow 
church.  Revivals  from  time  to  time  added  to  that 
church  from  this  locality,  until  1833,  or  thereabouts, 
when  the  members  living  in  Falls  and  Overfield  were  set 
off  as  the  Falls  branch  of  the  Baily  Hollow  church. 
Soon  afterwards  Rev.  John  Shaw,  from  Cortland  county, 
N.  Y.,  labored  here  successfully,  baptizing  Alvira,  Lydia, 
Hannah  and  Samantha  Post,  Hannah  Smith  and  Russel 
Armstrong.  Following  Elder  Shaw,  Rev.  Nathan  Baker 
preached  a  short  time. 

About  1844  Rev.  James  Brown,  from  Rhode  Island, 
began  preaching  here,  assisted  from  time  to  time  by 
Revs.  T.  J.  Cole,  Benjamin  Green  and  A.  J.  Harrington. 
Elder  Brown  baptized  Mary  Ann  and  Sarah  Fitch,  Mar- 
tha Agnew,  Solomon,  Caroline  and  Mary  Hunter, 
Charles  M.  and  Mary  Daily,  John  Post,  Elizabeth 
Holmes,  Andrew,  Phebe,  Lydia  and  John  McMillen  and 
John  Leonard. 

In  1857,  while  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Elder  Brown, 
the  branch  church  was,  by  request,  set  off  as   the  Falls 


Six  Principle  Baptist  Church,  and  received  into  the  Penn- 
sylvania Six  Principle  Baptist  Association.  At  or  about 
this  time  the  Baily  Hollow  church  began  to  be  known 
by  its  present  designation  of  Abington  Six  Principle  Bap- 
tist Church. 

In  1862  Elder  Brown  entered  the  army  and  died  in 
hospital,  much  lamented  by  all  who  knew  him. 

The  church  was  supplied  by  itinerants  of  different 
faiths  from  i860  to  1867,  at  which  time  Rev.  Henry 
Jacques  began  a  successful  pastorate,  during  which 
many  were  added  to  the  church.  But,  like  all  who  pre- 
ceded him,  his  labors  were  divided  between  four  or  five 
churches;  consequently  times  of  service  were  wide  apart 
and  much  of  the  labor  was  lost. 

In  1876  the  church  extended  a  call  to  the  Rev.  W.  G- 
Comstock,  of  Rhode  Island,  who  in  response  came  in 
June  of  that  year,  and  commenced  preaching  regularly 
every  Sabbath.  Some  have  been  added  to  the  church 
by  baptism,  some  by  letter,  and  some  have  been  rein- 
stated during  his  service  here.  He  early  caused  a  record 
to  be  made  of  all  the  past  as  far  as  possible,  and  the 
keeping  of  a  regular  record  from  that  time  on. 

At  a  regular  church  meeting  of  business,  held  January 
17th,  1880,  the  church,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  dissolved 
its  connection  with  the  Pennsylvania  Six  Principle  Bap- 
tist Association;  dropped  the  name  Falls  Six  Principle 
Baptist  Church,  adopted  the  name  Mill  City  Baptist 
Church,  and  voted  to  call  a  council  of  ministers  and  del- 
egates of  the  Abington  Baptist  Association  of  regular 
Baptists  to  meet  with  them  at  Mill  City  on  the  26th  of 
February,  1880.  This  council  unanimously  received  the 
Mill  City  church  as  a  regular  Baptist  church,  and  ex- 
tended to  the  pastor,  Rev.  W.  G.  Comstock,  and  through 
him  to  the  church,  the  hand  of  fellowship.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  names  of  the  present  members: 

Kcv.  W.  Gr.  Comstock,  pastor ;  Stepben  Post,  Solomon  Hunter,  Riley 
ilott  and  Rev.  Henry  Jacques,  deacons;  Abram  Agnew,  Simon  Arm- 
strong, Wilbur  Search,  Morg:an  Fitcb,  Thomas  R.  Armstrong,  William 
Dunlap,  George  Schofleld,  Jefferson  Sturdevant,  Lamont  L.  Hunter, 
Edward  Hunt,  Samantha  A.  Decker,  Mary  A.  Fitch,  Elizabeth  Rosen- 
crans,  Martha  Agnew,  Margaret  Fitch,  Mary  Search,  Rachel  Agnew, 
Mary  J.  Hallock,  Jane  Menger,  Diana  M.  Hunter,  Florence  Kelley, 
Ermina  S.  Hunter,  Altha  S.  Corey,  Laura  Kirkhuff,  Rosette  Hunt, 
Armina  Shupp,  Jemima  Armstrong,  Mary  Mott,  Betsey  Dunlap,  Pa- 
melia  Comstock,  Mary  E.  Freeman,  Emeline  Freeman,  Charlotte  E. 
Green,  Emma  May  Brink,  Ella  K.  Brink,  Sarah  Sturdevant  and  Isabella 
Dershemer.    Total,  43. 

This  church  has  for  about  sixty  years  maintained  re- 
ligious meetings,  but  not  regularly  every  Sabbath  until 
within  four  years.  It  holds  its  meetings  in  a  hired  hall 
at  Mill  City.  It  has  a  Sabbath-school  of  about  60  mem- 
bers, with  an  average  attendance  of  40.  The  Rev.  W. 
G.  Comstock  is  superintendent. 

M.    E.    CHURCHES    OF    FALLS    TOWNSHIP. 

Firs/  Church.— Mr.  Sherwood  states  that  the  first 
Methodist  preachers  hereabouts  preached  at  Keeler's 
Ferry  70  years  ago.  Sixty-seven  years  ago  the  first  camp- 
meeting  was  held  on  the  farm  of  Abraham  Holmes  (now 
owned  by  A.  T.  Dewitt),  where  the  .first  itinerants  gener- 
ally preached.  Meetings  were  also  held  at  John  Oster- 
hout's,  John  Weiss's  and    other  private  dwellings,  and  in 


*^^= 


f 


=>4^ 


4 


<-^ 


M.  E.  CHURCHES  OF  FALLS— FORKSTON  TOWNSHIP. 


513 


groves  along  the  river.  Among  the- pioneer  Methodist 
preachers  were  Philo  Barber,  Horace  Agard,  George 
Peck,  Charles  W.  Giddings,  Mr.  Copeland,  Silas  Conafort, 
S.  Stocking,  Ephraim  Teney,  Daniel  Gorman,  Benjamin 
Ellis,  Vincent  Coryell,  VVilliam  White,  George  Lane  and 
Samuel  Griffin.  They  went  with  Bible  and  hymn  book 
through  storms  of  rain,  hail  and  snow,  climbed  rugged 
hills  and  mountains,  waded  swamps,  swam  swollen 
streams,  broke  through  ice,  lay  out  nights,  often  wet, 
cold,  weary  and  hungry;  slept  often  on  earth  floors  in  log 
cabins  with  little  or  no  covering,  and  were  poorly  fed  at 
the  best. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1867,  a  lot  was  bought  of  Daniel 
Dobra,  and  on  the  27th  of  April,  1871,  a  charter  was 
granted  for  the  First  M.  E.  Church  of  Falls  Township, 
with  Hon.  Henry  Roberts,  Stephen  Clark,  Samuel  G. 
Miller,  William  Compton,  Henry  Turn,  A.  M.  De  Witt 
and  Thomas  Brown  as  trustees.  A  church  edifice  was 
erected  and  finished  soon  after,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  It 
was  dedicated  by  Rev.  George  P.  Porter  on  the  15th  of 
July,  1872,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  J.  Van  Cleft 
and  E.  Puffer,   of   Newton  charge.     The    membership  is 

75- 

The  Sabbath-school  was  organized  the  same  year,  and 
is  still  flourishing,  under  the  superintendency  of  Henry 
Turn,  of  Falls,  who  reports  100  scholars. 

The  pastors  here  have  been,  in  order  of  succession, 
A.  J.  Van  Cleft,  E.  Puffer,  Isaac  Austin,  R.  S.  Rose,  A. 
Brigham,  A.  J.  Arnold,  Isaac  Austin  and  William  Shelp. 

Mi7I  City  M.  E.  Church  was  incorporated  November 
25th,  1870.  The  trustees  were  Chauncey  Sherwood, 
Michael  Walter,  D.  C.  Post,  John  Patrick  and  Francis 
Hough.  On  the  24th  of  December,  1872,  a  lot  was 
bought  at  Mill  City  one  hundred  feet  by  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five,  of  William  H.  Walter,  and  the  erection 
of  a  church  building  was  soon  after  commenced.  It  was 
finished  December  20th,  1873,  at  a  cost  of  $2,500,  and 
was  dedicated  by  Rev.  D.  D.  Lindsley  January  ist,  1874, 
during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  Brigham.  The  member- 
ship July  ist,  1880,  numbered  65. 

The  Sabbath-school,  which  was  organized  soon  after, 
has  been  kept  up,  and  is  now  under  the  superintendency 
of  H.  N.  Sickler,  and  numbers  50  scholars  and  teachers. 

The  pastors  of  the  society  since  its  organization  have 
been  Revs.  A.  Brigham,  A.  J.  Arnold,  Isaac  Austin  and 
William  Shelp,  assisted  by  Rev.  William  Compton,  local 
preacher. 

There  had  been  regular  preaching  in  Mill  City  for 
thirty  years  before  the  church  was  incorporated.  Michael 
Walter  was  chosen  class  leader,  and  many  conversions 
were  the  result  of  occasional  protracted  efforts.  During 
those  years  the  following  ministers  were  upon  the  charge: 
Revs.  Charles  Giddings,  Mr.  White,  Mr.  Reddy,  John 
Mulkey,  Samuel  Griffin,  Dayton  Reed,  C.  E.  Taylor,  Mr. 
Wilcox,  Benjamin  Ellis,  Mr.  Owen,  Mr.  Schoonmaker, 
Mr.  Sterling,  E.  F.  Roberts,  John  La  Bar,  John  Wilbur, 
J.  D.  Safford,  Miner  Swallow,  E.  N.  Pardee,  G.  W.  Leach, 
Asa  J.  Van  Cleft  and  E.  Puffer,  with  salaries  averaging 
$200  per  annum. 


FORKSTON  TOWNSHIP. 


W^^^ORKSTON  was  taken  from  Windham  town- 
ship in  1844.  It  derived  its  name  from  the 
fork  of  the  Mehoopany  creek  near  the  site 
of  the  village  of  Forkston.  Its  population 
in  1870  was  576,  and  754  in  t88o. 
As  early  as  1795  Leonard  Lott  came  in  a  canoe 
up  the  Susquehanna,  and  up  Mehoopany  creek 
to  the  fork,  where  he  built  a  log  house.  In  1800  there 
were  ten  persons  living  in  the  township,  and  in  1803  fifty- 
four.  Of  the  early  settlers  Walter  Bowman  and  family 
lived  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Bartolett,  N. 
^dams  and  family  on  the  farm  recently  occupied  by  A. 
A.  McKown,  C.  Robinson  and  family  on  the  Ira  Robin- 
son farm. 

Among  the  early  marriages  was  that  of  John  Spaulding 
to  Polly  Adams,  on  New  Year's  day,  1815.  Thomas 
Miles  and  old  Mr.  Winslow  were  the  first  to  die,  probably 
about  1812  or  1814.  The  oldest  graveyard  is  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  south  of  Forkston  village,  and  contains 
the  graves  of  many  of  the  old  settlers  of  the  township. 

Farming  was  begun  soon  after  a  settlement  was  made, 
but  the  people  occupied  their  time  more  in  hunting  and 
fishing  than  in  tilling  the  soil.  We  hear,  however,  of  Mr. 
J.  Spaulding's  taking  a  load  of  grain  to  Wilkes-Barre  as 
early  as  1817.  The  first  orchard  was  set  out  by  a  man 
named  Vose,  in  1808,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  G. 
Spaulding. 

The  first  framed  house  was  built  about  1815,  and  occu- 
pied by  a  Mr.  Wilson.  Isaac  Thomas  kept  the  pioneer 
store  in  1836,  near  the  bridge  in  Forkston  village.  Pre- 
vious to  that  the  people  traded  at  Mehoopany.  Pollas 
Finney  also  had  a  small  stand  about  the  same  time. 

Thomas  P.  Hitchcock  kept  the  first  licensed  hotel  in 
1866.  It  is  now  kept  by  Henry  Krewson.  Previous  to 
1866  Peter  McQueen  kept  a  sort  of  "house  of  refresh- 
ments "  where  the  Spaulding  House  now  stands. 

Among  the  early  physicians  Dr.  Hayden  is  most  promi- 
nently mentioned.  Dr.  Harshburger  came  from  Brad- 
ford county  in  1878,  and  has  quite  an  extensive  practice. 

Dominie  Dimmick,  a  Baptist  clergyman,  preached  here 
at  an  early  day. 

Manufactories. 

In  1840  there  was  a  small  cloth  factory  owned  and  op- 
erated by  a  man  named  Waters.  There  was  a  small 
carding-mill  in  operation  about  1820,  but  no  traces  are 
left  of  it.  The  first  grist-mill  was  built  and  run  by  E. 
Fassett  about  1810.  It  stood  near  the  site  of  the  bridge 
crossing  the  north  branch  of  Mehoopany  creek  at  Fork- 
ston village.  About  three-quarters  of  a  mile  further 
down  the  stream  the  first  saw-mill  was  built,  by  J.  Bur- 
gess, about  1810.  These  mills  were  both  partially  de- 
stroyed by  the  flood  of  1850.  In  July  of  that  year  the 
Mehoopany  creek,  swollen  by  hard  showers,  carried  trees 
and  stumps  for  miles.  Bridges  were  destroyed,  mills, 
houses  and  in    fact    everything    within    its    course    were 


^^ 


<^ 


ah. 


S14 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


,         swept   away  or  ruined.     In   a  few   days   the   flood   sub- 
sided. 

There  are  now  in  the  township  three  saw-mills,  three 
shingle-raills  and  a  grist-mill.  There  is  also  a  portable 
steam  mill  being  erected  on  Roaring  run,  about  six  miles 
from  Forkslon  village,  on  the  road  to  Wilkes-Barre. 

Roads,  Bridges  and  Mails. 

The  first  road  was  known  as  Fell's  road,  and  extended 
from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Towanda.  The  State  road  was 
built  some  years  later.  The  first  mail  was  carried  on 
horseback  in  i8io  or  18 12,  and  received  weekly  from 
Black  Walnut.  A  mail  route  was  established  from  Scotts- 
ville  to  Forkston  in  1834,  intersecting  the  route  from 
Tunkhannock  to  Towanda.  The  mail  was  then  received 
once  each  week.  At  present  the  people  of  Forkston  re- 
ceive their  mail  daily.  Richard  Adams  was  the  first 
postmaster.  He  was  succeeded  by  Hiram  Hitchcock. 
Grififin  Lott  held  that  office  sixteen  or  seventeen  years. 
The  present  postmaster  is  G.  M.  Burgess. 

The  first  bridge  was  a  temporary  one  across  the  Me- 
hoopany  creek  at  Forkston  village,  built  in  1820  or  there- 
abouts. This  gave  way  for  a  covered  bridge  ninety  feet 
long,  built  in  1828  or  1830  by  Luzerne  county.  This 
was  swept  away  by  the  flood  of  1850,  and  the  present 
bridge,  a  wooden  structure,  was  completed  in  185 1.  It 
is  120  feet  long.  There  are  four  other  county  bridge.s  in 
this  township;  namely,  the  one  crossing  Mehoopany 
creek  at  the  forks,  one  about  n  mile  and  a  half  up  the 
north  branch,  and  two  on  the  road  leading  up  the  south 
branch.  Hiram  Hitchcock  was  the  contractor  who  built 
them  all. 

School-Houses  and  Schools. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  about  1805,  on  a  piece 
of  ground  now  owned  by  M.  Krewson.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  a  framed  building.  John  Spaulding,  then  recently 
from  Vermont,  and  Elihu  Fassett  were  among  the  early 
teachers.  The  Burgess  and  Adams  children  were  among 
the  first  scholars. 

The  township  is  now  divided  into  five  school  districis, 
with  suitable  school-houses  and  competent  instructors. 

Forkston  in  the  Civil  War. 

Two  men  named  Bowman  are  all  that  can  be  named  as 
having  gone  from  this  township  to  engage  in  the  war  of 
1812.  They  probably  perished  with  thousands  of  their 
countrymen. 

In  the  great  Rebellion  Forkston's  sons  were  among  the 
first  to  do  and  die  for  the  Union.  The  following  are  the 
names  of  some  of  those  who  engaged  in  that  struggle: 

Bennett  Kaeson,  killed.  Alfred  Palmer.  William  Palmer,  killed. 
Major  Sooutten.  Henry  Krewson.  Chandler  Burgess.  Henry  June. 
Theodore  June,  died  in  hospital.  Charles  L.  Finney.  James  I.  Amos. 
Porter  Summers,  killed.  George  Kobinson  and  Marvin  Eobinson,  killed. 
Thomas  P.  Hitchcock.  John  R.  and  Wesley  Hitchcock,  died.  Harford 
Krewson.  Henry  Ernst.  Orrin  P.  Farr.  James  B.  Robinson.  Philip 
Henry.    Oscar  R.  Adams.    Rosengrant.    Kaason. 

Villages  in  the  Township. 
F0RK.STON  village   in    1844  contained   only  3  houses. 


It  now  contains  the  post-office,  2  stores,  a  hotel,  a  wagon 
shop,  a  shoe  shop,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  harness  shop,  a 
grist-mill  and  about  25  dwelling  houses,  besides  Baptist 
and  Methodist  churches.  The  population  at  the  last 
census  was  93. 

Forkston  Grange  was  organized  in  1874.  The  first 
meeting  was  held  at  the  residence  of  J.  G.  Spaulding. 
The  following  were  the  first  officers:  Oscar  Hulbirt, 
master;  O.  B.  Vose,  overseer;  J.  G.  Spaulding,  secretary. 
The  present  officers  areas  follows:  John  W.  Lott,  master; 
Myron  Farr,  overseer;   William  Krall,  secretary. 

Bella  Sylvia  was  once  a  flourishing  little  settlement. 
It  now  contains  about  a  dozen  houses.  The  post-office 
is  just  across  the  line  in  Sullivan  county. 

In  1864  coal  was  first  discovered  near  Bella  Sylvia. 
In  1877  a  stock  company  was  formed  and  mining  begun. 
Four  or  five  hundred  tons  of  semi-anthracite  coal  have 
been  obtained.  The  company  consists  of  Griffin  Lott, 
George  Henning,  William  Robinson,  Frank  Robinson,  A. 
K.  Farr,  Orrin  Farr,  J.  Goodwin,  John  Jayne,  Norman 
Farr  and  Hiram  Hitchcock. 


LEMON  TOWNSHIP. 


EMON  township  was  formed  from    Nicholson 
and    named    in    honor   of   associate   judge 
Lemon,  of  this  county.     It  had  a  population 
of  531  in   1870,  engaged  in  farming,  quarry- 
^^;^SS^     ing  and  lumbering,  chiefly  the  latter.     There 
^^     are  nineteen   quarries,   from   which   can   be  taken 
&       first  class  building  and  flagging  stone. 

Along  most  of  the  creeks  and  ponds  have  been  found 
relics  of  Indian  camping  grounds,  including  stone  arrow 
heads,  hatchets,  pestles,  etc. 

This  township  was  settled  before  1800  by  pioneers 
from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  who  followed  Tunkhannock 
creek  down  to  the  mouth  of  Oxbow  creek.  Here  a 
■'pitch  "  was  made  and  a  settlement  commenced.  Among 
the  settlers  here  were  Mr.  Reed  and  family,  Thomas 
Spafford,  Mr.  Searles,  William  Fancher,  John  Fields, 
John  Clarry,  John  Shaw  and  Samuel,  Oliver  and  Eliza- 
beth Stark  (,now  Mrs.  Dixon).  The  last  was  nine  years 
old  when  she  came  here  with  her  brothers  and  sister. 
Samuel  Stark  died  at  the  age  of  93.  Eben  Camp  and 
Amos  Ball  came  in  1810. 

The  first  log  house  and  the  first  block  or  plank  house 
were  built  by  Mr.  Reed.  The  block  house  was  made  of 
three-inch  plank,  set  up  edgewise  and  locked  or  dove- 
tailed together  at  the  corners  of  the  building.  Other 
houses  of  the  same  kind  were  built  as  soon  as  the  re- 
quired timber  could  be  procured,  all  of  which  soon  gave 
way  to  the  more  modern  framed  houses,  built  by  the  old 
scribe  rule.  The  first  of  these  was  built  by  Mr.  Searles, 
where  Nathan  Stark  now  lives,  and  about  the  same  time 
Nehemiah  Shaw  had  one  near  the  mouth  of  Oxbow  creek. 
James  Stark  now  lives  where  the  third  framed  house  was 


4. 


*ih 


PIONEER  INSTITUTIONS  IN  LEMON— CHURCHES— MEHOOPANY. 


SIS 


built,  and  another  stood  neur  where  the  Stark  M.  E. 
church  now  stands.  The  place  where  Mr.  Reed  first  lo- 
c:ited  is  now  the  property  of  William  S.  Shaw.  The  first 
orchard  was  set  out  in  1810  by  Amzi  Dixon,  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  James,  Nehemiah  and  Nathan  Stark,  in 
the  southeast  corner  of  the  township. 

The  pioneer  school-house  was  built  in  1821,  near  the 
site  of  the  residence  of  William  S.  Shaw,  and  the  first 
teacher  was  Miss  Betsey  Stark.  Among  the  pioneer 
pupils  now  living  are  Henry  and  Halsted  Stark,  Phebe 
Osterhout,  Mary  Main,  William  S.  Shaw,  Sarah  Wall, 
Phebe  Smith,  Marshall  Stark,  Joseph  Shaw,  Frank  Pat- 
terson, Elijah  Ball  and  Oliver  Dixon.  A  school  was 
taught  during  the  summer  months  in  the  most  convenient 
barns. 

The  first  public  road  ran  along  the  foot  of  the  mount- 
ain, on  the  right  bank  of  the  Tunkhannock  creek;  the 
next  up  Oxbow  and  Horton's  creeks,  across  the  east  side 
of  the  township.  On  the  old  WilkesBarre  and  Montrose 
turnpike,  which  crosses  the  west  half  of  the  township, 
over  the  Meshoppen  creek,  south  of  J.  G.  Clark's,  was 
built  the  first  bridge  of  any  importance  in  this  township. 
The  next  spanned  the  same  stream  at  Church's  Mills. 

The  earliest  store  was  that  opened  at  East  Lemon  in 
i86o,  by  William  S.  Shaw,  and  now  kept  by  W.  S.  Shaw 
and  Nelson  Martin.  Another  was  started  at  this  place  in 
1862  by  Charles  Gardner,  but  soon  abandoned.  The 
next  was  opened  at  Avery  Station  by  Hazard  Patterson. 
The  "  Grangers'  store  "  at  East  Lemon  was  started  in  the 
spring  of  1880. 

The  oldest  graveyard  is  on  the  farm  of  William  S. 
Shaw  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  township.  The  first 
death  on  record  was  that  of  William  Sweet,  aged  twelve 
years.  The  first  accidental  death  was  that  of  Horace 
Ball,  in  182 1,  caused  by  the  falling  of  a  tree  on  the  farm 
of  A.  B.  Moss. 

The  first  postmaster  was  William  S.  Shaw,  who  was 
appointed  in  i86j  and  is  now  postmaster  at  East  Lemon. 
Previous  to  1862  the  nearest  post-office  was  at  Tunkhan- 
nock, and  the  mail  was  carried  from  there  on  horseback 
through  Lemon  to  points  farther  north.  The  pioneer 
mail  carrier  was  Isaac  Thompson.  Cyrus  Cooper  was 
another  early  "mail  rider." 

The  first  stone  quarry  opened  for  the  sale  of  building 
and  flagging  stone  was  that  of  Thomas  Ball,in  East  Lemon. 
Mr.  Reed,  one  of  the  pioneers,  built  the  first  saw-mill  in 
1800,  or  a  year  of  two  before,  on  the  right  bank  of 
Tunkhannock  creek  near  the  site  of  the  residence  of 
William  S.  Shaw,  bringing  what  little  iron  there  was 
about  it  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.  This  mill  was  built 
of  logs  and  covered  with  hemlock  bark,  and  was  taken 
down  about  1855.  The  first  grist-mill  was  built  beside 
the  saw-mill  soon  after  the  latter  was  built.  It  had  but 
one  run  of  stones,  which  were  brought  from  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.  The  old  mill  has  been  removed  and  a 
new  one  of  first-class  capacity  built  in  its  place,  costing 
$8,000.  The  property  is  now  owned  by  William  S. 
Shaw.  The  second  saw-mill  was  built  at  Church's  Mills, 
where  there  are  still  a  grist  and  a   saw-mill.     The  grist- 


mill on  Meshoppen  creek  was  built  by  J.  Avery.  The 
third  saw-mill  was  built  by  a  Mr.  Ely  on  Oxbow  creek, 
below  the  second  falls;  the  fourth  at  the  outlet  of  Ox- 
bow pond,  near  the  site  of  Cyrus  Shaw's.  About  the 
the  same  time  Oliver  Ball  built  a  saw-mill  on  Oxbow 
creek,  near  the  site  of  B.ill's.  In  1868  a  flood  caused  by 
frequent  and  heavy  rains  destroyed  nearly  all  the  mill 
dams  on  Oxbow  creek.  In  1870  there  were  eight  saw- 
mills, one  of  which  was  a  steam  mill  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  township.  There  are  now  five,  and  two  grist-mills. 
Cyrus  Shaw  has  a  planing  and  lath  mill  in  connection 
with  his  circular  saw  mill.  W.  S.  Shaw  built  a  circular 
saw  and  lath  mill  on  Oxbow  creek  in  1879. 

Religious  and   Temper.^nce  Societies. 

^  East  Lemon  M.  E.  C/iurch. — Rev.  George  Landon  was 
presiding  elder  in  this  district  in  1856,  and  the  preachers 
in  charge  about  that  time  were  Revs.  H.  Brownscomb 
and  A.  Griffin.  In  1866  Revs.  Thomas  Jayne  and  Han- 
sen were  in  charge,  and  they  were  followed  by  Rev.  E. 
F.  Roberts. 

In  1870  and  1871  the  society  built  the  present  church 
edifice  at  East  Lemon.  It  was  dedicated  October  20th, 
1 87 1,  by  Rev.  B.  I.  Ives,  of  Auburn,  N.Y.  Rev.  J.  S.  Lewis 
was  then  pastor  and  the  membership  was  31.  The 
building  committee  consisted  of  William  M.  Stark, 
Henry  Harris,  William  S.  Shaw  and  Joseph  Shupp.  The 
first  trustees  were  William  S.  Shaw,  William  M.  Stark, 
Henry  Harris,  Cyrus  Shaw,  Joseph  Shupp,  Fletcher 
Dixon,  Otis  N.  Stark,  Lewis  H.  Shales  and  Orville  Ball; 
and  the  first  sextcn  was  Henry  C.  Mott. 

Rev.  P.  R.  Tower  was  pastor  from  May,  1874  to  May, 
1876;  then  Rev.  D.  C.  Barnes  till  May,  1879,  when  he 
was  followed  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Cook,  the  present  pastor.  The 
present  trustees  are  William  S.  Shaw  (president),  J.  R. 
Miller  (secretary),  O.  N.  Stark  (treasurer),  Cyrus  Shaw, 
Fletcher  Dixon,  Lewis  H.  Shales  and  P.  A.  Shupp. 

Stark  Methodht  Episcopal  Church  is  probably  tie 
parent  society  in  this  township.  It  is  in  the  same  charge 
with  the  one  at  East   Lemon  and  has  the  same  preachers. 

A  Good  Templars'  Lodge  was  organized  at  East  Lemon 
March  14th,  1867,  with  the  following  charter  members: 
W.  S.  Shaw,  W.  C.  T.;  Mary  E.  Shaw,  W.  V.  T.;  Alonzo 
H.  Beebe,  W.  Chap.;  W.  Marion  Shaw,  W.  Sec;  John  E. 
Wagner,  W.  A.  S.;  Philip  Schupp,  W.  F.  S.;  James 
Stark,  W.  Treas.;  Zachary  Croop,  W.  M.;  Sarah  E.  Stark, 
W.  D.  M.;  Perry  A.  Stark,  W.  I.  G.;  Samuel  H.  Stark, 
W.  O.  G.;  Oliver  Ball,  Sarah  Billings  and  George  Bedell. 


MEHOOPANY  TOWNSHIP. 

N  1844  this  township  was  formed  from  Wind- 
ham. The  name  is  of  Indian  origin.  Many 
relics  of  the  savage  occupants  have  been  dis- 
covered in  this  township.  "I'he  population  of 
Mehoopany  was  888  in  1870  and  779  in  1880. 
Amos  York,  who  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
pioneer  settler,  came  in  1775,  built  a  log  house  and 


'«£  V-f- 


^^ 


^.^- 


5^6 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


enclosed  a  considernble  tract  of  land  opposite  and  above 
the  mouth  of  Meshoppen  creek;  he  afterward  removed  to 
Wyalusing  Elijah  Phelps  moved  into  his  old  log  house. 
During  the  invasion  in  1778  York  was  killed. 

Joseph  Biles  in  his  "field  notes"  of  the  survey  of 
the  Susquehanna  river,  March  20th,  1796.  noted  eight 
"pitches,"  by  article  of  agreement  dated  June  24th, 
1776;  namely,  to  Elijah  Phelps,  3  lots;  Thomas  Millard, 
S  lots;  Amos  York,  7  lots;  Ichabod  Phelps,  3  lots;  Ben- 
jamin Kilbouni,  6  lots;  Thomas  Millard,  jr.,  i  lot. 
"Which  said  pitches  begin  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mehoo- 
pany  creek,  and  extend  in  a  northerly  course  up  said 
river  as  far  as  where  the  hill  ends, containing  1,200  acres." 
These  men  probably  lived  here  nt  the  above  date;  for 
we  find  Elijah  Phelps,  Amos  York,  Ichabod  Phelps, 
Thomas  Millard  and  Thomas  Millard,  jr.,  petitioning 
May  27th,  1778,  the  Assembly  of  Connecticut  for  an 
abatement  of  their  tixes,  since  they  had  suffered  much 
from  being  robbed  and  plundered  by  the  Indians. 

In  1791  Zephaniah  Lott  settled  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Mehoopany  creek,  on  the  present  Jennings  estate,  and 
Noah  Phelps  was  the  first  settler  whom  Lott  knew. 
Stephen  Arnold  lived  below  Noah  Phelps,  as  did  Henry 
Love,  who  came  in  1795  and  died  in  Mehoopany  in 
1S09.  Henry  Love  served  through  the  Revolution,  and 
on  the  last  day  at  Yorktown,  Va.,  was  wounded  in  the 
leg.  Among  the  other  settlers  before  1800  was  Asa 
Budd,  who  settled  on  the  present  Jennings  estate.  The 
farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  John  Love  was  settled 
by  Noah  Phelps.  In  1792  TertulUis  Gofi  raised  grain 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Ellen  Jennings.  He 
sold  to  Calvin  Wheelock,  and  he  in  1798  to  Thaddeus 
Prentis,  and  in  1819  Prentis  sold  to  Joseph  Swetland, 
who  subsequently  sold  to  Jennings.  Thomas  Ellis,  Wil- 
liam Carney  and  Joseph  Carney  all  lived  below  Love's 
prior  to  1800,  and  John  Grist,  Ezekiel  Pray  and  George 
Grist  lived  on  Grist  flats,  in  the  bend  of  the  river  in  the 
southeast  .part  of  the  township.  The  farm  now  owned 
by  L.  B.  Williams  was  settled  in  1810  by  Ebenezer  Gay 
and  family,  who  came  from  the  Wyoming  valley  and  in 
1819  moved  to  the  place  where  James  Gay  now  lives. 
Franklin  Gay  was  born  on  the  Williams  farm  in  1813. 
The  farm  of  John  L.  Hahn  was  settled  in  1790  by  John 
Grist,  sen.,  and  family.  They  came  from  the  Wyoming 
valley.  Isaac  Doll  in  1813  owned  and  occupied  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Charles  B.  Jayne. 

The  first  framed  house  was  built  in  1806,  by  William 
Carney,  where  Davis  D.  Jayne  now  lives;  the  next  in 
1818,  at  the  village  of  Mehoopany — one  at  Mr.  Kint- 
ner's  and  the  other  where  Peter  15ender  now  lives. 

The  earliest  school-houses  were  of  logs.  One  was 
near  where  John  Love  now  lives  and  the  other  on  Grist 
flats.  Both  have  gone  to  decay.  The  oldest  building 
now  in  existence  ever  used  for  a  school-house  is  the 
union  church,  on  the  hill  southeast  from  Mehoopany 
village.  David  Estell  taught  in  this  building.  Among 
the  surviving  pupils  are  Hon.  Henry  Love,  Almira 
French,  David  Ross  and  John  W.  Vose. 

The  first  saw-mill  was  built  by  Zephaniah  and  Leonard 


Lott,  on  the  site  of  the  one  now  owned  by  Moses  S.  Kint- 
ner.  One  was  built  about  a  half  a  mile  further  up  that 
stream  about  the  same  time;  it  went  to  decay  many 
years  ago.  There  have  been  three  saw-mills  on  the 
Little  Mehoopany.  One  was  built  by  Mr.  Carney  as 
early  as  rSoo,  on  the  property  now  owned  by  H.  H.  K. 
and  J.  French.  The  pioneer  grist-mill  was  built  in  1806, 
two  or  three  rods  above  the  site  of  the  present  mill  on 
the  Little  Mehoopany,  by  William,  Joseph  and  John  Car- 
ney. The  present  one  was  built  in  1842,  by  Paul  B.  Jen- 
nings, and  is  now  owned  by  Joseph  T.  Jennings. 
The  old  mill  ran  many  years,  and  was  com- 
pletely worn  out.  The  second  grist-mill,  built  in  1823, 
is  a  part  of  the  present  mill  of  Moses  S.  Kintner.  The 
earliest  tannery  was  built  on  the  Big  Mehoopany  in  1844, 
by  Ansel  and  Franklin  Gay;  it  is  now  owned  and  oper- 
ated by  William  Milehara.  The  next  tannery,  built  by 
G.  W.  Smith,  in  or  about  1857,  on  the  Little  Mehoopany, 
has  been  abandoned  for  tannery  purposes.  The  pioneer 
carding    and  cloth-mill    was    built    in  1822,  by  Jonathan 

A.  Dudley  and  William  Safford.  Additions  have  been 
made,  including  one  in  1880  for  planing  boards.  The 
property  is  owned  and  operated  by  William  Decker  & 
Son.  Charles  Evans  and  S.  W.  Ellsworth,  about  1840, 
started  the  first  iron  foundry.  In  1842  Paul  B.  Jennings 
built  one  on  the  Little  Mehoopany,  near  the  Jennings 
grist-mill.  This  foundry  was  destroyed  June  17th,  1870, 
by  a  flood  which  carried  the  engine  and  boiler  out  into 
the  Susquehanna  river;  they  have  never  been  recovered. 
About  1856  a  small  foundry  was  started  on  the  site  of  the 
present  one.  It  was  purchased  by  Ingham  &  Vose,  who 
enlarged  and  improved  it  to  a  first-class  foundry.  The 
business  is  now  carried  on  by  their  widows. 

The  first  stone  dwelling  was  built  in  1840,  by  J.  C. 
AUworth,  in  the  west  part  of  the  township.  Two  others 
were  built  in  1850,  by  John  L.  Hahn  and  G.  D.  Smith. 
The  only  brick  building  is  the  store  put  up  in  1866  by 
W.  H.  Barnes,  at  Mehoopany,  and  now  occupied  by  W. 

B.  Barnes  &  Co.  as  a  general  dry  goods  and  grocery  store. 
Iron  plows  were  introduced  about  1828  or  1829,  by 
Eben  Potter,  who  in  1828  started  a  foundry  at  Meshop- 
pen.  The  oldest  graveyard  is  the  one  on  Grist  flats. 
The  pioneer  blacksmiths  were  on  Grist  flats.  Philip 
Stranger  worked  there  as  early  as  1815,  and  Frederick 
Carney  in  1819-20.  The  first  tavern  was  kept  at  Arnold's 
ferry  as  early  as  1S15,  by  Zephaniah  Lott. 

Mehoopany    Village. 

The  site  of  this  village  was  formerly  the  property 
of  Elijah  Phelps  and  Leonard  Lott.  The  lower  end 
of  the  village  was  owned  by  Lott,  and  the  upper  end 
by  Phelps.  Joseph  Carney  bought  of  Phelps  and  Wil- 
liam Whipple  of  Lott,  and  commenced  selling  building 
lots.  The  pioneer  log  tavern  was  kept  by  Joseph  Car- 
ney for  many  years  and  stood  in  front  of  the  site  of  the 
Mehoopany  House.  The  first  wagon  maker  here  was 
Tillinghast  Carpenter,  who  came  in  the  latter  part  of 
1816  and  in  1S17  built  a  lumber  wagon  and  ox  cart 
for  William   Carney.     These  were  the  first  of  their  kind 


*4> 


tm=t= 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

MEHOOPANY   TOWNSHIP. 


W.    H.    BARNES. 

William  Henry  Barnes  was  born  in  Fairfield,  Herkimer 
county,  N.  Y.,  January  31st,  1813,  and  came  to  Wyoming 
county  February  12th,  1830,  from  Ulster  county,  N.  Y. 
He  began  his  business  career  in  New  York  city,  in  1827, 
as  clerk.  A  few  months  later  he  went  to  Saugerties,' 
N.  Y.,  and  worked  as  a  clerk.  He  came  to  Mehoopany 
in  1834,  where  he  commenced  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count.    He  has  been  postmaster  a  number  of  years. 

J.    S.    CARPENTER. 

James  S.  Carpenter  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1824. 
His  father  came  from  Massachusetts  in  1816,  lived  in 
Mehoopany  many  years  and  died  in  March,  1880,  at  the 
age  of  84.  His  mother  is  still  living  near  her  son.  Mr. 
C.  is  the  proprietor  of  the  carriage  factory  at  Carpenter- 
ville,  and  has  been  connected  with  that  establishment 
for  thirty-five  years.  Six  workmen  are  employed  in  the 
factory,  and  all  styles  of  wagons  and  sleighs  are  made. 

J.    W.    DENISON,    M.    D. 

J.  W.  Denison,  M.  D.,  was  born  September  4th,  1818, 
in  Montrose,  Pa.;  graduated  at  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  in  1839, 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  in  1840;  came 
to^  Mehoopany  in  1841  and  practiced  medicine  about 
thirteen  years.  On  account  of  ill-health  he  abandoned 
the  active  practice  of  medicine  and  engaged  in  the  drug 
trade,  and  is  owner  of  the  largest  drug  store  in  Wyoming 
county.  Dr.  Denison  is  noted  for  his  generosity  toward 
the  poor.  In  his  extensive  practice  no  person  was  ever 
neglected  on  account  of  poverty,  and  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness he  is  ever  ready  to  help  those  who  need  help. 

A.    H.    DOTY. 

A.  H.  Doty  was  born  in  Vermont,  in  1838,  and  at  the 
age  of  three  removed  to  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y.;  resided 
there  about  twenty-one  years  and  came  to  Mehoopany. 
Mr.  Doty  is  the  proprietor  of  the  carriage  factory  in 
Mehoopany,  which  was  established  in  1866,  and  of  an- 
other at  Jenningsville.  Light  work  is  made  a  specialty 
at  Mehoopany,  the  heavier  work  being  done  at  Jennings- 
ville. Mr.  D.  has  been  overseer  of  the  poor  and  constable. 

J.    L.    HAHN. 

John  L.  Hahn,  farmer,  was  born  in  Northampton 
county.  Pa.,  in  1826,  and  with  his  parents  in  1846  settled 
where  he  now  resides,  about  two  miles  from  Mehoopany 
village.  He  lived  for  a  few  years  in  Mehoopany  village, 
and  while  there  speculated  somewhat  in  land,  and  was  in 
1856  proprietor  of  a  blacksmith  shop. 

S.    D.    INGHAM. 

Samuel  D.  Ingham  was  born  in  Asylum,  Bradford 
county,  Pa.,  in  1827.  He  came  to  Wyoming  county  in 
1830,  with  his  mother,  who  was  a  widow;  his  father, 
Joseph  Ingham,  having  died  in  1829.  His  mother,  who 
was  a  Whitcomb,  died  in  1850.  Mr.  Ingham  was  a  name- 
sake of  Hon.  S.  D.  Ingham,  Secretary  of  State  under 
Andrew  Jackson.  In  1868  he  married  his  second  wife, 
Elizabeth  Vose,  born  in  1833  in  Forkston.  Mrs.  Ingham 
was  a  graduate  of  Wyoming  Seminary,  and  has  taught 
school  for  nearly  twenty-five  years,  mostly  in  Wyoming 
county.  Mr.  Ingham  began  business  in  Mehoopany  in 
1848,  and  continued  until  his  death.  May,  1877.  He  was 
postmaster  and  justice  of  the  peace  many  years. 

HON.    H.    LOVE. 

Hon.  Henry  Love  was  born  in  Braintrim  (now  Meshop- 
pen).  Pa.,  April  sth,  181 1.  In  his  younger  days  he  was 
for  a  time  a  teacher,  but  generally  followed  the  mercan- 
tile business.  He  has  resided  in  Mehoopany  since  1844. 
He  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  March,  that  year, 
and  held  the  office  over  twelve  years,  resigning  to  accept 
the^  office  of  associate  judge  of  Wyoming  county  in  1836, 
which  office  he  held  for  five  years.     He  was  county  aud- 


itor six  years.  John  Love,  his  father,  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  Incated  in  Wyoming  county  about 
1796.  His  mother  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  and 
came  to  Wyoming  county  about  1806.  His  father  died 
January  i6th,  1867;  his  mother  December  30th,  1871. 

WILLIAM    STEMPLES. 

William   gtemples   was   born   in   Monroe   county,   Pa., 
November  5fh,  1825.     He  removed  with  his  parents  when 
about  two  years  of  age  to  Wyoming  county,  then  a  part  of 
Luzerne.      Their   first  residence  was  Russell  Hill,  where 
they  remained  two  years.      He  then  removed  to  Mehoo- 
pany, where  he  resided  till  the  day  of  his  death,  August 
31st,  1877.      He  was  married   November  20th,  1857,  to 
Miss  Anna  Love,  who  lived  about  two   years  after   their 
marriage.      She   left   a   son    named    Henry   Frank,   who 
lived  after  the  death  of  his  mother  nine  years.      June  6th, 
i860,   Mr.   Stemples  married   Miss   Elizabeth   Smith,  of 
Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  with  whom  he  lived  happily  during 
the  remaining  eighteen  years  of  his  life.      Five   children 
were  born   to  them,  viz.:  Celestia   M.,   born  April   13th, 
1861;  Florence  F.,  January  21st,  1864;  Carra  V.,  October 
14th,  1866;  Mary  E.,  June  22nd,  187 1;  Orrin,  June  27th, 
1873.     Mr.  Stemples  was  an  able  and  successful  farmer. 
By  industry,  economy  and  good  management  he  became 
the  owner  of  a  good,  vvell  stocked  and  productive   farm. 
He  was  a  good  example  of  industry  for  young  men.      At 
the  age  of   19  he  became  a  convert  to  the  Christian  faith 
and   immediately  united  with   the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  of  which  he  continued  a  faithful  and  acceptable 
member  till  death.      He  gave  liberally  of  his  money  for 
its  support.     He  served  the  church  in  nearly  every  official 
capacity,  being  class  leader,  steward,  trustee  and  Sunday- 
school   superintendent.      During  his  last  illness  he  was 
sustained  by  a  cheerful,  trusting  faith   and   was  wonder- 
fully patient  in  the  midst  of  great  suffering. 

W.    H.    SWETLAND. 

William  H.  Swetland,  who  has  been  justice  of  the 
peace  three  terms,  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1836.  His 
father,  Gordon  Swetland,  moved  to  Wyoming  county  in 
1820.  His  great-grandfather  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
Indians.  His  mother  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  and  his 
parents  reside  on  the  old  homestead  in  Mehoopany. 

T.    L.    VOSE. 

Thomas  L.  Vose  was  born  in  Mehoopany.  He  formed 
a  ]iartnership  with  S.  D.  Ingham  in  the  foundry  business 
in  1857,  which  continued  till  his  death,  August  5th,  1878. 
He  possessed  great  inventive  genius.  His  wife  was  Hes- 
ter M.  Myers,  born  in  Orange  county,  N.Y.,  in  1827,  who 
came  to  Mehoopany  in  1832.  In  partnership  with  Mrs. 
S.  D.  Ingham  she  manages  the  foundry  at  Mehoopany. 

Edgar  A.  Adams  was  born  in  Forkston  township,  in 
1854.  He  is  station  agent  for  theL.V.  Railroad  Company 
at  Mehoopany,  and  is  telegraph  operator  and  postmaster. 

C.  F.  Decker,  farmer,  was  born  in  Mehoopany  town- 
ship, in  1842.  He  served  in  the  late  war  in  the  143d 
regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  has  lived  on  his 
present  farm  fourteen  years. 

William  Decker  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1827,  and 
came  to  Mehoopany  with  his  parents  at  the  age  of  ten. 
He  is  at  present  the  oldest  carpenter  in  Mehoopany.  His 
father  Elijah  Decker,  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  a 
farmer.     His  m'other  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 

Frederick  C.  Denison,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Montrose, 
Pa.,  May  7th,  1830,  and  located  permanently  in  Mehoop- 
any in  1856,  when  he  began  the  practice  of  medicine. 
He  began  reading  medicine  with  the  Hon.  William  T. 
Humphrey,  M.D.,  now  of  Osceola,  Tioga  county.  Pa.,  and 
graduated  at  the  University  of  Michigan  in  March,  1856. 
His  father,  Adam  Benjamin  Denison,  was  born  in  Ver- 


S16A 


-^ 


*4h 


516B 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


niont,  was  also  a  physician,  and  practiced  at  an  early  day 
at  Montrose,  where  he  died  in  1836.  His  mother,  a  na- 
tive of  Connecticut,died  in  1872.  Dr.Denison  was  a  school 
director  six  years,  and  he  served  in  the  late  war. 

George  Henning  was  born  in  Winderhausen,  Ger- 
many, December  25th,  1817.  He  landed  in  New  York 
August  22nd,  1839,  and  came  to  Mehoopany  in  1841,  and 
in  1845  married  Mary  Ann  Bender.  He  soon  afterward 
took  a  short  western  trip,  but  returned  and  settled  on  the 
farm  of  370  acres  where  he  now  resides.  He  visited  the 
home  of  his  nativity,  in  Germany,  in  1871  and  1872.  He 
was  elected  county  commissioner  in  1869,  for  three  years. 
Samuel  Jacoby  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  N.  J.,  in 
1819,  and  came  to  Wyoming  county,  with  his  parents,  in 
1832.  He  was  a  stone  mason  and  farmer.  He  moved  to 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Jacoby  in  1867,  and  re- 
mained there  until  his  death,  in  1872.  Mrs.  Jacoby  was 
born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1833. 

Harridon  S.  JTennings  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  May 
2ist,^  1853,  and  is  a  grandson  of  Major  John  Fassett. 
He  lives  at  Mehoopany,  and  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
H.  S.  Jennings  &  Co.,  dealers  in  general  merchandise.  He 
married  Bessie  A.  Bunnell,  of  Washington  township. 

Jabez  W.  Jennings  was  born  in  Bath,  England,  in 
1822,  and  came  to  this  country  when  fifteen  years  old. 
He  lived  with  his  uncle.  Bishop  Jennings,  for  some  time 
before  starting  in  life  for  himself.  He  was  a  farmer,  and 
died  in  1872.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Ellen  Smith. 
She  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1839. 

Joseph  T.  Jennings  was  born  near  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa., 
in  1827.  He  located  in  Mehoopany  in  1830,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  His  father,  Paul  B.  Jennings,  was  a 
native  of  England.  He  came  to  this  country  at  the  age 
of  eleven,  locating  in  Philadelphia.  His  mother,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Tuttle,  was  born  in  the  Wyoming  val- 
ley, and  is  still  living,  at  the  age  of  eighty- four.  Mr. 
Jennings  was  for  many  years  a  merchant,  but  has  lately 
given  his  attention  more  particularly  to  lumbering. 

S.  W.  Jennings  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1845.  His 
father,  a  native  of  England,  and  his  mother  lived  in 
Mehoopany  from  a  comparatively  early  date  until  their 
death.  Mr.  Jennings  has  been  a  carpenter  since  1869. 
He  has  been  inspector  one  term  and  often  township  clerk. 
Lieutenant  William  Jennings  was  born  in  Bath 
England,  in  1820,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1836.  Fcr 
fifteen  years  prior  to  r86o  he  was  a  merchant;  then  was  a 
farmer  until  his  death,  in  1872.  He  recruited  a  company 
at  the  time  of  the  invasion  of  the  State,  and  was  a  lieu- 
tenant in  the  late  war.  Mrs.  Jennings,  who  survives  her 
husband,  was  born  in  Bradford  county,  in  1828,  and  came 
to  Mehoopany  after  her  marriage  in  1845. 

Levi  Kelley  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  N.  Y..  in 
1822,  and  came  to  Wyoming  county  in  1837.  His  father 
and  mother,  who  are  both  dead,  were  natives  of  New  York 
State.  Mr.  Kelley  has  been  a  farmer  nearly  all  his  life, 
laut  for  the  past  four  years  has  been  living  in  retirement 
in  the  village.  He  served  in  the  g7lh  regiment  in  1865, 
and  was  honorably  discharged  in  June,  that  year. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  C.  Kintner  was  born  in 
Washington  township,  in  1838.  His  parents  were  natives 
of  Monroe  county,  and  about  1836  settled  in  Washington 
township.  Mr.  Kintner  has  been  engaged  in  the  mercan- 
tile business  as  clerk  and  proprietor  about  twenty-three 
years.  In  1866  he  commenced  business  for  himself  in 
Mehoopany  village.  He  is  conducting  a  general  store  at 
Jenningsville.  During  the  late  war  he  enlisted  as  a  pri- 
vate in  the  52nd  regiment  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  and 
served  three  years  in  that  capacity,  part  of  that  time  in 
the  signal  corps.  He  was  promoted  to  a  captaincy  in  the 
109th  regiment  United  States  colored  troops,  and  was 
mustered  out  of  service  in  February,  1866;  but  is  a  mem- 


ber of  the  Governor's  staff,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant 
colonel  and  assistant  quartermaster  general. 

Moses  S.  Kintner  was  born  in  Monroe,  Pa.,  in  1835. 
He  came  to  Mehoopany  in  1844,  and  for  a  time  was  a 
farmer.  Afterward  he  was  a  carpenter  until  1872.  Since 
that  he  has  been  a  miller.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace  in  1863  and  held  the  office  two  years. 

Washington  W.  Miner  was  born  in  Chenango,  Broome, 
county,  N.  Y.,  July  13th,  1823.  He  is  a  harness  maker 
by  trade,  and  began  business  in  Windsor  in  1836.  In 
1847  he  became  the  first  harness  maker  in  Pittston, 
where  he  married  Ellen,  daughter  of  Colonel  Burns,  who 
died  in  1850.  In  1859  he  married  Sophia,  daughter  of 
Peter  Walter.  He  served  in  the  militia  as  first  lieutenant 
in  1862,  and  afterward  enlisted  for  nine  months  in  the 
171st  regiment,  and  was  discharged  August  8th,  1863,  at 
Harrisburg.  His  father,  William  W.  Miner,  was  also  a 
harness  maker.  He  died  in  1865.  His  mother,  whose 
maiden  name  was  i^y  iia  Dorman,  was  a  native  of  Broome 
county,  N.  Y.,  where  she  resides. 

C.  C.  Myers,  almost  a  lifelong  farmer,  was  born  in 
Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1830.  When  four  years  old  he, 
with  his  parents,  settled  on  his  present  farm. 

Daniel  Myers  was  born  in  Orange  connty,  N.  Y.  in 
1826,  and  came  to  Wyoming  county  with  his  parents  in 
1835.  His  father  and  mother  were  both  natives  of  New 
York  State.  The  former  is  still  living  in  Owego,  N.  Y. 
His  mother  died  about  two  years  ago. 

William  Place  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa.,  in 
182 1,  and  came  to  Washington  township  when  two  years 
old.  He  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  twenty-five  years. 
His  wife's  family  were  early  settlers  of  the  town. 

T.  H.  Ryan  was  born  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  in  1849, 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  Meshoppen  that  year. 
His  parents  were  both  natives  of  Ireland,  and  his  mother 
is  still  living  at  Meshoppen.  Mr.  Ryan  is  a  blacksmith, 
and  has  been  engaged  in  the  business  in  Mehoopany 
seven  years.     He  has  served  as  inspector  one  terra. 

John  Sheehan,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  born  in  county 
Cork,  in  1830.  He  came  to  America  in  1836  and  located 
in  Mehoopany.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Lott,  daughter  of 
one  of  the  first  settlers.  Mr.  Sheehan  is  a  farmer,  and 
has  been  school  director  and  supervisor. 

E.  W.  Sturdevant  was  born  in  Wyoming  county,  in 
1834,  and  came  to  reside  in  Mehoopany  in  1857.  'Mr. 
Sturdevant  formerly  owned  the  "Big  Mehoopany  Mills," 
but  for  a  number  of  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  lum- 
bering.    He  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace. 

Gordon  S wetland,  farmer,  was  born  in  1803;  in 
Kingston  township,  Luzerne  county,  and  in  1S09,  with 
his  parents,  settled  on  Grist  Flats,  about  two  and  a  half 
rniles  from  Mehoopany  village.  He  was  justice  two  years 
(from  1845),  and  sheriff  1851-54. 

G.  K.  Thompson  was  born  in  Foikston  township,  in 
1838.  He  came  to  Mehoopany  in  1877  and  kept  the 
Mehoopany  House  three  years.  Mr.  Thompson  was  a 
member  of  the  12th  Pa.  reserves  eighteen  months.  He 
IS  agent  for  agricultural  implements  and  a  butcher. 

L.  B.  Williams  was  born  in  Mehoopany  township 
(.then  Windham),  in  1834.  His  parents  formerly  resided 
on  the  farm  he  now  occupies.  He  has  lived  there  for 
htty  years  and  has  twice  served  as  assessor. 

Rolla  Whipple  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1839. 
His  father,  George  Whipple,  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
there.  His  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Harding, 
was  born  in  Eaton.  Mr.  Whipple  served  a  short  time  in 
the  State  militia. 

The  following  citizens  of  Mehoopany  also  contributed 
their  support  to  this  publication:  I.  F.  Blume,  E  M.  Da- 
vis, William  Decker,  Charles  Place,  Jerome  Remington, 
U  if.  Vosburg,  Riley  Vosburg,  J.  L.  Vose 


k 


«#*= 


4i: 


a- 


S?' 


.a<r?o   Ik^^le^^^^TT^k.'^Ce^ 


M  E  HOOPANV,  TP.     WYOrviliviG    CO.,Pf 


DAVID    D.  DEWITT,  TUNKHAiMNOCK,  TP. 

WYOMING      COoNiY,  r^A. 


si^j^-r 


WILLIAM        SWETLAND.MEHOOPAN  Y,  TP. 

WYOMING      COUNTY,  PA. 


D"    NATHAN    WELLS, 

Vl  ESHOPPE  N,   T  p.    WYOMING.     CO., PA. 


■^ 


MA  H  O  N"::  STORE.  . 

MAHON  HOUSE,W'!<MAH0N,PFiOP.  O  LYPHANT,  LACKAWAN  NA    CO.,  PA.  £ 


^^^ps*:  ■ ''^-■''«®^si^^^^^^^^^^^^' 


BISHOP      BROS.,     MANU  FACTUR  ERSOrTINWARE     AND 
MINERS     LAMRS,     ARCHBAUD,    LACKAWANNA     CO,    PA 


RESIDENCEo-TH.H.MITCHELL.LEMONTOVNSHIP,  WrOMIN6CO.,PA 


roUNDER    of    FRECl-AMO. 
RESIDENCE  of  AUGUSTUS    VON    OONO  P,  FREETL  AN  D,  LU  Z  ER  N  E  CO., PA. 


<Af 


„      MRS. BIRKBECK, FOSTER, TP. 


"THE      B     RKBECK      HOMESTEAD" 
RESIDENCE   of  MRS    JOSEPH    B  I  R  K  B  E  C  K,FO  S  T  E  B  TOWN  SHIP,  LUZERNECO-     PA. 


■^ 


MEHOOPANY  VILLAGE— FIRST  SETTLERS  OF  MESHOPPEN  TOWNSHIP. 


sn 


ever  made  or  used  in  this  township,  and  had  to  be 
taken  to  Meshoppen  to  be  ironed.  Mr.  Carpenter's 
shop  was  one  of  the  back  rooms  of  the  old  Tayne  house, 
still  standing  on  Main  street.  The  pioneer  doctor  was 
Elijah  Carney.  He  lived  in  the  old  house  now  used 
by  Ingham  &  Vose  for  storing  lumber  and  patterns.  A 
tavern  was  built  in  1827  or  1828  by  Daniel  Hicks,  on 
the  site  of  the  residence  of  Hon.  Henry  Love.  The 
third  tavern  was  a  part  of  the  present  Jennings  House. 
A  part  of  the  front  of  the  building  was  put  up  by 
Daniel  Hicks  in  1838,  and  in  1850  John  Maynard  built 
the  addition,  leaving  it  as  it  is  at  present.  The  first 
postmaster  was  Daniel  M.  Barnes.  He  lived  near  where 
the  Barnes  store  now  stands,  and  there  kept  the  post- 
office.  The  mail  was  carried  on  horseback,  by  John 
Bull,  from  Towanda  to  Tunkhannock,  once  a  week. 
The  present  postmaster  is  William  B.  Barnes,  and  mails 
arrive  and  depart  twelve  times  per  week,  by  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad.  The  present  covered  bridge  across 
the  Big  Mehoopany  was  built  in  1851.  This  is  the 
fifth  bridge  across  the  creek  at  this  place.  The  first 
three  were  destroyed  by  freshets,  and  the  fourth  by  a 
high  wind  in  1850.  The  Mehoopany  House  was  built 
in  1871,  by  Cyrus  L.  Vaughn,  who  died  that  year. 
The  upper  ferry  was  chartered  March  4th,  1869,  to 
William  Jayne,  and  July  2nd,  1874,  the  property  was 
transferred  to  J.  T.  Jennings,  the  present  owner.  A. 
W.  Robinson  is  the  owner  of  the  lower  ferry. 

This  village  contains  a  population  of  375.  There  are 
two  churches,  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Baptist,  both  in 
a  prosperous  condition.  The  general  merchants  are  Wil- 
liam Swetland,  W.  B.  Barnes  &  Co.  and  H.  S.  Jennings 
&  Co.  C.  E.  Jennings  and  J.  G.  Harris  keep  small  gro- 
ceries. B.  G.  White  is  engaged  in  the  hardware  business, 
and  J.  W.  Denison  keeps  the  village  drug  store.  M.  S. 
Kintner  owns  and  operates  a  grist  and  saw-mill,  and  J. 
T.  Jennings  a  saw-mill.  The  carriage  and  wagon  makers 
are  H.  Doty,  J.  A.  Brooks  and  J.  S.  Carpenter.  The 
blacksmiths  are  Solomon  Callender,  Thomas  Ryan,  A.  R. 
Smith  and  L.  K.  Smith,  the  last  having  worked  here  forty 
years.  W.  W.  Miner  and  K.  Jayne  are  the  harness  makers, 
and  Frank  Gay  and  William  Jayne  are  engaged  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  business.  The  coopers  are  E.  Detrich  and 
G.  C.  Hartley.  William  Mileham  owns  and  operates 
a  tannery,  and  William  Decker  planing  and  carding  mills. 
Sallie  Hitchcock,  Minnie  Kelley  and  Mrs.  B.  C.  Keithline 
are  the  milliners.  The  new  school  building  was  built  in 
1880.     There  are  two  schools  kept  in  it. 

The  "  Mehoopany  House  "  is  kept  by  E.  M.  Davis, 
and  the  Jennings  House  by  A.  S.  Ross. 

Mehoopany  Lodge,  No.  2,081,  Knights  of  Honor  was 
organized  March  4th,  1880,  with  26  charter  members  and 
the  following  officers:  F.  C.  Denison,  dictator;  W.  H. 
Swetland,  past  dictator;  William  Decker,  vice-dictator; 
M.  Detrick,  assistant  dictator;  H.  S.  Jennings,  reporter; 
W.  B.  Barnes,  financial  reporter;  R.  Y.  Whipple, 
treasurer;  J.  N.  Swartwood,  guide;  Rev.  Isaac  Elwell, 
chaplain;  G.  K.  Thompson,  guardian;  A.  Decker, 
sentinel. 


MESHOPPEN  TOWNSHIP. 


RAINTRIM    and   Washington  furnished   the 
territory  of  this  township,  which  was  formed 
in  1854.     The  name  is  an  Indian  one,  and  is 
said  to  mean  ''place  of  beads."     The  town- 
ship has  an  area  of  about  eighteen  square  miles 
and  had  a  population  in   1870   of  1,239.     The 
population  in  1880  was  700. 

First  Settlers. 


A  lot  of  six  hundred  acres  was  laid  out  for  Thomas 
Wigton  in  1775,  on  which  lot  there  was  a  saw-mill  (on 
Meshoppen  creek),  and  Wigton  was  living  thereon. 
Amaziah  Cleveland,  Elijah  Brown,  Nicholas  Depew  and 
Nathan  Kingsley  transferred  interests  in  a  saw-mill  on 
Meshoppen  creek  during  the  years  1774,  1775  and  1776. 
It  is  highly  probable  that  Cleveland  and  Brown  lived 
here  before  Wigton.  Frederick  Vanderlip  settled  as  early 
at  Black  Walnut,  on  property  afterward  owned  by  Daniel 
Sterling,  near  the  Braintrim  town  line.  At  the  time  Sul- 
livan's army  camped  there  (August  4th,  1779,)  Vanderlip 
had  left  his  plantation  and  joined  the  Indians.  Tradi- 
tion recalls  James  and  William  Wigton  and  their  mother, 
living  near  the  mouth  of  Meshoppen  creek,  on  the  south 
side.  They  were  probably  the  family  of  Thomas  Wigton, 
and  were  here  as  late  as  1792.  There  were  undoubtedly 
a  number  of  settlers  here  who  might  have  been  perma- 
nent except  for  the  adversities  of  war,  and  whose  names 
are  now  lost. 

Among  the  early  permanent  settlers  was  Mason  F. 
Alden,  who  came  about  1795  and  erected  the  first  grist- 
mill at  the  factory  dam.  He  died  in  Meshoppen.  His 
descendants  live  in  Washington  township. 

In  1794  Benjamin  Overfield  and  his  brother  Paul  lo- 
cated about  two  miles  up  the  river  from  the  mouth  of 
Meshoppen  creek.  Peter  Osterhout  settled  near  him  soon 
after.  Benjamin  Overfield  was  born  in  Monroe  county. 
Pa.,  in  1752,  and  died  in  Meshoppen  in  October,  1813, 
leaving  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  His  youngest  son, 
Paul  Overfield  2nd,  was  born  May  22nd,  1792.  He 
always  remained  on  the  old  homestead.  He  did  much 
for  the  M.  E.  church  and  was  friendly  toward  every  one. 
He  married  Lydia  Lacey  June  14th,  1813.  They  are  both 
kindly  remembered  and  warmly  spoken  of  by  many  of 
the  inhabitants.  Mr.  Overfield  died  February  isth,  187 1, 
and  his  wife  August  14th,  1872.  Paul  Overfield  ist, 
brother  of  Benjamin,  was  also  a  native  of  Monroe  county. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Nicholas  Depew.  She  was  in 
the  Wyoming  valley  at  the  time  of  the  massacre,  but  her 
life  was  saved  by  a  friendly  Indian  acquaintance,  who  se- 
creted her  among  the  rocks.  Paul  Overfield  1st  li\i-ed 
in  Meshoppen  until  his  death,  about  1832.  His  oldest 
son,  Nicholas  Overfield,  succeeded  him  on  the  homestead. 
Nicholas  Overfield  was  born  in  this  State  in  1787,  came 
to  Meshoppen  with  his  father  about  1794  and  became 
one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  and  prominent  cit- 


=^ 


f 


5^8 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


izens  of  the  township.  He  worked  hard  and  accumulated 
a  large  property.  He  was  associate  judge  of  the  county 
from  1851  to  1856,  and  represented  Luzerne  county  in 
the  Legislature  before  Wyoming  was  set  off.  He  mar- 
ried Harriet,  daughter  of  Samuel  Sterling.  He  died 
February  5th,  1859;  his  wife  March  14th,  1874,  in  her 
seventy-ninth  year.  The  place  is  now  owned  by  Norman 
Sterling.  Moses  Overlield,  son  of  PjuI  ist,  was  born 
April  13th,  1793,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Meshop- 
pen  in  his  infancy.  He  was  a  teacher  in  youth.  He 
eventually  located  on  the  place  now  occupied  by  Henry 
Dunlap,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  September 
30th,  i86o.  He  .was  justice  of  the  peace  twenty  years  and 
was  the  first  to  represent  Wyoming  county  in  the  State 
Legislature.  His  wife  was  Fairlee  Loomis,  a  kind-hearted, 
intelligent  lady,  who  died  February  27th,  1865. 

Near  the  Braintrim  line  were  located  previous  to  1880 
Samuel  Sterling,  Ambrose  Gaylord  and  James  Wheeler. 
Mr.  Sterling  v/ith  his  family  came  from  Connecticut  and 
settled  in  Exeter,  Luzerne  county;  afterward  in  Falls 
township,  then  in  Wyalusing  township,  and  finally  at 
Black  Walnut  bottom,  where  he  bought  a  large  tract  and 
remained  until  his  death,  about  1830.  Daniel  Sterling, 
son  of  Samuel,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  July  8th,  1776; 
came  to  Black  Walnut  with  the  family,  and  became  prac- 
tically the  manager  of  his  father's  affairs  soon  after  locat- 
ing here.  He  early  opened  a  store  and  a  hotel  at  Black 
Walnut.  He  bought  land  on  Meshoppen  creek,  near  its 
mouth,  where  he  was  for  many  years  extensively  engaged 
in  lumbering,  grist  milling,  merchandising  and  farming. 
He  removed  about  1837  to  Illinois,  where  he  died  Au- 
gust 25th,  1839.  John  Sterling,  also  a  son  of  Samuel 
Sterling,  was  born  in  Connecticut,  December  8th,  1793, 
and  was  but  a  boy  when  the  family  came  to  Black  Wal- 
nut. He  was  in  the  employ  of  his  brother  Daniel  most 
of  the  time,  until  his  marriage  to  Sarah  Overfield,  about 
1813,  after  which  he  was  a  farmer,  living  most  of  the  time 
in  this  township.  He  died  in  Black  Walnut  in  January, 
1874. 

Elnathan  Ellis  settled  above  the  Overfields  before  1800, 
and  in  the  same  quarter  of  the  township  a  little  later  were 
located  John,  Solomon,  Isaac  and  James  Bunnell,  George 
Gay,  Ahira  Whitcomb  and  David  Blackmar.  Below  the 
creek  were  George  Koon  and  Francis  Brewer.  Up  the 
creek  the  pioneers  were  James  and  Joseph  Jennings,  Jos- 
eph Baker,  and  Solomon,  Levi,  James  and  Jesse  Ellis. 
Settlements  on  the  hills  began  as  early  as  1820.  Among 
the  first  to  locate  were  George  Mowry,  Anson  Stocker, 
David  Cole,  Benjamin  and  Philip  Van  Nosdell,  Mitchel 
Bogart,  Erastus  Bowman,  Robert  Dunlap,  and  Isaac, 
John,  Matthew  and  Clark  Winans. 

Solomon  Bunnell  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa. 
July  2Sth,  1792,  and  came  to  Meshoppen  about  1812. 
He  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  and  first  settled  near  the 
river,  but  a  few  years  later  he  located  on  Bunnell  hill, 
where  he  remained  until  his  death.  May  22nd,  1874.  He 
accumulated  a  liberal  competence.  He  was  an  early 
member  of  the  M.  E.  church.  His  son  John  occupies 
the  old  homestead. 


Ezekiel  Mowry,  born  in  Rhode  Island,  February  22nd, 
1781,  located  on  the  north  side  of  Meshoppen  creek  near 
its  mouth  in  1806,  where  he  owned  300  acres  of  land. 
Here  he  built  several  saw-mills  and  a  grist-mill.  He  was 
a  corporal  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  justice  of  the 
peace  of  Meshoppen  thirty-two  years.  His  wife  was  Abi- 
gail, a  daughter  of  Mason  F.  Alden.  He  raised  a  large 
family,  some  of  whom  became  prominent.  His  son  Eze- 
kiel, jr.,  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1850.  Mr. 
Mowry  died  in  1874. 

Manufactories,  Stores  and  Taverns. 

The    first    saw-mill    was    built   as    early  as   1775,    ^^^ 
owned  by  Amaziah   Cleveland.     Mason  F.   Alden   built 
the  first  grist- mill  on   Meshoppen  creek,  at  the  factory 
dam,  before  1800.     About  the  same  time  James  Wheeler 
had  a  tannery  at  Black  Walnut,  and  also  a  hotel  and  dis- 
tilleiy.     Collins  Wood  and  John  Bird  were  the  distillers. 
The  stone  walls  of  this  distillery  are  now  the  foundation 
of   a   barn    on    the   west   bank  of   Black  Walnut  creek. 
John   Downer  built  a  short-lived  saw-mill  at  the  falls  a 
mile  and  a  quarter  above  the  mouth  of  Meshoppen  creek, 
near  the  opening  of  this  century.     William  T.  Alden  built 
a  saw-mill  on   the  south   side   of  the   creek,  above  the 
bridge,   in  1805,  which   was   kept   up   by   his   successors, 
Daniel  Sterling  and  Daniel  T.  Sterling,  until  1879,  when 
it  was  burned.     Ezekiel  Mowry  built  a  saw-mill  on  little 
Meshoppen   creek   (near  the   present   tannery)   in    1809, 
and  one  on  the  big  creek  in  i8rs,  and  a  grist-mill  at  the 
same  place   in    1818;  the   site   is   now   occupied    by  the 
plaster  and   chop-mill  of  his  son  E.  J.  Mowry.     Daniel 
Sterling  built  a  grist-mill  just  below  the  Alden  saw-mill 
in  1818,  and  a  saw-mill  at  the  north  end  of  the  same  dam 
in   1825;  the  grist-mill  was  burned  in   1879.     The  saw- 
mill on  the  north  side  went   to  ruin,  and   in  1852  its' site 
was  occupied  by  a  fine,  large   grist-mill,  built   by  G.  M. 
Hollenback,  Nicholas  Overfield  and  D.  T.  Sterling  at  a 
cost  of  $12,000.     It  is  now  owned  by  D.  T.  Sterling  and 
William     M.    Sine,    and    doing   a    flourishing    business. 
Daniel  Lum  built  a  saw-mill  at  Black  Walnut  creek  about 
1830;  it  was  rebuilt  by  his  son  John  S.  Lum  in  1850,  and 
by    Nicholas    Overfield    2nd    in    1868.       Colonel    A.   C. 
Keeney  built  a  steam  saw-mill   near  the   old  distillery  at 
Black   Walnut    in    1875.     Ebenezer  Potter  built  an  iron 
foundry  on  the  south  side  of  Meshoppen   creek,  near  the 
old  hotel,  in  1824,  and  made  the  first  metal  plows  for  this 
part  of  the  country.     A  saw-mill  was  built  three  quarters 
of  a  mile  up  Meshoppen  creek  by  A.W.Wells  and  George 
Wilson  in  1840;  its  site  is  now  occupied  by  a  large  build- 
ing erected  in  1869   by  Thomas  J.  Sherwood,  and  well 
filled   with   wood   working  machinery— planer,   matcher, 
saws,  lathes,  etc.     Besides  articles  used  in  building,  a 
considerable   amount   of  furniture  and   wooden  toys  is 
made  at  this  mill,  which  Mr.   S.  calls  "Chappaqua."     A 
grist-mill  was  built  on  little  Meshoppen  creek,  about  sixty 
rods  above  its  mouth,  by  John  Smith  &  Co.  in  1840  (Dr. 
John   Smith,  of   Wyoming  valley).     In  1868   its   present 
owner,  Daniel  Hankinson,  nearly  doubled  its  size   and  in 
various  ways  improved  it.     The  next  year  he  added  a 


D?  J.M.CAREY. 

Mes^oppen, Wyoming  Co.,Pa. 


JOHN    L.  HAHN. 
Mel\oopany, Wyoming  Co., Pa. 


Tunl<t\annock,Wyomin^  Co.|Pa. 


J.  C.    KINTNER. 
Mehoopany,Wyoming  Co.,Pa. 


MAJOR  JOHN  FASSETT. 

Scotts V ill e,  Wyoming  Co., Pa. 


.     MRS. JOHN  FASSETT. 

Scottsville, Wyoming  Co., Pa. 


HENRY    STARK. 
Tunkhannock,  Wyoming  Co.,Pa. 


Tu  nkhannocKTp.,  Wyoming  Co.,  Psl, 


^^ 


INSTITUTIONS  OF  MESHOPPEN. 


519 


twenty-four  horse  power  steam  engine.  In  1879  he 
added  a  circular  saw-mill.  The  whole  establishment  is 
an  active,  profitable  one.  A  tannery  existed  at  Ahira 
Whitcomb's  (now  Allen  Jayne's)  as  early  as  1825  or 
1830.  In  i860  a  tannery  was  erected  by  Clark  Burr  & 
Sons  on  little  Meshoppen  creek,  near  the  site  of  Ezekiel 
Mowry's  saw  mill.  It  is  now  owned  by  Harley  Bros., 
and  is  in  active  operation. 

There  are  several  good  quarries — on  Black  Walnut 
creek,  on  Winans  hill  and  a:  other  points;  also  an  ex- 
tensive freestone  quarry  at  the  fork  of  little  Meshoppen 
creek,  operated  by  Brownscombe  &  King,  whose  princi- 
pal market  is  New  York  city.  Some  blocks  weighing 
eight  tons  are  forwarded  in  the  rough;  orders  are  also 
filled  for  dressed  stone,  this  work  being  done  at  the  mouth 
of  the  big  creek,  where  they  have  a  steam  mill  for  sawing 
and  a  gang  of  hands  for  cutting.  Brick  have  been  manu- 
factured at  different  times  on  the  farm  of  Allen  Jayne. 

Early  Schools  and  Teachers. 

The  first  school  was  taught  by  Parmelia  Ellsworth  in  a 
barn  near  the  site  of  William  M.  Sine's  house,  in  1812, 
and  consisted  of  about  twelve  scholars.  Probably  there 
was  a  school  at  Black  Walnut  prior  to  this.  The  village 
school  was  long  kept  in  a  house  (built  about  1825  or 
1830)  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  south  side,  close  by 
Owen  Daley's  barn.  The  old  school-house,  which  was 
also  used  for  a  church,  was  abandoned  about  1855  and 
soon  became  a  ruin.  The  present  school  building  on 
Auburn  street  was  erected  in  1856. 

Physicians. 

About  1800  Dr.  Beeman  was  at  the  upper  end  of  this 
township.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  same  location  by 
Dr.  Grant,  who  after  a  few  years  went  abroad  as  a  mis- 
sionary. Dr.  E.  B.  West  located  at  Black  Walnut  about 
1825;  he  removed  in  1841  to  Tunkhannock  and  subse- 
quently to  Wisconsin.  The  place  vacated  by  him  at 
Black  Walnut  was  taken  in  1841  by  Dr.  Nathan  Wells, 
who  since  1842  has  been  at  Meshoppen  village,  associated 
with  his  son.  Dr.  E.  H.  Wells.  From  1840  to  r842  Dr. 
H.  Miller  lived  near  the  village  of  Meshoppen. 


MESHOPPEN  BOROUGH. 


^N  August,  1879,  this  village  was  incorporated 

as  a  porough.     The  first  regular  election  for 

borough  officers  was  held  in  February,  1880, 

and   resulted  as  follows:    Daniel  Hankinson, 

burgess;  Nathan  Wells,  John  Gay, William  H. 

Pneuman,  Samuel  H.  Jenkins,  Isaac  Jayne  and 

D.  S.  Roberts,  councilmen;    E.  M.  Burnes,  high 

constable. 

The  borough  site  is  believed  to  have  been  first  owned 

by  Nicholas  Depew,  transferred  to  Elijah  Bown,  Nathan 

Kingsley,   Amaziah    Cleveland   and   finally   to   Thomas 


Wigton  in  1775,  all  these  under  the  Connecticut  title.  A 
few  years  later,  under  the  Pennsylvania  survey,  Mason  F. 
Alden  and  his  son  William  T.  Alden  and  Ezekiel  Mowry 
held  the  proprietorship,  Mowry  owning  on  the  north  side 
of  the  creek.  Mr.  Alden  was  succeeded  by  Daniel  Sterling; 
the  surroundings  are  still  held  by  D.  T.  Sterling  and  E. 
J.  Mowry. 

The  first  store  was  opened  about  1820  by  Daniel 
Sterling,  who  had  previously  built  a  grist-mill  here,  and 
who  two  or  three  years  later  constructed  a  woolen  factory 
near  by.  The  latter  was  superintended  by  Jonathan 
Parker.  A  post-office  was  established  here  about  1820, 
and  a  hotel  opened  about  1830,  since  which  the  town  has 
grown  gradually.  It  now  contains  122  dwellings,  4 
churches,  a  school  building,  5  general  stores,  2  hardware 
stores,  I  clothing  and  r  drug  store,  2  grist-mills,  a  saw- 
mill, a  chop  and  plaster-mill,  a  planing-mill  and  toy  fac- 
tory, 2  hotels,  2  jewelers,  3  physicians,  abanker  and  a  pro- 
portionate number  of  shops,  and  has  a  population  of  560. 

Meshoppen  Water  Company. 

This  corporation  was  chartered  in  1869,  with  an  au- 
thorized capital  of  $4,000.  The  company  has  expended 
more  than  twice  that  sum;  has  a  reservoir  over  a  large 
spring  on  the  farm  of  E.  J.  Mowry  and  another  on  Auburn 
street,  which  is  filled  By  an  iron  main  running  a  mile  up 
Little  Meshoppen  creek.  Ordinarily  the  village  is  well 
supplied  with  water. 

Post-Office  and  Postmasters. 

A  mail  route  was  established  along  the  valley  in  the 
early  part  of  the  present  century,  and  about  1820  a  post- 
office  was  established  at  Meshoppen  Creek,  under  the 
name  of  Sterlingville,  with  Ebenezer  Potter  as  postmaster. 
A  two-horse  stage  coach  ran  thrice  a  week  from  Tunk- 
hannock to  Towanda  from  1835  to  1848,  when  it  became 
a  daily  line  of  stages,  which  continued  until  the  comple- 
tion of  the  railroad  in  1869. 

About  1854  the  name  of  this  post-office  was  changed 
to  Meshoppen.  From  1861  to  1866  it  was  again'  called 
Sterlingville,  since  which  time  it  has  retained  the  name 
of  Meshoppen.  The  successive  postmasters  have  been 
Ebenezer  Potter,  James  Sterling,  Francis  W.  Hunt,  Philo 
Hull,  Nathan  Wells,  Thomas  F.  Kellogg,  P.  M.  Burr  and 
O.  H.  Loomis.     It  is  the  only  post-office  in  the  township. 

Secret  Societies. 

Meshoppen  Lodge,  No.  520,  /.  O.  O.  F.  was  instituted 
July  2ist,  1855,  with  20  charter  members.  The  first 
elective  officers  were:  John  G.  Davis,  N.  G.;  S.  D.  Potter, 
V.  G.;  Ezekiel  Mowry,  jr..  Sec;  Morris  Labar,  Asst. 
Sec;  Riley  Warner,  Treas. 

Meshoppen  Encampment,  No.  205,  /.  O.  O.  F.  was  in- 
stituted June  28th,  1876,  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers: Edward  Merritt,  C.  P.;  G.  R.  Ackroyd;"P.  M. 
Burr,  S.  W.;  J.  A.  Tompkins,  J.  W.;  W.  H.  Burr,  scribe; 
E.  J.  Mowry,  Treas.;  G.  M.  Koon,  Gideon  Winans. 

The  presiding  officers  have  been  Edward  Merritt, 
Philo  M.  Burr,  John  A.  Tompkins,  G.  M.    Koon,    W.  L. 


^¥ 


t 


='=€H 


,1' 


520 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


France,  Gideon  Winans  and  J.  M.  Stillwell.     The   mem- 
bership is  23, 

Meshoppen  Lodge,  No.  455,  Knights  of  Pythias  was  in- 
stituted May  8th,  1878,  with  12  charter  members.  The 
first  officers  were:  William  H.  Pneuman,  C.  C;  W.  L. 
France,  V.  C.;  P.  D.  Harley,  P.;  G.  C.  Cortright,  M.  at 
A.;  S.  A.  Sturdevant,  I.  G.;  A.  R.  Hankinson,  K.  of  R, 
&  S.;  S.  W.  Jennings,  M.  of  E.;  T.  H.  Davis,  M.  of  F,; 
J.  J.'  Purvis,  O.  G.  The  first  trustees  were  S.  A.  Sturde- 
vant, Alva  Fassett  and  G.  C.  Cortright. 

Meshoppen  Lodge,  No.  2,082,  Knights  of  Honor  was 
organized  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  in  Meshoppen,  Marcli 
8th,  i88o,  with  24  charter  members.  Its  first  officers 
were:  William  H.  Burr,  D.;  J.  M.  Carey,  V.  D.;  G  1.. 
Decker,  A.  D.;  D.  S.  Roberts,  R.;  P.  M.  Burr,  F.  K, 
G.  Winans,  T.;  N.  Sterling,  C;  W.  H.  Durkee,  G.;  F. 
M.  Terwilliger,  G.;  S.  H.  Jenkins,  S.:  E.  J.  Mowry,  P. 
D.;  trustees,  E.  H.  Wells,  Isaac  Jayne  and  Charles 
Winans;  medical  examiners,  J.  M.  Carey  and  E.  II, 
Wells. 

Churches  of  Meshoppen. 

Methodist  Episcopal. — The  first  building  erected  es 
pecially  for  public  worship  was  built  in  1835  by  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  society  on  the  land  of  I  [on. 
Nicholas  Overfield,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  above 
the  mouth  of  Meshoppen  creek.  It  was  a  commo- 
dious brick  structure,  and  was  the  center  of  a  large  ter- 
ritory, which,  especially  at  quarterly  meetings,  turned  out 
full  congregations.  Paul  Overfield,  son  of  Benjamin 
Overfield,  and  Nicholas  Overfield,  son  of  Paul  ist,  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  building  fund. 

In  1856,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  E.  F.  Robeils  a 
church  was  built  in  the  village  of  Meshoppen  at  a  cosi  of 
about  $1,000  ;  extensive  repairs,  bell,  etc..  in  1873  c.osl 
$2,500  more.  The  parsonage  adjoining  the  church  was 
built  in  1870,  and  cost  $1,500.  The  society  has  a  large 
membership,  and  the  pastor,  although  living  here,  li.is 
appointments  at  three  places  outside.  After  the  erection 
of  the -church  in  the  village  the  chapel  gradually  fellinio 
disuse,  and  was  finally  abandoned  and  taken  down  u 
1877.  There  is  a  flourishing  Sabbath-school  connected 
with  this  church. 

The  Pr^j-iJjv/ijrzawj- had  meetings  from  time  to  time  in 
Black  Walnut  and  regular  preaching  as  earlv  as  i8i5,bul 
the  centers  of  business  and  settlement  changed,  and 
meetings  were  held  in  Meshoppen  village  regularly  from 
about  1845,  Revs.  H.  H.  Willes  and  Johr.  W.  Sterhng 
being  the  ministers.  Somewhat  later  Rev.  C.  R.  Lane, 
pastor  at  Tunkhannock,  made  regular  appointments  foT 
many  years.  A  church  was  organized  in  1850  with  17 
members.  Edward  Storm  and  Robert  Clayton  were  the 
elders,  both  now  deceased. 

In  1856  a  church  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
about  $1,200.  The  bell  was  put  in  in  1863,  :ind  coat 
$225.  In  1870  Rev.  Clark  Salmon  became  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  remained  until  1876.  In  1872  a  parsonage 
was  built  adjoining  the  church  at  an  expense  of  about 
$1,300.     Since   Mr.  Salmon's   departure  the   church  has 


had    no    pastor    or    regular   supply  ;    its    membership  is 
small. 

Baptists. — There  are  a  number  of  Baptists  here,  but 
no  regular  organization  or  church  property.  There  is 
occasional  preaching  by  elders  from  other  charges. 

UniTersalists. — In  1853  the  Universalists  erected  a 
building  for  their  services,  and  they  had  meetings  at 
stated  intervals  until  about  twelve  years  ago,  since  which 
only  occasional  sermons. 

Catholic  Church  of  Meshoppen. — Rev.  Father  Henry 
Fitzsimmons,  of  Carbondale,  held  Catholic  services  in 
private  dwellings  in  this  town  at  irregular  intervals  for 
about  ten  years  from  1835.  Rev.  John  V.  O'Reilly  often 
ministered  here  during  that  time  and  for  some  years  after. 
He  was  followed  by  Revs.  John  Monighan,  Dennis  Whee- 
ler, John  Laughran  and  Rev.  A.  D.  Tileu.  After  about 
1869  meetings  w&xt  held  regularly  once  a  month.  Rev- 
Thomas  Brahany  was  pastor  for  three  years  from  1871. 
He  was  followed  in  the  spring  of  1874  by  Rev.  P.  G. 
Murphy,  and  the  same  year  the  present  church  building 
was  commenced,  Bishop  O'Hara,  of  Scranton,  officiat- 
ing at  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone.  The  building  was 
rcmpleted  in  1875  and  dedicated  by  Fathers  Ray,  Murphy 
<'ind  Lally.  Father  Murphy  was  followed  in  succession 
by  Revs.  Felix  McGuicken,  Anthony  Shields,  Thomas  J. 
Ray  and  T.  J.  Lafferty,  the  later  still  serving  (1880).  The 
society  now  numbers  about  35  families. 


MONROE  TOWNSHIP. 


ipS^HIS    township,   named   after    President   Mon- 

f 'Ji' '^'^ilpi^  ™^'  ™'^^  ^^'  °'^  """"""^  North  Moreland  in 
Ife^l  1832.  The  first  election  of  officers  for  the 
l^^^^  township  was  held  at  North  Moreland.  The 
1^)  first  election  in  the  township  itself  was  held  at  the 
Clt^  house  of  George  Carl.  The  records  are  lost. 
Nathan  Parrish  and  Peter  Lutz  were  elected  jus- 
tices in  1840. 

Tlie  township  sends  annually  large  quantities  of  lum- 
ber to  the  surrounding  markets.  There  are  also  peeled 
every  year  thousands  of  tons  of  bark,  which  furnishes 
work  for  a  large  number  of  hands. 

Wild  animals  have  been  very  plenty  and  even  now 
deer  come  from  the  adjacent  forests  and  are  seen  occa- 
sionally to  mix  with  the  stock  upon  the  farms,  and  it  is 
not  an  unusual  thing  for  bears  to  be  killed  in  the  town- 
ship. 

Early  Settlers. 

The  first  pioneer  was  J.  Lewis,  who  settled  in  1804, 
near  where  Dr.  Silkworth  now  lives,  on  the  "  Youngs 
tract."  He  was  followed  by  a  man  named  Frazer,  and 
he  by  Lewis  Warwick.  Jared  Slaughter  came  in  1812. 
Josiah  Newberry  in  1813  settled  on  Bowman's  creek.  He 
was  a  surveyor  and  found  considerable  employment.  He 


^¥ 


4, 


*4  r*" 


GENEALOGICAL  AND    PERSONAL   RECORD, 

EXETER,    MONROE   AND   NORTH   MORELAND  TOWNSHIPS. 


HON.    GORDON    PIKE. 

Hon.  Gordon  Pike  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  Windham 
county,  Conn.,  February  19th,  1808.  His  parents  both 
died  when  he  was  very  young,  and  the  family,  consisting 
of  four  boys  and  two  girls,  went  to  live  with  their  grand 
parents  until  they  were  old  enough  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves, when  they  all  removed  to  Pennsylvania.  In  1833 
Gordon  located  in  North  Moreland  township,  working 
for  the  farmers  in  the  summer  and  teaching  school  in  the 
winter.  December  19th  of  that  year  he  married  Mary 
Phillips,  of  Wyoming.  In  1866  he  was  elected  associate 
judge  of  Wyoming  county.  He  had  previously  been 
elected  county  commissioner.  Subsequently  he  received 
the  nomination  for  State  senator.  As  a  citizen,  he  has  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  him. 

Thomas  P.  Baringer  was  born  in  1827,  at  Olive, 
Pa.  He  came  to  Monroe  in  1848.  He  was  married  in 
1846  to  Hannah  Traner,  of  Olive,  Pa.  He  enlisted  in 
the  143d  Pennsylvania  volunteers  in  1862,  and  was  with 
the  regiment  at  the  Wilderness  and  all  of  its  other  battles. 
He  was  mustered  out  in  1865. 

Anthony  Bersch,  a  native  of  Germany,  came  to  this 
country  in  1854,  and  has  kept  a  store  at  Centre  More- 
land  for  some  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  furniture 
manufacturing  firm  of  Stroth  &  Bersch.  He  married 
Lily  H.  Pilgrim,  in  1878. 

Martin  Brunges,  son  of  John  Brunges,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  North  Moreland,  was  elected  to  the  State 
Assembly  in  187 1,  and  served  with  distinction.  He  was 
re-elected  the  following  term,  and  was  appointed  chair- 
man of  the  committee  on  mines  and  mining  and  secretary 
of  ihat  on  agriculture,  also  serving  on  the  committees  on 
pensions,  retrenchment  and  reform,  roads  and  eleclion 
districts.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  is  the  only  resident 
of  the  township  ever  elected  to  a  State  office. 

H.  P.  Colvin  was  born  in  1846,  in  Benton,  Pa.  He 
came  to  Monroe  in  1869,  and  was  married  in  1870  to 
Miss  B.  Swingle,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Swingle,  of  Mon- 
roe. They  have  two  children — Eliza  A.,  born  December 
7th,  T870,  and  Charles  A.,  born  September  23d,  1874. 
Mr.  Colvin  has  been  town  clerk  and  justice  three  years. 

Edward  Dimmick  was  born  in  1803,  at  Mansfield, 
Conn.  He  came  to  Monroe  in  1864;  was  married  first 
to  Laura  Round,  of  Jackson,  Pa.  ;  to  Mary  Meredith 
in  1865;  and  afterwards  to  Abigail  Stevens,  widow  of 
Ebenezer  Parrish.  His  father  was  a  Revolutionary 
soldier  and  pensioner. 

BvRON  Dimmick  was  born  in  1833.  He  married,  Au- 
gust i2th,  1853,  Ermina  O.  Terrell,  daughter  of  Elias  G. 
Terrell,  of  Connecticut,  by  whom  he  has  had  four  chil- 
dren: Frederick  E..  born  June  27th,  1854;  Lelia  V.,  Feb- 
ruary 14th,  1856;  Shelby  T.,  October  ist,  1861;  CoraD., 
October  4th,  1866. 

John  B.  DvmOND,  justice  of  the  peace  and  post- 
master, was  born  in  1820,  and  married,  in  1845,  to  Mary 
Jane  Whitlock.     They  have  eight  children  living. 

R.  H.  Evans  was  born  at  Deposit,  Delaware  county, 
N.  Y.  He  came  to  Monroe  in  1853,  being  married  in 
1852  to  Miss  H.  N.  Beldon,  daughter  of  Silas  T.  Beldon, 
M.  D.,  of  Dover  Plains,  N.  Y.  They  have  one  son,  H. 
C,  born  in  February,  1853. 

William  Frear  was  born  in  1827,  at  Eaton;  came  to 


Monroe  in  1840,  and  married  in  1854  Elizabeth  B.  Par- 
rish, of  Monroe.  She  was  born  in  1833,  and  died  in  1879. 
They  had  six  children:  Edwin  D.,  born  in  1855;  David, 
1857;  Emma,  1859;  Carrie  S.,  1861;  Lois,  1862;  Charles, 
1873.  Five  are  living.  Mr.  Frear  has  been  school  di- 
rector for  ten  years,  assessor  eleven  years,  and  is  now 
the  poormaster  of  the  township. 

H.  J.  Frear  was  born  in  1847,  and  is  the  son  of  Ru- 
fus  J.  Frear,  who  came  to  Monroe  in  1840.  The  latter 
was  a  prominent  man  in  the  township;  was  justice  two 
terms  and  deputy  marshal;  enlisted  in  Company  F  S3d 
Pennsylvania  volunteers;  was  captured  at  Ream's  station, 
confined  in  Libby  prison  and  Salisbury,  where  he  died  in 
1864.  H.  J.  Frear  married  in  1866  Mandana  K.  Frear, 
by  whom  he  has  one  daughter,  Gertrude  E.,  born  June 
27th,  1877.     He  has  been  town  clerk  four  terms. 

James  D.  Gallup  is  a  native  of  North  Moreland, 
where  his  father  was  an  early  settler.  He  has  held  the 
office  of  justice  of  peace,  and  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Gran- 
ger and  a  Son  of  Temperance. 

I.  B.  Harding  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  1823,  and  has 
always  lived  in  this  county.  He  married  Abigail  Cook 
in  1850.     He  has  been  school  director  six  years. 

James  W.  Harrison,  steward  and  a  class  leader  of  the 
Methodist  church  at  Vernon,  came  to  America  from  Eng- 
land in  1839.  He  was  married  to  Mary  P.  Heaton  in 
1857,  and  has  five  children. 

Jacob  B.  Headley  was  born  in  1854,  and  is  the  son  of 
Thomas  and  Hannah  Headley,  early  settlers. 

T.  D.  Headley  was  born  in  1818,  and  is  a  descendant 
of  some  of  the  earliest  inhabitants,  his  grandfather  hav- 
ing settled  in  Exeter  about  eight  years  after  the  Revolu- 
tion. Mr.  Headley  has  been  married  twice  and  has  four 
children  living.  He  has  held  many  town  offices  and  is  a 
member  of  the  "  Christian  "  church. 

William  H.  Jackson  was  born  in  1835,  at  Monroe. 
In  1866  he  built  a  grist-mill  on  the  site  of  the  first  one 
put  up  in  the  township.  He  married  in  1867  Sarah  A. 
Clarke,  daughter  of  Sidney  Z.  Clarke.  They  had  four 
children,  of  whom  three  are  living;  Charles  E.,  born 
February  17th,  1871;  Jennie  May,  April  ist,  1873,  and 
Stanley  A.,  August  3d,  1879.  Mr.  Jackson  entered  the 
Union  army  in  1862,  in  the  T7ist  Pennsylvania  volun- 
teers.    He  returned  in  1863. 

E.  P.  Jackson  was  born  in  1836,  in  Franklin  township, 
Luzerne  county.  He  was  married  April  25th,  1858,  to 
Amantha  Eastwood,  of  Monroe,  daughter  of  John  East- 
wood. There  are  four  children  by  this  marriage: 
Amanda,  born  October  14th,  i86r;  Merritt,  June  4th, 
1863;  Helen,  June  3d,  1867;  Mary  S.,  November  12th, 
1870.  Mr.  Jackson  enlisted  in  the  143d  Pennsylvania 
volunteers  in  September,  1862,  and  was  with  that  regi- 
ment till  it  was  mustered  out. 

Heister  Keeler,  for  the  past  thirteen  years  post- 
master at  Keelersburg  and  the  largest  land  proprietor  in 
North  Moreland,  was  born  January  ist,  1821,  and  mar- 
ried Adeline  Sharp  January  30th,  1851.  They  have  a 
family  of  eight  children. 

Elijah  D.  Lvon  was  born  in  1816,  in  Newark,  N.  J., 
and  came  to  Monroe  in  1861.  He  married  in  1833 
Johanna  Murphy  and  in  1863  Zeruah  Phoenix,  daughter 
of  Matthew  Phoenix.  He  has  been  school  director, 
auditor  and  poormaster. 


*^H= 


=^l 


K^ 


520-5 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


George  I.  Miller  was  born  in  1846,  at  New  Milford, 
Pa.,  and  came  to  Monroe  in  1867.  He  was  married  in 
1869  to  Rosy  O.  Wall,  daughter  of  John  Wall,  of  this 
township.  They  had  two  children:  Minnie  M.,  born  in 
1872,  died  in  1875;  John  was  born  in  1878.  Mr.  Miller 
enlisted  in  the  152nd  Pennsylvania  regiment  in  1864,  and 
served  till  it  was  mustered  out. 

James  R.  Moore  was  born  in  1848,  at  Andes,  N.  Y. 
August  13th,  1874,  he  married  Martha  A.  Vandervoort, 
of  Traverse  City,  Mich. 

Scott  W.  Morgan  was  born  in  1847,  at  Monroe. 
He  married  in  1873  Nelly  Brown,  of  Monroe.  Tliey 
have  two  children  living,  Mertie,  born  in  1877,  and  John 
B.,  born  in  1879. 

Levi  Moshier  was  born  January  2nd,  1832,  in  Lexing- 
ton, and  came  to  Monroe  in  1865.  He  married  in  1866 
Louisa, daughter  of  Christopher  Eipper,of  Luzerne  county. 

Frank  Newberry  was  born  April  9th,  1848,  in  Mon- 
roe. He  was  in  the  104th  New  York  infantry;  was  in 
several  engagements  and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of 
Lee.  He  was  married  in  1869  to  Eliza  Bennett,  daugh- 
ter of  Josiah  Bennett,  of  Monroe.  They  have  three 
children,  Alberta,  born  November  22nd,  1870;  Josephine, 
January  i5lh,  1871,  and  Kate,  October  5th,  1S76.  Mr. 
Newberry  built  in  1878  a  steam  saw-mill  on  what  is 
known  as  the  McKnight  tract. 

Norton  L.  Newberry  was  born  in  1839,  in  Monroe. 
He  entered  the  Union  army  September  loth,  1861,  in  the 
53d  Pennsylvania  volunteers;  accompanied  that  regiment 
fourteen  months  and  re-enlisted  in  Company  A  4th  U.  S. 
light  artillery;  was  present  at  thirteen  engageirents;  lost 
an  arm  at  Gettysburg,  and  was  discharged  May  2nd, 
1864.  He  married  in  1861  Arminda  H.  Montross,  daugh- 
ter of  Elijah  Montross,  sen. 

Mark  D.  Newman  was  born  in  1830,  in  Dallas,  and 
came  to  Monroe  about  1853.  He  has  been  poor  master, 
school  director  and  inspector  of  elections,  is  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  mail  stage  between  Monroe  and  Kingston  and 
was  postmaster  in  1877  and  1878.  He  was  married 
in  1857  to  Carrie  F.  Earl,  of  Tunkhannock.  They  have 
three  children  living:  Henry  W.,  born  May  27th,  1859; 
Miles  R.,  April  24th,  1854,  and  Hiram  H.,  May  2nd,  1871. 

Orrell  Curtis  Orcut  was  born  in  1800,  at  Pough- 
keepsie,  N.  Y. 

R.  C.  Park  was  born  in  Columbia  county.  Pa.;  is  a 
miller  by  occupation;  served  in  the  75th  Pennsylvania 
regiment  during  the  late  war.     He  has  eight  children. 

Charles  H.  Phillips  was  born  in  Benton,  Lacka- 
wanna county.  Pa.,  in  1849;  he  married  Harriet  Wilson, 
in  1877,  and  has  one  boy.     He  is  a  Good  Templar. 

Robert  Chapin  Phillips,  a  native  of  Kingston  town- 
ship, came  to  North  Moreland  in  i860;  was  drafted  and 
served  with  the  171st  regiment.  He  was  married  to 
Amelia  J.  Turner  in  1870.     He  has  been   town   auditor. 

Harvey  Phcenix  was  born  January  isth,  1820,  at 
Monroe.  He  has  been  supervisor,  school  director,  etc. 
He  was  married  in  1842  to  Rebecca  Fleming,  of  Hope, 
N.  J.  They  had  six  children,  viz.:  Sarah,  born  Febru- 
ary i6th,  1844;  Helen,  August  3d,  1846';  Charles  E., 
185-;  ZelphaAnne,  March  30th,  1855;  Mary  E.,  De- 
cember 16th,  1857;  Samuel  B.,  December  nth,  1859, 
died  September  26th,  1865. 

George  Pickett  was  born  in  1861,  at  Wilkes-Barre. 
He  resided  with  his  parents  soirie  years  at  Monroe,  and 
row  lives  at  Plymouth,  Luzeine  cotinty. 

Thomas  Finder,  a  native  of  England,  came  to  this 
country  with  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  in  1849.  He  has  been 
supervisor  and  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  Granger. 

Chauncy  J.  Reed  was  born  in  New  York,  in  1837. 
He  served  as  second  lieutenant  and  was  promoted  to  the 
first  lieutenantcy  of  Company  B  89th  N.    Y.    volunteers. 


He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a  Knight  of  Pythias.     He  was 
married  in  1872  to  Elizabeth  DeWitt. 

John  W.  Roberts  was  born  in  1818,  and  married  in 
1843  Lydia  Smith,  who  was  born  on  the  farm  where  they 
now  live.  They  have  four  children  living.  Mr.  Rqberts 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  has  held  sev- 
eral township  ofifices. 

Henry  W.  Rogers  was  born  in  1833,  married  Clarinda 
Holcomb  in  1866,  and  has  three  children.  He  is  treas- 
urer of  the  school  board,  has  been  roadinaster  and  is  an 
Odd  Fellow. 

N.  P.  Rosengrant  was  born  in  1847,  in  Eaton,  Pa. 
He  married  Emma  Minor,  daughter  of  Richard  Minor, 
of  Eaton,  by  whom  he  has  five  children. 

William  Sickler,  township  auditor  and  county  com- 
missioner, was  born  in  1841,  in  Exeter,  Wyoming  county. 
He  married  Mary  Brunges  in  1870,  and  has  had  a  family 
of  four  children. 

David  H.  Silkworth  was  born  October  3d,  1820,  at 
Stafford,  Conn.  He  received  his  education  in  early 
youth  at  the  common  school  and  at  the  Monson  Academy, 
Mass.  He  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  A.  W.  Lewood, 
at  Lee,  Mass.,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1850. 
He  has  enjoyed  an  extensive  practice  in  several  States. 
In  1862  he  opened  an  office  in  Monroe.  He  served  with 
the  53d  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  doing  good  service  on 
the  hospital  staff,  and  resumed  his  profession  in  Monroe 
in  1865,  where  he  has  since  followed  it.  He  is  the  only 
physician  here,  and  has  the  confidence  of  all.  He  was 
married  March  29th,  i860,  to  Nancy  J.,  daughter  of 
Alfred  Stanton,  of  Clinton,  Wayne  county.  She  was 
born  June  T7th,  1838. 

George  Smith  was  born  in  1844,  and  lived  during  his 
youth  in  Luzerne  county,  Pa.  He  is  town  clerk,  having 
held  that  office  for  two  terms.     He  has  five  children. 

S.  G.  Smith,  a  native  of  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  came  to 
North  Moreland  with  his  father  in  1834,  and  married  Car- 
oline Phillips  in  1853.  lie  is  a  farmer  and  cattle-breeder. 
Benjamin  M.  Stone  was  born  in  1835,  at  Abington, 
Lackawanna  county.  He  was  married  in  1859  to  Olive 
E.  Newton,  of  Dimmick  township.  There  were  nine  chil- 
dren by  this  marriage;  three  are  living,  viz.:  Edwin  M., 
born  in  1862;  Burton  B.,  1866;  and  Halton  R.,  1876. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  are  members  of  the  M.  E.  church. 

William  Thomson,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Nanticoke.  Lu- 
zerne county.  Pa.,  June  7th,  1823;  attended  district 
school  till  fifteen  years  old;  passed  the  years  1838-39  at 
Wilkes-Barre  Academy;  read  medicine  (1S43-45)  with 
Dr.  A.  P.  Gardner,  of  Carbondale;  graduated  at  Castle- 
ton  Medical  College,  Vt.,  in  the  fall  of  1845;  practiced 
at  Nanticoke  till  1852,  at  Orange,  Luzerne  county,  1852- 
57,  and  at  Centre  Moreland,  Wyoming  county,  since  that 
time  except  while  an  army  surgeon  during  a  part  of  the 
time,  1862-65.  March  loth,  1852,  he  married  Mary  A.  Ur- 
quhart,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  They  have  two  sons,  Frank 
H.  H.  and  B.  S.,  and  one  daughter,  Ruth  S. 

J.  H,  Vantuyl,  a  native  of  Eaton  township,  was  born 
in  1823,  married  Lydia  Montanye  in  18^7,  and  has  a 
family  of  seven  children.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Method- 
ist church  and  has  held  many  township  offices. 

George  B.  Waters  came  from  Plymouth,  Luzerne 
county,  to  North  Moreland  in  1849,  and  married  Rhoda 
J.  Dailey  in  i86o.  He  has  held  several  township  offices 
and  is  an  Odd  Fellow. 

H.C.Webb  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  May,  1836.  He 
married  Caroline  Daily,  and  has  a  family  of  four  chil- 
dren. He  has  been  a  steward  of  the  M.E.  church  ten  years. 
Levi  Winter,  a  former  resident  of  Orange  county' 
N.  Y.,  settled  in  North  Moreland  in  1859.  He  has  beeti 
justice  of  the  peace  five  years,  and  has  held  other  offices. 
He  has  been  twice  married. 


=K^ 


^h 


FIRST  SETTLERS  IN  MONROE  TOWNSHIP— POST  ROUTES  AND  MILLS. 


S2l 


was  born  in  Connecticut,  in  1782,  married  Mary  Chandler 
and  had  eleven  children.     He  died  at  the  age  of  73. 

Matthew  Phoenix  arrived  in  1815.  He  first  bought  out 
Peter  Farver  and  afterward  became  the  owner  of  409 
acres.  His  part  of  the  township  was  a  wilderness.  There 
were  no  roads  but  bridle  paths.  In  a  few  years  Mr. 
Phoenix  made  for  himself  a  well  cultivated  farm,  on 
which  his  son  Hervey  Phoenix  now  lives.  Another  son, 
the  Hon.  James  Phoenix  is  one  of  the  associate  judges 
for  Wyoming  county.  Matthew  Phoenix  was  born  at 
Kingston,  Delaware  county,  in  1769,  and  married  Mary 
May,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children.  He  lived  to  the 
remarkable  age  of  107  years.  His  remains  are  buried  in 
the  cemetery  nearly  opposite  the  old  homestead. 

Philemon  Clarke  in  1816  settled  on  Bowman's  creek, 
purchasing  a  tract  from  Robert  tinney,  and  200  acres 
from  Jesse  Good  on  Leonard's  creek.  The  next  arrivals 
were  Mr.  Parrish,  in  1822,  and  Orrell  Curtis  Orcutt,  in 
1824.  The  latter  vi^as  born  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  He 
made  large  purchases  of  land  and  lived  to  see  the  forest 
give  way  to  the  productive  farm.  December  12th,  1827, 
he  married  Nancy  Clarke,  of  Plainsville;  she  was  born  in 
1806  and  died  in  1878.  Peter  Montross  arrived  the  same 
year  with  Mr.  Orcutt,  and  bought  100  acres  of  the  Svvet- 
land  and  Benjamin  Newberry  tracts.  He  and  his  wife 
taught  the  first  Sabbath-school.  As  a  local  preacher  of 
the  Protestant  Methodist  church  he  has  preached  almost 
gratuitously  over  forty  years  hereabouts.  He  was  mar- 
ried first  to  Levina  Newberry  (who  died  in  1827),  and 
subsequently  to  Olive  Jackson,  who  died  in  1873.  Plis  son 
Philemon  Clarke  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor. 

Nathan  Parrish,  born  in  1796,  came  to  Monroe  about 
1828  and  settled  half  a  mile  east  of  the  village  on  land 
purchased  from  Josiah  Newberry.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  two  justices  elected. 

Wilham  D.  Frear,  born  in  1827  at  Eaton,  was  the  son 
of  Abraham  Frear,  who  for  many  years  was  a  Methodist 
local  preacher.  He  came  to  Monroe  village  in  1840. 
He  has  been  school  director  ten  years,  assessor  seven 
years,  and  town  clerk  and  auditor  several  terms,  and  is 
nov/  poorroaster. 

Michael  Hafner,  born  in  1808,  also  came  in  1840.  He 
settled  near  the  site  of  Stone's  mill.  He  died  in  1880. 
Among  later  settlers  were  Thomas  Baringer,  RufLis  Frear, 
S.  B.  Cook  and  Edward  Dimraick.  The  gentleman  last 
named  has  from  a  wilderness  made  a  well  improved 
farm. 

The  flood  of  1850  in  Bowman's  creek  carryed  away 
houses,  barns,  mills,  etc.  During  a  heavy  snow  storm  in 
1836  a  hunter  named  Jones  was  overtaken  by  the  storm, 
and  nothing  was  seen  of  him  till  his  body  was  discovered 
after  the  disappearance  of  the  snow.  Mr.  Newman's 
grandfather  left  his  home  one  morning  to  seek  for  work 
and  never  returned.  No  traces  of  him  were  ever  found. 
Stories  are  related  of  early  hunters  having  eight  or  ten 
bears,  two  or  more  panthers,  and  as  many  as  twenty 
deer  lying  before  the  house  at  one  time;  and  one  man 
has  been  known  to  take  out  of  the  creek  in  a  short  time 
sixty  pounds  of  trout. 


The  population  of  the  township  has  steadily  increased. 
In  1824  there  were  only  thirteen  families,  three  framed 
and  ten  log  houses,  four  framed  and  three  log  barns,  and 
67  inhabitants.  In  1870  the  population  was  964,  and  in 
1880  1,171. 

^Viihiii  the  last  five  years  the  attention  of  the  inhabi- 
tants h:!ve  been  turned  more  to  agricultural  pursuits. 
The  larger  portion  of  the  land  has  been  in  the  hands  of 
lumber  speculators,  who  kept  the  price  of  land  too  high 
for  farmers. 

Roads  and  Mails. 

The  first  practicable  road  was  the  Fell  road;  the  next 
was  the  State  road  from  Wilkes-Barre.  Then  followed 
others  in  quick  succession. 

The  first  post-office  was  on  Bowman's  creek  and  took 
its  name  from  that  stream.  John  Wright  was  the  first 
postmaster.  The  office  has  been  moved  several  times 
and  is  now  in  the  village.  For  some  years  there  w-is 
only  a  tri-weekly  delivery  of  mails,  but  there  is  now  a 
daily  route  from  Kingston;  the  office  is  known  as  Beau- 
mont. H.  Car])enter,  M.  W.  Newberry,  S.  W.  McCon- 
nell,  A.  D.  Clarke,  James  E.  Smith  and  M.  D.  Newman 
followed  Mr.  Wright  in  succession  as  postmasters.  D. 
H.  Silkworth  has  been  the  incumbent  since  1878. 

Mills,  Stores,  etc. 

The  first-saw  mill  was  put  up  by  Zion  Newberry  on 
the  site  of  the  one  now  owned  by  Oliver  Wilson.  A  run 
of  stones  was  put  into  this  mill  to  grind  corn,  etc. 

The  saw-mill  at  Evans  Falls  is  now  one  of  the  most 
extensive.  This  part  of  the  township  takes  it  name 
from  Henry  Evans,  who  bought  first  1,300  acres  of  land 
comprising  part  of  the  Wilson,  Daniel  Jackson,  Matthew 
Bridge  and  Hoyt  tracts,  and  an  old  saw-mill  and  one 
house.  He  built  a  new  mill  on  the  site  of  the  old  one. 
This  was  burned  in  December,  1877,  and  the  following 
May  he  had  the  present  one  in  working  order.  It  has 
machinery  for  making  lath,  shingles,  etc.  0\'er  2,000 
acres  have  been  added  and  from  20  to  50  men  and  boys 
are  employed.  Mr.  Evans  peels  from  1,000  to  1,500  tons 
of  bark  per  year. 

Stone's  steam  saw-mill  ranks  next  in  capacity.  It  was 
built  in  1872,  by  Benjamin  M.  Stone;  was  burned  down 
in  1876  and  rebuilt  in  1877.  Mr.  Stone  is  a  general  lum- 
ber merchant;  the  business  is  steadily  increasing.  The 
amount  of  lumber  turned  out  by  him  in  1880  is  estimated 
at  2,000,000  feet. 

The  old  saw-mill  near  Elijah  D.  Lyon's  residence  was 
built  by  a  Mr.  Hadley.  Hon.  James  Phoenix  had  it 
pulled  down  and  a  new  one  erected  with  facilities  for 
doing  a  large  business. 

The  water  power  mill  owned  and  carried  on  by  Mr. 
Jones  was  built  by  him  in  1867.  The  mill  property 
owned  by  Levi  Moshier  was  bought  by  him  in  1865.  It 
commands  a  splendid  water  power,  and  is  doing  an  ex- 
tensive business.  Close  by  is  the  one  owned  by  Byron 
Dimmick,  which  was  built  about  1867  by  Stephen  Parks. 
Since  coming  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Dimmick  it  has  been 


Hh 


4^ 


*^^ 


522 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


repaired  and  altered  several  times.  There  are  also  the 
Frear  mill,  Dymond  mill,  Thomas  May  mill  and  several 
others. 

The  first  grist-mill  was  erected  by  Josiah  Newberry,  on 
the  site  of  the  one  now  owned  and  operated  by  William 
H.  Jackson.  Mr.  Jackson  built  his  mill  in  1866.  It  has 
two  runs  of  stones,  and  is  capable  of  performing  all  the 
work  that  can  be  brought  to  it. 

The  first  mill  owned  and  run  by  P.  H.  Colvin  was  built 
by  him  in  1878.  It  has  two  runs  of  stones  and  a  good 
water  power,  and  can  do  all  kinds  of  mill  work. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Daniel  Poole.  There  are 
now  the  general  stores  of  John  Wall  and  S.  W.  McCon- 
nell,  and  the  drug  store  of  H.  Silkworth,  M.  D.  The  post- 
office  is  kept  at  the  same  place. 

The  first  tavern  was  built  and  kept  as  such  by  Reuben 
Parks,  on  the  site  of  the  hotel  now  kept  and  owned  by  J. 
Scovell. 

Educational  History. 

The  first  school-house  was  a  log  building  on  Bowman's 
creek.  The  first  frame  school-house  was  built  close  by 
where  the  union  church  now  stands.  There  are  now 
seven  school  districts,  with  a  fair  average  attendance,  and 
all  the  buildings  have  been  repaired  or  rebuilt  within  a 
few  years. 

September  i6th,  1872,  a  school  was  opened  in  the  larg- 
est rooms  of  the  Presbyterian  parsonage;  it  has  been  kept 
up  under  the  name  of  Monroe  Academy.  It  was  designed 
to  teach  the  higher  branches  and  the  classics,  and  also  as 
a  normal  school.  Not  less  than  fifty  successful  teachers 
studied  here.  During  the  second  year  Odd  Fellows'  Hall 
was  occ'ipied.  In  the  summer  of  1874  the  building  known 
as  the  Monroe  Academy,  but  chartered  as  the  Bowman's 
Creek  Presbyterian  Church,  was  erected.  The  first  prin- 
cipal was  the  Rev.  C.  K.  Canfield.  Rev.  S.  McElroy  now 
fills  that  position.  The  total  cost  of  the  building  was 
$4,625,  chiefly  contributed  by  the  citizens  of  Monroe. 

Church  History. 

Before  there  was  any  organized  society  local  preachers 
supplied  the  wants  of  the  people  here.  Among  the  first 
was  Oliver  Lewis.  The  first  Methodist  preacher  was 
Rev.  Silsberry  Wild;  the  first  Presbyterian  minister  Rev. 
Thomas  Rhodes;  the  first  Baptist  Rev.  William  Frear. 
The  first  religious  meeting  and  Sunday-school  was  held 
in  the  log  school-house  at  Bowman's  Creek. 

The  Methodist  society  was  the  first  organized.  The 
Baptists  ne.xt  organized,  with  Rev.  William  Frear  as  their 
preacher.  Their  meetings  were  held  at  the  log  school 
house.  The  Protestant  Methodists  were  the  next  society 
to  organize,  with  the  Rev.  J.  K.  Helmore  as  their  prin- 
cipal preacher.  Rev.  Mr.  Brown  was,  however,  the  first 
preacher  of  that  denomination  and  Peter  Montross  one 
of  the  first. 

In  1865  the  four  societies  agreed  to  build  a  union 
church.  There  were  five  trustees  appointed — one  Method- 
ist Episcopal,  one  Baptist,  one  Presbyterian,  one 
Protestant  Methodist  and  one  by  the  people.     They  were 


Sidney  C.  Clarke,  George  D.  Clarke,  Samuel  B.  Cook, 
Peter  Montross  and  Daniel  Morgan.  The  building  was 
dedicated  in  1866.  The  ministers  of  the  different  de- 
nominations preach  in  turn  except  the  Presbyterian 
pastor,  whose  people  have  now  a  church  of  their  own. 

There  is  a  union  Sabbath-school,  with  William  Rich- 
ards as  superintendent.  The  attendance  is  good  and  in- 
creasing. 

The  Presbyterians  in   1874  petitioned  the  Presbytery 
of  Lackawanna   to   organize   a    Presbyterian    church  at 
Monroe   with    Rev.  C.  K.  Canfield  as  pastor.     The  peti- 
tion was   signed   by  thirty  persons,  nearly  all   of  whom 
united  with  the  church.     The  presbytery  met  at  Monroe 
on  the  6th  of  May,  1874,  and  voted  to  organize  the  Bow- 
man's Creek  Presbyterian  Church.     The  following  mem- 
bers  of  the  church  at  North  Moreland   were  enrolled  as 
members  of  the  new  organization:  Amanda  M.    Canfield, 
Samuel  B.  and  Phoebe  Cooke,  James  L.  Crawford,  A.  J. 
Coursen,  Byron  and  Morell  Dimmick,  Edwin    D.,   Henry 
J.  and  Martha  E.  Frear,  Henry  W.  Gross,  William  J.  and 
Ermilla  Hemmelright,  Mary  E.  Jackson,  James  E.  Miners, 
Charles  Victor  Parrish  and  Annette  Wilson.     The  follow- 
ing  were    admitted    on    profession   of  faith:  Alpha   W. 
Cooke,  Mary  D.  and  John  F.  Hilbert,  Almira  J.  and  John 
F.  Parrish,  Oliver  Wilson,  Chandler  Newberry  and  Wil- 
liam Patton.     S.  B.  Cooke,  Byron  Dimmick  and  William 
Ration  were  elected  ruling  elders.     Rev.  C.  K.    Canfield 
was   chosen  pastor.     Rev.    Mr.    Darroch  succeeded  him 
and  was  followed  by  the   Rev.    S.    McElroy,  who  is  still 
the  pastor.     The   Sabbath-school   has    no  scholars.     D. 
H.  Silkworth  is  the  superintendent. 
Cemeteries. 
The  first  burial  was  that  of   Lewis  Warwick,  who  was 
buried   in    the  woods  above  the  residence  of  Mr.  New- 
berry.    The  grave  is  still  distinguishable. 

The  burial  ground  by  the  old  Phoenix  homestead  was 
the  first.  It  was  owned  by  Mr.  Clarke  and  was  deeded 
in  trust  to  Mr.  Orcutt  for  the  use  of  the  township.  The 
first  burial  here  was  that  of  Asahel  Barnes.  Here  also 
lie  the  remains  of  Matthew  Phoenix.  Mrs.  Josiah  New- 
berry was  buried  in  low  ground,  unsuitable  though  in- 
tended for  a  cemetery.  The  next  day  Abigail  Carpenter 
offered  Mr.  Newberry  his  choice  of  ground  on  a  hillside 
belonging  to  her.  He  chose  a  piece  which  was  afterward 
deeded  to  the  township. 


NICHOLSON   TOWNSHIP. 


HE  heavy  pine  forests  and  fertile  valleys  along 
the  Tunkhannock  were  a  popular  field  for 
Philadelphia  real  estate  speculators  at  the 
close  of  the  Revolution,  and,  by  means  of 
the  location  of  soldiers'  warrants  in  large 
tracts,  Meredith,  Clymer,  Cadwalhider,  John  Nich- 
olson (after  whom  this  township  was  named)  and 
others  secured  the  most  valuable  lands  of  northern  Lu- 
zerne countv. 


^h 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  NICHOLSON  TOWNSHIP— VILLAGES. 


523 


The  township  originally  covered  a  large  part  of  the 
present  townships  of  Benton,  Clinton  and  Lemon.  Eli- 
phalet  S.  and  Ebenezer  Stephens  settled  on  the  Tunk- 
hannock  in  1760.  Closely  following  them  were  John 
Steele,  Christopher  Felton,  of  Philadelphia  (who  took  up 
the  farm  now  owned  by  George  W.  Walker),  and  the 
Stark  family,  whose  early  home  was  on  the  western 
boundary  of  the  township.  In  West  Nicholson  Milo 
Oakly  and  the  Squires  family  first  settled,  followed  by 
Shaws  and  Thomas  McCracken.  The  early  settlers  de- 
voted their  attention  largely  to  lumbering  ;  the  pine  being 
sawed  at  mills  in  the  vicinity,  rafted  and  run  down  the 
Tunkhannock  into  and  down  the  Susquehanna  until  a 
market  was  found,  an  adventurous  speculator  occasion- 
ally finding  his  way  to  Baltimore  in  search  of  better 
prices  than  the  $8  or  $10  per  thousand  feet  prevailing  on 
the  Susquehanna. 

A  man  named  Horton,  from  Philadelphia,  about  1809, 
built  a  grist-mill  where  the  Squires  tannery  now  stands. 
Two  large  mills  now  convert  the  grain  grown  into  readily 
salable  flour  and  meal,  and  the  Childs  tannery  furnishes 
a  ready  market  for  hemlock  and  oak  bark. 

The  first  saw-mill  on  the  Tunkhannock  was  erected  by 
the  Stevenses  in  1793.  Soon  after  one  was  built  on 
Fields  brook  by  Horton.  As  in  all  lumbering  countries, 
pay-day  came  only  once  or  twice  a  year,  and  labor  was 
paid  for  in  kind,  store  trade  or  due  bills  payable  after  a 
general  freshet. 

In  early  years  the  land  back  from  the  creek  flats  was 
lightly  valued  until  farmers  coming  from  hill  coun- 
tries developed  the  fertile  plateaux  of  West  Nicholson. 
A  number  of  families  of  that  region  joined  a  colony  of 
Mormons  from  Susquehanna  county,  built  an  ark  near 
Pierceville,  floated  down  the  Tunkhannock,  and  by  way 
of  the  Susquehanna  and  Juniata  rivers  sought  the 
promised  land  toward  the  setting  sun.  Among  them 
were  the  families  of  Hiram  Osterhout,  Erastus  Brown, 
Jacob  Shibley,  Abram  Miller  and  a  man  named  Parks; 
from  this  party  only  one  girl  returned  and  abandoned  the 
creed. 

The  first  merchant,  a  man  named  Robinson,  traded  at 
Roberts  Corners  in  1831.  The  next  was  Nathan  Bacon, 
who  also  kept  the  first  tavern  in  an  old  log  house  at  Ba- 
conville,  as  early  as  1814.  Shortly  after  that  he  built  a 
"timber  house,"  and  in  1837  the  commodious  frame 
house  of  his  grandnephew,  P.  S.  Bacon.  Located  as  it 
was  on  the  main  turnpike,  between  Montrose  aud  Provi- 
dence, "  Bacon's  "  was  a  popular  stopping  place. 

The  M.  E.  church  at  West  Nicholson  was  dedicated  in 
1854.  St.  Patrick's  R.  C.  church  was  built  in  1863, 
Nicholson  M.  E.  church  in  1866,  the  First  Presbyterian 
in  1869  and  the  Universalist  in  1877. 

Political  History. 

The  township  was  formed  from  parts  of  Abington  and 
Tunkhannock,.  and  at  first  comprised  about  double  the 
present  territory.  In  1843,  soon  after  its  organization, 
Clinton  was  taken  off,  and  later  Lemon  and  Ben- 
ton.     A  small  district  was   added   from   Tunkhannock 


in  1844.  About  100  votes  were  cast  in  the  township 
in   1879. 

The  early  town  meetings  were  held  it  Finn's,  a  pioneer 
inn,  now  in  Benton,  and  since  the  change  of  boundary 
lines  they  have  been  held  at  Pierceville.  The  first  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  appointed  by  the  governor,  were 
Caleb  Roberts  and  Nathan  Bacon,  succeeded  in  1840  by 
William  Driggs  and  Christopher  Felton. 

The  population  of  the  township  in  1879  was  1,546; 
1 880,  988. 

Villages. 

West  Nicholson  is  a  hamlet  near  the  county  line, 
seven  miles  from  Nicholson  borough.  A  hotel  was  kept 
here  at  one  time,  by  Ziba  Reynolds,  and  several  stores. 
The  place  now  contains  one  store  and  two  wagon  and 
blacksmith  shops.  The  post-office  was  established  in 
1878.  T.  W.  Riley  is  the  postmaster.  A  Methodist 
church  has  been  in  existence  since  about  1856;  the  pas- 
tor is  Rev.  G.  O.  Beers. 

At  Pierceville  are  blacksmith  and  shoe  shops  and 
the  Pierceville  Hotel.  In  1878  a  mineral  paint  factory 
was  erected  here,  but  it  continued  business  only  two  or 
three  years.  The  place  derives  it  name  from  Franklin 
Pierce,  who  was  President  when  the  post-office  was  es- 
tablished here.  The  office  was  removed  from  Oxbow, 
now  in  Lemon,  which  was  the  first  post-office  in  the 
original  township.  The  first  postmaster  was  Ziba  Rey- 
nolds, proprietor  of  the  Pierceville  House.  A  small 
foundry  was  built  here  in  1838  by  John  Buling,  which 
was  soon  abandoned. 


NICHOLSON  BOROUGH. 


I  HE  earlier  history  of  this  borough  is  identical 
with  that  of  Baconville,  where  the  business 
of  the  place  was  transacted  and  which  as 
late  as  1869  was  marked  on  the  map  as  a 
distinct  settlement,  although  now  included  in  the 
village  limits.  At  this  place  Nathan  Bacon  built 
the  first  hotel  and  the  Nicholson  grist-mill,  and 
afterward  engaged  in  trade,  supplying  the  lumbermen. 
He  was  postmaster  many  years,  ihe  office  being  dis- 
continued when    that   of    Nicholson  was    established    in 

'855- 

After  Bacon  a  man  named  Russel  kept  the  store  till 
1852,  since  which  time  no  store  has  been  kept  in  that 
part  of  the  borough.  The  building  of  the  railroad  gave 
an  impulse  to  the  place.  Dr.  Samuel  Estes,  the  pioneer 
physician  here,  built  the  Union  Hotel.  A  man  named 
Stephens  opened  a  small  grocery  on  the  bank  of  Martin's 
creek,  and  Captain  I.  S.  Little  and  Lemuel  Harding 
opened  the  first  stock  of  general  merchandise  in  the 
building  now  owned  by  L.  G.  Stevens.  The  Pratt 
Brothers  built  a  large  tannery  on  the  site  of  N.  T.  Childs's. 
Nathan    P.  Wilcox  followed   in   the   same  firm.     C.  C. 


=Kh 


f 


"=$1 


524 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMTNG   COUNTY. 


^ 


Birge  and  R.  D.  Newton  came  from  Chenango  county, 
N.  Y.,  and  the  Walkers,  Hallsteds,  Williamses,  Sisks  and 
Blakeslees  from  other  points.  Churches  and  schools, 
handsome  business  blocks  and  good  hotels  sprang  up. 
Dr.  Kstes  has  the  credit  of  building  the  first  hotel  as 
mentioned  above,  the  next  being  a  building  erected  for 
n  restaurant  and  rebuilt  by  Michael  Sisk,  known  as  the 
Sisk  House.  This  hotel  stood  opposite  the  railroad 
di'pot;  it  was  burned  in  1878  and  has  not  been  rebuilt. 
The  next  was  put  up  by  Cyrus  Cooper,  on  Main  street, 
in  1854,  and  was  purchased  in  1867  by  John  Niver,  since 
which  time  it  has  been  known  as  the  Niver  House  and 
krpt  most  of  the  time  by  Mr.  Niver  and  his  sons,the  present 
proprietors.  Another  was  built  north  of  the  depot  and 
kfpt  by  a  man  named  Crofoot  This  building  was  burned 
ill  1879.  The  first  practicing  physician  was  Dr.  Samuel 
Estes.  The  profession  is  now  represented  by  Drs.  H.  N. 
ICelley,  E.  S.  Wheeler  and  Charles  Newton.  The  first 
attorney  was  Thomas  J.  Chase,  now  of  Wilkes-Barre.  S. 
I^.  Tiffany  is  now  practicing  law.  A  weekly  paper  called 
the  Examiner  was  published  by  him  from  187 1  until 
1S77,  when  the  Nkholsoii  Item  was  founded  by  E.  L. 
Day;  it  was  removed  to  Tunkhannock  and  its  name  was 
changed  to  the  Tunkhannock  Standard. 

The  population  of  the  borough  in  1880  was  586. 

Manufacturing  Interests. 

About  i8ig  Ebon  Slater  built  a  saw-mill  at  the  "  rock 
bottom "  on  Martin's  creek,  which  was  replaced  by  a 
grist-mill  built  by  C.  L.  Hallsted.  This  concern,  passing 
into  the  hands  of  Hon.  A.  B.  Walker,  was  improved  and 
operated  by  Walker  Brothers,  now  succeeded  by  N.  L. 
Walker;  it  is  known  as  the  Rock  Bottom  Flouring  Mills. 
The  present  proprietor  has  added  machinery  for  making 
the  patent  new  process  flour,  and  fitted  the  mills  for  a 
general  merchant  and  custom  business  The  Nicholson 
Mill  on  the  Tunkhannock,  a  mile  from  the  railroad  depot, 
was  built  by  Nathan  Bacon  and  is  now  owned  by  J.  J. 
Shook,  who  does  a  large  and  growing  business,  shipping 
large  quantities  of  feed  and  meal. 

The  Childs  Tannery  was  built  in  1854,  by  Pratt  & 
Brother.  It  added  materially  to  the  growth  of  the  vil- 
lage, but  was  burned  in  1867  and  in  1868.  The  property 
was  sold  in  1869  to  Childs  &  Bloomer,  who  rebuilt  the 
tannery  and  operated  it  until  1878,  when  it  was  a  third 
time  burned.  Nial  T.  Childs,  of  EUenville,  N.  Y.,  bought 
the  property,  and  in  1879  rebuilt  on  a  larger  scale  than 
before.  The  capacity  of  the  establishment  is  30,000  sides 
of  sole  leather;  the  quality  made  is  "  Union  crop."  Em- 
ployment is  given  to  about  30  men,  and  several  thousand 
cords  of  bark  are  used  annually,  furnishing  a  ready  mar- 
ket for  the  vicinity. 

A  small  manufactory  of  chairs  and  rakes  was  operated 
by  a  man  named  Stone  for  several  years,  but  it  proved 
unprofitable  and  was  abandoned. 

Corporate  History. 

By  a  charter  granted  August  23d,  1875,  the  borough  of 
Nicholson   was  incorporated,  and   the   following  officers 


were  then  elected:  Burgess,  Wickliff  C.  Williams;  clerk, 
Frank  N.  Boyle;  treasurer,  N.  L.  Walker;  street  commis- 
sioner, Lyman  Bell;  councilmen,  A.  B.  Walker,  P.  Cod- 
dington,  William  Werkeizer,  Solomon  Taylor,  George 
Rought,  L.  Stevens.  At  the  next  three  annual  elections 
G.  S.  Harding  was  elected  burgess.  In  1879  the  officers 
elected  were:  Burgess,  Wickliff  C.  Williams;  clerk,  Frank 
N.  Boyle;  treasurer,  E.  F.  Johnson;  street  commissioner, 
John  Sherman;  councilmen,  0.  L.  Hallsted,  Solomon 
Taylor,  G.  S.  Harding,  C.  C.  Birge,  E.  S.  Bacon  and  N. 
L.  Walker. 

Nicholson  Independent  School. 

This  institution  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  select  school  in- 
stituted by  B.  G.  Stone  in  1859  and  taught  by  him  for 
several  years.  An  independent  district  was  formed  by 
order  of  the  court  in  1865  out  of  the  old  common  school 
district  No.  3.  The  school  directors  leased  a  building 
which  had  been  erected  by  Mr.  Stone,  opposite  the  M.  E. 
church  on  State  street.  In  1870  they  bought  a  building 
being  erected  for  a  sash  and  blind  factory  by  Bacon  & 
Steinbeck,  and,  moving  it  back,  converted  it  into  a  con- 
venient and  spacious  school-house. 

The  first  principal  was  Miss  Mary  Terry;  the  present 
one  is  Prof.  E.  S.  P.  Hine,  a  native  of  Gibson,  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pa.,  and  a  teacher  of  wide  experience  and 
superior  attainments.  He  is  assisted  by  Miss  Maggie 
Dugan  in  the  grammar  department,  and  Misses  Hattie 
Weaver  and  Addie  Knapp  in  the  primary  room;  Misses 
Dugan  and  Weaver  being  residents  of  the  borough,  Miss 
Knapp  from  the  Soldiers'  Orphan  School,  Hartford,  Pa. 
The  first  directors  were  I.  S.  Little,  Lemuel  Harding, 
William  Driggs,  O.  L.  Hallsted,  George  Pratt  and  Nathan 
P.  Wilcox.  The  directors  for  1879  were  D.  C.  Graham 
(president),  S.  L.  Tiffany  (secretary),  F.  D.  Pratt  (treas- 
urer), Solomon  Taylor,  Henry  A.  Smith  and  H.  P.  Wilkins. 

The  regular  attendance  is  about  one  hundred  and 
forty-five.  The  higher  English  branches  are  taught.  The 
school  is  popular  at  home  and  abroad,  and  the  people  of 
Nicholson  have  reason  to  feel  proud  of  it. 

Churches  of  Nicholson. 

Methodist  Episcopal.— KhoM  1830,  in  a  little  log  school- 
house  on  the  site  of  the  present  church,  the  first  Method- 
ist service  in  Nicholson  was  held.  Here  one  of  the  early 
circuit  riders  preached  once  in  four  weeks.  After  a 
season,  however,  the  appointment  was  moved  to  the 
"square-top  school-house,"  a  mile  above  the  present 
church  site,  near  the  old  Nicholson  burying  ground. 
Here  preaching  services  were  held  many  years  under  the 
special  patronage  of  Jesse  Stevens,  who  paid  most  of 
the  preacher's  salary.  The  "square-top"  was  at  this 
time  one  of  the  appointments  on  the  Brooklyn  charge. 
The  place  of  meeting  was  the  school-house  at  the  foot 
of  Roberts  hill,  a  mile  below  the  present  church  site, 
for  about  two  years.  During  this  time  services  were  also 
held  on  Thomas  hill,  about  two  miles  southeast  of  Nich- 
olson. This  condition  of  things  continued  until  1866. 
Rev.  D.  Worrell  then  removed  the  Thomas  hill  appoint- 


*^H- 


4> 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD, 

LEMON,    MESHOPPEN,    NICHOLSON    AND    WASHINGTON    TOWNSHIPS,    MESHOPPEN    AND 

NICHOLSON    BOROUGHS. 


DR.    J.    M.      CAREY, 

whose  portrait  we  present   to  our  readers,   was  born  in 
Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1834.     When   he  was  fourteen 
years   of  age  his   parents   moved   to    North    Moreland, 
Wyoming   county,    Pa.     After    farming  a  few  years  he 
attended  the  Wyoming  Seminary,   at   Kingston,  Luzerne 
county,  for  a  time,  after  which  he  taught  district   school 
until  he  had  accumulated  a  small  sum   of  money,  in  the 
meantime    having  secured  a  knowledge  of  anatomy,  etc., 
under  a  preceptor.     He  graduated  in  medicine  at  Cin- 
cinnati in  1856  and  returned  to  North  Moreland,  where 
he  practiced  until  1862,  when  he  entered  the  Union  army 
as  a  private  and  in  one  year,  for  his   gallantry  and  good 
conduct,  was  promoted   captain  of  his  company  in  the 
i6ist  Pennsylvania  mounted  volunteers — a  thing  remark- 
able in  cavalry  service.     He  was  in  all  of  the  important 
battles  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  except  Spottsylvania 
and  Cold  Harbor,  being  then  in  the  hospital  at  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  having  been  wounded  in  the  Wilderness.     He 
was   actively  engaged  with  his  division   at  Appomattox, 
and  was  afterward  appointed  provost  marshal   of  Camp- 
bell county,  Virginia.     At  Lincoln's  second  inauguration, 
March   4th,    1865,    his    company   presented  him  with  a 
sabre  valued  at  $150,  bearing  this  inscription:  "  Presented 
to   Captain   J.   M.   Carey  by  his  company  as  a  token  of 
their  regard,   March  4th,    '65."     After  the  war   he    en- 
gaged  in  mercantile  business  with   a  brother.     This  he 
followed  for  years,   serving  also  as  justice  of  the  peace. 
Resuming   his   profession    he    removed    to    Meshoppen, 
where  he  has  a  large  practice  and  a  host  of  friends.     He 
has  been  elected  coroner  twice,  but  the  second  time  de- 
clined on  account  of  being  justice  of  the  peace.     He  has 
four  children,  the  oldest  of  whom  is  practicing   medicine 
in  the  same  county. 

O.    H.    LOOMIS. 

Otis  H.  Loomis  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county,  Pa., 
August  20th,  1833.  His  parents  died  when  he  was  quite 
young,  and  in  1850  he  came  to  Meshoppen.  While 
young  he  was  a  teacher.  In  the  spring  of  1855  he  be- 
came a  clerk  in  the  store  of  D.  T.  Sterling,  and  from  No- 
vember, 1859,  was  a  partner  several  years.  He  was  mar- 
ried February  24th,  1866,  to  Rosalia  T.  Lett,  of  Meshop- 
pen. She  died  September  5th,  1872,  and  January  21st, 
1880,  he  married  Elizabeth  S.  McKune,  of  Lagrange.  Be- 
ginning life  penniless  he  has  amassed  an  enviable  compe- 
tence. He  has  been  postmaster  at  Meshoppen— with  the 
exception  of  three  years — since  April,  1861. 

H.    H.    MITCHELL. 

H.  H.  Mitchell  is  a  son  of  Henry  Mitchell.  The  latter 
was  born  in  New  London  county.  Conn.,  in  1792;  mar- 
ried Mary  Ely;  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1815  and  lived 


in  Susquehanna  county  until  1831,  when  he  settled  in 
Lemon.  H.  H.  Mitchell  was  born  in  1815,  and  married, 
in  1837,  Alsina,  daughter  of  Joseph  Marcy.  They  have 
had  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Mitchell 
is  a  practical  bee-keeper.  He  has  been  elected  justice  of 
the  peace  for  seven  terms,  and  during  the  time  had  only 
one  vote  cast  against  him. 

A.    H.    RUSSELL. 

A.  H.  Russell  was  born  in  Washington  township,  near 
Russell  Hill,  January  24th,  1834.  His  father,  Alban 
Russell,  came  from  Connecticut  many  years  ago,  and 
from  him  Russell  Hill  received  its  name.  His  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Catharine  Jayne,  was  a  native  of 
Monroe  county,  Pa.  Neither  is  living.  Mr.  Russell  is  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  and  has   held   several  town  offices. 

WILLIAM    S.    SHAW. 

This  gentleman  was  born  in  what  is  now  Lemon  town- 
ship, December  3d,  1815.  On  the  i6th  of  May,  1850,  he 
married  Lucy  R.  Harvey.  His  second  wife  was  Ellen  A. 
Harvey.  Mr.  Shaw's  business  is  farming,  lumbering  and 
milling.  He  was  seven  years  a  member  of  a  rifle  com- 
pany and  captain  three  years.  He  has  been  postmaster 
at  East  Lemon  eight  years. 

NORMAN    STERLING. 

Norman  Sterling,  son  of  Daniel  Sterling,  was  born  in 
Auburn,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  June  19th,  1836,  and 
was  married  April  7th,  i860,  to  Delphine  L.  Dunmore,  of 
Rush,  Susquehanna  county,  where  she  was  born  March 
24th,  1838.  He  lived  in  Auburn  until  the  spring  of  1876, 
when  he  bought  his  present  farm.  He  has  often  held 
offices  and  is  now  school  director  and  town  auditor. 

HON.    A.    B.    WALKER. 

Hon.  A.  B.  Walker,  deceased,  was  born  in  Cuba,  N.  Y., 
April  30th,  1826,  and  removed  in  boyhood  to  Gibson, 
Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  and  from  there  to  Salem, Wayne 
county,  where  from  a  penniless  clerk  he  rose  to  the  head 
of  a  prosperous  business  house,  and  represented  his  dis- 
trict in  the  Legislature  two  terms.  He  married  Laura  A. 
Hollister,  of  Wayne  county,  and  when  Nicholson  was  laid 
out  went  there  and  embarked  largely  in  trade  and  milling. 
His  reputation  as  a  legislator  followed  him  to  his  new 
home,  and  the  Republican  party  eagerly  sought  the  bene- 
fit of  his  leadership.  An  active,  public  spirited  man,  he 
did  much  to  build  up  the  material  and  social  interests  of 
Nicholson,  and  his  death.  November  30th,  1878,  made  a 
void  in  society  not  easily  filled.  A  portrait  of  Mr.  Walker 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


«^^= 


524^ 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


f 


Marvin  Alden  was  born  in  Meshoppen,  in  1812,  and 
came  to  Washington  in  1827.  He  engaged  quite  exten- 
sively in  the  lumbering  business  in  his  younger  days,  but 
for  many  years  past  has  been  a  farmer.  John  Alden,  his 
son,  was  born  in  Washington,  in  1S50,  and  now  conducts 
the  farm  near  Russell  Hill. 

John  D.  Arnts  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  in 
1834,  and  came  to  Wyoming  county  in  1836.  He  has 
been  a  blacksmith  29  years.  His  shop  is  at  Russell  Hill, 
where  he  resides.  He  has  been  postmaster  and  town- 
ship treasurer,  and  has  held  several  minor  offices. 

Rev.  S.  Jay  Austin  was  born  in  Dunby,  N.  Y.,  in 
1847;  educated  at  Wyoming  Seminary  and  licensed  to 
preach  at  Kingston,  Pa.,  in  1868,  since  which  time  he  has 
occupied  pulpits  at  Hyde  Park,  North  Abington,  Clark's 
Green  and  Roscoe,  and  for  three  years  has  been  pastor 
of  the  Nicholson  M.  E.  church.  Mrs.  Austin  was  Martha 
Long,  of  North  Abington. 

C.  L.  Avery  was  born  in  1827,  and  married  Martha, 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  Parrish,  in  1848.  They  had  eight 
children,  of  whom  five  are  living.  Mr.  Avery  is  a  farmer 
and  was  the  first  settler  on  the  farm  where  he  lives. 

Miles  Avery,  a  native  of  Falls,  was  married  in  1849 
to  Jane,  daughter  of  John  Leonard,  who  died  the  year  of 
her  marriage.  He  afterward  married  Jane  Ann,  daughter 
of  Ziba  Smith,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children,  of  whom 
four  are  living.  She  died  July  5th,  1872.  In  1875  he 
married  Mrs.  Martha  A.  Hallett,  daughter  of  John  Bouse, 
of  Eaton,  by  whom  he  has  two  children. 

E.  L.  Bacon,  son  of  E.  N.  Bacon,  was  born  in  Nichdl- 
son.  His  wife  is  a  native  of  Susquehanna  county.  Mr. 
Bacon  is  an  active,  public  spirited  citizen  and  the  asses- 
sor of  the  borough. 

Benjamin  Bartron  was  born  in  Pike  county,  in  1808, 
and  came  to  Wyoming  county  in  1827.  He  was  a  farmer. 
He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  three  years  and  died 
in  1875.  His  widow,  Mary  Ann  Jayne,  is  a  native  of 
Washington  township  and  lives  on  the  farm  occupied  by 
her  late  husband. 

Marion  D.  Betts,  a  native  of  Susquehanna  county, 
served  in  the  soth  Pennsylvania  volunteer  infantry  at 
Hilton  Head,  Fredericksburg,  Bull  Run  (2nd)  and 
Chancellorsville.  He  married  Delphine  Tanner,  of 
Nicholson.         ' 

William  Blackmar,  son  of  David  Blackmar,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Meshoppen  township,  born  March  isth,  1826. 
He  spent  two  years  at  brickmaking  in  Wilkes-Barre,  then 
worked  on  portions  of  the  Washington  railroad  and  North 
Branch  Canal  as  overseer  and  superintendent.  He  was 
married  February  14th,  1854,  to  Emeline  Hankinson,  of 
Meshoppen.  In  1858  he  bought  his  present  farm.  He 
has  often  been  elected  to  positions  ol  trust  and  respon- 
sibility. 

Frank  N.  Boyle,  born  in  Lanesboro,  Pa.,  in  1847, 
married  Jane  A.,  daughter  of  Solomon  Taylor,  of  Nichol- 
son, October  28th,  1869.  He  is  a  grandson  of  Judge 
Boyle,  of  Susquehanna  county.  He  has  served  as  bor- 
ough clerk  several  years.  In  1870  he  commenced  mer- 
cantile business  in  Nicholson  as  a  partner  in  the  firm  of 
Wilkins  &  Boyle.  Since  1877  he  has  carried  on  business 
alone. 

Charles  P.  Buck  was  born  in  Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  and 
is  a  son  of  Rev.  Charles  D.  Buck.  He  came  to  Nichol- 
son in  November,  1879,  entering  into  partnership  with 
R.  D.  Newton,  under  the  firm  name  of  Newton  &  Buck. 

Thaddeus   F.  Bullard   was   born    in    Susquehanna 


county.  Pa.,  March  24th,  1824;  learned  the  cooper's 
trade,  and  came  to  Meshoppen  in  January,  1844.  He 
was  married  to  Editha  Pneuman,  of  Susquehanna  county, 
February  i8th,  1846,  soon  after  which  he  located  on  his 
present  farm.  He  was  enrolled  for  three  years  in  Com- 
pany B  52nd  Pennsylvania  infantry,  September  22nd, 
1862,  but  was  honorably  discharged  for  disability  De- 
cember 23d,  1862.  Drafted  December  9th,  1864,  he 
furnished  a  substitute.  He  has  always  carried  on  cooper- 
ing, in  connection  with  farming.  He  also  raises  bees  and 
sells  honey.  He  has  served  five  years  as  justice  of  the 
peace. 

Aaron  Bunnell  is  a  native  of  Washington  township, 
and  was  born  January  30th,  1828.  His  parents  were 
among  the  first  settlers  of  the  township.  He  has  been  a 
farmer  most  of  his  life.  He  served  as  lieutenant  in  Com- 
pany H  141st  regiment  in  the  late  war,  and  has  also  held 
several  town  offices  at  different  times. 

Nelson  G.  Bunnell  is  a  native  of  Washington  town- 
ship, having  been  born  there   January    19th,    1846.     His  _ 
parents  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  the  township. 

Benjamin  Bunnell,  whose  father's  name  was  also 
Benjamin,  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa.,  March  31st, 
1813,  and  came  to  Wyoming  county  with  his  parents  in 
1828,  the  family  locating  on  "  the  Neck,"  in  Washington 
township.  He  was  married  September  30th,  1834,  to 
Margaret  Sterling,  a  native  of  Meshoppen,  born  August 
22nd,  1815.  He  has  always  followed  farming,  and  bought 
his  present  farm  in  1849.  He  has  been  a  Metliodist  since 
1832,  class  leader  nearly  thirty  years,  and  steward  about 
as  long. 

Henry  C.  Bunnell,  son  of  John  Bunnell,  was  born 
in  Meshoppen,  May  20th,  1843,  and  has  always  lived  here. 
He  was  married  February  6th,  1866,  to  Lydia  Martha, 
daughter  of  William  Overfield,  of  Auburn,  Susquehanna 
county.  He  is  an  active  politician,  and  has  held  posi- 
tions of  trust  and  responsibility.     He  is  a  farmer. 

John  Bunnell,  of  "Bunnell  Hill,"  is  a  son  of  Solo- 
mon Bunnell.  He  was  born  May  20th,  1816,  and  has 
spent  nearly  his  entire  life  on  the  old  homestead.  He  was 
married  May  9th,  1836,  to  Laura  M.  Whitcomb,  also  a 
native  of  Meshoppen,  born  March  6th,  1819. 

Philo  M.  Burr  was  born  in  Middletown,  Susque- 
hanna county.  Pa.,  September  nth,  1837,  and  moved  to 
Meshoppen  borough  in  i860.  September  20th,  1861,  he 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  B  S2nd  Pa.  volunteer 
infantry;  was  promoted  ist  sergeant  November  ist,  1862, 
second  lieutenant  January  9th,  1864,  and  commissioned 
captain  of  Company  C  in  July,  1865.  He  was  wounded 
at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  and  discharged  July  12th,  1865.  He 
was  then  a  harness  maker  until  1869,  since  which  time 
he  has  been  a  telegraph  operator  for  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  Company.  He  is  also  express  agent  at  Me- 
shoppen. 

Reed  B.  Camp,  watchmaker  and  jeweler,  established 
himself  in  the  jewelry  business  at  Meshoppen  in  1876. 
He  was  born  in  Pike,  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  March  ist, 
1840,  and  was  married  to  Catharine  L.  Earl,  of  Lemon, 
Wyoming  county,  September  nth,  1864. 

Daniel  Carney,  son  of  John  Carney,  was  born  in 
Washington,  in  1824.  His  father  was  born  in  1782,  and 
came  to  Wasliington  when  only  six  years  old.  Daniel 
has  been  a  farmer  many  years.  He  has  held  the  office 
of  assessor  for  a  number  of  terms,  and  several '  minor 
offices. 

George  W.  Carney  was  born  in  Exeter,  Wyoming 
county,  in  i8n.     He  came  to  Washington   in    1817,  and 


4 


nh 


^1* 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


524  C 


4"= 


was  engaged  principally  in  the  farming  business  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1876. 

J.  M.  Carney  is  a  native  of  Washington,  having  been 
born  on  Carney  flats,  June  28th,  181 7.  He  is  a  farmer 
and  has  held  several  town  offices. 

W.  L.  Carney  is  an  old  resident  of  Washington  town- 
ship, having  lived  there  since  1815.  He  was  born  in 
Mehoopany,  in  181 1,  and  lives  on  Carney  flats. 

Martin  Carpenter  was  born  in  1839.  In  1866  he 
married  Aurora,  daughter  of  Samuel  Shaw,  of  Nichol- 
son, and  they  have  one  child.  He  has  a  farm  of  ninety 
acres. 

George  W.  Childs,  proprietor  of  the  Acme  tannery 
at  Jenningsville,  is  the  son  of  the  Hon.  N.  T.  Childs, 
and  the  manager  of  his  extensive  business  at  this  place. 
He  is  a  native  of  Ellenville,  N.  Y.,  and  married  Miss 
Florice  Moore,  of  Wurtsboro,  N.  Y. 

A.  A.  Church  was  born  in  Kingston,  Luzerne  county, 
in  1818,  and  marrried  Fanny,  daughter  of  Pierce  Smith, 
in  1840.  They  have  four  children.  He  came  to  Lemon 
in  187 1,  and  is  the  proprietor  of  the  Lemon  grist-mill 
and  a  successful  farmer.  Before  the  days  of  railroads  he 
used  to  cart  coal  from  Wilkes-Barre  to  Binghamton. 

Daniel  H.  Cole,  son  of  David  Cole,  was  born  in  Me- 
shoppen,  August  13th,  1832,  and  was  married  to  Sarah 
M.  Shannon,  of  Auburn,  Susquehanna  county,  December 
3d,  1853.  He  then  lived  in  Auburn  township  until  the 
fall  of  1857,  when  he  bought  his  present  farm. 

David  Cole  was  born  in  New  York  State,  October 
i2th,  1807,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Mehoopany  in 
i8io.  At  five  years  of  age  he  was  "  bound  "  to  Nicholas 
Overfield,  of  Meshoppen,  remaining  with  him  until 
twenty-one.  He  was  married  December  20th,  1828,  to 
Margaret  Van  Nosdell,  of  Mehoopany.  In  the  spring  of 
1830  he  located  on  his  present  farm.  He  has  been  a 
resident  of  Meshoppen  longer  than  any  other  person 
living. 

Rev.  Henry  J.  Crane,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
church,  Nichokon,was  born  in  Middletown,  N.Y.;  gradu- 
ated at  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York  and 
Union  Theological  Seminary;  was  ordained  September 
18th,  1863;  preached  in  Bradford  county  eight  years,  in 
Hunter,  Greene 'county,  N.  Y.,  and  Gibson,  Pa.,  and  has 
been  stationed  in  Nicholson  since  1S77.  He  married 
Miss  Lottie  Morgan,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  He  has  twice 
represented  his  Presbytery  in  the  General  Assembly  of 
North  America. 

Samuel  Cress  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  in  1824, 
and  in  1853  married  Henrietta,  daughter  of  J.  L.  Meeker, 
of  Tunkhannock.  They  have  one  son.  Mr.  Cress  has 
been  a  merchant  and  mine  superintendent  and  is  now  a 
farmer. 

Jacob  Detrick  was  born  in  Northumberland  county. 
Pa.,  December  6th,  1809,  and  removed  to  Monroe  county 
with  his  parents  in  1823,  where  he  was  married  to  Mar- 
garet Rowe,  April  13th,  1833.  He  caTie  to  Meshoppen 
in  1836,  and  in  1842  to  his  present  farm,  which  was  then 
in  its  natural  state.  His  first  wife  died  March  28th,  1852. 
May  29th,  1855,  he  married  Mrs.  Abirah  Wilcox,  of  Sus- 
quehanna county. 

William  Donlin  was  born  May  13th,  1837,  in  Au- 
burn, Susquehanna  county,  and  married  Elizabeth  Riley, 
of  Auburn,  December  nth,  1868.  He  farmed  the  old 
homestead  until  the  spring  of  1878,  when  he  removed  to 
Meshoppen. 


Henry  M.  Dunlap,  farmer,  is  a  native  and  lifelong 
resident  of  Meshoppen  township,  born  October  ist,  1835. 
He  served  nearly  two  years  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
enlisting  March  7th,  1864,  in  Company  B  2nd  Pa.  heavy 
artillery,  and  was  honorably  discharged  January  29th, 
1866.  He  was  married  November  7th,  1869,  to  Sarah 
E.  Safford,  a  native  of  Meshoppen.  He  located  on  his 
present  farm  in  the  spring  of  1875. 

William  H.  Durkee,  son  of  Joseph  Durkee,  was  born 
in  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  February  8th,  1847.  From  early 
life  he  was  a  compositor  most  of  the  time  until  i86g, 
when  he  came  to  Meshoppen  and  began  work  as  a  tin- 
smith. In  1877  he  purchased  the  hardware  stock  of  S. 
A.  Sturdevant,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in 
the  hardware  business  at  Meshoppen.  He  was  married 
August  5th,  1879,  to  Maggie,  daughter  of  William  Black- 
mar,  of  Meshoppen. 

Thomas  Ellsworth,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  Washing- 
ton township,  and  born  July  26th,  1835. 

E.  W.  Farrar  has  been  proprietor  of  the  Nicholson 
Market  since  1875.  He  is  a  native  of  Harford,  Pa., 
and  married  Miss  Ettie  S.  Hine,  of  that  town.  May  loth, 
1877. 

Samuel  M.  Gay  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  December 
9th,  1846,  and  came  to  Meshoppen  with  his  parents  in 
1861.  After  reaching  his  majority  he  spent  several 
years  as  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store.  From  1873  he  was 
in  trade  at  Meshoppen  five  years.  In  September,  1879, 
he  commenced  the  furniture  business,  which  he  still  fol- 
lows. He  was  married  December  24th,  1879,  to  Lizzie 
A.  Mowry,  of  Meshoppen. 

Thomas  Gill,  born  in  Ireland,  February  12th,  1805, 
came  to  this  country  in  1833,  and  for  the  first  few  years 
was  employed  on  public  works.  He  was  married  in  New 
York  State  in  October,  1835,  to  Bridget  Colgan.  In 
1840  he  located  at  Black  Walnut  and  in  1846  settled  on 
his  present  farm. 

Thomas  Gill,  jr.,  only  child  of  Thomas  Gill,  was  born 
in  Wyalusing,  Bradford  county,  February  4th,  1838,  and 
came  to  Meshoppen  with  his  parents  in  1846.  He  was 
married  October  7th,  1861,  to  Catharine  Thayne,  of  Au- 
burn.    He  has  always  lived  on  his  present  farm. 

Charles  F.  Hahn  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  November 
19th,  1850.  In  early  manhood  he  was  engaged  a  portion 
of  the  time  in  teaching.  July  23d,  1874,  he  married 
Sarah  E.  Jayne,  of  Meshoppen,  and  in  the  spring  of  1876 
he  located  on  his  present  farm  of  180  acres  in  Meshop- 
pen. He  has  two  children^ — -Mary  E.,  born  December 
29th,  1875,  and  Margaret  E.,  born  May  30th,  1879. 

Denis  J.  Harley,  of  Harley  Brothers,  tanners  and 
curriers  at  Meshoppen,  was  born  in  Ireland,  May  7th, 
1844,  where  he  learned  his  present  trade.  He  came  to 
New  York  in  1859,  to  Wyoming,  Luzerne  county,  in  1864, 
and  to  Meshoppen  in  1867. 

Patrick  D.  Harley  was  born  in  Ireland,  August  4th, 
1850,  and  came  to  New  York  city  in  1868,  and  to  Meshop- 
pen in  1869,  where  he  has  since  been  a  tanner.  He  was 
married  in  October,  1876,  to  Margaret  Campbell,  of 
Laceyville.  He  is  a  school  director  of  Meshoppen  bor- 
ough. 

Porter  S.  V.  Hine,  the  principal  of  the  Nicholson 
independent  school,  was  born  in  Gibson,  Pa.  He  is  a 
teacher  of  great  experience  and  success.  In  twenty-five 
years  of  teaching  he  has  had  charge  of  three  thousand 
students  and  only  been  compelled  to  expel  six  of  that 
number,  three  of  whom  died  in  State  prisons. 


•f 


524  z? 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


* 


S.  H.  HiNE  was  born  in  Woodbridge,  Conn.,  in  1807, 
and  in  1828  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Grover  Ball. 
They  have  three  children  living.  Mr.  Hine  was  formerly 
postmaster  at  Lemon,  and  was  the  first  settler  on  his 
farm,  which  he  has  cleared  up  by  his  own  labor. 

Benjamin  G.  Hull  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  N.  J., 
October  isth,  1836,  and  came  to  Mehoopany  with  his 
parents  in  1841,  thence  to  Meshoppen  in  1846.  Since 
1853  he  has  been  blacksmithing  at  Meshoppen.  He  was 
married  September  ist,  1858,  to  Almeda  E.  Fassett,  of 
Forkston,  Pa. 

B.  D.  Jaques  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in 
1815,  and  married  in  1839  to  Julia  A.,  daughter  of  John 
Corwin,  of  that  county.  He  has  four  children  living. 
Two  of  his  sons  were  soldiers  in  the  war  for  the  Union. 

Jerome  D.  Jayne,  treasurer  of  Nicholson  township  in 
1879,  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  William  Cobb,  of  Clin- 
ton, and  has  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  He  is  a 
farmer,  and  has  served  as  school  director. 

E.  F.  Johnson,  son  of  William  W.  Johnson,  is  a  native 
of  Susquehanna  county.  He  married  Hattie  M.,  daughter 
of  Solomon  Taylor.  They  have  one  child.  Mr.  Johnson 
is  the  treasurer  of  Nicholson,  secretary  of  Nicholson 
Lodge  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  and  connected  with  the  M.  E. 
church. 

James  H.  Kelly,  born  in  Tunkhannock  in  1829,  mar- 
ried in  1857  Sarah  M..  daughter  of  Halstead  Stark.  She 
died  in  1869,  and  during  that  year  he  married  Kate  A. 
Garrison.  He  has  four  children.  He  has  resided  in 
Lemon  since  1859. 

John  F.  King,  miller,  was  born  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa., 
August  31st,  1849,  where  he  learned  the  miller's  trade, 
and  remained  until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Falls  town- 
ship, Wyoming  county;  thence  to  Meshoppen  in  1879. 
He  was  married  May  14th,  1873,  to  Rose  Ellen  Depew, 
of  Falls. 

E.  D.  KiNTNER  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  August  i6th, 
1852,  and  came  to  Washington  in  1875.  He  is  a  farmer 
by  occupation. 

Julius  A.  Kintner  was  born  in  Warren  county,  N.  J., 
June  22nd,  1849.  In  the  spring  of  1854  his  parents  re- 
moved to  Mehoopany;  thence  to  Meshoppen  in  1857. 
He  was  married  June  4th,  1868,  to  Eliza  Vose,  of  Me- 
shoppen, and  has  since  lived  at  Meshoppen  borough.  He 
is  a  miller  and  the  present  proprietor  of  the  chop  mill  at 
Meshoppen. 

William  Langley  was  born  in  Oxfordshire,  England, 
in  1802;  came  to  America  in  1834  and  in  1844  married 
Mrs.  Ellen  Dayton,  daughter  of  Leonard  Conway,  by 
whom  he  has  four  children.  He  is  a  farmer  and  manu- 
facturer. 

Levi  Levy  was  born  in  Russia,  in  1853,  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1869,  and  after  several  years'  residence  in  Syracuse 
and  Elmira  settled  in  Nicholson  in  1872  in  the  jewelry, 
watch  and  silverware  business.  He  has  a  large  trade  in 
this  and  adjacent  counties,  and  a  reputation  for  honesty 
and  fair  dealing.  His  brother  Nathan,  born  in  Russia  in 
March,  1858,  came  to  Nicholson  in  1878,  where  he  is  also 
in  the  jewelry  business. 

A.  J.  Lewis  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  Pa.,  in  183 1.  His 
parents  were  from  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1863  to  Harriet  M.  Reynolds,  of  Benton.  They 
have  one  child  living.  Mr.  Lewis  was  a  musician  in  the 
Union  army. 


Captain  I.  S.  Little,  general  insurance  agent,  is  a 
native  of  Middletown,  N.  Y.  He  came  to  Nicholson  in 
1855  and  was  one  of  its  first  merchants.  He  married 
Georgie,  daughter  of  Jasper  Stephens,  of  Nicholson.  He 
served  as  Captain  of  Company  K  143d  Pennsylvania 
volunteers,  has  been  county  auditor  and  was  postmaster 
from  1869  to  1872. 

Frederick  Main,  a  native  of  Greene  county,  N.  Y., 
was  born  in  1807,  and  married  in  1849  to  Mary  B., 
daughter  of  Joseph  Camp,  of  Connecticut.  Mr.  Main 
was  a  clothier  and  owned  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  acres.     He  died  July  nth,  1861. 

EzEKiEL  Mead,  born  in  Middletown,  Delaware  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1822,  came  to  Lemon  in  infancy  and  was  mar- 
ried in  1841  to  Lydia  Carey,  of  Tunkhannock.  Seven  of 
their  eight  children  are  living.  Mr.  Mead  is  a  farmer 
and  lumberman  and  made  the  first  clearing  on   his  farm. 

Elias  J.  MowRY,  son  of  Ezekiel  Mowry,  was  born  in 
Meshoppen  borough,  August  5th,  1826,  and  married  to 
Christianna  Kintner,  of  Washington  township,  October 
i8th,  1847.  From  the  spring  of  1848  hre  was  farming  in 
Auburn,  Susquehanna  county  until  the  fall  of  1864, 
when  he  located  on  a  portion  of  the  homestead  in  Mes- 
hoppen. Here  he  soon  built  a  saw-mill  and  was  for  many 
years  engaged  in  lumbering.  Since  July,  1875,  he  has 
been  the  Lehigh  Valley  freight  and  ticket  agent  at  Mes- 
hoppen. He  has  served  as  school  director  nearly  thirty 
years. 

William  F.  Mowry,  son  of  Ezekiel  Mowry,  was  born 
in  Meshoppen,  August  24th,  1831.  In  the  fall  of  1852 
he  removed  to  Susquehanna  county,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1856  to  his  present  farm.  He  was  married  October  13th, 
1855,  to  Harriet  O.  Cole,  a  native  of  Meshoppen.  He 
has  been  assessor  of  Meshoppen  for  the  past  six  years. 

R.  D.  Newton,  postmaster  and  merchant,  was  born  in 
Otsego  county,  N.  Y.  He  came  to  Nicholson  in  1864, 
where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  mercantile  business. 
Mrs.  Newton  was  Harriet  N.,  daughter  of  C.  C.  Birge. 
Both  are  prominently  identified  with  the  Presbyterian 
church. 

John  Niver  was  born  in  Tompkins  county,  N.  Y.,  May 
7th,  1816,  and  married  Lettie  M.,  daughter  of  Andrew 
Gardiner,  of  Nicholson.  He  became  proprietor  of  the 
hotel  called  by  his  name  in  1867,  and  died  January  30th, 
1875,  leaving  two  sons,  who  succeeded  him  in  business. 

Benjamin  Overfield,  second  son  of  Paul  Overfield, 
has  always  lived  on  and  worked  the  homestead,  where  he 
was  born  March  28th,  1822.  He  has  followed  threshing 
for  twenty-five  seasons,  and  spent  five  years  on  public 
works.  Since  1858  he  has  been  making  cider  extensively. 
He  was  married  March  2nd,  1847,  to  Lois  A.  Camp,  of 
Bradford  county.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  terra  as 
overseer  of  the  poor. 

William  Overfield,  oldest  son  of  Paul  Overfield,  was 
born  in  Meshoppen,  October  loth,  1813,  and  lived  on 
the  old  homestead  during  his  minority.  He  was  married 
February  2Sth,  1836,  to  Anna  Bunnell,  of  Washington, 
and  in  June  following  he  located  in  Auburn, Susquehanna 
county,  on  an  entirely  new  farm,  cutting  his  own  road  for 
nearly  three  miles.  Here  he  cleared  his  present  valuable 
farm.  His  wife  died  March  nth,  1854,  leaving  six 
children.  November  i6th,  1854,  he  married  Minerva 
H.  Keeney,  a  native  of  Windham  township,  born  July 
14th,  1813. 

Charles  Place  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa.,  in 
1822,  and   has   lived   in   Washington    about    forty-seven 


=4* 


^h 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL   RECORD. 


524^ 


years.  His  farm  is  situated  near  the  line  of  the  Lehigh 
Valley  Railroad  and  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  scene- 
ry along  the  river. 

Andrew  J.  Pneuman,  son  of  John  Pneuman,  was  born 
in  Auburn,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.,  April  19th,  1824, 
where  he  remained  most  of  the  time  until  i860,  when  he 
sold  his  homeptead  and  removed  to  Rush,  and  thence  in 
1870  to  his  present  farm.  He  was  married  May  8th, 
185 1,  to  Fanny  Bullard,  a  native  of  Susquehanna  county. 

William  H.  Pneuman,  son  of  John  Pneuman,  was 
born  in  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  April  19th,  1829,  but 
has  lived  in  Meshoppen  most  of  his  life,  milling  and  lum- 
bering. 

Francis  D.  Pratt,  a  nephew  of  the  famous  Colonel 
Zadoc  Pratt,  was  born  in  Jewett,  Greene  county,  N.  Y. 
He  married  Eliza  B.  Bristol,  of  North  Blenheim,  N.  Y., 
and  has  three  children:  Lily  A.,  born  December  26th, 
1863;  Ogden  D.,  December  5th,  1866,  and  Frankie  E.. 
January  nth,  187 1.  Mr.  Pratt  was  for  years  engaged  in 
the  tanning  business  here,  and  is  now  a  hardware  mer- 
chant. 

John  Quinn  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York  about 
830;  removed  to  Luzerne  county  about  1838,  and  thence 
to  Meshoppen  two  years  later.  He  worked  by  the  month 
until  he  accumulated  means  to  buy  his  present  farm,  in 
1861.  He  was  married  May  i8th,i862,to  Ann  Riley,of  Au- 
burn. He  has  amassed  a  fine  property,  owning  besides 
his  home  farm  three  others  in  the  vicinity. 

Jerome  Remington,  farmer,  has  always  resided  in 
Washington,  where  he  was  born  in  1826.  His  father, 
George  Remington,  born  in  1795,  came  to  Wyoming 
county  from  Rhode  Island  in  1813.  He  walked  from 
Rhode  Island  to  Tunkhannock  in  about  three  weeks,  en- 
countering great  obstacles  in  his  journey  by  numerous 
snow  storms,  but  at  last  reached  his  destination.  He 
has  held  several  township  offices. 

C.  H.  RiKER  came  from  Scott,  Luzerne  county,  to 
Nicholson  twenty-four  years  ago.  He  married  Auretta 
Oakley.  He  served  in  the  171st  Pa.  volunteers  in  the 
civil  war.  He  is  a  farmer  and  has  been  collector  and 
township  treasurer,  and  a  school  director  for  twelve 
years. 

Theodore  H.  Riley  was  born  in  Montrose,  Pa.,  and 
has  been  in  trade  at  West  Nicholson  since  1877.  He  was 
formerly  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Riley  &  Johnson,  of 
Scranton. 

David  Shepard  Roberts,  son  of  Rev.  Eli  F.  Roberts, 
was  born  in  Springville,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.,  Aug- 
ust 31st,  1852.  In  1866  his  father  engaged  in  trade  at 
Meshoppen  with  young  Roberts  as  clerk.  He  was  a  dry 
goods  clerk  five  years  in  Pittston.  In  1874  he  embarked 
in  trade  at  Meshoppen  in  company  with  S.  M.  Gay.  In 
two  years  he  became  sole  proprietor,  which  he  has  since 
been.  He  was  married  May  30th,  1877,  to  Emma  M. 
Jayne,  of  Meshoppen.  He  is  a  member  of  the  borough 
council. 

Jared  Robinson  was  born  in  Forkston,  August  13th, 
1825,  and  came  to  Washingten  in  1834,  where  he  has 
since  resided,  and  has  been  for  many  years  a  farmer. 

Matthew  R.  Robling,  born  in  Germany,  came  to 
America  when  an  infant.  He  carried  on  the  jewelry  bus- 
iness in  Scranton  previous  to  1878,  when  he  established 
himself  in  Nicholson.  He  married  Miss  Carrie  Riden- 
boch,  of  Scranton. 

Charles  Russell,  farmer,  a  native  of  Washington 
township,  was   born   in    1821.     His   parents,  who  were 


among  the  first  settlers  of  the  township,  came  from  Con- 
necticut at  an  early  day. 

Landus  B.  Safford  has  always  lived  in  Meshoppen 
township,  where  he  was  born  December  23d,  1848.  His 
father,  Laban  L.  Safford,  was  born  in  Sufquehanna 
county,  February  9th,  1820,  and  lived  in  the  northwest 
part  of  Meshoppen  from  1845  until  his  death,  June  7th, 
1855.  Landus  B.  was  married  September  18th,  1872. 
In  February,  1873,  he  went  to  Nebraska  to  locate,  but 
the  death  of  his  wife,  March  25th,  1873,  caused  him  to 
return.  December  25th,  1875,  he  married  Angeline  E. 
Cole,  who  died  December  14th,  1876.  He  was  married 
to  his  present  wife.  Miss  Cassie  E.  Cole,  July  7th,  1877. 
He  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  since  the  fall  of  1878. 

Cyrus  Shaw,  born  in  1824,  was  married  in  1854  to 
Lydia,  daughter  of  Samuel  Billings,  of  Tunkhannock. 
They  have  had  five  children,  one  of  whom  was  drowned 
when  eight  years  old.  Mr.  Shaw  is  a  steward  of  the  M. 
E.  church  and  a  prominent  Granger. 

Dana  Shaw,  son  of  Daniel  Shaw  who  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  West  Nicholson,  married  Eva  Shaw,  of 
Lemon  township.  He  is  one  of  a  numerous  family,  most 
of  whom  reside  within  a  few  miles  of  the  old  homestead 
farm,  of  which  Mr.  Shaw  has  charge. 

Thomas  J.  Sherwood,  proprietor  of  the  Chappaqua 
planing  mills  and  toy  factory  at  Meshoppen,  was  born  at 
Chappaqua,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  March  16th, 
1816,  and  removed  to  Auburn  in  1833.  In  1838  and  1839 
he  was  foreman  and  inspector  on  the  Croton  water  works, 
New  York.  He  was  married  January  23d,  1840,  to  Eliza 
A.  Guile,  of  Auburn.  He  worked  principally  as  a  mill- 
wright and  carpenter  until  1880,  when  he  located  at 
Meshoppen  and  soon  after  built  the  mill  which  he  has 
since  operated.  His  wife  died  August  3d,  1857,  leaving 
three  children.  December  25th,  1858,  he  married  Abbie 
Van  Nosdell,  of  Meshoppen.  He  is  now  serving  his 
second  term  as  justice  of  the  peace  of  Meshoppen. 

John  J.  Shook,  the  proprietor  of  the  Nicholson  flour- 
ing mill,  was  born  in  Plainfield,  Northampton  county,  and 
married  Ruth  Corry,  of  Abington,  Lackawanna  county. 
Pa. 

William  M.  Sine  was  born  in  Warren  county,  N.  J., 
October  17th,  1820.  In  the  spring  of  1822  his  parents 
removed  to  Kingston,  Luzerne  county.  Pa.;  thence  to 
Scranton  in  1838.  His  father  was  and  the  son  has  al- 
ways been  a  miller.  He  married  Phebe,  daughter  of 
Stephen  Lott,  an  early  settler  in  Meshoppen.  In  1848  he 
came  to  Meshoppen  borough,  and  in  1874  became  a  part- 
ner in  the  large  flouring  mill  of  Sterling  &  Sine,  in  which 
he  has  been  employed  over  twenty-one  years. 

A.  A.  Smith,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  came  to  Nich- 
olson when  a  child.  He  married  Emily  Gardiner,  of 
Springville,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.  They  have  had 
four  children:  Leslie  Eugene,  born  April  25th,  1866; 
Byron  J.,  October  29th,  1868;  Myrtie  A.,  September  2nd, 
1872,  and  Clara  B.,  March  3d,  1874  (died  June  isth, 
1878).  Mr.  Smith  served  in  Company  K  143d  Pa. volun- 
teers, during  the  civil  war. 

H.  A.  Smith,  a  native  of  Benton  township,  is  one  of 
the  best  known  of  Nicholson's  earlier  business  men,  and 
is  now  a  special  agent  for  the  Equitable  Life  Assurance 
Society  of  New  York,  with  a  large  and  important  field 
in  which  to  operate. 

Lizzie  V.  Smith,  born  in  Tunkhannock,  deserves 
especial  mention  as  a  direct  descendant  of  one  of  the 
sufferers  by  the  Wyoming  massacre.  Her  grandfather, 
Jonathan  Smith,  was  captured  by  the  Indians  when  a  lad 


f^h 


SH-P 


HISTORY   OF   WYOMING   COUNTY. 


of  nine  years,  claimed  by  a  squaw  as  her  son,  and  lived 
with  them  in  the  Niagara  country  for  four  years,  when 
he  was  rescued  by  a  British  officer  by  means  of  a  strata- 
gem, and  after  remaining  with  his  rescuer  for  two  years 
found  his  way  back  to  Hanover,  Pa.,  to  which  place  his 
parents  had  returned  after  the  massacre.  There  he  after- 
ward led  a  quiet,  uneventful  life,  removing  in  his  old  age 
to  the  Narrows,  near  Tunkhannock. 

Nathan  Stark  was  born  in  1832,  and  married  in 
1855  to  Oliva,  daughter  of  Erastus  Sheffield,  of  Chenan- 
go county,  N.  Y.  They  had  five  children,  two  of  whom 
only  are  living. 

Wesley  Stark,  jury  commissioner,  was  born  in  Nich- 
olson. He  served  in  Company  B  132nd  Pa,  volunteer 
infantry  at  Antietam,  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellors- 
ville.  He  was  married  August  27th,  1863,  to  Sarah  J. 
Brown,  of  Lemon  township,  and  has  three  daughters. 
He  was  appointed  jury  commissioner  to  fill  a  vacancy, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  term  was  elected  to  the  same 
position. 

Hon.  a.  W.  Stephens,  born  in  Nicholson,  July  17th, 
1844,  is  a  director  and  vice-president  of  the  agricultural 
society.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Orville  Tiffany.  In 
1878  he  was  elected  representative  to  the  Legislature  for 
two  years.  In  the  sessions  of  1878  and  1879  he  opposed 
the  riot  bill  and  voted  for  the  expulsion  of  members 
charged  with  bribery,  regardless  of  party  ties. 

Edwin  Stephens,  formerly  sheriff  of  Wyoming  county, 
is  now  living  in  hale  old  age  on  his  pleasant  farm,  re- 
newing occasionally  his  acquaintance  with  the  chase  by  a 
week  of  camping  on  Dutch  Mountain  in  the  deer  season. 

Joseph  Stephens,  for  many  years  the  postmaster  at 
Pierceville,  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  Eliphalet  S.  Steph- 
ens, the  first  settler  in  Nicholson.  Mr.  Stephens  was  for 
many  years  a  lumberman,  and  is  now  a  substantial 
farmer.  His  son,  F.  P.  Stephens,  who  resides  with  him, 
is  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Nicholson  and  the  township 
clerk. 

Calvin  Sterling,  second  son  of  John  Sterling,  was 
born  in  Meshoppen  township,  February  12th,  1819.  He 
followed  farming  until  after  his  marriage,  May  4th,  1844, 
to  Hannah  M.  Bond,  a  native  of  Monroe  county.  Pa. 
He  was  then  a  miller  many  years.  In  185 1  he  removed 
to  Meshoppen  borough,  and  about  1864  located  on  his 
present  farm. 

Daniel  T.  Sterling,  son  of  Daniel  Sterling,  was  born 
at  Black  Walnut,  February  20th,  1815.  His  father  was 
an  extensive  lumber  manufacturer  and  dealer,  and  early 
erected  mills  at  Meshoppen  village,  which  were  princi- 
pally under  the  management  of  young  Daniel  T.  He 
was  married  to  Susan  A.  Loomis,  September  23d,  1841, 
and  has  since  lived  at  Meshoppen  borough.  He  has 
been  the  leading  merchant  of  the  town  since  1843,  ^nd 
has  been  successfully  engaged  in  lumbering,  farming, 
flouring  and  grain  dealing. 

John  G.  Sterling,  son  of  John  Sterling,  was  born  in 
Meshoppen  township,  January  28th,  1823,  and  was  mar- 
ried November  5th,  1846,  to  Betsey  Osborn,  of  Auburn, 
soon  after  which  he  located  on  a  farm  in  Auburn.  In 
1868  he  bought  and  occupied  the  Nicholas  Overfield 
farm.  In  1874  he  sold  this  and  removed  to  Meshoppen 
borough,  where  he  is  engaged  in  farming,  stock  dealing 
and  the  undertaker's  business. 

J.  Monroe  Stilwell  was  born  in  Susquehanna 
county,  Pa.,  March  25th,  1849,  and  came  to  Meshoppen 
in  1870.  He  is  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  has  worked 
at  his  trade  in  many  parts  of  the  country. 


Stephen  A.  Sturdevant,  son  of  Peter  B.,  was  born 
at  Skinner's  Eddy,  April  22nd,  1839,  and  was  married, 
May  24th,  1864,  to  Anna  C.  Durkee,  of  Binghamton,,. 
N.  Y.  He  was  a  farmer  until  1859;  then  was  tinsmithing 
at  Binghamton  until  1866,  then  at  Meshoppen  in  the 
hardware  trade  for  twelve  years,  and  since  in  the  insur- 
surance  business.  He  enlisted  April  27th,  1861,  in  Com- 
pany D.  27th  N.  Y.  infantry,  served  about  thirteen 
months  and  was  discharged  for  disability. 

M.  R.  Thurber  was  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  but 
has  resided  in  Wyoming  county  for  twenty-five  years. 
He  is  the  inventor  of  a  side  bar  spring  for  carriages  and 
a  self-adjusting  blinder  head-stall.  He  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  Leonard  Rought,  of  Nicholson. 

S.  Leroy  Tiffany  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county. 
Pa.,  studied  law  with  R.  R.  Little,  and  was  admitted 
to  practice  June  i8th,  1871.  He  is  the  only  lawyer  in 
Nicholson,  and  has  a  large  and  growing  practice.  He 
was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  the  borough. 

Elias  Treible  came  to  Wyoming  county  from  Mon- 
roe county.  Pa.,  in  1865.  He  has  lived  in  Washington 
since  then,  and  is  a  farmer. 

C.  F.  VosBURG  was  born  in  Washington,  in  1853.  He 
is  a  farmer.  His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Hanning,  and 
her  parents  were  old  residents  of  the  town.  His  parents 
are  living. 

G.  Riley  Vosburg,  farmer,  was  born  near  Vosburg 
Station,  in  Washington,  in  1856.  His  parents  w'ere 
among  the  early  settlers  of  that  portion  of  the  town. 

James  L.  Vose  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1845,  and 
came  to  Washington  in  1867.  He  is  a  partner  in  the 
mill  at  Keyserville  conducted  by  Vose  Brothers.  He 
served  in  the  late  war  in  Company  H  of  the  198th  Pa. 
volunteers. 

L.  M.  Vose  was  born  in  Mehoopany,  in  1841,  and 
came  to  Washington  in  1866.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Vose  Brothers,  proprietors  of  the  grist-mill  at 
Keyserville.  This  mill,  which  contains  three  runs  of 
stones,  and  grinds  on  an  average  about  33,000  bushels  of 
grain  annually,  has  been  under  their  management  ten 
years.  Mr.  Vose  served  in  the  late  war  in  the  143d  Pa. 
volunteers. 

Wallace  W.  Warner,  a  native  of  Mount  Pleasant, 
Pa.,  came  to  Nicholson  in  1871,  and  engaged  in  carriage 
making.  Mrs.  Warner  was  Frances  Fisk,  of  Lenox, 
Susquehanna  county.  They  were  married  in  1870  and 
have  three  children. 

George  L.  Weaver,  son  of  John  J.  Weaver,  born  in 
Chfford,  Pa.,  is  the  agent  of  the  Travelers'  Insurance 
Company.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  mercantile 
busmess  at  this  place.  Mrs.  Weaver  was  Martha  Shook, 
of  Newton,  Pa. 

Chester  H.  Wells  was  born  in  Greenfield,  Luzerne 
county,  September  12th,  1853.  Since  December,  1872, 
he  has  been  in  the  jewelry  business  at  Meshoppen.  He 
IS  also  the  inventor  and  patentee  of  an  adjustable  at- 
tachment for  finger  rings,  designed  to  hold  the  ring  in 
any  desired  position  on  the  finger.  Mr.  Wells  was  mar- 
ried October  nth,  1876,  to  Lizzie  Dailey,  of  Strouds- 
burg.  Pa. 

Dr.  Elmer  H.  Wells,  son  of  Dr.  Nathan  Wells,  was 
born  in  Braintnm  township,  April  19th,  1842.  He  was 
educated  at  the  Susquehanna  collegiate  institute,  Towan- 
da,  and  at  Michigan  University,  graduating  from  the 
literary  department  of  the  latter,  with  the  class  of  1862. 
He   then  spent  one  year  in  the   army  as  quartermaster 


-m: 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


S24G 


sergeant  in  the  132nd  Pennsylvania  volunteer  infantry. 
In  1864  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine,  and  grad- 
uated at  the  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  of  New 
York,  in  1867.  After  a  short  residence  in  Tunkhannock 
he  located  at  Meshoppen,  where  he  has  since  been  asso- 
ciated with  his  father  in  the  drug  business  and  practice 
of  medicine. 

Dr.  Nathan  Wells  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
October  isth,  1815.  He  graduated  from  the  Geneva 
(N.  Y.)  Medical  College  in  1838,  and  practiced  with  Dr. 
G.  F.  Horton,  of  Terrytown,  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  until 
his  marriage  to  Mary,  daughter  of  Major  John  Horton, 
in  June,  1841.  After  a  year's  residence  at  Black  Walnut, 
in  Braintrim,  he  located  at  Meshoppen,  where  he  has 
since  been  in  practice,  and  in  the  drug  trade  since  1-870. 
He  was  associate  judge  of  Wyoming  county  from  1861  to 
1866. 

William  Werkeizer,  came  to  Nicholson  from  Monroe 
county  in  1867.  He  married  a  Miss  Slick,  of  Monroe 
county.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Nicholson  Savings  Fund, 
Building  and  Loan  Association  and  a  prominent  Mason 
and  Odd  Fellow. 

Eno  S.  Wheeler,  M.  D.,  is  a  son  of  Dr.  S.  M. 
Wheeler,  of  Waverly,  Pa.,  with  whom  he  studied,  and  is  a 
graduate  of  Jefferson  Medical  College.  He  has  practiced 
in  Peckville  and  Waverly,  and  in  Nicholson  since  1874. 
He  married  a  Miss  Chamberlin  in  1873.  He  was  elected 
coroner  of  Wyoming  county  in  1875. 

Nathan  P.  Wilcox  was  born  in  Nunda,  Livingston 
county,  N.  Y.  He  came  to  Nicholson  in  1863  and  is 
senior  partner  in  the  hardware  firm  of  Wilcox  &  Pratt. 
He  is  prominently  identified  with  public  enterprises  of 
the  day.     He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  is  an  elder  of 


the  Presbyterian  church.  He  has  served  the  town  as 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Independent  school. 

Theodore  Williams  came  to  Washington  in  1851, 
from  Monroe  county.  Pa.,  where  he  was  born  in  1824. 
He  is  engaged  in  lumbering  and  farming.  He  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  county  commissioner  in  1876,  and 
served  until  1879.  He  has  also  held  several  township 
offices. 

Gideon  Winans,  a  native  and  lifelong  resident  of 
Meshoppen,  was  born  December  21st,  1841.  He  enlisted 
March  7th,  1864,  in  battery  E  2nd  Pa.  heavy  artillery, 
and  was  discharged  in  January,  1866.  He  was  married 
,  January  ist,  1868,  to  Clara  J.,  daughter  of  John  G.  Ster- 
ling, of  Meshoppen,  and  moved  to  that  place  in  the  fall 
of  1869.  He  was  a  wheelwright  principally  until  the 
spring  of  1876,  and  has  since  been  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness. He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  since  the  spring 
of  1873. 

John  W.  Wrigley,  a  native  of  Luzerne  county,  mar- 
ried, in  1872,  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  William  Shaw,  and 
has  one  son.  He  was  engaged  in  mercantile  business 
from  1872  to  1879,  a.id  has  been  school  director  and 
collector. 

The  following  citizens  of  Lemon,  Meshoppen,  Nichol- 
son and  Washington  also  contributed  their  support  to 
this  publication:  G.  O.  Beers,  Sidney  Bailey,  N.  Bi  ck, 
D.  A.  Bunnell,  W.  T.  Childs,  A.  T.  Cortright,  H.  M. 
Damon  &  Son,  D.  C.  Graham,  E.  S.  P.  Hine,  Hiram 
Jackson,  W.  S.  Mace,  W.  W.  Monier,  F.  N.  Phillips,  C. 
M.  Pneuman,  O.  E.  Reynolds,  Jacob  A.  Thomas,  Cyrus 
Thompson,  N.  L.  Walker,  V.  W.  Walker,  W.  M.  Walker, 
Mrs.  F.  Worrell. 


<^ 


fi^= 


<h* 


trait    jJN*^  ' 


V 


THOMAS  EYNON. 


Thomas  Eynon,  aon  of  John  and  Margaret  ( Griffiths )  Bynon,  was  born 
in  Wales,  July  18th,  1831.  His  father,  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  a  native 
of  Wales,  wa8  born  in  1783,  and  died  in  Hyde  Pai'k,  in  1864.  His  widow, 
born  in  1793,  in  Wales,  survives  him  and  now  resides  in  Hyde  Park  at 
the  advanced  age  of  87  years.  Mr.  Eynon  learned  the  trade  of  a  ship 
carpenter  at  Swansea,  England.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  was 
pressed  into  the  English  service,  and  he  was  seven  years  on  board 
of  a  man-of-war.  Thomas,  the  gi-andfather  of  our  subject,  also  a 
carpenter,  born  in  1850,  in  Pembrokeshire,  died  in  Swansea  Vale,  in 
1830. 

Thomas  Eynon  is  the  second  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  three  of  whom 
are  now  living  in  Hyde  Park,  viz.,  Thomas,  Catharine  and  John. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  town  until  ho  was  eleven 
years  of  age,  when  his  father's  family  emigrated  from  Wales.  They 
landed  in  Quebec  and  after  a  short  time  settled  in  London,  Canada,  where 
they  resided  about  two  years,  when  they  removed  to  Pottsville,  Pa.  There 
Thomas  at  the  age  of  fourteen  commenced  as  a  laborer  in  the  coal 
mines,  and  was  engaged  three  years,  until  the  family  removed  to  Beaver 
Meadow,  Carbon  county.  Pa.  Here  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  he  followed  in  and  about  the  mines  for  eight  years.  On  May  17th, 
1841,  he  married  Jane  L.,  daughter  of  John  and  Jane  Leyshon,  of  Gla- 
morganshire, Wales.  She  was  born  July  34th,  1881.  Their  children  were : 
Margaret,  born  July  7th,  1842,  died  September  0th,  1843;  John,  born  Jan- 
uary 5th,  1845,  died  April  6th,  1847;  Albert  B.,  born  September  4th,  1847, 
now  cashier  in  the  Miners  and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  Hyde  Park ;  Sarah 
Ann,  born  September  Ist,  1850,  died  April  16th,  1852 ;  George  F.,  born 


February  15th,  18S5,  now  a  merchant  of  Hyde  Park :  Thomas  J.,  born 
March  13th,  1 857,  died  Juue  9th,  1800 ;  Jennie,  born  July  34th,  1859.  After 
his  marriage  Mr.  Eynon  moved  to  Carboudale,  wliere  he  resided  for 
eight  years,  following  his  trade  and  laboring  in  the  mines.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Hyde  Park,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  open  up  the  mines  of 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Company,  and  assisted  in  sink- 
ing the  first  slope  of  that  company:  also  had  charge  of  the  sinking  of 
three  slopes  in  Hyde  Park  and  Bellevue.  Subsequently  he  had  charge  of 
the  sinking  of  the  Hampton  shaft  and  opening  the  works,  at  which  place 
he  was  engaged  for  three  years.  He  then  embarked  in  the  mercantile 
business  in  Hyde  Park,  which  was  continued  eight  years,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Summit  Hill,  Carbon  county,  and  wasfor  three  years  engaged 
as  assistant  foreman  of  all  the  mines  of  the  Lehigh  Navigation  and 
Coal  Company.  He  then  removed  to  Irondale,  Jefferson  county,  Ohio, 
and  took  charge  of  the  coal  mines  there ;  also  of  the  building  of  the 
smelting  furnace  at  that  place.  Tlie  following  year  he  went  to  Alliance, 
Ohio,  and  again  for  three  years  was  in  trade.  Two  years  of  this  time  he 
was  also  director  of  the  Alliance  rolling  mill,  when  he  became  the  gen- 
eral superintendent  of  the  Steubendale  Iron  and  Bolt  Company,  at  the 
latter  place.  This  position  he  flUod  for  two  years,  when  he  returned  to 
Hyde  Park  and  again  resumed  the  mercantile  business.  He  continued 
it  successfully  until  1880,  when  he  became  inside  f  (n-eman  of  the  Diamond 
mines. 

Mr.  Eynon  has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the  Congregational  church 
for  the  past  forty  years,  and  several  years  deacon.  His  wife  has  been  a 
member  of  the  same  church  for  several  years. 


==4^ 


^ 


4 


CHURCHES  OF  NICHOLSON. 


525 


IT 


ment  to  Nicholson  and  organized  a  class  with  the  follow- 
ing members  :  J.  C.  Rhodes  and  wife,  E.  Wright  and 
wife,  Griflfin  Stevens  and  wife,  Jesse  Stevens  and  wife, 
Mrs.  George  Candee,  Mrs.  Ebenezer  Stevens  and  William 
N.  Raymond  (leader).  The  services  were  at  this  time 
held  every  other  Sunday  at  3  o'clock  in  the  old  academy, 
nearly  opposite  the  present  church  building.  August 
23d,  1866,  while  the  church  was  in  process  of  erection, 
the  pastor  died.  A  local  preacher  named  Rogers  supplied 
the  pulpit  for  a  time,  but  before  many  weeks  had  passed 
Rev.  J.  V.  Newel  was  appointed.  In  December,  t866, 
the  church,  a  substantial  wooden  structure  forty-five  by 
fifty-five  feet,  was  completed  and  dedicated,  Dr.  Porter, 
of  New  York,  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon.  The 
estimated  value  of  the  edifice  was  $3,000.  In  1868  it 
was  thoroughly  remodeled  at  an  expense  of  about  $t,ooo. 

The  following  preachers  have  served  the  charge  since 
the  completion  of  the  church:  Rev.  Messrs.  Hinson  and 
Jayne,  one  year;  G.  Greenfield,  one;  C.  V.  Arnold,  one; 
J.  B.  Sumner,  three;  D.  C.  Barnes,  one;  J.  L.  Race, 
three;  S.  J.  Austin,  three. 

The  church  membership  is  80.  The  Sunday-school 
numbers  about  100,  and  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  E. 
Thayer  is  superintendent.  The  following  are  the  officers 
of  the  church  :  Class  leader,  D.  G.  Black  ;  stewards, 
Mrs.  Julia  Bonno,  E.  E.  Thayer,  E.  Johnson  ;  trustees, 
E.  Wright,  George  Candee,  John  Weaver. 

Sf.  Patrick's  Roi?ian  Catholic  Ckurc/i.^Vrom  about 
1855  meetings  were  held  at  the  residence  of  Patrick  Du- 
gan,  in  Nicholson  village,  at  intervals  for  about  eight 
years  until  1863  ;  when,  Mr.  Dugan  having  presented  to 
Rev.  J.  V.  O'Reilly,  the  pastor  in  charge,  a  lot  for  church 
purposes,  a  neat  edifice  was  erected  costing  about  $2,500, 
which  was  mostly  contributed  by  the  members  of  the 
church. 

Father  J.  V.  O'Reilly,  the  first  pastor,  continued  in 
charge,  assisted  by  Rev.  Fathers  J.  Monahan,  Henry 
O'Reilly,  E.  Prendergast  and  J.  A.  Mullen,  the  last  of 
whom  succeeded  Father  O'Reilly  as  pastor  and  remained 
in  charge  until  1875,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
John  O'Laughran,  who  is  the  present  pastor.  There  has 
usually  been  a  Sunday-school. 

First  Presbyterian  Church. — For  some  time  after  the 
building  of  the  railroad  there  was  very  little  religious 
strength  manifested.  Dr.  C.  C.  Halsey  organized  the 
first  Sabbath-school  in  Nicholson,  which  led  to  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Presbyterian  society.  He  shortly  re- 
moved to  Montrose,  but  the  school  was  taken  up  and 
carried  on  by  F.  D.  Pratt  and  others. 

In  the  fall  of  1864  weekly  prayer  meetings  were  insti- 
tuted. They  were  held  in  the  public  school-house  and 
created  an  interest  which  resulted  in  a  preliminary  meet- 
ting  being  held  April  ist,  1865,  for  the  organization  of  a 
church  society.  The  next  day,  Rev.  Lyman  Richardson, 
of  Harford,  Pa.,  officiating,  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
was  organized  with  the  following  membership:  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  F.  D.  Pratt,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  D.  Newton,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  N.  P.  Wilcox,  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Raymon,  Miss  Hattie 
C.    Raymon  and  Mrs.  H.  Steele.      The   following  were 


elected  and  ordained  ruhng  elders:  R.  D.  Newton,  N. 
P.  Wilcox,  F.  D.  Pratt,  Asa  Dewey,  L.  Harding,  C.  T. 
Mitchell  and  William  M.  Hobbs. 

Rev.  Robert  Edgar,  of  Swartwood,  N.  J.,  began  preach- 
ing as  stated  supply  in  1865.  Rev.  William  F.  Arms,  of 
Miamus,  Conn.,  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  Decem- 
ber 9th,  1866. 

At  this  period  a  convenient  lot  was  bought  on  State 
street,  and  the  present  church  was  built  in  1867-68.  In 
the  basement  are  lecture  rooms,  parlors,  &c.,  for  prayer 
meetings  and  entertainments.  The  audience  room  seats 
350  or  400.  It  is  finished  with  chestnut  and  very  tastily 
furnished.  The  pulpit  was  presented  by  Rev.  Mr.  Arms, 
of  Norwich,  Conn.  The  entire  cost  of  the  church  and 
lot  was  about  $8,000. 

The  dedication  took  place  in  April,  1869,  the  sermon 
being  preached  by  Rev.  Oliver  Crane,  of  Carbondale.  In 
the  evening  of  the  same  day  Rev.  W.  F.  Arms  was  in- 
stalled pastor.  He  had  greatly  aided  in  providing  means 
for  the  construction  of  the  new  edifice.  The  debt  re- 
maining has  been  provided  for  by  a  sinking  fund  estab- 
lished by  the  ladies  of  the  church. 

In  1873  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Arms  closed.  The  pul- 
pit was  then  supplied  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Clark  two  years,  and 
Rev.  E.  B  Fisher  one  year.  Rev.  H.  J.  Crane  accepted 
a  call  January  ist,  1878,  and  at  the  spring  session  of  the 
Lackawanna  Presbytery  in  1879,  which  convened  in  this 
church,  he  was  installed.  The  membership  of  the  church 
has  increased  to  95.  The  Sabbath-school  is  flourishing 
and  has  a  membership  of  100. 

Nicholson  Universalist  Church. — In  1875  Rev.  Dr. 
Aaron  A.  Thayer,  of  Scranton,  held  services  in  the  Inde- 
pendent school-house  each  alternate  Sabbath.  A  parish 
organization  was  effected,  and  after  raising  about  $3,500 
a  building  committee  was  appointed  and  in  the  fall  of 
1876  an  edifice  was  commenced.  On  the  6rh  of  June, 
1877,  it  was  dedicated  by  the  Universalist  State  Conven- 
tion held  at  Nicholson  for  that  [lurpose.  Rev.  Dr.  J.  E. 
Forester,  of  Newark,  N.  J.,  preached  the  dedication 
sermon.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  A.  M.  Clark.  The 
trustees  are  S.  Taylor,  G.  W.  Walker,  H.  L.  Stevens, 
George  Rought,  E.  L.  Bacon  and  S.  L.  Tiffany;  president, 
Solomon  Taylor;  secretary,  S.  L.  Tiffany. 

An  international  Bible  class  has  been  conducted  in 
connection  with  the  church,  and  is  now  in  charge  of  Mrs. 
S.  L.  Tiffany. 

Associations  and    Lodges. 

Nicholson  Agricultural  Society  was  organized  in  August, 
1867,  with  the  following  management:  Directors,  Henry 
■P.  Hallsted,  Solomon  Taylor,  John  Sherman,  George  W. 
Walker,  Ira  Tripp,  HoUoway  Stephens,  Ezra  Colven, 
William  H.  Driggs;  president,  A.  C.  Sisson;  secretary, 
H.  P.  Hallsted;  treasurer,  G.  W.  Walker;  marshal,  H. 
D.  Gibbs.  The  first  fall  meeting  was  held  in  September, 
followed  by  a  horse  fair  in  November  of  same  year.  The 
successive  presiding  officers  of  the  society  have  been  N. 
P.  Wilcox,  J.  G.  Capwell,  A.  C.  Blakeslee,  M.  D.,  M.  B. 
Hartley,  H.  P.  Hallsted,  T.  J.  Chase,  A.   B.    Walker,  C. 


=KN 


^h 


=-4^ 


526 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


D.  Wilson,  -R.  R.  Sisk  and  (for  1879)  John  Nivers.  The 
directors  in  1879  were  John  Nivers,  E.  L.  Wheeler,  M. 
D.,  George  Kennedy,  C  D.  Wilson,  O.  Finn,  R.  R.  Sisk, 
F.  N.  Boyle,  George  Nivers,  Henry  Smith. 

Nichohon  Lodge,  No.  438,  F.  6^  A.  M.  was  instituted 
April  7lh,  1869.  The  charter  members  were  13.  The 
first  officers  were:  W.  M.,  Alanson  B.  Walker;  S.  W.,  E. 
C.  Bloom  field;  J.  W„  P.  Hallsted;  S  c,  Nathan  P.  Wil- 
cox; Treas.,  George  W.  AValker.  The  officers  for  1880 
were:  W.  M.,  Nathan  P.  Wilcox;  S.  W.,  William  Werk- 
eizer;  J.  W.,  Davis  G.  Black;  treasurer,  Oscar  H.  Wil- 
liams; secretary,  R.  D.  Newton;   P.  M.,  R.  R.  Sisk. 

The  Nicholson  Savings  Fund,  Building  and  Loan  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  in  August,  1872,  with  the  following 
officers:  A.  B.  Walker,  president;  N.  P.  Wilcox,  secretary; 
I.  S.  Little,  treasurer;  managers,  Solomon  Taylor,  Oscar 
H.  Williams,  David  W.  Titus,  H.  P.  Hallsted,  George  W. 
Walker,  J.  P.  Childs,  G.  M.  Gamble,  William  H.  Bloomer. 
The  last  was  president  in  1873-79.  I"  August,  1879, 
Wickliff  C.  Williams  was  elected.  During  the  first  six 
months  of  the  society's  existence  there  were  issued  913 
shares  to  187  members.  The  officers  for  1879  were: 
President,  Wickliff  C.  Williams;  secretary,  N.  P.  Wilcox; 
treasurer,  Oscar  H.  Williams.  The  charter  expires  when 
the  amount  of  assets  to  each  share  reaches  $200. 

Nicholson  Lodge,  857,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was  instituted  Oc- 
tober 22nd,  1873,  with  nineteen  charter  members.  The 
first  officers  were:  A.  B.  Walker,  N.  G.;  N.  L.  Walker, 
v.  G.;  H.  A.  Smith,  secretary;  S.  H.  R.  Grow,  assistant 
secretary;  John  Niver,  treasurer;  R.  S.,  C.  W.  Conrad; 
L.  S.,  J.  B.  Childs;  Con.,  D.  W.  Titus;  R.  S.  S.,  C.  B. 
Williams;  L,  S.  S.,  H.  B.  Wilkens;  O.  G.,  C.  M.  Mack; 
I.  G.,  W.  A.  Kellogg;  R.  S.  to  V.  G.,  H.  P.  Hallsted. 

The  officers  for  1879  were:  N.  G.,  A.  L.  Titus;  V.  G., 
William  Werkeizer;  secretary,  E.  F.  Johnson;  assistant 
secretary,  C.  R.  Newton;  treasurer,  D.  W.  Titus;  repre- 
sentative to  grand  lodge,  D.  W.  Titus. 

The  total  amount  paid  for  relief  of  suffering  brothers 
since  the  organization  of  the  lodge  is  $235;  for  burying 
the  dead,  $100. 

Nicholson  Cemetery  Association. — This  organization  was 
formed  and  incorporated  in  1870.  The  ground  chosen 
contains  ten  acres  on  the  westerly  slope  of  a  hill  near  the 
village.  The  charter  provides  that  all  proceeds  of  the 
sales  of  lots  shall  be  devoted  to  the  improvement  and 
maintenance  of  the  grounds.  The  cemetery  sit;  was 
purchased  of  Hon.  A.  B.  Walker,  who  donated  a  liberal 
share  of  its  value.  The  permanent  managers  are  C.  C. 
Birge,  Solomon  Taylor,  N.  P.  Wilcox,  N.  L.  Walker. 


NORTH  BRANCH  TOWNSHIP. 

HIS  township  was  taken  from  Forkston  about 
1850.  It  was  probably  named  from  the 
north  branch  of  Mehoopany  creek.  The 
population  was  only  350  in  1870  and  400  in 

Azariah    Winslow,    Vose    and    Lovelton    were 
among   the   first   settlers.     Winslow   settled   near 


the  site  of  Lovelton,  probably  about  1800.  He  was  a 
blacksmith.  Many  of  the  early  settlers  came  from  Con- 
necticut. The  first  road  extended  from  Forkston  up  the 
north  branch  of  Mehoopany  creek. 

The  first  mail  route  extended  from  Dushore  to  Scotts- 
ville,  and  was  established  about  1850.  The  mail  was 
then  received  once  a  week.  John  Pfoutz  was  the  first 
postmaster,  and  was  followed  successively  by  Chester 
Grist,  Gilbert  Adams,  Patrick  Kinsley  and  E.  W.  Spring. 
E.  Miller  is  the  present  postmaster.  The  mail  is  now 
received  daily. 

A  general  store  was  first  opened  about  1850,  by  John 
Pfoutz.  H.  B.  Miller  is  in  trade  at  Lovelton.  A  licensed 
hotel  was  kept  a  short  distance  north  of  Lovelton  in 
t868  by  S.  Bigley.  There  has  been  none  since.  The 
first  grist  and  saw-mill  was  built  by  Samuel  J.  Ilulbirt  at 
Hulbirtsville,  where  a  grist-mill  is  now. 

The  Methodists  and  Baptists  hold  services  in  the 
school-houses.  The  first  Sunday-school  was  organized 
in  1848,  with  Edward  Miller  as  superintendent;  it  was  a 
union  school.  A  society  of  "  Brethren "  has  recently 
sprung  up. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  at  Lovelton.  The 
township  has  three  school-houses  and  school  districts. 

Lovelton,  the  only  village,  contains  the  post-office, 
a  store,  blacksmith  shop,  shoe  shop,  grist-mill  turning-mill, 
and  about  twenty  dwellings. 

The  present  justice  of  the  peace  is  S.  J.  Hulbirt;  su- 
pervisors, John  Hope  and  R.  Adams. 


NORTH  MORELAND  TOWNSHIP. 


^ORTH  MORELAND   township  formerly  em- 
braced   Monroe    and    Eaton     and    part    of 
Franklin.     It   has    892    inhabitants,    chiefly 
engaged    in  lumbering   and    farming.     The 
valuation  of  the  township  is  $234,000,  and  it 
contains    three    post-offices.     It  is   divided  into 
five  school  districts,  with  prosperous  schools  and 
good  school-houses.     The  average  attendance  is  200. 

John  Dymond  made  the  first  settlement  at  Keelers- 
burg  about  1800.  In  a  short  time,  however,  he  removed 
to  Dymond  Hollow.  Dr.  Reuben  Montrose  settled  in 
1807  on  Sickler  hill,  and  some  years  later  in  the  "Greene 
woods,"  on  the  farm  where  James  Bersteder  now  resides. 
About  this  time  the  Fuller,  Rogers,  Strong  and  Whitlock 
families  settled  near  Centre  Moreland  ;  Mr.  Rogers  on 
his  present  place,  Mr.  Strong  further  east,  and  Mr.  Whit- 
lock near  the  residence  of  Horton  Wood  ;  the  house  of 
Mr.  Fuller  was  where  Mr.  E.  Reeves's  now  is. 

In  1809  Asa  Keeler  settled  at  Keelersburg,  and  from 
that  time  took  an  active  and  important  part  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  township.  He  was  born  in  Ridgefield,  Conn., 
in  1780,  and  learned  the  harness  maker's  trade.  He 
came  to  this  section  in  1795,  and  worked  at  diff  rent 
places  on  the  river.     In  1807,  at  Great  Bend,  he  married 


^^ 


4' 


*^H= 


<¥ 


NORTH  MOREI-AND  CHURCHES  AND  LODGES— OVERFIELD'S  PIONEERS. 


527 


#^^= 
T^" 


Besty  Newman.  He  came  down  the  river  with  all  his 
effects  in  a  canoe,  and  after  two  years  settled  at  Keelers- 
biirg,  where  only  two  acres  had  been  cleared. 

Previous  to  1817  all  travel  had  been  over  the  old  mili- 
tary road  constructed  by  General  Sullivan  during  his  ex- 
pedition against  the  Indians,  which  crossed  the  farms  of" 
Martin  Brunges  and  Asa  Keeler,  and  came  upon  the  bank 
of  the  river  in  Eaton.  During  this  year  the  turnpike  was 
constructed  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  old  road 
was  no  longer  used.  On  the  establishment  of  the  turn- 
pike Mr.  Keeler  began  to  keep  a  tavern,  the  first  one 
kept  in  the  township;  also  a  store,  which  is  now  kept  by 
his  son.  Whiskey  was  then  one  of  the  staple  articles  of 
trade,  at  the  regulation  price  of  two  straight  fence  rails 
per  glass.  Asa  Keeler  was  appointed  postmaster  at 
Keeler's  ferry  January  23d,  1812.  The  mail  was  carried 
on  horseback,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  the  post- 
master had  to  cross  for  it.  This  was  the  first  post-office 
in  the  township,  and  the  office  was  held  by  Mr.  Keeler 
until  his  death,  in  1867 — an  unbroken  term  of  fifty-five 
years.  His  son  Heister  succeeded  him  and  still  holds 
the  office. 

The  first  school-house  was  at  Centre  Moreland  corners, 
where  the  guide-board  stands,  and  the  first  schoolmaster 
was  Jeremiah  Fuller.  The  building  was  used  as  a  place 
of  general  assembly,  including  religious  services  and 
Sunday-schools. 

Chester  and  Anson  Brown  erected  a  tavern  and  store 
combined  at  Centre  Moreland  in  1827;  the  building  is 
still  in  good  preservation,  and  is  the  only  hotel  in  the 
township. 

The  first  mortar  for  cracking  corn  stood  on  the  farm 
of  James  Harrison,  and  the  place  was  known  as  St.  Do- 
mingo. Ambrose  Fuller,  son  of  Jehiel  Fuller,  built  the 
first  saw  and  grist-mill  near  where  the  mill  of  Milo  Keeler 
now  is. 

Among  the  early  inhabitants  were  John  Brunges  and  his 
wife  Rachel,  who  came  to  this  place  in  181 2.  Mrs. 
Brunges  was  a  woman  of  indomitable  will;  having  business 
in  New  York  she  walked  there  and  back,  leading  one  of 
her  sons  by  the  hand. 

Lodges. 

Centre  Moreland  Lodge,  No.  838,  /.  O.  of  O.  F.  was 
chartered  May  12th,  1875,  and  instituted  on  the  22nd  of 
July  that  year.  The  following  officers  were  then  in- 
stalled: J.  M.  Carey,  N.  G.;  L.  W.  Avery,  V.  G.;  John 
W.  Wilson,  Sec;  J.  H.  Snyder,  Treas.  The  present 
board  consists  of  Horton  Wood,  N.  G.;  A.  J.  Bell,  V.  G., 
and  Moody  Whitwell,  Sec. 

Lodge  No.  338  P.  of  H.  was  instituted  in  September, 
1875,  with  60  members,  C.  J.  Reed  being  the  first  presid- 
ing officer.     Regular  meetings  have  been  discontinued. 

Churches. 

Methodist  Episcopal.— Th.^  M.  E.  church  of  Centre 
Moreland  grew  from  a  class  organized  before  1820  and 
including  members  of  the  Brown,  Pace,  Hallsted,  Vin- 
cent, Snyder  and  Weld  families.     The    class    met  at  the 


houses  of  different  members,  and  preaching  generally 
occurred  during  the  week,  the  first  Sabbath  preaching 
being  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Pace  in  1819.  By  contribu- 
tions of  labor  and  time  as  well  as  money  the  first  church 
was  built.  It  was  dedicated  in  1829.  It  became  too 
small  and  was  removed,  and  in  1870  the  present  house  of 
worship  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  The  society 
owns  a  parsonage,  which  was  purchased  about  forty  years 
ago. 

A  class  has  existed  a  number  of  years  at  Vernon  as  a 
branch  of  the  Centre  Moreland  church.  It  was  formed 
into  a  church  and  built  a  house  of  worship  in  1873,  and 
is  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

Baptist. — The  Baptist  church  of  Centre  Moreland  was 
set  off  from  the  church  of  Exeter  and  North  Moreland 
in  1849.  For  some  years  meetings  were  held  at  the 
houses  of  the  members.  The  present  commodious  church 
was  dedicated  in  1857.  The  organization  is  now  pros- 
perous. 

A  Baptist  church  was  dedicated  at  Vernon  Decem- 
ber i8th,  1873.  The  members  of  this  society  were  for- 
merly with  the  church  at  Centre  Moreland,  but,  residing 
at  a  distance,  erected  this  building  as  a  matter  of  con- 
venience. They  are  presided  over  by  the  minister  at 
Centre  Moreland. 

The  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  Sunday,  Decem- 
ber 9th,  1821,  with  Daniel  Locke  and  Leonard  House  as 
elder  and  deacon;  Jehiel  Fuller,  Ebenezer  Brown  and 
Isaac  Harris  as  elders,  and  a  membership  of  fifteen.  About 
this  time  was  formed  the  first  Sunday-school  in  the 
township,  and  the  meetings  were  held  at  the  school- 
house  in  Centre  Moreland.  The  present  church  building 
was  erected  in  1820.  The  pastors  have  been  Rev.  Messrs. 
Rhodes,  Todd,  Oliver,  Evans,  Snowden,  Van  Allen  and 
others.     Regular  services  are  not  now  held. 


OVERFIELD  TOWNSHIP. 


5N  1795  Abel  Patrick  located  a  little  south  of 
Lake  Winola.  Paul  Huber  owned  a  clear- 
ing a  mile  east  of  the  lake.  In  1880  Azor 
Philo  came  and  settled  at  the  east  end  of  the 
lake.  Thomas  Overton  and  the  family  of 
John  Wilson  settled  nearly  a  mile  south  of  it, 
and  Edward  Schofield  a  mile  west.  In  1803  Zu- 
riel  Sherwood  located  on  the  north  side  of  the  lake,  and 
in  1804  John  C.  Williams  at  the  southeast  corner.  In 
1803  William  Rogers  built  a  saw-mill  for  Thomas  Over- 
ton at  the  outlet  of  the  lake.  Caleb  Avery  located  on 
the  property  now  owned  by  Charles  Frear.  The  farm 
where  John  C.  Williams  located  in  1804  is  now  owned 
by  Martin  Sickles.  Here  also  lived  Elisha  Armstrong. 
The  old  "  block  "  school-house  was  built  many  years 
ago,  of  logs,  by  a  few  of  the  settlers,  the  Williamses,  Pat- 
ricks, Posts,  Agers  and  others.  About  ten  years  ago  it 
gave  place  to  a  larger  and  more  convenient  framed  struc- 


=i¥ 


^k 


52!: 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


ture,  where  one  of  the  district  schools  is  still  kept;  the 
old  name  of  the  school-house  is  still  retained. 

The  township  had  433  inhabitants  in  1870,  and  lost  40 
in  the  ensuing  decade. 

OvERFiELD   M.   E.  Church. 

This  church  is  in  the  Newton  circuit,  Wyoming  dis- 
trict. The  society  was  first  organized  April  2nd,  1854, 
by  D.  A.  Shepard,  presiding  elder,  and  C.  S.  Rice, 
preacher  in  charge,  with  Daniel  Ross  as  class-leader,  and 
David  Osterhout  assistant,  and  the  following  members: 
Daniel  Ross,  David  and  Elizabeth  Osterhout,  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  Tranger,  Sylvester  Gregory,  Joseph  G.  and 
Eleanor  E.  Osborne,  Abraham  and  Sarah  Evans  and 
James  and  Mary  Stevens.  Meetings  were  then  held  in 
an  old  school-house  near- where  the  present  meeting 
house  stands.  The  charter  was  granted  on  the  20th  of 
August,  1870,  to  the  "  First  M.  E.  Church  of 
Crooked  Lake "  (now  Lake  Winola).  Samuel  Shook, 
Thomas  Hough,  Charles  P'rear,  James  Stevens  and 
Lyman  Swartz  were  the  trustees.  They  obtained  from 
James  Stevens  one  third  of  an  acre  of  land,  on  which  a 
church  edifice  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $2,478.  It  was  dedi- 
cated by  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Nelson  on  the  24th  of  September, 
1871,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  R.  S.  Rose.  The 
membership  June  29th,  1880,  was  60. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  organized  in  the  early  days  of 
the  society.  It  has  80  scholars  and  teachers.  C  E.  Frear 
has  been  the  superintendent  a.  number  of  quarters. 

The  ministers  here  have  been  Revs.  C.  L.  Rice,  John 
La  Ear,  P.  S.  Holbrook,  J.  W.  Hunger,  G.  M.  Peck,  D. 
Personius,  G.  W.  Leach,.  J.  N.  Pardee,  Asa  J.  Van  Cleft, 
E.  Puffer,  Isaac  Austin,  R.  S.  Rose,  A.  Brigham,  A.  J. 
Arnold  and  William  Shelp. 


TUNKHANNOCK  TOWNSHIP. 


J  AND  titles  in  Wyoming  county,  as  in  other 
parts  of  the  State,  were  acquired  by  warrant 
from  the  general  land  ofifice,  payment  of  pur- 
chase money,  survey  by  the  county  surveyor, 
return  to  the  land  ofifice  and  a  patent.  The 
3ve  constituted  a  perfect  title  from  the  State. 
The  early  settlers  of  Wyoming  county  mostly 
claimed  titles  to  their  land  under  the  Connecticut  claim- 
ants. Under  the  Connecticut  jurisdiction  seventeen 
towns  (those  marked  ''  original "  on  the  ma|)  at  the 
beginning  of  this  volume)  were  organized,  surveyed  and 
established.  Three  of  these  towns  were  located  within 
the  bounds  of  Wyoming  county;  they  were  called  Put- 
nam, Bi-aintrim  and  North  Moreland.  Putnam  was  where 
Tunkhannock  now  is,  and  was  named  after  General  Is- 
rael Putnam,  of  Connecticut,  of  Revolutionary  fame.  In 
1786  the  name  was  changed  to  Tunkhannock  and  the 
boundaries  greatly  enlarged.  The  other  Yankee  towns 
in  this  county  retained  their  original  names. 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  a  meet- 
ing held  at  the  city  of  Norwich,  Conn.,  by  which  the 
township  of  Putnam  was  authorized  to  be  surveyed  and 
organized: 

■■  Agreeable  to  a  vote  of  the  Susquehanna  proprietors,  at  their  meet- 
ing held  at  Norwich  the  1st  day  of  April,  1773,  improvising-  a  committee 
to  make  out  grant  of  township  of  five  miles  square  to  a  number  of  pro- 
prietors, who  shall  appear  by  themselves  or  agent  with  proper  creden- 
tials to  make  it  appear  they  are  proprietors  and  their  taxes  paid,  as  may 
be  seen  by  said  vote,  and  pursuant  thereto  ;  Isaac  Tripp,  Esq.,  appearing 
as  an  agent  for  the  number  of  twenty  persons,  proprietors  in  said  Sus- 
quehanna purchase  and  their  taxes  paid,  and  also  exhibiting  a  survey  of 
a  township  of  land  on  the  east  branch  of  the  Susquehanna  at  a  place 
called  Tunkhannock  for  a  confirmation  of  the  same  to  said  proprietors  ; 
beginningat  a  marked  tree  on  the  east  side  of  the  said  Susquehanna 
river,  thence  up  the  river  two  miles  as  the  river  runs,  thence  north  57? 
west  four  miles  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  to  a  stake,  thence  north  20" 
east  thi'ee  miles  to  a  marked  tree,  thence  south  85°  east  eight  miles  to  a 
tree  marked,  thence  south  37°  west  four  miles  and  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  to  the  first  mentioned  bounds,  containing  25  square  miles  exclusive 
of  the  river,  surveyed  at  the  request  of  Messrs.  Job  Randall,  Esq.,  Dr. 
Ephraim  Bowen  and  others,  a  list  of  whom  is  herewith  delivered  to  the 
committee  of  settlers  ;  and  agreeably  to  the  request  of  said  agent  for  a 
confirmation  of  said  township  from  us  the  subscribers,  a  committee 
appointed  for  that  purpose,  we  do  now  accept  and  approve  of  said  sur- 
vey, and  hereby  grant  the  same  to  said  proprietors  as  a  part  of  their 
general  right,  throughout  the  Susquehanna  purchase,  so  far  as  is  con- 
sistent with  rules  of  the  Susquehanna  company,  and  provided  it  does 
not  interfere  with  any  former  grant  heretofore  laid  out  by  the  Susque- 
hanna company ;  and  said  town  is  known  by  the  name  of  Putnam. 

"  Westmoreland,  October  24th,  177o-" 

"  Zebulon  Butler,  )  Committee  appointed 
"  Obadiah  Gore,  Jr.,  >  to  order  and  direct 
"  Nathan  Benison,    )    the  company  towns." 

"  Upon  the  application  of  Isaac  Tripp,  Esq.,  Elisha 
Wilcox,  Job  Tripp,  Philip  Buck  and  others  to  have  a 
meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  the  township  of  Putnam,  in 
order  to  chose  a  proprietors'  clerk  and  to  come  into  some 
regular  method  to  survey  the  lots  in  said  town,  and  to  do 
any  other  business  proper  to  be  done  at  said  meeting,'' 
the  proprietors  were  summoned  to  meet  at  the  house  of 
Zebulon  Marcy  in  said  township  on  the  r2th  of  Septem- 
ber following.  The  call  for  a  meeting  was  dated  "West- 
moreland, this  20th  day  of  August,  1776,"  and  signed  by 
John  Jenkins  as  justice  of  the  peace.  At  this  meeting  it 
was  voted  that  Elisha  Wilcox  be  moderator  for  the  day; 
that  Zebulon  Marcy  be  the  proprietors'  clerk;  that  a 
"committee  be  chosen  and  authorized  to  admit  proprie- 
tors into  and  fill  up  the  vacant  lots  in  said  township," 
and  that  Isaac  Tripp,  Elisha  Wilcox  and  Zebulon  Marcy 
be  such  committee;  that  "the  agent  or  clerk,  with  five 
other  proprietors  of  said  town,  shall  be  a  sufficient  warn- 
ing "  for  future  meetings;  and  that  the  meeting  be  ad- 
journed until  the  4th  of  November  next,  at  the  same 
place.  The  following  is  "  a  list  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
township  of  Putnam,  with  the  number  of  their  lots,  as 
they  were  recorded  by  order  of  Isaac  Tripp,  Esq.,  in 
1777: 

.Teremifth  Angel,  1 ;  Samuel  Warner,  2 ;  Jeremiah  Whipple,  8  ;  David 
Braton,  4;  Charles  Keen,  5;  Elijah  Shoemaker,  6;  Job  Randall,  9; 
Charles  Keen,  10;  Simon  Whipple,  11;  Zebulon  Marcy,  12;  Jabesh 
Green,  13;  Samuel  Gorton,  15;  Paul  Green,  16 ;  Jonathan  Slocum,  17; 
Benjamin  Bowen,  18 ;  Job  Tripp  ye  3d,  20 ;  Increase  Billings,  21 ;  Zebulon 
Marcy,  22;  Elisha  Wilcox,  33;  Benjamin  Bowen,  21 :  Jabesh  Whipple,  2'); 
David  Green,  20 ;  Ephraim  Rowen,  37 ;  Isaac  Tripp,  jr.,  28 ;  James  Arnold, 
30 ;  Jonathan  Randall,  30 ;  Philip  Beekman,  39  and  40 ;  Ephraim  Bowen, 
41 ;  Isaac  Tripp,  42 ;  Jonathan  Randall,  44;  Simon  Whipple,  47;  Joseph 
Lippett,  50  and  51 ;  Jolin  Gardner,  52 ;  James  Arnold,  53. 

The  stirring  events  of  the  Revolution  intervened,  and 
the  new  settlers  either  fled  from  this  disputed  ground  or 
took  sides  in  the  contest.       On    the  27th  of  April,  1786, 


fr^^= 


+ 


A 


MAJOR  H.W.  BARDWE:ll,tunkhahnock,pa. 

VVYOMIISIG        COUNTY. 


D?      C.H.    DANA,    TUNKHANNOCK,PA. 
WYOjNrtlNS        COUNTY. 


NICHOLS    ON,  WYOMiNGr      COUNT\.      PA. 


EDWARD   JONES,  OLYPH  ANT,  PA. 
•      LACKAWANNA    COUNT  V. 


other  allotments   of   land  were  made  and  the  following 
were  the  persons  who  drew  them: 

Elijtth  Shoemaker,  Joseph  Soule,  Zebulon  Marcy,  Nathaniel  Piatt, 
David  Braton,  Ephraim  Bowen,  John  P.  Schott,  Usel  Bates, Williams,  jr., 
Caleb  Bates,  Clement  West,  Ezra  Bulty,  William  Miller,  Gideon  Oster- 
hout,  Joseph  Kilhoum,  Jonathan  Slocura,  Job  Tripp  3d,  Increase  Bill- 
ings, Ephraim  Sanford,  Isaac  Tripp,  Isaac  Tripp,  jr.,  Joseph  Arthur, 
Archibald  Bowen,  Nathaniel  Goodspeed,  Nathan  Barlow,  John  Platnor, 
John  Carey,  Elijah  Oakley,  Reuben  Taylor,  Nathaniel  Piatt,  Barnabas 
Carey,  Frederick  Budd,  Amos  Egglestone,  Elisha  Wilcox,  Daniel  Taylor. 

As  will  be  seen,  of  the  twenty-eight  old  proprietors 
only  the  Billings,  Slocura,  Marcy,  Braton,  Tripp  and 
Bowen  families  appear  in  the  above  mentioned  allotments, 
and  they  were  probably  all  of  the  first  settlers  who  re- 
turned after  the  war;  the  other  incorporators  having 
come  in  from  the  Wyoming  valley  and  other  localities 
after  the  declaration  of  peace.  The  name  chosen  in  1788 
for  the  enlarged  township  was  evidently  the  Indian  name. 
The  territory  of  the  new  town  comprised  what  is  now 
included  in  the  townships  of  Eaton,  Clinton  and  part  of 
Nicholson. 

In  March,  1787,  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  passed 
"  an  act  for  ascertaining  and  confirming  to  certain  persons 
called  Connecticut  claimants  the  land  by  them  claimed 
within  the  county  of  Luzerne,  and  for  other  purposes." 
This  act  gave  to  actual  settlers  under  the  Connecticut 
title  a  pre-emption  right  to  the  lands  claimed  by  them  in 
the  seventeen  townships  organized  and  established  pre- 
vious to  the  Trenton  decree.  Under  this  act  commis- 
sioners were  appointed  by  the  State  to  hear  and  deter- 
mine who  were  actual  settlers,  and  to  whom  certificates 
should  be  given.  Upon  these  certificates  the  titles  to 
their  lands  were  consummated.  The  early  deeds  con- 
veying lands  within  these   towns   generally  contained  a 

descriptive  recital  as  follows  :  "  It   being  lot  No. 

in  the  certified  township  of ,  one  of  the  seventeen 

townships  of  Luzerne  county.'' 

About  1771  Zebulon  Marcy  came  from  Pittston  to  this 
point,  and  Philip  Buck  and  a  Hollander  named  Adam 
Wortman  also  settled  here,  while  John  Secord  built  his 
cabin  about  two  miles  above  what  is  now  the  village  of 
Tunkhannock;  and  within  a  year  or  two  families  named 
Anguish,  Ancre  and  Simmons  settled  along  the  west  bank 
of  the  river.  Wortman  and  others  of  the  low  Dutch 
settlers  were  tories  during  the  Revolution.  The  fate  of 
Wortman  was  that  of  a  traitor,  and  was  decided  before 
the  settlers  left  the  valley,  as  related  on  page  51. 

Events  crowded  thickly  upon  each  other  in  those  days, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1778  the  settlers  were  forced  to 
leave  their  homes  and  retire  to  the  forts  in  Wyoming 
valley;  and  at  Forty  Fort  nine  days  before  the  massacre, 
on  June  24th,  Sarah,  a  daughter  of  Zebulon  Marcy,  was 
born.  With  the  Marcys  at  that  place  were  the  families 
of  Increase  and  Samuel  Billings.  After  the  massacre  all 
who  had  families  removed  to  safer  localities.  In  the 
flight  a  little  son  of  Zebulon  Marcy  died,  and  was  buried 
on  Pocono  mountain.  Of  the  families  who  went  to 
Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  the  Marcys  and  Billingses  re- 
turned after  Sullivan's  expedition,  and  after  the  close  of 
the  war  were  active  in  Ihe  reorganization  of  the  town- 
ship. 


The  stirring  memories  of  the  Revolution  kept  alive  a 
military  ardor  that  resulted  in  the  formation  of  militia 
organizations.  Just  after  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812 
we  find  Major  Slocum,  one  of  the  earliest  hotel  keepers 
of  Tunkhannock,  clearing  and  "grubbing"  a  parade 
ground  of  forty  acres  for  his  regiment.  General  training 
was  in  vogue  until  1838,  when  the  last  inspection  was 
made. 

The  first  merchants  were  George  Miller  and  John 
McCordjWho,  from  some  point  near  Harrisburgh,  in  1798 
poled  their  first  stock  of  goods  up  the  river  in  canoes  and 
afterward  employed  Diirham  boats.  Miller  &  McCord 
established  a  shad  fishery  and  opened  a  barter  trade  in 
these  fish,  which  were  plenty  and  cheap,  a  bushel  of  salt 
being  considered  a  fair  equivalent  for  one  hundred  of 
them.  The  firm  took  these  fish  to  the  Dutch  settlements 
below,  and  later  to  Elmira,  whence  they  were  carted  to 
Seneca  lake,  taken  in  boats  to  Geneva  and  distributed  in 
central  New  York.  jMcCord  married  Sarah  Marcy,  who 
was  born  in  Forty  Fort.  He  died  at  Tunkhannock 
about  1813,  the  owner  of  lot  13,  on  which  a  good  part  of 
the  village  now  stands. 

The  Osterhout  family  seem  to  have  settled  here 
about  1775,  as  the  name  of  Peter  Osterhout  appears  on 
the  roll  of  Captain  Ransom's  company  as  having  enlisted 
January  1st,  1777.  He  w<as  a  brother  of  Jeremiah,  who 
settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Jonathan  Jenkins 
and  Hon.  John  Jackson.  The  family  were  originally 
from  Holland  and  retired  from  the  valley  during  the 
war,  returning  with  the  Marcys.  After  Miller  and  Mc- 
Cord, Isaac  Osterhout  and  Elijah  Barnam  kept  a  store  at 
Tunkhannock  until  the  death  of  Barnam.  Osterhout 
married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  William  Hooker  Smith.  The 
next  merchants  were  the  Jewetts,  John  Buckingham, 
and  Stephen,  David,  Thomas  and  Andrew  King.  From 
the  close  of  the  war  of  1812  the  Kings  carried  on  an  ex- 
tensive shipment  of  lumber,  shingles  and  staves  by  arks 
and  rafts  to  Baltimore  for  about  seven  years,  the  firm  dis- 
solving in  1820,  Thomas  Butler  King  going  to  Georgia, 
where  he  afterward  became  a  prominent  member  of 
Congress,  and  Andrew  practicing  law  in  Allentown. 

Dr.  Nathan  Jackson,  from  Connecticut,  in  1797  settled 
on  the  mountain  between  Tunkhannock  and  Osterhout's, 
married  Unity  Willard  and  practiced  medicine  many 
years.  In  1820  he  removed  to  Wilkes-Barre.  His  son 
Thomas  became  the  leading  physician  of  Binghamton, 
and  the  youngest  son,  Hon.  John  Jackson,  who  now  lives 
on  the  old  homestead  where  he  was  born,  has  been  for 
many  years  one  of  Tunkhannock's  leading  citizens,  and 
has  been  honored  with  the  highest  offices  in  the  gift  of  the 
people  of  Wyoming  county. 

Among  the  more  prominent  of  the  old  "proprietors" 
of  Putnam  was  Increase  Billings,  who  drew  lot  23,  on 
Tunkhannock  creek,  and  settled  there.  His  brother  Sam- 
uel enlisted  in  Captain  Ransom's  company  in  1777,  for 
three  years.  His  family  were  with  the  Marcys  in  Forty 
Fort.  He  finally  settled  them  in  the  valley,  came  home 
on  a  sick  furlough  and  died.  One  of  his  grandsons 
Ziba  Billings,  has  been    sheriff   of   the   count)',  and   is 


«^^ 


*ih 


53° 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


now  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Packer  House  in 
Tunkhannock. 

Solomon  Avery  came  from  Connecticut  to  the  Wyo- 
ming valley  at  an  early  date.  He  was  a  son  of  Humphrey 
Avery,  of  Groton,  Conn.  His  son  Cyrus  married  Lydia, 
daughter  of  Zebulon  Marcy.  Solomon  Avery  was  one  of 
the  first  justices  of  the  peace,  and  was  also  county  audi- 
tor and  treasurer  of  Luzerne  county.  His  son  Miles  set- 
tled in  Falls  township,  and  his  son  Cyrus  died  in  1833, 
owner  of  the  farm  on  which  his  father  located. 

The  preachers  of  the  last  century  were  Newton  Emmet 
and  John  Wilson,  who  settled  in  what  is  now  Eaton.  The 
first  church  edifice  erected  was  that  of  the  Presbyterian 
society. 

One  of  the  first  school-houses  in  the  township  was  built 
at  La  Grange  about  1814.  Hiram  Lusk  taught  the  school 
in  1815. 

The  development  of  a  lumber  country  is  necessarily 
slow,  and  so  for  the  first  half  century  of  the  township's 
existence  a  large  portion  of  its  inhabitants  have  been 
engaged  in  the  manufacture,  shipment  and  sale  of  its 
timber.  Farming  interests  were  neither  early  nor  fully  de- 
veloped. The  only  events  that  have  seemed  to  favor 
their  development  have  been  the  building  of  the  North 
Branch  Canal  and  the  Lehigh  Valley  and  Montrose 
railroads. 

The  post-offices  in  the  township  of  Tunkhannock  are 
La  Grange,  Dixon  and  Bardwell.  They  are  of  recent 
origin.  The  first  named  is  served  from  the  Tunkhannock 
borough  office;  the  others  by  the  Nicholson  route,  three 
times  a  week. 

The  population  of  the  township  was  1,212  in  1870,  and 
i>354  in  1880. 


TUNKHANNOCK  BOROUGH. 


^UNKHANNOCIv  borough  w.is  organized  in 
1841,  and  the  first  charter  election  was  held  in 
September  of  that  year, when  John  Montanye 
was  elected  chief  burgess.  The  erection  of 
county  buildings  and  the  opening  of  the 
canal  and  railroad  each  gave  an  impetus  to  man- 
ufactures and  business  in  general. 
The  first  school-house  was  built  and  used  for  the 
double  purpose  of  church  and  school.  It  stood  opposite 
Dr.  Keating's  in  "  Limerick."  It  was  built  in  1816,  and 
used  until  the  present  brick  building  was  erected.  Sallie 
Kellogg  was  the  first  teacher.  The  number  of  schools  re- 
ported by  Superintendent  Lee  in  1877  was  thirteen. 

The  first  hotel  was  built  by  John  McCord,  in  181 1. 
Before  the  fire  of  1850  a  framed  hotel  occupied  the  site 
of  the  Piatt  House.  Old  Fort  Sumter  was  a  feature 
that,  with  the  Hufford  House,  disappeared  in  the  flames 
of  1870.  A  large  framed  hotel,  built  by  Carter  Hickock 
in  1814,  was  the  predecessor  of  Wall's,  which  was  built  by 
Henry  Stark  in   1844,  and  the  Keeler  House  was  erected 


by  Milo  Keeler  in  1874  on  the  site  of  the  old  Hufford. 
The  Packer  House  was  built  by  Ziba  Billings  in  1872, 
and  is  kept  by  Billings  &  Reynolds.  The  Warren  Street 
Hotel  was  developed  from  a  dwelling  house  by  F.  G.  Os- 
terhout;  and  the  Wyoming  Valley  House,  a  small  framed 
building,  completes  the  list.  One  of  the  most  popular 
early  hotels  was  built  by  Major  Slocum  in  1814.  It  now 
stands  on  Tioga  above  Slocum  street,  and  is  a  private 
dwelling,  the  property  of  William  Benedict. 

In  1850  a  fire  destroyed  the  block  running  through 
from  Bridge  to  Warren  on  the  north  side  of  Tioga  street, 
involving  a  heavy  loss.  The  great  flood  of  March,  1865, 
swept  away  the  two  middle  spans  of  the  Tunkhannock 
bridge  and  earned  off  one  or  two  small  dwellings.  Oc- 
tober 27th,  1870,  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  stables  of  the 
Hufford  House,  which  stood  near  where  the  Keeler 
House  now  stands,  and  destroyed  twenty-two  buildings, 
causing  a  loss  of  $100,000.  The  burned  district  is  now 
covered  by  elegant  and  substantial  brick  blocks.  Another 
good  effect  of  the  fire  was  a  due  appreciation  of  the  value 
of  a  reliable  water  supply  and  fire  department.  An  effort 
in  favor  of  the  latter  resulted  in  the  organization  and 
equipment  of  the  present  efficient  hose  company.  The 
population  of  the  borough  in  1870  was  953,  and  in  1880 
1,117. 

Post-offices  and  Mail  Routes. 

The  post-office  here  was  established  April  ist,  1801, 
and  Isaac  Slocum  appointed  postmaster.  July  ist,  1811, 
Elijah  Barnura  was  appointed;  Charles  Osterhout,  No- 
vember i2th,  1812;  John  Buckingham,  August  27th, 
1817;  Merritt  Slocum,  April  2nd,  1824;  B.  Tuttle,  Janu- 
ary 20th,  1825;  Henry  Stark,  September  23d,  1828; 
Samuel  Stark  2nd,  December  7th,  1836;  William  B. 
Moneypenny  in  January,  1841;  Peter  M.  Osterhout  in 
July  of  the  sanii  year;  William  Bolton,  1845;  Nelson  C. 
Martin  and  Charles  E.  Lathrop,  1849;  John  Brisbin  and 
James  Kelley,  1853;  George  A.  Chase  and  Alvin  Day, 
1857;  Thomas  A.  Miller,  1861;  William  Burgess,  1865; 
Frank  L.  Sittzer,  1866;  William  Burgess  and  Charles  J. 
Wright,  1867;  Thomas  A.  Miller,  1869;  Hiram  W.  Bard- 
well, 1874. 

The  first  regular  mail  route  was  by  a  lumber  wagon 
driven  from  Kingston  to  Painted  Post,  making  one  trip  a 
week.  After  the  completion  of  the  Montrose  turnpike 
mails  were  carried  weekly  from  Tunkhannock  to  Mon- 
trose, thence  to  Great  Bend  and  from  there  to  Bingham- 
ton,  N.  Y.,  the  same  carrier  going  through  the  entire 
distance,  often  on  foot.  To-day  the  office  is  in  receipt 
of  two  New  York  and  two  Philadelphia  mails  daily,  with 
stage  mail  routes  embracing  all  points  in  the  county.  It 
is  on  Warren  and  Tioga  streets. 

The  Press. 

The  press  of  Tunkhannock  has  been  practically  that 
of  the  county;  since,  excepting  two  short-lived  journals 
at  Nicholson,  the  journalistic  enterprise  of  Wyoming 
county  has  centered  at  this  point. 


*i^- 


<^ 


\i:j^ 


<', 


NEWSPAPERS  OF  TUNKHANNOCK— BUSINESS  ESTABLISHMENTS. 


S3I 


The  Wyoming  Patrol  and  Republican  Standard  was 
established  by  Bolton  &  Lee,  and  the  first  number  was 
issued  Thursday,  May  19th,  1841.  It  was  a  six-column 
sheet  and  not  remarkable  for  energy  as  a  news-gatherer, 
but  was  delivered  to  subscribers  in  the  outlying  towns  by 
means  of  a  carrier  on  horseback. 

About  1855  Dr.  John  V.  Smith  edited  the  North 
Branch  Democrat.  Alvin  Day  published  the  paper 
from  1857  until  i860,  and  then  sold  it  to  B.  B.  Emory, 
who  changed  its  name  to  the  Intelligencer  and  converted 
it  politically,  but  discontinued  it  to  take  a  government 
position  at  Washington. 

The  Tiffany  Brothers  started  in  i860  the  Wyoming 
Republican.     This  venture  was  finally  abandoned. 

The  Intelligencer  was  succeeded  by  the  Wyoming 
Democrat  in  1861,  Edward  Kitchen  publishing  the  first 
three  numbers  and  then  disposing  of  it  to  Harvey  Sickler, 
who  was  succeeded  in  187 1  by  Alvin  &  John  Day,  the 
first  of  whom  is  the  present  editor  in  chief.  During  Mr. 
Day's  administration  the  paper  has  been  enlarged  from  a 
seven  to  a  nine  column  page  and  its  circulation  increased 
by  the  addition  of  500  new  subscribers.  It  is  ably  con- 
ducted and  a  credit  to  the  party  whose  organ  it  is.  In 
March,  1880,  Charles  F.  Terry,  a  young  lawyer,  was  ad- 
mitted to  partnership  in  its  publication,  the  firm  now 
being  Day  &  Terry. 

In  1869  the  Tunkhannock  Republican  arose  from  the 
ashes  of  its  predecessor,  under  the  management  of  Perry 
Marcy,  as  an  organ  of  temperance  and  Republicanism. 
In  1873  A.  F.  Yost,  the  acting  editor,  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  Mr.  Furman  and  leased  the  paper.  The  firm 
was  subsequently  dissolved  and  Mr.  Furman  conducted 
the  paper  until  1875,  when  Mr.  Marcy  again  took  charge, 
in  order  to  support  the  prohibition  State  ticket  and  op- 
pose the  election  of  Hartranft  for  governor.  In  Janu- 
ary, 1876,  he  retired,  and  sold  the  business  to  Cyrus  D. 
Camp.  Under  the  progressive  and  vigorous  management 
of  the  present  proprietor,  and  his  adherance  to  the  party 
principles,  the  Republican  party  has  been  united  and 
strengthened,  the  circulation  of  the  paper  doubled,  and, 
enlarged  by  the  addition  of  a  supplement,  it  now  claims 
to  be  "  the  largest  paper  published  in  Wyoming  county." 

In  1876  the  Nicholson  Standard  was  removed  to  this 
place  by  its  founder,  E.  L.  Day,  and  in  March,  1879,  con- 
verted into  an  independent  Democratic  paper,  edited  by 
John  L.  Garmon.  During  the  year  he  disposed  of  it  to 
Bacon  &  Son,  who  have  enlarged  it  from  a  six-column 
folio  to  a  quarto  of  the  same  number  of  columns  per  page, 
and  now  claims  the  largest  circulation  in  the  place. 

Mercantile,  Manufacturing  and  Banking  In- 
terests. 

Draper  Billings,  successor  to  Phillips  &  Billings,  oc- 
cupies a  fine  brick  building  on  Bridge  street,  erected  by 
him  after  the  burning  of  his  store  in  1870.  Osterhout  &■ 
Wheelock,  in  the  new  brick  block  opposite  Billings,  al- 
though only  in  operation  since  1879,  are  among  the  lead- 
ing houses  in  their  display  of  general  merchandise.  The 
clothing  house  of  Barham,  Bogart  &'  Co.  was  founded  by 


Henry  Barham  in  1851.  In  1865  C.  P.  Miller  was  ad- 
mitted, and  he  retired  in  1879,  E.  P.  Bogart  and  H.  A. 
Barham  (a  son  of  the  senior  partner)  being  then  admit- 
ted. The  store  and  shops  of  this  firm  are  on  Tioga  street, 
and  their  business  is  extensive.  The  manufacturing  is 
done  under  the  personal  supervision  ■  of  Henry  Barham. 
Mills  (St"  Billings's  extensive  hardware  store  occupies  the 
corner  of  Warren  and  Tioga  streets.  This  firm  succeeds  O. 
S.  Mills  &  Co.,  who  founded  the  business  in  1866.  The 
new  firm  of  Bogart,  Degnan  a'  Co.  is  in  the  Bunnell 
block,  on  Warren  street,  and  consists  of  H.  Wells  Bogart, 
Joseph  Degnan  and  Frank  C.  Bunnell.  Mrs.B.  B.  Bed- 
ford, whose  elegant  brick  building  is  one  of  the  features 
of  Tioga  street,  is  the  leading  dealer  in  millinery  goods 
and  ladies'  furnishing  goods.  F.  M.  Winans,  Pic- 
ture Frame  Manufacturer  on  Bridge  street,  deals  in 
frames,  cornices  and  upholsterers'  supplies.  George 
W.  Gray's  Bakery  and  Confectionery  Establishment 
is  one  of  the  oldest  concerns  in  the  place.  Mr. 
Gray  succeeded  his  father  in  business.  The  Excelsior 
Drug  Store  of  S.  S.  Hatfield,  on  Tioga  street,  is  a  widely 
known  and  ably  managed  pharmacy,  Mr.  Hatfield  being 
a  practical  chemist  of  considerable  experience.  In  ad- 
dition to  these,  there  are  a  co-operative  grocery  store,  the 
dry-goods  stores  of  J.  G.  Leighton,  A.  B.  Mott,  Stark  and 
F.  L.  Sittzer,  and  a  boot  and  shoe  store  kept  by  J.  K. 
Slausson;  three  drinking  saloons,  two  tobacco  stores  and 
three  millinery  shops  and  the  drugstores  of  Samuel  Stark 
and  Doctor  Chase.  Gerhart's  Machine  Shops  are  the 
successor  of  the  foundry  built  by  Cyrus  Avery  in  1840, 
which,  after  passing  through  several  hands,  became  the 
property  of  Hon.  C.  D.  Gearhart  in  1850.  He  made  ex- 
tensive additions  to  its  buildings  and  machinery  and  car- 
ries on  a  considerable  business  in  making  railroad  cast- 
ings, circular  saw-mills,  stoves  and  agricultural  machin- 
ery, among  his  customers  being  the  Lehigh  Valley  and 
Montrose  Railway  Companies.  The  shops  employ  fif- 
teen men  and  add  materially  to  the  business  of  the  vil- 
lage. The  Tunkhannock  Ta/zw^rj  was  established  in  1866 
by  the  Palen  Brothers.  It  is  now  the  property  of  H.  G. 
Lapham  &  Co.,  of  New  York  city.  The  local  heads  of 
the  establishment  are  Rufus  P.  Northrop,  tanner,  and 
William  C.  Kittredge,  outside  manager.  The  present  ca- 
pacity of  the  tannery  is  30,000  hides  or  60,000  sides  of 
leather  per  annum,  being  an  increase  of  one  third  over 
former  years,  and  at  this  writing  it  is  intended  to  be  still 
farther  enlarged,  especially  the  "beam  house"  by  one- 
third,  and  by  other  important  additions  and  iinprove- 
ments.  The  time  required  for  tanning  is  five  months. 
None  but  the  very  best  "green  salted,  city  slaughtered" 
hides — those  from  heavy  and  superior  cattle — are  used, 
being  shipped  from  New  York;  and  the  leather  (trade 
mark  "Union  Crop")  manufactured  ranks  in  the  market 
as  A  I,  without  any  superior,  and  is  used  exclusively  for 
soles  of  the  finest  quality  of  boots  and  shoes.  Six  thou- 
sand tons  of  bark  are  yearly  required  in  the  work,  forty- 
five  men  are  employed,  and  the  amount  of  money  annu- 
ally expended  in  Tunkhannock  and  vicinity  alone  ex- 
ceeds $60,000,  while  the  sales  foot  up  over  $450,000. 


-4 


«=^H 


=^N 


532 


HISTORY  OF    WYOMING  COUNTY. 


The  length  of  the  main  burilding  is  470  feet  and  it  covers 
an  area  of  23,800  square  feet,  without  including  several 
large  sheds  for  bark,  barn  and  hide  houses.  The  engine 
used,  in  addition  to  pumping  water  and  running  the  ma- 
chinery, supplies  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  with  water 
and  is  the  main  dependence  of  the  town  in  case  of  fire, 
having  connections  so  arranged  as  to  supply  the  hydrants, 
without  loss  of  time,  to  an  unlimited  extent  from  the  river. 
The  Tuiikhannock  Mills,  F.  L.  Sittser  proprietor,  N. 
Keim  miller,  was  established  in  1873-4,  on  the  site  of  an 
older  one  but  on  a  much  larger  scale,  and  additions  and 
improvements  have  been  and  are  constantly  being  made, 
as  the  increasing  business  requires.  The  main  building 
IS  40  by  56  feet,  has  three  turbine  water  wheels,  a  capac- 
ity for  grinding  400  bushels  per  day,  contains  recent  and 
important  improvements  and  inventions  for  the  manu- 
facture of  a  superior  article  of  flour,  and  the  brand  of 
"  Tunkhannock  Mills  "  for  purity  and  excellence  stands 
very  high  both  at  home  and  abroad.  The  Timkhaimock 
Agricultural  Works,  Miller  &  Avery  proprietors,  are 
making  everything  called  for  in  their  line,  and  make  a 
specialty  of  two  horse  power  threshing  machines, 
thresher  and  cleaner  combined;  the  "Challenge"  one 
horse  power  thresher  and  separator;  bark  mill,  of  the 
Palen  and  Avery  jjatent;  plows,  cultivators,  field  rollers, 
churn  powers,  for  dogs  and  sheep,  etc.,  etc.  Attached 
to  the  foundry  are  a  planing  mill  and  circular  and  up- 
right saws  for  home  and  custom  work,  run  by  an  engine 
of  15  horse  power.  The  average  number  of  men  em- 
ployed is  six.  The  Tunkhannock  Marble  and  Granite 
Works,  Burns  &  White  proprietors,  and  dealers  in  Scotch 
and  American  granite,  foreign  and  domestic  marble,  and 
everthing  manufactured  therefrom,  was  commenced  in 
1872  by  James  K.  Fellows  and  sold  by  him  to  ex-Sheriff 
Comstock.  Burns  &  White  have  worked  up  the  business 
until  it  requires  ten  hands  and  the  carrying  of  a  large 
stock.  The  Tunkhannock  Toy  Company  was  organized 
in  1876,  by  S.  J.  Stark,  John  Day,  C.  H.  Stratton,  George 
W.  Stark  and  S.  W.  Little.  Their  works  are  at  the  foot 
of  Marcy  lake,  in  the  township.  Tliey  employ  from  12 
to  20  men  in  turning  wooden  toys.  The  original 
members  of  the  company  all  remain  except  C.  H.  Strat- 
ton. The  office  of  the  company  is  on  Bridge  street. 
The  Wyoming  National  Bank,  the  only  bank  of  issue 
in  the  county,  was  organized  February  23d,  and  began 
business  April  3d,  1864,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  The 
first  officers  and  directors  were  :  C.  P.  Miller,  president  ; 
Samuel  Stark,  cashier ;  D.  D.  Dewitt,  teller ;  George 
Osterhout,  Jonathan  Jenkins,  E.  Sharp,  Paul  Billings,  T. 
B.  Wall,  J.  H.  Ross.  C.  P.  Miller  is  still  president. 
Samuel  Stark  died  in  December,  1879  ;  D.  D.  Dewitt  was 
chosen  cashier  in  his  place,  and  since  his  death  in  Janu- 
ary, j88o,  his  son  F.  W.  Dewitt  has  been  cashier.  The 
present  directors  are  C.  P.  Miller,  George  Osterhout,  F. 
W.  Dewitt,  John  Jackson,  Perry  Billings,  F.  B.  Hight, 
John  A.  Sittzer  and  B.  P.  Carver.  The  annual  meetings 
are  held  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  January  at  the  bank. 
The  following  summary  of  the  bank's  business  will  prove 
of  interest:  Capital   stock  January  ist,    1880,  $roo,ooo  ; 


net  surplus,  $21,000  ;  total  dividends  declared  on  capital 
since  1865,  $124,250  ;  total  earnings  since  1865,  $146,- 
2 1 2.43.  The  Banking  House  of  F.  C.  Bunnell  fif  Co.  was 
established  in  1870,  by  Hon.  F.  C.  Bunnell  and  his  father, 
James  Bunnell.  The  institution  meets  a  popular  demand, 
and  its  handsome  parlors  are  the  scenes  of  large  financial 
transactions.  Hon.  Frank  C.  Bunnell,  the  president,  is 
still  a  young  man.  He  began  business  life  as  a  merchant 
at  Russell  Hill  in  1863.  Two  years  later  he  located  here, 
and  for  some  time  was  engaged  in  trade.  In  1872  he 
was  elected  to  Congress  from  this  district.  James  Bun- 
nell is  practically  a  silent  partner,  his  age  preventing  his 
active  participation.  W.  D.  Williams  has  been  the  cashier 
for  the  past  eight  years. 

Business  Corporations. 

The  Tunkhannock  Bridge  Company  was  incorporated 
April  3d,  1835.  Its  first  president  was  James  Wright  and 
treasurer  Henry  Stark,  with  Elisha  Harding,  jr.,  James 
Kelly,  Isaac  Vosburgh,  Alfred  Durham,  D.  A.  Bardwell 
and  Luman  Ferry  .as  directors. 

Collecting  subscriptions  and  obtaining  State  aid  seem  to 
have  employed  the  company  until  1854,  when  the  bridge 
was  built  and  accepted.  It  is  a  wooden  structure  of  four 
spans  resting  on  massive  stone  piers,  is  eight  hundred  and 
ten  feet  in  length  and  about  thirty  in  width.  The  gale 
of  August  25th,  1854,  destroyed  the  superstructure.  Ex- 
hausted by  the  loss  the  company  went  into  liquidation. 
It  was  reorganized  the  following  year  and  the  work  was 
once  more  completed  and  accepted  in  November,  1857, 
the  State  becoming  a  stockholder  to  the  amount  of  $S,ooo. 
Until  1865  the  bridge  was  operated  successfully,  paying 
small  dividends  on  the  stock;  but  March  i8th  of  that 
year  an  ice  flood  swept  away  two  spans  and  a  pier,  and 
once  more  the  company  sought  relief  in  bankruptcy.  In 
1868  the  company  was  again  reorganized,  the  damages 
repaired,  George  E.  Palen  was  elected  president,  and  in 
the  following  year  the  bridge  was  once  more  ready  for 
use  and  the  company  fixed  their  capital  stock  at  $34,000, 
afterward  increased  to  $52,000.  In  1875  the  bridge  was 
damaged  to  the  extent  of  $5,000  by  an  ice  flood.  The 
total  cost  of  the  structure  to  date  has  been  some  $45,000, 
The  engineer's  estimate  of  the  original  cost  was  $13,500. 
and  the  contractor,  after  expending  that  amount  and 
sinking  $5,000  of  his  own  funds,  was  compelled  to  aban- 
don the  enterprise. 

The  Tunkhannock  Water  Company  was  chartered  April 
22nd,  1858,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  $20,000.  Its 
first  officers  were:  Jacob  Dewitt,  president;  F.  C.  Ross, 
treasurer;  R.  R.  Little,  secretary.  Its  property  consisted 
of  the  water  rights  on  the  original  Slocum  farm  one  and 
one-fourth  miles  from  the  village,  from  which  point 
pump  logs  with  one  and  a  half  inch  bore  constituted  the 
mains  and  were  extended  only  to  what  is  known  as  the 
Hill  district.  After  a  long  inactivity  the  outstanding 
stock  was  bought  in  at  a  nominal  figure,  and  in  1870  F. 
C.  Ross  was  chosen  president,  and  mains  of  from  eight 
to  three  inches  diameter  were  laid   through  all  of  the 


#• 


LODGES  AND  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  TUNKHANNOCK— PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


-^U 


S33 


principal  streets,  supplying  a  population  of  2,000.     The 
total  expense  incurred  has  been  $20,000. 

Triton  Hose  Company. 

This  company  was  organized  November  i6th,  1872, 
and  December  nth  of  that  year  the  following  officers 
were  elected:  President,  D.  Bidleman;  secretary,  A.  E. 
Buck;  treasurer,  S.  J.  Stark;  foreman,  E.  G.  Sampson; 
ist  assistant  foreman,  P.  C.  Burns;  2nd  assistant  foreman, 
A.  M.  Eastman.  About  this  time  the  borough  council 
bought  1,00.0  feet  of  leather  hose  and  a  carriage.  The 
company  during  that  winter  erected  at  their  own  expense 
a  neat  and  substantial  building.  January  20th,  1873, 
the  company  was  incorporated  and  P.  C.  Burns,  Hon.  R. 
R.  Little  and  Dr.  G.  E.  Palen  were  elected  trustees.  C. 
J.  Henry  was  then  fire  warden  until  1875,  and  A.  M. 
Eastman  has  been  since.  E.  G.  Sampson  was  foreman 
until  1873,  then  A.  M.  Eastman  till  1875,  J.  R.  Lott  one 
year,  and  C.  M.  Kishpaugh  since. 

During  the  first  two  years  of  the  company's  existence 
fires  were  frequent,  service  arduous,  and  discipline  well 
maintained.  Since  that  time  little  active  duty  has  been 
required. 

Societies  and  Lodges. 

Temple  Lodge,  No.  248,  F.  and  A.  7J/.  was  instituted  in 
pursuance  of  a  charter  dated  July  ist,  1850,  in  the  third 
story  of  the  building  now  occupied  by  F.  L.  Sittzer,  at 
the  corner  of  Tioga  and  Turnpike  streets. 

The  following  were  the  first  officers:  John  V.  Smith, 
W.  M.;  Alfred  Hine,  S.  W.;  Thomas  Morley,  J.  W. 
The  first  degree  conferred  was  that  of  a  fellow  craft 
mason,  upon  R.  R.  Little,  December  16th,  1850. 

Meetings  were  held  a  few  years  in  the  room  in  which 
the  lodge  was  organized;  then  in  the  third  story  of  the 
building  now  occupied  by  Bogart,  Degnan  &  Co.,  until  the 
completion  of  the  lodge  hall,  dedicated  June  gth,  1870. 
The  lodge  has  a  membership  of  123.  The  officers  for 
1880  were:  M.  J.  Lull,  W.  M.;  Edward  Harding,  S.  W.; 
H.  Webster  Bardwell,  J.  W.;  Frank  C.  Bunnell,  treasurer; 
James  W.  Piatt,  secretary;  Rev.  J.  H.  Weston,  chaplain; 
J.  Dewitt  Smith,  S.  D.;  Wesley  D.  Crawford,  J.  D.;  Ed- 
gar G.  Sampson,  S.  M.  of  C;  Daniel  Wheelock,  J.  M.  of 
C;  James  B.  Harding,  pursuivant;  A.  E.  Buck,  tiler; 
trustees,  Draper  Billings,  Riley  Sickler  and  E.  Mortimer 
Phillips. 

The  Tunkhannock  Bt-ass  Band  was  first  organized  in 
1852,  and  December  24th  of  that  year  its  constitution 
and  by-laws  were  adopted  and  signed  by  16  members. 
James  B.  Harding  was  the  first  president,  and  G.  S.  Tut- 
ton  the  first  leader.  In  1873  the  organization  was  char- 
tered as  "  The  Tunkhannock  Silver  Cornet  Band."  The 
present  officers  are:  President,  John  A.  Harding;  vice- 
president,  J.  B.  Welch;  secretary,  B.  H.  Shook;  treasurer 
and  leader,  G.  L.  Hungerford. 

Tunkliannock  Lodge,  No.  699,  /.  C,o/  O.  F.  was  insti- 
tuted February  loth,  1870.  The  charter  members  num- 
bered 13.  The  first  officers  were:  N.  G.,  J.  M.  Kelly;  V. 
G.,   R.  C.  Cook;  secretary,  M.    H.  Svvainbank;  assistant 


secretary,  James  Higgs;  treasurer,  Joseph  Shupp.  The 
amount  paid  for  relief  is  $1,129;  available  assets,  $1,000. 
Four  members  have  died.  There  are  now  70  members 
on  the  rolls. 

Tunkhannock  Lodge,  No.  746,  K.  of  H.  was  instituted 
September  14th,  1877,  with  ten  charter  members.  The 
first  officers  were:  P.  D.,  W.  E.  Little;  D.,  James  W- 
Piatt;  V.  D.,  E.  F.  Palen;  assistant  D.,  W.  W.  Streeter; 
Rep.,  S.  AV.  Isenbach;  F.  R.,  C.  A.  Little;  T.,  S.  F.  Ma- 
jor; guard,  H.  P.  Carter;  sentinel,  P.  C.  Burns.  The 
present  membership  is  38. 

Tunkhannock  Lodge,  No.  254,  K.  of  P.  was  instituted 
June  3d,  1870,  with  rg  charter  members.  The  lodge 
meets  Friday  evenings  in  the  Dewitt  block,  Tioga    street. 

Other  Organizations. — A  division  of  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance was  in  operation  some  years,  and  a  lodge  of  Good 
Templars  was  kept  up  until  1879.  The  Patriotic  Sons  of 
America  also  had  an  organization  here. 

CHURCHES. 

PRESBYTERIAN. 

In  1823  Merrit  Slocum,  a  young  Presbyterian  layman 
of  Wilkes-Barre,  removed  to  this  place,  and  he  labored  in 
prayer  meetings  and  Sunday-school.  Subsequently  the 
people  were  visited  by  Presbyterian  missionaries,  and  in 
1 83 1  they  enjoyed  the  labors  of  Rev.  George  Printz  for  a 
few  months.  In  1833  Rev.  James  Todd  labored  here 
half  the  time  as  a  missionary.  In  November  a  protracted 
meeting  conducted  by  Revs.  Cook,  Heberton  and  Dor- 
rance  added  to  the  membership,  and  a  Presbyterain 
church  of  21  members  was  organized  December  29th, 
1833,  by  Rev.  Isaac  Todd  and  Rev.  John  Dorrance. 
Alpha  Durham  was  appointed  clerk".  The  church  was 
under  the  Presbytery  of  Susquehanna.  The  original 
members  were  Alpha  Durham,  Jeremiah  B.  Dow,  Chaun- 
cey  Rockwell,  Mrs.  Rhoda  Wright,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Mon- 
tanye,  Mrs.  Eunice  Atwater,  Mrs.  Charity  Bartholomew, 
Mrs.  Harriet  Buck,  Mrs.  Emmons  and  Miss  Hannah 
Townsend,  admitted  on  certificate,  and  Stephen  Corby, 
John  Phelps,  Mrs.  Affa  Marcy,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Corby, 
Mrs.  Sally  Adams,  Miss  Eunice  Marcy,  Miss  Susanna 
Marcy,  Miss  Laura  Barnum,  Miss  Katharine  Lucretia 
Adams,  Miss  Harriet  Emmons  and  Miss  Louisa  Marvin, 
on  examination. 

A  constitution  was  adopted  in  May,  1834,  and  on  the 
27th  of  December  following  the  church  was  incorporated. 
It  was  for  some  time  under  the  care  of  the  Wilkes-Barre 
Presbytery.  Among  its  early  ministers  were  George 
Printz,  Isaac  Todd,  John  Dorrance,  James  L.  Cole,  M. 
Howell,  B.  Wall  and  Orrin  Brown.  Since  1845  the  min- 
isters have  been:  Rev.  Messrs.  John  W.  Stirling,  to  1849; 
Cornelius  R.  Lane  and  Augustus  T.  Dobson,  from  1849 
to  187 1 ;  and  from  the  latter  date  to  1880,  Rev.  G.  T. 
Keller,  who  closed  his  pastorate  and  removed  to  South 
Bend,  Ind.  ,      , 

The  first  ruling  elders  were  John  M.  Burtis  and, John 
Phelps;  afterward  Robert  Clayton,  Obadiah  Mills,  John 
H.  Bogart,  George  Leighton  and  Stevens  Dana  held  the 


=K^ 


^h 


534 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


office.  The  members  of  the  present  session  are  Dr.  C.  H. 
Dana,  0.  S.  Mills,  B.  W.  Lewis  and  Dr.  F.  D.  Brewster. 
Ira  Avery  was  the  first  deacon;  his  successors  have 
been  George  Leighton,  Abram  Hass,  J.  W.  Doolittle, 
J.  G.  Leighton,  C.  O.  Dorsheimer  and  Cyrus  D. 
Carms. 

In  1834  the  church  erected  a  frame  building,  costing 
about  $2,000.  Several  terms  of  the  county  court  were 
held  in  this  church  before  the  erection  of  the  county 
buildings.  The  corner  stone  of  the  new  church  was  laid 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1867,  and  the  building  dedicated  in 
the  following  year.  It  cost  about  $10,000.  The  church 
owes  much  of  its  prosperity  to  Rev.  C.  R.  Lane,  who 
served  it  faithfully  nearly  twenty  years. 

The  first  Sunday-school  of  which  we  have  any  record 
was  organized  April  19th,  1840.  Ira  Avery  was  superin- 
tendent and  Edward  Baldwin  librarian.  Among  the 
teachers  were  Irene  S.  Benson,  Frederick  Hepburn,  Jane 
E.  Ross,  Emily  C.  Baldwin,  Michael  Meylert  and  Edward 
Buck.  Addison  E.  Buck  was  soon  elected  librarian,  and 
he  has  served  ever  since.  The  school  has  over  100  mem- 
bers.    B.  W.  Lewis  is  the  acting  superintendent. 

TUNKHANNOCK    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

The  M.  E.  church  at  Tunkhannock  was  set  off  from 
the  old  Springville  circuit  at  the  session  of  the  Oneida 
conference  held  in  1843,  and  organized  as  a  station  Oc- 
tober loth  of  that  year,  Rev.  H.  E'.  Rowe  being  the -first 
preacher  in  charge;  Washington  Stansbury,  Peter  Sharps 
and  William  H.  Jenkins,  class  leaders,  and  William  Shaw, 
Peter  Sharps,  P.  M.  Osterhout,  Henry  Stark  and  Nicholas 
Stevens  stewards.  The  first  quarterly  conference  was 
held  November  2Sth,  1843. 

C.  E.  Taylor  was  pastor  in  1844,  succeeded  by  P.  S. 
Worden.  The  preaching  places  were  Tunkhannock, 
Mount  Vernon  and  the  Shaw,  Stark  and  Jenkins  neigh- 
borhoods. The  pews  were  first  rented  under  the  pastorate 
of  Mr.  Worden.  In  1845  L.  S.  Bennett  took  charge; 
1847,  John  Mulkey;  1849,  H.  Brownscombe;  185 1,  D.  C. 
Olmstead,  at  which  time  the  Wyoming  Conference  was 
formed.  J.  F.  Wilbur,  pastor  in  1852  and  1853,  re- 
ported 93  members  and  45  probationers.  L.  D.  Tay- 
lor succeeded  Mr.  Wilbur  in  1854,  and  under  his  charge 
a  revival  increased  the  membership  to  100  and  pro- 
bationers to  80.  F.  S.  Chubbuck,  Charles  Perkins, 
Ira  D.  Warren,  B.  B.  Emory  and  A.  H.  Schoon- 
maker  filled  the  pastorate  up  to  1862,  when  a  re- 
vival added  53  to  the  list  of  probationers.  Rev. 
Luther  Peck  was  the  next  pastor  and  Rev.  J.  L. 
Legg  became  pastor  in  1866;  he  reported  a  revi- 
val increasing  the  total  membership  to  168.  Rev.  S.  F. 
Brown  became  pastor  in  1868,  followed  by  H.  R.  Clarke, 
D.  D.,  who  resigned  during  the  year  and  was  followed 
by  Rev.  J.  L.  Race,  and  he  by  J.  R.  Peck  in  1874,  S.  W. 
Weiss,  1876;  George  Comfort,  1878;  G.  Murray  Colville, 
1879.  Under  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Colville  a  revival  in 
1880  added  60  members  and  greatly  increased  the  effi- 
ciency of  the  church. 


4- 


The  corner  stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was 
laid  by  Presiding  Elder  Olmstead  October  20th,  i868, 
and  the  building  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Ames  April 
loth,  1869.  The  cost  was  $12,500  and  the  indebtedness 
$3,200,  which  was  raised  on  the  day  of  dedication. 
The  building  is  in  the  Gothic  style,  and  occupies  a 
sightly  and  convenient  location. 

During  Mr.  Colville's  pastorate  a  floating  debt  of  $300 
has  been  raised,  and  a  handsome  parsonage  costing 
$1,400  erected  and  paid  for.  He  was  born  in  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland,  studied  in  h}s  native  city,  and  graduated 
at  Wyoming  Seminary.  He  has  had  charge  of  three 
pulpits  prior  to  coming  to  Tunkhannock,  and  is  a  suc- 
cessful pulpit  orator  and  a  practical  worker. 

TUNKHANNOCK    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 

Elder  David  Jayne,  who  lived  between  Nicholson  and 
Glenwood  at  an  early  day,  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
first  Baptist  preacher.  Elder  Sturdevant,  of  Black 
Walnut,  preached  often  and  baptized  several  persons, 
among  them  Sarah  Marcy  McCord  Whitmore  in  1800. 
Elder  John  Miller  supplied  this  point  for  years,  baptizing 
a  number  who  joined  a  church  at  Waverly  until  the  Sec- 
ond Church  of  Eaton  was  constituted,  in  1823,  when 
they  became  members  there.  Elders  Dimraock,  Worden, 
Fisk  and  Frear  preached  until  1841,  when  Elder  Post,  of 
Montrose,  commenced  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  village, 
in  the  old  school-house  near  the  creek,  as  a  result  of 
which  eight  were  baptized.  November  3d,  1841,  a  church 
was  organized,  with  the  following  members:  Edward 
Buck,  Cyrus  Avery  and  wife,  Eliza  Hickok,  Emma  and 
Nancy  Harding,  Mehitable  and  Rachel  Garrison,  Sarah 
Frear,  Martha  A.  Brown,  Margaret  Bird,  James  Fitzgerald 
and  wife,  Wilson  Shaw,  Darius  Tilson,  Sabra  Kelly, 
John  Gardner  and  wife  and  daughters  Malvina,  Phoebe 
and  Ruth,  Mehitable  Vosburg,  Lydia  A.  Tripp,  E.arl  and 
Phoebe  Cary,  Elizabeth  and  Sarah  Jenkins,  George  Ross 
and  Sarah  Braiton. 

The  pulpit  was  first  supplied  by  Elder  Jonathan  Mel- 
vin,  followed  by  J.  K.  Hornish.  John  Duer,  Levi  Hamlin 
and  Rev.  William  Frear  supplied  occasional  vacancies- 
In  January,  1867,  Elder  W.  B.  Grew  held  special  meet- 
ings, when  49  were  added  by  baptism  and  17  by  letter. 
In  1868  Rev.  A.  Judson  Furman  became  pastor;  Rev. 
James  Rainey  in  1871,  and  four  years  later  Rev.  S.  F. 
Forgess.  Since  1878  Revs.  John  H.  Harris  and  John 
Ballantine  have  been  the  chief  supplies  of  the  pulpit. 
Edward  Buck  (deceased),  Zenas  E.  White  and  A.  F. 
Eastman  have  been  deacons  and  E.  Buck,  Z.  E.  White, 
Henry  A.  Miller  and  John  K.  Slauson  clerks. 

School-houses,  the  old  foundry  and  the  court-house  were 
the  meeting  places  until  1867,  when  the  edifice  formerly 
occupied  by  the  Presbyterian  church  was  purchased  for 
$1,200,  $200  of  which  sum  was  a  legacy  from  Mrs.  Whit- 
more, who  also  left  a  bequest  for  the  Burman  missions. 
She  was  an  infan/  nine  days  old  when  her  family  fled 
from  the  Indians  in  the  valley.  The  church  now  reports 
73  members. 


"i'-Avcd-ty  ,,h;,-Su'   '■*''-'   '' 


*\  7°*- 


GENEALOGICAL    AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

TUNKHANNOCK  TOWNSHIP  AND   BOROUGH. 


MAJOR    H.    WEBSTER     BARDWELL 

was  born  June  2nd,  1845,  at  the  old  Bardwell  homestead 
in  Tunkhannock  township,  Pa.,  and  in  early  life  re- 
ceived the  educational  advantages  incident  to  country 
life. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  in  1861  found  him 
a  student  at  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  Pa.,  and 
though  but  sixteen  his  desire  to  enlist  and  take  part  in 
defending  the  old  flag  was  so  intense  that,  despite  youth, 
a  naturally  weak  constitution,  the  advice  of  friends,  the 
refusal  of  officials  and  the  opposition  of  parents,  he  con- 
tinued his  endeavors;  and  at  last,  conquering  all  obstacles 
by  the  force  of  a  strong  will,  he  was  duly  enrolled  in  the 
spring  of  1863  in  the  30th  Pennsylvania  infantry.  Im- 
mediately thereafter  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  the 
front  and  commenced  active  service.  But  the  unac- 
customed trials  and  privations  were  too  much  for  the 
boy.  August  of  the  same  year  found  him  upon  the  sick 
list.  He  did  not  recover  sufficiently  for  duty  during  his 
term  of  enlistment  and,  being  honorably  discharged,  re- 
turned again  to  Wyoming  Seminary. 

Leaving  there  in  1865  Major  Bardwell  was  given 
charge  of  the  Warren  and  Franklin  Railroad  Company 
store  at  Irvington,  Pa.,  the  duties  of  which  position  he 
performed  faithfully  and  honestly  and  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  his  employers  until  the  completion  of  the 
work,  when  he  returned  to  Tunkhannock.  On  the  24th 
of  December,  1866,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Gertie  E. 
Jewett,  daughter  of  Rodney  Jewett,  of  Montrose,  Pa., 
and  the  union  has  been  blessed  with  a  son  and  daughter. 
After  marriage  the  major  attempted  to  settle  down  upon 
land  near  the  old  homestead  and  become  a  farmer;  but 
he  abandoned  this  plan  upon  receiving  an  appointment 
as  postmaster  at  Tunkhannock  January  22nd,  1874, 
which  position  he  still  holds. 

In  1870  Major  Bardwell  was  extremely  active  in  rais- 
ing a  company  of  National  Guards,  he  holding  a  sub- 
ordinate position  therein.  The  company  was  attached 
to  the  9th  regiment  National  Guards,  Major  General  E. 
S.  Osborne  commanding.  Soon  after  the  formation  of 
the  regiment  Major  Bardwell  was  appointed  adjutant. 
This  position  (one  far  from  a  sinecure)  his  love  of  military 
life,  his  "  push"  and  thorough  participation  in  the  esprit  de 
corps  enabled  him  to  so  fill  as  to  attract  the  attention  of 
the  commanding  officer;  and  during  the  riots  in  the  coal 
regions  in  1866  he  was  appointed  major,  holding  the 
position  until  the  reorganization  of  the  National  Guards, 
in  1878,  when  the  division  was  mustered  out  of  service. 
As  an  evidence  of  the  estimation  in  which  Major  Bard- 
well was  held  by  those  having  the  best  means  of  knowing 
his  soldierly  qualifications  we  quote  the  following  para- 


graph from  a  letter  to  hirn  by   Major   General   Osborne, 
conveying  an  honorable  discharge: 

"  I  desire  in  this  connection  to  extend  to  you  my 
heartfelt  thanks  for  the  energy  and  ability  with  which 
you  have  discharged  your  duties  since  you  have  been  a 
member  of  rrty  staff,  and  to  assure  you  that  I  fully  ap- 
preciate your  patriotic  devotion  to  duty  under  trying  and 
disagreeable  circumstances.  I  can  only  express  the  hope 
that  the  law-abiding  citizens  of  the  commonwealth  will 
not  soon  forget  your  service  to  them  at  Scranton  in  1871, 
Susquehanna  Depot  in  1874  and  Hazleton  in  1875." 
We  might  quote  other  letters  of  a  like  tenor,  but  deem 
one  such  testimonial — in  itself  a  host — sufficient. 

In  political  life  Major  Bardwell  is  a  worker,  hopeful, 
enthusiastic  and  pronounced  in  opinion.  To  the  very 
core  he  is  Republican — could  not  in  any  state  of  affairs  be 
otherwise;  he  is  seen  prominently  at  every  public  gather- 
ing ;  is  a  liberal  giver  to  political  efforts  and  does  more 
work  for  the  public  for  nothing  than  any  other  man  in  the 
community,  and  is  always  ready  to  shoulder  the  duties 
from  which  others  shrink,  and  drive  the  matter  in  hand 
forward  to  success. 

Touched  with  bon  vivantism.  Major  Bardwell  enjoys  the 
good  things  the  gods  epicurean  give  as  life  passes. 

As  he  personally  enjoys,  even  so  he  wishes  others  to  do. 
And  this,  we  opine,  is  the  chief  fault  of  his  mental  organ- 
ization. His  heart  is  too  large  and  his  hand  too  open 
for  his  own  wellbeing.  Yet  if  the  proverb  is  true  that 
"  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  receive,"  he  must  be 
accumulating  a  vast  store  in  the  hereafter  and  his  reward 
will  be  infinitely  greater  than  that  of  those  who  filch 
from  honest  poverty  and  make  merchandise  of  the  blood 
and  bones  of  their  fellows. 

HON.    F.    C.    BUNNELI,. 

Hon.  Frank  C.  Bunnell  was  born  in  Luzerne  county, 
Pa.,  March  19th,  1842,  on  the  Susquehanna  river  five 
miles  above  Tunkhannock,  at  a  place  called  the  Neck,  or 
Horseshoe.  His  father,  James  Bunnell,  was  a  farmer, 
and  Frank  was  early  taught  the  art  of  farming  summers, 
going  to  school  winters.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was 
sent  to  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  Pa.,  where  he  re- 
mained until  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  when  he  enlisted 
in  Company  B  S2nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  was 
promoted  quartermaster's  sergeant  of  the  regiment  in 
1862,  and  served  in  that  capacity  during  the  campaign 
on  the  peninsula,  under  General  McClellan.  Losing  his 
health  he  was  discharged  April  2nd,  1863,  on  surgeon's 
certificate  of  disability. 

In  1864  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Rus- 
sell Hill,  Pa.;  afterward  at  Tunkhannock.     In  1870  he 


534-4 


^h 


534-B 


HISTORY   OF   WYOMING   COUNTY. 


organized  the  banking  house  of  F.  C.  Bunnell  &  Co.,  to 
which  business  he  still  gives  his  personal  attention.  He 
is  also  engaged  in  numerous  enterprises — farming  among 
the  rest,  in  which  he  takes  especial  interest.  He  has 
been  annually  elected  president  of  the  Wyoming  County 
Agricultural  Society  since  its  organization  in  1875.  He 
is  emphatically  an  improvement  man,  and  has  contributed 
largely  toward  the  beautifying  and  improvement  of  the 
borough  in  which  he  resides,  as  well  as  aiding  in  the  pro- 
motion of  the  agricultural  interest  and  stock  breeding  in 
his  county. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  a  delegate  to 
the  State  convention  that  nominated  General  John  W. 
Geary  for  governor;  also  when  General  John  F.  Hart- 
ranft  was  nominated  for  governor.  He  was  elected  to  the 
forty-second  Congress  to  serve  out  the  unexpired  term 
of  Hon.  Ulysses  Mercur,  who  was  elected  judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  in  1872,  and  was  pre- 
sented by  Wyoming  county  as  her  choice  for  Congress  in 
the  years  1872,  1874,  1876  and  1878  ;  and  was  urged  by 
his  friends  to  accept  the  nomination  in  i88o,  but  his 
own  personal  interests  and  feelings  compelled  him  to 
decline  the  honor. 

CHARLES    H.   DANA,  M.  D.   . 

Charles"  H.  Dana,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Eaton,  graduated 
at  Jefferson  Medical  College  in  185 1,  practiced  four 
years  in  Sullivan  county,  N.  Y.,  then  returned  to  Tunk- 
hannock,  where  he  has  since  practiced,  interrupted  only 
by  two  years  of  army  service  as  assistant  and  acting  sur- 
geon. He  has  been  United  States  examining  surgeon  for 
the  past  fourteen  years. 

D.    D.    DEWITT. 

David  D.  Dewitt  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  N.  J., 
December  nth,  1819.  He  was  married  December  i6th, 
1 841,  to  Celestia  Warren.  Their  children  are  William 
W.,  who  was  born  March  30th,  1842,  and  died  in  infancy; 
Frank  W.,  born  March  14th,  1850,  and  Melissa,  born 
August  2ist,  1853.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Wyoming  National  Bank,  and  its 
cashier  at  the  time  of  his  death,  February  igth,  1880. 

JONATHAN    JENKINS. 

Jonathan  Jenkins  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  and 
prosperous  farmers  in  the  county,  owning  a  farm  of  six 
hundred  acres.  He  was  born  in  1822.  Mrs.  Jenkins  was 
Miss  Eliza  Lowman,  of  New  York.  They  were  married 
in  1856. 

HON.    R.    R.    LITTLE. 

Hon.  R.  R.  Little  was  born  in  Kortright,  Delaware 
county,  N.  Y.,  March  13th,  1820.  He  commenced  the 
study  of  law  at  Montrose,  Pa.,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
September,  1842,  and  came  to  Tunkhannockin  the  spring 
of  1843.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  for  the  ses- 
sioris  of  1848  and  1849.  In  April,  1857,  he  was  appoint- 
ed judge-advocate  of  the  naval  court  of  inquiry,  at  Wash- 
ington. The  business  of  this  court  was  completed  in  a 
little  less  than  a  year,  and  he  returned  to  Tunkhannock 
and  followed  the  practice  of  his  profession  until  1874 
when  he  was  again  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature' 
His  wife  was  Harriet  E.  Avery,  of  Tunkhannock. 

HON.    ZIBA    LOTT. 

Hon.  Ziba  Lott,  prothonotary  and  clerk  of  the  courts 
formerly  a  farmer  and   lumberman,  was  born  in  what  is 


now  Mehoopany,  July  roth,  1818.  He  married  Savannah 
Garvey,  of  Windham.  He  is  serving  the  third  three-year 
term  of  his  present  office,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Lej^islature  one  year  and  justice  of  the  peace  five  years. 
He  came  to  Tunkhannock  in  i860. 


SARAH      OSTERHOUT. 

The  history  of  Wyoming  county  would  be  strangely 
incomplete  should  it  fail  to  make  honorable  mention  of 
the  aged  and  respected  lady  whose  name  stands  at  the 
head  of  this  article  and  whose  life,  for  nearly  a  century, 
has  been  so  closely  interwoven  with  its  growth  and  de- 
velopment. David  and  Sarah  Mitchell,  the  parents  of 
Mrs.  Osterhout,  came  to  the  Wyoming  valley  from  War- 
wick, Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  shortly  after  the  massacre, 
and  settled  at  Capoose,  near  Scranton.  From  thence 
they  moved  to  Falling  Spring,  in  the  township  of  Pitts- 
ton,  Luzerne  county,  where,  August  15th,  1787,  Sarah 
was  born,  and  where  her  father  died.  Subsequently  the 
widow  married  Abraham  Frear,  and  in  1797  the  family 
moved  to  Tunkhannock,  and  resided  for  a  number  of 
years  in  a  log  house  adjacent  to  the  "  Slocum  Spring," 
where  the  tannery  of  Lapham  &  Co.  now  stands;  thence 
to  Eaton,  and  finally  settled  upon  the  Frear  homestead, 
on  the  hill. 

In  1807  Sarah  was  married  to  David  Osterhout  and 
in  1810  moved  with  her  husband  to  La  Grange  (now  in 
Wyoming  county),  where  she  has  since  resided.  The 
fruits  of  the  marriage  were  thirteen  children,  ten  sons 
and  three  daughters,  twelve  of  whom  arrived  at  the  years 
of  inaturity.  Of  these  Thomas,  the  eldest,  has  been 
sheriff  of  the  county  and  a  member  of  the  Legislature; 
Peter  M.  postmaster  of  Tunkhannock,  prothonotary  and 
member  of  the  Legislature  and  Senate,  and  otherwise  en- 
joyed the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  public  as  described 
elsewhere  in  these  pages;  George  has  been  associate 
judge;  Jeremiah  treasurer  of  the  county  and  John  P. 
judge  of  a  district  comprising  several  counties  in  Texas, 
and  each  and  all  have  been  men  of  mark,  ability  and 
property. 

Necessarily  in  this  connection  occurs  a  brief  history 
of  the  Osterhout  family,  who  emigrated  from  Holland 
and  settled  in  Connecticut,  moving  from  thence  to 
Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  and  then  to  the  Wyoming  valley, 
at  a  time  when  the  country  was  still  suffering  from  a 
bloody  war  of  extermination  waged  by  the  Indians;  when 
life  and  property  were  more  than  uncertain,  and  men  of 
resolution,  mind  and  muscle  were  demanded,  and  none 
other  dared  to  risk  the  perils  and  attempt  to  carve  out  a 
home  and  a  future  upon  the  spot  where  the  camp  fire  of 
the  red  man  might  be  relighted,  the  midnight  air  thrill 
with  his  savage  battle  cry,  and  the  green  earth  again  be- 
come sodden  with  innocent  blood.  It  was  no  light  un- 
dertaking, and  proved  the  nerve  and  bearing  of  the 
settlers,  and  among  them  Peter  Osterhout  played  an  im- 
portant part.  We  find  him  as  early  as  1777  laying  aside 
the  implements  of  peaceful  industry,  taking  up  sword 
and  musket,  enrolled  as  a  member  of  Captain  Ransom's 
company  (one  of  the  two  raised  in  Wyoming  valley),  and 
fighting  bravely  for  the  land  of  his  adoption,  his  fireside, 
his  loved  ones  and  the  old  flag  blazoned  with  its  thirteen 
^'/t^'  ■■^^^  fPeter)  was  a  brother  of  Jeremiah  (the  father 
of  David),  who  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1778  in  company 
with  his  brother  Gideon,  both  settling  upon  the  flat  lands 
near  the  Susquehanna  and  now  compassing  the  Jenkins 
and  Osterhout  farms  at  La  Grange. 

The  family  residence  (an  engraving  of  which  is  else- 
where presented)  is  believed  to  be  the  first  frame  house 
ever  erected  upon  the  Susquehanna  between  Pittston  and 
iioga    Point,    now    Athens,  and  all    available  testimony 


*^  T^' 


(Qd/:^:^^^^^?^^ 


-///;.±".(-'5/(.-/; /!.'■.-'■«  ,v.\^' 


/^ 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


534  C 


proves  it  so  to  be.  It  was  built  in  1797  by  Jeremiah 
Osterhout,  taking  the  place  of  the  log  structure.  Subse- 
quently it  was  enlarged  by  Isaac  Osterhout,  into  whose 
possession  the  property  came,  and  was  a  well  known  and 
favorite  hostelry  for  many  years.  Isaac  Osterhout  was  a 
man  of  broad,  comprehensive  views  and  enterprise;  was 
largely  engaged  in  lumbering  and  general  merchandise, 
and  drew  around  him  trade  until  his  establishment  be- 
came the  business  center  of  a  large  surrounding  country. 
His  wife  was  Susanna  Smith,  the  daughter  of  William 
Hooker  Smith,  a  noted  and  skillful  physician  of  the  period 
throughout  the  Wyoming  and  Lackawanna  valleys,  and  a 
surgeon  in  the  Revolutionary  war;  the  United  States, 
after  his  decease,  granting  his  heirs  the  sum  of  $2,000  in 
recognition  of  his  valuable  services  as  such.  To  him  were 
born  two  children — Hon.  Isaac  Smith  Osterhout,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  a  man  of  rare  business  and  financial  insight 
and  capacity,  at  one  time  an  associate  judge  of  Luzerne 
county;  and  Mary  Ann,  who  was  educated  at  the  famous 
female  seminary  of  Mrs.  Willard  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  where 
she  was  for  several  years  an  assistant  teacher,  and  later 
became  the  honored  wife  of  Job  Olin,  a  prominent  law- 
yer and  judge  and  a  relative  of  the  celebrated  divine, 
traveler  and  historian  of  the  Holy  Land,  Dr.  Stephen 
Olin. 

David  Osterhout,  the  husband  of    Sarah,  whose    port- 
rait is  given  in   this  work,  died   in    1833,  leaving    to    her 
care  and  direction  twelve  children,  and  how  well  she  ac- 
complished her  arduous   task   the   history  of  their  lives 
proves.     He,  the  father,  was  a  man    universally   held    in 
esteem,  strong  and  clear  in  mind,  of  more  than  ordinary 
physical  powers,  earnest  in  the   establishment   and    sup- 
port of  schools  and  a  pioneer  in  all  the  good   and  useful 
enterprises  of  the  then  sparsely  settled  neighborhood,  as 
his  father  had  been  in  subduing  the  wilderness  and  mak- 
ing for  his  wife  and  little  ones  a  home  safe    from  Indian 
attack  and  to  be  forever  free    from  the   galling  yoke  of 
foreign  tyranny.     At  his  death  all  of   the   cares  of  busi- 
ness and  the  rearing  of  a  large  family  devolved  upon  his 
widow,  and,  with  all  of  the  comforts  and  conveniences  of 
the  present  wanting,  we  can  scarcely  overestimate  or  un- 
derstand the  trials  and  the  struggles   she  was  forced   to 
pass  through.     But  in  view  of  them,  it  is  not  to   be  won- 
dered at   that  her  children  and    her   children's    children 
arise  and  call  her  blessed,  watch  her  declining  years  with 
solicitous  tenderness,   and,  although   the   sheaf  has  long 
been  fully  ripened  and  the  head  is  weary  with  its   nearly 
'  fifty  years  of  widowhood  and  almost   a   century  of  life, 
will  sorrow  long  and  deeply  at  her  departure  from  earth, 
and  rear  above   her   ashes   a   monument   fitting   to   com- 
memorate her  devotion     to   them  and    duties  well    and 
nobly    accomplished.       A    remarkable  woman    is    Mrs. 
Sarah     Osterhout,     especially    when     early     privations, 
sorrows,    trials,    and    the    hard    battles    fought    to    feed 
and  clothe  so  many  little  ones  are  taken  into   considera- 
tion.    She  yet  retains   her  faculties  in  a  surprising  de- 
gree, is  wonderfully  sound  in  body  and  mind,  bright  of 
eye,  firm  of  step,  daily  taking   exercise   put  of  doors;  is 
cheerful  in  spirit,  converses  with  clearness  and  precision, 
and  in  an  animated  and  interesting  manner,  of  the  early 
days  of  the  country,  and  shows  but  little  the  wear  and 
strain  of  nearly  a  hundred  years.     She  fully  realizes  that 
she  is  living  upon  "borrowed  time;"  that  at  any  moment 
the  silver  cord,  worn  to  extreme  slenderness  and  brittle- 
ness,   may  be   loosed — the   golden   bowl,  weakened   by 
years,  be  broken — and  the  most  blessed    of  all  words, 
"rest,   good   and   faithful    servant,"    be    whispered  into 
her  willing  ears.  But  truly  "  her  ways  are  pleasantness  and 
all  her  paths  are  peace;"  and  calmly   and   trustfully  she 
watches  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  firm  in  the  belief  that 
it  will  arise  again  upon  a  glorious  and  unending  day,  and 


to  one  who  so  long  and  faithfully  and  meekly  has  borne 
the  cross  the  crown  of  roses  shall  be  given. 

PETER   MITCHELL    OSTERHOUT 

is  descended  from  the  liberty-loving  Mayflower  stock 
upon  the  one  side,  and  the  sturdy  ■  burghers  of  Holland 
upon  the  other,  and  was  born  in  Eaton,  Luzerne  (now 
Wyoming)  county.  Pa.,  May  21st,  1810.  During  the  fall 
of  the  same  year  his  parents  moved  to  the  place  now 
known  as  La  Grange  station,  on  the  Lehigh  Valley  Rail- 
road, where  he  remained  until  his  sixteenth  year.  Then 
he  commenced  his  long,  active  and  useful  business  life, 
as  an  employe  of  James  Wright,  at  Tunkhannock.  In 
1828  he  removed  to  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  and  was  a  clerk  in 
the  establishment  of  John  Arnot  four  years. 

In  December,  1833,  he  returned  to  Tunkhannock,  and 
in  connection  with  George  M.  Hollenback,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  opened  a  large  mercantile  establishment  for  the 
times,  and  continued  in  trade  there  until  r845.  In  1835 
Mr.  Osterhout  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace  by 
Governor  Ritner,  and  he  held  the  office  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  public  until  a  change  in  the  constitution  made  it 
elective.  In  1841  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Tunk- 
hannock under  the  Harrison  administration,  but  upon  the 
ascendancy  of  John  Tyler  was  deposed,  charged  with 
having  assisted  in  the  circulation  of  the  New  York  Tri- 
bune, and  a  Democrat  was  appointed  in  his  place.  In 
1845  he  was  the  candidate  of  the  Whig  party  for  the  of- 
fice of  prothonotary  and  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Wyoming 
county,  and  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  two  votes.  In 
1848  he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  important  positions  by 
an  increased  majority  of  twelve,  and  faithfully  and  for 
the  best  interest  of  the  public  served  out  his  term.  While 
engaged  in  the  arduous  duties  of  his  official  life  Mr.  Os- 
terhout commenced  the  study  of  law,  under  the  instruc- 
tions of  Hon.  R.  R.  Little,  and  in  1852  was  admitted  to 
practice  in  the  several  courts  of  Wyoming  county. 

Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  old  Whig  party  Mr.  Oster- 
hout became  a  staunch  Republican  and  was  chosen  as  a 
delegate  to  the  national  convention  that  nominated  John 
C.  Fremont  for  the  presidency.  In  i860  he  was  a  dele- 
gate to  the  national  convention  at  Chicago,  assisted  in  the 
nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  took  an  energetic 
and  important  part  in  the  canvass  that  resulted  in  his 
election.  In  1864  Mr.  Osterhout  was  elected  a  repre- 
sentative to  the  State  Legislature,  the  district  then  being 
composed  of  Susquehanna  and  Wyoming  counties,  and 
his  re-election  the  following  year  proved  the  estimation 
in  which  he  was  held  and  the  confidence  reposed  in  him 
bv  his  constituents.  During  all  the  exciting  phases  of 
the  late  war  Mr.  Osterhout  took  a  strong  and  decided 
stand  in  favor  of  the  Union  and  bent  all  his  energies  in 
that  direction.  He  was  appointed  enrolling  officer  by 
Governor  Curtin  for  the  county  of  Wyoming  for  the  first 
draft  ordered  by  the  government,  and  successfully  and 
with  credit  to  himself  fulfilled  its  trying  and  delicate 
duties. 

In  1868  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  from  the 
district  composed  of  Bradford,  Susquehanna  and  Wyom- 
ing counties,  and  served  upon  the  committees  of  judici- 
ary and  railroads.  During  his  senatorship  he  was  very 
active  in  carrying  out  necessary  reforms  in  the  law  of 
evidence  and  gaining  for  parties  accused  the  right  to 
testify  in  their  own  behalf,  the  beneficial  results  of  which 
will  be  a  lasting  tribute  to  his  memory  as  a  man,  and  his 
clear  discrimination  of  right  as  a  lawyer.  Mr.  Osterhout 
was  a  delegate  to  the  national  convention  of  1872,  and 
assisted  in  the  nomination  of  U.  S.  Grant  for  re-election 
as  President. 

Mr.  Osterhout  has  been  twice  married — first  in  1835,  to 


k" 


=*^%* 


*^H= 


^> 


=H', 


534^ 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


Frances  Slocum  Carey,  daughter  of  Eleazer  Carey,  of 
Wilkes-Barre,  who  died  in  1839,  childless  ;  and  on 
March  4th,  1841,  to  Eunice  Marcy,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Abel  Marcy,  of  Tunkhannock  (and  a  descendant  of  one  of 
the  oldest  settlers  of  the  country),  who  died  in  1878,  leaving 
two  daughters,  Frances  S.,  the  wife  of  E.  S.  Handrick, 
and  Sue  L.,  wife  of  Beth  L.  Keeney,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
The  early  education  of  Mr.  Osterhout  was  necessarily 
limited  by  the  want  of  proper  conveniences  in  the  then 
comparatively  new  country.  Such  knowledge  as  the  im- 
perfect common  schools  could  give  was  eagerly  sought, 
and  later  he  studied  for  a  time  at  the  academy  at  Mon- 
trose, Susquehanna  county,  under  the  instructions  of 
Franklin  Lusk.  In  person  Mr.  Osterhout  is  large,  his 
mood  jovial  and  his  mind  well  stored,  especially  with 
historical  events.  He  bears  his  seventy  years  well,  for 
the  hand  of  time  has  been  unable  to  bow  his  stalwart 
frame  or  dim  the  working  of  his  active  mind.  Though 
retired  from  his  profession,  living  a  life  of  plentiful  ease 
and  largely  indulging  his  antiquarian  tastes,  he  still 
mingles  actively  with  his  fellow  man  and  bears  his  part 
on  all  public  occasions,  takes  a  warm  interest  in  political 
and  national  affairs,  and  bids  fair  to  vigorously  survive 
many  who  now  look  up  to  and  speak  of  him  as  "  old." 
And  when  at  last  the  stern  summons  of  death  shall  come, 
the  record  he  leaves  behind  will  be  an  honorable  one 
and  of  him  it  may  well  be  written  : 

"  Of  no  distemper,  of  no  blast  he  died ; 
He  fell  lilse  autumn  fruit  that  mellowed  long:, 
Even  wondered  at  because  he  dropt  not  sooner." 

Of  such  men  were  the  pioneers  of  the  country,  who 
carved  a  nation  out  of  a  wilderness,  and  as  long  as  the 
records  of  the  early  days  of  Wyoming  county  remain 
will  be  found  prominent  therein,  as  a  guide  and  a  shin- 
ing example,  the  name  of  Peter  Mitchell  Osterhout. 

STEPHEN    H.    SEACORD. 

Stephen  H.  Seacord  was  born  in  Bovina,  Delaware 
county,  N.  Y.,  and  married  Emma,  daughter  of  J.  B. 
Sands,  a  native  of  Meredith,  in  the  same  county.  He 
served  as  a  member  of  the  144th  New  York  volunteers 
in  the  war  for  the  Union.  He  came  to  Wyoming  county 
in  1875,  kept  the  Sterling  House,  at  Meshoppen,  three 
years,  and  since  1878  has  been  keeping  Wall's  Hotel  in 
Tunkhannock. 

SAMUEL     STARK. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  one  of  that  family 
whose  name  is  early  found  in  the  records  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  who  occupied  so  prominent  a  place  and  par- 
ticipated so  actively  in  the  early  events  of  our  infant 
republic.  From  1685  down  through  all  the  struggles  of 
the  Revolution  and  the  terrible  Wyoming  massacre,  the 
Starks  are  found  defending  with  brain  and  blood  the 
everlasting  principles  of  liberty  and  truth.  Of  such  an 
ancestry  Samuel  Stark  was  an  honorable  and  honored 
descendant.  Born  at  Cherry  Valley,  Otsego  county,  N. 
Y.,  on  the  9th  of  June,  1810,  he  was  one  of  a  family  of 
fourteen  children.  For  seventeen  years  he  remained 
there,  spending  his  boyhood  days  as  was  characteristic  of 
the  frugality  and  simplicity  of  that  early  tijne.  It  was 
during  those  years,  when  the  rearing  of  so  large  a  family 
demanded  the  strictest  economy  and  industry  on  the  ])art 
of  each  of  its  members,  that  those  habits  were  formed 
which  signalized  his  whole  life  and  crowned  it  with  suc- 
cess. In  January,  1827,  this  large  family  was  called  to 
endure  the  sad  bereavement  of  a  mother's  loss;  but 
though  she  was  then  taken  from  her  children,  there  re- 
mained  to   them   as   their  only  heritage  the  advice  and 


example  of  pure  and  noble  womanhood.  Thus  equipped 
— with  habits  made  industrious  and  frugal  by  necessity, 
with  principles  made  honest  and  true  by  the  influences 
of  home — at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  bade  adieu  to  his 
childish  associates  and  associations,  and  struck  out  man- 
fully and  bravely  in  life's  great  battle.  In  the  fall  of 
the  same  year  he  found  his  way  to  Tunkhannock,  with 
only  twenty  shillings  in  money,  but  with  a  stock  of 
energy  and  determination  that  knew  no  defeat  and  met 
no  failure.  He  soon  obtained  a  position  in  the  store  of 
his  cousin  (the  late  Henry  Stark),  but  at  wages  hardly 
more  than  his  board.  For  his  honest  and  faithful  dis- 
charge of  duty  in  this  subordinate  position  he  was 
destined  soon  to  be  rewarded,  and  in  1833  ^^  '^^^  ad- 
mitted into  partnership  with  his  former  employer.  In 
1837  Henry  Stark,  having  been  elected  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, sold  out  his  interest  in  the  partnership  to  Samuel, 
who  thus  became  sole  proprietor  of  a  large  and  grow- 
ing business,  which  he  continued  for  nearly  thirty 
years,  and  which  was  pursued  during  the  whole  time 
with  a  degree  of  industry  and  perseverance  rarely 
equaled.  The  twenty  shillings  which  he  brought  with 
him  to  the  home  of  his  adoption  forty-seven  years  be- 
fore had  not  been  "hid  in  a  napkin";  the  observance 
of  the  divine  mandate  had  been  rewarded,  and  he  re- 
tired from  the  active  and  laborious  duties  of  mercantile 
life.  During  all  this  busy  life  he  had  sought  guid- 
ance for  his  feet  and  strength  for  his  heart  from  Him  of 
whom  in  early  life  he  became  a  follower  ;  to  Whose  cause 
he  was  a  liberal  contributor,  and  in  Whose  saving  grace 
he  faithfully  confided  to  the  end  of  life.  On  the  29th  of 
March,  1838,  he  married  Lydia  Marcy,  a  daughter  of 
Colonel  Abel  Marcy.  then  in  her  twenty-first  year.  For 
over  forty  years  did  they  pursue  life's  journey  together, 
she  doing  all  that  the  interest  and  sympathy  of  a  loving 
wife  and  faithful  mother  could  suggest  to  illumine  and 
smooth  his  pathway ;  and  though  he  has  "  gone  on 
before"  she  yet  remains  a  joy  and  comfort  to  the  five 
surviving  children  of  that  happy  marriage.  In  the  fall  of 
1840  he  occupied  the  house  he  had  erected  for  a  home, 
and  in  that  house  he  continued  to  live  up  to  his  death. 
This  home  was  to  him  a  haven  from  the  trials  of  busi- 
ness for  almost  half  a  century — the  home  where  he  and 
his  companion  had  together  rejoiced  as  children  came 
to  them  and  together  wept  over  their  departure  to  the 
other  shore,  the  home  which  had  resounded  to  the 
merry  chime  of  the  marriage  bell,  and  had  been  hushed 
in  the  sombre  garb  of  mourning.  Many  and  hallowed 
are  the  surroundings  of  the  "old  homestead!"  Mr. 
Stark  was  one  of  the  founders  and  principal  stockholders 
of  the  Wyoming  National  Bank,  which  was  organized  in 
1865  and  of  which  he  was  the  first  cashier,  which  posi- 
tion he  continued  to  occupy  for  twelve  years.  With  his 
retirement  from  the  bank  in  1877  closed  the  active 
duties  of  his  business  life.  The  remainder  of  his  days 
was  passed  in  the  calm  retirement  of  a  home  made  happy 
to  him  by  the  attention  of  a  loving  family,  and  the  respect 
of  an  appreciative  community.  Then  he  trustingly 
awaited  the  call  of  that  Master  whom  he  had  so  long 
and  faithfully  served,  to  "  come  up  higher."  That  call 
finally  came  ;  and  on  the  isth  of  December,  1879,  at  5 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  went  out  that  life  which  industry 
and  perseverence  have  characterized,  which  honor  and 
truth  had  actuated,  and  which  a  pure  Christianity  had  em- 
bellished and  adorned.  To  deeply  mourn  a  father's  death 
there  remain  two  sons  and  three  daughters,  Kate  M.,  the  ■ 
wife  of  John  Day  ;  Abel  M.,  Affa  C,  and  S.  Judson, 
all  of  whom  now  reside  at  Tunkhannock  ;  and  Eleanor 
G.,  the  wife  of  Stanley  W.  Little,  who  resides  atTowanda, 
Pa.,  who  faithfully  cherish  and  honor  his  counsel  and 
his  memory.  ^^ 


f- 


■v'  \ 


Cy/;>'^'.    ^/^^^ 


JA^  a  -(,y  -s^'MTi'  &  Sorts  J 3  3arday  JtlTT 


Abram  Ace  was  born  in  Delaware,  Pa.,  in  1822,  and 
married  in  1847  Julia  A.,  daughter  of  Jacob  Dorshei- 
mer.  Mr.  Ace  was  a  farmer  and  a  mason  by  trade.  He 
died  in  i866,  leaving  a  widow  and  eight  children. 

William  Anderson  is  a  native  of  Dallas,  Pa.  He  was 
born  in  1836,  and  married  in  1861  Anna  E.,  daughter  of 
W.  C.  Miller.  She  died  March  19th,  1870,  leaving  two 
children,  and  he  married  in  187 1  Rhoda  Reeves,  of  Kings- 
ton, Luzerne  county. 

Felix  Ansart  was  born  in  New  London,  Conn.,  Jan- 
uary 28th,  1837,  but  has  lived  in  this  county  since  1867. 
Mrs.  Ansart  was  Miss  H.  Rowena  Loomis,  of  Springville. 
Mr.  Ansart  was  formerly  a  civil  engineer.  Since  1870  he 
has  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  elected 
district  attorney  of  Wyoming  county  in  1871. 

Simon  Armstrong,  born  in  Falls,  in  1826,  was  mar- 
ried in  1844  to  Jemima  W.  Stanton,  of  Abington.  They 
have  four  children.  Two  of  Mr.  Armstrong's  sons  were 
in  the  war  for  the  Union.  One,  wounded  and  taken 
prisoner,  died  at  Andersonville. 

Thomas  R.  Armstrong,  born  in  Overfield,  in  1846, 
married  Salome,  daughter  of  Charles  Kirkhoff,  of  Falls, 
in  1869.  They  have  four  children.  Mr.  Armstrong  is  a 
justice  of  the  peace  and  United  States  pension  agent  and 
attorney,  and  is  the  township  clerk  and  treasurer  of  Tunk- 
hannock. 

E.  F.  Avery,  dental  surgeon,  is  a  native  of  Falls.  He 
studied  with  Dr.  Smith,  and  married  Mary  Esther,  daugh- 
ter of  Gardner  Harding,  of  Eaton. 

Hon.  Ira  Avery  was  born  in  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y., 
in  1804;  came  to  Tunkhannock  in  181 9,  and  in  1830  mar- 
ried Philena,  daughter  of  Oliver  Gustin,  of  Waterloo,  N. 
Y.,  and  has  one  son.  He  was  elected  associate  judge  in 
1856,  and  served  five  years;  has  been  assistant  revenue 
assessor  for  his  district,  aad  forty  years  a  deacon  in  the 
Presbyterian  church. 

Daniel  A.  Bardwell  was  born  in  Wysock,  Luzerne 
county,  October  27th,  1799.  He  came  to  Tunkhannock 
in  1814;  November  7th,  1819,  married  Susan  Jones,  and 
is  now  the  oldest  citizen  of  the  borough  whose  life  has 
been  passed  here  since  boyhood.  Of  his  children  Wil- 
liam L.,  his  oldest  son,  is  a  produce  dealer  of  this  place. 
Catharine  married  Charles  Marsh.  He  died  and  she  is 
living  with  her  parents.  H.  W.  Bardwell,  another  son,  is 
postmaster  of  Tunkhannock,  and  senior  partner  of  the 
insurance  firm  of  H.  W.  Bardwell  &  Co.  He  served  as 
major  during  the  war  for  the  Union.  Harmon  W.  is  a 
resident  of  Washington,  D.  C.  Maria  married  a  Mr. 
Terwilliger,  of  Meshoppen,  and  Daniel  J.  married  in 
1863  Francis  J.,  daughter  of  Elijah  Jenkins;  he  has  seven 
children,  and  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Tunkhan- 
nock.    He  is  a  supervisor  and  school  director. 

Edgar  Billings  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  in  1842, 
and  married  in  1872.  He  has  one  child.  He  has  served 
his  town  as  assessor,  school  director,  and  in  other  official 
capacities. 

ZiBA  Billings  was  born  in  Tunkhannock.  He  was  in 
trade  at  West  Nicholson  six  years;  afterward  in  the  hotel 
business  at  Pierceville,  Carbondale  and  Great  Bend.  In 
1857  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  this  county.  In  1872  he 
built  the  Packer  house,  and  he  has  since  been  one  of  its 
proprietors.  His  daughter  Ida  Ella  married  William  N. 
Reynolds,  a  native  of  Clinton,  now  a  business  partner  of 
Mr.  Billings. 


Draper  Billings,  a  native  of  Tunkhannock,  served  in 
the  United  States  army  during  the  late  war.  He  is  a  son 
of  Daniel  and  great-grandson  of  Caleb  Billings,  who  came 
to  the  Wyoming  valley  during  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Richard  Bolson  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in 
1819,  and  in  1849  married  Sarah  Lewis,  of  that  county. 
He  came  to  this  place  in  1854.  Taking  up  a  tract  of  wild 
land  he  made  the  first  clearing  and  raised  the  first  crops 
on  what  is  now  a  well  tilled  farm.  He  has  a  family  of 
five  children. 

Stanley  R.  Brunges,  a  native  of  Eaton,  was  born  in 
1852,  and  married  in  1874  Sarah,  daughter  of  Elisha 
Jenkins.  His  father,  Jacob  M.  Brunges,  was  born  in 
North  Moreland,  in  1824,  and  in  1849  married  Rebecca, 
daughter  of  Timothy  Jayne,  of  Eaton.  He  was  accident- 
ally killed  by  his  son  while  shooting  at  a  mark,  July  4th, 
1878. 

James  Bunnell  was  born  April  loth,  1814,  in  Meshop- 
pen. He  lived  principally  in  Washington  township  until 
1873,  when  he  came  to  Tunkhannock.  October  15th, 
1837,  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  George  Harding,  by 
whom  he  had  four  children — Savannah,  born  March  sth, 
1840;  Frank  C,  March'  19th,  1842;  Nelson,  January 
19th,  1846;  Mary,  October  25th,  1850  (died  in  infancy). 
Mrs.  Bunnell  was  born  January  nth,  1817. 

Cyrus  D.  Camp,  publisher  of  the  Republican,  was  born 
in  Camptown,  Bradford  county,  Pa.,  May  17th,  1853,  and 
married  A.  Marion  Angle,  of  the  same  county.  He  came 
to  Tunkhannock  January  ist,  1876. 

Henry  Chase,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Abington,  Luzerne 
(now  Lackawanna)  county.  His  mother  was  a  Miss 
Cannon,  of  Tompkins,  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.  Dr.  Chase 
studied  with  Dr.  Cannon  at  Mill  City;  graduated  in 
March,  1869,  at  Michigan  University,  and  married  Mar- 
tha J.  Grenville,  of  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.  He  has  been  in 
practice  here  since  1872.  He  has  one  child,  Harris  E., 
born  July  nth,  1872. 

George  W.  Cooke,  a  native  of  Monroe,  was  born 
October  3d,  1856.  He  studied  law  with  Felix  Ansart, 
and  is  filling  the  office  of  county  surveyor. 

John  Corish,  born  in  Ireland,  in  1822,  was  married  in 
185 1  to  Catharine  L.,  daughter  of  Robert  F.  Hight,  of 
Tunkhannock.  They  have  had  and  lost  four  children. 
Frankie  died  September  gth,  1861;  Anna,  October  ist,' 
1863;  R.  B.,  October  3d,  1863,  and  Justin,  October  17th, 
1863. 

George  W.  Crawford  was  born  in  Sullivan  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1833  His  wife  was  Ellen,  daughter  of  Jacob 
Myers.  They  were  married  in  1856.  She  died  April 
ist,  1866,  and  Eliza  Harding  was  married  to  Mr.  Craw- 
ford in  1871.     He  has  five  children. 

Daniel  Cruver  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  in 
1816,  and  married  in  1835  Clarissa  A.  Travis,  of  that 
county,  who  died  November  27th,  1841,  leaving  two 
children.  The  present  Mrs.  Crawford  was  Catharine 
Ace,daughter  of  Peter  Ace,  of  ,Monroe.  She  was  married 
to  Mr.  C.  in  1848. 

John  Day  was  born  in  Montrose,  Pa.  He  came  to 
Tunkhannock  in  1857,  and  with  his  brother  Alvin  pub- 
lished the  North  Branch  Democrat  until  1861,  when  he 
engaged  in  the  coal  and  lumber  trade.  He  married  Kate 
M.,  daughter  of  Samuel  Stark,  and  has  three  children. 
He  has  been  a  justice  of  the  peace. 


4 


534^ 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


Alvin  Day  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county,  March 
lOth,  1830,  and  came  to  Tunkhannock  in  1857,  where  for 
eleven  years  he  has  edited  and  published  the  Wyoming 
Democrat.  He  has  been  postmaster,  councilman,  treas- 
urer and  auditor.  He  married  Miss  Helen  M.  Jones,  of 
Luzerne  county. 

Morton  A.  Dewitt  was  born  in  1853,  and  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  commenced  teaching  in  the  public  schools. 
He  was  principal  of  Tunkhannock  graded  school  one 
year.  He  is  a  teacher  of  wide  experience  and  acknowl- 
edged activity.  He  is  now  a  general  agent  in  the  employ 
of  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  of  New  York. 

Hugh  Dickson  was  born  in  1803,  and  married  in 
1822  Jane  Ann,  daughter  of  George  Sickler,  of  Ulster 
county,  N.  Y.,  who  died  in  1867.  The  present  Mrs. 
Dickson  was  Matilda  Loomis.  Mr.  Dickson  is  a  son 
of  Marshall  Dickson,  a  Wyoming  pioneer  who  served 
in  the  Revolution  and  in  the  war  of  1812. 

Charles  Dickson,  farmer,  was  born  in  1819.  In 
1838  he  married  Ruth,  daughter  of  Joseph  Earle.  They 
have  a  family  of  nine  children.  Mr.  Dickson  spent 
twenty-two  years  in  Illinois.  Seven  of  his  children  re- 
main in  the  west. 

A.  M.  Eastman,  boot  "and  shoemaker  and  dealer. 
Bridge  street,  is  a  native  of  Bradford  county  and  married 
a  Miss  Cooper,  of  Nicholson.  He  is  the  present  fire 
warden  of  Tunkhannock,  and  is  one  of  the  justices  of 
the  peace  in  the  borough. 

John  Flummerfelt,  farmer,  was  born  in  Warren 
county,  N.  J.,  in  1834,  and  came  to  Tunkhannock  in 
1850  and  in  1866  married  Minnie  Jenkins.  They  have 
two  children.  He  has  filled  various  positions  of  trust 
and  honor. 

Hon.  C.  D.  Gearhart,  son  of  Dr.  Harrison  Gearhart, 
was  born  in  Columbia  county.  Pa.,  in  1828.  He  mar- 
ried in  1853  Eveline  Kelley  and  has  seven  children.  In 
1861  he  was  census  marshal  of  the  county..  In  1872  he 
was  appointed  associate  judge  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  at 
the  expiration  of  the  terra  was  elected  for  a  five  years' 
term,  which  expired  in  1879. 

Isaac  B.  Graham  was  born  in  Woodstock,  N.  Y.,  in 
1816  and  came  when  a  child  to  Eaton.  He  was  married 
in  1842  to  Isabel,  daughter  of  George  Miller.  He  has 
had  six  children,  one  of  whom  fell  at  David's  Island, 
June  28th,  1863,  fighting  for  the  Union. 

George  W.  Gray  is  a  son  of  Z.  Gray,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, who  resided  most  of  his  life  in  Luzerne  and  Wyo- 
ming counties  and  died  at  Tunkhannock. 

Henry  Harding,  a  son  of  Elisha  Harding,  jr.,  was 
born  in  Eaton  township.  He  enlisted  in  the-U.  S.  navy 
at  the  age  of  sixteen,  and  served  in  the  North  Atlantic 
squadron.  In  June,  1865,  he  became  one  of  the  crew  of 
the  "  Colorado,"  under  Admiral  Gouldsboro;  served  two 
years  in  Europe  and  the  Mediterranean,  and  secured  his 
discharge  in  1868.  November  6th,  1872,  he  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Joseph  Ace.  They  have  one  child, 
Stanley,  born  April  26th,  1874.  Mr.  Harding  read  law 
and  was  admitted  in  1874,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Sittzer  &  Harding,  who  are 
the  town  attorneys. 

W.  B.  Harding,  a  native  of  Eaton  township,  was  born 
in    1823.      Mrs.   Cynthia   Vosburgh,    daughter   of   John 


Ward,  of  Scranton,  became  his  wife  in  January,  i86r. 
They  have  one  son.  Mr.  Harding  is  a  lineal  descendant 
of  the  pioneer  family  of  that  name. 

S.  S.  Hatfield,  born  in  Lycoming  county,  Pa.,  has  re- 
sided in  Tunkhannock  since  1868.  He  married  Lena  E. 
Stark,  of  that  place.     They  have  one  child. 

Alfred  Helmer  was  born  in  1833,  in  Luzerne  county. 
In  1853  he  married  Martha,  daughter  of  Henry  Seils. 
They  have  had  four  children.  Mr.  Helmer  is  a  lumber- 
man, and  owns  a  large  steam  mill  at  La  Grange. 

F.  B.  Hight,  a  native  of  Tunkhannock,  was  born  in 
1831,  and  was  married  in  i860  to  Harriet,  daughter  of 
Cornelius  Van  Schoy,  of  Centre  Moreland.     They  have 

five  sons 

F.  Lee  Hollister,  D.  D.  S.,  was  born  in  Susquehanna 
county,  Pa.,  and  graduated  from  the  Philadelphia  College 
of  Dental  Surgery  in  the  class  of  March,  1879,  being  one 
of  the  four  graduates  who  divided  equally  the  Dean's 
prize  for  the  best  specimen  of  gold  filling  in  the  mouth. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  Baker,  of  Susquehanna 
county.  His  ofiice  is  on  'Tioga  street,  over  Hendrick's 
store.     He  established  himself  here  in  May,  1879. 

Hon.  John  Jackson,  a  son  of  Dr.  Cyrus  Jackson, 
was  born  in  181 1.  He  was  elected  sheriff  of  Wyoming 
county  in  1848,  and  representative  in  the  Assembly  in 
1876.  He  is  a  farmer  and  resides  on  the  old  family 
homestead  of  six  hundred  acres. 

Elisha  Jenkins,  born  in  1821,  was  married  to  Mary, 
daughter  of  John  Ward,  in  1862.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren living.  Mr.  Jenkins  lives  on  the  place  settled  by  his 
father,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  town,  whose  mother 
was  taken  captive  by  the  Indians  at  the  Wyoming  mas- 
sacre. 

Palmer  Jenkins  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  Novem- 
ber 2nd,  1814,  and  married  Jane,  daughter  of  James 
Brown,  of  Eaton.  They  have  an  adopted  daughter.  Mr. 
Jenkins  was  for  many  years  a  farmer  and  lumberman, 
but  in  1863  he  retired  from  business  and  has  since  resid- 
ed in  the  borough, 

George  L.  Kennard,  sheriff  of  Wyoming  county, 
was  born  at  Skinner's  Eddy,  Wyoming  county,  June 
nth,  1842,  and  married  Mary  F.  La  Barre,  of  Laceyville, 
Pa.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  hotel  keeping.  He 
served  in  Company  B  52nd  Pennsylvania  volunteers  in 
the  war  for  the  Union. 

J.  W.  Kentner  was  born  in  Washington  township,  in 
1857.  In  1876  he  married  Rosanna,  daughter  of  John 
Ace,  of  that  township.     They  have  one  child. 

C.  M.  Kishpaugh  was  born  in  Tunkhannock.  He 
served  in  the  late  war  and  was  wounded  at  Farmersville. 
He  has  been  borough  constable  and  collector  since  1875. 
He  was  married  April  nth,  1876,  to  Miss  Ruth  A. 
Morse,  of  Montrose,  Pa. 

Charles  M.  Lee,  elected  county  superintendent  of 
common  schools  in  1875  and  1878,  was  born  in  South 
Eaton,  January  29th,  1854,  and  came  to  Tunkhannock 
in  1875.  His  wife,  formerly  Eliza  Smith,  is  the  daugh- 
of  Dr.  J.  V.  Smith,  an  early  settler. 

M.  J.  Lull,  of  Tunkhannock,  is  a  Vermont  man.  He 
was  born  in  1850,  and  in  1872  married  Emma  Kishpaugh, 
of  Tunkhannock.     He  has  been   in   the  employ  of  the 


<¥ 


•«*■ 


■f 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


534  G 


4^= 


P.  and  N.  Y.  Railroad  Company  since  1869  and  is  now  a 
conductor.  He  was  a  soldier  in  1865  with  Company  H 
2nd  N.  Y.  mounted  rifles. 

James  R.  Mahok,  the  present  register  and  recorder  of 
Wyoming  county,  was  elected  to  that  position  in  1875. 
He  was  born  in  Overfield,  November  28th,  1845,  and  was 
educated  at,  the  Mansfield  State  normal  school  and 
Meadville  Theological  Seminary.  He  followed  teaching 
until  his  election  to  his  present  office.  He  has  twelve 
brothers  and  sisters  living,  all  grown  up. 

Perry  Marcy  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  in  1818, 
and  was  married  in  1859  to  Mary,  daughter  of  Joseph 
Burgess,  of  North  Branch.  He  had  two  children.  His 
occupation  was  farming  and  railroading.  He  died  June 
i2th,  186S. 

Porter  Marcy  was  born  in  Tunkhannock,  February 
22nd,  1824,  and  in  1845  married  Eliza,  daughter  of  Abel 
Cassidy,  of  Susquehanna  county,  who  survives  him.  His 
death  occurred  at  his  home  May  31st,   1868. 

Mrs.  S.  a.  Metcalf  was  born  in  Eaton,  February 
13th,  1824,  and  in  1848  married  H.  Metcalf,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre.  Mr.  Metcalf  went  into  the  army  as  captain  and 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major.     He  died  in  1864. 

James  J.  Michael  was  born  in  Middle  Smithfield,  Pa., 
in  1849.  He  was  married  in  1873,  and  has  three  children. 
He  is  a  farmer  and  school  teacher,  and  is  a  class  leader 
in  the  Prospect  Hill  M.  E.  Church. 

David  Michael  was  born  in  Middle  Smithfield,  Pa., 
in  1843.  He  was  married  in  1875  and  has  three  children. 
He  is  a  trustee  and  steward  of  the  Free  Methodist 
church. 

Punderson  A.  Miller  was  born  in  Eaton,  in  1822, 
and  in  1850  married  Nancy,  daughter  of  Joseph  Arm- 
strong, who  died  May  7th,  1878,  leaving  one  daughter. 
Mr.  Miller  married  his  present  wife,  Mahala  B.,  daughter 
of  Harry  Harding,  of  Exeter,  October  31st,  1879. 

James  R.  Miller  was  born  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y., 
in  1817.  In  1840  he  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Cook.  He  has  had  eight  children,  but  two  of  whom  are 
now  living.  He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  five  years 
and  is  a  Good  Templar  and  a  trustee  of  East  Lemon 
church. 

Newman  Miller,  a  native  of  Livingston  county,  N.Y., 
was  born  in  1809  and  came  here  when  a  child.  He  mar- 
ried in  1840  Pearline,  daughter  of  Jabez  Jenkins;  she 
was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  and  died  November 
19th,  1858.  Mr.  Miller  married  Mrs.  Nancy  Jenkins  in 
1861. 

C.  P.  Miller,  president  of  the  Wyoming  National 
Bank,  was  born  in  Cayuga  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1819.  He 
was  formerly  a  merchant.  He  married  Celestia  Karrick, 
of  Candor,  Tioga  county,  N.  Y. 

O.  S.  Mills,  dealer  in  hardware,  was  born  in  Glen- 
wood,  Susquehanna  county,  Pa.,  in  1838.  He  married 
Miss  Helen  Dana,  of  Eaton  township. 

John  M.  Mulholland,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Mercer 
county,  graduated  at  the  Cincinnati  Eclectic  Medical  In- 
stitute in  1875,  and  came  here  as  a  partner  of  Dr.  Wood- 
ward in  1877,  before  which  date  he  practiced  in  Mechan- 
icsville,  Pa.  He  is  the  surgeon  of  the  Susquehanna  Ec- 
lectic Medical  Society. 


Danial  Newman,  who  was  born  in  Tunkhannock  m 
1804,  married  Maria,  daughter  of  John ,  Ferguson,  of 
North  Moreland,  in  1828.  She  died  October  8th,  1873, 
leaving  eight  children. 

David  Osterhout,  deceased,  was  born  in  Connecti- 
cut, in  1783.  He  was  married  October  29th,  1807,  to 
Sarah,  daughter  of  David  Mitchell,  of  Pittston,  and  raided 
a  family  of  thirteen  children.  His  widow  has  resided  on 
the  farm  where  she  now  lives  since  1810.  She  was  born 
in  1787. 

Hon.  Thomas  Osterhout,  of  the  firm  of  Osterhout 
&  Wheelock,  merchants,  was  born  in  1808;  was  elected 
the  first  sheriff  of  Wyoming  county,  in  1843;  served  as 
United  States  commissioner  in  i^6r,and  was  elected  rep- 
resentative to  the  Legislature  from  the  county  during  that 
y>.'ar.  He  married  in  1835  Mary,  daughter  of  Jabez  Jen- 
kins, by  whom  he  had  eleven  children.  In  1863  he  mar- 
ried his  present  wife,  Almira  C.  Forman,  of  Nichols,  N.  Y. 

O.  H.  PoLLNER  and  sister  are  the  proprietors  of  a 
pleasant  summer  resort  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Gary,  ac- 
commodating about  thirty  guests,  having  a  fine  outlook 
over  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  and  within  convenient 
distance  of  a  railway  station. 

Hon.  William  M.  Piatt,  a  native  of  Lycoming  coun- 
ty, has  resided  in  Wyoming  county  since  1843,  He  was 
elected  State  senator  from  this  district  in  1853,  chosen 
speaker  of  the  Senate  in  1855,  and  re-elected  to  the  Sen- 
ate by  his  district.  He  has  been  for  many  years  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  bar,  with  which  he  is  still  identified 
as  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Piatt  &  Sons,  and  is 
one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Democratic  party  in  the  county. 
He  was  chosen  by  Governor  Packer  a  member  of  his  staff, 
with  the  rank  of  major. 

Benjamin  H.  Shook  (tinsmith),  elected  a  school  di- 
rector during  the  present  year,  was  born  in  Northampton 
county,  in  1849.  At  Tunkhannock,  October  i8th,  1870, 
he  was  married  to  Mary  D.,  daughter  of  W,  W.  Brown, 
of  Wilkes-Barre. 

S.  JuDSON  Stark  is  a  native  and  lifelong  resident  of 
Tunkhannock.  He  was  born  October  2nd,  1850,  and 
married  E.  W.  Kerney,  of  Braintrim  township.  Mr.  Stark 
was  formerly  a  member  of  the  town  counpi], 

William  M.  Stark  was  born  in  1838,  and  married 
Emma  J.,  daughter  of  Henry  Harris,  of  Lemoij,  in  1868. 
They  have  six  children.  Mr.  Stark  has  serv9(}  as  treas- 
urer and  clerk  of  the  township. 

J.  S.  Swisher,  junior  member  of  an  insurance  firm  with 
H.  W.  Bardwell  and  dealer  in  segars  and  tobacco  in  the 
post-ofifice  building,  was  formerly  agent  of  the  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  at  Moosic,  Pa.  He  mnrried  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  D.  Stoner,  of  Tunkhannock.  They 
have  one  child. 

Albert  Townsend,  burgess  of  Tunkhannock,  was 
born  in  Falls  township,  April  8th,  1827,  an4  October 
5th,  1857,  married  Katie  Sampson,  of  Tunkhannock, 
where  he  has  lived  since  1872.  Mr.  Townsend  was  em- 
ployed nine  years  as  contractor  for  railroads  building  in 
South  America.  He  has  also  been  engaged  in  mercan- 
tile business. 

Seaman  Vosburgh,  deceased,  was  born  September 
13th,  1811,  and  died  in  1858.  December  12th,  1838,  he 
married  Mahala,  daughter  of  John   Comstock,  of  Falls, 


^^^ 


^>= 


534^ 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


who  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  only  two  of  whom 
are  now  living. 

Thomas  B.  Wall,  owner  of  Wall's  Hotel,  Tunkhan- 
nock,  was  born  in  Scranton,  in  1818.  He  married  in 
184s  Mary  A.,  daughter  of  Minor  Kelley.  They  have 
two  children. 

W.  D.  Williams  was  born  in  Bradford  county,  and  is 
a  son  of  Senton  Williams,  once  register  and  recorder  of 
Wyoming  county.  He  married  a  Miss  Roberts,  of  Phil- 
adelphia. Mr.  Williams  is  cashier  of  F.  C.  Bunnell  & 
Co.'s  bank,  and  the  owner  of  Williams's  photographic 
studio. 

Jacob  Willsey,  born  in  Eaton,  in  1841,  married  Han- 
nah, daughter  of  John  Shaffer,  of  Tunkhannock,  in  1864. 
They  have  two  children.  Mr.  Willsey  is  a  farmer  and 
lumber  dealer. 

George  Winans,  architect  and  builder,  has  been  en- 
gaged  in  that  line  at  this  place  eighteen  years.      He  was 


the  designer  and  builder  of  the  Packer  House,  the  Met- 
calf  residence,  and  the  residences  of  S.  S.  Hatfield,  A.  B. 
Mott  and  Perry  Billings  and  others. 

A.  B.  Woodward,  eclectic  physician  and  surgeon,  was 
born  June  6th,  1824,  in  Gibson,  Susquehanna  county.  Pa., 
where  he  married  Miss  Laura  Garden.  She  died  and  he 
married  his  present  wife,  Mrs.  Julia  E.  Brundage.  Dr. 
Woodward  was  professor  of  materia  medica  and  thera- 
peutics in  New  York  city;  founder  of  the  Susquehanna 
Medical  Society,  and  has  been  president  of  the  State 
Medical  Society  and  vice-president  of  the  National  Med- 
ical Association. 

The  following  citizens  of  Tunkhannock  also  contribu- 
ted their  support  to  this  publication:  J.  H.  Ackersen, 
Daniel  Avery,  S.  D.  Bacon,  H.  W.  Bogart,  Bashane, 
Bogert  &  Co.,  Mrs.  B.  R.  Bedford,  Paul  Billings,  N. 
Billings,  Earl  Carey,  C.  C.  Dershimer,  J.  W.  Dixon, 
J.  M.  Garman,  E.  S.  Handrick,  Conrad  Koon,  J.  A. 
Lyman,  T.  A.  Miller,  M.  J.  Murthe,  Jeremiah  Osterhout, 
J.  H.  Price,  S.  H.  Rau,  V.  Smith,  H.  D.  Stark,  O.  W. 
Stanton,  W.  C.  Stark. 


¥ 


=^^ 


*X  T^"' 


<^ 


ST.  PETER'S  CHURCH,  TUNKHANNOCK— WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


535 


ST.  Peter's  free  church  (episcopal) 

was  incorporated  April  21st,  1870,  the  incorporators 
being  Dr.  J.  W.  Smith,  Felix  Ansart,  A.  H.  Phillips, 
Harvey  Sickler,  Henry  Barham,  Alisha  Gray,  H.  N.  Sher- 
man, E.  S.  Handricks,  Oscar  Mills,  T.  B.  Wall,  E.  Biedle- 
man,  James  Young  and  W.  B.  Overfield.  The  society 
bought  a  lot  and  in  April,  1880,  was  preparing  to  build. 
Services  have  been  held  at  the  court-house. 


WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP. 


WASHINGTON    township    was    taken    from 
Braintrim   and  Tunkhannock,  August  gth, 
i8.-52.     The    first   settlement  was    made  in 
1787,  on  the  Carney  flats,  opposite  and  be- 
low the  mouth  of  Mehoopany  creek.    John 
Carney,  sen.,  and  family  in  the  spring  of  1787  set 
tied  on  the  lower   end   of   the   flats,  about  where 
Daniel  Carney  now  lives.     John    Carney,  jr.,  was   then 
four  years  old.     In  1799  Isaac  Doll  and  family  located  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  John  M.  Carney.     Alban  Rus- 
sell, from  Connecticut,  located  in  1800  where  his  grand- 
son, Alban  H.  Russell,  now  lives.     He    took   up  a  large 
tract,  and  -  from    him    the    village    of    Russell    Hill    was 
named.     He  brought  and  planted  the  seeds  from  which 
has  grown  the  flouishing  old  apple  orchard  now  standing 
on  the  farm.     The  pioneer  grist  and  saw-mills  were  built 
in  1824,  on  the  Meshoppen  creek,  at  Keyserville,  by  Adam 
Wilson.     In    1825    the   first    framed   house  was  built,  at 
Russell  Hill,  by  Isaac  Osterhout.     The   property  is  now 
owned  by    Mr.  Prevoste.     In  1825  Tilton  Smith  located 
at  Russell  Hill,  on  the  old  Osterhout    farm.     There  was 
a  saw  mill  at   Vosburgh    Station    about    1824,  near  the 
mouth  of  Vosburgh  creek;  also  a  small  grist-mill.     They 
were  both  burned  about   1840.     The   first   road  was  the 
Tunkhannock  and  Tioga  turnpike.     It  ran  from  Vosburgh, 
past  Alban  Russell's  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  and  the 
only  bridge  was  the  one  across  Carney  creek,  just  below 
J,  B.  Maxwell's.     The   earliest   school-house   was  built 
:about  1800,  just   above  Carney   flats,  in  the  edge  of  the 
woods,  between  Daniel  Carney's  and  Alban  H.  Russell's 
farms,  and  was  burned  in  1824.     Dr.  Elijah  Carney  was 
one  of  the  first  teachers.     In    1825    there   was  a  school- 
house  down  on  the  neck,  between  the  Bramhall  and  Bun- 
nell farms,  and  one  at  Russell  Hill,  where  Alban  Russell's 
barn  now  stands.     The   oldest  graveyard  is  the  one  on 
Carney  flats,  near  Mr.  Miller's.      Adam  Wilson,  the  pio- 
neer blacksmith,  had  a  shop   at   Keyserville    as  early  as 
1825.     The  next  blacksmith  was  Felix  Wiggins,  who  lo- 
cated at  Vosburgh  Station  in  1830.     The  first  tavern  was 
kept  in    1825,  by  Isaac  Osterhout,  in   the   old  Prevoste 
House,  still  standing  a  short  distance  east  of  the  corners 
at  Russell    Hill.     The  old  tavern  building  now  standing 
.at  Russell    Hill   was   built  in  1855,  by  L.  D.  Vosburgh. 
The  pioneer  shoemaker  was   Benjamin    Crawford,  who 


lived  at  the  head  waters  of  Vosburgh  creek,  a  little  below 
Russell  Hill.  The  first  store  was  built  in  1840  at  Russell 
Hill,  on  the  site  of  Furman's  store,  and  was  kept  by  Wil- 
bur Russell  and  Solomon  Slaus,  or  Sloss.  It  was  burned 
in  1852.  Soon  after  this  a  store  was  built  at  Keyserville 
and  another  at  Vosburgh's.  The  dam  across  the  Sus- 
quehanna a  little  below  Carney  Station  was  built  in  1852 
by  the  State  as  a  feeder  for  the  canal,  and  subsequently 
sold  to  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company. 

The  total  vote  of  this  township  at  the  general  election 
in  the  fall  of  1879  was  107.  The  population  in  1870  was 
793,  and  in  1880  767. 

Villages. 

Russell  Hill  contains  the  store  of  G.  W.  Furman,  the 
blacksmith  shop  of  J.  D.  Arnts,  the  wagon  and  sleigh 
shop  of  W.  H.  Jayne,  a  school-house,  two  churches 
(Methodist  Episcopal  and  Baptist)  and  a  population  of 
about  125.  The  first  postmaster  was  Wilbur  Russell, 
appointed  in  1840,  and  the  present  one  is  G.  W.  Furman. 

Keyserville  was  named  in  honor  of  Michael  Keyser,  of 
Philadelphia,  who  purchased  the  mills  and  other  property. 
The  place  was  first  settled  by  Adam  Wilson  in  1824,  and 
at  that  time  and  for  many  years  afterwards  was  known 
as  "  Witchhazel  "  from  the  fact  of  a  large  quantity  of 
that  shrub  growing  along  the  banks  of  the  creek.  There 
are  at  this  place  a  Methodist  church,  a  school-house,  the 
saw-mill  of  Theodore  Williams,  a  blacksmith  shop,  a 
grist-mill,  a  grangers'  hall  and  a  small  grocery.  The 
population  is  about  150. 

Vosburgh  station  became  a  post-office  in  1870,  with 
Isaac  Vosburgh  as  postmaster.  T.  G.  Harding  is  the 
present  postmaster. 

At  Carney  a  post-ofiice  was  established  in  1871;  sub- 
sequently abolished,  and  re-established  in  1878,  with 
Edward  Adams  as  postmaster.  He  is  also  the  railroad 
station  agent  and  telegraph  operator. 

Methodism. 

Methodism  was  one  of  the  pioneer  institutions  of 
Washington  township.  The  first  class  was  formed  in 
1815  or  1816.  Preaching  services,  however,  had  been 
held  several  years  previous,  down  on  "  the  neck  "  and 
at  Carney  flats.  In  18 15  John  Bunnell  located  on  the 
neck,  where  Nelson  Bunnell  now  lives.  He  was  made  a 
class  leader  in  1816,  and  the  following  were  some  of  the 
members  of  his  class:  David  Jayne  and  wife,  Mary  Bun- 
nell, wife  of  John  Bunnell,  Abram  Vosburgh  and  wife, 
William  Alden  and  wife,  Jonathan  Kellogg  and  wife  and 
George  Evans,  who  became  a  preacher.  The  leader  of 
this  class  was  converted  under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Lane  in  the  fall  of  1815,  at  a  camp  meeting  held  on  the 
neck.  He  died  at  the  age  of  82.  '  The  school-house  at 
the  neck  is  used  also  as  a  church.  Preaching  has  been 
kept  up  here  since  1790,  and  there  is  now  a  good  working 
class. 

The  first  preaching  at  Russell  Hill  was  in  the  old 
school-house  where  Alban  H.  Russell's  barn  now  stands. 
Until  1855   that  and  private   houses  were  used  for  the 


-ih 


Methodist  meetings.  The  M.  E.  church  al  Russell  Hill 
was  built  in  1855,  of  wood,  40  by  50  feet,  and  cost  $1,400. 
It  was  dedicated  in  December,  1855,  by  Elder  George 
Landon,  assisted  by  Rev.  F.  S.  Chubbuck,  who  was  then 
the  preacher  in  charge. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Keyserville  was 
built  in  1853,  and  dedicated  July  20th  of  that  year,  by 
Rev.  David  A.  Shepherd. 

The  Methodist  preachers  in  Washington  township 
from  1849  have  been:  1849,  1850,  John  Mulkey  and 
Francis  Spencer;  1851,  1852,  Erastus  Smith  and  Luther 
Peck;  1853,  E.  F.  Roberts;  1854,  1855,  F.  S.  Chubbuck 
and  J.  K.  Peck;  1856,  1857,  Ira  D.  Warren;  1858,  1859, 
J.  B.  Newell;  i860,  E.  W.  Breckenridge;  1861,  1862, 
A.  F.  Harding  and  Stephen  Elwell;  1863,  Davison  Wor- 
rell; 1864,  1865,  Judsori  L.  Legg;  1866-68,  E.  F.  Roberts; 
1868-71,  Luther  Peck;  1871-74,  J.  H.  Weston;  1874-77, 
Joshua  Lewis;  1877-80,  G.  Greenfield;  1880,  G.  M. 
Chamberlain. 


WINDHAM  TOWNSHIP. 


iHIS  township  was  named  after  Windham 
county,  Conn.,  the  native  place  of  some  of 
the  prominent  early  settlers.  For  many 
years  after  it  was  set  off  from  Braintrim  it 
included  Mehoopany,  Forkston  and  North  Branch. 
Nearly  all  the  land  on  the  river  was  occupied  be- 
fore 1800,  but  it  was  several  years  before  perma- 
nent settlements  were  begun  very  far  inland.  The  popu- 
lation had  grown  to  660  in  1870,  and  increased  to  839  by 
1880. 

The  first  permanent  settlers  were  principally  from 
Connecticut.  Many  of  them  left  their  families  and 
effects  in  the  Wyoining  valley  while  they  selected  their 
lands,  and  then  brought  them  up  by  boat.  Job  Whit- 
comb  came  from  Connecticut  with  a  large  family  of 
grown  up  sons,  and  settled  at  the  lower  end  of  Hemlock 
bottom  (now  Scottsville)  as  early  as  1787.  There  he 
died  March  24th,  1802,  aged  77  years.  His  sons,  Hiram, 
John  S.,  Joel  find  Solomon  located  permanently  near 
him.  John  S.  early  opened  a  tavern.  He  died  on  the 
homestead  November  8th,  1832,  aged  92.  David  Lake, 
also  from  Connecticut,  located  just  above  Whitcorab's 
about  1792.  He  had  a  large  family.  About  1815  he 
removed  to  Braintrim,  where  some  of  his  descendants 
reside.  Jonathan  Stevens  located  on  the  present  Fassett 
homestead  at  Scottsville  as  early  as  1792;  sold  out  to 
Josiah  F'assett  in  1795,  ^^^  moved  a  mile  farther  up  the 
river.  About  1805  he  moved  to  Bradford  county,  and 
was  subsequently  elected  judge  of  the  county.  His 
brothers  Asa  and  Simon  Stevens  located  permanently  on 
Hemlock  bottom,  the  former  about  1796  and  the  latter 
a  few  years  later.  Simon,  who  was  a  blacksmith,  opened 
a  shop  at  the  upper  end  of  Hemlock  bottom,  and  for  a 
time  made  most  of  the  nails  used  for  building  in  this 
vicinity. 


Josiah  Fassett,  whose  descendants  are  numerous  in 
the  township,  was  born  in  Windham  county.  Conn., 
August  loth,  1761.  He  was  a  teacher,  and  was  an 
artilleryman  during  the  Revolution.  About  1788  he 
married  Abigail  Stevens,  sister  of  Judge  Jonathan  and 
Asa  Stevens,  whose  father,  Asa  Stevens,  from  Connec- 
ticut, settled  in  the  Wyoming  valley  previous  to  her 
birth  (which  occurred  March  nth,  1771)  and  lost  his 
life  at  the  Wyoming  massacre,  his  family  returning  to 
Connecticut.  In  the  summer  of  1795  Mr.  Fassett,  with 
his  wife  and  three  children,  removed  via  Wilkes-Barre 
and  the  river  to  Scottsville,  where  he  had  bought  300 
acres  from  Jonathan  Stevens.  For  the  first  few  years 
the  family  resided  in  a  small  log  cabin  near  the  bank  of 
the  river,  when  he  built  a  double  log  house,  which 
about  1803  he  opened  as  a  tavern  (the  first  of  its  kind  in 
the  township)  and  was  liberally  patronized  by  raftsmen 
and  boatmen  for  six  or  seven  years.  Mr.  Fassett  and 
his  sons  cleared  a  large  portion  of  his  farm  and  he  be- 
came comparatively  wealthy.  From  about  1810  he  was 
justice  of  the  peace  until  his  death,  August  20th,  1823. 
His  wife  survived  him  nearly  22  years.  They  reared  four 
sons  and  four  daughters — Jasper,  John,  Josiah,  jr., 
James,  Sally,  Fanny,  Hannah  and  Lucy.  The  sons  all 
remained  on  the  homestead,  where  John  and  James  and 
the  sons  of  Jasper  and  Josiah,  jr.,  still  live.  Jasper  Fassett 
was  born  in  Connecticut,  January  8th,  1790.  He  was  many 
years  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  prothonotary  of 
Luzerne  county  at  the  time  of  his  death,  August  5th,  1840. 

Asa  Budd  lived  several  years  from  about  1795  J^^*  ^^' 
low  Passett's.  He  was  a  cooper.  David  Young  located 
a  short  distance  above  Fassett's  about  1798. 

The  pioneers  on  North  Flat  were  William  Hooker 
Smith,  Jacob  Drake,  jr.,  James  Sturdevant,  Luther  Dean, 
Jedediah  Coon  and  Jacob  Gray,  most  of  whom  settled 
previous  to  1800.  Jacob  Drake,  jr.,  was  followed  about 
1804  by  Jesse  Sturdevant,  who  remained  upon  the  place 
until  his  death,  in  1833.  The  farm  is  still  in  possession 
of  his  descendant".  J;.mes  Sturdevant  settled  on  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  Mark  Keeney,  and  is  said  to  have 
built  the  first  framed  barn  in  the  township  previous  to 
1800.  It  is  a  solid  oak  frame  boarded  up  and  was  origin- 
ally covered  with  shingles  four  or  five  feet  long,  fastened 
with  wrought  nails.  James  Sturdevant's  sons  Abijah, 
Noah  and  Azor  were  early  residents  of  the  township. 
The  notorious  Sturdevant  counterfeiters  were  bom  and 
reared  on  North  Flat. 

Jonathan  Whitney  came  from  Connecticut  in  1804  and 
subsequently  settled  on  North  Flat.  He  early  built  a 
saw-mill  (said  to  be  the  first  in  the  township)  on  Little 
Mehoopany  creek,  near  Jenningsville.  He  died  in  1836 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Walter.  Tfie  latter  was 
born  in  Connecticut,  in  April,  1798,  and  married  Louis- 
iana Edwards  in  1823.  He  followed  farming  and  lumber- 
ing most  of  his  life,  and  died  January  i6th,  1864.  His 
wife  died  August  4th,  1877.  The  old  homestead  is 
now  owned  by  his  son,  Lorenzo  Whitney. 

Seth  L.  Keeney,  a  son  of  Joshua  Keeney,  of  Black 
Walnut,  was  born  March  17th,  1798.     He  married  Mary 


^H= 


* 


4^ 


<} 


PIONEERS  OF  WINDHAM— JENNINGSVII.LK. 


537 


Wall,  of  Abington,  July  8th,  i82i>,  and  immediately  lo- 
cated on  the  James  Sturdevant  farm,  on  North  Flat.  He 
was  extensively  engaged  in  lumbering,  farming  and  trad- 
ing. He  held  many  local  offices,  and  was  instrumental 
in  establishing  a  post-office  at  North  Flat.  He  died  June 
i2th,  1849.  His  widow  lives  on  the  old  homestead  with 
the  son  Mark  Keeney.  Hiram  W.  Keeney  and  Myron 
Sturdevant  were  the  pioneers  in  the  Golden  Hill  district 
in  1S44.  Henry  Champion,  Ambrose  Garey  and  his  son 
Ambrose  Garey,  jr.,  located  in  Windham  before  1800  and 
staid  through  life.  Nathaniel  Frost,  and  Asa,  Rufus  and 
Richard  Graves  were  among  the  first  settlers  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Jenningsville;    the  latter  located  about  1810. 

Elisha  Sharp,  born  in  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  January 
2nd,  1805,  was  a  son  of  Abijah  Sharp,  who  lost  his  life  in 
the  war  of  1812.  He  was  married  November  26th,  1826, 
to  Mary  Bixby,  of  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1832 
came  to  Windham.  He  bought  a  large  timber  tract  and 
built  a  saw-mill  on  Little  Mehoopany  creek.  From  1856 
to  i860  he  lived  at  Tunkhannock,  where  he  had  a  grist- 
mill. He  died  in  Windham  November  2Sth,  1870.  He 
was  justice  of  the  peace  for  a  time.  His  wife  died  De- 
cember loth,  1859. 

Rufus  Easton,  an  early  settler  and  extensive  lumber- 
man in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township,  was  born 
in  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.,  February  2nd,  1808;  came 
to  Windham  in  1835,  and  died  September  loth,  1845. 

Silas  F.  Taylor,  one  of  the  first  settlers  at  Jennings- 
ville, was  born  in  New  York  State,  May  4th,  1795;  mar- 
ried Anna  Fellhush  December  31st,  1815;  came  to  North 
Flat  in  1826,  and  to  Jenningsville  in  1828,  and  was  for 
many  years  engaged  in  lumbering.  Late  in  life  he 
moved  to  North  Branch  township,  where  he  died  March 
17th,  1879.     His  widow  is  in  her  eightieth  year. 

John  A.  Allen,  still  living  at  Jenningsville,  is  also  an 
early  settler.  He  was  born  in  Otsego  county,  N.  Y.,  Jan- 
uary 30th,  1818;  came  to  North  Flat  in  1828,  and  to 
Jenningsville  in  the  next  spring.  His  wife  is  a  daughter 
of  Asa  Stevens,  of  Hemlock  bottom.  They  were  mar- 
ried February  9th,  1840.  He  followed  farming  and  lum- 
bering until  i86t,  then  blacksmithing  until  1875,  when 
on  account  of  failing  eyesight  he  retired  from  active 
business 

Windham  was  covered  with  dense  forests,  chiefly  of 
pine  and  hemlock,  and  lumbering  was  one  of  the  princi- 
pal occupations  of  the  earliest  settlers.  Jonathan  Whit- 
ney built  a  saw-mill  on  Little  Mehoopany  creek  at  or 
near  Jenningsville  in  1804.  Others  were  built  by  Willis 
De  Wolf,  Silas  S.  Taylor,  Elisha  Sharp,  Rufus  Easton, 
Wyatt  R.  Allen  and  several  others.  The  principal 
mills  now  are  the  Jennitigs  mill,  at  Jenningsville;  the 
Fassett  mill,  at  Scottsville;  and  the  Sharp  mill,  two 
miles  west  of  Jenningsville.  The  two  former  are  steam 
mills. 

The  first  store  was  built  and  opened  by  Seth  L.  Kee- 
ney on  North  Flat,  in  December,  1835,  and  kept  about 
six  years.  The  old  store  building  is  still  standing.  From 
about  1853  Major  John  Fassett,  with  his  sons,  kept  a  store 
on  his  farm  at  Scottsville   for   several  years.     Hiram  S. 


Graves  kept  a  store  in  the  southern  part  of  the  towtiship 
from  1857  to  i860,  and  then  at  Jenningsville. 

The  first  post-office  was,  through  the  influence  of  Major 
John  Fcisst'tt,  established  at  Scottsville  in  1826.  It  was 
named  in  honor  of  Judge  David  Scott,  of  Wilkes-Barre. 
Fassett  was  the  first  postmaster.  The  mail  was  carried 
from  Tunkhannock  to  Towanda  once  a  week  on  horser 
back  by  Roswell  Smith,  afterward  sheriff  of  Bradford 
county.  A  post-office  was  established  at  North  Flat 
about  1838.  Seth  L.  Keeney  was  postmaster  until  the 
office  was  discontinued,  about  1845.  The  Golden  Hill 
post-office  was  established  about  that  time.  Hiram  W. 
Keeney  was  the  first  postmaster.  The  post-office  at  Jen- 
ningsville was  established  about  1855,  and  George  Allen 
appointed  postmaster.  The  office  was  first  kept  in  John 
Fisk's  dwelling;  he  was  deputy  postmaster. 

Polly  Stevens  kept  the  first  school  in  a  log  barn  be- 
longing to  David  Youngs,  on  Hemlock  bottom,  in  the 
summers  of  1799  and  1800.  The  first  school-house  (log) 
was  built  about  180 r,  near  the  site  of  the  present  one  at 
Scottsville.  The  first  teacher  in  it  was  Polly  Youngs. 
The  first  school  in  the  vicinity  of  Jenningsville  was 
taught  about  1827,  by  Mary  A.  Chappel,  in  a  log  house 
on  the  present  farm  of  M.  Graves.  The  following  sum- 
mer a  school-house  was  built  at  Jenningsville,  and  a 
school  kept  in  it  by  Miss  Parmy  Fassett,  followed  in  the 
winter  by  David  Lake.  There  are  now  seven  good 
school  buildings  in  Windham,  in  which  schools  are  regu- 
larly kept. 

The  first  passable  road  was  opened  from  Hemlock 
bottom  to  Sugar  Run  in  1802  by  Josiah  Fassett,  Joel 
Downing,  David  Youngs,  Jonathan  Stevens  and  Ebenezer 
Adams. 

On  the  i2th  of  June,  1858,  Daniel  Detrick  and  two 
children  were  drowned  by  a  flood  which  swept  away  two 
dams  on  French's  creek  and  their  house,  a  mile  or  more 
from  its  mouth. 

Jenningsville 

has  been  the  site  of  a  saw-mill  since  its  earliest  settlement 
and  quite  an  extensive  lumbering  point.  Jonathan 
Whitney  had  a  saw-mill  here  or  near  by  in  1805.  Willis 
De  Wolf  built  another  here  as  early  as  1815.  Silas  S. 
Taylor  built  a  saw-mill  in  1828,  now  a  part  of  the  present 
steam  mill,  which  he  owned  in  company  with  Samuel 
Kingsbury.  In  1832  he  built  one  a  short  distance  below, 
near  the  present  tannery.  The  present  saw-mill,  after 
having  been  rebuilt  two  or  three  times,  came  into  the 
possession  of  William  N.  and  J.  T.  Jennings,  who  en- 
larged and  remodeled  it,  and  in  1871  added  steam  power, 
and  have  been  doing  a  good  business. 

The  first_  settlers  to  remain  here  any  length  of  time 
were  Willis  De  Wolf,  Silas  S.  Taylor,  Samuel  Kingsbury, 
one  Partridge,  John  A.  Allen  and  John  A.  Adams.  The 
last  came  with  his  parents  from  Ohio  to  Forkston  in 
1816,  and  to  Jenningsville  about  1830,  where  he  opened 
the  first  blacksmith  shop  and  kept  it  till  about  1870, 
when  he  removed  to  Bradford  county,  where  he  is  still 
living. 


*^H= 


=^E 


*4^ 


538 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY.. 


Elijah  Runnels,  the  first  merchant  here,  began  business 
about  1850,  and  Hiram  S.  Graves  about  i860.  Graves 
opened  the  first  hotel  about  1868. 

The  village  has  about  150  inhabitants,  two  general 
stores,  the  steam  saw-mill  and  chop  mill  of  Jennings  & 
Brother,  one  wagon  and  two  blacksmith  shops  and  the 
.^crae  tannery.  This  tannery  was  built  in  1872  by  Peter 
E.  Palmer.  In  1877  it  came  into  the  possession  of 
George  W.  Childs,  who  has  since  operated  it,  making 
sole  leather  exclusively.  He  has  made  the  establishment 
first  class  in  all  respects.  The  building  is  of  wood,  3 
and  2  stories,.  388  feet  long  and  varying  in  width  from  40 
to  100  feet.  It  is  operated  by  steam  and  has  a  capacity 
of  45,000  sides  annually,  giving  constant  employment  to 
35  men. 

M,  E.  Church  of  Jenningsvilk. — Among  those  instru- 
mental in  the  organization  ^of  a  Methodist  Episcopal  class 


at  Jenningsville  were  W.  T.  and  W.  E.  Kethline,  Charles 
and  Alvah  Fassett,  Jonathan  Fiskj  Isaac  Rosengrant  and 
Jeffrey  Hufford,  It  was  a  part  of  the  Mehoopany 
church  till  1869;  then  was  independent  until  1878,  when 
it  rejoined  the  Mehoopany  church.  Meetings  have  been 
kept  up  regularly  in  Jenningsville.  The  pastors  from 
1869  to  1878  were  Revs.  A.  H.  Sterling,  3  years;  G.  C. 
Lyman,  3;  J.  O.  Beers,  2;  J.  F.  Jones,  i.  Since. 1879 
N.  H.  Davis,  a  resident  local  preacher,  has  supplied  the 
pulpit.  The  membership  is  about  30.  Meetings  are 
held  in  the  school-house. 

The  Catholic  Society  of  Windham 

has  a  church  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  township 
which  was  built  about  1856.  The  society  was  organized 
about  1850  and  now  consists  of  30  families,  living  in 
Wyoming,  Bradford  and  Sullivan  counties. 


m- 


Wj* 


Hh 


GENEALOGICAL   AND    PERSONAL    RECORD, 

BRAINTRIM,    FORKSTON,    NORTH    BRANCH   AND   WINDHAM   TOWNSHIPS. 


f 


BRADLEY    W.  EDWARDS. 

Bradley  W.  Edwards,  of  the  firm  of  Edwards  &  Bald- 
win, has  been  successfully  engaged  in  a  general  mercantile 
business  at  Laceyville  since  1866.  He  was  born  in  La- 
ceyville,  July  19th,  1843,  and  has  been  a  lifelong  resident 
of  the  place.  He  owns  and  manages  a  farm  adjoining 
the  village,  and  is  largely  interested  in  raising  thorough- 
bred stock,  making  a  specialty  of  Ayrshire  and  Jersey 
cattle,  Cotswold  sheep  and  Yorkshire  swine,  and  being 
the  first  to  introduce  pure  blooded  specimens  of  these 
breeds  in  this  section.  He  served  during  the  late  war  in 
the  quartermaster's  department  from  the  fall  of  1864  till 
the  close  of  the  Rebellion 

MAJOR   JOHN    FASSETT. 

Major  John  Fasse'tt  is  the  oldest  living  resident  of 
Windham,  and  has  been  one  of  the  most  active,  useful, 
influential  and  successful  citizens  of  the  township.  He  be- 
longs with  the  pioneers  of  the  township,  having  come  here 
with  his  father,  Josiah  Fassett,  in  1795.  He  was  born  in 
Windham  county,  Conn.,  September  i6th,  1794.  From 
the  time  he  was  fifteen  years  old  he  had  the  charge  of 
his  father's  business  until  the  latler's  death,  when  he  came 
into  possession  of  that  portion  of  the  homestead  upon 
which  the  buildings  were  located,  and  upon  which  he  has 
always  resided,  having  erected  his  present  residence  in 
1824.  He  was  married  February  12th,  1818,  to  Sally 
Haverly,  a  native  of  Schoharie  county,  N.  Y.,  an  intelli- 
gent, kind  hearted  and  hospitable  lady  and  a  devout 
Chrisiian.  Major  Fassett  has  conducted  successfully 
many  branches  of  business,  and  has  acquired  an  enviable 
■  competence.  He  has  served  in  many  official  capacities, 
acting  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  twenty  years,  and  was 
commissioned  major  of  militia. 

B.  E.   WAKEMAN. 

Benjamin  E.  Wakeman,  merchant  and  postmaster,  La- 
ceyville, 'inly  son  of  General  Bradley  Wakeman,  was  born 
in  Connecticut,  April  24th,  1828,  and  came  with  his  pa- 
rents to  Skinner's  Eddy  the  same  year,  and  to  Laceyville 
in  1832,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  trade  most  of  his 
life.  He  served  as  station  agent  at  Laceyville  for  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  ten  years. 


Perry  A.  Adams,  blacksmith  at  Jenningsville,  is  a 
native  and  lifelong  resident  of  that  place,  born  October 
i8th,  1837.  He  was  married  October  31st,  i86t,  to 
Margaret  Bennett,  of  Meshoppen,  who  died  September 
29th,  1876. 

Silas  O.  Adams,  son  of  John  A.  Adams,  was  born  in 
Jenningsville,  March  12th,  1846,  and  was  married  Octo- 
ber 25th,  1870,  to  Matilda  Preston,  of  Forkston.  He 
owns  and  occupies  the  homestead  in  Windham  where  his 
father  settled  in  1858. 

Damon  Allen,  blacksmiah  at  Jenningsville,  son  of 
John  A.  Allen,  was  born  at  Jenningsville,  April  12th, 1844. 
From  August  27th,  1864,  he  served  through  the  civil  war 
in  Company  A  207th  Pa.  volunteer  infantry.  He  was 
married  October  6th,  1866,  to  Mary  Shumway,  of  Brad- 
ford county,  and  has  one  son. 

Milan  Barney,  proprietor  of  Table  Rock  House, 
Skinner's  Eddy,  was  born  June  26th,  1828,  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Pa.,  where  he  served  twenty-four  years  as  foreman 
in  the  machine  blacksmith  shop  of  the  Vulcan  Iron 
Works.  He  was  married  September  19th,  1856,  to  Au- 
gusta Jenkins,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  and  located  at  Skinner's 
Eddy  in  the  spring  of  1877. 


Richard  Brunges  was  born  in  North  Moreland  town- 
ship, October  4th,  1816,  and  was  married  November  loth, 
1842,  to  Eunice  Wilson,  a  native  of  the  same  town.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  lumberman.  From  1857  he  lived  on 
North  Flat,  opposite  Laceyville,  until  his  death,  October 
22nd,  1867.  He  held  several  township  offices.  His 
widow  manages  the  homestead  farm. 

Austin  P.  Burgess,  grandson  of  Colonel  Joseph  Bur- 
gess, is  a  native  of  Forkston,  and  was  born  January  irth, 
1827.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Adams,  is  a 
descendant  of  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  township. 
Mr.  Burgess  has  been  a  merchant  for  many  years,  and  is 
now  conducting  the  largest  store  in  the  township.  He 
has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  two  terms  (10  years), 
and  during  the  Rebellion  hired  a  substitute  for  the  army, 
paying  $600.  He  has  a  farm  a  short  distance  from  the 
village,  which  is  conducted  by  his  son. 

Joseph  Burgess  was  born  in  Braintrim  township,  in 
1800.  He  now  resides  in  Lovelton,  and  has  lived  in 
North  Branch  for  the  past  fifty  years.  He  is  a  farmer  by 
occupation.  Mr.  Burgess  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace  thirty  years,  and  served  three  years  as  jury  com- 
missioner. 

Frederick  Earl  Burgess  was  born  in  Forkston,  in 
May,  1837,  and  early  moved  to  Mehoopany  with  his 
parents,  where  he  followed  farming.  He  was  married 
September  22nd,  1858,  to  Caroline  E.  Finney,  of  Me- 
hoopany. He  enlisted  August  25th,  1862,  in  Company 
K  143d  Pennsylvania  regiment;  returned  in  June,  1864, 
on  a  furlough,  and  died  June  6th,  1865,  from  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  army.  In  1868  Mrs.  Burgess  bought  her 
present  farm. 

Benjamin  F.  Butterfield  was  born  in  Lackawanna 
county,  Pa.,  March  25th,  1849,  and  in  1869  commenced 
learning  the  tanners'  trade.  In  1874  he  went  to  Sullivan 
county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  married  October  nth,  1876, 
to  Jennie  Holmes.  Since  the  spring  of  1877  he  has 
been  foreman  of  the  Acme  tannery. 

Nicholas  H.  Davis  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Pa , 
September  13th,  1841,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated. 
Most  of  his  life  has  been  spent  in  trade,  principally  as 
clerk.  Upon  reaching  his  majority  he  located  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,where  he  married  Emma  Wells,  in  November,  1865. 
In  the  fall  of  1869  he  removed  to  Mehoopany,  united 
with  the  M.  E.  church  and  was  subsequently  licensed  to 
preach.  Since  November,  1878,  he  has  been  pastor  of 
the  M.  E.  church  of  Jenningsville.  He  is  also  employed 
in  the  mercantile  house  of  J.  A.  Kintner. 

Daniel  Detrick  was  born  in  Bradford  county,  Jan- 
uary 31st,  1815,  and  was  married  in  1837  to  Catharine 
McCormick.  He  followed blacksmithing  until  i848,when 
he  moved  to  Wyoming  county  and  was  engaged  in  farm- 
ing until  his  death  by  drowning,  June  12th,  1858.  His 
widow  lives  at  Skinner's  Eddy.  She  was  one  of  the  suf- 
ferers from  the  flood  which  destroyed  that  village  in  1865. 

Jerome  Detrick,  son  of  Daniel  Detrick,  was  born  in 
Bradford  county.  Pa.,  January  15th,  1845,  and  came  to 
Wyoming  county  with  his  parents  in  1848.  He  is  a 
farmer,  but  now  employed  by  the  Lehigh  Valley  Rail- 
road Company.  He  enlisted  August  7th,  1862,  in  Com- 
pany B  132nd  Pennsylvania  infantry,  and  served  nine 
months.  He  again  enlisted  August  isth,  1864,  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  married  Sep- 
tember 13th,  1871,  to  Victoria  Howard, _who  died  May 
26th,  1872. 

Darius  L.  Doty,  wagon- maker  at  Jenningsville,  was 


4 


538^ 


>ik 


"f 


538^ 


HISTORY  OF   WYOMING  COUNTY. 


'4=*= 


born  in  Herkimer  county,  N.  Y.,  October  22nd,  1841. 
In  his  infancy  he  was  adopted  by  William  J.  Knappen, 
of  Mehoopany,  whose  name  he  assumed  during  his  mi- 
nority. He  served  in  Company  B  S2nd  Pa.  infantry  from 
September  28th,  i86i,  to  November  8th,  1864.  He  was 
married  March  7th,  1866,  to  Abbie  E.  Knappen,  of  Me- 
hoopany, and  located  at  Jenningsville  in  the  spring  of 
1869. 

Oliver  Easton,  only  son  of  Rufus  Easton,  is  a  life- 
long resident  of  Windham,  born  in  Jenningsville  Febru- 
ary tSth,  1840.  He  was  married  March  i8th,  1862,  to 
Mary  Kintner,  of  Mehoopany,  and  immediately  located 
on  his  present  farm.     He  has  served  in  official  capacities. 

John  B.  Edwards,  jeweler,  surveyor  and  justice  of 
the  peace,  was  born  at  Skinner's  Eddy.  November  25th, 
1829,  and  has  been  a  resident  and  much  of  the  time  mer- 
chant of  Laceyville  since  1831.  He  is  a  man  of  business 
ability,  and  a  prominent  Republican,  and  has  held  seve- 
ral positions  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  was  for  sev- 
eral years  postmaster  at  Laceyville. 

Dr.  R.  H.  Ely  was  born  in  Wilmot,  Bradford  county, 
Pa.,  January  8th,  1836.  His  early  manhood  was  spent 
principally  in  teaching.  In  1858  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine  with  Dr.  Hecock,  of  Dushore,  and  graduated 
from  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  College,  of  Philadelphia, 
in  the  spring  of  1861,  since  which  time  he  has  practiced 
his  profession.  He  was  for  nearly  a  year  in  the  United 
States  service  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  He  was 
married  November  6th,  i86i,  to  Emeline  S.  Birney,  of 
Bradford  county,  Pa.  He  located  at  Laceyville  in  the 
spring  of  1874. 

Charles  Fassett,  eldest  son  of  Major  John  Fassett, 
has  been  a  lifelong  resident  of  Windham,  born  July  5th, 
1819,  and  has  always  followed  farming  and  lumbering. 
He  was  married  August  24th,  1843,  to  Mary,  daughter  of 
Thaddeus  Prentis,  an  early  settler  in  Mehoopany.  Soon 
after  marriage  Mr.  Fassett  located  upon  his  present  farm, 
having  in  the  meantime  carved  out  a  fine  home  and  im- 
proved a  large  farm  from  its  original  timbered  and  stony 
state. 

James  G.  Fassett,  son  of  Jasper  Fassett,  Esq.,  was 
born  in  Windham,  December  5th,  1831.  A  portion  of 
his  early  life  was  spent  in  teaching,  since  which  he  has 
been  engaged  in  farming,  owning  and  occupying  a  portion 
of  his  father's  homestead  at  Scottsville.  He  was  married 
September  i8th,  1862,  to  Sarah  Learn,  of  Lackawanna 
county.  She  died  November  6th,  1877,  and  February 
4th,  1880,  he  married  Miss  Anna  Learn,  of  Lackawanna 
county.  He  has  often  held  positions  of  trust,  and  in  1869 
was  elected  jury  commissioner  for  Wyoming  county. 

Jasper  Fassett,  farmer,  third  son  of  Jasper  Fassett, 
Esq.,  has  always  lived  on  the  old  homestead,  a  part  of 
which  he  now  owns.  He  was  born  P'ebruary  20th,  1834, 
and  was  married  February  28th,  1862,  to  Sophia  A.  Gay, 
of  Windham.  He  has  served  in  official  capacities  and 
was  postmaster  at  Scottsville  for  five  years  from  1857. 

Elijah  Fassett  is  a  native  of  Forkston,  and  was  born 
in  1814,  His  parents,  who  are  now  dead,  were  among 
the  early  settlers  of  the  township.  Mr.  Fassett  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  forty  years,  and  is  now  resting  from 
active  labor,  his  son  Crayton  having  taken  the  manage- 
ment of  the  farm.  Mr.  F.  served  one  term  (5  years)  as 
justice  of  the  peace. 

Rev.  Davis  D.  Gray  was  born  in  Windham,  May 
2nd,  1808.  His  father,  Jacob  Gray,  a  tanner  by  trade, 
came  from  Worcester,  Mass.,  to  this  section  about  1794, 
and  two  or  three  years  later  married  a  daugjiter  of  Rev. 
Samuel  Sturde?ant,  of  Black  Walnut.  Soon  after  mar- 
riage he  settled  on  North  Flat,  and  staid  there  until  1815, 
when  he  bought  a  farm  and  built  a   tannery  immediately 


north  of  Laceyville.  He  was  for  many  years  the  only 
tanner  in  that  vicinity.  In  1834,  after  educating  himself, 
he  entered  the  Christian  ministry,  and  for  the  next  fif- 
teen years  he  labored  with  great  success  in  Pennsylvania 
and  New  Jersey.  Since  the  fall  of  1849  he  has  held  the 
pastorate  of  the  old  "  Braintrim  Church  "  (Baptist),  a 
faithful  and  successful  laborer,  widely  known  and  highly 
respected  as  a  citizen  and  pastor. 

Mason  D.  Gregory,  oldest  son  of  Levi  Gregory,  was 
born  in  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.,  December  4th,  1826, 
and  came  to  Braintrim  with  his  parents  in  1839.  He 
married  Britania  Devine,  of  Susquehanna  county,  June 
i8th,  1863.  He  is  a  successful  farmer,  and  occupies  the 
old  homestead  of  his  father  on  Lacey  street. 

W.  Eugene  Hughes,  M.  D.,  son  of  William  M.  Hughes, 
of  Hazleton,  was  born  in  Columbia,  Pa.,  December  28th, 
1856,  and  was  educated  at  the  Hazleton  high  school  and 
the  State  normal  school  of  Bloomsburg,  Pa.  In  August, 
1875,  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  J. 
R.  Casselberry,  of  Hazleton.  In  October,  1876,  he  en- 
tered the  Jefferson  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  March,  1878.  After  practicing  a 
few  months  at  Conyngham  and  Jenningsville  he  located 
at  Laceyville  in  November,  1879. 

Andrew  Y.  Hunt,  an  old  resident  of  Windham,  now 
residing  on  North  Flat,  is  a  mason  and  a  first  class  me- 
chanic. 

S.  J.  Huleirt,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  North  Branch 
township,  and  was  born  in  1836.  His  parents  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  the  township.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  185th  regiment  N.Y.  volunteers,  and  served  about  a 
year  in  the  late  war.  He  has  held  several  township  of- 
fices, and  is  at  present  justice  of  the  peace. 

Chester  Keeney,  oldest  son  of  Richard  Keeney,  was 
born  in  Braintrim,  December  loth,  1789,  and  remained  a 
lifelong  resident  upon  the  original  homestead;  He  was 
married  November  27th,  1812,  to  Abigail  Crawford,  of 
Braintrim,  born  October  17th,  1791,  and  lost  his  life 
March  25th,  1858,  by  falling  from  the  top  of  a  tree  in  his 
door-yard.  His  wife  died  May  17th,  1880.  The  home- 
stead is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  daughter,  Matil- 
da M.  Keeney,  a  lifelong  resident  upon  the  place. 

Dennis  G.  Keeney,  farmer,  oldest  son  of  Richard  T. 
Keeney,  was  born  in  Braintrim,  July  19th,  1835.  June 
19th,  1862,  he  married  Hannah  C.  Shove,  of  Windham, 
and  soon  located  in  Windham.  In  the  spring  of  1880  he 
returned  to  the  old  homestead  on  Lacey  street.  He  en- 
listed in  Company  A  207th  Pennsylvania  infantry  in 
August,  1864,  and  served  with  the  regiment  until  dis- 
charged in  June,  1868. 

Ephraim  J.  Keeney,  son  of  Seth  L.  Keeney,was  born  in 
Windham,  April  26th,  1827.  In  early  manhood  he  was 
several  years  a  general  merchandise  clerk.  He  was  mar- 
ried August  23d,  1855,  to  Elizabeth  Neigh,  of  Braintrim. 
From  1855  to  1861  he  was  in  trade  at  Laceyville.  In 
1866  and  1869  he  was  elected  prothonotary  of  Wyoming 
county.  In  1873  be  located  on  his  present  farm.  He 
has  held  several  township  offices  and  was  census  enum- 
erator for  Windham  in  1880. 

Henry  F.  Keeney  was  born  in  Skinner's  Eddy,  May 
23d,  i8i6,  and  reared  in  Tuscarora,  Bradford  county.  In 
1838  he  engaged  in  trade  at  Skinner's  Eddy.  He  was 
married  November  24th,  1841,  to  Maria  A.,  daughter  of 
Ebenezer  Lacey  and  a  native  of  Braintrim,  born  Decem- 
ber 31st,  1823.  In  1843'  ^Ir.  Keeney  removed  to  Tus- 
carora, where  he  rented  a  saw-mill  and  engaged  in  lum- 
bering and  farming.  He  died  March  27th,  1874.  Soon 
after  his  death  Mrs.  Keeney  removed  to  Laceyville, 
where  she  still  lives. 

Mark  Keeney,  oldest  son  of   Seth    L.    Keeney,   has 


<^ 


=*4 


GENEALOGICAL  AND  PERSONAL  RECORD. 


538  C 


always  lived  on,  and  now  owns,  the  old  homesead  where 
he  was  born  August  8th,  1825.  He  was  formerly  quite 
extensively  engaged  in  lumbering,  selling  in  southern 
cities.  He  was  married  December  24th,  1855,  to  Amanda 
Tewksbury,  of  Susquehanna  county.  She  died  Novem- 
ber loth,  1863,  and  May  nth,  1865,  he  married  Augusta 
S.  Camp,  of  Litchfield  county,  Conn.  He  has  acquired 
a  large  landed  estate  in  Windham. 

Martin  V.  Keeney,  farmer,  oldest  son  of  Ezra  Kee- 
ney,  was  born  in  Braintrim,  June  12th,  1839,  and  still  re- 
sides on  the  old  homestead.  He  served  nine  months 
during  the  Rebellion  in  Company  B  171st  Pennsylvania 
infantry,  and  was  discharged  August  8th,  1863.  The 
following  year  he  joined  a  construction  corps  and  was 
again  in  the  United  States  service  a  few  months  in  Geor- 
gia and  Tennessee.  July  22nd,  1871,  he  married  Aman- 
da M.  Newton,  of  Susquehanna  county.  Pa.  She  dying, 
he  married  Lucinda  M.  Blocher,  of  Bradford  county,  Pa., 
March  isth,  1877. 

Simon  Z.  Keeney,  son  of  Joshua  Keeney,  was  born 
at  Black  Walnut,  June  6th,  1804,  and  has  always  lived  on 
the  homestead  of  his  father.  He  married  (November 
ist,  1827)  Louisa  Robinson,  of  Bradford  county,  born 
July  12th,  1805.  He  is  the  oldest  native  born  resident 
of  Braintrim.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  M.  E.  church 
of  Skinner's  Eddy  since  its  organization,  and  has  served 
in  many  official  capacities.  His  wife  is  still  living  and 
they  are  the  oldest  married  couple  in  the  township. 
They  have  reared  a  family  of  eight  children. 

MORDICA  Krewson  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
was  born  in  1805.  He  came  to  Wyoming  county  in  1859. 
He  formerly  was  a  carpenter,  but  is  now  living  retired 
on  his  farm  near  Forkston  village. 

Isaac  J.  La  Barre  was  born  in  Monroe  county,  Pa., 
June  iSth,  1805,  and  was  married  July  nth,  1830,  to 
Mary  A.  Everett,  a  native  of  Montague,  N.  J.,  born  Feb- 
ruary 26th,  1807.  He  was  a  tanner  and  currier  by  trade. 
In  1837  he  located  at  Laceyville  and  engaged  in  the  tan- 
nery business  until  1848,  when  he  opened  a  hotel — the 
first  at  Laceyville — which  he  managed  until  his  death, 
May  4th,  1862.  His  wife  and  daughter,  Jennie  La  Barre, 
are  still  residents  of  Laceyville  and  are  engaged  in  the 
millinery  business. 

Canfield  I.  Lacey,  son  of  Ebenezer  Lacey,  is  a  na- 
tive and  lifelong  resident  of  Braintrim,  born  August  28th, 
1828,  and  married  December  12th,  1854,  to  Elizabeth 
Norton,  of  Mifflin  county,  Pa.  He  sold  goods  eight 
years  at  Laceyville;  was  contractor  on  public  works  tive 
years;  erected  and  operated  the  foundry  at  Laceyville, 
and  in  1869  built  the  present  steam  grist-mill  at  that 
place  in  company  with  David  Goodale.  He  has  served 
as  justice  of  the  peace  five  years  and  was  the  census 
enumerator  for  Braintrim  in  1880. 

Henry  J.  Lacey,  farmer,  son  of  Isaac  Lacey  and  the 
youngest  of  eleven  children,  was  born  in  Braintrim, 
April  23d,  i8o6,  and  was  married  June  18th,  1829,  to 
Polly  Sturdevant,  of  Windham.  With  his  own  hands  he 
has  cleared  and  improved  100  acres  of  heavily  timbered 
land.  In  1873  he  moved  to  Laceyville  and  retired  from 
active  business.  He  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
and  held  other  township  offices. 

William  B.  Lacey,  son  of  Daniel  P.  Lacey,  was  born 
in  Braintrim,  October  25th,  1823,  and  was  married  July 
7th,  1847,  to  Lydia  E.  Hall,  a  native  of  New  York  State. 
He  is  by  occupation  a  farmer  and  has  always  resided  on 
the  old  homestead  on  Lacey  street. 

Dewitt  C.  La  France  was  born  at  Skinner's  Eddy, 
January  22nd,  1840,  and  in  1855  removed  with  his 
parents  to  Laceyville,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the  butch- 
er's business  and  farming.     He  served  a  few  months  in 


the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  His  father,  Lott  La  France, 
a  native  of  Wyoming  valley,  came-  to  Braintrim  in  1830 
and  remained  until  his  death,  in  1874. 

Charles  F.  Lake,  son  of  Henry  Lake,  was  born  in 
Braintrim,  June  4th,  1836.  In  early  life  he  worked  at 
the  carpenter's  trade  for  a  few  years,  after  which  he  was 
employed  upon  the  construction  of  various  public  works 
until  1869,  since  which  he  has  been  in  the  employof  the 
Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company.  He  married  Miranda, 
daughter  of  Levi  Gregory,  of  Braintrim,  and  in  1861  lo- 
cated at  Laceyville.  He  has  served  in  several  official 
capacities  and  was  the  nominee  of  the  Republican  party 
for  register  and  recorder  of  Wyoming  county  in  1875. 

John  V.  Lee,  barber,  Laceyville,  is  a  native  of  Mary- 
land, born  in  1832.  In  1847  he  went  to  Harrisburg, 
where  he  learned  and  worked  at  his  trade  until  1852. 
After  plying  his  vocation  in  various  cities  in  the  south 
and  west,  he  located  at  Laceyville  in  1874.  He  was 
married  in  1857  to  Helen  M.  Smith,  of  Lewistown,  Pa., 
who  died  in  Colorado  in  1866,  leaving  three  children. 
He  was  again  married  in  1874,  to  Emma  Rockwell,  of 
West  Virginia. 

Grii'fin  Lott  was  born  in  Forkston  township  (then 
Windham),  in  1824.  He  served  as  postmaster  sixteen  or 
seventeen  years,  but  has  been  for  many  years  engaged  in 
milling.'  He  now  runs  the  grist-mill  at  Forkston,  which 
grinds  from  15,000  to  18,000  bushels  of  grain  annually. 

Lorenzo  W.  Myers,  by  occupation  a  shoemaker  and 
carpenter  and  joiner,  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county. 
Pa.,  March  28th,  1834,  and  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Bradford  county  in  1839,  thence  to  Windham  in  1844. 
He  was  married  January  ist,  1855,  to  Ruth  Trowbridge, 
a  native  of  Wilkes-Barre.  Since  i860  he  has  lived  at 
Jenriingsville.  His  father,  born  in  Susquehanna  county, 
in  1788,  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  a  resident 
of  Windham  from  1844  until  his  death,  January  26th, 
1874. 

Albert  G.,  second  son  of  Moses  Overfield,  was  born 
in  Meshoppen,  June  3d,  1838,  and  married  (September 
nth,  1861)  Helen,  daughter  of  Simon  Z.  Keeney,  of 
Braintrim.  In  1864  he  purchased  and  located  on  his 
present  farm  at  Black  Walnut.  He  is  a  farmer  and  a 
member  of  the  M.  E.  church  at  Skinner's  Eddy,  and  a 
licensed  preacher  of  that  denomination. 

John  B.  Park,  farmer,  was  born  in  Forkston,  Jan- 
uary 29th,  1825,  and  was  married  in  January,  1845,  to 
Fanny  Scouten,  a  native  of  the  same  town.  From  1850 
he  lived  in  Wilmot,  Bradford  county,  until  1863,  when 
he  located  on  his  present  farm.  His  father.  Captain 
Russell  Park,  from  Connecticut,  was  a  prominent  early 
settler  in  Forkston,  locating  in  1817.  He  was  many 
years  deacon  of  the  Baptist  church  of  that  town  and 
died  in  North  Branch,  September  12th,  1864. 

Abel  Platt  was  born  in  Bradford  county.  Pa.,  August 
8th,  1815,  and  was  married  September  4th,  1836,  to 
Lucy  A.  Segear,  of  the  same  county.  He  farmed  in 
Bradford  county  until  about  1850,  when  he  located  at 
Laceyville  and  engaged  in  the  tin  and  hardware  trade, 
which  he  still  continues,  having  associated  his  son 
Lafayette  with  him  in  the  business  in  1872. 

Cortes  B.  Pickett,  wheelwright,  was  born  in  Susque- 
hanna county,  Pa.,  December  nth,  1839,  and  came  to 
Laceyville,  where  he  resides,  with  his  parents  in  1850. 
He  married  (October  ist,  1862,)  Mary  J.  Edinger,  of 
Bradford  county.  He  built  the  first  wagon  shop  in 
Laceyville,  in  1870.  He  spent  nearly  a  year  in  the 
Union  service  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  being 
connected  most  of  the  time  with  a  construction  corps. 

John  S.  Pulis,  proprietor  of  the  Tuscarora  iron 
works,  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Pa.,  July  13th,  1826. 


<^ 


*ih 


='=t 


538 -O 


HISTORY  OF  WYOMING  COUNTY. 


He  has  mastered  several  trades  and  has  always  followed 
mechanical  pursuits.  He  was  proprietor  of  a  foundry 
and  machine  shop  for  several  years  at  Honesdale,  Pa., 
and  from  1865  to  1870  was  employed  in  building  loco- 
motives for  the  Dickson  Manufacturing  Company  at 
Scranton.  In  1870  he  located  at  Skinner's  Eddy,  and  in 
1874  erected  his  present  foundry  and  machine  shop.  He 
is  now  serving  his  second  term  as  justice  of  the  peace. 
He  was  married  December  20th,  1848,  to  Amanda  L. 
Bryant,  of  Wayne  county. 

Joseph  Ross  Rahm,  farmer.came  from  Bradford  county. 
Pa.,  about  1862.  He  was  born  in  Columbia  county.  Pa., 
in  1842.  He  has  spent  much  time  on  public  works,  as 
foreman  and  in  other  capacities.  He  was  married  in 
December,  1868,  to  Emma  D.  James,  daughter  of  the  late 
Dr.  James,  of  Laceyville. 

George  Robinson  was  born  in  Forkston,  in  1834. 
He  was  a  farmer  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war, 
when  he  enlisted  in  the  203d  Pa.  volunteers,  and  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Fort  Fisher.  His  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Jane  Farr,  carries  on  the  farm  near 
Forkston  village. 

Orren  B.  Sharp,  farmer,  lumberman  and  saw-mill 
proprietor,  oldest  son  of  Elisha  Sharp,  was  born  in  Bain- 
bridge,  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.,  January  14th,  1831,  and 
came  with  his  parents  to  Windham  in  1832,  where  he 
has  since  resided,  now  owning  and  occupying  the  old 
homestead.  He  was  married  January  19th,  1854,  to 
Diantha  M.  Farr,  of  Windham,  and  has  two  sons  and 
two  daughters.  He  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  since 
1875- 

Davenport  Shoemaker  was  born  in  Windham,  Octo- 
ber 2Sth,  1841.  His  ancestors  were  among  the  early 
settlers  of  the  town.  He  was  married  July  4th,  1866,  to 
Susan  Harris,  of  the  same  town.  He  was  engaged  in 
farming  until  the  spring  of  1876,  when  he  located  at  Jen- 
ningsville,  where  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  carpen- 
ter and  joiner  business. 

George  W.  Smith  was  born  in  Tuscarora,  Bradford 
county.  Pa.,  January  30th,  1855,  and  came  to  Laceyville 
in  1872,  serving  as  dry  goods  clerk  for  six  years.  In 
January,  1878,  he  embarked  and  continued  in  trade.  He 
married,  February  22nd,  1880,  Louise,  daughter  of  Dr. 
R.  H.  Ely,  of  Laceyville.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  is  the  present  poormaster  of  Braintrim. 

John  G.  Spaulding  was  born  in  Forkston,  November 
9th,  1820.  His  father,  John  Spaulding,  was  born  in  Ver- 
mont, in  1789,  came  to  Furkston  in  1813,  and  settled  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  his  son.  He  has  been  totally 
blind  since  1830.  John  G.  was  married  to  Elizabeth  E. 
Bingers,  July  4th,  1844.  He  is  a  farmer  and  dealer  in 
real  estate.  He  owns  seven  farms  in  Wyoming  county, 
several  houses  and  lots  in  Forkston  village,  and  four  farms 
in  Bradford  county.  He  has  served  ten  years  as  justice 
of  the  peace,  nine  years  as  county  auditor,  and  has  held 
various  other  township  ofifices.  He  has  served  as  admin- 
istrator and  executor  in  settling  about  twenty  estates. 
He  generally  votes  the  Democratic  ticket. 

Herbert  E.  Sturdevant  was  born  at  Skinner's 
Eddy  in  1829.  His  early  manhood  was  spent  in  clerk- 
ing, after  which  he  was  engaged  in  trade  at  Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.  About  1859  he  returned  to  Skinner's  Eddy,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  lumbering  until  1869,  since  which  time 
he  has  served  as  station  agent  for  the  Lehigh  Valley 
Railroad  at  Skinner's  Eddy.  He  was  married  in  Novem- 
ber, 1857,  to  Mary  A.  McVeigh,  of  Philadelphia. 

Mrs.  Abi  Thayer,  whose  maiden  name  was  Conger, 
was  born  in  New  Jersey,  in  1816,  and  came  to  Lacey- 
ville in  1835.  The  following  year  she  njarried  Henry 
Thayer,  by  occupation  a  shoemaker  and  farmer,  who  died 


November  23d,    1876.     Mrs.   Thayer   has  long   been    a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Henry  Taylor,  son  of  Silas  S.  Taylor,  farmer,  a  na- 
tive and  lifelong  resident  of  Jenningsville,  was  born  Au- 
gust 24th,  1833.  He  was  formerly  engaged  in  lumber- 
ing. He  married  Abigail  Inman,  of  Windham,  Septem- 
ber 20th,  1851,  soon  after  which  he  located  on  his 
present  farm.  He  has  two  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters. 

Philip  Thomas  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany, 
November  13th,  1827,  and  was  a  commissioned  of- 
ficer in  the  German  array  during  the  rebellion  of  1848-9. 
In  December,  1849,  he  came  to  America,  first  locating  in 
Charleston,  S.  C,  where  he  engaged  in  tanning.  In  1854 
he  removed  to  Orange  county,  N.  Y.;  thence  to  Skinner's 
Eddy,  Pa.,  in  1857,  where  he  subsequently  built  and  op- 
erated a  tannery  imtil  it  was  burned,  in  November,  1879. 
Mr.  Thomas  has  served  in  official  capacities  almost  con- 
stantly since  locating  in  Wyoming  county.  He  was  elect- 
ted  county  commissioner  in  1876. 

Cyrus  Thompson,  an  old  and  respected  citizen  of  Wind- 
ham, was  born  in  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.,  September 
loth,  1806,  and  was  married  to  Dolly  Shepardson,  of  the 
same  county,  September  i8th,  1828.  Since  1830  he  has 
lived  in  Wyoming  and  Bradford  counties.  Pa.,  and  since 
1853  in  Windham.  His  principal  occupation  has  been 
manufacturing  lumber  and  shingles.  He  is  now  engaged 
in  the  bee  business. 

Daniel  L.  Thompson,  principal  of  the  Laceyville 
school  since  1878,  was  born  in  Bradford  county,  Pa., 
February  17th,  1839,  and  was  educated  at  Kingston  sem- 
inary. Formerly  he  was  a  teacher.  He  has  been  in  trade 
in  various  places  for  eighteen  years.  He  located  at 
Laceyville  in  1878,  and  married  Mary  E.  Cortright,  of 
Meshoppen,  February  i8th,  1880. 

John  Vandervort,  machinist,  is  a  native  of  Schoharie 
county,  N.  Y.,  born  January  6th,  1832,  and  came  with  his 
parents  to  Tuscarora,  Bradford  county,  in  1840.  In  1854 
he  went  to  Illinois,  where  he  was  farming  and  worked  at 
his  trade  fifteen  years.  Afterwards  he  operated  extensive 
iron  works  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  until  1874,  when  he  set- 
tled at  Laceyville  and  built  a  planing-mill  which  he  and 
his  son  still  operate,  manufacturing  bee  keepers'  supplies 
almost  exclusively.  He  is  extensively  engaged  in  the  bee 
and  honey  business  and  is  widely  known  throughout  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  York  as  a  scientific  and  successful  bee- 
keeper. He  is  the  inventor  of  several  improvements  in 
machinery  connected  with  the  business. 

Truman  B.  Vosburg  was  born  in  Washington,  Wyom- 
ing county.  Pa.,  June  29th,  1843,  and  married  Jen- 
nie Gay,  of  Meshoppen,  in  July,  1864.  He  was  a  farmer 
until  1866  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  trade  at  Russell 
Hill  two  years  and  at  Skinner's  Eddy  since  1868.  He 
has  been  postmaster  at  the  latter  place  since  1869.  He 
has  held  many  town  offices  and  was  elected  county 
treasurer  in   1875. 

George  W.  Walters,  blacksmith,  was  born  in  Indiana 
county.  Pa.,  November  22nd,  1855,  and  in  his  childhood 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Walterstown,  Blair  county, 
Pa.  In  T873  he  went  to  Wilkes-Barre,  where  he  learned 
the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  after  working  in  Plymouth 
and  Falls  located  at  Laceyville  in  1879.  He  was  mar- 
ried August  23d,  1877,  to  Blandena  Miller,  a  native  of 
New  York  State. 

Lorenzo  Whitney,  youngest  son  of  Walter  Whitney, 
was  born  on  his  present  farm,  February  3d,  1844.  In 
youth  he  was  a  teacher.  He  was  married  April  i3tb, 
1870,  to  Jeannette  Davenport,  of  Plymouth,  Luzerne 
county.  He  has  often  served  in  official  capacities,  hav- 
ing been  county  auditor  of  Wyoming  county. 


*f--= 


^H= 


=nI 


APPENDIX 


The  following  items  were  received  too  late  to  print  in 
the  proper  connection. 

LUZERNE   COUNTY. 

THE    WYOMING     MONUMENT. 

A  meeting  was  convened  at  the  house  of  James  Scovel, 
in  Exeter  township,  on  the  25th  of  November,   1809,   to 
adopt  measures  for  erecting  a  monument  to  the  memory 
of  those  who  perished   in   the  battle  and  massacre    of 
Wyoming  on  the  3d  of  July,    1778.     A  committee  was 
appointed   for  each   township  in   the   county   to   collect 
funds.     In  about  two  months  only  $300   was  collected, 
and  here  ended   the   matter  for  upwards  of  twenty-two 
years.     In   June,    1832,   the  bones  of  the  victims  of  the 
battle   and   massacre  were  discovered  in    one   common 
grave,  on  the  farm  of  Fisher  Gay.     On  the  3d  of  July 
following  a  meeting  was  held  on  the  monument  ground, 
and  among  the  resolutions  adopted    was    one    thanking 
Fisher  Gay  "  for  his  liberality  in  bestowing  the  ground 
necessary  for  the  erection  of  a  monument,  and  for  his 
attention   to   the  meeting."     July  3d,    1833,  the    corner 
stone  of  the  monument  was  laid   by  Elisha  Blackman, 
a  veteran,  who  was  in  the  battle.     A  box  was  deposited 
in  the  stone  by  Samuel  Carey,  another  survivor  of  the 
engagement.     It  contained  a  history  of  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  valley,  an  account    of  the  battle,  a  list  of 
the  names  of  those  who  fell  in  the  engagement,  a  dopy 
of  the  official  report  of  the  battle    by   Col.    Z.    Butler, 
a  copy  of  the  address  delivered    at    the    laying   of  the 
corner-stone,  by  Chester  Butler;  the    muster    roll    of  a 
company    commanded    by    Captain    Samuel     Ransom, 
made  out  September  17th,  1777;  copies  of  the  addresses 
delivered  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  May  and   the   Rev.  Mr.  Mur- 
ray at  a  former  meeting,  a  piece  of  each  denomination 
of   United   States   coin,  a  copy  of    President  Jackson's 
proclamation    to    the    people    of    the    United    States  in 
reference    to    the    hostile    attitude    of    South    Carolina 
towards    the    Federal    government,  and   a   copy  of  each 
new^spaper  then  published  in  the  county.     The  bones  of 
the  slain  were  deposited  in  the  ground,  and  prayer  offered 
by  Rev.  John  Dorrance.     In   1839,    1841  and  afterwards 
the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut   refused  an  appro- 
priation  of  $3,000  to  complete  the  monument.     In    1841 
patriotic   ladies  of   Luzerne   formed  a  society  called  the 
Luzerne  Monumental  Association.     Mrs.  C.  Butler  was 
made  president,    Mrs.   Hollenback  and  Mrs.  Carey  vice- 
presidents,  Mrs.  Harrison  Wright  treasurer  and   Mrs.   R. 
D.  Carey  secretary.     They  obtained   donations  at  home 
and   abroad,   held   a   fair   at  Wilkes-Barre   and  raised  a 
fund  of  $2,508.     In  order  to  raise  funds  the  ladies  had 
spread  a  monumental  dinner  in  Kingston  on  the    24th  of 
June,  1841.     It  was  largely  attended  and  the  association 
realized  a  handsome  return.     Rev.   T.    P.  Hunt,  Colonel 
H.  B.  Wright  and  Dr.  T.  W.  Miner  delivered  appropriate 
addresses.     But   the   most  united   and   general   effort  to 
secure   the   money   requisite  to  complete  the  monument 
was  made   at  the   fair  held   in   Wilkes-Barre  on  the  ist, 
2nd   and  3d  of  July  following.     By   this  fair  the  ladies 
obtained  $2,200.     This  sum  was  e^ipended,  and  a  monu- 
ment sixty-two  and  a  half  feet  in  height  was  raised,  com- 
posed of  the  granite  rocks  of  Luzerne.     The  inscriptions 
are  given  on  page  305.    In  1856  Fisher  Gay  sold  his  farm  to 


Payne  Pettebone.  The  deed  contained  provisions  secur- 
ing the  monument  site  to  the  association.  Mr.  Pettebone 
sold  the  property  to  Moses  Woodward,  and  he  to  Mr. 
Kesler  and  others,  and  their  several  deeds  reiterated  the 
same  provisions. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Wyoming  Historical  and  Geologi- 
cal Society,  January  i6th,  1864,  Payne  Pettebone,  Hon.W. 
S.  Ross  and  Colonel  Charles  Dorrance  were  named  as  a 
committee  to  collect  funds  for  enclosing  and  improving 
the  monument  grounds.  The  fence  was  built  and  trees 
planted  in  the  spring  of  1864  by  the  Wyoming  Monument 
Association,  which  was  incorporated  by  an  act  approved 
April  3d,  .i860. 

The  monument  proper  cost  about  $6,500.  Including 
grounds,  fencing,  trees  and  shrubbery  the  cost  was  about 
$8,000. 

M.  E.  CHAPEL,  PLEASANT  VALLEY. 

The  M.  E.  chapel  was  built  in  the  autumn  of  1878, 
and  dedicated  December  8th,  1878,  by  Rev.  A.  Griffin, 
of  West  Pittston.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  K. 
Wagoner.  The  present  (first)  board  of  trustees  consists 
of  George  W.  Shales,  William  HoUister,  Henry  Chapman 
and  Courtland  E.  Rolls,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  and  Jacob 
Welter,Charles  Mathewson  and  Charles  Hine,"of  Hughes- 
town;  stewards — William  Bell  and  Jason  L.  Harris,  of 
Pleasant  Valley,  Charles  Mathewson  and  Charles  Hine, 
of  Hughestown. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  as  a  Union  Sunday- 
school  in  1864.  It  was  held  in  a  school-house  until  the 
Presbyterian  church  was  built;  then  in  that  church  until 
January  ist,  1879;  since  in  the  chapel,  with  about  140 
scholars  and  teachers.  George  W.  Shales  is  the  superin- 
tendent. 

The  church  numbers  about  40  members.  Rev.  Charles 
Sackett  has  been  pastor  since  April  i6th,  1880. 

SHELDON    REYNOLDS. 

Sheldon  Reynolds,  third  son  of  Hon.  William  C.  Reynolds,  was  born 
at  Kingston,  Pa.,  Februai'y  32nd,  1845.  He  received  his  early  education 
at  the  Wyoming  Seminary,  and  graduated  in  the  class  of  1867  at  Tale 
College.  He  read  law  with  A.  T.  McClintock  and  was  admitted  in  1871. 
He  is  treasurer  of  the  Wyoming-  Historical  and  Geological  Society.  He 
married  Annie  B.,  only  daughter  of  Colonel  Charles  Dorrance. 


LACKAWANNA  COUNTY. 

LACKAWANNA    IRON  AND    COAL    COMPANY W.   W.  SCRAN- 

TON'S    RESIGNATION. 

On  the  8th   of  September,  1880,  after    our    history  of 

Scranton  was  printed,  W.  W.  Scranton  sent  to  the  board 

of  managers  of  the  Lackawanna  Iron  and  Coal  Company 

his  resignation  of  the  position  of  general  superintendent 

of  the  company's  works,  to  take  effect   three   days  later. 

The  Scranton  Republican  gave   the  following  account  of 

.  the  circumstances: 

"  The  incident  which  gave  rise  to  his  resignation  had  its  origin  in  con- 
nection with  affairs  at  the  Tilly  Foster  ore  mines,  Brewster's  station, 
New  York.  For  some  time  past  Mr.  Scranton  suspected  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  mines,  Andrew  Oosgrifl,  of  dishonesty  in  dealing  with 
contractors,  and  for  that  reason  sent  Robert  Reaves  from  this  city  with 
a  view  to  learning  him  the  business,  so  that  he  could  take  charge  of  the 
place.  At  the  .lune  meeting  of  the  board  of  managers  Mr.  Scranton 
told  them  he  intended  to  make  Heaves  superintendent  as  soon  as  he 
learned  the  business,  as  Cosgriff  had  been  in  collusion  with  two  contracts 
ors  named  Delaney  and  McNamara,  from  whom  he  was  getting  a  rebate 
of  fifteen  per  cent.  They  did  the  hoisting  of  the  ore,  for  which  they 
were  paid  a  dollar  a  ton.  Their  ordinary  pay,  which  should  not  exceed 
$S  a  day,  was  by  this  means  increased  to  fabulous  flgures.  Prior  to 
that  time  they  were  earning  only  J3  a  day  in  the  mines.  Cosgriff's  salary 
was  $300  a  month.  Scranton  discharged  him,  but  did  not  give  him  the 
reason,  merely  saying  the  company  did  not  need  his  services  any  longerr 
Mr.  Scranton  informed  the  company  of  the  fact,  and  the  very  next  day 


-^^ 


^h 


54° 


APPENDIX. 


=•4* 


the  toard  reinstated  Cosgriff  in  a  position  of  trust,  making  him  their 
real  estate  agent  at  that  place  without  giving  Mr.  Scranton  any  notice 
whatever." 

In  his  letter  of  resignation  Mr.  Scranton  said: 

"  The  action  of  our  people  in  reappointing  to  a  position  of  trust  (with- 
out any  notice  whatever  to  me  of  their  intention  so  to  do,  and  on  the 
very  day  after  I  had  discharged  him)  of  Andrew  Cosgi-iff ,  of  Tilly  Fos- 
ter mines,  whom  I  had  discharged  because  T  suspected  him  of  collusion 
with  his  contraotora  there,  and  of  whose  prospective  discharge  for  that 
reason  I  notified  our  hoai'd  at  their  June  meeting,  and  of  whom  my  sus- 
picions have  since  been  confirmed  by  the  confession  of  his  accomplices, 
appears  to  me  ti'eatment  so  extraordinary,  so  undeserved,  so  uncalled 
for,  that  I  feel  I  can  no  longer,  without  loss  of  self  respect,  remain  m 
the  service  of  the  company." 

Continuing,  he  recounted  his  services  to  the  company, 
recommended  numerous  improvements  in  the  vvrorks,  and 
expressed  his  heartiest  good  wishes  for  the  company's 
prosperity.  C.  F.  Mattes,  who  has  been  connected  with 
the  company  in  various  capacities  since  1841  (his  father, 
Philip  H.  Mattes,  having  been  one  of  the  original  invest- 
ors in  the  enterprise),  succeeded  Mr.  Scranton. 

MINISTERIAL     AND     OFFICIAL     CHANGES REV.    A.     R. 

HOPPER. 

Since  the  larger  portion  of  this  work  was  written  there 
have  been  some  changes  of  pastors  of  churches,  many  of 
officers  of  lodges  and  societies,  and  perhaps  a  few  in  the 
management  of  various  business  enterprises  in  the  several 
cities,  boroughs  and  townships  of  Luzerne,  Lackawanna 
and  Wyoming  counties.  Pa.  Attention  is  directed  partic- 
ularly to  the  following  items: 

Rev.  Dr.  A.  R.  Hopper  severed  his  pastoral  relation 
with  the'  Penn  avenue  Baptist  church,  Scranton,  July  ist, 
1880.  Rev.  David  Spencer  became  pastor  September  ist 
following.  He  was  pastor  of  a  church  in  Philadelphia 
thirteen  years,  and  for  three  years  secretary  of  the  Baptist 
Foreign  Missionary  Society.  He  has  occupied  various 
positions  of  responsibility  in  the  denomination,  and  gives 
the  ripest  years  of  his  life  to  his  new  field  of  labor.  Since 
the  settlement  of  Mr.  Spencer  the  church  has  been  refur- 
nished, and  a  new  pipe  organ,  built  by  Messrs.  Hook  & 
Hastings,  of  Boston,  has  been  put  in. 

Owing  to  the  itinerant  system  of  the  Methodist  church 
many  changes  of  pastors  have  been  made  in  churches  of 
that  denomination. 

SCRANTON  FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

The  name  of  Liberty  Hose,  jr.,  has  been  changed  to 
Niagara.  The  following  were  the  officers  and  member-' 
ship  of  the  fire  companies  at  the  time  of  publication : 

FranhHn  Engine  Company.— W.  H.  Keim,  foreman  :  John  Keira,  assis1>- 
ant;  W.  S.  Williams,  secretary;  26  members. 

Neptuiw  Enuine  Compa»?y.— Frederick  Rose,  foreman ;  W.  Hansleman, 
secretary ;  33  members. 

Nay  A-uy  Hose  Company.— George  Suydam,  foreman;  W.  S.  Kressler, 
assistant ;  G-.  W.  Gager,  secretary ;  24  members. 

Crijstal  Hose  Companij.—D.  J.  Newman,  foreman ;  Harry  Fuller,  assist- 
ant ;  A.  Needhara,  secretary ;  30  members. 

lAbcrty  Hose  Company.— .facoh  K.  Smith,  foreman ;  31  members. 

Gcnerrt/ P/ttji)ic/y  Jfosc. —Miles  Biesecker,  foreman;  H.  A.  Mace,  secre- 
tary ;  24  members. 

Relief  Engine  Company.— Jjoma  Meyers,  foreman ;  Charles  Wag-ner, 
secretary ;  44  members. 

Phoenix  Hose  Compa.ny.—'Mavx  Zizelmann,  foreman;    Swartz, 

secretary ;  1!1  members. 

Nia{iara  Hose  Companjy.— William  Zimmerman,  foreman ;  E.  W. 
Weston,  secretary ;  18  members. 

Hand^in-Ha^vX  Ermine  C'Jmpftnj/.— Patrick  Forkin,  foreman  ;  E.  P. 
McNalley,  secretary;  44  members.  This  company  has  received  its 
engine. 

Columbia  Hose  Company.— 3.  .T.  Mullen,  foreman  ;  Frederick  Leitner, 
assistant;  Louis  Schoen,  secretary ;  23  members. 

There  are  118  fire  hydrants  belonging  to   the  city  and 

20   to   companies  and  private   individuals   which  can  be 

used   in  case  of  fire.     The  city   owns  $20,000  worth  of 

personal  property  in   the   hands   of  the  fire  department, 

and  three  engine  houses,  valued  at  $10,500.     There  are 

four  steamers  owned  by  the  city.     The   amount  of   hose 

of  the   different   companies   is  as  follows:  Neptune  and 

Franklin,    750   feet   each;  Crystal   Hose   Company,  Nay 

Aug  and  General    Phinney,    1,000    feet;  Liberty     Hose 

Company  and  Relief  Engine  Company,  850  feet;  Phoenix 

and    Niagara,   350   feet;  Columbia,   800   feet;    Hand-in- 

Hand,  150  feet. 


OLYPHANT. 

The  Welsh  Congregational  Church  was  organized  by 
its  present  pastor,  a  resident  of  Greenfield,  during  the 
early  years  of  the  settlement  of  Olyphant.  It  has  a 
chapel  on  Church  street,  in  which  services  are  held. 
The  facts  of  the  society's  history  could  not  be  obtained, 
although  applied  for. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  parsonage  on  Church 
street  are  fine  buildings.  This  was  the  first  church 
organized  in  Olyphant,  and  it  is  the  strongest — numeri- 
cally and  financially.  Rev.  P.  A.  O'Rorke,  the  pastor, 
is  a  thorough  student  and  has  proved  himself  the  man 
for  the  place.  A  view  of  the  church  buildings  appears 
elsewhere. 

The  Olyphant  Brass  Band  wa.i  organized  prior  to  1861 
and  served  in  the  army  as  a  regimental  band.  The 
Edwards  family  (father  and  sons)  were  then  its  leading 
spirits.  A  few  years  since  it  was  reorganized  under  the 
leadership  of  Mr.  Thomas  Mason,  a  well  known  musician. 

ARCHBALD. 

The  German  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  by 
Rev.  Christian  Lords,  about  1852.  It  has  passed 
through  various  financial  troubles,  having  twice  lost  its 
building  by  fire,  but  now  owns  a  neat  and  substantial 
brick  edifice  on  River  street.  It  was  at  one  time  con- 
nected with  Montrose  Presbytery,  but  owing  to  some 
misunderstanding  it  severed  its  connection  with  that 
body  and  is  now  independent. 

JERMYN. 

The  Jermyn  Silver  Cornet  Band  was  inaugurated  by 
Professor  Richard  Jay,  who  has  bi ought  it.  to  a  fine 
state  of  proficiency.  The  band  won  a  prize  of  $100  at 
a  tournament,  and  in  1880  was  a  contestant  for  the 
Eistedfodd  prize  at  Hyde  Park,  where  its  playing  drew 
forth  the  highest  encomiums  from  all  present. 


WYOMING  COUNTY. 

KEYSTONE    ACADEMY,    FACTORYVILLE, 

an  institution  for  the  instruction  of  both  sexes  in  arts 
and  literature,  was  chartered  in  .  1868.  The  institution 
owns  18  acres  of  woodland,  improved  as  a  campus;  a 
brick  edifice  100  by  50  feet,  four  stories  high;  a  library 
of  600  volumes,  apparatus  and  other  school  property, 
costing  $30,000.  The  principal  gifts  have  come  from 
Edrick  and  James  Frear,  A.  C.  Sisson,  Nathaniel 
Hallstead,  Thomas  Moore,  H.  H.  Bailey  and  E.  A. 
Coray,  while  many  others  have  also  made  donations  to 
the  institution. 

The  school  was  organized  in  1869,  under  John  H. 
Harris  as  principal,  and  continued  under  his  care  ten 
years.  During  these  years  over  700  young  men  and 
women  attended  from  several  counties.  In  1879,  150 
students  were  in  attendance,  of  whom  103  were  from  a 
distance;  about  two-thirds  were  pursuing  academic 
studies. 

After  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Harris,  in  1879,  Rev. 
William  C.  Tilden,  A.  M.,  was  principal  one  year. 
In  July,  1880,  Mr.  Harris  resumed  the  principalship. 
The  office  of  lady  principal  has  been  held  by  Mrs. 
Hattie  Bower,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Harris,  Miss  Louisa  A. 
Northup  and  Miss  Sarah  Tingley.  Rev.  John  Ballan 
tine  has  served  the  academy  seven  years  with  great  ac- 
ceptance in  the  chair  of  Ancient  Languages.  Other 
teachers  have  been  F.  E.  Bower,  A.  M.,  C.  C.  Bower, 
W.  E.  Capwell,  A.  B.  Fitch,  D.  W.  Brown,  James  E. 
Frear,  A.  B.,  and  others. 

The  institution  maintains  a  boarding  department, 
which  has  been  from  the  beginning  under  the  care  of 
Mrs.  Harriet  Bailey,  matron. 


-^\